NEW YORK, AND ROCHESTER, N. Y, APRIL 12, 1873 
( PRICE SIX CENTS 
1 $£.50 PER YEAR. 
[■Entered according to Act of Congress, In the year 1873, by D. T), T. Moork, In the office of the librarian of Congress, at Washington.] 
The garden borders were enlarged, and in 
due season every bed and corner was occu¬ 
pied with strong, healthy plants ; and for a 
brief season we rested from our labors. But 
weeds grew, and we soon found that ” eter¬ 
nal vigilance” was not only ‘‘the price of 
liberty,” but of well-kept llower-bods ; and 
what we intended should be a most delight¬ 
ful pastime, had really become a heavy tax 
ou time and strength. 
It is true, there were wonderful Asters, 
Balsams, Pansies and Pinks, besides many 
Other beautiful flowers ; but for lack of room 
to plant those of one color in separate beds, 
our garden, at a little distance, presented a 
piebald appearance, not very pleasing to a 
professional florist. However, we spent near¬ 
ly every spare hour, during the summer, in 
trying to keep it in order, but found ourselves 
eclipsed, at last, by a quiet little neighbor, 
whose few varieties of flowers, artistically 
arranged, with contrasting colors, challenged 
admiration, and absorbed only so much of 
her time as she ought to spend in the garden. 
Our wisdom was dearly purchased, but has 
ing, while the crystal dew drops wore yet 
upon their petals as if they were tears of .joy 
at our appearance—petals of purest, white, 
ethereal blue, violet purple and golf 1—all as 
if from one parent stock. M. j, w. m. 
since guided us aright in the selection of no 
more seeds than our means and leisure will 
permit us to cultivate to the best advantage. 
R. D. 
PRIMULA JAPONICA 
MASSING PANSIES 
We herewith give an illustration of the 
new Japan Primrose, upon which the English 
florists have expended all their strong adjec¬ 
tives usually employed in praising new plants. 
One says, “ Hail I Queen of the Primroses 
another says, “ No plant has created such a 
sensation since the day when the fAlium 
aura turn was Introduced /is this royal Prim¬ 
rose.” We do not doubt that it. deserves all 
the praise bestowed upon it, for a Primrose 
growing a foot and a half high, bearing four 
or live whorls of flowers, of a rich Magenta 
color, and each flower an inch In diameter, is 
certainly tin object worthy of admiration. 
The well known botanist and collector, Mr. 
Robert Fortune, met this plant in Japan 
some ten or more years ago, and sent a num¬ 
ber to England, but none reached their desti¬ 
nation alive, Ever since that time efforts 
have been made to secure others, without 
success, until a package of seeds was ob¬ 
tained, from which the present stock were 
raised. This new and beautiful Primrose iB 
perfectly hardy in England, and probably 
will succeed in the open ground in this coun¬ 
try, even in the Northern States, with a little 
protection. 
We notice that some of our most enter¬ 
prising florists are offering the plants for sale, 
consequently we shall soon know all about it 
through actual experience. The Chinese 
double white Primrose is one of the most 
valuable plants for cut flowers in winter, and 
although our florists have been propagating 
it extensively for the past half dozen or more 
years, still the demand exceeds the supply. 
The demand for flowers is not only constant¬ 
ly increasing but the public taste is undergo¬ 
ing a change, and small, neat flowers are in 
greater demand than formerly, and the Prim¬ 
rose comes in most admirably. 
TO PRESERVE CUT FLOWERS 
Since pansies have become such universal 
favorites with the practical and amateur 
florists, it is but little use to say anything 
about their culture; they are so modest, 
yielding to almost any treatment, and yet 
making a good floral display whet her in the 
house or out in the open ground. As they 
are generally grown in the garden, the many 
ways in which they are served up is quite 
astonishing. Having had some experience 
with them, for several rears past, as single 
plants and for edging, etc,, I have found 
them to give the best satisfaction when all 
colors arc grown en masse. There are few 
flowers that will excel a lino bed of pansies, 
all colors mixed. 
One of the most beautiful sights I ever saw 
was a mass of them on a cool October mom- 
A correspondent says:— Place and ar¬ 
range the cut flowers in a vase or deep plate, 
lllled with water; then cover the same with 
a glass, such as is used in apiaries, having a 
small hole at. the top, as the uir must not be 
entirely excluded, but sufficient ventilation 
given to allow the damp to escape. A dish 
of wild flowers tins placed has been kept 
more than ten days In perfect beauty, making 
fresh buds and expanding every day. These, 
without a glass, would be more difficult to 
keep fresh and without drooping than garden 
or green-house flowers, but not less beautiful 
or wort hy of care and attent ion. 
FLORICULTURAL NOTE ! 
Hybridising Oemninms. —(M. W.)—There 
is but one way of effecting the hybridization 
of plants, and that is to apply the pollen of 
one species to the stigma of anotlu r. Most 
of the present race of Geraniums are not hy¬ 
brids, but cross-breds. You will need to re¬ 
move the stamens of tlie flower you wish to 
operate on before the pollen is ripe, and en¬ 
velope. the flowers in a gauze bag both before 
and after the pollen of the other has been ap¬ 
plied to one or all of the horn-like stigmas. 
When the seed vessels enlarge, you may re¬ 
move the bag. The best time to apply the 
pollen is in the early part of the day, and the 
plants seed more freely when they are kept 
rather dry, so as not to lie gross, a dry, well- 
vent ilntod atmosphere being necessary. — 
Cottage Gardener. 
Verbena* and Petunias have blossomed 
freely in the window for Mrs. Brown, since 
the holidays, anil she attributes their thus 
blooming to the fact that she slipped them 
into the pots they were to bloom in in June, 
put glass over them until they were well 
rooted, then gave them good care until frosty 
nights, when they were removed to the house, 
keeping plenty of fresh air in the rooms and 
plenty of water singing in a kettle, day and 
night, in the room in which they grow, both 
of which promote the health of plants and 
people. 
Sweet Peas .—A skillful cultivator of this 
flowering plant says that, if properly grown, 
it will bloom for months ; that failure arises 
from poor soil, sowing too thickly, and not 
allowing a well developed and luxuriant 
growth. The soil should be very rich, and 
for a hedge or screen, the peas sown in a row. 
To keep up the bloom, the seed pods must 
be promptly removed, as the growth and 
ripening of seeds would exhaust the strength 
of the plant. By this process they will bloom 
all summer and until frost. -Jowa Homestead. 
Ladv Corrcsvondenls relative to floricul- 
TOO MANY FLOWERS 
With six new catalogues on the table, from 
us many florists, every one of which Is a gem 
iu its way, how is one to choose, and where 
limit the selection of seeds f The cunning 
seedsmen allure ns with pretty pictures and 
promises of flowery harvests ; but don’t buy 
too many of the lovely tilings advertised iu 
the catalogues, lest you reap “ vexation of 
spirit.” 
Our own experience looms up before us 
like a warning beacon, and, hereafter, we 
shall resist the temptation to purchase more 
seeds than we .can grow to perfection. A 
dollar’s collection of annuals was our first in¬ 
vestment, and we were so well pleased with 
this attempt at floriculture that we resolved 
to have a magnificent garden another year. 
Large orders were sent to several florists, 
embracing nearly all the most popular an¬ 
nuals, besides many biennials and perennials. 
As yet, we had no hot-hod or cold* frame, and 
by tlie time the seeds of tender plants were 
all sown in boxes, in the house, and properly 
labeled, we began to mistrust our ability to 
provide suitable quarters for our numerous 
seedlings ; and when they were transplanted, 
nearly every window and sunny spot in the 
house was monopolized by boxes, pots and 
dishes of every description. It began to look 
like most too much of a good thing—at least 
to the lord of the mansion ; but, having fair¬ 
ly started, we concluded to carry out the 
original programme. 
