PRICE SIX CENTS, 
*2.50 PER YEAR. 
VOL. XXXV. No. 2. 1 
WHOLE No. 1107. f 
[Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1877, by the Rural Publishing Company, in the ollitie of the Librarian of Congress at Washington.] 
ia filled with low-growing annuals, generally 
Finks, which, aa the soil ia rich and rather moist, 
bla/.o away from early summer until frosts, 
without the mid-summer shahbineas that in hot¬ 
ter, drier positions, annuals generally asaumo 
for three or four weeks. 
The arbor is capped with a littlo Iron bird- 
house, which la monopolized by blue-birds—per- 
hapB for tho reason that iron houses are too hot 
for birds that build their nests later in the sea¬ 
son, There is nothing that moro enlivens an 
arbor of vines or a thicket of shrubb and trees, 
of which wo mako a resort during summer's 
heat, than gaily-plumaged birds; and the trou¬ 
ble of plaou>" bird-houses hero and tlioro and of 
scattering a little food onco in awhilo, that they 
may be attracted iu greater numbers and become 
loss timid, ismanyUOioa repaid by tho pleasure 
of their inspiriting company. 
Following the path m the right of tho picture, 
wo are led over a littlo hid to the (lower-beds 
and borders, of which it would l>o difficult in a 
small engraving to give any just idea. There 
aro upwards of twenty plots of irregular shapes, 
separated by paths or grass margins. Some aro 
filled with hardy shrubs, with herbaceous plants 
between; one is given to large-leaved plants, 
with a view to what is known as “ tropical ef- 
through several seasons before they were pos¬ 
sessed of strength enough to make much growth 
or CO give their usual profusion of flowers. 
Meantime Jachmanii, Lady Caroline Noville, 
Velulina purpurea, Sophia, Fair Rosamond and 
Lanuginosa, purchased here afterwards, aro 
those alone which have grown tailor spreading 
enough to be seen above tho Hemlock and Arbor- 
vit® in front of them. So many of the plants of 
this importation were dead when received, or 
died afterwards, that wo reckoned the coat of tho 
Clematis as ten dollars each! Stronger vinos 
might have been purchased hero a year after¬ 
wards for two dollars each, a fact that, may serve 
to divide our readers between a respect for our 
‘•spirit or enterprise ” and an opinion that even 
a “ mania for plants ” can poorly justify so reck¬ 
less ae expenditure. 
On tho other aide of tho arboris the Arislolo- 
chia, with its bold, groat leaves overlapping 
each other, like the scales of an immense fish, 
and forming as strong a contrast with the locust- 
liko leaves of tho Akdria as well can bo. Tho 
Clematis vines aro so aelected that a continuity 
of bloom is maintained until after hard frosts. 
Their large flowers aro lilac and white, light 
blue, dark bluo, pure white, light and dark pur¬ 
ple. The marginal bod in which thoy are planted 
that, however familiar to every eye, we better 
adapted thereto. 
It may surprise some of our readers and per¬ 
haps serve to change the minds of those who 
believe that a short life-time is reiftiired before 
newly laid out and planted grounds can pre¬ 
sent an engaging appearance, when wo toll them 
that, had sketches been made of this section of 
tho hen At, grounds but four years ago, a few 
distressed Applo treos, a singlo wild Tidip and 
post-and-rail fences would have formed its strik¬ 
ing ornaments. One of these old Applo trees, 
still suffered to remain, is Been in the extreme 
left of the engraving of this page, and two oth¬ 
ers in the extreme right. 
About tho arbor, vines aro planted—for tho 
most part Clematis—a single Ariatolochia xiphn 
an Akehiaquinat/i and a Dioacurea Balalas. It 
will bo noticed that with all those vines, tho ar¬ 
bor is Btill only partly covored. The reason ia 
this: Wo wished varieties of the Clematis that 
could not then he obtained in this country, such 
as Jstmoniana, Syraeiana, Ht-nnyi, etc. Thoy 
wore therefore ordered from Edinburg with 
VIEWS IN THE “RURAL” GROUNDS, 
Those portions of tho Ruhal grounds of which 
w© aro now to speak aro rolling, and the soil is 
as variable in different parts as the surface is 
diversified. Thus natural advantages aro so- 
cured for a rango of hardy plants that can sel¬ 
dom Joe made to flourish within so circumscribed 
an area—advantages of no trilling value to thoso 
who, delighted with the charms of horticultural 
pursuits, aro no less eager to procure tho great¬ 
est number of species and varieties than they aro 
to have them live, thrive and consummate their 
finest, individual characteristics. It is of littlo 
consequence what prico is paid for flowers, 
shrubs or trees, or to what wonderful beauty 
they may attain in their native habitats or else¬ 
where, they can never prove interesting objects 
in tho grounds to whioh they may havo boon 
removed, unless provided with tho noeds of their 
existence, and had better give place to plants 
