RAL NEW-YORKER 
ortinittoral, 
PLEASANT WORDS WITH RURAL 
READERS. 
Rural Grounds, July 15. 
Never, since this section of the Rural 
Grounds has existed as such, have we had a 
more glorious spring aud summer. There has 
not been one period when grass, plants, trees, or 
shrubs have suffered for want of rain—never a 
period when it seemed that there was too much 
rain. Two years ago, about this date, the little 
valley in which the lake is situated, was so flood¬ 
ed. that it became a furious little torrent, carry¬ 
ing along with it fences and bridges, and so de¬ 
stroying a part of the southern bank over which 
it rushed, that we greatly feared the inner struct¬ 
ure, composed of stones and cement, would be 
carried away. 
During that summer, everything suffered from 
too much rain. In the garden, Tomato. Melon, 
and CuoumliHr vines were drowned to death. In 
the flower borders, small plants were splashed 
aud upset and broken daily. The roads and paths 
were scarcely repaired before other clouds would 
roll over, dump their contents, and reopen the 
gulleys and ruts formed by the preceding show¬ 
er. Last Bumraor, the relentless drought which 
prevailed, is well known to our readers, and 
though the damage actually done was found to 
be loss than was anticipated during its dreary 
existence—when, in truth, the red-hot sun and 
scorched or wiltod leaves aud grass were a sad 
sight—the summer passed, fulfilling but a miser¬ 
ly part of its promised pleasures. 
As if to compensate for two seasons of contra¬ 
riness, the present summer, as we have said, is 
all that could be wished for, and it is no matter 
of surprise that those grounds of the Rural are 
moro delightful thau ever before. We wish it 
were practicable that those for whom we write 
and whom we strive to please—the friends, cor¬ 
respondents and subscribers of this journal, 
OOI)Id pay us a Visit—could hold a picnic here— 
that all might become acquainted, and the Rural 
thus rendered a medium of communication—a 
central point of interest—for the mutual ex¬ 
change of valuable thoughts, and the engendor- 
ment of kindliest feelings. 
A PROPOSITION. 
This may not bo. But we herewith make a 
proposition that, in a limited degree, looks to the 
same object. Fur a year or moro past, we have 
propagated a goodly number or plants (the best 
known to us) and offered them as prizes to those 
procuring ub one subscriber or moro. Wo now 
offer a list, not for the purpose of obtaining new 
subscribers, but for the purpose of inducing our 
friends to contribute their horticultural experi¬ 
ence for publication: 
For the best Kitchen Garden article not to 
exceed one column, wo offer the collection No. 
One, shipped, express paid, to destination. By 
“Kitchen Garden” article, is meant any article 
that shall treat upon any vegetables or plants, 
such as Tomatoes, Peas, Strawherrios, Aspara¬ 
gus, etc., usually cultivated for family use upon 
limited areas. For the second, third, fourth and 
fifth articles in merit upon the same subject, 
we offer the collection marked No. Three. 
For the best article not exceeding one column, 
upon hardy, ornamental trees, shrubH, or hardy 
or tender herbaceous or bedding plants, the col¬ 
lection No. Two. For the Beeou.l, thud, fourth 
and fifth, the collection No. Three. 
To all others sending In articles upon any of 
the above topics — whether accepted or rejected 
(only bo that “ good faith ” is stamped upon 
them)—wo agree to send, post-paid, a packet 
of seeds of any two of the varieties in No. 
Four. Thus it may be seen that general in¬ 
ducements are offered to all. As our own re¬ 
ward, we have only to hope that this offer may 
assist in the promotion of a general plan on the 
part of the Management to render the Rural 
more attractive and valuable than it has ever 
been before. The Collections consist of the fol¬ 
lowing : 
COLLECTION NUMBER ONE. 
1. Salix pmtandra. —A little-known tree of 
great beauty having large, glossy leave i, com¬ 
pact habit, and flourishing in any situation, dry 
or wet. 
2. Golden Arbor Vita*, “ George Peabody." 
A novelty, of a rare and profuse golden color, 
which it retains throughout the year. Perfectly 
hardy. 
3. Hibiscus Syr incus variegatus. — Probably 
the best variegated shrub in cultivation. Com¬ 
pact, hardy, creamy-white and deep-green. 
1 Hibiscus Syriacus (not variegated). — A 
beautiful and distinct seedling raised in the Ru¬ 
ral Grounds. 
° Weiyela nivea .—The new snow-white Wei- 
gela. 
K Clematis Henryi .—Imported four years ago 
Worn Loudon. Flowers, 7K inches acrosB, lus¬ 
trous white. 
7. Clematis Jackmanni. —Intense blue. The 
best of all the old varieties and everywhere es¬ 
teemed. 
8. Hydrangea paniculata grandiflora. —This 
was honored with the first place among hardy 
shrubs in the Rural Election. 
9. Hardy Phlox.—A collection of six imported 
varieties. 
10. —The following rare collection of Gladioli, 
warranted true to name and among the choicest 
in cultivation. The prices at which they are sold 
may be ascertained by referring to any good 
catalogue: 
Mary Stewart.—Hortense—Octavla—Le Pbere 
—Shakespeare—Adalino Snedeker (a cross-bred 
seedling raised in Rural Grounds) —Sir \Vm. 
Honker—Benvenuto. 
COLLECTION NUMBER TWO. 
1. Konig Albert.—The new double Ivy Pelar¬ 
gonium. 
2. Pelargonium Happy Thought. — Leaves 
have a cream-white disc. 
3. The now double Pelargonium Dieul do 
Strasbourg.—As desirable in every way as Marie 
Lemoiue, but the color of the flower is darker 
and richer. 
4. Pelargonium. — “Rural Seedling.” The 
white flowers are distinctly striped with deep 
rose. 
5. Collection of Gladioli as in Collection No. 
One. 
6. Geranium sanguineum. —A true Gorauinm 
that will endure at least 20 1 below zero. Flow¬ 
ers rose color and abundant. Habit, low, com¬ 
pact. Leaves deep - green, Hmall, and deeply 
lobed. One of the moat desirable of hardy her¬ 
baceous plants. Nearly ovorgreen. 
7. Clematis Henryi. —As in Collection No. One. 
8. Clematis Jackmanni. —Do. 
9. Hibiscus Syriacus var. —Do. 
10. Hydrangea paniculata grandiflora. —Do. 
COLLECTION NUMBER THREE. 
1. Geranium sauguinenm. —As in Collection 
No. Two. 
2. Five named Gladioli, —Not to cost loss, ac¬ 
cording to catalogue prices, than $1 each. 
3. TrUorna uvana. 
4. Double-flowered Tiger Lily. 
COLLECTION NUMBER FOUR. 
1. Heods of Godelia “Lady Albemarle." 
'Easily raised from seed a novelty or great 
merit. 
2. Bill blots of the choicest variety of Gladioli. 
3. Pelargonium Beeda saved from double flow- 
era only. 
4. Seeds of Cleome spimsa. Of this plant we 
shall, in due time, give a full description. 
Contributions will be recoived until Oct. lBt. 
Awards will be made shortly after so that all hardy 
plants may be placed In the ground before cold 
weather. 
BUDOING. 
In answer to a question by our correspondent, 
“ J- W. S.,” we give the essential instructions as 
to budding—a subject that has been gone over 
so often in those columns, that except for new 
subscribers who have not back numbers to refer 
to, we should not think it necessary to dwell 
upon now. 
Budding is essentially the same as grafting. 
In the latter case, we use a part of the stem; in 
the former, a part .of tho bark having a Bingle 
bud attached to it. Many who take a decided 
interest in horticultural matters never attempt 
to bud, for the only reason that they take it for 
granted that it is a skillful operation, successfully 
performed only with a good deal of practice. 
This is a mistake, the more to be regretted in 
that there is no other horticultural practice that 
can, with so little trouble, be turned to so valua¬ 
ble an account, whether ornament or utility be 
the object sought. If a child knew when to bud, 
and the manipulation of budding were once ex¬ 
plained to him, he could perform the operation 
as successfully as a growu person. It is, there¬ 
fore, a matter of surprise that young ladies, 
girls and boys who delight to work in the soil 
and among flowers, should not bo familiarized 
therein. 
A seed, a bud, a cutting, a graft or cion, is 
merely a different method of working the same 
result, modified by tho different conditions in 
which it is placed. Every seed contains a bud 
analogous to the buds upon the twig or 
branch. The bud of the seed lives upon its al¬ 
bumen until it can project fibers into the earth 
sufficient thence to draw its nutrimunt. The 
cutting lives upon the elaborated material 
contained within itself until, In like manner, 
roots issue from the extremity placed in the 
ground. While, therefore, the seed and cutting 
arc planted in tho ground—or other medium 
which can supply warmth aud moisture—we may 
say that the soience of budding consists in plant¬ 
ing tho bud in tho stem or branch of any tree so 
nearly akin as to offer it food adapted to its 
wants. 
It will occur to the reader that this bud-ptant- 
ing process may be performed in a groat variety 
of ways, a description of which would fill a book. 
We give only that method generally preferred in 
this country, and which is as easily understood 
and practiced as any other. 
With a sharp knife make a clean cross-cut 
through the bark to the sap-wood. Starting 
from the middle of this cross-cut, make another 
out downward—that, is, with the “ grain ” of the 
bark, forming with the first, two right-angles, as 
shown in Fig. 1. 
Select plump buds from branches of this sea¬ 
son’s growth, and cut them off as HtnoothJy as 
possible in a shield form, as in Fig. 2. Tho peti¬ 
ole or leaf-stalk (A) may lie loft, so that with less 
liability of injury to tho mid, it may he pressed 
down between the hark and wood until lilted in 
its proper position, as in Fig. 3. Should the 
top of the “shield” protrude above the cross, 
cut it off even therewith. Then bind with yarn, 
or any other pliable substance, below and above 
the bud, to hold it firmly in its place and to ex¬ 
clude air. 
July and August are tho months for tins cli¬ 
mate during which tho operation of budding is 
most successfully performed, and the best lime 
is that when the bark parts most freely from the 
wood. This is easily ascertained by experiment¬ 
ing every day or so, as tho probable time drawB 
near, upon twigs of the kinds of plants upon 
which wo wish to bud. 
If seedling, worthless fruit have sprung up 
here and there in our gardens, let it be consider¬ 
ed that a worthless fruit troo occupies just as 
much room as a choice one, aud that the former 
may be changed into tho latter now. If, for 
our own gratification or tho amusement of our 
friends, it is desired to have a standard Rose 
growing out of a running Rose—white, rod, and 
purplish Lilacs upon one stock -Weeping Wil¬ 
low’s growing out of Upright Willows—and so on 
without end, budding is the way to accomplish it. 
We throw out. these hints to our young friends 
particularly—and wo hope we may hear that 
they have acted upon them, and, in duo time, 
that surprising success has attended their first 
efforts. 
-» » » 
MISCELLANEA. 
There are so few really satisfactory “ Annuals,” 
that the introduction of Godctia Lady Albemarle, 
which is really good, is something to rejoico 
over. 
It is a dwarf plant less than one foot in bight 
—quite shrubby and constantly in bloom. The 
flowers resemble small hollyhocks, though in no 
wise related to them, these belonging to the 
Mallow—thoso to the Evening Primrose family. 
Tho color is a deep rose, or rather, perhaps, a 
magenta, while the edge has a quarter - inch 
margin of a distinctly lighter shade. Our plants 
were started in a cold-frame, and put out the 
latter part of May; they began blooming the 1st 
of July, and have been in constant bloom since. 
Tho HeodH germinate as easily as those of Zinnia, 
and might bo started in seed-beds in tho open 
ground. For all of which reasons, we place Go- 
detia “ Lady Albemarle ” as among the best of 
Annuals. It will be remembered, we have given 
notes respecting it since it was first noticed in 
England. 
Gladioli. 
Among one hundred varieties of this splendid 
flower, Shakespeare is tho first to bloom in the 
Rural Grounds (July 18). It has always seemed 
to us that if a Gladiolus wore less profuse of 
bloom—if, tor instance, it bore hut one flower- 
it would still be highly prized. When, in place 
of one, it is considered that each spike consists 
of twenty or more flowers, and that each cornu 
sends up several scapes, if the value of floral 
treasures were estimated by numbers as well as 
by individual beauty the Gladiolus would be 
worth its weight in gold (“ or nearly so.") 
Hortense is almost as early as Shakespeare, 
and the first having a cherry ground and tho 
Becond h white ground, and both largo, widely- 
opened flowers, they form, when blooming side 
by side, “ a lovely pair.” 
Thoso who planted their Gladioli early and all 
at once, will Boon have the opportunity of enjoy¬ 
ing their flowers “ all at once.” Is it not more 
satisfactory to extend the blooming period by 
successive plantings ? 
POBTULAOA. 
A bed of double Portulaca is one of tho floral 
treasures of which we never tiro, aud which we 
never dream of doing without oven for a single 
season. To establish one of really doublo flow¬ 
ers, Is a work of .several years, and when estab¬ 
lished, it is necessary to pull up any plant which 
I hears a single or semi-doable flower as 
-*■ soon as it opens — else in tho place of a 
f ew seeds of double flowers, hundreds of 
those of single flowers will be self-sown 
and a bed of, for tho most part, single 
Portulaca, will be tho disappointing re- 
_ I suit for the onsning year. 
The double flower lasts several hours 
longer thau the single, and in dull 
weather for the wholcday. They are 
matchless little roses, and tho bril¬ 
liancy of their several colors quite 
bedim those of most othor flowers grow¬ 
ing near enough for comparison. 
J Spiracas. 
Two native Npirioas of considerable 
beauty are blooming now in meadows, 
woods, and along hedges. They are 3. 
tomentosa (Iiardhack or Stoeplebush) and 3. 
salicifolia (Common Meadow-Sweet.) Tho first 
grows to the bight of two foot or moro, and 
bears dense terminal panicles of rosy flow¬ 
ers; tho second, growing a little taller, bears 
whitish flowers in compound panicles some¬ 
times a foot in length. Both are offered in 
nurserymen's catalogues. Wo mention them 
for the benefit of thoso who prefer to procure 
them from the woods. They may bo transplant¬ 
ed now—or, marked for removal in the tall. 
HEMLOCK HEDGES. 
Eds. Rural New-Yorker: —I undertook, four 
years ago this spring, the task of establishing an 
ornamental Hemlock hedge, of over twenty rods’ 
length, in front of my yard, and so far without 
success. 
I first removed an old fence, threw out the 
turf, drawing dirt, in which I set the trees, 
which 1 procured on the odgo of a piece of woods 
considerably exposed to the wind and sun. These 
were set out the 4th day of May, and wore from 
eighteen inches to two and a-half feet high. I 
found, tho following spring, that the most of 
them wore dead. Have resot each spring. Last 
year 1 waited until June, when I set deeper, with 
moro pains, aud watered two or three times in 
July and August. This season I find only about 
a third alive. Soil, heavy clay and gravel. 
I write you Upon tho subject, because I notice 
a lino Hemlock hedge in your Experimental 
Grounds, as illustrated last winter. My trees 
wore kept out of tho oarth about five hours, but 
were kept wet and were puddled before setting. 
I had thought, this spring, of setting in sand, 
and mulching and wotting in dry weather. Tho 
ends of tho branches soem to dry up aud die first. 
Now, then, what aro tho most important condi¬ 
tions to be observed in this enterprise, over which 
I feel so enthusiastic? How largo should the 
trees be ? When should they bo set, aud how 
treated the first year ? Any other information 
will greatly oblige. S. S. Otis. 
Deer River, N. Y. 
Answer by Samuel Parsons. 
In reply to the above, we feel it best first to 
correct certain mistaken notions which tho writer 
appears to entertain. There is a prevalent idea 
that much may be saved by taking trees from 
tho woods for any desired plantation. In a sense, 
this is true, and, accomplished with due judg¬ 
ment and patience, tho result may bo successful; 
but in tho majority of cases all such attempts 
will probably eomo to grief. The habits and pe¬ 
culiarities of structure, induced by growing under 
the shade and among the roots of forest trees, 
will entirely unfit auy plant for the changed con¬ 
ditions of an open lawn. Iu saying this, we refer 
more especially to well-grow u Hemlocks and other 
evergreens which have attained the settled habits 
that render all such transplanting particularly 
dangerous. 
J f, however, small Hemlocks, six to eight inches 
high, are selected from some moro or less open 
glade or edge of the woods, they may, on account 
of the more adaptable nature of extreme youth, 
be induced to live planted in rows or beds. After 
such treatment, they may be moved, during suc¬ 
ceeding years, with entire safety until the crowd¬ 
ing of extreme size destroys the quality of the 
roots. 
The laborious and expensive method of lifting 
trees with a frozen ball of ourth, may bo applied 
very successfully to the Hemlock. The tree, dug 
around and under in early winter, soon finds its 
roots firmly incased in frozen earth, aud there¬ 
fore enabled to endure transportation without 
disturbance or exposure. Having explained, 
