DEG. 22 
THE 
EW-YORKER. 
ten years, ago—kerosene was well indorsed as a 
sure cme for coccus, and all the other Been and 
unseen illB and pests of trees. It could not 
hurt, they said ; even green leaves could stand 
the wash, pare and simple. 
Well, I tried the remedy, and brought some 
fine trees nigh unto death. Luckily they were 
in leaf, and were more able to stand the scald 
than when dormant and under naked spray in 
their winter rest. Eveu in spring-time, after 
the sap begins to llow, and vegetation is getting 
ready her summer wear, it’s safer to try a new 
nostrum than in dead winter. Bat thenceforth 
I gave up my faith in kerosene as a tree-remedy, 
unless very well diluted. Carbolic acid should 
staud under the same dread and caution. 
And now comes linseed oil to the front, as a 
sure cme for coocus and the mites that fasten 
on our tree-trunks and twigs. But, some say, 
that kills too. If it kills with some, and cures 
with others, there is a reason therefor. The 
hint which comes, that a mixture of linseed and 
some extract of petroleum is sold for pure lin¬ 
seed, would well account for some bad results. 
But, may not this ill-luck of some in its use come 
as well from paiuting our fruit trees therewith 
in the wrong season, as from any iuherout sting 
or scald therein, whether pure or mixed with 
what we well know will hurt ? 
Now, whatover anything will cure, there is 
some reason for its doing so. The first observer 
of the fact, and even those who look at it a long 
whilo, can rarely tell ns of its why. The aver¬ 
age man doeB not take a very faBt or sure gait 
back from a result even to its apparent cause ! 
If the reason is obscure, he drops it with a 
guess. The men are rare who will study out 
the hidden movements of the littlo mites whose 
stings, and bores, and scalds torment us. 
Just as few reach a cure, except through 
chance, or use it knowing why or how it works. 
Thcro should be more who do so mark, learn 
aud inwardly digest all that they seo or hear 
about tlie inner life and deeds of those tiny 
tilings. They should be heard from thereon, 
and as to the way to stay them. 
Especially it behooves men of specialties in all 
that concerns the world of vegetation, to help 
those lens posted, by wise and well-thought 
reasons for any evils or cures which they dis¬ 
cover. They would thus do almost as much for 
ua as the parasites which God sends to abate 
such pests as the currant-worin and the Colo¬ 
rado beetle. 
Jloritutoral. 
EXTRACTS FROM CORRESPONDENTS’ 
LETTERS. 
VALUABLE PLANTS. 
Among the beautiful things procured last 
spring, were a score of lovely Coleuses. It was 
hard then to express a preference; but as they 
stand before us now, in their expanding luxuri¬ 
ance, the “ Rainbow," almost black, with a 
delicate “winey " tinge, a broad, bright, green 
margin and rare, velvety texture, is the plant of 
our heart' Then there is “ Prince of Prussia," 
bright, velvety crimson, edged with gold; 
“ Prince Arthur," a new, golden variety, heavily 
veined and blotched with a dark, purple-tinted 
color; “Sunbeam”; and “Darkness,’’ the 
rarest tbitigB in color and texture! We have 
also a Coleus of rare value from which the label 
was unfortunately, lost in the planting. It is 
almost the color of “Darkness," a little lighter, 
and has a distinct green edge, toothed. It is a 
marvelous grower. 
Of Begonias, the WeltonienBis alba is among 
the loveliest, with its rare leaf, stem aud blos¬ 
som, each a separate beanty. The Weltoniensis 
and Rex and Quadricolor make out a trio of 
beautiful contrast and great value. 
Among the finest of the Dahlias, are “Earl 
of Radnor," dark plum and “Deutsche Aua- 
dauer," rosy carmine. We have a special 
weakness for striped and fancy Dahlias—mixed 
gorgeousneBS—and this was abundantly gratified 
in “Bessie Wyatt” and Ops. The Deutsche 
Jugenfuld is the nearest approach to our ideal, 
rose-colored Dahlia. It is not, however, exactly 
up to our demand can any tell us a better one ? 
Rose Geranium. 
Waitsburg, Wash. Ter., Nov. 10, 1877, 
I baised just one plant from the Perennial 
Phlox which, you sent and am very much 
pleased with that, as it is said the seeds rarely 
germinate, if not planted as soon as ripe. Did 
you Bend mixed seeds ? [Yes, they were from 
twenty different varieties.—Eos.] If not, of 
what color were those you sent ? I shall know, 
of course, when it blooms, but am too impatient 
to wait until then. 1 have seeds of the Oxalis, 
Anemone, or scarlet Wind Flower to Hend you. 
I would like to know how to plant them, and 
how soon they bloom from the seed. [We will 
answer in the Query column.— Eds.J We 
generally get bulbs of them. I presume it will 
be two years before the bulbs will grow from 
the seed large enough to bloom. I planted my 
rose-seeds. They are as hard as flint and have 
to be soaked in hot water for a day or two be¬ 
fore they will sprout, and it waB two months 
after planting before they came up. Who else 
planted rose seed ? Mbs. M. A. R. 
-- 
ANTHURIUMS, 
These are chiefly valuable in our hot-houses as 
foliage plants, the leaves being in many cases of 
large size, and of a bold and striking character, 
sometimes simple and sometimes more or less 
want of time; but if they once try the culture 
of flowers, they will be astonished to see how 
little time it takes and how, from year to year, 
their love for the occupation grows till it be¬ 
comes almost a part of their being. 
A collection of flowers may not be accomplish¬ 
ed in one year, but a few plants of perennials 
—of rose bushes and other flowering shrubs— 
set each spring, will soon make a show of which 
we may well ho fond aud proud. Wo need not, 
uuless we choose, scud our money to florists for 
them. I believe in reciprocity in this matter, 
and we have always friends who will give us of 
their abundance. 
ANTHUXLIUM SCHKRZKRIANUM WILLIAMSI1. 
lobed or divided. The spathe is usually green, 
and seldom to be regarded as an object of beauty 
as it is in the species below described. These 
plants may be increased by divisions of the 
orowns and also by seeds. 
Anthubium Soherzekianom W illiamhii— 
which the accompanying engraving represents, 
is one of the greatest novelties of late years, and 
has proved as great a favorite with the plant¬ 
growing public as A. Schorzoriamim itself, to 
which it forms a splendid companion plant, its 
spathe and spadix—differing entirely, the first be¬ 
ing pure white and the spathes a pale lemon 
color. B. 8. Williams, 
Victoria and Paradise Nurseries, Upper llollo- 
way, London. 
-- ■ ■ 
A PLEA FOR THE CULTIVATION OF 
FLOWERS. 
BY MBS. W. C. O. 
Everything which tends to make us better 
and happier, to purify our lives and refine our 
tastes, Bhould find a large room in our sympa¬ 
thies. I take the ground that it is the (July of 
every household to raise, at least, a few flowere. 
We need them for our children's sake, wo need 
them for our friends, we need them to beautify 
our homes and make them attractive, we need 
them for festive occasions—and oh! if the des¬ 
troyer enters our dwelling and lays some loved 
one low, how their frail but beautiful forms send 
our thoughts heavenward and almost, mitigate 
our grief! 
Some of us live in old, or unpretending houses, 
with modest surroundings, spending most of our 
lives in the kitchen, trying with cheerfulness to 
do cur duty, aud not counting the toil for our 
loved one’s drudgery ; but when we have gained 
the time to don our afternoon dresses aud sit 
down to our sewing, how much pleasanter to 
rest our eyes on a plot of beautiful flowers than 
on a yard grown up to ragweed and thistles, or 
perhaps grass left unmowed till the ge neral hay¬ 
ing, grown nearly waist-high, forbidding any 
promenade about the house, save in the beaten 
paths I Some excuse themselves on the plea of 
But not upon perennials alone should we de¬ 
pend for a supply of flowers, for the most of 
them have blossomed aud their glories departed 
before the summer is half gone, aud when the 
autumn comes with its sad reflections, we miss 
the beauties of tho spring, like friends who, m 
their youth, passed to the other shore. It is 
possible to have flowers till long after bard frosts 
aud sometimes early snow storms warn us of the 
approach of winter. 
The Bo-callod hardy annuals, like Phlox, Ver¬ 
benas, Pansies, <to., are constant bloomers, and 
will bear a great degree of cold. So, with a 
little care aud discrimination in choice, we may 
have a succession of flowers from April till 
nearly Christmas. It is better to sow the seedB 
in a hot-bed or cold-frame, or if these are not 
convenient, prepare a seed-bed of rich, mellow 
earth in some sheltered, Bunny spot, which can 
be covered on cold nights when there is danger 
of frost. Then, if the garden beds or borders 
are not prepared till tho middle of June, the 
young plants are growing and in fine order for 
transplanting. Besides- - and here is an import¬ 
ant secret, which 1 know from experience to be 
true—the help to prepare the flower-beds comes 
with a much better grace after the corn and po¬ 
tatoes are planted. 
If the plants are vigorous, the annuals will be 
in bloom before the middle of July, and little 
more care is needed for the remainder of the 
season. To be sure, the weeds must be kept 
down, or they, like all other evil things, will 
soon choke and overtop the good. But a light, 
pronged hoe, used when we have a few moments' 
leisure just in the cool of the day, will Boon ac¬ 
complish the work, mellowing up the soil aud 
eradicating tho weeds. Aud when, while we are 
viewing our treasures, we espy an unsightly 
weed, how easy to bend and pull it! Teach the 
children to help and see with what alacrity and 
pleasure they learn to tell the weeds from the 
young plants. Children always love flowers, and 
it is not well to bring them up without the in¬ 
fluence of their sweet presence. With what de¬ 
light they gather the spring beauties of the 
woods and fields, covetous of every flower! 
Let us learn from them, to cull all the flowers 
of happiness from the wayside of life, not re¬ 
jecting any good thing which our Heavenly 
Father has bestowed. 
BULBS FOR THE FLOWER GARDEN. 
BY W. C. L. DREW. 
THE TULIP. 
What for exceeding beauty can equal a well- 
grown tulip ? 
“ Not one of Flora's brilliant, race 
A form morn perfect can display; 
Art could not feign more brilliant grace. 
Nor nature take a line away. 
Yet, rich as morn, of many a hue. 
When bluahiuK clouds through darkness 
strike, 
Tho tulip petals shine like dew, 
All beautiful, but uoho alike.” 
Tho tulip was introduced about the middle of 
tho sixteenth century, by one Coniiad Gesneh. 
It was named from a Turkish word signifying a 
turban. It is a native of Turkey, whence it was 
imported. Gesneh reports that he first saw it 
growing in a garden of a gentlemau who had 
received it direct from Constantinople. By the 
middle of tho following century it had become 
so popular that a garden without it was 
nothing, and a noble who did not cultivate 
it was considered of very poor taste. In 
1634, the taste for these flowers had become 
so great that they rose to marvelous prices, 
and the great tulip mania followed. The rage 
for the bulbs was so groat among the Dutch 
that tho general commerce of the country was 
stopped, and tho whole population of Holland, 
from king to the common laborer omburked in 
the tulip trade. Some of the bulbs, like those of 
tho then famous variety. Semper Augustus, were 
sold at from 2,000 to 7,000 florins, according to 
size. In 1636, regular marts were established 
in all tho cities of Holland for the sale of these 
extraordinary bulbs. In 1637, however, tho peo¬ 
ple began to open their eyes and prices rapidly 
foil, and tho mania was soon at an end. 
Tho result of this mania was to bring this 
flower into great favor throughout Europe. In 
1835, a bulb of the variety called “ Fanny Kem¬ 
ble,” sold for seventy-five pounds. At the pres¬ 
ent time there are very few of the varieties 
thou in cultivation to he found, the greater 
number of them having been lost. There are 
now in cultivation Borne two thousand sorts or 
varieties. 
Tulips are divided into several sections by cul¬ 
tivators. The first of these are known as Duo 
Van Thol tulips ; they are composed of double 
and single varieties. The single are to tie had in 
red, crimson, scarlet, yellow, white and variegated 
colors; the double in red aud yellow. They grow 
to the bight of from six to eight inches, and 
when grown in beds, they produce a brilliant 
effect. They are finely adapted to raising in the 
house, or for forcing. For the latter purpose 
two or three bulbs are usually grown iu a pot. 
Following the Dues we have the Touruesols in 
two varieties : bright yellow and red, and yellow 
variegated. These are very desirable and keep in 
bloom a long time. 
Next come the most magutficent section of 
the tulips, tho Single Early. This class ombraoes 
the jewels of the family. For brightness and 
variety of coloring, they have no equals In the 
floral world, and where a brilliant bed is wanted 
they may bo depended on. They grow from 
twelve to fifteeu inches high. Tho flowers are 
very large, last for a long time, aud come very 
early. 
Double tulips bloom in succession after the 
Single Early. They are becoming very popular. 
In size they rival the peony, whilo for brilliant 
colors and markings they are only surpassed by 
the 8ing)e Eiu% tulips. They may be had in 
many hundred named sorts. Parrot tulips are 
queer flowers ; exceedingly brilliant they are 
sure to attract attention. The petals are long, 
loose, and fringed. All the varieties are more 
or less variegated. Bizarres are a section of Qie 
late flowering tulip. In color, they have a yel¬ 
low ground streaked with red, brown or other 
color. Roses are also of the late flowering tulips. 
The ground color is pure white, variegated with 
rose or crimson. Bybloemens have white ground 
marked with purple or lilac. The three last 
comprise the Late Tulips, growing about 
eighteen inches high. 
CULTURE. 
Tulips require a light rioh loam ; it should not 
be of such a nature that when wet it will bake. 
No froBh manure most be allowed in the beds, as 
it will alwayB injure the bulbs. I have known 
more bulbs spoiled by using green manure than 
in any other way- Plant the bulbs in rows, one 
i foot apart. They should be planted, for the 
early varieties, six inches apart, in the raws ; for 
the Double and Late varieties, eight inches apart 
is hotter. Plant them four inches deep, cover 
in cold climates, with leaves or straw. In the 
spring, when the leaves turn brown, take up, 
separate, clean, and lay away. They may be 
planted until the ground becomes frozen for the 
winter. 
El Dorado, Cal. 
