DEC. 29 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER 
WMmml 
hHSS^wIhF 
H Wk 
,\l: 
hWTti 
ci-;': 
that settle which is the best potato ? We call 
Mr. Bliss’ attention to the above and wonld 
like to know his gardener’s opinion of it. 
AQUILEGIAS. 
Are becoming highly popular once more, and 
we are glad that this is so, for there are few 
hardy herbaceous plants of more intrinsic value. 
A. chrysantha is among the best. We see'that 
Yeitoh & Sons of London, are extensively ad¬ 
vertising two varieties which they call “ Hy¬ 
brids,” and that they claim for them attractions 
not possessed by any any other variety. One is 
A. Californica hybrids, a cross between Chrys¬ 
antha and Californica—and A. cicrulea hybrids, 
a cross between Cierulea and Chrysantha. This 
last must be pietty indeed, presenting the rare 
combination of yellow and blue. 
A NEW PEA 
is announced, which boing a new Pea, is, of 
course, a wonderful thing. As “hybrids” are 
at present the rage this now Pea is a hybrid and 
its name is Harbinger. Mr. laxton produced 
it, and it is said to bo one of the earliest. 
TOMATOES. 
A beautiful engraving, coveting nearly an 
entire page of the London Garden, represents 
six of what we should have supposed were 
peaches, did not the announcement tell us they 
are Vick's Criterion Tomatoes. We are glad 
that for once, the novelty can be procured at 
home. 
Jlorkultiiral. 
of the bulb being as thick as the base. It grows 
six inches high, each bulb producing from four 
to ten flowers. The flowers are about three- 
quarters of an inch in diameter ; in color, they 
are of a clear, glossy white, tinged at the edge 
of the petals a porcelain blue. They have a del¬ 
icate and agreeable fragrance. They are very 
hardy and bloom in spring. For bordering beds 
no artificial watering. Plant T. laxa five incheB 
and T. uniflora three inches deep. 
El Dorado, Cala. 
-- 
NEW USES FOR CEREUS MacDONALDLZE. 
This is perhaps the finest flowering species of 
the night-blooming cereuses, nevertheless, the 
A FEW GOOD PLANTS FOR ROOMS. 
JAMES TAPLIN. 
The satisfactory growth of plants in rooms 
may be taken as a tolerably sure sign that the 
air is iu a healthy condition for the inhabitants 
to breathe. The great trouble in this country 
is that rooms are much too hot during winter 
both for the health of people and plants. Even 
with furnace heat a room need not be unpleasant¬ 
ly dry if the temperature is not above 65°, and 
most plants usually grown in rooms will do woll 
in that boat, if grown near the windows, which 
is usually the coolest part of the room. But a 
few I will mention, will also do well if grown 
away from the light. Among these are several 
speeies of Palms. 1. have a Catania Borbonica 
which has been on a table in the center of the 
room for over six months, and although the 
growth is slow the plant is in as good health as 
when taken from the green-house. I have alBo 
a pot of English Ivy suspended in tho darkest 
part of the room for tho same time, which is 
growing and looking well. Another nice, grace¬ 
ful Palin is Seaforthia elegans. This is a much 
faster growing plant than tho Latauia and of a 
more feathery habit, a character it shows when 
quite small. Ghaumerops humilis, and Corypha 
Australis are both excellent for the purpose, and 
if more choice and expensive species are re¬ 
quired, Areca Verschaffellii, A. lutescens, and A. 
rubra are among tho most beautiful for the pur¬ 
pose and all show their oharacters when quite 
small. 
None of tho above plants requires any special 
treatment or attention except abundance of 
water and to have the dust washed from the 
foliage once or twice eaoh week. 1 may also 
mention that none of these plants will stand any , 
frost, so that if an unusually cold night should 
come, the necessary precautions may he taken 
to prevent freezing ; but if necessary they may 
be all placed out of doors in a shady spot during 
summer, and they will he in good condition for 
another season, if well supplied with wator. 
One advantage wilh Palms is that tho plants 
may be grown for a long time in small pots by 
doing which they keep of a moderate size; but 
if allowed pot-rcom they soon become too large 
for general purposes. I may perhaps make an 
exception in Seaforthia, which, when kept long 
pot-bound becomes stunted and the foliage is 
spoiled. Any ordinary good soil, lit for growing 
Boses, for example, will grow the above plants 
well, but as they require much water, the drain¬ 
age must be good. 
In my next I will give a few notes on flowering 
plants for room decoration. 
South Amboy. N. J 
BULBS FOR THE FLOWER GARDEN. 
W. C. L. EBEW. 
TRITELE1A. 
These are recent additions to the bulbous 
plants, and as yet they are very scarce. They 
are very handsome and will, in time, no doubt be¬ 
come popular. There are only two varieties 
known. (T. grandiflora ?— Eds.) 
Triteiela uniflora is a native of Texas whence 
it was introduced several years ago. The bulbs 
of this variety are about an inch loEg and about 
three-eighths of an inch in diameter, the apex 
ANTHKHICUM VARIEGAT TJ M.. 
of bulbs I know of no more desirable subject. 
Triteleia laxa is a native of California ; it has 
not yet been introduced into the East to any ex¬ 
tent. Wherever it has been cultivated it lias at 
once passed into popularity. The bulb is about one 
inch deep, and the same In thickness, iu shape 
rcsotnbling that of the crocus ; it is astonishing 
tho magnificent large flowers such a small 
bulb will produce. Growing naturally, it is found 
five or six inches below the surface of the 
ground. The flower stem grows about two feet 
high, each stem produeitig from live flowers 
to two dozen. In shape theso resemble those of 
the Lilium longiflorum, being trumpet-shape. 
introduced from the Cape of Good Hope in 1873, 
and has been found quite invaluable as a decor¬ 
ative plant, being suitable either for the green¬ 
house, stove or dinner-table. It has been com¬ 
pared by many to Patidanns Veitclni, which it 
resembles in its general bearing, tho variegation 
and habit being precisely the same. The foliage 
is of a bright grassy green, boautifully striped 
and margined with creamy white. 
B. S. Williams, 
victoria and Paradise Nurseries, Upper Uollo- 
way, London. 
-♦♦♦- 
CATALOGUES, &c., RECEIVED. 
Mr. Wm. H. Cabson, 125 Chamber Street., this 
city, sends us a pamphlot which sets forth the 
good qualities of the new Eaht India or Pearl 
Millet, of thoChufaand Jerusalem Artichoke. 
Another circular from tho same seedsman 
presents an illustration of the new “Hybrid 
Spiral Mignonotto,” which has been highly 
praioed by London seedsmen, and much admi ed 
wherever it has boon exhibited. Our illustration 
will show the habit, of the plant. It is said to 
be superior to any other Mignonetto iu cultiva¬ 
tion, tho spikes ofton attaining eight or twelve 
inches in length. By pinching the tide shoots, 
it is said, the flpike attains a length of eighteen 
inches or more. Mr Cakhon offers this as one 
of his most worthy novelties for the coming 
year, and we hope it may so prove. 
LAWN PAPERS. 
8. B. VAHSON8. 
supply having exceeded tho demand, deprecia¬ 
tion must follow, At a nursery near Brooklyn, 
N. Y,, it is propagated by the score for grafting 
Epiphylliuns on. At Boston, however, it haH 
a medicinal reputation, forming a prominent 
part in a heart-disease medicine, and a nursery¬ 
man in tho neighborhood of that city “ cannot 
got enough of it." He first sold tho plants, but 
a new arrangement, having been made, ho now 
sells tiio stems, so much a pound. Ho likeB 
plan tho best as he has always the rootB to 
start with, whereas by the first plan, ho not 
only had no roots left, but a considerable por¬ 
tion of salable stems had to bo retained whoro- 
HYBRID SI’ 1 It A. Jj MIGNONETTE. 
They are from two to threo inches long, and 
from one to two inches in diameter at the 
month. In color they are a handsome purple, 
inclined more to the shade of what is known as 
Victoria blue. The flowera diffuse a delicate fra¬ 
grance. 
The bulbs of both varieties should he planted 
in the fall, in a fresh, light loam. They require 
with to propogate. It is Cereus grandiflorus 
that is the reputed desideratum, but—there ins’t 
much difference which! Wm Falconeb. 
ANTHERICUM VARIEGATUM. 
This, as m ay in & measure be seen by the ac¬ 
companying sketch, is a striking plant. It was 
The growth of horticulture iH a subject which, 
though somewhat abstract, lias a strong attrac¬ 
tion for all who enjoy the results of its exercise. 
But to fix its rate of advance or decay is some¬ 
what difficult, for no one seems exactly fitted to 
pass judgment. We are either old and prune to 
enlarge on tho grand old estates that absorbed 
so many choice plants twenty-five years ago, or 
wo are youug and think nothing so perb et ns 
tho present, offsetting against those old estates 
decayed during hard times, tho largo absorption 
of good plants (ever increasing), by the comfort¬ 
able middle classes. 
This is all very woll, and perhaps each is cor¬ 
rect In his own way, but it does not settle the 
question. Horticulture, in Tact, does not consist 
in the mere purchase of rartf plants and the wide 
distribution of beautiful ones, but in culture, as 
indicated by the last syllable of the word. 
One wish we would express before parting 
with this subject, and that is to bo allowed tho 
evidence of a decrease of desire for pomp and 
vanity iu horticultural work, arid a decided 
growth of love and intelligent, appreciation of 
line plants. It becomes a very important quos 
tion with those horticultnrally inclined, how to 
form a practical and artistic design after which 
to plant the lawn. With many, it is quite suffi¬ 
cient to giro smooth,rolling turf,neat fences in 
a word, good mechanical work with the soul of 
the undertaking left out, viz.,- a goodly array 
of trees and shrubs. Grand edifices, massive 
stone walls and piles of mason-work arise, hut 
no trees, or if any, a few of tho common varie¬ 
ties arranged without taste or proper system. 
Wbat a pity it iB that so noble an art is thus 
brought to naught by placing it in tho hands of 
those who should no more accept such work 
than a carpenter should undertake that of a 
fresco painter! The poverty Jof tho design of 
most lawns may bo attributed to this fatal mis¬ 
take, and to tho same cause belougs the dearth of 
landscape gardeners who look upon and study 
their profession as a real art. Far better would 
it be, for the sake of apparent economy, quite 
doubtful at the best, if more encouragement 
were given to practical gardeners, intelligent and 
skillful, whose wages are low ouough iu all con¬ 
science. Instoud of this, many people seek for 
an anomolous creature, part coachman, part 
milk-maid, and balance first-rate kitchen gar¬ 
dener. 
But while luxury and wealth must needs follow 
these suggestions to attain success, is there not 
another view that presents itself, a view that 
findB a double pleasure in horticulture practiced 
by one’s own head and hands,—a delight waxing 
more and more year by year while noting tho 
growth of individual beauty and collective effect 
of trees planted and trained by one’s own hands. 
Believe mo, no artist can give more loving care 
to the development of these beauties than tho 
owner of tho lawn himself, and if to attain this 
result, long experience of the nature of plants, 
and rigid training in the principles of landscape 
gardening should be found necessary, tho enjoy¬ 
ment of the perfected-lawn wifi amply repay tho 
effort. It is something to dwell under one’s 
own vine and fig tree, but it increases the pleas- 
■ ure to have planted and trained these vegetable 
> productions. 
