THE RURAL HEW-YORKER. 
Jflorintltutal. 
APRIL WILD FLOWERS. 
- J. 
The wild flowers of April and May are far 
more delicate and graceful than the later sum- ^ 
mer blosaoma. Those mentioned below may be 
found without difficulty in the New England , 
woods and fields in April. 
1. Dirca palustris. Leather-wood. Early ^ 
in April the flower-seeker notices an irregular 
bush with angular branches, growing beside 
the mountain brooks. It has no leaves, 
but numerous yellow flowers grow on the 
branches in clusters of three or four, — the . 
flowers are tubular and each tube has two 
contractions and a spreading border. The 
leaves appear some time after the flowers, and 
the shrub is called Leather-wood from the 
toughness of its branches which are composed ^ 
of interlacing fibers, and is interesting from be¬ 
ing almost the first that ventures to expose its J 
blossoms to a New England spring. 
2. Hepatica triloba. (Liver-leaf.) Almost be- 
fore the snow leaves the woods the bright Hepa- 
ticas open their many-tinted blossoms of white, 
pale blue, French bluo, very dark blue, purple, 2 
and in some localities they are of a very flue 
rose color. They are found in abundance around 
the roots of old forest trees and on sunny wood¬ 
land hills, and are easily known by the three- 
lobed, evergreen loaves and straight, downy- 2 
flower-stems four or five inches high, each ! 
crowned with a pretty blossom. If transplanted , 
to the garden these nice little plants bloom early 
in the spring and often become double by culti¬ 
vation. They do well also in a Wardian ease, 
blooming in mid-winter. The writer has had 
more than thirty blossoms from these roots du¬ 
ring the last December and January. 
3. Sanguiuaria Canadensis. (Blood-root.) 1 
Very early comes the pretty Blood-root, snowy 
white in spite of the sanguinary name. They I 
start up in multitudes beside the fences and 
along the borders of meadows and fields. In the 
early stage they look like tribes of green-wood 
fairies, each wrapped in a little green cloak made 
of a closoly clasping leaf, which allows only the 
fair white bud to peep over the top. This plant 
also blooms early if set in the garden. 
If the young botanist will follow the fortunes 
of one of these plants through the summer, he 
will find it interesting. After the blossoms de¬ 
part, the leaves continue to grow, till by mid¬ 
summer they are so large and so changed in 
shape as to appear like different plants. The 
root exudes a red juice, whence the name. 
Tne leaf and bud which are formed in the 
autumn for the next spring’s bloom, are so 
nicely and definitely packed up, that with a mag¬ 
nifying glass they can bo distinctly seen and even 
the stamens counted. 
4. Anemone nemorosa. (Wiud-flower). This 
vernal blossom is perfect in delicate grace. It 
is found abundantly in the woods and beside old 
fences and stone wallB; the stem is six or eight 
inches high, with an involucre of pretty, tri-fol- 
iate leaves about half way up, and above these 
a solitary, drooping, bell-shaped flower of white 
shaded with purplish pink. 
5. Thaliotrum anemonoides. (Rue-Anemone.) 
A near relative of the preceding and choosing 
the same localities, differing from it m having 
an umbel of several flowers, sometimes called ] 
“ Hen and chickens," the central flower, being 
larger, iB the protecting hon, and the little chick¬ 
ens are the five or six smaller surrounding flow¬ 
ers. A charming little plant, sometime; found 
double, the petals white with often the most 
delicate pink tinge. 
6. Epigma repens. (Trailing Arbutus. May¬ 
flower). One of the loveliest and most fragrant 
wild flowers, growing in profusion in pine woods 
and most interesting to search for, yet the un¬ 
initiated may walk the woods all through the 
spring-time and yet be unable to find one. But 
let a person acquainted with its habits stoop down 
and scrape away the old dead leaves from uuder 
the tall pines and around the mossy rooks, and 
there are the hidden treasures with no stain 
from the surrounding rubbish ou their perfect 
purity, aud it is a rare delight to draw out the 
long, rough, rusty-looking sterna upon which 
are clustered these waxen white-and-pink blos¬ 
soms unequaled in delicacy and delioious fra¬ 
grance. 
To these few peculiarly pretty spring flowers 
others might be added, whioh iu favorable sea¬ 
sons open in April, particularly the yellow violet 
and one or two Bpeoies of blue violet, but as a 
general thing, many whioh are said to bloom in 
April, reserve their charms for the more assured 
sunshine of May. [The present season is an ex¬ 
ception. Ed] 
In the Middle States many flowers are found 
which do not appear in the colder climate of 
New England, among them the following which 
are iu bloom in April. 
1. Delphinium tricorne. (Dwarf Wild Larks¬ 
pur.) Flowers bright blue,—sometimes white: 
found in open woods. 
2. Zanthorhiza apiifolia. (Shrub yellow-root.) 
A low shrub, the stems and roots bitter; the 
flowers brownish purple in drooping racemes : 
found on the banks of streams. 
3. Hydrastis Canadensis. (Yellow Puccoon.) 
A low herb with a single radical leaf and a flow¬ 
er-stem terminated by a solitary greenish-white 
flower: found in rich woods. 
4. Asimina triloba. (North-American Papaw.) 
Shrubs with lurid, dull-purple flowers, and ba¬ 
nana-shaped, yellowish fruit, ripening iu au¬ 
tumn : grows in rich soil, beside streams. 
5. Jeffersonia diphylla. (Twin-leaf) A sin¬ 
gular plant with two-parted leaflets and large 
white flowers, called also Rheumatism-root: 
found in rich woods, growing ten or twelve 
inches high. 
6. Erigenia bulbosa. (Harbinger of spring.) 
A small plant five or six inches high, blooming 
very early, often in March, with two or three 
divided leaves and an umbel of white flowers: 
found on shady banks: called sometimes “Pep¬ 
per and Salt” from the contrast of the purplish- 
brown anthers with the white petals. 
Many others might he named, which can be 
found on New Jersey hills, and in the woods of 
NewYork and Pennsylvania, and the enterpris¬ 
ing seeker can easily find,one new one every day. 
M. D. 
-♦ *■ ■* - 
EXCHANGE. 
I will exchange Cactus for different kinds 
of Yucca or Spandieh Dagger and Abronia for 
any bulbs or hardy perennial 
River Bend, Colorado. M. V. Snyder. 
r €\t datkit. 
A KITCHEN-GARDEN. 
MY I0EA OF A KITCHEM-BAROEN ANO HOW TO MAKE IT. 
I would have the plot intended for a kitchen- 
garden slope to the southeast, clear of stones 
and stumps and surrounded by a picket fence, 
base-board 12 inches and pickets 5 feet long with 
2 inch space between, 16 eight-foot panels square, 
making my ideal 128 feet square. I would place 
my gate on the west side 45 feet from the south¬ 
west corner. East of the gate, half way across, 
I would run a 3 foot walk with border on each 
side. From the terminus of this walk to east line, 
I would set twelve grape-vines, six on each side, 
with 8 feet betwoon them, and train them for an 
arbor 12 feet high, the higher the better for 
fruit. I would set four Concord, four Delaware, 
two Martha and two Gcothe (Rogers' No. 1). I 
would dig trenches. 2 feet wide and 3 feet deep 
and fill half full of small stones or brick-bats, 
broken crookery, pieces of earthen-ware and all 
the bits of glass and tin about the premises (a 
good place for such dangerous things) with a 
layer of old leather and small bones on top. 
Then a foot of the first should be thrown out 
and mixed with some well-rotted hen manure, 
tree leaves aud sand, if the Boil is destitute of 
it, and lastly the bottom earth of the trench 
should be put on top. Set the vines in the fall 
and cut back to three or four buds, and after 
these have started leave only the best one to 
grow. Train to a Btake and pinch off top when 
4 feet high; pinch out the suckers as fast as 
they appear, keep the ground mellow and free 
of weeds and grass and give each vine an occas¬ 
ional dose of soap-suds. Here I must leave the 
grapes. 
On entering the garden there must be a two- 
foot walk all around next the fence—the first 
things on the right and left are two standard 
Rose-bushes—now don’t laugh for I want flow¬ 
ers in my kitchen-garden too—then down each 
side of the walk, on the borders, Verbenas, 
Pinks, Portulaca, Candytuft, Carnation, Mig¬ 
nonette, Pansies, dwarf Roses, etc., with a 
standard Rose on each side at the end. From 
here a liko walk extends 45 feet either way, 
along the borders of whioh I will raise mint, 
parsley, sage, horseradish, pepper, thyme and 
all other aromatic and sweet herbs that are 
useful or ornamental. From the first Rose-bush 
IPk 
\ 
If! 
Hi 
TRUMPET FLOWKR-TECOMA ItA.DICA.TSTS. 
to the southern line are ten currants, five each 
of red cherry and white grape ; opposite these, 
extending north, are ten Houghton gooseberries. 
From currants to cross-walk are four beds, 2 
feet between each ; in the first are dwarf peas 
and onions; next, tomatoes; next, beets and 
parsnips; and last, bush beans (black wax), 
lettuce and radishes. Beyond the cro9s-walk we 
have: first, four rows of Jersey Wakefield cab¬ 
bage, the rows running from the grapes to the 
southern line ; next, five rows of Early Vermont 
potatoes—these are nearly as early as Alpha, and 
very prolifio, of good quality, and keep better 
than the Alpha; then four rows Limas; next, 
twelve hills of watermelons whioh will finish up 
the south side. 
Beginning at the north end of the cross-walk 
and running to gooseberries we will plant five 
rows of sugar corn, two of Early Minnesota and 
three of Stowell’s Evergreen. Between this and 
the first walk I would set Strawberries, princi¬ 
pally of the Wilson, Charles Downing and Ken¬ 
tucky varieties, and some of the new kinds for 
the purpose of testiug them. Now for the 
northeast square : I would out Off ten feet from 
arbor to end of walk; one-half of this bed I 
would plant in cantaloupes and the other in 
celery, Sandringham and Boston market. Then 
eight ridges of sweet potatoos the length of this 
bed; then, four rows of peanuts; then, two 
rows Champion of England peas, and last a row' 
of rhubarb (Linnceus). Now I have ocoupied 
89x128 feet of my garden, leaving 39x128 along 
the north side, which I would plant in dwarf 
pears, cherries, quinces and Siberian crabs—set 
12 feet apart each way and plant a few rows of 
raspberries and Kittatinny blackberries between. 
Before laying off the gardeu, plow and subsoil 
to the depth of 20 inches, and work in thoroughly 
well-rotted barn-yard manure, ashes and lime 
and sand if needed. I would use a garden culti¬ 
vator, spade, hoe and steel-toothed rake. Work 
often and, a couple of days after using the culti¬ 
vator or hoe, go over with your rake and lift any 
weeds or grass that may have got trodden in the 
soil. Plant peas, onions, beets and parsnips as 
soon as the soil will work well; and beans, 
squashes and cucumbers as soon as danger of 
frost is over; plant squashes in the sugar corn 
rows and cucumbers between tomatoes; set 
some second early cabbage between the Wake¬ 
fields and, when you fi lay by ” your sweet po¬ 
tatoes, make a hill iu the center of four potato 
hills and Bet your winter cabbage. About the 
first of August, dig potatoes and hill up well 
your cabbage. When peas and beans are done 
bearing, save the ripe ones, clean away the vines 
and prepare for turnips by adding manure and 
working in well. 
The last of July or first of August cover the 
ground with unleached ashes and dig it in with 
a rake ; level off and sow seed, rake lightly aud 
tramp in. A pah of No. 10 brogans under 170 
lbs. of animated humanity, is the best contri¬ 
vance I know of for this purpose. If the sun 
is hot, in 48 hours the little plants will begin to 
appear—don’t soak the seed. When well up 
and when the dew is on, give a dusting of soot 
and air-slaked lime half and half, watch close 
and apply again if there are little holes out in 
the leaves ; after the rough leaves come on they 
will need no more dusting. Work cabbage 
when the dew is od, but work beans and othor 
vines when dry only. If worms take your cab¬ 
bage, use dry dust when the dew is ou, or weak 
lime-water, or a little coarse shorts with a 
small quantity of salt mixed in. Plant dwarf 
peas allowing ten days between flrst and second 
planting, and do the same with cantaloupes. 
Plant tomatoes as soon as danger of frost is over, 
and as late as first of July and a planting be¬ 
tween the two. The last planting will be ready 
for variety and sliced catsup. If any are left 
on the vines after this aud there is danger of 
frost, pull up and hang them away in a sheltered 
position aud they will continue to ripen. Keep 
the suckers well rubbed off and prevent the 
vines from falling over if you cau. I use what 
I call a tomato crib which I thiuk is better than 
stakes or poles. Pull onions as soon as the 
tops have dried up, and store in a cool, (liy 
place. Cover the bed deeply with manure, 
spade this iu as soon after Christmas as con¬ 
venient, and so soon in spring as the ground is in 
working order put on & barrel or twa of ashes and 
chop it in with a rake. The rows should be twenty- 
inches apart and the plants three inches apart 
in the rows. Work often, but not too deep: 
hill up slightly until the stalks get % of an inch 
in diameter, then work the soil from them grad¬ 
ually until % of the onion is exposed. Mulch 
fruit trees aud berry canes anil keep the ground 
mellow between. As soon as your vegetables 
have matured, remove them and manure and turn 
over the soil. This done in the fall, will save 
work in the spring. Change all vegetables from 
one bed to another annually except onions. 
J. W. Swindler. 
.-- 
Peas.— We remind our readers that McLean’s 
Little Gem is conceded to be one of the very 
best varieties. For the latest we have already 
I recommended British Queen as one of the best. 
