SEPT.2$ 
i v ii ai 
THE CHINESE MAGNO.IA, 
which is hardy in our climate, flowers without 
leaves. Daring the month of April and the 
early part of May, its white and purple blossoms 
are the most conspicuous floral objects to be 
seen. The numerous branches are thioldy stud¬ 
ded with large, tulip-shaped flowers that have 
thick, kid-like petals and breathe forth a rich, 
spicy odor. The white variety is charming; 
and the creamy flowers are produced in such 
abundance that a good-sized tree can be seen at 
a great distance. 
The Chinese name, 
Yulan—literally lily- 
tree—is an apt and 
expressive one, as m? 
the blossoms are not jg 
much unlike those Star 
of the White Lily Sj? 
in size and shape, M 
when fully expand- 
ed. Among the Chi- \vSr 
nese poets, they are iv 1W 
considered emblems 
of candor and 
Among Pines, iftsSHT 
THE WHITE PINE WS 
is the most deslr- WSf 
able. The soft and W 
agreeable hue of its 
pliant foliage, the 
excellent form of 
the tree, and its 
adaptation to a great s*. 
variety of Boils and 
Bites, are all reeom- TIT’S 
mendations. It is _ *’ ^ 
, , , j--*-- -VjnAia , * 
always the same 
bright green, too, T 
whatevor the tem- 'vjj * 
perature may be ; '' ,^/T 
and it bears trans- 
planting admirably. i 
Other Evergreens, / 
with the exception J £ 
perhaps, o f t h e ¥ 
Hemlock, are dullest -JP 
' - 1 
just when their v-.-- .*•„ •* 
brightness is most 7 . V 
needed; and the .. ' ~_ i - % 
thin summer growth ’ - 
of the White Pine ~~ ~~ ^ 7. 
is as delicate and . --- '^r- 
freshly pretty as the tu.^.~ . 
June dress of any — ’ ' T - 
deciduoustreein the 
full tide of its boast¬ 
ed beauty. 
The most beautiful of Evergreens is the 
MAGNOLIA GRANOIFLORA 
of the Southern States. It grows to the bight 
of seventy or eighty feet; and its thick, deep- 
green, glossy leaves are like those of a gigantio 
Laurel. The great, creamy blossom tinged with 
the palest olive on the outer potals, is a bouquet 
of itself; and a tree-ful of these censers will 
waft perfume through the whole woods about 
them. This gem among Evergreens will not 
bear the winters north of New York, nor there 
either, I should imagine; but it can be made 
quite hardy in the milder Middle States. 
THE BALSAM FIR, 
also known as Balm of Gilead Fir, is particularly 
neat in its growth, and of a dark-green hue. It 
is Sometimes thirty or forty feet high, but is 
more ornamental when much lower. It is a 
rather formal-looking Evergreen ; and gets de¬ 
cidedly stiff and ugly with age. It is quite pop¬ 
ular, though, as it retains its color well and is 
easily transplanted and is considerably in de¬ 
mand for shrubberies, small gardens and court¬ 
yards. 
THE CHILI PINE 
is very peculiar, having five circles or tiers of 
branches growing at equal distances, and pro¬ 
ducing the effect of a maguifleent pyramid. Tho 
stem, branches, and shoots are entirely covered 
with leaves of a fine deep green ; these leaves 
are very regularly and symmetrically disposed, 
and being bent backward at the ends, give to 
the tree the form and effect of an antique gi¬ 
randole.; 
THR CALIFORNIA SILVER FIR 
is two hundred feet high, and has beautiful sil¬ 
very foliage. The grand Pines of that region 
are the largest and loftiest in the world. 
Among 
EVERGREEN SHRUBS, 
the Holly and the Arbor-vit® are particularly 
ornamental; while as a vine, the lovely eling>- 
ing, English Ivy never wearies of its kind office 
of draping ugliness and decay with perennial 
beauty. 
to America. They all seem to be remarkably 
hardy, perhaps more so than any other species 
of evergreen. But their distinguishing charac¬ 
teristic is extreme diversity of color and form. 
Erect, weeping, thread-like and almost broad- 
loaved, they seem to delight in showing what 
diverse forms Nature can succeed in producing 
in one species. The Retinosporas resemble 
somewhat the Arbor-Vitos of America, and 
evince affinities with that species in the way of 
grafting on them as stocks, Ac, R. pisifera and 
Verbenas, Pansies, Sweet Alyssnm, etc. Per¬ 
haps none of these grows with less care than 
the Petunia. 
Two or more varieties growing in the same 
pot, and trained on a small wire trellis, have a 
pretty effect. Verbenas need light and warmth 
and an occasional washing, to keep them from 
the attacks of insects. Pansies must have a 
cool atmosphere and moisture, but should not 
be kept too moist, lest the Btalk “damp off." 
The fragrant little Sweet Alyssum makes a neat 
Maurandia Vine, is a very pretty climber; it is a 
neat plant, with good-sized flowers; there are 
several colors, but I always found the white 
variety most satisfactory. The White Jasmine 
blooms well in winter, and the small flowers are 
fragrant. For hanging vases, the Tradesoantia, 
or Wandering Jew, is a general favorite. It 
grows freely in earth or water, and though it 
does not bear the sun, it needs light. If grown 
iu pots, it mnat be kept wet. The three varieties 
that I know, all grow equally well. The striped 
varieties are quite 
pretty, but the plain 
green is very rich in 
color if kept par¬ 
tially shaded. Ice 
Plant and Kenil¬ 
worth Ivy are both 
useful for brackets. 
The Smilax is a del¬ 
icate vine of great 
beauty, and, by 
proper training, it 
can be rnadeto climb 
or droop. The old- 
^ fashioned Myrtle 
should not be over- 
^ looked. The glossy 
. leaves make it use- 
S; *^w^*'*- ful for trimming 
-“fc’ purposes. A root 
i-v-v of Myrtle, trans- 
planted from the 
\f. P* garden to the house 
•' f. -J^‘% in autumn, will 
thrive with very 
little care. 
Probably one of 
the finest peach or- 
_ charda in the West 
-'rrT " - *i-"~ is at Brownville, 
. 7-vv "7- ~ -j==~ ■' Neb., under the 
. —- control of ex-Qov- 
^ j.y- —--~- T 77" ernor R. W. Furnas. 
The orchard was 
7/ 1 7777'~~ j|77. planted nine years 
7^iW^i--r77-.-. *77~ 'ago, on fresbly-bro- 
1 ken land. Part is 
budded and part 
seedling fruit. 
In a small part of the orchard apple and peach 
trees were planted alternately. The former now 
look starved and crowded, while the latter are 
uniformly healthy and enormous bearers. The 
overburdened limbs seem ready to break with 
the luscious fruit. We are told the peach crop 
rarely fails in this locality. The yield from this 
orchard, this year, will be over 10.000 bushels. 
Budded fruit is picked in baskets, each holding 
about a peck and a quarter, and they brought 
one dollar at wholesale Sept. 1. For shipment, 
each peach is carefully wrapped in paper. Mr. 
Furnas considers Early Newington one of his 
most profitable sorts. Blood Cling seemed quite 
a favorite, not to mention the old standard va¬ 
rieties. Seedling peaches are very plentiful, and 
bring from 35 to 70o. per bushel. Mr. P. has 
raised a number of very promising seedlings. 
Part of the peach orop is dried by a new system 
Plums are raised here to some extent and 
with good success. Cotton is hound around the 
trunks of the trees to prevent the ravages of the 
curculio. Mr. F. says this is very effective. 
Xineohp. 
obtusa are the two most distinct varieties, and 
the variations come more especially from them. 
The subject of our illustration, R. filifera, seems 
to be related to pisifera rather than to obtusa. 
It is a remarkable form, and has been known at 
least a dozen years in Europe. In Japan it ap¬ 
pears to be a common tree, as Gordon remarks 
that it is much planted in the gardens about 
Yeddo on account of its elegant appearance. 
The same author says, referring to R. filifera, 
“ This kind forms a beautiful tree, fifty feet 
high, pyramidal in outline, and peculiarly grace¬ 
ful on account of its drooping branches and 
long, pendulous Bpray." 
As we know R. filifera in America, it is quite 
dwarf in habit, which, of course may be the 
case with trees that attain in time very consider¬ 
able size. The name, filifera, thread-bearing, 
well describes its appearance, which is that of a 
disheveled head of coarse hair. How it looks in 
mature age iB quite unknown to us, but the 
name, filifera, will doubtless continue to describe 
it quite accurately. In general employment in 
groups or singly it behaves very muoh like other 
Retinosporas. The curious and dwarf form it 
assumes, also fits it for planting in small inter¬ 
esting groups near the house, where all obstruc¬ 
tions to the new are to be avoided. For the 
same reason, it finds suitable employment in 
Bmall grounds, where, as one of a group of ever¬ 
greens of similar character, it retains a low form 
which should be sought more by those who 
plant suoh places. 
The specimen illustrated is about 18 or 20 
inches high and some eight years old. It has, 
however, beeu transplanted several times, which 
partly accounts for its dwarfness. It was 
sketched by our artist in the grounds of S. B. 
Parsons, of Flushing, L. I. 
edging for tree-shaped plants, like the Orange, 
or Oleander. Set the small seedlings around 
the edge of the pot, or bow the seeds. If old 
Geraniums are to be kept for the house, it is 
best to cut them down to within a few inches of 
the pot. Fuchsias need about the same treat¬ 
ment. but good, strong plants of either may be 
had by setting slips in summer. 
Mignonette is difficult to transplant, but we 
can have it all winter by sowing the seeds in 
small pots, at intervals of a week. Late-bloom¬ 
ing Asters may be potted for the house, for 
early winter-blooming; they are very easily 
transplanted. The Dicentra spectabilis, known 
as Bleeding Heart, is a fine plant for the house. 
A good clump of it, taken up in autumn, will 
bloom beautifully in winter and early spring. 
Its graceful racemes of delicate, yet showy 
flowers, make it a most attractive window plant. 
As a center plant, for a large collection, there is 
nothing better. When it stops blooming, and 
the foliage becomes yellow, put it in the cellar, 
and keep it there until the frost is out of the 
ground, when it may again be set in the open 
border. 
SOIL FOR HOUSE PLANTS. 
The soil for house plants should be prepared 
a day or two before wanted, and left lying on 
the ground, where a few chickens can have ac¬ 
cess to it. They will soon free it from the 
earth-worms that might otherwise be trouble¬ 
some in winter. 
To prepare the soil: Take one peck of good 
earth from the garden; if not sandy enough, 
add sand or road-dust; next, add a half peck 
each of black leaf mold and fine chip dirt. Mix 
thoroughly, and sift if lumpy. After the chick¬ 
ens have worked in it to their “ hearts’ oontent," 
add again a quart of soot or finely powdered 
ohareoal; mix again, and it is ready for use. 
A keg of this soil will be found very useful, if 
stored iu the cellar, as we sometimes wish to 
sow seed, or re-pot a plant in winter, when the 
ground is frozen. Some florists scald, or bake 
the earth for pot plants, but I find the chicken 
prooesn the easiest and most effectual for de¬ 
stroying earth-worms. It is true that fowls 
scatter the soil in all directions, but it can be 
gathered. 
VINES FOR THE HOUSE. 
The Euglish Ivy is beautiful wherever we see 
it; but for decorating the house, it seems a lit¬ 
tle superior to any other vine. When trained 
over doors, windows and pictures, the rich, dark 
leaves show to advantage, especially if the walls 
and wood-work of the rooms are white. Tf Ma¬ 
deira Vines are trained near Ivies, so that the 
leaves mingle: the contrast is very pleasing. The 
A COUPLE OF SUCCESSFUL BEE-KEEPERS, 
F ?r the encouragement of beginners in bee¬ 
keeping, I wish to relate the success of two gen¬ 
tlemen of Carson City, Montcalm Co., Mich., 
who began keeping bees, for the first time, this 
season. One of them, Mr. O. R. Goodno, 
started in the spring with thirteen hives. From 
this stock, although this year has not been very 
favorable for bee-keepers, he has daring the 
summer sold 1000 pounds of honey, one-half of 
which was sold In the comb, tho rest extracted, 
and, moreover, he has increased his stock to 
thirty-three colonies. The increase of colonies 
alone, gives him a margin of. at least, 150 per 
cent on the Investment, besides the 1000 pounds 
of honey. 
The other gentleman. Mr. C. Cross, invested 
last spring $500 in 47 colonies. He has not 
only sold honey enough to regain the invest¬ 
ment, but has increased his apiary to 81 strong 
colonies, which altogether shows a margin of 
about 800 per cent on the investment. I doubt 
if the most sagacious speculators of Wall St., 
can show returns that equal these. I must add 
that these gentlemen have not reached such 
results by a mere hit of “ good luck ” Both 
studied the subject carefully, and applied that 
intelligent management which is the basis of 
suujrss in everything. C. O. Georoeson. 
t State Agricultural College, Lansing. 
FLOWERS FOR THE HOUSE 
RETINOSPORA FILIFERA 
There are many common garden flowers that 
are desirable for house culture, but we are apt 
to overlook them iu our desire for something 
rare. Garden plants may be lifted at any time 
before frost, but the best time is previous to 
the middle of September. They should be kept 
in the shade a few dayB, and watered moderate¬ 
ly. At this season wo cau find small seedlings 
that will not mature, if left out of doors, but if 
removed to the house, will give abundant bloom, 
during winter. Among these are Petunias, 
There are many Retinosporas. One firm ex¬ 
hibited twenty-three distinct varieties at the 
summer exhibition of the N. Y. Horticultural 
Society, and endless forms might be distin¬ 
guished among curious variations of well known 
kinds. Whether they would be worth suoh per¬ 
petuation is another question. Nearly all va¬ 
rieties now known have existed in Japan for uu- 
ikwh periods, although introduced so recently 
