THE RURAL WEW-YORKER. 
seeds soaked in water very quickly dry, and the 
evaporation of the water leaves them drier than 
before. Such seeds, therefore, frequently per¬ 
ish in dry soil or during a continuation of warm 
weather. 
The evils that result from Boaking seeds In 
pure water may, however, be easily avoided by 
soaking them in a solution of some chemical 
gaits of a fertilizing nature. In consequence of 
the quantity of salts the solution contains, it 
oan dissolve but little from the seeds, while on 
the contrary it completely impregnates them 
with its fertilizing ingredients, so that the young 
plants from seeds so treated appear decidedly 
stronger and darker in color. Moreover, the 
seeds are not liable to dry up after having been 
steeped in this way, but in consequence of the 
hygrometric properties of ths saline substances 
whioh they contain, they always continue moist. 
Manuring the seed by means of steeping is of 
great importance. That it produces a decidedly 
quicker and stronger growth of the young plant 
in the first fourteen days is certain, as it supplies 
it directly with the nutritive substances which 
are required for its vigorous development at the 
time it is just beginning to grow,and while its or¬ 
gans are yet unfit to seek nutriment over a wide 
range of soil. The vigorous development of the 
plant while young is, moreover, a sure guarantee 
of itB full perfection and ultimate ripening. To 
apply manure directly to the seeds in this way is 
a quicker, cheaper, more tfiieaolons and less la¬ 
borious method of fertilizing them than to place 
compost in the hills or drills, and moreover the 
weed seeds then get none of the fertilizers which 
they share with the good seeds when composts 
are UBed. 
Manure for the laud, except coarse barnyard 
manure, should be spread broadcast and har¬ 
rowed in, thUB enriching all the soil. The roots 
then have a larger area on which to feed, aB they 
will spread themselves out if properly started, 
and the soil all around them is in proper condi¬ 
tion to nourish them. The Chinese are adepts 
in the art of agriculture, and their seeds are 
manured before planting them. 
It is hoped that this brief article will call the 
attention of Bubal readers to the subject of 
which it treats ; and if it effects only this ob¬ 
ject. good will grow out of it. The adoption of 
the plan it advocates will largely increase the 
crops of the couutry at a trifling increase of ex¬ 
pense for fertilizers, and the saving in seed will 
more than counterbalance this increased outlay ; 
for, when seeds are steeped in the manner here 
recommended, a bushel of wheat will be suffi¬ 
cient where a bushel and a half are required 
when not subjected to such treatment. This 
opinion is not a mere matter of theory, but the 
result of actual experiments conducted on a 
large and small scale, and confirmed by the ex¬ 
perience of many others. 
Plymouth Co., Mass. Andrew H. Ward. 
[We do not wish to pit our judgment which 
is not based upon experience against Mr. Ward’s 
that is. But it seems to us that the albumen in 
seeds that are albuminous and the cotyledons in 
seeds that are not, furnish all the “ manure ” 
that the tender embryo needs.— Eds ] 
THE OXALIS. 
Of this fine house-blooming plant I find some 
twenty different varieties described, varying in 
oolor and size of blossom, size, etc. of foliage 
and habit of plants. Some of the varieties re¬ 
main in foliage an indefinite time, and are con¬ 
stant bloomers. These have white or pink 
blossoms; but both foliage and blossoms are 
small, the root iB tuberous, scaly, or jointed. 
Planted in pots of good soil I have had them 
growing and keeping in blossom for mouths at 
a time, summer and winter, when cared for. 
They will not, however, bear drying off like 
some of the choicer varieties with bulbous roots. 
At present there is in my bay-window a small, 
six-inch hanging-basket of a pink Oxalis, the 
blossoms of which measure an inch and a quar¬ 
ter in diameter ; each average foliage leaf meas¬ 
ures 23 4x‘2}{ inches. The leaves are heart-shap¬ 
ed, and not as deeply lobed as those of the smaller 
varieties. The leaf-stems are from ten to twelve 
inches long, the leaves hanging penoant. The 
seed-stalk is about the same length, about twice 
as thick, and the size of a large rye Btem near 
the root. These are surmounted by six or eight 
blossoms and buds, the terminal strongest bud 
opening first, others following at intervals of 
two or three days. They continue in blossom 
for several weeks, not all of the stems showing 
blossoms on them at the same time. A yellow- 
blossomed variety, the blossoms of which are a 
little more than half as large, and whose foliage 
iB smaller, is a fine aid to variety. I have this 
growing, but it does not seem to blossom as 
freely as it has done in past seasons, owing in 
part, I suppose, to overcrowding in the pot. 
The culture of tnese varieties is quite simple, 
as they only require the ordinary care given to 
pot plants. They should be potted in fair soil 
the same as common house plants; should have 
a sunny position in the window, and not be 
suffered to want for water, although they will 
thrive in a somewhat dry soil. They have their 
season of rest and of growth, the latter during 
our winter, although I suppose this may be 
changed. My mode of caring for the bulbs, 
when at rest, is to shake them out of the pot¬ 
ting soil some weeks after the foliage has en¬ 
tirely disappeared, put them away in boxes in a 
dry closet in the honse, and there let them re¬ 
main till they begin to Bend out fine, white 
shoots, when they are ready for repotting. Five 
or Bix bulbs are sufficient for an ordinary six- 
inch pot. Usually they are ready for potting in 
September or October, going paBt in April or 
later. 
If one wishes for an abundance of blossoms 
without reference to size, the pink and the white 
Oxalises referred to above, will give satisfaction. 
One or two pieces of the roots, planted in a six- 
inch pot, will in a little while fill the pot with 
foliage, whioh will throw up in succession blos¬ 
som stems with several buds to each, opening in 
clear, sunny weather and closing at night, each 
blossom going through this same routiue for 
several days. Where more variety is desired, 
and only for a season, the larger kinds with 
bulbs for roots, will give more satisfaction. 
These inorease something after the manner of 
potatoes, only very much leas rapidly, the small 
bulbs requiring a season or more of growth be¬ 
fore coming to the blossoming stage. 
Worcester Co., Mass. W. H. White. 
- •*-++ - 
OLLA PODRIDA LETTER. 
MARY WAGER-FISHER. 
Fairmount Parle and tfs influences; Coleus ; Per- 
iUa mnkineusts; Pyrelhrmn; Cypress Vine- 
Queen Margo ret Asters; Vivetis; Ferns; Bou¬ 
quets; English Walnuts ana Black-walnuts ; 
Communism vs. Individual Ownership. 
I have lately been spending a portion of two 
or three days at Fairmount Park, where one 
might spend a week without exhausting its 
beauties. Although the entrance to it is but a 
few miles' drive from my door, I never extend my 
drives into it without thinking how wonderful it 
is, how incomparably finer than any other park 
in the world—its old trees, its rivers, its bridges, 
gardens, architectural beauties ; in brief, every¬ 
thing pertaining to it iB so magnificent, so large, 
so free 1 Bat what waB in my mind to mention 
as of possible interest to Bubal readers who 
were here at the Centennial and saw tho sights 
about Horticultural Hall, was, that the floral 
display grows finer year by year, while the inte¬ 
rior of Horticultural Hall is so incomparably 
superior now to what it was then, as hardly to 
be recognized as the same place. Will the eyes 
that saw the foliage hods, and the flower beds, 
in front of the Hall, as seen from the veranda 
on the top, ever forget the view ? I opine not, 
and wherever one journeys now in the environs 
of the city, he is reminded, by the attempt at 
imitation everywhere seen, of what may be call¬ 
ed the carpet-gardening of Fairmount. The in¬ 
fluence exerted by the Park in floriculture, while 
all over the country undoubtedly very great, is 
naturaLly more pronounced in the neighborhood, 
where residents have freqnent access to the 
grounds and pattern after the designs. The 
immense beds of Pelargoniums and of Coleus 
convert one at once to the doctrine of massing 
flowers, at least until he comes upon great plots 
where Cannae, Castor Beans, Petunias, Age- 
ratums, Globe Amaranths, Gladioli, Vincas, Nas¬ 
turtiums and other perpetual bloomers, form a 
kaleidoscope of color,—aud then he hardly 
knows which style he best likes, and finally wise¬ 
ly concludes to adopt both. 
Unless one has a conservatory, it is very dif¬ 
ficult to winter through enough Coleus to plant 
a sizable bed of it in the spring ; at least that is 
my experience. Bugs attack the plants sooner 
than auything else, and in a short time the ver¬ 
min appear on every live thing about them. So 
I have discarded Colons almost entirely, and 
rely upon Perilla Nankinenais and Pyrethrum 
(Golden Feather) for foliage effects. The Per¬ 
illa is of very easy culture, as well as the Pyre¬ 
thrum, and, as both grow from the seed, I re¬ 
commend them to Bubal readers for special 
culture. 
For indoor decoration for September and Octo¬ 
ber, 1 know of nothing prettier than Cypross- 
vine—Quhinoclit. As one knows, it grows from 
fifteen to twenty feet high, so that on cutting it 
off at the bottom, string aud all,—and if two or 
three vines have twined about the same string, 
all the better—one has a lovely wreath, several 
yards long, to loop about window and picture 
frames. The ends cut off should, of course, be 
placed in a vase which is daily filled with fresh 
water. The vines will continue to grow aud 
blossom, and remain fresh for a long time. 
Just now my bed of Queen Margaret Asters is 
at the bight of its splendor—a mass of purple 
aud red of all shades, of white and tinted colors: 
then I have them in pots and boxes, for indoor 
ornament, so soon as in fall bloom. I siuk the 
pots in the earth in the early summer, where 
they are left until the Asters bloom. When 
taken ont, fold a white paper neatly around the 
pot, and it is presentable for any place in .he 
house. A shelf or mantel filled with them, is by 
no means an unpleasant sight to behold. As a 
background for bouquets that are set against 
the wall, the leaf of Bicinus (CaBtor Bean) is 
quite effective. Of course, for small bouquets, 
a small leaf should be chosen; for large and 
striking bouquets, I know of nothing just now 
more effective and simple than stalks of Perilla 
and Golden-rod together—gold on a dark-red 
background. 
I went, into the woods this morning to take a 
look at the Ferns. I found them only begin¬ 
ning to take on a golden hue. Within the com¬ 
ing fortnight, the harvest of Ferns for pressing 
should be made, and they are too pretty to be 
neglected by any woman. It is none too early to 
secure dry sand for filling baskets and vases in 
which to arrange grasses, autumn leaves, etc., 
for winter bouquets. These things can be far 
more artistically arranged by being stuck in sand 
than if tied in bunches. A made-up bouquet, 
the skeleton of which is made up of sticks and 
wires and string, is to me detestable. I want 
honesty in a bouquet as well as in furniture. I 
never like to snip off simply the head of a 
flower—I want it stalk and all. 
I have been amused at Col. Curtis’ concern 
over his English Walnuts. We have a tree in the 
lawn, planted by my father-in-law twenty years 
ago, which yields a peck or more of walnuts 
every year. It stands on a southern slope, and 
is protected at the north by a group of trees, and 
at a little distance away is the dwelling honse. 
As a matter of taste, I much prefer the Black- 
walnut, and a few rods from my window stands 
one, fully forty feet in diameter—a magnificent 
tree, loaded with nut?. It is a good plan to en¬ 
courage ohildren to plant nnt orchards. 
The spirit of communism so abounds in Phila¬ 
delphia, that land-owners will be obliged to hedge 
their possessions about with high stone walls, as 
they do in Italy, in order to enjoy gathering 
their own nuts and fruits. There is great pleas¬ 
ure in giving, but not a bit in having the results 
of your toil taken from you by vandals and vaga¬ 
bonds, without your leave or liking. 
Bryn Mawr, Pa., 2d week In September. 
-♦-*-*-- 
VARYING THE APPEARANCE OF FLOWER 
GARDENS. 
As soon as the frost has put a stop to vegeta¬ 
tion, the flower garden demands attention, for 
many of the strong shrubs and herbaceous 
plants that spread from their roots, as well as 
other kinds that increase freely by seed, are 
very apt to overrun the more valuable plants 
which do not increase of themselves, and if un¬ 
checked would soon destroy that variety whioh 
is so desirable to have in small gardens. Much 
of the beauty aud order of the flower garden de¬ 
pends on the preparations and disposals made 
at or soon after this time. Accordingly, meas¬ 
ures should now be taken to improve the qual¬ 
ity of the soil; the shape of the beds, too, may 
be altered, shrubs and herbaceous plants re¬ 
moved. and many other improvements made. 
These alterations are very necessary, for gar¬ 
dens that wear the same unvaried aspect, year 
after year, become wearisome. 
A little trouble in interchanging the flower 
plants among the different beds, enlarging some 
and curtailing others, will accomplish all that 
is necessary. Those beds occupied this sea¬ 
son with bedders may be filled with herbaceous 
or perennial shrubs and plants for the coming 
year. In this yearly change of the aspect of 
the garden lies half the pleasure of it to the 
cultivator. Wai. C. L. Drew. 
El Dorado Co., Cal. 
^rboriniltitral. 
EVERY-DAY NOTES. 
SAMUEL PARSONS. 
CLEMATIS APIFOIIA. 
Why is this charming climber so little known 
and employed ? There is hardly anything bloom¬ 
ing in the fall, as well adapted for covering piles 
of rock, old stumps or even for shutting up com¬ 
pletely a wire or wooden lattice. Just now it 
is in its glory and will remain so until frost. 
It is astonishingly prolific of flowers and foli¬ 
age, somewhat after the manner of Clematis 
Flammula only with different leaves aud bloom. 
The former are of good size for a Clematis 
and curiously and deeply divided, a little like 
those of the Ampclopsis bipinuata. Their color 
iB a bright green. The latter, that is, tho flowers, 
are peculiar and very attractive. Covering the 
surface of the vine vary thoroughly, the clus¬ 
ters consist of little white flowers with four 
small petals set at right angles with each other 
aud surmounted by numerous anthers aud a 
stigma, the greenish hue of which diffuses 
itself roundabout. Indeed the entire flower has 
a very slightly greenish hue whioh gives it an 
nnusal appearance. 
'This Clematis is very vigorous and hardy, 
and merits better recognition. It comes from 
Japan and is not especially rare, though so 
little employed. 
CLEMATIS GLOIRE-DE-ST-JUUEN. 
This is another Clematis that shows finely in 
.September. It belongs to the Lanuginosa type 
and flowered first two months since. Now, 
however, it is bearing a seoond set of flowers, 
almost, if not entirely, equal in size and num¬ 
ber to those of the first crop. The white silk¬ 
like texture of the flower of this Clematis 
and its great size, six or seven inches in diam- 
ter, as well as this prolific season of seoond 
blooming, all combine to make it a most valua¬ 
ble climber for the fall. In growth, also, it 
Bhows more vigor than many of its near rela¬ 
tives. The extreme beauty and variety of this 
genus, or group, of climbers have yet to be 
properly appreciated in America. All who do 
learn their qualities express the greatest de¬ 
light in their oharms. 
THE SUN-RAY PINE. 
I like this name, suggested some time since 
by the Rural New-Yorker. It is torBe, Saxon, 
and expresses well the heart of gold possessed 
by the Pinus Massoniana variegata, as if abund¬ 
ant sunlight had suddenly taken up its abode in 
the greenest of Pines. Earlier in the season, 
the gold was more slightly and generally mingled 
with the green, sometimes even in a way that 
gave the impression of defective health. There 
is a marked limit of color fixed later in the 
season, that concentrates the green and gold, 
each within its own boundaries, by a well defined 
line. This distinct contrast intensifies the soft, 
rich glow which, coming as it does during the 
fall of the year, is specially charming. PinuB 
Massoniana variegata is from Japan and ex¬ 
tremely rare, a prize that is eagerly sought for 
wherever it is known. The Japanese have a 
high regard for Pinus Massoniana and for 
all ita varieties, which they have selected in 
myriads, and distorted and dwarfed in the pe¬ 
culiar manner by which their patient ingenuity 
eviucea their regard. The Sun-ray Pine is, per¬ 
haps, the most favored variety of Pinus Masso¬ 
niana with Japanese and Europeans alike. I 
know of no large specimens, but doubtless its 
habit is at least as flue as that .of its parent, Mas¬ 
soniana, whioh is one of the very best species 
we have in cultivation. 
THE COLDEN-LEAVED CATAIPA. 
Gatalpas are always fine in fall with their 
large, shadowy foliage, the nearest approach to 
the tropioal size of palm leaves that we have, if 
we except Maguolia macrophylla. The leaves 
last well in autumn, retaining their normal col¬ 
oring, whioh is, of course, finer on the new 
growth. Certain brighter changes of occasional 
youDg leaves have been perpetuated by grafting 
with a resultant new variety, Oatalpa Syruigffl- 
folia aurea. which is never brighter than iu Sep¬ 
tember. It is bright gold, suffusing the green 
of the leaf and becoming conspicuous at some 
distance. There are other varieties of trees 
possessing much the same peculiarities, but 
none of more marked appearance at this season. 
Flushing, L. I. 
-♦ ♦ » — 
AMERICAN ARBOR-VITiE. 
Thuja Occident alis. 
The American Arbor-vitto is one of our most 
valuable native trees for cultivation, for timber, 
ornament or protection. It is a species peculiar 
to this continent, having no counterpart in other 
parts of the known world. The Siberian Arbor- 
vitifi is but a dwarfed sport of the American, and 
is not found native in Siberia, or iu any other 
part of the world, as one would suppose by its 
name. 
The Arbor-vitte is rarely Been native east of 
the great lakes, but abounds in the forests and 
swamps about Lake Superior and the northern 
portions of Lakes Huron and Michigan. It is 
usually a small tree, from four inches to one 
foot in diameter, but rising iu the thick, native 
forests to a great bight. I have Been trees not 
more than eight inches at the base, rising sixty 
to eighty feet, one-half the bight a eleau trunk, 
free from branches, aud as straight as an 
arrow. It is not always a small tree, for 
forests in which trees are found two to three 
feet iu diameter are common. Its timber is the 
most durable of any we have. Large quantities 
are annually exported from our northeru forests, 
for fence posts, telegraph poles, aud railroad 
ties; aud these are oalled “cedar posts, cedar ties 
and cedar poles." 
Although growing so tall and slim when thickly 
clustered, it forms a very dense beautiful tree 
when growing singly. Its side brauohes are nu¬ 
merous, short and stooky, gradually diminishing 
toward the top, forming a beautiful cone. Many 
suppose it to be identical with the White Cedar 
of Ihe Eastern States, hence tho name “oedar 
posts, &o." aDd the custom of calling its wild 
hauuts “ cedar swamps.” Ita principal peculiar¬ 
ity lies in tho couos, which are compo<-ed of a 
great number of small scales imbricated, or 
overlaying each other, in a flat, fan-like form, 
looking as though they had been pressed into 
position. In the bands of a skilled gardener, it 
ib one of tho most useful trees for ornamental 
planting. As hardy aud easily transplanted as a 
Willow, very patiout under the shears, it oan be 
easily trained into douse screens or barriers to 
ward off cold winds aud storms, or for evergreen 
hedges for ornament and dividing off pleasure- 
grounds. For single trees, it is very beautiful 
and desirable, being easily molded by the 
shears into a variety of fanciful aud fantastic 
forms. As it is so easily cultivated, so hardy, 
and so common, besides being so valuable, it is 
a wonder it is not more generally planted. 
Door Co., Wls. George Pinnkt. 
