1898 
75 
The Garden. 
Japan Iris; Chinese Lantern Plant. 
C. I). U., Racine County, Wis.—l. What is the 
method of culture of Iris Kmmpferl ? How deep 
should they be planted ? Will you name some of 
the most desirable kinds, both double and single? 
2. Is the Chinese Lantern plant worthy of a trial, 
or is it a mere novelty ? 
Ans.— 1. The Japan Iris (I. Ktempferi) 
will flourish in any good garden soil ; al¬ 
though they like moisture, there is no 
need for a damp situation, other sur¬ 
roundings being favorable. The roots 
are planted in early Spring, before 
growth starts, the top of the root being 
just about level with the surface of the 
soil. We have seen them growing finely 
in a sandy loam of moderate fertility, 
where no extra moisture was supplied ; 
but they will be all the better for water¬ 
ing An expedient sometimes resorted 
to where the Iris bed is not very large, 
is a strip of galvanized iron about four 
inches deep stuck into the soil so as to 
surround the bed, and thus retain water. 
Daily floodings were given, to the great 
advantage of the plants. In Japan, great 
fields of this Iris are grown, making a 
magnificent sight when in bloom, and a 
similar sight may be seen among the 
large growers on Long Island. A list of 
fine named varieties would include the 
following : Daibutz, deep indigo, semi¬ 
double, dwarf : Emperor of Japan, deep 
maroon ; Empress of Japan, tall, laven¬ 
der and white; Ichibau, reddish purple 
and white, double, dwarf; Minister 
Mori, white laced with pinkish mauve, 
early, very beautiful ; M. Buchanan, 
pale indigo, yellow eye, double, fine ; M. 
Chotars, light blue, striped with white, 
tall, early: Murusaki, purple, wavy 
petals; Otentosama, light purple and 
white, early; Pearl, pure white ; Per¬ 
fection, white, mottled purple, early; 
Robert Buist, deep indigo, yellow eye, 
double ; Virginalis, beautiful double 
white. Unnamed seedlings of mixed 
sorts, which often include some very 
handsome kinds, are sold cheap, and 
will be satisfactory where a large num¬ 
ber are required. 
2. We have not personally grown the 
Chinese Lantern plant, but specimens of 
it noted were very showy and attractive, 
when bearing the fruit in their odd, in¬ 
flated covering. 
Seasonable Hotes. 
Poinsettias should have been in the 
glory of their scarlet bracts at Christmas 
time. After this, they should lie on their 
sides in a warm, dry place, water being 
withheld, to give them a chance to ripen 
their growth. 
During the constant changes from 
mild to severe weather, the sudden varia¬ 
tions of temperature cause danger to 
window plants, which are likely to be 
nipped by an unexpected freeze. In such 
case, if the foliage has suffered severely, 
it should be cut off, and a new growth 
started slowly. Such plants should not 
be hurried ; they should be kept a little 
dry, and allowed to start slowly into 
growth. Soft-wooded plants, like Gera¬ 
niums, recuperate quite readily. A fern 
which has met with such a check would 
better be cut right down, and allowed to 
make a fresh start. It is surprising how 
quickly it will grow again, if under fav¬ 
orable conditions. As a rule, we do not 
recommend Maidenhair ferns for house 
plants ; they rarely do well, because they 
do not get the right conditions. Our 
rooms are usually too hot and dry. In a 
light, airy room whose average tempera¬ 
ture is 05 to 75 deg'rees in the day, fall¬ 
ing lower at night, where there is neither 
gas nor steam heat, this fern does well, 
especially as it will be a little cooler near 
the window than in other parts of the 
room. This fern is always a disappoint¬ 
ment in a fern-pan upon the dining table, 
MOTHERS.—Be sure to use “Mrs. Wins¬ 
low’s Soothing Syrup” for your children 
while Teething. It is the Best.— Adv. 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER 
as it gets poor light and, as a rule, the 
room is overheated. 
Chrysanthemums moved in from the 
frames or cellar, should be forming 
shoots that will give plenty of propa¬ 
gating material, and cuttings may be 
taken at any time now, using both suck¬ 
ers and upper shoots. February, March 
and April cuttings are for hush plants ; 
May and June for single-stem specimens. 
They are rooted in sand, well watered, 
and shaded for the first few days. They 
should be ready for potting in about two 
weeks, the soil used being loam, sand 
and leaf mold. After potting, the little 
plants must be well watered, and shaded 
for several days or they will wilt. These 
young plants may spend the Summer in 
the frames outside. 
Although, where there is no glass, 
either frames or greenhouses, it is too 
early to do any sowing of seed yet, it is 
well to look over supplies, and make out 
a list of the seeds required. The sweet 
peas will be the first thing to go out-of- 
doors, and their border should have been 
prepared last Fall. It is well to choose 
a different situation for them, year after 
year; a species of blight has appeared 
among them, in many localities, and 
change of location may have some influ¬ 
ence in avoiding this. Herbaceous plants 
in need of division, which were not at¬ 
tended to last Fall, should be looked after 
early in the Spring, and any required re¬ 
planting should be done. 
Small snails or slugs are often trouble¬ 
some in a cool greenhouse, and they oc¬ 
casionally find their way to the house 
plants, when many are kept. The best 
way to get rid of them is by trapping. 
Lay a bit of cabbage leaf on the earth in 
the flower pots at night, and examine 
early in the morning ; the marauders are 
found on the cool leaf. These pests are 
very annoying in a greenhouse where 
fine flowering plants are grown ; they 
have a special liking for the blooms of 
choice orchids. These are often pro¬ 
tected by a band of loose cotton batting 
tied about the flower stem, this serving 
as a protection against both slugs and 
ants. The ants are particularly annoying 
in a palm or orchid house, because they 
carry scale insects about from place to 
place. 
Macbeth lamp-chimneys — 
more lioht a nd don’t break. 
o 
Can’t you get ’em ? 
What’s your dealer say 
about ’em ? 
Write Macbeth Pittsburgh .Pa 
JLTIFLORA’ 
NEW MULTIFLORA ROSES. 
W ith sced of these new Roses, plants may be had In 
bloom in 60 days from time of sowing. Plant at any 
bloom all summer. In pots they bloom both summer 
and winter. From a packet of seed one will get Roses 
ot various colors—white, pink, crimson, etc.—no two 
alike, and mostly perfectly double and very sweet, 
Greatest of novelties. Seed 20c. per pkt., 3 pkts. 
for 50c.—or for 4 Oc. we will send 
1 l’kt. New Multiflora Roses. All colors. 
J .. ( Innese Lantern Plant. Magnificent, 
1 „ Cupid Dwarf Sweet Pea. Areal gem. 
1 .. Verbena, (Hunt White Scented. 
J . I ree Strawberry. Largest,finest berry. 
1 bulb Double-flowered Tuberous Begonia 
1 .. Fancy Gloxinia. Extra fine. 
1 „ Giunt i lowered Gladiolus Cliildsi. 
£ 1 Spotted Callu Lily, 1 Montbretin. 
„ Fancy Gladiolus. All different colors. 
J” „ r lowering Oxalis. Mixed colors. Also, 
,VJ. ‘A' Color Plate Catalogue and 
11IR MAI 1 LOWER Monthly Magazine for a 
year; illustrated—colored plate each month—devoted 
to t lowers and Gardening. Worth $1.50 but for trial 
All the above for 40c. postpaid. 
Our Great Colored Plate Catalogue 
of Flower and Vegetable Seeds, Bulbs, Plants, and 
Bare N ew i rtilts, is the flnestever Issued; profusely 
Illustrated. IS Magnificent Large Colored Plates, 
160 pages. Mailed for 10 cts., or FREE to any who ex¬ 
pect to send us an order after getting It. 
JOHN LEWIS CHILDS, Floral Park, N. T. 
Kidney and Bladder Troubles Quickly Cured. 
You May Have a Sample Bottle of the Great Discovery, 
Dr. Kilmer's Swamp-Root Sent Free by Mail. 
Men and women doctor their troubles 
so often without benefit, that they get 
discouraged and skeptical. In most such 
cases serious mistakes are made in doc¬ 
toring and in not knowing what our 
trouble is or what makes us sick. The 
unmistakable evidences of kidney trouble 
are pain or dull ache in the hack, too 
frequent desire to pass water, scanty 
supply, smarting irritation. As kidney 
disease advances the face looks sallow or 
pale, puffs or dark circles under the eyes, 
the feet swell and sometimes the heart 
acts badly. Should further evidence be 
needed to find out the cause of sickness, 
then set urine aside for 24 hours ; if there 
is a sediment or settling, it is also con¬ 
vincing proof that our kidneys and blad¬ 
der need doctoring. A fact often over¬ 
looked, is that women suffer as much 
from kidney and bladder trouble as 
men do. 
Dr. Kilmer's Swamp-Root is the dis¬ 
covery of the eminent physician and 
scientist, and is not recommended for 
everything, hut will he found just what 
is needed in cases of kidney and bladder 
disorders or troubles due to weak kid¬ 
neys, such as catarrh of the bladder, 
gravel, rheumatism and Bright's Disease, 
which is the worst form of kidney trou¬ 
ble It corrects inability to hold urine 
and smarting in passing it, and promptly 
overcomes that unpleasant- necessity of 
being compelled to get up many times 
during the night. 
The mild and the extraordinary effect 
of this great remedy is soon realized. It 
stands the highest for its wonderful 
cures. Sold by druggists, price 50 cents 
and $1. So universally successful is 
Swamp-Root in quickly curing even the 
most distressing cases, that to Drove its 
wonderful merit you may have a sample 
bottle and a book of valuable informa¬ 
tion, both sent absolutely free by mail, 
upon receipt of three two-cent stamps to 
cover cost of postage on the bottle. 
Mention The Rural New-Yorker, and 
send your address to Dr. Kilmer & Co., 
Binghamton, N. Y. This generous offer 
appearing in this paper is a guarantee of 
genuineness.— Adw. 
r GRT 
•<>—VlCTORIES._->- 
FOUR MEDALS—3 Gold and 1 Silver, World’s Centennial 
Cotton Exposition, Now Orleans, 1884. 
HlGHE SFAWARDS^Nebraska Agricultural FalT , 1887. 
DIPLOMA—Alabama Agr'l Society, Montgomery, 1888. 
AWARD—Chattahoochle Valley Exposition, Colum- 
bu s, Ga., 1888. __ 
HIGHEST AWARDS—St. Louis Agricultural and 
Mechanical Association, 1889. 
GOLD ~MEDALSand5 DiPLOMAS-World’s Colum¬ 
bi an E xposi tion, Chicago, 1893 ._ 
HIGHEST AWARDS—Western Fair Association, l.on- 
don^C anad a, 1893. _ 
SI* GOL D ME DALS and Diplomas—Cal. Midwinter Fair ’94. 
SILVER MEDAL —Industrial Exposition, Toronto, Canada, 1895. 
345,584 Home Comfort Ranges Sold to Jan. 1st,-97 
tykange illustrated sold throughout the United States and 
the Canadas at a uni form price from our ow n wagons. 
Made of open hearth, cold rolled steel-plate and malleable 
Iron —will last a Ufe-time with ordinary care. 
WROUGHT IRON RANGE CO., 
Founded 1864. Paid up Capital Sl.OOO.OOO. 
Factories, Salesrooms and Offices: ST. LOUIS, MO., and TORONTO, CANADA. 
Western Salesrooms and offices: DENVER COLO. 
11 We manufacture and carry a complete stock of Hotel Ranges and Kitchen goods; also th# 
'Jneoraaled HOME rOMPORT STEEL EORNACES. Write for catalogue and prices. 
Ours is the Most Complete 
Department Nursery 
in the U. S. [ 
Can supply all 
your wants from 
Flower and 
Vegetable 
Seeds to Street Trees at 
low rates. We publish one ot 
the leading Seed, Plant and Tree Catalogues issued, 
which will be mailed free. Send for it now, it will 
save you money. Try us, can refer you to customers in every state and territory 
in the Union. 43 years of square dealing has made us patrons and friends far and 
near. Have hundreds of carloads of 
FRUIT AND ORNAMENTAL TREES, SHRURS, ROSES, PLANTS. 
We send by mail postpaid, Seeds, Bulbs, Plants, Roses, Small Trees, Etc. Safe arrival and 
satisfaction guaranteed; larger by express or freight. 44 th year. 32 greenhouses. 1,000 acres. 
THE STORRS & HARRISON CO., Box 188 , Painesville, O. 
TREES-SHRUBS-ROSES 
The Ingest and most complete collections in America, including all desirable 
novelties. General Catalogue (168 pages) free. Every intending buyer should have 
it. An indispensable cataloffue”—Country Gentleman. 
ER * BARRY, Mount Hope Nurseries, Rochester, N.Y. 
B 
erry Boxes 
Best Whitewood, 
@ $2.50 ^ 1000. 
Send for New Catalogue, FREE. 
Peach and Grape Baskets. 
Melon Baskets. 
VICK’S^S 
Garden and Floral 
GUIDE 1898 . 
FREE TO ALL APPLICANTS. 
The Busy Man’s Catalogue and the Indies’ Gardener 
and Adviser. The only one containing full Descrip¬ 
tions and Directions for planting and culture; so com¬ 
prehensive, condensed, classified, and indexed, that 
He who runs may rend. Many illuptratious from na¬ 
ture. Colored plates of Sweet Peas, Nasturtiums, 
Tuberous Begonias, Golden Day Lily, Cactus Dah¬ 
lias, Day break Asters. Beautifully embossed 
cover. 120 large pages completely tilled with 
honest illustrations. SPECIAL OFFER: 
Three Kniiibier Roses, white, yellow, 
crimson, and the Guide, only 
40 Cents. 
JAMES VICKS SONS 
ROCHESTER. N.Y. 
Homeseekers and the South. 
Homeseekers and Investors can obtain full and 
reliable information about Georgia farms, water 
powers, crops and markets by addressing 
Ex-Gov. W. J. NORTHEN, 
Manager Georgia Immigration and Investment 
Bureau, Atlanta, Ga. 
This Bureau has located more than 10,000 people 
in Georgia during the past three years. 
In buying seeds “economy is 
extravagance,” because the cost 
Of cultivation wasted on inferior seeds 
always largely exceeds the original 
cost of the best and dearest seeds to 
be had. The best is always the 
cheapest. Pay a trifle more for 
FERRY’S 
SEEDS 
and always get your money’s worth. 
Five cents per paper everywhere. 
Always the best. Seed Annual free. 
D.M.FERRY & CO., Detroit, Mich. 
