1898 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
375 
Treatment of Genista. 
favorite among crimson-flowered Cannas, 
but the drooping habit of the spike has 
sometimes been regarded as a disad¬ 
vantage. The newer Deput6 Ravarin 
gives flowers of similar color and type, 
but the spikes are held erect to a height 
of five or six feet. It makes a noble¬ 
looking plant either singly or in groups. 
Czar Alexander III. is three to four 
feet in height, with brilliant carmine 
flowers produced in heavy branching 
spikes. We are all acquainted with the 
beauty of the orchid-flowered Cannas, 
and those who tried Italia and Austria 
last year would do well to add Aleman- 
nia and America to their list this year. 
Amateur, Wayne County, Mich— How shall I 
treat a Genista during Summer ? The plant was 
received about Easter, and is now going out of 
bloom. I have no greenhouse. 
Ans.—T he Genista (Cytisus Canariensis 
or C. racemosus) will require a partial 
rest during the Summer. The plant 
may he either planted out or the pot 
plunged in the ground until September, 
when it should he repotted. During the 
early Winter, a temperature of 45 to 50 
degrees is warm enough for these plants, 
hut about two months before the time 
they are desired to flower, they may he 
moved to a temperature of GO to 65 de¬ 
grees. Their natural habit is to form 
long, graceful shoots, but purchasers 
usually demand a close, round head cov¬ 
ered with bloom; so while making 
growth, the longer shoots are nipped off. 
Some florists shear the plants off into 
the desired regular shape. In spite of 
their beauty, Genistas are not now so 
popular among Easter plants as in former 
years, because they do not last well in a 
warm room. 
A Few Good Cannas. 
As soon as all danger of frost is past, 
we shall plant our Cannas, which form 
the most showy and effective plants we 
may choose for any garden, large or 
small. They grow so rapidly, and multi¬ 
ply so freely, that they are a most satis¬ 
factory investment from year to year. 
While fine new varieties are produced 
each year, there are plenty of the inex¬ 
pensive older sorts which will give a 
good effect. 
In selecting Cannas, the habit of the 
plant must be considered, and whether 
the situation demands a tall or dwarf 
variety. For a dwarf yellow Ganna, 
Eldorado is our first choice ; the color is 
very brilliant, and does not fade out 
badly under a hot sun. Premier, a seed¬ 
ling from Queen Charlotte, brilliant red 
with broad yellow edge, is another good 
dwarf. Tarrytown, one of the new in¬ 
troductions, appears to be the ideal 
dwarf of its color. The flowers are a 
bright cherry red, foliage green, growth 
extremely short and compact. The flower 
spikes are very dense, and are produced 
with great freedom. They stand Sum¬ 
mer storms admirably, seeming to be 
much firmer in texture than many other 
varieties. The flowers are produced so 
freely and continuously, and the habit 
of the plant is so neat and compact, that 
it surely will be of great value planted 
alone in large beds or borders, where a 
solid effect is required. It will, also, be 
fine for edging a group of taller sorts. 
No doubt a fine effect would be produced 
by using it to border a bold clump of the 
tall orchid-flowered variety, Austria, 
with its golden yellow blooms. 
Franz Buchner, though not a new va¬ 
riety, hardly seems to be fully appreci¬ 
ated by amateur gardeners. This is a 
dwarf, though taller than Tarrytown, 
probably attaining a height of three 
feet; the flowers are deep orange suffused 
with scarlet, having a wavy line of yel¬ 
low around the edge. It is very distinct 
in appearance, and very satisfactory in 
growth. 
Alphonse Bouvier has always been a 
These are two of the newest varieties. 
America is especially interesting, as be¬ 
ing one of the first of the orchid type 
with dark foliage. The leaves are bronze 
shaded with dark red, large and mas¬ 
sive ; the flowers deep red at the heart, 
shaded with a purplish tinge. Alemannia 
has green foliage ; the flowers are glow¬ 
ing red at the heart, the outer petals 
scarlet bordered with yellow. 
Chicago, with large flame red blooms, 
and Flamingo, bright crimson, are both 
too good to be set aside by the newer 
sorts. Black Beauty, with purple-bronze 
foliage and glowing red flowers, and 
Egandale, a standard among taller dark- 
foliaged sorts, are still among the best 
of the dark type. A worthy companion 
is Pres. Carnot, with dark foliage and 
scarlet flowers. We still admire .1. 1). 
Cabos for its fine dark foliage, but the 
pretty apricot blooms fade unevenly 
under a hot sun. Florence Vaughan, 
large and robust, having deep yellow 
flowers mottled with crimson, still holds 
a high rank, in spite of the many newer 
yellows; it is a very satisfactory grower. 
Paul Marquant, salmon suffused with 
scarlet, is very showy. In selecting 
Cannas for a garden of moderate size, it 
is a mistake to get several varieties very 
nearly alike or of the same type. For 
example. Mine. Crozy, Queen Charlotte, 
Premier and Mrs. Fairman Rogers are all 
medium to dwarf sorts having scarlet 
flowers irregularly bordered with yel¬ 
low. M me. Crozy is one of the cheapest 
of Cannas, and very effective in the mass, 
but if we were buying but a few plants 
we would omit it, and select Premier 
or Mrs. Fairman Rogers instead. The 
same may be said of the crimson varieties; 
select the best of the type, and avoid 
monotonous repetitions in color. 
Seasonable Notes. 
If the lawn is badly overgrown with 
chickweed, which will be likely to show 
itself now, the intruding plants should 
be scratched out with a sharp-toothed 
rake, and a little grass seed sown in the 
bare spots. The chickweed is very likely 
to appear in damp, shaded spots. A light 
dressing of nitrate of potash will en¬ 
courage the grass. Such weeds as plant¬ 
ains and dandelions must be pulled out 
bodily, roots and all. This is best done 
while the ground is soft after a rain. 
Mouse-ear is another troublesome weed 
in the lawn, and this must be scratched 
out with the rake. The lawn would 
better be rolled, to settle uneven places 
and make it firm. Many persons still 
hold to the opinion that the first cutting 
of the grass in the Spring should not 
take place until the grass is quite long, 
when it is cut with a scythe. This is a 
decided error ; the long growth bleaches 
the surface and weakens the roots. The 
grass should be cut with the mower just 
as soon as it is long enough. 
Tall-growing herbaceous plants should 
have a stake set by them, and be tied up 
a little, before they have a chance to fall 
MOTHERS.—Be sure to use “Mrs. Wins¬ 
low’s Soothing Syrup” for your children 
while Teething. It is the Best.—.ddt). 
over and smother smaller plants near 
them. If a quantity of self-sown seed¬ 
lings of herbaceous plants have started 
up, do not allow them to choke the other 
plants; they must be treated as ruthlessly 
as weeds. If there is a nursery plot to 
which they may be transferred, they 
may be grown on for future use. Or 
the other hand, if there are any gaps in 
the border caused by the failure of other 
plants, some of the little seedlings may 
be set there, or a pinch of seed be sown, 
preferably of some quick-growing an¬ 
nual. If hardy violets show signs of 
disease, all the affected specimens should 
be destroyed, and the surviving plants 
moved to a new location. 
Tulip beds will soon be replanted with 
Summer bedding plants. It is the cus¬ 
tom with some gardeners to interplant 
the tulip beds either with annuals or 
tender greenhouse plants, leaving the 
bulbs in the ground. We think, how¬ 
ever, that it is wiser to lift the bulbs 
and dry them off properly, unless they 
are naturalized in the informal garden. 
The bulbs should not be lifted until the 
foliage is yellow and dying : they are then 
dried in an airy, shaded place, and then 
stored away until Autumn planting. 
The Pearl bush (Spirma grandiflora, 
syn. Exochorda) is a beautiful sight in 
early May, though not at all striking 
after blooming is past. It has a very 
straggling habit, which sometimes be¬ 
comes actual raggedness. After flower¬ 
ing is over a little trimming may be 
given to keep it rather more in bounds. 
All these early-flowering shrubs should 
receive any pruning desired after flower¬ 
ing. 
Pelargoniums (Lady Washington Ge¬ 
raniums) are now in fine bloom. These 
beautiful plants are no good for bedding 
with us, but they are fine for the house 
and greenhouse.. After they have fin¬ 
ished blooming, they should receive less 
water, though not kept dry enough to 
turn the leaves yellow ; then, in August, 
the plants should be cut back severely, 
leaving only two or three eyes to each 
stem. They are then kept perfectly dry 
for a week or two, when they receive a 
slight, overhead watering and begin to 
make growth. When the young growth 
is about an inch long, they should be 
repotted. Shake off all the old soil, 
give the roots a slight pruning, and 
repot, using good sod loam. The pots 
should be a size smaller than the flower¬ 
ing pot. During Winter a temperature 
of 45 degrees is sufficient for Pelargo¬ 
niums. Grown on year after year, fine 
large specimens are produced. 
hill 
if 
big 
grease 
you 
the 
agon 
wheels 
ith 
Axle 
MICA 
Grease 
Get a box and learn why 
it’s the best grease ever 
put on an axle. Sold everywhere 
FRAZER creaL 
BEST IN THE WORLD. 
Its wearing qualities are unsurpassed, actually 
outlasting three boxes of any other brand. Not 
affected by heat. J3?" GET THE GENUINE. 
FOR SALK BY DEALERS GENERALLY. 
CHILTON 
PAINT. 
It is the cheapest paint in the 
world, not only because it is the 
best, but because a given quan¬ 
tity covers more surface and 
covers it better than any other 
paint. 
The Chilton Paint is mixed 
and ground through Burrstone 
and Iron Mills seven times. 
No one can get the best results 
mixing paint by hand. Starting 
with the best materials, we exer¬ 
cise the Greatest care j n m anu- 
o 
facture. Don’t compare Chil¬ 
ton with mixed paints—it stands 
in a class by itself. 
For color cards and painting 
suggestions, write 
CHILTON MANUFACTURING COMPANY, 
69 Corllandt Street, New York. 
Fire-Weather-Lightning Proof 
Black, painted or galvanized metal ROOFING 
and siding; (brick, rocked or corrugated) 
MKTAL CEILINGS AND SIDE WALLS 
Write for Catalogue. 
Penn Metal Ceiling & Rooting Co.. Ltd., Philadelphia. 
How’s Your 
Spring. 
Avoid mistakes and secure the 
very best thing of the ltind made. 
... _ Use Sykes “Old Style" 
It is made in a var- I ROM ROOF IMO. 
lety of Btyles, is easily put on and Is longllved and 
handsome. Falling sparks can’t Are it, hailean’t break 
It and the wind can’t blow It off. Roofs that have been 
on 26 years are good yet. Send for catalogue and prices. 
Sykes Iron and Steel Roofing Co. Niles, 0. and Chicago, lli. 
ROOFINGS AND ROOF COATINGS. 
Carey’s Cement Roofing. Swan’s Standard Roofing, 
and ‘‘Neponset '’ Red and Black Rope Fabric; all at 
manufacturers’ prices. Send for samples. 
JAMES S. CASK, Colchester, Conn. 
WHAT DO YOU WANT? 
If it’s liuggles. Harness, Saddles, Bicycles, Sew lag 
Machines, Feed Cookers, Cider Presses, Spruy 
Pumps, Poultry l - “ —— 
tiling else, we 
rect from the fac- 
what It is, or where 
MAKE 
YOUR WANTSl 
KNOWN 
Supplies or any- 
can supply It dl- 
tory. No matter 
It. is made, we can 
supply It anti save you money too. Try us. 
Write for our Illustrated catalogue, circulars, etc. 
Frank B. Barkley Mf g. Co • Chicago, Illinois. 
1898 
High 
Grade 
BICYCLES 
for Men, Women, Girls 
" Boys. Complete line. 
All brand new models. 
$76 ‘Oakwood’ for $32.60 
_ $00‘Arlington’ “ $24.60 
No Money In Advance. Others at $15, $17and $20 
WHITE today for SPECIAL OFFER. 4t ,„ nIIe , ,,.00 to $12 60 
Shipped anywhere C.O.D.wlth privilege to examine. Buy 
direct lrom manufacturers, save agents* dealers profits 
Large Illn«. Catalog™, Free. CASH BUYERS’ UNION, 
168 W. VanBuren Street, 11-848, Chicago, Ills. 
LANE’S CARRIAGE JACK 
Best in the world. All 
steel. Unbreakable. Oper¬ 
ated bv powerful com¬ 
pound fevers, and quickly 
adjusted to any height. At 
all hardware dealers’, or 
write manf’rs. LANE BROS., Poughkeepsie, N. Y. 
GENERAL AGENTS 
•wanted to superintend local 
agents selling the Combination 
Lock-pin Clevis to farmers and 
others. Self locking ; always 
secure ; sells at sight; exclus¬ 
ive territory. 150 percent profit 
COBMANY MEG. CO. 
225 Dearborn 8treet. Chleay 
S 5 0ld Wagons 
We make Steel Wheels to fit any 
size and width tire. Staggard ana 
Straight Spoke. Will not rot or dry 
out. We also manufacture Steel 
Handy Wagons. Catalogue free. 
Havana Metal Wheal Co., Havana, III. 
No. 77. Surrey Harness. Price, $16.00. 
As good as sells for $25. 
but have sold direot to the con 
sumer for 25 years at whole¬ 
sale prices, saving him the 
dealer's profits. Ship any¬ 
where for examination. 
Everything warranted. 
118 styles of Vehicles, 
55 styles of Harness. 
Top Buggies, $36 to $70. 
Surreys, $50 to $125. Carria¬ 
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* Wagons. Send for large, free No . 606 Surrey. Price, with curtains, lamps, sun. 
Catalogue of all our styles, shade, apron and feuders, |60. As good as sella for $90. 
ELKHART CARRIAGE ANI> HARNESS MFG. CO. W. B, PRATT, Bec’y, ELKHART, INI». 
