189 ? 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER 
59 
Plants for a Rockery. 
U. McV., Staten Island.—1 wish to arrange a 
rockery in my garden; I have a number of large 
stones which can be used for this purpose, 
grouped in the vicinity of a large willow tree. 
Ans. —The common idea of making a 
rockery is to pile up a cairn of stones, 
sprinkle a little soil in the interstices 
between them, and then expect some 
unhappy plants to live and grow there. 
In the natural rockery, which we should 
make our model, we find half-buried 
rocks varied by flat spaces of deep earth, 
where the plants may luxuriate, creep¬ 
ing or hanging over the stones at will. 
Abrupt slopes of earth should be 
avoided, as they are sure to wash badly 
in heavy rain. While we see rock plants 
doing well in almost any exposure, the 
stones grow very hot in summer, and an 
eastern or northeastern slope is prefer¬ 
able, unless there is some shade that 
will lessen the intensity of the after¬ 
noon sun. 
The plants for such a garden should 
be herbaceous perennials, though some 
annuals or bulbs might be used about 
the base. The perennials will increase 
in beauty each year, and give great 
variety. A number of native plants 
may be used. Several of the low-grow¬ 
ing Phloxes, P. amcena, P. subulata, 
white and pale mauve-pink, and P. pro- 
cumbens, will make pretty, flat cush¬ 
ions, always covered with bloom in 
spring. Iberis corremfolia and I. Gib- 
raltarica flower abundantly ; variegated 
thyme will be very pretty and delic¬ 
iously fragrant. The white Rock cress 
(Arabis albida)^ makes a sheet of snow 
in spring. Lamb’s-toes (Lotus cornieu- 
latus), creeps freely, with quantities of 
yellow blooms. Daphne Cneorum is a 
beautiful prostrate shrub, with bright 
pink, fragrant flowers. This will sprawl 
over the rocks in company with the 
Japanese ampelopsis (often called Bos¬ 
ton ivy), and the trailing Wichuraiana 
rose. Anemones and native ferns will 
fill the shady corners, and Iceland pop¬ 
pies will luxuriate in the deep pockets 
of soil. The Golden alyssum (Alyssum 
saxatile), is one of the finest of rockery 
plants, making a sheet of yellow when 
in bloom ; the Rock speedwell (Veronica 
rupestris), Creeping bugle (Ajuga Gene- 
vensis), Thrift, Sea Pink, Sweet William, 
Creeping forget-me-not (Omphalodes), 
and a host of similar plants may be sug¬ 
gested. The American Thick-stamen 
(Pachysandra procumbens), having in¬ 
significant little flesh-colored flowers, 
whose delicious odor fills all the air 
about them, will luxuriate in some 
shaded place. The borders of the rock¬ 
ery might be planted with spring bulbs, 
especially the daffodils and Poet’s nar¬ 
cissus, which like to remain undisturbed 
for several years. A protected nook 
with good drainage and deep, rich soil, 
containing plenty of leaf mold, would 
form a congenial home for the native 
Showy Lady’s-slipper (Cypripedium spec- 
tabile), or other native orchids. If a 
background of shrubs is desired, Rhodo¬ 
dendrons, hardy Azaleas, Japanese Bar¬ 
berry, Mountain Laurel (Kalmia), and 
Rugosa roses would be very suitable. 
The Window Garden. 
Callas should now be blooming ; they 
should have received their top-dressing 
before now, and if further food seems 
necessary they may have a weekly dose 
of manure water. After flowering is 
over, gradually withhold the water that 
the tops may die down ; as soon as 
settled warm weather comes, lay the 
pots on their sides out-of-doors in a 
sheltered place where they will not be 
troubled by drip, and let them dry out 
to ripen the roots. In September, knock 
the dry earth from the bulb, and repot 
in good, rich, mellow loam, abundantly 
fertilized, removing any offsets or small 
bulbs, which may be grown on to flow¬ 
ering size. Some florists plant their 
callas out in benches, but these grow 
very rankly, and the flowers produced 
are likely to be of unwieldy size and 
flimsy substance. 
Poinsettias, which were in the glory 
of their brilliant red bracts about Christ¬ 
mas, should now be kept dry, resting, 
turned over on the sides of their pots in 
the cellar. The wood will ripen enough 
to make cuttings during April, though 
it is not always possible to make these 
cuttings root without bottom heat. 
Cuttings are made of the ripe wood, and 
require about three weeks to root. 
Care should be taken that the hands are 
free from scratches or abrasions when 
handling the poinsettia cuttings ; the 
milky juice is very poisonous, though 
contact with the plant itself does not 
result in any harm. Even if there be no 
intention of propagating by cuttings, 
the old plants should be cut back to the 
old wood, shaken out and started in five- 
inch pots, and then encouraged to grow. 
At the end of May the pots may be 
plunged to the rim out-of-doors, and 
the plants left there until the first week 
in September, when they are brought in 
and shifted into a larger pot. To pro¬ 
duce fine, richly colored bracts, they 
must be kept warm and fed liberally. 
Roses will need a little encouragement 
now ; a topdressing of loam containing 
a sprinkle of bone dust will be an ad¬ 
vantage. If some of the leaves, especially 
those on the lower part of the plant, 
show a number of dark brown or bronzy 
black spots, in some cases affecting the 
entire leaf, pick off and burn all the 
diseased portions, and see that no fallen 
leaves remain lying on the pot. This 
ailment is black spot, a very serious 
fungous disease. Spraying with Bor¬ 
deaux Mixture will be found useful. 
The American Beauty rose is often very 
susceptible to this disease. If any of 
the leaves have a crumpled, puckered 
appearance, often accompanied by a 
pale, blotched, or dusty surface, the 
MOTHERS .—Be sure to use “ Mrs. Wins¬ 
low’s Soothing Syrup ” for your children 
while Teething. It ia the Beat — Adv. 
That Pleasing 
Paralyzing Pie! 
How good it looks! How 
good it is!. And how it 
hurts. Why not look into the 
question of Pill after Pie? 
Eat your pie and take Ayer’s 
Pills after, and pie will please 
and not paralyze. 
AYER’S 
Cathartic Pills 
CURE DYSPEPSIA. 
trouble is mildew, the result of a draft, 
or of a cold, damp, stagnant atmosphere. 
Flowers of sulphui”, dusted over the 
leaves, is the specific for this. Many of 
the Tea roses are extremely subject to 
mildew. If greenfly or aphides appear, 
spray the plants with tobacco tea. Roses 
are not very satisfactory window plants ; 
the uneven temperature and insufficient 
light usually result in poor and sickly 
growth. 
Ferns and palms will now need little 
care beyond keeping them clean and 
watering with discretion. As regards 
moving into larger pots, it is a safe rule 
to leave these plants in the same pot 
just as long as they seem to be doing 
well. 
Old lemon verbena plants should be 
encouraged to grow, for the purpose of 
obtaining cuttings. Geranium cuttings, 
rooted now, should be big enough in 
April to yield still more cuttings, if a 
further stock be desired. Cuttings from 
old chrysanthemum plants should be 
grown on for the same purpose. 
Among floral novelties recently ex¬ 
hibited in London was a crested cycla¬ 
men ; a white bloom having a fan-like 
crest on the exterior of each petal. 
Another cyclamen showed 10 petals in¬ 
stead of the usual five. 
y ic 
T ours, 
ulogue. 
EST 
THE 
RLD 
REE 
BOOK EVER PRINTED. 
SEEDS CHEAP 
to 'le. per plcg. Cheap by oz. & lh. Send 
and Neighbors address for Grand Cat- 
R. H. Shumway, Rockford, III. 
TREES AND PLANTS. 
Full assortment. Special prices on PEACH TREKS 
barge stock CALIFORNIA PRIVET, NORWAY and 
SILVER MAPLE. 
N. 1*. BROOKS, Lakewood, N. J. 
Macbeth lamp-chimneys are 
right if you get the right one 
for your lamp. 
Let us send you the Index. 
There is no other way to 
enjoy your lamp and avoid 
expense. 
Geo A Macbeth Co 
Pittsburgh Pa 
FOR SALE 
—Fine Farming tract. Marlon 
County, Florida, 1520 acres, 
$3 800 to settle estate. 
Tom Sloan, Greenville, S.C. 
rnp C A I C— A Farm of 175 acres; 100 now In grain 
lUn OALL and grass,25 in pasture, and the bal¬ 
ance woodland. Located in Maryland llaltimore & 
Ohio Railroad station and siding on the property; 20 
miles from Wilmington, Del. Sellers require $2,500 
only; balance can remain on favorable terms. 
ARTHUR T. NEALE, Newark, Del 
rmroT fadia and gentleman’s country 
rINtol rAnm seat in the south; 
ill Virginia; nearly surrounded l>y navigable water; 
New York, Baltimore and other steamers and innumer¬ 
able sailing vessels constantly passing; perfectly 
healthy; yachting, iisliing ana ducking; 2100 acres; 
highest state of cultivation; land of unsurpassed fertil¬ 
ity; now producing enormous crops of corn, timothy, 
Ac. Thirty-five large ami elegant buildings; compris¬ 
ing residence, farm building, Ac. No expense spared to 
put this property in line order both from an agricultural 
and residential point of view: cost over $250,000, sold 
on account of death of owner; for detailed description 
address, S. G. Stevens, Lynchburg, Va. 
■■Farming in a Business Light," 
or “HOW TO INCREASE THE FARM INCOME. 
A valuable new book for Farmers First edition sold 
inSKldavs. It will pay yon to read It. Your income 
will be larger In 1897. Try it. Postpaid for 15 cents; 
worth $0.5U. We make this liberal offer solely to ad¬ 
vertise our list of Business and Farm Books. 
J. R. WHITNEY & CO., Broadalbin, N. Y. 
HON. W. .1 BRYAN’S GREAT BOOK. “THE 
First Battle.” Exclusive territory granted good 
agents. Write quick. W. B. CONKEY COMPANY, 
Publishers, Chicago, ill. 
Fruit Packages. 
A description of the current styles of baskets, 
boxes, crates and barrels tised in marketing 
fruits in all parts of the country. How to 
grade and pack fruit. Illustrated. Paper, 
20 cents. 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER, New York. 
TREES-SHRUBS-ROSES 
p The largest and most complete collections of GENERAL NURSERY STOCK II 
p in America, including all desirable novelties. Beautiful Catalogue (168 pages—1896 
p edition) free to customers; to others 10 cents. Every intending buyer should have it. || 
If ELLWANCER &. BARRY, Mount Hope Nurseries, Rochester, N.Y. H 
A GLORIOUS LIGHT, 
ESTABLISHED 1840. 
full and brilliant, shines from 
Jo IE 
! N91.B. 
Dietz Royal Lanterns; 
fitted with side lift for convenience in lighting and trim¬ 
ming. Burns nineteen hours without refilling; an ex¬ 
tra large flame suitable for night watchmen and other 
work where good light and long hours are the require¬ 
ments. Wick twice as large as in ordinary lanterns. Ask 
your dealer for it; if he does not keep it have him order it. 
Send your address for free pocket catalogue and got ac¬ 
quainted With DIETZ LRNTERN9. 
royal (or no. i. b) R. E. DIETZ COMPANY, 60 Laight St., New York. 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER SEWING MACHINE. 
We believe that there is no better machine made than this. There are now, 
at least, a half dozen of them in homes connected with The Rural New-Yorker, 
and we believe that no better machine is made, at any price. We have contracted 
with a large manufacturer to supply our readers with these machines, freight 
paid, at a very low price. We add enough 
to cover the cost of correspondence, etc., 
and give subscribers the benefit of the 
special price. It must be remembered that 
it usually costs more to sell a machine than 
to make it, and that is why local agents 
charge §40 to §60 for machines no better 
than this one. They must get pay for 
their time, and also for the time of their 
horses and wagons. We simply save you 
the cost of selling, and give you the bene¬ 
fit of wholesale prices. Every machine is 
warranted for 10 years, is sent on 20 days’ 
trial, and, if not satisfactory, we will 
return the money, and pay freight both 
ways. It is a staple machine, and new 
parts can be secured at any time. A com 
plete set of attachments and instruction 
book accompany each machine. Price, delivered east of the Rocky Mountains, 
§19.50 ; with one year’s subscription to The R. N.-Y., §20 ; or we will send it, 
freight paid, and a club of 20 new yearly subscriptions, for §25. 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER, New York. 
