A Few Floral Notes and Suggestions 
A RARE VINE. — I want to ask'attention 
47 
to a robust climber from Asia that should be 
better known—Benincasa Cerifera. It is an un¬ 
usual vine of easy culture, and will appeal to 
those who like something novel and out of the 
ordinary. It has a wealth of foliage; the leaves 
are 10 in. broad with indented margin; the big 
long-stemmed axillary wide-open flowers four 
inches across composed of five broad, emargin- 
ate petals, and of a rich golden yellow or orange 
color, freely and continuously produced, and 
very attractive. These are succeeded by thick 
seed vessels, nearly one and a half feet long, 
snowy white-waxy and covered with hairs. 
These big fruits are edible, and in China are 
prepared as pickles and conserves for a table 
delicacy. Could you ask more a of vine? If you 
are interested don’t fail to get a packet of the 
long smooth, white seeds and grow the attrac¬ 
tive foliage, flowers and fruits. You will have a 
“Wonder Vine”, and the common enquiry of 
admirers will be “Where did you get seeds of 
such a plant, and was it hard to grow?” Seeds 
5 cts. a packet. _ 
£51?“ When ordering please name extras for substitutes; 
otherwise cards will be sent instead._ 
THE NEW VIOLET. —Benary’s ‘Eureka”, 
Violet should be one of the first on your list. 
It is not only easily started from seeds, but the 
seedlings quickly come into bloom; the bloom 
is perpetual until the ground freezes up. It is 
a rare and beautiful novelty. It is offered on 
th e Title page. Don’t overlook it. 5c. _ 
“ SOME GOOD THINGS OMITTED 
ANEMONE Sulphurea, 1ft, a lovely species 
with large sulphur-colored firs and pretty foliage. 
AQUILEGIA, Barr’s Glory Strain, large, ele¬ 
gant, long-spurred firs, in the greatest variety of col¬ 
ors: superb shades; Very superior. 
LYCHNIS FlosCuculi, 15 in.,lovely rose-pur¬ 
ple; the pretty Ragged Robin, a fine perennial. 
Fulgens Grandiflora, 1ft. firs 2 inches across, 
brilliant Vermillion; fine for borders. 
PAPAVER Pearls of Dawn, 1 ft, a very beau¬ 
tiful new Nudicaule, the firs, large, satiny, crinkled, 
in delicate shades of pink shaded glowing salmon, 
orange shaded blush, and salmon shaded pink. 
PAPAVER Double Queen, 1 ft. Barr’s Extra 
Selected Shirley type, 3 ft, double firs, delicate and 
brilliant colors, White with salmon, pink or crimson 
margins, Orange shaded white, with Fiery rose-scarlet 
shaded white. Brilliant scarlet with white center. 
ESP As a rule I can supply everything, but will you kind¬ 
ly name some extras to use in case of shortage? 
MISCELLANEOUS THINGS 
CACTUS, splendid mixture of many fine species 
and varieties, a liberal packet 5 cts. 
CATERPILLARS, leguminous plants with Cater¬ 
pillar-like seed-pods. Large, Small, Striped, Hairy, mx 
CROTALAR1A Argyrea, 10ft, very showy terminal 
spikes of golden flowers; pretty foliage. I can also 
supply r '. Juncea, 10 ft, golden flowers, tree-like. 
DAUBENTONIA, hhs, 6ft, very beautiful shrub; 
nieh scarlet W istaria-like racemes, 4-winged seed-pod. 
MEJDICAGO, Calvary Clover, 1 ft, ha beautiful 
fofiage, green with a distinct red cross at the center, 
the seed-ball unwrapped resembles a crown of thorns. 
PALM. Cocoa Plumosa, a most graceful and easily 
grown Palm, lovely pot plant north, hardy in Florida. 
ERYTHROXYLON Coca, 5 ft, a half-hardy shrub 
vith sma . axillary flowers; foliage chewed by South 
^ vmericans as a stimulant. 
ANGELONIA GRANDIFLORA, 3 feet. A 
beautiful branching pot pint with square stems, 
and terminal spike-like racemes of very pretty 
violet-blue deliciously scented firs with white 
charming tigred throat. Seedlings start readily 
and the plants soon come into bloom, and are 
blooming and attractive for many weeks. A 
window plant of rare beauty. Per pkt. 5 cts. 
VILMORIN’S SEEDS.— The name “Vil- 
morin” has been favorably known in Parisian 
Horticulture for more than a century, and al¬ 
ways stands for the best in seeds, bulbs and 
plants. The Vilmorin’s are progressive people, 
and some of the most instructive of horticul¬ 
tural books have been published by them. 
Some very valuable new flowers and vegetables 
have been introduced by them. Their strains of 
Carnations, Pinks, Gloxinias, Calceolarias, Cin¬ 
erarias, Cyclamens, Primroses, etc. are hardly 
equalled, always dependable. My experience for 
scores of years prove the quality of their seeds. 
PHLOX DRUMMONDII. —The improved 
semi-dwarf strain of this old annual is hardly 
excelled as a free continuous and rich-bloom¬ 
ing summer bedder. The compact plants, show 
a wonderful array of bloom, new and beautiful 
colors and variegations, far in advance of the 
old varieties. If you want a showy and charm¬ 
ing mass of bloom that will call forth enthusias¬ 
tic words of praise from your friends, have a 
bed of these lovely Phloxes. See page 29. 
STAR PRIMROSES. I freely recommend 
Vilmorin’s Strain of Star Primroses. Spring 
seedlings begin to bloom on the approach of 
winter and are a wealth of big showy clusters 
of many rich colors until spring. The plants 
are vigorous, healthy, and free-blooming under 
conditions that many others would not endure 
SEMI-TROPICAL FRUITS ~~ 
These are hardy in the South, but must be grown as 
pot plants North, as they will not endure freezing. 
CARICA Papaya, 5 ft, large, edible, Tree Musk- 
melon, eaten with sugar, salt and pepper when ripe, 
lovely, waxy, fragrant flowers; elegantpot plant. 
GUAVA, 6 ft, hardy South, a pot plant North, 
pretty white flowers and delicious fragrant fruits, as 
large as a duck-egg. 
ERIABOTRYA Loquaf, cherry-like southern fruit 
produced in terminal panicles, fine stewed or in pies; 
golden, size of a large cherry; hardy south of Va. 
SURINAM Cherry, 6 ft, pretty foliage and beau¬ 
tiful scarlet fruits size of a cherry; jelly, pies, stewing. 
PASSIFLORA Edulis, vine 15ft, beautiful large 
flowers and palatable fruits as large as a duck egg. 
POMEGRAN1TE, a rather hardy shrub with 
scarlet firs and large edible fruits, yellow, gold cheek. 
