REMARKS AND SUGGESTIONS 
Y EARS ago when I began to cultivate 
flowers, I knew nothing of the Dianthus Hedde- 
wigii and Laciniatus, beautiful Pinks that came from 
Japan and bloom tha first season. The first varieties 
were single flowered but the skillful florist began to 
improve them in size and form and new dble-fiowd 
varieties were developed and introduced. One of 
the most beautiful of these was introduced by Vil- 
morin under the name of Diadem Pink, the flowers 
being large, very double and every petal richly 
variegated, red, pink and purple and distinctly mar¬ 
gined with white. The handsome wood engraving 
here given, I found in the American Agriculturist at 
that time from whom I got it. That exquisite Japan 
Pink has never been excelled or displaced, it is still 
beautiful and makes a gorgeous bed. I take pleasure 
porch, or to cover a summer house, hardly anything 
better could be recommended. If the plants are 
grown in pots they will soon cover a pot trellis and 
if transferred to the window will bloom freely 
throughout the Winter. It is one of the good vines 
that I heartily recommend. 
A Rare Vine. On page 15 is an engraving and 
description of the new wax Gourd, ornamental and 
nutritious as food and as easily grown as a squash. 
Try it, only 5cts. per packet. 
About Success. As a rule my patrons send glow¬ 
ing accounts of their success. One stating that she 
grew plants from each of 70 packets except one 
packet and she thought that it did not have time to 
come up. It is annoying to have a report from 
another that out of 50 packets, she got but one 
instill supplying plant. Such reports 
the seeds of this su¬ 
perb old Pink. It 
well deserves it's 
place among the 
finest varieties of 
Japan Pinks yet in¬ 
troduced. Packet of 
200 seeds 5cts. See 
page 34. 
Beautiful I pom- 
oeas. Some years a- 
go I sowed seeds of 
Ipomoea Violacea 
Vera, Heavenly blue 
also white, known 
also as Rubro-coer- 
ulea. I sowed of both 
colors and the vines 
grew rapidly during 
Summer, attaining 
the height of 30 to 
50 feet and in early 
Autumn the buds 
began to appear in 
great numbers and 
such a display of 
lovely Ipomoeas, I 
had never before 
seen. The plants rev¬ 
elled in the vinery 
and became almost 
smothered with 
bloom, eliciting the 
admiration of all be¬ 
holders. The n<_w 
Violacea Vera Prae- 
cox blooms earlier 
and the Heavenly 
blue flowers are al¬ 
ways a source of 
pleasure to all who 
grow them. The light 
blue cGior especial¬ 
ly handsome, is not 
found in any other Ipomoeas, the nearest to ap¬ 
proach it is that of Nil Grandifora Ferrandiana, 
a vine that blooms more promptly and is a novelty 
worth growing. Plants are readily started from 
seeds, easily transplanted and thrive in any rich 
sunny bed. See page 52. 
A Lovely Vine. One of the most beautiful of seed¬ 
ling vines is Thunbergia Alata. The seeds start readi¬ 
ly and the plants come quickly into bloom. In good 
soil and a sunny situation they will grow rapidly 
to a height of fifteen to twenty feet and be cov¬ 
ered with bloom from early Summer until frost. 
The foliage is handsome, and the flowers large and 
attractive, mostly shades of yellow with a distinct 
black eye, or pure white with a black eye. For a 
excite my sympathy 
and regret, sympa¬ 
thy for the one who 
would waste money 
for choice flower 
seeds and get no re- 
sults because of 
careless sowing 
and regret on my 
part that so many of 
my good seeds were 
wasted for the same 
reason. These re¬ 
ports tell us who 
truly love flowers 
and who do not, but 
simply admire them. 
The mother who 
truly loves her child 
gives it her best care 
and attention and it 
thrives and de¬ 
velop e s. The one 
who does not hold 
her child in affec¬ 
tionate regard, neg¬ 
lects it and it often 
suffers and dies. The 
same is true of the 
love of flowers and 
plants. Most of my 
patrons are enthusi¬ 
astic flower lovers 
and are successful. 
They are delightful 
people to deal with 
and I am always glad 
to give them such 
information and 
help as will promote 
the best results. To 
the careless and 
neglectful patron of 
which I have but few, I sometimes send a second 
package embracing such seeds as Sunflowers, 
Four-o-clocks, and common Zinnias, flowers that will 
afford beauty even if thrown into the soil and allow¬ 
ed to be cared for by nature. I guarantee the vitality 
of my seeds, but to have them replaced, reports 
must be in accordance with the requirements given 
in the little booklet of directions, etc. sent with every 
package. In that little booklet I tell just how I sow 
seeds myself, there may be better ways, but as a rule, 
success will be attained by carefully following the 
explicit directions which I give, and by which I have 
the best success myself. It seems heartless and 
wasteful to spend money for first class seeds and get 
no results because of carelessness and neglect. Park. 
DIADEM PINK 
An old Japan Pink that has never been excelled in beauty. 
