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HOUSE-TOP GARDENING. 
A friend of Mr. Yick writes to him in his Maga¬ 
zine of the great success of a lady in her attempts 
to grow a garden on the top of her house: 
“This garden is on the top of a five-story building, 
in tbe very heart of the city of Boston, occupying the 
entire roof (except the skylight for lighting the 
rooms below), seventy-five feet long, twenty to 
twenty five feet wide, surrounded by a corrugated 
iron fence four feet high, and a wire fence or trellis 
work on top of that three feet high, for the support 
of running plants, vines, etc. The roof is what we 
call a flat roof, covered with composition. On top 
of that planks are laid for walks, etc. Around the 
entire roof inside, next the fence and attached to 
it, are wooden boxes, elevated from the roof on 
standards about two feet high. The boxes are from 
fifteen to thirty-six inches wide, from twelve to fifteen 
inches deep, holes bored thickly in the bottom, cov¬ 
ered with potsherds for good drainage and circula¬ 
tion of air, and filled with rich loam. Besides these 
boxes, around the outside, in the middle of the roof, 
and in every place where they will show to the best 
advantage, are various other boxes, tubs, stands, 
flower-pots, etc., filled with plants. She has had this 
garden for two seasons. The first year was devoted 
more especially to a vegetable garden, raising suc¬ 
cessfully Watermelons, Cantelopes, Cucumbers in 
great abundance, Tomatoes and Lettuce, Peas, Rad¬ 
ishes, etc. The past season was devoted more to flow¬ 
ers, with a few vegetables—Cucumbers, Lettuce, and 
Peas in abundance. A row of Peas were sown around 
the outside of the boxes, next to the fence, taking 
very little room, covering the fence with beautiful 
green, making a good background for the flowers to 
show. Sweet Peas were mixed with them, and these 
were beautiful. About fifty feet of the boxes were 
used for Geraniums. In that space she had about 
sixty plants, and they made a most splendid show all 
summer long. About twenty Roses, about the same 
number of Carnation Pinks, a box of Diadem Pinks, 
some very fine, and Pansies, Daisies, Balsams, Mari¬ 
golds, Gladiolus, Heliotropes, Verbenas, Tuberoses, 
Japan Lilies, and several other varieties, Tropseolums, 
Clematis, Morning Glory, Phlox Drummondii, etc., 
Portulacas, the most splendid I have ever seen, 
blooming all summer long—in fact, everything seemed 
to do quite as well as on terra firma; and it was said 
by those who saw them that hardly any one had such 
beautiful things as grew on the top of that house. 
For herbs there was Thyme, Peppermint, Spearmint, 
Catnip, Wormwood, Sage, etc. For watering, a 
large lead-lined tank, holding about five or six bar¬ 
rels, is used. It is elevated six or eight feet above 
the boxes, receiving its supply from the city pipes. 
This tank was kept filled by a float-valve; but the 
water stood in it for some hours before using, thal 
the temperature of the water might become about 
that of the air. The very hottest and driest days it 
might take two or three barrels of water, applied by 
means of a hose reaching from the tank to all parts 
of the building, to give them a thorough drenching; 
but it does not take as much water as one would 
naturally suppose. Then in stormy weather Na¬ 
ture does the work herself far better than art can. 
“We found things raised here last year were about 
a month ahead of those on the ground, having no 
extra deep earth to warm, and up high and dry, 
where the sun could have full force at them. Shel¬ 
tered by the fence, watered just right, the way they 
grew was surprising; and I must say it did look like 
a little paradise in the ‘waste, howling wilderness’ 
.of brick walls, slate roofs, and skylights.” 
HOW TO DESTROY INSECTS ON FLOWERS 
AND HOUSE PLANTS. 
Mr. Case, in nis practical little “Botanical In¬ 
dex” instructs his readers about the necessary efforts 
to destroy insects on all flowering plants, and we quote 
them in full for our readers’ benefit: 
“Insects are a very serious drawback to healthy 
and vigorous plants, and a most vigilant watch should 
at all times be set for them; but, in spite of all our 
care, they will appear and increase with such rapid¬ 
ity that no time should be lost in destroying them. 
No plants, however, should be taken into the house 
until thoroughly cleansed. Cultivated plants seem to 
furnish food for several different species of insects, 
and the treatment necessary to destroy one form wili 
not answer for another. The black and green fly, or 
Aphis,* are always the most numerous, and are first 
seen on the new growth of house plants; but in an 
amazingly short time spread to the older leaves, es¬ 
pecially to the soft-wooded ones, as well as flowers, 
absorbing the juice and vitality of the plant. It is 
easy enough to fumigate a greenhouse, to destroy in¬ 
sects, which, of course, could not be done in our 
dwellings, and many plans have been recommended. 
One says, sprinkle Scotch snuff on the foliage and let 
it remain two or three days; another says, a weak 
solution of carbolic acid, applied with a swab or 
feather; and still another savs. take a little coal-oil 
—just enough to make a colored scum on the surface 
of a tub of water—and dip the inverted plant in it. 
not allowing the pot to touch it. Others recommend 
hot water, and we have found that to be the least 
objectionable. Our plan is to dip the plant in a tub 
of water that will register 120° with a thermometer, 
repeating it the following day. Of course, the plant 
must not remain in the hot waler, asit would be soon 
cooked. To destroy the green fly in greenhouses or 
eonservatories, the most approved method is fumigat¬ 
ing, which is done by placing on a pan of live coals 
a quantity of damp tobacco-stems, filling the house 
with a dense smoke and keeping it closed until morn¬ 
ing; but, as Heliotropes, etc. are liable to be injured 
by smoke, spread paper over the plants while fumi¬ 
gating. It is better, however, to fumigate two or 
three nights in succession than to risk too dense 
smoke. But the most destructive and least known 
insect is the red spider (Lettigoniadse). It is too small 
to be readily seen; but its presence is easily detected 
by gray or yellowish spots on the apparently dying 
leaves. The little insect lives upon the underside of 
the leaf; and not only absorbs its vitality, but weaves 
a fine web, which closes the pores through which the 
plant breathes. They delight in a hot, dry atmos¬ 
phere—just such a one as our sitting-room affords; 
but are readily destroyed by syringing the plant often 
with clear warm water, or a good bath in the tub, 
and then sprinkle with sulphur. But if small plates 
of bright tin or glass, with a little sulphur on them, 
are placed under the plants, in the full rays of the 
sun, no red spiders will trouble them, as the sulphur 
fumes kill them. A weak solution of whale-oil soap 
is excellent; but it must be very weak, or it would 
not only kill the foliage, but the plant also. The mealy 
bug (Coccus Adonidum) is also very destructive 
to hot-house plants; but is really the easiest to exter¬ 
minate of any in this list. They are a large white, 
woolly-looking lump in tbe axil of the leaf, and are 
easily kept down by frequent syringing with warm, 
greasy water, to which a little sulphur should be 
added. But, if full grown, they should be picked off 
by hand or a small, sharp-pointed stick. 
“ For worms at the roots of plants an application 
of a weak solution of carbolic acid, applied quite fre¬ 
quently to the earth, is said to be a sure cure. Another 
good plan to kill them is to use water with lime dis¬ 
solved in it for watering the plants. It also aids the 
soil in stimulating the growth. But probably the safest 
plan is to carefully shake all the earth from the roots, 
and, after a thorough watering with warm water, re¬ 
pot in fresh earth. But, for fear of a like trouble 
again in a short time, a good plan is to subject the 
required amount of earth to a strong heat, by placing 
it in an old pan in a stove-oven, until all insects as 
well as eggs are destroyed. 
“And now we come to the least-known, least-under¬ 
stood, and apparently the most insignificant insect; 
but which in reality is the greatest scourge in the 
whole list. They are the Scales ( Goccidce ), various 
species, and infest Cactus, Oleanders, Camellias, Fi- 
* Reaumur lias proved that one individual in five generations 
may become the progenitor of nearly six hundred millions of 
descendants —Harris. Duval, in his experiments, obtained 
eleven generations of Aphis in seven months, being curtailed at 
this stage by the approach of winter.— Packard. 
cus, and Tropical Ferns. Like all other insects, they 
increase and spread with great rapidity, covering the 
woody stem and leaves in a short time; and, as they 
are so small and so near the color of the plant on 
which they feed, they usually get a good start before 
beiDg seen. A weak solution of whale-oil soap is the 
usual remedy; but the best remedy we ever tried is 
a boy with a pan of warm water and a stiff tooth¬ 
brush.” 
DESTRUCTION OF PLANT INSECTS. 
I have been so successful in riddiDg my plants of 
insects that I am tempted to tell you what, perhaps, 
you already know. Through tbe early part of win¬ 
ter my plants were feeble, and when the sun began to 
grow hot in January multitudes of insects were 
quickened into life, and destroyed them in part. I 
expected to lose all; then I thought of the way 
in which bird-cages are got rid of these pests. 
I placed the tallest plants in the middle of the stand, 
and into them stuck four or five thin sticks, about 
eight or nine inches taller than the plants. At even¬ 
ing an old sheet was thrown over the whole, so that 
the edges of the sheet were in contact with the outer 
row of pots. Early in the morning, before the fires 
were started or the sun shone, the sheet was quickly 
removed and gathered up, so that none of the cap¬ 
tives could spin down, creep out, or fly away. The 
quantity and variety of insects secured was surpris¬ 
ing. Taken out into the cold, frosty air, they were 
easily shaken off on to the snow. This experiment, 
repeated five or six times, cleared my plants of ver¬ 
min completely.—S. A. P., in “ Vick’s Monthly.” 
THE OTHONNA FOR HANGING BASKETS. 
Has anybody tried Otbonna as a water plant? 
I experimented a little last winter with it, and am 
much pleased with the result. The foliage is more 
graceful than our old stand-by, Tradescantia. Last 
December I put some short sprays in a hanging 
basket made of a broken goblet, covered with scarlet 
worsted and silver cardboard, filled it with soft water, 
and put in a little charcoal. It soon put out roots and 
grew and blossomed, and in April it hung down a foot 
and the roots filled the goblet. I was so pleased with 
this I filled a tall white vase with wet sand, and put 
some in that, on the mantel. This soon reached the 
mantel, and lay on the mat on which the vase stood. 
Then I put some in a glass stand for cut flowers, 
in wet sand. It looks well all the time, and makes a 
pretty draping when tbe stand is filled with cut 
flowers — M. J. P ., in “ The Garden.” 
THE MAURANDYA. 
The question is often asked us “ What is the best 
vine for house culture?” Maurandya may not be the 
best; but there is certainly nothing better. It can be 
grown easily from seed. It will climb rapidly on a 
string or anything it can cling to. Its foliage is a 
beautiful green and very graceful. It produces its 
beautiful Gloxinia-like flowers very freely, and al¬ 
together it is a very desirable vine. 
There are several varieties of the Maurandya; but 
Barclayana is decidedly the best. This variety will 
grow from 8 to 15 feet long, and may be trained into 
any shape desired. The flowers are of a rich violet. 
The writer has a window-garden in his room, and, al¬ 
though he has several greenhouses to select from, he 
chooses tbe Maurandya as his only vine. — The Gar¬ 
den. 
AN ENORMOUS LILY. 
In the garden of Hon. John Hamilton, of Mon¬ 
treal, Canada, there flowered last September an 
enormous Lilium auratum, the flowering stem of 
which was more than 7 feet in height and bore 51 
flowers and buds. 26 flowers were open at one time, 
and several measured 10 inches in diameter. 
