NEW YORK, JUNE, 1879. 
ILLUSTRATIONS OP THE MONTH. 
Upon first page is sketch of Beautiful Window 
Garden and Globe Aquarium. It is of more than 
usually elegant character. 
Upon page nine are sketches of some beautiful 
flowers as grown by Charles T. Starr, of Avondale, 
Pennsylvania : the precious Lily of the Valle)''; the 
Ivy-leafed Geranium VElegante, a plant of very 
lovely foliage, creeping, trailing, with variegated 
leaves; the scented Geranium Lavender, the odor 
of which is like lavender. 
Among other scented geraniums is the “ Lady 
Plymouth, ” a very peculiar plant, leaves variegated, 
green and creamy white, with fragrance of the Rose 
Geranium. 
Upon page twelve is an example of Chinese Em¬ 
broidery, birds brilliantly colored and worked in 
fine silk, blue and scarlet. The Lamp Mat of ap¬ 
plique work is of velvet, with silk of three different 
shades, sewn on with gold-colored braid. 
The Welcome of the children to grandfather and 
grandmother reminds one of the days when “ Old 
hearts become young again.'''’ 
FLOWER-GARDEN HINTS. 
Many people say that their flowers, which once 
did well, do not thrive any more, and the reason is 
incomprehensible to them. In many cases the trou¬ 
ble is from worn-out soil; and if a little manure or a 
little fresh earth be added occasionally it is wonder¬ 
ful what an effect it will have on the renewed growth 
of half-worn-out root-stocks. Some kinds of flowers', 
especially, soon grow surly and bad-tempered unless 
they have a complete change of earth once in a 
while. The Verbena is of this character. In per¬ 
fectly fresh soil —that is, earth which has never 
grown a Verbena before—it grows like a weed ; but 
the next year it is not quite so well, and in a 
few' years it absolutely refuses to creep, run, or 
do anything, and we are forced to confess that 
the Verbena won’t do for us as it used to years 
ago. 
Other flowers are not quite so stubbornly fastidious 
as the Verbena 5 but still all more or less ]ike to feel 
rejuvenated by an addition of some kind occasion¬ 
ally to the earth-blessings they have already been 
treated to. 
Almost all our best hardy flowers are natives of 
woods or low r , undisturbed lands, where the decaying 
leaves from the trees or the washings of higher sur¬ 
face-lands make a new annual entertainment for 
them ; and it has been found by experiment that 
nothing is so good for these pretty little flowers as 
well-decayed leaf-mould from the woods, spread 
round the root-stocks, just above the ground. But. 
where this cannot be had, any other Avell-decayed 
vegetable refuse that may il be lying around loose ” 
will do very nearly as well. Strong, rich manure— 
barnyard manure — lias not been found very good for 
garden-flowers. It makes the herbage too strong 
and the flowers less in proportion. But, if nothing 
more natural can be got at to help the floAvers along, 
and the soil seems exhausted and poor, this will 
be found much better than leaving the plants to 
struggle along' as best they can.— Germantown Tele¬ 
graph. 
A LIST FOR AMATEURS. 
Annuals are more trouble than they are worth to 
most flower cultivators. Certainly a large list will 
lead to discouraging failures. I will venture to sug¬ 
gest a list of indispensables and give a few hints for 
their culture: 
1. Asters. —Truffaut, German, and Washington 
are the best. Sow in a hot-bed, and do not transplant 
till the plants are three to five inches high. Thin 
them thoroughly to make them stocky. Asters thrive 
in any rich soil. 
2. Snapdragon .—A good bed of best colors wall 
delight you. They are easily grown, either sown in 
open soil or in hot-bed. Set them eighteen inches 
apart. Almost all flowers are crowded too much 
to show their real quality. A fine plant is half the 
charm. 
3. The Japan Pinks, especially the laciniated. 
The single flowers are really preferable, if they are 
large and finely colored. Set them six inches apart, 
so as to thin out the poorest after they come to bloom. 
Or set two plants in a place and a foot apart. In 
this case, one of each two. The poorest in bloom 
can be pulled out. Place two fingers of the left hand 
close about the plants, press down ; then Avitli the 
right hand draw out the plant you prefer to lose. 
4. Clove Pinks. —These are not exactly annuals, 
and may Avith care last several years. Plant fifteen 
inches or more apart — better at twenty inches — so 
as readily to adjust a hoe. Cover lightly in the Avin- 
ter with sawdust. 
5. Petunias. —No flower gives so much satisfac¬ 
tion with so little trouble. Get the best seed of the 
singles. The doubles are mostly monstrosities. The 
exquisite shades and markings of the single varieties 
are incomparable. Pull up at once every ordinary 
plant, before the pollen has spoiled the seed of the 
finer plants. Set as described above, two or three 
in a clump. Then thin out the poorest. 
6 . The New Golden Celosia, or Coxcomb. —This is 
of all rich shades and marvellously beautiful. Set 
tAVO feet apart. Transplant one or two into pots in 
late autumn, and they will remain fine until near 
spring. 
7. Balsams. —These must have room and rich soil 
in order to be Avorth raising. Set tAvo feet apart. 
Place a double-handful of manure about each plant, 
| press it fioAvn, sprinkle a little soil on it, and the 
plants will not dry up or withy. This is a capital 
plan in transplanting any flower or vegetable from 
the cold-frame. 
8 . Drummond Phlox. —This is the darling of the 
[ garden—the summer pansy. It should not be groAvn 
in mass, but in single plants, ten inches apart. The 
finer sorts are indescribably lovely. 
9. The Verbena, Avliich may be groAvn as an an¬ 
nual, and any extraordinarily fine specimens saved as 
bedding plants. Take up only a small branch that 
has rooted. 
10. Mignonette. —This pet Avill sow itself always; 
only give it a little sunny corner. The hoav varie¬ 
ties are no improvement, on the AA'liole. 
11. Candytuft. —But the ucav varieties of this 
floAver are a most decided acquisition. 
12. Stocks. —The large Ten Weeks are magnifi¬ 
cent. Be careful not to have raAv manure at the 
roots. Save single ones for the sake of seed. Set 
fifteen inches apart. Take up a few of the finest for 
Avinter bloom. 
13. Sweet Peas.— Every year I say: We will have 
more of them next year. You cannot have tqo 
many. Soav for a succession from April to first of 
June. 
Here is a good baker’s dozen of choice first-class 
delights. If you have a bit of hard, rough soil, put 
on it Tropseolums or Nasturtiums. If a bed not 
easily Avorked and not too near the Avalks, cover it 
with Zinnias, two feet apart, and Tropaeolums under¬ 
neath. I always raise a Icav rich blue Larkspurs 
also. 
Of biennials select choicest double Hollyhocks, the 
very best Sweet Williams, and a good supply of Wall- 
floAvers. The last must be potted for Winter bloom. 
For knolls select Ricinus and Gannas. Set your 
Gladiolus in the beds of perennials. 
Clinton, N. Y. E. P. Poavell. 
SPECIAL NOTICES—PREMIUM. 
As the demand for the Ncav Rose Duchess of Edin¬ 
burgh Avas so great as to exhaust the supply, avo 
Avere compelled to substitute in their place either a 
Bulb of Gladiolus or another Rose. We endeavored to 
send a satisfactory Premium, and our subscribers 
must not feel disappointed at the change of premium. 
We have endeavored to please as far as possible, 
while the supply lasted. 
