oidies 
'[oral ftafinet -anit Pictorial 
ome 
jomjiouuon. 
Hbrrf iauirilmtian$ + 
HANGING BASKETS. 
(This article was awarded first prize as the best on Floral Topics.) 
One of the prettiest ways of growing flowers in-doors 
is in a hanging basket. Mpst of us can remember the 
time when a hanging basket was a novelty and was 
looked upon as a curiosity; now there are few houses 
in which one at least is not to be found. Henderson 
ascribes their introduction to the beautiful specimens 
exhibited some years ago at the Crystal Palace,. Lon¬ 
don, which were extensively copied in this country. 
Nothing beautifies or lends an air of refinement or 
elegance to a room more than a rustic basket sus¬ 
pended from the centre of the window, or a few plants 
tastefully disposed upon brackets or wire stands. 
There is a variety of hanging baskets in use, but 
the wire and the rustic are the most common; the 
earthern dry out too quickly, which necessitates much 
watering, and the rustic must be watered from above, 
consequently it cannot be dono so thoroughly, while 
the wire can be put directly into the water, which 
thus permeates every part. Hanging baskets, as a 
general rule, belong to the Baptist persuasion ; they 
are not satisfied with sprinkling, but imperatively de¬ 
mand immersion. Rustic baskets, or any other kind 
that are very heavy, should be supported by a stout 
cord passing through a small pulley, by which means 
they can be easily lowered for the purpose of watering. 
It is difficult, I might better say impossible, to lay 
down any exact rule for watering. We must not fur¬ 
nish water too scantily, lest we starve them, or too 
abundantly, lest we drown them. As the old colored 
cooks invariably reply when asked what quantity of a 
certain ingredient goes to make up one of those savory 
dishes, “it ’pends on circumstances.” Plants that are 
obliged to remain in over-heated rooms, with insuffi¬ 
cient ventilation, cannot remain healthy without an 
abundant supply of water; indeed, it is a question 
whether they can remain healthy even with it, in the 
dusty, vitiated atmosphere of most sitting rooms, for 
any great length of time. Hanging baskets in particu¬ 
lar, being exposed to the air on all sides, become dry 
very quickly, and many plants when once allowed to 
become dry cannot be revived ; others, like the Ger¬ 
man Ivy, Moneywort, etc., can be brought up again 
after being to all appearance dead. It is of little use 
to give a hanging basket a slight sprinkle every day ; 
indeed it is a positive injury, as it draws the roots to 
the surface, and the plant soon dies. The basket 
should be taken down and allowed to soak in a vessel 
holding enough water to cover the surface of the 
ground entirely, then, while in the water, sprinkle 
with a small watering pot those parts of the plant 
which escape over the side of the vessel. II not hung 
in too sunny a situation, they need not be watered 
oftener than every other day. A window with an 
eastern or southern exposure should be selected if possi¬ 
ble. Turn the basket every few days, that each side 
may get its full share of the sunshine, and grow round 
and shapely. 
Once or twice a week during the winter, if de¬ 
sired, a gentle stimulant may be used. Twelve drops 
of liquid ammonia to a gallon of water makes a good 
fertilizer. Some recommend an occasional applica¬ 
tion of guano water ; others sprinkle a little bone dust 
on the soil, and mix it in lightly. All stimulants, how- 
ever, should be cautiously and spai-ingly used. Ivies, 
Geraniums, and Heliotropes flourish under its use, but 
for Roses, Verbenas, and some others, it is too 
strong. 
For lining wore baskets, the short green moss which 
is found on the edges of brooks or little streams is the 
best, as it does not dry so quickly as the longer kind; 
take it up carefully in as large pieces as possible, press 
it firmly in place, then fill up with soil. To keep a 
hanging basket in flourishing condition, the first re¬ 
quisite is good earth ; not clayey, lest it should bake 
and harden; nor too sandy, lest the water drain off too 
quickly and leave it dry. A mixture of rich leaf piold 
with a small proportion of sand, or to use a pet phrase 
of the professionals, ‘Gvell rotted sods from a meadow' 
or cow-pasture,” wall suit almost every plant; they 
will thrive and revel in it. 
Now for plants, certain kinds of which seem to be es¬ 
pecially suitable for the purpose. Something erect, not 
too tall, nor too spreading, should occujjy the centre. 
A Geranium of the dwarf or smaller growing kinds 
makes a handsome centre plant. I can recommend 
the Iago for that purpose; it is of dwarf habit, has a 
rich green leaf, and bears profusely" clusters of brilliant 
scarlet blossoms. Mrs. Pollock grows well in a moist 
humid atmosphere, but in a dry situation loses its beau¬ 
tiful leaf marking and dwindles away. Payne’s Per¬ 
petual is one of the most dw'arf and most profuse bloom¬ 
ing of the scarlets; its trusses are small but innumera¬ 
ble, and its growth miniature, but dense. Of the Lili- 
putian class are also LittleGolden Christine, flowers scar¬ 
let, leaves yellow, and Christabel, bright rose color. A 
plant each of the Achyranthes and Centaurea, makes a 
beautiful centre ornament, also, for a basket. Of the 
former, Lindenii is perhaps the best, being dwarf 
with blood-red leaves, and compact branches. Of the 
latter, Argentea is the most desirable, the long, fern¬ 
like, silvery surfaced leaves forming a most beautiful 
contrast with those of the first named. For baskets 
with stationary handles, German Ivy or Maurandya 
are appropriate ; the foliage of the latter is very airy 
and graceful. Not many feet from where I write 
stands a rustic basket nearly covered with the delicate 
foliage and bladdery capsules of the Cardiospermum, 
or, Balloon Vine; its leaves are very handsomely 
serrated, and it grows rapidly, supporting itself by its 
hooked tendrils. It is raised from seed with the great¬ 
est ease. Around the edge of the basket place plants 
of a drooping or trailing habit. Of the Vincas, Har- 
risonii and Variegata are the best; the former is a 
strong grower, of trailing habit, leaves light green in 
centre, with dark margin; blossoms light blue. 
Variegata is, as its name implies, variegated, leaves 
yellow and green in irregular spots, blossoms blue, 
but of a much deeper shade. The only objection to 
the Vincas is that they do not hold their leaves well 
in all situations. The *Tradescantias are eminent¬ 
ly satisfactory. Zebrina is the striped, purple and 
green—a new T variety not common as yet is called 
repens vittata. It is of similar habit to the others, 
but the foliage is green, blotched with white; in some 
cases the colors are equally divided, one-half of each. 
The Pilea arborea is a very pleasing little plant with 
graceful fern-like foliage, and small crimson flowers 
borne in great profusion. The Lobelia is another very 
desirable plant for this purpose. Speciosa is the finest 
of all, from its intense dark blue color with clear white 
spot in centre and dark colored leaves. White Per¬ 
fection bears a large pure white blossom, blooms pro¬ 
fusely, and forms a beautiful contrast to the other va¬ 
rieties. 
To make a very pretty hanging basket, take a 
wire one of medium size, filled, with good earth, turn 
it upside down upon a board, and insert in each open¬ 
ing formed by the wires a short slip of Moneywort— 
water well, still keeping the basket reversed, place in 
a cool shady situation for a week or two until the 
plants have taken root, then turn it rightside up, fasten 
on the wires for suspending it, fill it with any of the 
plants suitable for the purpose, and you will have a 
handsome basket at a very trifling cost. If the Money¬ 
wort should incline to grow too long, clip off the ends 
frequently, and in a short time it mil become so thick 
and bushy that the basket will seem a solid mass of 
foliage, not a particle of the foundation being visible. 
Linaria Cymbalaria or Kenilworth Ivy is one of the 
prettiest plants for the purpose; the flowers are small 
and inconspicuous, but the leaf and manner of growth 
are perfect. A variegated-leaved variety was introduced 
two or three years ago, but is scarce as yet. It must 
not be too much exposed to the sun, or it will wither 
away, nor must it be allowed to seed too profusely, as 
that kills it from exhaustion. Give it a shady situa¬ 
tion, plenty of water, and do not disentangle the ten¬ 
drils, but let it wander at its own sweet will, and you 
will have a plant that in my opinion can scarcely be 
exceeded in beauty. 
Almost the handsomest hanging basket I ever saw 
was at an Agricultural Fair some two years since; 
it contained nothing but this Ivy, but the branches 
hung down two feet below the edge of the basket, 
forming a complete mass of the most beautiful and* 
delicate drapery, so thickly iutertangled as to seem a 
solid mass of living green. 
Having heard the Torrenia Asiatica highly recom¬ 
mended as a basket plant, I procured one. The flower 
is certainly beautiful, being of the loveliest blue im¬ 
aginable, but the leaf is very weedy-looking, and many 
of them are curled and drawn up as peach leaves 
sometimes are. Whether this is natural to the plant, 
or owing to some mismanagement, I am not familiar 
enough with the plant to say. German Ivy, as it is 
commonly, but improperly called, not being an Ivy at 
all, but a climbing species of Groundsel from the 
Gape of Good Hope, is one of tire most satisfactory 
plants for this purpose. It inclines to grow to long 
stems, but if nipped off frequently becomes thick and 
bushy. 
The Ivy-leaved Geraniums make lovely basket 
plants. Holly Wreath is a variegated variety, leaves 
a delicate light green, spotted and edged with white. 
L’Elegante is also an effective and desirable variety, 
leaves like the other, flowers pure white. Smilax, a 
lovely vine with wavy, glossy foliage, is recommended 
by some, but is somewhat hard to raise. The Saxi¬ 
frages tricolor and Sarmentosa are favorites; the first 
mentioned has reticulated three-colored leaves, and is 
easily cultivated. The Selaginellas or Lycopodiums 
are lovely. Variegata has very conspicuous white 
blotches which, contrasted with the vivid green, make 
the plant appear at a little distance as if lightly 
sprinkled with snow-flakes. 
Isolepis gracilis, a lovely light green grass; Manet- 
tia corditolia, with its bright scarlet tube-shaped 
flowers; Convolvulus Mauritanicus, a variety of Morn¬ 
ing Glory, and many other plants might be added to 
the list. Many plants of a more rare order, such as 
the Draeena, Pepperomia, Holcus Lanatus, etc., 
might also be mentioned, but the list would stretch 
itself out indefinitely. All of those I have named, 
however, are easy of cultivation, and cannot fail to 
give satisfaction Mrs. W. J. Taylor. 
Fuchsia, Lustre. — I think it is not generally known 
that the variety of Fuchsia, named “ Lustre,” is an 
excellent winter bloomer. I have tested it myself for 
four winters, and I think if any Fuchsia can be called 
perpetual, this one may. Mrs. M. P. G. 
Lynn, Mass. 
if 
'A 
