lonxt sSulkiiet im3 ^Pictorial 
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mpanum. 
dimijt iaijtrtsjtan^uls. 
Ever-blooming Geranium. —I know of no plants 
of the ever-blooming Geranium excepting those from 
my own plant and the friends from whom that was 
obtained, although, I presume, some florists keep it 
for sale. The first one I ever heard of was about a 
year or two ago, and they said the plant had been cov¬ 
ered with buds and blossoms continually for five years. 
If M. B. S. will send me her name and address through 
the Cabinet, I will send her a slip by mail. 
Lady Cullum. 
California Squash.— I think Mrs. Sarah S. Wins¬ 
low’s “remarkable vine ” is what we call the Califor¬ 
nia Squash, and not a pumpkin. I think, in fineness 
of flavor and texture, they surpass every other variety 
of the Squash family. M. S. G. 
Poinsettia.— In answer to F., who writes on the 
Poinsettia in the March number of this year, I would 
state that by pinching back the Poinsettia in August 
more flower heads are produced and the plant kept in 
better shape. It is apt to grow too tall for window 
culture if not checked, and this is done by simply 
pinching off the end of each shoot that becomes un¬ 
gainly. Anna Griscom. 
Agave.— I wish to know how to make an Agave 
bloom. I have one which was given to me as a 
Cactus, and was told it would bloom when it was 
seven years old. I have since learned it is an Agave, 
and as it is as much as seven or eight years old, I 
would like to make it bloom another summer. I have 
heard the Cactus thrives best on neglect or poor fare; 
is it the same with the Agave ? I have never re¬ 
potted it (it is in a large pot); is it best to do so ? 
A. L. Moody. 
Answer. —Plant it out during summer, but we do 
not expect you will make it flower until it is a much 
larger size than you will find it convenient to have 
house room for. 
Salvias. —1. Will some one please tell me through the 
Cabinet what treatment the Salvia Argentea needs ? 
I have one nearly a year old; how long before I may 
look for blossoms ? 2. Does the sweet-scented Gera¬ 
nium ever blossom; if so, what can I do to make mine 
—a very fine qne, two years old—blossom? 3. Can 
some one tell me what makes the leaves drop off my 
double Geranium? Lorona Burnham. 
Answers. —The foliage is the best part of Salvia 
Argentea, but it will probably flower in the summer. 
2. Scented geraniums usually flower very free; plant 
it out in a dry poor piece of ground. 3. The double 
Geraniums are probably starved. 
Carnations —I would like to ask howto treat Car¬ 
nations in summer that have bloomed all winter. I 
have a Begonia Gibsonii with double flowers. It came 
last spring, from John Sauls, Washington. It had 
three small leaves close to the pot; since then it has 
grown about eight inches in height and increased in 
size, but still has three leaves and no more; the old 
ones drop as the new ones come. The leaves are a 
bright glossy green and hairy. What shall he done 
to it ■ I have a window garden (one of Wbittemore’s 
patent) at a west window, where I have the sun less 
than three hours, should it chance to be pleasant. 
There is a zinc pan filled with sand, which I keep 
moist, and on this I keep my pots. Half wa.y up I 
have a walnut shelf; at each end I have an Ivy—Irish 
one side and Palmate the other. A hanging-basket of 
Begonia suspends from a hook in the centre. I have 
kept a record of the flowers I have had so far. In 
November I had a scarlet Bouvardia all the month, 
twenty-two clusters in full blossom or just opening at 
one time; a pink Begonia all the month, fairly loaded 
down on the end of each branch; Heliotrope all the 
month; Tropseolum nearly all the month; one Tea- 
Rose Pink; Petunias. December, Bouvardia fading; 
Begonia kept in flower until the last of the month; 
Heliotrope gone; Carnation (La Purite) in full bloom; 
Chinese Primrose (pink, single), full of bloom; Cycla¬ 
men (rosy purple) just beginning; Roman Hyacinths. 
January, Roman Hyacinths still continue; Primrose, 
Cyclamen, Carnation, Petunias and Bouvardia in 
bloom again; Heliotrope in bud; Verbena in bud; 
Hyacinths and Lily of the Valley coming on fast. 
M. j. P. 
Answers .—Carnations which have flowered all the 
winter are worth nothing; they might be planted in open 
ground, and would possibly give a few strong flowers 
during the summer. The bulbous-rooted Begonias 
are often uncertain and unsatisfactory plants; plant them 
in the open ground during summer, it would give them a 
start, unless the bulb is decayed, which is not unlikely. 
Libonia.— The March number of the Floral 
Cabinet came in due time, and I was quite distressed 
to find that the printer had made me give my opinion 
of the Poinsettia “ after three months’ experience.” I 
am sure I wrote “after three winters’,” which would 
make sense, while no one could judge of anything (ex¬ 
cept that the plant was alive or dead) in three months. 
Can some one tell me how to treat the Libonia ? I had 
one that looked thrifty and began to bloom, but by 
the time four or five buds were well expanded, and I 
thought it was going to be very fine, the leaves began 
to wilt, and the whole plant looked sick and ready to 
die. There was no worm at the roots. I cut it back 
and re-potted—sorry enough to lose a blooming plant. 
E. E. R. 
Answer .—The Libonia is a rather tender plant, and 
probably received a check from cold. 
Smilax. —Are the leaves I enclose you of the true 
Smilax ? The vine, when I purchased it last spring, 
was quite small, and hadn’t a sign of a bulbous root; 
it is now so luxuriant, and the little buds appearing 
under the leaves are almost in blossom. I fear I may 
mar its beauty to disturb the roots. 
Lizzie Raines. 
Answer. —Yes. 
Cacti.—I am greatly interested in the genus Cacti, 
and greatly perplexed too, as to the true names of 
them. I have what is vulgarly known as the Sword, 
the Snake or Caterpillar (Creeping Cereus), the Cob, 
the Tobacco Worm, Pope’s Head, Lace, two species 
of Turk’s Head or Crown (have heard both names ap¬ 
plied), two different species sent me as Crab’s Claw 
—the one from Texas is perfectly round, the size of a 
pipe-stem, with scattered spines,—the other is the 
veritable Crab’s Claw, I fancy; it is thin and flat, and 
the shoots are red when they first appear. I have 
also a tricornered species, and a native species from 
Kansas, covered, after blooming, with bright scarlet 
berries. I should be greatly pleased if some of your 
readers could give the correct names of those I have 
mentioned, the color of the flowers, time of blooming, 
etc. I am forming a collection of Cacti, and would 
like to exchange varieties with any one who, like my¬ 
self, is an amateur cultivator of these grotesque but 
interesting plants. Can you tell me of a work that 
treats exhaustively the genus Cacti ? Like many 
others, I should like to know the botanical name of 
the Onion Lily. Never heard of it before. 
Streator, Ill. Kate Sherman. 
Answers. —No doubt your Crab Claws or Epiphyl- 
lum is correct. We are not aware of any book treat¬ 
ing extensively on Cacti; such a book would be of 
much service, and, if well got up, very expensive. 
Dr. Engleman, ol St. Louis, is the best authority on 
the subject, but, we, believe, has not published any 
work on it. No doubt there are many varieties of 
bulbs called Onion Lilies. 
Camellia Japonica. —Will some one tell me the 
best method of treatment ? Is the Camellia, and also 
the yellow and the white Jessamine, raised from seeds 
or cuttings ? Subscriber. 
Ansiver. —Any florist can supply Camellias from $1 
upwards. Never let the plant become very dry; wash 
the leaves frequently, and do not keep it too hot in 
winter. The Camellia is propagated by grafting; the 
Jessamine by cuttings. 
Dry Heat. —I wish, in your paper, you would give 
us a list of some plants that we could have in winter 
that wouid blossom in a dry heat of hard coal fire. I 
wash my plants at least once a week, and I think I 
give them water enough and take good care of them; 
yet I am discouraged, because they will not blossom 
like my-neighbors’. I have seen the Geraniums blos¬ 
som when the dirt looked poor and dry and hard, 
while mine is rich and soft, and I don’t know what 
the matter is; will you tell me ? Mine have grown 
well, but the leaves looked curled. Can you tell me 
where I can get a Lobster Cactus ? 
Sandwich, Ill. M. A. Hopkins. 
Answer. — Any of the plants grown by your neigh¬ 
bors would bloom if you dispense with your dry heat; 
it might be, perhaps, improved by a vessel of water 
on the stove ; no plants will bloom satisfactorily in a 
dry room. Any florist should be able to supply you 
with a Lobster Cactus. 
Tritomas.— Will the Tritoma bloom the first year ; 
will they stand it out door in winter, and can I have 
more than one plant in a box and do well ? 1. Will 
the Potentilla and Cobea Scandens bloom from seed 
the first year ? 2. Also the Ipomoea, Bryonopsis, and 
Laciniata, will they bloom the first year from seed? 
Briscoe Run, W. Va. Mrs. J. P. Johnson. 
Answers. —The Tritoma should flower the first year 
planted out; it is hardy with you. 1. Will flower the 
second year from seed. 2. The first. 
Ach.yranth.us.— How shall 1 proceed to raise Achy- 
ranthus from seed; also Coleus and Cineraria? I 
have searched all the authorities I possess, but cannot 
find whether they can be propagated in hot beds or in 
pots. I failed to save but few 7 Coleus over the winter, 
and my Achyranthus are not fit for new 7 bedders for 
this season. H. I. Rihl. 
Ansiver. —Propagate from cuttings in a hot bed. 
English Ivy. —I should he very much obliged if I 
could ascertain through your columns a statement of 
the treatment that your correspondent, B. C. Priest, 
of Hillsboro’, N. H., employed to produce such a ram¬ 
pant growth in his English Ivy. The soil used, the 
position of the plant as to light and heat, condition as 
to moisture, what stimulants Were used, and whether 
the plant remained in the house during the summer; 
if in the house, w 7 as the room darkened, as we usually 
darken rooms through the hot days ? If put out of 
doors, w 7 as the plant left in pot or put into the earth ? 
Mrs. G. S. Potter. 
