118 
THE LADIES' FLORAL CABINET. 
the flowers open before the leaves ancl branches are well 
developed, the whole plant has the appearance of a 
good task left unfinished. 
Although so beautiful as a flower, our species has 
rather an uncertain reputation. Dr. Darlington says, 
in his “Flora Cestrica:” “This shrub is very common 
in New Jersey, where the farmers think it is injurious to 
sheep, when eaten by them, producing a disease called 
the staggers .” This popular belief has given to the An¬ 
dromeda Mariana its common name, which is Stagger- 
bush, a fact for which we are rather sorry, as it is 
probable that the plant is not so injurious as it has been 
supposed to be. Careful investigator that he was, Dr. 
Darlington himself expressed some doubts as to its 
noxiousness, in his “Agricultural Botany.” Dr. Peyre 
Porcher, however, is also suspicious of the species. 
He says that “ the honey which the bees extract 
from these flowers is slightly poisonous,” and refers 
to “Nicholson’s Journal” as his authority. Similar 
charges have been made against the Azalea, Rhodo¬ 
dendron, and Kalmia, all of them ericaceous plants, 
and it is barely possible that the suspicion has been 
transferred from one of these plants to the other, 
without any special foundation. Dr. Gray remarks that 
it is said to be. poisonous to “ lambs and calves,” but he 
does not include “sheep,” to which, according to popu¬ 
lar belief, as we have seen, it is said to be specially 
injurious. 
TALKS ABOUT FLOWERS. 
While some writers will tell you that all plants hav¬ 
ing rough leaves should never be showered over the 
foliage, another will recommend giving the same va¬ 
rieties a good washing every week; and I do not wonder 
that the amateur is scmetimes puzzled to know which 
way is right. 
Many and many a time I have read that when water¬ 
ing the Chinese Primrose, care should be taken not to 
wet the leaves, as it would injure them. 
Now, I beg leave to differ from other authority on this 
subject; the Primrose is one of my specialties. I grow 
a goodly number every season, and shower them as 
freely as I do Geraniums. Sometimes I exempt one pot 
from the bath throughout the season to note the differ¬ 
ence; and I assure you those that are showered are finer 
in foliage and flower. It is not, as many think, the 
water that injures the leaves of the Primrose, but al¬ 
lowing the sun to strike them while wet; this will mar 
their beauty very much. They should be excluded from 
every ray so long as there is any moisture upon the 
foliage; this is the secret of showering the Chinese 
Primrose. And, perhaps I should add, this plant should 
be handled carefully; it may be set in a tub, or sink, 
and showered with a fine-rose sprinkler; don’t handle 
the leaves, nor scrub them with a sponge, as I have seen 
people do, for it will certainly spoil their beauty. 
When watering Gloxinias, Gesnerias, and all varieties 
of the Begonia Rex, I am careful that the water does 
not touch the leaves, for it will injure them, whether 
in sunshine or shade; this is particularly true of the 
Begonia. If water is allowed to stand upon the leaves 
of this plant, they will begin to turn brown, and shrivel 
at the edge, and continue eating toward the center un¬ 
til the whole leaf is destroyed. A well-grown specimen 
of Begonia Rex is truly magnificent, and well worthy 
to be called King; but, to grow such, we must take into 
consideration their native habits. They grow in the 
recesses of a tropical forest, where the sun never enters, 
and where heat and humidity are twin sisters. Heat 
and moisture are indispensable to their successful 
growth; give them a good light, but no sunshine, and 
do not let the foliage come in contact with other plants; 
if crowded, they will not be perfect specimens, for the 
leaves are tender and easily scarred. 
Now, these plants that cannot be cleansed by shower- 
ng may be dusted with a soft feather duster. I keep 
one for this purpose; but it is a better way to cover 
them, or to remove to a closet while sweeping, for even 
the use of the duster in a careful hand will wear upon 
them in time. 
There was an inquiry in the January issue of the 
Cabinet about growing Tuberoses in the house. I grow 
the greater part of mine indoors, and find their culture 
very simple. 
For summer flowering the bulbs are planted about 
the middle of April. All offsets should be removed be¬ 
fore planting. I set the pots on the mantlepiece where 
they can feel the heat of the kitchen stove; water but 
sparingly until they show above the soil; then keep 
them in the warmest room and full sunshine if possi¬ 
ble. The Tuberose delights in a sunny situation, and a 
deep, rich, mellow soil, whether grown in the house or 
garden. It is not what we term a thirsty plant by na¬ 
ture, still, when growing vigorously in a high tempera¬ 
ture, it needs plenty of water; if the soil dries off 
rapidly they will need a draught every day. That is all 
I do, except to let them grow and flower, which they 
will certainly do if the bulbs are sound, or have not 
been injured by being kept in too cool a place over 
winter. The same bulb will not bloom but once; all do 
not know this, but plant them every season, and won¬ 
der why they do not flower. 
If the flowers are wanted for the holidays, plant some 
good strong bulbs in pots in July or August and sink 
them to the rim in the earth in the gardens. Let them 
remain until the nights get cool in autumn, but not to 
freezing point, then bring in and give them your sun¬ 
niest window; water as they need it, and ordinarily 
they will flower before the holidays are over. One 
thing I came near forgetting: in cultivating the Tub- 
rose indoors, they should be kept where the air can 
circulate freely. The sash should be raised constantly, if 
only a few inches, for close confinement they might re¬ 
sent by refusing to put out a spike of flowers, and that 
is something they never failed to do yet; consequently I 
have always considered the Tuberose a very amiable 
plant, but for winter flowering I would recommend 
the single varieties. 
When this meets the eye it will be none too soon to 
prepare for another winter’s harvest of bloom, by sow¬ 
ing seeds of the Cyclamen, Primula, Calceolaria, Cine¬ 
raria, etc., and a hint about the soil, and sowing ma 
y 
