182 
THE LADIES' FLORAL CABINET. 
winter, cut back all the flower stalks that push up to 
within six inches of the ground until the first of Sep¬ 
tember. This process is of the highest importance; it 
causes the plant to grow more bushy, and stronger ; and 
it comes to the window-garden in a healthy condition, 
capable of flowering all winter without exhaustion. 
There is quite a long list of both old and new varie¬ 
ties recommended for winter blooming, but I will only 
mention those I have tried with success. Hinzey's white, 
a continuous bloomer; flowers large and very fragrant. 
Grace Wilder, delicate pink; flowers large, finely 
fringed, clove-scented. La Purite, carmine-striped, 
blush. Crimson King, color dark-crimson scarlet ; very 
double and sweet. Lord Clyde, groundwork white, 
striped with carmine, and blotched with maroon ; beau¬ 
tiful and sweet. President James A. Garfield, color a 
rich English vermilion ; flowers large, perfect in form 
and highly fragrant; a fine variety. Scarlet King, rich 
crimson-scarlet; very large and double. Peter Hender¬ 
son, large, pure-white; petals crimped. Eureka, creamy- 
white, edged and striped with peachblow; sweet, and 
very beautiful. Mrs. G. W. Flanders. 
HARDY HERBACEOUS PLANTS. 
All who truly love and appreciate flowers are greatly 
indebted to Woolson & Co., of Passaic, N. J., for their 
efforts to re-introduce perennial flowers, that have of 
late been pretty generally neglected, in some cases 
altogether banished from our gardens; their beauty 
being nearly forgotten by those that once knew them 
so well. This neglect has become so common, because 
of the craze for bedding plants, ribbon borders, massing 
of colors, and other types of modern and fashionable 
gardenmg that our old garden favorites are now rarely 
seen, and have been very difficult to obtain. 
Fortunately there are many signs of reaction in their 
favor at the present time, the rejected ones are once 
more restored to their former positions of honor in the 
garden. They may never occupy the exclusive place 
they once did, nor is it desirable they should do so. No 
one class of plants should have full control in the gar¬ 
den any more than that they should be altogether re¬ 
jected. But that hardy herbaceous plants are destined 
to have an equal chance, at least, with the more deli¬ 
cate, and, may be, more showy classes, is one of the ' 
pleasing signs of the times, in its relation to gardening. 
Many that are now turning their attention to this 
class of plants are asking us for information in regard 
to them, as their limited experience in the garden has 
all been obtained during the period of their exile. We 
propose, therefore, to give the history, description, 
propagation, and methods of culture, of the leading 
and more desirable sorts. But before entering into de¬ 
scriptions of varieties or species, we wish to say a few 
words in regard to their general usefulness, and their 
adaptation to ornamental gardening. We do not wish 
to deprecate any style of planting; on the contrary, we 
wish to encourage all kinds, we wish to see. as many 
beautiful objects in the garden as possible, and particu¬ 
larly wish it to present an attractive appearance, at all 
times, instead of the brief period that exotic bedding 
plants furnish a feast of flowers. 
The hardy flower-garden is never more beautiful than 
in the spring and autumn months, when “bedding- 
plants ” cannot be put out because of frost. Therefore, 
the herbaceous border furnishes us two long seasons of 
pleasure, spring and autumn, when, with bedding- 
plants alone, the garden would be a dreary waste. It 
is in early spring that Nature lures us into her haunts, 
it is then we enjoy our country or town home and its 
surroundings, it is then that our gardens yield the 
greatest pleasure. The bright loveliness and sweetness 
of spring flowers—“ wild flowers ”—for such, in a great 
measure, is the hardy border composed,—far surpasses 
in their power to yield pleasure and enjoyment the 
best efforts we can make with bedding-plants during 
the summer and early autumn months. Flowers pre¬ 
sent a more gorgeous and dazzling appearance in warm, 
or in very hot weather; the extremes of color are in 
harmony with the extremes of temperature. But for 
true loveliness, give us the spring Anemones and the 
autumn Gentians, flowers with constitutions adapted to 
the seasons in which they thrive. It may safely be 
affirmed that the flowers of spring are at once the most 
beautiful, chaste, and brilliant in color, and more 
sweet and attractive than those of all other seasons. 
It may be that the comparatively dreary circumstances 
under which they appear has by contrast the effect of 
heightening their beauty and worth. While Flora’s 
other subjects are yet unstirred, these, her hardy 
children of the spring, come forth in the short, dark 
days, almost forbidden by Nature’s rude influences, 
bringing with them a renewal of precious promises, 
and fresh hopes and thoughts pleasant to ponder, but 
often unutterable. Spring-flowering perennials, whether 
of the fibrous-rooted or bulbous kinds, are exceedingly 
numerous, and abound in varied and bright tints, and 
the majority are very profuse, and many are deliciously 
fragrant. The summer and autumn flowers that 
abound in the fashionable flower-garden may be 
pointed to with some exultation by the professional 
gardener as the perfection of brilliancy, denseness, and 
decoration in flowers; but they cannot compare with 
the flowers of spring for individuality, sprightliness, 
delicacy, and simple grace. 
The great advantage the mixed border has over the 
more fashionable system of ‘ ‘bedding-out” is the duration 
of the flowering period. At the present writing (May 
17) it is not safe to plant out Geraniums, Coleus, and 
most other green-house plants; Coleus certainly should 
not be planted before June 1st, in order to get the best 
effect, which cannot be obtained if the plants get 
chilled; in such cases it will take nearly a month for 
them to recuperate. On the contrary the well-arranged 
herbaceous border has been an object of beauty for the 
past two months, and is daily presenting new objects 
for our admiration, and this fact alone is ODe of the 
most important in gardening operations. The promise 
of a newly-prepared feast for the eye, each morning, 
brings our gardens nearer to us, and entices us regularly 
