THE LADIES' FLORAL CABINET. 
371 
Seventh regiment when on dress parade. T. Maco- 
wani, and some of the other dwarf growing varieties 
are very beautiful for small beds, but for large displays 
they will not compare with the more common sorts. 
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Hydrangea Paniculata. The following notice of this 
the handsomest of all hardy shrubs, we take from the 
N. Y. Weekly Times, and would say, that our experience 
with it this season is quite as favorable as the writer’s. 
We would also add that there appears to be two dis 
tinct varieties of this shrub, one having grandiflora 
attached to the specific name. From what we have 
seen of this variety, it does not compare favorably with 
the original species, its trusses of bloom are not so large, 
the shrub is more dwarf, and the flowers fade more 
quickly. We think the one refei'red to below is 
Hydrangea Paniculata not H. P. Grandiflora. 
“One of the finest flowering shrubs for a lawn is 
Hydrangea Paniculata Grandiflora, or the large flow¬ 
ered panicled Hydrangea. A bush on my lawn five 
years old, from a cutting, has justnow upon it 173 large 
panicles of the beautiful white flowerets; some of the 
panicles are fourteen inches long and nine or ten inches 
in diameter at the base, forming a beautiful cone of 
bloom, which makes a handsome ornament as a cut 
flower in a vase. The flower has a sweet fragrance, and 
altogether is one of the cleanest, neatest shrubs inform, 
while it is easily the most beautifully conspicuous [in 
bloom at this season. It remains three or four weeks 
in bloom. It is as easily propagated by cuttings as a wil¬ 
low. From its spreading and almost pendent habit the 
shrub should be grown alone in a bed of good soil, 
yearly top-dressed with coarse manure, and it needs 
severe prunning in the Spring.” 
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China Pinks. The several varieties of Dianthus 
popularly known as the China Pink, that were to be 
met in almost every garden, but a few years since, are 
now rarely seen. This is to be regretted, as many of 
them are of great value for cut flowers, besides they 
are of the easiest culture, flowering freely under almost 
any circumstances. We prefer treating them as an¬ 
nuals, as such they make splendid autumn flowering 
plants. Their colors harmonize favorably with the 
“autumn leaves,” some of their tints are remarkably 
fine, and very appropriate for the season ; besides they 
are not at all particular about a few degrees of frost. 
We have often had magnificent beds of them several 
weeks after the frost had destroyed tender annuals and 
bedding plants. 
The Heddewigii varieties, both double and single, in 
mixture, make the most showy beds ; nearly every 
color will he represented, and the varied forms are all 
pleasing. Under favorable circumstances the plants 
will be a foot high, with as great a diameter, and com¬ 
pletely covered with flowers, some of which are fully 
three inches across. For summer flowering the seeds 
should be sown in boxes in the house, or in hot-beds 
in March, and transplanted into small pots as soon as 
they have made two pairs of leaves. For autumn 
flowering sow the seeds in May, in the seed bed, and 
transplant when two inches high. 
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The Edelweiss. This is the Swiss name for the 
Gnaphalium leontopodium, and signifies Noble Purity. 
It belongs to the same genus as our summer flowering 
plant called “Life Everlasting” G. polycephalum. It 
grows in great abundance on the most inaccessible cliffs 
of the Tyrolese Mountains, where the chamois dare 
hardly venture. Its flowers are immensely valued by 
the Swiss maidens, and the boldest of their lovers, the 
hunters, tempted by the beauty of the flowers and their 
love, climb the cliffs to gather them, and not unfre- 
quently are they found dead at the foot of the moun¬ 
tains with a bunch of flowers in their hands, having 
sacrificed a noble life to gratify the objects of their 
love. On dry, gravelly soils, in this country, this plant 
succeeds admirably, and is exceedingly useful for winter 
bouquets. 
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Bulbs for Fall Planting. Let us again urge our 
readers to make plantings of the various species of 
what is known as Dutch Bulbs. It were better had 
they been planted last month ; it is much better to plant 
now than not to have planted at all. Those who have 
already secured and planted their bulbs have an advan¬ 
tage over those who have not, so far as getting the best 
bulbs is concerned, besides their’s are far along with 
with their next year’s work ; they are established in 
their new homes, and their roots penetrate deep into 
the ground, which will insure far better flowers than 
can be had from bulbs planted later on. It is not yet 
too late to get good bulbs, for the market has been, and 
is still overstocked with everything, and all, or nearly 
all of the best quality. Long exposure to the atmos¬ 
phere materially weakens all kinds of bulbs; for that 
reason alone no longer delay planting. Spring will be 
on hand in good time, then if the bulb bed has been 
neglected one-half of spring is lost, and the regrets will 
be many, because of the absence of the Hyacinths, 
Tulips, and the rest of those lovely flowers that makes 
the garden in spring so cheerful. 
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Dahlias. Never in the history of Dahlia culture in 
this country has the display been equal to that seen dur¬ 
ing the first week in October, on the grounds of the 
various Dahlia growers. Both the single and double 
varieties are now in perfection, the latter for general 
display still takes the lead,although the coloring of some 
of the single flowers is truly wonderful. Still we think 
it has not come to stay, beautiful as it is. It is hardly 
fair to expect any great improvement in the size or 
form of the double varieties, although new varieties are 
being annually brought out. The best new variety 
shown this season is John Thorpe, a soft lilac rose color, 
with yellowish rose at the base and under side of the 
petals. The flowers arc large, of fine form with full 
centre. The habit of the plant resembles that of Madge 
Wildfire, and it is equally as free flowering. This 
variety was raised by C. L. Allen & Co., Garden City 
N. Y., and will be sent out next season by Messrs. V. 
H. Hallock, Son & Thorpe, Queens, N. Y. 
•* 
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The old saying, “ two heads are better than one,” is 
plainly manifest in nearly every page of “How the 
Farm Pays,” a new book written in the interest of 
agriculture and horticulture by Y T m. Crozier and Peter 
Henderson, Esqs., and published by Peter Henderson & 
Co., 35 Cortlandt Street, New York. Both authors are 
distinctively practical men, and represent, in their re¬ 
spective industries, the highest type of the farm and 
