148 
THE LADIES’ FLORAL CABINET. 
Campanula turbinata would do and we could raise any 
quantity of it from seed, but garganica, pulla and others 
of that class are too “ miffy.” Funkias are sometimes 
used, but after midsummer behold the misery of their 
foliage. Erysimum rupestre forms the densest kind of 
a mat, but it is only a biennial. And in this way there is 
something in favor of, or against many other plants. 
For Shady Places. —The lesser periwinkle ( Vinca 
minor), commonly known as “ Myrtle,” makes a capital 
border in a shady place. Wild violets, especially the varie¬ 
gated-flowered V. cucullata, Sedum ternatum, the barren 
worts ( Epimedium ), some of the dwarf phloxes—for 
instance, P. amcetia and P. reptans —and hepaticas, will 
grow freely in slightly shady places, and are easily obtained. 
Among Shrubs. —The creeping euonymus (E. radicans) 
and its variegated form are perhaps the most appropriate 
of all. True, we have small-leaved rhododendrons, Aza¬ 
lea amcena, ledums, sand myrtles, vaccineums, Daphne 
Cneorum, and some of the very dwarf conifers that would 
make pretty edgings, but their expensiveness renders 
them unpopular. Because some plants are natives of our 
woods and mountains is no reason why you should expect 
to get them from our nurserymen for ten cents each. 
They cannot grow them for less than a great deal more 
than that. The retinosporas can be kept small for many 
years; they are easily raised from cuttings. Young 
plants make fine edgings. 
William Falconer. 
CLIMBERS: INDOORS AND OUT. 
E ITHER the garden or the greenhouse is shorn of 
half its glory without a few climbing or trailing 
plants, and here, at the head of the list, we must give first 
place to one of the loveliest plants of recent introduction, 
Asparagus tenuissimus. The name asparagus usually 
suggests to us the vegetable with which we are all famil¬ 
iar, but the plant in question sends up graceful, twining 
sprays of feathery green, light and delicate as the maiden¬ 
hair, and possessing the added advantage of durability. 
It will last for two weeks after being cut, and keeps its 
freshness a long time without being in water, making it 
very desirable for corsage or hand bouquets. It might be 
expected to supplant smilax to a considerable extent for 
decorative purposes, but it is heavily handicapped by one 
circumstance—its name. It is very well for the poet of 
all time to say, “ A rose by any other name would smell 
as sweetit certainly would, only the world at large 
would not think so. So it is with the asparagus ; every¬ 
one acknowledges its beauty and its grace, which recalls 
Mrs. Hale’s description of the jasmine : 
“ The fashion of her gracefulness was not a followed rule, 
And her effervescent sprightliness was never learned at 
school.” > 
But still the name seems to outweigh all its attrac¬ 
tions. It should be, however, easy enough to remedy this 
disadvantage. Smilax is not really smilax, for that name 
correctly belongs to the sarsaparilla; our smilax is Myr- 
siphyllum asparagoides, so, following this precedent, we 
might feloniously abstract some other and prettier name 
for our asparagus. Taking the specific name of a simi¬ 
lar member of the same family, and changing it to the 
feminine form, we have Plumosa, which is graceful, ap¬ 
propriate, and might readily become popular. 
I cannot too highly recommend this plant for house 
decoration ; it may be trained in an infinity of ways, and 
grows very rapidly. It seems to prefer plenty of light, 
which renders it an admirable window plant. It requires 
considerable water, but should have good drainage. Its 
small greenish-white flowers are pretty and fragrant, 
though inconspicuous. It is a native of Nepaul. 
The smilax is too familiar to need description; we see 
its glossy, myrtle-like leaves on every occasion when green 
drapery is required. It is a most desirable basket plant, 
requiring a rich sandy soil and plenty of water during 
the growing season. It may be allowed to hang loosely 
from the pot or basket, or be trained on some slight sup¬ 
port into any form required. It has a bulbous root, and 
may be propagated by offsets, or from seed. During the 
summer it should lie dormant, receiving but little water; 
in the early autumn it may be re-potted and started 
afresh. 
The passion-flowers are a charming family of climbers 
for indoor culture. They require light rich soil, but little 
water and abundant sunlight. Passijlora ccerulea has, 
as its name implies, sky-blue flowers of distinctly char¬ 
acteristic form. It is excellent for conservatory or house 
culture, but, if planted outside, requires protection during 
the winter. It should be cut back every summer close to 
the main stem, as it will flower from the new shoots the 
following season. P. racemosa is a free-blooming variety 
with red flowers. P. quadratigularis, so called from its 
angular stem, produces the fruit known to West Indians 
as the granadilla. It resembles a large lime, and has a 
cooling, agreeable acid flavor. Several other varieties 
bear edible fruits, which are freely produced in a warm 
conservatory. P. quadrangularis variegata is a hand¬ 
somer plant than the plain green form, being richly 
marked with yellow. P. princeps is a strong-growing 
red-flowered variety. 
The tacsonias, a family belonging to the same order as 
the Passifloras, may be grown in a similar manner. 
Tacsonia Van Volxemii, with delicately cut, dark-green 
leaves and star-rayed red and purple flowers, though 
following the main characteristics of the passion-flowers, 
it is much more delicate and patrician in its style of 
beauty. T. peduncularis, also called Passijlora pedun- 
cularis, bears rose-colored flowers. It is indigenous to 
Peru, where it is called tacso, this forming the derivative 
of its botanical name. 
Among tender vines having brilliant flowers the tro- 
paeolums must be given high rank. T. tricolorum is very 
noticeable, having leaves of tender green and small, oddly- 
shaped, bright scarlet and black flowers. It has tuberous 
roots, which should be planted in September, so that they 
