194 
THE LADIES ’ FLORAL CABINET. 
so I missed the pleasure of seeing a vineyard in full bear¬ 
ing ; but the general appearance of the vineyard was a 
great novelty to me, for there are no trellises or supports 
for the vines, as in the New Jersey vineyards, but each 
vine must support its own branches and fruit, and this it 
can readily do, because the vines are pruned back each 
year to within a couple of buds of the main stalk, so that 
in time the bpdies of the vines resemble stumps of trees 
more than anything else ; and as in the older vineyards 
the vines are but six feet apart each way, the resemblance 
was more marked. The body of the vine is allowed to 
grow but about two feet high, and the canes being cut 
each year to within a few inches of the body, causes a 
wonderful growth of the latter, and I have seen some of 
these stumps, as they may be called, more than six and 
even eight inches in diameter—I don’t mean circum¬ 
ference. Now, just think of grapevines measuring so 
much across the body ! Many of the vineyards embrace 
acre after acre, almost as far as the eye can reach ; and 
in many places in this valley that is a wonderfully great 
distance.” 
* 
* * 
A Flower-Lined Grave. —Covering the graves of those 
we love with flowers is a beautiful custom, however much 
it may be abused, as it is when carriage-loads of mon¬ 
strosities, called floral designs, are heaped upon the grave 
as a matter of form, without any of that kindly, affection¬ 
ate feeling that should go with every flower that is strewn 
upon the last resting-place of relative or friend. It is 
fitting to give the most beautiful things of earth to the 
earth that covers all that is left of those we loved. 
We noticed a very pleasing change in floral offerings 
a few days since—one quite as appropriate as beautiful. 
It was at the grave of a young mother who has left a 
large circle of sorrowing friends, some of whom visited 
the newly-prepared grave the morning before interment 
and completely lined the walls with evergreens and 
choice flowers. The design and execution of this beauti¬ 
ful offering was entirely by young ladies, who could not 
entrust to other hands the arrangement of flowers, the 
sweet emblems of their affectionate regard. It was a 
beautiful thought, and put to shame the florists’ mean¬ 
ingless “ gates ajar,” and other absurd designs, so com¬ 
mon and soulless. Let there be placed over my grave a 
single rosebud by a loving friend, rather than a display 
of the florist’s art. 
* 
* * 
Winterand Spring Flowering Bulbs.—In selecting bulbs 
for the window-garden, there is an extensive class that are 
almost entirely neglected ; we refer to the ixias, babianas 
and sparaxis, allied plants, of easy culture and remarkable 
for their showy and beautifully-tinted flowers. They are 
charming South African bulbs, more easily grown than 
the hyacinth, and yield an abundance of bright flowers, 
on slender spikes, admirably adapted for cut-flowers. Six 
or eight bulbs of either sort can be accommodated in a 
six-inch pot, and grown successfully under the same con¬ 
ditions as are required for the hyacinth. The flowers are 
far more showy and are of longer duration than are those 
of any of the more popular Dutch bulbs. 
Answers to Correspondents. 
Paeonies— Mrs. T. A. Braddock, Pa. —It is exceed¬ 
ingly difficult to say what causes blight, or decay in the 
bud. It may have been caused by insects, which dis¬ 
criminate in their selection of food; it may have been 
caused by the excessive cold of last winter, impairing the 
vigor of the plants, some of the species being much 
more hardy than others. If the plants seem healthy, they 
will undoubtedly flower freely another season. 
Pelargoniums — "Mrs. J. O. Hibbard, Texas. —If you 
mean the fancy, large-flowered pelargonium, we would 
say it is not a winter-flowering plant, neither is it a per¬ 
petual flowering one. With you it should remain out all 
winter without injury, and flower freely in early spring. 
Lantanas, if in a pot, will flower nearly the whole season, 
, and should with you out of doors. The shrubby calceo¬ 
laria cannot be induced to flower in the winter, neither 
will it endure dry, hot weather. Give it a shady situation, 
and accept gratefully its flowers at their annual season, 
early summer. 
Camellia Japonica — Same. —This ornamental shrub 
will flower the first year from cuttings, and ever after, if 
planted in a cool, moist situation, in your locality. From 
South Carolina southward it makes a splendid low-grow¬ 
ing tree or shrub for the lawn, where it produces its 
blooms in the greatest profusion during the winter and 
early spring. 
Night-Blooming Cereus — Same. — Yes, withhold water 
when your plant is at rest. Its period of rest is in fall 
or early winter. 
German Ivy — Same.— It depends altogether upon 
where you have placed your German ivy whether you 
need to cut it back in summer. The beauty of this plant 
is its luxuriant growth of clean shining green foliage, and 
where you have sufficient room for it to run, the longer 
the growth the better. For house-plants cuttings should 
occasionally be taken, which root readily in sand or water, 
and soon make plants as large as will be required for 
the living-room. 
Plants for Name — E. E. Ryan, Texas. —The purple 
flower is Callirhoe involucrata, a hardy perennial plant 
indigenous to California. It is an excellent plant for the 
rock garden, as it produces a continuous crop of its 
showy blossoms from early summer till late in au¬ 
tumn. It should not be trained up to a support, but 
allowed to fall gracefully over the rocks. The yellow 
flower is CEnothera Drummondii, one of the most beau¬ 
tiful of that interesting family of plants. 
Books, &c., Received. 
The American Fruit Culturist. By John J. Thomas. 
We have great pleasure in noticing this publication ; 
partly from our regard for the author, whom we have 
known for many years, and partly from the genuine 
love which he exhibits for horticulture, to which we our¬ 
selves are so much attached. The importance of fruit 
culture is but little understood or appreciated in this 
