THE LADIES’ FLORAL CABINET. 
289 
when protected by a light wire fence in front. It has an 
additional charm, its graceful plumes as “dried grasses ” 
for winter bouquets. They keep well for years, present¬ 
ing somewhat the appearance of an ostrich feather. 
Phlox Drummondii grandiflora is another of the 
choice annuals that has given us great delight in the past, 
and one of the first we shall select for our next season’s 
work. The attention which has been devoted to this 
flower in the way of selection has rendered it one of the 
most varied and brilliant half-hardy annuals we possess. 
There are several classes of the Phlox Drummondi, but 
the grandiflora section surpasses all others for brilliancy 
of colors and for its free-flowering habit. Sowings 
should be made as soon as the ground is in good work¬ 
ing order, and another about a month later. A great 
mistake is made with this, as with most other annuals, 
by leaving the plants too close together in the border. 
For the best effect thin out to a foot apart each way, then 
the plants will completely cover the ground, and their 
free branching habit will furnish innumerable trusses of 
flowers the entire season, if seed is not allowed to ripen. 
In our review of the garden let us leave plenty of 
space to note the mistakes we have made in every de¬ 
partment. While we have been successful as a whole, 
there have been many errors that should be corrected 
now, if they have not already been. A list of wants 
should be made, in order that we may secure at the 
proper time such seeds, bulbs and plants as may be 
necessary to make the garden what we have fancied it. 
Yet, much work can be done to advantage; one hour’s 
work now will be worth two next spring; then we will 
have so much to attend to that something will probably 
be neglected, and nothing spreads like neglect; it is the 
parent of all horticultural miseries, and it is rarely, if 
ever, called by its true name, at least by the ones that 
suffer from it. Commence now to put the garden and 
lawn in order, leave nothing for the future that can be 
done now. If neglect has given you a crop of weeds 
they will be loaded with seed and should be burned at 
once, in order that there may arise from the ashes 
forms so lovely that neglect will not dare to disturb 
them. 
TREES AS POT PLANTS. 
M ANY trees indigenous to a warm climate, if brought 
here to the cold regions of Maine, where we are 
obliged to give them the protection of a cellar during the 
winter season, may be utilized as pot plants, and very 
pretty ones they make, too. 
The idea of having the Schinus Molle, or pepper tree, 
the Melia Azedarach, or “Pride of India,” grace our 
windows in summer, and sleep in our cellars in winter, 
may seem ridiculous to those who can have the pleasure 
of sitting beneath their shade, but to us who have never 
had ocular proof of their possibilities, we are glad to have 
them, even in miniature form. 
The seeds of the pepper tree germinate readily, and the 
growth is rapid ; one year’s culture, if kept at the window 
constantly, makes a beautiful miniature tree, with its 
graceful pinnate foliage. The flowers are very unassum¬ 
ing, but the fruit is bright scarlet, and quite persistent, 
and the leaves possess an aromatic, agreeable fragrance. 
In descriptions of it we read that “ in many of the South 
American villages it is used for shade and ornament. It 
was introduced into Southern Europe from Peru in the 
latter part of the sixteenth century, and is now quite 
common in South France, Spain and Italy. It is also 
found in gardens in California, where it is much admired 
by travelers. In its native country the tree grows thirty 
feet or more in height, but in less congenial climates it 
scarcely attains half that height.” The genus Schinus 
belongs to the sumac order, Anacardiacece, which is 
noted for the medicinal properties of almost every one of 
its members. The leaves of the Schimts Molle abound 
with an essential oil which is used in diseases of the eye. 
It is this oil which produces the aromatic fragrance which 
is so noticeable when the leaves are disturbed, and it is 
owing to the escape of this oil in globules that the bruised 
leaves or fragments of leaves are propelled when placed in 
water, and appear to possess the power of spontaneous 
movement. 
The Schinus Molle can be trained into a pretty weep¬ 
ing shrub, if grown in the shade away from the window, 
the branches or whole top bent and confined while flex¬ 
ible ; when they harden they will remain in their drooping 
position and they are very ornamental for a corner bracket. 
Of course, they should have strong light, for no plant, 
however hardy, can remain healthy in a dark corner of a 
room. 
The Melia is said to be a favorite shade-tree of the 
South, where it attains to the height of thirty or forty feet. 
It bears smooth bi-pinnate leaves, ovate, and pointed 
toothed leaflets, of a beautiful green color. It blooms in 
spring-time ; the flowers are lilac-colored, quite pretty and 
fragrant, and these are followed by a yellowish fruit. The 
seeds require a longer time to germinate than the Schmus, 
but after it becomes well established it grows rapidly. 
This tree is deciduous, so while it is resting under bare 
poles the cellar is a fitting place for it. 
In the same way, from seed, I have cultivated the catal- 
pa and cucumber tree. I sometimes plant them out in 
summer, and re-pot in autumn before the ground freezes; 
for while they may not be classed among the tender varie¬ 
ties, they are not hardy enough to endure the rigor of 
winter in this latitude, not even with protection. 
The catalpa belongs to the bignonia family and is 
sometimes called “ Indian bean.” Catalpa bignonioides 
has large heart-shaped, pointed leaves, downy beneath, 
and open panicles of white flowers, variegated and 
dotted within with purple and yellow, and pods one foot 
long. It blooms in summer. 
Catalpa Kaempferi has smooth leaves, many of them 
three-lobed, or angled, and the flowers are much 
smaller. 
