HOUSE AND GARDEN 
July, 1914 
the event of continued wet and stormy weather the stems may be 
borne to the ground and from contact with the soil the calyx is 
apt to become discolored. 
When cut denude the 
stem of all leaves, tie in 
small bundles and hang 
tip to dry, as this will in¬ 
sure the stems drying 
quite straight, and being, 
therefore, more amenable 
for arrangement in vases. 
Six or more sprays in 
association with ivy, well 
colored honeysuckle or 
other suitable foliage, 
creates a most artistic 
vase, which I have often 
found calls forth more 
admiration than a more 
pretentious one of fresh 
flowers. 
For Christmas decora¬ 
tions exceedingly bright 
effects can be had with 
them in conjunction with 
evergreens. But enough 
has been said to show 
what may be done with 
this easily grown hardy 
plant. Any good garden 
soil is suitable for its 
growth, and plants may 
be had from the major¬ 
ity of nurserymen who 
handle hardy herbaceous 
plants, or it can be started 
from seed, which may be 
sown in well-prepared 
fine soil out of doors in 
late spring or early sum¬ 
mer. I prefer to start it 
under glass, and failing 
the convenience of green¬ 
house or hotbed, a sunny 
window is a capital sub¬ 
stitute. When sowing in 
pots or boxes, cover the 
seed very lightly with fine 
soil and transplant the 
seedlings when one inch 
high into other pots or 
boxes, ultimately plant¬ 
ing in the border in a 
permanent position, which 
should be quite unshaded. 
Set the plants two feet 
apart each way, and as 
they increase very rap¬ 
idly the intervening 
spaces will be quickly 
filled. 
The physalis named are 
perfectly hardy in this 
section, surviving the 
most severe winters with¬ 
out protection. The edi¬ 
ble varieties, P. Peruviana edulis and P. Violacea, however, will 
not survive the winter here, nor are they suitable for decorative 
purposes. 
Among other hardy 
plants the flowers of 
which are useful for win¬ 
ter decoration, the best 
are the statice (sea lav¬ 
ender), eryngium (sea 
holly) and ech inops 
(globe thistle) ; and al¬ 
though they do not give 
the rich color effects of 
the Chinese lantern plant, 
they are worthy of a place 
in all gardens. 
There are three very 
fine annual statice, name¬ 
ly, Sinuata, having rich 
mauve-colored flowers, 
Bonduelli , yellow-flow¬ 
ered, and Suworowi, with 
rosy-pink flowers and a 
distinct habit of growth 
having close-set, long 
spiral-shaped flower 
spikes. They range in 
height from twelve to 
eighteen inches, and 
flower throughout sum¬ 
mer. The flowers should 
be cut when first opened, 
and hung in an airy place 
out of the sun where they 
will dr} r without losing 
their color. The seed 
should be sown indoors 
or on a hotbed in March 
or April, setting out the 
plants toward the end of 
May. 
There are several very 
fine forms of perennial 
statice, Latifolia being 
one of the best. It pro¬ 
duces cloud-like masses 
of minute bright blue 
flowers on erect stiff 
flower stems, and is inde- 
scribably graceful. 
Height, two feet. Other 
popular varieties are In- 
cana , Tatarica and Gme- 
lini. 
The hardy perennial 
statice are propagated by 
division of the plant, or 
seed which should be 
sown in pots or flats 
placed in greenhouse, hot¬ 
bed or window in spring 
or early summer. Cover 
the seed not more than 
one-eighth of an inch and 
shade from bright sun un- 
(Continued on page 55) 
Echinops or globe thistle not only is serviceable for winter decoration but is a striking border 
plant. Its thistle-like globular flowers are rich blue in color 
The Chinese lantern plant ( Physalis ) produces fruit pods resembling brilliant little orange-red 
balloons when properly ripened 
