FLOWERS IN OREGON AND WASHINGTON TERRITORY. 
We are certainly going to Oregon and Washington Territory, and to a good many other 
places. We accept all the invitations our kind friends send us. We only stepped over to Cali¬ 
fornia last year just to get a breath of sea-air from the Pacific, and we don’t feel as though we had 
made our western trip — that is in the future. Mrs. Megler, of Columbia River, W. I., writesr 
Mr. James Vick — Dear Sir: — Our Pansies have been a wonder and delight to all who have seen them. 
Such a variety of colors, and in size I think they cannot be surpassed. One measured three inches across, and I 
have more two and a-half inches than I have of those smaller in size. The Petunias, Verbenas, Stocks in fact, 
all of the annuals — met with perfect success. Of greenhouse seeds we purchased one paper of Oleander, and 
fourteen have already come up, and we have more seed left. Salvia met with as good success, but from Heliotrope 
and Fuchsias we have not succeeded as well. I think we planted them too early. I think if every one could have 
our success you would be spared a great .deal of trouble. I wish while you were in California you could have 
found time to come to Oregon, for I think you would have found many varieties of flowers here unknown to you,, 
and some very beautiful ones. There is a white lily which is very fragrant, and is the first flower found in spring. 
L. Samuels, of Portland, writes with enthusiasm of the wild flowers of Oregon. We can 
believe all he says, or could say, of the Lupins and Columbines of the Pacific coast. 
I am happy to hear you intend to come to our country. I only hope you won’t change your mind. We have 
the most beautiful wild flowers, Lilies, and Ferns, that any country can boast of. If you had not mentioned about 
coming here, I should like to have sent you a few seeds and leaves of our native Lupin — much finer than the 
French — growing here in abundance, and also some of our wild Columbines, which arc much finer than any I have 
raised from imported seed. We have a very fragrant Lily; it is known here as "Solomon’s.” I hardly think 
that’s the right name. When you come here I hope you’ll ict me know it. I should be most happy to meet and 
be of service to one who has done so much towards creating a love for flowers among the people.— L. S. 
THE LONGIFLORUM LILY AND LENORMAND CAULIFLOWER. 
John D. Miller, of Elmira, N. Y., obtained of us a dozen Longijlortim Lilies in the autumn 
of 1874, which were received in good condition, and planted in good soil five inches deep. As 
none of the dozen made their appearance above ground, Mr. M. became anxious to know what 
had become of them, and writes us the result of his investigation, as follows: 
In June I examined one of the bulbs and found it perfectly sound, with roots started about three inches long, 
but none of them have shown themselves above ground this summer. What I wish to know is, whether they wilt 
be likely to grow another season or not. If not, I wish to get another supply. In the third number of your Guide 
for this year, you mention a Cauliflower grown by Wm. H. Bascomb, of Iowa, and weighing eight pounds. He is 
considerable behind Chemung County. I had last season the finest lot of Cauliflower I ever saw. Several of them 
weighed eight pounds each. One grand one, stripped of all surplus leaves and cut off close to the head, weighed' 
ten pounds. It measured fourteen inches in diameter one way and sixteen inches the other, and was solid ana 
white. It was of the Lenormand variety. 
Newly planted Lily bulbs will often increase in size and become strong and healthy without 
showing a leaf above ground. Indeed we have planted thousands of Lilies, obtained from 
foreign countries, that have arrived somewhat dried, without seeing scarcely a sign of life on the 
bed for a year. Really, we think this a good sign. The attempt to throw up a feeble stalk 
often seriously weakens the bulb. We must, however, admit that last winter was the most severe 
on bulbs that we have ever known. We lost more than in the fifteen previous winters. The 
Lenormand is an excellent late Cauliflower, and we are always glad to hear of the success of our 
customers with this delicious vegetable. 
o 
DAHLIA TUBERS. 
Dahlia Tubers. — W. T., of Sanilac, Mich., "grew an assortment of Dahlia ‘Toes,’— put 
them in the ground, good soil, in May, and to-day (July 21) took them up, and they were all 
good and sound, but not sprouted or rooted.” The tubers of Dahlias do not have 
eyes, or buds in all parts, like the Potato, but only at the narrow collar or neck, 
where the tuber was attached to the stem of the old plant, as shown in the little engrav¬ 
ing which we have given to endeavor to make this matter plain. A tuber without 
buds will remain in the ground without change for many months. When attending 
the Fair at Saratoga, one of my oldest and most intelligent customers, a lady living 
at Mechanicsville, related a very singular circumstance. She had potted a number of 
Dahlia tubers we had sent her last spring, and one gave no sign of growth. At last 
to her utter surprise, she found young shoots forcing themselves through the earth, 
the Dahlia root, against all rule and order, having started growing at the wrong end. 
W e could not avoid suggesting, that the good lady had potted the poor tuber head downwards. 
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