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THE LADIES' FLORAL CABINET. 
green. In the fall it can be cut back and potted for the 
house : it roots freely in wet sand, and makes a gay 
plant for a hanging-pot. Pilogyne suavis is a tender 
climber belonging to the gourd family : is a very rapid 
grower, has dark green, glossy leaves, flower's like tiny 
■whitestars: what they lack in size they make up in 
numbers; they have a slight musky fragrance; to train 
on a porch, or for a quick-growing covering for screen 
or fence, there is nothing better. Madeira vine is an¬ 
other rapid grower: when treated generously it responds 
in like manner. Dig a large hole, fill in a wlieelbarrow- 
ful of stable manure, cover two or three inches of soil 
over, set out good-sized sprouted tuber's, letting the 
tops just show above the soil: water whenever dry. 
give it something to climb on. and you will see what 
the Madeira vine can do. In September it will be loaded 
with its graceful feathery white flowers, perfuming the 
air like cherry blooms. I must not pass by the Cobca 
scandens and Lophospermum : they are both tender 
climbers, both are grown from seed, but are a little diffi¬ 
cult to start. It is better to purchase a good plant and 
set out the first of June. They make a rapid growth : 
the first-named has large, bell-shaped flowers, first 
green, then changing to purple ; the latter has flowers of 
rosy crimson. 
There are many climbers suitable for the house. The 
English Ivy succeeds with some, while others can do 
nothing with it; some people will pet it, give it rich 
earth and the best situation, yet it refuses to grow 
and is covered with scale insects. I could show you a 
pair of Ivies in common four-inch pots, on brackets half 
way up the sides of the sitting-room windows facing 
west, that reach around the room (fifteen feet square), 
besides making numerous detours around pictures, every 
leaf perfect—nearly of a size—not one missing. They 
were rooted slips put in the pots they are in now, in 
ordinary sandy loam from the garden three years ago ; 
have not been moved since, winter nor summer; noth¬ 
ing done to them except to give them all the water they 
wanted, and wash the leaves when dusty. I have come 
to the conclusion that it likes to be let alone. What¬ 
ever vines you have for the house, they should be 
started by the first of September, so as to get well grow¬ 
ing before cold weather. For hanging-pots, Maurandya, 
Pilogyne suavis. Senecio macroglossis (the new Cape 
Ivy), Manetti cordata. Madeira vine, are all good; 
Othonna erassifolia will grow in earth or water. Sus¬ 
pend it from the window in a broken goblet covered 
with crochet work, filled with water, bits of charcoal to 
keep it sweet, and it will soon fill the goblet with roots 
and grow and bloom. One word for the Trcidcscantia. 
I call it " patience" because it tries to grow in anything 
under all circumstances ; in good soil or poor, in sand 
or water, under a picture in a vase, or behind it sus¬ 
pended in a bottle, on mantle or bracket, anywhere with 
one exception—it don’t like the sun. 
Mrs. M. Plu.mstead. 
FLOWERING PLANTS FOR SHADY PLACES. 
Among the choice native plants delighting in a cool 
shady spot, moist, if possible, is the genus Cypripedium, 
and the most showy species are C. speetabile, with large, 
showy rose-colored flowers: C. pubescens, the larger yel¬ 
low Lady’s Slipper: C. Parviflorum, smaller yellow Lady’s 
Slipper, and C. ctcaule. stemless, with pale rosy bloom. 
The Kattlesnake Plantain (Goodyera pubescens), frequent¬ 
ing cool northern slopes, is well adapted for cultivation 
in shady spots. The showy Orchis, O. spectabilis, trans¬ 
plants readily and is very conspicuous when in bloom. 
Several of the genus Platan hera are also valuable, re¬ 
quiring but little attention. All the above must have a 
nicely prepared bed of peat to grow in, else their fleshy 
roots will decay after the first season. Ferns—and there 
are many of them—are always in order in just such a 
locality, and harmonize well with other plants, especially 
if placed on a little mass of rocks. 
Clumps of the well-known early white Anemone A. 
nemorosa transplant easily and are very satisfactory in 
a cultivated state. The same might be said of all the 
Violets—the Blood-root (Sanguinaria Canadensis); dwarf 
Dogwood (Cornus Canadensis); Trailing Arbutus (Epigcea 
rcpens) although difficult to transplant, but especially 
desirable when it thrives properly; liver-leaf (Hepatica 
triloba), the delicate little vine called Twin-flower 
(Linnoea borealis); another small trailing plant known as 
the Partridge berry ( Mitchella repens); all the species of 
Trillium and Dog’s Tooth Violet ( Erythronium Ameri- 
eanum). 
All the foregoing are natives, and are usually quite 
plentiful and widely distributed. The Lily of the Valley 
loves a shady nook, and the evergreen trailing vine. 
Periwinkle, is partial to the same spot. Double English 
Daisies and Primroses are the better for a partial shade, 
and a clump of Fuchsias will grow and bloom freely 
with little sun.— Josiali 1-Ioopes. 
FLORAL CABINET PREMIUMS. 
The free distribution of flower-seeds to the subscribers 
of the Cabinet by the publishers has, we believe, been 
the means by which many have been able to enjoy rare 
floral treats, besides creating in others a taste for flori¬ 
culture they might not otherwise have had. In order 
to further encourage the cultivation of flowers, we shall 
this season plant a number of well-tested novelties, the 
seed of which will be given to all who subscribe for the 
Cabinet after the date of the present number. These 
seeds will be sent to every subscriber about January 1st, 
1884, or just as soon as they can be put up after harvest¬ 
ing. We shall not send out any more of 1883 premium 
seeds or bulbs, as it is now too late to be of use for the 
present season’s growth. Therefore, all who subscribe 
after June 1st will get their seed or bulb premiums 
about January 1st, 1884. 
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