THE NATIONAL NURSERYMAN 
BEAUTIFYING WASTE PLACES . 
33 
Landscape Gardener Suggests Simple Method of Improvement- 
Good Expanse of Lawn—Flower Garden in Enclosure 
Into Which One May Pass and Seem to be In a Dif¬ 
ferent Atmosphere—Do Rot Scatter Roses— 
Value of a Few Really Rare Plants. 
At the annual meeting of the Pennsylvania State Horticul¬ 
tural Association at Harrisburg, S. Mendelson Meehan, editor 
of Floral Life and vice-president of Thomas Meehan & Sons, 
Inc., Germantown, Pa, read a paper on “Beautification of 
Waste Places.” He said in part : 
“ In comparison with the owner of city property, what a much 
better opportunity has the country¬ 
man and fruit grower, with an 
abundance of low-priced land, to 
have a beautiful garden home at 
a little expense, and accompanied 
with greater personal interest. 
“ But few country homes exist 
where from otre’tO'five acres could 
not be set aside for flower gardens. 
‘ It would not pay,’ I hear someone 
say. Perhaps the balance in dol¬ 
lars and cents would be a little 
less, but is the pleasure and com¬ 
fort to count for nothing ? If the 
financial results are to beconsid- 
ered above everything else, and the 
loss of that much ground is serious, 
then the owner must be working 
the remainder of his property on 
very close margins, and his 
methods need investigating. 
“A good expanse of lawn may 
be considered one of the chief 
aims, because when that is set 
apart, it offers many opportunities 
for development in detail and strik¬ 
ing effects. Above all, set out 
with the determination that it is to 
be a good lawn of grass. To be 
half-hearted in home making is to 
those we have no use for. 
Decide to have, if possible, a flower garden, not simply 
flower beds and borders around the grounds, but something of 
an enclosure into which one may pass and feel that he is in a 
different atmosphere ; where flowers are on every side inviting 
admiration and interest. I know of no phrase of gardening 
that is more delightful, invigorating and care-destroying than 
that which relates to hardy flowers. 
“A carefully selected assortment gives a profusion of 
flowers all the year, from the very earliest spring days, when 
some will open their adventurous blossoms almost from out the 
snow, to the time when some will defy the lighter frosts of 
autumn. 
“ A rose garden, which may be made a section of a general 
flower garden, is much more pleasing than when the roses are 
simply scattered here and there. They are not fitted for pro¬ 
miscuous planting, and always respond better to definite treat¬ 
ment. 
If a fine lawn offers opportunities for detailed development, 
equally so does the flower garden. There may be bowers, turf 
walks and rustic seat trellises, vine-covered archways, and 
what not. Utility need not be dismissed entirely, for some of 
the handsomest flower gardens are merely generous borders to 
vegetable patches. Or where the owner is concerned in mar¬ 
keting, cut flowers offer opportunities for quite a neat recom¬ 
pense for labor and expenditures. 
Would not this idea also add to the various proffered solu¬ 
tions of the farm questions. How shall we keep the boys on 
the farm ? 
Plant trees and shrubs that have permanent value and are 
not too ordinary. Avoid the cheap, quick-growing trees which 
are invariably less satisfactory in 
the end and are short-lived. I 
will only name the oaks as being 
especially worthy trees, and ones 
that will never bring regret. A 
few really rare plants will increase 
the interest in your place wonder¬ 
fully. Such beautiful things as 
the Yellow Wood, Gingko, Sophora 
and Japanese Varnish Tree are 
not difficult to obtain, yet they 
are not common.” 
GEORGE ACHELIS. 
GEO. ACHELIS. 
create waste places, and 
We present herewith a likeness 
of a prominent Pennsylvania nur¬ 
seryman. George Achelis was born 
in Brooklyn, N. Y., in 1842, and 
received his education partly in 
this country and partly in Ger¬ 
many. On May 1, 1866, he be¬ 
came half owner of the Morris 
Nurseries under the firm of Otto 
& Achelis. In 1875 he bought the 
share of his partner. The Morris 
Nurseries were founded by 
Paschall Morris some time before 
1850, and when Mr. Morris sold the nurseries to J. L. Darling¬ 
ton & Co., the successors, at his request the new firm retained 
his name by calling the nurseries “ Morris Nurseries,” under 
which name it has been conducted ever since. Mr. Achelis’ 
name heads the list of members of the American Association 
of Nurserymen. 
TWO NEW RAMBLER ROSES. 
Ellwanger & Barry, Rochester, N. Y., are introducing two 
new hardy rambler roses this Spring. One, which is named 
Leuchtstern, bears single flowers in large clusters, of a bright 
rose color with a white eye; foliage and habit similar to 
Crimson Rambler. The other named Rubin, is of a deep red 
color, and having flowers somewhat larger than Crimson 
Rambler. 
