. ~~ Cornell University Library The original of this book is in the Cornell University Library. There are no known copyright restrictions in the United States on the use of the text. http://www.archive.org/details/cu31924003413915 Cornell University Library SB 405.J69 1871 iii “MY FLOWERS.” “A flowery crown will I compose, IT’ weave the Crocus, weave the Rose; I'll weave Narcissus, newly wet, The Hyacinth and Violet; The Myrtle shall supply me green, And Lilies laugh in light between, That the rich tendrils of my darling’s hair May burst into their crowning flowers, and light the painted air.” EVERY WOMAN Har OWwWW . 5 A HANDY MANUAL OF FLOWER GARDENING FOR LADIES. By Mrs. S. 0. JOHNSON. ( “DAISY EYEBRIGHT.” ) FIFTH EDITION. NEW YORK: HENRY @. WILLIAMS, - - - PUBLISHER. @ffice of the Bortienlinrist, 1875. g Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year eighteen hundred and seventy-one, by HENRY T. WILLIAMS, . in the office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington, D. C. / COPNEL UNIVERSITY, . LIB SRARY. y VAN BENTHUYSEN PRINTING HOUSE, Stereotypers and Printers, Albany, N.Y. CONTENTS. CHAPTER I. Paar. The Flower Garden—Its Uses, 0t0. 0... cssece cases cocccone cons sees cece sccesseces CHAPTER II. Gonstruction of Beds—Beds in Lawn—Ribbon Gardening—Rockeries—Directions for Massing Flowers—Diagrams for laying out Gardens ...eee..sees voce teee even cece CHAPTER III. Annuals—Their Culture and Varieties—A List of the Most Desirable for Amateur Gar- deners ....6. weer oo cece oer annsecereces rere rrr errr errr errr ree rere rere rer erry CHAPTER IV. Perennials—Biennials—Their Treatment, ete.—Lists of Most Desirable Varieties. «os Vv. Geraniums—Pelargoniums—The Difference between the two Plants—Their Culture and Varieties—Double Geraniums—The Zonale Geraniums—The Liliputian Tribe— Lists of Desirables and Noveltios........ +000 cece sees sececcen cena reste sneeeces CHAPTER VI. Bedding out Plants—Pansies—Verbenas—Heliotropes—Foverfews, @t0....+sesesseree CHAPTER VII. Phe We AGi ay ceca $s ba Ved OW Ae gee A keaee OM Soe ee WOR Lae STR TERE CINE BRR Be CHAPTER VIII. The Cultivation of the Rose .....sse-.... eee Sere ee ere ree CHAPTER IX. Ornamental Vines. ... ccc cece secs vece care cece e nee seek e eee tees OO aren naee none eeee 5 12 18 27 32 38 47 52 62 iv : CONTENTS. CHAPTER X. Page. Ornamental Shrubs for Garden and Lawn........ ih es ees aes oe OF CHAPTER XI. The Carnation and Picotee Pinks...... .sss. csc ccsccccccceccetevecces vescsseseces TB . CHAPTER XII. Herbaceous Plants—Pzonies—Phloxes—Chrysanthemums—Delphiniums—and a Select List of Desirable Herbaceous Flowers ....... ...+ sent ceeeceesecacacorcesseeeees TT CHAPTER XIII. Immortelles, or Everlasting Flowers and Ornamental Grasses—Acroliniums—Globe Amaranths—Helicrysums—Helipterium Sanfordii—Rodanthes—Xeranthemums— and a Select List of Grasses, Annual and Perennial. ...e sees. csc eeeecceesrsences 83 CHAPTER XIV. Ornamental Foliaged Plants — Coleus —Achyranthus — Caladiums — Silver Leaved Plants—Cannas, etc.—Tri-colored Geraniums, Gold and Silver Edged...........- 89 CHAPTER XV. Summer Flowering Bulbs—Japan Lilies—Gladiolus—Dahlias—Vallota, etc...+....... 96 CHAPTER XVI. Spring Flowering Bulbs—Snowdrops—Crocuses—Hyacinths—Tulips—Daffodils—Jon- quils—Narcissus—Polyanthus Narcissus—Lilies of the Valley, etc.....-......... 107 CHAPTER XVII. Old Fashioned Flowers ...++0+ secu sesceeee ve sae eee eens nee cone wenceeetecesecee LID CHAPTER XVIII. Vegetables and Hotbeds....-.cscecseecseees see Psi REN ea CRS REARTAR Cowen Wb4e VOD CHAPTER XIX. Arrangement of Bouquets, Vases, etc.—Flowers in Churches........ sesecssesssscese 132 CHAPTER XX. General Management of the Garden—The Soil—Selection of Sceds—Weeding—Water- ing—Planting out—Pruning, etc.—Saving of Seeds—Preparing Pots—Taking up and Preserving Flowers in Winter—Sleep of Flowers—Insects—Cultivate the Beautiful everywhere—Lines of Mrs. Howitts—Let us Teach our Children to Love Flowers rather than Fashion ...... 0... ces cece sees cecuseee ssc cers cece eves cece 139 CHAPTER L THE FLowEr-GarpEN—ItTs ROMANCE AND REALITY. ** There’s not a flower can grow upon the earth Without a flower upon the spiritual side; All that we see is pattern of what shall be in the mount, Related royally, and built up to eterne significance, There’s nothing small; No lily. muffled hum of summer bee, But finds its coupling in the spinning stars; No pebble at your feet but proves a sphere; No chaffinch but implies a cherubim; Earth is full of heaven, And every common bush a-fire with God.” A beautiful garden, tastefully laid out, and well kept, is a certain evidence of taste, refinement and culture. It makes a lowly cottage attractive, and lends a charm to the stateliest palace. An English writer, lately visiting our country, writes: “T can conceive of nothing more dreary than to live in the country and have no garden. To have no garden is to take the poetry, and nearly all the charms away from country life. To have a garden, is to have many friends continually near. “What a difference between what Mr. Carlyle calls an ‘umbrageous man’s rest, in which a king might wish to sit and smoke, and call it his,’ with its roses, and honeysuckles, and fuchsias clambering in through the very windows in crowds, and the dreary, arid prospect around thousands of American houses!” 6 EVERY WOMAN HER OWN FLUWER GARDENER. This hardly seems a fair criticism upon our homes. Having been an enthusiastic lover of flowers from childhood, and having cultivated them ever since the use of the hands was learned, I cannot recognize its truth ;—have never known of many such houses, as he describes. Yet many American writers will declare that slender porticos, fanciful verandas, sculptured gables, and deep bay windows are often seen in this country, without a vestige of a flower or climbing vine about them; while in England, the poorest laborer’s cot is a bower of greenery; and his little plat of flowers, often vies with that of his employer. It is not always wealth or art that gives to English homes their beauty and picturesqueness, but it is the attention of their inmates, to the cultivation of the “Green things of the earth.” It is not the latticed casement nor the high gable that attracts the notice of the traveler, but the brilliant flowers and the trailing vines that drape and embower them. American women live in-doors too much, and thus sacrifice their health and spirits. They cultivate neuralgia, dyspepsia, and all their attendant ills—rather than the beautiful and glorious flowers which God has scattered so abundantly all over the world. This little pamphlet is written for the purpose of coaxing them to come out into the sunshine, and begging them to ‘* List to Nature’s teachings.” A little garden, all one’s own, is areal Eqen! Earth possesses no greater charm; and there is no cosmetic equal to the fresh, sweet morn- ing air, and the cheerful sunshine. You ean make no investment which will give you such interest; health, happiness, and pure enjoyment will be the coin in which it is paid; and the returns are not made semi-annually, but daily. With what intense delight one watches the first tiny leaves of the seeds one has planted; and what pleasure one takes in the unfolding of the first flower! A grand garden cared for by a gardener, can never give its possessor as much delight as one in which nearly all the work is done by one’s own hands. To be sure, Pat O’Shovelem’s aid is needful to prepare the ground, lay out the beds, and harden the walks; but, gentler, smaller hands can plant the seeds and roots, can keep down the weeds, tie up, stake, train, water and prune. EVERY WOMAN HER OWN FLOWER GARDENER. q I have little faith in American women becoming farmers,—holding the plow—wielding the spade or the shovel; but I do know from long experience, that all the rest of the work can be accomplished by women, if they possess a love for the beautiful. There lies the trouble; few of our children are taught to garden; if they possess a natural taste for the pursuit, sometimes it is gratified, but not always. Mrs. Japonica and Miss McFlimsey hold up their hands in holy horror at the very idea of any of their kindred soiling their hands with the work. “Flora work among her namesakes!” they exclaim; “forbid it all. Japonicadom !” Yet how much harder do they work at the crowded party or ball! To dance the “German,” requires quite as much physical strength as to ‘plant a flower-garden, and rake off the weeds;—but, that is the fashion, and beef tea and stimulants must be resorted to, to sustain the feeble knees, uplift the nerveless fingers) Women can find strength to culti- vate a garden successfully, if they will commence by degrees. If their muscles and sinews are not accustomed to the work, they will soon rebel against it when forced to attend to it for several hours at once. Garden by degrees, my friends, and cultivate your muscles, with your plants! An hour, or even half an hour, is long enough for a commencement, | and the next day extend the time ten minutes, and so on, until you can work for three, or even six hours in succession. But take it easy; provide an old piece of carpeting to kneel upon while planting, or weeding with a fork; and if your knees are not accustomed to that position, humor them by placing an empty raisin or soap box upon the carpet, and sit upon that;—and if a cushion would also be agreeable, cover a small pillow with some dark chintz, and place that on the box. Now you will have a luxurious seat, and can garden without a sense of pain; yet don’t stay too long, nor become too much heated. The carpeting protects the skirts from the dampness of the soil, and should always be used. It can be kept conveniently at hand, with the box and the cushion. Of course, flounces, puffs, and furbelows, with their accompanying upper skirts, are not suitable for such occupations. A dark chintz dress is the best, for it can go into the wash-tub when it is in need of cleansing. A woolen bathing dress makes an excellent garden costume 8 EVERY WOMAN HER OWN FLOWER GARDENER. —for skirts are always in the way. If it is admissible on the beach, where wealth and fashion do congregate, why not in the garden, sur- rounding one’s house ? A large shade hat, and a pair of old kid gloves are indispensable. Rub- ber gloves are often recommended, but are far too clumsy for the fingers. Now, the dress is bespoken, and we must purchase the tools required. A large three-pronged iron fork, with a short handle, is needful for loosening the ground, removing plants and uprooting weeds. I should rather do without a trowel than such a fork. They can be purchased of all hardware dealers. A small set of tools, comprising a rake and hoe on one handle, a trowel, and a spade, are very essential. With their aid much light work can be accomplished without calling upon Mr. O’Shovelem. A watering pot, with a large nozzle, and a fine sprinkler, is also required. With these implements, every woman can be her own gardener—and not only raise all the flowers she may desire, but also contribute a large share of the vegetables that are always welcomed at the table, during both summer and winter. The cultivation of the soil possesses a wonderful fascination ; its very odor, after a refreshing shower, is inspiring; and as you gather your flowers, you will also gather improvement in many ways. “He made them all, and what He designs, can ne’er be deemed unworthy of our study, and our love.” If we see a pot of flowers in a window, it gives us respect for the inmates of the dwelling—but if we see a beauteous garden, “A brilliant carpet of unnumbered dyes,” we know that there is taste and refinement within that home. On the European continent, women work in the fields with the men, and become beasts of burden. I hope never to see them thus, in this more favored land, but I do desire to have them take a daily interval from the labor and care of the house, and breathe into their hearts the oxygen and iron contained in the fresh air; taste the balm and the tonic of ‘the sunlight and the garden. Every day there is some work to be done, if the garden is well kept. There is no need of having a“ weeding-day,” like a “ washing-day,’—for the weeds can be kept down, daily. Every morning dig over one or two beds, according to their size,—and continue the work until all are cleaned up. Then commence again, and thus prevent the soil from EVERY WOMAN HER OWN FLOWER GARDENER. 9 becoming baked; and let the air and moisture enter the earth, and nourish the tender roots. That is my way of gardening. After the beds are made, the walks prepared, no man’s hand or foot enters the sacred precinct, excepting to admire, and to receive the flowers. In the early spring time a half hour may suffice to exhaust the little strength one possesses, but before October comes, with its autumnal glories, several hours can be passed in out-door work without much sense of fatigue. All the delights of a garden are not comprised in gathering nosegays, and arranging bouquets, vases or festal garlands ;—there is great enjoy- ment in watching the vegetating of the seeds; the developing of the tiny leaves, the forming of the minute buds—and then comes at last— ‘¢ The bright, consummate flower !” Floriculture has been called the gem of all cultures. Its influence makes us more courteous, if not more intelligent; and what can we find in nature so emblematical of bloom, decay, and death ? It has been said that “as domestic floriculture and gardening has been the inclination of beings, and the choice of philosophers, so it has been the favorite of public and private men, a pleasure of the greatest, and the care of the meanest: and indeed an employment and a possession, for which no man is too high nor too low. Flowers are the relics of Eden’s bowers.” And there is no pastime that can give as much pleasure, with so small an expenditure. Gray, the poet, and also a skillful naturalist, tells us that the enjoyment of life depends upon “having always some- thing going forward;” and exclaims: “ Happy are they who can create a rose-tree, or erect a honeysuckle |” It is indeed this very “having always something going forward” that produces the enjoyment experienced by the amateur gardener; the glory and fragrance of the flowers forming the crowning gratification. There is a pride—a most pleasing pride—in culling a bouquet for a friend, from flowers raised by one’s own hand. The creation of a beautiful object is certainly “a great fact,” of which any of us may be justly and honestly proud. Few of us possess the talent to transfer and perpetuate on canvas, or in marble, the glorious hues and forms of nature, but the lowest and 10 EVERY WOMAN HER OWN FLOWER GARDENER. humblest can raise flowers which Solomon, in all his glory, could not have eclipsed! Why does not everybody have a Geraniwm, a Rose, a Fuchsia, or some other flower in a window, if they do not own land enough to plant a garden? They are very cheap—next to nothing, if raised from a cutting, and of small price if purchased from the florist; and there is companionship in them, as well as grace and beauty. Charming Leigh Hunt, whom I love to quote, says: “ Flowers sweeten the air, rejoice the eye, link you with nature and innocence, and are something to love. If they cannot love you in re- turn, they cannot hate you; cannot utter hateful words even if neglected ; for, though they are all beauty, they possess no vanity; and living, as they do, to do you good, and afford you pleasure, how can you neglect them !” There are few dwellers in the country who are so destitute as not to be able to indulge in a love for flowers. The garden may be of the smallest size—a mere tiny circle—and it will often be loved the more for its smallness, and receive more care and attention. It will not do to care for it a week, and then neglect it for two weeks. It demands constant care, daily attendance, waterings, and weedings. Nothing destroys its beauty like the noxious weeds that will grow ap, like Jonah’s gourd, if not constantly uprooted. The tenacity of their life is wonderful; uprooting will not always kill them, and they will mature their seeds, and prepare for another struggle with you in an ensuing summer, even when their roots lie withering in the sun. “What hidden virtue is in these things, that it is granted to sow them- selves with the wind, and to grapple the earth with this unmitigable stubbornness, and to flourish in spite of obstacles, and never to suffer blight beneath any sun or shade, but always to mock their enemies, with the same wicked luxuriance ?” Thus enquires Hawthorne, while sturdily waging a warfaxe against them, in the garden of the “ Old Manse,” at Concord, Mass., and no one can “make reply.” Animal manures, though very stimulating to vege. table life, are the sources whence many of the grassy weeds spring. Artificial manures do not introduce so many of these pests into the beds and borders, yet some of them are so highly charged with noxious exhalations that one dislikes to apply them. EVERY WOMAN HER OWN FLOWER GARDENER. 11 Mineral fertilizers are not open to these objections, and I have found them preferable to others on that account. Guano is always beneficial, if not applied in too large quantities. An iron spoonful of it dug into the ground two or three inches from the stems of the plants will increase their growth and beauty. A less-quan- tity should be given to tender annuals, and small plants. Liquid animal manures are also easily applied, and give to the plant an immediate stimulant. In pouring it on, avoid touching the leaves or the stems of the plants, but give the earth a copious supply of a weak solution. Guano applied in this manner is very beneficial. I have used all of these with decided success; and always feed my garden bountifully; and receive in return & bountiful supply of flowers and vegetables. Plant with care and skill; water when needful; feed plenty of nour- ishment; keep clear from all weeds; tie, stake, prune and cultivates daily, and you will never regret the small investment required to com- mence and continue a garden ; but will become more and more enamored with the occupation; and will yearly increase your stock, and multiply your labors, and will be ready to say with Thomson, the poet of nature: ‘ T care not, Fortune, what you me deny, You cannot rob me of free Nature’s grace; You cannot shut the windows of the sky, Through which Aurora shows her brightening face; You cannot bar my constant feet to trace The woods and lawns by living streams at eve: Let health my nerves and finer fibres brace, And I their toys to the great children leave; Of fancy, reason, virtue, nought can me bereave.” CHAPTER I. CoNSTRUCTION oF Bzps, BEps in Lawn, Rippon GARDENING, ROcKERIES. ‘* Oh! who can speak his joys, when Spring’s young morn, From wood and pasture open’d on his view; When tender green buds blush upon the thorn, And the first primrose dips its leaves in dew.” In preparing gardens to receive our flowers, it is better to avoid raised beds, with deep walks. They suffer from the intense heat of our sum- mers; and the rains wash them down, often exposing the roots of the plants. Grass edgings are objectionable, on account of the labor required to keep the sods from spreading. Beds that are artistically cut in the grass-plat produce a better effect; and the brilliant hues of the flowers contrast perfectly with the soft, shaven, emerald tint of the grass. One of the most attractive features about a house, is a garden tastefully cut in the lawn. It is open to but one objection—the dew upon the grass makes it rather unapproachable in the early morning, when its owner desires to feast her eyes upon its beauties. Three designs are given for cutting beds in the grassy lawn, and an artistic eye will enable our gardeners to vary them as they please. The walks can be well trodden down, and hardened with sifted coal ashes or clay. Gravel is not so desirable, as it clings to the feet. The grass can be left between the beds, or cut ont, but if the latter is done, they can receive more care in the early hours of the day. HVERY WOMAN HER OWN FLOWER GARDENER. G D1acRaM No. 1 In the center, A, place a stocky plant of Scarlet Salvia; at B, Scarlet Geraniums; Perfection Geranium; C, Heliotropes; E, Carnations; G, Asters; F, Zinnias; H an DIAGRAM No. 2, d D, White I, Stocks. 14 EVERY WOMAN HER OWN FLOWER GARDENER... A, Ricinus, Sanvitalia procumbens round it; B, Scarlet Verbenas; C, White Verbenas; D, Purple; E, Striped, Pink and White; F, Richest Crimson; G, Pure White; H, Brightest Pink; I, Darkest Maroon. ‘The outer beds can be each of one kind of plant, Heliotropes, Carnations, Geraniums, Pelargoniums, Asters, Balsams, Zinnias, and Stocks, or any flowers that suit the owner’s taste. DIAGRAM No 3. In the center mound, plant a fine specimen of Arundo donax, or one of the Pampas Grass. In each of the pear-shaped beds, put a different colored geranium, the tallest species at the stem end, and the Tom Thumb varieties at the broadest edge. In the circles plant some white flowers that will retain their beauty. In the crescents, brilliant scarlet flowers; and in the bordering of the half moon, either try ribbon gardening, or fill up with a mosaic in squares of scarlet, white, purple, EVERY WOMAN HER OWN FLOWER GALKDENER. 15 orange, blue, bright pink, crimson, and all the numberless shades that flowers afford. These beds furnish a great scope for exercising one’s taste in arranging colors; and very brilliant effects may be produced without a great outlay of time or money. The crescent-shaped garden can be approached from the main walk, and if the walks are hardened with ashes, it can be easily tended. All flower beds should be dug a foot deep; well enriched with animal or mineral manures; the lumps all finely pulverized, and the surface of the beds raked as smoothly as possible. Portulacca, Nemophila, Thrift, Gypsophila and Dwarf Asters make very pretty edgings. Ribbon Gardening. Flowers may be planted in ribbon fashion, that is, by employing those of primary colors, and arranging them with the tallest for the back- ground, or in the center. If sowed in a circular bed, be sure to have a brilliant scarlet or white flower in the center, which should be taller than all the rest. A Scarlet Geranium (Gen. Grant), for the center, White Feverfew surrounding that; Blue Larkspur should come next; Yellow Calceolarias next; and then the Dwarf Asters, of a rich crimson color, bordering on purple, would contrast well. For borderings to the plans given in this chapter, the Hyacinth-flowered Stocks would ribbon beautifully. Plant a row of the Scarlet, then White, next Lilac, then Canary Colored, then Bright Pink. They will grow to the same height, and produce a fine effect. Verbenas are also excellent for this purpose, and can be planted in concentric circles or in parallelograms, with six or seven colors, arranging them as a rainbow. A narrow semi-circle thus planted could be called the rainbow garden. Phlox Drummondii, Candytuft, Lobelias and Zonale Geraniums can all be employed in ribbon gardening. Take care to arrange the colors with vivid contrasts —-orange and purple, white and scarlet, but do not let blue and purple mingle. The arrangement of the ribboning must depend, of course, upon the stock of plants you possess, and after one year’s trial you will, doubtless, succeed in producing a fine effect. The only requisite rules are, to arrange the plants according to their height and coloring, always planting the outer edges with some dwarf plant that contrasts strongly. The Alfernantheras, ornamental foliaged plants that grow but four or five inches high, are unsurpassed for edgings. They will receive due attention in the chapter devoted to Variegated Leaved Plants. 16 EVERY WOMAN HER OWN FLOWER GARDENER. For planting in masses of coloring, Truffanto Asters, Smith’s Prize Balsam, Dianthus florepleno, Linum coccineum, Schizanthus atropur- pureus, Calceolaria and Centranthus macrosiphon make a fine show. Plant a small bed of each. A bed of miniature flowers is always charming. Lobelia marmorata, Leptosiphon hybridus, Clintonia azurea grandiflora, Fenzleria dianthi- flora and Grammanthes gentranoides are all dwarfs, and planted together with a bordering of G'ypsophylla muralis, the effect is lovely! A bed of Mignonette is indispensable, and it will flourish in the shade, and in damp places, blpoming luxuriantly. aA; Rockeries. There are many plants which thrive much better in a sheltered, rocky situation, and thence has sprung up the fashion for constructing “ Rock- eries.” Or it happens that some large rocks crop out on a portion of ground which is within view of the house, and it is desirable to orna- ment them. In the latter case, you have only to plant strong growing vines with large foliage, such as the Wild Grape Vine; the Clematis, or Virgin’s Bower, that trails its white, starry blossoms, and its puffy, wooly seed pods all over the forests of this country. These two vines will render the offending rocks most picturesque. Southern ladies can entwine among them the lovely Yellow Jessamine of their woods, which throws a golden hue over all their forests. The Ampelopsis (or Vir- ginia Creeper), or Five Fingered Ivy, and the Aristolochia (or Dutch- man’s Pipe), are also desirable for this purpose; also the Periplo cagreca, or Silk Vine of the Southern States. One, or all of these vines, will soon render the obnoxious rocks a joy forever! Artificial Rockeries are usually constructed of stones of various sizes, with the soil firmly embedded betwixt them. They can be made very easily from the clinkers of the coal furnace. If large pieces can be obtained, whitewash some of them to increase their picturesqueness. Boulders, stones from brooks, or hill sides, can all be used advanta- geously. Commence with the largest-sized stones, and build it up in an irregv- lar, jagged shape to imitate nature. A Rockery can be made as a receptacle of Mineralogical Specimens, which would increase its value. If you send to the woods and brooks for the stones, bring the soil thence, and, if not rich enough, add a little compost. but native Ferns EVERY WOMAN HER OWN FLOWER GARDENER, 17 and Vines do not require a large supply of stimulants. Plant the Ferns and Mosses on the shadiest side, and trail over the stones small vines, like the Lysimachia numerlaria, Vinca, minor and major, Moneywort, Lobelias, varieties of the Sedums, and the various Annuals mentioned under that head, as desirable for rock work. The varieties of the Saxi- fragora, with their broad leaves, and large clusters of bright pink or red flowers, are very effective among the trailing vines and ferns. A small Evergreen tree will show to advantage from some rocky point. The Alpine Plants are also lovely for such constructions. Crocus bulbs can be planted among the smaller stones, and in the early Spring will make a fine show. After they have bloomed, their places can be filled with Dwarf Asters and Dwarf Stocks, Phlox Drum- mondii and Pinks. Rockeries can be rendered very ornamental additions to the lawn or shrubbery, but they require a tasteful eye to construct them, and a loving hand to tend them; without these they can never be eye-sweet. 2 URAPTER IL, ANNUALS—THEIR CULTURE AND TREATMENT. ‘* Come, ye soft sylphs, Teach the fine seed, instinct with life. to shoot In earth’s cold bosom, its descending root; With pith elastic, stretch its rising stem, Part the twin lobes. expand the throbbing gem; Clasp in your airy arnis the aspiring plume, Fan with your balmy breath its kindling bloom; Each widening scale, and bursting film unfold, Swell the green cup, and tint the Mower with gold.” Annuals are considered the chief ornaments of the flower garden throughout the summer and autumn, and many of them are desirable for house culture. They have great claims upon our attention, and should be more extensively cultivated in every garden. It is impossible to plant, in a private plat of ground, all the kinds and varieties that are offered to us in the Seedsmen’s Catalogues, but a judicious selection of the best kinds will give a charming assortment of brilliant flowers. It is almost superfluous to mention that a@unuals are plants which spring from seed, and perfect their growth and seed, and perish with the autumn; though their life may be prolonged by cutting off the flowers, not allowing the seed-pods to form, and keeping them housed in the winter. They are divided into hardy; half-hardy and tender; and are natives of various lands. Many of them have been greatly improved, by the care and patience of the florist, from their normal state, and transformed into flowers of the most gorgeous hues, and the most nerfect shane EVERY WOMAN HER OWN FLOWER GARJENER. 19 Asters, Balsams, Larkspurs, Petunias, Portulaccas. Stocks and Zinnias have all become exceedingly double and of every brilliant hue; while many others have had their flowers much increased in size, and other- wise improved. These flowers are more generally cultivated than any other class of flowers, and they, alike, adorn the yard of the cottage, and the parterre of the palace. They will grow almost anywhere, and in any kind of soil, but thrive much better if heed is paid to their wants, and they are provided with a sunny location, well drained, and are well supplied with rich sandy loam; though there are some kinds which prefer a clayey soil. There are only a few which require a very rich soil, yet, most of them will reward you with a brighter show of flowers if well fed. It does not pay to starve plants, any more than to starve animals. It is very desirable to locate your garden where it can be in constant view from the windows of the house; flowers are our bosom friends and we desire to have them always in sight; when weary they refresh one, when happy they add to one’s happiness, and when sad and gloomy they give to one pleasant thoughts, smooth the care-worn brow, and uplift the heart to the Giver of all good things. To prepare the soil, let Mr. O’Shovelem dig up the grass-plat, if need- ful, and prepare the beds in front of the piazza, porch or sitting room, if it has a southeast direction; if not, take the next best, a southwestern location. Few plants will thrive well in a northern exposure, though Pansies love the shade, and will flourish there. If you can procure a compost of sand (not sea sand), leaf mould, loam and manure—a quar- ter of each—you will have as good soil as you can desire; but if not within reach, take what offers, and if it is heavy and stiff, add sand to lighten it; if friable and light, add ashes, muck or soil from old pas- tures, taken from under the sods. This is always desirable. Sand is also an essential. Laying out the Beds. Have the garden well spaded over, and then lay out the beds. Ifyou have a geometrical eye, you can mark out circles, semi-circles, triangles, stars, diamonds and all sorts of curved beds; and if you can have all the assistance you desire from “ men-folks,” border their edges with nar- row strips of turf, which must be kept closely shaven, and not allowed to encroach upon the beds. 20 EVERY WOMAN HER OWN FLOWER GARDENER. If you depend upon your own exertions, avoid the turf; for it-exacts too much hard muscular work for women to encounter. A bordering is now manufactured of Terra Cotta, which is highly praised; and it is said to withstand the frost and snow of the coldest regions. The Drain Pipe and Terra Cotta works in New York, make several styles. Tiles are also introduced with good effect. Box edgings are always tasteful and pretty. If you can possess none of these, you can, __ at least, border the beds with Dwarf Annuals and Perennials. The Tom Thumb plants of every kind are very pretty for this purpose; the stone-crop and, indeed, all the varieties of Sedums, make effective edgings. Gypsophila muralis is also beautiful for an edging, and its spray-like flowers are indispensable for both vase and bouquet. They cover the flowers like a mist, increasing their charms by partly veiling them. Sowiny the Seed, ete. The hardy varieties, like Candytuft, Phlox Drummondii, Sweet Alyssum, Sweet Peas, etc., can be sown as soon as the ground becomes a lit- tle warm, and the weather is in a degree settled. Indeed, all these kinds, and many others, will bloom earlier in the summer if they are planted in the autumn. The frost and snow does not disturb their rest. Sweet Peas are very essential for all gardens. Their fragance is grateful to all; and a bunch of the new colored ones, mingled with the old favorites, equals the soft and liquid tints of the sunset cloud. But don’t put Scarlet Geraniums or Verbenas among them; their vivid hues will pale and dim the beauteous Peas. They bloom much more profusely, if planted four or five inches in depth, and are not so apt to mildew. The half-hardy annuals should not be sown, excepting in the South, before the middle of May; and the tender ones, not until June, if one desires good success in their vegetation and growth. A large amount of vexation might be avoided if amateur florists would pay a little heed to natural laws. For both half-hardy and tender Annuals, planting in-doors, or under glass, is very needful. If this is done, they can be brought forward so as to bloom by the last of June, or the first of July, and one is fully repaid for the extra trouble by their graceful, lovely flowers. All these varieties of Annuals require transplanting. No Aster, Petunia, Stock or Zinnia will show its beauty if not allowed plenty of room in which EVERY WOMAN HER OWN FLOWER GARDENER. al to grow and bloom. So, it is as well to transplant them from boxes, or hotbeds, early in the summer, when all fear of frost is past, as to do it later from the garden beds. Seeds of various sizes require different depths of covering. The smaller the seed, the less the soil it needs to plant it, and the finer the soil should be. Portulaccas, Petunias, and all tiny seeds, should be mixed with sand. and sprinkled or sifted on to the earth prepared for them, and then gently pressed down with the flat of the trowel or the hoe. The general rule for planting has been to the depth of three times the diameter of the seed. Too deep planting is a fruitful source of the usual loss of seeds, so much complained of by amateur gardeners. The several essentials to successful germination of seeds of all kinds are suitable soil, suitable moisture and warmth; if these are in excess, or not sufficient, some, if not all, of the seeds will fail. In planting seeds in the open border, the soil must be thoroughly pulverized, no little lumps left in it to destroy plant life. Rake in the seeds, scattering them thinly around; or, a better way is to tie a string to two smallsticks; plant one of them firmly in the earth, and with the other draw a circle of the dimensions you may desire; wind up the string until you have it of the right length, then plant the seeds in the circle, and label them. Don’t trust to your memory for the names, and then say “this pink flower, that red one, and the other blue or yellow one,” but learn their names, and call them by them. One often rebels at the many-syllabled word that is applied to a tiny mite of a flower; yet, that same Latin word tells to every botanist its class and order, while the common, familiar, local name is recognized only by one language. Miss Mitford says: “One is never thoroughly sociable with flowers until they are naturalized, as it were, christened, provided with decent, homely, well-wearing English names.” The practice of giving Latin names to flowers and plants has been styled pedantic. It isnot so; forit conveys an idea of the flower to every student of Botany and Gardening in every nation. Leigh Hunt thus writes upon the names of flowers: “ Pink is not by itself a pretty name, but we have associated it since our first dawnings of infancy, with the sweetness of the flower. so now . 22 EVERY WOMAN HER OWN FLOWER GARDENER. the name and flower are one, and the poor monosyllable becomes rich in sweetness and appropriateness.” And again : “ Browallia is a pretty name, and was given to a‘Peruvian flower by Linneus in honor of a friend of his by the name of Browall; yet the name gives no idea of the flower which is remarkably attractive ;” and, he suggests that Browall’s Beauty would have immortalized both the friend and the flower, and have advertised its claims to the regard of the florist. A short digression from seed planting, fair friends. which it is to be hoped you will pardon and overlook. When your seeds are planted, unless the day is cloudy and showery, they will require shading from the heat of the sun. I find old newspapers are the best protection; but, if the patches are small, flower pots can be inverted over them. The newspapers must be laid over the seeds, after they have been well watered, and fastened at the corners by small stones or a handful of the earth. At night they should be removed to let the dew moisten the ground, and put back before it is dried up in the morning. Continue this until the tiny leaf- lets appear; then remove them entirely. If the ground is dry the seeds must be thoroughly wet every night. Moisture is very needful to ger- minate seeds; without its aid they cannot sprout. The would-be florists often plant their seeds as the Catalogues direct and then give no farther heed to them. You will often hear it said, “I can’t make annuals grow. I planted fifty to sixty varieties, and not half adozen of them ever sprouted. I have no faith in the seedsmen; they send out old seeds and keep all the new for their own gardens.” “Did you water them well, and shade them from the noontide heat ?” is asked. “Why, no! I never thought of that. I planted them, and supposed that was enough.” My fair friends, unless the clouds favor you and drop rain, or hide the sun for three or four days, your seeds will become baked and shriveled, and you cannot expect them to grow. The thin-skinned seeds will germinate most quickly, while those that are shrouded in horny textures, vegetate more slowly. It is always well to soak all such seeds. Verbena seeds require twenty-four hours soak-- ing in warm water,-and the seeds of the lovely, graceful Cypress vine will not germinate unless boiling water is poured upon them. EVERY WOMAN HER OWN FLOWER GARDENER. 23 Transplanting Seedlings. When .he tiny plants have put forth the fourth or fifth leaf, it is time to provide them with permdnent homes. If this is done in the early morning of a warm day—or even later in the forenoon—you may be sure that you will lose your plants. But select a showery, cloudy day, following a dry season, or plant after night-fall, and then water, and shade from the sun of the next day, and you will hardly lose one plant, or even have a leaf curl. Annuals of most kinds must have plenty of space to grow in. There are few that are not improved by transplanting. Salpiglossis will grow to better advantage thickly planted; also, Erysimum Peroffskianum, whose brilliant orange flowers render it desirable to every garden. Mignonette, Larkspurs and Poppies will not bear transplanting; they grow from a tap root, and do not easily attach themselves to a new home after their growth is once started. If Annuals are not planted anew after germinating, their growth is weak and spindling, and they soon cease flowering; while, on the other hand, they will grow luxuriantly, and blossom until the frost withers their fair bloom, if their quarters are ample. Asters should be planted a foot asunder each way; and Stocks, Balsams, Zinnias and Petunias require as much room, if not more, to bring them to a state of perfec- tion; and, if mulched with fine manure early in July, they will bloom magnificently. What Shall We Plant? This is the query of many women who examine the Illustrated Cata- logues, and are not familiar with the high-sounding names, and, there- fore, totally at loss to know what are desirable and needful out of the thousands of varieties, illustrated and described therein. I will give a list of those whose beauties are familiar to me, and whose names are household words: Asters, Truffauts, Rose Asters, Imbrique, Pompone, Chrysanthemum Flowered, Bouquet, in all their varied colorings and shapes. No garden can afford to be without one or all of these varieties; and they take chief rank in the tribe of Annuals. Amaranthus melancholicus, variegated leaves. Anagallis. Abrobra, a lovely climber. Abronia, very effective for rock-work. 24 EVERY WOMAN HER OWN FLOWER GARDENER. Ageratum, lavender blue and white. Acroclinium, white and pink. Balsams, Smith’s Prize and Camellia flowered. Bartonia aurea, golden yellow. Browallia, blue with white center, white. Cacalia, orange scarlet, and yellow. Calandrinia, crimson, white, pink and lilac. Coreopsis Burridgii, and coronata. Canary Bird Flower, beautiful vine. Candytuft, white, purple and crimson. Celosia spicata rosea, everlasting flower. Centranthus, white, flesh colored and pink. Cerastium, ornamental foliage, for edgings on rock-work. Chlora grandiflora, bright orange changing to red. Chrysanthemum coronarium, flore pleno. Clarkia integripetela, magenta crimson, rich. Chanthus Dampierii. Clintonia azurea grandiflora, desirable for rock-work and baskets Cobeea scandens, a climber of rapid growth. Collinsia, various colors, pretty for ribbon borders. Convolvulus aureus superbus, a golden yellow variety. Convolvulus mauritanicus, perfect for roses and baskets Cyanus (Ladies’ Delight). Cypress Vine, the most graceful of climbers. Eschscholtzia Californica, several colors. Euphorbia variegata. Fenzlia, dwarf growth, effective in rustic decorations. Gilia, various colors. Godetia, useful in ribbons. Gypsophylla muralis and elegans. Helliophila araboides, bright blue, useful for edgings, Inopsidium acaule, sky blue, loves the shade. Ipomeea hederacea superba, a.beautiful vine. Kaulfussia atroviolacea. Larkspur (Hyacinth flowered). Leptosiphon hybridus, dwarf edgings. Linum, in several colors. Lobelia, blue, white and rose color, dwarf. EVERY WOMAN HER OWN FLOWER GARDENER. 25 Lupins, of all colors. Macheranthera tanaceifolia, bright purple, golden center. Marigolds, new varieties are very attractive. Mignonette, Parson’s new white and the crimson flowered. Nasturtiums, of all varieties, Nemesia compacta elegans. Nemophila, delicate flowers, very dwarf, love the shade. Nigella Tonlanesiena, Oxyura, golden yellow, edged with white. Sweet Peas of all colors. Perilla Nankinensis, dark rich foliaged plant. Phlox Drummondii, of every shade Poppy, carnation colored. Portulacca, double and single. Ricinus, ornamental foliaged. Salpiglossis, very beautiful. Salvia splendens. Sanvitalia procumbens, suitable for edgings and rock-work. Saponaria acymoides, lovely for borderings. Scabiosa (or Mourning Bride), flore pleno. Schizanthus, all colors. Statice hybrida. Stocks, German Dwarf, pyramidal, new hybrid. Tagetes pumila, marigold of beautiful foliage and flower. Trifolium (ornamental clover). Tropxolum, finest mixed varieties. Viscaria elegans picta. Vittadina (Australian Daisy), a good edging. Whitlavia, blue and white. Zea Japonica (Japanese Maize), ornamental foliage. Zinnia Elegans, flore pleno, all colors. Zinnia Mexicana pumila, very double and brilliant. Among this list of Annuals several climbers have been included; for other species, consult the chapter on Vines and Climbers. Training and Watering Annuals. ‘There are few plants that are not benettet by judicious training and pruning. 26 EVERY WOMAN HER OWN FLOWER GARDENER. Balsams are greatly improved by. pinching off the side shoots, and allowing only the stalks to grow; or the main shoot may be left to itself, and all the strength of the plant thrown into it, producing an upright stem loaded with gorgeous chalices of bloom. Manure water will increase the size of the flowers, and, thus grown, they make splendid pot plants. The scissors are useful about many other plants; and their side growth should be checked, and less latitude allowed to their branches. Zinnias, Stocks and Asters should have the laterals trimmed off; their beauty is improved, if they are kept within bounds. In watering Annuals, and all flowers, care should be taken to apply it after the sun has set; if water is given in the morning, when the sun is hastening forward to drink up every drop, it is of but little use to the plant; and, if it is given at noon-tide, when the sunbeams fall fiercely hot, it scorches the plants as though Jack Frost had bitten them. The cold drops, falling on the heated surface of the soil, produce the same effect as a chill. Water slightly warmed to the hand is far more efficacious than that drawn directly from aqueducts or cisterns. If it sets in the sun all day, it will be of the right temperature to apply at night. English books on gardening, often denounce the practice of frequent watering; but they are no guides for American gardens. Their misty, moisty island, enveloped in clouds, promotes moisture sufficient for their needs; while our heated atmosphere drinks up every drop from the soil. If it has rained during the day the watering pot can hang upon its peg; but if not, its attendance is highly essential for the growth of all tender Annuals, and delicate bedding-out plants. Many ladies complain of their ill luck in floriculture; no plant thrives with them. Why is this? Because they neglect the floral darlings. They are assiduous in their attention to them while planting or transplanting them; but then their energy fails; they think that the sun, rain and dew will do the necessary work, and they can rest from their labors. They never fail to do their appointed work; but you must cultivate in season and out of season if you would raise— ‘Bright gems of earth in which, perchance, we see What Eden was—what Paradise may be.” CHAPTER IV. PERENNIALS AND BIENNIALS. “Well they reward the toil. The sight is pleased, the scent regaled ; Each opening blossom freely breathes around Its gratitude, and thanks us with its sweets.” Perennial plants are those which live and blossom through many successive seasons. If planted very early in the border, or brought for- ward in the hotbed or in window gardens, they bloom the first season, and many of them are hardy enough to withstand the coldest winters of northern New England, while others require protection, and the tender ones must be housed in the cellar to await the return of spring. Perennials die down every year, but the faithful old roots live, and when the sun awakes them from their wintry sleep, they spring up anew, and delight our senses. These plants are very deserving ofthe attention of the amateur florist. They ask but little at one’s hands, and will grow and bloom for many years under great neglect. Yet if their roots are not divided, and their food renewed—after a few years they will dwindle away, and finally perish. Many kinds are raised from seeds. Others by cuttings or increase of the roots; and once in three or four years they require to be taken up, divided, and reset. They flourish best in a light, rich soil. Dicentra spectadilis, an importation from China, stands at the head of the list for its beauty, grace and hardy qualities. Linneus knew of its loveliness, and named it Corydalis formosa. Mr. Fortune introduced 28 EVERY WOMAN HER OUWN FLOWER GARDENHR. it into England less than twenty years ago, and it has been called Dilytra, Diclytra, and Dicentra, which are its proper names. It seeds sparingly, but a white variety has been introduced, whether from seed or from China, I know not. It multiplies rapidly by the roots; the foliage resembles that of a Pony, and its flowers are rose colored, tipped with white, and hang from long racemes. As a lawn plant, for early spring and summer blooming, it is unsurpassed. Perennial Flax (Linum perenne), is a native from beyond the Missis- sippi, and is beautiful in color and shape. Its flowers are celestial blue, and they are very abundant. The plant continues in bloom all summer, and is an addition to every garden. Missouri Evening Primrose (@nothera macrocarpa), also blooms all summer; its flowers are a golden yellow, and the plant is dwarf in habit, but. the flowers do not open until the sun’s rays are declining. Petunias are half hardy Perennials, which usually rank with Annuals in the northern part of the United States. They are desirable for the smallest plat of ground—as they grow luxuriantly and flower profusely. They take front rank now, and their curious blotchings and veinings render them very beautiful. The double varieties possess a spicy fra- grance, and many of them are as beautifully striped and mottled asa carnation. Columbines, Lychnis, French Honeysuckles, Phlox, Pinks, Achillea and Campanula are all very beautiful, and if raised from seeds will increase rapidly from the roots. The Perennial Larkspurs have received great additions to their num- bers of late years, and are greatly improved in coloring and the size of the flowers. The blue species possess the most perfect tints—vie with the hues of a cloudless sky! There are no directions needful for preparing the soil, or planting the seeds, as they are given so fully in the previous chapter. October is the best month for dividing and transplanting the roots. All perennial plants admit of dividing and transplanting, and it greatly increases the size and beauty of the flowers, and enhances their colors. The roots of those kinds not found in the seed catalogues, can be purchased at the florist’s at slight expense, excepting the rarer kinds and the novelties. Trees and Shrubs, and nearly all the so-called bedding-out plants, are strictly speaking perennials; yet the term is more particularly applied EVERY WOMAN HER OWN FLOWER GARDENER. 29 to those flowers whose stems and leaves annually decay, the roots retain- ing their vitality. I shall treat more fully of them under the se on Ponies and Herbaceous plants. I append a list of the most desirable grown from seed :— Antirrhinum (or Snap-dragon), all colors, hardy. Aconitum napellus (Monkshood), blue and white, hardy. Agrostemma hybride flore pleno, hardy. Alyssum saxatile, golden yellow, hardy. Aquilegia (Columbine), hardy. Aralis alpine, hardy. Armeria splendens (Thrift), half hardy. Astragalus galegiformis, yellow, hardy. Aubletia deltoides, hardy, and beautiful for rock work. Bellis (Double Daisy), half hardy. Bryonia alba—a trailer, white flowers, hardy. Yalceolarias, half hardy, very beautiful. Campanula, white, blue, lilac and purple. Iberis sempervirens, Perennial Candytuft. Carnations, half hardy, very desirable. Catananche bicolor, hardy, white, with violet center, Chelone barbata, hardy perennial. Chrysanthemum japonicum, very rare. Commelyne (Spiderwort), half hardy. Cowslip, hardy. Datura, half hardy. Delphinium (Perennial Larkspur). Dianthus of all kinds, hardy and half hardy. Digitalis, hardy perennial. Dodecatheon Meadia, hardy. Forget-me-not, hardy. Fraxinella, hardy. Galega, lilac, white. Gentiana macrophylla, deep blue. Guem coccinenm (Scarlet Avens), hardy. Perennial Lupins, hardy. Everlasting Pea, hardy. Lavender spica, hardy. Liatris squarrosa (Blazing Star), a prairie flower. 30 EVERY WOMAN HER OWN FLOWER GARDENER. Lobelia hybridus. Lychnis haageane, white, red, scarlet. Mimulus, half hardy. Pansies. Papaver (Perennial Poppy). Penstemnon, white, scarlet, rose, blue, purple. Petunia. Phlox decussata. Phygelius capensis. Picotee Pink. Paisley Pink. Potentilla, golden, crimson, yellow and white. Sedum (Stonecrop). Sweet William, Hunt's perfection. Tritoma uvaria, half hardy. Verbascum, hardy, white, lilac. Verbena, half hardy. Wall flower, very double, half hardy. Biennials. These are plants which, like Annuals, generally die after producing their flowers and seeds, but are two years in perfecting these, and in some instances may be induced to flower for two or three successive seasons by preventing them from going to seed; their general culture is the same as for Annuals. One of the most beautiful is the German Brompton Stock. The greatest improvements have been made in these flowers, and they are now very desirable plants for border or lawn. They are half hardy, will require protection during the winter in northern climates—but will fully repay the care they demand. Any particularly fine plant can be propagated by cuttings, yet they do not always flower as well as those raised from seeds. Among the Biennials most deserving of culture are :— Canterbury Bells, double and single varieties, hardy. Carduus, hardy. Humea, elegant, half hardy. Hollyhocks, half hardy. Hyoscyamus, hardy. EVERY WOMAN HER OWN FLOWER GARDENER. 81 Ipomopsis, half hardy, orange, scarlet, rose. Silene ornata, hardy biennial. Silylum elurnium (Ivory Thistle), hardy. German Stocks, new dwarf bouquet. Stocks, French winter, or Cocardean. Scarlet Giant Cape. Trachelium cceruleum, hardy. CHAPTER V. GERANIUMS AND PELARGONIUMS, ‘+ A brilliant carpet of unnumbered dyes, With sweet variety enchants the eyes.” These well-known flowers have adorned the gardens, and been florists’ favorites for many years. Their pleasing foliage, and brillant bloom, well merit the estimation in which they are held. Leigh Hunt, the genial Essayist, says:—“ Everything about the geranium is handsome, not excepting its name, which cannot be said of all flowers, though we get to love ugly words when associated with pleasing ideas. The word Geranium is soft and elegant; the meaning is poor, for it comes from a Greek word signifying a Crane, the fruit, or seed pod, resembling the form of a crane’s bill. But what a reason for naming the flower! as if the fruit were anything in comparison, or any one cared about it. It would be far better to invent joyous and beautiful names for these images of joy and beauty.” Linnezus named the Geranium from Geranos, a crane, for the reason that Mr. Hunt gives. The plant is often confounded with the Pelar- gonium, which differs from it in size, shape and coloring of its flowers, and it is strictly exotic. It was named from Pelargos, a stork, on account of the resemblance of its capsules to the bill and head of that bird. They are placed in the same class of the Linnsan system as the Geranium (Monadelphia), but in the fourth order (Hepizndria), while the other is in the sixth order (Decandria). There has been a good deal of confusion with regard to the names of the two plants, and their numerous varieties, but the der: vation of their titles settles the vexed question. EVERY WOMAN HER OWN FLOWER GARDENER. 33 The careful and patient hybridization of the French, English and . American florists have brought these flowers to a high standard of perfection. The Double Geraniums. Lemoine, the chief of the Geranium culturists, introduced the new double varieties, which have become a decided acquisition. They do not drop their leaves, like the single varieties, and their clusters of flowers are of an immense size. They are of all shades of scarlet and bright rosy pink; some have produced heads bearing from sixty to eighty perfect flowerets. They outrank all other kinds of Geraniums, and yearly their number increases. They flourish better if partially shaded from the intense heat of the noonday sun, and will bloom until the frost comes, in the greatest perfection. No white variety has yet been introduced, but M. Lemoine will succeed in procuring one, if skill and patience can produce it. Gloire de Nancy is a brilliant scarlet, much admired. Marie Lemoine is ‘a dwarf variety, of a bright rosy-pink hue, very elegant. . Emile Lemoine is of a cherry-carmine. Gloire de Doubles is a novelty for 1871; of the richest cerise tint, with a distinct white center; far superior to the other yarieties, Crown Prince is of a dwarf habit, and of the brightest rose color. The Zonale Geraniums. But the double varieties are not the only ones which should claim our attention. Some of the new Zonale species are admirable in coloring, and of very free growth; their trusses of flowers are five to six inches in diameter; and they are found im all shades, from the most dazzling crimson and the brightest rose to the purest white. The most desirable are :— King of the Roses, a most brilliant scarlet, shaded to magenta. - Geant de Battailles, a dark, rich crimson. Mrs. Keeler, of a rosy, peach-blossom hue. Among the older varieties, and less costly, are:— Christine, a lovely rosy-pink. Gen. Grant, a dazzling scarlet, and decidedly: the most profuse blower ~ of the red varieties. Incomparable has striped flowers, white on a clear salmon ground. 3 34 EVERY WOMAN HER OWN FLOWER GARDENER. Maid of Kent, richest shade of pink. Madame Werle, white, with a pink center. Reine des Vierges, purest white. Warrior, large clusters of the most intense scarlet; very superior. Blue Bells, a rich shade of magenta pink, each blossom of immense size. Coleshill, enormous scarlet truss, and blows freely. Liliputian Zonales, or Tom Thumb Geraniums. These comprise a dwarf section of this species, and grow from six to ten or twelve inches high; are very stocky, and their flowers equal in size and beauty of coloring those of larger growth. They are a very attractive plant, and make pretty borderings for beds or mounds of the taller kinds. Baby Boy, scarlet, with white eye. Little Dear, a delicate rose, spotted with white. Little Gem, brilliant vermillion, with white certter. Christabel, very dwarf, rosy pink. : Cupid, a salmon color, with white eye. Pretty Jemima, dazzling scarlet, white center. Golden and Silver Tri-Color Geraniums. These varieties are noticed under the head “Ornamental” Foliaged Plants; and the Ivy-Leaved Geraniums are embraced under the same heading. ‘ The Sweet Scented Geraniums. These plants are indispensable for bouquets and vases, their fragrance being agreeable to all lovers of flowers. Formerly, the Rose and the Oak-Leaved were the only kinds commonly cultivated, but now there are a dozen varieties from which to make a selection, and all of them are desirable and beautiful, indeed, are quite essential, for there are few plants which afford such graceful back- grounds for borders or bouquets. Denticulatum is a rose-scented variety, with finely cut foliage. Lady Plymouth is also rose-scented, and its leaves are prettily mar- gined with white. Shrubland Pet is of dwarf growth, and very sweet scented. EVERY WOMAN HER OWN FLOWER GARDENER. 85 Odoratissimum possesses a spicy apple perfume. Graveolens is of a pleasant scent, with bright flowers. All these plants will grow luxuriantly with but little care. Any one can raise Geraniums. They delight in a good, rich loam, with a mulch of manure; have a special fancy for “barn-yard coffee,” or liquid manure. If watered with it, twice a week during the summer, will bloom profusely. If your plants are old, prune them closely, cutting the branches well in, and they will reward you for the sacrifice. If they are taken from pots, you should also prune the roots, cutting away all the largest roots to within five or six inches of the main stalk. After this vigorous pruning, the plants should not be exposed to the heat of the day, but must be shaded for a day or two, until they recover from their loss; but thus treated they will speedily put forth new roots, leaves and buds. If the bed is shaded a little during the hottest part of the day, they will bloom the better. — , To produce the largest clusters of flowers, the stalk above the buds should be pinched off, thus throwing all the strength of the plant into the formation of flowers. A rich, light loam will grow Geraniums to perfection, and the soil fresh from the woods and pastures, if enriched with well-rotted cow manure, is the best that can be obtained. Plants delight in a virgin soil, and those who live in the country can provide themselves with it by lifting the sods from cow or sheep pastures, and taking the earth from under them. If cuttings are desired from the Geraniums, they should be taken in July, from the healthiest plants, and planted in small pots filled with a compost of loam and sand, having one or two inches of the former on top of the pot. Insert the cutting firmly, and keep the sand sopping wet until it has rooted. When one or two leaves are developed, trans- plant it into a larger pot, with a compost of one-third rotted cow manure, one-third black loam, and one-third sand, and by November you will have vigorous plants for house culture. The large roots can be lifted from the ground before the frost blights their leaves, and after cutting away all the tender shoots and buds, and shaking the earth from their roots, hang them up in a dark, cool, dry, but frost-proof cellar, heads downward. In the Spring they can be brought to the light, the branches cut in, and though they will look shabby enough, yet, if 36 EVERY WOMAN HER OWN FLOWER GARDENER. planted in boxes in a warm kitchen, they will put forth leaves and vege- tate rapidly, and can then be transplanted into the borders. The tender branches and buds should be cut off, else they will continue for awhile to grow in the cellar, and thus lose their lives. Cuttings can be started in the open borders, but they are not as sure to live. It is no more trouble to grow a Geranium than a cabbage, yet one is far more desirable than the other, unless hunger is at the door. Geraniums are never attacked by the aphis, or red spider, and this is a great attribute; one is not forced to fight for their lives. The Pelargonium. The flowers of this plant are much sought after on account of their perfect coloring and blotches. There are all shades of scarlet, crimson, pink, purple and white; the lower leaves, and frequently the upper, are veined and blotched with the darkest crimson, purple and red, beautifully veined with the lighter’shades. The leaves of the plant are more pleasantly perfumed than those of the Geranium, and have no zonale, or horse-shoe markings, but are of a rich, vivid green. No description can convey any idea of the beauty of the flowers. They bloom in border or bed all the summer, and are to be had in hundreds of varieties. They are propagated both from cuttings and seeds, and the “novelties” are produced by careful hybridization. They require a light, sandy loam, well enriched with cow manure, aud if they are not plentifully supplied with water, their buds will wither away. They need more sunlight than the Geranium to bloom in perfection. Some of them are tall in growth, and produce a good effect planted singly on the lawn. They are the most showy-flowered of all the bedding-out plants, excepting the Scarlet Salvia, and their varied tints and exquisite colors make them very desirable in the smallest garden. Their habit is not always compact, but they can be cut and trimmed to a fine shape, and the older plants require such treatment to bloom well, the second year. Among the many varieties offered for our selection, the most desirable ones are:— Gen. Taylor, of a rich crimson, blotched with the darkest tint of red. Niagara, white, striped and blotched with crimson. Competitor, black, edged with rose. EVERY WOMAN HER OWN FLOWER GARDENER. 37 Emperor of Pelargonium, very large flower of snowy whiteness, spotted with violet, tinged with rose; petals finely fringed. Eligible, a pink crimson, with white edges, and violet blotches and veins. Dr. Andre, pink and white, petals fringed. Cloth of Silver, petals of silvery whiteness, blotched with delicate rose. Crimson King, a rich crimson, beautifully veined and blotched. Pringess Hortense, orange-salmon, edged with pink. Eclipse, clear white petals, marked with maroon. Belle of Paris, rich violet crimson, upper petals spotted; an immense cluster-of flowers. CHAPTER VI. BEDDING-oUT PLANTS, PANSIES, VERBENAS, HELIOTROPES, FEVERFEWS, Ere. “Your voiceless lips, O flowers, are living preachers! Each cup a pulpit, every leaf a book! Supplying tomy fancy numerous teachers From loneliest nook.” The varieties of plants called by florists bedding-out plants, are very popular—and deservedly so. Their flowers present a brilliant mess of coloring all the summer, and their hues are richer than those of most other flowers. Pansies are great favorites—they will grow in shady nooks where no other flower can bloom—and their flowers continue from the earliest spring until the latest autumn. Various and familiar are the names by which the Pansy has been known for centuries. Gerard, who wrote a long description of it, says it was known as Love-in-idleness, Jump-up-and-kiss-me, Three-faces-under-a-hood, Heart’s-ease, and Pansy. The Italians named it Nola farfalla (Violet Butterfly). Lady Mary Bennet of England, afterwards Lady Monck, first intro- duced the Pansy to the attention of the florists. arly in the present century, she planted all the varieties of the Heart’s-ease which she could procure, and with the skillful aid of her gardener, new varieties were produced from seed. About 1813, the well-known florist, Mr. Lee, of Vineyard Nursery, at Hammersmith, saw Lady Mary’s collection, and immediately perceived the profit that would accrue from the cultivation of this flower. His EVERY WOMAN HER OWN. FLOWER GARDENER. 39 skill and patience were rewarded by the production of still more beauti- ful varieties. Other nurserymen followed his example, and in a few years the unpretending Heart’s-ease took its place as a florist’s flower of no small pretensions. The French name Pensées was the origin of the English word Pansy. Milton alludes to it as the “pansy freak’d with jet” amongst those “vernal flowers,” whose “quaint enamel’d eyes a sad embroidery wear.” Another writer says :— ‘* Are not Pansies emblems meet for thought ? The pure, the chaquered—gay and deep by turns ; A line for every mood the bright things wear, In their soft, velvety coats.” One must not suppose that rich soil or careful culture have wrought such wonderful changes in the Pansey. This is only the first step in the march of improvement. The seeds of the finest flowers were carefully preserved, and the finest of the young seedlings were selected for seed. Hybrids were also ob- tained by fertilizing the stigma of one rarely colored flower, with the pollen of another of a larger variety. These hybrids generally possess in a great degree the peculiar qualities of each parent, and retain their peculiar markings, Innumerable are the varieties now cultivated; there are upwards of a thousand named kinds catalogued by the English nurserymen. Mrs. Loudon says in her book upon “ Floriculture,” that “the varieties of forms and colors which appear in the plants raised from seed are so great that few floricultural pursuits can be more interesting than to sow a bed of Pansies, and watch when they flower for the varieties most desirable to perpetuate.” By judicious management, a successive bloom can be retained for eight months in the year, and even a slight attention to their needs is rewarded by a profusion of beautiful flowers. There is no bedding-out plant which gives.a more liberal supply of flowers—from the earliest spring to the latest autumn. Plants from seed. blossom finely the first year, and give much larger flowers when the plant is small, for as it increases in size, the blooms though abundant are smaller and inferior in coloring. A constant succession of flowering plants should be brought forward daring the spring and summer months, and the plants kept young and 40 EVERY WOMAN HER OWN FLOWER GARDENER. vigorous. This is often done by cuttings as well as seedlings. They can be grown more rapidly, and are certain to produce fine flowers. The cuttings should be taken from the points of the shoots, and cut about three inches long, and immediately below a joint. Strip off the lower leaves, and plant them in sand, pressing the soil closely around the stem. If planted on the north side of a fence or hedge in a sheltered location, with an inch of sand covering the cuttings, they will strike rapidly. If in pots, they should be covered with glass. In about six weeks they will be well rooted, and fit to transplant into the flowering beds, or into pots for window gardening. , Pansies are often layered, by pegging down the young shoots with a hair pin, and covering all but an inch or two of the point with fine sand. An incision can be made at the joint, as is done in layering roses, but frequently they will make root equally as well without using the knife. When rooted, which can be told by the growth of new leaves—separate from the old plant, and either plant out in borders or in pots. They can also be increased by dividing the old roots, and the divisions will soon make fine plants. Seed can be sown early in the season, in a hot-bed—following directions given for planting seed, in Chapter II, and when the fourth or fifth leaves are formed, the plants can be put into the borders, and planted a foot apart each way to allow them room to grow. Pansies are very gross feeders, delighting in the richest soil, with plenty of liquid manure. If large blossoms are desired, the soil must be of the richest description. The best compost for them is one-third leaf mould, one-third thoroughly decayed barn-yard manure, and one-third light loam. In this soil they will blossom most gorgeously. The location should be on the north- west side of the house, and shaded from the noonday sun. They will not grow to advantage in either light, sandy soil, or much sunlight, but require moisture and shade, and copious waterings to produce perfect flowers. They are also great deteriorators of the soil, and will soon run out unless it is renewed. New beds do much better than old ones. After they have blossomed freely until July, cut down the branches several inches, mulch with well-rotted cow manure, and by September they will be in a blaze of glory. EVERY WOMAN HER OWN FLOWER GARDENER. 41 If the amateur florist desires to sow the seed from some especially rare flowers, they should be carefully tied up, and no other flower be allowed to go to seed on the same plant. The seed may be sown in spring, summer or autumn; in.the two former seasons it can be planted in the open ground; in the latter in pots, so that the tender seedlings can be protected from the damp. Pansies are hardy perennials, but will wither away if water settles on the bed. They do not like either the wintry ice, or the excessive heat of summer, Violets, Sweet Violets. These flowers cannot compare with their beauteous sisters—the Pansies —in size or colorings; they cannot boast such varied blotchings and veinings, but they possess a higher attribute in their rarely delicious odor—their perfume is unsurpassed by that of any other flower. They are always in demand, and are very easily raised. With slight protection they will live in the coldest climate, and before the Snow-drop hangs its pearly bell, they will be in full bloom. The Viola odorissima is the English variety most extensively culti- vated. Several new varieties have been introduced; among them the double blue Neapolitan is the most popular. The King of Violets has a very large flower, and is much cultivated for window gardens. The Czar is a fine variety ; and the Schenbrun is a single variety, very sweet. There are white varieties, that are also much used by florists, but the blues are the greatest favorites. The Violet is the emblematic flower of the Bonapartes, as the Lily is of the Bourbons. Dame Rumor tells us that Eugenie expressed her willingness to accept the offer of becoming Louis Napoleon’s wife by dressing in an exquisite violet toilet—violets in her hair, about her dress, and a bouquet of them in her hand, which were perfectly significant to the wooer. The great Napoleon selected it as his flower, through Josephine’s requesting it as a birthday gift. He cultivated them in large quantities in his garden at St. Helena, and they were planted over the grave of Josephine, and when he was buried, his coffin was covered with the flowers he loved so well. Louis Napoleon is said to have made himself acquainted with those who were friendly to his interests, while carefully feeling his way to the throne, by a cautious display of violets. Sweet violets! 42 EVERY WOMAN HER OWN FLOWER GARDENER. The Heliotrope. Heliotropes fill an important place among “bedding-out” plauts, giving us a plentiful supply of flowers from June to October. They are desirable for their fragrance, as well as for their profusion of flowers. ‘They were introduced into England from Peru in 1757, and the cottagers called it “Cherry Pie,” from a fancied resemblance in 1ts fragrance to the odor of that esteemed dish. It has also been called the “ Vanilla Plant.” The flower first introduced was of a light lavender shade, and for many years no change of color was effected, but now it is offered from the darkest purple to the faintest shade of lavender. They make very fine standards, trained from a single stem, from one to four feet high, with a head of several feet in diameter. The older the plant, the more profuse are its clusters of fragrant flowers. A cutting in the first year will grow very rank, but if cut back and pruned into one stem, it becomes woody, and will make a fine shrub. In California, they bloom as plentifully at Ohristmas as at Fourth of July, and it is not uncommon to see large trellises and walls covered with its branches and exquisite flowers—perfect bouquets of beauty, being always covered with flowers. The main stems of the plant are trained to the wall, and the branches droop gracefully. Any kind of turfy loam will grow it perfectly. It is propagated from cuttings with great ease. Of the very dark varieties, Etoile de Marseilles ranks first; flowers of a deep violet with white center. Duc de Lavendry is of a rich blush, with a dark eye. Incomparable is of a lovely bluish-lilac. Garibaldi is nearly white. Leopold 1st, of a deep violet blue. Madame Facilon, a clear violet tint. Malulatie is of the most delicate lilac. Verbenas. Among all the variety of “ bedding-out” plants, which contribute to the gay and lively appearance of a garden, the Verbena is the most generally cultivated, and claims the first rank among brilliant flowers. Some of its varieties are sweet scented, but most of them depend for their merit upon their showy, gorgeous coloring, and their wonderful profusion of blossoms, which render them of the greatest value. There EVERY WOMAN HER OWN FLOWER GARDENER. 43 have been some splendid, new varieties introduced in the few past years, whose wondrous stripes and eyes are not approached by any of the older sorts. They are selected from many thousand seedlings, and are both rich and rare. But any one can raise new varieties from seed, and good culture will produce magnificent blooms. Seedlings will seed much more plentifully than flowers from cuttings, and the older the cutting the less seed it will give. Verbenas do not sprout readily from seed; they are encased in a horny substance, and should be soaked in warm water for twenty-four hours, and then planted in a light sandy loam, with a good bottom heat. Thus treated they will germinate, and when the fourth leaf is formed, should be potted into thumb pots in sandy loam. Verbenas are natives of Brazil, and love the hot sun and sand. If the bed in which they are planted is covered two or three inches deep with common sand, they will bloom most perfectly. I once raised seventy verbenas from seed, and planted them in a very sandy soil. Such growth I never witnessed—they were magnificent! As the plant sends out its first shoots, they should be pegged down with hair-pins, and thus coaxed to grow. When watered they desire a copious supply, and the suds from washing-day are very beneficial to them. Guano is also a good manure for them; dig an iron spoonful around each plant, not touching the stems. ‘The green lice, or aphis, are their plague in pot culture, but they are destroyed by smoking them with tobacco. Put the plants together, and throw some tobacco on hot coals in a pot saucer; cover the whole with a wash tub, and let them smoke for ten or fifteen minutes, and the lice can be swept up and burned. Place the coals as far as possible from the plants, under the tubs, so as not to injure them with their heat. If plants are well showered, no lice will appear—they do not love moisture. If cuttings are desired for winter bloom, they should be taken off in August, so as to become well rooted. It never pays to take up old plants for winter blooming. Among the new Verbenas for 1871, are:— Annie, white, crimson striped. Black Bedder, richest maroon. Conspicua, ruby-scarlet, white eye. 44 EVERY WOMAN HER OWN FLOWER GARDENER. Cupid, very large, white, tinted with pink. Distinction, solferino, dark eye. Gazelle, deep blue, clear white eye. Tona, large scarlet, yellow eye. Muriel, ruby-pink, white eye. Punctata, spotted and striped with carmine. Rising Sun, crimson, white eye. Sensation, waxy white, carmine eye. Snow Storm, pure white, large and fine. Spot, carmine, white eye. Tricolor, carmine, crimson and orange. Unique, white, carmine spot. All these varieties originated with Peter Henderson, the Prince of American Floriculture, and are sure to be true to description. Any one can raise a Verbena, and no garden can be complete without some of the hundreds of varieties offered by all florists. Salvias. These plants are the most gorgeous of all the fall-flowering plants; they grow from four to five feet high; and the small plant, you purchase in the spring of the florist, will become by September a beautiful, sym- metrical bush, covered with tassels of the brightest scarlet flowers. They are unequaled for planting in masses, but are very tender, the first frost rendering them a blackened mass. Salvia splendens variegata is a novelty possessing finely variegated foliage, with flowers as brilliant as the common kind. The roots can be hung up in the cellar in the winter—like the Geraniums. Salvia patens is of a deep blue color, of the most perfect shade. It has a tuberous root, which can be kept like a Dahlia through the winter, in sand. The Ageratum. These plants are excellent for beds and borders, on account of their constant bloom. Their flowers are of light porcelain blue, in large clusters. Ageratum Mexicanum is of a light blue. A, variegatum has leaves variegated with yellow, shading with crimson. EVERY WOMAN HER OWN FLOWER GARDENER. 45 A, Tom Thumb variety, growing from six to eight inches, is desirable for ribbon gardening; contrasting beautifully with dark crimson leaves. Carnations, Calceolarias, Gazanias, Feverfews, Lobelias, Lantanas, Neirembergias, Vincas, etc., etc., are all desirable for bedding-out plants and can all be raised from cuttings or seeds, but the former is the surest mode of propagation. How to Grow Cuttings of Geranvums, Verbenas, ete., etc. To prepare pots for raising cuttings, fill them two-thirds full, with rich loam, dark and porous, not clayey and heavy; then pour on an inch or two of yellow sand. Wet this thoroughly, and place the cuttings close to the edge of the pot; the contact of the pottery promotes the growth of the cutting. Cuttings should be taken from the young and newly-formed wood of the plant; but the lower extremity of it should not be too young and soft, else it will absorb too much moisture and decay; neither should it be too old and hard, for then it will not imbibe moisture enough to enable it to throw out roots. Therefore, cuttings should be taken off at the junction of the old and new wood, so that these extremes will be avoided. They should be cut off just below a joint or bud, as the roots start from that point; and, if a bud is not left at the base, it is liable to decay; the cut should be made smooth across the stem, taking care not to bruise the bark, or leave it jagged. Most of the hardy, wooded shrubs and plants are easily propagated by cuttings planted in the open air; but the tender, watery-stemmed plants like Verbenas, Heliotropes, Fuchsias, etc., should be covered with a hand glass, or raised in a hot-bed. A certain amount of heat, moisture and shade is required to enable cuttings to strike roots. Shade is need- ful. because an exposure to the sun or strong light evaporates the little moisture contained in the cuttings, and causes them to wither away. So, for three days, or until the cutting becomes wonted to its location, shade from exclusive sunlight. Peter Henderson recommends saucer propagation. Take a common saucer or shallow dish, fill it with wet sand and insert the cuttings, pressing the sand close about them. Keep it sopping wet; if allowed to dry it will check the growth; when the old leaves have dropped, and new ones appear at the point of the cutting, roots have formed: and the plant may be carefully potted in light, sandy 46 EVERY WOMAN HER OWN FLOWER GARDENER. loan shaded for a day, and then have all the sunshine it desires, if if has also sufficient water, but you must not let it dry up. Cuttings of many plants can be readily started in water; and, in the early spring, if you have not a green-house or hot-bed, it is the safest plan. Fill small bottles or vials, with warmish water, remove the lower leaves of the cuttings (be sure to have a bud at the base), and put them in the water; hang up the vial to the window sash, tying a string about the mouth, for this purpose. If cotton wool is put around the mouth of the vial, it will prevent the evaporation of the water, and make the roots sprout more quickly by keeping up a more even temperature. Oleanders can be rooted in this manner; also Heliotropes, Verbenas, Roses, Fuchsias, and all kinds bedding-out plants. The process is so simple that a mere child can succeed with it. As soon as the roots are an inch long, the cutting should be transplanted, taking care to spread out the tiny rootlets as they grow in the water. Some fill up the bottle with rich earth, let it dry off for two or three days and then break the glass, and pot or plant out the cutting without disturbing its roots in the least degree. This is the most certain way of obtaining plants from cuttings. CHAPTER VIlL. THE FUCHSIA. “ Thou graceful flower, on graceful stem, Of Flora’s gifts a fav’rite gem ! From tropic fields thou cam’st to cheer The natives of a climate drear; And grateful for our fostering care, Has learn’d the wintry blast to bear.” Although Fuchsias, on their first introduction into England, seventy- three or four years ago, were treated as stove plants; they scarcely come under the head of Window Gardening, as many of the species live in sheltered gargens throughout the year, both in England and in this country. In California, they bloom for twelve months in the year, and grow into large bushes, perfectly covered with brilliant flowers. Their light and graceful appearance renders them desirable in the smallest garden. Their gorgeous pendant flowers, with petals of the richest scarlet dye, shading down to the palest pink, or the purest white, with corollas of glowing purple, scarlet, pink or white, produce a most attractive whole, and entitle them to a chapter by themselves, for they are the chief among “bedding-out” plants. To their glorious beauty, Fuchsias add three other desirable requisites : their free growth, their general hardiness, and the ease with which they are propagated. In bedding them out, a moist, shady position is the most suitable; our noonday sun scorches the tender buds, and causes them to fall. Their native home is in Brazil, where Darwin saw large thickets of them, and they choose moist locations in the woods. In rich, loamy soil, well mixed with leaf mould and rotted cow manure, the growth of 48 EVERY WOMAN HER OWN FLOWER GARDENER. a young cutting is very rapid, and will make a large plant by the autumn, When it has commenced to grow, don’t check it by neglect, but during the Summer months water twice a day with tepid water, and, if possible, give it liquid manure water, either from the barn-yard, or by dissolving one table-spoonful of guano in one gallon of warm water; water with this twice a week, and its growth will astonish you. Fuchsias are as gross feeders as the Pansy, and luxuriate in the richest soil; thus treated, some kinds will send out shoots from four to five feet in length in six or eight months. They show to great advantage when trained as standards; to do this, the side shoots of a young plant must be nipped off, and the stem trained up a straight stick. When the plant grows high enough for your purpose, let the side shoots branch out, and you can grow a fine tree. They can also be trained to walls, or planted in masses in-beds. If the young plant does not branch out, pinch off the terminal shoot, and side branches will appear, and the most central shoot can be trained up for a leader. If plants are set near the cooling spray of a fountain, they thrive well, but must not be so near as to keep their roots constantly wet. Culture. Many gardeners prefer to have new plants every season, but if old ones are judiciously cared for, they will produce a finer effect, and bloom more profusely. Large plants can be kept in frost-proof, dry cellars during the winter, either in pots or in boxes; or they can be pulled up by the roots, the soil shaken from them, and packed in layers in sand which is thoroughly dry, first cutting off all the tender shoots. In March or April they can be brought to the light, and planted in good, rich soil, pruning not only the top, but the roots. In cutting the top back, have an eye to its shape, and prune accordingly. ‘Some of the Fuchsias are of much taller growth than others. Speciosa will grow six to eight feet in height; Pride of England is a small bush compared to it; while Souvenir de Cheswick will readily train into a fine standard. Plants must be allowed to follow their natural habits in some respects. To Grow Cuttings. Fuchsias will strike root as rapidly as Geraniums. Take the cuttings either in February, March or April, from three to four inches long EVERY WOMAN HER OWN FLOWER GARDENER. 49 Plant in clear sand, keep “ sopping wet,” and in three weeks they will be well rooted. Pot in three-inch pots, in the richest of soil, with a little sand to keep it mellow; let them grow until the pot is well filled with roots, which will be in three or four weeks, then repot in six to eight inch pots, if designed to grow in them; but if raised to bed out, plant in five-inch pots, and when all fear of frost is passed, plant in the open borders. Be sure not to let the summer heat kill your plants. They will grow well under trees, if the branches are fifteen feet or more from the ground, so that the air can circulate freely. These plants are liable to lose their leaves and buds if the soil is not rich enough to their taste, and red spiders often infest them, ruining their growth. For the poverty of the soil, either repot entirely, or give a top dressing of manure; for the spiders, sprinkle daily, and they may be. driven off—they do not love water; but if this remedy fails, dip the whole plant into water quite warm to the hand. A dusting of sulphur will kill them, but it often kills the leaves also. a I was much troubled with spiders last season, on fine plants of Marksman and Carl Halt. I dusted them over with “Grafton Mineral Fertilizer,” and destroyed every one. I scattered the same powder over the soil, digging in a teaspoonful to each pot (size eight inches), and in September the plants were in a blaze of glory, the admiration of every passer-by! The Double Flowering Fuchsias. By careful culture from seed, these brilliant varieties were produced, and are unsurpassed for beauty and elegance by any plant in the floral world. Studded all over with their bright wealth of jewels, they far outshine their single brethren, Elm City held front rank for some years, but Marksman far surpasses ‘it now, and Warrior is said to eclipse all others. It has a scarlet tube and sepals, with a rich 'violet-purple corolla, and possesses a vigorous habit. So numerous are the varieties of these charming flowers, that one can hardly make a selection, when all are so desirable, but from the lists of English and American florists I cull the following, to add to those above mentioned :— Select List of Double Fuchsias. Tower of London, scarlet sepals, violet-blue corolla. Surpasse V. de Puebla, scarlet sepals, double white corolla. 4 50 EVERY WOMAN HER OWN FLOWER GARDENER. Monstrosa, bright rose sepals, double white corolla. Norfolk Giant, crimson sepals, violet corolla. Nonparcil, two corollas, the stamens forming a second corolla of a purplish blue; very elegant. E. G. Henderson, scarlet sepals, rich violet corolla. Wilhelm Pfitzer, rosy-carmine sepals, corolla lavender-blue. Symbol, crimson tube and sepals, creamy-white corolla. Emperor of the Fuchsias, sepals crimson, white corolla. Grand Duke, crimson, violet-purple corolla. Picturata, scarlet sepals, double white corolla. Snowdrop, sepals bright scarlet, semi-double white corolla. Select List of Single Fuchstas. Charming, violet corolla, crimson sepals, immense clusters. Annie, tube and sepals white, corolla deep pink. Arabella, white sepals, corolla richest pink: earliest variety. Jules Calot, sepals of an orange red, orange-crimson corolla. Lustre, vermillion corolla, waxy-white sepals; early. Prince Imperial, scarlet sepals, large violet corolla. Father Ignatius, carmine sepals, blue corolla, bell shaped. Fairest of the Fair, violet-rose corolla, white tube and sepals. Land of Plenty, rich red sepals, violet-black corolla. Marginata, white sepals, pink corolla, shaded to bright rose color. Rose of Castile, violet corolla, sepals white. Souvenir de Cheswick, rosy-crimson sepals, violet corolla. Striped Unique, purple corolla, striped with scarlet. Tagliona, white reflexed sepals, dark violet corolla. Wave of Life, violet-blue corolla, scarlet sepals, gold tinted fohage. Weeping Beauty, scarlet sepals, large blue corolla. The Golden Leaved Fuchsias. Of this variety there have been but two specimens, Cloth of Gold and Golden Fleece, until the importation of 1871, when several more were added to the list which have attracted much attention in England for their beautiful foliage and graceful habit. Crown of Jewels, leaves clear yellow, tipped with rich red crimson, ornamental at all seasons. Golden Mantle, golden yellow leaves, flowers coral red. | EVERY WOMAN HER OWN FLOWER GARDENER. 51 Golden Treasure, very attractive, gold colored leaves tinted with bronze. Orange Boven, the smallest variety grown; golden leaves tipped with bronze. The Winter Flowering Fuchsias. These are few in number—only two varieties, which are sure to bloom from December to May. Speciosa is well known; it produces flowers two inches in length, tubes and sepals are a waxen peach-blossom color, with crimson corolla. Serratifolia is an equally valuable variety; the flowers are distinct from any other Fuchsia. The tube of the flower is crimson, the tips of the sepals shading to green, corolla light crimson, with white stamens. Both these plants are extensively cultivated, and, if well fed, will bloom profusely when flowers are a rarity. CHAPTER VIIL CULTIVATION OF THE ROSE. * Nymphs who haunt th’ embowering shades, Poesy’s enchanting maids, Woo thee, Rose! Thy charms inspire All the raptures of the lyre; Cull we straight the inviting Kose, Shielded by the thorn it grows; Cull the Rose! what boots the smart ? Countless sweets regale the heart.” Thus sang Anacreon, the Greek poet, hundreds of years ago, in praise of the Queen of Flowers, which was used to decorate the temple and the palace—the solemn rites of religion, and the festal gayety of the banquet. France excels all other nations in the production of new varieties of this lovely flower. The Empress Josephine collected every variety then = cultivated, for a rosary at Malmaison; and, under her patronage, the culture of roses became speedily the fashion. The skill and patience of the florists produced more beautiful varieties, under the stimulus thus given to their trade; and they have continued to give us yearly many rich and rare roses; but have not yet succeeded in producing a blue rose. The English florists are but little behind the French, in their attention to this charming flower; and our own nurserymen yearly pro- duce many beautiful varieties. Thousands of named sorts are offered to us; and it is very hard to make a selection when all possess so much merit. It is usually best, in purchasing plants, to leave the selection to the florist, merely stating the climate, and soil in which they will grow. EVERY WOMAN HER OWN FLOWER GARDENER. 53 It is also best to grow roses on their roots, unless “standards” are desired, for the old roots will throw up strong suckers, and thus assert their rights to the detriment of their nursling; unless these are constantly. watched for, and cut off, they will destroy the graft. The varieties of the rose have increased with such rapidity in the last twelve years, and they have produced so many new races, that it is scarcely possible for the most skillful botanist to refer each variety to its proper parent species. There are Hybrid Perpetuals, Bourbons, Bengal, Chinese or Daily Rose; Tea-scented, Noisette, Perpetual Moss, Annual Moss, Prairie Rose as climbers; Scotch, Damask and all the old varieties of Garden Roses. From the thousands of names offered in the catalogues, lists of those most desirable will be given; but, of course, every one has his own pet fancies. There is no plant which requires a richer soil or better repays the cultivator for attending to its wants; when grown in a congenial soil its blossoms are perfect. The best soil is fresh loam enriched with well-rotted cow manure, with a little sand. Ifa top dressing of this compost is given every spring before the buds start, the branches will make fine growth. The finest clusters of flowers are always produced on new wood, and close pruning will cause more new wood to grow, and ensure you a more splendid show of flowers. Use the knife freely, though it does make you ache to do so; cut all the old growth out, and prune in last year’s branches a little; thus pruned, the roots will throw up new shoots, from whence will come the finest roses of the garden. As soon as the plants have done flowering, thin out the weak shoots, and even some of the stronger ones, if they are too crowded; each shoot 1s, should be exposed on every side to air and sun. The summer flowering kinds thus treated will continue their growth from the main shoots, and bloom much finer another year; while the autumnal flowers push forth their buds the entire length of the stalk, and the second flowering is perfected. The roses are improved in both varieties; for shoots grown at that period of the year invariably produce the finest flowers. It has been recommended by some writers, to destroy the first bloom of those roses which bloom twice in the season; because there is an abundance of roses in June, and by so doing a finer bloom is obtained 54 EVERY WOMAN HER OWN FLOWER GARDENER. in the autumn. Too many roses! Has any one ever witziessed such a season? Let them bloom when they will, and cut off the stems as soon as the leaves fall; then remove the soil to the depth of three or four inches, and spread over it, almost close to the stem, a spadeful of cow manure well decayed; throw back the soil that was removed, and, if the weather is hot and dry, water occasionally, and you will have a vigorous growth and a profuse flowering. The flower stalk should always be cut off; it exhausts the plant to form seeds, and consumes the strength which should go to forming new shoots. When roses are planted in lawns, they should have no sods near the roots; for the grass will absorb all the moisture, and also prevent the air from reaching the soil. The best time to plant hardy roses is in October or November, accord- ing to the climate. : Spring months are better for planting half-hardy and tender roses, as their roots will not get started before winter sets in. Of course, in the mild climates of the Southern States, they can also be planted in the late autumn. When first set out they should be mulched with coarse manure, and watered occasionally, if the weather is warm and dry. Cuttings of Roses. Roses are propagated chiefly by cuttings, layers and buds. Cuttings of the hardy kind of roses, will strike easily in July and August. Hybrid Perpetual, Chinese and Bourbon, with all the other kinds will grow readily, if the cutting has, what gardeners term, a heel; that is, cut off close to the old wood. Three, four or even six eyes can be left above ground. Plant them as recommended in chapter six; in wet sand. A dozen cuttings can be set an inch apart, close to the pot; and the sand should not be allowed to dry at all. If covered with a “cloche,” or hand-glass, a moist temperature will be kept up, and, in two or three weeks, they will commence to grow. Layering Roses. Roses grown as dwarfs or bushes are the kind that will layer advan- tageously. Loosen the soil about the plant, then choose a good shoot, strip off a few leaves from six inches to two feet from the point of the shoot; insert a sharp knife just behind an eye, on the upper side EVERY WOMAN HER OWN FLOWER GARDENER. 55 of the shoot, and pass it carefully upwards cutting about half through the stem, and from an inch to two inches in length. Open the soil, bend down the shoots and press it in; peg it down with a hair pin or a bit of wood, two or three inches beneath the soil, and cover it firmly. Hach layer should be tied to a stake to prevent the wind from disturb- ing the roots. June, July and August are the best months for layering. If the weather is dry and hot, water frequently. Don’t let the layers dry up; about October or November they will be large enough to take away. Cut them off within two inches of the root, and transplant them wher- ever they are desired. In the spring prune the stem down to three or four eyes, and they will bloom finely. The Chinese method of layering is often more successful than any other. . At the end of July or beginning of August, they select a strong shoot of the same year’s growth, tongue it, as described above, and put in a small stone to keep the slit open, and bind a handful of fresh green moss around the tongue. This must be kept constantly wet, and the tiny roots will shoot forth into the moss so rapidly, that in five or six weeks the layer can be removed from the parent stalk. The roots can be planted without disturbing the moss, and fine plants are thus pro- cured. Budding Roses. Budding roses is a very simple process, and an old razor can do duty for a budding knife, and the handle of an old toothbrush, if scraped down smooth, will answer for a wedge. The latter part of June to the middle of August, is the best season for budding; or, when the bark of the stalk can be easily raised from the wood, this is a sure sign that one can bud with success. Take a smooth part of the stem at the height you desire, and on the side least exposed to the sun; with the razor make a horizontal cut across the bark through to the wood, but not in to it; from the center of this cross-cut make one straight down the stem, an inch or more in length; these two cuts should be in the form of a T. Now prepare the bud, or shield, as it is termed. Slice it off from the rose you desire to bud from at one cut, and the shoot must be cut off close to the main stalk; then the bud is sliced off, with a portion of the old wood adhering to it; most of this should be picked out, but a 56 EVERY WOMAN HER OWN FLOWER GARDENER. little at the back of the bud is essential to life; if you make a hole through its bark throw it away, it will not grow. Now, with the thin edge of the toothbrush handle, turn back the stem on each side of the straight cut, and insert the bud close to the wood, and fit it accurately and firmly to the cross-cut in the turned- back bark; on this close contact of the two barks will depend the suc- cess of your operation. Lay the turned-back bark closely over the bud, or shield, and with woolen yarn, or a bit of bass-wood, bind it down, leaving the point of the bud clear. Common adhesive plaster is said to be better for this purpose than either yarn or bass. A handful of damp moss should be tied around the whole, leaving the tiny point of the bud exposed to the air. In six weeks at the farthest these ties can be removed. All other shoots on that stem should be cut off, so as to throw the strength of the plant into the support of the new comer. By budding you may produce several kinds of roses upon the same plant. Take a common wild rose, cut down all its suckers, and trim in its branches, and bud with white, pink, crimson and yellow roses. ' As soon as the buds commence to grow, cut off all the wild shoots, and you will have a beautiful show of flowers. Variegated shrubs can be budded in this manner upon the plain green stocks. Grafting roses is not so popular ¢s formerly; but the opera- tion is easily performed. Any one who can graft a tree, can graft a rose. The stock to be grafted should be more forward than the scion, and the operation should be performed when the sap is rising. April or May are the best months. The most important points in a good rose are, that its “constitution should be hardy, and vigorous, with a robust habit of growth, good foliage and profuse bloom. The flower should be fine in form, large in size, decided in color. The form of the flower, whether it be globular, cupped, or widely expanded, should be symmetrical; the petals even and regular in their arrangement, full but not too crowded; the outer range broad and firmly set, rendering the flower more lasting. In texture they should be firm and thick, not thin and flimsy. Fragrance, anda firm upright stem are desirable points. A green or yellow center to a flower when fully open, is a great fault. There is no kind of shrub in existence so well adapted to take various forms as the rose. It can be EVERY WOMAN HER OWN FLOWER GARDENER. 57? used as a dwarf to fill the smallest beds; as a shrub to plant among evergreens; and as a tall standard to form avenues of roses on each side of a walk. It can be planted in groups with a climber in the center, half stand- ards around it, and dwarfs for an edging; again, as climbers to adorn a villa or a cottage, also to cover bare walls and trellises. Yet none of these forms will show off its beauty and elegance as effectually as train- ing it to a pillar. Pillar Roses. Tron rods with arches of the same material, or small chains hung loosely from pillar to pillar so as to form festoons, will produce a charm- ing effect, making a lovely bower. The pillars can be made either of a single upright post, or four rods can be set at about nine inches distant from each other, thus forming a square pillar, fastened with interlacings of strong copper wire. The rose can be planted in the center, and the branches trained to each corner rod, the small shoots twined between them. Bring all the shoots to the outside, and do not let any twine round the rods, but tie them to each with strings; and whenever they require painting, which is needful to protect the iron from rusting, or, if the plants are tender, and need protection, they are easily loosened from their support. Poles of oak, ash or pine can supply the places of the iron rods; and, by fixing them firmly into the ground in atriangular shape, three feet apart at the base, and fastening the tops together with strong copper wire, a pyramid of different colors can be formed, by planting three different roses at the foot of the poles, and training them so that the various hues will be seen. Weeping Roses. These form beautiful objects when planted singly on lawns. Roses of a pendulous habit must be used, such as the Aryshire and Evergreen. Bud them on stocks four feet or upwards in height; the main shoots, after the second year, should not be shortened until they touch the ground; prune only the side branches, and the flowers will be produced from all along the branches from the head to the ground. When they attain their full size a hoop shall be attached to prevent the branches from blowing about in the wind. 58 EVERY WOMAN HER OWN FLOWER GARDENER. Slugs on Rose Bushes. For several years past these pests have ruined the glory of the “ Queen of Flowers,” and turned her beauty into deformity, changing the orna- ments of the garden with unsightly bushes, sparsely covered with skele- ton leaves. Before the buds are formed, minute white spots appear on the under surface of the leaves; these change rapidly into horrid green worms which devour all the green part of the leaves, and also the buds and flowers. If taken in season they can be destroyed. I used “ Grafton Mineral Ferti- lizer” with great effect last season, keeping the foliage of a tall pink Moss Rose entirely free from their ravages; while directly across the path, a yellow Harrison was left to them, and was utterly ruined. The powder is inodorous; can be scattered over the leaves before the dew is dried off, and will drive them away. I made the first applica- tion in May, a second one early in June, and a third after the roses had fled. Not a green worm was seen on the leaves. The foliage was perfect. Powdered lime, if scattered over the leaves while wet with dew, will also keep them off. A few years ago I saw a most beautiful rose garden at Plattsburgh, N. Y., not a slug had touched the leaves, and it was earlyin July. The lady owner told me that the bushes were syringed with ten gallons of warm water, in which one pint of soft soap, and one pint of common fine salt had been dissolved. This mixture killed them all. It was applied in May, and again in June. Other preparations are used ; white hellebore, sprinkled on through a dredging box, and flour of sulphur, similarly applied, are found effi- cacious. There are two crops of the slugs; the first comes in May, and when the worms are fully developed they burrow in the ground, and lie in a chrysalis state until August, when they appear with wings, and lay a crop of eggs for the ensuing summer. If the first crop are not entirely destroyed, it is well to repeat the application in August, so as to diminish the supply for the next season. The following comprises a good collection of Hybrid Perpetuals :— Achille Gonaud, bright carmine. Alex. Bachmeteff, deep, brilliant rose, large and fine. Baron Prevost, rich rose color. Cardinal Patrizzi, dark, velvety crimson. EVERY WOMAN HER OWN FLOWER GARDENER. 59 Comte Litta, velvety purple. Caroline de Sansal, pale flesh color. Eugene Appert, scarlet crimson. Gen. Jacqueminot, brilliant red, very large. John Hopper, rosy-crimson, extra. Jules Margottin, carmine, shaded to purple. La Reine, clear rose, large cupped, superb. Lady Emily Peel, white, edged with rose. Mad’lle Bonnaire, pure white, tinged with rose at the center. Mad. Freeman, white, with yellowish shade. Peonia, deep brilliant crimson. Reine des Violets, reddish violet. Victor Verdier, large, full carmine, one of the best. Bourbon Roses. Archduke Charles, rosy crimson. Bourbon Queen, rich blush. Blanche Lafitte, pale flesh color, beautiful. Duchesse Furringe, white. Empress Eugene, deep rose. Jupiter, dark purple. Hermosa Pink, a profuse bloomer, with lovely buds. Malmaison, blush, large and fine. Omar Pasha, deep carmine. Paxton, bright rose, crimson shaded. Sombreuil, white. Bengal or China Roses. Agrippina, deep crimson. Archduke Charles, changeable. Eugene Beauharnais, rich crimson. Indica Alba, white daily. Madam Preon, fine rose. Lucullus, dark crimson. Pink Daily. Louis Philippe, crimson and rose. Sanguinea, blood-red. _ 60 EVERY WOMAN HER OWN ‘FLOWER GARDENER. Noisette Roses. Augusta, pale yellow. Amie Vibert, pure white. Beauty of Green Mount, deep rose color. Gloire de Dijon, bronze yellow, with orange center. Lamarque, large, pure white. La Pactole, pale yellow. Setina, bright pink. Solfaterre, yellowish white. Souvenir de Anselm, clear carmine, very fragrant. Washington, clear white. Tea Scented Roses. Alba Rosea, white, with rose center. Amabilis, rose color. Belle Alamande, blush. Bougere, salmon rose, bronzed. Bon Silene, purple, shaded to carmine. Marechal Niel, golden yellow, sweetest of the sweet. Cornelia Cook, canary yellow. Devoniensis, creamy white. Leveson Gower, rosy salmon. Madame Falcot, nankeen yellow. Madame de Vatrey, carmine rose. Pauline Lebonte, light blush. Safrano, bright buff, very free bloomer. Triomphe de Luxembourg, rose color. White Tea, pure white, blooms freely. Moss Roses — Perpetual. Perpetual White, very fine. Madame Edward Ory, deep rose. Maupertius, velvety-red, very dark. Raphael, blush, large clusters. Salet, bright rose. Souvenir de Pierre Vibert, dark red, shaded with violet. a EVERY WOMAN HER OWN FLOWER GARDENER. 61 Annual Moss Roses. English Moss, old variety, very mossy. Adelaide, crimson. Glory of Mosses, rose color; fine. Alice Leroy, pale lilac. Luxembourg, crimson. Henry Martin, brilliant carmine. . Prarie Roses —Hardy Climbers. Baltimore Belle, nearly white. Queen of the Prairie, rosy red. Seven Sisters, crimson, shading to white. Gem of the Prairies, a hybrid between the Queen of the Prairie and Madame Laffay; a strong, vigorous grower, flowers rich rosy crimson, and of delicious fragrance.