Chapter VI: Part 6

If the beds have been lowered owing to limited water-supply haul on a few wheel-barrow loads of very old manure and earth, and mix thoroughly with the soil, raising them sufficiently to shed water. If permanent bulb beds are preferred (which may be planted with annuals in the summer) choose an exposure slanting toward the south, if possible, as this will insure earlier flowers. See that the soil has good natural drainage, or, if this is lacking, supply it by excavating to a depth of eighteen to thirty inches, and placing several inches of broken stone or crockery in the bottom for drainage. Return the soil to the bed, making it mellow and fine. The earlier the bulbs are planted the more roots will be started before the ground freezes, but late fall or winter planting, providing the ground is not frozen, is preferable to spring planting. Spring-planted bulbs rarely amount to anything, having lost much of their vitality by being so long out of the ground.

A bed facing the south is warmer and earlier than any other, hence it is sometimes liable to a set-back—if not actual injury—from a sudden sharp frost after the plants have started in the spring, and the litter should not be wholly removed until it is entirely safe to do so. An ideal bed for early bulbs would be one on the south side of the house, sloping slightly toward the south, with a frame around it somewhat higher at the back, over which a canvas attached to hooks could be drawn on cold nights and days. The frame should be made so that it could be readily lifted on the approach of warm weather.

Hyacinths, Tulips, and Narcissi look far better when planted each in a bed by themselves, as they are not at all in harmony. Plant Hyacinths seven inches apart and four inches deep, either in beds of vivid colours without other order than a regular distance apart, or according to some colour arrangement or geometrical design. Tulips should be planted four inches apart each way and four inches deep. A good arrangement is to draw lines across the bed forming squares—four inches for Tulips, seven for Hyacinths—and set a bulb at each corner. The centre of the square may be filled with Crocus or Scillas, which will have finished blooming before the larger flowers are out. Only Tulips of the same height and season of bloom should be set together.

Scillas and Crocus together make a bed that can hardly be surpassed in bulb planting. The effect is best where only the white Crocus is blended with the blue of the Scillas.

Protect the bulb beds with rough manure, leaves, and evergreen boughs during winter. Remove the protection gradually in the spring, and leave the finest of the manure to enrich the soil.

When through blooming in the spring, and the foliage has ripened, the bulbs may be lifted, dried, and stored away in a cool place until fall. All these bulbs increase rapidly, both by multiplying and by seed. Neglected beds of Tulips seem to multiply and perpetuate themselves indefinitely, but the new plants will be found to be all from seed, as the Tulip forms its new bulbs at the base of the old, and if they were not frequently taken up and reset they would grow so deep in the ground that all the strength of the plant would be exhausted reaching the surface, and there would be no bloom. The seedlings make robust plants, and do not deteriorate materially.

The seed formation of the Crocus is very interesting. If dug a few weeks after its season of bloom is over, under the ground, below the blossom, the stem will be found to have expanded into a long chamber or cell as large around as a lead-pencil and an inch or more in length. Open this and it will be found full of exquisite pink pearls; these are the seeds. As they ripen they become nearly black, the cell bursts, and the earth receives them. The Scilla lengthens its flower-stems until they lie on the ground, forming large seed-pods filled with white pearls. When the plants are taken up, if these little seeds are saved the stock will increase much more rapidly.

The beds are often wanted for other plants before the foliage has had time to ripen. In that case the bulbs may be lifted and heeled-in, in some out-of-the-way place, until ripe, care being taken to preserve the seed-pods. Heeling-in means digging a shallow trench, laying in the roots of the plants in a row, and covering them with earth. They must be lifted when ripe and not allowed to grow.

A pretty way to grow the Scilla, Crocus, and Snowdrop is to scatter them on the lawn in the grass, planting singly or in clumps. Lift the sod with the trowel and slip the bulbs under, right side up, leaving them to care for themselves. Plant hundreds in this way; they will be through blooming by the time the grass needs cutting.

The various varieties of Narcissi should be planted in permanent beds or borders, where they need not be disturbed except as it is necessary to divide them. They should be set four inches deep and twelve inches apart each way, that they may have room to increase. The new bulbs of Narcissi form in a cluster around the old, and unless allowed to develop freely will not bloom. If set the proper distance apart they will need to be taken up but once in four years. Do not wait for them to show signs of a crowded condition, but move on schedule time, and keep them blooming continuously. All the Narcissi, except the Polyanthus, are hardy, and all are lovely—especially the large trumpet sorts. Emperor and Empress, Horsfieldi, and Sir Watkin are especially good in the open grounds. Poeticus, P. ornatus, Alba plena, Odorata, and Von Sion all make beautiful borders.

There are a few other bulbs for fall planting that are hardy all over the country. The Chionodoxa, Glory of the Snow, is a recent introduction from Asia Minor. Like the Scilla it is blue, a rare and desirable colour in spring flowers. Winter Aconite, with its tiny, golden-yellow flowers, the first of the spring; Wood Hyacinths, Dog-tooth Violets, Fritillarias, Crown Imperials, and Snowdrops are all worth a place.

The bulbs advertised by the seedsmen as hardy in a temperature like that of Philadelphia may not prove hardy in Canada, Michigan, Northern Illinois, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Dakota, and this must be borne in mind when purchasing same. The safest way, when in doubt, is to address a letter of inquiry to the dealer offering the plants, in regard to suitability for your particular climate.

Bulbs for winter blooming. I have come to the conclusion that almost anything will grow and blossom if given the proper care. For the amateur, whose only field is the sitting-room window, it is better to undertake only those varieties with which one may be sure of success under ordinary care, as the Hyacinth, Narcissus, Scilla, Crocus, Anemone, Ornithogalum arabicum, and Freesia. These are absolutely sure bloomers, and much more reliable in the matter of producing flowers than a Geranium. In selecting Hyacinths the single will generally give better satisfaction than the double, and there should always be a generous proportion of white among the colours selected. Alba superbissima, Baroness Van Thuyl, and La Grandesse are among the best whites; Norma gigantea, Roi des Belges for pinks and reds; Ida is the best yellow; and Czar Peter and Grand Lilas the best blues.

Among the Narcissi nothing finer than the large trumpet varieties could be desired: Horsfieldi, with its yellow trumpet and snow-white perianth; Sir Watkin, or the Giant Welshman, as it is sometimes called; Empress and Emperor and the clustered Paper White are all exquisite; and the old double Von Sion is most effective in the window-garden.

Hyacinths and Narcissi require the same treatment: Pot as early in the fall as they can be obtained, using good compost and sufficient broken charcoal to insure good drainage; fill to within an inch of the top with the soil, using a four-inch pot for a single bulb or a six-inch one for three bulbs. Place the bulb with the tip slightly above the surface of the soil, label plainly with name and date of planting, and set away in a dark box in the cellar for six weeks or more, or until the pot is well filled with roots; this can be ascertained by turning the ball of earth out of the pot. If the earth is not well covered with roots return to the box for a few days longer. If there is sufficient root growth place in a warm, sunny window in a temperature of about 70°. When first potted they should be well watered, and thereafter kept merely moist, but on bringing to the light and heat they should have water in the saucer most of the time. When the flowers are fully expanded they may be moved into a cooler, less sunny window, where they will remain in perfection much longer.

Anemones give beautiful winter blossoms and require practically the same treatment as Hyacinths. The bulbs are placed an inch and a half below the surface. They are queer, shrivelled-up little things, with roots which fill up surprisingly after being in the damp soil. When up and growing they require abundant water and sunshine. Keep the saucer full of water all the time; failure in this respect means blasted buds. As Anemones give a succession of flowers they must be left in the window until through blooming. Tulips, Crocus, and Scillas should be potted and placed out of doors where they will not be disturbed, covered with earth and left until freezing weather, when they should be stored in the cellar like other bulbs. It is well in placing bulbs out of doors to set the pots in beds of coal-ashes to prevent the entrance of worms into the soil. They may be covered with ashes instead of earth, the object being to give them the benefit of the frost.

A half dozen Scillas planted in the centre of one of the large round gourds and surrounded with a border of white Crocus makes a very pretty show, and will come into bloom in about three months from the time of planting. The Ornithogalum is an effective flower, and quite sure to bloom, but requires a rather high temperature, as it is of slow development.

Freesia bulbs deteriorate very rapidly once they are out of the ground, and should be ordered early and potted as soon as received. Plant a dozen in a five-or six-inch pot, and set at once in a warm east window, as these do not need to go to the cellar. The leaves and stalks are very tender, and will require support, and this is the greatest objection to the Freesia. Ashes in the soil will counteract this tendency somewhat, and the wire carnation supports are very neat and satisfactory.

Alliums, which have the same defects, require the same treatment.

The varieties of Oxalis are usually started in a sunny window, as they require a strong light. Like the summer bloomers, they increase rapidly and need considerable root room. The Bermuda Oxalis is lovely in a gourd hanging-basket; indeed, a hanging-basket, or bracket, is the only suitable arrangement for it, as it loves to droop and spread itself, and requires abundant room for its wealth of golden flowers. When through blooming it should be allowed to ripen its foliage. It may then be set in the cellar, or a cool place, until September, when the bulbs should be shaken out of the pot and repotted; one bulb to a four-inch pot.

Bulbs of hardy plants may be ripened off, and in the spring planted out in the open ground, where they will bloom the following spring, but are valueless for forcing in the house.

Chapter _EIGHTEEN_
Hardy Shrubs and Plants for Fall Planting

In some localities, especially in the South, the practice of setting out hardy plants in the fall has much to commend it. The mild winters, during which growth is never entirely checked, allow the plants to fully establish themselves; but in the Northern States, where the severe winters set in early and last long, the plants do not become sufficiently established to stand the severe cold followed by the hot summer. They sometimes live through the one only to succumb to the other.

Plants moved from one part of the grounds to another will frequently winter-kill, while those left undisturbed will be found in excellent condition in the spring. Again, a plant may come through the winter in apparently good condition, but without sufficient vitality to withstand any severe heat or drought, and failure to recognise this condition results in loss. Plants transplanted in the fall, however hardy their character, should receive particular care during the following summer in the matter of water, cultivation, and mulching. Plants transplanted at any time of year will do better if the top growth is reduced by trimming or cutting back, and all broken or injured roots removed with a sharp knife.

Spring-planted shrubs rarely fail to do well if the precaution is observed of moving them while dormant. The only exception I need to mention being the various Irises when purchased from florists. These, being dug in the fall, and kept in cold storage during winter, have their vitality much depleted by spring, and are then of doubtful value. This is especially true of the Japanese Iris; the German and English, being much more hardy, are not so easily injured. Home-grown Iris would better be moved in the spring.

Among the desirable shrubs for fall or spring planting are the various Spiræas; these are both shrubby and herbaceous. Of the shrubby variety Anthony Waterer is the only really good crimson, or red, variety, and is very fine. The catalogues give it a dwarf character rarely exceeding eighteen inches, but my own experience with the plant is, that with rich soil it much exceeds that height. Van Houttei is the finest white sort, and is especially valuable grown singly on the lawn, where it may develop its beautiful form to perfection. Of the herbaceous Spiræas the filipendula is very desirable for the border or for edging shrubbery. The fern-like foliage, which is of itself handsome enough to gain recognition, is surmounted in June with spikes of double daisy-like flowers of creamy white. It is very fine for cut flowers, and for forcing in winter. The clumps increase rapidly, and should be divided and reset every three or four years. Then there is the old-fashioned garden Spiræa, with its pinky-white, feathery blossoms, very fragrant—especially when wet with the dew.

Hypericum Moserianum is a delightful little perennial, growing from one to two feet tall; the flowers are exquisite in form and colour—a clear, golden yellow lasting well when cut. Other hardy yellow flowers are the California Sunflower and Rudbeckia, or Golden Glow, both too well known and popular to need eulogy.

The Lychnis (Rose Campion) is another of our herbaceous perennials which has not attracted the notice its good qualities deserve. L. Chalcedonica, its trusses of scarlet rivalling the most vivid Geranium, is the best known of the species, and combines beautifully with Clematis flammula and Spiræa filipendula. Planted against a wall covered with the Clematis, or contrasted in the border with S. Japonica, it is very effective. Plant L. semperflorens plenissima with Deutzia gracilis and Spiræa filipendula. Planted together in the border they are exquisite. L. semperflorens is much more delicate than the other Lychnis, and cannot be considered entirely hardy at the North. It is a very dainty little flower with soft pink, finely toothed blossoms, and worth considerable trouble to grow. Viscaria (Ragged Robin) has tall spikes of double red, deliciously scented flowers, and should find a place in every garden. Chalcedonica resembles the scarlet variety except in colour, which is pure white. It also is quite hardy and needs little care when once established.

Plant Iris (Fleur-de-lis) generously. They will grow in size and beauty from year to year, and are valuable for borders along drives or walks, for the filling of corners or low, damp spots. By planting the different varieties a succession of bloom, from May until the latter part of July, may be secured. The German Iris furnishes some magnificent colour effects in purple and bronze, yellow and lavender, blue and white. The Japanese are wonderful, both in colour and size—flowers seven inches in diameter being quite common, while twelve inches is attained in some instances. The flowers differ so materially in form from other Iris as to appear a distinct class. Unlike the German Iris, they hold their petals neither erect nor drooping, but horizontally, or flat, making a great disc of lovely colour, ranging through all the shades of blue, lilac, blue and white, and plum, to crimson-purple, magenta, and pink. They are more tender and less quickly started than the German, but do well when established. A low, damp spot suits them best, and where this is not available they should be abundantly supplied with water. German Iris will do well in any good garden soil and under ordinary cultivation. Iris should be taken up and divided every three or four years, removing all dead or exhausted growth, and setting one live toe, or point, in a place. They will not do well the first year of dividing, but the following year will be very fine, especially if there have been enough roots to make several long, parallel rows.

While not troubled with any disease or insect pest, the moles seem to have an especial liking for the roots of the Japanese Iris, and have caused me much loss. The only preventive is to shut the moles out of the bed by sinking a close wire netting around it to a depth of eighteen inches, or by making early and persistent use of good mole-traps—one at each end of the row, or at the spots where they enter and leave the bed. By this method I caught ten moles in as many days in the Iris beds, and was comparatively free from them the remainder of the season. Salt pork or bacon rinds buried in their runs will sometimes drive them away for a time, but this is not to be depended on, neither is the presence of Castor-oil plant, which, so far as I have observed, has not the slightest value. The only method is to trap them early in the spring, before they begin to breed; setting the trap in the runs from the nest and not in the shallow feeding runs they make close to the surface. These they may not visit again in days, if at all, but the main runs, which usually extend in several directions from their burrows, and are several inches below the surface, are traversed several times a day.

Peonies—what would the spring garden be without these old-time favourites? Whatever flowers are lacking in country gardens, it is rarely these; and yet, we seldom see them at their best. They like rich, well-drained soil in a sunny location, and once established should remain undisturbed for years, or until they become so crowded as to need dividing, as they require several years to recover after being moved, and only actual necessity should lead to their disturbance, certainly not the requests of friends and neighbours to dig them up and divide. Better buy a root to give away, if reluctant to refuse, than injure the plant.

Mulch the Peony bed heavily with rough manure in the fall, removing the coarsest in the spring and working the rest into the soil. A good mulch of lawn clippings during July and August will keep the soil cool and moist, and greatly benefit the plants. This should be given before they bloom, as there is usually heavy rain about that time, which beats the flowers down into the dirt and ruins them.

The Funkia (Plantain Lily), or Day Lily, as it is commonly called, is another plant impatient of disturbance; and once planted it should not be molested. It likes a good, rich, mellow soil, but is not particular as to location, so that no other plant is near it. Though perfectly hardy I prefer to give it a little protection in the winter. In the spring cut away the sod from around it the width of the spade, making the soil fine and mellow, and working in some old manure. This annual enlarging of its boundaries is all the care it needs to make it grow larger and finer, year by year, and bloom profusely.

The French Lilacs are to be recommended for liberal planting, as they are free from the vice of suckering which makes the old-fashioned sort so troublesome. They should be planted wherever they will be useful as backgrounds for lower shrubs, or perennials, or in a row along a lane or fence. As the blooming season of the different varieties varies, by judicious selection they may be had in bloom for several weeks.

Althæas (Rose of Sharon) have the happy notion of blooming when other plants do not, so they are doubly welcome. As they bloom from the bottom up they should have a place by themselves on the grounds, where they will make quite tall trees in a few years. The white and light-coloured ones are the most attractive. Young trees should be wrapped in straw during winter, and old ones well mulched with rough litter.

Chapter _NINETEEN_
Winter protection

When the frost has cut down the flowers, and robbed the shrubs of their leaves it is time for the fall cleaning of the garden. This should be completed before the leaves begin to fall, as if left until then they will greatly complicate matters.

Pull up and consign to the compost heap all annuals, weeds, stalks of perennials, Lilies, and ornamental plants, and the litter used for mulch during summer. This last might be left on were it not for the fact that it is likely to harbour insects which would do mischief. It is therefore better to remove it and work the bed over, leaving all clean and neat.

This is the time to look out for cutworms, chrysalids, and the like, and destroy them. Much may be done in this direction. Look carefully along the edging between the curbing and the grass where the cutworm lurks. Look for the chrysalids of borers in the ground around the Clematis, Cosmos, Hollyhocks, and Dahlia beds, and when found destroy them. On the under side of boards, steps, and under the edge of the siding of the house will be found the cocoons of the hickory tussock-moth and the cabbage-worm, all of which should be destroyed. After removing the dead annuals rake over the beds, leaving them clean and neat.

Beds of perennials, Roses, bulbs, and especially of Lilies and Peonies, must be well rounded up to shed water, as all plants are injured by water standing about their roots. If not already high enough to admit of this, more earth must be added to raise them sufficiently. The earth from the window-boxes may be used to advantage, especially for the Tea-rose bed, where a foot of mellow earth, brought well up around the plants and rounded to shed water, will so protect them that, though the tops may freeze, all below the soil will be likely to live. Over this should be placed several inches of rough litter or leaves and a frame of rough boards put around the beds and covered with sash, canvas, or boards to shed rain.

Young climbing Roses should have three or four inches of earth banked up around them; wrap their tops with straw or sacking, or old carpet may be drawn over them and tacked to the trellis or support on which they grow. Plants under the eaves of the house, where the water drips, should have boards arranged to catch and divert it to the lawn.

Protect equally from the cold winds of winter and the sun; plants are not injured so much by freezing as by thawing suddenly, as they must when the sun shines directly upon them. If they thaw gradually, little if any damage is done, but sudden thawing ruptures the plant-cells, causing serious injury. To prevent this and the settling of water about the roots are the points to keep in mind when giving winter protection.

For plants whose tops die, leaves offer an excellent protection—better than manure, in that they do not scatter seeds of weeds. For plants that form a fall crown of leaves—as the Hollyhock or Annunciation Lily—a box with an open end filled lightly with leaves is satisfactory. Close, air-tight covers, as boxes, tin pails, iron kettles, and the like, should never be used to protect plants of any kind. Wooden frames covered with wire netting, and filled loosely with leaves, allowing the moisture to evaporate rapidly, have given the best results; next come frames covered with thin cotton cloth, then loose boxes with one end knocked out. The idea is to retain the dry leaves around the plant, protect from sun and cold wind, and allow the rapid evaporation of any moisture that may collect. Wet or frozen leaves around a plant are worse than no protection; especially is this true in the case of Myosotis, Pansies, Carnations, Canterbury-bells, and Foxglove, all of which do better in the cold-frames. Where these are not available, recourse may be had to the boxes with netting, or to evergreen boughs. When filling in about a plant with leaves do it lightly, as a mass closely packed becomes damp and mouldy, and kills rather than protects.

Plants too tall to be covered should be protected with straw or corn-stalks; cover for some little distance beyond the roots with leaves or litter, and place straw or corn fodder around them, bringing it to a point at top, and tying firmly there and in the middle, sloping the stalks sufficiently to shed rain. Tall Rosebushes, young Althæas, and similar growths, are much benefited by this form of protection. Long beds of plants—as Japanese Iris, Pansies, and the like—maybe protected by taking narrow boards eighteen or twenty inches long, with a notch cut in one end, the other end being pointed and driven into the ground; set these at intervals through the centre of the beds; place the poles lengthwise of the beds, their ends resting in the notches, and arrange evergreen boughs across the poles on each side to shed rain. Corn fodder may be used where the evergreens cannot be procured, or a row of pegs may support two boards, forming a ∧-shaped roof, which will protect from wind, sun, and water equally. Protect the Lily and Peony beds with a foot of leaves and rough, old manure. Rhododendrons, at the North, must have both roots and tops protected if there is to be any bloom the following year. Muslin-covered frames and leaves will do this best. Great care must be taken not to break off the buds, which are exceedingly brittle. Frames with removable lids that will admit of filling in gradually, and allow the leaves to settle before finishing, are best. Pile leaves around the roots of Clematis, and stretch sacking or other cloth over the trellises on which they grow. Protect in the same way English Ivy and Ampelopsis Veitchi while young. A northwest angle of a building affords very good protection.

Chapter _TWENTY_
Care of House-plants In Winter

Plants for winter blooming should be brought into the house before the nights get chilly. By becoming gradually accustomed to the air of the house before the doors are closed and the fires started, they will be less affected by the change.

Do not crowd into the window more plants than it can conveniently hold. Plants must have room to breathe and grow, and abundant light. No plant should touch its neighbours. Even with this amount of room at the start they will be badly crowded before spring, and it will probably be necessary to remove some.

Shelves, brackets, and stands should be in place before the plants are brought in, as changing about and handling are bad for them. Plants with tender foliage, as Cinerarias, Primulas, and the like, do best on a window-bracket, and the capacity of the window is greatly increased by the use of brackets. Plants with drooping leaves should have single brackets, to avoid contact with other plants. The Bougainvillea, also, does better on a bracket, being of a trailing habit. It is not, however, a good winter bloomer, usually coming in late in March and continuing until December, but it is very reliable during that time and requires less care than any house-plant with which I am familiar, unless it be the Araucaria.

See that all shelves are securely fastened, and strong enough to sustain the weight to be placed upon them. The additional protection of a small brass chain fastening the outer edge of the shelf to the window-casing above it will ease the strain on the brackets and give greater security.

See that all hanging-baskets are securely hung with copper wire, and that there is no danger of the hooks from which they are suspended pulling out.

Do not start in with a number of plants the requirements of which are entirely unknown. Where conditions for their proper care are not obtainable it will be wiser to content one’s self with familiar plants offering a reasonable hope of success, as Geraniums, Hyacinths, or Primroses. A healthy, vigorous plant, however common, is preferable to a sickly one, be it ever so rare.

A fair degree of atmospheric moisture should be maintained by keeping a dish of water on stove, register, or radiator. Where bulbs are grown a healthy degree of humidity is secured by evaporation and transpiration as shown by moisture gathering on the glass when the temperature falls. Moisture in the soil is a more difficult matter, and greater harm is done through ignorance in this particular than in any other way. Either plants are allowed to suffer for water, or they are drenched indiscriminately. All are watered alike, irrespective of individual need, whereas the requirements of each should be studied. A few plants, natives of bogs—as the Calla—require constant moisture when growing. Heliotrope, on the other hand, turns yellow when over-watered. Water should be applied thoroughly when given and then withheld until the plant is nearly dry again. This induces a stocky growth, with well-ripened wood, capable of producing healthy bloom. To keep a plant constantly wet may produce a quick growth, but it will be a soft one, incapable of the best results.

Flower-pots should not be filled to the brim with earth, but sufficient space should be left to hold enough water to thoroughly saturate the soil in each pot—a full inch or more in the case of six-inch pots, and at least half an inch for small pots. The soil must be sufficiently open to take the water quickly. Heliotrope, and some other plants, form a thick network of roots, which the water cannot penetrate readily, and channels should be opened through them with a pencil or stick. See that the water really penetrates the soil instead of merely passing between the ball of earth and the pot. Hanging-baskets of wire and moss are best watered by setting in a large pail until thoroughly soaked. One such watering will last a week, unless the room is very hot and dry.

Give sun-loving plants all the sunshine possible. Geraniums especially love to be close to the glass, and the difference is quickly seen in the quality of the blossoms. Shower every day, if possible, especially such plants as Heliotropes, Cinerarias, Cyclamen, Lantanas, and, if not once a day, at least once a week. Dipping the entire plant in a tub of quite warm water is a great benefit, as in that way every part of the plant is reached.

I do not especially approve of the advice so constantly given to “keep an old fork handy to stir the soil, that the roots may have air.” The leaves are the lungs of the plants, and if these are kept clean there will be no trouble about their breathing. Moreover, if necessary to get air to the roots, stirring the soil would be a very poor way to do it, as cultivation of the surface is intended to keep air out and moisture in. To this end we make a dry mulch over flower-beds and the farmer cultivates his corn in a “dry spell,” knowing that the formation of a dry crust will result in the rapid evaporation of the moisture in the soil, the dry air shrinking the soil and opening up its pores, as it were, letting the hot air in and the moisture out. This advantage the practice has: it counteracts any tendency to sourness in the soil, and should be resorted to whenever there is any suspicion of this, or when the earth in which tender or succulent-stemmed plants are growing seems hard and will not take water readily. The Amaryllis objects to this disturbance, and hard-wooded plants, which require firm potting, should not be disturbed by more than the merest scratching of the surface.

Give support to such plants as need it, promptly; failure in this respect may result in the loss of a cherished blossom, or the disfigurement of a plant.

Pinch back all weak and straggling growths, trimming the plants to grow stocky and symmetrical.

Avoid, as far as possible, a sudden change of temperature, as a sudden chill will greatly injure some plants, though they may not be actually frozen. Plants may be left in the window as long as the glass is not frosted, but at the slightest appearance of frost they must be moved back out of actual contact with the glass. The thermometer drops suddenly at times, and plants that were considered quite safe at night may be found frozen in the morning. When the thermometer in the window indicates a safe temperature and that outside a stationary one, though very low, the plants may be left where they are; but beware of falling temperature, and protect with several thicknesses of newspaper between the plants and the window, bringing it well out beyond the window-frames. All cracks between the sash and casing should be carefully sealed with strips of cloth or paper, the colour of the woodwork, neatly pasted over, effectually shutting out draughts. This alone will help immensely in protecting plants, and storm-windows are safe and save much trouble.

Fresh air, which plants must have, should be supplied through another room, where it will be warmed before reaching them. A screen, so placed as to cut off draughts when a door is opened to air the room, will be found a great convenience.

When plants are frozen they should be thawed very gradually. Darken the room and keep the temperature low, raising it gradually. If, however, the plants are in a living-room, where the temperature cannot conveniently be kept low for any length of time, remove them to the cellar until the frost is drawn out of them, when, if not too badly damaged, they may be returned to the window and encouraged to grow. Geraniums are rarely injured by one freezing, the loss of the leaves being the chief damage, and if the plants are returned at once to the window this may prove an advantage, as wherever a leaf falls a new shoot will usually be forced, making the plant much more stocky and thrifty. During an unusually severe storm, a Geranium left in the window of a room away from direct heat was badly frosted. As it was not a very choice variety no effort was made to save it. The room was closed, and a temperature of 12° below zero reigned for several days. When the weather moderated and the temperature rose to 32° the room was opened and warmed, the Geranium remaining on its shelf. In a few days, seemingly, the axil of every vanished leaf had bourgeoned into tender green, and in a short time the Geranium was as thrifty as ever, blossoming better the following summer than at any time before. Favourable growing conditions should be given as soon after freezing as possible, that all the vitality may be utilised and not wasted to sustain life in the unfavourable conditions existing in cellars.

Showering with, and dipping in, cold water slightly above freezing are also good for frosted plants; 33° is about right, as a higher temperature will be apt to precipitate the evil it is desired to avoid—the rupture of the plant-cells.

The freezing of the soil in pots, which often happens with bulbs or plants kept quite wet, does no particular harm, and no attention need be paid to it as long as the tops are not frozen.

Remember that heat rises, and that the upper sash of a window is many degrees warmer than the lower, so that by having an upper shelf you can grow plants requiring a much higher temperature than those on the lower shelf. For the same reason hanging-baskets require much more water than plants on low shelves, and should be showered frequently to counteract the dryer atmosphere. A rubber sprinkler is indispensable for this purpose; by its use flowers may be sufficiently showered every day to keep back red spiders and materially change the atmosphere.

Compost, sand, old manure, and drainage material should be prepared in the fall and put in a frost-proof place ready for any repotting that may be necessary during the winter, and for the early sowing of seeds in the house.

In another chapter will be found formulas for the various insecticides required for the extermination of the pests likely to attack plants in the close, dry air of the living-room. If attention is paid to the supply of fresh air and moisture little, if any, trouble will be experienced on this score.

Plants coming into bloom will require some fertiliser, and as there are objections to the use of manure-water in the house the following formula will be found very satisfactory: Get at the druggist’s one and a half pounds (or ounces) nitrate of soda, one-half pound (or ounce) phosphate of soda, and one pound (or ounce) sulphate of potash. Mix and pulverise the material thoroughly. When required for use put a rounding tablespoonful of this mixture in a gallon of hot water. To fertilise the plants put a teacupful of the water, when cool, on a six-inch pot, and more in proportion on larger pots. Do not use oftener than once in two weeks, and do not let it touch the foliage.

All the Asparagus group are benefited by the use of a good fertiliser, especially is this the case with A. Sprengeri, which makes a root growth so vigorous that it would be unmanageable were it not for the use of fertilisers, which make it possible to keep it within reasonable bounds.

Begonias, on the other hand, are usually injured by the use of fertilisers.

Chapter _TWENTY-ONE_
Common and English Names of Flowers

Where a plant has a double name—as Hypericum Moserianum—only the first will be given, as it will be indexed in the catalogues that way.

Abyssinian Banana, See _Musa_.
Adam’s Needle, See _Yucca_.
Alleghany Vine, See _Adlumia_.
Alum Root, See _Heuchera_.
American Cowslip, See _Dodecatheon_.
American Senna, See _Cassia_.
Amethyst, See _Browallia_.
Artillery Plant, See _Pilea_.
Aurora’s Bower, See _Gaillardia_.
Australian Glory Pea, See _Clianthus_.
Baby’s Breath, See _Gypsophila_.
Bachelor’s Button, See _Globe Amaranth_.
Balsam Apple, See _Momordica_.
Balsam Pear, See _Momordica_.
Banana Shrub, See _Magnolia_.
Barrenwort, See _Epimedium_.
Basket of Gold, See _Alyssum_.
Bath Flower, See _Trillium_.
Beard Tongue, See _Pentstemon_.
Bird’s Nest Fern, See _Aspidium Nidus-Avis_.
Bishop’s Weed, See _Ægopodium_.
Black-eyed Susan, See _Thunbergia_.
Bleeding Heart, See _Dicentra_.
Blood Flower, See _Hæmanthus_.
Bluebottle, See _Centaurea_.
Bluebottle, See _Grape Hyacinth_.
Blue Leadwort, See _Plumbago_.
Blue Lyme Grass, See _Elymus_.
Blue Salvia, See _S. patens_.
Blue Vetch, See _Grape Hyacinth_.
Bluet, See _Houstonia_.
Boston Ivy, See _Ampelopsis_.
Bowman’s Root, See _Gillenia_.
Bugle, See _Ajuga_.
Bugle Vine, See _Calampelis_.
Burning Bush, See _Euonymus_.
Butterfly Flower, See _Centrosema_.
Butterfly Flower, See _Schizanthus_.
Butterfly Orchid, See _Epidendrum_.
Butterfly Weed, See _Asclepias_.
Calico Bush, See _Kalmia_.
California Poppy, See _Eschscholtzia_.
Canterbury Bell, See _Campanula_.
Cape Hyacinth, See _H. candicans_.
Cardinal Flower, See _Lobelia_.
Castor Bean, See _Ricinus_.
Cheneil Plant, See _Acalypha_.
Chilian Glory Flower, See _Eccremocarpus_.
Chimney Bell Flower, See _Campanula_.
Chinese Bell Flower, See _Platycodon_.
Chinese Lantern Plant, See _Physalis_.
Chinese Matrimony Vine, See _Lycium_.
Chinese Paper Plant, See _Bougainvillea_.
Christmas Berry, See _Ardisia_.
Christmas Rose, See _Helleborus_.
Cinnamon Vine, See _Dioscorea_.
Cinquefoil, See _Potentilla_.
Climbing Fumitory, See _Adlumia_.
Climbing Hawthorn, See _Actinidia_.
Cock’s Comb, See _Celosia_.
Columbine, See _Aquilegia_.
Cone Flower, See _Rudbeckia_.
Coral Plant, See _Erythrina_.
Corn Flower, See _Centaurea_.
Cowslip, See _Primula_.
Crane’s Bill, See _Geranium_.
Creeping Mallow, See _Callirhoe_.
Crown Vetch, See _Coronilla_.
Cruel Plant, See _Physianthus_.
Cup-and-Saucer Plant, See _Campanula_.
Cup-and-Saucer Vine, See _Cobæa_.
Cup Flower, See _Nierembergia_.
Cushion Pink, See _Armeria_.
Dark Mullen, See _Verbascum_.
Day Lily, See _Hemerocallis_.
Devil-in-the-Bush, See _Nigella_.
Double Buttercup, See _Ranunculus_.
Dropwort, See _Spiræa_.
Duck Plant, See _Aristolochia_.
Dutchman’s Breeches, See _Dielytra_.
Dutchman’s Pipe, See _Aristolochia_.
Dusty Miller, See _Centaurea_.
Dusty Miller, See _Cineraria_.
Edelweiss, See _Gnaphalium_.
Emerald Feather, See _Asparagus_.
English Daisy, See _Bellis_.
Evening Glory, See _Ipomœa_.
Evening Primrose, See _Œnothera_.
Everlasting, See _Acroclinium_.
Everlasting, See _Ammobium_.
Everlasting, See _Globe Amaranth_.
Everlasting, See _Helichrysum_.
Everlasting, See _Lathyrus_.
Everlasting, See _Rhodanthe_.
Everlasting, See _Xeranthemum_.
Fair Maids of France, See _Ranunculus_.
False Chamomile, See _Boltonia_.
False Dragon Head, See _Physostegia_.
False Indigo, See _Baptisia_.
Feverfew, See _Matricaria_.
Fire on the Mountain, See _Euphorbia_.
Flame Flower, See _Tritoma_.
Fleur de Lis, See _Iris_.
Flora’s Paint Brush, See _Cacalia_.
Florida Rattle Box, See _Crotolaria_.
Floss Flower, See _Ageratum_.
Flowering Currant, See _Ribes_.
Flowering Dogwood, See _Cornus_.
Flowering Maple, See _Abutilon_.
Flowering Sage, See _Salvia_.
Flowering Spurge, See _Euphorbia_.
Forget-me-not, See _Myosotis_.
Fountain Plant, See _Acalypha_.
Four-o’clock, See _Marvel of Peru_.
Fringe Flower, See _Schizanthus_.
Garden Flower, See _Schizanthus_.
Gardener’s Garter, See _Phalaris_.
Garland Flower, See _Daphne_.
Gas Plant, See _Dictamnus_.
Gay Feather, See _Liatris_.
Gilliflower, See _Cheiranthus_.
Globe Flower, See _Trollius_.
Glory Pea of Australia, See _Clianthus_.
Goat’s Beard, See _Spiræa_.
Gold Lack, See _Wall Flower_.
Golden Bush Pea, See _Crotolaria_.
Golden Feather, See _Pyrethrum_.
Golden Honey Bell, See _Mahernia_.
Golden-leaved Elder, See _Sambucus_.
Golden Rod, See _Solidago_.
Golden Tuft, See _Alyssum_.
Great Reed, See _Arundo Donax_.
Great Sea Lavender, See _Limonium_.
Groundsel, See _Glechoma_.
Hawk’s Beard, See _Crepis_.
Holly Fern, See _Cyrtomium_.
Honey Bell, See _Mahernia_.
Horn of Plenty, See _Datura_.
Horned Poppy, See _Glaucium_.
Horse Mint, See _Monarda_.
House Leek, See _Sempervivum_.
Humble Plant, See _Mimosa_.
Hyacinth Clematis, See _Clematis Davidiana_.
Jacobean Lily, See _Amaryllis_.
Jacob’s Ladder, See _Polemonium_.
Japan Quince, See _Pyrus_.
Japanese Bell Flower, See _Platycodon_.
Japanese Beni, See _Caryopteris_.
Japanese Hop, See _Humulus_.
Japanese Ivy, See _Ampelopsis_.
Japanese Primrose, See _Cortusoidea_.
Japanese Primrose, See _Primula_.
Japanese Virgin’s Bower, See _Clematis_.
Japanese Winter Cherry, See _Physalis_.
Jerusalem Cherry, See _Solanum_.
Jerusalem Cross, See _Lychnis_.
Kenilworth Ivy, See _Linaria_.
Lady Washington, See _Pelargonium_.
Larkspur, See _Delphinium_.
Lavender Cotton, See _Santolina_.
Lawn Pearlwort, See _Spergula_.
Lemon Verbena, See _Verbena_.
Leopard Plant, See _Farfugium_.
Lilac, See _Syringa_.
Lily of the Palace, See _Agapanthus_.
Lily of the Palace, See _Amaryllis_.
Little Bo-Peep, See _Antirrhinum_.
Liverwort, See _Hepatica_.
London Tufts, See _Sweet William_.
Look at Me, See _Centrosema_.
Love Grove, See _Nemophila_.
Love in a Mist, See _Nigella_.
Love Lies Bleeding, See _Amaranthus_.
Lungwort, See _Martensia_.
Madagascar Periwinkle, See _Vinca_.
Maidenhair Fern, See _Adiantum_.
Mallow, See _Hibiscus_.
Maltese Cross, See _Lychnis_.
Mariposa Lily, See _Calochortus_.
Marsh Mallow, See _Hibiscus_.
Meadow Beauty, See _Rhexia_.
Meadow Sage, See _Salvia_.
Meadow Star, See _Spiræa_.
Mexican Fire Plant, See _Euphorbia_.
Mexican Lily, See _Amaryllis_.
Michaelmas Daisies, See _Aster_.
Monkey Flower, See _Mimulus_.
Monkshood, See _Aconitum_.
Moon Flower, See _Ipomœa_.
Moonpenny Daisy, See _Chrysanthemum_.
Moonwort, See _Honesty_.
Morning Glory, See _Ipomœa_.
Mosses, See _Selaginellas_.
Moss Pink, See _Phlox_.
Moss Verbena, See _Verbena_.
Mother of Thousands, See _Saxifrage_.
Mountain Fleece, See _Polygonum_.
Mountain Fringe, See _Adlumia_.
Mountain Laurel, See _Kalmia_.
Mourning Bride, See _Scabiosa_.
Mouse-ear Chickweed, See _Cerastium_.
Moustache Plant, See _Caryopteris_.
Musk Plant, See _Mimulus_.
Old Maid, See _Vinca_.
Old Man, See _Artemesia_.
Old Woman, See _Artemesia_.
Orchid Vine, See _Stigmaphyllon_.
Oriental Poppy, See _Papaver_.
Oswego Tea, See _Monarda_.
Painted Daisy, See _Chrysanthemum_.
Painted Leaf, See _Euphorbia_.
Painted Tongue, See _Salpiglossis_.
Pampas Grass, See _Gynerium_.
Pancratium, See _Ismene (in part)_.
Paris Daisy, See _Chrysanthemum_.
Passion Flower, See _Passiflora_.
Peacock Flower, See _Tigridia_.
Pearl Bush, See _Exochorda_.
Peppermint, See _Mentha_.
Periwinkle, See _Vinca_.
Persian Daisy, See _Pyrethrum_.
Pheasant’s Eye, See _Adonis_.
Pincushion Flower, See _Scabiosa_.
Pinks, See _Dianthus_.
Plantain Lily, See _Funkia_.
Plume Poppy, See _Bocconia_.
Pot of Gold, See _Calendula_.
Purple Bells, See _Rhodochiton_.
Purple Fountain, See _Pennisetum_.
Purple Grass, See _Pennisetum_.
Purple-leaved Plum, See _Prunus_.
Queen Lily, See _Amaryllis_.
Ragged Robin, See _Lychnis_.
Ragged Sailor, See _Centaurea_.
Red-hot Poker, See _Tritoma_.
Rock Cress, See _Arabis_.
Rock Madwort, See _Alyssum_.
Rose Campion, See _Lychnis_.
Rose of Heaven, See _Agrostemma_.
Rubber Plant, See _Ficus_.
Sage Palm, See _Cycas_.
St. John’s Wort, See _Hypericum_.
St. Bernard’s Lily, See _Liliago_.
Sand Root, See _Arenaria_.
Sand Verbena, See _Verbena_.
Scarbrough Lily, See _Valletta_.
Scarlet Flax, See _Linum_.
Scarlet-fruited Gourd, See _Bryonopsis, or Gourds_.
Scarlet Sage, See _Salvia_.
Sea Holly, See _Armeria_.
Sea Pink, See _Armeria_.
Seal Flower, See _Dielytra_.
Segar Plant, See _Cuphea_.
Sensitive Plant, See _Mimosa_.
Shaking Fern, See _Pteris_.
Shell Flower, See _Tigridia_.
Shooting Star, See _Dodecatheon_.
Shrubby Honeysuckle, See _Lonicera_.
Silk Oak, See _Grevillea_.
Silver Bells, See _Halesia_.
Slipper Flower, See _Calceolaria_.
Smoke Tree, See _Rhus_.
Snapdragon, See _Antirrhinum_.
Sneezewort, See _Helenium_.
Snowball, See _Viburnum_.
Snowberry, See _Symphoricarpos_.
Snow in Summer, See _Cerastium_.
Snow on the Mountain, See _Euphorbia_.
Southern Wood, See _Abrotanum_.
Speedwell, See _Veronica_.
Spider Plant, See _Cleome_.
Spike Grass, See _Uniola_.
Spring Beauty, See _Claytonia_.
Starworts, See _Asters_.
Stone Crop, See _Sedum_.
Straw Flower, See _Helichrysum_.
Sulphur Fern, See _Gymnogramma_.
Sunflower, See _Helianthus_.
Sun Plant, See _Portulaca_.
Swan River Daisy, See _Brachycome_.
Swan River Everlasting, See _Rhodanthe_.
Sweet Olive, See _Olea_.
Sweet Sultan, See _Centaurea_.
Tassel Flower, See _Cacalia_.
Thrift, See _Armeria_.
Toad Flax, See _Linaria_.
Toad Lily, See _Castalia_.
Tobacco Plant, See _Nicotiana_.
Torch Lily, See _Tritoma_.
Tree Celandine, See _Bocconia_.
Trumpet Flower, See _Datura_.
Trumpet Vine, See _Bignonia_.
Umbrella Plant, See _Cyperus_.
Variegated Comfrey, See _Symphytum_.
Venus’ Looking-Glass, See _Campanula_.
Virgin’s Bower, See _Clematis_.
Wake Robin, See _Trillium_.
Waxhaw, See _Euonymus_.
Wax Plant, See _Hoya_.
Wax Plant, See _Mesembryanthemum_.
White Fringe, See _Chionanthus_.
Whitlow Grass, See _Draba_.
Wild Cucumber, See _Echinocystis_.
Wind Flower, See _Anemone_.
Winged Everlasting, See _Ammobium_.
Wolf’s-bane, See _Aconitum_.
Wood Lily, See _Trillium_.
Woodruff, See _Asperula_.
Yellow Flax, See _Linum_.
Youth and Old Age, See _Zinnia_.
Zanzibar Balsam, See _Impatiens_.
Zebra Grass, See _Eulalia_.

Time For Germination of Seeds

_From Three to Five Days_

Ageratum,
Ammobium,
Aster,
Celosia,
Centaurea,
Chrysanthemums,
Cypress Vine,
Gilla,
Hollyhock,
Lavatera,
Layia Elegans,
Leptosyne Maritima,
Marigold,
Mimulus,
Mina lobata,
Salvia,
Sedum,
Silene Shasta,
Spherogyne,
Stevia,
Stock—ten week,
Sweet William,
Tradescantia,
Trifolium,
Tunica,
Verbascum,
Veronica,
Virginian Stock,
Viscaria,
Vittadinia,
Whitlavia,
Zinnia.

_In Five to Seven Days._

Acacia,
Amaranthus,
Arabis Alpina,
Beta,
Brompton Stock,
Bromus,
Browallia,
Candytuft,
Cannabis,
Carnations,
Centaurea,
Chelone,
Chrysanthemum Indicum,
Cineraria,
Clitoria,
Coleus,
Coreopsis Lanceolata,
Crucianella,
Cuphea,
Cynoglossum,
Dahlia,
Daisy,
Eschscholtzia,
Eupatorium,
Gaillardia,
Geranium,
Gypsophila,
Hablitzia,
Helenium,
Helianthus,
Helichrysum,
Hibiscus,
Iberis Gibraltarica,
Linaria Reticulata,
Lobelia,
Lupinus,
Lychnis,
Malva Moschata,
Mathiola,
Mesembryanthemum,
Mignonette,
Morning Glory,
Nicotiana,
Picotee,
Pink,
Salpiglossis,

_In Eight to Ten Days_

Abutilon,
Achimenes,
Agrostemma,
Antirrhinum,
Armeria,
Balsams,
Begonia,
Calceolaria,
Campanula, Annual,
Canna,
Capsicum,
Commelina Cœlestis,
Deutzia,
Digitalis,
Dracocephalum,
Erianthus,
Gaura,
Gloxinia,
Gnaphalium,
Hibiscus Syriacus,
Humulus Japonica,
Kaulfussia,
Lychnis,
Morina,
Pansy,
Pansy, Viola,
Papaver,
Pentstemon,
Petunia,
Phacelia,
Phlox Drummondi,
Poinsettia,
Potentilla,
Pyrethrum,
Rudbeckia,
Thunbergia,
Tropæolum,
Valeriana,
Verbena,
Zea.

_In Ten to Twelve Days_

Achillea,
Alonsoa,
Alyssum Saxatile,
Anchusa,
Aquilegia,
Argemone,
Artemisia,
Asphodelus,
Aubrietia,
Bidens,
Calandrinia,
Calonyction,
Campanula,
Feverfew,
Galtonia,
Geum,
Gypsophila,
Helianthemum,
Linaria,
Ipomopsis,
Scutellaria,
Silphium,
Spiræa.

_In Twelve to Fifteen Days_

Anemone Sylvestris,
Antigonon,
Asters, Per.,
Callirhoe,
Campanula Tenorei,
Datura,
Didiscus,
Gazanopsis,
Gourds,
Hunnemannia,
Lantana,
Mandevillea,
Maurandya,
Myosotis,
Nicotiana,
Nierembergia,
Peas,
Perilla,
Petunia, Double,
Platycodon,
Polemonium,
Ranunculus,
Ricinus,
Thalictrum,
Torenia,
Verbena Venosa.

_In Fifteen to Twenty Days_

Acanthus,
Agapanthus,
Anemone,
Antigonon,
Armeria Maritima,
Calla,
Cobæa,
Cuphea,
Dictamnus,
Geranium Sanguineum,
Heliotrope,
Hemerocallis,
Impatiens Sultana,
Iris,
Liatris Spicata,
Primula Sinensis,
Rivina Humilis,
Smilax, Boston,
Solanum Robustum.

_In Twenty to Thirty-five Days_

Adlumia,
Baptisia Australis,
Berberis Vulgaris,
Campanula Fragilis,
Campanula Leutweiana,
Campanula Macrantha,
Campanula Nobilis,
Clematis Diversifolia,
Clematis Integrifolia,
Clianthus Dampieri,
Delphinium Nudicaule,
Funkia,
Gentiana Acaulis,
Hibiscus Speciosa,
Humea Elegans,
Musa Ensete,
Phlox, Perennial,
Phormium,
Physianthus,
Tritoma Uvaria,
Yucca.

_One Year or More_

Adlumia,
Ampelopsis,
Anthericum,
Clematis, in variety,
Dictamnus,
Fuchsia,
Geranium Sanguineum,
Iris,
Lilies,
Lupinus Polyphyllus,
Musa,
Tradescantia,
Viola Odorata.

In the foregoing tables it will be observed that a flower occasionally appears in two or more sections. When this occurs, the first date indicates the time in which strong and fresh seed should germinate in flats in the house, or in hotbeds; the latter indicates the time for old seed, under less favourable conditions, and marks the limit of time in which plants may be expected.

Chapter _TWENTY-TWO_
Blooming Season of Various Trees, Shrubs, and Plants

T.—Tree. S.—Shrub. V.—Vine. H. P.—Hardy Perennial. A.—Annual. H. H.
P.—Hardy Herbaceous Perennial. E.—Evergreen.

April

_Akebia Quinata_ H. P. V.
_Alyssum Argenteum_ H. P.
_Anemone Blanda_ H. P.
_Bellis Perennis_ H. P. E.
_Dicentra—Bleeding Heart_ H. H. P.
_Dicentra—Dutchman’s Breeches_ H. P.
_Dodecatheon_ H. P.
_Forsythia—Golden Bells_ H. S.
_Sanguinaria—Blood Root_ H. H. P.
_Saxifrage_ H. P.
_Uvularia—Bellwort_ H. P.
_Vinca, Periwinkle, Myrtle_ H. P. E.
_Violets, in var_ H. P. E.

May

_Adonis_ H. P.
_Ajuga_ H. H. P.
_Alyssum Argenteum_ H. H. P.
_Alyssum Saxatile_ H. H. P.
_Amsonia_ H. H. P.
_Aquilegia Argenteum_ H. H. P.
_Arum—Cuckoo Flower_ H. H. P.
_Aubretia_ H. H. P.
_Azalea_ S.
_Barberry_ S.
_Bellis—English Daisy_ H. P. E.
_Callicarpa Japonica_ H. P.
_Calycanthus—Sweet Shrub_ H. P. S.
_Chionanthus—White Wings_ H. P. S.
_Convallaria—Lily of the Valley_ H. H. P.
_Daphne_ H. S. E.
_Deutzia_ H. P. S.
_Dicentra_ H. H. P.
_Doronicum_ H. H. P.
_Double-flowered Almond_ H. S.
_Double-flowered Crab_ H. S.
_Double-flowered Peach_ H. S.
_Epimedium_ H. H. P.
_Euonymus—Burning Bush_ H. S.
_Exochorda—Pearl Bush_ H. S.
_Genista_ H. H. P.
_Halesia—Snowdrop_ H. T.
_Hawthorn_ H. T.
_Honeysuckle—Bush_ H. S.
_Iris Aurea_ H. H. P.
_Iris Siberica_ H. H. P.
_Lychnis—Red Campion_ H. H. P.
_Ornithogalum—Bulbous_ H. H. P.
_Phlox Subulata_ H. P.
_Polemonium—Greek Valerian_ H. P.
_Polyanthus_ H. P. E.
_Potentilla, June to August_ H. P.
_Primula—English Primrose_ H. P. E.
_Pulmonaria—Lungwort_ H. H. P.
_Pyrus—(Cydonia) Japonica_ H. P. S.
_Ranunculus Half_ H. P.
_Rhododendrons_ H. S. E.
_Ribes—Flowering Currant_ H. S.
_Sanguinaria—Blood Root_ H. H. P.
_Spiræa Filipendula_ H. H. P.
_Spiræa Thunbergi_ H. S.
_Spiræa Van Houttei_ H. S.
_Syringa—Lilac_ H. T.
_Tamarix_ H. S.
_Trillium_ H. H. P.
_Veronica_ H. P.
_Viburnum—Snowball_ H. S.
_Vinca—Myrtle_ H. P. E.
_Weigela_ H. S.

June

_Aconitum—Monkshood_ H. H. P.
_Alstromeria—Peruvian Lily_ H. H. P.
_Anchusa_ H. H. P.
_Anthemis_ H. H. P.
_Anthericum—St. Bruno’s Lily_ H. H. P.
_Aquilegia_ H. H. P.
_Armeria_ H. P.
_Arum_ H. P.
_Astragalus—Milk Vetch_ H. H. P.
_Baptisia_ H. P.
_Bellis_ H. P. E.
_Buphthalmum_ H. P.
_Callirhoe_ H. P.
_Campanula_ H. P. E.
_Cassia_ H. P.
_Catalpa_ H. T.
_Centaurea_ H. P.
_Centranthus_ H. P.
_Coreopsis_ H. P.
_Cornus—Dogwood_ H. T.
_Coronilla_ H. P.
_Delphinium_ H. H. P.
_Deutzia Gracilis_ H. S.
_Deutzia—Pride of Rochester_ H. S.
_Digitalis_ H. P. E.
_Doronicum_ H. P.
_Dracocephalum_ H. P.
_Erigeron_ H. P.
_Heuchera_ H. H. P.
_Hollyhock_ H. H. P. E.
_Honeysuckle_ H. V.
_Hydrangea—Climbing_ H. P. V.
_Iris_ H. H. P.
_Jasminum_ H. P.
_Laburnum_ H. T.
_Lathyrus—Everlasting Pea_ H. H. P.
_Lilium Canadense_ H. H. P. (bulb)
_Lilium Candidum_ H. H. P. E. (bulb)
_Lilium Longiflorum_ H. H. P. (bulb)
_Linden_ H. T.
_Locust_ H. T.
_Lychnis Chalcedonica_ H. H. P.
_Lychnis Coronaria_ H. H. P.
_Lychnis Gigantea_ H. H. P.
_Magnolia_ H. T.
_Monarda_ H. P.
_Mountain Ash_ H. T.
_Papaver—Poppy_ H. H. P. & A.
_Pentstemon Half_ H. P.
_Philadelphus_ H. T.
_Potentilla_ H. P.
_Pyrethrum_ H. H. T.
_Ranunculus_ H. P.
_Rhododendron_ H. P. E.
_Rose_ Hardy S.
_Salpiglossis_ A.
_Schizanthus_ A.
_Sedum_ H. P.
_Spiræa, in var_ H. P.
_Sweet Alyssum_ A.
_Sweet Peas_ A.
_Sweet Scabiosa_ H. P.
_Sweet Sultan_ A.
_Veronica_ T. P.
_Vinca_ E. V.
_Violets_ H. P. E.

July

_Achillea_ H. H. P.
_Allium Angularis_ H. P.
_Anthemis_ H. P.
_Armeria_ H. P.
_Asphodel_ H. P.
_Aster Alpinus_ H. P.
_Bignonia Radicans_ H. P. V.
_Bocconia_ H. P.
_Campanula_ H. P. E.
_Candytuft_ A.
_Chrysanthemum Maximum_ H. P.
_Cobæa Scandens_ Tender P. V.
_Coreopsis_ H. P.
_Cosmos_ A.
_Dahlia_ Tender P.
_Datura_ A.
_Dictamnus_ H. P.
_Digitalis_ H. P. E.
_Dracocephalum_ H. P.
_Eccremocarpus_ V. A.
_Euphorbia_ A.
_Evening Primrose_ H. P.
_Funkia_ P.
_Gypsophila_ A.
_Iris—Japanese_ H. P.
_Liatris_ H. P.
_Lilium Auratum_ H. P.
_Linum_ H. P.
_Lychnis_ H. H. P.
_Perennial Phlox_ H. H. P.
_Phlox Drummondi_ A.
_Potentilla_ H. P.
_Salvia_ Tender P.
_Statice_ H. P.
_Thalictrum_ H. P.
_Thymus_ H. P.
_Vinca_ Tender P.
_Yucca_ H. P. E.

August