Manual of Gardening – L. H. Bailey

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Manual of Gardening
A PRACTICAL GUIDE
TO THE MAKING OF HOME GROUNDS AND THE GROWING OF FLOWERS, FRUITS, AND VEGETABLES FOR HOME USE
by L. H. Bailey
SECOND EDITION
1910

[“Liberty Hyde Bailey (March 15, 1858 – December 25, 1954) was an American horticulturist and reformer of rural life. He was co-founder of the American Society for Horticultural Science.[1]: 10–15  As an energetic reformer during the Progressive Era, he was instrumental in starting agricultural extension services, the 4-H movement, the nature study movement, parcel post and rural electrification. He was considered the father of rural sociology and rural journalism.” Wikipedia]

“It is desirable to have a definite plan on paper (drawn to scale) for the location of the leading features of the place. These features are the residence, the out-houses, the walks and drives, the service areas (as clothes yards), the border planting, flower-garden, vegetable-garden, and fruit-garden. It should not be expected that the map plan can be followed in every detail, but it will serve as a general guide; and if it is made on a large enough scale, the different kinds of plants can be located in their proper positions, and a record of the place be kept. It is nearly always unsatisfactory, for both owner and designer, if a plan of the place is made without a personal inspection of the area. Lines that look well on a map may not adjust themselves readily to the varying contours of the place itself, and the location of the features inside the grounds will depend also in a very large measure on the objects that lie outside it. For example, all interesting and bold views should be brought into the place, and all unsightly objects in the immediate vicinity should be planted out. …

“In charting a place, it is important to locate the points from which the walks are to start, and at which they are to emerge from the grounds. …

“A house must have a background if it is to become a home. A house that stands on a bare plain or hill is a part of the universe, not a part of a home. Recall the cozy little farm-house that is backed by a wood or an orchard; then compare some pretentious structure that stands apart from all planting. Yet how many are the farm-houses that stand as stark and cold against the sky as if they were competing with the moon! We would not believe it possible for a man to live in a house twenty-five years and not, by accident, allow some tree to grow, were it not that it is so!

…

Birds; and cats

“The picture in the landscape is not complete without birds, and the birds should comprise more species than English sparrows. If one is to have birds on his premises, he must (1) attract them and (2) protect them.

One attracts birds by providing places in which they may nest. The free border plantings have distinct advantages in attracting chipping sparrows, catbirds, and other species. The bluebirds, house wrens, and martins may be attracted by boxes in which they can build.

One may attract birds by feeding them and supplying water. Suet for woodpeckers and others, grain and crumbs for other kinds, and taking care not to frighten or molest them, will soon win the confidence of the birds. A slowly running or dripping fountain, with a good rim on which they may perch, will also attract them, and it is no mean enjoyment to watch the birds at bathing. Or, if one does not care to go to the expense of a bird fountain, he may supply their wants by means of a shallow dish of water set on the lawn.

The birds will need protection from cats. …

“Reduced to a single expression, all this means that the greatest artistic value in planting lies in the effect of the mass, and not in the individual plant. A mass has the greater value because it presents a much greater range and variety of forms, colors, shades, and textures, because it has sufficient extent or dimensions to add structural character to a place, and because its features are so continuous and so well blended that the mind is not distracted by incidental and irrelevant ideas . …

“One is attracted by the freedom of arrangement, the irregularity of sky-line, the bold bays and promontories, and the infinite play of light and shade. …

“It is not enough that trees and bushes be planted in masses. They must be kept in masses by letting them grow freely in a natural way. The pruning-knife is the most inveterate enemy of shrubbery …

“In this discussion, I have tried to enforce the importance of the open center in non-formal home grounds in greensward regions.  …

The flower-growing should be part of the design.

“I do not mean to discourage the use of brilliant flowers and bright foliage and striking forms of vegetation; but these things are never primary considerations in a good domain. The structural elements of the place are designed first. The flanking and bordering masses are then planted. Finally the flowers and accessories are put in, as a house is painted after it is built. Flowers appear to best advantage when seen against a background of foliage, and they are then, also, an integral part of the picture. The flower-garden, as such, should be at the rear or side of a place, as all other personal appurtenances are; but flowers and bright leaves may be freely scattered along the borders and near the foliage masses. …

Defects in flower-growing.

“The greatest defect with our flower-growing is the stinginess of it. We grow our flowers as if they were the choicest rarities, to be coddled in a hotbed or under a bell-jar, and then to be exhibited as single specimens in some little pinched and ridiculous hole cut in the turf, or perched upon an ant-hill that some gardener has laboriously heaped oh a lawn. Nature, on the other hand, grows many of her flowers in the most luxurious abandon, and one can pick an armful without offense. She grows her flowers in earnest, as a man grows a crop of corn. One can revel in the color and the fragrance and be satisfied.

“The next defect with our flower-growing is the flower-bed. Nature has no time to make flower-bed designs: she is busy growing flowers. And, then, if she were given to flower-beds, the whole effect would be lost, for she could no longer be luxurious and wanton, and if a flower were picked her whole scheme might be upset. Imagine a geranium-bed or a coleus-bed, with its wonderful “design,” set out into a wood or in a free and open landscape! Even the birds would laugh at it!

“What I want to say is that we should grow flowers freely when we make a flower-garden. We should have enough of them to make the effort worth the while. I sympathize with the man who likes sunflowers. There are enough of them to be worth looking at. They fill the eye. Now show this man ten feet square of pinks or asters, or daisies, all growing free and easy and he will tell you that he likes them. All this has a particular application to the farmer, who is often said to dislike flowers. He grows potatoes and buckwheat and weeds by the acre: two or three unhappy pinks or geraniums are not enough to make an impression. …

Flower-borders.

We should acquire the habit of speaking of the flower-border. The border planting of which we have spoken sets bounds to the place, and makes it one’s own. The person lives inside his place, not on it. Along these borders, against groups, often by the corners of the residence or in front of porches—these are places for flowers. Ten flowers against a background are more effective than a hundred in the open yard.

I have asked a professional artist, Mr Mathews, to draw me the kind of a flower-bed that he likes. It is shown in Fig. 21. It is a border,—a strip of land two or three feet wide along a fence. This is the place where pigweeds usually grow. Here he has planted marigolds, gladiolus, golden rod, wild asters, China asters, and—best of all—hollyhocks. Any one would like that flower-garden It has some of that local and indefinable charm that always attaches to an “old-fashioned garden” with its medley of form and color Nearly every yard has some such strip of land along a rear walk or fence or against a building It is the easiest thing to plant it,—ever so much easier than digging the characterless geranium bed into the center of an inoffensive lawn. The suggestions are carried further in 22 to 25.

“One of the advantages of these borders lying at the boundary is that they are always ready to receive more plants, unless they are full. That is, their symmetry is not marred if some plants are pulled out and others are put in. And if the weeds now and then get a start, very little harm is done. Such a border half full of weeds is handsomer than the average hole-in-the-lawn geranium bed. An ample border may receive wild plants every month in the year when the frost is out of the ground. Plants are dug in the woods or fields, whenever one is on an excursion, even if in July. The tops are cut off, the roots kept moist until they are placed in the border; most of these much-abused plants will grow. To be sure, one will secure some weeds; but then, the weeds are a part of the collection! Of course, some plants will resent this treatment, but the border may be a happy family, and be all the better and more personal because it is the result of moments of relaxation. Such a border has something new and interesting every month of the growing season; and even in the winter the tall clumps of grasses and aster-stems hold their banners above the snow and are a source of delight to every frolicsome bevy of snowbirds. …

The value of plants may lie in foliage and form rather than in bloom.

Shrubs for the tall background

• 2 Barberry, Berberis vulgaris and var. purpurea.
• 1 Cornus Mas.
• 2 Tall deutzias.
• 3 Lilacs.
• 2 Mock oranges, Philadelphus grandiflorus and P. coronarius.
• 2 Variegated elders.
• 2 Eleagnus, Elœagnus hortensis and E. longipes.
• 1 Exochorda.
• 2 Hibiscuses.
• Privet.
• 3 Viburnums.
• 1 Snowball.
• 1 Tartarian honeysuckle.
• 1 Silver Bell, Halesia tetraptera.

These were planted on the sloping bank of the terrace, from E to D. The terrace has an incline, or width, of about three feet. Figure 45 shows this terrace after the planting was completed, looking from the point C.

Shrubs of medium size, suitable for side plantings and groups in the foregoing example

• 3 Barberries, Berberis Thunbergii.
• 3 Osier dogwoods, variegated.
• 2 Japanese quinces, Cydonia Japonica and C. Maulei.
• 4 Tall deutzias.
• 1 Variegated elder.
• 7 Weigelas, assorted colors.
• 1 Rhodotypos.
• 9 Spireas of medium growth, assorted.
• 1 Rubus odoratus.
• 1 Lonicera fragrantissima.

Low informal shrubs for front of porch and banking against house

• 3 Deutzia gracilis.
• 6 Kerrias, green and variegated.
• 3 Daphne Mezereum.
• 3 Lonicera Halliana.
• 3 Rubus phœnicolasius.
• 3 Symphoricarpus vulgaris.
• 4 Mahonias.
• 1 Ribes aureum.
• 1 Ribes sanguineum.
• 1 Rubus cratægifolius.
• 1 Rubus fruticosus var. laciniatus.

Specimen shrubs for mere ornament, for this place

• Azalea.
• Rhododendron.
• Rose.
• 2 Hydrangeas.
• 1 Snowball.
• 1 each Forsythia suspensa and F. viridissima.
• 2 Flowering almonds.

These were planted in conspicuous places here and there against the other masses.

Here are one hundred excellent and interesting bushes planted in a yard only fifty feet wide and one hundred feet deep, and yet the place has as much room in it as it had before. There is abundant opportunity along the borders for dropping in cannas, dahlias, hollyhocks, asters, geraniums, coleuses, and other brilliant plants. The bushes will soon begin to crowd, to be sure, but a mass is wanted, and the narrowness of the plantations will allow each bush to develop itself laterally to perfection. If the borders become too thick, however, it is an easy matter to remove some of the bushes; but they probably will not. Picture the color and variety and life in that little yard. …

Lists for carpet-beds.

The figure immediately following the name of plant indicates its height, the figures in parentheses the distance for planting, in inches.

1. LOW-GROWING PLANTS

A. FOLIAGE PLANTS.

Crimson.—*Alternanthera amœna spectabilis, 6 (4-6).
Alternanthera paronychioides major, 5 (3-6).
Alternanthera versicolor, 5 (3-6).

Yellow.—Alternanthera aurea nana, 6 (4-6).

Gray, or whitish.—Echeveria secunda, glauca, 1-1/2 (3-4).
Echeveria metallica, 9 (6-8).
Cineraria maritima, 15 (9-12).
Sempervivum Californicum, 1-1/2 (3-4).
Thymus argenteus, 6 (4-6).

Bronze brown.—Oxalis tropæoloides, 3 (3-4).

Variegated
(white and green).—Geranium Mme. Salleroi, 6 (6-8).
*Sweet alyssum, variegated, 6 (6-9).

B. FLOWERING PLANTS.

Scarlet.—Phlox Drummondii, Dwarf, 6 (4-6).
Cuphea platycentra, Cigar Plant, 6 (4-6).

White.—Sweet alyssum, Little Gem, 4 (4-6).
Sweet alyssum, common, 6 (6-8).
Phlox Drummondii, Dwarf, 6 (4-6).

Blue.—Lobelia, Crystal Palace, 6 (4-6).
Ageratum, Dwarf Blue, 6 (6-8).

2. PLANTS OF TALLER GROWTH

A. FOLIAGE PLANTS.

Crimson.—*Coleus Verschaffeltii, 24 (9-12).
*Achyranthes Lindeni, 18 (8-12).
*Achyranthes Gilsoni, 12 (8-12).
*Achyranthes Verschaffeltii, 12 (8-12).
*Acalypha tricolor, 12-18 (12).

Yellow.—*Coleus, Golden Bedder, 24 (9-12).
*Achyranthes, aurea reticulata, 12 (8-12).
Golden feverfew (Pyrethrum parthenifolium aureum), (6-8).
Bronze geranium, 12 (9).

Silvery white.—Dusty miller (Centaurea gymnocarpa), 12 (8-12).
*Santolina Chamæcyparissus incana, 6-12 (6-8).
Geranium, Mountain of Snow, 12 (6-9).

Variegated
(white and green).—*Stevia serrata var., 12-18 (8-12).
Phalaris arundinaeca var., (grass), 24 (4-8).
Cyperus alternifolius var., 24-30 (8-12).

Bronze.—*Acalypha marginata, 24 (12).

B. FLOWERING PLANTS.

Scarlet.—Salvia splendens, 36 (12-18).
Geraniums, 24 (12).
                          Cuphea tricolor (C. Llavae), 18 (8-12).
Dwarf nasturtium (Tropaeolum), 12-18 (12-18).
Begonia, Vernon, 12 (6-8).
Verbenas, 12 (6-12).
Phlox Drummondii, Dwarf, 6 (4-6).

White.—Salvia splendens, White-flowered, 36 (12-18).
Geraniums, 18-24 (12).
Lantana, Innocence, 18-24 (8-12).
Lantana, Queen Victoria, 24 (8-12).
Verbena, Snow Queen, 12 (6-12).
Ageratum, White, 9 (6-9).
Phlox Drummondii, Dwarf, 6 (4-6).

Pink.—Petunia, Countess of Ellesmere, 18 (8-12).
Lantana, 24 (8-12).
Verbena, Beauty of Oxford, 6 (8-12).
Phlox Drummondii, Dwarf, 6 (4-6).

Yellow.—Dwarf nasturtium, 12 (12-18).
Anthemis coronaria fl. pl., 12 (6-8).

Blue.—Ageratum Mexicanum, 12 (6-8).
Verbenas, 6 (6-12).
Heliotrope, Queen of Violets, 18 (12-18).

A brief seasonal flower-garden or border list of herbaceous perennials.

To facilitate making a selection of perennial herbs for bloom, the plants in the following list are arranged according to their flowering season, beginning with the earliest. The name of the month indicates when they usually begin to bloom. It should be understood that the blooming season of plants is not a fixed period, but varies more or less with localities and seasons. These dates are applicable to most of the middle and northern states. Natives to North America are marked with an asterisk *. This list is by Ernest Walker.

MARCH

Blue Wind-flower, Anemone blanda. 6 in. March-May. Sky-blue, star-like flowers. Foliage deeply cut. For border and rockwork.

Bloodroot, Sanguinaria Canadensis.* 6 in. March-April. Pure white. Glaucous foliage. Partial shade. Border or rock-work.

APRIL

Mountain Rock-cress, Arabis albida. 6 in. April-June. Flowers pure white; close heads in profusion. Fragrant. For dry places and rock-work.

Purple Rock-cress, Aubrietia deltoidea. 6 in. April-June. Small purple flowers in great profusion.

Daisy, Bellis perennis, 4-6 in. April-July. Flowers white, pink, or red; single or double. The double varieties are the more desirable. Cover the plants in winter with leaves. May be raised from seed, like pansies.

Spring Beauty, Claytonia Virginica.* 6 in. April-May. Clusters of light pink flowers. Partial shade. From six to a dozen should be set together.

Shooting Star, Dodecatheon Meadia.* 1 ft. April-May. Reddish purple flowers, orange-yellow eye, in clusters. Cool, shady location. Plant several in a place.

Dog’s-bane, Doronicum plantagineum varexcelsum. 20 in. April-June. Large, showy flowers; orange-yellow. Bushy plants.

Liver-leaf, Hepatica acutiloba* and triloba.* 6 in. April-May. Flowers small but numerous, varying white and pink. Partial shade.

Hardy Candytuft, Iberis sempervirens. 10 in. April-May. Small white flowers in clusters; profuse. Large, spreading, evergreen tufts.

Alpine Lamp-flower, Lychnis alpina.* 6 in. April-May. Flowers star-like, in showy heads; pink. For border and rockery.

Early Forget-me-not, Myosotis dissitiflora. 6 in. April-June. Small clusters of deep sky-blue flowers. Tufted habit.

Everblooming F., M. palustris var. semperflorens. 10 in. Light blue; spreading habit.

Blue-bells, Mertensia Virginica.* 1 ft. April-May. Flowers blue, changing to pink; pendent; tubular; not showy, but beautiful. Rich soil. Partial shade.

Tree Peony, Pæonia Moutan. (See May, Pæonia.)

Moss Pink, Phlox subulata.* 6 in. April-June. Numerous deep pink, small flowers; creeping habit; evergreen. Suitable for dry places as a covering plant.

Trilliums.* Of several species; always attractive and useful in the border (Fig. 252). They are common in rich woods and copses. Dig the tubers in late summer and plant them directly in the border. The large ones will bloom the following spring. The same may be said of the erythronium, or dog’s-tooth violet or adder’s tongue, and of very many other early wild flowers.

MAY

Ajuga reptans. 6 in. May-June. Spikes of purple flowers. Grows well in shady places; spreading. A good cover plant.

Madwort, Alyssum saxatile var. compactum. 1 ft. May-June. Flowers fragrant, in clusters, clear golden-yellow. Foliage silvery. Well-drained soil. One of the best yellow flowers.

Columbine, Aquilegia glandulosa and others (Fig. 253). 1 ft. May-June. Deep blue sepals; white petals. Aquilegias are old favorites. (See June.) The wild A. Canadensis* is desirable.

Lily-of-the-Valley, Convallaria majalis.* 8 in. May-June. Racemes of small white bells; fragrant. Well known. Partial shade. (See Chap. VIII.)

Fumitory, Corydalis nobilis. 1 ft. May-June. Large clusters of fine yellow flowers. Bushy, upright habit. Does well in partial shade.

Bleeding-Heart, Dicentra spectabilis. 2-1/2 ft. May-June. Well known. Racemes of heart-shaped, deep pink and white flowers. Will bear partial shade.

Crested Iris, Iris cristata.* 6 in. May-June. Flowers blue, fringed with yellow. Leaves sword-shaped.

German Iris, I. Germanica. 12-15 in. May-June. Numerous varieties and colors. Large flowers, 3-4 on a stem. Broad, glaucous, sword-shaped leaves.

Peony, Pæonia officinalis. 2 ft. May-June. This is the well-known herbaceous peony. There are numerous varieties and hybrids.

Large flowers, 4-6 in. across. Crimson, white, pink, yellowish, etc. Suitable for lawn or the border. Fig. 250.

Tree Peony, P. Moutan. 4ft. April-May. Numerous named varieties. Flowers as above, excepting yellow. Branched, dense, shrubby habit.

Meadow Sage, Salvia pratensis. 2-1/2 ft. May-June, August. Spikes of deep blue flowers. Branching from the ground.

JUNE

Achillea Ptarmica, fl. pl., var. “The Pearl.” 1/2 ft. June-August. Small double white flowers, in few-flowered clusters. Rich soil.

Wind-flower, Anemone Pennsylvanica.* 18 in. June-September. White flowers on long stems. Erect habit. Does well in the shade.

St. Bruno’s Lily, Paradisea Liliastrum. 18 in. June-July. Bell-like, white flowers in handsome spikes.

Golden-spurred Columbine, Aquilegia chrysantha.* 3 ft. June-August. Golden flowers with slender spurs; fragrant.

Rocky Mountain Columbine, A. cœrulea.* 1 ft. June-August. Flowers with white petals and deep blue sepals, 2-3 in. in diameter. (See May.)

Woodruff, Asperula odorata. 6 in. June-July. Small white flowers. Herbage fragrant when wilted. Does well in shade; spreading habit. Used for flavoring drinks, scenting and protecting garments.

Astilbe Japonica (incorrectly called Spiræa). 2 ft. June-July. Small white flowers in a feathery inflorescence. Compact habit.

Poppy Mallow, Callirrhoë involucrata.* 10 in. June-October. Large crimson flowers, with white centers. Trailing habit. For border and rockery.

Carpathian Harebell, Campanula Carpatica (Fig. 254). 8 in. June-September. Flowers deep blue. Tufted habit. For border or rockery. Good for cutting.

C. glomerata var. Dahurica. 2 ft. June-August. Deep purple flowers in terminal clusters. Branching from the ground. Erect habit.

Canterbury Bell, C. Medium. An old favorite. It is biennial, but blooms the first season if sown early.

Corydalis lutea. 1 ft. June-September. Flowers yellow, in terminal clusters. Loose branching habit. Glaucous foliage.

Scotch Pink, Dianthus plumarius. 10 in. June-July. White and pink-ringed flowers on slender stems. Densely tufted habit.

Fringed Pink, D. superbus. 18 in. July-August. Fringed flowers. Lilac tint.

Gas Plant, Dictamnus Fraxinella. 3 ft. June. Flowers purple, showy, fragrant; in long spikes. Regular habit. Var. alba. White.

Gaillardia aristata.* 2 ft. June-October. Showy orange and maroon flowers on long stems. Good for cutting. Hybrid gaillardias offer quite a variety of brilliant colors.

Heuchera sanguinea.* 18 in. June-September. Flowers in open panicles, scarlet, on clustered stems from a tufted mass of pretty foliage.

Japan Iris, Iris laevigata (I. Kaempferi). 2-3 ft. June-July. Large flowers of various colors, in variety. Green, sword-like leaves. Dense tufted habit. Prefers a moist situation.

Blazing Star, Liatris spicata.* 2 ft. June-August. Spikes of fine, small purple flowers. Slender foliage. Unbranched, erect stems. Will grow in the poorest soil.

Iceland Poppy, Papaver nudicaule.* 1 ft. June-October. Bright yellow flowers. A close, dense habit. Erect, naked stems. The varieties Album, white, and Miniatum, deep orange, are also desirable.

Oriental Poppy, P. orientale. 2-4 ft. June. Flowers 6-8 in. across; deep scarlet, with a purple spot at the base of each petal. There are other varieties of pink, orange, and crimson shades.

Pentstemon barbatus var. Torreyi.* 3-4 ft. June-September. Crimson flowers in long spikes. Branching from the base. Erect habit.

Perennial Phlox, Phlox paniculata* and hybrids with P. maculata.* 2-3 ft. June. A great variety of colors in selfs and variegated forms. Flowers borne in large, flat panicles. (Figs. 246, 248.)

Rudbeckia maxima* 5-6 ft. August. Large flowers; cone-like center and long, drooping, yellow petals.

Dropwort, Ulmaria Filipendula. 3 ft. June-July. White flowers in compact clusters. Tufted foliage, dark green and handsomely cut. Erect stems. (Often referred to Spiræa.)

Adam’s Needle, Yucca filamentosa.* 4-5 ft. June-July. Waxen white, pendulous, liliaceous flowers in a great thyrsus. Leaves long, narrow, dark green, with marginal filaments. For the lawn, and for massing in large grounds.

JULY

Hollyhock, Althæa rosea. 5-8 ft. Summer and fall. Flowers white, crimson, and yellow, lavender and purple. Stately plants of spire-like habit; useful for the back of the border, or beds and groups. The newer double varieties have flowers as fine as a camellia. The plant is nearly biennial, but in rich, well-drained soil and with winter protection it becomes perennial. Easily grown from seed, blooming the second year. Seeds may be sown in August in frames and carried over winter in the same place. The first year’s bloom is usually the best.

Yellow Chamomile, Anthemis tinctoria. 12-38 in. July-November. Flowers bright yellow, 1-2 in. in diameter. Useful for cutting. Dense, bushy habit.

Delphinium Chinense. 3 ft. July-September. Variable colors; from deep blue to lavender and white. Fine for the border.

D. formosum. 4 ft. July-September. Fine spikes of rich blue flowers. One of the finest blue flowers cultivated.

Funkia lancifolia. (See under August.)

Helianthus multiflorus* var. fl. pl. 4 ft. July-September. Large double flowers, of a fine golden color. Erect habit. An excellent flower.

Lychnis Viscaria var. flore pleno. 12-15 in. July-August. Double, deep rose-red flowers in spikes. For groups and masses.

Monarda didyma.* 2 ft. July-October. Showy scarlet flowers in terminal heads.

Pentstemon grandiflorus.* 2 ft. July-August. Leafy spikes of showy purple flowers.

P. lœvigalus var. Digitalis.* 3 ft. July-August. Pure white flowers in spikes, with purple throats.

Platycodon grandiflorum (Campanula grandiflora). 3 ft. July-September. Deep blue, bell-shaped flowers. Dense, fine, erect habit.

P. Mariesi. 1 ft. July-September. Flowers larger; deep violet-blue. Heavier foliage.

AUGUST

Day Lily, Funkia subcordata. 18 in. August-October. Trumpet, lily-like, pure-white flowers in clusters, borne upon a stalk from the midst of a group of heart-shaped green leaves.

F. lancifolia var. albo-marginata. July-August. Lavender flowers. Lance-like leaves margined with white.

Flame Flower, Kniphofia aloides (Tritoma Uvaria). 3 ft. August-September. Bright orange-scarlet flowers, in close, dense spikes, at the summit of several scape-like stems. Leaves slender, forming a large tuft. For lawn and borders. Hardy only when covered with litter or straw in winter.

Cardinal Flower, Lobelia cardinalis.* 2-1/4-4 ft. August-September. Flowers intense cardinal-red, of unrivaled brilliancy. Tall spikes. Stems clustered; erect.

Giant Daisy, Chrysanthemum (or Pyrethrum) uliginosum. 3-5 ft. July-October. Flowers white, with golden centers. About 2 in. across. A stout, upright, bushy plant. Useful for cutting.

Golden Glow, Rudbeckia laciniata.* 6-7 ft. August-September. Large double golden-yellow flowers in great profusion. Bushy habit. Cut off when done flowering. Leaves appear at the base and a new crop of flowers, on stems about 1 ft. high, appear in October.

Goldenrod, Solidago rigida.* 3-5 ft. August-October. Flowers large for this genus, in close, short racemes in a corymbose-paniculate cluster. Fine, deep yellow. Erect habit. One of the best of the goldenrods.

SEPTEMBER

Japanese Wind-flower, Anemone Japonica. 2 ft. August-October. Flowers large, bright red. One of the best autumn flowers.

A. Japonica var. alba. Flowers pure white, with yellow centers. Fine for cutting.

OCTOBER

Hardy Chrysanthemums. The Chinese and Japanese Chrysanthemums, so well known, are hardy in light, well-drained soils, if well protected with litter or leaves during the winter, and in such situations will stand without protection south of Indianapolis. Chrysanthemums are gross feeders, and should have a rich soil.

But there is a race of hardier or border chrysanthemums that is again coming into favor, and it is sure to give much satisfaction to those who desire flowers in latest fall. These chrysanthemums are much like the “artemisias” of our mother’s gardens, although improved in size, form, and in range of color.

One hundred extra-hardy perennial herbs.

The following list of 100 “best hardy perennials” is adapted from a report of the Central Experimental Farm, Ottawa, Ontario. These plants are chosen from over 1000 species and varieties that have been on trial at that place. Those considered to be the best twenty-five for Canada are marked by a dagger †; and those native to North America by an asterisk *.

Achillea Ptarmica flore pleno.—Height, 1 foot; in bloom fourth week of June; flowers, small, pure white, double, and borne in clusters; blooming freely throughout the summer. †

Aconitum autumnale.—Height, 3 to 4 feet; September; flowers, bluish purple, borne in loose panicles.

Aconitum Napellus.—Height, 3 to 4 feet; July; flowers, deep blue, borne on a large terminal spike; desirable for the rear of the border.

Adonis vernalis.—Height, 6 to 9 inches; first week of May; flowers, large, lemon-yellow, borne singly from the ends of the stems.

Agrostemma (Lychnis) Coronaria var. atropurpurea.—Height, 1 to 2 feet; fourth week of June; flowers, medium size, bright crimson, borne singly from the sides and ends of the stems; a very showy plant with silvery foliage, and continues to bloom throughout the summer.

Anemone patens.*—Height 6 to 9 inches; fourth week of April; flowers, large, and deep purple.

Anthemis tinctoria var. Kelwayi.—Height, 1 to 2 feet; fourth week of June; flowers, large, deep yellow, borne singly on long stems; it continues to bloom profusely throughout the summer; is very showy and valuable for cutting. †

Aquilegia Canadensis.*—Height, 1 to 1-1/2 feet; third week of May; flowers, medium size, red and yellow.

Aquilegia chrysantha.*—Height, 3 to 4 feet; fourth week of June; flowers, large, bright lemon-yellow, with long slender spurs; much later than other columbines. †

Aquilegia cœrulea.*—Height, 1 to 1-1/2 feet; fourth week of May; flowers, large, deep blue with white center and long spurs. †

Aquilegia glandulosa.—Height, 1 foot; third week of May; flowers, large, deep blue with white center and short spurs.

Aquilegia oxysepala.—Height, 1 foot; second week in May; flowers, large, deep purplish blue with blue and yellow centers; a very desirable early species.

Aquilegia Stuarti.—Height 9 to 12 inches; third week of May; flowers, large, deep blue with white center; one of the best.

Arabis alpina.—Height, 6 inches; first week in May; flowers, small, pure white, in clusters.

Arnebia echioides.—Height, 9 inches; third week of May; flowers, yellow, borne in clusters with petals spotted with purple. One of the most charming of early flowering plants.

Asclepias tuberosa.*—Height, 1-1/2 to 2 feet; third week of July. Flowers, bright orange, borne in clusters. Very showy.

Aster alpinus.*—Height, 9 inches; first week of June; flowers, large, bright purple, borne on long stems from the base of the plant; the earliest flowering of all the asters.

Aster Amellus var. Bessarabicus.—Height, 1 to 1-1/2 feet; July to September; flowers, large, deep purple, singly on long stems; very fine. †

Aster Novæ-Anglæ var. roseus.*—Height, 5 to 7 feet; fourth week of August; flowers, bright pink, borne profusely in large terminal clusters; very showy.

Boltonia asteroides*—Height, 4 to 5 feet; September; flowers, smaller than the next, pale pink, borne very profusely in large panicles; much later than the next species.

Boltonia latisquama*—Height, 4 feet; first week of August; flowers, large, white, somewhat resembling asters, and borne very profusely in large panicles.

Campanula Carpatica.—Height, 6 to 9 inches; first week of July; flowers, medium size, deep blue, borne profusely in loose panicles; continues in bloom throughout the summer. A white variety of this is also good.

Campanula Grossekii.—Height, 3 feet; first week of July; flowers, large, deep blue, borne on a long spike.

Campanula persicifolia.—Height, 3 feet; flowers, large, blue, borne in a raceme with long flower stems. There are also white and double varieties which are good.

Clematis recta.—Height, 4 feet; fourth week of June; flowers, small, pure white, borne profusely in dense clusters. This is a very compact bushy species and desirable for the rear of the border. Clematis Jackmani with large deep purple flowers and Clematis Vitalba with small white flowers, are excellent climbing sorts.

Convallaria majalis* (Lily-of-the-valley).—Height, 6 to 9 inches; latter part of May.

Coreopsis delphiniflora.*—Height, 2 to 3 feet; first week of July; flowers, large, yellow, with dark centers and borne singly with long stems.

Coreopsis grandiflora.*—Height, 2 to 3 feet; fourth week of June; flowers, large, deep yellow, borne singly on long stems, blooming profusely throughout the summer.

Coreopsis lanceolata.*—Height, 2 feet; fourth week of June; flowers large though slightly smaller than the last, and borne on long stems, blooming throughout the season.†

Delphinium Cashmerianum.—Height, 1-1/2 feet; first week of July; flowers, pale to bright blue, in large open heads.†

Dianthus plumarius flore pleno.—Height, 9 inches; second week of June; flowers, large, white or pink, very sweet scented; and two or three borne on a stem. A variety called Mrs. Simkins is especially desirable, being very double, white and deliciously perfumed, almost equaling a carnation. It blooms the fourth week of June.

Dicentra spectabilis (Bleeding Heart).—Height, 3 feet; second week of May; flowers, heart-shaped, red and white in pendulous racemes.

Dictamnus albus.—Height, 1-1/2 to 2 feet; second week of June; flowers, white with an aromatic fragrance, and borne in large terminal racemes. A well-known variety has purple flowers with darker markings.

Doronicum Caucasicum.—Height, 1 foot; second week of May; flowers, large, yellow, and borne singly.

Doronicum plantagineum var. excelsum.—Height, 2 feet; third week of May; flowers, large and deep yellow.†

Epimedium rubrum.—Height, 1 foot; second week of May; flowers, small, bright crimson and white, borne in a loose panicle. A very dainty and beautiful little plant.

Erigeron speciosus.*—Height, 1-1/2 feet; second week of July; flowers, large, violet-blue, with yellow centers, and borne in large clusters on long stems.

Funkia subcordata (grandiflora).—Height, 1-1/2 feet; August; flowers, large and white, borne in racemes. The best funkia grown at Ottawa; both leaves and flowers are handsome.

Gaillardia aristata var. grandiflora.*—Height, 1 1/2 feet; third week of June; flowers, large, yellow, with deep orange centers, and borne singly on long stems. The named varieties, Superba and Perfection, are more highly colored and are of great merit. These all continue blooming profusely until late in the autumn.†

Gypsophila paniculata (Infant’s breath).—Height, 2 feet; second week of July; flowers, small, white, borne profusely in large open panicles.

Helenium autumnale*—Height, 6 to 7 feet; second week of July; flowers, large, deep yellow, borne in large heads; very ornamental in late summer.

Helianthus doronicoides.*—Height, 6 to 7 feet; second week of August; flowers, large, bright yellow, and borne singly; continues blooming for several weeks.

Helianthus multiflorus.*—Height, 4 feet; flowers, large, double, bright yellow, and borne singly; a very striking late-flowering perennial.

Heuchera sanguinea*—Height, 1 to 1-1/2 feet; first week of June; flowers, small, bright, scarlet, borne in open panicles; continues blooming throughout the summer.

Hemerocallis Dumortierii.—Height, 1-1/2 feet; second week of June; flowers, large, orange-yellow, with a brownish tinge on the outside, and three or four on a stem.†

Hemerocallis flava.—Height, 2 to 3 feet; latter part of June; flowers, bright orange-yellow and fragrant.†

Hemerocallis minor.—Height, 1 to 1-1/2 feet; second week of July; flowers, medium size and yellow; blooms later than the two preceding species and has a smaller flower and narrower foliage.

Hibiscus Moscheutos.*—Height, 5 feet; third week of August; flowers, very large, varying in color from white to deep pink. A variety called “Crimson Eye” is very good. This plant makes a fine show in late summer.

Hypericum Ascyron (or pyramidatum).*—Height, 3 feet; fourth week of July; flowers, large, yellow, and borne singly.

Iberis sempervirens.—Height, 6 to 12 inches; third week of May; flowers, pure white, fragrant, and borne in dense flat clusters.†

Iris Chamœiris.—Height, 6 inches; fourth week of May; flowers, bright yellow with brown markings.

Iris flavescens.—Height, 1-1/2 to 2 feet; first week of June; flowers, lemon-yellow with brown markings.

Iris Florentina.—Height, 2 feet; first week of June; flowers, very large, pale blue or lavender, sweet scented.†

Iris Germanica.—Height, 2 to 3 feet; first week of June; flowers, very large, of elegant form; color, deep lilac and bright purple, sweet scented. There is a large number of choice varieties of this iris.†

Iris lœvigata (Kœmpferi).—Height, 1-1/2 to 2 feet; first week of July; flowers, purple and modified colors, very large and distinct in color and shape.†

Iris pumila.—Height, 4 to 6 inches; third week of May; flowers, deep purple. There are several varieties.

Iris Sibirica.—Height, 3 to 4 feet; fourth week of May; flowers, deep blue, borne on long stems in clusters of two or three. This species has many varieties.

Iris variegata.—Height, 1 to 1 1/2 feet; first week of June; flowers, yellow and brown, veined with various shades of brown.

Lilium auratum.—Height, 3 to 5 feet; July; flowers, very large, white, with a yellow central band on each petal, and thickly spotted with purple and red. The most showy of all lilies and a splendid flower. This has proved hardy at the Central Experimental Farm, although it has been reported tender in some localities.†

Lilium Canadense.*—Height, 2 to 3 feet; latter part of May; flowers, yellow to pale red with reddish spots, pendulous.

Lilium elegans.—Height, 6 inches; first week of July; flowers, pale red; several varieties are better than the type.

Lilium speciosum.—Height, 2 to 3 feet; July; flowers, large, white, tinged and spotted with deep pink and red. Hardier than Lilium auratum and almost as fine. There are several fine varieties.†

Lilium superbum.*—Height, 4 to 6 feet; first week of July; flowers, very numerous, orange red, thickly spotted with dark brown. An admirable lily for the rear of the border. †

Lilium tenuifolium.—Height, 1 1/2 to 2 feet; third week of June; flowers, pendulous and bright scarlet. One of the most graceful of all lilies.

Lilium tigrinum.—Height, 2 to 4 feet; flowers, large, deep orange, spotted thickly with purplish black.

Linum perenne.—Height, 1 1/2 feet; first week of June; flowers, large deep blue, borne in loose panicles, continuing throughout the summer.

Lobelia cardinalis.*—Height, 2 to 3 feet; August; flowers, bright scarlet, borne in terminal racemes; very showy.

Lychnis Chalcedonica flore pleno.—Height, 2 to 3 feet; first week of July; flowers, bright crimson, double, and borne in terminal racemes.

Lysimachia clethroides.—Height, 3 feet; fourth week of July; flowers, white, borne in long spikes. A very striking late-flowering perennial.

Myosotis alpestris.—Height, 6 inches; third week of May; flowers, small, bright blue with a yellowish eye. A very profuse bloomer.

Œnothera Missouriensis.*—Height, 1 foot; fourth week of June; flowers, very large, rich yellow, and borne singly, throughout the summer.

Pœonia officinalis.—Height, 2 to 4 feet; early part of July. The double-flowered varieties are the best, and can be obtained in several colors and shades, †

Papaver nudicaule*—Height, 1 foot; second week of May; flowers, medium size, orange, white, or yellow, almost continuously until late autumn. †

Papaver orientale.—Height, 2 to 3 feet; first week of June; flowers, very large, scarlet, and variously marked, according to variety, there being many forms.

Pentstemon barbatus var. Torreyi.*—Height, 2 to 3 feet; first week of July; flowers, deep red, borne in long spikes, very ornamental.

Phlox amœna.*—Height, 6 inches; second week of May; flowers, medium size, bright pink, in compact clusters.

Phlox decussata* (the garden perennial hybrids).—Height, 1 to 3 feet; third week of July; flowers, of many beautiful shades and colors, are found in the large number of named varieties of this phlox, which continues to bloom until late in the autumn. †

Phlox reptans.*—Height, 4 inches; fourth week of May; flowers, medium size, purple, and borne in small clusters.

Phlox subulata* (setacea).—Height, 6 inches; third week of May; flowers, medium size, deep pink, and borne in small clusters.

Platycodon grandiflorum.—Height, 1-1/2 to 2 feet; second week of July; flowers, very large, deep blue, borne singly or in twos.†

Platycodon grandiflorum var. album.—A white-flowered variety of the above and makes a fine contrast to it when they are grown together. It blooms a few days earlier than the species.

Platycodon Mariesii.—Height, 1 foot; second week of July; flowers, large and deep blue.

Polemonium cœruleum.*—Height, 2 feet; second week of June; flowers, deep blue, borne in terminal spikes.

Polemonium reptans.*—Height, 6 inches; third week of May; flowers, medium in size, blue, and borne profusely in loose clusters.

Polemonium Richardsoni.*—Height, 6 inches; third week of May; flowers, medium in size, blue, borne profusely in pendulous panicles.

Potentilla hybrida var. versicolor.—Height, 1 foot; fourth week of June; flowers, large, deep orange and yellow, semi-double.

Primula cortusoides.—Height, 9 inches; third week of May; flowers, small, deep rose, in compact heads.

Pyrethrum (or Chrysanthemum) uliginosum.—Height, 4 feet; September; flowers, large, white with yellow centers, and borne singly on long stems.

Rudbeckia laciniata* (Golden Glow).—Height, 5 to 6 feet; August; flowers, large, lemon-yellow, double, and borne on long stems. One of the best of lately introduced perennials. †

Rudbeckia maxima.*—Height, 5 to 6 feet; July and August; flowers, large, with a long cone-shaped center and bright yellow rays, and borne singly. The whole plant is very striking.

Scabiosa Caucascia.—Height, 1-1/2 feet; first week of July; flowers, large, light blue, and borne singly on long stems, very freely throughout remainder of the summer.

Solidago Canadensis* (Golden-rod).—Height, 3 to 5 feet; first week of August; flowers, small, golden yellow, and borne in dense panicles.

Spiræa (properly Aruncus) astilboides.—Height, 2 feet; fourth week of June; flowers, small, white, very numerous, and borne in many branched panicles. Both foliage and flowers are ornamental.

Spiræa (or Ulmaria) Filipendula.—Height, 2 to 3 feet; third week of June; flowers, pure white, borne profusely in loose panicles. The foliage of this species is also very good. There is a double flowered variety which is very effective. †

Spiræa (Ulmaria) purpurea var. elegans.—Height, 2 to 3 feet; first week of July; flowers, whitish with crimson anthers, borne very profusely in panicles.

Spiræa Ulmaria (Ulmaria pentapetala).—Height, 3 to 4 feet; second week of July; flowers, very numerous, dull white, borne in large compound heads, having a soft, feathery appearance.

Spiræa venusta (Ulmaria rubra var. venusta).—Height, 4 feet; second week of July; flowers, small, bright pink, borne profusely in large panicles. †

Statice latifolia.—Height, 1-1/2 feet; first week of July; flowers, small, blue, borne very profusely in loose panicles. Very effective in the border.

Thalictrum aquilegifolium.—Height, 4 to 5 feet; fourth week of June; flowers, small, white to purplish, very numerous and borne in large panicles.

Trollius Europæs.—Height, 1-1/2 to 2 feet; fourth week of May; flowers, large, bright yellow, continuing a long time.

4. BULBS AND TUBERS

(See the particular culture of the different kinds in Chapter VIII; and instructions for forcing on *p. 345.)

It is customary to write of bulbs and tubers together, because the tops and flowers of all the bulbous and tuberous plants spring from large reservoirs of stored food, giving rise to similar methods of culture and of storage.

Structurally, the bulb is very different from the tuber, however. A bulb is practically a large dormant bud, the scales representing the leaves, and the embryo stem lying in the center. Bulbs are condensed plants in storage. The tuber, on the other hand, is a solid body, with buds arising from it. Some tubers represent thickened stems, as the Irish potato, and some thickened roots, as probably the sweet-potato, and some both stem and root, as the turnip, parsnip, and beet. Some tubers are very bulb-like in appearance, as the corms of crocus and gladiolus.

Using the word “bulb” in the gardener’s sense to include all these plants as a cultural group, we may throw them into two classes: the hardy kinds, to be planted in fall; and the tender kinds, to be planted in spring.

Fall-planted bulbs.

The fall-planted bulbs are of two groups: the “Holland bulbs” or early spring bloomers, as crocus, tulip (Fig. 255), hyacinth (Fig. 262), narcissus (Fig. 260), squill (Fig. 256), snowdrop; the summer bloomers, as lilies (Figs. 258, 259). The treatments of the two groups are so similar that they may be discussed together.

All these bulbs may be planted as soon as they are mature; but in practice they are kept till late September or October before they are put into the ground, as nothing is gained by earlier planting, and, moreover, the ground is usually not ready to receive them until some other crop is removed.

These bulbs are planted in the fall (1) because they keep better in the ground than when stored; (2) because they will take root in fall and winter and be ready for the first warmth of spring; (3) and because it is usually impossible to get on the ground early enough in spring to plant them with much hope of success for that season.

The bulbs lie dormant until spring, so far as outward appearances go; they are mulched to insure that they will not start in warm weather of fall or winter, and to protect the ground from heaving.

To secure good bulbs and of the desired varieties, the order should be placed in spring or early summer. For flower-garden effects, the large and mature bulbs should be secured; for colonizing in shrubbery or on the lawn, the smaller sizes may be sufficient. Insist that your bulbs shall be first class, for there is wide difference in the quality; even with the best of treatment, good results cannot be secured from poor bulbs.

It is not generally known that there are autumn-flowering bulbs. Several species of crocus bloom in the fall, C. sativus (the saffron crocus) and C. speciosus being the ones generally recommended. The colchicums are excellent autumn-blooming bulbs and should be more generally planted. C. autumnale, rosy purple, is the usual species. These autumn-blooming bulbs are planted in August or early September and treated in general the same as other similar bulbs. The colchicums usually remain in the ground several years in good condition.

All kinds of bulbs are partial to a deep, rich, water-free soil. This is no small part of their successful culture. The spot should be well drained, either naturally or artificially. In flattish and rather moist lands the beds may be made above the surface, some 18 inches high, and bordered with grass. A layer of rough stones a foot deep is sometimes used in the bottom of ordinary beds for drainage, and with good results, when other methods are not convenient, and when there is fear that the bed may become too wet. If the place is likely to be rather wet, place a large handful of sand where the bulb is to go and set the bulb on it. This will keep the water from standing around the bulb. Very good results may be had in heavy soil by this method.

The soil for bulbs should be well enriched with old manure. Fresh manure should never be allowed close about the bulb. The addition of leafmold and a little sand also improves the texture of heavy soils. For lilies the leafmold may be omitted. Let the spading be at least a foot deep. Eighteen inches will be none too deep for lilies. To make a bulb bed, throw out the top earth to the depth of 6 inches. Put into the bottom of the bed about 2 inches of well-rotted manure and spade it into the soil. Throw back half of the top soil, level it off nicely, set the bulbs firmly on this bed, and then cover them with the remainder of the earth; in this way one will have the bulbs from 3 to 4 inches below the surface, and they will all be of uniform depth and will give uniform results if the bulbs themselves are well graded. The “design” bed may be worked out easily in this way, for all the bulbs are fully exposed after they are placed, and they are all covered at once.

Of course, it is not necessary that the home gardener go to the trouble of removing the earth and replacing it if he merely wants good blooms; but if he wants a good bed as a whole, or a mass effect, he should take this pains. In the shrubberies and on the lawn he may “stick them in” here and there, seeing that the top of the bulb is 3 to 6 inches beneath the surface, the depth depending on the size of the bulb (the bigger and stronger the bulb, the deeper it may go) and on the nature of the soil (they may go deeper in sand than in hard clay).

As the time of severe winter freezing approaches, the bed should receive a mulch of leaves, manure or litter, to the depth of 4 inches or more, according to the latitude and the kind of material. If leaves are used, 3 inches will be enough, because the leaves lie close together and may smother out the frost that is in the ground and let the bulbs start. It will be well to let the mulch extend 1 foot or more beyond the margins of the bed. When cold weather is past, half of the mulch should be removed. The remainder may be left on till there is no longer danger of frost. On removing the last of the mulch, lightly work over the surface among the bulbs with a thrust-hoe.

If the weather happens to be very bright during the blooming season, the duration of the flowers may be prolonged by light shading—as with muslin, or slats placed above the beds. If planted where they have partial shade from surrounding trees or shrubbery, the beds will not need attention of this kind.

Lilies may remain undisturbed for years. Crocuses and tulips may stand two years, but hyacinths should be taken up each year and replanted; tulips also will be better for the same treatment. Narcissus may remain for some years, or until they show signs of running out.

Bulbs that are to be taken up should be left in the ground till the foliage turns yellow, or dies down naturally. This gives the bulbs a chance to ripen. Cutting off the foliage and digging too early is a not uncommon and serious mistake. Bulbs that have been planted in places that are wanted for summer bedding plants may be dug with the foliage on and heeled-in under a tree, or along a fence, to stand till ripened. The plant should be injured as little as possible, as the foliage of this year makes the flowers of the next. When the foliage has turned yellow or died down, the bulbs—after cleaning, and curing them for a few hours in the sun—may be stored in the cellar or other cool, dry place, to await fall planting. Bulbs that are lifted prematurely in this way should be planted permanently in the borders, for they will not make good flower-garden subjects the following year. In fact, it is usually best to buy fresh, strong bulbs each year of tulips, hyacinths, and crocuses if the best results are desired, using the old bulbs for shrubberies and mixed borders.

Crocuses and squills are often planted in the lawn. It is not to be expected that they will last more than two to three years, however, even if care is taken not to cut the tops closely when the lawn is cut. The narcissus (including daffodils and jonquils) will remain in good condition for years in grassy parts of the place, if the tops are allowed to mature.

List of outdoor fall-planted bulbs for the North.

Crocus.
Hyacinth.
Tulip.
Narcissus (including daffodil and jonquil).
Scilla, or squill.
Snowdrop (Galanthus).
Snowflake (Leucoium).
Chionodoxa.
Hardy alliums.
Bulbocodium.
Camassia.
Lily-of-the-valley.
Winter aconite (Eranthis hycmalis).
Dog-tooth violets (Erythronium).
Crown imperial (Fritillaria Imperialis).
Fritillary (Fritillaria Mekagris).
Trilliums.
Lilies.

Peonies, tuberous anemones, tuberous buttercups, iris, bleeding heart, and the like, may be planted in autumn and are often classed with fall-planted bulbs.

Winter bulbs (p. 345).

Some of these bulbs may be made to bloom in the greenhouse, window-garden, or living room in winter. Hyacinths are particularly useful for this purpose, because the bloom is less affected by cloudy weather than that of tulips and crocuses. Some kinds of narcissus also “force” well, particularly the daffodil; and the Paper-white and “Chinese sacred lily” are practically the only common bulbs from which the home gardener may expect good bloom before Christmas. The method of handling bulbs for winter bloom is described under Window-gardening (on *p. 345).

Summer bulbs.

There is nothing special to be said of the culture of the so-called summer-blooming and spring-planted bulbs, as a class. They are tender, and are therefore planted after cold weather is past. For early bloom, they may be started indoors. Of course, any list of spring-planted bulbs is relative to the climate, for what may be planted in spring in New York perhaps may be planted in the fall in Georgia.

The common “summer bulbs” are:—

Gladiolus
Tuberose
Dahlia
Canna
Arum
Calla
Calochortus
Alstremeria
Amaryllis
Colocasia

Shrubs for the South.

Many of the shrubs in the preceding catalogue are also well adapted to the southeastern states. The following brief list includes some of the most recommendable kinds for the region south of Washington, although some of them are hardy farther North. The asterisk * denotes that the plant is native to this country.

The crape myrtle (Lagerstrœmia Indica) is to the South what the lilac is to the North, a standard dooryard shrub; produces handsome red (or blush or white) flowers all summer; 8-12 feet.

Reliable deciduous shrubs for the South are: althea, Hibiscus Syriacus, in many forms; Hibiscus Rosa-Sinensis; Azalea calendulacea,* mollis, and the Ghent azalea (A. Pontica); blue spirea, Caryopteris Mastacanihus; European forms of ceanothus; French mulberry, Callicarpa Americana*; calycanthus*; flowering willow, Chilopsis linearis*; fringe, Chionanthus Virginica*; white alder, Clethra alnifolia*; corchorus, Kerria Japonica; deutzias, of several kinds; goumi, Elœagnus longipes; pearl bush, Exochorda grandiflora; Japan quince, Cydonia Japonica; golden-bell, Forsythia viridissima; broom, Spartium junceum; hydrangeas, including H. Otaksa, grown under cover in the North; Jasminum nudiflorum; bush honey suckles; mock orange, Philadelphus coronarius and grandiflorus*; pomegranate; white kerria, Rhodotypos kerrioides; smoke tree, Rhus Cotinus; rose locust, Robinia hispida*; spireas of several kinds; Stuartia pentagyna*; snowberry, Symphoricarpos racemosus*; lilacs of many kinds; viburnums of several species, including the European and Japanese snowballs; weigelas of the various kinds; chaste-tree, Vitex Agnus-Castus; Thunberg’s barberry; red pepper, Capsicum frutescens; Plumbago Capensis; poinsettia.

A large number of broad-leaved evergreen shrubs thrive in the South, such as: fetter bush, Andromeda floribunda*; some of the palms, as palmettoes* and chamærops; cycas and zamia* far South; Abelia grandiflora; strawberry tree, Arbutus Unedo; ardisias and aucubas, both grown under glass in the North; azaleas and rhododendrons (not only R. Catawbiense* but R. maximum* R, Ponticum, and the garden forms); Kalmia latifolia*; Berberis Japonica and mahonia*; box; Cleyera Japonica; cotoneasters and pyracantha; eleagnus of the types grown under glass in the North; gardenias; euonymus*; hollies*; anise-tree, Illicium anisatum; cherry laurels, Prunus or Laurocerasus of several species; mock orange (of the South), Prunus Caroliniana* useful for hedges; true laurel or bay-tree, Laurus nobilis; privets of several species; Citrus trifoliata, specially desirable for hedges; oleanders; magnolias*; myrtle, Myrtus communis; Osmanthus (Olea) fragrans, a greenhouse shrub North; Osmanthus Aquifolium*; butcher’s broom, Ruscus aculeatus; phillyreas*; Pittosporum Tobira; shrubby yuccas*; Viburnum Tinus and others; and the camellia in many forms.

Cornflower or Bachelor’s Buttons