The Rock Island daily Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1872-1873, 1873-03-11


many who have permanent homes are for
this reason detsrred from cultivating them, |
while 20 tfe transient occupant they are !
quite unhttainabIe. II seems ss if the
magnificent gladiolus had been created
especially % console US for the deficiency !
Of lilies, the flowers arranged on tall, scep-
ter-like stalks, and glowing with eolors OF
richness too wonderful to describe, white
Just blushing with rose or lilac, pure sui
phur yellow, orange, carmine with Threats
Of snow, crimson Hecked with violet
fame-like scarlet. and the palest, tenderest
salmon. From their exceeding beauty one |
would imagine bed Of them might cost
kings ransom, but they are not less lovely
because dozen can be bought for seventy
five cents. The best way to buy gladiolus
is to send 10 G. L. Alien, Queens, n Y,
for his wholesale Bulb Circular, and III
terest your neighbors and friends in unit
ing with you in purchasing BY the dozen OF
hundred. For several years | have had
many of his best seedlings sold in pack
ages Of dozen each, and they have truly |
rivaled named imported bulbs costing
from one to three dollars apiece. In pur-
chasing unnamed bulbs you viii have the
pleasure Of identifying them in that way
yourself, and will find every one so beauti-
full you eanscarcely decidoonnamesw worthy
of their loveliness. The process of raising
them from seed is very slow and tedious,
only suited TO the patience and skill Of the
professional florist but they increase rap
idly, as the parent bulb produces from one
10 seven new ones every year, besides many
little ones clustered about the base, which
should be carefully preserved and planted
the next year. When three fourths Of an
inch IN diameter they win bloom, and usu.
ally grow tothat size IN year or two. ]
quote directions for their culture from the
French catalogue Of Eugene Nerdier,
Paris, France, celebrated propgator
Of these bulbs Plant the bulbs In good
garden soil, well prepared they dislike
a stiff, compact soil, and succeed
well in friable sandy loan They ought
not to be planted in the same place for
several consecutive years but may be re-
turned to the SAME spot the second or
third year Dry warm soil requires old
cows manure, while in strong damp land
that from the horse stable is best. Fresh
manure, or much Of any kind, causes the
bulb 20 become diseased For succession
they may be planted from April till june,
every fortnight, hut those planted last will
not mature sufficiently before frost TO be
depended on. The largest bulbs generally
flower iirst but rarely produce the finest
spikes When planted simultaneously,
large, medium and small bulbs, there will
be good succession.
The glndiohs Is peculiarly suited
~ our climate as il endures our
severe drought and heat, though
the blossoms will not long remain in beau.
ty with the thermometer at 40 deg. as we
have hid for two summers past
Peonies, Dioentras, and the variou,
kinds of Iris, do remarkably well here, a
they bloom before the intense heat of sum
mer and will be found in great variety il
the Catalogues at reasonable prices
Though Dahlias are natives Of Mexic
they are found in the Terre Semperee @
the Cordeleras, which accounts for thei
impotence Of our hot summers, and dc
chning 10 bloom till autumn, when the
dress themselves with miracles of colo
blue alone being denied them Floris
have skillfully multiplied the varieties o
infuitum with prices for the newest
high as $500 each But only connoiseu
with money 10 waste buy high price
plants when they are first offered, wi,
flower lovers with shorter purses, sen
1925 to Dexter Snow, of Chickope,
Mass, and receive by mail name
dahlias, either large or boqu,
varieties according to their choice, selec
ed by himself with great discrimination
Mixed tubers without names can !
bought for much less, but in this way o.
will always receive some inferior ones
ordering dahlias always send for dry root
plants are sent out after May LIST at chea
er rates, but seldom make good tubers
the fall 10 keep over winter, though the
Is no difference in their blooming VIII,
received, put the roots into moist earth
such a way that they can be examined
know when they begin to grow. Sever
sprouts will often come from one tub,
and when an inch OF more long, with
sharp knife, they may Sbe carefully C
away with as large piece of the old 70
as practicable, each division making
additional plant They must not
placed in the open ground till all dang
Of frost is over.
Perhaps no one flower equals the pere
NAL PhlOx in lis many desirable qualiti,
There are both tall, and dwarf varieti
some commence TO bloom in June succet
ed by others till frost; while in color,
immense snowy clusters of flowers ran
In all shades between pure white and de
red, the striped varieties being very be-
tful. They are perfectly hardy, blossc
ing under much neglect but TO preser
them in health and beauty they should
divided and reset every two or three yea
As they only cost from fifteen to TWEEN
five cents, almost every one can add tn,
70 the lawn or garden.
vi course there are many beauti
plants we have been obliged to omit m,
tioning, only selecting a few SNOWY, eas
cultivated varieties which are within
reach OF every woman who can even sp
a daily half hour To make her no
sweet home FLORA TREMAINI