The Rock Island daily Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1872-1873, 1873-03-26
Written for TUE AHoU-,
Gardening for Ladies


contribute something TO the frost tax, but
the ease with which the places Of lost
favorites is supplied materially alleviates
ones regrets. Plants are transmitted as
safely, in every respect, through the mails
as by express My own experience is dc
cidedly in favor Of the former, having
never lost whole package by mail, as |
have by express, and | have received
through both sources, from Boston TO
Texas. Larger plants can he sent by ex-
press, but as florists skilltully produce an
extra growth of roots upon small mailable
plants for the purpose OF making trans
portation safe, think them the most dc
sirablc in all respects, unless expressed in
the pots Just as they grew, which can
rarely be done Some dealers make o
specially Of mailing plants, and It is won
dertul in what perfect order they arrive
after days Of travel Charles A. Reeser
of Pleasantvile, Nenango county Penn
is remarkable, both tor the size OF his
plants and the skin with which they are
packed 1t is a great pleasure to find u
half yard Of choice ivy coiled up in pack
aye with fuchsias large enough to blossom,
vigorous geraniums and roses. One dol
iar will buy six varieties of either Of the
three last named and his catalogue, which
/. sent free on application. offers an infinite
number of other plants Mt equally reason
able prices IL A. Catlin, of Cory, Penn
sylyana sends q dozen miscellaneous
plant, for one dollar, embracing those
suited for bedding purposes pot, and
hanging baskets, and tempts one with bOu-
vardil, begonias double and yariegated
pcrauiums. helietropes iyies, etc, etc,
at only fifteen cents each while his cata-
loguc cnumcrates q whole wilderness OF
other loveliness at correspondingly low
rates If one is purchasing their first
plants it is best to leave the choice to the
florist. who will not send collection OF hot
and greenhouse plants together no two
naturally adapted 10 each others society,
a. noyices are too apt 10 select wheneit to
themselves With discretion he chooses
for the inexperienced list in which each
pllut has some distinguishing excellence
and all are easy Of cultivation. for II is a
policy indorsed by honesty to tascinatc his
customers by successful flower culture.
Few plants bloom constantly, and one
learns To admire a mass of healthy, lux
uriaut foliage almost rs much as the
brighter flowers which, after all, are only
changed and colured leaves OF late year,
foliage plant. have been so improved and
multiplied that with their gorgeously tint
ed and yeined leaves they may be said to b,
always in blossom. Toill n window, selec
achyranthcs gold, silver and tri-color &c
raniums. arrange brackets on each sid,
holding pots Of the harder large-eayeC
becouias add a hanging basket of tn,
,ilyery centaurca plumosa, aud colder
feather .pyrethum smilaN, yariegateC
coliseum ivy and saXitraga iaponica tr
color. and arch the whole with silver aut
variegated iNiez Believe me, you will no
want blossoms to intrude on AL this beauty
None Of these plants mentioned are liabl
t. be infested with insects, and require II
unusual care Fuchsias have been so i'm
proved by artfl cultivation that they no,
take rank with foliage plants as well a
hold their position among the loyeliest d
flower, The pale green of some varicte
contrasts finely with the golden f1iag,
purple, bronze and crimsou.tinted leave
Of others
The catalogue of John Saul of Wasl
ington D. C., gives a comprehensive Ii,
of the very best old and new varietie,
and offers, beside the novelties of the day
Fuchsias are more difficult Of cultiyatio
IN our hot dry summers, needing shad
and frequent moisteuing of the foliage b
Swinging as they are very liable 10 the al
tack OF red spiders both summer and viii
ter The hydrangea yariegata is one ,
the most elegant Of ornamental leave
plants for summer decoration and like a
of is kind almost an aquatic in it, love
water The abutilon pictum is the pre-
test OF it, family with it, bright leaves
green and gold Basella yariegata is
very beautiful shrubby variety Of the Nj
deira vine, and the richness of hoya VI
rigata WAX plant cannot be surpassed
while it has the merit Of growing rapid
when once established Every one know
the brilliant and easily cultivated coleu
but the new varieties far excel the u
ones now -u common, the chameleon i
particular well deserves its name Tn
cl-,u- dlscplUr is properly a hot hous
climber and will not retain it, foliage dur
lug the winter in a sitting room, but it
magnificent summer foliage well repay
cultivation. it, leahess stems retain the
vitality if not frosted and in the latte
part Of spring clothe themselves wit
leaves Of purple and green, busted wit
glittering silver. Triiasciata pas.ihora
another plant Of the same class and near
a. beautiful.
OF all the foliage plants in which am
teurs may indulge themselves the warrior
caladiums are perhaps the most maguii
cent, Enthusiastically colored, blotched an
veined. and over the whole a colder
crimson or purple sheen is thrown whic
the eye now catches and now loses in III
sunshine. They are not set out till MAJ
and require great care in starting to prt
vent decay. Place the corms in pots file
with a mixture of one half rich earth an
one-iourth each Of sand and powdere
charcoal Cover the pot and set it in Ii
sun keeping the soil slightly damp, ii ,c
they will decay When a sprout appea
they are safe, and as they grow, should r
ceive more water, requiring no more d
tention than other plants afterward, till
the autumn the leaves die away and Tn,
are ready for a winter rest If possib
commit them now to the csre Of a fori:
for it is very difficult to preserve Il
corms during the winter as they must
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