National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1874-04-10
SHRUBS AND FLOWERS.

SHRUBS AND FLOWERS.
Soon earnest work will be necessary in the
flower garden. Let it be put in order, bushes
and shrubs trimmed and tied up, and adressing
Of good compost applied to all the beds. Seeds
of hardy annuals and blennials may be sown,
and towards the close Of the month, bulbs,
such as gladioll, may be planted. In setting
out shrubery let me advise you ladies, before
you go extensively into the purchase Of novel;
ties, many of which are s1ar fetched and dearly
bought" to see your beds are provided with our
old-tirse friends, such as gave our childhood so
much pleasure, the Lilac, Syringa, Rose Acacia,
Pyrus Japonica, the old Snow Ball that has
given all of US so much pleasure when children,
and even in counting days, by playing at snow
balling; the large white, bah-formed flower
afording good imitation Of natural snow
balls; besides other old.time shrubs now too
much neglected and made to give place to
newer but inferior sorts. OF some of the newer
varieties would recommsndLDwsrf Arbor
Vita, Grape Myrtle, planted by the side of the
old Pink Grape Myrtle, makes q striking con-
trast and pleasing effect. The improved Clean
ders, white, red and yellow, with other diff
ferent shades Of color and forms of flowers,
must have place on the grounds, lin groups.
We may look for the blooming Of the Meze-
reum; Comedian cherry-beautifui; Towering
currants; Tartarian honeysuekle; mahonia, o
Rocky mountain species of bebrerry; Japan
ounce; and that old but lovely dwarf flower
ing almond; to these will be added the bios
SONS of many trees.
THE pAFFoDn
should always find place on the border. The
pyrus japonica, or Japan ounce, q thorny
shrub, slow of growth, but beautiful in It's pink
and crimson glory when grown, gives mag
nifcent display in early spring. The phlox is
always beautiful and desirable. There are
several kinds. The hardy tulip, the many
hued gladioli, the many kinds of lilies-sll of
which are now cheap-will give increased and
increasing loneliness to the yard of the million
aire, or the doorway of the humble mechanic,
who comes home after his toll of the day is
done to sit under his pleasant roof with his little
prattlers, and with Mary, the eldest, whose
busy hands have found time to plant and nurse
these lovely things.
| A few hardy roses, in variety, can be had for
| a mere pittance. There are many other kinds
just as beautiful and desirable as the above,
but we name these only to give hint to those
who may desire to plant few when the spring
| time opens.
Do not neglect It. Do not cramp yourself
down between walls all your lives, while Gods
most beautiful creations are to be had at such
trifing cost.
of the daily sort, may be obtained early, by
| having them in q warm room that has a south
window, and as soon as they begin to grow,
| admit air in small portions, about once
every day that the sun has any effect. Such
must be well supplied with water.
Bulbs in glasses must be supplied with fresh
water at least once a week, In which period
they will inhale all the nutritive gas that they
can derive from that element if they are in a
growing state.
CAMELLIAs
when in bud and flower, should never be al
lowed TO become the least dry. neither confined
from fresh air. The effect would be, that the
bud would become stinted, dry, and drop off.
Therefore to have these in perfection, attend
strictly to watering. Give frequent airings and
wash the leaves occasionally with water. Never
keep them in dry room where there Is a strong
coal fire. Most of the camellias will bear three
degrees of frost without the smallest injury, so
they are easier kept than geraniums, except
| when they are in bloom. In that state frost
will destroy the flowers. Tho air of a close
cellar is also destructive to the buds. The rca-
son that the camellis does not bloom perfectly
| in parlors or other heated rooms, is owing to
their being too warm and arid, destroying the
vital vegetable principle Of the plant, and soon
1t perishes.
There is one way in which these plants can
| be kept perfect, even in dry places, when the
| recess of the window is of sufficient depth to
allow plants to stand within 1t, inclosing them
from the apartment by another sash; in such q
situation water could be placed, which would
keep the atmosphere between the windows per-
| fectly moist. The verdure would be rich and
the flowers brilliant; and they would be COM
pletely protected from dust-the whole would
have a very pleasing effect. Attention will be
requisite to give them air during the mild part
of the day. 1t does not appear that any of the
scentless products given out by plants are in
furious to human beings, because those who
| live among accumulated plants are not less
healthy than others, but rather enjoy more
uninterrupted health, which, of Itself, is a
sufficient Recommendation for all to spend their
| leisure moments In so healthful and rational
an employment.
SOWING FLOWER SEEDS.
Seedsmen no doubt sell bad seeds sometimes;
| but this Is extremely rare. It may be that
they are no more honest than other people, but
after all the world is not half SO dishonest as
people are apt to believe. But there is little
occasion for seedsmen to sell bad seeds. If an
article is new or rare there is seldom any more
in the market than is needed, and there is no
| old left on hand to sell.
But, granting that once in a while the seed
may be bad, in the vast msjoriy of failures OF
seed to grow, it is either from the seed rotting
or getting too dry. 1t is rare indeed that seeds,
especially of the smaller kinds, are not put in
the ground too deep. Seeds need air and
moisture to vegetate. Deprived of air they
will not grow. The common rag-weed seed
| plowed down, perhaps not more than four
inches, remains good for years until plowed up
again. If seeds can be kept regularly moist
they will grow better entirely on the surface
than beneath. We have to put them a little
under in order to keep them moist.
Tho soil in which seeds are to be sown should
therefore be powdered fine, because powdered
soil keeps moist longer and better than q clot-
| ty one. Any one may see this. Have piece
of ground dug roughly, and let it lie few days
| to dry, and then walk across it. 1t will be
| found next morning that where the ground
was powdered by the footsteps the surface is
quite damp. Very fue seeds are best sown
on the surface and then beaten firmly in by the
trowel. Most annual seeds may be sown In
this way. They usually soon sprout after SOW
ing, and there is moisture enough In this beat
en- a-th TO keep them going till they do; and
then they are near the surface so as to get the
air, according to the requirements of good
gardening.
THE DOUBLE GERANIUMs.
These beautiful flowers are rather of modern
creation, though half double ones have been
known for over forty years. The old and we'll
known Tom Thumb, was supposed to be
hybrid between the old ivy-leayed and the old
Scarlet, but this was never more than guess,
and for what Is now known of the way plants
vary, without hybrdizstion, It Is now hardly be-
lieved. But this Tom Thumb, in some mar-~-
as pyste-'~-'- - -----U.
90 It's own birth, originated some
half double ones, which, however, never had Q
great reputation. It had, however, something
to do with the parentage of some of the Eng
lish doubles. These were anterior to the pro-
duction Of doubles by the French kinds, which
seems to have. originated Independently in
France. Sisley is the great father Of the French
doubles, and 1t is only since his kinds came
well known that the double geraniums have
become so popular. They are beautiful as pot
or window plants, but for outdoor gardening
hardly flower so freely as the single kinds.
AMERICAN TUBERosEs.