The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1878-04-04
AGRICULTURAL.


A Selection OF Plants tor Small Gardens.
At recent meeting of the Worcester Hor-
ticultural Society Mrs. 7. l.. Nelson read an
interesting essay on 'The best Dozen Annu-
ais and Perennial Towering Plants" We
make the following extracts, which Will be
found of value to those whose gardening ia
ciities are limited aud forbid any extensive
variety. The selections made by Mrs. Nelson
are very judicious:
Foremost among the hardy plants I place
the rose; no garden is complete without it.
The chief difficulty seem to be insects, and
with care they may be kept in subsection.
The finest among June roses areMad. Har-
dy, Mad. Planter, the Damask, and the moss
es. also take in the old white rose, which
to me is the sweetest rose grown, but either
through neglect or because it is not as much
OF favorite with others, as with myself, we
rarely find it in gardens at the present day.
Then the hybrid perpetuals in every shade
from white to darkest crimson, they surely
must have place. OF course all the climbing
roses are desirable, and we have only to
choose which we will have. And branching
from my subject, the roses we call tender, the
ever-blooming class, Tea, Bourbon, Nosette,
and Bengal are almost as hardy as the hybrid
perpetuals.
Next to the rose is the lily. In almost ev-
cry garden we find the white lily (Funkia
Albia), with beautiful light green leaves,
thriving in almost any location, producing its
pure and exquisitely fragrant blossoms day af-
ter day for weeks, and it is well worth its Gull
walton. Ceruleum quite similar, except the
flowers are smaller, light blue, and the foliage
deep green. There is variogated variety
(Marginatum), with mauve colored blossoms.
All are perfectly hardy, and do not require
the slightest protection. Candidum blooming
In June, longiforum in July, and the japonis
in August, are the most common with us;
these are all hardy with the exception of Au-
ratum and longiforum, which should have a
dressing of leaves or manure. There is almost
an endless variety of hardy lilies, which will
thrive in the same soil. with precisely the
same treatmtnt.
The pink stands high in my estimation.
The hardy piuks (those that we call the old.
fashioned pinks) we all know are easily
grown. The dianthus is one of our most val
liable ANIMALS. The old Chinese has been
carefully hybrdized with Heddewedgii and
other fine varieties, thereby producing many
new and splendid varieties. Seeds planted in
the spring, in good soil, produce plants which
bloom during the summer and autumn, even
after hard fr0sts, and if care is taken to give
slight protection, they make strong plants
of the next year, and, indeed, for number
of years. Dianthus Barbatus Sweet William)
dy, blooms freely and in exceedingly rich and
beautiful colors. Give it little space and
you will not be sorry. Carnation pinks are
almost hardy, and need only few leaves
thrown over them to insure prOfuse and
beautiful bloom in summer.
The petunia is almost invaluable in the gar
den. Blooming when quite small, and con-
tinuing to bloom late in the autumn, it is no
wonder that it is a general favorite. I am
speaking more especially of the single varie
ties, striped, blotehed, notified, fringed, small
year after year and blooming profusely in the
blazing sun.
The aquilegia is in high favor at the pres
ent time, and one reason is, it has, in a meas
ure, been allowed to die out, but it has
been found that no flower can take its place,
and / find this is growing feeling among the
people old plants have been thrown away to
make way for new ones, and finding these al
most worthless they go back to the old
tried friends of their early days. Coming, as
they do, from cold regions, we can at once see
how very valuable they are to New Eng
landers. Our wild varieties are easily trans
planted, and readily adapt themselves to their
new location.
The Clematis needs not to have its praises
sounded. In shows for itself in many gardens
in this city. Blooming freely where many
plants fail, and in so many different shades,
from the large white varieties, and small jes-
samine-like flower and foliage of famula, ex
quisitely fragrant, through the different
shades ofmauve and purple, tojackmani, who
wears the purple of the king right royalty.
OF the phlox family enough cannot be said. In
the hardy varieties, instead of the three or
four varieties of years ago, we have almost an
endless number of varieties, as they are con-
stantly being added to, we have a great many
to choose from. And here let me mention
class of ANIMALS and perennials which con-
slider of great value: The Gypsophila muralis,
low growing, small pink annual, so light and
delicate, it seems almost as If to take it up
would crush it, still it keeps some time in
water, and think it is very lovely. Panicu-
lata, hardy white perennial, Towering in pam
icles on thread-like stems, very useful with
other flowers, giving lightness unsurpassed
to bouquet or dish of flowers. 1t is also USE
ful for winter boquets, drying like immor-
telles.
Sweet peas should be in every garden.
Plant them as you would garden peas, in
wide, deep drill, and do not make the soil too
rich, or you will have more vines than BIOS
SONS. Some of the perennial varieties are
beautiful, but they lack the fragrance of the
annual.
The pansy is general favorite, and many
from seeds, Nothing is easier. Plant in box
es in the spring for fall bloom, and in the
ground in August or September, for spring
bloom. Get the plants well started, if in the
ground, and cover lightly. II in the house or
frame, set them in the ground as soon as it is
free from frosts.
The propeolum, or, as we call, the species
which is grown in the open ground, nastur-
ton, is rapid grower free bloomer.
The morning glory is perhaps as well known
as any climber. Convolvulus, its true name,
is metimes classed with ipomea, of which
there are many beautiful varieties. The Cy-
prus vine belongs also to the ipom@a family.
The aster is very easily grown.
The balsam is not as easy of cultivation as
some of the ANIMALS. That is, it requires more
care than ANIMALS that can be sown, and left
by simply thinning, like mignonnette, sweet
alysum and candituft. The plants must be
transplanted.
Snapdragon is very beautiful and is very
easily grown. grew some last year, and
could see no difference between those plants
grown in sun or in partial shade.
American Potatoes in England.
Steadily our industries are pressing on Eng
lish products. The London Times asserts