The Dickinson press., 1883-06-09
Hanging askets.


Not every one can have a flower
garden but every one can have a hang
ing-basket, In summer time at least.
The bringing of one into some tlowerless
home is often the beginning of lifelong
love for flowers, the more association of
which with daily duties is a refining IN
f%luence, and the more there is done to
make their culture universal the better.
Hanging-baskets can be bought of any
florist at prices ranging from 81 to 50
each, according to size and kind, and
the varieties of plants in them, from the
common wire basket to the rustic and
the fanrv e%artllen ware hanging pot.
The wire and rustic baskets are the fa-
%vorites, those n2de of wire anG being
best as far as the growing of plants is
concerned. In them plants seem to
thrive hest.
Some earthenware baskets are hand
some, being decorated with vine, and
medallions in relief, and generally taste
fully painted. They are also made in
the form of small logs of wood ofvarious
sizes; the appearance of log is SO we'll
initiated that most persons at first think
they are really sections of logs followed
out and filled with soil and plants.
Plants will grow as we'll in Il wire OK
muzzle, flattened out Il little, as i'll the
most costly rustic or eartlenwure bask-
cts; however, the wire baskets maize for
the purpose are neater than ox-muzzles,
many prefer them.
Those having baskets that have been
filled often attempt to fill them them
selves and generally make mistakes.
Florists will fill empty baskets for a
moderate price, using their own expert
ence and taste in putting in the proper
plants. In most flo raj catalogues the
basket plants are designated, or there is
a separate list. Line the basket neatly
with moss, the thinnest kind is best;
put in the soil, which should he fine and
rich, push and pack it into the moss and
the basket is ready to fill.
Put a plant of German or English ivy
or some other fine-leaved vine ut each
wire or chain; place Il lobelia and IL moss
pink, a kenilworth ivy, i'm the centre
put u %coleus, a fancy leaved geranium OF
a %centaurea, better known as "dusty
saNitraga (beefsteak or strawberry ger
anlnm), eithe, the plain green variety or
tl.s va,iegatv& white, green Aui lis,.t
pink one, on each side of the centre
plant then put in two or three cuttings
of tradescanthia, ofwhich there are now
several varieties, green, green and
bronze, green and white and L. multi
color, the latest, prettily v~ariegated
green, white and pink; the last, though
very handsome, is hot SO strong agrower
as the others, and has a tendancy to run
back to older varieties.
The plants named will fill the basket;
give it Il good watering and place it in II
cool shady place for q day or two before
hanging up. The above hints will do as
we'll for rustic and ~earthenware baskets
as for wire ones;Sbut before filling them
see that there are holes in the bottom
for drainage. lftlere should not be, rs
often sthe case, make them in some way.
The rustic baskets in particular are
often manufactured without holes for
drainage. Hunging-baskets should not
be hung whore they will get continual
sunshine. Keep them in at least partial
shade, and water whenever dry; nearly
every day, The wire baskets once a
week or oitener should be taken down
and put in u pail or tub of water and
gwen q five minutes soak.
Among plants suitable for baskets, not
mentioned above, are sweet alyssum,
particularly the varigated variety; gnaph-
alum, with downy white leaves; gazania,
the flowers Of which are orange and
black; the smaller growing varieties of
ferns; var. ice plant; Olhonna crassifolia;
trop volums, and variegated grasses; pani-
cunolar. is about the best Of the latter;
%coccaoba, achyranthus, cineraria mari
TINA, the %variegated trailing vinca, and
others, The rex class of besonias, With
their beautiful marked leaves, do we'll
in baskets, as do the Towering class.
Glaucophylla scandens is a variety with
a dropping habit, waxy light green
leaves and orange salmon flowers; it
does we'll in q basket by itself. The be-
gonias, however, must have shade, heat
and moisture, the first two in large sup
ply, to be grown slccess!ully.--F. w.
Harold, Kingston, Md.-N. y. Tribune.
Fun for the Dyspeptic.
The report that Mr.. Gladstone will
visit America is Premier tour.-The
Drummer.
Spa, l wish you would buy me Il little
pony" said Johnny. 81 haven't got any
money to buy you a pony, my son. You
should go to school regularly, my son,
| study hard, and become 81 smart man,
and some Of these days, when you grow
up, YOU will have money Of your own to
buy ponies with" Then, L suppose,
pa, you didn't study much when you
were a little boy like me, OF else you
would have money o to buy ponies
with, wouldn't you, pa?'-Texas Siftings