Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-03-22
SPRINGS FAV0RITES.
Daffodils Are Bursting Into Beauty
and Freesias Are Going.
ORCHIDS RECENTLY INTRODUCED.
Effective Flower Window in Framework
Of Rustic Design.
A NOVELTY IN Art DECORATION
ORCHIDS RECENTLY INTRODUCED
NOVELTY In Art DECORATION
WRITTEN FOR THE DISPATCH.

WRITTEN FOR THE DIsPArcHI
The modest daffodils are now opening
their pretty flowers to the sunlight in all the
florists windows, and as soon as spring
weather will permit they will be blooming
in every garden. They are very fashion,
able flowers in early spring, and quantities
Of them are used for bouquets and house
decoration. But the dafodiI shows of to
the best advantage when formed in wide
borders in the garden or park or bedded out
in some design. In outdoor cultivation they
should be given a westerly situation and be
planted in good. rich rurfy soil with ample
depth and good drainage. Rank. rich fertilizers
are not beneficial; they rather injure the plants.
Soil In which coarse, gritty stones or the dbers
and roots of trees are mixed is the best for the
white trumpet daffodil, one of the brightest Of
springs favorites
Among the bulb plants that boon late in
winter and early in spring and then let their
glory depart from them until another season
OF cold weather IS the common freesia, known
and appreciated by all flower lovers No other
winter flowers are more easily propagated than
this. or more enjoyable for their beauty and
fragrance. The bulbs first came to this coun-
try from the Cape of Good Hope through the
efforts OF the Massachusetts horticultural
Society. and it was through members of that
gated. 1t is now plant that has become uni
versally known and admired, and yet il was
only few years ago that it was unknown to
TINS country. Their blooming period extends
from January TO the latter part OF March, when
the bulbs should be riDened and stored in some
dry place until next fall. The flowers are tube
shaped, fragrant, and in color white, with just
spot of yellow on the lower petals Strong,
vigorous bulbs should only be secured, and
these will throw up stems from Is to IS inches
nigh Ever since its strange Introduction in
this country the freeSia has been steadily gain
ing in popularity, and for house and conserTa-
tory culture it ranks high.
Still CuItfvating the Orchid.
Orchid culture is not declining by any means,
and this is attested to by the fact that there are
more people engaged in hybridizing them than
ever before; many for the love of the work and
others with the vague nope that they will pro-
duce something that will realize for them large
sums of money. There are two new orchids
that have recently been introduced that de-
serve notice. Belonging to the popular genus
cypripedium. they have come from widely diff
fereEt sections of the country. q. Elliot
tianum was introduced from the Philippine
Islands ands Q. Rothschildianum from New
Guinea, although they are closely allied and
practically have the same shape OF flower. The
colors of the flowers. however. are different
Both OF them have received popular attention
and command high prices.
In Belgium, wherever you go. you see spaces
between double sashed windows illed IN tho
Elsewhere the balconies are turned into greeny
houses. and you find. on the flth or sixth hooH
miniature greenhouse, gay with the brightest
flowers and the greenest foliage. In PariA
there are many such contrivances where theI
rarest plants are found. Camellas grow in the(
open ground. Pas ion flowers cling to the col y
umns; the creeping fig forms a carpet upon the
walls, and water plants start up from tiny
basins curiously cOntriyed in the solid brick
work. BY turning faucet stream OF limpid
water flows down a rock from the creViees OF
which start up terms and lycepods.
a. Novel Flower Window.
Americans seldom devote as much art and
ingenuity in growing plants in their windows
as this. but here is description of a simpler
but not less effective flower window that many
see in this country. Secure four green sticks of
wood about three or four inches in diameter.
Make framework of them Just the size of the
window. allowing the ends to overlap at each
corner. Secure them over the inside window
frame by two long spikes. The color of the
wood will be brought out better by vanishing.
Then gather green and gray Hchen5 from logs,
trees and stumps and sew them close together
on three strips Of muslin, Just wide and long
enough to fit snugly between the window panes
and the outside frame. Tack the strips OF mus
lin on both sides and over the top of the window.
Side brackets should then be arranged for
flower pots, and window box of growing
plants should be concealed from view by cover
ing them with large. oddly-shaped hchens,
which will give the effect of supporting the
PIAs gi& large hornets nest may be suspended from
the center of the window and the ivy vines
trained around it. Some climbing plant should
be grown in one of the corner pots on the sill,
and these should De trained up and around the
rustic framework partly to hide the green
bark from view. A few ferns at least should
be grown in the window, and the other plants
should be selected for their bloom rather
than for their foliage.
Beauties Made With Paint
A picturesque flower window constructed
after the fashion of the French and Belgian
extension windows, or plant conservatories
greatly enhance the beauty Of the home both
from without and within. Art decorators have
anticipated flower growers in this respecI, and
novel extension window was recently COM
pleted which. for un!queness and originality,
has never been surpassed.
An ordinary extension window was
structed and then on the inside of the glass the
finest exhibition of the painters skill was
brought into play. Perfect flower pots, with
running vines and towering plants of every
color and size, were painted on the
glass. Shelves and brackets apparently sup
ported the flower pots, and from the top of the
window a tine hanging basket of vines and
green sprays that appeared to be growing from
invisible pots inside were dimly seen against
the panes of glass, and so perfect was the glass
painting that people from the street verify be-
lieved that they were gazing upon one of the
finest collection of house plants ever brought
together in one private house. Expensive
orchids, dollhouse roses, beautiful chrysanthe-
nuns bOomed there the year round, and no.
body realized the deception until they went in
side TO smell of the "lovely flowers" Then the
deusion was broken, for not a flower met their
gaze; but Tor outside effects this wIn1ow is
superb. HELEN WHARBURDoN.