Northern Wisconsin advertiser. [volume] (Wabeno, Wis.) 1898-1925, 1905-10-19
Some Special Purpose plants.


pose, but is not familiar enough with
plants to make a satisfactory selection
of sorts with which to carry out his
plans. Do you want something to
serve as sort of hedge to mark the
boundary between flower and vege,
table garden, or to hide something un.
slightly? asks correspondent of the
New York Tribune Farmer. The
zinnia is a good plant for this pur-
pose. 1t is of the easiest possible cul.
ture. Any one can grow it, and it will
grow anywhere. 1t reaches a height OF
four feet in ordinary soil, anu
branches so freely that there are no
gaps close to the ground 1t blooms
with great profusion throughout the
greater part of the season. Its colors
are wide in range and very brilliant.
Sweetpeas make a good hedge if
properly supported. The best effect is
secured by giving them brush to
Chamber over. This allows them to
reach out in all directions, and does
away with the rather prim and formal
effect of a wire trellis or support
of strings. Let the brush used be
spreading in character and about
three feet high after setting. BY
sharpening the bush at it's base it
will be an easy matter to insert it
firmly into the ground. Set it at
least eight inches deep, to prevent its
topping over under the great weight
of fully-Ieveloped vines. Such a
hedge is very pleasing, and requires
very little attention after setting the
brush. Keep seed from forming if
you want flowers throughout the sea-
son.
The best vines FOR covering I'M
slightly buildings are morning glories
and the wild cucumber. The latter is
of wonderfully rapid growth, often
growing 20 to 80 feet in a season, ana
is therefore excellent for clamberins
up trees and to the second stories or
buildings. 1t takes kindly to coarse
meshed wire netting. In late sum-
mer it is mass of delicate white
flowers, making the vine look as IL
covered with newly-fallen snow. The
morning glory often attains height of
Is feet or more, but it is most effec,
tive when confined to the lower stories
of the house. 1t is charming for
covering verandas, porches and sum
mer houses, or to train over exposed
windows and doorways as a screen
against the sunshine When used
for the latter purpose it is a good plan
to make a wooden frame and fasten
to the top of door or window support
ing it on each side by braces from the
frame and train the vines over it
This gives us floral awning that is
delightful to look at, very practical as
a shade, and that prevents the vines
from getting in the way from over
head.
Do you like beds of fine foliaged
plants, suggesting tropical effects?
The best plant you can select for such
use is the ricinas, or castor plant.
This often reaches a height of or 10
feet 1t has immense foliage of a rich,
bronze-green, OVERLAND with a
coppery luster. Three or four plants,
grouped, make a fine display. Smaller
beds, filed with amaranthUs, having
dark Indian red foliage, and long
tassel-like strings of dull red flowers,
are very pretty. Both these plants can
be grown from seed If you want an
exceedingly brilliant show of color, at
midsummer, the gladiolus is the plant
to use. Never plant it singly, if you
desire a solid effect. Group it, by all
means setting the roots five or six
inches apart. Then set stout stakes
at each end of the row, and run wires
over them, at height of is or 20
inches from the ground, to furnish sup
port for the tall flower stalks, which
are heavy, and easily broken down by
wind and storms. | know of no plant
nore brilliant and varied in color
Groups of it will give solid effect
that will delight you.
If you want a compact, low-growine
Towering plant as an edg1ng for BEDS
use sweet alyssum or white candytuft.
Ageratum, lavender blue, is extremity
DItLly WnCl1 uSSu Win "hoSO
color is in harmony with its own, like
pale yellow phlox drummondi, or the
pure white varieties. For low beds
the verbena is unrivaled. 1t is rich
in color, red, rose, purple, violet,
scarlet, crimson and pure white, forms
a thick mass of branches and blooms
with great freedom until frost comes.
For hot, sunny locations, near the
path, or where it can be looked down
upon, there is nothing superior to the
ortulacca 1t fiouTishes in heat that
would prove sure death to ordinary
plants. Do you want some flowers to
cut from? Try nasturtiums, sweet
peas, scabiosa, 10-week stock and
asters.
For late Towering the aster is our
best plant. Especially Semple's
branching, in white, pale lavender and
soft rose. These are as fine as
chrysanthemums. They last for two
weeks. AS they have very long stalks,
they can be arranged in many ways
a. . = 49, A