Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1905-04-08
FLOWERS ON The FARM.
A Suggestion for Beautifying the
Grounds About the Farm House
IN Summer

While the raising Of flowers is not re-
garded as a branch OF agriculture. il is
somehow insel araDle from it, and to a
limited extent always mas place on any
farm. wniic IL can easily be made one
OF The delights of country life. From
my earliest recollection / always had a
passion Ior towers and am now able
TO testify 10 the very material enlarge
ment on my world by the culture and
study OF them. such as i could not pos
sibiy have obtained an any other way.
But the farmer IS usually 50 overworked
in The growing season that he hnds, or
imagines he nnds. httle OF no time for
anything tnAs ne looks on as a mere
embelhshmelt. ana SO misses one OF the
pleasures that be rs surely entitled 10.
II anyone Is.
IL is not. after al. so much the Ques-
ton Of time as OF taste that determines
the matter for there are host OF the bet
ter flowers that wlll Ialrly take care OF
themselves wnen once established.
could name prouably a hundred species.
most of them well known and all desir-
able. that need 40 more care than good
mulch OF coarse manure once a year TO
keep down the arass and possibly a
fringe Of wire SCREEN q "a about them
TO keep fowls from describing IL. OF
course DO not mean roses brother flow
ering plants that are subject TO insect
ravages. though some OF them will flour
ish in spite OF their enemies with a lit
tie help
Then We have SO many attractive flow
ering shrubs and trees that il seems
too bad 10 find SO many farm houses
standing out bleak and bare TO the
weather a constant invitation 20 the
younger portion OF the family or the
community 20 depart Tor more congenial
climes.
/ am going 90 mention first the late
success / have had with tuberous- rooted
begonias which were said 20 be going
TO drive ont the geranium when they
first came ont. but which proved too
delicate and eNacting quite TO do that
The plan that works with me is simple
enough. and 10 produces a flower that
is beyond an others in the elegance OF
bloom that viii bee just as rampant in
October as in May if a little care is
taken 20 shield them from the early
frosts. II early blooming is thought
worth a special effort start the bulbs
indoors in March. They viii transplant
readily al any time. even in fun flower
as they have very little root a rich
soil and plenty OF water will carry them
through the summer. glory 10 all eyes
IL one should desire 10 save "a few al the
last they transplant into box perfect
ly. and will bloom some time indoors
Then take all 30 some dry place. safe
from freezing. soil and an. and let them
stand tin spring those not treated as
winter boomers being taken up with
some soil and left in it. The begouia
has no insect enemies.
The dahlia is still mostly a failure
with us not in late years being vigorous
enough. with an occasional exception
10 blossom in warm weather My col
lection stood still an summer. after get
ting a fair growth early. and produced
It's FIRST flowers in October. SAYS New
York CORES ondent OF Country Gentle
man. My site Is not OF the best. but find
professional florists quite often without
flowers in quantity. The development"
OF this desirable flower has weakened 10
very much as 10 has some Of our vege-
tables also.
OF late we are getting 20 the introduc-
tion of tall woody plants that produce
yellow flowers in the early fall the
Golden Glow Rudbeckia leading the
host. For the most part. they take up
very little room and they need but lit
lie care. unless 10 be 10 tie them up
against bad winds and rain storms.
They are an quite closely related botan-
ically. and include the sunfower In the
group. IL is hard 20 keep a floral corner
attractive all the season. as IL requires
a variety OF spring bulbs 20 begin with
early Derennials next ANNALS and sum
mer-foweri"g hubs after that. and the
late tall yellow Towering plants at the
end. The tuberous- rooted begonia GOES
far toward solving the problem