_February 22d, 1868._
The love of flowers is steadily increasing among the common people of
America, and anything which shall increase the knowledge and skill of
the _plain people_ in the management of flowers will be a contribution
to the public welfare.
Those that are rich can command the services of expert gardeners, and
need no advice from me. But there are thousands who have ground enough
around their dwellings, and yet have little knowledge in the selection
of plants and flowers, and little skill in the cultivation of them, to
whom I may be of some service if I give such hints as have been
derived chiefly from my own experience.
Assuming, then, that my reader has given but little attention to the
cultivation of flowers, and that he needs to be told the simplest
things, I would begin by recommending him to send for a _catalogue_ of
flowers to Mr. Vick, Rochester, N. Y., or to Mr. B. K. Bliss, of Park
Place, New York, or Mr. Thorburn, John Street, also New York; not, as
might at first be supposed, for the sake of the list of seeds, but
because each catalogue contains brief directions how to prepare the
ground, how to sow various kinds of seeds, etc., etc. With such hints
as these catalogues afford, one can begin. The very first step is to
_succeed the first year in admirably raising one or two things_. If
one undertakes too much before having practical experience he will
fail, become disgusted, and give up the whole effort at flowers in
discouragement. But the exquisite delight of seeing a bed of flowers,
of your own raising, and thoroughly good, will be apt to inspire a
real ambition, and lay the foundation for future success with more
difficult flowers.
I will suppose a young lady, who never has cultivated flowers, but who
can afford to hire a man’s services for one or two days in the spring.
She is to perform all the rest of the work herself. What shall she
plant?
_Morning-glories._ If possible, select a place which the morning sun
will not reach before nine or ten o’clock in the forenoon, in order to
save the daily bloom from withering before you have had half enough
enjoyment. Let the ground be made mellow, and enriched with black dirt
from the woods, or with old and well-decayed barn-yard manure, or, if
neither are convenient, with a pint of _superphosphate of lime_ to
each square yard of ground, well mixed into the soil. This can now be
bought in almost every large town, or the merchant who sells seeds
will procure it for you.
The common sorts of morning-glories, if combined, will answer well.
But one who would do the best should have two beds, one of the
_Convolvulus_ and the other of _Ipomea_. The difference is of
importance only to a botanist. To the common eye the flowers are the
same. Of _Ipomeas_ there is a _puce_-colored one, which blossoms late
in the afternoon, named _Buona Nox_; a _mazarine-blue_, shading to red
(_Learii_); a _sky-blue with white edge,_ called in the
catalogue—don’t be afraid!—_Ipomea hederacea superba grandiflora_, i.
e. the superb great-flowering ivy-leaved _Ipomea_. And then there is a
very fine variety of this same one, whose Latin name you will get by
adding to the above the compound word _Atro-violacea_. One more name,
viz. _Ipomea limbata elegantissima_.
Plant the seeds as soon as the frost is finally out of the ground. Let
there be pales, or strings, or trellis, arranged for them to climb
upon, and you will have all summer long, and till the frost kills
them, a magnificent show of exquisite blossoms every morning; Sundays
as well as week-days, for flowers wear their Sunday clothes all
through the week. We have derived as much pleasure from these
morning-glories as from any one thing in our garden. They are healthy
and hearty growers, not infested with insects, profuse in bloom,
surpassing all blossoms in exquisite form and delicacy, and, what is
of prime importance, holding forth through the whole summer, whether
hot or cold, wet or dry.
The common morning-glory will sow itself, and come up every year in
the same place; but the seed of the _Ipomea_ must be saved and planted
every spring anew. Now, let some sweet girl begin her flower-life with
morning-glories—nothing else—the first year, and see if she will ever
let a summer go by afterward without flowers!
A bed of _China Aster_, although blossoming for only a few weeks, may
be had with so little trouble that one may well undertake it. Send for
the best kind, say _Truffant’s Giant Emperor_, or his new
_Peony-flowered_. Plant them in rows six inches apart, in a seed-bed.
Keep them clean from all weeds. When grown from an inch to two inches
high, transplant them to a prepared bed, placing them about fifteen
inches apart each way. The ground should be rich, light, and gently
hoed, at least once a week, to keep the surface open. If _very_ large
flowers are wanted, not more than three blooms should be allowed to
one root. We prefer, however, to give the plant a rich soil and let it
yield its flowers, large and small, to suit itself. The seed should be
saved from the largest blossoms only.
A particular favorite with us is the _Petunia_. If fine seed is
secured, a bed of seedlings may be easily grown which will be splendid
the whole summer long. The directions for the aster may be followed
for _Petunias_, except that the plants should stand _two feet_ apart.
Select a place where they will have air and sun all day. They are
generous, and will roll out billows of color through the whole summer,
and even after the light early frosts have cut down many other things.
There are two other beds on which we depend for color every summer,
and could no more afford to miss than we could the sunsets, viz.
_Dwarf Convolvulus_ and _Eschscholtzia_. A bed of _Dwarf_ or
_Convolvulus Minor_, say six by twelve feet, will be an object of
pleasure all summer long. They are to be planted where they are to
stand, as they will not bear transplanting good-naturedly. Sow in rows
eight inches apart, and when well up thin out, leaving the plants a
foot apart. There are five or six varieties, and the mixed seed, from
a reputable seedsman, should contain them all. No one will be willing
to go without a bed of Dwarf Convolvulus who has once seen how easily
they are raised, and how splendid and long-continued is their
blossoming.
Manage the _Eschscholtzia_ in almost exactly the same way. There are
three shades of color,—pale yellow, bright yellow, and orange. The
foliage is extremely delicate. The buds are very shapely, and the full
bloom gives brilliancy to the whole region where the bed is planted.
No one knows this flower who has not seen its effect in beds, or on
long borders. In a similar way the _Poppy_ should be raised. Get seed
of the _Carnation_ Poppy and the _Peony-flowered_ Poppy. It will not
bear transplanting well.
A bed of _Portulacca_ will be so brilliant that it will almost put
your eyes out when the sun shines; and it is so easy to raise, that
success is no credit. Prepare a bed, say four by six feet, or larger
if you choose, and rake it off smoothly. The seeds are extremely
minute. Take a pinch of them as if they were snuff, and then do by
them what everybody ought to do by snuff,—sift them evenly all over
the ground. Then just touch the ground with the tips of the
rake-teeth, stirring it very lightly. Take a spade and _spat_ the
surface gently, so as to bring the soil home to the seed. Keep weeds
away, and for the rest do nothing but enjoy the labor of your hands.
It will come up of itself every year, and become a weed if you wish it
to.
There, we have mentioned enough flowers for a beginning. They are all
hardy, profuse bloomers, and, with the exception of the aster, last
all summer, and form masses of color which will charm the eye every
time you look out of your window. A girl can do all that is to be
done, except working the ground, and even that ought not to be so hard
as it would be to go without flowers.