[Illustration]
Have been sowing my Balsams to-day in a box, so as to have nice
seedlings to bed out in six weeks from now. My Balsams last year were
superior to any I had seen, but Mr. J. L. Childs, who rather prides
himself on his plants, has sent me several packages for trial. He says:
"My stock of Balsams is undoubtedly the finest in the world; all who saw
them flowering the past season were astonished at their size and
magnificence. The new variety (Child's Camellia Flowered Perfection), is
indeed a great acquisition; its flowers are of gigantic size, and so
double and perfect that they resemble small Camellias; it is also a very
free bloomer. I have counted five and six hundred perfect flowers upon a
plant at the same time." That is a wonderful yield, truly; I cannot
expect so many, but half that number would satisfy me. The Camellia
Flowered Perfection comes in nine colors; pink, scarlet, striped white
and purple, mottled, white and delicate pink, magenta spotted with
white, crimson spotted with white, purple spotted with white, pure
white, and rose-flowered perfection, lavender color, buds when half
open, resemble a rosebud.
I shall sow some of the seeds in June, for autumn blooming, and shall
try more fully than last year the pruning method. This is done by
removing all of the branches, and then the main stock will grow two or
three feet in height, and be a perfect wreath of blossoms. Another
method is to remove the leader and let two or three branches remain. The
flowers are larger, and the plant handsomer than when allowed to grow at
its own sweet will. They do best in a light, rich soil, and a liberal
supply of liquid manure will greatly advance their growth. A writer in
the _Gardener's Chronicle_ says: "Considering the very effective display
that these plants make when associated with stately foliage plants in
sub-tropical beds, I think they are worthy of more extended cultivation.
There are few plants better adapted for the above purpose than the
Balsam, being easily raised from seed, and as is well known, they are
rapid growers if they are planted in a rich soil. Several samples of
these plants with us are now three feet through and over two feet high,
and they work admirably with such things as Castor Oils, Cannas, and the
beautifully striped Japonica. The plants referred to were planted out
early in June, and I am so pleased with their behaviour in the
sub-tropical garden, that I intend to grow them largely another year."
I know of no reason why the Balsam might not with good cultivation
thrive as well here as in England. Let us try our "level best," and see
what we can do.
A Talk About Geraniums.
My interest in this class of plants was specially awakened four years
ago by the successful cultivation of a dozen or more new varieties which
I was induced to send for by the reception of the catalogue of the
"Innisfallen Green houses," containing a more attractive list of
geraniums, and at lower prices than I had ever seen. I secured a Club by
a little effort, and thus obtained so many fine extras, that it was a
very agreeable surprise. I have since learned that very many others have
had a similar surprise.
The next spring I had a much larger assortment, and last year the
greatest variety I ever saw. I am sure that I had sixty kinds in bloom
at once. Although very small plants, as they always are when many are
ordered by mail, they throve wonderfully, and with one exception, were
all in flower in a few weeks, and kept on blooming till after removal in
the autumn.
My method of treatment is the following: On opening the boxes I find
them packed in damp moss, many closely tied together. I take off the
oiled paper, loosen the moss packed around them, and put them in a
shallow pan, in which is sufficient tepid water to cover the roots.
After an hour or two I set them in three and four inch pots, first
putting a bit of crock over the hole in the bottom of the pot, so as to
keep the roots from going astray, then some of the coarse siftings of
soil, or small bits of coal for drainage. As geraniums are not at all
fastidious about soil, I take whatever is available, mix a small
quantity of sand with it to make it friable, enriching with old manure.
I nearly fill the pot, and then make a hole in the center, set in the
plant, press the earth firmly around it, fill to the top and press down
again, water, and set the pot in a cool and shady place for several
days, then bring to the light for a few hours, gradually accustoming
them to the sunshine, until they become fully established in their new
quarters. When the weather is sufficiently warm, I plunge the pots in
the border for the summer, covering the pots entirely. I choose a cloudy
day if possible; if otherwise, I do the work late in the afternoon, so
that the intense sunshine may not at the first beat upon them. I prefer
massing these new plants by themselves, as the effect is more pleasing
than when intermixed with other kinds. The geranium bed is the most
attractive one of my garden. It is always full of bloom, and the varied
hues commingled are very attractive. I remove all decayed leaves, and
the trusses as soon as the flowers have faded. Frequently there will be
a few decayed pips marring the beauty of a fine truss, and these I
carefully remove. All of my large stock geraniums which have been
wintered two years, I set by themselves, and they furnish an abundance
of flowers for bouquets, and cuttings for new plants. Where one has a
plenty of garden room, they need not mind having several choice
geraniums of a kind. Slips will root well during the summer months, if
set in the earth near the parent stock, where they are shaded from the
direct rays of the sun. Care must be had to set the cuttings well down
in the soil, and firm the earth compactly around them. In this way one
can obtain with little care nice plants for the winter window garden,
which will be more shapely than those which have become very branchy.
Geraniums are ill growing plants unless pruned and trained with skill.
But they are so easily cultured, adapting themselves to most any
situation whether of shade or sunshine, are so hardy, and bloom so
freely, that we can but admire them though they yield no fragrant
flowers. There are many varieties of scented leaved geraniums, and these
mixed with the odorless blossoms are almost an equivalent. Then the
beautiful "Golden Bronzed Zoned" geraniums, and the "Silver Margined"
and "Tricolored," are so beautiful in foliage, while _Happy Thought_,
with its creamy yellow leaf margined with green; _Distinction_, with
deep green leaves zoned with black; Mrs. Pollock with bronze red zone
belted with bright crimson margined with golden yellow, are exceedingly
ornamental. Beside these there are many perhaps equally attractive, not
often named in the general collection. _Freak of Nature_, first sent out
last year, is an improvement on Happy Thought the center of pure white
narrowly margined with light green; flowers light scarlet; habit very
dwarf and spreading. It originated with Mr. Gray of England, and was
awarded three first class certificates.
[Illustration: BISHOP WOOD GERANIUM.]
Of the numerous classes into which geraniums are divided, few only are
given usually by florists. There are the Ornamental Foliage of which we
have cited a few examples, and the Golden Tricolors, Silver Tricolors,
Golden Bronze, Nosegay and Lilliputian Zonale; Double and single
Geraniums.
We will specify a few varieties worthy of special note, as we can
testify by personal observation. Bishop Wood, Madam Baltet, C. H.
Wagner, Madam Thibaut, Victor Hugo, Jean Dolfus, Cassimer Perier, John
Fennely, Naomi and Rose d'Amour, all double sorts. Of the single, Dr.
John Denny possesses a rare beauty, and is thus described by an English
writer: "Dr. John Denny, raised by J. Sisley, has quite set at rest the
probability of a blue or a purple, which is a positive fact, and great
honor is due to its distinguished raiser. It also possesses another
novel and distinct feature. The base of the two top petals is of a
bright crimson tinted with orange, which gives it a most striking
appearance; this, together with its immense sized trusses, free growth
and shape of blooms, renders it one of the best for pot or house
decoration, and is of great acquisition." Jean Dolfus belongs to this
purple magenta class, a double geranium, very beautiful. Also Zuleika,
which has larger pips and trusses. It is a little more striking in color
than John Denny, but both are just as lovely as a geranium can possibly
be. When Jealousy was sent out, there was much ado over it because it
was the nearest approach toward a yellow Zonal, but it was eclipsed
pretty soon by Guinea, which was an advance by a shade or two. We had
the two in proximity last summer, and though but little difference, it
was sufficiently marked to enable us to decide that Guinea for color,
size and form, was preferable. We just get settled down on that, when we
are startled by the announcement of another novelty, "New Guinea" by
name, "a great improvement on Guinea, being two shades brighter." Well,
well! we must have that, too, and see if in other respects as well as
color, it is worthy to eclipse our favorite.
Henry Cannell--this is a new geranium, originating with Mr. John Thorp
of Queens, New York, who makes a specialty of seedling geraniums, and
has sent out from his grounds many of great value, one of them Happy
Thought, so widely known. We have not tested H. Cannell, ours was sent
from Innisfallen during the winter, and has not yet bloomed, but we are
sure that it would never have received the name of the most
distinguished florist in England, if it were not a superior variety.
New Life originated with Mr. H. Cannell of Swanley England, in our
Centennial year, and he sent out the first thousand by subscription
only, at £1 each--not one sold till the thousand were engaged! When
introduced the following year to this country, stock plants were sold
for $5.00 each. Now you can purchase it at prices ranging from ten cents
to thirty. It is unique in color, being splashed, striped, and flecked
with salmon and white on an intense scarlet ground. It is sometimes
freakish, having pips with some petals salmon, others partly white and
partly scarlet, others pure scarlet. But this very freak is charming,
for with beautifully striped trusses there will be others thus sportive.
Its habit is dwarf, compact, and its dark leaves zoned with black are
very handsome. It cannot be surpassed as a free bloomer. Mr. Cannell,
when sending it out, expressed the wish that the day might come when
there would not be a cottage in the land where New Life was not found.
John Fennely, salmon striped with white, and Fairy, flaked and striped
with crimson on a bluish white ground, are very pretty. Dazzle, Harry
King, Richard Dean, and Jean Sisley are scarlet with white eye. Of
several single white geraniums in my garden, I gave decided preference
to Madame Quinet.
There is a great difference in the duration of the flowers. Victor Hugo,
a splendid geranium, retains its beautiful trusses full five weeks.
Bishop Wood is also admirable in this respect, and Jenny Dolfus and
Naomi we believe cannot be surpassed.
[Illustration]
Of the Sweet Scented Geraniums, we have none equal to the hybrid, Mrs.
Taylor, for beauty of foliage and of flower. It is a fine grower, and
for green to mix with flowers it is admirable. Dr. Livingstone, a more
recent novelty, is very handsome and fragrant. Rose and Lemon scented
are delicious. Lady Plymouth is a variegated rose; leaves bronzy green,
fringed with creamy white, sometimes assuming a pink tinge; very
ornamental. London Blue is a very rare variety of scented geranium, of
heavy creeping growth, with large crimped or curled leaves covered
thickly with fine spines or hairs. Seldom blooms.
We have specified a goodly number, yet but a few from the many, and we
can assure you that if you have a large bed of geraniums you will
greatly admire them, and feel satisfied that you have the most effective
bedding plants, requiring the least care, and for the smallest outlay,
that you could possibly obtain. In California they grow without culture
to an enormous size. From an editor's notes we cite the following:
"A little slip of geranium planted out in the spring, had grown in the
summer to 150 branches, its stalk at its base four inches thick, and
bearing over a thousand blooms! I saw a fence fifteen feet high,
sixty-five feet long, covered with geranium vines that had clambered up
one side, and then dropped down the other, filling both sides with a
blanket of scarlet blossoms. It grows like weeds, and needs no care."
Geraniums are so hardy that one can leave them to the last in removing
from the border in autumn. Frosts that kill Dahlia tops, and many other
plants, do not harm geraniums. Some of mine, for lack of time to remove,
are exposed till late without harm. The roots have great vitality, and
when the stalk has frozen and rotted to the ground, a new growth will
start forth, sometimes in a few weeks, and sometimes not for three
months. I have had this proved by plants in my window boxes. So one need
not be in a hurry to pull up the frozen geraniums. My large stocky
plants I pack in dry goods boxes, filling in earth around the roots, and
put them in the cellar where they have little light. The pot plants,
also, are mostly put away so as to give all the available room to the
cuttings rooted in the summer, and the rare and tender plants that will
not live in a cellar. These cuttings make fine plants for bedding out in
May or June.
In the spring the large geraniums are brought up to the open air and
trimmed of their dead leaves, pruned of dead branches, and put in a
large bed with the Hybrid Perpetual Roses.
A Talk About Begonias.
My first Begonia was a Rex. It thrived for several years, and then to my
regret died, for it was quite a favorite with me. Its large leaves with
broad silvery belt and red dots, were very handsome. This species thrive
best in a Wardian case and are of rare beauty and size, grown under such
circumstances. A cool, moist atmosphere is the best for them; they burn
and shrivel exposed to the intense sunlight. They are easily multiplied
from the leaves. Cut the leaf so that a small portion of the stem will
remain, insert this in a pan of damp sand, laying the leaf out flat upon
the sand, upper side uppermost. It can be retained in place by bits of
stone or small pegs. Cuts must then be made in a number of places so as
to sever the veins, thus checking the flow of sap. A callus then forms
at the base of each piece of vein where severed, and just above it, a
bud starts out, and thus a new plant is formed. It is essential for
success, that there should be bottom heat, and that the air should be
moist. A bell glass is the best to put over the leaf, and if there is
danger that the air become too moist, the glass can be tilted up to
allow of an escape. The leaves best adapted for propagation are those
neither very young nor very old, but healthy and vigorous; yet that this
is not absolutely essential is shown by the experience of a lady who had
excellent success with a leaf that was some what decayed around the
edges, and for that reason was cut off and thrown away. Remembering
afterward that the plant was sometimes grown from pieces of a leaf, she
hunted it up, trimmed off the decayed portion, and planted it at the
foot of a tree, about half under ground, and pressed the soil firmly
around it. A few months afterward she had a nice little plant from it,
with its beautiful leaves unfolding finely.
[Illustration]
There are many varieties of the Rex family; some have brilliant colors
in their leaves, others are thickly covered with short hairs. These are
more difficult to manage, and require great care to preserve from dust,
as like all rough leaved plants, they do not enjoy spraying, as do
smooth leaved ones. It is well to set them out in a mild shower
occasionally. Tepid water is the best for watering.