There is a beautiful incident told of a Texas gentleman who was an
unbeliever in the Christian religion. One day he was walking in the
woods, reading the writings of Plato. He came to where the great writer
uses the phrase, "God geometrizes." He thought to himself, "If I could
only see plan and order in God's works, I could be a believer." Just
then he saw a little Texas Star at his feet. He picked it up and then
thoughtlessly began to count its petals. He found there were five. He
counted the stamens, and there were five of them. He counted the
divisions at the base of the flower, there were five of them. He then
set about multiplying these three fives to see how many chances there
were of a flower being brought into existence without the aid of mind,
and having in it these three fives. The chances against it were one
hundred and twenty-five to one. He thought that was very strange. He
examined another flower, and found it the same. He multiplied one
hundred and twenty-five by itself, to see how many chances there were
against there being two flowers, each having these exact relations of
numbers. He found the chances against it were thirteen thousand six
hundred and twenty-five to one. But all around him were multitudes of
these little flowers, and they had been growing and blooming there for
years. He thought this showed the order of intelligence, and that the
mind that ordained it was God. And so he shut up his book, picked up the
little flower, kissed it, and exclaimed: "_Bloom on little flowers; sing
on little birds; you have a God, and I have a God; the God that made
these little flowers made me_."
A Talk About Abutilons.
This species is one of the most desirable of hardy-wooded plants we
possess. They are admirable for the house, for the balcony, the piazza,
or the border, being handsome in foliage, and very graceful and
beautiful in flowers. Some are stately, others dwarf, some are flexible
and drooping. We have had for several years three that we have greatly
admired for their variegated leaves, especially for the winter
window-garden, where they compensate for the scarcity of flowers, by the
brilliancy of their foliage, yellow and green, finely mottled and
marbled.
_Duc de Malakoff_ is stately, and by cutting off the top of the main
stalk, it is made to branch out very largely, forming a miniature tree.
It grows very rapidly, and its leaves are like the Maple in form, which
has led many to call the plant Flowering Maple, but this is not correct,
as it is not a Maple at all, but an Abutilon. Some of the leaves on one
only a year old, measure seven inches across, and eight and a half in
length. In the older plant they are not so large. _Thomsonii_ much
resembles _Malakoff_, but its markings are not so handsome; the green is
darker, and predominates over the yellow, so far as my observation
extends, but it is a more abundant bloomer. Flowers are orange color. I
have vainly searched through many catalogues to find the color of the
_Duc de Malakoff_ blossom, but all are silent; it is not even said that
they flower at all, but my four-year-old had one bud last year, which
unfortunately blighted. The yearling has one bud, and I hope it will
live and afford me the knowledge I have failed to find in books.
_Malakoff_ not variegated, has large orange bells, striped with brown.
My other variegated Abutilons are of trailing habit; _Mesopotamicum_ is
very graceful, one droops over the side, and climbs and twines around
the cords of a large hanging-pot, for which it is admirably adapted. Its
small pendant blossoms, crimson and yellow, growing profusely along the
slender branches, drooping among the elegantly marbled foliage, give
this variety a very attractive charm. Another is trained to a pot
trellis, and is very beautiful in this form. We advise every one to add
this variety to their collection. _Pictum_ is very similar in every
respect; the leaves are darker, and not so variegated. They require a
strong light to bring out their markings, and hence are more perfect in
beauty when bedded out in the garden, where they can have plenty of
sunshine.
_Boule de Neige_ (Fairy Bell) has long been a favorite for its pure
white bells and constancy of bloom. A splendid winter bloomer. _John
Hopkins_, with its rich, dark, glossy leaves and golden flowers has
superseded the old _Pearl d'Or_, which was for a time the only real
yellow. _Darwinii_ is one of my favorites. The flowers are more
spreading than any other variety, opening like a parasol; color
orange-scarlet veined with pink. It blossoms very profusely, and when
only a few inches in height. The flowers are large and well formed, and
borne in clusters rather than singly, like many older sorts. This
variety was cross-fertilized with _Santana_, crimson flower, and as a
result we have _Darwinii tessellatum_, combining the variegated foliage
of Thomsonii with the free-blooming qualities of _Darwinii_.
The improvements by hybridizing have been very great within a few years,
and many new varieties have been sent out. One of these is _Roseum
Superbum_, the flowers of which are of a rich rose color, veined with a
delicate pink. Very free bloomer. _Venosum_, we find only named in an
English catalogue. "The magnificent blooms of this variety place it at
the top of all the Abutilons. Although it is of tall growth its
beautiful palm-shaped leaves and gorgeous flowers make it invaluable for
crossing and for conservatories."--_H. Cannell._
Among the new and valuable novelties of American origin are _Arthur
Belsham_, _Robert George_, _J. H. Skinner_, and _Joseph Hill_. These
have been three years before the public, and Mr. John Thorp, a
well-known popular florist of Queens, N. Y., says of them, "We have not,
amongst all the flowering Abutilons, such fine varieties as these. I
have had plants between five and six feet high, pyramidal shape and
literally covered with flowers."
They originated with Messrs. Leeds & Co., of Richmond, Indiana, who make
quite a specialty of new seedling Abutilons, and this year offer four
"of new shades and colors."
_A. G. Porter._ "Flowers of a beautiful lavender color, delicately
suffused with a light shade of rosy pink, and handsomely veined with
magenta, forming a flower of magnificent color and shape, a very free
bloomer. A cross between _Boule de Neige_ and _Rosaflora_, with the
habit and growth of _Boule de Neige_."
_Little Beauty_, "A very dwarf grower, having a short, compact,
symmetrical bush, which is completely covered with its medium-sized but
well-shaped flowers, of a very light salmon color, beautifully veined
with rosy carmine. It blooms in clusters and when in full bloom makes a
remarkably fine appearance. A cross between _Rosaflora_ and _Darwinii_."
_N. B. Stover_, "A low, compact grower. Flowers large and well-formed,
almost covering the bush; color, rich ponceau, finely veined with
carmine. A decided novelty, being a new color among Abutilons."
_Dr. Rapples._ "Light orange salmon, veined with crimson. One of the
most attractive in the set."
A new Abutilon, a decided novelty in color, comes to us from "The Home
for Flowers," Swanley, England, sent with other choice plants by Henry
Cannell & Son. It is thus described in his _Floral Guide_:
FIREFLY (Swanley Red). By far the highest and brightest color of all
the family; habit dwarf, and one of the freest bloomers, throwing
flowers out on strong foot stalks of the finest shape; certainly one of
the noblest, and when grown in a pot it flowers all the winter, and all
the summer when planted out, and forms one of the best flowering shrubs
that we possess.
PARENTAGE OF THIS FLOWER.--Mr. George states that he sometime since
flowered a small red variety, which had a very lively shade of color,
and determining to make this a seed parent, it occurred to him to use on
it the pollen of the single deep color Hibiscas, which, like the
Abutilon, is included in the natural order _Malvaceæ_. Mr. George thinks
the fine color seen in his new variety, _Firefly_, is due to this happy
inspiration of color.
The _Gardener's Chronicle_ has this paragraph respecting Firefly: A red
Abutilon, one of a batch of recent seedlings raised by Mr. J. George of
Putney Heath, well deserves the foregoing appellation. The flowers are
of large size and of a much greater depth and vividness of color than
that possessed by any variety in the Chiswick collection. It has been
provisionally named Firefly, and we believe the stock has passed into
the hands of H. Cannell & Son, of Swanley, for distribution.
A writer in _Vick's Magazine_ describes a method of training the
Abutilon that must, we think, be a very attractive one.
"A pretty plant may be obtained by inarching Abutilon Mesopotamicum upon
_Abutilon Darwinii_, or some other strong-growing variety, and training
it so as form an umbrella head, which can easily be done. The stock for
this purpose should be about five or six feet high. Grown in this way it
produces an abundance of bloom, and the flowers being elevated are seen
in all their beauty. If _Abutilon Mesopotamicum_ is inarched upon
_Abutilon Thompsonii_, the result will be _Abutilon Mesopotamicum
Variegatum_. A well-formed plant of this on a stock about five feet high
is one of the finest of plants; whether in blossom or not it is always
adapted for decorative or exhibition purposes. Care must be taken at
all times to keep them tied to stakes, as they are liable to be broken
off by the wind."
Abutilons are apt to be infested by the red spider, if kept in too dry
an atmosphere, and not frequently sprayed. Moisture is death to this
pest, but as it makes its home on the under side of the leaf, it is too
often overlooked until it has destroyed the vitality of the foliage.
Recently I found that my large _Duc de Malakoff_ looked sickly, and I
concluded it had become root-bound. A few days later, I noticed brown
spots thickly covering the bark. I removed one, and on examining the
under side through a microscope, I saw several tiny insects moving
about. I decided that my plant was troubled with the scale of which I
had often read, but never seen. I made a pretty strong solution of
soap-suds, and with a sponge quite easily removed all of the pests.
In bedding out Abutilons, it is better to have them in pots, plugging
the hole, or setting the pot on a stone or piece of brick, so that the
roots may not go astray, for if plunged directly in the ground they
throw out many roots and the plant becomes too large for re-potting to
advantage. If, however, they are planted in the earth, in August they
should be cut around the stock so as to bring the roots within due
bounds, and the plant can be pruned in the autumn. This method is
applicable to all strong plants that run largely to roots. They should
be cut off sufficiently to leave only a ball of earth of convenient size
to set in the pot when the plant is transplanted.
A Talk About Dahlias.
The genus Dahlia comprises but few species, all natives of the mountains
of Mexico, whose range is from 5000 to 10,000 feet above the level of
the sea. About one hundred years ago a Spanish botanist introduced seeds
of the Dahlia into his native country, and named the genus in honor of a
Swedish botanist, DAHL. The first seed imported seemed to be variable
and not very promising. About seventy years since, HUMBOLDT sent fresh
seed to Germany. Soon after this, both seeds and bulbs were introduced
into England and France, and began to attract considerable attention,
some enthusiast being rash enough to hazard the assertion that "there
are considerable reasons for thinking that the Dahlia will hereafter be
raised with double flowers."
About 1812 probably the first double Dahlia was grown, but for several
years after this both double and single varieties were figured in
colored plates, and exhibited at horticultural shows. That the single
varieties were prized is not strange, for the double were not very good,
and even as late as 1818, published figures showed very imperfect
flowers.
The improvement of the Dahlia after this was rapid, and its popularity
quite kept pace with its improvement. Dahlia exhibitions were held in
England and on the continent, which were crowded by enthusiastic
admirers of this wonderful Mexican flower. For many years the Dahlia
maintained its popularity, but there is a fashion in flowers, as in
almost everything, and for a time the Dahlia became, to a certain
extent, unfashionable, and this was well; for it placed the flower upon
merit alone, and growers were compelled to introduce new and superior
varieties to command either attention or sale for their favorite
flower.
A taste for old styles is now the "correct thing," and so we have
imitations of ancient earthenware, furniture, etc., and import
_original_ Chinese Aster seed, and also obtain roots of the single
Dahlia from Mexico.
There are three pretty distinct classes, the _Show_ Dahlias, the Dwarf
or Bedding, and the _Pompon_ or Bouquet, and to this we may add the
_Fancy_ Dahlia. The _Show Dahlia_ grows from three to four feet in
height, and embraces all our finest sorts, fit for exhibition at
horticultural shows, from which the name is derived; the flowers range
in size from two and a half to five inches in diameter. The striped and
mottled and spotted varieties belonging to the Show section are called
_Fancy_, and though not as rich, nor usually as highly prized as the
selfs, or those of one color, are very attractive. The _Dwarf_ or
_Bedding Dahlia_ grows about eighteen inches in height, and makes a
thick, compact bush, and covers a good deal of surface; flowers of the
size of Show Dahlias. They are therefore very desirable for bedding and
massing. The _Pompon_ or _Bouquet Dahlia_ makes a pretty, compact plant,
about three feet in height. The leaves are small, and the flowers from
one to two inches in diameter. Many expect to find small flowers on
their Dwarf Dahlias, and feel disappointed because they are of the
ordinary size, not knowing that it is the plant, and not the flower,
that is dwarfed, and that only the Pompon gives the small flowers. The
word _Pompon_ is French for topknot or trinket, meaning about the same
as the English word cockade. The English term _Bouquet_ is very
appropriate, as the flowers are so small they are very suitable for
bouquets. Being of a spreading habit, they cover a good deal of ground.
Unlike most of our bedding out plants, they do best in a poor soil; if
rich, they grow to branches and leaves so much, they bloom sparingly and
late.
Generally those who plant Dahlias purchase the tuberous roots, because
they give good strong plants, that flower freely without trouble or
risk. They are smaller and better than the large, coarse roots usually
grown, because they are raised from cuttings, and generally form their
roots in pots. When a tuber is planted, a number of buds that cluster
around its top will push and form shoots, and if too numerous, a portion
should be removed; indeed, one good, strong plant will suffice, and then
the plant will become a tree instead of a bush. Even then, if the top
become too thick, a little thinning of the branches will be of
advantage. If the young shoots that start from the neck of the bulb, are
cut off near a joint and placed in a hot-bed in sandy soil, they will
root, form good plants, and flower quite as well as plants grown from
the tuber; this, however, requires some care and experience, and
amateurs generally will succeed best with bulbs.
New varieties of Dahlias, of course, are from seed. Some of them prove
good, others fair, and a portion utterly worthless. As a general rule,
we would not advise amateurs to trouble with seeds, although there is
pleasure in watching the birth and development of a new and beautiful
variety.
The seed of Dahlias may be sown in pots in early spring or end of
winter, in a light, loamy soil; they will germinate quickly, and as soon
as they begin to show their second leaves they should be pricked out
into other pots or boxes, so that they may have plenty of room and
air--they are very liable to damp off if at all crowded. After pricking
out they should be kept in a thrifty, growing condition, by proper
attention to watering and temperature; the temperature should be
maintained as near 70° as possible, and the watering be sufficient to
preserve a moderate moisture.
If the green fly attack them, it will be best to treat them to a very
weak dilution of tobacco water; the young succulent plants are very
sensitive to smoke, and it is best not to fumigate them. In about two
months the young plants should be large enough to pot off singly, or to
be transplanted into a frame or bed, where protection can be given them
from the cold of night-time, or from late frosts. As soon as all danger
is past they can be transplanted into their summer quarters, and should
stand at least three feet apart. The soil where they are to grow, should
be rich and mellow. In August they will come into flower, and those
having blooms worthy of cultivation can be retained, and the others
destroyed. Only a small proportion of the plants grown from common seed
produce flowers equal to those now in cultivation, but when seed is
saved from a choice collection of named varieties, the chances are that
a large proportion of the plants will produce very good
flowers.--_Vick's Magazine._
"The Dahlia is called a _gross feeder_, but it is not. It loves moisture
rather than rich elemental food. In clay it finds the best constituents
of its development--moisture, silex, lime and alumnia. So we say to
those who love this queenly flower, if you would see the queen in all
her glory, plant in a comparatively heavy soil, no manure, and reduce
the stalks to one for each tuber, set the stakes firmly, to keep the
stalks from swaying, and if the season is dry, give the bulbs a
_soaking_ with water every evening during the drought. My word for it
you will then be proud of your success."
The Pompon, or Bouquet Dahlia is a favorite variety of this genus. The
little round balls of bloom are so pretty and trim. _Beatrice_, blush
tinted with violet; _Dr. Stein_, deep maroon, striped and mottled;
_Goldfinder_, golden yellow; _Little Philip_, creamy-buff edged with
lilac; _Little Valentine_, crimson; _Mein Streifling_, salmon, striped
with crimson; _Pearl_, white; _Prima Donna_, white, fimbriated;
_Perfection_, deep maroon.