Title: The American florist : a weekly journal for the trade
Identifier: americanfloristw43amer (find matches)
Year: 1885 (1880s)
Authors: American Florists Company
Subjects: Floriculture; Florists
Publisher: Chicago : American Florist Company
Contributing Library: UMass Amherst Libraries
Digitizing Sponsor: Boston Library Consortium Member Libraries

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igio. The American Florist. 1037 ,^%-^■ rlllK
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CHRISTMAS BASKET BY S. MUIR, CHICAGO. Croton. Bi'gonia Gloire do Lorraine, Primula Obconica, Whitmani and Otiiir Ferns. died out of popularity. It has an ex- quisite effect if given a surrounding' belt of tile pasciue flower. Anemone Pulsatilla, another April bloomer. Au- brietia deltoidea Columnoe is an attrac- tive lilac-mauve edging subject for this bed, or, if the pasque flower i^s not used, all the surrounding might well be of Alyssum saxatile eitrinum, the lemon of which shows up the rich gold of the rocket. Then there is bugle, one of the familiar woodland spring flowers. Ajuga osmafera has evergreen foliage, a spreading habit, and such a hardy nature that it can do with light or heavy soil, sunshine or shadow, but in shade it grows tall. Many gardeners are confused between this plant and Ajuga reptans, but the latter creeps over the soil and does not begin until May to give the blue blossoms, which unlike those of the other, are flushed with rose. The variegated form is of considerable value also, but it reaches a foot high instead of the six inches of the green-leaved type. The mass of deep blue that bugles offer is of real value in the spring lawn beds. Alyssum Benthami is little known. The blossom is white, and has a much softer effect than that of the arabis, the height varying from nine tr^ twelve inches. Achillea millefolium Cerise Queen, cherry-red, and often two feet high, is one of the perennials that may be used as a spring bedder, then re- moved to a sunny border to continue in bloom all the summer and autumn. Nepeta italica is a tall purple flower that attracts notice because it supplies a needed note of color in the April gar- den. Dwarf yellow wallflowers could accompany this, and the edge might be of Lamium maculatum, also pur- ple, whose white-striped dwarf foliage has a neat appearance. Dablla Storagfe. For 20 years I have grown the dahlia, and if everyone has had as much trouble and tried as many dif- ferent receipts for keeping them through the winter as I. they have my sympathy. From my first beginning until three years ago, it was always, every spring, a race between the ash barrel and the garden, which would have the best collection. I tried pack- ing in garden soil, sawdust, ashes ground cork—in fact, according to a correspondent of the Dahlia News, most anything that anyone would tell me. I was perfectly willing to swal- low any and all prescriptions, think- ing that perhaps I would be able to find one that would enable me to keep a few of the good ones. Did you ever notice how you lose the good ones, and those we are not fussy about come through their rest quite refreshed? Three years ago I began on Calvin Titus' rule for keeping, and that it was a complete success is putting it mildly. Last season, in fact, ever since I have tried it, I have lost less than two per cent, which I call very good. There is a furnace in the cel- lar, and I pile the roots from three to four feet high, within three feet ot it, making two piles of my seventeen hun- dred roots,; cover them over with news- papers, a dozen or so thick, tuck them well in all around the bottom, keep- ing out all the air possible; would say that I have a dirt bottom in my cellar, so could not say how it would work on cement. If I think that towards spring they are drying any, I sprinkle the papers with a fine sprayer. They will absorb the moisture and come out plump and generally well started. Now, perhaps in some other cellar this would not work as well, but it has been elegant for me. Many winters, before trying this, I have lost as high as fifty per cent of my roots. Any- one who is successfully keeping the roots now, will not wish to try any- thing new, but if you are having trou- ble just try this for one season and I think you will exclaim, as I have many times, "Hurrah for Cal. Titus of Marblehead!" Nai'ERVille, III.—Philip strubler, one of the oldest settlers, a notable gardener, and sheriff of Du Page coun- ty during the county seat trouble, died at his home in this city December 10 at the age of 78 years.

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