^LIBRARY OF CONGRESS. # 
 
 # # 
 
 2 [SMITHSONIAN DEPOSIT.] f 
 
 ^ _ J) 
 
 I UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.^ 
 
 .'Hi 
 
^ 
 
 r. 
 
 ^ HlA\ THE 
 
 ^SN^ njAv THE 
 
 /^ 
 
 gIEDEN OE AMERICA; 
 
 CONTAINING 
 
 PRACTICAL DIRECTIONS 
 
 FOR THE CULTURE OF 
 
 FLOWERS, FRUITS AND 
 VEGETABLES, 
 
 THE NATURES AND IMPROVEMENT OF SOILS, 
 
 MANURES, AND THEIR APPLICATION, 
 
 WOUNDS, DISEASES AND CURES, 
 MONTHLY CALENDAR, INSECTS, BOTANY, ETC. 
 
 BY WALTER ELDER, 
 
 AN EXPERIENCED PRACTICAL GARDENER. 
 
 **Know ye the land wherein Washington flourished, 
 Where man is regarded the fellow of man." 
 
 PHILADELPHIA : 
 MOSS & BROTHER. 
 
 / 1849. 
 
Ikitered according to the Act of Congress, in the vear 1848, by 
 
 MOSS & BROTHER, 
 
 In the office of the Clerk of the District Court for the Eastern 
 District of Pennsylvania. 
 
 Stereotyped by R. P. JSlosrid^e. 
 Printed by T. K. ^ P. G. Collins, 
 
 
AMERICAN AUTHORS 
 
 ON 
 
 HORTICULTURE. 
 
 Robert Buist, seed and nurseryman, Philadelphia, is the 
 most comprehensive writer on choice flowering plants in 
 America ; his "American Flower Garden Directory" being the 
 standard work on floriculture in this country. His " Rose 
 Manual," on that queen of flowers, the rose, is a gem ; and his 
 "Family Kitchen Garden" is said to be the best treatise on 
 culinary vegetables. 
 
 Thomas Bridgeman, nurseryman and florist, New York City, 
 is a plain, unassuming writer ; his " Gardener's Assistant" has 
 done much good, and is an excellent treatise on general 
 gardening. 
 
 A. J. Downing, nurseryman and florist, Newburg, Orange 
 Co., N. Y., is perhaps the most eloquent Horticultural writer 
 of the present age ; his book on " The Fruits and Fruit Trees 
 of America" is a rich volume, and contains the cream of all its 
 predecessors. Mr. D. refutes the " Limited Durationists" with 
 a caustic pen. His " Landscape Gardening" is a splendid 
 volume on the different styles of laying out grounds, the cul- 
 ture of trees, grasses, &c. 
 
 Michael Flay, nurseryman and florist, New York City, is an 
 
 (iii) 
 
IV AME RIC AN AUT HO RS 
 
 excellent writer ; his edition and additions of Leindely's 
 "Guide to the Orchard" is a valuable book on fruits. 
 
 Messrs Hovey, seeds and nurserymen of Boston, are very 
 scientific writers; their Magazine of Horticulture, a monthly 
 publication, is an excellent paper, containing- all the new dis- 
 coveries, new fruits, flowers and vegetables, costing three dol- 
 lars per annum. 
 
 A. J, Downing, Newburgh, also edits a monthly periodical 
 called, " The Horticulturist," a most valuable paper, at three 
 dollars per annum, giving all the new discoveries and improve- 
 ments in Horticulture. 
 
 Mr. Kenrick, nurseryman and florist, Boston, is a fine writer; 
 his "New American Orchardist" is a superb book, on the cul- 
 ture of fine fruits ; [It is a pity that Mr. K. adheres to the 
 Doctrine of Limited Duration.] 
 
 David Landreth, seed and nurseryman, Philadelphia, is a 
 pleasing writer. His edition and additions of Johnson's " Dic- 
 tionary of Modern Gardening," is a splendid book, and a fine 
 ready reckoner for the Amateur and Gardener. His "Rural 
 Register" is a yearly periodical of a hundred pages, with many 
 wood cuts, well filled with new discoveries, improvements, and 
 other instructive matter, costing only twelve cents a year. 
 
 Mc'Mahan's " American Gardeners Calender" is a good book. 
 
 The late Wm. Prince, nurseryman, Flushing, Long Island, 
 N. Y., was an excellent writer. His treatise on the vine, is a 
 valuable work. 
 
 Edward Sayers is a spirited writer. His "American Flower 
 Garden Companion," and " American Fruit Garden Com- 
 panion," are useful small works for the beginner. 
 
 Thacher's "American Orchardist" is a valuable book on the 
 culture of fine fruits. 
 
 Mr. Fessenden of Boston, is an accomplished writer, and has 
 published a valuable work on gardening. 
 
ON HORTICULTURE. 
 
 Nuttal's " Genera of American plants" is a useful book. 
 
 Barton's " North American Flora" is said to be a most splen- 
 did work. 
 
 But, all the above authors address the inhabitants of the 
 mansion. Some of them may say, "how do you do" to the 
 cottager at a distance ; but they then pass on, seemingly afraid 
 to be thought associating with him. So we have taken un- 
 trodden ground in the field ; and address ourselves entirely to 
 the intelligent cottagers of America. 
 
PREFACE. 
 
 There is, perhaps, nothing more pleasing to the eye of the at- 
 tentive traveller, as he traverses a country, than an improved state 
 of the cottage-g-arden ; and nothing can more plainly bespeak the 
 intelligence and refinement of a happy people, or tend more to 
 enhance the value of property. However plain the structure 
 of the cottage may be, yet, when its approaches and appen- 
 dages are converted into a flower garden, or stocked with deli- 
 cious fruits and wholesome vegetables, it is set down as the 
 abode of contentment and good morals ; and where such objects 
 are often m.et with, the valleys look more fertile and the hills 
 less drear. The well-cultivated fields of the farmer improve the 
 landscape, and add beauty to rural scenery; but there is always 
 something picturesque and fascinating about a neat cottage-gar- 
 den. How seldom do we see the walls of a cottage clothed with 
 the clustering honeysuckle and rose, or the generous vine, whose 
 delicious fruit richly repays the care of its industrious pruner ! 
 The late Judge Buel, in an address on the improvement on our 
 country, said : " He who endeavours to improve and beautify the 
 small spot of ground attached to his dwelling, is both a patriot 
 and a Christian, and does much to elevate himself and his 
 country in the scale of improvement." Cobbett, in his " Ride 
 in France," gives several illustrations of the improved state 
 of the cottage-garden in that country. Germany, Holland, 
 and Belgium have long been celebrated for their improved 
 
 (vii) 
 
VlU PREFACE. 
 
 cottage gardens ; so has Great Britain. Several good articles 
 have been written upon the improved cottage garden of New 
 England ; and a large book has been published upon improve- 
 ments on the banks of the noble Hudson. A volume may soon 
 appear, displaying the cottage garden in the different nations 
 in the world; and I would fain see the cottagers of our happy 
 republic, prepared to occupy the first page of such book, when- 
 ever published. 
 
 Philadelphia, Walter Elder. 
 
Ix\ TllODUCTION. 
 
 In presenting this small volume to the intellig-ent cottagers 
 of America, we wish to say, that we make no claim to litera- 
 ture, but are an humble delver in the earth, more accustomed 
 to the spade than the pen; and better at laying out gardens 
 than making up books. But having travelled much, and seen 
 the rapid strides which improvement is making, in planting 
 towns and villages in different directions throughout our widely 
 extended country ; and that Horticulture is not, as it ought to 
 be, an accompanying handmaid with other improvements; we 
 have thought that it was for want of a little practical knowledge 
 on the subject. So we have resolved to condense a few practical 
 items in a small volume, to assist the farmer, mechanic, manufac- 
 turer, small merchant, and labouring man, to stock and cultivate 
 their gardens, and make tor themselves pleasant and happy homes, 
 and to enable their housewives to grow a few choice pot plants, 
 to enliven their dwellings in the dreary days of wmter. It 
 is not intended for those already' skilled in the business, but 
 only for the young and inexperienced; and with the humble 
 wish of doing good. Every article contained in the book will 
 stand the scrutiny of practice; and the whole has been deduced 
 from long and extensive practical experience, as head gardener 
 to several wealthy gentlemen in difi'erent parts of the country. 
 The contents will be found as suitable for the people in the 
 
 south as for those in the north. We request the indulgence of 
 
 (ix) 
 
INTRODUCTION. 
 
 the reader in regard to any mistakes ; for no man is perfect ; 
 and we are not so silly-minded as to think that there is but one 
 way of doing everything. On the other hand, we have tried 
 many experiments, and the most successful are given in this 
 book ; which is the only volume addressed exclusively to the 
 American cottager. 
 
 Philadelphia. Walter Elder. 
 
CONTENTS. 
 
 
 
 
 PAOE 
 
 - 
 
 
 
 p&aa 
 
 Address to the Farmers, 
 
 . 
 
 232 
 
 Garden Department, 
 
 - 
 
 - 
 
 13 
 
 Apricot. 
 
 - 
 
 - 
 
 96 
 
 " city, 
 
 •> 
 
 - 
 
 229 
 
 Apple, 
 
 - 
 
 - 
 
 90 
 
 " societies, 
 
 - 
 
 - 
 
 14 
 
 " gathering and keeping. 
 
 - 
 
 94 
 
 " cottage, 
 
 - 
 
 - 
 
 225 
 
 Artichoke, 
 
 - 
 
 - 
 
 140 
 
 Gum, - 
 
 . 
 
 . 
 
 203 
 
 Asparagus, 
 
 - 
 
 - 
 
 141 
 
 Grape-vine, 
 
 _ 
 
 - 
 
 100 
 
 Botany, ' 
 
 - 
 
 - 
 
 27 
 
 Grapes, keeping, 
 
 _ 
 
 - 
 
 108 
 
 Botanist and Florist, 
 
 - 
 
 - 
 
 30 
 
 Gooseberry, 
 
 - 
 
 - 
 
 99 
 
 Bene, Plant, 
 
 - 
 
 . 
 
 167 
 
 Horticultural, notes on. 
 
 . 
 
 3 
 
 Beans, bush or string, - 
 
 _ 
 
 142 
 
 Hot Beds, 
 
 _ 
 
 _ 
 
 34 
 
 Beet, - 
 
 - 
 
 - 
 
 143 
 
 " '• management, 
 
 . 
 
 35 
 
 Baricole, 
 
 . 
 
 _ 
 
 144 
 
 Herbs, aromatic and sweet. 
 
 - 
 
 167 
 
 Brocali, 
 
 - 
 
 - 
 
 144 
 
 " remarks, 
 
 . 
 
 
 166 
 
 Cherry, 
 
 - 
 
 - 
 
 97 
 
 Hedges, 
 
 . 
 
 - 
 
 178 
 
 Currants, 
 
 - 
 
 - 
 
 98 
 
 " planting of, 
 
 - 
 
 - 
 
 179 
 
 Canker, 
 
 - 
 
 - 
 
 203 
 
 " keeping, 
 
 - 
 
 - 
 
 180 
 
 Cottage, the garden, 
 
 - 
 
 - 
 
 225 
 
 " evergreen. 
 
 - 
 
 - 
 
 180 
 
 Calendar, yearly, 
 
 - 
 
 - 
 
 204 
 
 Insects, 
 
 _ 
 
 - 
 
 162 
 
 Cabbage, early. 
 
 - 
 
 - 
 
 145 
 
 Leek, 
 
 _ 
 
 - 
 
 153 
 
 " late, 
 
 - 
 
 - 
 
 146 
 
 Lettuce, 
 
 . 
 
 - 
 
 153 
 
 Carrot, 
 
 - 
 
 - 
 
 146 
 
 Landlords, duties of. 
 
 - 
 
 . 
 
 15 
 
 Cauliflower, - 
 
 . 
 
 - 
 
 147 
 
 Laying out. 
 
 _ 
 
 _ 
 
 25 
 
 Celery, 
 
 . 
 
 - 
 
 147 
 
 Manures, 
 
 - 
 
 _ 
 
 22 
 
 Cucumber, 
 
 - 
 
 . 
 
 150 
 
 " application of. 
 
 - 
 
 23 
 
 Cum, Indian, - 
 
 . 
 
 - 
 
 152 
 
 Melon, Musk, - 
 
 - 
 
 _ 
 
 154 
 
 Compost, 
 
 _ 
 
 - 
 
 76 
 
 Water, 
 
 - 
 
 _ 
 
 154 
 
 Draining, under. 
 
 - 
 
 - 
 
 20 
 
 Mustard, 
 
 . 
 
 - 
 
 155 
 
 Diseases, 
 
 - 
 
 . 
 
 199 
 
 Moss, - 
 
 _ 
 
 _ 
 
 202 
 
 Dialogue, 
 
 _ 
 
 _ 
 
 216 
 
 Nectarine, 
 
 _ 
 
 _ 
 
 113 
 
 Extract, matrimonial garden 
 
 , 
 
 222 
 
 Nasturtium, 
 
 . 
 
 _ 
 
 155 
 
 Endive, 
 
 - 
 
 - 
 
 151 
 
 Nursery Department, 
 
 - 
 
 _ 
 
 184 
 
 Fences, live, 
 
 . 
 
 . 
 
 ISS 
 
 " budding or inoculatin 
 
 s. 
 
 184 
 
 Flower Department, 
 
 - 
 
 - 
 
 38 
 
 " cuttings, 
 
 . 
 
 
 166 
 
 Flowers, sowing seeds. 
 
 - 
 
 64 
 
 " grafting. 
 
 _ 
 
 _ 
 
 187 
 
 Bulbs, 
 
 - 
 
 . 
 
 67 
 
 " whip grafting, 
 
 
 _ 
 
 188 
 
 " keeping clean beds, 
 
 - 
 
 65 
 
 " cleft, " 
 
 - 
 
 . 
 
 189 
 
 " gatherirkg seeds. 
 
 . 
 
 66 
 
 " root, " 
 
 _ 
 
 - 
 
 190 
 
 " labelling sticks. 
 
 - 
 
 66 
 
 " in-arching, 
 
 - 
 
 _ 
 
 190 
 
 " tieing up sticks, 
 
 . 
 
 67 
 
 " layering. 
 
 - 
 
 - 
 
 191 
 
 Fruit Department, 
 
 - 
 
 - 
 
 87 
 
 " seeds, - 
 
 . 
 
 . 
 
 192 
 
 Fruit Trees, prices, 
 
 - 
 
 _ 
 
 133 
 
 " suckers. 
 
 _ 
 
 _ 
 
 193 
 
 " " remarks. 
 
 - 
 
 _ 
 
 134 
 
 '* divisions. 
 
 _ 
 
 . 
 
 193 
 
 " " transplanting. 
 
 . 
 
 135 
 
 " leaves, 
 
 . 
 
 _ 
 
 194 
 
 " " pruning, 
 
 - 
 
 - 
 
 139 
 
 " insects, 
 
 _ 
 
 _ 
 
 v.n 
 
 " " watering, 
 
 - 
 
 . 
 
 137 
 
 Nurserymen and Seedsmen, 
 
 
 32 
 
 Florist and Botanist, 
 
 - 
 
 - 
 
 30 
 
 Okra, - 
 
 - 
 
 - 
 
 i:s 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 (x\) 
 
 
xu 
 
 
 
 CONTENTS. 
 
 
 
 
 
 PAQB 
 
 
 
 Onion, - 
 
 . 
 
 - 
 
 156 
 
 Rose, perpetual damask. 
 
 » 
 
 plants, names of, 
 
 - 
 
 .. 
 
 29 
 
 " microphylla, 
 
 - 
 
 " fruitful organs 
 
 . 
 
 - 
 
 31 
 
 " climbing. 
 
 - 
 
 " climbing. 
 
 
 - 
 
 55 
 
 Rhubarb, 
 
 - 
 
 " perennial herbaceous 
 
 , 
 
 57 
 
 Societies, 
 
 - 
 
 " biennial flowering. 
 
 
 59 
 
 Sites, - - - 
 
 - 
 
 " annual " 
 
 - 
 
 . 
 
 60 
 
 Soils, - - - 
 
 - 
 
 " tuberous rooted, 
 
 . 
 
 69 
 
 " improvement of 
 
 - 
 
 " pot. 
 
 - 
 
 - 
 
 74 
 
 Seedsmen and Nurserymen, 
 
 
 " soils and compost, 
 
 - 
 
 76 
 
 Shrubs, deciduous flowering 
 
 
 " list, - . 
 
 _ 
 
 _ 
 
 77 
 
 *' evergreen. 
 
 - 
 
 " potting and re 
 
 -potting, 
 
 82 
 
 Strawberry, 
 
 - 
 
 " watering. 
 
 - 
 
 - 
 
 83 
 
 Salsafy, 
 
 
 " stands, for 
 
 - 
 
 - 
 
 84 
 
 Scurvy Grass, - 
 
 - 
 
 Tarsley, 
 
 . 
 
 - 
 
 157 
 
 Sorrel, - - - 
 
 - 
 
 Parsnip, 
 
 - 
 
 - 
 
 157 
 
 Spinach, 
 
 - 
 
 Pepper, 
 
 - 
 
 - 
 
 158 
 
 Squash, 
 
 - 
 
 Pea, 
 
 . 
 
 - 
 
 159 
 
 Soil, . - - 
 
 - 
 
 Potatoe, 
 
 . 
 
 - 
 
 163 
 
 Soap, whale oil solution. 
 
 - 
 
 " varieties, 
 
 - 
 
 - 
 
 164 
 
 Tree Department, '- 
 
 - 
 
 Peach, - 
 
 - 
 
 - 
 
 108 
 
 " shade, - 
 
 - 
 
 Pear, 
 
 - 
 
 . 
 
 114 
 
 " evergreen. 
 
 - 
 
 " gathering and keeping, 
 
 119 
 
 " transplanting shade. 
 
 
 Plum, - 
 
 - 
 
 - 
 
 119 
 
 " " evergreen 
 
 , 
 
 Plat, grass. 
 
 - 
 
 - 
 
 73 
 
 " ornamental, 
 
 - 
 
 Pigs, keeping, - 
 
 - 
 
 - 
 
 214 
 
 " insects, 
 
 - 
 
 Poultry, 
 
 - 
 
 - 
 
 215 
 
 " pruning, 
 
 - 
 
 Quince, 
 
 - 
 
 - 
 
 124 
 
 " salve, - 
 
 - 
 
 Raspberry, 
 
 . 
 
 - 
 
 125 
 
 " diseases, 
 
 - 
 
 Radish, 
 
 . 
 
 - 
 
 158 
 
 " gum, 
 
 - 
 
 " horse, - 
 
 - 
 
 - 
 
 152 
 
 *' wounds, 
 
 - 
 
 Rose, Boursault, 
 
 - 
 
 . 
 
 42 
 
 " canker. 
 
 - 
 
 " Remontant, 
 
 - 
 
 _ 
 
 40 
 
 Tenants, duties of 
 
 _ 
 
 " Multillard, 
 
 - 
 
 . 
 
 43 
 
 Trenching, 
 
 - 
 
 " Prairie, - 
 
 - 
 
 - 
 
 43 
 
 Tomato, 
 
 - 
 
 " list of hardy bush. 
 
 - 
 
 44 
 
 Turnip, 
 
 - 
 
 " protecting in winter. 
 
 - 
 
 45 
 
 Vegetable Department, 
 
 - 
 
 " removing protection, 
 
 - 
 
 46 
 
 " hoeing and killing weeds 
 
 " pruning, - 
 
 - 
 
 — 
 
 46 
 
 *' seeds, - 
 
 _ 
 
 « propagation and 
 
 management, 47 
 
 " varieties. 
 
 - 
 
 " destructive insects. 
 
 - 
 
 48 
 
 " books, - 
 
 - 
 
 " growing in pots, 
 
 - 
 
 - 
 
 50 
 
 " purchasing. 
 
 - 
 
 " planting, - 
 
 - 
 
 - 
 
 47 
 
 " raising seeds, - 
 
 - 
 
 ♦' daily. 
 
 . 
 
 . 
 
 37 
 
 " scalding seeds. 
 
 - 
 
 " tea scented. 
 
 . 
 
 . 
 
 37 
 
 age, - - 
 
 - 
 
 •' bourbon, - 
 
 . 
 
 . 
 
 38 
 
 " remarks, 
 
 _ 
 
 *' noisette, - 
 
 _ 
 
 . 
 
 39 
 
 Weeds, hoeing and killing. 
 
 _ 
 
 ♦' musk-scented, 
 
 - 
 
 - 
 
 41 
 
 Wounds, 
 
 - 
 
 FAoa 
 
 41 
 
 42 
 
 42 
 
 159 
 
 14 
 
 17 
 
 18 
 
 19 
 
 32 
 
 51 
 
 54 
 
 128 
 
 160 
 
 160 
 
 161 
 
 161 
 
 161 
 
 76 
 
 196 
 
 173 
 
 175 
 
 176 
 
 177 
 
 178 
 
 181 
 
 182 
 
 183 
 
 197 
 
 199 
 
 203 
 
 203 
 
 203 
 
 16 
 
 19 
 
 162 
 
 166 
 
 140 
 
 , 16b 
 
 171 
 
 171 
 
 172 
 
 169 
 
 170 
 
 171 
 
 171 
 
 167 
 
 168 
 
 203 
 
THE 
 
 COTTAGE GARDEN OF AMEllICA. 
 
 We will begin with a few preliminary items in 
 respect to the general Culture of the Garden. 
 
 The cottage garden is the allotment of land at- 
 tached to every country residence, intended for the 
 pleasure, profit, and recreation of the indwellers of 
 the cottage. Eating one's own fruits and fresh vege- 
 tables; performing the different operations of the 
 garden, throughout the endless variety of its pro- 
 ducts and appearance; watching nature in her pro- 
 gress through the year, refining and moralizing the 
 young, and forming their minds to habits of industry 
 and usefulness ; — all these things improve the neigh- 
 bourhood and country at large, and exalt the national 
 
 character. - „ 
 
 2 ^"^ 
 
14 THE COTTAGE GARDEN OF AMERICA. 
 
 SOCIETIES. 
 
 As there are influential and well-disposed persons 
 in every community, willing to do good whenever 
 an opportunity offers itself, we call on them to assist 
 in the improvement of the cottage garden. Estab- 
 lish a saving society in every township of every 
 county, in every state in the Union ; admit as mem- 
 bers, persons of all ages, sex, and station ; and let 
 each pay in from half a dime to half a dollar per 
 month, according to their circumstances. Let the 
 rich give a few dollars per annum, to encourage the 
 cause : let the society be broken up every year, say 
 on the first of November or March, and let the mana- 
 gers appropriate the moneys accruing to the purchase 
 of plants, seeds, implements, and horticultural books, 
 to be distributed among the members, in proportion 
 to their monthly subscriptions. The implements and 
 books may be kept by the society, to lend out to the 
 members in rotation, or, as they may need them ; 
 and a portion of some horticultural book should be 
 read to the members at every monthly meeting. Such 
 societies would be a stimulus towards the improve- 
 ment of the cottage garden ; from which an emula- 
 tion would arise in different states, counties, town- 
 ships, and individuals, to out-vie each other. Every 
 
THE COTTAGE GARDEN OF AMERICA. 15 
 
 person wishes to have a good garden, but those in 
 country places have not always the convenience of 
 nurseries near them, and must send to cities for a 
 tree, a rose, or paper of seeds. But when societies 
 are formed, large quantities may be sent for, making 
 price and transportation cheaper; while gratis con- 
 tributions will assist every one to stock his garden, 
 and give him something w^orth cultivating. Every 
 state and county should give so much every year, to 
 encourage cottagers to make for themselves pleasant 
 and happy homes. Nothing has a stronger tendency 
 to soften the minds of the poor, and create grateful 
 feelings in our hearts, than kindness from those above 
 our stations; and it is a duty incumbent on those 
 who have abundance, to assist those in need : "He 
 that giveth to the poor lendeth to the Lord." 
 
 DUTIES OF LANDLORDS. 
 
 Landlords, being generally richer than their ten- 
 ants, should be first in showing their liberality in 
 endeavours to make iheir tenants comfortable. They 
 should select healthful sites, and erect neat and con- 
 venient houses ; with grape-vine arbours attached, 
 
16 THE COTTAGE GARDEN OF AMERICA. 
 
 SO as to reach over and shade the back kitchens. A 
 well should be sunk in the dividing fence between 
 every two tenants, unless a free well of easy access 
 is close by. The lot should be well fenced and 
 manured, and trenched or deep ploughed ; the gar- 
 den laid out and stocked ; the walks edged and 
 graveled or tan-barked ; a patch near to the house 
 sodded or sowed with grass, for a bleaching green, 
 with a strong post in each corner, eight feet long, 
 sunk tw^o feet, to fasten the clothes lines on ; a gar- 
 den of an eighth of an acre might have eight fruit 
 trees, six currants, and six raspberry bushes, four 
 goosberry bushes, fifty strawberry plants, six flower- 
 ing shrubs, twelve roses, two grape-vines, two street 
 shade trees, twelve climbing plants, etc. He w4)o 
 attends to the above duties in a proper manner, will 
 find his tenants generally apt to take care of, and 
 improve his property, for their own benefit and com- 
 fort, and be punctual in the payment of their rents. 
 
 DUTIES OF TENANTS. 
 
 By the laws of honesty and discretion, every ten- 
 ant should be as careful of his landlord's property as 
 
THE COTTAGE GARDEN OF AMERICA. 17 
 
 if it were his own; as, by so doing, he will add to 
 his own comfort and prolit. He should manure the 
 garden every year, and crop it in a proper manner; 
 ke.p weeds from seeding; prune fruit trees, grape- 
 vines, shrubs, climbers, etc. ; procure flower and 
 vegetable seeds, and any desirable plants ; be punc- 
 tual in the payment of rents; make trifling repairs 
 when needed; make no complaints to landlords i 
 stay as long in the same house as possible ; and 
 agree well with the neighbours. Tenants attending 
 properly to these duties, wdll be happy in themselves, 
 get the respect of their neighbours, and find their 
 landlords generally willing to do any thing reasonable 
 for their comfort and convenience. 
 
 SITES. 
 
 The most healthful sites are on elevated lands, at 
 a distance from still creeks and navigable rivers. 
 The air in such situations is always dry and bracing ; 
 and when heavy rains fall, they are imbibed by the 
 earth, and given out as nourishment to the plants 
 growing thereon. 
 
 The most unhealthy sites are on low marshy lands, 
 
18 THE COTTAGE GARDEN OF AMERICA. 
 
 near muddy creeks, and large rivers that frequently 
 overflow their banks ; or near stagnant pools of wa- 
 ter. In such situations the air is always moist, and 
 the evaporation of such waters produce many noxious 
 gases hurtful to human health. 
 
 SOILS. 
 
 The earth or soil is the foundation on which the 
 vegetable temple is to be erected ; and on its nature 
 and preparation much of our after success depends. 
 The best soil for most garden crops, is a light brown 
 loam, having a fair proportion of sand in it to keep 
 it mellow. Such a soil on a flat or level, is best 
 when resting on a sandy or gravelly subsoil. If on 
 a declivity, it is best when the subsoil is inclining to 
 clay. The two extremes of bad soils are, sharp sands 
 and stiff clays. Sands are hot and dry — clays cold 
 and wet. Black loams are not always very fertile ; 
 they contain too little of those ingredients most bene- 
 ficial to plants. Soils having much irony matter in 
 them are seldom very fertile — iron in any shape 
 being hurtful to most plants. 
 
THE COTTAGE GARDEN Ul" AMERICA. 19 
 
 HOW TO IMPROVE SOILS. 
 
 Sandy soils can be made fertile by frequent dress- 
 ings of clay, or muck from swamps and river sides, 
 or the cleanings of ponds and ditches — and enriched 
 with cattle and hog manures, lime, bleached wood- 
 ashes, plaster of paris, marl, etc. Clayey soils can 
 be much improved by frequent dressings of sharp 
 sand, stone coal ashes, lime, etc., and manured Avith 
 long barn yard and fresh horse manures. They 
 should be dug up rough in fall, and left so all winter. 
 
 TRENCHING. 
 
 Trenching is very beneficial to trees and other 
 woody plants that strike deep root in the ground. 
 Dig out a trench two feet wide, and at least fifteen 
 inches deep, and carry the earth to the other end of 
 the garden, to close the trench when it gets there. 
 Line of!' another trench two feet wide, and dig the 
 earth of that into the open trench, putting the top 
 soil undermost, and subsoil uppermost. If the soil 
 
20 THE COTTAGE GARDEN OF AMERICA. 
 
 is of the right kind, it will only need a good portion 
 of manure mixed in with it, in the process. If it be 
 sand, it should have three inches thick of clay or 
 muck in the bottom of the trenches; and a quantity 
 of that as well as manure mixed with the soil. If it 
 is clay, put three inches thick of stones, bones, bro- 
 ken bricks, or coarse gravels, in the bottom of each 
 trench ; and mix sand and long manure with the soil. 
 
 UNDER DRAINING. 
 
 Every one must be impressed with the importance 
 of under draining, from the knowledge that low, flat, 
 and springy lands are wet and sour, and unhealthy 
 to live on ; and that waters remaining long on the 
 surface, evaporate into the air and cause many 
 diseases. There are different modes and materials 
 for under draining, of which the following are ex- 
 amples. 
 
 BOX DRAIN. 
 
 This kind of drain may be dug three feet deep, 
 eighteen inches wide at top, and fourteen inches at 
 bottom ; two stones of equal sizes are set on edge 
 
THE COTTAGE GARDEN OF A3IERICA. 21 
 
 close to the sides of the drain, and bent over to lean 
 on each other like an arch. Smaller stones are 
 packed behind them, to brace and keep them toge- 
 ther ; the drain is then filled with stones to within 
 fourteen inches of the surface ; straw, shavings, etc., 
 are laid over the stones two inches thick, and to pre- 
 vent the earth from running down among the stones, 
 which would choke up the drain ; the earth is then 
 filled in, and the drain is finished. 
 
 RAMBLING DRAIN. 
 
 This drain may be of the same depth and width as 
 the box drain. Round stones, gathered off cultivated 
 fields or river sides, are thrown in at random, to 
 wdthin fourteen inches of the surface, and covered 
 with straw, etc., and the earth filled in. 
 
 tile drain. 
 
 This drain is dug two feet deep, fourteen inches 
 wide at top, and eight inches at bottom. Thin hem- 
 lock boards are laid along the bottom, and arched 
 tiles, eighteen inches long, four inches high, and four 
 inches wide, are laid on the boards all along the 
 drain; straw, etc., packed in at the sides and over 
 them, four inches thick. The earth is then filled in, 
 softly at first, so as not to displace or break the tiles. 
 
22 THE COTTAGE GARDEN OF AMERICA. 
 
 The drains should be made in the walks of the 
 garden, which will always keep them dry, and the 
 stones will not then be disturbed with the spade. 
 
 MANURES. 
 
 Manures are different in their natures, and suita- 
 ble for various kinds of plants, and various kinds of 
 soils. Those most soluble in water give the most 
 immediate effect to plants; they are dissolved by the 
 rains, and become incorporated at once with the soil. 
 Cattle, hog, and night manures are easily dissolved, 
 and give immediate effect ; long, strawy manures 
 may keep stiff soils open, and allow the roots of 
 plants to run more freely in search of nourishment ; 
 and greedy feeders, such as corn, potatoes, etc., 
 which have large spungoles, are much benefitted by 
 them, — but it is the second or third year before they 
 become fairly incorporated wuth the soil. Manures 
 of a hot or salty nature should be applied to lands in 
 fall. Lime, soot, live ashes, pigeon, poultry, 
 slaughter house, and horse manures are hot; night 
 manure and sea-weed are salty. 
 
THE COTTAGE GARDEN OF AMERICA. 23 
 
 APPLICATION OF MANURES 
 
 There has been much discussion among practical 
 men, about the proper application of manures. Some 
 assert, that manures applied to lands in fall, should 
 be immediately dug in ; because they lose much oi 
 their fertilizing qualities by evaporation, when they 
 remain long on the surface ; while if immediately 
 dug in, they sooner become insorporated with the soil. 
 Others again assert, that manures rather imbibe than 
 lose fertilizing matter, when exposed to the atmos- 
 phere in winter ; as there is but little evaporation 
 going on then ; and that when manures are dug in 
 in fall, the rains and snows wash the soluble matter 
 too deep for the benefit of young plants, raised from 
 seeds, which consequently get stunted in their inf^incy 
 and never attain their natural size : whereas, on (he 
 contrary, when they remain on the surface all win- 
 ter, the rains and snows carry the soluble matter to a 
 proper depth to benefit all kinds of plants, by the 
 time vegetation com.mences in spring. It must be 
 admitted, that all manures must be decomposed be- 
 fore they can incorporate with the soil, and become 
 food for plants ; and as all substances decompose 
 more rapidly when exposed to the atmosphere, than 
 when buried in the earth, so must manures. We 
 
24 THE COTTAGE GARDEN OF AMERICA. 
 
 have always thought it best, to manure all lands, ex- 
 cept clay, in the fall, and leave it on the surface all 
 winter, and dig it in, in spring. 
 
 Barn-yard manure, when well rotted, is suitable 
 for nearly all kinds of plants and soils. 
 
 Horse manure, when the horses are much fed on 
 grain, is hot and pow^erful in its undecomposed state 
 — detrimental to woody plants, and poison to all 
 conniferous trees ; but when well rotted, one of the 
 richest of all manures. 
 
 Cattle manure is good at all times. 
 
 Hog manure is good at all times. 
 
 Night manure is the richest of all manures, spread 
 thin. Apply it in fall. 
 
 Slaughter house manure should be applied in fall 
 • — spread thin. 
 
 Pigeon manure — sow three quarts per perch. 
 
 Poultry manure — sow four quarts per perch. 
 
 Sea-weed is a great stimulant. 
 
 Salt — sow a pint per perch, in fall. 
 
 Charcoal dust — sow three quarts per perch. 
 
 Bone dust— sow two quarts per perch. 
 
 Shell dust — sow two quarts per perch. 
 
 Lime — sow a peck per perch, in fall. 
 
 Live wood-ashes — sow a peck per perch, in fall. 
 
 Stone-coal ashes — sow two pecks per perch, in fall. 
 
 Marl — spread two bushels per perch. 
 
 Hops, from breweries — tw^o bushels per perch. 
 
THE COTTAGE GARDEN OF AME.IICA. 25 
 
 Grains, from breweries — two bushels per perch. 
 
 Yeast, from breweries — ten gallons per perch. 
 
 Guano — we have used much of this manure, in 
 various ways, and to various crops ; but have not 
 witnessed any of its good effects. 
 
 Street sweepings are an excellent manure. 
 
 Vegetable mould is decayed leaves, weeds, and 
 other vegetables ; it is the best of all manures. 
 
 Whole bones and shells, horn shavings, leather 
 parings, etc., decay very slowly, and cannot be much 
 reckoned on as manures. 
 
 Soot — sow two quarts per perch, in fall. 
 
 LAYING OUT. 
 
 As the sizes of gardens and minds of people are so 
 various, it would be a difficult task to lay down a 
 plan to suit all tastes. Those we address are the 
 owners and occupiers of cottages, with gardens from 
 one perch to one acre, which will be according to 
 locations and circumstances. A neat garden can be 
 made, and many choice flowering plants grown, on 
 one perch; and where there is an acre, much fine 
 taste can be displayed. The walks should be made 
 
26 THE COTTAGE GARDEN OF AMERICA, 
 
 for the convenience of the family, and to give the 
 garden a pleasing appearance ; symmetry should be 
 prevalent throughout, and the greatest economy 
 practised in the stocking and cropping. 
 
 Styles. — The rich gentleman may have his broad 
 domain finely diversified with wood lots, open fields, 
 deep ravines, creeks, cataracts, canals, rock works, 
 fancy or rustic bridges, etc. ; and the wide extended 
 lawn, with its dark green sod, which surrounds his 
 mansion, may be beautifully interspersed with wind- 
 ing walks and deciduous and evergreen trees. The 
 beauty of the latter will consist in the features of the 
 style in which his place is laid out ; if in the garden- 
 esque or graceful style, it will be found in their erect 
 habits, symmetrical forms, and gigantic statures. 
 There will be the horse-chesnut, with its broad-reach- 
 ing, horizontal branches ; the proud tulip tree, with 
 its lofty head reaching almost to the clouds ; the 
 weeeping willow, with its hypochondriac branches 
 sweeping the ground ; the noble oak, a gigantic spe- 
 cimen of the king of the forest. If in the picturesque 
 style, the trees will stand in groups, contrasting the 
 sizes and colours of their foliage, commingling, and 
 making a harmonious whole. If in the geometrical 
 style, the trees will stand in lines or figures ; some 
 cut into different shapes and forms, from a seat to a 
 temple. If in the rustic style, the beauties of the 
 trees consist in their ivy and mossy trunks, their lean- 
 
THE COTTAGE GARDEN OF AMERICA. 27 
 
 ing habits, crooked limbs and other deformities. 
 There maybe rivulets, whose waters ripple their way 
 among moss-covered stones, and here and there dash 
 themselves heedlessly over some projecting rock, 
 from which their murmurs will be heard a short dis 
 tance off. There is a pleasure and a beauty in all 
 styles, by which the man of money and leisure may 
 amuse himself; but there is far more real pleasure in 
 the neatly laid out, the well stocked and well kept 
 cottage garden, where every thing is under the im- 
 mediate care and observation of its owner. 
 
 BOTANY. 
 
 Botany divides plants by two grand arrangements, 
 (the Jussieuen system and the Linnean system,) into 
 classes and orders, genera and species, hybrids and 
 varieties. 
 
 The Jussieuen or natural system classes plants toge- 
 ther that have a near relation to each other ; for ex- 
 ample, the henbane, mandrake, nightshade, and 
 daturea (all poisonous plants) belong to the same 
 order. 
 
 The Linnean or artificial system, classes plants ac 
 
28 THE COTTAGE GARDEN OF AMERICA. 
 
 cording to the structure of their flower, the number 
 and arrangement of their stamens and pistils ; so that 
 the name of every plant can be ascertained when it 
 is in bloom. 
 
 GENERA AND SPECIES. 
 
 Genera is the family ; species the individuals of 
 the family. Acer is the generic name for maple. 
 Saccharinum is the specific name for sugar ; so the 
 sugar maple is a member of the maple family. A 
 species will always produce the same from seeds, 
 unless it gets impregnated with some other species. 
 
 HYBRIDS AN© VARIETIES. 
 
 Hybrids and varieties are the production of two 
 species, either belonging to the same or different 
 genera. If an Azalia were impregnated with a Rho- 
 dodendron, the young plants raised from the seeds 
 might be different from both parents — Azalias or 
 Rhododendrons : so they would be hybrids. But 
 if the daily rose were impregnated with the moss 
 rose, the plants produced from the seeds might be 
 unlike both parents, but they would still be varieties 
 of the rose — although, indeed, they may vulgarly be 
 called hybrids. 
 
THE COTTAGE GARDEN OF AMERICA, 29 
 
 , FRUITFUL ORGANS OF PLANTS. 
 
 This is the most important item in botany for the 
 cottager to know, and which can only be read in the 
 open flower or bloom. The green leaf or leaves en- 
 closing the flower bud before it opens, and appearing 
 under it when expanded, are called calyx or cup ; 
 the coloured leaf or leaves of the flower are called 
 corolla. The process or processes immediately in- 
 side of the corolla are called stamens, and are the 
 male part of the plant ; they consist of two parts, the 
 filaments or threads, and the anthers or heads ; the 
 long tube in the centre of the flower is called pistil, 
 and is the female part of the plant. It consists of 
 three parts — the germen or rudiments of seeds and 
 fruit, the style or tube, stigma which crowns the 
 style. The anthers contain a dust or flour called 
 Pollen ; and when the flower has been a certain time 
 expanded, the anthers burst and the Pollen flies out 
 and lights on the pistil, which has a strong attraction 
 for it, and carries it down to the seed vessel called 
 Pericarp, and there makes the seeds. There are 
 some plants which are entirely male plants, and some 
 female plants. Male plants can never bear fruit nor 
 seeds; — the female may bear fruit, but not seeds; 
 unless it gets impregnated with a male plai t of the 
 
30 THE COTTAGE GARDEN OF AMERICA. 
 
 same species, growing near to it. When that is the 
 case, it will yield seeds and fruit in abundance. If 
 the weather be very windy or rainy at the time that 
 the plants are in bloom, the pollen is destroyed, which 
 renders the plant unfruitful for that season. Exam- 
 ples of this are experienced in years that there is a 
 scarcity of fruit. If the weather be calm and dry 
 while the plants are in bloom, that will be a plenti- 
 ful year of fruit. 
 
 r\j>~'.,^\.^^- 
 
 BOTANIST AND FLORIST. 
 
 The botanist and florist are distinct persons, and 
 their theories are quite opposite to one another. The 
 botanist delights in nature — the florist in art. The 
 botanist is at home in all parts of the world where 
 plants are in bloom — the florist's world is the flower 
 garden. The botanist is amused with the stamens 
 and pistils — the florist with the flower leaves. The 
 botanist takes a plant to study its structure and na- 
 ture—the florist takes a plant to triple the size and 
 number of its flower leaves. The botanist considers 
 a plant with a double flower a monster — the florist 
 considers it a beauty. A double flower is useless to 
 
THE COTTAGE GARDEN OF AMERICA. 31 
 
 the botanist — it is a prize to the florist. The bota- 
 nist loves to see plants in their natural characters — 
 the florist loves to see their characters altered by 
 hybridization and extra culture. Species are the 
 hobby of the botanist — varieties the hobby of the 
 florist. 
 
 BOTANICAL AND COMMON NAMES OF PLANTS, 
 
 Every cottager should study to learn the botanical 
 names, as well as the common names, of all the 
 plants grown in his garden. Common names are 
 different in different places — botanical names are the 
 same in all languages and in all countries over the 
 world. No person should purchase a plant unless it 
 is labelled ; and the lable should be preserved and 
 renewed, until the name of the plant is fully com- 
 mitted to memory. Every cottager should have a 
 catalogue of all the plants he grows. The best plan 
 is to draw a map of the garden, and write on it the 
 name of each plant, and where it grows in the gar- 
 den. This map could hang up in the housg*, and 
 would be an excellent reference, both in summer 
 and winter. It is better to purchase seeds and plants 
 from respectable seedsmen and nurserymen, than to 
 
32 THE COTTAGE GARDEN OF AMERICA. 
 
 purchase them under false names in the public mar- 
 kets. It is the duty of all nurserymen and seedsmen 
 to keep their seeds and plants all properly labeled, 
 and be strict in their nomenclature. The labels 
 should be written in a large, plain hand, and not 
 with a dash and scribble, as is often the case in public 
 markets. What a great pleasure it is to a man him- 
 self, and how intelligent he appears to others, when 
 he can name every plant grown in his garden. 
 
 SEEDSMEN AND NURSERYMEN. 
 
 We have purchased many seeds and plants from 
 the following seedsmen and nurserymen, who are 
 both scientific and practical; and have found them 
 punctual with their orders, strict in their nomencla- 
 tures, and honest men. 
 
 D. Landreth, seeds and nurseryman, Philadelphia. 
 R. Buist, " " " 
 
 J. Ritchie, nurseryman and florist, " 
 
 J. Fulton, " " " 
 
 A. Dryburgh, '' " " 
 
 J. Dick, *' " " 
 
 J. Sheerwocd, '' " " 
 
a 
 
 a 
 
 li 
 
 u 
 
 <c 
 
 (C 
 
 a 
 
 a 
 
 li 
 
 THE COTTAGE GARDEN OF AMERICA. 33 
 
 R. Kilvington, florist, Philadelphia. 
 
 P. Mackinzie, '' *' 
 
 J. Hog, nurseryman and florist, New York 
 
 W. Read, '' " <' 
 
 M. Floy, " " '' 
 
 A. Hutcheson, " " " 
 
 J. Thorburn, seeds and nurseryman, ^' 
 
 Mr. Parsons, nurseryman, Flushing, Long Island. 
 
 Mr. Bloodgood, 
 
 Mr. Prince, 
 
 Mr. Winter, 
 
 A. J. Downing, nurseryman and florist, Newburg, 
 New York. 
 
 J. Wilson & Co., nurserymen and florist, Albany, 
 New York. 
 
 W. Thorburn, seedsman and florist, Albany, N. Y. 
 
 Messrs. Hovey & Co., seeds and nurserymen, 
 Boston, Massachusetts. 
 
 Mr. Kenrick, nurseryman, Boston, Mass. 
 
 Mr. Winship, '' '' '<■ 
 
 T. Hancock, nurseryman, Burlington, N. J. 
 
 R. Fetters, nurseryman, Camden, N. J. 
 
 J. Reeve, nurseryman, Salem, N. J. 
 
 Mr. Feast, nurseryman and florist, Baltimore, Md. 
 
 There may be a great many nurserymen and seeds- 
 men with whom we are unacquainted, who may also 
 be strict, honest men. Those w^e have mentioned 
 have long been established, and do an extensive 
 
34 THE COTTAGE GARDEN OF AMERICA. 
 
 business ; but this notice is not intended to benefit 
 them, but to benefit cottagers who may not know 
 w^here to send for plants, etc. We would willingly 
 give a list of all the seedsmen and nurserymen in the 
 Union, if we knew their names and residences. 
 
 HOT BEDS. 
 
 Every cottage garden in America might have its 
 hot bed. Make the sash six feet long, and three feet 
 wide; the outer frame three inches broad, the laths 
 all running lengthwise, seven inches apart; glaze it 
 with glass seven by nine inches, the panes to lap each 
 other a quarter of an inch, so as to carry off the rains 
 without leaking through ; make a box to fit the sash, 
 three feet deep at back, and twenty-eight inches in 
 front, the sides sloping, and a piece of scantling in 
 each corner to nail the boards on and keep it firm. 
 The sash should be flush with the outsides of the 
 box, and project an inch over at front and back. 
 Nail thin strips on the sides of the box, to be as high 
 as the upper side of the sash. To prevent its being 
 displaced or blown off by high winds, sink the box 
 eighteen inches, bank it up to the edge and sod it 
 around : make a thin lid, the size of the sash, to 
 cover it on cold nights. 
 
THE COTTAGE GARDEN OF AMERICA. 35 
 
 MANAGEMENT OF HOT BEDS. 
 
 About the first of March, fill the box with horse 
 manure — put on the sash, and in two or three days 
 the manure will be well heated ; then push down the 
 sash eight inches from behind, to let the rank steam 
 escape. The next day shake up the manure, level 
 and tramp it, so as to be twelve inches below the 
 edges of the box ; put in six inches of earth all over 
 the bed, and put the sash on tight : and in twenty- 
 four hours more, sow the seeds, rake the earth fine, 
 and draw shallow drills from back to front, six inches 
 apart; sow the seeds in them, cover up, and press 
 the earth firm with the hand ; put on the sash, and 
 cover with the lid over night. If there is a rank 
 steam in the bed the next day, tilt the sash one or 
 two inches behind, put a stick in to keep it up ; let 
 it close down at night, unless the steam is very rank. 
 In forty-eight hours after the seeds are sowed, many 
 of the young plants will be up ; after this, the s?sh 
 must be tilted more or less every day, according to 
 the weather, to admit air to the plants. When a 
 white mould appears in the bed, it is a sign that too 
 little air is admitted-: the sash should be tilted higher, 
 or pushed down from behind ; and when the weather 
 gets warm, it can be taken off altogether on sunny 
 
36 THE COTTAGE GARDEN OF AMERICA. 
 
 days and put on at nights. This will harden the 
 plants before they are set out into the open ground. 
 When the bed needs water, make it lukewarm and 
 apply it through the nose of a watering pot, in the 
 forenoon. 
 
 FLOWER DEPARTMENT. 
 
 As it is both fashionable and proper to address the 
 women first, we will begin with the flowers — that 
 being their department of the garden. " the sweet 
 creature," Burns said of his, '^ It eases me, it pleases 
 me, to mention but her name — it warms me, it charms 
 me, it puts me in a flame." 
 
 The rose being the queen of flowers, "the sunny 
 garden's pride," it ought to stand at the head of the 
 list ; but we have not space to expatiate on its beauty, 
 fragrance, and history. Those which flower once a 
 year, are delightful in their time, but are gone in a 
 few weeks ; whereas, the everblooming are equally 
 as beautiful and fragrant, and cheer us with their 
 flowers from May till December; and even through 
 the winter if we give them shelter. Many of them 
 are different in their characters, habits, and natures, 
 which causes them to be classed separately. 
 
 " How sweetly do their odours flow, 
 Diffused on every side." 
 
THE COTTAGE GARDEN OF AMERICA. 37 
 
 ROSA INDICA, OR DAILY ROSE. 
 
 This is a species of many varieties — as frequently 
 seen in the cottage garden as in that of the mansion. 
 They delight in rich sandy loam — but will thrive in 
 almost every kind of soil, and require a covering of 
 straw north of New York city. The following are 
 free growers, profuse bloomers, and their flowers 
 double and fragrant. They can be purchased at from 
 three to fiv^e dollars per dozen. 
 
 Agrippina, bright crimson; Cels, large blush ; Gre- 
 nadier, large pink ; Hortensia, light rose ; Indica, 
 common daily rose ; Indica Alba, white daily rose ; 
 Louis Philippe, dark crimson ; Lady Warrender, 
 superb white ; Mrs. Bosanquet, waxy blush, superb ; 
 Napoleon, fine rose ; Prince Eugene, scarlet crimson ; 
 Reine de Lombardie, cherry red. 
 
 ROSE INDICA ODORATA, OR TEA SCENTED ROSE. 
 
 This delightful odoriferous class is best adapted for 
 
 a southern climate or pot culture. They delight in 
 
 4 
 
38 THE COTTAGE GARDEN OF AMERICA. 
 
 a rich sandy loam, and will flourish on a heavy loatii. 
 They require a covering of straw in winter, north of 
 Philadelphia, when grown in the open ground. The 
 following are free bloomers, and their flowers very 
 double and fragrant. 
 
 Aurora, very large blush ; Caroline, creamy blush ; 
 Devoniensis, large blush superb ; Goubault, rosy 
 blush ; Glori de Hardi, fine pink ; La Sylphide, rosy 
 buff"; Madam Desprez, pure white ; Mansais, rosy 
 buff"; Odoratissima, large blush ; Triomphe de Lue- 
 embourg, rosy blush; William Wallace, large pale 
 blush. — From five to nine dollars per dozen. 
 
 ROSA BOURBONIANA, OR BOURBON ROSE. 
 
 It is said that the original species of this class was 
 found growing on the isle of Bourbon, and was 
 thence taken to France, where hundreds of varieties 
 have been raised from it. They are of a strong, 
 robust habit, very hardy and profuse in bloom. They 
 delight in a loamy soil, but will thrive in almost any 
 kind of soil ; they will be the better for a covering 
 of straw north of New York city. The following are 
 very choice : 
 
THE COTTAGE GARDEN OF AMERICA. 39 
 
 Acidalie, large white ; Dr. Roques, dark crimson ; 
 c General Dubourg, large pink ; c Glori de Rosamene, 
 bright scarlet ; Hermosa, superb pink ; Henry Clay, 
 rosy blush ; Henri Plantifr, deep rose ; Le Phoenix, 
 rosy crimson ; c Madame Desprez, bright rose ; Paul 
 Joseph, rich crimson ; Queen, waxy blush ; Souvenir 
 de la Malmaison, cream. — Six dollars per dozen. 
 
 NOISETTE ROSES. 
 
 The original parent of this class was raised at 
 Charleston, South Carolina, by Mr. Noisette, whose 
 name it bears. He sent it to France, where hundreds 
 have been raised from it. They delight in a sandy, 
 rich loam, but will grow on most kinds of soils ; their 
 flowers are small but are produced in large clusters, 
 and are nearly all of a climbing nature ; they require 
 covering with straw north of New York city. The 
 following are rapid growers, free flowerers and very 
 fragrant. Price from four to eight dollars per dozen. 
 
 Aimee Vibert, superb white; c Camellia Rouge, 
 bright red ; c Cloth of Gold, bright sulphur superb ; 
 cChampany , pale pink; cFellenberg, bright crimson; 
 
10 THE COTTAGE GARDEN OF AMERICA. 
 
 c Jane, pure white ; cJaune Desprez, rosy buff; c Lee 
 Monstrasa, pale blush ; c Ophire, copper colour ; c Sir 
 Walter Scott, bright rose ; c Solfatare, bright yellow; 
 c Sultana, bright crimson.. 
 
 REMONTANT ROSES, OR HYBRID PERPETUAL. 
 
 This class has been produced from between the 
 Daily roses and Bourbons. They are very hardy, 
 and their flowers are as large, double, and fragrant 
 as the old cabbage rose ; they bloom from May till 
 hard frost, and stand the winter without protection at 
 Boston. Twelve dollars per dozen. 
 
 c Compte de Paris, rosy purple ; EmmaDampierre, 
 bright red ; Lady Fordwich, clear pink ; Louis Bona- 
 parta, rosy lilac ; Lady Alice Peel, rosy carmine ; 
 c Madame Laffay, deep rose ; Prudence Roeser, pink ; 
 Princess Helena, bright rose; c Prince Albert, rich 
 crimson ; c Rivers, large crimson ; Reine de la Guili- 
 otiere, violet crimson ; Rose de la Riene, bright rose. 
 
THE COTTAGE GARDEN OF AMERICA. 41 
 
 MUSK-SCENTED ROSES, 
 
 These are of thrifty growth, producing flowers in 
 large clusters, without intermission, from June till 
 Christmas, and emit a pleasant musky odor. The 
 plants require covering north of New York city, but 
 seem to thrive on any soil. From thirty to fifty 
 cents each. 
 
 c Moschata superba, pure white ; c Princesse de Nas- 
 sau, pure white ; c Herbemont's, large white ; c Red 
 musk cluster, red. 
 
 PERPETUAL DAMASK ROSES. 
 
 This is a hardy class of roses, producing large dou- 
 ble flowers the whole growing season, and do best 
 on heavy loam. They stand the winter, without pro- 
 tection, at Boston. Nine dollars per dozen. 
 
 Claire du Chatelet, bright rose ; Du, Rio or Lee's, 
 rich crimson ; Jenny Audio, rich rose ; La Reine 
 
 rose ; Palmyra, fine blush ; Monthly Damask, pink. 
 
 4* 
 
42 IHE COTTAGE GARDEN OF AMERICA. 
 
 MICROPHYLLA ROSES. 
 
 This is a curious class, with small leaves, mossy 
 buds, and thorny stems ; delight in heavy loam, and 
 require covering north of New York city. 
 
 Maria Leonida, rich white ; Rosea, bright rose ; 
 Purpurea, purple. From thirty to fifty cents each. 
 
 Note. — The above classes bloom all summer. Those marked 
 " c " arc climbers — well adapted for covering fences, arbours, 
 buildings, etc. 
 
 CLIMBING ROSES THAT FLOWER ONCE A 
 
 YEAR. 
 
 BOURSAULT. 
 
 This class is of a climbing habit, making shoofs 
 ten feet long in a season, and standing the winter 
 
THE COTTAGE GARDEN OF AMERICA. 43 
 
 uninjured in the coldest regions of America ; flourish 
 in every soil. 
 
 Alba or White, fine blush; Perpurea, purple ; Iner- 
 mis, bright pink. From thirty to fifty cents each. 
 
 MULTIFLORA ROSE. 
 
 This class is of a climbing habit, making shoots 
 ten feet long in a season — very double and fragrant; 
 thriving in every soil and climate. 
 
 Alba, white ; Lawre Davoust, pink ; Cottage rose, 
 white, pink and crimson ; Grevillii, white, pink and 
 crimson. From thirty to fifty cents each. 
 
 PRAIRIE ROSE. 
 
 This is a native class of roses — the original having 
 been found in a western prairie, — only a single 
 flower, and long, flexible shoots. Mr. Feast, of Bal- 
 timore, has raised some very superb varieties from it. 
 
44 THE COTTAGE GARDEN OF AMERICA. 
 
 The following produce large double flowers, in great 
 clusters ; so much so, as, when in bloom, to hide the 
 whole foliage. They are all of a climbing nature, 
 making shoots twenty feet long in a season, growing 
 on any soil, — standing the winter in the coldest 
 regions, and blooming a month later than other roses. 
 Baltimore Belle, rich white ; Queen of the Prai- 
 ries, bright rose ; Superba, pale pink ; Pallida, pale 
 blush ; Michigan, rosy purple ; Kentucky, fine pink. 
 From thirty to fifty cents each. 
 
 HARDY BUSH ROSES THAT BLOOM ONCE A YEAR. 
 
 Many varieties of Moss Rose, Cabbage Rose, Rose 
 of France, Yellow Rose, Marbled Rose, White Gar- 
 den Rose, Damask Rose, Hybrid Chinese Rose. — 
 From three to six dollars per dozen. 
 
THK COTTAGE GARDEN OF AMERICA. 45 
 
 TROTECTING HALF HARDY ROSES IN WINTER. 
 
 As many everblooming roses require protection in 
 winter, in different latitudes, the following ^n will 
 assist the inexperienced. Late in fall, get a strong 
 stick as long as the height of the rose, drive it firmly 
 in close to its side, tie up all the branches of the 
 rose around it ; then cover it with long straw, begin- 
 ning at the bottom ; place the straw in a standing 
 manner around it, and tie neatly up with twine. If 
 more than one length of the straw is needed, let the 
 upper tiers lap over the lower — so as to carry off the 
 rains and melting snows. It is not the frost that kills 
 the plants, but the sun, when they are in a frozen 
 state ; so the covering is only to shade the plants 
 from the light when in a frozen state ; but when the 
 straw is put on too thick, it musts in wet weather, 
 and kills the plants. We may cover half an inch 
 thick at Philadelphia, one inch thick at New York 
 city, and two inches at Albany and Boston. We 
 have used boxes, barrels, and branches of evergreen 
 trees, but have never found any thing equal to straw 
 — with manure over the roots. 
 
46 THE COTTAGE GARDEN OF AMERICA. 
 
 REMOVING THE WINTER PROTECTION OF ROSES. 
 
 Tn^winter covering should nerer be removed 
 until the frost is entirely out of the ground, and not 
 until after March. A wet or cloudy day should be 
 taken for the removal. The frosts get through the 
 straw and into the shoots of the rose, and it takes as 
 long to draw it out of them as out of the ground. If 
 they were uncovered while the frost was in the shoots, 
 they would likely all die. 
 
 The above directions are applicable to other plants 
 that need covering in winter. 
 
 PRUNING ROSES. 
 
 A ROSE left to nature would soon become a confu- 
 sion of shoots — the flowers would be few, small, and 
 single. The finest flowers are produced on young 
 shoots, of the previous year's growth. So all shoots 
 over two years old, should be cut out every spring. 
 If the plant is a bush, prune it in a neat and symme- 
 
THE COTTAGE GARDEN OF AMERICA. 47 
 
 trical manner ; if it covers a fence, pillar, arbour, 
 etc., train up the young shoots where the old ones 
 were : but do not cross one shoot over another. The 
 shoots on a fence or building should be four inches 
 apart. 
 
 PLANTING ROSES. 
 
 Plant out all everblooming roses in spring ; those 
 that bloom once a year should be planted out in fall. 
 Dig out large holes eighteen inches deep, and mix 
 the earth with one-third of its size of very short 
 manure, or black mould from the woods. Fill up 
 the holes to nine inches deep, place the plants in 
 them in a way that all their roots wdll lay out in their 
 natural positions ; fill up the holes and tramp the 
 earth firm about their roots. 
 
 PROPAGATION AND MANAGEMENT OF ROSES. 
 
 Roses are propagated by seeds, layers, budding, 
 cuttings, and graftings; all kinds do best on rich, 
 mellow ground. The flowers, as soon as they fade. 
 
48 THE COTTAGE GARDEN OF AMERICA. 
 
 a 
 
 should be cut off; the plants will grow more and 
 bloom better, when they are not allowed to bear 
 seeds, and kept free from insects. In purchasing or 
 sending to nurseries for roses, the name of each rose 
 should be accompanied with the name of the class or 
 tribe it belongs to; as there are roses of the same 
 names in different classes. For example, there is the 
 Tea Madame Despraz, and the Bourbon Madam 
 Despraze : the former white and tender — the latter 
 hardy and of a rose colour. It may be remarked 
 here, that the lighter the colour the rose is, the 
 sweeter-scented it is; and all of deep bright colours 
 have least scent. White roses are sweetest scented 
 — scarlet roses have but little scent. And this is the 
 case with all kinds of flowers. 
 
 INSECTS DESTRUCTIVE TO ROSES. 
 
 The slug preys on the leaves. To destroy it, 
 syringe the plants in the evenings with whale oil 
 soap in water, in the proportion of one pound of soap 
 mixed in eight gallons of water,* and standing two 
 
 * This mixture was first discovered by M^ David Hag-g-ers- 
 ton, a practical frardener, near Boston ; for which he got the 
 Massachusetts Horticultural Society's prize of $100. 
 
THE COTTAGE GARDEN OF AMERICA. 49 
 
 days after mixing. The rose-bug preys on the open 
 flowers ; the whale oil soap and water will also 
 destroy it ; but the best plan is to go over the plants 
 in the mornings, with a pail of hot water, and shake 
 the bugs into it. We knew a lady who practised this 
 on her country seat, and in three years there was 
 hardly a rose-bug to be seen in the neighborhood. 
 The green fly preys on the young shoots. An ama- 
 teur lady of this city keeps her roses free of the green 
 fly by brushing them off" with a long hair brush, once 
 a week ; and her roses are always admired. The 
 brushing tortures them to death. A fly deposits its 
 eggs in the rose buds as soon as they are formed ; a 
 maggot is soon hatched, which eats through the bud 
 and destroys it. Syringing with whale oil soap and 
 water will kill them. A fly deposits its eggs in the 
 young shoots in summer, just above a leaf; a maggot 
 is soon hatched, which lives on the pith of the shoot, 
 and eats upwards. The shoots affected, droop while 
 the sun is on them. Cut off" the faded part of the 
 shoot, split it up, and there is the rogue. 
 
50 THE COTTAGE GARDEN OF AMERICA. 
 
 GROWING ROSES IN POTS. 
 
 Roses grown in pots require richer soil and nicer 
 treatment, than when grown in the open ground. Get 
 sod three inches thick from an old pasture, lay it in 
 a heap, and turn it over two or three times in a year, 
 breaking it fine every time it is turned over. Three 
 parts of this, one part of very short well-rotted ma- 
 nure, and one part of sharp sand, mixed well toge- 
 ther, are an excellent compost for roses. The ingre- 
 dients should be mixed some time before using, so 
 that they may become incorporated. If the soil from 
 -which the sod is taken be of a sandy nature, no sand 
 will be needed in the compost : if it be a stiff clay, 
 more sand will be needed. Black mould from the 
 woods is better than manure to mix in the compost. 
 A quart of fresh slacked lime, or charcoal dust, mixed 
 in a bushel of the compost, serves to kill worms and 
 other insects which may be in it, and tends to pro- 
 mote the health of the plants, and to keep the com- 
 post sweet, which is often soured by over-watering. 
 After the roses are planted, the compost in the pots 
 should be kept moist, but not always saturated, and 
 the plants watered over head in the summer even- 
 ings. They should not get too much heat, nor too 
 
THE COTTAGE GARDEN OF AMERICA. 51 
 
 much water in winter, but give them as much light 
 as possible. 
 
 For a greater variety, and better description of 
 roses, with ample instructions for their culture, the 
 reader is referred to the " Rose Manuel," by Robert 
 Buist, seeds and nurseryman, Philadelphia. 
 
 HARDY DECIDUOUS FLOWERING SHRUBS. 
 
 Amygdalus Nana, or flowery almond — pink flow- 
 ers in April and May, grows three feet high. Azalea 
 Pontica — lilac flowers in April and May, four feet 
 high. Artimesia Arbortanaides, or southern wood — 
 very sweet scented, three feet high. Berberis Aqui- 
 folia, or barberry — rich yellow, sweet scented flow- 
 ers in May, six feet high. Calycanthus Floridus, or 
 sweet shrub — chocolate coloured, sweet scented flow- 
 ers from May till August, eight feet high. Clethra 
 Alnifolia — white flowers in July and August, five feet 
 high. Cedonia Japonica, or scarlet pyrus — scarlet 
 flowers in April and May, six feet high. Cedonia 
 Japonica Alba, or white pyrus — white flowers in 
 April and May, five feet high. Daphne Mezeron — 
 purple sweet scented flowers in March and April, two 
 
52 THE COTTAGE GARDEN OF AMERICA. 
 
 feet high. Duetzia Seabra — white flowers in May 
 and June, eight feet high — a splendid shrub. Euony- 
 mus Americana, or burning bush — green flowers in 
 spring, and red berries in fall ten feet. Hibiscus 
 Syriacus, or althea — the double white, double red, 
 double striped, and variegated-leaved, all beautiful, 
 flower from July till September, ten feet. Kerria 
 Japonica, or yellow cochorus— yellow flowers from 
 May, eight feet high. Lagerstromia Indica, or crape 
 flower — pink flowers from July till September, ten 
 feet high ; a most splendid shrub — requires tieing up 
 in Philadelphia, in winter. Lagerstromia perpuriea, 
 like the indica in every thing but the flower, which 
 is purple. Lonicera Tartarica, or Tartarian honey- 
 suckle — white flowers in April and May, eight feet 
 high ; a very choice shrub. Ligustrum Vulgare, 
 privet or prim — white flowers in May and Jnne, 
 black berries in fall, eight feet high. A decoction 
 of the leaves cures the sore mouth — a very disagree- 
 able disease. Magnolia Glauca — sweet scented, 
 white flowers, in May and June, twelve feet high. 
 Magnolia perpurea — sweet scented, purple flowers 
 nearly all summer — a most splendid shrub, twelve 
 feet high. Paonia Arboria — the white, the red, and 
 sweet scented are splendid ; bloom in April and May, 
 flowers seven inches in diameter. Philadelphus, or 
 mock orange — the dwarf and the doubled flowered, 
 both choice, white sweet scented flowers in Mav ^nd 
 
THE COTTAGE GARDEN OF AMERICA. 53 
 
 June, six and ten feet high. Rhus Cotinus,orsmock 
 tree — purple brown, flowers in June and July. The 
 plant looks like a light cloud of smoke when it is in 
 bloom. Ribes Aureum, or Missouri currant— yellow, 
 sweet scented flowers in April and May, seven feet 
 high. Punica Granatum, or scarlet pomegranate — 
 double scarlet flowers from June till September ; quite 
 hardy in Philadelphia — grows ten feet high — very 
 choice. Punica G. Albapleno, or double white pom- 
 egranate — also a very choice shrub, and hardy in 
 Philadelphia. Robinia Hispida, or rose acacia — 
 large racems of pink flowers in May and June, seven 
 feet high. Spiroea Hypricifolia — white flowers in 
 July and August, five feet high. Syringa, or Lilac — 
 there are the common purple and the common white, 
 and the Persian purple and white, all beautiful and 
 fragrant ; bloom in April and May, from six to ten 
 feet high. Symphora Racemosa, or Snowberry — 
 pink flowers in spring, and white berries in fall, four 
 feet high. Viburnum Opulus, or Snowball tree — 
 white flowers in May and June, twelve feet high. 
 
54 THE COTTAGE GARDEN OF AMERICA. 
 
 EVERGREEN SHRUBS. 
 
 The following can be kept any size and shape by 
 clipping; — 
 
 Aucuba Japonica, or Japan Golden tree — of slow 
 growth, and likes the shade ; hardy in Philadelphia 
 and southward. Buxus Arborescens, or Tree Box- 
 wood — the green and the striped leaved are choice. 
 Euonymus Japonica — the green leaved, silver striped 
 leaved, and golden striped leaved are splended ever- 
 greens. Juniperus Virginica, or Red Cedar ; Juni- 
 perus Suecica, or Swedish Cedar; Pinus Balsamea, 
 or Balm of Gilead ; Thuja Orientalis, or Chinese 
 Arborvita ; Thuja Occidentalis, or American. 
 
 There is something peculiarly delightful and pleas- 
 ing in the culture of evergreens. They are wdth us 
 all the winter, always green and flourishing, defying 
 "Boreas with his blast so bauld." 
 
 " How radiant 'mid the wintry waste 
 Their groves of emerald verdure smile." 
 
 The following deciduous shrubs were omitted in 
 their proper list : 
 
 Hydrangea Hortensis — large pink flowers, from 
 July till September — likes the shade ; six feet high. 
 
THE COTTAGE GARDEN OF AMERICA. 55 
 
 Hydrangea Quercifolia — white flowers in July and 
 August, eight feet high. Rosa Rubiginosa, or Sweet 
 Brier — pink flowers in June. 
 
 " How sweet is the brier wi' its soft folding blossom." 
 
 CLIMBING PLANTS. 
 
 Aristolochia Sipho, or Dutchman's pipe — a rapid 
 grower, with large leaves and curious flowers in July 
 and August. Bignonia Crucigera, or Trumpet Flow- 
 er — an evergreen of rapid growth, with scarlet flow- 
 ers from June till August. Bignonia Grandiflara — 
 yellow flowers in June and July. Clematis Cerula — 
 a charming climber, with violet flowers from June 
 till August. Clemates Flammula — of rapid growth, 
 with sweet scented, star-like flowers from July till 
 November. Hedera Helix, or Irish Ivy — an ever- 
 green of rapid growth and dark shining leaves. Jas- 
 minum Officinale, or Sweet Jasmine — of rapid growth, 
 with white fragrant flowers from June till October. 
 Lonicera, or Honeysuckles — the evergreen blooms 
 in spring and fall very fragrant — the Monthly sweet 
 scented blooms from May till hard frost, yellowish 
 white flowers — the Coral has scarlet flowers all sum- 
 
56 THE COTTAGE GARDEN OF AMERICA. 
 
 mer — the Yellow flowered blooms May and June. 
 Perploca Groeca, or Silk Vine — of rapid growth, with 
 shining leaves and dim yellow flowers from May till 
 July. Passiflora Incarnata — of rapid growth, with 
 curious lilac flowers from June till November, and 
 thick flashy roots. Wisteria Chinensis — a splendid 
 climber, with large racems of light blue flowers, from 
 May till August. 
 
 The above are all hardy perennial climbers, very 
 beautiful, requiring no care but training and pruning, 
 and well adapted for covering unsightly buildings or 
 bowers. 
 
 " Oh ! dear is my cottage unclouded with sorrow ; 
 Ah ! sweet is the bower my Emeline wove." 
 
 Shrubs and climbers should be planted in fall or 
 early in spring. They delight in a rich, deep loam. 
 Large holes should be dug for them, and the earth 
 well mixed with well-rotted manure. They will 
 require pruning and training every spring. Cut out 
 all dead and superfluous shoots, and keep the shrubs 
 in a neat symmetrical form. The climbers should 
 have strings or wires to climb up on, and these should 
 be four or six inches apart. The bignonias and ivy 
 will run up walls themselves without assistance, 
 striking roots in the walls at every joint. 
 
THE COTTAGE GARDEN OF AMERICA. 57 
 
 PERENNIAL HERBACEOUS PLANTS. 
 
 This is a class of plants requiring but little care, 
 and growing on almost every kind of soil. They 
 multiply very fast, and require curtailing every year, 
 or to be lifted and divided once in three or four years. 
 They are all propagated by division of the plant, or 
 division of the root. The following list will keep up 
 a bloom from March till Christmas ; and if the flow- 
 ers of the taller kinds are cut off immediately after 
 they fade, the shoots will branch out and bloom a 
 second time — ^'m.v." means many varieties of 
 
 Botanical Names. Common Names. 
 
 Adonis Vernalis, yellow^ fl's, in April, Spring Adonis. 
 Aconitum, m.v. June, Monk's hood. 
 
 Ageratum Mexicana, lilas fl's from August till Nov. 
 Alyssum Sexatile, yellow fl's, in May, Yellow^ Alyssum. 
 Campanula, m.v. Bell Flowers. 
 
 Chelone, m.v. 
 
 Chrysanthemum Chinensis, m.v. 
 Bellis Perennis, m.v. Daisy, 
 
 Delphinum, m.v* Bee Larkspur, 
 
 Dianthus, m.v. Carnation Pink, 
 
 Dracociphalum, m.v. Dragons Head, 
 
 Eupatorium, m.v. 
 
58 
 
 THE COTTAGE GARDEN OF AMERICA. 
 
 Botanical Names. 
 
 Funkia, 
 
 Helianthemum, 
 
 Lobelia, 
 
 Lychnis, 
 
 Lathrus, 
 
 Lythrum, 
 
 Monarda, 
 
 Pentsteman, 
 
 Phlox, 
 
 Primula, 
 
 Potentilla, 
 
 Saxifraga, 
 
 Sedum, 
 
 Spirea, 
 
 Tradescantia, 
 
 Viola, 
 
 Verbenia, 
 
 Valeriana Rubra, 
 
 Veronica, 
 
 Yucca, 
 
 Common Names. 
 
 m.v. Day Lily, 
 
 m.v. Perennial Sun Flower, 
 
 m.v. 
 
 m.v. 
 
 m.v. Perennial Pea, 
 
 m.v. 
 
 2 V. Sweet Balm, 
 
 m.v. 
 
 m.v. 
 
 m.v. Primrose, 
 
 m.v. 
 
 m.v. Saxifrage, 
 
 m.v. Live Forever, 
 
 m.v. Meadow Sweet, 
 
 2 V. 
 
 2v. Sweet Violet, 
 
 2 V. 
 
 Red Valerom 
 m.v. 
 
 m.v. Adam's Needle. 
 
 The Chrysanthemum, Carnation Pink, and Phlox, 
 require particular notice. The Chrysanthemum has 
 many varieties and colours — two to four feet high, 
 from pure white to dark crimson ; flowers very large, 
 double, and quilled from October till December. 
 Carnation Pinks have large, double, sweet scented 
 flowers from May till August; they are propagated 
 
THE COTTAGE GARDEN OF AMERICA. 
 
 59 
 
 by layers. Phlox is a pink of many varieties and 
 colours. A full collection will keep up a bloom from 
 May till December. It is one of the very choicest 
 genera, and no garden should be without them. 
 
 BIENNIAL FLOWERING PLANTS. 
 
 This choice class of plants bloom the second year 
 after the seed is sowed : that is, they are sowed this 
 year and bloom next year; and generally die off or 
 decline after that. A portion should be sowed every 
 year in May, to keep up a stock of them. 
 
 Botanical Names. 
 
 Althea Rosea, m.v. 
 Aquilegia, m.v. 
 Alysum Saxatile, 
 Antirrhinum, m.v. 
 Campanula Canter- 
 
 berrybellsj 
 Campanula Alba, 
 Cheiranthus Chi- 
 
 ri, m.v. 
 
 Colour, in. high. Common Names. 
 varies, 80 Double Hollyhock 
 various, 12 Columbine, 
 yellow, 6 
 various, 12 Snap Dragon, 
 
 blue, 12 
 white, 12 
 
 various, 14 Wall Flower, 
 
60 THE COTTAGE GARDEN OF AMERICA. 
 
 Botanical Names. Colour, in. high. Common Names. 
 Dianthus Barba- 
 
 tus, in.v. various, 12 Sweet William, 
 Dianthus Chinen- 
 
 sis, m.v. various, 6 China Pink, 
 
 Hesperis Fragrance, various, 18 Sweet Rocket, 
 
 Scabiosa, m.v. various, 18 Sweet Scatous. 
 
 The above will keep up a bloom from May till 
 November, and are very beautiful. 
 
 •\>^ y\.r^' 
 
 ANNUAL FLOWERING PLANTS. 
 
 The seeds of these are sowed in spring or fall — 
 the plants bloom in summer, ripen their seeds, and 
 die off in fall. By this they require more care than 
 other flowers ; but their endless variety, exceeding 
 beauty, delightful fragrance, and profusion of bloom, 
 well reward the care bestowed on them. Those 
 marked thus, * should be sowed in September or 
 October, those thus f, sowed in May, and those J, 
 need to be raised in a hot bed. All the rest, sow 
 early in spring. 
 
t:ie cottage garden of America. 
 
 01 
 
 pink. 
 
 Botanical Names. Colour. 
 
 Amaranthus of sortSjVarious 
 ifAlysum Calycina, white, 
 Anagalis Phillipii, blue, 
 Angeratam Mexi- 
 
 cana, lilac, 
 
 fBalsamina Hor- 
 
 tensis, 
 Callistemma Hor 
 
 tensis, 
 Cleoma Grandi- 
 
 flora, 
 
 JCelosia Cristata, various, 
 *Centaura of sorts, various, 
 Collinsia of sorts, various. 
 Convolvulus Mi- 
 nor, blue, 
 *CaHiopsis of sorts, various, 
 Escholtzia Califor- 
 
 niaca, lemon, 
 
 Escholtzia Corcea, orange. 
 Erysimum PerowfT- 
 
 skianum, orange, 
 
 Gallardia of sorts, various, 
 ■fOomphrena Glo- 
 
 bosa, white and red. 
 Hibiscus Afri- 
 
 cana, white and black, 
 Iberis of sorts, various, 
 
 in. high. Common Names, 
 12to24 Prince's Feather. 
 
 6 Sweet Alysum, 
 
 3 
 
 12 
 
 various, 16 Lady Slipper, 
 various, 12 China Aster, 
 
 30 Spider Flower, 
 
 12 Cock's comb, 
 
 24 Suhan, 
 12 
 
 12 Dwarf Convolvu- 
 24 Coriopsis, [ lus, 
 
 6 
 6 
 
 12 
 
 14 Balchler's Button, 
 
 12 African Hibiscus, 
 6 Candytuft, 
 
62 
 
 THE COTTAGE GARDEN oF AMERICA. 
 
 Botanical Names. 
 
 Colours, in. high 
 
 , Common Names. 
 
 Iberis of sorts, 
 
 various. 
 
 6 
 
 Candytuft, 
 
 Lathyras of sorts, 
 
 various. 
 
 24 
 
 Sweet Pea, 
 
 Lupinus of sorts. 
 
 various. 
 
 24 
 
 Sun Dial, 
 
 Mirabilis Jalapa, 
 
 various, 
 
 24 
 
 Four o'clock, 
 
 JMeserabryanthe- 
 
 
 
 
 CrystalJi- 
 
 
 
 
 - 
 
 white, 
 
 3 
 
 Ice Plant, 
 
 JMimosa Sensa- 
 
 
 
 
 tiva. 
 
 pink, 
 
 6 
 
 Sensitive Plant, 
 
 Nemopbila In- 
 
 
 
 
 signus. 
 
 blue, 
 
 7 
 
 Grove's love, 
 
 -Nigella Damas- 
 
 
 
 
 cena, 
 
 blue, 
 
 16 
 
 Love in a mist, 
 
 Reseda Odorata, 
 
 green, 
 
 6 
 
 Mignionette, 
 
 ^Delphinium Aja- 
 
 
 
 
 cis, 
 
 various, 
 
 12 
 
 Rocket Larkspur, 
 
 '^Delphinium Con 
 
 - 
 
 
 
 solida, 
 
 various. 
 
 24 
 
 Branching, 
 
 JPitunea of sorts, 
 
 various, 
 
 12 
 
 
 Phlox Drumondii, 
 
 , various, 
 
 8 
 
 Drumond Phlox, 
 
 *Porlutacea Splen 
 
 - 
 
 
 
 dens, 
 
 purple. 
 
 4 
 
 Flowering Purs- 
 
 Poppy of sorts. 
 
 various, 
 
 20 
 
 lane, 
 
 Porlutacca Thel- 
 
 
 
 
 lusonii, 
 
 scarlet. 
 
 4 
 
 
 *Siline of sorts, 
 
 various. 
 
 12 
 
 Catchfly, 
 
 Tagetes Catula, 
 
 various, 
 
 16 
 
 French Marigold, 
 
THE COTTAGE GARDEN OF AMERICA. 63 
 
 Botanical Names. Colours, in. high. Common Names. 
 
 Tagetes Erecta, various, 24 African, 
 
 *Viola Tricolor, various, 6 Heart's Ease, 
 
 Zinnea Eligans, scarlet, 18 
 
 The above are bush annuals. The following are 
 climbing annuals: 
 
 Con vol vus Major, purple, Morning Glory, 
 
 flpomea Quam- 
 
 oclit, scarlet. Cypress vine, 
 
 Ipomea Rubra, red and blue. 
 Ipomea Hede- 
 
 racea, blue, 
 
 JMaurandia Bar- 
 
 clayand, purple, 
 
 JLoasaLateretia, orange, 
 JLophospermum 
 
 Erubesceus, pink, 
 JThunbergia of sorts, — orange, buff, white, etc. 
 
 The seeds of the Cypress vine and the Bachelor's 
 Button, should be soaked in hot water ten minutes 
 before they are sowed ; or pour boiling water over 
 them after they are planted. The seed shells are 
 very hard, and require hot water to crack them. 
 
64 THE COTTAGE GARDEN OF AMERICA. 
 
 SOWING FLOWER SEEDS. 
 
 As soon as the ground is dry enough to work, 
 spread well-rotted manure over the flower beds : if 
 it has not been done the previous fall. Then dig 
 them up, taking little before the spade at a time. 
 Break the ground fine with the spade as it is turned 
 over ; then rake and smooth the beds and sow the 
 seeds — each kind of seed to be sowed of a depth, 
 according to its size. Scratch a circle six inches in 
 diameter, in the ground, and of a depth suitable to 
 the size of the seed to be sowed in it; if seeds the 
 size of poppy seed are merely covered, it is enough. 
 Larkspur seeds may be covered half an inch. Lady 
 Slipper an inch deep, Sweet Peas two inches deep, 
 and so on. Cover up the seeds with the earth 
 scratched out of the hole, and press it firm with the 
 ■back of the hand ; draw a rut with the forefinger 
 round the circle, and write the name of the seeds on 
 a labling stick, which stick in the centre of the circle. 
 If there be only one row in the bed, sow a tall and 
 a dwarf kind alternately ; if there be more than one 
 row, sow the taller farthest off the walk, and the 
 more dwarf nearest to the walk. Mind in the sow- 
 ing to mix the colours well. If the soil is of a stiff 
 nature, apt to get hard by rains, sow a little sharp 
 
THE COTTAGE GARDEN OF AMERICA. 65 
 
 sand on each seed patch, and water them if the 
 Weather should set in dry. Some of the young 
 plants will be up in a week, and some will take 
 three weeks. 
 
 KEEPING THE FLOWER-BEDS CLEAN. 
 
 This is a branch in the keeping of the cottage 
 garden properly belonging to the fair sex ; and those 
 of a good disposition take much pleasure in attending 
 to it. Pull out the weeds from among the flowers in 
 the patches, and hoe and rake the beds every two 
 weeks. By this, the flowers will get all the nour- 
 ishment in the ground, will grow stronger, and their 
 colours will be brighter. A more fascinating sight 
 cannot be seen, than a lovely maid in her flower par- 
 terre, surrounded with the beauties of nature, and 
 of all, herself the most charming ; her skin transcend- 
 ing the Lily, her cheeks the Rose, her lips the coral 
 of the Honeysuckle, her eyes bright as the Dewdrops 
 glittering in the sun, and her mind as calm as the 
 mild summer's morn. 
 
 6* 
 
66 THE COTTAGE GARDEN OF AMERICA. 
 
 GATHERING FLOWER SEEDS. 
 
 Gather the seeds when they get ripe, on the after- 
 noons of dry days; put each kind in a paper by 
 itself, and write its name on the paper ; lay them in 
 the sun a few hours, then roll them up and place 
 them where damp and mice will not reach them. We 
 knew a gardener who was so troubled wdth mice, 
 that he kept his seeds in bottles. 
 
 LABELING STICKS. 
 
 These are made of pine or cedar wood, of differ- 
 ent sizes, according to the purpose for which they 
 are intended. Those for flowers are made an eighth 
 of an inch thick, half an inch broad, and six inches 
 long; the one end is sharpened to a point, the other 
 is smoothed with a sharp knife on one side ; a little 
 white paint is rubbed on the smooth part, and the 
 name of the plant is written on it with a lead pencil. 
 Then it is stuck into the ground, close beside the 
 plant. When for fruit trees, it is made one inch 
 broad, quarter of an inch thick, and twclv^e inches 
 long. Every plant in the garden should be labeled. 
 
THE COTTAGE GARDEN OF AMERICA. 67 
 
 TIEING UP STICKS. 
 
 All flowering plants requiring support, should 
 have sticks provided for them, and kept neatly tied 
 up. The sticks should be of a size corresponding 
 with the growth of the plants. A shingle split into 
 twelve pieces, snnoothed and rounded, and sharpened 
 at one end, will be suitable for plants from sixteen to 
 twenty inches tall ; taller kinds will require larger 
 sticks. The plants should be taller than the sticks, 
 and tied round them so as to hide them entirely. 
 
 Note. — It should be remarked, that Ageratum 
 Mexicana is an " annual" north of New^ York city, 
 and a "pererinial" in Philadelphia. 
 
 BULBS. 
 
 All bulbs delight in rich loamy soil, and look best 
 when grown in beds or clumps. Plant the hardy 
 kinds in October, and let them remain in the ground 
 two or three years ; then take them up in summer, 
 when their tops die off. Separate the roots, and keep 
 
68 
 
 THE COTTAGE GARDEN OF A3IERICA. 
 
 them in a dry place, and plant again in October. 
 Plant the tender kinds in April or May, take them 
 up in November, and keep them in dry sand over 
 winter. The figures in the annexed table show the 
 depth to be planted, distance apart, and number suit- 
 able for a clump. Each of the species has many 
 varieties. 
 
 time to inches inches number in time of 
 plant. deep, apart, a clump. bloominfy. 
 
 Amaryllis, May, 
 Crocus, Oct. 
 
 Crown Impe- 
 
 rial, 
 Daffodil, 
 Gladiolis, 
 Hyacinth, 
 Bigonia, 
 
 Oct. 
 
 Oct. 
 
 May 
 
 Oct. 
 
 Oct. 
 
 Oct. 
 
 Oct. 
 
 Oct. 
 
 Oct. 
 
 Iris, 
 Jonquil, 
 
 Lily, 
 
 Narcissus, 
 Polyanthus 
 
 Narcissus, Oct. 
 
 Snowdrop, Oct. 
 
 Tigridia, May 
 
 Tuberose, May 
 
 Tulip, Oct. 
 
 4 4 3 July to Sept. 
 
 3 2 12 March, April. 
 
 6 7 3 May and June. 
 
 4 3 5 March-April. 
 4 4 3 July and Aug. 
 
 2 5 3 March-April. 
 
 3 5 3 July and Aug. 
 
 4 4 3 May and June. 
 
 4 3 5 April and May. 
 
 5 6 3 June and July. 
 4 4 5 April and May. 
 
 4 6 3 April and May. 
 
 2 1 12 Febry.-March, 
 
 3 3 12 July and Aug. 
 
 5 5 3 Sept. and Oct. 
 
 4 4 7 April and May. 
 
 There is something very pleasing in the culture of 
 bulbs. The beauty of their flowers^ and the sweet 
 
THE COTTAGE GARDEN OF AMERICA. 69 
 
 odour they emit, gives a delightfulness to the air which 
 surrounds them ; and their tips, stripes, spots and 
 mottlings, defy the pencil of the painter to imitate. 
 " Consider the lilies of the fields how they grow ; 
 they toil not, neither do they spin: yet Solomon, in 
 all his glory, was not arrayed like one of these." 
 
 TUBEROUS ROOTED PLANTS. 
 
 These have thick, fleshy roots, separated from each 
 other, but connected to the main plant. They are 
 propagated by division of the roots, which multiply 
 very fast. 
 
 Asclepias Tuberosa— a native plant, with orange 
 flowers in August and September. 
 
 Madiera Vine — a vine growing thirty feet in a sea- 
 son, with white, sweet scented flowers from August 
 till November. 
 
 Hemerocaulis Flava-yellow, lily-like flowers in 
 June and July. 
 
 Hmerocaulis Fulva-bufT flowers in June and July. 
 
 Poeony — has double flowers from five to eight 
 inches in diameter, in April and May. There is a 
 
70 THE COTTAGE GARDEN OF AMERICA. 
 
 herbaceous kind, and a woody kind. The following 
 are choice : 
 
 Pceomy Edulis Whiteleji — double white herbace- 
 ous. Poeony Edulus Humei — double rose herbace- 
 ous. Poeony Edulus Fragrans — double red herba- 
 ceous. Poeony Officinalis — double crimson herba- 
 ceous. Poeony Moutan Banksii — double blush woody. 
 Poeony Moutan Albidapleno — double white woody. 
 
 Dahlias. — The following are very choice : (those 
 marked thus, * are American seedlings.) 
 
 Argo, (Widnall's) bright yellow fine. 
 
 ^Alexander the Great, (Schmitz') dark crimson. 
 
 *Beauty of Philadelphia, (Schmitz') yellow tipped 
 rose. 
 
 ^Conqueror, (Schmitz') dark maroon. 
 
 *Desdemona, " primrose. 
 
 *Emily, " white edged with rose. 
 
 *Fire King, " bright scarlet. 
 
 Henry Clay, *' dark scarlet. 
 
 *Horace Binney, " shaded maroon. 
 
 Hon. Miss Abbot, light lilac. 
 
 *Mrs. Jones, (Buist's) dove colour. 
 
 *King of Yellow, (Hyslop's) large light yellow. 
 
 *Miss Percival, (Schmitz') pure white extra fine. 
 
 *Mrs. Rushton, (Ruist's) white tipped with rose. 
 
 Orange Superb, large orange, very fine. 
 
 Queen of Roses, (Widnall's) rosy lilac. 
 
 Rising Sun, scarlet. 
 
THE COTTAGE GARDEN OF AMERICA. 71 
 
 Washington Irving, (Schmitz') light purple. 
 Beauty of England, purple tipped with white. 
 Cinderella, red tipped with pure white. 
 Harlequin, (Dodd's) white tipped with bright 
 scarlet. 
 
 Illuminator, white edged with shining scarlet. 
 Surprise, (Oakley's) purple tipped with w^hite. 
 Striata Formosissema, maroon stripped with pink. 
 Village Maid, purple tipped with pure white. 
 
 The following w^as written by the Author, and 
 published in the " Belvidere Apollo," New Jersey. 
 
 Mr. Editor : — In compliance with numerous re- 
 quests, and from a desire to see every cottage and 
 mansix)n in our borough and county enlivened by a 
 few of the beauties of flora, I send you an item 
 on the management of the Dahlia, with a brief sketch 
 of its history. The Dahlia is a native of Mexico, 
 and was first discovered by Humboldt, in 1756, 
 growing on a sandy plain three thousand feet above 
 the level of the ocean. It was taken to Spain, where 
 it received but little attention. In 1803, Lady Hol- 
 land introduced it into England from Madrid, and 
 owning to its lateness in flowering, it was considered 
 a great acquisition to the floral department. It w'as 
 for ten years propagated only by division of the roots. 
 When amateurs and gardeners began to produce new 
 varieties from seeds, the original plant grew three 
 
72 THE COTTAGE GARDEN OF AMEKICA. 
 
 feet high, and bore a single red flower three inches 
 in diameter ; and from that sj^ecies, all the varieties 
 now in cultivation have sprung. We have them 
 growing from two to ten feet in height, with double 
 flowers from one to seven inches in diameter, with 
 petals flat, cupped and quilled— their forms from a 
 flat surface to a perfect globe, their colours from a 
 dark maroon to a pure white ; variegated, edged, 
 tipped, striped, mottled and spotted. The whole 
 applause for bringing the Dahlia to such perfection, 
 belongs to the American and British amateurs and 
 gardeners. 
 
 From the middle of May to the middle of June, is 
 the time to plant the Dahlia in this latitude. It will 
 grow on almost any kind of soil, but sandy loam 
 suits it best ; a single tuber with one sprout, is enough 
 to make a good plant. Dig a hole the size of the 
 tuber, and four inches deep — lay it in flat, and cover 
 it up ; do not let more than one shoot arise from it, 
 and displace all laterals the first twelve inches from 
 the ground, above that let it branch. Drive a stick 
 two or three inches in diameter, and of a length suit- 
 able to the growth of the plant, into the ground, close 
 to the side of each plant. The plant is to be tied to 
 the stick as it advances in growth ; this will prevent 
 its being blown down and destroyed by high winds. 
 If the head gets crowded, cut out some of its 
 branches. September is the month in which the Dahlia 
 
THE COTTAGE GARDEN OF AMERICA. 73 
 
 shows its pride. As soon as the frost has killed 
 down the top, cut off the stem six inches from its 
 base, and dig up the root carefully ; after drying two 
 days in the sun, pack it in a box with dry earth, and 
 place it in a cool, airy part of the cellar. In the 
 following spring, about the first of May, if it has not 
 sprouted, plant it in a corner of the garden until it 
 sprouts, and then plant it where it is to bloom. 
 
 GRASS PLAT. 
 
 A GRASS plat near the house has a clean and lively 
 appearance all days in the year; and every cottage 
 garden should have one to serve as a bleaching green. 
 It can either be sodded or sowed with grass seeds; 
 the sodding can be done any time except during hard 
 frost. It should be firmly clapped down, to bring it 
 in close contact with the earth, which will ensure 
 and facilitate its growth. If the sod is laid in mid- 
 summer, or in a dry time, the ground should first be 
 bug and broken fine, and well watered. The sod 
 should likewise be w^ell watered after it is laid and 
 clapped. Fall is the best time to sow grass seeds, 
 and spring is best to sow clover seeds ; but these 
 
74 THE COTTAGE GARDEN OF AMERICA. 
 
 seeds may be sowed any time, except in the time of 
 hard frost. When they are sowed in midsummer, 
 the ground should be frequently watered, and a slight 
 covering of straw, etc., put over it, until the grass is 
 an inch high, to keep the plat in good condition. 
 Mow the grass once in every three weeks during the 
 growing season, and give it a good rolling and wa- 
 tering every time it is mowed. Give it a top dress- 
 ing of well rotted manure every fall, and a peck of 
 fresh slacked lime per perch once in three years. 
 When plantains, sorrell, and dandylions appear 
 among the grass, it is a sure indication of the want 
 of lime. 
 
 POT PLANTS. 
 
 Growling plants in pots is by far the nicest part of 
 gardening : they live in the house with us, and we 
 provide their food, and give them their daily drink. 
 If we grow them from seeds, or from cutlings, how 
 pleased we are when they come up or take root. 
 They soon grow big ; we watch their progress daily ; 
 they form buds ; our anxiety becomes intense until 
 they expand ; the first bud bursts and shows colour ; 
 we hail it as the most beautiful sight we ever have 
 
THE COTTAGE GARDEN OF AMERICA. 75 
 
 seen. We call in the neighbours to see it, and help 
 us to rejoice. If we purchase them in a distant city, 
 or get them sent us by a friend, the pleasure is the 
 same. If we should have no land attached to our 
 dwellings, we can have a garden in our windows 
 with pot plants ; and they grow as well in an old 
 tea-pot, in the humble cottage window, as in the 
 richest vase, in the parlor or conservatory of the 
 mansion. And there is eloquence in the expression, 
 "smiling flowers in a cottage window :" there is not 
 a house in Philadelphia but has pot plants in its win- 
 dows. They are like our own children ; and where 
 there are no children in a family, there are sure to 
 be flowers. The reason of this is, the well disposed 
 human mind wants something to love ; and what is 
 more lovely than flowering plants. Read the beau- 
 tiful lines from a German poet — 
 
 A flower do but place near the window glass, 
 And through it no image of evil shall pass : 
 Abroad must thou go 1 and on thy white bosom wear 
 A rose ; and doubt not that an angel is there. 
 
 Forget not to water at break of the day 
 The lilies ; and thou shalt be fairer than they : 
 Place a rose near thy bed nightly sentry to keep, 
 And angels shall rock thee on roses to sleep. 
 
76 THE COTTAGE GARDEN OF AMERICA. 
 
 SOILS AND COMPOSTS. 
 
 The natures of plants, and the food they require, 
 are as various as that of animals. A dog could not 
 live on straw, nor a horse on flesh meats ; so one 
 kind of plant would die on a soil whereon another 
 would thrive. When growing them in pots, we 
 must give them soils to suit their natures. When a 
 plant is purchased in a nursery, the soil should be 
 examined, and when it needsrepotting, a similar soil 
 should be used. There are five ingredients to make 
 compounds of, and five kinds of compounds will suit 
 nearly all kinds of plants — sand, peat, loam, man^ure, 
 and leaf mould. 
 
 Peat — is a black soil, found around Savannah, 
 Albany, N. Y., and in parts of New Jersey. 
 
 Sand — everybody knows. 
 
 Loam is earth, but sod three inches thick, taken 
 from an old pasture field: or road side, having lain 
 in a heap one year, and frequently turned and broken 
 fine, is the loam used in pot culture. 
 
 Manure — should be as fine and rotted as a mould. 
 
 Leaf-mould is the black earth found in woods. — 
 Where peat cannot be got, use this as a substitute 
 for it. 
 
THE COTTAGE GARDEN OF AMERICA. T7 
 
 «? "- ■ ■■ . . ■ - . . ■ _.^ 
 
 Soil No. 1—3 of Peat 1 of Sand, 
 2—2 " 1 
 
 " 3 — 4 of Loam, I " 1 of Manure or Leaf-mould. 
 
 4—3 " 1 " 1 " •• 
 
 " 5—2 " 1 " i " " 
 
 The soils or compounds should be mixed a month 
 or two before they are used : so that the ingredients 
 may become incorporated. The number of the soil 
 suitable for each kinds of plants is appended to it. 
 
 LIST OF POT PLANTS. 
 
 Camellia Japonica, Japan Rose. — This is a class 
 of evergreen woody plants, with dark, shining, thick, 
 leathery leaves, and double, rose-like flowers. The 
 following are profuse bloomers from November till 
 April. The first six came from China — the others 
 were raised from seeds by American nurserymen. 
 The figures denote the diameter of the flowers in 
 inches. — Soil No. 3. 
 
 Alba Pleno, or Double White, 
 Fimbriata — fringed white, 
 Imbricata — crimson and white striped, 
 Incarnata, or Lady Hume's — creamy blush, 
 Sesanqua Rosa — rose and white, 
 
78 THE COTTAGE GARDEN OF AMERICA. 
 
 r , -a 
 
 Variegata — scarlet and white striped, 4 
 
 Landrethii, (Landreth's) splendid pink, 4 
 
 Prattii, (Buist's) rose and white striped, 5 
 
 Miss Percival, (Buist's) rose colour very superb, 4 
 Hampsteadii, (Ritchie & Dick) crimson, 5 
 
 Sherwoodii, (Sherwood's) crimson and white, 4 
 Feastii, (Feast's) pink and white spotted, 4 
 
 Floyii, (Floy's) rosy red, 5 
 
 Amabile, (Smith's) red and white spotted, 4 
 
 Mrs. Cope, (Sherwood's) white, spotted with rose, 5 
 
 Azelia is an evergreen woody tribe, with a great 
 profusion of bloom from February till May. — Soil 
 No. 1. 
 
 Capeii,-has large rose coloured flowers superb, 
 
 Alba, 
 
 
 white 
 
 
 (C (( 
 
 Elegans, 
 
 
 salmon 
 
 
 it (( 
 
 Powellii, 
 
 
 purple 
 
 
 cc cc 
 
 Superba, 
 
 
 crimson 
 
 and 
 
 purple spotted, 
 
 Hybrida, 
 
 
 lilac spotted 
 
 with crimson, 
 
 Specieosa, 
 
 
 cherry red flowers. 
 
 Acacia are evergreens with yellow flowers from 
 March till June in great profusion. — Soil No. 2. 
 Alata, — has light yellow flowers, 
 Armata, — has bright yellow flowers, 
 Decurrens, — deep yellow flowers, 
 Swaveolens, — has sweet scented flowers. 
 
THE COTTAGE GARDEN OF AMERICA. 79 
 
 Erica, or Heath — are evergreen dwarf woody 
 plants, with flowers of various colours. — Soil No. 2. 
 Curviflora — has red flowers, 
 
 Cruenta, 
 
 Grandiflora, 
 
 Mediterrania, 
 
 Ventricosa, 
 
 Viridiflora, 
 
 crimson flowers, 
 scarlet flowers, large, 
 pink " 
 
 white " 
 
 green " 
 
 Fuchzia, or Lady'^s Eardrop — bloom from May till 
 November. — Soil No. 4. 
 
 Globosa — has scarlet flowers, 
 Exoniensis — has crimson flowers, 
 Rosea Alba, '* white " 
 Chandlerii, " white and red flowers. 
 
 'i 
 
 Gardenia, or Cape Jasmine — evergreen woody 
 plants, with rose-like flowers from May till Septem- 
 ber.— Soil No. 1. 
 
 Grandiflora — has large white flowers double 
 Camelliaflora, " '' " " 
 
 Radicans— has small white flowers double. 
 
 Epacris — is a choice tribe of evergreen woody 
 plants, blooming from May till November. — Soil 
 No. 2. 
 
 Copeii-has red and white flowers. 
 
 Pallida — has red coloured flowers, 
 
80 THE COTTAGE GARDEN OF AMERICA. 
 
 Paludosa — white sweet scented flowers, 
 Purpuracens— has purple flowers. 
 
 Cactus Tribe — are succulent plants with splendid 
 flowers, having flesh stems or balls. — Soil No. 5. 
 
 The Cereus Grandiflora blooms in the night time, 
 blush. 
 
 The Cereus Speciosissimus — scarlet and purple, 
 flowers splendid. 
 
 The Cereus Smithianus, scarlet superb flowers. 
 
 The Epiphyllum Speciosum, pink superb flowers. 
 
 The Epiphyllum Trancatum, scarlet flowers all 
 winter. 
 
 The Epiphyllum Russellianum, purple flowers all 
 winter. 
 
 The Epiphyllum Chalmerii, scarlet superb. 
 
 Pelargonium^ or Geranium. — Soil No. 4. 
 
 Beauty of Ware, has large crimson flowers. 
 
 Bridegroom, has blush flowers with crimson spots. 
 
 Black Hawk, dark flowers, 
 
 Cecilia, pure white flowers, 
 
 Fanny Grath, pink and red flowers, 
 
 Henry Clay, scarlet with crimson spots, 
 
 Harrisonii, rose w^ith crimson spots, 
 
 Lenoxii, (Buist's) purple and crimson, 
 
 Mrs. Peck, (Buist's) white and crimson, 
 
 Miss Percival, (Buist's) white and crimson, 
 
THE COTTAGE GARDEN OF AMERICA. 81 
 
 Mrs. Stiles, (Buist's) rose and crimson, 
 
 Mrs. Clay, pure white and dark crimson, 
 
 President, (Buist's) salmon and crimson. 
 
 The above have large fine flowers — the following 
 are sweet scented. 
 
 Citriodora, or Citron Scented, 
 
 Limonium, or Lemon Scented, 
 
 Capitatum, or Rose Scented, 
 
 Fragrans, or Nutmeg Scented, 
 
 Odoratissima, or Apple Scented, 
 
 Tomentosum, or Pennyroyal Scented. 
 
 The above tribes with the following list will serve 
 to make a selection — " fr," in the list, means sweet 
 scented. 
 
 2 Ardesia Crenulata, pink floweis and red berries, 
 
 3 Calla Ethiopica, large white flowers, 
 
 4 Calceolaria of sorts, flowers various, 
 4 Cineraria of sorts, flowers various, 
 
 3 Dionoea Muscipula, venus fly trap, 
 
 4 Euphorbia of sorts, rich scarlet flowers all winter, 
 3 Daphne Odora, purple flowers all winter, 
 
 3 Hovea Celsi, dark blue flowers in spring, 
 
 4 Heleotropium Peruvianum, lilac sweet scented, 
 
 3 Ixora of sorts, rose and scarlet, 
 
 4 Kennedia Monaphylla, blue flowers, climber, 
 
 3 Lemon Trees, varieties of 
 
 4 Olea Fragrans, sweet olive yellow flowers, 
 3 Orange Trees, varieties of 
 
82 
 
 THE COTTAGE GARDEN OF AMERICA. 
 
 3 Nerium, or Oleander, varieties of various colours, 
 3 Plumbago Capensis, lilac flowers all summer. 
 
 The following are splendid climbers: 
 
 3 Bignonia Venust, orange flowers, 
 
 3 Ipomea Horsfalhi, rich crimson purple flowers, 
 
 3 Ipomea Florabunda, rosy purple, " 
 
 4 Manettia Cordifolia, scarlet crimson " 
 4 Passiflora Alata, crimson purple '' 
 Passiflora Cerula, light blue 
 
 The following bulbs do well in pot culture : 
 3 Amaryllis of sorts, colours various, 
 2 Achimenes of sorts, '' 
 
 (C 
 
 3 Gladiolus, " 
 
 <( 
 
 5 Gloxinia, " 
 
 cc 
 
 3 Hyacinth, '' 
 
 (C 
 
 5 Lachenalia, '' 
 
 (C 
 
 5 Oxalis, " 
 
 cc 
 
 3 Narcissus, " 
 
 (C 
 
 4 Tulips, " 
 
 cc 
 
 4 Verbenia, " 
 
 (( 
 
 cc 
 
 66 
 CC 
 CC 
 CC 
 CC 
 CC 
 CC 
 
 cc 
 
 POTTING AND REPOTTING. 
 
 Plants newly raised from seeds or cuttings may 
 be planted into pots three inches wide. Put a few 
 
THE COTTAGE GARDEN OF AMERICA. 83 
 
 pieces of broken pots or small gravel stones in the 
 bottom of the pots, to serve as a draining. Fill the 
 pot half full of suitable soil, then place the plant in 
 the middle of the pot, and fill it up to within half an 
 inch of the brim. Give the plants a good watering 
 overhead, and place them in a shady place for a 
 week. 
 
 Repotting. — The best time to repot all kinds of 
 plants is just after they are done blooming. Spread 
 the one hand over the mouth of the pot, with the 
 plant between the fingers. Take hold of the bottom 
 of the pot with the other hand, turn it upside down, 
 then tap the brim of the pot on the spade handle, or 
 any other thing convenient, aud the plant with the 
 ball of earth will leave the pot entire. Shake off 
 half of the earth from the ball, and plant the plant 
 into a pot two or three inches wider than the one it 
 was in. Put a few pieces of charcoal in the bottom 
 of the pots, and set the plants in a shady place for at 
 least one week, and water them overhead in the 
 evenings. A quart of fresh slacked lime, or charcoal 
 dust, should be mixed with a bushel of every kind 
 of potting soil. The pots should never be filled with 
 the soil. Space should be left for to hold as much 
 water at once, as will moisten the whole soil in the 
 pot. The soil should be frequently stirred on the 
 surface of the pots. 
 
 Watering, — The soil in the pots should be kept 
 
84 THE COTTAGE GARDEN OF AMERICA. 
 
 moist, but not saturated ; the water should always 
 be poured in at the top of the pot. If saucers are 
 placed under the pots, water should not be left in 
 them, more than half an hour after watering. When 
 the soil becomes so dry as to separate from the sides 
 of the pots, the plant and pot should be set in a tub 
 or pail of water for half an hour. If the soil is peat, 
 it may remain a whole hour in the water. 
 
 Tielng Up. — All plants unable to support them- 
 selves should have sticks, pushed close in at their 
 sides, and tied neatly up to them. The sticks should 
 be as much hid with the plants as possible, and they 
 should never be thicker than the stems of the plants. 
 
 STANDS FOR PLANTS. 
 
 A TABLE three feet long and two feet wide, the 
 heighth of the window sill, and set close to it, will 
 hold twelve good sized plants. If white painted, it 
 will give more light, and contrast w^ell with the red 
 pots and green leaves of the plants. Or a stage of a 
 crescent form, and set on casters, with the shelves 
 inside, and of a size to fit the windows, will be good 
 to grow small plants on ; and those who have one. 
 
THE COTTAGE GARDEN OF AMERICA. 85 
 
 should select dwarf growers, as it is useless for large 
 plants, the shelves being too small for large pots. 
 It can easily be drawn back from the window in 
 cold nights, or turned with the plants inward when 
 there is company. Those who are able, may put up 
 a greenhouse on the most sheltered and sunnny side 
 of the house ; and it could be heated by the heat of 
 the house, by having a glass door to enter it out of 
 the parlour : this door could be opened or shut at 
 pleasure. A house ten feet square would hold a 
 choice assortment of winter flowering exotics, which 
 would form a cheap, pleasant, and social amusement 
 for the whole family and their visitors. 
 
 Insects are sometimes very troublesome on pot 
 plants. The green fly, or plant louse, can be de- 
 stroyed by brushing it off the plants, with a long hair 
 brush, into a pail of hot water. The scaly insect, 
 red spider, and mealy bug may be destroyed by- 
 washing the stems and leaves with lukew^arm water. 
 Use a hard brush for the stems, and a sponge or cloth 
 for the leaves. Then syringe the plants frequently. 
 
 Washing the pots benefits the plants very much : 
 so it should be done at least once every two weeks. 
 
 Shading Plants.— MsLny of the pot plants would be 
 destroyed if exposed to the hot sun in summer. The 
 Cammellia, Azalia, Gardenia, Ardesia, Daphne, 
 should be well shaded and watered overhead in the 
 evenings during summer. g 
 
86 THE COTTAGE GARDEN OF AMERICA. 
 
 For a greater variety of flowering plants, the 
 reader is referred to the catalogues of our nursery- 
 men in different parts of the country; and for full 
 descriptions and instructions for their culture, the 
 "American Flower Garden Directory," by Robert 
 Buist, seeds and nurseryman, Philadelphia, is the 
 best book on the subject, ever published in America. 
 
 Note. — The following plants bloom from May till 
 December, and can be purchased in pots from our 
 nurserymen, for from five to twenty-five cents each. 
 
 Calceolarias, various colours, 
 
 Cypress vine, a climber, scarlet colour, 
 
 ErycimumPerofTscanum, orange " 
 
 Globe Ameranthus, white and purple colours, 
 
 Ice Plant, white colour, 
 
 Heliotrope, sweet scented, lilac colour, 
 
 Hememeris Coccenia, scarlet " 
 
 Loasa Lateritia, a climber, orange " 
 
 Laphospermum Erubescens, a climber, pink colour, 
 
 Manettia Cordifolia, a climber, scarlet colour, 
 
 Ivlaurandia Barclayana, a climber, purple colour, 
 
 Phlox Drumandii, various colours, 
 
 Portulacca, two sorts, crimson and scarlet colours, 
 
 Pitunea, many sorts, various colours, 
 
 Sweet Alyssum, white colour, 
 
 Salvia of sorts, scarlet and blue colours. 
 
 Scarlet Geraniums, scarlet colour. 
 
 Sensitive Plant, pink 
 
 (( 
 
THE COTTAGE GARDEN OF AMERICA. 87 
 
 Plumbago Capensis, light lilac colour, 
 Thunbergia, three sorts — climbers, white, bufT, 
 and orange colours. 
 
 Verbenias, many sorts, various colours, 
 Vinca, two sorts, white and rose colours. 
 
 FRUIT DEPARTMENT. 
 
 " Fine fruit," says one, " is the flower of commo- 
 dities," combining the beautiful and useful. 
 
 What wond'rous life is this I lead, 
 Ripe apples drop above my head ; 
 The luscious clusters of the vine, 
 Upon my mouth do crush their wine ; 
 The nectarine and the curious peach, 
 Into my hands themselves do reach. 
 
 Marvell. 
 
 The following, written by the Author some years 
 ago, and published in the "" Belvidere Apollo," New 
 Jersey, may serve as a preface to this department — 
 
 Among the various branches of social industry and 
 rural economy, the cottage garden holds a prominent 
 place,— and is one with which every person who 
 
88 THE COTTAGE GARDEN OF AMERICA. 
 
 lives a country life is associated. Nothing can have 
 a greater tendency to create an industrious habit in 
 a man, and keep him away from the temperance 
 house and tavern door, than the desire to possess a 
 well-stocked and well-cultivated cottage garden * 
 and nothing is more conducive to the health and 
 happiness of a family, than to assist in its culture and 
 share in its products ; but it is only when it is well 
 stocked and well kept, that it is appreciated at its 
 full value. My purpose here, is to show to the young 
 and inexperienced, the difference between a cottage 
 garden stocked with choice fruits, and one that is 
 not. We will then suppose, that two young men 
 shall purchase two quarter acre lots, joining each 
 other, and have the houses, fences, and ground plans 
 of their gardens alike ; the one manures and culti- 
 vates his garden well, but contents himself with 
 growing vegetables only ; the other stocks his with 
 a variety of choice fruits, manures and cultivates it 
 well, and raises as many and as good vegetables as 
 his neighbour. Suppose that he has planted one 
 apple, one pear, one cherry, two peaches, two plums, 
 one quince, and one grape-vine, — and the whole to 
 have cost him five dollars, — we will now estimate 
 the average product of fruit w^hen the trees are half- 
 grown: and value it at the half of city prices.: — 
 Twelve bushels of apples, $6 ; six bushels of pears, 
 $6 ; three bushels of cherries, $3 ; one bushel of 
 
THE COTTAGE GARDEN OF AMERICA. 80 
 
 quinces, $1 ; six bushels of peaches, $5 ; three 
 bushels of plums, $3 ; four bushels of grapes, $6. — 
 Here this man raises $30 worth of fruit yearly, and 
 as many vegetables as his neighbour the other side 
 of the fence does Avithout growing a single fruit. 
 Fruit growers will say, that I have estimated the 
 price and produce altogether too low. I confess I 
 have, but my purpose is not to exaggerate. There 
 is, too, a pleasure beside the profit, in taking a friend, 
 a visitor, or a neighbour through one's garden, show- 
 ing the trees planted with one's own hands, and de- 
 scribing the size, colour, and taste of their fruits, — 
 their time of ripening, etc. A wife, too, has plea- 
 sure in sending a few of the best to her distant friend, 
 or distributing a few among her near neighbours. 
 
 I would say to those who have houses to rent, — 
 stock your gardens with choice fruit trees. By so 
 doing, your property will be better taken care of, 
 and your rents better paid. And to those who 
 occupy their own cottages and gardens, it is well 
 worth your while to save ten cents each week for 
 one year, to purchase a full variety of fruit trees to 
 stock your gardens with. To the young man who 
 has not yet entered the path of connubial bliss, — 
 be saving and industrious, purchase a lot of ground, 
 fence, manure, and plough it well : then stock it with 
 choice fruit trees. You can either let an industrious 
 
 man cultivate it for the half, or do it yourself in your 
 
 8* 
 
90 THE COTTAGE GARDEN OF AMERICA. 
 
 leisure hours. It will always be a greater treat for 
 your sweetheart, and more pleasure to her parents, to 
 take a walk with you through your own lot, and hear 
 you name all the trees you planted with your own 
 hands — and describe their different varieties of fruit, 
 than to sit in a confectioner's shop, spending as much 
 at one time, as would purchase a choice fruit tree. 
 Try this once, and I'll guarantee you'll never get the 
 " sack," — unless it be from your wdfe, to fill with 
 fruit to send to some of her friends. 
 
 THE APPLE. 
 
 The apple is a universal fruit in the temperate 
 zone. It will grow on almost any kind of soil, but 
 thrives best on a deep loam. The fruit of many 
 varieties is very delicious and wholesome, eaten raw 
 or cooked. It serves as a physic for the bowels, 
 purifies the blood, and its acids correct impurities 
 about the stomach. Cider, made from its juice, is 
 both refreshing and strengthening, and where it is 
 much used, little or no medicine is needed. We 
 have grown and fruited the following varieties, in 
 different sections of the country, and know them to 
 
THE COTTAGE GARDEN OF AMERICA. 91 
 
 be all of first rate excellence, either in their raw state, 
 or when cooked. Their sizes are defined thus : less 
 than three inches in diameter, are called small; be- 
 tween three and four inches, are medium sized ; all 
 above four inches in diameter are large. 
 
 Early Harvest. — A native fruit of medium size, 
 and excellent qualities; skin yellow — flesh white and 
 crisp, with a rich juice ; ripe in July. Tree a thrifty 
 grower and good bearer. 
 
 Maiden Blush. — A beautiful apple, a native of New 
 Jersey, of medium size ; lemon colour, with a bright 
 red cheek; flesh white, tender, with a lively fla- 
 voured juice, and of great celebrity in Philadelphia 
 markets ; ripe in August, and keeps till October. 
 The tree a great bearer and rapid grower. 
 
 Summer Pearmain. — An excellent apple, of me- 
 dium size; skin red, streaked with yellow ; flesh 
 white and tender, with a sprightly perfumed juice. 
 The tree is of slow and slender growth, but a fair 
 bearer; ripe, end of August, and keeps till October. 
 
 Fall Pippen. — A beautiful apple, of large size ; 
 skin yellow, flesh mellow, with a spicy perfumed 
 juice, and very tender. The tree is a thrifty grower, 
 and a great bearer ; ripe in October and keeps till 
 March. Mr. Downing thinks this a native fruit: and 
 surely it is — for it is universal here, and scarce in 
 Europe. There is a tree of it, of an enormous size, 
 growing on "EUerslie," the seat of Dr. J. M. Paul, 
 
92 THE COTTAGE GARDEN OF AMERICA. 
 
 Warren county, N. J. A man ninety years old, told 
 me, that the tree was as large when he was a boy, as 
 it is now. This may prove to be the original tree. 
 
 Yellow Belle Fleiir. — A native of New Jersey ; 
 a choice apple of large size ; skin pale yellow ; flesh 
 white, w^ith a red blush on the sunny side, crisp, 
 w^ith a rich sprightly juice. The tree is of rapid 
 growth, large bearer ; ripe, end of October, and 
 eeps till April. 
 
 Wwde Islavd Greening. — A native of Rhode Island, 
 fruit large ; skin green ; and flesh yellowish white, 
 tender and crisp, with abundance of sharp, highly 
 perfumed juice. Tree a thrifty grower, and prolific 
 bearer ; ripe, end of October, and keeps till April. 
 
 Baldwin. — A native of Massachusetts : an apple 
 of much beauty and excellence ; fruit large — skin 
 yellow, with a red cheek ; flesh tender, with abun- 
 dance of rich, sugary, well flavoured juice. Tree of 
 strong erect growth ; a great bearer. Ripe, end of 
 October, and keeps till March. 
 
 Swarr. — A native of New York, of exceeding ex- 
 cellence ; fruit large, skin yellow, flesh yellow, crisp 
 and tender, wdth a rich aromatic flavoured juice. 
 Tree a rapid grower and large bearer. Ripe in No- 
 vember, and keeps till May. 
 
 Esopus SpitzenhuTg. — Another native of New York, 
 an apple of first rate excellence, of medium size, skin 
 shining crimson, flesh yellowish white, full of 
 
TriE COTTAGE GARDEN OF AMERICA. 93 
 
 sprightly highly perfumed juice; ripe, end of Octo- 
 ber, and keeps till March, The tree is a thrifty 
 grower, and constantly great bearer. 
 
 Irish Russet. — A native of Ireland, a very choice 
 apple, fruit small, skin yellow, flesh greenish yellow, 
 tender, crisp, with exceedingly rich, finely-flavoured 
 juice. Tree of a free and thrifty growth, and a great 
 bearer; ripe, end of October, and keeps till March. 
 
 Wine Apple. — A native of Delaware, an apple of 
 many excellent qualities ; skin red, mixed with yel- 
 low ; flesh yellowish white, full of sprightly flavoured 
 juice. The tree is a thrifty grower, and very pro- 
 lific; ripe, end of October, and keeps till March. 
 
 Green JYewtown Pippen. — A native of Long Island ; 
 is not surpassed by any apple in good qualities, — 
 fruit of medium size, skin green, flesh greenish, very 
 crisp and juicy, and hightly perfumed. Tree of 
 slender growth, a regular, good bearer. 
 
 Yellow JVewtown Pippen. — An apple without a 
 rival in good qualities ; fruit medium size ; skin 
 yellow with a red cheek, flesh white, tender and 
 juicy, and richly perfumed. ^„ Tree a slender grower, 
 and great bearer. This, and the green Newtown 
 Pippen, are ripe in November, and keep without 
 shriveling till June. 
 
94 THE COTTAGE GARDEN OF AMERU-^A, 
 
 GATHERING AND KEEPING THE FRUIT. 
 
 The fruit should be gathered before it is dead ripe, 
 and on the afternoon of a dry day ; and as much of 
 it picked off' the tree with the hand, as can be reached. 
 A step-ladder can be used to reach the outer ends of 
 the branches, and the picker can have a pole with a 
 hook, to pull the branches near to him, a basket to 
 put the fruit in, and when on the tree, a basked with 
 a rope to it, to let softly down when full. The fruit 
 should be at once packed into barrels or boxes, with 
 a layer of soft hay and fruit alternately. Well-dryed 
 chaff, or coarse bran will suit the same purpose. 
 Some mix mint with the fruit, to give it a fine fla- 
 vour. The barrels or boxes may be headed up at 
 once, and set in a shady, airy place for a week, then 
 placed in the airyest part of the cellar and used when 
 needed. 
 
 Propagation. — The apple is increased by seeds, 
 budding, and grafting. — See article on Propagation. 
 
 Insects. — The enemies of the apple tree and its 
 fruit, are the Borer, Caterpillar, Canker worm. Scaly 
 insect, woolly Aphis, and the fly that stings the fruit. 
 The Borer is a grub that enters the trunk of the trees 
 at their base, and eats into the heart of the tree. 
 When it has got in, push a wire into the hole as far 
 as it will go, and kill the grub. To keep it off, wash 
 
THE COTTAGE GARDEN OF AMERI(;A. 9^5 
 
 the stem of the tree, in spring, with whale oil soap 
 and water; one pound of soap to five gallons of 
 water ; or, cattle manure and water, as thick as paint, 
 will do. The Caterpillar preys on the leaves. Have 
 a long hair brush, with the hair all round. Tie it on 
 a long pole, reach it up to the nest in the mornings 
 while they are all in it, turn round the brush in the 
 nest, and it wall stick to it. Pull down and destroy 
 them with the feet ; or burn tobacco shanks, or any 
 thing that will make an offensive smell, under the 
 trees in calm evenings — that will destroy them. De- 
 stroy the Scaly insect, by washing them off with a 
 scrubbing brush and w^ater blood heat. The Canker 
 worm preys on branches and leaves. It winters in 
 the ground ; destroy it in the same way as the cater- 
 pillar. To keep it off, sow lime or ashes round the 
 stem of the tree, before the frost is out of the ground 
 in spring, or w^ash the stem with whale oil soap and 
 water, or cattle manure and w^ater. The Woolly 
 Aphis is a white louse, and found in great numbers 
 on the cliffs of trees, covered wuth white cotton. 
 Wash them off with a hard brush and whale oil soap 
 and water, lukewarm. The fly that stings the fruit 
 may be kept off by sowing fresh slacked lime over 
 the trees once a week for three weeks, just after the 
 fruit is set : while the dew is on in the mornings. 
 Gather all the fruit that falls before ripe, and put it in 
 the pig's tub, and that will destroy the insects. 
 
96 THi: COTTAGE GARDEN OF AMERICA. 
 
 APRICOT. 
 
 The Apricot is a fine fruit, the size of the plum, 
 of a deep yellow colour, and of a rather firm, dry 
 nature. It is generally cut in pieces and eaten with 
 cream and sugar, and makes excellent preserves. 
 The tree will grow on many kinds of soil, but thrives 
 best on a deep light loam. When grafted on the 
 plum, it does best on a heavy loam ; and when grafted 
 on the peach, it does best on sandy loam. 
 
 Moor Park. — A popular variety; orange colour, a 
 little juicy and perfumed, ripe in August. Tree very 
 thrifty and prolific. 
 
 Peach Jipricot. — Fruit large, a little juicy and well 
 flavoured, ripe in August. Tree free grower and 
 large bearer. 
 
 Roman. — Fruit large — pale yellow — rather dry, 
 but well flavoured ; ripe in July. Tree is a great 
 bearer. 
 
THE COTTAGE GARDEN OF AMLia^A. 97 
 
 CHERRY. 
 
 The cherry will grow on almost every kind of soil, 
 but thrives best on a light loam, and in an elevated 
 situation. The frJlowing are good for eating and 
 cooking, the trees being all thrifty growers and very 
 prolific. 
 
 American Amher. — Raised by Mr. Bloodgood, at 
 Flushing, Long Island ; fruit medium size, with a 
 sharp finely flavoured juice ; colour clear amber, ripe 
 in June. 
 
 Black Tartarian. — The largest and finest cherry in 
 cultivation : of a dark purple colour, with an abun- 
 dance of sprightly, rich, highly perfumed juice : tree 
 of rapid growth, and a prodigious bearer. 
 
 Downton. — An English cherry, raised by the late 
 Mr. Knight; fruit large, cream colour, juicy and 
 richly flavoured ; ripe in July — a large bearer. 
 
 English Morcllo. — The very best of all preserving 
 cherries: fruit large, deep crimson colour, with strong, 
 rich acid juice; tree of slender, straggling growth; 
 a regular great bearer, ripe, end of July. 
 
 May Duke. — The finest early cherry, deep red 
 colour, juicy and richly flavoured : ripe in June ; 
 tree of erect, thrifty growth,, and very prolific. 
 
 Wendell Bigerreaii. — A new cherry, advertised in 
 
98 THE COTTAGE GARDEN OF AMERICA. 
 
 Downing's Horticulturist, by Wilson Thorburn & 
 Co., nursery and seedsmen, Albany, New York. It 
 is said to be of great excellence. [If its juice is like 
 the sweet nature of the young gentle (Dr. Herman 
 Wendell) in whose honour it is named, it will be a 
 great acquisition.] 
 
 CURRANTS. 
 
 The currant is so well known and universally cul- 
 tivated, that no description of it is required. It 
 grows on almost every kind of soil. The fruit is 
 wholesome in its raw or cooked state, and jellies 
 made from its juice are delicious. 
 
 Red Grape.— This currant grows three times as 
 large as the common red, the juice is richer and 
 sweeter, and the bush a prodigious bearer. 
 
 KnigliVs large red is also a desirable variety. 
 
 White Grapej or White Dutch. — Fruit very large, 
 bunches six inches long, juice very rich and highly 
 perfumed ; bush a great bearer. 
 
 The currant is propagated by cuttings, planted in 
 fall or spring. The cuttings should be young shoots 
 of the previous season's growth. The bushes should 
 
THE COTTAGE GARDEN OF AMERICA. 
 
 99 
 
 be rooted up when eight years old, and a young 
 plantation should be made two years before the old 
 one is uprooted. They should be pruned in winter, 
 so as to have the branches at least six inches from 
 each other, and the bushes should never be closer 
 planted than six feet apart. 
 
 GOOSEBERRY. 
 
 The gooseberry does best on a heavy deep loam, 
 and a cool bottom ; and where it is shaded, the fruit 
 is wholesome and delicious, and makes a rich jam. 
 
 Bunker Hill, is an excellent large yellow. 
 
 Bonnie Lass, 
 
 u a 
 
 white. 
 
 Cheshire Lass, * 
 
 i i 
 
 white, 
 
 Crown Bob, 
 
 ( a 
 
 red. 
 
 Red Warrington, 
 
 il U 
 
 red. 
 
 Jolly Tar, 
 
 u a 
 
 green. 
 
 Old Jam, 
 
 U il 
 
 crimson 
 
 Yellow Sulphur, * 
 
 c u 
 
 yellow. 
 
 Whitesmith, ' 
 
 i << 
 
 white. 
 
 Uproot the bushes when eight years old, propa- 
 gated by cuttings. 
 
100 THE COTTAGE GARDEN OF AMERICA. 
 
 GRAPE-VINE. 
 
 " Lo the vine of canaan bends, 
 Near tlie hand that faith extends 
 Branches laden with such fruit, 
 As thy parching thirst will suit." 
 
 The following was written by the Author some 
 years ago, and published in the '^ Warren Journal," 
 New Jersey. It may not be considered out of place 
 here. 
 
 VITIS VINEFERA. 
 
 The history of the grape-vine is coeval with that 
 of man. It is said to have been an inhabitant of the 
 garden of Eden ; " and Noah, the servant of the 
 Lord, as soon as the waters of the flood had subsided, 
 planted a vineyard." Our Redeemer, w^hile on earth, 
 extolled it : as, on one occasion he said to his disci- 
 ciples — " I am the vine, ye are the branches." Since 
 the remotest ages of antiquity, it has been celebrated 
 as the emblem of plenty, and the symbol of happi- 
 ness ; in the same ratio as the spread of Christianity, 
 and the march of civilization and improvements, has 
 increased the cultivation of the vine. Italy has long 
 been celebrated as the garden of Europe, but the 
 surpassing ingenuity of the French places them on 
 
THE COTTAGE GARDEN OF AMERICA. 101 
 
 the first page of improvement in the cultivation of 
 the vine. The produce of which, as an article of 
 commerce, they annually export to the enormous 
 value of 40,000,000 of francs. The vine is a plant 
 of great age. Pliny speaks of one six hundred years 
 old. There are vineyards in Italy which have been 
 in a flourishing state over three centuries. It is also 
 of great luxuriance and productiveness; a single vine 
 growing in Essex, England, covers a space of one 
 hundred and sixty square yards: and yields annually 
 a ton of grapes. On gentleman's establishments 
 around Boston, New York and Philadelphia, the vine 
 is cultivated under glass as well as in the open air: 
 and ripe grapes are gathered six months in the year. 
 In those large cities, where the allotments of ground 
 are small, some of the yards no larger than the size 
 of a common room, by the care of intelligent inha- 
 bitants, produce two or three bushels of grapes an- 
 nually. 
 
 In Belvidere, too, the vine is cultivated to perfec- 
 tion by several enterprising townsmen. There 
 is no country in the world better adapted to the 
 growth of the vine than the United States; and in no 
 other country do so many individuals own the land 
 on which they live. The simple propagation, rapid 
 growth, and great fruitfulness of the vine, its deli- 
 cious fruit, and the many purposes to which it can 
 be appropriated, claim for it a place in every well 
 
102 THE COTTAGE GARDEN OF AMERICA. 
 
 cultivated garden. Indeed, every citizen of this 
 great and happy Republic may, if he chooses, sit 
 under his own fruit vine and fig tree. 
 
 Mr. Longwarth, of Cincinnati, says, — "the banks 
 of the Ohio will soon rival those of the Rhine, in 
 the quality and quantity of their wine." 
 
 The native vines will grow on a great variety of 
 soils, but flourish best on deep rich loams ; and are 
 more hardy and prolific when trained on open arbours 
 with sloping roofs, than when trained on perpendicu- 
 lar or horizontal fences or buildings. But when 
 trained on upright walls or trellises, perpendicular 
 training is preferable to horizontal ; an arbour with a 
 perpendicular front eight feet high, and a sloping 
 roof twelve feet wdde, rising three feet in the twelve, 
 is a suitable structure to train the native varieties on. 
 They will cover the whole, and yield a large crop 
 yearly, without being exhausted. If growing on a 
 good soil, properly pruned, and if they get a yearly 
 dressino; of w^ell rotted manure, and a biennial dress- 
 ing of fresh slacked lime, (say a peck per perch, ap- 
 plied in fall or early spring,) the following system 
 will assist the beginner. 
 
 Take cuttings in spring or fall, of young shoots of 
 the previous summer's growth, with three buds to 
 each; plant them in rich mellow ground, with tw^o 
 buds under ground, and one bud above ground. If 
 they are partly shaded, well watered, and kept clear 
 
THE COTTAGE GARDEN OF AMERICA 103 
 
 of weeds, they will each make a shoot six feet long 
 which should be tied up to a stick or arbour. Thi« 
 is the first year: second year, in March, cut down 
 the young shoots to two buds each ; dig well rotted 
 manure around their roots, and sow a handful of 
 lime around. They will each make two shoots ten 
 feet long this year, which are to be trained up as they 
 progress in growth ; nip off all laterals or small shoots 
 growing out of the sides of the main shoots; do this 
 once every two weeks, when the main shoots are six 
 feet long; nip off the top, and let the upper lateral 
 take its place ; and when that has grown two feet, 
 nip off the top, and let the upper lateral again take its 
 place. These toppings will check the rapid flow of 
 the sap, and give more strength to the main shoots: 
 now each plant has two shoots. In November, when 
 they shed their leaves, cut down these shoots to two 
 buds each, and spread rotted manure over their roots. 
 Third year, in spring, dig in the manure around 
 their roots, and sow a handful of lime around each 
 plant. We will suppose that the vines are growing 
 at the arbour on which they are to be trained, and 
 stand six feet apart. Each plant will this year make 
 four shoots fifteen feet long, which are to be trained 
 to the arbour fifteen inches apart and topped twice, 
 and their laterals nipped off every two weeks. Each 
 plant now has four shoots fifteen feet long ; in fall, 
 after their leaves drop, cut down two shoots on each 
 
104 THE COTTAGE GARDEN OF AMERICA. 
 
 plant to two buds each, and cut ofi' onc-tli'id of the 
 leng'h of the other two shoots ; these shoots will yudd 
 fruit next year. Spread manure around their roots, 
 and a quart of lime to each plant. 
 
 Fourth 3'ear, in spring, dig in the manure about 
 their roots, and sow a quart of fresh lime around each 
 plant. The roots by this time, will extend ten feet 
 from the stems; and as it is from their extremities 
 the nourishment is gained, the manure should be 
 spread over the ground as far as they extend. The 
 two shoots which were left to two-thirds of their 
 length, will yield fruit this year ; and those cut down 
 to two buds each, will make two shoots each, which 
 are to be trained up to the arbour fifteen inches apart, 
 and have their laterals nipped off' once every two 
 weeks. This system is now complete : each vine 
 has four young shoots, fifteen or twenty feet long, of 
 this year's growth. .In fall cut down the two shoots 
 which bore fruit this year, to two buds each, and cut 
 two of the young shoots to two-thirds of their lengths, 
 and cut two feet off the length of the other two shoots. 
 
 Fifth year — the four shoots which grew last year, 
 will yield a large crop of fruit this year ; and the two 
 which were cut down will each make two shoots fif- 
 teen or twenty feet long, which are to be trained up 
 between the bearing shoots ; in fall, cut down the 
 shoots which bore fruit, to one bud. Each will make 
 one shoot next year, to be trained up where the old 
 
THE COTTAGE GARDEN OF AMERICA. 105 
 
 ones grew. Shorten two of the young shoots to two- 
 thirds of their lengths, and cut two feet off the length 
 of the other two shoots. Manure and lime occa 
 sionally, and by this system the vines will yield a 
 large crop of fine fruit every year, without ever being 
 exhausted. Be sure always to keep the ground clear 
 of weeds around them, and never let the fruiting 
 shoots make much wood. — This is called the alter- 
 nate system. The fruit of the native varieties is 
 seldom properly ripened before October, and should 
 not be eaten before that time : but ripe fruit can be 
 produced a month earlier, by girdling the bearing 
 shoots. Cut out two inches in length of the bark all 
 round the shoots, two feet above where they are to 
 be pruned down to next fall : the shoots thus girdled 
 will ripen their fruit a month earlier than other 
 shoots on the same vine that are not girdled. It is 
 better to purchase the plants, than to be troubled and 
 perhaps disappointed with cuttings ; besides, two years 
 are gained by purchasing the plants, and two year's 
 fruit of one vine would purchase two dozen plants. 
 
 Good plants of the native varieties are fifty cents 
 each. Good plants of foreign varieties are seventy- 
 five cents. 
 
 Isabella. — A native of South Carolina ; first brought 
 into notice by Mrs. Isabella Gibbs, wife of George 
 Gibbs, Esq. It is a luxuriant grower, and a prodi- 
 gious bearer ; fruit nearly black ; berries a good size, 
 
106 THE COTTAGE GARDEN OF AMERICA. 
 
 thickly set on the bunches, which are six inches long, 
 without shoulders. The leaves are stiff, and cup up 
 at the edges; the back of the leaf is silvery white. 
 "Whoever grows only one vine, let it be the Isabella. 
 The fruit has a small pulp-, and a rich, aromatic fla- 
 voured juice ; ripe in October. 
 
 Catawba. — A native of Maryland, first brought into 
 notice by Major Adlum. A strong grower, and pro- 
 lific bearer ; fruit brown colour, w^ith little pulp ; 
 berries large, loose on the bunches, which are a good 
 gize and well shouldered, juice sweet and sprightly; 
 leaves large and soft, reflecting at the edges; silvery 
 white on the under sides ; ripe in October. 
 
 Elslngburgh. — A native of New' Jersey, a free 
 grower and great bearer ; fruit nearly black ; ber- 
 ries small, bunches small and compact, juice very 
 sweet, no pulp ; leaf small and wood slender; ripe 
 in October. 
 
 Bland. — A native of Virginia, a free grower and 
 moderate bearer; fruit brown; berries a good size 
 loose on the bunches, which are a good size, and 
 shouldered : leaves large and green on the under side ; 
 ripe in October; juice rich and sweet. 
 
 Ohio. — A choice variety, brought into notice by 
 Mr. Longw^orth of Cincinnati, and a subject of much 
 discussion. The fruit is very like the Elsingburgh, 
 but the leaves are larger than that variety. It does 
 not get into favour about Philadelphia. 
 
THE COTTAGE GARDEN OF AMERICA. 107 
 
 The following are foreign varieties, and require a 
 more sandy soil, and the same pruning and training 
 as the natives ; but should be taken off the arbour 
 in fall, and tied up with straw for the winter, as di- 
 rected for roses north of Philadelphia. 
 
 Golden Chasselas. — A thrifty grower, and great 
 bearer ; fruit greenish white, with a golden bloom ; 
 berries large, bunches large, juice very rich and 
 sweet, without pulp ; ripe in September. 
 
 White Sweet Water. — A hardy prolific variety, fruit 
 greenish white ; berries large, bunches good size, 
 juice sweet and finely flavoured ; ripe in September ; 
 a fair bearer. 
 
 White Hamburgh. — A strong grower, very hardy 
 and prolific ; fruit pale green, berries large, bunches 
 very large ; juice sweet and pleasant, ripe in 
 October. 
 
 Black Hamburgh. — An exceedingly choice variety, 
 a strong grower and great bearer; fruit dark brown, 
 berries very large, bunches large, juice sweet, rich 
 and highly perfumed, ripe in October. 
 
 Griuzly Frontignac. — A free grower and large 
 bearer; fruit brown, berries and bunches good size; 
 juice rich and sweet, ripe end of September. 
 
 Hansteretto .' — A hardy prolific varieties fruit blacky 
 berries and bunches large; juice rich and well fla- 
 voured, ripe in October. 
 
108 THE COTTAGE GARDEN OF AMERICA. 
 
 KEEPING GRAPES. 
 
 Grapes may be kept sound for a twelve month. 
 Gather the fruit before it is dead ripe, on the after- 
 noon of a dry day; dry them on boards in the sun 
 one day, then pack them with coarse bran, putting a 
 layer of bran and a layer of fruit alternately, in boxes 
 or barrels. Cover them up air tight. The bran 
 should be dried on boards in the sun a few days, or 
 in a spent oven before it is used. 
 
 A grape-vine growing near to a dwelling, and the 
 eating of its fruit, gives a lively feeling to the whole 
 household. The French and Italians owe their 
 sprightly natures to the culture and fruit of the vine, 
 " which cheereth the heart of God and man." 
 
 PEACH. 
 
 The peach, "rich with fertility and life distil," 
 will grow on almost every kind of soil, but thrives 
 best, lives longest, and is most prolific on a rich, 
 sandy loam, and in an elevated situation. Being a 
 
THE COTTAGE GARDEN OF AMERICA. 109 
 
 tree of exceedingly rapid growth and great fruitfal- 
 ness, it requires much fertilizing matter to keep it in 
 a healthy state. Salt, lime, and decomposed manures 
 are suitable food for the peach. When grown on 
 cold, wet, or clayey soils, it should be budded on a 
 plum stock. Both tree and fruit are preyed on by 
 insects. When the weather becomes warm in April 
 and early part of May, the tree grows and expands 
 its foliage ; then if asudden cold snap comes, it checks 
 the flow of the sap, the veins of the leaves burst and 
 blister, the leaves become decrepit and yellow, and 
 it is supposed that the tree has got "the yellows." 
 But a few weeks of w^arm weather will again make it 
 push and grow% and shed a dark green over its foliage. 
 An insect deposits its eggs in the fruit shortly after it 
 is set ; a grub is soon hatched, which lives on the 
 kernel of the stone ; the fruit relaxes its hold, and 
 falls from the tree before it is matured ; the grub gets 
 out and enters the ground, where it remains dormant 
 until next spring, when it comes forth a fly to depo- 
 sit its eggs in the young fruit. As soon as the fruit 
 falls, it should be gathered and burned, or put into 
 the pigs' tub, which will destroy the insects. If 
 fresh slacked lime or ashes be sowed over the head 
 of the tree in the mornings while it is wet with dew, 
 once a week, for three successive weeks after the 
 fruit is set, the insect will hardly touch the fruit. 
 
 Another insect deposits its eggs in the stem of the 
 
 10 
 
110 THE COTTAGE GARDEN OF AMERICA. 
 
 trees, half an inch below the surface of the earth ; 
 grubs are soon hatched, which live on the inner bark 
 and eat downwards, and along the roots, till they 
 destroy them ; the tree being deprived of feeders, 
 dies of starvation, which is called " the yellows." 
 If the earth is taken away from the stems of the trees 
 for three inches all round, and down to the spreading 
 of (he roots, and the place filled up with fresh slacked 
 lime or ashes, the insects will not touch the tree. If 
 urine or salt brine is poured around the stem, the 
 insect Avill keep off. These ingredients are to be re- 
 newed in May and August, as the insect hatches 
 twice a year. When gum appears about the base of 
 the stem, examine it to see that no grubs are there. 
 When the peach is grown on poor grass lands, or 
 farmer's fields ^vhich are scantly manured, and 
 cropped close up to the stem of the tree, the surface 
 crops take up all the good of the manures, the tree 
 in a few years consumes all the food suitable to its 
 nature contained in the soil, and then dies of starva- 
 tion, called "the yellows." The symptoms of star- 
 vation, caused either by the povert}^ of the soil, or 
 by being deprived of feeders by insects, are the 
 same. The tree becomes bark bound, the young 
 shoots are red, the leaves small, yellow, and often 
 curled : the fruit is small, of a high colour, soft to the 
 touch, ripens a month before its natural time, and is 
 not very palatable. When all these symptoms 
 
THE Cr,«TTAGE GARDEN OF AMERICA. Ill 
 
 appear, the tree should at once be dug up ; for to 
 remain, it will be an unsightly, unprofitable, and 
 incurable object, '^y" means free-stone — " c" for 
 cling-stone. 
 
 f Crawford? s Early Melocaton A native, raised 
 
 by Wm. Crawford, Esq., New Jersey; fruit large, 
 yellow, with a red cheek ; flesh tender, rich and 
 finely flavoured ; ripe in August ; tree very prolific. 
 
 f Crawford'' s Late Melocaton, — A splendid native 
 peach, raised by Wm. Crawford, Esq., New Jersey ; 
 fruit very large, yellow, with a red cheek ; flesh 
 melting, juicy, rich, and highly perfumed ; ripe, end 
 of September ; tree very productive. 
 
 f Early York. — A very excellent peach, fruit me- 
 dium size, red colour, flesh melting, juicy, and finely 
 flavoured : ripe in August ; tree great bearer. 
 
 f George the Fourth. — Raised by Mr. Gill, Broad 
 street, New York; a delicious, splendid peach, fruit 
 large, yellow, with a red cheek; flesh melting, juicy, 
 and highly perfumed ; ripe in August — tree a strong 
 grower and great bearer. 
 
 f Grosse Mignonne. — A magnificent old peach, un- 
 surpassed by any ; fruit very large, yellow, with a 
 deep red cheek; flesh very melting and juicy, and 
 richly perfumed ; ripe in August — tree very prolific. 
 
 fKenrick Heath. — Raised by Mr. Kenrick, nursery- 
 man, Boston ; a choice peach, fruit large, greenish 
 white, with a deep red cheek; flesh melting, juicy, 
 
1 12 THE COTTAGE GARDEN OF AMERICA. 
 
 and richly flavoured ; ripe in September — tree a 
 thrifty grower and great bearer. 
 
 f Morris White. — A native, medium size, greenish 
 white, with a blush on the sunny side ; flesh tender, 
 juicy, and finely flavoured; ripe in September — tree 
 a good bearer. 
 
 f Royal George. — An excellent peach, fruit medium 
 size, whitish, with a red cheek ; flesh melting, juicy, 
 and highly perfumed ; ripe in August — tree a thrifty 
 grower, and great bearer. 
 
 The above are free-stones — the following^ are 
 cling-stones. 
 
 c Heath. — A delicious and magnificent peach — 
 fruit large, creamy white, flesh melting, very juicy, 
 and richly perfumed ; ripe in October — tree very 
 prolific. 
 
 c Old Mixon Cling-stone. — One of the finest of all 
 peaches; fruit large, yellow, with a red cheek; flesh 
 melting, very juicy, rich and highly perfumed; ripe 
 in September — tree thrifty and prolific. 
 
 c Old JYeioington. — A celebrated peach ; fruit large, 
 pale yellow, with a red cheek; flesh melting, juicy, 
 very rich and perfumed ; ripe in September — prolific. 
 
 c Tippecanoe. — .4 splendid peach, raised by George 
 Thomas, of Philadelphia ; fruit large, yellow, with a 
 red cheek ; flesh melting with a rich, sprightly, highly 
 perfumed juice ; ripe in September-^tree very pro- 
 lific. 
 
THE COTTAGE GARDEN OF AMERICA. 1 l3 
 
 c Washington. — A choice native ; fruit mediam 
 size, greenish, with a blush on the sunny side ; flesh 
 melting rich and juicy; ripe, end of September — 
 tree a great bearer. 
 
 NECTARINE. 
 
 The nectarine is like the peach in everything but 
 the fruit, which is smooth and shining, whereas the 
 peach is rough and downy : treat it as the peach. 
 
 Elruge. — A choice, free-stone nectarine; fruit 
 medium size, green and red ; flesh melting, very 
 juicy, and finely flavoured ; ripe in August. 
 
 PitrnastoTi's Orange. — A choice nectarine ; fruit 
 large, orange, with a red cheek; flesh melting, juicy, 
 and richly perfumed ; ripe in August. 
 
 Violette Hative. — Fruit large, greenish, and red; 
 flesh melting, rich, and juicy; ripe in August. 
 
 The above are free-stones — the following are cling- 
 stones. 
 
 Early JVewington. — Fruit large ; green and red ; 
 flesh melting, with a rich, sprightly, highly perfumed 
 juice ; ripe, end of August. 
 
 Red Rom.an. — Fruit large; yellow and crimson; 
 
 flesh melting, very juicy, and richly perfumed ; ripe 
 
 in September. 
 
 10* 
 
Hi THE COTTAGE GARDEN OF AMERICA. 
 
 PEAR. 
 
 The pear in its improved varieties, is one of the 
 most delicious fruits of the temperate zone. What 
 can be compared to the fine Bergamottes, Beurres, 
 Bartletts, Seckels, Washingtons, Vergalieux, and 
 many other varieties, when preserved ? and Perry 
 made from their juice, is a pleasant and refreshing 
 beverage. Yet, notwithstanding all our boasted in- 
 telligence and refinement, the culture of the peai- is 
 sadly neglected with us in America ; but the great 
 fault lies in the exaggerated accounts of the " blight.'' 
 This blight, so far as our experience goes, is caused 
 by a direct ray of the sun, the first or second year 
 after the tree has been transplanted, or when it is 
 grown on an improper soil. The wood is hard and 
 brittle, and the sap veins very fine. When the tret 
 is transplanted, it is long before it makes new fibers 
 to sustain itself; the warm weather in spring causes 
 the sap to flow; the leaves expand, but there being 
 no feeders, the action of the sap is slow. The hot 
 sun brazes on it, and scalds it, or dries up the sap, 
 either in the stem or branches. The bark shrivels, 
 and in a few" days becomes black, as if burned over 
 a slow fire ; this is always on the south side of the 
 tree : (we have never seen any blight on the north 
 
THE COTTAGE GARDEN OF AMERICA. 115 
 
 side of the trees.) To prevent the blight, we sew 
 wall paper slackly round the stems of newly trans- 
 planted trees, the first and second years. This, with 
 transplanting in fall, preparing large holes for the 
 trees, putting good earth about their roots, and litter 
 over them the first winter, watering them in dry 
 weather the first summer, (in the evenings.) We 
 have never seen pear trees blighted when so treated ; 
 but have seen many blighted, when transplanted late 
 in spring, stuck into small holes, and left to them- 
 selves. 
 
 i\Ir. Downing, in his book on the " Fruits and 
 Fruit trees of America," says, there are-two kinds of 
 blight, — the one caused by an insect, which deposits 
 ts eggs in the trees in July or August ; the grub from 
 it, in the following spring, eats into the heart of the 
 tree and girdles it, cuts off the downward passage of 
 the sap, and kills the tree. The second is the frozen 
 sap blight ; in w^arm wet falls the sap is put in motion, 
 when a sudden cold snap comes and freezes it, and 
 chokes up the veins of the tree in the ensuing spring ; 
 the motion of the sap is arrested by this frozen sap, 
 W'hich becomes poisoned, and is diluted by the fresh 
 sap and circulates through the tree till it kills it. Mr. 
 Downing gives the opinions of many distinguished 
 Pomologists, in different parts of the countr}^, to prove 
 this assertion. We think that our precautions given 
 above, may be the means to protect the trees from 
 
1 1 6 THE COTTAGE GARDEN OF AMERICA. 
 
 Doth llicse blights. So we would advise every cot- 
 tager to grow some choice kinds of pears. They 
 flourish in all places where we have been : at Boston, 
 Long Island, the banks of the Hudson, and many 
 parts of New Jersey and Pennsylvania. The tree 
 will grow on a great variety of soils, but thrives best 
 on rich deep loams. The best Bergamottes, Beutres, 
 and Vergalieux we have seen growing, were in the 
 garden of E. C. Delavan, Esq., (champion of tem- 
 perance,) at Albany ; and the best Bartletts and 
 Seckels we ever ate, we got from A. J. Downing, at 
 his " Highland Nursery," Newburgh, Orange county, 
 N. Y., which he ripened in a drawerof a bureau. J. B. 
 Smith, of Philadelphia, grows a choice variety of 
 pears ; and generally carries off the Pennsylvania 
 Horticultural Society's prizes, for fine pears. 
 
 Bartlelty or Williams Boncretian. — An English, 
 noble pear of exceeding excellence ; fruit large, 
 yellow, with a red cheek; flesh melting, rich, juicy, 
 and perfumed ; ripe in August; tree thrifty and prolific . 
 
 Blood^ood. — Raised by the late J. Bloodgood, 
 Long Island; fruit medium size, yellow; flesh melt- 
 ing, juicy, rich, and perfumed; ripe in August — 
 tree good bearer. 
 
 Bergomot Ganseh.—A highly delicious pear; fruit 
 large, yellowish brown ; flesh melting, very juicy, 
 rich, and finely perfumed ; ripe in September, and 
 keeps till November. 
 
THE COTTAGE GARDEN OF AMERICA. 117 
 
 Beurre Diet. — Fruit five inches long, four inches 
 across, yellow ; flesh buttery, with a rich, highly per- 
 fumed juice; ripe in October, and keeps till Febru- 
 ary — 'good bearer. 
 
 Dix. — An American pear, raised by a Mr. Dix, 
 near Boston ; fruit large, yellow ; flesh melting, juicy, 
 and richly flavoured ; ripe in October, and keeps till 
 January. 
 
 Duchess B''Angoleme. — The queen of pears ; fruit 
 five inches long, and four inches across, greenish 
 yellow ; flesh very melting and buttery, with abun- 
 dance of rich, highly perfumed, sugary juice ; ripe in 
 October, and keeps till Feb'y ; tree thrifty and prolific. 
 
 Flemish Beauty. — A magnificent pear, fruit large, 
 yellow ; flesh buttery, juicy, sweet, and richly per- 
 fumed ; ripe in September; keeps till January. 
 
 Golden Beurre ofBilboa. — Imported by Mr. Hooper, 
 Mass. ; fruit medium size, golden colour ; flesh melt- 
 ing, juicy, rich, and highly perfumed ; ripe, Septem- 
 ber, keeps till January. 
 
 Jargonelle English. — Fruit large, yellowish green ; 
 flesh melting, juicy, very rich and perfumed ; ripe in 
 August ; tree very thrifty and prolific. 
 
 Seckle. — Originated at Germantown, Philadelphia ; 
 fruit small, yellowish brown, dull red on the sunny 
 side ; flesh buttery, melting, with a rich, perfumed, 
 sugary juice ; ripe in September, and keeps till De- 
 cember — very prolific. 
 
118 THE COTTAGE GARDEN OF AMERICA. 
 
 We clip the following varieties from D. Landreth's 
 "Rural Register," a yearly publication, containing 
 one hundred pages of instructive matter, and nearly 
 a hundred wood-cuts, costing only twelve and a half 
 cents a year. 
 
 Haddington. — Orio;inated on the farm of J. B. 
 Smith, at Haddington, near Philadelphia ; fruit me- 
 dium size, yellowish green; flesh buttery and crisp, 
 juicy and finely flavoured ; ripe in December and 
 keeps till April — tree thrifty and prolific. 
 
 Moyamensing .—Ov\g\n?i\.eA in the garden of J. B. 
 Smith, Philadelphia ; fruit medium size, yellow ; 
 flesh buttery, juicy, and richly perfumed ; ripe in July 
 — tree prolific. 
 
 Pennsylvania. — Raised from a seed by J. B. Smith, 
 Esq., Philadelphia; fruit medium size, brownish 
 yellow ; flesh a little gritty, juicy, and richly per- 
 fumed ; a choice American variety, ripe in Septem- 
 ber — prolific. 
 
 Washington. — An unsurpassed variety, originated 
 on the farm of the late Col. Robinson, near Naaman's 
 Creek, Delaware ; fruit medium size, yellow ; flesh 
 buttery, juicy, and very richly perfumed ; ripe in 
 September. 
 
THE COTTAGE GARDEN OF AMERICA. 119 
 
 GATHERING AND KEEPING THE FRUIT. 
 
 The fruit when intended for keeping, should be 
 picked off the tree with the hand, before it is fully- 
 ripe, on the afternoon of dry days, and dried in the 
 sun a few hours — then packed into air-tight boxes or 
 barrels, with a layer of soft hay and fruit alternately. 
 When the boxes or barrels are full, cov^er them up 
 air-tight, and place them where neither frost nor 
 damp will come to them. Some strew mint leaves 
 among the fruit, to give it a high flavour.' This is 
 for winter pears; the summer pears will ripen in a 
 desk or drawer, or covered box, without any hay. 
 Chaff or coarse bran, well dried, will suit for packing 
 instead of hay. Pears budded on quince stocks ara 
 very prolific, and never blighted. 
 
 PLUM. 
 
 The plum will grow on any good soil, but with 
 few exceptions ; it thrives best, lives longest, and is 
 most proline on heavy loams, resting on clayey sub- 
 
120 THK COTTAGE GARDEN OF AMERIC/i. 
 
 soils. J. Denniston, Esq., of Albany, N. Y., who 
 has raised many very choice new varieties, and per- 
 haps, grows the best plums in the country, grows 
 them on heavy loam, resting on a blue clay. When 
 the plum is grown on light or sandy soils, it should 
 be budded on the peach stock, or the Jefferson plum, 
 or Flushing Gage selected, as they thrive equally as 
 well on light as heavy soils. The fruit is very nutri- 
 tious and wholesome, both in its raw and cooked 
 states ; it makes rich preserves, and when dried in 
 spent ovens-, is superior to prunes. The trees are 
 subject to a disease called *' Knots." So far as 
 our experience and observation have taught us, the 
 knots are caused by poor and improper soils, the 
 want of proper food and culture, and the drought of 
 very dry and hot summers. In either case, the tree 
 becomes languid, and unable to throw its sap to the 
 extremities, in such quick motion as is necessary for 
 the health of the tree ; the thick or gummy part 
 lodofes in the sides of the stem and branches, the 
 brittle part of the stem bursts, the gum oozes out, 
 and the soft flexible bark of the branches blisters, in 
 what are called knots. These blisters, or knots, are 
 at first soft and spongy, and afterwards get so hard 
 as to be cut off with difficulty. An insect whose na- 
 ture it is to live on the gum, deposits its eggs in the 
 knots while they are soft, and in the gum oozing out 
 of the stem, and when cutting the knots, grubs are 
 
THE COTTAGE GARDEN OF AMEHICA. 121 
 
 found inside, and also in the gum. From this, it has 
 been supposed that the insects sting the trees and 
 cause the knots and gum ; and yet the same kind of 
 grubs are found in the gum of the peach tree, caused 
 b}' the cut-\Yorm. The knots should be cut out, with 
 all the spongy bark around them, into the solid wood : 
 the gum scraped off the stems, and any loose bark 
 around it, the wounds rubbed over with a mixture 
 of cattle manure and earth in equal parts, in water, 
 to the consistency of good mortar. Spread plenty 
 of cattle manure, or lime, or bleached wood-ashes, 
 and dig it in around the roots of the tree : and if the 
 w-eather is very dry, give plenty of w-ater. We knew 
 a plum tree which grew on a flat, at the foot of a 
 small hill, where all waters from the house were car- 
 ried in an open ditch and spread around the roots of 
 the tree. That tree flourished, and was free of knots, 
 and yielded fruit in abundance, w-hile other pluin 
 trees in the neighbourhood were covered with knots. 
 Afterwards, an under drain was made, w'hich carried 
 the Vv'aters away in another direction ; the tree ever 
 after that had knots; the ground around it was not 
 cultivated, but was overgrown with coarse grass. 
 We also knew an instance of the same kind with an 
 English Marrelo cherry tree. 
 
 Mr. Downing, in his Fruits and Fruit trees of 
 America, says, " these knots are a disease attacking 
 
 the bark and wood ; the passage of the sap upwards, 
 
 11 
 
122 niE COTTAGE GARDEN OF AMERICA. 
 
 becomes stopped by the campression of the brancli 
 by the tumour, and finally, the poison seems to dis- 
 seminate itself by the downward flow of the sap 
 throuoh the whole trunk. The kinds most attacked 
 are those with purple fruit. There is yet some doubt 
 respecting the cause of these knotty excrescences, 
 though there is every reason to think them the work 
 of an insect. Prof. Peck and Dr. Harris believe 
 that they are caused by the plum weevil that stings 
 the fruit. The second brood, finding no fruit, choose 
 the branches of this tree and the cherry. This obser- 
 vation seems to be confirmed, by the grubs of the 
 weevil being found in the w-arts. On the other hand, 
 in some parts, where the weevil has been trouble- 
 some to the fruit for m.any years, the knots have not 
 been known ; and again, the knots have been abun- 
 dant where the fruit was not touched. These facts 
 are irreconcilable, and w^e believe that to some other 
 insect or cause, we owe this unsightly disease." An 
 insect deposits its eggs in the fruit shortly after it is 
 set, which lives on the kernel of the stone, and 
 causes it to fall from the tree before it is ripe. The 
 fruit should be gathered as soon as it falls, and burned 
 or put into the pigs' tub, which will destroy the 
 insect. If fresh slacked lime or ashes be sown over 
 the tree once a week, for three successive weeks after 
 the fruit is set, the insect will not be troublesome. 
 Bvngliam. — A native of Pennsylvania ; fruit large, 
 
THE COTTAGE GARDEN OF AMERICA. 123 
 
 yellow, melting, rich and juicy ; ripe in August, tree 
 very thrifty and prolific. 
 
 Blcecker''s Gage. — Raised by Mrs. Bieecker, of 
 Albany, N. Y. ; fruit medium size, yellow, sweet and 
 delicious ; ripe in August, tree good bearer. 
 
 Co^''s Golden Broji. — Fruit large, yellow ; flesh 
 firm, rich, and finely flavoured ; ripe in September, 
 tree very thrifty and prolific. 
 
 Denniston's Superb. — Raised by Mr. Denniston, of 
 Albany ; fruit medium size, pale green, rich, juicy, 
 and perfumed, tree great bearer. 
 
 Emerald Drop. — Raised by Mr. Downing, at his 
 celebrated ''Highland Nurseries," Newburgh, Orange 
 county, N. Y., and said to be very choice ; fruit 
 medium size, yellowish green, melting, rich, and 
 delicious; ripe in August, tree thrifty and prolific. 
 
 Green Gage. — Fruit small, green, sweet, rich, and 
 delicious; ripe in August, tree very prolific. 
 
 Hulling''s Superb. — Raised by Mr. Keyser, of Penn- 
 sylvania, and named in honour to Dr. Wrn. G. Hul- 
 lings, who first brought it into notice ; fruit very 
 large and beautiful, yellow, rich, sweet, and highly 
 perfumed ; ripe in August, tree thrifty and prolific. 
 
 Jefferson. — The best of all plums, raised by the late 
 Judge Buel ; fruit large, yellow, with a red cheek, 
 very rich and delicious ; ripe in August, great bearer. 
 
 Imperial Gage, or Flushing Gage. — Raised by the 
 late Mr. Prince, of Flushing Nursery ; fruit medium 
 
124 THE COTTAGE GARDEN OF AMERICA. 
 
 size, pale green, juicy, rich and perfumed; ripe in 
 September. 
 
 TVashmgton. — Fruit large, yellow ; flesh firm, rich, 
 and well flavoured ; ripe in September. 
 
 White Magnum Bonum. — Fruit very large, pale 
 yellow; flesh firm, rich, and perfumed. 
 
 Damson. — Fruit small, tart ; first rate for preserves ; 
 dark purple ; ripe in September, very great bearer. 
 Columbian Gage. — Very large, purple, and delicious. 
 
 Cruger'^s Scarlet. — Raised by H. Cruger, Esq., N. 
 Y. ; fruit medium size, red, very rich and delicious. 
 
 Kirkes Plum. — Fruit medium size, purple, rich, 
 and very delicious; tree a wonderful great bearer. 
 
 Orleans. — Small, purple, delicious; very prolific. 
 
 Purple Gage. — Medium size, purple, delicious, and 
 prolific. 
 
 QUINCE. 
 
 The quince appears to thrive on every soil and 
 situation, and is, perhaps, an inhabitant of every 
 cottage garden in America : never failing to yield a 
 full crop of fruit, which is unfit for use in its raw 
 state, but excels all other kinds of fruit when stewed 
 or preserved. 
 
THE COTTAGE GARDEN OF AMERICA. 125 
 
 Jlpple Shaped. — Fruit large, orange round ; flesh 
 firm, j'^iicy, and stews tender; excellent for preserv- 
 ing ; ripe in October. 
 
 Pear Shaped. — Fruit medium size, oblong, yellow ; 
 flesh firm and good, but not equal to the apple shaped ; 
 ripe in October. 
 
 Portugal. — Fruit large, yellow, tender, and juicy ; 
 ripe in October, very prolific. 
 
 RASPBERRY. 
 
 The raspberry will grow on many kinds of soils, 
 
 but flourishes best, and is most prolific on deep rich 
 
 loams ; the fruit comes into use after the strawberry, 
 
 and is used at the table in the same way, i. e., eaten 
 
 with cream and sugar. It makes the finest jams and 
 
 jellies, and raspberry vinegar is the most pleasant of 
 
 all summer drinks. The plants should be planted 
 
 five feet apart each w^ay, putting four or five canes 
 
 to each plant ; the fruit is produced on the canes or 
 
 shoots of last year's growth, which die off in fall, and 
 
 are followed by a succession of young shoots of the 
 
 present year's growth. A stick one or two inches in 
 
 11* 
 
126 THE C }TTAGE GARDEN OF AMERICA. 
 
 diameter, should be driven into the ground close to 
 the side, or in the middle of each bush, and the 
 canes tied up to it, which will support them when 
 loaded with fruit. In fall, all the old shoots should 
 be cut out, and the young ones tied up to the sticks, 
 and six inches cut off their lengths ; twelve or fifteen 
 canes will be enough to tie up for each bush. Select 
 the strongest, and cut away the others. By this, the 
 fruit will be larger, better coloured, better flavoured, 
 and more in measure. The plants should be ma- 
 nured and dug between every fall, and all outstreach- 
 ed suckers cut up. They should be kept clear of 
 weeds in summer, by frequently hoeing between 
 them when the sticks fail or get rotten ; they should 
 be renewed, but frames should never be put up for 
 them. [The most unsightly object we ever saw in a 
 small cottage garden, was a large out- spreading frame, 
 with a single row of rampant growing raspberries 
 inside.] The varieties suitable for a cottage garden, 
 are those which never attain more than six feet in 
 height, and are of robust growth. They are propa- 
 gated by suckers, and should not occupy the same 
 piece of ground more than eight or ten years ; and 
 new beds or rows should be planted w^ith the suckers 
 of the old ones, two years before the old bed or row 
 'is uprooted. 
 
 Red Antwerp. — Is the largest, most delicious, and 
 prolific of all raspberries; of strong robust growth, 
 
THE COTTAGE GARDEN OF AMERICA. 127 
 
 very hardy, never reaching more than five feet high; 
 fruit large, deep red ; ripe in July. 
 
 White or Yellow Antvjerp. — Is the largest, most 
 prolific, and delicious, light coloured raspberries; 
 rather tender north of New York city ; requires tieing 
 up with straw in winter; fruit dull yellow ; ripe in 
 July — grows five feet high. 
 
 Fastolof. — This is a raspberry of English origin. 
 D. Landreth, seeds and nurseryman, Philadelphia, 
 in his " Rural Register " says, it is recently received 
 from England, has produced fruit two years in Phila- 
 delphia, and seems to surpass all others ; fruit dull 
 red, melting, juicy, highly perfumed, and very pro- 
 lific. 
 
 Francoma,—A choice French variety ; fruit large, 
 tender, melting, juicy, and perfumed ; dull red colour, 
 of robust growth, five feet high ; ripe in July — very 
 thrifty and prolific. 
 
 Ohio. — Brought into notice by that most indefati- 
 gable Horticulturist, Mr. Longwarth, of Cincinnati ; 
 fruit medium size, nearly black ; produced from July 
 till November. 
 
 The above are very choice varieties — the following 
 are good varieties. 
 
 Barnet. — Fruit large, dull red, nearly equal to the 
 red Antwerp; very prolific and of robust growth; 
 five feet high, very hardy. 
 
 Brentford. — Fruit medium size, dull red, melting, 
 
128 THE COTTAGE GARDEN OF AMERICA. 
 
 juicy, and finely flavoured ; prolific, of robust growth, 
 five feet high, and very hardy. 
 
 KneveVs Giant. — Fruit large, deep red, rich, and 
 melting ; prolific, hardy, and robust. 
 
 STRAWBERRY. 
 
 The strawberry is one of the most delicious and 
 wholesome of small fruits. What can be compared 
 to a dish of "ripe strawberries smothered in sugar 
 and cream ?" Excellent jams and jellies are made 
 from them ; and they are used to give flavour to ice 
 creams, etc. 
 
 The plants will grow on almost every kind of soil, 
 but thrive best, and are most prolific on rich loam., 
 and in an open situation. Plant them in rows, the 
 larger fruiting kinds should be planted eighteen in- 
 ches apart in the rows, and the rows twenty-seven 
 inches and thirty-six inches apart alternately. When 
 the plants are full grown, their foliage will cover the 
 narrow rows, and the wide rows v.ill suit to go in to 
 pick the fruit, i. e., pick a row" on each side. The 
 smaller fruiting kinds maybe planted fourteen inches 
 apart in the rows, and the rows twenty-four inches 
 
THE COTTAGE GARDEN OF A?,:ERICA. 129 
 
 and thirty inches alternately. The planting may be 
 performed in April or September. Those planted in 
 April will produce a few berries the same year, and 
 a full crop the succeeding year ; those planted in 
 September will yield a half crop the following sum- 
 mer, and a full crop the succeeding year. They will 
 require a slight covering of litter the first winter. In 
 spring, after the hard frosts are over, dig between 
 the rows and plants, and sow fresh slacked lime over 
 the bed after it is dug, at the rate of a peck per rood. 
 The lime is very fertilizing for the strawberry, and 
 will have the tendency to kill insects and slugs in 
 the ground, which are just then coming into active 
 life. When the plants are coming into bloom, hoe 
 and rake all the weeds off the bed, and spread straw 
 or short grass between the rows and plants. Some 
 spread long straw between the rows, and cut straw 
 between the plants; short grass is best, as it is not so 
 easily displaced. This straw or grass is to keep the 
 fruit off the ground, and prevent the earth from being 
 washed up by the rains. When the fruit is all picked, 
 cut all the dead leaves off the plants, and clear the 
 bed of straw, weeds, and runners; give it a deep 
 h'oeing, rake fine, and keep it clean by hoeing and 
 raking through the summer. Be sure to cut off all 
 runners every time the bed is cleaned. In fall, spread 
 short manure between the rows and plants, to be dug 
 in, in spring. The plants are propagated by the 
 
130 THE COTTAGE GARDEN OF AMERICA. 
 
 young plants formed on the string-like runners, which 
 grow out of the main plants. When a new bed is 
 to be planted, let the runners grow to supply the 
 plants ; choose a rainy day to plant out ; lift the 
 young plants with a trowel, with as much earth as 
 will stick to them, and separate them from the run- 
 ners. If the weather sets in dry after they are planted, 
 water them once or twice. The Alpine strawberry 
 makes no runners, and is propagated by dividing the 
 plants. Strawberries should not remain on the same 
 piece of ground longer than four years; indeed, three 
 years is long enough. A new bed should be planted 
 out a year before the old one is dug up. By the 
 above method, w^e have grown " Hovey's Seedling" 
 five and a half inches in circumference, and " Keen's 
 Seedling" four and a half inches ; and in such abun- 
 dance as they might have been shoveled into the 
 basket. Some plant their strawberries in beds four 
 feet wade, and the plants a foot apart each way, and 
 let them run promiscuously, until the bed is a com- 
 plete sod of strawberries. Those who follow this 
 plan never produce a good strawberry ; for by it, the 
 size, colour, and flavour of the fruit are lost. 
 
 Dundee. — An excellent Scotch strawberry ; fruit 
 large, scarlet, firm, lich, juicy, and perfumed ; ripe 
 in June — very hardy and prolific. 
 
 Duke of Kent. — Fruit small, scarlet, melting, juicy, 
 and finely flavoured ; ripe in May. 
 
THE COTTAOE GARDEN OF AMERICA. 131 
 
 Hudson. — Fruit large, scarlet, firm, juicy, and well 
 flavoured ; ripe in June — thrifty and prolific. 
 
 Large Early Scarlet. — An American variety ; fruit 
 large, scarlet, melting, juicy, and richly perfumed; 
 ripe in May — very hardy, thrifty and prolific. 
 
 Horey^s Seedling. — Of all the delicious productions 
 of the earth, this strawberry is one of the choicest and 
 most prolific; fruit immensely large and beautiful, shi- 
 ning scarlet ; flesh firm, rich, with a delicious, sprightly, 
 perfumed juice ; an abundant bearer, and very hardy ; 
 ripe in June. It w^as raised by Messrs. Hovey, seeds 
 and nurserymen, Boston, and conductors of " Hoveys' 
 Gardeners' Magazine," an instructive and very 
 scientific monthly periodical. Mr. Downing says, 
 " It is known throughout all the States, and has 
 proved superior to all other large fruiting kinds;" Mr. 
 Landreth very justly says, " too much cannot be said 
 in its praise." Mr. Buist says, " it is the best straw- 
 berry I ever grew ;" and Mr. Longwarth offers five 
 hundred dollars for another to equal it. Its fruitful 
 organs ai'e perfect, but the stamens are rather defi- 
 cient of pollen, and fail to impregnate the pistils. If 
 rainy w^eather continues when they are in bloom. 
 Keen's seedling should always be grown along with 
 it, two rows of Hovey's to one row^ of Keen's, is a 
 fair proportion. 
 
 Kecfi's Seeiling. — An English variety, fruit very 
 large — dull red — firm, rich, juicy and highly per- 
 
132 THE COTTAGE GARDEN OF AMERICA, 
 
 fumed, and stands next to Hovey's seedling for ex- 
 cellence, ripe in June. 
 
 Ross Phenie. — An excellent variety, raised by our 
 friend and old acquaintance Mr. Alexander Ross, of 
 Hudson, N. Y. fruit very large— dark red, flesh firm, 
 juicy, rich, and of the finest flavour ; organs perfect ; 
 very prolific and hardy ; well deserving a place in 
 every well-kept garden ; ripe in June. 
 
 ((We clip thetwo following varieties from D. Lan- 
 dreth's Rural Register. 
 
 Wasldngton. — Brought into notice by D. Lan- 
 dreth's seeds and nurseryman, Philadelphia ; fruit 
 medium size, deep red; flesh firm, rich and perfumed ; 
 ripe in June. 
 
 CusJnug. — Raised by that indefatigable cultivator 
 Dr. Wm. C. Brinckle, of Philadelphia, and named 
 in respect to J. P. Gushing of Boston ; fruit very 
 large, scarlet — very delicious, and is quite new ; per- 
 fect in its organs, and very prolific, ripe in June.)) 
 
 Methven. — An old English variety, fruit very large 
 — deep scarlet, rich and well flavoured, very thrifty 
 and hardy, and stands next to Hovey's seedling as a 
 great bearer. [Mr. Downing says " about Philadel- 
 phia this sort was cultivated for the Keen's seedling" 
 and D. Landreth says " called Keen's seedling erro- 
 neously." It must be very singular for this variety 
 to be grown around far famed Philadelphia, for Keen's 
 seedling, the plants surely had to be imported and 
 
THE COTTAGE GARDEN OF AMERICA. 133 
 
 not got from our nurserymen here. A more scientific, 
 practical, discerning and honest class of men, is no 
 where to be found than are Philadelphia nurserymen. 
 We could name several of them who have grown both 
 varieties for twenty-five years, (R. Buist is an exam- 
 ple,) the Methven is a thriftier grower, more prolific, 
 the fruit more regular in size, rounder, lighter red, 
 and less finely flavoured than Keen's seedling.] 
 
 BmsVs Prize seedling. — A very superior variety, 
 raised by R. Buist, seeds and nurseryman Philadel- 
 phia ; fruit medium size, light crimson, rich melting 
 and finely perfumed ; ripe middle of May, very pro- 
 lific, gained the prize of the Pennsylvania Horticul- 
 tural society in 1835, for the best seedling, and the 
 first prize in 1848 for the best early strawberry. 
 
 For a greater variety and fuller description of 
 fruits, the reader is referred to " Downing's Fruits 
 and Fruit trees of America." 
 
 PRICES OF FRUIT TREES IN NURSERIES. 
 
 The following is the rate of prices of good varieties 
 
 as sold in the nurseries — poor kinds are cheaper, rare 
 
 kinds dearer. 
 
 12 
 
134 
 
 THE COTTAGE GARDEN OF AMERICA. 
 
 Apple 
 
 25 cents 
 
 each $20 per 
 
 hundred 
 
 Apricot 
 
 50 " 
 
 " $40 " 
 
 (( 
 
 Cherries 
 
 50 " 
 
 " $40 " 
 
 cc 
 
 Peach 
 
 12 '' 
 
 " $10 '' 
 
 a 
 
 Nectarine 
 
 25 *' 
 
 " $20 " 
 
 <( 
 
 Pear 
 
 50 " 
 
 " $40 " 
 
 (< 
 
 Plum 
 
 50 " 
 
 " $40 '^ 
 
 tc 
 
 Quince 
 
 40 " 
 
 " $35 " 
 
 (C 
 
 Currants 
 
 15 " 
 
 '' $150'^ 
 
 dozen 
 
 Gooseberries 30 " 
 
 cc j|3 u 
 
 i( 
 
 Grapevine 
 
 50 " 
 
 $5 " 
 
 a 
 
 Raspberry 
 
 30 " 
 
 cc ^3 a 
 
 (C 
 
 Strawberry 50 cts. per dozen $2 to $6 per hundred. 
 
 REMARKS. 
 
 Let no person be deterred from planting fruit trees, 
 merely because they are subject to disease and the 
 prey of insects, hundreds of our farmers grow large 
 orchards, and are never troubled with disease or in- 
 sects except the common caterpillar, which every 
 body knows how to destroy. Select young thrifty 
 trees ; prepare the ground properly for them ; lift 
 them with good roots ; make large holes to plant 
 
THE COTTAGE GARDEN OF AMERICA. 135 
 
 them in ; put good earth about their roots ; let the 
 time of taking up, and planting be as short between 
 as possible ; keep the ground well enrichened and 
 pulverized around them ; — and neither insects or dis- 
 ease will be troublesome. 
 
 Choosing trees in the nursery. — Choose trees from 
 five to eight feet high, with straight clean stems, 
 smooth, shining bark, prominant buds, and neat light 
 heads. Make the choice in fall, before all the best 
 are sold. 
 
 TRANSPLANTING TREES. 
 
 It is seldom that people exhibit so much folly as 
 they do in planting trees and other woody plants, 
 they are got sound from the nurseries; small holes 
 are dug, and they are stuck in them, with their roots 
 bent or coiled to fit the size and shape of the holes ; 
 the lumpy earth is thrown in at random, and tramped 
 about their roots, and of course they are planted. 
 The apple and shade trees becomes stunted, the pear 
 blighted, plum knotty, cherry barkbound, nectarine 
 and peach get the yellows, shrubs die, and ever- 
 greens give up the ghost; and who but the nursery- 
 
136 THE COTTAGE GARDEN OF AMERICA. 
 
 man is to blame, for sending healthy trees to be 
 killed. 
 
 A person intending to stock his garden with fruit 
 trees, should decide on the number and kinds he is 
 to plant, and appoint and prepare berths for them. 
 Dig a hole for each, two feet w^ide and eighteen 
 inches deep ; lay the first spade depth taken out of 
 the hole on one side of it, and throw that taken out 
 of the bottom a little ways off; take a few spadefulls 
 of top soil off the bed, and lay it beside that first 
 taken out of the hole, and put a half bushel of short 
 manure on the other side of the hole, then send to 
 some respectable nurseryman for trees. As soon as 
 they arrive, get them planted without delay. Put 
 three inches of the manure in the bottom of the holes, 
 and six inches of earth above it. Set the tree in the 
 hole, in such a way that all the roots will lay out in 
 their natural positions; let one person hold it in its 
 place, and another to break the earth fine, and fill it 
 gently into the hole. When all the roots are covered, 
 give the tree a gentle shake and pull up, so that it 
 will be no deeper than it grew in the nursery, and 
 give it a slight lean to the northwest, tramp the earth 
 firm about its roots, then fill in the rest of the manure 
 and earth above it, and tramp again. If this is done 
 in fall, spread long manure around the trees as far as 
 their roots extend, and remove it in spring. If 
 planted in spring and the trees come far, give each 
 
THE COTTAGE GARDEN OF AMERICA. 137 
 
 tree a pailful of water, after its roots are covered 
 with earth and tramped, and let it soak away before 
 the holes are filled up. — If the trees should arrive in 
 the time of, or after a great rain, while the earth is 
 saturated with water, get them unpacked and dig a 
 large hole and set them in it, and cover their roots 
 with earth. If the garden has been trenched, all 
 that will be needed in planting is to dig holes large 
 enough to admit their spreading roots. All hardy 
 woody plants, properly transplanted from the first of 
 November till the setting in of severe frost, will 
 grow more, and stand the summer's drought better 
 the first year, than those transplanted in spring; and 
 not one out often thousand will die. 
 
 WATERING TREES NEWLY PLANTED. 
 
 Water is a sort of nutriment, and an important 
 
 agent in culture. All plants require a certain degree 
 
 of moisture in the soil, as their roots cannot absorb 
 
 food that is not held in solution by water ; and if 
 
 water is not furnished either by nature or art, at the 
 
 proper time, the trees will fall short of what they 
 
 otherwise would be. On the other hand, if water is 
 
 12* 
 
138 THE COTTAGE GARDEN OF AMERICA. 
 
 given in excess, to excite an unnatural growth in the 
 tree, while under a scorching sun, death is likely to 
 ensue. When small quantities of water are poured 
 frequently on the surface, they do more evil than 
 good; they are generally lost by evaporation, and if 
 not, they attract the roots too much to the surface, 
 and prevents them from penetrating into the soil on 
 which the tree most depends for nourishment in times 
 of a great drought. When trees need watering, the 
 earth should be drawn away from their stems three 
 inches deep, and as far as their roots extend. 
 This v/ill form a basin, which will hold as much 
 water at once as w^ill reach all the roots. Trees from 
 five to eight feet high should get at least three or four 
 gallons at each time, and once in two weeks will be 
 often enough if it does not rain, water should be ap- 
 plied in the evenings, or on cloudy days. After it 
 has sunk into the earth, the soil wdiich forms the 
 basin should again be replaced around the trees. All 
 liquid manures are hot in their natures, and -do not 
 descend into the earth to the same depth as pure 
 water; they should only be applied after heavy rains, 
 or when the earth is already moist with artificial 
 watering. They do most good to plants if applied to 
 them when they are in a dormant state. 
 
Tlili COTTAGE GARDEN OF AMERICA. 139 
 
 PRUNING TREES. 
 
 The proper time to prune is when the trees are in 
 a dormant state, and the sooner after the leaves fall 
 the better. The objects in pruning are, the cutting 
 out of superabundant branches, shortening those too 
 much extended, balancing the heads of the trees, and 
 training them in a symmertical form. When many 
 fruit trees are grown in small gardens, and vegetables 
 grow^n under them, they should be trained spiiady i.e. 
 cut in the spreading branches and encourage the 
 erect. If there is space enough for the trees to spread, 
 and nothing grown under them, the erect brandies 
 should be cut off, and the spreading ones left, so as 
 to have as much of the fruit hand picked as possible. 
 If any tree leans to one side, the branches should be 
 mostly cut off the side it leans to. Small branches 
 may be cut with a sharp knife, the large can be 
 sawed close off to the stems or branches they grow 
 to, and the cut smoothed off with a knife, so that the 
 bark will soon grow over the wounds ; and the 
 wounds should be rubbed over with cattle manure 
 and earth mixed in water, to the consistency of good 
 mortar. The heads of the trees should be kept open, 
 so that the sun and air may get in to colour and fla- 
 
140 THE COTTAGE GARDEN OF AMERICA. 
 
 vour the fruit. All branches should at least be eigh- 
 teen inches apart ; a tree in beautiful symmetry is a 
 noble object. 
 
 CULINARY VEGETABLE DEPARTMENT. 
 
 "A garden in which all thing's thrive ; 
 Cheers and pleases the possessor." 
 
 This is the most useful and necessary department 
 of the garden. Those devoid of fine taste may do 
 without flowers, and even without fruits, but without 
 wholesome culinary vegetables no one can do. They 
 form part of our daily food, and without them neither 
 life nor health can long exist. 
 
 ARTICHOKE-— LARGE GLOBE. 
 
 Plant either in fall or spring, three feet apart each 
 way ; keep the ground enrichened with manures, 
 and clear of weeds, by hoeing and digging. The 
 only part for use is the immature flower buds. They 
 are peeled and fried in paste, or eaten as a salad. 
 They are propagated by suckers, and increase very 
 fast. 
 
THE COTTAGE GARDEN OF AMERICA. 141 
 
 ASrARAGUS — GIANT. 
 
 Sow the seeds as soon as the ground is free of frost 
 in spring, in drills one inch deep, and twelve inches 
 apart, and the seed one inch apart in the drills. Then 
 give them a good watering with boiling water. They 
 are to be covered with the earth drawn out of the 
 drills and well tramped. Keep them free of weeds, 
 and in two years the plants will be fit to set out into 
 beds. Line out a bed four and a half feet wide, and 
 of any length desired, dig out the surface earth three 
 inches deep, and lay it on the sides of the bed ; then 
 spread short well-rotted manure three inches thick 
 over the bed, dig it well in, and smooth off with the 
 rake ; then line out four rows on the bed lengthways 
 twelve inches apart, and the two outer rows nine 
 inches from the edges of the bed. Place the plants 
 flat on the rows twelve inches apart; this will make 
 them twelve inches apart each way; then fill up the 
 bed with the earth taken out, and dress it neatly off 
 with the rake. Drive a strong stick in at each cor- 
 ner of the bed, to show its extent. The planting can 
 be done either in spring or fall. If more than one 
 bed is made, leave an alley two feet wide between 
 them, to walk in and gather the crop; but no crop 
 should be gathered until two years after planting. A 
 row of corn or cabbages may be grown on the alleys 
 the two first years. Keep the beds free of weeds, 
 
143 THE COTTAGE GARDEN OF AMERICA. 
 
 and every fall cut off the dead stalks, spread short 
 manure over the beds two inches thick, and dig it 
 lightly in with a dung fork in spring. Never use a 
 spade to dig the beds, as it is apt to cut the crowns 
 of the plants, and cause them to bleed to death. Salt 
 is an excellent manure for asparagus, and all the salt 
 brine about the house should be spread over the 
 bed. Lime is also good for asparagus. 
 
 BEANS— BUSH OR STRING. 
 
 MOHAWK — EARLY VALENTINE LATE VALENTINE. 
 
 Plant in drills three inches deep and thirty inches 
 apart, and the seeds two inches apart in the drills. 
 Cover them with the earth taken out of the drills, 
 and tramp it down. The first planting may be put 
 in early. in May; and the second first of June ; and 
 for fall use or pickling, plant first week in August. 
 The mohawk is the earliest, and will stand a slight 
 frost; the early valentine is the most prolific for sum- 
 mer use ; and the late valentine is best for fall use 
 and pickling. Hoe between the rows, and keep free 
 of weeds. 
 
 BEANS rOLE CASEKNIFE LIMA. 
 
 Plant the Caseknife early in May, in hills three 
 feet apart each way ; put five seeds into each hill, 
 
THE COTTAGE GARDEN OF AMERICA. 143 
 
 plant the lima latter part of May, in hills four feet 
 apart each way. Put seven seeds in at each hill, 
 When they come up, put a strong pole to each hill 
 for them to twine upon. The caseknife will need 
 poles eight feet long, the lima, will want poles ten 
 feet long. If the seeds all come up, cut off all but 
 three to each pole ; and when they make runners 
 twelve inches long, tie them slackly up to the poles. 
 After that, they will run up themselves. Pole beans 
 require rich ground, and w^ell pulverized by frequent 
 hoeings during summer. Keep free of w^eeds. The 
 best plan is to set the poles first, and plant the seeds 
 around them. The different kinds should be grown 
 apart from each other, as their fructifying qualities 
 are apt to mix, and make impure seed. 
 
 BEET. 
 
 EARLY TURNIP ROOTED LONG BLOOD. 
 
 Beets delight in rich yellow ground, having been 
 manured for the previous crop. Sow the seeds in 
 drills one inch deep and fourteen inches apart; cover 
 them up and tramp firm. The turnip rooted can be 
 sowed as so( n as the frost is out of the ground in 
 spring, for summer use, and the long blood in June, 
 for fall and winter use. Hoe well between the rows, 
 and keep free of weeds. When the plants are two 
 
114 THE COTTAGE GARDEN OF AMERICA. 
 
 inches high, thin them out to four inches apart. Dig 
 up the roots before hard frost in fall, put them in the 
 cellar among dry earth, and plant out a few of tlie 
 best in spring to raise seed. 
 
 BORECOLE —OR SCOTCH KALE. 
 
 Sow in April in drills half inch deep and six inches 
 apart. Cover and tramp them , keep free of weeds ; 
 transplant into rows thirty inches apart, and twenty 
 inches apart in the rows in June. They are for win- 
 ter use, and are best after getting a hard frost. They 
 make a delicious dish when boiled alonir with salt 
 pork. 
 
 'o 
 
 UROCOLI — rURPLE CAPE LARGE AVIIITE. 
 
 Tins is a species of cabbage with long leaves and 
 cheese-like heart, which is very tender and delicious. 
 Sow in drills half inch deep and six inches apart 
 in June ; transplant into rows thirty inches apart 
 each way in August, and use the hearts when they 
 become full grown, which will be in October and 
 November. The leaves are not for use. Brocoli 
 delights in rich loam, and is best in wet seasons. 
 
THE COTTAGE GARDEN OF AMERICA. 145 
 
 EARLY CABBAGE. 
 
 EARLY YORK EARLY VANACK LA.XDRETu's LARGE 
 
 EARLY. 
 
 Around Philadelphia, and south of it, earlj cab- 
 bage seeds are sowed middle of September in drills 
 half inch deep and six inches apart, covered, and 
 the earth pressed firm on them and well watered, if 
 the weather continues dry until they are up. Early 
 in November, they are transplanted into a well-shel- 
 tered spot facing the south. The bed is made slo- 
 ping towards the south. A box or frame is made 
 with four boards nailed together, and set on the bed, 
 half sunk, and half banked up. The plants are 
 planted inside of this frame an inch apart each way, 
 lids are made to cover the frame in wet or severe 
 cold weather, during winter. They are tilted up in 
 front in mild weather, and held up with sticks four 
 or five feet long. In March, they are transplanted 
 into the open ground in rows thirty inches apart, and 
 eighteen inches apart in the rows. This plan does 
 not succeed well north of Philadelphia; so it is bet- 
 ter to sow them in hot beds in March, and transplant 
 them into the open ground end of April or May. 
 They should be dusted over tudce with fresh lime or 
 ashes in the mornings, to keep off the small black-Oy, 
 which is very destructive to them when newly trans- 
 planted. 
 ^ 13 
 
146 THE COTTAGE GARDEN OF AMERICA, 
 
 LATE CABBAGE. 
 
 DRUMHEAD FLAT DUTCH SAVOY. 
 
 Sow late cabbage seed in April, in drills half incL 
 deep, and six inches apart; when the young plants 
 come up, dust them over with fresh slacked lime 
 twice a week in the mornings, while they are wet 
 with dew, to keep off the small black-fly. After the 
 plants have four leaves, they will require no more 
 dustings, as they then outgrow the flies. Transplant 
 them in June and July, into rows thirty inches apart 
 each way. Hoe well between the rows and keep 
 them free of weeds ; and on the approach of cold 
 weather, dig them up, and put them in the cellar, or 
 plant them close together in a bed, covering all but 
 the heads with earth. Cover the heads with straw. 
 All kinds of cabbages delight in rich mellow ground. 
 
 CARROTS. 
 
 EARLY HORN LONG ORANGE. 
 
 Sow in drills half inch deep and fourteen inches 
 apart. The early horn can be sowed as soon as the 
 ground is fit to dig in spring for summer use, and 
 the long orange in June, for fall and winter use. 
 Cover the seed, and tramp the earth firm on them. 
 When the plants are two inches high, thin them to 
 three inches apart, hoe between the rows and keep 
 
THE COTTAGE GARDEN OF AMERICA. 147 
 
 clear of weeds. Late in fall dig them up, and put 
 them in the cellar among the dry earth; and in 
 spring plant out a few of the best for raising seeds. 
 
 CAULIFLOWER. 
 
 EARLY ASIATIC LATE DUTCH. 
 
 Manage the early asiatic, as directed for early 
 cabbage, and the late dutch as brocoli, and make 
 the ground very rich. 
 
 CELERY. 
 
 WHITE SALID RED SALID. 
 
 As soon as the frost is out of the ground in spring, 
 sow the seeds in drills quarter inch deep, and eighth 
 inches apart. Cover with the back of the rake ; 
 tramp the earth firm on them, and give them a good 
 watering with boiling water immediately after sow- 
 ing, and they will vegetate more freely. Without 
 this, they often take six weeks before they sprout. 
 Some of the largest plants may be transplanted into 
 rows in June, for summer use, and the others at in- 
 tervals, till the first of August. The following is 
 considered the most approved mode of after culture: 
 draw drills with a hoe, six inches deep, and four feet 
 apart ; then draw back the earth from their edges, 
 
148 THE COTTAGE GARDEN OF AMERICA. 
 
 and smooth off with the rake. When finished, the 
 drills will be like concave furrows, and the space 
 between them like convex ridges. The furrows are 
 then dug one spade in breadth, and the earth broken 
 fine in the process ; a line is stretched along the fur- 
 rows Iheir whole length, and the plants are set in 
 them six inches apart. Short manure is either dug 
 in, or spread on the surface after the plants have 
 taken root. A row of radishes or lettuce is grown 
 on the middle of the ridges. When the plants are 
 six inches high, earth is drawn off the ridges up to 
 their sides: once every two weeks, as they progress 
 in growth, the part covered with earth becomes 
 blanched, and is the only part fit to eat. The green 
 leaves are only used to garnish dishes and to flavour 
 soups and stuffings. Plaster of paris, and bleached 
 wood-ashes are excellent manures for celery. The 
 plants should be transplanted when it rains, or im- 
 mediately after, and should get one or two good 
 waterings if the weather sets in very dry after they 
 are transplanted. Indeed celery cannot get too much 
 water. The earth should be dry when drawn up to 
 the plants ; the afternoons of sunny days is the best 
 time to earth up. On the approach of cold w^eather 
 in fall, the plants are dug up, and planted among 
 good earth in the cellar, where they will blanch and 
 be ready for use when needed ; or they may be 
 planted in a bed in the open ground ; in a well- 
 
THE COTTAGE GARDEN OF AMERICA. 149 
 
 sheltered spot. The plants may be two inches apart 
 in the rows of the bed ; and the rows four inches 
 apart. The bed should slope greatly towards the 
 southj to carry off the rains in winter. An embank- 
 ment of earth may be made on the north side eigh- 
 teen inches higher than the plants; and the plants 
 should be covered with long straw, lengthways across 
 the bed, and boards laid on it to keep it from being 
 blown away. The straw is not to be put on until 
 the hard frost is fairly set in. A few dozens of plants 
 can be taken into the cellar on mild days, where 
 they will be ready for use. Plant out a few of the 
 best in spring to produce seed. 
 
 CRESS OR PEPPER GRASS. 
 
 Sow early in spring in drills half inch deep, four 
 joches wide, and eighth inches apart. . When the 
 ^-jlants are two inches high, cut them off with a knife, 
 and eat them as a salad. They wdll grow up again 
 and afford two or three cuttings. The seeds should 
 be sow^ed very thick, and well tramped in ; leave a 
 part of a row entire for seed. 
 
 13* 
 
150 THE COTTAGE GARDEN OF AMERICA. 
 
 CUCUMBER. 
 
 EARLY FIIAME LONG GREEN. 
 
 Manure and dig the ground well for cucumbers; 
 make marks live feet apart each way, and plant a 
 dozen seeds at each mark. If they all grow, thin 
 them out to three at each place when the plants have 
 four leaves. There is a green and yellow striped 
 bug, which devours the young plants with great ra- 
 pidity unless prevented. Dust the plants over with 
 fresh lime or ashes, in the mornings, while they are 
 wet with dew, twice a week, until they have four 
 large leaves. After that they will outgrow the bugs. 
 The early frame is best for summer use ; plant early 
 in May. The long green is best for fall use and 
 pickling; plant in August. Let a few of the largest 
 fruits ripen oil' for seed: the places where the seeds 
 are planted, should not be elevated, but rather hal- 
 lowed out. The cucumber is a half aquatic plant, 
 and can hardly get too much water. Hoe the ground 
 frequently and keep free of weeds. 
 
 EGO PLANT PURPLE WHITE. 
 
 The purple is grown as a culinary vegetable. Sow 
 in a liot bod in March, and transplant into the open 
 ground in June, thirty inches apart each way. They 
 
THE COTTAGE GARDEN OF AMERICA. 151 
 
 require rich ground, and the warmest spot in the 
 garden. When the fruit is four or six inches long, 
 and three or four inches across, they are fit for use. 
 Peel and cut them into slices like a steak ; salt and 
 pepper each slice, and place them on a plate one 
 above the other. Let them stand so an hour: then 
 press on them to squeeze out the juice, and pour it 
 off. Make a batter with eggs and flour ; dip each 
 slice in the batter and fry in butter. They taste so 
 much like a pork steak, that many who eat them 
 without knowing what they are, say that they are the 
 sweetest flesh meat they ever ate. The white variety 
 IS raised the same way^ but unfit to eat; it is grown 
 among t;he flowers for ornament. 
 
 ENDIVE. 
 
 CURLED BROAD LEAVED, 
 
 In June, sow in drills half inch deep, and six 
 inches apart ; and in August, transplant them twelve 
 inches apart each way. When their leaves coverall 
 the space between them, gather them neatly together 
 and tie them up with strings, and draw the earth up 
 around them. When the inner leaves get white, 
 they are fit for use, and eaten as a salad. It is only 
 the blanched part that is eaten. 
 
152 TIIK COTTAGE GARDEN OF AMERICA. 
 
 INDIAN CORN. 
 
 EARLY SUGAR TUSCAUOKA (U)<)M;r's PROLIFIC. 
 
 Manurh and dig the giotind well for Indian corn, 
 nnd plant three feet apart each way. Put five or 
 neven seeds in at each place, and il" all grow, pull 
 all up but three at each place ^vhen \\\vy are four 
 inches high; dust lime or ashes over and around tlie 
 plants to keep oil" the grub and wire-worm, if the 
 .sod is sandy, plaster of paiis wdl he better than 
 either ashes or lime. When the plants are eight 
 inches high, draw up a little earth around them to 
 serve as a supj)orl, and displace.all suckers which 
 grow out of the bottom of the main plants. Iloe fre- 
 cpiently between the rows and around the j)lants, 
 and keep clear of weeds. The iirst ])lanting might 
 be i)ut in Iirst of May, and at intervals until the first 
 of July lor succession. 
 
 IIORSK RADISH. 
 Manure the ground, and dig it deep; make holes 
 one inch wide, twelve inches deep and twelve inches 
 apart each way. Plant a ])iece of root two inches 
 lontr into each hole; and let them till uj) with the 
 weather, and in two years they will have large roots 
 fit for use. The planting can be done either in spring 
 or fall. 
 
TIIK COTTAOE OAKUKN Ol" AM K KM; A. 153 
 
 LEEK. 
 
 i.AK(;ii: acjoTcii — ji:.\(;LiJiii ii,a(;. 
 
 'I'm; large Scotch leek, is far siipeiior to llie I'lnj^- 
 lish lla;^ in every respect. Sow in April, iti diills 
 liairiiicli (l(M'p and (Mj^iit inches apart, and tiansplant 
 iioin June to August in drills three inches deep, and 
 twelve inches apart. (*ive a good watering aftcT 
 transplanting, even if it rains. Hoe helween the 
 rows and k't the drills fill up wilh lh(! hoein'j:. The 
 plants should h(^ loin- inches apart in th(.' drills. Keep 
 lr(.'(,' of weeds, 'i'lui le(;k is us(;d in soups and stews, 
 and is ornr (jf tin' wholcsomest of all vcgdaMcs ; and 
 *' Cocky Lccky" (as tin; Scotch call it) thai, is; leeks 
 hoiled arul mashed in butter, is a certain cure (or 
 Aslhnia. in use all winter. 
 
 LETTtJCE. 
 
 PIIILADELPIIIA HEAD CUKLIM) fXHIAN. 
 
 Sow in 4lrllls half inch deep and six inches apart. 
 When th(; plants have leaves two inches long, trans- 
 plant into rich ground twelve inches apart each way. 
 The Philadelphia produces large firm heads, and is 
 very hardy. Sow it at the same time, and cultivate 
 it in the way as directed for early cabhage, except 
 
154 THE COTTAGE GARDEN OF AMERICA. 
 
 the distance apart. The curled Indian is best for 
 summer use; sow in April and at intervals through 
 the summer. 
 
 MUSK MELON. 
 
 NUTMEG — CITRON PINE-APrLE. 
 
 Manure and dig the ground well for Musk Melons. 
 Plant them in May, six feet apart each way. Put 
 twelve seeds in at each place and if all grow, pull 
 up ail but three at a place when the plants are four 
 inches high. Dust them with lime or ashes, in the 
 mornings while wet with de\v, twice a week, until 
 they have four large leaves, to keep off grubs and 
 bugs. The fruit will be ripe in August. It has a 
 sweet scent, and parts from the vine on being touched 
 when ripe. It is a delicious and wholesome fruit. 
 
 i WATER MELON. 
 
 CAROLINA SPANISH. 
 
 The water melon is cultivated in the same way as 
 the musk melon, except that they are planted ten 
 feet apart each way. Both musk and water melons 
 flourish best on rich, sandy loam. The water melon 
 is ripe when it has a breaking sound on being pressed 
 by the hand ; it is a wholesome fruit. 
 
THE COTTAGE GARDEN OF AMERICA. 155 
 
 To have melons a month earlier than by the above 
 method, have boxes made two feet square, sixteen 
 inches deep at back, and eight inches deep at front, 
 with sloping sides, and a glazed sash to fit, with a 
 lath on each side as high as the sash, to keep it from 
 being blown off with high winds. Having all ready 
 about the first of May, dig holes two feet wide and 
 two feet deep; put eighteen inches of hot horse 
 manure in them, and a foot of earth above it. Plant 
 the seeds an inch deep in the middle, and place the 
 box and sash on it. When the plants are an inch 
 high, push down the sash a little every day to admit 
 air. Be sure to draw it close up at night, and if 
 there appears to be frost, cover the sash with mats 
 or boards over niQ;ht. Water when needed. The 
 sash can be taken off in warm days; after the plants 
 have four leaves, both box and sash might be taken 
 off altogether by the second week in June 
 
 MUSTARD. 
 
 WHITE — BROWN. 
 
 Cultivate mustard in the same way, and use it in 
 the same form as Cress or pepper grass. 
 
156 THE COTTAGE GARDEN OF AMERICA. 
 
 NASTURTIUM. 
 Sow the seeds in drills two inches deep, along 
 side of a fence. Scald the seed before planting, or 
 pour boiling water over them after they are planted. 
 The green seeds ere gathered, pickled, and used as 
 capers. Sow in April. 
 
 OKRA. 
 
 Sow okra seeds in May, in drills two inches deep 
 and thirty inches apart. The green seed pods are 
 used in soups. 
 
 ONION. 
 
 Around New York city, and north of it, onion 
 seeds are sowed thin in drills half inch deep and 
 twelve inches apart as soon as the frost is out of the 
 ground in spring, hoed between the rows, and kept 
 free of weeds. They are full grown by September. 
 If the season is wet, and they grow^ much to stalks, 
 an empty flour barrel is rolled over them early in 
 September, which bends down the stalks, and causes 
 them to bulb better. By this mode, onions are pro- 
 duced on sood ofround twelve inches in circumference 
 in one year. 
 
THE COTTAGE GARDEN OF AMEKICA. 157 
 
 South of New York city, the onion takes two years 
 to grow. The seeds are sowed thick in drills one 
 inch deep and eight inches apart in April or May. 
 They are ripened off in July, with bulbs the size of 
 bush beans, which are kept in a loft or garret, until 
 the following spring. As soon as the frost is out of 
 the ground, they are planted in drills one inch deep 
 and eight inches apart, and the sets 2 inches apart in 
 the drills ; they are kept free of weeds and are full 
 grown end of June. 
 
 PARSLEY. 
 
 CURLED PLAIN 
 
 Sow early in spring, in drills one inch deep, and 
 ten inches apart. Give a good watering with boil- 
 ing water immediately after sowing. 
 
 PARSNIP SUGAR. 
 
 Sow early in spring, in drills one inch deep, and 
 
 sixteen inches apart. When the plants are two 
 
 inches high, thin them out to four inches apart, hoe 
 
 frequently between the rows, and keep free of weeds. 
 
 The roots are full grown in fall, and are most tender 
 
 after getting a sharp frost. Let them remain in the 
 
 ground all winter; and dig up a few every mild time, 
 
 and put them in the cellar, to be ready for use. They 
 
 are delicious when boiled along with salt meat. 
 
 14 
 
158 THE COTTAGE GARDEN OF AMERICA. 
 
 PEPPER. 
 
 LARGE BELL TOMATO SHAPED. 
 
 Sow in drills one inch deep and six inches apart. 
 "When the plants are four inches high, transplant into 
 rich ground in rows two feet apart, and the plants 
 sixteen inches apart in the rows. It is best to sow 
 them in a hot bed in March, and plant thera out in 
 May. If that cannot be done sow in April, and 
 water with boiling water as soon as sowed, and 
 transplant when large enough. 
 
 RADISH. 
 
 LONG SALMON YELLOW SUMMER SPANISH. 
 
 Sow the long salmon, as soon as the ground is fit 
 to dig in spring, in drills one inch deep and six 
 inches apart. 
 
 Yellow Summe^'. — Sow in April and at intervals 
 through the summer, in drills one inch deep and 
 twelve inches apart. 
 
 Spanish. — Sow in August in drills, one inch deep 
 and sixteen inches apart. When the plants are two 
 inches high, thin them out to four inches apart ; hoe 
 between the rows and keep free of weeds ; and on 
 the approach of cold weather in fall, pull them up, 
 cut off their leaves and put them in the cellar among 
 
THE COTTAGE GARDEN OF AMERICA. 159 
 
 dry earth. They are in use in late fall, and all win- 
 ter. Plant out a few of the best in spring, to pro- 
 duce seeds. 
 
 PEA. 
 
 LANDRETH's extra early WASHINGTON EARLY BLUE 
 
 IMPERIAL. 
 
 Sow as soon as the ground is free of frost in spring, 
 in drills three inches deep, and thirty-three inches 
 apart. Cover them with the earth drawn out of the 
 drills, and tramp it well down. When the plants 
 are six inches high, draw up a little earth to them, 
 and stick in branches of trees three feet long on each 
 side of every row, for them to climb on. If the 
 above named are sowed at the same time, or a week 
 after one another, they will come into use to succeed 
 each other. They are dwarf growers, and prolific 
 kinds, and well suited for cottage gardens. The 
 tall growers take too much room for such places. 
 Hoe frequently between the rows, and keep free of 
 weeds. 
 
 RHUBARB— PIE PLANT. 
 
 GI A NT MAMMOTH VICTORIA. 
 
 The plants are from two to five dollars per dozen. 
 Plant in fall or spring, thirty inches apart each way. 
 Dig in plenty of manure about them every year, and 
 
160 THE COTTAGE GARDEN OF AMERICA. 
 
 keep free of weeds. The foot stalk of the leaves are 
 peeled and stewed, then made into pies, and are 
 both delicious and wholesome. Break off' the flower 
 stalk when it appears ; so that the whole growth of 
 the plant may go into the leaves and foot stalks, 
 which will make them larger. 
 
 SALSAFY—OYSTER PLANT. 
 
 Sow early in spring, in drills one inch deep, and 
 twelve inches apart ; when the plants are two inches 
 high, thin them out to three inches apart in the 
 rows. They will be fit for use in late fall and all 
 winter. They can either remain in the ground all 
 winter, or be dug up before the ground freezes up. 
 Have their leaves cut off*, and put in the cellar among 
 dry earth. The roots are washed with a hard brush 
 and boiled in water, or water and milk and salt ; 
 then mashed up, and kneaded in flour into cakes 
 and fried in butter. They both taste and smell like 
 oysters, and are very wholesome. 
 
 SCURVY GRASS. 
 
 Sow in September, in drills one inch deep and 
 fourteen inches apart. Cover with straw in winter, 
 and use as a salad th'^oug^ 'l.p winter and early 
 spring. 
 
THE COTTAGE GARDEN OF AMERICA. 161 
 
 SORREL— GARDEN. 
 
 Sow in April, in drills one inch deep and twelve 
 inches apart, and use as a salad. 
 
 SPINACH. 
 
 PRICKLY SEEDED ROUND SEEDED, 
 
 Sow the prickly seeded in September, in drills one 
 inch deep and fifteen inches apart. Cover with 
 straw in winter, and use in early spring. Sow the 
 round seeded as soon as the ground is fit to dig. In 
 spring it will come in use to succeed the prickly seeded. 
 
 SQUASH. 
 
 EARLY BUSH — COCOA NUT. 
 
 Sow the early bush in April in rich ground, plant 
 six feeet apart each way, and cultivate as directed 
 for Musk Melons. 
 
 Sow the cocoa nut in May, ten feet apart, and 
 
 cultivate as water melons. The early bush will be 
 
 in use in July and August. Peel, boil and mash up 
 
 with butter. The cocoa nut is in use in late fall and 
 
 all winter ; gather in before very cold weather, and 
 
 14* 
 
162 THE COTTAGE GARDEN OF AMERICA. 
 
 place them in an airy part of the cellar. They are 
 peeled, boiled, mashed up with eggs and spices, and 
 made into pies. 
 
 TOMATO— LOVE APPLE. 
 
 Sow in a hot bed in March, and plant out into the 
 open ground in May, four feet apart each way. Or 
 the seeds can be sowed in April four feet apart each 
 way. Put several seeds in at a place, and if all 
 grow, cut ail off but one. Hoe well between them, 
 and keep free of weeds. When ripe they are boiled, 
 then peeled and mashed up with salt and pepper. 
 They are very wholesome. The large Red is per- 
 haps the best. There are the small red, large yellow, 
 small yellow, and several other kinds. 
 
 Tomato Catsup. — Is one of the finest and whole- 
 somest sauces for meat. The fruit is gathered, cut 
 once through, and boiled in a brass or copper kettle 
 half an hour. The juice is then squeezed out of 
 them, and strained through a hair sieve, or coarse 
 cloth, and the spices are added ; and the whole is 
 boiled three hours over a slow fire. Then they are 
 poured into an open dish to cool— next day, the 
 vinegar is added, then the catsup is bottled, and 
 tight corked. The following are the spices. 
 
THE COTTAGE GARDEN OF AMERICA. 163 
 
 For each peck of tomatoes — add of red pepper 
 I" oz. black, J oz. mace, J oz. allspice, -| oz. cloves 
 J oz. mustard 2 oz. salt to suit the taste — the spices 
 are all in a powdered state, vinegar one pint. 
 
 POTATOE. 
 
 This most useful of vegetables has been the sub- 
 ject of much discussion as to the best mode of its 
 culture. We have tried many experiments and 
 grown many varieties, and would recommend the 
 following. 
 
 Dig up the ground rough in fall, and sow it over 
 with fresh lime at the rate of half a peck per rood. 
 In spring spread it over with long manure, and dig 
 it in. Cut the tubers into sets, with two eyes each. 
 Plant the early kinds as soon as the ground is in a 
 good working condition in spring, in drills three 
 inches deep, and twenty-seven inches apart ; and 
 plant the sets eight inches apart in the drills with 
 their eyes uppermost. Cover them up with the earth 
 taken out of the drills. Plant the late kinds in May, 
 in drills four inches deep, and thirty-three inches 
 apart. Plant the sets ten inches apart in the drills, 
 and cover up. When they come up, give the ground 
 a good hoeing around them, and when they are eight 
 inches high, draw the earth well up to their sides, 
 
164 THE COTTAGE GARDEN OF AMERICA. 
 
 and keep them clear of weeds. The early kinds can 
 be dug when needed for use, and the late kinds 
 should be all dug up in September. By thi.s mode 
 we have never been troubled with the rot, and the 
 tubers keep well till July. We never grow them 
 two years in succession on the same piece of ground, 
 and get a fresh set of tubers from a distance every 
 second year. We think that all kinds of potatoes 
 degenerate when grown long on the same soil, and 
 in the same neighbourhood. 
 
 VARIETIES. 
 
 There seems to be no end to varieties ; every dis- 
 trict has its preference. In eastern Pennsylvania 
 and West Jersey, Landreth's Extra Early is preferred 
 as an early — the Mercer and Foxite as late kinds. 
 In New York, East Jersey, and part of New England, 
 Thorburn's Sovereign Early is preferred as first 
 early — Ross, seedling, as a second early — the New 
 York Pinkeye and Mercer as late kinds. Around 
 Boston, Perkins seedling is highly spoken of as an 
 early kind. — In 1839, we grew fifteen kinds in the 
 garden of Dr. Peter Wendell at Albany, which we 
 got from that matchless Agriculturist, (the late Judge 
 Beul.) They were planted in May, and dug up in 
 September. The produce was washed, weighed, 
 
THE COTTAGE GARDEN OF AMERICA. 165 
 
 and measured, and the flour taken from two pounds 
 weight of each kind. The whole was exhibited at 
 the Albany Horticultural Society's Exhibition, for 
 which we got the society's thanks and first prize. 
 The following lists show which had the greatest 
 yield, and which contained most flour. The greatest 
 stands first, the least last. 
 
 YIELD. QUANTITY OF FLOUR. 
 
 Rohan late Thorburn's sovereign early 
 
 Dutch Red *« Irish Cups 
 
 English Whites " Foxite 
 
 " Reds " New York Pinkeye 
 
 Mercer " New England Blue 
 
 Ross seedling, second Mercer 
 
 early Ross, seedling 
 
 New Y'ork Pinkeye late Forty Fold 
 Thorburn's sovereign Late Stanford 
 
 first early Orange Pinkeye 
 
 Orange Pinkeye late English Whites 
 New England Blues " Reds 
 
 Forty Fold Dutch Reds 
 
 Late Stanford Nonparelle ^ 
 
 Irish Cups Rohan 
 
 Nonparelle second early 
 Foxite late 
 
 It is seen that the ^ Rohan' had the greatest yield ; 
 and the least flour. 
 
166 THE COTTAGE GARDEN OF AMERICA, 
 
 TURNIP. 
 RED TOP YELLOW ABERDEEN RUTA BAGA. 
 
 Sow on rich ground, the Ruta Baga and Yellow 
 Aberdeen first of July in Boston, and first of August 
 at Baltimore ; in drills half inch deep, and thirty 
 inches apart. When the plants are three inches high, 
 thin them out to eight inches apart in the drills. The 
 Red Top may be sowed three weeks later than the 
 others, in drills half inch deep, and sixteen inches 
 apart ; and thin them out to five inches apart in the 
 rows. Hoe the ground well about thera, and keep 
 free of weeds, and on the approach of severe cold 
 weather pull them up, cut off their leaves, and put 
 them among dry earth in the cellar. In spring plant 
 a few of the best, to produce seeds. The different 
 kinds should be planted apart from each other, as the 
 flowers of the one are likely to get impregnated by 
 those of the other and make impure seeds. 
 
 > AROMATIC AND SWEET HERSS. 
 
 CARAWAY SWEET BASIL SWEET IIARJASAM SUMMER 
 
 SAVORY — ARE ANNUALS. 
 
 Sow in April, in drills half inch deep, and fifteen 
 inches apart; give a good watering with boiling 
 water as soon as sowed. 
 
THE COTTAGE GARDEN OF AMERICA. 167 
 
 Lavender, Sage, Mint, Thyme and Winter Marja- 
 ram, are perennials, and last many years. Sow early 
 in spring, in drills one inch deep and fifteen inches 
 apart. Water with boiling water as soon as sowed. 
 Hoe well between the rows and keep them clear of 
 weeds. All herbs are best, if gathered just before 
 they expand their blossoms. The Caraway is grown 
 for its seed. W^hen gathered they should be dried 
 in a garret, and not in the sun. 
 
 BENE PLANT. 
 
 The bene plant is a sure cure for the summer com- 
 plaint. Put five full grown leaves in a pint of cold 
 water ; bruise them and let remain half an hour, and 
 the water will be as thick as a jelly. Drink half a 
 pint at a time, and frequently, till a cure is efTected. 
 It gives neither colour nor smell to the water, and is 
 as easily drank as clear water. Sow the seeds in 
 drills one inch deep, and fifteen inches apart first of 
 May; and give a good watering with boiling water 
 immediately after sowing. 
 
 REMARKS. 
 It should be understood that all seeds sowed in 
 drills are to be covered with the earth taken out of 
 the drills ; and that it is of great importance to tramp 
 
168 THE COTTAGE GARDEN OF AMERICA 
 
 the earth firm on the seeds, as it brings the earth and 
 seeds in close contact, and causes the seeds to sprout 
 more freely. All plants transplanted, should be done 
 before or after rain, or on cloudy days or evenings, 
 and watered well immediately after, unless it rains ; 
 and many kinds will require several waterings if the 
 weather continues very dry. The greatest economy 
 should be practised in the cropping; so as not to 
 have any part of the garden without a crop in the 
 growing season. As soon as one crop is ripened off, 
 the ground should be cleared, and another crop put 
 on. Late cabbages may be planted between the 
 rows of early peas, beans, corn, etc.; late beets, car- 
 rots, etc. may succeed spinage, early cabbage, lettuce, 
 etc. turnips, fall radishes, etc. may succeed early 
 cucumbers, late cucumbers, beans, etc. may succeed 
 early potatoes; fall spinage may succeed melons etc. 
 
 HOEING AND KILLING WEEDS. 
 
 Frequent hoeing pulverizes the ground, and 
 makes it admit the sun, rain and air to the roots of 
 the plants, which is of essential benefit to their growth. 
 The killing of weeds while young is also of great 
 importance to the cultivated plants, as the whole 
 nourishment of the ground, rains, air, and sun, are 
 given to them ; all of which are necessary to the 
 
THE COTTAGE GARDEN OP AMERICA. 169 
 
 health and growth of plants. The weeds should be 
 raked off the ground as soon as hoed up ; as in wet 
 or cloudy weather, they may strike root and grow 
 again, and cause double labour. 
 
 PURCHASING SEEDS. 
 
 All seeds should be purchased if possible, from 
 respectable seedsmen, whose w^iole business is in 
 procuring the choicest kinds from all countries, 
 and after trying their qualities and adaptation to 
 our climate, to offer them for sale. And having 
 served their lifetimes to the business, such men are 
 competent judges. So we advise all country mer- 
 chants who sell seeds, to purchase them from respec- 
 table seedsmen, for the benefit of their customers. 
 We have seen many vexations and disappointments 
 caused by purchasing seeds in city markets and small 
 country stores, raised by "Shakers" and other irre- 
 sponsible growers. We give for the benefit of our 
 cottagers a list of seedsmen, whom we know to be 
 extensive dealers, strict in their nomenclatures and 
 honest men. 
 
 D. Landreth, Philadelphia Penn. 
 
 Ft. Buist, " " 
 
 H. Dreer, " " 
 
 Protty & Co. " " 
 
 15 
 
170 THE COTTAGE GARDEN OF AMERICA. 
 
 J. Thorburn, New York 
 
 A. Smith, " '' 
 
 Wm. Thorburn, Albany, New York. 
 
 Hovy & Co. Boston, Mass. 
 
 We have grown many hundred dollars worth of 
 seeds, got from the above seedsmen ; and have not 
 met with a single disappointment, and there are ex- 
 perienced honest seedsmen in other places who may 
 be depended on, although we are unacquainted with 
 them. 
 
 RAISING SEEDS. 
 Every cottager can raise his own seeds ; but all 
 kinds will degenerate if grown for many years on 
 the same soil, and same neighbourhood, unless they 
 get extra culture. So every one should get a new 
 set of seeds from a distance every four or five years, 
 either from friends or by purchase. There are 
 always new and choice kinds of culinary vegetables, 
 as w'ell as flowers, coming out every year ; and if 
 any one contents himself with growing the same 
 kinds, he will soon be left behind the age, and his 
 garden will have the same appearance in ten years 
 hence as it has now. Changes give pleasure to life. 
 The reason why large dealers seeds are superior to 
 others is, because they are constantly importing fresh 
 stocks; so that their seeds are as suitable for the 
 neighbourhood where they are raised, as at a distance. 
 
THE COTTAGE GARDEN OF AMERICA. 171 
 
 SCALDING SEEDS. 
 
 Many kinds of seeds have hard shells, and are apt 
 to fail, unless scalded before sowing, or immediately 
 after. 
 
 AGE OF SEEDS. 
 
 The age of seeds is of importance according to the 
 purpose for which the plants are cultivated. When 
 the whole plants are of use, such as celery, lettuce, 
 radish, cabbage, turnips, etc., the younger the seeds 
 the better ; as by it, the plants will grow larger, and 
 be more tender. But if the plants are grown for 
 their seeds or fruits, seeds three or four years old, 
 are better than when only one year old ; as that 
 causes the plants to grow less in size and more to 
 fruit and seeds, and also makes seeds and fruit ripen 
 earlier. Cucumber, egg plant, pepper, squash, 
 melon, ocra, etc., are earlier and more prolific when 
 the seeds are old. 
 
 VARIETIES. 
 
 We have not pretended to give a full list of culi- 
 nary vegetables, but just such as we think most 
 suitable with economy for small cottage gardens. 
 
172 TH^ COTTAGE GARDEN OF AMERICA. 
 
 There are many other choice kinds, for which the 
 reader is referred to the Catalogues of seedsmen in 
 different parts of our country. 
 
 BOOKS ON VEGETABLES. 
 
 There are many books on vegetables, which 
 dwell more at length on their culture than we can be 
 expected to do in a small volume, noticing so many 
 articles. 
 
 Bridgeman's "Gardiner's Assistant," is one of the 
 best books on the subject. 
 
 Buist's " Family Kitchen Garden." — Mr. Downing 
 in his " Horticultarist" says, " this is the best book 
 on the culture of culinary vegetables. It is to the 
 point, no superfluous words." 
 
 [We have not read the book, but know that Mr. 
 Buist is a man of great energy and intellect ; he 
 takes hold of his work with both hands, it matters 
 not, whether his tool be the pen or spade.] 
 
 Mr. Fessenden of Boston, has also written an ex- 
 cellent book on vegetables. 
 
THE COTTAGE GARDEN OF AMERICA. 173 
 
 «fc 
 
 TREE DEPARTMENT. 
 
 My cottage home ! my cottage home ! 
 Here, in thy cherished loved embrace, 
 I'll spend my lotted hours to come, 
 Nor seek to find a lovelier place. 
 
 Notwithstanding all our attempts to embellish 
 and beautify our cottages and gardens with flowers, 
 vines and shrubs, which are truly pleasing and lovely 
 in themselves — they have an unprotected and dimin- 
 utive appearance without some sturdy sons of the 
 forest to watch over them. But what a fine finish 
 do a couple of noble shade trees on the side-walk, 
 and a handsome evergreen in the centre of the plot, 
 each side of the approach from that to the cottage, 
 give to the whole place. And when we are abroad, 
 ihe first thing we see of our homes in the distance 
 ^n our return, are these gigantic sentinels by the 
 gate, watching over the place in our absence, and 
 looking out for our coming. And we know that they 
 are ours, by their size, their form, and their color. 
 They seem to meet us half way, and stretch out their 
 extended arms to shake hands with us on our ap- 
 proach, and wave their leaves, to fan the sweat from 
 our brows. And how refreshing we feel when they 
 
 throw their shady mantle over us; and on leaving 
 
 \5* 
 
174 THE COTTAGE GARDEN OF AMERICA. 
 
 them to enter our cottage, we meet our constant 
 friends, the evergreens, smiling in their beauty to 
 welcome us home. And these very trees seem to 
 know the purpose for which they are there. The 
 evergreens, being nearer to the cottage, keep them- 
 selves tidy dressed through the winter, and smile in 
 at our windows when all other beauties are gone. 
 They are like dear, comforting friends, keeping us 
 in remembrance of the happy past, and in anticipa- 
 tion of the pleasant future. And the deciduous 
 trees, knowing that it is for their shade they are 
 there, drop their foliage on the approach of cold 
 weather, in obedience to our wishes ; as their ser- 
 vices are no longer needed, and each remains through 
 the winter, a " leafless plant, a desolate waste." 
 But on the return of warm weather in spring, when 
 they are preparing for service, how beautiful their 
 swelling buds ! O how fresh their newly expanded 
 
 foliage. 
 
 "All nature dies and lives again ; 
 Anew shall flowers deck the plain ; 
 The woods shall hear the voice of spring; 
 And flourish green again." 
 
 There is no species of benevolence so universally 
 bestowed, and more gratefully felt, than the planting 
 of shade trees The wayfaring pedestrian is refreshed 
 by the shade of trees in front of the lonely cottage 
 by the wayside. The village is beautiful and its 
 
THE COTTAGE GARDEN OF AMERICA. 175 
 
 inhabitants comforted with shade trees, and they 
 afford a delightful promenade when growing along 
 the sides of streets of large towns and cities. Every- 
 body should plant shade trees; he who is able to 
 build a house, and will not give two dollars to de- 
 corate it with a couple of shade trees, for his own 
 comfort, and the benefit of his fellow man, shows 
 himself a miserable object of pity, and utterly un- 
 worthy of the blessings which the God of Heaven is 
 daily bestowing on him 
 
 SHADE TREES. 
 
 Msculus, Hippocastanum, or Horsechesnut — is of 
 slow growth, forms a handsome tree, bearing large, 
 fragrant, white flowers in May and June. 
 
 ^scuhoSy Rubicunda, or red-Jlowering Horsechesnut. 
 
 Acer Dasycarpunif or Silver Maple — is of rapid 
 growth, weeping habit, and forms a handsome head. 
 
 Acer Saccharinum, or Sugar Maple — makes a noble 
 shade tree. 
 
 Acer Rubrum, or Red Maple — a beautiful tree. 
 
 Acer Pseudo Platanus, or European Sycamore— 
 makes a most splendid shade tree. 
 
 Ailanthus Glandulosus, or Tree of Heaven — is of 
 rapid growth ; thrives on every soil. 
 
 Filia, or Linden Tree — both the European and 
 American species make handsome trees. . 
 
176 THE COTTAGE GARDEN OF AMERICA 
 
 Paulownia Imperiales — a choice shade tree, of late 
 introduction from China, is of very rapid growth ; 
 thrives on all soils. 
 
 Ulmus Campesirisj or English Elm tree — makes a 
 most splendid shade tree. 
 
 Ulmus Americana^ American Elm — also makes a 
 handsome tree 
 
 Salix Babylomca, or Weeping Willow — one of the 
 very handsomest trees; thrives on every soil, and 
 of rapid growth. 
 
 Fraxinus Americana, or American Ash tree — makes 
 a good shade tree. 
 
 Fraxinus Excehiory or English Ash tree — makes a 
 handsome shade. 
 
 EVERGREEN TREES. 
 
 PiNus Balsamed — Balm of Gilead tree. 
 
 PInus Abies, or Norway Feir. 
 
 Pinus Canadensis, or Hemlock Spruce. 
 
 Pinus Nigra, or Black Spruce. 
 
 Pinus Storbus, or White Pine. 
 
 Pinus Picea, or Silver Pine. 
 
 Pinus Rubra, or Red Pine. 
 
 Thuja Occidentalis — American Arborvitea, 
 
THE COTTAGE GARDEN OF AMERICA. 177 
 
 TRANSPLANTING SHADE TREES. 
 Shade trees are generally larger when transplanted 
 than fruit trees are, and succeed better when done in 
 fall than in spring. Set the tree where and how it 
 is to stand when planted ; make a rit with the spade 
 nine inches out from the extremity of its roots all 
 round ; dig the hole that size and shape, and nine 
 inches deeper than the tree is to be planted ; put the 
 good top soil around the hole, and cast the poor 
 under soil a little ways off; put nine inches of the 
 good soil in the bottom of the hole ; break it fine ; 
 then set the tree in it. Fill up with good soil, after 
 the roots of the tree are covered. Tramp the earth 
 firm on them ; then fill up the hole with good soil, 
 mixing short manure along wuth it, and when full 
 tramp down again. Form a basin around the tree, 
 with the poor earth taken out of the bottom of the 
 hole. The basin should be as wide as the spreading 
 roots, and fill it half up with manure ; if the planting 
 is performed in spring, fill the basin at once with 
 water, and frequently through the summer, if the 
 weather is very dry. If done in fall, no water will 
 be needed, unless the trees appear to suffer with the 
 following summer's drought. 
 
178 THE COTTAGE GARDEN OF AMERICA. 
 
 TRANSPLANTING EVERGREEN TREES. 
 Evergreen trees may be transplanted the same 
 way as shade trees. From August till June, except 
 in the time of hard fjost, fill their basins frequently 
 with water the first summer after planting. All trees 
 should be dug up with as much of their roots as pos- 
 sible. 
 
 HEDGES OR LIVE FENCES. 
 
 The cheapest, most beautiful, and durable fences 
 are hedges, and all dividing fences of cottage gar- 
 dens, should be made of hedges ; there are several 
 kinds of plants well adapted for the purpose. 
 
 Madura Aiirantiaca^ or Osage Orange — is of rapid 
 growth, with large, shining Orange-like leaves, and 
 long sharp thorns ; thrives on all soils, hardy at the 
 north, and being a native of Arkansas, it succeeds 
 well at the south. 
 
 Ligustrum Vulgare, or Privet or Prim — is of rapid 
 growth, with slender shoots and small leaves ; forms 
 a neat hedge, thrives on all soils, hardy at Maine, 
 and flourishing in Virginia. 
 
 Crateagus, or Hawthorn. — There is an American 
 and an English species, of rapid growth, with slender 
 shoots and small leaves, and short sharp thorns ; 
 
THE COTTAGE GARDEN OF AMERICA. 179 
 
 succeed well on heavy soils ; hardy at Maine, and 
 flourishing in Virginia, the finest hawtorn hedges 
 that we have seen in America, were at Downing's 
 *' Highland Nurseries" at Newburg, Orange Co. 
 New York. The English thorn enclosed one lot, 
 the American another. The English looked most 
 tempting in spring, its leaves smaller and wood more 
 slender than the American ; but by the end of August, 
 it was almost devested of foliage by the heat, while 
 the American was as green, and flourishing as it was 
 in spring. 
 
 Any of the above plants, will make thick fences 
 six feet high in three years, and are cheaper than 
 common post and rail fences, and will last for gene- 
 rations. 
 
 PLANTING HEDGES. 
 
 Dig out a trench twelve inches deep, and fifteen 
 inches wide ; let one person set the plants in the 
 middle of the trenches six inches apart, and another 
 break the earth fine, and put it gently in around 
 them, while the planter holds them straight up ; 
 tramp the earth well down around them. The 
 trenches should not be entirely filled, but rather left 
 concave, so that all the rains which fall may settle 
 about their roots ; and if waiter is needed the first 
 summer, it should be given. 
 
180 THE COTTAGE GARDEN OF AMERICA. 
 
 KEEPING HEDGES IN GOOD ORDER. 
 Hoe frequently, and destroy all weeds about their 
 roots, and clip them once or twice a year, that is, 
 shorten the top and side shoots, so as to make them 
 grow thick and bushy. They may be trained any 
 height, shape and thickness. It is however better 
 to have them ridged on top than flat, as the snows 
 in winter will not lodge so much on them and put 
 them out of shape. 
 
 EVERGREEN HEDGES. 
 
 Evergreen hedges are the most beautiful of all 
 fences. The finest we have seen in America are of 
 Chinese Arborvitea, and growing in the nursery of 
 Mr. T. Landreth, Philadelphia 
 
 Junipents Virginiana, or Red Cedar — makes a neat 
 evergreen hedge, thriving equally well on the sands 
 of Jersey, and heavy loam of Pennsylvania. 
 
 Thvja OrientaliSj or Chinese Arhorvitca — is a most 
 choice plant for evergreen hedges ; thrives best on 
 loamy soils. 
 
 These hedges are too expensive for working peo- 
 ple, and their slow growth would wear their patience 
 out. 
 
THE COTTAGE GARDEN OF AMERICA. 181 
 
 ORNAMENTAL TREES. 
 
 Amygdalis Persica^ or Double-flowerivg Peach — 
 resembles the peach tree in everything but the 
 flowers, which are large and double. 
 
 Cercis Canadensis, or Judas tree — grows as large 
 as a peach tree, with pink, pea-like flowers, in April 
 and May. 
 
 Cercis Siliquasirum — bears purple pea-like flowers, 
 in April and May ; a splendid tree. * 
 
 Crataegus, or Hawthorn — fragrant and beautiful. 
 
 Alba Pleno, or double white. 
 
 Rubra Pleno, or double scarlet. 
 
 Splendeus, or splendid. 
 
 Cytisus Laburnum, or Golden Chain tree — has large 
 racems of yellow flowers in May. 
 
 Hibiscus Syriacus, or Althea, or Rose of Sharon. 
 
 Alba Pleno, or double white large rose-like flowers. 
 
 Picta, " " '^ striped " " " " 
 
 Rubra, '' " «' red " '' '' " 
 
 The Hibiscus are all beautiful, with large double 
 rose-like flowers, from July till September. 
 
 Rohinia Vi.scosa, Rose Acacia tree — with large 
 racems of white flowers, in April and May. 
 
 The above may be grov/n as shrubs ; they seldom 
 
 exceed twenty feet in height when full growm. 
 
 The following grow very large trees. 
 
 16 
 
182 THE COTTAGE GARDEN OF AMERICA 
 
 Cerasus Areium Multiplex^ or douhle-flowerwg 
 cherry — has large, snowy white daisy-like flowers, 
 from bottom to top, in April and May ; splendid tree. 
 
 Magnolia Conspicua—\ms large tulip-like white 
 flowers, in April and May; a native of China. 
 
 Magnolia Macrophylla— has large white tulip-like 
 flowers, in May and June ; a native of America. 
 
 Magnolia and double-flowering cherry trees — are 
 highly ornamental, and would have a beautiful ap- 
 pearance, if planted in long lines as shade trees, in 
 the public streets of large cities. 
 
 INSECTS. 
 
 Caterpillars are often found on shade and orna- 
 mental trees, and may be destroyed in the same way 
 as directed for fruit trees. 
 
 Bag Grub. — This is a large dark-colored grub, 
 which weaves for itself a silken bag in which it lives, 
 and can open and shut it at pleasure, just as any 
 body would open and shut a purse which, is drawn 
 together in the mouth with a string. As soon as 
 these bags appear on trees or bushes, if within reach 
 of the hand, they should be picked off", and put in a 
 pail of hot water ; if out of reach, they can be cut ofl' 
 with the young shoot to which they are attached, 
 and burned, or scalded. 
 
 They devour the leaves with great greediness, and 
 
THE COTTAGE GARDEN OF AMERICA. 183 
 
 in a short time, a few of them will strip a large tree 
 of its foliage. 
 
 Pine Blight — is an insect, which (deposits an egg, 
 near to the top of the main shoots of pine trees ; a 
 grub is hatched, which lives on the inner bark and 
 soft wood, and eats downwards, whenever the shoot 
 appears to fade ; cut it off twelve inches below the 
 faded part, split it up, and there is the rogue ; kill 
 him. 
 
 PRUNING. 
 
 Shade and ornamental trees, should get a proper 
 pruning every year ; thin out and shorten the over- 
 grown branches; study to balance the head of the 
 tree, and if it leans to one side, cut off some of the 
 branches on the side it leans to, and train it in a 
 symmetrical style. 
 
184 THE COTTAGE GARDEN OF AMERICA. 
 
 NURSERY DEPARTMENT, 
 
 OR PROPAGATION. 
 
 There are several systems by which plants are 
 propagated, according to their natures. Species can 
 be propagated by seeds, but varieties cannot. So 
 Horticulturalists had to find out the other systems, 
 whereby varieties and hybrids can be perpetuated as 
 well as species ; and now, some species are propa- 
 gated with more facility by these systems than by 
 seeds. 
 
 BUDDING, OR INOCULATING. 
 
 In the taking a bud from the young shoot of one 
 plant, and inserting it in between the bark and wood 
 of the stem or branch of another plant, so as to make 
 them unite and grow. The piece to be inserted is 
 called Bud, the plant on which it is to be inserted, 
 is called Stock. Have a sharp knife with a thin 
 blade, and ivory heft, tapering to a thin edge at one 
 end ; get a shoot of the present year's growth with 
 prominent buds, from the plant that is to be increased, 
 and procure soft strings for tieing, (bass mat strings 
 are best,) now fix on a smooth part of the stocky and 
 
THE COTTAGE GARDEN OF AMERICA. 185 
 
 make a horizontal cut on the north side of it, half an 
 inch in length, through the bark, into the solid wood, 
 but no further; and make a perpendicular cut two 
 inches long, from the middle of the horizontal cut 
 downwards. Now fix on a prominent bud on the 
 young shoot, enter the knife half an inch above it ; 
 cut slantingly downwards and half through the wood, 
 and bring it out an inch below the bud. Now sepa- 
 rate the wood from the bark gently, so as not to in- 
 jure the inner bark, or to pull out the eye of the 
 bud. If there is a hole behind the bud, the eye is 
 out, and the bud useless, if there is no hole, — the 
 the bud is entire. Now take hold of the stock with 
 the left hand near to the cuts, and with the right 
 hand, raise the bark up from the wood, each side of 
 the perpe.idicular cut, with the thin end of the knife 
 haft. Then siip in the prepared bud between the 
 wood and bark, slide it down to the bottom of the 
 cut, and lay the stock bark smoothly over it ; let the 
 eye project out. Now tie it up with a string. Be- 
 gin half an inch below the bottom of the cut, and 
 wind it tight and close around the stock upwards, to 
 half an inch above the horizontal cut, and tie it. 
 Observe not to cover the eye of the bud with the 
 string. Look at it two weeks after it is inserted : if 
 it is green and plump, it is doing well ; if brown and 
 shriveled, it is dead. If the string appears to gird 
 
 the stock, and the bud is alive, take it off and tie it 
 
 16* 
 
186 THE COTTAGE GARDExV OF AMERICA. 
 
 on slacker, and in two weeks more remove it alto- 
 gether. Some do not separate the wood and hark 
 of the bud, but smooth it off and insert it entire. 
 This plan is more simple, and equally as successful ; 
 more so with some plants, especially if done early. 
 If the head of the stock is cut off after the bud is 
 fairly taken, the bud will make a large growth the 
 present season, but is apt to be killed by the winter. 
 So the safest plan is to leave it till next spring; then 
 cut off the head of the stock six inches above the in- 
 serted bud, rub off all the stock buds as they swell, 
 except one above the inserted one, and when it has 
 made a shoot six inches long, rub off the other ; so 
 that the inserted bud may get all the nourishment in 
 the stock. Several buds may be put on one plant. 
 We have had twenty-six everblooming roses grow- 
 ing on a sweet briar bush, all stone fruit trees do 
 best by budding, and pears on quince stocks. The 
 season for budding is, from the middle of July, till 
 the end of August. 
 
 CUTTINGS. 
 By this species of propagation, cuttings taken from 
 the young shoots of plants, with three or four buds 
 each. They are planted with two buds in the ground, 
 and one or two buds above ground. The cuttings 
 of hardy plants may be procured early in spring and 
 
THE COTTAGE GARDEN OF AMERICA. 18*7 
 
 planted in mellow ground, in a shaded part of the 
 garden. They may be planted in rows from six to 
 fourteen inches apart, and the cuttings from three to 
 six inches apart in the rows according to their 
 growths. If the ground is not naturally sandy, some 
 sharp sand should be put about the bottom of the 
 cuttings, and they will grow more freely. Give 
 them several good waterings in summer, and by fall 
 they will have made good growths, and be well 
 rooted ; and in the following spring they may be 
 transplanted to where they are wanted. The cut* 
 tings of pot plants should be planted in half sharp 
 sand, and half loam. A number of cuttings may be 
 planted into one pot, and when well rooted, they 
 can be planted singly into small pots. All cuttings 
 and young plants should be shaded for some time 
 after they are planted. 
 
 GRAFTING. 
 Is the taking a young shoot from one plant and 
 inserting it in the stem or branch of another plant, 
 causing them to unite in growth. The shoot to be 
 inserted is called Graft or Scion. It should have 
 five or six buds. The plant on which the graft is to 
 be inserted, is called stock. The time to graft fruit 
 trees and other hardy plants, is in spring, when they 
 are beginning to swell their buds. Have a sharp 
 
188 THE COTTAGE GARDEN OF AMERICA. 
 
 knife; procure shoots of last year's growth, with five 
 or six buds each, for grafts, and soft strings for tie- 
 ing. Then prepare grafting clay or wax. The clay 
 is prepared by mixing three parts clay, and one part 
 horse droppings, to the consistence of good putty. 
 Grafting wax is made of four parts bees-wax, four 
 parts common pitch, two of lard and one of burgundy 
 pitch, boiled an hour together. The strings are to 
 bind the graft and stock tight together, the clay or 
 ■wax is to cover the union of the graft and stock so 
 as to exclude the air and moisture. 
 
 WHIP GRAFTING. 
 
 Is generally practised in nurseries on young stocks. 
 The nearer one thickness the graft and stock are the 
 better. Head off the stock six inches above the 
 ground, and make a sloping cut two inches long on 
 one side of the upper end. Then make a slit in the 
 middle of the cut downwards, one inch in length. 
 Now make a sloping cut on the lower end of the 
 graft, to correspond exactly with that made on the 
 stock, and. make a slit in the middle of it upwards 
 an inch long. Now fix the graft on the stock, slip 
 the tongue of the graft in the slit of the stock, then 
 bind tight together with a string, beginning below 
 the union, and finish above. Cover the whole with 
 
THE COTTAGE GARDEN OF AMERICA. 189 
 
 clay or wax. The clay should be half an inch thick 
 all round, tapering off to nothing at both ends, and 
 reaching an inch below, and an inch above the 
 union. The wax may be put on an eighth of an 
 inch thick. Look at it occasionally to see that the 
 clay or wax do not fall off; if so, replace it. When 
 the graft has made a shoot ten inches long, remove 
 the clay or wax, and string, so that it may swell with 
 the growth. It should be observed that both clay 
 and wax are not used on the same graft, either of 
 them is enough. 
 
 CLIFT GRAFTING, 
 
 Is practised on the stocks from one to three inches 
 in diameter. Saw off the head of the stock level, 
 and smooth the cut with the knife. Split the stock 
 down the middle, two inches in length, with a strong 
 knife, and put a large nail in the middle of the split, 
 to keep it open. Sharpen the lower ends of the 
 grafts on both sides to the shape of a thin wedge, 
 two inches in length ; insert one on each side of the 
 clift in the stock, with the outer edge flush with the 
 bark of the stock. Hold them in their places with 
 one hand, and draw out the nail with the other, to 
 let the clift close on the grafts ; bind tight with 
 strings and cover with clay, at least an inch 
 
190 THE COTTAGE GARDEN OF AMERICA. 
 
 thick all round. When the grafts have grown 
 twelve or eighteen inches long, remove clay and 
 bandage. 
 
 ROOT GRAFTING, 
 
 Is practised by nurserymen with choice roses. 
 The stocks are pieces of common rose roots two or 
 three inches long ; the grafts are pieces of young 
 shoots of choice roses. A slit is made in the stock 
 an inch long, and the lower end of the graft is shaped 
 like a wedge, and fitted in the slit of the stock. 
 They are then slightly tied together, planted in small 
 pots, and placed in a hot-bed, where they soon grow. 
 They are re-potted into larger pots as they progress 
 in growth, and make large plants in one season. 
 The grafts are generally two inches long, and planted 
 so as to have one bud above ground. This species 
 of grafting is performed in midwinter. 
 
 IJVARCHING, 
 
 Is sometimes called, " Grafting by Approach," 
 and practised on plants which are not easily propa- 
 gated by Budding or Grafting, and cannot be per- 
 petuated by seeds. The stock is a young plant, with 
 a stem as thick as a goose quill ; the graft is a young 
 
THE COTTAGE GARDEN OP AMERICA. 191 
 
 branch of a large plant, nearly of the same thickness 
 as the stem of the stock; the stock is set on a bench 
 as high as the branch to be grafted on it. A cut, two 
 inches long, is made on one side of both stock and 
 graft in an arch form, and half through the shoots at 
 the middle of the cut, the graft and stock are placed 
 together, the two cuts are bent into each other, so 
 as to fit exactly, heart to heart, and bark to bark, 
 and tied tight together with a soft string. In three 
 months after the operation, they will be united, when 
 the graft can be cut from its parent close to the stock, 
 and the stock headed off, close to the graft. The 
 plant is then placed in the shade for a few weeks, 
 and makes a good growth the same year. The ope- 
 ration should be performed early in June. It will 
 be seen that the graft is attached to its parent, and 
 receiving nourishment from it, while it is uniting 
 with the stock ; and the head of the stock is left on 
 to draw up the sap, and assists the uniting. 
 
 LAYERING, 
 
 Is practised on carnations, roses, shrubs, and 
 many kinds of greenhouse plants, grape-vines, etc. 
 Select a young shoot of the present year's growth, 
 bend it down, and make a sloping hole in the ground 
 where the shoot comes in contact with it, from two 
 
192 THE COTTAGE GARDEN OF AMERICA. 
 
 to six inches deep, according to the kind of plant. 
 Now cut off the leaves on the part of the shoot that 
 is to be in the hole, enter the knife immediately be- 
 hind a bud which will be in the bottom of the hole, 
 half through the shoot, and split it upwards two 
 inches. Put some sand or earth in the split to keep 
 it open. Lay the shoot in the hole, push in a peg 
 or stick with a hook into the ground over the shoot, 
 behind the tongue or split, to keep it in its place. 
 Then break the earth fine, and fill up the hole. If 
 the soil is not naturally sandy, mix sharp sand with 
 it, above, below and around the split or tongue. 
 This will make it root more readily. The operation 
 may be performed from June till September. Car- 
 nations, grape-vines, roses, etc. will be well rooted 
 by fall. Shrubs, etc., will take fifteen months to be 
 well rooted. It will be seen that the layer is at- 
 tached to its parent, and receiving nourishment from 
 it, while it is making roots in the earth. When well 
 rooted, it can be dug up and planted where it is 
 wanted 
 
 SEEDS. 
 
 All plants have first originated from seeds. Dif- 
 ferent kinds of seeds may be sowed at different 
 times, according to their natures ; the larger the 
 seeds are, the deeper should they be sowed, and the 
 
THE COTTAGE GARDEN OF AMERICA. 193 
 
 smaller, the more shallow. Small seeds with hard 
 shells, should be scalded before they are sowed, or 
 well watered with boiling water immediately after. 
 Seeds of stone fruit trees, nuts, etc., should have 
 their shells broken, and taken off before sowino". 
 Seeds of trees, shrubs, etc. should be sowed in fall, 
 unless there be many land mice in the ground. All 
 kinds of seeds should have the earth well tramped 
 over them, and the soil kept moist until they sprout; 
 and they will vegetate more freely. 
 
 SUCKERS. 
 
 Many plants propagate themselves by throwing 
 up suckers from their root?, which make as good 
 plants as those propagated bv artificial means. Fruit 
 trees are an exception to thi^: they should never be 
 propagated by suckers. 
 
 DIVISIONS. 
 Many herbaceous plants are propagated by divi- 
 sions of the plant or roots. The daisy, polyanthus, 
 primrose, cowslip, etc. are propagated by divisions 
 of the plant. The plants are divided, and every 
 piece that has a heart to it will grow and soon make 
 
 a large plant. The roots of Perennial larkspurs, 
 
 17 
 
194 THE COTTAGE GARDEN OF AMERICA. 
 
 Moonkshoods, Peonas, Pie plant, Phlox, etc., increase 
 very fast. These roots are divided, and each piece 
 with a bud will make a plant. 
 
 LEAVES. 
 
 Some plants are propagated by leaves, the "wax 
 plant'' for example. Take a leaf with the foot stalk 
 attached : plant it with the foot stalk and part of the 
 leaf in the soil, and in a short time it will grow, and 
 make a plant. 
 
 All young plants should have the soil kept uni- 
 formly moist, and frequently stirred about them, and 
 kept free of weeds ; and many hardy kinds will be 
 benefited, by being slightly covered with manure or 
 litter, the first winter. 
 
 [NSECTS., 
 
 When greatly harrassed with enemies, we are apt 
 to think that all are enemies, and often vent our 
 wrath on our real friends through mistake. So it is 
 the case wuth insects ; birds, which are the great de- 
 stroyers of insects, are either shot, or frightened away 
 from our places ; and yet it is said that one small 
 bird consumes over a hundred destructive insects in 
 
THE COTTAGE GARDEN OF AMERICA. 195 
 
 a dny. We see that the trees in a forest are un- 
 touclied by insects, because birds shelter there 
 unmolested ; while those plants cultivated by us 
 with great care, are constantly preyed on hy insects. 
 We advise every cottager to encourage birds to 
 shelter in his gardens, and never let a gun be fired 
 on their places. Take advice from the Poet, 
 
 "Uon't kill the birds, the little birds, 
 That sing- about your door." 
 
 Insects which winter in the earth may be de- 
 stroyed by sowing fresh lime, ashes, soot, charcoal, 
 dust, salt, etc., over the ground in late fall or early 
 spring. The quantity to the rood, might be a half- 
 peck of lime, or peck of ashes, or half peck of char- 
 coal dust, or quart of soot. The same ingredient 
 should not be sowed every fall on the same piece 
 of ground. 
 
 Insects which nrake their nests of eggs on the clifts 
 of trees, etc., may be destroyed in winter by scra- 
 ping the nests ofl'and burning them. 
 
 Insects in manure heaps may be destroyed by 
 mixing lime or ashes with the manure, or by spread- 
 ing it over the ground in fall. 
 
 Insects which winter in the earth, and crawl up 
 the stems of trees in spring, may be prevented by 
 laying lime-ashes or tanners bark around the stems. 
 
 Caterpillars and Flies — which sting the fruit, may 
 be kept off, by sowing fresh slacked lime over the 
 
195 THE COTTAGE GARDEN OF AMERICA 
 
 heads of the trees wliile ihey are \vet with dew; or 
 by ranking fi;es under the trees in calm evenings, 
 of any thinf that will make an offensive smell ; to- 
 bacco shanks will do, but they should be uet, so as 
 not to blaze, which would hurt the trees. A stink- 
 inp' smoke is the thinq; needed.. 
 
 Wasps and Hornets — which destroy fine fruits, may 
 be prevented by hanging bottles of sour cider vine- 
 gar — sugar and water — molasses and water, en the 
 trees. 
 
 Rabbits and Mice — may be jirevented from eating 
 the bark of the stems of young trees in winter, by 
 tieing them up with cattle Manure, or tobacco shanks 
 around them. 
 
 Files y BiigSy and Slugs — may be destroyed by 
 sowing fresh slacked lime over the plants affected, 
 in the morning"^, while the dew^ is on them ; or 
 syringe them in the evenings with the whale oil soap 
 solution. 
 
 WHALE OIL SOAP SOLUTION, 
 
 Is made, by mixing one pound of soap with eight 
 gallons of water, twenty-four hours before using. 
 The soap can be had from our seeds and nursery- 
 men in large cities. They send it all over the 
 country. It is certain to drive oflC all insects, and 
 
THE COTTAGE GARDEN OF AMERICA. 197 
 
 was first discovered by Mr. David Ilaggerston, a 
 practical gardiner near Boston ; for which he got 
 the Massachusetts Horticultural Society's prize of 
 one hundred dollars. 
 
 TREE SALVE, 
 
 Is made of cattle manure and earth, in equal parts, 
 well mixed together with water. For large wounds 
 on trees; it may be mixed like good mortar, and 
 tied on with a cloth; for small wounds, it may be as 
 thick as cream, and rubbed over the wounds. 
 
 Scaly Insects — are destroyed by washing the plants 
 affected with warm water and soap, and a hard 
 brush. The Oleander is very much affected with 
 this insect, if kept in a cellar or other dark places in 
 winter. Take leaf by leaf, and wash the whole 
 plant ; the warm water irritates the insect, and 
 causes it to move, w^hen it is easily shelled off". It 
 will take several washings to cleanse a plant that is 
 much affected. 
 
 Grape-vine Insect — is a small white insect, hatched 
 in soft white wool on the clifts of the vines ; it lives 
 on the underside of the leaves, and when full grown, 
 is like a white butterffy in minature, with wings, and 
 is not a sixteenth part of an inch long, and half as 
 broad. It eats the leaves as thin as a cobweb. Sy- 
 
198 THE COTTAGE GARDEX OF AMERICA, 
 
 ^■ 3 
 
 ringe the plants afl'ected, with the whale oil soap 
 solution, and scrape od'lhc nests and burn them. 
 
 Chmatis Insect — is like a black clock, \*i.vy nim- 
 ble, and a greedy feeder ; eats the leaves of the 
 sweet scented clematis. It is always in great num- 
 bers, and will strip a large plant of its leaves in a 
 few days. Syringe the ph^nts affected with the whale 
 oil soap solution in the evenings ; and the next morri' 
 ing, the insects will all be found on the ground sick. 
 Gather them into a pail of hot water. It is said that 
 they destroy fields of })otatoe tops in Maryland. 
 
 Red Spider — is very troublesome in forcing houses, 
 and on plants in hot houses and greenhouses. Burn- 
 ing brimstone on the flews, keeps them down ; the 
 best plan is to search them out on the plants and 
 kill them ; and give the plants frequent syringings 
 with pure water. 
 
 Mealy Bug — is troublesome in hot houses. Search 
 ihem out on the plants and kill them, and give fre- 
 quent syringings. 
 
 Green Fly — When there are many pot plants kept 
 in a green house, the green fly may be killed by 
 burning tobacco in a small furnace in the green 
 bouse, in calm evenings, until it is very full of the 
 smoke. The tobacco should be wetted a little to 
 keep it from blazing; the plants should be well 
 syringed with pure v,-a!er next morning. 
 
 When there are but few pot plants, the insects 
 
THE COTTAGE GARDEN OF AMERICA. 109 
 
 may be brushed off the plants into a pail of hot 
 water, or they may be taken down to the cellar, set 
 close together, and a tight box or barrel placed over 
 them; makinof an auger hole on one side where it 
 rests on the ground, and placing a saucer with to- 
 bacco in it, at the hole. Burn the tobacco, and 
 blow it in at the hole, if it does not burn free. When 
 the box is full of smoke, stop up the hole and let it 
 remain two hours. Then take off the box, and give 
 the plants a good syringing with pure water. 
 
 Insects should be destroyed at all stages, never 
 pass one without killing it. 
 
 DISEASES. 
 
 Mildew — is a must or mould, the production of foul 
 air, caused by decomposition, and found on plants 
 of a strong odour when grown on a soil, and in an 
 atmosphere, unsuitable to their natures. The grape- 
 vine, peach tree, tea rose, cabbage, turnip, etc., are 
 nlants .if strong* odours, and are affected with the 
 mildew. When the grape-vine, peach tree, and tea 
 rose, are grown on light mellow soils, and high airy 
 situations, they are never troubled with mildew, but 
 when grown in forcing houses, where a high tem- 
 perature i.s kept up, often syringed, and but liltle 
 atmospheric air admitted, the leaves not being fur- 
 
200 THE COTTAGE GARDEN OF AMERICA. 
 
 nished with oxygenic matter enough to purify the 
 sap as it rises from the rools, it is sent on its down- 
 ward course in its undigested state; which destroys 
 the health of the plant : so vegetation ceases, and 
 decomposition takes place. The strong effluvia 
 which the plant now emits, putrifies the air around 
 it, and falls back on it in the form of mildew. The 
 plants are now dusted over with sulphur, w^hich 
 contains a very great porticn of oxygenic matter. 
 This purifies the air again, vegetation begins, and 
 the plants look healthier ; but if the sulphur is not 
 soon applied again, the plant falls back to its old 
 state. Lime contains a large portion of oxygenic 
 matter, and if slacked in the forcing house, and the. 
 walls white w^ashed with it, the air will be greatly 
 purified by it, as much of the oxygenic matter escapes 
 from the lime, and mixes with the nitrogen in the 
 air. If the plants are frequently syringed with sul- 
 phur and lime dissolved in water, the air will in a mea- 
 sure be kept sweet, and continue vegetation, which 
 of course will prevent decomposition. When cab- 
 bages and turnips are grown on moist soils, and 
 moist atmospheres they are never troubled with rail- 
 dew^ ; but when grown on dry soils and dry atmos- 
 pheres, they become mildewed, because they are 
 unsuitable to their natures ; both roots and leaves 
 being deprived of moisture, vegetation is stopped, 
 and decomposition ensues. The plants now emit a 
 
THE COTTAGE GARDEN OF AMERICA. 201 
 
 very strong effluvia which putrifies the air around 
 them, and which falls back on them in the form of 
 mildew, and if a full supply of water is not soon fur- 
 nished to the plants, to cause a reaction, the whole 
 plants will in a short time be covered with the mil- 
 dew. But if water is furnished at the proper time, 
 vegetation will commence and the mildew disap- 
 pear. It is not the mildew that hurts the plants, but 
 the decomposiiion which putrifies the air and makes 
 the mildew. If a pound of Hour of sulphur, and a 
 pound of lump lime be dissolved in thirty-two gal- 
 lons of water, it will tend greatly to purify the air, 
 if frequently syringed over the plants growing in for- 
 cing houses; which will continue vegetation, and 
 of course there will be no mildew. And if cabbages, 
 turnips, etc., are well supplied with water, vegeta- 
 tion will continue, and there will be no mildew. 
 
 rhe above is different from any article we ever 
 i-ead on the subject: yet we could use many illustra- 
 tions to prove its correctness. Let us go to Agricul- 
 ture, and there we will find wheat w^hich delights in 
 a dry atmosphere, and is very odourous when in its 
 milky or sugary state ; if the w^eather at that time be 
 close, hot, moist and cloudy, vegetation is checked, 
 decomposition takes place, and mildew is produced. 
 But if the weather be dry and sunny, there will be 
 no mildew. Again, if straw is spread out loosely 
 while wetj there appears no change in it when it 
 
202 THE COTTAGE GARDEN OF AMERICA. 
 
 becomes dry; but if it is put into a stack while wet, 
 and tramped down, it will soon begin to decompose, 
 and then if it is forked over, we find that the heart 
 of the stock is entirely covered with mildew. And 
 again, we find abundance of mildew among the de- 
 composing vegetable matter in dung heaps; and if 
 buried in the earth before it is entirely decomposed, it 
 will produce a host of funguses which will be rank 
 poison. 
 
 MOSS, 
 
 Is a parasite plant of an hermaphrodite nature, pro- 
 pagating itself all over within the reach of its multi- 
 plying influence ; and when found growing on trees 
 or other woody plants, it is a sure indication that 
 such plants are in an unhealthy state. When grow- 
 ing on trees, scrape it ofT with a cattle's rib, or strong 
 iron hoop, and dig aw^ay the earth from the tree as 
 far as its roots extend ; and then fill up the place 
 with short manure and soil of an opposite nature to 
 that dug out. If it stands on a high and dry place, 
 give it frequent waterings through the summer. If 
 the place where it stands is low and wet, a drain 
 should be dug around the tree, and another to carry 
 off the water. 
 
THE COTTAGE GARDEN OF AMERICA 203 
 
 GUM. 
 
 When stone fruit trees have gum oozing out of 
 them, the gum should be scraped off; cut off any 
 loose bark around the place, and if a part of the 
 wood is dead, it should be cut out into the live parts, 
 and the wound covered over with the tree salve, 
 which see 
 
 WOUNDS. 
 When trees and other woody plants, get hurts or 
 wounds, pare off all the loose bark around the 
 wounds, and cover them over with the tree salve. 
 
 CANKER. 
 
 When trees are cankered, cut the part out into 
 the fresh live wood, and cover the wound with the 
 tree salve. 
 
 When a branch is killed by lightning, cut it off at 
 once. 
 
 When a branch gets broken by high winds, saw 
 it off below where it broke, and smooth the wound 
 with the knife, and cover it over with the tree salve ; 
 if the bark is stripped off below where it broke, cover 
 that with the tree salve. 
 
204 THE COTTAGE GARDEN OF AMERICA. 
 
 When a fruit tree grows very luxuriant, and does 
 not bear fruits, dig the earth away fiom around it, 
 cut part of its roots, and fdl up the place with small 
 stones, gravel, or sand. This is called " Root 
 pruning." 
 
 CALENDAR FOR JANUARY. 
 
 Clear the garden of all dead crops and their sup- 
 ports, cover with straw all culinary vegetables left 
 in the open ground ; cover bulbous roots with man- 
 ure ; collect all the manure possible, and spread it 
 over the vacant ground ; prepare bean poles, pea 
 brush, labeling sticks, tieing up sticks; prepare a 
 heap of compost for pot plants ; mix some of the 
 manure taken out of the hot bed in it ; clear out the 
 hot bed to its bottom ; prune fruit and shade trees, 
 shrubs, hardy roses, etc. ; tie up half hardy roses and 
 other plants with a covering of straw; clip hedges, 
 make drains, search out insects nests on trees, 
 etc., and burn them ; sow lime, ashes, soot, salt, 
 charcoal dust, etc., over the ground, and the grass 
 plat, to kill insects ; mend fences, arbours, etc. ; 
 look over the seeds, and see that they are all pro- 
 perly labeled, and keeping well ; ako the vegetables 
 in the cellar, and onion sets in the garret ; see that 
 the pickles and preserves do not ferment and get 
 sour ; pick dead leaves ofif pot plan's, wash the green 
 
THE COTTAGE GARDEN OF AMERICA. 205 
 
 leaves with a sponge and pure water; syringe them 
 over head on mild days; keep them in a tempera- 
 ture above forty degrees over night, and fifty in the 
 day-time ; give them as much light as possible, and 
 but little water, except when in bloom ; apply the 
 water in the mornings; destroy all insects on them, 
 and stir the earth on top of the pots. 
 
 CALENDAR FOR FEBRUARY. 
 
 Whatever was omitted last month, do this month. 
 Procure horse manure and tanner's bark, to make a 
 hot bed; get the seeds which are to be sowed in the 
 hot bed separated from the rest, to be in readiness 
 w^hen wanted ; look over the fruits, vegetables, onion 
 sets, summer bulbs, pickles and preserves, to see 
 that they are keeping well ; shift pot plants that are 
 growing in too small pots, into larger ones ; scrape 
 off the soil at the mouth of the pots, and put on fresh 
 rich soil in its place. 
 
 CALENDAR FOR MARCH. 
 
 Make hot beds early; sow in them, egg-plants, 
 tomatoes, early cabbage, lettuce, radish, tender 
 annuals, peppers, etc., give air as needed; transplant 
 
 18 
 
206 THE COTTAGE GARDEN OF AMERICA. 
 
 trees, shrubs, hardy roses, hedges, evergreens, etc. ; 
 dig and sow early peas, beets, carrots, radishes, let- 
 tuce, pepper-grass, celery, parsley, parsnips, salsafy, 
 etc. ; plant early potatoes, onion sets, culinary vege- 
 table plants, to grow seeds; prune grape-vines early; 
 transplant into the open ground, early cabbage and 
 lettuce, cauliflowers, etc., which have been kept in cool 
 frames all winter; remove the covering off bulbous 
 roots, and vegetables which have been in the open 
 ground through the winter; re-pot plants, that need 
 it; clear them of insects, dead leaves, etc.; wash 
 and syringe the leaves; open the door and w^indow 
 on them on mild days ; look over fruits, vegetables, 
 pickles and preserves, to see that they are keeping 
 well ; if the ground has not been all manured, do it 
 now ; dig in the manure betw^een the rows of straw- 
 berries, and cut off the runners, unless they are 
 wanted for to make new beds; tie up and prune 
 raspberries if not already done ; dig between the 
 rows ; give new sticks if needed ; prune currants if 
 not done ; dig in short manure about them ; do the 
 same with gooseberries; if trees, shrubs, etc., have 
 not been pruned, do it now^ ; and dig in the manure on 
 asparagus beds; make new asparagus beds, sow also 
 the seeds ; plant artichokes, pie plant, pot herbs, etc.; 
 mend fences, arbours, etc. ; transplant trees, shrubs, 
 hardy roses, and perennial roots. 
 
THE COTTAGE GARDEN OF AMERICA. 207 
 
 CALENDAR FOR APRIL. 
 
 Attend to hot beds ; water, air, and weed, when 
 needed ; dig up every vacant spot in the garden ; 
 any thing that was omitted last month, do now ; sow 
 peas, beets, carrots, radishes, lettuce, pepper-grass, 
 end of the month, to succeed these sowed last month ; 
 plant strawberries, early corn, bush beans, box edg- 
 ings, etc. ; clear up every spot of the garden, dig 
 up the flower beds, and sow hardy annuals on them ; 
 plant perennials, roses, etc., also biennials, where 
 wanted ; give pot plants a fuller supply of water 
 now, keep them free of insects, dead leaves, dust, 
 etc. ; give plenty of light, and air, on mild days ; sow 
 onion seeds, summer herbs, etc. ; transplant trees, 
 shrubs, evergreens, roses, etc. 
 
 CALENDAR FOR MAY. 
 
 Any thing omitted last month, do early this month. 
 Set bean poles, and plant the beans around them ; 
 plant bush beans, cucumbers, musk melons, water 
 melons, squashes, nasturtiums, early and late pota- 
 toes, strawberries, evergreens, shrubs, roses ; sow 
 half hardy annuals in the flower beds; plant peren- 
 nials, biennials, and plants that have been kept in 
 
208 THE COTTAGE GARDEN OF AMERICA. 
 
 the house all winter, such as verbenias, pituneas, 
 heliotropes, geraniums, vincas, fuchsias, plumbagos, 
 salvias, etc. ; also procure some new varieties for a 
 change; hoe between the rows of strawberries: 
 cut off all runners, spread short grass or straw be- 
 tween them, pick and eat the fruit of Buist's " Prize 
 Seedling," and "Early May;" both are choice early 
 kinds ; hoe between the rows of peas, and slick in 
 the brush for them to climb on ; thin out and hoe 
 between the row^s of beets, carrots, parsnips, salsafy, 
 radishes, etc., and keep every thing in first rate 
 order ; give pot plants a liberal supply of water and 
 air; keep them clear of insects and dead leaves, 
 syringing over head frequently ; tie up any that need 
 it, neatly, with tastiful sticks ; re-pot any that need 
 it. They may be set out in the open air by the end 
 of the month, but keep in geraniums and others that 
 are in flower, and their bloom will be prolonged ; 
 plant dahlia roots, and tender bulbs. 
 
 CALENDAR FOR JUNE. 
 
 Open your mouths wide this month, tolef'Hovey's 
 seedling strawberries" get in. O, how delicious! is 
 there any thing in this world to equal them ? This 
 is a pleasant month in the garden ; fruits, flowers, 
 and vegetables, delicious, fragrant, and wholesome, 
 
THE COTTAGE GARDEN OF AMERICA. 209 
 
 t^ — 
 
 put forward your hand and help yourself; don't be 
 afraid, there is abundance. 
 
 Whatever was omitted last month do now ; trans- 
 plant all the plants in the hot bed, into the open 
 ground, if not done last month ; transplant cabbages, 
 celery, leeks, peppers, and all others that are fit ; 
 sow late beets, carrots, corn, etc. ; sow endive bro- 
 coli, radish, lettuce, bush beans, etc. ; hoe up and 
 rake off weeds ; mow the grass plat, every two 
 weeks; sow annual flowers for late flowering; cut 
 off dead flowers, of roses, etc.; plant dahlias, shift 
 pot plants into larger pots that need it, syringe them 
 over head every night, destroy insects on trees, 
 bushes, etc., keep the whole garden in the finest 
 style, any of the pot plants which were kept in the 
 house all last month, may now be put out, tie up 
 grape-vines as they progress in growth, nip off all 
 latters, give dahlias and other flowers, neat tieing up 
 sticks for supports, and keep them neatly tied upj 
 train flowering vines up where wanted, water newly 
 planted trees, shrubs, roses, vines, etc., also newly 
 sowed seeds, if the weather continues dry. 
 
 CALENDAR FOR JULY. 
 
 Here comes delicious raspberries, apricots, goose- 
 berries, cherries, currants, early peaches, melons, etc 
 Whatever was undone last month, do now; give 
 
210 THE COTTAGE GARDEN OF AMERICA. 
 
 plenty of water to pot plants, and syringe them over 
 head every evening, sow ruta baga and yellow aber- 
 deen turnips, transplant cabbage, celery, kale, leek, 
 brocoli, endive, etc. , hoe, rake, and keep down weeds, 
 thin out such crops as need it, sow annual flowers 
 for late flowering, sow biennial and perennial seeds to 
 bloom next year, cut off all dead flowers as they 
 fade, and keep every thing in the finest taste. 
 
 CALENDAR FOR AUGUST. 
 
 Ripe apples, pears, peaches, plums, melons, etc., 
 are in abundance, also fragrant flowers, and whole- 
 some vegetables w^ithout measure. 
 
 Do all that was omitted last month ; plant late 
 beans, cucumbers, etc., for pickling and fall use; 
 transplant such plants that are fit, and water all that 
 need it; sow ruta baga and yellow aberdeen turnips 
 early, and red tops late ; gather seeds as they be- 
 come ripe, thresh out clean, label, and paper them 
 up ; eaVth up celery and endive on dry days ; late 
 cabbage and celery may yet be planted ; sow Spanish 
 radish, destroy insects every where, cut ofT all dead 
 flowers, remove matured crops, and sow or plant the 
 ground at once, give pot plants plenty of water ; cut 
 in pituneas, verbenias, etc., that may have over- 
 grown the edges of the walks, or are overtoping other 
 
THE COTTAGE GARDEN OF AMERICA. 211 
 
 plants; renew the ashes or lime around peach, plum 
 or apricot trees, to keep off the cut worm, and exam- 
 ine if there be none in the trees ; if so, kill them ; 
 all kinds of pot plants should be shifted and get 
 fresh soil end of this month ; don't let a weed nor an 
 insect live a day. 
 
 CALENDAR FOR SEPTEMBER. 
 
 Plenty of ripe, rich, and delicious apples, peaches, 
 pears, grapes, melons, etc., and no scarcity of flowers 
 and vegetables, to please our sight, scent, and 
 palate. 
 
 Sow late spinach, scurvy grass, lettuce, early cab- 
 bage, red top turnip, Spanish radish ; plant out 
 onions for early spring use, and to produce seeds; 
 dig up late potatoes, and other matured crops ; earth 
 up celery and endive ; tie up dahlias and other 
 flowers; hoe rake and keep down weeds; plant out 
 strawberries. 
 
 CALENDAR FOR OCTOBER. 
 
 Mind your heads — don't you see those large apples, 
 peaches, pears, grapes and quinces falling? plenty 
 of fragrant flowers and wholesome vegetables ; gather 
 in apples and pears before they are fully ripe ; pack 
 
212 THE COTTAGE GARDEN OF AMERICA. 
 
 them carefully ; pick all with the hand within reach; 
 make splendid preserves of the quinces, and rich 
 catsup of ripe tomatoes ; gather in cucumbers and 
 beans for pickling, also nasturtiums ; make mangoes 
 of small melons and large peppers ; fill boxes, bar- 
 rels, pots, mugs, and jars, of the riches of the earth, 
 and all your own produce ; every husbandman has 
 his harvest ; now is the industrious cottagers, must 
 be up and doing; "he that sleepeth in harvest, 
 hungereth in winter ;'' gather in all crops as they 
 become matured ; cut off all dead flowers, and keep 
 free of weeds; take all pot plants into the house; 
 wash the pots first, and syringe the plants well ; give 
 them plenty of light, air and water ; plant bulbs. 
 
 CALENDAR FOR NOVEMBER. 
 
 " Chill November surly blasts. 
 Make fields and forests bare.' 
 
 Not so with the garden ; see how the apple and 
 pear trees are loaded ! gather in the rest of the deli- 
 cious grapes; there's a lot of large quinces left yet; 
 how splendid them dahlias, chrysanthemums, roses, 
 slavias, pituneas, vincas, verbenias, honeysuckles, 
 etc., look! they make me think that it is summer; 
 see how green those cabbages, celery, turnips, 
 radishes, beets, carrots, parsnips, salsafy, beans, 
 
THE COTTAGE GARDEN OF AMERICA. 213 
 
 leeks, brocoli, etc., all look! give us a drink of that 
 sweet cider ! 
 
 All fruits and root vegetables may be gathered in 
 this month ; also dahlia and cobia roots • 
 
 "House full; cellar full; where can we live?" 
 tie up; cut off dead flowers; hoe and rake, and 
 keep every thing tidy; transplant lettuce and early 
 cabbage plants into the cool frame ; give pot plants 
 plenty of light and air, but water sparingly ; keep 
 the cellar door open all day to let off the sweat of 
 the newly stored fruits and vegetables ; dig up ten- 
 der bulbs; transplant trees, shrubs, hardy roses, etc. 
 
 CALENDAR FOR DECEMBER. 
 
 Now we have got the finisher of the out-door gar- 
 den ; there are still chrysanthemums, roses, honey- 
 suckles, pituneas, verbenias, china pinks, china asters, 
 etc., in bloom; many of the parlour collection of pot 
 plants, are in great splendour; epiphyllums, roses, 
 heliotropes, camellias, chrysanthemums, scarlet ger- 
 aniums, passiflorias, bignonias, salveas, vincas, etc., 
 are all in bloom ; and the sweet scented kinds per- 
 fume the whole air of the parlour; celery and late 
 cabbages should now get their winter quarters ; all 
 crops should now be gathered in and placed in their 
 winter's quarters ; tie up all half hardy plants with 
 
214 THE COTTAGE GARDEN OF AMERICA. 
 
 straw for winter ; see article on the protection of 
 roses ; cover bulbous roots with manure ; and vege- 
 tables that are to be left out in the open ground, 
 cover with straw, such as spinach, scurvy grass, let- 
 tuce, etc ; clear the asparagus beds of dead stalks, 
 and cover it with rotted manure ; clear the whole 
 garden of faded flowers and vegetables, and spread 
 the vacant places with manure; dig out the manure 
 in the hot bed box; mix part of it in the compost 
 for pot plants ; prune grape-vines early in this month . 
 also shrubs, hardy roses, fruit and shade trees, etc. ; 
 transplant trees, shrubs, hardy roses, grape-vines, 
 etc; leave nothing undone, nor unprotected, this 
 month. 
 
 The above calendar is suitable for the latitude of 
 Philadelphia; those for south, or for north of it, must 
 be guided by the earliness or lateness of their sea- 
 sons, as no calendar can be suitable for all latitudes, 
 especially in such an extensive country as ours. 
 
 KEEPING PIGS. 
 
 Every cottager should keep one or two pigs, as 
 they can live much on the refuse of the garden, and 
 make the richest kind of manure for the soil. 
 
 The grass breed — are white, short legged, easy 
 kept, sweet meat, small bone and large hams. 
 
THE COTTAGE GARDEN OF AMERICA. 216 
 
 The Berkshire breed — is a neat pig, with short nose, 
 short pricked-up ears, short legs, small bone, large 
 hams, good natured, and easy kept. 
 
 KEEPING POULTRY, 
 
 Is very profitable for the cottager ; the common 
 hen is among the best, but should be kept up while 
 the seeds are sown in the garden, indeed they will 
 get more picking about the way side, than in the 
 garden, and should not be too much encouraged at 
 home, as they are bad gardiners. 
 
 Bucks — are very profitable where there is a creek 
 or pond near by ; they are seldom in the garden in 
 summer, and don't scratch, but devour a host of de- 
 structive insects. 
 
 Geese — are also very profitable, when a creek or 
 pond is near by. 
 
 Tarkies — are not so easily raised, or so profitable, 
 as any of the others, and are less suitable for the cot- 
 tage, unless the cottager understands their nature ; 
 the young ones are often attacked with a staggering 
 disease, and die off very rapidly. 
 
216 
 
 THE COTTAGE GARDEN OF AMERICA. 
 
 A DIALOGUE, 
 
 BETWEEN TWO COUSINS, AND OLD SCHOOLFELLOWS. 
 
 Adam is a city mechanic, the owner of a house 
 and lot. Ben, is a country mechanic, the owner of 
 a cottage, and garden of a quarter of an acre, and a 
 large workshop. Ben, calls on Adam, unexpectedly 
 on a sabbath morning. 
 
 B. Good morning, Adam! 
 
 A. Good morning, Ben ! come and see my garden ! 
 
 B. What a small spot you have got! 
 
 A. Do you call two roods a small spot? look how 
 many kinds of plants are grown on it, which yield 
 flowers and fragrance from March till Christmas 
 
 2 Daily roses. 
 
 12 Hyacinths, 
 
 2 Noisette, 
 
 12 Crocuses, 
 
 2 Bourbon, 
 
 3 Carnation pinks. 
 
 2 Remontant, 
 
 3 Paisley " 
 
 1 Moss, 
 
 2 China « 
 
 1 Cabbage, 
 
 2 Vinca rosas, 
 
 1 Damask, 
 
 2 Salvias, 
 
 1 MultiHora, 
 
 6 Verbenias, 
 
 1 Piaiiie, 
 
 3 Pituneas, 
 
 1 j\Iusk cluster. 
 
 2 Heliotropes, 
 
 1 Bourtault, 
 
 2 Sweet Alysums, 
 
 1 Evergreen Honeysuckle, 3 Phloxes, 
 
THE COTTAGE GARDEN OF AMERICA. 217 
 
 1 Monthly Honeysuckle, 2 Calceolarias, 
 1 Coral " 1 Plumbago Capensis, 
 
 1 Sweet scented Clematis, 6 Chrysanthemums, 
 1 Sweet " Jasamine, 1 Euonymus japonica, 
 1 Scarlet Pyrus, 2 Mignionette patches, 
 
 1 Hydrangea Hortensis, 2 Escholtzias, 
 12 Tulips, 2 Portulaccas, 
 
 These have a different appearance, and scent from 
 the long grass, thistles, nettles, single holyhocks, sun- 
 flowers, etc., which cover your quarter of an acre. 
 Now look at Sarah's pot plants, wdiich scent and 
 bloom from November till June. 
 2 Camellia japonicas, 1 Lemon tree, 
 
 4 Geraniums, 1 Acacia, 
 
 2 Azalias, 1 Kennedia, 
 
 1 Heliotrope, 1 Ardisia, 
 
 1 Daphne Odora, 1 Myrtle, 
 
 1 Euphorbia, 3 Tea roses, 
 
 2 Epiphyllums, 6 Hyacinths, 
 
 Now these plants are a great pleasure to us; they 
 are like children to us ; if you country folks could 
 take an interest in your gardens, you would have 
 some pleasure of your lives: but there is no taste in 
 the country. Ah, Ben! if you had only come to the 
 city when your apprenticeship was out, you would 
 have been a different man than you are to-day. 
 
 B. Adam, you are perhaps labouring under a mis- 
 take. If you will take a sail up the river with me, 
 
 19 
 
218 THE COTTAGE GARDEN OF AMERICA. 
 
 this afternoon, and see my cottage and garden, you 
 will be an altered man when you return. 
 
 A. Go to see your garden ! let me tell you, that 
 the last time I saw it, I was so much disgusted at its 
 condition, that I resolved never to set my foot in it 
 again ; and now it is five years since. 
 
 B. Don't you know that we live in an age of im- 
 provements ? 
 
 A. You love the hole below your nose too well to 
 care about improvements, but I will take a sail up 
 with you to get a change of air. 
 
 B. Now we will soon be in sight of my cottage. 
 
 A. There is a handsome carriage house. 
 
 B. That is my workshop ! 
 
 A. Who owns it ? 
 
 B. I am its owner. 
 
 A. There are two noble shade trees, growing on 
 the side walk in front of that beautiful cottage. Let 
 us stop and refresh ourselves under them. 
 
 B. I planted those trees with my own hands, and 
 that is my cottage. 
 
 A. Your cottage ! nonsense ! 
 
 B. Come into the house and rest yourself. 
 
 A. What a fine place you have got ! that is a neat, 
 well painted front fence ; the flower plat between it 
 and the house, with the evergreen in the centre is 
 beautiful, and that verandah over the door, covered 
 with flowering vines, looks well. 
 
THE COTTAGE GARDEN OF AMERICA. 219 
 
 B. Come round to the back of the house. 
 
 A. What a fine shady place you have got here ! 
 "what is that falling ? 
 
 B. It is the luscious clusters of my vines. 
 
 A. What a fine garden this is ? 
 
 B. Walk down and see it. 
 
 A. What are those big red apples lying there for? 
 
 B. They are Hovey's seedling strawberry. 
 
 A. Are those pumkins on that tree ? 
 
 B. They are apple shaped quince. 
 
 A. Are them ruta bagas on that tree ? 
 
 B. They are dutchess d'Angolime pears. 
 
 A. Are those nutmeg melons on that tree ? 
 
 B. They are Rhode Island greening apples. 
 
 A. Are those cantelopes on that tree ? 
 
 B. They are Crawford's melacoton peaches. 
 
 A. Are those oranges on that tree ? 
 
 B. They are moorpark apricots. 
 
 A. Are those maiden blush apples on that tree } 
 
 B. They are Jefferson plums. 
 
 A. What big black plums on that tree ? 
 
 B. They are black tartarian cherries. 
 
 A. What place is that covered with roses and 
 Honeysuckles ? 
 
 B. That's a shady bower with seats in it. 
 
 A. Is that another shady bower, covered with 
 sweet scented clematis and roses ? 
 
 B. That's a building for the use of the family. 
 
220 THE COTTAGE GARDEN OF AMERICA. 
 
 A. What other place is that covered with Gly- 
 scines and Jasmines. 
 
 B. That's the pig pen. Jane is calling us to tea ! 
 come up ! 
 
 A. Jane, you have got a splendid place here. 
 Ben, I would like to know when and how this refor- 
 mation took place. 
 
 B. A few weeks after you were here ; the temper- 
 ance folks had a meeting, and me and Jane went to 
 it. Mr. Delavan came up to us, and asked us so 
 kindly to take the pledge that we had not the power 
 to refuse. Shortly after that, our preacher got us to 
 join the church, I began to get so much work to do, 
 that I have had three men ever since. Mr. P. our 
 merchant in the village, sent for me to go down there 
 on the Friday evening, to attend a meeting for the 
 improvement of the township. I went, Lawyer S. 
 made a speech, he said ^* that we were getting 
 entirely behind the age. The cottage garden in 
 every county and state was improving ; and we, who 
 were enjoying the blessings of a free government 
 along with others, ought not to remain in our dor- 
 mant state. We should be up and doing. Let us 
 form a saving society, to assist in purchasing fruit 
 trees, flowers, and a better kind of vegetables ; let 
 every body in the township become a member, and 
 pay in from one dime to one dollar per month, and 
 we will soon have the finest cottage gardens in the 
 
THE COTTAGE GARDEN OF AMERICA. 221 
 
 country. Nothing gives a sweeter relish to life than 
 a pleasant and happy home ; and nothing can be 
 more pleasing than to have our cottages surrounded 
 with delicious fruits, fragrant flowers and wholesome 
 vegetables. And more than that, it makes a favour- 
 able impression on the stranger travelling through 
 the country, of our happy condition in life ; and 
 exalts the character of our country abroad." I be- 
 came a member at once, and have paid in a dollar 
 per month ever since. So every plant in our garden 
 has been got from the society, and we have never 
 missed the money ; and now we have some pleasure 
 in taking care of our garden, as we have something 
 worth taking care of. 
 
 A. A blessing has come over you ; but it is time 
 for me to go home. 
 
 B. Stop ! Jane has something to send to Sarah. 
 Jane — Adam ! take this basket home to Sarah. 
 A. What is in it ? 
 
 Jane — Some pots of preserves, one of strawberries, 
 one of gooseberries, one of currants, one of cherries, 
 one of apricots, one of peaches, one of plums, one 
 of quinces, one of pears, one of apple butter; a bot- 
 tle of sweet cider, a bottle of tomato catsup, a bottle 
 of pickled nasturtiums ; six bunches of grapes, a 
 dozen of apples, and a dozen of pears, of last year's 
 growth. Tell Sarah that they all grew in our own 
 garden. Here are also a paper of dried herbs, and 
 
 19* 
 
222 THE COTTAGE GARDEN OF AMERICA. 
 
 a paper of caraway seeds, some pickled peppers 
 and cucumbers, and two mangoes. 
 
 A. I have always thought that there could be no 
 pleasure in a country life ; but now w^hen I see you 
 enjoying so many of the necessaries and luxuries 
 of life, the produce of your own garden, and at all 
 times breathing the pure air, I am ready to say with 
 the songster : 
 
 " O give me my lowly thatched cottage agam ; 
 The birds singing gayly that come at my call." 
 
 I cannot see how it was that I chose a city life. I 
 am an altered man since I left home. 
 
 EXTRACT. 
 
 THE MATRIMONIAL GARDEN. 
 
 Man is formed for social enjoyment, and if it be 
 allowed that " it is not good for him to be alone," it 
 may justly be inferred that it is not good for woman 
 to be alone. Hence a union of interests indicates a 
 union of persons, for their mutual benefit. By this 
 union, a sort of seclusion from the rest of our species 
 takes place, and as a garden in a retired apartment, 
 appropriated to propagation, cultivation and improve- 
 ment the married state may be compared to it in 
 
THE COTTAGE GARDEN OP AMERICA. 223 
 
 many respects. I wish to instruct young adventurers 
 in this garden, on the nature of the different plants 
 grown in it, and caution them not to dream of per- 
 manent happiness. The entrance to this garden is 
 very gay and glittering. The first path is about 
 thirty steps in length, and is strewed with flowers of 
 rare beauty and fragrance. This is called " the honey 
 moon path" at the end of this path, the garden opens 
 in a vast variety of ways. You will meet a beautiful 
 flower called " Good Humor ;" take a large sprig in 
 your hand, and never let it go. There is a low un- 
 sightly plant called Indifference ; do not touch it, 
 you will know where it grows by the coolness of the 
 air that surround it. Near this is that deadly plant 
 called Jealousy ; never look at it, as it has marred 
 the happiness of thousands. You will meet crooked 
 paths inscribed on their entrance, ** I am right," do 
 not enter them, for they occasion endless disputes. 
 There is a rough sturdy plant called Obstinacy ; 
 avoid it as you would the cholera. There is a lovely 
 plant called Compliance, which bears a delicious 
 fruit ; never be without a large sprig of it. There is 
 an important plant called Economy ; cultivate it with 
 care. There are two other plants of the same spe- 
 cies called Industry and Frugality ; keep a good 
 supply of each. There are three plants which the 
 fair sex should cultivate, called Regularity, Exact- 
 ness and Simplicity. There is a sweet, modest plant 
 
224 THE COTTAGE GARDEN OF AMERICA. 
 
 deserves good culture, called Humility, it adds a 
 charm to life, and spreads a fragrance around its 
 wearer. There is a compartment of the garden for 
 raising young plants called the Nursery ; these young 
 plants are frail, and liable to be destroyed by every 
 blast. Should you witness a fade on the dawning 
 beauties of a young plant. Oh ! how your fond hearts 
 will bleed with tender affection ! should it live and 
 thrive, spare no pains to " train it up in the way it 
 should go," weed it, water it, prune it. It will need 
 all the cultivator's skill ; without this, many baneful 
 weeds will grow up with it, and blast your fondest 
 hopes. Without careful cultivation, what can you 
 expect, but that the growth of unruly appetites, will 
 in time break forth, in disgraceful irregularities. 
 Anger, like a prickly thorn, will arm the temper with 
 untractable moroseness ; Peevishness, like a stinging 
 nettle, will render the conversation irksome and for- 
 bidding ; Avarice, like a choking weed, will teach 
 the fingers to gripe, and the hands to oppress ; Re- 
 venge, like a poisonous plant, replete with baneful 
 juices, will rankle in the breast, and meditate mis- 
 chief to its neighbour ; unbridled Lusts, like swarms 
 of noisome insects, will taint each rising thought, 
 and render ^' every imagination of the heart only 
 evil continually," such are the usual products of un- 
 restrained nature ; such the furniture of uncultivated 
 minds; by all means then clear the soil by careful 
 
THE COTTAGE GARDEN OF AMERICA. 225 
 
 instruction ; implant the seeds of virtue, " direct the 
 young idea how to shoot," the wayward passions 
 how to move. Then the mature man will become 
 the chief ornament of the garden. Around him, 
 Charity, will breathe her sweets, and in his branches 
 Hope expand her blossoms ; in him the personal 
 virtues will display their graces, and the social ones 
 their fruit; the sentiments will become generous, 
 the carriage endearing, the life useful, and the end 
 happy. 
 
 THE COTTAGE. 
 
 Having passed through the matrimonial garden, 
 we now arrive at the cottage which the united 
 *' happy pair" are to occupy. If it is situated alone 
 by the way side, or in a small scattered village, it 
 should never exceed one and a half stories in height, 
 and have the roof sloping on all sides, and some 
 other form than square should be adopted, Gothic 
 style is suitable, and it should invariably stand 
 twenty feet off the way side ; with a neat light fence 
 in front. The cottages on the same way side, or in 
 the same small village, should differ as much as pos- 
 sible in their forms, and modes of construction, so as 
 to give a pleasing variety ; but none should be of 
 tall, narrow construction. These narrow, naked 
 
226 THE COTTAGE GARDEN OF AMERICA. 
 
 three story houses are unsightly when standing alone, 
 and they should never be chosen by cottagers, un- 
 less in a town or thickly settled village, where the 
 nakedness of one house is hid by its next neighbour; 
 every cottage should have a porch, or verandah, 
 over its front door, to train flowering vines upon, 
 and serve as a pleasant, shady seat in the summer 
 time. Cottagers intending to put up cottages for 
 themselves, should procure a drawing, count the 
 cost, and keep that within the bounds of their capi- 
 tal ; contract with an honest builder to put it up, 
 and finish it, for so much. Those putting up cot- 
 tages for rent, should make them convenient, and 
 of a size suitable for the purpose intended. All per- 
 sons of fine taste, prefer a neat convenient small 
 house, to one that is more roomy if of common- 
 looking constructions. Ladies and Gentlemen who 
 have farmers and gardiners living on their premises, 
 should furnish them with neat comfortable cottages, 
 near to the side of the most public road passing their 
 places, if that is not too far from their labour. Every 
 body looks up to those richer than themselves for 
 examples ; so every lady and gentleman should 
 create a fine taste for building in the neighbourhood 
 where they reside, by erecting neat cottages for their 
 working hands. 
 
 We, while in the capacity of head gardener to 
 private gentlemen, occupied some very neat and 
 
THE COTTAGE GARDEN OF AMERICA. 2S7 
 
 comfortable cottages. When in the service of Ed- 
 ward C. Delavan, Esq., (Champion of temperance,) 
 we had that unique cottage at the corner of his noted 
 flower garden in Albany, N. Y. It had three rooms 
 on the first floor, and a good garret, and was finely 
 shaded with a grape-vine arbour, which stretched 
 over it ; a neat bleaching green behind it, and a 
 pump and well of " pure cold water" for our private 
 use- 
 While in the service of Robert Donaldson Esq., 
 we were the first to occupy that neat cottage, so 
 widely known as the " gardener's house at Blithe- 
 wood," and so favourably noticed in Downing's 
 book on landscape gardening. There was an eighth 
 of an acre of excellent ground attached to it ; enclosed 
 with a close board fence, and stocked with choice 
 fruit trees, as a garden for us ; and a good well and 
 windlass for our private use, and also a neat hog 
 pen. The cottage had three rooms, on the first floor, 
 and two rooms above, and a fine cellar ; the tw^o 
 upper rooms were then occupied by the pious and 
 philanthropic Miss Isabella Donaldson, sister to our 
 employer, as a Sunday School. All the youths of 
 the neighbourhood assembled there on Sunday after- 
 noons, and we were an assistant teacher. 
 
 While in the service of Dr. Peter Wendell of Al' 
 bany, N. Y., he put up a neat cottage for us, with 
 four rooms on the first floor, a large cellar, and good 
 
228 THE COTTAGE GARDEN OF AMERICA. 
 
 garret, and a pump and fine well of water in 
 front. 
 
 While in the service of Dr. J. Marshall Paul, of 
 Ellerslie, Warren Co. N. J., we occupied a neat 
 cottage, and garden attached, which was the pride 
 of '' Belvidere," the village in which it was situated. 
 
 If any cottager dislikes the rich people, we think 
 that it must be for want of knowing them. These, 
 our late employers, were kind and sociable with us, 
 anxious to make us happy, and made us more like 
 their companion than their workman ; and that made 
 us anxious to please, and perform our duty in faith- 
 fulness to them ; and although we left them, it was 
 without a fault, but a whim and desire of ours, to 
 see other places, and here we candidly say, that it 
 has proved much to our disadvantage in moving so 
 much. 
 
 We have now been three years settled in Phila- 
 delphia, and some of the richest ladies and gentle- 
 men in the city are our best friends ; and we are 
 enabled to live comfortable and happy by them. 
 
 If this should meet the eyes of any of our late 
 employers, or our present friends, we say, ladies and 
 gentlemen, do not think that all the good you have 
 done is lost ; for we, for one, still remember your 
 many kindnesses; while we have life in our body, 
 and presence of mind, we will always bear a grate- 
 ful heart to you. 
 
THE COTTAGE GARDEN OF AMERICA. 229 
 
 CITY GARDEN. 
 
 The private city garden is in general smaller in 
 size than the country cottage garden, and is more 
 tidy kept and richly dressed, but then it is near the 
 *Moug of the law" (the nurseries) and is well sup- 
 plied with counsellors and physicians, (experienced 
 gardeners.) By-the-bye there are a great many 
 *^ Quacks," who give wrong counsel for want of 
 knowledge to give right, and charge more for kill- 
 ing than the experienced do for curing. But that 
 encourages trade, and changes are lightsome ; so 
 any body may be a Doctor, a Lawyer, or a Gardener, 
 in these days of false " Democracy." Every-body 
 in a city should adorn the front of his dwelling with 
 a pair of neat shade trees, and convert his back 
 yard into a flower garden ; it is the cheapest amuse- 
 ment he and his family can get ; much more so than 
 attending balls and theatres. We are not against 
 such entertainments for young folks, if not too much 
 indulged in, but married people should try to make 
 their partners happy by creating amusements at home, 
 and nothing is more pleasing than a neat well kept 
 garden. Every house in Philadelphia has its flower 
 garden, and nearly every one has its couple of street 
 
 shade trees; we like to see a grape-vine in everv 
 
 20 
 
230 THE COTTAGE GARDEN OF AMERICA. 
 
 garden, but hate fruit trees in very small ones ; they 
 are like the Potentates of old, they extend their roots 
 and branches so far, as to take up nearly all the 
 nourishment in the soil, and the benefit of the sun 
 and air, and make the starving subjects under them, 
 believe that they could not live unless they were 
 under their shade. 
 
 The following was written by the author a few 
 years ago, and published in the ^'United States 
 Gazette." 
 
 Among the various amusements and recreations 
 enjoyed by the inhabitants of large towns and crowded 
 cities, none affords a greater source of innocent plea- 
 sure, or is better calculated to instruct and moralize 
 the young, than the neatly laid out, the well-stocked 
 and nicely kept flower garden; and nothing can 
 more plainly bespeak the refined taste and good dis- 
 position of a family, or tend more to promote their 
 health and happiness. The different members of the 
 household are invited out at an earlier hour in the 
 mornings, than they otherwise would be wont to go, 
 to witness how the Great Ruler of the Universe has 
 watered the plants with the dew of heaven, and to 
 inhale the fragrance of their odoriferous flowers. 
 And the summer evenings are usually spent in social" 
 enjoyment by the w^hole family under the shade of 
 their own fruitful vine and fig tree. The garden 
 affords a pleasure, and produces beauties for nine 
 
THE COTTAGE GARDEN OF AMERICA 231 
 
 months in the year; in February, the snow-drop 
 raises its delicate head, and expands its pale blos- 
 soms to view ; it is soon followed by the crocus, 
 tulip and rose, and other flowering plants come in 
 irregular progression, to keep up the bloom and fra- 
 grance till the end of November ; when the green 
 house and parlor collection forms an object of greater 
 amusement and attraction. As every thing out doors 
 becomes dreary and sad, what can be compared to 
 the splendour and beauty of the Epiphyllums, and 
 Euphorbias in the winter months, combined with a 
 choice and varied collection of camellia japonicas, 
 an orange and a lemon tree, loaded with their 
 golden fruit, and the delightful fragrance of the pur- 
 ple flowers of the Daphne odora. They may be suc- 
 ceeded with choice varieties of the everblooming 
 rose, the Heliotropeum, Hyacinth, and other vernal 
 flowering plants of minor growth ; and these may be 
 followed by the Agelea, Geranium and Cactus tribes, 
 which will prolong the bloom until the garden has 
 put on a gay appearance. 
 
 I never knew a person who entered this path of 
 pleasure that was willing to give it up. The late 
 Judge Buel, in an address on the improvements of 
 our country said ; " He who endeavours to improve 
 and beautify the small spot of ground attached to his 
 dwelling, may be considered both a patriot and a 
 christian, and does much to elevate himself and his 
 
232 THE COTTAGE GARDEN OF AMERICA. 
 
 country in the scale of improvement. The cre- 
 ditable progress which Boston, New York and Phila- 
 delphia, have made in this branch of Horticultural 
 improvement, within the last ten years, is surely un- 
 surpassed in the history of cities. This may be at- 
 tributed to the prosperity of our country, the refined 
 taste and liberality of our citizens, the fostering influ- 
 ence of our Horticultural societies, and the indefati- 
 gable exertions of our commercial and practical 
 gardeners. Although Boston and New York have 
 done much, Philadelphia may, without exaggeration 
 be called the Flower Garden of the United States. 
 
 THE FARMERS OF AMERICA. 
 
 We have always been delighted when taking a 
 summer jaunt through the country, to see the highly 
 cultivated fertile fields, with crop of different kinds 
 waving in the breeze, and bending under their own 
 luxuriance. The beauty and fruitfulness of the 
 orchards, the implements of husbandry of the most 
 improved cast, the fine breeds of horses, and other 
 domestic animals, the large and commodious barns, 
 handsomely built and neatly painted dwellings, 
 standing apart from the ojther farm buildings, in the 
 middle of well stocked, well-kept and neatly fenced 
 
THE COTTAGE GARDEN OF AMERICA. 233 
 
 gardens, with the tidy house wives, the stout bloom- 
 ing sons, and the gay beautiful daughters, whose 
 blithe countenances bespeak them the inhabitants of, 
 
 " The land of the free, and the home of the brave." 
 
 Of all the people in the world, they are surely the 
 most independent and happy, and would be the first, 
 and best fitted to defend the country, were a foe to 
 invade it. A blessing must it be, if all other coun- 
 tries possess such exemplary men, and skilful rural 
 economists as the Farmers of America. 
 
 20* 
 
 THE END. 
 
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