WARNING

Right here let me again urge you to make sure of the particular kind of flower, plant or vine that you get, so that you will know how to treat it, and not count on flowers in June from a variety that blossoms in September, or expect purple posies from the white sort. The gentleman printing this book will not let me take space enough to go into details about every thing I mention (he says paper is too dear!) so the only way out of the difficulty is for me to make the lists include all the colors, all the heights, all the months of bloom, and then impress on YOU the necessity of ascertaining the particular kind you want to grow.

BOOKS THAT WILL HELP

As the people you would ask might make a mistake about these things, get in the habit of looking them up for yourself. Go to the Public Library and just see the fascinating books that have been written about plants and flowers,—many for children and in the form of stories. For real facts, though, given in few words and easily found from a complete index in the back, ask for "The American Flower Garden," by Neltje Blanchan, or "The Garden Month by Month," by Mabel Cabot Sedgwick. This latter gives a little description of all the hardy plants and flowers, and is filled with beautiful pictures. And some of the big seed dealers and nurserymen get out fine catalogues that are really garden books in themselves, chock full of information accompanied by colored illustrations, which can be had for the asking!

VINES THAT MUST BE RENEWED EVERY YEAR

THE ANNUAL CLIMBERS

NameColorHeightSow
Indoors
Sow
Outdoors
Good forPlaceBlooming
Season
Balloon Vine (Cardiospermum halicacabum)White
Seeds
in tiny
balloons
10 to
15 ft.
May 1st
6 in.
apart
Rapid
growing
Sun
Balsam Apple (Momordica)Has
curious
fruit
10 ft. May 6
in. apart
Trellis or
rock-work
Sun
Cardinal Climber (new) (Ipomœa quamoclit hybrid)Cardinal15 to
20 ft.
MarchMayRapid
growing
SunJune
Cypress Vine (Ipomœa quamoclit)Red
White
10 to
20 ft.
March
April
MayDense
mass
SunJune
Fire Bean, see Scarlet Runner
Gourds, OrnamentalOdd
shapes
15 to
30 ft.
MayOver arbor or
summer-house
Sun
Hop, Japanese (annual) (Humulus)Green20 to
30 ft.
MayRapid
growing
Arbors
and
screens
Sun
Hyacinth Bean (Dolichos)Purple
White
10 to
20 ft.
MayArbors
and
trellises
SunJuly
Moon Flower (Ipomœa bona-nox)White15 to
30 ft.
Feb. or
March
MayRapid
growing
SunJuly
to
frost
Morning Glory (Ipomœa purpurea)White
Pink
Purple
Blue
10 to
20 ft.
MayRapid growingSunJuly,
Aug.
Nasturtium, Tall (Tropæolum majus)Yellows
to reds
6 to
12 ft.
MayScreens
and
trellises
SunJuly
to Oct.
Scarlet Runner (Phaseolus multiflorus)Scarlet10 to
12 ft.
April
May
ScreensSunJuly
to
frost
Sweet Pea (Lathyrus odoratus)All
colors
3 to
6 ft.
MarchTrain on
brush or
chicken-wire
SunJuly
to Sept.
Wild Cucumber (Echinocystis)White12 to
15 ft.
May 1stScreens or
coverings
SunJuly,
Aug.

VINES THAT LIVE ON FROM YEAR TO YEAR