Among the many interesting ornaments to the flower garden is a class of plants which may be termed sand plants. They are plants with myriads of hair-like fibres, which require a large amount of moist air in order to properly perform their functions. This they cannot get in ordinary soils, especially those in which clay predominates. We often find them in swamps, - not because they love swamps for the water which the swamp contains, for they do not grow in water wholly, but for the abundance of moist air, which the silk-like rootlets can profit by. A few strong roots go down into the water, perhaps, - but the little capillaries referred to creep in among the swamp moss on the surface, or in among the pores of rotting logs, and there, out of the water, but in the moist air, they luxuriate. Now we can cultivate these plants in our gardens by imitating some of the conditions. We can set the plants in ordinary garden ground where the main roots can get good security against drouth, and then by making a frame around the plants - a sort of box without a bottom, fill it with sand in and around the branches, from which the young hair-like roots will push into the sand. We have a friend who takes great delight in this kind of culture.

He lately called our attention to a mass of the beautiful rosy and sweet scented Daphne cneorum, which had hundreds of flowers open in the first week of May. Alongside of it was a beautiful mass of the Bearberry, Arctostaphylos uva-ursi. Then there were the Heaths of the North of Europe, the Hudsonias of the sea coast and many other things that would make a succession of interesting objects the whole year through. Rhododendrons, Azaleas and other plants, often found difficult to thrive in ordinary ground, would grow admirably under this treatment. Those who have such plants not doing well, may try this plan at this season of the year.

Towards the end of June propagation by budding commences. This is very commonly employed with the rose; but ornamental trees and shrubs may be increased in the same way. Closely allied species must be chosen to work together.

The Mannetti stock suckers so much that it has been found a pest rather than an advantageous stock on which to bud the rose; but yet budding is so useful, giving us a chance to disseminate rare kinds freely and cheaply, that some stock has to be employed. The favorite of the English, the Dog rose, is wholly unsuited to our climate. The Prairie roses have been found excellent stocks. Other roses take well on them, and they do not sucker much. It is stout, very hardy, and it promises to be a very popular stock for rare roses. Some have urged the American Swamp rose, Rosa Carolina, as a good stock, and of late years many of the standard roses that come to our country from Europe are worked on it. But to our mind it is even less adapted to our climate than the English Dog rose. The most successful for dwarf roses is still the Mannetti above noted. But great care must be exercised to keep down the suckers or they will kill the graft. Alter the graft has once taken on a good head, there is not so much trouble from suckers as in the earlier stages.

The rose bugs are apt to be very annoying at some seasons. The best remedy is to shake them off into a pail of water. The rose slug is often very injurious to the leaves - completely skeletonizing them. All kinds of rapid remedies have been proposed - whale oil, soap, petroleum, etc., but the best thing of all is to set a boy to crush them by finger and thumb. It is astonishing how rapidly they are destroyed by this process. This is true of most of the larger insects. Hand picking or crushing is by far the best remedy. But for all, people will ask for washes and remedies, and tobacco water or the kerosene emulsions recom. mended by Prof. Riley, are among the best things. Peg down roses where a heavy mass of flowers is desired. The side shoots push more freely lor this treatment.

Cut off the flowers of roses as they fade, - the second crop will be much better for the attention. Seeds of all flowering plants should be also taken off; all this assists the duration of the blooming season. Dahlias and numbers of other flowering plants are found to give good results under the pegging down plan.

Propagation by layering may be performed any time when strong vigorous growing shoots can be had. Any plant can be propagated by layers. Many can be readily propagated in no other way. Cut a motch on the upper side of the shoot, not below, as all the books recommend, and bend down into, and cover with rich soil. In a few weeks they root, and can be removed from their parents. Stakes for plants should be charred at the ends before using, when they will last for years.

Flower-beds should be hoed and raked, as soon as the ground dries after a rain. Loose surface soil prevents the under stratum drying out. Peg down bedding-plants where practicable. Split twigs make the best pegs. In dry weather do not water flower-beds often; but do it thoroughly when it is done. See that the water does not run off, but into and through the soil.

Mow lawns often, if you would have them green and velvety. It keeps grass weak, and small creeping weeds are encouraged to spread and crowd out the grass. To make up for this the lawn should have a dressing of some fertilizer in the fall. It encourages the weakened grass to fight the weeds.