312066 0333 2926 5 ^.^■Ar^/" KaK't^iAiifiawifi&gs.y.si ^*sa ll^/^/^'' /^ \r-- <^N .KNKA^iS;^^ .-cSk^o^^ ^■^^i?-v ^^^^ 2. LIBRARY OF THE MASSACHUSETTS AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE UO..ZZOAA. DATE..^.rl^ Oi. SOURCE. .Pu.blislaer Ter H41 V. lo 'Ihis bt)ok may he kept out T W O WEEKS only, and is subject to a fine of TWO CKXTS a day thereafter. It will be due on the day indicated below. MEEHANS' MONTHLY:%I A Magazine of Horticulture, Botany and kindred subjects. CONDUCTED BY THOMAS MEEHAN, FORMERLY EDITOR OF THE "GARDENERS' MONTHLY," AND AUTHOR OF THE "NATIVE FLOWERS AND FERNS OF THE UNITED STATES." VICE-PRESIDENT OF THE ACADEMY OF NATURAL SCIENCES OF PHILADELPHIA, BOTANIST TO THE PENNSYLVANIA STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTtJRE, ETC. ASSISTED BY THOMAS B. MEEHAN, J. FRANKLIN MEEHAN, S. MENDELSON MEEHAN. TQOO. ilXUSTRATED WITH COLORED LITHOGRAPHS, BY L. PRANO & CO., AND NUMEROUS COPPER AND WOOD ENGRAVINGS. COPYRIGHTED. TPHOMAS IVIBBHAN & SONS, GERMANTOWN, PHILA., PA. Ter VI 4 7 V. / 0 INDEX TO VOLUME X. COLORED PLATES. PAGE Anoda lavateroides 129 Aster con color 161 Azalea viscosa 81 Erigeron speciosus 97 Gaillardia aristata 177 Grindelia squarrosa 145 PAGE Habenaria ciliaris 17 Mammillaria Missouriensis 33 Neluiiibium luteuni 113 Polypteris Hookeriana 65 Sanguinaria Cauadensis i Trillium cernuuni 49 ILLUSTRATIONS. PAGE Ailanthus glandulosa 152 Apios tuberosa 116 Apple, Ben Davis 13 Baldwin, Dr ■. 126 Beech , Engl ish 153 Cactus, Indian fig 28 Cannon-ball tree 183 Cedrus Atlantica 186 Cemetery plan 168 Cemetery, water scene in Oakland 87 Cerasus Padus 150 Chimonanthus fragrans 25 Chrysanthemum frutescens 37 Coffee 175 Crimson Rambler Rose 102 Crimson Rambler, Standard 6[ Cypripediuni spectabile 85 Dickens and little Nell 191 Doronicum plantagineura excelsum 60 Elms, Weeping 154 El well, ground of Jas. M 118 Eremurus Himalayacus 139 F'ungus, root 181 Hazel, branching catkin of American 4 Horticultural Building, Pan-Am. Exposition... 55 Hydrangea, a large 133 Ilex crenata 185 Labels, attaching 23 Larch, European 151 PAGE Lebbek tree, the 83 Magnolia grandiflora 38 Nelumbinm luteum 164, 165 Nelumbiums 137 Nitrate of Soda, experiments in 45 Oak, Turkey 167 Opuntia Rafinesquii 121 Pampas Grass, Golden-leaved 10 Park, scene in Paterson 72 Pavia macrostachya 104 Peach, Crawford's Early 156 Phipps' Conservatory, Palm House 6 Phlox glaberrima 141 Pin Oaks, Avenue of 135 Pine, Austrian 170 Plow, hand garden 62 Plum, Wickson Japanese 93 Poplar Galls 99 Rock work 70 Sanguinaria petals.. 35 Saxifraga crassifolia 74 Sign overgrown by wood 22 Spiraea Van Houttei 89 Street trees, ill-pruned 57 Subularia aquatica 67 Syringa villosa 120 Wichuraiana roses 42 Willow, Babylonian 106 POEMS. PAGE A Summer Outing 99 Autumn Fruits 149 Days well spent 190 Endless Beauty 3 Fleeting Beauty 19 Green Field Memories 48 Has Spring Come Yet 35 Life's October 15S Morning in Scotland 86 Parental Care 63 Spring 51 Spring Time 67 Sweet Labor 5 Tales of the Woods 147 The Apple Blossom 69 The Book Lover 95 The Brook's Song to Spring 38 The False Hero 30 PAGE The Fountain of Mount Helicon 133 The Frenchman's Flower 182 The Gardener's Hand 178 The Hermit Thrush 131 The Inspiration of Nature no The Little Garden 21 The Mignonette 117 The Mountain Peak I75 The Mountain Stream I79 The Origin of Flowers '5 The Rose Leaves of Memory loi The Spring Awakening 53 The Sun and Sky 166 The Tulip Tree 83 The Voice of Nature 163 The Walking Fern 115 The Wealth of Learning '42 Youthful Dreams 125 Abies excelsa, Norway Spruce i8i Aconite, Wiuter 126, 158 Acorus calamus 69 Acorus graniiiieus variegatus 24 Ailautbus 152 Amaryllis Hallii 182 American Park and Out Door Art Association.. 31 Angelica hirsuta 20, 51 Anoda lavateroides 132, 129 Apple, Baldwin 124 Apple, Ben Davis 13, 29 Apple, Bismarck 124 Apple, Gideon 157 Apple, Gravensteiu 124 Apple, Hubbardston Nonsuch 12 Apples, notes on 76, 77, 91, 138, 157, 174, 189 Apple, Rome Beauty 45 Apples, Russian 173 Apple, Wealthy 143 Apple, York Imperial 124 Aquatics, culture of 24 Aquilegia Flabellata nana 137 Arbutus 84 Archangel, spotted 107 Aster concolor 161 Aster, wild China 20 Asparagus 91, 108 Autumn leaves, beautiful 1S4 Azalea viscosa 81 Azaleas, hardy 6 Bacteria So, 96 Baldwin, Dr. Wm 125 Beech, English i^^ Beech tree borers 103 Beet Sugar So Beetle, Elm Leaf 133, 167 Begonias, open air 71 Birch tree borer 118 Birch, yellow 20, 51 Birches, disease in the 149, 184 Bird-life ' 68 Blackberries in Australia 27 Blood-root in cultivation 60 Boquets, natural 107 Border plants, hardy 10 Botanic gardens 102 Botanic gardens, distribution of 23 Botanical nomenclature 127 Botanizing oq Breck, Chas. H i^o Buckeye, cut-leaved 20 Buffalo berry i2-> Bull, E. \V ............'!!!..!.!!!! 142 Butterflies, swarming of -7 Butterfly-weed \q Caljbage Hearrl's Island 31 Cnbbage, winter ir7 Cabbage, Washington Wakefield 12 Cactuses, hardy X2i Cactus, Indian Fig 27 California fruit resources 29 Cam phor tree 25, 117 Cannon-ball tree ' ' is? Carman, E). S ^n Caryopteris seedlings 157 Catalogue accuracy 5-, Caterpillars, tent..' ioq Catkin, a branching , Cave plants j j. Cedars, origin of Japanese 64 Cerlrus Allantica , 1S5 ^^'•^""y 109, 122, 140 Cemcicry, Calskill Rural 136 PAGE Centranthus ruber 121 Century Book 175 Cherry, English Bird 150 Cherry steins 131 China tree, the 103 Chinese market gardener 172 Coffee 172 Coffee tree, history of the 190 CoUinsonia Canadensis 37 Colored leaves for fall 105 Common things, beauty in 61 Cork 192 Cranberry culture 3, 108, 140 Crimson Rambler, Standard 61 Cross-fertilization, beneiits from 179 Currants 13, 76 Currants, red-flowered 90 Cyclopaedia of American Horticulture 64 Cypress, dei iduous 128 Cypress knees 52 Cypripediuni acaule 3, 36, 57 Cypripedium iusigne 7 Cypripediuni spectabile 85 Dahlia, giant cactus 73 Dahlia trifurca 73 Daisy, the Paris 37 Day, David F 159 Decorations, wedding 88 Decorative ferns, best 88 Desrfiodium penduliflorum 107, 153 Diatoms 100 Dogwood, dwarf large-flowering 59 Doronicuni plantagineum excelsum 60 Doukhobors 48 Ebony wood, Madagascar 16 Elm, Galena Weeping 154 Elms at New Haven i' o Empress tree, large 176 Eremurus, flowering of the 121 Eremurus Himalayacus 136 Erigeron speciosus 97, 100 Eulalia grass 1 03 Eupatorium coelestinum 171 Evergreen branches, uses of 8 Evergreens for decorating 136 Evergreens, hardy 119 Evergreens, Rocky Mountain 69 Expansion of trees 184 Experimental Farm, Ottawa 96 Fairmount Park Art Association iii Figs at the North 171 Figs, Caprified 186 Figs, fruiting of 122 Figs, notes on 189, 192 Flies and their habits 16 Flora of North Carolina, the 15 P'lorists' Manual, the 31 Flower culture, guide to 78 Flowering shrubs, long-spraj' 90 Flowers, new florist 96 Flowers, notes on 35, 132, 175 Fly traps 64 Forcing plants, uncommon 152 Poorest planting 1 84 Forest trees, replanting 153 Forestry , A 111 erican 112, 1 69 Forestry in Iowa 30 Forestry, practical 86 Forests, American 23 Frost, protection from 13 Frozen plants, treatment of 21 Fruit gardening, amateur 12 Fruit trees, notes on 94, 108, 139 Fruits, notes on 44, to8, 109, 123, 124, 141, 173 Fruits, small 76, 77 Fuchsias, hardy 104, 117, 119 Fungus enemies 9 Fungus , root i So Gaillardia studies in plant life 180 Galax Leaves 153 Gardeners, Belgian 80 Gardeners, educated 170 Gardening, notes on f3. 43> u'' ^43 Geraniums, notes on 40, 41, 72 Gingko tree 1S5, 190 Ginseng ; 30, 32, 72 Gladiolus 71 Gooseberry, Columbus 157 Grain, new varieties of 112 Grape, Campbell's Early 186 Grape, house culture of the foreign 189 Grapes, Concord no, 124 Grapes, notes on 44, 93, 94, in, 155 Grass, Blue-eyed 85 Grasses for lawns 135 Greenhouse system 59 Greenhouses, origin of. 112 Grindelia, medicinal value of 179 Grindelia squarrosa I45) 148 Ground-nut, the Indian 116 Growth, rhythmic 132 Habenaria 17, 68 Habenaria ciliaris 17 Habenaria fimbriata 35 Hanged man, the 136 Hazel nuts, twin 68 Hedges, windbreaks and shelters 47, 53 Herbaceous plants, hard^' I37 Hibiscus, jelly from 12 Hicks, Isaac 79 Hoaks 160 Holly berries, a substitute for 7 Holly, rapid growth of a 9 Hollyhocks, propagating 74 Home and school grounds 64 Honey 112 Honey Aphis 118 Honey guides in the dark 115 Honeysuckle, notes on 69, 100 Hornet's nests 115, I47 Horticultural Association of Pennsylvania 45 Horticultural books 30, 63 Horticultural building, new 64 Horticultural education I44 Horticultural Hall 158 Hybrids, reversion of. 132 Hydrangea paniculata grandiflora 133 Ilex crenata 185 Indian civilization 32 Ivy Poisoning 142 Ja m aica Sorrel 56 Juneberries 1 5 7 Kale, Sea 77 Knowledge 127 Knowledge, dangerous 142 Kruger, President 95 Kudzu vine 170 Label, a misplaced 96 Labels, attaching 22 Laelia majalis 117 Landscape gardening 119, 168 Landscape planting 118 Larch, European 151 Lawn-making 23 Lebbek tree, the 83 Lespedeza bicolor 121, 153 Lettuce , forcing 141 Liatris 52 Linaria cymbalaria 4° Li nn leus 78 Liquidambar styraciflua 21 Little Nell in gardening 19° Logan Berry I74 Lotus, the American 7^. "63,179 Lotus, the Egyptian 16 Magnolia grandiflora 38 Mammillaria Missouriensis 33 Maple, rapid growth of Silver 176 Menand, Louis I59 Meteorology and vegetation 148 Missouri Botanical Garden 64 Mistletoe '. 5 Mistletoe on an Apricot 148 Moss, Spanish 19 Moth, the Gypsy 37 Mulgedium for fodder 24 Mushrooms, among the 192 Mushrooms, notes on 78, 112, 160 Nature, preserving ^44 Nature 's garden 95 Nectarine from the peach 156 Nelumbium luteum 113. 115 New varieties, originators of 32 Nitrate of Soda 45 Oak, the largest 16 Oak, the Turkey 167 Oak, the White I9 Oakwood Cemeter}^ 86 Oleander fruit 68, 103 Onion culture ^23 Orange as a fruit, Osage i55 Orange, Buttercourt I74 Orange orchards, protectmg I74 Orange, the hardy ni, 171 Oranges, double 99 Oranges, hardy 189 Oranges, seedless 94 Orchards, care and cultivation of 75> 138 Orchid fibre 128 Organography of plants "59 Osm unda regal is 1 1 5 Pseonia Brownii 68 Pieonia tenuifoliafl.pl 25 Pseonies, improved ^54 Palms, decorative 120 Palms, historic Sago 48 Palms, minerals in 8 Pampas grass, golden-leaved 10 Pampas Plumes 80 Pan - American Exposition 55 Park monuments 89 Park planting ^4 Park, Westside 72 Parks, public 16, 21, 143 Parsnip culture 29 Pavia macrostachya io4 Paving materials 24 Peach, Mountain Rose ^57 Peaches, notes on 29, 44, 123, 155, I74 Peaches, the Crawford 123, 156 Pears, abnormal Seckel I74- '88 Pears, Barllelt 44 Peas, notes on • 92 Penetrating powers of the lower organisms 20 Persimmon, Japanese '24 Persimmons, flried ^4^ Phipps' conservatories ", 57 Phlox glaberrinia -38 Photography, plant 100, 158 Pine, Austrian 169 Pine leaves 80 Pinksterbloeui, the no, 127, 142 Pin Oaks, Avenue of. 134 Pinxler flower, the no, 127,142 Plant Mythology no Planting around mapufactories 23 Plants, Alpine 119 Plantsand animals, modifications in 116 Plants, drug 134 Plants, half-hardy 140 Plants, new 59 Plants, notes on 79, 103, 115, 148, 149, 163, 170, 176 Playgrounds, children's 86 Plum, leaf blight in the 77 Plum, Myrobolan 96, 117 Plums, Japanese 93, 122, 173 Poinsettias for decoration 153 Polypteris Hookeriana 65 Poplar Galls 99 Potatoes, notes on 12, 92 Prang, Louis 15 Preserves and Marmalades u Pj'uuiug 133, 170 Pruning, notes on 182, 183 Prunus Americana 94 Pumpkins, making n Pyrus baccata 62 Ragged Roljin 95 Ranunculus repens fl. pi 153 Raspberries, Australian 141 Raspberry culture, native 90 Reason and judgment in the lower animals 4, 36 Red Sea, name of the 112 Red Spider, the 86, 105 Reformatories, juvenile , 128 Reinwardtia tryginum 24 Rhododendron maximum 88 Rhododendron punctatiim 132 Rhododendrons, forced 182 Rhododendrons, transplanting 21 Rhubarb, notes on 124 Rhus, poisonous 132 Rock work yo Rose, Climbing Bridesmaid 42 Rose, Crimson Rambler 102, 117, 128 Rose Mildew, the 137 Roses, hardy 42 Roses, notes on 26, 30, 74, 171 Rudbeckia... 60 Salisburia adiantifolia 166 Salsi fy j 2 -> Salvia splendens 42 Sanguinaria Canadensis i, 3, 35 Sap in spring 131 Sassafras as an ornamental tree 7 Saunders, William 160, 158 Saxifraga crassifolia 74 Scale-eater, the 80 School garden-^ 150, loi, 11 Schools, vacation 144 Seed sowing 123 Seedlings damping off 151 Seedlings, variation in 8 Seeds, vitality of 167 Shamrock, the 48 70 Shellbarks ■.■■'.'.:.' 14 Shelter belts and wind breaks 47, 53 PAGE Shepherd's garden, Mrs 160 Shrubs, hardy 59 Shrubs, notes on 71 Skunk-Cabbage, fruit of 131 Smith, Charles Eastwick 95 Snowberry 112 Soil of Berlin 16 Spice-bush, Chinese 25 Spirtea Van Houttei 89 Spirseas, watering forced 69 Spiranthes simplex 147 Spraying hints 74 Spring flowers 84, 85 Squirrels and green fruit 165 Strawberries, notes on 75, 77, 108, 124, 156 Strawberry, Lady Elgin 122 Strawberry Manual, the 15 Strawberry -blackberry 94 Streets, city 57, 64 Street trees 5 , 9 Stuartia 9 Stuartia pseudo-camellia 72 Subulana aquatica 67 Succotash 175 Sugar, vSap 19 Sumac, barren 181 Sumachs, poison 175 Sun-Flower 63 Symbiosis 115 Sy ringa oblata 107 Syringa villosa 121 Teake, briar pipes and mistletoe 48 Texas botany 78 Tomato, notes on the 77, 94 Transplanting, late spring 29 Tree of California, Giant 169 Trees, dwarfing 103 Trees in New Zealand 143 Trees, INIemorial 31 Trees, notes on 38, 54, 55, 70, 124, 166 Trees of R. I., native m Trees, ornamental 105 Trees, Paris street 119 Trillium cernuum 49 Tritomas, winter protection for 154 Turtles and Toads 36 Vegetables, notes on 46, 47, 62, 92, 189 Vital energy 36 Wall flower 9 Walnuts, English 14 Walnuts, gathering , 140 Walnuts in California 144 Water-cress, box culture of 75 Water Lilies and bog plants 90 Watermelon, Cuban Queen 109 Weeds and insects, laws against 128 Weeds, killing 151 Wheel-hoes 6r Wild-flowers, legal protection of. .. 51 Wild-flowers, notes on 180, i8t Willow, shiny 23 Willow, weeping 106, m Windflower and violet, the 51 Wistaria 31 Wood, John . 15 Yew, an aged 80 Zoe 158 r.LATE SANGUINARIA CANADENSIS. AMERICAN BLOOD-ROOT. NATURAL ORDER, PAPAVERACE.^i Sangcinaria Canadensis, Linuceus.—Kootstock horizontal, fleshy aiiial of Pharniacv for i860 and 1S62, will be instruc- tive. The botanical student will find the Sauguin- aria especially instructive. The leaves and flowers are illustrative of a remarkably wide variation. In the early history of botany, when the idea of a species was much more definite than at the present time, some of these variations were regarded as constituting dis- tinct species, and they were awarded specific names accordingly. These are now all included under the general term Sauguiuaria Canadensis. The petals vary from almost round, in extreme cases, to so long and narrow that the latter was once known as Sanguinaria stciiopctala. In number, too, the petals are very irregular. As man\' as twentj' may be occasionally counted, l^sually white, they are often of a pinkish or even of a bluish tinge. Pursh observes that a skilful florist might readilj' obtain a perfectly double form by judicious selection. The leaves vary remarkably. At times, they are so deep- \\ lobed, that they might be almost termed digitate or palmate,— at other times one may find plants with leaves almost reniform, with the barest suggestion of a lobe at the apex This variation is found in plants growing side bv side. KxPLANATioN OK THE I'LATE — Plant, with seed-ves.scls, from Kastern Peuiisylvatiia. WILD FLOWERS AND NATURE. ENDLESS BE A IT V Oh, there is not lost One of earth's charms : Upon her bosom yet, After the flight of untold centnries, The freshness of her far beginning lies, And vet shall lie. Bryant. Cvi'Kn'EDiu.M ACAULE. — I liave found Cypri- pcditoii acaiile beneath the trees of dense pine woods, where the ground was three or four inches deep with pine needles, and its compan- ion plants were Clumaphila iimbcUata and C. maculata, in the State of Mar^dand, a county near and bordering on Black Walnut Creek. Of course, the land must have been dry when the pine treefe, growing \^x\ neai together, sucked up all the moisture ; and the shade was dense, the sunlight never reaching the ground. Festus, Mo. E. K. vSTKHLK. A point of leading interest in this matter is the modern belief that species came into exis- tence with a change of conditions, — that is to say, plants change from one species and be- come another when their surroundings change. In this case, we have a plant which is at home in the dr}-, shady pine woods of Maryland, equalh- at home in the open, sunlighted swamps of ^lichigan. On the basis of another hypothesis, that all plants have wandered from a central home, the change from one to the other condition had no influence in changing the specific characters of the plant. Cranberries in Northwestern Penn- sylvania.— In reply to Mrs. Eby's query, in August issue, permit me to say that cranber- ries have been found, for many ^-ears, in at least two sw-amps in Crawford County. In the southwestern part of this count}', and extending westward to the Ohio line, is a swamp several miles long. y.&a.r terra firma, the larger growth is mainly of alder, with poison sumach, bayberry and huckleberr}- in- terspersed. Farther in, tamaracks predom- inate. And in the center is an open " prairie." I have often heard my father relate how th people, for miles around, congregated about this swamp, in cranberry season, removing their foot-gear and wading knee-deep into the bog to gain its treasures by the bushel. Though less plentiful than of old, they are still found in this swamp, — a boimtiful supply some seasons. The writer has gathered the vines and immature fruit for botanical speci- mens ; but has never been in the swamp at the season to secure ripe fruit. The other station is in the same count}-, a few miles farther northeast, and about a mile and a half north of Conneaut Lake, the largest inland lake of Pennsjdvania. This swamp is comparativel}- small, comprising considerably less than two hundred acres, and a portion of it contains fine marl beds. Some of the oldest Indians here, at the time of the settlement of the country by the whites, claimed that they could remember when it was an open lake. HarmonsbwiR, I'a. BESSIE L. PUTNA.M. vS.\NC,uiNARi.\ C.VNADENSis. — The Blood-root was at one time known as a Ranunculus, and is described in an old work, by Parkinson, as Ranunculus Virgjnicnsis alhus, and it is in- deed not easy, at times, to distinguish the two orders, except by the colored juice. It has also been referred to Chelidoniiim. Morison notes that it was cultivated in England in 1680, from seeds either from Canada or Virginia, and was called Jacobc, from a merchant named Jacob. A Br.\nchinc, Catkin. — What were once termed monstrosities, and passed over as the work of some malignant power opposed to the regular order of Providence, are now wel- comed, by the student of the life-history of plants, as opportunities for learning what the regular order of nature really is. In the pres- ent case, we have a sketch of a branching anient or catkin from the American Hazel-nut, Corylus Americana, the specimens kindl\- sent (3) IMHKHAXS' MONTHLY — WILD FLOWHRS AND XATURK. [Jan. by our observing correspondent, Mr. C. F. Saunders. The specimen selected is the one most pro fuseh' branched, and, indeed, assumes, somewhat, the character known to botanists and florists as ' crested. vSome of the less divided specimens show the purel}- branching character better than this one does. There is, however, no reason whj' a catkin should not branch, as it is, itself, but a modified branch, — and the surprise might be that we do not meet with cases often. Every little scale in a catkin is but an arrested leaf, and the stamens at the BRANCHING CATKIN OF AMERICAN HAZEL CTWICE ENLARGED) base of the catkin aie modifications of an a.x- illar}' bud. Just as in the case of a rose branch sometimes appearing from the centre of a rose flower, we might look for a real branch, instead of a modified one, appearing from the axis of a scale. People seldom stop to consider that the transformation of a branch into a catkin, such as those of the hazel, is among the most wonderful of natural phenomena. On a good, health}' hazel catkin, these will be, at a moderate computation, 500 scales. If these had been developed to a true stem with leaves, the branch would be, with the leaves two inches apart, over 80 feet long ! We know, of course, that life-energy would be ex- hausted long before a branch could be de- veloped to that extent ; but we see that nature realh' prepared the model for this extraordin- ar3' growth, though she might be unable to accomplish it. Reason .•\ni) Judgment in the Lower Orders. — One daj-, in the middle of October, the writer tested an apple, parth- rotten, and threw the remains into a waste paper box under the desk. It was soon covered by paper waste. The windows were half open, for it was an unusuall}^ warm October day. Bees and honej'-loving insects had long been to rest. A solitary ' '3'ellow-jacket' ' entered the open win- dow, and steadil}^ searched every cranny of the room. At length his search among the waste paper indicated what he was looking for. He soon made np his mind, however, that the apple remains were too deepl}' buried in the box for him, and gave it up. Satisfied of this, he did not hunt around for other things, but slow- ly, and in a manner dignified, went to the win- dow for his departure. He went too low, against the glass, and not to the opening above. But here he imitated human nature. Seeing nothing, for the glass was ver}- clear, he must have taken his sudden stoppage as the work of a ghost. He tried and tried again at other windows, with a like failure. At length he halted, and seemed to turn philosopher, and was evidentl}- reasoning on the situation. His next flight was across the room, but towards the real opening, by which he again emerged to the oviter world. A correspondent recentl}' suggested that insects and other creatures may have keener scent than they get credit for, and do not need color to guide them to honeyed secretions to near the extent sensational writ- ers would have us believe. This incident proves this. The solitary wasp must have scented this rotten apple from a long distance. It was guided to the spot bj' good judgment, — and by good judgment gave up the pursuit when it reasoned that the prize was hopeless. It did not get confused at its first rebuff" against the glass, but knew that if there was a place to get in, there must be a place to get out. It went cooly to work on that line, to final success. And all this, according to old authors, is blind in- stinct. To our mind, if it be not reasoning from facts, and subsequent judgment on them, there is no such thing as reason and judgment in the world. GENERAL GARDENING. vSWHKT LABOR. t I love my garden well Aiul find emplo^^nient there ; Kmployment sweet, for many an hour, In tending every shrub and flower With still imwearied care. Mr.s. vSouthev. Street Trees. — In most city improvements, matters are so arranged that the cost is equalh' divided between the owner of the pro- perty benefitted, and the general tax-payer. In relation to street trees, the cost, care, and, indeed, the whole question, is at the sole dis- cretion of the owner of the street front. It would seem that, as the general citizen profits both in health and general pleasure by the street tree, it should be a matter of municipal interest equal to any other ; but it is doubtful whether the propert}^ owner would care, in the long run, to lose absolute control of the side- walk tree. A variety that the city might choose for him might be objectionable in many ways, — and there might, at times, be very good reason for taking it away entirely'. This is especially true of a street which has changed its character from one of residence to that of business. The architecture and the business sign must be seen by all the world, — and the tree has to go. However, the matter is one for fair discussion. Prof Sterns, of the State University of Athens, Ga. , before the Georgia State Horticulture Society, told what it might cost from the municipal standpoint he advo- cated : — "No such gruesome apparition as great cost, that usuall}- frightens the legislator, how- ever, is injected into the suggestion of street shading. The cost is so slight — particularly when the owners of the frontage to be im- proved share the expense, as is customary with other street improvements — that neither cor- porations nor individuals are seriously incon- venienced thereby. Careful investigation and figuring disclose the fact that the cost of street- shading will average about one cent per linear foot of frontage for the purchase and planting of the trees. Thus, the cost to a 50-foot front- age would average, if the owner bore half the expense and the cit}' the other half, some 25. cents. As a matter of fact, it would be, for a frontage of 50 feet, either 20 or 30 cents, ac- cording to the number of trees (20 feet apart) chargeable to same. ' ' ^IiSTLETOE. — In response to R. H. W., in Meehans' Monthly, for November, the arti- cle reminds me of having read, sometime since, that the guibel or mistletoe grows on apple trees in England, and is propagated upon them purposely. Before reading it, I supposed the parasite not desirable, — at least upon fruit trees. Chamber's Encyclopaedia says the mis- tletoe is a native of the greater part of Europe, growing on the apple, pear and hawthorn; aLso on poplars, firs, and other trees, but seldom on the oak." It is plentiful in some parts of the South of England, its evergreen leaves giving a peculiar appearance to the orchards in winter, when the bixshes of mistletoe are very conspic- uous among the naked branches of the trees ; but it is very local. It is not a native of vScot- land, though found naturalized in various places. * * The berries are fiill of a viscid juice, which serve to attach the seeds to bran- ches, where they take root when they germin- ate, the radicle always turning towards the branch, whether on its upper or under side." When on Ca^-amaca Mountain, I observed a mistletoe upon the cedar trees and a different kind upon the oak and still another upon the pine, though the characteristics of the three were much as described in Gray's Botany, that says ' ' the American mistletoe grows from New Jersej^ to Illinois and southward, prefer- ring elms and hickories." The mistletoe has an interesting history and many attractive things might be said about it besides the above brief quotations. And the pitcher-plant, the mere slight allusion to it, calls up so many pleasant memories ; also the Hibiscus, espec- ally a reminder of the little African Hibi,scus, (5) MEEHAXS :M0XTHLV — GENERAL GAKDEXINCt [Jan. familiarly called the flower of an hoar, is very suggestive of the brief, beautiful and lamented life, of many a human flower. San Diego, Cal. MRS. K. E. OkCL'TT. Palm House, Phiim's' Conservatory. — Geologists tell us that the earh- vegetation of the earth was devoid of beaut}', — that hand- some flowers appeared onh' with the incoming in Schenley Park, which, by the kindness of The Lord assed on to a couple of men who load them on fruit cars, which carry the fruit to the sul- pluir houses, of which there are twent}', and are in charge of Prof. C. E. Horsman. The grapes remain in the sulphur house about three hours, when they are again picked up by the cars and run out to the dry yard. Three or four days are required to proj^erlv dr\- the fruit for the boxes." Careful G.\rdenixg. — It is often said against amateur gardening, that flowers, fruits and vegetables can be bought in market cheaper than they can be raised. In .some respects this is true ; but usually the amateur is a long wa}- ahead in the superiority of the articles. This is strongly in evidence by articles found in Eng- lish markets. Though steam and electricity are pouring the best of their products from favored orchards into England, they are tame compared with that artificially raised b}' the best luiglish gardeners. In the earh* part of July, peaches that would ordinarih^ be pro- nounced first-class, from Italy and other nature- favored places, brought one shilling and six- pence a dozen. The products of the amateur garden were eagerly sought for at tw^elve shil- lings. Protection from Frost. — Though it has been long known, to educated gardeners, that sun on frozen plants had more to do with the destruction of vegetable life than the degree of frost, there has been no attempt to turn this fact to commercial profit. The good gardener, 14 MKEHANS MONTHLY — C.ENHRAL CARDICNINC. [Jan. who finds his greenhonse i)lants unexpectedly frozen, shades the glass, and syringes with cold water. He knows that it is evaporation that does the injury, and that sunlight aids evap- oration. At length, California orange growers have appreciated the fact. The Cali/oniia I-^rnit- grozver tells i;s that an orange orchard of 1 7 acres, belonging to the Everest Rancho Co. , at Riverside, has been conipleteK' covered with lath shading ; and though there are only four or five degrees of difference in the temperature between the external atmosphere and that under the lath, the glass has indicated 26° under the shading, without the slightest in- jury to the orange trees. Another discover}-, of great practical importance revealed by this ex- periment is, that onh' one-half the water is re- quired during the season. In countries depend- ent on irrigation, water has to be paid for as in other countries where the cultivator has to pay for manure. Here, the shade during the hot season protects from evaporation. The follow- ing is the Fruit -growers' account of the method : — " The postsare of 3x4 redwood, iS feet long. The trees are so planted that the posts are placed 21 feet 3 inches apart each way, setting them 3 feet in the ground, thus allowing about 15 feet in the clear for height of the tree, which is sufficient for most Navel trees. These posts are connected b}- pieces of i x 4 pine suitabh' braced, on top of which another strip of i x 4 has been securely nailed to prevent the whole from swaying sidewa3-s with the weight of the cover. This when placed in position is braced horizontally with braces i x 3 pine, 7 feet long. Thus is secured a framework that is quite rigid and on which a man may walk freel}', provid- ing he has a clear enough head to walk a 4- inch strip. Over this were stretched galvanized iron wires, diagonall}-, of No. 11 wire, which are securely stapled on top of each post and to the horizontal braces. These diagonal wires are stretched ver\^ tight with iron stretchers and throw a portion of weight of the cover on to the posts directly that would otherwise in- crease weights on the bents of i x 4 pine, 2 1 feet 3 inches long. These diagonal wires are supjjlemented by wires rimning across the framework, at right angles to the direction in which the cover is laid. These four wires — two diagonal and twt) cross wires — steadv the whole construction and distribute the weight more evenly. Thus is the framework completed. For the cover, they used Arizona lath, being the lightest and best for the purpose, and weaved them on a lath machine into common chicken fencing, ])lacing the lath 1 inch apart and weaving with six wires — three double strands. This is made in sections 21 feet 3 inches long and rolled up preparatory to being taken to cover. In cover- ing the framework, they use fot;r rolls of this lath made of 4-foot lath and one roll of 5-foot, lath, thus filling out the space over each tree of 21 feet 3 inches as nearh- as necessary. It takes 100 lath to each roll, or 500 to each tree ; and as the trees are planted 100 to the acre, 50,000 lath are used to the acre. This Arizona lath is cheaper than ordinary' pine in that part of the vState." Exc.Li.sH Walnl'TS. — English Walnuts — so- called — are now being extensively raised in America. It is understood that half those con- sumed are American grown. Shf:llbarks. — One of the popular nuts in our country, is the Shellbark. This is one of the large number of species of hickory, known botanical!}^ as Carya. They were formerly noted with the walnuts, or Jug Ian s, but were divided from the walnuts under the name as above given by "Nuttall". The chief distinc- tion between the hickory and the walnut, is, that they open their outer nuts or hulls when ripening, while the walnut always maintains the hulls around the nuts until the hulls rot away. There are only two of the hickory that are used as edible. The well known Pecan, which is the olive-shaped nut, and has, there- fore,been called Carya oliz'O'/or/)/ is, and the other, the Carya s/ihata, which is not so often seen in the markets. It is a very much larger nut than the ordinary vShellbark, 1)ut unfortunately has a very hard shell, which makes it inconvenient to use. Occasionally some trees are found with comparatively thin shells, and it might be well for those who are on the look-out for improved nuts to place on the market, to watch for some particularly thin varieties of this species to jjropagate from. But then, one is confronted by difficulties in ])ro]jagation. BIOGRAPHY AND LITERATURE. THE ORKilN OF FLOWERS. There were no ro-es till the first child died, No violets, no balmy-breath heartsease. No heliotrope, nor buds so dear to bees. The honey-hearted woodbine, no gold-eyed And white-lasht daisy-flower, nor, stretching wide. Clover and cowslip-cnps, like rival seas, Meeting and parting, as the yonng spring breeze Rnns giddy races placing seek and hide ; For all flowers died when Eve left Paradise, And all the world was powerless awhile, Until a little child was laid in earth. Then from its grave grew violets for its eyes. And from its lips rose-petals for its smile, And so all flowers from that child's death took birth. Maurice Francis Eoan, ' ' Songs and Sonnets. ' ' The Flora of North Carolina. — In modern times, geographical botany is one of the most interesting departments of the ami- able science, — and local floras have a valne un- appreciated a generation or so ago. A valuable contribution is before us in the shape of Bulle- tin No. 164, of the North Carolina Experiment Station, giving a list of the Flora of that State, — a State that is a portion of Paradise, so far as wild flowers enter into the idea. It has been compiled by Mr. C. W. H^-ams, and can no doubt be obtained by writing to Mr. W. F. Masse^-, Horticulturist and Botanist of the Station, at Raleigh. Dr. Curtis, years ago, published a list, but so mau}^ additional have been discovered since, that the list is consider- ably increased. The number of species, from Ranunculus to ferns, is now 2,685. A commendable feature of the task is that the plant names employed are those in common use. It will take considerable time, and a great issue of popular works, to make the pub- lic familiar with the new nomenclature. Com- paratively few have the learned treatises at hand, which show the propriety of priority, and a catalogue like this, intended for the masses, covered up under new names, would be " Greek" to them. John Wood. — Though not known to Amer- ican horticulturists generally, the name of Mr. John Wood, of Leeds, E;ngland, deserves an honored place. He retired from business after a successful career of twenty-two years, and devoted himself to the culture of flowers, alpine plants being special favorites. He con- tributed freely of his knowledge to horticul- tural papers, and the (iardcii, especially, had frequent papers from his pen. He died on the 24th of vSeptember, in his 57th year. Louis Prang. — The Boston papers, while, noting the closing-out sale of Mr. Prang's pic- . tures by the great masters, from which he has made the wonderful lithographic copies that have made his name a household word, all ovi. r the world where true art and love of beauty is appreciated, are suggesting high honors for one who has done so much for the pleasure of mankind, and the artistic fame of his adopted countr}-. Our readers can feel the full force of this in the monthU' visit of Meehans' Monthly, with its Prang colored plate, which is not a mere cop3- of some great master, merely, but an oiiginal picture of nature as well as a faithful reproduction of the picture. If an^'thing equal to these has been given to the world for the price, the publishers are not aware of it. It would not have been possible but for ^Ir. Prang's work in lithography. His name de- serves the honors usualh' reserved for great warriors or theatrical stars. The vStrawhekkv Manual, — by Laxton's, Bedford, England. A small bound volume, of 1 38 pages, replete with information for the lover of strawberries, and the strawberrj- grower. In the history of strawberry- culture, it is interesting to note that the distinction between staminate and pistillate strawberries, and the value of having a few staminates to fertilize the more productive pistillates, did not originate in Cincinnati, as American straw- berry historx^ relates, but long before, by Keens, (15) i6 MEHHANS MONTHLY — C.KNICKAL NOTES. [Jan. the raiser of the famous English variety, Keens' Seedling. The claim of the American grower, that strawberr}- culture is carried on to a greater extent in America than in England, is disputed in these pages. One grower, at Orpington, has 650 acres, all strawberries ; while another, near vSwanley, has 2,000 acres, " a large proportion" being strawberry. It is a ver}- interesting book, and costs only one shilling. this way you can keep shut of them, and be happ}-. Every dwelling house in this countr}- uses wire cloth, for screens, to keep both mos- quitosand flies out of doors, where thej'^ belong. Festus, Jeff. Co., Missouri. E. K. STEELE. ^EIME^/^L MOTES. IXTELLKiEXT C.A.RE OF S>L\LL CiTV P.\RKS. — At the last meeting of the Council of the Park and Out-door Art Association, Mr. Bryan Lathrop said that he had been greatly im- pressed, at a recent visit to Washington, with the great injury that was being done to small parks by the removal of all shrubbery on the ground, that it was likely to prove a shelter to evil-disposed persons, this being the idea of the present man in charge of the grounds, who appears to have the power to do this work without restraint. He thought public atten- tion should be called to this, and some provis- ion made for the protection of public parks. He said that man^- of these parks were de- signed by Mr. Downing, and his work was, in man}- cases, just approaching its full beaut}- and nmturit}-. This made the destruction seem all the more serious. The Egvpti.\x Lotus. — The beautiful Nehimbium speciosum is usuall}' distributed by florists as the Sacred Eotiis of the Egyptians. But this is a mistake. This is the Chinese Lotus. The Sacred Lotus of the Egyptians was a relative of our Sweet Water Lilv, a Nymphcra, — Xymphcea Lotus. It was held sacred as being the representative of Isis in the annual festival. Elies and Their Habits. — P"lies do not re- quire stable manure to deposit their eggs in. Their nesting places are numerous — at the woodpile, amongst the chips, is a favorite re- sort. This shows one of the advantages of keeping the backyard and the woodpile cleaned up. Any rich, loose, friable soil suits INIrs. Ely in which to deposit her eggs. The best way to keep clear of the flies, in fly-time, is to have wire screens in the windows and doors, and in Mad.\gascar Eboxv Wood Trade. — "The trade of ebony wood is quite new in Majunka," sa^-s L' EcJio dc Velevage, "because the mal- gache law prohibited the exportation of wood under the hova name. The first shipment was made in 1S94, and it is assured that this rare and precious wood will soon become an extensive traffic. At the present time it is more particularly carried on in Hamburg. In Erance, there is little demand for it. The monthh- shipment from Majunka is in the neighborhood of twelve tons, at the price of 230 francs per ton ; as yet, violet ebon}' and rose wood, which abounds in that country, is not exported. A commerce of sandal wood and mangrove is carried on by the Indians. — From La Scmaiue Horticole, translated bv S. D. Lannins- The Largest Oak. — An English paper, the Leed's Mercury, says : — " Two young oak trees were, on Tuesday last, the nth inst., planted at Cowthorpe, near Wetherby, to commemorate the celebrated tree, which stands there still, biit is greatly decayed, and may not endure much longer. The old tree, as every one knows, girths more than fifty feet, and is in that respect probably the largest oak in the world. The young oaks have been raised from acorns taken from the old tree by Mr. John Clayton, of Bradford, in 1893. The late Mr. INIontagu, of Ingmanthorpe, approved of this method of perpetuating the memory of the wonderful tree, and kindly agreed to it before his death. At the ceremony of planting the trees there were present, Mr. Clayton, Messrs. Earrah and ^lillward, of Harrogate, ]\Ir. Cass, of Cowthorpe, and others. Soil of Berlin. — According to Mrs. vSeliger, the city of Berlin is built on a sandy plain, where not even the heather may grow, so poor naturally is it. In fact, the whole province of the Mark Brandenburg is clear sand, but cul- ture has made it one of the most fertile spots. It has a Botanical Oar'den of about 25.000 species. Platf HABENARIA CILIARIS. YELLOW FRINGED ORCHIS. NATURAL ORDER, ORCHIDACE^. Habexaria CILIARIS, R. Brown. — lyCaves oblong or lanceolate ; the upper passing into poiuted hract.s, which are shorter than the ovaries ; spike oblong, rather closely many-flowered; flowers bright orange yellow, lateral sepal rounded, reflexed ; petals linear, cut-fringed at the apex ; lip oblong, about half the length of the spur, furnished with a very long and copious capillary fringe. Gray's Manual of Botany of Ihe Northern United Slates, Chapman's Flora of the Southern I'nited States, Wood's Class-Book of Botany, and Britton and Brown's Illustrated Flora of the Northern United States, Canada, and the British Possessions. Dr. Graj^ remarks that this is the handsom- est species in the area covered by his work, and other authors have paid tribute to its beauty. The specimen illustrated was gathered within twenty miles of Philadelphia, but whether on the New Jersey or Pennsylvania side of the Delaware, the notes do not show. It is probably from New Jersey. There are some differences from ordinary forms, as may be seen by comparison with the illustration in " Britton and Brown's Illustrated Flora." The lip is more slender, and more tapering, and the cilia are not of the hair-like character repre- sented in that work. The spurs, also, seem much longer in proportion to the size of the flower ; the bracts are not linear, flaccid, and arranged closely together ; and the undivided root is not round and knobby as there figured, but fusiform as in a carrot or parsnip. These differences do not indicate a serious variation, but are worth noting as illustrating a point seldom given as much weight as it deserves, that we must not expect orchids to be always on one fixed type any more than plants of other families. The illustration here given is probably one of the most instructive ever placed before the student of our native orchids, by reason of the care taken to present the root system. As the reader generally knows, the original name. Orchis, is Greek, and was given to the original representative of the family to signify the twin oval tubers which constituted what was known as the radix or root. One of these is the product of the past, the other of the pres- ent year ; but when the latter is perfected, the former is in the initial stage of decay. In the species here illustrated, the twin roots are present, but are separated by a slender cord an inch in length. We see that at the time when the crown of the fusiform root is about to send up its flower stem, it, at the same time, sends out the con- necting thread, and then, perpendicularly into the earth, another thick root similar to itself, bearing, at the crown, the bud which is to be the flower bearer for the next season. From the base of the bud a few fleshy fibres appear, which are to aid in preparing nutrition for storage in advance of the tuber structure for the next season. Another interesting lesson is derived from the facts presented. We maj^ have a plant appear in one spot for many suc- cessive years, — but it is not the same plant. In man}^ respects they are annuals, — a wholly new plant replacing the plant of last year, and consequently they are nearly always found scattered ; but the flowers are conspicuous amongst the meadow grasses, and attract the amateur as well as the trained botanist. The occasional dashes of white, as seen along a New Jersey roadside in July or August, are bound to halt the flower-lover. Up to the beginning of the present century, Habe7iaria would have to be looked for under Orchis. Our plant was Orchis ciliaris. Our early botanist Clayton, in the days when plants had but one name, sent it to Gronovius, from Virginia, as the " Orchis with an undivided bulb, the lip lanceolate-ciliate, and with a very long horn." He speaks also of a white variety. (17) MEEHANS' MONTHLY — HABENARIA CILIARIS. [Feb. The number of species was very large ; but no one knew how to divide them into separate genera. Willdenow, who prepared a Species Plantar ujii, in 1S05, found nearly a hundred of them, and separated our present genus, Haben- aria, from it. But he could only make two species for his newly established genus, — Habenaria macroceratilis, and H. brachycera- tilis, the long-horned and the short-horned, both West Indian species. To-day, according to "Durand's Index," there are 450 species of this genus described. In this, however, he has ten sections, in which Platanthera and Gyvinadcnia , which many of our botanists re- gard as full genera, have a place. It was not till after vegetable morpholog}- became better understood, that Robert Brown was able to divide the great family of Orchis into various genera, and which have stood well the test of time. He was attached to Flander's exploring expedition, and seems to have left his manuscripts with the authors of Hortiis Keweiisis. He removed our species to Willdenow's genus, Habenaria, and his MSS. is quoted there as authorit}'. Thus, in 18 13, it appears for the first time as Habenaria ciliaris. Robert Brown, as a botanist, was a remark- able man. His intimate knowledge, of vege- table anatomy and morphology, gave him a great advantage in sj^stematic botany, which his compeers did not possess. These branches were not as assiduously pursued in England as they were on the continent of Europe, and thus he was better appreciated there than in his own land. He was born at Montrose, in Scotland, in 1773, and when only in his 28th year, was appointed botanist to the expedition sent to explore Australia under the command of Captain Flinders. The expedition returned in 1805. So active was Brown, in his depart- ment, that he brought back with him over 4,000 species of Australian plants. His botan- ical appendix, to Flinder's narrative of his voyage, was regarded as a marvel in the state of the science at that time. He died in Lon- don, in 1858. His initials, R. Br., as the author of species after a plant's name, is of the most frequent occurrence. Orchis, as a family name for these plants, reaches far into antiquity. The name itself, as already noted, has reference to the twin roots of many species ; but orchis itself, or him- self, has a place in Grecian mythology. He was the son of a rural god ; but, at one of the festivals of Bacchus, he drank enough wine to lead him to so far forget himself as to offer an insult to one of the priestesses, whereon he was slain by the Bacchantes for his insolence. Being of godly birth, however, these mighty personages had to do something to honor his memory, and the Orchis w^as raised up to per- petuate his name and family history. In the Old World, the wild species of the family have been divided by the people into various sections, according to their resemblan- ces. In England, the}' have the INIan Orchis, the Bee Orchis, the Fly Orchis, and others. Our plant would be classed as a Butterfly Orchis, that being the designation there of Habenaria bifolia. In our country, these nice discriminations have not yet been made. In- deed, the author knows of nothing in the line of sentiment that has been applied to our beautiful plant. Perhaps they have their own little world among themselves, — their stage, and their own actors, and we may S2cy with Walter Savage Landor : " Flowers bring me tales of growth and tones of love. And 'tis, and ever was, my wish and way To let all flowers live freely, and all die When'er their genus bids their souls depart Among their kindred in their native place." The Chinese are fond of naming their hon- orable societies and associations after flowers. Thej' have one denominated " The Golden Orchis ; " but what species they have in mind, or the nature of the body it represents, is not known to the author. Habenaria ciliaris is pretty well distributed along the Eastern Atlantic portion of our ter- ritory, from Canada to Florida, and west to Eastern Texas. Extending over so wide a ter- ritor}', it is in flower in various sections from June till August. It is said to bear cultivation better than some orchids, and has been in English gardens since 1796. It continues in flower there longer than in its native places. Robinson saj's, in his "English Flower Gar- den," ''Habenaria ciliaris is the handsomest species of the genus. The flowers are bright orange yellow, with a conspicuous fringe upon them, and are produced from July to Septem- ber. ' ' Explanation of the Plate. — i. A whole plant in three sections. 2. The root system of the present year. 3. The roDt system of the forth-coming year. WILD FLOWERS AND NATURE. FLEETING BEAUTY. Spirit of Beauty, that doth consecrate With thine own hues all thou dost shine upon Of human thought or form, where art thou gone? Thy light alone, like mists o'er mountains driven, Or music b}- the night wind sent Through strings of some still instrument, Or moonlight on a midnight stream. Gives grace and truth to life's unquiet dream. Shelley. The White Oak, Quercus alba. — A White Oak tree was cut in Knox County, Indiana, in January-, that is supposed to have been one of the largest of the kind ever cut in that section. It measured eight feet four inches at the butt, fift3--three inches at the small end, scaled 7,867 feet, and made four twelve-feet logs. The tree was cut and rolled to White River and loaded on a barge, taken to ]\It. Carmel, 111., rolled to side track and loaded two logs to a car. A silver dollar would have covered the heart of any one of the logs. The tree was bought by John S. Dickson, timber buyer for A. B. Mickey & Sons, Princeton. The logs will cut quartered oak panels, 27 to 28 inches wide. — The Forester. The Name Butterfly- Weed. — Though not a native of this locality, we were fortunate in having a plant of this handsome milkweed among our perennials for a number of years, and I often wondered wh}- it was so called. Not until crossing the Indiana prairies, on a July da3% when the fencerows were lined with this plant in its glor^-, did the appropriateness of the popular name appear ; for, as seen from the window of the fast-moving train, the plants constantly reminded me of hosts of golden- brown butterflies. Bessie L. Putnam. Spanish Moss. — I have repeatedl}- observed the fruiting of lillandsia usneoides, (Spanish Moss) in Florida, Louisiana, etc. The flower is about the size of a gun cap and slightly tubular and greenish in color. The seed pod is nearly an inch long, the size of a knitting needle and of a brown color. The seeds, by means of their downy attachments, float in the air and catch and grow almost anywhere above ground. I could never see any signs of the plants, either large or small, feeding as parasites do, but only as epiphites, from the air and rain. In the spring of 18S5, I took specimens from Louisiana to Kansas, and hung them in the trees on my lawn, where they grew and fruited well; but the cold killed all in the fall. I believe this plant would grow on a clothesline, if in the right climate. Parksley.Va. H. E. VAN DEMAN. The writer has seen plants in Louisiana that had evidently been a long while on telephone wires, blown there by the winds, and growing somewhat, but not luxuriantly. And plants brought to the north from Florida, will live for a year or two suspended in greenhouses ; but they eventuall}- dwindle away. Though, as Mr. Van Deman well says, they are not par- asites, it seems possible that the plant derives some benefit from the attachments. Sap-Sugar. — A suburban resident of Phila- delphia, an eminent chemist, sends the follow- ing biological question, under date of Decem- ber 20th : — "A telephone rigger, emploj-ed by a mon- opolistic concern, fastened a number of wires on to a large branch of a stately Sugar INIaple in front of my premises, — of course, without asking my permission. Repeated climbing up and down the trunk, assisted b}' spurs, he punctured deeply into bark and wood. Two davs after the sap commenced to flow out of some seventy wounds. Freezing, it formed long streaks of ice down along the trunk. Tasting this ice, I find no presence of sugar. This fact appearing to me strange and interest- ing, I venture to ask you, whether there is no sugar developed at low temperature, during (19) MEEHANS' MONTHLY — WILD FLOWERS AND NATURE. [Feb. the winter : or whether — if formed — it is re- tained within the cells, while the water exudes." In freezing, whatever is held in solution is pushed outwardl}'. Onlj' the pure water freezes. A beautiful experiment may be made with a bottle of ink. If exposed to a tempera- ture wherein the whole contents of the bottle can be frozen solid, the ice will be as clear as crj'stal, and the ink}- matter separated bj' it- self in a small cavity in the centre. The writer has had a similar statement from cider- makers, that if a barrel be frozen, the liquid is but water, while pure alcohol collects in the middle of the barrel. The sugar in the sap would therefore be on the surface of the icicle, and drain off when a thaw came, leaving but pure water in the icicle. The Wild China Aster. — This wild form of our beautiful China Aster does not appear to have been in cultivation till recently. The Botaiiical ]\Tagazine figures it, and saj^s : — ' ' The indigenous form of the ' China Aster ' appears to be common in the rocky hills of northern China, in eastern Turkestan, western Thibet, and Afghanistan. The plant figured was raised from seeds supplied bj- INIessrs. Vil- morin, Andrieux & Cie., which were obtained from the Abbe Farges, who collected them in Sechuan. The heads are solitary, ray-florets numerous, linear, violet -blue ; disc-florets numerous, of a golden yellow color." Cut-leaved Buckeye. — Plants sent for name are frequent on the office tables. Open- ing a letter from Mr. \V. C. Egan, with a speci- men, the mental comment was "a form of Pteris trenmla.'' The letter explained that the specimen was from a dozen found on a second growth of Buckeye in Kentucky. The venation testified to its being a genuine Buck- e3-e, for all its comb-like leaflets. Just why these things should be, is still a question un- solved ; but they cannot be accounted for b}' the popular explanation of " environment." Penetrating Power of the Lower Organs ISMS. — In recent times there has been much interest taken in filters for purifying drinking- water. In Philadelphia during the past year, this was especialh- the case, and the Citj- Councils of that city made an appropriation of $35,000 for "germ-proof" filters for the public schools. Some of these were dependent on tubes made of diatomic claj', through which the water could percolate with such difiicult^-, that onl}^ a small supply could get through in an hour. Some of these that had been in use a 3'ear were tested, and it was found that the mycelium of some fungus had, in some in- stances, penetrated wholly through the tube. It did not follow that this fungus was deleter- ious ; but whether or not, it was clear there was no such thing as a germ-proof filter. Indeed, the fact has long been known to observing students of nature that many species of the lower orders of vegetation excrete an acid that enables them to penetrate the hardest rock. It is well-known that by this power rocks are dissolved, and soil prepared for the more complex forms of vegetation, — and that, by this power of acid secretion, bones or even tough minerals are dissolved for their nutri- tion. Indeed, it is now understood that in the case of the few bacteria that are known to be a serious menace to human life, such as those in connection with cholera, typhoid fever, yellow fever, and so on, their noxious charac- ter is solely due to the nitric acid the}- produce during their rapid growth in the human sys- tem. Angelica hirsuta. — Mr. Ed. Reagan writes pleasantly of the above plant. It is my cus- tom to read over all the articles which are so delightfull}' portrayed by the conductors of the Monthly, then afterwards study out the botanical names, using Dr. Gray's Manual. I do this to familiarize mj^self with the names and their descriptions. Looking over Dr. Gra5''s Manual, I find that Ayigelica Curtisii is described "Calyx-teeth obsolete." Looking further, to the next page, I see Archangelica hirsuta, " Calyx - teeth short. ' ' Dr. Gray says ' ' that the species have been separated with hardl}-^ sufiicient reason." Kestus, Mo. F. K. Steele. Yellow Birch in North Carolina. — A correspondent finds the Yellow Birch, Bctula lutea, at Blowing Rock, North Carolina, — far south of its usual limit. GENERAL GARDENING. THE LITTLE GARDEN. " No plot so narrow, be but Nature there ; No waste so vacant, but may well employ Each faculty of sense, and keep the heart Awake to love and beaut}-." Wordsworth. Transplanting Rhododendrons in Spring. — Although blooming comparatively early in the spring, the blossoming of rhododendrons and azaleas is not disturbed by late spring planting, the plants usually being lifted with compact balls of earth. Most persons prefer planting them out at that time, as if carefully planted, the}' will take hold of the soil at once. Parks and Children's Play-grounds. — "The subject of play-grounds for children and youth has been busily discussed in the last few 5'ears. The sports of youth are admirable deterrents from vice and excellent means of educating both body and mind. As a mere source of happiness they are worth much. While the main burden of providing the grounds and apparatus for play will fall on school authorities, a part of it will rest on those in charge of park systems." ' 'A zoological garden is a great ornament to a city, and a most admirable adjunct to school education. The child who can see and study a moose, an eagle, an alligator, or any other strange beast of the field, gets what no book can ever teach." The foregoing remarks, extracts from an annual address by the President of the Minne- apolis Board of Park Commissioners, contain food for thought, and serve to show that the purposes of parks are being broadened as they should be. Parks are, or should be, designed for the rest and recreation of old and young alike ; yet how constrained do some of them appear, con- fronting us everj^where with ' ' Keep-ofif-the Grass " signs. In some few cities, the question, or rather its answer, has assumed more definite shape. Boston is foremost, with play-grounds includ- ing out-door gymnastic apparatus. Philadel- phia's Fairmount Park has a large area given up entirely to base-ball and tennis fields, with another particular portion for smaller folk, known as the Children's Play-ground. Many of the public school-yards are also thrown open in vacation time for the enjoyment of the children in the heart of the city. Some other cities give opportunity for bathing in .summer and skating in winter. All provisions of this nature have a tendency to increase in our young people a spirit of happiness and contentedness with their respective places in life, and the making of better citizens. Treatment of Shipments of Plants that are Frozen. — It not infrequently occurs that plants shipped late in the fall or during the winter season, in mild weather, are caught en route by severe weather and become frozen. Many persons would think them perhaps fatal- ly injured and of little value ; but they should consider them as in about the same condition as any other plants which may be planted out and are subject to just as great frost. Ex- posure to frost is not harmful provided the plants may thaw gradually, unexposed to light and heat. The best plan, therefore, is to let the box remain unopened, and put it in a cool cellar. It may take a week or more to thaw out ; but under proper conditions there will be no harm done. LiQUIDAMBAR STYRACIFLUA AS A PARK TrEE. — The home of Liquidambar styraciflua is in the Southern States of North America. The tree, while young, requires protection from wind-blasts. The most hardy variety is Liquid- ambar styraciflua Mexicatia. This noble tree, with leaves resembling those of the maple, appears at its best advantage as a single tree on a lawn. Beginning in August, the nerves of the leaves, and gradually the whole of the leaves, assume bright purple coloring. The Amber Tree belongs to the witch-hazel family (21) MEEHANS' MONTHLY — GENERAL GARDENING. [Feb. {HamamelidecB), and grows readilj- in any nourished and humid soil." The above item, regarding what, in Amer- ica, is commonlj- known as Sweet Gum, trans- lated from an article by I\Ir. Krause, of Leip- sic, Thonberg, in INIuUer's Gartner Zeituiig, may serve to bring more to American notice a beautiful, but somewhat neglected tree. Just why Mexicana is added, is not clear, as, though the tree is found in the mountains of Mexico, that is but the southern boundary of the same plant. The ball-like mass of seed vessels are somewhat smaller, in Mexican speci- mens to hand, than in more northern specimens. But the plants are extreme- ly liable to vary among themselves, individuall}', even in its most north- ern lines, which maj^ be considered about the latitude of New York. Cul- tivated trees, in the vicinity of Phila- delphia, have some with the leaves so nearl}^ entire, that the usual star-like outline is scarcely apparent. In other cases, the large leaves are so deeply lobed, that a nar- row margin of green is about all that is left to the five strong veins. Some trees grow as upright as a poplar, while others may spread as an apple tree. But they are all beauties, in what- ever condition presented. Attaching Names or Signs to Trees. — Mr. E. H. Griffin, of Gloucester, Mass., furnish- es, at the kind suggestion of Mr. Duncan Aird, a photograph of a tree, that had had an iron label attached to it. The label was attached to the tree in 1855, when the trees were not very large. The labels were about two feet long, attached to the tree by iron hooks, and project- ed about four feet beyond the width of the trees. Thej^ were hung loosely in order to give the trees a chance to grow. As seen in the illustration, the ornamental curvings of the sign boards are still visible ; bv:t the new growth of wood and bark has almost covered and enclosed the board. The curious part of the phenomena to the general observer is, why there seems to have been no pressure in the wood growth, to force away, or dis- tort the board ? To those who understand the manner in which new wood forms, the explanation is simple. The in- crease in the girth of trees takes place during a few weeks at mid-summer, and is by the rapid multiplication o f minute cells. These, at first, are as soft as mush, and might be com- pared to the flow of so much j^east. If the flow is checked in one direction, it turns to the direc- tion its neighbor is journeying, and adds itself to the volume of that stream. The extra thickness of the margins in the illustration is, therefore, due to the addition of that which, but for the board pressure, would have been deposited beneath. There is only one way by which tree labels, or any attachment can be made to a living tree that will not provoke serious resistance from the new annual layer of wood cells, and that is by allowing a length of wire, which is to be permitted to grow into the tree with the in- crease in its annual girth. The illustration A SIGN OVERGROWN BY WOOD OF TREE. igoo] MEEHANS MONTHLY — GENERAL GARDENING. 23 explains this so clearly that further description is unnecessary'. Lawn-making. — One of the greatest prob- lems in general gardening is the production of a good turf and maintaining it. Yet it is easy to solve, too, if carefully attended to. The chief thing is to start right. There should be a good, rich, loamy top-soil, six inches in depth, at least, in which the seed should be sown. Unless for some ver}' good reason, which would seldom be the case, one kind of grass only should be sown, which will make an even, regular growth — if cared for. Dishonest contract- ors are occasionally to be met with who do not hesitate to ' ' skimp ' ' with the top-soil, and a weak, stunted and tufted growth of grass is the result. Kentucky Blue-grass is the most popular and best for more northern States, being very hardy and close- growing. It is a famous pasture grass, and thrives in almost all soils. For excessively dry soils, where it has been found difficult to establish ordinar}- grass. Sheep Fescue, a very fine, "silky" grass, will be found admirable. Around the base of large trees, where it is not also shady, it will grow right up to their trunks. This is also recommended for sowing in sod which is troubled with annual grass or weeds, as it may be cut very close, and the annuals pre- vented from seeding. While tell- ing what to do, it is well to add what to avoid. Whatever kind of grass is employed to seed with, it should be of a slightly creeping, and not of a tufty character. It is impossible to make a close, even carpet with a tuft}' grass. cially about the homes of artisans. If an effort of this kind will succeed in creating a greater love for attractive home surroundings among the class of working people, the Association will have accomplished something to be proud of. The National Cash Register Co. , have set a practical example of what can be done in this respect, so the movement has foundation for hopes of success. American Forests. — For all the prophecies of a century ago, that the lumber supply would be exhausted in a few years, the forests seem still inexhaustible. The prophets did not know America. Mr. Fred- erick Weyerhauser, of Chippewa Falls, has recently purchased, for $6.00 an acre, 1,000,000 acres of standing timber on the line of the Northern Pacific. It is not every one that could pay out six millions of dollars, nor many countries that could have a million acres to sell, with millions more of acres to sell. A GOOD METHOD OF ATTACHINQ LABELS. Shiny Willow. — Miss Grace- anna Lewis, of Media, Pennsyl- vania, sends specimens of a willow from a tree on Marshall Painter's grounds, three and a half miles from Media, that she thinks must be distinct from the shiny, or glossy-leaved willow, Salix bicida. One is about 50 feet high, with branches somewhat spreading ; the other very tall growing, and esti- mated at 70 or 80 feet high. There seems to be no difference, in the leaves and branches of the latter tree sent for inspection, from Salix lucida ; but the trees are certainly remarkable as be- longing to a species of which 20 feet high is the recorded maximum. Encouragement to Planting Around Manufactories. — It has been decided, by the American Park and Outdoor Art Association, to take into consideration the matter of offer- ing prizes, in our different cities, for the im- provement of grounds about manufactories and homes — both front and rear lots — and espe- DlSTRIBUTION OF BoTANIC GARDENS. — Well- organized Botanic Gardens may be very valu- able to their respective sections of the country where plants are used extensivelj- ; some are simply public parks, having what were once rare trees, but now just " fine specimens." These latter gardens are not kept up to date in modern introductions, and simply give the MEEHANS' MONTHLY — GENERAL GARDENING. [Feb. cit}' or State the distinction of possessing a Botanic Garden. Boston is conceded to have the most pro- gressive Botanic Garden, known as the Arnold Arboretum. St. Louis has one among the best. There are others at Buffalo, N. Y. ; Washing- ton, D. C. ; Philadelphia, Pa. ; New York City, N. Y. ; Northampton, INIass. ; San Francisco, Cal. Then there are quite a number of nurseries and private places containing such large col- lections as to entitle them to rank with the more public ones. Fairmount Park andLavirel Hill Cemeter\-, Philadelphia, were once fore- most with collections of rare trees, magnificent specimens of which are now standing. The latter was especially noted for its collection in the time of Downinar. MULGEDIUM FOR FODDER. — Most of OUr readers know the wild Giant Lettuce, Mulge- dium leucophaeutn, which grows some eight or ten feet high, with a stem an inch or two thick, and clothed with foliage to the top. This has yellowish flowers. There is another smaller species, Mulgediinn acuminatum, wnth a some- what purplish stem and flowers, growing about six or eight feet in height. A corres- pondent from Westmoreland County, Pennsyl- vania, writes that horses seem greedily fond of it, and it might be worth while to get it into a regular agricultural crop. For such a pur- pose, it would have to be brought into compar- ison with other crops used simply for fodder — corn, for instance. Here it certainl}^ would have the advantage of starting into growth early. It would not need hot sun for rapid growth. It is well worth considering. But as green fodder is chiefly for cows, the effect on the milk would have to be considered. Paving Materials. — Where there is con- stant heavy traffic, macadam roads are costly to keep in thorough repair ; and unless well kept, are muddy or dusty. Blocks of hard stone chip at the edges, — the rounded block produces enormous noise from wheels jumping over them from one to another. Sheet asphalt is slippery- in wet weather, and very costl}^ to keep in repair, — indeed, in large cities the first cost is repeated every five years. Vitrified bricks are largely used in Philadelphia, where toughness is considered instead of brittle hard- ness, and, set close together with bevelled edges, they wear well under considerable traf- fic. Australian Gum blocks make a durable and noiseless pavement, but must be kept sanded to avoid slipping. Experiments are being made with a new paving material composed of bitumen, cork, and certain other materials, subjected to a pressure of about 600 pounds to the inch. In addition to^being non-slippery, noiseless, and non-absorbent, the new material requires no gravel sprinkling. Reinwardtia tryginum. — The little East Indian Reiinvardtia tryginum, or Linum trygin- um, as many know it, is a pretty green-house plant worthy of more general cultivation. It bears 3^ellow flowers about the size of a Tro- pcEoljim flower, but, of course, without the spur of the latter. Though a shrubby peren- nial, it is thought to succeed best treated as a biennial and raised annuallj' by means of cut- tings. Culture of Aquatics. — The attention paid in America to the culture of Water Lilies and other aquatics, is stimulating the flower-lovers of the Old World to similar good works. References to American experiences in this direction, are among the frequent papers in European periodicals. Illustrations of scenes in Dreer's garden appear in the German pa- pers. With Mr. Moulder's practical articles on Water Lily culture, and Mr. Dreer's good ex- amples of what can be done, the good work is going on. The Victoria Lib", in the open air, is the gfreat wonder. lEW ©^ 1/^lE FL^lMTSc Acorus gr amineus V a r I e g a t u s . — The Sweet-flag, Acoriis Calamus, most particularly the variegated-leaved form, is ver}' generally known, and has been in use, though perhaps not cultivated for ornament, since ancient times. Doubtless the Sweet Calamus, men- tioned in the Book of Exodus, is identical with it. There is a genus of palms by name of Cal- anms, but of course unrelated to our reed, the Sweet-flag. The root of the Acorus when dried or bruised emits a pleasant, aromatic odor, and is said to' have been used, by the ancients, mixed with rushes and strewn on the floors of igoo] MEEHANS MONTHLY — GENERAL GARDENING. 25 their homes and in places for religious wor- ship. The name Acorns comes from Greek derivatives showing it to have been utilized medicinally', for maladies of the eye. In more modern times, its value has been extended, being used in confectionary ; for hair powders and perfumery ; and for flavoring intoxicating liquors. With the origin and cultivation of the variegated form, it has been brought into more general use in gardening, where some- thing for damp and marshy ground is desired, in which place it is at home. All this, concerning the species Calamus, furnishes greater interest in another species, '(there are but three decided species), grajnin- eiis, which has also a variegated form. But while Calamus grows vigorously to an approximate height of three feet, gramineus is barely more than nine inches, and grass-like, forming very prettj"- little tufts. The writer has never seen it grown outside of a greenhouse ; but there is good reason to believe it might prove hardy. Chinese Spice-Bush. — Most of our readers are acquainted with that gem of our old-fash- ioned gardens, the "Sweet Shrub," Calycanthus floridus. Old Father Linnaeus gave us another species, which he called Calycanthus fragrans. It is a native of Japan, and is most chimonanth delightfull}' scented. Nomen- clatural iconoclasts have, however, torn it from its association with its sweet American sister, and it now goes as Chimonaiithus fragrans. To us, common flower lovers, it is better known as Chinese Spice-bush. Though the plant is perfectly hardy in the Atlantic portion of our country, it will send forth its blossoms under the first warm winter's sun, only to have them killed by the next day's cruel frost. The knowing ones, however, cut the twigs before the buds open, and place them in water in a warm room, when they seem to open as contentedly as if on the bush in the open air. They fill the air with fragrance for a whole week after opening. On this account, it is a very welcome addition to the amateur's garden. Camphor and T.-vllow Trees in New Orleans. — In regards to note in a recent issue, the camphor as a street tree in New Orleans, I feel sure that both Mr. Smith and j^ourselves will regret to learn that very few survived the severity of last winter. This is much to be regretted, as it gave promise, at one time, of being one of the most beautiful of evergreen trees for this climate. It was particularly at- tractive in the spring, when making its new growth. The young shoots and leaves might be described as rose colored, and appeared, from a distance, like a large tree in bloom. Another tree, which served the same fate, was the Stillingia sebifera (The Tallow Tree of China). This was one of the most common street trees here, and although it had very fevir claims to beauty, it was a tree that could stand a great deal of abuse. It was a very common thing to see it growing on the sidewalk, paved as close to its trunk as it could possibly be and flourishing like, I think, no other tree would flourish under such conditions. In a few years, however, -this is liable to be as common as ever, as large quantities of seedlings are coming up wherever the old trees grew. Geo. Thomas. New Orleans. There is a species indigenous in the Southern States, 5. syl- vatica, commonly called Queen's- us FRAGRANS. ^^O^" ^"^ ^^ ^^ S^^P^^ ^ P^''^"" nial herb, the root of which, it is said, furnishes a lotion soothing to certain skin diseases. Stillingias are members of the Spurge family, Euphorbiacece. THE nmMJ FL©WEI1 ^i^H^ElNI, P.EONiA TENUiFOLiA FL. PL. — Unless familiar with it, most persons would pass the Fennel- leaved Ptcony, P. tejuiifolia, without classing it among pteonies, so distinct in appearance is- the finely-divided foliage. Then, too, being of dwarf growth, its habit is not quite the same. There are no branches to speak of, the medium, size flowers terminating each stem which arises direct from the ground. It is the earliest paeony to bloom, and the bright scarlet flowers 26 MEEHANS' MONTHLY — GENERAL GARDENING. [Feb. show to great advantage against the green, fringe-like foliage. Contrary to the habit of the other pseonies, this one never makes a very large clump, and, therefore, does not occupy much space. Plants dotted around here and there in the fore-ground of shrubbery beds and herbaceous borders liven them up wonderfully. The illustration accompanying gives an idea of the very fine foliage ; but the plant in flower should be seen to be fully appreciated. It makes a verj^ suitable plant for forcing. Pruning Roses. — The London Gardening Illustrated gives excellent advice for pruning roses, that is as applicable to the New World as found useful in the Old. "The Poh-antha Roses, where employed for edging, should be pruned hard. They may be cut down nearly to the ground. If wanted as bushes, then treat them similar to the Teas, pruning the weakly growers severely, and the more vigor- ous slightly. Rugosa or Japanese Roses merely require the extreme ends of the shoots tiimmed off, but the centres should be well thinned. Moss and Cabbage Roses, Damask, and Maiden's Blush tribe, Gallicas, and Hybrid Chinese should be very sparsel}' pruned if large bushes are desired. As these are the least excitable tribes they should be the first to be operated upon. Here, again, I would advise the reduction of the number of shoots, but the strong young growths retained leave from six inches to nine inches long, according to the vigor of the variety. When large bushes are wanted, the first year leave the growths long — say, from three feet to four feet — then they may be subsequentl)' pruned as directed. I have seen Moss-bushes about seven feet high, and their branches indicate that they were orig- inally left about four feet long. These branches are now thick stems, the new growths arising from the shoots above them. The old spent- out wood must be removed in order to keep up the rejuvenating process of new shoots, but so long as this old wood remains healthy it will P/EONIA TENUIFOLIA FL. PL. be as well to retain it, if size of plant is sought after. Many of these roses make fine pillars, and their treatment would then vary from that advocated here, but I shall notice this later on. The Penzance Briers, together with the many lovely single roses, require to be left practi- cally unpruned, not even removing the ex- treme ends. Their natural, graceful habit is then maintained ; indeed, here we may derive a lesson from the wildings of Nature, and en- deavor to preserve those elegant arch-like shoots that are so beautiful when wreathed in blossom. Such rambling roses as the Ayrshire and Sempervirens, the Crimson* Rambler, etc., require merel}^ the removal of old growths as they show signs of debility. Of course, when very crowd- ed, even if healthy, remove some growths entirely if space be not available to spread them out. The Austrian Briers, which include the lovely R. pjinicea or Austrian Copper, should have the merest tipping of the shoots ; but to preserve vigor in these kinds have a double set of plants, so that they may be cut down in alternate years. Scotch Roses should not be pruned at all, beyond re- moving dead wood. If they outgrow their boundary they may be cut back hard now and then. Climbing Teas and Noisettes on walls should have some of the old growths that have flow- ered cut out in Jul3^ Then in the spring all that is needful is to lay in the young ripened shoots and cut back the laterals upon the ripened growths retained, removing entirely any soft, sappy wood. It is always advisable, where possible, to somewhat spread out the new growths when laying them in. This gives a check to the sap and acts in a similar manner to the pegging-down of the Hybrid Perpetuals. Some even go so far as to lay these young shoots down until buds have started, then blooms may be had from nearly every eye. Climbing Roses planted last autumn should be cut back quite one-half their length this spring. Indeed, in many cases it is best to cut down 1900] MEEHANS MONTHLY — GENERAL GARDENING. 27 the shoots to two or three eyes, the result being long growths that should flower abund- antly the following summer. In well-sheltered districts where ]Marechal Niel is grown upon south walls outdoors, the shoots that yield blossoms should be cut away in Jul}-. If the season be a good one, some fine young canes are produced that provide glorious blossoms the next 5^ear. When this rose is grown as a standard, it is best trained as a weeper upon an umbrella-shaped frame of wire. The bend- ing down induces the growths to flower, and such trees increase in beauty each succeeding year if kept in a healthy state by training in plenty of new wood and cutting away the old growths. Gloire de Dijon, Mme. Berard, and other Tea Roses grown as standards make glor- ious heads, and should be very moderately pruned, alwaj'S keeping in mind the desirabil- ity of having hard, sound wood, and removing that soft and worn out. Many amateurs unac- quainted with roses often find that thej' have planted what is known as a climbing rose amongst their dwarf plants. Supposing such plants cannot be pegged down, do not cut away the long growths, but train them around three stakes placed at a suitable distance apart and the points brought together at the top. Such growths will flower from nearly every eye if thus trained. This is a capital way of grow- ing many of the superb yellow climbing roses where wall space is limited. Directly flowers have fallen remove the old growths and let the 3'oung shoots grow as they like, until the next season." Blackberries in Australia. — In parts of New South Wales, the blackberry is so prolific that the fruit is gathered by the ton, in place of the bushel or hundredweight with which English blackberrj^ gatherers are familiar. The blackberry is finest and most abundant on the coast a few miles south of vSydney ; and Bulli, one of the leading coastal townships, in- habited chiefly b}- miners employed in the neighboring collieries, is rapidly becoming a centre for the annual export of many tons of the delicious fruit. Rising gradually from the coast are the extensive Illawarra INIountain ranges, and in not a few places on the slopes of these, on the lofty summits, and in clear- ings, the blackberry bushes occupy many acres of ground. Paddocks which have been cleared and fenced, for cultivation or pasturage, offer no bar to the advance of the brambles. In more than one instance, owners of land have long since ceased to fight the growth, which even bush fires but temporarily retard, so fin. I it more congenial to lease their holdings for a small rental to the pickers, who, as a rule, have anything but an easy time of it. The bushes grow in a most irregular way, present- ing in most cases a compact mass of thorn and briar many yards deep and several feet high. To reach every part of this mass of entangle- ment is the blackberry picker's aim. Yet he succeeds in doing so, and may spend a day in one spot, forcing his way through the bushes as best he can. Generally, he will cut a nar- row track to the heart of the bushes, and, establishing a centre at that point, "work" the bushes cleanl}^ and systematically. Billies, buckets, and tins receive the fruit, which may then have to be carried some distance, perhaps right into the township, before being disposed of. Most of the blackberry pickers are coal- miners, and they have the assistance of their wives and families.— London /onrnal of Hor- ticulture. Indian Fig Cactus. — A large-fruited species of Opuntia has long been known as Indian Fig, on account of the edible character of its fruits. It was described by Miller as Opuntia Ficus-Indica, as a distinct species, though now regarded as a form of Opuntia Tuna, supposed by the same author to be a distinct species. Like other kinds of plants, variations may be selected with superior characters, — and a very large fruited and productive variety has been raised in northern Africa, and introduced into California, by Prof. Emory E. Smith, of Leland Stanford University. A sketch of a group, with Professor Smith standing among them to show the height of the plants, is herewith given. They are called Nopaleas by the Alger- ians, and this name is adopted by Prof. Smith. The fruit is of the size of a very large fig, and the flavor should be that of a well ripened goose- berry, a family to which the gooseberry is closely allied. Mr. Smith says of it : — "Several years ago, while traveling in Southern Europe and Northern Africa, my at- 28 MEEHANS' MONTHLY — GENERAL GARDENING. [Feb. tention was attracted b}' the \evy large and delicious cactus fruits which abounded on the fruit stands and were peddled on the streets of the towns. Conceiving that this might prove a valuable addition to California's already long list of fruits, I collected some of the best var- ieties obtainable. These were forwarded to the gardens of Timothy Hopkins, at ^lenlo Park, where the\' were cared for until read\' for set- ting out. The plants have grown eqvially well in the several parts of the State to which they were sent. lyast year they fruited lightly, but the The Spaniard, Sicilian or Arab, who, froiu necessity or taste, makes a habit of dining on cactus fruit, carries a small piece of leather with a strap over the back, tinder which his fingers can be slipped. With this leather he grasps the fruit, the ends are slashed off with a sharp knife and a pronged stick or fork securely stuck into the side. The fruit is now held erect, a lengthwise cut made in the skin, which is turned back both ways, exposing the ruby or golden heart, as the case may be. In a twinkling this disappears down his throat in much the same fashion as a raw oyster is swal- INDIAN FIG CACTUS. present season some of them have borne such immense crops that the branches have been broken under the weight. The fruits vary in color from bright carmine to ^^ellowish orange; they are pear-shaped, oblong or nearly round according to variety. Some of them measure five inches in length, eight inches in circum- ference and weigh full eight ounces. They should always be allowed to ripen thoroxighly, picked in the earl}- morning and kept in the shade, as they are slightly insipid when warm. The fruits of the red varieties are most gor- geously colored when peeled. lowed. This deft operation is repeated eight or ten times, when the curbstone diner saun- ters off with a Chesterfieldian air, ' nothing can harm me now,' and all for two cents. An ardent devotee of the new fruit has im- proved on the Spanish method. He jabs a pointed stick firmly into the blossom end of the fruit, slices the peel from the stem in four sections, and turns these back in orange fash- ion. The trick of it all is to prevent getting any of the little irritating fuzzy spines, which ckister on the peel, in j'our fingers or mouth. The spines are not near so numerous as they £9oo] .AIEKHAXS MONTHLY — GENERAL GARDENING. 29 are on the common prickly pear, and for the most part can be easil}' removed by gently bmshing the fniit before or after it is picked. In addition to being delicious eating, a palat- able drink, excellent jell}- and other delicacies are made from the pulp. The juice, which is of a brilliant hue, is sometimes used as a water color and as a harmless coloring for desserts, candies, etc." Parsnip Culture. — Few vegetables change their edible qualit3% according to the soil they may be growing in, as the parsnip. To have the best results, they should be sown verj- early, in very rich soil where they ma}^ develop rapidl}-. In poor garden ground, they have a slightly bitterish flavor when wild, and the roots poor and stringy ; thej^ are poisonous when raw, at times. There are well authenti- cated instances of death, b}' children eating raw parsnip roots, that have grown in waste places. Heat destroj's the poison. There are few more delicious and healthful vegetables than a properlj'-cooked, well-grown parsnip. Ben Davis Apple. — In mid-winter, the Ben Davis Apple is the chief kind in the markets of the East, among those that come from the westerl}' States, — as the Baldwin is from the East. It is not of the highest flavor, but is popular from the balance of good qualities. Late Spring Transplanting of Fruits. — A correspondent asks how late in the spring the transplanting of cherries, peaches, plums and apples, may be safely deferred. That is a question that cannot be answered positively, of course. It would be much safer to say that it should be done as early as possible after the frost leaves the soil. The earlier it can be done, the longer is the time allowed for the earth to become settled around the roots, and the trees to recover the general shock of trans- planting before they are called upon to active- h- engage in food-storing and the support of their leaves. Good care in handling and planting figure largely in the results. A good pounding of the earth around the roots corresponds with the settling which time may bring ; and a little water, given w/ien trees are in leaf or pushing at time of transplanting, is sustaining until the roots can better look around for their own sup- pl\' of moisture. But "good care" is often mistaken injur}-. The pounding of the soil is not done as it is being filled in, but after the hole is entirely filled, making a hard surface through which the needed air and water can- not readil}- penetrate. The surface never should be made hard — quite the contrary. Then again, instead of a moderate application of water, the trees are sometimes soaked every day all summer long, regardless of need and condition of soil. In heavy soil, it is best to refrain entirely from watering, as trees do not like to stand in water. Cherries and plums object, as a rule, to being moved after commencing to leaf; pears and apples are less particular. Peach and Plum Rot. — Curculio has been looked upon as the greatest enemj- of the plum, but, fortunately, that has been overcome — per- haps only temporarily — with the introduction of the Japanese type, on which the puncture of the curculio seems to have no effect. But there is also a fungus to contend w'ith, which has the effect of decaying the fruit just before ripening. It comes very quickly, being little behind Fire Blight in the branches, in this respect. Some varieties are reported more sus- ceptible to this rot than others. In the case of the peach, it separates the stone as the fruit is broken open. The ^Morris White Peach is especiall}- susceptible. Other varieties are attacked. The seat of the mischief is not generally known — whether the spores of the disease enter into the twigs, carrjdng the infection later to the fruit, or attack directlj^ the fruit itself. In the former case, a cutting back of the bran- ches would be advisable ; otherwise, simple spraying at regular intervals, using Bordeaux mixture, is the remedy. The latter is gener- ally considered sufficient. Overcrowded fruit is harmful. California Fruit Resources. — Though most persons know that California, as a fruit- growing State, is the wonder of the world, it is questionable whether the full extent of these resources are well understood. One great branch, now, is the preparing of stoneless raisins. A California paper said that over a thousand carloads of these would be shipped from Fresno alone, before the ist of January. BIOGRAPHY AND LITERATURE. THE FALSE HERO. And though the laurel on his brow Seem green to those who worshiphim, He feels the wreath, he knows not how, Is withered, and its lustre dim. None shall escape the ghostly hand Of the avenging deity, — Elude her wheel upon the land, — Her rudder following in the sea." Howard Worcester Gilbert. Species of Roses. — Usually, the number of varieties recognized by florists is far, very far, in excess of the species of a genus ; but in the genus Rosa, it is questionable whether the num- ber of species, recognized by botanists as good species, is not far ahead of any list of garden varieties ever known. Professor Michel Gan- dover, in his Essai sur 7ine 7iouvelle classifica- tion des Roses de V Europe, de V orient, ct die bassin Meditterranh'u, classifies 798 described by various authors, and two years afterwards added 95 of his own new species that he believed he had fovmd in southeast France alone. What the result would be if he took the whole world into his monograph could only be expressed by Dominie Samson as " prodigious." Forestry in Dubuque County, Iowa. — Professor Thomas H. McBride has prepared a report on the woody plants of Dubuque County, Iowa, for the use of those interested in the forests of that section. He names and de- scribes 79 species, and notes the uses that each may be put to. It is published in advance of vol. X. of the Iowa Geological Survey. Botanizing. — By William Whitman Bailey. — An admirable little guide book to start the young botanist on the pleasant journey through life, — and for the mature botanist who desires to improve his methods by taking leaves from another person's book. Mr. Whitman Bailey, who is now Professor of Botany in Brown Uni- versity, is one of the pioneers in botanical ex- (30) ploration in our country. He was associated with the late Sereno Watson, in the survey of the 40th parallel, and has been honored by Dr. Torrey in the genus Baile3'a, a pretty genus of Californian compositae. No one is better fitted to prepare a collector's hand-book, — and few could tell the story so pleasantly and so well. It is published by Preston and Rounds, Provi- dence, R. I. Horticultural Books for Amateurs. — Where a comprehensive book on general gard- ening is desired, — one that will instruct the amateur in plain language, giving the princi- ples of pruning, spraying, and landscape gard- ening as related to the home grounds, — Maj-- nard's " Landscape Gardening as applied to Home Decorations ' ' will be found among the most valuable. Of course, one cannot expect to go very far into details, where a great varie- t}^ of information is attempted. Bailey's "Pruning Book" and Lodeman's " Sprajdng of Plants" are complete in their specialties. Bailey's "Garden-making" is on the order of Maynard's work. Memorial Trees. — The planting of trees in memory of some person is not uncommon. What is apparently an original idea, differing somewhat from memorial trees, yet commem- orating a great event, is the arrangement of the oak and cedar trees in Blenheim Park, the seat of the Duke of Marlboro. According to an account by the London. Mail, the trees are grouped in separate bodies, so as to indi- cate the position of the Dutch and English troops at the battle of Blenheim. Ginseno. — Considerable attention is being given to the culture of this profitable root, and inquiries at this quarter are not infrequent. To these and others, it may be serviceable to .state that INIr. Harlan P. Kelsey, of 1106 Tre- mont Building, Boston, has issued an illus- trated circular on the subject, which is sent free to applicants. I goo] MEEHANS' MONTHLY — GENERAL NOTES. 31 The Florlsts' Manual, by William Scott, Florists' Publishing Co., Chicago. A reference book for commercial florists. The author's first aim in preparing this work was to fill a felt want among florists — a book describing the best plants commercially with cultural advice founded on experience. Viewed in this light, it is a valuable and instructive work, very complete in its details. But it need not be confined to circulation among florists and others commercially' connected, although gardeners and amateurs need not expect in it a work exactly fitting their requirements. Rather, judge it through the author's own words, i.e.: "If those who favoi us with a perusal of its pages glean only one hint which may help them * * they will have received value for their money." A work resulting from Mr. Scott's long and varied experience, "from selling a bunch of violets over the counter to planting a tree or seeding a lawn or bviilding a greenhouse," cannot but throw out many hints of value to any one interested in an}' line of horticulture or flower gardening. The comparatively small index confronting the reviewer at first is far from encouraging, but as the purpose of the author is more clearly brought to light, it is better appreciated. It shows the intention to treat of the most desir- able and profitable things to handle — a conden- sation which many will enjo}'. Many interest- ing subjects are brought to headings such as " Easter Plants, " " Watering, " " Decora- tions, " "Potting," "Bedding Plants," etc. Not the least of value to the possessor of this book, are the beautiful half-tone illustrations, numbering more than one 100, and thoroughly illustrating the subjects treated. Critical per- sons may object to the interspersing of adver- tisements with the reading matter, though it is not made very abtrusive ; yet it must be remembered that the work is designed for commercial purposes, and not strictly as a librarv' book. ^ll Heard's Island Cabbage. — It is well known that Kerguelen's Land produces a very interesting species of wild cabbage, Pringlea ayitiscorbiitica. I found a newspaper paragraph which speaks of a Heard's Island cabbage. Are the two identical ? Heard's Island is an even more remote and far-away place than Kerguelen Land. C. W. G. Wistaria — Krauhnia. — It would be almost laughable, if the endless confusion were not so trjdng, when one hunts aroimd, to find what some unheard of name belongs to, and finds some old familiar plant with a new name. If a plant of Krauhnia were offered a person, it might be rejected as probably being some deli- cate house plant, too troublesome to have around, or possibly a noxious weed. But as Wistaria, the whole being changes — it becomes a welcome article. Whatever botanists may try to do to restore long-forgotten names, it is out of the power of horticulturists to change them. The name of Wistaria is so generally diffused, that not even the famous seven-leagued boots could bring Krauhnia up to displace it. American Park and Outdoor Art Asso- ciation.— The avowed purposes of the Amer- ican Park and Outdoor Art Association are, ' ' To promote the conservation of natural scen- ery, the acquirement and improvement of land for public parks and reservations, and the advancement of all ' outdoor art' having to do with the designing and fitting of grounds for public and private use and enjoyment." During the three years of its existence, this Association has shown an earnest desire to further work in the lines laid down ; and con- siderable success in bringing together the fore- most men in professions allied to such work. It is safe to prophecy a brilliant future for this organization, which is worthy of all the co- operation the American public can lend. At the last annual meeting, held in Detroit, Mich., June, 1899, papers with the following titles were read and discussed : — " Boston Com- mon," "Relation of Reservoirs to Parks," " The Parks and the People," " Finger Boards and View Points, " " Outdoor Art in School and College Grounds, " " The Development in Chil- dren of Interest in Outdoor Art," " Park Nomenclature and Accounts," "The Care of Walks and Drives," "The Improvement of Factory and Home Grounds," "Park Land- scapes. ' ' The membership numbers about 300. Annu- al fees for active members $5.00 ; associate $2.00. The Secretary is Mr. Warren H. Man- ning, Boston, Mass. The annual meeting for 1900 will be held at Chicago. MEEHANS MONTHLY — GENERAL NOTES. Feb. Ginseng. — The U. S. Department of Agri- culture has issued a Bulletin, No. i6, on American Ginseng, prepared b}' George V. Nash. The roots have increased in value from 52 cents a pound, in 1S58, to more than $3.00 per pound, in 1893. In the ten j-ears preceding 1893, the value of the export (principally to China) ranged from $600,000 to $1,000,000 per annum. It is getting scarce in a wild state, and as much as $4.75 per pound has been recently paid. It is now being profitably cultivated. It is believed to have no real medicinal value, though in all cases of medical craze, numbers of Chinese will testify to its wonder- ful virtue. vSome of the roots are divided so as to form a rough outline of the human form, as sometimes the mandrake does, — and, it is believed, the faith in the virtues arose from this resemblance in both instances. The State laws have been iron-clad for the preser\'ation of Ginseng in the southern forests, which have been just as successful as laws in other States against the spread of weeds, in- sects, forest fires, and fungus diseases. Laws against the appearance of comets, or the shocks of earthquakes are in order, — but if it can be shown that watchers may be appointed, and money appropriated for the ptirpose, these useful regulations maj^ 3-et appear on our statute books. prices have been given to the originator ; but in these cases, it is pretty well forseen by those who pvirchase the stock that judicious adver- tising would bring an abundant reward. It is not often that this can be foreseen, as the pub- lic taste is very variable. Originators of New Varieties. — So far as we know, the only person in America who has made a specialty of raising new varieties of flowers and fruits, with the view of profit, is Mr. Luther Burbank, of California. In the Old World, this is made a special branch of business. The party or parties give the whole of their time to hybridizing and selecting, and, when they have a good thing, find no difiiculty in getting a handsome price from some nurs- eryman or seedsman for the whole stock. Pos- sibly one reason why this branch of the profes- sion has not made for itself a foot-hold in America, is from the difficuly of finding per- sons in the trade who are willing to give the price for the whole stock of a given variety commensurate with its real value. As a gen^ eral rule it costs enormously to advertise pro- perly a new variety so as to get it well in the market, and a fair price can therefore seldom be oflFered to the originator. In the case of some varieties of grape or other fruits, good Indian Civilization. — Canada seems to be doing better in Indian civilization than the United States. Instead of moving them to new locations to teach them gardening and farm- ing, where all is absolutely new, thej^ are en- couraged by a system of progressive develop- ment to improve on the spot with which the\- are already acquainted. Dr. Wm. Saunders, the Director of the Dominion experiment stations, has been making his annual tour among the Indians of western Canada, and gives the most encouraging accounts of their progress. He notes this especially of the Doukhobors. The}' have taken to cultivating their land with remarkable industry, and are increasing their villages rapidl}'. Fruits, veg- etables and fish, are their chief food, and they seem to have abandoned the chase. They also avoid the use of intoxicating liquors or tobacco. They are raising chickens, and have butter, cheese, milk and eggs. They are making bread from a low grade of flour from their own growth of grain, — and are verj' fond of vege- tables like beets, cabbage, onions and potatoes. They still retain the custom of the north- west Indians, in having one large house of poles and logs for a whole famil}-, but have pro- gressed so as to divide the sleeping apartments one from another. In a few instances the}- have introduced a white man's comfort — a feather bed. It is not unusual to have from 25 to 40 individuals in a single house. In a double tier of beds, the upper ones are reached by a ladder. They have got so far as to find a use for steam. They heat stones red hot and pour them in water, and then, in their " bath house," rub themselves in the steamed atmos- phere with the dried branches and leaves of the ]Mossy-cup Oak, Quercus macrocarpa. The}- even cook part of their food by steam thus generated. They are fond of labor, and readi- 1}' hire themselves out for the railroads that are constructing branches through their terri- tory, and prove to be remarkably good laborers. They are hardly self-sustaining, and get some assistance from the Canadian Government. \olX. Plate N? •i .f Www \MM1I W)] \ Mi.ssoi!kii-:ni.si5. MAMMILLARIA MISSOURIENSIS. NUTTALL'S MAMMILLARIA. NATURAL ORDER, CACTE^ Mamillaria MISSOURIENSIS, Swect.— A smaller species than Mammilhiria vivipara, globose, simple, with fewer (loor zo) ash colored spines ; flowers yellow ; berries scarlet, sub-globose ; seeds globose, pitted. — See Couller's Mamial of Rocky Mountain Botany ^nA Gr&y's Manual of the Botany of the Is'orthern United States. This will probabl}' be regarded as one of the most interesting of all the cactus family. Few have holly-like berries in their best condition during the flowering season, or have the flowering spread over a continuous season of several months, as is the case with this species. Its beauty is not, however, fully realized, even by Mr. Lunzer's faithful drawing, for at noon on sunshiny days, the flower is so fully ex- panded as to have a vase-like form, exposing the stamens and pistils to full view, and which add very much to the interest the lovers of cactuses take in them. The plant here figured came originally from Dr. C. C. Parry, and was collected in Wyoming. Growing in a warm, sunny place, the first flowers appeared the first week in May ; but it was not until the first of June that the flowers appeared in numbers, and it was early in July before the flowering stage was w^holly over. It is difiicult to note the behavior of cactuses when in their flower- ing condition in a wild state, from the fact that the collector is moving from place to place. H.e collects the specimen when he comes to it, and then passes on in search of other treasures. And yet much of the interest presented by these plants is derived from their flowers, and their behavior while in flower. In a garden, these matters can be watched more closely. On June ist, a point was made to watch closely the opening and closing of the flowers, and thus to note facts that would not be observed by the general botanical collector. In plants of many species outside of the cactus famil^^ some will flower in the spring from buds in some measure perfected during the previous growth-season. Others will make flower buds and develop flowers on the wood of the same season, as growth develops. This law also prevails among cactuses. Some will send out flowers from the mature growth of the past or even of some more remote year, — others bloom from the new growth of the plant, and as that growth progresses the flowering pro- ceeds. Manunillaria Missoiiricnsis is of the latter class. The new tubercles may be seen rising with the clear and bright spines from the apex of the plant, and from between these at the base of some one tubercle the flower buds are seen to rise. On June ist, as above noted, our plant presented, at 9 a. m., the appearance represented in the picture. The flower was about two inches long, tapering to a narrow tube at the base. The sepals and petals were linear-lanceolate, tapering towards the apex into a sharp, awl-shaped point. The sepals are strongly ciliate. The pistil at this time was within a half-inch as long as the peta's, and four-cleft, the divisions some- what more erect than horizontal, and bright yellow. The style was about half an inch longer than the stamens, and rather slender for a cactus. The numerous anthers were bright yellow. The filaments were twisted horizontally into a tight ball, the yellow points of the anthers only being scarcely visible above the mass. Spines 12-15, about half an inch long, almost equal in size, slender, with brownish tips, — the central one usually turned upwards. Tubercles or mammae half an inch long by quarter-inch wide, cylindrical, obtuse at the apex, deeply grooved above. Berries scarlet, two-thirds the length of the tubercles, ovate, somewhat compressed. At this date, the berries are beginning to shrivel. Petals yellowish-brown, with a dark brown centre. This extract from the note-book is instructive, as showing the points requiring examination in distinguishing one species from another. On the 14th of June, another observation was (33). 34 MEKHANS MONTHKY — MAMMIIXARIA MISSOIRIEN'SIS. [March taken, and without reference to the previous note, so that an\- variation nia\- subsequent!}' have special attention. This was taken at mid- day and reads : — "Flower now broadly expand- ed, about two inches wide, though the petals themselves are about an inch and a half long, the flower being somewhat salver-shaped. These petals are greenish ^-ellow with a brown mark, one or two lines wide, running down the centre, but tapering gradualh' along their whole length. Filaments deep brown, — anthers golden yellow ; stjde a little longer than the stamens ; stigmas 4 to 5 lines wide, narrowing towards the apex, and presenting a somewhat stellate appearance." Passing now to the fruit, it will be noted that though the flowers come out from the new- growth at the apex, the red berries are lower down and among the tubercles of last year. This arises from a remarkable fact first noticed and placed on record b}- the author of this paper, that some species of Maynviillaria have their ovariums remain absolutely at rest for a 3ear after the flowers wither. This behavior is well known to occur among oaks and other species of plants, but had not heretofore been noted among cactuses. Just as the new growth of the season commences its development, these seed vessels of last 3xar also make their renewed growth. Their growth must be verv rapid. The author has never seen it in pro- gress. A plant with no sign of fruit on a cer- tain day will be covered with the full-sized berries a day or two after. It has been often noted by botanists versed in matters connected with classification, that it is not easy to define the line drawn by nature between a cactus and a gooseberr\-. The tend- ency in the gooseberr}- and in the cactus to be alike spinej- will occur to every one, — and, as the fleshy fruit given in the plate shows, the gooseberry character is well simulated. ]More- over, in studying the morpholog}' of cactuses, the student derives manj- good hints from a previous examination of the gooseberry-. Aside from the succulent character, there is indeed little more than the tendency in the cactus to produce a greater number of stamens and petals in the flower, to distinguish the order from the gooseberries. The species was among the first of the I\Ia)ii- viillaria to be discovered in our countrw Nut- tall, in his " fVenera,'' published in 1.S13, notices it, but supposed it was the same as Cactus Mamillaris of Linnaeus, a sub-tropi- cal species, though he remarks on the smaller size of the American plant ; and he expresses surprise that a tropical species should be found able to endure the severe winters of the " high hills of the Missouri." It was ulti- matel}' discovered not to be that species, and Engelmann described it as Maniillaria Niit- talliana, under which name the best part of its history is to be found. Sweet, however, had named it in the "■ Hortiis Britan7iicus," pub- lished in 1826, Mamillaria Missouriensis, and this seems to be the name that will gener- ally prevail. In the United States, it is probably more wideh- distributed over what is knov*m as the cactus belt than any other species, and, as is usual with man}- plants under such conditions, has some geographical variations, which have been regarded as good species b}- some botan- ists, varietal forms b}' others, and hy others again as onl\^ such variations which ought to be gathered in under the one specific descrip- tion. That is to saj*, instead of giving new names to the slight variations, the description of the species should be broad enough to cover them all. On the whole, the members of the cactus famih' of which our Mammillaria is a member, afford good material for the studj- of the hypothe- sis, popular at the present time, that new spe- cies have been developed from older ones chief- \\ b\' changes in their surroundings. This is known as the doctrine of environment, and the whole subject is know'n as ecology. For instance, cactuses have a hard epidermis, not permitting the escape of moisture, and thus permitting them to thrive on arid plains where little rain falls. So far the h5-pothesis approaches the condition of a sound theory-. We see that they are perfecth' at home in these environs. But when removed again to situa- tions that are acceptable to other plants that transpire freely, the}- seem to show no disposi- tion to go back to their original condition. Our species has wandered from its arid home, to the companionship of ordinar}' vegetation, retaining all its arid habits, even under moun- tain snow. Explanation- ok the Plate — i. Mature plaut of several years growth, from Wyoming. 2. Tubercle with its crown of horizontal. spine.s. 3. Berry of natural size. Seed magni- fied,— showing the dotted surface, and the attached placenta. WILD FLOWERS AND NATURE. HAS SPRING COMK YKT? Tell me, for I long to hear, Tidings of our English year. Was the cuckoo soon or late ? Have the apple blossoms burst ? Is the oak or ash the first ? Are the snowballs on the guelder ? Can 3'ou scent as yet the elder ? On the bank-side that we know Is the golden gorse ablow ? An Englishman's letter to home. ALi'Kp;n Ai^sTix. Habexaria fimbriata. — A specimen sent the conductors for identification proves to be the Purple-fringed Orchis, Habcnaria fimbri- ata. Besides its color, it differs from the species illustrated in the February issue of the Monthly, in having ver}' large size flawers. This specimen was collected at Sugar Mill, N. H., which is within the known habitat of this species. The flower stalk is about two feet in height, six inches of it being occupied by the flowers. The3' have no odor, but make a beautiful cut-flower, lasting for a long time, like other members of the orchid famih- to which this belongs. Sanguinaria Canadensis. — The fugacious character of the petals of the American Blood- root, alluded to in the January issue of the Monthly, as preventing this beautiful spring flower from being much gathered for indoor decoration, can be to some extent circumvented by plucking not full blown flowers but buds. The latter, taken with as long stalks as pos- sible, and placed in water indoors, will open quickh' and remain in flower for a couple of days or more, charming all that heboid them. Last spring we were interested in observing the petals of flowers on such stalks, which we had set in a tumbler of water, increase per- ceptibly in length after the first expanding. The use of a measure showed that flowers, which on the first day of opening had a diam- eter of one and one-quarter inches, had in- creased it on the second daj' to one-and-one- half inches. Another fact we noted was that the mature blossoms, instead of being circular in outline, were in realit\' rectangular or square. The ground work was a cross of four broad petals, like the plan of a crucifer, and on these was superimposed a set of eight nar- row petals in pairs, each of which filled a space between two of the wide petals, thus : SANGUINARIA PETALS. To what extent our flowers were typical or exceptional, due to imperfect development in water, I have not since had an opportunity to observe. C. F. Savxders. Philadelphia. The Earliest Flower.— Last Thursday, it snowed four inches deep ; P~riday, towards evening, the weather moderated. Some time in the night, it began to rain. It rained all day Saturday and cleared away by Sunday morning. Then it blowed — a howling north- wester all day Sunday, growing colder all day, and in the afternoon I walked out to hunt up a warm spot in the woods. As J walked, I noted the snow-drifts from a few inches deep to over two feet, scattered here and there. The snow on the level had been washed and diluted bv the copious vSaturday's rain, and was gone. The snow in the drifts was very much in evid- ence. The wind was cold and biting, and as I walked amongst the rocks, examining the plants, I saw a tiny flower, pink-purple, look- ing up into my face. I have often seen these flowers before, but never have met with them under the present circumstances — snow one da}- 36 MEEHANS' MONTHLY — WILD FLOWERS AND NATURE. [March and the day following the plant in bloom ! The flower, expanded, measured '4 of an inch. The plant, as it stood in the ground, measured one inch in height. It had also, on its side branches, several buds all read\' for blooming. These plants have terminal flowers, a single blossom on a long peduncle, which var}- from white to pink up to dark purple. This little plant was loaded up to distinguish itself — and it did. It belongs to the Cruciferce family. I have not been able to find its specific name, but hope to when they become more plentiful. The spring beauties, Claytonia, have had buds on them sometime before Christmas, — those which are rooted on the rocks with southern exposures. The}' have waited a long time, but we are going to have spring soon and then the3' will blossom forth and be happy. The Early Crowfoot, fascicularis, is not in it this 3ear. I have not been able to find a single bud on an}' of them ; but another daj^ like to- da3' may bring them out, although the ground now is frozen solid ; j-et the sun is out and the daj's are legthening and the ice is bound to melt. The sweet harbinger of spring, that I found yesterday, tells me in ni}' heart that spring is near — is very near. F. K. vSteele. Festus, Jeff. Co., Mo., February 27, iSgg. That solitary- yellow-jacket, last October, did just as instinct prompted it to do — go to- wards the light and look for something to eat. Peekskill, N. V. S. DiCK FERRIS. Turtles and Toads. — Cautiously, the turtle stretches out her head to survey the territory and see if it is free of danger, before she ven- tures across the path, while the toads are still in hiding, buried under the loose earth, which their sensitive nature prefers for a covering against the wet and cold above ground. We have learned now generally to recognize these useful creatures as valuable helpers in destroy- ing noxious insects of the garden. Two hun- dred years ago, one, Rev. George Burroughs, a graduate of Harvard College, was in the witch- craft delusion of Salem, and unmercifully hanged on the gallows. One of his accusers testified as proof of his compact with the devil that he kept toads in his house and cellar. Mrs. vS. , in Hartfoi'd Times. Reason and Judgment in the Lower Ani- mals.— Under the above heading, the reasoning power of a 3'ellow-jacket-wasp was recently given at length in INIeehans' Monthly. If that insect had scented the partly rotten apple, wh}' did it search every cranny in the room before it found it ? " The solitary wasp must have scented the rotten apple from a long distance, ' ' and after a long search gave it up. Wh}- did he not scent another apple, and " make a bee line for it," out of the window again ? I have seen yellow-jackets, bees, flies, and other insects get into corkless bottles placed up-side-down, and die in there— just a little ^ reasoning would have meant libert}' to them. Birds sometimes get into rooms and injure themselves \>y flying against glass in trying to get out. The animal instinct leads insects and birds towards the light, and many are killed hy fly- ing against windows, gas and electric lights and light-houses. Vital Energy. — Live plants are plants with their particles in motion bviilding up the plant's structure. This motion is known as vital energ3'. Physical energy results in decompo- sition. The material out of which plant struc- ture is formed is known as protoplasm. The forms of flowers result from varying degrees and directions of vital energy, — but what starts the motion in protoplasm, and so directs the energy that a little cell may develop in one in- stance to an oak, or in another to a biittercup, has not been demonstrated. We speak of vital force, or life-energy, as a fact, but no one has 3'et discovered what starts the movement. Cypripedium acaule. — Cypripedium acanle has received considerable notice through your columns during the past 3'ear. Some of the writers mention having found it in oak barrens, and others in pine woods. In this locality, we have taken it in hemlock woods, huckle- berry' swamps which are submerged in spring but dr^' in summer, wet mucky swamps and in alwaj'S-wet moss. North of the (jeorgian Bay, we have commonly seen it in small patches of moss on otherwise bare and dry rocks. J. W. Tj'rell, C. E., of this city, has found it grow- ing on dr}' hillocks of sand and boulders in lat. 57° 30', long. 107° ; and Gra}' gives its southern limits as North Carolina. 1900] MKKHAXS' MONTHIA' — WILD FLOWERS AND NATURE. 2>7 Now I would like to know why a plant, which grows naturalh' under such a variety- of conditions in regard to climate, soil and water supph', is so hard to cultivate. Perhaps it is not difficult to manage, but we have not suc- ceeded, and would like to be informed as to some fairly successful method of outdoor cul- tivation. There is no trouble in forcing it once in damp sphagnum moss, and we expect to see some in bloom in a couple of weeks. While in the swamps, I would ateo ask if any of your correspond- ents have noticed the large number of intoxicated bees upon the flowers of Ledum latifolium. J. M. DiCKSOX. swarmixg o f Butterflies. — A correspondent from Yadkin Val- ley, South Caro- lina, saj'S : "Did you ever see a swarm of butter- flies, two or three hundred in a mass, alight at the same time and place ? I did, last September. For two or three even- ings, the ends of the branches of a large hickory seemed to turn brown, and then silver, as the but- terflies {Danais Archippus) fanned themselves to sleep. It was a strange and very pretty sight. ' ' CHRYSANTHEMUM FR UTESCENS. - - PA R IS DAISY AT HOME. CoLLiNsoxiA Canadensis. — A somewhat in- teresting wild-flower is the Horse-balm, Col- linsonia Catiadensis. The jellow flowers are not as showy as some others, but are produced in large terminal panicles which] look well when the plants are growing together in great numbers — a not unusual thing. The large leaves make the flower panicles more con- spicuous, but are quite a coarse, ordinar}- type, and do not help the amateur much in identify- ing the plant — the flowers, appearing in August and September, will. It extends through the Eastern States from Canada to Florida and west to Wisconsin, in woods. The Paris Daisy .at Home. — In these days, those who grow cut flowers for vv i n ter-blooming would hardly know what to do without the Paris Daisy, — a glau- cous, cut-leaved, somewhat shrub- by plant, with white, daisy-like flowers, continu- ally in bloom at that season. It is always a pleas- ure to know the history of our friends. This one is a native of the south of Pairope. Gardetiing Illus- trated reproduces a scene from the shores of the Med- iterranean, which not only gives us an idea of the manner in which it contributes to the floral adorn- ment of that re- gion, but gives us a glance, at the same time, of the character of that famous sea. The Gypsy Moth. — According to the Bos- ton Y'ratiscript, the experts of the Gyps}' Moth Commission are trying experiments looking to the destruction of the insect, by dusting the trees with some substance that will kill the insect by dyspepsia. This is a happy thought, and might be extended to cover many other pests. GENERAL GARDENING. TlIK ]5R()OK S SONG TO SPRING. O beauty— vision of forgotten gladness ! Promise of all the 3ears, that ne'er betrays ! O miracle of hope and balm of sadness I Creative ecstasy and fount of praise ! I lay upon the ground and gave no token, I hid my face midst sodden leaves and sere, ]\Iy languid pulses chill, my spirit broken, — I dreamed not, O divine one ! you were near. The snows and frosts of winter, long departed. Seemed leaden on my breast and weighed me down. And I forgot, forlorn and heavy-hearted. Your goodness, goddess of the violet crown I Then, soft as music in remembrance sighing. You fanned me with your wooing breath, and I, Who shed no tears when lone I lay and dj-ing, Wept at vour touch, and knew I should not die!' are great and striking variations in the individ- uals. Some have very narrow leaves, — indeed, a botanist would term them linear-lanceolate; other trees will have the leaves nearly round. In these cases the petals follow the leaves and are narrow. In the round-leaved cases, the petals are round. The illustration is of a round-leaved tree. A great difference is Along ni}- banks are tender blossoms blowing; They gently nod their heads, and smile at me, — But, ah ! I hasten to the river, knowing The river will lead onward to the sea I High over me the budding branches quiver With songs that swell in happy harmony, But sweeter seems the murmur of the river, — The river that leads onward to the sea I FLORE^XE E.^RLE CoATES, in Outing. Magnolia gkandiflora. — The greatly' re- duced figure of the Magnolia grandiflora, from a photograph sent by Anderson and Price, Ormond, Fla., gives an idea, though faint, of the form and beauty of this noble denizen of our southern forests. It is almost intoxicating to walk through a group of them when in blossom in early spring. The odor can surely . not be exceeded by the groves of the famous *' Araby the blest" of the poets. And then the broad, shining, evergreen leaves, give such a marked character to the trees, that one can scarcely believe he is in an ordinary- American forest. As in most cases of plant species, there (38) MAGNOLIA GRANDIFLORA. (GREATLY REDUCED.) also to be found in the tint of the under sur- face. At times we see the under and upper surfaces are of nearl\- the same shade, — in other cases the leaves beneath are of brilliant brown, almost, indeed, of a golden hue in ex- ceptional cases. They often reach 75 feet high, and eight or nine feet in circumference. The Magnolia grandi/lora will stand a good deal of frost if sheltered from cold winds. Under such conditions it is hard}'^ as far north as Philadelphia. vSoME Trees .\nd Shrubs of Extreme H.\RDiNESS. — In speaking of hard}^ plants, it should always be borne in mind that cold alone is not the onh^ condition affecting them. The results may be varied by a dr\- or moist atmos- phere ; by certain degrees of light ; by ex- posure to winds ; or by location — whether in moist or dry soil. Or the nature of the sum- mer preceding a winter's test may affect the vitality or state of the tree, and subject it to injur}-. 1900] MEHHANS MONTHLY — GEN'HKAI, GARl^ENING. 39 It is the purpose of this chapter to record those plants which have proved capable of standing extreme cold. As to what localities the}- will be suited, as regards general condi- tions, this ninst be demonstrated by trial. The list is largely based on the report of Dr. Wni. vSaunders and Prof. Macoun, of the Central Experimental Farms, Ottawa, Canada. Mr. Macoun well says : — " It is interesting to note the greater degree of hardiness of individual specimens of some trees and shrubs which, when first planted, killed back one-half or more each year and which appear to be getting hardier every year. Illustrations of this are the Smoke tree {Rhus Coti?iiis), Flowering Dogwood {Coriins Jion'da), Kngiish Hawthorn {Crat(rgi(S O.vyacanfha), a few individuals api)earing to get hardier each year. Acer Japonicuni. Amelanchier aluifolia. Berberis Freinonti. Berberis Thunbergi. Berberis vulgaris. Berberis vulgaris foliis pur- pureis. Betula alba. Catalpa Bungei. Catalpa Kgempferi. Cephalauthus occidetitalis. Cercidiphyllum Japonicum. Clemali.s crispa. Clematis Virgiuiana. Clematis Vitalba. Cornus alba. Cornus alba Sibirica varie- gata. Crataegus coccinea. Crattegus cordata. Crataegus Crus galli. Crat;egus Oxyacantha. Daphne Cneorum. Diervilla sessilifolia. Euotiymu.s alatus. Euonymus atropurpureus. Euonymus Europaeus. Euonymus nanus. Fagus ferruginea. Fontanesia phillirseoides. Forsythia intermedia. Fraxiuus Americana. Fraxinus Americana acub:e- folia. Fraxinus excelsior. Fraxinus excelsior aurea pendula. Fraxinus excelsior jiendula. Genista sinensis. Gymnocladus Canadensis, Halesia tetraptera. Hydrangea paniculata hor- tensis. Ilex glabra. Ilex (Prinos) verticillata. Juglans cinerea. Juglans nigra. Juglans Sieboldiana. Kalmia angustifolia. Ligustrum Ibota. Lonicera bflla. Lonicera bella Candida. Lonicera Morrowi. Lonicera PhylomeUe. Lonicera .sempervirens. Lonicera Tatarica. IvOnicera Tatarica alba gran- diflora. Lonicera Xylosteum. Morus alba. Morus alba Tatarica. Morus acba, Tea's Weeping. Myrica asplenifolia. Ostrya Virginica. Oxydendron (Andromeda) arboreum. Pachysandra terminalis. Philadelphus corouarius. Philadelphus coronarius foliis aureis. Philadelphus Gordonianus. Philadelphus grandiHorus. Platanus Qccidentali=. Populus alba pyramidalis (Boileana.) Populus balsamifera. Populus laurifolia. Populus nigra pyramidalis (Lorabardy.) Potcntilla fruticosa. Prunus Davidiana. Prunus (.\mygdalus) nana flore albo. Prunus (Cerasus) Peunsyl- vanica. Prunus (Cerasus) Padus. Prunus (Cerasus) ranuncu- laefolia. Prunus (Cerasus') serotina. Prunus (Cerasus) Virginiana. Pte'ea trifoliata. Ptelea trifoliata aurea. Pyrus baccata. Pyrus coronaria. Pyrus Malus fle.xilis. Pyrus spectabilis flore pleuo. Pyrus Toringo. Pyrus Aucuparia. Pyrus arbutifolia. Quercus alba. Quercus bicolor. Quercus dental a. Quercus imbricaria. Quercus macrocarpa. Quercus nig'a. Quercus pedunculata (robur). Quercus pedunculata (robur) Concordia (Gol- den). Quercus Prinus. Quercus rubra. Rhamnus cathartica. Rhododendron I n d i c u m Ksempferi Rhododendron (Azalea) nu- difiorum Rhododendron ^Azalea) vis- cosum. Rhododendron maximum. Rhus aromatica. Rhus glabra. Rhus typhina. Acer Japonicum and A. polymorphuin, Japan- ese Maples, will be welcomed with delight as hardy plants. The Blood-leaved variety is, of course, the most popular, and it has been proven hardy not only in Canada, but in north- eastern New York and Wisconsin. It seems to do best in good, rich soil well-drained. A . Japonicum aureum, A. polymorphum reticula- tiim and cristatum while hardy are not consti- tutionally strong. Berberis Frononti is a beautiful, rare species with glaucous foliage shaped not unlike small holly leaves. It has not yet received the at- tention it deserves. Berberis Tliunberi^ii as a dwarf biush or low hedge plant is unsurpassed. Its foliage and bright red berries are so ornamental, the absence of showy flowers is not noticed. Berberis vuli^aris and variety purpureis are both suitable for hedges. Birches thrive splendidly in the coldest cli- mates in rocky, well-drained soils. Catalpa Bungei is very dwarf— sinipl}- a shrub, unless grafted on stems, which is most frequently done. But it might be used to advantage oftener in bush form. Clematis crispa has very unique flowers, (juite unlike the large-flowered and paniculata types. They are bell-shaped, the petals re- maining closed except as towards the ends they reflex. Cornus alba has bright red stems in winter, thrives in low situations. Cratcpgus coccinea is beautifully clothed in its bunches of large red fruit, about the size of a small crab-apple. Cratcegus cordata grows more shapely than C Oxyacantha, and bears pretty bunches of red berries, which with the true hawthorn leaves almost give the impression, from a short distance, of a holly in fruit. Cratcegus Crus-galli, with its heavy thorns, makes a defensive hedge. Fraxinus Americana is a superb, rapid- growing tree for sidewalk planting. Gymnocladus Canadensis, though it does not make a very uniform growth while young, develops into a very satisfactory tree, — and it does especially well along the sea-coast. It bears very thick, black pods which remain on the tree all winter. Halesia tetraptera, scarcely a medium-sized tree, is remarkably beautiful when co\'ered 40 MEEHANS' MONTHLY — GENERAL GARDENING. [March with its clear white, bell-shaped flowers in earliest spring. Hydrangea paniculata grandijiora is some- thing event-one likes, and is especiall}' valu- able on account of late blooming. It does well in drained soil. Jiiglans Sicboldiaua produces clusters of pointed nuts, a trifle smaller than those of the Black Walnut. The quality of the nuts has not 3'et been generallj- criticised. K'almia angustifolia appears a trifle hardier than the well-known K. latifolia. Its flowers are pretty, but smaller and more numerous. The leaves, too, are small and narrow. Ligustrnm Ibota maj^ take the place of L. ovalifolhmi in the colder climates. Loiiicera Tatarica grandiflora has flowers much showier than the type. Morus " Tea's Weeping" makes a fine speci- men bush, especially when grafted on very tall stems. The branches invariabl}^ reach the ground. Oxydetidron arboreum, usually termed ^wrfrt?- meda arborea by nurserymen, makes a small tree having long, narrow% glossy green leaves, the latter turning brilliantl}^ in colors in autumn. Pachysatidra tertninalis is commonly classed with herbaceous plants, by reason of its low- growing, spreading character, making it use- ful for ground-covering. It is evergreen, grow- ing three or four inches in height, and pro- ducing whitish flowers in spring, around which hone3'-loving insects swarm in great numbers. Primus Davidiana is doubtless the first of all plums to flower, which it does profuselj-. Prunus Padiis makes a handsome specimen in growth, flower and strings of black fruit. Pyrus coronaria has a leaf quite distinct, somewhat palmately formed, which takes on beautiful autumn coloring. Pyr2ts Auatparia, the well-known Mountain Ash, does well on drained soil, provided the borers leave it alone. The showy, orange-red berries, borne in liberal bunches, make it well worth a trial. Rhavinus catliartica is a common hedge- I*^^"^- (Concluded in ApriL) LiNARLA CvMBALARLV. — I was niucli sur- prised, a few days ago, to find that Cymbalaria Cymbalaria {IJnaria Cymbalaria) had ' ' intro- duced" itself on a little strip of the lawn, and was growing vigorouslj- and blooming quite freel5-. It is now past the middle of November, and the dainty little plant, though so delicate and tender looking, has resisted the frosts w^hich stripped the leaves from the Ampelopsis quin- quefolia some six weeks ago. Three or four years ago, some hanging bask- ets were filled with this vine, branches or seeds of which must have given rise to this little colon}', which now seems so thrift}' and so at • home. The localit}' is close along the base of the lattice of the front porch, facing the north. The close proximitj' to the lattice protected it from destruction by the lawn mower, (together with a little carelessness in trimming). I found, in digging up enough of the vine for a nice jardiniere through the winter, that some of the vines had wound in and out along the lattice to a length of three feet or more. Columbus, Ohio. INIrS. W. A. KELLERMAN. A Few Good Bedding Geraniums..— At this season of the year, when almost an}' flower is welcome, few^ if any, are more attractive than the new hybrids- of which such an almost end- less variety exists. One hundred and twenty-three named vari- eties were grown here for trial this year. Out of this number,. one hundred and fourteen sur- vived the summer. , The plants that were lost were of the Eng- lish, round-flowering type, chiefly, thus demon- strating their iiselessness for our arid summer heat. . ' . Duplicates of all were in stock, however, and those that were useless for outside work proved to be the best for indoor culture. Some vari- eties require a light shade, — others full sun ; and one has to experiment a little to ascertain their requirements. In an article of this kind, only a few can be described, and the following ten varieties, all of which are single, are superb, leaving nothing whatever to be desired as to robustness of growth, freedom of bloom- ing, and beauty of color ; and any reader eager to obtain good varieties cannot do better than include them in their list. To-day, January 24th, all are in flower and promise to continue so for a long time to come. Ian McLaren. — vSplendid salmon. Gen. IJodds. — Intense scarlet, fine. igoo] MEEHANS MONTHLY — GENERAL GARDKNINO. 41 Mark Tivain. — Superb, white, veined sal- mon ; good truss and florets two inches across. A gem. Pierre Lebruiit. — White ; intense solferino ■edges. Excellent ; a good grower. Tor rain. — Beautiful pink splashed with pur- ple. Extra good habit, truss and grower. Phyllis. — This is the queen of all. A lovely salmon rose ; fine flowers, trusses ten inches across. A gem. Lucreece. — A fine pink. Wintie'. — Bright, rosy scarlet. M. de la Roix. — Splendid salmon. Mrs. E. Rawson. — Intense scarlet. This variety oiight to be in every collection. It is a beaixt^'. Its flowers possess that beauti- ful velvet}' appearance so much desired in ger- aniums. In another article, I shall name and describe a dozen best doiibles, some of which are superb. Railway, N. J. A. P. INIEW ©^ H^IE FL^KlTSo -The brightest and purest scarlet of -Brilliant fiery scarlet, veined New Geraniums FOR Conservatory Decor- ation.—Henry A. Dreer reviews the newer geranium^ as follows: — "While undoubtedly the most popular of bedding plants. Geran- iums, deserve to be used more extensively for window and conservatory decoration, no other plants excelling or even approaching them for brilliancy and richness of color. Unfortunately, the value of the many fine varieties annually imported has been determ- ined bj- their ability to withstand our severe climatic conditions when bedded out, and as few have stood this test, many of the ver}' choicest sorts for indoor culture have been lost sight of. In the following lists, the aim is to make the selection combine in the highest degree per- fection of form and size of the individual florets, size of truss, puritv of color, habit of plant and general excellence, and especiallv recommend them for the embellishment of the conservatory and window garden. Double CVeraniums. /. B. Varrone. — Fier}- carmine, with large white centre, shaded with rosy lilac ; semi- double. Richelieu. — Deep scarlet, shaded with fier\- orange, with maroon veiling ; semi-double. Mme. Car not. — Purest snowy white. /\-is(eNr. all. Af. Cano2'as.- with maroon. Jean Remeau. — ■ Snow-white, veined with ros}' violet, petals bordered with bright crim- son ; semi-doixble. Single Geraniums. Chateaubriand. — Brilliant scarlet, with ma- roon shading and delicate black veins on the upper petals. Daumicr. — Soft ros^'-lilac, with small white blotch on the upper petals ; the centre of the flower heavily spotted with rosy anilene ; one of the choicest of the Picotee section. Lord Kitchener. — Three lower petals soft scarlet ; two upper clear cherry red. Mary Peltoti.-^W&ry delicate pale salmon ; a beautiful shade. Oliver. — Centre of flower snow white, suf- fused with a rich magenta shade, bordered with glowing scarlet around the margin of the petals. Ponschkine. — Brilliant anilene violet, two upper petals blotched with pure white, the cen- tres of the lower petals shading into rosy white. - IvY-LEAVED Geraniums. Achievement. — A distinct shade of soft sal- mon pink ; semi-double. Leopard. — Large semi-double flowers of re- markable coloring, the ground color being clear lilac-pink with heavy carmine blotches over the upper petals ; absolutely distinct from any previous introduction, and may be aptlj' described as a Lady Washington Ivy-leaf. Un- questionably the greatest break in this section ever obtained. The Bride. — Double pure white ; creeping habit." A warning should accompany recommenda- tions of geraniums for window-culture. Quite frequentl}', an attempt is made to flower them out-of-doors all summer and then pot them in the fall expecting an abundance of bloom in the winter as well. The plants are weakened by blooming and potting, and do not respond to the care given. Plants intended for winter blooming should not be permitted to flower during the summer at will, but encouraged to make health3^ vigorous, compact plants. Pot them up in ample time for the roots to become active again before transferring to the house. 42 MKKHANS' MONTHLY — GHNKRAL CARnENINC. [March CLiMBiNr, I^RiDESMAin RosK. — Amoiig tea roses, perhaps no other is so popular as Brides- maid,— at least of similar color, a clear dark pink, none is more beautiful. A sport has been obtained from it of climbing character, in all other respects being identical with its parent, and like it blossoms freeh^ and contin- iiousl}'. Where the climate will permit, it will prove most valuable as an out-door plant. TMIE m^^IR^Y PL©WEi <^i^Il^ElNI, The Five Best Hardy Roses. — Excluding the ordinary Hybrid Perpetual roses from con- sideration, the following may be said to be the best selection of five types : Crimson Rambler, rugosa, Wichuraiana, setigera and Harrison's Yellow. The latter is included because of the striking, clear yellow of its flowers, the growth WICHURAIANA ROSES TRAILING OVER A WALL. New S.\lvi.v Si'lendens, "Silver vSi'(jt." — Messrs. J. M. Thorburn tS: Co., are introduc- ing a new variet}' of the well-known and popular Salvia splendens, the leaves of which are spotted with light yellow. The colored lithograph they are distributing reminds one of the Aiiaiba /aponica, a pretty evergreen shrub from Japan. Equally good effects could be had from this novel varietv of the Salvia. being vers' ordinary- and occasionally unkempt if not pruned and trained judiciousU'. It is the only fine yellow hardy rose in general cul- tivation, and it ought to be in every collection. But it is not propagated very largely. The Crimson Rambler is one of those novel- ties of great merit which has won its way with marvellous rapiditx' to the hearts of every flower lover. Everv one, nearly, knows of it. 1900] IviEEHANS' MONTHLY — GENERAL GARDENING. 43 and it is one of the first of that class of plants to be chosen. It is as hardy as can be, and is adaptable to many uses : First as a porch or pillar vine ; then as a forcing plant ; or it can be grown as a large bush or clump ; trained to a single stout stem and allowed to head — tree- fonn ; or it may be used as a hedge plant. In any way it is highly satisfactory— except weakly grown. It must have strong canes to perfect fine blooms. That is its nature, and' it is only lack of care or improper pruning that makes it otherwise. When in bloom, from a distance the bunched flowers look like some one large red flower, and are very conspicuous. The Japanese Rose, rugosa, is not as well known as the Crimson Rambler, though known for a much longer time ; 3'et it gives even more general satisfaction, in that it takes care of it- self,— requires almost no pruning, and is not troubled by insects — the greatest pest of the grower of hardy roses. Its large single flowers, pink and white, bloom off" and on all summer; and the large red hips or seed-pods make the ornamentation of the plant continuous. The foliage is coarse, but neat and attractive, last- ing well throughout the summer. There are two double or semi-double varieties of this rose which are practically unknown, though they are not new, and are undoubtedly' improve- ments over the singles. These are Madame Georges Bruant and Comte d'Epremesnil ; the former is white and the latter red. They seem to bloom even more profusely than the type, large bushes being rarely without flowers all summer long. The riigosa also makes a good hedge. The Wichuraiana rose is very different from any of the others in this selection, being dis- tinctly a trailing rose ; but it may be trained on a trellis like any other "climbing" rose. Its greatest use is for covering banks, low walls, (see illustration), etc., and for this purpose it is unsurpassed. It grows very rapidly, and will throw out wonderfully long shoots in a season, running right along the ground. As the quantities of single white flowers appear on the bed of shining green foliage, the natural beaiity of the plant is intensified, and it pro- vokes admiration from every beholder. With- in quite recent years there have been improve- ments along this line of roses, and there are now " Wichuraiana h5'brids" which are really valuable acquisitions. The following briefly describes them : Manda's Triumph. — Perfectly formed double white flowers nearly two inches in diameter, beautifully imbricated. They are in clusters of from 12 to 18 on even small side shoots, literally covering the plant. Universal Favorite. — Soft light pink double flowers, large size and sweet-scented. South Orange Perfection. — Free bloomer, but with smaller, double flowers, white, the tips of the petals soft blush pink, changing to white. Pink Roamer. — Bright, rich pink — a fine color. Flowers single, but produced in large clusters^ the in- dividuals being about two inches in diameter. Possibly the showiest of the group. Where a number are used an assortment looks well, or one kind alone may be used. The Wichtiraiana can also be trained to standard form like the Crimson Rambler, but is too weak to support itself without a stake. The beauty of plants trained in this manner, the long, slender shoots trailing to the ground, and the flowers show- ing off to excellent advantage, can be well im- agined. The foliage remains persistently green through a great portion of the winter, which, with the abundant little red seed pods, make it attractive for a long period. A more recent race of hardy roses termed evergreen has been developed from the Wichuraiana crossed with other hybrids. These are Evergreen Gem, Jerse}' Beauty and Gardenia. It is quite pos- sible that these may prove even more valuable than are the others, which is saj'ing much. Rosa setigera, the Prairie Rose, appeals very strongly to the writer as one of the most beau- tiful flowering roses to be seen. The readers of the MoNTHrIr. Randolph's capable discourse took his hearers thoroughly along the course from the time when there were but two green- houses in the whole country, and camellias were almost the sum and substance of the florist trade, and the capacity of a florist's business was reckoned b}' the number of camellias he possessed, through the periods of changes in plants and flowers, and methods of heating. The Hon. Alva Agee, of Ohio, had an ap- preciative audience for his practical talk on potato culture, on which he is an acknowleged authorit3^ Two important recommendations he made were the use of true second crop seed potatoes, small perhaps, but produced in strength, and deep planting with shallow covering, the soil being added as the sprouts grow. The benefit to the potato plants by the latter method, in having the roots near the light and air as long as possible, is evident to ever}' reasoning person ; but it is not every one to whom it would occur. The chief speaker for " Ornamental Horti- culture " was Mr. Wm. H. Moon, the well- known nurser}nian, and ex-president of the association. The next annual meeting is to be held at Harrisburg. Annual membership fee $1.00; life-membership, |io,oo. Amount of Seed Required for Vegetable Plants. — The following useful table is taken from the valuable catalogue of Mr. Alfred Bridgeman, and will be a guide to those who do not know just what quantities are required in ordering : — Cabbage I oz. 3,000 plants. Cauliflower, . . . . 3,000 Celery, .... i *' 4,000 " Eggplant, £ * • 2,000 '• Endive I " 3,000 " Lettuce 1 " 4,000 " Pepper, .... I *' 2,000 " Tomato, .... 2, coo Pole Beans, I qt. "to 150 hills. Corn 200 Cucumber, . . . . I OZ. to 50 " Watermelon, . . . . I ' 30 ' Muskmelon, 60 " Pumpkin, 40 " Harly Squasli, I * 50 " Marrow Squash, I ' 30 " Asparagus, 60 ft. drill Beet I 50 " Carrot, .... I ' ■ 150 " okra I ' 40 Onion, .... 100 Oniou Sets, Small I qt . to 50 " Parsley, .... I oz. to 150 " Par.snip, .... I ' 200 " Radish, .... ' 100 " Salsify, .... I * 70 " Spinach I ' 100 Turnip, ... ' 150 Peas, I qt. to 100 " Dwarf Beans 100 " 1 900] MEEHANS' MONTHLY — CENKRAI, C.ARDEN'INC.. 47 Mr. Bridgeman has taken pains to make his catalogue as useful as possible to the amateur, and among other hints, designates those vari- eties which are recognized superior to others. A Selection ok Vegetables for a Given Space. — In response to the inquiry of a Ken- tuck}' correspondent, Messrs. D. Landreth & Sons give the following list of seeds desirable and in sufficient quantities for a strip of ground 40 X 30 3'ards : — Beans. — Slriugless Green Pods, . i quart. Laudreth.s' Scarlet, . . 1 quart. Kentuckj- Winter I'ole, . i pint. Corn, Sugar. — Country Gentleman, i pint. Laudrelhs', . . . i pint. Cucumbers.— Emerald, .... 2 ounces. Beets. — Columbia 4 ounces. Cabbage.— Wakefield, . ■ . ■ 'A ounce. Redland Early Drumhead, . 14 ounce. Carrot. — Ox-Heart, i ounce. St. Valery, . . . . i ounce, Celery.— White Plume i ounce. Iioti. H. A. W. Cypress Knees. — " Mr. H. J. Webber, in the U. S. 'Year-book of Department of Agricul- ture,' 1896, states that, when grown in a drj^ soil, the Bald C3'press forms no knees. But there stands, in L3'nwood Park, Camden, N. J., a Bald C3'press, in an open situation, and in a comparativel}' dr\' spot, not verj- near anj^ wa- ter. The ground near it is covered with minia- ture knees. It is well worth a visit." G. Many instances of the Deciduous C^'press throwing up its curious bee-hive-like "knees," when growing in ordinary ground, have been recorded in horticultural journals, — a source of information not as often resorted to as it misjht be. LiATRis. — Few flowers, wild or cultivated, are more attractive than those of several spe- cies oi Liatris, or " Blazing-stars," as the}' are ver\' generall}- known, and we ma}- look upon them with increased interest, because of their adaptabilit}^ to cultivation. It is not the color which is so pleasing, for man}- persons tire of purple or lavender shades ; but the bold spikes of flowers, and the long blooming period, make them conspicuous and attractive. Perhaps it is not right to bring up the color question, as in this case it is seldom objectionable, — in fact, there is frequentU' a generous shading off" to nearly white, making a pretty combination. . The principal species are pyaiostachya , spi- cata, scariosa and punctata. The latter is pos- sibly the least familiar of this group, but being a pretty little thing should not be neglected. It has quite narrow leaves, very unlike the preceding, and is of lighter growth in every way, attaining a height from six inches to two feet. While traces of punctation (tiny aots, as if perforated) are found in most of the species, this is markedly punctate, sufiicient to give it the name punctata. L. acidota ver}- closely resembles the former, but is much less punc- tate and comparatively glabrous throughout. This species, however, is almost confined to Texas, while punctata maj' be found as far north as Minnesota. The composite flower- heads of both contain from three to six flowers onl}', adding to the slender appearance, and correspond in numbers to pyctiostachya. By means of a pocket magnifier, the pappus (thread-like attachments to the flowers) will be seen to be beautifully feathered, while the others are but slightly barbed. The flower- heads are crowded, sessile and tubular, inter- spersed with a few shortened leaves. Pycnostachya, to some extent, is not unlike the foregoing ; but it is of much bolder growth, frequentl}' reaching five feet in height. Spikes are dense, thick and slightlj' bracted ; heads numerous, sessile and C3'lindrical. But it can always be distinguished from them hy the barbed pappus and broader lower leaves. It runs through the same region. In turn, pycnostachya approaches 5/>/<:rt'/fl/ 3-et there are several distinctive features. The latter has more flowers— seven to fifteen — in each head ; the scales at the base of the heads are ver}- blunt or obtuse ; and the heads are broader and inclined to be globular. The spikes are long and without leaves ; the heads sessile, giving a stout appearance. It grows on prairies and in moist soils, throughout the Atlantic Coast States, extending to the species in the central States. Comparing scariosa with the smaller species first described, they are totally different, and it is therefore wisest to show its distinction from spicata. The large flower-heads with stems, or peduncles, are marked. The num- ber of heads in the raceme varies greatly from five to twenty, and the flowers in a head from twent}- to iorVy. It will be seen from this that a specimen well furnished with flowers and heads would present a very attractive appear- ance. The scales are somewhat obtuse. It has a wide range, from Canada to Florida to Texas and Western Ontario, growing in dry woods and sand}^ plains. For planting singly or en masse in herba- ceous borders and shrubber}- beds, these plants will be found invaluable and easy of cultivation. GENERAL GARDENING. THE SPRING AWAKENING. " Dost thou not rejoice When the spring sends forth an awakening voice Through the young woods ? Th' u dost ! And in that birth Of earlj- leaves and flowers, and songs of mirth, Thousands, like thee, find gladness !" Mrs. Southey. WiND-BREAK.s AND Shelter-belts. — Be- sides the damage to trees in heavy falls of snow, and accumulation of ice, as spoken of in the March issue, there is even greater damage done to trees generallj^ bj^ the strong winds. The air always sucks up all the moisture it can from everj'thing until it contains equally as much as the article from which it is drawn. The drj'ing of clothes on a line is an example. The air takes up the moisture from them ; and the stronger the wind, the more quickly they drj'. Trees are drawn on in the same manner, evaporation, as we know it, taking place from the leaves as well as the wood in summer. As a rule, the most severe tax on the trees is in the winter, when the roots are not actively engaged in replenishing the supply of mois- ture, and when winds are usually most severe. It is then that the trees most exposed to these winds are frequently killed. Of course, many trees are also lost during a hot and dry sum- mer, for heat takes up moisture wherever it can be had, even more rapidly than wind, — all on the same principle ; but, as stated, the trees then have a support in the active roots. Naturally, most evergreens are less respon- sive to the demands of the heat and winds, by reason of their resinous character and the closer texture of the bark, hence they are fre- quently found most suitable for very bleak situations. They make admirable wind-breaks and shelter-belts, with careful selection as to kind. On the grounds of Mr. Josiah Hoopes, West Chester, Pa. , there is a magnificent belt of Norway Spruce, probably not less than forty feet in height, which affords great protection to a number of trees thus partly enclosed. These spruce are thick and well-branched right to the ground, making a practically im- penetrable wall. But Norway Spruce will not stand the most severe locations. Mr. C. S. Harrison, York, Neb., reccnnmends Red Cedar, Ponderosa Pine, Platte Cedar and Colorado Blue Spruce. The latter would be an expen- sive thing for the purpose, but a beautiful one, — and why not combine beauty and utility ! The Platte Cedar is Mr. Harrison's favorite, and he says of it : "It will endure any cli- matic change, and for ages has borne the ex- tremes of drought and flood, hot winds in summer, and winter blizzards. Properly grown, it will transplant as easy as an Elm or Box Elder, and will grow nearly as rapidly. For a ten-acre lot, I would put out two rows, eight feet apart ; put the trees eight feet distant in the rows and break joints. One row of Cedar and one of Ponderosa would make a fine shelter-belt. ' ' The idea of shelter-barns for cattle in the open fields, formed by planting evergreens, is an excellent one, both for summer and winter protection — for in many places cattle are obliged to winter outdoors as well, where infre- quency of wet storms makes it possible. They can be made at reasonable cost, and it would be a more certainly humane treatment of the animals. Mr. Harrison thus describes the method of planting for this purpose : ' ' Plant three rows of Platte Cedar eight feet apart each way. As the trees get size, trim off the lower limbs, save on the two rows outside, so the cattle can go under them. Cultivate well for five years, and you can turn in your cattle." He says the cattle should not be allowed in the shelter-yard in summer, and in this he is prob- ably right, as the constant tramping of the soil would harden the surface to the injury of the trees. The manure should be hauled out and the ground plowed. Another shelter might be started to be used in alternate years, which would make them more lasting. "An ever- green barn can be made exceedingly beautiful. The outside row can be of Silver Cedar from (53) 54 MEEHANS' MONTHLY — GENERAL GARDENING. [April the Rockies, which is as hardy as the Platte Cedar. Outside of this, if you wish, you can put a row of Picea ptcngens, or Blue Spruce, which is the most beautiful tree on earth. One hundred dollars will make a fine evergreen barn, which will be of great use as well as an ornament." Some Trees and Shrubs of Extreme Hardiness. — (Continued from March issue.) Robiuia hispida. Robin ia Pseudacacia. Robinia viscosa. Rosa Carolina. Rosa cinuamoniea. Rosa liicida. Rosa niicrophylla. Rosa niultiflora Japonica. Rosa rubigiuosa major. Rosa rugosa. Rosa rugosa alba. Rosa rugosa flore plena. Rosa splnosissiraa picta. Rubus odoratus. Salix alba Britzensis. Salix alba vitellina. Salix Babylouica. Salix hicida. Sali.x pentaudra. Salix purpurea. Sali.x viminalis. Sophora plat5'carpa. Spirtea arguta. Spirtea sorbifolia. Spireea Thuubergi. Spirsea tomentosa. Spirsea Vau Houttei. Syniphoricarpos orbiculatus (vulgaris). Syriuga Aniurensis. Abies (Picea) balsamea. Abies (Picea) concolor. Abies (Picea) concolor viola- cea. Abies (Picea) nobilis. Abies (Picea) nobilis glauca. Abies (Picea) Nordmanniaua Abies (Picea) pectinata. Cupressus Nootkatensis. Giugko biloba (Salisburia adiantifolia i. Juniperus Chinensis. Juniperus communis. Juniperus Sabina. Juniperus Virginiana. Juniperus Virginiana glauca Larix Europtea. Picea (Abies) alba. Picea (Abies) Engelmanni. Picea (Abies) e.xcelsa Picea (Abies) excelsa inverta Picea (Abies) excelsa pyra- midalis. Picea (.Abies) nigra Doumetti Picea (Abies) orientalis. Picea (Abies) polita. Picea (Abies) pungens. Pin us cembra. Piuus contorta. Pinus densiflora. Syringa Chinensis. Syringa Emodi. Syriuga Japonica. Syringa Josikasa. Syringa oblata. Syringa Persica. Syringa villosa. Syringa vulgaris. Syringa vulgaris alba. Syriuga vulgaris alba grand- iflora. Syringa vulgaris Charles X. Syringa vulgaris Ludwig Spalh. Syringa vulgaris Marie Le- gras'e. Tilia Americana. Tilia argentea novae. Tilia dasystyla. Tilia platyphyllos. Ulmus Americana. Ulmus campestris. Vaccinium corymbosum. Viburnum dentatum. Viburnum Opulus. Viburnum Opulus nanum. Viburnum prunifolium. Viburnum Sieboldi. [folia. Vitis (Ampelopsis) quiuque- Yucca filamentosa. Pinus excelsa. Piuus montana Mughus. Pinus stiobus. Pinus strobus densa. Pinus sylvestris. Pinus Thuubergi. Taxus baccata aurea. Taxus Canadensis. Taxus cuspidata. Thuya occidentalis. Thuya occidentalis alba Vic- toria. Thuya occidentalis aurea. Thuya occidentalis Douglas' Golden. Thuya occidentalis globosa. Thuya occidentalis Hoveyi. Thuya occidentalis Little Gem. Thuya occidentalis Meehani Thuya occidentalis pyra- midalis. Thuya occidentalis spiralis Thuj'a occidentalis Tom Thumb. Thuya orientalis aurea pyra- midalis conipacta. Tsuga (Abies) Canadensis. Tsuga (Abies) Canadensis Sargentii pendula. Robinia hispida and Pseudacacia (Rose Acacia and Yellow Locust) are frequently terribly rav- aged by borers. But this fact should not deter anyone from planting them moderately, as they are both very desirable. The latter is a mere shrub, the hairy stems and bunches of pea- shaped flowers rendering unusually attractive. Rosa Carolina, R. ci?inamoniea and hicida are all specimens of "wild rose," as these large, single-flowered flowers are popularly termed. Rosa niicrophylla has dark, shining green, spiney leaves, which are alone pretty. Rosa midtiflora Japonica should be distin- guished from the multijlora used as stock on which to bud hybrid roses. This is of the Polyantha type, bearing small white flowers in bunches in great proftision. Salix alba Britzensis and var. vitellina are particularly valuable for their colored bark in winter. In their way they are just as effective as the white birches in summer. Salix pentandra has large, shining green leaves, even finer than the laurel, the resem- blance to which gives it the common name of Laurel-leaved Willow. It can be grown with low branches, in bush form, and is particularly desirable for planting along the sea-coast. Spircsa sorbifolia has curiously divided foli- age, which does not in the slightest degree resemble the ordinar}^ species. Lindleyana is much like it. One of the earliest plants to leaf out in spring. The little round leaves of the Syniphori- carpos vulgaris and its dark red berries in winter, make it valuable for massing in the foreground of shrubberies. Tilia platyphyllos, the Broad-leaved European Linden, is a tree deserving greater popularity. It is of stronger growth than 7. Europcea, but more compact than the American. It makes a handsome specimen tree. The black fruit of Viburnum prunifolium is ver}^ ornamental, and the whole character of the tree or large bush — it can hardly be termed a tree — is very desirable. Vitis quinquefolia or Ampelopsis Virginiana is the well-known Virginian Creeper, a vine that could not be done without. Abies nobilis glauca makes but a slow, dwarf growth in the East. As it develops, it be- comes very attractive, though never with the uniform growth of some evergreens. Its foli- age is of a glaucous green color. Abies Nordmanniaua is one of the most sat- isfactory evergreens that may be had. It has very dark green foliage all the year round. It does not get the brownish hues in winter like many fevergreens do, besides growing very regularly. Gingko biloba or Salisburia is a conifer, al- though deciduous, hence its presence in the igoo] MEEHANS' MONTHLY — GENERAL GARDENING. 55 list of evergreens. This tree is becoming more popular and generally useful every day. Of unusual growth, it lends itself readily to the purpose required of it, especialh^ for street planting. Larix Europcea is also a deciduous conifer, — the well-known larch. Picea Engebnaiini is a rare evergreen, form- ing a compact specimen of fine form. It has a slighth' glaucous color, and is considered very choice. Picea orientalis is a decided improvement on the Norway' Spruce. The leaves are ver}- short and dark green. The entire habit is daintier and develops into a fine specimen. The Stone Pine, Piiiiis cembra, grows erect like a Deciduous C3'press. is intended for the Pan-American Exposition — everything American — that is to be held in Buffalo, N. Y., from May ist to November ist, 1 90 1. It represents the Horticultural Build- ing in the centre, with the Graphic Arts and Forestry on either side. Peabody & Stearns are the architects. Feeding Roots op Trees. — Referring to F. K. Steele's article on "Feeding Roots of Trees," my observation led me to think that the greatest object of the trees in sending their roots to extraordinar}' depths was to obtain water. The mass of roots found at the bottom of quite deep wells, and the fact that trees send their roots into wells and dry up those that had never before failed to furnish water \ Q LLU^^^ Copyright, 1899, by Pan-American Exposition Co. HORTICULTURAL BUiLDING, PAN-AMERICAN EXPOSITION. The long, graceful, gre3'ish needles of the Himala^'an Pine, Pinus cxcclsa, and the more moderate height which it ultimately attains, make this one of the choicest pines for orna- ment. Horticultural Building at the Buffalo Exhibition. — To our mind, most of the hor- ticultural buildings at the various exhibitions in the past light have claims to eminence as superior specimens of art. They would not be handed down as models as are the works of great masters. Possibly the temporary char- acter of the buildings themselves have had something to do with this. Little fame can follow work that is soon to be swept away. The design annexed seems to have unusually good points, and does the architects credit. It throughout the dryest seasons, and the great depths to which roots extend in dry ground, seem to confirm this idea. So far as m^' ob- servations extend, trees send their roots to much greater depths in dry ground than in moist lands. I think trees and all other land plants are, generally speaking, "cannibals;" that is, the best fertilizer for any plant is the earth or humus which that plant produces by its decay. The most thrifty bushes, the most vigorous and productive uncultivated rasp- berries, the finest and most productive apple tree (said to have produced one hundred bushels in a year), and the largest elm I ever knew of i'ts age, all grew" where much wood had decayed. Sugar maples set, by me, on ver\- dry, poor land, grew finely when fed by old, well-rotted saw-dust, and rapidlj^ outgrew those nearb}' not 56 MEEHANS MONTHLY GENERAL GARDENING. [April thus fed. In dry, compact gravel, I buried, pretty deeply, wood from old apple trees, and set young apple trees over it, and they grew well. This one experiment does not demon- strate that the burial of wood iinder young trees would be a good practice. Many experi- ments may be required to establish great laws of nature. J. D. Lyman. Exeter, N. H. Jamaica Sorrel. — The plant known among us as Jamaica Sorrel, or simply the "jelly plant, " is a Hibiscus. The Hibiscus is a genus of the Mallow tribe, Malvacece, which contains a thousand species (grouped into forty or more genera), several of them highly esteemed in medicine, their uniform character being to abound in mucilage, and to be totally destitute of unwholesome qualities. The wood is light and of little value, though the light, straight stems of some of the kinds are used for rocket- sticks. Some sorts afford food, as the Okra and the Ramturai of India ; others furnish valuable fibre, of which "Cotton is King;" while in various other species the coarser fibre of the bark is used for making cordage ; and that of Hibiscus arboreum of the West Indies for whip-lashes. Many of the genera are splendidly or curi- ousl}' beaiitiful, as the Hollyhock in all its varieties ; the Abutilon, Indian Mallow or Fairy Bell ; the Achania Malvaviscus, common in our gardens, almost everblooming, with scarlet, unopening flowers ; and most showy and most various, the Hibiscus. Of this genus, our native sorts are as fine as the foreign ones, and as variously colored, being purple, car- mine, rose-colored, or a delicate yellow, all having a laige spot of deep, rich color at the base of the corolla. Of the garden varieties, that one with the large, single, soft rose-col- ored flowers was, I think, the first exotic spe- cies introduced (except the old-fashioned Rose of Sharon, H. Syriacus) which, coming from China, was called Rosa siucnsis, which name is now extended to all its hybrids, with an added epithet to denote the variety. There is a beautiful and interesting species, Mexican, I believe, that was formerly to be seen in every door-3'ard on the country roads about us [in Florida], and there is still here and there a bush that has escaped the freezes. The blossom is large and very double ; when first it opens, it is pure white ; gradiially it takes on a faint flush of rose that slowly deep- ens and suffltses the whole flower. The next da}^ the ros)^ hue has deepened to crimson, and after some hours it " withers in its pride," but cannot be said to fade. This is Hibiscus muta- bilis, commonly called, from the shape and color of its leaves, the Cotton Rose. There is another remarkable species, a some- what rare greenhouse shrub, the blossom of which is one of the most exquisitely graceful and beautiful flowers I have ever seen. It is pendent on a slender stem five inches long. The petals, two inches long, are curved back ; the edge compoundly divided, almost fringed, to within a fifth of an inch of the midrib, which peculiarity gives it the name H. schizopetalus ; the color is a crimson scarlet, deeper at the base, and marked with short stripes above. The slender column of pistils and stamens projects three inches from the throat ; the lower two inches naked, then a half inch of encircling stamens with brown anthers bear- ing abundant bright yellow pollen ; then the five styles, half an inch long, tipped with globular crimson stigmas. Of course the word lozver, in this attempted description, means, technically, nearest the attachment of the flower to the stem ; but in the pendent blossom the position is, to the eye, reversed. The third curiosity in the genus is the Ja- maica Sorrel, the H. Sabdariffa, which resem- bles the garden varieties in being a large, branching bush, but taller than they usually are, some now in Winter Park being nine or ten feet high. The stems are a reddish-brown, the leaves a deep rich green, variousl}^ shaped, some with five lobes, some with three, and others smaller and entire. It produces a mar- vellous profusion of flowers all summer long, two and a half inches across, a light 3'ellow color with a crimson centre. Now, the garden Hibiscus has a conspicuous green corolla of five sepals united at the base, to which are attached several small leaves, or bracts. But in the Jamaica plant the green of the calyx is changed to the crimson at the base of the flower, and the red wine has run down into the ten little bracts below. After the flower falls, the calyx continues to grow, some of them to an inch and a half long, enclosing the seed-pod, in its size and shape somewhat resembling the Sweet-scented Shrub, Calycanthus. This calyx 1900] MEEHANS' MONTHLY — GENERAL GARDENING. 57 is distinctly acid, and is used to make a beau- tiful jelly or jam, which is hardl}' distinguisha- ble in color or taste from that made of cranber- ries. For jam they must be gathered when quite tender, before the seed-pod begins to harden ; for jelly they need not be quite so young. A rich syrup ma}* be made from them, which will keep indefinitely in sealed bottles, and serves for coloring and flavoring sherbets, etc. In its native home, Jamaica, a light beer is made from the seed-pods ; effervescent and non-intoxi- cant (a sort of home-made pink champagne, only less alcoholic), which is an essential ac- companiment of the winter festivities. The pods, with pieces of fresh ginger-root, are thrown into a tub, warm water is poured over the mixture, the tub covered and left over night or longer, the liquid then separated bj- straining, sweetened and bottled. [A paper read at a recent meeting of the Winter Park, Fla., Horticultural Society, by Miss M. E. Brown.] Caryopteris Seedlings. — In one of the numbers of Meehans' Monthly, about two j^ears ago, you had reference to the new plant, Caryopteris MastacanUms. I remember 3'ou stated 5-0U had been growing it for some time, but it never matured seed ; you thought the season was too short. I w-ant to inform you that it has seeded here with me. This year and last j^ear I had hundreds of seedlings come up about the bed near the old plants. All our plants outside were killed outright last winter. It is not hardy enough to stand our winters without good protection. New Haven, Conn. Wm. J. ROWE. Since the former article appeared, quantities of seedlings were raised in the ^Meehan nurseries. Notwith- standing the fact of its being tender north, it may still be used where trouble is taken, to propagate a few each year. They are easily struck from cuttings, and make nice bushy plants the first 3'ear. An Eye-sore on City Streets. — The accompan3dng kodak illustra- tion depicts a bit of vandalism only too common in city streets. The trees in the foreground — growing in one of the pleasantest thoroughfares of Philadelphia — are so-called Caro- lina Poplars, which have been pruned closely for years to make bunchy tops, and as a result are a perfect ej'e-sore to passers-by from Octo- ber till May. Unsightly stumps of butchered limbs cry to heaven all winter long, in place of the graceful spray with which nature intended the trees to be adorned, and which in most of our trees make of them in winter things of beauty as charming as they are in summer, when in the fulness of leaf Philadelphia. C. F. SaUNDERS. Cultivation of Cypripedium acaule. — In answer to the inquiry of a correspondent in the March issue, Mr. F. H. Horsford, Char- lotte, Vt. , who is experienced in the cultiva- tion of native orchids, says that good success in establishing Cypripedium aeaule is very rare. Starting with good young plants, there is no difiiculty in having nice flowers the first year ; but the second year is discouraging. He has come to regard this orchid as one that should be collected each year. Occasional reports come of success by taking up good strong clumps in sods with plenty of soil,— but this Phipps' Conservatories, Schenley Park, Pittsburg, Pa.— If we find a rare gem, hear or read of something intensely interesting, or come across a beautiful scene in Nature, the natural impulse is to tell of it, and divide with others some of the pleasures of our experience. Doubtless, frequently the motive for telling is largely because of a feeling of exultation in the fact that we have been more or less favored. ILL-PRUNED STREET TREES. 58 MEEHANS' MONTHLY — GENERAL GARDENING. [April Nevertheless, the results as related are gratify- ing to some extent to those who have not had the greater privilege, and some good has been done. The writer is inspired with some such feelings, for it may indeed be felt a privilege to have seen through the Phipps' Conservatories, at Pittsburg, Pa. Fortunately, here is a per- manent institution, under good management, and free to all who can journey to Pittsburg, or who are already there, and the pleasure is divisible into numerous portions. It is no easy matter to do sufficient credit to the subject from such a cursory examination of the conserv^atories as the writer's limited time made necessarj^ for the huge collection of plants of every description affords opportunity for endless enjoyment and stud5^ Then, too. Superintendent Falconer is always studying how he can create more interesting arrange- ments of the plants and flowers, and introduce new and rare plants. The buildings and many of the plants were the gift of Mr. Phipps, one of Pittsburg's philanthropic residents, who wanted the masses should have and recognize the pleasure and beaut}^ and healthy instruc- tion to be found among plants, — and Mr. Fal- coner's efforts are always pointing towards this end. There is always some particular display to interest even the ones generally ignorant of plant individuals, and almost any one of the display's is perhaps larger than any other of the same plants before the public in any city. Twenty-seven thousand visitors have been counted in one day— Easter Sunday— and prob- ably forty to fifty thousand during a week, about Easter or chrysanthemum time. In their respective seasons may be seen great shows of cinerarias, hydrangeas, roses, chrys- anthemums, interspersed with other flowers of all kinds appropriate to the arrangements. Perhaps no one is so particular as Mr. Falconer that the groupings and everything connected therewith shall be perfectly natural, and as harmonious as can be ; and no one could be more successful in their efforts. Many of the effects produced would do credit to Dame Na- ture herself, such, for instance, as the rock- work over which hangs a mammoth specimen of the Sword Fern, from beneath whose fronds issues a beautiful stream of water, which falls naturally and gracefully over the rocks. The surroundings are in perfect keeping, decked with ferns and other moisture-loving plants. making the whole a charming scene indeed. At the foot of this cascade, and receiving a continual wetting, was a plant that occasioned considerable svxrprise in that it was capable of standing so much water — Aspidistra liirida, a small plant with broad, evergreen leaves, which stands considerable neglect as a house or decorative plant. Another specimen of the above-mentioned fern is also brought to use with great effect, in the formation of a picture which must ever be in the memory of the writer ; it is arranged to overhang a window between one of the office-rooms and the main conservator}^ through which, from the room side, may be seen the palms and general tropi- cal plants. A marble figure is arranged before the window, just setting off the whole scene in a most picturesque and artistic manner. One is impressed, on entering the conserva- tories, with the perfect order and cleanliness of everything. The pots are clean ; the growth of the plants healthy ; the arrangement or- derly, yet perfectly natural. Every plant is a specimen, — and they number many, many thousands. Nothing is overgrown, though growth vpith such favorable surroundings is almost rampant. Huge palms have made mar- velously rapid growth, one {Cocos pluniosus) reaching the top of the largest house, fifty-one feet in height, — and this (after allowing for its original height of fourteen feet), in the space of seven years. Many of the plants, like the Ficus, which are tempted to grow too rapidly to suit their quarters, are promptl}^ rooted by the serial-pot method, and beheaded. The collection of economic plants is by no means the least interesting. Superintendent Falconer personally visited Jamaica and other tropical countries in search of these plants, and succeeded in gathering a notable collec- tion, among which may be mentioned the fol- lowing : Para rubber, sugar, tea, chocolate, cocoa shrub, mango, bread-fruit, guava, loquat, croton oil, kola-nut, vanilla, ebony, teak, ginger, arrow-root, lignum-vitae, sycamore of Scripture, mahogany, cinnamon, camphor, New Zealand flax, sisal hemp, manilla hemp, olive, Peruvian bark, Carob tree, tamarind, allspice, cloves, tropical almond. The follow- ing were in fruit : Pine-apple, banana, orange, coffee, tree-tomato and fig. They are all care- fully labelled, and most frequently have a card attached noting their product. These are all 1900] MEEHANS' MONTHLY GENERAL GARDENING. 59 especiall}- valuable as object le.s.sons for the public school children, who visit the conserva- tories ver}^ frequently. There is a beautiful specimen of the Trav- ellers' Tree, Ravenala Madagascarieusis, possi- bly twenty feet in height, and spreading out in its customary fan -shape form almost the same distance. Its popular name comes from the receptacles formed by the leaves which catch and hold water, and alleviate the thirst of many a weary traveller. Another curious tree, a palm, is one of the Calamus species, or Rattan Palm, which was briefly mentioned in the ^Monthly recently. It is of running habit, having long rope-like stems, which are quite useful in tying and cane-w^ork. These willowy stems are supported in their upward growth by means of long runners covered with hooked thorns, which fasten themselves to whatever they touch. The Nepenthes, a genus of Pitcher- plant, is grown as Nature finds it— in a run- ning form. Grown in baskets, as customary, larger ' ' pitchers ' ' are formed, but the running habit is not permitted. A specimen plant, with a very striking flower, is Pitcairnia coral- Una. It had several pendulous spikes of bril- liant scarlet flowers. Several cocoanut seeds, which are "sown" with the husks on, were seen sprouting thriftily, the shoots issuing right from the sides of the thick husks. Neither space nor memory will admit of a deser\'ing, lengthier article relating to these conservatories. The writer rather hopes that the readers of the Monthly, — many of them, at least, — may have the opportunity of visit- ing them in person. Systematical Cleanliness about the Greenhouse and Garden. — " Some men can do twice as much on an acre as another. It is order, system and cleanliness that enables him to do it. ' Dirt is matter out of place.' That is a true definition. I once found fault with a man, who was then a partner, that his rubbish pile contained ever^^thing from decent potting soil to broken glass, hoop iron and empty beer bottles. He rather peevishly replied that he had no time to spare and was glad to get rid of the stuff out of the greenhouses. That 'time' excuse is the worst of all, and the man who lets his wagon stand out in the sun till the hubs are cracked, has always the most time to spin a yarn, or see how much old Bill Jones' cows bring at auction. If my friend had had a pile for stuff that was purely rubbish, and another for old soil and plants and vegetable matter that would come useful some day, it would have been much time saved in the end, and some money." The foregoing extract from "Scott's Flor- ists' Manual " is a strong piece of advice which every one might heed to advantage. The waste of time and material about many places — commercial, public and private — is appalling. New Plants. — The introducer of new plants is frequently lost sight of in their general dis- semination, and much deserving credit goes astray. The following have been brought to public attention by INIr. Harlan P. Kelsey, Kawana, N. C. , many of them having proved of exceedingly great vahie to cultivation : Tsuga Carolifiiana (Carolina Hemlock), Aza- lea Vaseyi, Vaccitiium hirsulu7u (Hairy Huckle- berry), PriDius Alleghejtensis, Vacciniuni ery- throcarpon, Gaylussacia ursiha (Buckberry), Diervilla sessilifolia (Yellow Mountain Honey- suckle), Robinia hispida rosea, Leiophyllnm buxifolium var. prostratum (American Moun- tain Heath), Rhododendron punctatum var. album, Lilium Grayi, Shortia galacifolia, Poly- gonum cilinode (Buckwheat Vine), Trillium stylosum, Krigia DandelioJi var. viontana (Mountain Dandelion), Aco7iitum redinatum, Liatris spicata var. viontana, Carex Fraseri, Houstotiia pjcrpurea vox. tenuifolia, Viola pedata alba, and the delicate little mountain Saxi- fraga leiicantherni folia , and others more largely of economic interest ; w^hile he has distributed many others which were formerly but rarely seen in cultivation. Shrubs Hardy in Minnesota. — The follow- ing are recorded as thoroughly hardy in Min- nesota : Syriiiga Japonica, Lonicera Morrowii, Lonicera Standishii, CratcFgus gla?tdulosa, C. pinnatifida, C. microcarpa and Ribes triste. A Dwarf Large-floavered Dogwood. — It is reputably reported that a dwarf form of Cornus florida has been secured and will be grown extensivel}^ for the market. 6o MEEHANS' MONTHLY — GENERAL GARDENING. [April THIE ttH^K^T FLOWIEl ^^lIiD)IEINl. DORONICUM PLANTAGINEUM EXCELSUM. — The two illustrations accompanjnng this well illus- trate the beaut}^ of Doroiiiaan plantagineum DORONICUM PLANTAGINEUM EXCELSUM. tGREATLY REDUCED.) excelsum, although so greatl}' reduced in size. The very large yellow flowers, produced at first on short stems, in early spring, the stems elongating and new flowers appearing from time to time, are novel and very attractive. There are several other species, prominent among which is DoroJiiaim Chisii. The latter is a trifle earlier to bloom, but more slender and with a smaller flower ; it is generally in- ferior to excelsum. " Harper Ciewe " is a syn- onym of excelsum. A shady situation — not too dense — suits it as well, or even better, than full sunlight. Blood-root in Cultivation. — While heart- ily in sympathy with the movement for culti- vating wild flowers so far as possible without exterminating them from their native haunts, I think that no single one of them will be found, all things considered, finer than the blood-root. It appears almost with the crocus ; the flowers are handsome ; it increases rapidly in ordinary garden soil ; and the entire plant is so curious as to render it a constant source of enjoyment. The buds form in autumn, and I doubt not that it could be as easily forced in a cool room as a hyacinth ; though I have never seen the experiment tried. Bessie L. Putnam. RuDBECKiA "Autumn Glory" and "Gold- en Glow." — A belated letter from Mr. W. C. Egan, Highland Park, Ills., comments on the article " Rudbeckia Golden Glow" in the Oc- tober issue, which contained an extract from the London Journal of Horticulhire, inferring that "Golden Glow" was the same as "Au- tumn Glorj'," which had been known in Eng- land for years. The writer in the journal stated he thought he had seen it quoted in Barrs' catalogue as " Golden Glow." Mr. Egan sends a flower of ' ' Autumn Glorj^ ' ' from a plant sent him under that name, and the dif- ference between the two is quite evident. The latter has a long cone or disk, while the disk of the other is rounded and comparatively flat. It is just as Mr. Egan says, "A plant that would increase with such rapidity, and is so attractive in its parts, if known in England twenty j'ears ago, would have been known here long before this." That the previous FLOWER OF DORONICUM. (4 INCHES DIAMETER.} correspondent was undoubtedly misled, is also proven \)y Barrs' catalogue referred to, in which both varieties are quoted and described. Standard Crimson Rambler. — In the INIarch issue mention was made of the effect- iveness of the Crimson Rambler Rose trained to a single stem and allowed to make a head. 1900] MEKHANS' MONTHLY — GENERAL GARDENING. 6l With this is an illustration fully bearing up the statement. The form will be seen to re- semble the Kilmarnock Willow, but much less formal and with the charming addition of bril- liant flowers. Beauty in Cojimon Things. — We find it ver}- pleasant, every 3'ear, to grow something new in vine or plant. Last j-ear we grew pea- nuts, and were very successful growing the Spanish variet}". Thej- were a curiositj' to our friends. The plants are very b e a u t i f u 1 with their clover-like foliage. We also sowed what we called "Italian peas," given us bj- an Italian friend, much used by the Italians i n this country, import- ing from 1 1 a 1 3' what the}' do not grow in their own small gardens. The plants form a beautiful border, growing in a dwarf, bushy manner. We did not care for them green, but they are nice dried, used in soup. For four 3'ears we have grown the Husk Strawberry, which makes such delicious preserves and jam. For two years past we have found read}' market for all our surplus. An English lad}-, visiting us last season, expressed surprise that we only grew the Scar- let-runner for beauty of vine and flower. She said that in England they were considered the ver}^ best green bean as well as shelled. Also advised us to try the hips of our native thorn in making marmalade, which we did. INIeni- bers of the family, who had visited England, said it was very much the same as the mar- STANDARD CRIMSON RAMBLER ROSE. malade furnished them at breakfast while in London. We think, perhaps, it were better to use the English Hawthorn, which we will try the coming season. Will you kindly inform me, through the columns of jNIeehans' Monthly, where I can procure the seeds of Hibiscus Sabdariffa, as I wish to grow them the coming year ? Rochester, N.Y. S. B. BOWERMAN. As our correspondent suggests, common things can often be used by way of ornament. In a park, the past season, under the charge of a first-class gardener, the common Curled Kale of the vegetable garden was used in the flower gar- den to great ad- vantage. Few suspected it was but a common vegetable. The Italian Pea is probably the Ja- pan Soy Bean, Soja hispida ; but what is the Husk Strawberry ? Pos- sibly one of the genus Physalis, or Ground Cher- ry. The Scarlet- runner of English gardens does not bear well in our climate, and with many gardeners it is difficult to get poles. The Lima Bean, which the English can- poles that can be the not grow, requires all easily secured. The leading seedsmen usually keep all new articles as soon as they are on the market. If to be had at all, they can be obtained through some of those firms advertising in our last and present number. L.-VBOR-SAviNG Wheel-hoes. — "Among the. principal labor-saving tools in the hands of the market gardener must be considered Wheel- hoes. Nay, we may insist that it leads all others, for they are really indispensable, and 62 MEEHANS MONTHLY — GENERAL GARDENING. [April without their aid it would be an almost impos- sible task to keep the market supplied with such immense quantities of row-grown vege- tables. They have done away with the back- breaking and time-killing methods of the olden time, one man performing in a more thoroiigh manner, and with greater ease to himself, the labor of several men. As with all other improved methods of labor, it requires a little practice to enable one to realize the best results with a wheel-hoe. A novice will usu- ally push steadily ahead ; not so — give the tool a thrjist ahead, watching the wheel rather than the hoe, and taking a step at each thrust ; this brings a result which the term wheel-//(?r implies ; an ordinar}' hand-hoe would accom- plish little if simply dragged through the ground." The foregoing advice, by the Bateman Manufacturing Co. is true and sensible. In addition, caution should be placed on the man- ner of hoeing hy the wheel-hoe or cash and labor, we believe that on a given area of land the Swiss Chard will give the largest proportion of edible matter. This is a variety of beet, the very thick leaves of which are eaten, ever}- plant of which can be relied upon to give a sufficient number of thick, succulent and very palatable stalks to make a dish in it- self. Cabbage and cauliflower produce to each plant sufficient for a dish for the table, but they take much longer to develop than chard, and all plants will not invariablj- produce a head. Egg-plant will, when in good bearing condition, produce three or fovir fruits full enough for a meal from each plant. Tomatoes will produce to the plant enough for several meals. Watermelons give from each plant suf- ficient for three or four meals. Cantaloupes a less quantit}', but these occup}- a ver}' large scope of groiind as compared with the bushy formed plants above mentioned. Of all the other esculent vegetables it requires many plants to afford bulk enough to make a dish for the table, and with the multiplicatioij of plants there is a corresponding increase in space occupied and cost of labor. — Laiidret/i's Seed Catalogue. HAND GARDEN PLOW. ordinary method, — the surface must not be scraped, simpl}- cutting off the tops of weeds, and leaving a hard surface through which rain and air will not readily pass ; bvit should be stirred — not too deepU' in the case of surface- rooting vegetables. Wheel-hoes are constantly being improved to make them useful in other ways. The above-mentioned company' make an implement which sows in hills and drills, hoes, rakes, cultivates, levels, plows (not deepl}'), furrows, hills, and covers — all by a machine worked b}^ hand. One of these useful articles, combining many garden tools, is here illustrated by cour- tesy of the Bateman Co. The Most Productive Vegetables. — As to what garden vegetable produced the largest bulk of food on an expenditure of the least Pyrus baccata for Apple Stock. — The winter of 1898-99 was a disastrous one in many sections of the United States, where a great many fruit trees were destroyed. The apple, among others, suffered very much, killing roots and all. It has led to an effort to secure more hard}' stocks, and Pyrus baccata is possi- bU' more in favor than an3'thing else at the present time. This apple produces, when not grafted, numerous clusters of small fruit about the size of some of our larger native cherries, and is fairly good for culinary purposes. Seed- lings of the Transcendent Crab have also been tried with good results thus far. Mr. E. H. S. Dartt, of Owatonna, ]Minn., places little faith in any of these so-called hardy roots, and claims that all were killed alike in his vicinit}-. Of course, this does not demonstrate that one will not at least prove less liable to being killed and experiments along the line mentioned are worth the effort. Where the snow-fall was heavy, and remained on the ground during the coldest weather, the roots were preserved. By this is shown that some temporarj- cover, act- ing as a mulch over winter, would help them. BIOGRAPHY AND LITERATURE. PARENTAL CARE. The scented birk and hawthorn white Across the pool their arms unite, Alike to screen the birdie's nest. — Burns. Valuable Horticultural Reference Books. — At a large meeting of horticulturists in western Pennsj'lvania, recentlj', it was asked what was the best book on horticulture that would catalogue most of the trees, shrubs, etc., in general cultivation in this country, and describe them faithfully — a work that could be kept continually and conveniently at hand. The answer prompth' made was "Some of the leading nurserymen's catalogues," and that of Thomas IMeehan & Sons was particu- larly mentioned. Few persons realize the labor and expense put on catalogues of this kind in the effort made to compile careful des- criptions, and make them generally valuable to those requiring help in that direction. Just before the conductors is the new catalogue of Ellwanger & Barry, Rochester, New York, which is the result of several years' prepara- tion. That it is a credit to the firm is saying but little. It deserves a position in the library-. Catalogue Accuracy. — It is decidedly en- couraging when catalogue compilers show an earnest effort to be accurate in the names of plants, orthograph}' and descriptions. To in- tended purchasers, such catalogues are assur- ances of good faith, and an inestimable help in careful selection. The catalogue of F. H. Horsford, Charlotte, Vermont, is a good ex- ample of what can be done in this direction. Index Kewensis is the authority first recog- nized, and is undoubtedly the best except in one point, i. e : — Stable varieties are not re- cognized, but referred without explanation to the species from which it originated. Thus the well-known Berberis Thunbergi is written as sj^nonymous with vulgaris ; while their points of difference are very marked. By this it will be seen how even a good authority ma}' not always suit existing conditions. In the partic- ular catalogue above mentioned, there are several examples where it would seem less des- irable to follow the Index and yield to the names which almost everybody knows. It would avoid confusion, and that is what cata- logues are for. To be sure, the old names are given also, but that plan cannot always be ad- hered to. The more particular adoptions likely to confuse are Anemone Ilepatica instead of Hepatica triloba ; Cypripedium humile {acanle) ; Rosa lucice {Wichuraia7ia) ; litis {Afnpelopsis) Diervilla ( IVeigela) ; Pinus Laricio {Anstriaca) ; Symphoricarpos orbiciilatus {vulgaris). Broad- ly speaking, no one knows these names, and but few ever will ; the others are almost every- day names, and will never be totally supplant- ed. These are the most serious changes, and not very weighty, perhaps ; and the catalogue, as said before, is an advancement on which Mr. Horsford ma}- be congratulated. The Sun-flower does not turn with THE Sun. — Popular errors are difficult to eradi- cate. After carefully reading Professor Meehan's interesting " Contributions to the Life-History of Plants, " No. 13, in the Proceedings of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia, 1899, I called the attention of a friend to " The Movement of Plants," who, after reading the article remarked : "Last summer, in Michi- gan, I had seven kinds of sun-flowers in my garden, and I observed them turning to or from the sun very much as that article describes ; and the author's conclusions, ' It may be as- sumed that we have to look to various phases of life-energy in the plants themselves for the final explanation,' seem very just." Many, from childhood, have been familiar with the Helianthus, and took it for granted that the flower follows the sun — hence its name. Orig- inal investigation is persistently made by few, comparatively, and many remain long uncon- vinced of the most common-sense things. Original investigation was long a dangerous (63) MEEHANS MONTHLY — GENERAL NOTES. [April thing — witness Galileo, Harvey, etc. And even so late as the time of Dr. Livingstone, he said that he came near being deprived of his diploma because he made an original remark. That the public need line upon line before the}' can give up a false theor}- and adopt a true one, is vasth' in evidence from the fact, that such a common-sense and natural solu- tion of the ' ' Eccentricity of the annual wood circles," mostl}' a lack of nutrition being the obvious cause. The whole article should be read, as it is too important to be condensed. San Diego, Cal. MRS. E. O. OrCUTT. Origin of the Japanese Cedars. — The Japanese Cedar, Cryptomeria laponica, so common in Japanese gardens, has never been found in a wild state. As in the case of so many of our garden evergreens brought from Japan under botanical names, it is suspected of being a form of something else. There is a striking resemblance between the seeds and those of our mammoth Sequoia. Cyclopaedia of American Horticulture. — This great work, by Prof. L. H. Bailey, which is to be finished in four volumes, is advancing rapidl}'. It is announced that the first volume is now read}' for subscribers. Missouri Botanic Garden. — The nth an- nual report of the ]\Iissouri Botanic Garden has made its appearance. Papers illustrative of diseases in the wood of Libocedrus and Taxo- dium will be of special interest to those inter- ested in forestr}^ and the working botanist will welcome a paper on a section of the genus Euphorbia. Both are copioush^ and beautifully illustrated. Home and School Grounds. — Mr. Warren H. Manning, of Boston, has published a book- let of eighteen pages describing and illustrat- ing the surveying and arranging of home and school grounds. A New Horticultural School Building. — Minnesota now boasts one of the most com- plete horticultural buildings connected with a school or college in the United States. It was completed and occupied January ist, 1900, and is connected with the Minnesota School of Agriculture and Experiment Station, St. An- thony Park. The building and equipment cost $67,000.00, and consists of a main build- ing, and annex for a greenhouse, laboratory, machine shed, about 4,000 feet of glass, and a good nursery cellar. A large number of stu- dents can now be accommodated. This term the classes in horticulture number 178. A verj' important feature of the school work con- sists of practice by the students of seed- sowing, transplanting, the growing of plants by cut- tings and grafting, the packing of nursery stock, pollination, testing of seeds, the making of Bordeaux Mixture and grafting wax, and similar horticultural operations. Tree-planting Along City Streets. — A law recently passed in Minnesota, authorizes park boards in cities to plant trees when peti- tioned by property owners concerned, and to assess the cost, not exceeding twelve and a half cents a front foot, on the propert}' im- proved, and this to include the expense of maintaining the trees for three 5'ears and re- placing any that maj' die. The sj'stem has been tested in Minneapolis for fifteen j'ears, and 15,000 vigorous, well-protected trees along the streets prove its success. The outlaj^ has been reniarkablj^ small. — The Americaii Church and S. S. Mas^. Rapid Advance in Park Planting. — It is said that during the fall last past, more than 205,000 young trees and shrubs have been planted in the parks and boulevards of the vSouth vSide, Chicago, Ills. In Jackson Park, the site of the World's Fair, the work of re- construction covers some sixteen acres. Fly Traps. — ^To catch flies. Prof. Parrot, of the Kansas State Agricultural College, employs water-tight tin troughs, holding a thick \a.yev of molasses at the bottom, or in which kero- sene emulsion or some fly-powder, or similar material is placed. Flies fall or wander in when these traps are placed at the bottom of window panes. They must be constructed to fit the frames. Those he employs are 21 inches long, three-quarters of an inch wide, and three- quarters of an inch deep. Plate 5, -^01YP■1■^"!^'S llnOKFUIANA POLYPTERIS HOOKERIANA. HOOKER'S MANY-FEATHER. NATURAL ORDER, COMPOSITtE. POLYPTERIS nooKERiANA, Cray. — Stoutcr tViau /*. Texana ; one to four feet high, above glandular pubescent and some- what viscid ; leaves from narrowly to broadly lanceolate, mostly three-nerved below ; involucre many flowered, broad, half an inch or more liigh, of twelve to sixteen lanceolate bracts in two series, the outer looser and often wholly herba- ceous, the inner with purplish tips ; rav flower.s eight to ten, the deeply three cleft rose-red ravs half an inch long, but sometimes reduced or aboitive ; pappus in the ray a crown of six to eight short and obtuse, rather rigid spatulate palese ; in the disk of narrowly-lanceolate, thiu palese, traversed by an excurrcnt costa, attenuate at apex into a slen- der point or >hort curve, nearly of the length of the akene. Gray's Synoptical Flora of I^ or lit America. The specimens from which the drawing is made were obtained from seed sent by a corres- pondent from Fort Worth, Texas, without further indications of the locality than that it grew in the upper regions of the Red River. Dr. Gra}', however, notes that its home is on the dry plains of Nebraska and Texas. In several excursions in that region by the author, it was not met with ; but, judging from the specimen from which the branch was taken, it must prove an interesting element in the wild- flower scenerj^ of the dry plains of those regions, for doubtless it is more or less abundant in the localities in which it has made for itself a home. That it is an imigrant from more southern latitudes originally, is more than likely from the fact the some half-dozen species of which the genus consists are rather com- mon in Mexico ; while this species has no rel- ative near it, though two are found in south- ern California. The first one of the genus was raised by the celebrated Cavanilles, at the Botanic Garden at Madrid, from seed received from New Spain, in Mexico. He could not distinguish it from an Ageratiwi, and named it Ageratum lineare. Later, in 1806, another Spanish botanist, Mariano Lagasca, saw good reasons for dividing it from Ageratum, and erected the new genus Palafoxia for it. Dr. Gray saj'S the name is derived from Jose Pala- fox, the noted Spanish general. The author has not at command the work of Lagasca in which the plant was described, and which pos- sibly conveys the suggestion as to the person the name was to honor ; but General Palafox was not a noted general at that time, but a youthful hanger-on at court, being born in 1780, and apparently with nothing to warrant special botanical honors. He had l)ravery, and led his townsmen in the celebrated seige of Saragossa, in 1808. His honors as Duke of Saragossa, did not reach him till 1836. The original, Palafoxia linearis, still continues as Lagasca arranged it. But others, since found and classed with Palafoxia in tlie first instance, have since been separated, and the genus Polypteris founded for them by Nuttall, chiefly on account of the peculiar and pretty crown formed by the pap- pus, as seen in fig. 5, — Polypteris being from the Greek, signifying many wings or feathers. No common name has been given to it. Many- feather is here simply suggested for popular approval. Hooker's name is associated with it by Dr. Gray, evidently through Hooker having figured it in the Botanical magazine as Palafoxia Texana, already so named by DeCandolle, from which, however, it was shown by Dr. Graj^ to be different. The plant has no popular history. It is a pretty wild flower, adorning the dry and barren plains for ages unseen by eyes that could appre- ciate its beauty, and only in recent years find- ing its way into gardens where its beauty has made it welcome. The plant, however, furnishes so many popu- lar lessons, that a more than usual number of dissections have been figured on the plate. The numerously-divided crown to the apex of the akene or seed, fig. 5. has already been adverted to, and is very beautiful when examined with a pocket lens. It was this which led Nuttall, in his "Genera of North American Plants," issued in 1818, to establish the genus, — Polyp- (65) 66 MEEHANS' MONTHLY — POLYPTERIS IIOOKERIAXA. [May teris i H teg ri folia being the species described. This was from a specimen collected in (xeorgia, bv Dr. Baldwin, on the banks of the River Altamaha, and this is the most northern range yet found for it. It extends to Florida, usually found in dr\- sand}' places. One of the florets of the disk is displayed in fig. 4. In this stage the feathery pappus is erect. It does not spread till the akene is maturing. The remark- ably slender tube projects beyond the pappus, and is terminated by a small, campanulate limb. This flower is taken at an early stage. When further advanced, the crown of anthers is carried up beyond the limb, by the pressure of the expanding lobes of the pistil. After the pollen has been exposed by the rupture of the anther cells, the cloven pistil wipes out most of the pollen, and proceeds still further. Freed from the growing force of the style, the empty anther cases fall back within the limb. In the figs. 8. 8, of the perfect head of flowers we may see the dark column of anthers being lifted by the style. In fig. 9, we see the di- vided stigmas alone with their supporting style, the column of stamens having become free, and retired back within the corolla. This behavior is especially instructive to those who take an interest in observing how flowers are fertilized. The slender tube is very unfavor- able to the labor of an insect in collecting sweets from its base, — while the dense mass of anthers, against the throat of the corolla, ren- ders such an effort on the part of a honey- gathering insect still more difficult. The flowers are visited freely by bees for the sake of the pollen, — and this seems to be all the sacrifice the plant is able to offer for the good •of the outside world. It receives no benefit from the visits of insects, assuming that cross- fertilization ma}^ be of some service, — as, from the process already described, it is strictly self-pollinating. The raj'-floret, fig. 3, now commands atten- tion. It is the same long, tubular structure as ill the other case ; but the upper portion has become enlarged, and instead of being five- lobed and bell-shaped, it has split on one side, and formed a somewhat hand-shaped, but onh' three-divided blade. The two laterals are larger, each evidently being two of the original flve-parted corolla, united together. With this change from bell-shaped to strap-shaped, is another singular fact in the suppression of the anthers, the ray-floret having a pistil only. The feathery pappus has also been almost sup- pressed. It has been noted in flowers of this character, that when this suppression of stamens occurs in flowers, where the disk- flowers remain hermaphrodite, and where by chance the tubular disk-flowers should become strap-shaped, the pistillate character follows the strap-shaped form. It would be called a double flower by florists. The flowers in this double condition, would be all wholh' pistillate. The double Dahlia is a well-known illustration of this fact. Just why the strap-shaped condi- tion and pistillity should be co-related, remains j-et a mystery which some happ3' biologist maj^ in the future have the good fortune to explain. In fig. 2, we have a longitudinal section of the involucre, or outside cup that encloses all flowers of the order of Compositce. If the stem had elongated, and formed a branchlet in- stead of a flower, each of the twelve or six- teen bracts, of which this involucre or cup is formed, would have been a leaf scattered along the stem instead of being all transformed and presented in this arrested state. The leaves furnish a point of interest in their strongU'-three-nerved character. Nearly all the species have this so nerved in their lower leaves, but it is rare, even in the tj-pical forms of our present one, to have the upper leaves so well characterized. It is a good lesson in variation for the student. Nature casts noth- ing in one imiform mould. Allowing that form results from internal energy operating from the earliest conception of the individual plant, and that the degree of energy must vary accord- ing to the power to assimilate nutrition, exact reproduction is impossible. And yet energ}^ must expend itself ultimately. We learn from this that plants must vary in their own indi- vidual selves, as well as from each other, — but that there is a point in each individual case be3'ond which even variation cannot go. Evo- lution, as taught in modern schools, is prob- ably sound doctrine. But it cannot be proved b}' individual variation, as it is so often at- tempted to be. Explanation ok the Plate — i. Branch of a plant from Texas. 2. I.ongitiuiinal .section of the involucral cup. 3. Kay-floret and akene. 4. Disk-floret, with akene and pap- pus. 5. Mature akene, with feathery pappus spreading. 6. Column of stamens elevated by the growing styles. 7. stamens drawn back within the floret, and style and stigmas free. WILD FLOWERS AND NATURE SPRING-TIME. The merr}' May has pleasant hours And dreamily they glide, As if they floated like the leaves Upon a silver tide. The trees are full of crimson buds, And the woods are full of birds, And the waters flow to music. Like a tune with pleasant words. The verdure of the meadow-land Is creeping to the hills, The sweet, blue-bosom 'd violets Are blowing by the rills ; The lilacs have a load of balm For ever}' wind that stirs. And the larch stands green and beautiful Amid the sombre firs. — N. P. Willis. SuBULARiA AOU.^TiCA, L. — In the depths of the primaeval forest, under the high moun- tains of the Franconia Notch, New Hamp- shire, lies a centre of exotic civilization, in the shape of the Profile House, whither every summer a mountain-loving detachment of the societ}' of our great cities transfers its doings. The Profile House stands on a water shed. To the south of the big hotel lies Profile Lake under the great stone face, flowing southward at length to become the IMerrimac. A short distance north of the hotel lies Echo Lake, which flows by Welch Brook and the Am- monusuc north and the west into the Connect- icut. These lakes, which though small in area, are found by actual measurement to be some hun- dreds of feet deep, were the Mecca of two pil- grimages of mine while among the White Mountains in the summer of 1897. I explored Echo Lake with special interest, it being one of Gray's cited localities for the awlwort. My first trip on September ist, was hurried and onh' revealed some lily pods, and the gray globular heads of a pipewort rising above the water, though I did not fail to notice and won- der at numerous little tufts of short, sharp, green leaves growing out of the white sand about a foot beneath the water. On my second visit on September 22nd, I was driving with some friends from Twin Mountain to the Profile, and asked their indulgence for a few moments that I might more thoroughly explore the margins of the lake ; and while they were listening to the famous echo for which the lake is named, I walked all about the margins catching sight of arbutus plants and mountain cranberr}-, and more pipewort and lily pods as I explored the water's edge. SUBULARIA AQUATICA. At last, just as I was about to give up the search, my eye caught sight of a thread-like stem rising from one of the numerous tufts of subulate root-leaves, bearing a sparse crop of small, green, globo.se capsules, all easily seen growing against the white sand about a foot beneath the surface of the brilliantly clear cold water. I bared my arm and dragged the plant from its foot-hold, bringing up with it a clus- ter of shining white, nerve-like roots, and packed it carefully awa}^ in a small tin box I had brought for the ver}- purpose of its capture. (67) 68 MEEHANS' MONTHLY — WILD FLOWERS AND NATURE. [May It struck me then as strange that a flower of such high class as a crucifier should bloom and fruit successfully entirely under water. (See illustration.) Newlin Williams. The Americ.\n P.eoni.\, P. Brownii. — The p?eony is one of those old garden flowers that have become scattered and mixed, and improved upon innumerable times until verj' few persons know one true species from another. INIuch less is it known that there is an American species, though this is not altogether surpris- ing in view of the difficult}^ accompan3ing any attempt at domesticating it. This plant, known as Pceonia Brownii, is to be found only along the Pacific Coast, and then \^xy sparing- ly. In the description given in " Brewer and Watson's Geological Survej'," it is said : "This plant endures a great range of station and cli- mate, from wet to very Ary soils and from the hot plains of Southern California to near the confines of perpetual snow on the mountains." It is, never-the-less, delicatel}' constructed, and attains a growth of onl}' about a foot in height. The flower is quite unlike those we are more familiar with, being about 2;4 inches in diam- eter, the thick and leatherj-, dull, dark red petals barely equalling the green sepals in length. But it is attractive, and would please everj-one fond of flowers for themselves and not so particular!}' for the show the}' make. The paeony is a member of the s,ame family as the buttercup, and in this species one can see a closer resemblance in general appearance than with our garden kinds. Bird-life. — A correspondent states that, for man}^ years, in boxes for martens, there have been four pairs and no more than these eight birds come to the four boxes prepared for them. He asks if martens are famous for long life ; or if a pair of young ones, or 3'oung brides and bridegrooms, take the places of the dead old ones? Habenaria and other Wild, New Jersey Flowers. — A much finer Habenaria than the one figured in the Monthly for Februar}-, is found near Tenafl5^ New Jersey, the stems 18 to 20 inches, the heads broad, made so by the large petals and long fringe. The lip is fully two inches long with fringe half-inch long on each side. When living in Tenafl}-, I sent hundreds to New York. In the same locality is found Cvpripedium spectabile, Orchis spccta- bilis, a large bed of Kalniia glauca, and some K. angiistifolia, Ost7t7inda cinnamomea, O. re- galis, and man}' other rare plants. W. L. The Fruit of the Oleander. — Nerium Oleander, L., the Oleander of common house culture, belongs to the Dogbane family, and has for close relatives such plants as the Indian Hemp, and Periwinkle, the small evergreen vine often found in old gardens and cemeteries, erroneously called myrtle. The writer has never seen the periwinkle in fruit, but the long slender pods of the Indian Hemp, that burst open at maturity and allow the seed that are furnished with copious white down to scatter, are familiar to all. Yesterday the writer was called to the house of a friend to see the fruit of an Oleander. The pods are five to six inches long and about one-fourth of an inch in diameter and grow out from the end of the twig that bore the flowers ; they split open on two opposite sides and allow the seeds to fall out — or rather force them out, because the two ends of the pod draw toward each other, thus pressing the seed together did they not have a chance to escape. The seeds below the crown or tuft of down are three-sixteenths of an inch long by a third as thick ; they are in this portion covered with short, stiff, brown hairs, which suddenly become longer at the top of the seed and form a tuft of down about an inch in diameter of the same brown color as the hairs on the seed. By a little pull, the top part of the tuft comes out. The seeds are obscurely attached to the inside of the pod. The weight of 50 seeds was 22 grains. Hence there would be, in one grain, 227 seeds, and in one ounce 6,422 seeds. E. E. Bogue. StiUwater, Okla Twin Hazel Nuts.— Mr. H. G. Shelby, Bur- lington, Iowa sends specimens of Hazel nuts that appear as twins. They are formed by two flower buds being started on the branch instead of one, and so close together that they engraft in early infancy. This we occasionally see in the apple and other fruits. It is rare in the hazel nut. These are the first ones we have GENERAL GARDENING. THE APPLE BLOSSOM. As now, on some delicious eve, We, in our sweet sequester' d orchard plot, Sit on the tree crook 'd earthward ; whose old boughs. That hang above us in an arborous roof, Stirr'd b}' the faint gale of departing day, Send their loose blossoms slanting o'er our heads. —Coleridge. Watering Forced Spiraeas. — The beauti- ful white-flowered spir^^as forced for use about Easter-tide, must be kept plentifully supplied with water while in flower. In fact, contrary to general rule, a little water in the saucers beneath the pots, or in the jardinieres, as the case may be, will be found desirable, but only sufficient to last a short time. The plants will be found to drink it up very quickly, and by •observation, it can easil\- be determined how much to give each time. Rocky INIountain Evergreens in Iowa. — The follow^ing extract from Gardening shows the value in which the Rocky Mountain Ever- greens are held in Iowa. It is particularly in- teresting to note that the Colorado Blue Spruce as usual heads the list. : — ' ' The first of importance is the Picea p7in- gens, or Colorado Blue Spruce. This is un- doubtedly the king of spruces. We have not the command of language to express the ad- miration we have for this tree, which is one of the gems of the Rockies ; and while it is found in the deep gorges on very dr>', but exposed points on the range, one would naturally sup- pose that it would not endure the great changes of transplanting to the genial soils we have here. Yet, the facts are that there is no tree that so adapts itself to the prairie conditions as this one does, and it is certainlj' designated to be the coming ornamental evergreen tree ; the person encouraging its planting will be rearing a living monument that will last for ages. Another tree the merits of which I am ver}- fond of extolling is Abies concolor. This var- iety does not transplant quite as easily as the Silver Spruce but when once established is a revelation of beauty and symmetry. As I write this I look out upon a specimen that is full}' twenty-five feet 'high, and if asked to describe it, the English language would fail me. The Douglas Spruce has been denominated by a western writer as the tree for the millions, but with us it has the habit of starting so early in the spring that its growth is often killed back by late frosts, which is quite detri- mental to this variety, as the leader is killed and makes the tree unshapely. Specimens on our grounds which are twenty feet high are perfect models of beauty, but as grown in nurs- ery rows they are not so attractive and valu- able as other sorts. Still another Rocky Moun- tain Spruce is known as Engelmann's Spruce. This often approaches in beauty to the Silver Spruce. Oftentimes specimens of this spruce can easily be mistaken for Picea pungens so far as color and beauty of form are concerned, but one acquainted with these conifers can easily distinguish them as the Blue Spruce has sharp needles, like pines, while those of Engelmann's Spruce are much longer and flexible. M. J. Wragg." Honeysuckle Flowers for Cutting. — Try the flowers of the honeysuckle vine for bou- quets, vases and general decorations, and you will find a source of great gratification. The marvellous fragrance of the flowers will fill a room. Long sprays, well covered with foliage, will make graceful decorations. The Chinese form will prove a favorite on account of the reddish foliage and red and white flowers. AcoRUS Calamus. — G. N. C, Oberlin, O., remarks :— "The Acorus is quite a nuisance in my Lotus ponds, crowding them, difficult to exterminate, and dying when other aquatics are most luxuriant. As an aquatic, it does not begin to compare with the luxuriant Cat-tail, Typha latifolia.'' (69) 70 MEEHANS MONTHLY — GENERAL GARDENING. [May Rock-work. — Few elements in ornamental gardening require more intelligent handling than rock-work. Well worked out, few depart- ments, give more pleasure, — while when the feature is successfully presented to us, it is an object of delight. The rule generally is that the rocks should be so placed as to appear the handiwork of nature. But the truth is this is rareh' the case. It is doubtful whether any piece of rock-work wg.s so arranged that the hand of art was hidden successfully. This been arranged by the hand of man, and that the plants and planting have been introduced in the same way. Yet the effect is pleasing, and would be enjoyed even by the most critical in the art of landscape gardening. Summer Treatment of Transplanted Trees. — In the earth in which vegetation is growing, we can find no water, in the popular sense of the term ; but the particles of earth hold moisture, which can be extracted, and ROCK-WORK GATE-POST, GROUNDS OF F. R. CHANDLER, ESQ., LAKE GENEVA, WIS. MELCHIOR LUCTSCHG, GARDENER being granted, it would seem wisdom to can- didly avow that it is a work of art, and to leave to it a self-avowal of the fact. Now, one ol the first principles in landscape gardening art is that of harmon}'. A pile of rock arranged on a smooth, level piece of lawn would never be ad- mired. A rockery never looks well except ar- ranged where rocks ought to be. But this does not imply that art should be ignored. The annexed engraving illustrates the point very well. We all know that these rocks have condensed as liquid by the roots of plants. How this is done, no one knows exactly, but the wonderful fact remains that trees growing in ground comparatively dry, will fill their tissues with immense quantities of liquid ,^ which is given oft' by the leaves to the atmos- phere daily, to be continually replenished from the moisture stored in the earth-particles below. To take advantage of this store of moisture, the roots must be in actual contact with these particles. The great effort of the rgoo] MEEHANS MONTHLY — GENERAL GARDENING. 71 successful tree planter is to pulverize the earth as finely as possible, for the reason that the finer the particles the greater the amount of moisture afforded ; and because the finer the par- ticles the more closely packed it can be around the finer roots. Water, in itself, is an injury to plants. Plants suffocate if the water lie around the roots for a few days in the growing saeson. All that is needed is enough to satur- ate the particles of matter, without driving the air from spaces between the pulverized parti- cles. We can see from this, that watering newly transplanted trees may be an injury, as often it may be a benefit. If a tree trans- planted in the early part of the season, that has pushed into leaf, show signs of wilting in warm weather, when surrounding vegetation show no such wilting, the inference is that there is quite enough moisture in the soil, but that it is out of contact with the roots. It may have been wet weather, and the soil was too past}' to pulverize properly. In this case, a beating down with a heavy rammer, — a pav- ing rammer even, if can be had, is of more im- portance than watering would be. The water- ing does not bring the roots into closer con- nection with the earth. If, after this, the leaves still seem to suffer, and there is undoubt- edly a dr}' time as other vegetation shows, then the aid of water is acceptable to the trans- planted tree. A Shrub for Dry Weather. — Each 3'ear the value of Hydrangea paniciilata becomes to us more and more apparent. And in the almost unprecedented drouth of the past season, when all other vegetation was parched, the immense panicles of this shrub were fresh as ever. These blossoms may be dried for winter bouquets, the petals retaining their form perfectly, and changing only in color. Bessie L. Putnam. Gladiolus. — The Gladiolus is the most attractive of all the summer flowering bulbs, and deserv^es a place in every garden, as it is sure to flower and do well with ver}' little care. It has no insect enemies or disease. The flowers are of almost every desirable color. By cutting the spikes when two or three of the lower flowers are open, and placing them in water, the entire spike will open in the most beautiful manner. Set the bulbs from six to nine inches apart, and about four inches deep. Plant from middle of April to first of June. It is a good way to plant at two or three different times, ten days or two weeks apart. This will give a succession of blooms from July to Novem- ber. Storks & Harrison Co. Paiuesville, Ohio. Open Air Begonias. — As a rule, the Bcgouia is not suited to out-door gardening, — but the everblooming species. Begonia seniper/lorens, does well in partial shade, and keeps up a sup- ply of flowers all summer. Florists have turned their attention to selections of varieties, and there are now several of various shades between pure white and deep red. The American Lotus. — Nelumbium liiteun. is truly America's greatest floral giant. With its huge yellow blossoms ten inches and its bright green leaves, thirty inches in diameter, this noble aquatic easily out-measures the stateliest of its terrestrial cousin— the South- ern Magnolia. It is purely American. No yellow lotus has ever been found in any other part of the world ; nor has any other Nehan- bium been found in America. In all respects, except color, it is identical with the oriental Nelumbium. When the flower first opens, the petals are a bright lemon yellow, but grow paler each day until almost white. It ap- proaches the Egyptian Lotus in size and out- line, except that it is somewhat more globular. Under cultivation, it behaves like the Japanese Lotus, {Nelufnbitim grandijiorum), becoming "dwarfed" and flowering more freely in limited quarters. It submits to more rough handling than any lotus ; and a smaller per cent, of the roots die when transplanted. Last spring, the writer put some surplus tubers in a cement tank in which there was no soil. They at once started growth and produced an abund- ance of foliage with considerable flowers while floating on the clear water. My experience with other lotus' tubers, when treated thus, is, they send out a few puny leaves and then decay. Yellow is the most desired color among water lilies ; and this, being the only yellow lotus, takes a place in the water garden that cannot be filled by a substitute. The American Lotus is indigenous to the south- central portion of the United vStates, though t was carried north and east by the early Indians, and traces of it are left as they migrated west- 72 MEEHANS MONTHLY — GENERAL GARDENING. [May ward. It was a favorite with some tribes of the Indians, and was said to be the oldest child of the great ' ' Father of Waters. ' ' The seeds were called " 70-year Acorns," because it was supposed it took seventy years for them to germ- inate. They were extensively used as beads, and also as an article of food under the name " Yonker-pins." It is believed by some that the root, also, was utilized for food, — used as a substitute for the potato. Large fields of this plant were under cultivation on the middle waters of the Tennessee and Cumberland rivers at the time of the settlement bj' the whites. In illustration, a beautiful picture accompanies this, of a scene in Westside Park, Paterson, New Jersey, which bj^ kind permission of Sec- retary Amiraux, is taken from the 9th annual report of the Park Commissioners of that city. Ginseng. — Much is written about the culti- vation of Ginseng for the Chinese market. Has the growing of Korean, Japanese or Man- churian Ginseng been tried here ? It is said to fetch a much higher price than the American article. C. W. G. Merchantville. N. J. A SCENE IN PATERSON PARK, NEW JERSEY Old citizens now living in those sections can remember when the routed Indians would re- turn and gather all the seeds they could carry away. So while the pink lotus of the sacred Nile and the ivhite lotus of the sacred Ganges, have had their worshippers, \X\& yelloiv lotus of the sacred Mississippi has had, at least, its admirers. Westside Park, Paterson, N. J. — Land- scape gardeners tell us that it take> a combi- nation of earth, sky, land and water, to form a perfect picture of the landscape gardeners' art. Stuartia pseudo-camellia. — In looking over your interesting Monthly for January, I notice an error has crept in someway, in the translation on Stuartia, page 10, where the height oi S. Pseudo-caviellia is given as 15m. — about 50 feet — which would be quite a tree. I find that good authorities give the height ot this shrub as 4m. — that is 12 or 13 feet. Rochester, N. V. E. W. SEELYE. A Dozen Good Double Geraniums. — Re- cently I gave names and descriptions of twelve best single geraniums ; now I enunierate twelve igoo] MEEHANS MONTHLY — GENERAL GARDENING. 73 — or rather fourteen — double varieties. Double garaniunis, as a rule, almost invariably last longer wlien cut — in fact, that is mj^ exper- ience. They lack, however, that beauty of simplicity so noticeable in single varieties. The varieties enumerated are all superb and leave nothing to be desired as to habit of growth, freedom of bloom and robustness of constitution. deep, rich, dark red, having a beautiful bloom like velvet ; flowers are borne on long stems, and are fine for cutting." NAME. Modi'sty. Marvel. Henri de Parville. Gen. Des. Boisdeffre. Dr. Veructiil. Madame Rozain. J. J. Harrison. Mme. Charolte. IV. P. Simmonds. Mme. M. Hue. Republique. Pride of Ryecrojt. Raspail Improved. Paul Barre. COLOR. Beautiful Shell Pink. Crimson-Scarlet. Bright Magenta with distinct white eye. Salmon-striped Scai-let and veined with White. Salmon Pink. Doubtless the purest double White to date. Semi-double Scarlet. Semi-double Salmon, a gem. Scarlet, very strong grower and a free bloomer. Lilac-rose, free flowerer, and good dwarf habit. Beautiful soft Salmon, a fine acquisi- tion. Intense Crimson Marone. First-class in every way. Scarlet. First-class. Bright Piuk with white-eye; vine. Anyone growing say half-a-dozen of the several varieties above mentioned together with half-a-dozen each of the singles enumerated previously, can have geraniums, and plenty of them, all winter long. We have gathered a few trusses almost every other day all winter long and to-day, March 8th, there are lotp left. Give them a good watering of liquid manure once a week, and dont be afraid to stop them (if they are inclined at all to become long) thereb}'- inducing a strong, short, bushy speci- men, which is the most desirable plant. Rahway, N. J. A. P. ^lE FL^MTS. New Giant Cactus Dahlia. — Mrs. Theo- dosia B. Shepherd, Ventura, Calf., who has already come into prominence by her improve- ments in the flowers of the Cosmos, is deserv- ing of further recognition for the production of certain new Dahlias. One of the latest named " Monarch of Dahlias," is thus described : — ' ' Intermediate between the double and Cactus varieties. The flowers are large, loose, very aesthetic in form and measure six or more inches across ; the petals are very- broad ; color Dahlia trifurca. — The Dahlia tr if urea, with eccentric ligules (straps), — you know the ligulcs are the petals composing the radius, — presented by M. Ch. Molin to the Horticultural Department of the Lyon's Association, is very singular. Those three pitchforks are not use- less ;— did I say three pitchforks ? There are six, seven, — in fact, as pitchforks, they are numberless. But are these all well formed pitchforks ? There is one which looks like a trident ; another is not unlike the halbert of the Swiss of Saint Pothin ; indeed, it seems to me the cruel Archer might have been able to find some bits of his flesh in the cup. Trifurca ! It is sonorous, but as for its name that scents strongly of Latin,- — and Latin which is need- less. But if it must be so, it could just as well be tridentata, trifida, hastata (halbert), or sagit- tata (arrow). Since Latin is not necessary for describing horticulturally, the varieties of plants, the dahlia in question has been baptized as Nep- tune's Trident. This baptismal name might have been longer, it is true, but it has the merit of teaching mythology to children in calling their attention to the name of a fabu- lous personage. But let us proceed. The Dahlia trifurca — or trifida — is really a Dahlia with a curious form, whimsical and singular ; one of the kind of which M. Hoste might have said, " You know it is necessary that some should be like that, but there is no need of so many ! " M. Hoste was a man of excellent taste of whom one could be proud to have judge of the horticultural merits of a variety. Its color is not "golden and red," as one sings in Galathee, but an amaranth-red on the inside, with an edge of velvety purple ; on the outside it is of a carmine-pink. Its disk flow- ers are of a golden yellow. While speaking of Dahlias, I wish to men- tion a very remarkable variety of which there is a sketch in the present number of this re- view, and for which we are indebted to M. Molin. He describes it under the name of Pearl of Fire. This kind is distinguished from all others by its short stature, great precocity, MEEHANS MONTHLY — GENERAL GARDENING. [May stock}' or stubby growth ; the flowers expand in great numbers at a time, of a color which its name seeks to designate, but more espe- ciallj- from the form of its flower, which seems to hide itself evasively in its chalice. It might be called a plant of " massiveness," according to the expression of M. Jules Christian. Its color is a purplish, bloody red, with a dull heavy red reflection. The contrast of these two shades is ver}^ pleasing. — From Lyon-Horticolc. TtHl IKI^IKI^T FLOWEl ^/^H^EINI, Saxifraga crassifolia. — One ot our pret- tiest hardy herbaceous plants is Saxifraga crassifolia, of which the illustration annexed, from La Semaine Horticole, gives an excellent idea. The flowers are of a pale rose color. Our contemporary announces that a selected SAXIFRAGA CRASSIFOLIA. variety has been put into the English trade, that has flowers of a reddish purple tint. It will appear in catalogues as Saxifraga crassi- folia, \a.r\e\.y pjn- pur ea. Saxifraga cordifolia is a very common sj'u- onym of S. crassifolia. Propagating Choice Hollyhocks. — Directly the seedlings of the hollyhock appear above ground, the pots should be placed on a shelf, near the glass, and when they have emerged into the rough leaf they must be inured to coolor conditions. The choice va- rieties are mostly increased by cuttings, and to do this readily the stools should be afforded a temperature of 50° by night, and 60° by da}-. As soon as the shoots are long enough, that is, about 3 inches, remove them off" with a heel of older growth, and place each singly in a small pot in light sandy soil, with a pinch of sharp sand at the base. Afford water, and after plunging the pots in a bottom-heat of 70°, cover the cuttings with a hand-light or big bell-glass. Much care must be exercised in preventing damping, by removing condensed moisture from the glass, and water should be sparingly used. — Gardener' s Chronicle. To Destroy Rose-leaf Insects. — The small whitish insects w^hich suck the life out of rose leaves are rose-hoppers which are fre- quently found on the lower side of the leaves. It is said that if attended to before they are fully developed they can be easily destroyed by dusting the infested plants with Slug Shot. When fully grown they are very persistent, and several applications have to be made in order to kill them, and even then absolute rid- dance is doubtful. Aphides propagate so quickly, and in numbers so marvelously great, it requires close attention to keep plants moderately free from them. The secret is to commence at first sight of them, or perhaps before they arrive, — for there are ver}^ few plants that are not attacked before the season advances very far. riKMDTS MS ¥E^ET/MIPLES. Spr.wing Hints. — The following valuable hints are extracts from the catalogue of The Deming Co., and will be found worth remem- bering : — " The AvioiDit of Loss i}i Crops from injury by insects and fungi in the United States alone, is estimated by the highest scientific author- ities at 58:500,000,000. Seventy-five (75 per cent.) of the amount (or 1375,000,000) can be saved by spraying. Tlie Principal Fungicide is the Bordeaux Mixture. For the application of fungicides all the working parts of a pump must be made of 1900] MEEHANS' MONTHLY — GENERAL GARDENING. 75 brass, since the corrosive action of these liquids is very injurious to iron. Before Using, a Spraying Outfit, the opera- tor should first examine the suction pipe and strainer, the discharge hose and connections, and the nozzle, to see that everj'thing is in good working order. First try the pump with clear water to see that there are no leakages. After Using, the Spray Pump, hose and noz- zle should be made perfectly clean hy pumping clear water, and by washing the outside as well, if the mixture has discolored them. Never take a spray pump apart unless it is necessary, and when apart, care should be exercised in putting it together. An Efficient Agitator for orchard work is absolutely necessar5^ Without this not only do the valves and nozzle soon become clogged, but the liquid settles to the bottom of the bar- rel. This latter causes an uneven application of the liquid, it being too strong at the begin- ning and not strong enough at the close of the spraying. Using an application of too great a strength will be apt to damage the foliage, while using too weak an application will ac- complish but little or no benefit. Knapsack Sprayers. From a theoretical •standpoint it is generally taken for granted that the Knapsack Sprayers do not need an agitator, as the motion of the body will tend to keep the liquid stirred. This is a great error, as all know who have had much experi- ence in the use of a Knapsack Sprayer. The Nozzle is the Essential Feature of any Spraying outfit. However well made the pump maj^ be, if the nozzle does not throw a fine mist-like spray, the outfit will not give satis- faction." The above mentioned firm are distributing Weed's " Spraj'ing for Porfit" at ten cents per cop3'. It is a little pamphlet of seventy-two pages, suitable for carrjdng about in one's pocket. The condensity of the work, which aims to cover simply the more important facts, makes it valuable to the sprayer. chards from the beginning, prohibiting sod. Roots are marvellous travelers in their search for food, and will almost always run towards the surface in sod. While moisture is plenti- ful, this may not be harmful ; but in times of drought, the results are serious to these sur- face roots. Cultivation wont make wood- growth ; it simply paves the way, making food more accessible. Ammonia (nitrogen) is the wood-producer, and is best in the .shape of good stable manure. Don't pile it around the trunks of the trees ; the feeding roots are young ones, far out from the trunk. Roots usuall}' run out at least as far as the branches spread, which will be a good guide, showing the more important portions to fertilize. Pot- ash and phosphoric acid are food for fruit, and may be obtained in bone meal or wood ashes. Observe your trees and take note of their appar- ent needs, applying fertilizers judiciously. Strawberry Culture. — J. W. Allison, Mercer, Pa., says that the strawberry's greatest need is moisture, nitrogen, phosphoric acid and potash. To produce the nitrogen, he recom- mends growing Crimson clover first where the plants are to stand, plowing it under. The deep roots of the clover thoroughly svipply the soil with humus. His plants are set i;^ to 2 feet apart in rows, 3 to 4 feet between the rows; but they are permitted to run freely on the matted-row system, — of course, not permitting them to crowd each other. Each year, as needed, the plants are thinned until in a few years the entire bed is turned under, with a new one under way. Thorough cultivation, to conserve moisture, is recommended, with a good mulching of straw in winter. Proper Cultivation of Orchards. — The annual address of President S. B. Heiges, before the Pennsylvania State Horticultural Association, at the Pittsburg meeting last Jan- uar3^ abounded in important facts for the fruit grower, tersely put and directly to the point. He urged the desirability of cultivating or- Box-cuLTURE OF Water-cress. — People often sigh for good, fresh water-cress, not knowing it to be easily cultivated with or with- out a stream. Of course, it is more at home in a stream, and will grow more regularly, and luxuriantly, without any care. But, suppos- ing the stream is not at hand, take a box or flat about four inches deep, and any convenient width and length. Fill with rich, light loam ; soak it with water and sow the seed right on the surface. It may be covered very thinly with fine soil ; but as the seed is small, there is danger of getting too much on, in which event, none would be better. Place the box in 76 MEEHANS' MONTHLY — GENERAL GARDENING. [May partial shade to prevent drying out, and keep watered every da}', or as found necessary to have it al\va3-s moist. The writer recentl}' raised two boxes this way. The plants in one were left to mature in the box ; those raised in the other were trans- planted to a clear, swift-running, narrow brook, about the time thej' made their second pair of leaves. Thej^ were dibbled in where the water was about an inch deep. Grass overshadows this little stream from a spring, and the plants quickU' grew and are spreading. Water-cress is a perennial, and in picking it, it should be pinched off and not pulled. Some young neighbors of the writer's quickly deplet- ed a fine supply several years ago. Apples for Sauce - making. — Maiden's Blush and Fall Pippin apples are most excel- lent varieties for sauces. The last named has a remarkably fine grain, cooks up quickly, making a soft, juicy sauce. Small Fruits in Minnesota. — Prof S. B. Greene, of the Minnesota State Experiment Station, has the following to say regarding trials of raspberries in that State : — ' ' We regard the Loudon as our best red rasp- berry'. Marlborough has never been productive on our land, although on heavier and better soils it does remarkabl}' well. The Cuthbert has some 3'ears done remark- ably well here. King is an earl}- red raspberry- which makes a strong growth and produces a large amount of fruit early in the season, but we do not re- gard it superior to Loudon. Turner is the best for general planting of the older varieties, and is very hardy. And although the fruit is somewhat soft, 3^et it is still a very desirable variety for planting in the home garden. Columbian is a wonderfully strong grower and very productive and bears large, purplish red fruit. It seems to have great vitality and the power of producing a large number of fruit- ing laterals from near the surface of the ground in case the top of the plant is injured, — a qual- ity which is very desirable. It is well adapted for home use. Nemaha is our best black caj) raspberry. It is diflBcult to distinguish it from the Gregg, but I am disposed to regard it as being hardier, although there is ver}* little difference between the two. Progress is a very good early black rasp- berr3^ ' ' Blackberries and Dewberries. "As j'et we have found nothing that combines as manj^ good qualities as the Ancient Briton, and this variety is very superior on oitr land to any other that we have tried. The fruit on the Sn3'der ripens earlier, but the plants do not produce more than a third as much as the Briton. Stone's Hardy has been so very un- satisfactory on our land that we have taken up and thrown awa3' all the plants of it that we had formerh' growing here." ' ' We have never succeeded in fruiting the dewberr3' except in but one season, when it 3'ielded far better than an3' of our blackberries. All the varieties tried would flower well in the spring, but the3' failed to set fruit. At one time it was recommended to set them near to the blackberries, looking to aid b}' cross-fertiliza- tion, but our experiments have not resulted in an 3'^ material gain." Gooseberries. Houghton, Downing and Pearl gooseberries give best results. All large fruit- ing kinds except Coluiubus are practically dis- carded as not doing well. Currants. The following have proven the most valuable : — Red Dutch, Stewart's vSeed- ling, Victoria and White Grape. Cherry Currant and Yellow Spanish Cherry. — Mr. L. Woolverton, Grimsby, Ontario, Canada, is an authority on Canadian fruits, and has the following to sa3' regarding two well-tried kinds : — " Yellow Spanish Cherry. Of all the Bigar- reau cherries this is one of the finest, both on account of its great size and its delicious flavor. The tree grows to a very large size, surpassing in this respect all other cultivated varieties with which we are acquainted. It does not average very productive, because the fruit often blasts and drops, or is destroyed by Mon- ilia. When, however, it does mature a good crop, the 3'ield is enormous. Cherry Ctirrant. The principal red currant grown in Southern Ontario for commercial pur- poses. Its large size, fine color and earliness, combine to make it the most satisfactor3' of all varieties for market. When well cultivated igoo] MEEHANS MONTHLY — GENERAL GARDENING. and well pnined back, a plantation of cherry currants will continue \evy productive for at least twelve or fifteen years." To Prevent Apple Tkkes i'rom Bearing. — It is a common occurrence to receive inquir- ies on the subject of bringing fruit trees into bearing ; but very few want to know of a pre- ventative. A correspondent has a tree pro- ducing a sweet apple which is undesirable for fruit, but verj' much thought of for its shade. In such a case, only suggestions can be made, with no surety that a "cure" will result. It is often noticeable that trees growing very rapidl}' do not bear very much — perhaps not at all ; great vigor and fruiting do not generally go together. Therefore, a liberal supply of stable manure would encourage stronger growth and possibly affect the fruiting. Cultivation OF THE White Strawberry. — A correspondent inquires if there has ever been an effort to domesticate the "Wild White vStraw- berry. The wild strawberry of the Pacific Coast, Fragaria Chiloensis, is white, and has long been under cultivation ; but, not bearing as freely as the Scarlet or Eastern Wild Straw- berry, it is not much planted. Occasionally, a plant of the scarlet strawberry is found bearing white fruit. There can surely be nothing against its successful cultivation if desired. Sea Kale. — When properly blanched, this is a delicious vegetable. Though taking labor to properly secure it, it is worth the trouble in high class amateur gardens. Seeds sown in very rich ground early in spring, will make strong roots by fall. These, carefully dug and set closely in boxes of earth, can be placed in a cellar, or any dark and somewhat warm place, and will make good material for cutting during the winter season. Small Fruits in Young Orchards.— The careful gardener makes all the use possible out of the land at his command, and the young orchard gives an opportunity for the exercise of economy and judgment to make it yield something while the trees are coming to the bearing period. Cultivation is the watchword for an orchardist, and the growing of crops that need cultivation, between the rows makes cultivation more of a necessity. Mr. W. B. K. Johnson, Allentown, Pa., practices this to a considerable extent, strawberries and raspber- ries being of his principal crops. He finds it profitable not only in the way of culti- vation to his orchards, but in the value of the additional fruits thus obtained. He finds that even where the plants run quite close to the trees, the yield is good, though there is, of course, some difference. Early bearing fruits, such as peaches, plums and dwarf pears, may also be grown between the main rows of trees, to be taken out as the others make it desir- able. Leaf Blight in the Plum. — There is no part of the world free from ' ' the thorns and thistles," which make the " sweat of the brow" necessary for successive fruit culture. When new localities are established, it takes time for enemies of the insect and fungus char- acter to find them out. But the discovery is made eventually, and the "fungus-proof" and " insect-proof" varieties finally succumb. The heretofore favored land of California, is being rapidly invaded. The leaf-blight on the plum, one of the worst foes of the fungus character to the plum grower of the eastern portion of the United States, has invaded the west. In Butte County, a Californian paper tells us, the leaves of whole prune orchards had mostly been destroyed by the ist of July. Tomatoes as Medicinal Plants. — It ap- pears that a Scotchman, after an experience of several years, is convinced that the daily use of tomatoes is an excellent remedy for liver troubles. In America, also, the use of the tomato is considered as a remedy, and prized very highly as a strengthener, and for purifying the blood. — La Semaine Horticole. Leaf Blight in the Strawberry. — The last generation found benefit in mowing and burning strawberry leaves after the fruit gath- ering. Science objected that it could not be good practice because leaves were essential. It is now known that strawberry plants suffer from a fungus known as the " spot." Burning the leaves before the spores matured was a good point science did not see. The fungus did more injury than the old leaves did good. Copper solutions now dispense with mowing. BIOGRAPHY AND LITERATURE. THE GARDENER'S HAND. It is not much that to the fragrant blossom The ragged brier should charge, the bitter fir, Distil Arabian m3'rrh ! Nor that upon the wintry desert's bosom, The harvest should rise plenteous, and the swain. Bear home the abundant grain. But come and see the bleak and barren moun- tains, Thick to their tops with roses ; come and see, Leaves on the drj\ dead tree : The perished plant, set out by living fountains, Grows fruitful, and its beauteous branches rise. Forever, towards the skies. Bryant. Mushroom Culture. — An instructive little pamphlet, entitled, "Mushrooms for the INIil- lion," a reprint of a paper recently read by Mr. George C. Watson, Philadelphia, before the Southampton Farmers' Club, Somerton, Pa., is being distributed bj' the author. In a most interesting manner, it explains the nature and growth of mushrooms, and in brief form, the essential points regarding their cul- ture,— not particularly to benefit the commer- cial grower, but rather the one who grows to supph' his own table. Vest-pockkt Guide to Culture of Flowers. — A remarkably handy little booklet under the above title has been issued bj' Messrs. \V. Atlee, Burpee & Co., Philadelphia, which gives, in condensed form, the most valu- able points to be considered in preparing flower- beds and sowing seeds. Texas Botany. — We all know what hap- pened to the birds that rose early. Botanical explorations have not profited much by this old proverb. The mass of plants in little known regions are in full flower or fruit before the collector starts in search of them. But (78) some botanists are acquiring wisdom. On the 13th of March, Sargent, Canby and Trelease, set out for a collecting trip to Texas. They will return with volumes of information former botanists were too late to get. LiNN,5;us. — Botanists will be glad to learn that a full length portrait of the father of modern botany has been presented to the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia, through the generosity of Mr. Charles E. Smith, an eminent amateur botanist of the same city. It is well known that an original portrait of Linnaeus was somewhere in exist- ence, but no one knew where. Mr. Smith had an active search made, and the picture was dis- covered to be in the possession of Baron Vers- chuer, and in his country home at Verschuer, near Haarlem, twenty-three miles from La Hague. By the generous consent of the Baron, an artist of eminence was engaged to take a copy of it, — and it is this copy which is now among the most valued of the treasures of the famous Philadelphia Academy. In presenting the gift to the Academy, Mr. Smith remarked : — " There are two remarkable blunders in the picture. The second scientific trip of Linnaeus' life was to Lapland. On it he discovered Lin- iicea borealis, described and named after him by Gronovius, the common name of which is twin flower, because each stem bears two flowers. Linnaeus loved this plant ver3' much. When he was ennobled by the King of Sweden, he chose Limicea for his crest. Stockholm stands on a number of rock}' islands, some of them quite small. One of them is called Ritterholm, the Knights' Island. When I was there in 1850, there was but one building on it, called the Ritterholm Kirk— the Swedish Walhalla. It contains statues of all the great men of vSweden, among them Lin- naeus. It is of white marble. He stands with an open book in his hand, on its page is an outline of f^in)ura. igoo] MEEHANS' MOXTHLV — BIOGRAPHY AND LITERATURE. 79 This picture represents him holding in his right hand two specimens of Liuncra, a tall one and a short one. The tall one has three flowers and the short one onlj' one, so that neither of them is a twin flower. The leaves of Linncea are orbicular-spatulate, very obtuse and coarsely toothed. In the picture they are ovate-cordate, acute and entire. That the artist should have thought that one weed looked just like another is natural enough, but that Lin- naeus should have overlooked these errors in his favorite plant is very strange." Isaac Hicks. — In his eighty-fifth year, passed away Isaac Hicks, of Westburj', Long Island, who was not only the founder of the Westburj' Nurseries, in 1853, but had consider- able reputation as an artist and in general science, in which his love for botany was verj' conspicuous. He was for many years a mem- ber of the American Association for the Ad- vancement of Science, and was always wel- comed at the meetings by his fellow-members. E. S. Carman. — On the 28th of February, passed away Mr. Elbert S. Carman, the editor and proprietor of the Rural Neiv Yorker. He 'was born in Long Island, and came into posses- sion of the Rural New Yorker, twenty-four years ago. Besides being a leading authority on agricultural affairs, he was eminent for his love of flowers and gardening. His death brings with it sincere regret over a wide circle of friends. The Physiology of Plants, a Treatise UPON THE Metabolism and Sources of Ener- gy IN Plants. — By Dr. Wm. Pfefifer, Professor of Botany in the L'niversity of Leipzig, second revised edition, translated into English by Alfred J. Ewart, from the Clareiido7i Press, Oxford. This is a beautifully illustrated work of some six hundred pages. Dr. Pfeffer, the German author, is among the leaders in vegetable biol- ogy. The publication of this work marks an era in the history of botany. It does not cover the ground occupied hy Sach's Text-book, — but is far more exhavistive of the special bran- ches of which it treats. It will be an essential volume in all of our higher schools and col- leges,— and the individual student of vegetable life will need it for his reference librar}-. A rare merit — ver}- rare in works of this character — is the absence of abstruse technical terms that so many learned writers love to indulge in. Where necessar}^, they are in use, as they should be ; but there is no redundancy ; and an especial feature is the pleasing system of apt illustra- tion employed by the author, and the trans- lator must share in this praise for the admir- able manner in which he has preserved this lucid style. The Sh.\mrock. — Referring to the note on the Samrock, page 48, a correspondent says : — " Bentham's British flora, under Trifolium repens says, ' In Ireland, believed to be of compar- atively recent introduction, although it is now taken as the national emblem, in substitution of the wood sorrel, Oxalis, which was the orig- inal shamrock.' " The botanical name was seen to be doubtful, but was retained because the paragraph was a quotation for which the original publication was responsible. It should have been T. repens. After all, it is probable that the whole story of St. Patrick having converted an Irish king to a belief in the doctrine of the Trinity by the use of a three-leaved plant, is to be classed with the story of his punching a snake with his stafl^, and that the whole race of serpents died out in consequence. There is little known of St. Patrick, except, what he wrote of him- self. The value of a man's life, is not often fully understood till long after he has passed away. It is success that succeeds. It was many years after St. Patrick's death before his work was fully appreciated. Even the place of his burial was unknown and unsought for nearly six hundred years, when it was acci- dently discovered, and the remains honored. Writers have mostly been dependent on the traditions of man}^ generations in preparing his life. The facts seem to be that the only plant that could have been used in Ireland, in the fourth century, for such an illustration, must have been the Oxalis. On the other hand, so far as we know, the only plant that has ever been used in the national celebrations of St. Patrick's Day, is the clover, and clover it will ever be. GENERAL NOTES. Gardener to the King of the Belgians. — The famous gardens at Lacken, near Brus- sels, owned by the King of the Belgians, and laid out b}' an English gardener, Henry Knight, was recommended by the Editor of the Gardener" s Chro7iicU\ and not by Queen Victoria, as stated in our January issue, — so a well informed correspondent writes. Pine Leaves or "Needles." — The Cali- fornia Fruit Groivcr tells us that pine needles are being utilized in South Oregon. The need- les are boiled and then run through horizontal wooden rollers which extract the juice. This is called pine needle oil which is supposed to possess medical properties. The pulp is used as a medicated material for upholstering, and is also said to be a good substitute for horse- hair. It is said that insect pests will not live in furniture that has been upholstered with pine needles. An Aged Yew. — " Beside the weather- beaten church - tower (Selborne, England,) stands the venerable tenant of the cemetery, a 3'ew-tree so old that it is respectfully men- tioned in the Domesday Book. Tradition gives it twelve hundred years ; and amazingly young and vigorous it looks, and its mighty branches make a grateful shade on a summer's day." Mrs. John Lane, in Lippincott's. Pampas Plumes for Parlor Decoration. — No prettier decoration for the parlor can l)e found than a large vase of pure white Pampas plumes. Plumes with long stems should always be secured, as this i)ermits them to spread apart more in the bunch and fluff out to their full beauty ; they should be from two to two-and-a-half feet long. Some decorators, with perhaps a mistaken idea of beauty, at- tempt to color the plumes by dipping them in various colored dyes ; but to the writer the}' (80) cannot begin to compare with the soft white color which nature gives. The Pampas should not be confused with Eulalia, though it is not infrequently. The plumes of the latter are a dull brown, and very much smaller. One ot the great points of satisfaction lies in the fact that no water is required in the vases if the plumes be thoroughly dried or cured before taking- into a warm room. Beet Sugar in the United vStates. — After years and years of prompting by serials similar to Meehans' Monthly, The Beet Sugar Indus- try is becoming one of the staple institutions of the United States. If sugar be admitted duty free from the Sandwich Islands, it is doubtful whether the Beet Sugar investments in our country would be profitable. The Scale-eater. — The insect \'edalia car- dinalis, introduced to California to feed on scale insects, has succeeded so well in its work that there is nothing left for food, — and they are now in danger of disappearing through starva- tion. Bacteria. — A magazine devoted to scientific topics, sagely remarks that the bacterium has something else to do in the economy of nature than in originating maladies. It continues the topic by noting a paper in a French maga- zine by M. Matruchot, on the agency of bac- teria in forming the colors of flowers. It is something to check the microbean craze of the pojmlar press in regard to the supposed vicious- ness of these humble vegetable organisms. It is true that they are operating in innumerable directions, — but the number that are associated with disease are very few, — and even these few, if the animal be healthy, are digested by the gastric juice as easily as would be an oyster. The majority, indeed, are essential to our health and happiness. Plate () Visc:(3^^A AZALEA VISCOSA. SWAMP HONEYSUCKLE. NATURAL ORDER, ERICACE^. Azalea viscosa, Linnreus.— A shrub four to eight feet high, usually much branched, the twigs hairy. Leaves obovatc- oblongto oblanceolate, two to four inches long, very short-petioled, obtuse and mucronulate or acute at the apex, nar- rowed at the base, glabrous or with a few scattered hairs above, more or less bristly-hairy ou the veins beneath, cilio- late, green on both sides ; flowers white, fragrant, later than the leaves ; pedicels glandular ; corolla one and a half to two inches long, the limb one to two inches broad, more or less two-lipped, much shorter than t^e slender, very viscid densely-glandular tube ; capsule five to seven lines high, glandular-bristly. Britton and Brown's llliishaled Flora of the Northern Cniled States, Canada and the British Possessions. See al.so Gray's Synoptical Flora, Chapman's Flora of the Southern United States and Canada ; Wood's Class-Book of Botany. Starting with Maine and gradual!}' reaching Ohio, this interesting wild flower passes down through all our Atlantic seaboard States to Florida and Texas. Its sweet-scented, white flowers make it a familiar favorite throughout the whole territory in which it is found. It seems to have been the first of our azaleas to become known to the botanists of the Old World, having been introduced there by David Banister. A very good wood cut, from Ban- ister's specimens, appears in a book of illus- trations by Leonard Plukenet. issued in 1691. Plukenet supposed it to be a species of Cistus, and he figures with it the Kabnia latifolia as another species of the same genus. The Kal- mia he makes Cistus seynpervirens, while our Azalea stands as Cistus Virginiaua. Plukenet notes, from Banister, that the form of the flower and its odor remind one of the English Woodbine, or Honeysuckle. We see, here, how the American common name of Honey- suckle was derived. In the reorganization of botany, Linnteus founded the genus Azalea, and designated this species as Azalea z'iscosa. His knowledge of the plant was mainly derived from the collection and reports of his pupil, Kalm, to whom he dedicated the allied genus Kalmia. In earlier times, flowers served the purposes of our modern almanacs, as the poet expresses it:— In every copse and sheltered dell. Unveiled to the observant eye, Are faithful monitors which tell. How pass the hours and seasons b}-. The green-robed children of the spring. Will mark the periods as they pass. Mingle with leaves Time's feathered wing, And bind with flowers his silent glass. Our Swamp Honeysuckle served this useful purpose with the early Hollander settlers in New York. Governor Colden tells us that this was Pinxter-bloom with them, — Pinxter being their pentecostal festival, our Whitsunday. The Swamp Azalea served a double purpose in this emblamatic language. Whitsunday was the great baptismal day in the Christian churches, and the postulants were dressed for the ceremony in long, flowing, white robes. The name Whitsunday is derived from the white vestments so common on that da}' in the baptismal ceremon}'. Whitsunday l^eing the seventh Sunday after Easter, brings that festi- val frequently in the early part of June, which is the time for the first appearance of these flowers in the State of New York. The pure white flowers were timely and suggestive, — and, possibly, may have been used in the floral decorations provided for the ceremony. It is to be regretted that more attention is not given to as much accuracy in the history of common names as in the case of botanical ones. They often give instruction to be afford- ed in no other wa5^ Modern authors, notably Britton and Brown, from whose work the ad- mirable description of the plant is taken, give to Azalea ?iudi/lora,t\\e earl}' flowering or Wood Honeysuckle, the common name of Pinkster- flower. It is out of bloom by Whitsunday, and a little thought would suggest that it could have no claim to the name. But the statement of Colden, the Governor-botanist of New York, positively decides the case. (81) 82 MEKHANS MONTHLY — AZAI.EA VISCOSA. [June It is worth noting that there are numerous varieties of Azalea viscosa, some of them so dis- tinct that special botanical names have been given to them. Thus we have Azalea viscosa odorata, A. v. villosa, A. v. fissa, A. v. floribunda, A. v. glauca, and many others. These not only vary in the habit, foliage and flowers, but also in the time of flowering. Aiton, in the HortKs Keivoisis, notes, from observations made on plants growing in the Roj'al Gardens, that it was the varieties T^tr/- bwtda and glauca that flowered in June, — the others reserved their attractions for Jvily and August. Numerous authors, treating of the Azalea, seem doubtful whether Azalea viscosa may not be divided into several species ; but seem to confine themselves to giving the forms dis- tinctive names as marked varieties. Dr. Asa Gra}', in the "Synoptical Flora," retains the viscosa glauca of Aiton, and adds viscosa 71 it id a, to which he refers the Azalea ?iitida of Pursh. Britton and Brown have one variety, viscosa hispida, to which they refer Azalea hispida of Pursh, — while Dr. Gray refers this very his- pida, of Pursh, to Aiton's viscosa glauca. The student will observe from this that what is to be regarded as a species, and what bvit a mere variet}-, has no stable basis. It is but the opinion of an expert, — an opinion varying, as in the case of experts generally, with the char- acter of each one's personal experiences. It is not possible, therefore, to have the nomencla- ture of plants absolutely unchangeable. The stable nomenclature so much desired is imprac- ticable. This difficulty has been found in the generic name as well as in the specific names. Cistus would never do. Linnaeus founded the famil}' Rhododendron, with flowers campanulate, and ten stamens, — and Azalea with somewhat tubu- lar flowers and five stamens. Later botanists, noting these characters to vary somewhat, drop Azalea altogether as a generic term, and make all Rhododendrons. Dr. Torrey promin- ently started this combination. Dr. Gray seems to have been reluctant to follow his earl}' master. His " Manuals" kept up Azalea as a distinct denomination, and only when prepar- ing his "Synoptical Flora," did he follow. Britton and Brown still retain it, as seen at the head of this chapter. This latter decision seems the most judicious. If the characters of the species overlap, so that one can scarcely distinguish one from another, we may expect the same phenomena in the generic characters. It would not be philosophic to say there are no good species because the lines of demarca- tion are not clear, — and no more sa when the same difficulty is found in the generic ground. Azaleas and Rhododendrons will alwa^'S be distinct in popular estimation, however they may be united in strictly scientific treatment. It is more than probable that the living plants introduced into British gardens were through the instrumentality of the famous John Bartram, who was the collector for Peter Collin son, who is credited in garden history as the first to cultivate it in the Old World. It is a remarkable fact, observed not only in the case of this Azalea, but of other plants that in nature seem to be swamp-lovers, — that thej- thrive to better advantage when transferred to cultivation than when growing in a wild state. The explanation given is that the seeds require moisture — or rather a damp, cool situation before they wdll germinate, — and, of course, the plants have to remain in the spot on which the seed sprouted. Those who take a broad view of harmony in nature look on this fact as a wise provision for insuring to swamps a due proportion of the vegetable kingdom. The viscidity of the flowers has attracted the study of the teleologist. One of the most valvi- able of the discoveries of Darwin, was that the viscid glands of the Drosera or sundew secret- ed a digestive fluid. Further, it is the basis of the doctrine of natural selection elaborated bj' this great man, that the functions of plants were exercised solely for their own good. It would be legitimate to construct from this the broad theorem that all viscid glands in plants aided nutrition by absorbing and digesting nitrogenous compounds. The sticky flowers of Azalea viscosa certainly catch and retain small insects. The specimen selected for illustration shows markedly' the tubular corolla, and strongly ex- serted stamens and styles so distinctive of Aza- lea as against Rhododendron, — and the whole character exhibited justified the early settlers in bringing to their minds the sweet Honey- suckles they left behind them in their early homes. Explanation of the Platk — Specimens of the flower- ing branches gathered in New Jersey in July. WILD FLOWERS AND NATURE. THE TULIP TREE. The Tulip Tree high up, Opens, in airs of June, her multitude Of golden chalices, to humming birds, And silken wing'd insects of the sky. Bryant. The LebbekTree. — Poets have had so much to say about the beauties of Arabia, that one might almost believe it is Paradise itself. We have heard of the land of " Araby the blest," "the glorious perfumes of Arabia," where "the Acacia hangs her 3-ello\v hair," and no end of praise for " Arab3''s green sunny high- lands," till it would seem our countr}- was de- pauperate in comparison. Arabia, Eg3^pt, and neighboring countries, have, indeed, but a tithe of the blessings nature has bestowed on us, — and it is but the poet's license that has made them great. These reflections are suggested by a beauti- ful picture of a grove of Lebbek trees taken from a scene near Cairo, in Egypt, and which, b>- the permission of the United States De- partment of Agri- culture, has been copied from Cir- cular No. 23, Di- vision of Botany. It is, botanically, Acacia Lebbek, a.n6. is the species that "waves its jellow hair" of Moore's beautiful poem ; and the tree that, from March to June, in that country, fills the air with the spicy odor, on which the poets have based Araby's fame. With the exception of poplars and wil- lows, and a few pines and cypresses on the mountain tops, it is about the only tree that can properly be so-called native to those regions, for dates and other palms can scarce- ly fill our idea of ornamental trees, — while figs and mulberries are cultivated fruits and not features of nature's own scenery-. Even the Lebbek is not much of a tree, reaching but the height of an extra-grown denizen of an Ameri- can apple orchard. The flowers are globular, and appear in the axils of the leaves, — but a striking peculiarity is in the long stamens that, on the pendulous branches, render the expression "the acacia waves her yellow hair" very appropriate. Its delightful odor has made it welcome in gardens where the frost does not appear ; and it is now a favorite in all the sub-tropical regions of our globe. A spiuN- species. Acacia Farnesiana, a grower nearlv as large as this, and al-so with THE LEBBEK TREE. (83i 84 MEEHANS' MONTHLY — WILD FLOWERS AND NATURE. [June sweet flowers, growing in Florida and in the warmer parts of California, is also found wild and cultivated over most of the world's sub- tropical area, — though, strange to say, its native home has never been discovered. It has often been remarked that, though fragrance— and, indeed, odor in all its forms — is given to flowers to attract insects ; in most families, but a few species are odoriferous, — to human senses, at any rate. Acacia is a re- markable example. Though some five hun- dred species are recognized by botanists, scarcely a dozen can lay claim to being sweet scented. Laebek is the common name in Arabia, — and, as Lebbek, was adopted Yy Willdenow as the specific name. Why the Arbutus Awakes. — April 8, 1900, was bright, clear and windy. Arbutus was noted in bloom, the first for the season. I had a thermometer with me in the woods, and took some temperatures. The instrument, resting on a mat of Arbutus, under partial shade, registered 77° ; at the foot of a tree, in partial shade, 76° ; at the foot of another tree, but on the north side, fully exposed to the wind, 64° when the wind was blowing hard, and 65° to 66° when the wind temporarily ceased to blow. Elsewhere in a sheltered place, among the fallen leaves, in full, bright sun- shine, I obtained a reading of 114° ! At points about six feet above the ground, in sunlight, I found the temperatures to be 68° and 69° ; and on the north or shaded side of an oak tree, six feet from the ground, 64°. Comparing these several readings, it will be seen that the day's temperature was about 64°, and that this temperature was carried by the wind in one case to the surface of the ground ; but that in all other cases the soil was covered by a heat blanket, and that in one peculiarly favored spot a tropical heat was present. The Arbutus buds, dormant during the win- ter, quickly respond in the earliest spring to the influence of the sun. It is not strange that a warmth of 1 14° should cause the flowers to open quickly. S. Edward Paschall. Newfield, N. J. Early Spring Flowers in Northwestern Missouri. — Newspaper botany is often amus- ing, but occasionally articles appear that would do credit to high-class publications. These re- flections occur froui a communication in Ka7i- sas City Star of April 23rd, from the pen of Cameron Mann, on the Dog-tooth Violet of that region, Erythroniian mesachorium , which until recently was regarded the same as the more eastern Erythrofiium A7nericanuin , the yellow Dog-tooth Violet. Mr. Mann says it is the herald of spring in that region. He introduces it to the reader in this pleasant way : — ' ' The first flower, in the sense that most people use the word, is one, whose grace and charm no one can miss. It does not require a scientific zeal to be interested in, nor a magni- fying glass to delight in, that lovely plant, so unfortunately named "dog-tooth violet." Its bell-like blossom, whose petals finally recurve into a sort of rosette, white, with a faint azure or sometimes pinkish tinge ; its large golden anthers, its elegant shining leaf of green, mot- tled with dark purple after the fashion of some eggs, all conspire to make a plant which cannot be seen without joy. As I have said, it is our first satisfactorj'^ flower. In ordinary years it may be looked for at least as soon as the first week of March. This year it was belated. I incline to think that absolutely its first appearance was on a shaly bank by the railroad track near Dodson, and that April loth was the day whose sunshine unclasped the fastened bud of the earliest flower in Jackson County to greet the present spring. ' ' He apologizes that his description is not in ordinary herbarium language, and offers the following excuse : — "Still, the scientific names of plants are of small account. They are merely conveniences, figures or labels. The poor plants in an her- barium might be numbered like convicts in a prison." To some extent, the remarks are sound. While some make herbariums for the proper purpose of studying plants, themselves, closely in the end, many act for little more reason than if they were collecting buttons. He winds up the entertaining chapter by re- marking on the kinds to follow the "Midland March-lily" as he terms the Erythroniian. " Since these first blossoms opened, things have come on apace. Thousands on thous- ands of their brothers and sisters are to be found in effulgence now, and groups of other 1900] MEEHANS' MONTHLY — WILD FLOWERS AND NATURE. 85 flowers have appeared to keep them company. The 'Dutchman's breeches' — uncouth, though descriptive name for a plant most graceful and delicate in leaf and blossom — is out on rocky hillsides; the 'blood root,' with its intensely white petals, may be met in a few places ; corydalis and dentaria and bellwart are begin- ning to show. Here and there a shadbush gleams on the hills, and the crimson lines are running along the redbud limbs. I suspect there are some violets, but I have seen none yet, But the charming Claytonia, the ' spring beauty' — here is a flower fortunate in having a suitable name — is showing its delicate white and rosy petals in the glades. Yes, the procession has begun, with soft flute notes from the band. Soon we shall hear the blare of trumpets and the roll of drums." Cypripedium spectabile.— Venus' slippers or Cypripeduwi comprise one of our most in- teresting tribes of wild flowers, and are eager- ly sought for by the lovers of the curious as by the enthusiastic botanist. The one figured herewith, reproduced from a photograph kindly furnished by a reader, Cypripedium spectabile, is one of the showiest of the North American species, and is found in a wide territory in the northeast poition of the North American continent. The slipper- like lip is especially attractive, being very large and prominent. Near popu- lous districts, it is becoming rare, on account of its being torn out by so many admirers. It is a good ilhistration that beauty is often a dangerous possession. Blue-eyed Grass — {Sisyrinchium Ber- mudiana.) — Seeing large patches of this very attractive little plant growing wild, last 3'ear, I was very much impressed with its beauty, so early in January, I made a journey to its native habitat and trans- ferred some to the garden, planted as a double row bordering a large rose bed. It has well repaid me for the trouble. Even before it flowered, its little tufts of grass- like foliage were ver}' neat, and, for the past month, from about nine in the morning until three in the evening, it is one mass of its exceedingly pretty little flowers of a verj' pleasing shade of blue, and it gives promise of con- tinuing for some time to come ; but ij: has one drawback, it closes so early in the evening y and, on cool, cloudy days, it doesn't open at all. The flowers must also be enjoyed upon the plant, as, soon after being plucked they close up, even if placed in water, never to open again. George Thomas. New Orleans, La. Mr. Thomas does well to call attention to this very pretty member of the Iris family. Its habit of opening and closing at various periods of the daj', and under varying conditions, gives it an additional interest in the eyes of those who love to note how plants behave. Another interesting member of the family is Sisyrinchium gra7idiJiorum, a rose - colored flower, discovered by Douglas on the north- west coast a half century ago, but only recent- ly brought into cultivation. Spring Flowers. — Every locality has its own floral harbinger of spring. In the far South the Carolina Jasmine is believed to be the first born. A friend who was at Green Cove Springs, in Florida, at the latter end of the winter season, states that the earliest flower there is Bartonia verna. It is fully a week ahead of the Jasmine there. CYPRIPEDIUM SPECTABILE--FLOWCRS Purple. GENERAL GARDENING. MORNING IN SCOTLAND. At noon the black-cock trims his jett}' wing, 'Tis morning prompts the linnets blithest lay, All nature's children feel the matin spring Of life reviving, with reviving day. Sir Walter vScott. Childrens' Play-grounds. — Mr. G. N. Carruthers, of Springdale Farm, Oberlin, Ohio, thus pleasantly refers to a recent para- graph in Meehans' Monthly. — " As to parks and children's play-grounds : we grand-parents have one of the finest little parks within many miles around, for our numerous grand-children and man\- others whose parents will accom- pany them, including extensive lawn, water garden, lilj^ ponds, windmill and water works. ' ' Practical Forestry. — One of the argu- ments against forest planting is, that one has to wait so long for returns. Meehans' Monthly has, however, always contended that companies could be formed and land planted, the stock of which company would be of in- creased market value from year to year as the trees reached a commercial age. The value of a plantation of this kind has been well shown by the sale of a ranch in California. Part of the property' was unplanted ; this brought $50 an acre. Sixteen acres was in Alfalfa, the lucerne of other regions ; this brought $200 an acre. A plot of no acres in hardshell walnuts sold for S350 an acre, — and eighty-and-a-half acres of softshell walnuts for $400 an acre. There is little doubt that forest planting, intel- ligently pursued, could be made profitable, — forest fires being the only uncertain element in the operation. Injury from the Red Spider. — The Red Spider flourishes nearly as well in the open air, in many parts of this country, as it does in greenhouses. It is an especial lover of the spruce family. The past season they were so abundant, in many parts, that when noticed (86) the trees had the appearance of having been scorched by fire. This insect can be kept very easily in check by spraying with kerosene emulsion, and if the\' can be kept clear from young trees, they are seldom troublesome to larger ones. When suffered to remain undis- turbed from year to year, they increase rapidl}^ and this seems to be the trouble now. The fact is, that spraying with kerosene emulsion has got to be a part of garden work to be as regularly attended to as hoeing or pruning. Ever}' garden should have its emulsion sprayer, and the trees should be carefully watched for the appearance of insects just as the regular garden crop is watched for the appearance of weeds. It is very little trouble to spray hun- dreds of trees in a short time with a good sprayer ; and, generally speaking, when the insect is kept down in the 3'ounger trees it is not troublesome afterwards. Oakwood Cemetery, Chicago. — It is a re- markable fact, that sentiment has a greater in- fluence on human conduct than logic or reason in any form. In every relation of life, this proves to be the case. Cemetery superintend- ents tell us that, in selecting a lot for a grave or the grave of the family, the desire is strong to secure a prett}' site, where there is a beauti- ful view, or some especially attractive point to be gained in the selection. Indeed, it was this strong sentiment that led to the popular cem- etery over the old-fashioned, dull and dreary church-jard. There are few who have no thought as to what is to become of their re- mains after death. If the great Egyptian King, Rameses, could have known that, thousands of j-ears after his death, his dried and shrunken body would be held up as the leading feature in a six-penny show to attract the public gaze, it is doubtful whether he would not have much preferred to lie in one of our beautiful ceme- teries, had there been any in those days, than to have been months in preparation for his grand mummy-case. With this is presented a igoo] MKEHAXS' .MONTHLY — GENERAL GARDENING. 87 beautiful view in Oakwood Cemetery, Chicago. uient of beaut}', to which we have referred, The owners, no doubt, could have had manj- rules that manj' would prefer to locate near it s '»: more lots to sell had the water-covered spot than to have no thought further than the cold, been converted to dry ground. But the senti- cold ground. 88 MEEHANS' MON'lHLY — GENERAL GARDENING. [June Plant Glands in Nutrition. — In addition to the thought expressed in the main chapter, it may be remarked that the author has occa- sionally seen flowers with large numbers caught in this wa3^ If the glands absorb and digest nitrogen, it can make little difference whether it receives it from an insect or from the atmosphere. We need not believe that the glands were specialized especially for in- sect collecting purposes, as some contend, but we may saj' that they serve the purpose of aiding in the sustenance of the plant. The Best Decorative Ferns. — Where native ferns are sought for temporary, in-door decorations, there are some which must be avoided on account of the delicate nature of their leaves. Naturally, the evergreen kinds will stand hanrlling the best. The Christmas Fern, Aspidiian acrostichoides and Aspidium marginale, are the most popular. Onoclea sensi- bilis has a broad, tempting frond ; but it wont last long after cutting. Nor will the Cinna- mon Fern, though it has a fairly stout appear- ance, and nice long fronds. Wedding Decorations. — At a wedding decoration there is often some particular color that is to be followed, and while in details we must use our taste and skill, in the general plan we must follow the wishes of those most interested. At a home wedding there is usu- ally an opportunity to show skill in arranging a fine bank of palms as a background to the happy pair. This should be high and broad and light and graceful, not thick and dense. If the chandeliers and mirrors are ornamented with greener}', asparagus should alwaj's be used and no attempt be made to follow the oi:tlines of the chandelier, but thrown on very loosely. Instead ot clearing off all the beautiful and costly ornaments from the mantel piece, as used to be done, and putting on a slab of flow- ers, they are now decorated with two or three vases of the finest long-stemmed flowers, such as roses, carnations or chrysanthemums. All flowers are wanted on long stems, and all can be so supplied with one important exception, i. e., orchids. Orchids are so desirable when cut, and it being impossible to cut any stem with some of them, cattleyas particularly, that wherever there is an arrangement of them they are used in baskets or some low arrangement, and nothing accompanies them better than maiden- hair fern. Instead of banks of palms, except when occa- sion demands such, the plant decorations are made by standing singly in every available spot a perfect specimen of palm or dracaena or croton. No such thing as a flower pot, however clean, should be exposed. There should be handsome jars in which the single specimens should stand. And in the groups, if the pots are not hidden by the smaller plants, then small plants of the Boston Fern, or better still, Asparagus Sprengeri, must finish the bottom end of the bank. Nothing embellishes a flower like its own foliage. Roses should have nothing more, nor lily-of-the-valley, tulips or any bulbous plants or chrysanthemums. If the chrysanthemum foliage is not good, cut some that is. Any- thing else would be ridiculous. But carna- tions are weak in foliage, and sprays of Aspar- agus Sprengeri will go well with them. — ScoW s Florists'' Manual. Rhododendron maximum. — An object ot great beauty at present, coming into bloom, is the native Rhododendron maxitmini, our hardy kinds. A specimen of largest size, about forty 3'ears old, in the garden of Mr. W. Wander, on Forest Street, attracts universal admiration. Though the street is noted for fine residences, all clustered close together there as of such celebrities as Mark Twain, the late Mrs. Stowe, Charles D. Warner, Dr. R. Burton and the many others of very rich people, none seem to hav. this peerless white flower of our native woodlands, though it is by no means a com- mon plant, found only in exceptionall}' favored situations. We have also a "vacation school," whose Superintendent, Miss. Alida B. Clark, has in- augurated a most successful experiment with keeping the children, of the closest settled sec- tion, part of the day from the street. The school is started with a hundred children daily in attendance, and twice that number have been turned away for want of the necessary means to keep them. On a visit yesterday, I took along a few twigs of currant bushes full of fruit, and the teachers and I were astonished to find that from eighty-nine children up to twelve years' of age, only one knew what it 1900] MEEHANS' MONTHLY — GENERAL GARDENING. 89> was. Some named cherries, others mulberries, raspberries, and even water-lilies as the kind it was. Does this single attempt at our best re- puted school (for it is a branch of our most popu- lated, first school district) not show the utmost necessity of more practical instruction in the common natural sciences, to tit the children better for life's duties. It is indeed up-hill work to convince the public of many errors in the omission of such important measures. May electricity bring closer together also the minds, as it does the people at large, to solve the problem of a sound basis of education. Hartford, Conn. MrS. WiLHELMINE SELIGER. SPIR^A VAN HOUTTEI. SpiR-E.-^ Van Houttei. — Our gardens would miss the numerous species and varieties of Spircua that flower in early spring, for, though mostl}' w^hite, the habits differ so greatly, that they give great variety. One of the best known is the Bridal Wreath Spirsea, Spircza Reevesiana of Lindley, though it was lound subsequently to be identical with Spircra Can- tone?isis, long ago described by Lourier. Re- cently, a beautiful variation of this species, raised by M. Zabel, of the Royal Gardens at Miinden, in Hanover, and 'named by him in honor of the famous Belgian Van Houtte, Spircpa Vatihouttei has been introduced into our gardens, and promises to be popular. As the illustration shows, it has a pendulous habit, as> against the stiff form of the parent Reevesiufia. — Indeed, it is the habit chiefly that renders the variety so specially attractive. As the Van Houtte Bridal -Wreath, it will be extensively planted. Park Monuments. — The enclosed clipping is from the Buffalo Enquirer, April 3, 1900, ■and while the strictures on your beautiful Fairmount Park may be undeserved, yet there may-be a substratum of triith in them, and afford food for reflection. The Buffalo parks, here alluded to, are beautiful and are the work of the late Wm. McMillan, an en- thusiast of the natural style of landscape garden- ing. Statuary and the geometric style of landscape gardening, have their appropriate uses in city lots and in proxim- ity to buildings where a striving after natural ef- fect would be equally incongru- ous. Formal flower beds and geomet- ric landscape gar- dening have their proper place in public squares and near dwellings, where an imitation of the irregular beauties of nature- is out of question. There is room for both styles. They need not and should not conflict. Buflalo, N. Y. Wm. Fitzwilliam. The clipping from the Buffalo Inqjiirer re- marks, with some justice : — " Fairmount Park, at Philadelphia, has been spoiled by the statues which have been put in it. In a quarter of a mile drive one can see animal fights, Greek heroes, German musicians and American states- men. Philadelphia is a warning to be observed by Buffalo before it is too late.' ' QO MEEHANS' MONTHLY ".ENERAL GARDE'NING [June Tl M^IKI^T FL0WEI1 ^^HIDjEI Hardy Water Lilies and Bog Plants. — The list of good Hard}' Water Lilies is not large, though improYers in that line are occa- sionall}' producing new Yarieties, all of which are welcome. The main ones in use are Xelian- bium lutetim, Nelionbiiim speciosnm, Aymphaea alba candidissima, N^ymphaea odorata, Nym- phaea odorata rosea and Nymphaea flava. A pond and its surroundings may be made artifi- cial, or with taste it \WA.y be transformed into a beautiful and attractive spot, — a haunt where Nature seems to have full sway, yet in neat- ness and harmony. The following plants may be used to advantage in low moist situations : — Arundo dona.v, Eulalias, Laurel-leaved willow kept low and bush}-, Sambiicus Canadoisis, Typha latifolia. Acorns Calamus and variegata, Jipanesc Iris, Iris Pseudacorus, Caltha pahistris, and man}- similar swamp-loving plants might be mentioned. There are but few men at the present time well versed in the art of produc- ing fine eflfects on and around the water, and the field is open for a very interesting study. Where tender acquatics can be cared for, the opportunities are largely increased, as there are many beautiful plants and flowers that can be utilized. The Red-flowered Currants. — The Ribes rubruni, or red-flowered currant of the Paci- fic coast, is a beautiful garden ornament in localities where the summers are not hot for a continuous period. Its near neighbor, Ribes viscosissima, is also a beautiful small shrub, but with the leaves and fruit covered with a viscous secretion, as its specific name implies. Presumably this is the ' 'Rose Currant, ' ' recent- ly introduced by Mr. S. L. Watkins, of Lotus, California, as a desirable fruit. He says of it : — "This variety of currant when ripe is very oily — that is the berries are covered with a sub- stance resembling oil or grease ; but the oil does not in any way injure the flavor of the fruit which is excellent. The Rose Currant is a beautiful red type of the black currant ; flavor or aroma is similar to the black cur- rant. ' ' cut-flower purposes ; but those which will furnish long sprays of flowers, suitable for large decorations, are not plentiful. Among spring and early summer flowers the following are most suitable : — Flowering Peach and Almonds, Forsythia, Halesia, Nez'iiisia, Spircea pru)iifolia, Japanese Snowball, and Weigela. The following bloom in mid-summer and fall. Des7iiodiu7n, Bolt07iia, Heliaiithus Maximili- ani and Rudbeckia " Golden (tIow." The flowers of the last named are not exactly pro- duced in sprays ; but the long stems, well furn- ished with flowers on shorter stems, fill the requirements. A difficulty with most of these flowers is that they will not last long unless in water, and except, possibly, in the case of the Heliaiit/iits, which is well-adapted in every way. The weigelas have particularly long stems of flowers, and always look well. Long-si'rav Flowering vSiiruijs for Cut- ting.— There are many shrubs and herbaceous plants that will furnish flowers suitable for Native Raspberry Culture. — A Michigan fruit-grower, writing to the National Fruit Grower, gives some excellent advice concern- ing the culture of raspberries, which will largely benefit the growers of other States. After dwelling at length on the ill-eff'ects from improper pruning, he says : — " Raspberries need pruning, but less than half as much as was formerly recommended. The plants must grow wood and leaves, and to check them severely with the expectation of fostering fruit-bearing is too much like cut- ting off" a man's arms to give his brain a better opportunity. The plan might work, but it is of doubtful utility. Nature demands something nearer equality. For garden culture we have found. the same methods as are used for field culture are most satisfactory. We do not believe in the practice so often followed of setting a row of bushes along the fence. The plants are then where they are most certain to be neglected. Insects and disease easily get in and are hard to man- age in such cases. The ground cannot be cul- tivated as it should be, and the result is a struggle between the berries on the one side and grass and dry weather on the other, with the odds against the fruit. Rows of clean, well- kept canes are an ornament to any garden, but neglected bushes along the fence soon become a nuisance. tgoo] MEEHANS MONTHLY — GENERAL CARDENINO. 9' Experience has taught us that raspberries ■should not be crowded. On ordinary soil we would not set closer than four feet in the row and have the rows eight feet apart. This will seem to the novice like a long distance apart and it will take up considerable room. He may set them closer, perhaps three feet by six, but the new varieties now being planted are so vigorous that it is doubtful if such close plant- ing is to be recommended, even in a garden. This would make quite a difference in the num- ber of hills, but the returns for the space occu- pied would probabl}' be about as large. In regard to cutting back, no fixed rule should be given. IMuch depends upon the habits of growth of the variet3^ Strong, vigor- ous canes, like the Gregg and Shaffer may well be three or four feet long. They are stiff enough to stand up, and it is a great conven- ience to the picker to have the fruit where it may be reached without much bending over. This is a point that should receive more atten- tion than it does. A picker's back should be worth something. But there are other varieties which never get far above the earth. Some of these we find make the best canes when cut l)ack to a foot and a half or two feet high. If allowed to get higher the}' break down. The Nemaha is an example, if pruned low they stand up much better. There are other vari- eties which come in midway between these ex- tremes and the}- should be treated accordingl3\ At least two inches of the tip should be cut off and more than this is better. It shouid also be kept in mind that a cane will increase some in length after being clipped. We allow about four inches for this. The laterals we do not interfere with till spring, unless they get so long as to be in the "way. Then leave them from one to two feet long, depending upon the ability of the cane to support them. About the only guide is the knowledge obtained from experience and obser- vation, which is usuall}' easy to get in the raspberries. The old wood may be cut out during the last of August or at any later time in the fall. Formerly we were told to cut it out as soon as picked, but as the new growth draws some nourishment from these old canes it is better to leave them until they begin to dry. Some growers recommend leaving the dead canes till spring, so that they will assist in holding the snow about the hill, but we have not found them of much benefit in this way. The garden certainh' looks better if all such rubbish is gathered and burned in the fall. One of the common mistakes is to leave more canes to a hill than there should be. Four or five stalks have done better for us than more. The fruit is larger and better and there is as much of it as when there are many canes. The varieties are nvimerous and continually being added to, but there are a few which have been found to succeed almost anywhere in lower Michigan and adjoining territory. Among the black caps are the Palmer, Con- rath, Kansas, also the Gregg on an3'thing except moist soil. The Cvtmberland promises well and maj^ in a few years be the leading berry. The Cuthbert is still in the lead among the reds, though the Loudon is growing in favor. The Miller is recommended b}' some, but in some localities it lacks in flavor. Among the purples the Shaffer is being superseded by the Columbian, which is cer- tainly an excellent berry in every respect. The much advertised, ever-bearing Gladstone is found wanting. It yields berries from summer till winter, but not many at a time. There are many excellent varieties which are satisfactory when grown under the proper con- ditions. It is well worth the trouble to look them up if one is setting berries for home use. But we believe that those given will prove satisfactory in as great a variety of locations as any. Some of the European varieties are occasionally set, but the}' are too tender to do well without protection. The quality, how- ever, is superior to the American sorts. ' ' Salt for Asparagus. — In sandy or compar- atively dry soil, salt is an excellent article to apply to asparagus beds. It will not, however, take the place of strong manure. Its chief office seems to be to encourage a plentiful sup- ply of moisture. Hence, on soils already re- tentive, salt is of little use, — and, indeed, may, at times, be injurious. Low-headed Apple Trees. — The American Fruit and Vegetable Journal says : — " The ex- perienced fruit-growers of the INIississippi Val- ley are coming more and more to see the value of low heads. The following excellent advan- MEEHANS' MONTHLY — GENERAL GARDENING. [June- tages for low heads for apple trees, as given by Jacob Faith, in the Western Fruit Grower, are first-class and right to the point : ' The crop can be picked at one-half cost ; fruit will not damage so much when it drops ; trees will come into bearing one to two years younger ; will stand more erect ; will endure more storm and sleet, sun scale and bark burst ; will live longer and bear more fruit. ' " Sticks for Peas and other Climbers. — It is said that peas will make double the growth, and largely increase the product, when favored with sticks or twiggy branches for them to run over. And this seems true of all climbing plants. Who has not noted how happy a branch of a grape vine seems, when it can get a chance to run oyer a bush ? Philoso- phers give, as the reason, that a climbing plant is always twisting and twining to find some- thing to cling to, — and thus wastes energy that should be applied to growth. Tomato Cultu re. — Frequently tomato plants are severely thinned of leaves and branches, in order, it is said, to let in the sun to ripen the fruit. But ripening is a vital pro- cess. Good, healthy leaves and foliage are essential to this, and the fruit will ripen better under the shade of such foliage than when ex- posed to the sun without the leaves. Where the branches are so numerous, it is of advan- tage to thin out weaker ones to give more strength to the rest. cucumbers in New York ; tomatoes come to their fullest degree of excellence in Pennsyl- vania and Ohio ; the bulk of the best radish seed comes from France, while many flower seeds and some of the larger varieties of onions come from Italy. The greater part oi the cabbage seed used in this country comes from Bucks County, Pennsylvania, and from Long Island, while the best onions are pro- duced in Connecticut and California. We go all the way to Denmark for cauliflower seed, and to California for the best lettuce seed. Even such distant parts of the earth as Russia and China and Japan, are drawn upon for rare varieties of both flovv^ers and vegetables." A visit to the extensive trial grounds at "Fordhook," would interest anyone. Visitors are received on Wednesdays. In addition to the things horticultural, there are Thorough- bred Fancy Poultry and Scotch Collie dogs. Best Localities for Raising Vegetables, ETC. — It is very interesting to read the state- ment of Messrs. W. Atlee Burpee & Co. , Seeds- men of Philadelphia, showing what they con- sider the best localities for seed production. While "Fordhook Farm," Doylestown, Pa., produces many of the seeds used, both vege- table and flower, "all parts of the United vStates as well as many foreign countries are drawn upon to furnish special kinds of seed, which can be brought to a greater degree of perfec- tion in more favored localities. For instance, special growers furnish large quantities of peas and beans from the upper part of New York and adjoining regions ot Canada ; from the dark, damp Florida soil come watermelon seeds ; musk melons and squashes do best in New Jersey and Nebraska; The Potato Stalk- weevil. — The greatest enemy of the potato grower to-day is the stalk- weevil. Since copper solutions have aided us so materially in our fight with mildews and molds, and Paris Green has been so great a friend to us against the Colorado Beetle, we should have little trouble but for the stalk- borer. It would not be too much to say that it has probably lessened the potato crop of America one-half. The misfortune is that its work is unknown to the average cultivator. He sees his potato stalks wilt under the first warm sun, and rests satisfied with the thought that the " hot sun was too much for them." It was too much, simply because the weevil had bored the stems hollow. The beetle is closely related to the Plum- weevil on Curculio ; but it has scarcely taken, on the beetle form before it commences to lay its eggs in the stem at the surface of the ground. The ^gg soon hatches, and bores its way through the centre of the stem. The egg- laying commences about the end of April in this latitude, — and the boring is about com- plete, and the stem ready to die about the mid- dle of June. Some have thought that they preserve their potatoes by placing a small por- tion of Paris Green around the stems as soon as they appear above ground ; but as the beetle at this point and in this stage simply inserts its ovipositor in_^the stem, it is not clear that I'goo] MEEHANS' MONTHLY — GENERAL GARDENING. 93 good results can follow. If it were to feed on the leaves to any great extent, as the Colorado Beetle and its larvae do, it would certainly be useful. The larvae or pupae live over winter in the ■dry stems ; pulling up and burning these after they have fulfilled their mission of producing a crop of small potatoes, would therefore des- troy great numbers. The misfortune is that the creatures pay at- tention to the Jimson weed, and other members of the Solanum family ; so that after the cul- tivator has kept his own land clear of the pests, he is liable to an influx of a new breed from the grounds of less careful neighbors. ^^ mon with all animal nature, are governed, to a great extent, by experience. They have learned that the peach, apricot, cherry, and other fruits besides the ordinary plum, are faithful and secure depositaries for their young. The mark on the Japan plum, without the sub- se([uent egg deposit, might reasonably be at- tributed to the uncertainty as to its being the proper place. All this experience will correct. However, the race is popular at present, and improvers are at work on them. A recent Bul- letin of the Horticultural Department of Cor- nell University, figures a number of varieties. One of these is the Wickson, as much to show Japanese Plums. — The comparatively new race, known as Japanese Plums, is receiving considerable attention. The early author on the Botan}- of Japan, Thun- berg considered it as but a garden race of the ordinary plum of our gardens, Pninus domestica, — but a ft e r all the real origin of the garden plum has not been ascertained be- yond all controvers5^ More recent authors, however, consider the Japan a distinct species, and it goes in the bot- anies as Prmius Japon- ica. Be that as it maj^ the race makes a nice addition to our garden fruits, though it would be a risk to say they were superior to a. well-ripened specimen from a healthy tree of the old-fashioned garden kind. Some merit has been claimed for the new race on account of its freedom from injury from that destructive enemy, the Plum Curculio. It is said that even Curculio marks have been found, without rot resulting. But it must be remembered that it is not the mark that causes the rot, but the gall that is excreted when the egg is deposited. There is nothing in the plum, itself, to prevent the egg from devel- oping to a perfect insect. But insects, in com- WICKSON JAPANESE PLUM. the general character of the whole race, as to illustrate the particular variety. As to that, however, the Bulletin regards it as promising to be a very prolific bearer. Grape Worms. — A correspondent finds worms in grapes. He never heard of such a thing, and inquires " What is to be done about it?" " A few know that a moth, that the learned have dubbed Lobesia botrana, lays an egg in the grape berry, that in the end becomes a ' worm, ' but the knowledge is not general. Those who do know, place paper bags over the bunch when the berries are nearly the size 94 MEEHANS MONTHLY — GENERAL GARDENING. [June of peas. This not only keeps insects from troubling, but also the spores of mildew and mold, — and the berries ripen just as well in the shade the bags give." Burying the Trunks or Stems of Fruit Trees. — Ill-informed cultivators have but a faint idea of the reasons why trees should not be deeply planted. It is not because of any injur}^ to the trunks, but because the feeding roots need the oxygen of the atmosphere in the preparation of the food, just as much as the leaves do. So far as the trunk is concerned, bur3'ing under the earth is a benefit rather than an injury. If it were possible to have the stems or trunks several feet beneath the sur- face, and the roots only a few inches, the vigor of the tree would be enhanced thereby. But, though, this is impossible, earth on the surface can be heaped around the trunk to advantage, as long as we do not bury too great a root- feed- ing surface. This was well exemplified, nearly half a century ago, by a peach grower, near Cincinnati, named Bolmar. He had earth by the cart-load heaped around his peach trees. His orchard had the appearance of being cov- ered by miniature hay stacks. The growth and general health of the trees were so remark- able, that the owner was moved to secure a patent for the idea. The patent would not hold. No one could be restrained against earthing up a fruit tree any more than earth- ing up a row of celery. But it was a grand object lesson, — and he deserved some recom- pense. There can be no doubt, but that it would be to the advantage of orchardists, gen- erally, to have mounds of earth around the base of their fruit trees, and it is surprising that such good practice is so generally ignored. Prunus Americana as a Stock and for Fruit. — Prof. Greene, of the Minn. State Ex- periment Station, finds that the Prunus Ameri- cafta is a more satisfactory stock for plums than either Myrobalan or Mariana in that State, where extreme hardiness is essential. It is not inclined to sucker freely, and unites well with the scions of native plums. While a vigor- ous grower, it is liable to be outgrown by European varieties worked on it. As a fruit, the varieties produced from the Americana meet with general favor among fruit-growers, many of them preferring them to all other types, on account of their hardi- ness and productiveness, though averaging small size. The Grape-vine Root-aphis. — The root- aphis, or, as the learned love to call it until the next new name. Phylloxera vastatrix, like all breathing animals, can be killed by drowning. Malcolm Dunn, lately deceased, the famous gardener at the no less famous gardens of the Duke of Buccleugh in Scotland, so arranged the vine borders of his grape houses, that, when the vines were not growing and water at the roots would not hurt them, he could submerge the borders for a considerable time. lie had no trouble then with the Aphis. He was a remark- ably practical thinker and his death is regarded as a great loss to British gardening. The Strawberry-Blackberry. — A corres- pondent seeks information as to the Straw- berry-Blackberry. Judging from the descrip- tions in California papers, it is an improved variety of the wild Blackberry of the Pacific coast, Rubus ursi7ius, and has been called the "Strawberr}'" as being as good a name as any other to distinguish it by. Seedless Oranges. — A correspondent says: — "Bradstreets (of New York) has, in to-day's issue, April 7th, at pages 222, etc., a valuable article describing the ' Seedless Orange,' — the ' Tibbetts Orange,' now largely grown in California for our eastern markets. It appears worthy of attention and we should be glad to have your opinion of it. ' ' Apples, pears, grapes and other fruits, pro- duce individuals at times that are coreless or seedless. As a general rule in these cases, the resultant fruit is smaller than in normal condi- tion. The value of these abnormal forms depend on the uses to which they may be put. No special value has resulted from the seedless apples or pears. In the grape, the seedless raisins and currants fill a useful place in culin- ary art. Possibly the "Navel" is meant, which is a seedless orange. It is not generally known that there are dis- tinct varieties of the Navel orange. As it does not produce seed, it seems difficult, — unless the ordinary orange seedlings take occasion- ally to produce other ' ' Navels. ' ' The first one came in that way. BIOGRAPHY AND LITERATURE. Oh or a booke and a sliadie nook, Kyther in doore or ont ; With the grene leaves whispering overhead, Or the streete crj'es all about. Where I niaie reade all at my ease, Both of the newe and old ; For a jollie goode booke whereon to looke. Is better to me than golde. ' ' Old English vSong. Charles Eastwick Smith. — In the May issue of Meehans' Monthly, is an account of the presentation, to the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia, of an oil painting of Linnaeus, by Mr. Chas. E. Smith. Since that time this excellent botanist has passed away. His death occurred in Philadelphia on April 15th, in his eightieth year. Few have greater claims to be regarded as a botanist of the high- est order, though, as an amateur he cultivated the science for the pleasure it afforded him. He had the intimate friendship of most of the leading botanists in many parts of the world. Dr. Englemann named /7mcus Smithii, and Dr. Gray Scirpus Sniithii, in his honor. He leaves an estate estimated at about half a million of dollars, of which one-sixth, together with his herbarium and botanical librarj' is willed to the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia. Nature's (tARDEn. — By Nettie Blanchan, New York, published by Doubleday, Page & Co. Botany, in its advanced stages, does not make botanists. Of the thousands annually taught botany in our higher schools, colleges, and universities, few care for the study after their school days are ended. In the old book- stores, near these large institutions, text books on botany are almost a drug, their owners glad to get rid of them before starting for home. Few would want to part with "Nature's Garden" in this summary way. It is given as an aid to knowledge of our wild flowers and their insect visitors, with many colored plates and other illustrations. It is a large book of some 400 pages, and describes over 500 of our wild flowers. Young and old will read it with untiring pleasure, — and it will find a perma- nent and welcome place in all family and school libraries. It maybe remarked, in this place, that much that goes as science in the study of flowers is but the speculation of enthusiastic devotees or eminent scientific men. But these specula- tions, when a little wild, are usually swept away as sound knowledge progresses, and popular works may well be forgiven if science and speculation sometimes get a little mixed. In fact, speculations rather aid than obstruct the advance of science, — and should not be criticised when they occasionally obtrude in beautiful w^orks like this. Botanical Name of Ragged Robin. — A correspondent complains of confusion in re- gards to the botanical name of the familiar Ragged Robin, which he has known as Cen- taur ea Americana. There is no rule for decid- ing the right of a plant to any particular name. Any one has a right to give any name of this kind to a plant. No doubt there are scores of plants called Ragged Robin. If prior- ity has a claim, as it has in technical botany, we must go back to the time of Robin Hood — and his ragged rangers of Lincoln Green. In this way, Ragged Robin came to be associated with Lychnis Flos-Qtculi. England is a small territory, and a name once started gets through the community easier than it does with us. This Lychnis is the only Ragged Robin of the English people. President Kruger's Gardening. — A cor- respondent of the London Gardeners' Chrotiicle, describes the President of the South African Republic, Paul Kruger, as an enthusiastic lover of gardening. He has a fine collection of daffodils in which he takes great pride. It is a common experience to find him in his garden, trowel in hand. He has a grand col- lection of Phloxes. He is especially fond of his pot-plants. (95) GENERAL NOTES. The Experimental Farm at Ottawa. — It will be good news to those who know of the beautiful gardens and buildings of the Domin- ion at Ottawa, that it escaped serious injury from the recent disastrous fire around it. Under the direction of Prof W. Saunders, a large force of hands were employed as watch- ers and several hundred incipient fires put out before they got a fair start in anj^ case. A Misplaced Label. — People who mark trees b}^ sticking the label in the ground at the base of the trunk, run the risk of the in- formation the}^ wish to convey, sometimes cur- iously miscarrying, as the following clipping from a Philadelphia newspaper seems to show. The writer is describing an April visit to the Botanic Garden of the University of Pennsyl- vania, and has evidentl}^ mistaken the scien- tific name of the Norway Maple for that of some spring flower in bloom about the tree's j-oot : — " At the foot of a Norway Maple, and, indeed, in many other of the corners, and especially in the rocky fastnesses which range 'round, is an Acer plata7ioides. Its stems, laden with bright blue blossoms, look very attractive. ' ' Acer platanoides, ' ' laden with bright blue blossoms," would certainly be worth quite a trip to see. C. F. Saunders. Philadelphia. The reporter evidently mistook the botanical name of the Maple, Acer platanoides, for the name of the pretty blue flowers (Grape Hyacinths ?) in the midst of the plot. Bacterial Troubles. — Popular Science News, tells us that popular opinions in regard to microbes are being driven to the verge of absurdity. Quoting the ' 'Medical and Science, ' ' it asserts that those who know the most about the theory of diseases have still many things to learn. It even goes so far as to assert, " that the simple precaution of protecting the water supply from (96) contamination by human excreta may prove to be illusionary. ' ' Not only this, but the ' 'hygie- nic precautions looking to the prevention of the contamination of water supplies which we have heretofore considered trustworthy, will now be found to be unreliable." It seems to intimate that the baccilli, of which we have heard so much, passed through individuals in hundreds of thousands of cases without doing the slight- est injury', and it is only when there is a low- ered resistive vitality in the individual that serious injury results. It is probable that the whole truth lies between both the extremes, and one class of scientific men assert that in all cases the presence of microbes is necessary to produce disease, while the other class insist that there must be either a tendency' to disease and lowered vitality before injurious results are found. Certainly there seems evidence strongly in favor of both propositions. There are times when numbers of persons are swept off" by epidemics when there is no reason to believe that there has been any lowering of their vital powers of resistance, — and yet the same strong facts can be induced from the opposite theory. New Varieties of Florists' Flowers. — In our country, florists seldom have sympathy for even the best carnation for more than a few years. New and good carnations are always popular. In striking contrast is the practice with European carnation growers. The Sou- venir de Malmaison, that has been popular for nearly half a century, is still the chief depend- ence of an English carnation grower. MVROBALAN PlUM FOR HEDGES. — The Myrobalan Plum is getting into great demand, in England, for hedges, — or, as we say, live fences. The plant does not seem to have been tried in America. It would probably be found too good a breeding ground for the plum-borer, and, if so, the country has enough encouragement for this pestiferous insect al- ready. VOI..X Plate 7 2 ERIGERON SPECIOSUS. SHOWY ERIGERON. NATURAL ORDER, COMPOSITE. ERIGERON SPECIOSUS. De Candolle. — Sparingly and loosely hirsute or with a few .scattering hairs; stems mo.stly two feet high, very leafy to the top ; leaves lanceolate, acute (three to eight lines wide) , sparsely ciliate; lowest more or less spatulate ; involucre hirsute-pubescent, or sometimes almost glabrous ; rays half-inch to almost an inch long, violet. Gray's Synoptical Flora of North America. See also Brewer and Watson's Geological Survey of California. Those familiar with the Flora of the Eastern United States, are well acquainted with the genus Eriget'on, two of the species of which, Erigeron strigosus and Erigeron Canadensis, are so abundant in fields devoted to haj^ crops as to form the bulk of the material, in manj^ cases, and present a perfect sea of white when in bloom. The former is known to farmers in Penns3ivania and other States as Daisy, and occasionalh' Fleabane, — and the latter as Horse- weed and Butterweed, the name Butter- weed being probabl}- derived from the disk, the color of which is more conspicuous than in the dais}'. Though this will give some general idea of the genus, it gives a poor idea of the beautj' of manj' members of the family. The species here illustrated, Erigeron speciosus, is perhaps the handsomest of the genus. In the earh- daj-s of Jul}-, 1883, during a botanical excursion in the vicinity of Port Townsend, in the then Washington Territory, it seemed to the author the most impressively beautiful of all the wild flowers of that region. It had possession of large areas in open, grassy places ; and the rich violet flowers, tempered b}- the pale 3^ellow disk, were almost dazzling in effect. In this situation, massed together, thej- were not as rigid and stiff as one might infer from the drawing, but had more of a go- alone character, much as we may see in a red clover plant. In Washington and Oregon, however, it is verj- commonl}' met with ; but var3'ing greatly in its general character in different localities. Nuttall collected it on the shores of the Colum- bia River ; but his specimens have the leaves so long and narrow that the\' might almost be termed grass-like ; while specimens from the line of the Clearwater River, gathered b^' the Rev. Mr. Spalding, are short and broad, like the figure in the " Botanical Register," the plant from Douglas' seed. The form herewith figured is intermediate between these two ex- tremes. The picture was taken from speci- mens kindl}- supplied by Mr. Jackson Dawson, of the Arnold Aboretum ; but the exact local- ity of the original is not known except that it was somewhere from Washington Territory. A well established common name is often of value to those who study the history of plants. In this case, a number of species are known as fleabane, though, so far as known, they are not the bane of fleas or of other insects. This is the common name of species of Coi/yza, com- mon in the Old World, and which are very useful as indicated by the name in question. In looking up the history of Erigeron, it will be found to have been originally classed with Conyza. So recently as the time of Ray, a European species, Erigeron glniinosus, was known as Conyza montana, — and our own Erigeron Canadensis is treated of, in the ante- binomial times, as Conyza annua acris elatior linear cefoliis. This species, therefore, would be the original fleabane among North American ones, should the rule of priority be extended to common names as they are to those botanical. Even the name Erigeron, itself, has an interest for philologists. It is the Greek representa- tive oi Senecio. This senex means an old man, and was applied by the ancients to the Ground- sell, Senecio vulgaris, and suggested by the grey-haired heads of that plant when in fruit. The Greek geron stands for seiiex ; and er the spring, is suggested by the spring flowering of the Groundsell,— literally, the old man in (97) 98 MEEHANS MONTHLY — ERIGERON SPECIOSUS. [July spring. Since this was pointed out by Dr. Asa Gray, the old form of the name, in the neuter gender, has been changed to the masculine. Our plant, formerl}' Erigcroti speciosum, is now- written Erigeron speciosus. In the genus Erigcroti, there are over one hundred good species. A large number are American. Dr. Asa Gra}^ in the work from which our description is taken, adopts sixt}' as the number for North America. In all large genera, botanists endeavor to find some strong, dividing lines to establish other genera, and attempts have been made to do this service in Erigeron. The plants we now have here at various times found themselves in some couple of dozen genera. Our plant was in the genus Stcnactis established by C. G. Nees. In the original Erigeron, there is some difference between the pappus of the ray and those of the disk florets, and Stenactis was founded mainly on this difference. But it is found this line is too indefinite to be accepted. It is, however, to be found under the title of Stenactis in the botanical works of the earlier part of the present century. In Garden literature, our plant usuall}' appears as Stoiactis speciosus. Nuttall supposed his grassy-leaved plant, found near the Falls of the Columbia River, might be a new species, and left his specimen without a name ; but Dr. Gray has written on Nuttall's label " only a narrow-leaved form of Stenactis speciosus." The leaves are three inches long, and not more than half an inch wide at the clasping base. What is true of dividing the species is true of the genus itself It is extremely difficult to say how the genus should be defined as distinct from its neighbors. It is one of those cases where nature presents us with a genus with- out the assistance of the expert botanist. A plant is decided to be an Erigeron by what the French call a cojip d'ccil. It can be seen to be an Erigeron, without knowing well the reason why. No one familiar with Aster would take an Erigeron to be of that genus. There is .something distinctive in the general appearance, — especially in the verj' large num- ber of ray florets, which are also very narrow and in several rows. The involucral scales, of the common receptacle, are also numerous and narrow, and they are more uniform in size and character than in Aster, where they are in varying degrees of size and form in the same flower-head. In botanical descriptions, atten- tion is usually but little given to the characters of the florets. This is owing, in a great measure, to the necessity of describing from dried specimens. The student should take any occasion to examine fresh flowers with an ordinary pocket lens. Good distinguishing characters will often be found in the akenes, pappus, and the florets themselves. In arranging a large family like Erigeron for classification, it is the part of genius to so arrange the species that continuous repetitions of terms can be avoided. In the character adopted, in this chapter, from Gray's Sytioptical flora, one could not well decide that our plant was Erigeron speciosus, from the brief description given. The leading points are given in sections, sub-sections, and divisions. We have to go back to a sub- division, in which the collection, as described by Dr. Graj', would be "less Aster-like ; lower rays more and narrow ; involucre closer ; pappus more or less double, but the exterior minute, setulose, or subulate -squamellate ; stems chiefly erect, tufted, generally leafy to the summit, and bearing few or several heads, leaves entire." But still further back we find this has to be included in another sub-division of ones ' ' comparatively tall and large, a foot or more high except in alpine or depauperate forms, leafy-stemmed, glabrous to soft-hirsute ; leaves rather ample, entire or occasionally few- toothed ; heads pretty large, with usually very numerous rays ; montane or alpestrine. " Still further, however, we must go back to another division in which the plants are ' ' true perennials from root stocks or a caudex, neither stoloniferous-surculose nor flagelliferous ; invo- lucre from hispid or villous to glabrous, but not lanate, in the first species loose and spread- ing ; all western or northern species." And! all these again under one grand sub-division, named specifically Euerigeron, in which the raj'S are elongated and conspicuous, or in a few species uniformly wanting, in one or two occasionally wanting ; no rayless female flowers between the proper ray or disk." It is by these careful sub-divisions that the student is enabled to work out his collections with nearly as much ease as in small genera. Explanation ok the Platk — i. A nearly full-length, specimeu from Washington Territory. 2. A vertical sectioa of a receptacle, with a single floret,— magnified. WILD FLOWERS AND NATURE. A SUMMER OUTING. Pleasant it was, when woods were green, And winds were soft and low, To lie amid some S3'lvan scene, Where, the long drooping bonghs between, Shadows dark and sunlight sheen Alternate come and go ; Or where the denser grove receives No sunlight from above. But the dark foliage interweaves In one unbroken roof of leaves, Underneath whose sloping eaves The shadows hardlj' move. Longfellow. Double Oranges. — With this mail I send you what to me is a curiosit}-. It may not be to 3'ou. To me it seems to be a little orange which was taken out of another orange, from the blow end, both apexes being one. If this is worthy of notice in your journal, I should be glad of the explanation. I wanted to cut it open, but, I thought if it might be new to you that 3'ou would like to see it whole. Moscow, Vermont. TlMOTHY WhEELER. The specimen sent was a little larger than a child's marble. It represents a class known as " navel oranges." There are a number of varieties, some with the secondary orange larger than this, some with smaller. As in other fruits, selections are made by the fruit improver, and these selections continued by grafting. These wanderings from what may be termed the normal type, are not uncommon in the vegetable world. One, the most frequently seen, is one rose growing out of the centre of another. The explanation is, that a flower or fruit is but a branch that has been arrested in its growth ; and that the petals of the flower and carpels of the fruit are what might have been leaves. In such cases as this of the orange, the arrestation of the branch has not been complete. It starts on again in a weak attempt to make another set of leaves, — or, as they really become, another depauperate flower and fruit. Poplar Galls. — Mr. W. C. Egan, Highland Park, Illinois, saj^s : — " While ruminating in the woods, to-day, I came across (juite a thicket of seedling poplars, from five to seven feet high. A great number had a large percentage of their leaf stems encircled, at the base of the leaf, by worm-galls. At first, on account of the regularity of position, I imagined a new method of seed ball attachment, but upon cut- ting the ball open I found a small green worm. The singular feature to me is that I could not find any balls except at the base of the leaf." POPLAR GALLS. Few things in natural history afford more pleasure to the student of nature, than the wonderful judgment displayed by insects in their life economy. At one time, when man was thought to be exceptional in the animal kingdom in being gifted with judgment, the lower orders merely following blind instinct, little was thought of the remarkable adapta- tions to conditions everywhere seen about us. It is different, now, when knowledge has pro- gressed. In the present instance, the judg- ment displayed by the little fly in depositing its eggs is remarkable. At the base of the leaf-blade, in the poplars, are glands excret- (99) MEEHANS' MONTHLY — WILD FLOWERS AND NATURE. [July ing a honeyed -secretion, ver}' grateful to ants and other creatures having " a sweet tooth." This would also furnish excellent food for the larvae of the insect. The Qy has found this out, and, with unerring judgment, the egg is deposited in the gland, and the gall — the homestead of the "worm" — is furnished with pantrj- and dining-room, as well as a parlor for the young in which to enjo}- themselves. Erigeron speciosus AT Home. — Possibl}' the inspiring effect, noted in the main chapter, was aided by the view being from a knoll that afibrded the opportunity of looking down on the masses of flowers below. It has long been cultivated in English gardens, where it is esteemed as a leading ornament, having been sent over, b}- the unfortunate Douglas, from California to the Royal Horticultural Societ}' of London. It is on this account that it is accredited to California by Watson, though he remarks that it has not been found so far south as the line of that State since Douglas' time. Medicinal Value of the Honeysuckle AND Morning Glory. — Along one of the side streets of Philadelphia, near the Reading Terminal, the passer-by may be attracted to a modest and well-worn show-case filled with samples of various wares of an " Herb Doctor' ' that are calculated to cure about all the ills to which the human body may be subject. Judg- ing by the labels attached to the various mix- tures and by the cards soliciting their use, the " Doctor's " illiteracy is about as strong as his medicine, and will be certain to cure an3'one too ill to laugh. One of his most prominent prescriptions is Hone3'suckle and Morning- glory, which is held as a sure cure for asthma and colds generally. Diatoms. — These plants have a peculiar method of vegetative multiplication which is unlike anything found elsewhere among the algae. The two halves of the "box," which are called valves, begin to separate slightly from each other, and as the contents divide into two parts, there is formed within two new halves, one fitting into the larger half of the original cell, and the other forming a new box with the smaller half of the parent plant. These then separate, and thus there are formed two diatoms of exactl}' the same construction as the mother cell, although one is a trifle smaller than the other. In addition to this method of propagating the species, there are various ways bj' which the plant forms a single large resting spore and recently it has been dis- covered (chiefly through the work of Castra- cane and Murray) that it is probable that the whole contents of a diatom cell maj' break up into a number of small spores, each one of which develops into a new plant. — Americafi Journal of Pharmacy . Plant Photography. — The ranks of ama- teur photographers have, within the past few 3^ears, assumed wonderful proportions, and nearly all the details of production, heretofore known o\\\y to the professional, are being mastered as well hy the amateur. The small cameras, or "kodaks," as they are all generally termed, have made possible the creation of great interest in this art, and subjects of manj' kinds are brought into use. But one subject has been ver}' greatly neglected, — possibl}- because more difficulties are encountered and that the knowledge of the subjects as individuals is limited. The refer- ence is to the photograph}^ of plants. Some amateurs delight to make a special stud}' of portraiture, — others of architectural works, marine or landscape effects ; many are entirel}' aimless in their efforts, other than to amass a collection of reproductions of fami- liar scenes. But verj- few, indeed, make plant life a chief study, which is to be regretted. The movements of foliage and flowers in the wind, and the lack of contrast between them and the surrounding vegetation are the great- est difficulties to be surmounted. But it is just here that an interesting stud}' may be developed. Taking for example the wild flowers or trees as they may be seen in their natural haunts, good photographs will always be found interesting as well as instructive, and will awaken pleasant memories of some delightful summer stroll. Meehans' Monthly desires to encourage this phase of amateur photography, and will gladly reprint interesting notes on the subject, as space will permit, from the experiences of its readers ; and photographs, themselves, can be frequentl}' reproduced with interest to the readers in general. GENERAL GARDENING. THE ROSE LEAVES OF ME^NIORY. No, the roses soon wither'd that hung o'er the wave, But some blossoms were gather' d while freshl}' they shone. And a dew was distill' d from their flowers that gave All the fragrance of summer, when summer was gone. Thus memory draws from delight, 'ere it dies, An essence that breathes of it many a year ; Thus bright to my soul, as 'twas then to my ej-es. Is that bower on the banks of the calm Ben- demeer ! Moore. School Gardens. — Believing that the mere memorizing and reciting of text-book lessons was not the best way to a proper development of the 3'oung the writer, more than a quarter centurj^ ago, advocated and aided in testing a system of instruction in which one half-day was given to literary exercises in lectures and conversations with objects, pictorial and chart illustrations, and one half-day to manual work in printing and binding, wood engrav- ing, drawing and coloring charts, scroll sawing and turning. The system was called panto- graphic and the school the Philotechnic Insti- tute. The boys and girls are now grown, and are giving strong testimony of the excellent system by their better work and greater success in the different occupations. By hand work while the muscles are young and more flexible, they acquire a degree of skill which they could not acquire in later years, and, as all organs grow strong to the work they are used for, the pupils can do more and better work than those educated by the common system. As he did not succeed in persuading the directors of rural schools to adopt his system, he has rented a plat of ground near the Green- ville School, and pays the pupils five or seven cents per hour, for time when they are not engaged in the school room, to help work in the garden. The price is not fixed by size or age, but by the qua ity of the work done. They are paid in stock which represents ground rent, manure, labor and the cost of the crops. The stock is guaranteed at one dollar per share and a dividend if there is any profit to divide. This gives them a direct interest in the work and makes the school garden a part of the greatest educational institution — the business world. — At the commencement we found pupils who could solve problems in fractions and the square root, but did not know how to get right angles for a poultry house, or the degrees of obliquity of the sun's rays so as to get the best angle on the south sides of ridges and secure the most value from the rays for early crops. They did not understand how to lay the lines for scien- tific plowing to turn the good ground towards the centre and leave the " dead" furrows next the fence for the weeds to grow in. With our work we propose to study the elementarj' prin- ciples of farming and natural sciences. As showing the value of some knowledge of botany, an English farmer had to pay a drover for renting pasture with Digitalis in. He plead ignorance of the poison character of the weeds, but the court did not excuse him. Educated gardeners receive more than twice the wages of common farm laborers. When our State Agricultural Experiments were start- ed, the board held a meeting in Camden, with a view of having a branch station there, and asked the writer to aid them in finding a per- son acquainted with plants and insects to place in charge ; but we could find no one suitable, and the effort was abandoned. Dr. Cook, the director, said when in Norway and Sweden, if he found a strange plant or insect he could get its name from any laborer in the field, and it was the one thing which made him ashamed of his own country. During the Centennial Exhibition, one of the English Commissioners, who made educational systems a study, said he was at first favorable to our public school system for its reduction or (lOl) MEEHANS' MONTHLY — GENERAL GARDENING. [July illiteracy ; but when he looked in our great industrial works he found the graduates em- ployed on book-keeping, and the higher places filled b}- foreigners. The greatest objection made to manual training is that it takes from the time of literary studies ; but from my ob- servation I believe one hour with the pupils at work or pla}', when they use their own lan- guage, is worth more for the improvement than the whole da}- with memorizing and re- citing the language of the text books on Eng- lish grammar, or the bad pronunciation of the names of continental Europe, Asia and Africa, in the geographies. In France, gardening is practicall}^ taught in twent5'-eight thousand primar}' and elementarj^ schools, each of which has a garden attached to it. In Svreden, in 1871, twent3'-two tlious- CRIMSON RAMBLER ROSE and children received instruction in horticul- ture, and each of two thousand and sixteen schools had for cultivation from one to twelve acres. In Russia, many children are taught tree, vine, grain, garden, silk worm and bee culture. In ancient Greece, a law required the son to support the aged father ; but if the father had neglected to teach the son an occupation, the son was exempt from the obligation. Every primarj', as well as all higher institutions of learning, should have a garden. Camden, N. J RODOLFUS BiNGAM. Rose, Crimson R.a.mbler. — A photograph of a comparativel}' 5'oung specimen of the Crim- son Rambler rose, growing by the porch of the residence of Mr. John G. Bullock, of German- town, Philadelphia, leads to the re- mark that we may always look for the greatest line of improvement b}- the introduction of whollj' new species from their native wilds. When once improved, nature holds the lines more tightly, and but little more improvement can be made on that which has been al- ready- improved. Here we have a grand improvement on the wild Rosa multijiora, of Japan, which has been known to botanists ever since the time of the great botanist Thunberg, — but as Rosa polyaiitha, it has but recently been introduced into gardens. The numerous white flowers of the latter, and subse- quent crimson fruit, is attractive. But when the colored plate of the improvement, in the form of "Crimson Rambler," was first widel}' distributed by EUwanger & Barry, it was only the high stand- ing for accuracy which this great firm enjo3's that secured full credit for it. It has the beautiful red flowers in large clusters, as their picture represented, — and that it is a good rambler or climbing rose, is evidenced hy the three-j'ear old plant given in our illustration. It is proving one of the most popular of the new introductions of late years. igoo] MEEHANS' MONTHLY — GENERAL GARDENING. 103 Beech Tree Borers. — During recent sea- sons correspondents have called attention to the different dates of leafage on the branches of the same beech tree. It is a curious sight to note perhaps half the branches in full leaf, the others remaining dormant for many da^'s afterwards. This season, the writer discovered that this was owdng to the existence of a borer in the tard}' branches. The branches, in many cases, are as hollow as a bamboo. It is well known, to experienced gardeners, that the most highl}' vitalized branches are the earliest to leaf. In all trees, some individuals leaf earlier by several da3-s than others. Under equally unfavorable conditions, as, for in- stance, transplanting, the earlier leaved are the. last to succumb. These beech borers are of considerable size, and do not seem to be in great numbers on any one tree, — and 3'et the tree will die in time from their attacks. It ought not to be difficult to destro}- them b}- thrusting a wire into their holes. It does seem that not only to the weeds are we under obligations to get our living by the sweat of our brows. Insects and minute fun- guses may claim a portion of battle in their interest. It will soon be found as essential to good gardening to keep a force of men at in- sect-killing and fungus-destrojang, as in a force to hoe weeds. The China Tree. — In speaking of the Cam- phor tree as a street tree in New Orleans, it reminds me of a street tree I saw in Vicksburg, while we were "holding the fort," called the ' ' China tree. ' ' It was beautiful while in bloom, but round-headed, and not verj' grace- ful as a street tree. I never saw it growing elsewhere. Does the Editor of the Monthly know an5'thing about its historj', etc. ? Oberliu, Ohio. G. N. CarRUTHERS. The so-called "China tree" is indigenous to the Himala3'an Mountains, and extends in Asia to Cochin-China. It is, botanically, Melia Azedarach, the genus being the tj'pe of the order Melia cecF, of which we have no repre- sentative. It is often cultivated in the vSouth- ern States, and has become wild in many instances. As our correspondent suggests, it is a coarse, ungainly tree, when leafless ; but its sweet lilac-colored flowers are a fair com- pensation. It must have been exceptionally cold in New Orleans to kill the Camphor tree, — or there ma}' have been depressing condi- tions in connection with the frost, as it is surel}' capable of enduring 10° or 12° of cold without injury. Fruit oe the Oleander. — In my note on the fruit of the Oleander, page 68, I said that the weight of fifty seeds was 22 grains — not grains, as you have it. Please make the cor- rection. I may further add that some of the seeds were planted and the percentage of ger- minations was good. E. E. BoGUE. Stillwater, Okla. EuLALiA Grass for Indoor Decorations. — If promptly placed in water after being cut, the leaves and plumas of the Eiilalia Japonica make a fine decorative efi^ect. Take an entire clump or equal bulk of single stems, which place in a good, large umbrella stand filled with water. In the case of the plumes, to keep them from "falling," the}' must be cut before they are thoroughly ripened, when they will last for years in a vase without water. For some reason — possibl}' because their height usually makes them more exposed to the winds — Eulalia Japonica (plain, green-leaved) and E. var. zebrina fall very quickl}^ and must be cut earlier than the others. Dwarfing Trees. — Inquiries are often made as to how the Japanese dwarf trees. One of these people tells the Gardeners' Chronicle that they simply pinch out the new growth as fast as it appears, by the use of finger and thumb onlJ^ They re-pot once in two or three years, cutting out all the weak roots, but carefully saving the strong ones, carefully well-draining before returning the plant to the same pot. The}^ manure with oil-cake, bone meal, or some such concentrated material, twice a month, except in the two hottest months of the year. Weeds and Ornamental Plants.— That what ma}' be a valued ornamental plant in one part, may be regarded as a pernicious weed in another, is well exemplified in our pretty garden Lantana, Lantana Camara. Few orna- mental plants are more highly prized in north- ern gardens. But in his recent " Flora of the Sandwich Islands," Mr. A. A. Heller has this to say of it : " This species has become the 104 MEEHANS' MONTHLY — GENERAL GARDENING. [July most noxious plant in the Islands. Intro- duced in 1S58, it is now abundant, and has ruined hundreds of acres of valuable pasture land. It forms impenetrable thickets on the slopes and in gulches of the lowlands, and has even invaded the lower forests. Here it grows in thick clumps, the stems often becoming w^eak and vine-like, and intertwining in a very intricate manner. The flowers var}- in color, some being almost white, others purplish, and some are orange." In our own country it has already invaded Florida ; but as it is not frost- proof, it will have to draw a line there to its desire for acquiring additional territory. to the mountains of Georgia. It is particu- larly useful for planting in parth^-shaded places. Hardy Fuchsias. — The following letter, re- ceived by the Senior Conductor, will doiibtless prove interesting to our readers : — ' ' I read an interesting account in reference to 5'ou, in a recent issue of the Philadelphia Record, to which, no doubt, your friends have drawn your attention. If they have not, it is to the effect that a person (a lady, I believe) at a meeting of the Psychological Circle, stated that she liked 3^ou, although she has not had PAVIA MACROSTACHYA. Pavia MACROSTACHYA. — Under the common name of Dwarf Horse Chestnut, the beautiful shrub, here illustrated, has long been known in leading nurseries. It belongs, however, to the genus Pavia, the buckeye section, rather than to the yEsc7ilus or Horse Chestnut class. The latter has broad, spreading petals and prickly fruit ; while the buckeyes have irregu- lar, stalked, erect petals, and smooth fruit. The large spikes of pinkish-white flowers, densely set on the rachis, in contrast with the somewhat drooping leaves, always attract ad- miration. It is a magnificent shrub, blooming in June, and thoroughly hardy, though native the pleasure of seeing you. She claims a bond of sympathy between you and herself, on ac- count of similar experiences you both have had, which is to the effect that you ' had cer- tain pet flowers, and 3'our pet flowers always died in spite of every care and attention. ' It would be interesting to know what are your pet flowers that always die. If such is really a fact, which I am inclined to doubt, the same reasons for death in your pets are not the same as are those of this member of the Psychologi- cal Circle. "A personal experience of my own, I think, will interest you. I was always fond of the IQOO] MEEHANS MONTHLY — GENERAL GARDENING. 105 Fuchsia, and, twenty-five years or so ago, I took great interest in them, as they responded gratefully to generoixs and intelligent treat- ment, more so, I at that time thought, than any other plant. Two 3'ears ago I took a no- tion to renew my acquaintance with them, and secured a few varieties. After the experiment was over, and not having room in the green- houses for them, and not caring to throw them away, I planted them outdoors last September, along the northeast side of my residence. Forest leaves were plentifully used as a mulch, and now, although the tops of the plants are dead, quite a number of them are throwing healthy and heart}' shoots from the base. Mr. Wm. K. Harris related to me that he had made a similar experiment with the same results. It is not generally known. I think, that Fuchsias may, with a little care in the fall, be made to live all winter. This may or may not be of some practical value, but in any case, I knew you would be interested, and that is my reason for writing to you on the subject." Wyndmoor, Mont. Co., Pa. EdWIV LoNSDALE. The lady's psychology has evidently gone astray. The T. M. who wrote in Lalla Rhook — " 'Twas ever thus from childhood's hour I've seen my fondest hopes decaj^ — 1 never loved a tree or flower But 'twas the first to fade away " — is evidently her " affinity," — and not the T. M. of the present time. His fiowers rarely fade away when he cares to preserve them. The experience with the Fuchsia is valu- able. In the case of many things it is not so much the bursting of the tissvies by expansion through frost, as it is the drying out of the sap by cold wind and bright light. If evaporation is guarded against, no injury results. Hence, figs, raspberries, roses, crape myrtles, and other plants, are bent to the ground and buried under the earth in the fall, the thermometer above them may fall far below zero without injury. It is possible to have a Fuchsia live out many seasons, and get many feet high, by being bent over and covered by earth. Thinning Ornamental Trees. — One of the difficulties landscape gardeners experience in laying out grounds for their patrons is in the planting arrangements. They have in mind the picture of the future when the trees and shrubs have grown. But the owner desires to enjoy the living present, and the grand results in the artist's brain have to be, in a measure, realized in some respects at once, or there is not full satisfaction. To effect this, trees and shrubs have to be planted thickly, — the artist explaining that the common things must be cut away from time to time as the trees grow. But this thinning rarely occurs. In a few years there is a mass of vegetation, pretty as a mass, but with the natural beauty of the in- dividual tree wholly lost. In our public parks and pleasure grounds, particularly, is the want of judicious thinning painfully evident, as a rule. The great public has been taught that to cut away a tree is a mortal sin never to be forgiven, and there are few managers courageous enough to brave this exaggerated condition of public opinion. It is the same with our street and boulevard trees. They have to be set closely to meet the demand for speedy shade. They soon meet, and unable to spread horizontally, struggle upwardly, until the "tree-butcher" becomes a public blessing in beheading them with hatchet and saw. In almost all newly-planted places, an intel- ligent landscape gardener should be called in to advise with after a period of about ten years, — and a second inspection should be ar- ranged for after another similar period. The "joy for ever" that we read so much about would be an actuality whenever the beautiful trees and shrubs were looked upon. The Red Spider. — One of the greatest scourges in American gardens is the Red Spider. It is especially injurious to coniferous evergreens, especially arbor-vit^es and spruces. The insect is so small that it is not noticed till the injury has far advanced. It can, however, be early detected by a change in the green tints to a more livid hue on some of the leaves. The iusect is, however, easily destroyed by kero- sene emulsions, by the use of a sprayer, an implement that is now as essential in garden- ing as a spade or a rake. Colored Leaves for Fall. — "We desire something for a mass of particularly brilliant fall foliage for a prominent place in a public garden. Either a strong-growing herbaceous plant or shrub would do. What would you advise?" Try a mass of poke-berrj' — Phyto- lacca decandra. io6 MHEHAXS" .AIOXTHLY — GENERAL GARDENING. [July m u^RE FL^nrs, The Babylonian Willow, — Thurlow's Weeping. — As now is generally known, the not endure the winter climate. All kinds of plants are liable to sport, — not only in the color of the flowers, and character of the leaves, but in habit and hardiness. Mr. T. C. BABYLONIAN W I LLC W - -T H U R LO W S WEEPING. so-called willow of Babylon is a Chinese plant, and, like most Chinese plants, is not haidy under verj- severe conditions. In Massachu- setts and other localities in the North, it does Thurlow, of West Newbur}-, Mass., was for- tunate enough to iind a sport among his stock of Bab3donian willows, with a more erect habit than usual, and which proved of extra hardi- 1900] MEEHANS' MONTHLY — GENERAL GARDENING. 107 ness. A photograph of the original tree is here reproduced. It was taken in 1S95, and is said to be a model of beauty now. In the re- port of the Nebraska State Horticultural So- ciety for 1S93, is the following account reported bj' one who had cuttings a few years before for the Experiment Station at Franklin, Neb. : — "While visiting ni}^ friend T. C. Thurlow, of West Xewbury, Mass., I was much im- pressed with a graceful and beautiful weeping willow, and I asked him what it was ... It was one of the most stately and beautiful weepers that I ever saw. The question arose whether it would be hard}- at the West. I se- cured some cuttings. The first winter they killed back a little, as most young trees will. The3' went through the next winter without the loss of a bud. One feature surprised me, and that was the rapidity of growth. " I have some eight or ten varieties of Pop- lar—supposed to be the thriftiest of trees, but this willow beat them all. I have had them make six and seven feet the first year. There is one striking peculiarity about them ; the bodies and twigs are of the deepest and richest green in winter, making a cheerful contrast with the dull gray of other trees. The general "habit of the tree is something like the Cut- leaved Weeping Birch, though of a more thrift}- growth, and of a more decided drooping habit. Some noted horticulturists visited the tree, but could not name it, and so we deemed that it must be a sport and we called it the Thurlow Weeper." Syringa oblata. — This new lilac, Syringa oblata, is a native of China, but has but re- cently been introduced into American nur- series. Its blossoms, and indeed its whole ap- pearance, including its fragrance, remind one of the common Siberian lilac of our old gar- dens. It is earlier in flower. Near Philadel- phia, the children always look forward to lilacs for jMay-day. They were disappointed this year. At this writing. May 4th, the}- are not open. Syringa oblata, or Chinese lilac, has been open for a week. THE BH/^IKIDjY rLOWEl <^^I^^ElNi. Natural Bouquets. — There are some hardy flowers produced in large panicles, making in themselves a well-formed bouquet, one of the finest of which is the Hclcninvi. The huge bunch of flowers produced on a single stem will occupy most ordinary size vases and make a handsome display. These stems may vary from 4 to 6 feet in length, and are very stiff, capable of bearing the^ head of flowers per- fectly. Their use for decorations is apparent. The flowers are long-lasting. Aster Tataricns also makes very large panicles on stout stems ; Aster Novce-Anglicr is likewise useful, and the color perhaps better for that purpose. Some varieties of the tall perennial Phlox produce pretty large panicles. Among trees and shrubs there are few with extremely large panicles suitable for decorations. The Japanese Hy- drangea is perhaps the best of all, and to secure large heads there must be strong, vig- orous growth, encouraged by close pruning in the winter. Spotted Archangel. — In the old-fashioned gardens one of the most welcome of spring flowers was the Laviium maadatum, or the Spotted Archangel, as the old folks termed it. The leaves have a white spot down the centre of the leaf, which gives it both the scientific name maculate and the common. It remains continuously in bloom from the first awaken- ing of the flowers till past midsummer, though the later flowers on the spike are not so attrac- tive as the earlier ones. It grows well in the herbaceous border, either in sun or shade, though rather preferring the latter in our country. Desmodium penduliflorum. — There seems to be some difference of opinion as to whether or not this plant and Lespedcza bicolor are one and the same, and for the benefit of many of your readers, I will give my experi- ence in regard to them. Three years ago, a plant oi Lespedcza bicolor was purchased, and on its blooming we found that one of our old friends of the garden had appeared under a new name as Dcsmoditan pejidrdifloriim. The plant in our collection was exactly similar in the minutest detail. The plant has been on this place for fifteen years, at least. I do not see the white variety offered, although we have both, and think the white very beautiful. It increases very rapidly, indeed, and is a very nice companion to the purple variety. It is hardy without any protection here, and, I have io8 MEEHANS MONTHLY — GENERAL GARDENING. [July no doubt, further north than this, provided it be given a light, well-drained soil. Planted in an open space and supported by rings of wire, it makes an elegant subject. It is cut to the ground every year by frost, as most perennials are, and is a little late starting to grow. To- day (May 24th) it is two feet high, and has twent)' growths, which mean a thing of beauty in the early fall. All who possess the purple variety should, if possible, procure the white. The white, especially, is beautiful for cut- flowers. This proof of ours, by trial of both plants, ought to establish the fact that Lespe- deza bicolor and Desmodiuni penduliflorrini are one and the same plant. I have since noticed, in Henderson's Hand- book, that, when introduced from Japan, it was first distributed as Desmodiuni pendulijiorjim. Rahway, N. J. A. P. This was a case of mistaken identit}-, — and is not to be classed with the changes of name, now so common, in order to do honor to some obscure botanist. The plant is a true Lespe- deza, and not a Desmodiuni, as the German botanists thought, who first got hold of it. It has been so widely distributed by nurserymen under the erroneous name that it has been found difficult to make the correction. Profits from Strawberries. — It is said that a person with a small garden at Manhat- tan, Kansas, set out 1,025 strawberr3^ plants, and sold the products, keeping an account of receipts and expenditures. These plants occu- pied one-sixth of an acre. On this it is official- ly announced that in Kansas, strawberry grow- ing will net the cultivator S796 an acre clear of everything. One might readily show, by taking a square yard instead of a larger tract, that very much more than that could be obtained " per acre," yet it is safe to say that no one ever has, or ever will realize a clear profit of S796 per acre from strawberries. Cranberry Growinc;. — Cranberry growing, in Nova Scotia, is said to be profitable when free from insect attacks ; but these, of late, have been so numerous and troublesome, that the profits of cranberry culture there are said to be precarious. A L.A.DDER for Fruit-Picking. — Anyone who has done much picking of fruit from large trees, using an ordinary ladder, knows how in- convenient a thing it is to handle in moving it around to various portions of the tree. The long top round makes a breadth which, with the two projecting points — the ends of the side strips — makes an awkw^ard thing to thrust in amongst the branches. The best style of lad- der is that which brings the top up into a decided point, which is easily placed anywhere amongst the branches, and quickly. But if in- stead of a finished point it simply runs to a short round, — say four inches long, — it will not be very awkward to handle, and will enable its being placed more securely against limbs running more or less perpendicular. Asparagus. — Among the simple facts of gardening, the most widely know is the one that healthy leaves are essential to the growth of plants. If a plant be deprived of its leaves as the}' push out during a whole growing season, that plant \\\W surely die. This ques- tion often comes in when the proper manage- ment of an asparagus bed is considered. If we cut every sprout as fast as it appeared to the end of the year, there would be little growth the season following. The rule is to cut everj'thing as it appears up to about mid- summer, or up to what one might term the end of the asparagus season, and then let the sprouts that follow go on and make foliage for the strengthening of the plant. Much, how- ever, will depend on the strength of the plants themselves. The younger and weaker the plants, the longer should be the later season in which they are to be allowed to enjoy the benefits of strengthening foliage. Scraping the Old B.\rk of Fruit Trees. — Trees have no more use for old bark than for old leaves. In every healthy tree, nature pro- vides means for getting rid of it, but these are not always as active as they should be, and art has to help where nature fails. Hide- bound trees, and scaly-barked trees, must be assisted by washes, and by scraping where the old bark is scaly and does not pass freely away. This is the plan for temporaiy relief But a per- manent care is by liberal manuring. A tree in prime vigor will take care of its own use- less bark. 1900] MEEHANS' MONTHLY — GENERAL GARDENING. 109 Sweet Celery. — Mr. N. J. Johnson tells the South ]Minnesota Horticultural Society, that it is not so much the bleaching process that takes the bitterness out of celer}-, of which so man}- complain. What the celerj- plant re- quires, to have it nutt}- and crisp, is a rapid growth in aiitumn. To secure this, the plant must have an abundance of manure and plentj' of moisture. With this, he has good crops from double rows, with the plants six inches apart, and side-boards instead of earth for blanching. To Get Rid of Tent Caterpillars. — Prof. Greene, of the Experiment Station, Minnesota, sa3's : — " The Tent Caterpillar has occasionally been somewhat injurious in our orchards, but a little attention has prevented our having an3' serious trouble from this cause. Our best remed}' has been the destroying of the egg clusters, which may be easily seen in the branches in winter and earl}' spring, and in gathering the worms in their tents as soon as the}' hatch out. It should be generallj- under- stood by our people that a dozen apple trees well planted and cared for will produce more fruit and be far more satisfactory than a large number of trees set out in the ordinary, neg- lectful wa)'. " their packages, evidently the gage of morality differs among people. In quite another tone, another speaker at the same gathering advo- cated the desirability of putting up fruit in the most attractive manner, but absolutely uniform as to quality and grade. It is that which makes Californian fruit saleable in Eastern markets, and bj' no means its qualit}'. This careful method of handling is of no use unless the consignments from a grower be individual- ized by a seal or brand, through which the consumer may learn that fruit from that grower is to be relied upon. There would be waste in sorting out inferior fruit, — though, kept sepa- rate, some disposition could be made of it with a smaller monetary return ; while the higher graded fruit should bring more mone}'. It is with the same idea of raising the standard of his fruit, and increasing its value, that the in- telligent grower of peaches and plums finds it advantageous to thin out the fruit on an over- loaded ti'ee, rather than use props and get more but inferior fruit. Where a certain grow- er's fruit can be recognized and can be depend- ed on to te first-class throughout, or at least uniform from the top of the package to the bottom, the consumer should show his appre- ciation of a desire to give good service, by bestowing his patronage on that person. Fruit-Packing from Several Standpoints. ■ — What makes it necessary that almost ever}' house-keeper, in buying packages of fruit, should find it necessary to have a package tilted up for view of the contents towards its centre ? Simply to see that it corresponds with those on top, — an indication that the fruit-packer is inclined to deceptive methods. That a large majority of fruit packages are " topped" with specimens superior to what will be found further on, will be generally acknowledged. It is not always the fault of the fruit-grower ; it may be done by the commission-man, the store-keeper or the huckster. Is it not deplor- able that honesty and fair-dealing cannot be extended to the handling of fruit as it is in other lines of trade ? Or is it that some do not consider it dishonest or unfair to display what is practically a sample of fruit and then deliver something more or less inferior ? Judg- ing by the remark of a commission merchant made before the State Horticultural Associa- tion, where he advised fruit-growers to " top" Improved Cuban Queen Watermelon. — The old Cuban Queen Watermelon has long been recognized as the leading shipping and com- mercial melon of the country. I have a sport of this melon that far supercedes the old Cuban Queen. The new melon is the wonder and admiration of all who see it, as it is a third larger than the old variety ; and for sweetness and delicious flavor it stands unrivalled. In fact, melon growers of varied experience pro- nounce it the greatest watermelon ever grown. Single vines perfect from six to eight melons, averaging in weight from 75 to 120 pounds. The seeds of this melon are brown. The flesh is the most vivid crimson red, melting and sugary. These melons are the greatest shippers known, also marvelous keepers. The vines are rampant, vigorous growers, and very healthy. This is the melon for the millions, as it succeeds on all soils. I have tried all melons as fast as they origin- ated, and were disseminated ; but none equals this new melon. vS. L. Watkins. BIOGRAPHY AND LITERATURE. THE INSPIRATION OF NATURE. " I drank sweet draughts from the perennial springs Where, by the sylvan Neckar's castled hills, The Mnses with their melodies preside Over immortal fountains, — and entranced I floated down the wa^'s of storied streams, — Mused 'mid the ruins of a b3'gone age." Howard Worcester Gilbert. The Concord Grape ; Memorial to its Originator. — In one of the early numbers of Meehans" ^Ionthlv, Dr. Lamborn suggested that the nation owed a debt of gratitude to the raiser of the Concord grape, and he was ready to aid if some one near-by would undertake it. Subsequenth' to this, in 1893, as we learn from the Country Gentleman, Mrs. Daniel Lothrop, a neighbor, bought the little homestead and the 1 2-acre plot surrounding, on which the grape from the wild seed was raised, for the purpose of keeping it for ever as a memorial. Mr. Ephraim W'. Bull died there on the 26th of March, 1895. Mrs. Lothrop has now put the place in thorough repair, along all its original lines. In one of the rooms is a tablet with Mr. Bull's own account of the origin of the grape, and everything is done to preserve the house and the old grape-vine. Pleased as all will be that the memorial to the greatest event that has occurred in the historj' of American grape culture, has at length been secured, — one must not forget to honor the lady, 'Mrs. Lothrop, for the happy manner in which she has accomplished what was so widely desired. Plant Mythology. — The Greeks and Romans of ancient times are not the only people who have curious, mythological stories' about the origin of flowers. Scandinavian literature abounds with these pretty' tales. Even our Indians had their say, in like man- ner, about these things. Among some of the Canadian aborigines, pines and cedars origin- ated from strong men who were ])lanted by their feet in the ground, and branches grew (no) out from their bodies, in response to wishes to live forever. It is singular that similar stories about the origin of evergreens have prevailed among ancient man in many isolated points. The "tree of life" in Babylonian history was undoubtedly the Cedar of Lebanon, — and the Deodar Cedar, a close relation of the Lebanon Cedar, is the "tree of life " of the ancient Hindoos. The Pinxter Flower. — In the June Monthly, in connection with the Swamp Azalea, Azalea viscosa, 3'ou speak of it as the "Pinxter bloom" of the Hollanders about New York, on authority' of Governor Colden, and that Britton and Brown are wrong in giving the name to the Azalea nudijlora. As a Hollander by descent, and knowing from my ancestors for a centurj^ back, I wish to say — 1st. I have never known or heard oi Azalea viscosa being called " Pinxter bloom." 2d. I have always heard the name applied by the Dutch descendants to Azalea nudiflora. 3d. The name it is called by now is gener- ally "Pinxter blossom" or "flower," the "bloom" being an anglicism of the Dutch word ' ' blume, ' ' meaning flower. I wish to add, also, the following : — 1st. I do not know that the Dutch ever dress the "postulants" in "long flowing, white robes," when received in baptism. My an- cestors have for centuries been in the Dutch Church, and I am a clerg3mian in the church, and I never heard of it. The custom of wear- ing white, at least around here, is German — never Dutch. 2d. Easter is the first Sunday after first full moon, after the spring equinox, I believe. It ma}' varj^ from about March 23d to April 24th. Pentecost is fifty days after, or from about May 12th to about June 13th. 3d. After many 3'ears collecting, I can say Azalea viscosa is on Long Island rarely in bloom before June 15th. The time for Azalea niidiflora is from about ^Ma}' 15th to -May 30th. Two years ago it was in fair shape on Decora- I goo] MEEHANS' MONTHLY — BIOGRAPHY AND LITERATURE. tion Day. This year it was earlier. So z'iscosa is never in bloom for the latest Pinxter, and nudiflora comes about the midst of the season. Brooklyn, NY. GEO. D. HULST. The Hardy Orange. — Nurserymen find it impossible to follow botanists in their con- tinual changing of plant-names. When a plant has been extensively known under a certain designation that has been acquiesced in by botanists, to be told that botanists have heretofore blundered and the name must, there- fore, be changed, means a commercial loss to them. If the nurseryman adopts the new name, he has to advertise all over again to let his customers know that the new name is no new thing. But even then there is no assur- ance that the corrected name will not be again corrected. A recent illustration of this refers to the hardy orange. Linnaeus first thought it a genuine member of the orange family, and described it as Citrus trifoliata. De Candolle thought Linnseus wrong, and removed it to another genus, y'Egle, and describes it as yEgle sepiaria. Index Kewensis ^o^s not suetain this view, and it appears there under the Liunaen name with that of De Candolle as a synonym. Now conies the Gardeners" Chronicle, of April 2Sth, with a note by Mr. Nicholson, the curator of Kew, in which the name of ^-Egle sepiaria is again revived for our former hardy ' 'orange. ' ' When two high authorities, both in Kew Gar- dens, disagree as to the legitimate name, what is the unfortunate nurserj^man to do ? Our Native Grapes. — Bulletin No. 56, Col- lege Agricultural Station, Brazos County, Tex., is devoted to an account of the experiments on the INIunson Experiment Grounds, at Denison, Tex., and is a valuable contribution to the history of American grape culture. Travels of the Weeping W^illow. — The following paragraph is floating through the great sea of the public press : — " It is stated that the first willow trees in Philadelphia (which grew on the sight of the Custom House) resulted from an accidental discovery on the part of Benjamin Franklin, who found a wicker basket, which had been thrown into a damp place, sprouting. He felt much interested, and gave some of the cut- tings to Charles Morris, who i)lante(l them on his place. The stalks took root readily and thrived, and a number of willow trees resulted." It is stories like this that throw a shadow on all history. No "wicker" basket was ever made of the weeping willow. The twigs can be as easily broken as glass, and are wholly unfit for wicker work. The original weeping willow came to Hamp- ton Court, P^ngland, — but not in the shape of an old willow basket found on the Thames. Fairmount P.ark (Philadelphia) Art As- sociation : Twenty-eighth Annu.al Report. — This gives an account of what has been done for the beautifying of this great pleasure ground during the past year. The chief regret, while reading is, that landscape gardening, as one of the fine arts, seems wholly ignored, — and the beautiful objects the association has secured, are often placed in the most incongru- ous situations, until the park is fast taking on the aspect of a cemetery, in which architec- tural adornment is the chief consideration. Mrs. Martha Logan's Treatise on Gar- dening.— In Prof. Bailey's History of Ameri- can Gardening, he gives credit to Mrs. Martha Logan's fine grounds near Charleston, and a good treatise by the lady as among the earliest contributions to American gardening. Never having seen the work, the conductors made inquiry of several subscribers to the magazine in that quarter. One writes : ' ' There is no record of Mrs. Logan's book ever having been in the library. General Logan says it was only a pamphlet, and though it was thought highly of at the time of its publication, he does not know of a copy to be found now." Native Trees of Rhode Island. — A separate pamphlet from the annual report for 1899, of the Rhode Island State Board of Agri- culture, has been published, giving an account with illustrations of the native trees of Rhode Island, by Levi W. Russell, of Providence. The pictures show some oaks to be far more beautiful when they can get a chance to grow isolated. The Black Jack Oak, Quercns nigra, as here exhibited, and as we have sometimes seen them, makes as handsome a plant as the famous Southern Magnolia. GENERAL NOTES. Origin of Greenhouses. — Mr. Wm. Wat- son, of Kew, sa5's that the first greenhouse erected in England, was in the Apothecaries' •Garden, at Chelsea, in 1684. It merel}' had glass sides, and was heated by a kind of oven. In 1717, a glass-roofed house was built b}' the Duke of Rutland, at Belvoir Castle, for foreign grapes, heated b\' furnaces placed under the floor of the house. Steam was first used in 1788 ; and hot water, soon afterwards, was applied to a small house in the Jardin des Plantes, at Paris. Mushrooms — The False Orange. — Mr. Joannes Chatin has presented to the Academy of Medicine, in the name of Dr. Dantec, mem- ber of the Bordeaux Facult}- of the Nav}', a very interesting work about the false orange, Ania7iita muscaria. It is known that of all mushrooms that have ■caused the most accidents in France, 90 per cent, are imputable to this species. Mr. Le Dantec has thoroughlj' taken up the study, analj^zed the principal factor {imiscariiic) by a new process, ascertaining it to be a poison for the heart, and showing, by a long series of experiments, that atropine is the best antidote for opposing it. From LyoH-Horticole. Name of the Red Sea. — The Red Sea is so-called from its color. This color is said to be owing to the presence, in immense quanti- ties, of a microscopic water weed, named Tri- £hodes7nJu m eryth rceii m . Honey. — It is a notorious fact that pure white Clover Honej', is a scarce commodit}' in the market. Much honey that is sold as such is a preparation of glucose. It is pronounced to be as .good as honej', and in this waj- the seared conscience is salved over. But the con- science is not seared by the thought that as much is asked for cheap glucose as the honest man receives for the genuine article. To sell glucose for honey, at honey prices, is fraud. There are abundant laws against such frauds ; (112) but there is no provision made for executing the law. In all large communities there should be established a department especi- all}- charged with the execution of laws. At present, little is done unless some citizen or organization complains. It costs a fortune for an}' one person to get justice in most cases. New Varieties of Grain. — A cable dis- patch to the New York Szen, notes as some- thing wonderful that, on the experimental farm of the Earl of Winchilsea, new varieties of grain have been raised by crossing. Rais- ing new varieties in this way is not a novelt}'. But the Earl deserves credit for doing so much in the line as he has done. It is one of the surprises that more is not done in the wa}' of raising new fruits, vegetables and grains by crossing varieties, than b}- the usual eas3'-go- easj' course of watching for accidental sports. When we remember the wonderful results achieved by Rogers and Jacob INIoore, nearlj' a generation ago, with the artificial crossing of the native and foreign grape, one might reason- abl}' hope for more laborers in this promising field. American Forestry. — The town of Bruns- wick, Maine, owns one thousand acres of land, which the}' will plant in white pine as a public investment. Snowberry. — A correspondent of the Lon- don Gardeners' Chroiiicle would transfer the name of Snowberr}' to Chiogeues serpyllifolia, and says: — "It has also been described by different botanists under the various names of Vaccinium, Arbutus, Gaultheria, and Oxycoc- cus ; it seems to have a much stronger and more valid claim to the English name at the head of this note than the shrub which now bears it, Syynphoricarpus racemosus, as it flowers and fruits in its native countrj' soon after the melting of the snow ; and its fruit is pure white. ' ' Voi..X Plate 8, NELUMBIUM LUTEUM. WATER CHINQUAPIN. NATURAL ORDER, NYMPHACE^E. Nelumbidm LUTEUM, Willdcuow.- CoroUa pale yellow,— anthers tipped with a slender hooked appendage. Leaves usually raised high out of the water, circular in outline, with the centre depressed or cupped, one to two feet in diameter. Flower five to ten inches broad. Tubers farinaceous and edible. Seeds also edible. Embryo like that of A^jw/J/ztra on a large scale. Cotyledons thick and fleshy, enclosing a plumule of one or two well formed young leaves, enclosed in a delicate stipula-like sheath. Gray's Manual of the Botany of the Not them United States. See also Chapman's Flora of the Southern United States, Wood's Class-book of Botany, and Britten and Brown's Illustrated F'.ora of the Northern United States, Canada and the British Possessions, under the name of Nelumbo Nelumbo. The Sacred Lotus, Nelumbium speciosiim, lias a famous place in history. In our times, flow- ers are prominent incidents in festivals, — in the long past, they seem to have been the essential features, especially in religious cere- monies. In this class appears the Neltunbiuni, or, as it is often called, the Lotus or Sacred Bean, especially among the Asiatic races. The American Nehimbiiim, herewith illustrated, is practically the same as the Asiatic species, the only difference is that in the American there is a small appendage at the apex of the stamen. In color, the American is yellow, rarely white, — the Asiatic is rose color, or occasionally white or bluish. So far as the American spe- cies is concerned, there seems to have been no special reverence in regard to it by the ab- origines. The roots very much resembling sweet potatoes, and the acorn-like seeds, being in request for food, — and the dried seed vessels serving as rattles for the papooses. The two allied species go very often under the style of the Sacred Bean or Lotus of the Nile, — but this is a mistake. The Nymphcea Lotus is the Lily of the Nile, though the Sacred Bean of India, the Nelumbium, appears to have been introduced to the famous river of Egypt, and to have been somewhat common in the days of Egypt's greatness, though it has seem- ingly disappeared in modern times. It must be confessed that the true Nelum- bium may have been indigeneus to Egypt, if we rely on the histories of the manners and customs of the people as reported to us. We are told that the lotus was a favorite flower in making wreaths, and that at social gatherings a lotus was the favorite flower to present to guests, as a rose or carnation would be to-day. Further, we are told that necklaces of lotus flowers were marks of distinguished honor, — and that garlands or head-dresses of flowers were so arranged that a single lotus bud or full blown flower hung in the centre of the fore- head. Sir G. Williamson, regarded as an authority on Egyptology, says that vases filled with lotus blossoms were the special preroga-* tive of the master of the house. Accepting these statements as correct, they must refer to the Nelumbium, as the transitory nature of Nymphcea flowers would unfit them for serving such purposes. The name Nelumbium is derived from the vernacular East Indian name, ''Nelumbo.^' Indeed, the earlier botanists adopted the name for the genus ; but with the reorganization of botany, in the times of Linnaeus and Jussieu, it was thought desirable, as far as possible, to reduce to Latin form all generic names, and so the la.st-named distinguished botani,st rendered Nelumbo, Nelumbium. This was generally ac- cepted, and Willdenow, another famous author, describes our plant as Nelumbium luteum. In describing the genus, he remarks that Nelum- bium differs from Nymphcea — otir common water-lily — in the numerous pistils, sitting with their fruit on the receptacle, showing in this some affinity with the strawberry. Aside from the size of the flowers, and gen- eral peculiarities, there is little of beauty to awaken enthusiasm in the lotus. Percival makes his Frenchman prefer a humbler com- petitor for human affection : — (113) 114 MEEHANS' MONTHLY — NELUMBIUM LUTEUM. [Aug. ' ' I ask no deep-encrimsoned flower From India's never-fading bower ; No lotus, where it closeh' weaves The Ganges with its azure leaves ; I ask no pensive bud of woe, That gives the night its wreath of snow ; All these may have a charm, — but 3'et Th}- charm is more. Sweet IMignonette. " Even its life-historj' is almost a blank chapter. WTien Longfellow, in Evangeline, chants : — "Thus 'ere another noon, thej- emerged from the shades ; and before them Laj% in the golden sun, the lakes of the Atchafalaya. Water-lilies in mj'riads rocked on the slight undulations ^lade b^- the passing oars, and, resplendent in beaut}', the lotus Lifted her golden crown above the heads of the boatmen." No one has been able to say with certainty that the lotus never lifts its crown so high. Prof. Porter, however, on a visit to a locality for the flower in Sussex County, N. J., in 1878, did venture the remark, from what he saw there, that Longfellow had committed a practi- cal exaggeration pardonable in a poet. And yet it has been before the lover of flowers longer than most of the natives of our coun- tr3'. Leonard Plukenet, in his "Phyto- graphia," piiblished in 1691, gives a good figure of it, and describes it as the nut-bearing Ny^nphcea of Virginia, with large flowers of a pale 3'ellow, — tfiis, no doubt, from some draw- ing furnished him. It is credited as being introduced to British gardens in 1810 ; but, up to 1824, Sir William Hooker had never seen it, as the author notes hy an autograph letter addressed to Zaccheus Collins, Vice-President of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Phila- delphia. Growing near Philadelphia, he asks Mr. Collins to send him some. So early as 1750, we find Peter Collinson reminding John Bartram that the "Faba A^gyptica " had been found near Philadelphia hy Peter Kalm, and asks Bartram to send him some. In 1760, he scolds Bartram. " This reminds me," he says, " of the elegant species of water-lily that is in the Jersey's. Does it occupj^ such a depth of water that the roots can't be come at ? Thou art ambitious of plants from us : but here is the most charming plant of Asia, including China and Eg3'pt, in th}' neighborhood ; and 5'et so little is th3' curiosit3', or industr3-, that thou canst not avail th3'self of so great a curi- osit3'. Thou that hast springs in th3' garden to make a pond for its reception, or a river close b3'', if more proper for its culture. Prithee, John, nevermore let me reproach th3- want of taste or curiosity in this article. If I was in th3' place, I should spare no pains or expense to be possessed of a curiosit3' that none in th3' province could boast of besides th3'self ; which thou art ambitious of in other plants in no comparison so charming when in flower." Until Kalm found it at Philadelphia, Collinson sa3\s, it was onl}' known as from Carolina. During the latter part of the cen- tur3' just closed, botanical literature teems with notices of locations discovered in man3'^ parts of the seaboard States of the Union, and of Canada. In a letter to the author, dated August, 1878, in speaking of the discover3' of the plant in Lake Calumet, Mrs. E. M. Brackett, of Chicago, graphicalh' describes the seed-vessel as "re- sembling the rose of a water- pot," and had been informed by one versed in Egyptian his- tor3', that the Nelnmbium was artificially culti- vated in the Nile, in the early ages, b3' putting a seed within a ball of clay, and dropping the ball in the river where a plant was desirable. In regard to culture, some interesting facts were contributed to the America?i Naturalist, ninth volume. In 1872, seeds were sown in an aquarium. Only one germinated that year, — the others did not grow till four 3'ears and a half later. The remarkable fact was that the seed came to the surface to sprout, then sank to the bottom, from which it sent up petioles and leaves, but no root down into the mud at that time. Something of this sort is recorded b3' Dr. W. C. P. Barton, in his Flora of America, in 1822. He describes the seeds as viviparoiis, sprouting in the receptacle, which he sa3's breaks off at the summit of the peduncle, and then floats awa3\ and in this wa3' the plants are widel3' distributed over the lakes or ponds where the3' grow. After sprout- ing, the3' drop in the mud. Explanation or the Plate. — i. Miniature sketch, taken by the artist, Mr. Alois Lunzer, at Woodstown, N. J., for Messrs. Praug, showing all conditions of the growing plant. 2. Full-sized bud ready for expansion. 3. Torus, from a flower about to fade, with the stigmas in receptive condition. 4. Stamen, showing the peculiar appendage at the summit of the anther, distinguishing the American from the Asiatic species. 5. Torus, nearly mature, showing by the ridges that it is composed of a number of consolidated carpels. WILD FLOWERS AND NATURE. THE WALKING FERN, " Down the rock comes the walking fern, There stands in the pool the listening hern, And even the gaudy butterfly Pauses awhile as she flaunteth by, And a lesson to all unconsciously gives, Through the useless and frivolous life she lives. ' ' Howard Worcester Gilbert. Identification of Osmunda regalis. — The fern sent the conductors, from Long Island, for identification, proves to be Osmunda regalis, the beautiful King Fern. It is a water-loving plant, and at home may be seen growing to a height of five feet. Though the fronds are delicate, it transplants readily. Nelumbium luteum. — Regarding Nelum- biuni luteum, it may be further noted that a singular fact in the life-history of the plant is related by Charles F. Cox, in the Americati Monthly Microscopical Journal for i8So. Hairs are found in the hollow spaces of the petiole in the NymphcEas, but not in the Nelumbium. This may be owing to the man- ner in which the petiole is formed. A petiole, morphologically, is but the uncoiled leaf-blade. Whether it is incurved or recurved in the for- mation would tend to include or exclude the hair. In Vol. 7 of the Bulletin of the Torrey Botanical Club, I\Ir. H. H. Rusbj' notes that the leaves look like two long rolls before the expansion of the blade. It wo«ld appear from this that the condition was incurved. The seeds are about the size of the Chinqua- pin, and from this the plant has received the name of Water Chinquapin, in America. They, however, more nearly resemble the acorns of the Pin Oak. Wild ducks are verj^ fond of them. Mr. L. B. Case, in the "Botanical Index," describes the sweet-potato-like roots as having a number of hollow spaces, running longitud- inalh' with the tuber, and that when cut across the tubers exude a large amount of milk}' juice. The farinaceous matter is very abundant. There are no buds on the tubers, — growth takes place from the junction of the tuber with the main stem, as in the dahlia, — and the failure of the plant to grow when removed is probably due to the oversight of this fact. Honey Guides in the Dark. — There is a hypothesis, though scarcely satisfactory to some thinkers, that certain color-spots or lines in flowers are provided as guides to the nectaries of honey-secreting flowers, in favor of insect visitors. But the arguments against this are often as weak as those in favor there- of. For instance, it has been asked how the night-flying insects make use of honey-lines in the dark ! But surely nocturnal insects are supposed to see as clearly by night, as the diurnals do b}^ day. Cave Plants. — I remember reading, in Mrs. Ketchum's " Botany," that certain translucent ferns are found growing in limestone caves in Florida. I cannot now recall the name of the species. G. Wanderings of Plants. — Plants, like ani- mals, are continually wandering to fresh fields and pastures new. Prof. Kellerman finds that of the present fiora of Ohio, no less than 430 are immigrants. Almost all are from Europe. Symbiosis. — A recent inquiry, in regard to a root fungus being essential to the healthful growth of the heather, has attracted the atten- tion of our readers. The Journal oj the New York Botanic Garden states that mycorhiza — root fungi — are found in connection with all orchids. The fungus prepares the food for the orchid, — and the orchid returns to the fungus starch and sugar, on which its growth depends. Hornets' Nests. — Many years ago, the writer of this made a communication, to the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia, noting that, in the preparation of the paper for their nests, the hornets chewed up the bark (115) ii6 MEEHANS' MONTHLY — WILD FLOWERS AND NATURE. [Aug. of the ash tree. Since that time, no other tree, in the same vicinity, seems to have been used for that purpose. There must be hornets in some places where there are no ash trees, — and it would be well to know what tree is used in these cases. There is a good chance here for watchful observation. The Indian Ground-nut. — Photography can be easily learned. Anyone can take a snap-shot of some object. But the true artist is rare among the camera fraternity. We have pleasure in presenting to the reader a repre- nial conditions are more numerous and capable of closer investigation. Yet there are frequent instances of remarkable variations from usual forms in the animal world. In Germantown, near Philadelphia, a Mr. Bichy, a druggist, had a fondness for raising tadpoles in an aquarium, and watching their development to frogs. One tadpole, a few years ago, did not shed its tail, as it usually does. Not having lost it at the usual period, it continued as a caudal append- age the whole of the creature's life — five years. It grew to the usual size of these creatures, — but, while the hind pair of legs developed as THE INDIAN GRO U N D- N UT— A PIOS TUBEROSA. sentation of the Indian Ground-nut, taken from a photo by Mr. C. E. Pleas, of Chipley, Florida. The plant was selected from a group at St. Andrews Bay, Fla. No more accurate representation of the Apios tuberosa has ever appeared, — while as a picture, merely, it will commend itself to the lover o( art, though he may not know a bean from a butterfly. The photograph was taken during a rain. Modifications in Plants and Animals. — Botany has an advantage over zoology in the discussion of matters connected with varia- tions, in this that aberrations from the nor- usual in frogs, no forelegs ever appeared. The head continued in tadpole form, except that the lower part became loose and fluffy, as in frog-life. A fact like this would indicate to some of the modern schools of philosophy an argument in favor of progressive development as to the origin of the varioiis species of plants and animals. To another class it would seem that species might originate by a suppression of energy in some directions, and an enlarged effort in another, but affords no evidence of the origination of any new organ, such as many modern scientists understand by evolution. GENERAL GARDENING. THE MIGNONETTE. The rose may sparkle in the morn, And blush and brighten on its thorn ; The gaudy tulip proudly spread Its glories o'er the enamelled bed ; The iris imitate the bow, That sunbeams on a tempest throw ; All these ma}- shine around, — but 3"et I love my darling mignonette. Percival. Myrobalan Plum for Hedges. — Regarding 5'our notes, in the June issue of the Monthly, on the M5'robalan Plum as a hedge plant, I would saj' that such a hedge fence has been tried here. It was planted in 1893, and has for the last four years been a beautiful hedge, pruned to a height of some 5 feet. It makes- a splendid hedge fence, as no one — or even stock — will attempt to go through it. It re- sponds well to pruning, and, so far as the writer has seen, has never been troubled with the plum borer ; but alas, the San Jose Scale has proved a w'orse enemy to contend with here, and where there is any danger of the hedge being infested with this pest, I have no hesitation in sa5ung that the Myrobalan Plum will prove a grand failure. Greenwich, Conn. JOHX W. DUNCAN. Camphor Tree and Hardy Fuchsia. — On page 103 I notice you speak (or your corres- pondent, G. N. Carruthers), of the cold having killed the Camphor tree at New Orleans. One year ago last February, I planted one at Veron, Onslow Co., N. C, and, visiting there last February', found it had not only grown, but had made a growth of more than 2 ft. 10 in. high. When set out, it had grown at least to a height of from 2)A to 3 ft., freely branched, not a twig or leaf blighted or harmed, and of course in full leaf looks much like a young wild cherrj-. We had frosL of 12° below freez- ing for two or three days. The last two nights I covered it with thin muslin. The leaves looked frozen, hanging down, but did not seem in the least harmed two weeks afterwards. As 3^011 state, China Tree seems quite at home there. Hardj' Fuchsias, on page 104 : — Some twenty years ago, I visited my mother's birth-place on Loch Awe, Argyleshire, Scotland. By a wall, on the old farm, facing east, was a plant growing along some 20 or 30 ft. , 5 to 6 ft. tall, covered with small red buds, which attracted my attention. On examination, I found it to be a fuchsia with very small flowers. I after- wards found it was used as a hedge plant, occasionally, or screen. ^ I have two lespedezas growing finely, con- sidering seashore and other conditions. West End, N. J EWEN McInTYRE. Rose, Crimson Rambler. — The London Gardeners' Chronicle notes a plant of the Crim- son Rambler, at Bicton, that had about 700 clusters of flowers on it at one time. This was far surpassed by a Philadelphia specimen the past season, which had 9,600 flowers. L/Elia majalis. — That fine orchid, the most beautiful of all laelias, L. majalis, has just bloomed here, and indeed no words can over- praise its beauty. This plant is found very hard to flower in most collections, but I think probably, in many instances, the failure to flower it arises from the failure to procure a strong plant to start with. No trouble at all was experienced in the flowering of the plant in the collection here. Its main requisites are : First, perfectly clean potting material, which should be peat ovAy. It may be top-dressed neatly with living sphagnum moss, which greatly improves its appearance. Secondly, plenty of light, but no sun ; water only enough in winter to keep bulbs plump and a night tem- perature of about 45° to 50° during winter, in- creasing to 55° during the early spring. Day temperature 10° to 15° higher. As growth ad- vances, increase water supply, and once in ten days give the plant liquid manure, as a strong growth is imperative to the production of a (117) iiS MEEHANS' MONTHLY— GENERAL GARDENING. [Aug. flower. It flowers with the young growth ; and those who follow treatment given will be rewarded with a flower when once seen is not soon forgotten. Its beautiful lilac-rose petals and sepals, and its beautiful three-lobed lip, white inside, striped magenta-purple, will be a source of great pleasure to behold. The plant here was grown (as it always should be) in a basket suspended about a foot from the glass. Rahway, N. J. A. P. Landscape Planting. — One of the leading points in the skill of a landscape gardener, haps unwise to do so, even though possible, — but the method of planting on these grounds seems to throw that boundary farther away than it really is. It is a pleasure to commend these illustrations of landscape gardening as the fine art it should really be. Birch Tree Borer. — A correspondent says that birch trees all over the country are dying, even trees fifty years old seem to die in a few weeks during summer. He sends a sample of the leaves that are turning yellow to note what is the matter. Nothing was found the matter GROUNDS OF JAMES M. ELWELL, BROOKLYN, N. Y. is to plant so that the area of the grounds will appear larger than it is. It is a rare art, for in many plots supposed to be well laid out, as the term is, the result is to contract rather than to enlarge the apparent space. An illus- tration of the correct idea of planting appears in a photograph before us, of a scene in the garden of Mr. James Ell well, now deceased, of Brooklyn, N. Y. It is very difficult to apply this great principle in landscape gardening on a small suburban plot, or (we might almost say) a city yard. It would be impossible, in this case, to conceal the boundary' fence, and per- with the leaves, but if the correspondent had thought to split the twigs he would have found them but shells, a boring maggot having cleaned out the whole centre. If the whole tree is perforated in that waj', even fifty years of age could not save it. Honey Aphis. — The large honey aphis has been unusually abundant this year, and has afforded the newspaper reporters in Chicago, and other large cities, the opportunity of get- ting off smart paragraphs about a ' ' new and wonderful bug." The honey' aphis really is 1900] MEEHANS' MONTHLY — GENERAL GARDENING. 119 not so serious an enemy as its smaller rela- tives, as it sucks from the bark, and not from the veins of young leaves, — biit they have a disgusting appearance on the branches of the trees. Hardy Evergreens. — When in search of evergreens particularly hardy and yet very choice, do not overlook the Colorado Blue Spruce. This native inhabitant of the Rocky Mountains endures the very coldest tempera- tures, and when well established will make one of the prettiest decorative evergreens, in color and form, that can be desired. It grows just rapidly enough to avoid an unnatural compactness, yet alwaj^s maintains a regular, symmetrical growth that makes it prominent among other evergreens. Seedlings yield a great variation in color, from a light green to a bright steel-blue. Grafted specimens, secured from trees of the best color, are the best to obtain. The arbor- vitse is a commoner tree, though the many varieties offer ample room for choice of pretty and desirable kinds. But it is perfectly hardy and thrives almost any- where except in shade. Alpine Plants. — Plants have a great power of adaptation to circumstances and surround- ings ; and especially seem to make an effort to produce seeds. I have seen a morning- glory seed, planted late in the season, making haste to bloom while low on the ground ; and the same, in early spring, would make a luxu- rious growth of vines and leaves before a single blossom appeared. Dear ]\Irs. Howitt wrote : — " God might have made the earth bring forth Enough for great and small. The oak tree and the cedar tree, Without a flower at all." San Diego, Cal. MRS. E. E. OrCUTT. Fuchsia Culture. — The fuchsia is one of the most beautiful of pot plants for flowering all summer, but in most part of our territory it is only successful when the pots are placed in partial shade. Paris Street Trees. — Wide streets and handsome street trees help largely in the fame of beautiful Paris. But the success of the trees is due to intelligent oversight by the authori- ties. Even with this admirable protection, the average life of a Paris street tree is found to be but half that of those growing in the environs. Of varieties, the following have been found best suited to the conditions of Paris, prefer- ence being given in the order named : — Horse- chestnut (which is much the best), plane, ail- antus, locust, linden, and paulownia. Growth of Landscape G.^rdening. — Land- scape gardening in this country is yet largely in its infancy, and just as the human infant is taught to acquire its knowledge step by step, so must the people be taught, step by step, the fundamental principles of the question in- volved. To appreciate any profession and im- prove thereon, we must first learn the founda- tion on which it is built, for if familiarity with the foundation is lacking, the building of the necessary knowledge is at least faulty and laborious. Landscape gardening is an art — not neces- sarily a study only. It matters little how much a person may know about trees and flowers, their growth, foliage and habits, if he have not the appreciation for a purely natural piece of landscape, nor the feeling and instinct to construct similar effects, he can never hope to be successful in the higher art of landscape gardening. Do not infer by this that study and knowledge of the character of plants are not necessary, — far from it, — for without this knowledge the construction of a pretty land- scape would be impossible, as one of the most important things is that we must picture in our minds what the effect will be, — not this year, or the next, but when the trees shall have eventually come to maturity. This would of necessity be impossible without a thorough knowledge of every plant and tree used. It cannot be too strongly emphasized that landscape gardening is an art, and, like all other arts, a talent which must be exercised, — not buried, — to be brought to its highest state of perfection. What is the object of landscape gardening ? You may infer from what has been said that it may be practised only in the country, where unlimited space abounds, therefore, what can it mean to those who may be within the limits of a large city, or who simply own an acre or two ? In these days ot progression, man stops at nothing. He has caged the lightning of the clouds and brought it to our cities for light and MEEHANS' MONTHLY — GENERAL GARDENING. [Aug. transportation. Even the might}- Niagara has been bridled to men's wants. So in landscape work we must try to bring Nature's beauty right to our homes and cities. Of course, not in its entiret}', anj- more than we could bring the waters of Niagara actually- to our doors ; but we must bring its powers, its summer con- binations of color in foliage effect, and its ber- ried effects of fall, not forgetting the warm and bright winter appearance of the various colored barks of man}- trees and shrubs. Take these powers and use them to relieve the monotony of bricks and mortar. In other words, let time roads laid and paths made to interesting points, and thus were opened to thousands the opportunity for examining the beauties of Nature. We maj' say, therefore, that the practical waj' to gain appreciation of the beauties of Nature, is to open up the natural gems so that the}' niaj- be approached with comfort and please the eye. J. F. M., Before the Penna. Hort. Soc'y. The Best Decorative Palms. — Of palms used for massing in decorations, none are SYRINGA VILLOSA. fsEEPAOEial) landscape gardening mean the reproduction of Nature's work wherever possible. If we take a stroll along the lovelj^ drives and walks of the famous Fairmount Park, Philadelphia, and especially bj- the Wissa- hickon, we can get no more forcible illustration of this thought. It is to be doubted ver}- much if before the land for this park was taken, there were more than a few hundred persons in Philadelphia who reallj' supposed there was at command such a wealth of Nature's most costlj' gifts. But the land was condemned, and in course of better, where tall ones are required, than the Areca and Kentia. They grow rapidly, and run up more slender than others, yet are quite graceful. Professional decorators admit this, and say further that the Phoenix rupicola is the most satisfactory where the plant is to be brought into frequent use. It stands handling much better. But it is not quite so pretty as the others. For single specimens, the Lataiiia and Livisto7ia rotitndifolia are very desirable. Small plants of the graceful Cocos Weddelia^ia are always admired, and may be used in the foreground of a bank of palms. igoo] MEEHANS' MONTHLY — GENERAL GARDENING. lE^ Ri^RE FL^nrSo Flowering of the Eremurus. — We have, in Hartford, a great many fine gardens, owned b}' friends of j-ours. One of the loveliest I have had the fortune to be in is that of ]Mr. N. F. Peck, at 31 Niles Street, where, this week, a grand flower was in bloom, such as has not been seen here, nor have I heard of other- wise, except in catalogues. It was the Ere- ymirus Himalaicus, a tall lily from Turkestan and the Himalaya Mountains of India. A shaft of at least six feet bore, at its terminal, closely set flowers the size of a silver half dollar, with long stamens and anthers, very unique in appearance. It must be a great pleasure to watch and note the gradual growth and bloom of such rare specimens by its owners, as we all know in a less degree of our own experience, from the interesting development of favorite new acquisitions in our gardens. Of other mag- nificent features seen in that garden, I must speak at some future time — such as the rare aquatics, the arbors and hedges of Crimson Rambler roses, and numerous other attractions. Hartford, Conn. MrS. WiLHEMINE SELIGER. Syrixga villos.\ (see page 120). — Among hardy shrubs recently introduced to our gar- dens, one of the lilac familj^ Syvinga villosa, commends itself b}' several meritorious feat- ures. The photograph is kindly presented by Mr. "W. C. Egan, of Egandale, near Chicago. He well remarks ' ' what a fine plant for a hedge where a space twelve feet wide could be devoted to it. ' ' The common lilac was a favor- ite with our grandmothers for forming an orna- mental hedge, — and much of the pleasures of young city folk is in the prospective visit to some country' garden, wheie the privilege can be enjoyed of plucking the lilac blossoms from some old farm-house lilac fence. The new species is a native of the north of China, and will no doubt prove hardj^ wherever the com- mon lilac will grow. THE BI/^IRI^Y FL©WEIi ^/^!li)Elfflo Centranthus ruber. — If not one of the showiest in flower, the Red Valerian, Centraji- thus ruber, is certainly one of the most desir- able and interesting. Perennial plants that commence blooming in early summer and continue until late in the season, are not plen- tiful ; but this answers that description, and is, besides, adaptable to poor soil and rock- work. In color, it is a dark red ; the leaves a glossy green. The flowers individually are small, but are less insignificant than might be by being bunched. There is a white variety, also. Hardy Cactuses. — In rockwork, vases, on old walls, or near anything of a somewhat artificial character in gardening, few things are more effective than the hardy cactuses. Of the genus Opuntia, that class having broad, flat, thick "fronds," as the sections of the plant a^e usually termed, the one figured from m:Hph OPUNTIA RAFINESQUII. Gardening Illustrated — Opuntia Rafiyiesquii — is the best known. It is the common hardy cactus of the Atlantic sea-board States, and is especially abundant in the sandy regions of New Jerse3^ In open sunny places it is a free bloomer, and the plants are almost hidden by the profusion of golden flowers. The blooming season lasts but about two weeks, — but the flowers attract wide attention while they last. Eespedeza bicolor and Desmodium pen- DULiFLORUM. — In reference to the notes in the July issue, concerning Desmodium and Lespe- deza, Mr. P. Ouwerkerk, Jersej^ City, N. J., points out the possibility of misunderstanding arising from the article named. It should be well known that there are two distinct plants, Lcspedeza bicolor and Desmodiinn petidtdi- floru?7i, and it is to be presumed that A. P. onl}^ had the one plant sent him under the two names. This conclusion may be readily reached from the fact that some nurserymen have had their plants wrongly labeled. I\Ir. Ouwerkerk says: — "The Lespedeza blooms MEEHANS' MONTHLY — GENERAL GARDENING. [Aug. more in the manner of the Indigofera Jiori- bunda, and is not as tender as the Desmodiion, so that the branches often keep alive during a mild winter in Holland. The best use to make of the DestHodium is to plant it singly on a lawn, and tie the branches to a two-feet-long stake, above which the growth, three to four feet long, will droop, making the plant look like a large bouquet of purple-blue flowers. It is also verj' handsome planted on the borders between Hydrangea paniadata grandiflora, which blooms at the same time." :<^ET/^PLEJ>. Buffalo-berry — an Uncommon Fruit. — There are quite a few desirable fruits'among our native plants, some of which are grown in considerable quantities in certain sections, but in the majority of places are totally neglected. One of these is the BufFalo-berry, Shepherdia argentea. It has the disadvantage of produc- ing male and female flowers on different trees, so that several plants are needed to produce fruit, and one of these must be the male form. The fruit is well described in the report of the Minn. State Experiment Station, which says : " We have found the fruit to vary considerably in size, and also in the season of ripening, some of it being apparently ripe about the middle of August, and other trees producing fruit which would hold on into the winter. A peculiarity of this fruit is that frost seems to improve the quality of it much in the same way as frost affects the persimmon. The points which especially recommend this berry are its great hardiness, productiveness and re- liability. The fruit makes an excellent sauce, and a jelly fully as good as currant. The plant is ornamental, and makes a pretty, dwarf hedge, standing pruning well." Good Celery. — It is surprising how large a proportion of market celery is of inferior quality. A first-class article has usually to be sought for in the garden of the amateur. Prob- ably the reason given would be that the extra price required to pay for the extra labor in pro- ducing it, could rarely be obtained. The aver- age buyer of celery does not know the differ- ence between a good article and a poor one. When it comes to the table, it is not truly as bitter as gall,— but it is far too bitter for gas- trical enjoyment. In the market garden, all sorts of schemes have to be followed to save labor in blanching the plant, — the art of re- moving the natural bitter quality. At times, the plants are set close together so as to par- tially shade one another, and finally boards are set up-right against the plant in the rows. At other times, albino varieties are employed, that seem blanched because they develop no green or chlorophyllous matter in their structure. But the bitter taste remains. A large propor- tion of celery that comes to table is untouched or wasted. To have good celery, the process of earthing up must be continiious. It requires a very rich soil, and if plenty of water can be given, so much the better. If well managed, any variety can be brought to good results, — but, of course, there are varieties that give much more satisfaction than others. Lady Elgin Strawberry. — Mr. S. L. Watkins, of Lotus, California, finds the Lady Elgin Strawberry early in that section, about as large as Sharpless in size, of a bright red color, and firm enough to endure shipping well. Fruiting of Figs. — The Fig, Fic7is Carica, has the male and female flowers on separate plants, just as the Osage Orange, Mulberry, and other plants of the same natural order have. The fruit, however, which is chiefly the en- larged and succulent calyxes of numerous flowers, reaches a considerable size, just as we see it in most gardens or places where a tree is growing alone. But when it has the advan- tage of pollen from the male trees, the fruit is very much larger and superior in every way. In the case of the fig of our gardens, the fleshy part we know as the fruit grows to a considerable size, and the seeds inside seem to perfect, but are incapable of germination, being but hollow shells. Where the fig is grown for drying, care is taken to have the advantage of pollinization, when they are much finer in every way than the ordinary garden fruit. Japanese Plums in Pennsylvania. — The fruit growers of Southwestern Pennsylvania are unanimously agreed that the Japanese Plum is worthless for that section. The buds push igoo] MEEHANS' MONTHLY — GENERAL GARDENING. 123 too earh' in the spring, and are almost always frozen, resulting in no crop. This is dis- couraging ; yet there may be a way of locating the trees on northern slopes where the buds would be more backward and less liable to in- jury. In other sections they are a perfect suc- cess, and frequently bear to such an extreme as to produce under-sized fruit and break down the branches. Of course, this is not permitted bj' the careful fruit-grower, who thins his fruit, increasing the size of the remaining ones and improving the flavor. But for flavor the old European varieties still lead. Peach Growing. — Georgia has become the paradise of the peach grower. There are a number of large companies engaged in the business. Fifteen of the larger ones have altogether nearly two million of acres in peach trees, — to say nothing of smaller affairs, and the orchards of individuals. Improved Fruits. — In the endeavor to im- prove fruits, it must not be forgotten that nature only permits variation up to a certain line. We shall never see a pear as big as a pumpkin, or a strawberry as large as a well- grown tomato. Thus far thou shalt go and go no further, is as true of variations as of the waves of the sea. To improve the pear, it is little use to sow seed of the Seckel if a good spicy flavor is desired, or of the Pound Pear if we desire large size. We must select some variety that already lacks some one point of excellence and improve on that. The Crawford Peaches. — From time to time new varieties of peaches are introduced that seem to compete bravely with the older varieties, — and, indeed, most of the older ones have had to surrender their laurels to the new- comers. There are, however, two that yet brave nobly the battle with the new-comers, namely, the Crawford Early, and Crawford Late. Those who raise peach trees, on a large scale, say that the demand for these two well-tried kinds, is about as large as ever. Onion Culture. — In the onion, we desire to grow large bulbs and not large leaves, — hence the ground should be manured and another crop taken from it before the onion is planted. Before the onion is planted, the earth should be made as fine as possible. This encourages bulb growth. Even under the most intelligent supervision, there will at times be a tendency to make strong leaves in- stead of bulbs. To check this tendency, the onion-grower bends down the leaf growth just above the bulb, though, of course, not bending the bunch enough to break the leaves off. Seed Sowing. — It should not be forgotten, in sowing vegetable seeds, and, for the matter of that, all seeds, that they must have air, moisture, and darkness, in order to sprout prop- erly. If sown deeper than they desire, they rot ; if too shallow, the light is too intense, or they do not get moisture enough. As a rule, they should be as near the surface as possible, with the rather dry earth packed around them as firm as possible. The surface earth should be rather dry, or it will not powder well, — and this is important in connection with air. There is no air in a soil pressed when wet, — but the more dry earth is pressed and pounded, the finer and more porous it becomes. There is a great art in getting seed to grow properly — and yet the art is very simple when the princi- ples are understood. Salsify. — The natural order of compositae furnishes a goodly number of vegetables. Of the root-class the Salsify is a useful member, — though from ignorance of its requirements in the garden, and of its preparation in the kitchen, it is not in use as generally as it de- serves to be. Its name. Salsify, is of Spanish origin, which would indicate that it was in use in Spain before its introduction among English- speaking people. The name cited is all it seems to be known by in the Old World. In America, it has come to be known as Oyster Plant, from a fancied resemblance in flavor to the familiar Shell-fish of that name. As usual- ly served in modern cookery, this peculiar flavor is hidden by the applied surroundings. It takes effort to detect any oyster flavor as commonly served. To grow it properly so as to have the flesh tender, and true to its American name, a dry soil must be carefully avoided. Its preference with us is for a substantial, loamy and very rich soil, and the seed should be among the earliest sown, as soon as the ground is dry enough after the frosts have departed. When 124 MEEHANS MONTHLY — GENERAL GARDENING. [Aug. growing, the plants should be thinned to at least six inches apart. Cooking, one of the main elements in hav- ing on the table a first-class article, is a subject for another department, — but it may be stated here that, in the opinion of the writer, they need be not only boiled as parsnips are, — but the sections should be steeped in vinegar a few hours before being put on to boil. Many persons enjoy it most chopped fine and made into fritters, as might be done with the true o5'sters. Trees in Wet Places. — A correspondent who has been making an aquatic pond at Oberlin, Ohio, says : — "Last winter, on account of extreme cold and the encroachment of my water garden upon two fine, bearing apple and pear trees, they died. What ornamental trees could you recommend to replace them ? Rapid growers and ornamental are desired. The Liqtiidambar grows with me." The trees probably died from the backing up of the water, thus drowning the roots. Trees in swamps require air, — for while the main root goes down deep into the mud, the surface roots work among the moss at the top of the water. Where there is danger of the roots drowning, the rule is to plant above the sur- face. A bottomless barrel or box to hold the earth in which to plant has to be employed. Apples, pears, or anj^thing will do well on swamp}- ground when so treated. Dividing and Replanting Rhubarb. — Large old roots of Rhubarb which have not been disturbed for years might with advantage be lifted, divided, and replanted. Secure sev- eral good crowns to each division, or divide a large clump into four. The spot selected for planting them must be well dug and heavily dressed with rich farmyard manure. Give a space of three feet between each division. Also mulch the surface with manure. — Jo2irnal of Horticulture. Fine Japanese Persimmon. — A very fine specimen of the Japanese Persimmon, Diospyros Kaki, has been blooming for several years past on the grounds of the Friends' Meeting House, at Fourth and Green Streets, Philadeljihia. It is estimated to be from 1 8 to 20 feet high, and the branches droop over the wall on the Gneen Street side. The persimmon family have many individual trees bi-sexual, though often isola- ted trees bear abundantl}\ This one has never been known to bear a fruit, but is very orna- mental. It flowers later than the native per- simmon. It was from a seed planted during the American Centennial. Concord Grape in Pennsylvania. — Ac- cording to reports made to the Pennsylvania State Horticultural Association, the Concord Grape yet leads all varieties in popularity. It has a flavor peculiarly its own ; and when well-grown is exceedingly tempting. The Baldwin Apple.— From eastern orch- ards, the Baldwin holds a high place in the apple market. Though not of the highest flavor, it is above the average in this respect, and, as an all-round variety, it holds a high place on the fruit-grower's list. York Imperial Xpple. — One of the most famous Penns34vania apples is York Imperial It is a winter apple, and an excellent keeper, making it a good market variety. It is of good size, irregular in outline, red on j^ellow ground rather concealed. Flesh yellowish, and very good eating. Fruit-growing in California. — The ex- tent of the fruit-growing interest in California may be estimated from the fact that, at a re- cent convention in San Jose, no less than Soo active fruit growers were in attendance. Gravenstein Apple. — Mrs. Seliger saj^s that Red Astrachan Apples are often labelled Gravenstein in the Hartford (Conn.) markets. The Red Astrachan is a Russian variet3% and one of the best of its class, but will not com- pare with a Gravenstein in eating properties. The Best New Strawberries for Mich- igan.— The Michigan Agricultural Station says that the most promising of the newer strawberries are Excelsior, Flash, Lady Frank- lin, Nick Ohmer, Ponderosa, and Sample. Bismarck Apple. — A fruit of the Bismarck Apple, grown by Mr. W. Turner, gardenar to John Rockefeller, Tarry town. New York, weighed fourteen ounces BIOGRAPHY AND LITERATURE. YOUTHFUL DREAMS. There is nothing can equal the tender hours, When life is first in bloom ; When the heart, like a bee in a wild of flowers, Finds everywhere perfume ; When the present is all, and it questions not If those flowers shall pass away. But, pleased with its own delightful lot. Dreams never of decay. — Percival. Dr. W^m. Baldwin. — In an early volume of Meehans' Monthly is given a brief note in reference to Dr. Baldwin, in which Dr. Gray is quoted as saying that only through his letters, as published by Dr. Darlington, very little would be known of him. He must have been an indefatigable collector aside from his high merits as an acute botanist. His specimens from the southern parts of our own territory and from South America, form one of the most valuable portions of the great herbarium of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia. His last work was as surgeon and naturalist to Long's expedition to discover the sources of the Mississippi, and little is known of him in this connection than that he died on this trip at Franklin, Missouri, on September ist, 1819. The author of this paragraph has recently been looking among some botanical material covered by the dust of nearly a century. The plants of Lewis & Clark's expedition were dis- covered. Another interesting thing was the Journal of Dr. Baldwin. On reading, one can- not but be struck with the troubles and trials of an enthusiastic natviralist. Under date of July 7th, is the following entry : — "July 7th. The mortification and chagrin in being thus disappointed from time to time in my expectations of doing anything worthy of notice in the expedition is inexpressible. Per- haps I do not support myself under it as I ought and may manifest a disposition too irri- table, but when I reflect upon the period of life to which I have attained, the delicate state of health to which I am reduced, without the means of doing anything eflScient (I fear) to restore it, the unfinished labors of eight years which would be almost entirely lost in case of my decease, and above all the rising family which looks to me for support, I cannot but feel conscious that those who best know me and my concerns will plead in my behalf. Still if I know the nature of my own heart, I bear no malice against any man, and if I have unjustly offended any one it has not heen in- tentional. To that Being who, I have always believed, takes cognizance of the action of men, I humbly appeal for the truth of these observa- tions. As for the others who make up the corps of naturalists, altho' they acknowledge their inability to do anything of importance, blessed with health and mostly in the vigor of youth, and pleased with travelling a great dis- tance, they can restrain their feelings more, of course, than (without families) I can who have reached little beyond the sanguine roman- tic period of youth. Had I received the slightest intimation that this preliminary expedition was merely to as- certain whether a steam-boat could ascend the Missouri, and that she would only stop to re- pair, surely no man in his senses would have embarked in her, — to waste his time in idleness, or in keeping a journal which can be of no real service. Under such circumstances all that can be entered in a journal with propriety must be derived from the transient glances we accidently have of seeing the shore in the im- mediate vicinity of the river, which must neces- sarily be very partial and defective. ' ' On the 8th, one of the firemen had a cramp in the stomach, and it v/as thought proper to land, — so that the entries on the 9th and loth are full of botanical information. On the nth, however, they were on their way, and for that day is the following : — "July nth. Having completed repairs, moved again and came too late on the evening on the larboard side, opposite a steep bank up which I was hoisted, but it was too dark to find any- thing. It is a dark vegetable mould at least five feet in depth, judging from the perpendic- ular bank. (125) 126 MEEHANS' MONTHLY — BIOGRAPHY AND LITERATURE. [Aug. Though Mr. L. exultingly observed that now I had exactly that botanizing ground I wished, bottom and bluff— a high calcareous bluff com- mencing a little above, but not being accus- tomed to botanizing by candle light as he would hunt deer or fish, this fine botanizing ground was lost to me. A few hundred yards above and in full view was a good landing near the foot of the Bluff! ! ! I am weary of these dis- gusting re- marks, but the absurdity of continui ng this hazardous expedition in a boat, which he has avowed will not an- swer the pur- pose intended, is so extraor- dinary that I cannot avoid speaking of it. Is the object soleU' for the purpose of having to saj' that he has as- cended the IMissouri high- er than any other in a steamboat? Admitting that she did b}- hard pushing reach the Council Bluff, how is she to return to explore the Mississippi, which is now dr. Bi the scheme ? The time that can be spared from blustering is joyfuU}' spent in reading novels." On the 19th, they got hold of a cop}- of the Mississippi Intelligencer, in which it would seem Long's indifference to science was criticized. " Atkins, Jessup and Smith arrived bj- land." He seems to have had more encouragement after this, and especiall}- after reaching Frank- lin on the 4th of August. But the entries for the 5th and 6th ends the journal. He was pro- bablj' left there sick, for history tells us that he died there some three weeks following, on September ist. From what we learn of the man's home affections, it must have been a sad death, separ- ated from wife, family and friends, by thous- ands of miles, — all a sacrifice for the advance- ment of science. The portrait from the earlier volume is again repro- duced, as it will have more interest in con- nection with this new-found journal. The Winter Aconite . — Our well- known friend, the Winter Ac- onite, Eran- this hyeinalis, as it has been known for nearlj' a hun- dred years, is in trouble. A scientific pa- per, just is- sued, says that the name must be changed to an old one dis- co vered in Hill's "British Herbal," giv- en to it about 150 years ago. Before garden- iLDwiN. lovers change the name, it would be well to await for searches among some other musty old vol- umes, when further discoveries may be made. However, Eranthis is now so widely spread through the world, in thousands of gardens, that the labors of a few dust-covered botan- ists to inaugurate a change could not suc- ceed. W^hen a nurserjauan has spent con- siderable time in advertising a plant under a given name, — especially for a life-time, — it 1900] MEEHANS' MONTHLY — BIOGRAPHY AND LITERATURE. 127 becomes as so much cash. To change the name is a financial loss. He cannot be expect- ed to make the sacrifice merely because some botanist forgot to search Hill's " Herbal." After all, it is the botanist who suffers bj' these attempted changes more than the horti- culturist. The latter feels the impossibility of success, and does not follow the lead. The botanist changes his herbarium names one day, and again the next. It is a case of cutting the nose to spite the face. The Pinksterbloem. — In the July Month- ly, Mr. Geo. D. Hulst states the Dutch " Pinxterblossom" to be the Azalea ?uidiflora. Allow me to sa}^ that the Dutch name is Pinksterbloem, and Dr. H. Bos of the Agricul- tural Institute, Wageningen, (Holland), in his " Biographj' of Plants," calls it the Cardamine pratensis. H. J. Van Ankum. Riverside, Conn. Writing of the spring glory of New Eng- land woods, Mrs. Seliger, of Hartford, Connec- ticut, observes: — "Have you ever seen the glories of our New England woods when the pink azalea or honey-suckle is in bloom ? It is worth going far to see, and the impressions of this sight will never fade from memor3^ I do not concur with the idea advanced that the white swamp honey-suckle, of which 3'our June number brings such a beautiful picture, is the Pinxter-flower of the early Dutch settlers. To the contrary, it blooms too late to be available for the festival of Pfingsteyi or Pinxters, as the low Dutch people called it. We have first in the reign the lovely little Rhodora, of purplish pink. It blooms when all the surrounding woods are yet bare of foliage. The second to come of this class is the pink azalea or honey-suckle. Its stems are not in leaf when the flowers appear ; but the woods are green, though not in full foliage which sur- round the lovely pink flowers generally in the middle to the end of INIaj-. I have 3'et a big jardinier full of them in my room this daj', June 8th, and Pfingstai, or Whitsunda5% has been more than a week ago. The white swamp honey-suckle comes out in Jul}', often lasts into August, when the foliage of its deep green shrubs is a glazed resemblance to evergreen leaves of the laurel. Our Dr. Russell, here, the oldest Park Commissioner and 3'our friend, who passed his 3'outh ' ' Up Neck," as our North End, with its Ten-mile woods is called, would be the best authority in this matter from personal recollections. Will 5'ou tr\' to gain that gentleman's opinion in this matter ? It would be verj' valuable for future historical references." The criticisms on the claims of the two spe- cies of azalea to the designation of Pinxter- bloom, are welcome. It maj^ seem a small matter to some, but manj' of the serious blun- ders in historj' come from indifference to accur- acy in these small matters. It is from the small acorn that the great oak grows. In regard to the great wood honey-suckle. Azalea nudiflora, the writer has noted the bril- liancy of the flowers where the plants are growing in high altitudes, in rocky places, where, in the language of modern authors, there is a greater struggle for life. But this fact has been reduced to a general proposition by the writer, that brilliant coloring and this " struggle" are alwa3"S coincident. Knowledge. — London, edited by Richard & Proctor. — This English magazine is devoted to the spread of exact knowledge in popular language, and carries out well these good objects. Ever3^ branch of knowledge receives attention. During the few past issues have appeared a series of chapters on plants and their food, which, though strictly scientific, render the subject so plain as to be well under- stood by every lover of plants. The author. Prof. H. H. Pearson, shows that, though much is now known alx)ut the economy of vege- table life, much has 3'et to be discovered. There is still an unexplored field for the original in- vestigator. Botanical Nomenclature. — Our botanical works are praying for some new Adam to arrive who will give names to flowers that ever3'one will recognize. In regard to the scientific names, they thought the3' had it " down fine" when, in the time of Linnaeus, they established a set of canons which ever3' orthodox botanist, it was supposed, would obey. After a century of trial, it was found the laws agreed upon had not been observed. There has become a revolt, and a sort of go-as-you-please practice is pre- vailing. One author issues a book with one set of names, another a book with a different set for the same plants. — New York IndependeJit. GENERAL NOTES. Crimson Rambler Rose. — A Rochester, New York, correspondent saj'S that some of the original plants introduced, of the Crimson Rambler Rose, on the grounds of Mr. Geo. Ellwanger, of Ellwanger & Barr}', have formed one of the most brilliant of floral spectacles the past season. Juvenile Reform.\tories. — A correspond- ent of the Hartford Tiines does not like our modern juvenile reformatories. Children often become criminals because they have no outlet for doing what they like and what is proper for them to do. All children love to work in gardens ; and if there were public gardens where children could voluntarily work if they wanted to, there would be no occasion to fill the reformatories to half their present extent. None know better than those who have in- terested themselves in reformatories what are their weak points. However well treated, the inmates feel as prisoners, and there is the difii- culty of placing them for a start in the wprld when the reformatory term expires, — a diffi- culty growing more serious every day. Aside from this is the enormous tax on the com- munity in the way of private benevolence or public charges. None would welcome an improved method of lessening these pressures more than reformatory managers. Public gar- dens, as suggested, would help to some extent, — but they have not been found practicable in large cities from whence most of the popula- tion of the reformatories come. Large Deciduous Cypress. — The great Deciduous Cypress in Bartram Garden Park, at Philadelphia, now in decadence, reached a girth of 23 feet, about three feet from the ground. This has been regarded as a remarkable size. At a recent meeting of the Linnsean Society of London, the Hon. C. Ellis exhibited photo- graphs of a Taxodmm distichnm, growing at Oaxaca, in Mexico, and of another gigantic tree, a native of Cambodia. The circumference of the former, at a height of three feet from the {128) ground, was stated to be 143 feet, while the height was estimated to be not more than 100 feet. The native name for this tree is Sabino. In relation to the early decadence of the celebrated specimen of Bartram' s, it maj' be noted that one of the difficulties in the waj' of the much desired preservation of fine trees by taking the ground for public parks comes from the inability of city officials to know how to care for them. In Philadelphia, these parks are placed in the care of the Department of Cit}' Property, — a bureau established originally for the renting of wharves and market-houses, which cannot be expected to know much about the care of trees. With intelligent care, the Bartram Cypress could have been kept in good condition for another hundred j^ears. Orchid Fibre. — Orchids are famous for beauty and general attractiveness ; but it is not generally known that they have a place in the arts that minister to the physical wants of man. But in some parts of the tropics, where orchids abound, a very delicate fibre is pre- pared by the natives, which they use in the preparation of the many ornaments these races prepare for trade with the paler races of men. Laws Against Weeds and Insects. — For all the ineffectual efforts to keep out insects, fungi and weeds by law have been so freely shown to be supreme folly, Canada, as our readers know, prohibited the importation from the United States of nursery products in order to get immunity from the San Jose scale. At the time, Meehans' Monthly invited a smile at the law. These pests have numerous paths of travel without going through custom house gates, and it was predicted the San Jose scale would soon show itself to our friends over the border. Dr. Fletcher, a Canadian entomolo- gist, has stated recently, that the San Jose scale has become the most serious pest that has ever occurred in Canadian orchards. But the law is still left as a scarecrow to the scale that is laughing literally " behind its back." \;.lX. Plate 9. Anoda l/VvOTKR( 'ii;F:s ANODy\ LAVATHROIDES. TREE-MALLOW ANODA. NATURAL ORDER, MALVACEAE. Anoda lavateroides, Medic —Lowest lea%'es cordate and usually angnlate ; upper deltoid or hastate or siibtrilobate, the margins either irregularly dentate or entire ; petals commonly cuneiform or retuse, from a third to nearly an inch long; carpels 15 to 20, rather couspicuously beaked, the dorsobasal portion wholly thin, scarious and veinlest and with slender midnerve, the sides or partitions wholly obliterated in the breaking up of the fruit ; seed naked, puberulcnt. See Robinson's Revision of MalvacfcE in Gray's Synoptical Flora of North America. This very prettj' representative of the beauti- ful order of Malvacece has been before us for many years under other names. Though de- scribed under the name of Anoda lavateroides, b}' Dr. Frederick Casinier INIedicus, in a mono- graph of Malvaceo', published at Mannheim, in Germany, in 1787, it was supposed to be identical with a Mexican species, Anoda has- tata of Cavanilles. When Dr. Gray issued his famous illustrations of the genera of American plants, he took this species for drawings of Anoda, supposing it was A. hastata, and it is described as Anoda hastata in Dr. Gray's account of Wright's Texan plants — Pla7itce Wrightiana. It has continued to be so regarded, until the appearance in 1897, of the work from which the description is taken, wherein Dr. Robinson places it in its true position as Anoda lavateroides. Anoda hastata has not been found within the territory of the United States, but is confined to Mexico, and has spread itself widely, even being common now in Jamaica ; but from some unknown cir- cumstance it has not been able to wander as far northwardly as its companion at home has, — the species we are now illustrating. It is a much more handsome species than the one with which it has been confounded. The flowers are larger, more roseate, and does not present such a poverty-stricken aspect in its foliage as the other does. The resemblance to Lavatera, — the Tree INIallow — which sug- gested the name lavateroides refers to the flow- ers only, — the rosy-pink petals with the darker veins are strikingly like those of the Mallow. When we come to the foliage, the resemblance is lost. In giving the mere descriptions of the spe- cies, the student will often be at a loss to iden- tify his plant in cases where the genus is divided into sections as in the present instance. The advantage of this method of treatment is that it saves numerous repetitions of charac- ters, that may be common to the whole group. In the present case, for instance. Dr. Robinson divides the eight North American species into three grand sections, Evanoda, Sidanoda and Cleistanoda, our plant being classed in the former. We should, therefore, have to add to its distinctive character, that its " seeds should be horizontal, destitute of accessory coating, — capsule much depressed and radiati- forni, of 9 to 12 dorsally beaked or cuspidate (rarely pointless) carpels, the flat summit hir- sate or hispid. Calyx-lobes triangular or obo- vate, acute or acuminate ; leaves very diverse in the same species." To save still further repetition, sub-sections are instituted, and in this smaller group our plant would have to be with " corolla violet or purple varying to white ; calyx widely spreading under and mostly surpassing the hispid fruits, herbage destitute, or nearly so, of stellular pubescence but variably hirsute — hispid or hispidulous with usually simple bristly hairs, or else gla- brate ; slender peduncles nearly' all subtended by leaves." It was worthwhile to give this description of the plant in full in order to show how faithfully the artist has followed the model before him. The simple bristly hair instead of the branched hair common to other groups, and which some flower painters would regard as unimportant, are beautifully presented. Seldom, indeed, even in our own (129) MEEHANS MONTHLY — ANODA LAVATKKOIDES. [Sept. work, has the life history of the plant been condensed into a single view as here presented. B3' cutting the stalk in two pieces and giving both on the page, we have the bud with a glimpse of the colored corolla peeping through the opening calyx, — then we have the flower fullj^ expanded, a facsimile of the Tree-Mallow for which it has been named. A flower just closing its light purple corolla is then seen, and one older with a darker tint on the same road, and we note the next in succession wherein the petals have wholly withered awa\-, and the spreading hispidulous calyx is represented ; and finall}^ the seedvessel on the road to maturity. Even the character it pos- sesses, of occasionallj' presenting us with a second flower in the axil of the other, is faithfully portrayed. Our plant has been long known to botanists, even before the binomial system was intro- duced by Linnaeus. It was at that time re- garded as an Abtitilon, and is referred to by Dr. Dillenius in his Hortiis Elthamcnsis, in 1732, as the abutilon with crested fruit, and flowers like the Tree-mallow, this suggesting the name lavateroides to Medicus in modern times. Linnjeus took it from Abutilon and re- ferred it to Sida. When, however, Cavanilles established it as a separate genus, under the name of Anoda, he seems to have had in mind its relationship to Abutilon, for Anoda is said to he one of the names by which the East Indians know this plant, the derivation of both of which and Sida included is unknown. At one time it was supposed the name Anoda was of Latin origin, and signified "without a knot," for the reason that, while many closely related plants of the order had a knot or joint in the flower stem, the plants of this genus had none. They seem, however, to have the elements of such a character that might have been merely suppressed, for the sharp genu- flection seen in the lowermost peduncle of the illustration indicates a weakness at that point. Though Anoda lavateroides claims a place among the native flowers of the United States, it is probable that it, like our native Indians, is not among its original inhabitants, but traveled northwardly from jMexico, where other species and species of its allied genera, Abutilon and Sida, abound. This and some half a dozen species are only found a little be- yond the Mexican border line in Texas, Ari- zona, and New INIexico. It seems to have been first discovered bj- Wright, in Texas and is described by Gray in the PlantcB Wrightiayia. He gathered it near the copper mines in Moun- tain Valley, and near Santa Cruz in Sonora. It is variable in its general characters as are so many of the family, and a form with smaller flowers, but supposed to be the same species, was collected in the valley of the Chiricahua. It was subsequently collected b)^ Riddell in Texas. In various places in Texas to Arizona, it has since been collected, but it does not seem to have been found in any great abund- ance an3'where in our territory. Crossing into Mexico it has a wide range going southwardly to Peru, and as already noted, has found a home in the Islands of the Caribbean Sea. That it has not spread more rapidh^ to the north is probably owing to the fact that the seeds have no special means of distribution. Its progress, therefore, must necessarily be very slow. The heavy seeds cannot go far be- 3'ond the point where they mature. In the case of many plants, birds aid in the distribu- tion by carrying away dry fragments of the plants for nest building, — and in other wa5'S portions with seeds are carried short distances. Even the winds will at times aid in scattering the broken branches, and birds will often carry small portions with seeds in their plum- age. But our plant has tough, stringy fibre, similar to the fibre of hemp, and not even when dry can fragments be readily broken. The whole plant has to go if the seeds are to be dispersed otherwise than by the hand of man. If by any happy chance the seeds get an opportunity for distant carriage, it has another diSiculty to surmount in its late flower- ing. The plant has to grow for several months before it reaches the flowering stage, and the few plants that get a foot-hold away from their seed's original home, have to run the risk of being eaten by herbivorous creatures, or destroyed in some manner before the flowers appear. Our drawing was taken from a specimen kindly furnished by Mr. Jackson Dawson, of the Arnold Arboretum, at Boston, and presum- abl}^ from Te.xan seeds. Explanation ov the Plate. — A branch divided into two sections, showing the flowers and capsules in various stages of development, and the halberd-shaped upper leaves which is a leading characteristic of the species, WILD FLOWERS AND NATURE. THE HERMIT THRUSH " Hermit-thrush : 'tis sweet to be Out in the summer woods with thee — Far in their depths, so green and still, That with thy tender music thrill, Where a golden light through the maple gleams In man}^ tinted emerald streams, And naught is heard but the trembling gush Of thy greenwood music, hermit-thrush." Howard Worcester Gilbert. Flow of Sap in Spring. — It is well known that if trees of many species have the bark in- jured in spring, the branch will "bleed" as the running out of the sap is technically termed. An exchange sa^-s, " Before a meet- ing of the Biographical Society of Washington, Mr. W. A. Orton described the result of ex- periments made to determine the cause of flow of Maple sap in earl}' spring. His conclusion was that the flow has a mechanical cause, be- ing due to the increasing heat which expands the gases in the wood cells, and thus forcibh^ expels the sap. This contradicts the view that the flow of sap is due only to phj-siological action in the plant." It does not seem clear how " heat " can be generated so as to produce such an effect. Mr. Wheeler's papers in this magazine on the flow- ing of the sugar maple sap seem nearer the mark. Fruiting of the Skunk-Cabbage. — There are specialists among students of nature as in an}' other science or profession, and the}' no doubt derive from their observations a great deal of pleasure. But it is the lover of all na- ture who is constantly exhilarated and finds pleasure and opportunities for study on every hand — in the woods and fields, leafy or bare ; the birds, beasts and insects, in their actions and varied occupations, all have an indescriba- ble and never ending charm. One of these rare lovers of general nature, and an entertaining describer of his rambles, is E. Newlin Williams, whose pen frequently furnished notes for the readers of the ^Monthly. In an address made by him several years ago, in which was shown the extent of possibilities in general observations of natuie covering al- most every month of the year, the following remarks show interest attached to the common skunk-cabbage : "The earliest flower to bloom is one of the latest to ripen its product, — Swamp-cabbage. I mean, which attracts the buzzing atomies in February by its heroic odor. The fruit is as large as a fair sized potato. It declines, seem- ing to hide through the summer months, and is often buried in the fall freshets which wash silt over the place where it lies, and there it ripens late in autumn. The seeds are starchy globules half an inch in diameter, somewhat flat, and striped or spotted with red-brown and green as though in reminiscence (or prophecy) of the tints of its spathe of February. They lie imbedded in the tasteless, glistening, mealy, white pulp of the fruit. I came upon these strange seeds while scooping out a drinking place in a clog of leaves along a wood stream, I noticed the hard globules in the handfuls of soil and humus ; I lifted and picked some out to identify. They baffled me and all other guessers until one day I carelessly cut one open, when it at once revealed its identity by the odor it exhaled." A Lesson from Cherry Stems. — There are short-stem cherries and there are cherries with long stems. Everybody knows that. But who would suppose such a trifle had much re- lation to the general character of the tree ? Well, attention was called, during cherry-blos- som time the past spring, to a number of the garden cherry that had become wild years ago, by birds having sown the seeds. They had! become fine, fifty-year-old trees in our native- wilds. One of them seemed to be covered with green leaves without a blossom, while the- others were white with blossoms as with the driven snow. A close examination showed that there were about as many leaves on all (131 MEF.HANS MONTHLY— WILD FLOWERS AND NATURE. [Sept. the trees, but the leaves on the white-looking trees had been overshadowed by the long- stemmed white flowers, while the short- stemmed ones were hidden on the tree that seemed to be all arreen leaves. Anod.\ lav.\teroides. — Referring to Anoda lavatcroides, it may be noted that there is still another difficulty arises against the iiorthwardl}' travels of some Mexican annuals that flower only after considerable growth has been made, that they are liable to be destro3'ed by foot before seeds have matured. IVIan}^ early flowering ISIexican annuals not handicapped in this manner reach high north- ern latitudes. The Galiusoga parvifiora has spread itself over an immense area. But in its case a plant will flower in a few weeks after the seed has germinated, and often when but a pair of leaves have been fully formed. Taking it for granted, as modern botanists seem to believe, that species of plants have originated in comparativel}^ local homes, and then ad- vanced over larger areas b\' distributive agen- cies, the fact of Anoda lavateroides having so wide a distribution over our continent indi- cates a \^x\ ancient history, especial I3' when we consider that the distributive agenc}' of man must have been limited in the olden time. PoLSONOUS Rhus. — The Tanners Sumac of the Old World, Rhus Coriaria, is said to raise blisters, and in other respects produce trouble similar to the poison Rhus of America, Rhus I'oxicodeiidron. La Semaine Horticole be- lieves that this reputation is simply borrowed from its American relative's behavior. But the truth is that the whole genus has been suspected of sometimes acting badly. Com- paratively few, however, are susceptible. The toxicodendron, commonly known as the Poi- son Vine, is the worst, but possibly not more than one in a hundred sufler who are brought into close acquaintance with it. Fertiliz.-\tion OF Flowers by Mosquitoes. — The mosquito feeds on the juices of flowers when animal food is absent. Mr. C. A. Crau- dall notes, in The Plant World, that in the INIedicine Bow Mountains mosquitoes were caught carrying the pollimia of the green or- chis, Habenaria hyperborea . Most orchids are unable to fertilize themselves without aid from outside sources. In this case the mos- quito was rendering friendly aid in fertiliza- tion. Rhythmic Growth. — Though it has long been suggested that growth in plants is not regular and continuous, but rhythmic, it is only within comparativel}^ recent years that observations numerous enough to carry almost universal acceptance of the proposition have been made, and these chiefly through the labors of American biologists. But the Euro- pean observers seem to conclude that this is not a natural rhythmic growth, but a condi- tion induced by change from light to darkness, or some other phase of environment, which brings about this " periodicity," as they term it. In this light a paper contributed by M. E. Godlewski, to the Academy of Sciences, in Austria, is attracting marked attention in the Old World. His experiments show that there is more or less growth in proportion to the moisture or dr3-ness in the atmosphere. He discovered that though a sudden change from obscurity to light brought about a diminution in the rate of growth, after five hours it would again resume its "normal" progress. The explanation from American botanists would be that the innate life energy is, naturally as all motion is necessarily, rh^'thmic ; and that this energy is more or less feeble in proportion to external resistance. With partial rest, it ac- quires new force with which to oppose resist- ance, continuing till this is again spent. Reversion of Hybrids. — Prof. Hugo de Vries, of Amsterdam, reports experiments with eleven species of plants in which there seems to be a somewhat uniform proportion of rever- sions (disjonctions) varying from 22 to 28 per cent. But this is probably as true of sports as of h3'brid varieties. It is the experience of most nurser3'men, that a small number of re- versions are alwa3's found among the seed- lings, though much the larger proportions re- tain the characters of the original. Rhododendron punctatum. — A correspon- dent sa3's that the name by which the pretty Rhododendron punctatum is known, in some parts of North Carolina, is " May Laurel " or ' ' Sweet Laurel, ' ' — much more appropriate than common names often are. GENERAL GARDENING. THE FOl'XTAIN OX MOIXT HELICON. But the fountain Where wells it? It has gathered in a marsh, O'ergrown with rustling reeds and water lilies, And bordered round with tamarisks and osiers, The favorite haunt of painted flies and reptiles That love the midday' sun ; and here I trace it, Oozing through tall, rank grass and irises From underneath a fallen arch. Perciv.\l. Hydrangea p.A.xicrLATA grandiflora. — The variet}' of Japanese Hydrangea paniadata, known as H. p. grandiflora, is a rather coarse and heavy mass of flowers when examined closely, but it is a grand thing for effect from a little distance, and is among the indispensa- ble ornaments in most grounds. It is also very useful for cutting purposes where heavy decorations are in order. In recent j^ears, the faded flowers are cut and the bunches dried for winter ornaments. In garden work, plants have been trained to tall pillars and when in flower have a unique appearance. They are also being trained to single stems, and then have a peculiar effect with their drooping branchlets. In any manner grown, the}- are attractive. The specimen illustrated is a medium be- tween the tree and ordinary bush form, and is growing on the grounds of Mrs. J. C. Keighler, at P ries t fo rd, Harford Co., Md. It is 15 feet in diam- eter, and about 1 2 feet high at the tallest point. A LARGE HYDRANGEA. I'ri'xixg .A.T Tr AXSPL.\XTiNG. — It is common to note transplanted trees or shrubs with their strong leading shoots trimmed back, and a mass of weak branchlets left to form the tree. These vigorous leaders sho Id seldom be touched, but the weaker branchlets should be cut off. The ornamental planter might take a lesson from the practical fruit grower. A peach tree, for instance, has all its twiggy side branches cut awa}'. Only a single stem like a walking cane is left. No planter of experience loses a transplanted peach tree. Elm Eeaf Beetle. — For many years the elm trees on my lawn have been ravaged by the elm leaf beetle. Several 3^ears they have been entirely stripped of their leaves at this season, and a second crop of leaves has ap- peared after mid-summer. This summer, for the first time, I have not observed either elm-leaf beetles or their larvae on any of ni}^ elms. I can hardly think that this can be due entirely to ni}' having sprayed the trees with London purple, for I have spra^-ed them in former years, but have never succeed- ed in ridding them entirely of the pest be- fore. I should suppose that it was most prob- able that the beetles had met with some natural ene- m}'. I should be glad to know whether my experience in this matter correspon ds with that of others. F. (>35) 134 MEEHAXS MONTHLY — GENERAL GARDENING. [Sept. In this locality (Philadelphia) the elm leaf beetle has not been a serious trouble for several years past. This is attributed to the work of the English sparrow, which though a serious enenij' to grain and other things, keeps down insects that are day-loving. For nocturnal creatures, such as the Tussock moth for in- stance, the}- are at rest while the moths are working, and can have no eftect on them. Pin Oaks in Fairmount Park, Philadel- phia.— One of the finest autumn scenes in America is the line of Pin Oaks along the con- course in Fairmount Park. The foliage has not the deep brilliancj- of the scarlet oak, — but the deep orange red is scarcely less striking. The trees have been about twent}^ j'ears planted, and were ordinar}- nursery trees at that time. Oaks in general, and the Pin Oak in particular, have come to be very popular with planters of late 3'ears. Previousl3% a no- tion prevailed that oaks were slow of growth, and difficult to transplant successfullj-. The}' have, however, been found to be as eas}^ to transplant as other trees, and though not of extreme rapid growth, are full}' equal to the average. They are luore free from diseases and insects that give us trouble, though they do not wholh- escape. (See ilhistration on opposite page.) Drug Plants. — Plants used as drugs, b}- the pharmacist, are usually wildlings. Already some are getting scarce in their native places, and prices rule high. The time is coming when dependence will have to be placed on the cultivator. As a guide to those plants for which there is a great demand, the following is extracted from the America^i Druggist, giving the report of a coiumittee at the St. Louis meeting of the North Western Druggist Association. The prices are probabl}' for the pound : Blood — No doubt the high price of last year stimulated the gathering of large quantities of this drug, and prices have been lower; 1897, September, 7c; 1S98, vSepteniber, 5c to 5>^c. Calamus, bleached — It is said the shrinkage of this root is ver}- great, and prices are accord- ing to amount of moisture ; selling now, 189S, September, from 28c to 35c. Ginseng — This is again high in price, selling, 1897, Sejitem- ber, $2.50 to $3-25 per lb. ; 1898, selling $3 to $4.25 per lb. Golden Seal — How much higher in price will this go ? Some future year's re- port will tell you. We give selling prices as near as we can : 1897, October ist, 32c ; sales October 20th at 50c ; November, 50c to 55c ; December, 48c ; 1898, Januar}-, 38c ; February, 45c ; INIarch, 3SC ; April, 42c ; May, 45c to 50c, June, 55c, and now, October ist, selling 42c to 45c. So far, ver}' little has come to hand this 5'ear. Ipecac — This has reached the highest figure in the memory of man}- of us, selling in 1897, October, $1.65; November, $1.75; 1898, January, $2 ; March, $1.90 ; May, $2.20 ; June, $2.35 ; September, $2.45 to $2.60. Lady Slip- per— Another uncertainty as to price. See changes : 1897, October, 15c ; November, 35c ; December, 30c; 1898, March, 25c; April, 15c; now, October ist, 17c. Very little gathered this 3'ear. INIayapple — Where this all is gath- ered is too much for 5-our Committee to say ; believed by some to amount to nearly two million pounds ; prices have not been so high ; selling, 1897, October, 4c ; November, 7c ; December, 6c ; 1S98, September, 4c. Burdock is offering to arrive at 8c, but 9c is wanted for spot stocks. Dandelion is firm at 9'2C(^'ioc for prime German. Gentian is rather dull and the market is off a fraction ; supplies of berry at 4c^!4>^c. Golden Seal continues scarce and high and it is difficult to obtain an}- considerable quantity even at the advanced quotations of 47c(V^ 50c. Ipecac is firm at $2.50(^52.60, with a fair amount of business going forward. Jalap shows increased activity and prices have advanced to' I2c(rt'i2 ?^c. Spot stocks are prett}' well concentrated and so far as can be learned only light shipments may be expected to arrive. Sarsaparilla, ^Mexican, has advanced to 8c(r(8;'2c, with a brisk inquiry and limited supplies on hand. Quotations in our whole- sale package prices should be corrected in ac- cordance with above figures. Serpentaria is in improved demand and firm at 2ic(5 22c. Senega has been marked up a fraction, the demand being brisk and supplies not over- abundant ; 25>^c(rt 26j'^c are the general quota- tions, though round lots might be had at 25c for spot cash. igoo] MEEHANS' MONTHLY — GENERAL GARDENING. 135 Grasses for Lawns. — What is the best kind of grass to use for lawns, depends so given. On a tennis lawn, for instance, one of the first conditions should be that the kind much on the kind of soil, situation or condi- tions about it, that no definite answer can be selected should bear treading on. It is because of the uncertainties surrounding the whole 136 MEKHANS' MONTHLY — GENERAL GARDENING. [Sept- question that g^ives popularity to mixed grass seeds for lawns. The one that finds itself most at home will eventually crowd out the rest. The misfortune is that, from these mixtures, the lawn is liable to have a spotted and patch- work appearance ; where a lawn is to be de- sired of which the owner maj- be proud, there is no better way to secure it than by deciding what species is the best adapted to the soil and conditions desired, and then planting the pieces some inches apart so that before the year is over the pieces may run together. This plan is regarded as troublesome, and, indeed, is only successful when superior intelligence is em- ploj'ed to direct it, which is the reason, no doubt, why lawns constructed on this plan are seldom seen. Scene in the C.^tskill Cemetery, Cats- kill, New York. — Nature and art are admir- ably blended in the picture on opposite page of a scene in the Catskill Rural Cemetery Association's grounds, at Catskill, New York. To make a perfect piece of landscape garden art, the artist only requires four leading ele- ments— land, sky, trees and water. Here they are all combined. The road around the hill is in such close harmony with the contour of ground that it could not well be improved upon, while the water scene, with its lotus flow^ers in such profusion, might inspire the spirit of an Omar Khayyan. The strict critic might suggest that there are not trees enough to make all that might be desired, — but they are there in the young stage, and will give a good account of themselves in due time. Evergreens for Church and H.\ll Dec- oration.— The great variety of color in ever- greens offers an excellent opportunity for util- izing them in decorations of various kinds. Every one knows what tastj'^ beds of them can be arranged out of doors, but on the other hand very few think of what might be accom- plished by their use inside. One of the pret- tiest foliage decorations the writer has ever seen, barring, perhaps, some where ferns were brought into use with fine effect, was a stage setting of these evergreens, ranging in size from little ones in 3-inch pots, used to bank in the foreground, edging off the whole, to large, bulky arbor-vitaes in 24-inch tubs. Contrary to what might be expected, there is nothing sombre about such an arrangement, if the taste of the decorator will bring into use a sufBcient number of bright golden colors, and some with graceful foliage likfe the Retinispora filifera. Hemlock and Swedish and Irish Junipers are very useful. Other desirable kinds are the Chinese Arbor-vitses, Variegated Box, Dwarf Box, Deodar Cedar, Cephalotaxus, Japanese Euonymus, Junipers, Retinisporas, and arbor- vitses of all kinds and in many colors. They stand rough treatment better than the general class of plants used in decorations, especially as they may be taken out in cold weather without danger of freezing. A' large, old- fashioned lire-place ofTers an excellent oppor- tunity for decoration by means of evergreens. Of course, there can be no fire going. ©H ii^tlE FL^INITS. The H.\nged Man. — There is an orchid called the "Hanged Man;" it is Aceras an- thropophora, which is found nearly everywhere in France, on sand}' ground or on lime stone ; in Belgium in the lime-stone region of Florze, near Aywaille, and in the sandj^ claj'-stone region of Wemmel. It is easy to see why the anthropophora is called the "Hanged man'' since it grotesquely resembles the figure of a man suspended by the neck. If you wish to see the resemblance for yourself, go to the localities mentioned, in May or June, and probablj' 3'ou will find, on the shady side of the woods, the " Hanged Man !" — From La Semaine Horticole. Eremurus Himal-\v.\cus. — The illustration on page 139 represents a scene on the beautiful ground of Mr. W. C. Egan, of Egandale, near Chicago, Illinois. It is the more interesting as it also gives a portrait of a beautiful herba- ceous plant from the Himalaj'an mountains in the East Indies, Erenmrus Himalayacus. It belongs to the Liliaceous family, and is one of the most striking of the many striking things that appear occasionally among the lilies. The seed from which the plant was raised was sown in pots in 1896, and it pushed up its beautiful spike of creamj'-white flowers in 1899, after reaching a height of six feet from the ground. igoo] MEEHANS MONTHLY — GENERAL GARDENING. 137 TUE M^l^I^T rL©WEl^ ^i^l^^EINl. Aquilegia i-laheleata nana. — One of the most desirable of recent introductions to our gardens is the Japanese dwarf Columbine, Aqiiilegia flabellata nana. Usually the species of columbine have such a family resemblance that the differences of the botanist can scarcely be appreciated. For garden purposes, one kind is about as good as another. In this case, the commonest observer is attracted by it. The somewhat leathery leaves have very broad, fan-like divisions, while the flowers have the petals very broad, and of an ivory white. The nectaries, so prominent in many in these beautiful grounds has been due to Mr. Ulrich's foresight in making use of these her- baceous plants. The Rose jNIildEw. — "Referring to your ex- cellent illustration of the Crimson Rambler in Meehans' Monthly just received, I desire to state that of the several illustrations that have appeared in the horticultural journals all plants have — when used for porch or building decora- tion— been planted at corners or detached pil- lars, where there is an open circulation of air. Several years ago I planted a large pot speci- men imported from P^ngland, against the flat wall of a building having a southern exposure. NELUMBIUMS IN CATS KILL RURAL CEMETERY. [SEE PAGi: 136.) species, are here very much reduced, and the flower stems are seldom over a foot high. It promises to be a popular favorite. Hardy Herbaceous Plants. — Hardy her- baceous plants are found much more essential in good gardening than the}' were a few years ago. Their helpfulness has been well illus- trated at the Pan-American Exhibition at Buffalo. During the winter, Mr. Ulrich, in charge of the ornamental grounds, raised thousands from seeds. The plants were grown in pots and kept under frames ; after midsum- mer these wer^ planted where needed, and much of the beautv of these autumn months Within a few feet to the east the building ex- tended in the form of an L. In this wind- sheltered situation, the plant mildewed so badly that it became unsightly. It became as white as a miller's coat. I tried it there two seasons and then planted it at a post in the open, where it does not mildew. We are in a section where mildew is prevalent, and here, at least, this rose should be planted where there is a free circulation of air. Rosa setigera, even in the open, mildews more than any rose I grow." Highland Park, Ills. W. C. EG.-VN. From wide experience with closel}' related species of parasitic fungi on the grape, lilac, I3S 1.XEEHANS MONTHLY — GENERAL GARDENING. [Sept. English Oak and other things, it seems proba- ble that the white mildew on the rose is not frightened at anj' particular location. The immunit\- noticed bj' our correspondent was simply from the fact that the invisible spores of the fungus had not found a lodgment there. These mildews and moulds have little terror now to the cultivator. Copper solutions in the earl}' stage destroy the whole gang of depre- dators. Sprayers have now become as essen- tial in a good garden as a hoe or a pruning knife. Phlox glaberrima. — For all our many beau- tiful summer blooming herbaceous plants, our gardens would be badly off without representa- tives of the Phlox family. The many varieties of Phlox paniculata, as they have been im- proved b}' florists, are charming. But some of our native species, though thej' have not suc- ceeded in securing the florist's attention, are scarcely less attractive. The smooth Phlox, P. glaberrivia, is a good illustration. This shoots up abundantly' from the ground, and makes a dwarf mass of ros}' pink flowers from one to two feet high. The illustration on page 141 represents a plant as grown in the Arnold Ar- boretum, near Boston, Mass., which is under the intelligent care of Mr. Jackson Dawson, from a photograph furnished b}' Mr. A. Rehder. ■^ET/^PLES. Varieties of Apple for Cider. — Mr. N. A. Whitne}', a prominent maker of cider, of Franklin Grove, Ills., states that he uses Hews Va. Crab mostly in making the best cider — also the Romanite and Limbertwig. Almost an}' of the late fall and winter vari- eties ma}' be used with the exception of such as Ben Davis, Willowtwig, Fameuse, etc. Care and Cultivation of OrcharDvS. — The following account, from the pen of a INIaine commercial orchardist, gives valuable instruc- tion applicable to small orchards as well : — " My experience in orcharding dates from 1891, at which time I bought a field of about fifteen acres. There had been about two hun- dred apple-trees set out in one corner of this field ; but at the time of my purchase there were not over one hundred and twenty-five left, the others having been killed by borers and from other causes. These trees had been set out at least twenty years, and to my cer- tain knowledge had never borne a profitable crop. It may be well to state here that the soil of this field is a gravel loam, quite rocky, and with natural drainage. It was what would be called good corn land, and is well adapted, with proper cultivation, for fruit growing. Like many other New England fields, it had been given ' a slick and a promise,' until it was badly run out, and only cut, the year of my purchase, about five tons of hay. My first effort to bring this orchard into something like a profitable condition was to give the trees a thorough trimming, followed by ploughing and planting potatoes, using two thousand five hundred pounds of Stockbridge Potato Manure on about three acres. Since then the orchard has been kept under the plough and harrow, with the exception of one year, when it was mowed, and the next year the grass was ploughed under. From fifteen to twenty pounds, per tree, of Stockbridge Tree Mani;re has been applied broadcast every other year, and harrowed in, no other manure having been used. The trees were sprayed once just as the buds were ready to open, again when the apples were about as large as beans, and again two or three weeks later with mixtures similar to Bowkers's 'Boxal,' ' Disparene,' and ' Bodo' mixtures. The orchard has never failed to give a fair crop but one year, when the trees bloomed well, but were blighted by cold, wet weather. Four or five furrows are ploughed each side of the rows, and these strips are kept thor- oughly cultivated with a spring tooth cultiva- tor, five to ten pounds of Stockbridge Tree INIanure being applied every other year and cultivated in. I had a few barrels of apples the past season from trees which have been set out seven years, and I have two hundred trees which have been set eight years the coming spring, that give promise of a fine crop. We thus find that four things are essential to successful fruit growing, — namely, trim- ming, cultivating, spraying, and fertilizing. Don't think that any thing will do to fertilize a fruit-tree. It won't. For some crops and under certain conditions there is nothing I goo] MEEHANS' MONTHLY — GENERAL GARDENING. 139 superior to stable manure ; but it is not a prop- erly balanced fertilizer for fruit-trees, being deficient in both phosphoric acid and potash, and is likely to grow wood rather than pro- duce fruit. The fruit is likely to be deficient in color and flavor, and is liable to decay as soon as picked from the tree. With proper appliances the cost of spra3'ing is nominal, and if properh^ done will add from twenty-five to fift}' per cent, to the value of the crop. For best results clean cultivation is neces- sary. It would be just as sensible to plant corn in grass land and expect to get a crop as to ex- pect a fruit-tree to do its best under the same conditions. Do as much of the cul- tivating as possible with the harrow, and, when necessarj' to plough, plough shallow, so as to dis- turb the roots as lit- tle as possible. For 3-oung trees it will do niceh' to plough a few furrows on each side of the rows and cultivate thor- oughU". Do not neglect trimming for a num- ber of years and then in a spasm of enter- prise do a wholesale job. Trim moder- atel}^ ever}' year, and avoid cutting out large branches as much as possible. A properly compounded, well-balanced com- mercial fertilizer will give a healthy growth, with plenty of fruit, of high color, fine flavor, and good keeping qualities. Such a fertilizer should anaU'ze as follows : ammonia, three per cent, to four per cent. ; total phosphoric acid, fourteen per cent. ; potash (K-O), ten per cent, to twelve per cent. ERENIURUS HIMALAYACUS ( SEE PAGE 136. 3 Fertilizers for Fruit Trees. — But few amateurs know or realize the needs of fruit trees in regard to food. Mr. John A. Myers, of New York City, has made a number of translations from German works citing various experiments chiefly in connection with the use of nitrate of soda. From one of these the fol- lowing hints are taken : — "Stable manure and compost improve the mechanical condition of the soil and promote the growth, particularly of newly planted trees. They can, however, supply the demands for plant food only when applied every year in large quantities. For older, well grown trees, the stable manure may be omitted, and ar- tificial fertilizers are applied in their place. Notwithsta n d i n g the demand for phos- phoric acid seems small, it is not ad- visable to neglect its application, as the soil, and the yield and quality of the fruit are promoted by phosphoric acid. The phosphate of lime, which at the same time contains considerable lime, has demonstrated its value for fruit trees, as has long since been known for the field crops. It is par- ticularl}' important to liberally fertilize with phosphate and potash salts, at the planting out of orchards in fresh lands, in order to provide the soil with a reverse supply of fertilizer. Where the object is to produce permanent effects, they are arrived at only by manuring with the three plant foods (potash, phosphoric acid and nitrogen) in combination. It is the business of the fruit raiser to judge of the pro- portions of the ingredients to be applied, ac- cording to the age and growth of the trees, for no recipe can be given which is ever^-where ap- plicable." I40 MEEHAXS MONTHLY — GENERAL GARDENING. [Sept. Gathering Walnuts. — Where walnut trees are on grass, invariably' the best place, it is the rule, so soon as some fall, showing that the nuts are ripe, to send a man with a long stick up a ladder to beat the nuts off, gathering them up. They are usually then read\' to part from the husk, but if not, letting them lie in a heap for two or three days to heat a ver}^ little produces the desired effect. The nuts should then be laid out thinly on shelves or a floor to dry, and afterwards stored in dry sand to keep fresh. The shop nuts are usualh' gathered before ripe, then heated to free the husks, and the flavor is in that wa}' destroyed. — Garden- ifig Illustrated. Method of Storing Celery in Iowa. — A writer in the Minnesota Horticulturist thi:s explains his method of storing celery: — "I dig a trench i8 inches wide, 12 feet long and 4 inches deeper than the height of the celery to be placed in it. Before killing frosts come, I take up the celerj', place it in the trench in an upright position and close together. I cover with two boards i inch x 12 inches x 16 feet, until heavy snow and frost set in, then cover with a thick laj'er of stable manure. Other covering might answer. ' ' Cranberry Culture. — "The wild cran- berry (or craneberry) grew in natural bogs only. The best bogs are laurel, maple, cedar, tamarack, aspen, and balsam swamps. Culti- vation consists in clearing away all growth ex- cept the vines and in sanding and preparing to flood. The bog is flooded to protect the fruit from frosts and to kill fire worms or other par- asites. Among the latter are yellow-headed and black-headed fruit worms, which, if left unchecked, are liable to destroy the entire crop. (irowers remove weeds, add fertilizers, re- flood from time to time and spray the vines to kill moths, larvge, tip worms, scale, etc. Where suitable sand is available, all really first-class bogs are sanded regardless of whether or not they can be flooded. This renders culti- vation and picking easier and makes the fruit brighter and cleaner. In some sections, where flooding is not accomplished by natural freshets or the use of artificial dams and sluices, powerful pumpiog works have been erected. When the weather bureau reports an impending freeze, the pumps are put to work and the bog is covered with water in a few hours, and the crop saved. There are some dry cranberry fields, artifi- cially planted ; but, while productive, they can- not be so certainly protected as the floodable bogs. The number of commercial growers in the United States, is over two thousand. They are found mainly in the States of Massa- chusetts, New Jersey, Maine, Connecticut, iNIichigan, and Wisconsin, but Minnesota, Oregon, Rhode Island, Washington and New York, reported bogs. The number in Michi- gan and Wisconsin is on the increase despite a temporary set-back b}' forest fires. A new field or bog is made by clipping and thrusting into the earth sprouts from vines not more than three years' old. There are many varieties of cranberries. Over 100 of them, of good keeping and ship- ' ping qualities, were raised at the State Exper- iment Station at INIadison, Wisconsin, in 1898, and exhibited at the succeeding cranberry con- vention. The United vStates consular officers report about an eqvial number in the Canadian provinces, the best of which are being trans- planted to this countr5^" The foregoing facts from the United States Government officials at Washington contain much of interest, and may encourage those, fond of experimenting, to grow a few cran- berries, furnishing artificially the necessary conditions. Winter Protection of Half H.ardy Plants. — It should be well-known to advanced gardeners, by this time, that light is as great an agent in destruction by frost as frost alone. But little practical advantage has been taken of this knowledge, except by gardening folk generally, of what the advanced gardeners know. The latter shades his greenhouse, when he finds the plants frozen, — and he plants rhododenrons and similar plants where the sun does not strike them in frost}' weather, if he should have any choice in the selection of a site. In the extra cold region of the north- west, the advanced gardener shades the trunks of his fruit trees by placing boards, fastened together like tree-boxes, up against them. And thus the trees escape sunscald arising from being Under the sunlight, and similar troubles. 1900] IMKEHANS' MONTHLY — GKXICRAI. CARDENIKG. 141 vSureh' orange growers in I'lorida might pro- fit by this experience of their northern breth- ren. It would not be a very expensive thing to make an arbor of lath over an orange grove—- the lath being an inch or so apart. With such a partial shade the plants would probabh' endure ten or twelve spasmodic degrees of frost without injur}', — and the shade in summer would doubtless be all the better for the trees, — at least the trunks of the trees might be boxed, and even filled with earth if the weight could be supported. If the tops -should suifer from frost, the strong trunks would sooner recover, than when the whole tree was killed to the g-round. Forcing Lettuce. — Lettuce matures so quicklj', it is an excellent thing to grow under glass, interspersed with more permanent plants or occup3'ing a bench by itself temporarih-. It requires no more heat than is given a house of carnations. While under ordinar}- good conditions it will general!}' give good results, those who want to have the best success will be inter- ested in some experiments made at the Connecticut Experiment Station, and will profit thereby. It was found that lettuce of better qual- ity' could be grown in a mixture of from 9 to 12 per cent, ol peat moss with coal ashes. Black swamp muck with no fiber was less satisfactor}' than peat moss. A number of comparisons were made of the growth on the same kind of compost which had been "sterilized" by heating it for one hour with live steam, which raises the temper- ature of the soil to above 100 C. In every case a better crop was grown on sterilized soil than on corresponding plots untreated. Lettuce transplanted from the seedling patch to the permanent beds was much larger and heavier than that which was twice transplanted. Fer- tilizer chemicals depressed the yield in each case, while the addition of lime did not greatly affect the weight or quality of the crop The plants were set 8 inches apart in the trial plots. There is practical!}' only one way to escape these troubles and that is to become familiar with the popular varieties. There are difficul- ties in the way, but if the purchaser Is insist- ent to know what she is purchasing, the market will find it profitable to take pains to have everything named. Peaches are a good ex- ample of possible difficulties, as many of them look much alike to the average person, — but what difTerences in qualit}' there are ! In the case of apples, one could soon learn those which are most stable in quality ; some are of very little account if kept too long, but are of finest qualit\- earl}' in the season and others will improve by keeping. Dried Persimmons. — In Southern Illinois there are perhaps ten, fifteen or more varieties of the persimmon growing wild. So plentiful Fruits for the Table. — One of the most discouraging things that the housekeeper en- counters frequently is the remarkable poor quality of some remarkably fine looking fruit. PHLOX GLA BERRI M A. FLOWERS PINK. (SEE PACE IJ8.1 is the fruit during the early winter, that many bushels drop off and go to waste every year. Many varieties when fully ripe are simply ex- cellent. If properly ripe, they are considered by some to be equal to imported dates, though different in flavor. — A)?ieyica?i Fruit and Veg- etable Journal. Australian Raspberrie s. — Australian trees and shrubs have found themselves quite at home in California. Australian fruits seem to have the same tastes. Mr. S. L. Watkins, of Lotus, has been experimenting with them. One he has selected and named "Queen ol Australia." He says the canes reach a height of ten or fifteen feet, — and that the fruit ripens before the Miller's Red and HanseL which are the standards lor earliness in that region. BIOGRAPHY AND LITERATURE. THE WEALTH OF LEARNING. The helm may rust, the laurel bough may fade, Oblivious grasp may blunt the victor's blade ; But that bright, holy wreath which learning gives, L'ntorn b}^ hate, unharm'd b}' env}', lives. — Graha.m. E. W. Bull. — A correspondent calls atten- tion to the date of the death of the originator of the Concord Grape as ^Nlarch 26, 1S95. On page 238 of Meehans' Monthly for 1895, it is correctly given as September 27, 1895. The account recently given was condensed from a Boston paper sent to Meehaxs' Monthly for the purpose, and the error in the date not noticed by the compiler of the para- graph. The Pinxter-flower. — A letter, in the issue for July, which attracted my attention, was from Mr. Geo. D. Hulst, from Brooklyn, N. Y., in which he opposes the idea of Azalea viscosaheiug a "Pinkster-flower." lam cer- tainly^ not a judge about common names of American flowers, but I am a Hollander and know that, in Holland, pinksterbloem (not blume) is the blue German Iris, which grows in Holland everywhere along the borders of our rivers and ditches, audit is far more plaus- ible that, when the first Dutch settlers around New York saw the purple flowers of Azalea amoena, or perhaps the nudi/lora, they called it Pinksterbloem (Pinxer-flower) as that it has anj'thing to do with the white robes of the children when they are christened. It may be new for Mr. Hulst, but it is true, that the chil- dren in Holland wear long robes when baptized. And it is new to me that Pinksterfeest (Pente- cost) ever has been a special daj' for baptizing children, as in Holland, children are generally baptized in the church a few weeks after birth, as in the Protestant churches the mother is by custom (not by law) not allowed to go to church before the child has been christened. The children of Roman Catholics are mostly (142) baptized the day after birth, so I hardly- think that there has been a time that Whit-Sundaj' has been set as christening day, as Governor Colden said, and furthermore, the use of flowers is not customary at christenings in Holland. P. Ouwerkerk. Ivy Poisoning. — The L^. S. Yearbook of the Department of Agriculture, p. 140, states— no doubt correcth' — that toxicodendrol, the fixed oil oi Rhus, is the cause of the poisoning, and that it is readil}- cured b}' acetate of lead. But the writer might have added that there is also a bacterium or microbe associated with rhus poisoning. As in so many other cases, the poisoning seems to have a two-fold origin. I am told that lime-chlorid will destroy the mi- crobe at once. C. N. Greene. The cause of poisoning bj' Rhus Toxicoden- dron, the Poison Vine, has not yet been demonstrated so clearly as to meet unchal- lenged acceptance. Bacteria are found every- where when the food the}- require is present ; the}' starve and disappear after they have de- voured all the food to be obtained. Bacteria are found in dew drops, and that the}' are found in the extracts of toxicodendron is no surprise. But if they are the direct cause of the poison- ing by Rhjis, the immunity of so many has to be accounted for. D.\NGEROUS Knowledge. — A celebrated English writer, of the last generation, was celebrated for his asceticism. One saying with which he is credited is that " a little knowl- edge is a dangerous thing." This is particu- larly exemplified, at the present time, by the talks on microbes which come in the public prints. Just before us, as we write, is an arti- cle, in a magazine of some pretentions, which reads as follows : — " Fruit skins carry germs, and, when these are taken into the stomach, cause disease. The raw fruit, itself, is danger- ous, and in many cases should not be eaten. Cooked fruit is in all cases preferable ; but 1900] MKEHANS MONTHLY — BIOGRAPHY AND LITERATURE. 143 when fruit is eaten, the skins should always be discarded. The}' are full of microbes, which thej' catch from the atniosj^here and re- tain." The folly of this is apparent when it is known that the number of disease-producing germs is infinitesimalh- small in comparison with those which are beneficial. Nearly all the operations of life are carried on through the agenc}'^ of these microbes ; there could be no life without them. Ninety per cent., at least, of all the microbes that are attached to fruits do no more injury than to eat a dish of oysters. Trees in New Zealand. — The drought in New Zealand has been very hard on tree-life. Some forty species of trees and shrubs were killed in the Christ Church public gardens, and others seriously injured. The summers in Canterbury are usually dry, but extremes, resulting in drought, are rare. The drouth in the fall of 1S98, w'as followed by a severe winter for that region, the thermometer being variously reported as from 15° to 20° below freezing point. Of California trees, Pimis insignis and Cii- pressus macrocarpa do very well. Libocedrtis deairrens, and the Nootka Sound Cj^press do well. Other California evergreens do not stand the drought very well. Gardening as a Diversion.— One of the great advantages of a love of gardening, is the break it makes on the continuous strain of business thought. No real lover, and pos- sessor of a garden ever died of insomnia. This is a disease which follows those by night who cannot throw off the thoughts of daily life. They retire to think, instead of to sleep, — and the darkness and quietness of the night favor the thought. To leave behind the business of the city for the pleasures of the trees and flowers of the suburbs, has saved numerous lives that w^ould have otherwise been broken down. This seems better understood in the Old World than with us. The famous jurist. Lord Penzance, did not take his law studies to his country home. There he thought onlj? of his garden, and the floral treasures it contained. One of his hobbies in the garden was the improvement of the Sweet Briar, and the many beautiful varieties he raised, obtained as much fame for himself as did his legal opinions, to sa}- noth- ing of the pleasure the flowers brought him. The Spirit of Flowers. — If good angels in the sweet flowers dwell. Who would not protect and love them well ! The senior editor of Meehans' Monthly makes such beautiful, appropriate poetic selec- tion that I realize he needs no assistance in that department ; but not to send a meagre letter, I will copy a few lines from an old volume, " Flora's Interpretee," by Mrs. vSarah Josepha Hale, published in 1839. The poem w^as a translation from the German, and after saying that bright angels make their homes in the flowers during their stay on earth, and keep them in repair as other householders do, and that when they go back to their heavenly homes the flowers wither and die, etc., she continues — " If thou, my dear Lady, in truth art inclined The spirits of heaven beside thee to find. Make nature thy study, companion and lover. And, trust me, the angels around thee will hover." Then recommending the care of lilies and roses, and that their angels will be the guar- dians of those who water and cherish, both by day and night, and " When thus thou are kept by a heavenly spell, Shouldst thou, now and then, dream that I love thee right well, Be sure that with fervor and truth I adore thee. Or an angel had ne'er set mine image before thee." Mrs. E. E. Orcutt. San Uiego, Cal. Public Parks in Belgium. — King Leopold of Belgium, who has been a life-long patron of gardening, has donated the whole of his real estate in that country for parks and pleasure grounds for the people forever. He could not do anything better to have his name held in grateful remembrance as long as his country shall endure. Apple Wealthy. — The spot on which the original Baldwin apple grew has been marked b}^ a monument. The northwest is talking of doing something of the kind for the one known as Wealthy, introduced to public notice by the late Peter M. Gideon, of Minnesota, which has proved to be as great a public blessing to the fruit-growing and fruit-eating interests of that section as the Baldwin has been to the East. GENERAL NOTES. Horticultural Education. — In many parts of the Old World horticulture is made part of a polite education. No one would feel obliged to sa3' ' ' griddle-cake flower, ' ' for fear of being thought affected if he used the I^atin word Verbena. But with us there seems a general disposition to ridicule any one who ventures to show an interest in any intelligent subject outside of a discussion of the latest novel. The general ignorance of the simplest fact of gardening is remarkable, — but it is probablj' no greater in gardening than in other intelli- gent matters. Probably much of this degeneration is due to the fact that professionals are doing most of the teaching. Educational serials, especially, are awful examples. If any ordinary persons were to talk as these people write, it would be no wonder if " learning " was under a popular cloud. Even though one of them may write so that we may dispense with a Latin or Greek dictionary at our elbow, the thoughts of the writers are so confused b}- the language, that the sentences are often unintelligible. Now before us, one writes : " Dr. Warner studied a vast body of school children with a view to their classification upon the basis of actual capacity (to learn). Tables embodying the results of his examinations of 50,000 cases bear out his the- ory. Certain developmental defects and nerve signs are supposed to correspond to a low or disordered condition of the brain. The exami- nation of 100,000 children as to the presence or absence of these signs and defects, and the comparison of the results with their school record and with the opinion of their teach- ers confirms the author's belief in the sound- ness of his theory. " It is the province of good language to convey clear ideas. Under or- dinary school arrangements, it would take at least ten minutes to examine, record and com- pare with the teacher's experience as narrated in each child's case, — so we are to understand that Dr. Warner was engaged for full}' 365 days, 10 hours a day, for 4 years in the en- deavor to prove a "theory," which after all (144) seems to have been but a h5-pothesis. Usually, also an examination and a comparison might confirm something, but in this case they "con- firms " it. Another article tells of the large number of school teachers who took a trip to Europe this }'ear, and an examination of the steamers' registers, which showed so many of the ladies' names with the "prefix. Miss, before them," — as if a "prefix" could possibly be behind them. It is experience of this kind that discredits intelligence. We vaoy smile at ' ' Higher Ed- ucation," and yet hope that a love of sound intelligence will 3'et advance. Vacation Schools. — ]Mrs. Seliger, Hart- ford, Conn., says: — "Since the inauguration of our Jirst vacation school, b}- Miss Alida B. Clark, under the patronage of the ladies of the Civic Club, you mentioned in the June number of your magazine, we have had a second term of them in two schools last summer led by the same club of ladies who also have the ex- penses of them. This 3'ear they begin in three places when the public schools close and the City Council has granted, upon petition, a sum sufficient to carry it out as proposed. We mean not to be tardy in any good purpose." Preserving Nature. — America is doing well in preserving areas of special interest by government purchases. In England, there is a public society known as the National Trust, that is buying up tracts for the purpose of pre- serving wild plants and animals of rare value in natural historj-. Part of a huge swamp, known as Wicken Fen, has recentlj' been pur- chased by this societj- for this laudable pur- pose. Walnuts in California. — Some idea of the extent of walnut culture in California may be formed from the fact that a single large asso- ciation, in southern California, advertised for bids for 70,000 sacks to be used in the shipping of the coming crop. \/b[..X. Plate 10. ! \-! ;i.-i ! \ Qf',' r\r ■]' GRINDELIA SQUARROSA. GUM PLANT. NATURAL ORDER, COMPOSITE. GRINDELIA SQUARROSA, Duual - Commouly only a foot or two high and branched from the base; leaves rigid, cauline, from spatulate- to linear-oblong, and with either broadish or narrowed half clasping base, acutely and often spinu- losely serrate or denticulate; sometimes radical and even cauline, laciniate-pinnatifid, involucre strongly squarrose with the spreading and recurving short-filiform tips of the bracts; outer akenes commonly (but not always) corky, thickened and with broad, truncate summit, those toward the centre narrower and thinner walled and with smaller areola. Gray's Synoptical Flora of North America. See also Brittou and Brown's Illustrated Flora of the Northern United States, Canada and the British Possessions. The verj' prettj' and interesting plant here illustrated, a native of onr territory that was once known as the Western Plains, affords, in its family history, a good lesson in nomencla- ture to the student in botany. Frequent changes of name are vexatious, but in many cases essential, if not always desirable. Here is a family of plants, now known as Grindelia, that not a hundred years ago was not distin- guished from Aster, and the first one was de- scribed by Cavanilles about the incoming of the nineteenth century as Aster gluttnosus, the species founded on specimens or seedling plants received from Mexico. Willdenow, following with his "Species Plantarum," transferred it from this to the old Linnsean genus, Doro7ii- cuin, and it became Doronicum glutinosum, though he takes occasion to remark that it has a different appearance from the rest of that genus, especially in regard to the imbrication of the calyx, as the mass of involucral scales was termed in that day. In 1807, Willdenow, in a Berlin magazine, separated it again; made of it a special genus, and it became Grmdelia glutinosa, so far retaining the family name. Coming to Grindelia squarrosa, of which this chapter treats, it was first discovered by the celebrated explorers, Lewis and Clark; and Rob- ert Brown, seeing good generic characters not before observed, made for it a separate genus, Donia, and it appears in Hortus Kewensis, in 1813, as Donia squarrosa. Under this title it passed till 1836, when Dunal, in Decandolle's Prodrovins, showed it to be not essentiallj' diiferent from Gruidclia, the prior genus, and botanists have accepted it as Grindelia squar- rosa since that date. We see from this history that changes are unavoidable. The discovery of new species, or of new forms of old species, shows characters, once thought important, to be in a measure trivial; or, on the other hand, strengthens those that may have been regarded of small account. The new names result from new discoveries. It is to be regretted that the name Donia, established by Brown, and given to this plant as Donia squarrosa, by Pursh, when describ- ing Lewis and Clark's plants in 1814, could not be retained, as commemorative of a very worthy man, George Don, a Scotch gardener, and subsequently a nurseryman at Forfar, in Scotland. Like many gardeners of the past age, he was very fond of botany, and had a pride in collecting living plants for the pleasure he derived from their study. His two sons, George and David, became famous botanical authors and teachers, David being widely esteemed as Professor of Botany in King's College, London. As already noted, the specimen described by Pursh, was collected by Lewis and Clark, and is still preserved in the Academy of Natural Sciences, of Philadelphia. In Lewis' fine handwriting appears on the sheet "Prairies, in the camp near the old Maha village, August 17th, 1804." It ma}' be noted here, that the dates marked on each paper of specimens do not always correspond with the dates in the itinerar}- of the journey, and are evidently the dates when the specimens were dry enough to (145) 146 MEEHAXS MONTHLY — GRINDELIA SOUARROSA. [ Oct. put awa}'. Lewis had evidenth' noted some dis- tinction from ordinar}' plants, as "AnoHy?fio/iS balsamifera'' was written on the label, and, following the above note appears, in Pursh's handwriting, ZJ^wt'/^w spathulata, a provisional name he had to drop on his arrival in England on account of Brown's previous selection of Donia. The name Dcmctria seems to have been suggested b\- the clean, cut-awaj' form of the 3'oung flower head, resembling a hemi- sphere. Among the most fascinating of modern studies in plant life is the subject of variation. It has an intimate relation with the origin of species, which, as the modern thought runs, has been the result of great variation during the lapse of time. In this respect, Grindelia sqjtarrosa is a verj' interesting plant, its range of variation being very wide. The description quoted from Dr. Gray notes that the leaves are acutel}- serrate — in our specimen the serratures are by no means sharp. He adds that thej- are often spinulosely serrate or denticulate; but the Pursh specimen before referred to is not merelj'spinulose, but has long ciliae at the apex of the leaves. On the other extreme are speci- mens before the writer from the Seton River Mountains, that have very narrow leaves, and the margins almost entire. Generally, the herbarium specimens gathered b}* various col- lectors in different places, and showing varia- tions in characters, are supposed to be t^-pical of the whole series in the separate localities, and on this supposed fact has been constructed theories of local variations caused b}' supposed special local conditions. But the author, in stud3ing the Grindelia in its haunts in Kansas and Colorado, has found the most extreme forms, in a comparatively limited area, b3' looking for them. The fact that, in geographi- cal locations widely separated, differing forms prevail, must be accounted for in some other premise than environment. Isolated plants of this Grindelia are often found to have wan- dered from a distant home. One plant was found, several years ago, by C. D. Lippincott, at Swedesboro, N. J., and another plant was found b}' Isaac Burk on the ballast ground near Philadelphia. As heredit}- goes hand-in-hand with variation, it may easily be understood that the peculiar character of some supposed geographical variety maj' have been due to the character of the first immigrant settler, as miich at least as to " conditions of environ- ment." Another interesting study of modern times is that of motion in plants. In many com- positfe, the faces of the leaves, instead of the margins, are horizontal, and it has been sup- posed, in some instances, that the edges of the leaves range due north and south. These are known as compass plants. The author, in his earlier studies, was inclined to believe in the soundness of this view, but has had to abandon it on more extended obser\-ations. The earlier assent to the proposition can only be accounted for on the hypothesis that one can often see what is sought for. When told to see the compass plant, we believe we see it. It is now understood that the spiral direction of the growth-force, that in most plants does not manifest itself beyond the axis, extends in numerous composites to the ribs or veins of the leaves. It is these twists which set the leaves on edge, and the twist has, therefore, no relation to polarity. In some species of the family the twist occurs in the petiole near the junction with the stem, at other times near the middle of the leaf; and again, as in some Senecios and Centaureas, there maj^ be two or even three coils twisting the leaf into a ring- let form. In Grindelia sqiiarrosa, as we see by the picture, the twist occurs just below the middle of the leaf, and onlj' the upper portion is vertical. In naming the original plant Donia riscosa, Pursh had in view the extremeh- viscid secre- tion that covers the leaves to such an extent as to give them a singularly bright and glossy appearance. The purpose ser\-ed by this gum in the econom}- of the plant has not been as- certained. In some of the species, the gum has been supposed to have strong medical virtues. It has given rise to its common name of Gum Plant. Whether Grindel, in whose honor Willde- now dedicated this beautiful American genus, did much ser\-ice to the progress of botan}-, is not known. It was probably a personal com- pliment. About all the biographies say of him is that John Grindel was a Professor of Botany at Riga, and that he was born in 1776, and died in 1S36. KxPLANATiON OF THE PLATE. — I. Lower section of a stem from a Kansan specimen. 2. Flowering branchlets. 3 Vertical section of a flower, showing the receptacle, with its spreading scales. WILD FLOWERS AND NATURE. TALES OF THP: WOODS. " Of brown nuts crackling down from the bursting burs In the autumnal days — of bowery vines Festooned from branches of the oak and elm, Of fragrant walnuts twined upon their spra3'S, Of pines that gave a murmur like the sea, Yet whisper of their distant mountain haunts. And of all pleasant forest-sights and sounds — Of greenwood-vistas, of the waterfall. Where all the air is filled with rainbows — then The plashing brook — the spotted thrush that sings Deep in the glen." Howard Worcester Gilbert. Hornets' Nests and Paper from Wood- Pulp. — The wasp was the first manufact- urer of paper from wood-pulp, and it began the business before man was created. Paper from wood-pulp has been made but a few years, and most any person of this generation can remember when it was not made. Such an old thing as paper made from rags, as it was, first began centuries ago, solely on ac- count of printing purposes; and now there are more uses for paper for other purposes than printing, that we could not get along without paper. It is one of the wants of man as well as one of the luxuries. To be sure, in the backwoods or on some solitary Juan Fernandez island, paper would not cut any figure, but in civilized countries men must have it. I was sitting, resting mj- wearied muscles on a one- legged stool (I merely mention the one-legged stool to let your readers understand that I am not a member of any trust or combine and cannot afford to rest upon velvet and brocade cushions) near a gateway with unpainted posts of oak, when my attention was called to a wasp, the kind which is in the habit, like the hornet, of building paper nests. It was crawl- ing or walking up the face of the post, then walking back. It seemed to be searching for something. Presently it exuded from its mouth, as it began the ascent again, a liquid, which it placed on the wood in a narrow streak about two inches long, then it backed down again and with its jaws began scraping up the softened wood, or what is called weather-worn wood, which it rolled up into a ball and then flew away with it to the nest it was building on some window or door-jam nearby. It might not be generally known that the mud-dauber wasps visit the water pools for water as well as mud. They carry both mud and water, to their nests, for building purposes. At other times these wasps will find water at one place, where there is no mud handy, and will carry it to a considerable distance, saj^ to a dried-up pool, where they have been in the habit of ob- taining their mud, and will moisten the dried mud, which they will roll up and carry away. I have known it for years that both the hornet and wasp obtain their building materials from the old weather-worn snake fences of chestnut rails which are so plentiful in the East. Here in this countrj', where there is no chestnut, they make use of the oak or pine fences, but any dead wood which is sound and free from bark is used by them. But water they must have if the wood is dry, and they carry the water to the wood. They do not do this carrying busi- ness all of the time, for when the wood is wet from the rains and dews, then is their favorite time for work at nest-building. F. K. Steele, Festus, Mo. Spiranthes simplex. Gray. — A number of years before this little plant, belonging to the Orchis family, was raised to a specific rank, it grew in a lane belonging to a farm in Cones- toga Valley, Berks County, Pa. In Septem- ber, 1884, it was detected growing among Haircap Moss {Polytridaun commune, Linn), in a sandy ravine in Manor Township, Lancaster County. Although bearing some resemblance to Spiranthes gracilis, Bigelow, it differs from it in having a solitary tuberous root and a smaller spike of pure white flowers, the lip being white. In 1889, I noticed, in Gray's Manual, that it was named Spiranthes simplex, (147) 148 MEEHAXS' MONTHLY — WILD FLOWERS AND NATURE. [Oct. Gray. In 1892, two specimens having roots Were named and sent to one of our local bot- anists, who thus answered the sender, "Spira?i- thessbnplex, Gra}'; this is a nice discovery. It is new both to the Count}' and the State. I would like to retain the specimens. The plant should be in the State Home so that the finder would have the reward of his find " When Britton and Brown published their " Illus- trated Botau}' of the Northern United States," the\- gave the plant to New Jersey' and IMarj'^- land. I suppose it was not reported to them from Penns5'lvania. September i, 1899, it was again found grow- ing on a sand}- part of the Welsh Mountain near Beartown, Lancaster County. If an}^ of our local botanists, in their excursions, have found the plant, I would like to hear from them in the columns of 5-our magazine. The plant, though small, has alwa3's been a favorite of mine. I used to think that it resembled a small blade of wet grass when the sun shines on it. and called it " Little Dewdrop." It is difiicult to cultivate. I have planted a large number of them with ver}- little success. Ameli.\ F. Eby. Lancaster, Pa., September j, igoo. Grindelia squarros.\. — In addition to the m.ain chapter on Grmdelia in this issue, it maj' be noted that the greatest number of species in found in Mexico. Some reach Chili on the South, and our species is the most Northerly species of the familj-. It is a great traveler, and has been collected from Western Canada to Texas, and though originall}- not found far east of the Rocky IMountains, has, during recent years, been traveling eastwardlj' at a rapid rate. Life and Growth in Plants. — One of the commonest of cactuses in gardens is the Echi- nopsis ymdtiplex, a small sub-globular species, with five or six sharp ribs, and sparselj- sprinkled with a few clusters of long black spines on the sharp edges of the ribs. It sends up, occasionally, a large white tubular flower, which, like so many of the family, opens at night, and soon withers away. In Germany, a druggist, named Ludwig Rust, placed a speci- men under a sealed glass case seven 3'ears ago, and it is said to be 3-et in a "thriving condi- tion," to the surprise of the scientific men of Berlin, who are puzzled to know where it ob- tains its carbonic acid from. Many sugges- tions are advanced as to the source of this ele- ment. So far as the published account goes, however, there is no indication that the speci- men was weighed before it was encased, or weighed after its seven years of entombment — no evidence, it may be said, that any carbonic acid was ab.sorbed. It is just as likel}' to be a case of dormancy. It is now well understood that in the absence of exciting causes, dor- mancy in vegetation ma}' be retained indefi- nitel5^ Mistletoe on an Apricot. — The Pacific Rural Press figures a species of Mistletoe, native to California, that has grown on the branch of an apricot. It shows how plants can adapt themselves to new conditions, the home of the apricot being Asia. After all, these parasites, themselves, are good illustra- tions of this. These parasites probably started life in the earlier ages as other trees and plants do — and as the Cnsc7ita, or Dodder, does now — and eventuall}- found it as well to live wholl}' on trees. Logicall}^ a plant could not attach itself to a tree, until there was a tree to be at- tached to. Parasitism must then have been a later event in the great work of evolution. Meteorology and Vegetation. — The Eng- lish peasantrj-, during past ages, have been fond of recording their obser\'ations in natural history by versification. In regard to prognos- tication of the weather, the lines read : " When the oak is out before the ash, Then 'twill be but a little splash ; When the ash is out before the oak. Then the summer will be a soak." We learn further by this that these plain people knew, long ago, that there was no regu- larit}' in the sequence of leafing or flowering. A plant, among the earliest in this respect one season, maj' be a laggard in another. And 5-et to-day many of our learned fellows are con- structing floral calendars by noting the times when floral activitj* appears. GENERAL GARDENING. AUTUMN FRUITS. Full slow to part with her best gifts is Fate; The choicest fruitage comes not with the Spring, But still for Summer's mellowing touch must wait, — For storms and tears, which season 'd excel- lence bring, And Love doth fix its joyfullest estate In hearts that have been hushed 'neath sor- row's brooding wing. Florence Earle Coates. Disease in Birch Trees. — A Buffalo cor- respondent, interested in the note on the birch disease, in a recent issue of INIeehans' Month- ly, sent to a leading horticulturist in New York an inquiry, and received the following reply : " I am very sorry to say I cannot give you any definite information about the trouble with the White Birch. I have noticed the same difSculty in many places, but so far as I am aware, no one is quite sure what the cause is. I am very certain that the dying of the birches occurs ivhere there are no borers. I have thought sometimes that it was due to the natural death of the tree when it reaches its full longevity. On the other hand, I have seen some trees die which appeared still to be in vigorous growth. The thing I have always recommended is to cut back the tree heavily, below the diseased parts, in the hope that new wood might arise and the tree outgrow the difficulty. I should also apply a little com- mercial fertilizer to the tree." It so happens that, when the first specimen of a diseased birch was brought to the attention of the writer, he at once perceived the analogy betw^een the effect, and that produced by a ferment fungus on the Japanese Ivy, apple, pear, quince and so forth; but when this opin- ion was expressed, he was silenced by receiv- ing specimens of birch branches bored to a mere shell. He adopted the borer idea with- out further thoughts of the matter. Since re- ceiving this communication, he has made a more thorough examination, and now suspects that it is the work of a ferment fungus, just as in the "Fire Blight," "Frozen-sap Blight" and similar manifestations in other trees. The spores obtain an entrance in some local spot, and there germinate, destroying the tissue rapidly for many inches. The ferment- ing sap is carried up through all the portions of the tree above the local point of attack, poisoning as it goes. In the birch, as in other trees, this view seemed verified by one with a penknife, shaving the bark from the local, point of attack upwardly. It is possible that a practised eye, going care- fully over a tree trunk in early spring, pen- knife in hand, might discover the local attack, and by cutting all out to the healthy bark, and washing with a copper solution, save from further progress — but people are so unaccus- tomed to look in advance for hidden trouble with trees, that one might almost say there is no practical remedy. As with the "Fire Blight," these troubles usually wear them- selves out. It is by no means certain, how- ever, that this is the cause. Two Satisfactory House and Decorative Plants. — Foliage plants that may be consid- ered all-around satisfactory for house and gen- eral use in decorations are really very scarce. Where the best of care is given them, quite a list might be made; but quite naturally, in the majority of cases, the care of such plants is very irregular, and under adverse heating and ventilating conditions they suffer more or less. No better plants, at the same time very orna- mental, can \)^nQ.vii^^\.h^an Asparagus Sprengeri and the Boston Fern, Nephrolcpis exaltata Bos- toniensis. Very large specimens of either are remarkably handsome, and show off par- ticularly well if grown in large baskets or placed on pedestals where the graceful stems may show off to greatest effect. Then, too, they come in useful for other purposes, as the stems may be cut and worked into bouquets of flowers very effectively. (149) ISO MEEHANS' MONTHLY — GENERAL GARDENING. [Oct. English Bird Cherry. -To those who admire beautiful trees, it is a surprise that the English Bird Cherry is not planted more frequentlj'. It has special beaut}' at all seasons. The habit of the tree is rather that of a gigantic shrub, as it is fond of sending out branches from the base of the main trunk near the ground, which soon compete for leadership with the main trunk. Those who desire to have a clean, straight bole, keep these cut away. It then makes a tree of 25 or 30 feet high. But when these basal shoots are left to grow, it assumes a prett}", regular growth, as seen in the an- Catalpa grafted on the tall stem of the normal form. The name cannot, however, be changed, since it has become so widely distributed. The specimen on these grounds is regarded as remarkably fine. School Gardens. -In the ^Monthly for July, 1900, was a very suggestive article on School Gardens, and it makes one's heart ache to know the benefit to be derived from such work as pursued and recommended by R. Bingham, but not universally adopted. Botany, as has well been called, is, indeed, the "amiable CERAbUS PADUS. ENGLISH BIRD CHERRY. nexed illustration. In early spring it is clothed with drooping C5'lindrical racemes of white flowers, followed in summer by large, shining black berries, so attractive to birds, that the name Bird Cherry was probably de- rived from it. Finalh', in our country' at least, the leaves turn to a rich brown color, very un- usual in European trees. The specimen illustrated is growing on the grounds of Mrs. Theodore Presser, in German - town, Philadelphia. On the left is seen a specimen of what the German and French nurseries send out as Catalpa Bungei, which has no close relation to that Japanese species, but is a dwarf form of our common American science." In it are found at once the useful and agreeable. And nothing can seem sweeter than that children, who universally are at- tracted even to a flowering weed, should have this necessary instruction to go with them through life, as not only a pleasant memor}-, but also a dail}- blessing. When so much time is consumed over work of little value, it would be so delightful to find some passing moments filled with an interest and a knowl- edge of common things. The different trees of their native forest, the seeds they produce, the birds that build their nests in them. The inhabitants of the bright oak apples or excres- cences, a whole world full of wonder and 1900] MEEHANS' MONTHLY — GENERAL GARDENING. 151 beaut}', but the mind untaught, the eye to see, becomes neglectful of these every-day beau- ties, and companionship is sought instead in artificial and sometimes harmful pleasure. The mind preoccupied with the wealth that Nature offers in garden, field, and forest, would it not rise higher and higher to adore the author of so much that is wonderful, beauti- ful, useful.^ Mrs. E. E. Orcutt. The fungus can maintain itself on decaying vegetable matter, such as is abundant in all rich soils; if however, it conies in contact with living plants in a tender condition, with the outer skin, as it is in seedlings, still unhard- ened, then it attacks the plant and gets inside it, attracted by the nutritious substances pres- ent there. Thus it comes that Pythium ap- pears first at the neck of the plant on the ground level. The seedling is soon girdled, The European Larch — The annexed illuscration of an Euro- pean Larch is taken from a tree growing on the Chew grounds, the famous turning point in the battle of Germantown, when Washington moved to retake Philadelphia from the British General Howe. A glance at the picture is sufiicientto inspire one with its beauty. Though a deciduous tree, it is one of the Con- iferous family, though its slender, graceful branchlets would seem to dispute the fact. The flowers, ulti- mately becoming small cones, appear very early in Spring. They are of a deep purple tint, and give the tree as gay an appearance as many trees that are classed especial- I3' among flowering plants. V .■?*%,.- Seedlings damping off. — Rais- ers of flower seeds or of cuttings well know the trouble from a fun- gus attack, which rots away the young plants. In man}' cases, hundreds are lost in a single day or night. Mr. Worthington G. Smith, one of the most practical of English mycologists, explains, in the London Gardefters' Chronicle, that this is the work of a micro- scopic fungus of the genus PytJmnn, and gives the following account of the process : " It has thick-coated resting spores, which, judging from the frequent damping-ofifamongst seedlings, must be abundant in all gardens or wherever plants are growing. These spores germinate in damp, badly ventilated places, especially where moderate!}' warm; in all plant- houses they must be continually germinating. '•**ri-i4? EUROPEAN LARCH. and the upper parts deprived of nourishment, then droop; the soft, rotting neck can no longer support the stem upright, so it topples over, and is soon covered with the damping-oS fungus and various other moulds." Killing Weeds. — It is amusing to read the learned articles prepared by those of little expe- rience about the appearance of this or that ter- 152 MEEHANS MONTHLY — GENERAL GARDENING. [Oct. rible new weed, and of the special means to be employed with everj' different species. They re- mind us of the famous recipe for killing fleas, naniel}', to place them between the two thumb nails and crush them. The practical cultiva- tor seldom cares to know even the name of a weed. He knows that if he keeps the cultiva- tor or the hoe going as it should go, during the growing season, there will be an end of the most pernicious plant. No plant can live if prevented from making full-grown leaves for a single season. ren rocks, and it does not flower much under a couple of score of years. Indeed, it is only of the male trees that nausea is experienced. The female has less odor, — and, indeed, if it equalled the male, it would be worth enduring by reason of the glorious beauty of the tree when ripening its winged seeds in the fall. It may be noted here that the name was written by the botanist who described it, as Ailant/ius, evidently by a slip of the pen, as it is meaning- less, while he stated, at the same time, that he derived it from the Malayan common name of A MASS OF AILANTUS GLANDUL05A. The Ailantus in Landscape Gardening. — The Ailantus has two disagreeable features. It is liable to throw up suckers itmumerable, and, for a few days, while the male flowers are open, the odor to many persons is annoying. But it has so many points of interest that it cannot be wholly overlooked in landscape gar- dening. Along the rocky banks of the Wissa- hickon, and doubtless in many other places in our country, it has become wild, and adds materially to the beauty of isolated masses of vegetation. The annexed illustration is from a photograph of one of these views. The suckering is of no account among these bar- the tree a/7rt;7/6', which signifies "tree of hea- ven," in allusion to its rapid growth skyward, and the name should, therefore, be Ailantus. It is one of the healthiest of trees in crowded cities. Uncommon Forcing Plants. — One of the choicest forcing plants is Doronicu7n plantagin- CU7II excelsiim, a very large-flowered, yellow composite. Unlike most yellow composites, it is early blooming and dwarf, the flowers frequently measuring five inches across. There is nothing coarse about the flowers, which have long, slender, numerous petals. Flower 1900] MEEHANS' MONTHLY — GENERAL GARDENING. 155 buds show amongst the leaves about four inches above the ground; the stem elongates and the flower opens when about six inches height is reached. The stem continues to elongate and the flower increases in size, until the stem is about two feet high, when the flower fades away to be replaced by another below it. The flowering period is in this manner continued for about two months. The flowers last well cut. English Beech. — All know the beech by its smooth bark, which never has a rough edge, and by its leathery leaves, always smooth and shining. Few trees are more striking when it has room to develop itself. The annexed il- lustration is from a tree on the old battle ground of Germantown, and has been planted about thirty-five years. Galax Leaves. — It is conceded by florists that no more useful deco- rative material has been found than the Southern Galax leaves. These compara- tively small round leaves, of a bril- liant green and bronze color, are very tough and lasting, and are made into leaves or used in bunches as the nature of the decoration may require. They are even used to encircle bunches of violets. Dosoris Park, Glen Cove, N. Y. not stand the cold very well, the leaves drop- ping at a fall in temperature, but the bracts re- maining on till the last. Lespedeza bicolor and Desmodium pen- DULiFLORUM. — As Mr. Ouwerkerk says, in the August Monthly, the two are very distinct in habit and time of flowering, and could not easily be sent out for the same thing. The first being a hardj^ straggling shrub, flowering here July loth, while the Desmodium makes an an- nual growth from the root-stock, and flowers about September loth. J. HOLLOWAY. August 4th. It is well under- stood that there are two distinct plants under the separate names,, but the names be- came confused. Desmodium pen- duliflorum got to be the widely dis- tributed name for what is really Lespedeza bicolor. Efforts to transfer to each its correct name have been unavailing. ENGLISH BEECH. POINSETTIAS FOR ChrISTM.\S DECOR.A.TIONS. — The Poinsettia is a very popular plant for use in decorations about Christmas time, and when well-grown is certainly very effective. There is what is termed a double variety, hav- ing an extra supply of the scarlet bracts usu- ally looked upon as petals, which is very de- sirable, being a little showier and more lasting. Branches with these bracts may be cut and used as desired, or the entire plant. They will Replanting Forest Trees. — The future of wal- nut timber has been provided for in Kansas, by extensive planting. This foresight has not been in evidence in the eastern section of our country. It is now said, however, that the Potts family, at Nantmeal, in Eastern Penn- sylvania, have set out thirty acres of Black Walnut trees. This tree has an advantage in bringing in revenue by its nuts long before being of value for its timber. Ranunculus repens F1. PI. — A double- flowered buttercup may suggest itself to many persons chiefly in the light of an oddity; yet it is more than that. The flowers are fairly abundant, and are so borne as to be useful for cutting. The foliage is a dark, shining green. 154 m MEEHANS" MOXTHLY — GENERAL GARDEXIXG. [Oct. ©R U^RE TL^nTB, TUE n^KhJ FLOWlEl '^i^l^i)ElNi. Galena Weeping Elm. — The American White Elm, L'hmis Atiiericaiia. often takes on 3. serai-pendulous, graceful habit, on which account, joined with a comparatively rapid growth, it is a favorite with planters. It does better in cities for streets and small parks than many other trees. The variety* here illustrated is a ver}- strong grower, with the branches curving downwards much as a weeping willow, which in habit indeed it much resembles. It Winter Protection of Tritomas. — It was onh' within recent years that the tritoma, pop- ularly known as Red-hot-poker plant, was demonstrated to be fairl}^ hardy in the North. Blooming so late in the season, it is a valuable plant in the flower garden, and worthj- of con- siderable attention. Plants that are set out this Fall should be well protected the first winter b}* a good mulch of leaves. This material is better than ma- W££PING ELMS. AT ENTRANCE TO MEEHANS' NURSERIES. was found wild near Galena, the home of Gen- eral Grant, in Illinois, b}- a citizen of that place named Beebe, about 30 j'ears ago. The illustration represents a pair of about that age, from the grafts sent b}' INIr. Beebe, at the en- trance to the jVIeehan Nurseries. It was sup- posed when first distributed to be a variety of the f7w?/5y>//r'rt, but proved on flowering to be as above described. The two specimens, drooping nearly to the ground, are remarkablj- beautiful, and well suited to their ]JOsition at the entrance ; but they would make equally desirable lawn specimens. nure for plants inclined to succulenc}', exces- sive moisture in winter being undesirable. Improved P.eonies. — Mr. H. A. Terr}', of Crescent Cit}', Iowa, has devoted a number of years to the improvement of this lovely genus of hard}- herbaceous plants. After discarding numbers of the more inferior seedlings, he has a list of ninety-four named varieties. It is ])roba])ly one of the finest collections in the world. 1900] MEEHAXS' MOXn HLY — GENERAL GARDENING. 155 Grapes in ^Minnesota. — Prof. Greene, of the Minn. State Experiment Station, has the following to saj' of grapes in that State : " This year Campbell's Earh- fruited for the first time, and appears to be a ver}- promising variety'. Beta is a ver}' hard}- variety, which originated at Waconia, and which for manj' years has been grown in a small way in that section, and found to be exceedingl}' hardy, and able to stand fully exposed through some of our most severe winters." Worden, Moore's EarU' and Agawam are also mentioned as being satisfactor\\ Peach Tree Disease. — A Harrisburg cor- respondent says : "Along the foot of the South Mountain, the eastern boundary of Franklin Count}', and ex- tending into Washington Count}', Md., there are large peach orchards. As might be ex- pected, ' yellows ' have been injuring the trees, and in some places has ruined large planta- tions. There is a picnic ground, Pen Mar, near the top of the mountain, and it is said to have an elevation of 1700 feet above tide water. Along the face of the hill where the picnic ground is located there has been grow- ing, for some seven or more years, a number of peach trees, bearing fruit and free from all leaf- curl or ' yellows. ' This ground is about 700 feet above the peach orchards of the valley. It has occurred to me that this may be the cause of their being free from the ' yellows ' and leaf- curl. Will you, if not too much engaged, give me your idea on this point ? Could it be due to the altitude that these trees are so fresh and free from disease ?' ' There is no myster}' now as to cause of " yellows " in the peach. A parasitic fungus, the spawn of Agariais melleiis, feeds on the roots, causing a fermentation of the sap, which, of course, is carried up with the sap and permeates every part of the tree. This Agaric gets its start on dead or diseased roots, but soon transfers its work to healthy ones when it gets a chance. Like all members of the cryptogamic family, — the ordinary mushroom, for example, — it re- quires nice conditions of air, moisture, tem- perature and food, to grow vigorously. It is just possible that it would grow with more difficulty in a high altitude than in a lower one ; but there are too few facts on record to give a positive opinion on this point. So far as known there has been no note made of the existence of this root parasite in Cali- fornia. It must have been carried there with some kinds of trees, for it is by no means con- fined to the peach. This is possibly owing to the conditions in California being unfavora- ble to its rapid development. It is said there are also localities in the Eastern States where the fungus is not found, and the peach free from disease. The parasite is particularly partial to old peach stones. In some nurseries it is the practice to bed peach pits and take out the sprouting plants for setting out in the nur- series. Often a quantity will not sprout till the following season. To save these, addi- tional stones are placed in the same old bed, and the root parasite is distributed along with the trees. Careful nurserymen make new beds for their peach stones every year. The leaf-curl is also the work of a parasitic fung-us that attacks the leaf from the outside. The Osage Orange as a Fruit. — A cor- respondent of the 'Low^ow. Joiivnal of Horticul- ture brought to England an Osage Orange apple from St. Louis, in 1880. " It had a deli- cious scent, but was quite uneatable." But this year he got "in the market of Algiers a fruit which I fancied must be an Osage Orange, though the rind of the fruit was smoother than the one we brought from America." This Algerine production was evidently the Pomelo, as figured and described in the March number of Meehans' Monthly. The Editor of the Jo2ir7ial of Horticulture adds the following : " Some years ago a proposal, if not an at- tempt, seems to have been made to cultivate the tree for its fruit in this country, a rather curious notion, as it is not conceivable that anyone would eat the fruits if they were pro- duced, for, though they are not unpleasantly perfumed, there is no evidence that the native North American Indians ate them. They smeared their spears with the juice before going to war, and made bows, if not arrows, of the wood for shooting their enemies, and hence the tree is popularly called 'bow-wood.' " 156 MEEHANS' MONTHLY — GENERAL GARDENING. [Oct. Attention is called to this paragraph here in order to ascertain if anyone knew just what use has been made of the Osage Orange in America in an edible character. Wheri the writer of this was a student in Kew over fifty years ago, a small barrel of Osage apples was received, — the writer assist- ing in opening the barrel. The fragrance was delightful. At that time Sir William Hooker and the young Queen Victoria were passing and were attracted by the sweet odor. Sir William, in his usual pleasant manner, ex- plained what he knew about them, — that thej' were closelj^ related to mulberry and were good to eat, as the Indians ate them. The Queen slightly bit one, and then with a suspicious smile, remarked, ' 'Sir William ?" In a good humored way he responded that he had been credibly informed that the American Indians ate them, but he sup- posed some method of cooking must have been employed. But ever since this hint, in the long-ago times, the writer has found no confirma- tory proof of this. The only fact bear- ing on their actual use came to hand after the war for the Union. The firm had been largely engaged in raising the Osage Orange for hedges. When the war broke out no more seed could be had from the South. At the close, after four years, a promise was made by a Southern gentleman to collect for them ; but he was obliged to apologize for the failure in the autumn by the plea that the Osage apples had all been collected and eaten by the freed negro slaves. In some way they must have been in use as food. CRAWFORD'S EARLY PEACH Peach, Crawford's Early. — Among the many newer candidates for public favor, Craw- ford's Early Peach still retains an honored place. It was raised in New Jersey by William Crawford, of Middletown, over a half century ago, and is valued as among the first of the early peaches to attain a respectable size. The earl}' peaches are usually small. It is not of highest character as compared with others, but 3'et it may be rated as little inferior to the best. Its hardy, healthy and good-bearing qualities recommend it highly, and to the market man it appeals by its firmness, which enables it to be carried to market well. It is a yellow-flesh free-stone and prettily colored in the centre. Principles of Strawberry Culture. — The finest strawberries (as with all fruits) are produced from vigorous plants ; therefore the plants must be set out in such manner and cared for to en- courage a strong condition. Single plants or hills will naturally be stronger than plants permit- ted to make runners and a matted bed. , Large, heavy, dark i^reen leaves are ' usually an indication of vigor and will accompany a fine yield of friiit. Plants grown in matted beds are likely to be later in ripening than those in rows or hills, and will do poorly in fewer 3'ears. A good appli- cation of manure in the fall and a mulching of clean straw is beneficial. By spring the straw will be mostly well settled among the plants and furnish a clean carpet to the ground and keep the fruit off the soil. The rows should be renewed with good strong plants at the first sign of weakening, which may occur after from two to four j-ears. Nectarine from the Peach. — A Cecil County, Mar>'land, correspondent sends us the following : " Pierce Brothers, tobacconists, Virginia Avenue and First Street, have growing in the [poo] MEEHANS MONTHLY — GENERAL GARDENING. 157 5-ard adjoining their store a ver}' peculiar fruit, the name of which does not seem to be known. The tree is a volunteer and resembles that of a peach in its leaf, growth and habits. The fruit, however, is decidedl}' like a gage in shape, with a tough semi-transparent skin like an apple, green on one side and brown on the other. The seed of this peculiar fruit is exactly like a peach seed and does not adhere to the meat of the fruit. The flavor is that of a peach, but much richer and more delicious. Is it a distinct variet}' of fruit or a combination brought about b}" fertilization ?" The fruit sent is simplj' a peach that has lost its furry coat. It is known in gardening as the nectarine. The original nectarine is re- corded as a branch from an ordinarj^ peach tree ; but though not common, seedlings from the peach sometimes produce the nectarine fruit, as this has shown it can do. JuxEBERRiES. — The fruit of the Avielanchier has an odd but agreeable flavor, and is culti- vated to some extent — doubtless less than it should be. As a rule, plants are set out for the beaut}^ of their flowers, which are produced in great abundance in earlj' spring. There have been attempts at improvement of the fruit, one variety being known as " Success." The report of the Minn. State Experiment Station says of this variety : " It is well worth growing, for it is perfectly' hardy, very produc- tive, and the fruit is desirable." Mr. W. F. Bassett, Hammonton, N. J. , writes that he has a variety superior to vSuccess, which ripens some- what later, bushes one to two feet in height being loaded with good-sized berries. Apples and Pe.'vches for Southwestern Pennsylvania. — The following apples and peaches are most highly recommended for cultivation in southwestern Pennsylvania : Apples — Baldwin, Grimes' Golden, Rome Beauty and Winter Rambo. Peaches — Old mixon, Amsden's June and Beer's Smock. The latter is classed in Thomas' " Fruit-Cul- turist " as identical with Smock Freestone; but nurser3'men can show two slightl}' differ- ent fruits, and their claims are backed hy the ' ' Catalogue of Fruits ' ' issued hy the Ameri- can Pomological Society. Both are excellent, late varieties. The Mountain Rose Peach. — It was re- centlj' noted that, for all the many good mar- ket peaches introduced during recent j^ears, the two Crawfords — Crawford's ICarly and Crawford's Late — held their own as special favorites with peach growers over a wide stretch of territory. A correspondent suggests that the Mountain Rose may be added to the list of those that are yet still highly prized by market peach growers. Apple, Gideon. — Minnesota has a hard time in getting hardy apples. The climate is not well suited to the varieties common to our or- chards. Attempts to improve on the Russian species, of which the Siberian Crab is a repre- sentative, have met with good success. The Gideon is said to be a great advance. The crab strain is not usuallj' of high flavor ; but the Gideon is represented as a fine eating apple. In appearance it resembles the Yellow Bellefleur. Winter Cabbage.— Cabbage is easily kept all winter by being buried in the ground head downward. Select the most firm heads, cut off" the root smoothly and pack them in piles much as apples, turnips or similar things are treated. When removed, a few leaves may be found spoiled, and it will be necessary to thoroughl}^ cleanse the whole head, tearing off" each leaf before boiling the head, as a small brown worm, easily detected, is liable to work its way in amongst the leaves. The flavor is perhaps not quite as fine as when the heads are fresh, but the lover of cabbage will readily excuse this in order to get a right good dish at such a season. The Columbus Gooseberry. — It is often a matter for regret that the large English Goose- berries do so poorly in the United States, the foliage mildewing badly, and weakening the whole plant. This trouble is, however, over- come by the use of powdered lime sprinkled on the foliage. The variety tested is the well- known Industry. Another variety for which American parentage is claimed, at least in part, and which seems to do much better, is the Columbus. The fruit produced has the same heavy skin, and is twice the size of ordinary berries. They are perhaps a little less tart, but are nevertheless excellent for preserv- ing and use in pies. BIOGRAPHY AND LITERATURE. LIFE'S OCTOBER. Oh, hearken, hearken ! through the afternoon, The gre\' tower sings a strange old tinkling tune. Sweet, sweet, and sad the toiling 3'ear's last breath, Too satiate of life to strive with death. And we, too — will it not be soft and kind. That rest from life, from patience, and from pain. That rest from bliss we know not when we find, That rest from love that ne'er the end can gain ? Hark, how the tune swells, that erewhile did wane I Look up, love — ah, cling close and never move ! How can I have enough of life and love ? William Morris. Photographing Flowers and Trees. — All amateur photographers and those, also, who ma}^ be considered beyond the amateur point, will find the April number of The Photo- Miniature very helpful in the study of plant photograph)'. The subject is taken up ex- haustivelj' and the details of execution very clearly expressed. There are so many good points, it is impossible to give our readers much idea of them in this space ; but among them is observed the recommendation of Or- thochromatic plates for plant photography in general — Isochromatic plates being the best for yellow flowers. This latter is important, as so many desirable flowers are j-ellow. This excellent pocket-size magazine is published by Tennant & Ward, 289 Fourth Avenue, New York City. William Saunders. — Few of the eminent lights in American gardening were better known than William Saunders, Chief of the Experiment Grounds of the U. S. Departjnent of Agriculture at Washington — a position he held ever since the Department was organ- ized. His death is announced as having occurred September 12th. He was born at St. Andrew's, in Scotland, on the 7th of December, 1822. A full sketch of his life and services is given, with a portrait, on page 15 of Meehans' ^Monthly of the Vol. for 1899. As the de- signer of the famous grounds of the Gettys- burg National Cemeterj', aside from other eminent services, his death ranks as a national loss. Horticultural Hall, Fairmount Park. — Mr. Thomas Minge}', a Kew graduate, for many j'ears gardener in charge of Horticul- tural Hall, Fairmount Park, Philadelphia, has resigned his position. ZoE. — The botanical magazine issued as Zoc, the publication of which was held back with its fourth volume, has again appeared under the editorship of Mrs. Katharine Bran- degee. It keeps the active botanist informed of many matters of interest connected with the flora of the Pacific coast. It is published at San Diego, California. Change of Name for the Winter Acon- ite.— Referring to your note on the change of name in Eranthis, in the August Meehans', I would saj' that it hardlj' seems likelj' that anj' great number of botanists will accept changes in the names of plants based upon the authority of " Hill's British Herbal." It has been my fortune to own two copies of this rare volume, and I can say that the book itself bears indubitable evidence that it was written without the slightest reference to the Linnaean idea of giving one specific and one generic name to each plant. Usually there is a string of Latin adjectives to characterize a species, and when there is but one, it is by accident and not intention. No botanist would think of changing the specific name of a plant when it does not agree with the first adjective in Hill's description, and if we cannot accept his authorit}- for species, why do so for genera 1 W. N. C. That the change would probably have to be made was suggested by a leading botanist, who is regarded as of high authority in such matters. (158) 1900] iMEEHANS MONTHLY — BIOGRAPHY AND LITERATURE. 159 Chas. H. Breck. — Horticulture in America owes largely to Joseph Breck, of Boston. His works on gardening, at the beginning of the last centur}', were long the standard of refer- ence, and, indeed, his " Book of Flowers" has been re-issued in our own times. Charles Henrj' Bass Breck, one of his sons, followed closel}' in his father's footsteps. He took a warm interest in the Massachusetts Horticul- tural Societ}', and in many wa^'S exerted a strong influence on the progress of gardening. His death is announced as having occurred at Newton, near Boston, on the ist of August, He was in his Soth year. Louis Menand. — The term gardener im- plied much more a few generations ago than it does to-day. Young men paid heavy pre- miums to get in as apprentices under learned gardeners, and when at the end of the term they were invested with the "Blue Apron," most of them would compare favorably, in general intelligence, with the graduates of our modem universities. Of these broadly edu- cated men, a notable one, Louis Menand, of Albany, New York, recently passed away in his 93rd year. He was born on August 2, 1807, in the province of Burgundy, France, and maintained his interest in flowers and general affairs till his death on the 15th of August, at his home in Albany. David F. Day. — On the 22nd of August died at Buffalo, New York, Mr. David F. Day, who may justly rank among America's great- est botanists. A lawyer by profession and a leading member of the Bar, botany — and, in- deed, science and literature generally — w^as but an incident in his career. His name will not, therefore, appear in the annals of science in company with those who have professional fame, but his work was but little less useful. He was one of the main supporters of Judge Clinton in founding the Buffalo Society of Natural History' ; the author of a Flora of the vicinity of Buffalo ; and the general adviser and stimulator of j-ounger men in their work. In botany and, indeed, in horticulture — for he was devoted to his flower garden — he was far more than a mere lister of plants. He had a broad philosophical interest in them. He loved flowers for the lessons they taught as for the beauty that they gave. He was the discoverer of the law regulating the production of regular and irregular flowers — a question which is yet being mooted in the Old World, where it is not fash^pnable to recognize New World discoveries in these lines. He had a wide correspondence among the leaders in American science, and his loss will be severely felt. Organography of Plants, by Dr. K. Goebel, Professor of Botany in the University of Munich. Translated from the German, by Prof. Isaac Bayley Balfour, of Edinburg. Part I, General Organography, Oxford ; at the Clarendon Press. New York Branch, 91 5th Avenue. That this will be a standard botanical text- book need scarcely be stated. Our knowledge of the structure and relations of plants has advanced wonderfully of late years. Progress has been recorded in scattered papers and scientific publications, but a general view of the situation in one authoritative work, handy for general study and class-work, was badly needed. Those who have watched the progress of botany' during the past ten years, must have noted the great advance in the knowledge of plant structure and plant life, and how far be- hind our popular works are. The present work brings the history much nearer our own times. In one respect there will be a surprise to the intelligent American reader. It has been the belief that the German scientific mind was far in advance of the rest of the world, but far in advance as this great work is, it will be regarded here as scarcely up to date. When the author combats as a prevailing idea ' ' that morphology has nothing to do with the func- tions of organs has been acquired entirely be- cause the fact has been overlooked that the transformations seen in organs are conditioned on a change of function," it strikes strangely on the American ear. In this coimtry no ad- vanced scholar would think of disputing the necessity of taking in organography, mor- phology and phj'siology, as merely essential parts of one great whole. Even in the Old World, surely knowledge must have advanced further than one would judge from these leading works. Where, for instance, is the necessity for a long chapter to prov*.that monstrosities have hereditary power, i6o MEEHAXS' MONTHLY — GEXERAL NOTES. [Oct. ^vhen ever}- intelligent gardener in the Old World knows that cabbage, cauliflower and man}- other garden vegetables and fruits are hereditary- monstrosities. This weakness of not knowing what is going on among practical men around them, is conspicuous in the work of man}' great European authors. Even in Mr. Darwin's case he would have lost nothing. He had to assume that mere vegetative vigor and size of seed were proofs of benefits from cross-fertilization. An}' intelligent English gardener could surely have told him a different tale. As it is, he has furnished no proof that cross-fertilization is of the slightest benefit to the race. These shortcomings are, however, not peculiar to the present work. It is far in advance of former efforts in this line, and will be a standard for reference in all good botanical libraries. Among the Mushrooms— A guide for begin- ners. By Ellen M. Dallas and Caroline A. Burgin. A popular work under this title is to be issued the present month (September). The ladies who have undertaken it are members of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadel- phia, well versed students in the science of mushrooms, and with the advantage not always combined with learned attainments, of presenting the subject accurately in popular and entertaining language. The whole work is a labor of love, looking mainly to the ad- vancement of knowledge in a direction that had many a pleasant path for themselves. In the same line the profits from the work will be devoted to the aid of an institution for children. Landscape Gardener to Fairmount Park, Philadelphia. — The late Wm. Saunders, of Washington, was one of America's eminent landscape gardeners — but he was strictly con- scientious, and would be pained to have honors thrust on him that belonged fairly to others. As the public prints say, he was the designer of the very pretty little Hunting Park in Philadel- phia, but had nothing to do with the larger Fairmount Park. The designer of East Fair- mount Park was John C. Sydney, and the west side was planned in outline by Chief Engineer Cresson, assisted later as "consulting land- scape gardener " by Charles H. Miller, who was the first landscape gardener employed on the work — a position he still occupies. ^ feet in water and 5>^ feet above the water line. The flowers open four nights in succession. The first morning they are only partially opened — far enough to give them the appear- ance of an old-fashioned goblet ; when the sun comes out bright and warm, they close. The second morning they are opened wider than the first, yet the petals are well cupped, but usually close by or be- fore noon when the sun shines bright. The third night they open still wider, but close more or less completely during the last half of the daj'. During the fourth night they open out to the full horizon- tal line, and during the day usually fall off. The color also fades from a clear, bright, sul- phur yellow of the first day to nearly white when the petals are dropped. During the first days the flowers are deliciously fragrant. I have asked many per- sons what other odor it resembled, and have almost invariably re- ceived as an answer : "Ripe apple," "ripe June apple," and occasionally "spicy." By the same persons, the odor of the Sacred Lotus {Neluvibo lYelumbo (L.) Karst.) was given as ' ' spicy ' ' and ' ' like lavender. ' ' In regard to the question often asked, How to plant the acorns or fruit ? All that is necessary to do is to throw them into the water ; if they are ripe and sound they will sink to the bottom and remain there, and if the water is warm they will begin to develop in a short time. If there is no current they will become attached in the muddy bottom, but if disturbed they will be easily detached and float about ; the leaflets I goo] MEEHANS' MONTHLY — WILD FLOWERS AND NATURE. 165 being at the surface, and the acorns floating some distance under the surface of the water. August 15, 1900, I threw about fifteen nelum- biuni acorns into an artificial pond, which is in ni}' door-yard. The}- fell into water varj'ing in depth from six to twenty inches. By Septem- ber II, 1900, eight of these acoins had sprouted and thrown up two leaf-stalks each, one of which in each plantlet had developed a small peltate leaf that had reached the surface of the water. About ten days later the second leaves reached the surface, and a third leaf had grown to be several inches long. The young plants had burst their way out of the acorn at the scar or point where it had been attached to the receptacle — just the re- verse from where it occurs in the acorn of the oak. The young stems started at the pistil end of the fruit and passed down be- tween the two halves or cotyledons of the acorn. The young stems were about one and one-half inches long, and the leaves had started to develop at the upper or outer end. The plants that I had pulled up, for examina- tion, did not sink to the bottom when thrown back into the water, but instead floated about ; the small leaves remained at the surface, while the acorns floated several inches under water. But the main object in writing this note is to vindica'e Mr. Long- fellow's statement in Evangeline : ' ' Water-lilies in mj-riads rocked on the slight undulations Made by the passing oars, and, resplendent in beauty, the lotus Lifted her golden crown above the heads of the boatmen." By examining carefullj' you will find, in figure No. i, a man sitting in a boat, while the flowers about him are more than a foot higher that his head ; you may also catch a glimpse of his boat just in front of him. Figure No. 2 is a flower in bloom on the third day ; it is one-third natural size ; it was a little over one foot across. J Schneck. Mt. Carmel, III. Squirrels and Green Fruit. — The writer did not know the extent to which squirrels Fig. 2. NELUMBrUM LUTEUM. (Reduced two-thirds.) would feed on buds and barks until attention had been called to it by Mr. Egan, of Egan- dale, 111. Recently Mr. Egan has noticed that they will climb up Canna stems, and feed on the buds. On the grounds of the Meehan Nurseries, they have this season been feasting on the half-grown acorns of the Red Oak. Creatures soon learn to avoid starvation when some favorite food is not at hand. GENERAL GARDENING. THE SUN AND SKY. The elements and seasons, as thej^ change, Do find a worth}' fellow-laborer there — Man free, man working for himself, with choice Of time, and place and object." Wordsworth. Salisburia adiantifolia. — Last year I read, in a certain floral magazine, an article written evidently in response to an inquiry made in a previous issue of the magazine in question relative to the germinating qualities of Salisburia seed in which the writer said, ' ' The seeds of this shrub do not mature in this country," and said something to the effect that the climate of the United States was not con- genial to their perfect maturity. As I doubted this assertion, I gathered some seeds from the ground beneath a fine specimen on this place, late in October, and, after removing the pulp from them, placed them in a cool, frost- proof place, and this March planted them (after cutting carefully through the very hard shell), with the result t\idi\.four out of five grew and are to-daj' six inches high. I send 3'ou, under separate cover, full proof of what I assert in the shape of one of the plants raised Trust you will find space for this correction of a some- what prevalent idea as to the maturity of these seeds. Would it not be conferring an honor on the flower and tree-loving public if each contribu- tor to any public magazine realized how many people gain all the information they have from these sources, and that they (the writers, I mean) should have ample proof of their asser- tions in a tangible — not theoretical — form be- fore committing themselves, to submitting their opinions to the public eye through any channel ? A. P. Rahway, N. J. There are three forms of this tree— some in- dividuals being wholly male, others female, and others with flowers of both sexes on the same tree. For a long time only the male tree (i66) was known, and these, of course, were barren. It is possible the writer had these barren trees in mind, — but the use of the expression " do not mature " was misleading. But this varying from exact facts is unfor- tunate, as our correspondent well suggests. But it is as common in high quarters as in the lower ones. Mr. Darwin, in one of his works, refers to a paper on trees by Mr. Meehan ' ' all growing in his garden." The garden at that time was but newly established ; and the En- glish translation of Sach's "Text Book ot Botan}' ' ' quotes Mr. Meehan as sajdng that the seeds of the Wild Blackberry, Rubiis vil- losus, never germinate in America ! These lapses are very common, especially in high class magazines. Tree Enemies. — A Buffalo correspondent says: — "Between borers, scale, Elm-leaf Beetle, Tussock Moth, 'bacteria,' etc., there seems to be sufficient work for a tree inspector with a staff" of assistants for each large city. This beautiful city, for instance, would lose much of its attractiveness, comfort and health- fulness b}^ the loss of its beautiful trees. ' ' So far as the troubles that surround the cul- tivator are concerned, it is probable they are about the same as they ever were. The only difference is that intercourse between distant regions of the earth is closer now than ever before, and man's attendant evils travel with him. Weeds and insects appear in localities where the}' were unknown before. The food they require is abundant and they increase and multiply in proportion to this abundance. As we find it in the visible world, so with the in- visible or microscopic world. The atmosphere is a fluid, and floating with the current are minute organisms, plant and animal, propa- gating themselves as in more visible ca^es. All at once, some one kind finds out a locality to its liking, the spores germinate, and a new colony is founded. Of these minute fungi, some fort}' thousand species have been known and described. As with larger plants, most are 1900] MEEHANS' MONTHLY — GENERAL GARDENING. 167 beneficial to man, a few are enemies. So with these minute organisms, a limited number are parasites and destructive to that which they pre}' upon. But this accounts for the^appear- ance of plant diseases and insects where not known before. Fortunately, the discovery that chewing in- sects can be destroyed b}" Paris Green, suck- ing insects by kerosene emulsions, and fungus parasites by copper solutions, has given us ■weapons equal at least to the powers of the enemy. All we require now is the generally diffused intelligence to use them properly. As for help from municipal bodies, that is out of the question ; when the blind lead the blind, both fall into the ditch. The Turkey Oak. — England has good cause to be proud of the Royal Oak, Otier- cus Robu)-. Spain, also, would lose much of its com- mercial standing without its Cork Oak, Quercus Su- ber ; while the Oak-galls of Querais coccifera help the c o m- merce of the Mediterranean re- gion. The Turkey Oak, Querents Cerris, of Eastern Europe, is also an essential part of a fine forest of timber. Outside of these, the American continent and Japan are the chief homes of the oak. One special feature of great beautj- is the lovely tints the oaks of the American contin- ent assume in the fall of the 3'ear. The Turkey Oak, however, of which we append an illustra- tion of a thirt5'-year-old tree, is nearing Asia in the countries wherein it is found wild, and assumes a slightly golden tint in autumn. Its acorns are striking by reason of the mossy character of its cup. Its habit is rather of the low-spreading type, — and it has an interesting appearance in the landscape. TURKEY OAK. Vitality of Seeds. — The belief that seeds will live an indefinite time under ground, and germinate when under normal conditions, has been disputed by careful judges, — not because the negative had been demonstrated, but be- cause the facts presented in favor of the notion were not of the character to admit of doubt. Little by little, direct evidence has been ob- tained, and there is no longer room for doubt. Seeds may live for an indefinite time when deeply covered by earth. One of the most valuable contributions to our knowledge has recently been made by Prof. W. J. Beal. HeburiedvSeeds of 22 species of plants three feet below the surface, in bot- tles, in 1879. Re- ^ cently, after 20 years, the seeds were planted. The details are given in the Pro- ceedings of the Columbus (Ohio) Horticultural So- ciety for 1899. A large number grew, — and Dr. Beal is not pre- pared to say that those that did not grow were bad, as those that did grow came up irregularly. To our mind, bisecting a seed and examining with a lens is a much better test of the soundness of the seed than waiting on the process of germination. All nurserymen know that seeds unquestion- ably sound will, at times, fail to grow, from some unfavorable circumstances unknown to the sower, — and that some will have better success with old seeds than others with new, though all may be regarded as experts. The practical nurseryman tests his seeds at once by bisection, and accepts or rejects the samples accordingly. This would be a better test in experiments on seed-longevity. Elm-Leaf Beetle. — In reply to your cor- respondent, F., I wi.sh to confirm what he says 1 68 MEEHANS' MONTHLY — GENERAL GARDENING. [Nov. in regard to the freedom, the past summer, of the elm trees, including the English Elms, from the ravages of the Elm-tree Beetle, and I am glad that you give the so-called English sparrows some credit in the matter. Tivoli-on-Hudson. S. Landscape Gardening in Cemeteries. — The arrangement of the landscape in connec- tion with modern cemeteries is more and more resembling ideas followed by park landscape ure secondary to the general plan. The first idea is to form a beautiful resting-place for the burial of the dead. The portion shown in the upper part of the plan is high, the ground sloping towards the foot of the plan, which accounts for the manner in which the driveways lead. Where the latter intersect, good opportunities are afforded to group trees and shrubs. The chapel outlined on the hill is naturally a central figure, and in the planting has been 4;igr| c o o. o .0 o o o o o o of CEMETERY PLAN. gardeners. Appreciation of good landscape effects, of course, varies according to its con- nections ; but the reposeful beauty of a well- laid-out cemetery is almost as attractive as any other piece of artificial scenery. The accompanying illustration of a plan of a portion of the grounds of a suburban ceme- tery, plans for which were prepared by Thomas Meehan & Sons, shows how by early arrange- ment the lots for burial are made to fit in with the surrounding landscape, and are in a nieas- permitted to show through several long vistas. The planting arrangement of a large piece of ground requires the exercise of considerable judgment. An expansive stretch of lawn must be preserved, yet properly margined and slightly broken by groups and a few specimen trees to take away its bareness. Buildings or distant views need not always be required for vistas ; fine old specimen trees, a particular group or rare and beautiful specimens may be chosen. 1900] MEEHANS' MONTHLY — GENERAL GARDENING. 169 Pin Oak, Qiercus palustris. — The beauti- ful avenues of Pin Oaks in Fairmount Park, Philadelphia, have often been mentioned in terms of praise, and well the}' deserve it, for besides their great beauty, what other tree could be used to produce a like scene? But beautiful as these avenues are, it is not alone for this purpose this oak can be used. Have many of 3'our readers living near Philadelphia seen the wild specimens of this tree in the vicinity of Paschal in the lower part of the city ? A few years ago there were specimens there worth going miles to see. Not massive trees, but trees in vigorous youth, as regular in outline as though they had been under a skilled grower for years. This is the natural habit of growth, and in this respect it stands alone amidst all others of this worthy genus. When permitted to develop as it desires, the branches for many feet up grow downwards, giving to such a tree an almost drooping char- acter. There are, or were, numerous speci- mens of these well developed trees, in the lo- cality named, a few years ago, objects of much interest to lovers of rare beauties. Some years ago there was an avenue of this oak on the grounds of the late Charles A. Dana, Glen Cove, Long Island. Mr. William Fal- coner, who was in charge at that time, had in- terlaced the branches from each side of the road, in just what way I do not recall, but the effect was to form an archway of green along the drive. The coloring of the foliage of oaks is always watched with interest in autumn. Some per- sons think a dry autumn more favorable than a wet one, and others, the opposite. I have never been able to satisfy myself which side is the right one, but I do know that the Pin Oak is one of the best for autumn beauty. It is perhaps never the eqvial of the Scarlet, but I would not say it is not often the equal of the Red. Add to this the many good points it has, such as the drooping habit, lustrous, much- divided leaves, beautiful habit of growth and ease of transplanting, and then the Pin Oak stands at the head of the list. Joseph Meehan. The Giant Tree of California. — The giant tree of California, Sequoia gigantea, does not thrive in the Eastern portion of the United States. A parasitic fungus, Cercospora Sequoice, follows the seeds and plants from its native home, and before the seedlings reach their second year are mostly dead. Larger trees, imported directly from California, bring the fungus with them. The parasite seems much more destructive under the new conditions than in its native home. Though many have been planted within the last half century, there is no record of a fine tree anywhere. The Eng- lish climate seems more favorable to the re- pression of the fungus, and there are many fine specimens in the gardens of that country, as well as in adjacent territories outside of Great Britain. The Gardeners' Chronicle oi^ww^ i6th figures a fine specimen on the grounds of Wrest Park, the county seat of the late Earl de Grey : "It is said to have been planted by the late Mr. Snow in 1856, and must therefore have been one of the first introduced into this coun- try. It is now a fine tree, with branches that sweep the ground at its base. Here are the exact measurements : height, 74 feet 3 inches ; girth at ground level, 21 feet 3 inches ; and at 3 feet from the ground, 15 feet 3 inches ; the branches extend from north to south 36 feet, and from east to west 35 feet." American Forestry. — American forestry has not yet gone beyond the preservation of our old forests, for general reasons. Tree cul- ture for profit, which forestry signifies in the Old World, is here not thought of,— nor will it be while we have forests to burn. In the Old World, forestry is a business. The arti- ficial, hand-made forests of France, and espec- ially Germany, supply most of the timber used in those countries. England depends on out- side sources almost wholly for its timber. England paid about ten millions of dollars for foreign timber last year. Her bill is annually growing larger. But it is slow work to make a profit on timber planting. Thirty-five years is long to wait. The Austrian Pine. — In landscape garden- ing light, graceful, feathery-sprayed trees and shrubs play an important part, — but there are situations that require trees of a heavy, massive character to yield the best effects. Among evergreens, the Austrian Pine is of this mon- archial race. For grandeur and majesty, few other species of pine can approach it. It is a IJO MEEHANS' MONTHLY — GENERAL GARDENING. [Nov. rapid grower, — and, unlike most rapid growers, maintains its royal beautj- to the last. The specimen illustrated is about lo or 12 feet high, and has been about that many years planted on the grounds of David Pepper, Esq., of Chestnut Hill, Penna. PRLtxiNG. — One of the greatest of all arts, in gardening, is that of pruning, — but it is fast becoming a lost art. Even manj' who rail against the tree butchers who behead street and park trees in order to get a meal or two in the winter time, could scarce- ly give a rational answer to the ques- tion how to prune. The peculiarity of the art of pruning is that it cannot be taught by books. No one can prune intelligenth" with- out some knowl- edge of the general laws of plant life. These general laws may be understood by one who thor- ough 1 y loves a plant, and who watches its growth day bj- day, though such a plant-lover might not be able to put in language the laws revealed to him. The much abused "old wom- an ' ' will often pre- sent a plant perfect as a specimen, made so by judicious pinching of the branches, that would put the work of a learned Professor of garden- ing to shame. The decline of the art is much to be re- gretted, in the evidences everj'where around, of trees and plants spoiled b}' ignorance of pruning. country ? I have found this stated three or four times in newspapers. I have the plant grow- ing in my garden, but it came from European seed. ' ' Educated Gardeners — Since the old sys- tem of garden apprenticeship has been abro- gated, some horticultural schools and other institutions have examinations and give cer- tificates to those who successful!}- pass them. The London Royal Horticultural Society is do- ing good work in this line. In April, in each year, the}^ have ex- aminations open to all. The questions are such that any first-class gardener should be able to answer promptly and on the spot. At the last exam- ination, there were 236 candidates. Three hundred were taken as high water mark, and onl}' those who re- ceived 200 points and upwards re- c e i V e d first-class certificates. Of these, 141 were suc- cessful. Only one candidate secured the full 300. This was a lady — Miss E. W. Winlo, from the Horticultural College at Swan- ley, in Kent. It maj' be noted here that women are becoming numerous in the horticultural field in the Old World. Of the 141 who received certificates that they were experts in horticultural knowl- edge, no less than 38 were women. AUSTRIAN PINE. Naturalizing Plants. — A correspondent asks: "Would not Himalayan, Andean and Thibetan trees thrive with us ? Is it true that the real European woodruff" grows wild in our The Odor of the Kudzu Vine. — The Kudzu Vine, which has become so valuable in rapidly covering trellises, pillars, and build- ings, has been esteemed mainly on this ac- count. Its growth of over a hundred feet in a 1900] MEEHANS' MONTHLY — GENERAL GARDENING. 171 single season is truly amazing. It was dis- tributed as Dolichos Japonica, though it is now said its proper baptismal name is Pachyrhizns T/it(>iberfiia>ius, derived from its enormous roots. It appears that where the plant has be- come strongl}' established, all the branches of the past year do not die back to the ground. From these enduring stems, spikes of bright purple, bean-like flowers issue. The}' are so hidden by the foliage as to be unobserved, but soon make themselves known by a delightful odor that is wafted to long distances around. The Hardy Orange. — The Hardy Orange, Citrus trifoliata, proves to be one of the bright- est fall ornaments of the garden. One maj' use the term brightest in its literal sense, for when covered with its small, golden oranges, it is a sight well worth seeing. We read of the glories of the Nile-tropics, but they are be- yond reading about when as object lessons the}' are brought to our Northern doors. The plants seem to have their own notions about transplanting, — at times going right on with- out seeming to object to their moving in the slightest degree, — at other times standing al- most the whole season without a leaf, or even dying. But it is one of the arts of gardening to discover what is needed by various classes of plants, — and this will be no exception as time passes. TIME IRI^IR!^! FLOWEH ^/^Hi^ElNlo Winter Care of Tea Roses. — It must be distinctl}' understood that this variety is verj^ tender, requiring, probably, a little more care and attention than the amateur feels disposed to bestow upon them ; although the}^ will am- ply repay for the time and the labor that is necessary for their protection through the win- ter months. The following varieties I have grown and wintered out-doors: "Catharine Mermet," "Madam Cochet," "Jean Ducher," " ^Marie Van Houtte," "Madame Lambard." In the first place, secure good, strong, two- year-old plants (I prefer budded stock), select a sheltered situation facing south, and in plant- ing, see that the bud (or the place where the bud is inserted in the Manetti stock), is about three inches under the ground. If any pruning is required, do it sparingly. Towards the end of November, or as soon as winter sets in, tie up the bush to a stake and bank up the roots with cow manure and leaves ; take a nail-keg, knock out the bottom, and bore three or four holes in the side, about midway, for ventila- tion ; place it so that the bush is in the centre and fill in thoroughly with dried leaves. Do not pack too tightly, or mildew will follow ; let the stake project above the keg from four to six inches, and this will act as a centre pole. Then take a piece of factory, or anything of that nature, cover the keg so as to assume the shape of a militarj^ tent, and tack the factory (or whatever is used) to the top edge of the keg, so as to be thoroughly waterproof. It must be thoroughly understood that the secret of protecting ' ' Tea ' ' roses is to keep them dry, especially towards spring. Another point, which cannot be too strongly empha- sized, is this : it is the warm days and freezing nights in the spring that prove so disastrous to the rose ; hence the necessity of keeping them covered until all appearance of frost is gone. J. G. Jackson. Port Hope, Canada. In Cajiadian Horticulturist. The Blue Eupatorium, E. caiLEvSTiNUM.— There is an abundance of hardy, fall-flowering plants with yellow flowers ; but other colors are not well represented. On this account, especially, is the Eupatorijun cadestinum a very desirable plant. But it is also interesting in many ways. In flower, it is beautiful, a bed or long border strip of it showing to great ad- vantage. It is a fair rival, in some respects, to the ageratum, having the great advantage of being perfectly hardy and the flowers a bright blue. It is dwarf, and likes moist places as well as thriving in dry soils. The flowers last at least six weeks. FI^MITS ^S ¥E<^ETi^PLES. Figs at the North. — A correspondent in- quires how far north the fig will mature in the open air? There seems no reason why the fruit will not mature to an indefinite distance northwardly. It is rather a question of the protection of the trees from injury in the winter, than of ripening the fruit. The wood is usually killed to the ground north of the Potomac, but the branches are easily protected 172 MEEHANS' MONTHLY — GENERAL GARDENING. [Nov. by bending down, and covering with earth, as is often done with raspberries, roses, and other things. It is verj' easilj' done. In the vicinity of Philadelphia, trees bear profusely this way, and are among the most satisfactory of fruits in an amateur's garden. Thej^ bear several crops a year, and some can generally be had from the trees at anj- time during the season — One of our subscribers, Mr. Theo. W. Rand, of Radnor, Pa., has gathered, the past season, from a few trees in his garden that have this form of winter protection, more than six pounds of figs at a single gathering. The Chinese Market Gardener. — A cor- respondent of an English paper, writing from an English colony, sends the following account of experience with Chinese gardeners, which is much like American experience on the Pacific coast : " The Chinaman is the finest market gard- ener in the world. He will take an arid patch of land, whose chief characteristic would appear to be rocks and gravel, and in a few months will have transformed this into a flourishing garden. This is partly owing to his indomit- able industry, and partU^ to his exceeding ingenuity. If he excels in reclaiming waste spaces, he stands on a far higher pinnacle still when it comes to selling his produce. In starting business as a gardener, the Chinaman will alwa3-s look out for a partner before com- mencing work. This is the first step. The second is to obtain the tools and seeds with- out paying out the cash for them, because it is against a Chinaman's religion to pa}^ money away if it can possibly be avoided. The way he goes to work is as follows : — He will go over to the neighbouring store, and will inter- view the storekeeper. It is a strange commen- tary on our boasted civilization that in the colonies the storekeeper will more readily trust a Chinaman than he will an European ; but such is the case. This is because a Chinaman has never been known to fail in any project he took in hand ; also because the Celestial will settle down where he first strikes until he has made sufficient to return to live in luxury in his native land, or is carted back there in his coflfin. Once they have obtained the tools and the seeds, the partners will start getting the land into order and planting it. When this has been accomplished, they will turn their at- tention to their own immediate wants, and will fix themselves up a shanty. They will fashion a rude table and a few chairs out of empty cases, which they will wheedle the storekeeper into giving them, and will rig up a couple of bunks alongside the wall, and will then be set- tled. Until he has got his land into going order, the Chinaman will live with the nearest of his compatriots. Once the crops are up, one of the partners will do the selling, whilst the other attends to the garden. The Chinese hawker will start away even,' morning for the town, his baskets — for he carries two suspend- ed on either end of a long pole, which he balances on his shoulders, will be filled to overflowing, and he will call at door to door until he disposes of his load. He will sell 50 per cent., below the price his European con- freres charge, but he will make more out of his goods than they will. After a time when his circumstances improve, he will invest in a cart and a wretched, half-starved pony or donkej', and will take a larger supplj^ into town every morning ; he will also take over more land, and will extend his fence, and will put up a notice that ' Ah Lun sells vegetables cheaper than any other gardener in the dis- trict,' and the European gardeners in the neighborhood, should there be any such, will gnash their teeth and talk moodily ; but before long they will bow to the inevitable, and seek some other clime where the heathen Chinee is unknown." Coffee. — While politicians and military men are puzzling over what maj- be done to advance these interests in our newly-acquired Spanish possessions, it behooves the cultivator of the soil to note what may be done to aid pro- gress in the more material wants of man. We have been able to grow nearly all sub-tropical fruits and useful vegetable products within our territories, but none of our borders have reached the coffee growing line. When 20° north latitude is reached, however, coffee growing is a success, subject, of course, to the freedom from insects, mildews, and moulds, which seem such serious pests in the coff"ee grove. The West Indian Islands and the Phil- ippines are within the nature-bounded lines. Coffee has been one of the staple products for a hundred years or more, — but it is believed much may be done by American brains and IQOO] MEEHANS' MONTHLY — GENERAL GARDENING. 173 American enterprise to conquer the coffee enemies, and to render the product more profit- able. The native country of the coffee is not posi- tively known. It is believed to have been brought across the Red Sea from Africa to Arabia, many centuries ago, — and that the Mountains of the Moon may have been its original home. It be- came popular since Mahomet's time, and to the Arabian Mahomedans, we are chiefly indebted for the distribution of the coffee plant over the civilized world. In Tropical Africa, however, where the coffee plant, as we know it, has become a sort of weed, there are a number of spe- cies that have not yet been tested, with possibly one species known as Coffea Liberica. It was brought into notice, at the American Cen- tennial among the African products. It seems to be free from the troubles that worry the cultivator with the old Coffea Arabica, and is in every way far more robust and product- ive. The annexed cut will give some idea. It is said that twelve pounds o f clean coffee berries CO can be obtained from ' a five-year-old tree. When our new posses- sions become settled, it will be well worth a trial by the cofi^ee grower. Russian Apples and Japanese Plums in Iowa. — Prof. John Graig, writing in Gardening , says " The Silken Leaf, Hibernal, Recumbent and others of this type are among the hardiest and most productive of the Russian apples. They are undoubtedly valuable in Northern Iowa, Minnesota and probably Montana, where apples are grown with difficulty. Silken Leaf can only be eaten with comfort and satisfaction when cooked and properly seasoned. The Japanese plums do not, as a rule, succeed in the Upper Mississippi Valley, not so much on account of ina- bility to withstand cold, but owing to a general inadaptabil- ity to climate. This manifests itself in various ways. The leaves are unduly susceptible to 'shot- hole fungus' {Septo- ria), the trees are attacked by black- knot, while the fruit in this dry climate rots in a most unac- countable way. In Iowa, the Japs per se have not proved suc- cessful. They do far better in the East." Stone Fruits on an Almond Bush. — Correspondents often befriend us by sending newspaper slips with extraor- dinary garden news therein. Thus the following comes to hand : — " There is a man, in Maryland, who has a plum tree on which he expects to grow, besides plums, peaches, al- monds, apricots and nectarines. He sawed the top off" the plum tree and grafted on an almond branch, on which he has now budded peaches, apricots and nectarines." Any of these fruits will graft successfully on the almond stock, and might be found all on one almond tree as here detailed. Such combinations do not generally succeed perma- 174 MEEHANS MONTHLY — GENERAL GARDENING. [Nov. nently, as the most vigorous growers draw a large part of the food and starve the weaker ones. Abnormal Seckel Pears. — Mrs. Susanna Gaskel, Swathmore, Pa., sends samples of Seckel Pear that have become apples, so far as form is concerned. They are flattened, or, as the describer would say, oblate, and in some cases the stem end is sunken as in the apple and not drawn out, as in the pear. About one- tenth of the whole crop behaves in this way. Not far off" is a russett apple tree, — and with much more apparent reasori than is usually advanced in these cases, she believes that bees fertilized the pear flowers with pollen from the apple tree. The pears are certainly very remarkable. We shall, however, have to excuse the bees. It is a fair inference that if they were capable of bringing this about now we should have had the evidence j-ears ago, — and in every body's orchard where several varieties of apples and pears are grown near each other. The apples also should produce pears from the pear tree pollen, the bees working both ways. But aside from this argument from a logical standpoint, is the fact that careful experiments have failed to find any evidence of change in the seed-envelopes of hybrid plants. The seed is affected, but not the carpellary structures. That the seed is affected is well-known by the illustration in Indian corn, — but the seed is a new product arising directly from the pollen and we might expect it to be under its imme- diate influence. This case of the Seckel Pear would be re- ferred to what is termed bud- variation. The case of a nectarine springing from a branch of a peach is another instance, — and many of our finest roses and other things have originated in this way. The.se sports are found to have a hereditary character equal to plants raised from seed, — and grafts from the branches bear- ing these abnormal pears, would result in securing a new and very interesting variety. Locating a Kansas Peach Orchard. — A writer in the Western Fruit Grower gives the following advice regarding the location of peach orchards in Kansas:—" One thing to avoid on the prairies of Kansas is too rich a soil. I learn that, in some counties of Western Kansas, the peach is successful!}' competing with the forest tree as a wind-break, so rapidU- does it grow ; a growth of eleven feet in one year has come under my observation. Let us be partic- ular about soil and location. Take the highest points possible, upland clay or sandj^loam ; no bottom land or wet land is desirable. It is especially desirable to take a north slope. A few good varieties may be named : Early Rivers, Elberta, Oldmixon, Smock, Picketts, Salway, Heath and Wilken's Cling." The "Logan Berry." — Occasion was taken, recently, to note that what was sent out as the " Logan berry," was really a blackberry, and a sport from the wild blackberry of California, Rubus ursiiiiis. A Californian correspondent states that it is a variety of this wild black- berry or, as he says, " dewberry crossed with the Hudson River Antwerp." But the latter portion of the paragraph is incorrect. There is no reason for the statement that the rasp- berry had anything to do with it. Protecting Orange Orchards. — Not only in Florida, but in California, orange orchards or groves are liable to injury from frost, and experiments of various kinds are being made to protect them. At the famous Riverside, in California, the thermometer falls at times to freezing point. For protection, a grower at that place constructed a hot-water boiler, at a cost of $200, to run hot-water along open fur- rows. The water passed from the boiler at 85° when the outside temperature was 32°, the earth at 666 feet from the boiler was found to be 36°, and the vapor arising from the warmed earth, protected the plants. Apples in the West. — Kansans have con- cluded (.hat apple culture, after all. is one of the most certain of paying crops for that State. One land-owner set out 160 acres of apple trees last spring, and intends to increase the patch to 500 acres. It does not seem the " Drouthy Kansas" it was once reputed to be. Buttercourt Orange — A correspondent of the Florida Farmer says that the variety of orange, known as the Buttercourt, .seems one of the most productive. It was raised origin- ally by Thomas Rivers, an eminent friiit grower of England. BIOGRAPHY AND LITERATURE. THE MOUNTAIN PEAK. Where the bleak Swiss their stornij' mansion tread, And force a churlish soil for scant}^ bread ; No product here the barren hills afford, But man and steel, the soldier and his sword. No vernal blooms their torpid rocks array. But winter lingering chills the lap of May ; No zeph3'r fondh' sues the mountain's breast, But meteors glare, and storni}' glooms invest. Yet still, even here, content can spread a charm. Redress the clime, and all its rage disarm. Oliver Goldsmith. SuccoTAS H. — Prof iNIillspaugh tells the Cha2itatiq2ia7i that the dish made from the kernels of corn stripped from the cob and boiled with beans, and known as Succotash, originated with the Indians, who called it Msickquatash, from which our name Succotash is clearl3^ derived. We give the orthography as printed in the CliaJttaiiqiiati without know- ing what the .1/ represents, or how with it the full name would be pronounced. pie of book-making perfunctorily done and paid for by a long-suffering people, to be given away by congressmen who neither know nor care what becomes of the volumes after their distribution. b_ Poison Sumachs. — In the U. S. Year Book of Agriculture for 1896, p. 139, there is an elaborate, but by no means exhaustive, article on the poisonous plants of the United States. The writer mentions Rhus radica?is, R. diver - siloba, of the Pacific States ; R. Vcrnix, our common Poison Dogwood, and R. Michauxii, of North Carolina. The exceedingly poison- ous R. Metopiimi of Florida is not mentioned. The poisonous species oi Sophora, Astragalus, Hosackia, Oxytropis, and the other low- weeds, are conspicuous by their absence. Gelseynhim is not included. The aconites and other ranunculaceous poison plants are omitted. Our suspicious plants of the raoon-seed family are not mentioned. Not one ericaceous plant is alluded to. It would not te diflScult, I think, to find the names of a hundred poison- ous North American plants which are not mentioned in this article. So much for a sam- I Flowers on Tomrs.— In Turkey and cer- tain parts of Asia, where Mohammedans abound, a Mussulman's grave is never opened again in any case. In order to avoid the least attempt, the graves are huddled together, and immediately after the funeral, a Cypress is planted on the grave, so that their cemeteries resemble a sort of forest. In the Island of Jimor, funerals are often retarded through the necessity of collecting funds for the funeral fete. As soon as the grave is filled up, a young Palm is planted. The custom of floral and plant offerings, in homage to the dead, has been general from time immemorial. The Ancient Greeks not only strewed flowers over the grave, but also planted asphodel and mallow, because the seeds of these plants were supposed to serve as food for the dead. Romans, like the Greeks, attrib- uted a special value to the rose as a funeral flower, and left instructions that after death their graves be planted with the favorite flower. At the present day, in Wales, white roses are placed on graves of young girls. Chinese plant roses, anemones and a species of licorice on their graves. The people of Mada- gascar have a species of Mimosa which is fre- quently found planted on the hillocks of their cemeteries. La Semaine Horticole. Translated by S. D. Lanning. The Century Book of Gardening. — Edited by E. T. Cook. Published by ' ' Country Life, ' ' London, and by Doubleday, Page & Co., 34 Union Square, New York. To say that this is a beautiful book, and as useful as beautiful, is but faint praise. It is a volume of 600 pages, in a volume but slightly smaller than a volume of the Century Diction- (175) 176 MEEHAXS' MONTHLY — GENERAL NOTES. [Nov. arj', with finely calendered paper, clear type and with admirable illustrations on almost every page. These illustrations represent scenes from many of the grand old gardens of England, flowers, fruits and vegetables, — in short the sviccessful aim has been to give ever}- branch of gardening. All the popular flowers grown in gardens are fulh' described, as are all the practises employed in general gardening. It is, indeed, to gardening, what the Century^ Dictionary- is to general intelligence, — and will be an invaluable book of reference for a long time to come. Being a work founded on English gardening, it might be supposed not applicable to gardening in our country\ In some respects this is true. The calendar of operations for every month in the 5'ear, for in- stance, would hardly suit an American garden, but making allowances for all differences on this account, there is no American gardening library that woiild not find it invaluable. Hedges, Windbreaks, Shelters and Live Fences, By E. P. Powell, New York, Orange Judd Co. — Live fences, for agricul- tural purposes, have not been found as cheap or generally useful as artificial fences, and profit is the main element in agricultural pur- suits. But in horticulture which deals rather with comfort and pleasure, hedges and orna- mental tree planting are essential elements. The poorest home ma}' be made attractive at a small expense, and, as the author of this little book shows, innumerable farms may have beauty at a cheap rate by a little knowledge what best to do. This is the object, and the prolific instruction, plainly given, and beauti- fully illustrated by pictures, will do much to help along the good work. ^Ef^E^/^L MOTES. A Large Empress Tree. — Probably the largest specimen Empress Tree — Paulownia imperialis — in America, is in Independence Square, Philadelphia. It is one of the first lot introduced into America about fifty years ago, and was a gift to the citj' by the late Robert Buist, one of America's famous nurserymen. It is now eleven feet in circumference, equal- ling in girth some of the old American Elms that were in the plot before the Revolution. The wood is in great demand in Japan. It is light and strong. When American forests dis- appear, and the planting for timber becomes a flourishing branch of agriculture, the Em- press Tree will give a very good account of herself Education in Japan. — ^Japan is fast model- ing itself after American institutions. A late census of public school children places the number at 4,168,000, and it is now proposed to have an " arbor day" for their benefit. Japan- ese papers propose l\Iaj' loth for the arbor day celebration. The idea of setting apart one day in the year especiallj' for the purpose of impressing the popular mind with the value and importance of trees and tree culture, originated with ex- Gov. Sterling Morton, of Nebraska. He must be proud of the success of his "Arbor Day." Rapid Growth of a Silver Maple. — A Silver Maple — Acer dasycarpiini — which has proved such a failure as an ornamental street tree where the roads are comparatively narrow, has considerable value in special lines for its timber. It is one of the most rapid of growers. Near Philadelphia, one had to be cut down re- centlj'to make way for building improvements. It was less than 40 years' old, was from self- sown seed, and never transplanted. It meas- ured 10 feet 9 inches in girth, three feet from the ground. It had not been crowded by other trees, and all its surroundings were favorable. Names of Plants and Fruits. — Pomolo- gists, like botanists, find it impossible to en- force the rules of priority in names of fruits and flowers. In fruits, the names of Bartlett for a pear, and Telegraph for a grape, have not been changed in spite of the efforts of leading Pomologists and Pomological Societies to sup- port prior names. Those who lead in these good efforts forget that the only law for language is the law of custom. In a famous grammar, we are told "the English Language requires the pronoun it for all inanimate objects ; but custom has so firmly made the sun a he, and the moon a she, that we have to accept it. " Thus it will ever be. To secure the adoption of a prior name, reformers must bestir them- selves, before custom gets possession of the field. VulX. PLATi GAILLARDIA ARISTATA. AVVNED BLANKET-FLOWER. NATURAL ORDER, COMPOSITE. Gaillardia ARISTATA, Pursh. More or less hirsute, often two or more feet high ; leaves lanceolate or broader, or lower ones spatulate, from entire to laciniate-dentate or siuuate-piiinatifid ; rays in the largest heads oue-and-ahalf inches long; lobes of disk-corolla subulate-acute and tipped witli a cusp; pappus aristate. Coulter's Afanual of Rocky Mountain Botany. See also Britton and Bro'un's Illustrated Flora of the Northern United Slates, Canada and /he British Possessions. This verj' showj^ wild flower was first made known to us through the collection made by Lewis & Clark, in their celebrated expedition across the continent, from which they returned in 1806. The plants of the expedition were turned over by the American Philosophical Societ}^ whose members planned the expedi- tion, to Dr. Barton, in whose employ was Frederick Pursh, one of the greatest of the botanists then studying the Flora of Amer- ica. Up to this period, only one species of the genus was known, namely, Gaillardia piil- chella, which was described, by Mons. Foger- eaux, in the Memoirs of the Academy of Sciences of Paris, in 1786, the specimens having been collected in what was then the drier plains of the Great Missouri Territory. Pursh identified our plant with this genus, and published it in his " Flora of North America," in 1814, as Galardia aristata, stating that Lewis collected it "on dry hills on the Rocky Mountains." The specimen, from which he made his description, is still preserved in the Academj' of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia. The expedition of Lewis and Clark occupied three years to go from St. Louis to the Pacific coast and return. The plants collected on their westward course were unfortunatelj- lost, and onl}' those found on their return fell into Pursh 's hands. It was a serious loss to botan- ical science, for, as it was, those that came to hand proved invaluable, most of them being new to science. Captain Meriwether Lewis, the chief commander of this great expedition, has scarcely had full justice done him. It is not for a great man's contemporaries to see the importance of his work. Results must have some influence in a great question, and these one must wait for. He was born in 1774, in Virginia. The expedition was at first proposed to be under the charge of Michaux, — but as our relations with France at that time were strained, and Michaux was a Frenchman, it was thought better to send out some other, and Lewis, who was Jefferson's private secre- tary, was placed in command, with Ca])tain Wm. Clark to co-operate with him. After the return of the exploring party, Lewis was made Governor of the Missouri Territory. The biog- raphies say he committed suicide, in 1809. The author of this paper has gone over the evidence cited in support of this statement, and is surprised that this hypothesis has been accepted. It is far more probable that he was murdered, and the story of suicide was started, by those who murdered him, in order to cover up the crime. The author made his first acquaintance with this plant in a tour through the Rocky Moun- tains, in 1 87 1. Its favorite haunts in that region were on hill-sides, rather dry, partially shaded by scattering bushes, and mixed with other low-growing forms of vegetation. The plants bore the flowers singly, on a scape but a few inches high, while the flowers were very large for a plant of this diminutive size. The orange and brown flower-heads were very striking, — and suggestive of dwarfed sun- flowers, or of some species of Calendula or marigold, to which genus, in fact, it is not distantly related. In other localities, collec- tors describe it as a much-branching plant, and, indeed, the variations, in other respects, are so great that some eminent botanists have been induced to form separate species on these dif- ferences. Pursh named the species Gaillardia {177) i/S MEEHANS' MONTHLY — GAILLARDIA ARISTATA. [Dec. arisfata, in 1S14, as a third species credited to North America, the first being Gaillar diapttl- chella, introduced to France, from Missouri Territorj', in 1786, — and Michaux's second species being Gaillardia Imiceolata, 1803, found in Carolina and Florida. Stephen Elliott, in his "Sketches," refers to the southern plant as Gaillardia bicolor, and Nuttall, following, considered our plant as bvit a varietj'of this, and styles it Gaillardia bicolor aristata. Pursh, another botanist, makes another forni, Gaillardia rustica, but which De Candolle, in 1834, (page 652 — not page 362, as generally quoted), regards as synonymous with G. lanceolata. There are yet other authors who do not regard G. lanceolata and G. aristata as sufficiently distinctive to warrant separate specific designations. In referring to it as variet}' aristata, Nuttall sa3's of it "indigen- ous to the grassy hills of the Missouri, abund- ant near Fort INIandan, and from thence to the mountains." The species, as fairly limited to Pursh's plants, is widely distributed over the northwestern part of our territory from the Mississippi to the Pacific Ocean. The tendency to vary in its natural loca- tions, already noted, has been taken advan- tage of by florists to raise numerous varieties, b}' selecting slight variations, and encouraging further wanderings by sowing the seeds. After successive generations, the slight devia- tions are further extended, and ultimately be- come fixed, — that is, variation can go only so far in a given line ; when the limit is reached, the tendency to vary comes to an end. One of the most interesting of the garden productions goes under the name of the Lorenz Gaillardias. In this, all the ray florets are tubular, in- stead of strap-shaped as in the original. These florets are deeply four or five-cleft, and as they retain the purple brown color at the base of each, the contrast with the golden upper por- tion gives a coronseform appearance, to the head of disk florets, that is very pleasing. Another form is distributed in florists' cata- logues as Gaillardia grandiflora. This has a particularly vigorous and branching habit, and is remarkably floriferous, starting to bloom about midsummer and continuing imtil frost arrives. The ray florets are in this more sym- metrical than in the natural form. Indeed, the ragged appearance of the ray florets might be an argument against a claim for perfection of beaut}' in the flower as it appears in a wild state. But even in this respect, much will depend on the length of time the flower has been expanded. Our artist, in his faithful fol- lowing of nature, has represented a flower in a faded condition in order to show the involu- cral bracts. The divisions, in this condition, are particularly loose (Fig. 5) ; but from the same flower he has taken one ray-floret in order to show us the ovarium and pappus (Fig. 2), and which we might say was prettily fringed rather than unduly ragged. The flower is probably in its handsomest condition when but partially open (Fig. 6) ; and rather more advanced than in this figure. The rich, crim- son brown is then particularly striking, and the raj'-florets are of more perfect form, and also of a brighter tint than when .more advanced. Asa botanical lesson in composite flowers, our drawings will be welcome to the students of this very interesting natural order. There is often a striking difference between the root- leaves and the stem-leaves, — and the characters are in many cases reversed, as if nature loved to deal in contraries. In some species, the leaves at the base are cut and divided — the lyrate form prevailing — while the upper ones are entire ; and in other species the lower leaves are entire, while the upper ones may be lacini- ate or pinnatifid. Our present species is just on the dividing line between these two extremes. All the leaves are more or less toothed ; but the tendency to be entire increases as the floral stage approaches (Fig. i.) The genus was named in honor of M. Gail- lard de Marentonneau, a French botanist of no especial celebrity, described by M. Fogereaux, well known as a historian and for general scientific aquirements, but with no particular celebrity in botanical pursuits. The specimen from which the description of the genus was made, was from plants raised from seed brought from the lower Mississippi. There has been much dispute about the correct orthog- raphy. Fougereaux wrote it Gaillarda, it was changed by those who succeeded him to Galardia, — hut moderns generally write it Gaillardia. ExpLA.MATioN OF THE PLATE.— I. Complete plant from a Rocky Mountain specimen 2. Complete ray floret. 3. Com- plete disk floret. 4. Head of faded florets. 5. Dorsal view of flower head. WILD FLOWERS AND NATURE. THE MOUNTAIN STREAM. Cold and clear from the Mountain wells. Mirroring brightly the green arcades, Shattered to foam in the mossy dells, Then gliding again through the silent shades. The immemorial mountain stream, With miirmur sweet to its kindred calls, And hastes to the river with distant gleam. And fills the forest with waterfalls. Howard Worcester Gilbert. Medicinal Value of Grindelia. — A cor- respondent states that "An extract oi Grin- delia is commonly sold in the drug stores, and it is an excellent cure for Poison \\y if used early enough." American Lotus. — I have read with much interest the contributions on American Lotus in the November issue, and also your descrip- tion of it in August. I submit a few notes from my observations with this plant which are not confirmed by previous articles. The flower of the American Lotus never floats unless by accident. This is contrary to the habits of all the Lotus or Nchimbiiim fam- ily. The Nymphjeas float ; both leaves and flowers of Nelumbiums rise above the water — often six feet. The American Lotus does not open at night. It, as well as all the genus, is strictly da}'- blooming. It opens at sunrise. On the first and second days, it closes from lo a. m. to 3 p. m. On the third day, it only partially closes, but opens out fully the following morning, and remains open day and night till the petals fall, which is usuall}' the fourth and fifth da^-s. The seeds are slow to germinate. If gath- ered fresh and planted at once, the result is fair ; but, if allowed to dry, the}' become hard as stone and will lie in water almost indefin- itely without any sign of growth. The Indians called them " Seventy-3'ear Acorns," because the}' thought it required that length of time for them to germinate. I have seen bushels of them drifted into the low bottoms of the Cum- berland River, j'ear after j-ear ; but have never heard of one seed germinating within fifty miles up or down the river. Once after keep- ing some planted for three years, I took them up and filed a hole through the shell that the water might penetrate the kernel, and they sprouted at once. Nearly every seed will germ- inate readilj^ if treated thus. I associate with the American Lotus a great deal, — digging and selling hundreds of them every year, — but sel- dom meet a spontaneous seedling. They spread very rapidh' from the roots, however. A single plant, unmolested, will cover a pond of one acre within three years. Geo. B. Moulder. Benefits from Cross - Fertilization. — " On reading an article, in a late issue, entitled ' Organography of Plants,' page 159-160, it is stated that, ' no proof has been furnished that cross-fertilization is of the slightest benefit to the race.' Was not that exquisite Begonia ' Gloire de Lorraine ' the result of cross-fertili- zation, and is it not a benefit to the race ? " Worcester, Mass. J. C. When Mr. Darwin, and others speak of " benefit to a race," it is in connection with the origin and permanence of a species. We know, by fossil-botany, that many species have existed in the past, that have no existence to-day, unfavorable conditions having destroyed them utterly. What evolutionists understand \iy " benefit to a race," is that certain condi- tions may aid the race in this so-called ' ' strug- gle for life." Plants of one species that can change their characters to suit changing con- ditions survive — in other words become new species ; while those that fail to change, perish. This is one of the doctrines taught in evolu- tion. Mr. Darwin endeavored to prove this by assuming that a more vigorous growth in an individual plant, — the production of extra large seeds, and a greater number of them, — were evidences of ' ' benefit to a race. ' ' The paragraph referred to, by our correspond- ent, stated that there was no evidence that the (179) i8o MEEHANS' MONTHLY — WILD FLOWERS AND NATURE. [Dec. assumption is sound. On the contrarj-, the experience of gardeners is against it. Plants of high vegetative vigor are not as healthy as those of more moderate character,— and the larger seeds are not regarded as producing the best plants. As for the extra fertilit}' of seed- bearing plants, those with high vegetative vigor are usualh' the least productive. Regard- ino- extra seed production, that might be a point if nature had provided a place for ever}- one to develop its full growth ; but, as it is, manj^ thousands are matured for ever>' one that will have a chance to grow. If it were not so, and every acorn or apple seed that grew on the tree had a chance to germinate, they would starve out each other. Heavy production of seeds should be regarded as obstructing rather than aiding the advancement of the race. Hybridism in the Begonia has certainl}^ been a benefit to the race in the production of num- erous beautiful forms equal in every respect to the species brought from their native homes ; but in the matter of the longevity of their de- scendants, there is no evidence that the hybrids would endure for thousands of years longer than those species that had never been hybrid- ized. In fact, the general belief is that they would be less enduring, though there is no evidence to confirm this any more than the opposite proposition. Gaill.^rdia Studies in Plant-life. — A study of a floret of any member of the order of Compositce is particularly instructive. This has to be done carefully by the aid of a good pocket lens, and is most instructive while the flower is fresh. There is seldom time for this when collecting, — and the soaked-out florets that have been wholly or partially dried are not as well suited to the study as the flower when fresh. Great differences will be found in the form of the floret, — a character which, on account of the difficulties alreadj- suggested, is seldom noted in botanical de- scriptions. In our enlarged Fig. 3, we see that the floret is nearly tubular, but slightly fun- nel-form as it nears the mouth, and that the five divisions are not cut deeplj^ into the tube. The pappus is chaff"y at the base ; but the awns are of the length of the tube. The two style-branches are of unusual length, — as long, in fact, as the corolla, with considerably^ more than half of the upper portion papillose. Again, the positions taken will often furnish good distinguishing characters. In manj- com- posites, the style-branches recurve, — in this, as our sketch shows, there is a slight inward curve. The heads, also, have character worth noting. In this we see a large degree of per- manence in the florets which dry and are preserved within the awns of the ovarium ; while in so man}' species of the order they are early deciduous. In many other lines, Gail- lardia will furnish material for special stud}'. The Last Wild-flowers of Summer. — Yesterdaj^ I walked oiit through the woods on the shelving sand rocks, hunting for the last flowers of summer. I noted Alliuvi stellatuin, wild onion, and Hypoxis erect a. Star-grass, a plant of each still in bloom ; and one plant of Oxalis corniculata. Sorrel, on the roadside, an emigrant from Europe. Dr. Gray says, in his "Manual," it is known, " if distinct from O. strict a, by the stipule at the base of the petioles." The stipules were present in this specimen and, besides, it had a small involu- cre of two bracts half way up the peduncle. The peduncles were one-flowered and were of a handsome shade of ^-ellow, half-an-inch in diameter. We are having a mild and pleasant fall. F. K. Steele. Festus, Mo. Root Fungus. — Among the immense num- ber of plants described as belonging to the lower orders of vegetation known as funguses, very few are injurious, whether it maj^ be organized as a mushroom, or whether it is so minute as to require a powerful microscope to discern it, most of them are beneficial to the higher organisms. In gardening, we have a number that trouble us by attacking either roots, stems, leaves or flowers ; but they are few that prove very destructive in comparison with the whole number known. Among the Agaric, or, as we may say, the mushroom class, there is one that is exceedingly troublesome. This is the Agaricus inellcus. When it attacks the roots of a plant, its effects are seen through the whole tree, by a change of the foliage to a paler green, and a tendencj' to throw out branches from the main stems. No one can mistake when a plant has been attacked by this species of root-fungus. Cuttings or grafts from the trees carrj' the ferment material with 1900] MHEHANS MONTHLY — WILD FLOWERS AND NATURE. them, and the disease is thus widel}^ spread. For large trees, no remed}' has been found, — but for herbaceous plants and small shrubs, a thorough soaking with copper infusion has been found thoroughly efTective. The annexed engraving of the fungus is taken from our excellent contemporary, the Canadian Horticulturist, which has been giving a series of high-class articles, recentl}', on the diseases of trees and plants b}' fungus agenc5^ Abies excelsa, Norway Spruce. — Trees, especially evergreen trees, like church spires, point heavenward. Once, on a winter day, I rode through a grove of spruce, hemlock and pine, laden with the gift of the snow-clouds, and the strange beauty of it all has never from memory quite faded. In every clime, a tree is "a thing of beauty and a joy forever." How healing is the breath |of the pine tree of the rocky hillside. And the apple tree is a sermon in itself, upon the results of culture. As Fredrika Bremer said in ' ' The Neighbor, " " Trulj- to compre- hend, to value, and to admire the beautiful, is a great medium of ennoblement, of peace, of happiness." Mrs. E. E. Orcutt. San Diego Late Wild-flowers in Washington. — Severe frosts and cold weather, in October, seemed to kill most of our garden plants, — at least, they stopped blooming. But a few weeks of mild weather, with frequent rains, have re- vived many of them, so that we have quite a number of flowers opening now — Marguerite Carnations, candytuft. Phlox Druvnnojidi, California Poppies, and clover, Trifoliuvi i?i- carnatiim, T. repetis, and Mcdicago lupulina. The foliage of Petunia and other flowers is fresh and green. If only more sunshine, we would have quite a variety of flowers. Along the road, to-day, I noticed Gaillardia, Solid ago, Grindelia, Achillea, and Erigeron, of two species; Phlox lincarifolia is blooming more abundantly than any other. I noticed several patches of it, some of them yards in extent, Potentilla gracilis var. , flabellifonnis, Colli nsia parviflora, Capsclla Bursa-pastoris, and Violets are also quite abundant. I saw a few plants of Castilleja viiiiiata. Doubtless, a walk through the woods and meadows would increase this list ; but I think it is very good for the last of November. Susan Tucker. Cheney, Wash. Barren Sumac. — Three or four years ago, one of your correspondents asked if there was a variety of sumac that did not bear fruit, and you wrote it was possible that some fruited every other 3'ear, but that there was no record of it, as the point had never been made before. I have examined into this subject since then. There were three groups of it growing near Waukegan, each group nearly circular, about eight feet high in the centre, gradual!}' decreasing in size to the small plants just showing above ground. When I first made a note of them, there was a clear space of about ten feet between each group. Now they have spread so they have united in one group, covering about one acre of land. I have no doubt but that they have all spread from three plants, as there is no sign of a seedling among them. This year, two of the old groups are seeding very fully, while scarcely any can be found on the third one. Last season, the one that is barren now was fruiting, and the other two were not. There is no more beautiful sight in our native land- scape than this group which is now taking on its fall coloring. The groups were originally triangular. Now that they are joined together, they form almost a semicircle and are flanked by White and Bur Oaks, which also form a background. The oaks are still dark green and the sumacs purple and golden. Waukegan, Uls. ThOS. H. DOUGLAS. GENERAL GARDENING. THE FRENCHMAN'S FLOWER. The Scot ma}' love his thistle-down, Its pricklj' leaves and purple crown ; And Erin on her shamrock smile, The beaut}' of her emerald isle ; The holh' twine its glossy braid, A starry wreath for Albion's head ; We love the modest violet, And dearer still the mignonette. Percival. Forced Rhododendrons. — Plants such as the White Lilac, Genista, Spircra, Deutzia, Harris' Lily, etc., are commonlj- forced for Easter decorations, — and they all please every one ; but a more frequent use of plants now but little used for such purposes would gener- ally produce even greater admiration. It is not new to talk of forcing the Rhododendron ; but undoubtedly it is not common to see it. Yet a nice plant with six or more flower heads makes a beautiful specimen, — and like the Azalea can be used again — planted out or kept for forcing another year. To those in the northern parts of this country where such plants do not do well planted outside, the priv- ilege to see them blooming indoors is great. About the time of blooming, they like an abundance of water if the pot be well-drained. Very little heat is reqviired to bring them into bloom, though more than many others — about the temperature of a carnation house. Am.\ryij.is Hallii. — This beautiful bulb deserves a place in every garden, however small, where chaste flowers are appreciated. Its lovely, shell-pink petals, veined and cloud- ed beautiful azure blue, are indeed superb. In some collections, this bulb has not proven hardy. Sometimes, however, I fear the cause has been (as it was with me) viz. , the seeds- man or bulb-merchant supplying the wrong variety. At other times the cause has been the utter unsuitability of location. It must be remembered that this bulb is a native of the Cape of Good Hope, and, as the temperature does not, of course, fall so low as here, yet (182) certain ample modifications ma}- be made to insure its hardiness. The bulb, when pur- chased in November, was planted six inches deep in a warm, sheltered spot. A good hand- ful of sharp sand was placed beneath the bulb and then the hole was filled with light soil, and over all four inches of rough stable litter, and when INIay came in oi:r wished-for friend, Aviaryllis Hallii, also made its appearance. This bulb, like all Amaryllis, {Aulica platy- pctalns excepted), makes its growth first, then loses its foliage, and in three weeks the flower stems push themselves up through the ground to a height of two to two-and-a-half feet. Each stem carries from five to eight flowers, and is a beaut}' for three weeks. The plant or bulb here this year pushed eight flower stalks with an aggregate of no more nor less than fifty-three flowers. All who follow above direc- tions will not, I am .pursuaded, be disappoint- ed, as the bulb increases in strength \&ry rapidly, although it multiplies very tardily. Rahway, N. J. A. P. Removing Large Limbs of Trees. — A cor- respondent writes: — "Will you kindlj' tell me, in the columns of the Monthly, the proper season of the year to cut large limbs from trees. I have a great number of trees, such as walnuts, chestnuts, lindens, etc., and I wish to cut off" some of the lower limbs so as to have a better view and more air ; I want to do this in the proper season." It is practicable to remove the large lower limbs from trees at anj^ season of the 3'ear. There might be an exception to removing them in the summer time provided the num- ber of branches removed is in excess of those remaining. This would tend to weaken the trees very greatly. The most favorable time for doing such work is in the winter. If left until nearly spring or early summer, the wounds will heal more readily, as while the sap is in motion new bark is made at once. In any event it is desirable to paint the wounds with thick ordinary paint or some- 1900] MEEHANS MONTHLY — GENERAL GARDENING. 183 thing that will keep out the air and moisture, until the new growth of wood covers the wound. The Cannon-Ball Tree. — Now that some of the West India Islands have become Ameri- can possessions, the interesting classes of veg- etation are receiving marked attention from visitors. From Mr. Joseph C. Roop, of East Stroudsburg, Pa., we have the following note : " I know but little about the Cannon-Ball Tree, but it is verj^ curious : — The balls resemble cocoa-nuts in appearance, but are not edible, and I have never seen them I do not know whether it is a native of the places in which we saw it, but all we saw were single specimens and in the Botanical Gardens, as they call their parks." This very curious tree is closely related to the myrtles. All these, however, have leaves dotted by oil glands, a character that aids largely in determining the relationship. The Cannon-Ball Tree has nearly all the characters of the myrtaceous group, but has dotless leaves, — and on this account, with a few congeners, has been created into a separate order called Lecythidacets. It is the Coarou- CANNON-BALL TREE. cut open ; but some of our passengers took specimens to their state-rooms, and were glad to throw them overboard in a day or so on ac- count of the intolerable smell they gave out. They hang on rope-like stems, and on the same stem may be seen buds, blossoms and matured fruit, or whatever you would call it. The flowers are thick and heavy, somewhat resembling the flower of a single hyacinth, and are of a pinkish color, sometimes tinged with yellow. We saw this tree in several of the West India Islands, but this one in particular was the handsomest specimen of all. pita Guianensis of botanists. When fresh, the fruit is delicious ; but, as our correspondent notes, after a few days it is as abhorrent as a piece of stale flesh. The shells are used for drinking purposes, as we use the shells of cocoa-nuts. Proper Time for Pruning Trees. — Many inquiries are made in regards to the proper time for pruning trees or shrubs, both orna- mental and fruiting. It is impossible to answer except in a general way, as the individuals to be treated must be each one considered. Where 1 84 MEEHANS' MONTHLY— GENERAL GARDENING. [Dec. considerable pruning is to be done, the need for a practical man with plenty of experience and a knowledge of all kinds of trees is evid- ent. In the case of fruit trees, it niaj' be necessary to thin out the branches to permit the free circulation of air and light — very essential things to strong, health}' growth. Such prun- ing is done in the winter, any time after the leaves have fallen, though wounds will prob- abl3' heal with greater ease if made towards spring. A careful painting of the wounds, however, makes it safe earlier. Should the growth of the trees be too straggling, the}' should be pruned lightly during early svini- mer, while the sap is active and growth is being made. At the same time it will encour- age the production of fruit buds, which are set on short spurs. As regards the ornamental trees, the same rule will apply to the thinning out of branches; the weaker ones are, of course, to be removed, allowing the strong ones to remain. If they are to be put into shape, possibly a little prun- ing in winter and a little more in May or June, when growth is resumed, would bring about the desired results. The flowering trees and shrubs must be pruned according to their respective characters. If it is desirable to retain flowering buds for the first season, most early-blooming plants should not be pruned very much until after thej' have bloomed, as the flowering buds are formed the season previous. Of course, a thinning out will do no harm in this respect, and wi 1 give much more strength to the re- maining branches. One correspondent asks if the end of March is too late to prune apple trees in northern New York. Following the above principles, it would not be, — in fact, one could prune in any month if it is done judiciously with an understanding of the results that would follow. Expansion of Trees. — Much error is dif- fused by the use of improper terms. A work on forestry, before the writer, referring to at- tachment of labels or guards to trees, remarks that " it should be by copper wire, which Stretches as the tree expands." But there is no expansion of a tree in a physical sense. A wave flows over the sand by the sea-shore, — but not by expansion of the waters. In like manner the new wood of trees flows over the older wood, — but this is not expansion. If the wire attachment to a label be loosely over a horizontal branch, and 5'et so firmly that it will not be disturbed by the wind, the wire will be covered by the new growth, though there be plent}' of room in the wire loop for expansion. Disease in the English Birches. — It has been assumed that the disease, in the English Birches, that has become so prevalent over a wide area in the United States, came to us from the Old World. A recent issue of the London Gardeners' Chronicle seems to confirm this. It says : — " Writing in Nature of October iSth, Mr. Robert Paulson mentions that the Birch trees in Epping Forest have been attacked by a dis- ease which causes them to die ver}'^ rapidly. The disease is attributed to the presence of a fungus — Melanconis stilbostoma. ' ' Beautiful Autumn Leaves. — Few plants display a more wonderful coloring of foliage in autumn than the blackberry'. The shade of color is uniform and the beaut}' lies chieflj' in the green veining of the leaves. The leaves of the Scarlet Oak are admirable for decorative purposes, being persistent and therefore less likely to destroy effects by falling or drj'ing up quickly. Forest Planting. — Meehans' INIonthly has alwa3's contended that there was no reason wh}' joint stock should not be formed for profit- able forest culture. Year by j^ear, the tree- covered land would increase in value as the trees approach nearer and nearer maturit}', and thus bring a bonus for the stock. The writer knows of a piece of forest land bought b}' a friend, not so very many years ago, for fift}' cents an acre, and which recently brought an offer of $100 an acre for the privilege of cutting off the timber. We learn, by a recent issue of the excellent journal, T/ie Forester, that one such company is actually being formed to be known as the American Reforestation Com- pany. Its headquarters is in the office of the Avierican Lumberman, of Chicago. It is pro- posed to start with 350,000 acres, and plant White and Red Pine. Wisconsin and Michi- gan seem to be the States chosen for the experi- ment. igoo] MEKHAXS' MONTHLY — GENERAL GARDENING. 185 NEW ©R ^^lE FLi^INlTSo The Gingko Tree. — References to the fniit- ing of the Gingko, or Maiden-hair tree, in re- cent issues of Meehans' ]\Ionthly, have brought nianj' letters from obliging friends' in various parts of the country- noting that seed- bearing specimens are not infrequent. In former times, it was supposed that the tree was simpl}^ dioecious, — that is to sa}-, having some specimens wholly male and others wholl}' female. Flares dioici is indeed one of the char- froni a photo, taken by INIiss Marie Thackara. When we talk of holly, the faiuous aqiiifolium of Europe comes to mind, — and, indeed, this, with its numerous varieties, constitute about all any of us know of the holly family. But there are numerous species, many of great beauty, besides the celebrated one of old Eng- land. A number are natives of Japan. This one was described as Ilex crenata, by Charles Peter Thunberg, who, in 1784, wrote a "Flora of Japan " ; but it is only during comparatively recent years that its beauty has become known to cultivators. So far as we know, the Fair- mount Park specimen is the finest in the United States. ILEX CRENATA IN FAIRMOUNT PARK, PH I LA DELPH r A. acters of the genus, as given b3- Prof. Parla- tore, in that standard work, De Candolle's Prodronius. It is really polygamous — that is to say, while some trees have wholly separate sexes, others have both kinds on the same plant, just as many conifers have. This ac- counts for individual trees, completely alone, often being abundantly lertile. Ilex crenata. — Annexed, we give an illus- tration of a noble member of the hollj' family, growing in Fairmount Park, Philadelphia, Cedrus Atlantica. — Trees give us pleas- ure by their beauty, as well as for the grand natural scenery in which they take a prominent part. But many give additional interest by reasons of their historic associa- tions,and are frequently esteemed especially on this account by intelli- gent garden-lovers. Few historic trees do more for us in this line than the Cedar of Leba- non. It is the "Tree of Life" that had such a sentimental place in the ancient Babylonian mind, — the tree from which was provided the ancient Egyptians' burial caskets, — and mem- orably the cedars which aided Solomon in building the famous temple at Jerusalem. Mount Lebanon was at one time completely clothed with vast forests of them, and it is said some trees are still left on this historic spot. There are yet, however, other moun- tains in Cilicia, and perhaps elsewhere, from whence supplies can be obtained. In the case of the Cedar of Lebanon, as of other trees, there are what are known as geo- graphical varieties,— that is, the same thing 1 86 MEEHANS' MONTHLY — GENERAL GARDENING. [Dec. with slight variations, — and what is known in nurseries as the Atlantic or Mt. Atlas Cedar, is one of these. It differs from the origin- ally known Cedar of Lebanon in its more conic growth, its bluish-green foliage, its smaller cones, and these cones borne on short spurs on branches. It is not infrequent on the ]\Ioun- tains of Cilicia, but seems most at home on Mount Taurus. It is very hardy, but like most coniferous trees, is fond of company, and thrives better when in grovips with others. The beautiful specimen here illustrated is from a photograph taken b}^ our correspondent, FKMIITS MS WE'^IET/^PLES. Campbell's Early Grape. — Mr. Geo. S. Josselyn sends a basket of Campbell's Early Grape. The bunches are large, berries deep black and of the size of Damsons, the flavor very sweet. Mr. J. says they ripen at the same time as Moore's Early, and are of equal quality but become better than this good grape by being left a while on the vine. He has had them remain on the vines for ten weeks — even till frost came. It is also a remarkably abund- ant bearer. CEDRUS ATLANTICA. Mr. John W. Duncan, and kindly sent by Mr. Robert Williamson. It represents a tree grow- ing on the grounds of his employer, Mrs. A. A. Anderson, Greenwich, Connecticut, where are very many other fine, rare specimen ever- greens. As may be noted, the tree is about twenty-five feet high. Many mountain conifers become more glaucous in proportion to altitude, and the seedlings mostly repro- duce the acquired glaucous character. These are known in cultivation as Cedrus Atlan- tica glanca, to which class this specimen belongs. Caprified Figs. — What has been recently said, in Meehans' Monthly, regarding fig- culture in the Northern States, has created wide-spread interest and discussion. I\Ir. Geo. C. Roeding, of Fancher Creek Nursery, Fresno, California, places us under great obligations by sending us a box of " Smyrna Figs," as they have them, in a commercial condition. Of the figs themselves, we can safely say, that they are equal to the very best that come to us from the Old World. The State of California should do public honor to these intelligent and energetic men, who have done so much to 1900] MEEHANS MONTHLY — GENERAL GARDENING. 187 place her people among the world's foremost contributors to the welfare of the human race. The matter is of such a national as well as individual interest, that we give in full what Mr. Roeding says of it, — only remarking here, that the subject may be taken up again here- after. "The figs in this package are genuine Smyrna figs grown on the Fancher Creek Nur- sery, seven miles east of Fresno, California, and are the first produced on a commercial scale in the United States. The trees were grown from cuttings taken from the famous Aidin district, in the interior of Asia Minor, distant about seventy-five miles from Smyrna. Mr. W. C. West was sent to Smyrna, in the 3'ear 1885, by Mr. F. Roeding, for the purpose of making a personal examin- ation into this subject and bringing over cut- tings of the very best Smyrna figs. The ex- pense of the trip and the securing of the cut- tings amounted to $3,000. These figs represent experiments extending over a period of fourteen years, and the care and cultivation of sixty acres, or 4,200 trees from 10 to 14 years' old. They have never been sulphured or process- ed in any way — the color is natural. They are sweeter than any figs ever produced in the United States. An average sample of these dried figs, according to a recent analj'sis made by Professor Hilgard, of the University of Cali- fornia, showed that they contain 63.92 per cent, sugar, which is 1.42 per cent, sweeter than the imported Smyrna fig. They contain fertile seeds, giving them an exquisite, nutty flavor found in no other fig grown in the United States. Each seed rep- resents a single flower. To produce a fig which, when dried, would equal in flavor and sweetness the fig of com- merce so universally esteemed, has been the desideratum of every horticulturist interested in fig culture. To all outward appearances, the fig tree, un- like other trees and plants, develops fruits without first producing flowers. But these appearances are misleading, for on cutting the fruit open it will be found that it contains a large quantity of inconspicuous flowers closely grouped around the rind, which is really the receptacle for them. Furthermore, there are four distinct kinds of flowers foiind in the figs, namely : male, female, gall and mule flowers. Male, female and gall flowers are found in Capri or Wild figs, the number varying in greater or less degree in the various crops. The essential point of difference, between the Symrna class of figs and the Adriatic class, lies in the fact that the Smyrna contains noth- ing but female flowers, and that unless they are pollinated, either artificially or through the agency of the fig wasp, Blastophaga psenes, the fruit never reaches maturity, but shrivels and drops from the tree when one-third grown. The Adriatic, of which there are fully 100 var- ieties growing in this State, contain mule flowers which cannot be pollinated, but which, nevertheless, develop and mature edible fruits, although the seeds are sterile. In other words, the Smyrna fig is valueless unless the flowers have been caprified; while the Adriatic, and that embraces all varieties of figs which have matured their fruits in the past without the aid of the insect, cannot be improved upon nor benefitted in any way, for their flowers cannot be fertilized. The first Smyrna figs grown in the United States were produced on the Fancher Creek Nursery, in a very limited number, in the year 1890, by transferring the pollen from the Capri figs and introducing it into the Smyrna fig by means of a tooth-pick. All figs treated in this manner developed into large, fine fruits with perfect seeds ; while untreated figs shriv- elled up when about the size of a marble and dropped to the ground, thus proving conclu- sively that caprification was an essential factor in the production of this fig. The Capri fig stands in the relation of male to the Smyrna or edible fig. It occasionally produces an edible fruit but without flavor, its principal value being that it is the habitat of the Blastophaga, for without it the insect can- not exist. The propagation of the fig wasp takes place in the following manner, in the June crop of the Capri figs, and it is the same in all succeed- ing crops : The male insect, which is wingless, is the first to appear from the galls. It crawls around in the fig and, with its powerful mandibles makes an opening in the galls in which the females lie and impregnates them, and then perishes within the fig in which it was born. MEEHANS MONTHLY — GENERAL GARDENING. [Dec. The female insect, which is winged, en- larges the opening in the gall made by the male, crawls through the zone of male flowers surrounding the orifice of the fig, its bodj' becoming covered with pollen in its outward passage, and either enters the following crop of Capri figs, depositing its eggs in the gall flowers from which a new generation of insects is developed later; or, if the fig has been re- moved before, and hung in the branches of a Sm)-rna fig tree, the wasp forces its way, los- ing its wings in the operation, into the female fig, then in the proper state of maturity to ad- mit its entrance, and in its endeavors to lay its eggs, and laden with pollen obtained in its outward passage from the Capri fig, fertilizes the female flowers and perishes, leaving no off- spring, the female flowers being so constructed that it cannot deposit its eggs. All Sm3'rna figs thus entered produce fertile seeds, develop and expand, and although the wasp sacrifices its own life, it paves the founda- tion for the propagation of the fig tree as well as for the production of a fruit which would otherwise be worthless. The Smyrna fig commences to mature about the middle of August and continues to ripen its crops until the latter part of September. The figs are allowed to drop of their own accord and are practicallj^ dried when thej' fall. The process of drying is very simple. The figs are gathered from the ground every other day, transferred to the drying ground, dipped into a boiling brine made by dissolving three ounces of salt to a gallon of water, and then placed on trays, the time of drying varying from two to four days according to the weather. The dipping of the fig hastens the drying and makes the skin pliable. After the figs are dried, they are placed in sweat boxes where they are allowed to remain for two weeks to pass through a sweat. These boxes hold about 200 pounds each. The only other treatment they receive before packing is to wash them in cold salt water for the purpose of removing all dirt and floaters, the latter being figs which are overdried or improperly fertilized and which rise to the top when placed in the brine." Abnormal Seckel Pears. — I am glad the pears (see page 174) were of enough interest to elicit comment in the pages of the Monthly. My theory, in regard to the bees, was based partly on this : Last year, the pear and apple trees bloomed at the same time: usually the apples bloom first. Secondly : The drought may have had a modi- f3dng effect in causing the pear to degenerate, — so to speak, — for in the order of diflerentia- tion, is not a pear a variety of apple ? The apple could not put on the pear shape in one season, as the pear is the higher evolution and the result of a long series of selection. The son of a gentleman might become a boor in one generation ; but the son of a boor could not become a gentleman in that time. This is my impression of the order of development. If by " carpellary structure," this means the flesh of the pear, it was greatly changed in most of them, — both in structure and flavor. They were coarser grained and less sweet in flavor, so that the family avoided them when they could get one of the regulation shape. Our trees have borne exceptionall}' large fruit, and superior in flavor ; but how this freak was caused this 3^ear is a mystery Our Bellflower Apple tree, close to the Porter tree, has also taken on the Porter shape and color to some extent, and ripens earlier than it should if it was a true Bellflower. How the change has come about, I do not know. (Mrs.) Susanna M. Gaskill. Swarthmore, Pa. To the above interesting details connected with the apple-formed Seckel Pears, it seems useful to note that, by "carpellary system" is meant the whole covering of the seed as pre- pared by the parent plant. The seed itself is a new individual springing from a single cell that has been aided in its development b}^ a grain of pollen from another individual. The effect of this vmion can onl}' be on that which follows. There cannot be, philosophically speaking, any influence on that which is past. Experiment sustains philosoph}-. The writer can recall no case where those, who have care- full}^ experimented, found any retro-active re- sults. On the other hand, he does remember, thoiigh he cannot now note the exact reference, where careful experiments were made on the common stock-gill3^ White ones were pollen- ized with purple ; and purple-flowered ones were fertilized from the white blossoms. The cotj'ledons on seed-leaves showed the color or want of color in each case. There was no dif- 1900] MEEHANS' MONTHLY — GENERAL (iAKDENING. ference of tint in the coverings of the seed, as there is in cases of self-fertilization, where the pinkish tinge is evident throughout. The whole subject is one of great interest, and deserves more careful experimentation than it has 3-et received. Notes on Vegetables. — Large Yields. — I once raised forty merchantable potatoes from one large potato, planted whole and alone. Wild Potatoes. — These potatoes were recent- ly secured from the mountains of Mexico, the native home of our domesticated potatoes. In digging my crop, one fall, I found one old potato that was as sound as when I planted it, and as I have an experimental turn of mind, I saved it to plant again the next year to see if it would raise a second crop, and, sure enough, it did, and a bountiful one, too, for it produced one hundred and twenty-five. I planted it alone and hy itself Danverse Onions. — On forty-four square rods of ground, I once raised two hundred and ten bushels of merchantable onions. In 1898, in ten inches of row, I had three pounds of onions, the seed occupying only six inches in the row. Hubbard Squash. — From one transplanted plant, I raised sixteen fine squashes. Oat Yield. — From one kernel of Norwaj^ Oats, I raised fifty-three stalks, and thirty odd (I have forgotten the exact number) heads. From an average head selected, and the ker- nels counted, it was estimated there were, in all, 6,441 kernels from the one planted. A Prolific Sun-flower. — This 3'ield of flowers on one stalk I have never seen beaten. When all were blown, I cut the branches, one by one, counting each separately so as to not be liable to count any twice, and the num- ber was 125. A Prolific Tomato Plant. — From one single plant, I have raised, this year, 100 tomatoes. Moscow, vt. Timothy Wheeler. House Culture of the Foreign Grape. — The time will probably come, in America, when the European Grape will again be a valu- able commercial fruit. It was at one time, the fruit selling readily at $1.50 a pound. The cultivation went down for several reasons, among them the fear of competition with the out-door grown European grapes from Cali- fornia, the injury to the roots by the phyllox- era, and the difficulty of getting the intelligent labor to manage the vines properl3^ It is clear, however, that no more fear of competi- tion with the Californian product need be feared than with the vSpanish grapes that come in barrels of cork dust from the Old World. These are very good in their way, and will usually bring remunerative returns though the figures be small. There is no comparison between these in quality as compared with those grown under glass, by one who knows his business. This has been abundantly proved in England. The vSpanish grapes come to England and are sold byi auction by the 10,000 barrels at a time, and bring no more than sixpence or ninepence a pound in the famous Covent Garden Market. While the home-grown Muscats and Black Hamburgs bring comparatively enormous prices. In our country, it was once thought to te absurd to try to raise tomatoes at a profit under glass in winter, on account of the ship- ments from Florida and the West India Islands. But it has been found a profitable business of late years, by reason of the sujier- ior quality of the home-grown article. Figs and Hardy Oranges. — Regarding the notice of my fig gatherings in the Month- ly, your six pounds is modest. I have picked over twenty pounds, and only yesterday picked seventeen pounds at one time, and could have gotten several pounds more. The crop this year has been very large. My Limonia had 213 ripe oranges by actual count after quite a number had been taken off. Theo. D. Rand. Raising New Varieties of Apples. — For all the great number of varieties of apples that have been named and distributed, very few, in comparison, have proved general favorities. There is still room at the top, as they say of the learned professions. Those who have large apple orchards, and have still a little ground to spare, might well let a dozen or two seedling apples grow up to bear fruit. If they proved of less importance than others already thought worthy of a name, they could soon be turned into profit by top-grafting with desir- able kinds. BIOGRAPHY AND LITERATURE. DAYS WELL SPENT. O what a glory doth this world put on For him who, with a fervent heart, goes forth Under the bright and glorious sky, and looks On duties well performed, and daj-s well spent ! For him the wind, aye, and the yellow leaves, Shall have a voice, and give him eloquent teachings. He shall so hear the solemn hymn that Death Has lifted up for all, that he shall go To his long resting-place without a tear. LONGFKLLOW. that much success was following an effort to graft the ordinary coffee plant on the much stronger-growing Liberian species, but I do not know the final result. P. Ouwerkerk. Jersey City, N. J. History of the Coffee Tree. — Mr. H. Witte, a well-known horticulturist of Leyden, gives Kaffra, in the southern part of Abyssinia, as the native place of the coffee tree. He men- tions Arabian legends, as samples of strange customs in connection with its use. It was not till centuries after its use that it was car- ried to Java, from whence the first samples were received, in 1706. A tree from Java was then sent to the Botanic Garden in Amsterdam, and v;hen it flowered and ripened seeds, a young seedling was presented to Louis XIV. From this plant, seedlings were sent to Mar- tinique,— and from these plants, again, seed- lings were sent to Jamaica, Cayenne, and St. Domingo ; while from Amsterdam, plants were sent to Surinam. In fact it was from the one plant, sent from Java in the beginning of the 1 8th century, by Governor General Van Hoorn, that everything in the French posses- sions and the West Indies has sprung. In this way has travelled the progeny of the original coffee plant, introduced from Arabia through Burgomaster Nocoloos Witsen, at the end of the 17th century. Is it not remarkable that we should owe, in this small beginning, so much to the wealth and prosperity of the Netherlands and its pos- sessions, Java, vSumatra, Celebes, etc., — to say nothing of the industrial development and prosperity of the whole world ? In the Dutch dependencies alone, the annual product is estimated at about 70,000,000 kilos (pounds). Before I left Holland, I read in the papers (190) Classification of the Gingko. — Mr. Ezra Clift, Buffalo, N. Y., says : — " Speaking of the Salisburia or Gingko Tree, I think it a mistake to class it with the conifers, as we have one here which is bearing fruit that resembles 3^el- low fruited plums." If we translate "conifers," and say cone- bearing plants, surely the Gingko cannot be one of them. But there is really not much dif- ference in the structure. In this plant the disk, dry in the pines, becomes fleshy and wholly covers the seed. In the yew it is also fleshy, and half covers the seeds. At the same time it may be said that many eminent botanists agree with I\Ir. Clift, that for this and other minor peculiarities, the}^ should not be classed with the pines. Dr. Lindley, indeed, made a distinct order of the yew family, which he termed Taxacece, in which the Gingko would be placed. With this view, it would be the correct thing to speak of the Gingko as of the yew instead of the conif- erous famil3\ Little Nell in Gardening. — Art critics in other cities have commented on the bad taste they believe they find in the artistic adornments of Fairmount Park, in Philadel- phia. Many, they assert, are out of character with their surroundings. But this verdict can scarcely apply to the representation of Dickens' Little Nell, an illustration of which is given with this paragraph. Little Nell might well be taken as a symbol of gardening. The love of flowers comes in as a relief from all material surroundings. The business man, harrassed by the cares of city details, hurries to his rural home of an evening to bury his cares among the flowers, — and even the tired artisan feels a rest when working till late at night among the 1900] MEEHANvS' MONTHLY— BIOGRAPHY AND LITERATURE. 191 vegetables in his little yard. The wisest re- formers in the city slums do their best work, when they carry a few pots of flowers to the sooner reach the hearts of the depraved. Flowers for the sick ; flowers for the hospitals; flowers in sad events, as well as flowers for DICKENS AND LITTLE NELL. untortunates,— and those who visit the prisons or reformatories tell us that, with an introduc- tion by the aid of a few flowers, they can the joyous occasions, are always a power. Just as Little Nell's goodness among the vicious and depraved conditions that surrounded her, so are 192 MEEHANS' MONTHLY — GENERAL NOTES. [Dec. flowers among the woes and ills of humanit}'. Dickens' Little Nell might well be taken as the patron of gardening. The Fairmount Art Park Association has not yet wholly secured this beautiful piece of work, — nor has the site yet been selected bj' the Commissioners of Fairmount Park. The association would be glad of further subscrip- tions towards securing the sum needed, and would be equally pleased with any suggestions as to a suitable site for the pedestal. The thoughts expressed in this paragraph would indicate, in a general way, the character of a localit}^ that might be chosen. Among the Mushrooms. — 63^ Ellen M. Dal- las and Caroline A. Burgin, Philadelphia, pub- lished by Drexel Biddle, 228 South 4th Street. A notice of the prospectus of this little book of 175 pages has already appeared in Meehans' Monthly. The book itself does full justice to what was expected of it. The Mushroom family has attracted more than usual atten- tion lately, and the general public has been impressed with the fact that it knows little about these interesting plants. The desire to know more has resulted in the appearance of many treatises, all very useful. Man}' of these, however, are too learned for common use. They cover too much ground, — or in descend- ing, as they think, to public comprehension, strike Loo low, and become trifling. For scien- tific accuracy brought within popular compre- hension, " Among the Mushrooms" is a rare success. IK^L MOTES. Public Botanic Gardens. — C. W. G., Mer- chantville, N. J., says : — " Why does not Phila- delphia possess a first-class botanic garden ? We could easily beat Kew all to pieces. I spent a day — an instructive one — at Kew, but came away disappointed ; wondering why, with such resources at its back, and with world-renowned botanists at its head, it was not ten times as good as it really is." It would be diflicult to establish a botanic garden in any American city to beat Kew, viewed simply as a botanic garden. The main objects of Kew are national. At the same time, the whole world participates in Eng- land's advantages. One cannot talk about plants understandingly without knowing them, any more than he could talk understandingly to a wagon builder without knowing the names of its various parts. The great herbarium, economic museum, and collection of living plants which Kew possesses, supplies this opportunity for knowledge. By this thorough knowledge of plants, it is able to act intelli- gently in regard to the valuable plants for its colonies and industrial enterprises, — the plants themselves being propagated in the gardens and freely distributed to experimenters. The mere gardening features of Kew are secondary, — and were only inaugurated by Sir William Hooker, under the happy thought, that as the whole people — that is the nation— supported Kew, the people at large, as well as specialists, should get some pleasure from the money ex- pended. As a mere public garden, it would not be diflicult to outmatch Kew. Cork. — The Cork Tree is an evergreen, an oak, Quercus Suber, about the size of our Apple tree, and grown largely in Spain for commercial uses. The bark is stripped in order to obtain the cork, which is soaked and then dried. The moment the bark is peeled oft', the tree begins to grow another cork skin, and each new one is better than the last ; so the older the tree the better the cork. The trees are stripped about every eight years, and so strong does it make them that they often live to the age of 200 years. After the bark is stripped oft", it is trimmed and dried and flat- tened out. Then it is packed and shipped to all parts of the world. Fig Fungus. — The Gardeners' Chrojiicle says that the fig fungus, Cercospora Bollea?ia, is ver}' destructive to the leaves of the fig, and that it has travelled from the Mediterranean region to the Argentine Republic on this con- tinent. No serious attempt, it is said, has been made to arrest its progress. It may be noted that another species of the same genus, Cerco- spora Sequoics, comes east from California with seeds and plants of the great tree Sequoia gigaiitea. It is an extremely destructive fun- gus and has almost wholly prevented its suc- cess in Atlantic States. The Bordeaux mix- ture has been found an effectual remedy. A A'/ A /^ ,A< ^(^■..^f^:^. ^rs h A i/^fU? '/^■- f^DENTNf^ te\IM H r~>^ ■ ; -f^ 7 /^ ' ' Jrl / ) 1 &^ J A \. >"' ^ ^^' .42/ ^> €' ':^^P^f^^lr\ml^^^^^ y^:. ^-^'-r^ . ^,^.^^__^.^_ ..., ^^^f