H&Vl

¥''

>>«■'

*l^9

^

:9H

^

•i

jft.

il

'

"•-^

>M

r

W

i^.1

viSL

■m

1^

UMASS/AMHERST

Wl<i

•-^

Ik^j

312066 0333 2973 7

■^

f'^.t

r £lA

m

^■M %

'-yn

T,«^;P"-

■V->jr'

■?■«>,.■*>,■

■^ ^J ?V«

'<%

r

LIBRARY

OF THE

MASSACHUSETTS

AGRICULTURAL

COLLEGE

SouRC£_2rx\-LLl\mi Y-U-^ck...

m

CHAPEL

V. ^^

THE

GARDENER'S MONTHLY

AND

HORTICULTURIST.

DEVOTED TO

HORTICULTURE, ARBORICULTURE AND RURAL AFFAIRS.

EDITED BY

THOMAS MEEHAN,

STATE BOTANIST OF PENNSYLVANIA,

FORMERLY HEAD GARDENER TO CALEB COPE, ESQ., AT SPRINGBROOK, AND AT THE BARTRAM BOTANIC

GARDENS, NEAR PHILADELPHIA. GRADUATE OF THE ROYAL BOTANIC GARDENS, KEW (LONDON),

ENGLAND. MEMBER OF THE ACADEMY OF NATURAL SCIENCES. AUTHOR

OF "AMERICAN HAND-BOOK OF ORNAMENTAL TREES,"

FLOWERS AND FERNS OF THE U. S., ETC.

VOLUME XXII, 1880.

PHILADELPHIA,

CHARLES H. MAROT, Publisher,

No. 814 Chestnut Street,

1880.

C pe^ -

v , 7 7

Portrait of Robert Biiist,

Apple, Isham Sweet,

Bouvardia "A. Neuner,"
Burbidgea nitida,

A
B

Frontispiece
274

367
335

Coleus, New Hybrid,
Croton Mooreanvw,

7
105

Dreer's New Goleus,

Fuchsias, Standard,

Heating Apparatus for Small Conservatories,
Heating by a Lime kiln, Plan of,

Liberian Boy and Kittens,

Maurandia Barclayana,

Measuring Height of Trees— Diagram,

Orchids, Several Genera,

Park Scene, European, Ground Plan,
Pear, Seek el. The Original Tree,
Pear, The KiefiFer,
Propagating, Old Method of,

P
H

L
M

O

P

76

198

140
76

187

39
53

78

66
270

48
236. 287

Eoees, Standard,

Safih Bars.

Trimmed Yew Tree,

Wileon's School House, near Gray's Ferry,

S
T
W

196

266

34

248

THE

GARDENER'S MONTHLY

AND

HORTICULTURIST.

DEVOTED TO HORTICULTURE, ARBORICULTURE AND RURAL AFFAIRS.

Edited by THOMAS MEEHA.N.

Yol. XXII.

JANUARY, 1880.

Number 253.

Flower Garden and Pleasure Ground,

SEASONABLE HINTS.

In Philadelphia and many other parts of
the eastern section, the month between the
middle of November and middle of December
was a very mild period for an American win-
ter, and the garden in many respects was
very agreeable. Coniferous trees, with their
great variety of tints and habits were particularly
beautiful, and since the introduction of colored-'
leaved evergreens, suggested possibilities that
could not have been thought of years ago. There
are now Golden Retinosporas, Arbor Yit^es and
otherthings,— bronzes, greys and purples,— which
would make excellent combinations ii^ the hands
of good artists. Not only are these prettily tinted
plants to be found among coniferse; but among
Mahonias, Euonymuses and similar evergreen
things are much material that would enter gaily
into combinations for these elegant winter ef-
fects, when snow was not too deeply on the
ground. Of course these evergreen gardens
would need to have some protection from wind
by plantations of larches or some other wind-
break. All evergreens in a state of nature are
more or less gi'egarious. They crowd together
and shelter one another. They do not mind
frost so much as they mind the wind. When
therefore we stick out plants like a Mahonia

or a Yew, or an evergreen Euonymus, where
the boreal blasts have full sweep against
them, we subject them to tests nature never
intended for them, and it is not fair when
they succumb under such treatment to write
to your favorite paper and tell the story of
their tenderness under your own wrong. There
are no doubt many gardens where shelter for
beautiful evergreens cannot be provided, — but
those who can have it, know how many hardy
things there are.

The Gardener's Monthly has repeatedly
called attention to the advantages of thick plant-
ing, not only for the shelter it affords in the win-
ter season, but also because it enables one to-
have pretty scenes in trees, shrubs and garden
effects at once, and without waiting a whole life
time to see the full effects of the landscape gar-
dener's plan. But this thick planting entails the
duty of annual thinning out, and pruning, and
this is a very good season to think about it.

Wherever any part of a tree does not grow-
freely, pruning of such weak growth, at this sea-
son, will induce it to push more freely next year.
All scars made by pruning off large branches
should be painted or tarred over, to keep out the
rain. Many fruit trees become hollow, or fall
into premature decay, from the rain penetrating
through old saw cuts made in pruning. Also„

THE GARDENER'S MONTHLY

[January,

the branches should be cut close to the trunk, so
that no dead stumps shall be produced on the
tree, and bark will readily grow over. Many
persons cut off branches of trees in midsummer,
in order that the returning sap may speedily
clothe the wound with new bark, but the loss of
much foliage in summer injures the tree, and
besides painting the scar removes all danger of
rottino- at the wound.

COMMUNICA TIONS

PUBLIC PARKS AND CEMETERIES.

BY VS^ALTKR ELDER, PHILADELPHIA.

The "N'otes of a Southern Cemetery," in
August, " Rural Cemeteries " in October, and
" Disgraceful Public Parks" in November much
interested me, as subjects long on my mind, aod
worthy of the attention of every intelligent hor-
ticultural journal. The last one has too harsh a
heading to accomplish any improvement. Mild
persuasive argument is more powerful in con-
vincing wrong doers of the errors of their ways.
It would be much better to show that efforts at
real improvement, would I'esult better to a good
name, and actual benefit, than neglect of one's
duties will do.

If properly shown to the managers, surely
every cemetery company would see that it was
to its interest to have a skilled gardener. One
of this class would require no higher wages in
many cases, than an ignoramus, — and even in
larger enterprises the gardener and the engineer
would both work together for each others' bene-
fit. Some people talk of politics as the reason
why unskilful men are in charge of park gardens
and other public positions ; please let me ask
how many skilled gardeners are there in the
Philadelphia cemeteries, where there is no poli-
tics to interfere in the matter? There are a
very few intelligent and worthy exceptions, —
but the majority are no better than those who
get places in public work and under political in-
fluence. There are good politicians and there
are corrupt ones; there are good nurserymen,
and nui'serymen who are governed by avaricious
motives, who would crowd in stock good bad and
indiffei-ent, and men to suit, if it served their
avaricious purposes: and one kind of manage-
ment is no worse than the other.

What we want is honest, intelligent manage-
ment in public parks and city work. We want
men who will not "bow the knee to Baal."

Philadelphia has long been famous for her
skilled horticulturists. She is known all over
the Union as the city of good gardeners.

[All that Mr. Elder says is true, but he has
not told us what we are all longing to know —
how to get these intelligent people into the
places where their knowledge will tell. His
point on the wretched material often found in
situations wholly outside of politics is a very
good one, 5^et there is probably a much better
class as a general thing in these situations than
find their places in city grounds.

And we really think the trouble comes from
what we have stated. That is to say. A., an ex-
cellent gentleman, does not want the office. B., a
poor stick, does want it. A. and his friends re-
main at home and do nothing, believing that the
office should seek the man. B. has his friends
actively at work. They tell C. D. E. F. and so
on, what a magnificent fellow B. is, and that if
he is elected there will be work for all, and per-
haps more which the demagogue knows how to
put forth plausibly, and the result is that B. goes
into the office.

Now, the problem for our good-wishing friends
to solve is, how to get the office to the good
man who does not want it, and to keep out the
bad but industrious worker who is not fit for it.
—Ed. G. M.l

EDITORIAL NOTES.

The Pleasures of Gardening. — In con-
versation with Mr. Bayley Potter, the distin-
guished English Member of Parliament, who
has recently been making observations through
this countr}^ in answer to questions by the
writer of this as to his impressions, he thought
Americans superior in many respects to his own
countrymen, while in others they seemed to be
deficient. Among other things he thought
Americans more industrious, but less disposed
to take time to enjoy the fruits of their labors
than his own countrymen were. This seems to
us particularly true as regards gardening. Even
many who have gardens, and gardeners, take
but little personal interest in what is going on,
while English ladies and gentlemen are con-
stantly employed. We are reminded of this by
the following paragraph.

" The Marquis of Drogheda is reported to have
met with a rather serious accident lately while
pruning some shrubs in his pleasure gardens at
Moore Abbey, Co. Kildare. In making a blow

1880.

AND HORTICULTURIST.

at a stump, he unfortunately missed the wood
and struck his foot, inflicting a severe gash, but
the wound is not dangerous."

Improved Roads. — The Woodbury Liberal
Press tells of one of our correspondents, John
H. Twells, who has gone to work and improved
the public road in front of his property, at his
own expense. It has always seemed to us that
the road laws of many of our States are very de-
fective. Often the preliminary step necessary
before a good road can be made, requires as
much loss of time and money to one or two pub-
lic spirited men, as would nearly build the
whole road. Every little bit of a road has to
have a special and tremendous eftbrt made, be-
fore it can be done. All this could be very well
done under a general law. There can be no
question but the condition of the public roads is
the measure of the civilization of the inhabit-
ants. At present as we know instances, pro-
perty owners are often forced to pay for expen-
sive roads out of all proportion to the value of
their property, — and at other times roads lie as
perpetual mud holes, which could be made good
at a very small per centage of the value of prop-
erty along their course. In Pennsylvania, roads
are made at the expense of the property owners,
and after once made, kept in repair at the pub-
lic expense. We know of many roads in a dread-
ful state that could be macadamized by an assess-
xnent of live per cent, on the line property.
Why cannot a general law be enacted, whereby
when this is the case, a road should come "na-
turally" or without any tremendous eftbrt?

Azalea mollis. — It is not as generally known
as it might be, that this particular species of
hardy azalea is far superior to the old class of
Belgian varieties •, and that varieties almost as
numerous as the old kind gave us have been pro-
•duced. The Gardener''s Weekly Magazine has re-
cently given an account of their great improve-
ment in continental gardens, from which we
take the following :

" The varieties of Azalea mollis forming part
of the group referred to in the preceding note
were unquestionably the most important sub-
jects of which it consisted, for they bloom so
profusely, force so well, and are so wondei-fuUy
attractive, that it would be no easy task to over-
praise them. When Messrs. H. Lane & Son first
presented several of the varieties to the notice
of English horticulturists some five or six years
•ago, I formed a very high opinion of them, and

the more I have seen of them the more
thoroughly am I convinced of their merits for
decorations in and out of doors. The majority
of the varieties of A. mollis, or rather of those
known under name, were raised by Van Houtte,
and are quite hardy in this country. They are
somewhat similar in habit to the well-known
Ghent Azaleas, and deciduous. The flowers are
nearly as large as those of a hardy rhododen-
dron, and stout and waxy in texture; the colors
comprise red, yellow, salmon, primrose, white,
and flesh color, and aftbrd a pleasing contrast to
the colors of the flowers with which they have
to be associated. There are about twenty-four
varieties in trade collections under name, and of
these the undermentioned can be specially re-
commended to the notice of those who require
a few of the best only : Alphonse Lavallee,
orange shaded with red; Baron de Constant Re-
becque, nankeen ; Charles Kekute, orange washed
salmon-red; Charles Francois Luppis, rose
shaded magenta; Chevalier A. de Reali, straw-
white ; Comte Papadopoli, rose shaded with
orange ; Comte de Gromer, bright rose ; Comte
de Quincey , bright yellow ; Consul Pecher, bright
rose ; Ernest Bach, bright salmon ; Madame
Caroline Legrelle Dhanis, rose. With reference
to their cultivation, it may be said that, like
the varieties of Azalea pontica, they can be
grown in beds and be lifted and potted in the
Autumn, and they are so grown if I remember
rightly, by Mr. Douglas, the able gardener at
Loxford Hall, who had a fine display the other
day, and regards them as most valuable acquisi-
tions."

LiLiUM Caroliniense. — American Lilies
have been supposed to have no fragrance, but
Mr. Watson, in a letter to Mr. Yick, says the
above named old but little known species is
sweet scented.

Cultivating the Epig^a repens. — Cor-
respondents often complain they cannot culti-
vate the trailing arbutus. It does very well
when ordinary skill is called in. It does not
like to be treated as a cabbage or tomato plant.

NEW OR RARE PLANTS.

Tea Rose Jean Ducher. — The rose without
a thorn is not deemed of much importance.
This ought to be an extra valuable species, for
it is the thorniest Tea Rose that ever was per-

THE GARDENER'S MONTHLY

[January,

haps seen, as represented in a chromo in the
Garden. It is of the bronzy yellow class.

Herpestes reflexa,— a New Aquarium
Plant. — Our country is so full of interesting
aquatics of which little use has been made, that
it is doubtful whether any new kinds will be
thought desirable. It may be different some
day, and then the following described plant
which we find in the Garden may be worth intro-
ducing : " It is an interesting fact in connection
with a large number of aquatic plants that their
foliage is cut or divided into numerous fine seg-
ments. Some noticeable examples of this in our
native plants are the Water Violet, Hottonia
palustris, and the Spiked Myriophyll (Myrio-
phyllum spicatum), the Water Crowfoots (Ran-
unculi), and others. There are none, however,
that excel in beauty and delicately-cut foliage
this pretty exotic, which may be seen in the
Water Lily House at Kew. The plant is wholly
submerged except a few inches of each shoot,
which is fui-nished with whorls of finely cut
pectinate or comb-like foliage, very similar to
that of a Keptunia or the plants just named.
The pleasing emerald-green of the leaves con-
siderably enhances the beauty of the plant, and
more particularly so at the time we saw it, when
the delicate azure-blue flowers of Il^ymphsea stel-
lata were springing up amongst its elegant
feathery foliage. It belongs to the Figwort
family, and is a native of Brazil."

Improved Pyrethrums.— These are now as
numerous and quite as beautiful as improved
chrysanthemums, with the advantage of bloom-
ing through early Autumn to frost. We note
among the leading colors crimson, rose, purple,
yellow and white, — and there are double as well
as siugle forms. It is perhaps rather hardier
than the ordinary chrysanthemum.

Improved Garden Marigolds.— The com-
mon garden marigold, Calendula officinalis, has
now been improved by the German florists. One
called Meteor has a stripe of light yellow down
the centre of each deep orange strap-shaped
corolla,—" down the petals '' as the florist, if not
the botanist would say.

Salvia farinacea.— This pretty blue Salvia,
common in Southern Kansas, and at one time
known in our gardens as Salvia Pitcheri, is just
becoming a popular herbaceous plant in Europe.

Two New Ornamental Grasses. — The
Holcus lanatus aureus is a charming grass, un-

like any other with which I am acquainted. I found
it on the wayside near Chilwell last spring. Its
leaves tinted with gold, are very handsome.
The other, Alopecurus pratensis argenteus, is
also distinct, the flower-stems being ivory-white
and the foliage beautifully striped with green
and white. This is also a roadside Grass, and
one which was found last winter on the Burton
Road, near Derby. — Garden.

SCRAPS AND QUERIES.

Trees and Yellow Fever. — Mr. Stewart,
who has resided thirty years in Memphis, writes
to the Memphis Avalanche in favor of a large park
with hospital to which any person with contagious
disease be at once removed. He combats the
idea that Memphis is dirty, and contends that it
has always compared favorably with any city in
the South. He protests against the expenditure
of vast sums of money in sewering a small city
like Memphis at an expense that would only be
warranted in wealthy communities like St. Louis
or New York, when there is no more likelihood
that " filth" had any more to do with the fever
in Memphis than in many much more dirty
places which were wholly exempt. He favors
rather a sort of Board of Cleanliness, which shall
clear up everything once a week, and the mate-
rial be used for fertilizing purposes on the hos-
pital farm, — in this way making cleanliness pay
its expenses, instead of costly culverts which
sweep the fertilizers into the Mississippi.

It would seem as if some distinct understand-
ing should be had as to the cause of the yellow
fever, before immense sums are expended on
mere guess work. One of the worst places for
yellow fever in 1878 was Grenada, Miss. The
writer of this spent a little time there the year
before, and it seemed to him there were few
cleaner or more pleasant places, — and the idea
that " filth" had anything to do with the disease
thei'e is ridiculous. Canton, also, he found a re-
markably healthful place in all that is usually
considered sanitary conditions. Cleanliness al-
ways aids health everywhere. No eftbrt, in rea-
son, is too great to secure it; but some of the
eff"orts of public bodies under this excuse are as
ridiculous as t\\ey are costly. During the yellow
fever scare of 1878, a city in New Jersey had
men continually employed mowing down the
weeds all around, and the stench from the rot-
ting material in every direction was awful, — and
all this in the name of the " Public Health."

1880.1

AND HORTICULTURIST.

Blub Grass in Arkansas.— J. M. B. , Fayette-
ville, Ark., writes: "I noticed in the Tribune of
some weeks ago a statement by the Agricul-
tural (?) editor, that blue grass would not do
well if sown in September. On the 20th of last
September I put in three acres of ground that
had been well prepared, about ten bushels of
Kentucky blue grass seed, raked it in lightly and
rolled. It is now a solid mass of green. Do
you think I will have all this work to do over
again !"

[Indeed we do not think you will have it to do
all over again. It is strange how the idea ever
prevailed that grass will not grow in the South.
The writer of this has seen in Mississippi and
Louisiana as good clover and grass as he ever saw
in the North. In Arkansas he has seen grass
growing, — though not as farm crops or as lawns,
— but could see no more reason why it should not
do in masses like these referred to, than as indi-
vidual scattered plants. In the old times when
little attention was given to anything but cotton,
it was assumed that nothing but cotton and corn
would grow in the South, but we feel sure that
under intelligent guidance, suiting species as to
locations and other circumstances the old time
assumptions are groundless. — Ed. G. M.]

Raising Seedling Roses. — A "Queer one"
writes : " In your answer to M., last month you
say that new Roses are ' generally originated '
from seed. Why generally ? How can they be
raised any other wa}^ ? I should say New Roses
are always raised from seed."

[Just there "Queer one" would be wrong.
There are not a few good roses that were raised
from bud variation. One branch produced flow-

ers different from others on the same plant,
which, being cut off and rooted, preserved its
identity through all time, — though sometimes,
as in the Beauty of Glazenwood, going back to
the original.— Ed. G. M.]

The Dwarf Catalpa. — Says a Western cor-
respondent : "Are you not mistaken for just
this once, when you say in the December num-
ber, ' The Dwarf Catalpa is the C. Kfempferi of
the nurseries, whatever it may be botanically ;' "
and then proceeds to give a list of nurseries
in which it is marked as C. Bungei. The writer
of this believes himself to be responsible for its
earliest introduction and dissemination in tliis
country, and supposed he knew what plant was
in the nurseries under this name. He has how-
ever reviewed the matter since the receipt of the
above, and finds that he was more than right ;
for both botanically and horticulturally the one
which "flowers" is Catalpa Bungei, and the bushy
flowerless one, — the one with leaves just like the
common one, — is Catalpa bignonoides, variety
Ksempferi."

Ampelopsis Yeitchii, and Ampelopsis tri-
CUSPIDATA.—A.G., Cambridge, Mass., asks:" Are
we to understand from the statement on page 356,
(Dec. No.) that Messrs. Ellwanger «& Barry have
four plants under the two names of Ampelopsis
Veitchii and A. tri-cuspidata. It is so stated,
but I am not quite sure that this is meant."

[A. G., will accept our thanks for the gram-
matical correction, — though if we were to imi-
tate his style and be "not quite sure" of his
meaning, we might say that we think there were
really more than four plants under these two
names.— Ed. G. M.]

Greenhouse and House Gardening.

SEASONABLE HINTS.

One time window gardening was universally
popular. Then came heaters and illuminating
gas, instead of open grates and candles, and the
pretty room flowers were banished to the houses
of the poor. In almost all our large cities Ave
had to go to the poor quarters to see the win-
dow flowers, and even to this day in the large
Paris hotels, it is chiefly in the fourth stories

where the chamber-maids have their sleeping-
places, that the floral adornments of streets are
seen. But there has been a pleasant change of
late years, especially in our own land. The
wealthy and refined are taking to house garden-
ing. By the judicious employment of screens
and plant cabinets, the deleterious atmosphere
of night rooms is excluded, and they can now
have house plants as formerly. How much the
love of window plant culture is spreading, we
can judge from our correspondence, which is

THE GARDENER'S MONTHLY

[January,

continually bringing before us the "want to
know" of some friend about soil, or light, or
water, to which we always take pleasure in re-
plying.

The best kind of earth to use is the surface
soil, containing the spongy mass of surface roots,
from a wood ; the first two inches of an old pas-
ture field; the turfy spongy mass called peat,
from sandy bogs or swamps; a little well de-
cayed hot-bed manure ; some sharp sand. These
are now about the only '' elements " that the
most skillful gardener cares to have beside him ;
and many a good gardener has to find himself
minus of some of these and be satisfied.

The soil for potting should be used rather dry ;
that is, it should be in such a condition that it
will rather crumble when pressed, than adhere
closer together. Large pots — those over four
inches, should have a drainage. This is made
by breaking up broken pots to the size of beans,
putting them in the bottom a quarter or half an
inch deep, and putting about an eighth of an
inch of old moss or any similar rough material
over the mass of " crocks" to keep out the earth
from amongst it. Little benefit arises from
draining pots below four inch, the moisture fil-
tering through the porous pots quite fast enough;
and the few pieces of " drainage" often thrown
in with the soil jDlaced right over, is of little or
no use.

Ferneries are now so deservedly popular, that
we must have a word to say for them at times,
though their management is so simple there is
little one can say. It Is probably their ease of
management, and the great results obtained for
the little outlay of care that has rendered them
so popular. It should not, however, be forgot-
ten that the case in which they are enclosed is
not to keep out the air, but to keep in the mois-
ture, as ferns will not thrive in the dry atmos-
phere of heated rooms. A few minutes airing
every day will, therefore, be of great benefit to
them. Decayed wood, (not pine), mixed with
about half its bulk of fibrous soil of any kind,
and a very small proportion (say a tenth of the
bulk) of well-rotted stable manure, makes a good
compost. Most kinds particularly like well-
drained pots. This is usually effected by filling
a third of the pots in which the ferns are to
grow with old pots broken in pieces of about
half an inch square, on which a thin layer of
moss is placed, before filling the pots, to keep
out the soil from chokiug the drainage. We
would partiularly emphasize the remarks about

draining, for one great enemy of the window-
gardener is over-watering. There are far more
plants injured in this way than by being allowed
to become too dry.

The more freely a plant is growing, the more
water will it require ; and the more it grows, the
more sun and light will it need. In all cases,
those which seem to grow the fastest, should be
placed nearest the light. The best aspect for
room plants is the south-east. They seem like
animals in their affection for the morning sun.
The first morning ray is worth a dozen in the
evening. Should any of our fair readers find her
plants, by some unlucky calculation, frozen in
the morning, do not remove them at once to a
warm place, but dip them in cold water, and set
them in a dark spot, where they will barely es-
cape freezing. Sunlight will only help the frost's
destructive powers.

Window plants suffer much at this season
from the high and dry temperatux-e at which it
is necessary for human comfort to keep our
dwellings. Air can seldom be admitted from the
lowness of the external temperature. Saucers
of water under the plants do much to remedy
the aridity under which room plants suffer. In
such cases, however, so much water must not
be given to plants as to those without saucers.
The water is drawn up into the soil by attrac-
tion ; and though the surface will appear dry,
they will be wet enough just beneath.

Where the air is dry, if in rooms or greenhouses,
frequent syringings are of much benefit to plants.
Besides, cleanliness keeps down insects and
checks diseases in plants as in animals. Most
old fashioned lady gardeners (and may we ever
bless them for the many lessons the}' have taught
us!) take every opportunity to set their window-
plants out of doors whenever a warm shower hap-
pens to occur. In winter a rain at a temperature
of 40° or 45°, which often occurs, might be called
a " warm shower." Cold water does not have
half the injurious effects on plants that cold air
has. When plants get accidentally frozen,
dip them at once in cold water and set them in
the shade to thaw, as already stated.

It is better to keep in heat in cold weather by
covering, where possible, than to allow it to es-
cape, calculating to make it good by fire-heat,
which is, at best, but a necessary evil. Where
bloom is in demand, nothing less than 55° will
accomplish the object; though much above that
is not desirable, except for tropical hot-house
plants. Where these plants are obliged to be

1880.1

AND HORTICULTURIST.

wintered in a common greenhouse, they should
be kept rather dr3\ and not be encouraged much
to grow, or they may rot away.

COMMUNICA TIONS.

NEW HYBRID COLEUS.

BY PETER HENDEKSON, JERSEY CITY
HEIGHTS, N. J.

I herewith enclose you specimens of leaves of
two dozen of the new Hybrid Coleus wliichhave
been originated last Summer from seeds, the
product of Chameleon crossed with Multicolor
and Pictus. If you will ])lace them on a white sur-
face, I think you will say that hardly ever has
any plant made such a decided advance as these
coleusus have made in one season. The cut rep-
resents one of the most distinct, which we have

NEW HYBRID COLEUS.

named Spotted Gem ; the markings on the orange
yellow surface, run through all the shades of
pink, crimson, violet maroon, almost to black.
The next in value we think is Glory of Autumn,
whose shades give nearly all the tints of a forest
in October. Tlii^ proved to be an excellent bed-

der in the open air, which is not likely to be the
case with many of these new hybrids ; but even
if they fail in that, as plants for greenhouse and
window garden culture, the wonderful beauty
and variety of their leaf markings well entitles
them to a place there.

We have this time completely beaten our Eu-
ropean cotemporaries, for the new varieties we
have received from England this season are per-
fectly worthless compared with our American
varieties.

It is a singular circumstance that these fine
varieties of Hybrid Coleus, should have origin-
ated from four diflferent sources, and nearly all of
the same strain at one time, for we find them to
have been originated at Philadelphia, Ridge-
wood, X. J., Baltimore, Md., and Worcester,
Mass.— all in 1879. It is hard to account for such
coincidences which occasionally occur in new
varieties of plants. Although we had been grow-
ing tens of thousands of plants annually for nearly
ten years of the well known carmine colored Bou-
vardiaelegans, it was only in 1870, 1 think, that the
two white varieties, B. Yreelandii and David-
sonii appeared, almost simultaneously in the
greenhouses of the gentlemen whose names they
bear.

[These were very beautiful and in great vari-
ety.—Ed. G. M.]

WINTER CLIMBERS.

BY MRS. MARY STUART SMITH, UNIVERSITY OF
VIRGINIA.

The two divisions under which these interest-
ing plants naturally group themselves, whea
considered for practical purposes, are the hardj
and the tender ; in other words, such as grow out.
of doors and lend to the attractions of Summer,,
or such as need protection in the Winter months
and serve to adorn our parlors and green houses
dui'ing that inclement season. At this time of
year the latter class are invested with a livelier
interest, for more and more is it becoming im-
perative upon all persons of refined taste, to
make the apartments in which they live reflec-
tors in some sort of the spirit which animates
their possessors. Nothing can add a greater
charm to a room than a few well-tended vines
and flowers, be its furniture otherwise ever sa
plain.

The newest and most beautiful climber we
have seen in use as a window plant is the climb-
ing fern; the only objection to its culture being
a rather delicate habit of growth, necessitating

8

THE GARDENER'S MONTHLY

[January,

more care on the part of the cultivator than it
is always convenient to bestow. Like all ferns,
it loves shade, moisture and a rich, well-rotted,
wood-soil. If these conditions can be complied
with, no plant will give greater satisfaction, for
it is surpassingly graceful and pretty. To grow
climbers successfully in the house, one should
be provided with as many trellis-frames (of wire
rather than wood) as there are vines to rear.
Of any kind named in this article, one would be
sufficient to fill a window, and furnish a pretty
background for lower growing plants arranged
in front. For persons who do not affect novelty,
the long used German Ivy, Senecio scandens, is
most desirable, for if planted in any moderately
rich soil, and regularly supplied water, it will
flourish and throw out its fresh green tendrils
with such rapidity, as to form a very bower in a
wonderfully short space of time. German Ivy
grows freely from the slip, but a well started
plant may be bought of a florist for a mere trifle,
and thus time be saved. Thei-e are several new
sorts recently introduced which have variegated
foliage, and also bear quite pretty blossoms.
The sniilax is so well known and universally
admired as not to have suffered even under the
weight of its long botanical name, Myrsiphyl-
lum asparagoides. Its bright, glossy foliage
furnishes the prettiest green with which to set
off the flowers of a bouquet, or twine into a
wreath, which circumstance alone renders it an
indispensable addition to even a small collec-
tion of plants. The dry heat of rooms makes
the greatest difficulty in preserving climbers in
a flourishing condition during the really cold
weather, when the outer air cannot be freely
admitted. Anthracite coal fires are most ob-
jectionable on this score, bituminous coal having
been proved by experience to be much less in-
imical to the growth and well being of plants.
It is advisable in either case to have a vessel
filled with water, placed near your plants, even
though they are thoroughly supplied with a daily
allowance of water from a watering pot. A
careful sponging of their leaves, once a week,
has been found very beneficial to house-plants.
The pots holding them, should, of course, be
placed in a tub, or large waiter to receive the
drippings, while the plants are being submitted
to this process. Of desirable blooming climb-
ers for Winter decoration, we might suggest
almost any variety of the Tropreolum, with its
orange or scarlet blossoms ; the passion flower,
to be found in blue, crimson, or white, each

beautiful and interesting; ivy-leaved geraniums,
and the Begonia glaucophylla scandens, with its
free growth and splendidly gorgeous bloom.

BLACK RUST.

BY PETER HENDERSON.

In Professor Burrill's essay which you pub-
lished in the December ISo. on this subject, he
•says that the mould (mildew) and the black rust
that appears on Verbenas have been often con-
founded. He must have been a very green hand
indeed who would do so, for they are quite as
distinct from each other as the mealy bug is from
the green fly, and no observing boy of sixteen with
a year's experience but would know the difference.
The Professor says he is led to believe that I did
not clearly identify the species of insect that
causes the disease ; perhaps my rougli drawing of
it in Practical Floriculture led him to think so,
for I believe my genius as a draughtsman has
yet to be developed. But I believe I first discov-
ered and first published the fact of its being an
insect, and my investigations which have covered
a period of over a dozen years leads me to the
belief. Professor Burrill to the contrary not-
withstanding, that there is only one species of
mite causing the disease on the Verbena; nor
does that appearing on the Heliotrope, Petunia,
Fuchsia, Pentstemon and a score of other fami-
lies of plants show it to be different. But how
it looks, or what it is, or whether it belongs to
the "• order Acorenia,* ' or any other order of mi-
croscopical insects is of very little consequence
to the man making his bread and butter by the
sale of plants ; what he wants to know is a pre-
ventative, or if the trouble is present, a remedy.
I am satisfied that the insect causing black rust
rarely if ever attacks a plant in luxuriant health,
and that it is probably a consequence rather than
a primary cause of the disease, for we have found
by actual experiment repeated so as to leave no
doubt in the matter. If we take for example, 100
plants each of Verbenas, Petunias, or Helio-
tropes which have been first potted in the usual
2-inch pot, and we take 50 of each and shift them
into 3-inch pots, so as to move on their growth un-
checked, that these will be entirely exempt from
the insect, while tliose allovved to starve in the
2-inch pots will be less or more affected — this is
for prevention ; now the remedy. We have
tried every nostrum supposed to be inimical to
insect life for the black rust, and have never
succeeded in checking it, except by stimulating

1880.1

AND HORTICULTURIST.

the plant with liquid manure ; this is undoubtedly
a remedy if the plant is not too far injured by the
•disease. We grow some hundred or more va-
rieties of Verbenas, and this Fall we found the
black rust affecting one variety only, which hap-
pened to be at the end of the house and was
probably at some time allowed to be starved by
■drying. We tried on it the Cole's " insect exter-
minator," which is death to every visible insect
that attacks greenhouse plants, with no appar-
ent effect. We then stimulated the plants with
liquid manure, and in 20 days every trace of the
living insect was gone, and the plants now show
no indication of ever havina: been effected.

POSTLANDJA GRANDSFLORA.

BY CHAS. E. PARNELL, GARDENER TO W. D. F.
MANICE, ESQ., QUEENS, L. I.

The Portlandia grandiflora is a splendid stove
plant belonging to the natural order Rubiacere.
As it is a plant to be found only in a few collec-
tions, I thought that it would be interesting to
some of the readers of the Monthly, to learn
that a fine specimen of the Portlandia has been
in blossom hei-e for the past three weeks, and
I counted fifty flowers fully expanded on it at
one time. The Portlandia is a native of Ja-
maica, where it is said to grow among the rocks
at the foot of the mountains. It was introduced
into England in 1775. The flowers are about
five inches long, one and a half inches broad,
and shaped like a Brugmansia, pure white except-
ing on the inside at the throat, where it is red-
dish. The flowers are produced in the greatest
abundance and are quite fragrant at night. In
its native country it is said to grow ten to twelve
feet high, but I think that it would grow to the
height of twenty feet or more. It is also de-
scribed as an evergreen shrub, but I find that
our plant must have support and that it shows
every indication of being a climbing plant after
the way of the Wistaria. As to its being ever-
green, I can only say that our plant gradually
commences to cast fts leaves in May, and by
July there are no leaves on it. It commences
to grow in September and flowers in November.
Our plant occasionally ripens seed, and I think
that if the flowers were carefully fertilized, seed
would no doubt be produced in abundance. The
Portlandia can be propagated from cuttings, and
if the young plants are repotted as often as neces-
sary and liberally treated, flowering plants
will be produced in a few years. As our plant

is over twelve feet high, the plants will have to
become large before they flower to perfection,
and as it requires abundance of room for its
branches, it will on this account, never come
into general cultivation. The bark of the Port-
landia is said to possess similar powers of the
cinchona, but much weaker. I have never tried
to raise it from seed.

EDITORIAL NOTES.

Upright Gloxinias.— In our last, Mr. Fyfe
gave some interesting accounts of the origin of
the upright Gloxinia. Some of the plants from
which pollen was taken are so widely separated
from gloxinia that it could hardly have had auj^-
thing to do with the result, but it is worthy of
note that among Gesneraceae, plants supposed to
be of distinct genera, have been certainly known
to hybridize together. An interesting field is
open for further experiment. But about these
upright flowers we may say that some years ago
the writer of this noticed on a plant of Gesneria
elongata, some half dozen of the first flowers
to open were upright and tubular, the many
hundreds of others succeeding having the usual
irregular form. It was the intention to save
seed from these naturally produced tubular
flowers, under the impression that they would
introduce a race like Mr. Fyfe's gloxinia, but an
accident to the plant prevented, and the same
opportunity never came again.

Button-hole Bouquets. — Our dry climate
soon makes an end of the beauty of button-hole
bouquets, so they are not quite as much in use
as in the Old World. Very double Azaleas,
known as Balsam Azaleas, are popular for this
purpose in those countries.

The Amaryllis.— It is wonderful how the
taste for these bulbous plants has grown. Eu-
ropeans have hybridized and crossed the species
and varieties, till they have become as numer-
ous as dahlias. The best are named and sold
at high figures, some as much as ten dollars a
root. In our own country some of the old kinds
are popular as window plants for early spring
admiration. Of Amaryllis Johnsonii Mr. W. K.
Harris, of Philadelphia, raises and sells many
hundreds annually.

A Novelty in Roses. — Buds of the new
Striped Tea Rose "American Banner," were
worn for the first time in New York, by the la-
dies waiting on the tables at the grand fair o

10

TEE GARDENER'S MONTHLY

[January,

the Seventh Regiment, on the evening of Wednes-
day, jSTov. 30th. This variety among flowers from
its novelty and scarcity is likely to be in
great demand this Winter; but as it can only be
supplied in small quantities, it will cost more
than its weight in gold !

Glazing without Putty. — Very few so
far as we know ever think of using putty to the
outside of sash in our country. The glass is
bedded in soft putty, then fastened in with tri-
angular tin sprigs, and neatly painted. It does
not appear, however, to have made much head-
way in the Old World, a correspondent of the
Journal of Horticulture says that this " system of
glazing is not adopted so generally as I believe
it deserves. One trial, I am confident, will con-
vince anyone of its superiority, provided certain
conditions are carefully attended to. Repairs
will be less, the appearance is very little effected,
and the house will prove more durable than
when top putty is used." The heats and colds
of our country makes the best putty work crack
and shrink from the wood; and, unless the pitch
is steep, puttied houses leak dreadfully.

Toughened Glass.— We have not heard
much of this new invention wliich we brought to
our readers' attention a year or so ago. But then
it takes a long while for really good things to
become generally known. The Gardener's Mag-
azine says of it :

" Hardened glass is more often heard of than
seen ; but the time seems near at hand when we
shall see nothing else, for the hardening process
has undergone further improvements and ampli-
fication. We now hear of railway sleepers made
of glass, and all such things as decanters, drink-
ing glasses, and glass ornaments are promised
us, not only in the hardened state, but as cheap
as the common breakable glass we have been so
long accustomed to. How the process will tell
on horticultural glass is not as yet clearly ap-
parent, but there is a fair prospect that in future j
our glass houses will be proof against such objec- I
tionable accidents as damage by hail storms and I
breakage by naughty boys who throw stones. It
would be well if the Royal Horticultural Society,
or some similarly representative body, would in-
stitute inquiries and experiments with a view to
inform us what is possible in aid of horticulture
by the use of hardened glass. The glassworks of
M de Labastie, at Choisy-le-Roi, appear to have
obtained a lead in this important manufacture."

NEW OR RARE PEA NTS.

Begonia Schmidtiana. — This. new plant is
in the way of the popular Weltoniensis, but the
flowers are smaller, and of a bronzy pink color.

RUBUSPHOENICOLASIUS.— In the winter garden
at Kew there is a fine specimen of this very dis-
tinct and handsome Japanese Bramble. The
fruiting stems, which are from 12 to 15 feet
long, have been fastened, on account of space, to
an upright stake, the compact panicles of fruit
are born on short branches given off" at right an-
gles from the main stems, thus forming a com-
plete pillar almost from the ground. In a short
time, when these fruits ripen (they then become
a beautiful coral-red), the eff'ect will be very fine.
The young shoots, as well as the leaf-stalks, are
densely clothed with long bright red setfe, and
very long-stalked glands of the same color; as
the parts get older, however, their deep color
gives way to a pale shade. The leaves, the under
surfaces of which are almost of a snowy white-
ness, are trifoliate both on the barren and fertile
stems, the long-stalked terminal leaflet being
much the larger. The calyces are large, with
ascending sepals, and are very thickly covered
with long, gland-tipped bristles. A specimen
growing on one of the walls has stood a severe
test, having passed through the last winter un-
injured. It is, however, not nearly so vigorous
as the one above-mentioned.

ToRENiA FOURNERi. — I was tempted to try
this new greenhouse annual from reading an ac-
count of it in the Gardener's Magazine^ and I am
pleased to say that it has proved very beautiful.
1 do not know whether my treatment is proper
for it, but I will give a brief description of it.
Premising that my plants are now eight inches
high and nicely in flower, I will proceed to say
that the seed was sown early in May in a frame
placed upon a gentle hot-bed. The seed vege-
tated quickl}^ and in three weeks from the time
of sowing, the plants were large enough to prick
off". Not knowing the habit of this Torenia, I put
some singly in six-inch pots, and in other pots of
the same size I put three plants. As I had a good
number of plants, I filled a pan with some,
putting them two inches apart, which I find is
much too close. The triples have grown and
are flowering fairly, but the best are the single
plants. When potted singly the plants branch
out at every joint and make a nicely-formed spe-
cimen without any pinching or traiuing. When

1880.]

AND HORTICULTURIST.

11

grown in a warm frame it seems perfectly happy
while growing, and equally as happy in my
greenhouse when in flower, where it is now de-
lighting my friends, who are charmed with the
quaintness of the form of the flower as well as
the beautiful colors. I gave a spray of one of
the plants to a lady friend a week ago which had
several unexpanded flowers upon it, and to-day
she called again and in the course of conversa-
tion stated that the unexpanded flowers had ex-
panded as perfectly as if the shoot had remained
upon the plant. In every way I consider this
Torenia a decided gain to those who are fond of
beautiful flowers and have no hot-houses to grow
them in. Very early sowing of the seed does not
appear to be desirable.

SCRAPS AND QUERIES.

AcHYRANTHES Emersonii.— X., asks if any
one can give a description of Achyranthus
Emersonii ?

Salvia splendbns ccerulea.— A corres-
pondent asks: "Will some of the readers of
the Gardener's Monthly give their experi-
ence with the new blue Salvia splendens coeru-
lea. Is it of a bright blue color ?

Brugmansia SuAVEOLENs.— E. C. P., asks :
"Is it a rare occurence for Brugmansia suaveo-
lens to fruit ? I have a plant with one fruit on
it."

[We have often seen this as well as the B..
sanguinea in flower, but never saw a fruit.]

Fruit and Vegetable Gardening.

SEASONABLE HINTS.

A friend suggests that in a magazine which
circulates all over the United States, and possi-
bly in no one part more than another, " Hints
for the month " are useless. But the careful rea-
der will note that we do not attempt hints for
the month, — but " Seasonable Hints." We
know well enough that the person who does not
know anything of gardening, but what he can
read in a calendar of opei'ations for everj' day in
the 3'ear, will not profit much by anything that
can be written. In a small country like Great
Britain, — a country about the size of a man's
hand — where a magazine printed in the morning
in the north, may be read before night in the
south, such directions may do, but when the rea-
der and the piinter are two or three thousand
miles apart, and when winter is just coming in
at one end it is spring-tide at the other, it is quite
another thing. But " Seasonable Hints " are
diff"erent. We have Winter, Spring, Summer
and Autumn. It is just possible that once in a
while the "hint" will be just too late in some
little corner. Even here the reader can store it
up. He will only have to consider that it is for
him a little early to begin yet.

Now we want to say to fruit growers that a
very common evil is to starve orchard trees.
Further would say that this is the "season" to

think about reforming, and that it will still be
the " season" till the trees begin to grow. It is
often said that fruit trees do not like much ma-
nure. This is not our experience. When injury
results from application of manure, we believe
it is more from the destruction of the roots by
the plow or spade used at the time of manuring,
—for it is not unfrequently the case that after
an orchard is manured the trees are " begrudged"
the food; and grain, root, or vegetable crops are
put in to dispute with the roots the possession of"
the food. When the manure is applied as a top
dressing, and the roots not disturbed, we have
never seen any amount of stable manure or
compost applied that was in any degree any-
thing else than a benefit to the tree. Sometimes
it is said a tree grows too luxuriously, and then
will not bear. Very few orchard-growers are in
this lucky strait,— for it is luck to have ground
as rich as this. In such cases, of course no ma-
nure will be applied,— but even here it is only a
question of time,— for when in such rich ground
trees do bear, the rich fruits and enormous crops
are well worth waiting for. Just here the "grass
question " in orchards comes in. If the ground
is already comparatively poor, and you " seed it
down with grass," the result is as certain to be
poor looking, sickly, yellow trees as anything
can be. To expect a crop of grass and a crop of
trees where there is scarcely enough of food for

12

THE GARDENER'S MONTHLY

[January,

one crop, is absurd. No sensible man under-
stands any one to advocate any such a theory—
we might properly say such nonsense, but if one
has at command any material with which he
can cheaply top dress under his orchard trees at
this season of the year, he will find that this
plan of growing trees is one of the best ever de-
vised. If he has not the material for top dress-
ing, the next best thing is to keep the harrow
going all summer to keep down the weeds, so
that the roots have all the benefit of what little
food there may be in the soil. As a general
rule, however, it will be found, that where a
man's time is worth anything, the labor spent
in continual harrowing is worth what would be
spent in procuring top dressing material.

Vegetables also require rich food. In getting
ready for spring vegetables, do not fear to pile
on the manure. It is the rank rich growth which
■gives the agreeable tenderness to them, and
without an abundance of manure this cannot be
done. Deep soil is also a great element of suc-
•cess. Though we do not favor subsoiling and
underdraining for fruit trees, we regard it as
very profitable in vegetable growing.

Asparagus beds may have the soil raked ofi"
■them a little, if it was thrown up from the alley-
way in the fall. It allows the sun to get to the
roots earlier, and the crop is forwarded thereby.
If the beds are poor, they may have a dressing
of guano, or superphosphate, which has been
found very beneficial to this crop. It has become
•almost a stereotyped recommendation to have
" salt applied," but there is a good deal of the
humbug about it. In dry, sandy soils it does a
little good, and a little in whatever manure is
applied is acceptable to them, but more has been
made of the salt theory with asparagus than it
•deserves. Asparagus beds may be got ready as
soon as the ground is sufficiently dry to admit of
working. A deep soil is all-important; two
feet, at least, and a situation should be chosen
that is warm, and yet not too dry. The roots
should be set about four inches under the sur-
face, twenty inches or two feet from each other,
and the rows eighteen or twenty inches apart.
Large, fine Asparagus cannot be obtained by
crowding the plants ; strong two and three year
old plants are the best ; although in good, rich
soil, one year old plants will often bear a good
crop the year after planting. The length of
time Asparagus requires to come into bearing
'depends much on the soil. It is useless to
attempt raising it in poor ground.

This is generally supposed to be the pruning
season. Orchard trees generally get too much
pruning. In young trees only thin out so as not
to have the main leaders crossing or interfering
with one another. Or when a few shoots grow
much stronger than the rest, cut these away.
Insist on all the branches in young trees grow-
ing only on a perfect equality. On older trees
which have been in bearing a number of years,
it will often benefit to cut away a large portion
of the bearing limbs. By a long series of bear-
ings, branches will often get bark bound and
stunted, preventing the free passage of the sap
to the leaves. In such cases the sap seems to
revenge itself by forcing out vigorous young
shoots a long way down from the top of the tree.
It is down to these vigorous young shoots that
we would cut the bearing branches away. One
must use his own judgment as to the advisa-
bility of this. If the tree bears as fine and lus-
cious fruit as ever, of course no such severe work
need be done, but if not, then now is the time.

COMMUNICA TIONS.

PRICKLEY COMFREY.

BY MR. J. GRIEVES, PATTERSON, N. J.
Symphytum asperrimum. — Referring to the close
of my note in March last, viz : " that it is not all
valuable alike," and thanking you for the com-
pliment paid me as being a conscientious cultur-
ist, etc., I confess I like to be accurate in my ob-
servations and investigations, striving at all
times only to acquire and note facts, hence
the delay in referring to this topic. I again
visited Europe this fall, and have taken some
pains to collate the principle facts obtainable
regarding this forage plant, both past and pres-
ent. The name Comfrey is derived and was ap-
plied from its supposed strengthening qualities,
and the property it possesses of curing wounds.
There ai'e at least ten different species of
it which Messrs. Jaques & Henriq describe in
their Manual des Plantes, and the following seven
were published in 1818 in the Hortus Suburbans
Londinensis by Robert Sweet, F. L. S. : Sym-
phytum officinale, native of Britain; S. tubero-
sum, Britain; S. Bohemicum, Bohemia; S. ori-
entale, Eastern ; S. tauricum, Tauria ; S. corda-
tum, Transylvania, and S. asperrimum, Caucasus,
the latter being the true Prickly Comfrey. This
variety was first introduced into England in
1790, and was named Prickley Comfrey in dis-

1880.]

AND HORTICULTURIST.

13

tinction from the native wild variety. It was next
to be found described as finding a place in Kew
Gardens in 1799. From the year 1808 it was
sold in single plants for ornamental purposes.
In 1811 it was fully brought out by the Messrs.
Loddiges as a shrubbery and border plant. Its
bold foliage growing in the shade to a height of
five to six feet, coupled with its graceful pend-
ant bright blue flowers, readily secured it a place
in the mixed shrubs and showy flowering plants
in borders where it has ever kept its place, and
may yet frequently be met with about old places,
especially at the sides of the private roads in
England. In 1830 it was introduced as a forage
plant, and found by many to answer the purpose
well. The Farmer''s Journal re-printed notices
of the plant for the benefit of its subscribei'S,
and at this time there was hardly a garden of
any importance that did not possess a plant of
Prickley Comfrey. The root of the other species
resembled so closely the Caucasian variety that
horticulturists sold it to the farmers as comfrey
roots, causing disappointment and bringing it
into bad repute ; and the result is seen in differ-
ent parts of the country even now. In France
also, where it suftei'ed from like causes, the
result to-day is a variety of comfrey having a
small foliage and a pale indistinct color of
flower, sometimes pink, sometimes lilac or cream
colored, but never the bright blue of the asperri-
mum. This is an important characteristic. They
are also devoid of that asperity peculiar to the
true kind. The variety asperrimum has a stem
almost solid, and full of gum and mucilage, and
the more solid the stem is the better it is, on ac-
count of producing a greatly increased weight of
food per acre, as it branches out more freely,
and plants placed three feet each way soon cover
the ground with a large quantity of leaves. This
plant will grow in sandy or other soils, but likes
a clay loam or any good, deep soil best, as the
roots will tap down six to eight feet for moisture.
The yield ranges from five to ten lbs. to the
plant at each cutting, according to soil, as a
minimum and maximum, or from 60 to 100 tons
an acre per annum ; on good clay soil w^ell en-
riched it has been estimated at as high as 120
tons per acre. During the last week in Septem-
ber, when I was there, they were cutting it for
the fifth time, and the average for each cutting
was estimated at about twenty tons per acre.
The leaves were then from fifteen to eighteen
inches long, allowing a cut of nearly fifteen
inches, leaving two to three inches at the crown ;

it is advisable not to cut the leaves any closer
than this. The yield in well-established plants
is largest if cut just before the flowers open, as
the leaf is not then so large, coarse and prickly
as if cut later, and almost any stock will take to
it more kindly if fed in this state. As it grows
well in almost any soils during drought or wet,
and can be cut and fed in all weathers with the
best effect on all stock, whether for milk or flesh,
it's advantages may be briefly summed up as
follows. Great productiveness, quick growth,
easy culture, stability in withstanding heat and
cold, wet and drought. Its yield of fresh succu-
lent leaves never fails to provide through the
longest, driest summers a nutritious and palat-
able food. If, when cut down, a little rotten
dung be put between the rows and lightly stirred
in, and then some long manure be spread
over the surface to furnish food, and protect the
soil from becoming too dry, the duration of
this perennial crop would be from fifteen to
twenty years without renewal of the plants.
There is little doubt when better known, its cul-
tivation will be largely increased, as it can be
preserved for a winter food, green, by the ensi-
lage system ; or it can be dried into hay possess-
ing a sweet and agreeable odor if cut when in
full blossom, these being profuse and very rich
in honey. Cured in either way it has proved an
agreeable and nutritious winter food, and de-
serves to rank as one of the very best of all
known forage plants, if not the best. This is
the verdict I find wherever it has been fairly
tried, and I trust that I may have awakened
some interest here in this matter, and will only
add, I have none to sell, having only imported it
for our own use in a small way, and have no axe
to grind in the matter, my aim and end being
only to speak of things as I find them, and give
reasons for diff"erences where I can find them in
causes. We all know there is no effect without
a cause. I may have condensed too much,
and not explained enough in detail to suit all,
but think I have touched the leading points.

LEPIDIUM, THE BED BUG DESTROYER.

BY S. M.

The world has, after years of experiments, not
yet 'found the antidote or the cure of the phyl-
loxera. Has it been more successful with that
other pest, the bed bugs, that treacherous race
which attacks men, women and children when

14

THE GARDENER'S MONTHLY

[January,

asleep ? Hardly. So it may be worth while to
record here the latest remedy discovered.

It is an herb called in German, Pfefterkraut or
Pepperherb, in French, Passerrage or Rage-
soother. A person had spread the leaves of this
plant in his room, and returning after a few
•days' absence, found them densely covered with
bed bugs so that they looked like coral, and all
the bugs dead excepting a few, which, however,
were so weak that he had no difficulty in taking
them in his fingers and executing them that way.
All this we learn from a German paper. The
trouble now is what plant is meant.

Looking closely into it we find that the Passer-
age of France is our garden cress or Lepidium
sativum, but the Peppergrass of Germany is
Lepidium latifolium, the broad-leaved cress.
The French call it Passerage because it is said
to cure the hydrophobia.

Looking still more closely into it we find that
in other parts of Germany they call Peppergrass
Saturega hortensis, and also that in that country
Lepidium ruderale, going by the euphonious
name of Stinkcress, is also said to destroy bugs
and fleas.

The readers of the Gardener's Monthly
justly supposed to be lovers of science and phil-
antropists at the same time, are therefore re-
quested to experiment and — with the editor's
leave — to compare notes until the true remedy
be found.

We beg to mention here that in addition to
the Lepidias and Saturega named above, there
are further the following Lepidias : L. campestre,
draba, and iberis. Beside those that are un-
known to the writer. Give the Lepidias a trial.

SHORT NOTES.

BY A. H., MEADVILLE, PA.

It is a pity that Dr. Grant should ever have
adopted for the name of his grapes one so much
like Isabella as Israella. The first for sundry
reasons has been abandoned, so far as I know, by
cultivators in this region. The latter though
not much of a grape, ripens its fruit better, yet
when it is referred to the compositor is almost
sure to transpose it into Isabella.

When I suggested kerosene as a remedy for the
Colorado beetle, I should have added that it is
most readily applied when the beetles first appear
in the spring. If they are kept in check three
or four weeks, the crop of potatoes is safe,
though the bugs multiply largely subsequentl}-.

EDITORIAL NOTES.

Green Corn. — Though it will not mature in
the north of Europe sufficiently early to make it
a farm crop, it is coming into general use as a
garden vegetable, to eat in a green state as with
us.

Stveet Potatoes. — These, from America,
are becoming popular in English markets. The
London Times, of Oct. 15th notices the arrival
of a consignment from Delaware.

Tpie Turkish Hazel-nut Trade. — A con-
siderable trade has sprung up of late years be-
tween the Trebizond district and Great Britain
in the article of Hazel-nuts, which are a very
important source of wealth on the coast extend-
ing from a little south of Batoum to Kerassund.
Upwards of £20,000 worth per annum are
shipped to England, the chief supplies of the best
nuts coming from Tireboli, between Kerassund
and Trebizond. Walnut trees, too, are largely
grown in the forests of Lazistan, partly for the
sake of the nuts, but principally for the walnut
tree knobs, which are much in request in France.
— The Times.

The Wickersheimer Process to Pre-
serve Animals and Vegetables. — The Im-
perial German official paper, the Reiclis An-
zeiger, has the following : — " Mr. Wickersheimer,
Preparator at the anatomical and zootomical
collection of the University of Berlin, has in-
vented a process of preserving corpses, plants
and the single parts thereof. He had taken out a
patent for the same throughout the German
empire, but has given up his rights acquired
thereby, thus allowing any person to use his
process. It is described in the certificate of
patent thus : I prepare the following liquid, in
3000 g. of boiling water, 100 g. of alum, 25 g. of
table salt, 12 g. of salt-petre, 60 g. of potash and
10 g. of arsenic acid are dissolved. Let cool and
filter. To 10 litres of this neutral, colorless and
odorless liquid, add 4 litres of glycerine and one
litre of metyl alcohol. Soaking and impregnat-
ing are the general ways of application. If
preparations, animals, etc., are destined to be
kept in a dry state, soak them, according to
size, from 6 to 12 days, after that dry them.
The ligaments and muscles of bodies, crabs,
beetles, etc., will remain soft and flexible, so
that their natural motions and functions can be
shown on them. If cut, the muscles will work

1880.1

AND HORTICULTURIST.

15

as they do on fresh corpses. 'No odor of decay.
Worms and insects remain flexible without
having their intestines taken out. Small ani-
mals and plants, whenever the natural color is
desirable to be preserved, must not be dried but
kept in the liquid."

Good Peaches. — The number of peaches
which the raisers believe to be worthy of dis-
semination, is now so great that we want some
standard of comparison, below which it is hardly
worth while to go, say for instance in the case
of early peaches of large size, if one who has
something he thinks worthy of dissemination,
before sending it to the editor for his opinion,
let him first compare it witii a well-ripened
Crawford's early. If it is larger and earlier, or as
large and sweeter, or has some one feature that
may be superior to that, then let it come on.

Raspberries in Canada. — Canada is the
paradise of raspberry culture. They talk there
about Antvverps and other choice varieties as
amongst the most profitable to cultivate. The
thickets and wild places abound with delicious
fruit, and" going a raspberrying " is the favorite
summer pastime with Canadian lads and lasses.
The writer of this has delicious recollections of
"hand fulls" that have served for dinner in
botanical excursions through Canadian Tama-
rac swamps; and altogether he is sure that if
there is one thing more than another for which
a fruit lover might be pardoned, it would be
the wish to be around in Canada during rasp-
berry time.

White-washing Trees. — The Country Gen-
tleman takes exception to our advice to white-
wash trees, because "white" looks bad. Our
contemporary does not seem to know that
" white " is merely the technical term for " lime "
wash, and it will be surprised to learn that
in Pennsylvania they have yellow whitewash,
blue whitewash, and brown whitewash, and in
the legislatures they have whitewash for cover-
ing up bad character. As to the color of the
white-wash we recommended we have no objec-
tion, so that lime be one of the ingredients of
the wash.

How TO Stimulate the Improvement of
Fruits. — A correspondent of the Canadian Hor-
ticulturist recommends that fruit patents be
granted for a term of years at a trifling cost to
the patentee. That a patent fruit nui'sery be
established, and all patented fruit to be sold

through this nursery ; that no patented fruits be
allowed to be sold except they first pass through
this patent nursery.

SCRAPS AND QUERIES.

Kieffer's Hybrid Pear. — X says: — "I see
the Gardener's Monthly quoted as authority
that this is an excellent fruit, and others also
quoted that the fruit is worthless. How is
this-, and what is the public to think?"

[This is a very simple question. If the public
is to think at all, it must do as other judges do.
All judges do not look at things in the same
light. The story of the Dutch judge may give'
our correspondent some clue as to how to think
on the matter. Half a dozen witnesses were
produced, who positively swore they savv the
man steal, but the defence produced a dozen who
did not see the man steal, and the judge con-
sidered the majority favored the defendant, who
was accordingly aquitted. All we can say is that
we have eaten fruit of the Kieffer Pear which
was equal in luscious richness to any pear we
ever ate. The whole of the Judges at the Cen-
tennial who had some fruit before them, also
seem by their report to have had a favorable ex-
perience. Now if there are some gentlemen
who have had fruit of it that was not commen-
dable, it is no more than general experience with
other fruit; for everybody has had Yicars, and
Flemish Beauties, and other fruits that were not
worth eating. If these poor samples happen to
be sent for opinions, of course no editor can do
anything else but speak of it accordingly. We ex-
pect some time to have a poor specimen of the
Kiefter as well as of any other kind — but that
will not alter our opinion about the excellent
fruit we have tasted. — Ed. G. M.]

White Grapes — "Critic," Boston, Mass.,
writes: "I see you talk of 'white' grapes, now
I have never seen a white grape, but I have
seen green ones. Would it not be as well to call
things by their proper names?"

[Of course our critic is right when he proposes
to call things by their proper names. But "white"
is the absence of color, and a grape which con-
tinues always of its normal green color, and in
which there is therefore in a certain sense an ab-
sence of color, such as we usually look for in a
fruit, is white in a metaphorical and therefore cor-
rect sense. A child is told it should not eat

16

THE GARDENER'S MONTHLY

[January,

"green" fruit; so to keep the commandments he
cuts off the green skin, and eats the white flesh,
but woukl our "critic" not say it was still "green"
fruit. By a metaphor, green in this sense has
come to mean unripe, no matter what the color
of the "green" fruit may be. "We fear our cor-
respondent must look for sympathy among those
who cannot say, cactuses and roses, when talk-
ing every-day English, but must have Cacti,
Rosfe, Gladioli, etc.— Ed. G. M.]

Japan Persimmon. — With a very pretty
specimen of fruit, Baird & Tuttle, write: "For
your inspection we mail you this day a sample
fruit of the Japan Persimmon raised in Califor-
nia. We retain a specimen of another variety,
•unfit for shipment, that is fully as fine as the
one sent. We are very much interested in this
fruit and hope to most thoroughly test the hard-
ness of the imported trees this coming winter.
Trees planted last spring in nursery row have
done well but were very late in making a new
growth and the early frosts caused leaves to drop.
Root grafts have done poorly ; we budded the
Japan on the native persimmon with perfect
success. We think this most delicious fruit is
worthy of very extended experiment and trial
before condemning it as tender or unfit for the
north."

Queen of the Market Raspberry. — E. P.
Roe, writes: "I would be glad to learn the origin
of the Queen of the Market Raspberry. I have
a row of it that I know to be genuine in my test
and specimen bed. Side by side with it I have
Cuthbert plants obtained from Thos. Cuthbert's
garden, its original home. After a Summer and
Fall's experience I can see no difference between
these two varieties either in foilage, the appear-
ance of the cones, or in the fruit. I cannot help
thinking that they are identical, but would be
glad to be better informed by any of your cor-
respondents. On the other side of my Cuthbert

row I also have the Conover Raspberry. The
plants of the latter were very poor and they
have made but a feeble growth, still they closely
resemble the Cuthbert. It is my plan to test
the small fruits side by side and let them argue
their own cases with no other help save that
obtained from nature.

Various Fruit Queries. — F. L. Flushing,
Mich., writes : — "1. Is there a known remedy for
the destruction of the insect, the larva of which
you will find in the enclosed raspberry cane, and
what do you call them ? 2. How can I destroy
the ground mole ? It is the onl}' real pest I
have in my sti'awberries. 3. Are the Cinderella
and Continental Strawberries very much es-
teemed in Philadelphia markets as profitable
market berries ? 4. Is the Reliance Raspberry as
good, prolific and profitable as the Queen of the
Market, or Cuthbert Raspberry? Is the Gregg
the best Blackcap Raspberry ? The straw-
berries and Reliance Raspberries are recom-
mended highly by Messrs. Gibson & Bennet, of
Woodbury, N. J.; they claim the origination,
and that the highest or first premiums have
been awarded for them."

[1. The injury to the raspberry canes is not.
known here. Send some specimens to Prof.
Cook, Agricultural College, Lansing, Mich. 2.
Lumps of tow dipped in gas tar, and placed in
the runs will drive the moles away. 3. The
strawberries mentioned have not been long
enough known to appear in the Philadelphia
market in any quantity. Those who have seen
the plants in bearing, believe them to be good
kinds. The Reliance is a raspberrj'^ much in the
way of the Philadelphia, and in some respects is-
regarded as somewhat of an improvement. The
Gregg is believed to be *the best blackcap yet
raised. 4. Gibson & Bennett stand among the
most reliable men in the nursery trade. — Ed.
G. M.]

Forestry.

COMMUNICA TIONS.

NOTES ON TREES IN THE ARBORETUM
OF HUMPHREY MARSHALL.

Marshall, author of the Arhustum Americamim,.
we took occasion to measure some of his most
remarkable trees.

Humphrey Marshall built his house at what is
now Marshallton, West Chester Co., Pa., in

BY PROF. C. S. SARGENT.

During a recent visit, in company with Mr. 1764, and it is probable that these trees were
W. M. Canby, to the old garden of Humphrey planted during the years immediately subse-

1880,

AND HORTICULTURIST.

17

quent to that date or not long after. The
measurements were taken three and a half feet
from the gromid.

Quercus heterophylla. Raised from an acorn
from Bartram's original plant. A very tall and
spreading tree, girted 7 feet { inch.

Querctis Phellos. 10 feet 7 inches.

Gymnocladus Canadensis. 8 feet 10 inches.

Liquidamhar styraciflua. 9 feet 5 inches.

Larix Europte. 5 feet 11 inches.

Magnolia acuminata. A magnificent symmet-
rical specimen, with bark hardly to be distin-
guished from that of White Oak, 11 feet 9 inches.

By the road-side in the Southern part of West
Chester County, we measured a venerable chest-
nut tree, which showed a trunk twenty-three feet
and seven inches in circumference at four feet
from the ground.

EDITORIAL NOTES.

Forests of Australia. — Baron Von Muel-
ler in a treatise on the maintenance and crea-
tion of forests, just issued, says that the pre-
vailing timber trees of Australia are the Blue
Gums, or Eucalyptus, of which 150 species are
now known. An Evergreen Beech, Fagus Cun-
ninghamii, prevails on some tracts in the Cape
Otway district, and in the Baw Baw Mountains.
Dr. M., looks to the forests of the older settled
portions of the world, and especially to the
forests of America, for the necessarj' variety of
species that is to make Australian forest culture
ultimately of great value.

Statistics of Arboriculture. — Prof. C. S.
Sargent has been retained to prepare the statis-
tics of arboriculture for the next census. Agri-
culture, fruit growing as a part of^agriculture,
and arboriculture having been provided for,
what is to be done for horticulture and the nur-
sery trade ? It is to be hoped that we are not
to have the Centennial experience over again,
when even the important fruit-growing interests
of the country were not thought of till after the
opening of the exhibition, and pure horticulture
scarcely at all.

The Profits of Forest Planting.— In
Europe, forest planting has been on the whole
profitable, but chiefly when the forest has
been under the special care of an experi-
enced forester. In this way they are made to
yay from the very start, as various kinds of
(.rdergrowth is planted with the trees which are

to make the permanent timber. Thus, hoop-
poles, hop-poles, various barks or dye stuffs,
posts, charcoal, and all sorts of things come in
regularly, so that men are continually em-
ployed on something or another in the forest all
the year. It is found by tliis sort of care, that
the whole cost of the forest comes back in
about ten years, with good interest, and what is
made afterwards is clear profit. The mere
planting of trees alone, for future timber, will
not yet pay in Europe. In our own country it
is pretty much the same. Notwithstanding the
enormous depletion of the forests by fire and the
wants of man, there are j^et millions of acres of
cheap timber land, and every new railroad opens;
up new forests to the markets. Still there are
many places where timber culture would be ai.
great success if it could be judiciously folio wedl
as a business. The work on which Prof. Sar-
gent is engaged in connection with the next cen-
sus, will no doubt show where these opportuni-
ties are, so that those who do not wish to
" carry coals to New Castle," may profit.

Varieties of Timber. — Talking with an
eminent ship builder, recently, we found him
firm in the faith that there were many varieties-
of the same species of tree, though the differ-
ences could not be detected by the most expert
botanist. He spoke particularly of White Oak
and the Tulip tree, the vai'ieties of which he
could always detect by the timber, though he
could see no difference in foliage, flower, or
fruit. There was not merely a difference in ap-
pearance, but in some cases one form would
3deld superior timber, and the other compara-
tively worthless. Lumber men speak of the
same experience with the Scotch Pine, in Scot-
land.

Fertility of Forest Trees.— In our coun-
tr}^, forest trees seed with great irregularity.
There maybe a crop, or there may not be of some
seeds, while those which make some show of
regularity, as hickories, walnuts, and chestnuts
vary much in quantity. It is not the case in
Great Britain ; but this season the foresters
complain that there is nothing, and are mysti-
fied as to the cause of the scarcit}^

A Large Oak. — What is believed to be the
largest oak in England, is at Cawthorpe, in
Yorkshire, and is thirty-eight feet four and a.
half inches round, five feet from the ground. It
would be interesting to know how large we can
find an American oak. We have seen very
large ones near Cincinnati.

18

THE GARDENER'S MONTHLY

[January,

Natural History and Science.

COMMUNICA TIONS.

CURIOUS CAROLINA FUNGI.

BY H. W. RAVENEL, AIKEN, S. C.

In your December number is a notice of two
fungi, by Mrs. D. W., of Summerville, S. C,
which, from her description, it is not difficult to
identify. The first is undoubtedly Clathnes
columnatus, not at all uncommon in cultivated
lands in Winter. It grows just under the
ground, and when it has attained its full growth j
in that stage, is about the size and shape of a
hen's egg, and of a dirty white color. On cut-
ting it open the ball discloses a jelly-like bag,
in which is seen the scarlet fungus, very much
-compressed. As the plant matures, which would
be in a day or two more, the sac or volva is rup-
tured, and the scarlet fungus expands or grows
upwards to about two to three inches high,
the sac remains in the ground. It is then a
three-columned arch — the columns of bright
scarlet, shading off to white where it remains in
the sac. On the under side of this arch is an j
olive colored mucus, from which proceeds the \
fetid stench. Flesh flies devour this fetid mucus j
greedily. Another nearly related fungus is
Phallus, which perhaps is even more decided in
its odoriferous qualities than its cousin Clathnes.
The genus Phallus, comprises several species,
and grows up also from a jelly sac or volva, in a
single straight column from six to eight inches '
high, some red, others white or salmon color, |
and capped by an olive-colored mucus. This
whole family of Clathnes and Phallus is known
in the vernacular as "Devil's breath," which
name feebly expresses their peculiar gifts. The
■other thing mentioned bv Mrs. D. W. as grow-
ing in cUisters, with caps like "bells pendant,"
is probably Coprinus cematus. We have sev-
eral species of Coprinus, but this is the largest
and prettiest. I have seen them eight to ten
inches high, with their fawn colored, bell-shaped
caps four to five inches long. Like all others of
this genus, it begins soon to deliquesce after sun
rise, and in a few hours there is nothing left of
the caps but a few blackened shreds remaining
attached to the top of the stem.

THE PEAR-LEAF BLISTER.

BY PROF. T. J. BURRILL, CHAMPAIGN, ILLS.

The following excellent exposition of this dis-
ease was recently made before the Illinois State
Horticultural Society.

A wide-spread disease of pear-leaves in this
country and in Europe is caused by a mite to
which Schenten, a German naturalist, gave the
name Typhlodromus pyri. This was twenty-one
years ago. Ignorant of this information, the
writer during the last season rediscovered the
cause of the disease, and, it is believed, first an-
nounced its occurrence in our country. There is
scarcely a question as to the identity of the dis-
ease and its cause on the opposite sides of the
Atlantic, and granting this identitj'^, we may con-
clude that it is another one of the horticultural
scourges that have been imported from across the
water, for which we have returned the phyllox-
ei"a and possibly shall send over the Colorado
potato-beetle. Nothing of the life-history of this
pear-leaf mite has heretofore been published, ex-
cept the discussions which have arisen as to
whether the form usually found is a young or
mature animal. It has but four feet, while most
mites have eight. But the young larvje of others
have six, as far as made out. Is this an excep-
tion ? Schenten called this a larva, and Doctor
Packard, in the Guide to the Study of Insects,
adopts the idea. According to the former, the
mature form has eight legs and widely different
mouth-parts, but the only proof of the genetic
connection of the two is that they were found as-
sociated. As this eight-legged form certainly
belongs to a group whose members are mostly
parasitic in other insects it is probable that if
any relation exists between the two kinds it is
of this nature. But having found the mite in its
autumn and winter condition, I am able to add
an item to the controversy opposed to the change
of form indicated. And this last discovery,
carrying with it the possible basis for a remedj'',
is my excuse for introducing this account.

When young leaves appear in the spring or

during the summer, reddish spots an eighth of an

inch or more are seen scattered more or less

i numerously over their surface, especially con-

?i880.]

AND HORTICULTURIST.

19

>spicuous on the upper side. At a later time tliese
:spots turn brown by the deatli of the parts, after
which they are more easily discovered beneath.
"With a good magnifier a minute hole can be dis-
•tinguished near the centre of each spot through
ithe lower side epidermis, and the spots are
-somewhat thickened. This is about all that can
be ascertained with a hand magnifier, for if we
•dissect the spots nothing can ordinarily be found
but the spongy cell-tissues brown with disease or
• death. But if one of these spots is carefully
•opened and magnified fifty to one hundred times
numerous peach-colored slowly-moving things
;are discovered. These are the depredators caught,
■■if not in the act, with the evidence of their mis-
'■doings in the same field of view. The size is
imuch less than that of any true insect known ;
ithe length from extremity to extremity being
but .0055 of an inch and the widthnot more than
.k0017. It Avould take nearly two hundred of
them placed end to end to measure an inch, and
■six hundred could march elbow to elbow within
that space. We cannot wonder, therefore, that
more has not been known about them or that
they were so long entirely unknown. They make
tup, however, what they lack in square measure
by the multiplication table. Dozens, perhaps
scores, occur in a single spot, and dozens of spots
may be found on a single leaf. The two pairs of
ilegs are directed forward and the little thing
-clumsily drags its body along not unlike the
larvfe of the May beetles, usually known as
white grub-worms. Its progress is excessively
^Slow. The perilous trip down the foot-stalk of
■the leaf to the buds in autumn must be an
immense undertaking. Some of them do not
make it, for, whether from simple procrastina-
tion or a dread of attempting the great journey
to an unknown countr}^, numbers remain and
fall with the leaf to the ground. Possibly this is
• the way that slow dissemination takes place
^froni tree to tree in an orchard, yet it hardly
seems possible that, though carried by the winds
to the very foot of a tree, they could climb the
trunk to the limbs. The chance would be better
dn the nursery, where the leaves are very near
the ground.

The fact referred to above as new, not having
lieretofore been publicly announced, Is that
these minute creatures do creep from their
galls in the leaves in autumn and pass tlie win-
?ter within the leaf-scales of the buds. Hundreds
•of them may be found there now of the size and
iform previously mentioned, and by keeping

them warm for some time they may be seen
crawling as lively as nature ever permits them
to move. i!^either eggs, except perhaps within
the body of the females, nor larvce have been
observed, but they almost surely exist within
the leaf-galls. Probably my own investigations
have been made too late in the season.

My story is longer than it should be, but there
must be a suggestion added as to the treatment
or remedy. Is the disease preventable or cura-
ble ? Human beings sometimes, more is the
pity, have a skin disease popularly known as the
itch. Is it preventable or curable ? It, too, is
caused by a mite, not distinctly related to the
little thing of which we speak. No one believes
this human parasite originates spontaneously
under the skin of the hand ; so we may rest as-
sured that when pear trees are thus aftected —
catch the itch — they themselves are not the in-
cubators of the mite-species which causes it. The
mite comes from abroad, is disseminated in scions
and very gradually spreads from tree to tree
located near each other. Its marks in spring
and summer are conspicuous enough. Is not the
road to extermination evident enough? Let war
be made by cutting back the one-year-old wood
of all eftected trees in winter and burning the re-
moved portions. Then in spring-time remove
every young shoot which shows the need of it,
and likewise destroy it. Let this be kept up
during the summer and we may be sure that the
next season will show us healthy trees in this
respect. Most care should be taken with nurse-
ries, and especially in the selection of buds and
scions for propagation. Seedling stocks may be
contaminated ; in one case they were known to
be. If such have the buds entirely cut away and
burned, and for further safety the roots dipped
into strong potash solution, no mites can escape.
The pruning advised may sometimes be severe,
but no large limbs need be removed, only last
year's growth, bearing the buds, and we may
proceed with the understanding that it is to be
done once, and once only if the work is thorough
and general throughout the orchard or nursery,
provided that some one else's orchard or nursery
does not closely adjoin that operated upon and
new importation of the mite is not made.

Believing that no good reason exists for the
generic separation of this little creature from its
kindred previously described, Andrew Murray
classes it among the species of the genus Pliy-
toptus. This is almost certainly correct, and we
write to close with — Phytoptus pyri.

20

THE GARDENER'S MONTEL T

[January^

CLIMATIC DIFFERENCES.

BY WILLIAM NISBET, PROVIDENCE, R I.

In the Gardener's Monthly for November
I read with much pleasure a veiy interesting ac-
count of tlie " Remarkable Difference of the
Climate of Places Situated Under the Same
Latitude," by F. W. Poppey. As a Scotch
gardener, however, who has had good opportu-
nity to know something of the climate and pro-
ductions of his native country, having lived in
the lowlands and highlands thereof, as well as
in the "Hebrid Isle, placed far amid the melan-
choly main." I hope I may be pardoned for
taking some exception to the assertion that no
fruit tree thrives in that country. Had Mr.
Poppey said that there are portions of it where
no fruit tree thrives, he would have been correct.
. For, truly there are localities

"Shaggy with heath; yet lonely, bare,
Nor tree, nor bush, nor brake is there."

Yet in many of the Scottish Islands, and on the
mainland in general, and especially towards the
east coast, certain kinds of fruit trees thrive
very well. Not to speak of some other places,
and the orchards and gardens of the wealthy.
Any one who has seen the Clydesdale Orchards,
and those of the Carse of Gowrie, knows that it
is so. I am not at all alluding to "wall trees,"
for trained against garden walls, all sorts of ap-
ples, pears, plums, cherries, peaches, apricots
and figs do well, and in some instances the
Black Hamburg grape. I have helped to pick
many hundred bushels of apples for the English
market, where they sold just as readily as those
from the Channel Islands, and parts of Eng-
land. I happen to remember one Eed Cathead
apple tree, from which, in one season, we took
sixteen bushels. Excellent pears and plums are
also produced ; indeed, I have eaten some of the
same varieties of fruit on the continent of
Europe, in England, Ireland and Scotland, and
it seemed to me those grown in Scotland were just
as good as any of them. In Scotland I have seen
healthy apple, and especially pear trees, bearing
fruit which had been planted many hundred years
ago by those good gardeners, the monks of old.
In the south-west of Scotland, about latitude 55^",
I have seen very old and large trees of Spanish
Chestnut, Walnut, Juglans regia, and Spanish
Filbert, all producing fine crops of good fruit.
One of these chestnut trees I know was at least
twelve feet in circumference about two feet from
the ground. I call the filberts trees, they really

were trees, large enough for a man to climb up-

amongst their branches.

Many good varieties of apples and pears have
originated in Scotland, excellent for that, and
some of them , too, for other countries. I happen
to think of the Leadington, Oslin, Hawthornden,
Thorle and Tower of Glamnis amongst apples ;.
and Auchan, Drummond, Golden Knapp and
Crawford amongst pears. There is one tree —
but, I had almost forgotten that in these days of
evolution it has taken a backward course, revo-
luted to a bush I contrary to the authority of all
good gardeners and garden authors of ye olden
time, such as good old Abercrombie and others,,
in whose times it was a tree ! I mean a goose-
berry tree I Well this tree, or bush if it must
be called in order to keep up with the times,,
thrives throughout Scotland as well, if not
better, than in any other land on the globe. It
may be called the grape of the country, equal to,,
and surpassing in flavor many grapes ; excellent
for tarts, jelly, jams, and even wine. Nature^
ever kind and compensating, although she has-
denied the vine to Northern lands, has given
them the gooseberx'y, the currant, raspberry and
strawberry — bounteous gifts, no mean eqivalents..

Perhaps in no country of equal dimensions is-
there a greater diversity of soil, scenery and
climate than exists in Scotland. The climate is-
very much affected by the position and proximity
of mountains, the islands off the coast, the
ocean and the gulf sti'eam. The winter climate
of the west coast, and the adjoining islands of
the Hebrides, the shores of which are laved by
the warm waters of the gulf stream, is verj-
mild and very moist; in some places ice and
snow, to any extent, are rare. In many places in
these regions, even north of latitude 58°, the
same parallel of latitude as Northern Labrador,
Fuschias, Myrtles, (Myrtus communis,) Hydran-
geas and sweet scented Verbenas, (Aloysia citri-
odora,) and many other tender things stand the
winter without any protection, and thrive welL
I have seen the Myrtle in fiower at Christmas,,
and the Arl:)utus,( Arbutus Unedo,) loaded with its-
exquisitely beautiful and tempting berries at
the same time.

I have good remembrance of one Hydrangea,,
then some thirty years old, which had five hun-
dred and twenty-five flowers on it at one time.
This Hydrangea was protected in winter by a
cordon of Silver spruce boughs stuck in the
ground.

The climate of the Eastern coast is in general

1880.1

AND HORTICULTURIST.

21

ouuch more severe ; there the intluence of the
mysterious, beneficent gulf stream is much
less felt, while nothing but the German ocean
intervenes betwixt the northern part of the
•continent of Europe, from which the cold blasts
issue forth and sweep with biting severity. In
most parts of this quarter of the country the
above mentioned tender things have to be well
protected to thrive well at all. There are in
■ Scotland moorlands of mist and cloud, " glens
where the snow-flake reposes," mountains
" around whose summits the elements war,"
where the torrent rushes and the " cataract
ifoams," hyperborean regions, too, where stern
winter sways his cold sceptre with rigor. Al-
though the climate may well be pronounced, in
a general way damp, cloudy and wet, yet there
;are some localities which may be said to be dry,
as several places on the East coast, and on the
shores of the Solway frith, rendered so bj'^ the
mountains of the adjoining Isle of Man arrest-
ing the rain clouds from the south-west.

In connection with the subject of climate, I
rmay sa}', that in the spring of 1838, I went from
the south-west of Scotland to London. The
previous winter had been very severe — an ox
was roasted on the Serpentine river at London
that winter — I was much surprised to see
amongst a number of other things, shrubs such
:as Laurustinus and Arbutus very much injured
and almost destroyed by the cold, while the
same varieties I had left in Scotland, fully four
"degrees farther north, were uninjured.

I hope you will forgive me for the length of
this communication, and for having digressed so
far from the original topic, and accept best wishes
for yourself and the success of your excellent
Monthly, to which I have been a subscriber
from the beginning, and to which I owe much
in the way of interesting information and in-
struction.

PERIODICAL DISAPPEARANCE OF
SPECIES.

•BY MISS MARY C. MURTFELDT, KIRKWOOD, 3IO.

There is a tradition among the inhabitants of
this locality, that two Sabbatias, which are the
only species I have found here, appear but once
in seven years; and, although I cannot quite
credit the statement, my own limited observa-
tion goes to corroborate it. In 1870, the first
Summer after we moved to Kirkwood, I very
well remember my pleasure in finding these
.pretty plants in considerable numbers. But

from that year until 1877 I was not able to col-
lect a single specimen. During the Summer of
the last named year, however, they occurred in
unexampled profusion throughout this section
of the country, blossoming by the roadsides, in
uncultivated fields, on the border of forests and
the banks of streams,— everywhere. The flow-
ers are so showy and beautiful that they attracted
very general attention, and specimens were fre-
quently brought to me by old settlers with
the remark, " Here is a flower that blooms only
once in seven years."

I resolved to test the truth of the assertion , if
possible, so my sisters and myself carefully
marked a number of situations where the plants
were growing in abundance. We also trans-
planted several to our garden beds— a process
which they bore remarkably well— and we gath-
ered and sowed quantities of the seed.

The succeeding Summer, however, we looked
in vain for the plants — they were not to be found
in their native haunts, nor did they re-appear
either from root or seed, in our garden. ISTeither
have we been more successful in finding them
during the Summer just passed, and I am be-
ginning to credit the popular notion concerning
them.

I was at first inclined to ascribe the idea of
the seven-years-development to a vague associ-
ation with the scientific name and a misconcep-
tion of its derivation. None of the people who
mentioned the idiosyncracy of the Sabbatias to
me, were botanists, nor had they the least idea
of the technical name. But would it not prove
a singular and interesting coincidence between
name and habit, should it be found that these
Sabbatias do bloom but once in seven years ?

Of course, I remember that the genus was
named for the Italian botanist, Sabbati, but that
does not make the name of the term less sug-
gestive of Sabbath. I should like to know what
your experience has been with the plant under
consideration.

[The periodic disappearance of some plants is
believed in by most botanists. It may be that
the plants are in existence, but that the circum-
stances which induce flowering do not occur.
The writer of this once had a number of plants
of Senecio Jacoboea which remained perfectly
healthy for years without blooming, though
there should be flowers every year. Biennial
plants only die from the exhaustion by flowering,
and annual or biennial gentians may remain as
•=mall perennial plants for years unnoticed if they

22

THE GARDENER'S MONTHLY

[January^

did not flower. Ag;ain, seeds require peculiar
conditions to germinate, and although there are
some that will germinate at any temperature,
there are others which if they are not advanced a
certain stage towards development when a cer-
tain stage of moisture or of temperature occurs
at a certain season of the year, will remain un-
til the chance comes the next, or future years.
There are some nursery seeds that will not ger-
minate after the Spring temperature of the soil
goes beyond 45° or 50."— Ed. G. M.]

DISTRIBUTION OF PLANTS.

BY REV. L. J. TEMPLIN, HUTCHINSON, KAN.

The world is full of wonders to ever}'- one who
has not made up his mind to be astonished at
nothing he may see. To the thoughtful mind
there is much in nature to inspire wonder and
admiration. The wise adaptation of means to
ends, and the beautiful harmony that exists
throughout all the realm of organic nature lead
the mind free from bias to the inference that
some wise intelligent power orders and governs
all these relations and harmonies. Perhaps
nowhere in nature is there a more manifest ex-
hibition of wisdom in the adaptation of means
to the accomplishment of a worthy purpose than
is seen in the various methods employed in
nature for the dissemination of plants by the
distribution of seeds.

In looking at this subject with an intelligent
eye the mind cannot shut out the conviction that
some intelligent designer must have been em-
ployed in planning this scheme that has so-
much of both excellence and variety to recom-
mend it to the judgment. To say that all this
is to be attributed to chance is to endow chance
with all the attributes of a Deity, which is the
very reverse of the idea intended to be conveyed
by the term. In the sense intended it is per-
fectly absurd to attribute this or any other work
to chance, for in that sense chance is nothing,
and consequently can do nothing. So we regard
it as the result of evolution ; but I cannot see
that this relieves the difficulty, even if the truth
of the theory of evolution be admitted. Evo-
lution is simply the working out of certain
results under the operation of law. But what is
this law ? It is not correct to say that it is force,
though I think many make this mistake.- Law
is only the established order or manner in which
force operates, so that if we admit the interven-
tion of law and a thousand or ten thousand
secondary causes, still this law must have origin.

ated with a Law-giver, and' behind all these*
secondary causes the mind must rest at last ore
the great First Cause, the Author of all other-
causes. But I did not start out to write a moral'
or philosophical essay, but to call attention to-
some of nature'^s methods of distributing the-
vegetable kingdom over the world. In produc-
ing these results we find three classes of agents-
at work : the waters, the winds and animals,,
besides certain arrangements within the plants
themselves for the accomplishment of this pur-
pose. And we find the seeds themselves-
adapted to these different means of. transporta-
tion. The light character of many seeds- well'
adapts them to floating from' place to place ^
while their impervious coverings protect them-
while being carried long distances by the currents-
of the ocean or of rivers, and then when they,
lodge on some island or other shore they readily"
spring up and grow. What, for instance, can be-
better adapted to floating from island to islan(J.
than the tough, corky covering of the eocoanut^
The seeds of grasses- and other plants are washed?
down from the higher grounds by streams, andl
they are thus widely distributed.

The seeds of many plants, as of the dande-
lion, thistle and a long list of similar plants are
furnished with a tuft of downy or silky pappus-,,
that will enable them, when ripe, to float away
on the breeze and thus be scattered far and'
wide. The seeds of some species of poplar,.
Cottonwood, are attached to a bunch of fine-
cotton that serves as a buoy to bear them up>
through the air by means of which they are fre-
quently carried many miles from the parenb
tree. Seeds are often disseminated through'
animal agency. Animals frequently carry seeds
and nuts away and bury them for winter food,,
where they are forgotten a^d left to grow^
Many seeds of fruits are swallowed by birds and!
carried to distant places and voided uninjured,,
and there spring up and grow. Thus the seeds-
of cherries, grapes, gooseberries, blackberries
and many others of like nature are sown broad-
cast over a larg-e extent of country. During an)
invasion of the Eocky Mountain Locust into-
Iowa a few years ago, they left the ground^
where they fed thickly strewn with the seeds ofi'
some species of grass, new to that loeality^
which they had brought from the far north-west.
Many seeds are provided with hooked barbs by
which they cling to clothing find the coats of
animals, aaa/i are; o^cried. about from place to,
place.

1880.

AND HORTICULTURIST.

23

Many people are familiar with the cockle bur,the
Spanish needle, the " beggar lice," and burdock,
and how tenaciously they adhere to any surface
where they can get a hold. To this we may
add the sand bur, Cenchrus tribuloides, with its
sharp spines, one of the most execrable weeds
I have made the acquaintance of. Some seeds,
as of the maple, ash, elm, etc., are furnished
with a wing that causes them to sail off some
distance in falling. The locust, Judas tree, or
red bud, and others have a light pad that will
often sail off to a considerable distance, thus
scattering their seeds. Some kinds of bean
have the pod so arranged that when it burst it
suddenly twists into a coil, throwing the seeds a
considerable distance ; this habit in tlie Impa-
tiens or touch-me-not, geranium, etc., is well
known. The squirting cucumber, Momordica
elaterium, when ripe, bursts with a considera-
ble report, throwing its seeds many feet distant.
A few plants, when their seeds are ripe, travel
over the country and sow them themselves. A
good example of this is the "tumble weed," about
the true name of which the doctors disagree.
Two species grow here, the larger, which is the
tumble weed here, grows in a thick cluster of
very slender branches, and these so numerous
that the bunch, which is often as big as a hogs-
head, can scarcely be seen through. When ripe
they are torn from the roots by the wind, and
then they roll and tumble, often at the speed of
a race horse, till they meet an obstruction that
they cannot surmount, and there they rest till
the wind changes, and then they start again,
and this is kept up till they are worn out and
broken to pieces. Their seeds are thus scattered
over all the country. A plant that grows on
the deserts of Africa, the Kose of Jericho, Anas-
tatica hierochuntica, when ripe, curls into a
ball, becomes detatched from the soil and rolls
about before the wind till a light shower of rain
falls, when it opens its seed pods, drops its seeds
which germinate in about eighteen hours. The
wisdom of the arrangement here is seen when
we remember that if it remained where it grew
the whole plant would probably be covered by
the drifting sands, and if its seeds did not germi-
nate quickly while the transient moisture lasted
they never could grow at all. Thus does nature
care for her children.

NOTE ON CALADIUM ESCULENTUSVi.

BY II. W. RAVENEL, AIKEN, SOUTH CAROLINA.

ber number, on Caladium esculentum growing^
wild in Florida, I would remark that this plant
under the name of Tanyah, is extensively culti-
vated in this State, and especially along the sea-
board. I have seen great quantities of it grow-
ing, and planted it myself, for many years as a
garden vegetable. I have never known it to
mature seed ; and, without knowing the fact, I
doubt if it seeds in Florida. It is always pro-
pagated by taking off the small tubers which
grow attached to the larger, and I think it most
probable that it strayed off by means of these
small tubers, which are always taken off when
the vegetable is prepared for boiling. Or some
person may have purposely carried the tubers
and planted them out where they were found.

EDITORIAL NOTES.

Branch Growth From Coniferous Flow-
ers.— It is not at all uncommon to find a larch
cone with a branch growing from its apex. We
were not aware that similiar growths had been
noticed from the small catkins of coniferous
trees ; but Mr. James Gordon says in the Journal
of Forestry, that "one often meets with it in
the male flowers of Abies," though he " nevei'
expects to see them in Pinus."

Ptele A TRirOLlATA. — The Gardeners'' Chroni-
cle tells us that Monsieur Chas. Baltet has " dis-
covered " that the seed of our " Hop-tree " is a
good substitute for hops.

Botanical Orthography. — American zoo-
logists have abandoned the practice of using
capitals for specific terms that may be derived
from proper names. Botanists are urged to fol-
low them, and we notice in some recent num-
bers of the American Naturalist, that the editors
are giving plants names in that way. Now, we
should write Amaryllis Treata?, or Primula
Parryi, and translate them Mrs. Treat's Amary-
llis, and Dr. Parity's Primrose, — but Amaryllis
treatai, and Primula parryi — treat's amaryllis
and parry's primrose, have a small look, — and
there are other reasons why the good old rule
should be sustained.

SCRAPS AND QUERIES.

Morphology of Leaves. — A. G., Cam-
bridge, Mass., writes: "What American mor-

In reference to another article in the Decem- 1 phologists (see p. 379) would say that all struc-

24

THE GARDENER'S MONTHLY

[January,

ture was of leaf origin?" What have you in
view?"

[It is of course well known to the students of |
Dr. Gray's works, that he follows the lead of
Gaudichaud in supposing that plant cells first
unite to form a primordial organism which Dr. i
Gray calls a Phytomer, or internodal stem, and
that leaf structure follows, — but Herbert Spencer
supposes that the first effort of the vegetable
cell is to organize as leaf-blade, and that all
structure results from this eftbrt. It is our be-
lief that the greater portion of morphologists
who have studied the two hypotheses prefer the
latter, though the fact that so eminent a botan- j
ist as Dr. Gray prefers the former, will be natu- {
rally regarded as weighins heavily in its favor.
—Ed. G. M.]

Fkuiting of Wistaria. — Miss E. P. K.,
Harlford, Conn., writes : "We are told that you
have spoken in your paper of the fact that it is
rare for the Wistaria vine to produce seeds. Our
vine, which is about twenty years old, has been
for several years thickly covered with pods, of
which we send you a sample."
V|[We have not simply said it is rare for the
Wistaria to produce seeds, but that it is rare for

it to produce seeds till its vegetative condition,
or its growth-force is in a measure exhausted.
In illustration of this we have pointed out that
fruit is rarely seen on vines running over trel-
lises or trees, until by age, or nothing further
for the branchlets to twine on, the growth force
is exhausted, — while Wistarias trained to be self-
supporting, that is dwarf trees, with nothing
whatever to twine a single branchlet on, are
generally productive. In the case of a Wista-
ria that has its vital or nutritive powers (for the
terms are nearly synonymous) assisted by tree or
trellis, the reproductive does not follow the
growth force for ten or fifteen years, while a
Wistaria made to assume a self-supporting con-
dition, will bear freely in four or five. The
point was made to show that the non-fruitfulness
of the Wistaria, as after commented on, was not
through the agency or non-agency of insects in
cross-pollenizing the flowers, but was rather a
matter connected with nutrition ; a subject
which in its relation to the sexual condition of
flowers has rarely been examined by any but
the writer of this. This paper on Wistaria was
intended to be a contribution with others
already made to that subject. — Ed. G. M.]

Literature, Travels \ Personal Notes,

COMMUNICA TIONS.

NOTES AND QUERIES-No. 8.

BY JACQUES.

Evolution made easy. — The great mathemati-
cian, Kirkmau, made the following exquisite
translation of a well-known definition : " Evolu-
tion is a change from an indefinite, incoherent
homogenity to a definite, coherent heterogenity,
through continuous differentiations and integre-
gations." Nature^ not quite satisfied with this,
translates it into plain English, thus : "Evolu-
tion is a change from a nohowish, untalkabout-
able, allalikeness, to a somewhatish and in-gen-
eral-talk-aboutable not-at-all-alikeness, by con-
tinuous somethingelsifications and sticktogether-
ations." No opinion or verification is intended.

The Beheading of Flies by a Western Plant. —
Professor Gray requests those who have an op-
portunity of obtaining the plant Mentzelia or-
nata and M. nuda, both of which occur in our
Western plains and prairies, to investigate
whether this cruel behavior to flies is well
founded. It is declared by a French naturalist,
who has studied it in Paris, that the roughness
of the stift' bristles or barbs of each whorl of the
plant are intersi)ersed with softer ones, which
secrete a viscid matter attractive to insects.
Flies thrust the proboscis into the harpoon-like
bristles, and when withdrawn the head is held
fast. The harder the backward pull, the more
extensive is the attachment to the sharp barbs,
and tlie head becoming congested, the insect is

1880.

AND HORTICULTURIST.

25

"by the gyrations made. Let us hear from the
mow numerous observers of the West, for truly,
BOW that plants are beginning to imitate human
t)eings by cutting off the heads of enemies, is it
•Jiot time they were looked after and civilized?

It is significant that the monthly magazines
•continue to devote some space to horticultural
topics. Scribner has pictures of gardenesque
-effects, and even condescends to make beautiful
strawberry pictures. The time may come when
gardening will attract part of the interest now
^iven to agriculture.

Jn Europe they seeks health from all sorts
•and varieties of natural objects ; earth, water,
fire and air are sought to renew strength. Even
the planting of people, leaving the head and
■neck alone uncovered. Some prisoners of war
"were thus served, and left to die of hunger. It
is said that one or more on being fed in this con-
■dition by humane peasants, when dug up, were
found to have greatly benefited bv their tem-
porary obscuration. It gradually became a tra-
'dition among the inhabitants of Eastern Europe
to resort to earth baths for certain maladies.
Baths of earth are now taken in various parts of
■Germany, as are also baths of mud. Gardeners
would be experts at this business, and one at my
■elbow offers to treat all members of Congress in
this manner; but declines to supply drinks gra-
tis. It is from the latter business, no doubt,
that he expects his profits.

The vine disease is still a source of great
anxiety in Europe. A French author gives par-
ticulars of which the following is an abstract.
Up to the close of last year the ravages of the
phylloxera vastatrix in the vineyards of France
liad extended over more than 1,600,000 acres,
the vines in 700,000 of which had been totally
•destroyed. The appearance of the insect is now
reported from the centre of the most famous of
all the viticultural districts of France, namely
the Medoc. At Chateau Lafitte, which with its
180 acres of vine land was sold about two years
ago to Baron Charles Rothschild for 8830,000 is
Tuined, or nearly so. This and the neighbor-
ing estates attached, is valued at many millions
sterling. At the rate the insect travels it is pro-
liable the whole district will be infected before
the end of next year. The government, and the
owners are equally alive to the importance of
averting the calamity. Sulphuret of carbon ap-
plied according to the plan of M. Dumas, ap-
pears to be the remedy most in favor ; althoutjh

a more simple and equally eflScacious as well as
less cosily, is said to be— combining deep trench-
ing and manuring, with application to the root,
of turpentine and powdered resin ; this has
achieved highly successful results. Some are
planting American stocks, which are supposed
to be less liable to attack.

The Cork trees. — One at least of the South Car-
olina Cork trees has perfected acorns, as speci-
mens on my table truly indicate.

Cases of the dispersion of seeds was a subject
discussed at the British Association. Various
specimens were shown, especially of South
African Harpagophyton, a plant whose seeds
are provided with terrible hooks more than an
inch long. These seeds sometimes even destroy
lions : they roll about on the sandy plain, and if
one attaches to the skin, the wretched animal
tries to tear it off, and getting into its mouth,
perishes miserably.

Dr. F. Day read a paper before the Linnean
Society lately, on the instincts and emotions of
fish, combating Cuvier's ideas, estimate of their
total want of intelligence. He shows that they
construct nests, transport their eggs, protect and
defend their young, exhibit affection for each
other, recognize human beings, can be tamed,
manifest fear, anger, hatred and revenge, utter
sounds, hide from danger, betake themselves
to protection to the bodies of other animals
and have other peculiar modes of defence, leave
the water for food, and even difterent families
combine for attack and defense. Their faculties
nevertheless, are greatly subordinated and modi-
fied compared with those of higher races of the
vertebrata.

The Japanese are becoming scientists. Teikichi
Nakamurra, of Tokio, has written an essay on a
new method of determining sulphur in coal.

SaZjwo/t.— Whether much has resulted as to
placing salmon in the rivers of this country is
yet unknown. The extent of the salmon can-
ning on the Columbia river is so astonishing as
to deserve notice. As many as three hundred
thousand cases have been made up in one season,
each case containing forty-eight cans of one
pound each. The fish run up the Columbia to
a distance of four hundred miles from the sea,
finding also, ample room in shallow places for
spawing as well as in the numerous tributaries.
The average weight is twenty-two pounds, but
one has been taken weighing sixty-five pounds.
As a rule, a Columbia river drift net is about

26

THE GARDENER'S MONTHLY

[January,

three-quarters of a mile in length, and twenty
feet in depth, giving a grand power of capture.
The cleaning and curing is all done by Chinese.
The profit on each can is small, but 3000 salmon
manipulated in a single day yield great returns.
Fears, however, are entertained that the enorm-
ous catch will exhaust the supply.

Among the Chinese who have come to this
country a gardener, as we think, has not yet
been heard of. At the Centennial there were
specimens of curiously dwarfed trees, but they
scarcely seemed worthy of a paragraph from
anybody. The Americans prefer big trees to
small ones; a professor of dwarfing would not
find employ among us, and yet it is worthy
of inquiry whether they may not have some
secrets or plans of horticultural skill worth
adopting. To China our gardens owe much.
What is more beautiful or profuse than the Wis-
taria and some of the Magnolias ? It is related
of the opulent merchant Consequa, that when a
supercargo called on important business, he was
found gazing on his Wistaria, which received its
first name from him, and would not be called off
for mere money making.

The lover of knowledge will never be discour-
aged under the most unfavoral)le circumstances.
Galileo Galilei when a boy matriculated at Pisa
as a medical student, but mathematics was his
ambition, and we first hear of him listening
outside the door of a room in which Ricci, the
Court Mathematician of Florence, who was
teaching the pages of the Grand Duke a little
Euclid. We next find him watching the long
swing of the lamp. The observation of the
student and the immediate practical application j
of it, was the forerunner of the greatness of the ■
man. He applied the knowledge to the more ac- !
curate measurement of the pulse beat. We
know the rest.

An estimate of the annual injury to the coiTee j
plant by the fungus Hemillia Vastatrix in Ceylon
alone, gives a loss of ten millions of dollars.

Pears. — At the Rochester meeting, Mr. P.
Barry referred to the changes which had taken
place in the last quarter of a century. An old
catalogue revealed the fact that nearly all
the pears of that date had been superceded, and
of the grapes not a variety with the exception
of the Norton's Virginia were preserved, and
this was about the way it went through all
the old catalogue. Mr. Barry knows.

Little Things. — The value of little things was

never better exemplified than in the career of
Chapelier, the Frenchman, who collected all
the crusts of bread thrown away in Paris,
cleaned them, and put them up in nice little
baskets for soups, etc., rebaking them carefully.
He retired with a fortune of thirty thousand
fi*ancs a year. He was a wit as well as a phil-
osopher, and was never weary of saying that
"human beings sometimes reasoned, but that
they never failed to eat, and very often too-
much."

Bees continue to he a fruitful subject for study.
If a queen is removed from the hive, the bees
select certain of the worker's eggs, or even
young larvse two or three days old, the cell is
enlarged, and a totally different food is sup-
plied ; the result is that in five days, less than
would be required for a worker, a queen i&
hatched. The marvel is, so far, inexplicable, and
without a parallel in all animal creation. The use
made of bees in fertilizing a peach house, marks-
the advance and use of scientific discovery. But
what appropriate place does such a career find in
a horticultural journal? We answer that there
are many ways yet untried by which the pro-
ducts of land, and therefore gardeners may be
turned to account, and it will be the pleasure
and duty of " Xotes and Queries" to point out
several in future notices.

Gardeners shoidd he interested in the curious
replanting of teeth, now practised. Dr. Magitot,
a Frenchman, has published full particulars of
cases'in which diseased teeth were taken out and
the root operations of the periosteum was cut
away and then were replanted, not transplanted,
in the same socket, where after a few days or
weeks, they became firm and serviceable. Out
of sixty-three operations, in four years, five were
failures. The pulling of teeth from one human
jaw in order to plant them in another, is very
far from being an accomplished fact. See the
Odontological Society''s Transactions, The Review
of Dental Surgery., etc.

EDITORIAL NOTES.

Editorial Letter. — About Raspberry
time I looked in on the pretty little citj''
garden of P. R. Freas, the well known and
able editor and proprietor of the German-
town Telegraph. It comprises, I should sup-
pose, an acre of ground, long and narrow as
city gardens must necessarily be, and we fancy

1880.

AND HORTICULTURIST.

27

few gardens of this character are better arranged
to get back more pleasure for the money than
this. The house fronts on the street, and all
around it are rare shrubs and trees, evergreens
and deciduous, with open spaces of well kept
lawns with roses and flowers, the whole backed
up by one of the most beautiful Hemlock hedges
it is any one's good fortune to see. In the front
is a neat iron fence, which is just my idea of
what a garden fence should be. There is just
enough of opening here and there to give views
of the very pretty grounds inside, to any one
who may stop to examine it, — while there is
plenty of seclusion for the proprietor and his
friends to sit and enjoy the pleasures of the gar-
den without feeling that the eyes of all the world
may be upon them. The land gradually slopes
from the house to beyond the middle of the
ground, from which it again rises to the extreme
end. At this end are the stables, carriage house,
grape house, and the best part of the vegetable
garden ; the fruit department chiefly occupying
the centre of the grounds, and of course the flo-
ral pets being more near the dwelling. The
central and lower level of the garden was once
spongy aiid wet, but by a little judicious filling
it is perfectly dry, and gave the advantage of
forming a pond where there can be boating,
Avater lilies and other aquatic plants, rustic
arbors, over clear and limpid streams, in which
fish sport and play in the shade during a hot
Summer day, and afford a delightfully cool spot
to those who may be in the mood to avoid the
broiling sun and enjoy the antics of the finny
■ denizens of the waters. Then there are rock
gardens in the moist places, among which Ferns
and shade loving plants grow in luxurant pro-
fusion.

Sitting in the summer house, with the placid
waters of the little lake in front of me, I was
never more impressed with the beauty of a clump
of trees instead of the never ending but yet
pretty enough single stem tree which is every-
body's rage to possess. I have often stopped
to admire willows which have been osiered
when young, but which have been left to grow
up with half a dozen stems from near the ground,
and which, when the whole mass becomes fifty
feet or more high, and each main branch as
thick as one's bod}', are very beautiful, — but here,
across the lake from me, was an English Bird
Cherry having twelve main stems,all of which had
reached a height of perhaps fifty feet. It was a
sight for all seasons. In the Spring with its

myriads of racemes of rather large flowers, — in?
the Summer by the profusion of large black
drupes,— in the Fall by its handsome colored foli-
age,— and in the Winter season by the abundance
of its slender, graceful branchlets, on which, I
should imagine the eye would never tire. Even
of this pretty tree I have seen beautitul single
specimens,— trunk straight and head shapely, —
but I think none ever impressed me as this mass-
seen here. Among the rare trees which abound'
here is one of the best Lawson Cypress I know
of. It is probably 20 feet high, and very shapely
from the ground to the summit. A curious
growth of Wistaria much interested me. It had
originally twined around a large tree which had
died, and nothing was left for the coils but to in-
crease in size. Of course the growth is chiefly
between the coils, and these were flattened so as^
to be not more than two inches thick, though
nearly six inches wide. In the course of no dis-
tant time the coils will meet and unite, and then
we shall have the tree enveloped in a uniform
living tube of Wistaria wood. Though the lover
of Rhododendrons, Roses, and hardy flowers
will find quite enough for half a day's study
about the dwelling house, he cannot but be at-
tracted to the remarkably healthy fruit trees,
especially pears, to which a six feet walk through^
the middle of the garden invites him. Cross
walks at intervals meet him and which divide the
garden into numerous blocks or squares. Healthy
box edgings, kept low and neat, line these walks,
which are graveled or ashed, and kept scrupu-
lously clean. A few feet inside these box edg-
ings, are devoted to old fashioned flowers ; Irises,.
Sweet Williams, Phloxes, Lilies, and such like,
and difterent kinds of . vegetables occupy the
ground beyond. We have seen some "truck
patches " where it is thought that it " costs too
much" to have box edgings and nice flowers aside
them, because the ground can not be ploughed,,
but all must be done by hand,— but it is wonder-
ful how much can be done by a digging fork; and
when the extra beauty of a garden like this and:
the general superiority of the fruits and vegeta-
bles are set against the ordinary ploughed "truck
patch," few but the very poor to whom a penny
saved is worth more than a dollar full of enjoy-
ment, would care to choose the slovenly thing
we often see. After all it is not a very costly
thing to have a garden like this when the right
gardener is found. Here one does it all, and an
excellent gardener in Mr. McCaff"erty, evidently
has the good "Major" found. The fruit trees^

^8

THE GARDENER'S MONTHLY

[January,

-especially seem to know they are in good hands.
■Seldom have I seen any in a more healthy or
self satisfied condition. The leaves were green
and glossy, and the fruit almost fully swollen,
free from spot or blemish, and hanging in the
greatest profusion from every tree. Care is
taken, to give an abundance of food, not to in-
jure the roots more than can possibly be avoided,
and above all, to take care that they never over-
bear. Thinning out of superabundant crops is
■always in order. Dwarf Pears do equally well
with standards. Of the latter there are some
■very old trees ; I measured one which proved
■five feet round. The ground being rather low,
and therefore cool, though dry as good garden
soil ought to be, is particularly favorable to the
Raspberry, Strawberry, Currant, and other cool
country species of fruit, while in the higher and
•dryer places the Grape does remarkably well.
All sorts of kinds are being tested as they appear,
and this gives the proprietor a chance of knowing
whereof he speaks in his excellent family paper.
The Raspberry does wonderfully well for him.
Xinds which we rarely see, and which people
think long since died out, are here in fruit in
their original perfection. But then a few
■hours trouble in bending down the canes and
■covering with earth in the Fall is not begrudged
to them. It it is found here that even the kinds
■conceded to be the hardiest are benefited by this
treatment.

I went away from this delightful little spot
wondering why the like was not more often seen.
Here is a space of ground which furnishes fruits
and vegetables in abundance, enough for a
whole family for a year, with plenty left for
an abundant distribution, to favored friends, —
and all by the labor of one good gardener. Be-
sides this there are pieces of garden art, and
numerous trees and flowers to satisfy even a fas-
tidious lover of garden beauty. The i-eason why
not, we fancy often is that too much is attempt-
ed,— too large a gai-den laid out, — too much put
•on the man in charge. He becomes dissatisfied
and careless, — it is " all one to him what goes
in the day's work," the owners are disap-
pointed,— the place becomes a nuisance in weeds
and neglect, and then it is found, that " things
•can be bought cheaper in market." But after
all there must be a genuine love for the garden,
such as Major Freas shows for it. Then the
gardener is encouraged to have something nice
for his employer to praise.

Weedy Seeds.— B. J. K., San Fransisco,

Cal., says: "I send you enclosed a newspaper
slip, by which you see that a legal discussion is
going on as to the damage to be borne by reason
ol dodder appearing among a crop of Luzerne,
as I find the Alfalfa is called here. It is con-
tended that there was no dodder before ; that it
must have come with the Alfalfa seed, and
that the seller of the seed must pay all dama-
ges. What is the law in the Eastern States?"
There is no law, but the whims of juries. Once
we remember a suit was brought against Mr. H.
A. Dreer, for selling cabbage seed that would
not head. In the Spring they all ran to seed.
But it happened that it was shown that these
early cabbage seed had been sown early in Sep-
tember, and kept rather warm during Winter,
and that the same seed sown in a hot bed iii
Spring, and set out, headed well enough. Only
for this, the jury would probably have unjustly
mulcted Mr. Dreer in damages. But this decision
shows that the seedsman is responsible for the
kind of seeds he sells. But as to the dodder ques-
tionwe cannot say. A man sells a dog, aiid a cus-
tomer finds fleas on the animal, — just as the
seeds have some parasites among them. We
don't know how a jury would decide. One thing
is certain, it is to a seedsman's interest to be
particularly careful to have pure seeds, and true
to name, or he will soon lose trade ; and it is to
the customer's interest to buy of those who
have a reputation for care and a conscience.
This is better than guessing at the risk of a law
suit.

Catalpa SPECIOSA. — The Gardeners'' Chroni-
cle says " Catalpa speciosa was discovered, or
distinguished from C. bignonoides, by Prof.
Sargent, of Cambridge, Mass." This of course
is an European error, for as we in America
know, no one has done more to give the credit
which is so justly due to Dr. Warder in this
matter, than Prof. Sargent himself.

The Botanical Text Book.— Sixth edi-
tion. By Professor Asa Gray. Part 1. Struct-
ural Botany. Ivison, Blakeman, Taylor & Co.,
1879. The botanical labors of Prof. Gray approach
the marvellous. How he manages to accomplish
so much superior work is a mystery. Here is a
book that has been some time on our table, and
which it seemed very profitable to read carefully
through. As this could not be done at one sit-
ting, a memorandum was kept of the odd time
given to it, and it foots up thirty hours ! The
work contains 4-i2 pages, and when we remem-

1880.

AND HORTICULTURIST.

29

ber that this embraces only structural Botany,
and that parts on Morphology and Physiology
are to follow, we may have some idea of the
minute and yet extensive labor Dr. Gray has
bestowed on his task. It must be a great pleas-
ure to the distinguished author to know that his
heavy labors are so highly appreciated as the
call for a sixth edition of this work indicates.
When he first entered the botanical field it was
not highly cultivated. Much, indeed, had been
done for descriptive botany, and in the more
philosophical departments. Barton, Nuttall and
others had worked well. But much remained
to be done, and notwithstanding the zeal of those
who loved the science in those days, it is but
fair to say that the chief dependence of Ameri-
cans was on European works. It is not so now.
The work of foreign botanists is no less es-
teemed than it ever was, but American bo.tany
has been brought to a higher level. It ranks
with any other in the estimation of the world,
and it will be no derogation to the work of the
many excellent American Botanists now in the
field to say that to Dr. Gray the chief honors in
this high character belongs.

It is interesting to notice how botany has pro-
gressed during the past thirty or forty years as in-
dicated by this work. Before us lies the second
edition of this Avork, issued in 1845, of 496 pages,
covering all the ground. N'ow something less
than this only comprises one-third the task. In
this he has now, however, good assistance ; two
of his former pupils, Goodale and Farlow will
undertake the other volumes.

These works are, as their name implies, text
books. They are intended as woi'ks of I'efer-
ence rather than for consecutive study ; and they
are for those who may regard themselves as
tolerably perfect in the science, as well as for
those who are at the lower end. It would have
been better if an index had been given to it in-
stead of a mere table of contents; this would
have enhanced its " text " book character.

By a comparison of this with other editions it
is interesting to note how Dr. Gray's views of
things have changed in some respects. This is
to be expected, for it is no use to live unless we
learn. We note this in order to encourage stu-
dents to explore even beyond where our es-
teemed author has carried them. He would be
the last to regard himself as infallible, and
would be as glad as any to have weak places
strengthened, or dark passages made plain. It
strikes us as not improbable that the theoretical

conception of the plant unit or " phytomer,'^
which he adopts, will ultimately prove untena-
ble. By this idea all of a stem between each
node may be regarded as the organized plants'"
lowest terms. Under this conception one can
scarcely understand how any portion of an inter-
node could ever be made to become a perfect
plant. Dr. Gray, if we understand him correctly,,
seems to regard this as a test, for at p. 317 he
remarks, "the phytomer is in itself indivisible,,
except by mutilation," and in the same chap-
ter we are told that this ideal phytomer is the
analogue of the individual in animals, that is to>
say the animal is indivisable. But though it is-
true that the parts of an internode will not often
divide and form individual plants, they some-
times do, as good gardeners know. The stems
of Torenia Asiatica have been chopped to-
"mince meat," and all the little pieces grow.
Moreover, though in the case of woody trees, a.
Horse chestnut for instance, there may be a,
space of a foot between two nodes, and if we cut.
these apart in a one year old shoot, no growth
will appear nearer than from the bud already
formed below ; this " individuality " disappears-
after the space has become a year or two old,,
and a bud, indeed many buds will form from
an}^ part of the space that may be cut across.
Indeed it appears to us that the whole facts con-
nected with the growth of adventitious buds are
opposed to the phytonic conception.

Further, we expect to see in the future consid-
erable modifications of Dr. Gray's views in rela-
tion to conceptions in cross-fertilization of"
flowers, now introduced in Dr. Gray's Text-
books for the first time, as if the logic were in-
controvertible. This speculation as formulated
by Mr. Darwin, is that it is an almost universal
law of nature that all the higher organic beings-
require an occasional cross with another indi-
vidual, that no hermaphrodite fertilizes itself"
for a perpetuity of generations. But as the phy-
tomer in the plant is the analogue of the indi-
vidual in animals, it is not easy to understand
what relation such a formula has to do with
plants at all. Even as regards the facts of fer-
tilization in flowers, it is now known that though
there are in man}^ cases evident arrangements
for intei'-crossing, the great majority of plants
are habitually self-fertilized, even in those cases
i which have these adaptations for cross-fertiliza-
tion. There may be, therefore, millions of
plants of the same species in the world from
self-fertilized seed for every single plant from

■30

THE GARDENER'S MONTHLY

[January,

;a cross-fertilized one, and the theoretical advan-
i;ages of a cross must be immeasurably over-
"borne by the actual fact of numbers. It would
Tie the old story of the Lilliputians against
Brobdignag. Indeed, it is in the reasonings on
the objects and uses of structure, and the design
in the arrangements that one may expect to see
•the greatest advance made in future editions.
When, for instance, we are told that the gluti-
nous coating in the bud of the old-world Horse
"Chestnut is to " ward off water more effectually,"
we cannot but see that the buds of the Ameri-
-can kinds which have no viscidity, ward off
water equally as well ; of course there are some
good reasons for all these things. Dr. Gray
does well in suggesting the best that can be
thought of now. We may learn more in the
future than, as the progress made in this work
shows, we have known in the past ; and this fact
is encouraging to students who may feel that
even to the best and wisest, all things are not
yet made plain.

The Window Flower Garden. By Julius
Heiarichs, New York. Orange Judd Company.
This is a prettily bound work, illustrated pro-
fusely, well printed, and containing a great deal
of useful information. The great trouble with
books of this kind is that they are costly if
large, and obscure if brief. If this little book
•of 92 pages has any fault it is brevity. For in-
stance the window gardener is told that if the
window plants are kept constantly syringed
ithey will not be much troubled with insects;
but how to syringe the plants without destroy-
ing the furniture about the window is not ex-
plained. Again, under the head of insects refer-
ence is made only to the green fly and the mealy
bug, while there are others equally destructive
that might have a few words spent on them.
However a nice little book at a small price can-
not be expected to tell everything. The many
■useful hints it contains will be well worth all
that is asked for it, and prove very useful to
housekeepers.

Report of the Department of Agricul-
ture FOR 1878. — Commissioner Le Due must
be congratulated on having produced in this, one
of the most valuable reports ever issued by the
■department. Too often the bulk of these reports
has consisted of the correspondence of irresponsi-
ble parties whose opinions are of no importance,
and whose communications should be admitted
ito respectable agricultural papers onl3- because

they might " bring out " something better from
more intelligent readers. In a work of a na-
tional character like the Report of our Depart-
ment, they are wholly out of place. There is
very little of this style of blemish in this issue.
The work is for the most part, by persons in
whom intelligent people have confidence, and
what they reported will stand good for reference
during all time. A good proportion of the work
is taken up with Notes on Tea, Coffee, Sugar,
and other subjects that may possibly be produced
in our country. The Commissioner has been
made the butt of many newspapers which mis-
take wit for wisdom, because of his investigations
in these directions. Some of the investigations
may not have been wisely pursued, and we be-
lieve occasionally there have been needless repe-
titions to find out what has been already learned ;
but these faults are generally inseparable from
tasks like these. No one knows better than those
who have been many years in editorial positions
how new and good ideas have to be dragged be-
fore the public over and over again before they
make much impression. We have no idea that
all the so-called '• hobbies "' of the Commissioner
will become practical. Some of them we feel
sure will scarcely be. But if even one new
" staple " shall be added to what we now have,
by his efforts it will be worth all his administra-
tion has cost, and he may vvell be proud of the
results.

The reports of the Botanist, Chemist, Super-
intendent of Gardens and Grounds, Entomolo-
gist, Swine Doctor and Statician are all full of
useful information ; and the illustrations of
grasses and other subjects make the text clear.

We learn for the first time, that the "beggar-
ticks" which the newspapers have been telling
us, is a sort of Boragewort, is reallv a legumin-
ous plant, a species of Desmodium ; and the
Canaigre root — a Mexican plant, and we may add
a famous medical drug in dysenteries, is found
to be a Polygonaceous plant allied to the Rhu-
barb or Dock. Tbe statement that the olive
will grow where the thermometer falls to zero,
is a mistake. It has been known to stand this
temperature in France ; but in Pennsylvania, as
we can speak from personal knowledge, it will
die under 15° below freezing point. The day is
gone by when the thermometer is to be taken as
an absolute guide to a plant's hardiness.

Another interesting matter has been brought
out by this report in regard to the .Japan Per-
simmon ; while some have been easilA' killed by

1880.

AND HORTICULTURIST.

31

light frost, others have uever been in the least in- i
jured. This will explain the apparently con-
flicting experiences recorded in our pages ; and i
gives some hope that by a judicious selection of
varieties, fine fruit may be grown much further ;
north than has been believed possible the past |
year.

Montreal, Horticultural Society. — Re- j
port for 1878, from Henry S. Evans, Secretary. !
A very valuable document, containing among
other interesting papers, a report on Canadian
timber trees, by A. T. Drummond. Birds and
insects, injurious and beneficial, have the So-
ciety's compliments paid to them.

American Manual of Parliamentary
XiAW.— By George T. Fish, Rochester, IST. Y.
There are few Americans but are interested in the
proper management of societies or other organ-
ized bodies. Certainly of all Americans, those
connected with horticulture have a great deal to
-do with deliberative or discussioual assemblies.
'This little book of Mr. Fish's is an excellent
thing for them. It contains all the rules ; and
the divisions are arranged as is the alphabetical
index of a ledger, so as to be referred to instant-
ly. We have seen many works on this subject,
but regard this as the cheapest and best.

Russell P. Eaton.— This gentleman, for
twenty years Editor and Propi'ietor of the Xeic
England Farmer^ has parted with his interest in
this excellent agricultural weekly. Mr. Eaton
is a high-toned, intelligent gentleman, and one
who spared no pains or expense to get at the exact
truth of what he reported. We are always sorry
when we have to close " official " relations with
people like this. Editorial life has such all too
few, while the outside world is overflowing. We
•don't know what possessed the man to do it.

Dr. Edward Fenzl. — Dr. Feuzl, Professor
of Botany at Vienna, and after whom the well
known Fenzlia of our gardens is named, died on
the 29th of September, in the seventy-second
year of his age.

Deaths of Koted French Pomologists. —
M. Baltet at the age of 80, and M. Willermorz
aged 7G, are among the recently deceased.

SCRAPS AND QUERIES

The Indian Question. — A friend who has
in past times been the traveling companion of

the Editor through wild Western regions, thus
writes :

"I have just returned fi"om south-eastern
Kansas, and thought of you when I picked up
this little (enclosed) arrow head, which I am
sorry is not a better specimen. Ever since you
took such an interest in our friend B's Indian
stories, I never see an Indian but I think of you.
The traces of Indians in the locality I have
been lately, are nearly as completely obliter-
ated, as where I now reside. The last Indian
trail has about disappeared from the north bank
of my ravine ; and the only signs I saw twenty
miles south of Fort Scott, were about a dozen
trails parallel with each other, where mounted
Indians had been in the habit of riding to Fort
Scott to draw blankets, and rifles, powder and
bullets from the government to shoot the set-
tlers, and hunting knives to scalp the poor wo-
men and children. You and I judge Indians
from diflerent standpoints, just as florists judge
roses from diff'erent standpoints; some for their
form and color, others from their odor, and
others from the description in the catalogue. I
confess that their odor may have prejudiced me
against them, for I know I do not admire them
as you do. I think you admire them for their
color and description, and that you have taken
the description from Cooper (in his novels) and
the coloring from Catlin in his pictures. Really
this is too serious a matter for jest, and I do not
know what is to be done with them. All senti-
mentality must be laid aside, sometime, and
then they will be treated like other people. The
government, when they want any white man's
land for the public convenience condemns the
land and pays the owner what it is worth, and it
seems to me they could do the same with the In-
dians, and make them obey the laws just as
white men are compelled to obey the laws or
abide the consequences. If a lot of tramps
should band together and murder a few such
I men as Gen. Canby and our friend Meeker, I do
not think the government would send a few well
meaning gentlemen to parley and have a
month's talk with them.

[Perhaps the nation began wrong, and we
are suffering for our own errors. No man
has a natural I'iglit to the soil. There
is as much truth as poetiy in the song
of the ancient: "The earth is the Lord's
and the fullness thereof." Mankind start on
the earth all alike; but some make two blades
of grass grow where the Lord only made

32

THE GARDENER'S MOXTHLY

[January.

one, and society regards it as its interest to
give that man a title to that which lie im-
l^roves ; and it is then his to sell, to give or to
deed to others.

But we started to recognize a right and title
to land which was never improved. There
was nothing in xiature, or in any society law of
right which gave a man who merely ran wild
over a piece of land a title to it. But we pre-
tended to believe there was ; and we gave beads,
red rags and other little things, to cover up
our sham belief.

If the Indians do anj'thing to make the land
of any more value than when it came fresh
from the hand of nature, that value should be
just the measure in which they should be paid.
They have no other rights, or ought to have.
But the trouble is we have taught them difTer-
ently, and it requii'es superior statemanship to
deal with the question, and do justice to all.
—Ed. G. M.]

The Superintendents of Public Gar-
dens.— J. says : " You hit the nail square upon
the head when you say that the most perfect
machinery is the most likely to win, and so
reasoned a neighbor of mine who has been
many years in Select Council. He told me
that to be able to run understandingly with

each and every " machine" in the city that he
joined every secret oath-bound society in the
city. And now Mr. Editor, as you api^ear per-
fectly satisfied that the superintendents of our
public iiarks are not the right men in the right,
place ; who are they, and who appointed them,
to the position that they occupy? If they are-
members of secret oath-bound societies, — which
you can easily find out, and which my experi-
ence in politics would say that they were— it.
was not chance but a regular carried out policy
that put them in over the heads of the worthy-
diffident man who would rather lose the office
than join an illegal oath-bound society to gain
it."

[Our correspondent, whom we know to be-
one of the most worthy men who ever lived,
asks us a question ; but his own letter contains-
the answer. It was the most perfect machinery,
which placed the incompetent men in charge
of the public gai'dens. They who would have
better men, must perfect machinery, and have-
competent engineers to run it, if they would
have their desires respected. The trouble in
all these questions seems to be that the fleet
hares knowing that they ought to win, lie
down and sleep, while the miserably slow tor-
toises keep pegging away, and get in first at.
last.— Ed. G. M.]

Horticultural Societies.

EDITORIAL NOTES.

January Meetings.— A large number of
State Societies hold meetings in January, and
we should be glad to call attention to them if
we received the notifications in time. All we
have before us as we write are those which
follow.

Kentucky State Horticultural, Society
meets at Shelbyville on January 13th, 14th and
16th. T. S. Kennedy is President; J. Decker,
Secretary, Fern Creek. We have no further
particulars.

jS'ew York Horticultural Society.—
They meet at Republican Hall, 55 West 33d
street, New York, on the first Tuesday of each
month.

Pennsylvania Fruit Grower's Society.
— The next annual meeting of this Society will
be held in Bethlehem, Pa., on Wednesday and
Thursday, January 21st and 22d, 1880. Excur-
sion rates will be granted from all points on
Philadelphia k Reading Rail Road, also by
North Penn. and Bound Brook divisions from
Philadelphia and intermediate points to Beth-
lehem and return. Tickets will be good from
Tuesday, Jan. 20th to Monday, Jan. 26th, in-
clusive. Excursion tickets can be obtained
only ujjon jDresentation of a printed order fur-
nished by the Companies, which, with other
information, can be had by addressing the Sec-
retary, E. B. Engle at Marietta, Pa. The
Society has not held a meeting in this section
of the State for some years and an interesting":
and profitable meeting may be expected.

THE

GARDENER'S MONTHLY

AND

HORTICULTURIST.

DEVOTED TO HORTICULTURE. ARBORICULTURE AND RURAL AFFAIRS.

Edited by THOMAS MEEHA.N.

Vol. XXII.

FEBKUxiRY, 1880.

Number 254.

Flower Garden and Pleasure Ground.

SEASONABLE HINTS.

When we spoke recently of pruning trees, it
is hoped the frequently seen hacking of street
trees was not understood. In most of our large
cities, street trees have disappeared, in some
cases because of gas at the roots through escapes
from the pipes ; in other cases because large flat
flag-stones have been placed close up to the
trunks instead of leaving a few feet open and
covered by an iron or wooden grating; in some
others because horses have been allowed to
gnaw the bark off; but in most instances from
the annual visit of the tree-pruner. A tree
seems to grow very strong after its head has
been cut away ; but the effort really weakens its
constitution, and every experienced person
knows that such annually pruned trees die young.
This pruning generally is without any reason, —
but sometimes it is a necessity from an improper
kind of tree having been selected.

Some people must have " fast growing " trees,
at any sacrifice ; but when they get so tall that
only the chimney pot is shaded, they have to
cut back so as to make a leafy growth to screen
the parlor windows or front door. Again trees
are often selected for comparatively narrow
side walks, which naturally make trunks eight
or nine feet round when full grown, and there is
not room to spare for them. The annual trim-

ming of the top, by weakening the constitution'
prevents the increase of girth in the trunk, and
thus longevity has to be sacrificed through this
early mistake. Much of these mistakes in plant-
ing comes from reliance on tree peddlers, or from
nursery growers who are not well versed in their
profession. Believing that all people want a
great deal of bulk for a very little cash, they
naturally run on trees that will make three or
four inches of girth in a couple of years, rather
than one that will take four or five to reach the
same size. They get money sooner, and the
customer pays less. But all people are not like
this ; there are many who want permanently good
things, if they only know what they are, and
there are no greater benefactoi's to this class of
people than writers like the Ellwangers, Bar-
rys. Parsons, etc., who have of late given a
world of information about ornamental trees.
Also, we must have a word of caution against
the evergreen pruner. In our mind as we write,
we have Germantown with its immense number
of tasteful and well kept places, but with one at
least in which are some hundreds of J^orway
Spruces all cut into a sort of egg-shaped figure,
and looking for all the world like the green
moss-made toys which children have about
Christmas time. For what purpose this unusual
expense is a mystery ; for there is not the merit
of art in this clipping, as is often claimed for

34

THE GARDENER'S MONTHLY

[February,

European tree trimmers. If for instance, some
of the trees were cut like the following English
Yew, which we take from Gardening Illustrated^
we might have some praise for the pruner,
whatever we might think of the tastefulness of
his work. See cut below.

We are not opposed to all this kind of prun-
ing, however, as some garden authors are. No
doubt a "naturally" grown tree is very pretty, —
perhaps nothing in nature is more so. But a
close Irish Yew or Juniper under some circum-
stances, is as pretty as a spreading one, and there
is no reason why we should not produce by the
knife, what we admire when no knife is used to
produce a similar result. No one objects to a
neatly pruned hedge, — to a pruned arch over a
small entrance gate. In many cases pruned
plants have a wonderful effect. We confess a
liking for these things sometimes, — but when
over done they are
repulsive. The
best time for all
evergreen pruning
is after all danger
of cold winter
winds are gone.
We have taken so
much room with
this important
matter of pruning,
that we must close
by brief hints only
on other import-
ant spring matters.
Still, in regard to

pruning we may say that many delay pruning
shrubbery until after severe weather passes, so
as to see what injury may be done, — but with
March all should be finished, — taking care not
to trim severely such shrubs as flower out of last
year's wood, as for instance, the Wiegela — while
such as flower from the spring growth, as the
Althsea, Mock Orange, etc., are benefited by
cutting back vigorously.

Those which flower from young wood, cut in
severely to make new growth vigorous. Tea,
China, Bourbon and Noisette Roses are of this
class. What are called annual flowering roses,
as Prairie Queen and so on, require much of last
year's wood to make a good show of flowers.
Hence, with these, thin out weak wood, and
leave all the stronger.

To make handsome, shapely specimens of
shrubs, cut them now into the forms you want.

A TRIMMED YEW TREE,

and keep them so by pulling out all shoots that
grow stronger than the others during the Sum-
mer season.

Graft trees or shrubs where changed sorts are
desirable. Any lady can gi*aft. Cleft grafting
is the easiest. Split the stocks, cut the scion like
a wedge, insert in the split, so that the bark of
the stock and scion meets ; tie a little bast bark
around it, and cover with Trowbridge's grafting
wax, and all is done ; very simple when it is
understood, and not hard to understand.

If flowers have been growing in the ground for
many years, new soil does wonders. Rich ma-
nure makes plants grow, but they do not always
flower well with vigorous growth. If new soil
cannot be had, a wheelbarrow of manure to
about every fifty square feet will be enough. If
the garden earth looks grey or yellow, rotten
leaves — quite rotten leaves — will improve it. If

heavy, add sand.
If very sandy, add
salt — about half a
pint to fifty square
feet. If very black
or rich from pre-
vious year's ma-
nurings, use a lit-
tle lime, about a
pint, slacked, to
fifty square feet.

If the garden be
full of hardy per-
ennial flowers, do
not dig it, but use
a fork, and that
not deeply. Dig garden ground only when the
soil is warm and dry. Do not be in a hurry, or
3'ou may get behind. When a clot of earth will
crush to powder as you tread on it, it is time to
dig — not before.

If perennial plants have stood three years in
one place, separate the stools, replanting one-
third, and give the balance to your neighbor who
has none.

Box edgings lay well now. Make the ground
firm and level, plant deep, with tops not more
than two inches above ground.

Roll the grass well before the softness of a
thaw goes away. It makes all smooth and level.
In planting trees remember our repeated ad-
vice to use the pruning knife freely.

The rule for pruning at transplanting is to cut
in proportion to apparent injury to roots. If not
much the worse for removal, cut but little of the

1880.

AND HORTICULTURIST.

35

top away. Properly pruned, a f^ood gardener

will not have the worst case of a badly dug tree

to die under his hands. In a nursery, where

these matters are well understood, trees " never

die."

»♦-».

COMMUNICA TIONS.

TWO WELL KEPT PLACES.

BY MR. MANSFIELD MILTON.

Being recently on a visit to Sharon, Pa., I
visited the greenhouses of Mr. Boyce, also those
■of Mr. Curtis, judging these gentlemen from col-
lections of plants at both places, they possess
horticultural tastes of a high and refined kind.
The places are adjacent to each other, and situ-
ated on an elevated portion of the town of
Sharon, which is one of the iron manufacturing
places on the banks of the Shenango river.

I visited the place of Mr. Boyce first, and
found plants and houses in excellent condition,
— the plants in the best of health and the houses
clean and orderly. They consist of four plant-
houses and a large grapery. As the vines were
dormant at the time I was there, and covered
up, I cannot say in what condition they are in,
but judging from the surroundings they are in a
condition to give satisfactory results. Of the
plants in bloom, I noticed among a general
collection of winter-blooming plants, some fine
specimens of Begonia Ingrahamii, a fine, bright
crimson, flowering kind, with bright green leaves;
the spikes are borne on good long stalks, mak-
ing them useful to work into baskets and other
floral designs.

A good spike of Lselia anceps was produced
from a healthy-looking plant. This is a beautiful
orchid, and when well taken care of, as it is here
under the treatment of Mr. Murchie, gardener
for Mr. Boyce, well repays all labor bestowed
upon it. Large plants of Adiantum Farleyense
an luxuriant growth I observed in this collection,
and alongside were fine plants of the beautiful
Adiantum gracillimum. What a difference be-
tween the size of the pinnules of these species,
but both beautiful.

Some of the finest " heads" of the double Poin-
«.ettia I have had the good fortune to see, are
grown in a house here. This has never been
much of a favorite with me, but under the con-
ditions I saw here, I must say it is simply
grand. Fine spikes of Euphorbia Jacquinsefolia
anade the stage decorations graceful with its

bright crimson flowers. A good plant of Lasi-
andra with its peculiar maroon-colored flowers
was also conspicuous.

To mention all the well-flowered plants in
this collection would take up too much space.
Every plant was a specimen in itself, and so
well arranged that the stages looked like
well managed groups of different colors, giving
considerable credit to Mr. Murchie for his skill
and close attention.

Upon entering the houses of Mr. Curtis, I
found Mr. O'Brien, the gardener, just putting
the "finishing touches" on a well-arranged bas-
ket of flowers. It was of large size, the flowers
used being white Camellias, Primulas, Carna-
tions, Cypripediums, Poinsettias, etc., and on a
white ground with scarlet Bouvardia were the
numerals 86, being the age of the lady to
whom the basket was to be presented as a New
Year's present. The general collection of plants
here are much the same as at Mr. Boyce's place.
There is, however, a most select collection of or-
chids and well grown. I observed two well grown
plants of Dendrobium densiflorum,an evergreen
orchid from India, with very showy flowers.
Another evergreen orchid of similar habit there,
was a good specimen of D. Farmeri. A well-
flowered plant of Cypripedium Roezlii, but
which I considered a very inferior variety, the
petals being shorter and poorly colored compared
with any I have seen. The beautiful Cypripedium
niveum was also well represented, besides many
more good kinds. Chinese Primulas were well
grown, large flowers and abundance of them.

Some excellent specimens of Azaleas and Ca-
mellias, also Palms, Dracaenas, and hosts of
other valuable plants. There are five houses
here and all heated with flues in which soft coal
is used. Considering this and the excellent
health of the plants, considerable credit is due to
Mr. O'Brien, demonstrating, in fact, that good
plants can be grown with good management in
houses heated by flues.

PRESSING EARTH FIRM.

BY KTJSTICUS, NEAR LEXINGTON, KY.

Several days ago I took occasion to send an
article to the New York Weekly Tribune, in vin-
dication of that noted horticulturist, Mr. Peter
Henderson and " firming." I was sorry to see
some slurs cast upon him ; but as his high repute
as a tiller of the soil will not break down under
them, his warm admirers need have no fears. I

36

THE GARDENER'S MONTHLY

[February,

am glad, that he has brought into such pro-
minent notice so important a principle in agri-
culture as '' firming," or packing the earth about
seeds. I am persuaded that it is not practised
enough. Mr. Henderson, in his eminently prac-
tical paper before the American Association of
Nurserymen, at Cleveland, Ohio, June 18th last,
very clearly shows its neglect in New Jersey. I
doubt not a vast quantity of seed fail to germi-
nate because they are not " firmed," and the
seedsman gets the entire blame. By test it has
been found that only a certain proportion of all
seeds of grasses and sereals grow, but I opine
much is due to having the seeds too lightly cov-
ered. The earth must be well settled to its place,
that the seeds may at once appropriate its essen-
tial nutriment. Pressing the soil firmly about the
seed closes all air spaces of much size, and keeps
the dry winds from penetrating to it, thus greatly
helping to save its drying out, and the germ
perishing. Mr. Henderson very properly cau-
tions against firming when the ground is too
damp. It is better not to sow when it is wet.
The hot sun may bake as hard as a brick. The
nearer the condition of an ash heap the better.
Last Fall we drilled wheat when the dust filled
the air. There had been a protracted drouth. We
sent the roller over it immediately, with a very
gratifying result. The wheat sprang up at once,
and flourished, notwithstanding the drouth con-
tinued for weeks. Wheat that we did not roll, was
greatly inferior to it. After seeds have develop-
ed into plants, " firming" should be reversed.
The earth kept loose and friable withstands
drouth better and absorbs the fertilizing consti-
tuents of the atmosphere more readily. As Mr.
Henderson asserts, "firming" is even more
necessary in the case of newly set trees, the
same principles applying. Another advantage
attending it is the comminution of the soil. Pul-
verization sets free the growing properties of the
earth, to be taken up by vegetation.

[As we noted some time ago, we had to com-
plain of the New York Tribune's manner of
treating its contemporaries, whereupon it iii
once stopped the exchange, and we have had to
worry along and get its precious matter indi-
rectly as best we could, so that this is the first
knowledge we have that Mr. Henderson has
been "done for" in its pages. We can only,
therefore, take the matter as our correspondent
has presented it, and say that when we heard
Mr. Henderson's remarks at Cleveland, it seem-
ed to us one of the best common sense papers

ever given to a public body, — and we should
have transferred it in full to our pages, only that
we felt it would commend itself so strongly to
those who have had experience, and receive so
wide a publication, that it would cease to be
"news" before we could help it along. — Ed.
G. M.]

WODENETHE.

BY PICA.

The following notes of the beautiful country
seat of H. W. Sargent, Esq., of Wodenethe, were
contributed to the New York Evening Post :

In the highlands of the Hudson, just above
West Point, in the midst of the beautiful scenery
which the genius of Irving has consecrated, thir-
tj'-eight years ago Mr. Henry Winthrop Sargent
bought about twenty acres of forest land, and
began the construction of a country seat which
to-day is doubtless more widely and favorably
known than any similar place in America.
Wodenethe, he called it in the language of the
Saxons: that is to say, 'sylvan promontory.'
It has cost him a hundred thousand dollars
already. I do not know how much more money
it will yet absorb, but each year improvement
follows improvement. ' I have been painting a
picture,' he said, as we were strolling through the
grounds, ' and the finishing touches are still to
be given.' Students of landscape gardening
know Mr. Sargent as the editor of Downing's
great work on the subject, as a contributor to
periodical literature, as an importer of rare
trees and shrubs, and as a propagator and im-
prover of the same. The author of Scott's 'Art
of Beautifying Suburban Home Grounds of Small
Extent,' speaks of ' our neighbor and corre-
spondent, Mr. Sargent of Wodenethe on the Hud-
son, who passed a couple of years abroad, curi-
ously gleaning all clever foreign notions that
were really worth naturalizing at home,' and
adds that ' Sargent's hemlock,' a tree found
growing wild by Mr. Sargent on Fishkill Moun-
tain, and cultivated by him, ' bids fair to be one
of the most curious and interesting additions to
our stock of gardenesque evergreens — bearing the
same relation to the common hemlock that the
weeping beech does to the common beech.'
Another writer describes him as " famous among
amateur horticulturists for introducing new ever-
greens from Europe, Asia, Oregon and Califor-
nia,' and notices his success in domesticating,
where others have failed, the deodars and cedars
of Lebanon, the silver foliage of the Pinus ex-

1880.

AND HORTICULTURIST.

37

celsa and the bold front of the Pinus ponderosa. 1 To name the varieties of trees on Mr. Sargent's
liText, indeed, to his services with tlie pen must j estate would be of more interest to the botanist
be ranked his many and persevering importa- than to the general reader. I will not enumer-
tions from every quarter of the globe; unless ate the Homeric list. It represents almost all the
one should choose to lay greatest stress upon varieties ever acclimated in this country, and it
the patriotic purpose which has multiplied and is constantly receiving accessions. Youremem-
circulated these specimens for the adornment of j ber the words of the Autocrat of the Breakfast
other homes. Wodenethe is a paradise of exotics. [ Table : " T have a most intense, passionate fond-
Yet these do not constitute its chief attraction. \ ness for trees, but if you expect me to hold forth
It is pre-eminently a paradise of vistas. Art has in the scientific way about them, to talk for in-
so planted and disposed the trees on the borders , stance of the Ulmus Americana, and describe

of the twenty acres that the visitor might be-
lieve himself in the midst of an estate compris-
ing hundreds of square miles. The spot was
selected by Mr. Sargent for its natural advanta-

the ciliated edges of its samara, and all that,
you are an anserine individual." The most
beautiful of the specimens are not aboriginal.
I do not know whether or not the owner has vet

ges. In front of and partly around it rolls the succeeded in naturalizing the Eucalyptus, which
lordly Hudson. Behind, are the Fishkill Moun- amateurs in England are so fond of, and so un-
tains, one of them sixteen hundred feet high, fortunate with. But if the species has a chance
At the left, across the gleaming stretch of river, in this climate you may be sure that it will be
tower the rounded heights of Cornwall and West ; made to flourish at Wodenethe. Weeping
Point in the fine blue of the rare old hills. At birches, weeping beeches, weeping ashes, weep-
the right is a rolling surface cultivated to the ing larches, weeping elms and weeping wil-
base of distant headlands. Yet all around the lows are specialties there, and so are purple-
place are villages, factories, shanties, highways, leaved trees and shrubs, and the silver and
Only you do not see them. The trees and golden tinted evergreens from Japan, while
shrubs that belt Wodenethe are placed so as oaks, elms, chestnuts, maples and other stand-
to shut off such sights; and where there are bys appear in choicest varieties. The magnifl-
openings in the boundary line of the estate cent palms constitute a show by themselves,
the eye looks out upon charming vistas of There is scarcely a mountain, a shore or a plain
river, valley, glade and mountain, that seem to in Europe that has not contributed to Wodenethe
be parts of one magnificent country seat. No the ' threaded foliage through which the western
gentleman in this country has succeded as Mr. breezes sigh.' And there is not a hungry speci-
Sargent has in peaceably sequestrating the prop- j men on the place.

erty of his neighbors. Part of the work was ! Velvet grass and umbrageous tree alike
done simply by the use of the axe. Trees have have been well trenched, and are, in conse-
been cut down where the views beyond them quence, well fed. I should not be surprised to
were pleasing; they have been planted where , learn that the roots of some of the common
the scenery in the distance was of a sort to be hid. ; clover go down four feet into the soil. The late
The illusions created thereby are sometimes ; Mr. Downing said that he had seen clover roots
amusing. In one instance his artistic chopping as deep as that. It is trenching that does the
brought within a hundred yards of his library business, and Mr. Sargent has lately done as
window a part of the river that really is three- much as any writer in this country to enforce the
quarters of a mile off. Mr. William Cullen Bry- importance of depth of soil for trees and lawns,
ant used to tell how one evening, when seated Qf course there is no setting of trees in formal
at that window, he saw a boy fishing in the Hud- rows, no alternation of the willow and the
son from a spot close by on Mr. Sargent's lawn, rougher-rined pine around the house, no plant-
He expressed his surprise that the river was so ; ing of flower-beds under the drippings of the
near. The place from which the lad had thrown monarchs that line the broad approach to the
his line was on the verge of a steep declivity, at dwelling, none of the hundred discrepancies and
the foot of which the water seemed to flow, oftences that good taste prohibits. The place is
Not until the poet had walked there the next a picture, and the painter is an artist, especially
morning did the false show vanish. The young ! i^ his sense of symmetry and color, and in his
fisherman had planted himself temporarily to effects of light and shade. ' Let in through all
keep up appearances. the trees come the strange rays.'

38

THE GARDENER'S MONTHLY

[February,

EDITORIAL NOTES.

Desmodium penduliflorum. — This very
beautiful autumn-flowering perennial plant, is
now becoming well known in gardens. The
American Agriculturist notes that one very often
seen under this name is really Lespedeza bicolor.

Memorial Trees. — Our papers often note
the planting of memorial trees by distinguished
people in Europe, but it is right to record that
this pleasant practice also prevails among our-
selves. General Grant recently set out one in
Chicago, an d by the following irom a Washing-
ton paper, it will be seen some have been set
out in Washington :

"One of the most attractive and interesting
places in the city is the Botanical Garden. It is
situated between First street west and Third
and Pennsylvania and Maryland avenues. Its
history dates back before 1800. When the Car-
rolls, General Washington and others laid out
the grounds around the capitol, this site was se-
lected for the botanical garden. It was not
much improved until a Scotchman by the name
of Wm. R. Smith was appointed superintendent.
Now it is noted for its choice and rare collection
of flowers, ornamental and historical shrubbery
in the greenhouses, while the grounds are dot.
ted all over with historical and foreign trees,
which add a great value to the grounds. Mr
Smith is still the superintendent, having occu-
pied the position for twenty-six years, and done
enough valuable work for a monument to any
man's memory. As you enter the gate on First
street, to the left of the walk stands an oak
planted by Hon. J. J. Crittenden, of Kentucky.
The acorn he brought from Kentucky. It is now
quite a tree, and its acorns are eagerly sought
after by his admirers and people who take an in-
terest in such matters. About fifty feet south
of it stands a modest hemlock, planted by Sena-
tor John P. Hale, of IJTew Hampshire. Near
the east end of the main conservatory, which is
three hundred feet long, stands a pine from Ja-
pan. It has a very peculiar appearance and is
quite a curiosity. Just south of the fountain, on
the walk leading south to Maryland Avenue,
stand the cypresses. The one on the right was
planted by Forrest, and the one on the left by
Col. Forney. Just before you reach the fence
stands the famous Sumner-Bingham tree. When
congress was attempting to pass an appropriaton
to improve and grade the park east of the capitol,

Sumner made one of his linest speeches to save
a particular tree that he thought was an Italian
Beech. John A. Bingham, of Ohio, also had an
admiration for the same tree, which almost
amounted to reverence. He spoke to Mr. Smith
about it, and he (Smith) proposed to plant one
of the same kind in the Botanical grounds for
them, and it stands there to-day in honor of the
two distinguished statesmen. Just north of the
fountain stands two evergreens from California.
The west one was planted by Senator Latham,
of California. This tree is very thrifty and has
a beautiful foliage. The east, one was planted
by Senator Pierce, of Maryland. This tree pre-
sents quite a drooping appearance. Senator Lath-
am pressed the Pacific Railroad bill, and Senator
Pierce was its bitter opponent and leader of the
opposition. Personally they were friends. So,
when the bill was passed. Senator Latham had
two trees, of a peculiar kind of evergreen that
grows in California, sent to him. One he plant-
ed himself, in honor of his triumph; the other
he gave to his friend, Senator Pierce, who so
sternly opposed the measure. On the west side
of the grounds stands an oak, planted by Mal-
lory, of Kentucky, who so ably represented the
Louisville district. Just west of the main con-
servatory stands the evergreen planted by
Speaker Kerr, of Indiana. Near enough to it to
almost mingle with its branches stands the fir
tree, planted by James F. McDowell. Some
forty feet north-east of these stands a buck-
eye, which came from Thomas A. Hen-
drick's home. Thad. Stevens was a great friend
of the Botanical Garden, and managed and con-
trolled the appropriations for it in the house. A
tree was planted in honor of him, but it happen-
ed to stand over the raging Tiber, which burst
from its bounds and destroyed the Stevens tree.
I have given a fair synopsis and a general idea
of this garden ; of course it would be too tedious
to give an account of every valuable and foreign
tree."

Barbed Wirje Fences. — We have no idea
that the barbed iron or wire will ever take the
place of good post-and-rail, or a well-made Os-
age or Honey Locust Fence, wherever these can
be easily made. But there are many places in
which these cannot be had, and people will want
to know all about wire, as well as other substi-
tutes. For these the December American Agri-
culturist will be welcome, for the whole subject
is therein thoroughly discussed.

1880.

AND HORTICULTURIST.

39

The Destruction of the Laurel Hill
Cedar of Lebanon. — It will not restore the
dead tree to life, and all reproach on the poor
thing who cut down the tree will do no good
now. But it must have some influence on others
who might be in the atmosphere of a similar
evil spirit, to know how the intelligent commu-
nity regards such a dalliance with a demon, and
for this reason we give the following from the
January American Agriculturist :

"At Laurel Hill Cemetery, in, or near Phila-
delphia, there were two Cedars of Lebanon 5
each some 50 feet high, and well known to lovT.
ers of trees as among the finest specimens o
of this Cedar in the country. We learn from a
late Gardener's Monthly that one of these
trees were cut down ! And why ? Because the
tree was in the way, it interfered with the read-
ing of the inscription on some paltry gravestone
or monument ! We say ' paltry,' with no refer-
ence to the particular handful of dust that the
stone may for a few years mark, but any monu-
ment whatever, by the side of such a tree is a
miserably paltry aftair. A few dollars and a
few day's work may restore a gravestone or a
monument ; whatever lettering there may be — of
no possible use to the dead, and only flattering
the vanity of the living who put it there — could
be easily replaced. But that tree ! The miser-
able marble thing of to-day would sink into ut-
ter insignificance before any tree 50 feet in
height — but before a Cedar of Lebanon of 50
feet, before any Cedar of Lebanon, how miser-
ably paltry seems any work of man. It is well
to be charitable, and assume, difticult as it may
be, that this person knew no better. Could he
have known that the very ancestors of this tree
are now regarded as among ' the most renowned
natural monuments of the universe ;' that they
furnished Solomon wood for the Temple ; that
this very tree descended from those mentioned
all through Sacred History ; had he known that
to this day even the Arabs hold the ancestors of
this tree as sacred, could he have cut down a
Cedar of Lebanon, as if it were a used up tele-
graph pole ? This tree would no doubt, live for
centuries after the elements had obliterated the
letters chiseled into the slab or monument ; cen-
turies after the miserable piece of carbonate of
lime had crumbled away; centuries after the
memory of the dead whose monument was to be
preserved; and centuries after the memory of
the preserver of the monument bad passed
awav, would this Cedar of Lebanon liave stood,

and been an object of interest and admiration, —
but it was in the way of somebody's head-stone,
and was cut down !"

A Hybrid Fir. — Mr. Henry Vilmorin took a
tree of Abies Pinsapo and Abies Cephalonica
and dusted the male flowers of one over the
young tone or female flowers of the other. Only
a single perfect seed resulted. This has proved
to be a beautiful hybrid which is now eight feet
high.

The Yine Garden. — Portions of one's
grounds especially set apart for the culture of
hardy and woody climbing vines, would have a
very beautiful eff"ect if the trellises were designed
to secure a variety of form, and then the shade
some of them would afford as arbors would be a
luxury in itself in the warm days of summer-
time. The writer will not soon forget the beau-
tiful effects in the scenery made by Vitis indi-
visa, as it rambled over trees and low bushes
along the Kansas River and other points in the
South-western States.

MAURANDIA BARCLAY ana.

Besides the beautiful effects to be had from
permanent woody climbers, much beauty may
be had from a judicious training of annual kinds.
In looking over Mr. H. A. Dreer's catalogue,
the great variety of ornamental vines offered
sugijested this paragraph. The old Maurandia
for instance, can be worked up into many beau-
tiful forms.

Grafted Conifers. — A writer in an Eng-
lish periodical refers to a prejudice against
grafted Coniferre, and shows that where they
have not done well it is chiefly because the
plants have been kept too long in pots. Where
the roots are not suffered to coil they do just as-
well as seedlings; and this is our experience.

40

THE GARDENER'S MONTHLY

(Fel)ruary,

The Queen Gives a Park.— A wealthy gen-
tleman near Manchester, dying without a will,
and having no known heirs, the property, under
the English laws, went to the Queen. She, in
turn, has donated it to the citizens as a public
Park forever. It is twenty acres in extent, beau-
tifully designed, and will be known as ISTewhouse
Park.

The Grounds of Major Freas.— Our " Let-
ter," noting the grounds of the editor of the
Telegraphy written without his knowledge of our
intentions, and after a stroll through by the
writer "by himself," needs a slight correction.
The gardener, we find, does not do the entire
work, but in the spring of the year, in the busy
season, is assisted by an extra hand. We were
not desired to make the correction, but it is due
to the facts that it should be made.

NEW OR RARE PLANTS.

Spiraea Aruncus.— Those who have traveled
through the AUeghanies, and have noted how
beautiful is this plant in its wild locations, must
have sometimes wondered why such excellent
material was seldom made to do tribute to the
ornamentation of gardens. Though so old a plant,
it appears to have been neglected in England,
where they ai'e ever alive to cultivate any-
thing that may make a garden attractive. A
recent Gardener'' s Chronical says :

"At a recent horticultural exhibition at Tiver-
ton, a fine specimen of this vigorous and hand-
some perennial, with a grand head of bloom, lift-
ed from the open ground, put into a pot, and
made the central figure in a large group of plants
furnished by Mr. Robert T. Veitch, nurseryman,
Exeter, was a subject of wonderment among
many of the Devonians. They thought it was
something new because unaccustomed to see it.
A neighbor who has great fondness for Spirseas
grows Aruncus, Filipendula, palmata, Ulmaria,
venusta, and others in pots, giving them about two
inches of drainage, and in summer stands them
out-of-doors in capacious saucers holding about
one inch depth of water. In this way they do
remarkably well, and carry fine and luxuriant
heads of bloom. They are watered in the usual
Avay daily; but as the cultivator has to go from
home for some twelve hours, the plants are
treated as above, in order that they should not
suffer for the want of water on the surface. The

variegated Torm of S. Ulmaria is very fine and
effective grown in pots in this way.

Dwarf Dahlias.— Among the novelties the
writer of this saw in the Paris markets a few
years ago were Dwarf Dahlias. They were
flowering freely in pots when not more than a
foot high. The kind we then saw was pure
white. They commenced to bloom very early
in the season. Mr. Yick iias found them to do
well in this country. He has quite a collection
of them, and gives the following as among the
best.

Aurora, yellow, large.

Oreeilmoor, orange scarlet, somelinies tipped white.

Dawn, creamy ground, tipped with rose.

Dwarf Queen, purple, tipped with white.

Frauline Hettergot, light and rose, fine dwarf.

Gem of the Dwarfs, red, tipped with white.

Golden Bedder, fine yellow.

Goldfinder, golden yellow.

Leah, fine shade of orange, tinted with rose.

Mela BarI.eUes, very fine pink.

Mt. Blanc, clear white.

Pearl, pearly White.

Queen Victoria, canary yellow.

Rising Sun, large, intense scarlet.

Sambo, dark maroon,

Vulcan, deep red, large flower.

SCRAPS AND QUERIES

EuPATORiUMS. — A. B.,says: "Your corres-
pondent. Miss E. Hunter, has evidently mis-
apprehended some points in her otherwise
interesting note on Eupatoriums. The plant
which she calls Eupatonum, is evidently Cono-
clinium, for the blue Eupatorium is a green-
house plant, sometimes called Ageratum. The
Conoclinium has somewhat the look of this
Mexican plant, and Miss H. may be excused for
coupling them, though it would be unpardon-
able in a good botanist not to see the distinction.

Red Cedar. — Some one sends wrapped in a
Denver paper, some branches of Juniperus Vir-
ginia. This, the Eastern Red Cedar, meets the
Western Red Cedar, Juniperus occidentalis in
the Rockj^ Mountains. They both grow together
there.

Hardiness of Ligustrum japonicum.— C.
A. D., New York, writes: "I notice in your
pages some discussion respecting what is called
Ligustrum japonicum. What plant is meant b}--
this title? Is it Ligustrum ovalifoliuni , or
something else ? If Ligustrum ovalifoliuni is
the plant that your correspondents are discuss-

1880.1

AND HORTICULTURIST.

41

insi, I beg to say that I have had a great deal i distinct from the old Chinese Privet, Ligustrum
of experience with it, leaving it uncovered in lucidum, — of which we suppose L. ovalifolium to
the coldest winters in the most bleak situations, , be a variety. As with our correspondent the
and always finding it perfectly hai'dy." I Chinese Privet is quite hardy about Philadel-

[We have never seen the plants our corres- ■ phia, we should be glad to see specimens of
pondents are discussing, to know if they are kinds under the names in dispute. — Ed. G. M.]

Greenhouse and House Gardening.

SEASONABLE HINTS.

This is the season when many things will re-
quire repotting. Many have a set time and
season to do this ; but some things require re-
potting at various seasons. The best time is just
before they are about to make a new growth.
Camellias, Azaleas, and many plants, for in-
stance, start at this season. It is not necessary
to repot as often as some think, especially if
bloom, and not very large specimens, is chiefly
wanted. If the pot is very full of roots, and the
plant grovving weak, it may need repotting.

In potting, see that some provision is made
for allowing the water to readily escape, by put-
ting broken crocks over the hole. Use soil
rather dry, and ram it firmly about the old ball.
Prefer pots only a little larger, to very large
shifts, as les^ liable to accidents. Trim the
plant.s in a little, if unshapely, to encourage the
new growth where wanted.

Many who have but small houses and wish to
have a variety, are troubled with valued plants
becoming too large. To keep them low, as soon
as the plant has matured its growth, cut it down
as low as may be desired. As soon as it shows
signs of breaking forth into a new growth, turn
it out of the pot ; shake or tear away the old ball
of roots, and put it into a small pot as it can be
got into, and when it grows again, and fills the
pot with roots, repot again as before.

Sometimes the plants get '"sick," which is
known by unhealthy, yellow leaves. This is
usually by over-watering, generating a gas, or
as gardeners term it, a " sourness," destructive
to the roots. The remedy is to cut the plant
back a little, shake out the soil, and put the plant
in a small pot with new soil, and place the plant
n a house only moderately warm, and which is

naturally moist, so that the plant can live for a
while without requiring much water. It will
generally recover.

Wmdow plants are as much appreciated at
this season as at any time of the year. There
are feAV things more beautiful than the old classes
of roses— the Bourbon and China. We have
seen some beauties in windows recently, and
wonder they are not more grown. In another
case we saw a handsome Chorozema cordata.
Usually, Australian plants do not thrive in our
climate, but this plant was simply plunged in
partial shade in summer, rewarding the owner
with its pretty brown and purple butterfly-like
flowers all winter. This, and many other win-
dow flowers, are liable to suffer from the minute
insect known as red spider. Very minute whit-
ish green spots on the leaves usually indicate
the insect's existence. It is best to lay the
plants on their sides, in the open air, and treat
them to a powerful syringing with strong soap-
suds, and while still damp, sprinkle a little sul-
phur on them from a pepper box. Red spiders
do not hanker much after sulphur. Sometimes
window plants suffer from mildew, and sulphur
is a good remedy for it also.

COMMUNICA TIONS.

DATURA ARBOREA.

BY H. J. PURDY, SENECA FALLS, K. Y.

I send you to-day by mail, a flower for name,
together with some leaves from the plant.
Please inform us through the Monthly what
it is. The tree is a "soft hard-wooded" plant,
and looks capable of attaining a large size
were it furnished with pot room to grow. The
blossom always opens first in the night, after

42

THE GARDENER'S MONTHLY

[February,

which it continues in bloom several days; it
loads the air with fragrance during the night,
while in the day time the fragrance disappears,
but can be made perceptible by placing it in a
very dark room. It blossomed about October
1st, for the first time in this season, when I sent
you a plant, but which you never received.
We have no plants for sale, but if you think it a
novelty, we have two large plants, and would be
very happy to present you one in the Spring.
[This is Datura, or as it is called Brugmansia
arborea. It is a shrubby greenhouse plant, not
uncommon. It is a capital thing for blooming
out of doors in Summer time. — Ei). G. M.]

tons of coal to 1,000 square feet of glass, which
is better by three tons than any have done in
this vicinity. If any of your readers have done
better than this, let us hear from them. Any-
body interested wishing further information, we
shall be happy to give all we know.

[Hints like these from practical experience,
from any friend of horticulture, are always wel-
come.— Ed. G. M.]

HEATING HOTHOUSES.

BY R. G. PARKER & CO., BOSTON, MASS.

Not knowing whether you accept items from
unknown people, but thinking that perhaps what
follows might interest some of your readers, we
have ventured to mail it to you.

Our text, we would quote from Loudon's En-
cyclopedia: "Steam affords a simple and effec-
tual method of heating hothouses." Also, "The
disadvantages of steam, as a vehicle for convey-
ing heat to hothouses, are few." We presume
that the old gardeners and horticulturists gener-
ally will smile at our verdancy, but " the proof
of the pudding," etc., is very apt.

We have about 10,000 square feet of glass,
which is heated by a twenty-eight horse-power
steam-boiler, of a cast iron, sectional pattern,
called the ''Exeter boiler," made at Exeter, jST.
H. We chose this as it seemed to be best ad-
apted for our purpose, admitting of being easily
made larger or smaller. Being somewhat afraid
of heating wholly by steam, we laid 4-inch pipes,
the same as for hot water, and connected with
cast-iron heaters or boxes filled with steam
pipes, which were connected with the boiler.
The steam passes from the boiler through the
pipes in the heaters and back to the boiler again.
The 4-inch pipes are filled with water, as is also
the space around the steam pipes in the heaters.
Our fire is regulated by a steam damper, and as
we never need carry a pressure of over five
pounds of steam, there is no waste of coal and
no danger of explosion. We obtain our heat
much quicker than by the old method. We have
also two houses heated wholly by steam, which
works, so far as plants are concerned, full as
well as those heated by the 4-inch hot-water
pipes.

As to economy, we burned last season five

EUPHORBIA.

BY MANSFIELD MILTON.

As winter-blooming plants, some of the spe-
cies of this large genus of plants are very use-
ful, and ought to get more attention from those
requiring bright flowers during the dull season
of the year. They are of easy culture and will
I repay the labor bestowed upon them to make
them bloom abundantly. They are easily propa-
gated by cuttings which if shifted on as they re-
quire, will make large plants in a short time.
The soil I find most suitable for them is loam,
and a good sprinkling of thoroughly decayed
manure. Make it porous with a good addition
of sand.

E. Jacquineeflora is one of the best for pro-
ducing flowers suitable for bouquets and other
floral devices. It produces its flowers from the
axils of the leaves, along the shoots of the pre-
vious year's growth, forming beautiful floral
wreaths of an orange scarlet color. The plant
can be trained into any shape desirable by at-
tention to training and pinching off the shoots
during this season of growth. Planted into a
box'der, and trained up the back wall of a green-
house, they produce an immense number of
flowers during the season.

E. splendens is a rough looking plant, the
branches being closely set with stout spines.
The flowers are of a bright red color, and pro-
duced in clusters which are splendidly adapted
for bouquet making. It is also at home when
planted in a border, and trained up a trellis or
back wall, producing large numbers of flowers.

SALVIA SPLENDENS CCERULEA. (?)

BY PETER HENDERSON.

In response to the query of a correspondent,
in the January number, asking for some infor-
mation about the new blue Salvia splendens (?), I
beg to report as follows : In the spring of 1879,
a Boston florist sent me what he called a blue
Salvia splendens. When it came it was easy
to see at a glance that it was of an entirel}' dis-

1880.

AND HORTICULTURIST.

43

tinct species from S. splendens. It was planted
out in May, and by August it had got to a height
of eight feet and nearly as much in diameter, —
a coarse growing, weed-like plant, with an in-
significant spike of blue flowers, far from
" splendid."

I once was unfortunate enough in the earlier
part of my business career, to send out just such
another new Salvia. I happened to sell a plant
to one of my best customers, who gave it as a
valuable present to a New York friend, who
owned a 7 x 9 city yard. It soon took complete
possession. The city man thought his friend
had played a practical joke on him, and he in
turn emptied his vials of wrath on my head.

Another "blue" Salvia splendens was sent to

us by a "Western firm. This time we did get a

variety of Salvia splendens, but not a, blue, but

still a great acquisition, the variety being a rich

shade of crimson maroon, entirely distinct from

anything we had before seen in Salvia splendens.

The habit of growth and size of flower spike is

identical with the well-known Scarlet Sage,

and its crimson maroon color will make a fine

contrast with that variety. This new Salvia is

known as Mrs. Stevens, though it is well

worthy of a distinguishing botanical term. I

am not at all sanguine of ever seeing a variety

of S. splendens of the color of Salvia patens,

which is one of our best types of blue color in

flowers.

<••> ■

EDITORIAL NOTES.

The Wall-flower. — We saw in a green-
house recently an old fashioned wall-flower, and
its grateful fragrance carried us to the long ago
before ribbon beds, and masses of glare and glory
came to us, all that we cared to ask from Flora.
Queen Victoria, we wei'e recently told has them
grown by the hundreds especially for cutting for
the delightful fragrance they give a dwelling
room, — and Queen Victoria always had the rep-
utation of being a sensible woman.

Rose Laurel. — This is the name under which
the oleander goes in France. A great number of
varieties are cultivated there.

Tradescantia multicolor.— The common
Tradescautia zebrina is well known, and highly
appreciated. It is one of the best basket plants
we have. A new variety, far more beautiful,
under the above name, has appeared in Belgium
gardens, and has recently been the subject of a
colored plate in Reveu de V Horticulture Beige.

Tornelia fragrans.— Philadelphians are
familiar with a singular Aroid with excellent
eating fruit, and leaves all "riddled with holes,"
as Philodendron pertuosum. When reading
English gardening works they will recognize it
as Monstera deliciosa.^ The California Horticuh
turist now comes to hand with an illustration as
Tornelia fragrans.'"

Desigks of cut flowers. — These are often
made now so that at the end of a party the main
pieces can be broken up and distributed among
the guests. This calls for the whole design to
be made up of small bouquets, or still better, lit-
tle baskets of flowers. We notice that some
horticultural societies oflTer premiums for designs
especially to be made in this way.

^FiRES IN Greenhouses. — We have often
told our readers, as a lesson learned from careful
experiment, that wood will take flame ; not only
without actual contact with flame but also
by the long continued accumulation of a com-
paratively low temperature. We have seen
wood when connected with a flue, take fire fifty
feet from a furnace, and we have known a
wooden frame enclosing a hot air flue, in
which the thermometer did not rise over 75°
at the time of the enclosure, take fire three years
afterwards, though perfectly safe at the time of
the enclosure. Many years ago, by some acci-
dent the right man got into the right place as
Fire Marshal of Philadelphia, Mr. Blackburn.
He had keen powers of observation, and in one
of his annual reports he clearly showed that a
large number of fires in that city originated from
the steady accumulation of heat at low temper-
atures, and often at long distances from the
source of heat. We have recurred to this so
often that few persons probably, who have read
the Gardener's Monthly in the past, have
been burnt down by " defective flues." However,
it is well once in a while to renew these old top-
ics, and it may be useful to note what the
American Manufacturer says : "At the Crescent
Steel Works in this city a steam pipe 24 inches
in diameter, carrying from 90 to 100 pounds pres-
sure, was laid under ground about three years
ago, encased in common pine boards about one
inch thick. A few days since occasion was had
to dig up the pipe, and the whole length of the
wooden drain was found to be charred and ap-
parently burnt about three fourths of the thick-
ness of the wood, the other fourth being partially
rotted. The whole inside of the drain was

44

THE GARDENER'S MONTHLY

[February,

turned to charcoal, with here and there spots of
white ashes, showing that ignition had actually
taken place. It seems probable that if the cas-
ing had not been excluded from the air by the
earth covering it, it would have blazed and been
entirely consumed. It is generally believed
that a steam pipe cannot set fire to wood, but
this case seems to prove the contrary, and it
may explain the origin of many mysterious
fires."

Ornamental Grasses. — These are now very
numerous, but one of the easiest raised from
«eed, and a very pretty one, even when the hosts
of new candidates come before us, is the old
Quaking-grass, Briza maxima and Briza minor.

Floral Horse-shoes. —There is hardly any
telling where floral " taste" will bring up. Just
now it is the thing to have horse-shoe designs
everywhere. Cloven hoofs will be perhaps the
next thing.

Everlasting Flowers.— Many of the com-
posite flowers have dry involures, which retain
their form and appearance long after they have
been cut, and enter largely into winter ornamen-
tation of parlors and dwelling-houses generally.
There is now quite a good bit of them which
may be grown as annuals from seed sown in the
spring. In this connection may be named the
Acroclinium roseum, Helichrysum of many spe-
cies, Helipterum Sandfordi, Waitzia aurea, Xer-
anthemum annuum, and varieties Rhodanthe
Manglesii and Ammobium alatum.

Alyssum as a Basket Plant.— For baskets
in rather open sunny places, Mr. Vick finds the
Sweet Alyssum an excellent thing. Our readers
probably know that there is now a double va-
riety under culture. It is much superior to the
old kind. It has to be raised from cuttings, as
it rarely if ever seeds.

Chrysanthemums. — It was thought that
these had about reached the climax of improve-
ment, but by some new kinds we saw recently
in the grounds of W. K. Harris, of Philadelphia,
we learned that new beauty comes even here.

SCRAPS AND QUERIES.

Origin of Fuchsia Earl of Beacons-
field.— C. E. P., asks: "Will some of the
readers of the Monthly please inform me who
originated Fuchsia Earl of Beaconsfield ; in what
year was it raised? And between what varie-

ties is it a hybrid? I think that it is one of the
best and most free flowering of the new varie-
ties. It is a vigorous growing plant."

Flowering of the Catalonian Jasmine.
— A "Sub." says: "Is it intended that the Cata-
lonian Jasmine should bloom in Winter? If
so, will you please tell me in your paper what
course to pursue. I have tried in vain to make
one I have flower in Winter."

[It is one of the most popular plants with
florists who grow for winter flowers. Their
plan is to cut in the plants pretty well in spring
time, and then to plant out in the open ground.
They are carefully lifted and repotted in Sep-
tember, when the}^ flower delightfully all Win-
ter long.— Ed. G. M.l

AcHYRANTHUs Emersonii. — W. T. Bell
writes : " In reply to ' N,' who asks, in January
number for a description of Achyranthus Emer-
sonii, I would say that in habit and the shape of its
leaves, it is similar to A. Lindeni; but the
leaves are lighter in color, and the stem and
branches a beautiful pink, as in well grown
plants of A. Gilsoni, or Gibsoni, — which is cor-
rect? I consider Emersonii so superior to Lin-
deni, that I have entirely discarded the latter
variety. A. Hoveyi, so far as I have tested it,
is not so good as Gilsoni, which it resembles."

Names of Plants. — Mrs. S. E. P., says:
"Enclosed please find two plants to be named,
one of them I found in a collection of ferns, un-
named, and it resembles a minature " Arbor
vitfe." The other is a greenhouse shrub. The
flowers are pea-shaped, canar3^-yellow, and are
produced upon the ends of stiff" twig shorts.
The original plant was purchased at the Cen-
tennial Exhibition as a rare thing. Lastly, how
can I flower a "Mandevilla." I have a plant
grown from seed, three years old. It has a tre-
mendous growth every season, but has never
blossomed. Please inform me through the col-
umns of the Gardener's Monthly, and
oblige.

[The plant well characterized as a " miniature
arbor vitse" is Selaginella Willdenovii. The
other is the pretty Genista Canariensis, an old
but not common greenhouse plant. It is very
pretty and easily grown. — Ed. G. M.]

Diseased Cyclamens. — A Wilmington,
Delaware, correspondent, writes: "You would
confer a favor upon me, if you could enlighten
me on the following subject, either through the

1880.

AND HORTICULTURIST.

45

Gardener's Monthly or otherwise. I re-
ceived tlirough a friend in England, in Febru-
ary last, a packet of Cyclamen seed, procured
from a reliable firm, viz: Yeitch & Son, of
London. I sowed the seed at once, and I be-
lieve every seed germinated and grew. I potted
and repotted as they required shifting, till they
occupied five-inch pots, in which I intended and
expected them to bloom nicely, as the majority
of them had formed quite large corms, but all
through their growth the foliage more or less on
all of them had a crippled appearance, which
I hoped they would outgrow as they be-
came larger and sti'onger, but there is no im-
provement in them in that respect, and the flow-
ers which are now being produced, are imper-
fect and worthless on account of their deformity.
I never experienced any difficulty of the kind
before in Cyclamen growing, neither has any

disease of the kind come under my observation,
and therefore would be glad to be enlightened
respecting it. I would add, the root action ap-
pears to be all right, potted in soil, as I have
always found satisfactory in the culture of the
Cyclamen, viz: half loam, and half leaf mould
and sand in equal parts, with a moderate
amount of decomposed manure, covering the
drainage. I have got my old Cyclamen corms
potted in the same mixture of soil, and they are
perfectly healthy, although six and seven years
old. There are a good variety of colors in the
Cyclamens alluded to, but the trouble is they
produce deformed flowers. I enclose a few
leaves and flowers complained of for your in-
spection."

[The Cyclamen is subject to what is known as
the Verbena rust, and this is what ails your
leaves. — Ed. G.M.]

Fruit and Vegetable Gardening.

SEASONABLE HINTS.

At no time within our recollection has fruit-
growing been on a more substantial footing than
now. In amateur fruit growing it is well under-
stood that the kinds which may be best for a
market gardener, are not the kinds for him ; and
indeed the whole method of procedure in grow-
ing the fruits is very different from that which
the market man pursues. It is a great gain that
this distinction has been generally perceived.
And there is another gain which is to the advan-
tage of the market grower. About the time the
Gardener's Monthly came on the stage, the
teaching was rather general that anybody could
make money at fruit growing. Hundreds of
people were induced to embark in the business,
who hardly knew a peach tree from a gooseberry
bush, and who were ignorant of the very first
principles of business success. It was thought
a good thing by short-sighted people that money
was being invested in this way as tending to
clean out extensive stocks of trees. Things
seemed active. But the ignoramuses had to go
down, and those w^ho gloried in the early deple-
tion of stock, found that in the downfall of their
customers they were swamped. When the re-

action came, nurserymen were caught with im-
mense stocks and no buyers, and the prices of
trees fell below cost, and all had to suffer. But
the weak fruit growers are now mainly gone.
Those only remain who know just what they are
doing. The weaker nurserymen have also failed,,
and the "surplus " stock is about used up. The
business of those who supply fruit trees will be
healthy, and those who plant will reap success
in what they do. Altogether the outlook is
much more encouraging for permanent success
in fruit growing than we have known it for a long
time.

Passing to practical matters of immediate im-
port it may be noted that all fruit trees like a
rather dry, rich soil. On a cold, clayey bottom,
diseases are usually irequent. Do not plant
deep ; cut off tap roots, and do all you can to
encourage surface fibres. Surface manuring is
the best way of doing this after the tree is plant-
ed. Do not allow anything to grow vigorously
around your trees the first year of planting, nor
allow the soil to become hard or dry. Let trees
branch low, and prune a little at transplanting.

Pruning of fruit trees, w'hen required, should
be proceeded with at favorable opportunities.
We write when required^ for in our climate more

46

THE GARDENER'S MONTHLY

[February,

injury is done by tbe knife than by the neglect
to use it. Goosberries, for instance, are usually
ruined by pruning. In Europe it is customary
to thin out the centre well to " let in the sun and
air." Here it is the sun and air that ruin them,
by inviting mildew; and so the more shoots the
better. Our country farmers are the best goose-
berry growers, where weeds run riot, and grass
and gooseberries effect a close companionship.
Wherever, in fact, the gooseberry can find a cool
corner well shaded from the sun, and with a soil,
which is never wet nor yet by any means dry,
there will gooseberries be produced unto you.
The English kinds mildew so universally as to
be almost gone out of cultivation south of the
St. Lawrence. Nor, indeed, is it to be so much
regretted, since the improved seedlings of large
size and fine quality, raised from the hardier
American species, are becoming known, and
their merits appreciated by growers.

The rule in pruning grape-vines, is to shorten
the shoots in proportion to their strength ; but
if the advice we have given in former Summer
hints has been attended to, there will be little
disproportion in this matter, as Summer pinch-
ing of the strong shoots has equalized the strength
of the vine. Those who are following any par-
ticular system will, of course prune according to
the rules comprising such system. As a general
rule we can only say, excellent grapes can be
had by any system of pruning ; for the only ob-
ject of pruning in any case is to get strong shoots
to push where they may be desired, or to in-
icrease with the increased vigor of the shoot,
which pruning supposes will follow the act, in-
iCreased size in the fruit it bears.

In managing the vegetable garden the highest
.excellence should be aimed at. This is the chief
source of pleasure in a garden. If one can take
no pleasure in his garden, — if the watching of the
beautiful processes of nature in furnishing him
food — and the many lessons they teach him,
which he in a thousand ways can so pleasurably
and profitably apply, have no charms and attrac-
tions for liim, he had better give up gardening;
for assuredly, in most cases, — even to 99 in a 100
instances,— the market gardener will bring the
\V€getables to his own door cheaper than he can
grow them. Amateur gardening should prima-
rily be pursued for the lessons it teaches, and
the pleasure it affords ; when it ceases to do this
at should be abandoned. Of course mere farm
gardening, or gardening as a branch of market
business must be pursued very differently, and

what would be perfectly right and proper in
the amateurs' garden, will be utterly out of place
here. But there are some general hints that will
be applicable to both classes of growers, which
we may give here. .

In the Middle States the work for February
will, for the most part, consist of preparations
for future operations, and particularly for deal-
ing with the manure question. All those kinds
that are grown for their leaves or stems require
an abundance of nitrogenous manures ; and it
is useless to attempt vegetable gardening with-
out it. To this class belong cabbage, lettuce,
spinach, etc. The other class, which is grown
px'incipall}' for its seeds or pods, as beans, peas,
etc., does not require much manure of this char-
acter; in fact they are injured by it. It causes
too great a growth of stem and leaf, and the
earliness — a great aim in vegetable growing — is
injuriously affected. Mineral manures, as wood
ashes, bone-dust, etc., are much better for them.
For vegetables requiring rich stable manure, it
is better that they have it well rotted and de-
cayed. Nothing has yet been found so well
fitted for the purpose as old hot-bed dung :
though to the smell no trace of "ammonia" re-
mains in it.

One of our most interesting parts of a vege-
table garden is a hot-bed for starting seeds early.
The end of the month will be time enough for
those who have not command of a large supply
of stable manure, as the very low temperature
we often get at the end of the month soon ab-
sorbs all the heat the hot-bed possessed. It is in
any event best to put up the beds in the warmest
and most sheltered spots we can find, and to
keep cold winds from the manure, by covering
it with branches of trees or mats; and the glass
should always be covered with mats at night.
Tomatoes, egg-plants, peppers and cucumbers,
are the first seeds to be sown this way. Cooler
frames can be got ready for cauliflower, lettuce,
beets, celery and Early York Cabbage, a little
of which may be sown about the end of the
month for the earliest crop. The cauliflower is
a particularly valued vegetable, and no expense
spared to get them in perfection will be regretted
when one's eftbrts are successful.

In the open air, should the weather prove
favorable, as it often is about the end of the
month, peas and potatoes may be planted.
Frost seldom gets deep enough in new dug
ground to injure them after this date.

In the more southern States, the gardener will

1880.

AND HORTICULTURIST.

47

lose no time in getting in his potatoes, beets,
carrots, parsnips, peas, spinach, radishes, let-
tuce, onions, and salisfy. These should be the
first crops put in after the season breaks up for
good. The earlier they are in the better. As-
paragus, rhubarb and horse-radish beds may
now be made. Asparagus roots are generally
planted too thickly to produce fine shoots,— they
starve one another. A bed five feet wide should
have three rows, and the plants set about eight
inches apart. A deep soil is very impor-
tant, as the succulent stems require every chance
they can get for obtaining moisture. About four
inches beneath the soil is sutficient to plant
them. Rhubarb also requires a deep, rich and
moist soil. Horse-radish beds are best made
by taking pieces of strong roots, about one inch
long, and making a hole about a foot or fifteen
mches deep, with a dibble, and dropping the
piece to the bottom of the hole ; a clean, straight
root will then rise up through the soil. Crowns
or eyes are better than pieces of roots, — where
they can be had— and a rich clayey soil better
than a light, sandy one.

About the middle or end of the month, or still
later in the Korth,— say the middle of March,—
celery and late cabbage may be sown. Here,
we usually sow the second week in March.

In the Northern States, broccoli, and cauli-
flower when sown in March, as recommended, do
not head early enough in Fall. It should be
sown about the time of Early York Cabbage, in
the hot-bed, during this month.

COMMUNICA TIONS.

JAPAN PERSIMMONS.

BY H. F. HILLENMEYER, LEXINGTON, KY.

This new fruit has attracted a great deal of
attention lately, but those interested in the sale
of the trees, have been rather reticent as to
their hardiness. Glowing descriptions by Japan
travelers have been freely circulated, but the
exact latitude in which this new apple from the
garden of Hesperides might be successfully
grown, has been largely left to the conjecture
of sanguine planters. I confess to a weakness
for big persimmons, and fearing that my prec-
ious fruit trees " of the Gods " might be nipped
by untimely frost, like unto an unfledged Bart-
lett, 1 thought it prudent to shelter them in this
their tender infancy. Napoleon marched up
the Alps, and then down again, as was the fate

of a load of empty flour ban*els, which in kind-
ness of heart I trundled to my precious pets,
well knowing that in this country the breezes of
winter are not especially tempered to the shorn
lamb. But, alas, the same frost that had been
fatal to my forgotten figs, had likewise frozen
to the ground these " God-like " treasures.
Slowly and sadly we trundled them home, —
the flour barrels, — repeating vanity of vanities,
and solemnly reflecting that like unto the
bearded grain and tender flower that fall by the
reapers blade, so may likewise the Bartlett and
Persimmon, — the Persimmon mostly.

EDITORIAL NOTES.

Various Gardens. — When people read in
these days of the Kinder-Garten, they understand
tolerably well what kind of garden it is. But
we were not so sure about the " Kitchen Gar-
den" which is the momentary craze with the
young ladies of nothing-to-do who live about
Boston and New York. The old name " Kit-
chen Garden " has a very familiar sound, but it
proves to be "girls in the kitchen" and nothing
more. In the direct English of the olden time,
it would be " cooking," or " cookery."

Scraping the Bark of Trees.— There are
still discussions as to the value of scraping off"
the loose, dead bark of trees. Few of those who
speak against it seem to have had practical ex-
perience in the case. They argue that it is " na-
ture's plan of protecting trees from cold."
Those who have tried scraping off" this dead bark,
and washing the stems do not talk this way. It
is an excellent practice to produce good trees.

Patent Fruits. — A correspondent of the
Prairie Farmer tells that the Editor of the Gar-
dener's Monthly declines all discussion on
this subject. The exact truth is that we simply
declined to insert a letter from that corres-
pondent for reasons satisfactory to ourselves.
We have no room for three or four pages a
month, — and to be continued to all eternity.

Fruits in Pots. — The pot-culture of fruits is
still very popular in England. Peaches, Necta-
rines, Apricots, Plums and even Pears are kept in
large pots or tubs, and in cheap glass-houses.
They can raise many of these in the open air, —
but are more certain and have better fruit under
glass.

Root Pruning.— As a general rule fruit
trees do not urow more rank than thev ouaht

48

THE GARDENER'S MONTHL Y

[February,

to do. But if it be thought they are longer in
coming into bearing, root-prune them. The best
way to do this is to dig a trench two feet deep
around the tree, about six feet from the trunk,
filling in the earth again when finished. This is
the best plan of root pruning.

The Peanut. — Our Peanut plays no mean
part in the oil trade of Europe, judging by the
following, which we find in the Gardeners' Chro-
nicle. Our readers mostly know that the Peanut
is Arachis hypogeea.

" Large quantities of oil-seeds, such as Arachis
hypogsea, Sesamum indicum, Elteis guineensis,
etc., find their way, it seems, to Nantes, for the
manufacture of a household soap known as
'Marseilles soap,' from the fact of its first be-
ing manufactured in that city. This manufac-
ture was started about 1850 by a firm who have
since been most successful. At first they im-
ported direct the raw materials with which to
supply their factory, but branch houses have
since been established to purchase the oil-seeds
and oils direct from the natives on the West
Coast of Africa at Sawpit, Tamalamba and Mar-
ambo, and also at Coromandel,from whence the
merchandise is shipped to ISTantes, principally in
vessels belonging to the firm. The productions
of these works find their way in quantities into
the various departments of France. The oil-
cakes are sold principally to the Departments
of the Xorth of France, to the French colonies
and to England."

Tomatoes in England.— These must be get-
ting into some favor at length in England,—
when new English varieties are being advertised,
iSTisbet's Victoria is among the announcements
of the season. The fruit is represented to be
about the size of a good sized plum.

Dr. Wylie's Grapes.— These well known
and excellent hybrids have been placed in the
hands of Ed. J. Evans & Co., of York, Pa, for
propagation, with the view sometime of offering
them for sale for the benefit of the late Dr. Wy-
lie's family.

The Best English Strawberries.— In our
country " the best kind ever raised" of Strawber-
ries appear every year. It is remarkable that
in England, the country above all favorable to
fine Strawberries, they seem to have found per-
fection long ago. The Gardeners'' Magazine gives
the following as the best at present : Yicountess
Hericart de Thury, Sir Joseph Paxton, President,

British Queen, Elton Pine and Eleanor. These
are mostly a quarter of a century old. How
would a list of our kinds do made up of that pe-
riod,— say Burr's Pine, Hovey's Seedling, Long-
worth's Prolific, Peabody's Seedling, and so
forth ?

Almond Culture. — California has succeed-
ed so well in soft-shell almond culture, that the
European trade with America begins to feel the
pressure.

The Prentiss Grape.— This fine white grape
was exhibited at Rochester as it grew on the
vine. A branch twenty inches long, had seven
canes, on which were nineteen clusters weighing
seven pounds.

Apple for South of Baltimore.— An
American Farmer correspondent names the Lim-
bertwig as one of the best varieties for planting^
south of Baltimore.

Phylloxera in California. — Since this-
insect pest has found its way to California, the
grape growers are following the French in graft-
ing their plants on the varieties of the riparia
and cordifolia classes, the roots of which resist
the insects to a great extent. Of course our
readers know that the European race of grapes
furnish the varieties commonly grown in Cali-
fornia.

Grafting the Grape. — The American Wine
and Grape Grower — a recent venture, and de-
voted wholly to the subject of grape growing
with all that it implies — says well, that in graft-
ing the grape to resist Phylloxera, the graft must
be above ground, or the graft will take root,,
and its final condition becomes as bad as the
first.

The Foster Peach. — The Country Gentleman
says this is often replaced by the Early and Late
Crawford, but it is not the samej it is sweeter-
and higher colored.

A Large Cucumber. — A correspondent
sends in the following from Reynold's Newspaper
of London :

''Sir C. W. Oakley, Baronet, of Frittenden,.
has just grown a cucumber five feet long and a^
foot thick. Madame Tussaud will exhibit the
dream of the man who eats it for supper in the
Chamber of Horrors."

He asks " What do you think of it ? " We do-
not see why we should be asked this question,,
for the thing is big enough to speak for itself.

1880.

AND HORTICULTURIST.

49

Winter Tomatoes.— The forcing-houses at
Senator Cameron's, atLochiel, near Harrisburg,
have then- usual Winter's attractions in Cucum-
bers, Tomatoes, etc. On the 8th of January a
visitor informs us at least a bushel of ripe Toma-
toes could be had at one picking, not one of
the fruit being less than ten inches round. The
flavor of these forced tomatoes is singularly deli-
cate, and the flesh mealy. It is amazing that
more of our wealthy people do not have these
luxuries. Of course it takes skilled gardener^
like Mr. John Paget to do the
thing cheaply and well, — but such
good gardeners are generally to
be had if the proper steps are
taken towards finding them.

The Kibffer Pear. — A con-
temporary asks what evidence
there is that this is a hybrid be-
+ ,veen the Chinese Sand Pear,
and the ordinary garden variety ?
We like to have such questions,
for the guesses about hybrid fruits
generally have but slender ground
to rest on. It would be much
better if such plain questions were
more often put. In this case it
must be admitted that the evi-
dence is wholly circumstantial.
The Sand Pear has been raised
from seed about Philadelphia for
a great number of years, and as
far as we know never varied much
in its character which is that of
a large oval fruit, with the color,
form, and tough leathery tex-
ture of a quince. Now, among
Mr. Kiefi"er's seedlings, with the
leaves and general habit, as all
the seedlings have, of the Sand
Pear, it produces a fruit with
the form of the annexed cut, the rich glowing red
cheek of a first class Flemish Beauty, the delicious
perfume of the Sand Pear, and the rich melting
flesh of our best Garden Pears. Now it may pos-
sibly be that this is one of those sports of nature
which sometimes occur, and which in the past re-
sulted in the production of a Nectarine from a
Peach. It may be a question of great scientific in-
terest to decide whether it is a sport or a hybrid.
One thing is certain, it is just as different from the
ordinary Sand Pear, as if it were positively known
to be a hybrid, so that practically the question

is one of little moment. As a mere matter of opin-
ion, seeing how closely the original parent tree
and the ordinary Garden Pears were intertwined
we incline to the belief that it is a hybrid.

SCRAPS AND QUERIES.

Yellows in the Peach. — A Michigan
friend says : " You will see by the pi'oceedings
of the Washtenaw County Pomological Society,
that your views on the Yellows are somewhat

THE KIEFFKIl PEAK.

misunderstood as I think. I send you the Michi-
gan Farmer of the 9th inst., containing their pro-
ceedings. If you could find time to write out
what you think on the subject, or what you have
found out, it would be doing our fruit interest
some service and put an end to much useless
talk, a sort of epidemic from which editors suff"er
a great deal."

[It seems scarcely possible that regular readers
of the Gardener's Monthly can misunder-
stand the editor's views of the disease known as
" yellows" in the peach, and it is useless to follow

50

THE GARDENER'S MONTHLY

[February,

up the misconceptions of those who only get
their notions of his views at second-hand. If
anything more for our readers be necessary, we
might say that if any one examines a peach-tree
in the early stages of the yellows, he will find,
by the aid of a microscope, a cobwebby fungus
on the roots, which feeds on and destroys the
ends of the growing rootlets. He may take if
he chooses a shovelfull of this fungus-saturated
soil, and place it to the roots of healthy peach-
trees, and the following year these trees will be
diseased. There can be no doubt from these
experiments that this fungus, whatever it be, is
the cause of the disease. What the name and
history of the fungus is, has never been definitely
ascertained. Prof. Farlow has had the mycelium
in earth, watching its development, but has not
so far been able to determine its exact charac-
ter. We are inclined to believe it is an Agaric,
but our only reason for this belief is that a small
brown mushroom usually appears in certain sea-
sons under the trees infested at the roots with
the fungus. This, of course, is but a probability,
and will not satisfy exact science. Further, just
how the fungus works through the system is not
positively ascertained. Prof. Thomas Taylor,
formerly of the Department of Agriculture at
Washington, has found what he believes to be a
minute fungus, working through the structure in
connection with the yellows ; but whether this
has any connection with the root-fungus before
noted is not clear. Then there is evidence which
we think undoubted, that a peacii-stoue from a
diseased tree, dead leaves from a diseased tree,
the use of a knife which has been at work on a
diseased tree, as well as the shovelfull of earth
we have already referred to, from the roots of a
fungus-infested tree, will spread the disease ; and
all this is in exact accord with what we know of
minute fungoid life, and of nothing else. There-
fore, while we absolutely know from actual ex-
periment, that the root-fungus produces the yel-
lows, whatever its name and history may be, all
the facts connected with the development of the
disease show the probable connection with the
original root attack.

All that we see against this in the discussion
referred to, and others that have occurred in
Michigan lately, is that this " theory" is " per-
fect nonsense," and one gentleman reports that
he " examined the roots of a peach-tree with the
yellows, but he could not find any fungus." Ko
details are given. He may have had an idea of
finding a " fungus" as big as a puft-ball for any-

thing we know. It seems to us that such " opin-
ions" are not worth spoiling the paper they are
printed on, and it is no wonder our correspondent
suggests that editors suffer a good deal in decid-
ing what to do with them. — Ed. G. M.]

Apples and Pears in Eden. — A correspon-
dent says: "I copy the following from Ameri-
can Punch for December: "The Gardener's
Monthly has an article on the cause and cure
of pear-blight. The discussion on the apple-
blight is left, with great reason, to the attention
of religious journals and the pulpit."

[We suppose this is a reference to that cele-
brated apple which so badly blighted our first
parents, but then A. P. may remember that a
"pair" was blighted at the same time. — Ed.G.M.]

Improved Lemons. — Geo. C. Swan, of San
Diego, California, sends a sample of a seedling
lemon which he names the "Olivia." It is very
juicy, and thin-skinned, and these are good
points in a lemon. Large quantities of Califor-
nia lemons now appear in the Philadelphia mar-
kets from Southern California, and their im-
provement becomes a good object.

Selecting Grafts of Fruit Trees.— J. F.,

Keswick Depot, Albemarle Co., Va., writes:
"Will you be so kind as to favor me with your
opinion as to the value of grafts or scions taken
from the superfluous shoots and twigs of nursery
stock, pears and apples, from one to two years
old, from the graft, in comparison with those
taken from th^ extremities of the branches
(midway the trees) of thrifty bearing varieties.
What is the difference in time, if any, in begin-
ning to bear, and in bearing qualities of trees
raised from these different buds or scions?"

[Some of the Questions mentioned here, are
much like the "Which is the best hotel?"
among travelers. There are differences, but
after you have decided "the best," the other
one may be good enough for all general pur-
poses, ifow, a scion taken from healthy young
nursery trees we should regard as good enough
for anybody. If we were to plant an orchard,
it would probably not enter our heads to make
it a question. Yet if it is to be an abstract ques-
tion which may require some nice determina-
tion, we should certainly decide in favor of
the larger, healthy, bearing trees. As to the
time of the young trees coming into bearing,
all other things being exactly equal, the scions
from older trees would probably bear first. But
the chances of "all other things being equal,"
are not good, and we fancy different people
would have ditterent experiences. — Ed. G. M.]

1880.

AND HORTICULTURIST.

51

Forestry.

COMMUNICA TIONS.

PINE-TREE INSECTS.

BY WM. SAUNDERS, LONDON, ONTARIO.

The following, from the annual address of the
President of the Entomological Society of On-
tario, is from the Canadian Entomologist: The
City of Ottawa heing one of the great centres of
our lumbering interest, it seems fitting that I
should on this occasion call your particular at-
tention to some of those insects most injurious
to our pine forests. The losses occasioned by
the destructive work of borers in pine trees
both before and after they are cut are unfortu-
nately too well known to those interested in the
lumber trade, although the sufferers may not be
familiar with the life histories of their enemies
60 as to be able to recognize them in the various
stages of their existence. The lumberman suf-
fers from the work of a number of destructive
species, nearly all of which inflict their greatest
injuries during the larval stage of their ex-
istence.

There are three families of beetles in which
are included the greater number of our enemies
in this department. I allude to the longicorns
or long-horned beetles, Cerambj'cidse ; the serri-
corn or saw-horn beetles, Buprestidie, and the
cylindrical bark beetles, Scolytidse. To go over
this long series in detail would weary j^ou. A
brief sketch of the life history of a single ex-
ample in each family will serve as representa-
tives of the whole.

One of the most destructive of the species in-
cluded in the Cerambycidse is a large grey beetle
with very long horns, known to entomolog-
ists under the name of Monohammus confusor,
and popularly in this district as the "Ottawa
Cow." Where trees have become diseased from
any cause, or where a fire has ravaged a pine
forest, and scorched and partially destroyed
the timber, or where logs after being cut have
been allowed to remain a season in the woods
or in the mill yard — there these insects gather
and soon multiply to a prodigious extent. The
mature insect is over an inch in length; the an-
tennae of the male reaches the extraordinary
length of from two to three inches, while_those

of the female are shorter. The female lays her
eggs in the crevices of the bark, where the lar-
vae when hatched eat their way into the wood,
burrowing extensive galleries through the solid
timber; when mature they are large, white, al-
most cylindrical, footless grubs. They pass their
chrysalis stage within their burrows, and the
perfect insect on its escape eats its way out
through the bark. There are about a dozen
species in this family known to be destructive
to pine.

Most of the insects belonging to the family
Buprestidae may be recognized by their brilliant
metallic colors ; they have very short antennige
which are notched on one side like the teeth of
a saw, and are often hidden from view by being
borne under the thorax. Chalcophora liberta is
one of the most destructive to pine trees, and
its history is very similar to that of the long-
horned beetle just described, but the larva is of
a diflerent form, and has the anterior segments
or rings of the body very large, reminding one
of the appearance of a tadpole. The perfect
insect is about three-quarters of an inch long, of
a brassy or coppery hue, with the thorax and
wing-covers deeply furrowed by irregular lon-
gitudinal depressions. Dr. Fitch enumerates
twelve species belonging to this family which
are known to be injurious to pine. Additional
information in reference to these beetles may
be found in an article contained in the last an-
nual report of our Society, by Mr. J. Fletcher,
of Ottawa.

The cylindrical bark beetles, Scolytidte, are
also a numerous family, eight species of which
are known to attack pine. The boring Hylur-
gus, Hylurgus terebrans, is probably one of the
commonest. This beetle is about a quarter of
an inch long, of a chestnut red color, thinly
clothed with yellowish hairs, and is found during
the month of May. The larva, which is a small
yellowish white footless grub, bores winding
passages in every direction in the inner layers
of the bark of the tree, and also through the
outer surface of the wood.

In some parts of our Province pines are
greatly injured and sometimes killed by the
attacks of a woolly bark louse, which covers

52

THE GARDENER'S MONTHLY

[February,

parts of the trunk and branches with a white
cottony secretion, under the protection of which
myriads of tiny lice live, puncturing the bark
with their sharp beaks and exhausting the trees
by feeding upon the sap.

While we are mainly interested in the preser-
vation of our mature forests, the future of our
country demands that we shall not overlook the
young growth on which the lumber supply fifty
or a hundred years hence must largely depend,
and which it should be the policy of our rulers
to protect as far as possible. Most of the gov-
ernments of Europe are now fully alive to the
importance of this matter, and are annually
spending large sums of money in establishing
young forests. Two years ago I called your at-
tention to an insect then recently discovered by
Prof. A. R. Grote, of Buflalo, which was greatly
injuring the terminal shoots of both the white
and red pines in Western Xew York ; it was the
larva of a small moth, Nephopteryx Zimmer-
mani, which fed under the bark, causing a free
exudation of resinous matter from the wounds
it made, followed usually by the death of the
twigs infested. Since then it has been found
over a much wider area than was at first antici-
pated, and I have no doubt but that it is to-day
materially retarding the growth of young pine
trees in many portions of our Province.

At the recent meeting of the Entomological
Club of the American Association for the Ad-
vancement of Science (where our Society was
represented by your President and Vice-Presi-
dent), Mr. S. H. Scudder, of Boston, submitted
some observations on another lepidopterous in-
sect which is injuring the young pines growing
on tlie Island of Nantucket. It is a species of
Retinia closely allied to Retinia duplana of Eu-
rope. The moth lays her eggs near the tips of
the twigs, down which the young larvae burrow,
killing them outright, and thus stunting and al-
most destroying the trees. Prof. Comstock, of
Washington, also referred to two other species
of Retin°ia which he had observed injuring the
pine trees in that city.

In addition to all these there are a score or
two of species of insects which are known to
devour the leaves of the pines, damaging them
in some instances very much. From the facts
enumerated it is evident that we are suffering
serious loss in all our lumbering districts from
the silent workings of these insidious foes, and
since in some measure to be forewarned is to
be forearmed, I desire to call the special atten-

tion of those immediately concerned in the
prosperity, present and future, of the lumbering
interests of our country, to this important sub-
ject. Unfortunately it does not as yet seem to
be within the power of man to do much directly
towards restricting the operations of these ene-
mies to our forests ; yet this should not deter us
from studying their habits and history, since an
intimate acquaintance with these may result
much more to our advantage than we now an-
ticipate. A few trees, such as a belt, or a group
planted for shelter or ornament, may be pro-
tected from the leaf and twig destroyers by
syringing with a mixture of Paris Green and
water in the proportion of a teaspoonful to a
pail of water, and the bark lice may be killed
by the use of alkaline washes applied with a
brush or broom, and a timely application of the
same will pi'event the operations of the borers ;
but it is scarcely possible that such remedies
can ever be applied over extended areas of
forest. It is, however, gratifying to know that
in addition to the numbers devoured by our in-
sectivorous birds, that almost every injurious
species is in turn attacked to a greater or less
extent by insect parasites of the most active
habits, who seek out and destroy these pests
with ceaseless diligence ; were it not for these
friendly insects the destructive species would be
far more numerous individually than they now

are.

<••• — <■

EDITORIAL NOTES

Durability of Timber.— Questions of the
durability of timber require care in answering.
Almost any timber will last forever, " almost,"'
if kept perfectly dry, or always wet. In all coun-
tries are old buildings with all sorts of woods,
that have kept their timbers fresh for a thousand
years. It is the transition from moist to dry,
which encourages fungoid growth that destroys
timber. When, therefore, one man tells us that
he had a post of some tree which was just as good

for years as the day it was put in, and

another finds it rotten in half the time, we see
how both statements may be perfectly true.
There are some timbers that will resist these
alternations of circumstances better than others,
and this is what most people are after.

Durability of Wood. — The Scientific Amer-
ican says : "A correspondent sends a transverse
section of Osage orange wood cut from a stick

1880.

AND HORTICULTURIST.

53

which, to his certain knowledge, had been lying
for twelve years partly covered with earth in an
old meadow. The heart wood is in perfect pre-

of each of the stakes B F and C E, and find the
difference in their lengths or heights. Then pro-
ceed as follows: Divide the distance from the

servation. This timber, he says, is a rapid grower, ' trunk of the tree to the stake C E, say 100 feet,
and seems to be nearly imperishable in the | by the distance between the two stakes B F and
ground; and he suggests that it would pay rail- C E, say 10 feet; then, supposing the difference,
road companies to cultivate it for ties. Osage in the length of the two stakes is 2 feet, multi-
timber large enough for narrow gauge roads ' ply the product or dividend obtained as above by
would grow, he thinks,in from twelve to fifteen this difference, which will give 20 feet, and then
years from planting. Whether it would hold j supposing the height of the stake C ^ is 3 feet,
spikes well does not appear." add this to the 20 feet, which will make the height

[But this does not tell us how long the same I o^ the tree 23 feet.

timber would last as railroad ties. It makes a
■great difference whether a piece of wood is whol-
ly or partially covered. Cedar is dug up in Kew
Jersey, and has been dug up in Illinois, that has
been buried before the historic period, and found
to be just as sound as if but recently living. So,
near London, recently, oak logs have been dug
up that were used for corduroy roads by the Ro-
mans near two thousand years ago, perfectly
sound. It is the heat of Summer and the subse-
quent moist period that worries the ties, and we
want to know how they will act under tliese
•circumstances. — Ed. G. M.l

In case tlie ground is not level, the spirit-level
will assist you.

This mode of measuring trees is an adaptation
of our own, of a very simple problem in trigo-
nometry, to the purpose.

Rapid Growth of the Osage Orange. —
Prof. Sargent informs us that the Osage Orange
planted by Dr. Darlington, near his home in West
Chester, has lately been cut down. The trunk
which shows but 47 annual rings, girts

10 feet 3 inches.
8 " 8 "
8 " 5 "

S "

At 1 foot from the ground,
" 3 feet " "

" 5 " " "

" 7 "

A section of the trunk has been presented to
the Museum of the Harvard Arboretum.

Measuring the Height of Trees. — Just
now much space is given to this subject by our
contemporaries, — and it may serve a useful pur-
pose to give here a plan which was published by Ericine. — This new coloring matter is so
the writer of this many years ago. It is one of called because it is made from the wood of the

those cases where old things are as good as new,
— for geometrical rules are good for all times.

A very easy, simple and correct mode of meas-
uring the height of trees is as follows :

JS.

Measure any distance from the tree you choose,
say 90 feet, and plant a perpendicular stake B F
in the ground, of any height, say 5 feet ; then at
any distance, say 10 feet, from this stake, and

on the opposite side of it from the tree, plant i Mr. Allan's superintendence
another perpendicular stake C E, which must be
driven into the ground until the points E F G
are brousfht into a rangre. Measure the heights

Erica, or European Heath. It is also now made
from Poplar wood. It dyes a beautiful yellow.

The Difference in the Catalpas. — The
Western Rural tells a corresponaent that the
" tender" Catalpa is " tender in the west above
forty degress,"— and that the " hardy" Catalpa
is "hardy up to forty degrees."

Tree Planting in jSTebraska. — The Union
Pacific Railroad has made extensive plantations
of forests along its line in Isrel)raska. These un-
der the superintendence of Mr. J. T. Allan,
have been generally successful. The trees are
chiefly kinds native to the Rocky Mountains,
though Larch, Scotch Pine, and some fruit trees
haver also been experimented with. The regu-
lar hands of the road planted the trees under

The plan was to
plow up tracts of from two to five hundred acres,
sow with grass and clover, and set out the trees
at the same time.

54

THE GARDENER'S MONTHLY

[February,

Natural History and Science.

EDITORIAL NOTES.

Botany of California. — The first volume
was issued several years ago. The other vol-
umes are approaching completion. The work
of some of the coadjutors have been issued in ad-
vance sheets ; at least we have before us the
Oaks and Pines by Dr. Engelmann. From this
it appears that up to the present time, fourteen
distinct species of Oaks have been discovered
in California. These are Quercus lobata, Gar-
ryana, Douglasii, Breweri, undulata, (also in
Rocky Mountains) dumosa, oblongifolia, chry-
solepis, tomentilla, Palmeri, agrifolia, "Wisli-
zeni, Kelloggii, and densiflora. These Oaks par-
take rather of the Mexican than the Atlan-
tic characteristics of the family, and few proba-
bly will prove hardy on the Eastern part of the
continent. Of Abies (which in our gardens we
have hitherto known as Picea) there are five in
California, — bracteata, grandis, concolor, nobilis
and magnifica. Our old friend, Abies Douglasii,
is, however, now to be neither Abies nor Picea,
but " Pseudo-tsuga Douglasii." It is the only
Californian representative of the genus. The
true Hemlocks are Tsuga, of which Mertensiana
and Pattoniana make up all. Of Piceas, (our
old Abies) there is now but one, that which we
once knew as Abies Menziesii, this is now
Picea Sitckensis. Dr. Engelmann finds this to
be an earlier name than Menziesii, and though
this change will entail much trouble on nursery-
men, ic is a change which ought to be made, for
it is to the advantage of all of us that the rule
of priority should be inflexible. It is only be-
cause of the respect paid to it that we can get
along at all. Of the true Pines, Pinus, Dr. En-
gelmann finds fourteen in California. 1, Monti-
cola; 2, Lambertiana; 3, flexilis ; 4, mono-
phylla; 5, Parryana; 6, Balfouriana (of which
he now makes aristata a variety); 7, Torreyana;
8, ponderosa; 9, contorta; 10, Sabiniana ; 11,
Coulteri ; 12, insignis ; 13, tuberculata; 14, mu-
ricata. Of these, 14, 13, 12, are not hardy in
Philadelphia; 11, 10 hardy only when well
screened from wind, — the others do tolerably,
but suffer from fun^i.

Wearing out of Varieties. — F. G. says
"What is the received belief as to the wearing
out of varieties ? My Early Rose Potatoes do
not certainly do as they once did, and this seems
to be true of other kinds. Is it not the same
with fruits ? Please say decidedly, will varieties
wear out or will they not?"

[Yea, verily, varieties will run out, — and yet
again they will not run out. If your potato patch
has the potato stems bored by the Baridius, or
the leaves badly eaten by the Doryphora, or
blistered or burned by the Perenospora, or root-
ed out by the Homo before they are mature ; or
suffer in any way whatever injury to plant or
foliage, though to all appearances the "mur-
phies" may be excellent, there will be a certain
running out in a few years. But if your Early
Rose, or any other variety be perfectly sound
and healthy, — if your potato plant goes on grow-
ing from spring to the autumn, unto in short its
natural period of rest, flowering and fruiting its
little seed apples, as nature intended it should,
that variety will never "run out." They run
out from perpetual accumulations of weaknesses,
but not from anything in nature so far as we
know. — Ed. G. M.]

Science by the Rev. Joseph Cook.— This
distinguished gentleman loves to show up what
he regards as the weakness of many modern
teachers of science, but his lectures show that he
is very ignorant of the sciences he professes to
review. In a recent address, we have the follow-
ing choice bit, which, among a vast amount of
agricultural nonsense in regard to Colorado, will
make the botanist smile :

"Here grows the strangely nutritious buffalo
grass, which amazed me by its sweetness when
I plucked tufts of it near Cheyenne."

Those who have collected the Buchloe dacty-
loides have hardly found it at Cheyenne or any-
where high in the mountains of Colorado, for it
is a denizen of the plains, and the idea of " pluck-
ing tufts" of a creeping plant which rarel}' grows
more than three or four inches high, is as "amaz-
ing" as the "sweetness" which the Reverend
gentleman professes to have found. Whether
he ate the grass like Xebuchadnezzar in order to
ascertain its "amazing sweetness," or whether

1880.1

AND HORTICULTURIST.

55

he uses " sweetness" as some people would who
may talk of a rose or a carnation, is not clear, —
but he certainly found neither in the buffalo
grass.

Botanic Gardens. — A correspondent of the
London Garden says :

"I see that Mr. Meehan says ' the Cambridge
Garden is a long way ahead of anything of the
kind in America. The Bartram Gardens have
little to boast of but a few valuable old trees.
Fairmount Park has done wonderfully well con-
sidering how rarely a body under political influ-
ences comes to much. Mr. Shaw's garden con-
sidering that it is the work of one man's lifetime
is a rare monument of success. It could hardly
be expected to compete with an old institution
like Cambridge. In short, Cambridge well de-
serves the honor of being the best botanic gar-
den in the United States.' No doubt it is so, and
yet when I saw it, it was a poor ramshackle af-
fair made after the very poor models in Europe, j
and without a feature of any particular interest.
In this respect it differed much from some of the
public parks in America, which are quite equal
to anything in Europe."

Cambridge Botanic Garden, since it was le-
modelled under Professor Sargent's care, is any-
thing else, but the "poor ramshackle affair,"
the writer above quoted may have seen in the
past. But we wish chiefly to say that our refer-
ence to it was as a "botanic" garden, and had
regard to its collections of plants. If we were
to take beauty into account chiefly, Mr. Shaw's
garden is a very long way ahead of Cambridge.
Indeed as we have alread}^ said of Cambridge,
its chief defect to our mind is its adherence to
the old-time notions that herbarium arrange-
ments must be copied in the garden, and all
landscape beauty sacrificed to mistaken scientific
requirements. In this respect it is much better
than it was once, though still weak, — and yet it
is our best " botanic " garden.

Freezing of the Sap of Plants. — It is sin-
gular that arguments should still be continued
in the way they are. A very intelligent corres-
pondent of a contemporary concludes a very
good chapter on hardy plants by the following
conundrum :

" And now I come to the disputed point as to
whether any plant or tree is able to survive the
complete solidification of its sap by cold. Many
difficulties attend the practical solution of this
question, but my belief is that many kinds of
trees do survive, without injury, a complete
freezing of their sap in their bodies and limbs
for a longer or shorter time, according to cir-
cumstances."

As most trees will "bleed" at once after the
thermometer goes above freezing point, though
they may have been for weeks below zero, did
it never occur to those who believe the trunk
was a solid block of ice, that the tree must have
wonderful powers of thawing out? Completely
solidified liquids do not generally deliquate in
a few moments.

Deciduous Trees in California. — Refer-
ing to a statement by a correspondent of the
Gardener's Monthly, the California Horti-
culturist says, in some parts of San Francisco
deciduous trees have done well, and names Lo-
cust, Walnut, Maple and Ash as among the
successful kinds.

Batchelor's Buttons. — People who hanker
after easy common names, should be those with
plenty of money to spare. Then they can send to
their seed stores for " Batchelor's Buttons" and
get Gomphrena globosa, and then send to Eng-
land for Batchelor's Buttons and get a lot of
double Buttercups. Whenever he reads of
Batchelor's Buttons he can keep on sending his
money, and get something fresh every time.

The Atamasco Lily. — A leading English
horticultural journal gives this as the popular
name of Camassia esculenta. It belongs really
to Amaryllis Atamasco.

Literature, Travels \ Personal Notes.

COMMUNICA TIONS. will hereafter appear in these notes. To-day we

introduce a noveltj'' in American culture. M.

NOTES AND QUERIES-No. 9. Desire Corbin, a French gardener, selected the

BY JACQUES. growing of watercresses, and established him-

PFe aZZ Ztl-e <o Aear of original occupations sue- self at No. 517 Lebanon avenue, West Phila-

ceeding •, many things of value are neglected as i delphia, above Hestonville, where in a modest.

56

THE GARDENER'S MONTHL Y

[February,

way, always increasing, he began his labors.
Soon a market was discovered and a sale ready
for all he produced, and he soon added the cul-
tivation of Brussels sprouts, both articles esteem-
ed, particularly by foreign residents. He has
now commenced to compete for the mushroom
premium oftered by the lately President of the
Germantown Horticultural Society of fifty dol-
lars,— and he will earn it. Readers may look
out for a supply of this delicious edible, and if we
are not mistaken M. Desire's ambition will be
rewarded with all he could desire.

New use for soldiers. — Great damage to agri-
culture by swarms of grasshoppers in Hungary,
a large area being entirely devastated, " the
local authorities have been," says an authority,
"to apply to Budapest for military assistance, be-
sides availing themselves of that of the inhabi-
tants of numerous villages in the district." Is
not this a better use for soldiers than to employ
millions to kill other millions of men ? In con-
nection with the above, and to go from the sub-
lime to the ridiculous, will it be allowable to say
here that the gentle, quiet guards of our Park
might occasionally, if they choose, pull up a
mullein or a dock going to seed ; they don't seem
to appreciate the situation, passing the most
noxious plants hourly, till the seed is dispersed
for another and greater crop.

A Mr. White, says a Massachusett's paper,
"who is engaged in the pond lily business, has
picked 20,000 white pond lilies this season. Of
these 17,000 have been sold in Boston." A
horticulturist in New York takes orders from
gentlemen to supply vases every morning to lady
friends, and one in Philadelphia had such an
order to the extent of twenty dollars a day dur-
ing a courtship.

The Florida Orange raisers are reaping for-
tunes. Wine made from these oranges, three
years ago, now tastes like sherry. We are
not now writing of great operators like Baron
Reuter who took quick advantage of the tele-
graph's capabilities, and now lives like a prince
in a palace, with thousands to do him reverence,
but of more humble occupations within the reach
of humble means, etc.

The prodiLction of butter and cheese in this
country, is four times greater in value than the
yield of gold and silver mines.

Sixty Peach-packing establishments exist in Bal-
timore alone, some employing 800 to 1000 hands,
exclusive of tin can makers. This is an increase

beyond any calculation that could have Iieen
formed at the start.

The California Horticulturist has an article on
the Sierra forests, pointing out the great risk
there is of these magnificent forests becoming
denuded, " as they ai'e now and for many years
have been at the mercy of private greed and
public theft." America may wake up sometime
to melancholy facts, unless the exertions of pri-
vate planters continue effective. There are
cases where a paternal government is a great
good. The preservation of wood, planting the
cork tree, and many other examples should be
kept before the American mind. But what little
interest is felt by the great mass of our people
in these vastly important things, compared with
" Who shall be the next President?"

Progress. — We must take the editor of " Pro-
gress " to task. He "wants to know" why no
means are taken to produce a supply of mush-
rooms in this country. His reading has not
perhaps extended to the Gardener's Monthly
or to the proceedings of the Germantown Horti-
cultural Society. We are happy in the an-
nouncement in this number that preparations
are in "progress," and that the topic is not
new. Tons upon tons are sold every day in
Paris, and so will it is hoped, be here ere long.

Sad if True.— Mr. IST. S. Shaler in a thought-
ful article on "The Use of Numbers in Soci-
et}''," [Atlantic Monthly for September), comes
to the conclusion that whoever will follow the
subject of the wearing out of soils in the fields
of Europe and America will be convinced that
a progressive lowering of fertility in the soils
of the earth, has attended and must attend
the continued advance of man. America, he
says, is using or rather misusing in a year the
treasures that a thousand years have been
preparing. But what a wonderful provision
was made that they have held out so very long.
Keith Johnsoji. — The death of the j-^ounger
Keith Johnson, son of the great geographical
map and book author, is much regretted. He
was leading the Geographical Society's Expedi-
tion in Africa, and died of dysentery, 130 miles
inland. He came of a famous house, and had
done good work in South America. His death
is a real loss to scientific geography.

All who have traveled much lately, must have
remarked the improvements around stations and
the gardens distributed with taste at the water-
ing places, with the gradual introduction of flow-

1880.1

AND HORTICULTURIST.

57

ers. Examples ai'e found in many places, espe-
cially on the Pennsylvania Railroad, and the
great garden of Mr. Hoe}' at Long Branch. All
these are evidences of increasing civilization. In
short, one scarcely moves in any direction with-
out remarking increased comfort on the road
or at the hotel. Neat and easy chairs meet a
great w^aut of the aged and the invalid; increas-
ed ventilation of cars ; more freedom from dust ;
and, let us hope, more civility marks the new
era. There is something yet to learn, and we
may hope that if the attractions of travel unset-
tle the lover of a country home, with its wealth
of flowers and fruits, we may meet abroad with
what gives a charm to life. What, for instance,
more charming than to alight at a station and
find it adorned with magnolias, or the Hydran-
gea paniculata, the former early bloomers and
the latter coming in August and lasting till frost,
with its large panicles, white at first and turning
to a delicate red as the days go on. Depend up-
on it, those railroads that pay a little and not
costly attention to these minor details, will find
their exchequers tell a good story. This atten-
tion to the feelings of aesthetic culture not only
gives pleasure to the traveler, but prepares him
on his return to imitate and try to excel. Is
there anything that costs so little as flowers and
trees, that makes life so much of a pleasure ?

A Year in a Lancashire Garden, by Henry A.
JBright, is a gem from the press of Macmillan.
It is English, but many of its remarks apply to
all garden-loving people. Nowhere is the art of
gardening brought to such great perfection as by
the English, who are strong in horticulture and
strong in poetry ; the poet's song adds perfume
to the violet and a beauty to the rose. This Mr.
Bright thinks is neglected by gardeners in these
■days of "bedding'* stuff, which he hopes may
•disappear before any poet undertakes to cele-
brate it in song. He says, "I am heartily weary
of the monotony of modern gardens, with their
endless pelargoniums, calceolarias and verbenas.
Some few such beds I cannot dispense with, but
I am always glad when I can reclaim a bed for
permanent use."

EDITORIAL NOTES.

Editorial Letter. — Now, when the snow is
•on the ground,! look back on some of the pleas-
ant experiences of the past Summer season,
when I have met the friends of the Gardener's

Monthly in many pleasant places; I think over
the many interesting experiences, and wonder
when I may be permitted to go over the ground
again.

It was one lovely morning in June last, that
I emerged from the palace car to the platform
to find myself passing the pretty town of New-
port, by the Tuscarora Mountains, on the line of
the Pennsylvania Railroad. The road-bed bal-
lasted with broken stone, was therefore entirely
free from dust, and rendered the position a par-
ticularly enjoyable one. The sun just peeping
over the hills, lent a peculiar brilliancy to the
Red Maple leaves, and the little clouds of mist
which the sun was still powerless to lift over
the mountains tops, floated around into the little
hollows above the Juniata and in the mountain
sides. Nothing possible could be more beauti-
ful than the scenery in this part of the world.
As the train winds around the mountain sides,
every possible variety of surface comes into
view, — now we look up at the trees in the
clouds, and now we are attracted to some little
meadow scene several hundred feet below. All
around, every where, a singularly beautiful style
of vegetation abounds. Now we pass immense
clumps of the Red-berried Elder, with its rich
currant-like fruit mixed with the white flowers
of the common or Canadian Elder, which is
only just coming into bloom. Then there may
be large tracts in which the principal feature is
aflTorded by the Lady Fern, which seems to be
particularly abundant in the Alleghany Moun-
tains. Then the Rubus odoratus with its showy
red flowers thrusts itself, but not unwelcomely
on our attention. Spirsea Aruncus, with its
white feathery spikes, quite as pretty as the
plumes of the pampas grass, abounds ; and what
shall we say of the Kalmias, Rhododendrons,
and plants of that class ? But I will stop imagi-
nation here to express my astonishment at see-
ing a magnificent "forest" of Rhododendrons
growing in limestone. I should like to have
had the man there that started the idea that
Rhododendrons will not grow in limestone soil.
Well, there was at length Pittsburg and Alle-
ghany City, and again had to note how remark-
ably well the much abused Ailanthus thrived as
a street tree amidst the almost indescribable
black smoke of the Iron City. It seemed to be
a universal favorite. Indeed there were few of
any other tree. We pass through a very beauti-
ful park at Alleghany City, with a huge prison
in the centre, about which, if I mistake not, the

58

THE GARDENER'S MONTHLY

[February,

Alleghanians are much moved. As in many other
places they get up popular cries for spending
money, moving a building for some reason, to an-
other place where first the same reasons prevail,
with little other good resulting but spending a
huge pile of money. Some S700,000 have been
spent in moving a prison because the site was
not healthy, when the same spot becomes a
prison of another sort again. It is not simply
"parks and gardens" which find the weak men
in the good places. The gardening in the vicin-
ity of Pittsburg and Alleghany is very good,
considering that there are no landscape gar-
deners with anything more than local fame
about there, and its architectural beauty is gen-
erally very good indeed. But as we get towards
and into Ohio, good gardening did not afford
remarkable illustrations. I remember how
much the architectural beauty of the City of
Alliance impressed me, but the gardening
was of the meanest possible character. Of
course there must be some exceptions if one
had the opportunity to go about and search for
them, but there was abundant opportunity for
good gardening in many places under the im-
mediate eye of the traveler, which in many
cities with as much taste and wealth as the ai--
chitecture exhibited, that would have been taken
hold of to better purpose than here.

It is interesting to note how some weeds are
as choice in their selections of new homes as
some men are. Here, in Pennsylvania, the
European Ranunculus bulbosus is the common
Butter-cup of the meadows, and though the
Ranunculus acris is found occasionally, it is
never abundant ; but in Eastern Ohio, this Ra-
nunculus acris is the prevailing Butter-cup, —
the other being rarely if at all seen in the fields.
The European Yellow Charlock, or field mus-
tard is also a very common weed in Eastern and
Northern Ohio. When the traveler gets to
Cleveland, he not only finds nice houses, but
nice gardens, and considerable taste displayed
in public grounds, and garden neatness every
where. But even here one could not but be im-
pressed with the fact that gardening knowledge
was very far from being up with the times, or
at least with the abilities of modern landscape
gardening. Nice lawns, well kept walks and
roads, and handsome trees abounded, while
there was a profusion of flowers in most places,
giving a gay and cheerful aspect to the city
homes. But there was very little if any desion
anywhere, or attempts to derive the pleasure

which the study of true taste in gardening
affords. Every garden would have a few Nor-
way Spruces, some few common ornamental
trees, some shrubs or flowers; but just for what
reason they would be planted in any one place
rather than in another, it would be hard to tell.
The lack of variety also was remarkably ap-
parent, and indicated rather the work of the
tree peddler than the intelligent selection of the
landscape gardener. In the matter of climbing
or creeping vines for instance, the Virginian
creeper was everywhere, but nothing else out
of the many dozens of nice things that might be
had. In \\\y drivings and wanderings about the
city, I must have seen many hundreds of vines,
but besides the Virginia creeper saw but one
other, a scarlet coral Honeysuckle in a poor
man's garden at the end of Euclid Avenue.

This avenue is the popular " rus in urbe " of
the well-to-do Clevelander. I think it must run
from the heart of the city out perhaps twenty
miles. Nearer the city the pavement is of
smooth flag stones, then comes to the curb about
fifteen feet in width of grass, which is kept
neatly mowed. The street is lined with maples,
elms, and others, and the whole affords a very
pleasant drive. The laying out of the street
was very judicious as a real estate speculation.
On one side the lots are comparatively shallow,
on the other side of the Avenue they range
from three or four to even six acres. These
last being mostly occupied by very wealthy
people have very nice places; while those who
can afford only the smaller lots on the other
side, have a good view of the pleasant scenery
opposite, and will pay much more for a small
lot than they would under other circumstances.

Of the places individually there are some on the
avenue that merit much more credit than the
general criticism already given would indicate.
Some of these I made brief visits to. A very
fine grapery is owned by Col. Harris, in which
the foreign grape is very successfully grown.
Mr. J. H. Perkins, a leading banker of the city,
occupies about six acres in a beautifully laid out
garden. A small stream of water runs through
the centre, and we pass on through a succession
of rocky steps, fern-covered slopes, fish ponds,
rock work, from shade to sun and sun to shade,
in a very agreeable succession of rural objects.
In some places the shelter by close planting is
so complete, that the yew and other plants
usually esteemed but half hardy at best, bends
down and covers the water as well as in ever-

1880.

AND HORTICULTURIST.

59-

green-blessed England. There are greenhouses
and other floral luxuries on the place which is
on the whole a very charming one. Mr. Geo.
Morgan is Mr. Perkin's gardener, and we found
him one of a high degree of intelligence.

Mr. Wade has also beautiful grounds; a drive
going completely around it. There are here
graperies and greenhouses, and a very comfort-
able looking gardener's house on the grounds.
The most pleasant of my recollections here are
some remarkably beautiful Hemlock, Spruce
and Pyrus japonica hedges, and I must not for-
get the amazingly healthy and beautifully
fruited cherry trees. Cleveland is, however, the
paradise of the cherry. Trees bending under
the weight of fruit are everywhere. Everybody
has them. Even the poorest looking yards
have one or two cherry trees. Somewhere near
here — perhaps on these grounds — I saw a mag-
nificent specimen of Pinus Mugho, and a large
golden willow, and I gave thanks that some one
had varied the eternal Korway Spruce, and the
Maple, which however beautiful in themselves,
one does not want to meet for ever. Also some
person whose name I did not learn, had made
some break in the everlasting sameness, by
making belts of clipped Korways, box, and
some things which were pleasant to see by way
of change.

The florists and nurserymen, though with no
great variety in their stock, seemed to be mostly
prosperous. I made hasty calls on Sked, Pad-
dock & Co., Harris Jaynes, G. Probeck, and
James Eadie, all of whom seemed prospering.
Since Dr. Beaumont's death, his nurseries have
not been pushed, and the much respected Mc-
intosh, though I found him hale and hearty for
his age, is pushing neither. Case, whose melan-
choly death has just been recorded, had a very
live nursery under Mr. Wiegel's management.
Few men did so much to benefit the city as .Mr.
Case, and it is to be looped his nurseries will
still go on and flourish. Mr. Eadie has about
ten acres in his nursery, which are worth proba-
bly about $2000 an acre at the present time, but
his chief lines are in growing plants for market,
wholesale and retail. The Fuchsia is the favor-

are very interesting to a garden-loving stranger.
Wade's Park is a beautiful piece of ground.
It is freely given to the city's use by the liberal
owner. It is chiefly natural woods with dense
undergrowth and very varied surface, with rocks
and rills, and log bridges, and other accessories
of the rural plentifully distributed through it.
Art has done much in carrying roads through it,
as well as spoiling the effect by planting numer-
ous belts of Norway Spruces all along the roads,
for somehow a lot of iTorway Spruces in a wild
American oak and birch wood detracts from
the great natural beauty which otherwise im-
presses one. Lake View Cemetery has a strik-
ing monument to the memory of Jeptha H.
Wade. Like the best of Cleveland's progress-
ive citizens, he was the architect of his own for-
tune. From a telegraph operator to a million-
aire, but his millions chiefly spent in making
the fortunes of hundreds of others in the city.
This cemetery is remarkable for the beauty of
its undulating surface, and the landscape gar-
dening can scarcely be anything else but good ;
but the same defect, want of variety in the
planting exists here, as so often elsewhere.
Clump after clump of Scotch Pines meet one
everywhere, as if the company had bought out a
lot of them on some cheap speculation, and was
glad of some reasonable excuse to get rid of them.
Lake View Park— a sort of narrow drive along
the river bank,— is perhaps a quarter of mile long,
and aftbfds a pleasant spot for the pedestrian as
well as for the equestrian visitor. The drive
is low down towards the lake shore, the other
side from the road being elevated, and grass
kept neatly, and grottoes, clumps of shrubs, and
shade trees used to ornament it. The broad
promenade at the top, looking down on the gar-
dens, the carriages and horsemen, and the huge
lake below, has a very good effect indeed, and
renders it a very pleasant spot for the Summer
evening saunterer from the more busy haunts
of business, and " hum-drum " of every day life.
A short visit to the home of our old friend
Dr. Kirtland affords an interesting reminiscence.
The pretty country house is still in the posses-
sion of Mrs. and Dr. Pease, his daughter and

ite Cleveland pot plant, and of these Eadie | son-in-law. The originals of his still famous
grows thousands. Mr. W. J. Gordon has one of i cherries are in many cases still standing,
the finest private gardens and parks in Cleve- and also are his magnolias and many other
land; but by a misunderstanding with some rare things on which he prided himself so much,
friends as to time, I was disappointed in getting Among the rare trees are some fine specimens
to see it. " of the European Silver Fir, and in the borders

The public parks and cemeteries of Cleveland ferns and rare herbaceous plants. It was a

60

THE GARDENER'S MONTHL Y

[February,

great pleasure to find his descendents pridino-
themselves on preserving the various memen-
toes of this distinguished horticulturist and man
of science, as well as taking an intelligent in-
terest in them for their own sake.

How brief must a letter like this be ! All one
can do at best is to hint that much may be seen
if he but keeps his eyes open, and perhaps to
tell that if people would only go to Cleveland,
they could find many things worth seeing that
I have not room to tell about.

Our Twenty-second Year — Thanks to
OUR Contributors. — Entering on the twentj--
second year of our labors with the Gardener's
Monthly, we cannot forbear our thanks to our
numerous contributors, by whose generous aid,
we have been able to make American Horticul-
ture respected by means of our pages, all over
tlie world. The editor often thinks if he were
at the head of some serial where the publishers
charged four or five dollars a year, instead of
two, and could then divert some of it to a fund
for the employment of those busy pens which
cannot afford time to send notes of their experi-
ence under any other plan, he might perhaps be
surrounded by "a galaxy of able names" that
would give much brilliancy to his work. But
when he thinks of the great number whom a two-
dollar magazine reaches, that could not afford a
more expensive one, he feels satisfied to go on
in the humble field of usefulness, as he has done,
and leave the more brilliant situation to others.
After all, the numerous brief notes from actual
workers and thinkers are no less useful than the
studied and labored eft'orts of distinguished pens.
The immense numbers of these received by the
Editor, have in a great measure made the maga-
zine what it is,— and in the hope that they will
be continued as heretofore, he enters cheerfully
on the second twenty years of his labors.

Typographical and Grammatical Slips.
Some of the correspondents of the Gardener's
Monthly keep a sharp look out for the little
slips which in hurried periodical writing, are al-
most unavoidable. But we often wonder why
the same acuteness is not displayed towards
other journals. The errors in other quarters, es-
pecially in European papers are^marvellous, —
but it is extremely rare that any corrections are
offered. We are always glad to correct, and are
thankful for the corrections ; but think our
friends might do a little of it elsewhere. For
instance, some one might ask a respected con-

temporary which has recently given a portrait
and biography of Colonel Wilder, and reports
that the good Colonel has " re-married twice,"
whether it means that he has had three wives ?

Illustrated Catalogues. — These are now
so common and so beautiful as to be generally
beyond criticism, — but once in a while we notice
some surprising ones. Hei'e is one of the very
highest firms before us, in which something like
a huge tobacco plant does duty for " mustard,"
and a sort of .young kidney-bean is the " cress."
The "corn salad" may be all right, though it
could be used on a pinch for an over-grown mul-
lein. The " endive" if inverted can be used
some time as a swallow's nest!

Boyle's Nurseries, Philadelphia. — For
a long, long while, Boyle's greenliouses have
had a good local fame in Philadelphia, though
not known much beyond. They now pass into
the hands of Mr. John Donn, one of the many
enterprising men whom Mr. Henderson trains
up, and we are sure the new addition to the flor-
ists of Philadelphia will be welcomed by them,
and prove to the city's interest in every way.

Health of Colonel Wilder. — It is grati-
fying to note that for the first time since his ac-
cident. Col. Wilder presided at a public meeting
— the annual meeting of the iN'ew England His-
torical Societ}'^, — on the 7th of January. His
eloquent annual address was fully equal to any
of his former efforts.

Mr. Peter B. Mead. — This gentleman, for-
merly Editor of the Horticulturist, is on the pro-
gramme of the New Jersey Horticultural Society
which was to have its meeting on January 15th.
The subject Mr. Mead discussed was " The cul-
ture of plants in our living rooms."

Charles Downing. — Mr. Hussman in the
Rural World, gives a pleasant sketch of a visit
to Mr. Downing, whom he describes as compa-
ratively hale and hearty, though so far advanced
in years.

Col. M. p. Wilder. — The number just is-
sued of the Biographical Encj'clopsedia of Mas-
sachusetts, contains a beautiful portrait, and an
appreciative sketch of the life and services of
our distinguished friend.

The American Entomologist. — This ma-
gazine suspended nine years, has been revived,
with Prof. C. y. Riley as editor-in-chief, and Mr.
A. S. Fuller as associate editor. It will in fu-
ture be published in New York, at $2.00 a year.

1880.

AND HORTICULTURIST.

61

The first number of the new series is now before
us. Botany, Ornithology and other brandies of
science will be touched on when the subjects have
relation to Entomology. Entomology is a won-
derfully extensive field, and though there are
several magazines on our continent devoted to
this branch of science, there is probably room
for the successful existence of all of them.

EuCALYPTOGRAPHiA. By Baron F. Von
Mueller, Melbourne, Australia. — The third " de-
cade " or ten illustrations of this fine work is
now before us. "We have here figures and des-
criptions of the following species : Baileyana,
capitellata, gracilis, maculata, obliqua, pauci-
flora, pilularis, piperita, polyanthema, populi-
folia.

Tea Culture. By Wm. Saunders. Issued
by the U. S. Department of Agriculture. — This
gives a full history of Tea and Tea culture. In
America, attempts at Tea culture have been
made certainly since 1828. No real attempt of
consequence was made till 1858, — but with the
subsequent political disturbances, no one could
expect much to be done. Since the present com-
missioners came into office, much has been done
to encourage experiments, and Mr. Saunders
shows very clearly that there is no reason what-
ever why Tea culture may not be a complete
success in the United States, when the subject is
understandingly pursued.

Correspondence Botanique. From Prof.
Morren, Leige, Belgium. — This is the seventh
edition of this very useful list, which comprises
the names of all the managers of botanic gar-
dens and leading botanists of the world. It is
pleasant to see the United States so well repre-
sented in the botanical fraternity. Though some
more might be fairly added, it is a wonder that
such a work should be so full as it is.

Brookes' Texas Almanac. M. Strickland,
Galveston, Texas. — This must prove a very use-
ful work to those intending to settle in Texas,
or who are in any way interested in the State.
It tells all about hedges, geology, fruit culture,
raih'oads, wool growing, the newspapers, — in fact
almost everything relating to the agriculture,
commerce and government of Texas.

Dairy Farming. By J. R. Sheldon, Part 6,
jSTew York : Cassell, Petter & Galpin.— We have
already noticed this beautiful work. The part
before us has for its colored illustration, "Le-
guminous plants and weeds." Among them is

the Alsike clover (called here meadow-clover),
Trifoliuni medium; also. Hop-trefoil, Lucern,
Birds-foot trefoil, Millfoil, Rib-grass, and other
things. The text in this number is devoted
mainly to the geological formation of soils, — also
a chapter with illusti-ations on underdraining.

Illustrated Annual of Phrenology
FOR 1880. S. R. Wells & Co., K. Y.— Among
other interesting matters are some good horti-
cultural items, particularly illustrations of Aus-
tralian Tree Ferns and Zamias.

Death of the Founder of the Garden-
er's Monthly, Daniel Rodney King. —
This well known lover of Horticulture died at
his residence at Roxboro, near Philadelphia, on
the 13th inst., aged 62 years. For some years,
he has iteeu in feeble health from paralysis,
though naturally of a strong and vigorous frame.

He was descended from the old family of the
Rodneys, famous in the history of the revolution,
and before the war for the Union was at the
head of one of the leading manufacturing estab-
lishments which had its chief support from the
Southern States. Much of his wealth was de-
voted to gardening, and his home was celebrated
for rare and beautiful plants, and the taste dis-
played in their arrangement. He was one of
the leading supporters of the Pennsylvania Hoi--
ticultural Society in its best days, was for many
years its President, and it was chiefly through his
exertions that the magnificent Horticultural Hall
was built, — a building which is one of the boasts
of the citizens of that great city. The idea of
establishing the Gardener's Monthly wholly
originated with him, and his money sustained it
for several years, until it was able to go alone.

The breaking out of the war was a serious-
blow to him. He had been extremely liberal
with the Southern people, and extended to them
heavy and extended credit. These debts due-
him were all appropriated by the Confederate
government, and was a serious blow to him, and
which with the loss of the market for his goods,
gave him, financially, a blow from which he
never recovered to any extent that would war-
rant him in devoting much to horticultural luxu-
ries, though to the last he preserved a lively
interest in all that was going on.

The idea of establishing the Gardener's
Monthly originated solely from his love of the
subject, and without the slightest idea of making
any money by the venture.

At that time the leading horticultural maga-

62

THE GARDENER'S MONTHLY

[February,

zine was issued at S4.00 a year, and he believed
that horticulture would be served by a cheap
eerial, which, while being intelligent, should
yet be able to reach the multitude where the
higher priced periodicals did not go.

The war interfered somewhat with this plan,
as it did with so many others, and the magazine
had to change its course slightly ; but it has been
able to follow tolerably well, considering all
things, in the path marked out by its generous
founder, and the many thousands who in the
past have enjoyed its pages, and the many whom
we hope will for many years continue to enjoy
them, will not forget to whose forethought they
have the work.

Ever foremost in every good work for the
benefit of his fellows, and for the good of his
<;ity, we feel sad at the thought that such as he
must go so soon, and so many useless lives left
behind ; and yet it is only by comparison with
the common run of mankind that we are able to
see in such men as D. R. King, how much is lost
by the death of such a husband, father, citizen
and friend.

Ammon Burr. — We have only recently learn-
ed of the death of this well-known horticulturist,
who died at Dallas, Texas, in the Spring of last
year. His wife and daughters are still keeping
•on the florists' business, in the old place near
the city of Dallas.

Mr. George Gordon.— This gentleman, for
man}'^ years Superintendent of the Royal Horti-
cultural Society's gardens at Chiswick, near Lon-
don, is among the recently deceased. He is best
known to our readers as the author of Gordon's
•"Pinetum," which in a measure filled a great
want. Botanically it was an imperfect work, —
but it did more to make a knowledge of coniferous
trees known among people generally than any-
thing that preceded it, and horticulturists have
always been grateful to him for it.

Those Plant Patents. — Though we have
■often given reasons for believing that " patents"
for new plants are both impolitic and impracti-
cable, it may serve a good purpose to give the
following pithy chapter from the New York
Weekly Sun, edited by Mr. A. S. Fuller:

" From a pretty close and familiar acquaint-
ance with the various new fruits that have been
raised in this country during the past thirty
years, we think the originators have i-eceived very
good prices for them, and in a majority of in-

stances five times their actual value. N^early all
the new grapes have been retailed for the first
two or three years, and even longer, after intro-
duction, at from S2 to S5 per vine ; strawberries
at from $3 to S5, and even $10 a dozen ; and new
potatoes, like Early Rose, at SlOO a bushel,
while in one instance, $50 was given for a single
tuber. If we remember right. Dr. Grant paid
$1,500 for the original vine of the Eumelan
grape, and Mrs. Rebecca Peak obtained as much
or more for the Rebecca, and we think the most
ardent champion of patents in horticuture will
admit that these sums were in excess of what the
varieties named were worth, except for specula-
tive purposes. We might name scores of similiai
instances of exorbitant prices paid to originators
of new plants that proved upon propagation and
dissemination to be of little or no value.

Really choice and valuable fruits, vegetables,
and plants always have commanded and proba-
bly always will command good paying prices, but
the poor and worthless will scarcely find a mar-
ket, even if they are patented. We have endeav-
ored to show in former articles that the granting
of patents for plants was entirely impracticable,
I owing to the great rapidity with whicli some
kinds can be propagated ; when these are once
sent out, the idea of following or collecting a
royality is simply ridiculous.

But even this is not the worst feature of this
proposed patent scheme, and we would like to
have its friends tell us where they are to get a
board of examiners to decide whether a fruit or
other plant was really a new one or not. Men
who have devoted their entire lives to the study-
ing of horticulture are certainly better qualified
to pass upon such products than those who do
not know one kind of pear or apple from ano-
ther ; and still if we look over the synonyms of
nearly every variety that has been in cultiva-
tion twenty or more years, it is quite evident
that there has been some trouble in getting
them properly identified

Only a half dozen years ago two of our oldest
and presumably most learned and experienced
pomologists, together with a Professor of Bot-
any, visited Detroit, Michigan, as a special com-
mittee to decide upon the merits of the Mexican
ever-bearing strawberry, and they not only re-
ported it a new variety, but actually a new
species. It was named Fragaria Gilmani, but
it subsequently turned out to be the old monthl}^
ever-bearing, red Alpine, which had been culti-
vated in Europe and this country for nearly a

1880.1

AND HORTICULTURIST.

63

century. A change in the method of culture, in
the soil and season produced such an effect upon
the plants that they were scarcely recognizable
by our most learned experts.

Similar temporary variations occur with all
kinds of fruits and plants, and the greatest hor-
ticulturist or botanist that ever lived is very like-
ly to be misled by them, and to pronounce old
and familiar plants to be new varieties. No
such difficulties exist in the identifying of me-
chanical inventions, or even the principles of
mechanics, for the models, drawing, and speci-
fications can be placed on record for future

reference."

<•-•>

SCRAPS AND QUERIES.

Editorial Courtesy. — "Critic" writes:
"Pardon my question, for I only write because
I know you like to have things just right,
and I would like to know why you refer to the
editor of the Country Gentleman as 'it,' as I note
in your last reference ? Would it not sound
better to say he said this, or he said that, than
to refer to him as an ' it ?' I am only thi« criti-
cal that I would like to know the reason, for I
take it for granted you have some explanation
you can give."

[We have no certain means of knowing that
the editor of the Country Gentleman is a "he."
It may be that he is a " she." Again, we fancy
there are several editors to such a large weekly
paper as the Country Gentleman^ and these may
be a "he" and a "she," or several of such all
together. But the real reason why we used "it"
was because we had neither a " he" or a " she"-
in our mind while speaking, but the paper itself,
which is neither a " he" nor a " she," but a paper.
That is to say, we referred to the paper, and not
to any one person in particular that conducts it.
In fact, it was really " it," and not any particular
"he" or " she" that we referred to.— Ed. G. M.]

Advertisers and Readers.— The publisher
hands in a letter from J. Q. A. D., of Owatonna,
Iowa, who indignantly orders his Monthly
"stopped." He ordered from one of the firms
advertising in our columns some "Pearl" tube-
roses. When they flowered he could not see
that they were difterent from the old kind, and
he will not " subscribe to any paper which ad-
mits advertisers of this kind into its columns."
We do not know even to which of the firms ad-
vertising in our columns he refers, but that a

publisher should look into every article that
every firm sells, before such firm is allowed to
advertise, shows how much some people expect
for two dollars a year. On the other hand, there
are some who calculate how much they make by
reading the Gardener's Monthly, as well as
what they may lose by such an occurrence as the
other describes, and of such is the following from
St. Joseph, Missouri :

" In past years we have had no end of trouble
with Verbenas, but after reading Mr. Peter Hen-
derson's article in the Gardener's Monthly,
on Verbena Rust, we gave them the treatment
he described, and now have 3000 of the finest
plants that one could wish. If we had had the
same result last year we should be many dollars
cash in pocket now."

We fancy there is nothing in the world that is
an unmixed good. Such perfect experiences may
be had in Elysium, but hardly in the advertising
columns of even so careful a magazine as the
Gardener's Monthly. All we can hope for
is that the " profit" is largely ahead of the "loss"
account ; and we really believe there is no sub-
scriber but gets back his full two dollars' worth,
after allowance for all drawbacks.

How TO Get Good Men into Public
Parks AND Gardens.— E. writes: "In answer
to your problem, 'How to get the office to the
good man, who does not want it,' I may say,
every good man will accept a good office, but
may lack the low cunning to obtain it. The un-
fit man gets the office by the intrigue of other
interested persons, who expect to gain thereby.
"The commissioners of the jSTational Antie-
tam Cemetery, after interments in the centre
were over, and the large outer grounds were to
be embellished with trees, shrubs, and seeded
down with grass, etc., were anxious to get the
right man to plan and direct. They addressed
sixteen gardeners in diff"erent States, and pro-
pounded practical questions to all alike. After
all the answers had been received, the commis-
sioners met and read the answers. Twenty-five
out of the twenty-six commissioners voted for
Walter Elder of Philadelphia, and he got the
office.

"If all other commissioners and corporators
were to do the same, every man would answer
for himself. Intrigue would not get in, and the
right man would likely get the good office. In
that way our ornamental horticulture would be-
become eminent and receive the credit it would
then deserve. Nurserymen would be benefited

64

THE GARDENER'S MONTHLY.

[February.

by these good models of public gardens and their
influence be felt far and wide."

Going Round the World. — A good corres-
pondent is still wicked enough to tempt us to
envy. He says : " Since I saw you I have been
round the world. The flora of the East, rich as
it is, and novel to us much of it, does not com-

pare with our own as a whole, — not even on the
foot-hills of the Himalayas, where I expected ta
have found something remarkable indeed, from
what I had heard and read. The famous Banyan
tree near Calcutta, is indeed, worthy to be a tem-
ple of all the gods, if not indeed far too good for
any that I found enthroned about those parts."

Horticultural Societies.

EDITORIAL NOTES

Academy of ISTatural Sciences of Phila-
delphia.— The annual election for officers the
last week in December, though usually a local
affair, had something of a national interest given
to it by the issue, on December 11th, of a por-
tion of the American Naturalist for January, with
an article signed by Prof. E. D. Cope, and which
was sent to leading members, with editorial ar-
ticles in the leading daily papers, in order to
elect a ticket made up by Mr. Cope and his
friends. Since the election, another article on
the Academy, to be published in the February
Naturalist, has been issued and circulated in ad-
vance.

One would think, in common fairness, that if
the editors of the American Naturalist can find
so much room to criticize a report made by the
Academy of Natural Sciences, they would pub-
lish that report also, so that the public could
judge for themselves as to the merits of the case.

We may tell the public in brief that Prof. Cope
proposed that thirteen professors in the different
departments of science should be compelled, as
a part of their duties, to take in hand as well the
financial and business management of the insti-
tution,— replacing twelve members of the Acad-
emy now elected (four annually) for six years
for that purpose. This was regarded as so un-
just to the members of the Academy, as well as
to the Professors themselves, that the proposi-
tion was unanimously voted down by the coun-
cils, and also unanimously by the very large meet-
ing, before which the council's report came.

As already noted. Prof. Cope then thought to
carry his point by a ticket composed of gentle-
men whom he supposed might favor his views.
This ticket did not receive forty votes, while the
following received over one hundred and forty,
the figures varying a little in a few cases : Presi-

dent, Wni. S. W. Ruschenberger ; Vice-Presi-
dents, Wm. S. Vaux and Thomas Meehan ; Re-
cording Secretary and Librarian, Edward J.
Nolan; Corresponding Secretary, George H.
Horn : Treasurer, Wm. C. Henszey ; Curators,
Joseph Leidy, Wm. S. Vaux, Chas. F. Parker,.
R. S. Kenderdine ; Councillors, Rev. H. C.
McCook, Edward Potts, I. C. Martindale, Theo.

D. Rand.

Notwithstanding this emphatic condemnatiou
of the plan, Prof. Cope, through the American
Naturalist, is trying to make the world believe
that something very dreadful has happened to-
the Academy, and that its well-earned reputation
in the past is to end in ruin.

As an illustration of the peculiar fitness of
some scientific men to attend to practical busi-
ness affairs, it will be fairly in place to note that
Prof. Cope has had his seat in the council de-
clared vacant by the Academy for a violation of
the rules, and another elected to it in his place. It
appeared that he had not even read the rules and
regulations of the institution he was governing !

We think the Academy has acted wisely in
letting scientific men attend to science, and giv-
ing up business to business men.

Worcester County (Mass.) Horticultu-
ral Society. Schedule of Premiums for 1879.
— It is a pleasure to note that House Gardening
receives especial attention. There are over
twenty premiums offered for parlor plants of
various kinds.

Massachusetts Horticultural Society.
— Hon. Francis B. Hayes has been elected Presi-
dent for the ensuing year. $3050 were appro-
priated for the premiums for the coming season.

E. B. Bus well was elected Treasurer and Robert
Manning, Secretary. The first essay for the
discussional meeting was to be by Mr. Tailby^
on Cypripediums and Eucharis.

THE

GARDENER'S MONTHLY

AND

HORTICULTURIST.

DEVOTED TO HORTICULTURE, ARBORICULTURE AND RURAL AFFAIRS.

Edited by THOMAS MEEHA.N.

Vol. XXII.

MAKCH, 1880.

Number 255.

Flower Garden and Pleasure Ground,

SEASONABLE HINTS.

There are indications that the love of art in
landscape gardening is meeting with a fresh revi-
val. There have been several periods within
the time of living men, when there was much
enthusiasm for this kind of art, notably in the
time of A. J. Downing. The business depres-
sions of late years have kept people more to the
bread and butter side of life. Art is now reviv-
ing, and garden art, with other kinds. It will
be a pity if this new born taste be not judiciously
guided. In the past we have seen thousands of
dollars wasted in the effort to get sometliing nice.
In a large number of cases, pretty effects may
be obtained by a small expenditure of cash.
Usually the one who yearns after a nice garden
sees a pretty plan in some book that he likes,
and he resolves at once to imitate it. Or he
sends to a landscape gardener for a plan where-
by to improve his ground, and goes on with
what is suggested, — or perhaps he puts the
whole into the hands of some "jobber" in the
vicinity, who " landscapes " to the tune of seve-
ral thousand dollars, leaving a place of no more
beauty than it was before. In some other cases
the owner "knows what he wants," and "does
what he likes with his own," and generally at a
much heavier expense than in any of the other
cases.

Now most places have some peculiar natural
beauty which only needs to be brought out or
added to, and any plan drawn where the
draughtsman has never seen the grounds, should
be looked on with suspicion. Even after seeing
the place, the artist should not merely be asked
for the "best" plan for improvement, — but
"what can be done for the least money ?" Ano-
ther thing to be kept in mind is that not only
the cost of the improvement proposed should be
known, but also what the place as improved will
probably cost every year to maintain it in neat-
ness and beauty. We have known many a beau-
tifully improved place to fall into disgrace very
soon, because the annual expenses were a sur-
prise to the owner. In all improvements, be-
ware especially of plans from foreign works.
Their wants are not our wants, — and though the
principles of beauty may be the same all the
world over, our ability to enjoy these "princi-
ples" makes all the difference. For instance in
the old world people can get about more in the
height of summer than we can, — while we go-
into the shade and enjo}'. We want more shade
to our roads than Europeans do. To explain
our meaning, we give on the next page what is
regarded as a good model of landscape garden-
ing, from the very fine French work of M. Andre
recently issued. This may be perfection in a
cool climate, but with the thick belts on one

66

THE GARDENER'S MONTHLY

[March,

side, and no trees on the other, it would be too Hyacinths, Tulips, Liliums, and other hardy-
hot for us. We fancy our Southern readers bulbs set out in the fall, and covered through

would not sacrifice their nice groves of Magno
lia grandiflora and Live Oak for all the nice-
ties of such art as exhibited in the plan repro-
duced here.

So far as the South is concerned, gardeners
vrork with a view to the coming spring ; but for
those gardens north of the Potomac, there is
plenty yet to do. For them at least we may
offer a few brief practical hints.

Prune shrubs, roses and vines. Those which
flower from young wood, cut in severely to make
new growth vigorous. Tea, China, Boui'bon and
K o ise 1 1 e

the winter, should be occasionally examined,
and when they show signs of active growth,
must be uncovered ; in this latitude this is not
safe until towards the end of the month.

Most things have been pruned, but Roses are
always left to "see what damage the wmter may
do." In the " summer " roses, or those which
bloom only once in the season, the rule is to thin
out the weak shoots and leave the stronger
ones, merely shortening their tops. If pruned
severely in the usual shortening style, they will
not bloom freely. The hybrid perpetual roses,

if wan ted for

roses are of
this class.
What ace
called an-
nual flower-
ing roses,
as Prairie
Queen and
so on, re-
quires lots
of last year's
wood to
make a good
show of flow-
ers. Hence,
with these,
thin out
weak wood,
and leave all the stronger. i China, Bourbon and Noisette roses which flower

Do not transplant extensively till the ground j best on young wood, should be well cut in.
is warm and the buds are about to push. Many
things die by exposure to winds for a few weeks
before they have warmth to push roots and
leaves into growth.

The rule for pruning at transplanting is to cut
in proportion to apparent injury to roots. If not
much the worse for removal, cut but little of the
top away. Properly pruned, a good gardener
will not have the worst case of a badly dug tree
to die under his hands,

GROUND PLAN OF AN EUROPEAN PARK SCENE.

early flower-
ing, should
also be serv-
ed much in
the sam e
way, but as
their chief
value is as
fall flowers,
a severe
pruning now
produces a
vigorous
fall growth ;
bears large
and luxuri-
ous blooms.
The Tea,

COMMUNICA TIONS.

THE COMPARATIVE HARDINESS OF CER-
TAIN JAPANESE LICUSTRUMS.

BY SAMUEL PARSONS, JR.

In a late number of the Gardener's Month-
In a nursery, where these ly, pp. 354, I notice C. E. P's queries as to the
matters are well understood, trees "never die." hardiness of Ligustrums Ibota and coriaceum,
Chrysanthemums are now indispensable for and the best methods of protecting them. The
autumn decoration of the flower garden. Now Ligustrums in question, possess about the same
is the time to procure a supply. They do well degree of hardiness as the Ligustrum Japouicum,
in any rich garden soil that is not too dry. The of which indeed coriaceum may be termed a va-
Lilliputian, or Pompone class are still popular riety. During moderate winters, a light cover-
for conservatory or pot culture, but the large ! ing of evergreen boughs, or a sheaf of straw
flowering kinds still remain the gems of the open bound together at one end, placed loosely over
ground. j the plant and tied to a stake will generally suf-

1880.

AND HORTICULTURIST.

67

fice to save these Privets. The simple object
must be to repel the injurious effects of cold
winds, sleet and sun, during the hard freezing
and frequent thaws of early spring. For the
same purpose, a light mulching of hay or straw
at the foot of the plant is beneficial. All such
methods as binding up tightly with straw, cover-
ing with barrels, etc., are dangerous. The plant
may thus die for want of a circulation of air dur-
ing extreme cold. There is a wide-spread igno-
rance of the best methods of protection for half
hardy plants, and, in consequence, even our half
hardy plants do not succeed as they might under
wiser treatment I understand the term half
bardy as indicating a capacity to live out of
doors during some winters with due protection.
In spots like parts of Greenwood Cemetery,
Brooklyn, K. T., it is surprising to observe
sometimes the tender plants that will survive
uninjured the severest winters. No artificial
<}evices can protect plants as thoroughly as such
sheltered spots.

Sometimes I wish there was no such term in
vogue as " half hardy."" People led away by the
expression, are all the time trying to partially
expose certain plants only to lose them. Even
so-called experts will persist in planting out
these Ligustrums, Aucubas and the like as far
south as Baltimore and Washington, with little
better success than we have about Pliiladelphia
and New York. As I have already remarked,
it is the severe changes of late winter and early
spring that kill them and not biting cold. Hor-
ticulture would be positively benefitted, if peo-
ple would never attempt to leave these half
hardy plants out. As it is, many become more
or less discouraged with all planting. Failure
anust in time, dampen their enthusiasm.

Let me refer your readers to the description of
a temporary structure for a cheap protection cf
half hardy plants by S. B. Parsons in the Gar-
dener's Monthly. Only by this method, or
by the use of pits and cellars for protection can
half hardy plants be satisfactorily enjoyed.

Acacia lophantha, we have found less hardy
than the above named Ligustrums, which are
indeed among the most enduring plants usually
•classed as half hardy. Frequently, Acacia lo-
phantha stands the winter tolerably, if protected
by masses of evergreen trees. For hardiness,
however, it as well as A. julibrissin, is greatl}'^
inferior to the beautiful Japan Acacia Nemu,
which has stood for some years perfectly well in
Central Park, New York.

ORIGIN of FUCHSIA LORD BEACONSFIELD.

BY EDWIN LONSDALE, GERMANTOWN, PA.

In reply to C. E. P., who asks for information
respecting the origin of Fuchsia Lord Beacons-
field in the Monthly for February. It was
raised by Mr. John Laing, Stanstead Park Nur-
sery, Forest Hill, near London, England, and is
the result of a cross between F. fulgens and one
of the modern varieties known as " Perfection."
It was exhibited at some of the meetings of the
Royal Horticultural Society first, as Laing's
Hybrid, in '75 or '76.

The color of the flower reminds one of the
good old Speciosa, and is frequently, — or I
may say generally — taken for that variety by
casual observers. It was exhibited by me be-
fore the Germantown Horticultural Society, at
the June meeting in 1878, as a new plant,
but that august body, the committee on awards,
refused to recognize it as such, declaring it was
"nothing but old Speciosa." It differs from
that good old sort in several particulars; notably
in its free flowering qualities, and the length of
time it blooms, being under proper treatment
in flower the whole year i-ound. It may be
urged that Speciosa flowers free enough, and con-
tinuously if properly treated, and so it does, but
his lordship does more so, and the size of the
flowers of the latter variety is twice that of
Speciosa.

I agree with your correspondent " that it is
one of the best and most free flowering of the
new varieties;" but what constitutes a new
variety? I see some of the catalogues of the
present year are heralding Fuchsia Champion
of the World, as a new one, and charging
$1.00 each for it, when to my own certain knowl-
edge it has been in commerce for at least ten
years. Then why re-issue something that will
not prove of permanent value ?

A TALK ABOUT COLEUSES.-BY ONE OF
T HEMSELVES.

VERSCHAFFELTII.

Only a few years ago, not one of the Coleus
family had a place in the gardens of Europe and
America, and I have been told, that in our ab-
sence gardeners depended chiefly upon plants
with showy flowers for ornamenting their gar-
dens and grounds. When some of my remote
relatives were introduced, numerous were the
surmisings as to what place they should occupy
amongst cultivated plants. This was especially
so in the case of Perilla Nankinensis, a plant of

68

THE GARDENER'S MONTHLY

[March,

most sombre hue, but so striking withal as to
attract general attention. Some looked upon it
as the forerunner of a class of plants destined to
play an important part in the future, whilst
others regarded it as a vile weed. ^Nevertheless,
considerable attention was bestowed upon its
cultivation for a time ; but ultimately became
so neglected as to be met with chiefly as a gar-
den weed. This may have been owing in some
measure to the introduction of Coleus Blumei,
which species was regarded with greater favor,
and at once took a place which it held fairly well
for a time, or until he whose name I bear ob-
tained from it varieties so novel and brilliant in
color, as to entitle them to rank high amongst
the time-honored favorites of the garden.

From the most reliable information, I infer
that this species at least is one of my immediate
ancestors, and whether I owe as much of kinship
to any other has not been made known. But
this I do know, from the day I was first intro-
duced to the public in my chocolate and violet-
colored suit until the present time, I have been
praised as few plants have been. But being
neither envious nor vain, I have desired the com-
pany of those whose colors are brighter than my
own, as variety in harmony gives greater satis-
faction than any one can singly bestow. Some
of the older varieties are well fitted to produce
this eflfect, and none more so, perhaps, than my
old friends aurea marginata and golden circle ;
but the majority of their class either lack expres-
sion, or are so delicately constituted as to become
perfect "frights" when planted out of doors.

During my time, many varieties with excellent
characters when in my company have perform-
ed their parts but poorly, whilst others have had
enough to do to keep up a doubtful reputation.
It was with pleasure, therefore, I hailed the
arrival of a fresh set from England a short time
ago, headed by George Bunyard, who, with his
companions were so highly spoken of that I
hoped one or more of them would prove of ser-
vice to me. But this hope has not been realized,
and to-day, for all of them, I am as destitute of
support as I was before their arrival. Poor
George, — after being much in his company for a
season, it is only fair to say, he performed his
part so poorly that I hope, for the credit of both,
we shall never meet again under similar circum-
stances.

What the incoming season may bring forth
yet remains to be seen, but at present the pros-
pects are good for a grand display, as a new or-

der of aspirants are being marshaled for duty/
whose merits, some say, are such as to eclipse
the old members of our family, and even take
from me the honors I have enjoyed so long.
Should their claim be well founded, I shall sur-
render my right to the first place without regret,
and be even glad to take any subordinate place
I may be deemed competent to fill. But should
they fail to meet the expectations thus produced,
it will be my duty to remain at my post until
such time as new varieties are found, regarding
whose merits there can be no doubt.

Be it understood, that what has been said
about my associates has reference only to them
as bedders; for it is well known, many varieties
when grown under glass, and partially shaded
from the glare of sunshine, possess greater
brilliancy and beauty than I lay claim to. For
this reason,! think those so constituted as to re-
quire the protection of a greenhouse, should be
sparingly, if at all, planted out of doors, and the
outside department exclusively occupied by such
as attain their greatest perfection in free air and
the full tide of sunlight.

Before closing this monologue, I am forced to
say a word in behalf of a plant seemingly pos-
sessed of extraordinary capacity for the work in
which I excel. I refer to Acalypha Macaffeana,
the leaves of which are large and finely formed ;
color, reddish-brown, and irregularly blotched
with bright shades of crimson. When fully ex-
posed to sunlight it looks as if " on fire through
all its length," and being much more stately
than myself might form the central figure in a
group of Coleus or other plants with the greatest
acceptance.

THE CARDINAL FLOWER.

BY A. G. MOORE, BERLIN HEIGHTS, O.

Last Summer was the first I ever saw the Car-
dinal flower under cultivation. The ground was
made ver}' rich, while there was a Caladiuni escu-
lentum in the back ground, so it had plenty of
water. In its native state it has some three or
four inches of leaves on a single spike at a time,
but this more than doubled it, and as the flowers
withered below, it threw out side branches
which flowered, so it had flowers below and
above at the same time, and kept in bloom over
a month. While it has not the delicate beauty
of the Purple Fringe Orchis, is not gay like the
Rhododendron, graceful like the Deutzia, nor
sweet like the Pink, it shows its color well.
They are easily transplanted after forcing.

1880.1

AND HORTICULTURIST.

69

EDITORIAL NOTES.

Lilies. — As a general thing the Lily is
not a success in most gardens. This is
however chiefly from improper soil being
used, or their being put into improper situ-
ations. The plants rather like the open sun-
liiijht, but the roots abominate hot ground, espe-
cially when stiff or clayey. In Professor Sar-
gent's grounds at Brookline, Mass., they are
planted with the Rhododendrons, and are a mag-
nificent success. Here the Rhododendrons
shield the bulbs from the hot sun. It is besides
an excellent idea as a mere matter of garden
taste, for the Rhododendrons are all over blos-
soming before the Lilies flower, and so the
flowering of the beautiful evergreens seems to
be prolonged till late in the summer, when the
lilies disappear.

Disfigured Lawns. — The Farm Journal
notes : " Germantown, where the editor of the
Oardener's Monthly resides, a suburb of
Philadelphia, is admitted to be one of the most
beautiful towns in the country. It contains al-
most numberless charming residences, and near-
ly every place has a front and side yard, more
or less extensive. But just now the town is
fearfully disfigured by the practice, almost uni-
versal, of spreading manure upon every grass
plot, so that Gei'mantown presents the appear-
ance of a vast collection of cow-yards, lacking
only the cows to make the picture complete in
its ugliness. It is a pity people will not learn
to use concentrated fertilizers to enrich their
lawn and door-yards."

American Plants in England. — The sin-
gular neglect of our beautiful American trees in
England, seems to extend to our pretty herba-
ceous plants. Sir Joseph Hooker, in a recent
number of the Botanical Magazine., says: "It is
indeed astonishing that the Asters, Helianthus,
Rudbeckias, Silphiums, and numberless other
fine North American herbaceous plants, all so
easily grown and so handsome, should be neg-
lected in English gardens, and this in favor of
carpets, hearthrugs and ribbons — forming pat-
terns of violent colors which, though admired
from being the fashion on the lawn and borders
of our gardens and grounds, would not be tole-
rated on the floor of a drawing-room or a bou-
doir." This is the just appreciation of the value
of hardy plants which one might expect from a
traveler who has seen so many of the most beau-

tiful and distinct of hardy plants " at home " in
all the quarters of the world.

Improved Potentillas. — Florists must feel
indebted to the Garden for showing them in a
beautiful chromo, how much beauty there is in
these old-fashioned flowers. Much as we know of
their merits we did not know that they had been
improved so far. They are double as roses, and
of all shades of color between yellow, crimson
and rose, beautifully striped.

Public Roads. — Col. Forney, in a recent
Progress, gives the following from a clerical cor-
respondent :

" As yet we have no public roads in America
worthy of being named with the roads in the old
countries. The public highways here are as
smooth, and as hard, and as clean, as Bedford
Avenue, or the best roadway in either Central
or Prospect Park. They are side-drained or
under-drained, and directly after a rain there is
no mud upon them. They are for the most part
kept in repair by districts, and the work is not ne-
glected nor botched. How very different this is
from our slipshod methods is grievously well
known to all Americans who use private vehi-
cles. The national roads of France are under
the care and supervision of the General Govern-
ment, and as perfect in their way as they can be.
It is not to be hoped that our National Govern-
ment will undertake enterprises of this nature,
but State Legislatures might well enough make
laws binding turnpike companies and towns to
make and keep roads fairly up to the demands
of modern civilization."

On this Progress remarks : " There is nothing
new in all this; nothing that every one of us did not
know before, and yet we are slow, very slow, to
profit by the lesson it teaches." And we may
add that the reason why we are " slow to profit"
is that nobody has any plan whereby our roads
may be made any better. We know already
that "State Legislatures can make laws," but
no one tells State Legislatures what laws to
make. We in Philadelphia know what sort of
laws uninstructed legislatures make, and when
a road is to be impi'oved the person who desires
the improvement knows to his great cost what
is the expense of instructing them.

Now the Gardener's Monthly has made
a proposition for a general law for the improve-
ment of roads. It is, that when a good macada-
mized road can be made for a certain small per-
centage (to be fixed) of the value of the land

70

THE GARDENER'S MONTHLY

[March,

along which the road passes, the proper road
authorities shall proceed, under certain regula-
tions, to make such road. We know many roads
in the vicinity, now "mud holes," which could
be very well macadamized for five per cent, of
the value of the property fronting on them; but
as it is now, though half the people along the
line might want to have a good road made, it
would take no end of time and money under ex-
isting modes to get it done. By a general road
improvement law such things would fall natur-
ally when the ripening time came.

Roses in Europe. — "We point to our fruit
nurseries with their hundreds of thousands of
fruit trees with just pride. Europeans equally
pride themselves on other things. Speaking of
the nurseries of our correspondent, A. M. C. Jong-
kindt, Coninck, at Dedemsvaart (Dedems Canal)
in Holland, a correspondent of the Gardener^s
Chronicle notes that he saw 300,000 rose stocks.

The Japan Climbing Fern. — The Japan
fern Lygodium scandens, has been found much
more tractable than its near relative, the Lygo-
dium palmatum, or as it is sometimes called
"Hartford Fern." The Japan species makes a
very pretty thing to train on fancy trellises out
of doors in partially shaded places during sum-
mer time.

Lantanas. — We should like again to call our
readers attention to the great value of the Lan-
tana as a summer-blooming plant for American
gardens. Few things beat it in beauty, — and
the hotter and drier, the better it blooms.

The Japan Jasmine. — This very interest-
ing plant, trained on walls in Germantown, was
beautifully in bloom on Christmas day. Its
value as a frost-resisting winter bloomer is well
known in this little town, but we do not often
meet with it elsewhere. Botanically it is Jas-
minum nudiflorum.

The Osage Orange as an Ornamental
Tree. — A correspondent with whom we heartily
agree, notes that those who have only known
the Osage Orange as a hedge plant, have missed
a beautiful sight in a well-grown tree of the
Osage Orange.

Double Portulacas. — Those who want
something for hot, dry places, that will take fair
care of themselves, must look out for double
Portulacas. There are now double yellow, crim-
son, rose, white, striped, and other shades, and
they come tolerably true from seed.

The Nootka Sound Cypress. — There is

said to be a specimen of the Thujopsis borealis
growing on the grounds of Hamilton College,
New York. It would be of much interest to
know when it was planted, how high and wide
it is now, whether it is at all sheltered, and if it
ever showed any signs of injury by severe
weather. It suffers very much about Philadel-
phia, and we do not know of one really fine
specimen anywhere in the East, unless this one
may chance to be.

Hollyhocks. — If there is any part of our
country where the old-fashioned hollyhock still
thrives, it would be well to know where it is and
all about them. From some disease they ai'e
seldom seen now in gardens hereabouts.

Pentstemons. — Plants from the western re-
gions do not thrive well, as a rule, in eastern
gardens, but the whole tribe of Pentstemons
seem to do wonderfully well.

SCRAPS AND QUERIES.

Farm Gardens. — An Ohio correspo'ndent
writes: "It is surprising to see how little the
isolated farmer cares about the beautiful in na-
ture or art. There seems to be a sad lack of in-
tellectual attainments, home comforts, and re-
finement. With all the means within reach, to
make home pleasant within, and the surround-
ings attractive outside, tbey absolutely ignore
them, and appear to neither know of nor care
about them, and are content to exist without
stiaring the truly good and useful things which
God so abundantly gives. So different are the
conditions in and about old settled towns and
cities, that a dweller therein can scarcely under-
stand how much the people vary in habits and
views of life, in comparison with the denizens of
the secluded plantation or farm, when almost
the only literature, besides the quacks' nostrum
almanac which enters the house, is confined to
the false teachings or miserable drivel derived
from some wretched political newspaper.

"Happily is it that the picture does not por-
tray all the features of farm life everywhere.
There is both an obverse and reverse side, on
which may be seen the enterprising and intelli-
gent, and often scientific husbandman. And
such are what you or I would consider the true
beau ideal of what a farmer should be. And such
are they who can see and understand there is
something in this world besides a place to grovel
in, and can find time to read and profit by the
Monthly and such like magazines."

1880.

AND HORTICULTURIST.

71

Greenhouse and House Gardening.

COMMUNICA TIONS.

COOL ORCHIDS AND THEIR TREATMENT

BY MK. J. GRIEVES, PATTERSON, N. J.

Orchid blooms are justly celebrated and well
known as the most beautiful of all flowers. Their
marvellous and fantastic shapes have earned
them such names as the butterfly, swan, lizard,
dove flower, etc. When these strange plants
unfolded their delicate petals for the first time
in Europe, they gradually attracted the atten-
tion of almost every one interested in plants and
ultimately the general public also. But unfor-
tunately an idea was introduced with them, that
they all required excessive heat to grow them,
and this has been generally accepted as truth
ever since. No matter where a plant might
have come from, or under what conditions it
grew naturally ; whether in the humid valleys of
India, the arid regions of South Africa, the
mountain chains of Mexico or Peru, or even the
snow line of the towering Andes, their treat-
ment was all the same, they were placed in the
hottest temperature at command, which then,
and even to-day often means the driest. Un-
der these circumstance thousands of fine Orchids
were killed, but occasionally producing a few
flowers as the last effort of expiring nature ; thus
the difficulty of their growth and management
became established and promulgated. With our
present knowledge and experience the only
wonder is that so many survived. •Still the old
idea of excessive heat is rigidly adhered to by
many, although we rarely find Orchids enjoying
vigorous health in such places, while in the com-
paratively few places where cool Orchids are
cultivated in real earnest, they may be found
enjoying the most luxuriant health. It has
been my good fortune to see some of the finest
collections in Europe of Odontoglots, Disas, On-
cids and Masdevallias, etc., that have been sub-
jected to a cool system of treatment ever since
they were imported, and I have yet to see the
first lot, or know of them in fact, having been
killed or even permanently injured under the
most trying circumstances by this system of cool
treatment. It is surprising that a correct idea
did not sooner prevail, considering that such
cold-bearing plants as Calceolarias, Verbenas,

Lobelias, Fuchsias, Bambusas, Rhododendrons
and many cool growing plants, were found in
the same regions as the Orchids. While travel-
ers in Mexico have noted that at a certain sea-
son, early in the morning ice was invariably
found in the hollows of the leaves of the Agaves
growing in close proximity to the Orchids, yet
our information principally has come from the
failure of the heating apparatus seconded with
the investigating experiments of amateurs and
others. In 1852 M. Francois Josst, at Tetchen
in Bohemia grew several Orchids out of doors,
where the temperature several times fell as low
as 41*^ F. ; but instead of the plants suffering,
they grew more vigorous and several of them
actually flowered, and he gives a list of over
seventy varieties so treated. M. F. Yan Driessche,
of Ghent, in 1862 followed with a similar expe-
rience ; and later, Williams, Warner, Ander-
son, Dr. Patterson and others have proved that
very many Orchids grow well in a low mean
temperature, while to the healthy growth of nu-
merous varieties it is absolutely indispensable.
The health and success of the plants does not
altogether depend on the temperature ; there
are three other important conditions not how-
ever requiring much skill : 1st. Plenty of
air, moist, not dry; 2d. If potted, give porous,
well-drained fresh compost and moderate shade,
avoiding long exposure to strong sunlight ; 3d.
An abundant supply of moisture, in absolute
plenty, both at the roots and in the atmosphere,
as it is impossible to kill Orchids by having too
much moisture in the atmosphere, while hun-
dreds are annually killed by being grown in
one too dry. Many orchids not considered
cool, with these essential conditions granted,
will not only bear a mean winter temperature
of 45° to 50°, but will make active vigorous
and luxuriant growth in it ; proving that with
any reasonably rational treatment they are any-
thing but difficult to manage. But stagnant
damp in winter is more fatal than cold, and
some air must be provided for even in winter.
The variation of night and day heat of cool Or-
chids should not exceed 10° except by sun heat,
which may range from 15° to 20°. Water with
cool rain water, and only on the roots, and not
on the foliage ; let that draw sufficient moisture

72

THE GARDENER'S MONTHLY

[March,

from the air. Water as little as possible in the Orchids are the most abused unfortunate class

winter consistent with preserving the plants in a of plants I know of; as being hard to kill, the

plump, healthy condition. There being several next choice is to keep them sick by too much

degrees difference in temperature between com- (mistaken) kindness. In practical culture a very

post that is wet and that comparatively dry,
protect from cold draughts and the aridity of the
air in sharp frosty weather, which is much to be
feared, especially if grown in a room.

strange fact is that many cool-growing varieties
of orchids grow best in decaying vegetable mat-
ter, deriving sustenance from it, notably Odon-
glossums and Masdevallias ; even the West In-

1880.

AND HORTICULTURIST.

73

•dia Dendrobiuras do best in turfy peat and chop-
ped moss, although true Epiphytes (or air plants)
in their natural haunts. Most of the Cypripe-
■diunis will grow in turfy loam, but the more
fibre it contains the better. But with these, as
with all other composts, free riddance of super-
fluous moisture must be provided for, otherwise
-any compost will become quickly sour, and then
the roots will decay. But if fresh and open, and
the drainage perfect this can never happen.
Those on blocks should be plunged into soft
tepid water until thoroughly saturated with
moisture at their roots, that is, all healthy grow-
ing plants. When stopped growing or evincing
a tendency to rest, gradually withhold water,
allowing only enough moisture to prevent shriv-
eling. For cool Orchids in pots the best com-
post is good fresh fibrous peat with one-fourth
partially decayed cocoanut fibre, or in lieu there-
of well dried horse droppings, with one-eighth
part chopped live sphagnum moss, and a liberal
■quantity of coarse well-washed river or other
sand, not fine, half filling the pots with crocks
covered with small broken charcoal for drainage,
next a layer of moss and then the prepared soil
finished off with moss at top. The pot and all
the materials being sweet and clean. Good cul-
ture simply means not thwarting but assisting
Nature's efforts, and those who do this most
will succeed the best. Those who do not watch
her efforts carefully will seldom succeed for any
length of time, even with good instructions and
the best materials, and appliances for perfect
success, unless following some accepted treat-
ment. Such as the following : keep the sphag-
num moss on the pot tops and blocks growing
as fresh and freely as if in its native swamps.
Tor wherever we find sphagnum, Dionseas and
JDorseras, growing freely on the top of the pots,
we also find the Orchids grovving green and
liealthy; simply because the Droseras, sphag-
aum, will only grovv in a moist, moderately
shaded situation. The same conditions being
also necessary to the vigorous health of the or-
chids.

The following species and families all furnish
some very showy and fine varieties of cool and
intermediate orchids thriving well in a tempera-
ture of 40^* to 50° Fahr. as a minimum, and only
requiring from 60° to 70° as a maximum tem-
perature. Space will only permit the naming of
one or two.of each family. Some being notably
cool, or fine varieties of intermediate kinds, al-
though not the scarcest, costliest or choicest ;

obtainable at moderate

I Dendrobium chrysanthuni^

nobile, etc.
I Epidendrum cuspidatura, vi-

tellinum, etc
Laelia anceps, Perrinii, and

others.
Lycaste lanipes, Skinnerli, and

many others.
Mesospinidium sanguineum,

Vulcanicum
Miltonia spectabilis and all

the yarieties.
Masdevallia amabalis, cocci-

nea, etc.
Odontoglossum cirrhosum,

Alexandrae, and almost all

of this fine family.
Oncidium aurosum, cuculla-

tum, and others.
Trichopilia tortilis, etc
Zygopetalum aromatic um,

Mackayi, etc.

yet such as are readily
prices :

Acineta Barkerii.

Ada aurantiaoa.

^•Erides crispum, odoratum, etc

Angiscum falcatum.

Angiiloa Clowesii, uniflora, etc.

Ansellia Africana, etc.

Arpophyllum giganteum and

spicatum.
Aspasia lunata.
Barkeria elegans and Skin-

nerii, etc.
Bletia Sherrattiana and Tau-

kervillese.
Brassavola Pecatorei, etc.
Cattleya amethystoglossa and

Mossise, etc.
Chysis aurea and Isevis.
Ccelogynebarbata,cristata,etc.
Cynibidium Darganum, Mas-

tersii.
Cypripedium barbatum, in-

signe, and many other va-
rieties.

In some of the above families, ibe varieties
could be extended into dozens that might all
be grown cool with advantage to the plants, and
satisfaction to the grower.

[We are much obliged to Mr. Grieves for this
article, and have given illustrations of some of
the more popular genera, that those who are not
well acquainted with orchids may see how curi-
ous they are. — Ed. G. M.]

DESTRUCTION OF GREENHOUSE IN-

SECTS-THE PETER HENDERSON

PRIZE ESSAY.

BY JO.SEPH A.DAVIS, .TERSEY CITY HEIGHTS, N. J.

The following article is offered in competition
for the $25 special prize offered by Peter Hen-
derson, for the best essay on prevention and de-
struction of insects under glass :

There are few of the insects that attack plants
grown under glass, but such as are to a greater or
less extent injurious to the gardener •, but in this,
as in all other ills that affect plants, prevention
is of more importance than cure. One of the
most common insects attacking plants is the
Aphis or Green fly. In any well regulated green-
house this should never be seen, for a complete
prevention is tobacco, either in solution made
by steeping the refuse stems in water until of
the color of strong tea, and syringing it on the
plants twice a week, or in the form of dust or
snuff, which after syringing may be dusted on
the plants ; or by burning the dampened stems
twice a week, in quantity of, say (1) one pound
to every 1000 square feet of glass. This last is
rather the best method where greenhouses are

74

THE GARDENER'S MONTHLY

[March,

detached, but when the conservatory is attached
to the dwelling, either of the two former will
answer.

The next best known enemy to plants under
glass is the Red Spider, always found in greatest
abundance in a hot and dry atmosphere. "When
a good force of water is obtainable, so that
plants can be syringed by hose, there is little
excuse for this insect, for it cannot exist to do
much injury where leaves can be forcibly wash-
ed by water. When there is not sufficient head
of water to syringe by hose, the next best thing
is some form of garden engine or hand-syringe,
in addition to which the paths and under the
branches should be copiously watered so as to
counteract the aridity of the air consequent from
tire heat. The fumes of sulphur is also destruc-
tive to red spider, but this can only be safely
applied by painting the hot water sides with sul-
phur, or if the greenhouse is heated by flue, it
is only safe to do so at the cold end, for if sul-
phur is volatilized in a temperature much higher
than 200° it will injure the leaves.

The next insect in importance as injurious to
plants under glass is the mealy bug, a pest which
has made rapid increase in nearly all greenhouse
establishments, of late years, owing to the im-
mense increase in the growing of plants in high
temperature for the forcing of flowers in winter.
The usual method has been the tedious one of
rubbing the insects off with a soft brush ; and
until recently the scores of substances with which
we have tried to destroy the insect either failed to
do so, or else in ruining the insect they destroyed
the plant. I say until recently, for there is now
a certain remedy known as " Cole's insect ex-
terminator." This put on with a Barber's atom-
izer at once kills the mealy bug, without
injuring the most delicate or tender plant. The
serious objection to the " exterminator" is its
price, which is upwards of S2.00 per quart. A
quart, however, is sufficient to go over at least
1000 square feet of plant surface, as it is thrown
out by the atomizer in spray fine as mist.

The Black Rust on verbenas, heliotropes,
petunias, etc, is caused by an insect known as
the verbena mite, too small to be visible
without a microscope. This, like nearly all
other parasites that attack plants, is rather a
consequence than a cause of disease, for we find
whenever plants are neglected, by being pot-
bound, or by insufficiency of water, or any other
cause that lessens the vigor of the plant, it is
more likely to be attacked. It is thought that

the fumes of sulphur, given out by painting the
sides, is destructive to it, but of this we are not
certainly assured. There is but little doubt that
this insect spreads quickly, and it is safest when
plants are affected to at once throw them out,
for if seriously affected they rarely recover.

Ants are often troublesome in greenhouses.
A simple remedy is to steep pieces of bread or
sponge in some solution of sugar. They will
leave everything else for that, and soon thou-
sands of them may be thus caught and destroyed.

Snails are often destructive, as they usually
keep under the benches during the day and come
up to feed on the leaves at night. I have
found that salt strewed along the edge of the
table was a complete barrier to their getting at
the plants from below.

The Thrip is a troublesome insect, appear-
ing in quite a number of varieties on different
plants. The same directions may be given for
its destruction as for that of the red spider,
though in such plants as cannot be reached by
the syringe there is nothing for it but sponging
the leaves, or else in using the " exterminator"
with the atomizer, as is done with mealy bug.

The Carnation Twetter, — so-called for want
of a better name, — is an insect but little known,
as its ravages are often ascribed to red spider
or thrip, but it has no resemblance to either.
Its presence is indicated on carnations or pinks
(we have never seen it but on plants of this
family), by the end of the shoot having a slight
curve or twist. If this twist is carefully unfold-
ed, the insect will be seen varying in length from
the sixteenth to thirty-second part of an inch,
and as thin as the point of a fine needle. It is
either green, yellow, or black, according to its
stage of development. In many places it has
completely destroyed, year after year, the whole
crops of carnations. It is believed to be fostered
by growing the plants in too high a temperature,
as we find it makes but little headway under 50°.
I can give no remedy except the general one,
to stimulate by manure water, or by any other
means plants so affected into a vigorous growth,
so, as it were to outgrow its ravages.

I now come to the Rose Bug, the insect that
of all others is of interest at the present time,
owing to the vast quantities of roses grown un-
der glass, but as the subject has been recently
so thoroughly discussed, I can say but little new
in the matter. The rose bug, so-called, is in the
perfect insect about the size of a large house fly,
of a leaden-grey color, resembling in appearance

1880.1

AND HORTICULTURIST.

75

somewhat the curculio that attacks the plum
tree, but larger. It feeds on the leaves of the
rose plant for probably a month in this stage,
and then goes down and deposits its eggs in the
soil. These in time develop into maggots,
which at once begin to feed on the roots of the
rose plant. This is its destructive stage, and a
rose plant cannot long retain its vigor while this
pest is sapping at its vitals. When the insect is
in the maggot stage, it is believed there is no
remedy. I have tried to kill it with a dozen
diflferent things that are usually destructive to
insect life, with no effect whate-ver. The only
remedy then, is to catch and kill the perfect in-
sect on the plant. Professor Riley has suggested
that folded strips of paper be inserted close to
the stem of the plant in the soil, as he has dis-
covered that the insect deposits its eggs in the
rough bark near the surface. This I tried, but
so far with no results, as no eggs were found in
the traps so set. There is reason to believe that
many failures of roses to do well is in conse-
quence of this pest at the roots. When this has
been ascertained to be the case, there is no
remedy but to take them up at once and throw
out every particle of soil wherein they have
been grown. It is easier to manage the pest
when roses are grown in pots, then, if aff"ected,
there is no necessity to sacrifice the plants if
taken in time. Some of the most extensive rose
growers grow their roses in pots, so as to have
full control of the rose bug. Their system is
this : After growing the plants in the flowering
pots during winter, they are taken from the
greenhouses in May or June and stood outside
and kept rather dry until August \ the ball is
then shook and every particle of soil rinsed or
washed from the roots. This, of course, carries
off" every egg and insect also adhering to the
roots, and the plants are potted in fresh mould
and are then entirely clear of the pest. I have
seen many thousands of plants so treated that
are now (November) gx-owing luxuriantly and
flowering in greatest profusion.

GLOXINIAS.

BY C. E. PARNELL, GARDENER TO W. D. F. MANICE, Esq.,
QUEENS, L. I., NEW YORK.

As the Gloxinia is one of ray favorite flowers,
I was very much pleased with the practical
article on their cultivation in the December
number of the Gardener's Monthly. I also
noticed the remarks of Mr. Fyfe on the rust to
which the Gloxinia is so subject, as it has caused

me a great deal of trouble and annoyance, as
well as the loss of the best part of my col-
lection. But after many experiments I was
enabled last season to grow all my Gloxinias
perfectly free from rust by adopting the follow-
ing method. As soon as I noticed that they
were commencing to grow, which was about
the 10th of May, I turned them out of their
pots and repotted them in a mixture of one-half
leaf mould, the other half consisting of loam
and charcoal broken fine, in about equal propor-
tion, taking care to give good drainage, and
also to keep the top of the bulb on a level with
the surface of the soil. 1 then take a cold
frame and spade up the ground inside the frame.
I then plunge all the pots in the frame, taking
care that the tops of the pots are on a level
with the ground. After the pots are all
plunged, I water the ground so as to fasten the
soil around the pots, then put on the sash and
whitewash the glass so as to retain the moist-
ure. In a short time there will be a fine healthy
growth, and in the course of two or three
weeks, air should be given by raising up the
sash at the bottom. On hot days the sash may
be raised about four inches, and on cooler day&
about two inches, and in rainy or wet weather
the sash had better be closed. The plants must
be watered as often as they require it, and when
the flowers commence to expand the plants can
be removed to the greenhouse. If the rust
should make its appearance, remove them back
to the frame at once. As soon as the plants
cease flowering, they can be brought back to the
frame, and the amount of water given should be
gradually decreased. On the approach of cold
weather, the plants can be brought into the
greenhouse and placed under the stage or any
place where the thermometer ranges about bQ°.
The pots containing the bulbs must be laid on
their sides, as if the soil is allowed to get wet
the bulb may rot. During the growing season
the plants must be looked over occasionally^
and shifted as often as neceseary, and on no ac-
count must they be allowed to become pot-
bound, for if once they become pot-bound, they
soon become sickly and the prey of numerous
insects.

To cultivate the Gloxinia successfully it re-
quires a warm moist atmosphere, a temperature
ranging from 60" to 75°, a slight protection from
the full force of the sun, and in watering give
only enough to supply their wants. When the
pot is filled with roots, shift into a larger size.

76

THE GARDENER'S MONTHLY

[March,

and give air so that the plants do not become indicate the arrangement of an ordinary lime-
weak and drawn. : kiln, while the other letters indicate the portions
I wish it to be understood that these remarks ' of a saddle boiler with its flow and return pipes
are not intended as a criticism on Mr. Fyfe's over the top of the kiln.

excellent article, as he has had more experience ' Although this twenty-acre building could prob-
in plant cultivation than I probably will ever ably be heated in this manner, it might not per-
have, but as one of your correspondents in- haps be very agreeable to the frequenters of the
quired in the June number for a remedy for the beautiful Fairmount Park to have a "nasty lime
rust on Gloxinias, I thought that my experience market" with its main depot within its bounda-

would be of some benefit to him.

EDITORIAL NOTES

ries. However, it is for us to show what may be
done, — for others to entertain the practicability
■ — ^ or desirability of applying it.

Dreer's New Coleus. — The beautiful
strain of Coleus raised by Mr. H. A Dreer,
we understand is to be placed on the mar-
ket this spring.

Heating by
Making Lime. —
Some years since
greenhouses were to
be heated by the
waste heat from
limekilns. It was a
good idea, but ij;
does not seem to
have made much
headway. Probably
those who would
like to save the heat
do not care to go
into the lime-selling
business, while
thos e who now
make the lime and
lose the heat know
nothing of the
greenhouse man-
agement. There
surely ought to be
something in the
idea if the horticul-
tural and 1 i m e -
burning intellect could
brain.

be

Impro^d Chinese Primroses. — By a
beautiful colored plate in the London
Florist and Pomologist, we learn that a
beautiful variety with bright rosy flowers,
but with small white spots on the margin
of the lobes, has been produced. It has
been honored by
the title of Primula
sinensis purpurea
punctata. This of
itself ought to attest
its princely value,
for the scions of
most royal houses
have a dozen or so
of names, though
even these cannot
often boast of long
Latin ones.

Drip in Green-
houses. — Many
plant houses injure
plants by permit-
ting the condensed
moisture or leakage
to drop — to d.rip as
gardeners say. To
avoid this a groove
is made at the end
of the rabbet or the
rafter, which con-
veys the moisture
Steep houses are less

HEATING BY A LIMEKILN.

evolved from our without letting it drop

liable to injury from drip than those with flat

As some attention is being again given to the roofs,

subject, through some of the Pliiladelphia papers a Pretty Bouquet.— It was a very pretty

recommending the heating of the Exliibition bouquet that was presented by the ladies of

Buildings by this plan, we reproduce an illustra- Bethlehem to the Editor of the Gardener's

tion we once gave of the plan, as it has in a Monthly at the conclusion of his little talk on

measure been forgotton. window gardening at the recent annual meeting

It will be seen that the figures a,b, c, simply of the State Horticultural Society. Fronds of

1880.]

AND HORTICULTURIST.

77

the maiden hair fern rested on the lace bor-
dering. Above this dark heliotrope, mignon-
ette, and dark carnations, lightened by white
ageratura. Rather lighter colored flowers fol-
lowed, such as Bon Silene rose, La Piirite car-
nation with double white primroses, and other
lighter flowers interspersed, still carrying
through the ageratum. Towards the centre
were the lighter colored roses, carnations, with
a more plentiful supply of mignonette, but with
the ageratum decreasing in quantity. The
grading of the dark colors into the light, and
of the ageratum into the mignonette was very
good indeed, and the whole a very successful
effort of design in bouquet making. We learned
that it was made for the ladies by Mr. O'Neill,
gardener to Mr. Krause, of that city.

SCRAPS AND QUERIES.

Disease in Greenhouse Plants. — "Sub-
scriber," Syracuse, N. Y., writes: " Being a con-
stant reader of your valuable Monthly, I would
like to ask of you a little advice. I notice as I
go from one greenhouse to another, that there
are a great many plants, such as Carnations,
Bouvardias, etc., that seem to damp, or rather
rot off" just at the neck of the plant. Could you
inform me of the remedy, or what is the cause ?"

[This is caused by a parasitic fungus at the
roots, closely allied to the fungus which pro-
duces the yellows in the peach. It is too late
to apply a remedy after they are in the house.
The fungus is at work all through the Summer. In
the case of the carnation you can readily detect

it when growing out of doors by the yellowish
color of the foliage as compared with the nor-
mal green. We have heard that watering with
lime water is a good remedy, but have not tried
it.— Ed. G. M.]

German Method of Making Flowers
Bloom in Winter. — G. H., Yarmouth Point,
Mass., says : "I read in the Gardener's
Monthly of 1862, p. 330, " German Method of
Making Flowers Bloom in Winter." I put in a
piece of lime about the size of an English walnut,
and one about the size of a cherry to a quart of
water each, and about one-third of an oz. of vit-
riol, but removed the lime and water before
adding the vitriol water: it failed to bloom or
leaf out. I put in lilac and other free-bloom-
ing shrubs. Please answer in next month's
Gardener's Monthly why it failed."

[The article referred to was contributed by a
highly intelligent lady botanist, — the late Eliza-
beth Morris of Germantown, and we know no
more of it than that. It will be observed that
she had herself some doubt of it, as she re-
marked, " I will not vouch for its success."
—Ed. G. M.]

Forcing Lilies. — S. F. T., Saratoga Springs,
writes : " I would like to know about forcing
Lilliums candidum and longiflorum. How long
it takes from the time of potting to flowering,
soil, heat, etc ? I wish you could make it con-
venient to issue the Monthly semi-monthly."

[We should be very glad if some of our read-
ers who have had some actual experience would
favor us by a reply. — Ed. G. M.]

Fruit and Vegetable Gardening.

SEASONABLE HINTS.

There is nothing more certain, from cumulative
daily experience, than that a great proportion of
the diseases of fruit trees come from the roots
being in overheated soil. Species growing natur-
ally in mountain districts or high elevations,
where the summer temperature of the earth is
little above 55", find themselves in places where
the sun pours on the soil for eight or ten hours a

day, heating it to SO'* or 90°, and which results in
" enervating" the vital powers and in making
the plant a prey to all sorts of diseases. This is
one of the great evils of what is known as clean
culture in many places, and does as much as the
actual mutilation of the roots to injure the pros-
pects of the orchardist. Yet in all discussion
about cropping orchards versus clean culture, we
rarely see it alluded to. It is owing to this over-
looking of an important point that so much dif-
ferences occur among the " Doctors." One has

THE GARDENER'S MONTHLY

[March,

a clean cultured orchard which does very well,
and another one where it does not at all. Possi-
bly the one lies to the full sun, the former on a
shady slope. So one has an English gooseberry
which never mildews, while with another it is
good for nothing, — neither knowing that a goose-
berry never mildews when the soil is not too
warm.

But we must to more practical hints, and
would say that in choosing a site for an orchard,
always, if possible, get a position where the
ground is not exposed to the full midday sun if
you are living in any warm place. Of course as
our readers get towards the north pole they will
invite rather than shun the sunny rays.

Besides orchard trees, small fruits in many
cases like cool soil. People often complain that
their currants drop their leaves early, in which
case they don't mature a very large crop the
next season. The currant is a native of cool re-
gions, and the coolest ground should always be
devoted to it. The leaves do not fall early then.
In this section the currant borer is the worst in-
sect pest. About this season the larvae will be
found in the pith, and the shoots containing
them should be cut off and burned. If the shoots
look weak and starved, like on plants, which
have some of them very strong and vigorous, it
is quite likely they have the larvae of these
borers in the weak ones. This can then be de-
termined by examination.

In setting out raspberries and blackberries,
remember the hints we have before given, not to
set out deeper than the plant grew before. A
currant or gooseberry set deep will loot from
the cane, but a raspberry will not. The new
buds have to come up from the roots. Thou-
sands of these plants die every year. In nurse-
ries there are two kinds of plants, — plants which
are simply suckers, taken off in winter, and plants
taken up as they sprout during summer and set
out to grow awhile before fall. These are called
transplanted plants, and are worth much more
than others. Transplanted plants seldom die.
Both raspberries and blackberries should be cut
down within six inches or a foot before planting.
Transplanted plants may be left longer, and be
allowed to bear a little ; but if these plants are
allowed to produce much the first year after set-
ting out, the suckers for next year are very weak
Little is gained by having fruit the first year.

Strawberries, like raspberries, are often de-
stroyed by planting. Only the fibrous roots
should be set under the ground, — never the bud.

Sometimes the excuse is that the plant will not
set firm in the ground without ; in this case,
make the ground firm by rolling or beating down
before planting.

Grape vines in the open air, on arbors and
trellisses, should have their pruning finished be-
fore warm spring days set in, or they will bleed.
It does not injure them much, but it looks bad.
The pruning must be regulated by the condition
of the vine. If the vines are young and the
shoots weak, cut them all back, to make a new
and vigorous growth. If already a fair quantity
of strong shoots of last season's growth exists,
cut out the weaker ones, so as to leave enough
of stronger ones. The cane system, slightly
modified, is best for arbors and trellisses in the
hands of amateurs generally. This implies a
new set of canes every year or two. If, as fre-
quently happens from bad management, all the
young and strong-bearing wood exists only at
the end of the vines, and these latter have be-
come nothing but long, ropy-looking apologies
for what a vine should be, the whole cane may
be buried down in the soil to where the strong
shoots spring from, and the young wood of last
season trained up from this. The plant will
then recover its good appearance quite as well
as by cutting down, with the advantage of not
sacrificing a year's growth of fruit. Grapes that
have become weak from age maybe renewed by
layering down a branch some feet just under the
surface, and then cut back, so that one good eye
only be left at the surface of the soil.

Apple trees in orchards are often so thickly
matted with branches, that none of the leaves
get their full share of light and air. This should
never have been permitted, but as it is, a vigor-
ous thinning out should be effected, though the
axe and saw be called in to effect it. Sprouts
will come out thick next summer after such
pruning, but they should be torn out while green.

Peaches, it is said, grow too strong generally,
and should not be pruned ; but the same rule
holds good as with apples. Thin out all weak
or crowded shoots. Our experience is that if a
peach tree's constitution is not impaired by bad
treatment, it seldom grows too strong for its own
good.

This is a busy season south of Pennsylvania in
the vegetable garden. Here we must wait till
the end of the month, and northward still later.
The crops noted will, of course, be dependent on
the arrival of the season, which is rather indicated
by the ground becoming warm and dry, than by

1880.1

AND HORTICULTURIST.

79

the almanac. It is very Important to have crops
early, as soon as the ground is, therefore, in
good condition, put in the seed. Possibly a cold
rain might come and injure them, and you may
lose, and have to make a new sowing. Even so,
it is but the loss of the seed and labor, while if
the seed do not die, the early crop will more
than re par that risk.

Deep, rich soil, now so generally condemned
for fruit gardens, is of the first importance here.
Soil cannot be too rich or too deep, if we would
have good vegetables. It is, indeed, remarkable,
that in many respects we have to go very differ-
ently to work to get good fruits than we have to
perfect vegetables. While, for instance, we have
to get sunlight to give the best richness to our
fruits, our vegetables are usually best when
blanched or kept from the light. So, also, as we
keep the roots as near the surface as we can, in
order to favor the woody tissue in trees, we like
to let them go deep in vegetables^ because this
favors succulence.

In the open ground, peas and potatoes receive
the first attention ; then beets and carrots ; then
lettuce, radish, spinach, onions, leeks and parsley.
Beyond this, unless in more favored latitudes
than Pennsylvania, little can be done until the
first week in April. There is nothing gained in
working soil until it has become warm and dry.

Celery for the main crop will do about the end
of the month, but a little may be sown now. "We
have never been able to make up our mind
whether there is such a thing as an absolute
solid variety of celery, and whether pithiness in
any degree depends on soil or culture. Cer-
tainly we buy all the most improved "solids"
every year, and never yet found one satisfactory
throughout. We cannot say which is the best
of the many candidates.

In the hot-bed, pepper, egg plant, tomato and
cucumbers may be sown, and in a cooler hot-bed
frame, Early York cabbage, cauliflowers and
celery. Those who have not got a hot-bed can
sow a few pots or boxes, and keep them near
the light in a warm room.

In addition to sowing of the above, onions,
leeks, parsnips and parsley must be sown at this
season, — not for the main crop, but to have a
few in advance of the rest. To keep over the
winter, almost all kinds of root crops become
tough or coarse if sown too soon, so that for
such roots as beets, carrots, etc, only a few
early ones should be sown now.

COMMUNICA TIONS

THE JAPAN PERSIMMON.

BY H. C. F., SANTA BARBARA, CAL.

I send you to-day by mail a can containing
two Japanese Persimmons. Perhaps you have
seen the fruit before, if not, it will no doubt
interest you. It is now fruiting in many parts
of California, this being the third year in this
vicinity, and the little tree seems to be a con-
stant bearer, and as yet untouched by any pest
or disease. It is no doubt a fine acquisition to
our best of fruits. I think it will soon prove a
source of profit in the dried product. The fresh
fruit is too astringent until it is quite soft or
near decay, but eaten in the latter condition it
is delicious.

I am sure that some varieties could be grown
in our Northern States by grafting or budding
upon the American Persimmon. I have a
small botanical garden, and am experimenting
with everything that I can get that I think will
be adapted to the conditions of our climate,
which is so favorable to the plants of all lands
except the extra tropical.

[These are the first fresh fruit we have tasted.
At the first bite it seemed that we had tasted
our Eastern Persimmons as good, — after a while
some uncertainty grew, till we finally concluded
they were far superior to our own. — Ed. G. M.]

EDITORIAL NOTES.

Slitting the Bark of Trees. — The Con-
necticut Farmer is alive with this controversy.
In a number before us one correspondent de-
clares that " the God of nature has taught them
(trees) how to grow," and contends that the
bark could slit of itself if it were proper to be
done. He does not say that he leaves his finger
nails or his hair to grow as " the God of nature "
made them. Mr. N. Coleman, a well known
botanist, and at the same time a practical fruit
cultivator, tells a difterent story in the same
paper. Trees that have been top grafted, and
thus have their heads cut away, are very likely
to become " hide-bound," by the sudden loss of
so much foliage required to feed so many cells,
and Mr. C. has found from actual experiment
the great value of vertical bark slitting, — an ad-
vantage to be gained in no other way. This
accords with the experience of many cultivators.
There are many cases where the bark of trees

80

THE GARDENER'S MONTHL Y

[March,

becomes indurated, and it requires a great expen-
diture of force on the growing cells beneath to
push this band outwards. By slitting this
hardened bark much of this waste of force is
saved.

Varieties of Vegetables. — One would
hardly suppose there were so many varieties of
vegetables as there are, until they examine
some such a catalogue as that of James H.
Gregory, now before us. We hear once in a
while from the pea raisers with their hosts of
kinds, but not much in other lines. Mr. Greg-
ory, among his annual offerings has twenty-
three kinds of bush beans, and nineteen of pole
beans. Of so simple a thing as a beet, he has
thirteen kinds, and then to think of thirty-six
kinds of cabbages! That man who recom-
mended pepper, salting, and then throwing the
cucumber out of the window, might tell us
which of the twenty-eight kinds here noted
be referred to. We may select even in
our sorrows as in our joys, for surely these sev-
enteen onions would not all produce the same
sort of tears. There are crocodile tears, lovers'
tears, tears of remorse, and other tears, and no
doubt an onion suited to each and all. The
common parsley, simple thing as it is, gives us
a choice of six kinds. Of squashes, potatoes,
tomatoes, and so forth, we can hardly venture
on.

Models of Noxious Insects. — In Europe a
brisk sale goes on with cheap models of Colorado
potato beetle. People who want to know their
enemy when they see him, do not mind a trifle
to get a private view of their foe. It might be
worth thinking about by people in this country
who are disposed to make an honest penny,
though not of course with the potato beetle
which all know too well already.

Firs and Figs. — One of the most remarkable
studies is the "agricultural departments" of
some newspapers which believe that " select-
ions " can be made by " anybody," and thus
save the expenses of careful editing. Just now
going the " rounds " in this particular class, as
a fact, is the following : " The fir tree flourishes
in California. It starts easily from cuttings
and commences to bear the second year." We
have no doubt that the original writer wrote
" fig," and not fir, but how should the office
boys know the difference ?

The Husbandman.— Mr. Walter Elder re-
marks that " there is scarcely a branch of sci-

ence, but is of more especial interest to the cul-
tivators of the soil, than to any other class of
the community," and he points out the great
value of all these studies, whenever time can be
afforded for their pursuit. Entomology, botany,
minerology, meteorology, philosophy, conchol-
ogy, geology, chemistry, geography, anatomy,
as well as many others he enumerates as of
great value to the farmer and gardener, and he
well asks, " what other pursuit can bring so
many in as useful studies?"

Lennig's White Strawberry. — Mr. E.
P. Roe, in Scribner''s Monthly^ gives this white
strawberry the high praise it deserves for its
flavor. It is however one of that border-land
class between staminate and pistillate, which
often produces too many abortive flowers, and
so is frequently a very poor bearer.

Large Oranges. — We do not know the size
of the largest oranges produced in America, but
the London Gardenerh Chronicle gives the fol-
lowing account of some large ones produced in
England: "We have received from Mr. James
Wood, seedsman and florist, of Newport, Isle of
Wight, a couple of large oranges, which together
weighed 2 lbs. 8 ozs. The largest one weighed
1 lb. 7 ozs., and measured 18 inches in circumfer-
ence. Mr. Wood states that they were grown
with two others of about the same size on a tree
about 3 feet high, and 2 feet in diameter of
branches, standing in a cool house from which
frost and damp are excluded by the use of fire-
heat. They are very handsome as decorative
objects, but quite useless for dessert."

Grapes for Profit. — Some vineyards ia
California last year are said to have realized a
profit of S300 per aci'e. We suppose this is
about the best that can be done, and would-be-
rich viticulturists must expect that this is rather
what they possibly may do, rather than what
they will.

California Oranges. — The papers tell us
of a grower who received $50 per 1000 for his
oranges, and expects to market 400,000 next
year at these figures. It seems very high. We
can buy the best of oranges at retail in Phila-
delphia for five cents each. Californians must
pay more for an orange than we do. They had
better emigrate to these parts and live cheaper.
Strawberries in Scribner. — Scribner's
Monthly has done a good thing in bringing the
"Strawberry" before the great public, in a pret-
tily illustrated article from the pen of E. P. Roe.

1880.1

AND HORTICULTURIST.

81

In easy but yet graceful style, Mr. Roe tells
what he knows of the famous berry, and we are
sure has interested thousands in the subject who
scarcely gave a thought to the subject before.
Articles like these do a world of good.

California Raisins. — The Riverside Press
tells us that one firm received S794 for the rais-
ins made from 890 grape vines, — and that the to-
tal expenses were $478.88. This only gives a
a net profit of 12 cents per vine. It is not in-
ordinate, and as it is looked on as a good thing,
it shows that some California newspaper figures
may probably be relied on. Yet twelve cents
from one vine, say every 16 square feet, makes
about S300 profit to an acre, which is doing well
enough in these hard times.

The Lady Washington Grape.— We hear
that this fruited last year in Georgia, and main-
tains a good character there.

Pear Grooving in the South — An intelli-
gent fruit grower from Georgia, recently re-
marked that if only the fire blight could be con-
quered, Pear growing would be far more profit-
able than growing Peaches.

Peach Growing. — Some one in Georgia,
whose name we have not, planted two hundred
and eighty bushels of peach stones last fall. He
evidently has faith that peach growing is not yet
overdone.

The Allen Peach. — This is another new
candidate for earliness. Mr. Bateham believes
it is two weeks earlier than Hale. It is an Ohio
seedling.

The Schumaker Peach. — This is said to
ripen between July 1st, to July 3d, in Fairview
Township, Erie Co.,Pa., where it originated, and
instead of the usual "ten days" notice to the
other early peaches to get out of the way, this
gives " three to four weeks " notice to the Ams-
den and Alexander. Of course we give only
what is said of it, having had no chance to hear
the tale as told by itself.

Apples in Illinois. — Mr. A. R.Whitney com-
menced orcharding in 1843. He has 10,000 bear-
ing trees on 150 acres. His heaviest crop was in
1876, when he had 26,000 bushels. Insects are his
chief trouble. He keeps his orchard in grass and
feeds it with sheep. For summer and early fall
he likes the Red Astrachan and Snow ; for fall
and early winter, the Bailey, Sweet and Maiden's
Blush; for winter and spring, Dominie, Jona-

than, Willow Twig, Ben Davis and Wine Sap.
For these facts we are indebted to the Farmer'' s
Reviexo of Chicago.

Winter Apple for Pennsylvania. —
Among the remarkable experiences of the recent
meeting of the Pennsylvania Society was the
fact that when some one wanted to know what
varieties of apple should be generally planted,
no one seemed ready with an answer. The
Smoke-house was named, but the support as a
general favorite seemed feeble. The York Im-
perial also had some admirers.

The Best Strawberries. — A New Jersey
grower gives the following list of what he regards
as the best of those varieties that have been
thoroughly tested, — Charles Downing, Cumber-
land Triumph, Monarch of the West, Seth Boy-
den, and Wilson. Some of the newer ones may
or may not be better than these.

The Wetherbee Raspberry. — This new
candidate for popular favor, like so many in the
past, claims Kew Jersey for its home. It is a
red variety.

Green Asparagus.— People often say they
do not care for white asparagus, because it is
tough, that they want nothing but green heads
for their table. But it is only when the aspara-
gus first comes from the root stock that it is
tough. When deep underground, as in the
sandy soils of New Jersey it can be planted
without injury, the white part is not tough to-
wards the summit, but as soft and tender as the
green part is usually deemed to be. When the
white is tender and soft, there is no comparison
for sweet delicacy of taste with the green heads
in the mind of the epicure.

Laxton's Marvel Pea. — This is regarded
as one of the best of Mr. Laxton's crosses. In
England it has produced from eight to ten peas
in a pod, — and the flavor is said to be very fine.

The Turban Tomato.— This is a singular
form, or perhaps a distinct species. The fruit is
borne in large clusters, and are in form some-
thing like the ordinary turban squash. In size
the fruit is not much inferior to the common to-
mato, while the flavor is said to be peculiar and
agreeable. It comes to us from Germany.

White Japan Cucumber.— It is said that
this variety is pure white from the time of its
formation.

82

THE GARDENER'S MONTHLY

[March,

SCRAPS AND QUERIES.

The Best Grape. — In a letter before us the
writer says he has tried twelve of the grapes
" everywhere recommended as the best," and
after half a dozen years of trial, does not regard
any but the Concord to be worth growing in
ISew Jersey. Then at the recent meeting of
the Pennsylvania Society at Bethlehem, Mr.
Thos. N. Harvey stated that he had tried, a
very large number, and would discard all but
Concord and Clinton. We have not got down
to this yet. We see everywhere about us peo-
ple who raise other varieties to great perfection,
and we are ready to believe that the failures
are due to causes which can be remedied.

Permanent Whitewash. —P. E. Cobden,
Ills., asks: "Can you tell me through the
Monthly what to add to lime wash to make
it stick to young trees through a rainy season ?
I find whitewash a good protection against rab- 1
bits as long as it adheres. Have used glue in it
without helping much."

[We have never before been confronted by
this question, but it may be noted that washes
of lime are used by plasterers in Philadelphia '

who employ tallow, which is stirred into the
lime while it is slacking, and in that way mixes
very well with it. The coloring matter is gen-
erally mixed with the lime at the same time.
We have known these washes remain on walls
for many years, and they would probably
remain on trees the same way until the coating
cracked by the growth of the trunk. — Ed. G. M.]

Grafting Pear on Pyrus Japonica. —
"Quince" asks: "What has become of this
project? I tried a few, but they all died the
year after grafting, though I verily believe it
was the Pyrus suckers that helped to do the
deed. But then how are we to keep these
sprouts down, for it would seem the Pyrus
japonica could not live without root suckering?

Vegetables and Beauty. — A correspond-
ent insists that the beauty of American women
has increased immensely since he was a young
man, — now many years ago, — and he believes
that this has arisen from the more general use
of fruits and vegetables. We hope the elderly
ladies will forgive us for stating that the wretch
who wrote this had a Philadelphia post mark to
his letter, and may not perhaps have had expe-
rience in other places.

Forestry.

EDITORIAL NOTES.

Scarcity of Wood in Pennsylvania. —
Peter Kalm, on his visit to Philadelphia in 1748,
says then that wood was so scarce for fuel in
Pennsylvania that it brought eighteen shillings
a cord, Pennsylvania currency, and that the citi-
zens were seriously alarmed for the future sup-
ply of wood for the city. Coal had not then been
discovered, though it was being talked about as
likely.

Catalpa K^mpferi.— We have yet letters
insisting that the dwarf, flowerless Catalpa is C.
Bungei, and the lobed-leaved flowering one is C.
Ksempferi. All we can say is that this is clearly
not the case as the plants are described in De
Candolle's Prodromus, which until we have bet-
ter authority we must accept as the law.

Wood of the Paulownia. — In making up
the census reports. Prof. C. S. Sargent is anxious
to get more information about the value of the
Paulownia as a timber tree. If any one has a
tree that has to be cut down for any purpose, he
would be glad of the log, and would of course
pay expense of transportation. Write to him
before sending, as he may have more offers than
he needs.

Catalpas. — r. W. M., says: "This timber
is said to be better for posts than Locust. Can
you give me some information about it ? Is
there more than one kind of Catalpa, and does
one kind spread rapidly, and is that the valu-
able sort?"

[The Catalpa is a first-rate post timber, but we
have our doubts about it being " better " than
Locust for posts. No one wants a better post

1880.1

AND HORTICULTURIST.

83

than a Lacust post. But the Locust suffers ma-
terially in some parts of the country from insect
depredations ; and again the Locust is almost
worthless where nailing is required. The nails
draw in hot weather, or rather by the cold
which follows hot weather, as the wood does
not shrink as the nails shrink. In railroad
sleepers the spikes draw out in the fall, and
cannot be tightened again. We do not know
whether the railroad companies who are inter-
ested in Catalpa planting have tested this point
or not, but we suppose they have. We have
seen posts of Catalpa with hinges for heavy
gates exposed to the full sun for some years
without any sign of drawing out ; so far we
think it safe.

There are two species of Catalpa. C. big-
uonoides and C. speciosa. So far as we know
there is not the slightest difference in the value
of the two as timber trees. Indeed all, or
nearly all of the merits of Catalpa as a durable
wood is derived from the older known form of
the Eastern States. It is claimed for Catalpa
speciosa that in the extreme Northwestern
States ; say Minnesota, and Korthern Iowa, it
endures the winters rather better than Catalpa
blgnonoides. There are other differences, such
as early blooming, beauty, and so forth, which
•entitle it to attention from the lovers of orna-
mental trees, but we do not know of any other
advantage claimed for it in its relations to the
timber question. — Ed. G. M.]

Our Rocky Mountain Evergreens.— Mr.
Robert Douglas has issued a catalogue in which
the nomenclature fixed by the recent careful
researches of Dr. Engleman is adopted. It is
gratifying to note this cheerful acquiescence of a
nurseryman in botanical decisions, because the
lack of this virtue in the trade generally, and
especially in the English trade has led us into
endless trouble with the names of our plants,
and often leads to a purchaser buying things
•over again under various names.

It ought to be generally known that the rule
for plants' names is that the first person who
.shows wherein a plant is new, and describes and
names it in any reputable scientific publication,
shall have the privilege of naming it. This
name stands against all that may come after
it. Subsequent names are synonyms. Now,
very often the wrong name will prevail for
some reason, and though the error is known,
people dread to change for fear of confusion.
But it is generally found that the time comes

when some one or another digs up the original
name, and insists on the law of priority, and
more trouble comes from going back then, than
if the courageous step had been taken when the
error was first discovered. Thus it has been
with Abies and Picea. We have tried to toler-
ate the error for years, but have to come back
to the track at last. Mr. Douglas while giving
the correct nomenclature also gives the syn-
onyms, so that no confusion can arise till peo-
ple become accustomed to the change. We
give below his account of them which will be
of interest to those studying Rocky Mountain
forestry.

Picea Engelmanni, Engelm. (Pinus Commu-
tata, Parlat.) — This beautiful tree is the most
alpine of all North American Spruces, growing
in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado, at an alti-
tude of 12,000 feet. It grows from eighty to
one hundred feet high, with a strict pyramidal
habit and pleasant glaucous coloring. The
wood is white, soft, free from knots and resin,
easily worked, and of great value. This species
will be found an invaluable acquistion for the
Northern portions of the United States, Canada,
and the North of Europe. Even at St. Peters-
burg it has proved perfectly hardy.

Picea pu7igens, Engelm. (Abies Menziesii of
the Rocky Mountain flora, or Abies Menziesii
Parry ana of the Gardener'' s Chronicle.) — This
species has been tested at various points on our
Northwestern prairies, enduring a temperature
of 30° below zero without injury, and also very
extensively near Boston, where it has stood out
entirely uninjured during the last sixteen years.
This is not only one of the hardiest but the
most beautiful of all the Spruces.

Pseudo tsuga Douglasii, Engelm. (Abies Dou-
glasii of Colorado.) — Raised from Colorado
seed, this fine tree has proved itself perfectly
hardy in the very low temperature and severe
winds of the Northwestern prairies, and in
Eastern Massachusetts., where it has stood en-
tirely uninjured during the last sixteen years,
although plants raised from seed from the Pa-
cific coast are quite tender and unable to endure
our winters.

Abies Concolor^ Lindl. (Picea concolor, Gor-
don.)— This includes Abies grandis of the Cali-
fornia botanists. A. Parsonsiana, A. Lowiana,
A. lasiocarpa and amabillis.

The seedlings offered have been raised from
seed collected in the Rocky Mountains, in Colo-
rado, and will, without doubt, prove hardier

TEE GARDENER'S MONTHLY

[March,

than those raised from California seed. Tlie
Colorado form, with its larger leaves and lighter
color, is even superior from an ornamental
point of view to the popular California tree.

Pinus ponderosa. — We have had the seeds of ^
this tree from the Pacific slope under several
names, but in every instance the seedlings failed
to endure our winters. The trees from our

Colorado seeds have stood the past six winters
without the slightest injury, and we believe it to
be perfectly hardy. "As seen in the mountains
of Western America, Pinus ponderosa is the
most magnificent of all North American pines.
It produces heavy and very valuable timber —
the yellow pine of California, Colorado and
Kew Mexico."— C. S. S.

Natural History and Science.

COMMUNICA TIONS.

THOSE CATALPAS ACAIN-AN INQUIRY.

BY PROF. ROBERT MILLIKEN, EMPORIA, KAN.

The great interest we on these treeless plains
of the far west have in the success of forest tree
culture, is my excuse for referring to the matter
of the varieties of the catalpa.

There seems to be some confusion regarding
the identity of certain varieties which at times
we think we have settled, and then again we
hardly know.

About two years ago, in conjunction with Mr.
John C. Teas, of Carthage, Mo., I undertook to
investigate the character of the speciosa, to if :
possible, determine its botanical position,
whether a species or only a variety.

Under date of May 20th, LS78, Mr. Teas after
writing at some length such facts as had come
under his observations regarding the C. speciosa,
says : " Then I have another Catalpa, — new
— from Japan ; not in bloom for two or three
weeks yet. Of this I am anxious to learn the
name. I suppose you have it in your books, and
can easily make it out from specimens I could
send. It is also an exceedingly vigorous up-
right grower, and I think will make a most
valuable timber tree, — surely so if its wood pos-
ses the imperishable quality belonging to the
other catalpas."

Again June 6th, of same year, Mr. Teas
sent leaves and flowers of several kinds of catal-
pas, and wrote of the Japan variety : " It seems
a rather difficult matter to settle upon the cor-
rect specific name, but I hope you may be able
to make it out. I had the trees in 1866, from
my friend Mahlon Moon, of Morrisville, Penna.,

grown from seed imported from Japan, by Ho-
vey «& Co., of Boston. I had also what appeared
to be the same, about the same time from
France, as Bungei, — very incorrect, as Bungei
is a very dwarf kind. [Why incorrect ? — Ed.]

"The trees grew rapidly, and bloomed soon.
When Mr. Moon's trees bloomed he thought it
inferior to our native species, and so grubbed
out his stock entirely. We let it stand, but did not
regard it of any special value, until we thought of
using it as a timber tree. It grows with about,
I think quite double the rapidity of the common
catalpa, and when it gets up to a good size, it is
a good ornamental. tree, 1 raised trees here in
1871 from seeds from the trees I had in 1866 in
Indiana. These planted five years ago, in vil-
lage lots are now 25 feet high, 7 to 8 inches in
diameter, more upright than the common catal-
pa, and fully twice as large as those of same set-
ting. The Japan is a more profuse bloomer
than the common, and the panicles are of larger
size. Two we counted had 380 and 404 flowers,
and buds to bloom. Plenty more as large. The
flowers are a little smaller than those of the
common, — \\ to li inch diameter each way,
color and markings same, only more color and
less white, and the white less pure and clear.
But the great profusion of bloom and large size
of the clusters make the trees in bloom a mag-
nificent, gorgeous sight, and the flowers are
quite fragrant.

" The common seems to vary in regard to
fragrance, but I have never found any even
approaching the Japan in this respect. The
leaves though generally shaped a good deal like
leaves of the common, vary considerably. Many
are lobed, some on one side, and some on both,

1880.]

AND HORTICULTURIST.

85

and the lobes generally, though not always, end
in a sharp acute pohit. The seed pods are very
distinct, being remarkably slender, though of
about the usual length, only about the size of a
goose-quill. Seeds also quite small ; one pound
■containing 50,000, while a pound of the common
only go a little over 20,000.

" Several to whom I have sent it incline to call
it Ksempferi, but it is very unlike what we have
for Kisempferi, from Rochester, and which I
think correct. Plants ten years old, nine and a
half feet high, and forty feet in circumference of
branches at four or five feet from the ground ; in-
numerable stems like a great old currant bush.
Top dense, almost even, and smooth as a clipped
hedge, though never cut; leaves small, dark
green and glossy ; twigs slender. No bloom
yet, though have watched carefully for several
years. I think it will be nice worked standard
high, but for timber, might as well plant goose-
berry bushes. Some one suggest that our
Keempferi may be Bungei, but I think that is
still more dwarf, — stouter in its twigs."

At another time Mr. Teas sent me some
small trees of speciosa, Japan and Bungei, as
he has them, and wrote regarding them.

"It (the Japan) probably belongs to the
Ksempferi section, but is altogether distinct from
K. itself. I have no Ksempferi, but enclose a
few seeds which I suppose to be K. I bought
it in France for Bungei, and what I now send
you as B. I bought at Rochester as K."

Now Mr. Editor, the more we study this ques-
tion the less we seem to know about the identity
of kinds. Is this Japan catalpa of Mr. Teas
Bungei or some new kind? And is the dwarf
one C. Kfempferi?

An answer will remove a good deal of confu-
sion at present existing, regarding the proper
names of these different species.

[We have received this since the note in our
■"Forestry" department went to press. We
would simply suggest to our friend that when
■" the more we study the less we know," it ought
to indicate that we have been studying in the
wrong direction. The best direction to study a
botanical question, is in the line of botanical
authorities. Probably the best authority on this
Catalpa question is DeCandolle, as already
stated. If DeCandolle is wrong, the error has
not been pointed out by any botanist that we
know of; and we must wait till some one of
them does. In the mean time the lobed leaved
kind with flowers remains C. Bungei, and the

dwarf form of the American is C. Ksempferi.
There is no mystery about it that we see— Ed,
G. M.]

THE PEAR LEAF-MITE.

BY MR. THOMAS TAYLOR,
MICROSCOPIST TO THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICUL-
TURE, WASHINGTON, D. C.

In your magazine recently, page 18, Prof. T.
J. Burrill, of Champaign, Illinois, is credited as
being the first person in this country to discover
the cause of what is known as pear-leaf blister.
In his article on that subject quoted in your
magazine. Prof. Burrill says: "A wide-spread
disease of pear leaves in this country and in Eu-
rope, is caused by a mite, to which Scheuten, a
German naturalist, gave the name of Typhlo-
dromus pyri. This was twenty-one years ago.
Ignorant of this information the writer during
the last season, 1879, rediscovered the cause of
this disease, and, it is believed, first announced
its occurrence in this country."

The following extract from the Annual Report
of the Department of Agriculture for the year
1872, page 113, will clearly demonstrate that I
made the discovery Prof. Burrill claims as early
as May, 1872 :

" Mites in Pear-leaves.— In May many leaves
of the pear tree were observed to be covered
with dark-brown blotches somewhat like a fun-
goid growth, but upon examination by Mr. Tay-
lor, microscopist of the Department, these
blotches were found to be inhabited by small
mites almost invisible to the naked eye. These
mites appear to run all over the leaves, but es-
pecially to burrow in the brown patches, which
appear to be entirely eaten out by them. Their
bodies are long, cylindrical, yellowish-white,
with only two pairs of legs, placed very far for-
ward near the head, and they move with consid-
erable agility. They are also marked with a
multitude of rings, and have two long hairs or
bristles and two shorter ones on the end of the
abdomen. There is a somewhat similar mite men-
tioned by Packard as the Typhlodromus pyri, of
Scheuten, which is said to live under the epider-
mis of pear leaves in Europe, but no mention is
made of the brown blotches on the leaf, appa-
rently formed by the mite. In his figure also
the head is much more obtuse than those exam-
ined in the Department. A thorough drenching
with whale-oil soap-suds would doubtless destroy
many of them, as their bodies appear to be very
soft. All infested leaves, likewise, should be

86

THE GARDENER'S MONTHLY

[March,

immediately removed and burnt as soon as dis-
covered."

I see by the Scientific American of recent date
that Prof. Barnard, of Cornell University, claims
to have been the first to discover the mite, and
read a paper on the subject before the Scientific
Association at Saratoga last August. You will
perceive by the dates given in both instances
that my discovery was prior to either by some
years.

ONE-FLOWERED CANCER ROOT.

BY MISS M. EVELYN HUNTER, SUMMERYILLE, S. C.

I am reminded by the note of Mrs. D. W., Sum-
merville, S. C, in the December number of the
Gardener's Monthly, who describes a " Curi-
ous Fungi," in form like an English snowdrop,
of another curious plant which is known in Vir-
ginia to botanists as Orobanche uniflora, or popu-
larl}', One-flowered Cancer-root. It is also
known by the Colored race as Dutchman's pipe.
It is a leafless parasite on the roots of trees and
shrubs, and is from six to eight inches high, and
when it first sends up the scaly scapes from its
irregularly knobby root, they are of a delicate
wax-like hue, changing from exposure to the air
and light to a tough dingy yellow. This plant
delights in very shady situations, and has but a
very slight attachment by its root, to the sub-
stance on which it grows. It is found under
pine trees generally, and is in flower in the
middle or beginning of May, and soon fades
when culled. Barton in his Medical Botany,
gives a full description of this little plant, and a
very accurate plate of it.

ACCIDENTS IN NATURE.

BY MARGID DIGRAM, PHILADELPHIA.

The following paragraph taken from the
Press, of July 16th brings to my recollection a
fallen pine tree I saw back of the little settle-
ment of Green Cove Springs, on the St. John's
river, in the State of Florida. The tree men-
tioned in the paragraph and the one described
by me below may have have fallen from the
same cause. The clipping says : "A young
Chippewa hunter was shooting squirrels in the
woods that border Lake Huron, in Ontario,
when a large pine fell upon him, knocking him
down and crushing his leg. He could not rise
nor remove the tree which was lying across his
broken leg. To lie there and starve to death
seemed all that was left to him. In his dilemma

he took out his knife, cut off his leg, bound it
up with his sash, dragged himself along the
ground to his canoe, and paddled home to his
wigwam on a distant island. There the care of
his wounds was completed, and he is still alive."

The Florida tree, as I saw it, with the entire
length of its trunk closely applied to the per-
fectly even surface of the ground, had evidently
but recently fallen. About seventy-five or
eighty feet away from it, and running in a
parallel direction, was a sluggish stream with
marshy banks densely covered with a variety of
trees and shrubs. Pine trees usually have tap
roots, but this specimen was an exception. The
root corresponded with the ordinary tap root in
thickness, but instead of descending directly
from the base of the trunk as is its usual habit,
it turned at once laterally and ran toward the
brook mentioned, which it doubtless reached.
The ground from the tree to the brook fell in a
very gradual slope, and as this great root grew
just beneath the surface, the tree in falling raised
many feet of it out of its shallow bed into view.
As far as exposed the bark covering it closely
resembled that of the trunk.

It remains a mystery to me how the great
weight of this tree's seventy feet of trunk could
have so long maintained an upright position.
When it fell it must have been with but slight
noise as there was apparently so little to resist
its downward movement. A person standing
near it in the line of its descent would have had
no warning and death would have come to such
an one as it did to the lower section of the
Indian's leg as quickly as by a stroke of light-
ning or a well aimed pistol ball.

EDITORIAL NOTES.

EuPATORiUM, Ageratum, ETC. — Miss Hunter
says : " If A. B. will refer to page 127 of the sec-
ond volume of Barton's Medical Botany, he or
she will find the following statement : ' Most of
the species of Eupatorium, of which Willdenow
enumerates seventy-one, are indigenous to Ame-
rica. Those indigenous to our State are all
plain-looking plants, except E. ceelestinum.'

" I suppose there is a different classification,
since, as Gray gives Conoclinium under sub-tribe
1, Eupatoriaj, and under that head describes
C. ceelestinum.

" I can only say, that ' the blue Eupatorium,
sometimes called Ageratum,' may be a green-

1880.

AND HORTICULTURIST.

87

house plant with A. B., but something very
closely resembling it is a native plant with us.
It is useless to confirm the assertion already
made that E. Hunter is no botanist."

[We usually allow considerable latitude to our
correspondents, and it is well understood that
because we admit anything into our columns, it
does not follow that we approve either of the
matter or manner of the writer. We may, how-
ever, say here for the comfort of our fair corres-
pondent, that though making no pretensions
as a botanist, she need not be worried at not
readily seeing the difference between Ageratum
Conoclinium, Eupatorium, Coelestina, and per-
haps other genera, for botanists of high repute
have so tossed the species about from one to an-
other that one hardly knows what is right or
wrong about them. At present (it is only safe
to say this, for no one knows how long it will be
so) the blue greenhouse plant is Ageratum Mexi-
canum, and the hardy one, much like it in ap-
pearance, is Conoclinium coelestinura. As Miss
Hunter truly says, they have all been Eupato-
riums in the past. — Ed. G. M.]

Effect of Cold on Insects. — Psyche for
January contains a highly interesting paper by
W. H. Edwards on the effect of cold on insects.
The chrysalids of Papilio ajax were frozen in a
temperature of about 32°, and kept in the ice for
many days. The ones exposed but fifteen min-
utes emerged on the forty-third day after expo-
sure, while those exposed nineteen hours did not
appear till the ninety-sixth day, and the propor-
tions were just about the same in the cases be-
tween the fifteen minutes and the nineteen
hours ; concluding, Mr. Edwards says : " That
the effect of cold is not simply to precipitate the
emerging of the winter form, making the butter-
fly which would naturally leave its chrysalis in
the succeeding spring to emerge in the season in
which it fed as a caterpillar, is evident from the
fact that the shape is always that of the sum-
mer form, while the markings are of the winter
form. Those chrysalids which go over the win-
ter, on the other hand, do not have the summer
form, but the winter, and the markings agreeing
thereto, just as in examples in nature. On these
the cold has produced no effect whatever."

Blue Salvia splendens.— Mr. Ilovey says
in the Garden., that this is truly blue, and was a
sport from Salvia splendens, some one in his
employ cutting off the blue-flowered branch
from the scarlet plant and rooting it.

SCRAPS AND QUERIES.

Foliation. — "Inquirer," Burlington, Kan-
sas. So far as known the buds of plants burst
into leaf solely from the action of heat on the
buds, and the temperature of the earth has no-
thing whatever to do with the act of foliation.
Root action, so far as we know, has to do solely
with nutrition, — and we believe has nothing
whatever to do with the development of foli-
age.

The Flowering Raspberry. — " Inquirer."
This is the Rubus odoratus. It is valued chiefly
for its fragarant and showy flowers, and not for
its fruit, which seems to be produced very spar-
ingly, as is the case with many plants having
fragrant and showy flowers. Plants with in-
conspicuous flowers, and which do not " waste
their fragarance on the desert air," are generally
the ones which produce seeds the most abund-
antly.

Geography of Pell^a atropurpurea. —
In the Native Flowers and Ferns of the United
States, it is stated that this pretty Fern has been
found in Greenland. A friend who has made
the geography of ferns a specialty, doubts
whether it has ever been found so far north as
this.

Buffalo Grass. — A. M., says : " I have been
looking over the February number of the
Monthly, and think you are mistaken about
the Buffalo Grass not growing at Cheyenne, as
I saw it at Greely, midway between Cheyenne
and Denver this last summer. I am pleased to
see that Mr. Elder was elected superintend-
ent of the National Antietam Cemetery in
which I have a strong interest, being a partici-
pant of the fearful battle that brought it into
existence. He has a fine scope to work on, but
very poor soil. Accept congratulations on your
increased editorial age."

[The true Buffalo Grass is knovvn to grow on
the plains below Denver, but it is doubtful
whether it ever gets up into the mountains. All
sorts of things are pointed out to travelers as
" Buffalo Grass." Oftener than anything else it
is a kind of Bouteloua. We once knew a very
intelligent gentleman who "• saw a magnificent
field of hemp," which proved to be nothing but
luxuriant Erigeron Canadense. — Ed. G. M.]

THE GARDENER'S MONTHL Y

[March,

Literature, Travels I Personal Notes.

COMMUNICA TIONS.

NOTES AND QUERIES-No. lO.

BY JACQUES.

First impressions. — The Duke of Argyle writes
his " first impressions" on coming to America
to visit his son and the royalty of Canada.
There is nothing particularly striking in his ef-
fort, the trees having most struck his fancy.
One remark is so true that it deserves to be
transferred here, he says : " Might I suggest to
my friends in America the possibility of limit-
ing the nuisance of advertisements on the lovely
banks of the Hudson. [If he had traveled fur-
ther other limits might have been suggested.]
Every available surface of rock is covered with
the hideous letters of some pill or some potion,
or some embrocation, or of some application
still more offensive, for the ills of humanity. To
such an extent is this nuisance carried, that it
seemed to me to interfere seriously with the
beauty of one of the most beautiful rivers in the
world." His grace does not reflect that we are
a free people.

The Diike^s Article in Fraser's Magazine for
December last is a sensible one. His impres-
sions of Niagara are fresh and good. We should
have preferred the omission of this sentence,
"But the famous Thousand Islands of the St.
Lawrence cannot be compared to the analogous
scenery in many of the lakes of Europe, and es-
pecially of Scotland." He says he caught two
salmon of twenty-three pounds and twenty-four
pounds respectively, and one of the party killed
one of thirty-one pounds. Killing is an English-
man's delight. What is to become of the lands
above and far beyond the Falls when they have
worn their way far enough back, the writer does
not say, but that there will be a catastrophe
some day, who can doubt ?

Gardening at Hampton Coiirt. — If we are not
mistaken, Americans have found a rival to
Washington Irving, if not his superior. In a
short tale, "A Passionate Pilgrim," by Henry
James, Jr., occur many fine and appreciative
passages about Old England. Here is a little
scene at Hampton Court, where sundry decayed

old ladies find a home by the bounty of the
Queen. It would be difticult to paint a word
picture of such expanse in so few words : " I
thought of the various images of old-world gen-
tility, which early and late must have strolled
upon that ancient terrace, and felt the great pro-
tecting quietude of the solemn palace. We
walked through an antique grating into one of
the little private gardens, and saw an old lady
with a black mantilla on her head, a decanter of
water in one hand and a crutch in the other,
come forth, followed by three little dogs and a
cat, to sprinkle a plant." The picture, in little,
is perfect. We have seen the very same thing,
decanter and all.

The North China Herald reporting the return
of Prof. Nordensjold, says there was not a sin-
gle case of scurvy during his long Arctic voyage
owing to the free use of a curious little berry
that springs out of the eternal ice and snow du-
ring the short summer. It bears profusely, and
has a taste like the raspberry, but more acid.
The fruit is dried and mixed with the milk of
the reindeer, and it can be carried in a frozen
state for thousands of miles. There was also
used a food made from the whale's hide, which is
pickled and used freely during the winter.

Fruit. — Our friends abroad who get a few
peaches under glass and on fined walls, will be
interested to know that last year the Delaware
Railroad Company transported four thousand,
three hundred and twenty-seven car loads (not
single fruits) of peaches, and six hundred and
fort}'-six car loads of berries, weighing forty
thousand tons, and yielding freight charges
nearly S240,000. This is independent of distri-
bution of fruits in other directions.

The Colorado Beetle. — An article on this pest
in the Fortnightly Review, begins thus : " Colo-
rado, the last-born State of the Union, is little
known in England, except in connection with a
small insect that had the rare honor of procur-
ing an act of Parliament entirely for itself."
It may be doubted if the writer ever saw this
pest, which is not so very small, but he thinks
it will be easily exterminated.

TJie Sky-lark. — The Duke of Argyle, in his

1880.1

AND HORTICULTURIST.

89

notes on America, makes the sensible sugges-
tion that we introduce the skylark, that beauti-
ful songster, and discard the poor little chirping
house sparrows. Who will first initiate the
plan ? Money for it on application.

Country Places Advertised. — There was, not
many years ago, an auctioneer named Bobbins,
in London, famous for the ornate mode of his
advertising of mansions and country seats. A
wag got up an imitation in which a great advan-
tage was introduced in a N. B. : " The telegraph
passes the door day and night." A more recent
flourish is the following : " A quaint mansion and
appurtenances, draped in the foliage of its stately
pines, its ornate lakes abounding with trout and
■decoying the wild duck to the fowling-piece,
wrapped in the amplitude of its lawns and finely-
timbered parks, presenting a tout ensemble of a
■country seat, rich in the elite of winged game,
intersected by never-failing streams of pure
water, hydraulics might here neutralize the
aridity of periodical draughts." Who does not
want to purchase such an elysium ? But it is
feared the mania for locomotion gives preference
•to Pullman cars over the deliirhts of home.

PERFUMES.

BY EMMA B. DUNHAM.

The use of perfumes dates back to the most re-
mote ages. From those ancient times to the
present they have been a delight and almost a
necessity. The Egyptians burned them as offer-
ings to their gods, and used them in embalming
their dead. Their physicians prescribed them
as medicines, especially for diseases of a nervous
kind. That they ward off" contagion is an ac-
knowledged fact. It is affirmed, that " after the
•destruction of the clove trees by the Dutch in
the Island of Ternate, the colony suffered from
■epidemics unknown before ; and in times when
the cholera has prevailed in London and Paris,
those employed in the perfumery factories have
escaped its ravages."

The Orientals used sweet odors profusely, per-
fuming their wines and their baths. Musk in
large quantities was mixed with the mortar used
in the construction of their mosques, and the
odor was retained for years. It was particularly
perceptable when heated by the sun. This im-
ponderable fragrance embodied in various sub-
stances in nature, is sometimes called the " life"
or "■ breath," because of its preservative quali-
ties. Odorous blossoms remain fresh much
longer than inodorous ; perfumed woods last as

long as their perfume remains. Chemists find
some odors are easily and quickly extracted,
while others require months of patient effort.
Some are extremely volatile, while others are
retained for centuries.

One of the rarest odors in nature, is the violet.
A perfume resembling the true violet has been
obtained from the root of Iris of Florence, and
perfumers have sold it for the attar of violets.
Until within a few years comparatively, the real
odor of the violet has never been separated
from the flower; it refused to separate its odor
from itself; it was to be met nowhere but
in its own coralla. But at last the true smell-
ing of otto of violets has been isolated by M.
March, of Nice. The alchemist by skillfully
combining certain odors obtains a semblance of
the perfume of almost every flower. The jas-
mine alone is unapproachable. The odor of
this flower is delicate and sweet, and so pecu-
liar that it is without comparison, and as such
cannot be imitated. For this reason the odor is
very costly, — fifty dollars per fluid ounce. The
late Charles Dickens, alluding to the assei'tion
that the fragrance of the jasmine has never
been imitated, says in Household Words: "Is
jasmine, then the mystical meru — the centre,
the Delphi, the Omphalos of the floral world?
Is it the point of departure, — the one unap-
proachable and indivisible unit of fragrance?
Is jasmine the Isis of flowers, with veiled face
and covered feet, to be loved of all, yet discov-
ered by none ? Beautiful jasmine ! If it be so,
the rose ought to be dethroned, and the inimit-
able enthroned queen in her stead. Revolutions
and abdications are exciting sports; suppose we
create a civil war among the gardens, and crown
the jasmine empress and queen of all."

Perfumes are obtained more or less from
every part of the known world ; but perhaps
from those countries bordering on the Mediter-
ranean in the greatest abundance. At Adrian-
ople the rose gardens extend over from twelve
to fourteen thousand acres, and are called the
Rose Farms of the World.

EDITORIAL NOTES.

Editorial Letter. — Standing in the ob-
servatory at the top of the Lucy Linder-
man Library, on the south side of the Le-
high river, one has a beautiful view of the
town of Bethlehem, on the north bank of
which the chief part of the city stands. It is

90

THE GARDENER'S MONTHLY

[March,

^one of the oldest settlements in the United
States, and, though bearing an air of moderate
comfort in all its surroundings, has yet a popu-
lation of probably not more than 8000. Yet
though not a very large town, its inhabitants
have always had a taste for tree planting, and
these trees, so many of mature age, growing in
many cases far up above the houses, give the
town from the point I am speaking, a particular
air of beauty I have seldom seen when looking
down from some height on other and more re-
cent places. The town has long been famous
for its schools ; for here education has been in
some measure divested of fashionable follies
which seem inseparable from school life near
more pretentious cities, and for this reason has
been very acceptable to some. Numbers of ex-
cellent ladies all over the Union boast of their
education at Bethlehem, and though first-class
schools of the plainer sort have been estab-
lished in other places, and thus now compete
with the older ones of Bethlehem, somewhat to
its disadvantage, they are still popular ; some
100 being in one which I had the pleasure to
visit. Boys will in the future have an equal
chance with girls to boast of Bethlehem, since
the University of which I am now speaking,
and of which this library is a part, was founded
by Judge Asa Packer. Starting in life with but
a limited education, like many of his class he
believed that if he had had more he would have
been more useful ; hence it is very natural that
in his desire to show his gratitude to that hu-
manity on which he throve, he should see no
better way than to give to others forever the
advantages of which he himself was deprived.
Unfortunately that which comes easy is not
often valued, and I could not but wonder how
many of the boys I saw studying here at almost
no cost, would prove Packers in their turn.
Still as one cannot take their riches with them,
and most will want to dispose of their treasures
where they will do the most good, what is more
likely to be of service than institutions where
ignorance may be dispelled, the poor or the
suftering have their wants relieved, or where
the young and unthinking may learn to become
self-reliant, and do good to their less fortunate
fellow creatures in turn ?

The Lucy Linderman Library is another ex-
cellent idea. It is a monument erected by a
gentleman to the memory of his wife. It is
filled with a great number of excellent books,
and many young men were in it studying at the

time of my visit. How much more sensible are
useful monuments like these, and how much more
enduring, than the huge piles of cemetery marble
which often d the eyes of people of taste and senti-
ment all over the land. The grounds around
the Institution are being laid out in an ex-
cellent manner by Mr. Chas. H. Miller, of
Philadelphia, and will do full credit when com-
pleted to the tasteful architecture of the Uni-
versity buildings.

Bethlehem is not only remarkable for its
well planted streets and " yards," but for its
remarkable success in window gardening. I do
not remember to have seen any town in which
so many houses had window flowers. In most
large cities, and in the newer cities that envy
the larger ones, the houses of the wealthier are
kept dark most of the year round. In the Sum-
mer the best rooms are closed to keep out
the sun, and in the Winter are so encumbered
by upholstery, that although the windows are
large enough, only a few square feet of glass
get the opportunity to light the room. They
are made to look well by gas light, and people
rarely go into them by day. But the middle
and poorer classes who mostly have houses in
order to enjoy life with their own families, are
the chief ones who have their rooms gay with
plants and flowers, and which keep out the sun
and bright light quite as well as the upholsterer's
art can do. This the Bethlehem people seem to
understand, for, as I have said, window flowers
are everywhere, — in the houses of the very rich,
as well as in those of the very poor. It was in-
deed a very pleasant sight for one from a fashion-
slave city to enjoy.

Many of the richer people however arrange
their plants in side rooms specially constructed
for flowers. Small conservatories they are in
fact. A very neat one of this sort I had the
pleasure to see attached to the house of Dr.
Linderman. I suppose it was not more than ten
feet square ; but the tubs of oranges and lemons,
agaves and yuccas, and similar plants, used for
summer decoration, were so arranged that it
looked very much larger. In it was a small
fountain with aquatics, ferns, fish, and other at-
tractions for the partially shaded places, and
those which flowered and needed more light
were arranged around the windows on the sides.
A door opened into the dining room at one end,
and another on the opposite side to some
kitchen offices by which the conservatory could
be reached by the gardener without having to

1880.

AND HORTICULTURIST.

91

carry working materials through the better
rooms. In this conservatory there was a plant
of Dracaena fragrans, with several stems, per-
haps twelve feet or more high, and which had
retained all its lower leaves through the many
years it had been growing, and presented a
mass of luxuriant foliage wonderful to behold.
The gax-dener, Mr. Thos. Love, was proud of the
feat, and well he may be, for I question whether
a better specimen of skilful growth was ever
seen. If any reader of the Gardener's
Monthly knows of a better one, let the fact
be known. Mr. Love besides his superiority as
a practical gardener, has high merits as a land-
scape gardener. The grounds were laid out by
him, and are very tastefully arranged.

Many plants thrive here in the mountains
which do but poorly in the lower lands, as
beautiful specimens of the English Hawthorn
and Mountain Ash testify. In different parts of
the grounds are plant houses ; for instance a
greenhouse, fern house, forcing house in which
cucumbers were then in fiuit, and grapery. Mr.
Love is a very successful grape grower. Some
bunches of certain kinds have been exhibited in
New York of a size to challenge competition. A
Bowood muscat has been raised of seven pounds.
He regards it as of vast importance that the
roots of the vines should be rather dry, and
that top air should be given at all times.

Another very intelligent and successful gar-
dener I found in Mr. O'Neil, gardener to L. J.
Krause, Esq., who besides nice garden grounds,
can boast of one of the most complete barns in
this part of the county. Mr. Krause's green-
houses are all small ; some of them built wholly
by the ingenious hands of the gardener. An in-
interesting fact in regard to rose culture is ex-
hibited in one of these houses. Roses are forced
for cut flowers, and are grown in a bank of
earth on one side of the forcing house. Half
of this bank has air drains at the bottom. The
other part is elevated on the solid ground. The
part with the air drains has the plants fully one-
third better than the other. There are quite a
number of small greenhouses, and neat places in
the town of Bethlehem ; among these are Mr.
Smiley's and Mr. E. P. "Wilbur's. Extensive
grounds do not seem to exist. The cemetery
grounds and the many rural walks — and beautiful
they are^seem to be the chief out-door garden-
ing experience of the Bethlehemites.

Lepidium for Bugs. — The American Ento-
logist, " recognizes the genial Samuel Miller of

Bluffton, Mo., under the initials S. M.," in tte
article on Lepidium, in a recent number. But
our good contemporary must try again. It is
not yet even '"warm." To help it a little we
will say it need not search south of the Raritan.
Dueer's Coleus Plate.— It is seldom that
we notice advertisements in the editorial col-
umns, though we are often asked to do so. We
desire to avoid even the appearance of anything
being paid for directly or indirectly, which is
given as editorial opinions, and which any pref-
erence apparently given to one firm over ano-
ther, might be fairly construed into a paid-for
"business notice." But we notice this effort of
Mr. Dreer, in order to bring prominently for-
ward the great change in the manner of adver-
tising which is likely to take place. Mr. Pen-
nock once advertised in our columns colored
plates of Caladiums ; Mr. Henderson, Pansies,
and Mr. Scott the Waverly Carnation ; and now
Mr. Dreer follows with the Coleus. We believe
the money spent in printer's ink for the two
pages a colored plate occupies, would not be half
as "telling as the colored illustrations of the thing
itself. We have no doubt this style of advertis-

ing will grow.

Addressed Envelopes. — It is a pleasant
thing to receive a stamp when one desires a re-
ply to a letter, but we must again beg of our cor-
respondents not to send stamped envelopes,
with the addresses already written on them. It
is extremely rare that a letter can be answered
at once on receipt ; for often some investigation
has to be made. In the meantime a busy man
cannot remember that some particular person
sent an addressed envelope. We have scores
of these addressed and stamped envelopes lying
around, and always in the way. It is mistaken
kindness to send such things.

Civilization: is its cause Natural or
Supernatural ?— By a " Wayfarer in search of
Truth," Philadelphia, Published by C. H. Marot.
The doctrines of evolution, which this work at-
1 tacks, have some bearing on horticultural pur-
suits •, and horticulture considers itself especially
interested in the progress ; but we find very lit-
tle in this book that will warrant an extended
notice in our magazine. It is more in the way
of theologians and metaphysicians. We may
however, say that the point of the work turns on
the meaning of terms. The author believes that
evolution is opposed to Christianity ; but this de-
pends on what one understands by evolution,
and by Christianity. Erom our experience of

92

THE GARDENER'S MONTHLY

[March,

the world we should say that there were multi-
tudes who would not accept his definition of
either.

It is however, not always easy to catch the
meaning of the author himself, for his fondness
foi* illustrations generally ends as they often do
with school boys, in obscuring the main points.
For instance, speaking of crime and criminals,
he observes " If a man has a barren tree in his
garden, which draws to itself the nutriment re-
quired for the proper growth of useful plants,
would he display the most wisdom in attempt-
ing to remedy the matter by trimming around
among the uppermost branches, or by grubbing
the thing up by the roots ?" And at once we be-
gin to wonder how the poor sinners among
human beings are to be " grubbed up." Whether
the cheapest way would be to hang them at
once, or whether imprisonment for life would
fairly come under the grubbing up idea? After
all, the best display of wisdom might be open to
some difference of opinion. A gardener once
did ask of the great master for leave to try a
little of his horticultural skill before the barren
fig tree was "grubbed" up,— and the master
thought he was wise.

Refutation of Darwinism, by F. "Warren
O'Neill, Philadelphia; J. B. Lippincott & Co.
By direct ways man has been taught how every
thing began ; but there is no possible harm in
starting from the other end also, and by ques-
tioning nature herself, note the correspondence
of her answers with what has been revealed to
us. There ought to be, and in the end there
must be a coincidence between these two lines
of thought ; but while they are being pursued,
one has nothing whatever to do with the other.
In asking IsTature how varieties, genera and
species began, we therefore set aside, for the
moment, all that we have been taught, and all
that we believe, and await patiently iN'ature's
answer. Here are plants and animals about us,
how came they here? Were they always, from
the first as they are now ? Or have they changed
and are changing still ? We see from the geo-
logical record, that there was a time when there
was neither plant nor animal on the earth, — that
at a later period only the lowest forms existed,
— and that only in the later ages have what we
may regard as the most complicated organisms
appeared. There is no question that there has
been a progression from the most simple, to
man, the most complicated of all. Then comes
the question, — have these changes been brought

about by Divine laws , which are continuously ope-
rating for change ? — or by Divine power continu-
ously setting aside old laws and establishing new
ones? — by laws continually operating, or by
laws continually being broken ? For that there
has been a continuous succession of changes, no
one pretends to deny.

When we ask a question, it is not in human
nature not to inquire what may be the reply.
Indeed it is because we suspect that we ask.
There could be no questioning without a prior
doubt of some kind. We see a man full grown,
and we see a babe ; and, knowing that there was
a time when man made a first appearance on the
earth, we ask did he come here as a babe, as he
does now, or did he appear first as a full-grown
man ? We know he does not now come into the
earth full grown, and we know a babe cannot take
care of itself. If this were all that be left to us,
it would be no use to consider the problem at
all ; but we see in the lower forms of life the
young are capable of an independent existence,
at once from birth, and thus we see that under
existing laws it is just possible that there might
be a development from the young capable, to
the young incapable. In other words, though man
or the higher animals may not have come into
existence in the first place, either full grown or
as babes, so far as we can judge from any exist-
ing laws, yet it is possible they may have been
developed from a lower to a higher plane by de-
grees. It is this possibility, this guess, which is
among the foundations of the modern questioning
of natui-e known as " Evolution." It did not arise
with Mr. Darwin ; but he has done more than
any other man to show that it may be a reason-
able guess. This, and nothing more, is " Dar-
winism," and this is what Mr. O'Neill has un-
dertaken to refute.

Mr. O'Neill takes credit that he " refutes" Mr.
Darwin by Darwin's own facts, — but at the outset
this places Mr. O'Neill at a great disadvantage.
It would be much better for his side of the case
if he were to fall to work and collect facts as in-
dustriousl}' as Mr. Darwin has done. But there
is nothing in the work before us to show that he
is capable of any such an effort. He appears to
have been a diligent closet student, and nothing
more. He is master of the art of logic as taught
in the schools, knowing little of the logic of facts
as derived from experience. It soon becomes
evident that he mishapprehends Mr. Darwin,
and that though he quotes profusely from Mr.
Darwin's works, and makes very good points as

1880.

AND HORTICULTURIST.

93

he goes along, he does not do justice to Mr. Dar-
win's real views. Mr. Darwin, as most of us
know now, has made many incidental errors,
and his inferences are not always sustained by
the light of what has been observed in later
times. But on the other hand since Darwin
wrote there are quite as many new facts brought
out to strengthen his views, as there are those
which weaken them, — but of these our author evi-
dently knows nothing. Like a lawyer pleading
on a case against Mr. Darwin, he naturally seizes
on every weak point, as if it were one of great im-
portance. When Mr. Darwin, for instance, tells
us that a certain belief has prevailed " from the
time of Columella, who wrote shortly after the
Christian era to the present day," Mr. O'Neill
takes occasion to say that "the impression, with
the writer, has ever been, that the 'Christian
era 'lasted, at Zeas^, until the origin of species
was published." Every one but Mr. O'Neill
may understand that Mr. Darwin inadvertently
left out " began" after " era ;" and that his "im-
pression" is of no sort of consequence as an ar-
gument "against Darwin." The whole work
indeed strikes us as of the class with Archbishop
Whately's effort to prove the non-existence of
Napoleon Buonaparte. It is a clever but uncon-
vincing work. His line of argument is that there
is no feature that marks what we call a new va-
riety, that did not exist in some ancestor more
or less remote, — that the types or " first pa-
rents " of all existing species had every cha-
racter in one that now appears severally in
many forms. In other words that there has been
a continual suppression of parts, and that it is
only by regaining occasionally what has been
lost, that there comes in what we call a new va-
riety. In other words, as we understand Mr.
O'Neill's view it is quite possible for a monkey
to be evolved from a man, but not a man from a
monkey !

Of course every student of Mr. Darwin's works
knows that he does consider much of the change
of form we see as due to reversion and suppres-
sion,— but he also knows what is never referred to
by Mr. O'Neill, that Mr. Darwin's works show the
entrance on the stage of wholly new characters,
which we have no reason to believe ever had an
existence before. For instance, of late years we
have come to know that the Salix Babylonica,
sprung from Salix Japonica, and there is no pro-
bability, so far as any mind can suggest, that the
peculiar characteristics of the former, ever had
a prior existence till it sprung from the latter.

Then there is another form of willow known as
Salix annularis, the ring-leaved willow, which
we know sprung from Salix Babylonica. Its pe-
culiarity never existed in any pi-obability in the
former. Now this Salix annularis, has within
two cases only that the writer of this knows Of,
reverted after many years to the S. Babylonica.
It retained its characters for some half of a cen-
tury before a branch betrayed its origin. Here
is the entrance of an entirely new charac-
ter, and a reversion to the old one. It shows
that both are true, and this Mr. Darwin has well
illustrated.

We do not believe that Mr. Darwin's views of
reversion, intercrossing, natural selection, and
other agencies always cover the ground he claims
for them. As a student of nature, the writer of
this has often had to object ; but that they are
sound in the main we believe, and a careful read-
ing of Mr. O'Neill's book has not in the least
weakened our faith in them.

The Cotton Worm. By Prof. C. V. Riley.
Published by the Department of the Interior. —
The United States Government stands high in
the estimation of the people of other nations,
by the aid it gives to scientific explorations and
invesMgations, and it is chiefly because of its in-
terest in the development of the progressive
paths of peace, while the rest of the world is
mainly occupied with the arts of war, that popu-
lation, capital and enterprise are so freely poured
in upon us. Indeed, there is very little left for
a United States Government to do but to look
after the protection of the people from internal
enemies since it has no foreign foes to menace
them. And we have no greater foe than ignor-
ance,— and especially that class of ignorance
which only exact scientific knowledge can destroy.

This work of Prof. Riley and the Entomologi-
cal Commission is one which will do much to
maintain the excellent reputation of our gov-
ernment, to which we have already referred ;
and it will do much towards curbing the destruc-
tive power of one of our national enemies, — the
cotton worm. Indeed, a study of this work will
not be of value to the cotton raiser only, but
will expand the view of all engaged in the war
against noxious insects of many kinds. So far as
the cotton worm is concerned, we have here given
the history of the insect copiously illustrated in
all its stages of growth, as also of others which
have any possible relation or connection with
it. Also all sorts of machines and contrivances
by which the insect may be caught and destroy-

94

THE GARDENER'S MONTHLY

[March,

ed. The wide diffusion of such knowledge as is
contained here, cannot but be of untold value to
the country in dollars and cents; for though the
intelligent man generally gains what the igno-
rant one loses, it is always an absolute loss to
any country where even one man's labor is
thrown away.

How TO Learn Short-Hand without a
Teacher, we have from S. R. Wells & Co.,
Kew York.

Dairy Farming, Part 7. — This part has for
its frontispiece a beautiful colored plate of Ayr-
shire cattle. The leading chapters are on the
nutrition of plants and application of manures.
Cassell, Fetter & Galpin, New York, are the
agents.

The Workshop Companion, Industrial Pub-
lication Co., New York. — A small but very use-
ful book. In gardening and farming, more than
in any industrial employment, one has to depend
on self-education in many a little thing. We
once knew a gardener who was in a " great
way," because some glass in a forcing house was
broken, and could not be repaired till a glazier
from a neighboring city had been sent for.
Such delays would not happen if people f^bout
isolated places had such a little book as this for
theii* evening hours,

Herman Munz, — A florist of Meadville, Pa.,
died Jan. 25th, 1880, in his thirty-second year.
Mr. Munz came to this country from Germany,
In 1870, and located in Meadville, where he was
employed for some time by one of the old flo-
rists of the place, and finally began business for
himself. He was a man of unusual energy; and
at the time of his death, in addition to managing
his own business as a florist, he discharged the
duties of Superintendent of Greendale Cemetery
in that city.

Robert Fortune.— -It is said that republics
are ungrateful to their benefactors ; but accord-
ing to the Gardener''s Chronicle^ it is the same
fitory all round. It says : " In this great coun-
try, where the arts and sciences flourish, not be-
cause of imperial patronage, but rather in spite
of it, it would doubtless seem incongruous were
any illustrious worker in horticultural pursuits
to receive any special notice at the hands of the
powers that be, or any of those honors that are
so eagerly sought for b}^ the fighting services of
the country and so freely bestowed ; yet it is dif-
fficult to repress a feeling of humiliation that so
little national recosnition is given to the servi-

ces rendered to the nation in general by other
than Government servants, and to horticultural
science and practice in particular, by such men,
for instance, as Robert Fortune, a record of
whose introductions from the far-off" countries of
China and Japan appeared in these pages before.
It is not possible to calculate the benefits the
country has received from Mr. Fortune's labors;
they were quiet, plodding and unpretentious,
carried on too often perchance under great pri-
vation and possible danger to life. None of the
clash and pomp of war shed a halo over his
work; there was no wading through slaughter,
or records of thousands and tens of thousands of
dead defenders of their hearths and countries to
chronicle. It is the men who can boast of these
trophies of civilization, that get the popular
cheer, the national welcome, and the imperial
honors, whilst the unpretentious seeker after
good, like Fortune, finds his reward only in the
almost utter forgetful ness of the nation that
such a man ever was its benefactor. Yet For-
tune's testimonials, silent but impressive, are
found amongst us in their thousands ; they exist
in abundance in every garden, and are found
now almost throughout the whole civilized world.
Wherever a love for flowers and trees is, there
also are the abundant evidences of his labors.
Not to carry into aboriginal homes death and
desolation was his mission, but rather to give
comfort, beauty and life to all humanity. Bye-
and-bye, perchance, when the grave has closed
over his earthly career, the world will realize
how much it owes to Robert Fortune."

Brambleton Gardens, Norfolk, Va.—
Since Mr. Barker's death, these promising nur-
series are being continued with Mr. B. Reynolds
as superintendent. The collection is rich in
orchids as well as other rare plants.

The Ladies' Floral Cabinet. — We note
that this pretty and useful magazine hafe passed
from the hands of Henry T. Williams to those
of Adams & Bishop, New York.

Case's Botanical Index. — This little quar-
terly, published at fifty cents a year, at Rich-
mond, Indiana, is surely worth more than its
subscription price to any one interested in hor-
ticultural botany. The January number has an
illustrated chapter on the celebrated water lily
of the Amazon. — Victoria regia.

American Roses. — By H. B. Ellwanger,
reprinted from the proceedings of the Western
New York Horticultural Society. This is one

1880.]

AND HORTICULTURIST.

95

of the niost interesting papers that have been
contributed to horticulture for some time past.
Mr. Ellwanger has looked up all the American
varieties of roses, and has given a brief sketch
of their history. These number fifty-three.
The list might doubtless be enlarged, and it
would be doing good service if those who know
of others would send some account of them to
Mr. Ellwanger. Sherwood's Musk Cluster was
a famous rose in its day among Philadelphia
florists, and we fancy is yet to be found in some
collections.

Worcester County, Mass. Horticultu-
ral Society Transactions for 1879.— Mr.
E. W. Lincoln, Secretary. It is always a pleas-
ure to receive these annual proceedings, and we
can envy a society which has so intelligent a
gentleman and enthusiastic horticulturist for sec-
retary, whose report is one of the leading at-
tractions of the volume. We learn that this
society was incorporated on the 3rd of March,
1842, and that Anthony Chase, the last of the
incorporators passed away last year. He was
particularly distinguished for his love of testing
new fruits. Mr. L. shows well how botany and
horticulture is year by year forming a closer
union, and how in the future they must go on
hand in hand together if we are to derive from
horticulture all the pleasure it is capable of af-
fording. In this connection Professor Good-
ale gave a course of four lectures before the
society last year, in which the relations of
botany to horticulture were ably set forth. Ab-
stracts of these lectures form part of this vol-

ume. In this connection we may note that
botanical addresses on the objects exhibited,
are now becoming some of the most popular
features with some of our progressive horticul-
tural societies.

SCRAPS AND QUERIES

Floricultural Progress. — E., Philadel-
phia, wonders with some reason where progress
will be in twenty years from now. He refers to
a visit he paid recently to Mr. Dreer's new
Coleuses, and compares the number of beauti-
ful forms with the few of former years, and asks
"what next?"

Priority of Discovery. — Querist. We
have seen the paragraph you refer to, but have
no disposition to join in the controversy. We
may say however, that we believe entirely too
much is often made of the credit notion. A
man discovers a new fact, but he is lazy, mod-
est, indiflTerent, or whatever you may choose to
call it, and the valuable discovery practically
dies with him ; but a hundred years afterwards
some one else finds it, and works hard to make
it known and useful to the world. All at once
some one digging in among the mould of the
past, finds an old letter in which there is a
chance expression indicating that this hundred-
year-old lazy bones knew all about it. As a
matter of fact it is well enough to note it ; but
yet we think of the two, the more modern one
should have the whole credit for it.

Horticultural Societies.

EDITORIAL NOTES.

Pennsylvania Pruit Growers' Society.
— The annual meeting was held at Bethlehem,
Pa., according to announcement, and was a very
successful one. A much larger number of mem-
bers than usual were present. Much of the un-
usual success was due to Secretary Eugle, who
proves to be one of the cases where the right
man falls into the right place.

More than usual interest was taken in the
peach, by an introductory address by John Rut-
ter, Esq., of West Chester, who has been in the
past one of the most successful of Penns)'lvania
peach growers. It was clear from his remarks
that cheap land is not always the prime item of
success in peach growing. There were discussed
all the troubles about marketing, commission
men, getting ready before ripe, glutting the mar-
kets, railroad transportation, and loads of other

96

THE GARDENER'S MONTHLY.

[March,

troubles, all got rid of by having young peach
orchards a little nearer to the large city.

The only disease or trouble of any sort that
was of any consequence to the peach was the
yellows, but this was really a very small trouble
in the districts about Philadelphia.

In regard to the profit of orcharding, the dis-
cussions were very earnest, and in most cases
the members took what might be regarded as
the conservative view. The real difficulties, the
dark side, as well as the bright side of the sub-
ject, was shown, and that only those who made
it a good business study could succeed. One es-
say showing that fruit growing could never be
overdone, had to run the gauntlet of this conser-
vative discussion, to the great profit of those
who were anxious to get rich in the fruit grow-
ing field.

The other matters were more of a local than
general interest, referring chiefly to varieties for
local culture, buds, tree peddlers, flower garden-
ing, and adornments of grounds. Judge Stitzel,
of Reading, was elected President for the next
year and Gettysburg as the place of meeting.

Kentucky Horticultural Society.— The
peach seems to have been unusually compli-
mented by the Horticultural societies this sea-
son, the Kentucky society, as well as some
others, having given it the post of honor in their
proceedings. Hon. W. J. Lee read a paper on
the subject. In regard to varieties, he said :

"The selection should depend upon the situa-
tion of the grower. Select sorts to make a com-
plete succession through the whole season.
Plant lightly of Amsden June, Early Beatrice,
Early Louise, Early Rivers, Early Baltimore,
etc. Plant a few Hale and Tillotson, but plant
largely of Troth's Early, Large Early, York,
George IV., Oldmixon Free, Rodman's Red
Cling, Oldmixon Cling, Ward's Late Free,
Grand Admirable, Smock's Late Free, and
Heath."

In regard to picking and packing, he said :
" One may have followed all the directions pre-
viously given, and may have grown very fine
peaches, and yet lose money by picking at an
improper stage of ripeness and bad packing. If
a man has any taste about him, he has a good
chance to show it in picking and packing peaches.
Picking and packing peaches is a business to be
learned, and a man has to serve a trade at it be-
fore he can be an expert in it. All the specimens
on a tree do not ripen at the same time, and it
frequently happens that you have to make as

many as ten pickings from the same tree, but
usually five or six will answer. In handling a
crop of 5,000 boxes of peaches, every peach
should be picked as near the same stage of ripe-
ness as possible ; this stage may be known by the
green side changing to white in white peaches
and to pale red in red peaches. A peach re-
ceives its color and flavor about forty-eight hours
before it softens, and should be picked as soon
as it has reached this stage. Peaches should be
handled very carefully in picking.

" The directions I shall here give are for pack-
ing in boxes. Peaches should be packed in new
boxes, made neat and strong. Each shipper
should have a numbered stencil, by which his
fruit may be known in the market, and for con-
venience of separating lots in the commission
house. Every box should be stenciled before it
is filled, as you are less liable to overlook one.
Should you fail to stencil a box it would be apt
to be lost in shipping, or should it get through,,
the commission merchant would not know to
whom it belonged. I consider packing the most
particular thing in peach culture. To do good
packing it is necessary to have proper fixtures. "^

Nurserymen's Association. — This body
will hold its next meeting in the Grand Pacific
Hotel, Chicago, on the 16th of June, 1880. We
believe it will be profitable for all having the
best interests of the trade at heart to attend. A
correspondent suggests that as a great national
political meeting is to be held there a little be-
fore that time, and some might like to attend
both, would it not be well to have the meeting
of nurserymen earlier ? We have promised to
give his idea notice, but do not advocate it. The
writer had good experience in this " killing two
birds with one stone" idea at the Centennial.
They all turned out, as did his boyish efibrt with
the birds illustrated. He never did kill twO'
birds with one stone, nor did he ever meet the
boy who did. The attempts always failed. One
thing at a time seems to be the best for all
things.

The Horticultural Hall, Philadel-
phia.— This fine building, in which the Penn-
sylvania Horticultural Society had but a very
small pecuniary interest, in comparison with the
whole cost, has changed hands. It brought
S75,300. It will make no difference, we pre-
sume, to the Horticultural Society in the way of
its exhibitions, library, etc., which will probably
all go on as formerly there.

THE

GARDENER'S MONTHLY

AND

HORTICULTURIST.

DEVOTED TO HORTICULTURE. ARBORICULTURE AND RURAL AFFAIRS.

Edited by THOMAS MEEHA.N.

Vol. XXIL

APRIL, 1880.

Number 256.

Flower Garden and Pleasure Ground,

SEASONABLE HINTS.

The best time to plant evergreens is always a
disputed point, — some preferring the early,
others the later spring. But the average plan-
ter takes the earliest advantage, for there is al-
ways enough to do when the last chance to do
anything arrives. The real difference in season
is hardly in favor of one over the other ; much
more depends on the manner in which the tree
is taken up, and the manner in which it is plant-
ed, than on the precise month in the year. More
trees die from bad planting than from a bad sea-
son, or bad digging ; and bad planting consists
more in not having the earth rammed in tightly
about the roots than even some good tree plant-
•ers imagine. It is all very well to spread out
the roots with the fingers, and to punch in a fist-
full of earth here and there. It is not because
one spends an hour over the job that it is done
well. Nor is it any proof of good planting that
a large hole, or a deep hole, or a hole full of
good soil, or a dozen buckets of water, or the
prevention of drying by the roots, or the cutting
off of wounded portions were all scrupulously at-
tended to. We may do all this, and the tree be
very badly planted indeed. The man who takes
a heavy paving rammer, and rams in tightly
every shovelful of earth as it goes in on the
roots, and who may perhaps finish the job of

planting even a large tree in fifteen minutes, we
should regard as much the best tree planter. If
the tree has been badly dug, this may be reme-
died by cutting back some of the weaker bran-
ches, and leaving the stronger ones ; but no-
thing will make up for a loosely packed soil
about the roots.

Where evergreens can be benefited by prun-
ing, April is a very good month to attempt it.
If a tree is thin in foliage at the base, the top of
the tree, leader and all, must be cut away. It
makes no difference what the kind is, all will
make new leaders after being cut back, if pro-
perly attended to. We make this remark be-
cause there is a prevalent idea that Pines will
not stand this cutting. Of course the trimming
should be done in a conical manner, so as to
conform to the conical style of the evergreen
tree. Sometimes an evergreen, especially a
Pine, will rather turn up some of the ends of its
side branches than push out another leader;
when this is the case, cut these away, and a real
leader will form the second year.

Evergreen hedges should be trimmed now,
cutting them conically, so as to give light to the
lowermost branches.

There is so much to be done in April, that
the briefest hints must suffice. First, of course,
we must prepare the ground for planting. Soil
loosened two feet deep dries out less in summer

98

THE GARDENER'S MONTHLY

[April,

than soil one foot deep. Rich soil grows a tree
larger in one year than a poor soil will in three.
Under-drained soil is cooler in summer than soil
not under-drained. The feeding roots of trees
come near the surface ; therefore plant no deeper
than necessary to keep the tree in the soil. If
there be danger of its blowing over, stake it, but
don't plant deep. One stake set at an angle is as
good as two set perpendicularly. Straw or mat
set round the tree keeps the bark from rubbing.
Large stones placed around a transplanted tree
are often better than a stake. They keep the
soil moist, admit the air, and encourage surface
roots. Shorten the shoots at transplanting.
This induces growth, and growth produces roots ;
and with new roots your tree is safe for another
season. Unpruned trees produce leaves, but
little growth, and less new roots.

In arranging flowers in beds, aim at varying
from last year. And to obtain this ever-changing
and pleasing variety, annuals are the very things
for the purpose. But they must have good soil
and careful attention, or the seed will be sure to
furnish a good excuse for neglect or bad practice
in many instances. Very fine seeds may be
sown quite on the surface, and a little moss,
dried and powdered, spread thinly over the seeds.
The common cause of failure is deep sowing.
The nearer the surface, the better, provided they
do not ever become dry — which is as fatal as
deep planting. It is a happy practice that can
just hit the middle way. Climbing annuals are
particularly interesting. Tuberoses are best
planted out as soon as all danger of frost is over,
in a rich, moist, warm, sandy soil, if perfection
is desired. Roots that flowered last year will
not flower again for two seasons.

COMMUNICA TIONS,

A NEW BORDER PLANT.

BY A. G.

This plant, Bambusa variegata, grows to
about four inches in height, having a wide
grass-like leaf of a yellow-green tint, edged
with white. The flower resembles the grape
hyacinth, being of a purple blue tint, and simi-
lar in shape. Though recommended for the
aquarium and fernery, the B. variegata or dwarf
bamboo produces a very pretty effect when used
as a border plant. It requires little or no
trimming, the rain does not fade it or discom-
pose its outlines; its leaves being firm in tex-
ture, upright, and glossy. It gives a distinct
yet airy outline to the bed, yet does not impair

the effect of other plants, as it keeps steadily to
its subordinate position as a border plant. Last
summer (1879), we saw in the grounds of T.
Fairly, Florist, Druid Hill Avenue, Baltimore,
some beds bordered with Dwarf Bamboo. The
effect was pretty and unique. Directly within
this border was placed a row of small plants
resembling the house leek, the centre being
filled with larger plants. The border made a
distinct outline in the grass. Seeing the excel-
lence of this plant, and having tested its capa-
bilities, Mr. F. is prepared to recommend it as
a convenient and useful border plant. Those
desiring a plant that will require little or no at-
tention during the summer, as to trimming,
would do well to try it.

DUCKS AS INSECT-DESTROYERS.

BY MRS. D. W., SUMMERVILLE, S. C.

Being obliged to manure heavily a very sandy
soil, and use whatever rich earth I could lay my
hands on, the first year of gardening, on a new
place, I was, as the spring advanced, terribly
annoyed with slugs, cut-worms, and insects of
every description ; the annuals were destroyed,
the young rose leaves pierced and ruined.

I bought eight or nine ducks, such as with us are
termed English ducks. Muscovies eat the buds
and young shoots and will not answer. I turned
these ducks into the garden, giving them a fine
run there for three or four months, and assure
you that I was perfectly astonished at the suc-
cess of my happy thought.

It may be urged that the ducks trample down
the plants. They may do so in a measure, but
the injury does not counterbalance the entire
clearing of the garden from all sorts of insect
enemies. My roses were fine and remarkably
free from blight and insects.

NOTES FROM ENGLAND on PRIMULAS, etc.

BY J.

I think Primula rosea is quite as hardy as P.
acaulis. I have some plants of it in an artificial
bog, and although we have had five weeks hard
frost without snow, and the plants were covered
with a miniature glacier caused by the water
freezing as it overflowed the ground, I find them
quite uninfured, and each plant will produce a half
dozen spikes at least. I think it would do well
under your deep covering of snow.

Crocus odorus longifolius has kept blooming
during the whole frost. I should not have
thought the buds could have pushed through the
frozen soil in the way they did. I have not

1880.

AND HORTICULTURIST.

99

been without Crocus bloom since October. C.
Imperati is about to open ; C. aurea will follow
it closely. Saxifraga Bursereana is showing its
scarlet buds and will soon be in bloom, — al-
though our Snowdrops make little progress. "We
get earlier spring flowers than we did in Shakes-
peare's time.

MAKING LAWNS.

BY WALTER ELDER.

To properly make a lasting lawn, and to keep
it in good order, taxes the highest skill of the
horticulturist, and when well executed, is the
masterpiece of ornamental gardening. Without
it all other improvements look insignificant. It
forms the green carpet upon which all orna-
ments are to be placed, and its bright verdant
hue imparts beauty to all.

Instructors upon lawn making, generally ad-
vise subsoiling the gi'ound. If this be done, it
should be a year previous to laying down the
lawn. It is not always best to do it, as the sub-
soil may be a stiff clay, or barren sand. I have
seen subsoil brought to the surface so poor that
not even beans, peas or corn would grow, — the
germs rusting and decaying away. The seeds
of grasses are small and succeed best in mel-
low and fertile soil. Several species of grasses
should be sown, and very thickly, to make a
close, green turf. Red top or herd grass, blue
grass, orchard grass and a little white Dutch
clover. The land should be manured the pre-
vious year to sowing the grasses. After digging
or plowing, harrow or rake fine, level up all
hollows, and roll firmly down. Then sow the
grasses, rake fine or harrow, then roll again.
The sowing time will be according to climate and
latitude. Between New York and Baltimore,
say from early March to middle of May, and
from early September to early in October , and all
the Fall after that. When grasses and weeds are
well up, roll well, and let them all grow until the
earliest weeds shoot up flower stalks, then mow
down with the scythe or horse-mower, and scat-
ter the cuttings evenly over the surface. When
they wither, roll again, and then rake all off.
On sandy lands, the summer mowings should be
seldona. On sloping lands and terraces or banks,
the grass should be let grow long in hot, dry
weather, unless artificial watering is at hand.
The lawn should not be weeded the first year,
but cut down all weeds when they bloom to pre-
vent them bearing seeds. Weeds may all be
taken out in late fall, and more grass seeds sown.

Men with table knives, can get out a vast num-
ber of weeds in a short time. A thorough dig-
ging out of weeds, with table knives, will keep
the lawn nearly clean. Do it in late fall or
early spring. The lawn should be firmly rolled
down every spring. It is good to sow some
more grass seeds in late fall or early spring, so
as to ensure a close turf the next summer.

Barnyard manure, so fermented and rotted
to kill all seeds of weeds in it, is the best fertilizer.
It should be spread equally over the surface in
fall or winter, as salt is a most excellent fertilizer,
when applied at the rate of five to ten bushels
to the acre. Marl mixed with plaster of paris
is beneficial on sandy lands. Guano, and all
the concentrated fertilizers are good, but their
effects are different upon different lands. Lime,
wood ashes and stone coal ashes should all be
compounded with soil a year before using, and
spread over the lawn in fall.

EDITORIAL NOTES.

The Polyanthus. — There are few more
beautiful plants in the early spring than the old-
fashioned Polyanthus, in its numerous varieties;
but though hardy enough through the winter,
they are liable to suffer through the heats of
summer. In partially shaded rich garden bor-
ders they continue many years.

Abies Mariesii— A N^ew Japan Fir.— The
Gardenerh Chronicle figures and describes a new
species from Japan, having the general appear-
ance of Nordmann's Silver Fir, and named in
honor of Messrs. Veitch's collector in Japan. It
is from Mount Nikko, at an elevation between
3500 and 7000 feet.

Fragaria vesca. — This pretty species is a
native of our country, as well as of Europe,
though not as often met with as the Virginian
or common strawberry. It is the parent of the
Alpine class of garden fruits. It may be readily
distinguished by the smaller and more plaited
leaves. In riding through Fairmount Park,
Pliiladelphia, in mid-winter, the writer came on
a bank from which the snow had just melted,
and which was covered with these plants; the
evergreen leaves shone beautifully through the
melting snow, and suggested the beautiful effect
which they might give in the hands of those who
are just now interested in the " wild garden."

Planting the Partridge Berry. — Peo-
ple often plant tlvs in gardens for the sake of

100

THE GARDENER'S MONTHLY

[April,

its beautiful red berries, but fail to get any un-
der cultivation. The reason is that the plant is
dioecious. The plants should be selected when
in flower, and the two forms, — the long stamened
and the long styled — and both set in one mass
together.

Aristolochia sipho.— There are few climb-
ing vines that will give the noble appear-
ance the old " Dutchman's Pipe" will. There
is a smaller-leaved species, the- Aristolochia
tomentosa, which is also pretty, — but if you cut
its roots it will never forgive. Indeed the more
the roots are cut the more it spreads, till in time
the grower is inclined to believe in the old idea,
that at times there may be too much of a good
thing.

Grafted Conifers. — Mr. A. Fowler, the
distinguished gardener at Castle Kennedy, when
looking at his own beautiful plants, wonders
why there should be any prejudice against graft-
ed conifers? The chief reason is that the plants
have been grafted in pots, where the roots learn
to coil and twist, and they keep the tree more or
less in a stunted condition for years afterwards ;
and another reason is that some propagators
take little bits of weak side branches for scions,
and which only make leaders with great diffi-
culty. A properly grafted conifer is often bet-
ter than a seedling tree.

Introducing Skylarks. — Every once in a
while some one writes to a nurseryman : "I won-
der why you nurserymen do not grow this or
that," and it generally happens that they have
been growing it all their lives, or have over and
over again tried it, and found insuperable ob-
stacles. It is thus with travelers when they go
to some foreign country. They cannot conceive
why this or that is not done. After his return
to England, even so very intelligent a gentle-
man as the Duke of Argyle says that the skies
of America are higher, wider and more full of
sunshine than those of England, and he is very
earnest in suggesting that the skylark to this
'glorious privacy of light' would be happier
than that of the London sparrow." He might
have found on inquiry, that when the lark
might go up in the morning in bright warm
sunshine, and return at noon to find a foot of
snow on the ground, he would probably have
a suspicion that this was not the country for
him, — and when he found it to be three
or four months after before he could find the
ground he left behind him, and nothing to eat in

consequence of this deep snowy covering, he
would probably grow more disgusted. Moreover
he might have learned that attempts have ac-
tually been made from time to time to introduce
the bird, and that once they thought in Dela-
ware they had secured his permanent presence ;
but of late we have heard nothing of him, and
we presume in the language of His Grace's
countrymen, he has "gone for aye," a much
sadder instead of a " happier " bird.

Origin of the Mareschal, Neil Eose. —
A correspondent of the Gardener- s Chronicle be-
lieves this rose to have arisen from graft hybrid-
ization.

The European Winter. — The Belgian Hor-
ticulturists are already counting their losses over
their terrible wintry battle-field, and reports like
these are continually coming in. One from the
"Commune" of "Hastiere," says: "Pears,
Peaches, Plums, Apricots, and Grape vines ex-
ist only in a state of carcasses I" Another story
runs : " Pears, — dwarfs, half-stems, or standards
are dead to the roots, as also are many nut
trees." Another writes : " The altitude of the or-
chards seem to have had no effect on the disasters.
At the foot of the Meuse, espalier Pears are con-
verted into bundles of dry wood, and I measured
an apple tree a metre in circumference that was
completely killed." Then come some "inex-
pliques." " In the Botanic Garden at Xamur is
a Wellingtonia, wholly unhurt, but another near
it completely killed;" another wonders why
"Araucaria, Deodar cedar, Picea pinsapo, and
Pinus maritima should be completely killed ;
while Picea balsamea should escape always un-
hurt."

Among the plants which are noted as being
everywhere completely lost are Camellias, Aza-
leas, Rhododendrons, and Roses in "immense
quantities," and it is prophesied that many com-
mercial houses will be nearly ruined.

The Broad Fir. — In our country we con-
fine the word "Fir" to the class of coniferous
trees which have branches with the leaves ar-
ranged in a single row, — fan-like, — as for in-
stance the Balsam Fir, the Silver Fir, etc.. But
in Europe, the Pines — those with bundles of
" needles" for leaves — are " Firs" also. The
Garden says that in Austria, the Austrian Pine
is called the "Broad Fir," because as it grows
old, it loses all its lower branches, and makes
a broad flat, spreading top.

1880.

AND HORTICULTURIST.

101

Yarying Taste in Gardening. — A cor-
respondent, writing from an old city south of the
Ohio, says : " Twenty odd years ago there were
several large nurseries near this city, where one
could get full assortments of trees and shrubs,
— none of consequence remain. In the place of
a love for these nice things, 'bedding plants,'
cheap and flashy, is about all the gardening taste
that ngw prevails."

Grounds of Wm. Gray, Jr., Boston, Mass.
These beautiful grounds comprise about forty
acres. It is an excellent specimen of lanscape
gardening, and gives a great deal of pleasure to
visitors who are often kindly permitted to enjoy
a ramble through them.

Winter Gardens. — These are becoming
popular, in connection with public parks in Eng-
land, and might with much propriety be intro-
duced into our own country. Four or five acres
are covered by glass, and plants almost hardy,
and needing very little fire heat are grown in
them. "What would be more beautiful in our
northern cities than gardens like these with Por-
tugal Laurels, Bays, Camellias, Myrtles, and
other things of that character, which will even
bear some frost without injury, but with a slight
protection would be beautiful all the winter long,
and afibrd dry and healthy walking at all times.

Cotoneaster. — We recently saw a plant of
Cotoneaster Simmondsii in a small tub in a green-
house, and full of red berries ; it was remarkably
beautiful. In Pennsylvania, this and many
species are quite hardy, and yet how seldom do
we see them in gardens. They are as striking,
in some respects as the Holly, and much easier
to grow.

Ampelopsis japonica. — Under this name,
the Gardener'' s Chronicle says: "English nur-
serymen are cultivating our common poison
vine, Rhus toxicodendron."

Golden Gate Park, San Francisco.—
This is praised very highly for beautiful features
by some good judges who have recently seen it.

Spir^a lob ATA. — There is a great run in
Europe, just now on the pretty red Spiraea pal-
mata, from Japan. And no doubt the inquiry
for it will soon spread to our own land. It may
be as well to remind our friends that we have
native with us Spirsea lobata, which is as much
like the Japan one as "two peas," and that if
the Japan species is worth hankering after, our
own little Beauty is no less so.

SCRAPS AND QUERIES.

Second Flowering of the Horse chest-
nut.— M. notes that the Horse chestnut flowered
in the fall as well as in the spring last year,
and asks if it be explainable ? Many trees which
flower in the spring, flower in the fall if their
leaves be injured before natural maturity. Pears
which drop their leaves early from leaf blight,
almost always flower in the fall.

Too Many Roses.— Frederick Schneider II.,
President of the Horticultural and Agricul-
tural Society, at Wittstock, Germany, writes to
us that he thinks there are too many Roses. It
is now too late for the time he fixes on, but it
will much interest our readers to note what an
intelligent European thinks of so many roses,
and how he proposes to reduce the number :

" The aim of this list is to reduce the four or
five thousand different varieties of roses at present
grown in the gardens to a limited number of real-
ly valuable ones only— to publish the names of
these sorts and so to recommend them for pref-
erence in cultivation. All answers should be
sent in during November and December 1879,
post free to my address and must be accompa-
nied with the distinctly written signature and
full address of the sender in order to make it
possible to communicate the result to him. To
each variety should be added if possible the
name of the raiser and the year of its introduc-
tion. The printed result of this election of
roses will be communicated gratis and post free
to all those horticultural papers and all those
correspondents who have taken part in it.

List of Questions.— ^3ime and occupation of
the correspondent. Address and date. I beg to
answer the following questions :

1st. Which are three most perfect roses as re-
gards construction and form, substance, shape,
habit and scent in the following colors? A.—
Hybrid Perpetuals and Bourbon Roses, a, pure
white; b, tinted white, blush and flesh color;
c, pale pink and light rose ; d, bright pink and
deep rose; e, carmine; f, scarlet and vermil-
lion; g, purple and crimson; h, dark crimson,
brownish and blackish maroon; i, violet; k,
striped.

B.— Teas and Koisettes, 1, pure white or slight-
ly tinted; m, blush and pink, rose; n, tinted
pink and rose ; o, pale and bright yellow ; p,
yellow tinted.

102

THE GARDENER'S MONTHLY

[April,

2d. "Which are the three most beautiful Moss
Roses ?

3d. Which five varieties of roses are the fjreat-
est favorites and the most generally cultivated in
the district of the correspondent ?

4th. Which five roses distinguish themselves
especially — a, through their uninterrupted
blooming (5); b, through superior scent (5); c,
through their hardiness and insensibility against
frost fs)?

5th. Which five Hybrid Perpetuals are the
freest and most abundant bloomers — a, for the
summer (5); b, for the autumn (5)?

6th. Which are the ten best roses for forcing?

7th. Which five varieties are best adapted for
cultivation in the room ?

8th. Which are the three most beautiful pil-
lar roses ?

9th. Which ten novelties from 1873 till 1878
are of such remarkable beauty that their cultiva.
tion and distribution can be recommended with-
out the slightest hesitation ?

10th. Which are the ten best English raised
roses?"

LiGUSTRUM Japonicum. — C, E. P. writes:
" In the Monthly for February, page 40, I
I notice some remarks on Ligustrum Japonicum,
; by C. A. D. ; also your request for specimens.
' I do not know L. ovalifolium, and can find no
description of it in any work that I possgss, and
I hope that C. A. D. will give me some descrip-
tion of it, if the enclosed specimen is not L.
ovalifolium. In justice to myself however, I
wish to say that I received my plant under the
name of L. Japonicum, from Parsons & Sons
Co., and I think that it must be correct to name ;
as we have purchased trees and plants from Par-
sons «fe Co., for the past thirty years, and I have
yet to find a tree or plant sent out b}'^ them to be
incorrectly named."

[These Ligustrums need to be worked up when
in flower by some competent botanist. From dif-
ferent samples that have been sent to us in leaf
only, they appear to be all garden forms of Ligus-
trum lucidum, the Chinese Privet. — Ed. G. M.]

Greenhouse and House Gardening.

SEASONABLE HINTS.

In this part of the world window plants are
not given their summer airing until May, but
every opportunity is taken to let them have all
the open air possible, by opening windows and
sashes wherever practicable. People often com-
plain that plants from greenhouses are too ten-
der to stand the open sun, but it is only because
they have been too much confined. If any plants
growing in pots are yellow, or in anyway sickly,
it is as well to prune them severely and plant for
a year in the open ground. If they have insects
on them these should be cleaned off before plant-
ing out, or they will increase under our dry sum-
mer sun. The red spider is best treated to a
syringing of warm soap suds, and then to be
dusted with sulphur ; and the scale insects should
have a painting with whale oil soap, and some
say linseed oil. Many plants will have to be
kept in pots all summer, and these are best set
in partial shade. There are few more desirable
room plants than the Ivj^ and Periwinkle in their

! numerous varieties. These should be potted
now, and grown all summer. There are many
things nearly, or quite hardy, that are not often
kept in pots, but which would make good things
for room culture, and these should be potted
now. Of these we may name Cotoneasters, Ma-
honias, Berberis, Euonymus. These are very
easily managed, and it seems to us that for those
who have had little experience in plant growing,
or whose conveniences are limited, it is just as
feasable to have beautiful things easy to grow,
as beautiful things that are difficult. Tea Roses,
as well as China and Bourbon are good room
plants. The old Hermosa and Pink Daily
especially so. If young plants are turned
out in the ground now, they can be lifted
in September carefully, and if well potted,
will flower freely all winter. This is the

' way professional florists grow Bouvardias, Car-
nations, and other popular flowers for cuttings.
Yery small plants are set in the ground at this
season, and are quite large enough for potting
by the fall.

1880.1

AND HORTICULTURIST.

103

COMMUNICA TIONS.

PORTLANDIA CRANDIFLORA.

BY C. H. CLAFLIN, NEWTON, MASS.

In an article in the January number of your
magazine, a writer on the Portlandia grandiflora
expresses the opinion that it would grow to the
height of twenty feet, which opinion I am happy
to say I can confirm by actual observation. Dur-
ing the earlier part of January, 1874, I was in
the village of Mandevillo, Manchester parish,
Jamaica, which is situated about fifty miles in a
north-westerly direction from Kingston, and at
an elevation of about 2000 feet above the sea,
where a fine specimen of the Portlandia was
shown me which had attained to the height of
20 to 22 feet, forming quite a tree. That the
size was exceptional however, I found by the
pains that was taken to call the visitor's atten-
tion to it, and also confirmed by subsequent ex-
perience in the gorge of the Rio Cober River,
above Spanish-town, where I saw no bushes
over 10 feet high, and but few over 6 feet. There
were however more flowers on them than in the
tree at Mandevillo, which may be accounted for
by the difference of temperature, which may
have kept the larger specimen back, Spanish-
town being but little above the sea level. The
flowers looked from a distance more like the
Lilium longiflorum, having more firmness in
the petals than any of the Daturas. They were
at that time in full leaf, and the fragrance dur-
ing the day time imperceptible.

FERNY FACTS AND FANCIES.

BY W. T. HARDING, UPPER SANDUSKY, OHIO.

In the Monthly of December, 1879, I see
Mr. Parnell answers the query of "J. S. R." as
correctly and concisely as any one can do, without
seeing the plants in question. The allusion to
the Rabbit's, or Hare's Toot Fern, seems to call
me back to my boyhood days, when I, a mere
stripling fli'st saw them. And probably no in-
cipient gardener felt prouder than myself, when
first promoted to a position under the sashes.
Lord Vernon's great gardens were 'then famous
for ferns and flowers; especially for Cape, and
Australian, or IN'ew Holland plants, as they
were then more generally called. In one of the
large, though somewhat antiquated greenhouses
were placed a collection of what my much
honored and graj' haired preceptor called his
anatomical group. Rather a queer designation, I

will admit and which may need explaining to the
reader. As the kind-hearted old man, Mr. Dig-
well's specimens of comparative anatomy were
but few, they were soon learned, and it seems
with me were long remembered. To briefly de-
scribe them, I arrange them under the following
heads, to wit : a la Digwell — horns, heads, ears,
faces, tongues, throats, wings, tails, feet and
claws. The horns, as first named, were p7-m«s,
of course, as they are generally placed on the
highest part of the animal structure, and were
representated by Platycerium alcicorne, or Stags
Horn Fern. This curious plant in reality much
more resembles an osseous formation, than a
herbaceous one, when seen from a distance. The
head, or second example, was a Euphorbia ca-
put Medusae, or Medusa's Head. And next
was the Face Tree, the singular Mimusops cy-
nocarpa, — known in common parlance as the
Monkey-faced Tree. The ears had a/ac simile
in a specimen of Phillis nobla, the Hare's Ears.
While Ornithoglossum undulatum, or Bird's
Tongue, and Picris hispida, or Ox Tongue
were proper examples, if not exactly, lingual
synonyms. ISText in order was Trachillium dif-
fusum, or Throat Wort. The Bat Winged Fern,
Pteris vespertilionis, whose strangely formed
fronds were considered appropriate illustrations
of wings, were the next. Then in consecutive or-
der, was the caudal appendage,— and " thereby
hangs a tail," a Rat's Tail forsooth: and which
is commonly known as the Rat Tail Cactus, or
Cereus flagelliformis.

It will be seen that much of what goes to make
up a perfect anatomical frame was wanting, and
at best there are but parts of vegetative frag-
ments to compare with a full corporeal structure.
But the extremities, both feet and claws, were
not wanting to complete the similitude, inas-
much as the Bird's Foot, Euphorbia ornithopes
and Testudinaria elephantopes, or Elephant's
Foot ; Hare's Foot, or Polypodium aureum, and
Rabbit's Foot, Davallia canariensis, answered
well for pedal parts, and which very properly
ended with claws. Epiphyllum truncatum, or
the Crab's Claw Cactus as terminal examples.

The good old gentleman, Mr. Digwell, was a
good naturalist, a good linguist, a good botanist,
and a good gardener, " one of the olden time."
His abundant wealth of common sense, exten-
sive information, urbanity of manners, and up-
right bearing, well fitted him for a "gentleman's
companion," as he and his like were in days of
yore. Men of his type, and abilities, ranked

104

TEE GARDENER'S MONTHLY

[April,

much higher in the social scale, as well as in
horticulture at that time, than they seem to do
now. Perhaps they were better appreciated and
more liberally compensated than are good prac-
tical gardeners at this day. A connecting link,
as he was of ye ancient and skillful gardener of
the long ago, I well remember him and his
kindly ways, with some of the happest recol-
lections of my life. And his last admonition
when we parted was this, " Remember now thy
Creator in the days of thy youth, while the evil
days come not."

Sudbury Park, Derbyshire, England, is the
pleasant place I refer to, and where I first saw
Polypodium aureum, called the Hare's Foot
Fern, in contradistinction I suppose to the Rab-
bit's Foot, or Davallia canariensis.

iN'ow, if any of the readers will compare the
big furry rhizomes of the Polypodium, with the
more attenuated ones of the Davallia, they
will readily see the difference in which the first-
named resembles a big hare's foot, while the
latter conforms more to that of the smaller
sized animal. Referring to Mr. R. Buist's cata-
logue of stove and greenhouse plants, (good au-
thority in such matters), published twenty years
ago, he too designated the Polypodium as Hare's
Foot Fern — and like many others, has known
and cultivated them as such, for many years.
As I am not infallible, I have no wish to be con-
sidered arbitrary in my opinion, nor claim to be
right in my assertions, but simply give my
ideas upon the subject for what they are worth.
Loving ferns as I do, I could not well refrain
from giving a short sketch of how they were
first brought to my notice when a boy. Since
then I have had much to say about them from
time to time in the Monthly, and will close
by quoting a passage from the June number of
1877. The scenes and circumstances are in Aus-
tralia, as the writer saw them, thus : " The rhi-
zomes of Davallia pyxidata, and D. flaccida,
hung in lengthened masses like twisted and
tangled ropes from the projecting crags, some
forty feet long. The Stag's Horn Fern, Platy-
cerium alcicorne, was indeed a curious sight to
behold. Like a parasite, it seemed to live upon
everything moist or dry, and grew equally as
well on the tops of the trees as on the soil be-
neath," etc. At a subsequent period, your cor-
respondent recollects the very unique use to
which Stag's Horn Ferns were put. For in-
stance— they supplied the place of antlers on the
head of a life sized statue of a stag which stood

in a conservatory at Bretton Park, Yorkshire,

England. Probably Mr. R. Scott, Florist, of

Philadelphia, remembers the aforesaid stag with

its vegetative horns, as he certainly had more ta

do with it than the chronicler of these facts.

Valejilices !

•♦♦<

EDITORIAL NOTES.

Cold Greenhouses. — From notes we have
seen in various quarters, the idea we have often
thrust out, to have houses where half-hardy
things may be preserved through the winter
without fire-heat, is likely to become popular.

Origin of Fuchsia globosa. — Many will
remember the time when the old Fuchsia gra-
cilis (magellanica) and F. globosa were the only
ones generally grown till the hybrids with F.
fulgens came in. A correspondent of the Gar-
dener''s Chronicle gives the following account of
its origin : " This was raised by the late Mr.
Bunney, of Stratford. He had three globosas
from the same batch of seedlings ; his brother
and he was dissolving partnership ; the brother
sold the best plant for 7s. 6d., gave the next best
away, leaving the worst to the raiser. This I
had from Mr. Bunney himself. I recollect a
plant being brought to Scotland in 1835 or 1836.
So also says Paxton, in Magazine of Botany.
Loudon states that it was raised between F.
conica and microphylla."

Business Prospects. — Boston florists speak
encouragingly. The demand for rose flowers
has exceeded the supply. Some declare forcing
hardy roses (H. P.'s) is a failure, the expense far
exceeding the returns.

Rupp's Primroses. — We noticed last season
the efforts of Mr. Henry Rupp to improve the
Chinese Primrose. We have now before us a
box of flowers in seventeen beautiful varieties.
The variations run not only through shades of
color, and with stripes and peucillings, double,
single and semi-double, but also in crimping
and fringing of the edges. Then we have not
only to compliment Mr. Rupp on his flowers,
but on the way he packs and sends them by
mail. With the same package from the post-
oflSce some flowers came from another correspon-
dent wrapped in dry cotton ! Of course the flow-
ers are dried up. In these Mr. Rupp has damp
moss at the bottom of the box. The flowers
are drawn through thick card-board, and the
card-board tacked down tight on^_^the damp

1880.

AND HORTICULTURIST.

105

moss. It is a pretty sight on opening the box.
No doubt the flowers would travel well even
to California.

Crotons. — Of the many who have heard of
croton oil, few know what an important feature
Crotons play among the vegetation of the earth.
The number of species known is enormous, and
they are found in wet or dry places in many
parts of the world. There are a number na-

shining and rather thick leaves, more like those
of a Rhododendron, than of the Crotons which
American botanists collect. These are often of
the most curious forms, and frequently veined or
blotched with crimson or gold, and are among
the most interesting objects in modern green-
houses. Besides their value for this sort of cul-
ture, they do well in windows and are becoming
quite popular in room gardening. Of late years

CROTON MOOREANUS.

tive to the United States, chiefly in the south
and southwest, but these have nothing particular
to attract the observer beyond a silvery class of
foliage which, however, many other kinds of
plants in these regions have as well as they.
From other parts of the world we have a very
distinct class of Crotons, taking the forms of
shrubs or even small trees, with no more orna-
mental flowers than our own, but with large,

they have been taken in hand by the improvers,
as so many classes of plants have, and some re-
markably beautiful forms have been obtained,
and which are now much sought after by florists.
We give with this, one introduced by the cele-
brated firm of James Veitch & Sons, of Chel-
sea, near London, who have been among the
foremost in making the public aware of fehe
beauty 'this class of plants afi'ords.

106

THE GARDENER'S MONTHLY

[April,

Double Gerakictms.— These are so numer-
ous novv, that we need improvement rather in
form than in the mere multiplication of petals.
"Who will now give us a kind with the petals
laid as neatly over each other as a double white
Camellia?

Injukious Effect of Gas on Window
Plants. — "We have always urged that it was
the fumes of illuminating gas, rather than the
dry air of heaters, which rendered the cultiva-
tion of window plants so difficult. How injuri-
ous these fumes may be, may further be inferred
from the following from Weekly Notes — a sup-
plement, by the way, to the well-known Penn
Monthly, of Philadelphia. The Editor, is re-
ferring to Edison's electric light, and says :
" Still another advantage will be the saving of
book bindings in libraries. At present our valu-
able russia, morocco and calf bindings steadily
deteriorate in value, if kept in rooms where gas
is burned. This is one reason why some of our
most important public libraries are always
closed at sundown, while in some private libra-
ries candles are used to the exclusion of gas.
The electric light gives out no heat, and no
chemical substances. It is as cool in summer as
even Philadelphia or St. Louis would wish."

SCRAPS AND QUERIES.

Cutting Camellia Floweus. — " Jane "
says : " Our gardener insists that I must only
twist off the Camellia flowers, and put a wire
through for a stem ; that it will injure the
plants if I cut a piece of the stem off with the
flower. How is this ?"

[It will not injure the plant in the sense in
which we generally understand injury ; but if
you cut off the terminal growing bud when you
cut the flower, you will not have a flower from
that branch the next year, which you may have
when you only "twist off" the flower — Ed. G.M.]

Plant Queries.— Mrs. M. "W., Quaker Hill,
K. Y., asks : " Will you, or some of your read-
ers of the Monthly, please give me a little in-
formation through its columns about the follow-
ing plants : What are the requisites for success
in starting the double Chinese Primrose from
seed ? What special treatment do the follow-
ing plants require : Cape Jassamine, Eucharis
Amazonica, fragrant- Olive, and Stephanotis
floribunda? And is the Eucharis a bulb, and if

so, when is the proper time to plant it ? If it is
not too much for anew subscriber to ask, I hope
some one will give the proper mode of treat-
ing them and thus confer a great favor on me.
Would also like to know the cause and remedy
for the little black flies which infest the earth of
window-plants."

Thanks. — Mrs. J., Brooklyn, kindly writes:
" By the recommendation of a friend I have
subscribed for the Gardener's Monthly, and
must write and thank you for the preparation of
such a work. I am amazed that I never heard
of it before. My garden is but small — I wish it
was larger — but the immense amount of intelli-
gent reading about trees, fruits and flowers you
give me, is the best substitute I have found for
a good garden."

Verbena Culture. — Mrs. R. P., Clyde, N.
Y., says: "In your February number, 1880, in
your reply to a Delaware Correspondent,
who is in trouble with diseased Cyclamen, you
name disease, but fail to prescribe remedy. I
have reviewed my Gardener's Monthly
which I have only taken since May, '79, but
find no remedy for this Verbena rust, — only allu-
sions to Peter Henderson's remedy. Please
give his or somebody's specific if possible, for 1,
too have the same trouble with Cyclamen this
winter. Can you give me any hints as to the
culture of Cattleya Mossite, Odontoglossum
grande, and 0. citrina? Can you tell me of a
reliable work on Orchid culture ? [The Orchid
Grower's Manual. — Ed.] Am trying my hand
a little this year for the first. Have a small
conservatory and a Wardian case, but have not
had marked success as yet. Have buds now on
my Dendrobium nobile and Cypripedium vil-
lossum. Would like to study their habits, etc., etc.
Please reply in the Gardener's Monthly."

[Mr. Henderson's treatment is chiefly rich
and generous culture. Keep the plants growing
vigorously, and never allow them to be stunted
or checked under any circumstances. Mr. Hen-
derson's practice in more detail is described
in April number, 1878, page 105, by Mr.
J. H. Markey, one of Mr. Henderson's em-
ployees.—Ed. G. M.]

Centaurea. — W. A. B., I^orth Cambridge,
Mass., writes : "I have raised a new plant; it
came up two or three years ago among other
seedlings. I did not take much interest in it at
first, but since it began to grow I find it is a
very valuable foliage plant. I set one out in the

1880.]

AND HORTICULTURIST.

107

garden last year, and it made a very fine plant
towards fall. It grew about ten inches high
and a foot in diameter. I have propagated it
this winter. I find that the roots are the same
as the Centaurea's. I should like your opinion
about it, whether it is a new plant or not. I
have consulted some of my friends, and they
think it is a new Centaurea. Please let me
know, and you will oblige me very much. The
enclosed leaves are a large one and a few small
ones. I have not any of the medium size or I
would send you some."

[The leaves were small, and though some-
what near others that have been under culture
in the past, they do not seem exactly like any of
them.— TEd. G. M.]

Fine Cinerarias. — From Louis Gloeckner,
Albany, N. Y., with a box of very beautiful
Cinerarias, we have the following note : " With
this letter you will find box of samples of Cine-
raria. Three years ago I got a package of seed
from Mr. Alfred Bridgeman, of N. Y., who
told me it was from the importation from Ben-
ary's in Erfurt. I had about twenty -five good
plants then, and saved one of each color to get
some seed. Out of the whole, I got about two hun-
dred plants, which came out in beautiful colors."

[It is a pleasure to note the interest taken in
the improvement of this beautiful class of plants.
There are few things more attractive in green-
houses and rooms in the early spring, than a fine
Cineraria.— Ed. G. M.]

EucHARis Amazonica. — Mrs. E., Melrose,
Mass., asks : " Will some one familiar with the
culture of Eucharis, inform me through the
Monthly if it can be grown as a house-plant ?
I read in a newspaper report of Mr. Tailby's es-
say before the Mass. Horticultural Society,
that he said ' Eucharis were as easily grown as
potatoes.' Doesn't that statement need some
qualifications ? Anybody can grow potatoes —
can anybody grow Eucharis ? They are so very
beautiful, that even if they could be grown with
much care, it should be widely known. I have
always supposed it needed all the appliances of
the hot-house, besides the most skillful treat-
ment, to flower them successfully. If that is so,
why does this Mr. Tailby aggravate us with his
talk about potatoes? And again, if they are
of easy culture, why is not the knowledge
spread broadcast before the great world of ad-
miring amateurs? I think an article on this subject
would be interesting to a great many readers."

Frames for Tender Plants.— W. M. G.,

asks : " Will you please inform me through the
Gardener's Monthly, what I can use as a
substitute for glass to cover frames in the spring
that will keep out the drying winds and hot sun,
and at the same time will admit of sufficient sun
and light to keep Geraniums in a healthy grow-
ing condition. I did not know but cheap bagging
might be dipped in some solution that would
preserve it and leave it in a transparent condi-
tion. As soon as the weather will admit of a
covering at night to keep out the frost without
fire-heat, I want to remove a portion of my
Geraniums into a frame, in order to spread
them, and thus give them a better chance to
grow."

[The usual preparation -is as follows : Take
white cotton cloth, of a close texture, stretch it
and nail it on frames of any size you wish ; mix
two ounces of lime water, four ounces of lin-
seed oil, one ounce white of eggs separately,
two ounces of yelk of eggs ; mix the lime and
oil with a very gentle heat, beat the eggs sep-
arately, and mix with the former. Spread this
mixture with a paint brush over the cloth, allow-
ing each coat to dry before applying another,
until they become waterproof. — Ed. G. M.]

Steam Heating in Greenhouses.— W. D.
Phillbrick, Newton Centre, Mass., says : " I no-
tice in your February number an article by R. G.
Parker & Co. on Heating Hothouses, in which
the writer advocates heating by steam, and says
he used five tons of coal to 1,000 feet of glass. I
would like to hear what his average temperature
was at night in severe weather, also height of
house. I have used for several years hot water cir-
culation, having 1,000 feet of pipe in a house of
5,100 feet surface of glass, average height of house
4 feet from beds to glass. In this I keep a tem-
perature always above 40*^ with only 15 tons of
coal to the season. I have a No. 16 Hitchings
boiler with good draught. If anybody can show
a better doing than this, let us hear from him.
Shelter from winds has a good deal to do with
this question."

[It would also help to understand the situation
if the temperature of the severe weather were
given. — Ed. G. M.]

New Carnation Marie. — A correspondent
sends us for an opinion, two flowers of a Carna-
tion, packed in dry cotton ! All flowers should
be sent in damp moss. We are sorry to say
that all -we could tell from the dried flowers was
that they appeared to have been of a very pretty
cx'imson shade of color.

108

THE GARDENER'S MONTHLY

[April,

Fruit and Vegetable Gardening.

SEASONABLE HINTS.

Fruit trees that have proved undesirable from
any cause, may be re-grafted with more favored
kinds. This is an advantage with some varie-
ties. It takes an age, for instance, to get the
Seckel Pear into bearing condition from a nur-
sery raised tree : but by grafting it on one that
has already " arrived at years of discretion," the
advantage of placing a young head on old shoul-
ders, in this way is soon made manifest.

Grafting can be continued till the buds of the
trees are nearly pushed into leaf. Sometimes,
from a pressure of other work, some valuable
scions have been left on hand too late to work.
It may be interesting to know, that if such scions
are put into the ground much the same as if
they were cuttings, they will keep good for six
weeks or two months, by which time the bark
will run freely, when the scions may be treated
as buds, and will succeed just as well as buds
taken from young summer shoots.

The Apple is our standard fruit, and may al-
ways be relied on with reasonable care. The
first care is good food. Some talk about too
rich soil. We never saw the soil top rich for the
apple. "Where any trouble arises in apple cul-
ture, it will be safe to attribute it to other causes
than rich soil. Kitchen ashes, in which table
refuse is thrown, is an excellent top-dressing for
apples. "We like top-dressing better than any
other system of manuring apple trees. Even
nice ditch scrapings are good to top-dress with,
where nothing else offers. Apple trees are often
starved in other ways than by neglect to ma-
nure. The apple borer leads to starvation of-
tener than poor soil. The supply of food is cut
off by every move the borer makes. They work
at the surface of the ground. Look for them
now. If you have no time, set the boys and
girls to work. Say they shall have no apples for
Christmas or birthday presents if they do not.
However, get the borers out somehow, even if by
wire and jack-knife. If not soon done they will
soon get out themselves, and give you more
trouble in the future. After they have left,
whether by your invitation or otherwise, keep
them out; even though you have to lock the

door after the horse is stolen. There is nothing
like tarred paper to keep them out. The paper
must be put an inch or more below the ground,
and two or three above. "We have used gas-tar
for years ; but find that if the tar contains creo-
sote, as it sometimes does, and the newspaper be
very thin, it will once in a while injure the bark.
Pine tar will therefore be better.

In grape raising people seem to go to extremes
in management. A few years ago the poor plant
was in leading strings. It dared not make one
free growth, but it was pinched and twisted into
all sorts of ways. iN'ow the " prune not at all "
maxims are getting headway, and this is as bad,
if not worse. First, grape growing was such a
mystery it took a life time to study it, and the
" old vigneron " was an awfully sublime sort of a
personage. He is now among the unfrocked and
unreverenced. But there is great art in good
grape treatment ; and yet this art is founded on
a very few simple principles. For instance,
leaves are necessary to healthy growth ; but two
leaves three inches wide are not of equal value
to one leaf of six inches. To get these strong
leaves, see that the number of sprouts be limited.
If two buds push from one eye, pinch out the
weakest whenever it appears. The other will be
strengthened by this protective policy, and the
laws of trade result in favor of larger and better
leaves on the leaf that follows. Allow no one
shoot to grow stronger than another. If there
are indications of this, pinch off its top. "While
it stops to wonder what you mean by this sum-
mary conduct, the weaker fellows will profit to
take what properly belongs to them. There is
little more science in summer pruning than this ;
but it takes some experience, joined with com-
mon sense, to apply it. This, indeed, is where
true art comes in.

South of Philadelphia, the more tender kinds
of garden vegetables may now be sown — beans,
corn, cucumbers, squashes, etc. — that it is not
prudent to plant in this latitude before the first
of Ma}^; and tomato, egg-plants, etc., may also
be set out in those favored places. Cucumbers,
squashes, and such vegetables, can be got for-
ward as well as tomatoes, egg-plants, etc., by
being sown in a frame or hotbed, and potted off

1880.

AND HORTICULTURIST.

109

into three-inch pots. They will be nice plants
by the first week in May. Rotten wood suits
cucumbers and the squash tribe exceedingly well
as a manure. Tomatoes and egg-plants that are
desired very early are best potted, soon after they
come up, into small pots. They can then be
turned out into the open air without any check
to their roots. Of course, they should be gradu-
ally inured to the open air — not suddenly trans-
ferred from a warm and moist air to a very dry
one.

Early York cabbage for early use should be
set out early in this month. An excellent plan
is to make the holes with a dibble first, where
the cabbage is to be set ; then fill the holes with
manure-water ; and after the water is soaked
away, set in the plants. It is rather more
laborious than the old way, but the cabbage
grows so fast afterwards that it pays pretty well.

Celery is an important crop, and should be
sown about this period. A rich moist spot
shaded from the mid-day sun, should be chosen ;
or a box in a frame, if convenient.

Bean-poles may be planted preparatory to
sowing the Lima bean in May. Where bean-
poles are scarce, two or three hoop-poles, set
into the ground, and tied together at the top,
make as good a pole, and perhaps better.

Dwarf beans should have very warm and
deep soil — sow them only two inches apart.
The Valentine is yet the best early, take it all
in all.

Peas should be sown every two weeks for a

succession — do not make the soil very rich for

them.

<••>

COMMUNICA TIONS.

NON PRODUCTION OF FRUIT TREES.
WHAT ARE THE CAUSES?

Read before Penna. Fruit Growers' Association, Jan. 22d, 1880.

BY H. M. ENGLE, MARIETTA, PA.

I am well aware that this question is easier
asked than answered. There are no doubt vari-
ous causes of unproductiveness, but I wish to
call the attention of fruit growers to a custom
that may have such effect. I apprehend noth-
ing else than to be pronounced heterodox on
pomology,; but as orthodoxy is sometimes forced
to change base, it may be counted in as ortho-
dox some day. It is also true, that it is easier
to controvert a theory than to prove or estab-
lish it. Has it ever occurred to nurserymen and
fruit growers, that the cutting of scions from

nursery rows for root grafting for a succession of
years tends to strengthen simply wood growth,
and at the same time weakens the tendency to
productiveness, or at least retards it? I refer
more particularly to apples and pears, as
peaches frequently form fruit buds in nursery
rows one year old from bud ; the departure
therefore can not be so great as in some other
fruits. For the sake of counter argument I
will admit that the custom of cutting scions
from nursery rows has been practiced for many
years, but at the same time a large proportion
of scions has also been taken from bearing
trees, hence the difficulty of proving such a
theory if it were correct. To test this question
thoroughly would require many years of ex-
perimenting. Experience has taught nursery-
men that scions cut from young thrifty trees,
whether in nursery or orchard, when grafted
will make more vigorous trees than when taken
from old bearing trees.

Fruit growers also know that generally the
most vigorous growers are more tardy bearers
than those of slow growth. We know very well
that some varieties bear earlier than others, but
it must be admitted that not unfrequently trees
of the same variety purchased from the same
nursery, and planted in the same orchard side
by side, at the same time, do not make uniform
growth nor bear uniform crops. That there
should be uniformity in every respect could
hardly be expected, but the results are oftimes
as opposite as of two varieties ; one will go into
fruiting early, while another is tardy ; or one
will bear regular crops, while another will bear
only alternate years.

Now, there must be a cause, or causes for all
this. Is there any other theory more plausible
to account for these differences ? There are
numerous instances in both vegetable and ani-
mal kingdoms which confirm the theory of
variations in nature. Take for instance all the
present varieties of maize, wnich doubtless de-
scended from one parent, of which there are
now possibly more than a hundred, and yet
many so unlike each other as they well could be
made, and still all retain the original character
so far as it can be traced back. It is conceded
that the comparison is not quite fair where
changes are produced by seed selection. But
take the potato, which can, and has been mate-
rially changed by selection of tubers. For in-
stance by selecting such as ripen earliest for a
term of years, we may have the same variety

110

THE GARDENER'S MONTHLY

[April,

earlier than the original. The same effect will
be produced in an inverse ratio by selecting
seed from such as ripen latest. The potato
may also be changed in other respects by se-
lecting for seed the roundest or longest for a
succession of years, or select seed from stocks
that have tubers of most uniform size, or any
other desirable character, and a fixed type may
eventually be obtained of just what is desired.
When we glance over the great variety of shrubs
and flowers originated from sports, and estab-
lished as new varieties, which have by proper
selection for a term of years become fixed so as
to retain their identity, we must conclude that
from some cause nature is at times turned out
of its regular course in producing its like ; and
when once turned out, the stock or plant may
by designed selection for a series of years never
again resume its former character.

This line of argument might be continued
indefinitely in the vegetable kingdom. The
laws which govern the animal kingdom are in a
great measure analagous to those which govern
the former. The changes and improvements
that have been made with domestic animals is
truly astonishing ; for instance with sheep, cat-
tle and hogs *, to accomplish which required
time, perseverence and judicious selection.

We, as pomologists, must admit that although
much has been accomplished in our line, breed-
ers of domestic animals have made greater
strides in theirs. In animals, as in vegetables
and fruits, all the most desirable qualities have
never yet been produced in one individual.
The stock breeders who have aimed to produce
beef animals have established the Shorthorns.
Those who aimed for richest milk and butter
production, have their ideal in the Jerseys and
Guernseys ; while those who had in view milk
and cheese production, have established the
Holsteins and Ayreshires. At the same time
other fancy points in those breeds were sought
and obtained, and fixed types established. For
instance in the Durharas, roan or red colors and
small horns ; in the Jerseys, fawn or black colors,
black tongue and black wisp. In the Ayre-
shires the color must be white and brown, or
white and red; while the Holstein would be
ruled out as bogus if not strictly white and
black. Numerous other points have been bi'ed
into fixed types by selection, and except an oc-
casional sport, with almost as much certainty as
a good mechanic will produce a desired piece
of furniture. If we could place some of the

early specimens of cattle from which those im-
proved breeds have descended, side by side with
the latter, the contrast would be marked in-
deed ; or when we compare the ancient land-
shark or alligator hogs with the present Chester
Whites, Berkshires and Poland China pigs, the
resemblance is not at all striking. The former
were simply scavengers, just what nature in-
tended them to be, while the latter are almost
worthless for such purposes. Great progress
has been made in producing new fruits and
flowers by hybridization and cross fertilization,
which is however not altogether germain to the
question under consideration ; but that the graft
influences the root in nursery rows, every in-
telligent nurseryman knows. And that by
grafting upon large trees the reverse is some-
times shown will hardly be denied. If, then,
these are facts, may there not be other influ-
ences at work which we do not yet understand.
May not this continual grafting from non pro-
ducing trees weaken the fertility of the trees
thus grafted, that when they arrive at bearing
age, the least unfavorable conditions will injure
the fruit in its embryotic and early stages so as
to prevent its perfection. If we understood
all the laws which govern the animal and vege-
table kingdoms, they would no doubt develop
facts not dreamed of in our philosophy.

THE FUTURE OF ASPARAGUS.

BY GENL. WM. II. NOBLE, BRIDGEPORT, CONN.

I lately gave voice through the Monthly to
sanguine hopes of better asparagus. I fondly
thought that, like other joyous helps which the
garden gives the table, asparagus might look
for a future of stoutness and stature, born of
chosen seed as well as heavy feeding. I dream-
ed of fat shoots, pushing not only out of the
deep richness of the bed, but swelling from
crowns, fathered by seed, the offspring of care-
ful crosses and choice.

But alas, these were but the fancies of an in-
expert and parvenu. The horticultural heavy-
weights, high priests and judges have crushed out
my fond hopes. The Monthly's editor and
its British namesake have sat down hard upon
my little theory and flattened out its life. Me-
thinks I see their heads, full of judicial lore and
complacent dignity, nodding to each other over
this question of better asparagus. The elder
discoverer of the separate sexuality of asparagus,
speaks the opinion of the bench over its " ways

1880.1

AND HORTICULTURIST.

Ill

that are dark and peculiar." I reprint it pretty
closely :

" ' If the Court understand herself, and we
think he do,' we cannot uphold the plan put
forward, to better this vegetable through its
seedlings. !N'either in tlie books, nor in the na-
ture of things, do we find any warrant for such
hope of better asparagus. The plant seems to
have reached its highest development in the
pi-eadamite gardens. In fact, if we might bor-
row an illustration from another field of nature,
asparagus, like the bumble-bee, never gains
much on the bigness of its first hatching. This
comes from its sexual nature, first shown by the
members of this court. The asparagus is dioe-
cious, its sexes stand apart in different foot-stalks.
They are not in its, as in most vegetable life,
found in close mating on the same flower, or on
different flowers on the same plant. We there-
fore counsel the sanguine pleader for better
asparagus to waste no thought on the morrow
of trial for its improvement by seed. It cannot
thus be bettered. "We very well know, as claim-
ed in the argument, that through all nature
choice mating of the sexes leads to better kinds
of breeds. That the very fact of separate sexual
growth has brought to skillful men a vast ad-
vance in almost all that grows for man's food or
comfort. But the comparison is a cheat, if not
odious. Separate vegetable sexuality, follows
not its laws in animal life. Conover's aspara-
gus, or a Rose potato, can be divided by its root-
buds, but not a Grand Turk or an Alderney
heifer. Therefore we counsel against the likeli-
hood of better asparagus crossings from choice
seedlings. We are sorry to refuse our assent
to the method presented to us for improving
this vegetable, but we are reluctantly compelled
to declare it helpless." — Gardener''s Monthly^
English Gardener^s Magazine.

Now this " is an opinion as is an opinion."
Its reasoning has only been equaled by the mas-
sive logic, so much admired by Capt. Cuttle in
the great Bunsby, — that mental profundity thus
utters these opinions which so filled the Captain
with awe, — "For why, which way, if so, why
not? therefore. What I says I stands to.
Whereby, why not. If so, what odds. Can any
man say otherwise. No, awast then !" I trem-
ble before this august court and that profound
opinion; I hardly dare to doubt, much less
to lift my voice against this array of brains
and logic. But, I timidly ask, what barriers has
nature put against better kinds of asparagus

through thoughtful sexual mating ? Why is this
plant shut out from the sure methods of advance
open to most others ? Wherein does the monoe-
cious or monogamous or polygamous plant hold
out higher chances through seedtime and har-
vest? Why deny to asparagus the hopes and
methods that have became fruition amongst the
fruits ? Has she no right through happy chance
or utmost skill or patient trial, to all gained by
other growing things? When, by planting or
chance, there comes to either of its sexes, plants
more stalwart and thrifty, why not plant these
apart, and await bigger, quicker and tenderer
growths in their progeny ?

See how the pear, — sometimes by lucky self-
seeding, sometimes by studious trial, — has slowly
gained through the ages, till Van Mons or
Knight, by wise plan or forecast lifted it into the
front rank of fruits. Let us hope that asparagus,
so healthful, so widely liked, so delicious a vege-
table, so holding, carried its excellence through
the seasons, may, in its lower level, greet some
Van Mons or Knight.

What has the growth methods of the potato
or asparagus, from division of its underground
body, to do with the betterment of either through
seeding? The Summer Rose, or Hebron, or
Peachblow were never born out of any root di-
vision, or underground; or tuber-bred of the old
styles of this vegetable. Neither Goodrich nor
any other potato — Van Mons ever got beyond the
tuber he planted, by the replanting of its produce.

Such trial brings every time a Summer Hose, a
Peach-blow or a Mercer. You reap the harvest
that you sow. Better kinds come only through
seed-planting and choice, and this routine many
times repeated, before a kind of lasting excel-
lence rewards. So it must be with the aspa-
ragus. I close with the memorable words of the
immortal Bunsby: "The bearings of this obser-
vation lies in the application of it."

[Neither the Gardener's Monthly nor the
Gardener^s Magazine, has ever thought of saying
that the asparagus could not be improved by-
seed.— Ed. G. M.]

EDITORIAL NOTES.

Sweet Home, Black-cap Raspberry. —
This Illinois variety, a seedling from Lum's
Everbearing, is commended by Tyler McWhor-
ter of Aledo, a reliable gentleman who says
that while he would plant the Doolittle Black-
cap for an early crop, he would replace the

112

THE GARDENER'S MONTHLY

[April,

Mammoth Cluster by the " Sweet Home," as it
is larger and firmer, and the plants have a more
stocky growth.

The Leading Apples in New York. —
After all the endeavors to popularize different
apples in Western New York, the bulk of those
we see in various markets from that region, are
Baldwin, Rhode Island Greening, Spitzenberg,
and Northern spy. The two last bring slightly
better prices.

The Bottle Greening and Cooper's Mar-
ket Apples. — Though not of the highest quali-
ty, Mr. Hooker says these apples find a ready
sale in Western New York.

The Brighton Grape. — It is not often that
new fruits not only stand the test of experience,
but grow in popular favor. The Brighton Grape
seems one of these few good things. It ripens
about the same time as the Hartford Prolific,
and may therefore be classed with the early va-
rieties.

Early Grapes. — M. P., writes as follows:
*' In a catalogue of a responsible Ohio nursery-
man received a short time ago I notice, Moore's
Early Grape, offered for sale, and it is claimed
for this grape that it is ten days earlier than
Hartford, and twenty days earlier than Concord.
This seems such a remarkable advance, that I
•cannot help asking if this has been the experi-
ence of others besides the nurseryman named?
If this grape will universally ripen twenty days
ahead of the Concord, many of us may look for
ripe fruit in July."

Beurre Clairgeau. — A correspondent of
the Gardener''s Chronicle notes that the same va-
riety of Pear does not ripen at the same time in
the same place in different seasons. He says
the Beurre Clairgeau " will not be fit for use
this month (January) as usual." In the United
States it is voted as not fit for use any month, —
though there are many struck by its beauty who
try to use it.

The Grape Rot. — This, the great pest of
the Western grape grower, is not believed by
Mr. Bateham to result from weakened or dis-
-eased vines. He has come to this conclusion
after a very wide experience. His observations
tend to show that the rot follows peculiar hygro-
metrical and thermal conditions, which will act
unfavorably on normally healthy vegetable tis-
sues. We believe Mr. Bateham to be wholly
correct.

Packing Apples for Distant Markets. —
Many believe that some packing material should
be used in the barrels to keep apples from bruis-
ing each other ; but we have never known this
to be necessary when the apples were sound,
and properly barreled. After the apples are in,
they should be subjected to a pressure by the
lid, to the extent of even pressing some of the
fruit into each other. In good air-tight barrels,
they will not move or bruise each other. It is
only after the air gets to the bruise by the
pressed-in apple, that decay follows; while the
two apples are pressed together they will not
rot.

RiCKETTS' Grapes.— In the Rural World Mr.
Husmann gives an account of a visit to this well-
known raiser of seedling grapes, and says :

" We had expected to find Mr. Ricketts' seed-
ling grapes highly cultivated and in a favorable
location ; we had somehow got the idea into our
head that they were very much pampered and
petted; we had twice admired his grapes at ex-
hibitions, and they seemed to us too fine to be
produced by ordinary culture. We found just
the reverse of this, they were poorly cultivated,
pruned very long, had an excessive crop of
grapes, and we do not think the location a favor-
able one. We think it but just to Mr. Ricketts
to state this ; and he has certainly achieved re-
markable success."

Winter Nelis Pear. — Californians say, on
healthy Quince stocks they can often get this
pear to weigh half-a-pound. We fancy no one
in the Atlantic States ever saw one this size.

"Cultivating" Fruit Trees. — Some of
our excellent fruit growers still insist, that jag-
ging away at the young feeding roots of orchard
trees all summer long is "cultivating" them.
We have often shown that this kind of " cultiva-
tion has little more than antiquity to recom-
mend it, — for it is ancient, as any one can see
by referring to ^sop's Fables. Our excellent
practical cotemporary, the Garden seems to be
of our opinion. It says :

" In passing by Kensington Palace the other
day I saw men go through the old and sad pro-
cess of cutting off all the points of the bushes
and digging among their roots. The surface af-
terwards was, as usual, a mass of young fibres.
It is curious how much that is wrong may be
practised for ages by the very people who are
supposed to know the right way. There is no
more reason why the young roots should be mu-

1880.

AND HORTICULTURIST.

113

tilated annually in au established shrubbery
than those of a youug specimen Conifer on the
lawn."

New Peas. — It is remarkable that amongst
the myriads of varieties of peas, new or old,
Daniel O'Rourke is still the most popular.
Thousands of bushels are raised by single firms
alone for seed.

DsaENERATiON OF POTATOES. — These "die
out" occasionally, and new varieties have to be
raised to take their places. They die from ener-
vation, and not because varieties "naturally"
wear out. Plants are often injured by insects or
•disease, and mature before the tubers are "ripe."
Such " seed" produces inferior plants. Where-
ever the potato plant lives to flower freely, and
not die away before its time, its tubers will pro-
duce plants again showing no signs of wearing
-out.

Mushroom Growing.— We have frequently
€tated that the chief reason why so many fail in
growing mushrooms is because no care is taken
to prepare the material first. In the usual way
fermentation is too rapid. The Journal of Eor-
iiculture gives the following good advice :

" I do not know that I have anything out of
the common way to say about the preparation
of material for the bed, but I will briefly de-
•scribe the system. Droppings are collected
every morning from the stable litter and placed
in an open shed, where they are turned over
•every day to prevent burning. When there is a
sufficient quantity for a bed it is removed to
another open shed, where it is allowed to heat a
little, and the turning is continued for ten days
or a fortnight, till it becomes sufficiently dry
that it will not bind together much when
squeezed in the hand. It is then taken to the
mushroom house and made up as firmly as pos-
sible to a depth of 11 or 12 inches. The firm-
ness prevents its heating too violently, and con-
sequently drying and exhausting itself, and
causes it to retain the heat for a long time.
It cannot be too firm.. A thermometer is placed
in the bed as soon as made, and it is expected in
a few days to show a temperature of 85° to 100°.
As soon as the heat is declining the spawn is in-
serted; 95° for a day or two will do no harm,
but we must be sure that the temperature is de-
clining, for a higher one would probably be
fatal."

The Sweet Potato in England. — We
called attention recently to the curious fact that
only now, after a hundred years of American
experience, were the English people beginning
to know anything of sweet potatoes. In a re-
cent number of the Garden, we find this further
note : " I amused myself on one of those recent
cold days by roasting some sweet potatoes in
hot ashes — roots that I bought from Mr. Garcia,
in Covent Garden. I mean the Sweet Potato of
Korth America, which is so good when roasted
or baked. For the first time I found that these
Covent Garden specimens turned out vei-y well.
The sweet potato is an excellent vegetable, and
I should advise our American friends to send us
quantities of well-ripened roots, and also tell us
how to cook them. I noticed in America, that
just as with our common Potato at home, there
are wet and dry tubers, mainly owing to difier-
ences of soil. I understand those grown in the
sandy soils of the South are much better in
America than those raised elsewhere. It
seemed to be a greater favorite than the com-
mon potato, which was there called the Irish
Potato to distinguish it from this one. I believe
it to be more nutritious than the common po-
tato, and when good it turns out something
between a sweetmeat and a vegetable. To im-
port a vegetable which our climate prevents us
growing, and which in consequence is a novelty
to most people, is very desirable. I do not know
if their price is high in America, but it would be
a great boon if they could be sent here in such
quantities as would allow of their being used as
food. At present they are merely Covent Gar-
den curiosities."

Prohibiting the Importation of Living
Plants. — For fear of introducing the Phyllox-
era, the government of the Cape of Good Hope,
have absurdly prohibited the importation of
living plants and bulbs of all kinds. This is on
a par with much of our own legislation on hor-
ticultural and agricultural matters, and it is per-
haps a comfort to know that stupidity is a
world-wide complaint.

The Alexander Peach. — A writer in Shir-^
ley Hibberd's Gardener'' s Magazine, says this has
beaten Early Beatrice, Early Louise, and the
other famous early Peaches in England; and
" is without question one of the most valuable
fruits received from the other side of the At-
lantic."

114

THE GARDENER'S MONTHLY

[April,

Forestry.

COMMUNICA TIONS.

LARGE LIVE OAKS. -

BY W. ST. J. MAZYCK, HAGLEY PLACE, S. C.

Neither of the five live oaks, Q. virens, of
which I write, are as large as the Cawthorpe
Yorkshire oak, mentioned in your January
number, but they are very respectable sticks of
timber nevertheless. At Old Town plantation,
on the west bank of the Ashley river, the site
of Charleston, which was abandoned about 1680
for Oyster Point, there stands a live oak that
measures thirty-two feet in circumference.
One side of this tree was injured many years
ago by fire. It must have been a big tree when
the Indians burnt the town.

At Peach-tree plantation, on the west bank of
the South San tee, there is a live oak that meas-
ures twenty-nine feet around, the first limb meas-
uring sixteen feet around, and extending seventy-
five feet. At midday it shades half an acre of
ground. Prof. M. Numey said it was probably
the finest tree this side of the Mississippi river,
and that it was worth a man's time and money
to come from Canada to see it, — rather an ex-
pensive trip in 1846 when he saw this tree.

At Weehonoka plantation, on the east bank
of the Waccamaw river, three live oaks grow
near each other. The first one measures twenty
feet, the second seventeen feet nine inches, and \
the third fifteen feet around. These trees were
all measured in the smallest part ; all of them
have the hour-glass shape to a greater or lesser
degree. Not far from these last trees there is a
common fox grape-vine, that measures four feet
and two inches round.

EDITORIAL NOTES.

How TO Prepare Sumac— The New York
Times says: "Sumac is not a merchantable ar-
ticle until it is properly prepared. The prepara-
tion consists of gathering the leaves in July,
along with the fine twigs, drying them under cov-
er, threshing them with a flail, sifting out all the
coarse stuff, grinding the fine matter into powder
under a vertical rolling millstone, and packing
in bags of 200 pounds. When gathered at the

proper season and prepared in the best manner,
American Sumac, even that grown in northern
localities and heretofore supposed worthless, is
said by tanners to be equal to the best Italian.
The trouble is that it is not yet prepared pro-
perly nor gathered at a season when its coloring
properties are just right, so that it gives a dark
shade to the leather, when a clean white shade
is desired. For this reason the very best Vir-
ginia sumac sells for half the price of the foreign,
and New York sumac would be unsalable in the
market at any price, because tanners would not
dare use it, lest their leather might be spoiled.

Scarcity of the Hemlock Spruce.— Offi-
cial returns show that in New Brunswick the
Hemlock Spruce (Abies canadensis,) is becoming
as scarce as in adjacent parts of the United
States. "It is found only in certain parts of the
island, and is rapidly diminishing, owing mainly
to the ravages of fire, to which it is peculiarly
subject, and to the fact that a large number of
trees are cut down for the sale of the bark only,
the timber being left to rot in the ground." The
reports from the other parts of the dominion
bespeak the same reckless waste of all kinds of
timber. In British Columbia, which has an area
about twice that of the United Kingdom, two-
thirds, or in round numbers 110,000,000 English
acres, are still covered with timber. A variety
of the Hemlock Spruce is one of the commonest
frees there. — Timber Trades'' Journal,

Curiosity of the Woods. — Says the Salis-
bury, N. C, Watchman: "Seven miles west of
Salisbury, on the premises of James B. Gibson,
is a botanic curiosity in the shape of a gum tree.
About ten years ago one of the prongs (it branch-
ed into a fork about a yard from the ground) was
cut off", and in falling one of its limbs caught on
alimb of the remaining prong. It was not further
molested, and the limb of the dependent tree,
now an inch and a half in diameter, grew into
the one that held it up. The remarkable feature
is that the rootless tree still lives or grows,
though not so fast as its twin, — that a tree 25
feet high, with abundant foliage, should be sup-
plied with sufficient sap from the contact of the
above-mentioned limb, a surface of probably not
more than three square inches."

1880.]

AND HORTICULTURIST.

115

A Wonderful Tree. — In the birch wood of
Culloden, Scotland, there is a remarkable tree
worthy of note. Somewhere about thirty years
ago a little giant of the forest was blown down
in a storm, and fell right across a deep gully or
ravine, which it completely spanned, and the
top branches took root on the other side. From
the parent stem no less than fifteen trees grew
up perpendicularly, all in a row ; and there they
still flourish in all their splendor, while the pa-
rent stem evinces no token of decay. Several
of the trees are not less than thirty feet high.
The tree is a large fir.

' Re-wooding of Mou:SrTATNs in France
WITH AiLANTUS GLANDULOSA. — A Writer in
the Bulletin de la Societie cP Acclimation de Paris,
says the Gardener''s Chronicle, recommends the
Ailantus for re-wooding the mountainous dis-
tricts of France. He asserts that the Russians
successfully employ it in reclaiming the arid
steppes of the interior of Russia ; and the East-
ern Railway Company of France have planted
it along their line, to bind the earth of the cut-
tings and embankments. One of the merits of
the Ailantus is that it will grow in almost any
soil, including dry soils. The wood is used in
carriage building and in joinery ; and the leaves
are valuable in two ways. In the first place
they stink so vilely, and are of such a disagree-
able taste, that animals do not browse upon
them when fresh, though they will eat them
when dry. Secondly, the leaves serve to sup-
port the silkworm (Attacus cynthia vera);
in fact, this silkworm eats the leaves of the
Ailantus by preference. Now that a means of
preparing the silk spun by this worm has been
discovered, both the worm and the tree become
more important, and it is confidently hoped that
the rearing of this worm will prove a profitable
industry."

The Walnut and its Uses. — A scientific
gentleman, commenting upon the abundant sup-
ply of walnuts now arriving in the French capi-
tal, enters upon a learned discussion as to the
merits and virtues of that fruit and the tree
which bears it. He disposes, first, of the vulgar
prejudice still prevalent in many parts of France
to the effect that it is most dangerous to repose
under the shadow of the tree. In support of
such a theory may be quoted the dicta of Yal-
mon Bomare, who states that the shade of the
tree gives rheumatism ; of Bayle, who pretends
that it is a cause of fevers ; and of Theophrastus,

who makes out that it tends to stupify and
deaden the energies of the brain. Finally, there
is the popular theory that the Italian terms nux
and nuces are derived from various nocuous
qualities either of the tree or its produce. Our
French savant has made experiments of his own,
and is able to declare that he has neither caught
fevers nor rheumatism by lying under walnut
trees, while his own writings may, no doubt, be
accepted as a conclusive proof that he has not
suffered in the way suggested by Theophrastus.
Another celebrated saying, apropos of the wal-
nut tree, is that which connects it with wives
and spaniels in a sort of semi-proverbial recom-
mendation not to spare the rod. The Latin
couplet is, however, still more uncomplimentary
to the fair sex than that which we have in Eng-
lish, inasmuch as it extends the injunction to all
women, and not only to wives, and associates
them and the walnut tree, not with spaniels, but
with the most despised of all beasts of burden.
We are further informed by the French pro-
fessor that the juice and odor of walnut leaves
are a protection against insects of the least
agreeable kind, and that the English use a de-
coction of it for rubbing on their hair {cheveux),
or, as he probably means, their horses (cheraux),
in order to keep away the flies. As for the fruit
itself, the old rule of the school of Salerno was
"nuts after fish, and cheese after meat;" but
modern gastronomists have relegated nuts to a
stage in the repast at least as late as cheese.
The authorit}' from whom we quote, declares
that there is nothing indigestible in the fruit,
provided only that it is fresh, and has not been
kept till the juices have dried up and the solid
tissues begun to grow mouldy, as they are apt to
do after a few weeks or months. — London Globe.
Forest Culture. — A most successful under-
taking in forest culture is being carried forward
by Mr. B. F. Peck, of Bethany, K. Y., who
commenced his plantations four or six years ago.
He has ten acres in his new woodland planta-
tion, the soil being far from fertile, a clay loam
resting on a shell work near the surface. The
varieties of trees grown are European larches
and Scotch pines. At two years from the seed
these young larches are trees, planted to places
where they are to remain, four feet apart each
way, an acre thus containing 2,640. Those that
have been set four years are now from eight to
ten feet high, vigorous in growth, and branching
so extensively as to make it difficult for one to
pass through the "woods." These are from

116

THE GARDENER'S MONTHLY

[April,

one and a half to two inches in diameter at the
ground. Those set six years are twelve feet
high, more than three inches in diameter, while
a few that have been set eight years are from
eighteen to twenty-four feet high and from four
to six inches through. The pines are planted
out sixteen feet each way. In a few years Mr.
Peck will begin to thin out the larches, using
them for poles and small fence posts. The land
is thought to pay as well in these trees as if
planted to ordinary farm crops, while the ad-
vantages they afford in protection to other crops
and to the farm buildings is inestimable. Mr.
Peck believes if twenty per cent, of our old
cleared land was planted to forest trees, it would
render the remaining eighty per cent, more
productive and valuable than the whole now is.

SCRAPS AND QUERIES.

Durability of Timber. — "Creek," writes,
and we fully agree, " In your explanation of the
reason why reports on the duration of timber
vary so, you overlook the fact that good

healthy trees will make more durable timber
than such as are sickly from age or disease.
There is great cry about preserving our old
forests, but much more wisdom would be shown
in the encouragement of new plantations. Tim-
ber from old trees is not near so durable as that
from trees about middle age."

Catalpa Bungbi. — Storrs, Harrison & Co.,
Painesville, 0., write : "As there is considerable
interest at present manifested in the different
varieties of Catalpa, we mail you a pod of Catalpa
Bungei. This Catalpa appears to be perfectly
hardy here, and a free grower. Trees six years
of age are eighteen inches in circumference.
We are growing the speciosa quite largely, but
do not see as it is any hardier than this one.
"We imported this under* the name of Bungei,
but as some of our leading nurserymen claimed
Bungei to be a dwarf, not growing more than
four or five feet tall, we thought the French
nurserymen had made a mistake, and we sup-
posed it to be bignonoides, but it differs from
that variety even in the seeds."

[The French nurserymen are sustained by
the authority of De Candolle.— Ed. G. M.]

Natural History and Science.

COMMUNICA TIONS.

CATALPA SPECIOSA.

BY DE. GEO. ENGELMANN, ST. LOUIS, MO.

When examining the specimens sent us origi-
nally by Dr. Warder as Catalpa bignonioides
speciosa, we suggested from the peculiar pec-
tinate coma to the seed, that it would propably
take rank as a species. By the following from
the Botanical Gazette, a cheap but worthy publi-
cation, by the way, to which every working
botanist should subscribe, — it will be seen that
Dr. Engelmann definitely establishes it as such :

" Catalpa speciosa, Warder. — A middle-sized
tree with grayish-brown much cracked or fur-
rowed, at last slightly flaky bark and light,
yellowish-gray wood; leaves large, truncated or
more or less cordate at base, slenderly acumin-
ate, soft downy on the under side, inodorous;
flowers in large and loose panicles ; tube of the

corolla conical, longer than wide, its lower part
scarcely protracted ; upper lip before its expan-
sion longer than the other lobes and enveloping
them, lower lobe bilobed, inside of corolla
slightly marked at the throat with red-brown
lines and with two yellow bands at the commi-
sures of the lowest with the lateral lobes ; sta-
mens and style as long as the tube ; pod terete,
strongly furrowed ; wings of seed about as long
as the seed itself, rounded at the ends and split
into a broad coma.

Common in the low, rich, sometimes over-
flown woodlands near the mouth of the Ohio,
along the lower course of that river and its con-
fluents, and in the adjoining lowlands of the
Mississippi ; in the States of Illinois, Indiana,
Kentucky, Tennessee, Missouri and Arkansas;
according to Michaux abounding near the bor-
ders of all the rivers which empty into the
Mississippi further south ; whether the localities

1880.]

AND HORTICULTURIST.

117

cited by him, of "West Florida produce this or
the Eastern species, is at present unknown.
Flowers in May. This tree has quite an inter-
esting and instructive history. It was already
known to Michaux and to many botanists and
settlers of those regions ; even the aboriginal
Shawnees appreciated it, and the French set-
tlers along the Wabash named it for them the
Shawnee wood (Bois Chavauon) and prized the
indestructible quality of its timber; but the
botanists, even the subtle Rafinesque, who
roamed over those very regions, seem to have
taken it for granted that it was not distinct
from the Southeastern Catalpa bignonioides.
To me the fact that these trees, then not rarely
cultivated in St. Louis,* produced their larger
and more showy flowers some ten or fifteen
days earlier than the Eastern or common kind,
was well known as early as 1842, and their
blossoming has since been annually recorded
in my notes on the advance of vegetation, but I
had not the sagacity or curiosity to further in-
vestigate the tree. It was reserved to Dr. J. A.
Warder, of Cincinnati, in 1853, to draw public
attention to it. He was struck with its beauty
in the streets of Dayton, Ohio, where a few
stragglers were cultivated, and described it cur-
sorily in his journal, the Western Horticul-
tural Review, Vol. Ill, page 533, without de-
ciding whether a distinct species or a variety,
and without assigning a name to it. It was
soon named, however, privately as it seems, by
him and his friends Catalpa speciosa, and was
propagated as a more ornamental form. Thir-
teen years later I find in the catalogue of J. C.
Teas' nursery, Baysville, Indiana, for 1866, Ca-
talpa speciosa offered, the 100 one year old
seedlings for ^1.50. But only within the last
few years the beauty and importance of the tree
has made a greater impression on the public
mind, principally through the exertions of Dr.
Warder himself, Mr. E. E. Barney, of Dayton,
and Mr. R. Douglas, of Waukegan, 111. The
latter was so much struck with the future im-
portance of this species that in the Autumn of
1878 he collected on the lower Ohio 400 pounds
of its seed for his own nursery and for distribu-
tion to all parts of the world.

Catalpa speciosa replaces C. bignonioides en-
tirely in the Mississippi valley. It is readily
distinguished from it by its taller and straighter

* It seems singular that the common Eastern species has in
our streets almost completely supplanted the much handsomer
native.

growth, its darker, thicker (i-1 inch thick),
rougher and scarcely exfoliating bark, (in
the older species it is light gray, constantly
peeling off and therefore not more than two or
three lines thick); its softly downy, slenderly
acuminate and inodorous leaves (those of big-
nonioides have a disagreeable, almost fetid odor
when touched), marked with similar glands in
the axils of the principal veins of the under
side by its much less crowded panicle, and by
its much larger flower, fruit and seed. The
flowers I found two inches in the vertical and a
little more in the transverse diameter. In the
other they have one and two-thirds inches in
each diameter ; the lower lobe is deeply notched
or bilobed in speciosa, entire in bignonioides ;
the tube in the former is conical and ten lines,
in the latter campanulate and about seven lines
long, in the first slightly oblique, in the other
very much so, the upper part being a great deal
shorter than the lower one, so that the anthers
and stigmat become uncovered. The markings
in the flower of the old species are much more
crowded and conspicuous, so as to give the
whole flower a dingy appearance, while ours
looks almost white. The upper lip of the co-
rolla before expansion extends beyond the
other lobes and covers them like a hood in the
Western species, while in the Eastern it is
much shorter than the others and covers them
only very partially. The pods of our species
are eight-twentieths inches long, seventeen-
twentieth lines in circumference, dark brown,
and strongly grooved. When dry, the placental
dissepiment very thick. In the Eastern species
the pod is nearly the same length, but only
nine-twelfth lines in circumference ; its grooves
very slight, its color pale, and the dissepiment
flat. In both species the pod is perfectly terete
before the valves separate, after that the valves
of ours remain more or less semiterete, while
the much thinner ones of the other flatten out
so that they seem to indicate a compressed pod.
The elongated seeds winged at both ends, are
of about equal length in both species, but in
speciosa they are much wider, (3^-4 lines),
and the wings have more or less rounded
ends which terminate in a broad band of rather
short hair. In bignonioides the seeds are only

t I may here remark that Cataliia, probably like all its allies,
is proterandrous, the anthers open in the morning and the lobes
of the stigma separate and become glutinous towards evening,
the upper lobe remaining erect, the lower turning down close
upon the style. I have not ascertained how they are impreg-
nated as at that time the anthers are effete, and by the follow-
ing morning the lobes of the stigma are again closed.

118

THE GARDENER'S MONTHLY

[April,

two and a half to three lines wide, with pointed
wings, and their tips terminating in a long,
pencil-shaped tuft of hair.

Our tree is larger, of straighter growth, and
being a native of a more Northern latitude, is
hardier than the Southeastern species. The
wood of both is extremely durable, perhaps as
much so as that of our red cedar, and has the
advantage over it of a much more rapid growth
and of possessing only a very thin layer (two or
three annual rings) of destructible sap wood.
But of these qualities and of its adaptability to
many important uses, others, and especially Mr.
Barney in a recent pamphlet, have given a full
account. It is already extensively planted in
our Western prairie states, and especially along
railroads, for which it is expected to furnish the
much needed timber in a comparatively short
time.

NICOTIANA SUAVEOLENS.

BY MRS. E., MELROSE, MASS.

Reading in the Februray Monthly, Mr. Hen-
derson's experience with Salvia splendens coeru-
lea, has tempted me to give my own with a plant
under the name which heads this note. I bought
ray plant of a Boston florist, also. It professed to
be a rare novelty, and it was, though not in the
way I expected. The description in the cata-
loge represented it as a compact-growing plant,
of not over two feet in height. A most abund-
ant bloomer, with large pure white flowers, de-
lightfully fragrant, and specially suited for bou-
quets, as it bloomed all summer. I felt parti-
cularly happy in the possession of this plant.
Pure white, elegant, fragrant flowers, suitable
for bouquets, don't grow on every bush. I gave
it a rich soil, and a conspicuous position near
the street, between my Lilies and Tea Roses.
Then I smiled complacently to myself as I
thought of the envy and admiration it would ex-
cite, and how passers-by would pause in wonder
and delight at this rare plant. I must confess
that they did pause ; but not exactly the way
my fancy had pictured. The way that plant
grew was frightful to contemplate. It was fully
seven feet high, with many strong lateral
branches of two or three feet. It so crowded
out and overtopped everything else, that I was
in despair, when one happy night, (Aug. 19, '79)
a fearful tornado of wind and rain came to my
aid, and Nicotiana suavolens (?) broke short off
about two inches from the ground to my great
relief. How large it would have been when it

got its growth I shall never know. I am also
in utter ignorance to this day as to what the
plant really was, for though I wrote to the flor-
ist of whom I bought it, enclosing a stamp, he
did not deign to reply. Perhaps he did not know
himself. I have written this with the hope that
the good Editor of the Monthly, or some of
his wise correspondents will take pity on my ig-
norance and enlighten me, if they can do so by
a mere description. Both stock and leaves were
of a pale, pure pea-green. The leaves, which
were on long petioles, were broadly ovate, from
four to five inches long, glabrous, entire, and of
a leathery consistence. The flower was utterly
insignificant, without either beauty or fragrance.
In color they were a pale, dingy greenish yel-
low, and in form stifl", erect tubes, about the
size of an ordinary lead pencil, an inch to an
inch and a-half long, and about as broad at the
top as a silver half dime. They were scattered
along a straggling, leafy raceme, never more
that two or three open at a time, as they soon
faded. I am familiar with the Nicotiana culti-
vated for tobacco, but this was not at all like
that. Friends ! Countrymen I Do you know this
novelty?

[The plant appears by the description to be
the true Nicotiana suaveolens, which is a New
Holland plant, and a coarse weedy thing of no
particular interest to the cultivator, except that
it is reported to be very sweet at night. Those
who sent it out in such a flaming way, should be
ashamed. It may be said however that Ameri-
can seedsmen often get these seeds from Eu-
rope, and merely copy the descriptions sent with
them. But they ought to know the reputations
of those they deal with, if they wish to give
other people's cuts and praises as their own. —
Ed. G. M.]

DiSTRBBUTION OF PLANTS.

BY E. S. MILLER.

I was very much interested in the " Distribu-
tion of Plants," by Rev. L. J. Templin, in the
January number of the Gardener's Monthly.
It has been a subject of interest to me. I think
birds are common carriers. A very familiar
instance is of the cedar bird distributing Juni-
perus Yirginiana. I have in mind a good
hedge of cedar which has grown up along a
rail fence ; the seeds were voided by 'birds while
sitting on the fence. It may be that birds are
the cause of rare plants being found in new
localities. It is well known that Long Island,

1880.

AND HORTICULTURIST.

119

particularly the eastern extremity is a resting
and feeding ground for migratory birds.
Through their agency doubtless may be as-
cribed the appearance of plants not common
to this section of country. Mr. Young and
myself found a number of rare plants, mostly
around ponds. For example, Rhyncospora
nitens, Gray; not before reported north of
l^Torth Carolina. Rumex Englemanni, a western
epecies; Galactia mollis, Mx., a southern spe-
cies; Polygonum ramosissimum, Mx., a west-
ern species, and Eleocharis tricostata, Torr.,
a southern species.

Dr. Allen, of N'ew York, found on Montauk
Point, in 1878, Glaucium luteum. Scop., in great
abundance. I believe aquatic birds carry parti-
cles of mud on their feet containing seeds ;
possibly this has been one way of plant distri-
bution. The way Haniamelis Virginica has of
distributing its seeds is wonderful. The pods
explode and send the seed with considerable
force. I have found seeds fifteen feet from the
pods in which they grew, and that after the pods
were taken from the trees.

BLUE AND OTHER COLORED CLASS.

The London Gardener^s Magazine gives the
following translation of a paper read recently
before the Central Agricultural Society of France
which will be read with great interest in our
country where General Pleasanton's original ex-
periments attracted so much attention :

A series of experiments, not originally in-
tended to prove the action of colored light on
vegetation, has nevertheless brought to my no-
tice some facts which may be of great use in
horticulture.

The effects of the colored rays of the solar
spectrum have already been made the subject of
investigation by some of the most distinguished
savants of the age. The mere enumeration of
their labors would be too lengthy for repetition
here.

That eminent physiologist, M. Paul Bert, has
of late again devoted himself to the study of this
interesting and delicate problem. But, so far,
none of these researches, important as they are
in their bearings on plant life, have led to any
practical method of accelerating the growth of
plants in an exceptional manner. Wherever
colored light has been used alone, without the
interposition of white light, there the plants
have withered and died. M. P. Bert's experi-

ments have furnished conclusive proof of this
fact. All colors taken singly, are noxious to
plants, he tells us.

It is an essential condition of vegetation that
plants should not exist continually in artificially
colored light. Therefore, when the conditions
under which plants were intended to exist have
been departed from too widely, negative results
have invariably followed. But will it be the
same when a plant is exposed to the action of
particular rays of colored light modified by the
presence of white light? Here, as I have just
remarked, some facts of great importance to
horticulture have come under our notice. The
sensation will not have been forgotten which
was created in the scientific world when M.
Poey communicated to the French Academy of
Sciences the marvellous results obtained by the
American General Pleasanton, with vines grown
in a vinery illumined with violet and white
glass, and which in a very short time produced
an exceptionally abundant crop of grapes.

Results as exceptional, according to the same
authority, were obtained in fattening cattle and
pigs by the same means. But here we have to
do with plants, not with live stock. I cannot
confirm these statements, but I shall no longer
attempt to invalidate them, inasmuch as experi-
ments of my own in pursuing a totally distinct
line of research have taught me, as will pres-
ently be seen, that the views of the American
General are not to be entirely rejected.

I shall not attempt to explain the phenomena
scientifically ; whether they are chemical, physi-
ological, or merely mechanical, it is impossible
for me to say. However this may be, the facts
reported by M, Poey suggested to me the idea
of the experiments of which I am about to
speak; and if I did not exactly get what I
sought, the results obtained, in my opinion,
largely compensated me for my failure.

Some years back the Natural History Museum
received from Monte Video a very small her-
baceous plant, forwarded by a French natural-
ist, M. Lasseau, and labeled "Pretty little
Mouothacea from neighborhood of Monte
Video." This humble-looking little acaules-
cent herbaceous plant, consisting merely of
seven or eight myrtiform leaves, justified its
appelation, a pretty little plant. It grew well
at the museum, but never blossomed ; the blos-
som invariably failed, but not all at once. After
the invariable fall of an almost microscopic
corolla, the ovary continued its normal evolu-

120

THE GARDENER'S MONTHLY

[April,

tion until it at length attained full maturity.
The seeds, four in number, also ripened very
well. Of course it was at once seen that this
was an instance of what botanists call clandes-
tine fertilization.

M. Houlet, the able chief of the hothouse de-
partment of the museum, begged me one day
to determine this curious plant for him. " Wait
until it blossoms," I said. But as the blossom
was very long in making its appearance, I ex-
amined the minute corolla with the microscope,
and this, together with the indications furnished
by the seeds, enabled me to refer it to the genus
Stenandrium. The clandestine fertilization con-
tinued. A hundred times the biological con-
ditions of this curious plant were changed
without altering its temperament-
Linnaeus, in his Hortus Vpsaliensis, gives a
not altogether correct explanation of this phe-
nomenon. Dillenius speaks of it under the
head of buellia, in his Hortis Etkamensis, with-
out giving a more correct explanation of the
persistent anomaly.

The entire family of Acanthacese furnishes a
great number of examples, with the difference
that here clandestine alternates with normal
fertilization. I then conceived the idea of sub-
jecting this remarkable plant to the influence of
variously colored light, by a modification of the
American method. I was in hopes that the
stimulus given by some one or other of the
colored rays of the spectrum would enable me
to determine this singular anomaly.

I mentioned my plan to the eminent profes-
sor of horticulture, M. Decaisne, who, with his
usual courtesy, lost no time in placing at my
disposal the necessary space, and the requisites
for a series of experiments in the shape of cyl-
indrical open-mouthed glasses, in which the
light and air could circulate freely. These
glasses* had double sides of colorless glass.
In the| annular spaces between the inner and
outer sides were placed colored fluids, repre-
senting six colors of the solar [spectrum. The
glasses were ten to twelve inches deep, with
an inner diameter of four to six inches. The
annular space filled by the colored fluid in each
was six to eight inches in width. In the inner-
most glass we stood the little plant in its little
pot. The light from the sides had therefore to
traverse six to eight inches of colored fluid
before reaching the plant, whilst above, the
white light and air entered and circulated round
the plant unchecked.

We had sown a certain number of seeds of
the plant in question, ^.nd of the young plants
so raised we chose six of equal size and age,
one for each glass. The fluid surrounding the
first glass was a fine aniline purple or violet.
That in the second glass was an ammonical so-
lution of salts of copper, giving a beautiful blue.
The third had a solution of salts of nickel,
giving an equally brilliant green. The fourth
was a solution of chromate of potassium, giving,
a yellow color. The fifth was a solution of
bichromate of potassium, producing an orange.
And the sixth was a very fine aniline red.

(To be continued.)

EDITORIAL NOTES.

Hybrid Flowers.— There is yet a wide field
unexplored in the physiological conditions in-
volved in the infusion of distinct individuals in
one hybrid form. In chemistry the union of
two different bodies always results in the same
identical product ; but it is not so in plant life.
If we take the flowers of two distinct species
to-day, and cross-fertilize them, the progeny
will be different from what the same two flow-
ers would yield to-morrow. Again in the pro-
geny of the same individual cross the young
plants raised are different from one another.
The progeny partake of some of the characters
of both parents, just as a chemical infusion
would ; but the proportions vary in each. Just
now some interesting hybrids have been ob-
tained in England between the Utah yellow
columbine and the blue columbine of the Rocky
Mountains. Instead of the blue and yellow
uniting together and making a green, as in an
ordinary color mixture, the blues and yellows in
the progeny are just as bright as in the original
parents. Some parts of the flowers are Iblue
and some yellow. In one case the nectaries
have the bright blue of the Rocky Mountaia
species, while the petals are golden yellow.
Thus it appears that parental influence may
aff'ect only particular parts of the offspring ; or
one parent may influence one part, or one
another. But under what law these peculiar
influences operate no fellow of any learned as-
sociation or any other " fellow " has so far been
able to find out.

[A kind correspondent sends us the above, as
taken from a " Boston paper." It so happens
that it came originally from the Science Depart-
ment of the New York Independent, from the

1880.1

AND HORTICULTURIST.

121

columns of which paper more items of this
character are copied without credit, — "• stolen,"
we believe is the New York Tribune's expres-
sion,— than from any other paper that we wot
of. We suppose, however, that unlike the
Tribune, the Independent does not feel so over-
bad about it, as it has to show that the hu-
man race needs regeneration, and must be glad
of some awful examples now and then to illus-
trate its teachings. — Ed. G. M.]

Fertilization of Yucca. — The Garden
says : " I fancy insect agency is talked of in a
very unscientific way by too enthusiastic follow-
ers of Mr. Darwin. I remember reading Pro-
fessor Riley's dogma that the Yucca could only
possibly be fertilized by a certain American
insect, and being amused at it because I had
several times seen it fruiting well in the south
of Europe, and also in France. Probably we
should see it oftener if we had a better climate.
I now note that Mr. Ellacombe, writing to a
contemporary, says : There can be no doubt
that the Yucca can be fertilized by other means
than by the agency of the Yucca moth (Pronuba
yuccasella). I have more than once had well-
formed fruit on Y. recurvifolia, but the seeds
did not come to maturity. Dr. Engelmann in
his "Notes on the Genus Yucca," says: 'In
the botanical garden of Venice I gathered the
pulpy pods from a large Yucca aloifolia, about
fifteen feet high.' This was the only Yucca
fruit seen by me in Europe, though I have since
learned that in other instances also, though
only exceptionally, fruit and good seed have
been produced there, principally by the same
species, and very rarely by others. I remember
the late Mr. Barillet telling me he had raised a
great many varieties of Yucca gloriosa from
seed saved in France. However, this mistake
on the part of so good a man as Riley, is good
sense compared with what we read on this side
as to the influence of insects on the color and
odors of plants. The statement by Mr. Wal-
lace, for example, that showy flowers are scent-
less because from their color they are suflfl-
ciently attractive to insects may pass for science
with some innocent people, but it seems foolish
to those who know even only a few garden
plants."

There is no doubt in our mind but that too
much is made of the color, odor, and other
properties of flowers in relation to insect habits,
and perhaps Prof. Riley may in his enthusiasm,

have made the mistake which all useful enthu-
siasts are liable to make, of not being quite
logical when putting " this and that together,"
on a review of his facts. But there is nothing
more certain than that Prof. Riley is right in
regarding the Yucca, seldom if ever fertilized
except by outside aid ; and if the Yucca seeds in
Europe, it would be well to see whether there
is not some nocturnal insect engaged in the
work, if indeed the Pronuba itself, may not
have been imported there. It must be re-
membered that the insect, though amidst ac-
tive entomologists for a hundred years in im-
mense abundance, was not known till Prof.
Riley found it a few years ago.

Darlingtonia Californica.— The Editor
of " The Native Flowers and Ferns of the
United States," would be much obliged if any
one who may have the chance to get a plant
of this in flower, will send word to this office, in
order that a drawing partially made (from an
over-blown specimen) may be completed. It
could be finished from other people's drawings,
but for this work sketches are made solely from
nature.

Destruction of Insect Eggs, etc., by
Frost. — Reveu V Horticulture Beige, says that
horticulturists expected to derive some compen-
sation for the wonderfully severe winter of
1879-80, in the destruction of insect eggs and
larvae, and are thunder struck now when M.
Lichtenstein tells them that after an examina-
tion he finds they have all been able to resist
the " very lowest temperature."

If our European contemporaries had profited
by their American exchanges, they might have
learnt this lesson without waiting for their own
experience to teach them. Certainly the Gar-
dener's Monthly has often made a note of
the fact.

PiNUS Balfouriana. — We learn from the
California Horticulturist that Mr. Lemmon has
re-discovered the spot on Mount Shasta from
whence Jeffrey obtained the original specimens
from which Murray described this species.

The American Philosophical Society. —
This venerable institution, founded by Benjamin
Franklin, celebrated its 100th anniversary on
the 15th of March.

Foliation. — "Zero" says: "Pardon my
doubts, but I find nothing in my text books that
confirms your answer to " Inquirer," in regard

122

THE GARDENER'S MONTHLY

[April,

to the action of roots in aiding leaf develop-
ment. I should be much obliged if you will
give references to authorities for this view."

[We are glad to find a disposition to look in-
to matters of this kind. It is too much the
habit to take things on trust. In this case we
did not know that "authorities" failed to con-
firm our view, — but we suppose they must have
thought it needless to refer to it, for the truth is
apparent to every practical gardener. For in-
stance, a grape vine may have two branches, —
one shall be led into a forcing house, the other
kept in a cool vinery ; the roots remaining in
the same border and under the same circum-
stances in both cases. The hothouse branch
will grow and bear fruit, while the other re-
mains dormant till the temperature rises. Again
you may cut down a willow log, and if it re-
mains exposed to the summer temperature it

will sprout out into leaves and branches, with-
out any roots at all. These are a few illustra-
tions out of a large number, which might be
given, and while we commend the effort of
" Zero" to look into his books for authorities,
may suggest at the same time that he look a lit-
tle into the "book of Nature" open all round
him. They are both good teachers. — Ed. G. M.]
Director Goodale of the Cambridge
Botanic Garden. — We are pleased to learn
that Prof. Goodale, who succeeded Prof. Sar-
gent in the directorship of these gardens is meet-
ing with good encouragement. It became neces-
sary to raise a fund of S60,000 to keep things up
to the best, and at the date of this writing one-
third of the amount has been contributed by the
public spirited citizens of Boston who seem
never behind-hand with the means when sci-
ence is to be advanced.

Literature, Travels ? Personal Notes.

COMMUNICA TIONS,

NOTES AND QUERIES-No. II.

BY JACQUES.

TJie green color of plants is, as is well known,
due to the presence in the cells of chlorophyl
granules, which consists of a protoplasm base
containing a green coloring matter. To the
chlorophyl which they contain plants owe their
power of decomposing carbonic acid gas, fixing
the carbon in their tissues, and setting free the
oxygen— a process which in plants corresponds,
at any rate in great part, to the process of diges-
tion and assimilation occurring in animals.

The Transactions of the Massachusetts Horticul-
tural Society just issued are very creditable to
that useful institution. The discussions on fruit,
especially the apple, are the result of experi-
ence. On rose culture the pamphlet is very
happy, though in our Philadelphia climate we
should differ as to some recommendations.

As a proof ot the essential identity between
animals and plants. Professor AUman in his
late address before the British Association,
which everybody should read, cited at length the
important experiments of Bernard on the effects

of anaesthetics on plants. Bernard covered a
healthy and vigorous sensitive plant with a bell
glass, introducing under the glass a sponge
soaked iu ether. In half an hour the plant was
in a state of complete ansesthesia ; all its leaves
remained fully extended, but they showed no
tendency to shrink when touched. The bell
glass was then removed, and the plant gradually
recovered its irritability. Other experiments
showed that auseesthetics possess the power of
temporarily averting not only the irritability of
vegetable protoplasm, but also the phenomenon
of nutrition generally, and even those of germi-
nation. Seeds placed under the influence of
ether had their germination arrested for five or
six days, the process of development recom-
mencing on the removal of the ether.

We read and study too little of our national pub-
lications. The late number of Hayden's Bulle-
tin of the United States Surveys of the Terri-
tories, contains much of interest on the Yellow-
stone Park. On the slopes of Amethyst Moun-
tain, 2,000 to 3,000 feet above the river valley,
are exposed at different levels at intervals
through the entire height, a series of silicified
trees, many rooted in the position in which they
grew, and from twenty to thirty feet in height.

1880.

AND HORTICULTURIST.

123

Some laying down are of great size, the frag-
ments measuring eighty-two feet in diameter,
and comparable to the giant Sequoias. The
series of sand stones and conglomerates in which
the trees are imbedded are more than 5,000 feet
thick, forming a vertical mile of fossil forests,
the woody structure well preserved, but where
■cavities have been formed in the trunks of the
rotting wood, they are lined with crystals of
amethysts and quartz. Would not such infor-
mation as the above, for instance, be more ac-
ceptable than the nauseous notices of suicides
in the papers ?

Herbaceous Plants. — We must keep some beds
for color, but not carry this to excess. Spring
flowers are the loveliest of all, and the art of the
gardener is shown in securing a regular succes-
sion, from the early Crocus to the Chrysanthem-
um, (Japan's emblem), in the dying days of
autumn. Mr. Bright regrets, as we do, the ab-
sence from our gardens of many plants known
and admired by our grand-parents. Who can
show a bed of the Christmas Rose, or Helleborus.

/. T. asks why sulphuric acid must be used to
make phosphates useful as a manure ? Simply
that the substance may be dissolved for nature
to use it. The manufacture of this cheap acid
is extensive in this country, and in England,
■832,000 tons are annually made. Cheap glass
and cheap soap depend on the cheap produc-
tion of oil of vitriol, — a sour substance to con-
tribute to our light and cleanliness.

Flies and mosquitoes are so troublesome in the
warm weather that various contrivances are re-
sorted to, to abate the nuisance. Catching the
former by a glue that their wonderfully formed
feet cannot escape when once they are in it, is
very effective; and now we want a mosquito
cure that will be more effective than the wire
and the curtain. Cannot an American inventor
discover an attractive bait, and thus make a for-
tune ?

How to make a living. — It should be one of the
missions of the press to give encouragement to
enterprises that are calculated to supply unsup-
plied wants, for there are many people who feel
that they could earn a living if they knew of
something that was wanted. There are wants
unsupplied. Some years ago a barber seeing
the scarcity of leeches, made a pond in his gar-
den and commenced the raising of these useful
creatures, with little success, however, for he did
not know how. A Baltimore man undertook to

supply the market with terrapins, brought to
him in thousands from every quarter. He sup-
plied a great want and succeeded. Thus com-
menced the canning of oysters, now grown to
immense dimensions. A Delawarean cans tur-
keys successfully, a l^ew Yorker has a crawl
for sea turtles, and succeeds. Soup made from
green turtles and terrapins are now sold in cans.

Fossils of South Carolina.— Fe\Y persons are
aware of the importance attached to the South
Carolina fossils, especially those of Ashley river.
These are now being worked largely, and the
product exported for manures. Sea fowl in
myriads have had something to do with the de-
posits. Besides the phosphatic nodules, the
Ashley beds present a remarkable mixture of
the remains of marine and terrestrial animals,
consisting of bones, teeth, coprolites, shells, etc.,
derived from formations of various ages ; of re-
mains of vertebrates, those of fishes and ceta-
ceans prevail, especially of teeth of sharks, and
the vertebrae of whales.

It is said, no doubt with truth, that shells are
now exported from Florida to Chicago for the
purpose of making roads, and we know it to be
a fact that the products of the slaughter-houses
at Chicago are brought to the Delaware for ma-
nure. Steam and railroads have produced won-
ders.

Drainage.— Engl&nd may in some senses thank
herself for the ruin of her late crops. She has
for many years drained her land to such an ex-
tent that all the rain-falls flow immediately into
drains, not stopping long enough to penetrate
the earth. The result is a quick filling of her
little rivers and water courses; these overflow
their banks immediately ; hay is set afloat and
ruined; grain is damaged either when cut or in
the ground; sheep are drowned, and not infre-
quently cattle. Drainage in certain cases is very
valuable ; but the English in their over zeal have
carried it too far, and are now obliged to ask
food of their once despised cousins.

EDITORIAL NOTES.

Editorial Letter.— A few days at Sara-
toga cannot but impress the lover of gardening
how slow the beautiful art progresses. Here
where so many of the most intellectual come for
rest and recreation, one would suppose that one
of the most intellectual and refined of all arts,
and one more intimately connected with beau-
tiful leisure than any other, would show consid-

124

THE GARDENER'S MONTHLY

[April,

erable development. The little Congress Park
is indeed beautiful, and there is some good work
especially in vases, more immediately con-
nected with the Congress and United States Ho-
tels, but extremely meagre in comparison with
what one might expect from the architectural
character and social pretensions of these gigan- i
tic establishments. It was rather painful to notice |
the many beautiful houses with expensive fences |
having nothing to do but shut off from the public
a mass of weeds ! The trees planted exhibited an
utter ignorance of garden material, for though '
there might now and then be something else :
besides Arbor Vittes, Balsam Fir, JSTorway
Spruce and Sugar Maple, these constitute the
great bulk of everything planted there in the
way of ornamental trees. Of course there are
some few exceptions, especially on the road
leading to Mount McGrigor ; but this is the gene-
ral character as it strikes the stranger in his
wanderings through the place. This neglect of
gardening is not confined to Saratoga, but is
common to many other fashionable watering
places ; but some are waking up to a better ap-
preciation of garden art, and just now are going
far ahead of Saratoga. Even Atlantic City,
sandy waste as it is by nature, has much more
appreciation of garden art distributed among the
people generally than is exhibited at Saratoga.
There seemed to be no nurseries of any conse-
quence near ; but two excellent florists, Messrs.
Ralph and Terwilliger, have greenhouse estab-
lishments of considerable size, and in the main
support what little floral taste is found here.

But if art has done little, nature has not ne- 1
glected Saratoga. The Hudson River, the
Adirondacks, many lakes, and other beautiful
natural features are not very far away ; and the
drives to and from these attractions are through
scenery that for diversity of surface and floral
attractions have few superiors. In August,
when I was there, the Asters and Golden Rods
of the autumn season were crowding in on the
flowers of the summer season, and made pictures
of loveliness I shall not soon forget. The Red
Maples, Sumacs, Cinnamon Tern, and sedge
grasses were already putting on their autumn
brown amid the Balsams and Polygonums, which
keep their green tints to a later season ; while
patches of the Comptonia lined the banks along
the drives in immense heaps, and one need not
wonder in the luxuriant form it takes here that
the common people regard it as a " Sweet fern."

In striking contrast with the want of garden-

ing taste about Saratoga is that of Rochester,
which city I visited a few weeks later. People
may say, when they see how universally the
houses have tasteful gardens and an immense
variety in the trees, shrubs, fruits and flowers
about them, that it is only what one might ex-
pect to see in a city of nurseries. But the expe-
rience of other places shows that this is not the
rule. There are many places where nurseries
are as numerous in proportion to population as
here, but without similar results. It must be
the genuine love of art — garden art, and the
spirit of intellectual refinement, or we should not
have as many pretty gardens as we see. There
are not many large gardens. Mr. Hiram Sib-
ley has very neat and somewhat extensive
grounds ; but he is more proud of his farm, as
he owns one in the West which embraces 40,000
acres, and is perhaps the largest actually under
culture in the world. Like many good men Mr.
S. has been the architect of his own fortune, and
loves to tell of the time when he could beat his
employer in making a good shoe. His success
is just what many young men might achieve if
they followed his plan, which was always to
take a loving interest in his employment, and
as far as possible, regard his employer's interest
as his own. One of the attractions of Mr. Sib-
ley's place was an English Yew tree, which
though only about eight feet high is full of
branches, and paced thirteen yards around. On
the same grounds was a beautiful tree of the
Japan Sophora, loaded with its white locust-like
clusters of flowers.

Though the great beauty of garden art in
Rochester may not be merely from the preva-
lence of nurseries, the intelligence of the nur-
serymen may have a great deal to do with it ;
for it would not be easy to find in any commu-
nity of nurserymen such an assemblage of culti-
vated men as we find in EUwanger, Barry,
Hooker, Glen, Little, Gould, Yick, Chase, Stone,
Chorlton, and pferhaps a dozen others that might
be named, — and I mention these particularly,
only because it was my good fortune to meet
with these when there. Indeed a very pleasant
experience was a ride to the seed farm of James
Yick, which is some half-a-dozen miles out from
the heart of the city. The trial grounds, and
seed blocks of huge establishments like this are
always worth any one's taking a little trouble to
see. Among the novelties, then apparently the
especial favorites of Mr. Vick, were new styles
of Phlox Drummondi. It is strange that these

1880.]

AND HORTICULTURIST.

125

varieties do not " mix," when we hear so much
about cross-fertilization by insect agency. Here
are beds of the different kinds of varieties — not
only of Drummond Phlox, but of numberless
other kinds of flowers, yet year after year they
retain their characters. Now and then a mon-
grel, or perhaps a sport occurs, — these are
pulled out and thrown away if indiff*erent, or
saved for a new race if desirable, and this is the
end of them. These grounds of Mr. Vick com-
prise about 60 acres, — and besides flower seeds,
are used as trial grounds for plants as well ; and
at my visit were quite gay with numberless
forms of Coleus, Geraniums, and other bedding
plants.

Public Squares of Boston. — When some
time ago we noticed the filthy condition of the
public squares of Philadelphia, and which give
the city such an unfavorable impression in the
eyes of strangers, much discussion ensued about
the way in which the public money was squan-
dered, and a great deal of talk about the putting
of the right men in the right places, and so
forth. There is no doubt from what any one
can see that the men employed in these squares,
do comparatively little work. Men who under-
stand garden work ought to do more than these
do. But when the appropriations were made
the past month we noted" that only about S5000
were voted for the keeping of all the city
squares ; of course it is not possible that very
much can be done for so small an amount, and
the fact ought to go to the credit of the city
commissioners. We are led to these remarks
by the report of the Superintendent of Boston
Public Squares now before us. From this it ap-
pears that S44,000 were appropriated for the
squares of that city. There are, we believe,
about eight of these in Philadelphia, all of
some considerable extent, while, exclusive of
the Common and Public Garden there are thirty-
eight in Boston. As however, very small sums
such as S5, $15, $20, etc., are given as the
amount of expenses on some of them, it is pro-
bable that many of these "squares," so far as
the gardening goes, are but a few feet of grass
around a monument. We will take out the
Common and the Public Garden from the ex.
pense fund, and this will leave about $15,000 for
the same work that Philadelphia appropriates
$5,000; so that Boston ought to be much
brighter in her garden apparel than Philadelphia.
This is also in Boston's favor that in Mr. Wil-
liam Dougue, she has an intelligent superin-

tendent ; and, as we can see by this clear re-
port, in such hands $15,000 can be made to dou-
ble the work it would do when mere " politics "
fills the bill.

Forest Hill Cemetery. — Boston cannot
boast of fine public parks, with all its advance-
ment in horticulture ; but it does have places for
the burial of its dead which are equal, if not su-
perior, to any in this or any other country, for
the manner in which they are laid out, and the
excellent taste displayed in arranging the per-
manent trees and shrubs on the grounds ; also
the striking manner in which the beds are plant-
ed for summer decoration. Forest Hill Ceme-
tery is a place which should be examined by
every visitor to Boston or its suburbs ; its beauty
during summer well repays any extra exertion
which may be given to see it. Nature and the
immense labor which has been expended on it
by man, have made it a place to satisfy even the
most sesthetical.

Mr. Farquhar, the gardener, informs me that
it requires about 200,000 plants for summer
decoration, 30,000 of which are geraniums of
such varieties as Gen. Grant, Master Christine,
Gertrude, Bijou, Perilla and Crystal Palace
Gem. Of other soft-wooded plants, the follow-
ing are a few of such as are most extensively
used for this purpose : Ageratum Mexicanum
and Imperial Dwarf, a little gem for edging beds
not too much exposed to the direct rays of the
sun ; Alternanthera amabilis, amcena and paro-
nychioides. — Country Gentleman.

Injustice to Gardeners. — Employers are
often imposed ou by bad gardeners ; and again
there are often good gardeners who are imposed
on by bad employers. Of this last class the Gar-
dener''s Chronicle gives the following illustration :

"A case of peculiar injustice to a gardener of
my acquaintance has come to my knowledge,
the publication of which may perhaps be of use
as a warning to others to be careful in trusting
to letters when taking new situations. The gar-
dener is a man whom I knew as gardener for
several years to a lady. He left and went to
America. Not finding the climate to agree with
him he returned, and has held two good places
since, where he gave good satisfaction, leaving
the one on account of the owner giving it up,
and the other through his wife's health. I have
always known him as a respectable, steady man.
In March last he went into a situation in an
Eastern county ; when he got there he found

126

THE GARDENER'S MONTHLY

[April,

the gardener's cottage not a fit place to live in,
the place very rough, and the employer rougher,
with the additional advantage that his men were
taken out for game beating, and he was ex-
pected to go also as a pheasant frightener. This,
he could see, would not do, and at once gave
warning, and left at the end of a month, for
which he got well swore at, and threatened with
a horsewhipping, which did not come off. He
had a good character when he went, now he has
applied for a situation. The lady wrote to the
Eastern counties' man for his character, but he
refused to give it, and the consequence was he
lost the place. You see, this man's bread is
gone, at least for a time, and he has no remedy
at law. We are no lawyers, but we think the
gardener has a remedy if he choose, or is rich
enough to enforce it."

American Coal in England. — A corres-
pondent of the Garden says :

"Anthracite is extensively used and very
highly spoken of by Mr. B. S. Williams, of Hol-
loway. He prefers it to coke, because it is more
powerful, and, therefore, really more economi-
cal. This fuel is said to produce the best results
when a small, bright, thin fire is kept in the
furnaces, distributed fairly over the bars. By
adopting this plan combustion is more complete
than when the furnace is clioked up with a great
bulk of fuel — a mistake often made by inexperi-
enced stokers. Of course, when making up
the fires for the last time at night it is requisite
to add a considerable quantity of fuel, but at all
other times, and especially when the heat has
declined and requires to be quickly got up, a
thin, bright fire is absolutely necessary. I am
convinced that bad stoking is to blame for half
the failures with boilers that are attributed to
other causes. The kind of boiler that finds
most favor with Mr. Williams is the fluedsaddle,
known as the gold medal boiler, which appears
to be simple and powerful."

Balm of Gilead. — Dr. De Hass gives the
following particulars as to this far-famed specific
for all diseases: The name of Gilead was some-
times applied to all trans-Jordanic Palestine ;
properly, however, it included only the country
east of the Jordan from the head of the Dead
Sea to the foot of the Lake Genesareth, of
which Mizpeh Gilead was the crowning point.
It was here, along the Jordan and about Jericho,
the balsam -or balm once so highly prized, was
procured irom an aromatic tree, supposed still

to be found in this region, and known as Spina
Christi, or tree from which the Saviour's crown
of thorns was woven. This most precious gum
was obtained by making an incision in the bark
of the tree ; it also oozed from the leaves, and
sometimes hung in drops like honey from the
branches. The tree which originally was found
in Palestine, was ti'ansplanted to Egypt by
Cleopatra, to whom the groves near Jericha
were presented by Mark Antony. The shrub
was afterwards taken to Arabia and gi'own in
the neighborhood of Mecca, whence the balsam
is now exported to Europe and America, not as-
balm from Gilead, but balsam of Mecca. The
gardens around Heliopolis and the "Fountain
of the Sun," in Egypt, no longer produce this
rare plant, and it has long since ceased to be an
article of export from the ancient Gilead. — Jour-
nal of Chemistry.

MOSAICULTURE. — M. Chretien (writes our
Lyons contemporary) has this year given us in
the Pare de laTete d'Or, some pretty examples
of what he terms " mosaiculture," in the shape
of beds containing mottoes and devices set out
with colored foliage plants. Our Scottish neigh-
bors seem to have carried the idea farther,
with an eye to business as well as ornament.
On a hillside not far from Glasgow may be read
the words Glasgow News in gigantic letters, each
forty feet long and six feet broad, formed of col-
ored foliage plants. The inscription occupies a
length of one hundred yards, and covers a space
just 1,450 times the size of the journal it adver-
tises.— Garden.

Fifty Years an Editor. — The Germantown
Telegraph has just passed its fiftieth year under
the sole and continued editorship of the well-
known P. R. Freas. The most remarkable fea-
ture in this half century of work is that the paper
is to-day as popular as it was at the start, and is
considered by the knowing ones of the city to be
an extremely valuable piece of newspaper pro-
perty. The Germantown Telegraph is a living
proof of the falsity of some beliefs, that to make
a paper successful, humbug and sensationalism
must be indulged in. No paper has been more
free from these vices. No paper can boast of a
more honorable career. For this example it is
meet that not only his friends should congratu-
late the Editor on his long lease of life, — but
every friend of a pure and independent press
should feel to be his debtor.

1880.1

AND HORTICULTURIST.

127

A Long Term of Service.— One of the
pleasantest features of gardening in England is
the kind personal relations which often grow be-
tween employer and employed. The famous
gardens and grounds of St. Clare, in the Isle of
"Wight, have been for over forty years under the
management of Mr. Edward Meehan. He is
now over eighty years of age, but still compa-
ratively hale and hearty. Colonel Francis Ver-
non Harcourt has recently retired him from the
position, but on full salary, leaving him also the
residence on the grounds in which he has lived
so many years. In addition to this generous act,
he has gracefully appointed his youngest son,
and brother of the Editor of the Gardener's
Monthly, Mr. Charles Meehan, to succeed his
father in the management of the estate.

Col. Francis Vernon Harcourt, proprietor of
St. Clare, is nephew of Admiral Vernon, the
famous President of the Royal Agricultural So-
ciety of England, who was the friend of the cele-
brated Cobbett in his efforts to introduce Indian
corn culture into England, and which was in-
deed a partial success in the Isle of Wight. He
is also son-in-law of the late Earl of Liverpool,
and proprietor of the Estates of Buxted Park,
which embrace over 15,000 acres, and which are
managed in such a productive and yet generous
way, that there is no agitation for a " Landlord
and Tenant Bill," in regard to them.

Dr. a. C. Williams. — A postal card with
the above signature, addressed to the " Editor of
the Gardener's Monthly" would have re-
ceived immediate attention if the post office and
full address had been given. People often com-
plain of discourtesy, or blame the post office,
when it is their own fault.

Illinois State Horticultural Society,
1878.— From 0. B. Galusha, Secretary. One of
the most admirable features of this beautifully
bound volume, is the complete index, — not
merely a " table of contents" or list of titles of
the chapters, which is all most of the " proceed-
ings of societies" give.

The Cambridge Botanic Garden.— Prof.
C. S. Sargent's report of the garden for 1879 is
before us. It is the last report he will make,
and it must be gratifying to him that he leaves
the position of Director with the garden in such
a prosperous condition. There are now 5,901
species growing there, against 2000 species when
he took possession of the office in 1872. It is

pleasant to note how the public aided this gar-
den. During the seven years of Prof. Sargent's
Directorship, $13,855 have been contributed by
friends to its assistance.

The Ohio Journal of Floriculture.
By L. L, Sanborn, Alliance, Ohio. — This is a
new addition to a very useful class of floral
works of which we have now some half dozen,
and which convey a great deal of very useful in-
formation in a cheap form.

Greenhouse Catalogue of Robert Buist,
Sr. — No one can have any idea of the immense
number of excellent catalogues which come to
our table with " please notice " attached to
them. It would take one-fourth our space in
the busy months to do justice to them all, and
inviduous to give one firm an advantage by a no-
tice over the others. But we are quite sure no
one will be envious that we notice the work of
this veteran in the business, who far beyond his
" three score and ten " still shows as wonderful
enterprise in introducing and diseminating
" new plants," as he did over half a century ago.
That he will yet long continue to do so, will be
the wish of a large circle of business friends.

Practical Taxidermy, for sportsmen and
home decoration, by J. H. Batty, New York,.
Orange Judd & Co.— This is not a large book, but
it is pleasantly written, profusely illustrated and
neatly bound, and is an excellent little book for
boys, or those who may be called to a life in the
woods, either for a long or short period. Whe-
ther one may want to camp out for months, or
merely take a short run to the woods for ferns
or autumn leaves, the hints and directions are
equally explicit. We believe there are few
libraries where those who make use of them
have any love for wild nature, but will find a.
welcome addition in this little book.

Obituary. — Died, at Bloomsdale, near Bris-
tol, on the anniversary of Washington's birth-
day, Feb. 22d, 1880, David Landreth, one of
nature's noblemen, and a gentleman in all that
makes society of interest. Inheriting a good
name from an excellent and industrious father,
he was one of those Americans who delighted
in progress. His name is a household word
" from India to Japan." In his efficient labors
to introduce the best vegetables he had no
rival. Generous to all who would advance
horticulture, he combined so many qualities
that all who had the great privilege of approach-
! ing him, were charmed by his dignity, suavity,.

128

THE GARDENER'S MONTHL Y,

[April,

and simplicity of character. From a few acres
he developed a business of many thousands,
selecting climates to suit each product. But we
do not dwell especially or only on his successes,
which were world-wide ; rather would we draw
apicture of his mild government of great enter-
prises for the good of his country, which have
benefited thousands. "We are happy to say
that his influence, co-extensive with the onward
in our American history, will not stop by rea-
son of his lamented demise ; he has left sons,
who in all respects have benefited by the wise
counsels of their excellent father. When the
best person was wanted to superintend and man-
age the great interests of the agricultural de-
partment of the National Exhibition, the office
sought naturally his son, Burnet.

At the time of his decease, and for some pre-
vious years, his firm, under his directions, was
engaged in a most interesting enterprise to
which we desire to give prominence. It is gen-
erally lamented that useful trees and even for-
ests are disappearing from the surface of Ameri-
can lands, till danger exists, that like Spain, our
country will be so far denuded as materially to
deface it, and destroy its future abundance. Mr.
Landreth, with forseeing knowledge, observed
this prospect increase ; but it was of no use to
argue the point with lumbermen, who take no
thought of the future. He reasoned thus :
Nothing will stop this desecration but by show-
ing that to plant is to make money, if not imme-
diately, in so near a future that the children of
the living may greatly profit by the labors of
the fathers. With this ascertained, a percentage
of the population will be induced by the pleasure
that comes to the planter, and by the prospect of
reaping much of what he has sown, to plant exten-
sively. To do this successfully, easy access and
transportation are requisites. With patriotic
intentions, no sooner was this thought-out thor-
oughly than large tracts of land in Virginia,
on its navigable rivers, were purchased at sur-
prisingly low prices, and the work was begun
some years ago. Nuts and seeds were purchased
in vast quantities ; the ground, where worn out,
was resuscitated by fish and other manures found
ready at hand. A forester was selected, and Vir-
ginia is now growing wood for useful purposes on
a scale little known to many inhabitants of the
State. Formerly — we give it as one instance —
Walnut wood Avas found in sufficient supply in
most of the Northern States, but fashion soon de-
manded more. Next, the banks of the Ohio were

exhausted, till now the coveted wood is trans-
ported to the East from beyond the Mississippi at
great cost, for houses and many other uses. So
with most of the useful and ornamental woods.
The ties of railroad foundations soon exhaust a
State of particular woods ; house and car builders
and a thousand others are daily hacking away
our beautiful surroundings. It is stated that the
Pine tree, Pinus strobus, is already barely found
in sufficiently accessible quantity to feed even the
maw of the lucifer match maker ; furniture re-
quires a never-ceasing supply. Mr. Landreth's
foresight will assist, only partially, it is true, to
remedy all this; but his example will induce in-
creased planting. For this he deserves and will
receive the thanks of his countrymen. But his
example is valuable in the fact that his large
means were used without ostentation. He val-
ued the best, and lived on the product of his
knowledge of what all should seek — the whole-
some and good. His hospitable table, to wliich
he welcomed the governing minds of his coun-
try, was an example of refinement and elegance.

It may truly be said that the world is better for
Mr. Landreth's life. Sincerely his departure is
regretted. Long will his example be found
useful and worthy of following. ^'■Reqniescat in
pace.'''

AiiEXANDER Burnett. — Among the deaths of
the month we regret to record that of Mr. Alex.
Burnett, the well-known florist of Reading, Pa.,
which occurred on the second of March, of can-
cer in the throat, in his 65th year. Mr. B. was
for many years head gardener to H. Pratt Mc-
Kean, Esq., one of the best situations about Phila-
delphia. At Reading he had charge of the Chas.
Evan's Cemetery, as well as being in the Flor-
ist business. His thorough knowledge of Hor-
ticulture, and courteous manners made him well
known and influential in horticultural affairs
about Reading, and he will be greatly missed in
that community.

Jacob Stauffer. — Our well known and
highly esteemed correspondent, Jacob Stauffer,
of Lancaster, Pa., died on the 22d of March, in
his 72d year. As artist, botanist, engraver, pho-
tographer, printer, soldier, civil public servant,
editor, — his self-made career has been as re-
markable as it has been an honorable one ; and
one which has exercised a wonderful influence
on the young in the community in which he
lived. Few have passed away of late who will
be more lovingly remembered, even in remote
corners of the world than Jacob Stauffer.

THE

GARDENER'S MONTHLY

AND

HORTICULTURIST.

DEVOTED TO HORTICULTURE. ARBORICULTURE AND RURAL AFFAIRS.

Edited by THOMAS MEEHA.N.

Yo\. XXII.

MAY, 1880.

Number 257

Flower Garden and Pleasure Ground.

SEASONABLE HINTS.

There are few things more annoying to the
good gardener than fall grass in the lawn.
Our summer heats are rather hard on the kinds
of grass usually employed for lawns, while the
hot weather is just what the fall grass likes.
Thus it is in a favorable situation to attack just
as its enemy is the weakest, and how it conquers
everybody knows. In itself it might be tolerated
in spite of its dull and rather coarse look, if it
were not that after crowding out everything else,
it is very dilatory in its appearance in spring.
Large brown spots remain till nearly a month
after the lawn ought to be lovely, and makes the
ugliness of the grass plot almost unbearable^

We read now and then of a cure for fall grass •

^ 1

but all who have had to grapple with it practi-
cally know that nothing so far has been success,
ful. A few years ago a lawn under our observa-
tion was sown with English rye grass. It made
a beautiful lawn, but the severe winter of three
or four years ago, destroyed it. A good deal of
natural grass in the mean time had appeared
with the other, chiefly blue grass, and the owner
decided to let the lawn take its chance with the
natural herbage. With the seeds of rye grass
here and there came up plants of the Sheep Fes-
cue— Festuca ovina. These have entered the lists
against the fall grass, and it is interesting to

note that it crowds it out little by little whenever
it has the chance. We feel almost sure from the
observations of last year, that if those who are
troubled with fall grass will sow thickly with
Sheep Fescue, they will find no mean friend in
the effort to get rid of it.

In regard to general lawn management, mow
lawns very early the first mowing, or at every
subsequent mowing the lawn will look brown.
A thin sprinkling of salt is good for the lawn,
just enough salt to see the grains on the surface,
about a quarter of an inch apart. An overdose
will destroy the grass. Frequent rolling is one
of the best ways to get a good close sod. When
coarse weeds get in the lawn, hand weeding is
the best remedy.

In planting trees rather late in. the season, it
is often a practice to pour a little lake of water
about the roots. We have noted that the losses
after this practice are often greater than under
any other. Taking up such dead trees, we see
why it is. The mud presses down on the upper
surface of the roots, but is taken away from
beneath them. Indeed the whole under surface
beneath the level of the roots is a sort of Mam-
moth Cave. In short just one-half the roots are
not in contact with the earth, and may as well
not be on the plant at all. Indeed as we have
often said, if the earth is pounded in about the
roots, firm as a' rock, shovel by shovel full as

130

THE GARDENER'S MONTHLY

[May,

it is put in, it is the perfection of planting. If
the tree is likely to wilt much, a little pounding
will be better than water. It is the neglect of
this pounding in of the new earth about roots,
that makes so many look after large balls of earth,
in which the roots are already tightly packed.
A friend recently said to us, " I expect to have
splendid success with my large trees. I moved
about eight tons of earth with each one." The
effort to secure the earth, left the best young
feeding roots in the old spot. We would not risk
much on the success of these trees. If the
ground gets dry during the season around a
newly planted tree, a pounding with a heavy
rammer, will often be better than a bucket of
water.

Hedges that are growing very rank should
receive their first pruning about the time the
young growth is commencing to harden. An-
other pruning in autumn will be necessary.
Prune so that there will be some sort of a slope
from bottom to top. This will enable the sun-
light to get to the leaves at the bottom as well
as at the top, which is important to a good
hedge. Many young hedges are ruined by being
pruned too young. This is especially true of
Honey Locust, Osage Orange and other decidu-
ous kinds. It is best to let these grow until the
stems are two inches thick at the ground, then saw
them to within a half inch of the ground. They
will then push up a perfect wilderness of young
sprouts, which cg-n be pruned into shape the
same season. On this plan the young hedge
plants are often two years wholly untouched.
This plan was first promulgated by the Gar-
dener's Monthly, and the more we see of its
workings, the more we are satisfied that one
can get a better hedge in one-half the time
and at one-half the cost by the Gardener's
Monthly mode than by any other we know of.

COMMUNICA TIONS.

THE HOLLYHOCK.

BY M. W. CALDWELL, QUERY'S TURN-OUT, N. C.

I notice in March number of the Gardener's
Monthly, an inquiry about the old-fashioned
Hollyhock, if there is any place where they do
flourish as in days of yore. In these parts they
do. I have seen them for the last forty years,
and if any change has taken place in that time,
I think they are perfect. Some ten feet high
with two hundred big, single, open-mouthed
flowers, from 4 to 5 inches in diameter, of

all colors, plain and notched edges, etc. There
are a dozen kinds or tnore growing in our
yard from year to year without any atten-
tion whatever. If any of the readers of
the Gardener's Monthly wish seeds, I will
collect some this summer for distribution of any
color, from nearly black to pure white ; as there
are plenty of plants that have come up of their
own seeding. When I first remember, my grand
mother's yard was a wilderness of hollyhocks
of various kinds.

THE NOOTKA SOUND CYPRESS.

by H. W.SARGENT, WODENETHE, FISHKILL-ON-HUDSON.

In reply to a question as to the size and hardi-
hood of this tree, in your March issue, I have
two fine specimens perfectly hardy and never in
the slightest degree injured by the worst weather.
No. 1, 21 feet high, 18 feet in circumference;
No. 2, 14 feet high, 22 feet in circumference,
about 7i feet in diameter iu its widest part.

IMPROVEMENTS.

by E. p. POWELL.

The proper handling of shade trees is a matter
of special importance to the public. I have in
mind a long row of superb maples flanking a
village street, and matched by equally fine trees
across the way. For a mile, this street, running
in a straight line, has been one of the loveliest
of drives, increasing in its attractions year by
year. The trees nearly interlocked overhead,
and gave a summer day such relief as horse and
foot could thoroughly appreciate.

Now for improvements No. 1. It occurs to our
citizen along this route that the trees are too
close together in front of his house. He cuts
out every other one and burns them. The re-
maining trees do not look shapely because they
had grown interlocked so long as to be some-
what denuded of limbs on the sides next each
other.

No. 2. A man of restless activity buys a
large place with one hundred front rods. He
proceeds to trim up every maple to a height of
fifteen feet from the ground. Not the least
shade is now furnished along these hundred
rods by trees, many of which look like in-
verted broom-sticks with some broom at the
top. Not realizing that leaves are in part to
protect the limbs and trunk from the scorching
heat of summer, and to prevent the ground
becoming exceedingly dry, he has begun the
rapid decay of all his trees. Beauty and utility

1880.]

AND HORTICULTURIST.

131

are gone, and vitality seriously weakened.
There ought to be some law to protect the pub-
lic from the effect of improvements that rob us
of shade as well as drinking fountains. The
one is quite as essential to comfort as the other.
Ko. 3. Another new comer has taken posses-
sion of a large homestead where unusual atten-
tion had been given to choice evergreens. He
has trimmed up the Norways to eight feet, in
order to admit of ploughing. Though in front
of his house, they are sheared into uniform
sugar loaves. Eleven green sugar loaves stand
on their bottoms to delight hi§ eye with their
charming symmetry.

No. 4. This improvement takes in a river
front. That is, a small river crosses the street,
and divides the property. The banks of this
stream were famously beautiful for superb wil-
lows that hung over and interlocked their
branches as far down as the eye could discover.
By some law of aesthetics quite recondite, our
neighbor has been impelled to saw off all of
these at a height of twenty feet, and allow
them to grow up into enormous round tufts.
This improvement seems to come into the class
of experiments made for a love of change.

These improvements indicate four classes of
mischief makers. "We all get to have a just
share in our neighbor's horticultural delights,
and he has no right to first give us a pleasure
and then take it away. As I suggested above,
a tree planted in the street, is like a drinking
fountain presented to the public ; it is a gift, and
no longer wholly private property.

" One harvest from your field

Homeward bring your oxen strong ;
But another crop your acres yield
Which I gather in a song."

ESSAY ON HORTICULTURAL PROGRESS.

BY PETER HENDERSON.
Read before the New York Horticultural Society, March 9, 1880

The first botanic garden of which we can obtain
record was established in Philadelphia by John
Bartram in 1728, which gave an impetus to hor-
ticultural taste in that city that enabled it for
many years, probably up to 1850, to claim as
possessing the finest collections of plants both
private and commercial, of any city in the Union.
New York started later, although we find that
as early as 1750, places were advertised for sale
on Long Island, and among the inducements
offered to purchasers, it was mentioned that they
had flower gardens attached ; and in 1756 others

were offered as having greenhouses filled with
tropical plants ; and to show indisputably that
there was some general taste for horticulture, at
that early period, we find that in 1751 a pottery
at Whitestone, L. I., is under way and advertises
"that any person desirous may be supplied with
urns and flower pots to adoi-n gardens." In 1767,
William Prince, of Flushing, offered a great
variety of fruit trees, such as Pear, Apple, Peach
and Plum, packed so they can be safely sent to
Europe ! And later in 1774 in the New York
Mercury of that year, this enterprising horti-
culturist has added ornamental trees to his
grounds, and offers the magnolias of the Caro-
linas, and other rare trees and shrubs. Mr.
Prince was an enthusiast in all departments of
horticulture, and by the beginning of the present
century, had added to his nursery of fruit and
ornamental trees, a greenhouse department,
which contained a very full collection for that
time ; and in a Short Treatise on Horticulture
which he published in 1828, he describes 37
varieties of Camellias, 13 species of Amaryllis,
90 varieties of Dahlias, and 67 species and va-
rieties of Pelargoniums, as being a portion of his
collection at that time. The Prince Nursery at
Flushing was then known as the Linnsean Bo-
tanic Garden, and had by the wonderful energy of
its proprietor a rare and interesting collection of
trees and plants, some of which were eventually
lost to cultivation until again introduced here
from Japan by Mr. Thomas Hogg, notably
among which was the Japanese Persimmon, now
creating considerable attention as a new fruit for
our Southern States. Another botanist. Dr. David
Hosack, started the Elgin Botanic Garden in this
city in 1801, and in his catalogue for 1811, appear
nearly 3000 species of plants, of which 500 were
greenhouse exotics. The Curator of the Elgin
Botanic Garden, at that time was a Mr. Denni-
son, who began business as a florist in this city in
1814, at a point near where the Fifth Avenue
Hotel now stands; and which at his death in
1822, was leased to Thomas Hogg, father of the
present Thomas Hogg, to whom the world is so
much indebted for his valuable introductions of
Japan plants. A Mr. William Wilson, a cotem-
porary of Thomas Hogg, was the author of a book
on Kitchen Gardening, and was also the origina-
tor of the first Horticultural Society in New
York, in 1818. Another prominent horticul-
turist of that day was Mr. Thomas Bridgeman,
who kept a seed store at 17th street and Broad-
way, which is still managed by his descendants.

132

THE GARDENER'S MONTHLY

[May,

Mr. Bridgeman was the author of the Gardener's
Assistant, a work having a large sale, and to
which hundreds of European Gardeners on com-
ing here, and unused to the American climate and
plants, are much indebted. By 1840 commercial
horticulture had come to be liberally patronized,
and nurseries, greenhouses, and market gardens,
of considerable extent had been established in
Long Island, New Jersey, and New York Island,
so that the markets were fairly supplied with
fruits, flowers and vegetables ; but meagre indeed
to what they are to-day. The advancement in
floriculture has been much the greatest. In those
days the gorgeous designs formed by cut flow-
ers, now such a feature in all our large cities,
had no existence, and the wonderful plants of the
tropics now seen in such profusion and variety,
embellishing public or private entertainments
were almost unknown. In nothing, perhaps, has
horticulture advanced so much as in the beautiful
designs that cut flowers are made to form, and
which in New York to-day is perhaps unsur-
passed by any city in the world. In 1844 I was
an assistant in one of the then largest floral es-
tablishments in New York City. If a wreath
was to be made, its base was usually a piece of
willow or a barrel hoop ; if a cross, two pieces
of lath formed the groundwork, and the work
when done was usually such as reflected but lit-
tle credit on the artist. Bouquets were then
about the only style of design in cut flowers ;
these were usually made flat or one -sided, the
ground work being arbor vitse, through which
the stems of the flowers were drawn. Bouquets
made round were rare, for floral art had yet de-
veloped but few fitted to cope with such an un-
dertaking, and the few who did, made poor work
indeed. Our sales of flowers at that establish-
ment for New Year's Da}^ in 1844, hardly
amounted to S200, and probably for the whole
city of New York, it did not exceed $1000. Now,
it would probably be no exaggeration to say that
New York pays $50,000 for its flowers on that
day, and that the amount paid yearly for these
perishable commodities run into the millions.

(To be continued.)

HOLLYWOOD PARK.

BY WILLIAM SUTHERLAND, PHILADELPHIA, PA.

Long Branch, N. J., one of the finest summer
resorts on the American coast, is not only noted
for its bathing facilities, beautiful drives, villa
residences and hotel accommodations, of which
the West End, Ocean House, and Rowland

House, are among the largest summer hotels in
this country, but it has also become famous as
the residence of John Hoey, Esq., one of the
most liberal patrons of horticulture in the
United States ; and for the sake of the fine old
art we would there were a few more like him.

Hollywood Park, the residence of Mr. John
Hoey, is situated about one mile from the Long
Branch depot, and is, with a few restrictions,
open to the public at all seasons; and every
lover of the beautiful misses a great treat who
does not visit it. Long before you arrive on the
grounds, you can see the rather conspicuous
fences, painted red and yellow, which is a feature
of the place and quite ornamental.

On entering the grounds I was met by the
gardener, Mr. James McKay, who, when I ex-
plained my visit and tendered him my introduc-
tion by the editor of the Gardener's Monthly,
showed me every attention and courtesy that was
possible. The sight amazed me and is almost
beyond description. I feel that my feeble ef-
orts are quite inadequate to do justice to the
beauties of the place or to the skill of the gar-
dener.

The grounds are beautifully laid out in walks
and drives; the lawns are embellished by a great
many bronze statues with granite bases. But
the flower beds are the glory of the outside, and
require hundreds of thousands of plants to fill
them, and sixty men or more to take care of
them. One very large oval bed of Alternanthera,
which is clipped every three days, contained the
Shaksperian quotation: "This is an art which
does mend nature but the art itself is nature."
The letters were formed of Semperviviums,
which gave it a very pretty and novel eflTect ; the
words were around the base of a statue and the
whole flower bed was as near perfect as human
hands could make it, and was alone well worth
a journey to see.

Mr. McKay next called my attention to two
immense ribbon beds, one on each side of the
walk, and perhaps some eight to ten hundred
feet long, filled in eleven strips with, 1st, Ste-
via variegata; 2d, Geranium Mountain of Snow;
.3d, Achyrauthus Gilsonii ; 4th, Geranium Moun-
tain of Snow ; 5th, Achyranthus Lindenii ; 6th,
Coleus El Dorado; 7th, Achyranthus Gilsonii;
8th, Stevia vaiiegata; 9th, Coleus Yerschaflf-
eltii ; 10th, Stevia variegata; 11th, Coleus
Negro. The yellow Coleus El Dorado forming
the centre strip, gave it a gorgeous appearance.
Mr. McKay uses the variegated Stevia very

1880.

AND HORTICULTURIST.

135

extensively in all the flower beds requiring a
light colored leaf, and prefers it to the Centaurea
or Dusty Miller.

There were also several beds of Geraniums; one
filled with Happy Thought was very pretty ; and
ooe filled with a bronze or golden kind, called
Crystal Palace Gem, looked very attractive ; but
for masses of color and free flowering qualities,
Mr, McKay finds none to beat geranium General
Grant, of which there were some very extensive
beds. The Canna with Musa Ensete in the
middle, planted out in masses, gave the gardens
quite a tropical appearance. While the Dahlia [
and Gladiolus beds were very conspicuous.
Near the mansion was a row of flft}' real |
porcelain vases, worth perhaps one hundred
dollars eacli, which were very tastefully filled,
and added vastly to the attractions of the place.
Near the vases was a collection of some three
thousand Agave plants, of some two hundred
vai'ieties, some of which were expected to flower
very soon,

Hollywood contains in all some two hundred
acres, one hundred of which are in the flower
gardens and separated from the other parts by a
beautiful Norway spruce hedge, which is clipped
regularly twice a year — once in June and again
in August.

Some idea of the extent of the flower beds
may be gained when it is knojvn that it takes
between two and three millions of plants to fill
them ; these, with a very few exceptions, are all
grown on the place, requiring greenhouses
especially for propagation.

The conservatories consist of nine ranges,
twenty-three greenhouses in all; five of which
are three hundred feet long. All the large houses
are built of iron, and heated with Hitchiug's hot
water apparatus, and all have plaster or cement
walks which give the houses a very neat and clean
appearance. The first house I visited was in
the shape of an immense oval building, and
filled on all sides with Caladiums grown in very
large pans ; these of themselves were a sight to
behold, consisting of many hundred specimens
in about thirty five varieties.

Another house was filled with Dracaenas,
Marantas, Alocasias and Begonias, interspersed
with some magnificent specimens of Sphcero-
gyne latifolia, which lent a charm to the other
surroundings. Mr. McKay allows the Marantas
a season of rest and lets the plants become par-
tially dry, keeping them in that state until they

show signs of growth. Treated in this manner
the various leaf markings become more intense,
and last much longer on the plants.

(To be continued.)

EDITORIAL NOTES.

Bad Effects of the Mild Winter. — It
is hard to please poor human nature. Now
while so many are thankful that the winter has
been so mild, there are others who have discov-
ered that the potatoes left in the ground last
fall when the crop was dug, have not been killed
as usual, and a fearful crop of potato " weeds"
is anticipated.

Rose Culture in America. — Dingee &
Conard of West Grove, Chester County, are
said to be the most extensive cultivators
of roses in the country. They have forty-six
greenhouses, the smallest of which is not less
than 100 feet in length, all devoted to the
propagation and cultivation of roses. These
gentlemen received last month fifty large dry-
goods boxes, filled with pamphlets and cata-
logues for distribution. The postage on these
catalogues alone last year cost this firm $2,700.

Pruning Injured Trees. — The winter in
Russia, as in other parts of Europe has been one
of unusual severity. Dr. A. Philibert, of Mos-
cow, writing to Jean Sisley, of Lyons, France,
speaks of the probable injuiy to fruit trees,
and of numbers that were cut down under the
the impression that they were frost-killed in the
severe winter of 1860, the trunks of which
afterwards grew, — and therefore says he, "it
will be imprudent to prune anyhow, but wait
first to see if they are really dead. This seems
strange advice to those who have American ex-
perience ; we know that trees die in winter from
excessive evaporation, and that moisture dries
faster from a dead or dying branch than from a
sound one. The sooner a frost-injured branch is
cut away the better for the parts that are left.
No doubt the trees that lived in 1860 lived be-
cause of the pruning they received.

Memorial Trees. — These pleasant memen-
toes were not uncommon with distinguished
people of former times. In the garden of W.
W. Seaton at Washington is an apple tree plant-
ed by Daniel Webster, a pear tree by John C.
Calhoun, and a cherry tree by Mr. Benton. It
is said these trees show signs of decay.

134

THE GARDENER'S MONTHL Y

[May,

Germantown is famous for its neat gar-
dens, nurseries and florists' establishments ; its
woolen, cotton, carriage, and carpet establish-
ments ; its newspapers, and for its Revolutionary
history, — and strangers should remember when
coming to the place for any special purpose, that
it is nine miles long ! Many a person has had
half a day's hunt, because he did not get his ex-
act directions before leaving home.
' Tom Thumb Arbor vit^. — It may be with-
in the recollection of many of our readers, that
although it was well-known that the Tom
Thumb Arbor vitse was raised from the com-
mon arbor vitse, and that it is common for this
and many allied plants to carry on their " free-
leaved" or primitive condition for many years,
or even for life, yet M. Carriere of Paris in-
sisted that it must be something else, and re.
named it "Retinospora Ellwangerania." Ac-
cording to the Gardener''s Chronicle he has at
length discovered that " Retinospora Ellwanger-
iana is a form of Thuia." He seems to have
started to doubt on "Retinospora ericoides,"
which he now asserts " is a Biota," — that is, a
form of Chinese arbor vitse. It would not hurt
M. Carriere to read American publications.

How TO Propagate Mistletoe. — A corres-
pondent of Gardening Illustrated, says : " At this
season of the year, when so many possess Mis-
tletoe berries, it may interest some to know
how to obtain plants from these berries. Select
two or three of the finest of them, and when
the wood of any apple tree, on which it may be
desired Mistletoe should grow, is quite dry, take
one of the berries between the finger and
thumb, and rub it gently on the part of the tree
where the Mistletoe is wanted to grow. When
the berry breaks, the gummy juice inside causes
the seeds to adhere to the bark. In a short
time two small prongs will be emitted from the
centre of the berry, and these will turn round
and root and grow on the branch to which the
berry is attached". This is a simple way of
propagating the Mistletoe which any one may
try with success."

The Japan Snowball.— Kot only in America
have the merits of this beautiful shrub been
overlooked; Shirley Hibberd notes the same of
Europe, and says: "If we have to say again
and again that this or that is not sufficiently ap-
preciated, it is not so much our fault as our mis-
fortune. How true it is of this Viburnum ; the
noblest of all the hardy flowering shrubs of its
class, and a quite surprising subject for a wall,

while it is also a grand plant to grow in a pot or
tub for the cool conservatory, where Viburnum
tinus would be at home with it in the climate of
London. The common Guelder Rose, Vibur-
num opulus, is a fine thing that one meets with
in every shrubbery, and also as a wilding in
many a woodland glen. The wayfaring tree,
V. lantana, is another of the family that we
meet with as a wilding in woodland districts,
but it is a limestone plant and not often seenjn
company with V. opulus. But none of the
tribe can equal V. plicatum in beauty, whether
of leaf or flower, and the matter for surprise is
that we may look for it in a thousand gardens
ere obtaining a glimpse of its glorious globular
clusters of snow-white flowers."

NBIV OR RARE PLANTS.

Rose Jules Chretien. — Judging by the
colored lithograph just issued by Mr. Saul,
we should think that this new crimson hybrid
perpetual Rose is a very beautiful kind. A sin-
gular peculiarity is that the thorns are all ar-
ranged in two opposite lines on the sides of the
stem touching each other just like sharks' teeth.
It must have a strange appearance on the living
plant.

Early -FLOWERING Chrysanthemums. —
For out door culture the Chrysanthemum
flowers rather late. E3"orts have been made in
France and Belgium to obtain a race of early-
flowering kinds. The effort has been so success-
ful that a class which will begin to bloom in
July in England has been introduced. The fol-
lowing are said to be the best in this class :

Jardin des Plantes, (white). — A very dwarf,
free-branching and floriferous variety, producing
flowers quite two inches across; white with
slightly yellow centre, very double y lasts a con-
siderable period in flower; a first-class variety.

Jardin des Plantes (yellow). — This is rather a
taller-growing variety than the preceding; free
flowering, with bright golden yellow flowers ; a
very suitable companion to the last.

Indicum nanum. — A similpa' variety to the
first, somewhat more of a pure white in its first
stage, but passing as the flowers acquire age to
purple ; very dwarf habit and free flowering.

Andromeda. — A very free variety, producing
very large flowers of a bright yellow color.

Cassy. — Rather tall growing, ,and bearing
large light rose-colored flowers of great beauty.

1880.

AND HORTICULTURIST.

135

Chromatella. — Yery free and distinct ; flowers
of a rich orange-brown color.

Delpine Cahoche. — A splendid variety, produc-
ing very compact round flowers of a rich purpl-
ish rose; in its class of color it is perhaps the finest.

Hendersoni. — Free ; flowers colored rich
chrome-yellow, with small brown centre ; very
close and neat.

Precocite. — A splendid kind; very free, with
full large petaled flowers, of a bright yellow
color.

Golden Button. — This is another bright yellow
flowered variety, but the blooms are smaller,
neat and round, freely produced, and the plants
are of good habit.

Illustration. — A very free variety, growing ra-
ther tall, producing fine flowers, light rose and
white colored ; this is a very desirable variety.

Frederic Pele. — A very distinct and fine va-
riety, producing bright red flowers in abundance.

Madame Bachou. — White flowered, shaded
with light purple.

Madame C. Desgrange. — A good variety, with
large flowers and very broad petals ; creamy
white.

SCRAPS AND QUERIES.

A Beautiful Striped Rose. — E. A. B.,
Northampton, Mass., says: "I send you by
mail to-day, two rosebuds from the same plant,
(Louis Phillip) growing in my rose border. I
have some half dozen of the variegated one|. Is
it worth propagating, or is it a common thing
for the Louis Philip to sport in this way."

[We believe a striped Louis Philip is wholly
new. The white lines are very pure, and the
efi'ect beautiful.— Ed. G. M.]

The Hollyhock in Connecticut. — Be-
sides the note in another column, we have the
following from Mr. T. S. Gold of West Corn-
wall . " I notice an inquiry in the Gardener's
MONTHLY, pp. 70, ' Is there any part of the
country where the old-fashioned hollyhock still
thrives?' Now the old-fashioned single and
semi-double, pink -and other shades of red, has
got loose in my garden, in the border of my as-
paragus bed, and thrives as well as it ever did,
as attested.by perhaps 100 stalks six to ten feet
high all through last autumn. We never thought
it could be sick."

Greenhouse and House Gardening.

SEASONABLE HINTS.

Plants that have been in windows or green-
houses must now be set out to get their summer
airing. Usually they are simply set out in the
pots in which they have been growing. If there
are a large number they are set on the ground
in long narrow beds, and often plunged in sand
or coal asheS so as to keep the roots moist and
cool and save watering. These summer bedded
pot plants are often arranged like little fiower
gardens, in circles, squares and other forms, and
add very much to garden interest. It is usual to
put these plants out under some shade, either
that of a large tree, an arbor, or under slats
made on purpose for them. Yery often how-
ever these are too shady for some things. Aza-
leas, for instance do not fiower well if kept all
summer in too much shade. It is best, if pos-
sible to divide the plants into three sets, — those
which love shade such as most Ferns ; those
which do well in partial shade, as Camellias;

I and those which prefer the full sun as Palms
and many tropical plants.

It is also well to make the beds of pot plants
near where water is easily obtained, so as to
have an easy supply for watering and syringing.
This last is an important point, as the red spi-
der often makes fearful work on a warm sum-
mer's day. Orchids in baskets for the most part
do very well hung out of doors during the sum-
mer ; but these should be suspended from the
branches of trees, or from some half shaded spot.

Though most plants will be kept in pots, some
that will lift well with small balls in autumn
may be planted in the open ground. This is
particularly good advice when the plants look a
little sickly from over-watering or other cause.
They may be pruned a little when served in
this way.

Many things get too large for windows, and
conservatories before the season's growth is
over, — this should be forseen at this season of
the year, and such possible ofifenders severely
pruned.

136

THE GARDENER'S MONTHLY

[May,

COMMUNICA TIONS.

THE GERMAN METHOD OF PRESERVING
FLOWERS.

BY T. T. S., ROCHESTER, N. Y.

I observe that a lady correspondent in the
Marqh number complains she cannot succeed
in making things bloom with the German
method of submersion in chemically prepared
water. The ladies of my household have no
trouble in producing bloom on apple and other
free-blooming things by the following very sim-
ple plan. They place the apple twigs or what
ever they desire to bloom in clear glass vas.es,
and place the vases where they will get a great
deal of sunshine, as in a bay window. Apple
twigs cut about March 1st, are just about ready
to burst into bloom at this date, (March 18th).
The vases are kept filled with rain water only.
I have paid no particular atte;ition to the mat-
ter, but think the bright sunshine is quite an
important part of the experiment, as they failed
last year when they attempted to bloom apple,
and in a dark but warmer room.

FORCING LILIUM CANDIDUM.

BY FLETCHER WILLIAMS, NEWARK, N. Y.

In answer to the enquiry of S. F. T., in March
number of Gardener's Monthly. Lilium
candidum treated as a greenhouse plant is an
object of great beauty. It blooms early and
naturally, and with less care than most green-
house plants. But to grow it successfully it is
necessary to pot it as soon as the summer
blooming is over, and the foliage begins to turn
yellow, then give it a pot of generous size with
any good fresh soil. It makes a fall growth of
radical leaves like a strawberry plant, and to
grow it well, it only requires to be potted early,
as I have said, so that this fall growth is per-
fected while in the pot. Perhaps it is not
necessary to add that it is this fall growth that
prepares roots and perfects the flower buds for
the next season. Its fragrance, purity of color,
and stateliness of aspect, make it one of the
most desirable plants for the greenhouse or
window gardening.

ORCHIDS AT BALTIMORE.

BY A LOVER OF ORCHIDS.

Having half a day at my disposal while at
Baltimore the past week, I availed myself of
the opportunity of visiting the orchid-houses of
Capt. Chas. H. Snow, at Edgevvood. They are

not large, and are heated by means of small
copper boilers ; one of sufficient capacity for
each house, — the least expensive mode of heat-
ing with hot water I had ever seen. One of the
houses is partially below the surface of the
ground, the other upon a side-hill, adding
thereby to their warmth in Winter, and cool-
ness in Summer, and at all times increasing the
humidity of the atmosphere, which, with proper
ventilation is such a necessary requisite to suc-
cessful orchid culture. I had not before seen
other than the most expensive houses con-
structed for growing amateur collections of
these beautiful plants, and I was therefore sur-
prised at the great success Capt. Snow has at-
tained in these cheaper structures. They were
full to overflowing with a grand display of these
floral gems. Cattleyas, Deudrobiums, Lselias,
Lycaste^, Odontoglossums, etc., a sight one can
seldom witness in this country. Capt. S. has
made the cultivation of Orchids a study, not
merely from books, but from the actual care of
the plants. He can give you the name of each
particular variety, its former habitat and mode
of growth, and, what is wonderful to one inex-
perienced, can tell them all by their foliage,
often almost identical. He knows the treat-
ment each requires, and when it should rest,
and when be started into growth again, and
when it will bloom. He has but few East In-
dian Orchids in his collection, having devoted
his attention chiefly to those from this continent
especially South America, but had a fine display
of Dendrobiums Pierardii, and others in bloom.
I also saw a small plant of Odontoglossum
crispum, newly imported, opening for the first
time, exceedingly delicate and beautiful. Cat-
tleya Aclandiae, so rich and so difficult to grow,
and so shy of bloom, not to mention a row of
Lycaste Skinneri which charmed the beholder
more than all the others, and had been scarcely
a year in his possession.

From his articles in the Gardener's Month-
ly, I was aware he must have a great love for
practical floriculture, but when I saw what
results can be attained by a little time, cai'e,
and patience, and at very moderate expense, I
was convinced that Orchid cultivation in the
United States can be made as successful as in
England, and at far less cost ; and I believe
the time is not far distant when a fine Orchid in
bloom will not be the rare sight it now is, or a
small collection of these curious plants the ex-
clusive property of the wealthy few.

1880.

AND HORTICULTURIST.

137

THEIMANDEVILLA SUAVEOLENS.

BY MR. C. E. PARNELL,
GARDENER TO W. D. F. MANICE, Esq., QUEENS, L. I., N. Y.

In the Gardener's Monthly for February
1880, page 44, Mrs. S. E. P. inquires as to the
best method of cultivating and flowering Mande-
villa suaveolens. It should be remembered that
in its native country the Mandevilla attains a
growth of over forty feet in length, and there-
fore it cannot be grown and flowered in pots to
any great perfection. Although I do not culti-
vate the Mandevilla as a pot plant now, I have
grown and flowered it very well, and my method
of treating it as a pot plant may be of benefit to
Mrs. S. E. P. About the middle of April I turn
the plant out of its pot, and remove the greater
part of the soil, and also cut back some of the
roots, if there happens to be many of them. I
then repot it in the same pot, using ordinary
potting soil with a good portion of well rotted
stable manure, and then place it in a warm light
place, and water carefully until it commences to
grow. About the 10th of May I plunge it out of
doors to a trellis, and at the same time I form a
basin around the pot so that it can be watered
when necessary. This basin I fill with coarse
stable manure, — this prevents the plant from
becoming dry so soon after it is watered. After
it is plunged it requires a bucket or two of water
once a week, and the branches must be looked
over occasionally and tied up, as they are liable
to be broken off by the wind while young. If it
grows as it should it will commence to bloom
about the middle of July, and continue until
frost. After the first light frost take up the pot,
cut off all weak and unripe wood, and place it in
the green house. It can also be placed under
the shelf, if care be taken not to let it get too
-wet ; if allowed to get too wet it will rot. It can
be wintered very well in a warm dry cellar with
a little attention. My plant was in a sixteen-
inch pot, and was over twelve feet in length
after being cut back, and was repotted every
Spring. But when planted out in a well-pre-
pared border in the greenhouse, the soil com-
posed of ordinary potting soil with a good poi'-
tion of well-rotted stable manure. When the roots
as well as the branches are allowed to ramble at
will, there the Mandevilla will be seen in all its
beauty, laden with large bunches of snow-white,
delicious scented flowers. The Mandevilla re-
quires considerable space to run over, as it is of
exceedingly rapid growth, and the young shoots

should on no account be stopped. It commen-
ces to grow about the end of March and flowers
from July to October. After it has ceased
flowering, all the weak and un ripened wood
should be cut out, but all the strong and well-
ripened wood should be left. While growing, it
requires an abundance of water, and should re-
ceive a good watering of liquid manure water at
least once a week. The Mandevilla is unfortu-
nately very subject to the red spider and the mealy
bug, and in planting, it should be placed in such a
position that it can be freely syringed, which
should be done every other evening, at least
during the summer months. The Mandevilla
belongs to the natural order Apocynacese, and
is a native of Buenos Ayres, from which country
it was introduced by H. J. H. Mandeville.

STEAM HEATING.

BY JOSIAH SALTER, ROCHESTER, N. Y.

In looking through the Monthly for Feb-
ruary, I read, with much attention, the article by
R. G. Parker & Co., Boston, Mass., on heating
greenhouses, etc., by steam ; and being always
deeply interested in anything pertaining to hor-
ticulture and floriculture, and especially in any
efficient and economical method of heating hor-
ticultural buildings of any description, I thought
perhaps for the purpose of eliciting further in-
formation, for my own, and, may be, the edifica-
tion of others, I would venture a few remarks,
and give you some of my ideas about the subject
for what they are worth ; you can publish
such as you think is worth while, or not any, as
you may deem best.

Mr. Parker says : " We have about 10,000
square feet of glass, which is heated by a twenty-
eight horse power steam boiler," etc. I think
Mr. Parker should state the number of cubic
feet of air to be heated, rather than the square
feet of glass, as one house covered with 10,000
square feet of glass may contain four, or forty
times as many cubic feet of air to be heated, as
another of the same superficial area.

" Being somewhat afraid of heating wholly by
steam, we laid 4-inch pipes, the same as for hot
water, and connected with cast iron heaters or
boxes filled with steam pipes, which were con-
nected with the boiler. The steam passes from
the boiler through the pipes in the heaters and
back to the boiler again. The 4-inch pipes are
filled with water, as is also the space around
the steam pipes in the heaters." So that the
house is really heated by hot water, and not by

138

THE GARDENER'S MONTHLY

[May,

steam. But the water is heated by steam in-
stead of the direct action of the fire. Again :
" We obtain our heat much quicker than by the
old method," If so, that is an advantage ; be-
cause the same body of water contained in 4-
inch pipes will contain and give oflf the same
amount of heat whether absorbed from steam
pipes or the direct action of the fire in a hot
water boiler; and the quicker we get up the de-
sired amount of heat, as a rule, the better, pro-
vided we do not make our heating medium over
180° in the effort to get up the heat. Also : "As
to economy, we burned last season five tons of
coal to 1,000 square feet of glass, which is better
by three tons than any have done in this vici-
nity." Three tons of coal saved for every 1,000
square feet of glass or 30 tons for the 10,000, and
the labor of handling the coal would be a con-
siderable item and well worth due consideration.

In order to enable us to judge of the compara-
tive values of hot water and steam, I think Mr-
Parker should state the number of feet of 4-inch
pipe required to heat 10,000 square feet of glass,
and number of cubic feet of air to be heated ; or
more easily perhaps, the size of the houses, in
width, height and length and number of feet of
pipe to each house, if double thick glass, etc.,
and whether the degree of heat to be maintained
be merely to keep plants free from frost through
the winter, say 35° to 50°, or whether a growing
heat of 60° to 80° ; all this makes a wonderful
difference in the consumption of fuel. Also the
cost of the twenty-eight horse power steam
boiler with heaters and steam pipes as compared
with the cost of a hot water boiler powerful
enough to heat the water contained in the same
number of feet of 4-iuch pipe to the same tem-
perature, under the same circumstances, say 212°.

But it is not desirable to be obliged to heat
hot water pipes to the boiling point. We should
have heating surface enough to obtain the re-
quired amount of heat without ever heating the
water over 160° to 180°. It is this slow soft
warmth which makes them so preferable to over-
heated mediums like brick flues, hot air or steam
pipes, etc. Mr. Parker quotes from Loudon's
Encyclopaedia : " Steam affords a simple and ef-
fectual method of heating hothouses." Also,
" The disadvantages of steam, as a vehicle for
conveying heat to hothouses are few." The
words, simple and effectual, I do not agree with,
notwithstanding Mr. Loudon said so. Mr. Lou-
don wrote forty years ago, and more, and they
did think something of steam for heating horti-

cultural buildings at that time ; but they had
not then learned so much about hot water.

(To be continued.)

DAMAGE BY THE LARV/E OF THE
ROSE BUG.

BY ALFRED CROFTS, GARDENER TO W.M. MATHEWS,
ESQ., FLATBUSH, N. Y.

Having been very skeptical myself in regard
to the amount of damage committed by the
Rose Bug grub or maggot, 1 will give you the
following experience of mine which may be of
interest to the readers of the Gardener's
Monthly, and has convinced me of the fact
that it is a very dangerous pest tro obtain a foot-
ing in greenhouses, especially where there are
large specimens kept from year to year. I had
a large Summit of Perfection geranium in' a 10-
inch pot, which for no reason apparent to me,
has looked sickly all winter, and yesterday I
broke a piece out and some of the roots with it,
and saw one of the grubs on them ; so I at once
took the plant out, broke the ball up carefully,
and obtained no less than two hundred and
twenty-eight grubs from the roots of that gera-
nium which were gnawed all over, and not a live
fibre on them except just at the top of the ball.-

AMARANTH, SUNRISE.

BY MRS. M. D. W. YARMOUTH, MAINE,

In Mr. Vick's Magazine, for Dec. 1878, there
is a colored plate of this new Amaranth. The
lower leaves are of a purplish red, and crowned
with leaves of brilliant flame color. With his
usual caution, Mr. Vick delayed making it
known for several years to the public, lest it
might not be sufficiently constant to satisfy pur-
chasers. Last year I procured a paper of seed,
and was delighted with the results. Though
few were like the one represented in the plate,
3'et all were beautiful and greatly admired by all
who saw them. Some of them had leaves par-
tially of the brilliant color, and part of the pur-
ple, then the crown of sunrise. These handsome
foliage plants, with the Coleus do wonderfully
heiarhten the effect of a flower garden.

PLANTS FOR GREENHOUSES IN SUMMER.

BY J.^FYFE.;

In visiting the various Iplant establishments
injthis country one feels disappointed in seeing
nothing but Carnation Pinks, Bouvardias, Cal-
las, Abutilons, etc. '^These seem to be only
productions of the greenhouse, and during the

1880.1

AND HORTICULTUR'IST.

139

summer months, when these structm-es should
be the gayest they too often represent a bare
and deserted appearance in consequence. I
would thei-efore suggest that those plants might
be replaced with Gesneras, Gloxinias, Plecto-
pomas, Achimenes, Sinningia Youngii, Codono-
phora grandiflora, Pentaraphia longiflora, the
finer varieties of Coleus, Kalosanthus coccinea.
Begonias, Streptocarpus Rexii, Erythrina cris-
ta-galli, Caladiums, Fuchsias, etc. Plectopomas
form not only a new group of hybrids, but
a novel genus of Gesneracese ; they are summer-
flowering, with large-tubed, funnel-shaped blos-
soms. Begonias, from their profuse flowering
quality and the charming variety of color in
their blossoms are extremely showy and effec-
ive ; and the value of Gesneras, as decorative
plants, can scarcely be over estimated. Most of
them have rich velvet-like foliage, which in the
respective kinds varies from green to crimson.
If only grown for the foliage they are very at-
tractive, but during the winter they produce
splendid pyramidal spikes of blossom which are
extremely handsome. Originally, however, the
principal color was orange scarlet; now, as the
result of fertilization, there are various colors
and shades, added to which, the spotting on the
flowers of some of the varieties is extremely
pretty.

NEATNESS IN GARDENING.

BY EDWARD L. KOETHENS, PITTSBURG, PA.

It has often occurred to me on my many visits
to various greenhouses in this vicinity and else-
where, that there is a general tendency to ne-
glect the details and a want of care in all gar-
dening operations, both indoors and out, among
professional gardeners as well as among ama-
teurs, and many are unsuccessful from this cause
only. Of these little neglects, — for they are
only little things at the time, — I will endeavor
in the following lines to point out a few. He
who would be successful as a gardener, must
make the plants under his care the subject of
thought, and he must be constantly on the alert
for changes in circumstances which will make
changes in the treatment necessary.

There is probably no operation in indoor gar-
dening requiring more care than watering. The
quantity and frequency of watering should al-
ways be regulated by the state of the atmos-
phere, and the condition and requirements of the
plants watered. It is a common mistake to
give a plant the same amount of water when at

rest as when in rapid gr(Twth. Again, it is not
at all unusual to see watering but half done,
when, as a rule, all watering should be done
thoroughly, and then not again until the plants
are sufficiently dry to need it.

Weeds are often allowed to grow up and ripen
their seed, thereby securing a heavy crop of
weeds for yourself and neighbor for the follow-
ing year. Insect ravages are unobserved until
the plants on which they have been feasting are
almost entirely destroyed; whereas, by a little
attention in the beginning, this damage might
have been prevented, and with many kinds of
insects it is impossible to dislodge them after
they have become established. The same holds
good with regard to fungoids, etc., the most of
which would make no progress where the proper
preventatives are used.

The usual condition of the propagating bench
is another source of annoyance to the eye of the
neat gardener. There is no attempt at keeping
the sand firm or level, and the cuttings are stuck
in without any regard to order, and in such a
manner that the varieties must become mixed.
Dead leaves are allowed to accumulate in the
sand, which are sure to harbor fungoids and
eventually destroy the cuttings.

Greenhouses and hot-beds are left hermeti-
cally sealed when they should be well ventilated,
and then again they are left open when they
should be closed. A short time ago, while visit-
ing a private greenhouse on a cold, windy day,
I noticed a severe draught of air sweeping down
through the middle of the house, and on inves-
tigation I found a ventilator open at each end,
giving the air a free sweep of the house ; and
still the gardener who prided himself on his
skill, complained that his roses would suffer
from mildew, no matter what he did for them.
Overcrowding is another source of failure.
Plants which are overcrowded are deprived of
their proper amount of air and light, making
them spindling and sickly, and in the case of
bedding plants, ruining them almost entirely for
planting out. This is one of the principal rea-
sons wiiy the market is so often overstocked
with sickly plants, which would be dear to buy
at any price ; for plants when weakened in this
or any other way are unable to withstand trans-
planting, change of temperature, and the at-
tacks of insects and disease. Seedlings from
the time of their germination till they become
well established plants, require particular atten-
tion, and are too often entirely neglected. Wa-

140

THE GARDENER'S MONTHLY

[May,

tering, airing and shading them from the direct
rays of the sun require constant attention, and
not only attention, but also intelligent fore-
thought.

The walks in the greenhouse and in the open
air, are also often neglected. In the greenhouse
it is rarely that anything is done to them, where
with but slight expense they might be boarded,
cemented, or protected in some other way, so
as to prevent water from standing in them and
making mud-holes. In the open air the walks
are almost universally hardened in some way,
but the edges are left uncut, weeds are left grow-
ing in them, and bits of paper are allowed to
remain undisturbed. The same can be said of
the lawns, but not to so great an extent, for
there has been a marked improvement in this
direction within the last few years. It might be
appropriate just here to say a word about label-
ing. All labels should be written in a plain,
round hand, so that they can be read without
difficulty. Plants are often received from well-
established firms, which are labeled in such a
slovenly manner, that where the name is not
familiar it is impossible to decipher it.

In conclusion, I would state that nothing will
add more to the appearance of a garden and its
surroundino;s than strict neatness. Tiioughthe
failings spoken of above are by no means uni-
versal, they prevail enough to make reform de-
sirable. It is but justice to add, that with many
this is the result of having too much to attend
to, and in such cases the employers are to blame.

EDITORIAL NOTES.

Lamp Stoves. — For small cabinets,— even
small greenhouses in some instances,— lamp
stoves would prove effectual heaters, but not
much has been done with them. "We give the
following suggestive hints from the London
Journal of Horticulhire ; " I wish to give pub-
licity to the following facts, hoping thereby to
draw forth, for my edification and the public
generally, the experiences of others of your
subscribers. My house is 22 feet long, 11 feet
wide, and of a fair height. I wished to be able
to keep up the temperature during the cold
nights of the past six weeks from 60° to 65* F.
I tested the lamp stove three nights where the
thermometer stood at 45° F. without the lamp.
At the end of twelve hours I could get no more
heat during the night out of this lamp stove
than 6° above the temperature of the place I

put it in to test it. It is made by one of the
first makers of the day. I trimmed it myself
and attended to it personally, and keyt it under
lock and key. The fourth night of its burning,
I lit it at 7 P. M., and only put up the wicks to
half their proper height, meaning to increase
their height at 10 P. M. I was suddenly called
out from dinner by my man ; the house was full
of smoke, the wick in a blaze. Fortunately the
wind was blowing strong at the time. Both
doors and windows being thrown open and the
lamp stove removed, the house was immediately
cleared, and no harm has resulted, as would
have been the case had it been burning benzo-
line or paraffine. On examination I found this
stove lamp inferior in make and workmanship
to the fine lamps by the same maker, of which
I have burned seven for two years without acci-
dent, breakdown, or smell, using petroleum of
the best quality. I should like to hear if anyone
has been able to get heat up to 60° or even 55°
F. from one of these stoves when the thermom-
eter was at freezing point. I should also like
to elicit what is the best and cheapest small
and effectual heating apparatus for such a house
as mine, not wanted for forcing anything."

Heating Small Conservatories. — The
increasing taste for flowers about dwellings
calls for better means of heating than has
hitherto been effected. Almost all attempts
to use the regular house heaters fail ; not be-
cause the air from the heater is dry, but because
of sulphuretted gases. As these conservatories
are only with plants in winter, and are thrown
open in summer, separate and permanent heat-
ers are undesirable. There is nothing better
than a portable hot water boiler ; which could

be put up in a few minutes, and taken down
when not wanted.

Looking through our advertising colums we
note many excellent forms of boilers for large
work. Some of them portable, but none that
seems just what is needed for these little con-
servatories and window attachments; small,
effective and cheap. We give the accompanying
from an English source, which seems something

1880.]

AND HORTICULTURIST.

141

like what we in America want. Here we have
a furnace and boiler combined, with twenty feet
of four-inch pipe, and all the necessary fittings
complete for $25. It may be that there is al-
ready some contrivances of the kind in existence
in our country. If tlaere is, it would, we think,
be profitable to advertise them. We are satis-
fied that if some cheap and easily managed
heating apparatus like this were introduced.

small greenhouse or bay window plant culture
would rapidly increase. There is no one but
likes flowers about the house, if it be not too in-
convenient or expensive to care for them.

Raffia Fibre. — Mr. Theo. Scliuster, agent for
Mr. Wunderlich, places on our table a sample
of this fibre. It is very strong, and is much
better than anything we know for tying material
where strength and neatness is required.

Fruit and Vegetable Gardening.

SEASONABLE HINTS.

In the cultivation of garden crops, the hoe
and rake should be kept continually at work.
Weeds should be taken in hand before tliey are
barely out of the seed-leaf, and one-half the
usual labor of vegetable gardening will be avoid-
ed. Hoeing or earthing up of- most garden
crops is of immense advantage in nearly every
case. One would suppose that in our hot cli-
mate flat culture would be much more bene-
ficial ; but a fair trial, say on every other row of
a bed of cabbages, will show a great difference in
favor of the earthed up plants. It would be
easy to explain the reason of this, but in this
column we try to confine ourselves to " hints,"
and leave reasons to our other departments.

Cabbage, Cauliflower and Brocoli are now set
out for fall crops, and Endive sown for winter
salad. Lettuce also for summer and fall use.
This, however, must be sown in very rich soil,
and in a partially shaded situation, or it will go
to seed. Peas, beans, and other crops should be
sowed every two weeks. They do much better
than when a large crop is sown at one time, and
then have too many on at one time to waste.

Melons, cucumbers, corn, okra, squash, beans,
sweet potatoes, Lima beans, pepper, egg-plants,
tomatoes, and other tender vegetables that do
well till the sun gets high, and the ground warm,
should go into the soil without delay.

Bean poles should be set before the beans are
planted •, and near cities where they are com-
paratively high priced, their ends should be
charred. This will make them last some years.
Try also short stout poles for cucumbers and

tomatoes. Tliey do remarkably well this way.

Fruit culture for profit has had to contend
with over-abundant crops the past year or two,
and the trees in such cases are weakened. Now,
this may be remedied by thinning out fruit in
infancy. This prevents a glut, gives finer fruit,
and saves the trees.

Besides thinning the fruit, we should thin the
young branches. Handsome forms are as desira-
ble in fruit as in ornamental trees. No winter
pruning will do this exclusively. It may furnish
the skeleton — but it is summer pinching which
clothes the bones with beauty. A strong shoot
soon draws all its nutriment to itself. Never
allow one shoot to grow that wants to be
bigger than others. Equality must be insisted
on. Pinch out always as soon as they appear
such as would push too strongly ahead, — and
keep doing so till the new buds seem no stron-
ger than the others. Thus the food gets equally
disti'ibuted.

Fruit growing primarily for pleasure, to follow
with plenty of good fruit, has been much encour-
aged by the greater success of the grape of late
years. There is much more interest in having
collections of varieties than there used to be.

As to the best system of pruning grapes, there
are several "schools," all contending that their
views are " decidedly best." In such cases we
have generally found there is much to admire in
them all — situations and peculiar circumstances
deciding the point in each individual instance.
There are a few points incontrovertible to in-
sure success, and it matters little what system of
pruning is followed, so that they are secured.
First, a healthy set of roots of the previous year's

142

THE GARDENER'S MONTHLY

[May,

groAvth is essential to produce vigorous start of
growth the year following. Secondly, after
starting, these roots can onlj' be kept vigorous
by encouraging an abundance of healthy foliage,
to be retained on the vine as long as possible.
Thirdly, the leaves of the first growth are at
least of double the value to the plant than those
from secondary or lateral shoots ; they should
therefore, be carefully guarded from injury.
Fourthly, checking the strong-growing shoots
strengthens the weaker ones, equalizes the flow
of sap to every part of the vine, and insures reg-
ular and harmonious action between all the
parts. Any system that secures this does all that
is necessary for the general health and vigor of
the vine ; and where some special objects are
desirable, such as dwarfing, particularly early
bearing, productiveness at the expense of lon-
gevity, special means must be employed to bring
them about.

COMMUNICATION.

PROGRESS IN NEW FRUITS.

BY CHAS. DOWNING, NEWBURCi, N. Y.

In the January number of the Gardener's
Monthly, you state that Mr. P. Barry referred
to the changes which had taken place in the
last quarter of a century. An old catalogue re-
vealed the fact that nearly all the pears of that
date had been superceded, and this was about
the way it went through all the old catalogues.
I think Mr. Barry is mistaken, or has been in-
correctly reported, because, in looking over his
present catalogue, and in his select list, he
names more than forty varieties which I find in
catalogues of over a quarter of a century old,
and many of which are equal, if not superior to
many of the new varieties which are now being
so highly extolled, and which, probably when
they have had the trial of a quarter of a cen-
tury, will have to be laid aside. I will name
some of the old varieties in Mr. Barry's Cata-
logue which are more than a quarter of a cen-
tury old, viz : Bartlett, Seckel, Belle Lucrative,
Beurre Giflard, Beurre Bosc, Beurre d' Anjou.
Beurre Supertin, Manning's Elizabeth, Duch-
ess d' Angoleme, Urbaniste, Tyson, Howell,
Lawrence, Winter Nelis, Josephine de Malines,
Brandywine, etc. Surely these are not super-
ceded.

As to grapes, Mr. Barry says, " not a variety
with the exception of Norton's Virginia were
preserved;" but, are not the Isabella and Ca-
tawba, which are half a century old, still largely

cultivated? And I will venture to say there are
more of these two varieties, especially the Ca-
tawba for sale in the markets from October to
Eebruary, than all other varieties. In fact I do
not know of a single variety that has been in-
troduced within the past thirty years that can
be found in the markets during the months of
December and January. The Elsinburgh, al-
though not now much cultivated on account of
the small size of its berries, is yet one of the
best and most delicious of the American grapes,
and is worthy of a place in any private garden.
The Clinton and Herbemont, or Warren — old
varieties, — are still more or less cultivated, and
the latter is a superior grape where it ripens.
[We are sorry that this note was crowded out
hitherto.— Ed. G. M.]

THE BRIGHTON CRAPE.

BY A. L., MADISON, IND.

In the October or November number of the
Gardener's Monthly', is given an opinion as
is an opinion, as Mr. Bunsby would say, by the
Editor. For every such opinion the amateur
cultivator must be thankful. It had reference
to the Brighton Grape, and pronounced it, after
an extended comparison, one of the very best,
if not the best. In less than a week's time
after reading this article, I added eight more
Brightons to my fifty-five other varieties. I
was greatly disappointed in the Elvira, as a
table grape. It may be fine for wine, but for
the table it is worthless. Nearly every berry
cracked open at the time of ripening the first
season, and the past season the flavor was
horrid.

[The Elvira was never recommended for any-
thing but wine making. — Ed. G. M.]

THE JEFFERSON CRAPE.

BY P. A. VAN WYCK, NEW HAMBURGH, N. Y.

I have a vine in my possession, sent me with
some other seedling grape vines, on trial by Mr.
Ricketts, the celebrated seedling grape grower
of Newburgh, N. Y., one of the seedlings being
his celebrated white grape Lady Washington,
the best white grape grown. The other I think
being worthy of very honorable mention. It is
called the Jefferson, a red grape of great excel-
lence, possessing an exquisite flavor, good size,
being a great cropper, hanging on the vine a
long time in good condition, and a vigorous,
healthy grower. I have fruited this variety for
the past ten years, and have not given it particu-
lar attention, only giving it good, clean culture.

1880.

AND HORTICULTURIST.

143

using no sulphur, it being entirely free from
mildew. This variety, I believe, is now in pos-
session of Mr. J. G. Burrow, Fishkill, N. Y.,
who intends putting it on the market next fall.
I am not personally interested in this seedling
more than in any other, but think it the finest
thing in the grape line I have ever seen.

A RASPBERRY-ROOT INSECT.

BY ME. D. SMITH, NEWBURG, N. Y.

This paper was received in its proper season
from Mr. Csesar, but it being in the holiday sea-
son I could hardly find time then to give it its
proper attention. The roots spoken of in his
note I forward to you this day by mail. We
have no one with us who can give any informa-
tion respecting it. Any information you may
be able to give respecting it, will be duly ap-
preciated by the many horticulturists in this
vicinity.

Hazelwood, Dec. 13th, 1879.

Dear Sir: — A week ago I received from a
friend on Staten Island a package of young
plants of Raspberry, of stocks which had given
a very fine crop this year. When I began to
plant, I observed at once very remarkable ex-
crescences on the roots, as well on the small
ones as on the main roots. In cutting them off"
and examining them with a sharp knife, I found
small white worms in several of these excres-
cences, worms about one-eighth to one-quarter
of an inch long, thin, and undoubtedly an insect
by the sting of which this disease of the roots
was produced. I have never heard of such kind
of disease, and the chief book, which I always
consult in any matter of orchards, etc., the book
of A. J. Downing, makes no mention of any dis-
ease of Raspberry. Of course I cut off", when I
planted, the least vestige of the disease, but
would feel obliged to hear some experienced
orchardist's information on the matter. I ac-
company this with some such roots affected by
the disease.

I am, yours respectfully,

Henry L. C^sar.

[There are a number of insects that infest the
roots of the Raspberry and Blackberry, their at-
tacks usually resulting in galls of more or less
size. The particular one which forms these very
large ones, would probably very much interest
the entomologist. To the horticulturist we fear
no other course can be suggested than to be
careful in planting, that he has plants with roots
wholly free from these galls, and if he has a

plantation badly infested, to dig up and burn the
plants, and set out plants on wholly new ground.
Some varieties will be found greater favorites
with some insects than others, for generally they
have nice tastes. When one has a large planta-
tion, it becomes a serious matter to know best
how to deal with them. The best advice we
can give, is the preventative one, — never plant
without examining the roots, so as to avoid in-
troducing an enemy. — Ed. G. M.]

JAPANESE PERSIMMONS AGAIN.

BY H. T., ST. JOSEPH, MO.

About the latter part of April, 1878, one of a
firm of importers came here from California
with several thousand trees of different varieties,
which he planted out with the view of working
up a large trade for the foreign Persimmon, with
this as his headquarters. The trees nearly all
grew, and considering the lateness of the season
and their long journey, did 1 thought very well.
The winter of 1878-79 was very severe, snow
falling to the depth of eight to ten inches on un-
frozen ground, followed by the mercury going
to about IB'' below zero, and large numbers of
peach trees were killed. The Persimmon came
out last spring, not only dead to the ground but
dry as tinder. Last spring they sprouted from
the roots and made a growth from two to five
feet, were not cultivated at all, and now are as
dead as a year ago; not only dead, but the bo-
dies have all the sap dried out and are like dry
sticks. This winter has been very open, though
one cold snap about Christmas accompanied by
a very cold northwest wind sent the mercury to
18° below zero.

The party on whose land they are growing
says he noticed that the heavy frosts in the fall
killed the ends of the limbs. I would also state
that native seedling Persimmons that I have
growing, have been badly top-killed both of
these last two winters, though the Persimmon
is a native of this country.

FIRMING THE SOIL.

BY UNCLE JOE, ROCK FALLS, ILLS.

A practical nurserymen or gardener can esti-
mate the value of Peter Henderson's persistent
teachings in regard to firming the earth about
seeds and plants, and no one without practical
knowledge or experience can detract from the
utility of such teaching by slurs or ridicule.
For ten years I have tried to impress this one
lesson on the minds of those who have bought

144

THE GARDENER'S MONTHLY

[May,

trees or plants. Make the soil as firm about
them in transplantinor as it was when they were
growing. And yet the loss from the neglect of
this rule by those who have bought trees and
plants, and even on my own grounds, has been
greater than from all other sources combined.
A warm dry wind will penetrate the loose soil,
and within a few hours wilt a plantation of
strawberries or cabbages. To save them by
watering would be out of the question. The
remedy is to make the earth solid, and the
surest and quickest way is to step the ball of
the foot directly on each plant if they are badly
wilted, or in ordinary cases on each side of the
plant. If the transplanting is done in wet
weather, the firming should be deferred until it
is dry enough to need it. One day in passing a
front yard I saw a neat looking mound a foot
high, with a border of sods, and in it were a
dozen verbenas, which I had sold the day
before, wilted almost beyond recovery. I did
not wait for an invitation, but went inside and
stamped that bed down to six inches, and went
on my way. Every plant lived, and afterward I
had the sods removed and the bed enlarged so
as to slope down to the .natural sod, and it was
the admiration of the whole neighborhood.
Why will ladies persist in sowing their flower
seeds in those little mounds surrounded with
sods, and then lug water and fight grass all
summer ?

EDITORIAL NOTES.

Californian Fruits.— It is interesting to
note how the Royal Crown passes to various
fruits, as they travel through our land. In Boston
the pear would be the king of fruits ; in N'ew
York, the apple; in Philadelphia, the straw-
berry; in Cincinnati, the grape; but in Califor-
nia the orange, with other members of the
Citrus family, seems to be in the royal line of
succession to the throne. We have before us a
report of a Horticultural meeting at Riverside
in that State, where they seem to talk orange
nearly all the while. One man is commended for
raising an orange tree in a water bucket, which
bore two oranges in that little kingdom of its
own ; but this feat is often equaled by our own
Dutch house-wives "at home." Another claims
the "largest orange — six inches in diameter;"
but another we are afterwards told, had one
"unsurpassed" collection, some "weighing a
pound each." As showing the greatest variety.

one exhibitor had thirty-four varieties of the
Citrus family. We note by the proceedings that
there are the same arguments in orange, as in
peach or other culture, whether seedlings are
better than budded fruit trees; with the same
opposite conclusions.

The grape however comes in for some re-
spect, especially as raisins ; and the Riversidians
are sanguine that California will drive all Eu-
ropean raisins out of the American market.

The King orange, said to be only known to
the Royal family of China, and beyond all
others, truly delicious, was exhibited.

Apples and Pears on the Potomac. — Mr.
D. S. Curtiss is preparing a small work on ap-
ple and pear culture in the Potomac region, and
would be glad of such special information as
any one may have. Address him Washington,
D. C.

A Large Potato order. — It is an ill wind
that blows no one any good. A Dublin seeds-
man has received an order from the Duchess of
Marlborough for 1200 tons of seed potatoes to be
distributed among the starving poor in the south-
west of Ireland. It is stipulated that they
must be all of one specified variety — the Scotch
Champion. If each poor person gets ten pounds
of seed, this would start two thousand seven
hundred people in potato growing again, from
this single order.

JTew Bush Beans. — As noted recently, our
catalogues have now an immense number of
kinds to choose from, and one can scarcely see
where there is place for another one. But the
English papers advertise the " monster," and
say : "It differs from the ordinary type in
having much larger pods, and in being more
productive and very early. It is of robust habit,
and the pods, which are produced freely and
continuously, range from seven to eight inches
in length, and are very fleshy." Have we any
already that will come up to this ?

Some Large Cucumbers. — There may not
be much more value in a large cucumber than a
small one to some people ; but those who do
not want to pare all the cucumber away in skin-
ning are not among the number. Besides this,
a large cucumber in the winter time is a proof
of superior horticultural skill. Mr. Thos. Love,
at Dr. Linderman's, at Bethlehem, had un-
usually fine ones this winter. They ran about
seventeen inches Ions.

1880.

AND HORTICULTURIST.

145

SCRAPS AND QUERIES

Yei^lows in the Peach. — J. K. says : " In
all my experience in England as a gardener, I
never saw anything like the disease called yel-
lows here. I do not think the thing is found
there, and can you tell the reason why?" [It is
not easy to tell why, though there may be
guesses why, offered. For instance, it is known
that the peculiar conditions which call the vari-
ous species of fungus into existence require to
be very nice, and the English climate may be
unfavorable to this species ; or it may be that the
species of fungus which causes the yellows has
not been introduced there and would grow well
if it were. Most of the Peaches grown in Eng-

land are grafted on the Plum stock, and the
Plum root does not seem to be as choice a mor-
sel for the fungus as the Peach root. It may be
that it attacks the Plum sometimes, — but so far
we have never known of a case, though it does
attack other trees besides Peaches ; at least the
fungus appears to be the same. — Ed. G. M.]

California Eaisins.— A.W. H. says : " Page
81 of the Monthly gives a profit of 35 cents per
vine and over $960 per acre."

[It certainly does look a little that way. • But
we are sorry that it is so, for we have conscien-
tious scruples against believing that any one can
make $960 clear profit per acre on grapes or
anything else in California, or anywhere. — Ed.
G. M.]

» > a^ ■« »

Forestry.

COMMUNICA TIONS.

PINE AND OAK FORESTS.

BY MARGID DIGRAM.

There is a theory abroad, that in the light
sandy soils of districts bordering the Atlantic
and Gulf Coasts, the pine and oak invariably
succeed each other when either is removed by
the agency of fire, or the woodman's destruc-
tive tool.

From some observations I have made through
several of the Southern States, I believe this
long-established theory to be but half correct.
The reiteration of it by a gentleman whom I met
on a train in West Central Georgia, induced me
to look with especial care at the forests passed
through after leaving him, and until the City of
New Orleans was reached. Directly along the
Gulf Coast the pine undoubtedly reigns su-
preme. Marshes and the borders of streams,
•of course, form an exception to this statement.
In such localities, several species of oak and
magnolia, the tulip, sweet-gum, and other trees
are to be met with in abundance. Through the
uplands, however, one may travel hundreds of
miles and see the pine alone in every stage of
its growth, from the little plant of six inches, up
to the giant of 80 to 100 feet. These differ-
ent ages and sizes of the tree are not always
found in forests apai't, but small and great are

very frequently seen together, the new growth
coming up amidst the remnants of the old.

If we, however, go from fifty to one hundred
miles back from the coast, the state of matters
will have materially changed, and there our
long-used and oft-repeated theory will be found
at home, and altogether correct. Woods
mainly of Spanish Oak, upland willow oak,
and Black Jack, with here and there a pine
left from the preceding forest, will be noticed
in conspicuous alternation with other wooded
tracts nearly or entirely covered with the long
and short leaved pines.

The alternating theory, I fancy, has become
established in the following way. People liv-
ing in sections of the country where this view
is a true statement of facts, might naturally
enough suppose the rule would hold good else-
where and everywhere. They would indeed be
so possessed with this idea that they would not
notice any deviation from it when such was
casually presented to them. On the other
hand, residents along the coast, where the pine
forest is the invariable rule, not having any
occasion to form a similar theory, would not
possess one, and there would therefore be no
conflict of thought with the adjoining section,
and consequently no rectification of the theory's
supposed universal application. A difference
of soil is, I presume, the sole reason for the
diversity of forest habit, as I have above stated.

146

THE GARDENER'S MONTHLY

[May,

TIMBER STATISTICS.

BY T. T. SOI THWICK, ROCHKSTEH, N. Y.

From a late issue of the Lumberman'' s Gazette,
I compile a few figures and facts showing the
immense slaughter taking place in our timber
lands.

The figures cover the operations in only a few
localities, and when to them are added a fair
estimate of the amount yearly cut in oiher
States, and the very considerable quantity got
out in Canada, some idea of the destruction
of American forests can be formed.

I understand the statistics cover pine lumber
only, though the amount of lumber yearly cut
in the so-called hardwoods, such as Oak, Elm,
Hickory, Walnut, Chestnut, Bass and White-
wood, etc., must be millions upon millions of
feet.

As showing for what trifling pay people de-
stroy timber, I would mention having seen
about a year since, on the banks of a Canada
stream, a quantity of Elm logs estimated at
twenty million feet, for which farmers re-
ceived only two dollars and fifty cents per
thousand feet, delivered on the bank of the
stream. These figures and facts are not new,
but they seem startling and can but make the
thoughtful ponder.

The timber cut in Michigan for 1879 is report-
ed as follows :

Saginaw District, . 736,106,000 feet.
Huron Shore, . . . 410,646,000 "
Interior Mills, . . . 518,670,000 "
Lake Michigan Mills, 1,338,127,000 "

EDITORIAL NOTES.

Total amount cut, 3,003,549,000 "
Cut of the Wisconsin and Mississippi Valley,
1879, 1,583,185,000 feet.

Business of Williamsport, Pa., 1879, 213,120,-
000 feet.
Recapitulation of above figures for 1879:
Michigan, .... 3,003,549,000 feet.
West Miss. Valley, 1,583,185,000 "
Williamsport, Pa., 213,120,000 "

4,799,854,000 "
The total cut for sixteen years in one of
the four Michigan districts, viz, the Saginaw Dis-
trict, is 8,360,000,000 feet, or an average of more
than 500,000,000 feet per year.

During the same period 8,700,000,000 feet have
been floated down the Muskegon and Tiltaba-
wasse rivers of Michigan.

During ten years Williamsport, Pa., has
used 2,340,708,595 feet.

Planting Trees. — As the subject is of
national importance, we lay before our readers
the following particulars of what a single man
has done in this matter of planting. David
Landreth's first tree plantings in Virginia were
in the Spring of 1872, when 5,000 European
Larch, and 1,000 Abies Douglasii were set out.
These were followed in autumn by 25,000 Cy-
press, Larch, and Yellow Locust. Since then
there have been extensive annual plantings of
the same varieties with additions of Black and
White Walnuts, Pecans, Hickories, Chestnuts,
Wild Cherries, White and Green Ash, Tulip-
Poplars, Ailanthus, Catalpa, White Pine, Ital-
ian and American Sumac.

Last Spring the number of seedlings planted
were as follows: 1,000 Catalpa Japonica, 40,-
000 Catalpa speciosa, 150,000 Catalpa syringse-
folia, 20,000 Ailanthus, 6,000 Abies Douglasii,
10,000 each of White Oak, Hickories and Tulips.

Experience has shown that some of the va-
rieties are unsuited to the location ; such have
been destroyed and the land replanted with
approved sorts. Those that have most radically
failed, are the Larch, Cypress, and Locust.
The two first by reason of uncongenial soil ;
the latter through insect depredations, in one
instance a field of 100,000 trees, ten feet in
height being stung to death in a single week.
Many other losses have been met with, as by
fire, cattle trespass, depredations by rabbits,
and want of experience. This latter has now
been gained and the work will go forward with
fewer drawbacks. The lands upon which these
plantings have been made, are the clearings and
old corn fields of distinct and widely separated
farms, though all in the same county. His suc-
cessors intend to plant all their stump lands, to
the aggregate of 5,000 acres, as rapidly as the
natural forest is cut oflT.

Tree Planting in Massachusetts. — We
are pleased to learn from the Boston Herald that
tree planting in Massachusetts is progressing.
" A few farmers in Nantucket and Cape Cod be-
gan about thirty years ago raising forests in this
manner, and their plantations are now, perhaps,
in many respects the most interesting examples
of successful arboriculture which can be seen in
the United States. They only planted the seeds
of one of our native trees, the common pitch
pine (Pinus rigida). This is one of the least

1880.]

AND HORTICULTURIST.

147

valuable of our trees, but there is a handsome
profit to be made in planting it on waste and
unproductive lands, irrespective of the shelter
and protection which even a small grove of pine
trees is capable of affording. The seed of the
pitch pine is easily procurable. It is cheap, and
possessed of such vitality that the farmer plant-
ing it in the sand, even of Cape Cod, can be sure
of his crop. At different times about ten thou-
sand acres on Cape Cod, principally in or near
the town of Orleans, have been planted with the
seeds of this tree, while in Nantucket something
like seven hundred acres were planted between
1850 and 1855. The land on which the Nantuc-
ket plantations were made, was worth, at the
time of planting, SI an acre. Land of the same
sort can be bought for the same price now, al-
though the planted land has long been assessed
at $8 per acre, and finds a ready sale at SI 5 or
more an acre. The land first planted, thirty
years ago, will cut from fifteen to twenty cords
of firewood to the acre, worth at least S3 a cord
on the stump. This wood is not of the best
quality, and from good land the yield per acre
would be ridiculously small.

"In order to test the possibility of growing
cheaply some of the more valuable pines from
seed in this way, a series of experiments were
undertaken two years ago, under the direction
of Prof. Sargent, of the Harvard Arboretum, by
Mr. Henry G. Russell, on his estate at East
Greenwich, R. I. Four plots, each one acre in
extent, were laid out; in shallow furrows, four
feet apart, were run both ways, and at their
intersection the seeds were planted in the most
careful manner possible, special pains having
been taken to procure the best seed which could
be found in this country or Europe."

The kinds sown were the White, Austrian, Cor-
sican and Scotch. This seed sowing where the
trees were to grow was not a success, as very few
seeds came to be trees. But though not a success,
the experiments are extremely useful as showing
what may not be done. There is the fact that
pines do well in Massachusetts soil. All that is
to be learnt is how to raise them cheaply and
successfully, so that the crop will be as certain
as corn and not too costly at the outset.

" Mr. Russell's example is worthy of more
general imitation. By devoting his time, his
land and his money to experiments of this na-
ture, he is doing much to make tree-planting
easy and profitable for the next generation. His
experimental plantings already cover more than

a hundred acres, and are being constantly and
rapidly extended. Having failed in raising pines
cheaply from seed, he is now engaged in trying
a similar experiment with the Ailanthus. If he
can demonstrate that it is practicable to cover
his sandy shore with this valuable tree, at a cost
of not more than a dollar or two an acre, he will
have introduced a new era into New England
tree-planting, which will add much to its agri-
cultural prosperity."

Profits of Timber Culture. — About three
miles from the residence of the writer, and in
Philadelphia Count}', Pennsylvania, is a piece
of chestnut timber land, about thirty acres,
which was cut off forty-five years ago, and a
new crop suffered to grow up. This is now
being cut and sold for posts. The posts sell at
S30 per 100 dressed and delivered to purchasers.
We have made a careful estimate, and find this
tract will yield 5,400 posts per acre, which at
thirty cents each, makes SI ,620, or $36 per
acre, per annum. Land near it has recently
been sold for SI 50 per acre, and this is proba-
bly the market value of cleared land by which
this forest stands. The writer happens to know
that this is exactly what the land there was
worth twenty-five years ago. We may say
that no increase in value has been made since
the forty-five years the timber has been grow-
ing, and this fact affords an excellent opportu-
nity to judge of the value of timber land, unin-
fluenced by any other circumstances. Of course,
there is some labor and expense in cutting,
shaping, and delivering the posts, but this ex-
pense has of course to be spread over the whole
forty-five years, and amounts to but a very
small percentage of the S36. The only fair
charge against the timber is compound interest
on the $150 for forty-five years, and the taxes.
The latter would be only about $1.50 per an-
num. From out of this tract during the period
it has been in forest, large quantities of thin-
nings have been taken, which have served for
rails, and so forth, which will be a fair set off
to compound interest. Simple interest will be
even more than ought to be charged against the
product. Thus, we have about $9 an acre cost,
against $36 of income per acre, a very good profit
indeed, and going to show that under some
circumstances timber culture will pay. This
tract is but fifteen miles from the centre of the
City of Philadelphia, and within what is now
' the city limits.

148

THE GARDENER'S MONTHLY

[May,

SCRAPS AND QUERIES.

Trees for Southern Kansas. — W. M., La-
zette, Cowley Co., Kansas, writes : " I am about
to plant somewhat extensively of various trees.
I planted twenty-five Tulip trees, one year old
last spring, and they all lived through a very
trying summer, fall and winter. A friend of
mine has a number of the Magnolia grandiflora,
which have survived three Kansas seasons. I
have been to much trouble and expense already,
and regret to say that most of my experiments
have not been crowned with success ; but I keep
trying, I presume from force of habit. I have
failed invariably with coniferous evergreens.
Do you consider the Blue Gum hardy? I planted
last spring a quantity of seeds called here the
China Tree. Do you know it by that name, and
if so what is its botanic name ? I raised about

three thousand, and they did remarkably well.
1 would be glad if you could furnish me a botanic
description of the mature tree."

[It is almost impossible for one to tell what
will do well in the newer settled portions of our
country, except by actual experiment. It would,
for instance, not have been safe for any one to
have recommended the Magnolia grandiflora or
the China tree for Cowley County, and it is a
valuable piece of knowledge that they will do
well there. The Tulip tree we have before had
the impression would do well. It is a capital
tree for the Western plains from its deep root-
ing proclivities. The China tree is Melia Aze-
derach. It stands a good amount of cold in win-
ter, when it is able to grow vigorous and strong
by long continued summer heat. Still, as we
have said, it is news that it will do well in Kan-
sas.—Ed. G. M.]

Natural History and Science.

COMMUNICA TIONS.

BLUE AND OTHER COLORED CLASS.

(Concluded from page 120.)

Thus prepared, the six glasses were placed
side by side, in the light, in the temperate
house of the Museum. These experiments, to
all appearance so simple, proved a veritable
labor of Hercules, and without the assistance
of the skillful and intelligent superintendent of
the temperate house, M. Newman, I should
most assuredly have been unable single-handed
to carry out the experiment without changing
the conditions, as during the extremely hot
weather it was necessary to water the young
plants twice a day to keep them alive. Nor
was this all. It was necessary during the
course of the experiment to change the fluids
colored with aniline every four or five days,
according to the intensity of the sunlight. The
other colored fluids were more permanent, and
required changing less often.

After carrying on these experiments most
carefully all through the summer, the following
results were obtained : The plant exposed to
the violet light exhibited a luxuriant growth,
its foliage was of a fine deep green, and very

j abundant as compared with that of the five
others. That was all. The plant had neither
I blossomed nor fruited, clandestinely or other-
wise.

! The plant exposed to blue light had made an
ordinary growth — nothing exceptional. That,
too, was all. No fructification.

The plant exposed to the green rays had

grown badly. It was ailing and nearly dead,

notwithstanding the intervention of the white

I light. The disastrous efi"ects of green light on

1 plant life had not been mitigated by the white

i light from above. This perfectly accords with

M. Bert's observations.

The plant exposed to yellow light had made
an average growth — rather under than over ; but
it had flowered and fruited as well, and very
rapidly. The fertilization was clandestine still.
The plant exposed to orange light had grown
rather badly, and looked ailing.

The plant exposed to the red light had grown
nearly, jDerhaps not quite as well as that ex-
posed to violet light.

None of these plants, with the exception of
that exposed to yellow light, had fruited or
even flowered.
Now, why this exceptional developement?

1880.]

AND HORTICULTURIST.

149

A thermometer placed in the glass furnished
the explanation. The temperature in the glass
exposed to the yellow light was much more
elevated than that of any of the other glasses,
contrary to all theory, as the red and orange
rays being the least refractory should have
given the highest temperature. I leave physi-
cists to explain the phenomenon.

I pointed out the rapid growth of the plant
exposed to the yellow light to M. Houleau, who
was much surprised at it, and remarked that
whenever before he had exposed plants to the
action of yellow light, they had been killed off
as quickly and surely as though they had been
put in the fire. But I called his attention to
the fact that here there had been an interposi-
tion of white light, which appeared to have
mitigated the effects in a very remarkable man-
ner. In other respects, M. Houleau's experi-
ence accorded with what might have been
anticipated from the great increase of tempera-
ture in the yellow light.

These experiments were repeated during
three consecutive years, and always gave the
same identical results. In six other 2;lasses,
similarly disposed, we planted six seeds of the
same plant, but the disheartening tardiness of
their vegetation hindered any observations.

It will be seen that our special object was not
attained. The stimulus which was to raise this
singular plant out of its abnormal frame of ex-
istence produced no effect upon it whatever.
Its clandestine mode of fertilization was steadily
repeated — that is, whenever fertilization oc-
curred. But if we failed in our purpose, the
conclusions deducible from our experiments are
none the less interesting and calculated to prove
useful in a horticultural point of view.

Despite their very restricted scope, limited as
they were to a solitary little plant, our observa-
tions established the persistent recurrence of
certain phenomena justifying the following con-
clusions : 1. That plants exposed to violet
light, modified by white light, grow luxuriantly,
thus partially confirming the experience of
General Pleasanton.

2. That plants exposed to yellow light, always
supposing it to be mitigated by white light,
fruit very rapidly. These facts, we repeat, are
likely to prove of great utility in horticul-
ture.

We purposed repeating the experiments above
described, so as to ascertain whether the same
results are obtained when plants are grown in

glass houses provided with violet, yellow, and
white lights.

These experiments promised to be of great
utility, but unforseen circumstances have obliged
us to postpone them for the present. We hope
to resume them at some future day.

THE SKY LARK IN AMERICA.

BY EDWARD TATNALL, WILMINGTON, DEL.

The Duke of Argyle will probably be sur-
prised to learn that the sky lark was introduced
into this country about twenty years ago by
John Gorgas, then of this city, now deceased,
and let free by the hundred in this vicinity. A
few were seen after the first winter, but in the
second year nothing was heard of them. Pro-
bably our winters are too severe for them. I do
not wish by this to deter any one from trying it
again, but merely to honor one who did so at his
own expense.

SOME EARLY VIRGINIAN SPRING
FLOWERS.

BY MISS M. EVELYN HUNTER.

Few of our native spring flowers come earlier
to gladden the earth with their fragrant pres-
ence, than the delicate wax-like Epigsea, or
Trailing Arbutus. Its leaves are heart-shaped
and evergreen, but the color is so dingy, and the
texture so rough that no one is prepared for the
clusters of rose-colored flowers that lend such a
peculiar charm to the plant, and change it from
a rough coarse trailer, to the most exquisitely
refined beauty. I have seen its flowers of the
purest white, when growing near the water, but
generally they are rose-tinted.

We have several varieties of the wild violet];
first the swamp violet with its shining smooth
green leaves and vivid blue flower, veined with
a deeper shade. Next comes the common lit-
tle wood violet, with its hairy dark green leaf,
and deep blue flower delicately veined with
white, brightening the sheltered spots and scat-
tered here and there through the brown leaves.
But the most beautiful of our native violets is
the bird-foot, with its light green leaves three to
five cleft, and large handsome flowers, one broad
pale or deep lilac purple or blue, the two upper
petals sometimes almost a royal purple, and
velvety like a pansy. These are found in light
sandy soil growing in large masses, the pale
blue more abundant than the pansy flowered
violet, and occasionally a white one, with a
dash of blue through it. See this mass of shad-

150

THE GARDENER'S MONTHLY

[May,

ed color, with the sunlight glancing on their
porcelain-like petals, and making the dew drops
sparkle over them, and the scene is almost too
dazzling for the eye to rest upon.

Passing from the sunny hill-side to one shel-
tered by pines, here we find a new contrast of
color. Nestling in the glossy-brown pine need-
les, are clusters of wild pinks, shaded from the
brightest rose color to the pale flesh-colored
variety. Their leaves are covered with a gum-
my substance, which makes it unpleasant to
handle them, but the flowers are very pretty
and bright.

SHORTIA CALACIFOLIA.

BY WM. FALCONER, CAMBRIDGE BOTANIC HARDEN,

MASS.

The history of this extremely rare native, is
now quite generally known, but for the sake of
those who may not have heard of it I may say
it is a neat and pretty little plant with Pyrola or
Galax-like leaves and pure white campanulate
blossoms. In 1778 it was discovered by the
elder Michaux in the mountains of Xorth Caro-
lina ; he secured imperfect specimens for his
herbarium. No more was seen or heard of the
plant till 1839, 'when Dr. Asa Gray upon ex-
amining the Michaux herbarium found the
specimens upon the strength of which, in 1842
he designated and described it as a new genus,
giving it the above name. Beyond that speci-
men, not another vestige of the plant dead or
alive, was known to exist till 1878, when it was
rediscovered by Mr. Hyams, who presented us
with a fine living plant.

Our plant received in 1878, was potted and
wintered in a cool greenhouse where it blossom-
ed prettily in February, 1879, and caused quite
a sensation in botanical and scientific circles.
Hundreds of visitors came specially to see it.
In April we planted it in a shady rockery out of
doors, leaving it there unmolested till Novem-
ber, when we lifted and repotted it, and again
wintered it in the greenhouse. As it had nearly
completed growth before being planted out of
doors, it did not grow much during the summer,
but it plumped up considerably and appeared
quite cosy and at home. In September I ob-
served it had formed seven solid somewhat oval
crowns, closely embedded, as it were, in the neck
of the plant. These were flower buds, but to
the casual observer would likely appear like
growth-crowns. They did not emerge from
their beds till early in February when they
arose slowly, perfected and expanded. The

flowers opened on stalks an inch long, but these
stalks lengthened with age to three and four
inches ; and when the plant was in full blossom
it looked a little way ofl", like a primrose. The
blossoms which are solitary, in mid-day per-
fection measure 1| inches across, and last in
good condition some two weeks or more. It
has not ripened seed with us because the pistils
mature before the stamens, and we would re-
quire to have two or more plants in blossom,
having a few days difference in their stage of
advancement in order to secure fertilization.
Our plant has five leaves measuring from 3
to 44 inches long, that is (taking one 4i inches),
leaf-stalk 2i inches., blade 2 inches by 1| inches
wide ; besides these there is a dense rosette of
much smaller leaves. The color of the old
leaves is a glossy bronze green, but of the j'oung
ones a bright polished green.

Last year I referred to the Shortia as " a
sweet little plant, not showy by any means, but
a welcome garden alpine," but this year on ac-
count of its increased vigor and floral superiority
over last year, I pronounce it a charming little
beauty. Of course I cannot say it is a hardy
plant, because I have not proved it to be so,
nevertheless I feel assured it is as hardy as
Galax aphylla, its companion at home, and
which is hardy here.

EDITORIAL NOTES

The Missouri Botanic Garden. — Recently
we had to note that as a whole, the number of
species cultivated in Cambridge, entitled it to
the distinction of being the best botanic garden ;
that is to say, the best as regards the number of
species grown. If we are to regard the beauty
of the grounds in connection with botanical cul-
ture, then the Missouri gardens are much the
best. We refer to this matter again, as we no-
tice the subject is occupying much attention in
Europe. Mr. Shaw's Missouri Botanic Garden,
is wholly the work of one man, still living, and
could hardly expect to be in competition with
an old one, and one which is such a centre of
botanical correspondence as that one at Cam-
bridge is. Still it is a magnificent piece of
work for even one man to boast of, and Mr.
Shaw may well be proud of its eminence. Even
in its botanical treasures it will compare with
Cambridge. Its collections of Oaks and Cactuses
are much superior to the Cambridge coUec-

1880.

AND HORTICULTURIST.

151

tions, and it is likely that some of the tropical
collections are also superior. Of Palms alone,
there are sixty species in the Missouri Gardens,
with nearly a hundred of large growing tropical
plants that are rarely seen in any collections.

If we are then to decide this question, it must
only be by defining what we have to decide. If
a mere botanical garden as such is generally
understood, then Cambridge is our decision
already stated, — but if horticultural and land-
scape gardening features be, — and we really
think they ought to be combined with a collec-
tion of plants of botanical interest, then the
Missouri Gardens would be regarded as a better
botanic garden than Cambridge.

Premium to Mr. Darwin. — The Academy
of Sciences of Turin, has awarded Mr. Darwin
a premium of about $2,500 for his discoveries
in botanical science. Mr. Darwin will appreci-
ate it the more as coming from that part of the
world. The North of Europe has generally
shown the most appreciation of scientific pro-
gress.

N'ew or Rare Xative Plants. — Young
botanists may be in hope of finding new plants,
or new stations for old ones, even in much ex-
plored locations. Dr. Gattinger, of Nashville,
has recently found near Nashville, Leaven-
worthia stylosa, new, — and Leaven worthia toru-
losa, only found before in the barrens of Ken-
tucky. As to the old and new locations, a
distinguished botanist recently said to the writer
that he believed he could yet find more new
species in New England than in Colorado.

Pronunciation of Botanical Names. —
L., Baltimore, Md: "How should Deutzia be
pronounced? "We have always said it as if
written Dootzia, but our German gardener in-
sists that it is a German name and should be
pronounced Doytzia?

[You are right; the gardener is wrong. It is
not a German but a Latin name. It makes no
difference whether the name is derived from the
"Rooshun or the Prooshun," when it becomes
Latin it follows Latin rules. The rule is that
every vowel is sounded in a distinct syallable.
In this case Deutzia is really De-ootz-i-a; as a
whole the first syllable would be indistinct, and
the pronunciation sound as "Dootzia." Jones,
in English, is but of one syllable ; but when in a
Latin nominative for a plant it would sound
Jo-nees-i-a. — Ed. G. M.]

English Names. — A nurseryman recently
showed us an order he had received for a plant
of " the great flowered and panicle producing
Hortensia." The writer was evidently much
opposed to hard latin names, and was badly put
about to find a soft and easy one.

The Waratah. — While we in America
sing the praises of our native Rhododendrons,
the Australians glory in the "Waratah, which
with the immense heads of flow«ers certainly
makes no mean rival to the Rhododendron. A
new species has been discovered there and
named by Baron "Von Mueller, Telopea orcades.

The "Whistling Tree. — Colonies and India,
says this is Acacia fistula. It appears an in-
sect bores the stems in such a peculiar manner,
that when the wind blows, the tree whistles.
. The Maiden Hair Tree. — The botanists
have determined under the laws of the science,
that we must drop Salisburia adiantifolia, and
say Ginko biloba when we refer to the Maiden
Hair tree.

Science in Australia. — The Linnaen So-
ciety of New South "Wales, has taken steps to
advance the study of biological science, by af-
fording special opportunities for the investiga^
tions of the Botany and Zoology of Australia.
A "station" is to be established near Baron
Maclay's Museum near Sydney, which is to be
" open to all students of the male sex."

Australian Botany.— Mr. R. Fitzgerald,
the Deputy Surveyor-General of New South
"Wales, has issued another part of his admirable
work on Australian Orchids. " This " says a cor-
respondent " is the fifth decade of an opus in large
folio size with colored plates drawn from living
specimens, and illustrative of a charming tribe
of our vegetation. The work is evidently in-
tended to embrace in course of time all the or-
chideous plants of Australia, and will greatly
facilitate the recognition of many of these lovely

species."

«••►

SCRAPS AND QUERIES.

Foliation and Heat. — E. F. H., "West
Plains, Mo., writes: "In the March number of
the Monthly, pp. 87, in answer to ' Inquirer,'
Burlington Kansas, you say: ' So far as known,
the buds of plants burst into leaf solely from the
action of heat on the buds, and the temperature
of the earth has nothing whatever to do with
the act of foliation. Is this so, with regard to
the flowering of our fruit trees ? "Will not root

152

THE GARDENER'S MONTHLY

[May,

action, by feeding the bud cause tlie bud to grow
and burst into flower independent of the tempe-
rature of the atmosphere, if the earth is suffi-
ciently warm. If not, why mulch our trees to
keep from early bloom. I have peach trees
mulched and unmulched standing side by side ;
the unmulched are now (March 8,) in bloom,
while the mulched show little indications of
bloom for many days yet."

[We are gl^d to get letters like this. Such
letters show an investigating spirit, which it
would profit intelligent horticulture did it pre-
vail more extensively. 2!^o practical gardener
would doubt the proposition as presented to "In-
quirer," nor do we suppose any teacher of vege-
table physiology would question it. For those
who have not been in either school it may be
useful among many similar observations that
might be quoted, to say that it is no unusual
thing for gardeners in forcing grape vines, to
have a branch of a grape vine run out from a
house that is being forced, to one that is cold —
that is from a forcing grapery to a cold grapery.
The branch in the cold house will remain wholly
dormant, while the one in the heat is in leaf and
flower, and advancing on towards a fruiting
state. Again cases are by no means uncommon
where grape houses have the roots out of doors
and the branches inside. The temperature of
the earth may not be much above the freezing
point, but the vines go on to leaf, and fruit just
as well when the proper heat is applied to the
branches as when the ground containing the
roots is exposed to summer heat. Indeed the
writer of this once knew of an outside grape
border, which was very narrow, perhaps not four
feet wide, and about two or three feet above the
surrounding level. The grape stems were drawn
through a hole in a sixteen-inch stone wall to
the house inside. There is every reason to be-
lieve that in that severe winter the ground in
that border was frozen two or three feet thick, —
but the grape vine pushed into leaf and flower
on the application of heat with the most perfect
indifference to the frozen roots, so far as any hu-
man eye could see. This is among the numer-
ous evidences that the practical gardener might
adduce.

The physiologist also has his separate field of
reasoning. He sees a willow log, or for that
matter many other kinds of log, cut off", lying
on the bare ground, without any roots, and yet
push buds into leaf, and grow when the warm
weather comes, without any roots at all !

Then there are many facts which might be
drawn from meteorological observations, which
prove the same. For instance the past winter
in Pennsylvania. There it has been one of the
mildest winters, in a certain sense, on record.
The earth has not been frozen much over an inch
deep all winter ; while as a general thing it is
frozen from one to two feet the whole winter.
Tree roots, instead of being for four months sub-
jected to a temperature below th^ freezing
point, have probably been favored with a tem-
perature of 40^^ or 45°. Yet usually the wil-
low trees before our window, as we write are
quite green by the 21st of March, but on the
20th of the month are quite brown, — and no
other trees have buds forwarder than they usu-
ally have, and the reason is that though the win-
ter atmospheric temperature has not been low,
neither has it been high. We have had scarcely
any warm days. Indeed the atmosphere all win-
ter has been decidedly cool if not frosty. In
snort it is the atmosphere and not the soil that
causes the development of the leaf.

Now as all this must be true, we come to our
correspondent's special case. There is no doubt
of his facts, for it is a matter of common obser-
vation, that an orchard in grass does not bloom
so early by a few days as one on cleared ground.
But we never heard before that it was because
the " ground was warmer," but because the air
was cooler. Just as we find a nice grassy field
a much pleasauter place to walk over on a hot
day than on a dry grassless road. The grass
keeps the atmosphere cool as well as the earth.

It is quite likely if our correspondent would
place a thermometer six inches or a foot under
ground where the bulk of the roots are, in the
mulched and the unmulched cases, he would
find the thermometer much the same in both in-
stances,— on the other hand if he place a thermo-
meter on the trunks of trees "in grass" and
trees in "cultivated" ground, and keep the re-
cord by a registering thermometer, he will find
the atmospheric heat favor the clear ground
trees.

The mere scientific or old-fashioned practical
man may think we occupy too much space in
"telling nothing new," but the inquiry of our
correspondent, as well as of "Inquirer" in the
first instance, shows that some of these things
have to be gone over again and again, — and in
this case, besides the strict scientific value of the
question it is one of great practical importance.
Ed. G. M.]

1880.]

AND HORTICULTURIST.

153

Literature, Travels \ Personal Notes.

COMMUNICA TIONS.

NOTES AND QUERIES-No. 12.

BY JACQUES.

Books and Flowers. — I can tolerate life said a
would-be philosopher, if I have abundance of
books and flowers, and he was not far wrong.
Somebody makes the following verse :

" The hunter a fawn to Diana will slay ;

The maiden, with roses will cast to the hours, —
But the wise man will ask ere oblation he pay

For a house full of books, and a garden of flowers."

But the " envoi" of the writer in the Interna-
tional Review is this :

" Gods, give or withhold it ! Your yea and your ' nay,'

Are implacable, scornful murmurs of ours,
What is life ? 'tis not here you can bribe me to stay
For a house full of books, and a garden of flowers. '

Gardening in its higher sense, is both an art
and a science. It has arrived at this estate by
gradation, — slow compared with the develop-
ment of many other pursuits ; but that is conse-
quent upon the complex nature of its parts.
The development of a knowledge of geology,
chemistry, meteorology, vegetable physiology,
and botany — indeed something from all human
learning has gone to perfect the science of Ag-
riculture and Horticulture, — pursuits afi'ording as
wide a range of research in their ramifications
as any topic occuping the mind of man, and as
important in their results as any occupation of
man. Gardening, which is agriculture upon cir-
cumscribed spaces, has ever shared with the lat-
ter the esteem of mankind. Socrates said, "It
is the source of health, strength, plenty, riches,
and honest pleasure." And an eminent English
writer said, " It is amid its scenes and pursuits
that life flows pure, the heart more calmly
beats." — Burnett Landreth on Military Post Gar-
dens.

The development of field and garden culture to
its present condition, is the result of the union
of theory and practice. The greatest expansion
has been in a chemical and physiological point
of view, and this development, strange as it may
seem, dates back not farther than forty years. —
Ihid.

To Notes and Queries, as well as to the editor
of the Monthly, whose strictures are neverthe-
less deserving of attention, I beg to say that

after careful examination, the best Cedar of
Lebanon at Laurel Hill Cemetery is not yet cut
down; only the second best of the three has
been ruthlessly destroyed by ignorance and folly
combined. The larger and cone-bearing, was a
week ago erect and glorious, but from the same
causes may soon be no more. The owner of the
lot in which stood the doomed tree, no doubt
feels the rebuke ; he had no other right to be re-
membered.

And now ; what a pity that accident some-
times places ignorant men in care of public in-
stitutions. They may ride in their own carri-
ages, with horses fed perhaps on the profits of
quackery, but are too ignorant to be en-
trusted with ornamental places ; they may shoot
wild geese — arcades ambo, — and turn out gui-
nea fowls to be again wild for sportsmen's folly
to be amused at ; but they should be contented
with their idleness and preposterous assumption.
How diflferently Kew Garden is managed •, and
just here let me read aloud to all Park Commis-
sioners, whose law may be good but their prac-
tice abominable. Planters of cemeteries and
parks should have the enlarged ideas dominant
at Kew, where the study is to promote rational
recreation and the improvement of taste, from
the familiarity with exquisite forms and combi-
nation of coloring, aided by the attendant preva-
lence of order in every department. Both these
public institutions should afibrd opportunities
for culture by examples of all kinds of beauty.
That they do not do this is somebody's unpar-
donable fault. After ten or more years of bad
government, Fairmount Park is found to be
overrun with poison vines !

Planting a Tree. — A beautiful custom, not
too frequently followed, is the placing of a tree
for a friend in his own grounds. Queen Victo-
ria does this in memory of her visit, and her
loyal subjects point it out as one of their preci-
ous possessions ; visitors pluck a leaf, press and
preserve it. We once knew a pair of old ladies,
whose botanical nomenclature was peculiar and
attractive. All their plants and trees possessed
a value to them as gifts from friends. Mrs. —
or Mr. — had presented this and that. A gen-
tleman of our acquaintance, much inclined to
visitations when in England, is accustomed to
ask the privilege of planting a Cedar of Leba-

154

TEE GARDENER'S MONTHLY

[May,

non in the grounds of his hosts. Mr. Penn, the
great grandson of the Founder of Pennsylvania
left such a tree of his own importation in the
garden of a personal friend in Germantown,
where he had passed much of his time during
his long visits to us, and it flourishes much.
There is no better commemorative act of friend-
ly companionship. The tree is a perpetual and
growing evidence of regard, to be passed down
to posterity, when— it may be— traces of giver
and receiver are nearly lost. The memory of a
friendly visit may be preserved even in a more
simple manner by the planting of a favorite en-
during bulb or flower.

Vegetation and Electricity .—It may be that
electricity is to play a great game in cultiva-
tion. So far, it is ascertained by experiments
that the influence of electricity is probably
modified by the species, by climate, season,
temperature, dry or wet weather, and degree
of light ; possibly, also by the geological and
mineralogical nature of the ground; any con-
clusion is yet premature.

Common Sense, says Prof. Huxley, "is science,
exactly so far as it fulfils the ideal of common
sense ; that is, sees facts as they are, or at any
rate without the distortion of prejudice, and rea-
sons from them in accordance with the dictates
of sound judgment. And science is simply com-
mon sense at its best, that is, rigidly accurate in
observation, and merciless to fallacy in logic."

About one quarter of the French wine-growing
districts are now destroyed, and it seems hope-
less to arrest the progress of the plague. Prof.
Raynal, of Poitiers proposes, as a last remedy,
the radical destruction of vineyards situated at
the boundary of the infected districts, and the
establishment of a neutral zone.

Terrapi7is.— Good, and the best things some
times run the risk of being all eaten up,— the sup-
ply scarcely meets the demand. Such an article is
the delicious terrapin, now so high priced as to
be deniable to the masses. Baltimore has a
terrapin reputation; one man collects them
from every source and keeps them for sale by
thousands. They survive a winter without food,
but gradually starve if not fed ; the weight di-
minishes, as they feed on their own fat. They
are now brought from California even , those from
Visalia and the Sacramento, the first especially
being much sought after. The coasts and bays
of the Carolinas are now nearly exhausted.
Who will be first to cultivate the terrapin?
Some of the above comes through an American

scientific journal, but what has it to do in the
Gardener's Monthly ? Much. It is one ob-
ject of Notes and Queries to show that the
means of livelihood are most extensive ; that
the. country is so extensive as to make any valu-
able production, properly introduced, lead to for-
tune. Very lately the terrapin, like the salmon
is canned and sent everywhere. Later, and as
it were to-day turtle soup finds a demand; this,
as in the case of the whale and the terrapin is
likely ere long to exhaust the world's stock of
those esteemed animals. Already the terrapin is
more than quadrupled in price ; the whale is be-
coming extinct, and the turtle is rising to a fab-
bulous price. It is not likely that the world can
cultivate the whale, but it is believed the other
two are capable of indefinite extension. Who
would have believed a few years ago that os-
trich farming would be made into a profitable
business ; or that by freezing, the hotels can
have a superior turkey every day in the year,
and the housekeeper the same luxury in perfec-
tion from a tin can ? Gardeners, look about
you — this market scarcely supplies a good quart
of plums, while in Rochester, where the proper
care is taken, they are plentiful. This is but
one example.

Explorers for new plants have been immensely
aided by steam transportation. The writer was
once going the rounds of Kew Gardens with Sir
William Hooker, when the latter introduced Sir
Samuel Cunard as his great friend who brought
plants to Kew from all regions without charge.
IN'ow we probably have a new region for novel-
ties in Stanley's Africa. Sir William Hooker
was a Scotsman, tall, lithe in manner' with
scarcely a trace of his native accent. He spoke
of our Osage Oranges, and said he had just re-
ceived a semi-comic message from the Queen,
requesting no more such fruit should be sent to
her table. Altogether this grand director of
Kew was a most interesting]: and loveable man.

EDITORIAL NOTES.

Gardeners and Situations. — Never for
many years have we had so many gardeners ap-
plying to get situations. The country is over-
run with them, and not one in a dozen will find
anything to suit him. They are mostly new-
comers into the country, and they seem disap-
pointed and declare that America is no place
for gardeners. In some respects this is true,
and again it is not true. Gardening itself has

1880.]

AND HORTICULTURIST.

155

changed in some respects since first-class gar-
deners were in great demand. Tiiere was a
time wlien choice fruits, vegetables and flowers
were great luxuries. Only the wealthiest could
command them. And the wealthy were willing
to pay well for that intelligence which only
could raise them successfully by artificial means.
Since the age of steam the whole world is within
a few days of anybody's feet, and in the depth
of snow and ice the fruits and vegetables of the
tropics are cheaply at command. It is true that
these cannot be brought from distant places
quite as nice and as good as a first-class gardener
could make them. There are some who still
will have the best, but the facts we have stated
have cut down immensely the "great places."
Another difficulty has been that as good places
grew scarcer, it became harder for good garden-
ers to find them. Employers not well able to
distinguish between the good or the bad, or "ex-
perts " not being able to lay their hands on them
just as needed, poor fellows get into the good
places and disgust employers. ISTot long since,
we saw a "Tomato-house" for forcing. The
winter expense could have been hardly less than
$150, and three poor little plum-like fruits were
all so far up to the middle of January. There
are many other influences which we have not
space to enumerate, which keep down the de-
mand for the best educated class of gardeners.

On the other hand, there is an immense field
for highly intelligent landscape gardeners and
florists. There is scarcely a large town in the
country where there is not at the present time
an opening for a good man of this class. At the
present time " florists" with little greenhouses
may be found almost everywhere ; but large
numbers of them are dirty, ignorant fellows,
who have no possible influence on the commu-
nity, yet they manage to " get on," and in many
cases get rich. Very few take a gardening pa-
per, or indeed a paper of any kind, and know
absolutely nothing of anything under the sun
than to potter among the filth of a few slimy
flower-pots, in a "greenhouse" which a respect-
able pig would grumble at. We have noted for
some time past that wherever the intelligent
gardener goes he is welcomed. There is a uni-
versal want to know about gardens and plant-
houses and trees, and fruits and flowers. There
are few gardening examples in our country.
The florist must make his own customers. The
people are willing to be educated, and to pay
for the education. The crardener who knows all

about trees and flowers, — who understands the
principles of landscape beauty, and how to ap-
ply them cheaply and effectively to small places
as well as large ones, — who has good command
of the pen, the pencil and the tongue, — who
knows enough of natural history and branches
of science connected with gardening to make his
company pleasant, and who to these accomplish-
ments has fair business ability, and who has, say
four or five hundred dollars to sustain himself
with until he becomes known, will find an
" opening" waiting for him in hundreds of towns
in our country.

In brief, for combined intelligence and busi-
ness ability, there were never better opportuni-
ties for success in the gardening world than now.
For intelligent gardening without business
ability,— and for the mere average " gardener"
we fear the demand is not equal to the supply.

Floricultural Missionaries.— It is sur-
prising that those who love flowers and garden-
ing, and know how much their own pleasure is
advanced by having nice gardens and flower
culture everywhere about them, do no more
than they often do to increase a love for flower
culture in their neighbors. Now and then
some one sees the point and tries. Before us is
a series of letters in the Melrose Journal^ by our
esteemed correspondent Mrs. Edson. She tells
the Melrose people that it is not to their credit
that they have not the weakest pretension to
any public garden ; and suggests that an associa-
tion for the cultivation of aesthetic taste would
be of as much use to the town as "jubilee con-
certs," and various " unholy " devices for amus-
ing the people. She would also have tree-plant-
ing associations, and says: " My idea is for the
town to pass a law authorizing the association
to select and plant suitable trees,— and see them
properly cared for,— in all our streets where
there are not enough already, the abuttors to
pay the cost of the same. Perhaps there is
some better way. I merely offer this as a pass-
ing suggestion."

She closes her admirable remarks by the fol-
lowing piece of " gospel" truth : " Coming now
to the practical value of all ornamental planting
and garden decoration, real estate dealers (and
they will not, I think, be accused of being sen-
timentalists), will tell you that there is no bet-
ter way of improving the value and saleability of
property, than the tasteful laying out of the
grounds belonging to it; a house, be it ever so
grand and imposing in architectural design, with

156

THE GARDENER'S MONTHLY

[May,

as many towers and gables as there are stars in
the skies, is at best but a lonesome, desolate-
looking place, without trees and shrubs and
clinging vines to make it look cheery and habit-
able. There has developed of late years, a pas-
sion for lawns; and a well kept lawn is a very
pretty thing, though getting a trifle monotonous
when duplicated a hundred or more times, even
to the inevitable and omnipresent bed of Gera-
niums, which some writer has wittily denomi-
nated the ' scarlet fever.' "

Evolution and Creation. — By George C.
Swallow, Professor of Natural History in the
University of Missouri.

Works of the character of this little pamphlet
seem to crowd our table. This, coming from a
distinguished Professor of Natural History, de-
mands attention from the Natural History de-
partment of a work like ours. With the latter
part of the title we have nothing to do. As was
stated in the review of Mr. O'Neill's " Refuta-
tion of Darwinism," science commences at the
very opposite end of the line from revelation, —
one coming down, the other going up, — and
have no relation with each other that we
can see until it may be that they some day
meet. At present science has not advanced
far. What we do not know of nature probably
far outweighs what we do know; and, instead
of science being a certainty, it is no uncommon
thing to find what was supposed to be " science "
yesterday, is not science to day. With this fact
before us it seems strange to find one of Prof.
Swallow's eminence talking of the conflict be-
tween science and revelation, however excused
may be those who, outside of science, choose to
consider there is fair ground for argument.
Revelation is understood to be a positive fact,
admitting of no question; science admits that
its work is still going on, and that it is far — very
far — from having reached its end. And we
do not think Prof. Swallow states the ques-
tion as the evolutionist would himself put it.
" The real question at issue is * * whether
all plants * * have been produced * with-
out supernatural power? Whence came the
first plant?"

So far as we know evolutionists ask no such
question, or if they do it is simply as one which
they may request their opponents to answer.
They content themselves with looking at exist-
ing facts. They show that new forms are con-
tinually coming into existence, and that these
new forms spring from parent forms as truly as

that new substances proceed from old sub-
stances. They show for instance, that a great
number of plants exist with all the distinctive
characters of species, and which would be re-
garded as distinct species, only that it happens
to be within human knowledge that they had
other distinct forms for their parents. Whether
the laws which produce these new forms are
natural or supernatural may be a theological
question, and one which each person may want
to settle according to his own theological pro-
clivities ; but it seems scarcely fair to assume
that this is "the real question at issue" with
those who are trying to find a law in nature for
the succession of forms, as well as for a succes-
sion of individuals.

As to the manner in which the succession of
forms arise there may be ground for a difference
of opinion. Mr. Darwin's idea of natural selec-
tion implies a slow modification, through long
ages, and a dropping out of weak forms ; and it
is chiefly to this that Prof. Swallow pays his re-
spects, but there are other evolutionists who be-
lieve in rhythmic waves of growth in individual
plants, and rhythmic waves of growth in the
evolution of form — periodic seasons of rest, and
periodic activities, — but Prof. Swallow does not
venture at all on this ground. In other words
his work is not quite up to the times.

Natural Science and Religion. — By
Prof. Asa Gray, New York: Charles Scrib-
ners' Sons. — These are two lectures recently
delivered before the Yale Theological School,
and now issued in book form. Our interest in
the work from a horticultural point of view
is chiefly derived from a statement made in
a recent lecture by the Rev. Joseph Cook,
given in Boston on — so the authorized version
says: — "February 30th," — a day, which, by
the way, rarely occurs in other parts of the
world. Dr. Cook says: "There are essential
parts of Darwinism which are being silently
modified or abandoned. Virchow, of Berlin ;
Allman, of the British Association; Dana, of
New Haven ; Wallace, of England ; and Gray,
of Harvard University, have all criticised Dar-
win in such a way that the right hand of that
system of thought, or the doctrine that natural
selection is an adequate cause of the origin of
species is now a very limp and lame, I had
almost said wholly severed member." As quo-
tations are made from these lectures of Dr.
Gray, we were anxious to see how Dr. Gray
was silently modifying or mutilating his well

1880.

AND HORTICULTURIST.

157

known Darwinism. We have read the work
carefully through, but have been unable to find
what Mr. Cook found ; and we are rather in-
clined to believe it is Mr. Cook that is silently
finding that he never had any thing serious to
fight, than that Dr. Gray has abandoned the
contest.

In the first place it must be remembered that
Mr. Darwin has never ventured to propose any
theory of life. He finds life in the world in
various forms, and he finds these forms pos-
sess an innate tendency to vary. He conceives
this tendency to be influenced by good to the
individual, and therefore that the variations will
be likely to follow those conditions most favor-
able to individual development. IS'ow, the great
question is, how do those assemblages of indi-
viduals which we know as species originate ?
There are groups of plants comprising individu-
als, so nearly like each other, that even a child
would say they were " all of one sort, only a
little different." The botanist groups these
together. As soon as he finds some not quite
like the others in essential particulars he stops.
Sometimes he finds scores of these close resem-
blances,— sometimes only a few, — but there is
generally a line where he feels he may stop.
He calls them species. There is nothing cer-
tain or definite about the dividing lines. At
one time he finds the species grouped together
go on in regular order, as 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9,
10, 11, 12. At other times there are breaks in
the apparent close connection, as 1, 2, 4, 6, 8, 9,
10, 12. What is more natural than to suppose
that close relationships were once the rule,
and that the regularity has been broken up by
unfavorable circumstances? In looking into
nature, Mr. Darwin found that this is actually
the case. There is a continual struggle for life,
and only those most fit to contend with the cir-
cumstances survive. It is only the diversity
that makes what man calls species. It is this
dropping out of an occasional connecting link
that makes the diversity, — in other words, that
makes species, — and to show how this dropping
out occurs under a continual innate power of
varying, is the theory of Mr. Darwin, under the
name of " natural selection." Some objection
has been made to the theory that natural selec-
tion might vary, but not create form ; but this ob-
jection could not come from a morphologist who
has not yet been able to go to the bottom of
form. New forms in the individual plants are
known to grow out others. The seed vessel

grew out of leaves. It can be no worse in any
law bearing on the origin of species.

Once in a while, as new facts appear, investi-
gators like Gray, Darwin, and others, will natu-
rally make suggestions, or advance hypothe-
ses which may not accord with their own
generalizations. To use a common, but not
very elegant phrase, they for the moment " slop
over." We believe this has often been the
case in the discussion of incidental matters
which the undoubted truths of Darwinism have
led the world to examine. The writer of this
has now and then found himself in antagonism
to other students of nature in these side issues.
But it will not be fair on this account to say of
such issues that they evidence an abandonment
of Darwinism, and we are quite sure no one
who reads this little book without prejudice will
believe that Dr. Gray is one bit less a Darwin-
ian than he ever was.

Forty Years of Pear Growing ; tell-
ing HOW TO AVOID THE BlIGHT AND INSURE

Good Crops, by Wm. Parry. — We have read
this pamphlet by Mr. Parry with a great deal of
interest, but we must confess that the question
how to avoid the blight, (fire blight) is not an-
swered satisfactorily to our mind. Mr. Parry's
answer is to plant the Sand Pear and its hybrids.
They will not blight it is said. How do we
know they will not? The only answer is that
Mr. Kieffer has had the tree a great number of
years on his grounds, and it was never blighted.
But Mr. Kieffer has others of the common kinds
of Pears, and they have never blighted. Indeed
the old-fashioned kinds of Pear rarely blight in
the north of Philadelphia.

Mr. Parry's essay reads as if there were no
hope for the Pear, that it must go, and these
new Chinese hybrids all that is left to replace
them. But it is a fact that in many districts
the fire blight has never been known, — while
others that have been badly infected are now
wholly free. We know of one orchard that fif-
teen years ago came near being totally des-
troyed ; but the affected branches were cut away,
new ones sprouted out, the orchard has never
had a sign of it since, and there are Pears by
the wagon load. Much as we value the new hy-
brids, we can by no means go the length of pro-
nouncing them blight proof, — or of believing
that the old class of Pears are in the slightest
danger of being exterminated.

Sheldon's Dairy Farming, Part 8, Cassel
Petter & Galpin, New York. This part is

r)^

THE GARDENER'S MONTHLY

[May,

mainly devoted to forage plants ; and has the
popular farm grasses for its lithographic plate.

Diary of a Bird, by H. D. Minot, Boston;
A. Williams & Co. — A pleasant little tract cal-
culated especially to interest the young.

Success with Small Fruits. — We are glad
to know that the beautiful and useful chapters
of Mr. Roe, in Scribner''s Monthly are to be en-
larged and issued shortly in book form.

Fruit Grower's Friend. — By R. H. Haines.
This pamphlet gives brief but very full notes on
most branches of fruit culture, and will be a
very useful guide to beginners.

Commercial Relations with Canada. —
Letter to George Brown, Esq., of Toronto, by
Wharton Barker of Philadelphia. This tract
enters on a discussion of the commercial rela-
tions between Canada, and the United States.
It shows that the influence of the protective
tariff on the general prosperity of the United
States has been so marked, that no political
party will materially disturb that policy for
many long years to come; that the people of
the United States would be perfectly willing to
have free trade with Canada, provided European
goods were not introduced under such laws over
the Canadian borders; and that finally the only
course for Canadian prosperity is to adopt the
United States tariff as its own, — the United
States being in such case no doubt willing to
modify its tariff somewhat to meet Canadian in-
terests. The Canadian seaboard would then be
the only custom-house line, and the United
States and Canada boundaries would be free.

While this suggestion would undoubtedly
make Canadian prosperity advance with a bound,
Canadians would probably rather remain in their
present far-lag-away condition, than offend the
mother country by having a tariff against it in-
stead of the United States. Still Mr. Barker's
pamphlet will no doubt be welcome to reflective
minds.

Accurate Catalogues. — It is a great pleas-
ure to note the accuracy with which the very
full and elaborate American catalogues are got-
ten up. Here, before us, are some from Miller
& Yates, Hoopes Bro. & Thomas, Parsons'
Sons & Co., Woolson& Co.,Ellwanger& Barry,
and some others not immediately before us as
we write, that will defy the criticism of either
botanist or proof-reader. It is highly creditable
to the commercial classes of our country to be
able to record these facts.

Post Gardening. — By Burnett Landreth. —
The United Service Review for March, has an
excellent chapter by Mr. Landreth, on the im-
portance of establishing gardens in connection
with military posts or garrisons on the frontiers.
The article is not only interesting from a purely
practical point of view, but is very pleasant
reading to those who love to see highly intel-
lectual and scholastic acquirements in horticul-
tural writings.

John Dick, Jr. — There are few better known
firms than that of John Dick, nurseryman,
florist, and seed grower. Like so many of the
older race about Philadelphia, Mr. D. begins to
feel that he cannot do business for ever, and it
is announced has parted with his fiorist business
to his son J. D., Jr., whom we have reason to
believe will continue the business as success-
fully as his father has done. He has the good
wishes of a large circle of friends.

Robert Fortune. — We recently took occa-
sion to refer to the brilliant but almost unre-
quited services of Mr. Fortune, who, as our
readers know, is one of that highly intelligent
class of gardeners which has done so much to
bring honor to the whole profession. We are
sorry now to have to say who was, instead of
who is, for the telegraph brings news of his
decease at the age of 67. Selecting horticulture
as his occupation, at an early age, he obtained
employment in the Botanical Gardens of the
Scottish capitol. Having in that position made
the most of the opportunities afforded for ac-
quiring knowledge, he was promoted to a post
in the Gardens of Chiswick, and in his new
sphere acquitted himself with so much credit
that in 1842, when news of the peace with the
Celestial Empire reached England, the Bo-
tanical Society of London appointed him its
collector of plants in Northern China. Setting
sail in that capacity, Mr. Fortune, besides send-
ing home some of the finest plants that ever
reached that country, became familiar with the
varieties of Chinese life. His adventures by
land and sea were full of romance, and his
"Three Years' Wanderings in China," in 1847,
attracted such attention that its author, whilst
curator of the Physic Garden at Chelesa, was,
in the summer of 1848, intrusted by the East
India Company with a mission to make investi-
gations respecting the tea-plant. After an
absence of more than three years, Mr. Fortune
returned to England, and having published his

1880.]

AND HORTICULTURIST.

159

valuable work, entitled " Two Visits to the Tea
Countries of China," started once more to pur-
sue his adventurous career, and prosecute his
scientific researches. The results of this last
journey are embodied in " Residence Among
the Chinese, Inland, on the Coast, at Sea;
being the third visit, from 1853 to 1867." In
1857 Mr. Fortune was employed by the United
States Patent Office to collect in China, the
seeds of the tea-shrub and other plants, a duty
which occupied him two years, and which he
discharged with considerable success.

Db. Howsley. — A friend writes : " The ve-
nerable Dr. "Wm. M. Howsley, of Leavenworth,
Kansas died at Central City, Nebraska on Mar.
5th, 1880. He was afflicted with Bright's disease
of the kidneys for several years past, which
caused his death while visiting his daughter in
Nebraska. Kansas has lost a useful man. He
was president of the Kansas State Horticultural

Society for four years, and has always been en-
thusiastic in the work and study of horticulture."

I J. W. Manning. — The proprietor of the
Reading (Mass.) nurseries, was born at Bedford,
New Hampshire, in March, 1847, and com-
menced his very successful business where he is
now in 1854. His nurseries have been one of
the cheap sources of supply to the people of
New Hampshire, but the Legislature of New
Hampshire in 1879, enacted a law forbidding the
sale of trees, shrubs or vines not grown in the
State. The people of New Hampshire can how-
ever go to his nurseries and buy, and numbers
no doubt will.

F. Andre Michaux. — A portrait of this dis-
tinguished botanist was recently presented to
the American Philosophical Society. This So-
ciety was founded by Benjamin Franklin, and
recently celebrated its 100th birthday.

Horticultural Societies.

EDITORIAL NOTES.

Pennsylvania Horticultural Society.
— As already noted in our magazine, the Penn-
sylvania Horticultural Society had but a com-
paratively small interest in the niagniticeut
Horticultural Hall of Philadelphia, which was
owned by a stock eonijiany, the Society being
one of the stockholders. It was recently sold
at sheriff's sale, and bought for a little less than
$75,000 by Mr. W. L. Schaffer. Mr. S. bought
it that the Horticultural Society might not be
deprived of its home, and has generously an-
nounced that the Society shall have free use
of it on all occasions.

To mark their appreciation of this generous
act, a series of resolutions, beautifully engross-
ed and elegantly framed, were presented to Mr.
Schaffer on the 9th inist.

Major-General Robert Patterson, now in his
eighty-ninth year, and one of the former presi-
dents, made the presentation speech, comment-
ng on the nauniflcence of Mr. Schaffer, and

the honor the horticulturists of Philadelphia
were conferring on themselves by honoring
such a generous public spirit. Mr. Thomas
Meehan followed in a brief address, alluding to
Mr. Schaffer 's well known unostentatious man-
ner of doing good, and expressing the opinion
that, gratified as every one must be at the gen-
erous deed, and pleased as he was sure Mr. S.
must be at this public acknowledgement there-
of, every one knew that in the pleasure of do-
ing the good act he felt an ample reward.

Mr. A. W. Harrison handed the testimonial,
which is incased in a handsome walnut frame,
is signed by Messrs. Robert Buist and Samuel
W. Noble, Vice-Presidents ; Caleb Cope, Rob-
ert Patterson and J. E. Mitchell, ex-Presidents;
Thomas Meehan, Corresponding Secretary;
Thomas P. James, Professor of Botany ; A. W.
Harrison, Recording Secretary and Treasurer;
James C. Booth, Professor of Horticultural
Chemistry ; J. J. Rath von, Professor of Ento-
mology, and by the chairmen of all the differ-
ent committees for 1880. It expresses the grate-

160

THE GARDENER'S MONTHL T.

[May.

fill acknowledgement by the Society of Mr.
Schaffer's kindness, tlie high regard enter-
tained for him personally, and its appreciation
of the admirable manner in which for years he
has presided over its affairs.

This Society has resumed its old plan
of monthly meetings. The March meeting
was a great success. The meetings in future
will be held March, April, May, October and
November. The novelties of the day will thus
have a chance to be made known.

The following is the report of Floral Com-
mittee for March : " Your committee on plants
and flowers respectfully report that upon this,
the first occasion of a revival, after many years,
of the former custom of monthly displays, a
very attractive and instructive exhibit was
made by .some of our leading florists, who have
thus testified their devotion to the interests of
the Society by contributing without expecta-
tion of reward, no premiums being offered on
this occasion.

"Mr. Buist presented a fine collection of named
Coleus and thirteen varieties of his own seed-
lings of 1880 ; also Cyclamens of great variety
and beauty ; Cineraria giganteum of very large
and abundant bloom ; Azaleas and other plants,
all of high quality.

" From Henry A. Dreer came a collection of
his Hybrid Seedling Coleus of the most varied
and brilliant hues, and containing many sin-
gular and graceful forms of foliation, an exhibit
unsurpassed in the history of the Society.
Hugh Graham & Co. contributed a collection
of decorative plants of much beauty and in
fine condition. Mr. Robert Scott made a wel-
come disjjlay of Azaleas, of rich and abundant
bloom and pleasing variety of color. Mr. John
Bell brought an assortment of cut flowers of
hardy and cold frame plants, which proved
very attractive to our guests, among them three
varieties of Hellebore and the Mahonia ja-
ponica, whose fragrance rivals that of the rose.
LaRoche & Stahl offered a handsome basket of
graceful proportions and design. A. & J. Ma-
guigan gave variety to the tables by a display
of choice tropical fruit. We congratulate the
Society upon the success of its first revival of
the monthly displays, so popular in former
days.''

The Eighth Cincinnati Industrial Ex-
position.— Remarkably liberal premiums are
offered for horticultural products, and plant
and fruit growers begin to look after this
annual exposition as something worth encour-

aging. It is open this year from September
8th to October 9th.

American Association of Nurserymen.
— The meeting this year will be held on the
16th of June, in Chicago, at the Grand Pacific
Hotel.

The Massachusetts Horticultural So-
ciety.— The schedule of premiums, very lib-
eral, competition open to all the country, can
now be had of Mr. Robert Manning, Boston,
Secretary.

Kansas State Horticultural Society.
— The tenth semi-annual meeting of the Kan-
sas State Hoi'ticultural Society, will be held at
Hutchinson, Reno County, Tuesday, Wednes-
day and Thursday, June 1st, 2d and 3d, 1880, in
response to an earnest invitation from the Reno
County Horticultural Society. "The meeting
will open promptly at 10 o'clock on the morn-
ing of the first day, and all persons interested
in the horticultural welfare of Kansas are in-
vited to be present and assist in making the
exercises interesting and useful.

This being the first meeting of the Society in
the Arkansas valley, the citizens residing in
that section of the State are most earnestly re-
quested to make special efforts for a general
attendance.

The Reno County Horticultural Society and
citizens of Hutchinson, have generously offered
to provide free accommodations for all atten-
dants from abroad, and reduced rates in fare
will probably be granted by the several railway
companies in the State, which rates will be
published in a subsequent notice.

Attendants are requested to bring sijecimens
of all classes of fruits, flowers and vegetables in
season, and wood growths of the different
classes of trees, — fruit and forest ; also of in-
sects found depredating in any manner the
interests of the horticulturists.

"Come to this semi-annual reunion, all ye
who love fruits and flowers, home and beautiful
surroundings, as members of common interest
bent on developing the noble branch of indus-
try, horticulture," — says the secretary.

Tfte New York Horticultural Society.
— This body is meeting with growing success.
It is already attracting attention outside of the
city, and i:)romises to be as famous as the Penn-
sylvania or Massachusetts Society. Many of
New York's leading citizens have become
members, and they are already talking about
"a large hall of their own." The whole coun-
try wishes them the best of success.

THE

GARDENER'S MONTHLY

AND

HORTICULTURIST.

DEVOTED TO HORTICULTURE, ARBORICULTURE AND RURAL AFFAIRS.

Edited by THOMAS MEEHA.N.

^^ol. XXII.

JUNE, 1880.

Number 258

Flower Garden and Pleasure Ground.

SEASONABLE HINTS.

About this season of the year, trees and shrubs
•transplanted in spring will often show si^ns of
weakness. If so a severe pruning will help
them. Sometimes there are hollow spaces
about the roots — places where the soil does not
itouch. In such cases pounding by a heavy ram-
■mer has often been found to do a heap of good.
If the soil be very dry a watering maybe neces-
sary. For this make a basin about the tree so
that the water will be compelled to soak in and
not run away. And all this is true of shrubs
and flowers, hedge plants and vines.

Some trees and flowers will be benefited by
■a mulch to keep the earth cool. The heat of
the climate seldom hurts anything ; it is from
the heats of the ground that so many things
-suff'er. Roses are now pegged over the
ground, instead of being trained to stakes ; and
•they show by the increased flowering, how much
they like the coolness the branches make by
shading the ground. Speaking of roses reminds
us to say that most people now know that the
smore flowers are cut from rose bushes the more
they bloom. They stop blooming when they
have to mature seeds ; and this is true of most
iflowering things.

Flowering shrubs are often "pruned into
•shape" in the winter ; and an ugly thing a

pruned bush becomes. If useless branches are
taken out in the summer time, and the stragg-
lers nipped back, it is wonderful how difl'erent
the result will be.

Many grafted trees throw out suckers from the
stocks, and people wonder why the stem be-
comes diseased and the plants die. Watch for
suckers now and take them ofl' as they appear.
This is very important in the cases of Kilmar-
nock Willow and grafted roses.

No trees, evergreens especially, should be suf-
fered to have grass grow about them for a year
or so after planting. It becomes " rank" in the
deeply loosened soil, abstracts moisture, and
otherwise seriously interferes with the tree.
When the tree gets a fair start, grass does less
injury, and when it becomes a tough sod, and
the tree by its shade, or say by frequent mowing
keeps the grass short, the grass roots do not pene-
trate deep, and the sod is of benefit, by keeping
the surface spongy, and the substratum cool.

Many herbaceous plants, such as Phloxes,
Hollyhocks and similar things, that are scarce
and valued, may be propagated now very easily,
by taking portions of their flowei'-stems before
the flowers open, and inserting them as cuttings
in a half shaded, cool, and not dry situation.
Layering of many things, shrubs, half shrubby
perennials, etc., should be done before the young
wood becomes too hard, if good plants are re-

162

THE GARDENER'S MONTHLY

[June,.

quired the first year. Most plants root more
quickly by having a notch cut in the layered
shoot. Good, rich soil, put just about the layers
is very important. Good soil favors an abun-
dance of roots. One of the greatest mistakes in
gardening is the prevalent notion that plants in
a poor soil have a greater proportion of roots
than in a rich one.

By the modern rage for bedding plants, the
old-fashioned hardy herbaceous plants have been
sent into back corners. At this season there
will be many gay flowers out, and those who
love these things, should note their names as
they see them in their neighbor's grounds, and
get them in season. Too often hardy plant bor-
ders look bad, because of a want of system in
selection. Those which bloom in May should
be put together, and those which flower in June,
and so on. An autumn group of Asters, Soli-
dagos, etc., is a beautiful sight.

COMMUNICA TIONS.

ESSAY ON HORTICULTURAL PROGRESS.

BY PETER HENDERSON.

Read before the New York Horticultural Society March 9, 1880.

(Concluded from page 132.)

It is estimated that there are 500 florist's es-
tablishments within a radius of ten miles of the
City Hall, New York, and that the capital in-
vested in land, structures, and stock is not less
than $8,000,000, the product of which is mainly
for New York City alone, and when we con-
sider that New York contains only about one-
fortieth part of the population of the United
States, and that horticultural taste is certainly
not higher here than the average of the country,
it will be seen that the business of floriculture
alone, without taking into consideration that of
fruit and vegetables is one of imposing dimen-
sions. There is but little doubt that in nearly
all the manual operations necessary in horti-
culture, we are in advance of Europe, and no
better evidence can be had in proof of this as-
sertion than the fact that the cultivator gets
one-third less for his products in the markets of
New York or Philadelphia, than the same pro-
ducts bring in London or Paris, though the
price paid for labor is one-third higher here
than there. Nor does it follow that the cultiva-
tor here works at less profit, for he does not; so
that the only solution of the anomaly is that

our necessities have compelled us to make such-
progress in our operations that our products are
produced with le.«s labor. For instance, when
in London, in 1872, I saw twenty men in one
squad, digging the ground in one of their
market gardens with spades. For the past,
thirty years there is not a market gardener on
Long Island or New Jersey who would allow
his ground to be dug with a spade, even if done-
for nothing, for he knows that the plow and
harrow will pulverize the soil better ; but John
Bull, in the neighborhood of London, at least,,
had not found that out in 1872, and it is no
doubt the tenacious adherence to such primitive
methods that is making Europe in many of the
industries of the day, play second to the United
States. Yet it must be admitted that in some
phases of horticultural progress, we are yet far
behind Europe, particularly in the ornamenta-
tion of our public grounds. We have nothing ta
compare with the Battersea Park, London ; the
Jardin des Plantes, of Paris ; or the Phoenix.
Park, Dublin ; and when comparison is made of
the grounds surrounding the villas in the sub-
urbs of these European cities, with our suburbs
here, the comparison is, if possible, more
against us, for there it is rare to see a neat cot-
tage without a well kept lawn, and good taste
shown in the planting of its flower beds, its well
trimmed fruit trees and neat vegetable grounds..
Here as yet, we have hundreds of expensive
mansions, particularly in the suburbs of New
York, where the so-called garden surroundings
tell all too plainly of the mushroom wealth of
its shoddy owner.

We can excuse the wife of a day laborer
planting her seeds of Morning Glorys or
Lady's Slipper in the potato or corn patch ; but
when the owner of a $10,000 cottage has the
vulgarity to invade his flower beds with beets or
tomatoes, he is carrying his utilitarian prin-
ciples beyond the bounds of ordinary good
taste. But against these instances of coarse
taste, happily getting less each year, we have
hundreds of cases where the decoration of pri-
vate grounds by flower beds, not only shows the
refinement of the owner, but at the same time
gives pleasure to thousands of the people, to
whom the adornments of the parlor are as a
sealed book.

Within the past ten years the style of decora-
tion known as ribbon lines, or massing in
colors, has made great progress, and is well done
in the public parks of Boston, Philadelphia,

1880.

AND HORTICULTURIST.

163

Baltimore, and Albany, and is a never failing
attraction to strangers on a visit to these cities,
and to none more tlian those from New York;
for the feeble attempts at flower decoration
made by our Central Park, or Prospect Park,
Brooklyn, has hardly ever been such as to make
them aware that the thing had been attempted.
But if our commissioners are so far behind
those of our sister cities in making our public
parks attractive, — private enterprise is not.
Lewellyn Park, Orange, N. J., owned by pri-
vate gentlemen, is unequalled in decorative
planting ; and the extensive grounds of Mr,
Hoey, at Long Branch, N. J., Mr. Sargent, of
Fishkill, and Mr. Dinsmore, of Staatsburg, N.
Y., and others less publicly known, are mod-
els of gorgeous beauty during our summer
months, and offset to some extent the in-
efficiency of those in charge of our public parks,
who so poorly appreciate the public wants.

Boston, Philadelphia, Baltimore and Albany,
have not only left us behind in the decoration
of our public parks, but the two former have
advanced far ahead of New York in matters
connected with societies for the advancement of
horticultui-e ; although as I have before stated,
our first New York Horticultural Society was
started in 1818, it can hardly ever be said to
have been a long continued success ; it was for
many years past out of existence, until resur-
rected again as our present Society in 1876.

The Boston Horticultural Society was
started in 1829. Its hall costing about $250,000
was built in 1865. The Society had almost un-
varying success from the start, and particularly
since the erection of the hall in 1865. The
Horticultural Society of Philadelphia was
begun in 1828; its first President was the
well known Horace Binney, and among
the members of the excutive committee in
1829, we find the names of Nicholas Biddle,
Robert Patterson, Caleb Cope, and David S.
Brown, who were at that time the leading citizens
of Philadelphia. Their Horticultural Hall was
completed in 1866, it covers a plot 75x200 feet,
and cost $221,000; as in Boston, the erection
of a building for the special use of the Horticul-
tural Society, gave a great impulse to the work
in Philadelphia. There is no question that the
successful condition so long continued of the
Horticultural Societies of Boston and Philadel-
phia has had much to do in accounting for the
more general taste displayed both in the public
parks and private grounds, in and about both

those cities than at New York. Without some
centering point where new or rare products can
be eJihibited for comparison or competition, no
individual effort by advertising or otherwise,
can bring them before the public. Thus, the
finest or rarest specimens of fruits or flowers
may be hidden for years, or even completely lost
to the community ; or, on the other hand, ar-
ticles without merit may be offered for sale
either through the ignorance or dishonesty of the
sender. This in places where there is a live
horticultural society, can never be done to any
extent, for without the society's stamp of merit,
the sale must ever be limited. Our New York
Society is now in a fair way to emulate Boston
and Philadelphia, and before long, it is to be
hoped, we will be in a condition where our in-
fluence will be so felt, that we no longer will be
ashamed of comparison with these, or with any
other cities in the Union.

HOLLYWOOD PARK.

BY WILLIAM SUTHERLAND, PHILADELPHIA.

(Concluded from page 133.)

I next entered a range of houses, consisting
of a large rotunda-shaped one in the centre, and
two large houses running east and west from it.
The central rotunda contained some magnificent
specimens of Ferns; prominent among them was
a very large plant of Cybotium crinitum, said
to be the largest in America. Arranged be-
tween the ferns were large pans of diff'erent va-
rieties of Selaginella, whose varied forms gave
an indescribable eff'ect to the surroundings.
Here, also, was a gigantic specimen of Pitcher
Plant, Nepenthes Hookerii, with over seventy-
five verj' large pitchers on. In fact, had Mr.
McKay told me there were a hundred, I could
have readily believed him, so truly grand was
the specimen. There were, also, some very fine
plants of Bananas, Bird's Nest Ferns, Gold and
Silver Ferns, and Tree Ferns, nestling among
which was a very fine plant of Elk's Horn Fern,
Platycerium grande, growing on a flat piece of
board without earth of any kind. A very rare,
curious and valuable plant.

The western wing was devoted to the growth
of Orchids ; of these there were a very large col-
lection. Prominent among them was some very
fine specimens of the Holy Spirit plant, Peris-
teria elata in full bloom, with spikes of flowers
three and five feet in height There were also
some very fine plants of ^'Erides, Vanda, and
Dendrobium in bloom ; but of course the late

164

THE GARDENER'S MONTHL V

[June,

winter months are the time to see the Orchids in
their full glory. At this time and in early spring
It is no infrequent thing to have a thousarid Or-
chids in bloom at one time. Most of the plants
that were suspended from the roof were grown
on clay blocks, burnt soft in order to be porous to
the moisture. This not only added to their neat
appearance, but gave no harbor to insects, which
is too often the case with wooden baskets.
There were some twenty-six kinds of Cypripe-
dium, and at least a dozen varieties of Nepen-
thes whose pitchers were very singular and
beautiful. But before I leave the Orchids I
must not forget the Phalsenopsis Schilleriana,
said to be one of the largest specimens in the
world.

The eastern wing is devoted to the growth of
the Cactus, of which there are some nine thou-
sand plants of about five hundred varieties. Any
attempt to enumerate the names would take up
too much of the Monthly's valuable space. It
is suflticient to say that the collection contained
specimens of almost every known kind in the
world, many of which had pet names bestowed
on .them. One prominent and curious specimen
is known as Rip Van Winkle, on account of
being covered witli long white hair. Many of
the plants were in bloom, and the gorgeous tints
of the flowers contrasted strangely with the
ugliness of the stems.

Range number four was originally built at
Paris, and was on exhibition at the World's Fair
at Vienna, in 1870, where Mr. Hoey purchased
it. The building is a very pretty and neat afiair.
some one hundred and fifty to two hundred feet
long, the eastern wing of which is devoted en-
tirely to the growth of Dracsenas, and the west-
ern wing to the cultivation of Crotons, both of
which contain some magnificent plants, whose
various colored foliage would require the brush
of the artist to describe rather than the rambling
pencil of your correspondent.

House number five is known as the Camellia
house, being devoted principally to the cultiva-
tion of this magnificent flower, of which there
are some three hundred and fifty specimens.

We next come to the Rose houses, three in
number, which cover a space nine hundred feet
long and twenty-five feet wide. Part of the
houses are built with sash, but the new range of
them are fixed roofs. The roses are all planted
out in rich and deep beds of soil, and consist
principally of Cornelia Cook, Safrano, Bon Si-
lene, Douglas, Niphetos, Isabella Sprunt and

Marechal Neil. The air seems heavy with their
perfume, and look which way you will the eye
rests on innumerable buds. In the heighth of
their season one thousand to twelve hundred is
their average crop. These are sent to Mr.Hoey's
personal friends, and distributed among the va-
rious hospitals and charitable institutions of
New York and Brooklyn.

Leaving the Rose houses I was next shown
two houses devoted to the cultivation of Smilax ;
and a description of Mr. McKay's system of
growing it may not be out of place. After the
plants are cut down, water is gradually withheld
and the roots allowed to become partially dry,
they are then taken up and potted in six-inch
pots and kept in a dormant state during summer
to be again planted out in the fall of the year.
The beds for their reception are about eight
inches deep, and composed of about equal parts
of fresh loam, decayed cow manure and sand.
After the plants are all set out in this composi-
tion, galvanized wires are stretched over the sur-
face of the ground the width of the beds, and
from these strings are carried to the roof of the
house, the plants being so close to each other as
to present the appearance of one solid mass of
Smilax.

I next entered the Palm house, an iron
structure of three hundred and fifty feet in
length, filled with some of the rarest palms in
the world and the finest specimens in the coun-
try, whose numerous and diversified forms and
colors are beyond description and must be seen
to be appreciated.

All the greenhouses have cement floors, which
give them a very neat and clean appearance.
They require one thousand to twelve hundred
tons of coal annually to heat them.

My attention was next called to the collection
of Azaleas, all grown as standards, and trained
umbrella style, of which there were nine hun-
dred plants, some of them having two or three
varieties grafted on them. Mr. McKay prefers
to grow them in a partially shaded position dur-
ing the summer, and for that purpose has a
building covered on all sides with laths, set
about two inches apart, which break the direct
rays of the sun.

The vegetable gaj'den exhibited the same
thoughtful care that everywhere characterises
the place. The produce seemed to be of the
best and newest kind, grown in a style far sur-
passing anything that has been our good fortune
to gaze upon.

1880.

AND HORTICULTURIST.

165

Hollywood Park and its various attractions will
be loni^ remembered by those who have had the
good fortune to visit it, and I advise all lovers
of horticulture to visit it at their very earliest
opportunity, as at any time of the year it pre-
sents innumerable attractions, which, be it said
to the credit of its liberal minded owner, are
not kept for a selfish purpose, but witli a gener-
ous and whole-soul feeling are offered to the in-
struction and delight of our fellow-men. And
I feel assured that, to true lovers of nature,
the expense of going, and the time lost, will
never be regretted.

But I cannot conclude this article without
saying that never before, in all my wanderings,
which have extended nearly half way over the
civilized world, did I receive so much courtesy
as that shown me by Mr. James McKay, the
skillful director at Hollywood Park, who holds
a position that would baffle the best gardener
in the country to fill, and Mr. Hoey is fortunate
in having secured the services of such a thor-
ough horticulturist. And as Mr. Hoey lias face-
tiously named one of his Cactuses Rip Van
Winkle, I cannot do better than wish him my
friend Rip's - Toast: "May he live long and
prosper."

the plants might be liable to injury by water
remaining around them after heavy rains.

The lawn run all over with tortuous lines but
a single plant in width, would furnish an attrac-
tive arrangement; or the decoration might be of
spots and figures of small size, each figure or
spot requiring from one to as many as six or eight
plants.

In a general way, the Alternanthera varies
considerably in color, and this variation may be
made use of to greatly increase effects.

With some planning there may be several
suitable styles of ornamental treatment. I
have some drawings exhibiting the Alternan-
thera in the pits and the grass on either side
trimmed down by the machine to an equal
height. Still another section shows a band
of Alternanthera on the lawn, and a second band
forming one of a series of ribbons of foilage
plants, this latter, starting from the grass line
and being rounded upwards until it touches the
adjoining ribbon. These suggestions are, of
course, for the amateur; the professional gar-
dener will follow his own fancy.

THE ALTERNANTHERA AS A LAWN
PLANT.

BY M. DIGRAM.

A carpet-like eftect may be produced with the
Alternanthera on a smooth lawn in the following
manner : cut strips or figures out of the turf of
any shape determined on, from three to four
inches deep, and in width considerably narrower
than tlie width of the ordinary mowing machine.
The object of restricting the width of the shallow
pits is, that after they are occupied by the pro-
posed plant, the hand mower may be forced over
the lines or figures without falling into the sun-
ken space and crushing its contents. The plants
should be of good size when set in the ground,
that the narrow space allotted them may soon
be filled up. And in order to maintain a distinct
outline, tlie Alternanthera should be planted
near the sides of the pit, thus preventing en-
croachments from the grass, and at the same
time admitting of free growth upwardly, and
inwardly toward its centre. The earth in the
pits, if of too close a character, should be re-
moved to a depth of from six to twelve inches
and replaced with a more open soil; otherwise,

TWO HARDY FERNS.

BY JOSEPH MEEHAN.

The Wissahickon is the name of a creek
which coming from the north for some dis-
tance, empties into the Schuylkill river, Phila-
delphia. For several miles before reaching
the Schuylkill, the Wissahickon runs its course
between rugged and high hills. These hills and
the occasional stretches of low lands furnished
materials for study to many of Philadelphia's
older botanists, and to-day it is the home of
many a rare plant which botanists delight to
find.

The beautiful and very interesting Walking
Fern, Camptosorus rhyzophyllus grows there, as
also does the rarer Asplenium pinnatifidum.
The older botanists and collectors, if asked for
the locality of the Walking Fern, would name
but one or two places where it could be. found.
It may have been with them as with many now,
they feared to tell of localities where few existed^
lest their favorites should become exterminated.

The writer of this, within a couple of years,
has found no less than five places along the
Wissahickon where this fern exists in tolerable
abundance.

The A. pinnatifidum however, is not nearly so
abundant. The location of the banks of the
Schuylkill where Nuttall found it, still retains

166

THE GARDENER'S MONTHLY

[June,

the plants, and it is a pleasure to add, in some
abundance.

It was lately my fortune to find it also along
the Wissahickon, but the find consisted of but a
single plant. As Dr. Gray states it is found
there, it would be interesting if it could be known
whether this single plant represents the old lo-
cation, or is in a new one. For many years the
Schuylkill was thought to be the only locality
for this fern ; but it is now found in other States
besides Pennsylvania, though still considered
rare.

NICOTIANA SUAVEOLENS.

BY W. L. F., HANOVER, MASS.

After reading the article in the April number
of the Monthly, from Mrs. E., relating her ex-
perience with Nicotiana suaveolens, I think I
can give her some light on the subject. She has
evidently not had the true N. suaveolens, but a
species of tobacco which I also have tried, much
to my dissapointment. Its specific name I am
not sure of, but think it is N. glauca, a native of
South America. Last summer I had the true
IN", suaveolens, which I consider a very desirable
plant. I obtained the seed from Hovey & Co.,
Boston, and planted several together in a clump.
It quite nearly answers the description which
Mrs. E's. spurious plant so falsified. I know
that to be a coarse and worthless weed ; but the
true plant which I had in bloom all summer un-
til killed by frost, was covered with salver
formed, white flowers, something over one inch
across, on a slender greenish tube, reminding
one of the single white Narcissus, and in the
evening exhaling a delicate perfume.

By referring to Bentham's Flora Australi-
ensis, vol. 4, pp. 469, I think you will see that
N. suaveolens there described is not the plant
Mrs. E. had under that name, and though it sports
into several varieties, none have a small green-
ish corolla, or otherwise answer to Mrs. E's.
description of her plant.

I should without hesitation recommend N.
suaveolens as a very desirable addition to our
list of easily grown annuals. It should be plant-
ed several together, as not enough blooms on a
single plant open at once, to make it a conspi-
cuous object.

mostly verbenas. They seem particularly fond
of seedling verbenas and pansies. I have used
tobacco dust with good results. I never heard
of their eating plants before. Are they new re-
cruits to the vast army of insects injurious to
vegetation ?

[The sow bug or woodlouse is not an uncom-
mon pest to the greenhouse and hot-bed culti-
vator.—Ed. G. M.]

EDITORIAL NOTES.

DESTROYING WOOD LICE.

BY E. S. MILLEK, WAT)IN(i PJVER, N. Y.

I have been troubled with the sow bug, On-
iscus usellus, eating plants growing in hot-beds,

Clinton Flower Market, New York. —
From 100 to 150 wagon loads of pot flowers are
emptied here every morning in the pot-flower
season. Callas, Geraniums, Fuchsias. Pansies,
Daisies, and Polyanthus, are the most popular.
From S5,000 to $6,000 per day is the estimated
receipts in this market for flower sales.

Our Garden Chrysanthemums.— Mr. Rob-
ert Fortune tells the Gardener'' s Chronicle, thnt
the culture of the Chrysanthemum has achieved
a much higher standard in Europe than in China,
— notwithstanding the prevailing impression of
the superiority of Chinese gardeners.

The Garden. — A London paper says that
" eveiy man's happiness is just in proportion to
the pride he takes in his garden."

A South Carolina Garden. — Professor
Sargent writes : " I was much interested while
in Charleston, South Carolina, last month to
find in an old garden near the foot of Calhoun
street, belonging to Mr. David Jennings, an old
single red Camellia, the remarkable dimensions
of which are worth recording. It was planted,
it is said, by a Colonel Lucas in 1808, and was
one of the first Camellias ever brought to the
United States ; although those brought from
France by the elder Michaux, and planted by
him on the Middleton Estate, near Charleston,
where they are still living, I believe, are a few
years older. The trunk of Mr. Jenning's plant
has a circumference of 4 feet 6 inches, its
branches spread 30 feet, while its height is con-
siderably over 30 feet. Hundreds of seedling
Camellia plants were springing up everywhere
in this garden, showing that the climate of the
Southern Atlantic States is perfectly suited to
the Camellia, which is already largely culti-
vated there.

Near Charleston, too, 20 miles up the Ashley
River, on the Drayton Estate, and just in front
of Drayton Hall, stands what, so far as my ob-

1880.1

AND HORTICULTURIST.

167

servation goes, I must consider the finest tree on
the continent. No tree, which I have ever seen
at all equals it in strong, healthy, magnificent
solidity. It looks as if it had lived a thousand
years, and was good for a thousand or ten thou-
sand more. It is a Live Oak, round topped and
perfectly symmetrical, its long branches almost
touching the ground at their extremeties.

There are, I was told, in the same neighbor-
hood, specimens with larger trunks even, al-
though this one girts at 4 feet from the ground,
19 feet 10 inches; the spread of its branches
being 111 feet and 122 feet. I have seen fine
trees in many countries, but none which could
equal this South Carolina Live Oak."

The Transplantation of Trees. — The
King of the Belgians has purchased a large hor-
ticultural collection at Enghien, and among the
trees is a giant palm, a Sabal umbraculifera,
which is 42 feet in height, and the crown of
which is about 27 feet in diameter, the base of
the trunk measuring 6 feet. This great tree has
within the last few days been safely transported
to the King's new winter garden at Laeken, a
work of no small difiiculty. The weight which
had to be carried was more than 264 tons, and
the truck upon which the huge tree was laid was
drawn from Enghien to Brussels by 17 horses,
21 being used from Brussels to Laeken. This
has been, in all probability, the largest tree
which has ever been conveyed to such a distance
and transplanted. The palm had acquired a
European reputation, being known as the larg-
est in these latitudes, and the difficulties of its
transport were increased by the necessity for
avoiding the bridges over the canals, none of
which were strong enough to bear so great a
weight with safety. The King is forming in
this building a remarkable and valuable collec-
tion of exotic trees, and the building is expected
to be thrown open during the jubilee fetes of
the Belgian Independence during this year.

Horticultural Progress.— The following
extracts from the annual address of Col. Wilder
at the fortieth year of the Massachusetts Agi'i-
cultural Club, shows how wonderfully we have
progressed. It is not often that it is permitted
to one man to live to see such progress, especi-
ally one who has done so much himself to make
" progress" move on :

" My friends, I have lived to see great advan-
ces and improvements in the agricultural and

horticultural world. "When I commenced the
cultivation of the sod, there were very few agri-
cultural societies in our land, and not one horti-
cultural society on our continent. Now they
are spread over our country, and there are on
record in the Department of Agriculture at
Washington the names of fourteen hundred
such associations. Fifty years ago the products
of our soil were scarcely thought worthy of a
place in the statistics of our industry ; now our
exports of these amount to nearly six hundred
millions of dollars annually, and our Western
granaries are treasure houses upon which the
world may draw to make up their deficiencies.
Then the supplies of fruits weie limited to a few
varieties and to a few weeks in use. Now our
markets abound with fruits for all seasons of the
year. Then the only strawberry in our market
was the wild strawberry from the field, and for
only a short time. Now we have this delicious
fruit, by the facilities of transportation, for two
or three months, and in such quantities that we
have received from the city of Norfolk, Va.,
16,000 bushels in a single season, and so great
has been the interest in this fruit, that my regis-
ter contains the names of more than three hun-
dred and fifty kinds of strawberries which have
been under cultivation in my day. Then there
were no American grapes cultivated in our gar-
dens, except here and there a vine of the Cataw-
ba and Isabella. Now there are nearly a hun-
dred varieties of American grapes under cultiva-
tion in our land, and the grape may be had for
six months in the year; and so extensive are
our vineyards that an order for our American
wines for 100,000 gallons has been recently re-
ceived from Europe. Then the cultivation of
the pear was limited to a few varieties. Since
then the gardens of Manning, Hovey and Wilder
have embraced more than 800 varieties of this
noble fruit. Then no exports of fruit of any
note had been made. Now Boston alone has
shipped to other places half a million barrels of
fruit in a year, and the export of apples from
this country has amounted to nearly $3,000,000
in a year."

Auction Sales. — These are held in New
York every Tuesday and Friday, and are by no
means confined to surplus stock. New and rare
plants are often offered, and bring generally
fair prices. About •'30,000 pot plants a week are
disposed of.

168

THE GARDENER'S MONTHLY

[June,

Greenhouse and House Gardening.

COMMUNICA TIONS,

COOL HOUSE ORCHIDS.

BY CHAS. H. 8X0W, BALTIMORE, MD.

Since writing the Orchid Articles in the
Gardener's Monthly, I have received let-
ters of enquiry on the subject of Orchids, and
others requesting me to continue the articles.
I hoped that some of the older Orchidists would
have taken up the subject and handled it more
ably than I possibly can. "Without going into a
detailed account of any particular species, I
will give a few notes on the general culture of
Orchids as particularly relates to them as ama-
teur's flowers. After nearly twenty-tive years
experience with every class of plants, I find
Orchids the most beautiful, wonderful, varied
in form, and easiest cultivated of all plants.
The odor of Orchids alone is a study. Some
species, it is true, are odorless or unpleasant,
but the greater part are fragrant at some time
in the twenty-four hours. Th6 high price at
which Orchids are held in comparison with
most other plants has been a drawback to their
more extended culture, and has led too many
beginners into the error of commencing with a
lot of cheap, half established plants,— plants
that even in the hands of an expert would be
hard to save, and would only come into bloom
at the end of three or four years. It is no use
to expect to get up a collection of Orchids
without spending some money, but at tfie same
time the money that it would take to buy one
fine oil painting would make a good start in
Orchid culture, and my advice would be to any
beginner to place whatever sum you decide to
spend in the hands of a reliable Orchid dealer,
and tell him to send you blooming jplants of
reliable kinds. These will give you flowers
immediately. Care should be taken not to get
species that bloom all at the same time.

I would say for those who are not up in Or-
chids, that a continuous bloom may be kept up
from the beginning to the end of the year
with quite a moderate collection of plants. I
would here remark, that I never made the ac-
quaintance of any one that had been successful

in cultivating a few Orchids, who did not desire
to add to his collection, and there are plenty to
pick from. These may be bought, also estab-
lished ; or they may be bought more cheaply
newly imported. Starting newly imported Orr
chids requires considerable knowledge and-
patience. I have had Orchids to make blooms
the first year, but it is oftener three or four years-
before flowers appear in fine condition. In a
former article I gave directions as to the proper
mode of handling newly imported Orchids, bub
as it is a subject of so much importance, I wilt
state it again. Most beginners err in keeping
all Orchids too wet, and especially those that
are dormant or not established. Most O^'chids-
have bulbs, and these contain the food' for the
new growth until they put out roots to sustain
themselves. I have seen an Orchid make fine
growth for a season, depending on the old bulb
for sustenance, and then when it had made a
new bulb, send out roots from it. All dead
roots, bulbs and leaves should be cut off, and
pots used for most Orchids as small as the plant
can be potted in, said pot being filled two-thirds
with broken pots or charcoal. Then place
them in an half shaded place, and keep the
sphagnum moss just moist, — not wet, — and they
must be watched, and as they start, great care
should be taken that the young growth is not
rotted off" by water getting into it. They may
stay in these pots a year, and if well grown,
should be repotted into larger pots, care being
taken not to break the roots', and for this pur-
pose the pots have often to be broken in repot-
ting, as the roots will very often be so closely
attached to the pots as to make it impossible to
detach without spoiling them.

Another cause of disappointment is the want
of correct knowledge with regard to the coun-
tries from whence they come, also the elevation
at which they are obtained. This must be
apparent to any one who will take time to
think on the subject. Now, it is good culture
to keep all Mexican, Central American, and.
the greater part of the East Indian Orchids,
coming from either high altitudes or latitude,
pretty dry and cool from November to March.^

1880.1

AND HORTICULTURIST.

169

because it is their winter. But from Brazil, if
kept in anything; like the heat that is found
there (in Brazil), from November to March will
commence to grow finely, and at this time all
the Brazilian Cattleyas, Lailias, Miltonias, Epi-
dendrums, and Zygopetalums are growing.

Those Orchids coming from 5" to 10° each
side of the Equator, will, if handled properly,
make two growths in the year, and the New
Grenada Oncids, Odonts, and Masdevillias
seem to be almost perpetual growers. Vandas,
brides and Saccolabiums will make some
growth all the winter if kept moderately moist
and warm. The proper cultivation of Orchids
is more a subject of knowledge than actual
work. I have plants growing in the same
baskets, (cedar), where they have been for six i
or more years, and in pots full as long, and in
perfect health. It is a good plan in November
to go over a collection of Orchids and put those
that are to rest together, and those that are
growing, or beginning to grow by themselves;
otherwise the most careful person may either
neglect to water some that need it, or water
some too much that are dormant. A great
mistake is too often made with these latter by
putting them in any out of the way place, often
under the shade of other plants. At no time
are Orchids more benefited by plenty of light
and sun than when they are dormant. It seems
to solidify the bulbs, and meets a requirement
in their culture. I am now referring especially
to those Orchids that make pseudo bulbs. The
idea that all Orchids grow in damp, shady
places is a great error. I do not remember in
the many times that I have been at their
homes, that I saw a dozen grow in dense shaded
places. They grow mostly on the trees at the
edge of forests, where they get plenty of light,
abundance of pure fresh air and rain in their
growing season.

STEAM HEATING.

BY JOSIAH SALTER, ROCHESTER, N. Y.
(I'oncliideil from page 13S.)

Steam is not simple enough, for we cannot
trust it to the care of any boy or any laboring
man, who does not understand it, without the
danger of the steam either condensmg or ex-
ploding. Whereas an explosion of hot water
pipes would be impossible. It would be merely a
leak, nothing more and easily stopped. Steam
has never proved effectual for horticultural pur-

poses so far as I know or have read, that I can
recollebt, and has always been given „up wher-
ever tried. Steam may be good for heating
large dwelling houses, stores, large halls, facto-
ries, etc., but the thin glass structures built for
horticultural purposes are altogether another
thing. Also, "the disadvantages of steam, as a
vehicle for conveying heat to hothouses are
few." I hardly dare presume to question the
opinions of such authorities as Mr. Loudon, but
nevertheles I have opinions and ideas of my
own, and think the disadvantages of steam, as
compared with hot water are many.

The first disadvantage is, and it is a great one
in plant growing, that after making the fire, we
get no warmth at all from the pipes until the
water in the steam-boiler boils. It then makes
steam which heats the pipes all at once, to at
least 212" Fah., which is at least 30° too hot for
any heating medium for the good of the plants ;
and no matter how we try to modify the means
of heating, by throwing the steam into large
boxes of stones, etc., we cannot convey the
steam any distance from the boiler without
heating the pipes to at least 212°.

Another disadvantage is that if we want to

] leave our fire nine or ten hours through the night,

I and after going to bed it should burn out or

i burn low towards morning, the boiler ceases to

make steam, the steam in the pipes is condensed

at once, and we cease to get any warmth.

Now, if we should try an experiment in heat-
ing two houses, each containing the same num-
ber of cubic feet of air, both built alike and
glazed alike with the same quality of glass, each
house containing, say 300 feet 4-inch pipe, one
for water, the other for steam and take a night
when the air is still and the mercury at 32° out-
doors and in-doors, with a thermometer hanging
midway of each house, about four feet from the
ground and equal distance from the heating me-
dium, and start the fires both together and note
the time it takes to raise the mercury to G0° in
each house and the amount of coal it takes.
When the mercury has stood at 60° for a short
time make up both fires, so as to use the same
quantity of coal in each and note the time it
takes for each house to cool down to the 32°
again. By such means we might come to some
definite conclusion as to which is the cheaper
and better means, hot water or steam.

I have no doubt the steam will raise the heat
to 60° a little the soonest, although the circula-
tion in the hot water pipes will commence the

170

THE GARDENER'S MONTHLY

[June,

soonest. But the difference in the time of rais-
ing the mercury to 60° by each apparatus will
not exceed, I think, half an hour, while in cool-
ing down, almost the instant the fire begins to
cool down in the steam boiler the water will
cease to boil, and of course the steam in the
pipes is condensed at once, and there is no
warmth given out except what is contained in a
mere dribble of water from the condensed steam
and what warmth is contained in the iron itself.
Now the hotwater pipes, if there be 300 feet of
4-inch diameter, will contain about 200 gallons
•of water and weigh about 2000 pounds. And it
must be apparent that the warmth contained in
this body of water will take a longer time to be
cooled down to the 32° than the same amount
of steam, supposing the water to be heated to
212° the boiling point, the same as the steam.

The steam will cool down more in five
minutes than the water in five hours, in a given
number of cubic feet of air under like circum-
stances. A given bulk of water in 212° will con-
tain more than 200 times as much heat as the
same bulk of steam at 212°. These figures are,
of course, only approximate, but near enough
for all practical purposes. To go into exact
figures would take a long time and be a great
deal of trouble. We have tried the old brick
flue, then steam, then hot air or polmaise ; then
the hot water tank and finally hot water pipes.
A great deal more might be said on this subject;
but at present, for cleanliness, neatness, com-
pactness, efficiency, durability, safety and econo-
my of fuel and labor, all would be in favor of
hot water pipes, 4-inch diameter.

Of course there are many diS'erent sizes and
forms of pipes, and patterns and forms of boil-
ers, and each has its advocates ; but the univer-
sal desirable source of artificial warmth for hor-
ticultural purposes, for this latitude of our coun-
try is from water, apply the heat to the water as
you may think best.

And now Mr. Editor, you have made the sug-
gestion of heating horticultural buildings by
means of the waste heat of lime kilns. Per-
haps it is a good idea, but I perceive you do not
advocate the mode very much. "We know it can
be done, while the lime kilns are kept at work.
The waste heat will heat the water, and the wa-
ter will heat the buildings, provided all things
are in proper proportion. But is it desirable?
Is it to be recommended? I am inclined to
think it is not. There may be times when we
wish to make linie and do not desire the heated

water in the buildings, and others when we
want the warmth, but cannot get the heat up
quick enough. As I said before, we know it can
be done; but I doubt the desirability of the
means for horticultural purposes. As to the
"nasty lime market" idea, that might be got
over by having the kilns at some distance from
the buildings to be heated, and convey the heat
by an underground passage entirely out of sight
to the buildings. The kilns might be hid by
large clumps of shrubbery, etc., and the smoke
carried off by an ornamental chimney or pago-
da. And many other ways might suggest them-
selves.

CARNATION PETER HENDERSON.

BY W. T. BELL, FRANKLIN, PA.

A certain florist publishes in his catalogue, a
caution to his customers, in regard to the above
carnation, saying that it is almost worthless for
the cut flower trade, by reason of losing its fresh
appearance so soon after being cut.

I would like to have an expression of opinion
from florists who have tested it ; and ask all
such to be kind enough to send me at once, a
brief statement of their estimate of the variet}' ;
and I will send a report of the result of the can-
vas, for publication in the Gardener's Month-
ly. My own opinion has been favorable to the
variety; but I have no interest in it, further
than to discover its value to the trade.

ORCHID CULTURE.

BY WALTER GRAY, PHILADELPHIA.

In reply to Mrs. R. P., page 106, respecting
the cultivation of Cattleya Mossise, I have found
this to succeed best in a temperature of 65° to
75° in summer to rise with sun heat, and 55° to
60° in winter when growing. It requires a good
supply of water at the roots, say three times a
week, when very hot and dry weather. When it
requires potting it should be done in March in
good fibre peat and a little live sphagnum moss
with plenty of drainage ; three parts fill the pot
with broken pot shreds, and then place a thin
layer of moss to keep the drainage clean and
then fill up with the compost. Care must be
taken not to break the roots.

Odontoglossum grande will do best in a cooler
house, the temperature 60° to 65° in summer
and 45° to 50° in winter ; rise 10° with sun heat.
This will do well in the same compost as Cat-
tleya Mossise ; well elevate the plant above the
rim of the pot and should be potted as soon as it
begins to grow.

1880.

AND HORTICULTURIST.

171

Has not Mrs. R. P. made a mistake in Odouto-
glossum citrina ? I do not know of any Odonto-
glossum under that name. Does she not mean
€attleya citrina ? If so, this should be grown
upon a block of wood. Fix the plant so that the
foliage is hanging downwards. In its native habit
it grows upon the under branches of trees where
it can hang in a downward position ; it requires a
good supply of water in its growing season.
There are several works upon the cultivation of
Orchids, the best probably is that of B. S. Wil-
liams, sold at the Gardener's Monthly office.

EUCHARIS AMAZONICA.

BY J. B., FREDERICKTON, N. B.

I see, Mr. Editor, in the April number of the
Monthly, Mrs. E. , Melrose, Mass., asks : "Will
some one familiar with the culture of Eucharis,
inform me, through the Monthly if it can be
grown as a house plant?" Now I do not pro-
pose to teach experienced gardeners, nor assume
to possess all knowledge in reference to this
matter. I will not say what I can do, but what
I cannot do with Eucharis — that is I have been
trying to flower it in a cool house for the last
ten years, and have failed to do so. I have also
given plants to other gardenei's situated about as
myself, with night temperature from 45° to 55°,
with 5° or 10° higher by day. Some of these
gardeners have said how easy it was to flower,
and what little trouble they had with it at some
Lords or Dukes in England or Scotland ; but
out of five or six here in Frederickton, N. B.,
who have each one or more plants of Eucharis,
and have had them the last eight years, some of
tliem, but no flowers to my knowledge. Some
three years ago my employer had quite a large
pot full of strong bulbs ; I divided them, and put
three in an 8-inch pot, and thought I should have
had quite a success ; but alas, like the barren
fig tree, nothing but leaves. But there is one
gentleman here who grows them like potatoes ;
the answer is, he gives them plenty of heat.
I understand it grows in Brazil or South Ameri-
ca, so that it is at home in a moist humid at-
mosphere, say from 60° to 70° night, with 5° or
10° higher by day.

Having access to most of the greenhouses here
I have an opportunity of seeing what is in bloom.
I find in the hothouse of H. Ray, — a subscriber
to the Monthly — go when I will, spring, sum-
mer, fall or winter, there are more or less Eu-
charis in bloom, and the leaves are black with

richness, so that I have come to the conclusion
it is no use bothering with Eucharis if you can-
not give it a good moist heat, or a congenial
temperature ; this is my simple opinion based
upon experience.

FORCING LILIES.

BY EDWIN C. ELLET, GEBMANTOWN, PHILA.

I submit to your consideration the following
concerning Lilium candidum and L. longiflorum.
In reply to S. F. T., of Saratoga Springs, I
would state that we have grown Lilium candi-
dum and L. longiflorum very successfully in the
following manner. On the 15th of August we
placed the bulbs in soil composed of two parts
good loam, one part well-rotted manure, and
one part bar sand; as they seem to like good
drainage it would be well to place some screen
ings in the bottom of the pots. We placed
them in an open frame till Oct. 30th, and then
put them in a house with slow heat. The bulbs
first begin to sprout Nov. 28th. After Dec. 1st,
we raised the heat to about 100° in the day
time, and 80° at night. The first flower opened
Feb. 8th. After this date they flower slowly at
first, but the bulk of them come in a short time
before Easter, until which time they may be
kept.

EUCHARIS AMAZONICA.

BY WALTER GRAY.

In reply to the inquires of Mrs. E., respect-
ing the culture of Eucharis Amazonica as a
house plant, from my experience I would say
that it is a plant not suitable for that purpose.
To flower this plant well it requires judicious
treatment. It should be grown in a hothouse
until well established, in good peat and loam in
equal parts, with one-third of coarse sand well
mixed together. When growing should have
abundance of water and weak manure water
once a week. After making its growth it should
be removed to a cool greenhouse for about eight
weeks, during which time but little water should
be given, and then brought back into the hot-
house and treated as before.

This plant is subject to mealy bug, thrip,
etc. To keep this pest down use the syringe
freely and wash the leaves with weak whale oil
soap water. I have seen fine large plants stand-
ing in hothouses for several years which for the
want of a resting season do not flower well. Good
established plants can be brought into flower
three times in a year. Where several good

172

THE GARDENER'S MONTHLY

[June,

plants are grown by the different treatment, 1 of the most beautiful and most useful decorative
they can be had in flower at all seasons of the varieties that we have, but it has one fault, and

year. This plant is largely used in the London
market for cut bloom, and the market growers
get good successions of flowers by growing and
resting these plants accordingly.

a very curious one-
Gardeners Chronicle.

-it will not bear seeds. —

SCRAPS AND QUERIES

EDITORIAL NOTES.

Orchids at Public Sale. — The fine collec-
tion of Mr. Geo. Tweddle, of Albany, New
York, was sold in New York at public sale on
April 30th.

Fuchsia Earl of Beaconsfield.— For the
information of a correspondent of the American
Gardener's Monthly — who asks in what
year this Fuchsia was raised, and who was its
raiser? — we may state that it was raised some
seven or eight years ago at the Forest Hill nur-
sery of Messrs. John Laing & Co. Mr. Laing
fertilized flowers of ihe old Fuchsia fulgens
with the pollen of some of the best florists' va-
rieties of that day, and in due time raised about
a hundred seedling plants, amongst which were
some very curious things — which were subse-
quently thrown away — and the subject of this
note, which was certificated by the Royal Bo-
tanic Society on June 21, 1876, under the name
of Laing's Hybrid, and again in July of the fol-
lowing year by the Floral Committee, under
the name it now bears. It is undoubtedly one

Salvias. — P. says : " On page 87, March num-
ber of the Monthly, I notice that Mr. Hovey
says that the blue Salvia splendensis truly blue,
and that it originated with him, while Mr.
Henderson, page 42, Feb. Monthly says that
it is " a coarse growing weed-like plant, far
from splendid." It may be possible that Mr.
Henderson has got the wrong plant. Let us
hear from some of your readers. "Will some of
the readers please give me a description of Sal-
via Heeri'?

Earthen Flower Pots. — "A Subscriber"
says : " Some two or three years ago I read an
article in the Scientijic American of an inven-
tion to make flower pots with a composition of
loam, peat and other mixtures, to be used prin-
cipally for bedding out plants, plant and pot
being put out in the ground where it acted as
food for the plant, and could be made by any
ordinary workman ; would be glad to learn
through the Monthly if you or any of its read-
ers could give any further information of how
they are made, or if a recipe for making could
be purchased, and where."

Fruit and Vegetable Gardening.

SEASONABLE HINTS.

Much of the success of the fruit grower comes
from his ability to forsee consequences. The
quick-eyed fellow sees at once when something
is going wrong, and does not wait till the tree is
dead to find out what is the matter. Perhaps
the tree has made but three or four inches of
growth when it should have made, as he well
knows from experience, six or eight; or as it
shows a tendency to mature leaves some weeks
before the proper time. He examines the bark
and finds it does not grow as freely as it ought

to do. Instead of a glossy green, it is brown
and dryish. Perhaps he finds that some fungus
has partly girdled a branch, or a borer has en-
tered it, — or that some accident has affected the
root ; and at once he proceeds to well under-
stood rules of remedy. Again there may be a.
yellow tint not usual in the leaves, and gene-
rally this comes from root injuries either from
insects or fungoid attacks, or perhaps borers.
At any rate, the closest attention is required to
look out for possible injuries in time to remedy.
As fruits mature, birds will be found an aw-
ful pest. It is little comfort to a fruit grower ta

1880.

AND HORTICULTURIST.

173

be told that the birds live on iusects in early
spring, if they take all your summer fruits in
return. In European countries, where birds
abound to a greater extent than with us, they
find it profitable to cover clierry and other trees
with cheap fishing nets. In very large orchards,
botli there and here, there is little necessity for
this, as there is enough to spare for the birds
and the orchardist too. Boys are sometimes
employed with clackers to make a noise and
drive them away ; but this would not probably
scare an American bird. We once saw this
plan tried at Rochester, New York, and noted
that while the boy would be stooping to find
stones, the robin would cut in, steal the cherries
and be off again before the boy could send the
stone after him, and seemed rather pleased with
the excitmg sport.

Peas for a fall crop may be sown. It is, how-
ever, useless to try them unless in a deeply
trenched soil, and one that is comparatively
cool in the hottest weather overhead, or they
will certainly mildew and prove worthless. In
England where the atmosphere is so much more
humid than ours, they nevertheless have great
difficulty in getting fall Peas to go through free
from mildew; and to obviate these drying and
mildew-producing influences, they often plant
them in deep trenches, made as for Celery, and
are then much more successful with them.

Cabbage and Brocoli may still be set out for
fall crops, also requiring an abundance of ma-
nure to insure much success. Lettuce, where
salads are much in request, may yet be sown.
The Curled Indian is a favorite summer kind ;
but the varieties of Cos, or plain-leaved kinds
are good. They take more trouble, having to
be tied up to blanch well. Many should not be
sown at a time, as they soon run to seed in hot
weather.

At the end of June, some Celery may be set
out for early crops, though for the main crop a
month later will be quite time enough. It was
once customary to plant in trenches dug six or
more inches below the surface ; but the poverty
of the soil usually at this depth more than de-
creases the balance of good points in its favor.
Some of our best growers now plant entirely on
the surface, and depend on drawing up the soil,
or the employment of boards or other artificial
methods of blanching.

Beans produce an enormous crop in deeply
trenched soils, and are improved as much as any
crop by surface manuring. We hope thisjmethod

of fertilizing the soil will be extensively adopted
for garden crops this season. Those who have
not yet tried it will be surprised at the economy
and beneficial results of the practice.

Cucumbers for pickling may be sown this
month, and endive for fall salad set out. Pars-
ley for winter use may be sown now, in boxes of
rich soil, and set in a cool shady place till it
germinates.

Asparagus beds should not be cut off after the
stalks seem to come up weak, or there will be
but a poor crop the next season, and the beds
will " run out" in a few years.

Tomatoes, after trying all kinds of trellises
recommended, will be found to do best on stakes
tied up singly. It is best to plant a strong pole
as for Lima Beans, with the plants when first
set out, and tie up as they grow. Marketmen
generally let them grow as they will, on the
ground, which perhaps, although not yielding
as much, costs less labor, and may thus be most
profitable.

The Swede Turnip or Ruta Baga should be
sown about the end of the month. A well en-
riched piece of ground is essential, as by grow-
ing fast they get ahead of the ravages of the fiy.
Manures abounding in the phosphates — bone-
dust, for instance, — are superior for the Turnip.

Sweet Potatoes must be watched, that' the
vines do not root in the ground as they run,
which will weaken the main crop of roots.
They should be gone over about once a month,
and with a rake or pole, the vines disturbed
somewhat from their position.

Herbs for drying for future use, should be cut
just about the time they are coming into flower.
Dry them in the shade, and after sufficiently dry
to put away, tie them in bunches, and hang in a
cool shed, or place them loosely between the
paper, and stow away in cupboards or drawers,
— the last mode is by far the cleanest and most
approved plan with the best housekeepers.
Some, indeed, powder the leaves at once after
drying, and put them away in bags, ready for
use.

COMMUNICA TIONS.

BEURRE CLAIRCEAU.

BY GEN'L WISI. H. NOBLE, BRIDGEPORT, CONN.

The April Monthly says : " This pear is
voted in the United States not fit for any month."
This I think means in Philadelphia and special
localities. Elsewhere it turns out not only a

174

THE GARDENER'S MONTHLY

[June,

surely "handsome pear," but "voted" at its
season about as good as any. The ballots are
cast by those who know pears.

Some one near Worcester, Mass., knows how
to raise them and to ripen up their painted glo-
ries. He supplies them largely to the New
York market. We have them in our fruit shops,
and they are sought in the holidays not only for
their good and tempting looks, but because they
are good eating.

Many pears suffer like ill name, which either
other localities or better care present as luscious
fruits. Not long since, a rural paper sat down
on the Bartlett as an antiquated, out-of-date
fruit, which better new kinds were driving out
of culture. When they succeed in that Bartlett
exodus, the pear market will be stocked. An-
tiquity will have a large representation. There
are more Bartletts planted hereabouts than of all
other kinds. You may say they are not good,
that there are lots better, etc., but the masses
stick to the Bartlett ; and a good part of those
"select" who know pears largely prefer them.
I don't, but such are in my household.

Now not only some localities refuse to a pear
the excellence which other soils yield, but good-
ness and tameness are both often due to the way
you grow and the way you handle fruits. Some
pears in heavy or sparse bearing cases, picked
green, or ripened on the tree, always come to the
front in fair and passable condition ; but others
you have to grow and pick and care for rightly to
bring out their full merit. Of such are two of
our largest and very good pears, the Clairgeau
and the Vicar. I never saw a small pear of
either worth a cent. I never saw a big one of
either kind well ripened that was not a joy for-
ever. I do not doubt that the Clairgeau may
have its favorite climate and footings ; but I
know that its Worcester grown and ripened
fruits, large and glowing with beauty, have rich-
ness inside of their gaudy coloring. Of the soil,
of their home, or of the exact method of their
growing or handling, I know nothing, but I do
know that they fill the bill of a fine eating pear.
Just so with the Vicar (by no means as attrac-
tive in looks as the B. Clairgeau) when you get
it large, full grown, picked pretty late and well
handled so as not to wilt. It well merits what
some pomologists of wide experience say, that
" if they could have but one pear they would
have the Vicar." Yet I have seen loads of
it that were fit only for the cattle or the pigs,
small, astringent, never gaining buttery flesh

or tempting flavor. Now the moral of this
is : Decree not banishment to the Beurre
Clairgeau, till you get in all the votes.

BEURRE CLAIRGEAU PEAR.

BY A. C. L., MADISON, IND.

In the last number of your journal some one
bears down heavily on the Beurre Clairgeau
Pear. For the past ten or fifteen years I have
grown and ripened perfectly, as delicious pears
from the Beurre Clairgeau trees, as we ever
gathered. For one or two seasons I had much
the same impression concerning the variety, as
your correspondent, but I had made up my
mind that so handsome a pear as that must
have a better future. First of all, the tree
should have no manure placed at its roots after
it begins to bear fruit. A top dressing of bone
meal (ground bones) mixed with some leaf
mould, three or four pounds of bone meal to a
tree twelve years old, and dug in in the Spring.
In October when the fruit begins to fall, all
of it must be carefully gathered and put in a
basket for three or four days, and then picked
over. Now have a box lined, or double-lined
with blankets. Into this place the pears and
cover them completely with the blankets ; put
on the cover just as close as possible. It is bet-
ter to have a large box, say three feet long, two
feet wide, and two feet deep, and this lined with
blankets or old comforts, or anything that will
keep the air out. I make use of an old impro-
vised ice chest, made for the purpose of trans-
porting prairie chickens shot in August, on the
prairies, in years past. Into this were packed
the chickens with alternate layers of ice and
birds. It has carried thousands, and not one
spoiled, and now it is just as useful in ripening
fruits. Pack the fruit in small boxes, 15x20
inches, as close as possible, and lined with
something. Into the larger box place the
smaller ones, there to remain ten days or two
weeks. Then examine to see that all is right.
The ripening can be hastened or retarded by
placing the box in a warm or cool place. The
best place is a cool dry room. When they are
ripe, it is a sight that would make Mr. Field's
eyes sparkle with pleasure, for every color is
brought out to perfection, and the flavor can
scarcely be surpassed. The Beurre Bosc ripened
in this manner, is almost equal to the Seckel or
Tyson. Let any one try this plan ; there is.

1880.

AND HORTICULTURIST.

175

nothing new about it, and if he be not fully com-
pensated, I will agree to pay for all expense
and trouble.

POTATOES AND MELONS.

BY RUSTICUS, LEXINtiTON, KY.

In your May number you allude to those who
grumble at the anticipated "fearful crop of po-
tato weeds." I am not of that party. I wel-
come the volunteers. My experience has
been that they excel the spring planting, and
that, too, without special culture. If the " grum-
blers" would select a moist time and carefully
transplant them to a spot where they can be
regularly cultivated, my word for it the so-called
potato weeds will give a good report of them-
selves. It is better to let them remain where
they spring up, if it can be so arranged, for
then there will be no check to the plant. By
preserving my potato weeds I have eclipsed my
friends in early potatoes, making them stare
when I spoke of my ripe ones. Depend upon
it, nature does not work in vain. We should
study her more closely and learn her ways. To
change the application, " her ways are ways of
pleasantness and all her paths are peace." I
am petting some vigorous ones now, and expect
to dig them the very first. In places they will
grow up too thick, too many vines in one hill.
Thin out judiciously or you will have a mass of
marbles. Plant deep in the fall and mulch
heavily, and you will breakfast off your " Smiling
Murphys " before it is time to do your spring
planting; the tubers forming beneath the sur-
face without tops first appearing ; on the same
principle that minute potatoes grow from those
in the potato pile secured for the winter. Lying
in the ground separately is more favorable for
a larger formation. If you will pardon me, Mr.
Editor, for a very abrupt changing of the sub-
ject, I would say a word on melon culture, sug-
gested by a novel method of cultivation promul-
gated by a certain seed-house not a thousand
miles from you, as I regard it. It is to plow the
musk melon after the vines will not admit of
running the cultivator, the plowing to be as for
corn. I should as soon think of putting a plow
in an advanced melon patch as a bull in a china
shop. Melon roots run out the exact length of
the vine. These should not be disturbed, for
they are feeders for the plant. Hills seven feet
apart, according to these same directions, would
soon utterly exclude a plow, for the vines rapidly
commingle that distance if in properly prepared

ground. I do not say it would be too close»
Raise the vines gingerly from time to time to
keep them from rooting, as you would a sweet
potato vine. This rooting habit is not favorable
to the fruit, robs it of nourishment. The same
directions, thin to one plant at the final thinning.
Let three of the most thrifty stand ; at all events-
two. Plow in green oats or other stubble in the
fall, deep, and as lumpy as possible. Spread
thoroughly rolled manure in the spring, double
harrow and roll. Mark off, dig holes a foot deep,,
cover the bottom with pasty manure, fill in with
finely pulverized dirt, hill up a moderate size,,
plant your seed not very deep, an inch, and pat
down the surface, — be sure of that; keep the
ground loose and light ; exterminate every
weed ; fight them like grim death ; nip back and
prune out. There will be useless vines spring-
ing from the crown of the plant. They are only
thieves, abstracting more than they give. Keep
the earth drawn up to the head of the vines.
Pull off some fruit when yet very thick. Don't
take off the fruit for use until it almost drops off"

of itself.

• <••>

EDITORIAL NOTES.

American Pomological Society.— Report
on new fruits examined during the session of the
American Pomological Society at Rochester, N.
Y., September 18th and 19th, 1879.

PEACHES.

Forty-four Seedlings, originated by J. D. Hus-
ted, Lowell, Kent Co., Michigan, from cross of
Hill's Chili upon Hale's Early in 1875. They
are in season between Hale's Early and Craw-
ford's Early, and are all of good quality. Tiie
majority are either reproductions or slightly
modified forms of Hill's Chili.

Wheatland. — From David Rogers, Wheatland,
N. Y. Very large, yellow, resembles Craw-
ford's Late.

Mrs. Brett. — From J. H. Ricketts, Newburg,
N. Y. Large, white with red cheek, very juicy,
sub acid, very good.

GRAPES.

Lady Washington. — Originated by J. H. Ric-
ketts, Newburg, N. Y. A cross between the
Concord and Allen's Hybrid. Bunch very large,
compact, shouldered; berry medium to large,
deep yellow, pink where exposed to the sun •,
flesh tender, juicy and sweet, and very good.
Vine vigorous, hardy and productive ; leaves
large and thick. Promising for the market and
the amateur.

176

THE GARDENER'S MONTHLY

[June,

Jefferson. — Also from Mr. Ricketts. A cro>is
l)et\veen Concord and lona. First fruited in
1874. Bunch large, not very compact. Berry
of medium size, deep pink, very vinous. Quality
best. A showy variety. Foliage of Labrusca
type.

Bacchus. — From the same grower and origin.
An accidental seedling of Clinton. Bunch me-
dium ; berry medium, blue black, very vinous,
and promising as a wine grape. Foliage of cor-
difolia type.

Naomi. — From the same grower. A cross be-
tween Clinton and Muscat Hamburg. Bunch
large, loose : berry medium size, green tinged
with bronze. Very juicy and high flavored.
<^uality best. Foliage of Labrusca type.

No. 1, B. — From the same grower. A cross
between Hartford Prolific and Clinton. First
fruited in 1877. Bunch large, cylindrical; berry
medium, white, good. Foliage Labrusca.

No. 254. — From the same grower. A cross
between Martha and Sultana. First fruited in
1874. Bunch large; berry small, yellow, very
juicy and high flavored; seedless. Quality best.
Foliage of vinifera type. Vine vigorous, but
only half hardy.

Noah. — Originated by Mr. Wasserzieher, at
^auvoo, Illinois. A seedling of Taylor, First
fruited in 1876. Bunch medium, compact ; berry
medium, yellowish green ; resembles Elvira, but
hardly equal to it in quality. It gives promise
•of value as a wine grape.

Dutchess, (named from Dutchess County.) —
Originated at Foughkeepsie, N. Y., in 1868. A
hybrid between a White Concord Seedling and
Waller. Bunch large ; berry above medium
size, greenish white, flesh breaking, very juicy,
vinous ; quality very good.

Foughkeepsie Red. — Of the same origin as the
preceeding. A hybrid of Walter and lona.
Bunch medium, compact, shouldered. Berry
medium, pale red, vinous, sweet. Resembles
Delaware and of equal quality. The foliage re-
sembles Delaware.

Rochester. — Originated with EUwanger & Bar-
ry, Rochester, N. Y. An accidental seedling.
Bunch large, compact, shouldered. Berry above
medium size, reddish amber, very juicy and of
good quality. Vine hardy and very prolific.
U The foliage resembles Delaware.

Monroe. — Of the same origin as the preceding.
Bunch medium, compact. Berry large, blue
black, sub acid, vinous; quality good. Vine
hardy and vigorous.

Niagara. — Originated by Messrs. Hoag &
Clark, Lockport, N. Y. First fruited in 1872.
A cross between Concord and Cassady. ' Bunch
large, compact, shouldered. Berry large yel-
lowish white. Flesh sweet and juicy. Quality
good. Foliage large, lobed, very pubescent.
Matures with Hartford.

Pocklington. — Originated by John Pockling-
ton, Sandy Hill, Washington Co., ]!^. Y. A
seedling of Concord. Bunch very large, should-
ered, compact, berry very large, yellowish
white. Flesh pulpy, juicy and vinous, quaMty
hardly good, but the specimens were not fully
ripe. Two of the members of the Committee,
Dr. Burnet and Mr. Bateham, stated that they
had seen the fruit in finer condition. A very
showy fruit. Foliage very large and pubescent.

Hyhrid Seedling.— From Dr. W. A. M. Col-
bert, Newburg, N. Y. A cross between lona
and Muscat Hamburg. Bunch large, berry
large, purplish black; pulp dissolving; quality
very good.

Lavega. — A hybrid seedling. From W. H.
Mills, Hamilton, Ontairo. Bunch medium ;
berry large, reddish, vinous ; quality very good,
vine hardy.

Seedling No. 3. — From William Hawkins,
Hamilton, Ontairo. Bunch and berry large,
white, vinous and high flavored; quality best.
A hybrid, vine hardy.

Seedling No. 10. — From the same grower.
Bunch and berry small, white, very sweet; skin
tough; quality very good, vine hardy.

Burnet. — From P. C. Dempsey, Albury, On-
tario. A cross between Black Hamburg and
Concord. Bunch large, loose, berry large,
purplish, vinous, very juic}', very good, vine
hardy.

Seedling No. 60. — From the same grower.
White, vinous, very good. A hybrid. Hardy.

Hybrid Seedlings. — From C. J. Copley, Staple-
ton, N. Y.

18 F. — Berry very large, black, good, lab-
rusca foliage.

14 F. — Bunch large, compact; berry large,
greenish white, lacks flavor, but may be be bet-
ter in a good season.

Twenty-one Seedlings. — From W. G. Hulker-
son & Co., Oriel, Michigan. These originated
from a single bunch of Wilder (Rogers No. 4,)
and show considerable variation in size and
color of berries, ranging from deep blue black
to red. While none are improvements upon
the parent, the results are such that future ex-

1880.

AND HORTICULTURIST.

177

'periments in this line should be continued and
■encouraged.

Prentiss. — Origin J. W. Prentiss, Pultney,
Steuben Co.,^. Y. ; is a seedling of Isabella.
Bunch medium, compact; berry medium, yel-
lowish green ; skin thick ; flesh pulpy, but quite
dissolving, juicy, sweet, with some flavor. Qual-
ity good to very good. Belongs to the Labrusca
type. Ripens with Concord and keeps well.
"Vine is very hardy and very prolific. A prom-
ising white grape.

Ifumerous other specimens of new varieties of
grapes were examined, but being either inferior
in quality or in an unsound condition they are
not mentioned in this report.

LEMON.

Olivia. — ^Prom George C. Swan, San Diego,
'California. Specimens very large and of fine
appearance, and said to contain 65'^ of citric
acid. The Committee not having any means to
test these fruits, can only commend the sender
for his interest manifested in the progress of
horticultural products.

P. J. Berckmans, 1
Samuel Hape, |

Sylvester Johnson, )■ Committee.
"Robert Burnet, |
M. B. Bateham, J

Waterloo Peach. — Ellwanger & Barry's
'Cataloiiue contains a beautiful colored plate of
this variety.

Raffia Fibre. — It is not clear what plant
this tying material, recently noticed in our col-
umns, is obtained from. In a recent number of
the American Agrioulturisf, Prof. Geo. Thurber
■oflers the following opinion :

" We take this to be derived from the stem of
a species of Cyperus closely related to the Papy-
rus plant, and the same material as that from
which the much esteemed India mats are made.
The Raffia splits into the smallest fibres ; it
unites great strength with a silky softness and
pliability, and for budding seems to be a most
.perfect tying material."

June Budding Fruit Trees. — At a recent
meeting of the Texas Pomological Society, Mr.
IS^imon read a very instructive paper upon the
subject of peach-budding, giving the results of
■an experience of fifteen years. Mr. Nimon's
report is decidedly in favor of June budding and
•upon stocks of the present year's growth. He
reported having budded last season fourteen
ihundred stocks dn June, with little if any loss

and twenty-five hundred stocks in August with
a loss of about 80 per cent.

The Electric Light. — The English papers
are filled with accounts of the growth of plants
by the electric light. Much difficulty has been
found in forcing flowers and fruits in that coun-
try from the long, dark winter days. By the
electric light much of this difficulty may be
overcome. In some cases, the flowers of the
common Calla have been grown double the size
when under the influence of the electric light.
Under our bright winter skies we have not the
same use for the electric light.

SCRAPS AND QUERIES

Aphis on Strawberry Roots. — D. H.
Cyuthiana, Ky., reports that a large aphiS at
the roots of strawberry plants is very destruc-
tive. He seeks a remedy. So far as we know,
it is not troublesome in these parts, and there-
fore no exprience has been had with remedies.
But where a few plants ax"e worth preserving, it
might be worth while to try Paris green or Lon-
don purple, as these seem to be destructive to
all insect life, and do not injure vegetation.

ScHUMAKER Peach.— J. W. B., Frcsno, Cal.,
asks: "What is the Schumaker Peach?" but
we can tell nothing more of it than has been al-
ready noted in our magazine.

Hybridizing Strawberries. — ,J. G. B.,
Princeton, 111., writes : "I am trying in a small
way to hybridize strawberries, raspberries and
blackberries, and of course there are difficulties
to the uninitiated, and it occurred to me that
you being high in authority in such matters,
would therefore be a proper person to apply to
for information. If any information in book
form is accessible to the public on hybridizing
will you please inform me if you know of any ?"

[There is no work that we know of, — and in-
deed hybridizing is such a simple affair, when
understood, that it is hardly worth while to
write a work about. Those who know an3'thing
of the structure of a flower know that the
organs in the centre are the pistils, and that the
powder capped organs around them are the
stamens. In hybridization, this powdery sub-
stance,— the pollen as it is called, — must be
taken from the flower of one variety and placed
on the pistil of another, — and before it has re-
ceived pollen from its own stamens. To insure

178

THE GARDENER'S MONTHLY

jJune^

this latter point the anthers or pollen-b'earing
organs are cut oft' before they are mature, it
being sometimes necessary to part the petals be-
fore- thej' naturally expand, in order to do it.
The pistil is not always ready for fertilization
till a day or two after the flower expands. It is
the custom with hybridizers to put some pollen
on the apex of the pistil, at once when the an-
thers are taken oft', as pollen retains its vitality
for a long while, but in order to be certain that
hybridization is eff'ected, more pollen is put on a
day or so afterwards, and very often the flower
fertilized with foreign pollen is placed under a
gauze bag to keep off" insects which might bring
pollen from flowers not desirable.
Kaspberry Borer. — R. J. S., Philadelphia, i

The specimens of Hornet sent are infested with
the raspberry borer. This is the chief cause of
the degeneracy of varieties. A new form comes
out and for a while is popular, till the borer
finds it out. It is then weakened by the insect,
and being weak, is easily killed by the "Winter,
after which it is pronounced " not hardj'.'^
There seems to be no remedy but to examine
one's plants occasionally, and when traces of
the insect's existence are found, dig up and burn
the whole plantation in the Fall of the year,
and set out new canes the following Spring.
And above all, one should examine all pur-
chased plants on receipt, and if infested with
borers, refuse to receive them. A vigorous
policy is required to keep down this pest.

Forestry.

COMMUNICA TIONS.

CENTRAL CALIFORNIA FORESTRY.

BY T. C. PRICE, FRESNO CITY, CAL.

The idea of planting forest trees is steadily
gaining ground, especially in Fresno, Tulare,
and Mariposa Counties. The timber principally
planted here is Blue Gum, (Eucalyptus globulus)
and Locust; however, there is more of the
former than the latter. The constructing of
irrigating canals has wrought a revolution in
agriculture in this section, and as the facilities
for irrigation have increased there has been a
corresponding increase in tree-planting. In a
few years the vast plains, which have been here-
tofore comparatively treeless, will afford timber
for fuel and lumber to succeeding venerations.

EDITORIAL NOTES.

Forest Fires. — We have always contended
that the only way to make timber culture a per-
manent success, was not to keep before the pub-
lic mere sentimental notions regarding it, or to
pick out all the rosy scenes about forestry, and
let people get out of difficulties as best they
may •, but rather to seek ourselves what difficul-
ties there may be, and look for remedies. And
among the difficulties we must not lose sight of
the chance of forest fires, a difficulty we have

often alluded to. This trouble is brought more
particularly before us, this season of terrible dis-
asters from forest fires. For a month we have
been writing in an atmosphere of dense smoke
from forest fires all around within a circle of
four or five hundred miles wide. Thousands on
thousands of acres have been destroyed by the
fire fiend; and amongst these, forests belonging
to some who have been strongly tempted to em-
bark largely in artificial forest culture, but
which temptation they will be now most likely
to resist. "When alluding to the present aspects
of the forestry question in a paper for the Ptnn
Monthly, some three years ago, the writer of
this pointed out, that some system of forestry
insurance would have to be inaugurated before
much capital would be invested in it ; and we
present this point more strongly now. Of course
Forestry insurance would have to be on a very
different basis from any other class of insurance,
— and would have to be made on a broad national
basis. But it surel}^ can be done, — and if those
who are spending so much time on bewailing
the fate of forestry some hundred years or so to
come, when there shall be no more timber,
would give just a little to these practical ques-
tions, they would do at least as much service.

Forestry Census. — Prof. Sargent has issued
a descriptive list of all the forest trees of the
United States, with blank leaves to each page for
those who know of new facts to note and report.

188U.

AND HORTICULTURIST.

179

SCRAPS AND QUERIES.

Catalpa Wood.— G. M. F., Heuderson, Ky.,
writes: "I sowed, recently, a considei-able
quantity of Catalpa seeds for timber, and now 1 !
am told that there are two kinds, the White and
the Yellow Catalpa, and that the white is of,
little value for durability. Can you tell me any- |
thing about this, as it would be very unfortunate
for me, after waiting a number of years, to find
I had made a mistake? I have read Mr. Bar-
ney's pamphlet, and I cannot learn from that
that there is any difference in the durability of
the timber of either kind, only that the one is
more hardy than the other. That there is a
difference in the durability of the two kinds of j
timber I believe. The timber known here as
the White Catalpa is not so durable" as the yel-
low, but, so far as I have been able to judge, the
white and yellow timber are all from the same
kind, — the white being from the younger and
the yellow from older trees."

[We cannot say. The whole Catalpa question
has been so mixed through the reckless state-
ments of enthusiasts that it is difficult for the
cool-headed investigator to understand the exact
merits of the two varieties. For ourselves, we
have become so puzzled that we have had to
leave the whole matter to time to unravel. If
what our correspondent supposes about the dif-
ference between the white and yellow wooded
Catalpa be correct, it will be a fact against the
supposed merits of the C. speciosa, as the east-
ern form is a very dark brown. We never saw
any Catalpa wood that could be called " white,"
except the two outer annual rings of wood.
Moreover, almost all of the facts in regard to

the wonderful dui*ability of Catalpa timber have
been derived from experience with the eastern
form. Rafinesque, over sixty years ago, refers
to the then long known reputation for durability
of Catalpa timber, — and this was before civil-
ization had scarcely penetrated a forest beyond
the Ohio River. Near where we write is a
'•Yellow" Catalpa timber gate-post, that, we
have been informed, is some fifty years old.
Our correspondent will thus see that we shall
have to determine which species is the "yel-
low" and which is the "white," or whether the
same kind will be sometimes white or some-
times yellow, before we can correctly answer
his questions. — Ed. G. M.]

Growth of Timber.— C. B. P., Albany,
Ills., writes: "I have just been looking over
The Gardener's Monthly, for September,
1877, and noticed a note on the rapid growth
of hickory, and I send you a little of my
experience. I planted some fine, — what we here
call Mississippi — hickory nuts, six years ago last
fall, and they have grown from 6 to 16 inches in
that time; also planted seeds of sugar maple
five years ago, and they have grown 10 to 18
inches. Black walnut makes an average with
1 me of 2 feet per annum, and in nine years a
I diameter of 7 inches."

[Our correspondent probably means that the
hickory and sugar-maple have grown the height
he says so much a year avei'age in that time, for
! surely it would be very exceptional for either of
these trees, but especially the maple, to make
only eighteen inches of absolute growth in five
years. But the walnut is a well-known rapid
grower even in its earliest stages of seedlino-
life.— Ed. G. M.]

Natural History and Science.

COMMUNICA TIONS.

EXTRACT FROM MY NOTE BOOK.

BY REDWOOD CALEIK^PPEK, WILMINGTON, DEL.

Before setting out on the little jaunt up the
Brandywine creek, I came upon a Paper Mul-
berry overhanging a fence at the Corner of
13th and King streets. This mulberry, like one

which I had previously described in the Gar-
deners' Monthly, had sent out roots from
the new wood formed along an opening in the
tree's side. The opening in this latter case had
doubtless once been completely filled with
brown or black decayed wood, but a portion of
this having been knocked or weather-washed
q,way, one or two large roots starting from a
point about eight feet above the ground were

180

THE GARDENER'S MONTHLY

[June,

brought into view. These roots were an inch
and a half in thickness.

In the published description of a similar case
above mentioned, I expressed an uncertainty as
to whether the roots and rootlets filling the de-
cayed wood, were from the entire inner surface
surrounding said decayed wood, or only from
the new wood on the margins of the opening.
Tree number two made this point clear, — the
roots were the product of the new wood only.
A second break in the side of this tree, where a
large branch diverged from the trunk seemingly
caused by insufficient support below, gave rise
to another peculiar formation. Here the mar-
ginal new wood crossed from one side of the
break to the other, forming a sort of Siamese-
twins' union of the two sides. Above this cord
of union, and quite within the break, a stout
twig had grown from a surface of new wood
which was beyond the I'oot-developing action of
of the black, heat-absorbing decayed wood.
This tree also furnished an instance of the
new wood continuing to grow laterally until it
formed a circle in section, and breaking away
on both sides, became as far below as its junc-
tion with the main trunk, a self-supporting
lesser trunk. Query : Why is this tendency of
rooting from the new wood a peculiarity of
Broussonetia papyrifera? My supposition is,
that it is the complete decay that occurs within,
together with the dark, almost black color of
this decayed wood which gives it thus the
stimulating properties of rich earth.

FERNS OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA.

BY S. B. PARISH, SAN BERNARDINO, CAL.

The southernmost part of California possesses
a great diversity of climate. There are low
hills whose sunny recesses are unvisited by frost,
and mountain peaks 12,000 feet high, whose
summits are white with snow till late in the
summer. The waters which descend from the
western slope of these mountains find their way
through steep and wooded caiions, abounding in
water-falls, to fertile valleys ; on the eastern |
side the scanty streams wind through barren I
hills, and hardly reach the edge of the thirsty j
desert whose lowest part is 70 feet beneath the
sea level.

These varied conditions of heat and cold, of
moisture and dryness, favor the production of a
widely varied flora, extending from the pine
and the oak to the palm, the agave and the

cactus. Erom the same causes, there are to be
found grouped together in the same natural or-
der, plants which require very difterent condi-
tions for their growth, as is well seen in the
great number and variety of the native ferns.
In rapidly passing these in review, it is not pro-
posed to enter into any scientific description,
but mainly to give a few notes concerning their
manner and places of growth, and their general
appearance. If we enter one of the many ra-
vines, or canons which cut the mountain sides,
we soon see some sunny or half shaded bank
thinly covered with the common brake, Pteris
aquilina, var. lanuginosa ; but even higher up
in the mountains it does not show the size and
luxuriance it attains in more northern climates.
On dryer and poorer soil are found the scattered
tufts of the Bird Rock-brake, (Pellsea ornitho-
pus), its roots often hidden under a stone or
sheltered by the heath-like chimizo bushes, but
its stiff fronds thrust out to the sunshine. While
young it is graceful, and of a soft glaucous green,
but it is soon scorched to a dull olive color, and
to a rigidity not at all in accordance with the
grace looked for in a fern. Higher up in the
hills there is to be found in a few places the
rare Pellsea Wrightiana, so like in appearance
to the Bird Rock-brake that a close examina-
tion is needed to detect the botanical characters
which distinguish them. It has, perhaps, a
somewhat more elegant appearance than its
commoner relative, as it stands shouldering up
against a half-buried boulder, and looking like a
bunch of little dingy pine twigs. Both of these
ferns when cultivated in the shade, acquire a
brighter color, and a more graceful manner of
growth than they have in their native homes.
But before going so high up, let us look for a
handsomer member of this genus, Pellsea an-
dromedsefolia. It is to be sought in places par-
tially shaded and not entirely dry, although it
is by no means notional, and will grow under
almost any conditions. In cultivation it is very
satisfactory, doing well either in the house, or
out in the sun among the smaller border plants.
Its few long and branching fronds are gracefully
curved, or, in the shade, drooping, and the
small ovate pinnules, although thick in tex-
ture, are of a pleasing green, or sometimes of
quite a bi'ight purple. Growing in the same
places, is the California Polypod, Polypodium
Californicum, its single deeply pinnatifid frond
illuminated on the back with rows of bright
golden fruit dots. It is a winter grower, shoot-

1880.

AND HORTICULTURIST.

181

ing up with wonderful rapidity after the tirst
rains, and withering wlien the moisture fails in
the Summer. It is a very easy and good fern
for house cultivation. In the same places, but
loving a little more sunshine, is seen the Gym-
nograrame triangularis, its polished brown
stipes supporting handsome triangular fronds,
the backs of which are covered with the bright
yellow powder from which it gets its name of
Gold Fern. Nearer the coast, and on the edge
of the desert, they are found coated with a
shining white powder, and are then called Sil-
ver Ferns, but botanists do not recognize them
as distinct varieties.

(To be continued.)

NOTES FROM WASHINGTON TERRITORY.

BY FAXNY E. BRIGGS.

Another year has brought us little additional
knowledge of the country and its climate, ex-
cept as to its capacity for storms. The winter
had been unusually cold and stormy, and cold
rains continued with little intermission until
July, and interfered unusually with haying and
harvest. With brief intervals of pleasant
weather, the autumn was very wet, and early in
December the rain changed to snow. On the
night of December 24th, the mercury stood at
three degrees above zero, the coldest night in
many years. On the 9th of January there was
a terrible wind storm, continuing four or five
hours. At the very beginning of the storm, a
tree fell upon a school-house only two miles
distant, killing two children instantly and injur-
ing almost every one in the house, some severe-
ly. Great masses of trees were felled, filling
roads, cumbering fields, and destroying fences,
buildings and stock.

On February 18th, we had nearly two feet of
very solid snow. March opened quite pleasant-
ly, but on the 16th nearly a foot of snow fell,
and to-day, March 28th, the ground is white
again. So much for the "semi-tropical climate"
of which we heard such flattering accounts.

This can never be a land of gay and smiling
landscapes while its native features remain.
The ever-present firs, so dark and sombre in the
cloudy day, light up, it is true, in the sunshine,
and take on altogether a different aspect ; but it
is only a mild and pensive gladness, and in aut-
umn there is only hei'e and there a glimpse of
brightness where a dog-wood or vine-maple
hangs out its purple or scarlet banner. The
grand snow-peaks, Hood, St. Helens, Adams and

Ranier, are the glory of the land, and a sight of
them is always inspiring.

As the Indian question is now a prominent
one, perhaps a few personal observations may
not be amiss. The Indians we saw in California
were all, I suppose, of those known as Diggers.
They worked a little, stole what they could, and
lived in the poorest and wretchedest way. "With
a friend I visited one of their camps. It was
built on a hill-side, sloping steeply to a consid-
erable stream. The best of the houses were
mere huts, patched together with fragments of
lumber of all kinds, with no floor, and a single
sash for light. These were provided with con-
spicuous padlocks, and belonged, no doubt, to
the " upper ten." More numerous were huts
made by laying poles across low forks, and set-
ting up bark or evergreen boughs against them,
or hanging blankets or sacking to secure partial
shelter.

Under one of the poorest and smallest of
these, upon a few rags, lay a poor woman in ex-
treme old age, totally blind and racked with
pain. A fire at the mouth of the tent off"ered
little warmth, and a little acorn soup was the
only visible nourishment. With a thankful
heart I heard, not many days after, that death
had relieved her from suffering.

At one side of the village stood a great turf-
covered "dance-house." The women were sit-
ting about on the ground totally idle and stupid;
the men and boys engaged in noisy games.
Large quantities of acorns were gathered here
for winter use. These they pound fine and man-
ufacture into bread and soup. They pound
them with smooth stones in circular basins in
the rocks, and these primitive mortars are to be
met with on every hand. As a desert after
acorns, there were also gathered large quantities
of "Indian berries," the scarlet fruit of the
beautiful shrub which Mr. Vick calls American,
Holly. The Indians were also said to be very
fond of the bulbs of some of the pretty flowers,
Calochortus, Tritelias, etc. One, a beautiful
yellow Calochortus, was known as Indian
potato.

At certain times these Indians meet in large
numbers to "mourn their dead." I saw one of
these companies on their way. All were in
their best attire, and, as means were found to
transport all, old and young, and even the blind
and crippled, I suppose it is an important rite.

The Indians I have met with in this region
are superior to any I ever saw elsewhere— better

182

THE GARDENER'S MONTHLY

[June,

looking, better dressed, more intelligent and
self-respecting in appearance. I am told that
many of them have comfortable dwellings, some
stock, and raise fruit and vegetables ; but none,
so far as I have heard, do much farming. The
abundance of fish and game is a resource which
some of them find quite profitable.

Meeting some of them at the village store, I
examined their curious baskets with much inter-
est, and " Indian Lewis " gave me these particu-
lars : They are made of the inner fibres of cer-
tain roots, fine and tough as threads, woven so
closely that they vs^ill contain water, and the
outside is covered with rushes of different colors,
interwoven as the basket is made. The work
is extremely tedious, but the baskets will last a
life-time. Lewis said that "before the white
men came " these were used for cooking. They
were made of large size, and water, meat and
vegetables being placed in them, red-hot stones
were added, and continually changed till the
cooking was finished.

These Indians have long been at peace with
the whites, and say that if any of the hostile
tribes from the east should ever invade this
region, they would be the first victims.

EDITORIAL NOTES.

The Bartram Oak. — Mr. Isaac C. Martin-
dale, Camden, N. J., has prepared and published,
in pamphlet form, acomplete history of this tree,
of which there are now quite a number known,
and shows that it must take rank as a good
species. "When Michaux' Sylva was published,
and the kind named Quercus heterophylla, he
thought the one tree on the Bartram estate the
only one existing.

The Fileree of California.— This is the
modern Californian for the older Mexican Alfil-
erilla — the common name of the Erodium ci-
cutarium, an European, or at least, doubtfully
native plant, which has found itself in remark-
ably comfortable circumstances in the climate
and soil of California, and has spread like wild-
fire through the State. And then, it is so wel-
come to the Californians ! A correspondent of
the San Francisco Chronicle calls it the prince
of pasture plants.

The Tallow Tree. — An Australian paper
says: "The Chinese Tallow tree, Stillingia
(Exeacaria) sebifera, and several other plants of

Southern Europe and the Levant, are succeed-
ing well and require very little attention. The
Chinese Tallow tree belongs to the order Eu-
phorbiacefe or Spurgewort family. Like the
ordinary Euphorbias, its fruit contains three
seeds, but they are embedded in a fatty sub-
stance, which is literally vegetable tallow. Mr.
Robert Fortune, in his interesting work, Tea
Countries of China, gives an exhaustive account
of the Chinese method of extracting the tallow
from this tree. It appears that they separate it
from the seeds by bruising and steaming the
fruit, and use it for making candles. The seeds,
too, when separated from the tallow, yield a
valuable oil by expression. The wood of the
tree is employed in the manufacture of printing
blocks, whilst from the leaves is extracted a
valuable dye." This tree has long been under
culture in the Southern United States, and is one
of the leading shade-trees on the streets of ^qw
Orleans. We get tallow too easily to make it
profitable to look to this tree for a supply, but
it is well to know what other nations are doing.

PiCEA PuNGENS. — Professor Sargent writes
that " the following extract from a letter from
Mr. John F. Baldwin, of Otley, Iowa, is inter-
esting as showing that Picea pungens (Abies
Menziesii of the Colorado botanists) was really
introduced into cultivation as early as 1860, or
two years earlier than the first seed of this
species were sent home by Dr. Parry. A speci-
men from one of Mr. Baldwin's trees, now be-
fore me, confirms his determination of the
species. Mr. Baldwin writes : ' I would say,
in regard to my plants of Picea pungens, that I
dug them up in the Rocky Mountains of Colo-
rado, in April, 1860, and brought them to Iowa
with several other kinds of trees, by wagon, be-
ing over a month on the way. The trees were
packed in hay, as I could get nothing better to
pack them in at the time. The trees were less
than two feet in height, and at the time I began
to dig them it commenced snowing. During the
two hours we were engaged in digging the plants,
snow to the depth of two feet must have fallen,
so that before the trees were all taken up we
had to dig down into the snow to find where
they were. These trees are now 25 feet high,
and are very hardy, having withstood our most
severe winters. They have never been in the
least killed back, and I consider them as hardy
and beautiful as any tree which can be found in
this country.' "

1880.

AND HORTICULTURIST.

183

SCRAPS AND QUERIES.

Range of Indian Corn. — S. P., Del. Co.,
Pa., writes : " There was a long article in the
Practical Farmer, some years ago, on Zea
Mays, our common Indian corn, in which the
writer says that it could only be grown in North
America, between Canada and the Gulf of
Mexico, and East of the Rocky Mountains, j
which is denied by almost every one who visits
•my house. He said it could not be grown in any
other part of the world. Please answer through
the Gardener^s Monthly.

[The misunderstanding arises, probably, from
the form of expression, "only be grown in
North America." The writer's meaning, no
doubt, was that in North America it can be only
§rown within the limits named. As a matter of
fact, it is grown in many other parts of the
world.— Ed. G. M.]

Hybrid Heliotrope. — T. F., Raleigh, North
Carolina, sends a specimen of what people there
insist is a "hybrid between a heliotrope and
.a verbena." ButitisTournefortiaheliotropoides.

After all, when leading botanists profess to find
"hybrid" forms in nature, on no other ground
than that they seem intermediate between two
other forms, other people may well be pardoned
for supposing this curious plant to be a hybrid.

Drying Flowers. — Miss H. says: "Will
you insert a query in the next issue of the
Monthly as to whether there is any prepara-
tion known to preserve the color of dried plants ;
what it is, and from whence obtained?"

[Very fine sand has been used for drying
fleshy flowers, like cactuses. The flower is stood
up in a little of the sand at the bottom, and
then more filled in inside the flower and outside
till the vessel is full. If the sand is a little
warm so much the better, but if too warm the
flower is likely to be crisp, and it will break to
pieces easy. In drying pressed flowers, the art
is to dry them as rapidly as possible. Rich,
showy flowers, like cactuses and orchids, before
they are pressed, should be dipped for an instant
in boiling water, when they preserve their showy
colors remarkably. If any of our correspond-
ents can add to these notes, we shall be thank-
ful.—Ed. G. M.]

Literature, Travels \ Personal Notes.

COMMUNICA TION.

NOTES AND QUERIES-No. 13.

BY JACQUES.

Locusts die off in August, but before this
'Occurs, the females bore holes in the ground on
the slopes of the hills sufficiently large to
insert their bodies ; then the males, it is ascer-
tained, cut off" their wings and heads, and thus
the eggs in the bodies of the females are pre-
served against the inclemencies of the winter
■season. Advantage has been taken in Algeria,
of the fact that the eggs hatch on the slopes of
these hills. When they descend into the plains,
trenches are dug at the base, and when the
locusts are within a few yards of the pits, they are

enclosed between two long strips of canvas placed
perpendicularly in parallel lines leading to the
mouths of the pits. A piece of oil cloth is then
spread on the ground, extending over these
trenches in a slanting position, over which the
locusts continue to advance, and are precipi-
tated into these traps in innumerable quantities,
and immediately destroyed. Pretty well for
Turks.

Silk was successfully raised in the original
United States before the Revolution, and
enough made by ladies to be sent abroad to
make dresses for themselves; and so it will be
again, but on a larger scale. There exists
sources of income to individuals of various kinds,
not yet tried or exhausted. Fifty years ago a
lady bought all her bonnets by the sale of limes.

184

THE GARDENER'S MONTHLY

[Jtine,.

from her two lime trees, taking advantage of the
market when imported limes and lemons were
not to be bought.

There is evidently increasing admiration and
patronage for the Aloe, and the whole family.
But what to do with it in the Winter, is a puzzl-
ing question, as it takes much space when
large. A pair of beauties were recently sold for
one hundred dollars. The Aloe is the emblem
of silence, the winds having little power to
move its leaves. Can any one tell what is the
best and most economical way to house them
safely in Winter ?

Ring Marks in Trees. — Some doubts as to the
value of rings in tree growths as usually un-
derstood are lost by experiments in South
Wales. The rings counted on a tree known to
have been planted eighteen years previously,
were found to be thirty-six in number, or two
for every year.

The Leadville Herald reports the finding of a
veritable glacier within twenty-five miles of the
town, in an unfrequented and heretofore un-
visited gulch. What must they find next ?

Silk Worms. — One likes to pick up novelties.
In the very good book Lang's Cyprus, we find
that '' When it is desired to hatch the silk worm's
eggs, the women of Cyprus wear the cloth upon
which the eggs have been laid round their
waists, and cause them to hatch by the heat of
the body." There was a newspaper storj"^ going
the rounds not many years ago, that a man had
hatched a duck by wearing the egg under his
arm for the short space of a month or so.

The Cotton Worm. — The third bulletin of the
United States Entomological Commission gives
the results of Prof. Riley's researches on the
cotton worm, which is so injurious to the cotton
plant, that the average loss is estimated at over
twelve millions of dollars a year. Sad enough,
but there is a human species that wastes vastly
more annually, by keeping millions of men
under drill. It would be better to try to exter-
pate the latter worms than the former.

Contrary to Darwin'' s conclusions, that Dro-
sera is carnivorous, Prof. Kegel finds on com-
paring a number of plants fed with meat, with
a series which were not, that while the aver-
age weight of the seeds was greater in the
former case, this was more than compensated
by their much smaller number, the gross weight
being considerably less. And found also, that

the leaves were obviously injured by the flesh*
food, and that the power of the plants to resist
the Winter was diminished. He thinks the-
epithet carnivorous, improper.

Go West. — Dr. Cyrus Thomas, of Illinois, a-
member of the United States Entomological
Commission, kindly reports to young men with
an inclination to go West, that the loss from
the chinch bug in Illinois alone, in 1850, was es-
timated at $4,000,000 ; an average of $4.70 for
every man, women, and child then living in the
State. In 1864 it destroyed three-fourths of the-
wheat, and one-half of the corn crop through-
out the Valley of the Mississippi, a loss to the-
farmers" of $100,000,000. Crossing the river
they meet the Rocky Mountain Locust, a larger-
and even more destructive insect. Not to pub
too fine a point, we say nothing of wind, storms,,
etc., and conclude to stay East.

Prof. Huxley's Physiographia: Appletons,.
1878, — is a truly valuable scientific work, easily
comprehended. At present, he says, the deep-
est mine is near Wigan, being 2,445 feet. Ex^-
periments on the temperature at different
depths, while sinking the pit, showed that the
average increase is about 1° Fahr. for every
fifty-four feet. In otlier sinkings, different re-
sults have been obtained, the rate of augmenta-
tion being aff"ected by the character of the rocks,
and it will not be far wrong to assume the-
average increase of 1° for every sixty-four. feet..
At the depth of only a few miles, the heat
would be sufficient to fuse any known rock, and'
whatever the general state of the earth's inte-
rior, there must be at least masses of molten
rock. No less than 10,000 hot springs are said=
to exist within the area of the Yellowstone Park.
On the sources of carbon in plants, the book is
very full and satisfactory, the supply being from
the atmosphere.

Springs. — In Physiographia will be found the
true theory of springs, alone worth the cost of'
the volume.

Poison Vines. — We cannot recollect that
any of the copious writers who described the
wild plants in the Philadelphia Park, com-
mended or even enumerated the great amount
of poison vines; lately they were brought to
notice by the orders of the Board of Health to
remove them, after long possession of that over-
praised possession of ai great city. The Boards
of Health deserves credit for peeping into the-
doings of the other close corporation..

1880.

AND HORTICULTURIST.

185

U. Wait, is the name of a New York plumber
who advertises that all business is promptly
attended to. No doubt this plumbing frater-
nity has managed to be the most unpopular in
all America.

It is not often that so emphatic an announce-
ment is made by a respectable English paper
as we find in the Pall Mall. It says, and proba-
bly truly: "We wish here to reiterate an opin-
ion which we hold with no less anxiety than
conviction, that one of the most important of
all facts underlying the future of England is
this : Through its extraordinary developement
of the grain-growing industries abroad, the
operation of the irresistible system of free
trade, the multiplication and aggrandizement of
foreign navies, the people of this country, (Eng-
land) are exposed to great peril of starvation;
or panic of starvation, in the event of any hos-
tile alliance against us, which does not seem
impossible as things go. History must repeat
itself. ' God save the Queen.' " With millions
now in Europe under arms, and taken from
production, what shall we say of progress. The
condition of Europe is not happy. It gives up
one-third of its male population to sterile drill-
ing. How happy the man in his American
greenhouse. Well may the Spectator say, that,
" Through war the situation of mankind is be-
coming unendurable."

EDITORIAL NOTES.

Kind Words. — While sending an interesting
note for publication, a correspondent says : " I
was much interested in the last number. In my
humble opinion it has improved wonderfully
since 1872, when I first became a subscriber.
The correspondents come from so wide an ex-
tent of country, and the contents remarkably
varied."

[We have had so many of these kind words
lately, that it is fair to assume that it is a gen-
eral sentiment. We suppose some credit may
be taken for editorial management, — but allow-
ing for all this, very much is due to the many
kind friends who so freely send us notes of their
observations and experiences. In this connec-
tion we may say that occasionally a valuable
communication may stay on hand several
months, because of some material referring to
some recent question requiring precedence. It
is not often that this happens, — but enough so

to make this explanation of some service. —
Ed. G. M.]

Dignity of a Seedsman. — In the recent
election in England for members of Parliament,
one of the candidates for South Lincolnshire
was Mr. Chas. Sharpe, the well-known seeds-
man. The other candidate was a gentleman of
leisure, who rents out properties, and, amongst
others, owned a book-stall at the railroad sta-
tion. The following correspondence has been
published :

Mr. Charles Sharpe, the Liberal candidate, re-
ceived the following letter from the Rev. G.
Potchett :

"Mr. Potchett has received an address 'To
the Independent Electors of South Lincoln-
shire,' accompanied with a request of vote and
interest from a 'Mr. Charles Sharpe,' of Slea-
ford. If it is the same Mr. Sharpe who keeps a
garden-seed shop in Grantham, Mr. Potchett
hopes that a vast majority of the electors will
mark their disapprobation of such arrogant and
intense presumption.

" Denton, Grantham, April 1."

Mr. Potchett received the following reply :
" Sleaford, April 3, 1880.

"Sir,— I beg to acknowledge the receipt of
your letter of the 1st inst., and I have the honor
to inform you that I am the proprietor of the
garden-seed shop at Grantham, and that I have
the presumption to aspire to sit in the same
house with the proprietor of the book-stall at
Grantham Station. I am, sir, your obedient
servant, Charles Sharpe.

" The Rev. G. Potchett, Denton."

Prof. Cope and the Academy of Natural.
Sciences of Philadelphia.— Prof. Cope con-
tinues his attacks on the Academy in The Amer-^
ican Naturalist, much to the regret, we are sure,
of his best friends. It would not be just to Prof.
Cope to say he does not believe in his own state-
ments,— it is much more charitable to refer the
distortion of facts to some other source. But,
injustice to the Academy, it is but right to say
that his statement is not correct that " Prof.
Cope was dropped from the Council (of the-
Academy) on account of absence from more
than six of the meetings. Prof. Cope having
been engaged in a scientific exploration in Ore-
gon;" It would, of course, be a strange thing
for a society having in view the advancement of
science, to " fix a penalty for the absence in
question," and it is evidently the intention of

186

THE GARDENER'S MONTHLY

[June,

Prof. Cope to make the world believe that the
Academy did this very strange thing. But
•€Yery one acquainted with the Academy knows
that it is perfectly practicable for a member of
its councils to be absent six months or a year
without losing his seat, and they will also know
that when, notwithstanding this. Prof. Cope's
■seat was vacated, it shows that he has not told
the whole story.

Equally short of the whole truth is the at-
tempts to make the world believe that Dr. Le
Conte favors his views and is dissatisfied with the
working of the Academy, when it is well known
that the present administration of the Academy
has no warmer friend than Dr. Le Conte.

Further, it is said " one of our rising young
■naturalists has been relieved of the scholarship
which was endowed by A. E. Jessup, and which
'paid a small salary, without the offer of an
equivalent place." This is equally remarkable
for the inference left to be drawn through not
telling the whole truth. The fund provides that
beneficiaries shall have its advantages for two
years. At the end of that term there happened
to be no suitable applicant, and the excellent
Mr. Ryder was offered a continuance until an
acceptable successor should arise. He was, in-
deed, four years on the fund instead of the two
promised, and, much to the regret of the Acad-
emy, it had "no equivalent place to offer him."

But the most singular fact is that Prof. Cope
should feel justified in using a public magazine
like the Naturalist to attack a private institu-
tion, for the Academy has no endowment for its
maintenance. Some five hundred members pay
:S10 a year, and there are some life members of
$100 each. These pay to support in their own
way their own private property ; what they do
for science is their own free and voluntary gift.
An immense majority of them have voted down
Prof. Cope's ideas of management, and in con-
sequence, he appeals to the public for the sym-
pathy which the Academy denies him, just as he
would be justified in doing were it a public in-
stitution and it was squandering the public
■funds.

There have been some small sums left to the
Academy for special purposes, at various times,
but it will surprise many readers to know
that, while Prof. Cope would have it do things
which only richly-endowed institutions do, it has
maintained its well-known reputation over the
world, with its large museum and magnificent
library of over 20,000 scientific volumes, on an

annual income of about S6,000 a year; a great
portion of which has to go for city expenses I
Indeed, so far from the public having any right
to criticise their work, the most of the noble re-
sults reached here have been from the individual
labors of the members, as well as from their in-
dividual cash. The magnificent herbarium of
the Academy, unequalled, perhaps, in the
United States outside of Cambridge, in its
arrangement and care is the result of the
free labor of Pickering, Bridges, Durand, Burk,
Diftenbaugh, Parker, Redfield, and some others,
at odd times, with little more cost to the insti-
tution than gas-light. And what is true of the
Botanical is true of other departments. One
would suppose that Prof. Cope might mention
some of these facts in his tirades, — but then we
may suppose a good many other things.

S. Sands. — Now and then we read of some
one whom, it is said, " brain-work" has killed ;
but we have always doubted whether the sound,
legitimate use of the brain was any more trying
to life than any other kind of labor. In the ag-
ricultural and horticultural press we have scores
of men, not enervated by the excessive use of
spirits and stimulants, who have had the pen
continuously in hand for an incredible number
of years, and are as bright and strong on their
approach to four-score as any dunderhead could
be. We have lately noticed P. R. Freas, of the
Germantown Telegraphy an editor for fifty years,
without a week's intermission. And now we
may note Samuel Sands, of the American Farmer,
who has recently passed his eightieth year, and
gives promise of many more days of usefulness.
It is pleasant to notice so many instances where
the days are long in the land of those who de-
vote themselves to such unselfish work.

Intelligent Florists and Landscape
Gardeners. — Referring to the Editorial Note
in our last, a correspondent from Rome,
Georgia, says : " I read with much interest your
recent editorial on this subject. It is just our
situation here. I have long desired the services
of an intelligent landscape gardener, but have
failed to find one within reasonable distance."
We may repeat what we said last month, that
there never was a better time in the history of
our country, for men of general intelligence,
gentlemanly deportment, with a thorough know-
ledge of the finer branches of their business, and
a small capital, so that they can afford to hold
on a little while till their talents become known.

1S8U.

AND HOh'TJCUL TUlilS T.

18<

CoKFEE Culture in Liberia. — That a man

is not regarded as a prophet in his own country,
often has apt iUustrations. In our country, Mr.
Ed. S. Morris has not been wholly overlooked
in connection with the industrial developement
of Africa, but his work is probably more appre-
ciated in Europe than it is here among his own
friends. The discovery of the Liberian coflfee,
and its adaptation to Liberia,
was not only his work, but the
extensive culture in that country
1)y which a degraded and poverty
stricken race is elevating itself ^

commercially, and, as always fol-
io ws in the wake of industrial pur-
suits, intellectually and morally,
is in a great measure his work
only.

In a work published by Mr.
Morris, written as an appeal for
means to educate the wild Afri-
cans around the Colony of Libe-
ria, we find the following sketch
of a negro boy, who is offering a
present of two leopard kittens,
which he had caught wild in the
African woods ; all he had to be-
stow. I^ow, as a civilized indus-
trial, he sends coffee, sugar, and
other products of his civilized la-
bor, instead of wild cats, and na-
tive beasts. The change is gra-
tifying to the whole world. The
little Colony of Liberia is doing
more to civilize Africa, than all
that has been done by other na-
tions for ages, and among the
many who have worked in this
useful field, E. S. Morris should
ever be gratefully remembered.

Pear Progenitors. — The

Florist and Pomologist has the following : " In
the course of a series of lectures, published some
short time since by the late Prof. Karl Koch, the
origin of our various fruits is one of the subjects
treated on. The learned and traveled Prof., in
these lectures, mentions six species of Pyrus, as
the progenitors of our cultivated pears, namely:
Pyrus sinensis, of Desfontaine, from China and
Japan; P. cordata, of Desvaux, from France,
etc. ; P. Achras, of Gaertuer, from the steppes
of Southern Russia, and naturalized in France
and Germany; P Sinai, of Desfontaine, from

Syria; P. elseagrifolia, of Pallas, from north-
east Asia Minor; and P. salicifolia of the
younger Linnaeus, from the Caucasus. Linnaeus
united all the Pears, both wild and cultivated,
under the name of P. communis, and this name
we employ now for the cultivated varieties col-
lectively. At Torek, in the northern Caucasus,
Pear trees eighty and even a hundred feet high

are not rare, with trunks three to four feet in
diameter. Siebold introduced into the botanic
garden at Leylen, eight varieties of Japanese
cultivated Pears, differing widely in size, shape,
flavor, and time of ripening. As a species, P.
sinensis is distinguished by its rather large ovate
or nearly round leaves, which arc abruptly nar-
rowed into a short point, and furnished with
bristle-pointed teeth ; in the spring, when they
unfold, they are of a brownish red. In Ger-
many it is planted for ornamental purposes,
but it has not yet borne either flower or fruit.

188

THE GARDE NKR'S MONTHLV

[June,

P. cordata is said to occur in Persia, but Prof.
Koch thinks the Persian tree is probably P.
Achras. The latter must have originally ex-
isted in the steppes of Southern Russia, especi-
ally in the country of Don Cossacks, for so far
back as the history goes, the pear tree has
played an important part in the customs of the
people ; with them it is the sign of grief. It is
likewise held in high esteem in their festivals,
especially at Witsuntide ; and it is under a pear
tree that the annual custom takes place of mak-
ing the most beautiful maiden the queen for the
ensuing year. P. Balansae, of Decaisne is pro-
bably distinct from P. Achras, to which Boissier
refers it. P. Sinai is certainly one of the most
interesting of pear trees ; it entered largely into
the parentage of the early Italian varieties, but
it does not appear to have been introduced into
France till towards the end of the last century.
The area of its distribution in a wild state is not
known with certainty ; it certainly is indigenous
in Syria, and perhaps also in northern Babylon
or Assyria, which was formerly a Persian pro-
vince, but it is doubtful whether it extends to
Persia proper. Tliis species was probably car-
ried by the Phoenicians from Syria to lower Italy
and Sicily, as well as Rosa Damascena, before
Homer's time, P. Syriaca and P. glabra, of
Boissier, together with the P. Boveana, of De-
caisne, are varieties of P. Sinai, belong to P.
Achras. P. elseaginfolia (not elseaguifolia, as
sometimes written) has played an important part
in originating garden varieties. P. Cotschyana,
of Boissier, is an Oriental variety with very
wooly leaves, and a large, round fruit. It is un-
certain whether P. salicifolia, which is a very or-
namental species, has contributed to the pro-
duction of cultivated varieties ; but it is the
Achras of Theophrastus and other early writers,
and is still very widely dispersed in Greece."

Mr. Downing's Note on Barry.— As we
go to press we have a note from Mr. Barry, in
explanation of the points criticised by Mr.
Downing, which shall appear next month.

The Late David Landreth. — The Lon-
don Garden states that the late David Landreth
was " the chief officer of the agricultural section
of the great Philadelphia exposition;" in which
are two errors worth correcting. First, it was
the International Centennial Exhibition of
which Mr. Landreth managed the Agricultural
Department,— and secondly, the Mr. Landreth
who managed so admirably that department,

was Mr. Burnet Landreth, and not Mr. David
Landreth whose death we now deplore.

Lecture on Squashes. — No doubt the
members of the Camden Microscopical Society
were astonished at a proposed lecture '' on
squashes," but by a report in a Camden paper
of the remarks, they evidently went home in-
structed. Who would think so much could be
said of a squash. Three hundred and forty spe-
cies of the squash family, — their poisonous and
their edible qualities, — their enormous growth,
" like Jonah's gourd," and their thirst for wa-
ter ; their lifting power as illustrated by the
Amherst College experiments. Well let any
one try their hand at a lecture on the squash, as
friend Martindale did, and they "will not need
even the mammoth tree of California, or the
Banyan of India for a better subject. It is
strange how wonderful are the little things
about us ; and wonderful how little is known
about these little things.

Russell P. Eaton. — We recently expressed
our regret that this excellent gentleman had
left the editorial field he had so long occupied
in the New England Farmer ; and now we have
to welcome the prodigal's return. He has ta-
ken the Merrimac Journal of Franklin Falls,
New Hampshire. If the people there have no
fatted calves ready for him, he will soon teach
them how to obtain them. There will be few
lean kine around on the farms of his readers.

RosEBANK Nurseries. — These Nashville
nurseries, one of the most famous and thoroughly
reliable in the South, will in future be known
as the Rosebank Nursery Co., instead of Truett
& Morgan. Mr. Morgan retires, but with some
new elements, Mr. Truett, Mr. Webber, and
the old management remains.

Prize Essay on New Hardy Ornamen-
tal Shurbs. — The prize offered by the Massa-
chusetts Horticultural Society, was obtained by
Samuel Parsons, Jr.

The American Garden. — This little paper,
formerly owned by Messrs. Beach, Son & Co., .
has been purchased by Messrs. B. K. Bliss & I
Sons, and the first number of the new series ap-
pears with Dr. Hexamer as editor. Its scope
may be inferred from the following from the
leading editorial : "Although nearly all agri-
cultural papers devote a part of their columns
to horticultural mattei-s, the bulk of their con-

1880.

AND HORTICULTURIST.

189

tents is of uo interest to those who cultivate not
more than a garden." It is published quarterly,
and we are sure will be very useful to the class
for whom it is intended.

Practical Camellia Culture. — By Robt.
J. Halliday. Published by the author. Gen-
eral hints on flower culture tell a great deal to
the flower culturist, and there are many good
works of this character. But there is much need
of special treatises on certain classes of plants,
and the camellia, though so old and so well
known, has much that is modern in its treat-
ment, and which will profit all lovers of camel-
lias to know. Baltimore is a good field to work
in, for of old it was a hot-bed of camellia grow-
ers, and new camellias from Baltimore raisers
were among the regularly expected things. If
there be anything to be known about this fam-
ous plant not known about Baltimore, it will be
a marvellous thing. At any rate, this little book
of Mr. Halliday's seems to have not forgotten
anything, and it will doubtless have a good sale.
The simple manner in which all the directions
are given is a good point in its favor.

American Grape-Growing and Wine-
Making: by George Hussmann, Professor of
Horticulture in the University of Missouri.
New York, Orange Judd Company. — Professor
Hussmann, noted as a grape-grower, has already
issued a small work on grape culture, which has
rendered him well-known in the literature of
viticulture. N"o one is better fitted for the
task of teaching in this line. Though many
works have already appeared in this country,
the grape has gone far beyond its literary his-
tory. At no period has its culture been, on the
whole, more successful than now, so that, not-
withstanding all that has been said, there is
more than ever to tell now, and more people
ready to hear the news. Mr. Hussmann's book
is, therefore, timely, and no doubt will have a
large sale.

In looking back over past works, and noting
how many pages have been devoted to the "de-
scription of varieties " no one now cares any-
thing about, we have sometimes wondered
whether this waste of space will be continued
in future works. There is not so much of this
in Mr. Hussmann's book, — and if there is more
than we think necessary, it is pleasant to say
that beyond this there is enough to make the
work permanently valuable as a guide for prac-
tical vineyard culture for many years to come.

We are glad, particularly, that Mr. H. has
shown the evil effects of vines from layers.
Much of the ill success of vine culture in the
past has arisen from the sending out of plants
from enfeebled parent plants, — and every horti-
culturist knows that there is nothing so much
weakens the constitutional power of a grape-
vine to resist disease as the continual practice
of taking layers from it. The weakening of the
main plant is in time communicated to the pro-
geny, and it is from this and similar causes that
so many good kinds are reported unfit for culti-
vation in particular localities. The plants,
strong as they may have appeared, and not the
variety, were to blame.

Horticulture at the Paris Exposition.
— M. Charles Joly has issued a little work en-
titled Etude sur le Materiel Horticole, which re-
views and does justice to the numerous horticul-
tural exhibits of the Paris Exposition. These
exhibits consisted chiefly of plans of some of
the chief parks and gardens of Europe. Rock-
eries and grottoes on the ground ; greenhouses
and greenhouse plants, horticultural instru-
ments, implements, ornaments, literature, and
the bedding plants by which the grounds were
ornamented.

We do not find that there was anything of the
immense collections of hardy trees and shrubs
which gave such an attraction to our own Cen-
tennial, and when we remember that one
American firm offered to place one thousand
species and marked varieties of ligneous plants
on the grounds, and was refused permission to
do so on the technical ground that his govern-
ment had not recognized the exhibition. Under
these circumstances it seems but retributive
justice to learn from M. Joly's review, that an
immense space originally intended for foreign
exhibits was not filled, " mais, dans les derniers
temps, ont fait modifier les dispositions premiers
et oblige les horticulteurs a garnier les espaces
non occupes."

Muscle Beating ; by C. Klemm, New
York: M. L. Holbrook & Co. — We do not
know that horticulturists need any theory of
gymnastics. A spade or a hoe is warranted to
cure the worst case of dyspepsia. If people
have no garden, there is the axe and the wood-
pile, and the wives and daughters of these un-
healthy people will call them blessed. But
what if there are no gardens, — no wood-piles, —
no fields and forests where the poor fellow can

100

THE GARDENER'S MONTHLY

[June,

go round into and collect wild flowers, — no
cricket or base ball club? Why, then he may
get this little book and mark its counsels well.

Nebraska State Board of Agriculture
FOR 1879. — Among the numerous chapters of
especial importance to horticulturists is one on
Plum Culture, by Mr. D. W. Kauffman, who by
trying Windoe's plan of coal-tar smoking three
times a week for six weeks, had 30 bushels of
plums from 45 trees.

Transactions or the Iowa Horticultu-
ral Society, from J. L. Budd, Ames, Iowa,
received with thanks.

Col. Vernon Harcourt. — So recently as
our last number we had to note the generous ac-
tion of this gentleman toward his aged gardener.
It is now sad to have to record his death, at
Buxted Park, in his eightieth year. It is re-
markable how strange is the mixture of life and
death ! On the eighth of May came a brief
word of his death, and two days after came to
hand a letter from his own hands — which had
come by an overdue steamer — and which was,
perhaps, the last letter he ever wrote. In this
letter he was planning for the planting of an
arboretum wholly of American trees and
shrubs on the estate of Buxted Park.

The intelligent love for gardening which he
and Lady Catharine Harcourt always displayed,
and the encouragement they gave to horticul-
tural societies and horticultural progress, will
make their loss felt, we are sure, in England.
In the love for rose culture, there were few
greater enthusiasts. Several leading rose grow-
ers in England and France had standing orders
to a certain amount per annum for all that was
new or good in roses. The love was a sort of
inheritance. His mother was Lady Leveson
Gower, whose name, in connection with one of
the most beautiful varieties, is a sort of " house-
hold word" with rosarians. The pleasure which
they took in tree-growth was almost childlike,
and seemed to give them just the same real en-
joyment as children take, and makes us all wish
we were like children again. "When it was the
privilege of the writer of this to be so kindly re-
ceived by them at Buxted Park, and he was de-
tailing to Lady Catharine the measurement of
the original Robinia at Paris, some one was
s>ent to measure the fine specimen in the Park
to note the difference •, and when the figures of
the measurements of a tree of Pinus insiiinis at

St. Clare, and one at Osborne House were given,
and the result seemed in favor of the St. Clare
specimen, the pleasure it seemed to give them
will not be forgotten; "for," said Col. Harcourt,
" we planted that tree at the same time Prince
Albert planted his, and we were always watch-
ing each other's ti-ee to see whose throve the
best."

Col. Vernon and Lady Catharine Harcourt —
both gone so recently — will be remembered by
many. Though with the blood of numerous re-
presentatives of Earldoms and Dukedoms run-
ning through their veins they were naturally
proud of the privileges of rank, they seemed to
hold their power and immense possessions in
trust for the general good, and instead of being
jealous of the entry of any one of what in Eng-
land would be considered the lower classes into
their circle, they aided all the}' could in the gen-
eral advancement, and cordially welcomed
worth and intelligence wherever it was found —
a sentiment they shared equally with their early
friends and many-year associates. Queen Vic-
toria and Prince Albert.

M. Souchet. — This French horticulturist has
died recently. He is well known as the raiser
of many Gladiolus and other florists' flowers, and
to fruit-2 rowers through having first sent to this
country the raspberries Hornet and Souchetii.

Death of E. J. Evans. — The York Press
says: "It is with many sincere regrets that
we announce the death of our esteemed and
much-lamented fellow-townsman, Edward J.
Evans, Esq., who departed this life on the
evening of Monday, the 19th ult., after a long
illness, aged 42 years. Mr. Evans was the
eldest son of John Evans, Esq,, a prominent
member of the York bar, who died a few
years ago, and was one of our most exemplary
citizens, possessing alike the respect and confi-
dence of the very best members of this com-
munity. For many years he was at the head of
the large and extensive nursery business con-
ducted under the firm name of E. J. Evans &
Co.; was an industrious, energetic, educated,
courteous, reliable and honest business man, and
a polished and respected member of society,
whose early death is much regretted by all those
who know and appreciate his many manly vir-
tues.

To his mourning family and friends, we tender
our most heartfelt sympathy for this, to them,
irreparable loss."

1880.]

AND HORTICULTURIST.

191

SCRAPS AND QUERIES.

Correction. — "Page 114, of Gardener's
Monthly, for Numey, read Tuomey, and for
Werhonoka, read Weehawka. I do write so
badly. W. St. J. M."

Notes from Col. Wilder. — "We hope Col.
Wilder will pardon our giving the enclosed ex-
tract from a private letter. It will, we are sure,
gratify his world-wide friends to note his con-
tinued enthusiasm in horticultural pursuits :
"That's right! Keep us posted in regard to
men and things ; all honor to the patriarchs,
Freas and Buist ; and, last but not least, to
Meehan, the honored father of honored sons.
Landreth is gone ! My old and early co-worker.
I bought of him forty years ago at his home,
C. Landrethi. He was my right-hand man of
Philadelphia at the great exhibition of the
United States Agricultural Society, in 1856. He
has planted thousands of living monuments to
perpetuate his memory. May his sons go and
do likewise. I am glad to see that you keep the
run of things about Boston. Prof. Goodale has
been out twice lately to see me in regard to his
fund for the botanical garden, and is getting on
well. I was among the strawberry beds yester-
day— over forty kinds. Some are looking splen-
didly ; now in full bloom are Pioneer, Hervey
Davis, Crescent Seedling, for early ones, are a
sheet of bloom. Some of my late crosses are in-
teresting, especially Crescent by Pioneer, Hero
by President Wilder, etc., etc. The new Ameri-
can grapes interest me much. These I have
grafted on strong old vines, which are now start-
ing new growth, and I shall be able to prove all
of them, I think, so as to have fruit next year at
the next meeting of the American Pomological
Society, which I intend to call in Boston.

Hybrid flowers. Good. ' Some awful examples,
now and then, to illustrate its teachings ;' for in-
stance, gloriosa on the lily, all of which were lost

during my illness, and nowhere to be found-
Bad, bad, bad! They were feeble, and every
year growing more so. only one having ever
flowered, and all showing a want of consan-
guinity. But never mind, try again. Try every
art. Who knows what great things may be ac-
complished by the use of the elements which
Providence has placed in our hands for the im-
provement of nature?"

Correction.— Mr. P. A. M. Van Wyck sends
the following : " In my description of the Jef-
ferson Grape, there is one mistake which I wish
you to correct in next issue. The article says :
' I have fruited this variety ten years ;' it should
read, I have fruited this variety two years, as I
have had the vine but three years. It is a vine
of great promise, and I expect to get thirty
pounds of fruit from it this fall.

[Of course, we are always glad to make cor-
rections. After looking into our correspondent's
MSS., preserved by the proof-reader, it is but
fair to the compositor and the proof-reader to-
say that they are quite pardonable for having
printed ten instead of two; for the letters, as
written, are much nearer ten than two. Mr. V.'s
MSS. is, however, quite legible in compar-
ison with much that we receive ; but we may
take occasion to remark on what must have oc-
curred to most persons who have correspond-
ents, that the number of those who write illegi-
bly has increased frightfully of late years. Noth-
ing is more trying to a busy man than to spend
fifteen minutes in trying to puzzle out what
ought to have been clear in five. Whole lines
have frequently to be guessed at, and if it were
not that one can form some idea of what is
meant by what has gone before, it would be im-
possible to make any sense at all. It is very
rarely that complaints of errors come from those
who write legibly. Mr. Van Wyck, we are sure,
will pardon us for taking a text from his little
1 slip to read a lecture to other people. — Ed.]

Horticultural Societies.

EDITORIAL NOTES.

The Nurserymen's Convention. — As al-
ready noted, the annual meeting will be held
this year at Chicago, June 16th and 17th. The
Pennsylvania Railroad Company, with its usual the railroad company.

liberality to these enterprises, will issue round
trip tickets from Philadelphia to Chicago for
$30, extending from June 10th to 30th. The
names must be sent at once to Geo. B. Thomas,
West Chester, Pa., who will endorse them for

192

THE GARDENER'S MONTHL T.

[June.

Report of the Connecticut State
Board of Agricuture, — from T. S. Gold,
Secretary. We acknowledge with thanks.

Michigan Pomological Society, — from
J. W. Garfield, Secretary. — This beautiful and
very useful volume is rendered more attractive
by being embellished by a portrait of T. T.
Lyon, who, as our readers know, eminently
deserves any honor the Michiganese can bestow
on him.

New Fork Horticultural Society. — It
is a pleasure to note the increasing strength and

John Rosebud, of Smithville, had the premi-
ums for six best cabbages? But the reports
could be made of interest to everybody every-
where. For instance in the excellent plan of ad-
vertising the successful exhibitors which has been
adopted by this society, what is to prevent the
description of the exhibits? For instance,
when we read in the report of the New York
Horticultural Society, that "in the collection of
Mrs. Morgan, the Cypripedium caudatum was
especially fine," why not tell us how many
flowers it had, and how large it was across?
It is something to know that Cypripedium cau-

activity of this young society. It promises, if datum can be grown so as to be admired, but it

it continues in its present course, to become the
most popular society in the United States.

It is particularly gratifying to note that it has
adopted one of the suggestions we have often
made as essential to the prosperity of a society
in these modern times, namely : advertising its
successful exhibitors. Every month with its
programme for the forthcoming meeting, it gives
in the circular the names and exhibits of the
successful competitors, and these meritorious con-
tributors therefore have their good works dis-
tributed far and wide. In old times when there

would much better to have particulars. Dis-
tant people would then be interested in reading
the reports as well as those who know the ex-
hibitor, and the " advertising " be immeasura-
bly advanced.

The other matter we have so often urged,
namely, discriminative premiums instead of
competetive ones, would make all this unnec-
essary. Mrs. Morgan would have had a pre-
mium for Cypripedium caudatum " because it
had twenty-four flowers on, and the plant meas-
ured two feet across," and not simply as now

were no newspapers, and little use for printers' \ announced by the committee it was "all very
ink, people were expected to go and see every fine," which means anything the reader may
thing for themselves. Now people are satisfied choose to imao-ine.

to read about them. Then people who exhibi- j ^^ ^^^ ^j^.^" ^^ recommending these "steps
ted were satisfied to know that people saw their \ ^j^,^ ^j^^ ^j^^^„ ^^ ^^^^^ fossilized institutions
products, and such "advertising "was thought to I ^11 ^^^^ ^^^ country, many of whose active
be a full equivalent for a good exhibit in many j^^^ _,^^._^ ^^ ^^^ ^^^^ subscribe to a horticultural

■cases, but now, in addition, an exhibitor wants
to see his name in print, and, as we have often
said, if the societies take care to do this for the
■exhibitor, the exhibits would largely increase.
Hitherto horticultural societies have been satis-
fied to spend a large amount of money on
elaborate " schedules," and on begging letters,
and begging committees, urging plant growers
" by all they love," to " send something."
The exhibitors go at an enormous expense ; the
committees read their awards before half a
dozen members, and if some newspaper is gen-
erous enough to print the "report" without
cost to the society, it is all well, and if not the
exhibitor must be satisfied. Now, in a local

magazine to get the latest ideas about the
wants of the community, but go staggering on
under loads of discouragement, wondering
"why the thing has run down so;" but seeing
the wisdom which seems to run in with the
management of this young New York Society,
we are moved to revert to the subject once
more.

Pennsylvania Horticultural Society.
— The second of the revived monthly meetings
of the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society was
held on April 19th, and with much success.
Azaleas were the chief attractions. Dreer's
New Coleus ; decorative plants from John Dick ;
community, interested in their immediate hardy herbaceous plants from John Bell ; floral
neighbors, the local newspaper may be tempted designs from Eisele Bros., and Kift & Sons, and
to print these long reports; but a cosmopolitan new geraniums from R. Buist, made up the
paper cannot do this. For instance, does a I bulk of the exhibits. A. & J. McGuigan sent
Calif ornian, or a Maine, or a Florida reader of j fine specimens of various imported tropical
the Gardeners' Monthly need to know that fruits.

THE

Gardener's Monthly

AND

HORTICULTURIST.

DEVOTED TO HORTICULTURE, ARBORICULTURE AND RURAL AFFAIRS.

Edited by THOMAS MEEHAN.

Vol. XXII.

JULY, 1880.

Number 259.

Flower Garden and Pleasure Ground.

SEASONABLE HINTS.

Lately we were in a very stylish garden,
which had at considerable expense been re-
modelled by a distinguished landscape gardener ;
and we were seated with the excellent proprietor
in a " summer house," designed after some dis-
tinguished European model, and which we were
expected very much to admire. It was a board
building, and the outside was covered with bark
and moss. The inside was faced with split
rods made to represent stars, diamonds, and
other tigures. It was indeed a very pretty piece
of work; but oh ! wasn't it hot! It was indeed
a "summer'' house, and the writer of this
heartily wished for a winter one. It was an
octagon, and the " door " and two window holes
let in all the air. It is an excellent illustration
of the absurdity of imitating European styles in
our country. Far better would it be to provide
some arbor of vines, which, while keeping out
the heavy sun, lets all the cool breezes through.
And by the way, did any one ever notice how much
more cool and pleasant some vines make a place
than some others will? and also that some trees
seem cooler than others ? People say it is always
cool under a willow or a walnut, and they are
certainly cooler than some other trees are. The
reason to our mind is that they have an im-
mense number of small leaves, through which

the cool air circulates ; while stiff, broad-leaved
trees shut out the air as thoroughly as our
friend's English summer house did.

New sown lawns are liable to be crowded with
weeds. There seems no better remedy than to
hand-weed, filling the holes made with earth in
those cases where the roots are large. In some
cases this hand-weeding will have to be done for
two or three successive years. The seeds of the
common Plantain, for instance, do not all ger
minate the first. It is often three years before
they all grow. The greatest labor is during the
first year of sowing, however. The increased
encouragement of the grass helps to keep down
weeds.

Ornamental hedges that are thin at the base
receive much encouragement from cutting back
the strong top shoots. Indeed, this applies to all
growths, trees and shrubs, evergreens included.
Any check to the more vigorous shoots while
growing encourages the weaker ones. Remark-
ably beautiful specimens of anything may be
had by noting this. The branches are rendered
uniform in vigor by this sort of watchfulness,
and can be made regular from bottom to top.

Plants set against wall and piazzas frequently
suffer from want of water at this season, when
even ground near them is quite wet. Draw
away the soil around each plant so as to form a
basin ; fill in with a bucketful of water, allowing

194

THE GARDENER'S MONTHL Y

[J"iy,

it time to soak gradually away, and when the
surface has dried a little, draw in loosely the soil
over it, and it will do without water for some
weeks. This applies to all plants wanting water
through the season. If water is merely poured
on the surface, it is made more compact by the
weight of water, and the harder the soil becomes,
the easier it dries ; and the result is, the more
water you give the more is wanted.

It must, however, be borne in mind that much
injury often results to the newly planted trees
from summer watering. The cold water cools {
the ground, and we need some warmth in the |
soil to encourage new roots to push. Still, trees ;
must have some water when the ground is dry, j
but it must be used with caution.

Amateurs may have some rare or choice
shrub they may desire to increase. They may
now be propagated by layers. This is done by
taking a strong and vigorous shoot of the present
season's growth, slitting the shoot a few inches
from its base, and burying it a few inches under
the soil, or into a pot of soil provided for the
purpose. The young growing point of the shoot '
should be taken out in the operation. By the
English mode of making the slit, a great num-
ber of the shoots will be broken and spoiled.
Anything can be propagated by layers ; and it is
an excellent mode of raising rare things that can
be, but with difficulty, increased by any other.

COMMUNICA riONS.

A HANDSOME TOWN.

We have had occasion to note that the care of
streets and sidewalks should properly be regarded
as a work for horticultural societies or horticul-
turists to take in hand. What can be done
when the right spirit prevails is shown by the
following extract which we make from the
annual message of Henry Probasco, Esq., mayor
of Clifton, a suburb of Cincinnati :

"The public avenues are maintained in excel-
lent condition, notwithstanding a steadily in-
creasing travel, incident to the increasing popu-
lation and pleasure travel from the city, which
throngs them daily in fine weather throughout
the year. Fifteen years ago they were without
foundations, covered about fifteen feet wide Avitli
rolling gravel, never rolled, without crossings or
footwalks, and to leave the centre of the track
Avas to stick in the mud. Since then, without
the aid of Commissioners to smile on contrac-
tors, and contractors to demoralize laborers,
without creating debt, the grades have been im-

proved, roads widened, with their foundations
substantially macadamized, and crossings made
wherever needed. Along the sides of the road
drains, gutters, and culverts have been well con-
structed, with handsome footwalks. The widen-
ing ami maintenance of all these costs less than
one thousand dollars per mile annually, which
preserves them in a condition which is superior
to those of any other corporation in the State.

" Bryant avenue, 905 feet in length, has been
made and completed the past year, the portion
widened at the expense of the village costing
about $1,300, the amount having been included
in the road expenditures.

"The footwalks have been increased by adding
a new one on the Carthage road, on the Clifton
side, from Forest avenue north to Mitchell
avenue, a distance of 4,280 feet, made at the
public expense, adding materially to the comfort
of property owners there, as well as to the im-
mense foot travel from the city to and from
St. Bernard.

"The footwalks are being steadily planted and
replenished with handsome shade trees of many
varieties, of which there are 1,000 in the village
nurser}', given by one of the citizens for pttblic
uses. These are growing in size and beauty, and
will soon be available at any moment when
required.

"The Clerk's annual report, duly attested on
the 15th of March, and published according to
law, shows a balance in the treasury of $7,279.99.
No debts are contracted for any purpose what-
ever, nor has the last levy for taxation exceeded
the average for the past seven years more than
one mill on the dollar.

"All the principal avenues are lighted with
city gas, supplied for private and public use on
terms as favorable as those given to the city of
Cincinnati. The number of gas lamps on the
avenue is 143, and gasoline 48.

" In 1877 the Trustees of Resor Academy
made valuable improvements to their building,
which is mainly appropriated for the use of the
public school, town hall. Council Chamber, jail,
etc. It is used to its fullest capacity at present.
The Trustees having been applied to for addi-
tional rooms for public school purposes, they have
had consultations with the Council and Board of
Edtication, caused plans to be prepared for an
addition to the south wing of the present build-
ing, which will give ample accommodations for
many years at a cost of about $5,000. These im-
provements, which are now very much needed,
will be completed during the present year should
the several parties take immediate action.

" The Town Hall is available at all times for
public uses to the citizens at the cost of heating,
lighting, and service, on application to the
Mayor, who issues permits in accordance with
the regulations adopted by Council.

" During the past year several villas and cot-
tages had been built, improved, or in course of
construction, adding beauty to the village, such
as those of George A. McAli)in, John Morrison,
Theo. Cook, John C. Sherlock, Charles H. Law,
Nathan E Jordan, Alex. McDonald, and others,

1880.

AND HORTICULTURIST.

195

whose homes add somewhat every year to our
social advantages. Nearly every one adds
something each season to embellish their
grounds by planting not only that most valuable
evergreen " the everlasting Norway," but they
are commencing to plant the rarer spruces from
California and Japan ; the silver fir from the
same regions, as well as our own, quite their
equals in beauty our hardy hemlock, truly
called the American Deodar ; that most valua-
ble and noble tree, our white pine, with its twin
sister, the almost weeping Himalayan pine, as
well as a dozen others of real merit. Then, too,
they are planting the exquisite cypress of Oregon,
the Countess Retinosporas of Japan, with their
varied shades of color, the cedars of Lebanon,
the Deodar and African cedar. With these are
blended the golden and silver yews, the Ameri-
can and Japanese mahonias, the most valuable
of all evergreen shrubs. Even the Caucasian
evergreen laurel will be planted here hy the
hundreds this season. The planting of such
varieties with our native def^iduous trees and
shrubs indicates a decided advance in taste and
study of arboriculture, a love for the suburban
landscape, which may be made to compare with
the pictures of Ruyadel, Hobbema, and Eousseau.
Is it not of equal importance that a certain
amount of this sort ot home education should
constitute one of the accomplishments to be ex-
pected as a matter of course in our families?
Is it not a matter of interest to know whether
the countless note of music was the voice of a
thrush, the jay, or blackbird ? Whether the
daisy, the pansy, or the dandelion were one ;
whether the sweet shrub or the currant bush
were alike? Whether the elm, the birch, the
larch, the ash. the oak, the poplar, the lime, the
hickory, were simply trees without names ?
Whether the lofty pines, the spruce, the firs, the
cypress, the hemlock, were equally cedars, only
one and all "just too love!}' for anything?"
Surely some cultivation in this direction would
be of as much value, when acquired, as to knoAV
the latest figure in the lancers, or to possess the
instinct which recognizes at a glance the crea-
tive genius of Worth in a new costume, or
its facile imitation produced by the renowned
modistes of the Queen City. It is gratifying to
repeat that the village has always been' distin-
guished for good order and the good character of
its citizens. The day and night police are men
of good morals and experience, intelligent in
their activity, and have faithfully protected
property and person against trespassers, tramps,
and disorderly characters, and deserve your
confidence for the faithful discharge of duty.

BEAUTIFYING RAILROAD LINES.

BY MARGID DIGRAM.

About a month ago, during a trip to Pittsburg
over the Pennsylvania Central Railroad, I no-
ticed tliat the company was fertilizing, in a very
liberal way, the inclined banks by the sides of its

tracks, which had previously been sodded.
Everywhere along the road there is a care ex-
hibited in these matters of mere appearance, that
is very commendable. That it is politic in a
pecuniary sense, there can be no doubt what-
ever ; for of two roads running between the same
points, that one which is able to offer the greatest
number of attractions to the eye, other things
being equal, would certainly secure the greatest
amount of passenger traffic.

The above road, I further observed, was also,
in some places, planting shrubbery or creepers
at the foot of steeply inclined gravelly banks,
apparently as an experiment or as a temporary
measure, the same to be superseded, probably,
by sodding at some future time.

Just before noticing this fact, it had occurred
to me that it would be an excellent idea to sub-
stitute shrubbery or trees, kept down by trim-
ming, in place of the grass now used, as a com-
plete cover for these sloping banks.

The rhododendron and other wild shrubs, the
hemlock, poplar, beech, birch, hornbeam, catalpa,
ailanthus, and some other trees, would be
suitable for this purpose. A commencement
might be made with poplar and catalpa, or ail-
anthus, as quick growers, and these could be fol-
lowed, and the interspaces filled in, with any
other or others desirable, all to be trimmed down
to one uniform height, and the effect to be had
from the shape and colors of the leaves. Still
better effects would probably be found in an
irregular surface, brought about by allowing of
greater growth in some trees than in others, but
still all to be kept low.

Another plan thought of was to cover the in-
clined bank with a screen of galvanized iron,
held parallel to, and two or three inches from the
ground surface, by deeply driven wooden pegs.
These wooden pegs or stakes could at the same
time support boards running lengthwise with the
bank, the intention of which would be to pre-
vent the formation of deep gullies in the loose
earth.

The wire screen at the upper edges of the bank
could be turned up so as to form a fence for the
protection of the sloping portion below. At the
foot of the screen creepers and climbers would
be planted, such as the wistaria, woodbine, am-
pelopsis, etc., which would in time make a beau-
tiful cover for the rough earth beneath the screen.

Still another suggestion is this : That the pro-
posed wire screen should lay directly on the
ground ; that it should be pinned down by long

196

THE GARDENER'S MONTHLY

[July,

pegs driven well into the earth, and the meshes
of the screen filled in with stones projecting from
3 to 6 inches (each mesh or opening holding a
single stone), the whole to be covered with the
English ivy, the wistaria, trumpet creeper, matri-
mony vine, etc.

Tlie top of the bank could have a thorn hedge
for the protection of the screen, and to give
the whole a finished appearance.

EDITORIAL NOTES.

Standard Roses. — It is well known that Stand-
ard Roses, as they are called in Europe, and
which give so great a charm to European gardens,

are almost a failure in our country. But we are
satisfied from some observation and continued
experience that there is no reason why they
should be such absolute failures as they are.

One thing has always to be borne in mind, that
the drying influence of the atmosphere is much
greater here than in Europe. In that country a
bud is put into a rose stock at three or four feet
from the ground, and the next spring the stock
is cut back to just above the bud, when it at once
pushes out growth and soon makes a head. It
would not often do this in our country, because
the air is too dry. It takes a pretty large mass of
foliage at the top of the stock to pump up the
moisture to supply the evaporation of the juices
from the stock. All the leaves that could come
out of a single bud in three months would not be
sufficient. The stock becomes hide-bound —
suckers come out from the root, and the plant
soon dies. If a mass of foliage could be left on
the stock, and the head of the improved kind
formed gradually, it could probably be done.

In addition to this, the stocks for grafting could
be planted in places clear from drying winds, and
the stock itself selected for its ability to adapt
itself to the peculiarities of our climate. Then
selections from the hardy kinds would have to
be made to keep the heads from dying back.
The Prairie Roses would make exceptionally fine
tree roses, as with their pendulous branches they
would make very gracefully flowing heads.

We give annexed a cut of a climbing rose
grafted into a tall stem, which we find in the
French Journal of Roses, and which was taken
from a specimen growing in a French cemetery,
as .showing how very pretty such a tree rose
would be.

We feel quite sure that there is in the future
success for the tree rose experiment in our
country, and a good fortune for the man who
will successfully inaugurate it.

An International Park. — The London Times
suggests that any surplus in the Geneva award
might be devoted to making an International
Park of the Falls of Niagara and surroundings.
Whether it is done in that way or not, it would
be a grand thing for the United States and Canada
to do together. The London Garden also has a
plea for the International Park idea, and names
Mr. Olmsted as the man to carry it out — a re-
commendation that would be heartily seconded
in America.

A Flower Sermon. — The English papers tell
us that " on Saturday, May 1st, the Rev. Canon
Farrar preached a "flower" sermon at the
Slough parish church, at which about 1000
children, chiefly belonging to the parochial

1880.]

AND HORTICULTURIST.

197

schools, were present. Every child brought a
nosegay of flowers, and at the close of the ser-
vice these were deposited on the steps of the
chancel, the offerings being intended for the
children who are inmates of the Westminster
Hospital . The children of the Duke of St. Albans
were among those who brought bouquets. The
flowers formed a large bank and completely
scented the chancel of the church. They were
afterwards taken to London by Canon Farrar,
and occupied several large packages. The Canon
selected his text from Matthew vi., 26, "Consider
the Lilies of the field, how they grow."

Hydrangea paniculata. — It will be remem-
bered that last season Mr. Chas. H. Miller pointed
out in our pages that the Hydrangea paniculata,
and H. p. grandiflora were distinct varieties. We
have heard this questioned since, notwithstand-
ing the clear description Mr. Miller gave of their
differences. More recently Mr. Hibberd has
given an account of them in the Gardener's
Magazine, which shows that in his country, as
here, the differences are recognized. He says : —

This noble plant must be counted amongst the
most valuable acquisitions to the garden of re-
cent years. Its perfect hardiness adds a hun-
dredfold to its value, as judged by its beauty and
distinctness only. But in common with other
members of the useful genus to which it belongs,
it takes to pot culture kindly, and submits to be
forced without deterioration of its splendid
qualities of leaf and flower As a plant adapted
for isolation on grass turf there are but few to
equal it, and it is not the less valuable for the
mixed shrubbery, the entrance court, and for
select positions where plants characterized by
massiveness and brightness may have a place in
the parterre.

There are two varieties. Hydrangea paniculata
flowers earlier and produces smaller flowers than
JET. p. grandiflora. Moreover, the flowers of the
first are of a pure white color, whereas those of
the second are pinkish and fade into a purple
tinge. In all respects, the first is more refined
than the second, but which is the species and
which the variety we do not pretend to say, be-
cause it is a grave question if in the end these
terms are by any at present fully understood.
Let it suffice then that we have two forms of a
fine plant ; both are noble and worthy of ad-
miration, but the one with two names is to be
preferred for pot culture and the one with three
for planting out.

Hydrangea Thunbergii, the handsomest of all
the outdoor flowering shrubs now in bloom at
Kew, is in fine condition by the side of the wall
near the entrance to the Victoria-house. It is a i
very floriferous, neat-growing, dwarf shrub, not
more than three feet in height. The numerous bar- :

ren ray-florets, each composed of three or four
orbicular sepals of a deep rosy-red color, the
crowded fertile flowers tinged with purplish red,
together with their bright blue anthers and fila-
ments of the same shade, combine to render the
plant very conspicuous. Siebold, in his Flora
Japonica, informs us that the dry leaves make a
very good tea, which on account of its sweet and
agreeable taste is called " ama-tsja," which means
"celestial tea." According to some authors,
however, it owes that name to the fact that on
the birthday of Sjaka (Buddha), which fixlls on
the eighth day of the fourth month of the year,
the idols of the founder of the Buddhist religion
are with great solemnity washed in it. — Garden-
ers' Chronicle.

El/EAGNUS longipes. — This perfectly hardy
and very desirable Japanese shrub, is at present
in fine fruit in the Kew collection. A figure of
it is given in the Gardener's Chronicle for 1873, p.
1014. It is a spreading evergreen bush about three
feet high, with deep reddish-brown twigs and
leaves, green above and silvery white beneath,
the. pendulous, long-stalked, transparent orange
fruits, studded with small ferrugineous scales,
being produced in clusters. Some of the Japanese
varieties of this species are said to yield edible
fruits ; those, however, of the Kew plants are
somewhat too acid and astringent to be pleasant.
— Gardener's Chronicle.

American Trees in England. — Nothing more
amazes those familiar with the beauty of Ameri-
can trees than to note the indifference which
English planters show for them. Through their
parks and gardens we travel for days and see lit-
tle beyond English Oak, English Ash, Sycamore,
Linden, Elm, and a few others. Here and there
a solitary American may be seen in great beauty,
but they are rare. Of this neglect the London
Journal of Forestry says : —

"The rich and beautiful trees and shrubs of
North America have, from the time of the first
explorers of the woods and prairies of that
country till the present day, formed the theme of
enthusiastic admiration by all lovers of the
higher orders of vegetation who have visited that
favored land. It has often surprised eminent
men, who have seen the glorious display of
flowei's and foliage in the backwoods and rich
savannahs of America, that so few of the many
rare and beautiful trees there met with are apt to
be found in cultivation in this country. With the
solitary exception of. the evergreen members of
the coniferous family, no other tribe of American
plants is represented in our woods and orna-
mental grounds to anything like the extent their

198

THE GARDENERS MONTHLY

[July,

merits deserve. The oaks, ashes, maples, hicko-
ries, birches, elms, poplars, cherries, magnolias,
tulip trees, catalpa, sumachs, hollies, dogwoods,
thorns and spirges, besides a host of others,
equally useful or ornamental and perfectly hardy
plants, claim far more of the notice of the planter
than they have received within the past quarter
of a century. No doubt many of them are to
be found growing with perfect health in most of
our large nurseries, but they are too often allowed
to outgrow themselves, as nursery stock, from the
sheer lack of purchasers. Their increase is thus
curtailed and their cultivation neglected, when
a better acquaintance with their graceful habits
and matured beauties would cause quite a fervor
for them, especially among ornamental planters."

Standard Plants. — Those who visited the
grounds around Horticultural Hall in Fairmount
Park, Philadelphia, last year, must have been
struck with the singular beauty of the tree
Lantanas, that is to say, plants ti'ained up on one
stem to a height of four or five feet, and then
suffered to form a head. Of course such things
look formal ; but a garden is essentially a work
of art, and it is by the judicious employment of
these artificial looking things, that true garden
art consists.

standard fuchsias.
There are numberless plants which have a
striking effect when trained in this way. The
Lemon Verbena is especially adapted to this sort

of culture, and any one who once possesses a
plant so trained will never want to part with it.
The Gardening Illustrated tells us that, in England
standards are sometimes made of the Fuchsia,
and we fiincy such plants must be very beautiful.
Here is an illustration of one. The pendulous
flowers must show well when so trained.

Old-fashioned Gardening. — "A Lady" writes
to the Gardener's Chronicle: "For 1 think the
love of flowers and of gardening grows with ad-
vancing age and inability to garden, and the
same lady who as a girl thought it a great nuis-
ance to have to cut off the dead Roses, or weed
a flower-bed, will be glad enough to do it in her
old age, and only long to be able to do more than
her failing strength will admit of her attempting.

" An old lady naturally cares most for old-
fashioned flowers ; for, after all, the greatest
charm flowers possess to the old is their associa-
tion with bygone days. What charm can a bed
of Pelargoniums boast that will compare with
that of a root of Starch Hyacinth, if the latter
grew in a corner of the kitchen garden of her
father's parsonage? Or what cares she for the
latest sport of a Chinese Primrose in comparison
with the double lilac Primroses for which she
used to hunt in the shrubbery in the early spring
days of her childhood? So she tries to fill her
garden with flowers which, to her, are living
memories of her youth, and perhaps tries in vain
to get the gardener to respect plants which he
regards little better than rubbish. Many ladies
will treasure for life some old-fashioned flower
which is directly descended from an individual
plant that belonged to a mother or sister long
since departed ; and the loss of a treasure of this
kind, through the carelessness of a man hired for
the day, is mourned almost as if it were a re-
newal of their original loss.

'"Some ladies, stronger in mind and body than
the generality of their sex, try to avoid all these
dangers by dispensing altogether with the gar-
dener. I know one instance in which an elderly
lady, with the assistance of her maid, does all
the work of her garden, even including the
mowing of her grass plot : and the consequence
is that her little garden abounds with charming
old-fashioned flowers that her fond hands have
protected since the days when they were com-
moner than at present. Her garden is bounded
on one side by an old wall, from every crevice of
which spring lovely little Ferns, which she as-
sured me were self-sown. It seemed as though
they knew where to find protection from their

1880.

AND HORTICULTURIST.

199

natural enemies, the Fern-hawkers, just as wild
birds will come and build in any garden where
nest-taking is absolutely prohibited.

" But instances like these are rare ; and in
spite of the present agitation in favor of teaching
ladies to garden, I doubt whether the professional
gardener will ever suffer much from female com-
petition. I can but advise all ladies who care for
their flowers to supervise the hired gardeners
whom they are obliged to employ occasionally,
and never to let their gardens be put in order
while they are from home."

About Honeysuckles. — A writer in the London
Garden gives the following interesting sketch of
the Honeysuckles known in English gardens. It
includes the upright as well as the twining kinds.
It is interesting, as enabling us to see that in
some things we are not far behind English culti-
vators. The early variety from German gardens,
known as Magnavillse, they do not seem to know
anything of. It is much larger than the Paricly-
menum, and at least two weeks earlier than any
of that section. There are upwards of eighty
species in the temperate and warm regions of
the North. This genus was named in honor of
the Gierman botanist Lonicer. There is great
confusion in the nomenclature of the Japanese
and Chinese Honeysuckles, arising probably from
the fact that many of them are garden varieties.

1. L. Periclymenum. Honeysuckle or Wood-
bine.— This favorite indigenous shrub is sur-
passed by none of the exotic species in the pro-
fusion and fragrance of its flowers, but for
brilliancy of coloring there are many superior.
Flower-heads terminal, peduncled; upper leaves
sessile; berry crimson. There are several im-
proved varieties, including the Dutch, L Belgica,
the Oak leaved, L. querci folia, and late red, L
serotina, and one with variegated foliage of little
merit.

2. L. caprifbliura, syn Caprifblium ifalicum. —
This species strongly resembles the preceding in
the color of its flowers, but the flower-head is
sessile and the upper leaves connate. A native
of the South of Europe.

3. L. Etrusca. — Flowers orange-yellow, capi-
tate; heads pedunculate. Upper leaves connate,
young ones hairy beneath. A native of the
South of Europe, flowering in May, though not
so freely as some.

4. L. sempervzrens. Evergreen or Trumpet
Honeysuckle. — This in its different varieties is
one of the handsomest species in cultivation,
bearing its scarlet inodorous flowers in great pro-
fusion for a considerable period in summer. The
leaves are quite glabrous, oblong or rotundate,
glaucous beneath, and persistent during the
greater part of the winter. The variety named
Brownii, in which the flowers are of a brighter
hue, is one of the best. It is a native of North
America. L. coccinea and L. pubescens are
allied species from the same country.

5. L. brachypoda.— One of the best evergreen
species. Leaves oval or oblong, glabrous and
shining, with short hairy petioles. Flowers
medium size, in pairs, pale yellow, and very
sweet-scented. There is a handsome and very
desirable variety, named aureo-reticulata, in
which the foliage is beautifully netted or varie-
gated with yellow, with a mixture of red towards
autumn. This is undoubtedly one of the most
elegant variegated plants in cultivation, and like
many others of its class a native of Japan. L.
japonica, or L. chinensis, is a form of this species
with more or less hairy leaves. [This is known
as Hall's Honeysuckle in American gardens.
Ed. Gardener's Monthly.]

6. L.flexubsa. — Stems and young leaves hairy.
Leaves ovate-lanceolate, purplish below when
young. Flowers pink and yellow, in pairs, very
fragrant. Japan.

7. L. xylosteum. — An erect species with smal^
ovate or obovate hairy leaves and hairy yellow
small flowers in axillary pairs. There are varie-
ties with white, yellow, crimson, and black ber-
ries. A native of Europe, introduced in some
parts of this country. L Tartdrica is an allied
species with rosy-pink flowers in the common
form, and yellow or white in the varieties.

8. L. fragrantissima. — This species is desirable
as an early flowering plant. It puts forth its
pure white highly odoriferous flowers in Febru-
ary before the leaves are developed. L. Stan-
dishii, very near the preceding, has purple and
white scented flowers. Both are natives of China.

Lilies.— It should be remembered that lilies
should be re-planted as soon as the leaves are
dead, if they need re-planting at all, and should
not be held till spring before it is done ; and that
as a general thing they fail because the soil is
too hot or dry. They love a rich, cool soil.

200

THE GARDENER'S MONTHLY

[July,

Greenhouse and House Gardening.

COMMUNICA TIONS.

HOW TO CROW CHINESE PRIMROSES
SUCCESSFULLY.

BY HENKY S. RUPP, SHIREMANSTOWN, PA.

As many florists in the culture of Primroses,
and parties growing them for their own use, fail
in their cultivation, it may be of importance to
point out some of the causes. In many cases
the seeds are worthless, being gathered before
fully matured, or are injured in transit across
the ocean. On account of this, and the high
prices at which these seeds are usually sold, ama-
teurs and many skilled florists, hesitate to venture
in their culture. Many failures can be traced to
having the plants too wet when once sprouted,
or to being placed in a damp or too moist a
situation. In this condition the young plants
will damp off", or, if they survive, will make
only a slender and sickly growth.

One of the most general mistakes is in placing
the plants in too warm a location, and another
in not giving sufiicient light.

In following the directions given below,
Chinese Primroses can be brought to a high
state of perfection, and no danger of failure need
be feared.

The soil for Primroses must be of the richest
quality. Woods mold, muck, or sods well de-
cayed, and about one-third sand, with a liberal
supply of well rotted stable manure, is well suited
for Primroses. Wheris this cannot be had, chip
dirt, or any rich garden soil mixed with good
manure, will do very well. The soil should be
prepared at once, and kept out doors until there
is danger of winter setting in, when it should be
removed to the cellar. When wanted for use it
should be finely pialverized and sifted, as the
roots of the Primroses are all very fine and ten-
der. They cannot penetrate hard lumps of earth.

The seed should be sown either in shallow
seed-pans or small shallow boxes, filled about
two inches with finely pulverized earth and sand.
Sow the seeds thinly on this, press with the
bottom of a small flower pot, and cover evenly
about one-sixteenth to one-eighth of an inch ;
smooth off and press the earth down again ; now
cover quite thinly with moss. If no moss is at

hand, small blades of fine grass or old muslin
will do, merely to keep the earth from drying
out. Water at once with a fine rose sprinkler.
This watering will in most instances be all that
will be needed until the seeds are sprouted,
though they must be looked after every day, and
when the earth gets dry a light sprinkling given
them. Set the boxes or pans in a cool place,
and wJiere the winds cannot reach them. As
soon as the young plants make their appearance,
the moss or other covering should be carefully
removed. The earth during the day must be
moist until they are fairly established ; but care
must now be taken in giving the proper supply
of water ; for if the earth should become very
wet, the small plants will damp ofi", particularly
if too wet during the night or in cloudy weather.
It is safer never to water in the evening, even
when the top soil is dry.

The boxes or pans may be covered with glass
when no moss is used ; but this requires careful
watching, and considerable skill in their proper
and safe management; for when the eart^ once
becomes too much water-soaked, and remains so
for a day or two at the time the seeds are sprout-
ing, they will be all ruined. The glass should be
lifted ofi" occasionally, and the box placed in the
sun for a short time. As soon as the young
plants make their appearance, the glass should
be taken off", except during the hottest part of
the day.

The seed should be sown about the 1st, or not
later than the 15th of July. The plants will then
commence to bloom in the beginning of Decem-
ber, and continue in perfect flower until spring.
If started earlier the flowers will not be so fine
during the latter part of the winter, at the time
when flowers are most appreciated.

About the middle of August, if the young
plants have made good growth and strong roots,
they should be transplanted into small pots (the
smallest size), using the soil described above,
pulverized and sifted. As soon as they are
planted into these pots, give a pretty thorough
watering and shade for a few days, then set the
pots where there is plenty of light, not in the
sun, and in a dry and as cool a place as can be
found at this season of the year; by this treat-

1880.]

AND HORTICULTURIST.

201

ment they will grow stocky and produce large
and bright colored flowers. It is safest in all the
stages of growth to be fearful of giving too much
water rather than too little. The earth should
become very dry occasionally, even to the extent
that the foliage begins to wilt. This is rather a
benefit and in nowise an injury. Then give a
copious supply of water, completely saturating
all the earth in the pot ; this will start the plants
into new life and fresh vigor, and will keep them
in a healthy condition, and prepare them for a
much finer bloom than when kept wet at all
times. The foliage should be frequently sprink-
led, particularly the under sides of the leaves, to
keep off the red spider. This should be con-
tinued until they commence blooming, but no
water should be allowed on the flowers.

As soon as these small pots are filled with the
roots, the plants must be shifted into other pots
one size larger (3-inch). Do not disturb the
roots in shifting from one pot into another ; they
are very small and are easily broken. Now give
them water, and treat them as you did when in
the small pots. When these pots become filled
with roots, which can be seen by the lower leaves
turning brown, they must be turned into larger
pots. The lower leaves should now be cut off",
and a small portion of the roots at the bottom of
the pot may also be scraped otf, and the plants
set deeper than they stood before. For this
planting use a four-inch pot. About this time
the flower buds appear, and they seldom require
larger pots the first season, though if the roots
should become too much packed in the pots, and
the lower leaves turn yellow, they must be
planted into five-inch pots, or they will lose
their vigor and produce smaller flowers.

At the time they are turned into the four-inch
pots, or earlier, say 1st of November, they should
be set in the place where they are wanted when
in bloom ; they then become adapted to the
place, and will do very much better during the
winter than when a new place is given them
after they are in full bloom. When set on a
window always put the Primroses next the glass.
They thrive best in a cool place and a full share
of light.

To keep Primroses over the summer, place
the pots in a frame or under a tree ; will need
little attention during the summer. About the
1st of September take them out of the pots and
cut nearly all the roots ofi", also the leaves ; plant
into smaller sized pots, and start them into
growth ; later shift them into four or five-inch

pots. The flowers are seldom as fine and large
as they are on young plants.

HEATING GREENHOUSES.

BY S. F. TERWILLIGER, SARATOGA SPRINGS, K. Y.

In answer to W. D. Phillbrick in April No., I
would make the following statements of green-
houses No. 1 and 2.

No. 1. No. 2.

2000 feet glass. 500 feet glass.

550 " pipe. 100 " pipe.

14 " to peak. 9 " to peak.

4 " to eaves. 4 "to eaves.

60° temp. 60° temp.

Exposed to all winds. Exposure same.

Both houses run north and south, but are 4J
feet apart, pipes being carried in boxes under-
ground.

Boiler used Hitchings Corrugated, No. 16;
average temperature winter 78 and 79, (5 mos.)
25° ; 14 tons coal used; highest temperature 60°;
lowest 20° ; average temperature for 79 and '80,
(5 mos.) 30 2-5°; highest 64°, lowest 10°; 13 tons
coal used.

Would have used less coal this season had the
weather been even, but it was so changeable you
could not keep even fires, besides the winds have
been very high. Think I've got in all the points
needed, will allow him to draw his own conclu-
sions, simply stating that I am satisfied.

FRAGRANT FLOWERS.

BY WALTER ELDER, PHILADELPHIA.

The pleasures of gardening, both indoors and
in the open air, are greatly promoted by the in-
troduction of sweet scented flowers. At the pre-
sent time in many collections, the Olea fragrans,
Daphne Indica, Orange and Lemon give grateful
perfume ; and how pleased we all are to meet
these old favorites when in bloom. Later on the
Gardenias, Rhyncospermums, &c., blossom, and
by a little judgment it is easy to have some
sweet scented plants in flower the whole season
through. To those accustomed to walk through
the woods in the spring-time, the pleasure de-
rived from the fragrant flowers need not be told.
And many of us know how positively beneficial
to the invalid is a bunch of delicately scented
flowers. It gives instant pleasure by its sweet-
ness, and awakens a desire to be able to be about
to enjoy nature's gifts more fully.

We cannot do without our gay colored flowers

202

THE GARDENER'S MONTHLY

[July,

for bedding and other purposes, but we ought to
have our odoriferous plants more widely known.
In almost all catalogues we find plants grouped
under various headings, such as " Ornamental
foliage," " climbing," " variegated, ttc." I think
it would pay to add what many often look for,
viz., sweet scented nlants.

flourish best in a somewhat shaded position, i. e.,
not exposed to intense sunshine.

HENRY CANNEL GERANIUM.

BY A. MESTON, ANDOVEK, MASS.

A few weeks ago I received a small plant of
this geranium from Mansfield Milton, Youngs-
ton, Ohio, it is now in bloom and is one of the
finest semi-doubles I have seen ; the color is a
flaming scarlet with very large, individual
flowers forming a bold truss thrown well above
the foliage. The habit of the plant is compact,
with a bright zone in the leaf; when this be-
comes better knovvn it will be a general favorite.

EUCHARIS AMAZONICA.

BY MRS. M. D. yv., YARMOUTH, MASS.

Two readers of the Monthly ask in the April
No. for information respecting this lily.

" Is the Eucharis a bulb, and if so, when is the
proper time to plant it?"

Ans. It is a bulb, and may be potted at any
time.

" Can it be grown as a house plant.

Ans. Certainly, and that very easily.

" Mr. Tailby in his essay, said, Eucharis were
as easily grown as potatoes. Anybody can grow
potatoes, can anybody grow Eucharis ?"

Ans. Yes, more easily than the farmers have
grown potatoes since the ravages of that fearful
scourge, the potato bug.

"I have always supposed it needed all the
appliances of the hot-house, besides the most
skillful treatment."

Ans. It no more requires a hot-house nor
skillful management than a geranium. Mine is
growing splendidly in my window box with
Geraniums, Fuchsias and Heliotrope. It was
bedded out all summer under a fruit tree in
rather poor soil, so that it did not grow much.
It is just as easily cultured as the Calla Lily. If
potted in February or March, they will bloom
usually in August, and continue to throw up
flower spikes for several months. The best
compost for them is turfy loam well chopped up,
and leaf mould and sand, and a little bottom
heat to stimulate rapid growth if desired. They
require like the Calla, plenty of water, and

STEPHANOTIS FLORIBUNDA.

BY MR. C. E. PARNELL. GARDENER TO W. D. F.
MANICE, QUEENS, L. I., N. Y.

In the Gardener's Monthly for April, 1880,
page 106, Mrs. M. W., asks for information con-
cerning the Stephanotis floribunda.

The Stephanotis is a native of Madagascar, and
belongs to the natural order Asclepiadacete. It
has the milky juice of many of the individuals
of this order, but the flowers are more attractive
and much larger than is common in the group
of plants composing it. The Stephanotis is an
evergreen climber, with dark green shining
leaves, from the axils of which are produced
large clusters of cream white wax-like flowers of
the most exquisite fragrance, and as their tex-
ture is very firm, they last for a considerable
time. The Stephanotis loves a high temperature,
and it can be grown in perfection in a house
where a temperature of 75° to 80°, and a moist
atmosphere can be maintained during the season
of growth. It also requires to he kept cool and
drj'^ during the winter months, or while it is dor-
mant, to flower it to perfection. When grown
as a house plant, the Stephanotis is very subject
to the attacks of the mealy bug, and on this
account should be planted where it can be freelj'
and frequently syringed. A compost composed
of two-thirds ordinary potting soil and one-third
well rotted stable manure, with a good portion
of charcoal broken rather small, will answer very
Avell. Care must be taken to give good drainage,
as the Stephanotis soon suffers if water is allowed
to stand around its roots.

For the open air during the Summer season,
the Stephanotis is a desirable addition to the
class of summer climbers; for this purpose the
soil should be made rich and deep, by dig-
ging it to the depth of two feet at least, and
working in a good portion of well rotted stable
manure. The plants should be strong and
health}' when planted out, which should not be
done until all danger of frost is over, and after
they become established they should be ex-
amined occasionall}^ and the young shoots
trained and tied up to their place, and in the
event of drought, a thorough watering is of bene-
fit to them. If planted in a moist situation, and
in a position fully exposed to the sun, the growth
of the plant will be most luxuriant, and flowers
will be produced in great abundance. The

1880.]

AND HORTICULTURIST.

'203

Stephanotis can be propagated by cuttings or by
layers, but as it does not strike easily from cut-
tings, layers will be preferable. In layering, cut
a notch close under a joint, bend the part cut
into a pot, and fill with soil. The layers will
sometimes root in a few weeks, and at other
times they require a month or two. As soon as
they are well rooted, take them off and shift
them as often as necessary. Such plants if well
rooted and kept moderately dry, can be pre-
served in a common greenhouse through the
winter. The Stephanotis is also propagated by
cuttings of the ends of the flowering shoots and
planting them in sand under a hand glass. When
grown inside, an occasional washing of the leaves
and stems of this plant is necessary to remove
the insects to which it is unfortunately very
subject.

EDITORIAL NOTES.

Tea Rose Comtesse Riga du Parc. — This is the
subject of the colored plate in .Journal de Roses
for Febi'uary. In reminds one somewhat of the
famous old Triomphe de Luxemburg, which has
nearly disappeared from cultivation now. It is,
however, of a much darker shade than that.

Window Flowers. — We all like brief, pithy
paragraphs, telling a great deal in a few words.
Here is a good specimen from the pen of Captain
Franklin Howland, who does the "Farm and
Home " column of the New Bedford Evening
News :

" See that these beautiful objects have suitable
care from day to day. Water them, keep off the
vermin, wash them once a week or so, and occa-
sionally give them a little guano in the water
that is applied. Let them have all the sunlight
possible, for most plants do not do well in the
shade. Home is made beautiful by beautiful
plants, and children as well as others are
made the better by their cultivation and care.

Bouquet Making. — The Gardeners Chronicle
tells us: "We have heard a lady who was
an accomplished flower painter lament that,
although she could portray flowers on canvas
in a way to elicit the approval of those com-
petent to criticise, yet she could not arrange a
bouquet or a vase of flowers either to please
herself or any one else, as when she attempted
anything of the kind the result was usually the
production of something like a haystack.
There can be no question that the ability to
arrange foliage and flowers differing in form and

color so as to produce a combination that satis-
fies the eye of taste has some pretentions to be
called an art, and it is an art that some individu-
als appear to possess instinctively, as even with
very ordinary materials they can make a much
more pleasing arrangement than oihers after an
unlimited amount of practice are able to effect
with the choicest flowers." And yet practice
and experience has much to do with success in
bouquet making. Any one who has seen the
very tasteful work exhibited of late years at
horticultural gatherings, and displayed on the
tables of people of taste, and remembers the dis-
gusting bunches of the past, will say that cul-
ture as well as native taste must enter into a
good bouquet.

Anthurium andrearium. — Those who know
the great beauty of the Flamingo plant, Anthu-
rium Scherzerianum, will be glad to know that
a new beauty of this class has appeared under
the above name that is likely to be quite as
popular. A correspondent says: "The plant is
an Aroid of tufted habit, with oblong, cordate,
glabrous, leathery leaves, dark green above,
paler beneath, and marked by comparatively
few but prominent nerves ; the leaf-stalks are
ascending, cylindrically slender, and thickened
at the top, the blade being attached, as it were,
hinge wise, so as to allow of varying positions,
deflexed or spreading. The flower-stalk is double
the length of the leaf-stalk.

•' Undoubtedly the plant is one of the most bril-
liant and remarkable discoveries of recent times.
I Those who remember what Anthurium Scherze-
' rianum was on its first introduction, and what it
': is now, are justified in looking forward to the
career of the present plant as of quite exceptional
importance. The flower lasts in beauty four
months, its color is most brilliant, and the plant
is of easy cultivation. It grows at an elevation
of from 3,500 to 4,200 feet, and a temperature of
from 60° to 70° would suit it best."

Glass Roofs. — Gardener's Magazine recom-
mends that instead of slate or shingles, glass —
thick glass that would resist hail— would do as-
well. Then we could have nice winter green-
houses at the top of our dwellings ; and, no
doubt, some contrivances could be introduced
that would cool off the heat in summer weather.

Prices of Orchids.— We have often pointed

out to our readers, that one advantage of owning

I a collection of Orchids, is that they increase in

204

THE GARDENER'S MONTHLY

[July,

value with age, while many other plants become
too large and unwieldy. Hence if the Orchid
grower ever comes to grief he has some chance
of finding some pecuniary salve in selling his
plants. We briefly noted in our last that
Mr. Tweddle's plants were sold, but had not at
that time any particulars. Since then we find
that the following are some of them : For Angrse-
cum sesquipedale, $135; A. surperbum, $65;
A. carneum, $75; ^Erides odoratum, $27; M.
Fieldingii, $25; Cattleya Mossia?, $28 ; Cattleya
gigas, $32; C. labiata, $175; C. Warscewiczii,
$65; C. speciosissima, $42; Caelogyne cristata,
$75; Dendrobium Wardianum, $43; D. densi-
florum, $30; Lselia elegans, $50; Lycaste Skin-
nerii superba, $90; Odontoglossum vexillarium,
$100; Oncidium Marshallii, $33; Phal^nopsis
Luddemanniana, $65; Saccolabium guttatum

Holfordianum, $200; Vanda tricolor Corningii,
$225; Vanda suavis (Veitch's variety), $250."
The prices are really low for good specimens;
but we see these nineteen plants above brought

in $1,623.

«-•-»

SCRAPS AND QUERIES.

Begonia hybrida. — C. inquires : Will some of
the readers of the Monthly tell me who raised
Begonia hybrida multiflora? In what year was
it raised, and between what varieties is it a
hybrid ?

Azaleas. — E. says : Will you or some of your
readers please give me the names and descrip-
tions of ten of the best and most distinct double
varieties of Azalea Indica, also a list of the best
and most distinct single varieties.

Fruit and Vegetable Gardening.

SEASONABE HINTS.

It takes a long while for a good idea to
become popular. The Gardener's Monthly
long ago showed the advantage of rooting Straw-
berries in small pots for fall planting, and ex-
pressed an opinion that the trade would soon
find an advantage in getting such plants ready
and advertising them. The idea slept for a
while, but now it has come into general practice.
A pot-rooted plant is worth a dozen plants taken
fresh from the plant, and will always bring a
price proportioned to the labor of preparing
it

The thinning of fruit, — watching of insects,
especially the borers in Dwarf Pears, Quince,
Apple and Peach, — and summer-pruning are
the main subjects of attention at this particular
season. Where the soil is not very good, as may
be noted by a weak growth of the trees, a surface
manuring may be yet given with advantage.
Every day's experience more decidedly shows
the great advantages to the pomologist of this
method of applying manure.

It used to be, and it is yet to a great extent, the
recommendation of writers to cut away rasp-
berry canes as soon as they have borne fruit ;
fruit-growers know better now. The slight shade

these old stalks afford, is agreeable to the new
I growth which is to bear next year.

In regard to training fruit trees, this is the
most important month in the year. If a
shoot appears where it is not wanted, pinch
it off; this throws the sap into other direc-
tions where strength and vigor is desired. A
good summer pruner does not leave much to
be done in the winter time.

The time when currants and gooseberries rail-
dew and drop their foliage is at hand. Some
have found a mulch of salt hay to be good against
these troubles, but in fact anything that cools
the surface and thus helps to keep the atmos-
phere about the plants, is good. A heavy mulch
of old corn stalks we have found to be excellent
help to success in growing these fruits.

Preparation for the Celery crop is one of the
chief matters in this department at this season.
No plant, perhaps, requires a richer soil than
this, and of all manures, well decayed cow dung
is found to be the best. After so many trials
with different ways of growing them, those who
have their own gardens, — amateurs, for whom
we write, — find that the old plan of sinking the
plants in shallow pits is about the best. Ti'enches
are dug about six inches deep, and three or four
inches of manure then dug in, of which cow ma-

1880.]

AND HORTICULTURIST.

205

nure is the best. They can be watered better
this way in dry weather, when in these trenches,
and it is so much easier to fill the earth about
them for blanching purposes than when grown
on the level surface. Salt in moderate doses is
usually a wonderful special fertilizer for the
celery plant.

Late Cabbage is often planted in gardens be-
tween rows of potatoes, where it is an object to
save space. Some fancy that the cabbage is
better preserved in this way from the cabbage-
fly, which they say prefers the potato; but on
this point we are not sure. We do not think the
cabbages do quite as well as when they have the
whole ground to themselves; but of course a
double crop could not be expected to be quite so
fine.

Tomatoes trained to stakes give the sweetest
fruit, and remain in bearing the longest; but
many cultivators who grow for size and quantity
only, believe they have the best results when
growing them on the level ground.

For winter use, Beets are occasionally sown
now, and also Cucumbers for pickling purposes;
but not often ; and at any rate it must be at-
tended to early in the month.

The Lettuce is another cool-country plant. It
can only be grown well in hot weather when in
very rich and cool soil.

Bush Beans may also be sown for late crops.
A very deep rich soil is necessary to tender, crisp
pods. The Lima Bean will now be growing
rapidly. It is time well spent to tie them up to
poles as they grow. The poles should not be too
high; about eight feet is enough. They com-
mence to bear freely only when the top of the
pole is reached.

In many amateurs' gardens late Peas are
valued. It is essential that they be planted in
the coolest part of the ground. The pea is a
cool-country plant, and when it has to grow in
warm weather, it mildews. The Marrowfat
class are usually employed for late crops. They
need support. All peas grow better and pro-
duce more when grown to stakes.

COMMUNICA TIONS.

PROGRESS IN NEW FRUITS.

BY P. BARRY.

Under this heading, in the May No. of the
•Gardener's Monthly, Mr. Chas. Downing refers
to a statement said to liave been made by me in

regard to the changes that had taken place dur-
ing the last quarter of a century. Mr. Downing
says I was either mistaken or incorrectly re-
ported.

The same statement has also been criticised
in The Garden (English) a short time ago by
Mr. C. M. Hovey, of Boston.

I think I was incorrectly reported. I spoke,
or intended to speak, of half a century. I held in
my hand, at the Pomological meeting at Roches-
ter last September, a catalogue of fruits of Wm.
Prince, of Flushing, printed in 1824, and to this
my remarks referred. I alluded particularly to
Pears and Grapes.

That catalogue contained the names of 108
varieties of Pears, only one of which, the Seckel,
is now in general cultivation. Of Grapes 16
varieties, of which four are now in cultivation,
Isabella, Catawba, Norton's Virginia and Scup-
pernong. A nursery catalogue of 1880, now be-
fore me, contains the names of 72 varieties of
native Grapes, 35 black, 20 red or purple and 17
white, and these do not, by any means, exhaust
the list.

Of 70 varieties of Peaches in the old catalogue,
several are still in cultivation to a limited extent,
but scarcely one of the popular varieties of the
present day are found there.

Coxe's work on Fruits was published in 1816.
In it we find the names of 67 varieties of Pears,
only two of which are in modern collections, and
only one that can be said to be in general culti-
vation, viz., the Seckel.

There can be no doubt but that great progress
has been made in the introduction of new varie-
ties of fruits during the past half century, and
this is what I referred to.

A word or two on other matters. At this
moment, May 14, the fruit trees are all in blos-
som at once, and promise an abundant crop, but
we are not yet out of danger. There has been
renewed activity in the nursery trade this spring,
an indication of the return of general prosperity.

FACTS ARE STUBBORN THINGS.

BY WM. T. HARDING, UPPER SANDUSKY, OHIO.

Under the heading of " Editorial Notes," in the
March number of the Monthly, page 79, I see
" the God of nature," man, has something to say
against slitting the bark of trees. With equal
propriety, the pseudo-philosopher might have
insisted the trees would properly prune them-
selves, if it was necessary, as men sometimes

206

THE GARDENER'S MONTHLY

[July,

think it is. Early initiated, as the writer was
when a boy, into the practical order of the prun-
ing-knife and spade, he has since worked out
many a problem "the God of nature," seemingly,
left him to solve. And what in the course of time
I have physically or mechanically done for the
benefit of horticulture and arboriculture, which
nature left undone, are visible facts which no-
body can deny. That Divine Providence intended
the members of the gardening fraternity to do for
trees what they could not do for themselves, is
evident, from His having put the first made man
in a garden to look after them. And thus, from
ante-figleafian times until now, the pruning-hook
has never ceased from cutting and trimming
trees. The conditions, Mr. Coleman mentions,
have often come under my notice, and, as he
sensibly advises doing, have many times done
with marked advantage.

I remember some time ago another wiseacre
gave his opinion about the same subject. His
remarks, if not exactly foolish, were at least
somewhat funny. The sceptical gentleman I
allude to thought it would be as sensible an act
to make longitudinal incisions in his leg, as it
would be in tlie bark of a tree. Whether he liad
a timber leg, or a wooden head, or both, he made
no mention. But I strongly suspect there was
something ligneous about the superstructure or
he would liave known it was the trunk, instead
of the limbs, which were to be bark-slit.

In Japan, we are informed, it was no unusual
thing for a man to slit up his trunk. But they
had another designation for the operation —
Hari-Kari is the name. That the effects of slit-
ting would vary much on the trunks of trees and
man, even Mr. Skej^tical is well aware. But as
neither he nor any one else in this countrj- is
likely to try the experiment, life being too short
and business too pressing, let us turn to Shaks-
peare, and learn what they did in his day.

See King Richard II., Act 3, and hear what
the honest and old gardener said when lamenting
the fate of his fallen king :

" And Bolingbrooke
Hath seized the wasteful king. — Oh ! what a pity

it is.
That he had not trim'd and dress'd his land.
As we this garden. We at this time of year
Do wound the bark, the skin of our fruit trees ;
Lest being over-proud with sap and blood.
With too much riches it confound itself:
Had he done so to great and growing men.
They might have lived to bear, and taste
Their fruits of duty. All superfluous branches
We lop away, that l>earing boughs may live :

Had he done so, himself had borne the crown,
Which waste of idle hours hath quite thrown
down."

As the philosophical horticulturist is supposed
to have " wound the bark, the skin of our forest
trees," sometime between June, 1377, and Septem-
ber, 1899, it must be admitted he was wise after his
generation. Even from so long ago as Shaks-
peare's time, between 1564 and 1616, the opera-
tion was performed by practical men, just as it
is by skillful orchardists now. It seems to me
that while I continue to admire the wisdom of
King Richard's ancient bark-slitter, it would be
proper to exclaim, " Bravo! Old Gardener.'"

THE PEACH APHIS.

BY D. S. MYER, BRIUGEVILLE, DEL.

I notice you frequently write about the Peach
Yellows. We know but little about the yellows
here ; in fact I do not know that I can say I could
certainly point out one single case of the
yellows.

I will relate the following, thinking it may be
of some interest to j'our numerous readers.
Some six or eight years ago the Peach Aphis
visited us in unprecedented numbers, destroying
moat of the young trees one year planted, and
severely injuring some two year and older trees.
The effects on the trees visited by them was
plainly visible, the leaves turning yellow and
not having anything like their usual size ; many
trees dying outright, others so weakened as to be
entirely worthless. That season, at the time
that Hale's Early Peach was beginning to ripen,
the Milford, Del. Fruit Growers' Society invited a
number of the Farmers' Club of New York and
some Pennsylvania Profs, on Insects ; also the
late David Petitt of N. J. (said to be tlie best
farmer of N. J.). My memory fails to give the
names of the prominent doctors who met at
Milford. I was invited to meet with these
gentlemen and the Fruit Society, so I pi-epared
myself as best I could. Taking a spade and
grubbing hoe I marched off first and dug up two
or three of the two year peach trees, root and
branch, that had been covered literally black
with the Peach Aphis in the spring, but had dis-
appeai'ed on approach of hot weather, letting
some of the branches be on with the leaves, and
the roots as left by the Aphis. Taking the peach
tree branches with me, when I was called upon
to give my store of information, I presented the

1880.

AND HORTICULTURIST.

207

tree aforenamed, asking the doctors what was
the matter with those trees. When to my sur-
prise David Petitt of N. J., pronounced them
genuine cases of yellows.

I can tell you it caused no little merriment in
the crowded room of Del. Fruit Growers. Not
one ever hearing, much less seeing a case of
genuine yellows, as we have learned of it through
books and papers in other sections.

I explained how the trees I exhibited did come
in that condition, and further all I knew^ about
the Aphis from careful observation. I have read
all the information T can get on this insect. I
must say that even Prof. Rilej' does not say
much about its habits, &c. Of all insects I ever
saw, it is the most wonderful.

I have dug up peach roots that were six to twelve
inches deep in quite wet red soil, when the sur-
face of the ground was cold, almost frosted. Thou-
sands, yes millions, almost, in some cases were on
the roots, the smallest so small as to be hardly seen
with the naked eye, yet brought under a micro-
scope, even the small ones were awful looking
sap suckers. I have placed roots covered with
these insects in bottles of cold water almost to
freezing, leaving them in it for thirty-six hours,
removed them, placed in warm sunny place, and
in half an hour many would creep off; but after
exposing them forty-eight hours all appeared
dead. I should like to ask some of you doctors
how they propagate so rapidly so deep in the
soil ; appear to do so down even six to nine
inches deep, and when weather moderates,
come right up, suck out the starting buds, hun-
dreds and thousands on a single bud. I once
used tar to save a lot of young valuable stock,
the enemy came so strong out of the ground as
to cover the tar and bridge over, and make the
stocks appear all black. One week finished vip
the most vigorous stocks. Mild winters and fol-
lowed by wet, cold springs, suit this great enemy
of the peach. Mr. Aphis appears to glory in slight
frosts ; even a freeze don't budge him ; down to-
ward zero fixes him. If soil is frozen deep for
a long time in winter they are not apt to do
much damage the following spring.

Repeated doses of the foul stuflf tobacco gives
them enough, but then you have to wait until
they appear on the surface, while many more
are sucking the life out of the roots that you
can't reach.

Aphis can't stand clear, hot sunshiny days;
in June and July they usually all disappear, but
ah ! what a mark thev leave in their track.

PROTECTING YOUNG APPLE TREES
FROM BORERS.

BY JAMES M. HAYES, DOVER, X. H.

The apple tree borer [Saperda bivittata) is the
most destructive insect in our young apple or-
chards. More trees are killed by this insect in
New Hampshire than in any other way. In
large trees there seems to be no better method
of destroying them than by using a knife and
wire. But with small trees that are just set or
are but a few years old, the following method of
protection was adopted by a friend of ours hav-
ing a young orchard infested with these insects,
which he found quite successful in keeping them
away.

Having some strips of wire screening such as are
used for windows, he put them around his trees,
bringing the ends together and fastening them
as stove pipe is fastened, leaving a space between
the tree and screening of about an inch, which
was filled with waste cotton. This will last four
or five years and proves an effectual remedy.

THE SWEET PIPPIN APPLE.

BY J. G. YOUXGKEN, RICHLANDTOWN, BUCKS CO., PA.

I write to you in regard to a seedling apple
that has been in cultivation about eighty years,
and has some very valuable qualities. So I send
you a specimen of it, and would like to have your
opinion about it. I think the apple has some very
valuable properties, and thought it was my duty
to bring it to notice. The Sweet Pippin apple
originated on the farm of the late Samuel Min-
ninger, of Eichland Township, Bucks Co., Pa.
The trees are straggling growers, somewhat
spreading or drooping. They form medium
sized heads; wood grayish. They are very
hardy and profuse bearers every other year, and
the apples adhere firmly to the trees, do notdrop
ofi'like most apples do, and they will not be blown
off by hard winds and storms. They are in
season from December to June, will ripen up
like oranges, will not wilt and shrivel like most
apples do, and in June they will be just as sound
as in the fall, and as yellow as oranges. I saw
eighty bushels on a heap the other day, and you
could not see a specked one nor a rotton one on
the heap. Young trees in the nursery ought to
be top grafted to form good trees.

[The true value of an apple, or for the matter
of that, any fruit, depends on a great many
things more than any editor can find out by ex-
amining a specimen of the fruit in his office. All
we can say is that the specimen sent by Mr.

208

THE GARDENER'S MONTHLY

[July,

Youngken is not of the highest flavor, but is a
fair fruit in every particular. If all its other
characters come out in every case as Mr Young-
ken finds them, it might be worth introducing,
though we always dread the prospects ol any
new addition to the already formidable list of
fruits.— Ed. G. M.]

EDITORIAL NOTES.

A Furore in New Grapes — A gentleman in
the East advertised for the first time, a year ago,
a new Grape ; and now we read in the annual
address of a distinguished pomologist, that said
grape is "making a 'furore' in Ohio."

If this statement had been made in some
advertisement it would have been excusable, for
some advertisers — not all by any means — cannot
avoid using language which means just nothing
to most people whatever it may mean to them-
selves. But it reads queer from a cool headed
president of a pomological convention. The
idea that the few berries that would be obtained
from a little plant set out but a few months
before, is to make a "furore" throughout a
whole State, is suggestive of a more general roar
than the " few-roar."

Blight, Mildew and Rust.— Mr. R. P. Speer
has in the Cedar Falls (Iowa) Gazette a very
exhaustive paper on the above topics. He
believes fruit trees never blight seriously except
after remarkably warm, damp weather. Mr. Speer
believes that fungi are connected with the dis-
eases named; but that previous circumstances
unfavorable to vital power, aid the germination
of the fungoid spores.

American Grape Vines and the Phylloxera.
— The Gardener's Chronicle says: "As to the
powers of resistance to the grape-louse offered
by certain of these American varieties (for this
precious faculty is not possessed by all), there is
no doubt whatever. The fact has been proved
in various districts in France, and in particular
in one instance, where out of 150,000 cuttings
which were put in to replace some vines de-
stroyed by the grape-louse, none are now left,
except a few American varieties planted by acci-
dent.

" M. Foex has set himself to discover the
reasons, for this comparative immunity on the
part of the American vines, which he attributes
to the structure of their tissues. The roots of

the American varieties are stated to have their
tissues of a denser and more woody character
than those of the European varieties; their
medullary rays (silver grain) are also narrower
and more numerous. The puncture of the Phyl-
loxera excites a local irritation and swelling
which does not pass far beyond the original
point of injury, and the traces of which soon
disappear. Of course there are variations as to
these points according to the particular kind of
grape and the nature of the soil."

Investigations on this side of the Atlantic have
shown that the American vines are just as
subject to attack as the foreign varieties The
writer of this has seen roots of Clinton as densely
granulated as ever he has seen in the case of any
variety. It is not that the American species are
less liable to attack, but they suff'er less from the
the attack. And the reason for this seems to be
in the different rooting habits of the species. A
careful examination of those liable to injury
from the insect attack, shows them to have few
long and slender roots; while the other, like
Clinton and allies, make innumerable branch-
ing fibres. One rootlet is no sooner injured, and
its growth checked, than it sends out many
more from the main root above. In this easy
rooting power lies its strength.

Large Japan Persimmon. — The largest fruit
matured in California so far, measures about
eleven inches round, and two together weighed
a pound and a half.

Cherry — Ne Plus Ultra. — Mr. Charles Arnold
regards this as a great acquisition. It has a
strong resemblance to Napoleon Bigarreau, and
not superior to it. It was raised by Mr. John
Mosely, of Goodrich, Ontario.

Apples for Australia. — Notwithstanding the
beautiful display of apples made by Australia
at the Centennial Exposition, California seems
inclined to try the export of American fruit to
that distant land. Belong & Co. made a large
shipment last fall — Roxbury Russetts and Tulpe-
hockens'. (" Talpahawkine," our correspondent
says.)

Rivers' Early Silver Peach. — The Florist and
Pomologist gives a colored plate of this variety.
It seems larger than any of the early Peaches of
Mr. Rivers as known in this country. The
plate represents the fruit as three inches across.
It was raised by the late Thomas Rivers in 1859,
from seed of the White Nectarine.

1880.]

AND HORTICULTURIST.

209

The Mann Apple. — The tree is full as hardy as
the Duchess of Oldenburgh, and the fruit will
keep as long as the Roxbury Russet. Mr. Moody,
of Lockport, has kept the Iruit in good order
until the first of Julj' in an ordinary cellar.
Downing describes the fruit as follows, viz.:
" Fruit medium to large, roundish oblate,
nearly regular; skin deep yellow when fully
ripe, often with a shade of brownish red where
exposed, and thickly sprinkled with light gray
dots, a few being areole ; stalk short, rather
small ; cavity medium or quite large, sometimes
slightly corrugated; flesh yellowish, half fine,
half tender, juicy, mild, pleasant sub-acid. Good
to very good."

The Durn Strawberry. — This is an Alpine
Strawberry raised in France, and bearing all the
year round. It is believed to be one of the best
of the Alpines. It must be remembered that
Alpines are scarcely worth cultivating in low
elevations or warm countries. As the name
implies they are adapted only to cool or special
culture.

The Phylloxera in Europe. — In order to
guard against the introduction of the Phylloxera,
Germany, Austria, Spain, France, Italy and Por-
tugal have entered into a joint convention and
" resolved " on the most absurd enactment. It
is remarkable that while we are continually hesi-
tating about what to do, while wondering what
the mother countries will say about us, they
offer us such silly examples. The London Gar-
dener's Chronicle likens the results of this conven-
tion to the man who. with one foot frozen, burns
the other.

SCRAPS AND QUERIES.

Peaches. — On May 11th, came to hand some
forced Peaches from Mr. Charles Black, Hights-
town, N. J. Saunders, Amsden and Wildei", were
all about the same size, about 2\ ounces in
weight, very much alike in general appearance,
but Saunders' dark rose, Amsden lighter, and
Wilder paler than the rest. There was also a
Hale's, which weighed 3j ounces, approaching
double the size, but the quality was much in-
ferior to the other three. Forced peaches are,
rarely of the highest excellence in eating quali-
ties. In this case few would think highly of the
Hale's, but the other three were rich and juicy,
and certainly enjoyable. The Hale's is a pure

freestone, and this is some advantage ; the others
being clings are at a disadvantage for a table
fruit. They are not so completely clings as some
of the late kinds, but they must be classed with
cling-stone peaches. There is room yet for some
one to make a fortune on a first-class early free-
stone peach.

Since writing the above, the following has been
received: " We send you a box containing four
Peaches, grown in our orchard house (formerly
belonging to Isaac Pullen), one each of Hale's,
Amsden, Saunders and Wilder's. The Hale's
Early is forced up by girdling the branch on
which it grew ; all others on the same tree are
very green and not over half grown. The Ams-
den and Saunders are just as they grew and
ripened. We picked the first (Amsden) on the
30th of April. Alexander is so similar in every
respect that it is impossible to detect any differ-
ence. We began to force them about January
1st, and the early peaches maintain their charac-
ter of earliness full as much as out-door. The
Amsden, Alexander and Saunders are fully
twenty days in advance of Hale's Early. By gird-
ling the branches below the peaches, they are
forced very much both in size and time of ripen-
ing, as you will see b^-^ the specimen sent. All
other Hale's in the house are small and green
yet, and will take ten days or two weeks to
ripen. The Saunders sent is below the average
size, the Amsden a little above as grown in our
house. We send you these, thinking ripe
Peaches not yet plenty, and to show the effect of
our experiment ofgii'dling upon the Hale's Early."

Swamp Muck. — B. H., Woodbury, N. J., sends
in the following, and asks what we think of it:
" Some time ago we remarked that an acre ot
swamp muck of good quality, three feet deep, was
actually worth $25,000 (twenty-five thousand
dollars). No doubt such a statement is sur-
prising— so was the statement of Dr. Lawes, of
England, that a ton of bran fed to cows returned
more than its cost, in manure. Swamp muck
free from sand, contains 2 per cent, or 40 lbs. of
nitrogen to the ton. Nitrogen is worth in the
market 25 cents a pound — so that a ton of swamp
muck is actually worth $10 for the nitrogen in it.
All that is needed is to work up the muck so as
to make the nitrogen available. An acre of
swamp muck three feet deep contains 2500 tons,
and would require eight months to draw out at ten
loads per day. Few persons realize the value of
the fertilizing elements of common waste matter

210

THE GARDENER'S MONTHLY

[July,

which lie under their feet, and the innumerable
tons of matter that may be available for fertilizing
purposes, and that much of the idle and neglected
materials represent a vast amount of wealth." —
American Agriculturist, April, 1880.

[We quite agree with the Agriculturist that all
that is needed is to work up the muck so as to
make the nitrogen available. But it is this work-
ing up that is the bother. In the writer's ex-

perience it would cost about $30,000 to work up the
$25,000 available, and the effort to utilize it has
been abandoned. If any one can give in detail
profitable methods of utilizing swamp muck, it
would be doing excellent service. — Ed. G. M.]

Smith's Improved Gooseberry. — P. says: "Will
some of the readers of the Monthly giv6 their
experience with Smith's Improved Gooseberry.
Is it free from mildew ?

Forestry.

COMMUNICA TIONS.

AMERICAN FORESTRY.

An excellent account of some of the good
work being done in American Forestry appeared
recently in the Boston Herald, and which we give
our readers below. We might take exception to
some of the ideas advanced, but on the whole,
the paper will meet with general approval. We
may, however, note there is no actual necessity
for the feeling that when a forest is planted it is
only for one's children, for there is no need of
waiting till one is past middle age before making
profit from a forest. We take the ground that a
judiciously managed forest may come into profit
in ten years ; and by profit we mean that it
shall yield a handsome sum over all expenses,
interest on capital invested included.

" There are probably few who better appreciate
the advantages of neighboring forests than the
prairie farmer of the West, whose lone dwelling
stands exposed, almost as much as a ship at sea,
to the full, fierce sweep of the winds that blow
across the wide, level expanse, with nothing in
their track to break their force. In mid-winter,
while his house is half bui'ied in the snow drifts
and seems but a mound in the blank waste, he
sits by his corn-burning fire and thinks how fine
and comfortable it would be if, twenty or thirty
years before, when he first settled there, he had
only planted a few of his hundreds of broad acres
with trees, and his home now lay warm and
calm on the leeward side of a fine piece of wood-
land as undisturbed by the frigid northwester as if
it were not blowing. His gardens, too, would not
be parched and baked to death by the first dry
wind of summer, and his fruit not shaken from
the boughs nor blasted. And, reflecting on the
high price of lumber, and the scarcity of fuel
that compelled him to burn his grain, he would

see what a profitable investment it would have
been. A few had the forethought to take such a
course, and its wisdom is now so manifest that
throughout the prairie States there is a universal
interest in the subject of tree-planting, although
its importance, as a means of affording shelter
and supplying the rapidly increasing population
with fuel, timber, etc., has been felt by many
since their first settlement. By those able to
look ahead to the future development of these
States since the enormous growth of the railroad
system there, consuming as it does every year an
immense number of ties, etc., the necessity has
been more keenly felt. The new railroads built
in the treeless States in 1879 required over ten
million ties in their construction. It will be
seen that an immense consumption of forests is
caused by railroads alone. IBefore the gx'eat
panic of 1873, several attempts at tree-planting
had been made by railroad companies, but none
were successful, owing to bad management, an
improper selection of trees, neglect and fire, the
result of the trees being planted too near the line
of the railroads. But, lately, an earnest has been
given of the great value of the Harvard Arbore-
tum at West Roxbury to the material interests of
the country. Within the last two years, under
the inspiration of that institution, more system-
atic attempts at railroad tree-planting have been
made in Kansas by the Fort Scott & Gulf Rail-
road Company, several hundred acres having
already been planted ; and, during the present
winter, a Boston capitalist has contracted for the
planting of 560 acres of prairie land in eastern ■
Kansas. This contract is made with Messrs. I
Robert Douglas & Sons, ofWaukegan, 111., the '
largest and most successful raisers of forest-tree
seedlings in the United States, and is peculiar
and novel in its provisions. Thej' agree, at a
certain price per acre, — which would differ, of
course, with different conditions and location, —
to break and plow the land, prepare it for plant-
ing, plant not less than 2720 trees to the acre,
and cultivate these vmtil they shade the ground
and so require no further cultivation, to keep
down the weeds and strong natural grasses — the

1880.

AND HORTICULTURIST.

211

great drawback to all prairie tree-planting. At
the end of this time, probably in three or four
years from the time of planting, the plantation
will be delivered over to the owner, one cent a
tree being deducted from the final payment for
every tree less than 2000 to the acre delivered,
only trees at least six feet high at the time of
delivery being counted. The advantage of this
plan, which is the one also adopted by the Fort
Scott Railroad, is that the trees will be carefully
planted and attended to by experienced men, for
whose interest it will be to use the best plants,
and to cultivate and care for them in the best
manner, so as to be able to deliver the greatest
number of trees in the shortest possible time, j
that they may get quick returns for the money |
invested in plants, planting, etc. Any plantation
in which the trees are six feet high, and m which
the ground is so shaded that weeds and stray ;
natural grasses cannot grow, is safe, and will re- 1
quire no further attention until the time comes !
for thinning out the trees for fence posts, etc. \
The plan relieves the owner of the great risk al-
ways attending the early years of a plantation, i
and makes his investment practically safe. This
plantation of 560 acres is to consist of 300 acres |
of the western catalpa, 200 acres of ailanthus, and '
60 acres which will serve as an experimental
ground on which will be tested trees of several
varieties, to be selected by the director of the ;
Harvard Arboretum, Prof. Sargent. The western j
catalpa, a native of the low lands bordering the \
lower Ohio, and the banks of the Mississippi in ]
Missouri, Kentucky and Tennessee, is a rapidly- [
growing tree, easily cultivated, and producing tim- \
ber, which, although soft, is almost indestructible
when placed in the ground, and, therefore, of the j
greatest value for fence-posts, railway ties and
similar uses. The ailanthus will grow with great |
rapidity anj'^where, where the climate is not too \
cold for it, and in spite of its wonderfully quick j
growth, produces hard, heavy timber valuable
for fuel, ties, cabinet work, or almost every pur-
pose for which wood is used.

" It is believed that this plantation will soon
lead to the formation of others, both by the rail-
road companies and by individuals, or corpora-
tions chartered to plant and own timber lands in
the prairie States. Eventually, a great deal of
capital will be invested in this way. The returns
will be slow, and a man investing thus should
consider that he is doing it for his children. But
when the returns do come they will be enormous,
even at the present prices of lumber, and it must
be remembered that, before a crop of trees
planted now can be harvested, the price of ties
and other forest products will be more than
doubled in the Western States. An encouraging
fact, and one which shows that public attention
is being directed to the importance of providing
for the future demand of such things is, that the
Iron Mountain Railroad Company, which runs
for hundreds of miles through a heavily timbered
region, and possesses in its own lands some of the
finest white oak on the continent, has also made
a contract with the Messrs. Douglas to plant near
Charleston, Mo., 100 acres of western catalpa as

an experiment. They do this because catalpa
ties have stood on their road entirely unaflected
by decay during the last twelve years, and be-
cause this tree is so valued by the farmers for
fence posts that it is already practically extermin-
ated in Missouri, and so not to be procured for
ties, although the superintendent of the railroad
is willing to pay three times as much as for the
best white oak ties. If the planting of trees is
good policy for a railroad running through a
heavily timbered country like Missouri and Ar-
kansas, it will certainly pay for roads in Iowa,
Nebraska, Minnesota and Kansas to do the same.
Messrs. Douglas have adopted another important
measure at the instigation of the director of the
Arboretum, in order to facilitate the planting of
trees by farmers and others of small means who
have always found it difficult to procure a few
trees on reasonable terms, is the sending out of
dollar packages by mail, post-paid, and contain-
ing each from seventy-five to one hundred forest
trees. There is little profit in this branch of the
business directly, as the postage and the cost of
packing amounts to about fifty cents, but it helps
foster a taste for tree planting, and gets people
into the habit of planting a few trees every year.
They will gradually become imbued with the
desire to plant, and so will send larger orders.
At any rate, whether there is, or is not, proHt to
the grower, people are thus enabled to obtain the
best trees at the lowest rates and in small quanti-
ties. It is only necessary to send a dollar to the
Messrs. Douglas, and the sender Avill receive by
mail a package of 100 trees, of any kind named
in their circular, which explains this peculiar
feature. The choice of trees include the catalpa
and ailanthus, already mentioned, the white ash,
Scotch pine and many other valuable woods.
The experiment was made last year for the first
time, and 75,000 trees were sent out in this way,
of which not a single one, it is said, failed to
reach its destination in perfect condition. The
plan was so successful that this year it is expected
that several million trees will thus be distributed
over the country, not only all over the New Eng-
land and Western States, but in large quantities in
Texas, New Mexico, California, Oregon and Utah.
The advantage is very great to small farmers
living in remote portions of the country where
freight and express charges are excessive, and
tree-planting cannot fail to be encouraged among
a class of men who will be greatly benefited by
it, and who, without such a system, would be
praciically outside the possibility of procuring
valuable trees. If every farmer in this country
would consider it a part of his routine work to
plant annually 100 trees, the question of the fu-
ture timber supply of the United States would be
greatly simplified, and this plan puts it within
the reach of all to do so if they choose.

''The importance of tree planting is now recog-
nized by several of the Western States, Avhich
offer bounties for the best lots of woodland,
and exempt land planted with trees from taxa-
tion for a considerable term of years. In this
state, the Massachusetts Society for the Promo-
tion of Agriculture offers fine premiums for the

•212

THE GARDENER'S MONTHLY

[July,

best acres of woodland of various kinds and stages
of growth

"The secretary of the Connecticut State board
of education, Hon. B. G. Northrop, who is an
enthusiastic arboriculturist, in stating that in Con-
necticut, in the last ten years, over $300,000 have
been expended annually in building and repair-
ing school-houses, says: " 'Wise and necessary, as
was this expenditure, had one hundredth part
of this sum been spent annually in planting trees
and adorning the school-grounds, a still better
result would have been accomplished in cultiva-
ting the tastes of our youth, leading them to
study and admire our noble trees, and realize
that they are the grandest and most beautiful

products of nature, and form the finest drapery
that adorns this earth in all lands. Thus taught,
they will wish to plant and protect trees, and find
in their own happy experience that there is a
peculiar pleasure in their parentage, whether
forest, fruit or ornamental — a pleasure that never
cloys, but grows with their growth. Such off-
spring they will watch with pride, as every year
new beauties appear. Like grateful children,
they bring rich filial returns, and compensate a
thousand-fold for the trouble they cost. This love
of trees early implanted in the school and fostered
in the home, will be sure to make our youth
practical arbor ists.' "

Natural History and Science.

COMMUNICA TIONS.

FERNS OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA.

BY S. B. PARISH, SAN BERNARDINO, CAL.
[Concluded from page 181.]

By this time we have ascended the ravine far
^enough to find a few oaks and pines on the steep
sides, mingling their shade with that of the
:alders and cottonwood which border the stream.
Here and there on these acclivities are seen the
•-sturdy clumps of two shield ferns, Aspidium
fsrigidum var. argutum and A. munitum. Both
of them prefer a gravelly soil, and, although re-
^juiring very little moisture, keep bright and
fresh the whole year. The ample, wide-based
foipinnate fronds of the former are usually
.'Strongly curving, and about three feet in length;
rthe other is of the same height, but more rigid
•in habit, and its narrow lanceolate fronds are
.simply pinnate, with auricled leaflets. High in
;the mountains has been found a rare variety of
ithis fern (A. munitum var. imbricans).

Our canyon now becomes narrower, and shut
in by high rock walls, and we come to a place
where the little stream leaps down a precipice
. fifty or even a hundred feet high ; the thick
pines help to shut out the rays ot the sun, and
the water broken into spray, drenches the rocks
with a. perpetual mist, and maintains a refreshing

coolness. Look up and see how the whole face
of the cliff is fluttering with feathery maiden
hair. Every crevice is full of them; here is
Adiantum pedatum,* its shaft of shining ebony
bearing aloft a broad crescent frond of the most
delicate texture and color ; here A. emarginatum
and A. Cappillus-veneris wore their long droop-
ing plumes, and with them are mingled the
beautiful Cystopteris fragilis, its fronds of tender
green, set off" with black fruit- dots, and sporting
into an infinite variety of form. A little away
from the mist of the fall the majestic Wood-
wardia (W. radicaus var. Americana) curves its
grand fi-onds and dips them into the pool below.
These are five or six, and even ten feet in length,
and have a tropical luxuriance that forms a
beautiful contrast to the grace of the delicate
ferns above.

If we climb around the falls and follow our
stream to its source, we will find, rooted in the
miry black soil, the handsome Lady Fern
(Asplenium Filix-foemina), so widely distributed
through the country. Not so high up there is
occasionally found another Spleenwort (A.
Trichomanes var. incisum), its small dark-green
pinnate fronds clustered at the base of some dry
crag. It is quite rare.

The ferns already mentioned, except those
noted as rare, are very generally distributed, and
may be confidently sought whenever there is

♦This fern is sometimes said to be deciduous, Out it seems
with us to be eyergreen.

1880.]

AND HORTICULTURIST.

213-

found the conditions suited to their growth.
But there are others more restricted in their dis-
tribution, and some are even confined to a single
tract a few acres in extent. They belong to the
drought-resisting genera Cheilanthes and Notho-
Isena, which in summer become entirely dry,
their curious fronds i-olled up into compact balls,
and showing the colored powders, the scales, or
the felted hairs of the different species. But
although so dry that they crumble in the fingers,
and the roots snap like drj' twigs, yet they are
not dead, and at the first shower the old fronds
unroll bright and fresh, and new ones begin to
push up around them. The writer has taken
them up when in the dry stage and kept them
hung in an open shed for six months, and when
planted they started into vigorous growth.

One of the commonest of them is Cheilanthes
Fendleri ; its lanceolate frond, six or eight inches
long by two wide, is subdivided into minute seg-
ments, bright green on the face, and on the back
covered with an abundant coating of chaffy
scales, white on the young fronds, and passing
through different shades of brown until it be-
comes ashy-grey on the old ones. In some
places it is quite abundant, growing in the crevi-
ces of partially shaded rocks. Nearer the sea
coast there are two somewhat similar species, C.
myriophylla and C. Clevelandii. There also grows
the most beautiful of the genus, the Lace Fern
(C. Californica), whose well proportioned trian-
gular frond, supported on a polished brown stipe,
is divided and subdivided into threadlike seg-
ments. It is remarkable in being quite free from
the hairs or other appendages so common in
members of this genus. On our small hills, Chei-
lanthes Cooperse hides itself from the sun at the
bottom of deep fissures in the rocks. It is a
delicate fern, seldom six inches high, and the
fronds have on both sides a light coat of fine long
hairs. Still rarer, perhaps the rarest of all North
American ferns, is Cheilanthes viscida. It grows,
but not at all abundantly, in a few rocky ravines
near the mouth of the Arroyo Blanco, a little
stream that loses itself in the desert. It clings
to seams in the rocks, in positions entirely
shielded from the sunshine. Its fronds are
almost as finely divided as those of the Lace
Fern, but are narrowlj' lanceolate in outline,
and about six by one and a half inches. They
are covered with a viscid secretion, so abundant
as to cause them to strongly adhere to the paper
when drying them.
On all the mountain slopes of this desert re-

gion, there is an abundant growth of the pretty
little Notholsena Candida. Its elegant triangular
frond is subdivided into numerous, closely set
pinnules, and the white powder that is lightly
dusted over the frond is more abundant around
the edges of them, so that they are set off" with
a faint silvery border; on the reverse, this pow-
der is very plentiful, and in the successive phases
of growth, changes from white to yellow, and
then brown, and is finally hidden by the rich
chocolate of the spore cases. When seen in
the summer time closely rolled up, and projected
in serried lines from the narrow cracks in which
they are rooted, they look like rows of little
white and brown fists thrust out in the fiace of
the sun ; for they choose a place exposed to the
fullest rigor of his glare, and flourish on bare-
rocks that become uncomfortably warm to the
hand. Yet they are the easiest to cultivate of
all the genus, and if kept moist will remain ex^
panded all the year. In the same neighborhood!
there is a plentiful supply of Notholaena Parryi,.
a curious little fern, clothed above and beneath
with a close felt of fine, long hairs, white in the
young growth, and light brown in age. Its
favorite place is the shady side of a large, firmly-
bedded boulder, but it sometimes grows on the
shady side of a rocky bluff". The closely related
Cottony Fern (N. Newberryi), has the same pre-
ferences, but finds them in a different region,
the dry hills south of the Santa Ana river. It
bears a general resemblance to Parry's Fern, but
is a little larger (six by one and a half inches),
and the tomentum, which exhibits nearly the
same range of color, is of a diff"erent nature,
having in the former a kind of wood-like appear-
ance, while that of the present one resembles
cotton. It is especially pleasing in early spring,
when the milk-white young fronds curl about
the bases of the rough stones in a charmingly
graceful manner.

Besides the ferns already mentioned, Crypto-
gamme achrostichoides has been found in this
region, and last year added Woodsia Oregana ;
but as the writer has not yet had the good for-
tune to see them growing, he can only, add their
names to complete the list.

The (Jrought- resisting ferns, such as Gymno-
gramme triangularis and the various species of
Nothotea, Cheilanthes and Pellsea would proba-
bly be well suited to home cultivation. They
are at home in a dry atmosphere, so that the air
of stove or furnace heated rooms would not be
apt to be as injurious to them as it is to many

214

THE GARDENER'S MONTHLY

[July,

kinds of ferns. If not wanted in the summer,
they could be set away in some dr}' place until
autumn. Most of them are easily cultivated,
and their novel and curious variety would make
them objects of great interest.

ON THE FERTILIZATION OF YUCCA.

Read before the American Association for the Advancemeut of

Science, at the meeting at Saratoga, by Thomas

Meehan, Fellow of the Association.

In the transactions of the Academy of Science
of St. Louis of April 15, 1873, our distinguished
associate Dr. George Englemann has some
"Notes on the genus Yucca," in which occurs
the following passage : " The conspicuously pa-
pillose termination of the pistil had always been
considered the stigma, but closer examination
showed its papillae to be epidermal appendages,
corresponding to similar ones on the filaments,
and entirely destitute of stigmatic function ;
never did they contribute to the development of
a pollen grain occasionallj' adhering to them.
Dr. Mellichamp's notice of a drop of glutinous
liquid in the tube formed by the coalescence of
the so-called stigmas led me to further experi-
ments. That tube proved to be the real stigma,
exuding stigmatic liquor, and insects must be
the agents which introduced the pollen into the
tube " Subsequent investigations by our es-
teemed associate Professor Riley led to the dis-
covery of a new genus of Lepidoptera— P/'ontt6a
yuccasella — and which has proved to be the insect
agent which fertilizes the flower. In the same
number of the Proceedings, Professor Riley de-
scribes this insect and says, " with her maxilary
tentacle, so wonderfully modified for the pur-
pose, she collects the pollen in large pellets, and
holds it under the neck and against the front
trochanters. In this manner she sometimes car-
ries a mass twice the size of her head. Thus
laden she clings to the top of the pistil, bends
her head, thrusts her tongue into the stigmatic
nectary and brings the pollen masses right over
its mouth. In this position she works with a
vigor thafjwould indicate combined pleasure and
purpose — moving her head and body from side
to side, and apparently making every ^effort to
force the pollen into the tube. Such is the
method by which our yuccas are fertilized."

It may be remembered that at our meeting at
Buffalo I produced three capsules that had not
been produced by this elaborate process, but
simply by mere touching of the papillose apex

with one of the flower's own poUeniferous
anthers. Professor Riley was so sure that the
seed-vessels could not have been produced in
that way ; that there must have been some insect
agency unknown to me in addition to my work,
that at the conclusion of my paper he asked per-
mission to cut open the capsules, sure of being
able to show the larvae in the fruit; but he found
them not. I recall these matters to show that I
have not misapprehended the position our friends
take on this question.

I now again exhibit numerous seed vessels
from this plant of Yucca angustifolia in which no
trace of larvae can be found; and seed vessels of
Yticca filamentosa growing but a few yards from
the other, which are infested by the Pronuba
yuccasella, as this species always is when it seeds
at all.

The history of the fruiting of the Yucca angus-
tifolia is as follows : It flowered in 1875, but pro-
duced no fruit.* In 1876 the early flowers prov-
ing infertile, I applied the flower's own pollen to
the apex of the pistil of the four last flowers that
opened ; these produced the four capsules exam-
ined by Professor Riley as already noticed. In
1877, noticing that the Pronuba abounded in the
flowers, no hand application was made, and
there was no fruit. In 1878 the flowers were
again left to the insects with no fruitful results.
The past season pollenization by hand was re-
sorted to, and the numerous seed vessels I exhibit
followed. As the pollen was merely applied to
the papillose apex it shows that in this species
the elaborate and wonderful ingenuity of the
insect in applying pollen as described by our
friend is wholly unnecessar3^

We now come to some extremely interesting
considerations, growing out of these facts.

Pronuba yuccasella, the yucca moth, has for
years abounded on my flowers of the Yv/ica
filamentosa. It has not been known to visit any
other plant than yucca. Yucca angustifolia
begins to flower from two to three weeks, and its
blossoming is all over before Yucca filamentosa

* At the conclusion of this address, delivered at the Saratoga
meeting of the American Association, Prof. C. V. Riley made
some remarks which unfortunately I did not hear. The news-
paper reports make him say that I was mistaken in the insect I
found in Yucca angustifolia, that it was not Pronuba yuccasella.
1 have called Prof. Riley's attention to this, and have asked for
a correct note of what he did say, but have only the reply that
he is " not answerable to a newspaper report." It remains
then only for me to say in reply to the " newspaper report "
that at the outset of my observations on Yucca angustifolia, I sent
one of the insects caught to Professor Riley asking : " Is this
certainly Pronuba uccacella^" and he replied that it was

1880.]

AND HORTICULTURIST.

215

begins to open. The facts now adduced show that
the moths exist weeks before the flowers bloom
with which they have been so intimately con-
nected, feeding of course on other flowers, and
would perhaps make use of other fruits as deposi-
taries for their eggs if yucca should not exist.
At any rate, the facts weaken any belief we may
have that the yucca and all yucca moth through
the long ages have become mutually adapted to
each other through a fancied mutual benefit.

But the fact remains that the yucca is so
arranged that it must have external aid before it
can use pollen ; and it is believed that this
arrangement is for the express purpose of facili-
tating the introduction of strange pollen ; and
further that this arrangement must be useful, or
it would not exist. And then it is assumed that
this useful purpose can only be understood by
believing that cross-fertilized seed is of the most
benefit to the race. Let us examine this reason-
ing in Ihe light of facts; —

In 1871, I found Yucca angustifolia seeding
abundantly in Colorado ; but when the interest-
ing matters in its history were brought out by
Professor Riley I could not remember whether
the seed vessels were infested by the larvae of the
yucca moth, and was glad to revisit Colorado in
'73 to examine the plants, but I did not find one
seed vessel in several weeks' search for them.
I have since engaged friends to get me some, but
none have found them. In order to test the matter
thoroughly I engaged with a professional seed
collector in Southern Utah to bu}' of him a pound
of seed of each of the several species, and j
recently I have heard from him — the third sue- [
cessive year — that no plant witliin his observation [
has produced a single seed. How can we
believe that this elaborate arrangement for pro-
ducing seeds by cross-fertilization through insect
agency is for the purpose of producing a better
class of seeds, when we see in many cases plants
utterly fail, even for successive years, to seed
at all?

We know that it is not to the interest of the
individual to produce any seeds. Seed is a pro-
vision of nature looking to the good of the
future, and to which the present good of the
individual is often sacrificed. The mignonette,
the petunia, the gaillardia, and many other
plants under garden culture live for years when
prevented from perfecting seeds. We may ftiirly
believe that a plant which acquires the power of
easy individual increase and persistence would
show less disposition to sacrifice itself on seed;

and thus we do find in nature that it is among
that class which has the most of this individual
persistence that the indifi'erence to self-fertilized
seeds, popularly known as "arrangements for
cross-fertilization," is found, and moreover that
the most difficulty in germinating is met with
even when the seed is freely formed.

The yucca, by its large fleshy root stocks and
ability to withstand extremes of drought and
heat and cold, is able to maintain an existence
indefinitely without producing any seed. For
the sake of inducing variation, which is best
accomplished through seeds, it may be com-
pelled by inexorable law once in a while to pro-
duce them ; but a law which is to result in the
evolution of new forms will hardly be adduced
in favor of any theory which has for its founda-
tion the idea of benefit to an existing race.

[It was our intention to give this to our
readers earlier, so as to lead ttiem to observe
yuccas this season ; but have given place to the
favors of correspondents. — Ed. G. M.]

NOTES FROM SOUTH CAROLINA.

BY A LADY CORRESPONDENT.

I should like to call the attention of your
readers to a valuable plant growing profusely in
these regions, known in the botanical parlance
as Liatris odoratissima, but to us at the South
as Vanilla Grass. The young leaves are delight-
fully fragrant. The flower is a single stem,
bearing many double daisy-like flowers of a
deep lilac or purple.

Two years ago I was told that the leaves
strewn among woolen goods would effectually
preserve them from moths and other noxious
insects. In the past two springs I have packed
awajf blankets and carpets, etc., with the leaves
(and nothing else) with such perfect success that
I cannot but feel that the discovery should not
be confined to our Southern land, for nothing
would be more easy than the collecting of great
quantities of the leaves and sending them to the
carpet warehouses and furriers of the Northern
States.

In the beautiful Azalea gardens — now become
so famous — on the Ashley River, South Carolina,
belonging to our esteemed and good friend, the
Rev. Mr. Drayton, there grow on the edge by a
little lake, some Magnolia trees, the habit of
which resembles the common Weeping Willow.
Long pendant branches droop gracefully down-
wards, the lowest almost sweeping the water.

216

THE GARDENER'S MONTHLY

[July,

The trees are, I suppose, about sixty feet in height,
and they appear to be in full vigor, their long
shining leaves being particularly beautiful,
though without the red brown velvety back
which the leaves of our Magnolia forest trees
have. It would, I think, be properly called a
swamp laurel, of which there are so many
lovely varieties in our State.

EDITORIAL NOTES.

Directions of Nutrition. — Prof. Karl Koch, in
one of his lectures, says: "The view held by
pomologists and fruit gardeners, that the nutri-
tive substances move only in a downward direc- '\
tion, is refuted by their own practices.

" I would direct particular attention to the fact
that all new growths and lengthening of the
various axes of fruit trees (branches and twigs)
takes place at the tips, and therefore it is at these
points that the greatest quantity of nutritive
substance is required, and consequently the
greatest flow is not downwards but upwards.
Moreover, when the cultivator wishes to cause a
latent bud to push forth, which in its action is a
consumer of food, he should, acting under the
same view, make his incision below the bud in
order to divert the greatest quantity of nutritive
substances to the new growth ; but he does not
make it below the bud, he makes it above. As a
matter of fact the nourishment which should go
to the upper part of the axis is impeded in its \
upward course by the incision, and actually
serves to develop the dormant bud. Again, why
does the gardener pinch back the tips of shoots
in spring? It is either to strengthen a fruit-bud
below, or indeed to bring it to development.
The noui-ishment that would have been used in
the elongation of the shoot now remains to
benefit the fruit-buds below."

We do not think intelligent pomologists in this
country believe that nutritive substances do not
flow upwards. After all, it is a question what the
Professor meant by " flow of nutritive substance."
New growth is formed by the continuous germi-
nation of cells. In the primal cell of the season
nutrition is stored from the accumulations of
last 3'ear, and the successive new gi-owths are
formed from these stores for some time after the
growing season opens. To this extent nutrition
may be said to have an upward flow. But that
there is also a downward flow, everj' gardener
knows who has had any experience in layering.
A stool plant may in time be utterly destroyed

by persistent layering of all its branches; the
"downward" flow of nutrition reaching only to
the roots of the layered branch, and literally
starving the old plant though with numerous
roots of its own — and it is from the knowledge of
this fact that layered plants of grapes are not
valued, because a stool kept for layering comes
in time to have a low vital power, laying the
progeny open as an easy prey to diseases.

Thuja Standishii. — It has been generally sup-
posed that this Japan introduction was synony-
mous with the Thuja gigantea of the Pacific
coast, but Dr. Masters, in a recent Gardener's
Chronicle, decides that it is a distinct species.

Fungus Spores —A species of Phallus, a fun-
gus which appears regularly in the same spot in
successive years, producing an immense number
of spores — millions on millions, probably — and
which, from their dust-like nature, can be borne
by the wind many miles ; and yet it is believed
the species is rarely found, for the oddity of its
form, did it exist, would attract the attention of
the most stolid observer to say nothing of the
impression it would make on those matter-of-fact
individuals who are accustomed to "follow their
nose " in travelling through the world. This fact
has been noticed by observers in connection
with other fungoid plants.' It seems to point to
the generalization that it requires a very nice
combination of circumstances for the spore of a
fungus to be safe in germinating; and, hence,
nature prepares an abundance of material, in a
sort of ratio to the risk — Independent.

Destruction of Plants in Winter. — It has
been often recorded in our magazine that it is
the hygrometrical condition, conjointly with the
thermometrical, that decides the hardiness of
' plants in most cases where the tissues do not
burst by the freezing of their liquids, for in many
cases vegetable tissue contracts instead of ex-
pands under the action of frost. The Gardener s^
Record, of Dublin, furnishes the following in-
stance : " At Ballygiblin, near Mallow, the seat
of Sir Henry Becher, Bart., there is a plant of
Pimelea decussata growing in the open air. It
has stood in the same situation for the past four
years, and has never received the slightest pro-
tection during winter. It is in perfect health,
and produces its flowers freely in the month of
June each year. It is in a very sheltered position,
but, nevertheless, it has withstood some 14 deg.
of frost." In our dry atmosphere the plant
would be destroyed by the first light frost.

1880.]

AND HORTICULTURIST.

217

Forests and the Atmosphere. — The Garden-
erh Chronicle says : " From concurrent ther-
mometric observations made in forests and away
from them, at 1.40 and at 14 meters above the
ground level, M. Fautrat arrives at the following
conclusions. In consequence of the differences
of temperature which are observed underneath
the foliage and above the summits of trees, a
current of air from below upwards is established
in forests, and also lateral currents around woods
from the foliage towards the open space beyond.
These currents cause a healthy breeze in hot
weather. The ascending current carries off
above the forests the vapors from the soil, puts
this latter in communication with the clouds,
and fills the office of a lightning conductor ; and
it is to this, no doubt, that forests owe their re-
markable property of keeping hailstorms at a
distance."

The Golden Cup Oak. — The golden cup oak
[Q. chrysoleps) is a puzzle to botanists; and well
it may be, since it occurs as a lofty forest tree
and also as a tiny bush. Dr. Kellogg, of San
Francisco, pronounces the dwarf form a distinct
species ; but Dr. Englemann, of St. Louis, though
the difference in size is so great, believes that
one species includes both extreme forms. A
California botanist, Mr. J. G. Lemmon, who has
lately made an extended exploration of the High
Sierra back of Yosemite, sides with Dr. Engle-
mann, and says that on the various slopes about
Yosemite and elsewhere in the Sierra, he has
found specimens grading all the way from a tiny
prostrate bush, loaded with small, smooth cupped
acorns to the tall, majestic tree, bearing yellow
golden dust-covered acorn cups two inches
across. — Scientific American.

Kelative Influence of Sex in Fertilization.
— It has been stated that, in order to obtain
double flowers, it is advisable to make use of the
pollen from double flowers, where it is possible
to obtain it, and to apply it to the stigma of sim-
ple flowers from which it is desired to procure
double-flowered seedlings. M. Lemoine, of
Nancy, it appears from the Revue Horticole, has
tried this plan with success, and was desirous of
experimenting in this manner with Lilacs, but
the only double-flowered lilac then known had
no stamens, and consequently no pollen. M.
Lemoine then decided to reverse the process,
and to fertilize the stigmas of certain double-
flowered lilacs with the pollen from some of the
best single varieties. The experiment was so far

a success, that out of forty seedlings, thirty at
least yielded semi-double or double flowers, one
of them being very remarkable for its beauty. —
Gardener's Chronicle.

QUERIES.

Varieties of Pitcher Plants. — Mrs. C. writes.
" I would like to ask you about some Sarracenias
which we found during our southern trip. Two
varieties we have not found described — one with
a bright yellow flower, about the color of common
prickly pear, grew very abundantly in Florida ;
the other a green flower, exactly the color of the
leaf, in Virginia. My theorj^ is, that the green
one would change color on exposure to air and
sun, as the Cobsea. We looked for them in the
Smithsonian Herbarium, and the gentleman who
has it in charge could give us no information,
either from his own knowledge or his reference
library. That suggests another question ; which
do you consider the best dictionary of botany,
Johnson's, or Lindley & Moore's? I have been
trying to get Chapman's Southern Flora, but fear
it is out of print.

[These may have been forms of Sarracenia
flava, which is a very variable species. Chap-
man's work went through two editions, and we
are sure there would be a good demand for a
third if Dr. Chapman could be induced to pre-
pare it. Wood's Class Book of Botany describes
southern as well as northern plants. As a mere
dictionary, Johnson's is the best ; but t)hose who
could afford it should have the "Treasury of
Botany " also. It tells of so much more than
the mere dictionary does. — Ed. G. M.]

Indigenous and Exotic. — F. R., St. Louis, Mo.,
writes : " We have here an abundance of a white
flowered weed which is one of the worst of our
wild things. But when talking with a friend re-
cently about it, I was corrected. He said it was
not a wild flower, but an exotic. I am sure it is
native to these parts, for I have known it long
years ago. What is the true meaning of exotic
as applied to a common weed?"

[Usually, gardeners confine the term exotic to
plants requiring more than usual garden care
brought from other countries ; they would
scarcely call a weed which came to this country
without his direct aid an exotic. Still, critically,
one might call an introduced weed an exotic.
Usually foreign weeds would be called introduced.

218

THE GARDENER'S MONTHLY

[July,

and only those that have been here before the
white man came would be called indigenous or
native. As a matter of fact there is nothing to
show that any plant is " native," in the sense
that it is now in the locality where it was first
created. Plants are great wanderers. They are
ever on the move. We call plants native just as

we call Indians natives, simply because they
were here when our history began. A foreign or
introduced flower, would be one thao has been
known to come here since our time. It is
scarcely worth arguing whether a plant is indi-
genous or exotic. When it once makes a home
here, it should be regarded as a native. — Ed.]

Literature, Travels t Personal Notes.

NOTES AND QUERIES-No. 14.

BY JACQUES.

The Black Oat, Avena sativa, has become a
terrible weed in South Australia, which is singu-
lar, as the variety, the sterilis, its near relative,
is a great blessing to California, over which it
has been widely diffused. Schomburgh says,
"The Black Oat has the most notorious pre-
eminence of all the introduced weeds, and the
effects of this intruder are the most ruinous to
the farming community. Thousands of acres of
arable land are totally ruined for the purposes
of wheat growing by the Black Oat."

The United States Consul at Florence, Italy,
gives, in a report to the State Department, an
account of the flour made from chestnuts and
used in many parts of Southern Europe. The
writer says :

The number of trees in Tuscany and Lucca is
estimated at several millions, and the nut and
wood have done more to maintain the popula-
tion of some of these districts than any other
production. In some places wheat flour and
corn meal are entirely superseded by the chest-
nut flour, which is very nourishing and much
cheaper as an article of food.

Mr. Crosby is of opinion, after a careful study
of the subject, that this variety of chestnut can
be grafted on the native American species, and
thus be made a source of wealth and profit in
this country, especially in certain mountainous
districts, where it is almost impossible to raise
cereals, owing to the nature of the soil and the
steepness of the mountain sides, and where
transportation is so difficult and labor so high
and scarce. Outside of this question of using
the chestnut for food in the districts where it

could be cultivated and grown to advantage in
the United States, the present price of the im-
ported Spanish chestnut, which is used for vari-
ous purposes throughout our country, would, he
claims, amply repay any outlay farmers might
have to make in importing scions or shoots of
this magnificent variety from Italy, for grafting
on our own chestnut trees. * * * *

The flour can be preserved for two years. It
is used in the same way as wheat flour, and
though less nutritious, is much cheaper ; and, at
the same time, exceedingly agreeable to the
taste. He says that, in those regions where the
inhabitants live almost entirely on the chestnut,
they are of better appearance and more healthy.

The Garden notices a double fragrant Wistaria.
Is it known in America ?

An ancient Yew tree has been removed at
Dover, England, which, with the earth to be
moved with it, weighed about fifty tons.

Wax being indestructible by the elements, it is
suggested that marble and even the Egyptian
obelisks be coated with the white material.

The use of diluted yeast as an insect killer is
again recommended.

The Tree Box is the evergreen for cities.

Fairmount Park this year exhibits an emphatic
progress and improvement in the way of plant-
ing, under the able auspices of the landscape
gardener, Mr. Charles H. Miller. We wish he
had more facilities.

Mosquitoes and insects are kept aloof by a
solution of Quassia made by boiling. Put it on
the skin to dry and the result will be as stated.

According to Prof. Church, withered leaves of
the usual autumnal colors — yellow, red, or brown

1880.]

AND HORTICULTURIST.

219

— can be rendered green again by steeping in
water along with a little zinc powder.

The Chloride of Methyl is now used in extracting
the odoriferous principles of plants.

A lost ring is making newspaper paragraphs ;
the favorite story of Sir Walter Scott was about
the same topic: A serving man was sent by his
employer to a neighboring town to have a dia-
mond ring mended ; crossing a brook he dropped
it into the stream, ran away to India and return-
ing wealthy after twenty years, went with a
friend to make restitution. Coming to the stream,
"there" said he, "I lost that terrible ring " ; as
he spoke he placed his cane in the water, and on
withdrawing it, behold the ring was on the
ferule at the end of it !

Matilda — Yes, it is one of the curious and new
impressions of travel to an American to find
large trees growing in European ruins. At the
old Schloss at Baden Baden, they are found
growing in what must have been the parlors ; at
Heidleburg the same curious facts strike the
traveller in the old castle. Where ladies re-
ceived the returning warrior knight the walls
still stand uninjured ; but trees of considerable
size grow where the footfalls of ladies and their
admirers figured in times not extremely ancient.
So at Verona, the Coliseun built of enormous
rocks, considerable trees have taken root high
up in the walls, and wave their branches in
every wind. So the American finds constant
surprises at things he never saw at home.

More Wax. — The white Chinese wax has a curi-
ous history. It is the result of an unhealthy con-
dition aggravated by an uncongenial climate.
In the province of Keen Chang there grows an
abundance of the Ligustrum lucidum, an ever-
green tree with pointed ovate leaves, on the
twigs of which myriads of insects spread them-
selves like a brownish film every spring. Pre-
sently the surface of the twigs becomes mounted
with a white waxy substance secreted by the
insects, increasing in quantity until August,
when the twigs are cut off and boiled in water ;
the wax rises to the surface, is melted and cooled
in pans. It was discovered that by transporting
the insects to a less genial climate, the amount
of wax was vastly increased by preventing their
breeding. You meet hundreds of wax merchants,
each carrying his load of female insects to the
wax farms, over a journey rough and long, and
a fortnight's sun would precipitate the hatching,

which should take place after the females have
been attached to the trees. The birth of the
young is the signal for the death of the parent ;
six or seven of their prolific mothers are wrapped
in a palm leaf and tied to a branch of the Ligus-
trum, when soon swarms of infinitesmal insects
creep forth and cluster on the twigs, where
they fulfil their mission. Baron Richthoven
considers the value of the annual crop to be on
an average upwards of thirty-two millions of
dollars, and during 1878 there was exported
from one port upwards of forty-one thousand
dollars worth of it. Pretty well for an insect.

The Cawthorp Oak in England continues to
attract admiration as their largest tree. The
size of the roomy hollow of its stem may be
estimated when it is stated that seventy children
were packed in it at one time. It is but a cripple.

EDITORIAL NOTES.

Editors and Correspondents. — The Garden
says : " Our friend Meehan is enlightening us as
to our decadence, in his Gardener's Monthly: —

' England may in some senses thank herself
for the ruin of her late crops. She has for many
years drained her land to such an extent that all
the rainfalls flow immediately into drains, not
stopping long enough to penetrate the earth.
The result is a quick filling of her little rivers
and water courses ; these overflow their banks
immediately; hay is set afloat and ruined;
grain is damaged either when cut or in the
ground ; sheep are drowned, and not unfrequent-
ly cattle. Drainage in certain cases is very
valuable; but the English in their over-zeal
have carried it too far, and are now obliged to
ask food of their once despised cousins.' " As a
matter of fact the extract is from a correspon-
dent's letter, and not from the editor's pen.
Many papers have a standing notice tliat the
" editor is not responsible for the opinions of
correspondents." We have never thought it
necessary to make such a public disclaimer.
We doubt even whether the Garden adopts the
views of its correspondents as its own.

Charles C. Frost. — Lord Byron somewhere
tells us that it is one of the easiest things in the
world to be a self-sacrificing philosopher when
all the world is looking on and applauding the
good deeds. Generally, the devotee of science is
as indifferent to personal glory as any class of
his fellow mortals; but he relishes praise for ali.

220

THE GARDENER'S MONTHLY

[July,

In these days the labors of few men meet with
so much public recognition, as the labors of the
man of science, and it would be scarcely doing
justice to human nature if it were not admitted
that in most cases the good word from his fellows
is a great encouragement to him to persevere in
his labors.

But there are men like Burk and Parker in
Philadelphia, Strecker in Beading, Davenport in
Boston, and numerous others in the United
States, who, without any early advantages, with-
out any thought of ever being famous, giving their
first duty to their families fully in daily toil, yet em-
ploying their leisure in so improving themselves,
and devoting their improvement to the study of
nature, keep on throughout their lives in their
humble, quiet way, amassing facts, and finally
becoming so useful that even the march of high
science has to stop a few moments to pay them
respect. Sometimes this recognition comes
before they die ; but generally the world does
not know how much it has lost till the good
man is gone away. Of this last is Charles C.
Frost, who died at Brattleboro, on the 16th of
March, in his 75th year, having all his life
remained in the town wherein he was born. He
was apprenticed to a shoemaker in his early
teens, and continued on with that business till
his death, as his father had done before him.
The story of how he became a botanist is a very
interesting one. When he Avas fifteen years of
age, his father became possessor of " Button's
Mathematics," which he had taken for debt from
some West Point student. Young Frost looked
at it with evident delight, and his father told him
that it should be his property if he could read it
at twenty-one. At nineteen he had mastered
the whole course. He went into astronomical
mathematics, took up chemistry, learned very
much of natural sciences in every department,
and all the Avhile attended to his business as a
shoemaker. From some neglect of his physical
habits, he superinduced mucous dyspepsia. No
medical skill in his neighborhood seemed able to
relieve him. He went to New York to consult
Dr. Willard Parker. While waiting in the ante-
room, he admired intently a very handsome
bouquet of flowers on the mantel, and was
examining them when the doctor called him in.
Dr. Parker candidly told him he could do noth-
ing for him : " But," said the skillful and honest
physician, " you can do very much for yourself.
Are you fond of flowers? "Very much so,
indeed," said Mr. Frost. " Then make it a point

to walk one hour in the morning, and one in the
evening, looking for flowers."

Anxious once to know more about some ferns
than he thought he could find in American
works, he sent $12 to London for a work by the
celebrated Fries, and was somewhat put out
when it came and he found it was in Latin.
But he at once procured a Latin grammar and
dictionary, and before the year was over he
knew all that Fries could tell. Finding by this
experiment in languages that fortune favors the
brave, he took up at once French and German,
and soon learned to read and write them cor-
rectly. A botanist who went to see him once
found him in his little shoe-shop; but no matter
how interesting the botanical conversation, he
would break off" instantly, and without the
slightest " excuse me," to attend to his custo-
mers. That was his business, and he owed his
first duty to that without the sham formality of
apologizing for doing his duty. As he returned
once after taking out some pegs from the shoe of
a factory girl, the visitor asked him how he
could be content to spend his days in that little
shoe-shop, with these capabilities and acquire-
ments? "Why," said he, " it is the business of
my life. Whatever I have acquired of science
came in the search of health and mental enter-
tainment. Science is not my profession — shoe-
making is."

In this mental entertainment he had accumu-
lated about one thousand volumes, and yet at no
more cost in his life than other people spent in
cigars. As in his business so in whatever he
thought to be his duty, he would not let his
scientific entertainments run away with him.
He had been for many years a member of the
Centre Congregational church, and up to the
time of the beginning of his final illness, three
weeks ago, had not failed of an attendance at
church on Sunday for thirty-five years. His lead-
ing scientific specialty was as a botanist, and no
man in the country was a better authority on the
ferns, lichens and mosses of this region. In ento-
mology he was an authority, and both as a
botanist and entomologist he was quoted by the
scientists both of this country and Europe.

As a general rule a prophet is not honored in
his own country, especial'y a prophet who makes
no special effort to make his voice heard; but it
is a pleasure to note in this case that while the
honor due to a prophet came in the shape of
close correspondence with many of the great
men of the old world, he was not wholly

1880.

AND HORTICULTURIST.

221

neglected at home. The degree of A. M. was
conferred upoi> him by both Dartmouth and
Middlebury Colleges.

The Almond. — The Almond, like the Pome-
granate, is one of the very earliest trees men-
tioned in ancient literature. The history of the
tree is bound up with that of the original annals
of mankind ; we have a reference to the produce
in the beautiful old narrative in Genesis xliii. 11,
the events related in which took place consider-
ably over 3000 years ago. The native country of
this charming tree, tnough the region has been
pretty well ascertained, cannot be pointed out
quite as precisel}'' as one would wish. De Can-
dolle thinks that the area may have extended
from Persia westward to Asia Minor and Syria.
Like many other trees of South-Western Asia,
it certainly became diffused along the shores of
the Mediterranean at a very early period. It was
well known in Greece in the time of Theophras-
tus, B c. 350, this author making copious men-
tion of it, and thence probably it would be that
the tree was conveyed to Italy. M. Porcius Cato,
150 B.C., and Columella, in the reign of Claudius,
refer to the nuts under the names of Avellana
grseca and Nux graeca, Cato remarking that the
taste is acrid, which would seem to imply that the
variety he was alone acquainted with was the
bitter one. At the present day the Almond
occurs in hedges everywhere in Greece, Anatolia,
Barbar3% &c., not to mention Palestine, Turkes-
tan, Mesopotamia, Kurdistan, and other locali-
ties probably primaeval. In Egypt it did not
grow in the very olden times, or at all events, it
was rare, as indicated by Jacob sending Almonds
as part of his present to Pharaoh's Prime Minister
— a proceeding which seems to indicate, collater-
ally, that it was a tree which in Canaan was
always prosperous, flourishing and bearing fruit
even in seasons when the cereals failed. In
England the Almond is believed to have been
cultivated since the days of the later Planta-
genets, the original plants coming from Barbary,
but nothing can be stated positively. Our climate
is ill-adapted to its success as an orchard tree.
Hence, although encouraged everywhere for the
sake of its lovely vernal bloom, our market sup-
ply of the produce is derived from warmer lati-
tudes. The so-called Jordan Almonds come, not
as the name would seem to indicate, from Pales-
tine, but from Malaga. — Gardener's Chronicle.

Rosewood. — One of the American journals
says that "it has puzzled many people to decide

why the dark wood so highly valued for furniture
should be called rosewood. It color certainly
does not look much like a rose, so we must look
for some other reason. UiDon asking, we learn
that when the tree is first cut the fresh wood
possesses a very strong rose-like fragrance, hence
the name. There are half a dozen or more kinds
of rosewood trees. The varieties are found in
South America and in the East Indies and
neighboring islands. Sometimes the trees grow
so large that planks 4 feet broad and 10 feet in
length can be cut from them. These broad
planks are principally used to make the tops to
piano-fortes. When growing in the forest the
rosewood tree is remarkable for its beauty ; but
such is its value in manufactures as an orna-
mental wood, that some of the forests where it
once grew abundantly now have scarcely a single
specimen. In Madras, the government has pru-
dently had great plantations of this tree set out
in order to keep up the supply." The rosewood
is Physocalymna tioribunda, and it is entitled to
the specific name from the excessive number of
its red flowers, which, when fully expanded, ren-
der it a splendid object. — Journal of Horticulture.

An Ancient Seed Shop. — The Standard of
Sept. 27, in its report of the recent excavations
at Pompeii thus speaks of the discoveries that
were made : " As it was impossible to be at all
the points of interest, ten new excavations being
carried on simultaneously, I went, being advised
by those most competent to judge, to section
No. 9, and there, in a small division parallel to
that already numbered five, the curiosity of the
spectators was- soon richly rewarded. Almost
with the first strokes of pick and spade, used, by
the way, as only Pompeiian diggers know how,
there came to light a quantity of household ob-
jects, chiefly of those light and beautiful forms
and delicate workmanship to be found in even
the humble Pompeiian dwellings. A detailed
list of the various articles in the order in which
they were found fills six closely-written pages in
my note-book. They were bronze amphora
lamps, brooches, bracelets, delicate vases, and
one very large and elegant bronze candlestick,
earthen vessels of various forms, fragments of
glass, amongst which were the pieces of a lovely
little glass vase of the most brilliant blue color.
The belongings of the upper and under stories
of this little house were curiously mingled to-
gether, objects of mere ornament being mixed
up with kitchen utensils. Then came some large

222

THE GARDENER'S MONTHLY

[July,

tiles and fragments of a large beam of wood,
showing that the roof had been crushed in on
the lower stories. It is judged to have been the
shop of a seedsman, for besides some bronze
scales and weights, several large heaps of small
beans, grain and hemp seed came to light, with
portions of wooden casks and canvas sacks in
which they had been kept. One piece of sack-
ing which I had in my hand, still tied Avith a bit
of string, was wonderfully perfect, although quite
black."

John W. Harden. — We learn by an obituary
notice in the Proceedings of the American Philo-
sophical Society, that this well known mining
engineer was born at Leicester in England, and
died in Philadelphia Nov. 8th, 1879. He was
educated as a gardener, and the laying out of the
gardens of Captain Cust at Wormleybury, and of
Sir Ralph Howard, both near London, was the
Avork of his hands. He settled in America in
1865, taking charge of the Plymouth Coal Com-
pany's works in Luzerne County.

Flowers and Ferns of the United States. —
Charles Robson & Co., Philadelphia, Penna.
The second series of this work is now complete,
and the bound volumes ready for issue. This
makes now 192 of the handsome wild flowers of
our country that have been figured and de-
scribed. A third series is now being prepared,
which will be ready for the press next sj^ring. In
the past it was not thought financially wise to get
ready for a new series until it was found whether
the work would be permanently supported by
the public. This has necessitated a short inter-
val between the appearance of the first and the
second, and the second and the third. Now that
it is evident the work will be permanently popu-
lar, it is probable future series will follow each
other without any interval, as long as the editor
may have health or strength to continue them.

Beet Sugar Culture. — By E. B. Grant, Phila-
delphia. Claxton, Remsen & Hafielfinger. "The
object of this book," says its author, " is to call
attention to the importance of beet sugar pro-
duction in the old world, and to demonstrate the
advantages and feasibility of establishing it in
the United States." As more than usual inter-
est has been taken in this subject of late, the
work is a very timely one.

Success with Small Fruits. — By E. P. Roe.
Dodd, Mead & Co.. New York. " Have you seen
Roe's ' Success with Small Fruits ?' " said the good
Col. Wilder, as the writer of this took his arm to

walk into the old South Church. The reply was
that it had not been seen. " Then," said the en-
thusiastic pomologist, " don't fail to do so when
you return. It is a contribution to American
pomology we may all be proud of." On the
ret-urn home it was on our table, and we can
well understand Col. Wilder's pleasure on its
appearance on his. It has done for pomology
what the works of Downing, F. J. Scott and
others have done for other branches of garden-
ing. It has placed it among the fine arts.
While all previous works on fruit culture have
treated the subject rather as one ministering to
a material want, instructing us how to get the
greatest weight of fruit per acre, or so many
cents per pound, this does not rest there;
but while paying full respect to the dollar and
cent aspect of small fruit culture gives us an in-
tellectual treat, rich and rare, which any one
might enjoy though he never set out a straw-
berry plant, or ate a berry in his life. It has
been among the weaknesses of horticulture in
our country, that too many of those who are
popularly esteemed horticulturists, and are looked
upon as leaders and shining lights in " horticul-
ture" are mere grovelers, and too nearly akin to
that ancient creature which was doomed to go
through the world henceforth eating dirt all the
days of his life. Every effort to elevate our
beautiful art must be welcome to its best friends;
and welcome, very welcome will be this beautiful
work of Mr. Roe's. The genuine lover of gar-
dening will extend thanks to author and pub-
lisher alike.

Dairy Farming. — Part 11, from Cassell, Petter
& Galpin, New York, of this beautiful work is
devoted mainly to dairying; and those who
have been swearing by "Short Horns" may see
how they would look Avith " Long Horns " for
their idols. The chromo represents a fine group
of this breed.

Annual Report of North Carolina Experi-
mental Station for 1879. From Dr. Ledoux,
Chemist.

First Biennial Report of the State Board
OF Agriculture of Kansas. — From J. K. Hudson,
Topeka, Secretary. Applicants for these should
send 20 cents postage to the Secretary.

Cemetery Gardening. — Mr. Robinson, the
well knoAvn editor of the Garden, and author of
the beautiful " Parks and Gardens of Paris," will
soon issue a work especially on cemetery gar-
dening.

1880.]

AND HORTICULTURIST.

223

Gardening. — Mr. Robinson's "penny" venture
under the above title has been a remarkable suc-
cess. It has reached a circulation of 50,000.
We are glad of it. The one who strives to add
to the knowledge of those already intelligent,

serves usefully in society; but he who takes
knowledge down to the comprehension and
within the means of the multitude, seldom
acquires the fame the other does, yet is for all
among the blessed in the usefulness of his labors.

Horticultural Societies.

EDITORIAL NOTES.

Mississippi Valley Horticultural Society. —
Arrangements have been made on a scale that
must ensure success, by which a Mississippi Hor-
ticultural Society is to be established. An exhi-
bition on a first-class scale is to be held
September 7th, 8th and 9th, at St. Louis.
Some remarkably liberal premiums are offered.
For instance, the best collection of stove or
greenhouse plants, $100 ; second best, $75 ; third
best, $50; fourth best, $25; and the offers for
fruits are equally liberal. S. M. Tracy, 600 Olive
Street, St. Louis, is Secretary, who will send
schedules or other information.

Nurserymen's Meeting at Chicago. — By the
time this appears in print the annual meeting of
the American Association will have been held at
Chicago, and it is to be hoped with a success it
deserves. It is composed of the best men in the
trade, who are anxious to elevate their business
to the social rank it deserves. The writer of this
was expected, and hoped to be present, as it is
well known the Association has his best wishes ;
but as he was expected as Botanist to the State
Board of Agriculture, to address that body about
the same time at Gettysburg, and soon after
would have to leave with a party on a botanical,
horticultural and agricultural exploration
through East and West Virginia, Tennessee and
North Carolina, it was not possible to be present.
At the meeting at Cleveland last year, the re-
marks of Mr. Henderson on firming the soil, at-
tracted a great deal of attention.

We have desired to give it in full, as it well
deserved, but only now have the opportunity of
doing so. He said : " It mav be useless to throw

I out any suggestions relative to horticultural
I operations to such a body of practical men as is
now before me. Yet I candidly admit that
although I have been extensively engaged in
gardening operations for over a quarter of a
century, I did not fully realize until a few years
ago, the full importance of how indispensable it
was to use the feet in the operations of sowing
and planting. Particularly in the sowing of seeds,
I consider the matter of such vast importance
that it cannot be too often or too strongly told,
for the loss to the agricultural and horticultural
community by the neglect of the simple oper-
ation of firming the soil around seed must
amount to many millions annually. From the
middle of April to nearly the end of May of this
year, in many sections of the country there was
little or no rain. Such was particularly the case
in the vicinity of New York, where we have
hundreds of market gardeners who cultivate
thousands of acres of cabbage, cauliflower, and
celery, but the ' dry spring ' has played sad havoc
with their seed beds. Celery is not one-fourth a
crop, and cabbage and cauliflower hardly half,
and this failure is due to no other cause than
that they persist in sowing their seeds without
taking the precaution to firm the soil by rolling.
" We sow annually about four acres of celery,
cabbage and cauliflower plants, which produce
probably 5,000,000 in number, and which we
never fail to sell mostly in our immediate neigh-
borhood, to the market gardeners, who have
many of them even better facilities than we have
for raising these plants, if they would only do as
we do, firm the seed after sowing, which is done
thus : After plowing, harrowing and leveling the
land smoothly, lines are drawn by the 'marker,'
which makes a furrow about two inches deep and
a foot apart; after the man who sows the seed

224

THE GARDENERS MONTHLY

[July,

follows another, who with the ball of the right
foot presses down his full weight on every inch of
soil in the drill where the seed has been sown.
The rows are then lightly leveled longitudinally
with the rake, a light roller is then passed over it
and the operation is done. By this method our
crop has never once failed, and what is true of
celery and cabbage seed is nearly true of all
seeds requiring to be sown during the late spring
or summer months.

" On July 2d, 1874, as an experiment, I sowed
twelve rows of sweet corn and twelve rows of
beets, treading in after sowing every alternate
row of each. In both cases, those trod in came
up in four days, while those unfii-med remained
twelve days before starting, and would not then
have germinated had rain not fallen, for the soil
was dry as dust when planted. The result was
that the seeds that had been trodden in grew
freely from the start, and matured their crops to
a marketable condition by fall, while the rows
unfirmed did not mature, as they were not only
eight days later in germinating, but the plants
were also to some extent enfeebled by being
partially dried in the loose, dry soil. This experi-
ment was a most useful one, for it proved that a
corn crop sown in the vicinity of New York as
late as July 2d could be made to produce ' rousing
ears' in October, when they never fail to sell
freely at high rates, but the crop would not ma-
ture unless the seed germinated at once, and
which would never be certain at that dry and
hot season unless by this method.

"The same season in August I treated seeds of
turnips and spinach in the same way. Those
trod in germinated at once and made an excel-
lent crop, while those unfirmed germinated feebly
and were eventually nearly all burned out by a
continuance of dry, hot air penetrating through
the loose soil to the tender rootlets. Of course
this rule of treading in or firming seeds after
sowing must not be blindly followed. Now, if
firming the soil' around seed to protect it from
the influence of a dry and hot atmosphere is a
necessity, it is obvious that it is even more so in
the case of plants whose rootlets are even more
sensitive to such influence than the dormant
seed. Experienced professional horticulturists,
however, are less likely to neglect this than to
neglect in the case of seeds, for the damage from
such neglect is easier to be seen and hence better
understood by the practical nurseryman; but
with the inexperienced amateur the case is dif-
ferent, when he receives his package of trees or

plants from the nurseryman he handles them as
if they were glass, every broken twig or root calls
forth a complaint, and he proceeds to plant them
gingerly, straightening out each root and sifting
the soil around them, but he would no more
stamp down that soil than he would stamp on
the soil of his mother's grave. So the plant in
nine cases out of ten is left loose and waggling,
the dry air penetrates through the soil to its
roots, the winds shake it and it shrivels up and
fails to grow; then come the anathemas on the
head of the unfortunate nurseryman who is
charged with selling him dead trees or plants.

"About a month ago I sent a package of a
dozen roses by mail to a lady in Savannah. She
wrote me a woeful story last week saying that,
though the roses had arrived seemingly all right,
they had all died but one, and, what was very
singular, she said, the one that lived was the one
that Mr. Jones had stepped on, and which she
had thought sure was crushed to death, for
Mr. Jones weighs 200 pounds. Now, though we
do not advise any gentleman of 200 pounds put-
ting his brogan on the top of a tender rose plant
as a practice conducive to its health, yet if
Mrs. Jones could have allowed her weight to
press the soil against the root of each of her
dozen roses, I much doubt if she would now
have had to mourn their loss. These improve-
ments loom up from various causes, but mainly
from suggestions thrown out by our employees in
charge of special departments, a system which
we do all in our power to encourage. As a proof
of the value of such improvements which have
led to simplying our operations, I will state the
fact that though my area of greenhouse surface
is now more than double that which it was in
1870, and the land used in our florists' business
one-third more, yet the number of hands he em-
ployed is less now than in 1870, and yet at the
same time the quality of our stock is infinitely
better now than then. Whether it is the higher
price of labor in this country that forces us into
labor saving expedients, or the interchange of
opinions from the great number of nationalities
centering here that gives us broader views of cul-
ture, I am not prepared to state, but that America
' is now selling nearly all the products of the
greenhouse, garden, nursery and farm, lower
than is done in Europe, admits of no question,
j and if my homel}"^ suggestions in this matter of
firming the soil around newly planted seeds or
plants will in any degree assist us in still holding
to the front I will be gratified."

THE

GARDENER'S MONTHLY

AND

HORTICULTURIST.

DEVOTED TO HORTICULTURE. ARBORICULTURE AND RURAL AFFAIRS.

Edited by THOMAS MEEHA.N.

Vol. XXII.

AUGUST, 1880.

Number 260.

Flower Garden and Pleasure Ground.

SEASONABLE HINTS.

Over and over again, as we travel through the
country, are we impressed with the fault of over-
large places. Many gardens are laid out in the
flush of some temporary business success, and
they become sources of great annoyance in the
great expenses of subsequent maintenance.
Even the richest seem to undertake too much.
We should lay it down as a rule that in all sug-
gestions for the improvement of grounds, the
subsequent cost of keeping in order should
be studied well. This is the rock whereon so
many strike. Walks and roads are particularly
expensive to maintain, and should never be
made without there is an evident necessity for
them. Shady grass walks, with masses of flow-
ering shrubs on each side, and kept mown a few
times a year, are as pleasurable parts of a plea-
sure ground as can well be provided, yet we very
seldom see them employed.

It should not be forgotten that beauty can
often be acquired without great cost. By study-
ing the character of a piece of ground, and add-
ing to that which already exists, we can often
make a place as attractive as if we attempt
wholly to imitate at great cost some pleasant
garden scene that exists elsewhere.

In nothing is the adaptation of simple, instead

of expensive means, of adornment better shown
than in the employment of weeping trees for
shady summer bowers, instead of the hideous
lumber-worked buildings so often seen. These
are very well in the cooler European climates,
but useless in American gardens. They are
always hot and unpleasant, but this is not so
often the case when a mere bower of living trees
is employed to make the necessary shade. The
green mass is in keeping with other trees, and
the crowding necessary to accomplish the de-
sired shade, can often be turned to the very best
account. This is especially the case when weep-
ing trees are employed. The peculiar drooping
habit comes into play in numerous ways in the
hands of a good landscape gardener. Of the fast
growing things of this kind, and where the posi-
tion is not particular!}' choice, there are few
things more useful than the Weeping Willow.
For more select places we suppose there is
nothing better than the Weeping Ash. Indeed,
taken all in all, it is one of the best trees of this
kind we have. The branches can be trained
over wires, and thus we can make the room
beneath the trees as extensive as one could wish.
For very large spots, a half dozen or so can be
used. Set in one cirt'le, and the trees about
twenty feet apart. Such an arrangement would
make a delightful crnquef ground, — or a place

226

THE GARDENER'S MONTHLY

[August,

for parties or pic-nics — entirely in the shade, yet
with an abundance of room and air all round.

Of good weeping trees adapted to capacious
shade, there is now the weeping yellow elm,
weeping beech, weeping birch, weeping poplar,
as well as the ash and willow already noted.

Many other kinds of weeping trees are rather
ornaments than extensive givers of grateful i
shade. Of vines and such like plants for shady i
arbors we have already spoken, and, although |
they necessitate an expense which the mere
weeping tree does not entail, they have many
amply compensating charms. The early spring
fragrance of the Akebia, or later of the various
kinds of honeysuckles, is worth all it costs.

It may be well to repeat what we have said in
substance before, that the latter end of August
is one of the best seasons of the year to trans-
plant evergreens. The young growth of the
past season has got pretty well hardened, so as
to permit ot but very little evaporation, — and
the earth being warm, new roots push with
great rapidity, and the tree becomes established
in the ground before cool autumn winds begin.
The chief diflSculty is that the soil is usually very
dry, which prevents much speed with the opera-
tion ; and the weather being usually very warm,
the trees have to be set again in the ground
almost as fast as they are taken up ; so that it is
not safe to bring them from a distance. It is as
well, therefore, to make all ready in anticipation
of a rain, when no time may be lost in having
the work pushed through. Should a spell of
dry weather ensue, — which in September and
October is very likely, — one good watering should
be given, sufficient to soak well through the soil
and well about the roots. A basin should be
made to keep the water from running away from
the spot, and to assist its soaking in. After be-
ing well watered, the loose soil should be drawn
in lightly over the watered soil, which will then
aid in preventing the water from drying out
soon again.

Towards the end of the month, and in Sep-
tember, evergreen hedges should receive their
last pruning till the next summer. Last spring,
and in the summer, when a strong growth re-
quired it, the hedge has been severely pruned
towards the apex of the cone-like form in which
it has been trained, and the base has been suf-
fered to grow any way it pleases. Now that, in
turn, has come under the shears, so far as to get
it into regular shape and form. It will not be
forgotten that, to be very successful with ever-

green hedges, they ought to have a growth at
the base of at least four feet in diameter.

Herbaceous plants often die or become weak
after a profuse summer flowering. This is
especially the case with choice perennial Lark-
spurs, Pentstemons, and other things. Seeds of
these should always be saved as a precaution
against loss. Where plants are able to take care
of themselves no seeds will be needed. In that
case cut off the flowers as soon as they fade. It
helps to strengthen the roots very much. Indeed
these which sometimes die, do so chiefly because
of having to perfect seed.

EDITORIAL NOTES.

The Public Squares of Philadelphia. — We
pointed out last year the disgraceful condition of
these little gardens in the ijreat city, and the city
daily papers have since taken up the subject with
a will. But it seems to vis there is nothing
gained by abuse of the city officials. There is no
doubt but more might be done with the money
if a better class of men were employed to do the
work; but it is clear that under the present
system of electing the management of these
places, it will be the millennium before we shall
get better men. But the naked fact is, that with
the meagre appropriations made, the very best
■men could not keep these public places in a
good condition. In the meantime the disgrace-
ful dirtiness of these squares must often make J
the mayor blush whenever he sees how much |
better those of other cities are.

Roses in Europe. — The leading rose growers
announce that on account of the awful destruc-
tive drought last winter, prices have been
advanced.

Pruning of Osage Hedges. — Mr. James Hogg
says in the Rural New Yorker: " The season after
they are planted each plant will throw up several
shoots; these are to be shortened back the en-
suing spring to within six inches of the ground ;
and then for the ensuing five or six years the
growth of each year is to be shortened back to
twelve inches, making the hedge five and a half
or six and a half feet high at the end of the term."
We should be glad to have the experience of our
readers as to the best way to treat hedges. The
subject is a very important one.

1880.]

AND HORTICULTURIST.

227

Hardy Ever-blooming Eoses. — We want noth-
ing worse in the gardens of the Northern States.
Our impi'oved prairie roses are beautiful while
they last, as is the old crimson Boursault, and
others ; but when we come to ever-bloomers we
have to take the strong growing Noisettes, which
are more or less injured in severe weather. Of
Bourbons we have Gloire de Kosamond tolerably
hardy; but after all these are rather fall than
ever-bloomers. Among hybrid perpetuals there
are some strongish growers, for instance Baron
Prevost, which, however, though classed with
hybrid perpetuals, seldom bloom in fall. By the
following from the Journal of Horticulture, we
find we may have our wants supplied. It is at
least worthy of the attention of American grow-
ers: "A visitor to Regent's Park writes as follows
concerning Red Rose Dragon exhibited in Messrs.
W. Paul & Son's collection there : Of all the hand-
some varieties which were so well represented,
the one that especially attracted my attention
was the new climbing hybrid ])erpetual Red
Dragon. This fine variety originated among
some seedlings in Messrs, Pauls' nurseries at
Waltham Cross in 1875, and was admirably
figured in the "Rose Annlial " for 1878-79. The
flowers are of great substance, cupped, and of an
intensely rich crimson color in a young state,
becoming tinged with purple as they advance.
The plant is extremely vigorous with handsome
foliage, and its habit renders it well adapted for
training to pillars and similar positions."

Improved Hepaticas. — This pretty American
plant, Hepatica triloba, or Silverwort, is very
popular in England as an early spring flower.
The Gardener's Record says: "There is now,
says the Garden, in great beauty at the Hale
Farm Nurseries large quantities of H. triloba,
the flowers of Avhich exhibit a remarkable
diversity in point of color, varying as they do
from pure white to the deepest blue, and to the
richest crimson. No prettier plants for spring
flowering could be chosen than these, as their
culture is so easy that they thrive almost any-
where. A bed containing a large number of
plants recently imported direct from their native
habitat strikingly exemplified the great variation
in the tints of the flowers, though they are
regarded as not permanent."

The Irish Yew. — This seems to be much
hardier than the other forms of Taxus baccata,
and probably from the closeness of its branches.

The one pressing against the other prevents cold
winds from whistling through.

Hydrangea paniculata. — They do not seem
to think as much of this in England as we do
here. A correspondent of the Journal of Horti-
culture, noting Veitch's nursery, says : " In an
adjoining house I saw fine stocks of all the new
hydrangeas, especially of Thomas Hogg, rosea
alba and stellata. For the purpose of general
decoration I am not sure that any of these will
surpersede the old hortensis, but for pot culture
they are all desirable. I have not yet seen
Thomas Hogg of any size in the open, but the
one known as Paniculata grandiflora is a poor
washy thing when planted out, but under glass
it is much more valuable In the grounds sur-
rounding the houses there was a fine display of
dahlias, phloxes, and other subjects of a like
character."

Roads and Paths. — As already noted in the
Gardener's Monthly, it is a matter of surprise
to every intelligent foreigner, that with so much
in America to praise, our roads and paths should
be generally so execrable. He does not know
how we love self-government, and hate to have
general laws. Every little thing to be done
must have almost unanimous consent, or it
must remain as it was in the days of Adam.
This is wise so far as it goes, for powej' once
transferred is often diflficult to be resumed again.
But in the matter of roads, no one is oppressed.
Every one is benefited by a good road ; and we
see no reason whj'^ the proposition often made in
our magazine might not be adopted by every
corporation. The proposition is that when a
macadamized or similar good road can be made
for 5 per cent, of the estimated value of the
property along its front, such good road should
be duly made accoi'ding to law, at the expense
of such fronting properties.

This matter of good roads is especially for
good horticulturists to work out. If horticultu-
ral societies would take in hand such matters,
and be a power in the community, they would
be very much more popular than they are.

Appropriate to these remarks is the following
from the Daily News of Dennison, Texas : " In
Texas, nature has exerted herself to create pecu-
liarly beautiful sites for cities. There is no
place on the continent possessing more lovely
location than our own State. By rushing rivers,
near wondrous springs, in niottes of ancient
oaks, on rolling prairies, our cities are built.

228

THE GARDENER'S MONTHLY

[August,

Everything within, around, above, is oji the
grandest scale of nature; yet, how many cities,
towns, or villages wi liin the borders of the State
look ragged! There is something that jars the
harmony of the 'make up' — something loose in
the attire. Here, there, and yonder, in every

see that the idea has travelled to Europe now,
and the Gardener's Chronicle thus speaks of it:
'One of the leading features in the floral
arrangements at the opening of the premises of
the general Horticulturnl Company (John Wills)
Limited, at Warwick House, Regent Street, on

city, we see individual residences, built with Monday last, was some very fine specimens of

taste, and the surroundings in keeping, fences in
good repair, sidewalks perfect, shade trees
planted. Nine chances out of ten the owner, on
a wet day, after leaving his own sidewalk, will
have to wade through the mud to get down
town. His city has not sufficient backbone to
force property owners to build sidewalks."

EuGNYMUS RADiCANS. — We have called atten-
tion to the merits of this very hardy evergreen
as a wall or tree creeper. Mr. Shirley Hibberd
in the Gardener's 3Tagazine, has also a word to
say in this connection: "This cheap, fast-grow-
ing, bright-looking, and extremely neat euony-
mns is as well suited for clothing a wall as any
evergreen shrub in cultivation. I could tell you
of a snug little house in a very snug shaded
nook that is clothed with it. and its appearance
is surprisingly beautiful. No variegated ivy
could equal the glossy, creamy, dappled close
leafage of this fast-growing and healthy-looking
plant, which, moreover, almost trains itself,
though wanting a little help of nails and shreds.
It is the equal of the ivy in another respect, for
any soil will suit it, so that where the stuff below
is not good enough for a wall rose, clematis, or a
wistaria, it may be good enough for this euony-
mus, which also endures shade and town dust as
well as any plant in creation."

Popular Roses.— The New York Horticultural
Society offers premiums for the following kinds
of hybrid perpetual roses. We may therefore
regai'd them as among the most popular kinds
in that section : Paul Neron, Baroness Rothschild,
John Hopper, Baronne de Maynard, Captain
Christy, Madame Lacharme. Paul Ricaut, Jules
Margottin, Annie Wood, La France, Madame
Victor Verdi er.

Wistaria sinensis growing in tubs as standards,
with large heads 5 to 6 feet in diameter, densely
covered with heads of bloom of fine color.
These plants were obtained from Rouen, and it
is supposed they are from thirty-five to forty-five
years of age at least, and were originally grown
up from cuttings. As decorative agents in spa-
cious conservatories at this season of the year
they can scarcely be surpassed, and some of our
English nurserymen would do well to attempt
the culture of plants of this character. So com-
pletely did they strike the popular taste that
there was quite a competition to become pur-
chasers of them, and large sums were offered by
those anxious to possess them. The general
public, unaccustomed to this fine Chinese climb-
er, looked on with wonder at ' lilacs ' of such
unwonted size and beauty of color. Time is
requii'ed to get good htads to such plants, but
when obtained their beauty is above praise and
their value sreat."

Tree or Standard Wistarias. -

The Cedar of Lebanon. — This interesting tree
is not very common in America. It suffers like
many coniferous trees, from cold, frosty winds
when young, but if protected a little till it is
eight or ten years old by other trees or wind
screens, it is as hardy as most other conlf<^rous
trees. But whether seen under culture or not,
every thing relating to the Cedar of Lebanon has
an interest.

In the lately published part of the Journal of
the Linnean Society, Sir J. D Hooker published
an account of the discovery of a variety of the
Cedar of Lebanon by Sir Samuel Baker on the
mountains of Cyprus. It is interesting to note
that, though the botany of this island has often
been examined, this is the first record of such a
The plan of 1 discovery. The trees were described by the

first training a Wistaria up a stake for a couple monks of Trooditissa Monastery as existing only
of years, and then taking away the stake and on the mountains between the monastery of
compelling it to be self-supporting, has been ; Kyker and the town of Khrysokus. This is a
urged at various times during the past twenty j pathless and almost inaccessible region. The
years in the Gardener's Monthly, and some of monks considered the wood to be the Scriptural
the nurserymen about Philadelphia have acted ] "Shittim wood." Sir Joseph Hooker describes
on the plan, and some of the specimens are now } the .specimens forwarded to him through the
in great beauty about the gardens there. We I kind offices of the Marquis of Salisbury as differ-

1880.

AND HORTICULTURIST.

229

ing from the known forms of Cedrus in the short-
ness of their leaves and the smallness of the
female cones. He thinks that the now far-sepa-
rated cedars of the Himalaya, Lebanon, the Tau-
rus, and Algeria were races of one formerly
more generally distributed tree, and that their
isolation was due to geographical and climatic
changes in the area over which the species was
distributed. Their isolation is now very great.
The nearest point to the Lebanon at which
cedars have been up to this found is the Bulgar-
dagh chain of the Taurus in Asia Minor, and
from that point forests of C. Argentea extend
eastward to Pisidia and northwards to the Anti
Taurus. At a distance of some 1400 miles from
the cedar forests of Asia Minor, and separated
from them by the whole breadth of the Mediter-
ranean Sea, are those of Algeria, containing the
Atlas cedar (C. Atlantica). Proceeding eastward
from the Lebanon we come after another 1400
miles to the cedar forests of Afghanistan, which
extend thence continuously eastward along the
Himalaya almost to the confines of Nepaul.
This cedar (C Deodara) is perhaps the most dis-
tinct in habit of the three forms. As to the
Cyprus cedar, Sir Joseph Hooker says that, in
size of cone and size, form and color of leaf, it
approaches the Algerian far more closely than
it does any Taurian, Himalayan or Lebanon
-cedar.

Rose La France. — M. Guillot, Jr , Rose grower,
27 Chemin-des-Pins, Lyon-Guillotiere (Rhone), is
the raiser of the magnificent rose under notice.
M. Guillot, Jr., gives the following particulars as
to how he obtained this splendid rose :

"In 1864 I sowed a tolerably large quantity of
Tea Rose seeds, which came up well ; amongst
those numerous seedlings I selected a few of the
best, which have since been sent ovit. Amongst
these young roses one particularly struck me as
being totally distinct from all my other Tea
Rose seedlings, and by its flowering the first year
I took special care of it, and propagated it
through grafts, which the following year pro-
duced much finer flowers than those of the
parent plant. It was then that I found my rose
was really extra good. I selected good strong
stocks and budded them with the best eyes from
my limited stock, and awaited with impatience
the advent of the blooming season of 1866.
Imagine my great joy when beholding those
magnificent roses, and to find in this acquisition
a rose of especial merit. I then propagated the

rose in tolerably large numbers, so as to enable
me to send it out in November, 1867, under the
name of La France, in every respect worthy to
bear that name. Before being sent out I ex-
hibited it along with several other seedlings
at the Paris Universal Exhibition of 1867. Every
one of the fourteen blooms of La France I then
exhibited measured about five inches in diame-
ter. The Jury, which should have met that day
according to the programme, did not appear
until two days after. My roses were already
drooping and withering; the Jury therefore
could not give them any prizes, but to indemnify
me a single bronze medal was awarded to my
whole collection, comprising all my seedlings —
two hundred dwarfs and two hundred of the
choicest varieties, which were in a group at the
Champ-deMars. I cannot," adds M. Guillot, Jr.,
'■give the pedigree of my Rose La France. Con-
sidering the great number of seeds I sowed in
1864 I could not well sow each variety separate;
but judging from its wood, eyes, foliage and
flowers, I come to the conclusion that its parents
were Tea Roses, and that it does not possess a
single characteristic of other hybrids."

Here is a first-class rose, the high qualities of
which have been but poorly rewarded, but has
been appreciated by the lovers of all nations,
and that is the best encomium that can be
passed upon it. — Journal des Roses.

The Globose-seeded Ph-enosperma (P. glo-
bosa). — This is a very distinct new ornamental
grass, producing an erect tuft of broadly-lance-
shaped leaves, which are bright green above and
glaucous below, with prominent ribs. The
panicles rise above the foliage, and consist of
several whorls of branches bearing globose spike-
lets. It grows to the height of four or five feet,
and is a native of China. — G., in Garden.

QUERIES.

Ants.— F. VV. D., Baltimore, Md., says: "I
would like to tell Mr. Meehan that the garden
ants are a great plague to me, and would like to
see in some future number what is the best
means of riddance and protection, if I have the
right or may take the liberty to ask or suggest
such a question."

[A little gas tar put into their holes, or about
where they are will drive them away. — Ed. G. M.]

230

THE GARDENER'S MONTHLY

[August,

Greenhouse and House Gardening.

COMMUNICA TIONS.

NOTES OF FUCHSIA SERRATIFOLIA.

BY C. E. P., QUEENS, N. -Y.

Among the many varieties of Fuchsias that
have been introduced into cultivation, the Fuch-
sia serratifolia is one of the most distinct, and is
worthy of being more extensively cultivated
than it is. As it is only to be found in a few col-
lections, I desire, with your permission, to call
the attention of the readers of the Monthly to
this magnificent plant, and I hope that some of
them will give it a trial, as I am confident that
they will find it to be a most desirable addition
to their collection of Fuchsias.

Fuchsia serratifolia is a robust growing species,
attaining a height of from eight to ten feet, and
in habit it is stiff" and bushy, with a stout erect
stem and large leaves of a rich green color, the
flowers being produced one from the axil of each
leaf, and one from IJ to 2 inches long, and con-
sist of a long rosy tube tipped with yellowish
green, the petals being scarlet with a shade of
orange, and as the flowers droop and hang below
the branches they always present an elegant
appearance. It is said to be a native of Peru,
and flowers from November to March.

This Fuchsia requires a somewhat different
mode of treatment from the summer flowering
varieties. The best mode of cultivation is to
take cuttings of the strong and healthy shoots
about the first of March, and as soon as they are
rooted, pot them off" into three-inch pots, and
place the plants in a light, warm place, where
they will not become drawn, and as soon
as the pots become filled with roots, shift
into five-inch pots. As soon as all danger of
frost is over, turn the plants out into the open
border. The plants should be tied to neat stakes,
and must be pinched back occasionally so as to
form nice bushy plants. About September 10th
take them up carefully and pot them, place the
plants in a close place until they have taken
hold of the soil. After they have taken hold
they can be exposed to the sun until it is time
for them to be taken into the house, where they
will bloom finely during the winter months if
grown in a warm, light place. After the plants

have ceased to flower, they can be cut back into
shape; turn them out of their pots, and re-pot
them into as small a sized pot as is possible ; but
do not crowd the roots too much. As soon as
they commence to grow, shift into larger pots
and treat them precisely as recommended for
young plants. The plants can also be plunged
in the border during the summer months, but I
prefer planting them out, as the plants do not
require so much attention, and besides they will
be found to be perfectly healthy when they are
wanted for the house; while plants that are
plunged in pots are too often found to be un-
healthy in the fall, when it is too late to afford
them any remedy. For potting-soil I use two
parts of well rotted sods and one part well
rotted manure. I give the pots good drainage,
and give liquid manure-water, weekly, during the
time the plants are in blossom.

NEW LIFE GERANIUM.

BY MRS. M. D W , YARMOUTH, MAINE.

Had this novelty maintained its original price
I would never have been its happy owner; but
when it fell from $5.00 to 50 cents, one could
quite well afford to add such a very distinguished
plant to a collection.

Mine came to me in winter, hundreds of
miles, when the days were intensely cold, and
a severe snow storm raging — the Venner storm —
but when I opened the box, there it was, as pert
and bright as though growing in its sheltered,
sunny home, its cluster of buds revealing here
and there a bit of color, one pip so far open as to
show the white stripe on the deep scarlet ground.
Day after day those buds expanded into bloom,
no two alike in their markings. They were
striped, splashed, dotted with white How I
admired the pretty thing!

New Life has not been homesick at all in her
new home, judging from her health and growth.
No sooner had that first truss bloomed and died
than new buds sjirung forth, and new leaves
have grown.

Mr. H. Cannell, of London, England, its
originator in our Centennial year, says of it :
"Its propagation will not cease until it is seen
cultivated in the windows and gardens of every

1880.]

AND HORTICULTURIST.

231

cottage in the land. He sold the first 1,000 by
subscription only, at £1 each. It has had an
immense sale in Europe, and we believe that
when fully known, it will be widely diffused
through our own country.

CULTURE OF PiiVIELIA HENDERSONI AND
OTHER PLANTS.

BY J. FYFE.

The excellent hints on this topic by the editor
of the Gardener's Monthly, from time to time,
has induced me to note a few of the beautiful
genera which compose the flora of New South
Wales, and which might be grown in this
climate, were the structures for them shaded
during the hot summer months, and plenty of
air admitted to all parts of the house. Or still
' better, remove them to frames exposed to a
northern aspect, with the sashes ready to be
drawn on when heavy rains are expected, and
where they could be plunged up to the rims of
the pots in clean sand ; this would keep the
roots nice and cold, and save the fine fibre of
the balls of the plants from suffering from
extreme heat, as they would were the pots ex-
posed to the scorching rays of the sun. All the
genera from this region are interesting. What
can be finer than the acacias in their numerous
species, Eucalyptus pulverulenta for the beauty
of its foliage, and Leptospermum baccatum for
the profusion of its beautiful star-like blossoms.
The Pimelia tribe, of which the variety Hen-
dersonii stands first, I feel interested in, as I had
the management of the propagation from the
original stock of this plant, having at that time
charge of the house department of Messrs.
Eagle & Henderon, nurseiymen, Edinburgh.
This variety of Pimelia has obtained great fame
in Britain, and it is to be seen in most cases
included in the collections of greenhouse plants
for competition at the various horticultural soci-
eties' meetings throughout England and Scot-
land. In regard to its propagation, it will strike
pretty freely if the wood is taken at a proper
stage of growth, that is neither too soft nor too
hard, and inserted in a compost of three parts
sand and oneof peat, in pots half filled with drain-
age, the drainage to be covered with spongy peat,
with compost firmly pressed together. Cuttings
must be covered with bell glasses, which must
be taken off and wiped dry every day. The
most success I ever had in extending this beau-
tiful plant was by bark grafting on the old

variety decussata. I need not detail what bark-
grafting is, as it is known to all gardeners. The
stocks of the variety decussata can be readily
obtained from seeds, as this variety of Pnnelia
seeds freely, and in America, where all plants
seed abundantly, I liave no doubt it would pro-
duce seeds freely, as it does pretty well in Britain.
Both it and Hendersoniiif taken care of, and not
exposed to drenching rains and very low tem-
perature; indeed all the genera from New South
Wales, may be successfully cultivated in this
climate, if some degree of care and attention be
paid to them, and no gardener need fail in culti-
vating them if inspired by the love of his pro-
fession and determined to excel.

CUT FLOWER TRADE.

BY W. E. MEEHAN, PHILADELPHIA.

The cut flower trade for some years has been
growing with wonderful rapidity, till now in
New York city alone the business has reached
several million dollars annually. Growers of
cut flowers realizing that the day has gone by
for the raising of general mixture or " trash," as
it is termed, now confine themselves principally
to forcing two or three articles and growing them
well. Thus we find on Union Hill, near Jersey
City, one man who confines himself to growing
tea roses. Jacqueminot roses and violets another
to forcing Lily of the Valley, hyacinths and
lilies; while still another puts all his energies
in the cheaper but just as important carnation,
bouvardia and smilax.

Fashion wields her iron sceptre and dictates
to her votaries the kinds and colors of flowers to
be used, as she does in everything else. Last
winter she decreed yellow, and Neil roses and
sunflowers and yellow pansies were in demand.

The forcing of roses is perhaps the greatest
branch of this great industry, and the quantity
consumed is enormous. It is impossible to even
estimate the quantity. It is known that in Phila-
delphia, at one of the Assembly balls, that not
less than twenty thousand tea roses were used,
beside Jacqueminot and other kinds. At one
affair, in New York, over five thousand tea
roses were recently used in the decorations. The
five or six principal commission dealers in
Boston, New York and Philadelphia probably
pass twelve or fifteen thousand tea roses through
their hands daily. When it is considered that
the roses that these gentlemen sell are the sur-
plus required, it may give some faint idea of the

232

THE GARDENER'S MONTHLY

[August,

quantity consumed in the three cities. It is as-
serted that one firm of growers in New York
cleared over twelve thousand dollars in one sea-
son in Jacqueminot roses alone.

Of course this was an exceptional case, and
the growers sometimes lose heavily. For in-
stance, one firm down East undertook to grow
Marechal on a grand scale, and the result was a
break in the market, and a twenty five dollar
bud sold for three dollars a hundred, productive
figure being about five dollars at that time. i

In carnation blooms the quantity consumed
is still more enormous. One conimission dealer
last winter passed through his hands an average
of fifty thousand a month between November
and April, and then complained that he had not
enough to supply the demand. He sold nearly
thirty thousand to one firm in one month, and
he was informed that tha!t was two thousand a
day less than his customer used, or ninetj'^ thous-
and that month consumed by one firm. There
are probabh' from ten to thirty thousand carna-
tion blooms used in Philadelphia daily, and
sometimes more.

A few years ago Lycopodium was used almost
entirely for filling bouquets. Now it is almost
altogether discarded, and smilax has taken its
place. So enormous is the consumption of this
plant, that there are growers of it entirely. One
man in Philadelphia who raises it in connection
with one or two other flowers, has cut, to date
nearly ten thousand strings, and this is a mere
drop in the bucket to the amount grown.

For the Grant procession in one of our. West-
ern cities, over five hundred strings were used
to decorate the hose carriages of the fire depart-
ment.

Lily of the Valley plays an important part in
the trade, one gentleman in Newport having
several houses of it, and is so skilful in blooming
it, that he is enabled to have it the whole twelve
months of the year. One firm in Philadelphia
also possess the secret Of necessity the quan-
tity consumed of this flower is much less than
that of some of the other leading things. Still
thousands of dollars annually pass into the
hands of the growers of this gem among flowers.
Of the cities in the Union, New York and
Boston each consume the greatest amount,
Philadelphia next, among the Eastern cities, and
Chicago and Cincinnati of the Western ones.
The two latter, and in fact most of the cities and
towns, north, south and west of New York and
Boston, draw their heaviest supplies from the

two last mentioned cities and from Philadelphia.
The trade is still in its infancy, and before many
years it is safe to say that the cut flower business
will be one of the most important of the trades
that supply the luxuries of life.

CARNATIONS.

BY E. FRYER, DELAWARE, OHIO.

The variety called Peter Henderson, sent out
by Nanz & Neuner, a few j^ears since, I have
found to be the best white I have yet grown for
winter bloom. It is a stronger grower and better
bloomer than Degraw, and is the nearest to a
pure white we have yet found, its only drawback
being that it runs up high like La Purite, requir-
ing much head room. Snowden, sent out by
P. Henderson, is a true dwarf, pure white, and
if it proves a good winter bloomer, will probably
supersede all other whites, the flower being of
fair size and very fragrant.

Bock's Seedling, Charles Sumner — I have grown
the past winter. The flower is of enormous size,
almost as large as a rose, but they invariably
burst before opening, and are a dull, unattractive
color.

Waverley I have also grown last winter. A
splendid variety, rich crimson scarlet; the color
was in no way exaggerated, as represented in the
Monthly a year ago; produces a fair average num-
ber of flowers to the plant ; flowers selling readUy
at ten cents each. I think this is the most useful
variety of its color to the commercial florist.
While I appreciate every new variety of merit,
I still cling to the old carmine. La Purite, which
for quantity of bloom, size of flower and general
good qualities, I think has not been beat by any
of the newer varieties for winter bloom. I do
not find it subject to the disease that many com-
plain of yet don't take any special pains with it.
I grow them in half rotted turf or sod, cut frgm
strong, loamy, meadow land, with a good addi-
tion of well-rotted manure on the benches, as
near the glass as the growth of the plants will
admit. Florists would benefit each other by
comparing notes on this useful class of plants.

EARTHEN FLOWER POTS.

BY ROBERT TROTTER, WILMINGTON, DEL.

Seeing in the Gardener's Monthly of June
an inquiry as how to make earthen flower pots,
I have made and grown bedding plants in them
for the last seven years and have been very
successful. I make three or four-inch pots — any

1880.J

AND HORTICULTURIST.

233

man, or even a boy, can make tive or six hundred
in a day. I dry them on a flue in the green-
house. In two nights they are fit for use. I
generally make mine in January, when heat is
needed. Any person who wishes to see the pots
or plants growing in them can do so at the residence
of Mrs. Admiral Dupont, Louviers, near Wil-
mington, Delaware Any person who wishes to
have full information can obtain it at very little
cost by applying to Hobert Trotter, Dupont box,
Wilmington. Del.

. STEAM HEATING OF GREENHOUSES.

BY E H. BOt'HMAN, PITTSBURG, BA.

I have frequently been spoken to by friends to
give people interested in horticultural progress,
and especially in the construction and heating
of greenhouses, the benefit of the results obtained
by my method of heating greenhouses by low-
pressure steam.

As the last two numbers of the Monthly con-
tain articles on the subject, or rather against the
practicability of that mode of heating, by Mr.
Josiali Salter, of Rochester, N. Y , I thought best
to take up Mr. Salter's arguments point by point,
and prove their entire fallacy by actual results
obtained during four continued seasons in one
i istance, and two seasons in another, on a scale
sufficiently extensive to prove what I claim, viz.,
that a properly constructed heating apparatus
by low-pressure s'.eam is : first, absolutely safe ;
second, far more efficient than any other ; third,
economical of fuel as against any other; fourth,
economical of attention, neither requiring an
engineer, nor even as much attention as the hot
water system ; fifth, in cleanliness it will com-
pare favorably v/ith any other mode ; sixth, one
of the. greatest of its merits is the ease of regula-
tion to any desired temperature to a degree
which we know no other mode of heating is
capable of; so much so, that you may keep any
number of houses, each at a different degree of
temperature from anj"- other, though all heated
by one boiler ; seventh, that the quality and
health of the plants grown by low pressure steam
challenge comparison with those grown by any
other method ; eighth, that you can heat any
quantity of glass, no matter how uneven the
levels of your houses, or whether they are con-
nected or not, from one central point; ninth,
that with all the forementioned points in fevor
of low-pressure steam, the first cost of the appar-
atus is considerably less than tbat of any good

hot water apparatus able to do the same work,
which difference increases with the extent of the
space to be heated; or in other words, the greater
the amount of heating to be done, the greater
the saving in first cost of apparatus as compared
to hot-water.

Before I proceed to substantiate and prove the
above-n)entioned points, let me state some actual
results obtained. In the fall of 1876 I built the
first of my low-pressure steam apparatus for the
greenhouses now operated by Messrs. R. C. Pat-
terson & Bro., on Ellsworth av., of this city; they
contain 9000 feet of glass, all with one exception
low span-roof houses, 12 feet wide, 7 feet high at
ridge-pole, walls about 3i to 4 feet high, used for
general assortment of bedding plants; one house
50 feet long, 12 feet wide, about 11 feet high, used
for tall plants, smilax, etc. About one-half of
the above area is kept in winter at a temperature
of 45° to 50°, the balance from 60° upward. This
has stood four seasons' use without the expendi-
ture of one cent for repairs, excepting the re-
placing of a smoke stack by a brick chimney;
it has been operated from first to last by ordin-
arily intelligent greenhouse hands ; it has from
the beginning worked like a charm ; the plants
sent out from the establishment certainly invite
comparison, and the amount of fuel has been so
trifling that the Messrs. Patterson have not
thought it worth while to use any device for
taking the condensed steam back to the boiler,
(a sixteen horse power tubular) continually
wasting the same into the sewer while taking a
steady stream of cold water into the boiler to re-
place the condensation. The establishment con-
sumed forty-five tons of bituminous coal (prin-
cipally nut coal and slack) at a cost of $95.00
during the season of '79 and '80; in an ordinary
severe season they use of course proportionately
more, and from 60 to 70 tons of bituminous coal
is probably a high average.

During 1878, 1 erected the establishment now
owned and operated by Messrs. A. R. Reneman
& Bro., of this city, it contains upward of 30,000
feet of glass, constructed as follows :

Five low span-roof houses 12 x 100. 7^7 feet high
under ridge-pole; three forcing houses, each
24 X 132 feet, built on a side hill, one above the
other, about 12 feet high under ridge-pole; one
house 24 x 112, built on terraces with the grade
of the hill, will average 14 feet high ; one low
house 10 X 132 feet; one low house 6 x 132 feet.
This concern makes a specialty of growing cut
flowers, and devotes large areas to stove plants

234

THE GARDENER'S MONTHLY

[August,

and others requirine^ a high temperature so that
about two-thirds of the whole space had to be
supphed with pipe sufficient to maintain at least
55° in the coldest weather. It contains in round
numbers 7,000feetof two inch pipe, all heated by
boiler (a fifty horse power ordinary locomotive
boiler). As in the other case, it has been oper-
ated by ordinary greenhouse hands, never re-
quiring the service of an expert; and the pro-
ducts of the establishment, both plants and cut-
flowers, invite comparison, and are a credit to
the intelligent management of Mr. F. Wuttke,
who has been in charge almost from the begin-
ning.

This apparatus is supplied with a device f©r
returning the condensation to the boiler, which
it does automatically and without the slightest
attention from any one, although a large portion
of the heating pipes are below the water level of
the boiler. It is not supplied with any damper-
regulator or other device to regulate or feed
itself during the night, for the simple reason that
it was thought unwise to leave such an establish-
ment without a watchman at any time ; as it is,
it will compare favorably with any other appar-
atus as to economy of attention.

The cost of this apparatus was much less than
two-thirds the cost of hot water as per price-lists
and discounts obtained at the time.

The amount of fuel used during the season of
79 and '80, as per account of the superintendent,
Mr. Wuttke, was 4,000 bushels of bituminous
nut coal, equal to 152 net tons, or 135 gross tons;
or in an ordinary severe winter, about 200 gross
tons, at an average price for coal here of 7 cents
per bushel. Every square yard of plant growing
space (that is counting only the area of the
benches and beds, and not that occupied by
walks) is heated by an expense for fuel of 20
cents for the whole season.

After giving the above actual results, obtained
through several seasons, which practical men
will consider worth any amount of theories
whether pro or con, I will endeavor to show Mr.
Salter where his theories as to the unsuitability
of steam as a heating medium are at fault. I
hope I need hardly say to Mr. S. that in doing so
I am only trying to respond to his invitation to
elicit information on the subject.

Mr. S. admits that probably heat might be got-
ten up more quickly to a certain degree by steam
than by hot water, though he thinks that the
effects of the fire will be felt sooner by the latter
method. How much heat will Mr. S. get out of

his water pipes in, say thirty minutes after start-
ing the fire ? It takes about that time to raise
fifteen pounds of steam in the fifty horse power
boiler above referred to, after which, by opening
one valve you have your heating pipes hot in
two or three minutes I doubt if Mr. S. would
have his fires started thoroughly in all the boil-
ers which would be necessary to heat the con-
cern by hot water by the time you can raise the
temperature in all the eleven houses of Rene-
mans five degrees.

Now as to one of the most frequent queries in
regard to the kind of heat obtained by steam, I
wish to say that the amount of misconception on
that point even among professionals is some-
thing wonderful. Isn't the heat obtained by
steampipes too dry for plants? This is the ques-
tion asked with almost never failing regularity,
and my answer is, no, and a thousand times no.
Heat, per se, has nothing whatever to do with
moisture ; you will get as much moisture out of
a cast-iron hot-water pipe as you will out of a
powder-horn or out of a steam pipe; what mois-
ture you want in the atmosphere of your green-
house you must apply externally, and you do so
apply it, whenever you feel the air too dry, by
syringing or watering, wherein the steam heat-
ing has the great advantage that you can restore
the desired moisture in the shape of a vapor
bath, which comes nearer nature's own operation
of dew for the same purpose, and which process
the most delicate plants delight in to the highest
degree, when they would be positively injured
by ever so gentle syringing. You will dry up the
atmosphere of your houses precisely to the same
extent, no matter which heating medium you
use, according to the temperature you maintain,
no more with steam and no less with hot water.

As for the gift of continuance of our heating
medium I readily admit, tliat should our fire go
out and the boiler cease to make steam, the tem-
perature of the house would fall very rapidly,
certainly more so than if heated by hot water,
but steam is capable of being regulated to the
fraction of a pound by automatic devices,
which hot water is not; and as for the fire going
out for the want of fuel, has Mr. S. never heard
of the Magazine Base-Burning Stove, which may
be safely left for ten or twelve hours with the
certainty of finding a pretty good fire at the end
ol twenty ?

Again Mr. S,, says steam is not simple enough
and not to be trusted to the care of boys or la-
boring men without danger of condensing or

1880.

AND HORTICULTURIST.

235

bursting, while any possible mishaps to the hot
water system would be mere trifles. My exper-
ience as a florist is precisely the opposite, and I
dare say I stand by no means alone. I have had
hot water pipes burst so seriously that the re-
pairs necessitated the complete stoppage of cir-
culation, in fact the emptying of the pipes, and
the mere good fortune of a mild spell of weather
at the time, alone saved the contents of 12,000
feet of glass from utter destruction. Now sup-
pose such an accident, however unlikely, had
occurred to steam apparatus, what would have
been the consequence? You would merely shut
off that one pipe by its supply and condense
valves, take apart the nearest union and repair
the damage at your leisure, while all the other
pipes in your house are working just as usual.
We do occasionally hear of steam pipes bursting
under high pressure, but have you ever heard of
any doing so at a pressure of 20 or 30 pounds,
(which you seldom exceed in the most bitterly
cold weather) when they are or ought to be
tested to at least 150 pounds ?

Your boy or laboring man cannot neglect his
duty without receiving a warning. If you can-
not trust his intelligence, let your foreman or
yourself set the damper-regulator to whatever
pressure experience will teach you is necessary
for a certain temperature, see that your maga-
zine is filled, and he can do no mischief except
by intentional malice, against which, your hot
water apparatus is as little proof as any other.

With steam heatuig you are absolutely in the
position to laugh at Jack Frost, while with hot
water, unless you put in far more pipe than you
need in average cold weather, you are at the end
of your string when you bring your water to the
boiling point. With steam you simply add a
pound or two more to the pressure with the
comfortable assurance of a snug little reserve
force of forty or fifty pounds, which you may
use with perfect safety, but which are never
called upon. Mr. S. says that steam has never
proved effectual for horticultural purposes, as
far as he knows, and has been abandoned wher-
ever tried. I venture to say without fear of con-
tradiction, that in every such instance (and I
have heard of one myself through Mr. Peter
Henderson) the cause could be plainly demon-
strated to be a violation of quite well understood
scientific principles in the construction of such
apparatus. I know of two extensive florists'
establishments in Chicago heated by steam, giv-
ing entire satisfaction, although they were, in

my opinion, far from being perfect in construc-
tion I might easily still more enlarge upon the
advantage of steam over hot water, but I feel
this communication is already much longer than
I intended, and for which Mr. Editor, I crave
indulgence both from yourself and your army of
readers.

COOD GREENHOUSE PLANTS.

BY J. FYFE.

There are no doubt many among your readers
who are interested in beautiful greenhouse planta,
and I have thought the accompanying list of
the best of these from New South Wales and
other parts would be of use to them :

Leptospermum scoparium,
Scottia dentata,
Chorizema Henchmanni.

" variuni,

Boronia serrulata,
Hovea Celsi,
Correa speciosa,
Dillwynia floribunda,
Eutaxia pungens,
Pultenia daphnoides,
Daviesia latifolia,
Crowea saligna,
Eriostemon buxifolius,
Bossicca eiisata,

" prostrata,
Platylobium ovatum,
Callicoma serralifolia,
Callistachys lanceolata,
Callistemon pungens,
Brownea rosea,
Pimelia Hendersonii,
Leschenaultia formosa.
Ruella ciliata,
Dracophyllum gracile,
Andersonia sprengelioides,
Styphelia tubiflora,
Grevillea punicea,
Gompholobium Knightianum,
Jacksonia scoparia,
Podolobium trilubatiim,
Swainsonia galegifolia,
Kennedya monophylla,
Tetratheca ericaefolia,
Melaleuca thymifolia.
Erica Linnaeoides,
" ventricosa nana,
" " superba,

" " coccinea,

" " Bothroelliana,

" Irbyana,
" retorta,
" jasminiflora,
" aristata,
" tricolor,
" ampullacea,
" aristella,
" Cliffordiana,
" princeps,
" Hartnelli,
" pregnans,
Epacris grandiflora,
" campanulata,
" " alba,

" impressa,
" purpurescens,
" " rubra,

" Farbarnii,
Luculia gratissima,
Mandevilla suaveolens,
Lisianlhus Russelliana,
Kalosanthes coccinea,
Daphne odora,
Sutherlandia frutescens,
Polygala latifoHa,
Metrosideros capitatus,
Enkyanthus quinqueflorus,

Blandfordia princeps,
Clianthus punecius,
Brugmansia sanguinea,
Eugenia myrtifolia,
lUicium floridanum,
Pleroma heteromalluin,
Ixora coccinea,

" regina,
Combretum purpureum,
Quisqualis pubescens,
Epiphyllum truncatum,
Clerodendron Balfouri,
Plumbago Larpentae,
Amherstia nobilis,
Dipladenia Brearleyana,
Ipomea Horsfali,
Manettia coccinea,
Erythrina cristi-galli,
Coleus pictus,
Artocarpus cannonia,
Dioscorea illustrata,
Eranthemum tricolor,
Eucharis Candida,
Griffinia ornata,
Gustavia gracilima,
Hibiscus rosasinensis fulgidus,
" miniatus semi-plenus,
Laportea Schomburgi versicolor
Maranta Leopardina,
Spathiphyllum pictum,
Carmoria Wallisia,
Dieffenbachia nobilis,
Aphelandra cristata,
Curculigo recurvata variegata,

Doryanthes excelsa,
" Palmeri,

Lapageria rosea and alba,

Pasbiflora princeps racemosa,
" quadangulata,

Stephanotis floribunda,

Allamanda cathartica,

Bignonia venusta,

Rondoletia speciosa,

Thunbergia laurifolia,

Pentas carnea,

Melastoma sanguinea,

Hoya bella,

Franciscea magnifica,

Aeschynanthus grandiflora,

Eccremocarpus scaber.

Euphorbia jaquiniflora,

Lophospermum scandens,

Rhodochiton volubile,

Maurandia Barclayana,

Pterodiscus speciosa,

Lasiandra macrantha,

Sparmannia Africana,

Alonsoa incisifolia,

Amaryllis hippeastrum ignes-
cens,

Corynostylis Hybanthus albi-
flora,

Anthurium candidum,

HARDY.

Lilium Humboldtii,

" tigrinum flora pleno.

236

THE GARDENERS MONTHLY

[August,

NEW DOUBLE VAR. SWEET ALYSSUM.

BY MRS M. D. W., YARMOUTH, ME.

Single variegated Sweet Alyssum is not aniov-
elty, but this year I am indebted to Mr. John
Goode for a double variegated, appropriately
named the Gem. Seeing it advertised in the
Horticulturist, I sent for one, and one terribly
bitter, stormy evening it was brought me from
the office, safely cradled in a pasteboard tube,
with wrappings of cotton and moss. The little
darling was a beauty, with its pure, waxen buds
and blossoms in a setting of delicate emerald
and white ; just as pert as though it were fresh
from the greenhouse, instead of having taken a
journey of nearly three thousand miles, and
through a snow storm, too.

FLORAL GOSSIP.

BY EDAVIN LONSDALE.

We must not place the rose "American Ban-
ner" in the same category with rose "Beauty of
Glazenwood," for the latter was considered a
fraud from the first time it was exhibited, by
such judges in England as Mr. Charles Noble,
Mr. Charles Turner, and others. The American
Banner produces veritable striped buds, which
sell in New York in January at $25 per 100. Its
rarity and novelty ot course regulates the price,
but whether it will become popular as a winter
blooming rose will depend, 1 think, very much
on fiishion. Mr. Henderson has got a large and
well-grown stock of it ; so if any one feels like
going into it on a large or small scale they need
not have any apprehensions about getting all
they may want.

All Mr. Henderson's pot roses were in fine
health and vigor when I saw them. The show
of buds which presented themselves would have
done credit to many a bed of established plants.
He finds the most sale for Niphetos, Safrano, Isa-
bella Sprunt, Bon Silene, Cordelia Cook, Douglass
and Perle des Jardines. The latter rose is now
taking the place of M. Neil in some establish-
ments, it being a free and continuous bloomer
when properly grown, and the flowers are nearly
as large and higher in color than tlie well-known
"Neil."

The new carnation "Snowden" was pretty
well used up for cuttings when I saw it. There
is no doubt about its being dwarf, and for this
reason alone it will be valuable, on account of
its not needing much head room.

Carnations are not considered profitable by

some of the growers around New York; a dis-
ease gets among them, and gradually takes the
whole lot off".

Mr. Wm. Bennett, Flatbush, L. I., grows car-
nations, the best, I think, I have ever seen. He
grows Peerless largely, and King of the Crimsons,
the freest flowering and best dark colored carna-
tion I have met with. Miss JoUiflfe he has in
large quantity; it is a delicate .shade of pink.
" Snow-white " — a kind sent out a short time ago
by Mr. Peter Henderson — is proving itself to be
a wonderful free bloomer, and the flowers are
pure white. It is a decided acquisition. I
have heard complaints that it does not pos-
sess sufficient vigor, but under Mr. Bennett's
treatment it is certainly hard to beat. His treat-
ment is to keep them quite cool at night, and to
give them plenty of air on every favorable op-
portunity in the day time.

I am satisfied that the cool treatment is tVie
proper one for carnations, and if all the growers
around New York or elsewhei'e would adopt
this mode of growing them, instead of a rose-
forcing temperature, they would not have them
in such a deplorable state at, they were last
winter.

EDITORIAL NOTES.

Large Marechal Neil Rose.— Mr. Pearson, an
English florist, cut from one plant last year 2000
flowers. Probably some of our large rose grow-
ers could beat this. We should like to know.

Improvements in Propagating. — Possibly in
no department of gardening has there been such
wonderful progress made as in the art of propa-
gation. It is pleasant reading to go back ovei
the gardening of magazines of but a quarter
century ago, and see how much was made of
propagating houses, propagating tanks, propa-

gating glasses, and other et ceteras, and to note
that the art of the propagator was ranked almost
with art of the magician. Now all this is changed
Good common sense is yet needed to be a sue-

1880.]

AND HORTICULTURIST.

237

oessful propagator. Here before us is an old
treatise on layering carnations, and cuts some-
thing like these, showing how things should and
should not be done abound. And then most of
us older ones can tell of the days and days spent
in bending over carnations as well as other
things, slitting and rutching and pegging down
carefully every little bit of wood that could be
held between the finger and thumb. Now it is

so different. The carnation shoots, as well as
the shoots of any other thing, are taken off" in
immense quantities, stuck in by tlie small boy
in sand boxes, and these put in anywhere where
it is a little warm, a little shady, regularly moist,
without continued watering— and this is the
whole art and mystery of the thing.

SCRAPS AND QUERIES.

Orchid Culture. — Mrs. R. P. writes : "Permit
me through your columns to return thanks to
Walter Gray, of Philadelphia, for replies to in-
quiries as to orchid culture, &c., also for article
on same subject by Chas. H. Snow, of Baltimore.
In reply to the former would say that I had
learned of the error in name of Cattleva citrina.

It came to me from the Patterson and Green-
brook greenhouses, labelled " Odontoglossum
citrina," and I took it for granted that it must be
so. I have since learned from Mr. Eeynolds, of
Brambleton, Norfolk, and also from " Williams'
Orchid Grower's Manual," bought of you, of the
mistake. I do not find that the plant labeled
Dendrobium nobile, received from the same
source, answers to Mr. Williams' description at
all. Mine bloomed in February last; flowers
were a deep pansy purple and pure white, beau-
tifully marked, but smaller than I should expect
from Mr. Williams' description. I have had no
success with Cypripedium barbatum, but C.
villosum was lovely, and the bloom was perfect —
twelve weeks. I received also from New Jersey
a plant with large fleshy leaves, bearing label
Bryophyllum calycinum. I have sought a de-
scription of same from various quarters without
success. Can you or any of your readers tell
me of its nature and culture? Have owned it
over a year, but see no signs of bloom, although
it grows and seems healthy. I am pleased to see
articles in your columns on orchid culture. I
wish much to get together a sufficient variety to
keep my little conservatory (6x12) bright with
their bloom the year round, and will then discard
therefrom all geraniums, but have not, as yet,
been eminently successful. Can any of your
readers tell me of a fine free flowering (white)
climber, that vi'ill bloom in winter in conserva-
tory which is heated from living room, without
bottom heat?

I hope I have not tired your patience with the
multiplicity of my queries."

Fruit and Vegetable Gardening.

SEASONABLE HINTS.

The Grape-vine at this season will require at-
tention, to see that the leaves are all retained
healthy till thoroughly ripened. It is not a sign
of healthiness for a vine to grow late ; on the
contrary, such late growth generally gets killed
in the winter — but the leaves should all stay on
to insure the greatest health of the vine, until
the frost comes, when they should all be so ma-

ture as to fall together. The leaves of Grape-
vines are very much subject to the attacks of the
leaf-hopper which destroys them before their
time. In large vineyards there is no help for it ;
but amateurs with a few vines can remedy this
by syringing. A garden engine of some power
ought to be in every well ordered garden. Grapes
sometimes suffer when maturing from mauraud-
ing bees. Where these are very bad the only
way is to put the best fruit in bags. There is

238

THE GARDENERS MONTHLY

[August,

besides other profit in the practice, as the fruit
of the grape is generally sweeter in our climate
when matured in a little shade.

Although they require more care than spring set
plants August and September are favorite months
to plant out Strawberries, with those who desire a
crop of fruit the next season. In making a straw-
berrybed a warm, dry spot of ground should be
chosen, with, if possible, a good loamv or clayey
subsoil. A moist wet situation is very unfavor-
able. It is best to subsoil at least eighteen inches
deep, and if the soil is poor, let it be moderately
enriched with well decayed stable manure. In
setting out, take care that the plants do not be-
come dry from the time they are taken up till
they are replanted, and see that they do no not
wither afterwards. Many persons cut off the
leaves, if they are afraid of their wilting under
hot suns, but a much better plan is to shade.
Inverted 4-inch flower-pots are excellent for this
purpose; they may be taken off at night. The
dews will so invigorate them, that the shade will
only be required for a few days. Sometimes in
September they may need a good watering; but
this should never be attempted unless a thorough
saturation of the bed be given ; and in a few days
after, the hoe and rake should be employed to
loosen and level the surface, which the heavy
watering will, in all probability, have caused to
bake and become very crustj-. When pot-raised
plants can be had, as heretofore recommended,
fall planting strawberries is very successful.

A little trimming is useful to most trees at this
season. The Blackberry and Raspberry may
have their tops shortened so as to leave the canes
about four feet. Some do this earlier in the sea-
son; but the buds are apt to burst if done too
soon. In like manner, pear and apple trees that
grow well, but produce no fruit, are benefited
by having, say half of some of the young growth
cut back. The buds then left are very likely to
form flower buds, in place of growth buds for
next season. Many take out the old shoots of
raspbei'ry and blackberry after they have done
bearing, and we have in times past recommend-
ed it ourselves; but on further observation, we
see very little good, if not positive injury. The
partial shade the old stems make, seems rather
beneficial than otherwise under our hot suns.

As soon as your vegetable crops are past
kitchen use, clear them out. Never suffer them
to seed. In the first place, a seed crop exhausts
the soil more than two crops taken off in an eat-
able condition ; iu the next place, the refuse of

the kitchen is likely to produce degenerate stocks.
Good seed saving is a special art by itself, al-
ways claiming the earliest and best to ensure a
perfect stock.

Celery will require earthing up as it grows, to
get it to blanch well. It is not well, however
to commence too early, as earthing up tends, in
a slight degree, to weaken the growth of the
plants. Take care, also, not to let the soil get
into the heart in earthing, or the crown is apt to
rot.

As fast as Endive is desired for Salad, it should
be blanched. Matting thrown over is the best
for this purpose, as the plants are not so liable
to rot as when pots or boards are employed.

In cold or mountainous regions, Melons are
hastened in the ripening process, and improved
in flavor, by a piece of tile being placed under
the fruit.

Keep weeds from your compost heaps, as they
exhaust the soil, and bear seeds for future brow-
sweatings.

Sow Lettuce for Fall crop, thinly, and in deep
and very rich ground.

Early Valentine Beans may still be sown early
in the month, — the soil for a late crop should be
well trenched, or, if the Fall be dry, they will be
stringy and tough.

Cucumbers, Squash, and other similar plants,
often suffer from drought at this season. Cold
water does not help them much, but a mulching
of half rotten leaves strengthens them consider-
ably.

Cut down straggling herbs, and they will make
new heads for next season.

Towards the end of the month, a sowing of
Spinach may be made in rich soil, which will
come in for use before Winter. That desired for
Winter and early Spring use, is usually sown in
September in this region. A few Turnips may
also be sown for an early crop, but will be hot
and stringy unless the soil is very rich.

Corn Salad is often sowed at the end of this
month. It does not do so well in damp soil or
low situation.

COMMUNICA TIONS.

MARKETABLE PEAR TREES.

BY WILLIAM CUTLER, JUNCTION CITY, KANSAS.

As the Monthly is the best medium through
which to reach our eastern nurserymen, you

[1880,

AND HORTICULTURIST.

239

will please allow me room to find a little fault
and offer a few suggestions.

It is a fact well known that about nine-tenths of
the standard pear trees planted in the West are
grown in New York and Pennsylvania. These
trees are grown according to their best judg-
ment, judgments rendered by their ancestors in
the foderland generations ago, and have been
passed from father to son, and neighbor to neigh-
bor, until it now would be considered sacrilege
to depart from them. Our objection is to the
height of the top and the size of the tree.

A No. 1 standard pear tree as sent out by
these nurserymen is 6 to 8 feet high, 3 to 5 years
old, and branched about 5 feet from the ground.
Now, Mr. Editor, if I was called upon to tell
you what sort of a tree is most worthless in every
State west of Ohio, I would hardly change the
above description.

A No. 1 standard pear for the West should be
3 to 5 feet high, 2 to 3 years old, and branched
1 to 2 feet from the ground. The tops must
come down as we go west, and for central and
western Kansas six inches to a foot is high
enough.

High tops cause the death of more trees than
everything else combined, and it does appear to
me that we are now using enough pear trees to
make it pardonable if we ask you to raise a tree
suited to our climate, and as you may think
peculiar wants.

Among my earliest recollections, which date
back to 1830 to 183 ), I remember the old leaning,

their fathers and mine, have made mistakes,
but will go to work and raise us some nice little
low-topped trees.

JAPAN PERSIMMONS IN
HOUSE.

THE ORCHARD

BY WM. T. HARDING, OAK HILL CEMETERY, UPPER
SANDUSKY, OHIO.

A portrait hangs on the wall before me, and
the benignant features of an upright and intelli-
gent gentleman seem to gaze steadfastly from
the frame, at the writer, and a kindly smile
lights up the once familiar face, such as there
used to be in days gone by. Any reader of char-
acter would readily pronounce the facial expres-
sion as noble, winsome and good. No " human
face divine " could be more so than was the late
Mr. Thomas Rivers, of Sawbridgeworth, England.
He was old and gray headed, when the
likeness was taken ; while the placid serenity of
ripe and honorable years lovingly lingered
around the lineaments of one of the best of men.

When a student in the " art and science of
horticulture," I sought his sage counsel, and was
encouraged with his friendly advice ; and while
sharing his hospitality and enjoying his confi-
dence, my young ideas were taught to shoot.
As a trainer of trees, he was remarkably adroit.
Nothing arboreal or herbaceous could be fairer
fashioned than which passed through his hands.
The vast quantities of standard roses, every tree

I thing of beauty," multiplied by thousands,
high-topped pear trees in New Jersey, many of | testified to the skill of the good old rosarian.
them mere shells from the rotting away of the ] Famous as he was in floriculture, he was even
south sides. more so as a practical pomologist. That he was

These things caused no thought and no com-
ment. They had been planted by our grand-

one of the most successful nurserymen and fruit
tree growers, par excellence, of the nineteenth

father, who knew it would not do to have the i century is unanimously acknowledged.

limbs interfere with the horses' hames.

After living over twenty years in Illinois, and
seeing the advantage of low-topped trees, I
returned to the scenes of my childhood. These
old trees were gone, compelled to succimib to
the folly of the nurseryman who trimmed them.
The thriftiest, and in many cases the only trees
left in thse venerable orchards, were the ones
that chanced to have the lowest tops. The
above applies to all fruit trees. But as we are
able to raise everything except pears, as well or

The two excellent brochures under his signa-
ture, namely, "The Miniature Fruit Garden,"
and " The Orchard House, or Cultivation of
Fruit Trees in Pots under Glass," are good guides
to go by. The vim of the author and the vigor
of his trees are perceptible in every line to the
mind's eye of the reader, who follows his gifted
pen. That such "reading made easy " for ama-
teur fruit-growers, as well as practical cultivators,
should win proselytes to pomology, is what might
be expected. Our "kin beyond the sea" readily

better than they can, I confine my remarks to adopted his views, with most encouraging results.

that only for the present.

Now, Mr. Meehan, I hope your nurserymen
will not get angry at me for hinting that they.

There, under canopies of glass, as well as on this
side of the Atlantic, blossom and fruit many a
goodly tree.

240

THE GARDENER'S MONTHLY

[August,

Of the wri^r's success in the "Orchard House,'
who raay be considered an old hand at the'
business among fruits and flowers, it was well
tested at Cleveland, several years ago, to the
satisfaction of all concerned. During the months
when the wind blew bitter and chill from off the
frigid waters of Lake Erie, I successfully brought
to perfection abundance of the under-mentioned
fruits, namely : Peaches, Nectarines, Guavas,
Plums, Apricots, Psidiums, Figs, Loquots, Sweet
Limes, Grapes, Sapodillas and Strawberries, from
all of which good crops wefe gathered. They
were grown from ten to twelve inch pots, except
the strawberries, which were fruited in five and
six inch sizes. The Figs, Peaches, Grapes and
Strawberries began to ripen the first week in
April, and they, with the others named, con-
tinued to reach perfection as the season ad-
vanced, until a'l were gathered.

They were forced, of course to bring them on
so early, and therein lies the chief difficulty of
management. No one, unless he has had pre-
vious practice, should attempt to grow them so
early, as both patient attention and skill are re-
quired to counterfeit a season congenial to their
nature. To manage them in the cold orchard-
house is simple enough to any intelligent person
who has a fair knowledge of fruit growing, and
takes delight in such operations. The expense,
too, is very moderate, when fire heat is not used.
And what is there, let me enquire, which affords
more real pleasure at less cost, than pot culture of
choice fruit? First, comes the interesting season
of swelling bud, and beauteous blossom, accord-
ing to their kind, with the tender formation of
incipient foliage, to the full development of leaf
and branch, among which, nestles the rich swel-
ling fruit unto luscious ripeness.

The positive good, which thus fulfills the
promised expectation, is then to be realized,
while the tempting fruit bends down the bough,
ripe and ready to enjoy.

To the man who knows what is good and is
able to get it, the orchard-house is the place to
find it. There let him wend his way to pluck
fresh fruit from vines and bushes, and feast
among the nectared sweets which await him,
and while enjoying the delicious offering Pomona
presents to his fastidious palate, he will heartily
thank God and the gardener for the rare things
he revels in.

Enough, perhaps, has been said to make a
man's mouth water, to indulge in the paradisical
h;xuries the orchard-house produces, if he only

wills it should. There are other kinds, besides
those mentioned, both suitable and proper for
the purpose recommended, but they will amply
suffice to begin with, if any one elects to try.
Yet, incomplete as the subject is, it would be
still more so, if the Japan Persimmon was suf-
fered to go unnoticed. As the climate seems
somewhat unsuited for its general cultivation
in the Northern States, why not make a pot-
plant of it for the orchard-house, warm or cold
grapery, where it could be supplied with all the
conditions necessary to perfect a new fruit, well
worthy of cultivation ?

In conclusion, had the good Mr. Rivers been
living now, the Oriental persimmon would have
been a God-send to him. He would have petted
and petted it into fructification, not more for his
own personal enjoyment, than for the diffusion
of its worth among his fellow-men.

EDITORIAL NOTES.

Making Things Pay. — Those who make the
most money in business are often those who
have the knack of making two or more things
work into each others hands. Now some people
will go to work to make a business of poultry
raising, and yet not make near as much profit
on them as he who raises poultry and also has a
good farm. The people who are settling on the J
dry deserts of Colorado, and have to irrigate by \
water from the snowy mountains, are now find-
ing that they may as well utilize the water by
letting fish swim in it, before using it for irriga-
tion. When in Salt Lake some years ago the
writer saw very successful trout ponds made from
the mountain streams on the farm of Mr. Wood-
ruff". Now there are companies expressly organ-
ized in some of these cities for the pur-
pose of combining fish culture with the water
supply. One has been recently organized in the
city of Greeley.

Fruit Culture in England is said to be de-
clining, chiefly from the ease with which fruit
can be imported from the Continent and from
America; and also because the production
under glass by artificial means has been brought
to great success.

The Steel Blue Grape Beetle. — This well-
known enemy of the grape, which bores out the
young buds as the)' grow in spring, has proved
very destructive the past season in the vicinity

1880.]

AND HORTICULTURIST.

241

of Doylestown, as we learn from the Bucks
County, Pa., Intelligencer. A good remedy is
much needed.

Apple Trade. — It is hard to decide which way
the current of trade flows. The California papers
of last winter had glowing accounts of successful
and profitable shipments of apples to California ;
and now we have in London papers accounts of
the " successful importation of one hundred
boxes of apples from Adelaide by steamer Lusi-
tania." It is hard to see what the apple wants
to be thus wandering all around the world.

Artificial Water in Gardens. — Whenever
we have heard people deride Colorado because
they have to depend on irrigation for most of the
water for their growing crops, we have thought
that it would not be bad for eastern growers to
have at command artificial conveniences. Straw-
berry growers east would have found a wind-mill
for a water pump a paying investment for straw-
berry beds the past May. They were nearly
ruined by the May drouth. Those who could
have commanded a Colorado ditch would have
made a fortune.

Standard Gooseberries. — It is now some years
since the idea of grafting gooseberries was first
introduced to the attention of American horti-
culturists by Mr. Bulot through our pages. The
subsequent experience with the foreign plants at
the Centennial led to the belief that on this stock
they might be free from mildew, and we might
have the foreign varieties in our gardens in all
their luscious English perfection. But we have
not heard of any trials with them. We under-
stood Mr. Hooker was to take it in hand. What
has he to say about them ?

Cracked Pears. — Who ever has had anything
to do with pears must have noticed how con
fused are the ideas of writers about pear diseases.
We read of " pear blight," and " cracked pears,"
the writer evidently not recognizing that there
are many distinct things under these names.
Take cracking. That which we often see in the
Giffard or the Beurre Diel is very different from
that which we see in the St. Germain or the
White Doyenne; and we must note these ditfer-
ences if we would reach a true idea of cause and
cure. While a cracked Beurre GifFard may be
had from a tree apparently with healthy growth,
the Wliite Doyenne and St. Germain trees
always show a stunted growth. We have had a
St. Germain tree before our eyes annually for

ten years, but never saw an annual growth of
over six inches, and yet the tree stands by itself
in ver}'^ rich ground, where there is no reason
why it might not make some shoots of a foot or
two at least. Besides, that there is no defect in
the opportunities for nutrition is evidenced by
the dark green foliage. If the tree did not grow
from poverty, it would have yellow and not
green foliage. So with White Doyennes under
similar circumstances. The leaves are always of
a healthy green, but it would puzzle the propa-
gator to get any sticks fit for budding from a
crack-fruited pear tree. This fact should be
borne in mind by those studying the diseases of
the pear.

We have often heard that there is no such
cracking known in the Old World, but we have
from time to time shown that this is a mistake.
If any further evidence be required, the follow-
ing from the Gardener's Record may supply it:
"A tree of White Doyenne pear, which had
borne nothing but worthless, cracked fruit for
years, had, three years ago, all its upper branches
grafted with Autumn Bergamot, and the lower
branches of the White Doyenne were suflFered to
remain. The growth of the Autumn Bergamot
has been very strong, and their strength has
been evidently communicated to the stock
several inches below the point of union. On
one of these branches a sprout of Marie Louise,
growing just below the point of union, had been
overlooked in the grafting, and the shoots bore
jast year clean, perfect fruit, all the rest of the
tree being cracked and worthless as heretofore.
The most probable influence in accounting for
this is, that this shoot had received its condi-
tions of health from the Autumn Bergamot
shoot above it.'

Paper from Grass. — The Irish papers are urg-
ing the feasibility of planting the Purple Melic
Grass — Melica purpurea — on the bogs of Ireland^
in order to encourage the extensive manufacture
of paper.

Edible Earth. — We find the following in an
English paper: "Dr. Lowe, New York, has
recently tested a sample of earth eaten by the
Ainos, or aborigines of Japan. Several pounds
of the earth are mixed with the bulbs of Japan-
ese lilies and boiled into a thick soup, which is
reputed very palatable by the Ainos. Dr. Lowe
finds it to be a silicious earth, in composition
closely resembling other earths eaten in Java
and in Lapland. It contains less than one per

242

THE GARDENER'S MONTHLY

[August,

cent, of nutritive matter He appears to think,
and we have no douht he is right, that the
unctuous feel of these earths originally suggested
the idea of their nourishing qualities, and, once
commenced, the eating has become a confirmed,
and in most cases a diseased, taste." We suspect
this is simply some newspaper reporter's story,
who was desirous of earning his money by get-
ting up a novel paragraph. The earth which
comes to this country around the roots of Japan
lilies is placed there by the Japanese to prevent
evaporation. These bulbs, so treated, come in
excellent fresh condition. Some of this material
was given bj'- the editor to one of the leading
microscopists of the Philadelphia Academj' of
Natural Sciences, who reported that the organic
materials had been added to the earth, for the
purpose of binding it ; just as in grafting clay
the old school added horse droppings or cut
straw. The idea of making an " infusion " of
any "silicious" material for soup, is especially
rich, whatever richness the soup may have.

Pear Comte de Lam ay. — Though a small
fruit, this variety is highly praised as a good
autumn pear in England.

A Lover of Pears. — It is said of Col. Wilder
that every morning in the year h^ regularly
enjoys his dish of well-ripened pears from his
own orchard.

Josephine de Malines Pear. — It is not un-
common to find letters from America, in Euro-
pean magazines, which tell very strange things.
But a paper of another sort is one in the Garden
of May 8th, by Mr. H. Hendricks, of Kingston,
New York, on pear growing in the United States,
which is very intelligently written, and is alto-
gether a model for transatlantic letter writers.

We should not, however, have placed Josephine
de Malines at the head of our winter list ; but as
the opinion of an intelligent and evidently con-
scientious writer, it is worthy of great respect. He
says: "In winter sorts, strictly speaking, we
have first and best of all Josephine de Malines,
which, in its season, is superb and delicious, fit
for the most discriminating palate. It is large
and very productive, growing in clusters; flesh,
light salmon color; tree hardy, but moderate in
:growth, owing to a tendency to overbear. I
have kept fine specimens of this pear into April
in this latitude.

Scale on Orchard Trees.— As already stated
in our magazine, the writer of this applied pure

linseed oil to the scale on hundreds of his apple
or pear trees with complete success, while others
who have tried it complain that it injures their
trees. Here is a modification of the plan by
Mr. Tidmarsh, of the Grahamstown Botanic
Garden in South Africa. The readers will under-
stand by " paraffin " what we know merely as
"coal oil:" *' Into a round-bottomed iron pot put
eight pounds of soft soap and two quarts of paraffin
oil ; place the pot over a rather slow fire, consist-
ing of embers only; with a stout stick, vigorously
stir the mixture, till the soap has absorbed the
u'hole of the oil; to the resulting paste add 20
quarts of water, boiling, if convenient; the mix-
ture can now be left to simmer till the whole of
the soap is dissolved, the result being a milky
fluid, with little or no oil visible on the surface ;
the pot may now be taken off" the fire, and stood
aside till the liquid is cooled down to about new
milk heat. The mixture may now be applied to
the infected trees, a garden syringe being used
for the purpose; the application should be so
managed that every part of the tree may be
covered with a thin film of the mixture; to eflfect
this with as little waste as possible, screw on to
the syringe, before using it, the rose end having
the smallest holes; from which drive the mixture
with force through and about the foliage and
branches of the trees. When the plants to be
dressed are in pots, let the branches of the trees
be held over some vessel, such as a tin bath or
a packing-case with a zinc lining, in order that
waste of the mixture mav be avoided as much as
possible. Before removing the plants from over
the vessel, shake the branches so as to dislodge
anj' superfluous mixture, then place the plants
in a horizontal position, till nearly dry, and thus
prevent the oily matter running down the stems
of the plant into the soil. Any portion of the
liquid that may not be used at the time of making
will keep good for months ; a scum will form on
the surface, but that will disappear on again
warming and stirring it. This mixture is not at
all difficult to concoct, but to insure a good
result it is absolutely necessary to strictly observe
the few words printed in italics. It is hardly
necessarj' to observe that the number of pounds
of soap and quarts of paraffin and water are
simply quoted as proportions, the number of
gallons of mixture made at any one time must
be in accordance with the number and size of the
trees requiring dressing."

Apples for the South. — At a recent meeting of
the Texas Pomological Society, Mr. T. V. Mun-

1880.]

AND HORTICULTURIST.

243

son read a letter from Dr. Watkins, of Georgia,
giving a list of twelve varieties of apples which
his experience has proven best adapted to the
Southern climate. The list embraces the Red
June, the Astrachan, the Horse, Southern
Greening and others, the names of which j'our
reporter did not catch.

SCRAPS AND QUERIES.

Yellows in the Peach.— F., Trenton, N. J ,
writes: "In a recent number of the Rural New
Yorker, a correspondent expresses an opinien
that pollen from a diseased Peach tree used in
fertilizing the flower of a healthy tree, would
communicate the disease to the fruit, and in this
way a healthy tree might produce seedlings
which would have the yellows. As you have
given some thought to this matter of Peach yel-
lows, what do you think of this theory? [That
the correspondent of the Rural New Yorker is
undoubtedly correct. — Ed. G. M.]

Fruit Culture in North Carolina. — N. W. C,
Red Plains, N. C, writes: "Our country here
will, in a few years, become one of the greatest
fruit sections in the land, though this present
season the fruit crop is very short, except the
grape, which shows fair for a plentiful crop.

The Orange Gooseberry. — H. M. Engle,
Marietta, Pa., writes : " We send you to-day
Orange, Cluster and Houghton Gooseberries.
You can judge their comparative earliness. We
find the Cluster sold for Houghton, but the lat-
ter,— true,— has stronger thorns, more drooping
habit, and never colors dark like Cluster. The
Orange ripens invariably a week to ten days
earlier than any other Gooseberry we have seen^
and in quality consider it superior to any of the
American Gooseberries. It has been almost
neglected, but we intend multiplying it. What
do you think of it ?

[It seems like a very desirable variety. —
Ed. G M.]

Forestry.

COMMUNICA TIONS.

THE CONFUSED CATALPAS.

BY PROF. C. S. SARGENT, BROOKLINE, MASS

Considerable confusion still exists in some
quarters, it would seem, as to which of the two
Asiatic Catalpas, now in general cultivation in
this country, is Catalpa Ksempferi, and which is
the Chinese C. Bungei. Of the two plants in
question, one is a small tree 15 to 20 feet in
height, with ovate leaves deeply heart-shaped at
the base ; small flowers and very slender pods.
This plant flowers and ripens its seeds very
freely. The other Catalpa, only known I believe
in this country as a low wide-spreading bush,
has narrow, long pointed leaves, wedge shaped
at the base ; this plant as yet shows no inclina-
tion to flower.

On the strength of the reference in De Can-
dolle's Prodromus (Vol. ix p. 226) it is insisted
(by the editor of the Gardener's Monthly) that
the plant which, under the name of Ksempferi,
is doubtfully referred to Catalpa bignonioides as
to variety, is the dwarf plant with wedge-shaped
leaves. De Candolle was, himself says, in
doubt whether the Japanese plant was not C.
bignonioides cultivated in Japan from America,

[ or an indigenous species very similar to it. But
I as no one has ever seen an American Catalpa
! with leaves wedged-shaped at the base, De Can-
dolle could not have referred a plant with leaves
markedly so shaped to C. bignonioides. He refers,
too, the plant in question to the excellent figure
on page 841 of Ksempfer's Amenitales Exoticae,
which exactly represents the foliage, flower and
fruit of the small flowered plant with cordate
leaves now common in cultivation, and to which
being found specifically distinct, Siebold and
Zuccarini have properly given the name of
Catalpa Ksempferi. See their Florae Japonicse
familipe Naturales, p. 480. The dwarf bushy
plant is a form of Catalpa Bungei, perhaps of
garden origin, the species which according to
Bunge (Enum. pi. chin. p. 45) becomes a large
tree, is probably not yet in cultivation in this
country, although it is included in the catalogue
of the Arboretum Seguzianum. For further re-
ferences to the bibliography of Catalpa Ksemp-
feri, see Tranchet and Savatier'a excellent
enumeration of Japanese plants p. 326.

This view of the names properly belonging to
these two plants is fully sustained by an exami-
nation in the Harvard Herbarium of several
original Japanese specimens of C. Ksempferi,

244

THE GARDENER'S MONTHLY

[August,

collected by Maximowicz, and others, and by
one of Bunge's original specimens of C, Bungei,
collected in northern China and labelled in his
own hand-writing. This specimen agrees exactlj''
in foliage with the dwarf C. Bungei of gardens.

[Feeling satisfied that Prof. Sargent must have
had some different plant in his mind from that
which we had, we have retained this article on
hand till we could visit Cambridge, and see the
plants and specimens there. We now find that
Prof. Sargent is correct in his view that the
dwarf form, looking like a huge currant bush,
and with leaves and shoots exactly like the com-
mon Catalpa, and which for the past thirty years
has been distributed from continental nurseries
as C. Kfempferi, is not that species. There is no
doubt but C. Ksempferi is the small tree which
has been in many cases known as C. Bungei.

We were, however, quite right in supposing
that this dwarf kind could not be the C. Bungei,
as described by Prof. Sargent. It may be that
the true C. Bungei is in this country. There is a
plant under this name in the Cambi'idge garden,
but it did not seem to the writer to correspond
with a specimen in Dr. Gray's Herbarium, or to
be different materially from what we have now
to know as C. Kaempferi ; and we feel that it is
best to wait a little while longer before deciding
on what cultivated plant, if any, is really C.
Bungei.

So far as we have gone the only certain points
gained are these: The small tree with long slen-
der pods is Catalpa Kgempferi ; the dwarf form,
like a huge currant bush, often called C. Kaemp-
feri, must be called the dwarf American Catalpa,
or if one wants it in Latin, Catalpa bignonioides
nana. C. Bungei is something else. — Ed. G. M.]

EDITORIAL NOTES.

Forest Fires.— Our attention has been called
to the following from the New York World :

"A lecture of Mr. B. G. Northrop, Secretarj^ of
the Connecticut Board of Education, on " Rural
Improvement," has been published in pamphlet
form, and deserves careful reading. An especially
interesting portion of it, in view of the wholesale
destruction of our forests year after year by fire
and the dangers which are thus threatened, is
that which deals with trees and tree-planting.
Mr. Northrop urges importing and cultivating the
European larch, which combines the three quali-
ties of durability of timber, rapidity of growth and
symmetry of form, and grows well in sterile soil

and on exhausted hillsides, where it will crowd
out useless stubble and undergrowth. Hardly any
other tree is so valuable as the larch in fertilizing
effects, since its foliage is peculiarly dense, and,
being deposited annually, forms in time a rich
vegetable mould from which excellent pasture
will grow. Bj'^ the planting of this tree waste
lands abandoned now to hardback, sumac and
other worthless brush may be reclaimed. It
attains maturity long before the oak, and serves
well for nearly all the purposes of that sturdy
and storied tree, and from a mercantile point of
view is much more valuable, a larch thirty years
old sometimes selling for $15, wdiile oaks of the
same age are not worth $3 each. In Scotland,
where the tree was first planted on the estates of
the Duke of Athole, matured crops of larch of
sixty-five years' standing have sold for from $750
to $2,000 per acre, when the land was originally
worth but three or four dollars per acre. The
extent to which tree-planting would be valuable
in the reclamation of such regions as the sand-
barrens of the Atlantic States, the shores of
Florida, the Gulf coast and the eastern shores of
Lake Michigan is indicated by Mr. Northrop in
a quotation from Mr. George P. Marsh, who says
that there is no question that the sand dunes of
Denmark, which cover 160,000 acres, those of
Prussia, extending over 110,000 acres, and in
short the whole 7,000,000 acres of drifting sand
in Europe, might for the most part be reclaimed
by simple tree-planting. In France this work
has been going on for some years and gives
promise of great results."

We do not understand that Mr. Northrop's
views in regard to the value of the larch is drawn
from American experience. We have known of
some cases where the larch has been raised and
the timber seemed to be all that can be desired,
but in other cases it has not proved to be as good
as was expected. The larch is eminently a cool-
country plant, and it is doubtful whether it will
retain its value as a timber tree in hot ones.
We should have more faith in White Pine than
Larch as a profitable timber tree. Even in Scot-
land, referred to by Mr. Northrop, it is found
that the larch is not as generally reliable as the
quotation reference implies.

The point made about crowding out under-
brush as a partial security against forest fires is
a very good one. It is doubtful whether very
serious fires would often occur, but for the
accumulation of dead wood and withered leaves
favored by undergrowth.

1880.J

AND HORTICULTURIST.

245

Natural History and Science.

THREE VARIETIES OF ASCLEPIAS.

BY MISS M. EVELYN HUNTER.

Many varieties of the Asclepiadacse or Milk-
weed family, natives of Virginia, are now bright-
ening the woods and fields by their showy flow-
ers. Among others, the variegated Milkweed or
A. variegata, with its compact rose like heads,
of nearly white flowers, with just a ring of purple
belting each blossom as if to give it a right to its
name, attracted my attention by its singular
beauty as its white ball of flowers showed
through the woods.

I made my way with difficulty to the spot
where it grew, and found it as handsome on
closer inspection as I had considered it from a
distance. Its leaves were large, nearly smooth,
and a rich deep green color. This grew about
two feet from the ground, and was in full flower
early in June The next species I noticed was
A. rubra, or red flowered milkweed, growing in
an uncultivated field. Its leaves were oblong-
ovate, tapering to a very sharp point, rounded or
slightly heart-shaped at the base, its flowers, a
dark red color, do not grow in the same compact
mSss at the summit of the stem as those of the
first-named variety, but have a loose, disheveled
appearance, which renders the plant unfit for
garden decoration at present. I have an idea,
however, that its ragged, straggling habit might be
to some extent corrected bj' proper cultivation,
and to those who understand such things I should
think it might be possible to cross the A. rubra
on the A. variegata, and thus get some of the
erect compactness of the one to amend the
fault}' habit of the other.

These plants are as well worth our attention
as many that are sold now by the florists, and
making new varieties would give a different
interest to their cultivation. Those who are
denied the luxury of a gardener, and attend per-
sonally to their plants, have many compensa-
tions in the success that sometimes crowns their
labors and in the feeling of individual interest in
each plant. And although some of us make
heavy mistakes in our treatment of them, close
attention and observation of their tastes gradu-
ally teach us the secret of success even at the cost
of many disappointing experiences. It is often

tiresome to give up an interesting occupation
and go out to dig up a yellow half-dead gera-
nium, but your interest is soon awakened in
finding out the cause of its ill health, which
sometimes proves to have been improper soil, or
want of drainage, or even an ant-bed at the bot-
tom of the pot, any of the above-named evils
sufficiently accounting for its condition.

But I have wandered from the varieties of
Asclepias to which I had intended devoting this
article, and it would surely be incomplete with
the Butterfly Weed or A. tuberosa, left out. It
is not common for this plant to bloom as early
with us, but this year I found its cluster of
bright orange colored flowers in the latter part
of May. The stems are round, very hairy, and
of a reddish color ; the leaves are scattered and
supported on petioles little more than the eighth
of an inch in length ; they are deep green above,
and much lighter on the under side. The flow-
ers are situated in terminal corymbose umbels,
and are brilliantly colored. The seeds, like the
rest of the genus, are furnished with a long silky
appendage. The root of this variety is highly
spoken of for its medicinal qualities, and the
genus to which it belongs takes its name from
iEsculapius, the god of Medicine. As says
Dr. Barton, in his description of it: "I have
seen these three varieties blooming at the same
time this year, and think by massing them and
cultivating highly, a pretty bed might be made
of them for the garden or lawn."

[There are few genera of plants more beauti-
ful than the Asclepias, and if Miss Hunter's
notes should lead to a better appreciation of
them in garden culture, she will have rendered
good service to floriculture. Some of them are
delightfully scented.— Ed. G. M.]

THE RESURRECTION PLANT.

BY MRS. H. E. WHITE, BRYAN, BR.\Z0S CO., TEXAS.

A very odd plant was recently given to me
that is a native of "Western Texas. The roots
and leaves seemed perfectly withered and dead.
I placed it in a goblet of water, and in a few
hours observed that the plant was absorbing the
water and returning to life. The leaves when

246

THE GARDENER'S MONTHLY

[August,

withered had the appearance of a loose half-
head of cabbage. As the plant revived the leaves
unfolded, and, finally, when entirely resurrected,
it lay perfectly flat; the color a rich deep green,
and the leaves firm in texture and arborvitte like
in appearance. The plant seems to be neither
moss nor fern, and yet is like both. After
the resurrection I planted it in earth, and unless
water is kept in the saucer the leaves begin to
curl up. These plants can be kept dried, they
say, for five years, and then when planted will
revive and grow. I think they will prove admi-
rable plants for ferneries and aquariums.

[The plant referred to by Mrs. White is no
doubt a Lycopodium of the section Selaginella,
and which is often brought to the North and
grown in windows. — Ed. G. M]

GROWTH OF TREES IN FROZEN SOIL.

BY J. M. ASHER, SAN DIEGO, CAL.

In your May number, page 151, in reply to
E. F. H.. you say * * * "Again cases, &c. * * *
There is every reason to believe that in that
severe winter the ground in that border was
frozen two or three feet thick; but the grape-
vine pushed into leaf and flower on the applica-
tion of heat with the most perfect indifference to
the frozen (?) roots, so far as any human eye
could see. * * *"

The " frozen roots " is what surprises me. It
occurs to me that for once you took too much
for granted, I have no doubt that the heat
inside that house kept that border several
degrees above freezing where the grape roots
were. I think it freezes harder in Iowa, where I
used to live, than it does in Pennsylvania, and
there under manure piles the earth did not
freeze, and at the edges of the heaps the ground
did not freeze as deep as it did a few feet away.
I think the radiation of heat from the house and
through the border is what saved the vine to
which you refer. If your reasoning be correct,
what becomes of the theory of warm soils, etc.?

If foliation is entirely dependent on the
warmth of the air, what is the good of letting the
ground freeze twelve to fifteen inches deep, and
then mulch to keep it from thawing out in the
spring, and thus by retarding the growth save
the fruit from late frosts? Will not the air
about a tree mulched, say with a foot of manure
after the ground is frozen be practically as warm
as an unmulched tree twenty feet away? I have
never found a cutting that would grow while

frozen, and your willow log is only a cutting. I
have seen many cuttings grow for a time without
roots, but as soon as the supply of food in the
cutting was exhausted it died.

[" Frozen roots " was not exactly what was
meant. The frozen soil about the roots was the
intention ; for we do not believe any vegetable
tissue ever becomes frozen in the ordinary
acceptation of the term without dying after-
wards. There is no more chance for continued
life in a frozen root than in a frozen potato. —

Ed. G. M.]

•-•-»

EDITORIAL NOTES.

Water on Rocks. — Even the continuous drop-
ping of water will in time wear away the hardest
rock. Nothing in nature is absolutely still.
Motion seems an inherent property of matter.
In some cases this motion which seems immova-
ble is greater than we have any idea of. It is
said that the recession of Niagara Falls proceeds
at a rapid rate, the falls having receded no less
than thirty-five feet in thirty three years, while
the centre of the Horseshoe cataract has gone
back about 160 feet in the same period. In
Lyell's "Antiquity of Man," a very important
argument bearing on the duration of man's ex-
istence on the earth is based on the rate of reces-
sion deducible from many observations.

Poisoning by Stramonium. — The Philadelphia
Public Ledger says : " Mr. and Mi-s. Chambers,
Mrs. White and Mrs. Allen reside at 2450 North
Fourth Street, the latter two being boarders.
Mrs. Chambers formerly resided in New Eng-
land, where a common herb known as ' pick-
weed ' is used for food. On removing to this
city she found a plant growing wild near her
house, which she took for ' pickweed,' and one
day last week she prepared some of it for food
for the family, all four of those named partaking
of it. Shortly afterwards all were taken violently
ill, their symptoms being great thirst, partial
blindness and deafness, and a sense of strangu-
lation, with occasional delirium.

"A physician who was called in at once de-
cided the cause of these symptoms to be poison,
and investigating the supposed pickweed found it
to be ' stramonium,' commonly known as James-
town or 'jimson ' weed. The usual antidotes
were given and the sufferers were soon pro-
nounced out of danger, although they have not
fullv recovered from their illness. Stramonium

1880.1

AND HORTICULTURIST.

247

grows abundantly on the lots around this city
and is a powerful narcotic."

Can any of our readers tell what is " Pick-
weed" in New England? "Pickweed" in some
parts of England is a large leaved Chenopodium,
and which is eaten as spinach ; but we suppose
this is not the plant of " New England."

The Origin of Life. — No one who sees any
form of plant-life but wonders if it were always
as it is now. The history of the earth shows
that there has been a succession of forms in
plant-life. Thousands of species have become
extinct ; and yet there is no reason to believe
that the number of species on the earth's surface
is any less than it was before these thousands of
missing ones died. It may be accepted as an un-
doubted truth that plants were not all created at
one time, but that there has been a continuous suc-
cession of created forms. Then we look at a plant
and note that it is made up of living cells. The
matter of which the cells are made is little more
than senseless clay — it is but earthy matter and
gases; but it becomes endowed with some
power of selection and power of reproduction,
and we call this plant-life. How did these selec-
tive and reproductive powers originate? How
did " life " obtain this power over the senseless
elements ? How did life become a part of inor-
ganic matter? And how, when it once got con-
trol, did all these various forms arise? These
constitute what is known as questions of evolu-
tion and spontaneous generation. Notwith-
standing the most careful studies the knowledge
has not yet been reduced to scientific certainty.
There is as yet no evidence that it would be safe
to accept that any live creature, no matter how
simple, has been produced from anything but
had life before; and, notwithstanding the truth
is manifest that there has been a succession of
forms, is there any direct evidence that any great
class of plants has been derived from others that
are gone. They look alike, and we can trace re-
semblances, but we cannot see the truth so clearly
that all must of necessity embrace it.

The Movements of Plants — Mr. Charles Dar-
win, the industrious worker among the mysteries
of plant-life, is earnestly at work studying those
plants which have peculiar motions, and will
probably publish ere long. Though advancing
in years he is comparatively strong and vigo-
rous, and all will hope that he will have yet many
more years in which to continue his useful labors.

Drouth in Kansas. — Kansas seems to be fall-

ing back on its original drouthy reputation.
A correspondent from Fort Larned writes that
not a soaking rain has fallen between the Big
Arkansas and the Rocky Mountains in twenty-
two months, and that the Arkansas River is
entirely dry from Hutchinson westward. Large
numbers of settlers are leaving.

Freezing of the Sap in Plants. — In many
discussions differences of opinions arise from
failure of one side to grasp just what the other
means. A good illustration of this is furnished
by the following from the pen of Mr. Hovey to
the London Garden: "Does the sap of trees
freeze? This is a question which has been in
dispute, and some of your contemporaries here do
not believe in the theory. Under certain condi-
tions, however, there can be no doubt the sap
does freeze, and under others probably not. So
far as sugar and starch freeze, just so far a tree
will freeze ; but the sap does freeze. I have had
strong plants of Tea Roses frozen so hard as to
split open the stem and the exuded sap to com-
pletely cover the wood with a coating of thin
ice; and I cannot doubt that any tree before it
has finished its winter hibernation will freeze
when the cold is severe enough. There is a row
of Lime trees on Boston Common which freeze
so hard in our severe winters as to open the
trunk for the distance of twenty feet or more
from the ground fully one inch in diameter. I
have put my hand in the crack. Yet these same
trees in July Avould show no more signs of the
opening than a mere vertical line of extravasated
tissue. I have recently read in the papers that
trees in the Jardin des Plantes were split from
top to bottom by the frost."

Now there is scarcely a person of experience
in cold countries but has seen trees split from
the top to the bottom by frost. If such persons
still believe that " sap does not freeze," it ought
at once to suggest that they understand by that
something diflferent from what the one under-
stands who calls attention to the split trees.

Now what is really meant is that the sap in
living healthy cells does not freeze. If it did,
every tree in Massachusetts would be as surely
bound to split as the " row of Lime trees on Boston
Common." A hundred bottles of water set on
" Boston Common " would all split if one did.
Frost knows no such favoritism as smiting one
row of bottles and letting all the rest alone-
The action of frost is always uniform under
equal circumstances. But in a tree only a few
outer rows of the woody circles contain living

248

THE GARDENER'S MONTHLY

[August,

cells. All the interior mass of wood in a tree is
simply dead vegetable matter. There is no
reason that we know why crude liquids taken
into dead vegetable matter should not freeze,
and, when it freezes, it will expand. Many per-
sons have seen ice in small spaces found in the
interior of trees cut in the winter season. This
dead matter allows of some expansion, and the
little moisture it contains may freeze without j
any perceptible effect on the whole body of the
tree. But if the interior happens to be spongy,
as is very likely to be the case with old Lime
trees, and a great deal of water happened to be
stored therein, we know of no reason why it
should not freeze, and the trunk buist just as
readily as it would in a bottle.

But all this is a very different question to that
of the freezing of the sap in living cells, and for the
cells to still continue thereafter to possess vital
functions.

man will be increasingly studied as time wears
away, and then the little spot where he worked
so many hours will have a continued interest.

The country church-yard in which he desired
to be buried, so that " the charms of wild nature
might allure the birds to sing above his grave,"
is no longer a "country church," but closely
pressed on all sides by brick and mortar, and is
just in front of the steamship wharf, where pas-
sengers bid good by to America when on the
start for Europe. He was a Scotchman, born at
Paisley, July 6th, 1776, and landed at Newcastle,
Delaware, on July 14th, 1794. From here he
walked through dense woods to Philadelphia,
and shot his first American bird, a red headed
woodpecker, on the road. He first worked as a
copper plate printer, but afterwards as a weaver
at an old mill on the Pennypack Creek, near
what is now known as Holmesburg, though a
part of the great city of Philadelphia. He was a

WILSOX'S SCHOOL HOUSE NEAR GRAY'S FERRY.

Wilson, the Ornithologist. — The little stone
building used in connection with a wheelwright's
shop, in which the celebrated Wilson taught
school, on the west bank of the Schuylkill near
Gray's Ferry bridge, Philadelphia, on a recent
ride by, we see has been torn down.

Through the kindness of Dr. Elliott Coues, of
Washington, we have been favored with a draw-
ing of this classical spot, and have made the fol
lowing cut therefrom. The history of this great

man of fine poetical temperament, though his
poems do not take rank with the works of genius.
He was the companion in ornithological work
with the celebrated Wm. Bartram. Like many
wonderful workers, he seldom had perfect health.
He died of dysentery, on the 23d of August, 1813.
Yucca Moths. — Mr. C. V. Kiley has discovered
a new yucca moth which bores the stem of the
Yucca, instead of the fruit, as in the case of the
Pronuba vuccasella. It very much resembles

1880.]

AND HORTICULTURIST.

249

the older known species, but may be distin
guished at sight by from one to five spots, form-
ing a broad W on the primaries. He calls it
Prodoxus decipiens.

In the course of an article relating to it in the
June number of the American Entomologist he
remarks on a paper read before the Am,erican
Associatian at Saratoga by the editor of this
magazine, and says " Mr. Meehan drew from his
facts the inference that because Pronuba did not
poUenize Yucca angustifolia, therefore it did »ot
pollenize Yucca filamentosa." We are very
much surprised at this presentation of the case
by Prof. Riley. No one knows better than
the editor aforesaid that the Pronuba fertilizes
the Yucca filamentosa ; there is nothing what-
ever in the paper to warrant the charge that
he drew any such inference, and how Mr. Riley
derived that impression is incomprehensible.

The London Gardener s Chronicle did not get
the same impression that Prof Riley did, as the
following paragraph sliows : "A paper, by Mr. T.
Meehan, on FertiHzation of Yucca, which was
read before the American Association for the
advancement of science at Saratoga, and subse-
quently appeared in the ' North American En-
tomologist,' has recently been issued in form of
a pamphlet. It contains a resume of the facts
that have been observed in reference to this sub-
ject, and Mr. Meehan states, as the result of his
investigation, that while Yucca filamentosa is
undoubtedly fertilized by the Yucca moth
(Pronuba yuccasella), Yucca angustifolia is not
visited by that insect at all, and yet produces
perfect seeds. It appears, however, necessary
that it should be fertiHzed artificially or by insect
aid."

Literature, Travels t Personal Notes.

COMMUNICA TIONS.

NOTES AND QUERIES-No. 15.

BY JACQUES.

Dr. Rosenthal counts, among twelve hundred
useful plants, three hundred and sixty species
which are fit for weaving, spinning, basket-mak-
ing, cordage, &c., species which are distributed
over the whole earth, and of which nearly every
country has some that may be cultivated with
profit.

Whenever we encounter decaying vegetable mat-
ter, we observe some form of fungi using up and
appropriating the changed substances of a former
condition to the generation of a new life, — a
change of condition. The absorbing roots of
these parasites grow into the tissues of the host
in the most intimate manner, deriving from a
disorganization of the substances the elements
necessarj'^ to their own being.

Yes, there is a green rose. It is so ugly as to be
worth nothing except as a curiosity. It is a sport
from the Rosa Indica, originated in Charleston,
S. C, and disseminated from Baltimore.

The Greeks were the great lovers of the rose.
Bion's lament for Adonis, translated by
Mrs. Browning, is unsurpassed, if perhaps, we
except the following, also from her pen:

" If Zeus chose as a king of the flowers in his mirth,

We would call to the rose, and would royally crown it;
For the rose, ho ! the rose, is the grace of the earth ;
Is the light of the plants that are growing around it,"

We may add here Mrs. Browning's inscription

for a sun dial :

" See the shadow on the dial^
In the lot of every one,
Marks the passing of the trial,
Proves the presence of the sun."

Another inscription is good— "The Night
Cometh."

Small orange trees, Chinese or Japanese, are
beautiful ornaments for the table, in fact every-
where beautiful with their wealth of green and
golden fruit.

The Grizzly Frontignan Grape is, notwithstand-
ing its want of external beauty, so far as flavor
goes, probably the best hothouse grape.

Mr. Bright, in his "Lancashire Garden," says the
Crocus is less cared for than it deserves. Modern
poets rarely mention it; but Homer, when be
would make a carpet for the gods, it is Lotus,
Hyacinth and Crocus, and Virgil's bees find
their honey among Cassia and Lime blossoms,
and iron-grey Hyacinths and glowing Crocus.
Virgil speaks, too, of the scent of the Crocus, and
Latin authors, when they wish to express a
bright deep orange color, call it the color of the
Crocus.

250

THE GARDENER'S MONTHLY

[August,

The most delicate odor is that from the short-
lived bloom of the male or Wild Grape. No
veranda is complete without its perfume.

Agriculture and horticulture " before that time,
(forty years ago) may be said to be conducted
under a Virgilian system, cultivators adhering
more to blind custom than to reason." — Burnet
Landreth's Post Gardens.

Cowley quaintly says: "The first three men
were a gardener, a plowman, and a grazier, and
if any man object that the second was a mur-
derer I desire he would consider that as
soon as he was so he quitted our profession and
turned builder " — Ibid.

Odors.— There can be no doubt that something
is yet to be learned or re-learned with regard to
scent. In dogs, &c., instinct is credited instead of
smell. The ancients, it is thought, knew or studied
something of this, and availed themselves of the
discoveries, while we pay little attention to it-
There is a well authenticated story of a man in
Philadelphia some fifty years ago charming rats
by carrying a scented article to the regions of
their runs, when the animals flocked to him in
great numbers. Does any one know what his
secret was ? Fenugraek and assafcetida have
been tried in vain. That something must be
done to get rid of these pests, who take everj'-
where a percentage of our i)roducts is palpable-
The individual who can re-discover this lost
secret has as good a thing as the best patent.

Kalm, the traveller, after whom is named our
too much neglected and beautiful Kalmias wa^
among the first to describe Niagara Falls He
gives the height by guess at 140 to 150 feet.
The Marquis of Cavagnal had sounded it, and
fixed the perpendicular fall at twenty-six fath-
oms.

EDITORIAL NOTES.

Trees of Fairmount Park. — The Fairmount
Park Commission of Philadelphia have issued a
catalogue of the trees and shrubs, not of the
whole Park, but of those only which are to be
found within a reasonable distance of the famous
Horticultural Hall. This will be of immense
service as showing the citizens of Philadelphia
that they have in this Park an arboretum of an
extent they little dreamed of, and one of which
they may well be proud. It is doubtful whether
a more complete collection of open-air trees
and shrubs can be found anywhere else in the

United States ; and when we know the extreme
difficulty which the managers of large public
grounds like Fairmount Park have in pleasing
so many people, especially political people, an
extra meed of praise is due the Fairmount Com-
mission for what they have done in the interest
of arboriculture and intelligent tree planting.
We hope they may be induced to go still further
in their good work, and get out some day a
cheap, popular guide to the most notable trees,
plants and shrubs on the grounds. People gen-
erally do not want to know everything as a bot-
anist or enthusiastic cultivator would; but they
like to make the acquaintance of those plants
which have any especial bearing on their pros"
perity or pleasure. A work of this kind, accom-
panied by reference maps, so as to show where
the plants might be easily found, would be a
great boon to the people. The Commission
itself could hardly issue such a work. It could
not sell to some and give to others ; and the de-
mand for them from parties who could not be
well refused would call for an edition that would
be an enormous tax on the Park's resources. On
the other hand, no person would publish a work
of this kind cheap enough to be of popular ser-
vice without some aid from the Commission.
But the Commission could appropriate a couple
of thousand dollars to some competent individ-
ual to prepare and publish such a work, on con-
dition of a certain number of copies being fur-
nished to the heads of Departments, and the
exclusive privilege of selling the book to visitors
to the Park

Phylloxera in Europe. — We have from
Mons. Andre, Secretary of the Central Horticul-
tural Society of France, 49 Rue Blanche, Paris,
a circular letter in relation to the ridiculous
action of the Berne Convention, by which horti-
cultural products of every description are pro-
hibited from being imported into many coun-
tries of the old world, through fear of intro-
ducing the Phylloxera. Of course this interferes
terribly with the export trade of French nurse-
rymen, and they have much interest in showing
that there is no chance of introducing Phyllox-
era, except directly through grape plants, and
nothing else. This is the object of the circular.
The insect, it says, cannot subsist on any other
vegetation than the vine, and therefore cannot
be introduced but by the carriage of vines. We
do not know that the two propositions necessa-
rily follow each other. In nurseries where vines

1880.

.1 ND H OR TICUL TURIST.

251

are grown, other plants than vines may be ex-
ported with some chance galls of the Phylloxera
on grape fibres in the soil. Yet it seems to be
absurd to cripple all other industries because
one may suffer. In our country we study rather
how to conquer insect pests than to shiver
at their approach. Indeed the very difficulties
which insects bring make a richer reward to
the energetic man who successfully labors to
overcome them. Those Berne " High Joints "
have made a mistake by their interdiction.

Prof. Cope and the Academy of Natural
Sciences. — A friend who disapproves of the
peculiar attitude of Professor Cope towards the
Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia,
calls our attention to some points in our June
paragraph, which he thinks does not do full jus-
tice to Prof. Cope, though he thinks they are not
important enough to need correcting. But the
Gardener's Monthly corrects even trifling
errors, for small errors may lead to greater ones.
Professor Cope stated that he lost his position as
an officer of the Academy as a penalty for six
months' absence on a scientific exploration in
Oregon ; and we said that Prof Cope did not tell
the whole story. Our friend suggests that this
leaves the impression on the reader that Prof
Cope may have done some very bad thing. If
so, this seems to be Prof Cope's own fault. In
his endeavor to place the Academy before the
public in the light of obstructing scientific in-
vestigation, he made the loss of his seat in the
council of the Academy appear as a penalty for
absence merely, when it was really a penalty for
absence in violation of rules provided for such
absence. However, that not even the semblance
of injustice may be done Prof Cope, we may
say, what Prof. Cope should have said himself,
that on proper notice to the council a member
may be away for any length of time ; and it was
the disregard of this rule, and not absence
merely, that cost him his place.

The Jessup "fund" does not provide that the
beneficiary should be only two years. The be-
quest was not conditioned in this way. We
should have said the rules adopted for the man-
agement of the fund. Brevity is often at the
expense of clearness.

When we referred to the immense amount of
work done by the Academy on small means, we
referred to five hundred paying members. At
the moment of writing we had the whole list of
members in mind. But a large number are

honorary, — correspondents. The actual number
of annual contributors is only about two hun-
dred— $2,000. But this only makes it still more
remarkable that so much should be done by this
institution, and still more inexcusable the en-
deavor to make the public believe that it is
doing very little useful work since Prof Cope
has had no voice in its management.

Dust in Fishy Water. — The British Trade
Journal, of June 1, has a savage review of an
American work. It complains of a "dangerous
looseness " in the use of language, and finally
concludes that this " looseness " is intentional,
and queries : " Is his entire work to be classed
with those (and there are many) written solely
for the purpose of throwing dust into the air to
obscure the light, that the ignorant and un-
learned may accept some lesson which it is to
the interests of the author to inculcate?" And
presuming that his readers will answer this in
the affirmative, he proceeds to say : " We cannot
think this ; such tactics are only worthy of the
octopus or the skunk." Imagine a fish "throw-
ing dust in the air," or a skunk "obscuring the
light" by his dreadful odor; and all this in a
criticism on the ','dangerous looseness of Ameri-
can language ! "

The Fiftieth Year of an Editor — The Phil-
adelphia Press gives the following account of an
interesting occasion, which, from the world-wide
renown of the distinguished Editor we transfer
to our pages :

"The semi-centennial anniversary of the
establishment of that well-known family news-
paper, the Germantown Telegraph, was celebrated
by a grand reception given by its founder and
editor, Philip R. Freas, Esq., at his beautiful resi-
dence in Germantown, last Tuesday afternoon.
From 3 o'clock until 8 p. m. there was a constant
stream of callers, the visitors including a num-
ber of brother journalists of Philadelphia and
Eastern Pennsylvania, and leading commercial,
manufacturing and mercantile interests and the
learned professions, including judges, lawyers,
clergymen and physicians, and gentlemen re-
tired from active business, all of whom ioined in
paying their respects and congratulations to the
veteran editor who has passed through an edi-
torial career of half a century, which has been
one long and brilliant success. Among those
present were ex-Governors Pollock and Har-
tranft ; Judges Butler, Biddle, Pierce and Allison.
of the Philadelphia Bench ; Daniel Dougherty,
Charles Magargee, Frederick Fraley, Dr. Charles
Pancoast, Prof Thomas Meehan, the noted po-
mologist, a dozen or more representatives of the
old Wistar family of Germantown, and a hun-
dred others. The editorial profession was repre-

252

THE GARDENER'S MONTHLY

[August,

sented by Col. John W. Forney, of the Progress ;
Clayton McMichael, of the North American;
W. W. Harding, of the Inquirer; Joel Cook, of
the Ledger; Col. Thomas Fitzgerald of the Sun
and Item; Y. S. Walter of the Delaware County
Republican; T. T. Worth, of the Lebanon Courier;
Jacob Knabb, of the Reading Journal and Times;
Morgan M. Wills, of the Norristown Herald; the
Brothers Paschall, of the Doylestown Intelli-
gencer; Win. W. Coxe, of the Frankford Herald;
with many others Mr. Freas, though 72 years
of age, is still in the harness, and is probably the
oldest editor in the State. He was born in Mont-
gomery county, in 1809, and at 16 years of age
went to learn printing in the office of the Norris-
town Herald, then published by Daniel Sower, Jr.
Upon attaining his 21st year he went to German-
town, where he established the Village Telegraph,
with 429 original subscribers, of whom only
seven still survive The name of the paper was
changed soon alter its establishment to the Ger-
mantown Telegraph, which it still retains. It was
the first family newspaper in the United States
to introduce an agricultural department, which
has always been one of its leading features. Ma-
jor Freas makes it his boast that he has person-
ally edited eveiy number of his paper, though
often confined to his bed by sickness, and has
written the principal agricultural editorials, and
those racy items for which the paper is noted.
Latterly he has been a severe sufferer from rheu-
matism and is partially deaf, but all his mental
faculties are in full vigor. His principal editor-
ial assistant is his son, John A. Freas, a thor-
oughly trained journalist and most genial gentle-
man, who has been his father's ' best man ' for
the past twenty-three years. The Major has all
his life been a model editor, a high-toned gentle-
man, a good citizen and a true and steady friend.
He never accepted public position though several
have been offered him. He has been named for
Governor of the State on several occasions, and
was offered the post of Commissioner of Agricul-
ture by President Grant. He seems to have
held that the post of honor, at least in the j
editorial profession, was the private station, and
his successful life, evidenced by the honors paid j
to him on Tuesday by his personal friends and i
and neighbors, proves that he was right. Except
the infirmities of partial deafness and occasional
rheumatic attacks, Mr. F. enjoys excellent health,
and bids fair to continue his usefulness at the
head of his paper for many years."

Correspondence. — One of the commonest of
letters is the one like this. " Several weeks ago
I wrote to ask you whether toads eat bugs, and
now I have the Monthly to hand, and no notice
is taken of my communication " Sometimes it
maybe that "several days" was the expression
instead of" several weeks." It shonld be borne
in mind that it takes more than several days for
the editor to prepare all the matter for a maga-
zine like this. Our copy goes to the printer
about the 5th of the month for our reading mat-

ter, and about the 20th for advertisements. It
might by chance be that the editor could insert
a paper or notice a query received so late as the
5th ; but he would be more certain of having
time to attend to it if it came a week or two
before.

The Oleander. — Mr. Shirley Hibberd says:
" This handsome shrub is one of the most poison-
ous of its class, and therefore should be handled
with care, for if the hand is cut when pruning it
a dangerous wound may be the result. In
Dr. Hogg's ' Vegetable Kingdom ' occurs the fol-
lowing respecting it: — 'It is one of the most
beautiful window plants when covered with its
large rose-like blossoms; but in these blossoms
the weapon of death resides. During the Penin-
sular war a number of French soldiers who went
out foraging near Madrid returned laden with
the fruits of their search. One of the number,
with the view of securing some wood to make
skewers for the meat, cut a quantity of oleander
boughs, and, having stripped them of the bark,
used the wood in the meat. The result was that
out of twelve who ate of the roast seven died,
and the rest were dangerously ill. The poison-
ous principle is so subtle that its exhalations
alone are sufficient to cause serious accident,
and even death, to those who recline or sleep for
any time under their influence."

It may be added to what Mr. Hibberd says,
that the stories we have in all modern botanical
works about Azalea and Rhododendron of mod-
ern botany yielding poisonous honey is purely
fictitious. The Oleander was the Rhododendron
of the ancients, and when the name was trans-
ferred to our present plants, the poisonous repu-
tation went with the name.

Introduction of the Moss Rose. — For an
answer to an "Inquirer" we have referred to
many old authorities, and the results of our
search are that Parkinson in his " Paradisus,"
published in 1629, Rea in his "Flora" published
in 1665, and Bauhin in his "Pinax" published in
1671, enumerate many roses, but the Moss is
not among them. It was introduced or raised in
Holland, probably at the close of the seventeenth
century, for Dr. Martyn in his edition of Miller's
" Gardener's Dictionary," says it is in Furber's
catalogue in 1724. We have seen a copy dated
1727 ; it is entitled " Catalogue of English and
Foreign Trees Collected, Increased, and Sold by
Robert Furber at his Nursery over-against the
Park-Gate at Kensington, near London."

1880.]

AND HORTICULTURIST.

253

Faulkner in his "History of Fulliam," says
that Mr. Rench was the first to introduce the
Moss Rose into this country, the original plant
of which is supposed to have been brought from
Holland. Rench lived at South Field Farm,
near Parson's Green, a farm possessed by his
family for two centuries. He was buried in Ful-
ham churchyard, where there is this inscription
to his memory on a headstone — "Under this
stone are deposited the remains of Nathaniel
Rench, late of this parish, gardener, who depart-
ed this life Jan. 18th, 1783, aged 101 years." So
he may have introduced the rose before 1724,
for in that year he was forty-two years old.

The moss rose was first portraited in the
" Botanical Magazine, plate 69. It is described
as the Rosa muscosa, or moss rose, and the plate
is dated December, 1788. Mr. Curtis observes
that, though Miller thought it a distinct species,
Linnseus considered it only a variety of Rosa
centifolia. — Journal of Horticulture.

The Horticultural Authority. — A pleasant
quarrel as it stands is going on between the
Rural New Yorker and the American Agriculturist,
as to where the great horticultural authority of
the United States is located. Judging by what
has appeared in print so far, this great literary
light must be somewhere in the city of New
York. Well, they are all pretty good fellows,
and we would advise that they kiss and be
friends.

The Langdon Nurseries. — These well known
nurseries, established twenty- seven years ago,
at Mobile, Alabama, bj'' Col. C. C. Langdon, have
passed into the hands of his nephew, Daniel W.
Langdon, who proposes to place them on a foot-
ing second to none in the South ; and in this we
are sure he will have the good wishes of all his
brethren in the trade.

Jean Nuytens Verschaffelt. — There are few
Americans but know that famous bedding plant
Coleus Verschaffieltii, which, after all the newer
introductions, remains the prince of the tribe.
The following from the Gardener^s Chronicle, will
have a great interest in this connection :

•'The announcement of the death of this dis-
tinguished and amiable horticulturist will be
received with very great regret by his many
friends and acquaintances in England. M Nuy-
tans Verschaff'elt was the adopted son of the late
Jean Verschaffelt, of whose nursery, near Ghent,
he was the manager, and to which he succeeded
on the death of the proprietor. M. Nuj'tens
Verschaffelt was deservedlj^ a favorite for his
genial straightforward character, while his nur-

sery was one of the most remarkable, even in
that town of nurseries, Ghent. The English
visitor, go when he might, was sure to meet with
a most kindly reception on the part of the pro-
prietor, while the collections of plants under his
care were unusually interesting and important.
M. Nuytens Verschaffelt died on the 30th ult.,
after a short but painful illness in the forty-
fourth year of his age. M. Nuytens Verschaffelt
was an active member of the Royal Agricultural
and Botanical Society of Ghent, a Chevalier of
the Order of Philip the Magnanimous ; but his
best title to remembrance will be his own char-
acter."

Dr. J. T. Rothrock. — This distinguished bo-
tanist, and well-known lecturer at Fairmount
Park, left on the 19th of June for a six months'
study in Germany of some of the special
branches of his favorite science.

Death of Robert Buist, Sr — As we are about
to go to press we have the announcement of the
death of Robert Buist, Sr., which occurred on
Tuesday, July 13th. To his intimate friends his
death was not unlooked for, as it was known he
had been in feeble health for some months past.
We have but space in this number for this brief
announcement, but will have moi'e to say of our
deceased friend and eminent horticulturist in
our next.

The Coming of Christ. — By James Caleb
Mcintosh. — At first we wondered why any one
should send a book like this to a horticultural
magazine for review ; but on glancing through it
we see what suggested it. According to
Mr. Mcintosh, " the last train," " the coming of
Christ," "the" lake of fire," "the end of the
world," is to be during the winter of 1883 and
1884. It will therefore be of no use for nursery-
men to set out any more young trees, cuttings
or seeds; or to make any contracts for over two
years ahead. It is kind of Mr. Mcintosh to for-
warn us of our fast approaching doom ; but pos-
sibly fate may be induced to change her mind,
as she has so often done in the past, before the
fatal day comes; and we fancy most nurserymen
will hold on in hope some good luck will yet
postpone the awful time.

SCRAPS AND QUERIES.

Gardening and Gardeners. — The following ex-
plains itself : — "I noticed in the May number of
the Gardeners' Monthly an editorial in which
it stated that localities in which energetic fiorists

254

THE GARDENER'S MONTHLY

[August,

with a small capital could do well are plentiful,
and I write this to you as an inquiry where such
places are to be found, knowing that you, as
editor, have a good opportunity to hear of such I
places. After being connected with several '
large florists for several years, I feel competent |
to start out for myself; but, as I have only a i
small capital at my command, I cannot afford to
travel to find a suitable locality, which I consider
is the first importance ; so I thought that you
might be willing to give me what information
you can. Hoping that I am not too bold in ask-
ing such a favor, I remain, respectfully, ."

[We have suppressed the correspondent's name
and address, and will simply say that he writes
from one of the largest cities in the United
States, and, from the little we know of it, believe
that, for such a person as we have described, he
would want no bettor opportunity anywhere j
than just where he is. In that very place are
" florists by the score, and "jobbers," " practical
gardeners," "landscape gardeners" innumerable ;
but the men we describe are scarce there to the
best of our knowledge and belief. The city from
which he writes contains hundreds of thousands
of inhabitants, but a friend assures us that
there are not three landscape gardeners in the
whole city that an intelligent gentleman would
seek for companionship or advice if he wished
to have assistance in the improvement of his
grounds. We suspect such to be the case, for on
looking at the list of subscribers to a horticul-
tural paper from that city, we note how surpri-
singly few of the class already there subscribe to
such works, and it shows their indifference to
progress. In short, as to where to locate, our ad-
vice would be to choose some place where there
are already a score or two of those dirty, igno-
rant " florists " and "jobbers," and where by the

contrast your own worth and intelligence could
be readily seen. Where a community is too poor,
or the numbers too few it would not be wise to
make a start. It takes too long to educate such
people. But the want for a better class is in
those locations where there has already been
taste enough to make ignoramuses succeed, and
where the progressive people are yearning for
something better.— Ed. G. M.]

Notes and Queries —Mr. A. Pichard, Talla-
hassee, Florida, writes : I read in the Gar-
deners' Monthly, which I received a few days
ago, two articles with errors I think you will be
willing to rectify. Ibt. Page 183. Communica-
tion by Jaques. I don't know Mr. Jaques, but he
should know that Algeria does not belong to the
Turks, as he said in his article on Locusts.
Befoie 1829, the Dey of Algeirs was nearly inde-
pendent of the Porte, and in 1829 and 1830
France, to avenge an insult to her ambassador
by the Dey, bombarded Algers and put this pi-
rate sovereign out of his throne, and that is why
the system of catching the locusts by trenches is
employed. I saw from 1848 to 1851 the Arabs
(and not the Turks), trying by shouts and loud
noises round their barley fields to drive away the
locusts, but often they were not successful.

2d. Page 184. In the article on Silk Worms.
He thinks ridiculous what he read in the book
called "Lang's Cyprus," that the women of Cy-
prus put the silk worms' eggs round their waists
to hatch. Nothing is so true as that assertion ;
and it is customary not only in Cyprus, but in
Switzerland, Piedmont, Italy and France. I have
seen it done by nearly every woman engaged
in silk culture every year. If Mr. Jaques de-
sires I will give the reasons why, but this will be
too long here.

Horticultural Societies.

COMMUNICA TIONS.

KANSAS STATE HORT. SOCIETY.

REV. L. J. TEMPLIN.

This society held its Tenth Semi-annual Meet-
ing in Hutchinson, Kansas, during the first three

days of June. This was the first visit of this so-
ciety to the Arkansas valley; and as the greater
part of the members reside in the eastern part
of the State, it was a new experience for them to
find themselves so far out on the "Great Ameri-
can Desert." The news had gone out that our

1880.]

AND HORTICULTURIST.

255

country was parched and dried up with the
drought, but, while it was true that the winter
and the early spring had been without rain and
strong winds had prevailed beyond anything in
that line ever experienced before, yet, in spite of
all this, our visitors found to their surprise the
country clothed with luxuriant grass and be-
decked with gay fiowers. Fruit and forest trees
have made a large growth. Copious rains have
met all requirements in this direction. In order
to understand the situation of this locality it
should be remembered that nine years ago the
very first settlers entered this part of the Arkan-
sas valley. On the 13th of November, 1871, the
first building was commenced in the city of
Hutchinson. The country around was possessed
by the buffalo, antelope and Indian, and the un-
broken prairie stretched away in every direction
in gentle undulations till it seemed to meet and
kiss the skies. These facts being known to our
visitors, it is not strange that they were surprised
to find a city of 2,000 inhabitants, with large,
well-finished stone and brick residences and busi-
ness houses, and to see the country in all direc-
tions dotted with groves of trees, some of which
measure from six to ten inches in diameter and
from thirty to forty feet high, all grown within
that time.

The meeting was held in the M E. Church,
which our ladies had decorated with plants and
flowers in a magnificent manner. The whole
rostrum was filled, behind, before, and on either
side, so that when the President was seated, his
face, radiant with intelligence and beaming with
benevolence, looked like a profile set in a frame
of brilliant flowers and vernal beauty. Eeports
of the fruit prospects by the members from the
different parts of the State show that in the
eastern and southern portions of the State
the crop will be from mediuhi to full, while
in the central parts, owing to a late freeze,
it is a failure. The address of President E.
Gale, of Manhattan, was an able setting forth of
the importance of increased intelligence on hor-
ticultural subjects among the rural population in
its relation to the happiness of the people and the
welfare of the nation. Able papers were read by a
number of the members, among the most impor-
tant were one on Landscape Gardening, by Presi-
dent Gale, one on the Apple, by Vice President
G.G. Johnson, of Lawrence, and one on Botany, by
Prof. J. W. Robson, of Dickinson County. Able
addresses were delivered on peach culture by
the young, energetic, and intelligent correspon-

dent of the Gardeners' Monthly, H. E. Van
Deman, of Allen County ; on Floriculture by Mr.
Johnson and Prof. Robson, and on various other
subjects by other members.

Discussions were had on the Apple, Peach,
Grape, Forest Trees, Vegetables, Gardens, Orni-
thology, Entomology, Irrigation and Small
Fruits. Secretary G. C. Brackett, of Lawrence,
exhibited six varieties of strawberries, the best
of forty varieties tested the past year. These
were sampled by all present, and pronounced
good, with the flrst two named at the head of the
list for both size and flavor. These six varieties
were the Cumberland Triumph, Crescent Seed-
ling, Charles Downing, Captain Jack, Wilson
and Austin.

For earnestness, energy, intelligence, persever-
ance and " snap," this society will compare fa-
vorably with any similar organization I have
ever known. The annual report of this society
for 1879, just issued, is an 8vo volume of 460
pages, and is far superior to any similar publi-
cation in the country.

Some of the members claimed it to be the
most interesting and profitable semi-annual ses-
sion ever held by the society. We believe the
influence for good on our people in this locality
will be both lasting and powerful.

EDITORIAL NOTES.

The Nurserymen's Association. — The Chicago
meeting was very successful. Over a hundred
of the best firms were represented. T S.Hub-
bard presided, and responded in a good address
to the welcome of Chicago through Edgar San-
ders. Tree peddlers came in for special atten-
tion. General diffusion of knowledge was noted
as the only practicable remedy. In regard to
making better terms with railroads for transport-
ing nursery products, nothing seems to have
been done. The reports of the quantity of stock
on hand were pretty much as usual, no one
reporting that there was any special overstock.
Mr. Albaugh, of Tadmore, Ohio, was elected
President for next year, and Dayton, Ohio, as the
place of meeting. Among the cultural papers,
the Phylloxera, shade for fruit trees, propagating,
stocks and scions, and similar topics.

The meeting was well received by the Chicago
brethren, and rides round the beautiful parks
and other hospitalities generously provided.

256

THE GARDENER'S MONTHLY

[August,

Camden Microscopical Society. — The last
meeting; of the Society may be called visitors'
night, having been devoted entirely to the in-
Btruction and entertainment of the members
and their friends.

Isaac C. Martindale gave an interesting talk
upon "the germination and growth of Parasitic
Plants." The gentleman spoke entirely extem-
pore, and from the ease and fluency with which
he presented the points of the subject, it was
evident that he was master of this part of the
science of Botany.

He first drew a distinction between parasitic
and epiphytic plants, in that the former feeds
upon and the latter lives or rests only, without
feeding upon the pieces of the host. Parasitic
plants may also be defined or divided into those
which have green leaves and those devoid of
them, those having them assimilate their own
food, while the leafless feed on that prepared by
the host plant. They are further distinguished
by those which germinate in the earth, and
afterwards become parasitic. Those which
germinate as parasitic and afterwards pursue
an independent existence, and those which
germinate, live and die attached to another.

The Common Dodder, Cuscuta Americana,
conspicuous in our swamps in the summer, ap-
pearing like a copper- colored wire, is an illustra-
tion of the first class. Its seeds germinate in the
earth, the embryo of which typifies the future
growth, being of the form of a spiral.

After the seedling has grown out, it finds some
plant to which it attaches itself by little projec-
tions or papillae, which push out of the side of
the slender stem and penetrate the woody tissues
or fibres of the plant it is destined to feed upon ;
then the connection with the earth dies and
thereafter all nourishment is drawn from the
host through the little root-like suckers. The
history of the growth of this plant was traced
through the various stages, and an illustration
given that while the Dodder was a parasite it
might succor or sustain another parasite on it-
self, a fungus which the speaker had discovered
a few years since near Mt. Ephraim, and which
is now known as Protomyces Mnriindalee, so
named by Prof. C. H. Beck, of Albany, an au
thority on this class of plants.

The Flax Dodder is another species of similar
habit, formerly destructive in the flax fields of
our forefathers, who grew tbat commodity for
" homespun." Several other species were des-
cribed, and about one-tenth of those known are

said to be inhabitants of the United States.
Of the class that germinate on the roots of
other plants, and may perfect their growth after-
wards independently, a large number of in-
stances were given, admirably illustrated by
dried specimens from the large herbarium of the
lecturer, some natives of this country, others
from Europe, Asia and Africa.

A very handsome specimen of the so-called
snow plant of the Western Sierras was exhibited
and its habits of growth, etc., described.

Schweinitzia adorata a rare plant (parasitic)
was shown as perpetuating the name of Van
Schweinitz who spent a large part of his life in
the study of the lower forms of vegetable life.

The large order of Orobanche was illustrated by
numerous species, and detailed descriptions of
the life history of the curious plants were given,
and many interesting facts related.

The closing of the lecture was a beautiful diag-
nosis of the intimate relation that the compre-
hensive mind of man may see existing in all
things, of the mutual relations of one being to
another in order to obtain the highest measure
of life, the especial gift of God, and of how the
Microscope can be made to serve a great purpose,
and the study of Natural History open the way
for an upright walking in the truth. Yet, so far
as these investigations and studies have gone, by
the {lid of the highest Microscopic powers we are
able to bring to bear upon the germs of exist-
ence, some progress and development has al-
ready preceded our sight, a gap there that can
only be spanned by a faith in an over-seeing
power, which fashions for the use of his crea-
tures all things that he wills.

The wrapt attention paid to the lecture must
have been gratifying to the speaker, as an assur-
ance that the labor of many tedious hours, the
fatigues and disappointments of many a weary
search in collecting these facts and specimens,
afi'orded so n)uch instruction to those seekers
after knowledge, whose eager faces showed their
appreciation

At its conclusion, remarks upon it were made
by several members, and the attention of the
audience called to those interesting parasitic
plants or microfungi. Cluster Cups, of which large
numbers and dilferent species were shown and
explained by the members under the micro-
scope.

Their meetings increase in interest, and we
predict a large attendance oa next visitors'
night.

THE

GARDENER'S MONTHLY

AND

HORTICULTURIST.

DEVOTED TO HORTICULTURE. ARBORICULTURE AND RURAL AFFAIRS.

Edited by THOMAS MEEHA.N.

Vol. XXII.

SEPTEMBER, 1880.

Number 261.

Flower Garden and Pleasure Ground.

SEASONABLE HINTS.

In most of the countries of Europe, summer
gardening is the most attractive, and most that
is done there is with that view. With us the
spring and autumn are more enjoyable, and if
American gardening is ever to have a distinctive
feature of its own, it will be from efforts specialK^
directed to one or both of these. Our summers
are usually hot and dry, and people are either
" away," or very much indisposed for out-door
enjoyment, except such as may be found in
shady woods, or on some heights where the cool
breezes blow. At any rate we shall not go wrong
by doing our best for good effects with spring
flowers, and it is time to think about these things
now. There is scarcely anything more beautiful
in spring than a bed of Hyacinths and Tuli[)s
well intermixed. The Hyacinths go out of flower
just as the Tulips come in. In the spring Gladi-
olus and Tuberoses can be placed between these;
or if desirable some flowering bedding plants,
and in this way the gaiety and interest can be
preserved from spring to fall. Crown Imperials
are capital things for the centre of small beds,
and the regular bedding plants can go around
them. Narcissuses keep their foliage too long
after flowering, as does the Snowdrop. These
can hardly be made available where regular bed-

ding is desirable for summer. They are best in
odd patches by themselves. Crocus does well
anywhere. It may even be set in the grass
about the lawn, as it is generally over before the
first mowing takes place. But it would not be
admitted uito our best kept lawns. The vast tribe
of lilies come in rather late for spring gardening,
but few will care to l>e without them. Besides
these there are many little items which are noted
in almost all bulb catalogues, from which many
interesting spring blooms can be had. No one
will go amiss in looking well to this class of
plants. The best time to plant is from now to
frost. Mice and vermin are very liable to attack
these roots. Poisoning is the best remedy.

Unless very well acquainted with the varieties
of Hyacinths and other bulbs, it is best to leave
the selection of the kinds to the dealer. The best
manure for all kinds of bulbs is rotten cow ma-
nure. Half rotten stable manure or rank mat-
ter of any kind, is not good. Very rich garden
soil, without manure is better than to have this
matter fresh.

Of Tulips there are many classes. The single
dwarf varieties are very early; the double ones
of the same class come next. The Parrot Tu-
lips, so called from the singular warty edges of
the petals, are the next earliest, and then the
Tulip, so well known for its large, full cups of all
colors.

258

THE GARDENER'S MONTHLY

[September,

The next most popular bulb is the Narcissus,
of which there are only white and yellow varie-
ties— but these so varied in shade and shape as
to afford a dozen or more of single and double
kinds.

The Crocus is another popular bulb, as there
are so many shades of color, white, yellow, blue,
and the many shades between, they make gor-
geous masses in the spring flower garden. They
have a beautiful effect when placed in clumps
on the lawn, where the flowers come through
and expand before the grass begins to grow.
The sloping sides of a terrace are often made to
blaze with beauty in this way ; and besides, the
extra warmth of these terrace banks, when full
to the sun, make the roots flower much earlier
than they will in the level garden ground. Crown
Imperials have been much improved of late
years, and there are now some dozen or more of
varieties. But the old Red and the old Yellow
are good things to have at any rate.

The Snoivdrop is, perhaps, the earliest to flow-
er of all bulbs, being, in Philadelphia, often out
by the 1st of March. There are the double and
the single, both desirable— but the last we think
the prettiest. They should by planted where
they are to remain several years, as the after-
removal, as with other bulbs, is not favorable to
an abundant bloom.

Persian Iris, Ranunculus, and Anemone, are
very popular and beautiful bulbs in Europe, but
do not reach anything like the same perfection
here.

Among the miscellaneous hardy bulbs, which
flower early and are very desirable, are Japan
Lilies of all varieties, and all kinds of Lilies, al-
though they are scarcely to be ranked with
spring flowers, many of them, indeed, not open
ing till July.

Then there is the Allium moly, two kinds, yel-
low and white ; Camassia escidenta, a plant of
the Squill family, and very pretty ; Erythroni-
urns, white and yellow ; Leucojum o'Mivum., and L.
vernum with white flowers ; various Omithoga-
/urns; the American Pancratiums ; Scillas of
various kinds, especially S.Sibirica; Zephyran-
thus Atamasco, and we may add the various
Pcenias. These are all hardy, and really good
things.

As a rule the Lily is planted in too dry or too
hot a place, and this is very much against its
success.

October and November in most States of the
Union are first-class planting months. We must

however, call attention to the great value of
pruning trees and shrubs at transplanting, as
well as hammering the earth firmly about the
roots, in order to have the best of success. In
some cases pruning is an essential. It is extremely
rare that a Holly unpruned survives transplant-
ing in our climate, while when pruned they al-
ways live, even with comparatively bad treat-
ment.

COMMUNICA TIONS.

AMERICAN ROSES.

BY H B ELLWANGER.

(A paper read before the W. N Y. Horticultural Society at
Rochester, J.in. 29, 1880

A monograph of roses, which are of American
origin, has, I believe, never before been attempt-
ed ; not, perhaps, because there has been a want
of interest in the subject, but because of the in-
herent difficulty in procuring reliable data. To
discover the parentage of the various varieties,
and the names of the raisers, has been an ardu-
ous undertaking, and I regret not being able to
present a complete record ; this, however, was
hardly to be expected. Two classes have had
their origin in America, the Prairie, and Noisette
Roses. These two classes give the most valuable
climbers which we have, though our trans-
Atlantic brethren do not take very kindly to the
former. Besides these two classes, many varie-
ties in other groups have had their origin in this
country, several of which are leading sorts in all
rose catalogues of prominence, but our chief
contributions must be considered the Prairie and
Noisette varieties, as introducing new and very
important groups.

The Prairie Rose [Rosa rubifolia), is indigenous
to this country. Seeds of this were sown about
1836, by Messrs Samuel and John Feast, of Bal-
timore. The seedlings from this sowing were
then fertilized by some of the best roses grown
at the time, and from this lot came Baltimore
Belle and Queen of Prairies. The Messrs. Feast,
together with Joshua Pierce, of Washington,
have raised nearly all the varieties of this class
possessing any merit. Though inferior in quality
to the Tea-Noisettes, their hardiness and vigorous
habits, make them of great value when the more
beautiful Noisettes are too tender to be made
useful. As an indication of th«ir popularity we
may state, that next to the Remontant Roses,
more plants are annually sold of the Prairie than
of any other class. Baltinivue Belle when in

1880.]

AND HORTICULTURIST.

259

blossom, gives a display of which any one may
be proud, whethei* the flowers are viewed indi-
vidually, or in the mass. It is much to be re-
gretted, that no further development of this
really valuable class has been made. There is
no reason why we should not succeed in obtain-
ing a new class of hard}- chmbers, which shall,
in a great measure, combine the good qualities
of the Hybrid Perpetual, Noisette and Prairie
Roses. By patient study and care, this may be
done; who is there that will doit? To accom-
plish this desired result, the Prairie varieties
might be made the seed parents, and fertilized
by different varieties of Remontant and Noisette
Roses known to be good seed bearers, and that
are otherwise desirable sorts.

A few years ago, Mr. Henry Bennett, of Salis-
bury, England, commenced a series of experi-
ments in the production of new roses by artificial
fecundation ; selecting a number of sorts among
the Tea and Hybrid Perpetual groups, and seek-
ing, so far as possible, to combine and blend the
several good qualities possessed by each. He has
in this way, founded a new, and what will cer-
tainly prove to be a very valuable class of roses —
the Hybrid Teas. Indeed it is my opinion, that
this group of Hybrid Teas, will, by the improve-
ments which are certain to be made, soon con-
stitute our most popular class of roses. What
has been accomplished by Mr. Bennett, is very
good evidence, to my mind, of what can be done
by us, in producing a class of hardy Remontant
Climbing Roses.

In the list of American roses, there are several
varieties with which I am unacquainted, and the
descriptions therefore, are those of the raisers^
or, where in a few instances it was not possible
to obtain these, they are described by reliable
parties acquainted with the varieties. Whenever
possible, both the name of the raiser, and the
year when the variety was first sent out, are
given.

Prairie Roses. [Rosa ruhifolia.)

These possess great vigor of growth, bloom late
in the season in large clusters, and though the
individual flowers lack many of the desirable
features found in other classes, none are more
eflfective in the mass.

Anna Maria (Raised by Samuel Feast, of Baltimore,
Md., 1843). Color, blush or pale pink, full flowers ; has
very few thorns.

Anna Eliza (Williams). Dark purplish red.

Baltimore Belle (Samuel J. Feast, 1843). While, with
blush centre ; of good full form. This seems to have some
Noisette blood which makes it a little tender in verv severe

winters; it is, however, the most beautiful and sought after
of the class.

Eva Corinne. Pale blush.

Gem of the Prairies (Raised by Adolphus Burgess, of
East New York, 1865). A hybrid between the Queen of
the Prairies and Mme. Laffay (Remontant). Rosy crim-
son, occasionally blotched with white.

yane. Rosy blush, double and finely shaped.

King of the /"raJr/^.r (Samuel Feast, 1843). Pale rose.

Gracilis (W. Prince, 1845). Rose, varying in hue.

Linncean Hill of Beauty. White or pale blush.

Madame Caradori Allan (S. Feast, 1843). Bright pink ;
semi-double.

Milledgeville. Pale blush, tinged with flesh.

Miss Gunnell. Pale pink.

Mrs. Hovey (Joshua Pierce, of Washington). Pale
blush flowers, becoming almost white; resembles Balti-
more Belle, but of rather hardier habit.

Mrs. Pierce (y. Pierce, 1850). Blush.

P%llida (S. Feast, 1843). Blush, much resembling Su-
perba.

Perpetual Pink (S. Feast, 1843). Rosy purple.

Pride of Washington. Deep rose; small flowers, but
distinct and double.

Queen of the Prairies {^.Y&2&\., \'?>.\-^'). Bright rosy red,
frequently with white stripe, foliage large and quite deeply
serrated.

Ranunculiflora. Small, blush flowers.

Superba (S. Feast, 1843). Pale rose, changing to
blush.

Triumphant (J. Pierce, 1850). Deep rose, double and
compact.

There have been a few other varieties in com-
merce, but the above constitute those which
have most commonly been grown, and are the
only ones now propagated. The most valuable
are, Anna Maria, Baltimore Belle, Gem of Prai-
ries, Mrs. Hovey, Queen of Prairies and Triumph-
ant.

Noisette Roses, or Champney Roses.

Rosa Noisettiana, or Rosa Champneyana, or
Rosa Moschata Hybrida.

The Noisette Rose is a product of America,
and obtains its name from Philippe Noisette, a
florist of Charleston, South Carolina.

John Champney, of Charleston, from the seed
of the White Musk Rose, fertilized by the Blush
China, raised a variety which was called Champ-
ney's Pink Cluster. A few years after this,
Philippe Noisette, from the seed of Champney's
Pink Cluster, raised the Blush Noisette, and this
he sent to his brother, Louis Noisette, of Paris,
under the name of Noisette Rose. The true
name, therefore, for this class, should be the
Champney, but the change cannot now be made.

This group is naturally of vigorous growth,
nearly hardy, and produces large clusters of
flowers ; but, through hybridization with the Tea
section, the original characteristics have, in part,
disappeared. The varieties now generally grown,
are less hardy and have nearly lost the clustering
tendency ; but the flowers have much more sub-
stance, and are fiir more beautiful.

260

THE GARDENER'S MONTHLY

[September,

America (Professor C. G. Page, of Washington, D. C;
sent out by Thomas G. .Ward, 1859). Growth vigorous;
flowers large, creamy yellow, with a salmon tinge ; a cross
from Solfaterre and Safrano.

Beauty of Greenmount (James Pentland, of Baltimore,
1854). Rosy red.

Champney's Pink Cluster (John Champney). Very
vigorous; flowers pink, semi-double

Cinderella (C. G. Page, 1859). Rosy crimson.

Dr. Kane (Pentland, 1856). Growth free; flowers
large, sulphur yellow ; a shy bloomer on young plants ; in
the South it is highly esteemed.

Isabella Gray (Andrew Gray, of Charleston, South
Carolina, 1854). Growth free; flowers large, golden yel-
low, full and fragrant ; on young plants it does not flower
fully, and often opens badly; a seedling from Cloth of
Gold.

Nasalina (A. Cook, 1872). "Of vigorous growth;
flowers pink, of flat form, very fragrant ; a seedling from
Desprez."

T/wdf/z^/Ztrj (Anthony Cook of Baltimore, i860) . "Pale
yellow ; a seedling from Solfaterre."

Woodland Marguerite (J. Pentland, 1859). Growth
vigorous ; flowers pure white, freely produced.

There have been other American varieties of
this class, but I am onlj^ certain of those above
Bamed. We hope our Southern Eosarians will
introduce some new types and colors of Noi-
settes ; almost the only ones of value we now
have, are shades of yellow and white. In the
South many Noisettes seed freelj', and great im-
provements might easily be made, by resorting
to manual fecundation I see nothing to prevent
the obtaining of the same shades among the
Noisettes that we have among the Hybrid Per-
petuals.

Bourbon Roses {Rosa Bovrhoniana).

Charles Getz {k. Cook, 1871). "A Hybrid; growth
very vigorous, making a good climber ; quite hardy, color
deep pink ; very fragrant."

George Peabody (J Pentland, 1857). Growth mode-
rate, color purplish crimson. A probable seedling from
Paul Joseph.

Oplitz (A. Cook, 1871). "A Hybrid. Growth mode-
rate ; color fiery red. A seedling from Gloirie des Rosa-
manes."

Rcnno (A. Cook, 1868). Named after General Renno,
of Philadelphia. Color deep pink.

Setina (Peter Henderson, 1859). Identical with Her-
mosa from which it is a sport, except that it is of stronger
growth.

Bengal Rose [Rosa Indica).

James Sprunt (Rev. James M. Sprunt, 1856). Sent
out by Peter Henderson, 1870. Like Cramoisie-Superieur,
but of vigorous growth, making an e.xcellent climbing sort.

Hybrid Perpetual Roses (/?o-sa Damascena.
Hybrida).

Belle Americaine (Daniel Boll, of New York). Deep
pink color, flowers small, but of fine form.

Mine. Boll (Daniel Boll). Sent out by Mons. Boy-
eau, of Angers, France, in 1859. Growth vigorous ;
foliage very large and handsome, of a pale green color ;
spines numerous. Flowers large or very large ; form flat ;
color carmine rose; a free autumnal bloomer and very
hardy: perhaps the most hardy in the class. One of the
most superb roses for the garden.

Mme. Trudeau (Daniel Boll, 1850). Deep rose, double
and well formed.

Charles Cook (A. Cook, 1871). Scarlet crimson.

Contina (A. Cook, 1871). Rosy pink.

// Defense (A. Cook, 1871). Shining red. Camellia
form, thornless.

La Brilliante {A. Cook, 1872). Brilliant red ; raised
from Napoleon III.

Rosalina (A. Cook, 1871). Rose color.

Souvenir de President Lincoln (^h.. Cook, 1869). Dark
velvety crimson.

These are the only varieties I can name of
American origin, though others have been raised.
Mr. Boll, now deceased, who was by birth a
Swiss, produced a number of seedling Hybrid
Perpetuals of merit; several of these were sold
to parties in France, who sent them out as their
own. Among these was Mme. Boll. It would
be interesting to know, whether any among
them besides Mme. Boll, are now famous.

Tea Roses [Rosa Indica Odorata).
American Banner (George Cartwright, of Dedham,
Mass., 1877). Sent out by Peter Henderson in 1878. A
sport from Bon Silene. Growth moderate, foliage quite
small and leathery; flowers carmine, striped with white ;
the form and fragrance of the flowers seem the same as in
the old variety, but in habit they are entirely distinct.

It will perhaps be popular as a novelty, but it
has no intrinsic merit to make it valuable, and
we cannot commend it.

Caroline Cook (Anthony Cook, 1871). Color pink. A
seedling from Safrano.

Cornelia Cook (A. Cook, 1855). Growth moderate,
flowers white tinged with flesh, laige and very full ; not a
free bloomer, and often does not open well, but a superb
rose when well grown. A seedling from Devoniensis.

Desantrcs (A. Cook, 1855). " Color flesh, very dis-
tinct from any other Tea Rose ; a better bloomer than
Cornelia Cook, and a good winter flower. Raised from
Devoniensis.

General Washington (C. G. Page, i860). Rosy crim-
son.

Isabella Sprunt (Rev. James M. Sprunt, 1855). Sent
out by Isaac Buchanan, of New York, in 1865. Sulphur
yellow, a sport from Safrano, which variety it very closely
resembles in all, save color of the flower.

Paradine {.\. Cook, 1858). Canary yellow, small
flowers, A seedling from Le Pactole.

President (sent out by Mr. W. Paul, of London, in
i860) . Growth moderate. Color, rose with salmon shade ;
flowers large, moderately full, much resembling Adam.
Mr. Paul, the disseminator, states that this is an .'\merican
variety, but I am unable to learn by whom it was origin-
ated.

Among the many letters I received in response
to inquiries, is one from the Rev. James M. Sprunt,
D.D., and is of such interest that I insert it as it

came to me :

Kenansville, N. C, Jan. i, 1880.

Dear Sir : — I am just in receipt of yours of the 29th
ultimo, asking for some particulars relative to the origin of
the roses James and Isabella Sprunt.

In the spring of 1855 I removed from my former resi-
dence in this town to the premises on which I now reside.
Among the plants which I carried with me was a very large
and handsome Safrano rose. It had been trained to a
single stem, fully two inches in diameter, and forming a
symmetrical head about four feet from the ground. I
pruned it well back, but the early summer being dry, the
top died. The plant, however, put forth si.\ or eight strong
shoots from the collar at the surface of the soil, and one of

1880.1

AND HORTICULTURIST.

261

these attracted my attention from its dissimilarity to the
others in the color of the stem and foliage. I observed it
carefully until it bloomed, when it proved to be a fine
yellow, all the other shoots retaining the normal color of
the Safrano. From this sport, which was named " Isabella
Sprunt," from one of my daughters, I sent cutting to Mr.
Isaac Buchanan, a florist, of New York, in i860, and it
was sent out by him some two or three years afterwards, I
think before the close of the war, though I heard nothing
concerning it till 1865. (By referring to old files of the
Country Gentleman, we find Mr. Buchanan first offered this
for sale in 1865).

I may add that in the winter of 1856 I took up the old
plant, and sawed the stock into five or six pieces, being
careful to get a good share of the root to the yellow shoot ;
that plant still lives and is quite constant, though it has
had, perhaps, two or three Safrano flowers, certainly one,
and besides, about three years ago there was a fully-de-
veloped bud and flower, exactly one-half of which was like
Safrano, and the other half like Isabella Sprunt. I tried
to Jix this new sport, but it produced afterwards only yellow
flowers.

About the same time (1855) I divided some strong plants
of Agrippina and planted them at my new home. Two or
three years later I observed a single shoot from one of these
plants growing vigorously without flowers or branches, and
as I observed it from time to time, it continued until it
measured over fifteen feet before it showed any buds, the
rest of the plant retaining its normal characteristics. This
shoot branched out very freely the following year, and cut-
tings retained the same habit invariably. I came to the
conclusion that this was not a sport, but a chance seedling,
as the flowers were so very unlike the parent, and the roots
were so matted together that I could not determine whether
it proceeded from the old root or not, without taking up
the whole plant, which I was unwilling to do. But the
wonderful thing is that after the rest of the plant had for
years retained its origmal habit and flowers, gradually it
began to change, until the whole is now like the fames
Sprunt in growth and flower, and no part of the Agrippina
remains. I have written you this statement that you may
judge for yourself, my own opinion having changed more
than once. Yours very respectfully,

James M. Sprunt.

Safrano is, therefore, without doubt, a sport
resulting from one of these strange freaks in
which Nature occasionally indulges. About
James Sprunt, there is less certainty, but I con-
sider it also to be a sport; it is like Agrippina,
only with more substance of flower, and greater
vigor of growth.

The theory of evolution would point towards
this, as an example of how Nature tends towards
progression and improvement as well as towards
variation.

In conclusion I would say a few words respect-
ing American roses of the future. Attention is
sometimes directed to the contributions we have
made to the list of new and valuable fruits.

Among apples, we lay claim to such standard
sorts as JefFeris, Sherwood's Favorite, Baldwin,
Jonathan, King, Ladies' Sweet, Mother, New-
town Pippin. Northern Spy, Peck's Pleasant,
Rhode Island Greening, Golden Russett, Wagner,
and many others.

Among pears, we have Clapp's Favorite, Tyson,

Howell, Seckel, Sheldon, Dana's Hovey, Jones
Dr. Reeder, Frederick Clapp, etc.

Among cherries, we originated American Am-
ber, Coe's Transparent, Delicate, Downer's Late
Red, Gov. Wood, Kirtland's Mary, Robert's Red
Heart, Sparhawk's Honey.

Among plums, we have Bleecker's Gage, Den-
niston's Superb, Duane's Purple, Imperial Gage,
Jefferson, Lombard, McLaughlin, Peters' Yellow
Gage, St. Lawrence, Washington and Yellow •
Gage.

In peaches we produced the following leading
varieties :

Alexander, Amsden, Cooledge's Favorite, Craw-
ford's Early, Crawford's Late, Foster, Haines'
Early, Hale's Early, Morris White, Old Mixon
Freestone, Surpasse Melocoton, Waterloo, etc.

It is needless to mention grapes and strawber-
ries, since, with the exception of three or four
sorts of strawberries, only American varieties
are, in this country, at all grown.

We have probably produced as many of the
leading and best varieties of fruits as all other
countries combined. Generally speaking, this
has not been due to any particular skill which
has been brought to bear, but rather to the great
range and variation in climate, and to quick ob-
servation in discerning and utilizing the varia-
tions which nature, under favorable circum-
stances, is ever producing.

If we assist nature in her strivings for varia-
tion, and turn her laws to our advantage, how
much more interesting and satisfactory in every
way, would be the result !

For example, in the dissemination of a new
pear; a graphic and attractive description, and
the reputation of the disseminator for sending
out novelties of value only, will procure, at least
a limited sale for the new variety offered. But,
if it can be said that the new pear is a known
seedling from Sheldon, or from Beurre Superfin
crossed by Urbaniste, how much more confidence
would be placed in the new kind proffered ! We
know the characteristics of Sheldon, of Beurre
Superfin and of Urbaniste, and we can have some
idea of what their progeny will be.

Much the same laws operate in the animal and
vegetable kingdoms. No experienced breeder of
cattle or horses would think for a moment of de-
pending upon chance results ; he knows that by
crossing this strain with that, he will obtain what
he desires, and will be able in a great measure
to know what the produce will be.

262

THE GARDENERS MONTHLY

[September,

By this knowledge we keep and improve our
breeds of Jersey and Holstein cattle, our Ham-
bletonian and Mambrino horses and secure varia-
tions in them, such as we desire. Why then, do
we not more generally pursue the same course,
in raising new fruits and flowers?

In the production of new roses, instead of
having exhausted the field, as a few writers have
incautiously observed, we have only just entered
it; the future possibilities open to the raiser of
• new roses, is only dawning upon us. Lyons,
France, is the head centre, from whence most of
our cherished roses have come. Mons. Jean
Sisley, an eminent horticultural authority, says
that none of their Kosarians practice artificial
fertilization, they simply gather and sow the
seed, as they would sow a field with carrots, and
for the most part not even keeping the varieties
separate. Nature, unaided, is left to do all, and
everything is left to chance.

By adopting the same practice we might just
as well produce many varieties of value, and I
hope there will be found among us many to
thus take their chance in the. production of new
sorts. But why leave it all to chance?

What more pleasing occupation can there be,
than, by hybridizing artificially, to engage in the
art of producing new varieties, aye, and not only
new varieties, but new types of roses now un-
known.

" This is an art which does mend nature,
change it rather; but the art itself is nature.''

EDITORIAL NOTES,

The Trumpet Vines. — Confusion exists in
nurseries regarding the names of many things ;
and it is well to take every occasion to get right.
Recently we had our attention called to three
trumpet vines, as Bignonia radicans, B. grandi-
flora, and B. grandiflora major ; but the one
called B. grandiflora major was evidently a
form of the American, with larger and darker
flowers. Loudon describes B. radicans major as
having larger and lighter flowers. We suppose
this cannot be that, and propose for it the name
of Crimson Virginian Trumpet Vine. There is
not suflficient botanical distinction to make it
worth while to load it down with the Latin Big-
nonia, or properly Tecoma radicans sanguinea.
There is a good distinction between the Japan
(T. grandiflora) and the American not noted in

books, in the calyx. That of the Japan is green
and thin, that of the American is brown and
thick as leather. We fancy there is no such
thing as Tecoma grandiflora " major." At least
we have never seen but one form of the Japan
species.

Spir^a palmata. — This Japan species has
flowered this year in American gardens, and
proves to be an excellent border plant. It
flowers in Philadelphia in June, and earlier than
the American Spiraea lobata, which it resembles
in color and general appearance. It is much
dwarfer than that popular kind.

American Trees in French Gardens. — The
Bulletin de la Societe Linneenne de Normandie,
1876-77, just issued, has a biographical sketch of
Victor Leroy, botanical-horticulturist, of Lisieux,
from which some extremely interesting facts in
reference to American plants may be obtained.
He was an intimate friend of Michaux, and
received many of the seeds and plants which he
collected, — sharing with Cels and a few others
whatever the great American traveler found.
Victor Leroy died 7th of July, 1842 ; so the bio-
graphy— by Amedee Tissot — has been a long
time in appearing. Leroy, it appears, with a
younger brother sailed for San Domingo " in
1775 or 1778, being then twenty or twenty-three
years old." Among the n)any products of France
which they took to San Domingo is enumerated
plants of the "Bon Chretien" (Bartlett) Pear.
They came to own a few years later an extremely
valuable sugar plantation on one of tlie best
parts of the island. In 1791 the revolution on
the island met them, and the estate of the Le-
roys was ruined. They escaped as by a miracle.
Victor Leroy took refuge in Boston, and became
a professor of languages. Here, about 1803, he
became acquainted with Michaux, with whom
he corresponded to the day of his death. A few
years later Leroy retired to Baltimore, devoted
entirely to botany and horticulture, and making
occasional trips to the forests of Tennessee, Erie,
Ontario, the Alleghanies and elsewhere, sending
the seeds he collected to Paris, London, and
other places in Europe. He made voyages with
plants to France in 1811, 1817, 1818, settling
finally in France in 1831.

Among the remarkable statements is the one
that the .^sculus rubicunda, the red flowering
horse-chestnut, was one of his introductions.
The statement of the Bon Jardinier is quoted
that the plant was raised from a seed given to

[1880,

AND HORTICULTURIST.

263

the Garden of Plants in 1812 by Michaux, with '
the remark that " this is true," but it was given
to Michaux by Leroy, who brought it to Paris in
his voyage of 1811. We must regard its origin
as still obscure, for we cannot think it referable
even as a variety to any known American
species. Among other things, Styrax laevigata,
JefFersonia diphylla, Pyrus coronaria, Epigsea
repens, the Isabella grape " from Baltimore in
1838," many oaks, seem to have been the in- !
troductions of Leroy to France. The Osage
orange was introduced by him through seeds
given to him by Captain Lewis, through an
" American botanist, McArran." McArran's
contemporary, McMahon, has hitherto, we be-
lieve, had the sole credit of distributing this
original seed. " Leroy cultivated the seeds in
the vicinity of Baltimore in 1815, and after being
satisfied that it was a new species he dedicated
it to his botanical friend Maclure." Fruit was
sent in 1820. In 1823 three seeds grew in Paris,
and in 1824 some grew in England. Thus credit i
is claimed for France one year before England
in the introduction of the Osage orange. We
find also from tliis sketch that Michaux had the
double Chinese Wistaria in 1837, from a speci j
men given him by Leroy on his return to France !
in 1831, — so that this plant probably originated
in the hands of some florist on American soil.
By the aid of Victor Leroy, Michaux had an
American forest planted in the Bois de Bou-
logne. The biographer says in 1873, when he
commenced to make his notes, he visited the
forest, and found it nearly destroyed through the
German invasion of Paris. In the park of the
Chateau d'Harcourt, however, a young planta-
tion has been made.

SCRAPS AND QUERIES.

Landscape Gardening. — M. P. D , Zanesville,
Ohio, writes : — " As we subscribe to your val-
uable Gardener's Monthly and Horticultu-
rist through our news-dealer, we thought we
would address you about some books advertised
in the Monthly.

Do you consider F. R. Elliott's Hand-book of
Practical Landscape Gardening complete and a
reliable work, or can you recommend a better
work on this subject ?"

[For a cheap work Elliott's work is a very
good one. If one wants to go into the matter

very intelligently Downing's Landscape Garden-
ing, or Scott's Suburban Home Grounds will be
very useful. Though an English work, Kemp's
" How to lay out a Garden," will well repay
perusal.— Ed. G. M.]

Grass for Lawns. — M. P. D., Zanesville, Ohio :
" What variety of grnss seed would you use to
make a close, firm sod on lawns and small yards
in the city ? By answering this question you
will confer a great favor."

[For your section of the country you will need
nothing better than simply Kentucky Blue
Grass — Poa pratensis. — Ed.]

Ampelopsis Veitchii. — A , Geneva, N. Y.^
writes : " We wish to call your attention to what
seems a great injury to the Ampelopsis Veitchii.
On the residence of George S. Conover. Esq., is
one of the largest plants in the State. It covers
the south, east and north side of his brick house,
with its fine clinging tendrils, covered with the
small leaves peculiar to the young growth and
the large branches covered (interspersed) with
its larger leaves and longer stems.

The vine at its ends last winter on the south
side was winter killed two to four feet from the
ends. But the free growth of an established
plant soon overcomes the slight winter killing.
Recently, on all sides of the house, many
branches of this fine plant have died — the wood
dies and the leaves wilt. It seems like blight.
Has any one seen the same, and is it going to
condemn this variety ? The same thing has not
appeared on three or four year plants."

[The excessively warm days, and sudden low
temperature of last November, injured many
very hardy things last winter, Ampelopsis
Veitchii among the rest. The conditions were
so extraordinary that we may not look for an
early repetition of the injuiy. The other is a
more serious matter. It is the first instance of
the kind that we have heard of. If allied to the
fire blight in the pear, it can be readily ascer-
tained by examination. In the fire blight, the
fungus which causes the disease does not occupy
more than an inch or two of space, and i*s work
can be readily traced at the base of the dead
branch. There where the bark and wood is ac-
tually killed by the fungus it is dark and dry;
above the fungus-girdled spot the wood dies
rather for want of moisture, and is of a greenish
brown. An examination of the Ampelopsis will
show how it is. — Ed. G. M.]

264

THE GARDENERS MONTHLY

[September,

Greenhouse and House Gardening.

COMMUNICA TIONS.

CUT TEA ROSE TRADE-Safrano, Bon
Silene, Isabella Sprunt.

BY W. E. MEKHAN, PHILADELPHIA.

Of the roses that are forced for the cut flower
market.Teas, Safrano, Bon Silene, Isabella Sprunt,
Cornelia Cook, Douglas and Niphetos ; Noisette,
Marechal Neil ; Hybrid Perpetual Jacqueminot;
Hybrid Tea, Perle des Jardins, are the principal.
Others, like Mad. Capricine, Malmaison, La
France and PaulNeron, either have not paid the
grower for forcing, or for some other cause, had, or
will have but a brief existence in the flower market.
The others, it is safe to say, will always be
forced, especially the first mentioned, viz. : Sa-
frano, Isabella Sprunt and Bon Silene, the subjects
of the present articles. Safrano a deep saff"ron
color, Sprunt a pale sulphur yellow and Bon Si-
lene a deep pink.

These three have become a necessity to the flor-
ist and cannot well be done without; Safrano
and Sprunt being used for all and every kind of
work; in funeral pieces, especially, Safrano be-
ing in demand ; its rich saff'ron hue giving a
clear relief to the othewise dead white of the
design. In Philadelphia, not less than fifteen
thousand of these three roses are used daily ; in
New York and Boston the amount consumed is
probably nearly double that quantity, so that in
the three cities there can hardly be less than
seventy thousand roses used daily. Indeed, it
is more than probable that these figures, if an
accurate count could be had, would be found to
be far below the actual number consumed.

Except, perhaps. Jacqueminot, no rose is
"bulled " and "beared" to such an extent as are
these three. In New York, during the busy sea-
son when the price is naturally high, the Avriter
has known it to vary two and three dollars a
hundred inside of twenty-four hours. On one
occasion^ especially, when a great scarcity and
demand was expected, the growers by storage
bulled the roses to fifteen dollars a hundred,
when, in consequence of an overload and an un-
expected stand against the price, made by the
retail men, the figure broke and the roses sold
in the afternoon at all figures, varying from six
to eight. This, of course, caused considerable loss

and sickness among the growers, who could before
the break, readily have disposed of their stock
at a slight advance on eight. Such a bulling trans-
action is not expected again soon. Only once
since that did these roses reach fifteen, and that
was by a natural rise in the market, the crop
having for a long time been short and the de-
mand heavy.

As the prices of these three teas vary so
much, rarely being steady for more than two or
three days, of course nothing more than a
doubtful monthly average can be made. The
following table will give it as nearly accurate as
it is possible for the writer to make it : —

November, First half, per 100 $1.50

Second half, " 2.50

December, First " " 5.00

Second " " $8.00 to 12 00

January 6.00

. February 6.00

March* 3.00

Aprilt 3 00

May 2.00

June 2 00

July, First half 1.50

" Second half 100

August 1.00

September, 1.00

October 1 00

*If Easter, higher. \\i Easter, higher.

Contracts for the whole or certain quantity
of the stock are made for the season, viz. : from
November to May, at three dollars per 100.

The Boston growers have another system of con-
tracts which is about as follows : Nov, $2, Dec. $5,
Jan. $5, Feb. $4, March $3, April $3. The grower
in three cases out of four has the best end of the
horn on either contract, and retail men are rap-
idly finding this out and less contracts are made.
The best Safrano, Bon Silene and Sprunt roses
taking the number of growers, are raised in
Boston. The best individual grower in the
country is among a community of florists on
Union Hill near Jersey City.

Three out of every four buds raised for the
Boston market are Bon Silenes, the city from
which it had its first vigorous send-off. In fact,
Bon Silene is known to-day as the " Boston bud."
In Philadelphia, people asking for Tea Roses,
generally mean Safrano or Sprunt. The writer
has more than once got himself in hot water in
the first year of his business career, by sending
Bon Silenes with Safranos, when " Teas" were or-
dered.

1880.]

AND HORTICULTURIST.

265

It is a curious fact that those who are used to
handling large quantities of Tea Roses soon be-
come so accustomed to them as to be able to
distinguish the stock of the different leading
growers. This is assuming, too, that the stock is
all equally fine Oftentimes the reason of this
cannot be explained The difference is felt and
not describable. Sometimes it is a slight differ-
ence in the color of the bud or foliage, or the
solidity of the bud Of the growers of Tea
Roses there are but few that cut over one thou-
sand in a day, and I very much doubt if there
are any that will average that number from
November 1st to May 1st. The general average
among those who pay attention to them will not
exceed three hundred each.

STEAM HEATING.

BY R. G. PARKER & CO., BOSTON, MASS.

We are very glad to see that our little article
on the heating of greenhouses has at least suc-
ceeded in agitating the new, or perhaps more
properly, reviving the old idea of the effective-
ness of steam in the minds of practical men,
such as your correspondent, Mr. Salter : and as
we have invited such friendly criticism as his
we shall endeavor to the best of our abilitj'', to
respond to hia queries.

The cubical contents of our establishment
which we heat, are about 65,000 feet distributed
in several houses — none of which are glazed with
double thick glass. The average temperature
we require for the stock grown in the houses is
about 55°. The number of feet of four inch pipe
we use would be of no use as a comparison, as
we have considerable direct steam radiation,
and we must affirm that we have found the
steam quite as efficient, and less expensive than
water. The first cost of the steam boiler and
connections is about the same as hot water, with
many things in favor of the steam boiler.

We perfectly agree with Mr. Salter, that the
slow soft warmth obtained from hot water is
preferable to overheated mediums, such as flues,
but we have yet to discover any baneful effects
produced by growing plants in steam heat ; and
we can but think that the reason why hot water
superseded steam in the olden time, was not
from any ill effect produced by steam, simply
from the incompleteness of the apparatus vised,
and its great cost, both of which difficulties have

ion that steam is both simple and effectual for
heating glass structures.

Our fires are attended by the same men who
had the care of them under the old regime, and
have run them two years without any trouble.
Their heads shook dolefully when the steam
boilers were being put in. but now they affirm
that the apparatus has conquered their prejudices.
The fires require to be kept burning the same as
a hot water boiler. We have never had to re-
main by our fires all night ; they are generally
left from between nine and ten o'clock until
seven in the morning. We use an automatic
steam damper, which is really the completing
part of the apparatus, for without it we could do
nothing.

It may be almost too radical to advocate the
heating of glass houses altogether by steam, but
from what we have seen and know we should
not be surprised at any time to learn that some
adventurous spirit had " gone and done it "

Whoever does it, and proves the efficiency or
deficiency of steam, will deserve a medal from
all the Horticultural Societies in the world.

Steam has proved itself the most efficient for
heating other structures,— why not for glass
houses. 10,000 cubic feet of air to be heated is
much the same thing, be it in a church or a con-
servatory ; the only difference being in the
amount of radiating surface required.

As to Mr. Salter's difficulties, they do not ap-
pear in practice ; we consider ourselves as safe
with 5 or 10 pounds of steam as we should be
with the water boiler. The whole apparatus is
built to stand ten times the pressure that we
subject it to ; therefore our factor of safety is very
large. We find that in twenty minutes from the
time we build a fire, everything being cold, we
can have our steam pipes hot ; which certainly is
preferable to waiting two or three hours for it.
Of course the steam pipes are much hotter than
water pipes, but the effect of these very small,
very hot pipes is about the same as the moder-
ately warm very large water pipes. The steam
heating surface can be distributed over the
houses with greater facility than water pipes,
and there need be but one third as much of it.
In our opinion, Mr. Salter's experiment would
prove nothing beyond the fact that, if he were
searching for a comparison between hot water
and steam, and wished to reach a satisfactory
result, he was on the wrong track.
The difference between steam at 212° and wa-

now vanished in our forty years later experience ;

we therefore still do honor to Mr. Loudon's opin- ter at the same temperature, and under the same

266

THE GARDENER'S MONTHLY

[September,

pressure would be very little, — in fact, we fail to
see how there could be anj^ We understand
what Mr. S. means, but does not express, viz. :
that a bod}' of water will retain heat longer than
a body of steam ; that there is two hundred times
as much heat in the water as is in the steam we
very much doubt ; but one thing is certain, and
that is, if Mr. S.'s figures be correct, then it took
two hundred times as much fuel to heat the wa-
ter as it took to make the steam, or to put the
heat into the steam.

The whole tiling may be said in a few words.
Our creed is as follows, viz.: That it is cheaper
to boil a small quantity of water and keep it
boiling, than to heat a larger body of water and
keep it h')t ; and some day not in the far future,
steam will supersede hot water as a heating
medium.

We have combined the two in part of our
houses in such a manner that if hot water has
any advantages we may have the benefit, and at
the same time save in many ways by making
our water hot by steam. As yet, we can see
nothing in favor of the water, while the advan-
tages of steam are many. By heating a range of
houses wholly by steam, the fii'st cost would be
much less, as only one-half as much material
would be required ; it would also be found to be
economical in all ways compared with hot water.

Large ranges of glass are now heated bj' ten
or fifteen hot water boilers, some, we believe, re-
quiring more. The whole work can be done
by two fires. Think of the time spent running
about from place to place looking after the ten
or fifteen fires. We are not theorizing ; we are
merely telling our experience, and Mr. Salter
must excuse us if we do not give his theories that
attention which they may seem to deserve. Nor
do we believe that a greenhouse can be heated
without fuel ; as, in our estimation, a few tons of
coal more or less amount to nothing, so long as
we burn it profitably to oui'seWes. In a well
constructed apparatus the more coal that is
burned the more heat we should get; and when
we have heat enough we can stop the coal sup-
ply of the fire. If Mr. S. should happen in Bos-
ton we would be happy to show him our steam
heating apparatus, and shall hope to be able
to convert him to the true faith.

P. S. — Since writing the above we have re-
ceived the August number of the Gardener's
Monthly, and wish to say that Mr. Bochman is
the " adventurous spirit," and we wish to take
his hand through the G. M.

SASH BARS.

BY W. L. SMITH, AURORA, ILL.

I would like to occupy a small portion of space
in your valuable columns in calling attention to a
new style of sash bar, of which I enclose a small
section for your inspection. My attention was
first called to this as an improvement, by an article
in the Gardeners' Chi-onicle, in which the merits

of this style (or something similar) were illustra-
ted and commented on. Its excellence at once
struck me, and I set about finding some one to
manufacture a lot for my own use. In this I
experienced considerable difficulty, many of the
sash men saying they knew of no tool that would
make a groove of this kind ; but was finally suc-
cessful, and should any of your readers exper-
ience the same difficulty, will be pleased to give
them the names of the parties who are making
them for me.

I might enlarge considerably on the merits of
this bar with the side grooves for carrying off" the
water, but doubtless you and all others interested
in the construction of greenhouses will appre-
ciate them fully without further remarks from
me.

[Bars like these noted by Mr. Smith, have been
in common use about Philadelphia for some
years, where the sash factories have had the
proper tools to make them. They are highly
appreciated by those who know their value, and
it will be a service to W'estern plant growers to
know that they can be had there now as well as
here. We have marked by white lines a por-
tion that would be better cut away. It would
add materially to the light of the house without
interfering much with the strength of the bar.
Perhaps the upper part would be better sloped
for the same reason, though we never saw
it done. It would weaken the bar but little,

1880.1

AND HORTICULTURIST.

267

while a very little here makes a great difference
in the light in the house. In these days when
we use putty only beneath the glass for bedding
it, there is no use for any wood above the glass
beyond what is to hold the sprig used for fasten-
ing the glass —Ed. G. M.]

CYPRIPEDIUM BARBATUM.

BY WALTER GRAY, COLLEGE HILL, CINCINNATI.

In reply to Mrs.R. P., page 237, having no sue
cess with the cultivation of (?ypripedium bar-
batum, it is probable that the roots are in bad con-
dition. I would advise to re-pot the plant at
once in good, rough, fibrous peat, with a small
portion of live sphagnum mo.^s, well drain the
pots so as to allow the water to pass through
the compost freely. It requires plenty of water
wlien growing; in fact, it should never be al-
lowed to get dry. It is much subjected to a
small light brown thrip, which greatly disfigures
the leaves. I have found a good remedy to
keep this pest down, is a little tobacco powder
dusted upon the parts affected. It also requires a
damp atmosphere with plenty of shade.

Respecting the plant of Bryophyllum calyci-
num, — so named from bryo, to grow, and phyllon,
a leaf, — in reference to the circumstance of the
leaf, when laid upon damp earth, emitting roots
whence arise young plants ; this plant requires
very little water and pot well drained. It
flowers best when plunged in a little bottom
heat; and requires a rich loamy soil, which
suits it best.

In reference to a White Climber, I could not
recommend any plant to suit j-our purpose
better than Jasminum ligustrifolium. Tbere
are several other varieties of Jasminums that
flower white and very early in spring, and are
sweet Iv scented.

INCREASE IN THE FLORIST BUSINESS
IN CINCINNATI.

BY W. G.

It may interest some of the readers of the Gar-
dener's Monthly to learn that the city of Cincin-
nati is famous for its florist and cut flower trade
The Cincinnati Floral Company takes one of the
leading parts in this business They have a very
large and extensive arrangement of greenhouses
situated at College Hill, where are grown some
very fine specimens of exotic plants, as well as
plants to suit the large demand for their cut

flower trade. Two large houses are devoted to
huge sjiecimen Palms, Ferns, Marantas, Philo-
dendroiis, Pandanus, Crotons, DiefTenbachias,
&c. Litania borbonica, 12 by 14 feet, Sabal
princeps, 8 by 10 feet, Chama^rops Fortune!, 9 by
11 feet, Areca luteacens, a noble plant, Seaforthia
elegans. a fine specimen, 14 feet high, Cocos
Wedeliana, Kentia belonoreana, &c., also a grand
plant of Maranta princeps. These plants are
eminently adapted for decoration of apartments,
and many species produce a charming effect in
the flower garden during the summer months
when protected from thedirecl rays of the sun. One
house is devoted to large specimen Ferns of great
variety, and another to new beautiful and rare
plants. Two large houses for the large demand
ofSmilax. There is now a very fine house of
Grapes just fit for market. The house is 24 by
200 feet, filled with Black Hamburg and Muscat of
Alexandria. They expect to cut about 3000
pounds weight of fruit out of this house. The
floral company has also erected some very fine
rose houses, probably the finest in the States ;
they are three in number, planted with Bon
Silene, Safrano, Isabella Sprunt, Marshal Niel ;
also a very fine house filled with the very best
varieties of Camellias. Great credit is also due
to the Cincinnati Floral Company for their fine
selections of bedding plants, — the great varieties ;
and no expense has been spared to secure the
very best sorts and they are grown by the thous-
ands and shipped to all parts of the Union. Any
visitors coming to Cincinnati are respectfully in-
vited to see the Greenhouses, &c., and by calling
at the office and store of Cincinnati Floral Con\
pany, 187 and 189 W. Fourth Street, will be
directed to their College Hill establishment,
where they can spend a very happy time in the
beautiful grounds which are kept in the best of
order. I would also say that this enterprising
company was started only two years ago and is
making great progress in their undertaking.
Great credit is due to them for the practical
manner in which they conduct their business.

CARNATION, PETER HENDERSON.-ITS

VALUE FOR CUT FLOWERS

IN WINTER.

by w. t. bell, franklin, pa.

I have been favored with an opinion on this
subject from thirteen difl'eteiit florists, and they
are all favorable to the variety, although two of
them mention that there has been some dispute as

268

THE GARDENER'S MONTHLY

[September,

to the keeping qualities of the flowers when cut.
One firm tested this, by placing one hundred
blooms in an ice chest for ten days, when at the
end of that time they appeared as fresh as when
taken from the plants.

Its good qualities, as gathered from the reports
and from my own experience, are, 1st. The
plant is a strong grower and a free bloomer ;
2nd. The flowers are of large size ; I have myself
grown them with ordinary treatment, two and
three-quarter inches in diameter. 3rd. It re-
tains its white color with greater constancy than
any other variety with which I am familiar.

EDITORIAL NOTES.

The Hardy Hkaths. — It is surprising that
these beautiful plants are not oftener seen under
culture In Germantown, recently, we saw some
specimens several years old in beautiful flower,
the owner of which simply threw a few dry
leaves over them with brush-wood to keep the
heavy winds away. In most winters this would
not be necessary, but it is like an insurance pre-
mium. The kinds we siiw were Erica vagans
and Calluna vulgaris — the last particularly suc-
cessful.

Memorial Trees.— Dr. Rivinius, of German-
town, grandson of the celebrated botanist after
whom the Rivinia or Rouge plant is named,
planted on July 31, 1879, a Purple Beech tree,
and on the same day in 1880 a large White Pine,
commemorative of the birth days of two of his
children. Both of the trees grew remarkably well.
Apart from the interest attached to the planting
of memorial trees, it may be news to many, that
trees can be successfully planted at any time
during the summer season, if intelligently
handled.

A Huge Azalea. — When on a hurried run in
Boston early in the summer we passed over to
Prof. Sargent's and saw his huge Azalea decora ;
one of the finest specimens perhaps in the world.
The writer made a rough estimate of the num-
ber of flowers in bloom on it as 7,000. Some
companions thought the estimate far too low;
10,000 being suggested as the lowest limit Soon
afterwards we had the following note from Mr.
Sargent : " You certainly beat all the Yankees in
guessing. They have just cut off" 7,646 seed ves-
sels from the big Azalea."

SCRAPS AND QUERIES.

Disease in Mareschal Niel Rose.— A., Geneva,
N. Y., writes : " We have a good Mareschal Niel
Rose in the green-house, four or five years old,
which hiis grown and blossomed freely. On the
old wood there has appeared at a foot from the
ground, and also in the top (on two-year wood)
a " blister." The one at the bottom extends all
around the stalk, and is a foot long. The bark
is dry, breaks ofl^ in cork-like pieces, is rough
and ungainly. It has been painted, treated with
sulphur paste, &c., but the remedies do not heal
it, and the whole bush seems fated. Can we do
anything for it?"

[We know of a case of two years' standing •
but it has not seemed to injure the vigor of the
plant in the least degree — Ed. G. M.]

Ants. — Mrs. H. B., Guilford, Conn., writes :
" We are losing all our Pelargoniums by the
ravages of white ants, that eat into the root
stalks and follow up the branches, hollowing the
whole plant. They have troubled us in the cel-
lar timbers of our dwelling house, and we've
tried various poisons without effect. Now they
are in our garden, and we want to know if any-
thing will destroy them. Can you give us any
light on the subject?"

[In the house, scrub the infested places :ind
strew Elder leaves about. For ants about flowers,.
a friend informs us that a very little salt — not
enough to injure the plants — will drive them
away.— Ed. G. M.]

Earthen Flower-Pots. — M. P. D., Zanesville,
Ohio, asks : " I see by the last Gardener's
Monthly a subscriber inquires about earthen
flower-pots, which, he says, he saw in an article in
the Scientific American several years ago. I have
never noticed an article in that valuable paper
upon that subject, but August Rolker & Sons, 44
Dey street. New York, advertise a press for
making soluble flower-pots ; also they send a re-
ceipt for making. I, too, would like to know if
it is a practical machine for florists' use."

Rooting a Saoo Palm. — A Belvidere, N. J.,
correspondent writes : "I asked your advice in
regard to a Sago Palm, with two crowns ; j'ou ad-
vised splitting. I did so, but unfortunately one
had neither root nor sign of one, but I plunged
it in the sand among my cuttings, and when I
left home three weeks ago it had made a growth
of root of two inches, and the crown was be-

1880.

AND HORTICULTURIST.

269

ginning to push. This may not be new to you,
but was a surprise to me."

Greenhouse Bulbs. — E. M., Oxford, Miss.,
writes : " Will you be so kind as to give us in
your valuable Monthly some account of the
proper treatment of Alstromeria after they have
bloomed? I had some to bloom beautifully, but
now don't know how to care for them. And,
about Pancratium. I cannot get them to put
out a leaf. One bulb of P. maritiraum I've had
in a pot for some four months. Its roots are in
beautiful order, new made, and white, but it won't
leaf. I have it potted like Amaryllis. And my
Amaryllis Belladonna ; they're askew. I bedded
six fine bulbs in the spring of '79. Not a leaf
until winter set in, when they began to grow, but
of course were soon killed down bj' frost. This
summer they are dormant again. Now, the
books say it is hardy ; but that would imply, I
should think, that it would bloom a little as well
ai exist, else being hardy is no recommendation."

[At Oxford, Miss., the thermometer would
probably seldom reach 20° in winter, and then
not for long. Under these circumstances the
two plants ought to flower by being left in the
open ground, with a little protection to keep the
frost from reaching the bulbs. — Ed. G. M.]

Paullinia thalictrifolia.— C. says : " Will
some of the readers of the Monthly please give
me some information concerning Paullinia thalic-
trifolia. Is it a hardy shrub ? To what natural
order does it belong, and of what country is it a
native, and in what year was it introduced?
And what is Euphorbia piscatoria?"

Azalea. — Answer to E.— Mr. R. J. Halliday,
Baltimore, writes :

10 Azaleas, Double, distinct kinds.
Bernhard Andre, violet crimson.
Bouquet de Roses, bright clear rose.

Borsig, or Flag of Truce, white.

Francois De Vos, deep crimson scarlet.

Glory of Suminghill, salmon.

Rachael Von Varnhagan, rosy purple.

Souvenir de Prince Albert, white and rose.

Madam Jus Lefebore, dark orange.

Jean Vervane, crimson, white and rose.

Mme. Maria Van Houtte, white and salmon,
striped like a carnation.

10 Azaleas, Single, distinct kinds.

Baron de Vriere, salmon rose, dark spots.

Colons Nova, dark carmine,

Eulalie Van Ghert, pink and blush.

Punctulata, cherry red, striped white and
spotted.

J. Gould Veitch, lilac rose.

Glory of Belgium, white, striped and spotted
fringed.

Pride of Dorking, vivid crimson.

Theodore Prusser, deep rose, shaded violet.

Marquis of Lome, deep orange blotched.

Vesta, Bride, Fielders, or Alba, for white.

Winter Temperature. — Mr. Terwilliger writes :
" In my article, page 201, the lowest temperature
for 1878 and 1879 should be minus 20°, or 20° be-
low zero."

Earthen Flower-Pots. — "Paris, June 15th,
1880. Dear Sir : In answer to a question of one
of your readers, page 172, ' Earthen flower-pots,'
I have published on page 172 of the Journal
de la Societe Centrale de l' Horticulture de France,
March, 1877, an account with culsofthe ma-
chine invented and sold by Messrs. Koenig &
Foltzer, of Colmar, (Alsace,) to manufacture
earthen pots. Your friend and reader may apply
to those gentlemen to have a good machine, to-
gether with mode of using it.

Respectfully, Chs. Joly,

11 Rue Boissy d'Anglais, Paris."

Fruit and Vegetable Gardening.

COMMUNICA TIONS.

NEW EARLY PEACHES.

by h. m. exgle.
This subject continues to be new, as there are
varieties added each year, most of which are to

be earlier than any previously introduced. T
have this season fruited fifteen varieties earlier
than Hale's, viz : Cumberland, Saunders, Down-
ing, Briggs May, Honeywell, Climax, all glandless
varieties ; also Amsden, Alexander, Wilder,
Musser, Bower's Early, and Gettysburg Seedling;

270

THE GARDENER'S MONTHLY

[September,

all with leaves having globose glands ; and Bea-
trice, Louise and Rivers, having reniform glands,
all in the same orchard, now in its fifth year.

The result of another season has strengthened
my conviction that on our grounds Cumberland
is the earliest peach yet fruited, closely followed
by Saunders and Downing, with Alexander,
Amsden and Musser very little behind Wilder,
although ripening some fruit nearly as early as
any. continued to ripen much longer, so as to
close with Rivers and Louise, which came in
fully two weeks behind the earliest varieties.
Early Beatrice coming between.

The season being unusually early, we picked
the first ripe specimens from Cumberland on
June 24th, and marketed the first bushel June
26th, and to-day, July 23d, we pick the last Wil-
der, Louise and Rivers, while Hale's will barely
be ripe by Aug. 1st. The other new early sorts
which are growing on our grounds, and which we
expect to fruit in a year or two at most, are E
Canada, Early Rose, Hyne's Surprise, Ash by 's
Early, Baker's Early, Brice's Early, Early Lydia,
Nectar, Gov. Garland, Waterloo, and McKain's
Early, all having globose glands, except Early
Lydia, which is glandless and Waterloo, which
has reniform glands. I make this distinction
that they may be recognized, as the glandless va-
rieties, are invariably weaker growers, and the
leaves and young wood are more or less subject
to mildew on some soils and during some sea-
sons. We are indebted to Mr. T. V. Munson, of
Denison, Texas, and to Mr. Hynes, of West Plains,
Missouri, for most of the aforenamed varieties
which have not yet fruited. Mr. Munson has
])robably the largest collection of quite early
peaches in the country, which he is testing with
the view of making public the results of his ex-
l)erience. In an article published in the Deni-
son Daily News of June 20th, 1880, he says, "the
present season has been a peculiar one, retard-
ing tne maturity of the extra early varieties,
while the later came on in unusual season.
This has thrown the ripening of nearly all vari
eties up to Hale's Early, into a heap. It has
been noticed, too, that the old. well-established
trees have ripened fruit much earlier, and of
larger size, than young trees of the same variety."
Our experience this season is that they were un-
usually early, and will leave, apparently, a lar-
ger gap between the quite early and later ones
than at any previous season since these quite
early peaches have been fruiting.

Some of our friends who have fruited Wilder, re-

ported it as filling the season between the quite
early kinds and Hale's, but with us it invariably ri-
pened as early as Alexander and Amsden, but
continued its crop a little longer. Bower's Early
and Amsden on the same tree showed the latter
to be several days earlier. In our orchard of
several hundred trees, about 75 were in full
fruiting, many being entirely overloaded. The
crop was unusually fine, high colored, and with
the exception of a few trees, quite free from rot,
while Hale's not yet ripe is rotting considerably.
I am not sanguine that these early kinds will
continue exempt from rot, but may we not rea-
sonably hope that some of them will? All these
early kinds thus far fruited are, like Hale's, half
clings, and no doubt, seedlings from it, except
Rivers seedlings, which are of a different class,
and which we shall discard, Beatrice being too
small and the others too tender for market.

New early varieties are still being introduced,
and we shall continue to collect and test them as
fast as we can, in order to prove, if possible, which
is the earliest peach. Meanwhile, we look forward
for a freestone as large and fine as " Mountain
Rose," and as early as the earliest.

THE OLD SECKEL PEAR.

BY JAFET.

I had heard from a friend, of the old, original
accidental seedling, the parent stock of all of that
ilk extant, and the story gradually infected my
imagination. It began to haunt me. I saw it —

"In my mind's eye, Horatio," —

standing like a sentinel down there in " The
Neck " among the dikes and ditches ; living
through slow and patient history ; watching
through its " two hundi-ed years," so the story
goes, and listening to the hum and stir of distant
life in the Quaker metropolis, and the growing
traffic of the two rivers that washed the meadow's
foot more than one hundred and fifty years from
this 31st day of July, 1880.

" More than one hundred and fifty years ago"
— say the "Neckers" — the first dike was thrown
up to reclaim the meadows on which they and
their fathers' fathers have lived and moved and
had their being ; fighting the waves at spring tides,
and the rheumatiz' more at their leisure ; but
never much troubled with a dry time, even
though there be but a fraction of an inch of rain-
fall in a month, or a whole dry summer never so
long.

It is a fat land down there, and has its bless-
ings and its drawbacks like other places. A

[1880.

AND HORTICULTURIST.

271

hardy race grows and thrives, and feeds others
out of the rich alluvial, but lays its bones away
on higher ground, for

" water is a sore decayer of your whorson dead body."

And SO they lay them down at last, on green
and gravelly slopes, afar from the music of the
singing birds of their household groves ; and so
their sons and sons' sons have come and warmed
the old homes and kept the old names and man-
sions awhile in the meadows, and then followed
on to the narrow house in the higher ground.
But this is wandering from the old Pear tree.
That, I had some trouble to find, of which more
anon.

The " facts" above stated, expressed more in
the local vernacular, I had from an old Necker,
who did not dream himself, but set his listener
dreaming.

Who munched the pear, and thoughtlessly
dropped the core over the side of what vessel, as
she passed the "Back Channel? And when?
It must have been between 1682 and 1720 ; for
that core floated to ftist land, seeded and inaugu-
rated its celebrated distinct variety far inside the
old dike that more than one hundred and fifty
years ago first barred back the waters from their
accustomed flats. May it not as likely have
been in the first named year as at any time
in the interval between that and the latter? For
what is thirty-eight years, more or less, in the
life of a pear tree, whose " more than one hun-
dred and fifty years" have to-day been resolved
out of its indefinite past? And who shall say it
was not Penn himself, as likely as any of his
fellow- voyagers, — or as those in the few following
years, — who cast overboard the unconscious seed
of the land-mark of the two centuries then to
come ?

Up to the day noted in the first paragraph, I
had never seen the object of my lately awakened
enthusiasm. Nothing would do until I could set
eyes on it, if yet standing ; and if not, alas what
had I thoughtlessly neglected, for a lifetime !
My friend had described it as " still standing
fifteen years ago, but with one-half decayed off
the trunk, the balance a mere shell, supported
by props, and piously guarded with posts and
rails," ready to foil and pass away forever. He
gave me a verbal notion of the direction and dis-
tance, relying more upon a reference for par-
ticulars to his description of his own visit
published long ago in the Gardener's Monthly.
Neglecting this at the time, I was not aware of
its more particular reference to exact locality.

His interesting article is well worth reading, and
will be found in vol. 7, page 44, Feb. 1865.

I had, therefore, a loose notion of the general
locality, comprising, perhaps, a couple of square
miles, anywhere within which it might be, and
over which I might have to roam vaguely and
guessingly. In that area there were, possibly,
many descendants of the old patriarch pear,
themselves aged ; and one might risk being
sentimental over some decayed sample of several
generations later than the real, simon-pure-
great-great-grandfather of them all. My friend's
verbal directions were months old, and, refracted
by my own unsafe keeping, were, as a guide,
about as reliable as young Launcelot's directions
to Old Gobbo.

" Old Gobbo — Master young gentlemau, I pray you
which is the way to Master Jew's?

Launceloi— Turn up ou your right hand, at the next
turning, but at the next turning of all, on your left;
— marry, at the very next turning turn of no hand, but
turn down indirectly to the Jew's house."

Thus prepared (?) for the search, I started for
it overland, on the hottest day of this hottest of
Julys ; but was driven back bj'- the heat, fatigue
and uncertainty of location, reinforced by grow-
ing lateness of the hour. So on the last day of
Jul}' I tried my second parallel, and attempted
to flank the position by water, taking the little
steamer at foot of Chestnut street, Schuylkill.
Making a demoralized landing at a rotten, half
burnt, plankless oil wharf, I reached land by
perilous gymnastics over the tops of bare wharf
piles, and formed again in good order. But a
Necker's " half mile" is a fall mile and a half I
walked to and fro four miles, prospecting around,
and brought up at a country hotel on the " Old
Eope Ferry Eoad," corner of a lane. Eeader,
don't try my route, but take the one I found, out
since. It is very simple. A stage from Peter
Wright & Sons, 307 Walnut street, goes all the
way twice a day, passing this point ; fare 75 cts.
round trip. And so cut your eye teeth on my
experience. It is easier.

A busy ostler was sponging a critter at a
trough. We had a talk.

Jafet — How long have you lived in these parts ?

Ostler — Boy an' man, all my life, — some forty
year.

Jafet — Then perhaps you know of a very old
pear tree somewhere in this region.

Ostler — The old Seckel d'ye mean ! Know it ?
I sh'd think I orter; many's the pear I've had
oft'n it too. D'ye see that lane right wher' yer
standin'? That big yaller house down ther's John

272

THE GARDENER'S MONTHLY

[September,

Bastian's, and he has the old Seckel, if't has'nt
blowed over. But stop, mister, tha' don't ripen
jist yit, if that's wot yer goin' fer.

To think I shoald reach Mecca in this unsenti-
mental way, and not on a cloud, or the back of
a camel !

I found Mr. Bastian sitting on his porch. He
received me very kindly, and directed me to the
identical spot. Sure enough, there stood the
ancient of days and its surroundings, '' the old
stone house, the sloping meadow and the ditch."
Eureka !

The half trunk was a mere shell when Mr.
Bastian first knew it forty years ago, and he says
it was "much the same as now.'' At least half
the circumference is gone. At 3 feet 6 inches
from the ground, it measures 5 feet 4j inches
around the half trunk and across the exposed
diameter. The diameter, Irom bark to bark
is 23J inches. I estimate the full circumfer-
ence when whole and sound, as having been
at least 6 feet 6 inches, 3J feet from the ground.
The fraction of all that remains of the old storm-
beaten, ancestral Seckel Pear is 26 feet in height.
It had about one peck of pears, when I saw it.

The old stone house must be one himdred and
fifty years old. It is of one story and attic, and
the walls are like a fort in thickness. Mr. Bas-
tian now lives in his more commodious mansion
near by on a rising ground. His son, who was
born in the old stone homestead, lives there now
with his family. There are many very old
homesteads all through the Neck. They are
perhaps, with the exception of the old Swedes
Church, among the oldest buildings remaining
in the city. Mr. Bastian has owned the old
Seckel farm forty years. At the time he moved
there the late Thomas P. Cope told him that the
Seckel family had known the old tree for eighty
years. Eighty plus forty makes one hundred
and twenty years to begin on. Perhaps some
one reading this article can furnish data of an
earlier experience, going backward from the
year 1760, which this gives us, — and so verify the
tradition of " more than one hundred and fifty
years and perhaps two hundred."

EDITORIAL NOTES.

Ripening of Raspberry Canes.— When we come
to inquire whether a Raspberry or Blackberry
is hard3% it simply comes to asking whether any
grower's plants are healthy. The Raspberry and

Blackberry are naturally natives of very cold
countries, and if the plants have their natural
vital powers, are able to stand any degree of tem-
perature they are likely to meet with in most
parts of the United States. It is only when
these vital powers become enfeebled that they
succumb, and when thus enfeebled, even a white
frost may be enough to render them "not
hardy." Unfortunately this fact has not been
made prominent, and hence little is known of
those enfeebling causes. Yet it has been long
enough known that kinds perfectly hardy in the
severest weather come in time to be very tender;
and this is especially true of those kinds related
to the Rubus Idseus of Europe. Sometimes the
vital power is weakened by the attacks of fungi on
the leaves, at others on the roots, and then in-
sects on the roots may be as bad as fungi.

LiTiz Apple. — This was distributed some
twelve years ago by Jacob Miller of Litiz, Pa.
A specimen before us, Aug. 4th, shows it to be a
very good summer apple. It is medium size,
and belongs to the class of light colored apples,
of which Primate, Cooper's Early, and Carver
are illustrations.

Mexican Vegetables, — Mr. W. H. Dougherty,
of the Philadelphia Academy of Natural Sciences,
brought from Mexico, last winter, some dried
specimens of a fruit known in Mexican markets
as Chiote. It was about the size of one's fist,
prickly on the outside, and contained one or two
seeds as large as a Lima bean. It belongs to
to the Cucumber family, and proved to be the
Hanburia Mexicana of botanists. There are
probably many of these Mexican vegetables
that would be worth introducing here.

The Susquehanna Peach. — As showing the
variation in the great fruit belt of the United
States, it may be noted that the Susquehanna
peach, which in its native home in Central
Pennsylvania is a September peach, is ripe at
the end of July in southern Georgia.

The Seckel Pear. — There are few who eat a
Seckel pear but feel a sort of gratitude to the
originators for the delicious morsel, and a natu-
ral desire to know all possible about its origin.
A correspondent favors us with a sketch of the
original tree, and an account of his pilgrimage to
the place of its birth, which we are sure will be
read with great interest. Our publisher has had
the old seckel pear tree photographed, and an
engraving made from it for this number.

i

1880.]

AND HORTICULTURIST.

273

The Kirkwood Strawberry. — This variety is
said by some of the cultivators to be " a remark-
able strawberry."

A Nebraska Fruit Farm. — The fruit farm of
ex-Governor Thomas of Brownsville, Nebraska,
contains 500 bearing apple trees, 5,000 bearing
grapes, 200 bearing chestnut trees, and small
fruits in immense quantities.

The Cream of the Strawberries. — Under
this head Mr. Peter Henderson has issued a
beautiful colored plate, showing Glossy Cone,
Harvey Davis, Black Giant, Jucunda, Seth Boy-
den, Monarch of theWest, Sharpless and President
Lincoln. The two last occupy the place of honor
in the centre of the plate, being much the lar-
gest. President Lincoln appears to the best ad-
vantage on a picture, because it is a cock's comb
shape, but we suppose a dozen Sharpless would
really outweigh a dozen President Lincoln.

Trapping Dogs and Cats. — An English judge
says: "Where a defendant caused traps scented
with strong smelling baits to be placed on
his land, so near to the plaintiff's house as to
influence the instinct of the plaintiff's dogs and
cats, and draw them irresistibly to destruction,
it was held that the defendant was answerable to
the plaintiff for the injuries sustained, although
he had no intention of injuring the plaintiff par-
ticularly; and it was also held that he (defend-
ant) would be responsible for injuries sustained
by any dogs (or cats) tempted from the highway
or public paths to the traps on defendant's land,
for he had no right to invite'them there for the
purpose of destroying them."

Grapes in Grape Houses. — From an excellent
article in Mr. Robinson's Gardening Illustrated,
we have the following about mildew, which will
be of service to some of our grape growers :
'' Before proceeding further, I would caution
amateurs against the too free use of the syringe.
It should be remembered that this instrument
is merely a means provided for counteracting
undue aridity in the atmosphere; therefore
never employ it in dull, cloudy weather; and
syringe early, so that every particle of moisture
dries off by night. The syringe used w^ith
discrimination has great value ; but in the hands
of seme it proves rather an enemy than a friend.
Mildew, that worst of all enemies of the grape
grower, will quickly make its appearance when
excessive use is made of the syringe. This
pest, unlike the red spider, only comes when a
too damp, stagnant atmosphere is maintained;

it will, therefore, be seen that the vine grower
must at all times seek to preserve a happy
medium, avoiding the extremes of aridity and
saturation. The mildew, however, makes its
approach in such an insidious manner, and,
when once in full possession, is so difficult to
dislodge, that the inexperienced grower too fre-
quently has to suffer great loss and vexation
before he can destroy it. The best way is to
hinder its approach, which may easily be accom-
plished in the following manner: — As soon as
the berries are as large as No. 1 shot, mix up
some flowei's of sulphur into a paste, and then,
having stirred it into a pail of water, syringe the
vines with it. It is not the great quantity of
sulphur that is needed, but rather its equal dis-
tribution. A few grains on each leaf is enough.
Be careful never to use black sulphur, the em-
ployment of which may cause the most disas-
trous consequences; and do not apply sulphur
of any kind until the berries are fairly swelling.
Many a crop of grapes has been ruined by dust-
ing or syringing with sulphur before the skin of
the berry has become thick enough to bear its
application."

Popular Strawberries. — The following is the
list of strawberries for which premiums were
offered by the New York Horticultural Society ;
and it gives some idea of the great number of
kinds that have some popularity about the city
of New York : Beauty, Black Defiance, Captain
Jack, Champion, Charles Downing, Col. Cheney,
Cumberland Triumph, Duncan, Duchesse, Forest
Rose, Green Prolific, Great American, Hovey's
Seedling, Kentucky, Kerr's Prolific, Jucunda,
Lennig's White, Monarch of the West, Nicanor,
Pioneer, President Lincoln, Prouty's Seedling,
Seth Boydon, Sharpless, Sterling, Triomphe de
Gand, Wilson, President Wilder.

European Peas. — We think it about time
American pea growers set about raising tlieir own
varieties, so as to have kinds suited to our hot
and dry climate. We had the opportunity of
noting many of the celebrated English early
kinds growing side by side this season, and none
of the much vaunted novelties were equal to the
Daniel O'Rourke, also an European. Of course
every leading American seedsman has his "extra
early," but we do not understand that they put
these out as distinct kinds.

Early Strawberry. — The Belgians say their
best early Strawberry, and one veiy useful for
forcing, is Louis Vilmorin.

274

THE GARDENER'S MONTHLY

[September,

QUERIES.

IsHAM Sweet Apple. — Messrs. Baird & Tuttle
say that " Isham Sweet Avas sent out by F. K.
Phoenix about four years ago. Origniated with
Mr. Isham, of Delaware, Wis. We have seen the
fruit, and believe it possesses qualities which no
other apple of its season has. Mr. Phoenix re-
garded it very highly, and thought it was destined
to occupy a high position among apples. It has
been tested in Minnesota, Vermont, and in many
other States, and so far reports have been very

will you recommend other early varieties for
table use, as we wish to plant a new vineyard.
We grow Catawbas and Concords in large quan-
tities."

Questions in Fruit Culture. — Not having had
time to reply personally to the following ques-
tions, we give them here, hoping some of our
readers will help the writer :

" At the last meeting of our Horticultural So-
ciety I was appointed as correspondent with
Eastern Pomologists concerning the blight or in-
sects that affect our orchards. At present the

favorable. It is a seedling of Bailey Sweet from
Southern Wisconsin, fruited eight years. Fruit
large, fine, red, more oblong than its parent, a
good grower, very hardy and very productive ;
of much finer grain, more juicy and a much bet-
ter keeper than the Bailey Sweet; quality best.
Keeps through winter."

The Brighton Grape. — The grape referred to
below by a correspondent is probably the
Brighton. It is a really good table grape. The
varieties of grapes are so numerous that it is not
easy just now to name " the best." " I would
like to know if the New Brighton grape is as
fine a table grape as the originator claims, and

sweet.

Aphis is destroying our apple crop, which
promised one of the largest ever had in Oregon.
The ends of the limbs and leaves are, not figura-
tively, but literally covered with the pest. Last
year they were on the younger trees ; this year
young and old alike are covered by thousands
and millions of them. In their first stage they
are green, afterward many black ones with wings
are seen, and on a sunny day a misty cloud of
these latter floats through the orchard. The leaves
of the part covered curl up, and the young fruit
falls. Hardly any but apple trees as yet are in-
fested, and so far this green fly is confined to the
timber part of the valley; in the prairies, thirty

[1880,

AND HORTICULTURIST.

275

or forty miles from here, they have not made
their appearance yet.

For three or four years back we had the
bark louse, that threatened destruction to our
fine orchards, of which Oregon was so justly
proud; but they have mostly left. Washing the
trunks and limbs as far as possible with lime and
salt was found to be a good remedy. And now
comes the Aphis. Will our orchards have the
common fate of those of the older States ? Is
the glory of them departed? Is our pride in,
and the admiration of strangers of our large
and beautiful red apples gone from us? It
almost looks so. We have plenty of virgin soil
for new orchards, and yet we have not the apples
of former years. Nurserymen, too, complain
that the trees in the nursery will not make the
growth of three or four feet the first year, as of
old. Fresh imported stock and scions have done
some better. It would almost seem soil and
climate had been exhausted by the enormous
crops of our young orchards.

Now, we would propound the following ques-
tions :

1. What produces the Aphis ?

2. What remedy can be applied to a large
orchard of say fifty acres? Strong tobacco juice
has been tried ; it kills, but the fly comes again
in a few days. The eggs don't seem to be affected
by the application.

3. How long will this pest probably last? Will
they run oat with this year's over-population ?

4. When is the best time to apply a cure
against them?

Mr. Editor, can you answer these questions?
Can j'ou throw any light to us, and probably to
others, on this very important subject? Orchard
ing is with many here in Oregon their sole occu-
pation, and a break in this is a serious matter
with them, hence the solicitation.

Henry Miller."
Portland, Oregon, Jmie, 1880.

The Parnell Peach. — J. H. P., West Point,
Ga., writes : " I send you to-day a present of one
small crate of a new variety of peach, originated
by me here, and called the Parnell last Saturday
by the Atlanta, Ga., Pomological Society at their
last meeting. They pronounced it by vote a
valuable acquisition. It comes in at the same
time or earlier than Hale's Early ; it is a freestone
peach, of fine color, and does not rot. I would
be much obliged if you would give it an editorial
in your August number. The box is marked
prepaid, so please send the account to me if

there are any charges on it, as I lost a very
valuable specimen last year when you refused to
take the box of peaches, and they were paid be-
fore they left here."

[These peaches weighed two ounces, were of a
dark rose color, very juicy, excellent flavor, and
with a very small, quite free stone, and were ex-
amined July 7th. It seems to us to be a very
promising early variety, so far as one may judge
from fruit alone.

It may be proper here to repeat what we have
so often said, that any one sending packages to
the editor should address them "Thomas Meehan,
German town, Phila.. Pa. Paid through." We
have scarcely had a case where the box was not
marked " paid through" that the Adams' Express
Company has not insisted that the package was
wholly unpaid, or only in part paid. On the
particular parcel referred to by J. H. P., $1.60
was demanded. No doubt our correspondents
would be all willing to pay all over again if we
would receive the parcels and " send them the
accounts;" but the trouble and seeming "small-
ness" of writing to say that "you owe me a
quarter," and so on, is too much for our time and
self-respect, especially when all this may be
avoided by writing on the box "paid to destina-
tion," when pre-paying it. We must adhere to
our rule to refuse all packages on which pay-
ment is demanded. — Ed. G. M.J

Fruit Culture in Alabama. — A correspondent
from Mobile saj's : "I do not see why some of
the people of Philadelphia do not settle on some
of our railroad lands. We have a healthy climate,
remarkably favorable natural advantages for fruit
growing, and land as cheap and good as can be
obtained anywhere in the Union."

Bowers' Early Peach. — M. & M., Frederick,
Maryland, July 12th, write : " We send you this
morning a small box of Bowers' early peaches
for inspection ; could have sent you some a week
ago, but not perfect specimens. They are from
three to five days ahead of Alexander and Ams-
den, growing alongside of them, and nearly as
much ahead of Wilder ; the only one of Mr.
Engle's peaches that fruited for us this season.
In size they are larger than Amsden and Wilder,
and about the same as Alexander, which they
resemble very much in appearance. In quality
we leave you to judge of their respective merits."

[Like most of this class these were sub-clings,
weight 3 ounces, circumference 7 inches, juicy
and excellent.— Ed. G. M.]

276

THE GARDENER'S MONTHLY

[September,

A Large Watermelon. — A Texas paper re-
cords a watermelon on exhibition weighing 60
pounds.

Market Gardening. — An "English Garden-
er," La Fayette, Ind., writes : "On page 162, June
number, Mr. Henderson, in speaking of the pro-
gress of this country and in England, states
things that are not facts. It may be simple to
take notice of such small things, but in justice to
myself and country I may say a word. A florist
in this country cannot know everything about
gardening in England. Mr. H. said, that in 1872,
John Bull had not found out how to plow and
pulverize. I will say that John knew how to
plow and pulverize before Columbus discovered
America, better than Americans do now. There
are many reasons why market gardeners in Eng-
land do not plow. Their ground in spring is
too wet and cold. Sometimes the ground is
very stony, which throws the plow out; and
then they do not want to get on the ground
with heavy horses in wet weather to tighten the
bottom when labor is so cheap. Men only get
$3.50 per acre, and dig an acre in five days thir-
teen inches deep, and they do not spade it. It
is done with a spud, a three-forked spud. I
would laugh to see one of your so-called plows
in a market garden over the Rhine ; it would do
no more good than turning in three or four hogs.
Another article or two on firming the soil and
splitting the barks of trees. Mr. Henderson has
not long found that out. He has been longer
finding that out than the Irishman was the
red spider, whom he had twelve years in his em-
ploy. Any child might know that seeds and
plants want something more than wind and wa-
ter to live on. Mr. Henderson has done good
service in many ways ; but he might remember
that there may be many good reasons for prac-
tices in other countries, though to him they
may seem absurd in this. Excuse my intrusion.
It is my first attempt at writing for a magazine,
but I really think I know something about mar-
ket gardening, and finding my views differ from
Mr. Henderson's, I make bold to express my
dissent."

The English Sparrow.— F. L., Cincinnati, O.,
writes : "Will you please answer in the Garden-
er's Monthly, briefly, whether the English spar-
row is graminivorous or insectivorous ? So much
is said in the papers on either side that one knows
not what to believe." [Briefly— both.— Ed. G. M.]

The Kreigh Raspberry.— K. writes : "I send

you by express, prepaid, a box of my new seedling
Raspberry, of which, perhaps, you will remem-
ber Mr. F. Merceron saying something about at
Bethlehem last winter. What I claim for it is
fair size, nearly as large as Herstine, productive-
ness, hardiness, excellent quality and firmness ;
of some of these qualities you will be able to
judge for yourself. It has been perfectly hardy
the past two winters, while the Herstine along-
side of it has frozen to the ground. If it should
still continue to prove hardy, I think it will
be a great acquisition, if for no other reason, as
all the other large and good varieties that I
know anything about, winter-kill with us. The
Turner is hardj% but not so large nor productive
as this.

Strawberry crop very short on account of the
drought and frost."

[The relative value of a new seedling Rasp-
berry, in this period of numerous new varieties,
cannot be told by a box of fruit in an editor's
office ; we can only say that the fruit sent were
fair, average fruit in every respect. In weight
eight of them made half an ounce. — Ed. G. M.]

The Schumaker Peach. — C. & B., Erie, Pa.,
writes: "We send you three specimens, the best
we can get, at this late date. They began ripen-
ing July 12th, this year, ten days before the Alex-
ander. The tree was loaded with about two
bushels, and has borne every year. Tell us all you
can of our seedling. This is not much of a
Peach section, but we feel that we have a Peach
that combines quality, earliness, (best specimens
this year 9 inches around) free from rot, hang on
tree and prolific bearer. No Peach in our mar-
ket, from Baltimore to Cincinnati, that compares
with the Schumaker."

[The specimens impressed us much more favor-
ably than many samples we receive for opinion.
They came early in July, measured 7 inches
in circumference, were deep red all over, with
an occasional purplish stripe ; flesh, white'and
remarkably sweet and juicy. It is a sub cling
stone, as so many early ones are. A peculiarity
is the remarkably small stone for so large a
Peach, and which will make it just the thing for
some who poke "natural stones " on the public
at double ordinary prices, " for you know a
seedling Peach has always a small stone." This
had the stone two-thirds of an inch long by half
an inch wide. — Ed. G. M.l

1880.]

AND HORTICULTURIST.

277

Forestry.

CUMMUNICA TIONS.

FORESTRY IN NORTH AMERICA.

The Pertinent Laws and Regulations, and the Future of North
American Forests.

BY JOHN BOOTH, KLEIN FLOTTBECK, GERMANY,

Translated for the Gardener's Monthly by G. W. De B.

From time to time, we hear throvigh the pub-
lic press of" enormous " forests, of '' enormous "
forest fires, and of " enormous " damages done
to forests in North America ; occasionally we
are even favored with rather exhaustive particu-
lars. However loud the complaints may have
been, and ever so condemnatory, very soon
the idea that these forests are " inexhaust-
ible" will again come to the foreground, sup-
ported by a mass of desultory and unreliable
reports, false statistics, so-called popular essays,
and other interesting articles. The following
attempt to give a picture of the actual situation
and the probable future of the American Conti-
nent, which, in a great measure, depends on the
preservation and rational development of its
forest land, will therefore hardly be out of place.
The incompleteness of our work will be the
more readily excused, as many of the incidental
questions remain unsolved even by the compe-
tent authorities in America, whose judgment
must necessarily be incomplete as long as the
larger part of this extensive forest land has
never even been surveyed. Nevertheless, we
shall be able to give a reliable, if not an exhaus-
tive description of the general condition ; as
some of the first authorities on forestry in the
United States and Canada have furnished us
much valuable material by special correspond-
ence as well as through their own publications.

With few exceptions, American forest trees
stand the European climate well ; many of them
prove valuable material for various trades and
industries, more profitable even than the indige-
nous species ; and the future of American for-
estry is of particular interest to us, as a great
many of the better woods at present manufac-
tured in Europe came from North America.
Our own imports, as well as our exports to other
countries, would be materially affected by a
notable decrease of American exports !

When in the seventeenth century Europeans,
principally Englishmen, began emigrating to
North America, the extent and magnificence of its
forests, which until then the foot of man had but
seldom penetrated, very naturally originated the
idea of their being inexhaustible, and the most
inestimable waste no doubt began almost with
the first settlers. In 1681, William Penn issued
an ordinance decreeing that for every five acres
cut down, one acre of woodland must remain
untouched, and that principally oaks and mul-
berry trees, so indispensable to ship-building and
silk-culture, must be spared. Again, in 1693,
a commission of three was appointed to investi-
gate the damage suffered by the citizens of
Breucklyn (now Brooklyn) by the unauthorized
felling of some of the very best and largest trees
in their forests. Both laws seem, however, to
have remained dead letters, and it is not likely
that the unruly times of the eighteenth century
left the American Colonies much time for the
consideration of questions like those relating to
forestry.

Soon after the Colonies had achieved their in-
dependence, we find a law passed by Congress,
reserving certain woodland, grown with ship-
timber for the United States navy. The general
situation was, however, hardly effected by this
law, for as late as 1817 the timber land thus re-
served was but twenty square miles. A number
of laws from 1820 to 1840 regulated the sale of
government land, in which no distinction was
made between most valuable woodland and arid
plains, because in most cases the government
was not even informed to which of the two
classes the land sold belonged. The price, ac-
cording to the "Report upon Forestry," was fixed
at an average of $1.2-5 per acre, and the pur-
chaser bound himself to cultivate a certain por-
tion of the land, in consideration whereof, he
was given a thirty-three months' credit for the
purchase money. The large speculators, how-
ever, only cared for the timber, cut down what-
ever they could, and mostly disappeared long
before the end of these thirty-three months, in
many cases without as much as paying the mis-
erable $1.25 per acre. To cover their wanton
depredations these speculators very often in-
augurated a forest fire before they left, which
caused even larger damages than the thefts it

278

THE GARDENER'S MONTHLY

[September,

was to cover. Until 1854, a system of '* timber
agencies," under the authority of the Treasury
Department, existed ; after the dissolution of
these, local "Government Law-Districts " were
organized, with a special department for every-
thing relating to forestry, and the whole Bureau
was transferred to the Department of the Inte-
rior. The evils were nowise abated by this
transfer, and now many districts are being
robbed with impunity of their timber. When-
ever a particularly glaring case does get investi-
gated, it is invariably compromised for a purely
nominal sum, as no one is found to out-
bid the cheeky speculators. From 1868 to 1872
all the government received from such prosecu-
tions amounted to $150,000, while the actual
value of the stolen timber was at least some
twenty or thirty million dollars. All the reports
on forestry from 1870 to 1880 speak of the in-
creasing waste and lawlessness in regard to the
felling of timber, and many eminent authorities
have expressed doubts as to whether it were al-
together possible to remedy the existing situation
by laws. Instead of laying high penalties on
every case in which a conviction was reached,
the Secretary of the Interior, in 1877, abrogated
the Government Land Agents, in whose place
"special agents" were from time to time to be sent
by the Department, which agents were to inquire
into all timber depredations and report to the
Secretary. The attacks on Mr. Secretary Schurz
by the " timber ring " in consequence of these
orders were very bitter, and he was at one time
in danger of losing his position in the Cabinet.
In his report to the President, of 1877, the Secre-
tary of the Interior says : "The amount of tim-
ber stolen from Government lands is enormous,
much more so than is generally believed. The
stealing of timber has grown to be a regularly
and systematically organized business, and the
speedy denudation of the country must fill every
truly patriotic citizen with deep anxiety."

That is "free America!" Only no hindrance
to " individual " liberty ; no matter if for centu-
ries to come, he lay waste whole districts by his
thoroughly organized depredations! Would it
not be better and more rational, as well as more
just, if the timber thieves were treated like horse
thieves, and were lynched whenever detected
in flagranti f

The impotence of the general Government
to oppose these abuses is evident, and the
petition of some of the Legislatures to Congress
to transfer the supervision of Government lands

to the single States, seems quite in order. The
memorial of the State of Colorado is particularly
clear and pointed. It emphasizes the fact that the
general Government has repeatedly declared it-
self powerless to remedy the evils complained of;
that the wholesale thefts of timber, and the
forest fires, which often last for months, if con-
tinued to the same extent would in less than a
quarter of a century entirely destroy the wood-
land of the State; and that already the climate, soil
and agriculture of Colorado have greatly suffered
under the wanton destruction of her forests. A
similar memorial from the "'Board of Agricul-
ture," of Maine (1869) contains, after minutely
describing the wholesale devastations and their
evil consequences, the remarkable words : "Are
we to learn from such occurrences and facts,
that only monarchies are capable of protecting
these treasures of nature ? And is it really im-
possible for a republic to protect her soil enough
to conserve it for posterity ?"

(To be continued.)

EDITORIAL NOTES.

American Forests in Europe. — It is remarka-
ble that while those who are writing about
American Forestry, do little to tell us of forestry
in our own land, a distinguished European has
written a work specially on American Forestry.
It gives such an excellent history, that we have
had it translated for American readers.

The name of Booth is so familiar to Americans
in connection with the celebrated Flottbeck
Nurseries at Hamburg, that we need only say
that Mr. John Booth, the author of this work,
has been for many years the senior partner in
the old firm of James Booth & Sons As a bota-
nist and a man of general science, he has given
his nurseries an enviable character for accuracy
among the establishments of Europe His
interest in forestry is so well known, that on
many occasions he has been chosen by the Ger-
man government to be its representative in
several international forestry conventions. These
facts alone will make it of interest to learn what
such a man knows of us.

Tea Culture in the United States. — That
the Tea plant is hardy in any of the States south
of the Potomac, has been known for a century
at least. As frequently stated in this magazine,
the only question involved is whether it can be
prepared here as cheaply or as good as in China.

1880.]

AND HORTICULTURIST.

279

It is a matter wholly for intelligent experiments,
with the chances in favor of success. Whatever
has been attempted in this country in the past
has unfortunately not been done intelligently.
At the outset Mr. Fortune was sent to China for
seed, without any definite idea of what was to be
done with the plants. These were scattered
*' promiscus like" as the negro preacher said,
and perhaps most of them might as well have
been thrown away at once. On the farm of Mr.
Craven, in Liberty County, Georgia, several hun-
dred of these plants got through alive, and are
now about fifteen feet high. The farm has been
purchased recently by a Mr. Jackson, a British
subject, who has spent fifteen years among the
tea planting regions of India, who is so full of
faith that it can be made a success, that he set
out the past spring a great number, and now has
100,000 plants under culture.

There is little in this beyond what we have
known before. We knew that the soil and cli-
mate is well suited to tea culture, and the novelty
is that a foreign gentleman has become enthused
over these facts. Unfortunately we all know
how many are the little elements which go to
make up success, and which enthusiasts from
abroixd find only after a few years of experience.
We must not dare much hope of success on this
enthusiastic venture, however much we may
wish for it.

To us the greatest difficultv seems to be in the

great difference between the cheap labor of India
and China, and our own ; and then the profits
would be like the growth of the tea plant itself,
too slow for the majority of American capitalists.

The value of the pound of tea to the acre for
the first five or ten years, would probably be
very slim in comparison with what a corn crop
would produce. If Mr. Jackson or any other
gentleman can work out the figures well, he will
be one of the Nation's great benefactors.

Duration of Timbbr. — We give in another
column a sensible article on Catalpa posts. It
shows that what we have said about the variable
nature of the same kind of timber, deserves close
attention. There is no doubt but the duration
of timber depends on a host of circumstances
that are rarely noted. Timber from a mature
tree, or from a very young tree, is not likely to
last as long as timber from a lusty middle aged
tree. The season when cut makes a great differ-
ence. And again the circumstances surrounding
the post has much to do with durability. Not
long since the writer asked the foreman of a lot
of track layers how long the white oak railroad
sills lasted, he replied, " on this embankment
not more than five or six years, but there in that
cut, where the earth is damp and cool, they will
last twenty or twenty-five years."

There is in fact no question in which circum-
stances alter cases so much, as in the duration of
posts and exposed timber.

Natural History and Science.

COMMUNICA TIONS.

FERTILIZATION OF YUCCA.

BY DANIEL WITTER, DENVER, COL.

Noticing what you said in the last Gardener's
Monthly about the fertilization of the Yucca, I
thought you might be interested in knowing that
I have gathered seeds of angustifolia for three
years past. Last year and the year before, I only
found it producing seed at one place, on Bear
Creek. I have before found it in bloom upon the
high plains. I have attributed my failure to find
it there the past two years to the dryness of the
seasons, and that where I have found it the roots
penetrate through the sandy soil upon which

it grows into the decaying rock beneath, where
there is always considerable moisture, and, I
should think proper nourishment for such plants.
As to the Pronumba yuccasella, I have -invari-
ably found a great portion of the seed destroyed
by some worm eating through the centre of them,
and I have noticed the holes where it eats into
or out of the pods, but I have never seen the in-
sect, nor do I remember now whether or not
every pod was more or less eaten, but that is my
impression now. I think, however, that some-
times only one or two of the cells would be eaten
out, sometimes wholly and sometimes only par-
tially, leaving in some pods most of the seed
good, and in others only a few.

280

THE GARDENER'S MONTUL Y

[September,

I had the opportunity last summer, in exca-
vating for our new city water works, of seeing
just how some of those plants which grew so
luxuriantly on our parched plains, get their
nourishment. I found Yucca angustifolia and
Ipomoea leptophylla invariably sending their
roots down through the soil of clay and loam,
through the sub-soil of sand and into the decay-
ing rock beneath, where they evidently obtain
the nutriment necessary to their growth. This
rock along the line of our works (over three
miles in length) was generally found at a depth
of from three to five feet, and was quite decom-
posed on top, so that there was no difficulty in
plowing it to the depth of from one to three feet;
and in this rotten bed-rock I found the fibrous
roots spreading out and penetrating to the depth
of from one to two feet.

PICKWEED.

BY H. E. CHITTY, PATERSON, N. J.

In the August number of Gardener's Monthly,
just come to hand, I read your extract from the
Philadelphia Public Ledger of some people being
poisoned by Stramonium which Avas gathered,
prepared and dressed, supposing the same to be
the New England Pickweed. Then you ask for in-
formation regarding the New England Pickweed.
The plant in question, in my opinion, refers to
the Skoke or Poke weed, which are common New
England names for the Phytolacca decandra. But,
although my residence in New England was some-
what protracted, I do not remember having
heard the name Pickweed applied to this plant
before. In New England the young shoots of the
Poke weed are considered a very delicate vegeta-
ble, and are, during the spring months, always to
be found for sale in the markets. The young suc-
culent shoots, when from four to six inches in
length, are cut ofi" near the ground, tied in
bunches and offered for sale in the same manner
as asparagus is sold, and I believe the methods of
preparation for the table are pretty much the
same as for the latter vegetable.

EDITORIAL NOTES.

Dr. Tanner's Fast. — The difficulty which sci-
entific men find in getting out of beaten lines of
examination, too often leads them to neglect op-
portunities which might have resulted in valua-
ble knowledge. The case of Dr. Tanner is one
in point. The celebrated Dr. Hammond was so

sure that Dr. Tanner could not live forty days
on water alone, that he neglected his chance.
The natural phenomena accompanying such a
case could not but have been peculiar, and in the
hands of an unprejudiced and able physiologist
could not but have been immensely valuable.
And the newspapers are all asking what is the
good of the Tanner experiment, and treating it
as so much effort wasted. But even as the facts
have been given by the papers, they show that
where there is any danger of starvation it is
much more important to provide security for
water than for food, although, of course, all food
contains some water, and one with food can live
for a long time without water in a liquid form.

But there is a remarkable fact in the Tanner
experiment which bears on the whole theory of
nutrition in animals and in plants, which it is
too bad should have been passed over by physi-
ologists. From the 17th to 19th day of his fast
there was an increase in his weight over and
above the weight of the water which he had
taken. Now we know that plant life takes in
carbonaceous matter from the atmosphere, and
that animal life cannot. We do not admit of
any exception to the rule, unless, perhaps, in the
organisms on the dividing line between the
animal and vegetable class. But how do we
know that there may not be some exceptions?
This result in Tanner's case shows it to be proba-
ble ; at least the idea would have suggested itself
to a judicious scientific examiner. That this view
is not wholly ridiculous is shown by the result of
the first day of eating after the fast. He weighed
121J pounds when the fast was concluded. In six
hours his weight had increased to 130 pounds,
and judging by the newspaper statements, though
eating and drinking fairly he had not taken this
additional weight of food. Now, if these are the
exact facts, it can only be that under some cir-
cumstances animal life, in its higher form, cau
assume the functions of vegetable life, and de-
rive carbon and other matter from the atmos-
phere in some small degree, and if this fact
could have been demonstrated beyond doubt,
there is no telling in how many ways the princi-
ple might have been made to work to the advan-
tage of human kind.

It is perhaps natural that scientific men
should hesitate about being thought to sympa-
thize with humbug or childishness, and no doubt
even Franklin went kite flying with some hesi-
tation lest he should be thought to be doing a
childish thing.

1880.

AND HORTICULTURIST.

281

An English Heath Wild in Nantucket.—
A small patch of the beautiful Erica cineria has
maintained itself in a wild condition for a number
of years near Nantucket. Its history is unknown.
It was first noticed by a New York lady in 1865,
and still noticed in a flourishing condition by the
same lady in 1879. We have a fresh specimen
from another correspondent now before us.

Fowl Meadow Grass. — Professor Beal, in the
Rural Neiv Yorker, identifies this with Poa sero-
tina, and states that its common name is derived
from a belief that it was first introduced to the
meadows of Dedham, Mass., by means of wild
fowl.

Pickweed. — The Chenopodium of England,
referred to in our last is Pig and not " Pick"
weed, and the Hepatica is Liverwort, and not
" Silverwort." Our proof reader is a very good
fellow, and our last issue proves this, seeing he
did not have the usual advantage of a final
looking over by the editor, who was then in
North Carolina.

SCRAPS AND QUERIES.

Change in a Eose. — N. G. W., New Albany,
Ind., says : " A friend of mine has a white rose
that sent a young shoot with leaves on it from
the center of one of the blooms.

How can this be explained ?"

[The flower of a rose was predestined to be a
branch. The petals of a rose might have been
leaves. It may be described as an after-thought
of nature to make a rose flower (or any flower,
out of what should have been a leafy branch or
shoot. Now sometimes nature is fickle, and in
this case she was. After starting to make a
branch, she concluded to make a rose flower ; but
before the rose flower was quite finished, she
changed her mind again, and let the original
branch grow.

It is such facts as these which give strength to
what is known in botany as the science of mor-
phology.— Ed. G. M.]

ViTis INCISA. — D. W. L., says : " Please inform
me whether the Vitis (cissus) incisa of Nuttall
is or is not the same as Ampelopsis incisa of
catalogues."

[They are the same. The lines between the
genera are not very definite. One may call them
whichever they like without badly violating
botanical rules. Vitis incisa is the original name.

by Nuttall ; but its affiinities are nearer to Am-
pelopsis than to the ordinary grape-vine. — Ed.
G. M.]

Change of Character in a Fruit Tree.—
Miss J. K., Columbus, O., writes: "Do trees
which have for years borne fruit, that is free-
stone, ever change their nature and bear mostly
clings?

Let me state my case. In 1862 my father,
(John H. Klippart), planted an Apricot tree,
which was then probably three feet high. The
next year some boys, in jumping over the fence,
jumped upon the young tree and broke it off
about six inches above the ground. Five young
shoots pushed out and all were left on. In the
course of several years it commenced bearing
fruit, which were (very) free-stones. It con-
tinued bearing free-stone fruit until about six or
seven years ago, when it changed and bore clings
only; just about the same time we noticed that
the' tree had been attacked by the borer. In Oct.
1878, (just after my father's death), we cut down
one of the main branches, as the tree was making
too much shade. In 1879 the tree had no fruit
at all. This year the tree was laden down with
fruit. The first to ripen were decided clings ; when
about two-thirds of the fruit was off", part of the
remainder changed to free-stones on that side of
the apricot next to the sun, and clings on the
other side; and the last to ripen were true free-
stones. Now has the borer had anything to do
with the change, or is it old age?

If I wish to raise a young tree, had I better
raise it by cuttings, seed, or bud it on some other
stock. Our apricot tree is 51 inches in circum-
ference eight inches above the ground, and is
about 30 feet high."

[We do not understand this case. So far fis
we know all apricots are free-stones ; and we
suppose the apricot was grafted on a peach
stock, and when the apricot was broken oft; the
peach sprouts came up, and it is probably of
.these our correspondent is speaking, using in-
advertently the word " apricot" when peach
should have been employed. If this is the cor-
rect rendering, we may say that it is not unusual
for freestone peaches to become under some
circumstances, partial clings, though we never
knew of a case where it was very much so. If
Miss K. really means that the apricot became a
cling-stone, it is indeed a case very well worth
recording, though we cannot guess at the cause.
To raise a tree from this one, bud it on a peach
or plum stock.— Ed. G. M.]

282

THE GARDENER'S MONTHLY

[September,

Freezing the Sap. — Geo. W. D., Kent, O.,
writes: "I was much interested in what was
said in your valuable Monthly in regard to
foliation and heat, but was, I confess, startled
by your statement that the sap is never frozen
in the living cells without killing, those cells
dying afterwards. I grant that if the cells
and ducts were full of sap, this would be the
result, but I believe the truth of the matter
to be that when the tree is in its dormant
state they are not full, and in this state what
moisture remains can be, and is frozen without
bursting the cells and without injury to the tree.
I have noticed that in very cold weather the
young shoots of trees are smaller, and that the
thin outer bark is wrinkled in consequence of
the shrinkage."

[The observation of our correspondent is quite
correct. Not only do twigs shrivel under severe
frost, but the actual girth of a tree is less after a
few hours of severe frost than it was before. In
experiments made by the writer of this, there
has been as much as a quarter of an inch
shrinkage in a luxuriant silver maple tree about
three feet round before the thermometer fell to
near zero. Now if the sap froze the trunk would
expand and not shrink. It should not be for-
gotten that when moisture is in a finely divided
condition it does not "freeze." The atmosphere
in winter is often full of moisture, though the
thermometer may be at zero, and moisture in
trees is so constituted that it does not freeze
under low temperatures, but evaporates through
the tissues, and the branches shrink iust as our
correspondent has noticed. Some trees or
plants have not this power. A geranium has
not. Its sap does freeze, and the plant is killed ;
but when trees die hi winter, that do not have
their sap freeze, they die because the branches
dry up. The sap does not freeze, it evaporates.
—Ed. G. M.]

Honey Dew.— D. S., Newburgh, N. Y., writes :
" I trust you will pardon me for asking of you
some information in relation to what is usually
called Honey Dew.

From my boyhood I have noticed that at cer-
tain seasons of the year, usually about the mid-
dle or latter part of June, the leaves of certain
of the forest and fruit trees were covered with a
viscid saccharine substance, not very unhke
honey in substance and taste, hence for want of
a better name, the farmers gave it that of honey
dew. By informing the readers of your valuable
magazine what this substance is, and how it jg

produced, you will confer a favor and satisfy
many an anxious mind. If as Chambers asserts
in his Encyclopaedia, under the head of Honey
Dew, it is an exudation from the leaves, how
shall we account for its being found only on
certain kinds of trees, and also in greater quanti-
ties on some than other years. From observa-
tion I have learned that at times it has been
found on the Oak, Chestnut, Elm, Cherry, &c.;
and this year, I am reliably informed, it was
found in equal quantity covering the share of a
plow that had been left exposed on the surface
of the ground over night, not far from an elm that
was covered with it, the wood portion of the plow
showing no indication of its presence. Some to
whom the matter has been referred, insist it is an
animalcule, but give no satisfactory reason for its
appearance. Others with far less reason assert
that it is produced by the aphides that are often
found apparently feeding on it.

Thus you see the dilemma that we are in; can
you extricate us from it ?"

[Honey dew is a secretion from the foliage,
resulting from the change of starchy matter
which alwaj's exists in the leaves of plants, into
saccharine. Sometimes it is produced in such
abundance as to fall to the ground; and we
know of no reason why it might not be on the
wood as well as the iron of a plow, except that
it did not happen to fall on the wood, — or the
wood might have absorbed the liquid. We
could not give the " why" of this question, un-
less we examined the case ourselves.

Why honey dew only appears on certain trees,
or in greater quantities or none at all some years
than others, must be answered pretty much as
one would answer a question why some people
had dropsy or none at all. The production is
abnormal, and depends wholly on unusual cir-
cumstances for its production. Verj' little is
known of the precise way in which the honey
dew is brought about. Perhaps if those who had
the opportunity to observe had not, as they have
concluded, — aphides always at the root of it, —
we might know more than we do. — Ed. G. M.]

Wax-wort. — J. D. H., Peacedale, R. I., writes :
"On the rocky hills of Salem, Mass., I observed
effects of golden flowers that almost rivaled the
famous Gorse of Great Britain. Upon inquiry,
I found it was called Wax -wort, that is said to
have been imported from England long ago, and
having spread from gardens into fields as a great
foe of farmers, and an almost inexhaustible one.

1880.]

AND HORTICULTURIST.

283

I did not see it, however, where I thought it
could do much harm, its choice seeming to be
where half the surface is rock (out-crop of
granite, I think), and the rest not worth much.
I saw none in tilled ground, or ground that ap-
peared to have been ever tilled. Upon going to
see what it was I found the plant to be what I

should call 'broom,' though different from any-
other I ever saw. Herbaceous, I think, but with
perennial root, and spreading therefrom — as it
appeared to be in patches only — little if any iso-
lated plant. It runs about 2 feet high."

[The plant referred to is probably Genista
tinctoria.— Ed. G. M.]

Literature, Travels \ Personal Notes.

COMMUNICA TIONS.

NOTES AND QUERIES-No. 16.

BY JACQUES.

Galvanized wire may do great injury to climb-
ing plants. Make a note of this.

Terra Cotta. There is a story going the rounds
of an ignorant traveler, who in reading exhibi-
tion catalogues, asked who was Terra Cotta.
Quite as bad is ihe case which a staid monthly
asks: Who was Robin that sued Acacia? The
too little cultivated and beautiful tree Rohinia
Pseud-Acacia iiad been discussed.

Our goodly heritage. The International Review
says the crops of cotton of 1878 and 1879 were
the largest ever raised. The ten crops of 1852
to 1861, inclusive, being the last crops raised by
slave labor, 34,995,440 bales. The ten crops of
1870 to 1879, inclusive, being the last ten crops
raised by free labor, numbered 41,454,743 bales.
It will sui'prise many to find that only about
nine per cent, of our total grain product is ex-
ported. * * Until 1870 it was the opinion of
railroad men that they could not profitably en-
gage in the transportation of grain from Chicago
to New York at a lower rate than forty cents
per hundred pounds, or twenty-four cents per
bushel. During 1879 grain has been shipped
from Chicago to Liverpool for seventeen cents a
bushel, a rate but little greater than that which
prevailed between Buffalo and New York by
canal ten years ago.

A Florida correspondent believes the Algerians
of the interior are not Turks, as they lost that
title some years ago. We may give it up, but
would ask the writer if he believes the inhabit-
ants of Alsace and Lorraine have renounced
their religion and turned Protestants because of

annexation? We agree they should be called
Mahometans. As to the silk-hatching on wo-
men's bodies, we make no objection, but fear it
is attended by a bad odor.

Bee and other Culture. — The account of the
vast product of bee culture in the United States in
the December Notes and Queries has excited
some astonishment. That thirty-five millions
of pounds of lioney and wax should constitute
the annual product, and that one firm of grocers
keeps as many as 12,000 swarms is truly aston-
ishing. The assistance given to the bees by
making artificial preparation for lightening their
manufacture of wax is interesting and curious.
The whole story is characteristic of American
enterprise, and system is shown to result in
success. There are many other plans pursued
with success by quiet industry. Northern men
have successfully planted Florida with orange
groves; a firm with which we correspond lands
during the season an immense number of boxes
of the finest oranges produced by their agents,
and finds each box bringing a five-dollar note,
with a profit in expectation greatly increased as
the trees grow older. Sweet things are in de-
mand, and so is every useful and nutritious
thing. A market like that of the whole of
America for any article, however small, is a
great market, and a vast army of producers who
have laid a sure foundation for desirable articles
may be said to sit at home at ease while reaping
the results of thought, and employing bees and
men to do their bidding. They say to one, "Go,
and he gneth," but he returns to the master
minds laden with produce. Such we like to re-
cord, whether it be the extension of the product
of the field, the loom, or cultivation. We have
already stated that mushrooms are co be, and
even are, successfully grown as an article of food.

284

THE GARDENER'S MONTHLY

[September,

taking the place of meat, which they resemble
in nourishment, with added enjoyment of high
flavor.

In California, fruit-raising is very lucrative,
and men have found the almond more than
likely to become a national product; while the
grape, taking the place of the great European
decline, is taking its place as a wine producer
much more rapidly than most persons believe.
There are many industries of greater or less
value which Notes and Queries will, from time
to time, mention as practicable.

Of late introductions, the Weigelia alone seems
to hold its own, but the Desfontania spinosa,
looking like a holly, but throwing scarlet and
yellow tubes of blossom, or the Diplopoppsus
with its leaves like a variegated thyme, and its
flowers like a minute-aster, are too rarely seen.
— London Quarterly Review.

The old Chitm pink, or monthly rose, deserves
a bed to itself. It should be pegged down, and
the blue lobelia should be planted between. No
rose, taking all the good qualities of a rose to-
gether, will surpass the Gloire de Dijon, though
golden cups of Marshal Niel may be richer in
color, and the fragrance of La France recalls as
no other rose does, the luxurious fragrance of
Oriental otto of roses. — Ibid.

Remember that the Marshal is improved in color,
especially by budding on Lady Banks. The most
striking successes among hybrids have been
among roses, clematis, begonias, and rhododen-
drons.

One single florist in the neighborhood of Lon-
don sends to market annually more than 80 000
plants of one description of pelargonium alone.
It is calculated that the bedding out of a single
good sized garden will take at least 100,000 plants
to make it effective. — London Quarterly Review.

A Mr. Burbridge tells us that the value of
flower roots sent from Holland a year or two
ago was nearly £60,000, and one English grower
imports annually 160,000 tulip bulbs. — Ibid.

Besides the spring garden, there is in some
places the semi-tropical garden, and in others
the Alpine garden. No one has done more than
has Mr. W. Robinson to call up the chief orna-
ment in the gardens of Paris, and in the delicate
tufts of flowers which nestle in the crevices Of
our rockeries. But there is much still to be
done. — Ibid.

Why do the climbing plants climb at all, and

why do some twine and others cling? Why do
the fly-catching plants cause the death of num-
bers of unlucky insects? Why are the stamens
and pistils of plants of such various lengths and
sizes? Why have some flowers a hairy fringe,
and others drops of nectar in their calyces?
What is the meaning of the scent of flowers ?
The key to many of these questions is in the
relationship of flowers to insects ; and Charles
Darwin, Sir John Lubbock, and others, have
done much to explore and then popularize the
subject.

The "dressing" of flowers of particular blooms
has recently become an art, and little curling
irons are employed to get petals into their proper
shape, and various other devices are used for
various flowers.

EDITORIAL NOTES.

Progress of the Town of Greeley. — The writer
of this saw the town of Greeley eighteen months
after it was founded by N. C. Meeker, R. A.
Cameron and Horace Greeley, and was favorably
impressed with its prospective success. At the
foot of the Rocky Mountains, in a rainless coun-
try, the founders looked to irrigation of the soil
by mountain streams for its agricultural pros-
perity, just as the Plains of Lombardy had be-
come a success in the old world. The little town
has now passed its tenth year, and has become
as great a success as the most sanguine could
have dreamed. It now has two newspapers and
a great variety of flourishing industries. It is in
some sense agreat city. The Greeley (Col.) Tribune
has recently issued a supplement, giving a con-
cise and illustrated account of its progress.

The Arboricultural Census. — Western papers
keep us posted of the movements of Prof. Sar-
gent and his associates. Dr. Engelmann, Dr.
Parry and Mr. Sereno Watson. In the first part
of his journey he was accompanied through
Colorado by Robert Douglass. From all accounts
an immense amount of valuable facts have been
recorded.

The Late Robert Buist. — For the first time
since his accident, Hon. M. P. Wilder visited the
rooms of the Massachusetts Horticultural So-
ciety at its August meeting expressly to do honor
to the memory of Mr. Buist. He paid an elo-
quent tribute to his worth, and was followed by
W. C. Strong, Robert Manning and President
Hayes, after which appropriate resolutions.

1880.]

AND HORTICULTURIST.

285

111 our last issue we expressed the intention of
reverting again to the decease of our friend ;
but the immense influence which Mr. Buist has
had in the great progress of American Horticul-
ture demands no ordinary tribute ; at least more
than a hasty magazine paragraph will give the
opportunity to do, and we have therefore thought
best to defer yet a little while what we desire to
say of him.

A Garden in New Brunswick. — Tt is the sea-
son of roses at Fredericton, and this year the
crop appears to be very fine. In this respect the
garden of Mr. Alfred Ray is probably unequalled.
Indeed, his rose garden is a garden of itself. It
contains two thousand rose trees, and on Thurs-
day last there were thousands of roses in bloom,
of the finest kinds, presenting a most remark-
able sight, and one which could not be sur-
passed in any climate. Mr. Ray has the grounds
ormerly owned by the late Judge Wilmot. The
Judge kept them in beautiful condition, but
Mr. Ray has enlarged and otherwise improved
them. He has cut down a good deal of the
shrubbery, and has devoted more space to
blooming flowers. His tropical garden, which is
protected by a fine grove of pines, is very hand-
some; palms, tree ferns, and equatorial grasses
are tastefully dispersed through it; tempting
looking orange trees laden with oranges are
placed in attractive positions, handsome aloes
abound, and altogether this portion of his
grounds is a scene of rare beauty. Fredericton
is to be congratulated on having a gentleman of
Mr. Ray's taste within her bounds.

Mahlon Moon. — Among the deaths of the past
month we are sorvj to note that of Mahlon
Moon, nurseryman of Mori-isville, near Phila-
delphia. Mahlon Moon was a member of the
Society of Friends, and always had a warm love
for plants and flowers and general rural life.
The nursery business was an outgrowth of this
love, and his establishment became quite famous
for rare plants. Advanced in life, he had the
satisfaction of seeing his tastes worthily in-
herited by his son, and has not labored much in
business recently. He fell dead instantly while
taking a quiet walk on the piazza of his dwelling
house.

D. Waldo Lincoln. — We notice by a brief line
in an exchange that among those recently de-
ceased is D. W. Lincoln, Esq., of Worcester,
Mass., well-known as an eminent patron of hor-
ticulture in times past. He was, we believe, the

next after Mr. Caleb Cope to undertake the cul-
ture of the Victoria Lily in this country, J. Fiske
Allen, of Salem, being the third.

M. B. Bateham. — As we are sending our mat-
ter to press we have news of the death of Mr.
Bateham, on the 5th of August, in his sixty-
seventh year. Although born in England he
was educated in America, and started in early
life as a seedsman, and with a great fondness for
literary pursuits. The earliest acquaintance of
the writer with Mr. Bateham was as editor of the
Ohio Cultivator, and he can bear testimony to
effective zeal with which he devoted his pen to
the service of agriculture and pomology during
the past thirty years.

The American Pomological Society, the Ohio
Pomological and Ohio Horticultural Societies
had in him an original supporter, if not indeed
in many respects an originator. Though tall
and well-built, he never appeared to be in robust
health, and though he has died comparatively
young when we consider the age of many of his
associates, the immense amount of useful work
he has accomplished is surprising, and he will
be long gratefully remembered, especially in
Ohio, to the prosperity of which State much of
his unselfish work was directed.

C. C. Langdon. — This gentleman, whose retire-
ment from the nursery business in favor of his
son, we have recently noted, has been nominated
by one of the political parties in Alabama as a
candidate for the Alabama House of Repre-
sentatives.

The Paterson Nurseries. — The greenhouses
of the Greenbrook and Paterson Nurseries, at
Paterson, New Jersey, recently took fire, it is be-
lieved, by the act of an incendiarj% and damaged
to the extent of $15,000.

Floral Art in England. — Only recently has
an agency for Meehan's Flowers and Ferns been
established in London. The agent writes that
the first two copies purchased were bought for
Queen Victoria and the Prince of Wales.

A New Work on Botany. — A new work on
plants as living things, by Prof. Bessey, of Iowa,
is announced as in course of publication.

Dairy Farming. — By J. R. Sheldon, New York ;
Cassel, Better & Galpin. Part 12, just issued,
gives the whole history of cheese-making in
England. Perhaps, as a matter of profit, English
makers cannot compete with American makers;
they have many ways of making choice brands
that it will profit our people to know all about.

286

THE GARDENER'S MONTHLY

[September,

Purdy's Small Fruit Instructor — This little
book contains a vast amount of useful informa-
tion, and must be well worth all it cost to any
fruit grower, especially those engaged in market-
ing fruit. We are, in the preface, told that the
work "has been hastily gotten up," and is "not
intended for the critic's eye;" and this being so
we shall forbear from noting many little weak-
nesses that occurred to us in looking through it.
We may be, however, pardoned for suggesting
that we see no particular reason for haste. A few
months more of delay in issuing it would have
been no harm to the purchaser, and might have
made a better work.

SCRAPS AND QUERIES.

Gardening and Gardeners. — If the corres-
pondent whose note called forth the paragraph
under this head at page 253, in the August num-
ber, will send his exact address to the office, a
letter from Raleigh, North Carolina, will be for-
warded to him.

Notes and Queries. — A correspondent says :
" That's right ! Plug the errors !

Infusion of Silica for Soup! Confused Catalpas!
Pronumba on Yucca filamentosa!

Freezing of the Sap. — ' A hundred bottles of
water on Boston Common would all split if one
did.'— O. K.

A Lover of Pears.— It has been done, can be

done, but is not always done, that is, 'Pears
every morning in the year for breakfast. Strike
out pears and insert fruit, and it will still hold
true.'

Origin of Life. — What a mystery. ' No evidence
that any live creature has been produced from
anything that had not life before.' So from the
beginning, so to the end.

And so another old friend has gone, Robert Buist,
a man, who for his long life of devotion to the
culture of plants, will be remembered as a ben-
efactor of mankind. I have known him for
almost fifty years, and during this long period
of time he has kept up with the enterprise
and improvements of the age. Few men
have exercised such an influence on the flori-
culture of our country as Mr. R. Buist. But
has not only raised and distributed plants
throughout our land, but better still, he has edu-
I cated and raised men of his profession who have
' been ornaments of society and leaders in the
horticulture of our own land. I shall take
special notice of him and hi? services in my next
address to the American Pomological Society, of
which he was one of the founders, and has been
a vice-president for twenty years. All honor to
his memory.

{ Fifty Years an Editor. — How I wish I could have
joined in the congratulations to my old friend
Major Freas. Honor, renown and long-life to
him ; to him, the conscientious, steadfast and de-
voted patron of rural improvement. "

^ — — aS>* <B^»

Horticultural Societies.

COMMUNICA riONS.

HUMBUGS IN HORTICULTURE.

ESSAY, BY PETEK HENDERSON.

Read at the Annual Meeting of National Association of Nur-
serymen and Florists, held at Chicago, June 16, 1880.

The life-time experience of any man is too
short not to be imposed upon by many of the hun-
dreds of old varieties of Fruits, Flowers, or Vege-
tables that are sent out annuallj' under new
names. Any well-posted nurseryman can easily
detect when a Bartlett Pear or a Baldwin Apple
appears under a new name; or a Florist, making
a specialty of Roses, knows, as when some years
ago the old Solfataire Rose was sent out under
the name of " Augusta " — claiming it to be hardy
in every State of the Union, and sold as a great
bargain at $5.00 a piece — that the venders thereof
were either swindlers or entirelj' ignorant of the
business they had enibarked in ; or when the con-

fiding market gardener is induced to buy a new
and superior Cabbage or Tomato Seed, at $5.00
an ounce, and finds them identical with the
same varieties he can buy at half that price
per pound, he has good reason to come to the
conclusion, that the man from whom he pur-
chased was either a humbug or else unfitted,
from his ignorance, to engage in the business of
a seedsman.

But, unfortunately, from the varied nature of
these impostures, it is exceedingly difficult to
mete out justice to those who, knowingly or
otherwise, place such swindles on the horticul-
tural community. For the man who grows fruit
trees is as likely to know as little about roses as
the man who grows roses is to know about fruit
trees, and either is less likely to be posted in the
merits of vegetables. So, then, if the partly ex-
perienced horticulturist may be imposed upon
in such a way, how safe is the field when the

1880.1

THE GARDENER'S MONTHLY

287

swindler tries his tricks on the general public.
The sharp man of the city falls as qncikly into
the trap of the horticultural swindler as the
veriest rustic, because his city experience of the
impostures in other matters helps him nothing
in this. He may not be much troubled when he
sees a bootblack fall ofi the dock into the river —
particularly if his companion plays off the heroic
rolt^, and plunges after him, to the rescue— he
understands it all, for both can swim like ducks,
and there was no more danger for the first than
for the second, and none for either. A well-
stuffed pocketbook snatched from under his feet
is an incident that does not in the least arouse
his cupidity, for he has long been conversant
with the trick of the pocketbook dropper. The
mock auctioneer may scream himself hoarse,
ofltering gold watches at $5.00 a piece, and it
hardly elicits a smile of derision. The tears of
the benighted orphan in search of his uncle does
not bring a dime from his pocket, for he under-
stands it all, together with a score more of the
tricks of the great city. But, in the springtime,
when his garden instincts begin to bud, and he
sees in some window in Broadway flaming repre-
sentations of fruits and flowers, he falls into
the trap and is readv for the spoiler.

Some years ago I had occasion to act as an
amateur detective in one of these Horticultural
Swindling Shops, the owners of which are now
known in New York as the " Blue Rose Men."
When I arrived, there were at least a dozen
ladies and gentlemen engaged in buying Seeds,
Bulbs, and Plants, the flowers and fruits of which
were represented by the pictures on the walls :
for example. Asparagus was shown as having
shoots as thick as a broom handle, the seeds of
which were selling rapidly at one cent a piece,
warranted to produce a crop in three months
from time of sowing; an old lady had just be-
come the possessor of $5.00 worth, and seemed
delighted with her bargain. One of the most
attractive pictures on the wall was an immense
coloi'ed engraving, showing a tree on which
Strawberries were growing, and as big as Oranges.
My gaze was attracted to a handsome plate of
Blue Moss Roses, of which I modestly asked the
price of the plants. The polite Frenchman
(who was doing the principal selling for the con-
cern) whisked out from beneath the table three
plants representing to be Moss Roses (which, by
the way, were all alike and were all our common
Prairie Rose), and said, "This one he bloom
only once ; I tell you the truth, so I sell him for
two dollar. This one, he be the Remontant, he
bloom twice-just twice — I sell him for three
dollar ; but this one, he be the everblooming,
perpetual Blue Moss Rose, he bloom all the
time, he cheap at $5.00." I quietly remarked,
if it bloomed all the time why was it not bloom-
ing now ? (To be continued.)

EDITORIAL NOTES.

Portage County, Ohio, Horticultural So-
ciety.— Other counties of Ohio seem likely to

contest with the famous Montgomery ones claims
to celebrity. Here before us is a report of a
creditable beginning. The meeting was held at
Ravenna. Strawberries and flowers were the
chief attractions. An essay on the Strawberry
was read by Mr. Matthew Crawford. What will
the advocates of the newer Strawberries say to
the following about a very old kind, and which
was very famous in its day :

''Burr's New Fine. — I have grown this berry in
my own garden without intermission since 1856,
and when it has had decent treatment it has al-
ways given me a large crop of its delicious fruit.
I have had it beside the Wilson nearly the whole
time and it has uniformly given me the largest
crop of the two — usually twice as much or more
as it has this year, and \n size it has averaged as
large. There is no Strawberry with which I am
acquainted that will constantly give as much
fruit, with the possible exception of Capt. Jack
and Crescent Seedling. It has never been eatea
by white grubs that I know of, although Duncan
and Prouiy by the side of it suffered badly this
year as did other varieties near by. It has
never been thrown out by frost, and I have
never until the past year covered it in wijiter.
In its cultivation there are two requirements that
are absolutely necessary to success. It must
have a fertilizer (that is a vine with perfect flow-
ers) near it, and a heavy mulch in fruiting time.
Beyond this it needs no petting. It is not large,
but we do not want to cut, or make two bites of a
Strawberry. Dr. Warder says that Jt is large
enough for any lady's mouth, and i hope that
no gentleman will feel called upon to open his;
mouth wider."

Maryland Horticultural SociETY.^This
flourishing Society had a good exhibition at its
J une meeting. We have a list of those to whom
premiums were awarded, but unfortunately no
details of the quality of the articles exhibited that
would render the report of interest to distant
readers.

French Vineyards. — We have been honored
by an invitation from Senator Guizot, Lavaline,
to have the editor present at a Congress of
French Vineyardists, to be held at Clermont Fer-
rand, in France, on August 31st and September
1st. The object of the convention is to consider
the many propositions that have been made in
regard to the great " author of their ruin," the
phylloxera. Clermont-Ferrand is said to be a
chief wine center of France, and the re-union, it
is thought, will be as interesting to those who
come, as their knowledge will be valuable to
vineyard culture. The invitation did not reach
us till the 13th of August. We are sorry it did
not come earlier, for though the editor would
not have been able to be present, personally, he
would have been glad to have had some of his
horticultural friends visiting France, represent
him on the occasion.

Horticulture in Texas.— The Sixth Annual
Meeting of the Kansas Horticultural Society
took place at Houston, on July 21st and 22d, under

288

AND HORTICULTURIST.

the auspices of President A. Whitaker. From
the reports we judgje there must be great horti-
cultural activity in Texas. A silver tea set,
valued at |;125, for the best floral display, was
taken by Dr. Perl ; our correspondent Mrs.
Byers taking the second set, valued at $75. Mrs.
Byers seems to have been very lucky in floral
premiums, as we notice as awarded to her, " a
lady's hat, valued at $15; a silver cup, valued at
$5 ; " and others of a similar character. The
value of the numerous premiums awarded gen-
erally ranged from $5 to $50. Among the plants
exhibited we note that Palms, Coleus, Caladiums,
Crotons, Gloxinias, Hibiscus, Begonias, Fuchsias,
Ferns and Geraniums were most popular.
Among the fruits. Figs, Oranges, Lemons and
hothouse Grapes, receive frequent mention.

The exhibit of pears of Master Willie Fielding
was acknowledged by all to be the finest speci-
mens of this fruit ever exhibited in the State,
the varieties represented being the Louise Bonne
de Jersey, Clapp's Favorite, Beaurre Clairgeau,
Duchesse d'Angouleme, Howell, Beurre Griffin,
Beurre Deil, Beurre Superfine, and Beurre Gif-
fard. He received the premium offfered for the
best specimens of this fruit.

In regard to the best agricultural industries of
Texas, Mr. Whitaker said in his address :

" It seems incontestable that the sugar cane is,
and will be in the future, the most reliably pro-
fitable of any farm industry on and below this
parallel of latitude. I therefore suggest that you
use your ba§t influences to introduce its culture
on every farm, with the certain assurance that
by the day that a surplus is accumulated, cen-
tral sugar factories will be established at accessi-
ble points to receive and handle the same."

Georgia State Horticultural Society. — The
annual meeting was held at Atlanta, August 4th
and 5th, and was remarkably successful. Presi
dent Berckmans presided. The city itself is a
marvel of prosperity. It is not so many years
ago that it was a wilderness, and though suffer-
ing severly during the war, has shown wonderful
powers of recuperation.

In a discussion on the apple leaf fungus, Mr.
Berckmans suggested to Professor Willet an
investigation of the fungus which attacks the
apple leaf, and suggested that it might be propa-
gated from the red cedar.

Mr. Newman said that his attention had been
called to a statement in the American Agricul-
turist that this fungus was one stage of the growth
of that on the cedar. He had noticed that apple
trees growing near cedars were worse affected
than those remote from them, and that the fruit
and leaves of the quinces were attacked and the
tendrils similar to those on the cedar ball devel-
oped in moist weather on the fruit.

In regard to this the editor of the Gardener's
Monthly may note that in some parls of New
Jersey the apple trees are as yellow as gold, so
much so, that the golden color can be noted for
a half a mile away. This "apple leaf fungus" is
the fruiting condition of Roestelia cancellata. It
would serve very much the caues of American

Pomology if conventions would get the correct
names of the subjects introduced; as then the
whole circle of intelligence, knowing what was
talked about, could throw in its mite of informa-
tion. Unfortunately little is known of the man-
ner in which the Roestelia works, so that no one
can suggest any remedy. The fungus which
makes the apple on the cedar is the Podisoma,
and has no relation to the Roestelia.

In regard to the effect of habit on character.
Dr. Jones observed : "Corn adapts itself \o almost
all climates while the Apple is extremely fastidi-
ous. Seed Corn brought from the north to the
south continues its habits of maturing in a short
period, but seed from this grows later each year.
The reverse is true when Seed Corn is carried
from a southern to a northern climate."

During a discussion on Apples, Dr. Jones asked
Mr. Berckmans if he thought we would ever be
equally successful with the North in producing
Apples.

Mr. Berckmans replied : Judging from our ex-
perience for the last twenty five years, I think
not. Our Apples will develop their tendency to
early bearing, and with that follows short life.

In regard to early Peaches, it was conceded
that there was a real gain, and that there were
varieties which had placed the Peach season a
month earlier than it was fifteen years ago. In
the matter of location of a Peach orchard, Mr.
Berckmans alluded to the fact that on Lookout
Mountain, where Mrs. I. W. Bryan, who has
such a fine exhibition in our hall, resides, the
trees most exposed to cold blasts had escaped
most, while those best protected by forests had
been killed. Dr. Hape reported that no essen-
tial difference in any respect could be discovered
between the Amsden and Alexander Peaches.
The same singular phenomenon was noted this
season, which the Gardener's Monthly noted
in other sections last year, that there was no
material difference in the ripening of any of the
early Peaches. They were all later than usual
and ripened together. A few cases of yellows
had been seen on the orchard of Mr. Kintey of
Savannah. Some other kinds of " blights " were
freely discussed.

Dr. Hape thought trees planted on a northeast
eastern exposure escape the blights more gene-
rally than those having a southwesterly exposure.

Mr. Kinsey, of Chatham, said his experience
and observation in his own orchard sustained
Dr. Hape's views.

Mr. Cole had found linseed oil on the bark of
tne Peach produced no injurious result.

Referring to the Pear, Mr. Berckmans has not
known the Le Conte ever to have the dreaded
"fire blight."

In the exhibition there were no less than
thirty varieties of vegetables from Mrs. Bryan,
showing how great is the assortment which can
be raised in that region.

Apples, Pears, Peaches and Grapes comprised
most of the fruits of the exhibition : and flowers
came from Mrs. Inman, Mrs. Galcerun, and
Mrs. Keely. Mr, P. J. Berckmans, was selected
for the sixth time President of the Society.

THE

GARDENER'S MONTHLY

AND

HORTICULTURIST.

DEVOTED TO HORTICULTURE, ARBORICULTURE AND RURAL AFFAIRS.

Edited by THOMAS MEEHAN.

Vol. XXII.

OCTOBER, 1880.

Number 262,

Flower Garden and Pleasure Ground.

SEASONABLE HINTS.

Over and over again for years past we have
dwelt on the great necessity for shade to the
soil, as the great one thing which the cultivator
has to learn from American works and from
American experience, that he will never learn
from the best European works, because there
they want the soil warmer than it is, rather
than to be cooled. The coolness afforded by
the shade is the great element of value in
growing fruit trees in grass, and ornamental
trees on lawns, which, as everyone knows, do
better on a well-kept lawn than in a piece of
ground where the surface is kept clear of all
vegetation. It may, perhaps, have been an over-
sight that we have not as strongly urged the
great value of shade for border flowers as for
ornamental trees or fruits. The importance of
this shade was very strongly brought to mind in
a recent trip to the South. We remained over a
day at the Relay House, below Baltimore. The
hotel belongs to the Baltimore and Ohio Rail-
road Company, and the grounds around it are
of the most charming description. Tasteful
walks, neatly mown lawns, artistically grouped
trees and shrubs, with not a weed to be seen, or
anything out of place anywhere. But the great
attraction was the profusion of charming flowers
there, and in the highest condition of lux-
uriance. In Verbenas especially, we never saw
anything to equal them. The single flowers

were about an inch across, and the trusses
were of enormous size. The chief element in
this success was the shading of the earth from
the hot sun. All over the surface of the earth
fresh tan bark was strewn, and gave the cool
shade in which the roots luxuriate. This is not
the season for shading soil ; but it is in time for
our "Seasonable Hints," that one can so think
over and arrange things, as to have the needful
shade for next season.

While caring for next summer's protection
from heat, look out for winter protection from
frost. Numberless things will i^idure frost,— at
the same time remember that even in the hardi-
est cases frost is no benefit. In protecting, Pine,.
Cedar and Arborvitae are often used, but they
often injure by the turpentine which comes out
when the branches freeze. In like manner be
careful with rank, strawy manure, for the salt it
contains does injury. Too great a thickness of
leaves will breed mildew, besides being unneces-
sary. Plants often die from excessive evapora-
tion, and bright sunlight in winter helps evapora-
tion. Just enough covering to keep off" wind
and sun-light is all that most half-hardy plants
need.

Many kinds of hardy annuals flower much
better next spring, when sown at this season of
the year. A warm, rich border should be chosen,
and the seed put in at once. Early in spring
they must be transplanted to the desired position
in the flower border.

290

THE GARDENER'S MONTHLY

[October,

Few things are more valued in winter than a
bunch of Sweet Violets. A few may now be
potted, and they will flower in the window to-
wards spring; or a small bed of them may be
made in a frame, which should be protected by
a mat from severe frost. To have Pansies flower
early and profusely in spring, they may be
planted out in a frame, as recommended for the
Violet.

Herbaceous hardy border flowers are often
propagated in the fall by dividing the roots ; but
unless it is convenient to protect the newly-made
plants through the winter, it is better to defer
this till spring, as the frost draws out of the
ground and destroys many. Where it is now
resorted to, a mulching of leaves or litter
should be placed over the young stock when
ti'ansplanted.

Chrysanthemums now in flower should have
their names and colors rectified, against the '
time when in spring they may have to be re-
planted, when they can be re-arranged with ac-
curacy and satisfaction, according to the owner's
taste.

Amongst the pretty efiects which we have seen
this year, have been several attempts at forming
winter gardens of evergreens. It was suggested
in England a few years ago, that the massing
system of growing flowers in summer was object-
ionable in this, that it left the beds naked
through the winter. To remedy this, they had
a reserve garden of evergreens from which the
plants were taken every year after the frost had
killed the flowers, and set in the places where
the flowers were. This makes the flower garden
look green at least during the summer season.
This reserve garden of evergreens is usually put
into an out of the way place, and does not look
very inviting in the summer time. In the case
we have reference to, the reserve garden had the
evergreens set rather wide apart, and the spaces
between filled with Coleus, Achyranthus, and
other colored and variegated leaves. The effect
was very pretty indeed.

COMMUNICA TIONS.

WOMAN IN HORTICULTURE.

BY S. B. PARSONS.
Read before the New York Horlicultural Society.

My few words will not consist of compliments
to woman. However deserved, they belong to
the social rather than the horticultural circle,

to the drawing-room rather than the platform.
Mine will be simply an appeal to the women of
New York to aid this society by the charm of
their presence and the influence of their ex-
ample.

The true, the well-balanced, the perfect wo-
man is an embodiment of taste and skill and
culture, with the addition of those other graces of
mind and sentiment and form which influence
fathers, husbands and brothers. This influence is
potent, and every true man, loving some true
Ncoman, delights in nothing so much as the grat-
ification of her wishes.

Men are immersed in business — in the many
engrossing cares of life. They have little time to
give to its pleasures. A rise in stocks, an ad-
vance in sheetings, a corner in wheat, will give
them a sensation which the fairest flowers can
never furnish. But when the cares of the day
are over, and in the quiet evening a man be-
comes the centre of his home circle — of daugh-
ter and sister and wife — he realizes the breathing
of a new atmosphere.

In the gentle nature which is then uppermost,
he responds gracefully to all intimations. If
Edith describes that love of a bonnet which she
saw in Broadway, a few tens are quietly slipped
into her hand, and an arm stealing around his
neck with a pat on the cheek tells him that he
is a very nice sort of a father ; if sister Sue has
seen at Stewart's a new silk, the shimmer of
which is like sunlight, a piece of paper with two
ciphers upon it finds its way between the leaves
of her book ; and when the crown of the house-
hold, with her shining eyes, describes the beauty
of Moran's Holy Cross, a check is found next
morning upon her toilet table.

Now, this is all as it should be, only, for a
little while, we would urge that in place of the
bonnet and the silk and the picture, they
would describe the rich scarlet of the Jacque-
minot, the pure white of the Niphetos, the deli-
cate fawn of the Safrano roses, with all the rich-
ness of the various flowers which they have seen
during the day at the monthly exhibition of the
j New York Horticultural Society ; and impress
upon him how much more worthy of a perma-
i nent home — of a hall of their own — are these
pictures of nature's painting than all the pro-
ducts of the genius of man. The last are lim-
ited by the narrow bounds of human skill and
power ; the former are limitless in their shades
of color and variations of form. Nature never
copies. Every shade of a color, every curl of a

[1880,

AND HORTICULTURIST.

291

leaf, every droop of a stem, is its own and has no
fellow. The waves of the ocean, the clouds of
the air, the fleeting expressions on a human face,
are not more varied than are the colors and
forms of plants and flowers.

With her own speaking eyes and lips let her
tell this to her charmed listener ; let her de-
scribe to him how great a pleasure it would be
to her, on parting from him each morning, to
go to a flower market which he has assisted to
build, and there to feast on the gathered treas-
ures, bringing home with her all she needs to
give a charm and fragrace to her diningtable or
drawing-room. While she is speaking, his eyes
may prefer to dwell upon her face, but let
her direct their attention to the check-book
at his elbow and suggest that the check for
ten thousand dollars be made payable to the
treasurer of the New York Horticultural Society.
Here would lie her legitimate influence ; why
should she not exert it ?

Woman has always been the patroness of hor-
ticulture.

In the beginning of the world all things were
pronounced good, and among them was a gar-
den. Man was placed in it to care for and to
dress it. He soon found that for this, as well as
for many other things, he needed more taste and
a finer sense than any he possessed ; so woman
was given him as a help-meet for him. May
we not suppose that this was in an especial
manner horticultural help?

Among all the pictures which imagination
paints upon the human brain, I think there is
none which has a greater charm than that of
our ftrst mother, with her graceful form and
perfect face, illumined with the sovil which had
come direct from the Almighty, wandering in
the garden which we may well suppose to
have been the most beautiful ever known, be-
cause in it grew, as the Scriptures tell us, "every
tree that is pleasant to the sight and good for
food." Under her skillful hands, divinely guided,
every plant flourished, every tree developed its
most graceful forms. She walked over the
yielding turf, by the side of the running brooks,
and sportively wreathing on her hair or gather-
ing in her ■ hands the varied flowers whose fra-
grance burdened the perfect air, she wondered
if any other being had been created for such
enjoyment as was now her daily lot.

So she appeared, until that sad day when she
made her first pomological experiment, and,
frightened at the result, hid herself among the

trees of the garden, from which she came out to
minister, through her descendants in the coming
ages, to the unfortunate admiration of man for
millinery.

As the ages have passed woman has been grad-
ually arousingherselffrom this thraldom. May we
not ask her now to throw it ofi" entirely, to go
back to the old love which our mother had for
her garden, to show that she is a true daughter
by every means at her command, and to encour-
age, as one of her instruments, the New York
Horticultural Society ?

In the short time that I have allowed myself
to-daj', I cannot go over the whole field of ancient
and modern biography, to show the connection
of woman with horticulture. It is apparent in
Grecian history and mythology, in the latter es-
pecially, because the mythology of a people is
the outgrowth of their daily life.

In the garden of Hesperides was found the
golden apple which Atalanta's lover threw.
Daphne, in her flight was changed into the beau-
tiful shrub which bears her name, and recalls
her memory by its fragrance and beauty. With
the hanging gardens of Babylon, Xenophon has
made us familiar. Their unique magnificence
has not since been equaled. Their builder was
Semiramis, and, I am sorry to say, that her true
love for flowers did not prevent her seeking for
the most certain mode of divorcement in killnig
her husband.

We have so little record of the pursuits of
women in early days, that we scarcely know of
their devotion to any one interest. It is not to
be doubted, however, that noted women, like the
queen of Sheba, Zenobia, Cleopatra, and others,
in their effort to surround themselves with every-
thing beautiful, gave a true place to plants and
flowers. Coming down to a later period, we find
that in the sixth centur}% Ultrogothe, the first wife
of the first king of Paris, was devoted to her gar-
dens. They were worthy of the splendor of her pal-
ace, and the roses in them were especially famous.
Equally noted were those of Galiana, the favo-
rite daughter of King Galafr6, near Toledo in
Spain. At a later period there were gardens of
great beauty at Sceaux, made by a duchess.

The Grand Trianon at Versailles, built by
Louis XIV., was the favorite garden of Madame
de Maintenon ; and the Petit Trianon, in its
walks and groves, witnessed the enjoyment of
that unfortunate queen, Marie Antoinette.

At the end of the eighteenth century, the Era-
press Catharine of Prussia was a liberal patro-

292

THE GARDENER'S MONTHLY

[October,

ness of botanical collectors, and gathered under
glass many rare and beautiful plants.

The splendors of the tropical vegetation of
her eai'ly home dwelt in the memory of Joseph-
ine, when she came to Malmaison and added to
the graceful vivacity of her manners the charms of
beautiful gardens. Her collection of plants was
large, many of them being obtained in this
country, by a collector kept here at the joint ex- 1
pense of herself and some English gentlemen-
In England there has been more than in any
other country, a fondness for plants shown by
women of all classes, from the noble and cul- [
tured to the simple peasant's wife. In the
eighteenth century, the Duchess of Beaufort col-
lected a large quantity of rare plants in the fa-
mous gardens of Badmington, where they were
maintained in great beauty. At a later period in
the same century, the Princess Dowager of Wales
established the Arboretum at Kew, which thus
became the nucleus of a siill larger collection
now unsurpassed.

Still earlier — in 1706 — the Countess of Had-
dington was a great lover of trees. She sold her
jewels to enable her to plant Binning Wood.
Will the ladies of New York sell their jewels
to build a horticultural hall and flower market ?
One of the most beautiful places of England
was formed, partly by the influence and partly
by the pique of a woman.

The former Earl of Harrington married an
actress, and the gentry of the neighborhood re-
fused to recognize her. He therefore resolved
that he would have something which they
should not see while he lived So to Elvas-
ton Castle he brought, at great expense, large
cedars of Lebanon, yews and other trees. Some
of the yews were over six hundred years old.
The result was a place of wonderful beauty,
which was rigorously closed against visitors until
after his death, when it was thrown open to the
public. I shall not soon forget my first sight of
it, and no words of mine can do it justice. A
hollow hedge of yew seemed like the sinuous
foldsof a boa constrictor, with windows in its sides,
and all around were golden yews trimmed in
various forms — of columns and pedestals and
vases and birds and crowns and footstools and
arm chairs, all bright as burnished gold, while
dark green upright Irish yews stood on guard
like sable sentinels in a golden palace.

At Binstead, in the Isle of Wight, the skill and
taste of Lady Downs has formed grounds of
much beauty. Lady Pembroke is the author of

the well-known garden at Wilton House ; and the
Countess of Cowper designed the remarkable
Box garden at Panshanger. These are but few
of many instances. All England is one vast
garden, and an English lady who does not take
an interest in her own part of it, is an excep-
tion. In some instances the result of this
interest is very remarkable. I once stumbled
upon a curious piece of rock landscape near the
quaint old town of Chester, and found that it be-
longed to Lady Hamilton, owing its creation to
her taste and skill. From the seclusion of a
hedge we opened suddenly upon the lawn. The
illusion was perfect. There was scarcely two
acres of ground, and yet there appeared a broad
valley with Alpine mountains. Rockwork formed
the mountains, with gentle slopes and occasional
pockets, while the crowning forests were small
pyramidal evergreens, so arranged that it was
difficult to realize that the foreground did not
cover miles of plain, — that the rocks were not
truly Alpine heights, crowned by Alpine forests.

I have spoken of the interest in horticulture
shown by English women. We are not entirely
deficient in this country. I know many Ameri-
can women who take more interest in their
grounds and know more of horticulture than do
their husbands. I was once walking with an
accomplished lady through her grounds near
Baltimore, and found that she was familiar with
all processes of culture, and had the true busi-
ness capability, in that she paid all the ex-
penses of her lawn and gardens by the cultiva-
tion and sale of mushrooms.

The genius of American society is, however,
against country homes and their resulting gar-
dens. The attractions of watering places and of
foreign and domestic travel, are such that
American women prefer to move about, to avoid
the cares of a country house and the annoyan-
ces of domestic service. Thus it is doubtful if
our country will ever contain the numerous
charming country homes which are found in
England. If such country homes are few and
exceptional, there is the more reason to have
the city homes adorned by all that is beautiful
in plants and flowers.

It is possible to have gardens upon the house-
tops, into which all beautiful and rare plants can
be gathered. It is possible to have a horticultu-
ral hall in which will be exhibited every variety
of plant or flower which American enterprise can
furnish. It is possible to have therein a library,
which will give all the horticultural information

1880.1

AND HORTICULTURIST.

293

which has ever been printed. It is possible to have
a flower market, where every woman will find a
daily exhibition, and on which she will every
morning feast her eyes as certainly as she takes
her daily bread. It is possible to create such a
demand for plants and flowers, that both com-
mercial and private growers will keep such a
market filled with the most varied and choice
productions. A lady walking through this
market will not be confined to the few roses
already known to her, but all Roseland will
be before her. She will not be limited to
the stereotyped flowers of the shops, but her
eye will feast on a varied richness of which she
had never dreamed. Her knowledge of plants and
her taste alike will be cultivated, and the desire
of possession, with transfer to her own rooms,
will come, as it does with the sight of a beauti-
ful picture.

Our subject is a fertile one, but time will not
allow me to pursue it farther. I will conclude
with a chapter in the world's history hitherto
unwritten.

When Eve first realized the terrible conse-
quence of her daring experiment, she cried out,
in the very agony of her soul, " What shall I do?
All men will curse my name forever. How can
I and my daughters bear this burden through all
the coming ages ?"

And then from out the cloud, came the voice
of infinite compassion :

" I know thy weakness, and that thou wert de-
luded by one more powerful than thou. In my
own immutable justice I cannot release the pen-
alty, but in compensation for thy sufferings, I
will give in abundance to thee and to thy daugh-
ters after thee, that which is given only in a
limited degree to man. I will give to thee and
them a voice soft, low and persuasive, like the
music of birds, a beauty of face, a grace of man-
ner, a refinement of taste, a quick sense of the
beautiful, and a capability of unselfish affection
which shall charm all who are near you ; and in
the charm men shall forget the sin. And if you
obey me, I will give you an abounding sense of
my presence and the ability to love me always."

The voice ceased, and Eve rose up comforted,
with a face like the face of an angel.

May we not confidently appeal to this grace
and taste and sense of beauty in the women of
New York, to come forward and help us now; to
give their presence at all our exhibitions and
assemblies; to use their influence with those
whom these qualities can charm, and through

that influence to build a hall and flower market
for the New York Horticultural Society.

LA FRANCE ROSE.

BY H. G. HOOKER, ROCHESTER, N. Y.

Here in Rochester the La France Rose is
proving itself worthy of its name and fame.
Nothing can excel it in beautiful, delicate color,
exquisite and abundant perfume, and profuse,
constant blooming from the commencement to
the close of vegetation ; just as long as growth
is maintained, beautiful bloom will follow ; in
fact the habit of over-flowering is its principal
drawback. Unless high cultivation and libe-
ral manuring are furnished, it will be stunted
by excessive flowering; but if freely manured,
and a portion of the too numerous flower buds
are cut off" in season the results are admirable.
At the present writing, August 17th, my nur-
sery plantation of one-quarter of an acre of La
France roses, where the early flowers were cut
off" until the plants were well established, and
good culture given, is a place of beauty and
fragrance beyond anything I have ever seen in
rose growing. Some of the blooms are five
inches in diameter, many are four inches
across, and all furnish shades of color and re-
flections of color on the inside and outside of
the petals quite beyond description. As this
rose is hardy, at least in the root and nearly so at
the top, it ought perhaps to stand at the head of
the Hybrid Perpetual class all things considered,
as combining the largest number of good points.
It will need close pruning, nearly to the ground,
every spring, free manuring, and some reduction
of the over-numerous flowers.

THREE POPULAR HONEYSUCKLES.

BY J. M.

Just now, in June, when Honeysuckles are in
flower, is a good time to note the differences in
the kinds. The three most useful climbing
Honeysuckles are the brachypoda or Japan,
flexuosa or Chinese, and Hallian or Hall's. Of
these the first two flower at the same time, the
Hall's being a week or ten days later, always.

If there is any difference in the degree of
fragrance, it is probably in favor of the Chinese,
though there is but little, if any. The Chinese,
having purplish leaves and rosy flower buds,
with cream-colored flowers when expanded,
makes the most contrast of any, and, therefore,
with those who know the difference, this kind is

294

THE GARDENER'S MONTHLY

[October,

oftener planted than the others are. The Japan, \
however, is useful in its way. There is not the
contrast between flower-buds and flowers and
leaves as in the Japan, because the leaves when
young are of a light green, and the flowers are ,
cream-colored, both in bud and when expanded ; \
but it is such a bushy grower, that for covering
old stumps of trees and many other purposes it
is just the thing. The chief merit of the Hall's
Honeysuckle is its late blooming, coming in, as
it does, when the other two are about past their j
prime. It also blooms occasionally through the
summer, but not suSiciently well to merit the
name of everblooming, which some bestow on it.

EDITORIAL NOTES.

The Best Rose. — In France recently they
tried to find out what was the best Rose by vote.
La France had 79 votes, while Marie Van
Houtte had but io. The old La Reine had 42,
and General Jacqueminot 52. These votes are
like our fruit votes. The one which is the most
extensively grown will get the most votes, be-
cause half the voters do not know of many other
kinds. But it is a superb kind.

Xanthoceros sorbifolia. — This rare and beau-
tiful tree can be propagated by root cuttings.

The Hemlock Spruce. — It seems almost a ,
matter of experiment whether trees do well or
not in any part of the world. The Evergreens
of the Pacific coast thrive in England, but do no
good in the Atlantic portion of the United States.
On the other hand, it is only exceptionally that
the Hemlock Spruce of the Eastern States does
well in Great Britain. A correspondent of the
Garden has found it do well in clay soils in
Austria.

LiLiUM Parryi. — This new Lily already noted
in our magazine, is thus referred to by Max Licht-
lin in the Garden, as appearing at Baden-Baden :
" Lilium Parryi is not, I consider, the showiest
of American Lilies, but it is one of the most ele-
gant. Here it has seven flowers on a stem 5 feet
in height; their color is a deep citron-yellow,
with a few crimson spots ; they stand out hori-
zontally, and are tubiform and about 4 inches in
length ; the pollen is reddish brown. Mine is the
best variety. Some of them appear to be much
paler and not so large flowered. It is a very ele-
gant and graceful Lily."

Public Spirit.— Geo Hubbard of Connecticut,
says : '"Nearly all our towns are full of objects of

natural beauty, easy of development, and very
many of them rich in legendary and historical
associations. What is greatly wanted is some"
thing more of rural art and adornment; some-
thing which shall beautify our country villages,
educate public taste, make the homes of the
fathers dearer to their sons, and the local associa-
tions of childhood dearer to old age, and thus
turn back, in part, at least, the tide of migration
from the rural towns, and make the city seek the
country life, and make it what it used to be in
our own State and what it still is in the oldest
and most cultivated nations of the world."

Lily Culture. — People in our country buy
Lilies and other rare native things, and stick
them in common garden ground, and when they
die " only wish they had the climate of England
to grow these nice things." But in England they
have to use some nice judgment in selecting first
what each particular class of things require. In
fact, it is horticultural skill and not mere climate
that makes success. Witness what a corres-
pondent of the Garden saj's about Lilies : " I
have been down to Ware's to see how the Cali-
fornian Lilies looked after the severe storms and
rains, and found them as happy as if they had
been in a glass case all the time — stately and
vigorous, showing great beauty of form as well
as splendor of blossom, sometimes held well
above a man's head. This superb Lily growth in
our own country settles at once the question of
the culture of these noble flowers, which come
to us from one of the fairest lands in the world —
certainly the happiest for flowers and trees I ever
saw. They are grown in light beds of free and
rich vegetable soil — decayed manure, Cocoa-nut
fibre, or leaf-mould, with a little mulching of
half decayed stable manure over the earth. The
soil is the very opposite to that which we see in
a hard-baked border, and which may be de-
scribed as an unnatural soil. The earth in which
the}' do so well in every stage — 'scale' plants,
Lily babies, children, and up to the tallest — is
mixed after all on a natural plan, so to say, be-
cause in woody places, in copses, there are accu-
mulations of vegetable soil for ages. In it plants
find a diflerent medium from what our hard and
fully- exposed garden soil so often is. The ques-
tion, then, of growing these Lilies is for ever set-
tled, and those who have not got beds of Rhodo-
dendrons or other American plants in which to
put them know exactly what to do. A late form
of the Californian Lily is very tine in flower now,
coming in after the usual type begins to fade."

1880.]

AND HORTICULTURIST.

295

Greenhouse and House Gardening.

SEASONABLE HINTS.

The taste for cut- flowers, like the taste for bed-
ding plants, has grown to such proportions as to
almost overshadow the love of beautiful winter-
flowering plants, which in the past made the
greenhouse in winter such a love of a place
to spend a few hours in. The cut-flower enthu-
siasm covers only a score or two of items, some
half dozen kinds of roses, Callas, Bouvardias,
Heliotrope, Carnations and Mignonette, and the
list is near complete. The taste for all does a
little for true flower culture. It cannot be that
the love of flowers will stop with a ''bunch," a
tasteful bouquet, or a basket. Some among the
admirers of these conventional things will want to
move, and we have little doubt that the love of
nice collections of well grown winter plants will
grow out of mere "cut- flower" love.

For winter-flowering many things like Carna-
tions, Bouvardias, Jasmine, and others, are
grown out of doors during summer, and are
lifted and x)otted early in October.

In taking up things from the ground for pot-
ting, care should be taken to have the pots well
drained, with pieces of potsherd over the hole.
The more rapidly water passes through the soil
the better plants will grow. Pots could be made
without holes, and the water would all go
through the porous sides in time ; but that is too
slow a way, so we make a hole to admit of its
more rapid escape, and we place the broken pots
over the hole to make a vacuum, which assists
the object of the hole. In very small pots, or
with plants which have strong enough roots to
rapidly absorb all the moisture they get, and
speedily ask for more, "crocking" is not neces-
sary.

Bulbs for flowering in pots should be planted
at once. Four or five inch pots are suitable.
One Hyacinth and about three tulips are suffi-
cient for each. After potting, plunge the pots over
their rims in sand under the greenhouse stage,
letting them remain there until the pots have
become well filled with roots, before bringing
them on to the shelves to force.

To watch for the first appearance of insects of
all kinds, is one of the chief points of immediate

interest in plant culture. If they once become
numerous, it is often better to throw away a
plant entirely than to doctor it after the old
methods.

COMMUNICA TIONS.

HYGIENIC AND THERAPEUTIC RELA-
TIONS OF HOUSE-PLANTS.

Read before the Alumni of the Auxiliary Department of Medi-
cine, University of Pennsylvania, February 6, 1880.

BY DR. J. M. ANDERS, PHILA.

The old question of the effects of living plants
on the air of houses is one of considerable in-
terest. The family doctor is ofttimes confronted
with the query, " How do plants in rooms affect
the health of the inmates ?" Formerly, it was
the universal opinion that they were injurious to
health, particularly in the sleeping-room and
sick-chamber. Unfortunately, this still continues
to be a popular impression. To review the
various views on this topic down to the present
would be foreign to the scope of this article and
quite out of place. The discussion will neces-
sarily be confined to the present state of our
knowledge concerning the subject, and especially
such of its bearings as are interesting from a
medical point of view.

Three of the chief functions in plant life are
the absorption of carbonic acid, the exhalation
of oxygen, and the generation of ozone. Now,
it has been conclusively shown* that variations
in the amount of these gases from the presence
of any number of plants have no appreciable
effect on the air of an apartment, the absorption
and exhalation of these substances being carried
on too slowly either to improve or to vitiate the
air.

There is, however, yet another process in
plants, which in this connection is of far greater
importance, viz., that of transpiration. By this
term is meant the exhalation of moisture by the
leaves. About this function very little was
known until recently. Careful investigations of
the subject have been made by the writer, to
which brief reference can only be made here, for
they have formed the basis of a paper else-

* Pettenkofer, Pop. Science Monthly for February, 1878.

296

THE GARDENER'S MONTHLY

[October,

where.* It may suffice to say that the average
rate of transpiration for plants having soft, thin
leaves, as the geranium, lantana, etc., is one and
a half ounces (by weight) of watery vapor per
square foot of leaf-surface for twelve diurnal
hours of clear weather. In order to convey some
notion of the great activity of this function, it
might be stated that at the above rate the
Washington elm, at Cambridge, Massachusetts
with its two hundred thousand square feet of
leaf-surface, would give off seven and three-
quarter tons of water in twelve hours. In the
twenty-four hours an indoor plant will transpire
more than half as much as one in the open air.
It would appear to follow naturally from these
facts that growing plants would be capable of
raising the proportion of aqueous vapor of the
air of closed apartments. And this suggestion
prompted the writer to make observations with
the view of establishing this fact experimentally.
By means of the hydrometer, the atmosphere of
two rooms at the Episcopal Hospital, in which
the conditions and dimensions were in every re-
spect similar, were tested simultaneously, in
order to note the variations produced by grow-
ing plants. In the window of one of the rooms
were situated five thrifty plants, the other con-
tained none.

For eighteen consecutive days the dew-point
of the room containing plants gave an average
complement one and a half degrees lower than
the room in which there were no plants. Think-
ing that possibly this difference of humidity
might not be owing solely to the presence of
plants, the conditions were varied, and further
observations made, with similar results. The
manner in which these investigations were car-
ried out cannot be here detailed. The following
conclusion should, however, be quoted : "Dur-
ing the summer months, when the windows are
thrown widely open and the doors kept ajar, the
influence of transpiration is quite inconsiderable ;
on the other hand, when the interchange of air
is not too rapid, a sufficient number of plants,
well watered, have the effect (if the air be not
already saturated) of increasing the amount of
moisture to a considerable extent."! This point,
as will presently be seen, is of special importance
where houses ax-e heated by dry-air furnaces.

Although science cannot readily determme
the exact relative humidity most conducive to

*See American Natnralist for March. 1879.
t" Beneficial Influence of Plants," American Naturalist,
December, 1879.

health, still, according to the best authorities on
the subject, it is considered that about seven-
eighths of what the air will contain at a given
temperature is the proper standard. By repeated
testing the writer has recently found that the de-
gree of humidity is generally below that standard
in this latitude. It was also found that air
warmed by an open fireplace, or by air heated
by steam, gave a complement of the dew-point
from two to four degrees Fahrenheit greater than
the external air, and in the case of rooms heated
by a dry-air furnace the complement was from
five to seven degrees greater at the same tem-
perature. From this exhibit it will be seen that
the atmosphere of a room warmed by dry air
contains far too little moisture to be healthful.
The peculiar effects of dry air on human beings
are well known to the progressive practitioner.
With respect to this question Prof. A. Stills ob-
serves, "... A great demand is made upon the
system to supply the air with moisture ; the skin
and pulmonary mucous membrane are dried,
and a condition is induced which is expressed in
irritability of the nervous system, paleness and
susceptibility of the skin to cold, liability to pul-
monary diseases, and, in a word, deterioration of
all the functions."*

It is true that in special states of the system —
e. g., in chronic rheumatism — dry heat is bene-
ficial; but this is no argument against the bene-
fit ordinarily derived from a proper amount of
moisture in the atmosphere. On the other hand,
if the presence of a certain number of thrifty
plants in an occupied room warmed by dry air
would have the effect of raising the relative
humidit}' to the extent indicated, it is clear that
we possess in them one of the readiest means of
obviating these evil consequences. In all in-
stances, then, in which artificial heat is used, but
particularly in the case of dry air, as that fur-
nished by furnaces, plants become, under proper
regulations, hygienic agents of special value.

Were this article intended for popular reading,
much might also be said in favor of keeping
house-plants for the benefit they confer in de-
lighting our senses and ministering to our
aesthetic tastes ; but we are discussing the ques-
tion from a strictly medical point of view, and
such matter would be somewhat irrelevant.

Since it is well established that certain maladies
are benefited by a moderately moist and warm
atmosphere, and since plants can, as has been

* Therapeutics, vol. i. pp. 637, 638.

[1880.

AND HORTICULTURIST.

297

shown, fui-nish this moisture to the warm air of
rooms, they might with propriety be classed as
therapeutic agents ; but to draw lines of distinc-
tion between their hygienic and their therapeutic
application would be an unnecessary refinement
of terms.

Of course it is chiefly in diseases of a chronic
nature, and particularly those affecting the lungs
and air-passages, tliat we should expect to derive
good results fi'om such a measure as stocking
the sick-room with growing plants, for it is in
such cases that dry heat does tlie most harm.
Still, they would prove beneficial also, in a less
degree, in acute diseases, especially the continued
fevers, and, perhaps, membranous croup,
where moisture in the air is so desirable. House-
plants have, however, a sphere of usefulness
which is independent of atmospheric humidity.
In nervous disorders of the functional class,
such as melancholia and chlorosis, in diseases of
the mind proper, and in other allied conditions
(excessive grief, ennui, etc.), where it is neces-
sary to divert the mind or relieve tension, nothing
is more efficient than the pleasing occupation of
studying and caring for plants.

But it is in that sweeping disease phthisis that
plants off"er the best hope of success as therapeu-
tic agents. The importance of this point de-
mands that it should receive careful attention.

(To be continued.)

NEAT GREENHOUSES.

BY RAMBLER, PHILA.

Some people have associated such g^ tropical
idea with the sight of a greenhouse, that they
positively shrink from entering it on a warm
day, and this idea is fostered by the custom,
and in the explanation of the majority of gar-
deners on the summer cultivation of greenhouse
plants, in the turning out of all and everj' mov-
able plant (wholesale and retail) out of the
greenhouse and huddled together sans cere-
monie under trees, hedges, back walls and out-
of-the-way corners; the affair is finished by put-
ting an embargo on the greenhouse door. The
place is forthwith proscribed, and like a sleigh,
it is laid away until winter, when it is again
stuffed full of its former occupants, and all under
the absurd notion that nothing will thrive in it
during the summer months.

If gardeners would for a moment study the ef-
fects of this method they would soon abandon it
for a better. Nothing can be more injurious to
them or to their profession.

If we would create in the minds of our em-
ployers a lively interest for the subject of our
labors, we ought to render those subjects as inter-
esting as possible. We must give a visible polish
to the productions of our art. The flower gar-
den may be parched with drouth, but the green-
house ought always to be in a blaze of beauty.
But, can this be done ? Certainlj'. Nothing is
more easy. To effect it successfully, however,
the gardener must not only have a "weather
eye," but also a philosophical one, so as to dis-
cern the times and the seasons, the transitions of
nature and the nature of the plants, and the
atmosphere we place them in as well as the soil
and water we supply them with. In short, we
must do things in the proper manner and at the
proper time, in close imitation of the teachings
of nature. We ought to have that confidence in
our operations which is learned only by close
practice and strict observation, and without
which, plant-growing is both a profitless and
pleasureless business, unsatisfactory to our em-
ployers and discreditable to ourselves. Every
summer I visit a considerable number of places
where gardeners are kept, and at most, without
one single exception, their greenhouses are
empty ; perhaps a few old and immovable and
unsightly subjects were standing here and there
covered with dead and dying foliage, making the
wretched appearance of the house more wretched
and its confusion more confused.

I admit there are many who have little encour-
agement to try anything of the kind suggested,
and that an empty, disfigured greenhouse, for
the want of taste, culture or inclination is as much
appreciated as if it was that thing of beauty repre-
sented as being to some few "a joy for ever."
Nor should we allow small obstacles to be sufficient
apology to relinquish or chequer that art that is
so worthy our best endeavors. We sacrifice time
and convenience to many things not half so
worthy our efforts or so satisfactory in their re-
sults.

STEPHANOTiS FLORIBUNDA.

BY CHAS. DARRAH, PHILA.

Mrs. R P. wishes to know of a white climber
for her conservatory, I think S. floribunda will
answer her purpose. Equal parts of turfy loam
and peat with sand to insure porosity will form
a good compost for this beautiful climber, as it
makes rapid growth. Attention must be given
to shifting before the roots get overcrowded.
Finally it may occupy a 15-inch pot. As growth

298

THE GARDENERS MONTHLY

[October,

proceeds the shoots must be regulated by prun-
ing and training, and it will soon cover a large
extended trellis or rafter. Towards the end of
the season, less moisture should be supplied in
order to render the wood more firm ; and to in-
sure success in flowering it, attention must be
given to keep it fiee from insects, as it is subject
to scale and thrip.

MOSS MULCHING.

BY PETER HENDERSON.

For want of a better name we have given this
to a practice that we have recently introduced
into our greenhouse department. Sometime about
the first of January of this year, one of our young
men suggested mulching with Moss (Sphag-
num) a lot of Roses, grown in 7-in. pots that had
become somewhat exhausted by being forced for
flowers for the holidays. Believing the idea to
be a good one I at once had a lot of nearly 3,000
plants so mulched, mixing, however, with the
moss a good portion of bone dust, perhaps one
part weight of bone dust to thirty parts of Moss.
In two weeks the effect began to be easily per-
ceived on all the Eoses that had been so
mulched, and without shifting they were carried
through until May with the most satisfactory re-
sults, many of the plants having by that time
attained a height of four and five feet, and
though they had bloomed profusely during a
a period for nearly six months, were in the most
perfect health and vigor. Believing that if this
system proved so satisfactory in a plant refusing
such careful handling as the Rose, that doubtless
it would do well with many other plants, we at
once, almost without exception, adopted the
moss and bone mulch on nearly every plant cul-
tivated, whether planted out in borders or grown
in pots, and the result without a single exception
has been in the highest degree satisfactory.
Among the plants so treated are Azaleas. Begon-
ias, Caladiums, Carnations, Crotons, Dracenas,
Eucliaris, Gloxinias, Palms, Pandanus, Poin-
settas. Primulas, Roses, Hot house Grapevines,
and hundreds of other genera. All plants are
mulched as soon as we can reach them, from
3-inch pots upwards. In strong growing plants
the roots can be seen striking upwards into the
mulch in four or five days after it is put on, and
in nearly all cases within two weeks.

One great advantage is that by this system
plants can be grown as large and fine in a 4-inch
pot as in a 6-inch pot without the mulch, for

the reason that the plant is now fed by the Moss
and bone from the surface of the pot — the best
feeding point as most cultivators of experience
now believe Another advantage of the mulch-
ing system is its great saving of labor, for it just
takes about one fourth of the time to mulch the
surface of a pot as it does to shift it. Another,
its saving of watering — the Moss acts as a sponge,
retaining and giving out the moisture to the
plant just as it is wanted. Another that it crowds
down all weeds, and does away with the necessity
of stirring the soil in the pots or borders. Another
and most important advantage to us who are
shippers is, that it lightens the weight of our
goods by one-half, that is, we get as large a plant
with half the weight of soil. In my practice of
thirty years, I have never seen a method of cul-
ture that I believe to be of such importance ; hun-
dreds who have visited us this season have been
equally impressed with its value, for the "proof
of the pudding" is most apparent in its results.
We have used already over twenty team loads of
moss and about one ton of bone dust, but never
before have we made an investment that has
been so satisfactory. If any think we are too
sanguine in this matter, we cordially invite
them to come and examine.

It may be that this moss and bone mulch-
ing is nothing new in the culture of plants, as it
is an idea, from its simplicity that may very
likely before have occurred to others, and may
have been long ago practiced ; but it is new with
us and new to us, and if any one has before done
so and withheld the knowledge from the public,
more shame to him, if the result with him has
been as gratifying as it has been to us.

THE FRAGRANT OLIVE.

BY C. E. PARNELL, QUEEN's, LONG ISLAND, N. Y.

In the Gardener's Monthly for April, 1880,
page 106, Mrs. M. W. asks for information con-
cerning the treatment of the fragrant Olive. The
Olea fragrans, or Osmanthus fragrans of some
botanists, is a handsome evergreen greenhouse
shrub, attaining a height of ten or twelve feet,
with small wnite deliciously scented flowers,
which are produced at intervals during the en-
tire year. It is a plant of the easiest culture, re-
quiring a rather moist atmosphere, a cool house,
and a compost composed of two-thirds loam and
one-third leaf mould or well rotted stable ma-
nure. Good drainage is indispensable, as the
Olea soon suff'ers if water is allowed to stand

1880.]

AND HORTICULTURIST.

299

about its roots. The Olea is not a very tender
tree and is about as hardy as an Orange. It is
on this account an excellent house phint. Un-
fortunately, it is very subject to the scale, and
should be occasionally washed with water in
which whale oil soap has been dissolved in the
proportion of three ounces to a gallon.

During the summer season, place the plant
•outside in a partially shaded place ; if in a pot,
the pot should be plunged. Syringe freel^y and
water as often as necessary.

During the winter it requires a temperature of
40° or 45°, and do not allow the plant to become
either very wet or dry. Or if the plant is in a
pot, the best method of treatment is to plant it
out in a well prepared border about the 10th of
May, and to take it up and pot it carefully about
the 10th of September. I would advise Mrs.
M. W. to follow this method of summer treat-
ment if possible.

The Olea fragrans is a native of China, and
was introduced in 1771, and the flowers are said
to be extensively used by the Chinese for the
purpose of flavoring tea. Propagation is eft'ected
by cuttings of the ripened wood.

SOME HANDSOME PLANTS.

BY MISS A. G., BALTIMORE, MD.

While visiting the large establishment of
Robert J. Halliday, Pennsylvania avenue, Balti-
more, we were shown some new, rare and beau-
tiful plants, viz., Louis Chretin a Rex, or orna-
mental leafed Begonia, said to be a new seedling.
The leaf is bordered by a band of apple green,
shading into a maroon-brown ; the latter forming
also a large irregular spot in the centre. The
space between the border and spot is tinted with
a gray-green. Over all glimmers a dark rosy-
purple lustre, that deepens in the centre, and at
the veins, giving to the young leaves a speciallj^
rich appearance.

A Begonia metallica (one of the newest) has a
broad leaf at the shoulder, but narrows rapidly
after to a sharp point. The veins are so deeply
indented as to give it almost a convoluted ap-
pearance. Its general tint is of a light-bottle or
apple-green. A bright metallic lustre covers the
leaf, which in the whole plant has the effect of
sun-lit dew upon it. A large plant of the Begonia
metallica exhibited in the Horticultural Society
of Baltimore, last fall, excited much admiration.

In a fine collection of Ferns, a variety of a
pale green tint, named Hicrolephia hirta cris-

tata, was conspicuous for its elegance of form,
and a peculiarly graceful fringe terminating the
points of each matured frond. Its nature is
deliciite, requiring the atmosphere of the stove
or hot-house to keep it in perfection. It is a new
one.

A large purple and white Petunia, quite
double, with the petals exquisitely fringed, is an-
other attraction among new plants. A climbing
plant, which can also be trimmed to a shrubby
form, has minute, delicate fern like leaves, the
young ones of which show a tint of maroon,
giving a rich coloring to the whole plant, and
contrasting elegantly with the mature green
leaves. It is named Paullina thalictrifolia, and
the fronds are said to resemble those of a highly
divided maiden hair fern.

We would call attention also to another lovely
plant not quite so new, the Campsidiura filici-
folium, from the Fiji Islands. It is a climbing
plant, which grows easily. It is veiy elegant,
and has delicately cut leaves, resembling a fern.

Anthericum variegatum, another novelty, is a
handsome plant, with long narrow-pointed leaves
bordered with white. The matured plant sends
out slender trailing "stems that bear small white
flowers. There is a green variety which grows
very freely, the name of which we have been
unable to ascertain. When in full vigor the
branching, drooping stems make a graceful
adornment for vase or wall-pot, when placed
either side of the door or window.

The above are a few of the many fine plants
shown. One improvement we saw that we hope
will extend to other establishments, viz., the
evident purpose of making beauty of arrange-
ment one of the features of the place. We won-
der, as a matter of policy, that others do not
follow the plan, as all that florists can show of
the proper placing and developing of each
characteristic beauty is an inducement for pur-
chasers to buy, that they may emulate it. We
have frequently seen plants so badly placed as
to hide instead of show their loveliness.

In one end of the hot-house the w^all was en-
tirely covered with moss, held in by wires. In
this are growing Selaginellas (Lycopodium),
Orchids, Ferns, &c., and with these and some of
the wild plants introduced with the moss form a
fairy scene of beauty. Near these orchids are
suspended also ferns, and overhead droop the
branches of the lovely AUamanda Schottii with its
primrose colored bells, mingled with the large
dark-blue flowers of a tropical morning glory,

300

THE GARDENER'S MONTHLY

[October,

the Pharbitis hispida Dickensonii. Tree ferns,
delicate filmy leaved ferns like a cloud of airy-
green; climbing Selaginellas (moss), with the
exquisite steel-green tint, so rare ; Dracaenas in
stately grace, and of varied color, with hanging
or climbing plants interspersed, and others of
beautiful forms or colors, made up the charming
assemblage. Added to this in the centre of the
house a wall or grotto is formed of West India
brain coral, in the interstices of which are grow-
ing on one side sun-loving plants of various kinds,
and on the other, lycopodiums, ferns, begonias,
arums and other moisture-loving plants, among
which trickle tiny streams of water that fall
tinkling into a large tank surrounded with fairy-
ferns, and containing water plants. In time
these will be walls of living verdure and a rare
pleasure to see. Something of art, and more of
nature (for who can rival her inimitable grace),
combine to make a refining and constant pleas-
vire; for the pleasures of nature seldom weary.
The love of flowers and trees is one that time
seldom destroj'^s, for it is renewed day by day,
and constant investigation only adds to our
knowledge of the wonders and great wisdom
and power of their Creator.

EDITORIAL NOTES.

Plants in Living Rooms. — The excellent papers
on plants in living rooms by Dr. Anders, of
Philadelphia, which we published, and now have
attracted more than usual interest in Europe.
The Record says of it :

"There was once, still is, perhaps, a super-
stition that plants in rooms are unwholsome.
Setting aside special c^ses it may be said that, as
a general rule, plants in a living room, if they
have any perceptible effect at all, are beneficial
rather than otherwise. We are glad to see, says
the Gardener's Chronicle, the faculty taking this
view of the subject. An American physician
has, it seems, pointed out that by their powers of
transpiring moist vapor plants render great ser-
vice in rooms warmed by dry air. The value of
plants and flowers as delassement for the weak
and weary is acknowledged on all hands. Dr.
Anders, according to the British Medical Journal,
goes further, and states that the pursuit of
gardening, though it naturally favors rheuma-
tism, appears to arrest consumption in persons
of phthisical tendency, while the abandonment
of the pursuit in other cases led to the develop-
ment of the disease. Dr. Anders recommends a
room well stocked with plants as a complete and

agreeable health-resort free from the inconveni-
ences of traveling and the anxiety of separation
from home We concur with our contemporary
in the opinion that the doctor has opened up a
most interesting subject for investigation."

Paullinia thalictripolia is one of the most
beautiful of plants, and one that cannot fail to
become a favorite. It is a native of the southern
Brazils, from whence it was introduced to the
nurseries of Messrs. Veitch & Sons, of Chel-
sea. In general appearance it is not unlike a
minutely cut- leaved Maiden-hair Fern, and, in-
deed, so much does it resemble a Fern, that it
might easily be mistaken for one. The leaves
are of a rich shade of green, and, as the specific
name implies, they closely resemble in shape
those of some species of dwarf Meadow Rue
(Thalictrum). The young branches are clothed
with a velvety down of a greenish-chocolate
color, and the woody stems are also tinged with
brown.

If only required for decorative purposes there
should be no inclination to make the plants pro-
duce flowers, which are inconspicuous; there-
fore the main object should be to have plenty of
healthy foliage. To secure this, the plant should
be grown in a temperature of from 65° to 70°,
and if one part of the greenhouse is more
adapted to its growth than another, it is the
dampest part. After this plant came into the
possession of Messrs. Veitch, and before its true
value became known, some plants of it were
placed in a corner of an old, very damp, warm
pit, in which position they grew wonderfully
strong, and quite surpassed in vigor and beauty
those that were, as was then supposed, placed
under more advantageous circumstances, i. e.,
in drier and lighter parts of other houses. Care
is therefore now taken to keep them where
abundant atmospheric moisture can be supplied.
This plant may be grown to train on a small
trellis or to affix to short rafters, but the best
mode is to grow it so as to form little well-
foliaged specimens. A compost consisting of
two parts good substantial peat and one of loam,
together with some silver sand, suits it admirably.
— Gardening Illustrated.

Decorative Art. —The Gardener's Chronicle
tells us that recently a ball to the Prince of
Wales was given by Mrs. R. C. Naylor, in Bel-
grave Square, and to give sufficient accommoda-
tion to the numerous guests a spacious pavilion
was thrown across the back garden, covering in

1880,

AND HORTICULTURIST.

301

a good portion of its space. It was found neces-
sary, in order to have adequate room, to enclose
a Weeping Ash tree; and then the question
arose how best to utilize this tree. Mr. John
Wills, to whom the floral decorations were en-
trusted, hit upon the happy expedient of con-
verting this tree into a fountain, and for this
purpose pipes were laid on to the tree and cun-
ningly conveyed up the trunk to the branches,
the trunk having an outer covering of cork
covered with creeping plants ; and from amid
the branches a fine spray was thrown out to-
wards the circumference of the branches. At
the foot of the tree was a circular pond, formed
of stout zinc, and fitting so close to the trunk of
the tree as that no water could get to the roots ;

and in this pond were arranged choice water
plants, including Nymphses in bloom, Australian
Pitcher-plants, Filmy Ferns, &c., and with so
much tact and skill and in such a natural man-
ner that they appeared to have been growing
there for weeks past. From the circumference
of the basin cooling spray was discharged to-
wards the centre, and when the interior of the
branches was lit up at night by means of Japan-
ese lanterns, the effect was indescribably charm-
ing, and the success of the work complete. On
either side of the broad flight of steps leading
from the drawing-room to the pavilion large
grottos were constructed with waterfalls, and the
surroundings vvere in thorough keeping with the
main idea.

Fruit and Vegetable Gardening.

SEASONABLE HINTS.

We do not know that under the head of Season-
able Hints we could do better than repeat what
we have once said before, that we feel that the
advice constantly given to subsoil and under-
drain, and manure to the extent of hundreds of
dollars per acre is too costly to follow, and of
little use after it is taken. If we were going to
prepare a piece of ground for an orchard, we
should manure it heavily and put in a crop of
potatoes ; then in October manure again
lightly and put in rye. On this, in April, we
should sow red clover. The rye off", we should
then consider it ready to plant trees. For ap-
ples, pears, plums or cherries, we should mark
out the rows ten feet apart, and for the trees ten
feet from each other. This will be twice as
thick as they will be required when full grown,
but they grow much better when thick together ;
and they will bear more than enough fruit to
pay for the room they occupy, before the time
comes to cut every other one away. We say
the rows ten feet apart, but every fourth row
should be twelve feet to afford room to get be-
tween the blocks with a cart.

Plant as early in October as possible, but it
can be continued until the approach of frost.
To plant, a hole can be dug in the stubble just
large enough to hold the roots without cramp-
ing them. We should tread in the soil and trim
in the head very severely. The next spring we

should just break the crust formed by the winter
rains about the tree, and then leave everything
to grow as it might. The clover will be ready
to cut in June or July. The twelve feet rows
may be done by machinery, the rest by hand.
Hay enough will be made to pay for all the
labor in one year and a little more. After the
hay has been hauled off bring back some rich
earth of an}' kind, and spread about a quarter or
half an inch thick over the surface of the ground
disturbed in making the hole. This will keep
the grass from growing very strong just over the
roots. Keep on this way annually, every two
or three years giving the whole surface of the
orchard a top dressing for the sake of the grass,
and it will be found to be the most profitable
way of making the orchard ground pay for
itself, until the fruit crops come in, that one can
adopt. The trees also will be models of health
and vigor, and when they commence to bear
will do so regularly and abundantly. This is an
epitome of what the Gardener's Monthly has
taught, opposed as it has been by the excellent
men of the old school of culture. No one who
follows it will ever abandon it for any other. It is
costless comparatively, from the first to the last ;
and pays its way at every step.

The dwarfer fruit trees we would plant on the
same system, but six instead of ten feet apart.
Few soils are too wet for fruit trees. Only in wet
soils plant on the surface, and throw up the
earth over them from between so as to make a

302

THE GARDENER'S MONTHLY

[October,

ditch or furrow to carry away the surface water.
On the plan of annual surface dressing which we
have outlined, the feeding roots will thus always
keep above the level of standing water ; and
when they can do this it will not hurt the trees
even though the tap roots are immersed in water
for a half year.

Now, there are some parts of the country
where the soil is cool, other parts where ma-
nures for top dressing are scarce, others where
vegetables among trees would be very profitable
in comparison with a crop of hay, or perhaps
occasionally some very good reason why the
outlines here sketched out should be departed
from. Succesfeful fruit culture does not consist
in following any person's plan, but in having
judgment enough to make a good rule bend to
suit the circumstances about one, or the special
object desired.

Celery as it grows will require earthing up,
and Endive successively blanched ; but the
main business of the month will be preparations
for housing the root crops for the winter. Beets
are generally' the first thing attended to, they
being the most easily injured by frost; carrots
salsify and parsnips following. The latter are
never really good until they liave been well
frozen ; and many leave them entirely in the
ground, taking them up as wanted for use. We
prefer taking them all up and packing them in
sand or half dried loam, in a shed or cellar,
which may be kept just above freezing point;
j'-et the cooler the better. If suffered to be in heaps
they heat and soon rot. In the same situation
Endive and Cape Brocoli may be preserved to
the end of the year; they are taken up with a
small quantity of earth adhering to them, and
placed side by-side together. Tomatoes, if dug
up also, and suspended, roots upward, in such a
situation will keep good a long time ; but this
must be done before the least frost has touched
them. It is a wise plan to sow a little more
Early York Cabbage early in the month, as in
fine mild winters the September sowing grows
too forward when protected. A very slight pro-
tection is better for them than any elaborate
atfair, the sun principally injuring them. The
same remarks apply to Lettuce intended to be
kept over winter for spring use, though the sun
is less destructive to them than to the cabbage.
But many good growers who have no interest in
being extra early, do not sow early cabbage till
Spring.

COMMUNICA TIONS.

PROTECTION OF TREES FROM THE SUN.

Read before the Nurserymen's Convention, at Chicago,
June 17, 1880.

By CHAS. D. ZIMMERMAN, BUFFALO, N. Y.

Trees suffer more from the effects of the sun,
directly and indirectly, than the majority of tree-
planters will acknowledge or comprehend. Very
often the unhealthy condition of trees is attrib-
uted to various causes, such as "poor stock" —
fault of the nurseryman — soil, insects, etc. ;
whereas the first cause of trouble is improper ex-
posure to the aun. Young trees are trimmed up
by cutting off alt the side branches by the nur-
seryman in order to give the tree a good appear-
ance, which is very well as long as the tree re-
mains in the nursery, for there it is protected
by its neighbors ; but when set out in orchard
rows, the long smooth stem will suffer more or
less by the exposure to the sudden changes of
temperature caused by the sun, and unless well
staked are very apt to lean over from the winds,
in which condition the sun's rays strike the tree
more directly, causing the bark on the exposed
side to decay, and making it attractive to insects.
Apple trees in this condition are very sure to be
attacked by the flat-headed borer (Chrysobothris
femorata, Lee.) The insects and sun together
soon ruin a tree.

In reference to Apple trees especially, I think
they would be healthier and longer lived if we
would copy after nature more than we do. For
example, if we allow an Apple tree to grow up
from seed, never turning or crowding it, we will
have nothing more than a large bush; but, you
may depend upon it, there will be no sun-burn
on that tree, there will be no flat headed borers,
no sap-sprouts, it will not lean at an angle of 45°
from the wind ; and if on average good soil, will
be a perfectly healthy and long-lived tree.

Now I do not propose that we should grow our
trees in this way, but I do think that we might
come a little nearer having perfect and healthy
trees by elevating the art of tree pruning and by.
copying to a greater extent from nature. Dr.
John A. Warder says, in one of his works, speak-
ing of nature's pruning: "She prunes and trains
magnificently, and gives us models for imita-
tion."

As far as I have observed, in nature the
healthiest trees are those on which the side
branches have been allowed to grow. When a
grove of trees grow up by an undisturbed effort

1880.]

AND HORTICULTURIST.

303

of nature, they will effectually protect them-
selves against the sun and winds ; those on the
exposed sides remain shorter and retain their
side branches, so that the branches of the tallest
reach down to the next shorter, and these in
turn to the next, and so on down to the shrubs,
and these to the grass. Why is this so if it is not
for the protection from the sun and winds. If
the short trees and shrubs are cut away the rest
will soon decay, not on account of the wind
alone, as we are usually told, but by the sun
also; for I 'claim that the exposure to the sun
has as much to do with it as the winds.

Wliere trees must be trimmed up high, I would
allow the side branches to grow (although the}'
might be kept short) until the top was large
enough to shade the trunk, not from the sum-
mer sun only, but from the winter sun as well,
which is probably the most injurious.

SPLITTING THE BARK OF TREES.

BY H. LUMBARD, OAK PARK, ILL.

I wish to give my experience in regard to
splitting the bark of trees.

I have on my place several Earlj' Richmond
Cherries, and tried the experiment of slitting the
bark on about half of them. Result, every one
that I slit is dead ; the others that were not cut
are thrifty and doing well, every one of them.
Would advise any one wishing to try the experi-
ment, to go slow at least on Cherry trees.

My conclusions are about as follows : I have
six dead facts and six living facts. If I had left
them alone, I should have had twelve living
trees, but I should not have known what I know
now, viz. : That splitting the bark will some-
times kill trees, and I would not slit the bark on
the remaining six for the value of the trees, feel-
ing sure that it would kill them. Perhaps if I
had commenced on them when they were young
they would have got used to it. I do not know
and cannot prove it. I have given you solid facts
and my conclusions.

"Facts are stubborn things," and what may be
a fact in regard to one tree may be death to
another in a different locality. I have often split
the bark of Apple trees without any apparent
injury; the wound always healing and doing well.

I will state that the trees did not all die the
first year, but they have dropped off year after
year, until this year the last one is gone. It is
four years ago that I slit them.

STANDARD AND OTHER GOOSEBERRIES.

BY H. G. HOOKER, ROCHESTER, N. Y.

Inquiry is made in the Monthly as to the suc-
cess of the Standard Gooseberries introduced
into this country during the Centennial year
Some of the standard gooseberries which were
exhibited on the Centennial grounds, are now
growing with me and others near by where I can
see them. The result of my observation is, that
T cannot see that they possess any special merit,
except as a curiosity.

Currants and Gooseberries will grow and bear
heavy crops when worked high (or low) upon the
Missouri flowering currant stock, but the stock
is not stiff, and always requires a stake to main-
tain it upright. The fruit is not better or less
liable to mildew when worked in this manner ;
and such plants must always be very high
priced, as they are difficult to work and the
stocks need age to make them stout enough to
stand well. They are curious, especially when
Currants and Gooseberries, both red and white,
all appear in one head, upon a tall stem, and
that is all the recommendation they will bear.

OTHER GOOSEBERRIES.

The experience of some years enables me now
to speak of some American varieties of Goose-
berries as grown here in Rochester somewhat
extensively.

The Downing holds a good place as a strong
and very healthy grower, never, under any cir-
! cumstances failing to produce a very abundant
i crop ; without a trace of mildew and with very
j remarkably good foliage. The quality of the
! fruit I cannot call best.

I Smith's Improved never mildews, is as large
or larger than Downing, of better quality and
equally productive ; but the plant is not as
1 strong a grower, needs higher manuring an
1 some pruning; also is more liable to lose its foli
I age more or less before the fruit is past.

Hudson, raised by Joseph H. Ricketts, proves
with me the finest in quality of all the Goose-
berries I have ever tasted. In size it is larger
than either Downing or Smith's Improved, and
has never shown a trace of mildew; which,
along with its style of growth, leads me to the
conclusion it must have come from the seed of
American or cross breed stock. The foliage is
thick and glossy, but liable to drop some before
the fruit is all past.

New Seedlings. I am this year fruiting a quan-
tity of seedlings raised from several American

304

THE GARDENERS MONTHLY

[October,

varieties, with the following general results :
Seedlings from the Downing follow the parent
so closely that the variations are slight, one only-
going back to a wild dark fruit, with thorns on
the berry. Seedlings from Smith's Improved
also, in most instances, are similar to the parent; '
but a few are colored, and one, a fine round, red
berry, seems to promise excellence. Seedlings j
from Houghton vary somewhat in color, time of!
ripening, and vigor, but not much improvement
in size.

Seedlings from Mountain are, I think, more ]
interesting and hopeful than the others, because
along with the large growth, comparatively
thornless shoots, and immense crops, some of
the seedlings show larger size, finer quality and
earlier period of ripening than the old Moun-
tain seedling. I mean to further test some of
the more promising ones, hoping that this very
cheaply grown fruit may one day be found to
reach higher than it now does with those who
are critical in their taste, and look for early
Gooseberries to be as firm as Delaware Grapes.

THE TYSON PEAR.

BY A. C. L., MADISON, IND.

It seems strange that this delicious Pear should
receive so little notice. Mr. Downing and Mr.
Field give a mild description of it, without any
peculiar qualities to recommend it. In this
climate it is only surpassed by the Seckel, and
when properly grown fully equals that Pear. It is
by far the best early Pear — ripening a month ear-
lier than Bartlett or Seckel. The objection to the
Tyson is its tardy bearing, but this may be obvi-
ated by double working on some strong growing
variety, taking care to get scions from a bearing
Tyson. It begins to ripen July 15, and con-
tinues until last of August. I have specimens of
it to-day that measure nine inches in circumfer-
ence.

EDITORIAL NOTES.

Local Names. — The cut-flower folks have
christened the Amaryllis " Cape Bell." In the
south the Savin Juniper is called "Cedar," A
cultivator down South says for the first few years
cultivate your orchard by planting " pindars "
among your trees. But what are pindars ?

Insects in 1880. — This has been a remarkable
season. There have been some Curculio, but
Plums that have been barren for years, and

Apricots that no one in many years past has
seen a fruit on, have borne freely near Philadel-
phia.

New Southern Peaches. — The following are
the names of some of the newer candidates in
the southwest: Boggy's Mammoth, Infant Won-
der, Steadly, Miss May, Governor Garland, Nel-
son Cling, Mitchell's Mammoth, Brice's Early,
Ashby's Early, Baker's Early, Hyne's Surprise,
Shipley's Late, Austin's Late, Early Lydia, Mrs.
Brett, Great Mammoth, Great Western. It is
getting hard for an editor to keep up with Peach
knowledge.

Origin op the Ribston Pippin Apple. — Though
this is an English Seedling, it is of French des-
cent. Seeds were sent from Normandy in a let-
ter to Sir Henry Goodrich, in the early part of
the last century, and from one of these trees at
Ribston Hall, the Ribston Pippin came.

Family Favorite Peach. — This promising
Texas Peach is thus described by Mr. Munson :

"Family Favorite, seedling of Chinese Cling, but
a freestone, two weeks earlier, of finer color and
quality, firmer, not so liable to rot, very large,
tree exceedingly vigorous, productive and a much
surer bearer than its parent. Originated in Fan-
nin County, Texas, by W. H. Locke; has fruited
five years, will surely become a leading variety."

Mealy Bug in Hothouse Grapes. — The Jour-
nal of Horticulture sa.ys : "If vineries are not badly
infested, the vines should have all the loose bark
removed after pruning^ and be well washed with
Fir tree oil at the rate of half a pint to three
gallons of water, or with Gishurst compound.
Paraffin oil is certain death to the mealy bug,
should only be employed by experienced hands
upon vines, for it will kill the vines as well as the
bug if not judiciously applied. It is good for
cleaning the woodwork, but must be diluted
with water, and should be applied with a brush.
The surface soil, if the border be inside, should
be removed and fresh soil supplied. The walls
should also be washed with hot lime mixed
with paraffin oil. Even if every part of the
house and vines is thoroughly cleaned the pest
will make its appearance again after the
vines have started into growth and the season
has advanced. The early spring or summer,
according to the time when forcing commences,
is when the insects increase. Their destruction
can be accomplished when they are first seen
creeping upon the vines, which should be exam-
ined sedulously and perseveringly. If left until

1880.]

AND HORTICULTURIST.

305

the foliage expands, the work of searching for
the enemy is useless ; but if the search is
thorough and continuous early in the season,
and the insects are killed as they appear, they
will considerably decrease, and in a season or
two the house will be entirely free."

Artificial Pine-apples.— The Pine-apples of
nature, as we get them in our markets are pig-
mies in comparison with the work of a skilled
English gardener. The Journal of Horticulture
says : "A correspondent desires to know the
weight of the heaviest Pine-Apple that has been
grown in this country, with the name of the
grower and the variety. We remember Mr.
Fleming of Trentham exhibiting in the Eegent
street rooms of the Horticultural Society a fruit
of Providence weighing 14 lbs., and one of the
Kipley Queen 7 lbs. 10 ozs. He afterwards cut a
fruit of the Queen weighing 8 lbs. 11 ozs. We do
not name them as the heaviest fruits recorded,
but they are worthy of mention, and we shall be
glad if any of our readers can give particulars of
heavier fruits. As an instance of successful
Pine culture it is recorded that a Mr. Baldwin,
who was gardener to the Marquis of Hertford at
Bagley, cut thirty-six fruits of Providence in
1822, which weighed 280 lbs. 4 ozs., the largest
fruit being 11 lbs. 8 ozs. Mr. Bailey of Sharde-
loes has, we believe, also grown fruit of about the
same weight."

The Sea Radish. — At a recent meeting of the
the Edinburgh Botanical Society, the President
exhibited two first and second year's plants of

Raphanus maritimus, showing that it is at least
of biennial duration. It is said by some to last
for three years, although it has been questioned
if it is really distinct from the strictly annual
Raphanus Raphanistrura. In Withering's Botoni/
it is stated that the late Dr. Walker, Professor of
Natural History at Edinburgh, so long ago as
1753, deemed it preferable to Horse Radish for
the table, and found that cattle were fond of its
herbage. When the young roots are cut into
very small pieces and sparingly mixed with
green salad, such as Lettuce, Mr. Gorrie obtains
a very decided and agreeable Radish flavor.
These roots are obtainable in perfection at peri-
ods when the common garden Radish is not in
season. One of the specimens was fully four
feet high and had not had room to spread. The
original stock had been brought from the coast
of Bute and Wemyss Bay in 1877. One of the
specimens in Mr. Gorrie's garden measured on
August 24, 1878, 4 feet 2 inches high, while the
spread of its lower branches was 8 feet 5 inches
in diameter. This plant might profitably be
cultivated for cattle feeding on exposed sandy
coasts.

Big Cucumbers. — The Garden is wondering
what " on earth" are big cucumbers good for;
and then it profanely remarks : " Give us a big
Cyclamen or big Cauliflower if you like, or even
a gigantic Long-pod ; but what is the good of a
Cucumber seemingly as large as an Egyptian
mummy ?" The stool of repentance will no
doubt be brought out for this infidelity to all the
old gardeners hold sacred.

Forestry.

CUMMUNICA TIONS.

FORESTRY IN NORTH AMERICA.

The Pertinent Laws and Regulations, and the Future of North
American Forests.

BY JOHN BOOTH, KLEIN FLOTTBECK, GERMANY.

Translated for the Gardener's Monthly by G. W. De B.
(Continued from page 278.)

What possible benefit can be derived in view
of such a condition from laws that try to further
the planting of woodland by free grants of the
necessary land ? The " Timber Culture Act," of
1873-74, gave to every one who planted forty

acres with forest trees, and kept them in proper
condition for the next ten years, one hundred
and sixty acres of governmeht land free of all
charges. The trees might be planted at distances
of twelve feet, and that alone made the law in-
effective, for even the particularly favorable soil
of America could not grow a forest with such
distances. As early as 1876-77 this law was
amended; but of what practical use could, under
the most favorable circumstances, the planting
of Poplars and other soft-wood trees be, when
the organized spoliations by thousands of timber
thieves, with subsequent burning of hundreds of
square miles of the most valuable timber, were

306

THE GARDENER'S MONTHLY

[October,

not stopped! Several of the States, notably
Colorado, Connecticut, Dakotah, Kansas, Maine,
Michigan and Iowa, passed local laws for the
protection of forestry, with more or less the same
regulations as the " Timber Culture Act," with
what success the following example will suflBce
to show. The law in Iowa granted a partial
immunity from taxation for every acre planted
with forest trees. Not quite a year later an im-
partial American reporter writes : " Large sums
have already been paid the officers entrusted
with the official survey of such land, for which
the owners claim exemption from taxation, the
extent of which newly planted woodland is
given at 60,000 acres, representing a value of
over six million dollars. No one can seriously
assert these figures to be correct; still, as in all
similar cases, the claims of the ring will be satis-
fied. It is indeed a brand on our legislation that
with us almost the only effect of laws, designed
to promote the public interest, is the creation in
each case of an army of worthless and thor-
oughly incompetent officials." It has been the
same in all the States which had to order a sur-
vey of the newly planted (?) woodland ; hundreds
of thousands of dollars have been expended for
worthless officials, and already an abnegation of
the pertinent laws is thought of.

Not for the purpose of offering statistics, but
«imply to give a picture of the vast dimensions
these forest fires and devastations assume in free
America, we beg to be allowed a few examples
of their extent. The "Report of the Chief
Signal Officer War Department," for 1872, affirms
that in 1871 several thousand square miles of
fore.sts were consumed by fire in the Rocky
Mountains and in the Northwestern States, a
great number of lives were lost, and the damages
amounted to hundreds of millions. The total
amount of wood destroyed by forest fires in 1871,
the same report states as exceeding ten years'
regular consumption of the whole United States !
Again, the "Report of the N. J. State Board of
Agriculture," for 1874, states that a great number
of the forest fires have been occasioned by in-
cendiary wood-cutters and colliers, to whom the
desired quantities would otherwise not have
been sold. Professor Sargent, of Harvard, lec-
turing in 1878 on the present and future con-
ditions of American forests, said: "Our 'inex-
haustible' forests of the Sierra are rapidly disap-
pearing. From a single point in the Yosemite
Valley, last year, I counted no less than nineteen
extensive forest fires, caused more or less by

carelessness of the herdsmen." In 1877, New
York, New Hampshire, Maine, Pennsylvania and
Canada were heavy suff'erers from forest fires, a
large part of the White Mountains being in
flames at one time. In New Jersey alone 30,000
acres of woodland were consumed by fire in
1879, which also destroyed all the aftergrowth on
the districts burnt in 1873. That these last fires
were incendiary was proved at the time. We
could fill volumes with similar figures from
official American reports.

It has been proposed to pay large premiums
to those who extinguish forest fires before they
have assumed too large an extent ; but an
American authority says that by such a measure
the number of fires would only be increased, as
it would prove a profitable business to '' create "
small fires and extinguish them by well organ-
ized efforts, thus pocketing the premiums. It is
impossible to get a correct estimate of the wood
destroyed every year by forest fires, only that
much appears certain from a number of corres-
ponding reports that more wood is consumed by
fire than even by the wholesale thefts of jobbers
and rings. The Osceola News, Michigan, esti-
mates the amount of wood felled on the
Au Sable and Pine River in 1878-79 at
455,000,000 cubic feet, while in 1872-73 it did
not exceed 120,000,000. The Chicago Com-
mercial List writes about the same time :
"The northwestern woodcutters, supplied with
the newest and most destructive tools, are pre-
paring for the campaign against our forests ; the
crop of 1878-79 will surpass all previous ones,
400,000,000 cubic feet are contracted for at the
Muskegan river alone. Thus our magnificent
forests are destroyed!" The total value of tim-
ber manufactured in 1878 in the United States
amounted to $500,000,000; the amount stolen by
the " Timber Ring, if it could be accurately
ascertained, would increase this sum at least
one-third. In some States, where wood is used
almost exclusively as fuel, the consumption is
quite considerable. Massachusetts, for one, uses
$6,000,000 worth of wood annually (Emerson:
Trees of Mass.), without taking any rational
measures for planting and training an after-
growth. In Maine the cutting of timber has
gone even further; in many districts it has be-
come necessary to procure the necessary wood
from far off, and competent judges declare that
the "Pine State," once famous for her vast
forests, must, in fifteen or twenty years, be en-
tirely bare of such. Pennsylvania, too, has suf-

1880.]

AND HORTICULTURIST.

307

fered largely, — no more of those huge trees are
to be found that once adorned the forests of
the Susquehanna, Monangahela and Alleghany.
The forests of the Eastern States contain hardly
wood enough for their proper demand. The
woodless 'plains west of the Mississippi,°are en-
tirely dependent on the Northwestern States.
The annual consumption for railroads, telegraph
poles and fences is enormous.

According to the Railroad Gazette, 27,561 miles
of railroad have been built in 1872-79, making a
total of 86,263 miles for North America. The
sleepers for the new roads and the repairs for
the old ones consume annually the timber of
150,000 acres, besides which a great quantity is
needed for the very large number of locomotives
that fire with wood exclusively. The railroad
fences have a total length of 125,000 miles, and
25,000 tons of wood are annually needed for
telegraph poles. The total value of fences is
given by the last official census at $1,700,000,000,
the annual repairs of which amount to $198,-
000,000 !

(To be continued.)

CATALPA POSTS.

BY G. M. ALVES, HENDERSON, KENTUCKY.

At this time there seems to be quite a" boom"
in the Catalpa tree. In current literature on the
subject the impression seems to prevail that Ca-
talpa wood placed in the ground for posts, &c.,
is practically indestructible, so far as decay is
concerned. Notably, in your July issue you
quote from the Boston Herald an article on tree
planting, in which the statement is made that
catalpa wood " although soft, is almost inde-
structible when placed in the ground." The
fact is, catalpa is by no means indestructible.
Posts of it frequent]}^ decay in ten or twelve
years, and at the same time they frequent!}' last
double that time, or longer. This county (Hen-
derson, Ky.), is situated in a scope of country
where the catalpa tree is indigenous, and abounds
in some considerable quantity. The country
was settled about eighty years ago, and from the
best information the wood has been used since
the county's settlement, and as a consequence
information derived from this section is entitled
to weight.

My attention during the last few months was
particularly called to the subject. The informa-
tion obtained was in general that catalpa was
esteemed for posts, though not so much so as

red cedar, locust or nmlberry ; that there was
great difference in its lasting qualities, ranging
from say, ten to twenty-five years. Many farm-
ers here say there is a yellow and a white catal-
pa ; that the former is very durable, and the lat-
ter not durable. It appears from investigation
that what is called the yellow is a mature tree,
or a tree growing very slowly, and the white a
tree in thrifty growth, and consequently with
more sap wood ; hence it would seem that the
only difference lies in different conditions of
growth. Investigation does not seem to decide,
however, that the mature tree is more durable
than the younger.

I do not undertake to account for the differ-
ence in durability of catalpa, but mention it
simply as a fact. It is true that those who con-
template extensive planting should have all ac-
curate information.

EDITORIAL NOTES.

Poplar for Paper. — In a recent trip through
Southern Pennsylvania, we saw repeated hand-
bills that "Poplar was badly wanted." We sup-
posed that this referred to the true Poplars —
Populus — but a friend, who had been in the
paper-making business, assures us that the Tulip
Poplar, Liriodendron, is the Avood required.

A Tall Gum Tree. — An Australian paper says :
"A tree 325 feet high, in the neighborhood of
Stockton, Cal., has hitherto enjoyed the reputa-
tion of being the tallest in the world; but an
official of the Forests Department in Victoria,
Australia, lately measured a fallen Eucalyptus in
Gippsland, which was 435 feet long. Another
tree of the same species in the Dandenong dis-
trict of Victoria, still standing, is estimated at
450 feet."

Forestry in Canada. — We learn from a cor-
respondent that the movement among farmers
to set apart an acre or so for timber planting on
their farms is growing in popularity.

Wood for Paper Makers. — In the report of
the Fruit- Growers' Society of Ontario, as made
by the Canadian Horticxdturisi, is the following :
" It was stated that in many places a demand
had sprung up for soft woods, such as Basswood
and Poplar, for the manufacture of pulp for
paper, and that often broken land which cannot
be profitably tilled could be planted with these

308

THE GARDENER'S MONTHLY

[October,

rapid growing trees with great profit. Many
young trees of Ash, Maple, Hickory, &c., could
be taken up by farmers, planted for a couple of
years in nursery rows where they could be culti-
vated, and then transplanted to broken ground
and hillsides, with great certainty of living.

QUERIES.

*■ Fall-Planting Larch. — M., Amherst, Mass.,
writes : "Will you have the kindness to inform
me'if you have ever practiced fall planting of the

European Larch. We have a lot of seedlings
that we are thinking of transplanting for forest
growth and 'fall planting would save us much
expense.' "

[We should not recommend fall-planting
young Larches, because the frost would probably
draw out such small things ; but young Larches
ought to be drawn out in the fall, and bedded in
thickly where they can be got at early in the
spring. This keeps back their early growth
somewhat, and enables one to have time to plant
large quantities before the leaves push. —
Ed. G. M.]

Natural History and Science.

COMMUNICA TIONS.

THE APPLE LEAF FUhSCUS-Roestelia
cancellata.

BY PROF. W. A. BDCKHOUT, STATE COLLEGE, CENTRE
COUNTY, PENNA.

The September number of the Gardener's
Monthly contains a notice of the Annual Meet-
ing of the Georgia State Horticultural Society,
and upon the subject of the relation of the apple
leaf fungus to that producing "cedar apples,"
you remark that "Unfortunately, little is known
of the manner in which Roestelia works, so that
no one can suggest any remedy. The fungus
which makes the 'apple' on the Cedar is the
Podisoma, and has no relation to the Roestelia "

That Roestelia and Podisoma are but two
stages of one fungus has been the opinion of
those who have carefully studied them in both
the laboratory and orchard. In proof of the
former, I beg leave to refer to the proceedings of
the Danish Academy of Sciences, an abstract of
which is given in the American Naturalist, Yo\. 11,
page 557, and to Sach's Botany, page 246. The
most recent of our botanical works, Bissey's and
Plant's, state unhesitatingly, the general accept-
ance of this matter of "heteroecism" among the
fungi.

Of cases coming to the notice of orchardists,
that which I communicated to the February
number of the American Agriculturist (1880), and
is referred to in this meeting of the Georgia
Horticultural Society, is the best, though not the
only one, of which I have knowledge. In this
instance the attack upon the fruit as well as the

leaf was very marked, and shows a danger, which
under circumstances specially favorable to the
development of fungi, may prove very great.

I believe we know enough of the nature of
Roestelia, and the manner in which it works to
suggest as a remedy, the destruction of all Cedar
trees which have become infested with " Cedar
Apples," especially when they are in the imme-
diate neighborhool of orchards.

THE CLINC-STONE APRICOT.

BY MISS JOSEPHINE K. KLIPPART, COLUMBUS, OHIO.

In answer to the article in the September
number on the " Change of Character in a Fruit
Tree," I will say that I most assuredly do mean
that the tree in question is an Apricot and not a
Peach at all. The leaves and fruit are not to be
mistaken in the least degree for the Peach. I
have been " brought up " on Apricots and know
whereof I speak. During State Fair week we
entertain many friends, and this year Dr. Warder
and N. Ohmer— well known Ohio pomologists —
were our visitors for a short time. Dr. Warder did
not see the tree. N. Ohmer examined the tree,
and said that the reason of the fruit changing to
clings was undoubtedly the old age of the tree.
Another gentleman present was quite as decided
that it was the impoverished condition of the
soil and the borers.

The top of the tree is covered with an abund-
ance of healthy green leaves, and no dead twigs
are to be seen. The last gentleman who examined
it advised us to give it a good top dressing, and
throw up a bank of ashes and a little salt around

[1880,

AND HORTICULTURIST.

309

the trunk of the tree to get rid of the borers.

Many thanks for your kindness in telUng me
how to raise a young tree from the old one.

EDITORIAL NOTES.

Sedum Meehani, Meehan's Stone Crop. — In the
Proceedings of the American Academy of Arts
and Sciences, issued September 1st, Dr. Asa
Gray has the following :

"Sedum Meehani. Glaucescens, 2-3-pollicare,
radicibus fibrosis perennans, foliosum ; foliis
teretibus (subsemipoUicaribus, floralibus minori-
bus) ; ramis calycibus ovariisque tenuiter glandu-
loso-hirtellis ; floribus omnibus 5-meris ; petalis
albis (lin. 2 longis) lanceolato-ovatis tenuiter
acuminatis calycis lobis ovatis plus duplo longi-
oribus. — Utah, on City Creek, north of Salt Lake
City, at the base of the mountains, collected by
John Reading, the live plant communicated
by Professor Thomas Meehan. It is so desirable
to connect in this way the name of Mr. Meehan
with the botany of the country which he has
done so much to illustrate, that the actual col-
lector will probably join us in wishing it to be
commemorated by this pretty little species of
Sedum. It will not make much show among
Meehan's 'Flowers and Ferns of the United
States, Illustrated,' of which four goodly volumes
have already appeared under his editorship ; but
it is to be hoped that it will find a place in the
fifth volume."

We may note in addition to this account bj^
Dr. Gray, that besides the beautiful glaucous
color which will make it a very desirable plant
for vases, rock work, and other places where a
dry and open spot has to be covered, it has the
unusual advantage of continuing a long time in
flower. The first flowers were open on the 11th
of June, and at the time of this writing, Septem-
ber 7th, there are still some flowers out.

As no doubt the pretty species will be de-
manded by cultivators, and the dried specimens to
botanists, we have suggested to Mr. Reading that
he make another journey to the locality for
plants, and supply them to applicants, mail free,
for 50 cents each, and next summer njake some
dried specimens for botanists at 25 cents each.
If he get enough applications it will probably
cover his time and expenses. Mr. Reading is an
enterprising florist and nurseryman of Salt Lake
City, and put up the first greenhouse ever built
in Utah.

The Annual Rings in Trees. — An interesting
observation on the relation of the age of Gum
trees in Tasmania to the number of concentric
circles in their trunks is recorded in the Journal

and Proceedings of the Royal Society of New South
Wales. It is given on the authority of the Rev.
J. E. Tenison- Woods, in an article on the forests
of Tasmania ; and the information was obtained
from a Mr. Hill, proprietor of an extensive saw-
mill at Honey wood, whom Mr. Woods designates
as a perfectly reliable authority. This gentleman
had observed that the gum trees shed their bark
twice annually ; and having heard at a lecture
on the growth of trees that a ring of wood was
added each year, he was induced to test the
truth of this statement. There was a Blue Gum
tree in his garden at Hobart Town, the age of
which he knew with certainty, as his brother
planted it eighteen years previously. He felled
it and counted the rings, and found them to be
thirty-six in number, or two for each year.

As manj^ of the Blue Gum trees first planted
in California are now being cut down, and their
exact ages known, we should be very glad if some
correspondents will send us accounts of the
number of rings they find. It may serve to.
throw some light on the disputed ages of the
big trees.

Girdling Trees.— In Australia they do not
call it girdling, but "ringing" trees, when they
are talking of clearing off" the original forest or
" paddocks." The trees often sprout below the
"ring "as our Chestnuts do, but sheep eat the
sprouts as fast as they appear, and for want of
foliage the whole stump dries.

Honey Dew. — Of course we knew that many
intelligent persons of the olden times believed
"Aphides'" to fully account for all appearances
known as Honey Dew, but we did not know that
some of the leaders in modern thought in Eng-
land clung to this effete notion. It appears that
Sir John Lubbock holds to the idea that all
Honey Dew is merely excretions from Aphides,
and this has induced an intelligent correspondent
of Gardening Illustrated to give a piece of his
mind, from which we break the following crumb:
"The sooner Sir John Lubbock and other writers
correct their erroneous impressions the better it
will be for science. It is not creditable to the
latter that at this time of day there should be
any doubt on such a simple matter."

The Ox-eye Daisy, — As an illustration of the
unstability of popular names of plants, we may
note that our Ox-eye Daisy is known in Scotland
as " Horse-Gowan." But the botanical name is
hard — Chrysanthemum leucanthemum.

310

THE GARDENER'S MONTHLY

[October,

The English Sparrow. — It is a remarkable
fact that although the English sparrow has been
the companion of cultivators for centuHes, the
agricultural and horticultural papers of that
country are discussing as warmly as we are
whether he is more friend than foe. If they
don't know, we may as well give it up.

Native Californian Tobacco. — Prof. Rothrock
is of the opinion that the early natives of Cali-
fornia smoked the leaves of Nicotiana Cleve-
landii, A. Gray — a species only quite recently
described. It is a small plant with small flowers,
and it was found by Prof. Rothrock only in asso-
ciation with the shell heaps which occur so
abundantly on the coasts of Southern and Cen-
tral California. He states that perhaps of all
the remains of extinct races so richly furnished
by that region, none were so common as the
pipes, usually made of stone resembling serpen-
tine. The Tobacco of N. Clevelandii, Prof. Roth-
rock found by experience to be excessively strong.
— Gardener's Chronicle.

Change of Habit in Creatures. — It is not
as often recognized by naturalista as it might
be, that any living thing will change its
habits when it becomes its interest to do
so. Insects generally have preference for
some particular species of plant, and are often so
associated therewith that naturalists are incred-
ulous when told of a certain species attacking
other things. Yet we know how the Colorado
potato beetle has taken to Solanum tuberosum
when the stock of Solanum rostratum failed,
and surety numerous such instances must be
common. While in the Iron Mountains in Ten-
nessee recently, the writer saw a species of Scut-
ellaria which had every leaf skeletonized pre-
cisely as the elm is. Looking for the insect, he
found what appeared to him to be a species of
Galereuca, closely resembling the elm beetle.
Not considering himself an entomologist, he
mentioned his suspicions to a distinguished stu-
dent in that branch of science, but was told " it
was impossible it could be that beetle, as it fed
only on the elm." Yet it seems unlikely any
insect would starve. If some found themselves
in a region like this, where there were no elms,
why should they not look up something else to
feed on ? That there is a change of habit con-
tinually going on in animated nature is beyond
question. Besides the case of the potato beetle,
we often see it in birds. There were no chim-
neys in America once for swallows to build in,
and the English sparrow is another illustration.

In the Country Gentleman of Aug. 12th, a corres-
pondent says : —

"The English Sparrow will not build in the fo-
liage of trees, as most birds do, but quite often
builds in holes in old trees. A dead tree is pre-
ferred, but they will build in a hole in a large
tree, even though full of foliage. I have often,
when a boy, found several nests in an old tree.
Ivy seems to be their especial delight for an
abode, and to breed in. Many houses overgrown
with ivy, seem literally alive with sparrows."

This is true enough of the sparrow in England
but it is not true if the "will not" is intended to
mean " under any circumstances." In the pub-
lic squares of Philadelphia, they have taken to
building in the foliage of the trees. There are
thousands of these nests through the city
squares. They make fearful bungles of nest
building it is true. They use as much straw to
make one nest as other birds do to make a
dozen, and so ungainly, too ! They look like
huge wisps of straw stuffed into a crotch after
having been used to wipe a pair of muddy boots.

The changes going on in nature are wonder-
ful. Not only changes in habit, but changes in
form and changes in every character. The man
who believes that everything in the world has re-
mained just as it was in the beginning, scarcely
uses his eyes as he might do.

Germination of Seeds. — It is a well-known
fact to all who have had experience in sowing
tree seeds, that the period required for germina-
tion is of the most uncertain character. Some-
times seeds sown will germinate the same season,
and then again in another season, they will
remain in the earth until the next before they
sprout. But even when they do sprout a large
lot will remain over until the succeeding year,
and it is not uncommon for some to appear sev-
eral years after the first seedling appeared. The
why of all this has been a puzzler. The following
from the Scientific American indicates that the
least mature are the first to germinate. It does
not strike 'us as a satisfactory solution, as, in view
of the facts we have given, it would seem as if
the vast majority were the least mature. But
we give it as recording the current views of the
day :—

" Many instances have been put on record by
different observers of unripe seed germinating,
and several botanists have conducted extensive
series of experiments in raising plants from
seeds in different stages of development. At first
sight it seems rather surprising that an imper-

1880.]

AND HORTICULTURIST.

311

fectly formed embryo should grow into as vigor-
ous a plant as a mature one ; but, when we un-
derstand the general plan of growth in plants,
the phenomenon is intelligible. Thus, ferns ac-
Uially develop from a single detached cell. This
property of premature germination may be
taken advantage of in practice in propagating
plants that do not fully ripen their seeds in our cli-
mate. A rather longer period elapses before un-
ripe seeds actually germinate, but frequently the
progeny is equal to the best from mature seeds.
Formerly it was supposed that only ex-albumi-
nous seeds would germinate when unripe, but
M. Sagot, a Frenchman, succeeded in germinat-
ing green grain of wheat in which the albumen was
soft, semi-liquid and milky, and several other
experimenters have i-aised different cereals from
grain collected a fortnight to three weeks before
the crops, from which it was taken were ripe.
Although the practice of sowing unripe seeds is
not likely to become general, and would not be
profitable under ordinary circumstances, it
might be useful to know in the case of a rare
plant suddenly dying before its seeds were ma-
ture, that there was a possibility of their germi
nating, and thus preventing the loss, may be,
of a valuable plant.''

QUERIES.

Genista tinctoria. — Mrs. Mary P. G., Lynn,

Mass., writes : " The golden-flowered plant which

J. H. D., of Peacedale, R. I., saw at Salem, Mass.,
is the Genista tinctoria, as you suppose. It grows
abundantly in the rocky hills of Essex County,
and when in bloom lightens and brightens the
landscape wonderfully. I have never heard it
j called " wax-wort," but can understand how it
might get that name from " wood waxen," which
is given by Wood as one of its common names.
I thought you might like to know that you were
correct."

[To this obliging note we may add that the
editor had the pleasure of a brief ride about
Salem recently, and saw the plant in great
abundance everywhere, as was also another
English plant, Leontodon autumnale, the pretty
yellow flowers of which were abundant every-
where. It may be also noted that the Buttercup
which prevails in that part of the world is
Ranucunlus acris, and not Ranunculus bulbosus,
which is the common Buttercup of Pennsyl-
vania.—Ed. G. M.]

Caladium Wild. — J. M. H., Houston, Texas,
says: "I had a laugh some months since at a
statement in the Gardener's Monthly, taken
from a German paper, that Caladium esculen-
tum was growing indigneous on the Brazos in
Texas. While aquatic plants of many kinds
grow in great profusion in the lakes and swamps
on the Brazos river, I have failed to see anything
very nearly like Caladium esculentum after a
look of one hundred miles or more,"

Literature, Travels % Personal Notes.

COMMUNICA TIONS.

GARDENERS AND SITUATIONS.

BY J. B., FREDERICTON, N. B.

Referring to the articles in May and August
numbers of the Gardener's Monthly — I for
one would heartily endorse your editorial re-
marks. The Scriptures teach us to do good to
all men, especially the household of faith. Now
we, as gardeners, should do good to those of our
own occupation. It is our duty to help each other,
either by advice or in other ways suggested by
our mutual needs. It is evident that the supply
of gardeners far exceeds the demand, both here
and in Europe, especially England. Ten years
ago a private gentleman advertised in the Gar-

dener's Chronicle and had fifty applicants. The
advertiser generally gets the worst man in the
lot. Men are like merchandise in this respect,
when the bu]iply is an over stock of either it
makes the article cheap and a drug in the
market.

I have served some twenty years in commer-
cial and private places ; have often being con-
demned by young men for spending too much
time in what we term "the trade." My present
remarks are more especially intended for young
men and for their good. Having saved a few
pounds about home, I started to improve myself
in larger cities than my native place, and in due
time I arrived in the city of London. I found my
way to Laing's Nursery, Twickenham, near Kew.
From there to Lord John Chichester, Cam-

312

THE GARDENERS MONTHLY

[October,

bridge House; thence to Kinghorn's Nursery,Kich-
mond ; thence successively to Walford's, Reeves
& Bros., Acton and Notting Hill, and Carter &
Co.'s nurseries, staying a year or two in each
place, as it suited me; my employers understood
that my aim was to improve myself. Being of-
fered a free passage to Fredericton, N. B., with
a situation for one or more years, I accepted it,
•wishing for a change. At the end of my first
year, I desired to see Boston, and made my way
to the largest floricultural establishment. I
sought an interview with C. M. Hovey, Esq.,
whom I shall ever respect for the kindness he
showed me, a stranger and foreigner. He often
gave employment to such when he did not need
them. I was in their employ some two years,
which I think I may say proved satisfactory on
both sides. Desiring again a change, I spent a
year in the employ of W. C. Strong, florist and nur-
seryman, Brighton, Mass. Having a good private
place offered me at Fredericton, N. B., I accepted
and returned to that town, and held it nearly
three years. Seeing an opening here for busi"
ness, a gentleman of means offered me a loan
of five hundred dollars at reasonable interest,
for buying land, building house, and putting
up a little glass. He also wished me to pay some
attention to his garden and greenhouses. His
place was not large enough to keep a gardener
the year round. The plan proved very satisfac
tory to both ; and now I am in a position either
to work or not when not busy, or reserve it for
something to fall back upon.

Now I do not wish to be understood as boast-
ing. I am not in New York, Philadelphia or
Boston, but in poor, cold, long-wintered New
Brunswick ; and I have reason to believe I could
do far better in more stirring places. Service is
but service after all. Some employers are very
unreasonable ; or worse still, their wives, — when
they come and snatch the plant out of your
hand to show you how to plant it. Such con-
duct ill becomes a lady. I do not mean to say
the employers are always in fault and the gar-
dener right. The contrary is no doubt often as
true. Many gardeners, in my own experience,
are far better at talking and writing than work-
ing, yet make woful mistakes in practice. Such
as I have reference to had better keep employed
by rich men. Don't start for yourself or woe be
to you. But those who can make a bouquet,
wreath or cross quickly and tastefully, grow
plants of any country or clime, or propagate
them, lay out a garden, or make a croquet

ground, or show an attractive example in the
laying out and planting of the ground under
their own special care ; these are the men who
have served so well that they may start for
themselves, if a promising opening presents
itself.

Don't tell the people what wonders you have
done or are going to do. Example goes a long
way, and is the best means of educating the peo-
ple up to a higher standard of horticultural taste.
When people come some distance to look over
your fence at your well laid out plot and well
arranged flower beds in harmonious variation
of colors, or in winter, at your Roses, &c., under
glass, you will have the best class of people seek
for your society and advice, and copy your ideas.
They will rely upon you ; pay you well to build
them rockeries, arrange their greenhouses and
make them lists of trees, plants, shrubs, &c.
They will build up your trade.

Your remarks, Mr, Editor, as to some garden-
ers and gardening, are too true. Their slatternly
plants, flowers, and their greenhouses scarcely
tit for a pig sty, are not congenial to the princi-
ples and qualities they are supposed to represent
— love, joy, faith, innocence and purity.

There is another important matter about com-
mencing business. Many begin in too large a
way, and go in debt to start too largely. Creep
before you walk. Keep down expenses until
you see what you can do, and what demand
there is. Aim at having just what the people
want. Always keep a lookout at what others do
successfully. Utilize every moment of your time-
to advantage. It does not pay to do without
horticultural papers any more than moral in-
struction. Let theory and practice go together.
Be thoroughly industrious in your own place.
Act square with all you deal with. Don't be
mean in any way or your business will die a
natural death. A bouquet or plant occasionallj'
thrown in does not lose anything. If you pos-
sess most of these characteristics be courageous;
I will risk you niaking a living.

NOTES AND QUERIES-No. 17.

BY JACQUES,

One of the greatest sources of enjoyment result-
ing from the possession of a garden is the endless
variety which it aflfords, both in the process of
vegetation as it goes forward to maturity, dor-
mancy or decay, and in the almost innumerable
kinds of plants which may be raised even in the
smallest garden. Add to it a small greenhouse

1880.]

A ND HORTICUL TURIS 7.

313

-what a source of pleasure and instruction does | 7he Woodbine is only another name for Honej^-
it not hold out to the Amateur ? Exactly in pro- suckle, but the Eglantine is the Sweetbriar. The

bank on which Titania slept was " Quite over-
canopied with high Woodbine, with sweet Musk-
Roses and with eglantine." Tennyson, in the
Talklvg Oak, speaks of

"The pressure thrice as sweet
As Woodbine's fragile hold."

The vine trains round the wood with little flexi-
bility.

The folloidng is curious, and too good not to
record : " The Marquis of Bute Colonization
Scheme has been very successful. He intro-
duced a small colony of beavers into an isolated
pine wood near Rothesay, Isle of Bute. The
place was walled round, so that they could not
escape, and through what is known as the beav-
ers' park there runs a roaring mountain stream.
This they soon dammed up, completely altering
the appearance of the place. The Duke of Port-
land is about to make a similar experiment on
one of his Scotch estates The Rothesay beavers,
on being transferred to their new quarters, at
once began sawing or gnawing down the trees
in the wood. This operation they rapidly effected
by the diligent exercise of their keen, chisel-like
teeth, which cut out a wedge-shaped gap, caus-
ing the tree to eventually topple over by its own
weight. These trees they use for damming,
standing as they did close beside the river, and
the remarkable intelligence of the animal is
shown by the fact that they always caused them
to fall just in the right spot, requiring no further
shifting."

portion as the out door work becomes less ur-
gent, the in-door operations become more
numerous. The amusements and the products
which a small glass-house affords in the hands of
an expert or an ingenious amateur, are almost
without end.

Copper in PZa?i/s.— Observations communicated
to the Academy of Sciences through the dis-
tinguished chemist M. Bertholet, show that all
plants, large or small, grown on primitive rocks
or on soils directly derived therefrom, contain
copper diff'used through their tissues in quantity
sufficient to be detected when the ammonia test
is applied to quantities as small as one gramme
(15 grains) of their ashes. In 128 samples of
white oak-wood from marly soil copper was
found in like manner, but in a less proportion.
In plants from magnesian limestone the results
varied very much, and in those from highly
calcareous soils no trace of copper was detected
when quantities of 100 grammes were tested.

The Botanical Index gives the following dimen-
sions of large trees growing in Indiana .• A Chest-
nut 22 feet in circumference, two feet above the
ground ; a Sassafras 3 feet in diameter, and for
more than sixty feet clear of limbs and knots.
The giant is a Sycamore 48 feet in circumference.
At 28 feet it branches into three or four limbs,
one of which is more than 5 feet in diameter.

It is of interest to record that the grand Burn-
ham Beeches, with an area of 120 acres, have
been purchased by the Corporation of Lon-
don. No one who has seen these grand
trees can cease to remember them. They are in
the vicinity of Windsor, but nearer State Park,
the residence of John Penn. A recent writer
even points out the tree alluded to by Gray in
his immortal poem. The heads cut off by suc-
cessive generations, the trees have grown at the
butts and roots, which latter cast their fantastic
limbs so high. The place is to be preserved for
the Londoners, who may wish it was nearer,
being twenty miles distant.

It is a singular fact that the Island of Corsica
has some sixty species of flowering plants pecu-
liar to it, while the British Isles possess no single
kind which is not also found elsewhere. Yet the
climate and soil of Corsica have no correspond-
ing singularity.

A material of great interest to the public not
yet utilized among us, is the Bamber. Its merits
are very striking ; light, strong and cheap, it is
adapted to many uses not yet thought of; for
instance, it is light beyond any other substance
that is so strong. It might be made into car-
riages for summer travel, and probably is well
adapted to many parts of railroad cars, but espe-
cially for street roads. Gigs, &c., made partly of
it would be light beyond precedent. We com-
mend the subject to those interested in cars and
other vehicles. There may be millions in it.
Who will be the first to avail of this wonderful,
light and cheap material?

Natural History.— The squirrel is extremely
wise. Given a three inch post, the squirrel can
always keep out of sight. You may go round and
round, but it will always be "on the other side."
The brain of an ant is believed to be the most

314

THE GARDENER'S MONTHLY

[October,

intelligent atom extant. The wasp, says My
Indian Garden, is always angry, and the angriest
creature alive. But did the writer ever try a
nest of hornets? They are eternally out of tem-
per, says Christopher North. Chavibers' Jownal
has many curious articles on the animal world.
In a late number, a writer commemorating a
favorite dog, has the following slip in grammar :
"Juno soon became so identified with us, that
she did not care to associate witli any other dogs."

EDITORIAL NOTES.

Horticultural Information. — One of the great
innovations in horticultural literature by the
Gardener's Monthly at its establishment was the
introduction of numerous small paragraphs in-
stead of making up the whole magazine of a few
long and exhaustive articles. It is always well
to have a few of these, and we take care to
always have some complete essays on various
topics. It is interesting to note that though we
give an honored place to these, there are still a
great variety of smaller paragraphs. In a recent
issue where we had to give place to some lengthy
matter on the extremely important topic of
steam heating, the number yet contained ninety-
eight headed paragraphs. A correspondent was
curious enough to compare our magazine of that
issue with a popular European one, and after
allowing for differences of typography found that
it would take thirty-seven pages of the European
to give as many paragraphs as we gave in ihirty-
two.

But we note in all serials — agricultural, horti-
cultural and scientific — there is this commenda-
ble tendency to pithy paragraphs. People have
not time for dissertations in these days. They
look for the greatest number of facts in the
fewest possible words.

The L.^te Eobert Buist — An Ohio corres-
pondent pays the following tribute to the memory
of Mr. Buist, and it is more valuable as coming
from one whom we suppose never expected to
see it in print. We are quite sure there are
hundreds in the country who received their first
American encouragement from Mr. Buist, who
will wish to echo the sentiments of gratitude \
here expressed : j

"When we see the shining lights of usefulness [
extinguished one by one around us, we are apt
to recall the words long ago uttered, ' Night 1
Cometh when no man can work.' Little did I '

think the night was so nigh, or the lamp of life
so near exhaustion which once shone in the face
of my old friend, Mr. R. Buist. His work is
done, and well done. His mission was noble and
useful while with us, and the great good he did
will live long after you and I and the rest of this
generation will have passed away. 'Rosedale'
was where I w^as first employed in this country,
between twenty and thirty years ago. In the
many mutations of life to which my lot has
called me, none will linger longer in memory
than the days I spent at 'Rosedale.' Hundreds
of worthy, industrious and intelligent liorticul-
turists from over the sea first found a home and
employment at Mr. Buist's, and through his in-
fluence were put in the right way to enjoy ' life,
liberty and the pursuit of happiness.' Their
name is legion, who have been permanently bet-
tered in worldly circumstances through the
direct aid of Mr. Buist. Three times have I re-
turned to his nursery in the course of my calling,
when the world used me less kindly elsewhere.
Well do I remember his Inst words when leaving
him each time, after bidding me adieu: 'Re-
member there is always a place for you here if
you wish to come back again.' Botli he and his
family showed me always the greatest respect
and kindness."

Wilson's School-house. — The Oologist, refer-
ring to " our illustration of Wilson's school-
house, says :

" Grossart's Life of Wilson, 2 volumes, 8 vo.
(Paisley, 1876) contains an engraving of Wilson's
school-house, about which the editor states : "It
is with very special pleasure I am enabled to
give here an engraving (after a photograph) of
the humble school-house within which Wilson,
for many years, taught and dwelt. I have reason
to believe that it has never before been engraved.
It is now situated within the shadow of Phila-
delphia.— G.' Grossart may be right in his state-
ment that the school-house had not previously
been engraved. But Wilson certainly never
'dwelt' in his school-house, at least so far we
have found no record f)f such fact.

" But we do find that at this time he boarded
with a Mrs. Leach adjoining the ' Sorrel Horse
Hotel,' a painting of which, and Mrs. Leach's
cottage, by Alexander Wilson, is in our posses-
sion.

" In March, 1876, a picture of Wilson appeared
in Scribner's Magazine, also an engraving of the
school-house, which, with the present engraving,
if correct, the ground has certainly been graded
and many of the trees cut away since the days
of Wilson. We have an impression that we
have other engravings of Wilson's school-house,
but at this time we know not where they are."

[The Oologist is correct in its supposition that
Wilson boarded in the "Sorrel Horse Hotel,"
which was owned by Mr. Isaac Leech (not Leach),
an uncle-in-law of the writer of this. The
school-house was built on land belonging to a
portion of the old Bartram estate, the land being

1880.

AND HORTICULTURIST.

315

given so long as the building should be used for
school purposes. The new public school has of
course rendered the little old school unnecessary.
The school building stood too near the road to
preserve. The filling in of the valley and widen-
ing required for city purposes, made its preser-
vation impossible. Still we have no doubt if
those who love the memory of Wilson had indi-
cated any desire for its preservation, it could
have been easily moved back. It is a misfortune
that the world only comes to a knowledge of its
true benefactors so long after they are gone. If
anything remains of them then it is treasured ;
but too often all material traces are lost before
the time of recognition comes.

[While on the subject we may note that few
men did more for intelligent horticulture in
America than did Bernard McMahon in his day.
His house was a rendezvous for Pursh, Lyon,
Nuttall, and many whose names stand boldly
out in history. That also is now in the line of a
city street, and will no doubt soon have to go. —
Ed. G. M.l

Introduction of the Potato in Salt Lake
City. — In the Contributor, a monthly magazine
published at Salt Lake City, there is an extremely
interesting account of the first settlement of
Salt Lake City under Brigham Young, by Wil-
ford Woodruff", one of the few of the original
party now living. The date is fixed as July 24th,
1847, it being the day that Brigham Young with
the main body came in. A small party had gone
in advance, and in Mr. Woodruff"'s own words :
" When we arrived on the ground, the brethren
had commenced ploughing. I had brought a
bushel of potatoes with me, and I resolved that
I would neither eat nor drink until I had planted
them. I got them into the ground by one o'clock,
and these, with the potatoes the other brethren
had planted, became the foundation for the
future potato crops of Utah." Further on Mr,
Woodruff" says : " When we arrived in this valley
we found it a barren desert, and a very desert it
was. There was no mark of the white man.
We found a few naked Indians, who would eat a
pint of roasted crickets for their dinner. But a
great change has come over this desert."

And, indeed, the dilference in thirty years is
one of the most surprising in the history of the
human race. There are diff"erent opinions as to
the advantage to the human race of the religious
system which this little band planted in this
desert; but there can be but one opinion as to

the right of the survivors to take pride in the
magical change their eyes have seen.

Origin of the Noisette Rose. — An American
correspondent of the Belgian Horticultural Re-
view, Mr. Jonathan Evans, writes to the editor an
account of the origin of the Noisette Rose, which
we may translate from the French as follows :
"The Noisette Rose is a daughter of America.
She was born one day in the garden of a brave
citizen of Charleston, South Carolina, Mr. John
Champney. It was obtained by fertilizing a
Musk Rose, Rosa Moschata, by pollen from the
China or Bengal Rose. Botanists called the new
creation Rosa Moschata hybrida, and Rosa
champneyana indifl"erently. But after awhile
the name was superseded by that of Rosa
Noisettiana in this way: At Charleston there
lived a gardener named Philip Noisette, who was
of French origin. This man fertilized one of
Champney's hybrids, Champney 's Pink Cluster,
and getting from it another variety sent it in
1814 to Louis Freres, of Paris. The Rose became
rapidly famous, and the name of Noisette re-
placed the first name of Champney, for the new
race. It is just as it was when Americus Ves-
pucius was given the honors due to Christopher
Columbus in the naming of the great continent.
The flowers of the Noisette are highly fragrant ;
they are numerous, double, and charm by the
variety and delicacy of their colors. The fol-
lowing varieties, esteemed in America, are
worthy the attention of Europeans : Beauty of
Greenmount (1854), Isabella Gray (1854), Dr.
Kane (1856), America (1859), Woodland Mar-
garet (1859), Cinderella (1859), Russulda (1860).
The Noisette Rose has one defect, the flower
fades rapidly ; but then what would we have if
we had a choice? lam tempted to repeat the
pretty verses of Th. Gautier, the French poet,
which give pleasure even to a Yankee like me :

"Th-! world is formed strangely ! The weak is the stroug !

Like shades in a dream, 'tis the vision allures, —
'Tis sorrow, not pleasure, that stays with us long;

The Rose lives an hour, but the Cypress endures."

Botany for High Schools and Colleges ; by
Charles E. Bessey, Professor of Botany in the
Agricultural College of Iowa. New York: Pub-
lished by Henry Holt & Co.

The progress of Botany during the past quarter
of a century has been wonderful. In the early
part of the present century the science had a
fascination through the labors of Linnaeus and
his co-adjutors, and the romances of such writers
as the first Darwin, — but very little was really

316

THE GARDENER'S MONTHLY

[October,

known of plants at that time. The eflForts of
these pioneers extended very little further than
the reducing to something like order the scat-
tered masses of facts about the affinities of
plants. It could not be expected that learned
and acute as these men were, they could at once
reach the perfection of method. Thought, as
well as all other departments of nature, walks
on, but does not make great leaps. There must
be evolution by degrees intellectually as well as
in everything else ; hence, in the science of
botany, as in all things else, its history has to be
written over again every few years. In these
modern times, instead of taking one or two pro-
minent features of a plant as the chief objects
of study, every portion is deemed important. Its
internal structure has to be investigated as well
as external appearances, before we feel that we
know it; and how it behaves is just as important
as a knowledge of its several parts.

If we would know how we have advanced in
our knowledge of these things, it will only be
necessary to compare Professor Bessey's work
with similar ones published, say but ten years
ago. The necessity of such a work now will be
at once seen and its value fully appreciated. We
have read it very carefully through, and can
commend it as one well worthy of the times, ad-
vanced, indeed, as the times are. It will no
doubt become a standard work for study wherever
botany is to be intelligently pursued.

If we were disposed to be critical we might re-
fer to some points we think weak. There is so
much of original observation going on in these
days, and so little, comparatively to what there
was in the past, of absolute dependence on the
experience of one or two observers, however
great they may be, that it cannot be expected
that any two close students will be disposed to
accept all the conclusions of any author in a
branch of science which all acknowledge to be
an unfinished one. We will merely content our-
selves by saying of this, as we said recently of
Dr. Gray's Structural Botany, that we feel that
many matters here given as absolute truths,
would have been better presented as " prevailing
hypotheses." Instead, for instance, of saying
that " the peculiar structure of the flowers of
Asclepiadacese has recently been shown to be for
the purpose of securing the services of insects in
the process of pollination," it would have been
better to have said, " believed in some quarters
to be for the purpose." That pollination is as-
sisted by insects through the peculiar structure

is a fact that one may safely teach ; but that it
was especially designed for this purpose is a dis-
puted hypothesis, which might be well taught
as such, but not among the things " shown to
be " truths.

However, as we have said, these little weak-
nesses in a great work do no harm. They
rather do good. For in these days, when original
personal research is at the bottom of all instruc-
tion, slips of this kind strike the student, and
lead him on to become wiser than his teacher ;
and this is a result which the best leaders
in botanical progress, like Professor Bessey him-
self, heartily desire.

We trust this book will have a wide sale. Cer-
tainly no one who wishes to keep up with the
progress of botanical knowledge, can afford to
pass it by.

La Vigne Francaise. — To show how great is
the interest in France in all that relates to the
famous Grape vine insect, we may only observe
that we are informed that this is " a bi-monthly
magazine, devoted to the interests of Grape cul-
ture, and its defence against the Phylloxera." It
is published in Paris at 10 francs a year.

The Marshfield Elm. — A new house is to be
built on the site of the old one ; but the great
Elm, which afforded its favorite shade to Daniel
Webster, is to be religiously preserved.

How TO Tell Wheat from Cheat. — A Persian
poet, Jami, thus answers the question, " What
shall the harvest be ?"

One was asking of a teacher,
•' How a father his reputed

Son for his should recognize?"
Said the master, " By the stripling,
As he grows to manhood, growing
Like to his reputed father.

Good or evil, fool or wise."

So the disregarded Darnel,

With itself adorns the wheat-field.

And for all the vernal season

Satisfies the farmer's eye;
But the hour of harvest coming.

And the thrasher by and by;
Then a barren ear shall answer,

" Darnel, and no wheat am I !"

The Lily of the Field. — John Ray, a dis-
tinguished botanist, who flourished at the end of
the last century, says that Tulipa was the name
of a peculiar hat worn by the Dalmatians on
some occasions, and which was of the form of
half an egg, and that the name was given to the
tulip from its resemblance to this peculiar formed
hat. He says the varieties are " inexplicable "

[1880.

AND HORTICULTURIST.

317

and beautiful, and it was no doubt the lily of
the fields which our Saviour referred to when he
described the glory of Solomon in comparison
with the beauty of the flower. Other and more
modern writers believe the flower referred to by
Jesus was a true lily.

Nurseries in Canada. — A Brookville (Out.)
correspondent writes that there is not a nursery
in all Eastern Canada.

Napoleon's Willow. — The Gardener's Record
says : — " When the Empress Eugenie started on
her pilgrimage to the scene of her son's death
she took with her slips from a willow growing
in Dean Stanley's garden, to plant at the foot of
the young Prince's monument in Zululand. The
tree in the Deanery garden has grown from a
slip taken from the willow over the tomb in
which Napoleon I. was interred at St. Helena.
The strange tradition is related about this tree,
that its condition is affected by the fortunes of
the Bonapartos. It is remarkable that on the
day of Sedan a large bough fell off", and on the
day of the Prince Imperial's death in Africa
another bough fell." The Record does not tell
whether branches have ever fallen at other
times.

Mr. Henry Shaw, the well-known munificent
founder of the Missouri Botanical Gardens at
St. Louis, celebrated his 80th birth-day on the
24th of July.

The Plough versus the Spade. — We have a
note from Mr. Henderson in regard to the
"English Gardener's" complaint, too late for
this, but which shall appear in our next.

Mahlon Moon. — In a letter of a Bristol corres-
pondent of a city paper, we learned that " Mah-
lon Moon, the well-known florist of this place,"
died in the manner indicated in our last. We

are now informed that it was " Mahlon Moon»
flourist," of that place, who was referred to. The
identity of name, and similarity of flour with
flower is so remarkable, that it is no wonder the
correspondent or his printer got the matter
mixed. It is a pleasure to add that Mahlon
Moon, nurseryman, is remarkably well for one
of his years.

Kew Herbarium. — A young English gardener,
Robert Allen Rolfe, in an open competitive ex-
amination, has obtained the position of second
assistant curator in the Kew Herbarium. It is
said that many of those in competition had
many more early advantages than the young
gardener.

Professor Asa Gray. — This distinguished
botanist sailed on the 4th of September, in the
British steamer Marathon, from Boston for Eng-
land. Dr. Gray will spend a year among the
botanical riches of Kew, preparatory to the fin-
ishing of some work on which he has long been
engaged.

Experiments at the Michigan Agricultural
College. — This is a lecture by Prof. N. J. Beal.
We have often remarked that the vice of horti-
culture is that many of its teachers will talk for
an hour rather than experiment five minutes.
Prof. Beal is a worthy example of the other side.
He talks and endeavors earnestly to spread in-
formation through the world, but he also tries
experiments, and thus knows of his own labors
whereof he talks. We have had many heavy-
bound books come to our table that were not
half as valuable as this unpretentious pamphlet.
It ought to have an extended reading by profes-
sional gardeners. We hope to make use of Prof.
Beal's facts from time to time for the benefit of
our readers.

Horticultural Societies.

COMMUNICA TIONS.

HUMBUGS IN HORTICULTURE.

essay, by peter HENDERSON.

(Continued from page 287.)

He looked at me pityingly and said, " My
dear sir, you expect too much; these Moss
Rose just come over in the ship from Paris, you
take him home and plant him and he bloom
right away and he keep on blooming." I did
not take him home, but I took the story, some-
thing in the shape it is now told, and had it pub-
lished in one of the leading New York papers,

and, in less than a week, the " Blue Rose Men "
had pulled up stakes, but, no doubt, to pitch
their camp somewhere else, and set their traps
for fresh victims. The " Blue Rose Men " are
very impartial in their wanderings, and rarely
omit a city of any size, beginning usually in New
Orleans in January, rounding northward, and
ending up with Philadelphia, New Yoi'k, and
Boston through April and May.

These humbugs in Horticulture have their
comical side. The other year in passing St.
Paul's Church (Broadway), New York, an old
negro had squatted on the pavement with a
great bundle of plants carefully mossed up, lying.

318

THE GARDENER'S MONTHLY

[Octolier,

alongside of him. On inquiring what they were,
he said they were Eose bushes — Rose bushes
having all the attributes wanted in a rose, fra-
grance, hardiness, and everblooming, and the
price but 50 cents apiece. He had got them,
he said, from the boss, and was selling them on
a commission. The poor darkey was only an
innocent agent; he no doubt believed he was
selling rose bushes, but the Boss, whoever he
might be, undoubtedly knew better, for the plants
were not roses at all, but the common cat briar
— Smilax sarsaparilla — one of the worst pests of
our hedgerows, but which is near enough in ap-
pearance to a rose to deceive the ordinary city
merchant.

That same season at every prominent street
corner could be seen the vendors of the " Alli-
gator Plant," which some enterprising genius
had cut by the wagon load from the Jersey
swamps, and dealt them out to those who re-
tailed them on the street.

The "Alligator Plant" was sold in lengths of
12 to 20 inches, from 25 to 50 cents apiece, ac-
cording to its straightness and length ; and by
the number engaged in the business, hundreds
of dollars' worth have been sold. The " Alliga-
tor Plant" is the rough triangular branches of
the Sweet Gum Tree {Liquidambar styradflua) ,
common in most parts of the countrj'. There is
no doubt whatever that these pieces of stick
have been planted by thousands during the last
two years in the gardens in and around New
York, with about as much chance of their grow-
ing as the fence pickets.

The Bulb Peddlers, a class of itinerant swin-
dlers, deserve brief attention. They have always
some wonderful novelty in bulbs ; and their
mode of operating to the uninitiated has a sem-
blance ot fairness, as they are liberal fellows, and
frankly offer to take one-half cash on deliver}',
and if the goods do not come up to representa-
tion the other half need not be paid — for ex-
ample, when the Gold-banded Japan Lily was
first introduced, bulbs the size of hickory' nuts
sold at $250 per 100. About that time one of
these worthies came along with samples of a lily
of fine size and appearance, with which he told
he had just arrived from Japan. There was no
doubt of its genuineness, for he had seen it flower.
He had a large stock, and would sell at $100 per
100, but he was willing to take half that amount
down and the other half when it flowered and
had proved correct. It did not prove correct,
and he never called. The bulb he sold was the
common White Lily — Lilium Candiduvi — which
is sold everywhere at $5 to $6 per 100. These
same scamps flood the rural districts every year
with blue gladiolus, scarlet tuberoses, and other
absurdities in bulbs and seeds, usually on the
same terms, of one-half cash down, the other
half when the rara aw's has feathei^ed out. It is
needless to say that they never try it twice on the
same victim, but avail themselves of our broad
continent, to seek new fields for their operations.

One of the most successful swindlers of this
type was Comanche George, whose fame became
national. George made his advent in New York

in 1876. He was, he said, a Texas scout, and for
years his rifle, revolver, and bowie kni/e had
been the terror of the red man; but one day in
his rambles on the lone Texas prairies his eyes
were arrested by a flower whose wonderful color-
ing eclipsed the rainbow, and whose delicate
perfume was wafted over the Brazos for leagues ;
in short, never before had eye of mortal rested
on such a flower. The man of war was subdued.
He betook himself to the peaceful task of gather-
ing tlie seed, and turned his steps to the haunts
of civilized man to distribute it. We first heard
of him in Washington, where he wished to place
it in the hands of the Government, and accord-
ingly offered it to Mr. Wm. Smith, Superintend-
ent of the Botanic Gardens there, but the Gov-
ernment, so Smith said, was not just then in a
position to buy, and with his advice, George
trimmed his sails for New York, and a market.
His success in Baltimore and Philadelphia was
so great (where he started the sale of the seeds
at two cents a piece), that it induced him when
he struck New York, to advance the price to five
cents a seed He put up at one of the best
hotels, and claimed that for a month his sales of
the seed of the Cockatelle — the beautiful Texas
flower — reached $50.00 a day. But his success
threw him off his balance ; to took to fire-water,
and in an unguarded moment fell into the hands
of a newspaper man, who extracted from him all
the facts connected with the enterprise. George
never was a scout, had never been in Texas, but
he had been a good customer to the various
seedsmen of the different cities, where his pur-
chases of Okra or Gumbo Seed, at about fifty
cents a pound, had made nearly a dearth of the
article. His victims (whose names he gave by
the score, and which were duly chronicled in the
newspaper article referred to) were from all
classes : the enterprising florist, who secretly
went into it in a wholesale way, with a view to
outwit his less fortunate fellows; the grandee of
Fifth Avenue, who anticipated a blaze of beaut}-
on his lawn; the hotel man, whose window
boxes were to perfume the air ; all had fallen
easy victims to the wiles of Comanche George.
George disappeared from New York, though
there is but little doubt that his business had
been too successful for him to abandon it.
A newspaper paragraph, cut from a paper last
week, which reads as follows, looks as if it might
be the Texas Scout in a somewhat different role :
" The prepossessing appearance, gentlemanly
demeanor, and foreign accent of the man who
called himself Carlo Corella, Botanist to the
Court of Brazil, convinced a number of wealthy
San Francisco ladies that he was truthful. He
said to each that the failure of a remittance
compelled him to sell some rare bulbs of Brazil-
ian Lilies, which he had intended to present to
Mrs. R. B. Hayes. ' The flower,' says the Chroni-
cle, 'was to be a great scarlet bell, with ecru
ruchings on the petals, a solferino frill around
the pistil, and a whole bottle of perfumery on
each stamen.' He sold about fifty almost worth-
less bulbs at $4.00 each."

(To be continued.)

1880.]

AND HORTICULTURIST.

319

EDITORIAL NOTES.

Penna. Horticultural Society. — The Annual
Exhibition was held this year in connection with
the State Fair, in the hall of the Permanent
Exhibition Company, which, as many readers
may know, is the large structure covering twenty
acres of ground, and which was known as the
Main Building during the Centennial Exposi-
tion.

Of plants there were scarcely any blooming
things exhibited, but Palms, Ferns and "leaf
plants " were numerous, and for the most part
presented evidences of good culture. This was
particularly the case with the Dwarf Marantas
exhibited by Hoopes, Bro. & Thomas, of West
Chester. They were in shallow pans, about two
feet wide, though the plants themselves were
not over six inches high. Besides the Dwarf
Marantas there were similar pretty dwarf plants,
such as Peperoma maculosa, Fittonia argyro-
neura, and Tillandsia zebrina, all grown in this
admirable manner. Equally well grown and
interesting were a collection chiefly of Echeveria
and Sedum, which, as they are in such demand
now for bedding purposes, were especially in-
structive.

There was nothing particularly new to notice
among the leaf plants exhibited. Among the
very well grown plants of Mr. Jamieson, gar-
dener to G. L. Harrison, Esq., we noted that
those two magnificent old kinds, Sphserogyne
latifolia and Cyanophyllum magnificum, still
remain at the head of their class.

Among the larger growing Ferns there are few
more efiective than Nephrolepis davalloides fu-
cans, of which Mr. Jamieson had one about three
feet high, and as much wide. Of good speci-
mens, made so by age, was a very fine one of
Croton interruptum, shown by John Nisbet.
This was about six feet by six, and clothed with
branches to the ground. It had a very striking
efifect. Another very good thing was a Fig tree
in bearing, in a tub, exhibited by Laura M. Hip-
pie. We did not notice that many of these inter-
esting single things had any premiums awarded,
as they were not probably in the "schedule of
of premiums." But it is the encouragement of
just such efforts as these that societies should
foster. The Fig, as a tub plant for houses
and small gardens, is just the thing to give plea-
sure to thousands who cannot have grand gar-
dens and immense pots of foliage plants. Fine
collections of the new Coleus were exhibited in

pots by Hoopes, Bro. & Thomas, and by William
Sutherland, showing how wonderfully varia-
tion has been increased ; but the true value of a
coleus depends on its behavior in large masses
out of doors. In this respect the old Verscha-
feltii still keeps firm hold of popular favor.
Among variegated greenhouse plants, a very
fine specimen of the Ficus Parceli in the collec-
tion shown by Mr. William Joyce, gardener to
Mrs. M. W. Baldwin, shows that this is still one
of the most striking plants of its class. In the
collection of Mr. H. A. Dreer, Eulalia japonica
zebrina reminds us how useful this pretty thing
is for outdoor summer decoration, and the yel-
lowish Torenia Bailloni in full flower, proves a
verj"^ valuable acquisition.

Among the exhibitors of new plants, Mr. W.
K. Harris seems to be taking a lead. His twelve
distinct kinds of winter blooming Carnations
were very pretty, though the exact value to the
florist depends on free blooming and other pro-
perties. His Begonias were also very attractive.
One, Begonia Schmidtii, is a dwarf, compact,
half shrubby kind, with neat woolly leaves and
an abundance of pure white flowers. An older
one in full bloom, B. rubra, reminds us to say
that there are few better kinds to grow for red
flowers.

Out among the fruits and vegetables there
was of course the usual big Pumpkin of agricul-
tural fairs, this time it weighed 130 lbs., and
came from Mr. W. Sproule, gardener to John
Hunter, Esq.; and there was a Watermelon from
C. B. Kogers, weighing 78 lbs. The old "Mexi-
can" or "Cassabar" Melons were out in force un-
der a "Persian" name. It is very difficult to
keep a Cantaloupe under a distinctive appella-
tion. Mr. Dreer had a curious collection of
Japanese vegetables, chiefly Legumes. A bunch
of a curious Salsola, more branching and vigor-
ous than the Salsola Kali of our sea coasts, was
among them, and we are at a loss to know how
the Japanese use this as a vegetable ; perhaps as
a pickle, as its close ally, the Marsh Samphire is
so often used in Europe. Of the Beans, one with
a very large pod, and after the manner of our
Lima Bean, and called Ensipora, may be of value
to us. A sort of Pumpkin or Squash, like a large
roundish Watermelon, and with the botanical
name of Lagenaria dasystemon attached, may
also be of service. But the proof of the pudding
is in the eating. There was a curious Hibiscus,
allied to the Okra, but with numerous small
pods ; whether better than our Okra we do not

320

THE GARDENER'S MONTHLY.

know. Mr. Dreer had, also, specimens of the
new fodder plant Teosinte, Reana luxurians, but
whether this will be any better for our climate
than Pearl Millet, or even common fodder corn,
we have no information.

In fruits one cannot but praise the exhibit of
Apples and Pears, made by Edwin Satterthwaite.
Usually at State Fairs, exhibits of these are made
chiefly of winter or late ripening kinds, and are
in September little guide to their real character.
Mr. Satterthwaite's collection were mostly ap-
proaching maturity, in immense variety, and
were particularly encouraging to those who
might be disposed to plant a tree. Among the
Apples, Cornell's Fancy and Gravenstien were
particularly beautiful ; but it may be said of all
these immense numbers of varieties of fruits ex-
hibited, that now-a days they teach but little to
the spectator. The true value of any variety
must be tested in the orchard.

Grapes were out in great force, and showed
how much had been gained in a quarter of a
century. The new candidates for public favor,
Prentiss, Lady Washington, Jefferson, Moore's
Early, and Montgomery were among others, and
if they grow as well as they taste, they will be
permanently popular. Mr. T. Mellor had some
remarkably fine hothouse Grapes, the Muscat
Hamburg, being particularly delicious. But in
this class exhibitors were not numerous.

Though not in the exhibition of the State Fair,
yet on public exhibition by the city of Philadel-
phia at Fairmount Park, the bedding plants
around Horticultural Hall were enjoyed no doubt
by thousands of exhibitors. The writer, during
the past few years, has had the opportunity of
seeing the bedding of most of the public grounds
both in Europe and this country, but has seen
none that for harmony of color, grandeur of ef
feet, or perfection in every detail, equaled this,
and while so much is said in the public papers
about the disgraceful condition of Philadelphia
Parks and Squares generally, it must be set down
to the credit of the city that its landscape gar-
dener, Mr. Miller, has been permitted to make
so beautiful a display here.

Instructive Horticultural Societies. — The
plan of having instructive lectures on the plants,
fruits and vegetables exhibited, inaugurated by
the Germantown Horticultural Society a year
ago, has added largely to the attendance and
membership of the Society. The lectures are
generally by Prof. Thomas Meehan, though

other members make occasional addresses. The
Royal Horticultural Society of London has
adopted the same plan. A recent Gardeners^
Magazine says of a late exhibition : "Not the
least pleasing part of the meeting was the re-
markably interesting and instructive lecture by
the Rev. G. Henslow on the objects brought be-
fore the Floral Committee."

A New Agricultural Society, — August 27,
1880, during the meeting of the American Asso-
ciation for the Advancement of Science, a
meeting was organized. Prof. Caldwell in the
chair, and Prof. A. J. Cook of Michigan Agricul-
tural College, Secretary. After a full discussion
the "Society for the Promotion of Agricultural
Science" was provisionally organized, those pre-
sent being Profs. Beal, Caldwell, Farlow, Kedzie,
Goessmann, Cook, and Fernald, and Doctors
Halstead, Ledeux and Sturtevant.

Professor Beal was elected President, and Dr.
Sturtevant was elected Secretary. An Executive
Committee was then appointed, consisting of the
President, Secretary and Prof. Caldwell, with full
powers to arrange for the next meeting, to be
held on the day preceding the meeting of the
American Association next year, and at the
same place. The following are the names of the
additional membership : Prof. W. G. Farlow,
Harvard College, Cambridge, Mass. ; Prof. C, A.
Goessmann, Massachusetts Agricultural College,
Amherst; Prof. A. J. Cook, Michigan Agricul-
tural College, Lansing; Prof. Peter Collier, De-
partment of Agriculture, Washington ; Dr. B. D.
Halsted, editor American Agriculturist, New
York City ; Dr. A. R. Ledeux, 17 Cedar street.
New York City.

At the next meeting it is expected that papers
will be presented by the members, embodying
results of original research, and matter worthy
of permanent preservation. The special fields
and their occupants, thus far, are : Botany and
horticulture, Profs. Beal, Bessey, Brewer, Dr.
Sturtevant ; pomologj', Thomas, Barry ; ento-
mology and apiculture. Profs. Comstock and
Cook; agricultural chemistry. Profs. Kedzie,
Johnson, Caldwell, Hilgard, Goessmann, Collier,
Ledeux ; physics and soil. Prof. Hilgard, Presi-
dent Stockbridge, President Fernald ; dairying
science, Arnold, Dr. Sturtevant: veterinary,
Prof. Law ; vegetable pathology, Profs. Farlow,
Halsted, Bessey. It is expected that other lead-
ers in agricultural investigation will be invited
to join this association, and that in time it will
embrace within its limits the highest agricultural
scientific talent in the country. At present the
association has the cordial support of all its
members, and it trusts that events will justify the
wisdom and timeliness of the attempt.
Prof. W. J. Beal, Lansing, Mich., President,
E. Louis Sturtevant, M. D., South Farmingham,

Mass., Secretary,
Prof. G. C. Caldwell, Ithaca, N. Y., Committee.

THE

GARDENER'S MONTHLY

AND

HORTICULTURIST.

DEVOTED TO HORTICULTURE. ARBORICULTURE AND RURAL AFFAIRS.

Edited by THOMAS MEEHA.N.

Vol. XXII.

NOVEMBER, 1880.

Number 263.

Flower Garden and Pleasure Ground.

SEASONABLE HINTS.

The professional tree-trimmer of large cities
usually waits till winter before he commences
his destructive practices ; but we note manj'
trees about the Philadelphia streets are being
beheaded while the leaves are on, and probably
the same spirit of progression is rife elsewhere.
Whj' these trees should thus be treated no one
seems to know. In our inquiries, we have
merely the answer that they look ' pooty." Once
in a while a tree may have been selected for a
street tree that is too tall for the spot, and
though we hasten it to the grave by heavy prun-
ing, it is too tall for a narrow sidewalk and must
be cut back. If these trimmers knew anything
at all they would know how to cut off a large
branch. But few of them do. Either huge strips
of bark are peeled off below where the branch is
cut, or the branch itself is split down through
the middle. The man who knows his business
cuts a little on one side before he saws or chops on
the other, and the cut-away top falls without split-
ting or injuring the part that is left. It is very
often difficult for the man ignorant of garden-
ing, to tell the amount of gardening skill there
is in the man he employs; but he may safely
discharge the fellow who does not know how to
cut away a large branch without injuring the
part that is left.

A pretty idea, developed the past year or so,
is to have colored-leaved shrubs, kept short by

pruning, formed into masses like Coleuses and
other bedding-plants. They can be taken up
every year, so as to make new combinations, if
desired. Blood-leaved Beech, Variegated Al-
thaea, Golden Honeysuckle and Golden Spiraeas,
are favorites in this style of gardening; and
there is the additional advantage that the beds
do not look so naked in winter.

It is now so well understood that we may
have an immense addition to our list of hardy
evergreens if we will only shelter them, that we
expect all those who love these varied winter fa-
vorites will take measures this season to plant
shelter belts in exposed places, or else to set the
common hardy trees like Norway and Hemlock
Spruce, and Scotch, Austrian and White Pines
thickly about, so that the rarer ones can be put
between them.

Almost all young trees are tenderer than they
are when older. It is therefore no test of the
hardiness of some rare thing, that a small plant
is killed in the winter. Silver Firs almost al-
ways get killed back for a few years in this sec-
tion, unless protected, but yet gain a little in
strength. After they are ten years old they will
endure our hardest weather. So Spanish Chest-
nuts, English Walnuts, and many others, will
die back considerably, until they get strength.
Therefore, protect any valued young plant, if
possible, no matter how hardy its reputation
may be.

Nice smooth lawns are great attractions. If

322

THE GARDENER'S MONTHLY

[November,

not level and smooth, earth may he filled in the
hollow places at this season, and raked smooth
and level. If not over two or three inches deep,
the grass beneath will come through and make
a sod before next summer ; but if deeper, a little
grass seed may be sown.

In treating hedges of Osage, Honey Locust, or
other deciduous plants, we like the plan of let-
ting them grow as they will for two or three
years, and then, when the stems are a couple of
inches thick, saw to the ground. A mass of
strong sprouts then pushes up, which can be
pruned into shape the next summer. Where
hedges are to be thus made, or older ones have
been neglected, they can be cut down to the
ground any time in the fall or winter season. It
seems that in spite of all that has been said,
Osage Orange and Honey Locust are the best
plants for farm fences, or where any very strong
fence is desired. Berberry, Silver Thorn, and
Pyrus japonica are the next best — indeed, except
that it takes rather longer to make a good fence,
the last named would be as good as the two first
in all except cheapness.

COMMUNICA TIONS.

THE BEST AUTUMNAL ROSES AMONG
HYBRID PERPETUALS.

BY H. B. ELLWANGER, ROCHESTER, N. Y.

What a misnaming there is of a large part of
the varieties which go by the name of Hybrid
Perpetual Roses ! Many splendid sorts in June,
like Marie Rady, Jean Liabaud, and all of their
type, yield no flowers in Autumn, unless it be an
exceptional bloom on old plants. It is especially
difficult to find a deep crimson that will give
flowers of any quality at this season. The best
one, as yet, is Louis Van Houtte, followed by
Prince Camille de Rohan. Good bloomers of
lighter shade than these two, are Alfred Colomb,
Horace Vernet, Marie Baumann. Maurice Ber-
nardin and Prince Notting will also do quite
well if cut back when the June blossoming is
over. In the light shades, that is rose and pink,
we have somewhat more desirable Autumn roses
than amongst the dark ones. Among them Fran
cois Michelon and Marguerite de St. Amande
stand first. Countess of Serenye is a beautiful
rose in Autumn as indeed it is throughout the
year. Abel Grand, hardly worthy of being re-
tained for its June blossoms when we have so

many finer, is a valuable fall sort, the blooms
being fully produced and generally of better
quality than in the Spring. Baroness Roths-
child, La Reine, Mdlle. Theresa Levet, Paul
Neyron, Rev. J. B. Camm, and allthe Victor Ver-
dier family, are free flowering kinds ; the best of
the latter are Mdlle. Eugenie Verdier, Countess
of Oxford and Victor Verdier. Anne de Dies-
bach, Boildieu, Baronne Prevost, Mme. Boll and
Princess Charlotte, though not equal to the others,
are all desirable.

The two Roses which will give the greatest
number of really fine blooms after the first of
July until cut ofi" by the frost, are Marguerite de
St. Amande and Francois Michelon.

Below is given in order of merit the best
twenty-four autumnals ; as La France now goes
in the class of the Hybrid Teas, it is not included
in this list ; if it were, it would have the place of
honor :

LIGHT COLORS.

1. Francois Michelcxn, lo. Countess of Oxford.

2. Marguerite de St. Amande, ii. Rev. J. B. Camm,

3. Countess of Serenye, 12. La Reine,

4. Abel Grand, 13. Mme. Boll,

5. Mdlle. Theresa Levet, 14. Princess Charlotte,

6. Baroness Rothschild, 15. Boildieu,

7. Mdlle. Eugenie Verdier, 16. Baronne Prevost,

8. PaulNeyroi), 17. Anna de Diesbach,

9. Victor Verdier.

1. Alfred Colomb,

2. Marie Baumann,

3. Horace Vernet,

4. Pierre Notting.

DARK COLORS.

5. Maurice Bernardin,

6. Louis Van Houtte,

7. Prince Camille de Rohan,

CROSS-FERTILIZING AND RAISING

ROSES FROM SEED IN

ENGLAND.

BY T. T. LAXTON, BEDFORD, ENG.

Mr. Eilwanger, of the firm of EUwanger and
Barry, Rochester, N. Y., who is doing much to
elucidate the origin of American and English
Roses, having requested information respecting
the varieties raised by me, I have been induced
to look up what I have efiected in that direc-
tion ; and as Mr. Bennett's recent success in
cross-breeding the rose has created considerable
interest in the subject, perhaps even the record
of unprofitable work maybe of advantage to
those who propose entering on the same field.
By way of preamble, therefore, my advice to all
who desire to do so, is not to carry on their
operations without the aid of glass wherever

1880.]

AND HORTICULTURIST.

323

such means are available, for two of the great
secrets of success in obtaining rose seed are ripe
wood and a dry atmosphere, conditions not al-
ways attainable in England without the aid of
glass and artificial heat, and undoubtedly much
of my labor was thrown away for want of proper
protection against the vicissitudes of our cli-
mate, and many valuable acquisitions may con-
sequently have been lost ; for as the majority of
the best Roses are very double and really botani-
cal monstrosities, this abnormal fullness of petals
tends towards decay of the generating organs by
retaining surplus moisture.

My first attempt at cross-breeding the rose
was in 1857, when, inter alia, I fertilized H. P.
General Jacqueminot with the old white Damask
Maiden's Blush. From this cross I obtained a
very pretty light carmine variety, remarkably
sweet and of good form, but not sufficiently large
for a show rose. I gave the stock some years
afterwards to Mr. Ward of Ipswich, who had
been working in the same direction, but I
do not think he found it good enough to
send out. From this start, however, I derived
sufficient encouragement to induce me to pro-
ceed, and in the seven years from 1858 to 1864 I
fertilized, marked and recorded nearly five hun-
dred blooms, crossing, recrossing, and inter-
crossing most of the best H. P.'s, Teas, Bour-
bons, and summer striped roses of the period;
and amongst the more remarkable of the results
I obtained a vigorous-growing, semi-double,
satiny- pink flowered seedling from T. N. Glorie
de Dijon X H. P. Souvenir de Comte Cavour (a
bright red rose), the offspring being a good seed-
bearer, the flower almost scentless, and the
plant in most respects partaking more of the
Hybrid Perpetual than of the Tea character, the
foliage and growth showing but little of the lat-
ter type. From naturally fertilized flowers of this
rose I have raised seedlings showing more of
the Tea blood than their parent, some coming
single white and apparently pure Teas, others
dark red and very double H. P.'s. By crossing
Bourbon Louise Odier X striped Provence old
Tricolor, the offspring was a summer rose with
the spring foliage, distinctly striped with yellow,
the variegation, however, invariably disappear-
ing in the summer as the foliage matured. The
flower was pale pink without any appearance of
variegation. Many of the blooms fertilized were
abortive, and either never set at all or produced
heps without seeds, and as is usually the case,
numbers of the seedlings succumbed to weakness

of constitution. Not a single rose, however, of
any commercial value or good enough to be
sent out came from these attempts. In 1865,
however, I determined to make more extended
efforts in crossing the rose, and as a further in-
ducement and encouragement for me to proceed
the York Horticultural Society offered annually
a prize for the best English-raised white Hybrid
Perpetual Rose. Accordingly in that year I fer-
tilized, marked, and recorded upwards of four
hundred blooms, chiefly H. P.'s and Teas, and
in 1866, 1867, and 1868 upwards of one hundred
more. From amongst the varieties crossed in
1865 I obtained a hep containing seven seeds
by fertilizing H. P. Madame Vidot X Virginal.
One seed only vegetated, and this produced H.P.
Princess Louise, a good hardy, creamy-white
garden rose, sometimes tinted pink (sent out by
Messrs. Paul & Son). This, however, failed to
satisfy the requirements of the York Horticul-
tural Society as a white rose. There is a like-
ness in this rose to Mabel Morrison, a bud sport
with white flower from Baroness Rothschild.
By crossing H. P. Louise Peyronny X Victor
Verdier I aimed at getting a flower of the
largest size, and this I secured in H. P. Prince of
Wales (sent out by Messrs. Paul & Son), but un-
fortunately its thinness of petal and want of a
stout external guard render the flowers liable to
fall open and to appear somewhat coarse These
are the only two fairly good roses which have,
I believe, at present been distributed from up-
wards of one thousand crosses! but good results
have been obtained and will probably be shortly
forthcoming from crosses between 1864 and 1868
— viz., H. P.'s Comtesse Chabrillant X Jules
Margottin and Anna de Diesbach ; John Hopper
X S«5nateur Vaisse ; Glorie de Santenay X
X Madame Julie Daran, Prince Camille de Ro-
han, and Beauty of Waltham; Lord Raglan X
Charles Lefebvre and Maurice Benardin ; Jules
Margottin X S6nateur Vaisse, Francois La-
charme, and Bourbon Loui.se Odier ; Charles
Lefebvre X Lord Raglan, S^nateur Vaisse, Mons.
Boncenne, Prince Camille de Rohan, Andre
Leroy, Alfred de Rougemont, and Madame Fur-
tado ; Louise Peyronny X H, C. Charles Law-
son Victor Verdier, and B. Louise Odier; H. C.
Cherles Lawson X H. P. Olivier Delhomme ;
Bourbon Baron de Noirmont X Sfenateur
Vaisse; Madame Victor Vo>rdier X Charles Le-
febvre; La Ville de St. Denis X Marguerite de
St. Amand ; Mons. Boncenne X Charles Lefeb-
vre, Mdlle. Bonnaire (all H. P.'s), and Striped

324

THE GARDENERS MONTHLY

[November,

Gallica Village Maid. Some of the offspring of
the above crosses have from inherent weakness
disappeared, and others which have exhibited
more or less novel or valuable traits are in the
hands of Mr. Charles Turner of the Royal Nur-
series, Slough, who will probably in due course
and when thoroughly tested, introduce them to
public notice.

Since the above was penned, Mr. Charles
Turner has exhibited H. P. the Rev. H. M.
Stowers, a seedling from Charles Lefebvre X
Prince Camille de Rohan, and has received a
flrst-class certificate from the Royal Horticul-
tural Society for H. P. Mrs. Harry Turner, a
finely formed and very brilliantly colored seed-
ling from Charles Lefebvre by Alfred de Rouge
mont, which he is now sending out.

In the course of my operations the anthers
only of those flowers were previously removed
in which there appeared special risk of self-ferti-
lization ; but cross fertilization was generally
effected only on such flowers and when in such
condition as to be practically safe from self ferti-
lization. Since 1868 I have chiefly discontinued
the raising of seedling roses from artificially
fertilized flowers, and have devoted my attention
to the selection of heps from naturally fertilized
flowers of the best varieties only, having long
since arrived at the conclusion that by the latter
means more certain results may be obtained,
especially where good shape and beauty of flower
are desired, as the different t^^pes of beauty in
the rose are numerous, each being excellent in
its own particul.ar character, but when any of
these types are combined coarse or heterogenous
flowers may be expected to result. Most of our
garden roses have also been so much interbred
that there is a great tendency in the offspring to
revert to one or other of their ancestral types,
rendering the results from cross-fertilization too
precarious and unreliable to be remunerative.
Mr. Bennett, however, is opening-up somewhat
new ground in crossing the Teas with H. P 's.
and with his appliances, skill and intelligence
all brought to bear, some novel and valuable
hybrids ought deservedly to crown his exertions.

It is, however, scarcely credible that such a
practical people as the French, who, although
they may not always grasp our tastes as readily
as they do our purses, but who are at least as
prompt and expert in the cross- fertilization and
hybridizing of plants and flowers as we are in
England, should so universally have neglected
to resort to or continue to use similar means

with the rose unless more certain or remunera-
tive results were otherwise attainable ; and I can
only arrive at the conclusion that experience
has taught our neighbors as it has myself, and I
believe othei's who preceded me in this country
(including Mr. Wm. Paul), which is the more
profitable mode ; and it must not be forgotten
that the immense advance which has been made
in the garden rose, especially in the Hybrid
Perpetual class, during the last three decades is
largely due to French exertions, and has been
attained, practically only, by means of self-ferti-
lization. The following roses raised by me in
18G4 were from seed of naturally fertilized
flowers — viz., H. P 's Annie Laxton from Jules
Margottin ; Marchioness of Exeter, probable also
from the same parent ; and Empress of India, I
believe from Triomphe des Beaux Arts, and not
from Louis XIV., of which it appears to be a
vigorous prototype In 1869 I raised H. P.'s Mrs.
Laxton, probably from Mme. Victor Verdier,
Charles Darwin from Madame Julie Daran, this
being the dark H. P., Rose of Bourbon blood par
excellence, of which I sowed the seed m that year,
and Emily Laxton perhaps from Abet Grande.
All the above were sent out by Messrs. Paul &
Son. The parentage of H. P.'s Richard Laxton
sent out by Mr. C. Turner, and Dr. Hogg in the
hands of Messrs. Paul & Son, I regret being un-
able to identify ; but with a large and continually
increasing number of seedlings I have found it
impossible to keep even the year's results in all
cases distinct.

Seedling Roses are very uncertain as to the
period of showing their first bloom, some flower-
ing when little more than two inches high, and
within two or three months from the seed being
sown, and .otliers, although ofien eventually
proving good Perpetual Roses, do not show
bloom for several years. I have now seedlings
of the current year showing bloom. My crop
this season consists of upwards of one thousand
seedlings grown on a bed containing about two
square yards ; most of these are already planted
out, and several of them I hope to bud, bloom
and primarily test before winter. In the ordinary
course at least one-half will probably disappear
before next year from delicacy of constitution.
These I shall not regret, as a winter's exposure
will save an immense amount of anxiety and
some labor for the care of what would have
proved to be only consumptive and sickly pro-
geny. All seedling roses before being distribu-
ted should be fairly exposed during one winter

1880.]

AND HORTICULTURIST.

325

at least, and our race of roses would eventually
become hardier and more vigorous. The prac-
tice ought to be a sine qua non with all raisers,
some discretion being exercised as regards the
variety and the situation.

A PLEA FOR THE OLD-FASHIONED
LAVENDER.

BY MRS. H. E. WHITE, BRYAN, BRAZOS CO., TEXAS.

In a number of your magazine, a corres-
pondent pleads the cause of the Wallflower or
"Dame's Violet," as it was called in the old-
fashioned days, when it was the favorite of high-
born ladies. There is another flower, even
dearer to me from the associations that cluster
around it, than the Wallflower, and this much
loved flower is the Lavender. It is called Lav-
andula from the Latin lavare, to wash — because
the ancients used it in bathing and washing;
and we all know the oil is used in medicine and
perfumery. Lavender water and lavender tea
are used to soothe the nervous and hysterical.
These qualities give it a rank among doctors and
perfumers. Now for its use in flower gardens.
With its silvery, compact leaves, and purple
blooms it makes a beautiful hedge, planted and
trained and trimmed as we do Box hedges. I
remember a garden I visited frequently while I
was in Southern Europe, and to me, one of the
sweetest, prettiest things in it, was a hedge ten-
derly guarding the flower beds; a hedge, all
silver and purple, of modest, old-fashioned
Lavender. Bring it from the kitchen garden
and let it adorn our flower yards, where low
hedges are wanted. In obsolete parlance to
"lay in lavender," meant to lay away nicely
and carefully, to keep sweet, showing that from
time immemorial, lavender has been used to
perfume clothing. Does not the dainty Keats
tell us, in his "Eve of St. Agnes," of the "Laven-
der-scented sheets ! " Does not its perfume
bring to us a delicious dream of our childhood?
We feel the cool linen against our cheeks ; there
is a breath of lavender, a vision of our mother
"tucking us in bed" for the night! For an
instant we are children again and life a beauti-
ful picture of purity and hope It is gone like
the breath of lavender, but are we not better for
that passing moment of childhood ?

In a poem upon Violets, one verse is equally
appropriate to the Lavender, if we substitute it
for violet.

"Yea, brings it not to every breast
Some vision sad and sweet.
Of some loved memory laid to rest
In Violet-scented sbeet."

We lay our loved dead, our holiest memories,
to rest in sheets scented with Violets and Laven-
der; there is a holiness, a purity about these two
modest, purple blooms, that no other fragrance
can claim ; other flowers smell stale after a time,
these two always seem fresh and pure.

Lavender was, in old days, an emblem of
affection, and Dryden as well as Keats, has em-
balmed it in verse.

"He from his lass, him Lavender hath sent.
Showing his love, and doth requital crave."

Let US revive the ancient love and apprecia-
tion of this flower ! Let it perfume our linen,
our baths, and soothe our nerves with its fragrant
tea. Let us honor our gardens with this an-
cient, patrician plant that stands in its simple
suit of silver and purple, and claims a place
among flowers that gold and scarlet can never
fill.

GARDEN SCIONS.

BY CANTAB, BOSTON, MASS.

Verbena venosa is a good old favorite. It is
not hardy here, but winters well in a cold frame.
It bears seeds abundantly, but old plants come
into bloom several weeks before the seedlings ;
hence the desirability of keeping over a lot of
them. This Verbena has deep purple flowers,
blooms all summer long, is excellent for com-
mon bouquet work, a good grower and is not
subject to blight or rust. In England, planted
among Bijou pelargoniums, we find it in al-
most all large gardens.

If you want a floral display in summer, plant
Petunias, and if you want a gay window in
winter, the Petunia has no equal.

In a garden on Main Street a large variegated
Century Plant is set on a pedestal four feet high.
Virginia Creeper has grown around the pedes-
tal, up over and hidden the pot, and some of
the branches have twined through among the
leaves of the century plant. The whole thing
looks cosy and becoming, and the vines, by a
little annual cutting, can be made to perform
the same office for years unlimited.

Another case is that of an old Pear tree forked
about six feet from the ground. The stem
is clad in Virginia Creeper, and in the fork rests
a pot full of Oxalis floribunda. The bunch of

326

THE GARDENER'S MONTHLY

[November,

red Oxalis flowers sticking out from among the
deep green leaves of the creeper has a novel
and pleasing effect.

Plumbago Larpentse is at its gayest in Sep-
tember. Its deep blue flowers are very pretty.
It is not hardy here in the open ground, but
winters well in a cold frame. It is hardy from
New York southwards.

Plumbago Capensis is, at present, our most co-
pious and beautiful lavender colored flower.
Cuttings struck last spring and transplanted
from three-inch pots in May, are making this
display. It requires greenhouse protection in
winter.

Aponogeton distachyon or Cape Pond Weed has
blossomed all summer long in our pond. Plants
left out all winter are vastly stronger than those
wintered in the greenhouse. It is hardy, pro-
viding the roots are deep enough to be beyond
the reach of ice. Being a small plant it does
not do so well in water over three feet deep as
where it is more shallow.

EDITORIAL NOTES.

Cranston's Rose Nursery at Hereford, Eng-
land.— The nurseries were established in 1785 by
the grandfather of the present proprietors. They
comprise 130 acres, of which 60 are devoted to
Hoses. It has one house, 140 by 25 feet for Rose
cut flowers, and this is said to be the largest cut
flower rose house in England. Marechal Niel
is the great favorite. In the open ground, 66,-
000 " Standards" were budded the past season.
The ordinary roses are on budded stocks. Of
these 500,000 Manettis were budded the past
season. The Dog Rose is also in use for stocks.
They can make large exhibits ; at one recently
they had fourteen thousand cut specimens.

Acer Plantanoides Aurea variegatum Bun-
TZLERi, is the latest addition to the new list of
trees, but mercy, what a name for a striped leaf
maple !

A French Collection of Roses. — At one of
the expositions in France last June, Mr. Joseph
Swartz exhibited 400 varieties. Among some
seedlings which he exhibited, and which were
pronounced by the jury decided acquisitions,
was Madame Joseph Swartz, a Tea Rose, rosy
■white passing to a whitish salmon, raised from

Comtesse de Labarthe. Also a hybrid perpetual
Guilliaume Guillemot,

Yucca gloriosa. — Generally this species
throws up its flower stems so late, that the frost
catches them before thej' open. In gardens
about Philadelphia, this season, they opened in
the middle of September, and made the gardens
very gay by their large panicles of pearly white
flowers.

Salvia farinacea. — This beautiful blue spe-
cies from southern Kansas and southwardly,
proves to be well adapted to garden culture. It
blooms at the end of August and lasts till frost.
It is often grown under the name of S. Pitcheri.

New Verbenas. — There seems to have been
almost reached a limit to the production of any
remarkable novelties in Verbenas; but in Eng-
land a variety is said to have been raised which
is said to have two of the petals purple and
three white, looking in fact much like a cluster
of miniature Pansies. Mr Cannell is said to
have it.

NicoTiANA suaveolens. — A small pinch of
seeds sent us by some friend, sown in the open
ground in May, has had hundreds of pretty
white flowers from August to frost. Though
not particularly "suaveolent," it is an attrac-
tive border flower, and of very good haV>it of
growth.

Tree Combinations. — Beautiful effects may
I be had by combining trees of distinct peculiari-
ties. The Gardener's Chronicle refers to a pleas-
ant effect produced at the end of an island in a
i lake by a Weeping Willow and the Lombardy
\ Poplar. The last is in the centre of a mass of
willows which are kept low around the poplars.

Roses. — The two articles by Mr.H. B. Ellwanger
and Mr. Laxton make this, in a great measure,
a "Rose" nunil>er. There is an increase in the
taste for rose culture, and the " Rose number,"
we are sure, will be generally welcome.

Public Parks and Gardens. — The New York
Independent saj's : — "We have noticed, from
time to time, in our columns, the public
spirit and liberality of some who have,
at great expense and labor, provided public
parks for the people. A man who builds and
furnishes a church, where plain Gospel truths
may be spoken, and then gives it to any com-
munity, is a noble man in the best sense of the
word ; but wood and bricks and mortar will

1880.

AND HORTICULTURIST.

327

soon decay and crumble to the earth. The liv-
ing voice of the preacher, in such a place of
worship, together with the generations of listen-
ers who have profited by his teachings, will
soon be hushed in silence. The giver of such a
gift, however, has done a great work, and, when
completed, and the title-deed executed and pre-
sented to a grateful people, he can well afford
to die, for he has literally and truly fought a
good fight with liis selfish heart, and been a co-
worker with God ill his migty efforts to redeem
the world. But is he not also a good man who
converts ten, fifty or a hundred acres into a per-
petual preaching-gntund, where God's servants
and teachers are not men, but everything beauti-
ful in nature, which the Great Maker and
Builder of the world has created and given to
us, a free gift, to make us happier, wiser and
better in all our earthly pilgrimage, and prepare
us to enter the pearly gates, and walk the golden
streets, and drink of the water of the River of
Life, and eat of the fruit of that tree which
shall be for the healing of the millions who go
hence to be happy forever? The man who pro-
vides such a preaching-ground and such living,
truthful preachers, who now and evermore will
speak such loving words to the poor and
the rich, the heart-sick and the sorrowing, the
bereaved and the disappointed, shall have a
name which shall live with the unborn millions
of earth, and he shall evermore be counted a
good and faithful servant of his day and genera-
tion,"

Autumn Berries. — Autumn tints are famous
but autumn berries no less deserve admiration.
On the lawn there can be fewer prettier orna-
meiits than some of our pretty berried shrubs.
Vick gives a colored plate of the following in
his July monthly. He has in this plate several
Hawthorns, Ampelopsis, White Snowberry, Actse-
as, Berberry and Euonymus. Besides this
one might add the nice violet berried Callicarpa
purpurea. It is superb at this season.

Cornelia Koch Rose. — Mr. C. M. Hovey, in
a remarkably interesting supplement to Mr.
EUwanger's history of American Roses, says
that Cornelia Koch is the correct orthography
of this rose. It is pronounced Cook, and hence
is often written erroneously Cornelia Cook. It
was raised by Mr. Koch, florist of Baltimore,
about 1857, from Devoniensis.

Sunflowers in Autumn. — The Sunflower as a
single specimen is too coarse to be beauti-

ful, but a dozen seeds sown in one spot make a
bunch which is not over coarse, and if not
sown till the middle of May, will give a mass of
moderate sized flowers in the autumn that any
lover of an attractive autumn garden will be
proud of.

QUERIES.

Variegated Ailanthus. — Mr. W. F. Heins,
Paterson, New Jersey, sends a photograph of a
Silver Variegated Ailanthus. It will be pretty if
constant.

Ampelopsis Virginica. — There are few more
useful garden ornaments than the Virginia
Creeper. We are reminded by a note from a
correspondent, that like all things else, it varies
from seed, and, if observers would look closely
at wild forms, some good varieties worthy of
culture might be discovered.

Kentucky Blue Grass. — L. P., Pittsburg, Pa.,
writes : I am advised to use Kentucky Blue
Grass for a lawn, — but I should suppose a green
lawn is the great desideratum, and the blue of
this grass disagreeable. What is your opinion ?''

Kentucky Blue Grass makes an excellent lawn
grass. It generally crowds out all less desirable
plants, and makes a close, tough sod. It is not
blue in Pennsylvania, though darker than other
grasses, except when manured with phosphates
or chlorides, when it has a shade equal to the
Kentucky grown article. It is the soil of Ken-
tucky that gives it the peculiar tint there which
suggested the name. The only Blue Grass in
Pennsylvania is Poa compressa, and which is
the " Blue Grass" of the botanists. It is, how-
ever, of little value to agriculturists, and has no
popular name, or at least none that is generally
accepted. The only " Blue Grass" of the seed
trade is the " Kentucky Blue Grass," and you
are not likely to get hold of the botanist's Blue
Grass in making your lawn.

Salt on Walks. — S., Danville, Pa, writes:
"Will you inform me through the magazine,
whether salt is practically available for destroying
grass on the sides of roads and in the paths, etc.?"

[Salt is a very good thing for destroying weeds
on walks, noting that the drainage does not over-
flow and destroy plants near by. — Ed. G. M.]

Hardiness of Hyacinthus candicans. — Mrs.
R. B. E., writes : " I notice Mr. Hovey says in
his catalogue that this bulb is ' hardy with the

328

THE GARDENER'S MONTHLY

[November,

protection of a cold frame, but is better taken
up and planted in the spring like the Gladiolus.'
Perhaps that is the better way to treat them, but
the bulb is as hardy as a Tulip, nevertheless. I
had a dozen and a half seedlings, which I grew
from seed sown in April, the labels got mis-
placed, and they were not covered at all last
winter. They were not over two inches deep, and

one I found lying fully exposed, on the top of
the ground, in March. Every one came up—
that included — and made a strong growth, but
did not flower, I suppose not being old enough.
I do not know how old seedlings must be to
flower, but I think there can be little doubt
about the hardiness of a bulb that retains its
vitality in this latitude, on top of the ground."

Greenhouse and House Gardening.

SEASONABLE HINTS.

The greenhouse will now begin to look more
natural, after having had the stock housed last
month. "With many plants having probably been
taken up out of the open ground, dead leaves
will daily appear, requiring frequent removal.
Neatness is one of the chief beauties of a green-
house. Acacias, and Australian plants generally,
with hard wood and delicate roots, should be
placed at the coolest end of the house, where lit-
tle water will be required. These plants should
not be watered often; but when they are, it
should be thorough. Frequent waterings soon
render the roots of these plants unhealthy, when
it is very difficult to restore them to vigor.
Whenever the foliage becomes of sickly yellow
hue, the best plan is to plunge the plant in a
larger pot, filling the space with moss,— and
when the plant requires water, give it only
through the moss, unless the plant seems to be-
come so dry as to suffer, when it should receive
one thorough watering. Very little fire should
be applied to a greenhouse,— just sufficient to
keep it at about 45°. Unless very far north, but
little fire-heat will be required this month.

Window Plants should not be kept very warm
at this season. They should have all the sun
and air, and as little of the artificial heat of the
room as possible. These remarks apply espe-
cially to Mignonette, which is very impatient of
in-door confinement. Succulents, such as Cacti,
are excellent window plants in this respect, as
the dry air does not aflfect them. To keep
the air about the plants moist, is one of the se-
crets of window culture. Some who have very

fine windows well stocked with fine plants, make
glazed cases with folding doors of them, by
which, when the room is highly heated and very
dry, they can be enclosed in an atmosphere of
their own. In such cases, Ferns and Mosses can
be grown to perfection, and pendant plants in
hanging vases give a Brazilian forest appearance
to our happy Christmas homes.

Hanging baskets, on the other hand, are gen-
erally too dry. Besides the daily waterings,
about once a week they should be immersed in
a bucket of water.

Plants stored away for the winter in cold pits,
require more care for the first month or so than
at any other time through the winter season.
Many of them have unripened shoots, or shed
many of their leaves, and unless they be cut off"
and removed, gangrene and decay commit dis-
tressing havoc. Air should be given at every^ op-
portunity, and nothing omitted that will, in any
way, tend to harden the plants, and send vegeta-
tion to rest. No more water should be given than
just sufficient to prevent withering, and the tem-
perature should be kept as near 40° as possible,
and every chance taken to render the air about
the plants dry. When frost actually does come,
no further care than protection from its em-
braces will then be required. Plants so hardened
may stay covered up for weeks, without any light
or air, and secure from the slightest injury. Mice
constitute the most troublesome enemy in a pit
closed for any length of time; but we have, as
yet, found nothing better than the recommenda-
tion given in back volumes, namely, to take
Peas and soak them twenty-four hours in water,
then roll in arsenic and sow in a pot, as if in the

1880.]

AND HORTICULTURIST.

329

regular way of seed-sowing. A few pots so pre-
pared, should be placed in the pit before per-
manently closing up. The mice usually make
for these pots at their first entrance to the pits.
If placed on the soil, they seem to guess your
secret, and will not "bite."

Plants in cellars need much the same care as
those in pits. Avoid heat and dampness; fre-
quently^ however, plants suffer in cellars through
getting too dry. They should be looked over, at
any rate, once a month, and a little water given,
if likely to become entirely dry.

COMMUNICA TIONS.

CUT-FLOWER TRADE.--M ARESCH AL
NIEL.

BY W. E. MEEHAN, PHILADELPHIA.

It was not long after the first importation of
M. Niel from France, that its great value to the
cut-flower trade was discovered. It became at
once the king among the cut roses. Its large
size, solid look, rich tea fragrance, rich golden
yellow color, and graceful drooping habit, and
clear, bright shining leaves, won for itself a per-
manent place in the hearts of the people.

It is grown principally in the neighborhood of
Boston and New York. The grower that is most
successful in quantity and quality is in Long
Island, and so fine are they, that the buds are
called after him, and bring a higher price than any
other growers. New York and Boston consume
at least ten thousand Niels daily. It has only
been within the past two or three years that
Niels have been used largely in Philadelphia,
but the demand there is increasing largely every
season to such an extent that it is safe to say
that in a few years it will use nearly, if not quite
as many as either of the other two cities.

Niel is used for all purposes in flower work.
Combined with Jacqueminot roses or Marie
Louise violets and smilax, it forms the most
magnificent bouquet that can be imagined.

A bouquet of Niels and Smilax during the
opera season is worth from ten to twenty dollars.
The buds retail at from twenty to fifty cents each;
wholesale, from ten to twenty dollars per hun-
dred. The highest figure reached, wholesale, last
year was thirty-five dollars. The lowest five
dollars. It is one of the three roses that florists
have an interest in keeping the price of up, and
so particular are they in this matter that it is sel-
dom that the purchaser can buy one for less than

twenty cents, although the wholesale price be only
five dollars per hundred and the market glutted.

One reason for this is that it is a true '"crop"
rose, and therefore, at times, very plentiful,
while at others terribly scarce ; and as very few
customers can understand that flowers can fluc-
tuate in value, the same as railroad stocks, it is
necessary to keep a nearly uniform retail figure,
which must of course be high to cover.

A second reason is, that just so long as it re-
mains at a fair rate, Niel will take with a certain
class that would not purchase, if they imagined
for a moment that it was a "cheap" flower. It
is thus that an innocent advantage is taken of
human nature, and the old adage of "tricks in
all trades but ours," is fully exemplified.

A good Niel plant will produce from a thou-
sand to fifteen hundred blooms in a season,
though occasionally a bush will cut two thou-
sand.

The color of the flower is intensified, and the
buds larger, and the plant more vigorous, by its
being worked on the Banksian Eose.

PAULLINIA AND EUPHORBIA.

BY WM. T HARDING, UPPER S.'^NDUSKY, OHIO.

To "C.'s" inquiry, in September Monthly, I
would say : Probably PaulUnia thalictrifolia, is a
new comer ; at any rate it is a stranger to me,
although I am well acquainted with the genus.
P. barbadensis is an evergreen climber, a native
of Barbadoes, which the industrious tillers of the
soil look upon as a troub'esome nuisance. So is
P. tetragona a singular square-stemmed variety,
with oddly shaped white flowers ; it is a pest of
the worst kind in the West Indian plantations.
P. polyphylla is perhaps the best known kind,
and will by many be remembered as an old time
hot-house climber, and from which of late years
it seems to have been banished. There are a
dozen or more species, all evergreen climbers,
indigenous to sunny lands, some of which were
in cultivation in England as far back as 1739.
They belong to the Nat. Ord. Sapindacsea.

Euphorbia piscatoria is well known to the
writer, and was introduced into English plant
collections in the year of 1777. It is, as most of
its congeners are, a very peculiar looking suc-
culent plant, of low growth, and its native habi-
tat is the Canary Isles. The piscatorial is-
landers make use of the inspissated juice, which
is a powerful and dangerous opiate, to stupify
fish with, and which are then easily caught when

330

THE GARDENER'S MONTHLY

[November.

under its narcotic influence. Hence the name
E. piscatoria, or fisherman's Euphorbia. It is
said to possess a simihir property to Cocculus
suberosus, better known as C. Indica, which is
much used in the adulteration of ale and beer.

With this poison, no doubt, many a big, simple
homo is caught, as well as guileless little fishes.

MARESCHAL NIEL ROSE.

BY JAMES W. DOHERTY, GARDENER TO W. T. STEVENS,
NEWPORT, R. r.

I have read Mr. Pearsons' account of his Mare-
schal Niel Eose in the Gardener's Monthly. It
was very good. I have a Mareschal Niel Rose
growing in a greenhouse, where I raise my bed-
ding plants. It is 45 feet long, and the roof is
wired, the same as a grapery, and the Mareschal
Neil trained on to it ; it covers the entire roof. I
have at several times cut three hundred roses
off it at one time and over four thousand in one
year.

SASH BARS.

by O. J. POPPEY, P0UGHKEEP8IE, N. Y.

Having had considerable experience with
grooved sash bars, I beg to be permitted to state
through these columns why I failed to appreci-
ate their efficacy. The dripping of condensed va-
pors never, to my knowledge, ever proved injuri-
ous to plants or seeds ; it is not only of too short
a duration, but also being of the same tempera-
ture as the air in the greenhouse, it fails to sub-
stantiate— yes, rather repels the supposition that
any damage arises from it. No grooved bar has
ever materially diminished this sort of dripping,
as it is not altogether confined to the bars, but
mostly where the glass laps, there the water col-
lects when it cannot escape to the outside, which
it often will as the glass does not always fit
tightly at that place. There should, in no green-
house, be any other than this sort of drip, and I
am certain those built on the modern style ad-
mit of no other. I have held situations as
gardener in many sections of this country,
and been employed in all sorts of glass struc-
tures ; none impressed me more favorably as
being nearest the mark of perfection as did the
greenhouses of Mr. Peter Henderson. A firm in
this city has since erected several strictly on this
plan. These houses do not admit any drip from
rain, for they are as tight as a drum, and I feel

assured that grooved bars in these houses would
be of as much use as gutters on the ceiling of a
mansion, or a lightning rod down in a cellar. If
the dripping is owing to the wretched condition
of glazing, a better remedy ought to be resorted
to than a miniature mill race, — one that will at
the same time arrest any escape of heat, and
once for all check this annoyance. This remedy
is constantly within our means and reach — it is
all in glazing which should be done in the best
possible manner. My experience with grooved
sash bars has convinced me that their service to
carry off water was very deficient in cases of
heavy rains or melting snow, particularly those
on long bars, which were too small in then- capa-
city to hold all the water, thus invariably caus-
ing an overflow, not saying anything about the
dirt that accumulates in them within a season,
which renders the g'?ooves entirely useless ; and
to keep them clean is not only a foolish waste of
time, but almost a task next to impossibility. I
even saw the attempt of adjusting small tin gut-
ters while the glass was on, to answer the pur-
pose of grooves, but with no better success, for
it was soon discovered that more injury was
done by attaching them, than they ever would
make good.

It seems to me as sensible to advise the
putting up of gutters on the ceiling of a dwelling
when the roof is leaky. That the physical con-
dition of plants is nearly the same as that of ani-
mals. I dare say no one doubts, also that low
and moist temperature is injurious to either, is
too, a settled fact ; and the only means we have
to ward off" this injury is by making sure of tight
roofs and walls, with the necessary appurten-
ances for heating. That greenhouses can be
made sufficiently water-tight to disqualify the
use and necessity of grooved bars in the future
has been practically established in this section
of the country, if nowhere else.

The "grooved" sash bar is an old idea, but
since the more practical style of building green-
houses has been adopted, the "fluted bar'" is ra-
pidly going out of date.

THE CATALONIAN JASMINE.

BY CHAS. E. PARNELL, QUEENS. L. I , N. Y.

In the February Monthly for 1880, page 44, a
subscriber asks for information concerning the
treatment of the Catalonian Jasmine.

The Catalonian Jasmine, Jasminum grandi-
florum, is a native of the East Indies, and was

1880.]

AND HORTICULTURIST.

331

introduced in 1629. In its native country it is
an evergreen climber, attaining a height of over
twenty feet, but in cultivation it is not often seen
growing as a climbing plant.

The foliage is light, airy and graceful, and the
deliciously fragrant, star-shaped, pure white
flowers, are produced in the greatest profusion,
from October to May, and it is extensively culti-
vated by all florists for its flowers, which are
extensively used by bouquet makers.

It is a plant of easy cultivation, merely requir-
ing a compost made of two-thirds loam and
one-third well-rotted manure, well mixed ; good
drainage is indispensable, and a temperature of
of 50° will suit it very well. The plants should
be cut Vjack into shape, and planted out in the
open air the first week in May, and taken up
and potted carefully about the middle of Sep-
tember.

If large specimens are wanted, do not cut back
so severely, but train the shoot on a neat trellis
and allow the branches to droop. Thus treated
this Jasminum will form an elegant specimen
plant, well suited for the decoration of the win-
dow garden or conservatory.

It can also be grown as a climbing plant by
planting it out in a well prepared border, or in a
large pot or tub, where, if a little attention be
given as to training, it will soon attain a height
of ten to fifteen feet, covering a considerable
space; or it can be trained up the rafters of the
greenhouse. I prefer to cultivate this Jas-
minum as a pot plant, so that it can either be
planted out or plunged in the open air during
the summer months. When it is grown inside
it is liable to become infested with the scale to
which it is unfortunately verj- subject. This
Jasminum is easily propagated by cuttings but
fine string plants can easily be obtained by lay-
ers during the summer season.

I think that if Mrs. R. P., who inquired for
a free flowering white climber, in the August
Monthly, page 237, will try this plant grown as
a climber, she will be pleased with it, and that it
will prove very satisfactory. I hope that she will
try it and report the result.

PETER HENDERSON CARNATION.

BY W. L. SMITH, AURORA, ILL.

I notice that the discussion on Peter Hender-
son Carnation is still occupying a place in your
columns.

I suppose the position I took in regard to this
Carnation in my April price list is the cause of
the discussion, an I as I seem to be in the minor-
ity, I must ask a little of your space to defend
myself.

In 11 nswer to the article I published in April
last, there appeared to the public a special cir-
cular defending the Carnation, and accusing me
of personalities, etc. In answer to this special
circular, in my May list, I published the enclosed
article, which, as you will notice gives the opin-
ion of most of the principal cut-flower dealers in
Chicago with their names, and that they all
agree with me in what I claim— that is, that the
bloom of this Carnation will not keep.

I could give you the names of other cut flower
dealers, and also of many greenhouse men, who
say the same thing ; and it seems very strange to
me that while every one I see, who has had an
opportunity of judging of its merits, agrees with
me, all the articles in your paper take the oppo-
site side.

HYGIENIC AND THERAPEUTIC RELA-
TIONS OF HOUSE-PLANTS.

Read before the Alumni of the Auxiliary Department of Medi-
cine, University of Pennsylvania, February 6, 1880.

BY DR. J. M. ANDERS, PHILA.
(Concluded from page 297.)

Deeming it necessary that the experimental
data should receive supporting evidence of an
unequivocal character before the efficacy of
plants in the treatment of this disease would be
firmly established, the writer opened a corres-
pondence with some prominent practitioners,
besides making inquiries of those with whom he
came in contact, soliciting a brief statement of
their observations in regard to the effects of
plants on the sick.* The almost unvarying re-
sponse has been in about the following terms :
" I cannot help you, for my attention has never
been directed to the points in question." A
notable exception is the letter of my friend Dr.
Hiram Corson, of Conshohocken, Pennsylvania.
This letter I have already published in a pre-
vious article, but the great interest of the case
described will be ample apology for inserting an
extract from it here. He writes, " My mother.

*The writer would still be grateful for any interesting in-
formation upon this subject, for without aid it would be almost
impossible either to establish the position taken or to correct
temporary conclusions, and he wishes to make a further study
of the subject. Address 1638 North Eighth street, Philadelphia.

332

THE GARDENER'S MONTHLY

[November,

her two sisters, and only brother all died of con-
sumption, under fifty years of age. All the
children of my mother's sisters and brother,
though they lived to a good age and enjoyed
good health, finally died of consumption. On
my father's side there was not a taint of any dis-
ease, but great strength and vigor. Three of my
brothers, active, energetic men until within a
few years of their death, died of consumption at
the ages of fifty-five, fifty-seven and seventy-
eight respectively ; and a sister died of the same
disease at sixty-six. I mention these cases to
show that the germs of the disease were with the
family. Thirty years ago my eldest sister, then
above fifty years of age, was reported by her
physician, Dr. J. P., a victim of tubercular con-
sumption, to which disease she would succumb
before the coming summer. She was a lover of
plants and flowers, and cultivated them in-doors
and out. The spring saw her again moving
among her plants, and the winter found her con-
fined to the house, and sometimes for weeks to
her bed-chamber, which, like the sitting-room,
was literally a greenhouse. Visitors and friends
often spoke to her of the impropriety of having
so many growing plants in her room, reminding
her of the tradition that they were injurious.
Still, every spring found her again on her feet,
in the yard and garden, nursing her plants, and
every winter confined to her room. And thus
she lived, year after year, until two years ago,
when, at the age of eighty-five, she passed away.
I have seen a few others with plants growing
and blooming in their chambers, but never one
who so lived among them as did my sister.
Winter after winter we looked for her death, the
cough, expectoration, and weakness justifying
our apprehensions, and yet her eighty fifth j'ear
found her cheerful and happy, living among her
plants and enjoying the society of her friends.
May we not believe that the vast exhalation
from these plants — water purified and medicated
by their vital chemistry — prolonged her life?"

Finding that most of my correspondence
yielded but barren results, I determined to
avail myself of non-professional experience ; and
accordingly, I began visiting the gardeners and
florists of Philadelphia, requesting answers to a
list of questions bearing on this subject. Only a
brief summary of the results obtained can be
here given. Thirty florists have already been
visited in this way.

Twenty of these, with ages ranging from
twenty-five to eighty years, are strong and vigor-

ous, and have always enjoyed good health. They
all work from ten to sixteen hours daily, and
have followed this pursuit for periods ranging
from six to sixty years. f

Of the remaining number, four are occasion-
ally attacked with rheumatism of mild type,
ascribing their symptoms, and doubtless justly,
to wettings, the result of carelessness while
watering the plants, or from contact with the
wet leaves.

One of the gardeners, a boy, aged fourteen,
has been at this occupation for a year, working
steadily ten hours daily. Prior to taking up his
present employment he had been working at the
drug business for a year. While thus engaged
his health failed considerably, and he became
pale and emaciated. He had never been strong
previously, though not to say diseased. No
sooner had he adopted his present avocation
than he began to improve in vigor, and now he
is the picture of robust health.

Another florist, aged thirtj'-one, says that
prior to going into the business he had " weak
eyes," but that as soon as he became a florist,
eight years ago, his eyes began to improve, and
in a few j'ears entirely recovered.

Still another of the remaining ones has been
subject to severe colds since he has been work-
ing among plants, but he admits that he has
been exceedingly indiscreet about clothing, etc.,
in gonig from the hot-house to the outer air.

Mr. W., aged thirty-five, has been in the busi-
ness for twenty years, and is among his plants
at least ten hours daily. Phthisis is hereditary
in his father's family, and my informant himself
(Mr. W.) has long since been pronounced a con-
sumptive by his physician. He states, however,
that he has always had good health, except
simply the annoyance of a slight cough and a
little expectoration occasionally. He is still
nursing his plants and enjoying life.

This gentleman kindly related to me a brief
history of his deceased brother, and also that of
their father, likewise deceased ; and, for the sake
of convenience, I have classed them among those
whose histories I obtained directly.

The brother died at the age of thirty-six years.
He was engaged in gardening from boyhood up
to within a year of his death, — continually at
work among his plants. Daring all the time he
followed this vocation he enjoyed fair health.

t The histories of three of these subjects have been furnished
through the kindness of Professor J. T. Rothrock, to whom my
wants had been made known.

1880.]

AND HORTICULTURIST.

333

A short time prior to his death he forsook his
calling and took a store in the same city, and
almost simultaneously he became a victim to
consumption, which caused his death in a short
time.

The father of these two patients, although he
was predisposed to phthisis, followed the occu-
pation of florist from early life to the age of
sixty, and during all those years was in good
health. When about sixty years of age, while
he was assisting at the erection of a church, he
met with an accident which injured his ribs (so
the son says) and disabled him for work. But a
few months later he went into consumption,
which quickly proved fatal.

Now, may not the fact that he was unable to
be among his plants have had something to do
with the causation of his last illness?

From the above cases it will be seen that what
we had deduced from experimental results con-
cerning the health -giving effects of plants (which
is owing to transpiration increasing the humidity
of the air, — the plants acting as natural and per-
fect " atomizers") is entirely in harmony with
what is observed concerning the effect of suffi-
ciently moist warm air in many cases of
phthisis ; and if it is true, as we have attempted
to demonstrate, that house-plant hygiene con-
stitutes a valuable preventive measure where
there is hereditary tendency to certain diseases,
then it ought to be definitely and thoroughly
understood, and it is of vital importance that it
should be adopted in cases where there is a
known predisposition to phthisis, for half of the
cases are supposed to be preventable, whereas if
the disease be allowed to develop, complete re-
covery is not to be expected. Furthermore,
though the keeping of plants does not " cure"
confirmed cases of phthisis, it is nevertheless
very useful to prolong life, and by ameliorating
the distressing symptoms renders existence at
least endurable, — an office not to be despised in
such a wide-spread and lingering disease.

Observation teaches that advanced cases of
phthisis (as, for instance, where cavities exist)
are benefited by a more decidedly moist atmos-
phere than is required in health, and hence they
will require a much greater profusion of plants
in the roonfi than those who have the disease
in a more incipient stage.

The plants should be well selected and kept in
a thriving condition. The chief points to be
borne in mind in the selection of the plants are,
first, that they have soft, thin leaves ; secondly,

foliage-plants or those having extensive leaf-
surface are to be preferred ; thirdly, those which
are highly scented (as the tuberose, etc.), should
be avoided, because they often give rise to head-
ache and other unpleasant symptoms.

In order to facilitate a practical application of
the data gained by experiment, the following
formula has been carefully prepared : Given a
room tAventy feet long, twelve feet wide, and
ceiling twelve feet high, warmed by dry air, a
dozen thrifty plants with soft, thin leaves and a
leaf-surface of six square feet each would, if well
watered, and so situated as to receive the direct
rays of the sun (preferably the morning sun) for
at least several hours, raise the proportion of
aqueous vapor to about the health standard.

This formula may serve as a guide in the use
of plants for hygienic purposes ; but under con-
ditions of actual disease it will be necessary to
increase the proportion of plants according to
the degree of humidity sought, or as the indica-
tions of individual cases may demand.

It should be stated that, to obtain the best re-
sults, both the rooms occupied during the day
and the sleeping appartment should contain
plants. It was for a long time the opinion of
scientific interpreters generally, that plants in
sleeping apartments were unwholesome because
of their giving off carbonic acid gas at night ;
but it has been shown by experiment that it
would require twenty thrifty plants to produce
an amount of the gas equivalent to that exhaled
bj'^ one baby-sleeper; so this is no valid objection
to their admission, and not to be compared with
the benefit arising from their presence.

We have no desire to underrate other means
of treatment while upholding the importance of
our subject. Exercise in the open air is of im-
mense advantage in phthisis, and during the
warm season the consumptive should be moving
among his garden-plants, and, if he be a lover of
flowers, should assume personal charge of them.
Again, no one will dispute the value of certain
tropical climates for judiciouslj^ selected cases of
phthisis ; but the practice of indiscriminately
sending patients to them is certainly to be de-
precated.

New health-resorts (many of them compara-
ble only to the patent nostrums) are constantly
being pressed upon the public, but too often a
trial of them brings only disappointment, and
the consumptive is rendered more miserable by
the annoyance of travel and the anxiety of being
separated from all the endearing relations of

334

THE GARDENER'S MONTHLY

[November,

home. And even where travel ia desirable, it is,
for financial or other reasons, quite impossible
in a large proportion of cases.

To have always at hand and readily available
so complete and withal so agreeable a health-
resort at home as that furnished by a room well
stocked with plants must prove an inestimable
boon to the despairing invalid.

EDITORIAL NOTES.

Public Decorations. — The newspapers de-
scribing the President's western trip, all refer to
the remarkably beautiful floral decorations of
the parlors of the Walker House, in which the
President was received by the citizens of Salt
Lake City, The Salt Lake Herald says these
beautiful decorations were under the direction
of Mr. John Reading, florist, of that city.

Double Bouvardia. — A double white Bouvar-
dia is among the most recent of desirable novel-
ties announced.

Rose Perle des jardins. — "Rosy Posey," re-
ferring to the article of W. E. Meehan, on cut
flowers, suggests a doubt as to this variety being
a hybrid tea.

Orchids in America. — The ease with which
tropical orchids can be grown in America as
compared with the old world is leading to their
more general culture. A friend who has just re-
turned from a visit to Mr. Such's magnificent
establishment, speaks in high terms of their
luxuriance.

Orchid Growing. — The old notion that orchids
must have expensive houses and expensive skill
before they can be successfully grown, has been
very much against their culture. A few days
ago we saw a Stanhopea with sixteen flowers ex-
panded at once, and which simplj' had its basket
hung under trees all summer; and here before
us is a letter of a friend at Troy, N. Y., who says,
" I commenced my collection as window plants,
and grew them for several years just as other
window plants. Now I have a small house for
them, 30x18, and have six hundred plants."

Burbidgea nitida. — New plants appear con-
tinually, and somehow, the old ones disappear,
though frequently possessing more agreeable
points than the novelties. But even in the oldest
collections we find sometimes Hedychium co-
ronarium with its sweet Orchid-like white flowers.

or the no less attractive Hedychium Gardneri-
anum, with yellow flowers, which seem to resist
the most careless treatment, under which so
many good things disappear. They require no
further care to do magnificently than to be
planted out in a hot, slightly damp place during
summer, and potted in fall, flowering in a cool
greenhouse before Christmas. Any new addition
to this class will be welcome.

Messrs. James Veitch & Sons, of Chelsea, Eng-
land, have brought out an entirely new genus of
this class, of which we give the following ac-
count :

This very beautiful plant is the type of an
entirely new genus, with the habit of Hedychium,
but with the lip reduced to a small stipitate
blade, and with no lateral inner segments of the
perianth. It grows in shady forest, in N. W.
Borneo, at an altitude of 1,000 to 1,500 feet, in
spots where there is little undergrowth. It
thrives best w^here the rhizomes form matted
masses on moist rocks, covered by vegetable de-
bris, producing ten to thirty slender flowering
stems, each bearing a panicle of twelve to twenty
flowers. The leaves are of a lively glossy green
on both surfaces, and serve to set off" the rich
orange scarlet color of the flowers.

The above is extracted from Sir J. D. Hooker's
description published in the Botanical Magazine,
for 1879, Tab. 6403.

The plant is named after Mr. Burbidge, its
fortunate discoverer, when collecting for us in
Borneo, in 1878."

We give an illustration on the opposite page.

QUERIES.

Palms. — J. D. S., Upper Sandusky, Ohio, says :
" I wish you would prepare or have prepared for
the Gardener's Monthly directions for the
treatment and care of palms, for the benefit of
those who have neither conservatories or skilled
gardeners, and yet keep a few Palms as summer
ornaments for the lawn. You have taught us to
expect a great deal from the Monthly, and I
hope I am not asking too much."

[Many palms, most that are in general culture,
will keep very well indeed in anj' room secure
from frost. If kept cool, they do not need much
light. We know some who keep them well in
cellars ; but cellars are so apt to get too cool or
too hot, and it is risky to try them. Some people,
however, have cellars that are lighted by area

1880.1

AND HORTICULTURIST.

336

windows, and one'can see when anything goes The Monthly belongs to its readers and its
wrong. Palms delight in being planted out in | contributors. The editor is their servant, and
the open ground in summer in a warm and not I takes pleasure in doing all he can for their
too dry a place. I pleasure and information. — Ed. G. M.]

^

Fish Hook Cactus. — A lady from Virginia
writes : " Will some of the readers of the Gar-
dener's Monthly tell me how to treat a young

Fish Hook Cactus? I received it a few days
since by mail from Arizona. I have always con-
sidered that class of plants as curiously beautiful,

336

THE GARDENER'S MONTHLY

[November,

but know nothing of their Hkes and dislikes.
Mrs. Loudon says, in speaking of the family of
plants, ." Keep them dry from October until
March." This does not seem to be kind treat-
ment, I must say, and as I wibh to do the best
by this plant, I shall look anxiously for the next
monthly issue of Mr. Meehan's paper, and hope
to find some general directions there."

[Cactuses like to be comparatively dry during
winter, but not so absolutely dry as Mrs. Loudon's
expression would imply. They love light. It
ought not be difficult to keep it over the winter
in any dry, light place, just cool enough to be
secure from frost. — Ed. G. M.]

Marechal NriiL, Rose. — C. E. P. says : " In the
April number of th^ Monthly, page 100, 1 notice
an extract from the Gardener's Chronicle relative
to the origin of the Marechal Niel Rose. An
article in the Amencan Agriculturist, for 1866,
says, " It is a seedling of M. Pradel, of Montau-
ban, France, and first flowered in this countiy in
the summer of 1866."

AcHYRANTHUS GiLSONi. — C. E. P. says : " In
the February Monthly, page 44, W. T. Bell, in a
note on Achyranthus, asks which is correct,
A. Gilsoni or A. Gibsoni? A. Gilsoni is correct.

It was named after its originator, Mr. Gilson,
gardener to Mrs. Barton, of Tarrytown, N. Y.,
with whom it originated during the summer of

1868."

Half-hardy Greenhouse Plants. — Mrs. R. B.
E., Melrose, Mass., asks : " Will some one inform
me through the Monthly if Jasminum officinale
is hardy in this latitude. Also the winter treat-
ment of Possoquera longifiora. It only grows
for a few weeks in tlie summer, and remains
dormant the rest of the time. Should it be kept
rather dry, and in a sunny or hhady position ?
Also, at what season does it flower, and how old
must it be? Mine is not three years old. Can
Dipladenia be grown outside of a hot-house, say
in a room where Crotons, Dracenas, Allamandas
etc., grow well? They are so very beautiful, I
am very desirous of trying them, if there is any
probable chance of success."

Camphor and Tob.\^cco Stems. — G. M. R., Au-
burn, Maine. Can any of our readers answer
the following inquiry. The editor has had no
experience : " Will crude camphor sprinkled on
tobacco stems, when used for fumigating green-
houses, kill the Mealy Bug, and is it liable to in-
jure plants when so tised?"

Fruit and Vegetable Gardening.

COMMUNICA TIONS.

MARKET GARDENING.

BY MR. MANSFIELD MILTON.

When I came to this country I held a good
many such notions as "English Gardener," p. 276,
with reference to the cultivation of the soil. I
thought that ploughing was not so beneficial as
digging, that crops would not do so well, and
all such nonsense. This was before I had tried
the plow. With digging I expected to hi(ve
better crops than my neighbors with their plow-
ing, but I found my mistake, and that as good
crops, if not much better, were raised when the
plow was used than when the spade was, and
at less than half cost. I, therefore, put the
spade to one side and adopted the plow instead.

and sf) far have not had any reason to regret it
but the reverse, as I am confident I can raise
better crops by the use of the plow, cultivator
and other American implements, and at one-
third the cost than if I were to stick to the old-
fashioned practices of the English market gar-
dener. For the sake of his own success I
would advise him, if he expects to compete
successfully with those who use the plow, in-
stead of the spade, to go and do likewise. And
in the Old Country nurseries and market gar-
dens, where they are adopting the plow in-
stead of the spade, as good plants and vegeta-
bles are raised as under the old regime of the
spade and spud.

Mr. Henderson and I differ in a good many
ways, but I wish I could stand on the same

1880.1

AND HORTICULTURIST.

S37

footing with him as a market gardener. I con-
sider his success in this branch of horticulture
as important as any he has practiced. But
nothine; cuts John Bull so badly as to tell him the
American system of doing things is ahead of
his. And I can safely say that nine out of every
ten failures by gardeners, whether florists or
market gardeners, is by sticking to their Old
Country notions, and the sooner "greenhorn"
gardeners lay their Old Country practices to
one side and adopt the cheaper and more ener-
getic method of doing things as practiced by
successful men in this country, the sooner will
they come to success.

THE PLOUGH vs. THE SPADE.

BY PETER HENDERSON.

An " English Gardener " from Lafayette, Indi-
ana, in your September number, without much
preface, accuses me of " stating things that are
not facts," but I find when he goes on a little far-
ther that his si:)ecifications are not quite so se-
rious as his charge, as it appears that my
" stating things that are not facts " was not a
question offactat all, but only a difference of pro-
fessional opinion between him and me. Inasmuch
as I claimed to believe that the English
market gardeners who still stick to the spade are
old fogies ; while it is most evident that he holds
very decidedly to the belief that they are not, or
he. would never have been so egotistical as to
accuse any one of misstating facts without
having other grounds than that.

At the risk of repeating myself — for I think I
have somewhere told the story before — I will
here state the incident that brought out the
articles that your correspondent evidently re-
fers to. In 1872, I made, in company with Wil-
liam Davidson, late of the firm of Bennett & Da-
vidson, Flatbush, L. I., a tour through the
market gardens around London ; we called one
day in July, in the Chelsea district, on an old
and long established market gardener who
worked some fifty acres ; the day we happened
to call he Avas in a great state of excitement,
his whole force of forty men had left — struck
for higher wages — and he dolefully said that all
his ground was to dig for celery crop without
a man left fit to handle a spade except his two
sons. I told him I too was a market gardener
of twenty years' standing, working quite as
much land as he did, and that I would not allow
my land to be dug with a spade, even if it were

done for nothing ; for that long and extensive
experience had told me that in any soil the
plough and harrow were better pulverizers than
the spade, and at about one-tenth, of the cost.
The gentleman was just in the humor to listen.
If he had had no labor disturbance he would have
probably (like the Englishman from Lafayette)
told me that I was " stating things that were not
facts," but he was more courteous, he thanked
me for the suggestion, said that he had heard
that some gardeners had used the plough in the
Provinces, and that he would at once try it and
see if he could not get more independent of
" them 'anged beggars who 'ad given 'im so much
trouble."

He was right in what he had heard, for we
found that it was the rule rather than the excep-
tion, in districts away from London, that the
plough was the implement vised; for the very'
next day our tour brought us to a cultivator
some ten miles from London in the direction of
the Edgeware road, where we found a most in-
telligent gardener, working 150 acres in close
crop, who had used the plough and harrow ex-
clusively in tilling the soil for over twenty years,
and who laughed as heartily at the benighted
metropolitans as we did, and accounted for their
persistence in holding to the spade by stating
that the greater part of the market gardens in
the suburbs of London had been worked for
generations often by the same families, the busi-
ness descending from father to son, and who
had stuck to the same methods as they had done
fifty years before.

There is certainly no more reason why the
plough should not be used to till nurseries or
market gardens in Europe than in America, for
any cultivator, worthy of the name, knows if the
soil is too wet for the plough it is also too wet
for the spade, and if stony ground would tram-
mel the plough in its work it would certainly be
far more troublesome for the spade. So unless
the " English Gardener from Indiana " can give
me better reasons than these for the continuance
of such stage coach practice in these days of steam,
I believe I will have to retaliate and charge him
with " stating things that are not facts." My
friend also gives me two or three rambling shots
about something I have said sometime or other,
of "firming the soil " and about "splitting the
bark of trees," evidently intended for some
kind of censure, but what he wants to convey
or complain of I fail to make out, and so I can-
not oblige him with an answer. But he tells us

838

THE GARDENER'S MONTHLY

[November,

this was his first attempt at writing for a maga-
zine. Few will doubt that this statement is a sol-
emn fact, which nobody but the most captious
■man would call in question.

LONDON MARKET GARDENING.

AK ENGLISH GARDENER VS. PETER HENDERSON.
BY " EQUITY," BOSTON, MASS.

I am sorrj' to see the unbecoming strictures
of an " English Gardener," from Lafay-
ette, Indiana, p. 276, on the remarks (p. 162)
of Mr. Peter Henderson on the London Market
Gardens. Instead of analyzing and disproving
(if he can) the assertions of Mr. Henderson one
by one, as an impartial critic would try to do,
he straddles over all without attempting to dis-
prove any single one. He says, " A florist in
this country cannot know everything about gar-
dening in England." No; nor does any gar-
dener in England nor from England.

Mr. Henderson said, in 1872, at the time of his
visit to London, plows were not used in the
London market gardens, and that they were not
is a fact. Also that the London gardener had
not then found out that the plough and harrow
can pulverize the ground better than the spade ;
this statement I also corroborate. But an " Eng-
lish Gardener " objects and writes, "John knew
how to plough and pulverize before Columbus
discovered America, better than Americans do
now." Such an irascible and absurd statement
is too ridiculous for comment.

An "English Gardener " excuses the absence
of the plough in the market garden to the
"ground in spring is too wet and cold," also
"they do not want to get on the ground with
heavy horses in wet weather to tighten the bot-
tom, when labor is so cheap," likewise "some-
times the ground is very stony, which throws
the plough out ! " I maintain that ground too
wet to plough is far too wet to spade. The horse-
feet story is a vacant excuse, and that in or
immediately around London there is not a
single market garden too stony to be ploughed.
If your correspondent dissents to the stony refu-
tation, would he please individualize, and not
generalize, the instance and give the name of
the lessee. He says the workmen get $3.50 per
acre for digging ; would he please mention the
market garden of ten acres or more in or imme-
diately around London, where men are paid in
that fashion?

In justice to Mr. Henderson I will say that he
and I are strangers to one another.

THE EARLY ROSE PEACH.

BY G. ONDERDONK, MISSION VALLEY, TEXAS.

In your September number, on page 270, in
the department of Fruit and Vegetable Garden-
ing, in the communication of Mr. H. M. Engle
on the subject of New Early Peaches, I observe
the name of Early Rose applied to a peach.

I have a seedling by that name that has been
in my catalogue for ten j-ears. It originated in
this county on the premises of Mr. Preston Rose,
and was named after him. It is in several cata-
logues under the original description : " Early
Rose, medium, round, rosy red, firm flesh, rich,
juicy and sweet, ripens about June 25th, free-
stone." This season corresponds to Wilson's
Early here. Will not the originator of the new
Early Rose select another name for his peach,
and thus avoid unnecessary confusion ? Our
Early Rose belongs to the Spanish strain now
rapidly coming into notice in the extreme South,
and the variety will be of permanent interest
and value.

EDITORIAL NOTES.

Killing Codling Moth and Canker Worm. —
There seems to be no doubt but that water, in
which Paris green or London purple has been
put, and pumped over the trees through a hose
from a garden engine when the fruit is first
forming, will prove a perfect security against
codling moth and canker worm. We do not
like the idea of using these poisonous substances
in things we directly eat. It does not seem so
bad on potatoes, which are in the ground,
washed, peeled and boiled before eaten. If ex-
ceeding great care be used to apply the poison
long enough to get thoroughly washed off by
rain before eating, it may do.

Plums. — Geneva seems to be making a mark
in the Plum trade. We noted last year bow
abundant and how profitable they were in that
city. This year the trade has spread, and we
noted cases with prime Green Gages, very
numerously in Philadelphia, marked S. C. Wil-
lard, Geneva, N, Y., on them. Prices seem to
rule a trifle lower than last year, but this is to
be expected, as knowledge of the way to grow
them spreads. Still, when people come to know

1880.]

AND HORTICULTURIST.

339

that good plums are to be had in the market the
demand will keep up the price.

Fire Blight and Yellows. — In regard to
fire blight, Dr. J. G. Hunt, in a communication
to the Gardener's Monthly, some years ago,
demonstrated to our entire satisfaction that it
was caused by a small ferment fungus. Profes-
sor T. J. Burrill has recently confirmed this view.
In like manner it has been clear to us that the
fungus attacking the roots results in the yellow of
the peach. Prof. Burrill now finds a similar
ferment fungus in the diseased peach trees,
which may well be an outgrowth from the larger
form at the roots. We have felt that these
causes could not be disputed, and have insisted
on their presence as being quite satisfactory in
accounting for the disease. But the confirma-
tion by Prof. Burrill will be of great value.

New Grape Disease. — A recent telegram from
Europe says : "A Geneva dispatch says, 'A new
vine pest has appeared in the Reinthal, in the
Canton of St. Gall. It is said to resemble the
potato oidiurn, but it is much more virulent,
grapes affected with it becoming rapidly putrid.
Several vineyards have been completely devas-
tated by the malady, which is believed to be of
American origin.' "

Dr. Ryder's American Fruit Drier. — The
circular, issued by the Drier Company of Cham-
bersburg, Pa., explains the principles on which
the drier is formed. We are glad to know that
the drier is meeting with so much success. It
was the first successful etfort to place a cheap
fruit drier in the hands of the people. Thousands
of dollars worth of fruit — once wasted — have been
saved by it. The discovery was a national bles-
sing.

Mushrooms. — A newspaper paragraph tells us
that "Charles A. Dana, editor of the New York
Sun, recently spent about $3000 in the construc-
tion of a cave for the cultivation of mushrooms.
He has employed a professional mushroom
grower to take charge of it and naturally antici-
pates, it may be supposed, after so liberal a pro-
vision, that the results will prove compensatory."

QUERIES,

Hennetta Peach. — We have from the raiser
specimens of this. It is a large yellow peach,
very much in the way of the Susquehanna. It

is said to be a very late peach, ripenipg in Ken-
tucky some seasons as late as 5th of October.
By this it would seem to be later than the Sus-
quehanna, and this should make it a valuable
variety.

Moore's Early Grape. — September 8th we
received from Mr. Moore some bunches of this
grape, and find it well worthy of all that haa
been said of it. It is quite as good as Concord,
and a very large and showy fruit.

Seckel Pears from the Original Tree. —
We were regaled recently by a few pears from
the original Seckel tree, by the kindness of the
present lessees, Messrs. John and Samuel Bastian.
They were not as large as the tree has given in its
younger days, but were as delicious as ever.
We may further note that the land on which the
old Seckel Pear stands, belongs to the Girard
estate, held by the City of Philadelphia, and not
by the gentleman named by our correspondent.

Asparagus and Grape Insects. — W. H. P.,
Kingston, R. I., says: "My Asparagus for two
years has been eaten by what at first seems to be
a small black fly, which later turns to be a kind
of slug or worm. These infest it from the latter
part of the time of cutting for use, until after I
have ceased to cut it. They eat the leaves until
it looks as if a fire had run through it. Can
you tell me a remedy for it or what will destroy
the insects and not injure my Asparagus ? And
please tell me the best remedy, preventive or
destroyer of the little green fly in the grapery."

[Tobacco smoke will kill aphis in the green-
house. If the Asparagus beetle is here referred
to, we do not know that any eftectual remedy
has been discovered. — Ed. G. M.]

New Native Plums. — Mr. Charles Black says :
"We send you to-day by express a box containing
a branch of the Native Plum sent you last Sep-
tember to show you its productiveness. The trees
are all loaded with fruit, as much so as the
twig sent. When not so full they grow much
larger. Let them ripen before eating."

[We have not entered with much enthusiasm
into the "native" plum excitement, because
none of them seemed anywhere near the Eu-
ropean race in quality, and our experience of
the native varieties in their wild locations has
given us no faith in any " curculio proof" char-
acter. These from Mr. Black are the first we have
had which give us any hope of a race of equal
good flavor with the others. We may here take

340

THE GARDENER'S MONTHL Y

[November,

the opportunity to beg our correspondents when
they prepay packages, to mark on the pack-
ages, "Paid through," or we are often asked to
pay over again. We have refused manj* parcels
this year on which we have been asked to pay,
and this will explain to many correspondents
why no notice appears of their fruits or flowers
in our pages. We paid this package from Mr.
Black, although from what we know of his sense
of justice we were quite sure he had already
prepaid it. But this is not enough. Parties
sending packages prepaid to friends should al-
ways write, or see that it is written, "Paid
through " on the packages. — Ed. G. M.]

New White Grapes from Col. Wilder. —
First-class white grapes are Tiot numerous and
there is room for more. Col. Wilder sends us a
sample of a oeedling of which he gives the fol-
lowing account : — "I send by mail a few grapes
from a second cross of Rogers. First, a native
crossed with the White Chasselas, which pro-
duced Massasoit or Rogers No 3, then Massa-
soit by Queen of Nice which gave the berries
now forwarded. These sent are mere tags from
a bunch exhibited ten days since. The first
fruit gathered was on August 31st. The bunches
are long, frequently shouldered like the Queen of
Nice, and their quality quite as good as
the latter. This vine has grown in an unfavor-
able location and has been neglected until this
year. I think it is as healthy as my other vines,
but not strong as the first crossing of Rogers,
and I cannot remember that it has been subject
to mildew. Like all my vines it has been cov-
ered in winter "

The fruit had slightly fermented before reach-
ing us, but there wa« enough merit left to show
that Col. Wilder's judgment of its value is not
too high. The Editor had the pleasure of a brief
run through Col. Wilder's grounds recently of
which we hope to tell some time soon. Absence
from home more or less this summer has caused
some matters to accumulate in our hands
which we hope to straighten out shortly.

Hayes Grape. — With some excellent fruit
comes the following letter from Mr. Moore : — " I
forward you per mail to-day a few berries of our
new White Grape — ' Hayes,' This grape is a
pure native, and was raised from seed at the
same time as ' Moore's Early.' It is very hardy,
free from mildew, and with us a week to teri
days earlier than Concord. We hope next year
to be able to furnish more fruit for testing, but

on account of an exhibit at Boston, &c., are un-
able to do so this year. I hope, however, that
there will be enough so that you can judge some-
what of its quality. I should be pleased to hear
what you think of it. This grape was awarded
a First-class Certificate of Merit by the Massa-
chusetts Horticultural Society, Sept. 14th, 1880."
Brown Beurre Pear. — A fine specimen of this
delicious old pear was placed on our table by
Mr. Galloway C. Morris, from a tree in Philadel-
phia. If it would do as well everywhere,
it would be an admirable kind to grow, but the
general impression is that it is uncertain in these
latter days. What do our readers know about
this?

Grafting Peach Trees. — A Canada Subscriber
asks : " Would you please let me know through
the columns of the Gardener's Monthly if peach
trees can be successfully propagated by grafting
on the collar in the same manner that nursery-
men work apple trees ? Also, is there any ob-
jection to propagating them in this way? An
answer will greatly oblige, yours truly."

[In the Southern States peaches are com-
monly propagated in that way, and are deemed
just as good if not better than budded ones. —
Ed. G. M.]

Fruits for Kansas. — T. R., Chanute, Kan-
sas, asks : " What kind of apples, pears, plums
and cherries will thrive best in that locality?
I am about to locate permanently there, and
feel that I need some advice so as far as possible,
to avoid mistakes."

[Will some correspondent not too far away
from Chanute kindly furnish the desired infor-
mation.—Ed. G. M.]

Moss Mulching. — Mr. Henderson handed us
the following note, in addition to his article,
but too late to go with it.

" Whether for large specimen plants in private
collections or for the window plants of the more
humble amateur, this plan of mulching will be
found to he exceedingly useful, as plants, even
when to some extent pot-bound, may be carried
forward in health and vigor for three or six
months longer without the necessity of re-pot-
ting."

Seedling Grape. — A Catawissa correspondent
writes : " I send you this day, express pre-paid,
one box of grapes, seedling of the Salem, but of
far better habits. With us the Salem does not
ripen its fruit, mildews genei'ally, and is pretty
tender for our climate. The grape I send you

1880.]

AND HORTICULTURIST.

341

has proved perfectly hardy with us, does not
mildew, is a larger and, we think, a svveeter
grape than the Salem. I have kept the grape
until the holidays. Would like your opinion of
it."

[This is a shorter and wider bunch than the
Salem. The flavor was delicious. It is the
nearest approach to a well ripened Black Ham-
burg grape that we remember to having come
before us. The fruit has the same fleshy (as dis-
tinct from pulpy) character. — Ed. G. M J

ISHAM Sweet Apple. — VV. H. P., Kingston,
Rhode Island, says : " I see notice of the Isham
Sweet apple in your paper recently, in which
after speaking of the tree you speak of the
fruit as follows: Of much finer grain, more juicy,
and a much better keeper than the Bailey
Sweet; quality best, keeps through the winter. The
underscoring is mine. I want to find the best
rich sweet apple which will keep through the
winter. Do you know the Isham to be such? If
not the best, please name i\\ebestkind of winter
sweet you know suited to this Rhode Island
latitude."

[We suppose no one has fruited the Isham
Sweet in Rhode Island, and the best for local
culture depends wholly on local experience. We
should be much obliged if some Rhode Island

correspondent will tell us what sweet kinds have
been found to do best there. — Ed. G. M.]

Fruit iNSEqrs in California. — R. S., San
Jose, under the date of August 8th, writes : —
'' Our fruit trees here are now infested with
what they call the " Red Scale Insect." It has
destroj'ed thousands of trees. Concentrated lye
has been used with some success — quantity one
to five of water. The insect discolors the bark
underneath to a purplish red hue, found upon
scraping the infected parts. Rumor saj's it has
been brought here in orange boxes, and that it
is quite common in Sicily; be that as it may,
there is quite a scare about it, and many fear
the total destruction of their trees. Meetings
have been held for discussion as to the best
mode of getting rid of him ; cannot you give us
a point ? I think your article on " Scale on Or-
chard Trees," in this month's number would do
the business. Those who have fought him have
done so in the winter after leaves are all gone,
and the insect, to my way of thinking, impervi-
ous and dormantly secure in his scale. Would
it not be better to fight him in the spring at or
about the time he is hatched out and leaves the
scale to make new locations and found new col-
onies ? It seems to me this is the best time for
its destruction. The task is a gigantic one, as
in some orchards not a tree but what is infested.

Forestry.

CUMMUNICA TIONS.

FORESTRY IN NORTH AMERICA.

The Pertinent Laws and Regulations, and the Future of North
American Forests.

BY JOHN BOOTH, KLEIN FLOTTBECK, GERMANY.

Translated for the Gardener's Monthly by G. W. De B.
(Concluded from page 307.)

A Boston authority of the highest national
repute has addressed us some very valuable re-
ports on these questions, from which we extract
the following :

"Of the twenty-six States composing the New
England, the Middle the Western and North-

western divisions, up to the Rocky Mountains
only three grow more timber than their own
consumption ; and in these the trees, owing to
the great demand, are cut down so indiscrimi-
nately that logs of 6 to 8 inches diameter are
frequently found in the saw-mills. If this course
is continued another decade, we'll see also these
three States at the end of their timber. Still the
woods are spoliated as if our welfare depended
on their speedy disappearance. What is to
come after mocks all description, for not a sin-
gle one of our many industries can prosper with-
out a plentiful supply of wood. There are more
than enough theories and learned treatises on
the influence of forests and extensive woodlands

342

THE GARDENER'S MONTHLY

[November,

on the vegetation, climate, waters, etc., of a
country ; but has any one ever thought seriously
of how it will be with us after the disappearance
of our rich forests ? Whoever took the trouble
to calculate how our finances will be affected by
being forced to export $500,000,000 annually,
merely to supply our own market with timber ?
An amount which the merchant navies of the
whole world could not transport, as according to
the census of 1870, it is almost 13,000,000 cubic
feet in excess of their united tonnage. From
the absolute indifference shown by the au-
thorities and the greater part of the people,
one might almost be justified in presuming that
they believe it to be possible to exist entirely
without wood, or that some day we might begin
to sow timber as we do rye or wheat. But it
takes a century to grow a respectable pine forest.
Many, too, believe that when the United States
have lost their woodland, Canada will still be
able to supply us for centuries to come. From
personal knowledge I can, however, assert that
two or three years of supply to the United States
would bring Canada to the same stress as her
Republican neighbor.

"Avery near future must prove to our govern-
ment that it would have been a wise measure to
favor the introduction of foreign timber, instead
of banishing it from our shores by high protec-
tive duties."

Already the consequences of this wholesale
vandalism in the treatment of forests and wood-
land, that not so very long ago seemed actually
inexhaustible, show themselves very clearly in
the United States, as regards climate, etc. It is
the same old story all over. In Spain, France,
Italy and Asia Minor, as well as in the United
States, a remarkably retrograde condition, nota-
bly in agricultural products, has been developed
since the destruction of the wooded districts.
Many Americans consider these devastations a
necessary evil — somewhat like one of those ills
to which all children are subject, and because so
many of the European countries have passed
through them, they consider it but natural that
the United States should go through the same
experience. They forget, however that at the
time when the wholesale devastations of Euro-
pean forests occurred, but few individuals were
cognizant of the evils they would cause; to-d^y
all the world knows them, in America no less
than in Europe. The Americans are under no
obligations to buy an experience which they al-
ready have.

A report sent us by an undoubted authority
on the subject of American forestry, proves that
since 125 years the necessary moisture of the
soil in North America has decreased seven per
cent, every quarter century in consequence of
the wanton destruction of woodlands, and that
a further continuance of these must most seri-
ously affect the climate of the whole continent,
to the great detriment of health as well as of
the fertility of the soil. That the picture is not
overdrawn we can easily prove from the decline
of horticultural products. From many States,
in which but comparatively few years ^iiice
peaches were grown on free land, this luscious
fruit has entirely disappeared, and many other
garden products with it. According to the " Re-
port upon Forestry " Southern Indiana until
shortly had a regular peach crop, while now it
is the rule for such crops to fail — almost the
same is tlie case with regard to the far more
hardy apples and other fruits. Light frosts in
May and June are no longer a rarity; the wheat
harvest was in many places entirely killed by
frost; in others from 20 to 40 per cent, were
lost. In many States, in which at the commence-
ment of the present century spring used to
happen in February, it is now delayed until end
of April, and the growing of wheat has become
altogether problematical ! An official report
from Illinois, (July, 1879,) on the harvest pros-
pects, climate, etc., says that the crops had suf-
fered greatly from the want of rains in spring
and the continuing cold winds ; and the cause
of both is referred to the indiscriminate destruc-
tion of woodland.

As a further consequence of cutting down
the forests must be mentioned the increase of
ground squirrels and locusts. The latter that
used to flourish on the woodless prairie lands,
have extended their devastations to where the
forests have been cut down or destroyed by fires;
the farmer that formerly lived in the woods
alone, migrates to where these have disappeared
into fields and gardens — the damage to grains
and fruits reach almost an incredible amount, as
the plentiful and good food makes this destruc-
tive vermin multiply unusually quick.

In Southern California the ground squirrel has
become a veritable plague; in the Northern dis-
tricts it is less numerous. An interesting forest
in Northern California, that has its equal no-
where on earth, may be mentioned here as its
preservation is of the greatest significance, not
alone to California, but for a large part of West-

1880.]

AND HORTICULTURIST.

343

em America. "Sequoia sempervirens," belonging
to the same family as the well-known California
giant trees, the "Sequoia gigantea or Wellingtonia,"
reaches similar dimensions and, contrary to these,
is still found in numerous and compact forests,
which begin in Northern California in the Hum-
boldt district and stretch Southward to Sonoma,
only occasionally broken by other formations, for
a length of some 150 miles, by an average breadth
of five to eight miles. A. rich soil, that is regularly
inundated every spring, lets these trees reach a
height of 150 feet or more, and single trees
have been known to give 60,000 feet of timber,
at a value of over $1000.

In the " Proceedings of the California Academy
of Natural Sciences" we read, "The Sequoia
sempervirens " is one of the very few coniferous
species that shoot forth from the root, and so
rapidly that they soon cover the whole soil, sup-
pressing every other growth. After the trunk
has grown to a diameter of two to three feet, it re-
sists fire, and it is a common occurrence to see
trees, whose branches have been entirely destroy-
ed by fire, covered all over with young shoots as
with ivy. These woods have the most benefi-
cial influence upon the neighboring regions, as
the}' condense the moisture of the atmosphere,
which then falls either as light rain or as one
of those heavy fogs which the farmers value as
particularly fruitful. But here two narrow
guage railroads are being built, the quicker to
transport the immense quantities of timber to
the saw mills. Dr. Bolander, in a treatise writ-
ten for the "California Academy of Sciences,"
says, " It is my firm conviction that the disap-
pearance of the Sequoia forests — and they will
very speedily cease to exist if the government
does not protect them by very stringent laws,
which are rigidly enforced — will make California
a barren desert in every sense of the word. On
these forests depends the future weal and woe of
our State. They alone are our safeguard. Wise
laws have in Europe newly planted devastated
regions, and in the course of two or three gene-
rations new forests have grown under judicious
care; but no government, nor no human care
and power could recall to life these Sequoia
forests of California if once destroyed.*'

Thus much of the forests and forestry in the
United States ; in conclusion we beg to say a few
Words in reference to the same in British North
American possessions. Prom an official report
on "Colonial Timber " to the British Parliament
we gather that in none of the six provinces into

which the Dominion of Canada is divided, laws
have been passed for the regulation of replant-
ing and growing the cut-down sections of wood-
land ; and only in the Province of Quebec two
ordinances have been passed in relation to
unauthorized cutting of timbers and forest
fires, both, however, remain entirely ineffec-
tive. In Nova Scotia all trees are cut with-
out reference to size, and the forest fires
aiding, another generation will no longer see
the mighty forests of yore. In New Brunswick
extensive forests are still found, but Weymouth
Pines of more than a few inches diameter are
rarely found, and the Hemlock Fir is almost
extinct. As early as 1P,97 the governors of, at
that time, French Quebec were urged to pass
some law for the protection of timber lands,
since then the devastations have continued for
nearly two centuries, nor has the law of 1874,
forbidding that from May 15th to Oct. 15th fires
be lit nearer than half a mile distance from any
woods, brought about any change. A law (Do-
minion Act of 35 Victoria Cap 23, Section 51)
for the protection of forests contains some-
what stringent regulations as to the cutting of
timber on government lands, and entirely for-
bids the felling of pine trees which measure less
than twelve inches diameter above the root; but
it has never been enforced ! The report for 1877 of
the "Council of Agriculture " to the Minister
saj's, that even more timber was destroyed by
fires than was cut down.

In Ontario some species of trees, notably the
Weymouth pine, [arbor vitse and birch tree,
have already become so scarce that they hardly
count as an article of commerce. On Prince Ed-
ward's Island the oak, the elm and the ash have
almost entirely succumbed to the indiscriminate
cutting down and forest fires. Really magnifi-
cent forests ai-e still found in British Columbia,
consisting chiefly of Abies Douglasii, Pinus Stro-
bus, Pinus ponderosa, Abies canadensis and Abies
Menziesii. To the local authorities these forests
seem inexhaustible, and they would indeed be
so under wisely protective regulations, but,
says the Report to the British Parliament, it is
to be feared that in consequence of the demand
from those provinces where the timber has be-
gun to decrease, if it have not entirely disap-
peared, the consequence of a total want of na-
tional legislation will in a very near future be felt
here too. The occurrence of forest fires is a fre-
quent one, and these are the more dangerous as
most of the trees are extremely resiniferous.

344

THE GARDENER'S MONTHLY

[November,

What then are the conclusions to be drawn
from the above remarks for the future of North
American Forestry.

We have seen how all authority is wanting to
enforce even the simplest regulations on for-
estry. The only man in America who ever
understood to carry out his absolute will in this,
as every other respect was Brigham Young, who
in this one matter has our decided sympathy.
The communistic theory that the "forests are the
property of every single American," and. that he
has a perfect right to cut down as much timber as
he needs, is so widespread; the corruption in
official circles, an unavoidable consequence of
perpetual rotation in office, is so general ; the
necessity in which both parties find themselves
of not offending the mass of voters, is so great,
that we can hardly call unjustified the assertions
of competent and patriotic American authori-
ties as to the impossibility of enforcing any pro-
tective laws on forestry. In view of such condi-

tions we can neither hope for any beneficial results
from the "Commission to inquire into the Euro-
pean Laws on Forestry," asked for by Mr. Sec-
retary Schurz in his annual report to the Presi-
dent ; nor expect Professor Sargent, of Harvard,
to achieve much by the three years' survey of
American forests, with which he has latel}' been
entrusted. A more competent man, or a better
authority on all incidental questions, could not
be found ; but of what use can laws be if there
exist no authority to enforce them? It is to be
feared that, unless affairs take some entirely un-
expected turn, the words of the " Report of the
Secretary of the Interior " for 1877 will come
true ; that "in twenty years, at the most, the Uni-
ted States will no longer be able to fill the de-
mands for home consumption for their own for-
ests," and that they will have to import at an
enormous outlay what they might have had at a
trifling expense! What the consequences will be
in other respects, we have already foreshadowed,
it is impossible to overrate their importance.

Natural History and Science.

COMMUNICA TIONS.

VIRGINIA AUTUMN SCENERY.

BY MISS M. EVELYN HUNTER.

Our own swamps and low grounds are display-
ing attractive pictures for us to treasure in our
memories of these autumn days, and bring forth
to brighten a dismal cold evening in winter.
There is one that I recall now, seen only a few
daj's since, a low meadow with steep hills on
either side, overgrown with willows, aldei*s, sweet
gum, and other of our forest trees. There is one
branch of gum that has turned a rich dark pur-
ple, while the rest of the tree is still green ; over
an alder bush the wild clematis has climbed and
thrown a spray directly on the purple branch of
gum. This falls like a grey mist, sparkling with
dew drops made brilliant by the morning sun.
None of our wild climbers are as graceful and
beautiful as the clematis, first with its perfectly
formed clusters of white flowers, with just a tint
of sea-green color in them, and then later on, as

I saw them on the alder, when the flowera had
fallen and left the mist-like clusters of seed in
their places. Looking far up to the end of the
meadow we see the true morning mist rising
from the wet ground and rolling upward in a
golden cloud, as the sunlight seems to dance
against its billowy masses, and then to fall back
in a shower of gold on waving heads of golden
rod, brightened here and there with bunches of
crimson, velvet-like cardinal flowers.

At the foot of the hill, on the western side of
the meadow, the trees are literalh' covered with
grape vines and Virginia creepers. From the
first, large clusters of purple grapes hang tempt-
ingly among the cool green leaves, and the creep-
ers show amid scarlet and green leaves, bunches
of dark blue berries on red stems, that give them a
poisonous appearance. Here, too, a variety of
beautiful native grasses may be found and used
for winter decoration. But feeling sure that I
am giving only a dim idea of the beauties of
"Nature's Picture Gallery," I will give up the
attempt

1880.]

AND HORTICULTURIST.

345

ASCLEPIADACE/E.

BY W., j

VIRGINIA I

I note with pleasure reference to this most in- '
teresting family by your correspondent (page
245), and it has often occurred to me that its
several memhei's have been too little known and
appreciated by lovers of flowers.

In addition to the species mentioned by her, I
would call attention to two or three others
equally beautiful, and perfectly hardy in the i
same latitude (Virginia).

First, I find a variety of a variegata, described ■
by Wood as nivea, pure white, blooms in the ,
early summer, exceedinglj^ beautiful, and worthj'' '
a place in your " Wild Flowers of America.'
Then later in the season .comes A. amplexicau-
lis, distinct in color and stjde of growth from the
former, but about the same height, two feet.
Both of these are indigenous to seaboard Vir-
ginia.

A third, far sur{)assing these, is the delicate ,
A. perennis (A. parvifolia), not wild, but cul-
tivated in borders here, a perfect little gem, .
half shrubby, a good grower, perpetual bloomer,
perfectly hardy and covered the whole season
with a succession of dainty clusters of pearly |
white flowers ; both flow^ers and foliage so light \
and fairy-like, one would not imagine it belonged
to the usually clumsy milk-weed family. When ;
given sufficient space it branches freely, and the \
bushy shrub is soon covered at the extremity of
each shoot with the delicate white clusters. It
readily grows from cuttings.

The old A. curassavica, a native of Florida, is ,
also seen in gardens. It is not hardy with us nor '
of as compact growth as A. tuberosu, but more !
brilliant. In leaf and growth it much resembles
the oleander, and is worthy more general culti- 1
vation.

When opportunity off"ers, I wish to say a word
about two other valuable plants for summer
blooming in this section. Plumbago capensis
and Jasminum grandiflora.

EDITORIAL NOTES.

Convolvulus arvensis. — Cultivators will do
well to look after this pernicious weed, which is
fast taking the country for its own. It is so very
pretty that it is likely to appeal to sympathy to
let it stand a while. A recent issue of the Mont-
gomery County, O., Horticultural Society says it
has appeared at Dayton.

''The most attractive of the strangers among us
is the Convolvulus arvensis found growing on
Mr. J. Peirce's place. This delicate little morn-
ing glory was never before in this part of the
country, and it is not known how it came here,
as it was supposed to be confined to the sea
coast, from Maine to Carolina, where it had been
introduced from Europe. I exhibit to the
society, a study made from this plant by Miss
Mary Forrer, showing how beautiful the whole
vine is, with its tender twining stem, small, some-
what sagittate leaves, and flowers about an inch
in diameter, that are white, delicately tinged
with pink. But pleasing as this plant is to the
eye, it is said to be a pernicious weed, and far-
mers and horticulturists must guard against its
dissemination, as it spreads rapidly and has the
name of being an exterminator of all plants in
its neighborhood."

Climate and Grape Culture. — Some years
ago the writer of this purchased an old property
on which was an arbor covered hj the Catawba
grape. For the sake of the shade the vines were
permitted to remain. This season, for the first
time in ten years, the fruit was perfect and de-
licious. There has been nothing more done this
year than others, and the fact goes to show that
the secret agencies of nature as affecting fruit
culture, are of a very active kind.

Retrogression. — Mr. Berckmans has found
that seedlings of the wild goose plum go back to
a poor variety. Late peaches generally repro-
duce their kind with some exactness ; but judg-
ing from his remarks as we find them given in
the Southern Enterprise, he has not had as good
success with early ones.

A Ne-\v Varnish Plant. — It is said that an
iron tool that had been found in Africa neglec-
ted after cutting down one of the large Euphor-
biaceous plants of that countrj', w'as found years
afterwards as bright and free from rust as when
used. On this hint experiments were made, and
the euphorbia gum is found a perfect preserva-
tive of iron from corrosion. The species of Eu-
phorbia is not named. So says L' Horticulture
Beige.

Peculiarities of Seasons. — There seems to be
no accounting for peculiarities of seasons. For
years the Belgian honeysuckle, near Philadel-
phia, has been mildewed and aphid-covered that
no one cared for it. This season it has been in
perfection, and its large clusters of rich colored

346

THE GARDENER'S MONTHLY

[November,

sweet-scented flowers has brought it back to
popularity. Equally remarkable is the number
of shrubs blooming here in October. The Tecoma
grandiflora, Viburnum nudum and Cercis
japonica are all in full bloom before us as we
write.

The "Shittim" Wood of Scriptures. — Much
discussion has been had on what is the shittim
wood. A new cedar has been discovered in the
Isle of Cyprus since its cession to the Bi-itish,
which is believed to be the wood intended. It
diflfers from others of the genus Cedrus in its
longer leaves and small size of the cones. It is
nearer to the cedar of Lebanon than to the
Deodar cedar. It was found by Sir Samuel
Baker in the Cyprian Mountains, between the
monastery of Kyker and the town of Krysokus.

QUERIES.

Gentiana Andrewsii.— J. R. S., Rahway, New
Jersey, sends specimens which are both Gentiana
Andrewsii, and says : " I send by mail two
Gentiana for name. The dark blue with closed

flower I take to be Andrewsii. The skill shown
by the humble-bees in entering the closed flower is
very interesting. They accomplish it without
injury to the delicate petals, and while almost
concealed from sight, make the entire circuit of
the flower, thus becoming very efficient sowers
of pollen."

Abnormal Buds. — Mr. Chas. Henderson writes :
"I mail you to-day a couple of joints of Stephano-
tis floribunda. You will notice that the bud in-
stead of coming out at the axil in the usual way,
has shown a disposition to experiment. I have
taken the libertj^ of bothering you to look at it,
as I have not seen it occur before, though doubt-
less in your wide experience the same, or a
similar freak has often been brought to your
notice."

[This is a very interesting case. The bud in-
stead of being at the base of the leaf, in the axil
between the leaf and ihe stem, has been carried
up two inches, and to near the base of the leaf
stalk above. It shows that there is no necessary
connection between the leaf and the bud at its
base. Those variations from regular rule are
very interesting to students of botany. — Ed.
G. M.]

Literature, Travels % Personal Notes.

COMMUNICAIIONS.

NOTES AND QUERIES-No. 18.

BY JACQUES.

Correction. — Notes and Queries was not favored
with proofs of his notices picked up from all
sources, except the newspapers, else would Bam-
her wood have read Bamboo, and John Penn's
home in England would have appeared as Stoke
Park, not "State."

The late meeting of the Society for the Ad-
vancement of Science, it is encouraging to know,
was the largest ever held. Professor Asa Gray
read an essay on the Vegetation of the Rocky
Mountains, which will be published in Hayden's
report, and he entertained the members in the
Botanic Garden. He is now in England.

The flower beds around Horticultural Hall at

the Fairmount Park, Philadelphia, have the past
season surpassed anything of the kind yet
seen, as we hear foreigners as well as our own
citizens, and again the editor of the Monthly
frequently declare. The richest carpets do not
equal what was here exhibited by the Landscape
Gardener, Mr. Miller, and surely they were
vastly more interesting as well as pleasing.

Quinces.— The man who sliall cure the quince
fruit from its knots, and give us a fair, equable,
preserving material as free from worms as a
good apple, will do the housekeeper a prodigious
service. Some cultivators conquer the curculio
enemy, why not the quince destroyer?

Tin is said in Harpers' Magazine to be trans-
ported from England to Chicago, made there
into vessels of use, taken back to England in a
manufactured state, competing with English

1880.J

AND HORTICULTURIST.

347

made articles. Surely we are feeding our rela-
tives, and gradually superseding them in various
manufactures.

The indebtedness of man to the vegetable world
is illustrated by the two substances of gutta
percha and India rubber ; but for these the great
progress in the arts would have long waited de-
velopment ; the telegraph by sea is indebted to
the former for insulation, and many processes
and conveniences are promoted by the latter.
The trees which yield the largest supply of the
best quality of caoutchouc consist of various
species of Hevea of South America. Some por-
tions of the northern districts, especially in the
province of Para and parts of the valle}' of the
Amazon are covered to a great extent with
heveas. The abundance of these in Para may
be judged of by the fact that this province alone
exported 7,340 tons in 1877. Among the species
the Hevea Brasiliensis attains the height of sixty
or seventy feet ; the Hevea Guianensis, a simi-
larly- magnificent tree, likewise abundantly pro-
duces caoutchouc. The leaves are handsome
and adapted to greenhouse culture by their deep
color and general ^beauty, especially the Ficus
elastiea.

California, Colorado. — A gentleman now in
California writes of what must be to an American
a novelty of interest: "I am just going to Mr.
Cooper's (at Santa Barbara) to be present at the
whipping of his extensive grove of almond trees !
From thence I shall stop at the new institution
for canning fruits, especially apricots, of which I
hope to send a case via Cape Horn, packed with
American almonds." We hope this is not a mere
bravado. The Nineteenth Century has a pleasant
article from the Earl of Dunraven, who has
purchased Este's Park and improved it by various
modes. A visitor thither this summer, who has
seen the Yosemite Valley, and nearly all the
great sights, declares Este's Park the most beauti-
ful scene in the world; though not so grand it is
perfect in its grown trees, fine mountain views,
&c., &c. The hotel of the Earl closes early in
the season, but we advise parties to make pre-
parations to visit this place next year.

Collectors of all sorts exist in a highly populated
and civilized community. Rare butterflies, rare
plates, any rarity finds purchasers. As an illus-
tration, two eggs of the extinct great Auk were
lately sold by auction in Edinburgh, both being
purchased by Lord Silford, one at £100, the other
for 102 guineas, probably the largest sums ever

paid for an egg, with the exception of that of the
Moa, a single specimen of which was sold at the
same place in 1865 for £200. The writer was
dining in England with a collector of rarities
when, in the middle of the meal, he was called
out to exhibit his treasure of an Auk's egg, and
barely got back to tea. He valued his egg sotae
years ago at £50, so they are rising in price.

EDITORIAL NOTES.

Gardening in the Southern Mountains. —
Editorial Letter: — It had long been my desire
to see the deciduous magnolias and the many
beautiful trees and shrubs of the Southern
mountains in their native homes. But the
country in which they grow is, in a measure, in-
accessible to the hasty traveller, and the editor
has but little time to spare from his pen to go
jogging along for weeks over rocks and hills
where the iron horse dares not set his foot.
However, there is a time when all men must
rest. An unusually hard year at pen work
made me unusually susceptible to temptation,
and when three of my associate members in the
Academy of Natural Sciences said to me last
May, " we purpose to take our wives for a
month or two into the North Carolina moun-
tains; cannot j'ou make two more?" it did not
take long to increase the party to eight.
About the middle of June we bade good bye to
the city of Brotherly Love, and started on our
journey of twenty-five hundred miles, stopping
a few days at all the important points along the
road. In our leisurely stroll we took in Balti-
more, Washington, Richmond, Danville, Greens-
boro, Salisbury and across to the southern part
of North Carolina, then northwardly through
the mountains to the Ohio river, and back
through the Shenandoah Valley by Harper's
Ferrj' for home. This outline shows that we
were not in a favorable region for superior horti
culture, but yet the experience in this line, as
well as in the observations on native trees and
plants, were interesting in the extreme.

In the way of gardening as an art, and one of
the refining influences of civilization, we saw
very little after crossing the Potomac, but in so
far as a love of flowers and neat yards are con-
cerned the illustrations were abundant. In some
of the larger Southern towns like Lynchburg and
Staunton, small, neat, well-kept grounds were

348

THE GARDENER'S MONTHLY

[November,

abundant. Ljnicliburg especial]}' seems to be a
very thriving place. The number of new houses,of
what might be called the wealthier class, was
greater than I noticed in any other place we
visited, showing the city to be remarkably pros-
perous. The grounds around these newer
houses all showed the owners' disposition to
have something nice. In regard to the trees,
shrubs and flowers, the many numerous and
beautiful introductions of late years were
almost wanting. Some few Cedars of Leb-
anon, Deodars, and similar things that were
popular in their introduction years ago, and
now about thirty years old, showed that
progress in these lines had measurably stood
still. The cheap mowing machines, which
make our little places look so beautiful,
and which we now find in our smallest hamlets,
were very much missed. The sickle and the
scythe still did duty as the lawn worker. I have
no doubt there are some about, though it was
not my good luck to meet with them, and the
number of places where they were not, shows
at least that they are not in general use. But
the number of places which exhibited a genuine
love for flowers w'as very gratifying to see. If
there were few new kinds, the old fashioned
flowers, family heirlooms, were well cared for.
In many of the country districts houses would
be fairly embowered in flowers, though not a
flower pot could be seen. I do not remember
seeing a flower pot throughout the whole moun-
tain district between the Shenandoah and the
Cumberland. The plants were grown in starch
boxes, old kettles, tomato cans, shells or anj'^
thing that would hold a little earth. Some of
these plants were wonderfully well grown in
this primitive way. I saw Fuchsias three or
four feet high, with hundreds of flowers from
top to the box, and perfect in every respect that
would easily take some of the twenty dollar
premiums at our horticultural fairs.

In regard to vegetable growing the mountain
region referred to off^ers remarkable advantages
for what is known as the cool-countr}' vegeta-
bles, such as peas, cabbage, parsnips, lettuce,
celery and such like. Of course as to the matter of
early vegetables the warmer sea-board States will
have the run ; but throughout the whole sum-
mer season these vegetables would grow here
to perfection, and while there would be a fair
trade in many of them, for seed raising purposes
they would offer rich reward. At one tolerably
fair hotel in the mountains we had rarely any

other vegetables but potatoes, and I pointed out
to the proprietor the great capabilities he had
for these summer luxuries, but he insisted I was
mistaken, " for," said he, " I brought salad plants
from Chattanooga and set them out last spring,
and they all went to seed." But every intelligent
gardener Avonld know that such plants would "go
to seed." At the White Sulphur Springs, the
supply of vegetables was remarkably meagre,
and this was explained, that thej' had all to be
brought chiefly from Richmond or other large
sea-board centre. It has been said that the
whole of the enormous interest on the English
national debt is paid by her turnip crop. These
feed sheep in winter — the wool supplies the man-
ufacturers— and so it goes on to the end. But
the mountain region of North Carolina and
Virginia is capable of raising turnips and main-
taining sheep to an extent that would surprise
old England. At present the great difliculty in
the way of extending root or vegetable growing
here is the ease with which cattle can be kept
here after a fashion, and the distance anything
raised has to be sent to market. Cattle roam
the hills winter and summer, and hence there is
no barn-yard manure, as the colder regions
afford, where cattle must be housed the long
winter. With no manure there can be few vege-
tables. The chief dependence through here is
on artificial fertilizers, which have a tremendous
sale. Then the markets are too far off. A good
fellow in North Carolina told me that he raised
100 bushels to the acre of turnips, and cabbage
as large as the top of a flour barrel, but the only
way to dispose of them was in trade to the gro-
cery man. His cabbages were valued at two
dollars per one hundred, while the " prents " he
had to take in pay for his cabbage were estimated
as worth sixteen cents a yard. The opportunity,
however, for building up a local trade for garden
products is remarkably good. Hundreds of
streams of water run in every direction and the
water power might be employed for machinery
for all sorts of industrial enterprises,and the oper-
atives be good customers to the gardener or farm-
er. But the power goes to waste. A few grist mills
and saw mills appear once in a while, and this
is about all. No one seems to think of building
up home markets for their garden crops. Cotton
and tobacco for Europe, early fruits and vegeta-
bles for the North, or hogs and cattle for the
larger cities, with perhaps hotels for the accom-
modation of travellers seem to be the great ob-
jects of ambition. It seems to me that if I were

1880.

AND HORTICULTURIST.

349

interested in building np the farm and garden
interests in any special degree I should begin by
urging that these wasted water powers should
run into mills and factories, and then look to
these operatives to buy the faim and garden
produce, instead of sending it hundreds of miles
away.

I have little doubt, however, that all this will
be perceived in time. Evidences of an increased
attention to these matters strike one near many
of the larger cities. It is indeed surprising that so
much has already been done. Only imagine a
country in which every dollar of money was
swept away ; houses and buildings torn down by
the war; scarcely a fence left standing; all the
businesses connected with the arts of peace ne-
glected, and those of war useless with the sur-
render. Possibly no people ever resumed the
great businesses of life under more depressing
circumstances. They have had to build them-
selves up again out of the ground ; to grow up
again anew as the trees grow ; and have, like the
trees, to wait someyearstill the harvest of wealth
is ripe.

The Shenandoah valley especially shows a
wonderfully revived spirit. Most of the farm
buildings and fences- were absolutely destroyed
here, but now new and mostly tasteful buildings
and barns have been built, and scarcely a trace
remains of the fearful havoc and waste of fifteen
years ago. These new buildings are generally
surrounded by good gardens and orchards, and
one could not but feel that if so much has fol-
lowed so soon after absolute ruin, there is hope for
good gardening before many yeai's roll by.

The Gardener's Monthly for 1881. — As the
magazine is about to enter on its twenty-third
year the publisher w'ould be favored by any as-
sistance its friends may give in making it known
to any of the newer votaries of the art of gar-
dening. The publisher is proud to believe that
there are very few persons in the United States
who have taken an intelligent interest in the
higher branches of gardening but are found on
the subscription books of the Gardener's Month-
ly ; but there are always new additions to the
circle who would welcome the monthly visits of
the magazine, did they but know of its existence.
The agricultural papers with their horticultural
departments do grand service to gardening by
encouraging the growth of fruits and flowers m
a general way ; but there becomes a time when
gardening as an art and science, distinct from

mere agriculture, becomes a passion and pur-
suit, and it is to this eclectic circle the Garden-
er's Monthly ministers. The members of this
distinguished circle are too far apart to be dis-
covered by the ordinary methods of advertising.
The Gardener's Monthly has to be made
known (outside of its business agents) chiefly
by the good will of its friends ; and the publisher
hopes the forthcoming subscription season will
bring from his old w^ell-wishers a good crop of
new friends.

He Only Stole a Flower. — In Philadelphia,
there is what is called a "prison agent," who
goes through the penitentiary and has power to
procure the release of prisoners, or a shortening
of the time of those he may think deserving.
The report for the year is before us, and amongst
other items, we find the case of " two boys who
were accused of stealing flowers from a garden.
As they had only taken a flower, the agent em-
ployed counsel/' by whose efforts they were ac-
quitted. Every once in a while we see some
newspaper paragraph reflecting severely on
some individual because he dared to prosecute
some "respectable person," who "only took a
flower," or an apple, or may be a bunch of
grapes ; and if perchance after spending perhaps
fifty dollars, besides time and vexation, in thus
protecting his property, and the thief gets sent
down to prison for thirty days or so, there are
stinging comments on the justice which sends a
person to prison for stealing a ten-cent bunch of
grapes, when he would perhaps have received
no more punishment if he had taken a three-
hundred dollar horse.

It is strange that it should be necessary to
point out that laws are made as much to assert
and defend principles as to mete out measure
for measure. An able-bodied, useful man is of
more direct value to society than a babe. We
do not say it was " only a babe," and sentence
its murderer to a year's imprisonment, while we
hang the murderer of the useful man. On the
contrary', the law is presumed to protect more
energetically the weak than the strong, and for
this reason alone the fruit and the flower grower
should have more legal protection than the
owner of a horse. The latter has strong per-
sonal reasons for locking up his horse, and for
prosecuting when in spite of all care the horse
is stolen, — but the fruit man loses some to-day,
some to-morrow, and so on, till ever^'one on the
tree is gone. He cannot lock up his tree, or build a

360

THE GARDENER'S MONTHLY

[November,

high wall all around it, nor can he keep a senti-
nel day and night before it. He cannot catch
all, who took all between them ; he can only
" make an example" of the first one he catches ;
and then is the cry of "he only took one. He
is a respectable man." Herein we see that the
fruit or flower-grower is at a great disadvantage.
He is weak. He is as a child before the law,
and instead of leniency, the strongest efforts of
the law should be put forth to protect him, and
he should not be made the butt of ridicule, as
now. In fact, the man who has the courage to
prosecute the thief who took " only a flower,"
or " only one bunch," deserves the thanks of
the whole community, and the more so when
the offender is " a respectable man."

Ampelographs. — This is the name the French
give to literary works on the vine. Mr. A. S.
Fuller is described as un savant ampelographe
Americain.

C. M. HovEY. — On a recent visit to Boston it
was a great pleasure to meet this venerable hor-
ticulturist, still in good health, and full of energy.
As editor of Hovey's Magazine of Horticulture,
Mr. H. was for many years the chief representa-
tive of horticulture in America, and did yeoman
service in its cause.

Noticing Catalogues. — We often get requests
to notice catalogues, which, had we space, we
should be glad to do. If we had but a local
circulation, and only a few score came to our
table, we might do it ; but few have any idea of
the immense number that come to our table.
It would not be fair to notice some and not
others ; but to notice all would be to refer to
from one to two hundred a month. Occasionally
when we see some items of news which are not
likely to appear in regular advertisements, we
refer to such catalogues, and this is the only
principle which our confined limits allow us in
catalogue notices.

The Town of Greeley. — Referring to our
recent notice of the remarkable growth of this
city of the desert, the Democratic Eye of that
city suggests chat the name of Henry T. West
should pass into history with those of Meeker
and Cameron, as the three pioneers.

Keeping one Cow. — New York : Orange Judd
Company. This little book may, perhaps, legiti-
mately come under the Reviewer's pen in a hor-
ticultural journal, as many a man, who has but

one little patch of garden, would like to keep
just one cow, if he could. This little book is de-
signed to show just how this can be done ; and
illustrations are taken from those who have been
successful, both in the North and the South,
where the winters are mild as well as where they
are severe. We may say of this, as of many
similar undertakings designed to show profits,
that the illustrations are useful hints, though not
always as examples. Take for instance the case
given of a " New York business man " who
made out very well by his one cow. He was
fortunate enough to find a laboring man who
was willing to come morning and evening, every
day, and milk, clean, and feed the cow, for $1
per week. Very few would be so lucky as to get
such convenient attention.

Most people find the cost of selling milk about
half the receipts. Nothing is charged against
the " profits" here, because the one cow owner
was fortunate to have members of his family to
attend to serving, and because the next door
neighbor took all to spare. Of course these ad-
vantages add materially to the " profit." Still it
is very useful to know what one man has done.
We may not have first his advantage, but almost
every one has some advantage peculiarly his
own if he will but look around to see just what
they are.

Wheat Culture; by D. S. Curtiss. Orange
Judd Company. New York : This little treatise
is issued to increase the product, improve the
quality, and decrease the cost per bushel of the
great staff of life — objects that will commend
themselves to many readers.

Agricultural College, Sappora, Japan. —
Third Annual Report. — This institution, in
which Americans have been the chief teachers
under the Japanese Government, shows by this
report to be in an excellent condition. Professor
Penhallow has charge of Horticulture and Botany.

QUERIES.

Gladioli or Gladioluses. — M. B. asks: — "In
a recent number you say ' Gladioluses,' when
referring to the plural of Gladiolus. Other papers
use Gladioli, which certainly is the Latin plural."
[We have been over this so often, it seems hope-
less to be understood if we are not already. We
use the word to represent an English idea, and
not a Latin one. We are not writing in Latin

1880.]

AND HORTICULTURIST.

351

for our readers, but in plain English, and our
English word must follow English rules. Gladi-
olus in our sense of the word is the English or
common name of a bulbous garden root ; and
it is no less English, because its botanical one
happens to be the same. If your sense of pro-
priety is shocked, why do you not write to those
" other papers," who, while they write Gladioli
in one line, write coleuses, verbenas, and so
forth, in the other. Moreover, if we are to write

gladioli in its nominative plural, why not follow
it through all its changes in number, gender and
case ? It has always seemed to us that those
writers who have urged the " reform" forget
that we were dealing with a common — practi-
cally an English — and not with a Latin name.
—Ed. G. M.]

PiNDARS. — Mr. W. T. Harding and Miss Mul-
ford kindly inform us, that " Pindar " is the
local name for pea nut in the South.

Horticultural Societies.

COMMUNICA TIONS.

HUMBUGS IN HORTICULTURE.

ESSAY, BY PETER HENDERSON.
(Concluded from page 318.)

The nurserymen present are no doubt better
posted in the swindles practiced in their particu-
lar department than I am ; but operators engage
in different lines in different parts of the
country: for example, we have never yet seen in
the Eastern States anyone trying to sell an apple
tree bearing blue apples as big as melons, as we
were told at our meeting, at Cleveland, last year
had been successfully done in Ohio and Illinois.
Still we have men of fair ability in the nursery
swindling line, one of whom last winter suc-
ceeded in disposing of hundreds of winter- bear-
ing grapes, by carrying with him a few good
bunches of the White Malaga of the shops.

One great detriment, not only to the florist but
to the purchaser, is begotten of these swindles
in horticulture. The purchaser of flowers in our
markets must have his plants in bloom, because
he has been at times so swindled that he must
now see "what he buys. In New York, the
amateur rarely buys from the grower, but from
the agent or middleman who sells in the market
stands or street corners. These, whether men
or women, are generally entirely ignorant of the
nature of plants, and most of them have no re-
sponsibility, and they rarely fiiil to make their
wares accord to the wants of the purchaser —
nearly every plant is hardy, everblooming, and
has all the qualities desired by the buyer.

But now and then these swindles become a
serious matter to the victim. Some years ago, a
typical Englishman, who had been a green grocer
in Covent Garden Market, London, found his
way to New York ; he at once discovered an
almost entire absence of Cauliflowers in our
markets, and, what few there were, were sold at
prices four times that of London. He soon
made up his mind to make his fortune, and, at
the same time, show the Yankees somethhig

they did not know. He duly selected and pre-
pared the ground for an acre, and one day in
May he sallied into the market to procure his
Cauliflower plants. This he found no difficulty
in doing, for at Dutch Peggy's — in those days
the headquarters for all kinds of herbs, plants
and seeds — they were to be seen by the wagon
load ; 10,000 were procured, the quantity for his
acre, and, duly planted, they began to grow
apace. He had planted 1st of May. If it had
been in England, his Cauliflower heads would
have been ready about the 1st of July ; but some-
thing was evidently wrong in the Yankee
climate. His cauliflower grew through June,
through July into August, only to develop into
fine specimens of drumhead cabbage, then of
hardly the value he had paid for them as cauli-
flower plants. He got out of the business
thoroughly disgusted ; and, in telling his sorrow-
ful tale to me a year afterwards, ke related that
when he went to expostulate with old Peggy
about having blasted his prospects, before he
could get a word said, she recognized him as a
customer, and demanded- to know if he did not
again want any more early cauliflower plants.

I have said old Peggy was also a vender of
seeds. It is now something over thirty years
ago that a young florist presented himself before
her and purchased an ounce of Mignonette.
Ever alive to business, Peggy asked him if he
had tried the new Red Mignonette ; he protested
there was no such thing, but Peggy's candid
manner persuaded him, and fifty cents was in-
vested. The seed looked familiar, and when it
sprouted it looked more familiar; when it
bloomed it was far too familiar, for it was Red
Clover. Peggy has long since been gathered to
her fathers, and I have entirely forgiven her for
selling me the red mignonette.

Perhaps there is no swindling that is more ex-
tensively practiced, and which so cruelly injures
the operators of the soil, as that of adulteration
in fertilizers. The great mass of our {\\rmers and
gardeners are poor men, who can ill afford even
to pay for the pure fertilizers necessary to grow
their crops, and to pay money and high freights

352

THE GARDENER'S MONTHLY.

[November,

on adulterations worse than useless, is hard in-
deed. The ignorance of those dealing in such
wares does much to spread the evil. A fellow
•came into my office last summer with samples
of a fertilizer, nicely put up in cans, which he
claimed could be sold in immense quantities by
the seedsmen, as it had not only the wonderful
properties of invigorating and stimulating all
planted crops, but that it at the same time would
till all noxious weeds.

I need not say that he had waked up the
wrong passenger, and that he made a rapid
movement towards the door; Yet, notwith-
standing the impudence and absurdity of such a
■claim, the scamp was enabled to prowl around
the vicinity of New York for weeks, and, un-
doubtedly, sold to hundreds.

If he had said he had a cannon from which,
when grape shot was fired into a crowd, it killed
only enemies— never friends — the one claim
would have been as reasonable as the other.

Another species of humbugging which, though
it can hardly be called swindling, is somewhat
akin to it. I refer to the men who claim to have
secrets by which they can accomplish extra-
ordinary results in propagation and culture of
plants. I can well remember, in my early days,
that the nursery propagator was looked upon as
a sort of demi-god, possessing secrets known
only to himself and a favored few, whose in-
terest it was to continue to throw dust in the
eyes of every young aspirant after knowledge.
The door of the propagating house was locked
and bolted, as if it were a Bastile, and even the
proprietor (if he were unfortunate enough not
to have practical knowledge) was allowed en-
trance only as a special favor ; for his propagator
was an autocrat, of whom he stood in awe and
reverence. But, since the advent of horticultural
publications in America, particularly during the
past fifteen or twenty years, the "secrets" of these
pretentious fellows have had such ventilation,
that now nearly every operation of the green-
house is as well understood by the tens of thou-
sands engaged in the business, as the operation :
of the farm is by the farmer. |

The most of these pretenders to this secret :
knowledge of horticulture are foreigners, though j
occasionally a native tries it on. Some fifteen i
years ago, when the grape vine mania was at its I
height, an old Connecticut Yankee pretended he \
had discovered a new method of propagating the
grape, that he would impart for a consideration
to the highest bidder ; he issued a profusion of
handbills to the trade, asking for bids, modestly
requesting the receiver of the handbill to hang
it up in a conspicuous place. j

I sent my copy to my friend Meehan, of the j
Gardener's Monthly, saying that the pages of ;
that magazine were the most conspicuous place
T knew of to comply with the wish of the old
gentleman. Mr. Meehan not only inserted the
advertisement gratis and in the most conspicu-
ous manner, but he did more, for he appended j
below the advertisement a few remarks I had
ventured to make on the subject. This opened |
the ball, and for six months the pages of the

Gardener's Monthly became the battle ground
for the opinions of the discoverer and myself.
But the gratuitous advertisement did not avail
him much, for he and his secret soon passed into
oblivion, and was heard from no more. There
are no secrete in horticulture; the same laws
that govern the germination of a seed, the root-
ing of a cutting, or the taking of a bud or graft,
are the same as they were a thousand years ago,
and any one pretending to have any secret
knowledge in the matter is either an ignoramus
or an impostor.

EDITORIAL NOTES.

Floral Designs.— The florists of Philadelphia
had a gala time at the late exhibition of the
Pennsylvania State Agricultural Society. The
highest premium for the most original floral de-
sign, $80, was taken by Hoopes, Bro. & Thomas,
of West Chester. Queens on thrones, suns,
moons and stars, old-fashioned fire-places,
chimney-corners, star spangled banners, steam-
boats, and such like, were made out of flowers,
and drew immense crowds.

Flowers as emblems are beautiful things.
Worked into crosses, crowns, anchors and such
like, they still have an expression ; and in con-
nection with human afl'airs are very pleasant
associations. The hidden meaning rarely fails
to please. It is wise to encourage these sympa-
thetic sentiments. There is no doubt many a
pretty idea yet to be brought out that will
give pleasure to thousands. But it is not easy
to find what sentiment is at the back of some of
these things, or what earthly use they serve.
Indirectly they have a use. They draw a crowd
which pays its money and gets its price, — and
the said money may then be devoted to useful
purposes.

Fine Geraniums — The proceedings of the New
York Horticultural Society says that Messrs. Hal-
lock & Thorpe, of Queens, Long Island, N. Y., ex-
hibited " Double and single Pelargoniums, (by
which we understand bedding geraniums), show-
ing superior culture and the touch of a masterly
hand, which have never been equaled in New
York."

This description approaches what we have
long contended Horticultural Societies should
furnish for their exhibitors. There can be little
doubt if this justice were regularly done, exhib-
itors would be numerous. It would be an im-
provement if a little fuller description of the
" superior culture " were given. People in dis-
tant parts would be interested in knowing how
near their own specimens of culture came near
to those of a " masterly hand."

BouvARDiA, Bride of Brooklyn. — At a recent
meeting of the New York Horticultural Society
a certificate of merit was awarded to Mr. Geo.
Krick for this Bouvardia. Its merits are that it
always remains white, and never has the pink
tinge of the Davidsoni or Vreelandii.

THE

GARDENER'S MONTHLY

AND

HORTICULTURIST.

DEVOTED TO HORTICULTURE, ARBORICULTURE AND RURAL AFFAIRS.

Edited by THOMAS MEEHA.N.

Vol. XXII.

DECEMBER, 1880.

Number 264.

Flower Garden and Pleasure Ground.

SEASONABLE HINTS.

We have frequently urged the importance of
planting places very thickly at first, in order
both to produce an immediate effect, and also
because the shelter which one another affords
makes the trees grow with greater health and
vigor, than when exposed singly to the force of
wind and sun. At this season no better employ-
ment can be found than in thinning out these
thick planted places. It will of course require
much judgment; but one fond of trees, and the
effects which they produce, will not be much at
a loss. Sometimes it is hard to bring one's self to
cut down a tree which one has watched grow for
80 many years ; but it must often be done if we
would preserve the symmetry and beauty of our
places. When there is any question as to the
proper tree to be taken away, the size of the
place may help one to decide. A tree which
will in time occupy much space can be more
easily spared from a small place than one which
will never transgress a limited space. Indeed,
except for the purpose of rapid growth to nurse
more valued trees, large growing things should
not be tolerated in small places. The green
grass which is the charm of all gardens soon de-
parts when large trees are about.

Of course, this talk about thinning out, brings
us to another great winter employment, that of
pruning. There is no very great amount of
gcience required for this, and yet some judgment

is necessary. This is often done with little more
reason than a boy has for whittling a chip —
merely to have something to do. For, notwith-
standing the many papers that have been writ-
ten "on the plilosophy of pruning," the naked
question, " When is the best time to prune
trees ?" is one with which the gardener is con-
tinually bored. The keen-edged gardeners give
the cutting reply, " any time when your knife is
sharp;" but the more good natured say, "It
depends on what you want to cut for." The
street cutter " wants to keep the tree head low,"
and cuts down to make them branch lower ; cut-
ting in winter does not have this effect, so that
unless one has some other object to combine with
it, such as to clean the tree of bark scales or the
larva of other insects, or the giving of employ-
ment to some half starved tree carpenter, the
work might as well be left undone. If you want
a branch to push strongly at the point where you
cut a part away, prune in winter. If your tree
has branches crossing each other, or has half
dead branches, or anything tending to spoil the
form or symmetry of your tree, prune in winter;
but as a rule the less pruning is done the
healthier will be your trees, for it may be ac-
cepted as a rule in gardening, that all pruning,
whether in winter or summer, is a blow struck
at the vitality of the plant.

Sometimes we have to sacrifice a good object
to gain some other point. So in hedges : The
plants are usually trees. To c/evigorate them

354

THE GARDENER'S MONTHLY

[December

and keep them bushy is our great object The
principal pruning is therefore in summer. The
winter pruning is simply to keep them in shape.
There is, however, one kind of pruning which
just suits both the principle and the season,
namely, thinning out where thick planting has
been adopted, as it is now by all who want a
new place to look well without waiting too long
for the charm.

There are many beautiful plants which we can
enjoy if we only take care to keep them from the
sun in winter. The Evergreen Ivy is one of this
class. In Pennsylvania it will rarely live on the
south side of a building without some injury;
while on the northern side, it is usually able to
get through. This shows that it is not a ques-
tion of the thermometer, for it is much colder on
the north side of a house than on the south ; but
it is rather through the more rapid escape of
moisture on that side. But the lesson is of
value in teaching us to shade any valuable broad-
leaved plant which we may have. The Japan
Euonymus, the Oregon grape or Mahonia aquifo-
lia, the Rhododendron, and other similar things
all do very well in this section of the country,
if anything be scattered lightly over to prevent
injury from the sun.

Nothing " pays" like surface dressings of ma-
nure or good soil to evergreens and ornamental
trees. Life is too short for mere natural growth.
It is a pardonable vice to wish for large trees.
Put on two inches of good stuff, and see how
they will go ahead.

Very few understand that an occasional change
of soil is very beneficial to flowers in beds,
though all know how important it is to flowers
in pots. There is nothing better than surface
soil from an old pasture, taken otf about two
inches deep, and thrown into a heap with about
one-sixth part old hot-bed dung to partially de-
cay. In addition to this "staple" item, smaller
quantity of different matters should be gathered
together for peculiar cases, or particular plants.
Peat, for instance, will be found very useful for
many kinds of plants. This is not, as is often
supposed, mere black sand ; but a spongy, fibrous
substance from the surface of bogs and boggy
wastes. Sand should be collected sharp and
clean ; the washings from turnpike ditches are
as good as anything. Leaf mould is best got
already well decayed from the woods. That
one makes for himself from rotten leaves is sel-
dom good for anything; it is always sour and
seems " indigestible" to vegetation, A load or

so of well-decayed cow-manure is a good thing
for the gardener to have by him, as all those
plants that dislike our hot summers, and want
a cool soil to grow in, prefer it to any other ma-
nure. A small pile of hot-bed manure is almost
indispensable to the garden.

Much will, in many places, be required for
dressing of the lawn, which too often is really
starved for want of nutriment The modern
practice of using mowers, and leaving the short
grass to serve as a mulch is a little good ; but
not near enough to keep the grass in good heart.
A top dressing every other year, or every three
years, will be of great benefit to the best made
lawn. This top dressing may not be of rich or
expensive materials. The scouring of ditches
will do. Indeed this kind of material is the bet-
ter, as more of it can be used ; and thus shallow
places, which often exist in lawns of some pre-
tentions, may be filled up. We have seen good
lawns made, in this way from rough places, aa
bad as if the grass had been sown on a piece of
ploughed ground, without any rolling or har-
rowing down. The grass sown comes through
the filled up places, and a smooth lawn in this
way can often be had without the trouble and
annoyance of ploughing up and seeding down
again, a practice which is often employed where
the work was not in the first instance well done.

COMMUNICA TIONS.

PARK DECORATION IN THE WEST.

BY PETER HENDERSON.

While attending the National Convention of
Nurserymen at Chicago, in June last, a number
of us made a hasty visit to the parks of that
wonderful city, and were- perfectly surprised at
the splendid results that have been obtained in
such a brief time — results that, I believe, are not
equalled by any of the parks of our great eastern
cities.

The " South Park" of Chicago we first visited,
the floral department of which is under the
charge of Mr. Kanze. Unfortunately, the day we
called there our time was so limited, that I took
no notes and could only judge of it in a general
way, to be exceedingly well handled. There is
quite a range of greenhouses, probably 10,000
square feet, with extensive ranges of cold frames
where the plants used in bedding are grown be-
fore planting out, upwards of 100,000 of which
grown in five-inch pots were set out last season.

1880. J

AND HORTICULTURIST.

355

South Park, from its extent — 1050 acres — and
the improvements in the roads and walks still
going on, does not present such a finished and
unique appearance as it will do when these im-
provements are completed ; but every thing that
had been done showed skillful and careful
management, indicating that the Commissioners
had been fortunate in selecting a man with
talent comprehensive enough to grasp the multi-
tude of details in such an undertaking.

" Lincoln Park" to the north of the city has an
area of only 250 acres, but is a perfect gem in its
way. The floral department of this park assumed
form only three or four years ago, and it is diffi-
cult to understand how so much, so well done,
could have been accomplished in such a brief
time. Already upwards of 10,000 square feet of
well constructed greenhouses are up and filled
with an extensive and valuable collection of
tropical plants, exceedingly well grown, embrac-
ing many large and fine specimens. As in
South Park, the greater part of the greenhouses
during the winter and spring months are used
for propagating and growing plants that are
wanted for decorating the grounds in summer,
but this extent would be entirely inadequate for
that purpose were it not that the plants about
May 1st are shifted and transferred to the cold
frames of which there is capacity enough to hold
125,000 plants grown in five-inch pots, which
must require an area of at least 35,000 square feet.
These plants are set out about June 1st, and
being grown in five-inch pots, are then fine
plants, large enough to give an immediate efiect
— not quite as fine, of course, as when growth
has vigorously started later, but yet suflScient to
make the beds at once attractive. On the main
lawn in front of the Mall was a flower bed repre-
senting a Knight Templar's cross with the square
and compass in the centre, a very handsome de-
sign surrounded by an arabasque in the Byzan-
tine style, the lines of which are defined by white
shells.

Some captious criticism has been made on the
taste of this arrangement in using the shells, but
leaving the question of " propriety" aside, noth-
ing in flowers — particularly at a distance — could
produce such a sharp, well-defined and pleasing
line of white. Another beautiful bed represent-
ing a butterfly, exhibited well the unusual skill
shown all over in these decorations. When in
Europe a few years ago, I thought that nothing
seen there in planting equalled that of Battersea
Park, London, so we would here say that noth-

ing seen in this country, in our opinion, comes
up to the planting in Lincoln Park, Chicago-
The originality of design, the well judged blend-
ing of color, the healthy vigor of nearly every
plant, showed that there was a master hand to
lead ; this we found to be Herman De Vry, a
young German gardener, who has, for the past
three years, had charge of the floral department
of Lincoln Park.

The Commissioners of the Chicago Parks may
well feel proud of their work Only fifteen years
ago the grounds, now such a paradise of green
lawns, beautiful trees and brilliant flower beds,
was an open prairie. The transformation seems
magical, and stands out in strong relief against
the tasteless, niggardly method of those in charge
of our parks of New York and Brooklyn; where
twice longer in existence, and backed by all the
wealth of these great cities, there has not been
for years a flower bed fit to be looked at. Many
of the florist establishments of Chicago already
show the western energy and enterprise, but of
course, are as yet far behind the long established
concerns of the Eastern States. On leaving
Chicago our next visit was to Dayton, Ohio,
where the reports of the fine planting at the
National Soldiers' Home there induced us to
visit. Report had not exaggerated. The Sol-
diers' Home is finely situated some two or three
miles from the city on high undulating grounds,
which are laid out with broad and finely kept
roads and walks, judiciously arranged through
the finest lawns I have ever seen in this country.
The grounds of the Soldiers' Home answers all
the purpose of a park to the citizens of Dayton,
and has the additional interest of its grounds
being filled at all times, in fine weather, with
about five thousand '' men in blue," to whom
the Home seems a home indeed, for no one can
look upon — many of them — scarred veterans, the
most of whom are now grizzled and gray, with-
out being struck with their free and easy carriage
and contented looks, as if each soldier felt an
ownership in the ground on which he tred.
They are fed, housed and clad in the best man-
ner, and every thing else done to conduce to
their comfort and happiness. Any one spending
a day at the Soldiers' Home at Dayton, and ob-
serving the manner in which our nation's defend-
ers are so luxuriously cared for, would never
hesitate for a moment to believe that our re-
public, at least, is not ungrateful.

There are quite a number of well built green-
houses, embracing a most extensive variety of

856

THE GARDENER'S MONTHLY

[December,

plants, showing tliat the manager is well up to
the times in all that is interesting, new or rare
in plants. One of the most marked features of
this department of the Home was grottos of rock
work planted so as to produce the most pleasing
eflFect. Our lady friends who accompanied us
were in ecstacies over this, and hung around it
for hours. The planting in masses and in rib-
bon-line beds was excellent, and was almost
equal in extent to the parks at Chicago. Large
letters of crimson on the green velvet lawn made
us " Welcome" so plainly, that we felt as if our
good Uncle Sam was almost taking us by the
hand.

GARDEN SCIONS.

BY CANTAB. BOSTON, MASS.
II.

No plant has stood the drouth more unflinchingly
than Vinca rosea. Planted out it keeps green
and stocky, and is in blossom all summer long.
Raised from seed in a hot-bed or warm green-
house in February or early March, nice plants
are had for planting out in May. It is so easil}'
raised from seeds that propagation by cuttings is
seldom resorted to. It is largely used for mass-
ing in flower beds.

Retinosporas have grown better than any other of
our evergreens.

Mignonette vine, Dioscorea batatas and Mauran-
dia Barclayana have grown splendidly at the base
of a south-facing wall, where the soil is very dry
and the situation rather roasting.

Among red leaved bedding plants there is noth-
ing, so far, to surpass Alternanthera paronychioi-
des major. Most Alternantheras do not assume
their bright coloring till the end of July, but this
variety is always brilliant ; summer and winter
are alike to it. It is an excellent grower, with-
stands the drouth admirably, and requires just
the same care as any other Alternanthera.

The variegated Stevia takes the lead among
white-leaved strong-growing bedding plants. All
the year round it retains its variegation well, is
reliable and a vigorous grower, and bears any
amount of clipping with impunity.

As a carpet of green no plant of my acquaint-
ance nearly equals Veronica repens. The little
Mints grow so thick and soft that they damp off"
in patches. Arenaria glabra is a good plant for
a green carpet, but nothing to be compared with

this little Veronica ; neither can Thymus micana
nor T. Corsicus. Veronica repens grows so densely
and flat as to form tough sods, and judging from
its behavior here during the past two years,
keeps as closely to the ground as if it were
shaven. A deep green color in exposed and
half shaded places, never damps oS" when not
buried by other plants, is hardy, a great spreader,
and can be multiplied ad infinitum. To these
may be added a complete covering of lovely
blossoms in spring. As soon as they have done
flowering, the flower spikes should be sheared
off", in order to beautify the carpet.

A NEW METHOD WITH TUBEROSES.

BY MRS. M. D. WELLCOME, YARMOUTH, MAINE.

I call it a new method, because it seems to
be such, or at least a method not generally
known. It has been very kindly furnished me
by a florist resident at Concord, N. H., who was
induced to write me by seeing my "Talks About
Flowers" in the Boston Journal. Believing it
too valuable to be kept within private limits, I
send it to the Gardener's Monthly.

The florist says the main point may be an old
idea, but in a large range of horticultural read-
ing he has never seen it mentioned, nor heard
of its being used except in the instance he cites.
His previous experience is, we believe, like that
of many others. He says :

" I have grown tuberoses for the past ten years
with varying success, but the main difficulty has
been that so long a time has been required in
rooting and stocking them, that the first frost
finds a large proportion of them just budding,
or not commenced to spindle. Had tried vari-
ous places, hot-bed, furnace-room and hot-house,
and all the early spring months and December,
but that made no difference; they would not
start until they got ready, and I lost many bulbs
from rotting. Two years ago a friend who had
had a similar experience, surprised me by show-
ing me plants about the first of May with fine
tops that had been planted but three weeks, and
the first of June had stalks a foot high, while
my bulbs, which had been planted the first of
Febi'uary, did not commence to sprout until
June, although they had been in a hot-house
under favorable conditions.

" Now the reason was simply this : He had
taken his bulbs and not onlj' pulled off" all the
small ones attached, but had dug out with a
sharp knife all the small eyes, and had cut off" the
whole of the tuberous part, leaving only the bulb

1880.]

AND HORTICULTURIST.

357

proper. This I tried on one-half my bulbs, with
the result that they were nearly two months
earlier than those planted the same time that I
did not cut. Although this seems to be rather
severe treatment of the bulb, it has given such
good results that I propose to continue the
practice. "

Perhaps this article may open the way for
others to testify on this point. My own experi-
ence is that of late blooming. Of the dozen I
planted in the border in June, five were finely
budded when taken up in September, and have
since bloomed. Two others had just begun to
spindle, and on one fine buds are developed ;
the others, with one exceptiim, look as though
they would not stalk. Next year we purpose to
try this new method.

THE AMERICAN BANNER ROSE.

BY EDWIN C. JELLETT.

In the introduction of new plants, there has
been none of late years which excited more in-
terest than the above-mentioned rose. And if
we were to regard the various opinions which
we have heard expressed, it is considered one of
the most beautiful and marvellous of flowers by
one side, and the other side pronounce it abso-
lutely worthless. Concerning this rose I have
been told that it is a " beautiful Bon Silene
color," marked with white stripes, "and always
appearing true to the markings." Having seen
the rose, I must say I could not see anything
beautiful about it. Indeed, I thought it as un-
attractive as it is possible for a flower to be. It
is only the few outer rows of petals in which the
" markings" are distinct, and the centre of the
flower is so indistinct as to be almost colorless,
— botanically speaking. And as to its ^constant
marking, I would say it comes a pure "Bon
Silene " color very often. But is this curiosity,
Bo-called, original in this rose? In the "Amateur
Rose Book," by Shirley Hibberd, you will find
the following :

"In the Revue Hortieole, 1870, appeared 'an
article by M. Du Breuil, in which he suggested
a definite way for ensuring the production of
striped and spotted flowers of varieties that are
normally self-colored." And also he said :
" Having visited the garden of an amateur I was
shown several standard roses, and among them
"Geant des Batailles," of which, on some trees,
all the flowers (which were of a fine, deep red),

were marked with numerous spots of pale rose
color. I observed the same peculiarity in other
varieties of a light red, such as Gen. Jacquemi-
not. All these rose trees in other respects were
in a very fine condition of growth, and presented
all the other characters of the varieties to which
they belonged." The "American Banner Rose"
in this latter mentioned respect, most certainly
is distinct from all other roses known to me.
Indeed, the " thick, leathery " leaves are the
only things especially remarkable about it. And
it may be distinct, in that it was procured from
a " sport," as M. Du Breuil tells us, that tlie
roses seen by him were procured by budding,
and explained it in this wise : " Being obliged,
for want of a better, to take from the bottom of
a shoot some shield buds which apparently had
no eyes, he obtained from them a shoot which
produced a rose bush, the flowers of which pre-
sented the peculiarity mentioned, and after re-
peated experiments alwaj's obtained the result
named." The bud being in an immature state,
in perfecting itself, partakes of the nature of the
parent stock ; this is how we understand it. For
explanation by Shirley Hibberd, see page 217 of
his Rose Book, and also see "Gardeners' Maga-
zine," March 8th, 1873, a few extracts of which
are given in the rose book, (page 218). In regard
to their roses, will it be a success i^ractically
generally, that is, are its merits sufficient to make
it a profitable rose to grow ? I think not. The
rose is a very free bloomer, but if all the flowers
are allowed to open, they will be very indistinct,
and many of them, as I said before, without any
marking whatever. In my opinion it is only in
large towns, where fashion reigns supreme, will
this rose be in demand, and then only till the
novelty wears ofi".

GLADIOLUS COMMUNIS.

BY J. M.

Among hardy plants of attractive appearance
which one seldom sees in collections, is the
Gladiolus communis. It flowers in June with
the roses. It does not generally make such a
strong growth as the tender kinds, but yet, in
good soil, it pushes up to the height of two to
three feet. The flowers are purple outside, with
a lighter shading inside, and with a light cream
stripe in the centre of the three lower petals.
It is not common to see among tender kinds one
of such a deep purple as is the color of this
hardy one.

368

THE GARDENER'S MONTHLY

[December,

TREE ROSES.

BY E. FRYEE, DELAWARE, OHIO,

Some years ago I tried experiments with tree
roses, working them by budding four feet high on
the common Prairie roses as stocks. The first
winter they were carefully tied with rye straw.
It proved an exceptionally hard winter; atone
time reaching as low as 31° below zero. As a
consequence, every upright stock was frozen
down to the snow line. A few that were bent
down and covered with earth only survived.
This was rather discouraging, there being about
twelve hundred strong stocks in the block.

The following season about one-half the num-
ber was budded, selecting, as in the first season,
a strong shoot from each stock, cutting away all
others, working over some of them twice, and
some even a third time to make sure that every
stock had a living bud by the end of the season.
In December all were laid down lengthwise of
the rows, covered with earth, and so remained
till spring, when they were drawn out, stems
quite green and buds all alive. Owing to the
great strength of the stocks, I had hopes of hav-
ing a fine growth from the buds when once they
had reached the spring in safety. Every sprout
that appeared on stem and base of stocks was
carefully rubbed off" during the summer. Most
of the buds pushed vigorously early in theseason,
and some made tolerably fair heads by the end;
but, the great majority failed to come up to my
expectations in size. About one third of the
stocks blackened in spots and pieces, something
in the manner of pear blight, cutting oflfall com-
munication between root and bud ; whole stems
dying even after the buds had made several
inches of growth. The stocks were grown on
strong rose ground, no manure was used. The
varieties used as stocks were Prairie Queen,
Anna Maria and Milledgeville. On the whole,
the experiment seemed too much of a failure
and was discontinued. I presume other parties
may have done the same thing witb more or less
modification, but men don't geiuTally like to
record their failures, forgetful of the fact that in
horticultural operations, we learn something
from a failure.

Now the why and wherefore of this failure will
be attributed by intelligent, practical men gene-
rally, to the action of the sun on the bare stems
of the stocks. To offset this theory, I can state
the fact of a success by a German gardener at
Columbus, in this State, whom I visited a few
months since. He grows tree roses on a small

scale, but having done so for quite a number of
years — some of his standards being now fifteen
years old — establishes the fact that it can be
done and successfully too. When I firat saw the
plantation above referred to six years ago, there
were some three to four dozen standards, three
to four feet high, in his front yard, with very large
heads ; besides these he had a small nursery of
a few hundred in the rear of his city lot, in dif-
ferent stages. I saw the large plants in their full
blooming season, and they were a grand sight to
behold. Such immense heads of Hermosa,
showy Bosanquettes and glowing Agrippinas,
and of the hardy hybrids Lord Raglan, Baronne
Prevost, Geant de Battailles, &c., bloomed in un-
usual size of flower and splendor of coloring.
Such, indeed, as would compare favorably with
many specimens of the same in the grand old
roseries of the old world. The stock used for
these roses is the much abused Manetti.

From these facts it seems clear that our prairie
roses are unsuited as stocks for tree roses. The
objection to the manetti is that it sprouts so
much from the root, but the prairie stocks with
my little experience, sprouted a great deal too,
from the collar of the plant. The price, how-
ever, of tree roses is care. Care in selection of
stocks, budding and the general details of cul-
ture. I doubt whether we can grow them as
isolated specimens ; in groups they will be more
secure, if sufficient room be allowed for laying
them down in winter.

It is probable that south of the Ohio, standard
or tree roses can be cultivated without the trouble
of laying them down in winter. The cost, how-
ever, of laying them down anywhere will not ex-
ceed ten dollars a thousand ; so that judging
from the price that commercial men have to pay
for imported stock, it will pay to grow them in
our own country, if once we can decide on the
best stock to work on and get rid of the fear of
climatic difficulties.

Would be pleased to hear from any one,
through the Monthly, who has tried experi-
ments, or has anything to suggest on the subject.

OSACE ORANGE HEDGES.

BY R. C. MCMURTRIE, PHILADELPHIA.

Raising Plants. — The seed can generally be
purchased of any seedsman. I bought mine at
Landreth's. I soaked the seeds in water for
forty-eight hours before planting. When treated
thus they sprouted almost as freely as could be

1880.]

AND HORTICULTURIST.

859

desired. Those not soaked came up sparsely
and very badly.

The ground was prepared as for ordinary gar-
den seeds. The seed was placed in rows, about
one foot apart, and about one inch deep. I kept
the plants carefully weeded from their first ap-
pearance till the autumn. The result has been
that plants raised one spring are fit for setting
out as hedges the next spring.

Preparing Ground for the Hedge. — In the au-
tumn the line of the ground on which the hedge
is to stand is dug as a trench, about eighteen
inches wide and one foot deep. The earth is
laid on the side of the trench and the bottom
broken with a pick. In that condition I left it
during the winter for the frost to do its work of

Cultivating or tilling. — In the spring, when the
ground is warm enough to cause the plants to
show the first symptoms of life by pushing, I
put a quantity of the best barn-yard manure in
the trench or ditch, and on that placed the loose
earth left lying at the side during the winter.
In this ground the plants were placed. If in
two rows, eighteen inches apart ; if in one row,
nine inches apart. The latter, I am inclined to
think from experience, the best for every pur-
pose.

The plants thus set out were kept carefully
weeded and cultivated all summer. They
sprouted slowly and very irregularly. But these
were plants purchased. Those I grew were much
quicker and more uniform. By the end of July
nearly every plant was growing. In one in-
stance, by count, I found but two out of two
hundred and eighty failed.

Subsequent treatment. — In the autumn the
plants treated as above stated had grown in
single stems, from three to six feet high, depend-
ing on the earlier or later start. The stems were
quite thick.

These I laid down without cutting, nicking or
breaking, by simply bending them nearly flat to
the ground, and ^'Wiving them as one would
osiers in wicker work. There is little elasticity,
but great toughness in the wood, and the thorns
secure them in place when bent and woven,
without tying or any other sort of fastening.

The next year the hedge started with an aver-
age height of six inches from the ground of the
stems, thus lying laterally along the ground. The
leaf buds sent up shoots similar to those of the
first year, but thicker and higher ; many grew
eight feet. The ground was cultivated with a
hoe and weeded. In the autumn these stems

were again laid down, without nicking, breaking
or cutting. This made a hedge of lateral stems
about eighteen inches from the ground.

The next summer the shoots grew, the upright
ones much more vigorously than the laterals.
When the upright shoots reached three feet or
more, I cut the tops with a sickle at the height
I determined.

This was repeated at intervals, whenever there
were a few inches of ground above the line de-
termined, from time to time, as the height of the
hedge. This permitted the shorter and weaker
stems to grow withunt checking till they reached
the proper line.

The result was, that in the third summer from
setting out the plants there was a good hedge,
sufficient to turn ordinary cattle, as it seemed.
Certainly in all subsequent years it was impervi-
ous to man or beast. And It had a foundation
as firm as a fence.

Cutting. — If this is done when the plants are
young, they are so succulent that an amateur
can readily trim two hundred feet in an hour,
and feel no fatigue.

Laying doion. — I have this year adopted a plan
that I deem a great improvement, and I have
done it with stems varying from a quarter to an
inch diameter, thus : I cut off with nippers a num-
ber of stems to the height of two feet, so that a stem
left at each end of the cutting when laid down
and woven into the upright cut stems would
cross each other, and give at least two lines of
lateral stems passing in and out of the stumps
of the cut stems, thus giving a living fence of
about two feet high. I expect to trim the growth
from these next summer to about three feet
high, leaving the laterals to grow with little or
no trimming to form the hedge into the pyra-
midal form, which is essential, as lower branches
will not flourish if upper branches overhang
them.

If any one can show more perfect hedges that
have thus been produced, I have yet to see or
hear of them.

EDITORIAL NOTES.

Memorial Trees.— The Dukes of Connaught
and of Edinburgh, recently planted some oaks as
memorials of visits on important occasions.

Red Colchican Maple. — This tree is remarka-
ble for its beautiful pink second growth of leaves.
When the tree gets towards maturity it makes
but one growth in a season, and loses the pink

360

THE GARDENER'S MONTHLY

[December,

peculiaritj'. But in autumn it is one of the most
lovely of yellows. The Norway maple is pretty
in its lemon yellow, but this maple is bright
golden. Its proper name is Acer Itetum.

Rhododendrons. — These are not so particular
about the kind of soil as its texture. A. stony
soil — one that is porous — is good. They will not
do in clay or heavy land.

Climbing Hybrid Perpetuai^s.— Mr. D. F.
Fish, excellent authority, believes that some of
the Hybrid Perpetuals will do to train as climb-
ers, or pillar roses, and gives Ihe Garden the fol-
lowing list :

"Neither must it be inferred from my silence
about Hybrid Perpetuals that these are not suit-
able for the covering of dwelling-houses. On
the contrary, they form the best material for this
purpose. Of late years, too, climbing varieties
of some of the finest Perpetuals have been pro-
duced, and we are now provided with climbing
Bessie Johnson, Charles Lefebvre, Countess of
Oxford, Edouard Morren, Geant des Batailles,
Jules Margottin, Madame Eugene Verdier, Victor
Verdier, &c. These alone — assuming that they
are equal in quality to their non-climbing name-
sakes, which, however, several of them are not —
would suffice to lighten up and clothe the barest
mansion. The majority of the Hybrid Perpetuals
are strong enough to climb or grow up to the
height of the walls of ordinary dwelling-houses,
provided they have good borders to start in and
are well fed afterwards. The following may be
specified as among those best adapted for the
covering of dwelHng houses, stables, out-build-
ings, &c., viz., Alfred Colomb, Antoine Ducher,
Abel Grand, Beauty of Waltham, Baronne Pre-
vost, Boule de Neige, Centifolia rosea, Charles
Lefebvre, Comtesse de Chabrillant, Docteur
Andre, Duke of Wellington, Duke of Edinburgh,
Duchess of Norfolk, Edouard Morren, Elie Morel,
Etienne Levet, Ferdinand de Lesseps, Francois
Michelon, General Jacqueminot, Glory of Walt-
ham, Jules Margottin, La France, Madame Eu-
gene Verdier, Madame Ferdinand Jamin,
Madame Noman, Madame Victor Verdier.
Madame Vidot, Marechal Vaillant, Marie Bau-
mann, Marie Rady, Monsieur Noman, Mrs Lax-
ton, Paul Neron, Senateur Vaisse, Sir Garnet
Wolseley, Sultan of Zanzibar, Victor Verdier,
Xavier Olibo, &c. From this list, which might
readily be doubled or trebled, it is obvious that
if our dwelling-houses are not covered with roses
it is at least for no lack of suitable material."

QUERIES.

Schinus molle. — This is what our corres-
pondent refers to : "I enclose this branch of
what my son says is called the Pepper tree in
California, having the odor of pepper. He speaka
of it as the handsomest tree he saw there. I
grew it from seed. What is it, a Locust? Please
name it. One planted out that spring grew eight
or ten feet. I suppose it will not prove hardy
here."

Ants. — Alpha informs us that ants rapidly
made a midnight move after a lawn was sprink-
led by an artificial fertilizer, and a rose bush also
infested, was cleared of the intruders similarly
treated. We have no doubt but that many of
these nauseous smelling mixtures would be
effective, as the ant has nice smelling powers.

Propagating the Maiden Hair Tree. — R. T.
McN., Jackson, Mich., asks : " What is the beet
way to propagate Salisburia adiantifolia? Have
tried cuttings under glass with no success."

[You will succeed best by layering. Choose
shoots about one year old, notching the part
buried in the earth to facilitate rooting. — Ed.
G. M.]

Varieties of Norway Spruce. — A. T. McN.,
Jackson, Mich., asks : " Will you please answer
through the medium of the Gardener's Monthly
the following questions :

" I have noticed that there is a considerable dif-
ference in the appearance of different specimens
of the Norway Spruce, in respect to habit of
growth. Some have a distinctly pendulous
character to the small branches, giving them a
far richer and more elegant appearance, and
reminding one of heavy folds of crape, thus mak-
ing them very desirable and ornamental plant-
ing for cemeteries. Close inspection reveals no
other diff"erence between these and the Norway
Spruce of upright and cheerful habit, more com-
mon here. Are the pendulous specimens a dis-
tinct variety, or merely a sport, or neither ?
My ignorance may appear ridiculous to those
familiar with this difference, but one way to learn
is to ask."

[It is a law in all trees that there are no two
exactly alike, though some species show a wider
range of variation than others. The Norway
Spruce especially varies very much. There is no
way to select with absolute certainty the pendu-

1880.]

AND HORTICULTURIST.

861

lous forms from the other, but at the pushing out
of the leaves in spring, we may come pretty near
accuracy by selecting those which push out a

little later than others. When one has a variety
they wish to perpetuate, it can be done by layer-
ing—Ed. G. M.]

Greenhouse and House Gardening.

SEASONABLE HINTS.

To grow flowers well, good potting is essential ;
but few know in what good potting consists.
The hole in the bottom of the pot is to let out
the water ; but few take care to keep the earth
from choking up the hole. The bottom of the
flower pot is often as flat as a pancake, and, when
set on a flat board, there might as well be no
hole in the bottom. A perfect pot is convex at
the base. A piece of old pot, or some stones
should go over the hole, and some moss or rooty
material to keep the earth from getting in among
the stones. Then the soil should have sand with
it, as this keeps the whole mass porous, and the
water is enabled to pass rapidly' away. It is best
to use soil for potting rather dry, and so dry that
a lump will powder when crushed; then it can
be pounded firmly in the pot. and the more it
is pounded the more air spaces there will be,
and this is what perfect potting desires. It wants
air to the roots — moist air, to be sure, but still
air; and a soil in which water does not drain
rapidly away, has no air.

If plants are not growing they do not need
much light. Such plants can be put in the
shadiest places, but if they grow they must have
light; and if flower is desired, then the light
ought to be sunlight.

Oranges mul Lemons will require the coolest
part of the house, and to receive no more water
than will just keep them fresh.

The most interesting tribe of plants at this
season of the year is, undoubtedly, the Camellia.
The buds frequently drop off before flowering ;
this may spring from three causes— from the
plants being kept too dry, or from the drainage
being bad. whereby the soil becomes sodden, or
from the house being kept too warm by insuf-
ficient ventilation. As the leaf-buds burst, the
plants are benefited by occasional syringings;

and, indeed, an increased supply of water alto-
gether, in order to accommodate the demands of
the young growth.

Cinerarias will soon be the chief attraction.
The least frost kills them, yet they will not do
well if kept in a high temperature. They love
moisture, yet are very impatient of damp. No
plant is more improved by the use of charcoal
in potting than this.

Hyacinths that have been out of doors, or in
any reserve place for protection, may be brought
in a few weeks before wanted ; they should not
have much heat, light or moisture for a few days,
and then only gradually.

Carnations and Pinks are much admired when
grown in pots and flowered there early. They
do not flower well if too much warmth be given,
but the usual temperature of the greenhouse will
bring them forward a month before they can be
had out of doors. Whenever the roots make
their appearance through the bottoms of the
pots, they should be shifted into a size larger.
They require very little water, and love the light,
and whatever manures are used to enrich the
soil should be thoroughly rotten. The Pansy, on
the other hand, delights in half-rotten, strawy
manure and turfy loam. If a quantity of seed-
lings have been raised in the fall, they will re-
quire potting this month. They do not flower
well here when the weather becomes warm ; but
when grown in pots, and forwarded slightly by
the aid of a cool frame, they do very well.

Cacti and succulent plants generally, will scarce-
ly require water at all, unless in very dry situa-
tions, and then receive but a slight sprinkling
with a syringe. The rule " When you water a
plant at all, let it soak right through," does not,
by any means, hold good with these plants, if
there be not some other good exception.

A good supply of young Fuchsias should be
coming on now. Re-pot as their roots fill each

362

THE GARDENER'S MONTHLY.

[December,

pot; let them not want for moisture or light; do
not pinch off their tops, but let them grow rapid-
ly. The temperature in which they are grown
should not exceed 55°. A turfy loam, moderately
enriched with well-decayed manure, and well
drained with charcoal, suits them admirably.

COMMUNICA TIONS.

CUT FLOWER TRADE.-H YBRIDS.

BY W. E. MEEHAN PHILA , PA.

There has been much difficulty experienced
by the growers in raising Hybrid roses for the
cut flower market ; and thus far with the single
exception of Gen. Jacqueminot, all efforts have
been almost a total failure.

Paul Neron is grown to a limited extent, and
could it be put on the market at a reasonable
figure would probably be one of the favorites, as
its large size, noble form, and peculiar soft rosy
red color make it very attractive. A rose, how-
ever, that in February can hardly be sold under
two dollars each, retail, will scarcely find more
than a limited number of purchasers.

There are other hybrids that can be forced
with more or less ease, but there is always some-
thing defective in the flower, either that it does
not form a good bud, or that its color is wrong
or undecided, or some such cause.

Gen. Jacqueminot, however, to those that have
been lucky in raising it, has been a little "mine,"
80 to speak, and has probably been the best pay-
ing of all the fancy roses.

Professionally speaking, "Jack" rose is not in
the market much before Februnry, although a
few may be had as early as December. These
are aptly called " bastards," being poor, misera-
ble, scrubby little things. Poor as they are,
however, they are worth about forty dollars per
hundred then.

Although this price seems enormous for such
a poor article, one grower who had one house
especially for December forcing, assured me that
the season before he had lost twenty cents on
every bud he sold, and he having a su|)orior
stock received fifty dollars a hundred for tliem.
He continued forcing early because it gave him
a le.ad in the market, and enabled him to c;om-
mand a higher price for his other goods.

A single crop of Jacks lasts about two weeks,
and a house will yield a couple of crops, one in
February and a second in April.

The fluctuation ill the price of Jacks is start-

ling and terrifying to the oldest hand. I have
known a rise or a fall of twenty dollars a hun-
dred in a single day. Last season the average
scale of prices in Philadelphia was about as fol-
lows to May 1st : —

Feb. 1st half, per hundred, $60

2nd " " 45

March. 1st week, " 35

2nd " " 30

8d " " 20

4th " " 35

April. 1st " " 15

2nd " " 12

3d " " 20

4th " " 25

During this time, of course, there were many
and violent cnanges — the highest figure that was
reached in that time was sixty-five dollars, and
the lowest six dollars per hundred.

The average retail price was fifty cents a bud,
although they have sold as high as a dollar, each.
A " Jack" bouquet is worth from fifteen to
thirty dollars. It is used alone, or in combina-
tion with Niel, Cook, or Lily of the Valley.

A bouquet, the centre formed of Niels, or one
of one side Niels and one side Jacks, were the
favorites last winter. A Jack bouquet is gene-
rally trimmed with ribbon to match the color of
the bud.

Over a thousand Jacks were used in Philadel-
phia recently on one occasion by one firm. The
buds having a good stifi" figure in the market at
the time.

Jacqueminot is a second of the three roses,
the price of which is always kept up, for the same
reason that M. Niel is held stiff" by the retail
florist.

Jacqueminot was first introduced to the public
in Boston, where it at once created a furore that
has not j'et subsided.

BRYOPHYLLUM CALYCINUM.

BY C. E. PARNELL, QUEENS, L. I.

In reply to Mrs. R. P., who inquires in the
August Monthly, page 237, for information
respecting Bryophyllum calycinum, I would
say that it belongs to the Natural Order
Crassulacese, and that it is a native of the East
Indies from which country it was introduced
in 1800.

It is a succulent, evergreen plant growing about
three feet high, with thick, fleshy, opposite leaves,
the leaves being composed of three to five foliate

1880.]

AND HORTICULTURIST.

363

oval crenate leaflets. The flowers are produced
from April to July in loose terminal panicles, the
single flowers being long and pendulous, with an
inflated calyx and a tubular purple corolla. It
is a plant of easy cultivation, requiring good
drainage, a rich loamy soil and but little water.
Propagation is efiected by the leaves which pro-
duce buds on their margins, which produce new
plants if placed in • a damp situation. During
wet summer weather they occasionally do this
in the living plant, this peculiarity renders it
rather an interesting plant.

If Mrs. E,. P. possesses a copy of Peter Hender-
son's plant catalogue for 1877, she will find on
page 26 an excellent wood-cut of the Bryophyllum
from which she can form a much better idea of
its manner of flowering than I could possibly
give her by words.

Why Mrs. R. P.'s plant does not flower I can-
not say, but I would advise her to allow it to be-
come pot bound, and to keep it dry during the
winter months. Commence to water freely in
April, giving it an occasional watering of liquid
manure water. After it has ceased flowering,
shift the plant into a larger pot, and gradually
withhold all water after the first of October.
Thus treated, I do not think it is a difficult plant
to flower, and I am inclined to the opinion that
Mrs. R. P. gives her plant too much pot room
for its roots. The Bryophyllum is cultivated,
however, more for the peculiarity of its leaves
rooting at their edges than the beauty of its
flowers.

WATERING CREENHOUSES.WITH A HOSE.

BY EDWARD L. KOETHEN, PITTSBURG, PA.

Many very good gardeners have a prejudice
against using a hose in watering their green-
houses. It is hard to tell where such a prejudice
has originated, but it is undoubtedly nothing
more or less than this, for much time and labor
can be saved by its judicious use, without injury
to the plants. Indeed, plants which require
much water are apt to be neglected by careless
workmen, when they must be supplied by can
watering, but where the hose is used there is less
liability to neglect. It is true care must be
taken in its application ; but where is there an
operation in this line which does not require
care ? It might be answered that careless work-
men cannot be trusted with a hose, that they
will water every thing indiscriminately if they
have so easy a manner of getting the water, and
that then you have gained nothing over the can

method in this direction, and on the contrary
that it takes more care. Admit all this, but do
you not gain time and labor? and will it not pay
in the end to hire good help, and watch that the
watering is properly done ? In the winter par-
ticularly, the hose should be used with discretion,
especially in the stove-house, where indeed it
might be well to banish it entirely until the
water becomes warm enough to be used with
safety, and even then it is well to use a can with
many finer plants which require special atten-
tion. The careful workman who waters with a
hose, it must be remembered, need not throw
the water around in all directions, regardless of
the wants of many ef the plants in the house ;
but he will so regulate the stream that he can
water each plant separately, and only wet the
foliage of these which require syringing, and
with a little practice it can be done with as
much precision by this means as by the old way,
except in some few cases, and then a can must
be used as above indicated. With general stock,
in the cooler houses, the hose can and will, I am
sure, eventually be universally used to good ad-
vantage. I say it can, because I have seen it
used for a number of years with good results.
Where city waterworks are not at command a
good force pump is indispensable, and no garden
should be without one. There are some large
commercial Rstablishments in the country where
the hose is never used, and where at least one-
third, and in many cases much more of the work
of watering, could be saved by its use. I have
seen two men do all the watering in an establish-
ment, where the hose and hydrant were taken
advantage of, in the same time that it took five
men with much harder work to water all the
plants under less glass, where the watering was
done with cans, and then their work was not
done nearly as well, and had to be revised before
the time came again for regular watering.

Now if some of the good old fashioned garden-
ers who are opposed to all innovations, would
give this a thorough trial, they would be
astonished at the result, and I am sure that they
would never want to do without the hose after-
wards .

ONE USE OF SLATE IN GREENHOUSE
BUILDING.

BY GEORGE BALDERSTON, COLORA, MD.

I have received many valuable ideas from the
pages of the Gardener's Monthly during the
past few years, and by way of return give an idea

364

THE GARDENER'S MONTHLY

[December,

that I have put in practice and found to work
well in my own case, but have not noticed else-
where, though it may not be new to others. It
is to use ordinary roofing slate for the bottom of
greenhouse flues. They can be had anywhere,
nine or ten inches wide by eighteen or twenty
inches in length, and are cheaper and better
than brick to use in long horizontal flues, occu-
pying less space ; and the slate I use only re-
quires to be supported twenty inches apart in-
stead of the eight inches that brick require. As
these flues are always better on, or partly buried
in the earth, for a short distance from the fur-
nace, to modify the excess of heat by lessening
the radiating surface, no slates are needed so
close to a furnace that there is any danger of
their cracking by the heat when they are covered
with a coating of mortar in which the side bricks
are imbedded. From the nature of things, the
top of a flue is always hotter than the bottom,
and I have never thought it safe to try to use
them on top, where they are more liable to break-
age from other causes; but would have no hesi-
tation in covering the flue also at a distance of
forty to fifty feet from the furnace. They will
absorb and radiate nicely, but we know that a
blaze or extreme heat will cause them to fly to
pieces. The slates I use each have a surface
equal to five, and a part of them of six bricks.
These are supported on stone at their junctures,
and leave a clear space under the flue for free
circulation of air, and this is an additional gain.

In choosing slate for this use, I do not pick
out very thin ones, but with a little care in first
laying the flue there is no weight to break them,
the brick being nearly self-supporting when
mortar is dry. With this foundation it is easy
to build these horizontal chimneys five inches
in inside diameter, and thus insure a good draft.

There are special tiles made for this use,
but they have no advantage that I know of over
slate, and are not to be had every where.

COOL ORCHIDS.-Stanhopeas.

BY W.

Although strictly speaking all the species of
this curious genus are not cool orchids, they all
are as well adapted to cultivation in any ordinary
greenhouse, as many of those which are found
at greater altitudes. This the writer has tho-
roughly tested for the past two years, and can
therefore speak from experience.

With exception of the large family of Epiden-
drums, the Stanhopeas are of the easiest culture,

and can be grown as successfully by the amateur
as a geranium or fuchsia. Notwithstanding they
are chiefly natives of the hottest parts of Mexico
and South America, they seem to have a greater
capacity of accommodating themselves to a
moderate degree of heat, I might almost say an
absence of it, than any members of this wonder-
ful family. One species is included among the
orchids successfully grown out of doors in
Bohemia during June, July and August, 1852,
and subsequent years, and I am convinced that
partially shaded, they will grow equally well
from May to September in the latitudes of Balti-
more and further South in the open air, as they
have done under glass without fire-heat. Like
all orchids, except those coming from equatorial
regions, many of which will grow continuously,
they require a season of rest and growth, and
blossom during the summer and autumn months
only. Simultaneously with the flower stems, the
young growth appears and pushes forward
vigorously, many of the leaves and pseudo
bulbs attaining the height of two feet. During
this season they need a liberal supply of water,
and if the leaves are occasionally syringed it
will prevent the attacks of the red spider and
thrips. After their growth has been completed,
water should be gradually withheld, and only
sparingly given until the time for their flower
spikes to be developed in the spring. For those
who are commencing the culture of orchids,
there are none better adapted to their wants, as
they are easily cared for in winter, it being only
necessary to keep them in a light and airy posi-
tion where the thermometer does not fall below
40° at night. As a proof of the ease of their
culture, I will say that a plant of S. Martiana in
the summer of 1879, developed a spike of seven
flowers while suspended from the roof of a
greenhouse by a string, without basket, moss or
any attention, save an occasional syringing, and
also made new growth, and a plant of 5. IVardii,
imported in July, although without foliage, is
now sending down a strong flower scape. They
should be invariably grown in baskets, open at
the bottom and the sides, made of small cedar
or locust sticks, six to eight inches in length and
four deep ; the bottom of copper wire or sticks
half an inch apart, to permit the flower spikes
to find their way through with ease, as they
always take a downward direction, and are often
blighted if they meet with any obstruction in
their course; and these baskets must be sus-
pended from the roof near the light, protected

1880.

AND HORTICULTURIST.

866

slightly from the scorching rays of the sun.
They should be grown in no other material than
true sphagnum moss.

This was one of the two or three orchids ob-
served by Hernandez, the old Spanish natura-
list, a century and a half before orchids became
popular, who, on page 266 of his work, gives a
rude wood cut of the plant, under the name of
the Lynx flower. The name is not inaptly applied,
yet to the majority of observers its curiously grin-
ning flowers remind one more of a flock of birds
with spotted wings outspread, hovering over some
object they are endeavoring to take up with
their claws. This fancy is more striking in
S. oculata, so named from the brown spots in
the sides of the grotto, which have the appear-
ance of eyes. They vary in size from two to
eight inches across, and in numbers, upon a
scape, from two to nine. I have had several
with eight the past summer, and some species
are said to produce many more. Some are
without fragrance, but most emit a strong odor
each species having its peculiar characteristic in
this respect, occasionally unpleasant, but usually
delightful — strong vanilla, delicate cinnamon or
lemon scented — and in one species, S. virginalis,
which is pure white, like orange blossoms. This
is very rare. In color, all shades of yellow,
orange, lemon, straw color and greenish-white
abound, and the pure ivory white and waxy lip
of several species gives them a beauty and soft-
ness seldom seen in the floral world. A large
portion of the species have flowers spotted with
chocolate, red, purple of various shades, crimson
and rose, and as unlike in the method of their
arrangement as possible to imagine. My own
experience confirms the testimony of others,
that each species is more or less varied by cross
fertilization in their native habitats, scarcely two
plants of the same species being spotted alike,
although the form of the flower, the distinctive
characteristic of the species is the same. The
only drawback to their general cultivation and
usefulness for decorative purposes is the fugi-
tive character of their blossoms, lasting usually
for three days only ; but this is more than made
up by the fact that each strong and healthy
plant will give from one to three spikes of from
three to eight flowers each summer, and a friend
reports seven spikes from one basket.

Very little reliable information with regard to
the several species is to be found in any of the
many works on orchids and their culture.
Williams names but ten, and many of these are

much alike; Bull but ten, the Fairfield orchids
but two; and Burbidge does not even include
these in his " Cool Orchids and How to Grow
Them." Evidently the genus is as they saj',
much mixed, and the opportunity is still afforded
for some enterprising botanist to classify and re-
arrange this splendid family of gorgeously
colored flowers in some systematic order, and
assign to their proper places the twenty-six
species now known to exist, and the new ones
continually being discovered in South America.

It may be desirable to add that the name
given to this interesting genus was so conferred
by Sir Wm. J. Hooker, in compliment to the
Right Honorable Philip Henry, Earl Stanhope,
about fifty years ago. President of the Medico-
Botanical Society, of London ; the Mexican
name given by Hernandez is the euphonious
"Coatzonte Coxochitl," and that the distinguish-
ing characteristics are the downward direction
taken by the flower-scapes and certain botanical
differences in the structure of the flower, in-
tensely interesting, but not necessary to mention
here.

STRIPED PELARGONIUMS.

BY JAMES W. DOHERTY, NEWPORT, R. I.

I see that the lovers of fancy geraniums look
for Mr. Cannell's New Life as original. It is
nothing new for the gardeners of Newport to
see a striped geranium. I have one for the past
eight years, of my own raising ; it sends up its
large truss of flowers well over the foliage. Some
of the petals are half pink and half scarlet;
more of Ihem striped. On the same plant there
can be seen scarlet, pink and striped blooms at
tne same time. This geranium I have kept and.
did not make it public.

PLUMBAGO CAPENSIS AND JASMINUM
GRANDIFLORUM.

BY W., VIRGINIA.

Few attempts at floriculture are more dis-
couraging than that of growing plants in the
winter in an ordinary sitting-room, hoping for
a continuance of flowers the whole sesison ; for
if we except Ageratum Mexicana, Browallia
elata, and one or two fuchsias and geraniums
which do not appear to suffer from the dry at-
mosphere and coal gas, these attempts are
generally miserable failures.

Each year one gets more and more discotiraged,
and notwithstanding the occasionally encourag-

366

THE GARDENER'S MONTHLY

[December,

ing words of some one who has been a little
more unfortunate, is tempted to give up in dis-
gust.

Of late I have preferred to grow some plants
in the winter for summer flowering, or rather to
let them live, and I feel amply repaid for the
slight care they require. A plant called winter-
blooming is often supposed to bloom continu-
ously the whole year, but such is not usually the
case. Most plants require a season of rest as
well as growth, and if they have flowered freely
in summer, it is too much to expect a continu-
ance of their favors in winter also. If flowers
are desired during the inclement season, the
young buds must be nipped off in summer and
a good growth of wood obtained before removing
them indoors to grace the parlor or sitting-room;
but it is often better to start young plants from
cuttings rooted in sand, from July to September,
for that purpose.

My intention was not to speak of plants
in general, but of two favorites in particular,
named above, and of the treatment they re-
quire. They are called winter-blooming in cata-
logues, and so they are, under lavorable aus-
pices, in a greenhouse or good conservatory ; but
with me those enemies to household plant cul-
ture, referred to above, have rendered my at-
tempts unsuccessful. A few dwarfed blossoms
can scarcely be called a reward for one's care
and patience.

In the autumn these plants should be cut well
back and the pots lifted without changing the
soil: removed to a cool, light room, away from
frost ; occasionally watered sparingly, just
enough to keep them from drying. If they com-
mence to grow a little it will do no harm. When
all danger of frost has passed in spring, shift
into a size larger pot if necessary, shaking off all
the old soil and give gool drainage and a plenti-
ful supply of rich loam. Plunge in the border and
water freely. They will soon break abundantly,
if they have not already done so, and in a few
weeks be covered with a profusion of flowers.

Plumbago capensis is a perfect gem, with its
one-sided clusters of fairy-like flowers of the
most delicate shade of light blue imaginable,
and such a profuse bloomer. It only lacks
fragrance to make it unsurpassed. The flowers
last in perfection but one day, but others open
the next on the same- spike or raceme, so that
the same cluster is in bloom for several days.
P. Larpentse, a hardy perennial species, flowers
of a rich shade of blue. P. alba and P. rosea do

not compare with this, which is very distinct and
unlike any of the others in leaf, flower and
habit. P. coccinea, I have not seen.

Jasminum grandiflorum, or as sometimes
called the Catalonian Jessamine, is not as hardy
as J. officinale, so common in our gardens. It is
sold as a winter blooming greenhouse plant of
climbing habit. The leaf is larger, with nine leaf-
lets instead of seven, and the flowers of more sub-
stance and larger also ; pure white, tinged pink
on reverse of petals, delightfully fragrant. The in-
floresence is not as compact as in the hardy spe-
cies, and is rather loose and branching, but it by
far exceeds the latter in grace and beauty, and the
delicate sprays, at the extremity of every young
shoot, are perfection, with a skeleton geranium
leaf for a hontonniere. It does not blossom quite
as early as the Plumbago capensis, but continues
longer in flower, and will often blossom well into
winter if not cut back and removed to the
house, with change not too sudden.

For several seasons I have treated these plants
in this manner most successfully, and they afibrd
me far more pleasure than a few dwarfed
blossoms would as a return for the trouble to
keep them free from red spider and dust in
winter.

EDITORIAL NOTES,

Ivy-leaf Pelargonium Gloire d'Orleans. —
This very fine and distinct variety is one of the
floral treasures Mr. Barron secured for this sea-
son at Chiswick. For its pleasing and distinct
color, of a bright, pale, rosy-magenta hue, much
deeper than anything that has yet appeared ; for
the fulness of its flowers, which are medium-
sized but very double ; and for the marked free-
dom of habit which characterizes this fine addi-
tion to the Ivy-leaf Pelargonium, a freedom that
shows itself in connection with a close and
compact habit— for these fine qualities Gloire
d'Orleans excels all the double forms of the Ivy-
leaf — Gardener's Chronicle.

Lapageria. — This is a very popular cut flower
plant in England, — some having houses exclu-
sively devoted to it as we have of Myrsiphyl-
luni, or " Smilax," as it is popularly called.
There are two varieties, the white and the rose-
colored.

Cypripedium insigne. — This pretty lady slip-
per grows very well in a cool greenhouse, and as
it is a winter flower, ia getting popular for cut
flowers.

1880.1

AND HORTICULTURIST.

367

Table Decorations. — A correspondent says:
Nothing is more useful with him than the leaves
of Mahonia aquifolia, as a base for other flowers.

Double Cinerarias. — The single Cineraria is
one of the most beautiful ornaments for rooms
or greenhouses in early spring. Our foreign
exchanges continue to speak of improvements
being made in the double ones.

N£W PLANTS.

Double Bouvardia — 'A. Neuner." — We re-
cently noted that a double white Bouvardia had

been introduced; and we have received a living
head of flowers from Nanz & Neuner, of Louis-
ville, Kentucky. By the courtesy of the firm,
we are now enabled to give a representation of
the flower. We have not had anything at hand
for a long time so beautiful ; and we fancy it will
have a run of popularity unexampled in flori-
culture.

QUERIES.

QuKKiKS —' C " a.sks : "Will you or some of your
readers please be so good as to give me a des-
cription of Anthurium magnificum ? Of what

l)<)l•Bl.^ POrVAKOIA "a. neunek.

Cvountry is it a native? and by whom introdared,
and when? An article giving some information
concerning this plant would no doubt prove of
value to some of your reader«."

SoLAHUM AZUREUM. — "E" asks : " Will some of
the readers of the Monthly please give me their
experience with Solanum azureum? I see that it

is by some most highly recommended, but'as so
many of the Soyanums are utterly worthless for
general cultivation, I should like to have
the experience of some of the readers of the
Monthly "

Croton spikalk. — " P" asks: "Is not Croton
spirale a sport from C. interruptura ?♦'

368

THE GARDENER'S MONTHLY

[December,

Fruit and Vegetable Gardening.

COMMUNICA TIONS.

THE BRIGHTON CRAPE.

BY A. C. L., MADISON, IND.

You remember last season after testing
quite a number of grapes, you pronounced the
Brighton the best of all. Every one, who, relying
on your taste, planted largely of the Brighton
last spring, in my humble estimation, will have
reason to be grateful to you for an opinion, that
lacked nothing of decision. To-day after test-
ing the " Brighton" with the " Lady," "Martha,"
"Allen White," "Hybrid" and others,! would
give the premium to the "Brighton." In the
estimation of some it may be too sweet, but its
flavor would compensate for that.

The Muscat Hamburg of the grapery, has
three distinct flavors, but that of the Brighton, is
equal to all of them combined. Its flavor re-
minds me of the old-fashioned peach preserves
that my grandmother made some forty-five years
ago.

Many thanks, sir, for your opinion of the
Brighton grape, and for your free expression.
You have done the lover of good grapes a favor,
the magnitude of which, time alone can demon-
strate.

[The opinion given was after testing a large
number on one grower's ground near Geneva,
N. Y. It would not be fair to assume that it
would behave so well everywhere, and it is,
therefore, well to know that it bears the same
character at Madison. — Ed. G, M.]

SWAMP MUCK.

BY GEN. WM. H. NOBLE, BRIDGEPORT, CONN.

A late Monthly says, in eff'ect, that getting
the richness of swamp muck into crop food costs
a good deal more than it comes to. A loss is
claimed of $5,000 per acre on a three foot depth
of mould.

" 'Tis pity if 'tis true." Nature thus would
seem to have wasted long years in storing their
food beyond the reach of the pinched harvests.
She is not apt thus to hide her riches from man's
patient search. Has she set a puzzle which no
deft wit has yet worked out? Is there no way

yet found to delve into this richness, and cheaply
turn its store to swell the puny crop? Or must
they, like that hungry fellow in the myth of
yore, starve in sight of piles of choice food?
Nature does not dump gold into our laps, nor
does it float in running brooks. Food is not
showered like manna in our paths. But to all
her store helps are found to bright and faithful
search.

Let's talk this up a little, brother. I have
studied some over this hope of the harvests. In
a kindred journal I have had a good deal tb say
about the promise of the muck-bed to worn out
soils.

I have not put forth in the Monthly this re-
source of the garden, because it seemed rather
the property of the farm. But the cost and losa
lately set down by you, and other disheartening
search after these massive lodes and placers of
richness, prompt me to ofl'er hope of better
handling, or cheaper assay, to mine or pan out
its wealth.

But really the first thing in order should be,
for him who dumped these dollars into a muck
bed, to show up the methods and cyphering
which foot so big a loss: Men of skill and
science report lots of better luck in field and
laboratory. I have abiding Itiith that their story
of more hopeful tests will not cheat the longings
of the hungry. Either that $5,000 loss per acre
came of blundering trials or the sanguine tales
and figures of big profit, easily had from the
muck-bed, are a delusion and a snare. All
agree that the value is there. I say if it cannot
be put into crops without such cost, the brains
of our day have got but little ahead of the cave-
dwellers. Let's see how this is.

what is swamp muck?

It is as needful and wise in debate to define
your terms as to catch the hare before you snuflf
the savory stew. Half the world's disputes are
over words, not things ; over the " outward and
visible" shadow, instead of the "inward and
spiritual " substance.

I mean by swamp much, that black store of
vegetable decay found in low down and water
logged places, bog swamps, peat beds and hol-
lows that catch and hold the upland waste. Of

1880.]

AND HORTICULTURIST.

these there are two great classes — fresh and salt
muck. Fresh muck is of three kinds.

1st. That made by the drift and decay borne
along by sluggish runs into low down places.
This store comes from the woods and fields, and
from local growth of weeds and grasses.

2d. That found in basins among the hills,
holding the wash from wood and tilled soils.

3d. The great peat beds, from a few feet to
fathoms deep ; the growth through centuries of
Sphagnous moss and vegetable waste piled in
tiny layers of decay.

The second class, the salt muck, comes of old
ocean's drift and scum through countless ages of
animal and vegetable growth and death. Its
richness is packed and stored in great salt
marshes of unfathomed mould, in deep inlets
filled by the rush of big tides and storms sweep-
ing inward, all that floats on its ceaseless surge
and mysterious currents.

All these tribes cover vast areas. They yield
but little, as they lie, to the stock of human
wealth. But I believe their vast treasures stand
with open doors to the wit, skill and lift of the
tiller of the soil. Along the whole sweep of our
sea-girt shore, north and south, wherever the big
salty tides sweep into the upland rifts, and away
inland, beyond the ocean's breath, beside tiny
streams, in swamps without end or in vast dis
mal peat beds, are garnered relics and ashes of
decayed vegetation awaiting a resurrection into
crops.

Yet from the Monthly and other like guides
and pioneers in land culture, come doubt and
distrust, to dampen this hope of the harvest.
Why is this and how is this? Verily, I think
they sin against the light and against signal tests
and trials. Prof. Dana (not he of the rocks but
the chemist), long since in his *' Muck Manual "
figured up the hidden riches of the muck bed.
He states its wealth, assayed value, as equiva-
lent to the best stable manure. Prof Johnson,
of Salle, has followed up the same subject
with new figures and field tests. In my next I
will give some of their analyses and trials.

THE CATAWBA CRAPE.

BY A. C. L., MADISON, INDIANA.

The impression has gone abroad that the
Catawba grape, like the old favorite, White
Doyenne pear, " has played out" in the West,
tinless grown in some favorite spot like unto
" Kelly's Island." But it is a mistake. As fine

Catawba grapes can be grown to-day in any
locality where the Concord will flourish. The
conditions are simply these— the fruit to be cul-
tivated at least ten feet from the ground. I have
one vine that is twenty years old that never fails
to give me a full crop of delicious fruit every
season, entirely free from rot. In another part
of the premises is a vine that has been culti-
vated for the past fifteen years, but has never
yet produced a perfect crop of grapes. This
season the vine was raised up ten feet from the
ground. The result has been as fine a lot of
grapes as any one could wish — no rot or mildew.
The Rev. Dr. Little, who is one of the oldest and
most intelligent horiculturists in this State, never
allows his vines to fruit near the earth. Some
of his vines extend over the top of his house.
He never has a failure. Is it not possible we
cultivate all of our grapes too near the earth ?
I have often observed the lower tier of vines on
a trellis almost entirely fail, while the tier above
was almost perfect. It is to be hoped that others
may be induced to try the tall cultivation and
report the result.

EDITORIAL NOTES.

The Coe Grape. — This is well spoken of by
Prof. Budd, of Iowa. It ripens there ten days
before the Concord.

Yeast Fungus for Destroying Insects.— Con-
siderable attention has of late been given to the
idea of destroying fungus by the use of yeast.
The fungus eaten or falling on the insect is be-
lieved to be destructive. Prof. Prentiss gives the
result of some experiments on aphides in the
August number of the Ameri&in Naturalist,
which seem to indicate that it has no eflTect on
them.

The Japan Persimmon. — This has been found
to fruit deliciously in Algeria and Avill be largely
planted. Algeria and California have similar
climates.

California Pears.— A box from Mr. B. F. Fox,
containing some of his seedlings, not only con-
firms their excellence but shows how easy it is
to ship them east when proper packing is under-
stood, not one having the slightest bruise. It
was said by them of old time that California
pears were pretty but not good. One of these,
which proved to be the B. S. Fox. was equal in
flavor to any thing we have ever tasted. Deli-

370

THE GARDENER'S MONTHLY

[December,

cious, in the fullest sense of the word, is just
what these were.

The Phylloxera in Europe. — We know very
well that the Phylloxera is a native of the new
world, and has been introduced into the old;
but the French have the question yet under
active discussion. The editor of La Vigne Fran-
caise, shows how impossible it is to be of Euro-
pean origin, and also that the historic vine
disease of the twelfth century, called by Strabo
phteir, though a root disease, must have followed
from other causes. The same paper notices that
the Phylloxera has made its appearance at
length in the vineyards of Switzerland.

Fay's Prolific Currant. — The Rural New
Yorker figures this variety. By the way in which
the artist has arranged the base of one raceme
so as to line with the apex of another, the
racemes appear to be from six to twelve inches
long ; and it is only after a second thought has
suggested the impossibility of such dimensions
that we conclude the appearance is but an artistic
delusion. So far as we can judge from the pic-
ture the berries are as large as the cherry, with
probably the length of the Versailles. From
what is said of it we judge it to be a desirable
variety.

QUERIES.

The Original Seckel Pear Tree.— Mr. C. B.
Rogers, Philadelphia, writes : " I do not believe
you have the history of ' the oldest Seckel Pear
Tree.' I know of one that is old enough to be
grandfather to yours ; it is standing on a farm
on the Eancocas, about two miles from Mount
Holly, on ground formerly an Indian camp.
One hundred years ago it was very much de-
cayed, and the top broken off about twelve or
fourteen feet high, and I have good authority
that it remained in that state for one hundred
years. I will wager a ginger- cake that I can
show the father of the Seckel pear."

[All right, good friend, hurry up the proofs.
There is another competitor with you near Hat-
boro, Montgomery Co., Penn., as we are informed.
There is one point especially you will do well to
investigate, namely. The tree we have illustrated
grows on the property of the Seckel family, pur-
chased by Girard many years ago. You will see
by Watson's Annals of Philadelphia, that this
fruit has l>een known as the Seckel by thousands

on thousands of Philadelphians for nearly a
century. How came the Jersey people to let the
Seckel family have the honor of the name all
these many years? Did the Seckel s own the
Indian camp also?

N. B. — We prefer those broad thin ginger-cakes
that have spice like the Seckel Pear. — Ed. G. M.]

Brett Peach. — Mr. Jos. H. Ricketts, New-
burgh, N. Y., writes : "In your last issue of the
Gardener's Monthly' you name in the list of
Southern Peaches, Mrs. Brett as one of them.
It is a mistake, it did originate in Newburgh,
N. Y., and was introduced by the undersigned."

Growing Pine Apples. — E. O. N., Tracy City,
Tenn., writes: "A short notice of large Pine
Apples in October number of the Gardener's
Monthly makes me bold to inquire about
pineries in this country. Would you not your-
self, or get some one else well acquainted with
the growing of pine apples, write us a full descrip-
tion of the modus operandi in the Gardener's
Monthly. I have in vain endeavored to get
any information on the subject. Here, where I
live, fuel could be had for the hauling, and I
think a market for the fruit could be made with-
out trouble, since it bears shipping well. Is there
any good book or publication on this subject?"

[McMahon's American Gardener's Calendar,
John Jay Smith's edition, gives full directions for
the artificial culture of pine apples. We do not
see it in Marot's list of books, but he could doubt-
less procure it.

We have no doubt, with the new light gained
since McMahon wrote, pine culture could be
made much easier than it was in his daj'. We
know of one who merely planted tops in the open
ground, which rooted and grew finely, were trans-
planted to a common greenhouse, and bore ex-
cellent fruit the next season, though not near
the size the first class gardeners do. Still it is
a beginning for those who want to learn, as per-
fection comes only with experience. — Ed. G. M.]

Antiquity of the Curculio. — There be some
who believe that the old folks were not plagued
nearly as much with insects as we are; espe-
cially do they talk this way when the Curculio is
in question. But Peter Kalm, the Swedish
naturalist, who traveled in America in 1749, says
he found widely prevalent "a worm, which
causes the plums to drop before they are half
ripe." Evidently the old folks were plagued by
the Curculio as we are.

1880.J

ANJJ HORTICULTURIST.

371

Natural History and Science.

CUMMUNICA TIONS.

CALADIUM ESCULENTUM.

BY O J. POPPEY, POUGHKEEPSIE, N. Y.

In the October number a correspondent from
Texas writes that he was unable to find this
plant growing wild on the Brazos River, &c. ;
thus somewhat refuting the fact of its being nat-
uralized in that State. I think it may be of
some interest to the many readers of the Gar-
dener's Monthly to be informed that this species
ia quite frequently found in that State on the
San Antonio River, in the vicinity of San Antonio
City, where I was a resident for sixteen years.
In this locality, the Caladium esculentum is
commonly called the " Sandwich Potato," but
eaten only by some out of mere curiosity, and
who declare them to be excellent for culinary
use; according to an article in the January
number, it appears to be a plant that combines
both beauty and usefulness, something not often
met with among those plants used so extensively
for ornamental planting. I never saw it culti-
vated for any purpose in the section of the
State in question, except the few that were
planted in our garden, along a ditch, for orna-
ment. These, as well as the wild-growing ones,
never attain the size and magnificence of
foliage they do here, — and that almost anywhere
where planted ; while in that part of Texas they
must be planted close to a stream, so that a portion
of the roots may be in constant contact with the
water. In this position they are found along
the San Antonio River, at least in the neighbor-
hood of its source. I have traveled other parts
of this river days in succession, and did not
find a single specimen, but this cannot serve as
a proof that they are not abundant elsewhere ;
for I can mention the same fact about the Age-
ratum Mexicanum, of which I am positive
it is a true native of that State, but I never met
with it so frequently as I did the Caladium
esculentum. I made the same observation as
the writer of the article mentioned above, that
the Caladium does not produce ripe seed. The
flower is white, of the same form, but less than
half the size of the Calla Ethiopica, which it re-
sembles in every other respect ; but its stem
does not reach above the foliage, so the flower is

secreted among the leaves. It is possible that
the Caladium is a native of Texas ; for about
thirty years ago, when my father first settled at
San Antonio, he found it there growing wild,
and nowhere cultivated.

[There are many circumstances which make
it very nearly certain that the Caladium is only
an introduced plant. — Ed. G. M.]

EDITORIAL NOTES.

Gutta-percha. — This is the product of Ison-
andra Gutta, a tree of Java. It was brought to
notice in 1843.

Flora of China and Japan. — Among the dried
plants brought from China and Japan by Mr.
Veitch's collector, Mr. Maries, are no less than
twenty-two new species of ferns. This shows
how comparatively little we know of these
countries. Among the ferns found was Aspidium
Thelypteroides, which is also indigenous to the
United States.

Abies and Picea. — As our readers know, fir
trees have been erroneously called Picea, and
spruces, Abies; the error originating in Eng-
land. Spruces have always been correctly called
Picea, and the firs Abies on the Continent of
Europe. Dr. Engelmann has, however, pointed
out that botany would cease to be a science un-
less conformed to recognized rules of nomen-
clature, which is that a prior name must prevail.
In America we have adopted the first course,
and the best English authorities have also as-
sented to its propriety ; but the following answer
to a correspondent in the Gardener's Chronicle
shows that the error will not be buried without
a struggle :

"Abies, or Picea: iJ.— No doubt the change
is inconvenient, but you can obviate it by speak-
ing of 'Silvers' or 'Spruces.' Again, in most
cases every one would know what was meant if
you simply used the specific name, such as no-
bilis, ajanensis, Nordmanniana, &c. We do not
see why Englishmen should be isolated from the
rest of the world to the general confusion ; still
less do we subscribe to the notion that it is their
duty to perpetuate an error which other people
have corrected.''

372

THE GARDENER'S MONTHLY

[December,

Literature, Travels I Personal Notes.

COM MU NIC A 7 IONS.

NOTES AND QUERIES-No. 19.

BY .lACQUEvS.

Pronunciation of Terms. — An amusing ex-
ample of the need of accuracy in naming plants
occurred the other day, when a gentleman new
to his collection of greenhouse treasures dis-
coursed too much on his elegant collection of
"Camillas;" a bookish listener asked if he had
many Evelinas. To this the new man replied
"he believed he had many fine specimens."
These titles designate the two clever novels that
were the delight of our grandmothers, and per-
haps to some of us, our great-grandmothers, and
they are still read and readable.

The Petroleum business has grown from $27,839
in 1839 to 485,785,706 gallons in 1879-80. valued
at $37,109.58. In 1866 ^the value was 48 cents a
gallon, and in 1877, 20 cents, and in 1879-80 a
little over 8 cents. It is curious that this treas
ure was so long unknown.

Northwestern Cedar and Tamarack wood cutting
is now a great industry in Michigan.

Gems and Greengrocery. — The Natal Mercury,
speaking of the South African Diamond Fields,
Bays that next to diamonds, potatoes seem to be
the dearest thing, £6 10s. having been given
for a bag of them. At this rate, however*
potatoes are still considerably cheaper than
carats. — Punch.

Plant doctors, according to the Scientific Ameri-
can, may become a necessity ; the editor advo-
cates such a profession, and thinks we already
have made a beginning when we bore the bodies
of trees with gimlets and insert sulphur, and so
on. Who will become the first D. P. plant
doctor?

EDITORIAL NOTES.

Egbert Buist. — (See Frontispiece.) — On July
13, 1880, died at Rosedale, Philadelphia, Robert
Buist, aged seventy-five years. Horticulture
does not yet know the full value of the friend it
has lost. When John Bartram was wandering
through the wild forests of the " CJolonies," risk-

ing his life among wild beasts and savages, and
exposed to innumerable privations andsufl'erings,
all for the love of flowers, he received no sym-
pathy from any neighborly friend. He wrote
rather complainingly to his friend Catcott, that
he knew not of a solitary one who would walk a
mile with him. Now, as we look back on the
proud position which he occupies, as the great
patriarch of American Botany, there are hun-
dreds who feel that they would gladly have
accompanied him and have felt proud of the
honor. 'Just so will futare horticultural genera-
tions feel towards Robert Buist. The present
know a great deal of what he has done for them,
but the full value of all will grow brighter as
time rolls along.

Robert Buist was born at Cupar Fyfe, near
Edinburg, Scotland, on the 14th of November,
1805, and when quite young went to learn the
business of a gardener under the late James
McNab, curator of the Edinburg Botanic Gar-
dens, where he imbibed that genuine love of
flowers, which was a marked characteristic of hia
all through life. To complete his knowledge in
all other branches of gardening, he went through
a course at Elvaston Castle, the seat of the Earl
of Harrington, one of the most famous garden-
iag establishments in England. In August, 1828,
he arrived in America, and obtained employ-
ment in the nursery of D. Landreth, which at
that time was one of the best known in America.
The Camellia houses were particularly famous,
and C. Landrethii remains to this day a worthy
monument of the early eflforts of this firm to
improve the Camellia. This nursery is now
wholly built over by the great city of Philadel-
phia, the ■' Landreth Public School" being per-
haps all that remains to indicate the spot where
young Buist had his first lesson in American
experience. That first lesson was to hoe weeds.
Thirty years ago he took the writer of this to the
exact spot where he first struck the hoe in the
ground "with," said he, " the weeds half as high
as mj'self, and the teai-s running down my cheeks
as I thought of my native land, and wished that I
was still there." He soon obtained a situation
as gardener to Henry Pratt, who, at that time,
had perhaps the most beautiful garden in the .
United States. This was at Lemon Hill, and waa

1880J

AND H OR TICUL TURIST.

878

a couple of miles or so out of Philadelphia, a
city which has since extended twelve miles be-
yond—and " Pratt's Garden " is now a part of
East Fairmount Park.

It was about the time of young Buist's arrival
in Philadelphia that the tremendous strides in
horticulture about Philadelphia began, in which
he subsequently took a leading part. The
nurseries then in existence in and near the city
were Bartram's, conducted by Colonel Carr;
McMahon's near Broad and Germantown Road ;
Landreth's, in Moyamensing; Maupay's, at
Rising Sun, and Hibbert's, which was the first
conspicuously florists' establishment. In the
whole city of Philadelphia there were only two
greenhouses which kept gardeners, though there
were a few more in the suburbs. Such a thing
as a bedding plant was unknown. Hardy her-
baceous plants and box edgings made up the
chief garden attractions, and only those who
had greenhouses with rare exotics believed they
had much of which to be particularly proud.
The year after Mr. Buist settled in Philadel-
phia, the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society
had its first grand exhibition, and from this time
the love of gardening went steadily forward.

In 1830, Mr. Buist entered into partnership
with Mr. Hibbert, and Hibbert & Buist did an
immense business as florists at Twelfth and
Lombard streets. They commenced at once the
importation of rare plants and flowers, paying
attention especially to the rose. This flower was
and always will be popular, no matter how taste
may change in other respects, and, next to the
Camellia, perhaps, held the leading place in the
regard of Philadelphians. Rapid and successful
propagation was not then as it is now, and prices
were correspondingly high. Good roses brought
$l,such as now sell for 35 or 50 cents. Among
the importations of H. & B. about this time were
the Noisette rose, Jaune des Prez, on which they
made a clear profit of $1,000. It should be here
noted that Mr. Buist was the first to inavigurate
the sale of plants in markets, or rather on the
streets of Philadelphia— for Philadelphia has no
floral market hoiise — and it was through this far
seeing plan that so many of the rare roses were
sold. Finally, purchasing the interest of Mr.
Hibbert on Ihe latter's death, he commenced
the seed business at 84 Chestnut street, in connec-
tion with the nureery and greenhouse business.
Aa the business grew he took a larger one at
97 Chestnut street, and finally purchased the
large building 922 Market street, and after

placing it on a substantial footing, resigned it to
his second son, Robert, who has for some years
past continued in the prosperous career com-
menced by his father.

Resuming, however, the floral part of Mr.
Buist's career, it was not long after the introduc-
tion of the rarer roses that he obtained, through
Tweedie, an energetic plant collector — and after
whom Sir William Hooker named the genua
Tweedia — the first of our pretty garden Verbenas,
V. Tweediana. This Mr. Tweedie sent from
Buenos Ayres, in 1834. Mr. Buist at once com-
menced their improvement, and with such suc-
cess that his seedlings were in immense demand
in Europe, and 'made him well-known there.
In 1840, hundreds of plants of Verbenas —
Hendersonii, V. McArraniana and V. Buisti — :
were sold in England. These were all seedlings
of Mr. Buist. It may be here noted that it was
in consequence of these Verbenas that Mr.
Buist's name became familiar to the writer of
this sketch, and which a few years later led to a
correspondence, which finally resulted in the
acceptance by him of an invitation by Mr. Buist
to settle in Philadelphia. It was the improve-
ment of the Verbena that first led to the intro-
duction of the distinct class of bedding plants,
which now form so large a part of the florista
trade. Large numbers of rare plants were not
only introduced here for the first time through
Mr. Buist's agency, but came directly from other
countries, and sent by him for the first time to
flower lovers in the old world. Poinsetta pul-
cherrima was his primal introduction through
the Mexican Minister, Mr. Poinsett, and the
double one, which has recently appeared and is
so popular, was introduced into Europe by him.
"It was," he said to the writer, " probably the
first time in the history of the world that a sale
of a flower was made by the ocean telegraph."
He was extremely fond of improving flowers;
and perhaps the last sale he ever made to
Europeans was the whole stock of a pure dwarf
white Azalea of his raising, which sale he
made in the spring of the present year.

In 1848, his Twelfth street premises had be-
come too small for his florist business, and he
bought the land for the present famous Rose-
dale, in which the present writer became con-
nected with him, remaining with him till the
final removal of the establishment there in
1860.

But ihe influence of Mr. Buist on horticulture
was not confined to the progress of horticulture

874

THE GARDENER'S MONTHLY

[December

about his adopted city; he was well-known
everywhere by his writings and by the encour-
agement which he gave to every literary enter-
prise of a horticultural character. His ''Rose
Manual," his " Family Kitchen Garden," and his
" Flower Garden Directory," were in their day
among the most popular of practical garden
guides. When Mr. A. J. Downing first projected
the Horticulturist, he found in Mr. Buist a good ad-
viser and warm friend. After an interview with
him by Mr. Downing, he gave the writer of this
sketch an account of the project, expressed his
desire that it might be a complete success, and
hoped the writer would contribute notes to it, if
able. The writer then suggested that if Mr.
Buist would furnish him with a full set of varie-
ties of any one kind of vegetable, he would
make regular notes of their growth and relative
value, and contribute them to the Horticulturist.
This was done, and the article in time appeared,
the first from the pen of the writer to any
American magazine, through Mr. Buist's encour-
agement.

But, perhaps, in no way was Mr. Buist's influ-
ence on American horticulture more marked
than by the encouragement he was always will-
ing to give to the better class of European gar
deners who desired to emigrate to America.
Nothing gave him more delight than to have
these men about him, and the knowledge of
these generous traits made him a sort of head-
centre of information. Those in need of skilled
assistance looked to him for advice in time of
need, to an extent that but few can have the
slightest conception of. It was a happy thought
in Col. Wilder, when presenting to the Massachu-
setts Society the memorial resolutions on Mr.
Buist's death, to refer to this as among the great-
estin the sphere of his usefulness. " He not only
introduced rare plants, but rare men,— he did a
double service." The Pennsylvania Horticul-
tural Society, of which until his death he was one
of the Vice Presidents, and the Amorican Pomo-
logical Society, which he helped to establish,
have lost in him one of their most energetic
oflScers and sustainers.

Personally, Mr. Buist was tall, and to his death
as straight as a well-trained soldier. He had been
some time ailing, but long after he had ceased to
take any interest in other worldly affairs, the
Gardener's Monthly, and a favorite London
norticultural paper were his constant compan-
ions, showing his interest in his favorite pursuit
to the last.

And he had his faults as well as his virtues; of
these it is not our province to write, but we will
say, that these faults, whatever they may have
been, were unlike the faults of many men. He
had not one gross habit or taste. He wa** a
model of justice, and honor, and plainne.-5d of
speech ; and if those, who think it is the part of
a biographer to look at all sides of a man's life,
choose to step into the writer's place, the worst
that they could say of him would prob:iMy be
that in the pursuit of what he believed jusi and
true, he was no more able to hit the mark on
every occasion than any other man. He came
about as near to perfection as we may expect to
find in our times.

Mr. Buist was thrice married. His eldest son
died some years ago. He leaves behind him a
widow ; his only living son Robert, the well-
known seedsman ; and two daughters.

There being no one to succeed to his florist
bu.siness it was closed out in 1876, only enough
being retained to keep up his interest to hia
death. The city is fast growing towards Rosedale,
and in a few years the chapter of his immediate
work will be closed, and streets and buildings
occupy the ground where the rare trees he
planted and loved still interest the lovei-s of
nature.

The Western Farmer of America. — A letter
to him by Augustus Mongredien, of London,
Eng. —As the Gardener's Monthly is a horticul-
tural and not a firming paper, we fancied there
was a mistake in sending it to us for review, but
in a note our "Sincere Friend," Mr. Mongredien,
tells us " that the word ' former ' is used to de-
note all producers of articles by the cultiva-
tion of the soil." Well, our " friend " com-
mences by reminding us that " the golden rule
for successful trading is ' to buy in the cheapest
and sell in the dearest market.' " No man of
any common sense doubts this. The only ques-
tion is, which is the cheap one and which
is the dear one ? Mr. Mongredien, the " sin-
cere friend of the western farmer," would
have him believe that the lowest priced
market is the cheapest for the buyer, and that
this low priced market is his market, that is, the
English market of course ; for if the American
were the cheaper, he would not be our " sincere
friend." But every American buyer knows that
low priced things are not necessarily the cheap-
est, for there are cheap things that are likewise
nasty and mean. It is not which market is low-

1880.]

AND HORTICULTURIST.

375

est and cheapest, but which is the cheapest and
best.

To decide this we have to look on two pictures.
Mr. Mongredien, in his sincere friendship for
the western farmer, would have him send all his
crops to Europe and pay a host of middlemen
to buy in Europe and bring to him what he
needs that he cannot raise himself. The west-
ern country, as it can raise corn more cheaply
than England, should be content with being a
huge farm for English people; and in that event,
as Mr. Mongredien figures it out, they would save
a few dollars in cash per annum, in so far as the
mere purchases of these immediate necessaries
of life are concei'ned. But the '' western farmer "
the few past years, has learned a thing or two
which his " sincere friends " over the way had
forgotten to tell him ; that there is such a thing
as saving at the spigot and wasting at the bung ;
and while he was saving a dime by going to his
English friends with his products, he was losing
a dollar elsewhere. His "virgin soil " will some
day be espoused to agriculture. It must then
have manure, and this can always be had from
towns and cities near him. The time comes
when he cannot do all the work himself, he must
have cheap labor, either in the shape of human
muscle or machinery, and he wants these as
near as possible to him, that he may get them
on emergencies. He wants his children to be
intelligent and cultured, and to have religious
associations and refined companionship ; and he
knows that these only come from making nu-
merous prosperous towns and villages over the
length and breadth of this huge western farm.
Besides all this, the western farmer is quite as
much interested in the increased value of his
land as in the price a bushel of corn will
bring in London. So long as Europe is his only
market his land will be of no more value than
the principal sum represented by the profit on
his acre of grain. It could never be worth over
ten dollars an acre. But as soon as a town gets
near him, he can sell milk, butter, eggs, chickens,
cabbages, tomatoes, strawberries and raspberries;
Norway spruces and Norway maples ; roses and
verbenas, or thousands of things that he could
never dispose of in his "European market," and
the result is, that from five to ten dollars his land
goes to fifty, one hundred, or even two hundred
dollars or more an acre, because of the facilities
with which all these little extras can be turned
into cash. The western farmer has been acting
on this principle for some years past. Towns

and villages have sprung up everywhere about
him. Manufacturers are prospering at his elbow,
and buy almost everything he has to sell. Fruits
and vegetables, apd trees and flowers are in con-
stant demand by these growing communities,
and make profitable livings for thousands, who
are in turn consumers of the farmer's bread and
meat.

And here is the point of the whole argument.
Is it wise to break up all these flourishing cen-
tres, which bring us in hundreds of dollars, sim-
ply because we might save tens by buying in
the "cheapest " markpt? Mr. Mongredien thinks
it would be. He does not seem to have heard
that a man may be penny-wise and pound-
foolish.

We have thus given our opinion of this work
without any reference to party politics, which
is out of the line of the Gardener's Monthly.
If the policy of the Democrats or the Republi-
cans, or of the Protectionists or the Free Trader,
will do the most to make western towns and
western industries flourish, go in for any of
them ; but it is folly to believe that the western
farmer or fruit grower has any interest of conse-
quence that is not also the interest of every
flourishing industry in his own neighborhood.

The Virginias. — Virginia according to the
official figures just issued, has only increased
twent}"^ per cent, in population during the last
ten years. It is one of the most magnificent
States in the Union ; the only want is an indus-
trial population that can make use of the tre-
mendous advantages everywhere about them.
One of the most useful men in the State is Major
Jed. Hotchkiss. He has devoted his whole life
to the development of the industries of Virginia.
Those of us who were on the agricultural editorial
excursion through the State in 1871, remember
well how much we learned from his thorough
knowledge of the industries of the State.

Passing through Staunton recently with a
small party in pursuit of scientific knowledge,
we found him hard at work on a monthly serial,
the Virginias, — that is Old and West Virginia —
still with the old object, the development of in-
dustry. Virginia should honor such men. It
may be all very well to boast of being the mother
of Presidents, but to be the father of movements
that will set a hundred thousand men to work to
make a poor State rich, is just as much worthy
of being boasted of. Though, as a Union officer
at our elbow reminds us, "That Major Hotchkiss

376

THE GARDENER'S MONTHLY.

[December,

gave us a world of trouble during the Rebellion,
for he knew every road and bridle path through
the State, and made maps of them for the Con-
federate army, there is no politics in " The
Virginias." It is wholly a mining, industrial and
scientific journal, and devoted to the develop-
ment of Virginia and West Virginia, and nothing
else; and there is no one at all interested in the
pursuit of these objects but would be benefited
by reading it.

Mr. Laxton's Paper os Roses. — In our last
appeared an excellent paper on Roses, by Mr.
Laxton, sent to us and revised especially
for our pages by the author. At the same
time he informed us that the bulk of the
article had already appeared in our excellent
contemporary the London Journal of Horticulture,
and we wrote a postscript to Mr. Laxton's pa-
per, stating this fact. It mortified us exceed-
ingly to find our note not with the article on its
publication. Whether we neglected to send
what we wrote to the printer, or the note was
lost in the composing room, we cannot now say,
but we tender our apology to the Journal of Hor-
ticulture for the seeming neglect of its prior claim
substantially to the article.

In our long editorial career, we have always
endeavored to do full justice to all our contem-
poraries in the matter of credits, and we do not
even now know that the Journal feels aggrieved
at this— our first slip. In our anxiety to do full
justice to all, we have often refused to publish
excellent articles sent to us, when we happened
to know that copies had been sent to other pa-
pers, and chiefly because, in case other papers
published them first, we might be suspected of
having " copied without credit."

Newspaper Paragraphs.— It is becoming dan-
gerous to depend on newspaper paragraphs.
The last instance is Mr. Dana's mushroom cave,
which we find did not cost the third of $3,000.
It is fortunate, however, that the part which re-
lates to the mushroom is correct. There is a cave;
and there are mushrooms, and plenty of them.
It would be very pleasant to have authentic par-
ticulars, as there are few matters of more public
interest than successful mushroom culture.

Prof. C. E. Bessey.— It has been announced
that this accomplished botanist has undertaken
the Botanical department of the American
Naturalist, which is an excellent thing so far as
it goes. If further he could influence the " edi-
torial" pen, it might aid the editorial influence.

The reader of the editorial column will probably
begin to think that there is little else than the
" Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia"
in the whole United States to occupy scientific
attention. The last number has several illustra-
tions how little things are distorted in these " Edi-
torial" articles. For instance, the one under con-
sideration tells the reader that there is in the
Academy a "silly opposition to the scheme of Pro-
fessorships." Every one who chooses may know
that the "scheme" was adopted and is part of the
constitution and by-laws. It was Professor Cope's
scheme to hand over the whole management of
the Institution to a corps of Professors, that was
properly objected to, nothing else. Then there are
several pages devoted to the proper course of
study for two boys who get there about five dol-
lars per week !

It may, however, serve to explain to the read-
ers of the Naturalist outside of Philadeljjhia, why
so much space is given by the editor to this
purely local question, to say that these editorials
of Prof. Cope are usually reprinted from the
Naturalist, and circulated among the members
about election time as " campaign documents."
Here in Philadelphia it is well known.

Kansas State Horticultural Society. — Re-
port for 1879, from Geo. C. Brackett, Secretary.
Among other interesting matter is a portrait and
sketch of the life of Dr. Howsley. It is an apk
illustration of the adage, that we do not know
our friends till we lose them. For near a quar-
ter of a century, the writer of this met the Doc-
tor " ofi" and on," and learned to have a high re-
gard for him, which this obituary notice tends
very much to increase, though he is beyond any
benefit save to his memory. It is a pi ty that testi-
monials to living men are so apt to run to mere
adulation, or it would be better for many whils
living to receive some of the praise they get after
they die.

First Annual Report of the Bureau or
Statistics and Geology op Indiana. — From
Prof. J. D. Collett, Chief of Bureau We have
looked through this work with much pleasure,
for much as we may admire the State from mere
newspaper report, this official document shows
more clearly what a great State it is. Every
Indianian must be proud of the showing made
here. Half the State appears to be yet in timber.

Pennsylvania Fruit-Growers Society. — The
Annual Meeting of this very useful body will be
held at Gettysburg, on Wednesday, Januaiy
19th, 1881.

1880.

AND HORTICULTURIST.

877

Thirteenth Annual Report of Ohio State
HoRTicnLTURAL SOCIETY. — Ffom Geo. W. Camp-
bell. Besides the usual valuable matter, it has a
portrait and biography of the late M. B. Bate-
ham.

Mr. Samuel L. Boardman. — This gentleman,
well known for so many years as editor of the
Maine Farmer, and more recently of the Ameri-
can Cultivator, will now e<lit the Home Farm, of
Augusta, Maine.

B. F. Johnstone. — This esteemed gentleman
well known as the editor of the Michigan Farmer
was found dead in his bed by the side of his wife
on the 25th of October, in his sixtieth year
Through the Farmer, he has been a weekly visi.
tor to the office of the Gardener's Monthly for
over twenty yeara, and always a welcome one-
He was born in England, making Albany, N. Y.'
his early home, and removed to Detroit, in 1850.

The London Journal of Horticulture. —
Since its establishment, this able magazine has
gone through several changes of form, and al-
ways with improvement. It has again advanced,
and again improved, not only in appearance, but
in interest. It is a first-class magazine.

The Southern Enterprise.— J. S. Newman,
editor and publisher, Atlanta, Ga., has been
changed from a folio to an octavo form. It is
an excellent agricultural magazine and deserves
every success.

The CHARACEiE OF America.— By Dr. Timothy
F. Allen. Published in parts by S. E. Caasino,
Boston, Mass. The CJiaraceas comprise plants
which are often seen in aquariums, and must
have attracted the attention of many who have

observed the weeds which exist in water on the
beds of rivers and ponds. There are many
classes of these weeds, but few more curious
than those which cluster around the genus Cliara.
Some of them are so colorless and transparent
that the fluids can be seen circulating under
microscopes of comparatively low power, and
hence they have been favorites with those desir-
ous of knowing something of the wonderful
workings of the inner life of plants. This work
of Dr. Allen's gives colored illustrations and
descriptions of these curious plants, which will
tend to make the public better acquainted with
them, and it will be as well a boon to the botan-
ist, for our manuals of botany in general use tell
us little about them. The manner of treatment
is much as in "Eaton's Ferns," and as the size is
the same, it will be an excellent companion to
that useful and beautiful work. Parts 1 and 2
are now before us — all, we suppose, that has
been so far issued ; but we hope it will have a
patronage that will warrant its completion. The
work conimences without any preface, introduc-
tion or advertisement, and affords no clue to
how far it is to go, or where it will probably end.
There are three plates and three chapters in first
part, and two plates and three chapters — one
without a plate in the third, the reason for the
omission, as there are "explanations of plate"
given, not being very apparent.

Dairy Farming.— By J. P. Shelden. New
York, Cassel, Petter & Galpin, Part 16. Thia
number pays particular attention to American
Dairying, giving as a frontispiece a map of the
United States with those parts marked in colors
that are most favorable to dairv work.

Horticultural Societies.

COMMUNICA TIONS.

THE MISSISSIPPI VALLEY HORTICUL-
TURAL SOCIETY.

BY CHAS. CRUCKNELL, ST. LOUIS, MO.

The Mississippi Valley Horticultural Society
held its first annual exhibition in the large hall
of the Merchants' Exchange, this city, on Sep-
tember 7th, 8th and 9th. The display of fruit
was large and fine, and came from two hundred
exhibitors representing nineteen States, with a
grand total of sonaething over 8,000 plates. The

apple collection is said to have been the finest
ever shown in this country. A novel feature of
the fair was "Pomona's Pillar," a half-size fac-
simile of the obelisk recently brought to New
York : its pointed crest towering up forty-five feet
from the floor, almost touching the frescoed
ceilii!g, and covered from base to apex on all
sides with apples of the Ben Davis variety.
Something over thirty barrels of apples were
used in building it. Down the southern face of
the pillar in bas-relief read the letters M. V. H.
S. ; the work was well done and proved a big

378

THE GARDENER'S MONTHLY

[December,

attraction. Only two collections of plants were
exhibited. Michel & Son, florists, made a fine
display of crotons, palms, ferns, agaves and cac-
tuses. A. large Erica rubra, eight feet high, was
conspicuous ; a fine specimen of the rare
Ceroxylon niveum was prominent among the
palms. This firm also exhibited a Mississippi
steamer six feet long from stem to stern, of cut
flowers, a beautiful design. The first premium
was awarded this firm. The second collection
was from William Syred, florist, to which the
committee awarded the third premium.

The display of pears was good. Ellwanger &
Barry, of New York, taking the first premium.
The pears trom California looked like painted
fruit. P. Earle &Sons, Cobden, 111., received the
premium for the best dish of any variety,
"Sheldon " carrying off" the honor. i

The premiums for the best five varieties for
market use, awarded to J. S. Ragan, Indepen-
dence, Mo. They were Bartlett, Sheldon, Beurre
d'Anjou, Lawrence, and the Duchesse. For the
best plates of Bartletts, premium to I. Rhodes,
Bridgeton, Mo. ; these were extra fine specimens
Ellwanger & Barry showed fifty varieties of
plums. All that were exhibited, excepting two
plates of Damsons from J. Rhodes and one or
two plates from other parties.

The display of grapes was something worth
seeing. T. S. Hubbard, New York, awarded first
premium for the best collection ; one hundred
and twenty-five varieties, the ''Rogers' Hybrids"
being very conspicuous for size and beauty.
This firm exhibited a bearing cane, about two
feet long, with twenty-five bunches of grapes
on it. A seedling, the "Prentiss." awarded
premium for best bearing cane of new seedling
for table and mjirket use, quality and productive-
ness to rule. Your correspondent mistook this
grape for a White Delaware. Bush, Son & Meiss-
ner, of Missouri, awarded the second premium.
This firm made an elegant exhibit. The Maxa-
tawny, the Elvira and" the Triumph, the latter
being considered the finest dish of grapes for
table use on exhibition, the bunches weighing
from one to one and a half pounds, being well
grown and handsomely shouldered. The Tele
graph was also good and received the premium
for that variety. This firm received the premium
for the best ten grapes for wine. Messrs. Bush,
Son & Meissner are extensive wine growers, and
it may be of general interest to name the win-
ning ten : Elvira, Missouri Riesling, Cynthiana,
Rulander, Catawba, Herman, Herbemont, Tay
lor's Bullett, Cunningham, Norton's (Va) Seed-
ling. Mr. Isidore Bush considers Cynthiana the
best wine, and Triumph the best table grape.
Two dishes of .''oreign grapes grown out of doors
were among this collection. A printed card
stated they were grown from vines grafted on the
American stock, and thus treated resisted the
attacks of the Phylloxera, all of which may be
true, but the fruit thus grown was a miserable
failure.

James H. Ricketts, New York, was another
large exhibitor ; his seedlings looked very promis-

ing, particularly No. 97; a piece of cane one foot
long, of " Lady Washington," a large white ber-
ried grape contained three bunches, weighing in
the aggregate, five pounds, (guessing,) they were
much admired and looked very tempting. This
gentleman was also awarded premium to the
best ten table grapes : They are, Jefferson, lona,
Delaware, Concord, Secretary, Naomi, Lady Wash-
ington, Excelsior, Allen and Quars-aick, (Queer-
sick.) Premium for the best wine grape award-
ed to Romuel & Sobbe, Mo., for " Cynthiana,"
and best table grape for "Triumph." Surprise,
a large berried amber-colored grape by S. H.
Smallcrop, Ky., received honorable mention.

Mr. .Jefferson Davis exhibited a plate of Scup-
pernongs. The table ofsemi-tropical fruits from
Louisiana, and Southern California, consisted of
shaddocks, oranges, lemons, bud and blossom of
bananas, of the growth of 1880, from the former
State, and lemons, guavas, citrons, limes, al-
monds, pomegranates and quinces from San
Diego, Cal , of the growth of 1879.

The apple collection is said to have been the
largest ever .exhibited, 6,000 plates being on the
tables and many more not unpacked for which
no room could be had The best and largest
came from Illinois, Missouri, Kansas, Michigan
and Arkansas. In strong contrast to those from
Missouri, was a collection from Minnesota; these
were about half the size of the former, but very
sound and handsome. On the same table and
running parallel to each other were the Kansas
collection, great, big, jolly-looking fellows, and a
collection of the smallest, scrubbiest, and the
wormiest looking things from the capital of the
nation, Washington, D. C. It looked very much
as if all the scrubs of the country had been
gathered into one big collection and labelled,
Washington, D. C.

The largest and handsomest plate of apples in
the hall were labelled, " Beauty of the West."
The premium for the best variety was awarded
to the -'Summer Pearmain." The following
premiums were awarded. For best ten varieties
North of 41st parallel of latitude :

Baldwin, Twenty Ounce, Spy, Golden Russet,
Red Canada, Wagoner, Duchess of Oldenburgh,
Maiden's Blush, Talman's Sweet, and Chenango
Strawberry.

For the best ten varieties south of 37th parallel :

Buckingham. Kinnard's Choice, Fulton, Shoek-
ley, Smith's Cider, Yellow Bellflower, Wine Sap,
Ben Davis, Kentucky Streak, and Pennsylvania
Red Streak.

For the best ten varieties between the 37th and
41st parallel : »

Willow Twig, Jonathan, Stark, Ben Davis,
Rome Beauty, McAfee's Red, Smith's Cider,
Rawle's Janet, Wine Sap, and Lawver.

The Mississippi Valley Horticultural Society
is now an established fact and with the follow-
ing named gentlemen as officers of the society its
future success and prosperity is ensured :

Parker Earle, Cobden, 111., President; Gov.
Furnass of Nebraska, Vice-President ; Prof. S.
M. Tracy of Columbia, Mo., Secretary ; and H.
G. McPike of Alton. 111., Treasurer.

1880.]

A ND HOR TTCUL TURI TS.

INDEX.— yOL. XXII.

Abies and Picea, 371

" concolor & Douglass!, 83
" Mariesii, 99
Abnormal Buds, 346
Academy Nat Sciences, Phila.,

& Prof Cope, 64, 18;, 250
Acer platanoides aurea var.

Buntzleri, -^ri 1
Accidents 'n Nature, 85
Achyranihus Emersonii, it, 44

" Gi'soni, 1,-i^
Addressed Enve'opcs, gi
Advancement of Science So-
ciety, 346
Advertisers tind Readers, 63
Ageratums & Eupatoriums, 86
Agricultural College, Sappora,
Japa.i, 3=;o
" Society, New, 32(1
" " Pcnna., 352
Agriculture, Conn State B., 192
" Dept. Report 1878, 30
" Kansas State Board, 222
Ailanthus glandulosa in French
mountains, 115
" Variegiied, 327
Alabama Fruit Culture, 275
Alexander Peach, \ \ j
Alfillerilla, Mexican, 182
Allen Peach, 8i
Almond Culture, 48
" in History, 221
Aloe in Winter, 184
Alternanthera Lawn Plant, 165
Alyssum as a Basket Plant, 44
Amaranth, Sunrise, i j8
Amaryllis, 9

American Banner Rose, 3-7
" Coal in England, ii6
" Entomologist, 60
" Forestry, 210
" Forests in Europe, 278
" Naturalist, 376
" Nurseryman's Asn 96,160
" Philos Society, 121
" Plants in England, 69
" Pom ^logical Society, £75
" Roses, 94, 25S
" Ireesin England, 197
" " French Gardens, 282
America, Orchids in, 334
■' Rose Culture in, 133
" Sky-lark in, 88, 100, 149
" Western, Farmer, 374
Ampclographs, 350
Ampelopsis Japonica, ici
" Tricuspid ita, 5
" Veitchii, 5, 263
" Virginica, 327
Anthurium andrearium, 203
Ants, a«9, 360
Antiquity of Curculio, 370
Anthnrium Magnificum, 367
Aphis, Peach, 206

" Strawberry Root, 117
Aponogeton dysiachyon, 326
AppleforSouth of Baltimore, 48
" Isham Sweet, 274, 341
" leaf. Fungus, 308
" Litiz, 272
" Mann, 209
" Ribiton Pippin, J04
" Sweet Pippin, 207
" Trade. 241
*" T ee Boren, Protecting

from, 207
" Winter, Penna , 81

Apples ^"d r>eirs in Eden, 50

" •■ •• Q„ Potomac, 144

■' for Australia, 2c8

" for the South, ■>\i

" in Illinois, 81

" in New York 112

" Packing for distant mar-
kets, '12
Apricot, Clingstone, 308
Arboretum, Jrlumphrey Mar-
sh ill. Notes on, 16
Arboricultural Census, 384
Arboriculture, Statistics of, 17
Arbor Vilse, Torn Thumb, 34
Aristolochia siphs, i o
Arkansas, Blue Grass in. 5
Art, Decorative 300
Artificiil Piue Apples, 305

" Water in Gardens 241
Asclepiis, Three Varieties, 245
Asclepidiceao 345
Asparagus, Future of, no

" Grapa In.ects and, 339

" Green 81
Aasoc'n, Nuseryman's, 96,191.
Atamasco Lily, 5; [sia, 255
Atmosphere and Forests, 217
Auction Salei. if 7
Australia, Apples for, 208

" Forests of, 17

" Science in, 151
Australian Botany, 11
Autumn Berries. 317

" Scenery, Virginia, 341

'' Sunflowers. 327
Autumnal H. P. Roses, 332
Azalea, Huge, 269

" Mollis, 3
Ai:aieas, 204, j69

B

: Bad efftcts of mild Winter, 133
Balm of G lead 126
Baltet.M , D<ath of, 31
i BaIt:more, A jples South of, 48
" Orchids at, 136
Bamboo & Bimber, 313, 346
I Bark, Scraping, 47
" Slitting, 79. 3'3
Bars, S .sh, 266, i3i
Barry, Mr , Downing on, 18S
Bartram, Oak, 182
Basket Plant, Alyssum as a, ^^
Bachelor's Buttons, 55
B.iteham, M. B , Death of, 2^1$
Beautifying Rail oad Lines, T95
Beauty, Vegetables and, 82
Bsd-bug Killer, Lepidium, £3
Bee and other Culture, 283
Bees iu Horticulture, 26
Beetle, Grape, Steel blue, 240
Beet Sugir Culture, 2i2
Begonia hybrids, 204
" Schmidtiin.i, lo
Beheading Flies by a Plant, .■:4
Belgium, Transplanting Trees

in, 167
Bengal Rose, 260
Berries, Autumn, 327
Bessey, Pr.f C E., 376
Best Autumn H. P. Roses, 323
" Grape, 8j
" Rose, ?94
" Strawberries, 48, 81
Beurre Clairgeau Pear, 1 12, 173,
Big Cucumbers, 305 [174

Black Ant (Avena saliva), 218
" Cap Raspberry, Sweet
Home, II t

Black Rust, 8
Blight, Fruit Tree, 2c8
Blister, Pear-leaf, 18
Blu-; Gl;iis and other Colors,
119, 148

" Gras', Arkansas, 5

" " Kentucky, 327

" Saliva splendens, 4% 87
Boardman, Saml. F., 377
Bjuvardia, ioub e, 367
Books and Flowers, 153
Borer, Raspberry, 178
B)rers, Apple Tree, Protecting

from, 207
Border Plant, A new, 98
Boston, Business in, i J4

" Forest Hill Cemetery, 125

" Private Gardens, 101

" Public Squares, us
Botanical Index on Size of
Trees, 313

" Names, Pronunciation.isi

" Orthogriphy, 23

" Text-Book, 28
Bot.inic Garden, Cambridge,
12;, 127

" " Missouri, 150

" Gardens, 55
Botany, Australian, l^i

" tor High Schools and Col-
leges, 3i5

" New Work on, 235

" of Ca'iforiiia, 54
Bouquet Making, 403

" Pretty, 76
Bouquets, Button-hole, 9
Biur'^on Roses, List, 260
Bouvardia, Bride Brookl'n, 353

" Double, 334
Bowi»rs' Early Peach, 375
Boyle's Nurseries, Phila , 60
Brambleton Gardens, Norfolk,54
Brett Peach, 370
Brighton Grape, ti2, 142,274,
Broad Fir, 100 [36S

Brooks' Te .as .almanac, 6t
Brown Beurre Pear, 340
BryophylUtm Calycinum, 362
Burgmansia suave jlens, 11
Bud<, Abnormal, 346
Buffalo Gras», 87
Buist, Robt., 284, 286, 3:4, 372

" " Death of. 253

" " Greenhouse Catalg, 127
BuUn, Greenhouse, 269
Burbidgea nitida, 334. 33'
Burbidge's, Ho'land Roots, 384
Burnett, Alex, Death of, 128
Burnham Beeches, ^13
Burr, A mm n. Death of, 62
Bush Beans, New, 44
Butter and Cheese in U. S., 56
Button h=le Bouquets, 9

Cactus. Fish-hook, 335
Calad'um eslulentum, 23, 371

" Wild, 311
California and Colorado, 347

" Botany of, 54

" Deciduous "Trees in, 55

■' Fillare of, 1S2

" f'orestry, 178

" Kruit Insects, 341

" Fruit', 144

" Oranges. 80

" Pears, 3 '9

" Phylloxera in, 4S

" Raisins, 81, 145

Cal. Southern, Ferns of,iRo, eia
Cambridge Hot Garden. 122, 127
Camden Microscop. Soc., 256
Camellia Culture, 189

" Flowers, Cutting ro<S
Camphor and Tob.ic. StemB,336
Canad 1. C >mmerce. 158
" l'"orestry in, 307
■' Nurseries in, 317
" Raspberries in, 15
Cancer Root. Oni-flawered, 86
Canker Wirm, Killing, 338
Cardinal Flower. 68
Carnation, P Henderson, 170,
Carnations, 212 [267,331

Carolina Fungi, Curious, 18
Case's Botaiiicil Index, 94
Catalogues, Accurate, 158
" Illustrated, 60
" Noticing, 350
Cataloman Jasmine 44, 330
Catalpa Bungei, 1.6
" Dwarf, 5
" Koempferi, 3j
" Posts, 307
" Speciosa, 28, 1 16
•' Wood, 179
Catalpai, Hi

" An Inquiry, 84
" Confuted, 343
" Difference in, 53
Catawba Grape, 369
Cawthorp Oak, 219
Cedar & Tamarak, Mich., 372
" of Lebanon, 228

" Laurel Hill, Des-
truction of, 39
" Rei, 41
Cemeteries, Public Parks, a
C-metery, Forest Hill, 125

" G; rdening, 222
Censui, Arboricultural, 284
Centanrea, 106

Central Californian Forestry, 178
Change in Fruit Tree, 281

" Rose, 281
Cheat from Wheat, To tell, 316
Cherry, Ne Plus Ultra, ao8
Chestnut;, Fiourfrom, 218
Chicago, Nurserymen's Assn. at,
96, i6j, 191, 223, 255,
Chinese Gardening, 26

" " Primroses, How to

grow, 200
" " Improved, 76
Chloride of Methyl, 219
Chrysanthemums, 44
" Early Flowering, 134
" Our Garden, '66
Cincinnati Florist Business, In-
crease, 267
" Industl. Exhibition, i6o
Cinerarias, Double, 367

" Five, 107

Civilization, 91

Clifton, Ohio, Handsome, 194
Climate and Grape Culture, 345
Climatic Differences, 20
Climbers, Winter, 7
Climbing Fern, Japan, 70

" Plants, Query on, 284
Cli'igstone Apricot, 308
Clinton Flower Market, 167
Codling Moth, Killing, 33S
Coe Grape, 369
Coffee < 'u ture in Liberia, 187

" Fungus, 26
Cold Gretnhouses, 104

" on [nsocts. Effects of, 87

880

THE GARDENER'S MONTHLY

[December,

C<J«us, Dreer's New, 76, 91, 95

" Hybrid, New, 7
CoUuses, OneofTher sd/es,67
Coliectois of Karities, 347
Colorado Beetle, 83
Comfrey, Prickly, la
Coming of Christ, The, 253
Compte de Lanxay Peach, 242
Comptesse Riga du Pare Rose,
ao3
Confused Catalpas, The, 143
Conifc'SE, Gr .fteH, 39, 100
Coniferous Fiowers, Branch

growth from, 23
Connecticut, Ho'lyhockin, 13';

" Stale Board Ag , 152
Conservatories, Small, Heat-
ing, 140
Convention, Nurserymen's, 90,
16 , 191
Convoivulous arvensis, 345
Cool House Orchids, Their

Treatment, 71, 16S
Cook, Kev. Joi., Science by, 54
Cope, Prof, and Acad. Mat.

Sciences, 64, i8.= , 251, 376
Copper in Plants, 313
Cork Trees, 25
Cornelia Koch Rose, 327
Corn, Green, 14

" Indian, Range of, 183
Corrections, i9i
Correspondence, 252

" Botanique, 6t
Correspondents and Editors.aig
Corsica, Plants in, 313
Cotoneaster, 101
Cotton Worm, 93, 184
Country Seats, Advertis'ng, 89
Cracked Pe.irs, 241
Cranbtjn's Rose Nursery, Here-
ford, Eng., 326
Cream of the Strawberries, 273
Crocus, Mr. Bright and the, 249
Croton Mooreanus, 105

" spir.ile, 367
Crotons, i05
Cucumrers, Large, 48, 144, 305

" White Japan, 81
Cultivating iLp gaei repens, 3

" Fruit 1 recs, 112
Culture, Almond, 48

" Fo'Cit, 115

" Lily, 294

" Orchid, 170, 237

" Pimela Hendcrsonii and
other Phnts, 231

" Verbena, 106
Curculio, Antiquity of, 370
Curiosity of the Woods, 114
Currant, Fay s Prolific, 37J
Cut Flowers, Designs of, 43

" Flower Trads, 731, 3^9

" " " Hybrid-i, 362

" Tea Rose Trade, 264
Cutting Camellia Flower^, ic6
Cyclamens, Diseased, 44
Cypress, Nootka Sound, 70, 130
Cypripedium barb^tam, 267

" insigne, 366

Dahlias, Dwatf, <o

Dairy Farming, 61, 94, 222, 377
" " Sheldon's, 157, 2B3

Daisy, Ox-eye, -SC9

Darlingtonia Calilomica, i2t

Daiwinism, Refutation of, 92

Darwin, Mr , Premium to, 151

Datura arborca, 41

Death of l-a'tet, M , 31
" Biitth;.m, M. B, 28s
" )iuist, Kobt , 253
" Bnrneit, Alex., 128
" Buir, Ammon, 62
" Evans, E. I., 190
" Fenzl, Dr. Edw., 31
" Fortune, Robt , 158
" Goi den, Ge^., 62
" Hatcourt, Col. 190
" H.ir.l< n, Jno. W, 222
" Howsley, Dr ,158
," Johnson, Keith, 56
" Johnstone, B. F., 377

Death of King, D. Rodney, 61
" Landrcth, Dav., 127
" Lincoln, U. Waldo, 285
" Munz, H., 94
" Sjuchet, M., 190
" Stauffcr, Jacob, 128
" Verschaffelt, J. N., 253
" Willermorz, M.., 31
Deciduous Trees in Cal. 55
Decorations, Public, 334

" Table, 367
Decorative Art, 300
Degeneration of Potatoes, 113
De modium pcnduliflorum, 38
Designs cf Cut t lowers, 43
Destroying Wood Lice, 166
Destruction of Insect Eggs by
Frost, 121
" of Plants in Winter, 216
Dew, Honev, 282, 309
Diary of a Bird, 158
Dick, iohn, Jr., 158
Difference in the Catalpas, 53
Differences, Climatic, 20
Dignity of a Seedsman, 185
Directions of Nutrition, 216
Disappearance of Species, 21
Discovery, Priority of, 95
Diseased Cyclamens, 44
Disease, Grape, New, 339
Disease Greenhouse Plants, 77
" Marc hal Niel Rose, 268
Disfigured L^wns, 69
Dispersion of seeds, 25
Distribution of Plants, 22, 118
Dogs and Cats, Trapping, 273
Double Bouvardias, 334 367
", < intrr.'rias, 367
" Geraniums, 106
" Petunias, 70
Downing, Chas., 60

" Note on Barry, 188

Drain?ge, 123
Dretr's New Coleus and Plate,

76. 9'. 95
Drip in Greenhouses, 76
Drosera, and Darwin on, 184
Drouth in K:in<as, 247
Drving Flowers, 183
Ducks as Ins;ct destroyers, 98
Durabiliiy of Tim!ier, 52, 116
Duin Str.iwberry, 209
Du'^t in Fishy Water, 251
Dwarf Djhiias, 40
" Catalpa, 5

Earl of Beaconsfield Fuchsia,

Oiigin, 44, 67, 172
Early Flowering Chrysanihe-
mums, 134

" Grap's, 112

" Peaches, 269

" Rose Peach, 338

" Strawberry, 273
Earth Pressing Firm, 35
Earthen Ft. Pots, 172, 232, 268
Eaton, Russell, P , 31, i83
Eden, Apples and Pcais in, 50
Edible Ear h, 241
Editor, 50 Ye.<rs an, 125, 251,286
Ei'ito ial Courtesy, 63

" Lttiers, 26, 57, 8g, 123,
347
Editors and Correspondents, 219
Eleagnus longipes, 197
Electric Liiiht, 177
Kim, M..rshfiel.l, 316
England, American Coal in, 126

" " ri.ints in, 69

" " Trtes In, 197

" and Starvation, 185

" Floial Art in, 285

" Emit Culture in, 285

" Pi imulas in, 98

" R' s s in, Crosi Fertilizing
and from Seed, 322

" Sweet Potato in, 113

" Tomati'cs in, 48
English Names, 151

" Spirrow, 276

" Strawberries, 48
Envelop'S, Addressed, 89
Epigese Repens, Cultivating, 3

Ericine, 53

Erodium, Cicutarium, 182

Errors in Typography and

Grammar, 6o
Essay, Henderson's, 131, 162
Eucalyptographi.T , 61
Eucharis Amazonica, 107, 171,
202
Euonymus Radicans, 228
Eupatoriums, 40, 86
Euphorbia, 42, 329
Europe, Amer'n Forests in, 278

" Phylloxera in, 209,250,70

" Roses in, 70, 226
European Winter, 100

" Pears, 273
Evans, E. J , Death of, 190
Everbloom'g Roses, Hardy,227
Evergreens, Rocky Mt., 83
Everlasting Flowers, 44
Evolution and Creation, 156

" Made easy, 24
Exotic and Indigenous, 217
Extract from iny Note Book, 1 79

Facts arc Stubborn Things, 205

" on Ferns, 103
Fjirmount Park, 218, 250, 346
Fall Planting Larch, 308
Family Favo ite Peach, 304
Farrar's, Flower Sermon, 196
Fast, Dr. Tanner s, 280
Fay's Prolific Currant, 370
Fences, B;!rbed Wire, 38
Fenjl, Dr. Edw., Deatti of, 31
Fern, Japan Llimbing, 70
Ferns, Hardy, Two, 165

" cf Southern Cal., 180, 212
Ferny Facts and Fancies, 103
Ferti ity of Forest Trees, 17
Fertilizalion, of Yucca, lai, 214

" Sex in, 217 I 279

Fibre, Raffia, 141, 177
Fifty ye.<rs Edit r, 126, 251,286
Figs and Firs, 80
Fine Cinerarias, 107

" Geraniums, 35a
Fir, Broad, 100

" Hybrid, 39

" Japan, New, 99
Fire Blight and Yellows, 339
Fires, Forest, 178, 244

" in Greenhouses, 43
Firming Earth, 35, 143
First Impressions, 88
Fish Hook Cactus, 335
Flies and Mosquitoes, 123
Flora, Round the World, 64

" China & Japan, 371
Floral Gossip, 236

" Horse shoes, 44

" An in England, 285

" Designs, 352
Floriculiural Progress, 95

" Missionaries, 155
Florid.t CorreiPond..ut on Na-
tional ty, 283
Florist Business in Cincinnati,
Increase, 267

" Tia'le in Londo",284
Florists, Intilligent, 186
Unwer beds, Fiiirmount, 346

" Cardinal, 68

" Gird n and Pleasure
Ground, I, 33,65,97,129,
161, 193, 225, 257, 2&P,

32'. 353
" Gari'eiis, Window, 30, 203
" He Only Stole a, 349
" Market, N Y. City, 166
" Pots, Earthen, 172, 232,
" Sermon. 196 [268

" Trade, Cut, 231, 329

Flowering of Citulonian Jas-
mine, 44
" Raspberry, 87
" 2d, of Horse Chestnut, 101

Flowers & Ferns U S , 222, 285
" Coniferous Branch Growth

from, 23
" Dressi'g Petals of, 084
" Drying, 183

Flowers, Everlasting 44
" Fragrant, 201
" Hybrid, 120
" Preserving, German Me-
thod, 136
" Winter Bloom, German
Method, 77

Foliation and Heat, 87, 121, 151

Forcing Lilies, 77, 171
" Li ium Candidum, 136

Foiest Culture, 115
" Fires, 178, 244
" Hill Cemetery, 125
" Planting, Profits, 17
" Trets, Fertility of, 17

Forestry, i6, 51, 82, 114, 145,
178, 210, 243, 277, 305
" American, 210
" California, 178
" in Canada, 307
" in N. A., 277, 305, 341

Forests, Amer'n, in Europe, 278
" and 1 he Atmosphere, 217
" cf Australia, 17
" of California, 56
" Pine and Oak, 145

Fortune, Robt ,94

" Robt , Death of, 158

Fossils of South Carolina, 123

Fowl Meadcw Grass, 281

Fragraria vesca, 99

Fragrant Flowers, 201
" Olive, 298

Frames fur Tender Plants, 107

Freas, Maj , Grounds of, 40

Freezing ot Sap in Plants, 55,
247, 282, 286

French Collection of Roses, 326
" Mountains, Ailanthus in.

Re-wooding, 115
" Vineyards, 287
" Wine Districts, Destruc-
tion of, 154

Frost, Insect t-ggs. Destruction
by, 121

Frozen Soil, Growth in, 246

Fruit and Vegetable Gardening,
45> 77> ^08, 141, 172, 204,
237, 269, 301, 336, 368
" v_ultuie in Albania, 275
" " England, 240

" " N. Carolina, 243

" " Questions in, 274

" Delaware, 88
" Fjrm, Nebraska, 273
" Cr.w r's Friend, 158
" " Soc. Pa., 32, 95, 376
" Insects in California, 341
" Iree B.ight, Mildew and

Rust, 208
" " Change in a, 281
" " Grafts, Seltciing, 50
" Trees, Cultivating, 112
" " June Fudding, 177
" " Non-production,

Causes of, 109
" Queries, Varii us, 16

Fruiting of \V istaria, 24

Fruits, Laliforni.<n, 144
" Improvement ot. How to

Stim-jlate, 15
" in Pots, 47
" K:msa-, 340
" New, Progress in, 143,205
" Patent, 47

Fuchsi:i, E»rl Beaconsfield, 44,
67, 172
" GiLiliusa, Origin, 104
" Serratifol a, Note.s on, 23i>

Fuchsias, Standard, 198

Fungi and a New Lile, 249
" Carolina, Curious, 18

Fungus, Avp e Leaf, 308
" Spiles, 216

Furore in New Grapes, ao8

Futurt of Asparagus, no

Garden, American, The, 188
" and Field Cu ture. De-
velopment, 153
" Chrysanthtmiiras,0ur,ii6
" New Brunswick, 285

1880.]

AND HORTICULTURIST.

881

Garden Scions, 325, 356

" South Carolina, A, 166

" The, 166

" Vice, The, 39
Gardeners Situations, 154, 311

" Injustice 10, 125

" Monthly, 60, 349

" " Founder, De.ith, 6i
" Kind Words for, 185
Gardening, 223

" and Gardeners, 253, 286

" at Hampton Court, 88

" at Railroad Stations, 56

" in its Higher Sense, 153

" inSouthern Mountains, 347

" L^nd^cape, 263

" Market, 276, 336, 338

" Neatness in, 139

" O'J fashioned, 198

" Plea'-ures of, 2

" Tcoth, 26

" Varying Taste in, loi
Gardens, Artificial Water in,

" Botanic, 55 [241

" Farm, 70

" French, Amer.Treesin, 262

" Public Parks and, 326

" " Superintendents, 32

" Spr ng, Semi tropical and
Alpine, 284

" Various, 47

" Winter, loi
Gas Injurious to Window Plants
106
Gems & Greengrocery, 372
Genista Tinctoria, 311
Gentiana And-ewsii, 346
Geography of Pellea atropur-

purea, 87
Georgia State Hort. Society, 288
Geianium, Henry Cannell, 202

" New Lifo, 230
Geraniums, Double, 106

" Fine, 352
German Method, Preserving
Flowers, 136

" " Wiiit r plower'g, 77
Germantnwn, PluU , 134
Gilead, Balm of, 126
Girdling Trees, 309
Gladioli, or Glidioluses, 350
Gladiolis con.munis, 357
Glass, Blue and Other Colors,
119, 148

" Ro'fs, 203

" Tciugriensd, 10
Glazing Without Putty, 10
Globose seed. Phxnosperma 229
Glorie d'O or!eaiis Pelargonium
Gloxinas, 75 [^66

" Uptight, 9
Going Round ttie World, Flora

in, 64
Golden Lup O ik, 217

" Gate P<)rk, San Francisco
Gomphrena Globo'ia, 55 [loi
Goodale, Pr f. of Cambridge

Botan cal GarJen, 122
Good Men in Parks and Gar-
d lis, How t ) Get, 63

" Peaches, 14, 209
Gooseberries, St 'ndard and

Other, 241, 303
Gooseberry, Orange, 243

" Smitti s Improved, 210
Gordon, Geo , Death of, 62
Go^sip, Floral, 236
Go Wc^t, Young Man, 184
Grafted Conif.-ise, 39, 100
Grafting tjrapes, 48

" Peach Tree-, 340

" Pear on P. japonica, 82
Grafts Fiuit Trees, Selecting, 50
Grape Beetle, Steel B.ue, 240

" Best, 82

" Brighton, 112, 142,274, 368

" Cat.iwba, 369

" Cce, ;,69

" Culture, Climate and, 345

" Disease, New, 339

" Grafting ttie, 48

" Gnz/ly Frontignan, 249

" Growing and Wine Mak-
ing, Hussman's, 1S9

Grape, Hayes, 340

" Insects and Asparagus,

" Jefferso", 142, 191 1339

" Lady Washington, 8i

" Moore's Early, 339

" Prentiss, 48

" Rot, 112

" Seed ing, 340

" Wi'd, Odor of, a^io
Grapes, Dr. Wylies, 48

" Early, 1 12

" for Profit, 80

" Hot-house, Mealy Bug In,
304

" in Grape Houses, 273

" List of, 17s

" New, Furore in, 208

" " White, 340

" Ricketts', 112

" White, 115
Grass, Blue, in Arkansas, s

" " Kentucky, 327

" Buffalo, 87

" fir Lawns, 263

" Fowl Meadow, 281

" Paper fr im, 241
Grasses, Ornamental, 4, 44
Gray, Asa, Prof , 317

" Wm Jr , Grounds of, 101
Greeley, Crl. Progress, 284, 350
Green Asparagus, St

" Color of Plants, 122

" Corn, 14
GreeTihouseand House Garden-
ing. 5. 4>, 71. >o', 135,
168, ■00,230,564,^95,361

" Bulding, Slate in, 363

" Bulbs, -/69

" Insects, Destruction of, 73

" Plants, Disease in, 77

" " Good, 235

" " Half hardy, 336

" " for, in Summer, 138

" Watering, Hose, 363
Greenhouses, Cold, io4

" Drip in, 76

" Fires iti, ,53

" Neat, 2i7

" Steam Heating in, 107,

137, 169, 20 , 23), 2C5

Ground Plan of a Park Scene,66
Growing Mushrooms, 113, 339

" Ori-hids, 334

" Peaches, 81

" Pine Apples, 370
Grow'h, Osage Orange, 53

" T mber, 179

" Trees in Fr. zen Soil, 246
Gum Tree, A Curiosity, 114

" Tall. 3 7
Gutta-percha, 371

H

Half-hardy Greenhouse Plants,

336
Handsome Plants, Some, ■799

" Town, Clifton, Ohio, I y4
Harcourt, Coi., Death of, gi
Harden, jno. W., Death of, 212
Hardiness of Hyacimhus candi-
cans, 3'7

" Japan Ligustrums, 40, 66
Hardy Lver bloom. Roses, 227

" Ferns, Two, 165

" Heaths, 268
Hayes Grape, 340
Hazel-nut frade, Turkish, 14
Hear, Foliation and, 87, 121, 151
Heating by a Limekiln, 76

" " Steam in Green-

houses, IC.7, 137, 163, lOI,
'33. 265

" Hoihoif-es, 42

" Small Conservatories, 140
Heath, English, N.nntucket, 281
He.-iihs, Hardy, 268
Hedges, Osage (.'range, 358
Heli trope, Hybiid, 1-3
Hemiilia Vestatryx, 26
Hemlock Spruce, 2J4

" " Scarcity, 114

Henderson, P. on Hciiicultu-
ral Progress, i'6t

" " Prize Essay, 73

Henrietta Peach, 339
Henry Cannell GeranluiH, 2C2
Hepaticas, Improved, 227
HerbaceouH Plants, 123
Herbarium, Kew, 317
Herpestes reflexa, 4
Hints, Seasonable, i, 5, 11, 33,
4I, 45, 65, 77, 97, 102, 108,
'29. '35. '4'. ^"'. 1^8, 172,
193, 204, 225, 237, 257, 289,
295, 30'. 32r. 328, 353, 361
Hollyhocks, 70, 130, 131
Hollywood Park, 132, 163
Honey Dew, 282, 309
Honeysuckles, 199

" Three Popular, 293
Horsr chef tnut. Second Flower-
ing of, 1^1
Hor^e-shces, Floral, 44
Hcrticultural Authority, 253
" Hall, PlQilada.,96
" Information, 314
" Progress, 131, 162, if?
" Societies, 32, 04, 9?, 159,
191, 223, 254, 286, 3t7,

3^1 .377 .
" " Instructive, ^?->
" " January Meetings, 32
" Society, Georgia, 288
" " Ills., 127
" " Iowa, 150
" " Kansas, 160,254,376

" Ohio, 377
" " Kentucky, 32, 96
" " Maryland, 287
" " Mas-., 64, 122,160.
" " Miss. Valley, ;23,
" " Montreal, 31 [377
" " N . Y., 32, 160, 192

" Pa , 151J, 92, 319
■' '.' Portage Co., O ,287
" " Wor. Co ,Mass ,64,

95

Horticul. at Paris Exhibit., 188
" Humbugs in, 286,317, 519
" in Texas, 287
" Woman m, 2}o

Hose watering Greenhouses, 363

Hot- house Grapes, Mealy Bug
in, 3^4

Hot-houses, Heating, 42

House plants. Hygienic and
'Ihetapeutic Rela ions of,
295, 300. 33'

Howsley, Dr , Death of, 159

How to make a Living, 123
" " Prepare Sumac, 114
" " Propagate Mistletoe,

Hovsy, C. M., 350 [134

Hu^e Azalea, 268

Humbugs in Horticulture, 286,

317. 351

Husbandman, 80

Huxley's Physiographta, 184

Hyicinthus candicans, 327

Hybrid Coleus, New, 7
" Cut-flower 'I'rade, 362
" He iotrope, 1133
" Fir, 39
" Flowers, 120
" Pear, Kieffer's, 15
" Perpetual Roses, 260, 322
" PerpetuaL, Ciimbine, 360

Hybridizing Strawberries, 177

Hydrangea paniculate, 197, 327
" Thunberijii, 197

HygienicindTheraj e itic Rela-
tions of House plants, 295,
300, 331

I

Identity, Animals and Plants,

Proof, 122
Illi'ois, Apples in, 81

" Hort Societi. , 127
Imandevi lia suavolens, 127
Impona'ion of Living Plants,

Prohibiting, 113
Improved Garderi Marigol s, 4

" Hepaticas, raj

" Lemons, 50

" Prtentillas, 69

" Pyrethrums, 4

" Riads, 3

Improvement ct Fruits, How to

Stimulate, 15
Improvements, 130

" in Propagating, 236
Indian Bureau Statistics, 376

" Corn, Ranae of, 183

" Question, The, 31
India Rubber and GuttaPercha,

T J- n ■ 347

Indicum nanum Geranium, 134

Indigenous and Exotic, 217

Industrial Exhib., Cincin., 160

Irformation, Hoiticultural, 314

Injustice to Gardeners, 125

Insect Destroyers, Ducks as, 98

" Eggs, Destruction by
Frost, 121

Raspberry Root, 143
Insects, Effects of Cola on, 87

" Fruit, California, 341

" Grape and Asparagus, 339

" Greenhouse, Destruction
.of, 73

" in i(?8o, 304

" Noxious, Mod-Is of, 80

" Pine tree, 51

" 'Yeast to Destroy, 369
Instincts of Fish, 25
Instructive Hort. Societies, 320
Introducing Skylarks, 100
Iowa Hoit. Society, 190
Irish Yew, ^27
Isham Sweet Apple, 274, 341
Ivy-leaf Pelargcnium, 36*5

Jacques' Notes, 24, 55, 88, 122,
153. '83, 218, 249, 283, 312,
346, 372
Japan Agricul. College, Sap-
pora, 350
" Climbing Fern, 70
" Cucumber, White, 8i
" Fir, New, 99
" Ja.smine, 70
" Persimmon, i6, 47, 143,

-<^, 239. 369

" Snowball, 134
Japanese Ligustrums, Hardi-
ness ol, 40, 66

" Sciei ttsts, 25
Jasmine Catalonian, 44, 330

" Japin, 70
Jasminum grandiflorum, 365
Jean Ducher Tea t<ose, 3
Jefferson Grape, 142, 191
Johnson Keith, Dtath of, 56
Johnstone, B. F., Death, 377
Josephine de Malines Pear, 34:2
Jules Chretien Rose, 134
June Budding B'ru it Trees, 177

K

Kansas, Drouth in, 247
" Fruits lor, 340
" Southern, Trees of, 148
" State Board Agricul., 222
" Hott. Soc , 160, 254, 376
Keeping one Cow, 350
Kentucky B ue Grass, 327
" Hort. Society, 32, 96
Kew Herbarium, 317
Kitffer s Hybrid Pear, 15, 49
Killing Codling Moihs and Can-
ker Worms, 33S
Kind Words, 185
King, D. Rodney, Death cf, 6i
Kirkwood Strawberry, 273
Knowledge, Love of, 26
Kreigh Raspberry, 376

Ladies' Floral Cabinet, 94
Lady Washington Grape, 8r
La France Rose, 229, 293
Lamp Stoves, 140
Landreth, Burnet, on Hort, 250

" David, Death of, 127
" The Late, 188
Landscape G rdeners, Intelli-
Kcnt, 18S

" Garden. ng, 2^3
Langdon, C C , 285

" Nurseries, 853 ' '

382

THE GARDENER'S MONTHLY

[December,

Lantanas, 70

Lapageria, 3-6

Larch Fall-planting, 308

Large Cucumbers, 48, 144, 305

" Live Ua.ks, 114

" Oak, 17

" Oianges, 80

" Potato Order, 144

" Watermelon, 276
Larix Europoea. 17
Larvae of Rose bug, D»mage

by, 138
Laurel Hill Cedar of Lebanjn,

Destruction, 39
Lavender, Plea fjr, 325
La Vigne Francaise, 316
Lawn Plant, Alt'Jrnantliera, 165
Lawns, Disfigured, 69

" Grass for, 263

" Making, 99
Laxton's Marvel Pea, 81
Laxton on Roses, 376
L^adviUe, Glacier near, 185
Leaves, Morphology of, 23
Lebanon, Cedar of, 39, 228
Lecture on Squashes, 188
Lemon, Olivia, 177
Lemons, Imp oved, 50
Lenning s White Strawberry, 80
Lepidium, Bed-tug deitroyer,i3
Letters, iNames but no Ad-
dresses, 127
Liberia, Coffee Culture in, 187
Life, Origin of, 247
Light, Electric, 175
Ligustrums, Japanese, 40,66,102
Lilies, 69

" Forcing, 77, 171
Lilium candidum, 136

" Carohniense, 3

" Parryi, 294
Lily, Atamasco, 5s

" Cultur , 294

" ot the Field, 316
Limekiln, Heating by a, 76
Lincoln, D. W., Death of, 283
Liquidambar stryaciflui, 17
Literature, Travels and Personal
Notes, 24, 55, 88, 122, 153,
183, 218, 249, 283, 311, 346
Litiz Apple, 272 [372

Little Things, Value of, 26
Live Oaks, Large, 114
Living Plants, Prohibtin^ Im-

ponatiou, 113
Local Names, 304
Locusts die off in Augu-.t, 183
London Journal Hort., 377

" Market Gardening, 276,
336, 338
Long Term of Edw Meehan,i27
Lonicerums, List of, 199
Louis PhiUipe Striped Ros^, 135
Lost Ring, A, 219

M

Magnolia acuminata, 17
Maiden Hair Iree, 151, 360
Making Lawns, 09
Miking Things Pay, 240
Mann Apple, 209
Manning, J. W., 159
Manuil, American, Parliamen-
tary Law, 31
Maple, Red Colchcan, 359
Marechal Niel Rjse, 330
" Neil Rose Cut-flower

Trade, 329
" " Disease in, 268

" " Large, 236

" *' Origin ot, 100,

336
Marie Carn->tion, New, 107
Marigolds, Impr vc^, 4
Marketable Pear Trees, 238
Market Gardening, 276, 336, 338
Marquis of Bute, Colonization

scheme, 313
Marshfield Elm, 316
Maryland Hort. Scciety, 287
Mass. Hort. Soc, 64, 132, 160

" Tree Planting in, 146
MaunuuUa Barclayana, ^ff

Mead, Peter B. on Plants in

Rooms, 61
Mealy Bug in Hot-house

Grapes, 304
Measuring Height of Trees, 53
Mefhan, Edw., Service of, 127
Mteh.in's St me Crop, 309
Melons and Potatoes, 175
Memorial Trees, 38, 133,268,339
Mexican Vegetables, 272
Michaux, F. Andre, 159
Mich, Ag. Col. Experiments 317

" Pomol. Society, 192
Microscopical Society, C.'.m-

den, 256
Mildew, 208

Missionaries, Floricultural, 155
Miss. Valley Hort. Soc. 223, 377
Missouri Botanij Garden, 150
Mistlet e, To Propagate, 134
Mite, Pear leaf, 85
Montreal Hort. Society, 31
Moon, Mahlon, 285, 317
Moore s Early Grape, 339
Morphology of Leaves, 23
Mosaicu ture, 126
Moss Mulching, 298, 340

,, Rose, Introduction of, 252
Moths, Yucca, 248
Movements of Plants, 247
Muck, Swamp, 209, 368
Mu ching. Moss, 298, 340
Muni, Herman, Death of, 94
Muscle Beating, 189
Mushroom Growing, 113. 339

N

Names, English, 151

" Local, 304

" of Plants, 44, 151
Nantucktt, Engl. Heath in, 281
Napoleon's Willow, si"?
Natural History, 313

" " and Science, 18,

54, 84, 116, 148, 179, 212,

2<5, 279, 308, 344, 371
" Science .Tud Religion, 156
Nature, Accidents in, 86
Neat Greenhouses, 297
Ne.T.tness in Gardening, 139
Nebraska Board Agriculture, 190
" Fruit Farm, 273
" Tree Planting in, 53
Ne Pl.:s Ultra Cherry, 208
New Agricultural Society, 320
" Border Plant, 98
" Botany, by Bessey, 285
" Brunsw.ck Garden, 185
" Bush Beans, 144
" Carnation, Marie, 107
" Double Var , Swe^t Allyt-

sum, 236
" Early Peaches, 269
" Fruits, Progress, 142, 205
" Grap: Disease, 339
" Grape-s, 208
" Hardy Ornamental Shrubs

Prize Essay, 188
" Hybrid Coleus, 7
" Japan Fir, 99
" Life Geranium, 230
" Method with Tuberoses,
" Native Plums, 339 [356
" Ornamental Gra-ses, 4
" or Rare Native Plants, 151
" Peas, 113

" Southern Peaches, 304
" Varnish Plants, 345
" Verbenas, 326
" White Grapes, 340
" York Hort. Society, 32,

160, 192
" York City Flower Market
166
" " Leading Apples, 112
Newspaper Paragraphs, 376
Niagara Inttrnational Park, 196
Nicotane suaveolens, 118, 166,
336
Noisette Rcse, Origin, 315

" Roses, List ol, 259
Non-production of Fru.t Trees,

Causes, log
Nootka Sound Cypress, 70, 130

Nordensjold Prof , Voyage, 88
North America, Forestry in,
277, 305, 341
" Carolina Experimental

Station, 222
"' " Fruit Culture in, 243
Norway Spruce Varieties, 360
Note Caladium Esculcntum, 23
Notci and Queries, 153, 254, 286
" from Col. Wilder, 191
" " South Carolina, 215
" " Wash. Territory, 181
" Fuchsia Serratifclia, 230
" Primulas, Engbnd, 98
" on Trees of Humphrey

Marshall, 16
" Short, 14
Novelty in Roses, 9
Nuxicus Insects, Models of, 80
Nurseries in Canada, 317
Nurserymen's Asso.96, 160, 191

223, 255
Nutrition, Directions of, 216

Oak and Pine Forests, 145

" Bartram, 182

" Cawthorp, 219

'■ Golden Cup, 217

■' Large, 17
Oaks, L've, (^aige, 14
Obituary, 31, 56, 61, 62, 94, 127,
128, 158, 190, 222, 253, 285,
Odors, 250 ^ [377

Ohio Journal of Floricullu'^e, 127

" Horticultural Society, 377
Old fashioned G.irdening, 198
Oleander, 252

" on Rose Laurel, 43
Olive, Fragrant, 298
Oue-flowered Cancer P.oot, 86
Orange Gooseberry, 243

" Tr es. Small, 249

" Wine in Florida, 56
Oranges, Calilornia, 80

" Large, 80
Orchard House, Japan Persim-
mons in, 239

" Trees, Scale on, 342
Orchid Culture, 170, 237, 334
Orchids at Baltimoie, 136

" at Public Sale, 172

" Cool and their Treatment
71, i68, 364

" in America, 334
Origin of Fuchsia Globosa, 104

" of Life, 247, 286

" " Noisette Rose, 315

" " M. Niel Rose, 100, 136
Ornamental Grasses, 4, 44

" Oiage Orange, 70
Ornithologist, Wilson, 248, 314
Osage Hedges, 358

" " Pruning, 2 26

" Orange, Ornamental Tree
70

" " Rapid Growth, 53
Ox-eye, Daisy, 309

Packing Apples for Distant
Markets, lu

Palms, 335

Palm, Sago, Rooting a, 268

Paper From Gnss, 241
" Makers, Wood for, 307
" Poplar for, 307

Park Dtcoration, Western, 354
" European, Plan of, 66
" Fairmount, 218, 250
" from the Queen, 40
" Hollywood, 132, 163
" Internut'l, Niagara, 196

Parks & Gardens, 326
" " Good Men in, 63

Parnell Peach, 275

Pa-tridge Berry , Planting, 99

Patent Fruits, 47

Patents, Plant, Those, 63

Paterson Nurseries, 285

Paths and Roads, 227
i Pauilinia, and Euphorbia, 329
" tbaliccrifulia, 369, 300

Pawlonia, Wood of, 82
Pay, Making rhinos, 240
Pea, Laxton's Marvel, 81
Peas, European, 273

" New, 113
Peanut, The, 48
Pe.ich, Alexander, 113

" Allen, 81

" Aphis, 206

" Bower's Early, 275

" Brett, 370

" Early Rose, 338

" Family Favorite, 304

" Foster, 48

" Growing, 81

" Henrietia, 339

" Packing \u Baltimore, 56

" Parnell, 275

" Rivers' Early Silver, ao8

" Schumarher, 81, 177, 276

" Susquehanna, 272

" Trees, Grafting, 340

" Waterloo, 177

" Yellows, 49, 14s, 243
Peaches, Good, 15, 209

" List of, 175

" New Eany, 269

" " S luthern, 304
Paar, B. Clairgeau, 1 12, 173, 174

" Brown Beurrc, 340

" Compte de Lamay, 243

" Grafting on Pyrus Ja-
ponica, 82

" Growing, Forty years of

157

" " in the South, 81
" Josephine de Malines, 343
" Kieffer's Hybrid, 15, 49
" Leaf Blister, 18
" " Mite, 85
" Progenitors, 187
" Seckel, The Original, 370
} 272, 339, 370

, " Tree and Ornamental
Plants, 325
" Tvson, 304
I " Winter Nells, 112
I Pears, 26

" & Apples in Eden, 50
'* "on the Potomac, 144
" California, 369
I " Cracked, 241

" Lover of, 242, 286
Pelargonium, Glorie, d'Orleans
" Striped, 365 L366

' Pellea atropurpurea. Geogra-
phy of, 87
I Penn.T . Agricultural Society, 352
j " Fruit Grower*' Soc, 32, 95
i 376

" Hort. Soc, 159, 192, 319
•' Scarcity of Wood iu, 83
" Winter Apple, 81
Pentstemons, 70
I Perfumes, 89

I Periodical Disappearance, of
I Species, 21

j Peiledes lardines Rose, 334

Per»imiuotib, Japanese, 16, 47,
! 79. M3. z-^S, 239, 369

Peter Henderson Carnation, 170
267, 331
' Petroleum Business, 372

Petunias for Floral Display, 325
\ Phseiiosperma globosa, 229
I Phila. Acad. Nat. Sciences, 64
I " Horticultural Hali, 96
j " Pub ic Squares, 226
I Philosophical Society, Ameri-
I can, 13 1

Phrenology, Illustrated Annual
61
Phylloxera, American Grape
Vines and, 208
" in California, 48
" in Europe, 209, 250, 370
Pic?a and At>ies, 371
" Pungens, 182
" Several Species of, 83
Pickwecd, 280, 281
Pimela Hendersonii and other

Plants, i ulture, 231
Pindars, 351
Pine and Oak Forests, 14s

1880.]

AND HORTICULTURIST.

881

Pine Tree Insects, 51
Pine Apples, Artificial, 305

" " Growing, 370
Pinus Balfouriana, 131

" ponderosa, 84
Pitcher Plants, Varieties of, 217
Planting, Forest, Profits of, 17
" 1 he Partridge Berry, 99
■• Tree, 146, 153
" " in Mass. 146
Plant Doctors, 372
" Patents, 62
" Queries, 106
" Ressurrection, The, 245
Plants, American in Engl'd, 69
" Distribution of, 22, 118
" Freezing of Sap in, 55, 247
282
*' for Greenhouse in Sum-
mer, 138
" Green Color of, 123
" Greenhouse, Disease, 77
■" " Good, 235
" Living Roon-s, fo, 295,
300
" Movements of, 247
" Names of, 44, 151
" Native, New or Rare, 151
" Some Handsome, 299
" Standard, 198
" Tender, Frames for, 107
" Winter, Destnict'n of, 216
Plea for the Old-fashioned

Lavender, 325
Pleasures cf Gardening, 2
Plough vs. Spade, 317, 337
Plumbago capensis, 326, 365

" larpente, 326
Plums, 338

" New Native, 339
Poisoning by Stramonium, 246
Poison Vines, 184
Polyanthus, 99
Pomological boc. American, 75

" " Mich., 192

Pond Lilie."; in Boston, 56
Poplar for Paper , 307
Popular Honeysuckles, Three,
" Roses, 228 [293

" Strawberries, 273
Portage Co^O. Hort. Soc , 287
Portlandia Grandiflora, 9, 103
Portulaccas, Double, 70
Posts, Catalp:', 307
Potatoes and Melons, 175
" Degeneration of, 113
" Sweet, 14
Potato in SJt Lake City, 315
" Order, A Large, 144
" Sweet, in England, 113
Potentillas, Improved, 69
Potomac, Pe^rs & Apples, 144
Pots, Fruiu in, 47
Practical Taxidermy, 127
Prairie Roses, List of, 259
Prentiss Grape, 48
Preservation, Animal and Vege-
table.Wickersham Process 14
Preservit g Flowers, Gernnan

Method, 136
Pressing Eirth Firm, 35
Prickly Comfrey, 12
Primroses, Chinese Improved,
76
" " How to Grow,

" Rupp's, 104 [210

Primulas in England, 98
Priority of Discovery, 95
Profit, Grjpes f r. 8j
Profits cf Forest Planting, 17
" of Tmber Culture, 147
Progress, Horticultural, 167
" in New Fruit, I42, 205
" NewspaperonMushrooms

. 56

Pronunciation of Botanical

Names, 151

" " Terms, 372

Propaeating, Improved, 236

" Maiden Hair Tree, 360

Propagate Mistletoe, How to,

„'34

Protection of Trees from Sun,

303

Pruning Injured Trees, 133

" Osage Hedges, 226

" Boot, 47
Ptelea trifoliata, 23
Public Decorations, 334

" Gardens, Supe>intendents
of, 32

" Parks and Gardens, 336

" " " Cemeteries, 2

" Roads, 69

" Spirit, 394

" Squares of Boston, 125
Purdy's Fruit Instructor, 2B6
Putty, Glazing Without, 10
Pyrethrums, Improved, 4
Pyrus Japonica, Pear Grafting
on, 82

" The Progenitor of the
Pear, 187

Quassia for Insects, 218
Queen Gives a Park, 40

" of Market Raspberry, 16
Quercus heterophylla, 17

" Phellos, 17
Queries, 367

" Fruit, Various, 16

" Planf , 106
Question, Indian, 31
Questions on Fruit Culture, 274
Quinces, 346

Radi:>h, Sea, 305
Raffia Fibre, 141, 177
Railroad Lines, Beautiying, 195
Raisins, California, 81, 145
RaspVierries in Canada, 14
Raspberry Borer, 178

" Canes, Ripening of, 272
" Flowering, 87
" Kreigh, 276
" Queen of the Market, 16
" Root Insect, 143
" Sweet Home Black Cap,
" Weaiberbee, 81 [m

Readers and Advertisers, 63
Red Cedar, 40

" Colchican, Maple, 359
Restoring Withered Leaves, 218
Resurrection Plant, 245
Retrogression, 345
Rhcdodenclrums, 360
Ribston Pippin Apple, 304
Rickett's Grapes, 112
Ring Marks in Trees, 184
Rings, Annual in Trees , 309
Ripening of Raspberry Canes,
252
Rivers' Early Silver Peach, 208
Roads and Paths, 227
" Improved, 3
" Public, 69
Rocks, Water on, 246
Rocky Mountain Evergreens, 83
Roestellia canceUata, 308
Roofs, Glass, 203
Root Pruning, 47
Rosebank Nurseries, 188
Rose, American Banner, 357
" Best, 394

" Bug Larvx, Damage by,
" Change in a, 381 [138

" China pink, 284
" Comptesstf Riga du Pare,
" Cornelia Koch, 3S7 [203
" Culture in America, 133
" Greeks and the, 249
" Jean Ducher, 3
" Jules Chretien, 134
" La France, 229, 293
" Laurel on Oleander, 43
" Maicchal Niel, 329, 330
" " Disease, 368

" " Large, 336

" " on Lady

Binks, 284
" " Origin, 100

136
" Moss, Introductioc of, 353
" Noisette, 31}

Rose, Novelty in, 9
" Niu^ery, Hereford, Eng.,
3*6
" Perle des Jardens, 334
" Striped Louis Phillipe, 13s
" Trade, Cut Tea, 264

Roses, 326

" American, 258, 259, 260

" Climbing H P., 360

" Crots-fertiliring & Raising

from Seed Eng., 322
" French collection, 316
" Hardy Ever-blooming,227
" Hybrid Perpetual, 260,32a
" in Europe, 70, 236
" Laxton on, 376
" List of Questions on, loi
" Popular, 228
" Seedling, Raising, 5
" Standard, 196
" Tree, 358
" Too Many, 101

Rosewood, 221

Rot, Grape, in

Rothrock, Ur. J. T., 153

Rubus Phoenicolasius, 10

Rupp's Primroses, 104

Rust, 208
" Black, 8

Ryders' Amer'n Fruit Dryer,339

s

Sad if True, Wearing out of

Soils, 56
Sago Palm, Rooting a, 268
iales. Auction, 167, 172
Salmon in American Rivers, 25
Salt on Walks, 327

" Lake City, Potato m, 315
Salvia farinacea, 4, 326

" splend. coerulea, II, 42, 87
Salvias, 172
San Francisco, Golden Gate

Park, loi
Sands, Samuel, 186
Sap, Freezing in Plants, 55, 24?,
Sa^h Bars, 266, 330 [28

Scale OB Orchard Trees, 242
Scarcity of Hemlock, 114
Schinus MoUe, 360
Schumacher Peach, 81, 177,276
Science by Rev Jos. Cook, 54
" in Australia, 151

" is Common Sense, 154
Scions, Garden, 325, y~6
Scraping Bark of Trees, 47
Scribner, Stiawberries in, 80
Scriptures, Shittim Wood of,346
Sea Radi>h, 305
Seasons, Peculiarities of, 345
Seckel Pear, The Original, 27c,

272. 339- 370
Sedum Meehani, 309
Seedling Grape, 340

" Roses, Raising, s
Seed Shop, Arcient, 221
Seedsman, Dignity of a, 185
Selecting Grafts Fruit Trees, 50
Sex in Fertilization, Influences

of, 217
Shaw, Henry, 317
Shells for Roads, 123
Shittim Wood of Bible, 346
Short Hand without a Teacher,
" Notes, 14 (94

Shortia Calacifolia, 150
Silk before the Revolution, 183

" Worms, 184
Situations and Gardeners, 154,
3"
Skylarks ia America, 88, 100,
149
Slate, Greenhouses Build'g, 263
Slitting Bark of Trees, 79, 303
Small Conservatories, Heating,
140
Smith's Improved Gooseberry,
Snowball, Japan, 134 210

Soil Firming, 143
Solanum azureum, 367
Souchet, M., Death of, 190
South, Apples for, 242

" Carolina Fossils, i»3
*• " Garden, 166

South Carolina Notes from, 215
" Pear Growing in, 8i

Southern Cal. Ferns, 180, 212
" Enterprise, 377

'' Peaches, New, 304

Spade vs. Plough, 337

Sparrow, English, 276

Species, Disappearance of,
Periodical, 21

Spiraea, aruncus, 40
" iobata, loi
" palmata, 262

Spores, Fungus, 216

Spring Flowers, Early Virgin-
ian , 149

Springs, 184

Spruce, Hemlock, 294

" '' Scarcity of, 114

Squares, Public, of Phila., 236

Squashes, Lecture on, 188

Standard and other Goose-
berries, 241, 303
" or Tree Wistarias,
" Plants, 198 [228

'• Roses, 196

Stanhopeas, 364

Statistics of Arboriculture, 17
" Timber, 146

StaufFer, Jacob, Death of, 128

Stealing Flowers, 349

Steam Heating in Greenhouses,

J°7. 137. '691 233i 365
Stephanotis floribunda 202, 297
Stillingia sebifera. Tallow
Stoves, Lamp, 140 [Tree, 182
Stramonium, Poisoning by, 246
Strawberries, Cream of the, 273
" Best, 81
" '• English, 48

" Hybridizing, 177
I " in Scribner, 80

" Popular, 273
Strawberry, Durn, 209
" Early, 273

" Kirkwood, 273
" Lennig's, White, 80
'■ Roots, Aphis on, 177
Striped Pelargoniums, 365

" Rose, Louis Phillipe, 135
Success Small Fruits, 158, 221
Sulphuric Acid as Manure, 123
Sumac, How to Prepare, 114
Summer Greenhouse Plants 138
Sunflowers in Autumn, 327
Sunrise, Amaranth, 138
Swamp Muck, 209, 368
Sweet Alj'ssum, New Double
Variety, 236
" Home Black Cap Rasp-
berry, III
" Pippin Apple. 207
" Potatoes, 14
•' Potato in England, 113
Symphytum Ass peri mum.

Table Decorations, 367
Talk about Coleuses, 67
Tall Gum Tree, 307
Tallow Tree, 183
Tanner's Fast, 280
Taste in Gardening, Varying,
10 1
Tea Culture in U. S., 278
" " Saunders', 61
" Roses, List of, 260
" Rose, Jean Ducher, 3
" " Trade, Cut, 964
Temperature, Winter, 369
Tender Plants, Frames for, 107
Terra Cotta, 283
Terrapins, 154
Taxes, Horticulture in, aS/
Thanks, 106
Thuja Standiihii, 216
Timber Culture, Profile of, 147
" Durability of, 51, 116
" Growth of, 179
" Statistics, 146
Tin, 346

Tobacco Stemi and Camphor
336
Tomatoes in England, 48
" Winter, 49

382

THE GARDENER'S MONTHLY

[December,

Tomato, Turban, 8i

Tom Thumb Arborvitse, 134

Too Many Roses, 101

Torenia Fourneri, 10

Tornelia fragrans, 43

Toughened Glass, 10

Trade, Apple, 241

Tradescantia multicolor, 43

Transplantation of Trees in
Belgium, 167

Trapping Dogs and Cats, 273

Treatment Cool Orchids, 71

Trimmed Yew Tree, 34

Trumpet Vines, 262

Tree Box Evergreen, 218
" Combinations, 327
" Maiden Hair, 151
" Planting in Mass , 143
" " Nebraska, 53

" Roses, 358
" Whistling, 151
" Wonderful, 115

Trees, American, in French
Gardens, 262
" and Yellow Fever, 4
" Annual Rings in, 309
" Forest, Fertility of, 17
" Girdling, 309
" Growing in European

Ruins, 219
" in Frozen Soil, Growth of
246
" of Fairmount Park, 250
" Humphrey Marshall, 16
" Measuring Height of, 53
" Memorial, 38, 133, 268,359
" Planting, 146
" Protection from Sun, 302
" Pruning Injured, 133
" Scraping Bark of, 47
" Slitting Bark of, 79, 303
" Southern Kansas, 148
" Whitewashing, 15

Tuberoses, New Method, 356

Turban Tomato, 81

Turkish Hazel Nut Trade, 14

Two Well-kept Places, 35

Tyson Pear, 304

u

Upright Gloxinias, 9

United States Consul, Florence,

on Chestnut Flour, 218
U. S, Tea Culture in, 278
Useful Plants Counted by Dr.

Rosenthal, 249
Uses of the Walnut, 115
"U. Wait," or a Plumber Well

Named, 185

Variations in Late Ititroduc-

tions, 284
Variegated Ailanthus, 327
Varieties Asclepias, Three, 245
" Norway Spruce' 360
" Pitcher Plants, 217

" Vegetables, 80

" Wearing out of, 54
Various Gardens, 47
Varnish Plant, New, 345
Varying Taste in Gardening,

lOI

Vegetables and Beauty, 82
" Mexican, 273

" Varieties of, 80

Vegetation and Electricity, 154

Verbena Culture, 106
" venosa, 325

Verbenas, New, 326

Verschaffelt, Jean Nuytens,
Death of, 253

Vine Disease, 25
" Garden, 39

Vines, Trumpet, 262

Vineyards, French, 287

Virginia Autumn Scenery, 344
" Early Spring Flowers,

Vitis Incisa, 281 [149

w

Walks, Salt on, 327
Wallflower, 43

Walnut and its Uses, 115
Waratah, The, 151
Washington Territory, 118
Water, Artificial Gardens, 241
" Cress, Growing, 55
" Fishy, Dust in, 251
" Melon, Large, 276
" on Rocks, 246
Waterloo Peach, 177
Wax, Chinese, 219

" for Coating Marble, 218
Wax-Wort, 282
Wearing out of Varieties, 54
Weatherbee Raspberry, 81
Weeds, Soldiers to Kill, 56
Well-kept Places, Two, 35
Wheat Culture, 350

" Cheat, How to Tell, 316
Western Farmer, America, 374
West Park Decorations, 354
Whistling Tree, 151
White Grapes, 15

" Japan Cucumber, 81
" Strawberry, Lening's,
Whitewashing Trees, 15 [80
Whitewash, Permanent, 82
Wickersham Process, Preserv-
ing Animals and V^egeta-
bles, 14
Wild Caladium, 311

" Grape, Odor of, 250
Wilder, Col. and Pears, 242
" " Health of, 60

" " Grapes from, 340

" " Notes from, 191

" " Portrait of, 60

Willermorz, M., Death of, 31
Williams, Dr. A C, no ad-
dress, 127
Willow, Napoleon's, 317
Wilson's School-house, 248, 314
Wilson, The Ornithologist, 248
Window Gardens, 30, 203

" Plants, Gas Injurious, 106
Winter AppJe, Penn , 81
" Climbers, 7
" Cut Flowers, Carnation,
P. Henderson, 267

Winter Destruction Plants, 216
" European, The, 100
" Flowers, German

Method, 77
" Gardens, loi
'; Mild, Bad Effects of, 13
" Nelis Pear, 112
" Temperature, 269
" Tomatoes, 49

Wire Fences, Barbed, 38

" Galvanized, Injurious to
Plants, 283

Wistaria, 218

" Fruiting of, 24

Wistarias, Tree or Stand., 228

Wodenethe. 36

Women in Horticulture, 290

Wonderful Tree, 115

Woodbine, 313

Wood, Catalpa, 179
" Durability of, 52
" for Paper Makers, 307
'■ in Penna.. Scarcity, 82
" Lice, Destroying, 166
■' of the Pawlonia, 82

Worcester Co., Mass., Hort.
Society, 64, 95

Workshop Companion, 94

Wylie's' D*-., Grapes, 4S

Xanthoceros sorbifolia, 294

Year, Lancashire Garden, 57

" Fungus to Kill Insects 369
Yeast'as an Insect Killer, 218
Yellow Fever, Trees and, 4
Yellows, Peach, 49, 145,243, 339
Yew, Irish, 227 .;""'

" Tree, Moving a lar^e, 218
" " Trimmed, 34
Yucca. Fertilization of, 121, 214
" gloriosa, 326 [279

" Moths, 248

<i- k

■:^

$>-**

"•7X5"