een tae shea lr at i ene eerie “SENN TS Spins moore reer a ar ne a areca ernie amen nner eee nr aT (HS GARDEN AND FOREST A JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE, LANDSCAPE ART-~ AND FORESTRY Conducted by CHARLES 5S. SARGENT Director of the Arnold Arboretum, Professor of Arboriculture in Harvard College, etc. ILLUSTRATED VOLUME I. FEBRUARY TO DECEMBER, 1888 a nga tt Westen Eisna ReUT “i uu ION AL wmoz Na > New York : ee THE GARDEN AND FOREST PUBLISHING CO. 1888 Copyright, 1888, by THE GARDEN AND Forest PUBLISHING Co. All rights reserved. _ The asterisk () denotes that the sub- ject is illustrated. Abies amabilis.. Sic} ‘Apollinis. . 120 Cephalonica.. ore + 120 —— Cilicica............. a 120) Nordmanniana 120 pectinata..... Pinsapo. subalpina. 58 Webbiana. = 120) Abutilon Sinense 120 Acacia constricta.. 524 decurrens. 35 pubescens.. . 82 Acalypha triumphans.. + 479 Acanthopanax spinosum 248 Acer dasycarpum. ..... Ginnala Japonicum pictum. 312 = leetum.. 312 Colchicum rubrum. 312 polymorphum. 53 a Reta IG UTM have eats ats Achras Bahamensis. Sapota .. Acidanthera bicolo Actinidia polygama. volubilis. Actiniopteris radiata Adansonia Gregorii. Adelaide, botanical garden in. Adelges abieticolens..........- ANAS nasddoaoaesn saeOke 100 Adiantum cuneatum. 404, 522, 523 decorum. Far! leyense.. —— Edgeworth ——- gracilis. —— gracillimum.. COttiisl pedatum Reginz... Victoriz . — Weigandii. pWalllgamsie sre ue ont ‘Adinotinus Sinensis.....5...-.-5 -. 120 Adirondack forests, the. +49, 73 87 Adolphia infesta........ mic aa fErides puindvevulnery, um 428 Rohannianum . as 2an4O8 Williamsi..... wse+ 208 fEsculus rubicunda = 220 turbinata..... + 49r ZEthionema coridifolium. 237 Afghanistan, new plants from. 6 Agave Elemeetiana..... Agricultural literature Ailanthus Akebia quinete Alder, Black . +379, 239, 385, 500 Soa nua per bs .182, 261, 453 Alfalfa....... 407 Algze on animals.. + 99 Alhambra, Gardens of the. mss Allium cceruleum..... MOLY eieeislenm ee 5 Neapolitanum < Pedemontanum SU WiOLOW Is sien eiidacepeen a ales e277 Alnus rubra.... 59 serrulata. 404 Aloe Hilderbrandti =: (60) Alonzoa Warscewiczi 473 Alpenia officinarum.. + 22 Alyssum gemonense.. + 261 Amar yllis aulicaieesc c 68 Contessa Marianna Cambri ay AID) SV sefesteteleleleiavciciei=,q syec-efe amie syeis=%= reticulata . . Amaryllises....... Amasonia calycina. Amelanchier alnifolia Asiatica.. oligocarpa’ vulgaris ... American fruits in France. Amorpha canescens..... Amorphophallus virosus. . INDEX TO VOLUME IT. Andromeda floribunda......... IIS, 154 Ache UW ecceehaaoMn awards <0 resem: 50 Japonica ie... See 20 Asphodelus acaul 299 ROU SUIT AS re estate c's trois tele a ray, 261 Aspidium acr ostichoides 353 Mariana . ee 454 aculeatum...... + 353 polifolia . 179 Boottii.. 353 speciosa,...... 248 cristatuin + 342 Androsemum hircinum — Filix-mas 352 Anemone Japonica.... fragrans... 352 nemorosa.. Goldianum 352 — Pulsatiila... - TEONGHIMS!. ene sialon 353 PAMIMMCU LOL ESt aon erctare etreise ise marginale ..... Anglomania in parl i munitum .. 353 Angrzecum, new variety of Nevadense. 342 Caudatiuimasscteans sem Noveboracense spinulosum thelypteri Asplenium angustifolium ebeneum ....... ~ ——— Filix-foemina . — Ruta-muraria densum.. distichum . eburneum. falcatum.... [eon esse Sanderianum . Scottianum . thelypteroides Anguloa Clowesii Trichomanes . —— eburnea... viride... intermedia. Aster alpinus Amellus concolor Ibericus. . Novee Anglize spectabilis: ..<.\4 7.5 Townshendii ...... Asters, China native, as g garden plants. —- Ruckeri... uniflora..... “s Anisacanthus insignis Annuals for cut flowers. : —— fora succession of flowers... 180 Anthurium Andreanum ............ 245 Chamberlaini. . Desmetianum.. Scherzerianum. Atlanta; Darlrat e-.7s-22% seccneee ee Antirrhinum Nuttallianum.......... 347 forestry congress at Amts, desttuction Of..2.0..53 . 443 Attar of roses Aubretia deltoides Appeal for pretty plants, an. Auricula, the... Apples, autumn.. early... ey! Autumn effect, planting or. Japanese range FIG WETS teeta 210.0010 summer. 485 work : among trees. winter 4oo Axe, do not spare ‘the Apricots, varieties Of..-..0s++ss0-+. 165 Azalea altaclerensis. Aquilegia Canadensis. 114, 150, 199 - Indicageas wc chrysantha.... ercee| occidentalis ccerulea. a ea viscosa. —— formosa... si TIA Azaleas, forcing glandulosa +++ 199 Ghent . longissima*. . eR Clorped ut vulgari is. sane 114 Aquilegias, hybri i Baccharis angustifolia .. ......-.-. 52 Aralia Cashimerica. glutinosa hispida.... alimifolia —— Maximowiczii.. Baden-Baden, novelties at Bahia confertiflora. - Balcony flower- Balsam, the .. Banana, a hardy... Banded hickory borer, the. Banks and slopes, treatment o Ha pentet LOG Barbarea . 54 Bary, Anton de .. 44 Bartonia tenella 1375 Basket culture, terns for 329 Bauhinia uniflora Cunninghami glauca. Arauja grayeolens, Arbor day arene oe Arbutus petiolaris.. with ansplanting the ‘tr ‘ailing .... Xalapensis ae Arctostaphylos tomentosa. Aristolochia elegans. Wesilandi. . 21370 Beans, string. ... 484 Armeria vulgaris... se 27t Beech, a weeping * 32 Arnebia cornuta....... rie Steet 6 Beetles . 172 GHIMOIGESiamateeme nace . 189 Befaria glauca 496 Arnold Arboretum, entrance io nei, Begonia geran 371 notes from the.117, 120, E53; Lubbersii.. 108 165, oie 189, 200, 212, 225, 236, 239, 248, octopetala.. .. = 509 260, 272, 285, 296, 309, 332, 344, 356, 440, semperforens ¢ gigantea. 492 453, Ae Socotrana 5 485 Arrow-head ...... eeisaZAg Begonias, half- gel 71 92 Arrow-arum,. see 243 WHALGY-... 5-8 41 Arsenical poisons. in the = 59) , new race of hybr 41 - on Elm trees.... 151 ,new tuberous..... 256 Artemisia filifolia.. miS2d! Benthamia Japonica ..... 234 Artichoke, Globe 127, 533 Benzine for destroying grubs 516 Artificial water*.. Berberis Canadensis 36 Chinensis.. Artistic aspect of trees.218, 230, 242, 373, 493- concinna . Asarum Canadense.............. 177, ———Cretica...... ........- macranthum.... n emarginata.........+2 36 Asclepias atrosanguinea..... Fendleri ASH thes caters ce +106, 142, 466, 500 =§——— Fremont Ash, the Green.. . 215 neryosa. Asimina triloba. - 514 Sinensi Reeds) —— Thunber Asparagus. ... —— trifoliolata... plumosus. SemAcone sea Supoe Ek} Berberis umbellata .............000. 236 - vulgaris . 89, 236, 416, 440 Bertolonia marmorata. fee 08 Betula papyrifera.... 59 Bidens chrysanthemoides . - 435 Bigelovia pulchella.... 52. Bignonia Tweedieana. 148 Biota Sieboldi....... : 36 Birch, the 59 Birds and strawberries ceeeal T70 Blackberries 105, 494, 519 Bladderwort teas 243 Blood-root, the Blueberry, the. Blue-flag, the. Blunders concerning plants Bollea Wendlandiana .... Borer, work of a.... = ME Bossier. Boston public ou harbor, tree planting on. Botanic garden for-N. Y. City, Botany, ‘Study of, by horticultur 62 Botrychium Virginianum...... 354 Bowman’s root........ 225 Brasenia peltata. 243 Brickellia laciniata. 524 Bridge at Leathertor, England *. 52 in the Thiergarten, Berlin 327 Brodizea Bridgesii 125 Howellii.. 120 uniflora. ar IBF OOM ssp saan se 213 Brussels sprout oe : 513 Buck-everthesredscsigss5nc NX w hybridusii.c2:5. 474 Cotoneaster denticulata ee ret. Cottonwoods, the*. 57, 105, 254 Court-yard, Charlecote Hall*....... 171 Cowania Mexicana ...... 24 Cowslip, Virginia.. 177 Crab-apple, the Amer 212 Cranberries ... 519 Crassula lactea.. 108 Cratzegus coccinea. 249 cordata ... 465 Douglasi 201 Lelandi. - 496 Nigracces. . 201 pinnatifida. 237 —— purpurea... —— sanguinea. . subyillosa . tomentosa, Cress, upland..... Crinum giganteum * 320 Zeylanicum 452 Crocosma aurea.... 503 Crocus Haussknechtii... 408 \Grocused.veses es 496 Cryptogramme acrostichoides . Cucumber, white , Curculio, the. Currant, Black. cultivation of. Fay’s prolific Missouri..... Red Fruited. Cuscuta glomerata . tenuiflora .... Cut flowers and growing plants, , annuals for..... green-house clim Cut-worms.. Cycas reyoluta Cydonia Japonica. - Cymbidium Hookerianum Mastersi album... . Cyperorchis elegans . Cypress, Bald .. shingles Southern .. Cypripedium acaule. bellatulum, 198, 208, Californicum caudatum.. Dayanum.. —— Elliottianum.. TASCICUIALIMN 5s benacts obs 1, 244, 25 Cypripedium Godefroyz.......208, 211 insigne........ 5 -467, 479, 511 — Lawrenceanum .,....-...---- 211 Leeanum maculatum. — Marshallianum . 485 —— montanum.... 138 Morgani 340 —— Mossiz 2Ir —— _ niveum. 211 —— Parishii... ems 248 parvifle F ah 200, 235 pubescens.......+ 138, 151, 188, 235 Rothschildianum .... Sanderianum.. Schroderee spectabile . ——- Spicerianum DONEly.g 7b es Cyrtanthus lutescen Mackeni Cyrtopodium Sain Cystopteris bulbifer fragilis .... Cytisus albus biflorus Canariensis . —— capitatus .. — nigricans... —— purpureus —— scoparius ...... Db Dabeecia polifolia..........- Daffodils .. Dahlia, norther imperialis ... Dahlias, notes on .. Daisies, Michzelmas Daphne alpina.... Cneorum Genkwa ... Meézerelimss) si. = Daphniphyllum glauce Daremma Catalpee ..... Date tréescti ss arct civ.cuys Seen es 231 Davallia tenuifolia. 404, 523 Dayillia aculeata s..cc.eteneeaaee ss 503 Deciduous forest tre mseed.. 23 Decumaria Sinens a 126) Delphinium viride* . 149 Zalilircae vase 6 Dendrobium Bensoni 268 chrysotoxum . 248 — clavatum .......... — crassinode superbum Dalhousieanum.,... Dearet.cci4.% 230 —— Huttonii...... 209 macrophyllum . 479 Wardianum a5 Deutzia parviflora * 363 Dicentra Cucullar’ 177 eximigiec..« = 177 Dichorisandra pubesce 204 Dicksonia pilosiuscula «354 Dicraurus leptocladus. 524 Diervilla sessilifolia. 273 trihdyyeee ates 273 Diospyros Virginian 514 Dipladenia Boliviens 32 Diplothemium camp 231 Disa graminifolia... 388 + +208, 520 208, 407, 520 Disease of certain Japanese shrubs,a 4o of nursery stock...... 7 194 Do not spare the axe . 433 DWodder <2. 252754 495 Dodge City, forestry station at ..... 158 Doetooth Violets caess ans 2cewe 316 (DOs WOOd' seeks hermes 63, 243, 249 Domain, forests of national... : - grandiflora . racemosa 97 Domestication of wild fruits. 195 Doorways of villas » 135 Doronicum Caucasi 150 Douglasia levigata..... +204, 228 Draczena australis. Heliggz Drives and walks . 193 Drosera longifolia. + 243 Dryocetes affaber. + 101 Dunes, planting the . fs eat S57, Dyeing howersiceescrsscts chauneeee I4 KE Easter flowers in New York........ 86 Eburia quadrigeminata .. e Echinocactus Haselberg Eichornia eal! Elzeagnus longipes* . Elder, box.. oy re common... — Mexican .. 4 scarlet-berried . Elm, Japanese IM Si wraticaos + Elm trees, ar: EMPuS26 si sicesccatwsss English flower gardens Enkianthus Himalaicus Ephedra pedunculata .. {iEULGay gees nies teetts Epidendrum atropurpu evectum 200 macrochilum . 2 267 medusze 4 =. 67 —- O’Brienianum ............+.- 209 Epidendrum radicans. Epigoea repens....... Eremurus Olgze Erica cornea... tetralix. Erigeron speci P Eriobotrya Japonica... Eriostemon intermedium. Eryngiums, varieties of... Erythronium grandiflorum Hendersoni* ...... Eschscholtzia Californica. Eucalyptus calophylla.. globulus uinigera. Viminalis...... Eucharis Amazonica Eulalia Japonica... Euonymus alatus.. atropurpureus. Europzeus European forests 274, 430, 454 Euryale ferox. ..s.us ajacstatategateiten G12 Evergreens, effect of winter on..... 115 Exhibitions. .4, 60, 96, 113, 156, 215, 228, 252, 264, 278, 288, 300, 336, 372, 383, 395 431, 455» 455 467, 478, 479, 484, 495, 50r, 504 Experiment stations, work for...... 289 horticulture in. ...... 181 - 212, 453 + 273) 453 se eeeee 453 Eysenhardtia spinosa....... «+ 524 FE. Fagus sylvatica......... ses sooo: 468 Farmers and forestry ..-...... 229, 310 Felling trees.......... 325, 397, 433 Fendlera rupicola......... 2.05 Sele se 290) Fertilized flowers, protection for artificially*..... = vat ae/eferetoietatel= ste 93.30) Ferns, cultivation of.. 317, 330, 340, 352, 394, 425 for basket cultureseosteeecce 2307 for cutting.. for the window garden. new varieties......... notes on.. Ficus aurea * elastica. —— Ti-Koua Vogelii.. Fir, the Balsam. . the Douglas. the Silver... the Spanish........ Fishkill, Washington oak at Flora of the Florida Keys.... Floral noveltiesic csi ssssrece sae 270, 283 Floriculture inthe United States.... 2 Florida, central, palms in..... = 214, 223 ++ 504 fruit growing in... 77 horticulture in... 39 oranges ...... 519 Florida Keys, flora of. + 279 - lime-tree in.. Band 22 Florists, Society of American, zor, 313, " 320 and nurserymen,responsibili- ties Off sessions B + 337;.430 Florists’ arrangements, taste in..... 409 Flourensia cornua....... dae agaetgrare (524. Flowers and fruit pictures at the Academy of Design.............. 107 Flower beds, formal... +. 169 border, a well-arrange: +230. —— boxes, balcony .............. 158 —— garden, the .-.......224, 390, 4o2 —— gardens, English .... — mission, the New Yor! show at Philadelphia. at Boston..... aisisiaretaleteien 50) at Orange, NewJersey, 456 Flowers, annuals for a succession of, 186 AULUMD... ceccecss coe — dyeing........... 14 Easter, in New Yorl aideaaL 19 inJapan*......... 350 in WINTER. Vis cesses spmsenieen OS protection for artificially fer- tilized ®. .cceem esteem cueaeeteceeenso0) sermon of the.... Foliage with cut flowers. Fontainebleau, forest of......... .. 95 Foreign plants and American SCENELY +. + 4.0.0 os10.9 50 naeiee elec = 200,410, Forest lands, leasing of .... 123, 146 law in Russia............357) 492 for Italy, a new. ...... 417 laws.... --26, 357, 417 management, European ..... 454 of Fontainebleau......... + 95 planting in New England .. 393 eS in) Virginiaseecescessie1 500) preserves in Canada. + 219 — bill concerning........ 73 school at Nancv....... 60 tree plantation of the Univ sity of Illinois...... niaraeateerete teen tree planting on the prair trees for California ........ trees of the Far North-west.. 58 vegetation of northern Mexi- €O.70, 105, 117, 141, 226, 238, 420, 441, 524 Forestiera phillyreoides........ Forestry, an American school 0 Association, Pennsylvania... 154 and farmers... -2s.sese+.220; 310 , | | | %s . Index. Vv Forestry commissions,..... . 385 Hi J Lime tree, Crimean ..0:icscesseeses 17 Congress at Atlanta .. 515 Habenaria blephariglottis. : Jack-pine plains... ; in Florida........-+... 422 European state + 345 ciliaris Jamesia Americana. Limnanthemum lacunosum... 205 in California...361, 369, 380, 392 cristata 7 nympheeoides. 295 405, 422 Hackberry, the. Linden, the oo 312 station at Dodge City. . Hace ate) Hzemanthus Katharin -—— American and uropean.230, 254 Forests, Adirondack, in danger.49, 73, 87 Hakea laurina...... templ Lindera Benzoin 154 and civilization... Halesia tetraptera Japanese Iris serait 527 and rainfall... 489 Hamamelis mollis. Jasmine, white Bornean Lippia ly 524 care of. ... . 122 Haplocarpa Leichtlini. . ope Jeffersonia diphylla ... Wrightii. 524 future of American... 2 Hardwood forests of the south, the. Jubzea spectabilis..... . Liquidambar wood... 110 hardwood, of the South. 3 Harpalium rigidum... Judas tree.... Lisbon, park in 36 Lissochilus gig Live Oak * Livistonia horrid 7 Locust, the common, the Honey. Lomaria Spicant in Pennsylvania. Masia Hawkweed . =—OLMMUTO POs ine eitinls « =/e/ai cjcia/dieiais Hawthorn.. of Europe as seen by an Hay, salt American lumberman -274 Hazel, Constantinople. ——— of New Jersey. = 59 Heating of conservatories of the United State + 207 Hedges, notes on.... Juglans Jamaic Menchanics, ——- rupestris Juniper, dwarf.. Juniperus oceidentalis pachyphleee of the White Mountains. .2, 7°, 493 Helianthus angustifoliu tetragona. Lonchocarpus cy ay of Tunis «2... 20... seeee Be Maximiliar —— Virginiana. Lonicera Alberti. 226 of Vancouver's Island. . =» 46 Heliconia Choconian Ke albiflora... 524 on the national domain. 97 Helleborus niger... ie cileata....... 165 Forget-me-nots... steeeeees Heloniopsis Japoni Keempferia unda.... 275 coerulea . :* 165 Forsythias. ............ Hemlocks .-....-. ceaeno. tas 5 5 Kalmia latifolia...... F 442 fragrantissima. . . 154 Fothergilla alnifolia.. +++ 189 Hemp-weed. 5 Kansas forest trees identified... 12 —— Japonica......... 243 Fouquieria splendens.. se 52 Hepatica, the. . Kennedya Marryattze 405 Maximowicaii 226 France, American fruits in......... 482, Herbaceous plants in frames Kew Arboretum, the. 136 ~~ oblongifolia 237 Fraxinella.... ..-... . in parks, Kingston, R. I, street in neeanes 208 Periclymenum . 273 Fraxinus Americana . fragrant, for edg er Kitchen garden, the.. + QT, 103, 342 —— Ruprechtiana 201 cuspidata........ for seasonings macrocarpum... Vallota purpurea........-- Vancouver Island, forests of Vancouveria hexandra. Vandas....60, 248, 452, 4 Vanilla flower and its fertilization. Tabebuia longi nes Sedans Tagetes lucida. Tasconia Parritee. - : Taste in florists’ arrangement Taxodium distichum.. Tecoma Stans..... Temple in Japan, a ili a Vanquelinia corymbosa. Vegetable garden, the, 2 246, feecss 524 258, 283, 305, 319, 335+ 306, 377, 350, 438, 400, 513 growth on Ca aa: acurious. 99 Ara Vegetables, new. in frames under glass . Verbenas, red mite on.. Viburnum aceriftolium. cassinoid cotinifolium. . dentatum.. dilatatum. Lantana.. Lentago.... macrocephalum. TUULCUTIN. Ges ys.s5 0 opulus.. plicatum.. prunifolium. . pubescens Victoria Regia * Villas and their doorw ays. Vincitoxicum acuminatum Vines, hardiness of Vineyard, notes froma NewJerse y.2 Viola Canadensis......... Mt a nN Acidanthera bicolor. Alameda of Chihuahua, Amelanchier alnifolia ... oligucarpa. .. Aquilegia lonygissima. c Arizona Garden, Monterey, view in. 403 Arnold Arboretum, entrance to Artificial water Artifically ferti tection of Beech, a weeping Berberis. Fendleri Fremonti. Berlin, bridge in the Thie Bridge at Leather tor, England .. 53 in the Thiergarten, Berlin 320 Brodizea Bridgesii........... 120 Buffalo Park, views in prop. 457 ‘design MAPiOl. esol 5 tre 403 Bulbs, hardy, blooming in the STASSitsciceee Cabbage-leaf, malformed. .....296, 392 Gamassia Cusickil...-... ve. a00s 174 Cattleya Gigas, white flowered ..... Central Park, New York, view in. 30 ‘meadowsit Minneapolis, view in.. 379 Charlecote Hall, court-yard of..... Charles River at Wellesley, the. Cherokee Rose, the...........- Chihuahua, the Alameda of Chinese ctab- apple, double flow- ered.. : Narcissus, in water Chionophila Jamesii ....... ai Chrysanthemum, Lilian B. Bird... Papi Mrs. Alpheus Hardy O45 hairiof i s2%-. = 6 eens a arden of + 523 »Cone-worms.. »' 101 Country road, a. 42 Court-yard of Charlecote Hall...... 173 Crab-apple, Chinese, double flow- ered. Cypripedium annals nicum fasciculatum.. Index. Viola cucullata..c3c:0sss.0% 150, 163, 494 pedata... + 150, 210 pubescens. woes. 188 Viroilia tec sce. vi 03, 398, 454 Vitex incisa. see 350 Vitis Arizor ae winireine: Vochysia Guate malens Vriesea Wittmackiana. We Waldsteinia fragoides...... Raina . 188 Walks and drives......-..--see06- + 193 Walnut, the Black Washington, trees in Washington Oak at Fishkill, th Washington Square, New York. . Washingtonia filifera......... 31 Sbusta.. I Water, urtificial®. 8 Water lilies ..... 368 shield .. 243 Wayside beauty 42 WieedSiecc-eans adaaassoeereceres 271 Wellesley, the Charles River at.. West Indian fruit growing .. White Mountains, forests of the,2, 70, 493 Why we do not buy growing plants. 121 oes 422 Wild-flowers, exhibition of......... 278 some ene 3t Willow, the Bla 106 Willows, two interes z Wilmington, Del., par ie in. aA Wind-breals, rules for planting.... 46 Window gardening....243, 383, 410, 474 Winter, plantation for....... Sree}:) flowersin...:..isees é Wintergreen...... Wistaria Sinensis Wolffia microscopica. Woad-wax Wood picture, sorrel .. in autumn, aC Woodland tragedy, a Woodlands, care of. Woodsia glabell hyperbor Ilvensis obtusa.... Woodwardia angustifolia. & U2 G2 U2 U2 UAH Rann Ie Sr 1k Delphinium viride Deutzia parviflora. . Kg Eleeacnus longipes..... Entrance to the Arnold Arb Erythronium Hendersoni EF Fig tree, the wild, of Florida........ 128 Flower-border, a ‘well arranged.. ... 137 G Garden, a tropical. ............s.008 223 of chr ysanthemums, a. oie: Ginkeo treer thes ss-seueoreeewn is os os 175 Grapevines, methods of pruning... 461 Gray, Asa (supplement to No. 2). Hi Hardy bulbs Bene in the grass. 306 Heliconia Choconiana.. 6 Hibiscus lasiocarpus. Hickory borer, the......... rar Homestead, plan fora Sisley yekEDn TLS House at Lfonmoku, Japan ......-+. 319 Hymenocallis humilis woes TIG Palmeri..: 5.1% Setbeetas ae eseee 139 3-6 Uarssbra cheater cacliimseewene e343 es ang Japanese, a bed of leevigata, flower of . MUL Sire ge ieee Sikes Japanese apple, double flowered... 152 flower vender's basket, a — lris, a bed of.. templesis.sscessens Sie strat 439 K Kingston, R. I., main street of..... . 209 L Leland Stanford, Jr., University, lan of the.... PROPER aii oct 508 Lilium Grayi. 7 29) Live Oak, the ... - 475 Lycium pallidum ........0....s45 23.342 ATIONS. Wai Magnolia hypoleuca. ..... ss.+...- 305 Thompsoniana ..... E 269 Main street, Kingston, R. I - 209 Malformed cabbage- leaf... a 392 Meadows in Central Park, N. Y., 125 Mesquit forest in Arizona, a. ec 116, Monterey, view ina garden of, + 403 N Narcissus, Chinese, in water .....- 44 New Jersey pine-forest, a Nikko, Japan, entrance to temples Nymphvea tuberosa... root stock of. Oals the Lives swe tiacnsee the Washington, at ishkill.. Olive tree in the Garden of Geth- Semaue sere sighs see aaen bs netaltiaelee 20d Paris square, plan of a...... Park, meadows in Central Minneapolis.... .... Pentstemon rotundifolius Philadelphus Coulteri.. Phlox adsurgens.... nana . Stellaria... Photinia villosa Pine-forest, a New Jersey.. Pinus ponderosa pendula Pitcairnia Jaliscana..... Palmeri . Plan for a small of a Paris Square Protection of artificially fertilized HOWeENS 5: aisles ble tees s Salen aes 20 Pruning grape vines, methods of methods of...... Prunus Miqueliana . Padus pendula ... Pseudophcenix Sargen POUL VOD essa ere eeee om Woodwardia Virginica.........-0++ 341 Work of a timber-borer.. x Xerophyllum asphodeloides .,..... 182 Y VellOw-root; vcaaiseenic seein craic 154, 464 wood, the* -93, 398, 454 Yellowstone. .Park..ccssesec cece ols 75, 129 Yucca filifera*# Treculiana Z Zanthorhiza apiifolia............ 154, 464 Zephyranthes candida Carinata: seseres' Zinc labels.... Zinnia liniaris. ats Zizyphus lycioides... “52 Zygopetalum citrinum. 271 brachypetalum . ~ 348 Seden i. cseedecenieeecanes ee eeor Quercus oblongifolia..,............. 140 R Red mite, the..... Amecoconeobontiod: <2) Rhododendron arborescens. 401 WasS6yiteucedeereaas + 377 brachycarpum + 293 Rosa minutifolia.... + 102 Nuthkana............-6. ++ 449 Ss Sack for protecting artificially fer- tilized flowers.......-.- Gdn cosnaaoe skh) ‘‘Sandyside,” »Yarmouth, Victoria tank at. . ‘ = 308 Santa Rita oothills, the, 140 Shortia galacifolia..... + 509 Slopes, good and bad. = 326 Sonora hillside, a... . 187 Spircea pubescens AE trilobata . - 452 Syringa pblatas Be aie2 x pubescens 415 VillOsawsnicbysecers ces cerns eats 2x T Temples, Japanese............. -89, TT Reheat bridge in the. 2 a Tigridia Pringlei. jack steecceeese es 389 Tropical garden, a... access a 223 wv Victoria tank at ‘ Sandyside,” Yar- BOL hy NENoBenordouscas copapoteocba se WY Washington Oak at Fishkill, the.....510 Water lilies at Buitenzorg........... 245 Wild flowers for exhibition......... 279 Wodenethe, Pinus ponderosa at.... 391 WY Yucca filifera..... Treculiana.. FEBRUARY 29, 1888. GARDEN AND FOREST. THE GARDEN AND FOREST PUBLISHING CO. [LIMITED.] OrFice: TRIBUNE Buitpinc, New York. Gonductedaby-= -secriee\s vie) es 00, 5 - Professor C. S. SARGENT. ENTERED AS SECOND-CLASS MATTER AT THE POST OFFICE AT NEW YORK, N. Y. NEW YORK, WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 209, 1888. ABE. Ob CONGENTS: EprroriaL ARTICLES :—Asa Gray. Pine in Borepes: The Forests of the White Mountains Landscape Gardening.—A Definition, Floriculture in the United States. . How to Make a Lawn............ Metter from London... cc2.e0cesee sos A New Departure in Chrysanthemums. New Plants from Afghanistan ....... Tris Tenuis, with figure......- Hardy Shrubs for Forcing... PLANtHNOLES teretnieretas sc cicie’s's = WireiNetting:for Tree (Guards... 0.006 ccc..0. Artificial Water, with Illustration Some New Roses.......--.....005 Two Fernsand Their Treatment. Timely Hints about Bulbs ENTOMOLOGY : Arsenical Poisons in the Orchard THE Forest: The White Pine in Europe : PAGE The Gardener’s Monthly. The White 4 -francts Parkman. igler Van Rensselaer. whale sislste stations Peter Henderson. -Trofessor W. ¥. Beal. W. Goldring. «--- A. A. Fewhes, -- Max Leichtlin, -. Sereno Watson. -LZdwin Lonsdale. cows F. Goldring. +» John Thorpe. MOYNAKRAUAWNHNN ww seleleisiesisiats(c.=2[c(s.6 Professor A. S. Packard. 9 aia 7 <0 Book REVIEwsS: Grayzs/Elements)of Botanys. sci:csme-.cesc0s.s 0s Professor 2 IRAMISASTHOLES tyLLEESiasmels ere oelsictetelcle) cia aiecaiew cid ayneie Prone é ve Cae = Pusiic Works :—The Falls of Minnehaha—A Park for Wilmington Frower Marxkets:—New York—Philadelphia—Boston.... Ce ee re ry 12 Asa Gray. fer whole civilized world is mourning the death of Asa Gray with a depth of feeling and appreciation perhaps never accorded before to a scholar and man of science. To the editors of this Journal the loss at the very out- set of their labors is serious indeed. They lose a wise and sympathetic adviser of great experience and mature judg- ment to whom they could always have turned with entire freedom and in perfect confidence ; and they lose a contribu- tor whose vast stores of knowledge and graceful pen might, it was reasonable to hope, have long enriched their col- umns. The career of Asa Gray is interesting from many points of view. It is the story of the life of a man born in humble circumstances, without the advantages of early education without inherited genius—for there is no trace in his yeo- man ancestry of any germ of intellectual greatness—who succeeded in gaining through native intelligence, industry and force of character, a position in the very front rank of the scientific men of his age. Among the naturalists who, since Linneus, have devoted their lives to the description and classification of plants, four or five stand out prominently in the character and importance of their work. In this _little group Asa Gray has fairly won for himself a lasting position. But he was something more than a mere syste- matist. He showed himself capable of drawing broad philosophical conclusions from the dry facts he collected and elaborated with such untiring industry and zeal. This power of comprehensive generalization he showed in his paper upon the ‘‘Characters of Certain New Species of Plants Collected in Japan” by Charles Wright, published nearly thirty years ago. Here he first pointed out the extraordinary similarity between the Floras of Eastern North America and Japan, and then explained the peculiar distribution of plants through the northern hemisphere by tracing their Garden and Forest. I direct descent through geological eras from ancestors which flourished in the arctic regions down to the latest tertiary period. This paper was Professor Gray’s most remarkable and interesting contribution to science. It at once raised him to high rank among philosophical naturalists and drew the attention of the whole scientific world to the Cambridge botanist. Asa Gray did not devote himself to abstract science alone; he wrote as successfully for the student as for the professional naturalist. His long list of educational works have no equals in accuracy and in beauty and compactness of expression. ‘They have had a remarkable influence upon the study of botany in this country during the half century which has elapsed since the first of the series appeared. Botany, moreover, did not satisfy that wonderful intellect, which hard work only stimulated but did not weary, and one of Asa Gray’s chief claims to distinction is the promi- nent and commanding position he took in the great intel- lectual and scientific struggle of modern times, in which, almost alone and single handed he bore in America the brunt of the disbelief in the Darwinian theory shared by most ot the leading naturalists of the time. But the crowning labor of Asa Gray’s life was the preparation of a descriptive work upon the plants of North America. This great undertaking occupied his attention and much of his time during the last forty years of his life. Less fortunate than his greatest botanical contemporary, George Bentham, who turned from the last page of corrected proof of his work upon the genera of plants to the bed from which he was never to rise again, Asa Gray’s great work is left unfinished. The two volumes of the “‘Synoptical Flora of North America” will keep his memory green, however, as long as the human race is interested in the study of plants. But his botanical writings and his scientific fame are not the most valuable legacy which Asa Gray has left to the American people. More precious to us is the example of his life in this age of grasping materialism. It is a life that teaches how industry and unselfish devotion to learning can attain to the highest distinction and the most enduring fame. Great as were his intellectual gifts, Asa Gray was greatest in the simplicity of his character and in the beauty of his pure and stainless life. It is with genuine regret that we read the announcement of the discontinuance of the Gardener's Monthly. It is like reading of the death of an old friend. Ever since we have been interested in the cultivation of flowers we have looked to the Monthly for inspiration and advice, and its pages have rarely been turned without finding the assist- ance we stood in need of. But, fortunately, the Gardener's Monthly, and its modest and accomplished editor, Mr. Thomas Meehan, were one and the same thing. It is Mr. Meehan’s long editorial experience, high character, great learning and varied practical knowledge, which made the Gardener's Monthly what it was. These, we are happy to know, are not to be lost to us, as Mr. Meehan will, in a some- what different field and with new associates, continue to delight and instruct the horticultural public. Americans who visit Europe cannot fail to remark that in the parks and pleasure grounds of the Continent no coniferous tree is more graceful when young or more dig- nified at maturity than our White Pine. The notes of Dr. Mayr, of the Bavarian Forest Academy, in another column, ° testify that it holds a position of equal importance as a forest tree for economic planting. It thrives from Northern Ger- many to Lombardy, corresponding with a range of climate in this country from New England to Northern Georgia. It needs bright sunshine, however, and perhaps it is for lack of this that so few good specimens are seen in England. It was among the first of our trees to be introduced there, but it has been universally pronounced an indifferent grower. 2 Garden and Forest. The Forests of the White Mountains. EW HAMPSHIRE is not a peculiarly wealthy State, a but it has some resources scarcely equaled by those of any of its sisters. . The White Mountains, though worth little to the farmer, are a piece of real estate which yields a sure and abundant income by attracting tourists and their money ; and this revenue is certain to increase, unless blind mismanagement interposes. The White Mountains are at present unique objects of attraction ; but they may easily be spoiled, and the yearly tide of tourists will thus be turned towards other points of inter- est whose owners have had more sense and foresight. These mountains owe three-fourths of their charms to the primeval forest that still covers them. Speculators have their eyes on it, and if they are permitted to work their will the State will find a most productive piece of property sadly fallen in value. Ifthe mountains are robbed of their forests they will become like some parts of the Pyrenees, which, though much higher, are without interest, because they have been stripped bare. The forests of the White Mountains have a considerable commercial value, and this value need not be sacrificed. When lumber speculators get possession of forests they generally cut down all the trees and strip the land at once, with an eye to immediate profit, The more con- servative, and, in the end, the more profitable manage- ment, consists in selecting and cutting out the valuable timber when it has matured, leaving the younger growth for future use. This process is not very harmful to the landscape. It is practiced extensively in Maine, where the art of managing forests with a view to profit is better un- derstood than elsewhere in this country. i Ss anceps and L. autumnalis and has the prominent ridges of resentation is one of a collection of some thirty varietic the latter, while the color isa rich purple crimson. The black ately sent from Japan to the lady for whom it has been named Mrs. Alpheus Hardy of Boston, by a young Japanese once viscid pubescence, always seen on the ovary of Z. autumnalis, erie, is present on that of Z. Gowldiana. The plants Isaw in the or- protégé of hers, but now returned as ‘a teac sok ( i an vi chid nursery at St. Albans lately, bore several spikes, some Country. As may be seen, it is quite distinct from any va known in this country or Europe, and the Japanese botani Miyabe, who saw it at Caml Brides: pronounces it a radical d parture from any with which he is acquainted. The photograph from which the engraving was made petals had begun t to fall back from the pet uliarities of the \ n, lone and broa Upon the back o having three or four flowers. Those who have seen it are puzzled about its origin, some considering it a hybrid be- tween ZL. anceps and L. autumnalis, others consider it a distinct species and to the latter opinion Tam inclined. Whatever its origin may be, it is certain we have a charming addition to midwinter flowering orchids, aken just as che tre; Eons to good sovantace the i W, Goldring. The flower is of pure white, with the fit } yetals strongly incurved at the extremities, London, February rst, 6 Garden and Forest. outer surface of this incurved portion will be found, in the form of quite prominent hairs, the peculiarity which makes this variety unique. These hairs upon close examination are found to be a glandular outgrowth of the epidermis of the petals, multi- cellular in structure and with a minute drop of a yellow resinous substance at the tip. The cells at first conform to the wavy character of those of the epi- dermis, but gradually become pris- matic with straight walls, as shown in the engraving of one of the hairs, which was made from a drawing fur- nished by Miss Grace Cooley, of the — 4-- Department of Botany at Wellesley College, who made a microscopic in- vestigation of them. This is one of those surprises that occasionally make their appearance from Japan. Possibly it is a chance seedling ; but since one or two other specimens in the collec- tion are striking in form, and others are distinguished for depth and purity of color, it is more probable that the best of them have been developed by careful selection. This Chrysanthemum was exhibited at the Boston Chrysan- themum Show last December by Edwin Fewkes & Son of Newton Highlands, Mass. A. HT, Fewkes, Fig. 2.—Hair from Petal of Chrysanthemum, much enlarged. a—resin drop, 6—epidermis of petal with wavy cells. New Plants from Afghanistan. Arnebia cornuta.—This is a charming novelty, an annual, native of Afghanistan. The little seedling with lancet-like hairy, dark green leaves, becomes presently a widely branching plant two feet in diameter and one and one-half feet high. Each branch and branchlet is terminated by a lengthening raceme of flowers. These are in form somewhat like those of an autumnal Phlox, of a beautiful deep golden yellow color, adorned and brightened up by five velvety black blotches. These blotches soon become coffee brown and lose more and more their color, until after three days they have entirely dis- appeared. During several months the plant is very showy, the fading flowers being constantly replaced by fresh expand- ing ones. Sown in April in the open border, it needs no care but to be thinned out and kept free from weeds. It must, however, have some soil which does not contain fresh manure, Delphinium Zalil—This, also, is a native of Afghanistan, but its character, whether a biennial or perennial, is not yet ascer- tained. The Afghans call it Zalil and the plant or root is used for dyeing purposes. Some years ago we only knew blue, white and purple larkspurs, and then California added two species with scarlet flowers. The above is of a beautiful sul- phur yellow, and, all in all, itis a plant of remarkable beauty. From a rosette of much and deeply divided leaves, rises a branched flower stem to about two feet; each branch and branchlet ending in a beautiful spike of flowers each of about an inch across and the whole spike showing all its flowers open at once. Itis likely to become a first rate standard plant of our gardens. To have it in flower the very first year it must be sown very early, say in January, in seed pans, and _trans- planted later, when it will flower from the end of May until the end of July. Moreover, it can be sown during spring and summer in the open air to flower the following year. It is quite hardy here. Max Leichtlin, Baden-Baden. Iris tenuis.* HIS pretty delicate species of Iris, Fig. 3, isa native of the Cas- cade Mountains of Northern Oregon. Its long branching rootstocks are scarcely more than a line in thickness, sending up sterile leafy shoots and slenderstems about a foot high. The leavesare thin and pale green, rather taller than the stems, sword-shaped and half an inch broad or more. The leaves of the stem are bract-like and distant, the upper one or two sub- tending slender peduncles. The spathes are short, very thin *I. tenuis, Watson, Proc. Aimer. Acad., xvii. 380. Rootstock elongated, very slender (a line thick); leaves thin, ensiform, about equaling the stems, four to eight lines broad; stems scarcely a foot high, 2=3-flow cred, with two or three bract-like leaves two or three inches long; lateral peduncles very slender, as long as the bracts ; spathes scarious, an inch long ; pedicels solitary, very short; flow- ers small, white marked with yellow and purple; tube two or three lines long ; segments oblong-spatulate, the sepals spreading, one and one-half inches long, the petals shorter and emarginate; anthers as long as the filaments; styles with narrow entire crests; capsule oblong-ovate, obtuse, nine lines long [FEBRUARY 29, 1888. and scarious, and enclose the bases of their rather small soli- tary flowers, which are “white, lightly striped and blotched with yellow and purple.” The sepals and petals are oblong- spatulate, from a short tube, the sepals spreading, the shorter petals erect and notched. The peculiar habitat of this species doubtless accounts in good measure for its slender habit and mode of growth. Mr. L. F. Henderson, of Portland, Oregon, who discovered it in 1881, near a branch of the Clackamas River called Eagle Creek, about thirty miles from Portland, reports it as growing in the fir forests in broad mats, its very long rootstocks running along near the surface of the ground, just covered by moss or partly decayed fir-needles, with a light addition of soil. This also would indicate the need of special care and treatment in its cultivation. In May, 1884, Mr. Henderson took great pains to procure roots for the Botanic Garden at Cambridge, which were received in good order, but which did not survive the next winter. If taken up, however, later in the season or very early in the spring, itis probable that with due attention to soil and shade there would be little trouble in cultivating it successfully. The accompanying figure is from a drawing by Mr. C. E, Faxon. Sereno Watson. Hardy Shrubs for Forcing. GHRUBS for forcing should consist of early blooming kinds only. ‘he plants should be stocky, young and healthy, well-budded and well-ripened, and in order to have first-class stock they should be grown expressly for forcing. For cut flower purposes only, we can lift large plants of Lilacs, Snow- balls, Deutzias, Mock oranges and the like with all the ball of roots we can get to them and plant at once in forcing-houses. But this should not be done before New Year's. We should prepare for smaller plants some months ahead of forcing time, say in the preceding April or August, by lifting them and plant- ing in small pots, tubs or boxes as can conveniently contain their roots, and we should encourage them to root well before winter sets in. Keep them out of doors and plunged till after the leaves drop off; then either mulch them where they are or bring them into a pit, shed or cool cellar, where there shall be no fear of their getting dry, or of having the roots fastened in by frost. Introduce them into the green-house in succession ; into a cool green-house at first for a few weeks, then as they begin to start, into a warmer one. From the time they are brought into the green-house till the flowers begin to open give a sprinkling overhead twice a day with tepid water. When they have done blooming, if worth keeping over for another time, remove them to a cool house and thus gradually harden them off, then plant them out in the garden in May, and give them two years’ rest. Shrubs to be forced for their cut flowers only should con- sist of such kinds as have flowers that look well and keep well after being cut. Among these are Deu¢sia gracilis, com- mon Lilacs of various colors, Staphyllea Colchica, SpireaCanton- ensis (Reevesii) single and double,the Guelder Rose, the Japanese Snowball and Azalea mollis. To these may be added some of the lovely double-flowering and Chinese apples, whose snowy or crimson-tinted buds and leafy twigs are very pretty. The several double-flowered forms of Prusus ¢triloba are also desir- able, but a healthy stock is hard to get. Andromeda floribunda and A. Fafponica set their flower buds the previous summer for the next year’s flowers, and are, therefore, like the Laures- tinus, easily forced into bloom after New Year's. Hardy and half-hardy Rhododendrons with very little forcing may be had in bloom from March. In addition to the above, for conservatory decoration we may introduce all manner of hardy shrubs. Double flowering peach and cherry trees are easily forced and showy while they last. Clumps of Pyrus arbutifolia can easily be had in bloom in March, when their abundance of deep green leaves is an additional charm to their profusion of hawthorn-like flowers. The Chinese Xanthoceras is extremely copious and showy, but of brief duration and ill-fitted for cutting. Bushes of yel- low Broom and double-flowering golden Furze can easily be had after January. Yasminum nudiflorum may be hed in bloom from November till April, and Forsythia from January. They look well when trained up to pillars. The early-flower- ing Clematises may be used to capital advantage in the same way, from February onward. Although the Mahonias flower well, their foliage at blooming time is not always comely. Out-of-doors the American Red-bud makes a handsomer tree than does the Japanese one; but the latter is preferable for gereen-house work, as the flowers are bright and the smallest plants bloom. The Chinese Wistaria blooms as well in the - FEBRUARY 29, 1888.] green-house as it does outside; indeed, if we introduce some branches of an out-door plant into the green-house, we can have it in bloom two months ahead of the balance of the vine still left out-of-doors. Here- about we grow Wistarias as standards, and they bloom mag- nificently. Whata sight a big standard wistaria in the green- house in February would be! Among other shrubs may be mentioned Shadbush, African Tamarix, Daphne of sorts and Exochorda. We have also a good many barely hardy plants that may be wintered well ina cellar or cold pit, and forced into bloom in early spring. Among these are Japanese Privet, Pittosporum, Raphio- lepis, Hydrangeas and the like. And for conservatory decora- tion we can also use with excel- lentadvantage some of our fine- leaved shrubs, for instance our lovely Japanese Maples and variegated Box Elder. Glen Cove, N.Y. Wm. Falconer. Plant Notes. A Half-hardy Begonia.—_When botanizing last September upon the Cordilleras of North Mexico some two hundred miles south of the United States Boundary, I found growing in black mould of shaded ledges—even in the thin humus of mossy rocks—at an elevation of 7,000 to 8,000 feet, a plant of striking beauty, which Mr. Sereno Watson iden- tifies as Begonia gracilis, HBK., var. Martiana, A. DC. From a small tuberous root it sends up to a height of one to two feet a single crimson- tinted stem, which terminates in a long raceme of scarlet flowers, large for the genus and long enduring. The plant is still further embellished by clusters of scarlet gemmee in the axils of its leaves. Mr. Watson writes : “Tt was in cultivation fifty years and more ago, but has probably been long ago lost. It appears to be the most northern species of the genus, and should be the most hardy.” Certainly the earth freezes and snows fall in the high region, where it is at home. Northern Limit of the Dahlia — In the same district, and at the same elevation, I met with a purple flowered variety of Dahlia coccinea, Cav. It was growing in patches under oaks and pines in thin dry soil of summits of hills. In such ex- posed situations the roots must be subjected to some frost, as much certainly as under a light covering of leaves in a northern garden.. The Dahlia has not before been reported, as I be- lieve, from a latitude nearly so _ high. C. G. Pringle. Ceanothus is a North Ameri- can genus, represented in the Eastern States ky New Jersey Tea, and Red Root (C. Americanus and C. ovatus), and in the Garden and Forest. Fig. 3.—Tris tenuis.—See page 6. 7 West and South-west by some thirty additional species. Sev- eral of these Pacific Coast species are quite handsome and well worthy of cultivation where they will thrive. Some of the more interesting of them are figured in different volumes of the Botanical Magazine, from plants grown at Kew, and I believe that the genus is held in considerable repute by French gardeners. In a collection of plants made in Southern Oregon, last spring, by Mr. Thomas Howell, several specimens of Ceanothus occur which are pretty clearly hybrids between C. cuncatits and C. prostratus, two com- mon species of the region. Some have the spreading habit ot the latter, their flowers are of the bright blue color characteristic of that species, aud borne on slender blue pedicels, in an umbel-like clus- ter. But while many of their leaves have the abrupt three- toothed apex of C. prostratis, all gradations can be found from this form to the spatulate, toothless leaves of C. cuneatus. Otherspecimens have the more rigid habit of the latter species, and their flowers are white or nearly so, on shorter pale pedi- cels, in usually smaller and denser clusters. On these plants the leaves are common- ly those of C. cuneatius, but they pass into the truncated and toothed form proper to C. fros- tratus. According to Focke (Pflans- cnmischlinge, 1881, p. 99), the French cross one or more of the blue-flowered Pacific Coast species on the hardier New Jersey Tea, a practice that may perhaps be worthy of trial by American gardeners. Haveany of the readers of GARDEN AND FOREST ever met with spon- taneous hybrids ? - W Trelease. Wire Netting for Tree Guards. —On some of the street trees of Washington heavy galvan- ized wire netting is used to pro- tect the bark from injury by horses. Itis the same material that is used for enclosing poul- try yards. It comes in strips five or six feet wide, and may be cut to any length required by the size of the tree. The edges are held in place by bending together the cut ends ot the wires, and the whole is sustained by staples over the heavy wires at the top and bottom. This guard appears to be an effective protection and is less unsightly than any other of which I know, in fact it can hardly be distinguished at the distance of a few rods. It is certainly an improvement on the plan of white-washing the trunks, which has been extensively practiced here since the old guards were removed. A, A. Crozier. 8 Garden and Forest. Artificial Water NE of the most difficult parts of a landscape gardener's 7 work is the treatment of what our grandfathers called “pieces of water” in scenes where a purely natural effect is desired. The task is especially hard when the stream, pond or lake has been artificially formed; for then Nature's pro- cesses must be simulated not only in the planting but in the shaping of the shores. Our illustration partially reveals a suc- cesstul effort of this sort—a pond on a country-seat near Boston. It was formed by excavating a piece of swamp and damming a small stream which flowed through it. In the distance towards the right the land lies low by the water and gradually rises as it recedes. Opposite us it forms little woode dy promon- tories with grassy stretches between. Where we stand it is higher, and beyond the limits of the picture to the left it forms [FEBRUARY 29, 1888. suited to their place and in harmony with each other; and all the contours of the shore are gently modulated and softly con- nected with the water by luxuriant growths of water plants. The witness of the eye alone would ‘persuade us that Nature unassisted had achieved the whole result. But beauty of so suave and perfect a sort as this is never a natural product. Nature’s beauty is wilder if only because it includes traces of mutation and decay which here are carefully effaced. Na- ture suggests the ideal beauty, and the artist realizes it by faith- fully working out her suggestions. ° Some New Roses. HE following list comprises most of the newer Roses that have been on trial to any extent in and about Philadelphia during the present winter : A Piece of Artificial Water. a high, steep bank rising to the lawn, on the further side of which stands the house. The base of these elevated banks and the promontories opposite are planted with thick masses of rhododendrons, which flourish superbly in the moist, peaty soil, protected, as the -y are, from drying winds by the trees and high ground. ar the low meadow along stretch of shore is occupied by thickets of hardy azaleas. Beautiful at all seasons, the pond is ‘most beautiful in June , When the rhododendrons are ablaze with crimson and purple and white, and when the yel- low of the azalea-beds—discreetly separated from the rho- dodendrons by a great clump of low-growing willows—finds delicate continuation in the buttercups which fringe the daisied meadow. The litted banks then afford particularly fortunate points of view; for as we look down upon the rho- dodendrons, we see the opposite shore and the water with its rich reflected colors as over the edge a a splendid frame, No accent of artificiality disturbs the eye despite the unwonted profusion of bloom and variety of eoltr All the plants are Puritan (H. T.) is one of Mr. Henry Bennett's seedlings, and perhaps excites more interest than any other. it is a cross between Mabel Morrison and Devoniensis, creamy white in color and a perpetual bloomer. _ Its flowers have not opened satisfactorily this winter. The general opinion seems to be that it requires more heat than is “needed for other forc- ing varieties. Further trial will be required to establish its merit. Meteor (H. T., Bennett.)—Some cultivators will not agree with me in classing this among hybrid Teas. In its manner of growth it resembles some Tea Roses, but its coloring and scanty production of buds in winter are indications that there is Hybrid Remontant blood in it. It retains its crimson color after being cut longer than any Rose we have, and rarely shows a tendency to become purple with age, as other varieties of this color are apt to do. | For summer blooming under glass it will prove satisfactory. In winter its coloring is a rich velvety crimson, but as the sun gets stronger it assumes a more lively shade, FEBRUARY 29, 1888.] Mrs, John Laing (H. R., Bennett,) is a seedling from Fran- cois Michelon, which itsomewhat resembles in habit of growth and color of flower. It is a free bloomer out-of-doors in sum- mer and forces readily in winter. Blooms of it have been offered for sale in the stores here since the first week in De- cember. It is a soft shade of pink in color, with a delicate lilac tint. It promises to become a general favorite, as in addition to the qualities referred to, it is a free autumnal bloomer outside. For forcing it will be tried extensively next winter. Princess Beatrice (T., Bennett,) was distributed for the first time in this country last autumn, but has so far been a disap- pointment in this city. But some lots arrived from Europe too late and misfortunes befell others, so that the trial can hardly be counted decisive, and we should not hastily condemn it. Some have admired it for its resemblance, in form of flower, to a Madame Cuisin, but its color is not just what we need. In shade it somewhat resembles Sunset, but is not so effective. It may, however, improve under cultivation, as some other Roses have done; so far as I know it has not been tried out-of-doors. Papa Gontier (H. B., Nabonnaud.)—This, though not properly a new rose, is on trial for the first time in this city. It has become a great favorite with growers, retailers and purchasers. In habit it is robust and free blooming, and in coloring, though similar to Bon Silene, is much deeper or darker. Thereseems to be a doubt in some quarters as to whether it blooms as freely as Bon Silene; personally, I think there is not much difference between the two. Gontier is a good Rose for out- door planting. Edwin Lonsdale. Two Ferns and their Treatment. Adiantum Farleyense.—This beautiful Maidenhair is supposed to be a subfertile, plumose form of A. Zenerum, which much resembles it, especially ina young state. For decorative pur- poses it is almost unrivaled, whether used in pots or for trim- ming baskets of flowers or bouquets. It prefers a warm, moist house and delightsin abundant water. We findit does best when potted firmly in a compost of two parts loam to one of peat, and witha good sprinkling ofsiftedcoalashes. Inthiscom- post it grows very strong, the fronds attaining a deeper green and lasting longer than when grown in peat. When the pots are filled with roots give weak liquid manure occasionally. This fern is propagated by dividing the roots and potting in small pots, which should be placed in the warmest house, where they soon make fine plants. Where it is grown expressly for cut fronds the best plan is to plant it out ona bench in about six inches of soil, taking care to give it plenty of water and heat, and it will grow like a weed. Actiniopteris radiata—A charming little fern standing in a genus by itself. In form it resembles a miniature fan palm, growing about six inches in height. Itis generally distributed throughout the East Indies. In cultivation it is generally looked upon as poor grower, but with us it grows as freely as any fern we have. We grow a lot to mix in with Orchids, as they do not crowd at all. We pot ina compost of equal parts loam and peat with a few ashes to keep it open, and grow in the warmest house, giving at all times abundance of water both at root and overhead. It grows very freely from spores, and will make good specimens in less thana year. It is an excellent Fern for small baskets. fF. Goldring. Timely Hints About Bulbs. SPRING flowering bulbs in-doors, such as the Dutch Hya- cinths, Tulips and the many varieties of Narcissus, should now be coming rapidly into bloom. Some care is required to get well developed specimens. When first brought in from cold frames or wherever they have been stored to make roots, do not expose them either to direct sunlight or excessive heat. _ A temperature of not more than fifty-five degrees at night is warm enough for the first ten days, and afterwards, if they show signs of vigorous growth and are required for any par- ticular occasion, they may be kept ten degrees warmer. It is more important that they be not exposed to too much light than to too much heat. Half the short stemmed Tulips, dumpy Hyacinths and blind Narcissus we see in the green-houses and windows of amateurs are the result of excessive light when first brought into warm quarters. Where it is not possible to shade bulbs without in- terfering with other plants a simple and effective plan is to make funnels of paper large enough to stand inside each pot and six inches high. These may be left on the pots night and day from the time the plants are brought in until the flower spike has grown above the foliage ; indeed, some of. the very finest Hyacinths cannot be had in perfection without some Garden and Forest. 9 such treatment. Bulbous plants should never suffer for water when growing rapidly, yet on the other hand, they are easily ruined if allowed to become sodden. When in flower a rather dry and cool temperature will preserve them the longest. Of bulbs which flower in the summer and fall, Gloxinias and tuberous rooted Begonias are great favorites and easily man- aged. For early summer a few of each should be started at once—using sandy, friable soil. Six-inch pots, well drained, are large enough for the very largest bulbs, while for smaller even three-inch pots will answer. In a green-house there is no difficulty in finding just the place to start them. It must be snug, rather shady and not too warm. They can be well cared for, however, in a hot-bed or even a window, but some experience is necessary to make a success. Lilies, in pots, whether Z. candidum or L. longifiorum that are desired to be in flower by Easter, should now receive every attention—their condition should be that the flower buds can be easily felt in the leaf heads. A temperature of fifty-five to sixty-five at night should be maintained, giving abundance of air on bright sunny days to keep them stocky. Green fly is very troublesome at this stage, and nothing is more certain to destroy this pest than to dip the plants in tobacco water which, to be effective, should be the color of strong tea. Occasional waterings of weak liquid manure will be of considerable help if the pots are full of roots. F. Thorpe. Entomology. . Arsenical Poisons in the Orchard. AS is well known, about fifty per cent. of the possible apple crop in the Western States is sacrificed each year to the codling moth, except in sections where orchardists combine to apply bands of straw around the trunks. But as is equally well known this is rathera troublesome remedy. Atallevents, in Illinois, Professor Forbes, in a bulletin lately issued from the office of the State Entomologist of Illinois, claims that the farmers of that State suffer an annual loss from the attacks of this single kind of insect of some two and three- quarters millions of dollars. As the results of two years’ experiments in spraying the trees with a solution of Paris green, only once or twice in early spring, before the young apples had drooped upon their stems, there was a saving of about seventy-five per cent. of the apples. The Paris green mixture consisted of three-fourths of an ounce of the powder by weight, of a strength to contain 15.4 per cent. of metallic arsenic, simply stirred up in two and a half gallons of water. The tree was thoroughly sprayed with a hand force-pump, and with the deflector spray and solid jet- hose nozzle, manufactured in Lowell, Mass. The fluid was thrown in a fine mist-like spray, applied until the leaves began to drip. The trees were sprayed in May and early in June while the apples were still very small. It seems to be of little use to employ this remedy later in the season, when later broods of the moth appear, since the poison takes effect only in case it reaches the surface of the apple between the lobes of the calyx, and it canonly reach this place when the apple is very small and stands upright on its stem. It should be added that spraying ‘after the apples have begun to hang downward is unquestionably dangerous,” since even heavy winds and violent rains are not sufficient to remove the poison from the fruit at this season. . At the New York Experimental Station last year a certain number of trees were sprayed three times with Paris green with the result that sixty-nine per cent. of the apples were saved. It also seems that last year about half the damage that might have been done by the Plum weevil or curculio was prevented by the use of Paris green, which should be sprayed on the trees both early in the season, while the fruit is small, as well as later. The cost of this Paris green application, when made on a large scale, with suitable apparatus, only once or twice a year, must, says Mr. Forbes, fall below an average of ten cents a tree. The use of solutions of Paris green or of London purple in water, applied by spraying machines such as were invented and described in the reports of the national Department ol! Agriculture by the U. S. Entomologist and his assistants, have effected a revolution in remedies against orchard and forest insects. We expect to see them, in careful hands, tried with equal success in shrubberies, lawns and flower gardens. A. S. Packard. IO Garden and Forest. The Forest: The White Pine in Europe. HE White Pine was among the very first American trees which came to Europe, being planted in the year 1705 by Lord Weymouth on his grounds in Chelsea. From that date, the tree has been cultivated in Europe under the name of Weymouth Pine ; in some mountain districts of northern Bavaria, where it has become a real forest tree, it is called Strobe, after the Latin name Pinus s/robus. After general cultivation as an ornamental tree in parks this Pine began to be used in the forests on account of its hardiness and rapid growth, and it is now not only scattered through most of the forests of Europe, but covers in Germany alone an area of some 300 acres in a dense, pure forest. Some of these are groves 120 years old, and they yield a large proportion of the seed demanded by the increasing cultivation of the tree in Europe The White Pine has proved so valuable as a forest tree thatithas partly overcome the prejudices which every foreign tree has to fight against. The tree is perfectly hardy, is not injured by long and severe freezing in winter, nor by untimely frosts in spring or autumn, which sometimes do great harm to native trees,in Europe. On account of the softness of the leaves and the bark, it is much damaged by the nibbling of deer, but it heals quickly and throws up a new leader. The young plant can endure being partly shaded by other trees far better than any other Pine tree, and even seems to enjoy being closely surrounded, a quality that makes it valuable for filling up in young forests where the native trees, on account of their slow growth, could not be brought up at all. The White Pine is not so easily broken by heavy snow- fall as the Scotch Pine, on account of the greater elasticity of its wood. The great abundance of soft needles falling from it every year better fits it for improving a worn-out soil than any European Pine, therefore the tree has been tried with success as a nurse for the ground in forest plan- tations of Oak, when the latter begin to be thinned out by nature, and grass is growing underneath them. And finally, all observations agree that the White Pine is a faster growing tree than any native Conifer in Europe, except, perhaps, the Larch. The exact facts about that point, taken from investigations on good soil in various parts of Germany, are as follows: Annual Growth Dur- Years. Heigh’ ing Last Decade. The White Pine at 20 reaches 7.5 meters. 37 centimeters oe 30 ce 12.5 ee 50 oe wo. ot! 18.5 re 60 of be 50 ce 22.5 6c 40 6c ce 60 ce 26.5 ee 40 oe ce oO ce 28. “e 20 ce ce f ce 5 ee I oe 30 30.0 5 ce go oe 32.0 Ly 4 20 ce For comparison I add here the average growth on good soil, of the Scotch Pine, one of the most valuable and widely distributed timber trees of Europe. Annual Growth During Years. Height. ast Deeade: The Scotch Pine at 20 reaches 7.3 meters. 36.5 centimeters ys BOP) EE seatite Or iy os 43.0 i f 40 s 15.7 Ee 41.0 a “cc 50 ee 19.4 (3 Sire) ce s¢ 6G, “Say s2eer ry 27.0 ee us 70 eS 24.0 es 22.0 Ms ee Boll Go? s20;00 we 17.0 Wa ms go ae 27.5 a 15.0 i es 160. #* e2Big tt 10.0 of te 120 af 30.0 ha 735 . That is, the White Pine is ahead of its relative during its entire life and attains at 80 years a height which the Scotch Pine only reaches in 120 years. It appears then [FEBRUARY 29, 1888. that the whole volume of wood formed within a certain period by an acre of White Pine forest is greater than that yielded by a forest of Scotch Pine within thesame period. As far as reliable researches show, a forest of White Pine when seventy years old gives an annual increment of 3 cords of wood per acre. On the same area a forest of Scotch Pine increases every year by 2.4 cords on the best soil, 2 cords on medium soil, and 1.5 cords on poor soil. But notwithstanding the splendid qualities which distin- guish the White Pine as a forest tree its wood has never been looked upon with favor in Europe. Many of those who are cultivating the White Pine for business seem to expect that they will raise a heavy and durable wood. These are the qualities prized in their own timber trees, and they seem to think that the White Pine must be so highly prized at home for the same qualities, when in fact it is the lightness and soft- ness of the wood which are considered in America. It would seem also that some European planters believe that a Pine tree exists which will yield more and at the same time heavier wood than any other tree on the same area. Itis a general rule that the amount of woody substance annually formed on the same soil does not vary in any great degree with the different kinds of trees. For instance, if we have good soil we may raise 2,200 Ibs. per acre of woody sub- stance every year, from almost any kind of timber tree. If we plant a tree forming a wood of low specific gravity, we get a large volume of wood, and this is the case with the White Pine. If we plant on the same ground an Oak tree, we will get small volume of wood, but the weight of the woody substance will be the same, that is, 2,200 pounds of absolutely dried wood per acre. It is remarkable that there is hardly any difference in the specific gravity of the wood of the White Pine grown in Europe and inits native country. I collected in Central Wis- consin wood-sections of a tall tree and compared the specific gravity with the wood of a full-grown tree of White Pine from a Bavarian forest. The average specific gravity of the Bavarian tree was 38.3. The average specific gravity of the American tree was 38.9. In both trees the specific gravity slightly increased from the base to the top. Professor Sargent gives 38 as the result of his numerous and careful investigations. I was much surprised that the thickness of the sap-wood varied much in favor of the Bavarian tree. The sap-wood measured in thickness : Of the Bavarian tree. Of the American tree. At the base 2.7 centimeters g centimeters. In the middle 4 ee 6 Within the crown .3 of 4 ee Iam inclined to believe that on account of the generally drier climate of America a greater amount of water, and, therefore, of water-conducting sap-wood, is necessary to keep the balance between the evaporation and transporta- tion of the water. The wood of the White Pine is certainly better fitted for many purposes than any tree with which nature has provided Europe, and yet one can _ hardly expect it to easily overcome fixed habits and prejudices. It will devolve upon the more intelligent proprietors of wood-land in Europe to begin with the plantation of the White Pine on a large scale. No Conifer in Europe can be cultivated with so little care and risk as the White Pine ; the frost does not injure the young plant, and the numerous insects invading the European trees during their whole life-time inflict but little harm. Subterranean parasites are thinning out the plantations to some extent, but in no dangerous way. H, Mayr. Tokio, Japan. Abies amabilis.--Professor John Macoun detected this species during the past summer upon many of the mountains of Van- couver’s Island where with 7suga Patfoniana it is common above 3,000 feet over the sea level. The northern distribution of this species as well as some other British Columbia trees is stilla matter of conjecture. It has not been noticed north of the Fraser River, but it is not improbable that Adzes amabvilis will be found to extend far to the north along some of the mountain ranges of the north-west coast. FEBRUARY 29, 1888.] European Larch in Massachusetts. N 1876 the Trustees of the Massachusetts Society for the Promotion of Agriculture offered a premium for the best plantations of not less than five acres of European Larch. ‘The conditions of the competition were that not less than 2,700 trees should be planted to the acre, and that only poor, worn-out land, or that unfit for agricultural pur- poses, be used in these plantations. The prize was to be awarded at the end of ten years. The committee appointed to award the prize were C. '§. Sargent and John Lowell. The ten years having ex- pired, this Committee lately made the following report : Mr. James Lawrence, of Groton, and Mr. J. D. W. French, of North Andover, made plantations during the spring of 1877 in competition for this prize. Mr, Lawrence, however, at the end of one year withdrew from the contest, and Mr. French is the only competitor. Your Committee have visited his planta- tion at different times during the past ten years, and have now made their final inspection. The plantation occupies a steep slope facing the south and covered with a thin coating of grav- elly loam largely mixed towards the bottom of the hill with light sand. This field in 1877 was a fair sample of much of the hillside pasture land of the eastern part of the State. It had been early cleared, no doubt, of trees, and the light surface soil practically exhausted by cultivation. It was then used as a pasture, producing nothing but the scantiest growth of native Grasses and Sedges with a few stunted Pitch Pines. Land of this character has no value for tillage, and has practically little value for pasturage. Upon five acres of this land Mr. French planted fifteen thousand European Larch. The trees were one foot high, and were set in the sod four feet apart each way, except along the boundary of the field, where the planta- tion was made somewhat thicker. The cost of the plantation, as furnished by Mr. French, has been as follows: 15,000 Larch (imported), . $108 50 Fencing, ; : : 20 81 Surveying, : 6 00 Labor, é x 104 69 Total, . $240 00 This, with compound interest at five per cent. for ten years, makes the entire cost to date of the plantation of five acres, $390.90. The Trees for several years grew slowly and not very satis- factorily. Several lost their leaders, and in various parts of the plantation small blocks failed entirely. The trees, how- ever, have greatly improved during the last four years, and the entire surface of the ground is now, with one or two insig- nificant exceptions, sufficiently covered. There appear to be from 10,000 to 12,000 larch trees now growing on the five acres. The largest tree measured is 25 feet high, with a trunk 26 inches in circumference at the ground. There are several specimens of this size at least, and it is believed that all the trees, including many which have not yet commenced to grow rapidly or which have been overcrowded and stunted by their more vigorous neighbors, will average 12 feet in height, with trunks Io to 12 inches in circumference at the ground. Many individuals have increased over four feet in height during the present year. It is interesting to note as an indication of what Massachusetts soil of poor quality is capa- ble of producing, that various native trees have appeared spontaneously in the plantation since animals were excluded from this field. Among these are White Pines 6 to 8 feet high, Pitch Pines 14 feet high, a White Oak 15 feet high and a Gray Birch 17 feet high. The Trustees offered this prize in the be- lief that it would cause a plantation to be made capable of de- monstrating that unproductive lands in this State could be cheaply covered with trees, and the result of Mr. French’s experiment seems to be conclusive in this respect. It has shown that the European Larch can be grown rapidly and cheaply in this climate upon very poor soil, but it seems to us to have failed to show that this tree has advantages for gen- eral economic pianting ir this State which are not possessed in an equal degree by some of our native trees. Land which will produce a crop of Larch will produce in the same time at least a crop of white pine. There can be no comparison in the value of these two trees in Massachusetts. The White Pine is more easily transplanted than the Larch, it grows with equal and perhaps greater rapidity, and it produces material for which there is an assured and increasing demand. The White Pine, moreover, has so far escaped serious attacks of insects and dangerous fungoid diseases which now threaten to Garden and Forest. II exterminate in different parts of Europe extensive plantations of Larch. Your Committee find that Mr. French has complied with all the requirements of the competition; they recommend that the premium of one thousand dollars be paid to him. Answers to Correspondents. When the woods are cut clean in Southern New Hampshire White Pine comes in very, very thickly. Is it best to thin out the growth or allow the trees to crowd and shade the feebler ones slowly to death ? We DEL. It is better to thin such over-crowded seedlings early, if serviceable timber is wanted in the shortest time. The state- ment that close growth is needed to produce long, clean tim- ber, needs some limitation. No plant can develop satisfac- torily without sufficient light, air and feeding room. When trees are too thickly crowded the vigor of every one is impaired, and the process of establishing supremacy of individuals is prolonged, to the detriment even of those which are ultimately victorious. The length is drawn out disproportionately to the diameter, and all the trees remain weak. Experience has proved that plantations where space is given for proper growth in their earlier years, yield more and better wood than do Nature’s dense sowings. Two records are added in confirmation of this statement, and many others could be given: 1. A pine plantation of twelve acres was made, one half by sowing, the other half by planting at proper distances. In twenty-four years the first section had yielded, including the material obtained in thinnings, 1,998 cubic feet, and the latter, 3,495 cubic feet of wood. The thinnings had been made, when appearing necessary, at ten, fifteen and eighteen years in the planted section, yielding altogether ten and three-quar- ter cords of round firewood and seven cords of brush ; and at eight, ten and twenty years in the sowed section, witha yield of only three and one-fifth cords of round firewood at the last thinning and seven and four-fifths cords of brush wood. 2. A spruce growth seeded after thirty-three years was still so dense as to be impenetrable, with scarcely any increase, and the trees were covered with lichens. It was then thinned out when thirty-five, and again when forty-two years old. The appearance greatly improved, and the accretion in seven years after thinning showed I60 per cent. increase, or more than 26 per cent. every year. The density of growth which will give the best results in all directions depends upon the kind of timber and soil condi- tions. —B. E, Fernow,. Washington, D.C. Book Reviews. Gray’s Elements of Botany. IFTY-ONE years ago, Asa Gray, then only twenty-six years of age, published a treatise on botany adapted to the use of schools and colleges. It was entitled ‘The Ele- ments of Botany.” Its method of arrangement was so ad- mirably adapted to its purpose, and the treatment of all the subjects so mature and thorough, that the work served asa model for a large work which soon followed,—the well-known Botanical Text-book, and the same general plan has_ been fol- lowed in all the editions of the latter treatise. About twenty- five years after the appearance of the Elements, Dr. Gray pre- pared a more elementary work for the use of schools, since the Text-book had become rather too advanced and exhaus- tive for convenient use. This work was the ‘ Lessons in Bot- any,” a book which has been a great aid throughout the coun- try, in introducing students to a knowledge of the principles of thescience. Without referring to other educational works prepared by Dr. Gray, such as ‘‘ How Plants Grow,” etc., it suf- fices now to say that for two or three years, he had been con- vinced that there was need of a hand-book, different in essen- tial particulars from any of its predecessors. When we re- member that all of these had been very successful from an educational point of view, as well as from the more exacting one of the publishers, we can understand how strong must have been the motive which impelled the venerable but still active botanist to give a portion of his fast-flying time to the preparation of another elementary work. In answer to re- monstrances from those who believed that the remnant of his days should be wholly given to the completion of the ‘‘ Synop- tical Flora,” he was wont to say pleasantly, ‘Oh, I give only my evenings to the ‘Elements.’” And, so, after a day’s work, in which he had utilized every available moment of sunlight, he 12 Garden and Forest. would turn with the fresh alertness which has ever character- ized every motion and every thought, to the preparation of what he called fondly, his ‘“‘legacy’”’ to young botanists. That precious legacy we have now before us. In form it is much like the Lessons, but more compact and yet much morecomprehensive. Its conciseness of expression is a study in itself. To give it the highest praise, it may be said to be French in its clearness and terseness. Not a word is wasted: hence, the author has been able to touch lightly and still with firmness every important line in this sketch of the principles of botany. This work, in the words of its au- thor, ‘‘is intended to ground beginners in Structural Botany “and the principles of vegetable life, mainly as concerns Flow- “ering or Phanerogamous plants, with which botanical in- “struction should always begin; also to be acompanion and “interpreter to the Manuals and Floras by which the student “threads his flowery way to a clear knowledge of the sur- “rounding vegetable creation. Such a book, like a grammar, “must needs abound in technical words, which thus arrayed “may seem formidable ; nevertheless, if rightly apprehended, “this treatise should teach that the study of botany is not the “learning of names and terms, but the acquisition of knowl- “edge and ideas. No effort should be made to commit tech- “nical terms to memory. Any term used in describing a “plant or explaining its structure can be looked up when it is “wanted, and that should suffice. On the other hand, plans “of structure, types, adaptations, and modifications, once un- “derstood, are not readily forgotten ; and they give meaning “and interest to the technical terms used in explaining them.” The specific directions given for collecting plants, for pre- paring herbarium specimens, and for investigating the struc- ture of plants make this treatise of great use to those who are obliged to study without a teacher. The very extensive glos- sary makes the work of value not only to this class of students, but to those, as well, whose pursuits are directed in our schools. The work fills, in short, the very place which Dr. Gray designed it should. G. L. Goodale. The Kansas Forest Trees Identified by Leaves and Fruit, by W. A. Kellerman, Ph.D., and Mrs. W. A. Kellerman (Manhattan, Kansas). This octavo pamphlet of only a dozen pages con- tains a convenient artificial key for the rapid determination of seventy-five species of trees. By the use of obvious char- acters the authors have made the work of identification com- paratively easy in nearly every instance, and even in the few doubtful cases, the student will not be allowed to go far astray. The httle hand-book ought to be found of use even beyond the limits of the State for which it was designed. G,.LZ. Goodale, Public Works. The Falls of Minnehaha.—A tract of fifty acres, beautifully located on the Mississippi, opposite the mouth of the Minne- haha, has been acquired by the City of St. Paul, and land will most probably be secured fora drive of several miles along the river. The bank here is more than too feet high, often precipitous, clothed with a rich growth of primeval forest, shrubbery and vines. It is hoped that Minneapolis may secure the land immediately opposite, including the Falls of Minne- haha and the valley of the stream to the greatriver. In this event a great park could be made between the two cities, easily reached from the best part of both, with the Mississippi flow- ing through it and the Falls as one of its features. This, in connection with the park so beautifully situated on Lake Como, three miles from St. Paul, and the neat parks of Minne- apolis and its superbly kept system of lake shore drives, would soon be an object worthy of the civic pride of these en- terprising and friendly rivals. A Park for Wilmington, Del.—After many delays and defeats the people of this city have secured a tract of more than 100 acres, mostly of fine rocky woodland, with the classic Brandy- wine flowing through it, and all within the city limits, together with twosmaller tracts, onea high wooded slope, the other lying on tide water, and both convenient to those parts of the city inhabited by workingmen and their families. A topographi- cal survey of these park lands is now in progress as prepara- tion for a general plan of improvement. Of the “ Brandywine Glen” Mr. Frederick Law Olmsted once wrote: ‘It is a pas- sage of natural scenery which, to a larger city, would be of rare value—so rare and desirable that in a number of cities several million dollars have been willingly spent to obtain re- sults of which the best that can be said is, that they somewhat distantly approach, in character and expression, such scenery as the people of Wilmington have provided for them without expense,” [FEBRUARY 29, 1888. Flower Market. Retail Prices in the Flower Market. New York, February 23d. There is a glut of flowers, particularly of tea roses of an indifferent quality. Bon Silene buds cost from 75 cts. to $1 a dozen, Perle des Jardins, Niphetos, Souvenir d’un Ami, and Papa Gontiers bring $1.50 a dozen, C,. Mermets are very fine and from 30 to 35 cts. each. Not more than one in three La France roses is perfect; they bring from 25 cts. to 50 cts. each, Mde. Cuisin and Duke of Connaught are 25 cts. each, Bennets 20 cts. each and Brides 25 cts. each. American Beauties are $1 to $1.50 each, according to the location where they are sold. Puritans cost 75 cts. each, and Jacqueminots 50 cts. Magna Chartas are the most popular of the hybrid roses at present. They, ae de Diesbach and Mad. Gabriel Luizet bring from $1 to $1.50 each. Mignonette is very plentiful, well grown and of the spiral variety; it brings 75 cts. a dozen spikes retail, very large spikes bring as high as 15 cts. each. Hyacinths, Lilies-of-the-Valley and Tulips bring $1 a dozen. Lilacs cost 25 cts. for a spray of one or two tassels. Violets are abundant, mostly of the Marie Louise variety, and bring $2 a hundred. Fancy long stem red Carnations cost 75 cts.a dozen; short stem Car- nations are 50 cts. a dozen ; the dyed Carnations, named ‘‘ Emerald,” are in brisk demand and sell for 15 cts. each. Daffodils are $1 a dozen ; those dyed bring 20 cts. each. Finely grown Forget-me-not brought in small quantity to retail dealers sells for 10 cts. a spray. sc Lilies bring $2 and $3 a dozen, and Longiflorum Lilies $4 a ozen. PHILADELPHIA, February 23d. Heavy demands for flowers dropped off short on Ash Wednesday, and decreased each day until Saturday, when the regular orders for loose flowers caused the trade to pick up again. The demand for Orchids is steadily growing ; a fair quantity is used at balls and parties, but nothing in comparison to Roses, Violets and Lily-of-the-Valley. Violets have been in greater demand, so far, than for several years. Large quantities of Pulips have been used recently for table decorations, especially the pink varieties, the favorite color for dinners and lunches. The American Beauty Rose, when cut with long stems, and really first class in every other respect, has been in great demand, at the best prices. Md. Gabrielle Luizet is scarce, the local growers not having commenced to cut in quantity ; it is frequently asked for. Carnation plateaus in solid colors have been used freely. Lilacs are considered choice and have been in good demand. Retail prices rule as follows : Orchids, from 25 cts. to $1 each ; La France, Mermet, Bride and Bennet Roses, $3 per dozen ; Jacques, $4 to $5 ; American Beauty, $4 to $9; Puritan, $4; Anna de Diesbach, $5 to $7.50; Papa Gontier, Sunset, Perle des Jardins and Mad. Cuisin, $1.50; Bon Silene, $1.00; Niphetos, $1 to $1.50. Lily-of-the-Valley, and Roman Hyacinths, bring $1 per dozen ; Mignonette, 50 cts., and: Freesia the same per dozen ; Heliotrope, Pansies, Carnations, and Forget-me-nots, 35 cts. per dozen. Violets bring from $1 to $1.50 per hundred; Lilium Harrisii, $3.00 per dozen; Callas $2 per dozen, and Lilacs $2 per bunch of about eight sprays. Daffodils sell briskly at from $1 to $1.50 per dozen. Boston,. February 23d. The season of Lent is always looked forward to by the florists with anxiety, for the rest from receptions, assemblies and balls cuts off one of the chief outlets for the choicest flowers: a few warm days are sufficient to overstock the market, and prices take a fall. Buyers are learning, however, that at no period of the yearcan cut flowers be had in such perfection and variety as during February and March, and although not much required for party occasions they are bought for other purposes in increasing quantities every year, so that the advent of Lent does not now produce utter stagnation in the flower trade. In Roses there is at present a large assortment offered. From the modest Bon Silene, and its new competitor, Papa Gontier, up to the magnificent American Beauty and Hybrid Perpetuals, may be found every gradation of color, size and fragrance. Retail prices vary from 75 cts. per dozen for Bon Silenes and $1.50 to $2 for Perles, Niphetos, etc., up to $3 and $4 for the best Mermets, Niels and La France ; Hybrids and Jacques of best quality bring from $6 to $9 per dozen. In bulbous flowers a large variety is shown. Lily-of-the-Valley sells for $1.50 per dozen sprays ; Narcissus of various kinds, Hyacinths and Tulips for $1 per dozen; Violets, 50 cts. per bunch; Pansies, Mignonette, Heliotrope, Forget-me-not and Calendulas, 50 cts. per doz. Long stemmed Carnations are to be had in great variety at 75 cts. per dozen; Callas 25 cts. each, and Smilax 50 cts. a string. At this season Smilax is at its best, being its time of flowering, and the flowers are deliciously fragrant. Publishers’ Note. A photogravure of Mr. A. St.Gaudens’s bronze medallion of the late Professor Asa Gray will be published as a supplement to the second number of GARDEN AND FOREST. MARcH 7, 1888. GARDEN: AND FOREST. PUBLISHED WEEKI.Y BY THE GARDEN AND FOREST PUBLISHING CO. [ LIMITED.]} Orrice: Trinune Buritpinc, New York Conducted by . . . . - + + + + + « ~ Professor C. S. SARGENT. ENTERED AS SECOND-CLASS MATTER AT THE POST OFFICE AT NEW YORK, N. Y. NEW YORK, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 7, 1888. TABLE OF CONTENTS. PAGE. EpirortaL ArticLes :—The Future of American Gardening. The American Thorn. “Painting the Lily.”.... 6. se... 5 cess eee ee eee tee teen eens 13 Landscape Gardening, II. Professor Anton de Bary. Winter in Mobile...... London Letter. Entrance to the Shrub Propagation........ cer Note on our Native Irises........ Lilium Grayi (with illustration)... American Thorns as Or nAmental ‘Plan Suman hemise Professor L. H. Batley. 19 BlanteNOtes eee erie me my-teleieu siete eters(oisys o(dt=iemto rs C. G. Pringle; Max Leichtlin 20 The Red Mite on Verbenas (with illustration)....Pr ofessor A. S. Packard. 20 ..-Mrs. Schuyler Van Rensselaer. 14 aio eene aes Professor W. G. Farlow, 15 els tye arviethiaciscas Dr. Karl Mohr. 16 ...W. Goldring, 16 ustration). Hoopes. 18 -Seveno Watson. 18 Bm ERR Sereno Watson 19 Cultural Notes........ Bee eiagis epost siciciee /aferes 2r Grapes under Glass. . 4 y 7 21 BIT Cea Willeee nists peescinieminja eas srefesoayn.nieie se Sereieisieiaia settic seis 7 ‘alconer. 22 THE Forest: Morest Pureces tons CalifOLMIA we. n< secees eélcsaisis cictsie were as ee LW. Hilgard. Growing Deciduous Forest Tre Answers to OrreSPONAGUIS, a cisscmisesistcielei = Recent Pusuications :—Gleanings in Old Garden L; Shade and Ornamental Trees Suitable for Cult New: — Drees of Reading; Mass. .cc..20.0s5%- 22 -. Robert Douglas. 23 ofessor B. BE. Fernow. 23 rature—Flora Peoriana— ation in Queens County, Pusiic Worxs :—Tree Planting on Boston Harbor........ ss. eeeesneceeeeeeees 24 Frower Marxet:—New York—Philadelphia—Boston,.........-seeeee ee eee ee 24 ILLUSTRATIONS : Asa Gray, Photogravure Supplement. Entrance:to the Arnold Arboretum... .....eseeesses ce sceenseasecnseresces 17 Lilium Grayi IQ AT ePIVCOMIVULte Nets cenaiate sates atziststiats mainte sie/a\cic'e stole a t.ciaiajurdcs Sip Siw aia[aints ajcisisinieikishy,6 20 The Future of American Gardening. T is not surprising that few examples of the gardener’s art inits highest development should be met with in Amer- ica, especially in the more recently settled portions of the country. Even where the designing and planting of a garden are good, the element of time is needed to produce that ripeness and repose which are so satisfying to the contemplative mind. This mellow maturity which yet gives no hint of deterioration and Gecay only comes with years of care. A new country, or one of shifting population not only lacks the interest which accompanies long continued human association, but nature itself is not subdued into that tranquil and home-like aspect which is worn only where generation has succeeded generation, each impelled by a strong local attachment to its birth- place to conserve and develop its native beauties with affection and intelligence. And yet the American people are inferior to none in general and genuine appreciation of natural beauty, and no country in the world is endowed with nobler landscape features, a more hospitable climate, or a greater richness and variety of vegetation than ourown. Nowhere are flowers more universally cultivated or grown with greater skill. In no other country has the business of the florist been so developed and improved. Nowhere else have the various forms of so-called ‘‘decorative gardening” been so profusely practiced. Much of this might perhaps fall under the condemnation of severe taste, but some ex- cuse for it is found in the fact that we have been con- stantly struggling against wild nature, and something trim and prim, Braate and artificial, is demanded, as a sign that nature has been subjugated. It is noteworthy that those who have been brought up on the pioneer line of civilization. admire, when they come to the older States, a formal flower bed more than they do the best examples of planting in the natural style, and this is perhaps because the latter is more suggestive of the untamed forces with which Garden and Forest. is they always have been forced to fight. But whatever may be the cause of this devotion to formal flower gardening, the fact remains that the plants themselves are cultivated with singular knowledge and success, On the other hand, in love of trees and skill in their cul- tivation, we are far behind the English and Italians. In street planting, especially in our larger towns, we have much to learn from the French, the Germans and other continental nations, while in the skillful use of hardy shrubs and herbaceous plants we are far excelled by other nations. Great progress, however, has been made in this country of late years in the cultivation of orchids and various classes of green-house plants, and of these Amer- ica now possesses collections hardly surpassed anywhere. And finally, in the highest branch of gardening, the crea- tion of landscape pictures, for which the growing of trees and shrubs and flowers and vines is but mixing the colors on the palette, we have still much to learn from older countries. And yet, that American ability for work of this kind is not excelled, is shown by some of the fine old places on the Hudson, planted early in the century, largely with native trees, which would kindle admira- tion anywhere. Our older parks, too, like those of New York and Brooklyn, are consistent and impressive works of art, and in spite of much neglect and mismanage- ment, are noble monuments of their designers’ taste and skill. And thereare signs of awakening here in artistic garden- ing. This is seen in the many instances where men of wealth are preparing spacious pleasure grounds about their houses, and in the growing desire among those of more modest means to beautify their home surroundings. Above all is this tendency manifested in the more frequent inquiry for aid from landscape gardeners and in the number of young men who are turning toward this pro- fession as one which has in it the hope of emolument and distinction. The future of gardening in America, then, is bright with promise. Our country offers to the landscape gardener wonderful advantages in its endless variety of scenery, the unrivaled richness of its Flora, and such diversity of soil and climate that somewhere within its borders every extra-tropical plant will grow. The imagination can con- ceive of nothing more lovely and refreshing than a spring garden in New England when vegetation bursts suddenly forth from the restraints of the long winter; nothing more glorious than the color that flames through New England woodlands when trees and shrubs and humbler plants are preparing for their season of rest. And what a field for the artist is offered in the warm rich valleys of the southern Alleghenies, the home of the most beautiful deciduous forest of the world! And as trees and shrubs which have developed under the same sky, blend in softer and more perfect harmonies of form and color than do those brought .together from different climates and continents, here ‘where ‘the American forest culminates in its greatest beauty and richness of composition, the artist capable of using all this wealth of vegetation will find his greatest opportunity. And here, too, he can collect, if Nature has not supplied him with sufficient material for his pictures, the plants of all the temperate zones—the evergreens of China and Japan, the Rhododendrons of the Himala yas, the trees of Europe and the Conifers from the highlands of Mexico. Another ideal garden could be made on our north-west coast, where plants which luxuriate in the moist regions of the temperate zone would be at home ; while in southern California could be gathered the trees of the Mexican plateau, of the Mediterranean basin, of Australia, and of all the dry countries of the world, and here gardens might be made surpassing in richness and variety of interest even those of the Riviera. With such advantages we may reasonably look forward to a time when this. country will bea land of gardens. What is now needed is that the gathering interest in plant- ing should be properly directed and developed. The basis of 14 Garden and Forest. good gardening is the love of nature. To nature the gardener who would be something more than a mere cul- tivator of plants must turn for inspiration. From the study of nature alone can be learned composition, harmony and fitness in arrangement, and without these the gardener can never hope for success in the creation of a landscape. To the notes on some American Thorns in another column; it may be well to add that Michigan Thorns give but a faint idea of the value of the different American species of this genus as ornamental plants. The real home of the American Thorn is in the region south of the Red River—that is, in western Louisiana and eastern Texas. Here can be found growing a larger number of species of this genus than in any other part of the world; and here many of our species reach their greatest individual development. Here only can be found the blue fruited C. brachyacaniha, bordering the low, wet prairies of western Louisiana—one of the largest of the genus, and beautiful in habit, foliage, flowers and fruit. Here, too, the white-barked C. arborescens, the largest of the genus, the graceful and delicate C. apifoha and C. estivalis, all reach a development unknown in other parts of the coun- try. The last is one of the most ornamental of the Ameri- can Thorns, Its large flowers appear in February,-and these are succeeded three months later by large, very fra- grant, scarlet fruit, which is gathered and sold in great quantities in some of the markets of the South, where it, is used for making a conserve. This species probably produces the most valuable fruit of any of the genus; although it must not be forgotten that one of the Thorns of the South Atlantic States (C. flava, var. pubescens) yields a fruit highly esteemed in the preparation of jellies, which when well made can hardly be distinguished from the true Guavajelly. In the Eastern States, C. Crus-ga/l, all things considered, is the most valuable of our Thorns as an or- namental tree. Its habit, profuse bloom, bright, shining foliage, brilliant autumnal coloring and large, red fruit, untouched by any animal, and hanging upon the trees until February, make this one of the most desirable of all small ornamental trees for American lawns. This, too, is one of the few American trees which seems to thrive in all European climates. A beautiful species of the very largest size, too, is C. Douglasu of our north-west coast and northern California, with foliage resembling that of C Crus-galli, but with black fruit, ripening in August. This tree flourishes at the East, flowering and ripening its fruit freely in Massachusetts. We shall have occasion to return to the American Thorns in future numbers. “To gild refined gold and paint the Lily, to throw a per- fume on the Violet”—these are ancient synonyms for lack of judgment and lack of taste, for ‘‘ wasteful and ridiculous excess.” Yet even their century-long citation has not pro- tected us from a sight of the actual follies they hold up to scorn. So far as we know, an effort has not recently been made to improve the Violet’s odor, but we almost expect to hear of such an effort, for the Lily is being painted with much ingenuity and perseverance. Carnations with bright green borders, Daffodils likewise edged with green, Lilies- of-the-Valley dyed a pale red and Callas tipped with pink— these are some of the ‘‘ novelties” which greet us in many florists’ windows. If they were shown merely as curios- ities, merely as examples of what can be done in defiance of nature’s intentions, the case would be bad enough. But as our readers may have seen in the flower-market report in our last issue, dyed Carnations are in ‘‘ brisk” com- mercial demand at fifteen cents each and dyed Daffodils at twenty cents ! We have no wish to fall back upon theoretic preach- ments in protesting against the lack of taste which this fact implies. There is no reason why we should not attempt to modify the original color of flowers, and this is con- stantly done by skillful hybridizing, cross-breeding and [Marci 7, 1888. culture. But in such cases we work in accord with natural laws, and the result may be beautiful, and certainly it is not monstrous. But a single glance at a dyed blossom will suffice to prove the artistic brutality of the new pro- cess. The ‘‘Emerald” is the trade name for the dyed Carnation, it might better have been the “Arsenic”; the combination of the same arsenical tint with the yellow of the Daffodil is excruciating to the eye ; the pink-edged Calla is almost loathsome in effect; and all explain them- selves at once as having undergone artificial manipula- tion. We believe the process by which some of them are produced is analogous to that by means of which the hu- man skin may be tattooed, and the result appeals to the same grade of taste. We might as soon have expected to see a lady with a blue anchoron her wrist as with an *«Emerald ” Carnation in her buttonhole. Landscape Gardening.—II. Bie produce beautiful compositions is the aim of every artist, and the special aim of the landscape gardener is to produce them by arranging the surface of the ground and the plants it bears. It is interesting and instructive to note the points of concord and of contrast which mark his task when it is compared with that of other artists. He stands with the sculptor and the painter, in contrast to the architect and musician, in that he takes his inspira- tions directly from nature— works after the schemes and from the models which she supplies. But in some respects he stands quite alone. The painter works with actual colors but merely with illusions of form. The sculptor creates forms but uses colors, if at all, in unnaturalistic and subordinate ways. The landscape gardener depends upon color and form in equal measure and can never dis- pense with the one or the other. Moreovei, he takes from nature not only his models but his materials and his methods. His colors are those of her own palette, his clays and marbles are her rocks and soils, and his technical processes are the same which she employs. He does not show her possibilities of beauty asin a mirror of his own inventing. He helps her in her actual efforts to realize them—works in and for and with her. : This fact limits and hampers him in certain ways; but under fortunate conditions it helps him to achieve what no other artist can—perfection. “The sculptor or the painter,” writes a recent critic, “observes defects in the single model ; he notices in many models scattered excel- lences. . To correct those defects, to reunite those excellences, becomes his aim. He cannot rival nature by producing anything exactly like her work but he can create something which shall show what nature strives after. The mind of man comprehends her effort and though the skill of man cannot compete with her in the production of particulars, man is able by art to antici- pate her desires and to exhibit an image of what she was intending.” But the landscape gardener is nature’s rival, does create things exactly like her own, can compete with her in perfect workmanship—for does not she herself work with him while he is reuniting her scattered excel- lences of idea and obliterating her defects? What he can- not do she does for him, from the building of mountains and the spreading of seas to the perfecting of those “ par- ticulars”” which turn the keenest chisel and blunt the sub- tilest brush—to the curling of a fern-frond and the veining of a rose. Of course she will not everywhere do every- thing. If part of her work is in completing man’s, part is in preparing for it, and he must respect the frame which she furnishes for his picture, the general scheme which she prescribes. He cannot ask her to build him mountains ina plain, to change a hill-side rivulet to a river, or to make tropical trees grow under a northern sky. But he can always persuade her to produce beauty of some sort if he is wise enough to know for what sort he should ask. This, of course, is theoretic speaking. Theoretically, Marcu 7, 1888.] there is no spot on earth an artist could not make beau- tiful. But some problems would need a life of antedi- luvian length and dollars as plentiful as the sands of the sea. Practically the landscape gardener—like all. other men, and more perhaps than most other artists—is lim- ited by questions of time and money. And he is also limited by his partnership with nature as regards not only the sort but the degree of beauty to which he can atfain. Nature may suggest the same sort in two places, but if she prepares lavishly for it in the one case and parsimoniously in the other, the best skill in the world may not be able to make good all her denials and equal- ize its successes. Yet the landscape gardener can always have what no other artist ever gets—perfection in details ; and his general effects, as well as his details, have the great advantage of being concrete and alive. A great advantage indeed—for it means many beautiful results in every piece of work instead of merely one, and per- petual variation in each of the many. His aim is in general the same as that of the landscape painter, who knows that the most potent factors in landscape beauty are light and atmosphere, and who is himself most po- tent as he simulates them best. But no things in the world—not even the color and texture of the human skin —are so difficult to simulate, so impossible really to repro- duce in paint. To the landscape gardener’s pictures na- ture freely supplies them, everywhere and always, and not merely in the one phase for which the painter strives, but in a thousand—changing them with each day of the year and with each hour of the day. And with the pass- ing days and seasons she changes also his terrestrial effects, so that no part of his work is ever twice the same although, if rightly wrought, it is always beautiful. Thus it gives chance and promise for perpetual renewal of the highest kind. of pleasure. Our judgments are per- sistent but our moods continually vary, and we may expect more days of perfect satisfaction from the variable than from the changeless work of art. If we admire a pic- ture we admire it always, but while it may suit us to-day to the inmost fibre of the soul, to-morrow it may leave us cold. Ofcourse there are drawbacks as well as bene- fits in variability —possibilities of perfect satisfaction are richer in the living landscape, but when realized we can- not keep them for an hour while we are sure of our painting within its narrow range. It will depend upon our temperament which excellence we prefer: limited cer- tainty or uncertain infinitude. But the question does not involve beauty itself —it only involves that finest effect of beauty which means perfect momentary accord be- tween the spirit of the observer and the spirit of the work of art. As regards intrinsic perfection, the best results of the landscape gardener surpass the best painted land- scapes by as wide an interval and for the same great reasons as Pygmalion’s Galatea surpassed all the other statues which he may have made. MM. G. Van Rensselaer. Professor Anton de Bary. EINRICH Anton de Bary, who was bornat Frankfort-on-the- Main, Jan. 26th, 1831, and died at Strasburg, Jan. 19th, 1888, was a striking example of a scientific man who, while pursuing science for its own sake, proved also a benefactor to those engaged in the practical work of horticulture and agri- culture in consequence of his brilliant discoveries in vegetable pathology. His botanical career began immediately after he left the university where he had devoted himself to the study of medicine, and, although at the time of his death he had not passed the period of middle age, few have exerted so marked an influence in shaping the course of the botany of the present day. Fora short time he was the assistant of Professor Hugo von Mohlat Tubingen and an instructor in botany. In 1855 he was called to Freiburg in Brisgau as Assistant Professor of Botany and Director of the Botanical Garden, where he remained until 1867, when he accepted a professorship at Halle. Shortly after the close of the Franco-German war, in 1872, he was ap- pointed professor in the reorganized University of Strasburg, a Garden and Forest. Is position which he held until his death, although he had tempt- ing calls to Vienna, Berlin and Leipsic. In ‘the summer of 1887 he was attacked by what proved afterwards to be a tumor of the jaw, and, although he submitted to an operation in the hope of relief, he succumbed to the disease after several months of suffering. The botanical works of Professor De Bary relate principally to the structure and development of cryptogams, but he was also the author of a number of papers on histological subjects, and his ‘‘Comparative Anatomy of the Vegetative Organs of Phanerogams and Ferns,” published in 1877 and since trans- lated into English, is the best general work on the subject in existence. At one time he was interested in the study of algae and publishedimportant papers on Conjugatee@,on Ovdogoniun and Bolbochete, and on the marine species, Acefabularia Medi- terranea, Weshould also mention his important work on Apogamy in Ferns, in which he gave a detailed account of the manner in which the sexual reproduction in ferns may be re- placed by a non-sexual growth, with remarks on apogamy in other groups. ' But his most important work and that which is of most in- terest to our readers was on the development of Fungi, espe- cially those which produce disease in plants. One of his earliest publications, in 1853, was“ Investigations on the Rust-fungi,” especially those which cause diseases of grain and other useful plants. This work was a careful study of a number of species then supposed to belong to Uredine@, rusts, and Usti- fagine@, smuts. At that date De Bary adhered to the views of older writers, and considered that therust stage, or Uredo, was not connected with the final, or teleutosporic forms, like Puc- cinta, It was not until the publication of Tulasne’s paper in 1854 that botanists recognized that the red rust, the Uredo, was only a stage of the black rust. Ina remarkable paper pub- lished in 1863, ‘‘ Researches on the Developmentof some Para- sitic Fungi,” De Bary showed by an examination of Uvromyces appendiculatus, the Bean-rust, that not only were there two stages, the Uredo or red rust, and the teleutosporic, or black rust, but that a third stage, the /Ecidium, or cluster-cup, is found in Fungiof the rustfamily. In 1865 in his “‘ New Obser- vations on Uredinee’ and ina supplement published the fol- lowing year he gave an account of his experiments in which he showed that the cluster-cup growing on the Barberry is a stage of the Puccinia, or blight, found on different grains and grasses. These conclusions, warmly supported by some and opposed by others, may be considered the starting point of one of the most fascinating, and, from a practical point of view, most important fields of botanical study, the metamorphoses of Uredinee. Scarcely less important than the paper lastmen- tioned is that on ctdium Adbietinum, in 1879, where a very minute account is given of the different stages of the rust on Abies excelsa and Rhododendron ferruginenum. The researches of De Bary on the Potato rotare well known. The Fungus which causes the rot was first described in 1845 by Madame Libert,a Belgian botanist. De Bary, in 1860, de- scribed the method of the germination of the conidial spores and the production of zoospores—an important discovery, practically as wellas theoretically. In his ‘‘ Researches,” pub- lished in 1863, to which we have already referred, he included an account of the rots, Peronosporee, which isa model of thor- oughness and clearness. Besides these, he published in 1861 a paper on the “Present Epidemic Disease of Potatoes,” a popular, well written sketch, and in 1876, ‘‘ Researches into the Nature of the Potato Fungus,” in which he embodied the results of investigations made at the request of the Royal Agricultural Society of Great Britain, in which there is not much added to our knowledge of the subject. We can only refer briefly to De Bary’s other mycological writings, which appeal rather to the specialist than the general reader. Hecontributed much to our knowledge of the JZyxo- mycetes,a group whose position is still doubtful, some regard- ing them as animals and others as plants, and he published numerous valuable papers on Safrolegnie@, Ascomycetes, and other orders of Fungi. We owe to him the best summary of what is at present known about Fungi. His ‘‘ Comparative Morphology and Biology of Fungi, Mycetozoa and Bacteria,” issued in 1884, and recently translated into English, is an ad- mirable treatise on a subject which attracts more and more students every year. Nor should we forget his ‘Lectures on Bacteria,” of which asecond edition has been issued, although the first only appeared in 1885. These lectures present, in a most attractive and readable form, the present state of bac- teriological science. De Bary was an excellent teacher, as well as an original investigator. In the lecture room he was not seen to such advantage as when in his laboratory among a small number 16 Garden and Forest. of earnest students. His delivery was not marked by any rhetorical elegance, but his lectures were crammed with facts, and his remarks were always to the point and full of sugges- tions. His laboratory was a resort of special students from both sides of the Atlantic, and the list of younger professors who now point with pride to the fact that they were once his pupils, is a very large one. Earnestness and thoroughness characterized his work both as a teacher and an investigator, and his geniality and sprightliness made him a great favorite with all who knew him. W. G, Farlow. Winter in Mobile. je ordinary years the waves of low temperature from the north are felt to some extent through the coast regions of the Gulf States. Heralded by anorthern blast which clears the sky, come a few clear frosty days, or occasionally a slight fall of evanescent snow; then plant life takes a brief rest, and the landscape, for a space, assumes a wintry look. Usually the departure of the last Rose of summer, which lingers till mid- December in our gardens, is followed by a rest in vegetation, which awakes again under the breath of spring in late Janu- ary. This year, however, the mean daily temperature of De- cember was 50°and we had but two slight frosts. The an- nual garden weeds, like Qenothera humifusa, Chickweed, Pep- pergrass, and intruders like Veronica peregrinaand Lamium am- plexicaule, kept up luxurious growth all winter long, and the low Speargrass (Poa annua) covered waste places with its sward of lively green, without any interruption. Several of our late autumnal plants, like some species of Chrysopsis and Aster, under cover of the woods, were found blooming long after New Year’s. The Japanese plum, Lriobotrya Faponica, began to bloom in early November, and continued to unfold its panicles of fragrant white flowers until the close of the year, mingling their perfume with that of the flowers of the Sweet Olive (Olea fragrans). Violets, Candytuft, Sweet Alyssum and Daisies bloomed abundantly, as did the Sweet Olive and all varieties of the Camellia. Among the forest trees, the White Cedar was in full bloom on the first day of December, and the leaves of deciduous trees were still vivid with their autumnal tints. Festoons of different species of Smilax, loaded with berry clusters of gleaming scarlet or purple black, were clambering over the broad leaved evergreens, giving to the midwinter woodlands a tropical beauty, in the presence of which it was hard to realize that ournorthern States were swept by blizzards. In fact, itseemed that autumn joined hands with spring, the year passing almost imperceptibly from one to the other. The January weather was still more remarkable, showing the mean temperature to be only 54°. Before the end of its second week, Vzburnum protensum, one of our hardiest exotic shrubs, taking the lead among the harbingers of spring, was followed promptly by an early Honeysuckle, with its fragrant pale rose flowers, while Narcissus and Hyacinths were adorning our flower beds. Later in the month the thermometer fell to 20°, and the mean temperature for five days was 46°. But the slight injury caused to vegetation quickly vanished with the sunny days that followed and plant lite proceeded without a check until the present time. In January, too, the Japan Quince blazed with scarlet bloom and the Forsythia hung out its golden bells, and in the last week of the month our southern Bluets, Houstonia patens, were smiling in the pastures and pine barrens. In the forests, the Cypress, the Red Cedar and the Swamp Maple were in full bloom, as was the A/der along the banks of the streams, while climbing over the bushes the loveliest of our wild vines, the Yellow Jessamine, had begun to unfold its flowers. Mobile, February r5th. Karl Mohr. Foreign Correspondence. London Letter. Lelia albida, a lovely littke Mexican Orchid, with its ivory white and fragrant flowers, is one of the best of all winter flowering Orchids, and especially valuable because it can always be relied on for Christmas bloom. A single spike is beautiful, but imagine a mass of it three feet across, carrying no fewer than 4oo flowers! Such is the sight I enjoyed the other day in Sander’s Orchid nursery. There were two masses of almost equal size growing on flat rafts, and suspended over a water tank, surrounded by great blocks of artificial rock, in a large intermediate Orchid-house. The two plants have to- gether over 800 Howers, a charming mass of delicate white and pink, for the lips of all the flowers are rose-tinted. The fra- [Marcu 7, 1888. grance, too, of such a quantity of bloom was delicious, and pervaded the whole house. Both masses were in the same state as when imported, and are supposed to be the largest ever brought to England alive. This Lelia is not only one of the prettiest of winter Orchids, but is one of the easiest to grow, merely requiring to be placed on wood blocks or in bas- kets, in what we call here a cool house, one in which the sum- mer temperature ranges from 6c° to 70°, and not falling below 45° on winter nights. . A new Angrecum, which proves to be one of the prettiest ever introduced, was lately exhibited here for the first time by the Messrs. Sander, under the name of A. Sanderianum, and won the highest certificate of merit. It is small in growth, having a few long, thick leaves of deep green, and about two inches wide. The flower spike is about a foot long of a soft fawn color and thickly beset with flowers. These are about an inch across, with snow-white sepals and petals, and slen- der white spurs some three inches in length. The flowers be- ing so numerous, and of such purity, and the spikes so grace- ful, the effect of the flowering plants is charming. I saw the same plant in the St. Albans Orchid nursery by the hundred, every one being in bloom, with two and three spikes on each. It is therefore very floriferous, and is considered one of the easiest to manage. The thicket of white flower spikes, all gracefully drooping from suspended plants, was one of the most pleasing sights I have seen among Orchids. Percivai’s Cattleya, one of the newer varieties ot the poly- morphous C. /adzata, heralded the flower season of this genus Those who confine their collection of Orchids to the most select must include this one, as it is not only the earliest flowering of all, but one of the most beautiful. When introduced a few years ago it was said to be autumn flowering, but it has not proved to be so here, although I am told that in America it flowers some weeks before it opens here. Cattleya was the chief feature, hundreds of plants be- ing in bloom, exhibiting a great variation of color, some being many shades darker than others. It is what one would call a medium-sized Cattleya. The sepals and petals are a deep rose pink, and the lip is invariably adorned with an intensely deep blotch of maroon crimson, which looks like velvet. It is a very free flowering kind, and with us is not at all difficult to grow well. The Snowy Masdevallia tovarensis and the fiery-looking JZ ignea are two invaluable winter Orchids, both being in bloom now. I have recently seen a plant of the white carrying sixty flowers in twos and threes on each spike,and another of JZ ignea whose flowers are orange scarlet, lined with crimson, with forty flowers, evidence of how these gems of the South American Andes flourish in England. I suspect that Ameri- can Orchid-growers have some difficultyin growing these cool mountain Orchids on account of your hot and dry summers, but in any place where they succeed the two I have named here should be grown in gardens as largely as their owner’s accommodation and pocket can afford. A beautiful green-house climber named Orera pulchella, from New Caledonia, and entirely new to European gardens, was shown here recently for the first time by Sir George Macleay. The plant is nearly allied to Clerodendyon and in habit of growth resembles the cimbing species of that genus. It has long, slender branches, with deep green shining leaves, like those of Stephanotis. The flowers are large, tubular and wide-mouthed, pure white and with two protruding stamens. They are borne in large, dense clusters, a score or more to- gether from the leaf axils. It is extremely floriferous, as a flower cluster is borne from alinost every leaf point. Itis looked upon as a most valuable addition to green-house plants, more particularly as it flowers habitually in the depth of winter, when most appreciated. It will become a popular climber, and the gardener who grew the specimen exhibited, assures me that it is easily cultivated. He grows it in an airy green-house trained to a ratter of the root. It was brought froma garden in Algiers. The genus Oxera has been hitherto unknown to English gardens, and till recently botanists knew but one species, but now they number ten. This climber is, unquestionably, one of the most remarkable plants exhibited of late years. Kennedya Marryatte (A. prostrata, var. major, D. C.), an Australian climbing plant of the Pea family, has been for some time the glory of one of the green-houses in Kew Gardens, and yet it is to be found in few private gardens, though it is such an old plant andso beautiful. I should be glad to hear that it was more generally appreciated in America, No other green- At Sander’s nursery about holidays this oe ee ee Se E LE: MARCH 7, 1888.] house climber can compare with it in midwinter, and the fact that it requires little or no cultural attention, if once well planted in an ordinary green-house, enhances its value. At Kew itis planted out in free soil beneath the side stage; the main stem is trained up the rafter on one side of the span roofed house and down the one on the opposite side. The shoots, varying from two to six feet long, are thickly wreathed with bright scarlet flowers, like miniature lobster claws in shape, among the pale green trifoliate leaves, and the whole forms an exquisite floral curtain across the house. It should not be planted out until it gets a good size, as it wants all the light possible when small in order to get strong. When well rooted and about five or six feet hig h plant it ‘out ina green- house thatis well ventilated and has a minimum Winter temp- erature of about 4o°F. [I imagine that your hotsummers would suit the plant well and soripen the wood that its winter bloom would be abundant. Besides flowering for several weeks in succession in midwinter, it flowers in spring and summer ; in fact, it might be almost called a perpetual bloomer. The Crimean Lime (77//a petiolar?s) promises to become one of our most ornamental deciduous trees. Though not new Garden and Forest. 17 quite distinct from the Hungarian linden, as Sir Joseph Hooker pointed out several years ago (Bofanical Alagazine, t. 6737.) It is-one of the most promising ornamental deciduous trees ever introduced into this country. Fine specimens may be seen in the Central Park in this city.— Ep;) Rhododendron primrose is the finest yellow flowered variety that has yet been obtained among the Javanese or Green- house Rhododendrons which the Messrs. Veitch, of Chelsea, have for years been occupied in improving by hybridizing. This variety, Primrose, is the result of intercrossing a small, pale yellow flowered species named 2. feysmannia with a hybrid variety with large well formed flowers of a yellowish pink tint, called Maiden’s Blush, raised several years ago. The new hybrid had flowers over one and one-half inches across, with broad, overlapping petals, making a handsome symmetrical flower. The color isa clear yellow, with nota tre ice of the pink tinge of its male parent. It is considered a ‘reat stride in advance in the production of a yellow flowered race of green-house Rhododendrons. W: Goldring. Entrance to the Arnold Arboretum. here, in a nurseryman’s sense, it is but little known and rarely planted, though the other silver-leaved Lime, the Hungarian lime (7° argented), is acommon stock plant. For many years the Crimean Lime has been known in English nurseries under the erroneous name of 7: Americana pendula, but its true name is now being adopted. It is an extremely fine tree and different from the other Limes. Its leaves are large, heart shaped, of a deep green above and silvery white heneath. The slender twigs are pendulous, and as the leaf stalks are long and slender, , the whole tree is of a gracefully weeping habit, of rounded outline and moder ately dense. Perhaps the finest specimen in the country exists in Mr. Maurice Young nursery at Milford in Surrey. This tree is about sixty feet in height, has a huge head fifty or sixty feet through, and has a diameter of stem of about two feet t, and yet it exhibits all the elegance of growth of a young tree. It must be a fast growing Lime, as this large tree has certainly been planted since 1838, when Loudon compiled his Arboretum. At that time it was considered to be a varicty only of 7. argentea and though cultivated at Odessa, was not yet introduced into England. . S (The Crimean lime is also generally known in the United States as Tita argentea pendula, although specifically Arnold O coniferous tree excels the Hemlock Spruce when young in grace of outline, softness of spray or brightness of Entrance to the Arboretum. color. As it grows older it becomes a tree of stately propor- tions, with drooping branches thickly furnished with dark leaves. When massed in northern woods or in the high mountains further south it invests the forest with the charm of a mystery peculiarly its own. North of the drift line, wherever astream of water has furrowed out a deep gorge, the Hemlock often takes possession of the aire making: dark glens that are always attractive features in the landscape. By a fortunate chance one of these banks with its original growth unimpared still remains within the limits of the city ot Boston and is included in the Arnold Arboretum, This steep hillside is shown in the illustration above. From the road- way which swings around to the right it is separated by a ravine through which flows a small stream and its dark mass of foliage and noble sky-line give a dignity to the entrance which is hardly excelled by that of any park in the world. Besides its effectiveness from an artistic point of view, this representative example of one of our most interesting forms of forest scenery is well placed at the vestibule of the sys- 18 tematic plantations in which are to be gr ouped specimens of every species, and well-marked variety of the trees that can be made to flourish here from all the cooler regions of the globe. Shrub ‘Propagation. HE old adage, ‘‘ What is one man’s meat is another man’s poison,” seems especially applicable to the reproduction of hardy shrubbery. Not only each genus, but often each spe- cies, and in a few cases cach variety, requires a separate method of propagation. For instance, the ordinary Snowball, Viburnum opulus sterilis,is of the very easiest manipulation, and strikes like a weed, and yet its Japanese relative, lV. plica- Zum, is quite ee to handle. Most Spiraeas are easily propagated by cuttings, and yet the nearly allied Zvochorda is exactly the reverse. “All the Hydrangeas root readily excepting H. guercifolia, which is stubborn in this respect. The ordi- nary Quince emits roots with almost any degree of moisture, but cuttings of the Japan Quince refuse to “do so under the most advantageous circumstances. Most common shrubs, as Weigelas, Spiraeas, Hydrange Lilacs, Deutzias, Tamarisks, Vv ‘iburnums, etc., are ~best propagated by soft-wood cuttings in midsummer, care being taken to secure the wood as soon as it begins to harden, This is the critical period, and on its observance de pends success or failure. Cuttings 3 to 4 inches long, with two or three cur- tailed leaves at the summit and without any regard to a bud at the base, should be placed in shallow boxes filled with firmly pounded sand. A perfectly close, warm atmosphere, with an abundance of moisture and shade, will cause roots to form in a short time, when they may be gradually inured to the outside air. They will keep in the ‘boxes until the succeeding spring if protected in cold frames. The Japanese Snowball, V7burnum plicatum, from the pecu- liar nature of its wood, requires a long time to root, and should never be hurried nor deluged with water. The newly rooted plants must be potted singly as soon as possible, and permitted to remain in the house until autumn, when they, too, may be wintered in cold frames. Soft-wood cuttings taken from forced plants in winter root more quickly than those grown in the open air, but the young plants must remain in pots for a year. The weaker short- jointed side shoots always make the best cuttings, and will grow just as rapidly after root- ing as those struck from vigorous leading branches. Any shrub having underground stoloniferous branches, which are, of course, supplied with buds, should be increased by root cuttings, especially where other cuttings are difficult to strike. The Japan Quince, Oak-leaved Hydrangea, Sfir@a opulifolia, Philadelphus, Rubus and Rhus are examples of this class. Our stock of most hardy shrubs is most cheaply increased by hardwood cuttings, where an abundance of wood is obtain- able, when the weather is not too dry. These may be cut into lengths of eight or nine inches from last year’s growth, tied into bundles, and either buried at once in the open eround, or preserved in boxes of sand or moss during freezing weather. At the earliest possible moment in spring, they should be put into rows, in a well prepared piece of ground, and be well tramped about the base. Exochorda grandifiora, Caly- canthus floridus, Avsculus parviflora (Dw art Horse- chestnut), noe Europeus, Spir@a ha Berberts, Mahonia, Hypericum, and some others, seed freely, and thus afford an easy and rapid mode of propagation. Seeds sown thinly in the spring in shallow trames, and covered lightly with br ush, will as a rule germinate quickly, and form nice little plants in two or three yea Divisions of large clumps is mainly practiced on plants difficult to propagate by cuttings, as C/e¢hra, tea, etc., or where an old specimen has to be removed, and two or three smaller plants are deemed preferable. Nothing is gained by planting so-called extra-sized shrubs. In the time usually re- quired for such to recover from the removal, young thrifty plants equal them in size, and surpass them in vigor. The long tough stems of most old plants are averse to forming new branches, even when cut severely back, which is not the case with robust young stock, Layering is gener rally a tedious process, and may not always be recommended when a large supply of shrubs is needed. Time is money to the nurseryman, and a few young plants gained by bending down the branches of some old specimen, are really of little moment. Still there are exceptions to the rule. By setting out several old clumps of J/agnolia obovata, burple-leaved Berberry, or Purple-leaved Hazel, the number of shoots increase with the age of the parent, and readily form roots after being nicked and covered firmly with suitable earth at the base. Garden and Forest. [Marcu 7, 1888. Grafting shrubs is restricted to the skilled gardener, and is worse than useless in the hands of a novice. Although easily performed in Europe, owing to certain climatic influences, with us it requires great care and attention. Rhododendrons and Azaleas are necessarily increased in this way. To obtain a supply of the newer and attractive varieties of Althaa, some of our cultivators resort to ordinary whip-grafting. In two years’ time, if not injured by the winter, the plants will be of fine size, and suitable tor the market. Foreign gardeners obtain a supply of the newer and rarer varieties of Lilacs, and some other shrubs, by grafting on small seedlings and covering them with a bell- glass, but in this country it is seldom practiced, owing to the amount of care necessary to make it a success. F. Hoopes. Note on our Native Irises. ANY old world Irises have long been and still are favorites in cultivation, but our own native species have received little attention from horticulturists, and most of them are im- perfectly known even to professed botanists. As they are among the handsomest of our wild flowers they deserve the attention and study of cultivators and botanists alike. Of the genus /zs there are over a hundred known species, of which we have at least eighteen. These are equally divided between the region east otf the great plains and that w est of the Rocky Mountains. They may be grouped as follows A.—Eastern and arctic species. @. Dwarf; the only American species, excepting Z. hexagona, which have either crest or beard. I. LACUSTRIS ; shores of Lakes Huron and Michigan, I. cristara ; of the Alleghany Mountains. I. VERNA; Wooded hills and pine barrens, from Kentucky and Virginia to Alabama and North Carolina. &. The “£ t&ripetala group, having the inner petals very short. I. VRIPETALA ; pine-barren swamps of the southern Atlantic coast. I. HOOKERI; on the lower Saint Lawrence River. lL. serosa ; a Siberian species found in Alaska. ce. The # versicolor group. I. PRISMATICA (/. ltretnica); the slender species found mainly near the Atlantic coast. I. HEXAGONA ; a tall crested species of the swamps along the southern Atlantic coast. I. CUPREA ; with dull yellow or brownish flowers, in swamps of the inner districts from Southern Illinois southward. I, VERSICOLOR ; the common broader-leavyed northern spe- cies, from Minnesota to the Atlantic and southward. This species is at present made to include all the forms that cannot be placed in the preceding. Among those forms (often tall and large-flowered) which occur in the Southern States, from Virginia westward and southward, there are some which are certainly distinct from the common Northern form, and per- haps from each other. A comparison of living specimens is necessary, however, to a determination of their “distinctive dif- ferences. B. Western species (not readily grouped by characters). I. MISSOURIENSIS ; the only species of the interior, ranging trom the Rocky Mountains to the Sierra Nevada, and from the British boundary to Arizona and Colorado. I. TENAX and I, TENUIS; a slender species of Oregon and Washington Territory. I. MACROSIPHON, I. DOUGLASIANA, and I. BRACTEATA; of the Coast Ranges of Northern California and Southern Oregon; otten low and slender, the flowers in the first two having a long narrow tube. I. HARTWEG1; a low narrow-leaved species of the Northern Sierra Nevada. I. LONGIPETALA; a stout several-flowered species of the coast from San Francisco to Monterey Few of these Western species have been studied from the living*plants and they cannot yet be said to be well known, for in dried and pressed specimens not only the delicate colors but many of the other characteristics of the flowers are lost beyond recovery. But Irises are generally of easy cultivation, adapting themselves readily to a diversity of trec atment, and it is much to be hoped that our enterprising florists and lovers of flowers will try their skill upon these our native beauties. They can thus have the satisfaction not only of working a new field which promises rich floral rewards, but also of. giving essential aid to the botanist in determining more accurately the characters and limits of the different species. It may be added that Prot. Michel Foster, of Oxford, England, is making narrow-leaved e fe eS ge ee ee ee ee Se ‘ | ; f Marci 7, 1888.] Fig. 4. Lilium Grayi. a special study of the genus, and for that purpose is endeavor- ing to obtain roots or seeds of all our forms from which to grow the plants in his own garden. Roots from any part of the country, and especially from the South and West, will be very acceptable and thankfully acknowledged, whether sent to him, or to the Botanic Garden, at Cambridge, Mass. Sereno Watson. Lilium Grayi.* PON the trip which Dr. Asa Gray made to the Alleghany Mountains in 1840 he collected upon Roan Mt., in North Carolina, a single specimen of a lily which was considered by him to bea form of the common Lilium Canadense, and as Garden and Forest. 19 such it was preserved in his herbar- ium at Cambridge. During the last ten years the same form has again been found upon the same mountain, though not abundantly, and it has also been cultivated in the Cambridge Botanic Garden. Though evidently related not distantly to Z. Canadense, yet it differs from it so decidedly that it has been deemed deserving of specific rank and has been honored with the name of its discoverer. Its more striking characteristics appear plainly in the accompanying figure. As contrasted with Z. Canadense, the flowers are smaller, less pendulous, and broader at base; the petals are broader in proportion, less tapering at the top, and not at all recurved; and the leaves are perfectly smooth, and usually broader and less narrowly pointed. In ZL. Canadense they are rough upon the edge and usually also upon the veins beneath, and some- times over the whole lower surface. In this respect that species differs also from L. superbum. The flowers are dark colored, of a deep reddish orange, uniformly dotted within with rather small purple spots. In its native locality it blooms in June. The bulbs are like those of Z. Canadense and Ly superbum, renewed trom year to year upon a perennial rootstock, and respond as kindly to a similar culture. The species has been found upon the Peaks of Otter in Virginia and probably occurs in many other places in the southern Alleghanies. ese *L. Gravi, Watson, Proc. Am. Acad., xiv. 256. Leaves in whorls of 4 to 8, lanceolate, acute or slightly acuminate, not at all scabrous; flowers often solitary, ascending or somewhat nodding, broadly funnelform, two inches long or less, the petals oblanceolate, abruptly acute, not recurved, deep reddish orange, spotted within. American Thorns as Orna- mental Plants. HERE is a general impression that the native Thorns are valu- able as ornamental plants, and yet they are rarely seen in private grounds unless they grow. there naturally. There are two reasons for this neglect: the difficulty of trans- planting and growing them, and the perplexing variations of the wild plants. There is little difficulty in growing the Thorns from seeds it the seeds are stratified in sand as soon as ripe, and if the operator is willing to wait a couple of years for the appearing of the seedlings. When young, the plants are removed readily, but success is rare in removing large specimens which have never been transplanted. The perplexing variations in the Thorns are among their most attract- ive features and render their cultivation all the more desirable. These variations have reference to size, color, shape, and season of fruits, to habit of growth and occasion- ally to leaf character. In certain species which occur in Michigan, notably in Crategus punctata, the fruit is so incon- stant that it cannot be relied upon for specific characters. Even yellow-fruited forms occur, In some individuals the fruit is nearly as large as a small Siberian crab, and is borne near the centre of the top, hanging in attractive maroon balls from the horizontal spray. In other specimens it is scarcely larger than a pea, and is borne much nearer the ends of the branches, which, in this case, are usually more upright than in the former variation. In short, so inconstant are the Thorn fruits, that the observing traveler in these parts is constantly 20 attracted and bewildered by them. Many, if not most of these variations, are not reproduced by seeds. In order to perpetu- ate them the grower should graft from them. Good ornamental-truited plants are not abundant. We find that the large-fruited Thorns drop their fruits early. This is due in part to the weight of the fruit and in part to the ravages of the codling moth and the plum curculio. The fruits of the best forms of the scarlet Thorn (C. coccinea) are especially liable to drop. We shall spray our plants with Paris-green water next spring. Of the Michigan kinds, the pear- -fruited Thorn (C. tomentosa, ) holds its fruits best. Up to Christmas all these ruby colored fruits remained erect, long after every other sort had fallen. The fruits are small, resembling a small rose-hip, and contain so little flesh that the worms “do not trouble them. They are borne in clusters. Hereabouts the branches of this Thorn are nearly bare of leaves where the clustered fruit is borne, so that the autumn aspect of the plant is singularly attractive. Thorns are attractive in fruit, in habit, in foliage and in flowers. Upon this classification I should place our Michigan Thorns, five sorts, as follows, in ee of preferenc es For Fruit: C. tomentosa var. pyrifolia, C. punctata (C. tomentosa var. punctata), C. coccinea, C. Crus-galli, C. sub- villosa (C. tomentosa var. mollis ). For HasBit: C. punctata, C. coccinea, C. subvillosa, C. Crus- galli, C. tomentosa var. pyrifolia. FOR FOLIAGE: C. Criuts- alli, C. coccinea, C. tomentosa var. pyrifolia, C. punctata. FOR FLOWERS: C. coccinea, C. Crus-galli, tomentosa, var. pyrifolia, C. subvillosa. Michigan Avricultural College. subvillosa, C. C. punctata, C. Ew ae Bailey. Plant Notes. Milla biflora, Cav., in its Home.—By an occasional glance at horticultural journals, whenever returned to civilization, | have been gratified to learn that this plant, which I have admired in the w ilds of North Mexico, is being brought into general culti- vation. JI had for two years seen it sc attered over the grassy plains and foothills and even on the broader mountain sum- mits about Chihuahua—the plant on the richer plains growing toa height of two feet and bearing half a dozen flowers, in the thinner, dryer soil of the mountain top less than a foot high with but a single flower—but, not until I reached the high plains about the continental divide and near the Cordilleras, did I find it in abundance. Here on broad swells were miles of prairie bespangled with its Rye stars crowding upon a yellow-flowered Phlox and a purple Pentstemon. From a bulb one-half to three-fourths inch in diameter, planted two to four inches deep, it sends up a stem one to two feet high, bearing one to five flowers. Under good culture the size of the bulbs must rival those of some classes of Gladiolus, and a much taller stem must bear an umbel of a dozen flowers, whose size is proportionately increased. The fact that its flowers possess much endurance, and succeed one another in the umbel dur- ing many days, in the way of Agapanthus, must add merit to the plant. It should prove hardy, with a light covering of leaves, in American gardens, and would doubtless thrive best if thus wintered in the soil. The plant propagates itself by seed only. Calochortus flavus, Shult. f—Associated with dfilla biflora in the drier situations we find this, another liliaceous plant of much beauty, as yet little known in gardens. On a branching stem a toot high it bears two to four, or more, nodding flowers, one to two inches broad, of rich crimson and gold and furred within. In a Northern garden the plant has shown even in one year much increase in its size and in the number of its flowers, C. G. Pringle. Caryopteris Mastacanthus, Sc elties of late years this beautiful shrub, Hecedticed 4 “into Bande by Veitch & Sons, deserves special notice. A native of China, its hardiness was doubted at first, but it has done very well in a dry, sunny position; as well at Baden-Baden as in Eng- land. It is a much-branched shrub of a sturdy appearance much hke a Ceanothus. Along the branches and branchlets, wherever there is a leaf, a little bunch of small starry flowers is produced, assuming an umbellate form and decorating the whole shrub with deep blue. It flowers here about the mid- dle of October, when flowering shrubs are quite as rare as blue flowers. Planted against a low wall and left to grow at will, all passers-by are struck with its beauty, Baden-Baden, Max Letchtlin. Garden and Forest. [Marcu 7, 1888. _ (This plant was discovered by Fortune in Southern China, and is well described in De Candolle’s Prodromus, xi. 625. It is a native also of Japan, where it is said to grow on the borders of old fields and on the summits of mountains. It is from Japan that the Messrs. Veitch intro- duced it into cultivation, and there is a prospect, therefore, that it will prove hardy in the United States. A good figure of Caryvopleris mastacanthus appeared in the Gardener's Chronicle, xxi. n. ser., 149. It belongs to the Verbena fami- ly.—Ep.) The Red Mite on Verbenas. HE two packages of Verbena sent by Mr. Peter Henderson to the office of GARDEN AND FOREST, one containing young, healthy plants, and the other those which have been dwarfed and ‘crumpled by the attacks of the mite, illustrate well the work of this pest. We could not find any full-grown specimens, but only the very small young, which were of a pale yellowish color. The red mite, erroneously by some called the red spider, is one of the few mites which spina web. When we examine the mouth parts it will be seen how w ell adapted it is for cut- ting into and sticking close to leaves; its jaws, like those of seed-tic ks, form a spiny beak, with the points directed back- wards; with this beak it can anchor itself in the soft parts of the under side of leaves, while with the forceps-like feelers it can eat its way into the leaf, or grasp surrounding hairs or pro- jecting parts of the leaf and steady itself while sucking the sap of the plant. Its presence may be detected by the slight web, the blighted, pale patches on the leaf, and sometimes, as in the e xaiples before us, by the striking alteration in the leaves and the dwarfed appearance of the Plant. A general pest of Plants, both in the hot-house and in the garden, when it varies much in color, most of them when fully grown being greenish to rust-red, sometimes quite dark, the creature propagates rapidly, and abounds most in hot, dry seasons, moisture being un- favorable to its growth. As to remedies, it should be borne in mind that all mites are very susceptible to sulphur, hence as a preventive measure laying flour of sulphur upon the pipes in the hot-house has been recom- mended. It would also be well to underspray the leaves of infected plants with such a solution of sulphur as would cause the pow- der to remain on the leaves. Spray- ing machines are the most efficient means of rapidly and evenly diffus- ing insecticides of all sorts, though we have not heard of their use in the hot-house. Finely powdered tobacco, or even Paris green or London purple in solution, the latter carefully applied with the sprayer to plants not in flower, would be worth trial. Nearly all mites, like all insects, breathe through minute openings in the sides of the body, hence any oily, or greasy substance which, spreading over the body, will form a film over the air-holes, will kill the creature ; it is soon asphyxiated or drowned. For this reason greasy or oily substances are the most powerful and sure insecticides. Oily emulsions, even cotton-seed, or any other vegetable oils, could easily be used in hot- houses ; kerosene emulsions should be used with care, and only after’ experiments, so as not to injure the plant itself, since mineral oils are most destructive to plant-life. Perhaps underspraying with whale-oil soap or sulphur in solution is the readiest and most available remedy, but it would be worth while to experiment with the Paris green or London purple so- lutions, also kerosene emulsions, which have proved so suc- cessful out-of-doors; always bearing in mind that frequent showerings with soap-suds or water alone, by which the leaves are kept wet, tends to prevent undue increase of the pest. Mr. Henderson thinks he has discovered a complete remedy for this pest in the use of manure water. The increased vigor of the plant under this treatment seems to-enable it to-outgrow the ravages made by the mite. Red Mite (Tetranychus tetarius ). “Insects 9 From Saunders’ Injuricus to Fruits. AS: Packard. Marcu 7, 1888. ] Cultural Notes. Primula Obconica.—This is a comparatively new Primrose, a native of China, and one of the sweetest and loveliest, and so far as I know, the most free and continuous blooming of the genus. It was discovered in the neighborhood of Ichuny, Central China, by Maries, collector for Veitch, of London, and first bloomed in cultivation in the Veitch nurseries in September, 1880. In the Botanical Magazine (tab, 8582), 1881, it is figured and described under the name of Primula poculiformis. In The Garden, September 6th, 1884, there is an excellent colored plate of it prepared from an English garden-grown plant. Soon after its début into English gardens it found its way to America, and so well has it behaved that it has become a fixed favorite wherever grown. Indeed, so favorable an impression has it made that one florist near Boston has made a specialty of it for cut flowers, and the Boston seedsmen this year offer it as their most important novelty. We have it here and are exceptionally well pleased with it. We treat it as a cool green-house pot plant, and find that it is of the easiest possible culture, free growing and continuous blooming, and may be treated as an annual or perennial. Veitch speaks of it as “ flowering continuously and profusely from spring to autumn,” and recommends it ‘during the summer months for the open border.”” Some plants procured two years ago have been in bloom continuously ever since then and have more flowers now than they have had at any time previous. I sowed some seed last spring, it germin- ated in about two weeks, and the seedlings have grown and flourished. They began blooming in August and have been in full bloom ever since. : The foliage much resembles that of P. cor¢usotdes, a Siberian species grown in our gardens asa hardy perennial, but is not deciduous. The flowers are white to pale mauve-purple, showy and sweetly fragrant, and are borne in loose umbels on tall scapes that rise well up above the foliage; and in thrifty plants the umbels have an inclination to break off into whorls after the fashion of the infloresence of P. ¥apfonica. The blossoms last well as cut flowers, and the plants make excel- lent house or window plants. During the summer months our plants set seeds freely and without any artificial assistance, but since winter began no seeds have set except where artificial assistance has been given. WF, Leptosyne Maritima.—A perennial composite with succulent stems and much divided fleshy leaves, and large showy bright yellow flowers produced singly at the ends of long slender stalks, The plant is indigenous to ‘‘Sea beach at San Diego, and on the islands.” J have grown this plant for a good many years, out-of-doors in summer and in the green-house in winter. Although it is a perennial it is treated as an annual, it begins to bloom when about four months old, and so long as it continues in good healthy condition, so long it will continue in bloom. Planted out-of-doors in summer it grows and blooms prettily, but here it does not bear as fine flowers as it does in the green-house in winter. Our plants arein six-inch pots, in asunny green-house, with a night temperature of about fifty de- grees, and they now have been in full bloom for more than three months. This Leptosyne loves sunshine and will not thrive in the shade ; and it very much dislikes a close, moist atmosphere or an over-wetted soil. The blossoms are well adapted for cut flowers and last in ‘good condition for several days after they have been cut; but as they are apt to partially close up at night this weighs heavily against them. L. Stillmani and L. Douglasit are both Californian annuals, pretty enough in their way, but small and short-lived, and without anything of the bold, showy character of L. AZaritima. Li Carnations.—James Y. Murkland is the brightest scarlet we have, but the flowers are not full and solid enough or the plants sufficiently abundant or enduring to justify its use as a main crop. Portiais our stand-by for scarlet. It is early, con- tinuous, a great cropper and the flowers do not burst. Among scarlets, E. S. Hill gives superb promise. The plants are vigorous and the flowers unusually large. Marshal P. Wilder has very large flowers, but they are short-stemmed and the calyx bursts. My best white is Hinzy’s. Started early and not pinched after June it begins to bloom in September and lasts in good condition till February. Peerless, Snowdon and De- graw do not do well here. Neither do Buttercup nor Astoria among yellows. Lydia, yellow striped with pink, is the best of its class. Columbia, after the same fashion, but with narrower Garden and Forest. 21 stripes, is an abundant bloomer, but the flowers are not very firm. La Purite, carmine, is a capital grower, and it blooms freely too, but the flowers burst a good deal. Charles Hender- son, tall and very copious, has carmine fringed flowers, rather small, but of capital form. Kaiser William has violet purple flowers of good form and striking in color, but many ladies object to the shade. Petunia is a slender grower, but it bears a good crop of rose purple and white full double, though often ragged, flowers, which are much esteemed byladies. Crimson King used to be our mainstay in its class, but it is beginning to fail. Black Knight still hoids good. It is of slender growth. It blooms sparingly in fall and early winter, but as January ad- vances it waxes in strength. Gibbonsii is the largest and finest of all our crimsons, but it is a late-blooming one-cup variety. May Queen, bright rose, is a lovely, perfect flower, and unlike most varieties of its class, the color of whose flowers soon fades, its flowers retain their bright color for several days after they have been cut. While Grace Wilder is a very pretty car- nation and of a desirable shade of blush, the color soon fades. This variety is often rather refractory. WF, Brodica (Triteleia) Uniflora.—This charming Liliaceous plant we grow in pots for decoration of the conservatory. For this purpose it is very valuable, especially at this dull season of the year, besides being very pretty. It flowers in great abund- ance (as many as fifty flowers may often be had in five-inch pots) and will lasta long time in perfection. We give them the usual treatment of this class of Bulbs, viz. : good rich soil in well drained pots, liberal watering while growing, gradually drying off for the summer months and repotting in the fall. There are two or three varieties of this species, one a pure white. It was introduced from Buenos Ayres in 1836. Crs Grapes Under Glass. UR early vinery contains, mostly, Black Hamburgh ; our medium, Muscat of Alexandria; and our late, Lady Downes, which IJ think is the best of all late grapes. Lady Downes, Black Alicante, Gros Colman and other late sorts will succeed pretty well when grown in the Muscat house, but I much prefer growing them ina house by themselves. I have Alnwick Seedling growing in the same house, and alongside of, Lady Downes. It sets as freely as does a Black Hamburgh and produces large blue-black berries and bunches of three to seven Ibs. each in weight, but the grapes do not keep long after they areripe. Indeed, I have, every year, to begin cutting them before I have cut halfofour Muscats. Exceptfor exhibition purposes I do not regard it favorably, but it will make a good enough stock on which to inarch more serviceable sorts. Black Alicante like Lady Downes always hangs on the vines plump and fresh till New Year's. Pearson’s Golden Queen is a good-looking grape, but of little merit except for exhibition. After having given it a fair trial, both as an early anda late grape, I have concluded to discard it. Atter the fruit isripe in the Muscat house I bring Dendrodbz- um Wardianum and others of its class into it to ripen their flowering pseudo-bulbs. I also use the earliest vineries for Chrysanthemums in the fall, but I never bring these in before all the grapes are cut, and remove them before we begin to give our vines theirannualcleaning. Onno account dol ever allow any plants to be keptinor brought into the Lady Downes house, as the extra moisture they would induce would be det- rimental to the keeping qualities of the grapes, which we wish to have in plump and good condition as late as possible—usu- ally till January. I never permit any bedding or miscellaneous green-house plants, apart from those mentioned above, to be kept in any of the graperies under any circumstances, so as to avoid all possible chance of the introduction of mealy bugs or other insect vermin. ; Of recent years we have discontinued the use of the syringe in our vineries except in the case of our earliest house, and in that we discontinue syringing as soon as the grapes begin to color. After the fruit is cut from it, however, we give the vines a few heavy drenchings of a solution of whale oil soap and tepid water—about two ounces of the soap to the common wooden pailful of water, and applied about sunset. On account of the small amount of fire heat we use to help ripen the fruit and wood, we are not troubled with red spider, We use tobacco stems as a preventive against thrips, plac- ing them on the border between the bottom ventilators and the front row of pipes, and in this way use at one time a bar- rel of stems to every sixty feet in length of house. We renew the tobacco stems three times during the summer, and each time have them fresh from the cigar factories. ; David Allan. 22 The Lawn. OW is the time to attend to the lawns. If they have been top-dressed with manure or compost over winter, on some fine dry day when it is not frozen, go over the lawn with wooden-toothed rakes and spread the dressing equally over the ground. Then repeat the operation and rake off all sticks, stones and other rough things that may have been in the dressing, but do not rake off any of the manure except where it may be so heavy as to threaten interference with the mower insummer. If this is done now, there will be no fear of the grass bleaching under the manure where it has fallen in lumps, but if delayed till the grass begins to get green it will bleach, then sun-scald and look patchy. Lawns that have not been top-dressed should also be raked over with close-toothed wooden or iron rakes, so as to clear off the loose dead grass and other dédris that would interfere with the mower. In raking the lawns be very particular along the borders of roads and pathways, where small stones may have been thrown up on the turf. If the dead grass is long or shaggy burn it off. This may be heresy in the eyes of theorists, but experience has proved it to -be good practice. The burning does not injure the crowns of the 3 grass in the least degree nor destroy a particle of the nu- triment on the surface of. “the ground, but it effectually gets rid of the dried grass, which, if not removed, would clog ihe mow- ers and weaken the young shoots in coming up. If the surface of the lawn has any depressions fill them up with loam. These may be the foot- prints of men or animals made when the ground was soft. And some morning when the lawn is wet and soft go over it with a heavy roller to make the sod smooth and even; but never use horses in the roller when the lawn is in this ‘condition, as their feet would leave deep impressions in the ground, With two men anda hand iron roller all the grass in the narrow places, as between the trees and shrubs, can be reached, and in the open spaces eight men to a large iron roller do capital work. Many spots in the lawns will need patching. or rocks, in former years, have been dug out, the earth may have sunk so as to form a hollow; fill up such places with loam, andresod. And where little hillock s occur on the lawns, shave them down and replace the aed. Sometimes weeds kill out the grass. The most destructive of these pests are Yarrow, Mouse-ear Chickweed and Sorrel, They kill out broad patches, and can only be overcome by being dug under or cut out, and again resowing or sodding the ground to grass. Crabgrass is almost invulnerable. So long as we e keep our lawns ‘smoothly shaven we cannot sub- due it, for in September and October it spreads its wiry stems along ‘flat on the ground and perfects and scatters its seed for the next season’s work. The only way to get rid of it is to pasture the land or so encourage the lawn grasses to grow that they shall choke it out. Where the lawn is mossy, as in the neighborhood of trees, orrather bare of grass caused by impoverished land or drought, remove the moss with a sharp long-toothed iron rake and loosen the surface of the ground ; then topdress thinly with rich earth, and sow some red topseed on it, rake it in and roll firmly. Where it is needful to do repairing, as for example, to mend the borders along the roadsides, to cover places caused by re- cent tree removals, to turf over beds, mend banks about the house, and the like, always use sod in preference to grass seed. Where much sod-laying has to be done a sod-cutting machine should be used, but in small places where the sods are cut with a spade never let two or more men work for the same piece of ground, as no two men cut sods alike. With the ground properly prepared and leveled, and the sods all equal in thickness, length and width, in laying them it is an easy matter to make a neat piece of work. All sodding and seed- ing should be done as early in spring as possible, in order that the grass may be well up and have a good hold upon the ground before the warm dry weather sets in. William Falconer. Where trees DO NOT HURRY to uncover the Roses, Strawberries and other plants that you have protected over winter. A few bright, warm days in Marchis no indication that the winter has completely retired; the frosty, searing winds of March are more injurious to plants than is the zero weather of January. GARDEN LABELS.—The frost will have thrown many small labels out of the earth and we will now find them lying on the surface of the ground. If this is neglected the wind will blow them about. Stick them into the ground where you find them lying. Garden and Forest. [Marcu 7, 1888. The Forest. Forest Trees for California. GLANCE at the forest map of California, given in Vol. g of the Report of the Tenth Census, shows that there are in the State but two compact bodies of tim- ber; that of Pines and Firs covering the higher western slopes of the Sierra Nevada, and the Redwood beltstretching along the western portion of the Coast Range, from the bay of Monterey to the Oregon line. The lower foothills of the Sierra, and the plateaus and northern slopes and cafions of the Coast Ranges, bear a scattered growth of timber; but neither the quantity nor the quality entitles it to be counted on for more than a scanty supply of firewood, after the needs of the first settlers have been met. The great valley, and the adjacent slopes on either side, are practically tree- less, except along the courses of the streams, and on the exceptional area formed by the delta of the Kaweah River, in Tulare County, which is covered with quite a compact growth of the White Oak (Quercus lobafa). A scattered growth of the same Oak prevails in most of the Coast Range valleys, outside of the Redwood belt; on the rolling lands near the coast, itis intermingled with the California Live Oak (Q. agrifolia) and the Black or Sonoma Oak (Q. Aelloggi). Along the Sierra foothills it mingles with the Blue Oak (Q. Douglas’); higher up it disappears and the Blue Oak with the two mountain Live Oaks (Q. Wishkcent and Chry- solepis) and the Foothill or Digger Pine (P. Sabiniana) pre- vail. These, with occasional groups or individuals of the beautiful Madrone (properly Madrono—drbutus Men- stesw), afew Firs on the higher levels, and in the cafions the large-leaved Maple (dcer macrophylum), the Box Elder, the large Alder (A/nus oblongifolia), and last but not least the Laurel (OUmbeliulirta Californica), constitute the com- mon tree growth of Central California that, outside of the timber belts first mentioned, might be expected to serve the common uses of the deciduous forest trees of the Atlantic slope. To these are added, in the northern portion of the State, a part of the Conifers of Western Oregon ; while in Southern California, a number of trees*mentioned above are wanting, or but feebly represented, and ihe mountains as well as the valleys are as a rule scantily timbered, and largely quite bare of trees. Iven were these trees mentioned as well adapted to the uses of every day life as those of Eastern deciduous forests, their relatively scanty occurrence within that portion of the State best adapted to dense settlement would render the maintenance of the timber supply. a question of .the most pressing importance. But as a matter of fact the wood of most of the native non-Coniferous trees, and especially that of the lowland Oaks, subserves but indifferently any purpose save that of fuel. Not only have the trees as a rule a very low trunk, beginning to branch from seven to fifteen feet above ground, and often losing the leader; but even the ‘‘clear” wood is mostly so brittle and its grain so uncertain that to split it into rails, clapboards or staves is out of the question. When a tree is broken off by the wind, instead of the long, elastic splinters projecting from both ends, we find rough, jagged prea almost square across. Of the California Live “Oak, the wood-choppers sometimes state with mild exaggeration that it splits cross- wise about as readily as lengthwise. The W hite Oak is a little better, and like the Blue Oak is sometimes used for fence posts; but even in this dry climate they show little durability as such. Only the mountain Oaks can to a cer- tain degree subserve the ordinary purposes of hardwoods ; and no Californian tree, save perhaps these, could be suc- cessfully worked into axe helves, hoe handles, or other agricultural implements of any durability. The Maple, Ash and Laurel are to some extent used for furniture and inside finish, but not where strength of material is required. Practically all the hard woods used in California must be imported, and at present come from the Eastern States; a small part, for cabinet and decorative work, from Mexico. a eee, ; . * FN ee, first severe frost. Marcu 7, 1888.] It is thus natural that when trees have to be planted, the preference should be given to such as are likely to supply this great need, and it is equally natural that the first thought should turn toward the familiar Eastern forest trees that serve these purposes so well. ‘Thus the seeds of the Hickories, and of the White and other Eastern Oaks, soon found their way into private grounds and nurseries for trial. It may be broadly said that the outcome of these experiments (repeated since on the experimental grounds of the University of California) has been eminently unsatis- factory. The young trees not only refuse utterly to avail themselves of the longer growing season for more rapid development, but show a perverse disposition to branch out low and form bushes withouta definite trunk; and when pruned up with a view to forming a single strong trunk, will sometimes return to first principles by sending up shoots from below. I doubt whether there exists at this time in the State, a specimen of an Eastern Oak or Hickory that would not have been better developed almost any- where east of the Mississippi River, at the same age. Not all the deciduous forest trees of the Atlantic States, however, behave in this way. Thus the Cork Elm, the Linden, several Maples, the White-wood (Liriodendron) and some others, develop normally, and some of them somewhat more rapidly than in their native clime. But none of these can properly fill the gap left by the Oaks and Hickories ; and hence, substitutes for these have been sought in other climates, notably in Australia, whose rapid-growing Eucalypis and Acacias have already acquired a wide distribution *%: California. Oddly enough, some trees from diametrically opposite climates seem also to adapt themselves to that of California, and most promising among these, at the present time, is the European or “English” Oak (Q. Robur, var, pedunculaa). LE. W. Higard «Growing Deciduous Forest Trees from Seeds. WE sow all of our tree seeds in Spring, and as the following rules are based on our own experience, they all apply to spring sowing. WHITE ASH seeds ripen in early October, and fall after the They should be mixed with moist sand, and not allowed to become dry before sowing. This same treatment should be followed with all the native Ash family with one exception, viz., the Green Ash, which hangs on longer and will germinate if sown dry; all others will remain dormant until the next season, if sown dry. HarD MapLe seed ripen early in October, and require the same treatment as the White Ash. SorrT MAPLE seeds ripen in spring immediately before, or about the time, that Apple trees begin to blossom. They should be sown within a few days after gathering. ELM seeds ripen in spring, and they require the same treat- ment as those of the Soft Maple. BLACK WALNUTS, and all nuts with a pulpy covering, may be spread in thin layers, say six inches deep, and covered with sods and litter to prevent dying during the winter, in which ‘case the pulpy covering will be easily disposed of in spring. - Other Wutsand Acorns, together with seeds of the 7udip tree and Basswood, are safer treated as recommended for Ash and Hard Maple seeds. CATALPA and AILANTHUS seeds are kept dry during winter and sown rather late in spring. BiRcH and ALDER seeds are kept dry, and sown dry early in spring. Locust seeds and those of all that family are kept dry through winter and soaked in hot water immediately before sowing. All seeds with a fleshy covering, such as Apple, Cherry, Mountain Ash, Cucumber tree, Buffalo Berry, Red Cedar and Holly, are washed free from the pulp, mixed with sand and sown inspring. We makean exception generally with the Red Cedar and the Holly, as they never germinate evenly in the spring, therefore we bury them in a rot-heap during two winters and one summer, and sow the following spring. POPLAR and WILLOW seeds are very fine and delicate, and re quire skill, close attention, and continual moisture during the early part of the season. Therefore it is cheaper and surer to raise them from cuttings than from seeds. Garden and Forest. 23 All seeds mixed with sand must be placed so that water will not stand around them. Frost will not injure them, unless in a position where they will freeze dry. A cool shed where they are protected from sun and wind, will be a proper place. Robert Douglas. Answers to Correspondents. Cutting down Chestnut seedling trees from sixteen to twenty inches in diameter, I find them rotten at the heart. What is the cause, and how may I know when the decay begins ? oe) The disease known as heart-rot, and under other names, which produces a decay in the centre or heart of trees, mostly older trees, is caused by various fungi, which attack the tree either from the root or above ground, While the precise progress of the diseasc is not yet fully understood, there seems no doubt, that other causes predispose the tree for the attack of the fungus ; a dying or dead root, or the stump of a broken branch give usually entrance to the mycelium of the fungus. Unfortunately, neither the beginning nor the progress of the deterioration, which is the consequence of the fungus growth, is readily observed, since the tree, attacked only in the old, inactive wood, shows no outward sign of interior disease in its general appearance, and the fungus may do its destructive work for years without fruiting, by which alone it makes its existence apparent externally. Whenever a fungus (fruiting) appears on the stem, especially on the scar or stump of a broken branch, or near the foot of the tree, it is usually the sien of a heart-rotten tree. This disease is often the conse- quence of injudicious pruning of older trees, and should induce a more careful use of the pruning knife; shallow soil with hard-pan subsoil, especially if subject to overflow, is also con- ducive to this disease and necessitates earlier utilization of the timber to avoid loss. Ds re ewe Sharon, Conn. Recent Publications. Gleanings in Old Garden. Literature, by W. Carew Hazlitt. New York: George J. Coombes, 1887. Reprinted from the English Edition. This book on Old English Gardens is a charming new volume—one of that charming series called 7e Book Lover's Library, which is issued in England, but also in New York, by Mr. George J. Coombes. It is a small volume, writtenin a bright and unpedantic style, yet the amount of curious information it contains is immense. Early herbals and physic gardens, kitchen, window and cot- tage gardens, and orchards are described, together with meth- ods of bee-keeping and wine-keeping. The herbs and vege- tables, the flowers and trees which the Englishman of former generations loved, are named. Bacon as a gardener has a chapter to himself. The way in which Bacon and Shakespeare spoke of the Strawberry forms the text for a delighttul little es- say. Elizabethan gardening, the French and Dutch schools, Evelyn and his “Sylva,” Walpole and the gardeners of the eighteenth century—all these are successively discussed by the aid of numberless citations from rare and quaint publications; and, in short, nothing which relates to the craft of gardening or the love of flowers and plants in the olden time has been overlooked by this industrious yet lively author. The wide ex- tent of his acquaintance with the by-paths of literature is proved on every page, and a valluable bibliography of English works on gardening published between 1603 and 1800 brings his volume to a close. As an appendix he adds, moreover, a reprint of Gibson’s ‘Account of the Gardens in and round London,” which was written in 1691. It should be explained that Mr. Hazlitt’s book contains small reference to gardening as an art in the wider sense—to what we call to-day Landscape Gardening. Individual plants and the methods of cultivating them are his concern, and the old books which would be most useful to the landscape gardener have no place in his lists. But within its own field his book seems complete, and it should find a place on the shelves of every horticulturist who has a soul for the history and litera- ture of his favorite recreation and an eye fora pretty volume. Flora Peoriana. The Vegetation in the Climate of Middle Illinois, by Frederick Brendel ; pp. 1-89 ; Peoria, 1887. We cannot do more than call attention to this interesting paper, the result of thirty-five years’ study of the vegetation of a small area of about thirty-five square miles, by an excellent botanist and observer of nature, who explains in his preface that ‘it is intended to show how local floras should be treated to be useful to phytogeography ; how notice should be taken of soil and climate to understand the vegetation of a certain 24 floral district.” The hope that the author expresses that this publication will lead to similar studies in other parts of the country will be shared by all students of geographical botany. Shade and Ornamental Trees Suttable for Cultivation in Queens Co., N. Y., by William Falconer. Reprinted from the Annual Report of the Queens County Agricultural Society, 1887 ; pp. 21. This is not, as might have been expected from the title, a mere list of trees hardy on Long Island, but a carefully pre- pared essay on ornamental and street planting, with suggestions of the best trees to be used in different situations and for different purposes and with many sensible cultural direc- tions which planters will find useful. It is pleasant to note that Mr. Falconer is a firm believer in the ornamental value of our native trees. Trees of Reading, Mass. ing, 1888. Mr. Gilson has had the happy idea of photographing and collecting historical information and valuable statistics in regard to the most remarkable trees growing near his home, and the still happier idea of allowing the public to share in the results of these studies. Part I. of this work now published contains beautiful heliotype portraits of five trees with accompanying letter-press. The Sassafras No. 2, with a trunk girth at the ground of toft. 3in., will probably prove to be the finest specimen in the Northern States, and No. 4, the “Nehemiah Bancroft Elm,” is as noble a specimen of the American Elm as is often seen. Very fine, too, are a second Elm and a wide-branching White Oak. The cultivated cut leaved weep- ing European Birch, which completes this first series, seems out of place in this company, and such a work might more wisely be devoted to native trees. Of these there are still many noble specimens left in different parts of New England, and Mr. Gilson will confer a real benefit upon all tree lovers if he will extend the field of his studies to other parts of the country, Part I.; by F. H. Gilson; Read- Public Works. Tree Planting on Boston Harbor.—An interesting report has lately been made by Mr. Frederick Law Olmsted to the Com- missioners of the Boston Department of Parks on the subject of planting the islands and headlands of the Harbor. The shores and islands are characterized by great variety of form, and they are picturesquely disposed, making intricate straits and vistas opening towards the ocean. One drawback to the attractions of the Harbor is the bleak aspect of the bluffs and islands, and it is plain that if they were wooded or clothed with foliage or verdure of any kind the scenery would be much more agreeable. On even the most exposed and rocky of these islands stumps remain to prove that they were once tree-clad, but since they have been cleared, a second growth has been prevented by pasturing animals. Deprived of forest protection the land has been losing fertility, as it has been exposed to the winds and salt spray, and the Harbor is every year being despoiled more and more of its original beauty. It is thought that if trees of the species which for- merly flourished here were planted with suitable undergrowth they might help each other to endure the hardships of the place. In a very few years these young plantations would give a pleasing softness to the elements of the scenery which do not contribute to its picturesque ruggedness. When the plantations have attained a full-grown forest character the broad masses of foliage will lift the skylines of shores and islands, add to their variety of tint, and deepen their shadows. Of course such trees as are usually planted in lawns, parks and cemeteries could not be used successfully, but Mr. Robert Douglas, who has had a wide experience in planting trees under trying conditions, and who has studied the Massachu- setts coast plantations made by Mr. Joseph S. Fay and others, has faith in the project and offers to take a contract to carry it out. Mr. Douglas will engage to plant the entire area, some 400 acres in extent; to care for the trees until they are well established, in thrifty condition and shading the ground completely, so that they will need no further cultivation. Pay- mentis to be made in installments, the lastone, sixteen per cent. of the whole amount, due only when 800,000 trees are certified by qualified agents appointed by the Park Department to have been found on the ground well rooted and thrifty. By the terms of such a contract the young trees would have the care of one of the most successful planters in the country during the most critical period of their history, and the risk to the city would be reduced to its lowest terms. It is thought that $5,000 Garden and Forest. [Marcu 7, 1888. a year, for six years, to be used at the discretion of the Park Depariment, would be sufficient to insure a substantial success, Flower Market. New York, Alarch 2d, 1888. There is a decline in the price of flowers, excepting in a few sorts which appear unusually well grown. Weigela is the novelty of the week, it having been forced by a New Jersey plantsman. It sells for 25 cts. along spike, and is highly esteemed by decorators. Hybrid Roses are plentiful, but their average quality is not satisfactory. ‘The choicest are sold for$r each. Baroness Rothschild and Mabel Morrison have appeared, Selected American Beauties are also$1. The favorite Gloire de Dijon Rose arrives in limited quantity and sells for so cts. a flower. Puritan Roses sell for 50 and 75 cts., and La France from 25 to 50 cts., according to quality. Perle des Jardins, Niphetos and Sou- venir d’un Ami are down to $1.25 a dozen, and Brides bring 20 and 25 cts. a flower. Maréchal Niel Roses are to be had for from 25 to 50 cts., the latter priced ones including a bud. Acacia has never been so plentiful and low-priced. It brings one-third less than it did last season. A good-sized branch may be had for $1, and 25 cts. will buy what is termed ‘a spray.”” Carnations are selling for 50 cts. a dozen, excepting such varieties as Grace Wilder, Buttercup, Dawn and Harri- son, which, when long-stemmed, sell for 75 cts. a dozen. Spikes of Mignonette, very large and beautiful, bring 35 cts. each, and smaller spikes cost from 10 to 25 cts. Callas are 30 cts. each, and Longiflorum Lilies from 40 to Socts. Le/iwm Candidum has just appeared, and sells for $2.50 and $3.50 a dozen. Asingle stalk with two flowers and a bud sells for 50 cts. Violets cost from 75 cts. to $2.a hundred. The latter is the fancy price for those fresh-picked and brought in at certain hours daily. French Marguerites are of two qualities, those small, with fragile stems, which cost 25 cts. a dozen, and those cf twice the size, on firm long stems, which bring 50 cts, a dozen. Double Tulips are in more active demand than other varieties. Tulips remain as last quoted, as do other flowers not mentioned above. Asparagus plumosus is used more freely than ever before because in greater sup- ply. A. ¢enuisstmus has somewhat given way to the former variety in popularity. For yard lengths 4. plmosus costs $1, and A. tenuisst- muts from 60 to 70 cts. Smilax brings 40 cts. a string. The cut flower trade has been active since the second we2k in Lent, Jewish weddings, dinners and luncheons having kept busivess stirring. Orchids are in steady request for table decoration. They do not fluctuate in price. They are to be ordered from all the first-class florists, but a variety is only kept on hand by those who have growing collections. Prices range from 50 cts, to $1 a flower, ye for sprays from $2 to $5. PHILADELPHIA, AZarch 2d. The demand for flowers the past week has been fair, for the Lenten season. Jacqueminot Roses are more plentiful, prices ranging from $3 to $5 per doz. Mrs. John Laing is becoming more abundant, selling at the same price as Jacqueminots. Anna de Diesbach and Magna Charta may be had in limited quantities at from $4 to $6 per doz., but these darker shades of pink are not so popular in this city as the more delicate tints, like those of Madame Gabriel Luizet or Mrs. John Laing. American Beauty is preferred, when the darker colored sorts are required. Asparagus ¢enwissimus is not popular here. This is difficult to understand, because it is so delicate and lasts solong for room decoration. For festooning about mirrors few plants are more effective. Gardenias may be had in limited quantities at 25c. each. Marguerites and English Daisies are in fair demand at 25c. per doz. Perles have been overdone this season. Sunsets are more popular. Boston, Alarch 2d. The weather has been wintry during the week and while it continues cold there will be little change in the prices of cut flowers. Some varieties of Roses, especially La France and Catherine Mermet, have been really scarce, an unusual feature of the market at this season. Violets are abundant and consequently cheap. Pansies are also be- coming more plenty and the quality was never better. Long stem- med Carnations have seldom been seen here in such perfection and variety as at the present time. They are gaining rapidly in popularity, for buyers are beginning to appreciate them and are learning that there are few varieties of flowers which will keep so long in a warm room. Its own foilage is of course the best setting for the Carnation. Daf- fodils, Tulips and Lilies-of-the-Valley are still offered in large quan- tities. Great vases of Callas and Lifium Harrisit make a grand dis- play inall the florists’ windows and are a reminder that Easter will soon be upon us. Spireea and Deutzia, which are always grown largely for Easter, are also beginning to come in in moderate quantities. The best Jacqueminots and Hybrids can be had now at from $4 to $6 per doz. La France, Catherine Mermets and Marechal Niels at $3. Perles des Jardins and Niphetos at $1.50 and the small Teas at 75c. per doz. Hyacinths and Tulips cost 75§c., and Lily-of-the-Valley and Trumpet Narcissus $1 per doz. For finest long-stemmed Carnations 75c. per doz. is asked, while Pansies, Mignonette, Calendulas, etc., can be had at 50c. per doz, Callas bring 1§c. to 25c. and Harris’s Lilies 35c. each. A fine box of choice Orchids with a slight sprinkling of Maiden-hair Ferns, Asparagus and a few dainty sprays of Heath, makes a superb gift and costs from $25.00 to $50.00. Marcu 14, 1888.] GARDEN AND FOREST. PUBLISHED WEEKLY BY THE GARDEN AND FOREST PUBLISHING CO. [LImITED.] Orrice: Tribune Buitpinc, New York. Conducted by . . Professor C. S. SARGENT. ENTERED AS SECOND-CLASS MATTER AT THE POST OFFICE AT NEW YORK, N. Y. NEW YORK, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 14, 1888. TABLE OF CONTENTS. EpiroriaAv Arric.es :—The Future of our Forests. Hardy Rhododendrons. Sir Joseph Hooker Tribute to Asa Gray.......+ SMOSH GATT AO MOD ONGT 25 “Laws alone Cannot Save our Forests.......--.++ sseeeeees ¥.B. Harrison. 2 Landscape Gardening, IIT... Mrs. Schuyler Van Rensselaer. 2 The Suburbs in March...... Tas Geen tay Charles Eliot. 2 GalitarmianGhristmassMOld us jieceeensstren sees cions C. L. Anderson, M.D, 2% ForEIGN CORRESPONDENCE :—London Letter..-..-..-.+...s0 eee William Goldring. 28 Palms for House Decoration...........-+- A View in Central Park (with illustration) Robert Cratg. 29 aie siaicieis ai siataigiy aie ei diwce 30 Piant Notes :—Lilium Parryi. A New Morning Glory. Some Hardy Wild Flowers.. Phajus tuberculosus. New Vegetables...........- ere 30 Aquilegia longissima (with figure).......0.+eeeeeeee es ax A Weeping Beech (with illustration) 32 Curturat Notes :—Chrysanthemums. Asparagus plumosu Chamecyperis- sus obtusa. Magnolias. Covering Bulbs...... i 33 Streptosolen Jamesonii. . Grapes for Home Use E. Williants. 34 Tue Forest :—The Hardwood Forests of the South Karl Mohr. 34 PANG A GLAICLECULIEM Si cmieiettetle xuincleine ofrin ain.bin ein ste sles <,0(01> nis)nie) eCe'vipisinleisi e's 5 4 Recent Pusiications :—Manuel de !’Acclimateur. A Manual of Orchidaceous Plantsmbland buchtaen GONITCTEN cisco ees 26 cetivcecin's see 35 RRECENT PLANT PORTRAITS « ¢c0esesccseaercesseeres PUBLIC WORKS: —A Park fOr LiSDOM sesesseceriveeseverecns tees seteeresscassenes 36 Mulching Shrubbery Beds.... .. Wi, Falconer. 33 Flower Market:—New York—Philadelphia—Boston... 36 TELUSTRATIONS—A Wiews In Central Parle. crceccrcee vecsisis erence cases vsanenes 30 meets longissima, drawn by C,H, Faxon. .ecccccesecesssccesscenseues 31 INEVCED INGE BEECH nsieetsicisisieh aie sieie's'e veinewie VAG dieid'siob. msiepielecnie dials Palserciseecce cs 32 The Future of Our Forests. HE forests of the United States play an important part in the economy of the nation. Their annual pro- duct far exceeds in value any of our great staple crops of the field. The gold and silver mined in the country is insignificant in value compared with the money value of the forest crop. It is difficult to picture the commercial and agricultural ruin which would follow any general dis- turbance of the productive capacity of our forests. No other country could supply us with the material we should thus lose, and we should lose, too, something more important even than the material they yield. Forests are often much more than storehouses of growing timber. They are essen- tial in some parts of the country to insure the integrity of - mountain slopes and the preservation of important rivers ; and the destruction of mountain forests is invariably fol- lowed sooner or later by serious physical calamities. The forests of this country are rich, varied and extensive. They still contain vast stores of many valuable timbers. In some of the most important forests serious inroads, to be sure, have already been made, and the practical extermina- tion, from a commercial point of view, of some of our most valuable timber trees, now seems inevitable. Much of our country nevertheless is perfectly suited in soil and climate to rapid and vigorous tree-growth. The forests which once extended in an unbroken sweep from the Atlantic to be- yond the Mississippi and which still cover the great mountain ranges facing the Pacific, clearly show the ca- pacity of this country to produce forests unequaled in value by those of other parts of the world. It is only in the in- terior portions of the continent, insufficiently supplied with moisture, where the forests are scanty or altogether wanting, that their reproduction and extension offer any seri- ous difficulties. Everywhere outside the dry belt, forests Garden and Forest. 25 can be grown and extended with ease and rapidity if the simplest laws of nature are observed. And there is land enough in the United States suitable in every respect for forest growth, but utterly unfit for agricultural use, to sup- ply with forest products any possible population this coun- try can contain. But in spite of these natural advantages, in spite of the variety and value of our forests, all thoughtful persons familiar with their present condition and the dangers which threaten them under existing social conditions, must be filled with apprehension at the almost inevitable de- struction of their productive capacity. Americans are still surprisingly ignorant in regard to their forests andthe simplest laws which should govern their management. This indifference is astonishing. We cut recklessly and often needlessly; and often fail to cut when cutting is essential. Fires are allowed to run un- checked year after year through the forest or to sweep over land upon which new forests would naturally appear. Cattle and other domestic animals range at will through the woods, injuring trees and exterminating seedlings. Our civilization and our foresight as shown in the care of our forests, is the civilization and the thrift of France two cen- turies ago. In no other civilized nation of the world are forests so recklessly managed. Americans are impatient of any restraint or interfer- ence in the management of their property. And yet unless American land-owners, like the land-owners of nearly every other civilized people—Great Britain now being the only important exception—are willing to submit to laws, regu- lating under proper official control the cutting of their forests and the use of their land for agriculture or forest, according to its quality, we must not expectto keep up our forest supplies. These supplies are still enormous, but no forests, whatever their extent or richness, are inexhaustible. As one of the wisest observers of all social problems and one familiar, too, with the requirements of the forest has pointed out in another column of this issue, the condition of public sentiment required to make a proper management of our forests possible, will develop slowly. Americans as a nation need instruction in the laws which govern forest growth and forest management. This lesson they will not learn readily or quickly, and it is probable that they will not learn it thoroughly until compelled to by dire necessity. Hardy Rhododendrons. HE cultivation of hardy Rhododendrons, especially varieties of the race which English gardeners have produced by crossing the American Rhododendron Ca/aw- biense with different Himalayan species with highly colored flowers, like R. arboreum, has greatly increased in this country of late years. Many Americans, probably, first learned the beauty and value of these plants for orna- mental gardening at the Centennial Exhibition in Phila- delphia, where an English nurseryman displayed under canvas a large and well arranged collection of the best varieties. That we know so much about these plants here, and have learned which can and which cannot be success- fully grown in the United States, is very largely due, how- ever, to the experiments in Rhododendron culture long carried on by Mr. Hunniwell in his beautiful gardens at Wellesley, in Massachusetts. The cultivation of these Rhododendrons is very simple. They thrive best in deep peaty soil, and when placed so as to escape the stimulating influence of the warm sun of early spring. Impatient of drought, Rhododendrons in this country give the best results when planted in situations which never become thoroughly dry in summer, like the borders of ponds or swamps, or in which they can be freely and frequently watered ; and in order that they may bloom well they should not be placed under the immediate shade of overhanging trees. No plants are 20 more easily transplanted. The cultivation of Rhododen- drons, however, must always be restricted in the United States to a comparatively small area. A limestone soil is fatal to them. All attempts to introduce them west of the Hudson River have failed, therefore, and even along its eastern bank they have never grown satisfactorily. North of Massachusetts the winters are too cold, while south of Pennsylvania they cannot support the hot, dry summers of the seaboard region. ‘They will probably succeed any- where in Pennsylvania east of the mountains; but some day it will be found that they can be more successfully grown in the mountains of Virginia and the Carolinas, where summer droughts and excessive cold are unknown, than in other parts of the country. Here is the true home in America of broad leaved evergreens, and here sooner or later will be seen a garden of these hybrid Rhodedendrons, only surpassed in splendor by that natural garden where the native Rhododendrons spread in countless thousands over the upper slopes of the noble Roan Mountain. The question is often asked, Which varieties of these hybrids are hardy? The following list embraces the best of those which have for many years proved perfectly hardy in the climate of eastern New England: Everestia- num—with rosy lilac flowers—one of the oldest and freest blooming of the whole race, unequaled in habit and beauty of foliage ; Lady Armstrong, pale rose; Charles Dickens, dark scarlet; Album elegans and Album grandiflorum, pale blush; Charles Bagley, bright red; Delicatissimum, later in flowering than many of the others —the flowers blush, tinged with pink towards the margin of the petals ; King of the Purples, a free blooming variety ot good habit, with rather dark purple flowers ; H. W. Sargent, a very late bloomer with large trusses of crimson flowers, but rather defective in habit; Roseum elegans, an old and long tried variety of excellent habit; Purpureum grandi- florum; Mrs. Milner, crimson; Alexander Dancer, the flowers fine and large, rose, with a light centre, but the habit of the plant not good; Hannibal, a late blooming variety with rose-colored flowers. There are other varieties no doubt which are hardy in Pennsylvania, or on Long Island where a great deal of attention has been given to the cultivation of these plants. Sir Joseph Hooker, of all his contemporaries, can speak with the greatest authority of the position of Asa Gray, in the hierarchy of botanists. The friendship of these two men, the one English the other American, extended over a period of fifty years. The sympathy which existed between them was never broken, and to no one else did the American botanist write so constantly or so freely. The following extract, therefore, from a sketch of our associate's life, by his English friend, printed in a recent number of Watwre, is of peculiar interest : “When the history of the progress of botany during the nineteenth century shal! be written, two names will hold high positions—those of Professor Augustin Pyrame De Candolle and of Professor Asa Gray. In many respects the careers of these men were very similar, though they were neither fellow- countrymen nor were they contemporaries, for the one sank to his rest in the Old World as the other rose to eminence in the New. They were great teachers in great schools, prolific writers, and authors of the best elementary works on botany of their day. Each devoted half a century of unremitting la- bors to the investigation and description of the plants of conti- nental areas, and they founded herbaria and libraries, each in his own country, which have become permanent and quasi- national institutions. Nor were they unlike in personal quali- ties, for they were social and genial men, as active in aiding others as they were indefatigable in their own researches ; and both were admirable correspondents. Lastly, there is much in their lives and works that recalls the career of Linnzus, of whom they were worthy disciples, in the comprehensiveness of their labors, the excellence of their methods, their judicious conception of the limits of genera and species, the terseness and accuracy of their descriptions, and the clearness of their scientific language.” Garden and Forest. [MarcH 14, 1888. Laws Alone Cannot Save Our Forests. HE greatest obstacle in the way of a rational and practical treatment of the subjects and interests con- nected with Forestry in this country is the lack of thought among our people. There are reasons for this want of thought, and it is well to understand the facts of the exist- ine condition of things. Most Americans are busy in making a living, and their energies are entirely applied and absorbed in business pursuits, so that they have no force or energy which remains unemployed, or which can be spared from the occupations which already engage their powers. There are many other persons who have not been taught or trained to think on any subject. They have no ability to represent to themselves, by the picture- making power of the imagination, any subject which has the least complexity, or any scheme of facts and of their relations to each other. They cannot consider such a sub- ject, cannot compare or classify facts, or draw inferences from them, This want of the power of thought is one of the chief hindrances to our advancement in civilization. The only constituency to which we can at first directly appeal in the effort for an intelligent treatment of Forestry subjects, is the class of men and women who have some power of thought, and whose personal force is not already wholly employed in affairs. They have some ability to direct their faculties to new topics, and have enough pub- lic spirit, or regard for the general welfare, to incline them to give attention to whatever can be shown to have vital relations to the interests of the community or of the nation. In order to reach this class of persons there must be a clear, vital, coherent, systematic and continuous presenta- tion of the facts and essential relations of the subject in hand, with such variety of illustration, application and re- currence to the original central object and purpose as shall. produce in the minds of readers a vivid and abiding im- pression and conviction of the true nature and importance of the doctrines which are to be inculcated, and of the practical objects which such teaching is intended to pro- mote or secure. A vital, intelligent, comprehensive and iterant treatment of the subject of Forestry, and of the in- terests connected with it, is greatly needed. Such treatment as this topic has hitherto received in this country has been mostly fragmentary, incoherent and vague. As it is usually handled the whole matter is too much ‘‘in the air.” There is a good deal of hammering upon the importance of the general subject, without suf- ficient observation and comparison of concrete facts and conditions here in America. The study of European methods and results in Forestry by competent men is, of course, highly valuable, but it is not enough. It is not even the most important thing for us. Nothing can be very useful to us which is not based upon careful study of the facts and conditions which are peculiar to this country. We should have in time a system of American Forestry— we must have it, indeed, if we are to avoid serious disas- ters to our national interests and civilization. We cannot import and adopt ready-made European systems or meth- ods. The Forestry of this country must be the product of erowth which has, as yet, scarcely begun. It will be de- veloped by continued and widespread observation, and by constant comparison of the results of practice. It is neces- sary to remind ourselves that no useful system of Forest management can be originated or created by legislative enactment. There must be considerable special knowl- edge, and considerable national good sense regarding the needs of this country, behind Forestry laws, or they will be not only useless but mischievous. The work required to effect any considerable actual ad- vance in Forestry in this country must be long and diffi- cult. Such objects can be attained only by the development of such intelligence, thought and sentiment, in a considera- ble proportion of our population, as shall secure a sensible and practical treatment, in individual and collective action, of the whole matter of the relations of Forests and Trees to Marcu 14, 1888.] _that he gets the chance to be an artist. human life and welfare. Whatever tends to a better un- derstanding or appreciation of the value of Trees in their economic, sanitary or eesthetic uses and influences, will help toward the attainment of these objects. J. B. Harrison. Landscape Gardening.—III. S | ‘HE landscape gardener, we have seen, has a great advantage over other artists in that Nature is his helper as well as his teacher. His work is the same in substance as her own, which means that it includes in equal measure the charms of color and of form, of atmo- sphere and of light. It is alive, and so there lie within it possibilities of infinite variation with their sequence of ever new delights for eye and mind. And it may be as perfect in execution as in general effect, for Nature will give all those finishing touches which are impossible to the hand of man. But does not this partnership with Nature deprive the artist of that most essential of all opportunities—the chance for self-expression? Art, after all, is not imitation but creation ; and creation implies the exercise of the indi- vidual will, the revelation of the personal thought. Some- times the artist begins within himself, sets his own ideal and finds his own conception, taking from Nature only his brute materials. The architect takes stones from her and the musician takes sounds ; but she suggests no houses or cathedrals, no symphonies or chorals—scarcely so much as a shelter for the human body, scarcely more than hints of melodies and harmonies. At other times nature furnishes ideals and patterns but not the methods by which they must be transmuted into different materials. She shows us what the beauty of woman ought to be, but we must find out for ourselves how to paint it on flat canvas, how to reproduce its vitality and charm in colorless marble. Not in the one case more than in the other—not in the arts of representation more than in those of construction—can the artist copy. He must always interpret. ‘lo interpret means that he must invent; to invent means that he must use his mind ; and, in truth, it is simply in using his mind The less the beauty of his work depends upon mere imitative efforts, the more it depends upon qualities for which he is himself re- sponsible—upon expression—the higher may be its rank as a work of art; and the more personal is the quality of its ex- pression—the more unlike it is to the expression which other men have put into their works—the higher is his rank as an artist. Now it will be the expression of emotion, told through human forms and faces in moods of supreme in- tensity, moral, intellectual or physical. Now it will be the expression of a feeling for certain peculiar moods and effects of inanimate nature, or of a delight in some par- ticular combination of colors or some especial kind of form; and again, the expression of a craftsman’s pleasure in the mere problem: How can this richness of brocade, this sheen of marble, this softness of hair or cheek, be most per- fectly translated into paint’ It matters not what a man shows us as having been present in his heart while his brush was at work ;—so long as he shows us something that was there, he is an artist. If he could make a literal, im- personal copy from nature it would not be worth the form it imitates. The only valueit could have would be his- torical, not artistic—would be a permanent record of the perishable model. To make his work worth while as art, the artist must even the balance by putting himself into the scale. If the landscape gardener were indeed denied the chance to do this he would merely be a more or less skillful artisan. But he is not deniedit. In fact he cannot escape ifhe would from the necessity to use or abuse his oppor- tunities for self-expression. It is no truer to say of him than of the painter or the sculptor that he copies nature Though they simply work after her and he works in and with her, his aim is the same as theirs—to re-unite her Garden and Forest. 27 scattered excellences. Theoretically he could copy her in a very wide sense of the word; but practically he can copy litthe more than her minor details and her exquisite finish of execution. Composition of one sort or another is the chief thing in art, and the landscape gardener’s compo- sitions are and must be his own. T hrough them he may express his own ideals, and through them he may reveal him- self either as having or as not having clear ideals, either as knowing or as not knowing how t they. may be realized. Ifhe is Nature's pupil he is also her master. ‘‘ Nature,” writes Aristotle, “has the will but not the power to realize per- fection.” Turn the phrase the other way and it is just as true: ‘‘She has the power but not the will.” In either reading it means that the man can aid and supplement Nature’s work. He can bend her will in mee ways to his though he must have learned from her how to do it. He cannot achieve anything to which her power is un- equal, but he can liberate, assist and direct that power. He could even remove her mountains if the result were worth the effort; and he can blot them out of his landscape by the simplest of devices—by a clump of trees and shrubs which she will grow for him as cheerfully as though they were to hide some deformity of his own creation. He cannot make great rivers; but he can make lakes from rivulets and cause water to dominate in a view where she had meant green grass to rule. And he can even teach her to perfect details of decoration for whose beauty scarcely a hint is found in her unassisted work. All ‘‘florist’s roses,” for example, are not productions to be proud of ; but there are some in which, sterile though they be, Nature herself may grudge man’s skill its part. MM. G. van Re nsselaer. The Suburbs in March. hs the suburban districts of our Northern cities this is the most dreary season_of the year. The snow is gone or re- mains only in patches, the grass is dead and colorless, the houses in their forsaken inclosures seem to shiver—all is dishevelment and nakedness fora whole month at least. In the close-built city there is no such unhappy state of things. In the open country even March has its beauty. What is the cause of the repulsiveness of the half-way region at this sea- son and what is the remedy ? Plainly we cannot throw the blame upon the severity or fickle- ness of our Northern climate, for how then could the country-side have any beauty about itat this time 2? The cause lies rather with ourselves, who have built streets and houses through the fields and woodlands, have in this way destroyed the original beauty otf the land, and : ive as yet done little or nothing to win back what we may of In these fields and pastures grew a great variety of trees, ee and herbs, many of which attained their perfection ‘only in summer, while others were especially striking in winter. Of the former our public and _ private grounds hold far too few—our sins of Omission are surpris ine—but of the latter almost none. Where can be seen plant- ed about homes the richly-colored Red Cedat or prostrate Juniper, or Mountain Laurel, or Bayberry with its clustered gray fruits, or red-twigged Wild Roses, or yet redder Cornels, or golden-barked Willows? How seldom appear White Birches or any of the American Firs and Spruces! Where do any ot the trailing evergreens cover the ground at the edges ot shrubberies? Where are the houses which have bushes crowded about their bays and corners, as the wild bushes crowd the field walls, till they seem to be fairly grown to the eround? Where is any suggestion of those thickets of mingled twigs and evergreen which so adorn the pastures even in March? Speaking generally, we have reduced our bits ot eround to mere planes of shaven grass, from which the house walls rise stiffand unclothed. We expend thousands of dol- lars upon the shell of our abode, and indefinite sums upon its interior appointments and decorations; but outside we gen- erally leave it all bare and unbeautiful, and spend only for the Qi audy brightness of Geraniums in summer. No wonder Mz urch is ugly in the suburbs ! The remedy, then, is the planting of appropriate and nu- merous shrubs and small trees. Beware of the ‘choice speci- mens,” many of which will need to be protected by boards or straw during five months of the year, and avoid the common mistake of “clothing the ground with single plants. This, at 28 any rate, is not the way to make March door-yards less bleak. Rather may we spend the same money in planting mixed and somewhat crowded thickets, here of high and there of dwart bushes, along the fences and close about the house. Toclothe the nakedness of the ground and of the fences and_ buildings should be our aim. Large trees, such as our suburbs are sometimes full of, cannot do this, neither can scattered speci- mens of smaller sorts, neither can sparse, stalky shrubberies ; we must set our bushes thickly, so as to hide the dirt beneath them, and we must either carry the grass under them as far as possible or else cover the bare earth with trailing plants. This done, our yards and grounds will appear well furnished and sheltered, and no coming March will ever chill us as this present month has done. Moreover, when summer comes, we shall find we have exchanged our Geraniums for banks of foliage set with a succession of flowers which are much more interesting and will bloom season after season. Where house- lots are small and it is desired to spend a comparatively small amount on each, the neighbors could form clubs and secure plants at wholesale rates; but under any circumstances the cost of such planting is by no means so great as to excuse us from attempting it. Boston, March, 1888. Charles Eliot. California Christmas Flora. FTER twenty successive winters on the northern shore of Monterey Bay, Cal., 1 may claim the privilege of saying something about our Christmas flora. The winter season of this region is not so clearly defined as in more northern latitudes, The leaves of our deciduous trees forget to loosen and fall, and almost imagine themselves evergreen. And indeed some of them have carried their imaginings So far as to retain, ofttimes, the old leaves until the new ones are fully grown. At Christmas time, however, Nature has called a halt. Some of the spring buds that were caught in the dry season, which begins about the middle of June, “have expanded with our fall showers and have bloomed regardless of the season, so that at the close of the year there is “often a protusion of many kinds of flowers—wild as well as cultivated. They are the arrear- ages of the past season, and not the beginning of the coming year. Some years ago the editor of a horticultural journal request- ed me to make a list of wild flowers in bloom on January Ist. 1 found about forty species. Since that time I have noticed that a majority of our native plants are liable to bloom at that season ; first, from delayed buds on account of the dry sea- son, and second, from premature spring buds forced out by the warm early rains and the mildness of the season. This is fre- quently noticed in Pear and Apple trees—they being strangers to our climate, seem to lose their reckoning and ‘send forth flowers out of the proper season—although such a phenome- non occurs at times in more northern regions and away from the sea coast. So many, then, of our plants, both native and introduced, may be found blooming at Christmas-time, that a list would be very long. In fact, there are but few which might not be found in bloom in favorable years and localities. Consequently we have at Christmas, and later, Raspberries and sometimes other small berries. Grapes grow and ripen untilthattime ; Tomatoes likewise. Most of the table- vegetables are young and tender even throughout the entire winter. Some ‘tropical trees, and those brought from south of the equator, take on an active growth. And even early in January some of our indigenous “plants send forth their flow- ers, especially those in warm, sheltered places, such as the Willows, Alders and Hazel. One Willow (Sa/ix Jlavescens) is quite a surprise in” January, when the trees, bearing staminate flowers, are usually out in full glow, like beautiful yellowish- white clouds, on the brushy mountain sides. A Lily (Scodzopus Bigelovit) to be found in bloom must be sought in January ; and me iny times have I wondered where and when the flower might be found, until I discovered it thus early in the season and before its beautifully spotted leaves were fairly expanded. The growth of our marine flora is similar to that of our land plants at Christmas-time. If storms have not raged severely we find many nice specimens of young plants in vigorous life and maturing fruit. And the ‘‘moss-gatherer” is often well repaid by the collections made at this season. The tempera- ture of the sea is not much below that of summer; and but for the storms, vegetable life in our bay would continue almost uninterruptedly all the year. A little further along and the accounts for the past year Strawberries, Garden and Forest. [MarcH 14, 1888, are all balanced, and new leaves are opened for the new year. This change takes place at February Ist. That is our true beginning of spring. As the days grow longer the heat of the sun is stored in the fields and mountain sides, to be ra- diated during the clear nights, and the growth of vegetation advances slowly but surely t to its culmination in May and June, The opening of spring flowers, however, is not as rapid as in the Northern States. With our cool nights and not very warm days, they come forth coyly, until quite sure that the earth has passed the tossings of Taurus and the stings of Scorpio. Then in May the lingering, bashful, yet beautiful flowers that slept over the Christmas- time, gladden the hearts of all lovers of these, the most lovely of Nature’s gifts. Santa Cruz, Cal. C. L. Anderson, M.D. Foreign Correspondence. London Letter. Our flower markets make just now a beautiful display with forced flowering bulbs especially. Every market-garden around London is a flower show in itself, I went through one of the largest yesterday. I was astonished at the brilliant scene. One house a hundred yards long was filled with nothing but Tulips, mostly single sorts, the favorites being scarlet, yellow- edged, Duc Van Thol, also the white, rose and yellow Van Thol. ‘These make up the bulk, and of double sorts which are not popular in the market, the leading varieties in this nursery were the Tournesols, scarlet and yellow. To give some idea of the Tulip trade alone | may mention that one grower forces nearly 200,000 bulbs. They are packed in shallow boxes as closely as they can be laid and covered with light soil. When the buds are ready to burst the bulbs are either. potted four or five together, with terns, orthe flowers are cutand sent to market. Another house was filled with Lilies-of-the-Valley also in flat boxes, the finest German crowns being preferred to English, as they throw longer spikes. The beststrain of the flower in the market is the Victoria, which is controlled by a growerin the Thames Valley, where this particular sort grows to a great size. The spike is longer, the bells larger and the foliage more robust than in the common kind. Throughout the winter till Lilies-of-the-Valley flower outside, a lucrative trade is done in London with these flowers, which are far excellence the favorite for button-hole bouquets. In this same nursery I remarked the great abundance of the old white Azalea, repre- sented by old plants that had done duty for-years and had been hacked every year to the bare stem. Of course the plants were unsightly, but they were part of the working capital of the concern and yielded abundant and profitable blooms. Yourfamous Lilium Harrisii, or,asitiscommonly called here, the Bermuda Lily or Easter Lily, is becoming very popular among the market people. They cannot, however, get enough of it at their price. A ship load of bulbs could easily find sale about our London market- gardens. I saw a grower the other day who makes a specialty of L. longifiorum, of which ZL. Harrisii is, of course, only a more floriferous and dwarfer variety, and of Calla LEthiopica (Nile Lily we call it), expressly for Covent Garden market on Easter eve, Aprilist. He grows thousands of each and this represents much capital. His aim is to get them in flower on March 31st to the day. Hedoes not want to be made an April-fool, so ie has to watch the ba- rometer. Last week was Italian weather—sunny and warm— and he had to put the temperature down ; this week is Labra- dor weather, with frost and snow ; he must put it up again or his blooms will not open when wanted. His struggles with our climate are rather comical to the looker-on, but the matter is a serious one to him from a business point of view. The Orchid men are just now sharply watching their flowers, especially those on imported plants that have not yet bloomed in this country. They anxiously await the opening of every spike, for often a plant bought for a crown at auction, bya peculiar arrangement of its flower spots or a deepening of its color beyond the ordinary, will bring £50. Some time ago it was said that Orchids were declining in popular favor, but the contrary is the case. New buyers may be seen at the auc- tions, men who never grew any ‘plant in their green- -houses rarer than a Scarlet Pelargonium, and they are turning out everything to give place to the popular favorites. This ex- plains how such enormous Orchid establishments as those of Veitch, Sander, Bull, and Williams are kept going. Butnotonly are the growers paying increased attention to Orchids, but botanists are influenced by the fashion (I was going to say craze). At Kew one of the assistants at the Royal Herbarium has been detailed specially for the work, which, however, is ROM A BRONZE MEDALLION BYA.ST GAUDENS N AND F Vanow 7TH EN AN RE V PLEMENT ieee MARCH 14, 1888. ] chiefly that of correcting and checking the nomenclature, and tripping up the veteran German protessor, Dr. Reichenbach, who fora generation past has held the monopoly of naming Orchids. One of our Orchid specialists attached to the St. Al- bans establishment has been taking notes in the Orchid collec- tions about New York and has printed them in the Gardener's Chronicle, the result being that our growers here do not now think that Americans are such infants in Orchid culture as was fancied. Some of your collections there described would, I imagine, take equal rank with the best in England. The Royal Horticultural Society held its periodical meeting of committees on the 14th inst. This will be nearly the last it will hold in the aristocratic quarter of South Kensington, The annual meeting held on that day decided that the society should vacate South Kensington as too costly to maintain, and amore modest home has been found tor its offices, library, etc., further eastward. A stranger who could have seen the last meeting would hardly have thought the society in a mori- bund condition, The crowds of horticulturists constituting the committees, the profusion of flowers, choice and ordinary, and the plentiful collection of late apples, all tended to show how active horticulture is in this great centre, and that it is not for lack of interest or sympathy that the national society is not the largest and most influential in Europe. The advent of spring was indicated on this occasion by the large gathering of spring flowers—Chinese Primulas, Cinerarias, Cyclamens, Camellias, forced Narcissus, and, of course, Orchids. The Orchids new and rare, choice and common, were plentiful. One of the most remarkable was a new hybrid Dendrobium (D. Chrysodiscus),a cross between another hybrid, D. dinsworthi and D, Findleyanum. The distinct features of each parent are plainly seen in the progeny, especially in the large jointed stems, and the shape of the flower, which is as large as those of D, Findleyanum, with sepals and petals white, tipped with rose, and the shallow lip adorned witha broad blotch of yellow and ruddy crimson. Another Dendrobium certificated is consid- ered among the most remarkable of new orchids. It is called D. nobile Cooksoni, being a variety of that old species. The flowers are like those of the type in size and form, except that the two lateral or side petals are shaped and colored like the lip, each having a heavy blotch of the richest maroon-crimson . bordered with white. It represents what botanists call an in- stance of “ trilabellia,” or thrice-lipped flowers. In other re- spects it does not differ trom our old favorite. A certificate was well bestowed upon an extraordinarily fine Lycaste Skinnert, named Jneperator, trom Sander of St. Albans. The flower is very large, the sepals broad and thick, faintly tinted with pink, the petals of a glowing crimson, and the lip of an intensely deep ruby-crimson, variegated with pure white. In contrast with this, the same exhibitor showed an exception- ally fine form of the white Lycaste Shkinneri. London, Feb. 25th. Wm. Goldring, Palms for House Decoration. “pas species belonging to the natural order Pa/m@ consti- tute a truly royal class of plants, justly entitled to Linnzus’ designation, ‘* Princes of the Vegetable Kingdom.” They com- prise various types of beauty; some of the stronger growing kinds (as Latania Borbonica) being of bold and striking outlines, the embodiment of sturdy grace; others having the lightnessand elegance of the finer varieties of Ferns, as Cocos Weddelliana, Geonoma gracilis, and the like. The latter varieties are of -miniature growth, and from their graceful and delicate forms are specially useful for table decoration, and form objects of the greatest beauty when standing alone on pedestals or small tables. The stronger growing and taller kinds may be used to advantage standing on the floors of rooms and in the hall- ways, or grouped in front of mirrors or windows. The in- creasing use of Palms and other pot plants for decorative purposes in this country is an evidence of the growing taste of our people. Beauty of form is of a higher type than beauty of color, and the graceful outlines of a tastefully arranged group of Palms give a higher satisfaction than the immense banks of cut flowers we sometimes see. Cut flowers, used with judgment, are always welcome, but they should not be crushed together, so that the individual forms are lost, and the only effect is a mass of color. There are now over eleven hundred recorded species of Palms. I shall name only a few of those best adapted for house decoration. . Latania Borbonica, a Fan Palm, is more largely used than any other, as it grows easily andis a plant of dignified expression. Areca lutescens is one of the most graceful, tall growing species Garden and Forest. =) with bright, glossy green foliage and rich golden yellow stems; it is now grown in very large quantities. Areca Verscheffeltit is not so often seen as the last named, but it is very distinct and showy, with dark, shining green foliage with a dark band through the centre of each leaf. ; Kentia Canterburyana, the Umbrella Palm, in its native country attains a height of thirty-five feet, but is slow of growth under cultivation in green-houses, requiring seven or eight years to reach a height of five feet. It is valuable as a house plant on account of its tough and enduring qualities. There are several varieties, of which A. australis and K. Foster- tana are the best known, All are handsome, and capable of sustaining, without injury, as much neglect as any Palm in cultivation. Phenix rupicola isa plant of exquisite grace, the finest of its genus. Phenix sylvestris, the Wild Date, is of coarser growth than P. rupico/a, but valuable for its distinct character and enduring qualities. Raphis flabelliformis is a plant of erect growth, having the stems covered with coarse fibre; a grand Palm for house culture, enduring either heat or cold and much neglect without injury. It is very distinct and handsome. Rafhis humilis resembles the last, but is more delicately graceful; one of the very finest Palms in cultivation, Ptycosperma Alexandra, the Australian Feather Palm, is a quick, robust grower, inexpensive and useful. Although a native of the tropics, it will grow well ina temperature as low as 50°. Seaforthia elegans somewhat resembles this species; it is tall and graceful. Plants ten feet high and upwards are most effective, as they do not show to the best advantage when smaller. Cocos Weddelliana is the most elegant of the smaller Palms, with finely divided foliage, recurved with exquisite grace. Small plants are unexcelled for dinner table decoration. Geonoma gracilis is very similar to C. Weddelliana, with somewhat coarser foliage, but of the same graceful habit. It should not be grown in the house for more than a few days, as it requires an atmosphere more moist than can be given it outside of the hot-house. Prichardia grandis is dwart and of slow growth, a native of the South Sea Islands, with leaves about two feet long and three feet broad. Itis rare and beautiful. Maximilliana regia is not very plentiful yet, but is destined to grow in favor, being quite distinct and striking in appear- ance. It is of easy culture and one of the hardiest and thrifti- est Palms under neglect. Ovreodoxia regia, the Royal Palm, is a native of the West Indies and tropical America and a prime favorite., Tall, slender and stately, it is most effective when used in a group of lower growing species. All the above, except Phenix rupicola, Seaforthia elegans, Cocos Weddelliana, Geonoma gractlis, Prithardia grandis and Oreodoxia regia may be successtully grown in the house all winter if the following rules are observed: Pot them firmly in soil composed of equal parts of loam, sand and fibrous peat, with a small proportion (say, one-twentieth part of the whole mass) of charcoal. Use pots as small as possible; nothing in- jures Palms more than over-potting. Drain well and water freely as often as the soil gets dry. Palms are often ‘injured by insufficient watering. The surface may be kept wet while the lower roots suffer from drought. The leaves should be thoroughly sponged with water of the temperature of 60° or 70° twice a week, and to keep away insects the water, every two or three weeks, should contain Fir tree oil in the propor- tion of half a gill to two quarts of water. This is, without doubt, the best insecticide at present known for keeping Palms clean and healthy. Robt. Craig. Philadelphia. “In the park I make it a point to use only native or thoroughly acclimated trees and shrubs, and avoid entirely all foreign de- corative plants. For nature beautified must still preserve the character of the country and climate in which the park is sit- uated, so that its beauty may seem to have grown spontane- ously, and without betraying the pains which have been spent upon it. We have growing wild in Germany an abundance of blooming shrubs, which can be used in a variety of ways, but if we find a Damask Rose or a Chinese Lilac, or a group of such things, planted in the midst of wildness, the result is a painful feeling of incongruity ; unless, indeed, they be set apart and fenced off, as for instance in a hedged garden near a cottage.” —Piihkler-Mushkau, 1834. “The simple and uncombined landscape—if wrought out with due attention to the ideal beauty of the features it in- cludes—will always be most beautiful in its appeal to the heart.” ; Fokn Ruskin. 30 Garden and Forest. A View in Central Park. HE view on this page is taken from a point in the Ramble in the Central Park of this city, looking southward, and in- cluding a portion of the Terrace. Of course, it is much more than a picture of the Terrace, but it clearly shows how much this bit of architecture adds to the composition. The distant horizon line of trees has an attractiveness of its own. Nearer by are the upper Terrace lines contrasting with the masses of foliage above them. Below these are the open arches with deeper shadows, then the lower lines of the Terrace, the lake shore and the passage of water separating more distinctly the extreme distance trom the middle distance. All these, with the lines of the shrubbery about the little lawn, mark the succes- sive planes of the composition and help to bring out the grada- tions of light and shadow. In the Park the observer would enjoy in addition the ever varying tints of the sky which would also be reflected in the water, while he could look up to and into the leafy.tramework in the foreground forever without exhausting its interest. The illustration is a good ex- [Marci 14, 18838. Plant Notes. Lilium Parryi, and its Habitat——This fine Lily appears to have won its way in the ten years of its garden career to a high rank among cultivated species. The pure lemon yellow of its flowers, an unusual shade among Lilies, and their peculiar form, as well as their fragrance, combine to make it a unique species. Its range is from the springy banks and swampy cafions of the San Bernardino Mountains of southern Calitornia, where Dr. Parry discovered it in 1876 southward towards Lower California, eastward to the higher mountains of southern Arizona and thence southward, Iam confident, along the western slopes of the Sierra Madre of So- nora. In these arid regions it is only by mountain brooks and springs that it can find the water its roots require, and shelter from scalding sunshine. So its habitat is the narrow sandy or peaty alluviums of these brooks, or their mossy margins, or even the ledges, over which they glide, where its bulbs are scarcely hidden from view amidst tufts of moss. Seeing it always in such wet situations I gained the impression ANA Zan ai sei Sure ES i ae ey Wel Pe AKA! Sete (2) ee ker ENN y ral 7 <= aD vt Be 5 ; iG: us < maaan Nf HES nM! wy 5 RAY AO oath ta sc iy 1 \ypad2 NA WN “We si wiht ! ‘ i a i ins A View ia Central Park. ample of what can be accomplished by framing in a distant object with foliage, so as to make a complete and consistent picture, and there is no reason why such planting as it shows should be confined to public parks. Many a lawn could be made the foreground of a picture quite as attractive, and it could be graded and planted so as to emphasize the interest and increase the pictorial effect of some important object, natural or artificial, and trees could be disposed about it so as to concentrate the attention which would otherwise be distracted by surrounding objects. “One beautiful way in which flowers can be used, e cially those distinguished for the brightness and clearne their coloring or for their tall stalks, is to plant them in moss and among wild vegetation alone the edge of a brook or some other piece of water. The reflections in the water and the play of their movements thus doubled clothes with a new charm this scene which is altogether natural." —Hirschfeld's “ Theorie der Gartenkunst,” Leipzig, 1777. : that it would need wet soil. But northern brooks would be too cold, and with our frequent rains ordinary soil suffices for it, since I have flowered it from Dr. Parry’s seed in my garden. In its native haunts, crowded upon by other plants, especially beset by grasses and shrubs, its stature is from one to three feet and the number of its flowers one to six, In cultivation I have seen these figures nearly doubled. A New Morning Glory, /Aomea Pringlei, Gray, collected in 1886 on cool, grassy hillsides near Chihuahua, and distributed among my Plante Mexicane of that year, was admired by Dr. Asa Gray even in dried specimens, and by him recommended for cultivation. The species is perennial from a thick root, with an annual stem, erect, diffusely branched, two or three feet high and broad, with inconspicuous leaves and flowers of the largest for the genus, three inches broad, purplish blue, with a metallic lustre, and in their throat lighter blue or nearly white. The plant is common over the hills and high plains between Chihuahua and the Sierra Madre. As seen by the traveler in those lone regions, profusely covered with bloom throughout the morning, it isa bright and pleasing object. C. G. Pringle. Marcu 14, 1888.] Some Hardy Wild Flowers.—One cold day in February I went to see how my plants of that tough little Orchid, Goodyera pubescens, were standing the weather, and found the leaves protruding from a crust of snow and ice, as fresh as in June. One can hardly understand how such a velvety, delicate look- ing plant can be so hardy, Although it grows in thick shade, this Rattlesnake Plantain will thrive in a sunny window ofa warm winter room. Such a one I knew, and when the fire went out one bitter night it was smiling freshly in the morning, although every other plant in the collection had perished. Why has such a pretty thing as Erigeron bellidifolium been neg- lected by cultivators? I accidentally discovered that it im- proves under domestication. A bunch of it was left by chance in a field, where it was hoed and fertilized in the same way as [ Fig. 6.—Aquilegia 2 the farm crop. It grew luxuriantly and blossomed profusely. I think it quite as beautiful as any of our Asters, which it some- what resembles. It has the advantage, too, of blossoming in early spring, while most of the Asters are late bloomers. Another wild plant which is not afraid of cultivation is Hozs- tonia purpurea. While not as attractive as its little sister, 1. serpyllifolia, or, perhaps, as your more northern Bluets (/7. cerulea) it is a striking plant, erect, branching and often more than a foot high, blossoming freely, and found naturally in high and dry soil. Our Mountain Harebell, too (Campanula divaricata) makes a neat addition to our list of hardy peren- nials. I think I may add Sor¢ia to the list, although it has not been thoroughly tested in cultivation. I have little doubt, however, that it will succeed, and it can now be had in abun- dance, after hiding away so successfully for a hundred years, for it has been found growing by the acre on the very spot, Garden and Forest. oI perhaps, where Michaux makes record of it in his journal of that trying December visit to these mountains. I can hardly hope much from the pretty little Galax aphylla, known here as Colt's-foot, and carpeting the woods in every direction. It seems to resent all artificial nurture and apparently dies of homesickness when transplanted from its wild surroundings. Macon Co., N. C, fee Fe. Boynton. Phajus tuberculosus.—This exquisite and rare Orchid is now in flower at Kenwood, probably for the first time in America. It is undoubtedly the most beautiful of the whole genus. It was introduced from Madagascar in 1881, and a few plants flowered in England, but for a long time I have heard nothing of it. Our plants were bought in 1882, and were gradually dwindling away untila yearago, when we thought of trying them in the hottest cor- ner of the Phalaenopsis house near the expansion tank, where the temperature in winter is never below 70°. We kept them very wet, and syringed over- head at least twice a day. Under this treatment the plants have done wonders, making larger bulbs than those imported, and the strong healthy foliage shows no speck of ravages from insects, hitherto the greatest enemy of this plant. The choice of potting material seems to be a minor consideration, as one of the plants in bloom is potted in peat, while another is on a block of wood covered with sphagnum and stands upright in a pot surfaced with moss; in both cases the rooting is all that can be desired. The habit of the plant is some- what climbing, producing a slen- der rhizome, much thickened at the end to form a bulb, from the tip and sides of which pro- ceed plicate leaves about a foot long. The flower spikes are up- right, 6 to 8 inches long, bearing 3 to 6 snow-white flowers, the greatest attraction of which lies in the indescribably beautiful lip. Kenwood, N. Y. Tis Goldring, New Vegetables.—The roots of the Cassava are shown by a large number of exhibitors at the Sub- tropical Exposition at Jackson- ville, Fla. This would indicate a rather general, if not a large cultivation. Those who had used it pronounced it a grateful vege- table, the rootsimply pleasantand cooked as a custard. The variety seemed to be Manihot Azpzr. Sechium edule, the ‘Chocho,” cultivated in tropical America and the West Indies for the sake of its fruit, was also on exhibition and for sale. The seed germi- nates within the fruit, and the sprouting fruits have therefore appearance. The unripe fruit is eaten boiled This plant has given rise to many varieties, E. Lewis Sturtevant. a curious as a vegetable. differing quite largely. Aquilegia longissima.* Of the long-spurred Columbines which are peculiar to the central mountain ranges of this continent the species here figured, fig. 6, page 31, is the most remarkable. The Aguilegia ceriulea, with blue and white flowers, and the yellow- flowered A. chrysantha of the Rocky Mountains and other in- terior ranges, are now well-known in gardens, both in their Tall, some- sepals *A, LoncissimA, Gray in herl what pubescent with silky hair lanceolate, broadly spreading, an inch long or more, the spatulate petals a little shorter; spur with a narrow orifice, four inches long or more. Watson, Proc. Am. Acad. xvii. 317- leaves green above, glaucous beneath; Oo Ny Garden and Forest. [MarcH 14, 1888. Fig, 7.—A Weeping Beech, native forms and in the hybrids which are readily obtained from them. A. dongissima is a still more southern species, found in the mountains bordering the Rio Grande in western Texas and those of the north-eastern provinces of Mexico. It is, indeed, probably the most southern species of the genus, inasmuch as the Guatemala habitat ascribed to A. Shinnert is very doubtful. 4. S&i/nneri was cultivated in European gardens tosome extent about forty years ago and was believed to have originated from seeds collected in Guatemala by Mr. G. U. Skinner. It has, however, been recently discovered at home in the mountains of Chihuahua, both by Dr. Edward Palmer and by Mr. C. G. Pringle, and the probabilities are that the seeds were sent from there, instead of from Guatemala, by Mr. John Potts who had charge of the Mint at Chihuahua in 1842. It is known that he and his brother made collections in that region and sent plants to England at about that time. A. longissima is distinguished from the allied species not only by the greater length of the spur, but by its more contracted orifice and by the narrower petals. The flower opens upward, spreading widely, and is pale yellow or straw color, or some- times nearly white or tinged with red. The plant has been raised from seed in the Cambridge Botanic Garden. It proves to be more tender than our common species, as was to be ex- pected, but there should be no difficulty in cultivating it throughout the Southern States. ; In view of the recognized adaptation of flowers and insects to each other for mutual benefit, it is an interesting question what long-tongued moths have developed side by side with this long-spurred flower, and how far the plant is really dependent upon such insects for fertilization. Ba he A Weeping Beech. The so-called weeping trees, or trees with distinctly pendu- lous branches, are not of the first importance in general land- scape work, Their peculiarities of form are so striking that when planted with other trees they invite attention to them- selves, instead of helping to increase the effectiveness of the group. A Weeping Willow ona wood border is the first thing to arrest the eye, and it seems to break the masses of foliage and belittle their effect instead of giving continuity and strength to their outlines. As individual specimens, however, these trees may become objects of great beauty and attractive- ness. The Weeping Beech, a variety of the European Beech, is distinguished among them by an eccentric vigor which is seen in the sturdy upward and outward growth of some of the larger branches, a vigor which is in marked contrast with the pensile habit of the smaller branches. These trees vary greatly in form ; some being tall and slender, others low and broad, and others still, assuming the most picturesque shapes. The tree in the illustration stands in the grounds of Mr. Samuel C. Jackson, in Flushing, Long Island, and in what was originally a part of the old Parsons nursery. It is forty-four years old, and its vigor is proved by its healthful appearance as well as by the dimensions it has already attained. It is about sixty feet high and the circumference of the circle where the hanging branches meet the ground is 180 fect. The trunk is 6 feet in circumference three feet from the ground, and a man standing by it is perfectly concealed from those without the circle by the thick curtain of foliage that hangs about him on every side. MARCH 14, 1888.] Cultural Notes. Chrysanthemums.—Those who would have good. Chrysan- themums next fall must now pay attention to their stock. No puny plants will ever give good flowers, neither will plants which have been excessively “propagated, Strong cuttings put in now and grown along without becoming: pot- -bound or starved, will make nearly as fine plants and flowers as those propagated earlier. Plants now in small pots should be re- moved into pots two sizes larger and subjected to fire-heat only sufficient to keep out the frost. Use at all times soil that will permit water to pass freely through it. All newly-potted plants, from the cutting benches, should be car efully shaded from the sun for a few days, until new root action is estab- lished. If it is the intention to grow very large flowers the plants should be topped as soon as they reach the height of trom 6 to 8 inches, selecting the three strongest shoots to y form the base of supply. If specimen plants are required, four shoots at least should be allowed to grow and each one should be tied down to a position nearly horizontal. These same shoots will require stopping again as soon as they have 6 to 8 leaves formed. ~ If the soil is rich no additional fertilizer will be required until the summer is advanced. Purchasers would do well to obtain plants that have been grown cold and are not pot-bound. Plants should be shipped by express. Fohn Thorpe. Asparagus plumosus.—Propagated by division, this plant is of less value to florists than Smilax. But propagated from cut- tings, it makes bushy plants from six to twelve inches high, which are hardly equaled in beauty or usefulness for deco- ration, 4. plumosus grown in this way is superior to 4, fenuissimus, Which resembles it very much, but is too thick. A. plumosus nanus must be propagated by seed, which is not easily obtainable. While every side shoot of 4. fenuisstmus, cut with a bit of the main shoot, will root easily, A. plumosus refuses to do so. It makes roots only when a bud starts into growth in soil or sand, and this is the whole secret. A young shoot firs tgrows nearly to its full length before the side- Shoots are developed, and those on the top develop first. There- fore, cut the whole shoot as soon as the upper side shoots and all those which have started about the same time with them have reached their full development—which is indicated by the darker green color—and lay the whole shoots about half an inch deep in sand in the propagating house, taking care not to bury any side shoots. After six or eight weeks most of the dormant eyes will grow and form one plant each. Let them stand undisturbed until three or four little shoots have made their appearance, when they should be potted in very sandy soil. When these plants are about six inches high they are excellent material for further propagation, and a large stock can easily be obtained in a short time, each shoot y ield- ing from one to five young plants, A. plumosus and A. plu- mosus nanus are prettiest when young and before they change into their climbing habit. But the dwart species seems to pro- duce all its side shoots at the same time, the lower part of the stem remaining bare even with quite old plants. I succeeded once by cutting the end of a shoot away and laying the whole shoot in sand without separating it from the old plant, but the result was not entirely successful. C. Briner. Oe Hanae gemaiee obtusa is one of the most beautiful and graceful of the Japanese Conifers. We have some old plants that had fallen into a dila apidated condition, and some years ago we cut them in hard and planted them by the side of a well enriched border in dry sandy land. They have recovered splendidly and now are vigorous, bushy specimens. Others in a similar condition were also cut in and removed to a well-sheltered spot in a thinly-planted piece of woodland, and where the ground is moist and good. The result has been fully as satisfactory as in the previous case. Magnolias.—We had a group of choice Magnolias, including M. Thurberi and M. stellata, in dry sandy land, and where the subsoil was deep sand, but they appeared to be very unhappy. The surface soil in the bed was good enough ; indeed, it was good hazel loam introduced for their benefit. A few years ago we removed the Magnolias, some to our nursery ground, where the land is deep, dark and moderately moist, and some toa sheltered place on the lawn, and in which the soil is ex- cellent. In both cases their recovery is very marked. We also have large isolated specimens of the Yulan Magnolia, some in poor, some in good soil, and in vigor of plant and pro- fusion of bloom the balance is greatly i in favor of those grow- ing in the good soil. WF. Garden and Forest. e2 Covering Bulbs.—If Crocuses, Snowdrops, Winter Aconites, Siberian Squills and other early flowering bulbs planted last fall were covered over with a mulching of tree leaves or rank litter in order to protect them from frost, they are now trying to thrust their whitened leaves and flowers up througl’ the covering. If we remove the mulching we expose the weakened shoots to the piercing winds and in this way render worse what before was bad enough. These bulbs need no winter mulching, neither do Tulips, Hyacinths, Crown Imperials nor the host of other early flowering bulbous plants we set outin our gardens, except it may bea “mule hing of rotted leaves or rotted manure, which is meant toremain on the ground permanently, and is applied more with the view of preventing the bulbs from being heaved out of the earth by frost than as a protection against frost. It is when these plants are appearing above ground that they need protection most, but the ordinary way ‘of treating them, is to strip them just at this time. Streptosolen Jamesonii. HIS is one of the best and most easily cultivated winter- blooming green-house plants we have. It is a native ot South America, and was introduced to cuitivation some torty years ago but soon disappeared from our gardens and was not seen again till a few years ago, when it was reintroduced. It is now quite generally distr ibuted, It is a small-leaved, evergreen, shrubby vine, of vigorous growth. flame-colored, and disposed in drooping, terminal, cymose panicles ; every branch is tipped with a bunch of flowers. Its flowering period is from January to April, according to condi- tions under which it is grown, but usually it is in its finest con- dition in February. A few scattering flowers may be produced all summer long, but never a full crop nor handsome panicles. It ripens” seed freely, but the best way of propagating it is from cuttings of the young wood; these cuttings strike as readily as do those of fleliotropes or other soft-wooded plants, and if struck in spring and grown on in summer make fine blooming plants 4 to 6 feet high by the next winter. I raise a fresh lot of plants in this way every year, and keep over some of the old plants till they are two or three years old, but not more, as they grow too big for our green- houses. I grow them in pots “during the summer months, and plunge them out-of-doors. Were they planted out the plants would grow so rank and root so much that they could not be lifted safely in autumn. They are gross teeders. In potting them I use good loam, with about one-fourth part in bull ot rotted manure, and atter the plants are brought in-doors | mulch them with rich farm-yard manure. We winter our plants in the Carnation-house, where they are grouped together ina mass. The right temperature is about 50°. They ‘get and enjoy full sunlight, Although gorgeous plants tor conservatory decoration, the cut flowers must be used in masses to be effective. In warm rooms they do not last very well. WAP. [This fine plant, a native of New Grenada, was figured in the Bofanical Magazine, 7. 4605, many years ago as Brow- alha, a genus from which it c chiefly differs in hal it of growth. It is also figured by Miers, the founder of the genus S/rep- /osolen (Lllustr ahons, ¢. 55).—Eb. | slender shrub, or rather Its flowers are orange or Mulching Shrubbery Beds. S soon as the snow is all gone and the weather is not frosty we go into the w oods, rake up and cart homea large quantity of tree leaves for m ulching shrubbery, and more especially our Azalea bed. The leaves are then beginning to soften and decay, and if at all moist, we can pack.at Teast twice as many into a load as we could in fall. Why was this not done last fall? For two reasons: Hardy trees and shrubs have no need whatever of any mulching over winter, and it may be so much work lost, but this is not all; for in the second place, it may be the cause of much mischief by affording a lodgment for field mice, which are the most destructive rodents we have to contend with. They are especially destructive to coniferous and rosaceous trees and shrubs by gnawing away the bark around the stem at the ground leve 1? in this way they have killed many of our Pines and Spruces. But | have never known them to attack evergreen Rhododendrons, even where these shrubs have been heavily mulched with dry leaves over winter, The earlier we mulch our Azaleas now, If de- the better. 34 layed much longer the flower buds will become so prominent that the least rub against them will break them off. Put on the leaves six or eight inches deep all over the bed, and scat- ter a little fern, sea thatch, sedge or salt hay over the leaves to keep them from being blown about. Although this may seem to be a heavy mulching, it is none too much, and by next October it will rot down and not be an inch deep. Summer mulching is far more important than winter mulch- ing. By it we are enabled to grow with fair success shallow- rooting plants and many evergreens that without it could hardly survive our hot, dry weather. Mulch heavily if at all, for this is the only way to accomplish the desired result. We use leaves only on large beds, and where we can sprin- kle a little thatch over them ; for small beds and individual specimens we use rough manure or thatch or salt hay alone. But in mulching trees and shrubs judgment must be used. There is no use in describing a circle 6 or 10 feet wide around the trunk of a big tree, removing the sod therefrom and mulch- ing the ground, because the feeding roots have gone beyond that circle, and hence are not under the influence of the mulching. The way to reach them is to top-dress the ground in fall with manure and rake it off level in spring. Some writers argue that if we keep the surface of the ground well stirred by means of the hoe or cultivator in summer this answers every purpose and is better than mulching. That is well enough so far as nursery stock is concerned, But in per- manent pla intings, for instance in the case of isolated trees and shrubs, and shrubbery beds, loosening the surface of the ground should be avoided and mulching adopted. | have no patience with the people who call out about the unsi¢htliness of mulching. Mulching is repugnant only to the uneducated eye. The person who understands and ap- preciates the benetit to the plants to be derived from this care regards its presence with special favor. But, of course, it must be neatly applied and kept. The mulching of trees and shrubs in summer is more ex- tensively prac ticed in this garden, than, so far as | know, in any other in the country, and we are, year after year, becom- ing more alive to its beneficial effects. William Falconer. Glen Cove, N. Y. Grapes for Home Use. [= response to the inquiry of your correspondent in North- ern New Jersey as to the best half-dozen varieties of grapes to plant for family use to the extent of about twenty vines, I name the following and add some reasons why I recommend them. Moore's Early—two vines—the earliest good black Grape we have. The berries are large; vines hz wdy, healthy, and pro- ductive. The Cottage would prove its best substitute. Lady—two vines—the earliest good white Grape; very sweet and generally liked. The vine i “hardy and healthy, but not as vigorous as many others. The berries are of 2ood size ; clusters small, and its season short because of its liability to crack on approaching maturity ; but Lname it because an early grape of this color is desirable. Worden—tour vines—the best early black Grape ; the clus- ters and berries are large, and the vine is vigorous, healthy, hardy and productive. The above are all of Concord parent. age, and like it tender-skinned, cracking easily when ripe, 3righton—tour vines—the best e arly red grape we have, all things considered. The clusters are large and handsome, berries medium, vine vigorous and productive. Delaware—two vines—amone Grapes what the Seckel and Dana's Hovey are among pears. The small clusters of small red berries ripen early. The vine though healthy and hardy is not a strong grower and does not always find a congenial soil. It is worthy of special care till it gets established and its quality atones tor its lack of size. Wilder—tour vines—a large quality. The clusters are larg and productive. Niagara—two vines—the largest and finest white Grape yet tested. Berries and c lusters are large and handsome; quality fully as good as Mr. Downing s said better and the vine is very visereus and productive, empire State—two vines—a white grape of excellent quality, better in this respect than the Niagara, but not so large or attractive in cluster or berry, The v ine is fairly vigorous and productive. This list is of course for a special locality, , late black Grape of excellent and handsome ; vine vigorous but most of the vines named flourish over a wide area. Brighton, Wilder and Niagara have a little foreign blood in their veins, and are therefore more liable to mildew and rot Garden and Forest. [Marcu 14, 1888. than the others which are pure natives, but in seasons favorable to the development of the rot fungus all are suscep- tible to its attack unless it be Delaware. From the above list your inguirer should be able to choose six kinds, if he wishes to confine himself to that number, but he can plant them all with little risk of failure. They all thrive with me on lower ground and nearer the seaboard, and theretore ina less tavora- ble locality. [do not name the Concord because the season is covered effectually without it. Moore’s Early is equally good and two to three weeks earlier, and this is followed by Worden, which is better than either. The season of the Concord is with Wilder and Niagara. E. Williams. Montclair, N. J. The Forest. The Hardwood Forests of the South. HE time seems rapidly approaching when the lower Southern States will furnish the greater part of the lum- ber shipped from the Atlantic forest region to foreign and home markets, and will take the lead in the various industries which depend for their material upon the products of the forests. From sixty to seventy-five per cent of the area of the several States of the lower South are covered with forests which have been but litthe encroached upon by the axe. Well timbered countries without the Tropics have at all times been foremost in progressive and varied agriculture and industries. The history of the Old and New World gives ample Suppor to this statement. With the exhaustion of the forests of White Pine and the de- nudation of the country north of the Ohio, from the Atlantic border to the Mississippi, where stood a wealth of timber once deemed inexhaustible by men still living, the lumber interests of the country east of the Mississippi are steadily gravitating southwards, and manufacturing enterprises con- nected with them are seeking the same field. In some in- vestigations made for the Census office in 1880 the writer found the lumbering operations of the great coast Pine belt confined almost solely to the larger streams and to a strip two or three miles on either side of a few railroad lines trav ersing the forests. A few tram-roads and nats were bringing lum- ber from remoter parts. But now tram-roads equipped with steam power are penetrating the depths of this forest belt in every direction with astonishing rapidity and are stripping hun- dreds of square miles of their merchantable timber, and thou- sands of acres of primeval timber lands are made available by new railroad lines intersecting the forests and helping the trans- port of their products to the seaboards and the inland markets of the Middle States. The stroke of the axe is now heard from the basin of one river to that of the other where but a short while ago the forest solitude remained unbroken. The ship- ment of timber and naval stores from the Pine forests of the lower South have doubled in the last seven years, and industrial enterprises based on timber resources have increased many foldin almost every one of the Southern States. Factories of car- riages and wagons, agricultural implements, furniture, cooper- age and hollow ware, and large establishments tor building rail- road cars have sprung up with the increase of towns and cities in the mineral districts. The development of the mines of coal and iron has occasioned a great increase of the consumption of timber and fuel. The causes which within a life-time have depleted the timber wealth of many of the Northern States are, at this moment, at work in the South with an activity out- stripping that of any former period. South-western Kentucky, western Tennessee, western North and South Carolina, Arkansas, and the northern half of the Gulf States to the Brazos River, must at present be con- sidered as the great depositories of the timber wealth of the hardwood forest. It is from these Southern forests that the con- stantly increasing needs of the country are to be met. Ex- perience has proved that timber of southern growth is not surpassed in its essential qualities by that of higher latitudes. In their fullest dimensions and their greatest variety, the most valuable hardwood trees are found in the alluvial bottomlands of the larger rivers toward their lower courses, in the valleys of a higher ‘level, beyond the light silicious soils of the tertiary formation, in the woods cov ering the lower flanks of bordering elevations and in the narrower defiles of the mountains. The most extensive body of hardwood forests exists in the delta of the Mississippi and Yazoo Rivers in the State of Mississippi, covering four millions of acres, of which one-fifth are in cultiva- tion, and in the alluvial land of the Mississippi and St. Francis Rivers in Arkansas, extending over two millions of acres with scarcely ten per cent. of cleared land. The individual trees MARCH 14, 1888.] here attain dimensions rarely reached by the same specie elsewhere, and in wealth of valuable timber trees these forests are not excelled. Amongst the trees of the highest value and greatest abund- ance the Swamp Chestnut or Basket Oak (Quercus Michau.vii) takes the first place. Often a dozen trees measuring two and one half feet in diameter and furnishing clear cuts from forty to fifty feet in length have been counted on a single acre. In quality the wood of this tree is in no way inferior to white oak, and is especially fit forall purposes to which the latter is applied, affording immense resources to the industries depending upon this Oak for their chief material. The Sweet Gum (Liguidamber styracifolia) is as frequent here and at its greatest perfection. — It is only under these lower latitudes that the timber of this tree attains the qualities which give it economic importance. The wood, of a pleasing reddish brown tint, easily worked, of a fine grain and capable of a high polish, has lately begun to attract the attention of manufacturers of furniture and of the joiner for the interior finish of the best dwellings. Millions upon millions of feet of these valuable timbers are found in these forests, enough to supply the largest demand for many years. Of some- what less value, the Spanish Oak (Quercus falcata), the Willow Oak (Q. phellos), the Swamp White Oak (Q. (vrata), are to be named, the latter hardly inferior in quality to white oak. To these the Swamp Maple, Water Elm (U/mus elata), Honey Locust, Cottonwood, Pecan, Sassafras and Persimmon, are to be added, the two last reaching dimensions that entitle them to rank among useful timber trees. Most of the hardwood trees peculiar to the lower South, such as Magnolia, Red Bay (Persea Caroliniensis), White Bay (Magnolia glauca), Sourwood (Oaxydendron arboreum), and others of lower rank in size, finding at present but little appreciation, will, with better knowledge of their quality, add a variety of useful material for miners’ pur- poses, for the mechanical arts and for decorative joinery. Difficult of access and remote from active industries, these hardwood forests, still but slightly encroached upon, may be re- garded as the chief source of supply for the country’s needs for many years to come. Their disappearance is, however, a mat- ter of comparatively short time. Covering lands of greatest fertility, adapted to the cultivation of the chief staple products of this region, their reclamation for agricultural purposes, when protected against the overflowing waters of the Mis ppi, is inevitable. The negro population, resisting the malarious in- fluences of lowland clearings, and tempted by good wages and an abundance of food, will be drawn to them to furnish the labor. The movement has already set in during the last few years, and must increase as the colored man comes in competition with the labor of the increasing white population which is taking possession of the healthy upland districts. With the growing demand for agricultural land following the slow but swelling influence of immigration, the hardwood forests of the valleys of the higher water-level and their ter- races and the flanks of the bordering region are equally doomed. Though of less extent as resources of our hard- woods, these forests are of great importance, harboring a still greater variety than the alluvial forests. Preferring the warm and light soil in these districts, the Tulip tree, the White Oak, the White Ash, the Black Cherry, the Black Walnut, are found, in addition to the trees growing in the damp bottom lands, and to these could be added many others of smaller size and less value, as the Beech, Basswood, Butternut, Mulberry, Red Elm, Ironwood, Dogwood and Cucumber tree. The impending denudation of these valleys and of the elevations about them in- volves the greatest danger consequent upon the destruction of the forests by altering climatic conditions and affecting injuri- ously the stages of the rivers throughout the different seasons of the year. The hardwood forests of the more or less broken uplands in connection with farms have in great measure lost the character of the high forest. Deprived of their larger timber, opened to the tramping and browsing of cattle and the visitations of fire, the remainder of the tree-growth presents an unpromising appear- ance, and in many localities, the second growth is supplanted by Coniferous trees. Immense damage has been done by clearing the steeper and more broken lands and the ranges of hills. Deprived of its productive crust, the bare subsoil of these hill lands, torn into deep ravines, presents a repulsive sight suggestive of barrenness and neglect. Raging torrents after every rain rush unchecked down the declivities, eating deeply into them, carrying the soil down the valleys, obstruct- ing the beds of the rivers and their estuaries. The timber growth of these upland forests consists of many species of Oaks, as the Black Oak (Quercus tinctoria), Post Oak (Q. obtusiloba), Spanish Oak, Red Oak, flourishing in a dry, light soil, the Tanbark Oak (Q. frinos), Chinquapin Oak (Q. Garden and Forest. 325 prinoides), and Scarlet Oak (Q. coccinea), found principally on the rocky regions of the mountains. The Mockernut, Pignutand Bitternut Hickories, with the Chestnut and Tulip trees of in- ferior size, make up a large part of the tree growth. On the table-lands of the coal measures in Alabama, forests of this nature almost in their primeval condition extended over seven thousand square miles. These forests, fifteen vears aco scarcely invaded by the small clearings, have, since the begin- ning of the new industrial era, become of great importance owing to the wealth of coal and iron buried beneath them, fur- nishing the required supplies of timber and fuel. These forest lands are now much in demand by immigrants, who, by persever- ance and industry, make the soil, once considered too poor for cultivation, bring forth profitable field and orchard crops which find aready market in the growing centres of mining in dustry which have lately sprung up as by magic in this region. If they are not protected against the destructive influences bearing upon them with increasing intensity as the settlement and development of the country progress, and if the needed care is not extended to the younger growth, the deterioration of these_immense forests is destined to proceed surely and steadily to the same destruction to which the forests of the more densely populated districts are doomed. Karl Mohr, Acacia decurrens.—Considerable attention is now being given in France to this Australian tree as a possible source of a sup- ply of tanning material. It thrives everywhere on the shores of the Mediterranean Basin and flourishes in the most arid soils. Mons. Levallois, in a report recently presented to the National Agricultural Society of France, states that a sample of the bark grown at Antibes yielded 31 per cent. of tannin, while recent experiments show that a given amount of the bark was sufficient to cure two-thirds of its weight of leather, while a given quantity of Oak bark would cure but one-fifth of its weight of leather. If further experiments, made on a large scale, confirm the value of the bark, Acacia decurrens will prove a valuable tree for southern California and our dry south-western region, where good tanning material is scarce, Indeed the only tree of our Pacific forests which produces really good tan bark is Quercus densiflora, of northern Cali- fornia, now becoming rare from excessive cutting. Recent Publications. Manuel de 0 Acclimateur ou Choix de Plantes Recommandées pour CAgriculture, UIndustrie et la Médecine, par Charles Naudin. Paris, 1887; pp. 565. This is a French translation, much enlarged and improved, of Baron Von Miiller’s well known “Select Extra-Tropical Plants,” and is published under the auspices of the National Acclimatization Society of France. By far the larger portion of the work is devoted to a descriptive catalogue of extra- tropical, warm-country plants, valuable to man either from an economic or ornamental point of view, and, therefore, worthy of his attention. This is prefaced by a most interesting study of the general subject of the naturalization and the acclimatization of plants. This last the author describes as ‘the introduction and successful cultivation of plants valuable to man ;” natural- ization being the spontaneous spread of foreign plants ina country.» As a general rule it is only weeds which become naturalized, but two exceptionsare given; the Orange which has reverted to the wild typesin Florida, and the Mango which now forms a considerable part of the forest growth in the Island o1 Jamaica. With these might have been included the so-called Japanese Clover (Lesfedeza striata, Hook. & Arn.), a valuable forage plant now widely naturalized in some parts of the South, and the common Barberry, now as much at home in eastern New England as in any part of Europe. A few errors and a few omissions will be detected in the catalogue of plants, but these could hardly have been avoided, although in a second edition it is to be hoped that more of the interesting plants of our south-western boundary may find a place, suchas the lovely Chilopsisand Cordia Boissicri, one of the most showy flowering of North American trees, and considered by the Mexicans of great medicinal value. And in such awork, too, the different species of Acacia and Parkinsonia, the Olmeya and the Fouguiera of Texas and Arizona, cannot be pro- perly omitted. The Manuel de U Acclimateur is one of the most important contributions to recent horticultural literature, and its value is all the greater from the fact that the authorhas cultivated many of the plants he describes, especially the Eucalyptus (a genus to which he has devoted many years of study), in the 36 gardens of the Villa Thuret in southern France, where he has brought together the richest collection of dry-country plants which now exists. It will be specially serviceable to horti- culturists in our Gulf States and in California, where there is still so much to be done in the way of introducing valuable plants. A Manual of Orchidaceous Plants Cultivated under Glass in Great Britain, prepared and published by James Veitch & Sons of the Royal Exotic Nurseries, London. Two parts of this work, copiously illustrated, have now appeared. They give good promise of an important and valu- able contribution to the already voluminous literature of Orchids, especially in their “cultural notes”, which no one can so well supply as can the Veitches out of the long ai ets of three generations of successful Orchid growers. Part I. devoted to Odontoglossum ; Part IT. to Cattleya and ae with Leliopsis, Tetramicra, Schomburghkia and Sophronitis. Capital colored maps show the geographical distribution of these genera. The fact that the two parts are paged separately and that the figures are not numbered, will make it difficult to refer to this book in other publications. Handbich der Coniferen Benennung, by L. Beissner, lnspec- tor of the Botanic Garden of Bonn. Ludwig Maller, Erfurt. This is a list of all Coniters, hardy or halt. hardy, in Germany, and is the result of the conference of a Congress of German horticulturists which met at Dresden last summer under the Presidency of the Baron St. Paul, for the purpose of settling the proper nomenclature of cultivated Conifers. This could not have been a very easy task, but the Congress and its Secretary have prepared a catalogue which, with its full synonyms, its very complete lists of named cultivated forms andits full index, will be found a serviceable aid to the students and cultivators of Conifers. It may be noted that 7AZu7opsis and Chamecyparis are retained as genera and not merged with Thuya, and that with less reason Bioda is also separated from that genus. /MVellingfonia is retained as a genus tor Sequoia gigantea. We should hardly have expected to have found Wellingtonia turning up again at this late day outside of Great Britain, where horticultural patriotism, or whatever it may be, insists on ignoring the older Seguwoia for our “ Big tree” in spite of all the efforts of botanists. Zaxus Floridana, Funt- perus Californica (except as a synonym of another species), Pinus Cubensis, P. glabra, P. clausa and P. Chihuahuana, of the United States F lora, do not appear in the catalogue. raits. Horticulture Belge, Recent Plant Port Agalea Indica, Leon Pynaert, Revue de February. Oxrybaphus Californica (Mirabilis Californica, Gray), Garten Flora, ¢. 1266. Orontium aguaticum, Revue Horticole., FPlatycaria strobiacea, Revue Horticole., Phalenopsis, ¥. L. 18th. Oxera pulchella, Gardener's Chronicle, February 18th; a semi-scandent shrub from New Caledonia, producing im- mense clusters of pure white flowers. It is closely allied to Clerodendron. Biota (Thuja) Steboldi, Gardener’ § Chronicle, February 18th. “A torm of the common Chinese Arbor- vite, in which the young form of leaf is preserved to adult age, the ordinary form of leaf not being produced, and the w hole plant forming a compact barrel or flamed-shaped bush of great symmetry and beauty. February 16th. February 16th. Ames, Gardener's Chronicle, February Public Works. Enlargement of the Park of Atlanta, Georgia.—IF'rom the Report of the Park Commission of Atlanta it appears that an effort is being made to enlarge the principal Park of that city by secur- ing some fifty acres of land north of its present boundary, The Park now contains but one hundred acres and is mani- festly too small for the growing city. An interesting feature aM the report is a classified list of the indigenous plants of the Park, prepared by Mr. A. Sidney Rauschenberg. A Park for Lisbon.—The first prize of 12,000 francs, offered by the City Council of Lisbon for the best plan for a City Park, has just been awarded to Mons. P. Lasseau of Paris. A second and a third prize of 7,500 and 5,000 francs respectively have been given in the same competition to Mons. G. Du- chesne and Mons. Eugéne Deny, also of Paris. Garden and Forest. [Marcu 14, 1888. Flower Market. New York, dlarch oth, 1888. : The supply of cut flowers is heavy, but the general stock is poor. Prices continue to decline with all flowers excepting Orchids. Cy- pripediums are in more request than other Orchids, because they combine handsomely with green arrangements, Mignonette being much used for this purpose. Cypripedium Lawrencianum costs from 75 cts. to $1.00 a flower; Cattleya spectosissima and C. superba bring from 50 to 75 cts. a flower. C. Crtrina and C. Percevaliana cost the same, C.7Zyriana sells for 75 cts. and $1.00a flower, and Lycasle Skinnert brings 40, 50 and 75 cts. a flower. Vandas range from 25 to 35 cts. a flower, with from 4 to 10 blossoms ona spray. Odontoglossum cris- pum costs from 20 to 35 cts. a flower, and there are from 5 to 20 on aspray. Asparagus plunosus brings from $1.00 to $1.50 a string, and A. tenulssimus 75 cts. to $1.00 a string of 3 and 4 feet in length. Ferns cost from 10 to 50 cts. a frond, Adiantum Far Zeyense being the most ex- pensive. Short stemmed hybrid Roses are selling for $2 -00 a dozen, Onlyselected Baroness Rothschild and Mabel Morrisons are held at $1.00 each. Other excellent hybrids bring 75 cts. The best Jacqueminot roses are sold for $3.00 a dozen and La France for $2.00 and $3.00 a dozen. Puritans cost 50 cts. and American Beauties 75 cts. each. Papa Gon- tiers run very poor; those selected are sold for $r.00 and $1.50 a dozen, and the ordinary ones are thrown in with Bon Silenes and dis- posed of for 75 cts. a dozen. Verles, Niphetos and Souvenirs d’un Ami bring $1.50 a dozen, and Catherine Mermets $2.00. Bennetts cost the same. Dutch Hyacinths sell for 15 and 25 cts. a truss; Roman Hya- cinths, Lily-of- the- valley, Tulips and Narcissus Fae 75 cts. a dozen. Specially fine specimens of Tulips and Narcissus Trumpet Major bring $1.00 a dozen. Lilac costs from 25 to 50 cts. aspray. Helio- trope is socts. a dozen sprays. Pansies are 25 cts. a dozen, and Vio- lets $1.50 a hundred. Acacia costs from §0 cts. to $1.00 a spray. Mignonotte from 50 cts. to $1.00 a dozen spikes, and Carnations 50 cts. a dozen for all varieties. Lilium Harrisii brings 35 cts. a bloom or $4.00 a dozen. Callas cost $3.00 a dozen. Plants of Spireea Japon- ica appear, but no cut bloom is sold as yet. PHILADELPHIA, Alarch oth. Delicate tinted and sweet scented flowers are most in demand just how. There have been some elaborate dinner table decorations, where the very choicest flowers have been used during the past week. Orchids and the rarest Roses only are used on these occasions. Boxes of fragrant flowers are frequently sent to friends at this season— more so than at any other. A few morning weddings have taken place dur- ing Lent, —a somewhat unusual occurrence for this city. White flowers were used almost exclusively. On one occasion the corsage bouquets were made of Puritan Roses, as was the centre piece, which was a pla- teau four feet long. Freesias, Roman Hyacinths, and Lilies-of-the- Valley were also abundantly used. Some large and choice Amaryl- lises are sold at $1 each. Single and double Daffodils are called for in about equal quantities. The double Von Sion makes the most show, but the single varieties are selected by connoisseurs. Lidia Harrisiz, or as it is called generally the Bermuda Lily, has been in good demand at socts. cach. The chaste and delicate Cyclamens, both as plants and flowers, are popular, and seem destined in the near future to take a prominent place in the floral world. Pink Tulips are more used than any other shade. More Lilacs would be used if they could be had, but they are scarce, Plants in bloom, such as Azaleas, and what are known as Spring flowers, sell readily. A limited quantity of white Moss Roses are obtainable at $1 per spray carrying one half-developed bud and several others which have not yet shown color. A few Gloxinias are offered for sale, but they are not in very great demand because they are so easily broken or soiled Boston, Afarch oth. The windows of the flower stores are marvels of beauty just now. The display of Roses is especially fine, for at no time of the year are they offered in greater variety or perfection. The various popular hybrid Roses are seen in large quantities, Jacqueminots of course leading, with the beautiful satiny pink Madame Gabriel Luizets close- ly following, fully as effective in color and almost as popular. Gloire de Parisand Magna Chartaare also abundant, but the chief value of these two varieties lies in their easy-forcing - qualities, which make it possible to obtain them much earlier in the season than other hybrids. The later kinds are more desirable when they do come. The new Puritan is offered in limited quantities, and when the blooms come perfect, this white Rose is a valuable addition to the list of large flower- ing varieties. | An occasional specimen of that shy beauty, Her Ma- jesty, is to be seen. The color is exquisite, and the flower is of enorm- ous size, but alas! it is odorless. Maréchal Niels are becoming scarce again and the only yellow Rose to be hadin any quantity is Perle des Jardins. This and Catherine Mermet hold their price quite steadily, while La France and American Beauty have a downward tendency. Catherine Mermets and Jacqueminots sell at $2.50 to $3.00 per doz. Hybrids bring from $3.00 to $5.00 per doz., according to variety and quality. Other Roses are worth from $1.00 to $2.00 per dozen. Lilies- of-the-Valley and Tulips sell for $1.00 per doz. Daffodils are held at the same price, but they are getting scarce and cannot always be ob- tained. Violets and Pansies are worth so cts. per bunch. Long Stemmed Carnations, Mignonette, Forget-me-not and Heliotrope bring 50 cts. per dozen. Callas are not as plentiful as they were a week ago and are in demand at $3.00 per dozen. Marcu 21, 1888.] GARDEN AND FOREST. PUBLISHED WEEKLY BY THE GARDEN AND FOREST PUBLISHING CO. [ LImITeEp.] OrricE: TripunE Buitpinc, New York. onductedt Dye wi seGeee fe see Gow . Professor C. S. SARGENT. ENTERED AS SECOND-CLASS MATTER AT THE POST OFFICE AT NEW YORK, N. Y. NEW YORK, WEDNESDAY, MARCH a1, 1888. TABLE OF CONTENTS. : PAGE. EpiroriaL Arricies :—Needs of American Pomology.—The Proposed Speed- road: in: Central! Park.—Ghent ‘Azaleas.. eis ecelecde san ccctenctaceves 37 Landscape Gardening, IV........++-.ss00+ Mrs. Schuyler Van Rensselaer. 38 Horticulture in Plorida.:..ssescsecsseosecssesdnesssosesecend A. H. Curtiss. 39 A Disease of Certain Japan Bohr Sires eecasa Professor Wolcott Gibbs. 40 ForfIGN CoRRESPONDENCE :—The Kew maioveturl teessecesse+ Geo. Nicholson. 40 PloralNotes from London. ..2.....'0iedsss:eesce san see William Goldring. 41 Pranr Notes :—Hardy Begonias.—Grevillea Thelemanniana.—Allium Nea- politanum.—Or nithogalum Arabicum.—Akebia quinata.—Strelitzia TIALS Llp clatayalsintalete osim'njojateie’s(wielnrai eisai = scm as 49 Landscape Gardening, V... Mrs. Schuyler Van Rensselaer. 51 Bridge at Leathertor, England (with Illustration), .............e esses eeees 52 PATtersthe-Greatio NOW. StOEM scares scis.¢ asin sigjcse cs.cen) wisleee ec Dr. C. C. Abbott. 52 ForEIGN CORRESPONDENCE :—The Kew Arboretum, II..Geo. Nicholson, A. L. S. 53 Wicca Treculiana( with Tlustration) scsi ess. sc.0-cdenseenibsaecaines on GOS: Se 54 Currurac NoreEs :—Hardy Herbaceous Perennials from Seed.. William Falconer. 54 the CultivationoL Tiles secs os esis tiie scieccescemvaciesys CL. Allen. 55 Eriostemon intermedium.—Boronia megastigma.—Milla biflora in our Gardens.—Lilium Grayi—Forcing Azaleas.—Cytisus Canari- ensis.—Grapes for Home Use..............5 The Retinisporas... - Fosiah Hoopes. 57 Snowberry Jelly .... rope. D. P. Penhallow. 57 CorrEsPoNnDENCE :—Landscape Gardening, a Definition... Professor L. H. Bailey. 58 . WeraAXING] Derctetctiste oeteveinle slate: weraletale aiatciais/s z sis'v'sielslats"sisis'sisi saz slaiwe. ps ¢c.s/s'a/eis $.c 58 . Professor Geo. M. Dawson. 58 Tur Forest :—Forest Trees of the Far North-west. Mheyorests of New Jersey. : MARCH 28, 1888.] summer with myriads of drooping white bells, and by the Sour-wood with pendulous racemes of Lily-of-the-Valley- like flowers and with scarlet leaves in autumn. And withthese and many other native flowering trees, might be grouped an almost endless variety of shrubs blooming in succession from earliest spring to late summer, and brilliant with autumn tints or conspicuous fruit ;—the delicate Rhodora which tinges our northern swamps with pink in early spring ; the gorgeous orange-colored Azalea which flames on the slopes of many southern mountains ; the deliciously fragrant Calycanthus and Clethra ; a host of Dogwoods and Viburnums, beautiful in flower and fruit ; Blueberries of many varieties, modest in flower but hardly equalled in grace of habit and richness of October hues ; the Sumachs and the Black Alder which in winter en- livens northern swamps with its scarlet fruit. And in such a garden a collection of native Roses would not be the least attractive feature. We have here merely indicated some of the rich material within reach of American gardeners. But the subject will be elaborated in future issues of this ~ Journal, and some of the most valuable and some of the least known American shrubs will be figured and de- scribed. We are glad to publish the letter on landscape gardening which will be found upon another page, for the subject is one about which it is desirable to create discussion. The statement in the first paragraph, that landscape gardening as a fine art means something very different from the mere cultivation of ornamental plants and the designing of iso- lated minor decorative features, is undeniable. But we can- not agree with our correspondent when he thinks it needful to give the name of “ landscape horticulture,” or any narrow- ly distinctive name, to ‘‘the industrial art which shapes the ground, plants the trees, makes the walks and drives.” The actual manual work of doing such things is, of course, artisans’ work—work similar to that which masons and carpenters do for the architect. But to know how such things should be done seems to us an integral part of the equipment of the landscape gardener as an artist. Knowl- edge of this kind will not make him an artist. But he cannot be a good artist without it any more than an archi- tect can be a good artist without a knowledge of building construction ; and, on the other hand, it cannot itself be put to good service unless guided and inspired by artistic impulses, any more than a knowledge of building con- struction can. These two arts—landscape gardening and architecture—are like one another and unlike the other arts by reason of the fact that they can never be mani- festations of the aesthetic instinct in a pure form. Practical considerations must always mingle with and largely limit and control zsthetic considerations when their works are in question. In the preliminary stages of education the acquirement of practical knowledge and the development of esthetic feeling may seem distinct and different aims. But they should always be fostered together as far as possi- _ble; and to divorce them in theoretical expositions of the art of landscape gardening, in its practice, or even in its nomenclature, would be a grave mistake. Nothing indicates so clearly the rapidly increasing scarcity of the more valuable woods produced by our for- ests as the gradual substitution for them in the markets of the country of woods which up to a short time ago were considered useless. The wood of the Cottonwood (Populus monilifera) a few years ago had no commercial value whatever in the United States, and was used for fuel only on the plains, where nothing better could be obtained. Improved and stronger machinery, however, has made it possible to saw this wood into lumber in spite of its tough, difficult grain, and there is now a large demand for Cottonwood lumber throughout the West as a substitute for white pine and yellow poplar (Zirzodendron) for light packing-cases of all Garden and Forest. 51 kinds, immense quantities being manufactured at St. Louis and other places. ‘The wood is found to possess the merits of cheapness and of greater lightness than white pine, and it is absolutely free from all odor or taste, valuable quali- ties in a case where articles of food are to be packed. It is also used for lining refrigerator-cars, and to some extent in the manufacture of cheap furniture. The Cottonwoods, of which there are several species in the West and South-west, all produce wood very similar in quality, and are among the largest, most common and widely distributed trees along all the rivers west of the Al- leghany Mountains. They grow with great rapidity, propa- gate themselves freely by their light seeds, and are more easily raised from cuttings than almost any other trees. The Cottonwood thrives also in the dry climate of the western plains and prairies better than almost any other tree. There is every prospect, therefore, that our supplies of Cottonwood lumber will not soon become exhausted. A recent issue of the Bos/on Fournal contains the state- ment that City Forester Doogue of that town had been ex- perimenting witha preparation invented by him for the de- struction of Canker-worms, with such success as to deter- mine him to putit to general use on the city Elms. His meth- od is to bore ahole, about three inches deep and an inch and one-half in diameter, in the trunk of the tree, and to insert a mysterious powder, the composition of which is known only to himself. The hole is then plugged up and made perfectly tight with wax. Boring and plugging trees with nostrums is an old and futile remedy ; and it seems almost incomprehensible that a man occupying so responsible a position could be guilty of such quackery. The old way of using oil-troughs to stop the ascent of Canker-worms, if systematically carried out, is effectual in destroying them; and they might easily be exterminated if communities would combine in the use of such appliances. Landscape Gardening.—V. HERE is still one point which must be noticed as affecting the question how much the landscape artist owes to nature, how much to himself and his fellow- men. When we speak of ‘‘natural scenes” we are apt to mean, illogically, all those which have not been modified by the conscious action of art as art. We recognize a park landscape as non-natural ; but those rural landscapes in cultivated countries from which the designer of a park gets his best inspirations—these, too, are non-natural. ‘‘If in the idea of a natural state,” says an old English writer, ‘*we include ground and wood and water, no spot in this island can be said to be in a state of nature. . Wher- ever cultivation has set its foot—wherever the plow and spade have laid fallow the soil—nature is become extinct.” Extinct, of course, is too strong a wordif we take it in its full significance. But it is not too strong if we understand it as referring to those things which are most important to the landscape gardener:—the compositions, the broad gen- eral pictures, of nature, have become extinct in all thickly settled countries. ‘The effects we see may not be artistic effects—may not have resulted from a conscious effort after beauty ; but they are none the less artificial effects. They do not show us what nature wants to do or can do—only what man and nature have chanced to do together. When English artists became dissatisfied with the formal, archi- tectural gardening of the seventeenth century, they fondly imagined that they were learning from nature how to pro- duce those effects of rural freedom, of idyllic repose, of seemingly unstudied beauty, grace and charm, which were their new desire. But, in reality, they were learning from the face of a country which for centuries had been care- fully moulded, tended and put to use byman. In some of its parts, of course, the effects of man’s presence were comparatively inconspicuous. But of most parts it could be said that for ages not a stream or tree or blade of grass had. existed except in answer to his efforts, or, at least, in 52 consequence of his permission ; and it was these parts and not the wilder ones which gave mostassistance to the artist. An instinctive love for beauty had doubtless often tried to express itself in the neighborhood of dwellings, absent though the idea of art had been from the mind of their in- habitants ; nature herself is so good an artist that even in her bondage she had worked admirably and with more suavity and gentleness than in her free estate; and the mere utilitarian treatment of the land had also accidentally given rise to happily suggestive features. Take, for exam- ple, the lawn, which is so essential a feature of almost every artistic design in landscape. It is not true to say, as often has been said, that nature never suggestsalawn. But it is true to say that she did not suggest it to those English gardeners who developed it so beautifully. They must have been inspired by the artificially formed meadow-lands and glades of the England of their time. But all the semi-natural, semi-artificial beauty of England would not have taught them how to make beautiful parks and gardens had they not been taught as well by their own imagination. Whatthey wanted to create were landscapes which should charm from all points of view and should bear close as well as distant examination ; and, moreover, landscapes which might fitly surround the habitations of man and accommodate his very various needs and pleas- ures. Such landscapes we can no more expect to find in nature—even in cultivated, semi-artificial nature—than landscapes painted upon canvas. That is, while we can imagine a natural spot which would be an appropriate set- ting for a hunter’s lodge or a hermit’s cell, we can imagine none which would appropriately encircle a palace, a man- sion, or even a modest home for a man with civilized habits and tastes. Every step in civilization is a step away from that wild estate which alone is really nature ; and the further away we get from it, the more imagination is needed to bring the elements of existence which nature still supplies into harmony with those which man has developed. The simplest house in the most rustic situation needs, at least, that a path shall be cut to its door; and to do so much as cut a path in the most pleasing possible way needs a certain amount of imagination, of art. How much more, then, is imagination needed in such a task as the laying-out of a great estate where subordinate buildings are to be grouped around the chief one, and all are to be accommodated to the main unalterable natural features of the scene, where a hundred minor natural. features are to be harmoniously disposed, where convenient courses for feet and wheels are to be provided in every direction, where gardens and orchards are to be supplied, where water is to be made at once useful and ornamental, and where every plant, whether great or small, must be beauti- ful at least in the sense of helping the beauty of the general effect? The stronger the desire to make so artificial an aggregate of features look as though nature might have designed it, the more intimate must be the artist's sympathy with the aims and processes of nature and the keener his eye for the special opportunities of the site; but also the stronger must be his imaginative power, the firmer his grasp of the principles and processes of his art. M. G. van Rensselaer. Bridge at Leathertor, England. Es very ancient bridge spans one of the small streams on Dartmoor, in the south-west of England. Its construc- tion is sufficiently explained by the picture—two land-piers and one stream-pier are connected by long spanning-stones which carry parapets made up of large irregular blocks. It is hardly necessary to point out the degree to which this bridge com- bines picturesque beauty with durability, or to explain the fit- ness of such bridges for rural situations in our own country. In the immediate vicinity of a very dignified house so rude and unarchitectural a bridge would perhaps be out of place ; and the same is true of those portions of an urban park where formality rules or where architectural works of importance are in view. But in the sequestered, naturally treated portions of Garden and Forest. [Marcu 28, 1888. parks, a bridge of this sort would be entirely appropriate; and carrying a road or footway near a country horne of modest character or in a village suburb it would be a most charming feature. Naturally we have no wish to suggest that this bridge need be copied either in its special form or in the size and dis- position of its stones, although in both these respects it would be an excellent model. It is illustrated merely to show how very simply a stone bridge may be built, and how incompara- bly better in effect it is than the ugly constructions of iron or the rough assemblages of planks with which in this country we are so familiar. Weather-beaten boulders as old as those in this bridge at Leathertor, and as appropriate for bridge- building, lie by every New England stream, and it would need no high degree of skill to put them to service. But we seem to have thought the bare, straight lines of iron more beautiful than the infinité variety of form and surface and color of our moss-grown stones. It is full time we changed our minds. After the Great Snow Storm. I GATHERED pink and white blossoms of the Spring Beauty on the roth of the present month, and on the 12th they were under the drifting snow of what will pass into history as the great storm of March, 1888. The wild weather of that day gave me no little concerm with regard to the old trees near my house. As a consequence, I twice faced the storm at its height and took brief notes as to the action of the wind upon them. I was curious, too, to know which species was suffering most from loss of branches ar \ general mutilation. The snapping and crashing heard above the wind’s roaring suggested universal destruction. Judging from past wind-storms, I looked for the leveling of the fourteen Pines near the house, or at least that the trunks alone would remain standing; but these unaccountably escaped all serious injury and are still the same sorry-looking irregularities they have been for the last twenty years. It is nota little strange that the long rows of White Pines planted by Joseph Bonaparte in his park near Bordentown, N.J., more than sixty years ago, have escaped serious breakage from wind, encrusting snow and ice-encased twigs—the three causes that have, separately and combinedly, effected the un- crowning and disfiguring of the Pines athome, which are no more exposed and scarcely three miles away. Do not these trees generally require planting in clusters, so as to be self-protecting, or to be intimately associated with other trees? A lone Pine is very pretty and poetical, but hereabouts it is as uncertain as the average white man. / But to return to the forestin the storm, Ofa hundred or more large trees, Oaks, Chestnuts, Birches, Gums, Liquidambars, Persimmons, Catalpas, Beeches and Sassafras, occupying some three acres of southward sloping hillside, but one, a large Chestnut, was uprooted, and this was lifted bodily from the ground and carried several feet from where it had stood. The others were twisted; branches were interlocked, and several so shaken and wormed about that the closely wrapping Poison Ivy was detached, an occurrence I should never have dreamed could have taken place. Where branches were broken, they were, asarule, detached from the trunk of the tree as though seized at their extremities and twisted off. Although the wind remained in one direction, it evidently became a whirlwind among the tree-tops, as shown by the direction of the tall of several large limbs. One large branch of an enor- mous Beech was broken off, but still holds by long cables of twisted strips of bark, as though the storm had repented and tried to repair the damage by tying it on again. Of the several species of trees T have mentioned, no two are of like toughness in the texture of their wood, and in this storm the weaker and more brittle kinds did not suffer as much as the tough old Oaks. Nor were the detached branches worm-eaten and so abnormally weak. I was confronted with contradictions whichever way I turned. Associate these with wind having a velocity of fifty-four miles an hour and air full of sand-like snow, and realize how easily one could become bewildered. In the more exposed upland fields not a tree suffered, the big Sassafras, sixty-two feet in height, not losing even a twig. Stranger still, the scattered Beeches and White Oaks that have retained their withered leaves all winter, hold them still. In short, the home woods suffered very little, and what damage there is occurred where I least expected to find it. Where the exposure was greatest, there every tree successfully weathered one of the severest storms on record. The shrubbery, seed- ling Oaks and Beeches, puny Cedars and trim little Junipers were bent to the ground and remained prostrate for three or four days. The snow has now melted and all are again erect; 4 4 Marcit 28, 1888.] but when I bentsome of them to-day, as flatly as did the snow and wind, they cracked and were destroyed. Was it that the gradual pressure of the snow prevented the disaster that my more sudden bending caused? While I rejoiced at Phe iving my woodland still intact, there was one aggravating feature about it all. I anticipated a har- vest of dead limbs tor my andirons; but they too withstood the tempest. To- day they looked down at me with a tantalizing “no you don’t” expression that robbed me of half the pleasure of seeing Black Alder laden with its crimson berries resting upon a dazzling drift of unstained snow. Near Trenton, New Jersey. Chas. C. Abbott. Foreign Correspondence Arboretum—lI1. EFORE giving details of some of the most important col- lections and of the most remarkable specimens here, it may beas well to say a few words regarding the general aspect and position of the Kew establishment. The Kew Garden and Forest. Be stands the Kew Observatory—we pass through the collections of Cypresses, Yews and their allies, until we reach the Pines and Firs, which are arranged at the he ad and along the southern side of a noble expanse of ornamental water WHEN! e the sup- plies for garden purposes are pumped by engines at some dis- tance away in the wood. Just across the T ee at is Syon House, a place rich in historic: to the left is the Isleworth entrance, and on the left river a short distance up thestream, is the pretty ¢ worth. Following the course of the Thames we go through a very rich collection of Oaks; behind this strip and between it and the wood is a dell in which Rhododendrons luxuriate After the Oaks come the Elms, and the extremely numerous and very varied forms of our native species are particularly puzzling, The Oaks and Elms practically occupy a consider- able tract of ground, the whole length of the river frontage of the Arboretum ; here and there, however, are groups of Coni- fers to block out the sight of the Brentford docks on the oppo- site bank of the stream. Not far from here Edmund Ironsic les defeated the Danes in 1016, and more than six centuries later Prince Rupert gained a victory over the Parliamentary this point il association troops. “dif iy ies iy Cea iil, Bridge at Leathertor, England, page 52. The village of Kewis situated on the right bank of the Thames about six miles from Hyde Park Corner, and was a royal resi- dence as far back as the reign of Henry VIII. The chief entrance to the Gardens (there are five public entrances altogether) is upon Kew Green, one of the most delightful of the tree-sha- dowed stretches of sward which form such a pleasant feature of many of the villages in the neighborhood of London. About three hundred yards i ina w esterly direction from the large and handsome wrought-iron gates stands the Dutch House, or, as it is now always ‘called, Kew Palace, a homely structure of red brick, said to have been erected in the time of James I. by Sir Hugh Portman, a Dutch merchant knighted by Queen Eliza- beth. Here it was that Queen Charlotte died. The palace is just outside aes garden boundaries and is the property of Her Ma- jesty Queen” Victoria. Turning to the left, ata right angle, the main walk—one of the most ‘trequente d of the Kew prome- nades—leads towards the ornamental water in front of the great Palm House: From the Palm House there is a magnificent avenue of Deodars, terminated—at the Richmond limit of the Arboretum—by the Pagoda, one of the remaining fantastic creations of the first Queen Caroline. Leaving the Richmond entrance to the left and skirting the Old Deer Park—in which A good proportion of the Arboretum (which covers an are: of over 178 acres) is occupied by noble stretches of Oak anal Beech woods, with here and there fine specimens of Spanish Chestnut, Horsechestnut and other large trees. Under these grow countless thousands of Wild Hyacinths, or, as they are commonly called in mé ny parts of this country, Blue-bells (Scilla nutans). When in flower in May and June the mag- nificent masses of color attract large numbers of. artists Visitors, too, from central and eastern Europe, whether botanically inclined or not, are struck with the sight. The Botanic Garden proper is about 70 acres in extentand is famous for its beautifully ke pt lawns, flower-beds, and single specimens and groups of miscellaneous dec neue and ever- green trees and shrubs arranged for landscape effects—not planted in botanical sequence. The Arboretum is frequently called the Wilderness, and under this name it is mentioned in “Shandon Bells” by William Black, who makes the hero, Fitzgerald, and his aos friend, John Ross, ‘“ go splashing through the mud to Kew, to see Ww hi it the wilderne ss part of ‘the ( sardens (a favorite ~ vunt of theirs and but little known to the public) was like in driving rain, or in feathery snow, orin clear hard frost, when the red 34 berries shone among the green.” The red berries mentioned by the novelist are those of the English Holly (ex Aguifolium), of which there are many very fine trees. This Holly, which is made to play so important a part in some of Dickens’ tales and in English ‘Christmas’ literature generally, has brighter red berries and dark green very glossy leaves, and altogether, as an ornamental shrub or tree, is much more attractive than the American Holly (/ex_opaca.) Royal Gardens, Kew. George Nicholson, A. L. S., Curator. Yucca Lreculiana. HE illustration of this fine tree (Fig. 10 on opposite page), the Spanish Bayonet” or ‘Spanish Dagger,” of western Texas, is from a photograph of a plant grown in the city of Austin, where, as in other towns of w estern Texas, it is quite commonly cultivated and forms the most conspicuous garden ornament. Dr. Engelman’s very complete description ‘of this species renders it unnecessary to say anything of its botanical characters. The Spanish Bayonet becomes, under favorable conditions, a tree sometimes thirty feet in height, with a slender trunk and wide-spreading branches.* It is common through south-eastern Texas, and extends south across the plains of northern Mexico, where it is associated with Vueca filifera, as far south as Saltillo and Parras. It forms on the Texas coast near the mouth of the Rio Grande, just back of the sand dunes, straggling, stunted forests ; and further inland low, impenetrable hickets. Yueca Trecul/iana was introduced into Europe by the French traveler Trécul, whose name it commemorates. According to Naudin it is very hardy in the south of France, where it flowers freely. Ci2Sese Cultural Notes. Hardy Herbaceous Perennials from Seed. [GROM the time the winter Aconites, Snowdrops and Cro- cuses appear in earliest spring till the bold Tritomas are cut down by hard frost in November, we have among hardy herbaceous perennials an uninterr upted display of flowers. But in order to have them so that we can best enjoy them we must have masses of the finer sorts rather than a single plant of each. Individuals are lost in a landscape ; there we want broad colonies of a kind. In the decoration of our gardens one Phlox or one Tulip is of no avail; we want a clump or mass of each. For cut flowers one Iris or one Coreopsis would not help us much; we must have several. How best to increase our stock of plants and variety of kinds must therefore concern us. Helianthus, Plumbago Larpente, Veronica, Phlox and many others may be readily i increased by division, but Aguilegia, Delphinium and Pentstemon should be multiplied by seed. True species usually come true from seed, but garden varieties should, in order to keep them true, be perpetuated by division or cuttings. The seeds of some perennials, Fraxinella, for instance, are slow and uncertain to germinate; those of others, the Virginian Spiderwort, for ex- ample, come up with the persistence of weeds. In growing herbaceous plants from seed, the amateur should begin with such sorts as are easily grown, for most perennials are more difficult to raise than are annuals, and need not only care before the seeds germinate, but consider- able attention after the seedlings appear. He should also limit his list to suit his garden needs. If his desire is to fur- nish a small rockery, then choose £rinus alpinus, Erysimum rupestre, Dianthus alpinus and the like ; if for edgings in his garden, then grow Armeria, Globularia, Chrysanthemum Tchihatchewii and ev ergreen Candytuft; if tor showy flowers, try Oriental Poppies, perennial Lar kspurs and Kcempfer's Irises. ‘In re using perennials from seed we can begin atany time: as soon as the seed is r ipe and before winter sets in; in the green- house in winter or hot-bed in earlyspring; orin acold-frame or out-of-doors in late spring. What perennials I raise from seed and do not sow in fall I try to sow and get off my hands before I begin to sow annuals in spring. Be careful not to sow slow- germinating seeds in warm quarters, as a hot-house or hot- bed, else the chances are that the seeds will rot; but seeds that were sown in boxes in fall and wintered in a cold frame, *Vucca Treculiana, Carriére, Rev. 1861, 7. 1869, ~. 06, Hort. 1858, p. 580; SOS; f 82. s38 canaliculata, Hook, Bot. Alag. ¢. 5207 (1860)—Baker, Gard. Chronicle, 1870, p. 828: Four. Linn. oa 1227. p 226.—Engelm., Trans. St. Louis Acad. tit., gI— London Garden, xtt., p. 328, ¢. 9 ¢.—Sargent, Forest Trees N. America, vol. 7 Census U.S., p. 278. “Hemsley, Bot. Am. Cent. tii., 377. ¥. longifolia, Engilm. in Sched.—Buckley, Proc. Phil. Acad. xiv. Pp 8 (1862), Zx., roth Garden and Forest. [Marcu 28, 1888. may be introduced to the green-house in spring with quicken- ing effect. For convenience sake I treat many perennials as annuals; they germinate and grow readily, and bear a full cup of flow- ers and seeds the first year. Among these are Abronia, Age- ratum, Dahlia ene flowered), Delphinium erandiflorum, Eschscholtzia Californica, oe Lindheimert, Leptosyne ma- ritima, Lophospermum scandens, Mirabilis Falapa, Salvia Splendens and S. farinosa. Ot course some of these, as Dahlia and Lophospermum, are not hardy, but, treated as an- nuals, it matters not whether they are hardy or tender. If sown early many perennials will bloom freely the first year. These include Anemone coronaria, Anchusa, Cedronella cana, Conoclinium, Delphinium, Echinacea, Gatllardia, Incar- villea Olge, Lychnis, Malva, Platycodon, Pyrethrum, Salvia pratensis, Stdalcea, and Stachys coccinea. Now, while Coreop- sis lanceolata it sown early in spring will bloom here towards fall, lam informed that in Vermont it will not bloom at all the first year from seed. And the same is true of many other perennials, There are many kinds of perennials that I have never known to bloom the first year from seed. These include Aguilegia, Anthericum, Arabis alpina, Asclepias tuberosa, Astrantia, Baptisia, Betonica, Bocconia, Buthalmum, Callirhoé, Chieranthus alpinus, Erysimum rupestre, Globularia, Lathyrus latifolius, Tris, Lilium, Genothera Missouriensis, Orobus vernus, Statice latifolia, Tritoma and Veronica longifolia. Perennials that bloom in spring, for instance Crocus, Scilla Stbirica, Trillium and Sanguinaria (all of these self-sow them- selves abundantly), seldom bloom the first year from seed ; but we have an exception in the case of Anemone coronaria, On the other hand, perennials that bloom in fall, if sown early often bloom the same year—for instance, Hollyhocks, Flyacin- thus candicans, and Montbrietia crocosmieflora (not quite hardy). Many perennials, when once established, self-sow themselves abundantly, Among these are Delphinium, Coreopsis, Gaura Lindheimeri, Salvia farinacea, Dianthus and Digitalis. Of these, Foxgloves make good perennials with me in sandy land, but in clay soil | have never found them to be satisfactory other than as biennials. Sweet Williams often live over as perennial, butin all cases I have had the best success with them as biennials. And the same is true of Lychuis grandifiora, L. Sulgens, L, Senno, and the many varieties of ZL. Haageana. While many of the commoner Pentstemons, as P. ovatus, P. diffusus and LP. pulchellus, self-sow themselves with great free- dom, the finer species, as P. Eatont, P. Palmeri and SP Coéea, have never, under my care, produced any self-sown plants. But at Woolson’s, at Passaic, I have seen numbers of self-sown plants of P. gx andiflor ws. While P. diffusus, P. ovatus. and P. levigatus make pretty good perennials, I always have had most success with the other species when they were treated as gs eee The seed should be sown as soon as ripe. Many perennials germinate as readily as doannuals. Among these are Anthemis, Aguilegia, Ar abis, Armeria, Chrysanthe- mum, Conoclinium, Delphinium, Dianthus, Digitalis, Lupator- ium, Gypsophila, [beris, Iris, Lobelia, Lychnis, Malva, Pentste- mon, Primula, Sedum, Sempervivum, Thalictrum, Thymus, Tri- toma, Viola and many others. But all the species of these genera do not germinate with equal facility—for instance, while Pentstemon ovatus comes up thickly and in about nine days, P. cobea never comes up a full crop nor regularly. And the freshness of the seed has a great deal to do with its germina- tion. I have never succeeded in raising plants of Dicfamnus, Primula Faponica or P. rosea from seed ayear old. Seeds of leguminous plants, especially of Zher mopsis and Baptisia, even if the seed is fresh, germinate very irregularly. I have had a fair crop come up w vithin a month after sowing, and the balance of the seed lie in the ground for a year and then grow. While Lilium tenutfolium and L. pulchellum will come upa full crop within a fortnight from sowing time, I have found that Z. auratum and L. superbum take several months before they germinate. Seeds of Clematis graveolens and C. tubulosa germinate readily in a few weeks, but the hybrids so common in our gardens take months. All hardy perennials, except such as we treatas annuals, had better be sown in late summer or fall ; in fact, as soon as the seed is ripe. By this means, in the case of seeds that ripen early and germinate readily, as Aguilegia, Aubrietia, Alyssum saxatile, and the like, we can have fine strong stock before winter sets in, and which will bloom nicely next year. In fact, in the case of mostall, except some Lilies, Clematises, Ponies, Hellebores, Globe Flowers, and Siberian Corydalis, which ifsown as soon as ripe do not germinate till the next spring, and Gen- tians and Composites that bloom late, we may reasonably Marcu 28, 1888.] Garden and Forest. ? ‘i fe We Li Nlaaeat eas Wave es dayitiQ wl \ eWeuilieiam i ANI 3 ali ili Vay WH itt rays se gate HANA CY Na an 2 ste aed wai hen ay ai i Mh one MMe a AMY garuett haa Nay he { \ 2 wptlliie — allay , : F ‘ . 250.00 Total value, . A . : . $2,750.00 BLotitaae : : ; : F n : : 1,482.00 60 The interest on annually paid expenses is supposed to be offset by increase in value of stump land. It is not to be supposed that proper protection and attention will not greatly increase the above profit. These figures rep- resent the present values, depreciated by the results of neg- lect, and the uncertainty and loss caused by fires. MONSIEUR Viette, the French Minister of Agriculture, by a recent decree has reduced the Forest School at Nancy toa subordinate branch of the National Agricultural Institute, an arrangement which not only destroys all independence in the management of the school, but compels its pupils to pass an examination in the theory and practice of agriculture—an un- necessary waste of time, it is claimed. This radical and apparently unwise measure calls forth a loud protest from all the friends of the forest administration in France, who see in it a serious blow to the efficiency both of the school and the management of the forests. This famous school was established by the French Government in 1827. In it have been trained the officers who have made French for- ests and French forestry what they are, and here have been educated a large part of the Englishmen who have so ably seconded Dr. Brandis and his successors in their Indian forest administration. Any official interference that will impair the value of the Nancy school is a misfortune which must be felt far beyond the limits of France, Recent Plant Portraits. Botanical Magazine, February. Amorphophallus virosus, t. 6978 ; a native of Siam. Celogyne Massangeana, ¢. 6979; a native of Assam and closely allied to the Bornean C. asfirata, which it resembles in its large showy flowers borne in drooping racemes a foot long. Salvia scapaformis, t. 6980 ; anative of Formosa, with rather small, clear blue flowers. Aloe Hilderbrandtii, ¢. 6981 ; a native of east tropical Africa. Oncidium Fonesianum, ¢. 6982; a native of Paraguay and considered by Sir Joseph Hooker “ by far the handsomest species of the small group to whichit belongs and of which the type may be considered to be the long-known OQ. Cedolleta otf the Spanish Main.” March. Vanda Sanderiana, ¢. 6983; a free flowering, showy species from the Philippine Islands. : Primula geranifolia, ¢. 6984; a neat species with small purple flowers, perfectly hardy at Kew. Mesembryanthemum Brownti, t. 6985. fleloniopsis Faponica, ¢. 6986; a dwarf, hardy, liliaceous plant, a native of Japan and Corea, with the habit of a large- flowered Sc7//a, and drooping, racemose, deep pink flowers. Onosma pyramidalis, ¢t. 6987; a native of the western Him- alayas, ‘ta very handsome plant, conspicuous for the bright scarlet of the flowers, which turn of a mauve-purple as they wither ;” not hardy at Kew. Massachusetts Horticultural Society. THE Spring Exhibition of this Society was held at Boston last week and was most successful in the abundance and qual- ity of the bulbous plants and flowers displayed, owing to the medals and special prizes offered to promote the cultivation of this class of plants. In form and color these flowers distinctly excelled the exhibits of former years. Cut blooms of Roses of all classes made another striking feature, and with them were a few well grown plants in bloom of the beautiful but scentless ‘Her Majesty.” Orchids were not so numerously shown as at some former exhibitions, although there were Some notable specimens in the collection. A fine Dendrobium nobtle, exhib- ited by Norton Brothers, showed more than 800 flowers. An Appleton medal was awarded to this vigorous plant. C. M. Atkinson, gardener of Mr. J. M. Gardner, contributed a Cat tleya intermedia with forty flowers, and W. A. Manda sent a Dendrochilum glumaceum with as many spikes. A few exam- ples of the late and rare Odontoglossum Pescatoria came from the collection of Mr. H. H. Hunniwell, as did a striking plant of Gloneria jasminiflora. The Heaths and Azaleas were especially good. Complaint was made of insufficient room for the proper display of contributions, but the plants and flowers were oy arranged, so far as the accommodations would permit. Garden and Forest. . is one of the most beautiful varieties. [Marcu 28, 1888, Flower Market. New York, Alarch 25d. The dullness in trade, and glut of cut flowers early this week, is almost unprecedented in the experience of Metropolitan florists. American Beauty Roses have been sold at 6 cts. each wholesale, and retailed for 25 cts. Jacqueminots were sold for 2 cts. wholesale. This, of course, was not for selected stock. Syringa, Mountain Laurel and Heath, growing in pots, are brought in for Easter novelties. _Rhodo- dendrons, Azaleas and Genesta of great beauty also appear. Plants of Mountain Laurel cost $3; Heath, from $2.50 to $5; Genesta, $2.50, and Rhododendrons, noticeably Cunningham’s White, are $4. Beauty of Waltham Roses have been added to the galaxy of hybrids ; they are $5 adozen. Fine La France Roses sell for that price, but this Rose daily declines in favor. Puritans have improved, and are very large and perfect. They cost 50 and 75 cts. each. Jacqueminots, selected, bring from $1 to $3 adozen. Hybrids sell from $3 to $5 a dozen, ac- cording to quality. Gardenias are in good demand at 25 cts. each. Narcissus poeticus is $2a dozen. Dutch Hyacinths cost from $1.25 to $1.50a dozen. Lilacs are $1.25 and $1.50 a bunch of the best stock. Neapolitan Violets are plentiful, and cost from 75 cts. to $1a hundred. ~ Marie Louise and White Violets sell for from $1 to $1.50 a hundred. Mignonette costs from $1.20 to $1.50a dozen spikes. Smilax is 4oand 50 cts. a string. Asparagus plumosus is $1 a string, and A, ¢enuissi- mus 75 cts. a string. There are few or no orders for designs for Easter offerings or memorial tokens for the altar. Boxes of cut bloom are preferred for gifts, and expressive arrangements of plants and flowers on the altar 27 memoriam will be the rule, PHILADELPHIA, March 23d. From one part of the city comes the report that the past two weeks has been the dullest known for many years. Happily this does not represent the state of the trade in general. The demand for flowers, though not excessive, has been satisfactory. Some very large, fine and highly-colored Magna Charta Roses are to be seen in the florists’ windows ; also a few exquisitely formed and tinted Captain Christys. It is surprising there are not more of the latter grown, for it certainly A seedling Rose of European origin is on trial in this city, which promises to be widely known if it can be grown generally as well as a specimen flower which was ex- hibited here a few daysago. Itis said to be a true Tea; but if the flower itself were seen without foliage no one would suspect a drop of Tea blood in it except perhaps from its color. It is rather a difficult tint to describe, reminding one—without an opportunity for close comparison—of Bourbon Queen. In form it is almost perfect, being cup-shaped, similar to Baroness Rothschild, opening regularly and full to the centre. It is very large, and altogether a remarkable Tea Rose. Tulips are in demand at $1 per dozen, as also are Lilies-of-the- Valley, and Daffodils at same price. Extra fine Mignonette sells at $3 per dozen. This comes from Summit, N. J. Primula obconica is ot- fered in limited quantities at 75 cts. per dozen. This is quite new here as a cut flower. Smilax has become scarce. other cities will have to be obtained for Easter. Orchids are grown in very limited quantities in this city. The stock carried by the leading florists is obtained from New York and Boston. Of Roses, Md. Gabriel Luizet sells from $6 to $9 per dozen; Captain Christy and Magna Charta, $4 to $6 per dozen; Mrs. John Laing, $4 per dozen. Heath, per dozen sprays, $3. Jacqueminots are good, and sell from $3 to $5 per dozen. American Beauties are improving in quality, and are not displaced by the hybrid Remontants, as was predicted would be the case at this season of the year. They sell at from $3 to $6 per dozen. Longer stems are being cut of the Beauty‘than can be cut with the Remontants. Fine Puritans are better than the best Mer- veille de Lyons just now. Spring flowers generally are very popular. A few bunches of Trailing Arbutus were noticed in some stores. It is a great favorite in this city. Boston, March 23d. The severe storm had a demoralizing effect on the cut flower trade here and the florists here have found it a rather dull time ever since. Prices have not changed much since last report, some varieties being quoted at a slight reduction. By the time this report appears it is pro- bable that Easter prices will be more acceptable than those of the pre- sent moment. Lilies of various kinds will be fairly abundant and quality will be of the best. Harris’s Lilies and ‘* Longiflorums” will cost from $5.00 to $6.00 per dozen on long stems, Ascension Lilies (Z. cazdi- dum), from $2.00 to $3.00 per dozen. The price of Lilies-of-the-Val- ley, Tulips, Narcissus and similar flowers will increase but little, from $1.00 to $1.50per dozen being the price now asked in advance. las have been blooming very heavily and the prospect is not encour- aging for a large supply. Florists are now asking $6.00 per doz. for Easter delivery. In roses there will be a magnificent supply. Some of the best growers of Jacqueminots and other hybrids have timed their houses to bring the height of the crop in at Easter, and there will be no lack of good material for Rose fanciers to selectfrom. Those who are regardless of expense will find fancy varieties as high as $10.00 to $12.00 per dozen while more modest customers can get Bon Silene, Safrano, Niphetos and other fragrant and pretty kinds for $1.00 to $1.50 per dozen. Large Ferns, Massive Palm foliage, Laurel, Smilax and other greens will be used largely for decorative purposes. The usual supply of Marguerites, Mignonette, Carnations, Forget-me-nots, Pansies, Violets, etc., for mixing with assortments of cut flowers, will be offered in abundance. CalSa Cee’ ear ae for, ee A supply from || APRIL 4, 1888.] GARDEN AND FOREST. PUBLISHED WEEKLY BY THE GARDEN AND FOREST PUBLISHING CO. [LIMITED.] OrrFice: TripuNE Burtpinc, New York. Gonductedi bya vers sits) ys) i eos Professor C. S. SARGENT. ENTERED AS SECOND-CLASS MATTER AT THE POST OFFICE AT NEW YORK, N. Y. NEW YORK, WEDNESDAY, APRIL 4, 1888. TABLE OF CONTENTS. PAGE. EpiroriaL_ ARTICLES :—Trees for Planting in America.—Rainfall on the Great Plains.—The Study of Botany by Horticulturists.—The Pink-flowered TD) OS WOO Cs esiacass oie eictefuicieieieeisiie's <'9/inie's ale ais-a's'p'sfo's ais''sis sinreia'sieisleisia iis caieipiaje 61 Weandscape Gardening, Viscccss- csc vcseecaud Mrs. Schuyler Van Rensselaer. 63 Anglomania in Park Making.......... Charles Eliot. 64 Conifers and their Cultivation......... s.se++Charles A. Dana. 64 Wanted—A Hand-book of Horticultur Professor Wolcott Gibbs. 65 Phlox adsurgens (with illustration)............0-s.020 eeeee Sereno Watson. 66 NOt NiaavINOSa With INUSUAOM) ca cs sree acces atomielisle asi aeeisiete 5 5:0 GaSe Ss, 107 CutturaL Notes :—Epidendrum (Nanodes) Medusze—Ccelogyne cristata alba (hololeuca)—Sarcochilus (Thrixspermum) Berkeleyii—Bertolonia mar- morata—Rondeletia (Rogieria) gratissima—A maryllis Aulica—Phala- nopsis Sanderiana—Calanthes—Phalenopsis Harriettis—Freesias— Hydrangea. rosea— Chinese Primrose... «20 emer sicis ocesaeisececs vas soe 67 BIO BeOS see atteirs acre tes iorenreicecyeraisioei=: see's 49 §o%0 The Rev. Edward P. Roe. 69 Foliage With Cut Flowers...............-.++++.-..Professor W. W. Tracy. 69 CorRRESPONDENCE :—Boronia megastigma—White Pine in Massachusetts....... 70 Tue Forest :—The Forest Vegetation of Northern Mexico, I.....C. G. Pringle. 70 SI CeMOne ston tel 1s aerege raters wie eictetsla|etelstets cte,-iois ots Semaine a eeielo oaosiewe eisicks © 71 PATIGW.CESHIO GCOLLESPONGENtSs, sox.caine te cicjeisee crs aas'ss iain iaiese sive se eis sci, eSaccceee ss 71 Recent Pusrications :—A Catalogue of Niagara Plants..........-ceeseeeeeuee 72 Tue Frower Market :—New York, Philadelphia, Boston..............-.0.00-5 72 IGUSTRA TIONS En lOxtAUSUreeNs; Pa Pe crated as. cis cists visteks as srateie'sisies 3.48.5 efeielera 66 : IBN OUNIAWHIOSay PIPE I2ise a paceetedecnsaneeette’ Gcicueiedenstacceemeig es . 67 Trees for Planting in America. ANG this season of the year many persons who desire to beautify the surroundings of their homes by plant- ing, seek instruction with regard to the trees best adapted for their purpose. Instruction upon this subject, especial- ly in a country like the United States, of such varied climatic and social conditions, is difficult to give; sources of infor- mation are neither numerous nor very available. Planters are too often obliged to rely upon the advice of dealers and plant-peddlers in the selection of their trees. Such advice is often based upon imperfect knowledge, and nurserymen too frequently recommend the rarest and most high- priced trees or those most easily and therefore cheaply raised in nurseries, without regard to their fitness to the sit- -uation for which they are intended. People who would gladly plant trees become discouraged by the difficulty of learning what varieties they can use to the best advantage, or by the failures and disappointments which invariably _ follow errors of selection. There is, however, one safe rule in the choice of trees which all persons who are unfamiliar with the subject can safely follow. This rule is to plant only such varieties as they see growing and thriving naturally in the neighborhood of their homes. No teacher in such matters is so wise and so unprejudiced as the forest. The Elms and Maples taken from the adjacent swamps and hillsides, —many of them now more than a century and a half old— which grace the streets of some of the older towns or adorn the early homesteads of New England, and the Magnolias, Live Oaks and Water Oaks seen in the cities and plantations of the South, abundantly testify to the truth of this fact. These are the only really successful examples in America of tree-planting as tested by time. In England, too, it is the native Oaks and Elms and Beeches which give to the land its distinctive aspect, and to its homes their greatest dignity and beauty. Garden and Forest. 61 Fortunately, we are abundantly supplied with American trees. In the South, the great evergreen Magnolia, unsur- passed in beauty, the Live Oak, the Water Oak—one of the best of American street trees—the Laurel Oak, the Pecan, the Bays, and many other beautiful native trees, are available to the planter. And it is fortunate that he has been obliged to make use of this material by the fact that few foreign trees of large size will thrive in that climate. In the Pacific Coast States, on the other hand, the condi- tions which govern planting are different. There are com- paratively few native trees and these are confined chiefly to the mountains and the uninhabited portions of the country. The few which grow in the valleys are not in all cases or- namental, and are often difficult to cultivate. There are, however, exceptions. Some of the noble California Oaks surpass in stately beauty any exotic trees which are likely to flourish in that peculiar climate, and serious attempts to cultivate them should be made. And two California Coni- fers—the Monterey Cypress and the Monterey Pine (Pinus insigmis)—are already widely and successfully grown from Vancouvers Island to San Diego. Fortunately they are both beautiful representatives of their class. Yet California will doubtless always be obliged to depend somewhat upon other parts of the world for her materials for ornamental planting. The trees of the Eastern States do not flourish there, and it is not probable that those of either Europe or Eastern Asia will ever gain much foothold on California soil. It is to Australia and other dry coun- tries that California planters must look in the future, as they have in the past with such apparent success in the case of the Eucalyptus and of various Acacias. The settlers of the dry interior region of the continent have not yet found any tree as valuable as the native Cot- tonwood which fringes the river-banks of all that territory, to protect their farms and orchards and to supply them with fuel. It is, however, in the Eastern and Middle States that the greatest interest in ornamental planting has been felt, and that the greatest mistakes, arising from ignorance with regard to the true beauty and value of our native trees, have been made. It is in this part of the country that for- eign trees have been most generally introduced and culti- vated, to the serious injury of parks and homesteads. It is not easy to estimate the amount of this injury, or of the widespread discouragement which must be felt as trees carefully nurtured for a generation show themselves in- capable of reaching maturity in our climate. We should have escaped much disappointment if, thirty years ago, our parks and gardens had been planted with native trees instead of the Spruces, Oaks, Ashes, Maples, Pines and other trees of Europe. These trees have been and still are largely planted in this country. They grow rapidly fora few years and are more easily raised in nurseries than many American trees, and are therefore favorites with dealers; but it is now evidentethat their general introduc- tion was based upon very insufficient knowledge and that their cultivation here has proved a failure. There are, of course, exceptions. The English Elm has grown successfully in New England for a century; the White Willow is now as much at home in Eastern America as in Europe, and the Norway Maple almost equals here in beauty and vigor some of its American congeners. But, in general, planters in the Eastern and Middle States can do better than depend upon the forests of Europe for their trees. There are not less than a hundred and thirty na- tive trees found in this region, or among the Alleghany Mountains where elevation produces a climate similar to that of more northern regions. ; The Silva of no other part of the world is more rich in trees of ornamental value. Its Magnolias, Oaks, Hickories, Walnuts, Maples, Elms and Ashes, its Tupelo, its stately Tulip Tree, its great Rhododendron and Mountain Laurel, its Birches and Lindens, its Coffee Tree, Sour-wood and Sassafras, its Beech — the loveliest of our deciduous trees in winter, and in early spring when its leaf-buds are bursting 62 —its Chestnut, Yellow-wood and Wild Cherry, its Catalpas, its Persimmon and Silver-bell Tree, its Flowering Dog- wood and Fringe Tree, its Liquidambar, Hackberry and Sumachs—among these is surely material enough to sat- isfy the planter of deciduous trees, however great may be his love of variety. And among coniferous trees there is none more picturesque in youth or more stately in maturity than our northern White Pine, none more grace- ful and dignified than our Hemlock. Eastern Asia has given us the Ailanthus, the Pawlonia, the Flowering Apples, the Yulan Magnolias, the Gingko and the Mulberry, which are already perfectly at home here; and the similarity in climate and vegetation between that part of the world and our own, leads us to believe that many other Asiatic trees will permanently thrive with us. In addition to those mentioned, many young Japanese trees—especially Conifers—now help to beautify ourgardens. But it must not be forgotten that we know no more about the behavior of these trees, as they approach maturity here, than we did of the Norway Spruce, the Scotch Pine and the English Oak when they were supposed to be the most valuable orna- mental trees for planting in this country. And this is true also of the Rocky Mountain Conifers, now so largely planted at the East, and of all the exotic trees which have been introduced into California. Therefore, planters who are wise will confine themselves to native trees until ar- boreta and other experimental stations can definitely teach us which foreign trees can be safely admitted into American plantations. Rainfall on the Great Plains. HE future of the Great Plains, as the vast elevated re- gion between the 98th parallel of latitude and the eastern base of the Rocky Mountains is generally called, is a matter of much importance to the American people. The question whether this region is to remain always a quasi-desert, the barren feeding-ground of a few half- starved cattle, or is to become the home of a large and prosperous agricultural population, involves serious politi- cal and commercial interests. The rainfall is light and very unequally distributed. Moisture is insufficient to insure the growth of trees except along ihe immediate banks of the infrequent streams. Agriculture is precarious. The scarcity of rain is due to the remoteness of the region from any great body of water. It is effectually cut off from the Pacific by numer- ous lofty mountain ranges, and its only water supply comes from clouds charged with moisture from the Gulf of Mexico —moisture which they have pretty thoroughly lost before they reach the interior of the continent. Here are condi- tions which no action of man can influence. It is, how- ever, the apparent belief of many persons—especially those more or less directly interested in the develop- ment and prosperity of the States and Territories in question—that the rainfall has materially increased since the advent of white settlers, and that this change is due to the trees which they have planted and to the breaking of the soil. That is to say, it is believed that small and for the most part widely scattered groves and belts of young trees—for the largest single plantation of trees in all the West does not exceed 650 acres in extent—and the ploughing up of a little land here and there, have been sufficient in a quarter of a century to alter continental climatic conditions. The fact that several men of political and commercial position have recently undertaken to discuss the general question of the settlement of the Plains, has brought it again to public notice. It is an undoubted fact that in the past few years settlers have obtained a foothold consid- erably nearer to the eastern base of the Rocky Mountains than it was once supposed that crops could be raised with- out artificial irrigation. Mr. Henry Gannett of the United States Geological Survey in an authoritative article printed Garden and Forest. [Arrin 4, 1888. in a recent issue of Science, shows, however, pretty con- clusively that it is not an increase of rainfall that has modi- fied agricultural conditions on the Great Plains, even if any such modification has really taken place. He has ex- amined the rainfall records kept at twenty-six stations in Kansas, Nebraska, Colorado, Wyoming and Dakota, for periods ranging fromsix yearsto twenty-eight; the longest being that kept at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. The stations are widely scattered from east to west in both the settled and the unsettled portions of this region. Mr. Gannett di- vides the results of these observations into two equal terms of years and adds the yearly rainfalls of each term sepa- rately. If settlement has increased the rainfall, the record for the years embraced in his second term should show the fact. The aggregate rainfall at all the stations during the period when the records were kept was in the first term of years 4,408 inches, and in the second term 4,468 inches, showing that there had been an apparent increase of 60 inches in the total rainfall, at all the stations, in a total of 310 years ; or that o.4 of an inch more rain fell in each year of the second than in each year of the first term—an increase which could not have made any perceptible dif- ference in the agriculture of the region. There is, however, no doubt, as Mr. Gannett suggests, that cultivation adds to the value of the rainfall. The sur- face of the Plains is naturally bare, compact, and but slightly protected by a covering of grasses. freely from such a surface and a large portion of the rain- fall finds its way into the streams without permeating the soil. When the ground is broken up by the plough much more moisture is retained. The quantity thus retained in- creases from year to year, and the sub-soil becomes in time a reservoir from which the surface-soil draws moisture in times of drought. This is probably the true explanation of the fact that crops have matured on the Plains with a sum- mer rainfall of only ten inches. But it must not be forgot- ten that the settlement of the Plains has been attended with great expense and with terrible suffering and loss of life ; that in a region of such scanty and precarious rainfall any decrease in the amount during a single year must be attended with serious losses ; that three or foursucceeding years of drought must mean utter ruin to the farmer ; and that the records long kept in other parts of the country show that such small variations are sure to occur with fre- quency. The Study of Botany by Horticulturists. N three occasions after the late Professor Gray had given up the duties of college instruction, he was induced by the members of a Summer Course in Botany to deliver a few informal lectures. One of these, which can never be forgotten by the class in attendance, began in these words : “You know the old and homely adage that ‘one-half of ‘‘the world does not know how the other half lives.’ I ‘‘may say that far more than one-half, even of intelligent ‘‘people, do not know how they live themselves; they ‘‘have only the dimmest and most vague notion of those ‘arrangements in Nature, based on the vegetable creation, ‘upon which their very living depends. And even if ‘‘aware, in a general way, that plants nourish and support ‘all animals, they do not know how it is done, nor have ‘they the least idea of the beautiful harmonies that ‘run through all plants, connecting one with another ‘‘into a system, a symmetrical whole, a vegetable king- ‘dome, Happily this censure is becoming less deserved than when these words were uttered. In our community there is an increasing interest in plants and in the laws which govern their growth and development. Much of this in- terest is due to the attractive manner in which Dr. Gray’s educational works have placed before the American public the general principles of vegetable structure and life. And it is encouraging to observe that this interest appears to be +70 Gia Water flows _ ICS Te I APRIL 4, 1888.] gaining ground not only among those who have abundant leisure for the examination of plants, but also among that large class to whom plants and flowers mean a livelihood. These latter having the requisite skill to turn their floral treasures to good account may sometimes plead their lack of time as an excuse for neglecting the study of the prin- ciples which underlie their practice. And, furthermore, it seems a formidable task to turn over the dry leaves of a text-book, when one has been working with fresh flowers all day, or has been planning picturesque landscapes with shrubs and trees and water. In some countries a thorough study of the elements of _ botany is an essential part of the apprenticeship of an ac- complished gardener, and such knowledge saves its pos- sessor from many an error of judgment. Such acquisition is by no means so formidable a task as would at first appear, since a host of interesting and instructive elemen- tary works is now easily accessible. For one without a teacher, the task is not wholly free from difficulties, but none of these difficulties need be dis- heartening. A plain course designed to place any intel- ligent young person in possession of the more important facts. and essential principles of elementary botany, might well begin with a thorough study of some such - workas that noticedin our first number (Gray’s ‘‘ Elements of Botany”), and with the ‘‘Field and Forest Botany,” by the same author. Let each point be illustrated from the living plants at hand, and let the main design of the two books be carried out fully—namely, to understand the plan of eacn flower, and to learn its relations to others. The mere ascertaining of the name of a plant in a convenient hand- book is an easy matter, but if the easy work is well done, it brings out clearly many important features which might otherwise be overlooked. The study of the two books just mentioned ought to be supplemented by the collection and drying of such wild and cultivated plants as fall in one’s way, making capital material for further study in the winter. In the ‘“‘ Elements,” Professor Gray has given full directions for collecting and studying such specimens. In the second season, the work should be somewhat wider in its range. Withthe ‘‘Elements” still asa guide, or sort of grammar, the student will begin to collect plants as before, but he will need some more comprehensive treatise, like the ‘‘Manual of Botany,” for the determination of the wild plants collected; and now may be undertaken also the perusal of some volume like Bessey’s “ Botany,” which will give much information regarding other plants than those which bear flowers. And, if possible, the student should now attempt to examine the minute structure or microscopic anatomy of the plants with which he deals. Either the ‘‘ Manual of Plant Dissection,” by Arthur, Barnes and Coulter, or the “ Practical Botany,” by Bower and Vines, will serve this purpose fully. The former is rather better for most of our American students, whose time is limited. Within tne last year we have become acquainted with one young man who undertook a course similar in some _respects to that here indicated, and the course had been ‘successfully prosecuted under considerable difficulties. To that young man, the plants of his trade mean more than they have ever done before. Can it be thought that his skill in managing plants will be any the less for what he has learned regarding their life and peculiarities of struc- ture? For collateral reading while one is pursuing such a practical course as is here indicated, the following works are recommended: Le Maout and Decaisne’s ‘‘System of Botany,” ‘“‘The Treasury of Botany;” works of travel, like Wallace’s ‘‘Tropical Nature,” Hooker's ‘‘ Himalaya,” Ball’s “Marocco,” Bate’s ‘‘Naturalist on the Amazon,” and the like. And, also, the charming and ever instructive works of Darwin, such as ‘‘The Power of Movement in Plants,” “The Fertilization of Orchids,” etc. From the wealth of interesting botanical reading, now brought within the reach of most horticulturists by means of the public libraries, it is easy to select trustworthy teachings, from which Garden and Forest. 63 those who get their living from plants may know in the fullest sense how the plants themselves live. In horticulture—as, we are told, was the case in all other departments of human activity even so early as the time of the wise king of Israel—the novelties of to-day are apt to be merely the forgotten novelties of the past. A flowering Dogwood with pink bracts is now much talked of by nurserymen as something entirely new. But old Mark Catesby, a century and a half ago, found ‘one of these Dogwood trees with flowers of a rose-color ; ” and the tree having ‘luckily been blown down and many of its branches taking root,” he was able ‘‘to transplant this variety into a garden.” This garden was in Virginia where Catesby lived for a time, and a colored plate showing the pink-flowered Dogwood appeared in his work on the natural history of Virginia, Carolina and Florida, which was published in 1731 after his return to England. Landscape Gardening—VI. N my preceding chapters I tried to explain the points of likeness and unlikeness that exist between landscape gardening and the pursuits to which we more usually give the name of Fine Arts. The explanation has been not only brief but fragmentary ; but it will have fulfilled my purpose if it has shown with any degree of clearness that landscape gardening too should be called a Fine Art. It remains now to ask, When and where do we need to exercise this art? The answer must be, Whenever and wherever we touch the surface of the ground and the plants it bears with any wish to produce an organized re- sult that shall be agreeable to the eye. We must not be misled by the over-precision of our accustomed terms into thinking that art is needed only for the production of broad landscape effects. It is needed whenever we do more than merely grow plants for the sake of their beauty as isolated individuals. It matters not whether we wish to arrange a great park or a small city square, a large estate or a modest door-yard—we must go about the work in an artistic spirit if we want a good result. Two trees and six shrubs and a scrap of lawn and a dozen flowering plants may form either a beautiful little picture or a huddled little mass of greenery and colors. If it is the first, it will give us the truly aesthetic satisfaction we get from a good landscape painting—indeed, it will give us more than this, for the painted picture never varies, while the living one will reveal new beauties day by day with the changing seasons, hour by hour with the shifting shadows. If it is the second, it will please us only by the beauty of certain scattered de- tails; and even these details will be intrinsically less delightful than had they formed part of an agreeable general effect. A good composition has been defined by Ruskin as one in which every detail helps the general beauty of effect ; but it may also be defined, conversely, as one in which the general arrangement brings out the high- est beauty of each detail. The most cursory examination of any American town or summer colony of villas will show how deficient we are in artistic feeling when we deal with natural objects. The surroundings of our homes have improved by no means as rapidly as the homes themselves. Even in these we are far enough from having reached a general average of ex- cellence. But we are on the right road, I think, towards its attainment, We have learned certain architectural truths, and we respect them theoretically, even though we may often err in their application. We do not expect to build a good house without an architect to help us ; we do not expect him to begin without having a clear idea of the kind of house we want—of the special site it must occupy, the special needs it must fulfil, the special tastes it must meet; we are not content if he designs it by throwing to- gether a number of pretty features without regard to shhar- mony of effect; nor do we buy our furniture bit by bit as 04 passing whims dictate, and pile it casually about in our various rooms. At least there are not so many of us who do these things to-day as there were ten years ago; and all of us are well aware that they ought not to be done, Yet they are just the things which almost every-one does outside his home. If he has “no taste for nature” him- self, he puts his grounds into the hands of a gardener with- out inquiring whether he has any qualifications beyond a knowledge of how to make plants flourish. And if he has such a taste himself, it means, in a vast majority of cases, a mere love for being out-of-doors, for planting things, and for watching them grow. At the most, it is apt to mean no more than a taste for nature’s individual productions— a love for trees, an interest in shrubs, a passion for flowers, orall these three together. The cases are very rare in which it means a taste at all analogous to what we understand by a taste for art; that is, an appreciation of organized beauty—of the beauty of contrasting yet harmonious lines and colors and masses of light and shade, of intelligent de- sign, of details subordinated to a coherent general effect. Yet it is only such an appreciation as this which means a real taste for nature’s beauty and which can make the sur- roundings of our homes really beautiful. Of course, in this, as in every art, the ‘‘collector” has not only a right to exist, but an important réle to play ; but his is not the proper rdle to play when the adornment of one’s home is the chief desire. When this is our desire, it is of far less importance what we have than how we have it. The quality of our plants is far more important than their quantity—and by quality is implied not rarity, nor even perfection of development, so much as fitness to the special places they hold in whatever general scheme may have been adopted. Composition, grouping, is the first great essential, even in a yard so small that shrubs must take the place of trees. M G. van Rensselaer. Anglomania in Park Making. Witkin the area of the United States we have many types of scenery and many climates, but in designing the sur- roundings of dwellings, in working upon the landscape, we too often take no account of these facts. On the rocky coast of Maine each summer sees money worse than wasted in en- deavoring to make Newport lawns on ground which naturally bears countless lichen-covered rocks, dwarf Pines and Spruces, and thickets of Sweet-fern, Bayberry and Wild Rose. The owners of this particular type of country spend thousands in destroying its natural beauty, with the intention of attaining to a foreign beauty, which, in point of fact, is unattainable in anything like pertection by reason of the shallow soil and frequent droughts. I know too many of these unhappy ‘lawns.” Ledges too large to be buried or blasted protrude here and there. They are bare and bleached now, though they were once half smoth- ered in all manner of mixed shrubbery; the grass is brown and poor wherever the underlying rock is near the surface,— all is ugliness where once was only beauty. Moreover, if the lawn were perfect and “ truly English,” how would it harmonize with the Pitch-Pines and Scrub-Birches and dwarf Junipers which clothe the lands around? No. The English park, with its great trees and velvet turf, is supremely beautiful in England, where it is simply the natural scenery perfected ; but save in those favored parts of North America where the natural conditions are approximately those of the Old Country, the beauty of it cannot be had and should not be attempted. To be sure, the countries of the continent of Europe all have their so-called English parks, but the best of these possess little or none of the real English character and charm. The really beautiful parks of Europe are those which have a char- acter of their own, derived from their own conditions of cli- mate andscene. The parks of Paulovsk, near St. Petersburg, of Muskau, in Silesia, of the Villa Thuret, on the Cape of Antibes in the Mediterranean, are none of them English, ex- cept as England was the mother of the natural as distinguished from the architectural in gardening. The Thuret park, if I may cite an illustration of my meaning, is a wonderland of crowded vegetation, of ways deep, shaded by rich and count- less evergreens, of steep open slopes aglow with bright Ane- mones. Between high masses of Eucalyptus and Acacia are Garden and Forest. - [APRIL 4, 1888. had glimpses of the sea and of the purple foothills and the gleaming snowpeaks of the Maritime Alps. In the thickets are Laurels, Pittosporums, Gardenias, etc., from the ends of the earth ; but Ilex, Phillyrea and Oleander are natives of the country, and Myrtle and Pistacia are the common shrubs of the sea-shore, so that the foreigners are only additions to an original wealth of evergreens. The garden also has its Palms of many species, with Cycads, Yuccas, Aloes and the like; but the Agaves are common hedge plants of the country, and strange Euphorbias grow everywhere about; moreover, the more monstrous of these creatures are given a space apart from the main garden, so that they may not disturb the quiet of the scene. M. Thuret saved the Olives and the Ilexes of the original hillside. He did not try to imitate the gardening of another and different country or climate, but simply worked to enhance the beauty natural to the region of his choice. At the other end of Europe all this is equally true of Pau- lovsk. Here, at the edge of the wet and dismal plain on which St. Petersburg is built, is a stretch of upland naturally almost featureless, but which, thanks to a careful helping of nature, is now the most interesting and beautiful bit of scenery the neighborhood of the Tsar’s capital can show. A consid- erable brook, in falling from the plateau to the plain, has worn in the gravel of the country a crooked and steep-sided valley, and this, the only natural advantage of the park-site, with its banks darkly wooded and the stream shining out now and then in the bottom, is the chief beauty of the completed park. The dead level of the plateau itself is broken up into irregu- lar strips and spaces given to water, meadow, shrubland or woodland,—a pleasing intricacy. The grass is only roughly cut, the edges of the waterways are unkempt, the woods are often carelessly beset with Cornus, Caragana or Siberian Spireea. In the woods are only hardy and appropriate trees—Oaks, Al- ders, Poplars, Pines and the like,—few trees are handsome enough to stand alone, but there are Spruces, pushing up through Scarlet Oaks, and White Birches set off against dark Firs and Prostrate Junipers spreading about Birch-clumps, and no end to the variety of similar thoroughly native and appro- priate beauties. Here is no futile striving after the loveliness of England or any other foreign land; no attempting the beauty of a mountain country or a rocky country or a warm country or any other country than just this country which lies about St. Petersburg; here also is no planting of incon- gruous specimens and no out-of-place flower-bedding. The park of Muskau teaches the same lesson, and under conditions closely resembling those of our Middle States. In- deed, American trees, shrubs and herbaceous plants are very numerous in this noble park; the Tulip-tree, Magnolia, Wild Cherry, Witch Hazel, Withe-rod, Bush Honeysuckle, Golden Rods and Asters are harmonized with native plants on every hand. It would be next to impossible to find an American park in which these things have been planted as freely. Our country has her Russias, her Silesias, her Rivieras ; and many types of scenery which are all her own besides. Are we to attempt to bring all to the English smoothness? Rather let us try to perfect each type in its own place. Boston. Charles Eliot. Conifers and their Cultivation. | eh is a point of theory that it is not safe to manure the land in which Conifers are planted, so that there will be any danger of bringing the fertilizer into direct contact with the roots; at the same time, I can affirm from the experience of many years, that every variety of this great and beautiful class of trees will prosper in a rich soil better than ina poor one, and in a soil that is moderately moist better than in one that is naturally arid. Yet it is true that when both coniferous and deciduous trees are planted in a very poor and dry soil the Conifers will be likely to do rather better than the others. Most gardeners and cultivators of Conifers cherish the old English superstition that the great thing about a coniferous tree is its leader, the top shoot, which points directly upward and leads in the growth of the tree. If by any accident this shoot is broken off, they regard the plant as ruined ; and if by accident, instead of one leader, there come to be two, the situation, in the opinion of these cultivators, is monstrous and without remedy. But, after many years’ constant study and cultivation of Conifers of every kind—American, European, Asiatic—I am prepared to maintain that this superstition is even more absurd than the general run of such cranky creations of the human mind. There is no description of tree which stands the use of the pruning-knife better than the Conifer; and there is no part of a Conifer which TO re ct ee Og ee) eR ae Se a APRIL 4, 1888.] can more safely be cut off and thrown away than the leader. In fact, in the production of a perfectly symmetrical coni- ferous tree the first principle is the repeated extirpation of the leader. By removing it you throw the strength of the tree into the lower branches, and cause them to grow full, vigor- ous and beautiful. You need have no fear about the upward development of the plant. Nature will always provide a leader for it; and if you cut it off to-day, a new shoot will be there to -take its place to-morrow. Some of the most beautiful Coni- fers that I have seen in the famous collections of England have been those whose leaders, notwithstanding all the care of the gardeners, have been broken off by storms, and whose gen- eral symmetry and vigor have been promoted in consequence. My practice in the treatment of these plants is to apply the pruning-knife constantly, though, of course, with judgment, and especially to keep down the leader. Nothing is more necessary, however, than that the drainage of the spot where a Conifer is planted should be complete and unobstructed. A marshy spot, a stiff clay soil, or an impene- trable hard-pan near the surface, are all to be sedulously avoided. Every traveler who was in England thirty years ago will remember with delight the beautiful Douglas Firs near the nursery of Mr. James Veitch at Combe Wood. But a few years later they began to decline, and when I looked for them in 1886 they were gone. A dense hard-pan a few feet below the surface had done the business. If my advice were asked respecting the sorts of Conifers which, for purposes of beauty and decoration, it is most ad- vantageous to cultivate, the reply would be very much influ- enced by the facts of soil, climate, moisture and shelter from strong winds in the place designed for planting. No Conifers should be set out where they are subject to violent gales. They require shelter more than most kinds of deciduous trees. Our American White Pine especially illustrates the truth of this pro- position, and so do the Canadian Hemlock and the Hemlocks of the Western coast (7suga Mertensiana and JT, Pattoniana). The beautiful Japanese Hemlock (7. Szeboldiana) seems to stand the wind much better than either of its relatives. The Scotch Pine I am not able to praise in any respect except for its occasional transitory beauty, but the Austrian Pine, on the other hand, may be planted with confidence in its future form, _ color and duration, and especially in its power of resisting the ~ wind; and on Long Island Ihave found it very useful as an outer shelter to protect more delicate kinds of plants against the gales. But this isa question of locality. At Castle Kennedy, in south-western Scotland—the most charming and enviable country-seat in the United Kingdom—they use for this purpose the exquisite and tender Pinus insignis of Southern California, which cannot be grown at all in our climate. Next to the White Pine, the Canadian Hemlock and our com- mon Juniper ( fuiperus Virginiana), 1 have found the Red Pine (P. resinosa), the White Spruce (Picea alba), the Rocky Mountain tree formerly described as Menzies Spruce (P. pungens), and that beautiful Fir of the Rocky Mountains (Adzes concolor), the most useful. With our Balsam Fir I have never been able to do much, because it needs more moisture than can be found any- where except ‘in a mountain elevation. Pizus rigida and P. inops I cultivate as a matter of interest, but without looking to them for any remarkable effects of beauty. The admirable long-leaved Pines of California and of the South are alike unavailable. When we pass from the Conifers of our own hemisphere to those of Europe and Asia our resources are immensely en- larged. Among the most beautiful of these acquisitions the _Retinosporas are to be classed as of the very first value. Simi- lar to the Thuyas, they are more varied, more graceful and more lasting. Ina soil of moderate moisture and in a year of reasonable rainfall, their growth and their color are lovely be- yond description. Of the other Japanese Conifers Adzes brachyphylla and the Picea polita seem to me the most valua- ble, while Adzes firma should by all means be avoided on account of its irregular and shabby growth and its constant suffering from unfavorable weather both in winter and sum- mer. A. folita is of exceedingly slow growth, but it stands every sort of climate, and when it is in perfect condition its color is delightful. 2. Orientalis is also a treasure. The Japanese Yew (Zaxus cuspidata) is beautiful and hardy even ina severe climate, but its slow growth removes it from the category of plants for general and popular planting. The Cryptomerias are graceful and beautiful trees, and they grow rapidly, but they are not tough enough for our climate. C. elegans does not last out the winter, but C. Fafonica will live with us, and I have seenit7o feet tallon highland. Yetthe frosts play the mischief with the lower branches, and it is no longer the fascinating plant whose charms bewilder every be- Garden and Forest. 65 holder. The Glypéostrobus. Sinensis is much more available. Grafted on our ordinary southern Cypress (Zaxodium dis- tichum) it gains a height of 4o feet, and its slender, conical head and long, drooping foliage make it a most agreeable object. 7 [have had very fairluck with Yews and Cedars. With a very slight protection in the winter the Deodar flourishes in all its graceful beauty ; but the Lebanon and the Atlantic are both of much slower growth and less graceful habit. The Atlantic, which comes from the mountains of Morocco, is much more hardy than the Cedar of Lebanon, though the latitude of the two regions is about equal. Finally I have one piece of advice for the young planter, whether his purpose be esthetic beauty or material profit ; and thatis, never to planta Norway Spruce. One of the great misfor- tunes that have happened to the gardens and pleasure-grounds of our Northern States, is the introduction of this ugly and use- less tree, which is never beautiful except in its old age; and even this beauty is so rare an accident that it forms an excep- tion which no one can count upon beforehand. Dosoris, March rsth. C. A. Dana. * Wanted—A Hand-book of Horticulture. HE number of manuals of horticulture in the English language is certainly very large, and yet it is not saying too much to assert that a really satisfactory work has yet to be written. An amateur wishing tor useful information upon any point has usually to consult two, three or even more works before he can find all that he desires to know. The want of thoroughness in English works is familiar to all who use them, and by English works we do not mean only those which are pub- lishedin England. Fortunately there is an excellent French work —the well known ‘Fleurs de Pleine Terre” of Vilmorin-Andrieux —which comes very near to the ideal treatise and is to be found in every good horticultural library. The third edition of this work was published without date upon the title page, but we believe about the year 1880. In 1884 a supplement appeared containing valuable additions, but still, as regards complete- ness, the work leaves something to be wished. What is in it is usually admirable and always to be depended upon, but the work is somewhat behind the times. The arrangement is alphabetical, the figures excellent, and the descriptions, as a rule, sufficient. In addition, however, to figures and descrip- tions, the work contains a rare amount of information upon horticultural topics generally most useful, and hard to find elsewhere. Thus, among other things very fully treated, we have a special list of seeds which may be planted in Septem- ber; a selection of annuals and biennials; a selection of hardy plants ; a selection of bulbous plants ; a selection of plants for borders; a list of plants proper for carpet beds ; a selection of climbers; a selection of fragrant plants, with a supplementary list of plants with fragrant stems and leaves ; a selection of plants with ornamental fruits; a choice of plants with ornamental leaves in great variety and detail; a selection of hardy Ferns ; a selection of aquatic plants, including several subdivisions, as, for instance, floating plants, submerged plants, half emergent plants, etc.; plants for rockeries ; a list of plants growing in the shade; a selection of picturesque plants for lawns, and another of green-house plants which can be used for the open ground in summer; a list of plants for bouquets ; a calendar of the seasons at which different plants flower ; details of the arrangement of gardens, etc., etc. The recent edition of Robinson’s ‘‘ English Garden” contains much valuable matter, and is deservedly a favorite in this country, but it is often very deficient in details and is not brought down to the date of its publication. German works on horticulture are very numerous, and it is hard to say which is the best, but here also the want of minute and careful detail is often keenly felt. It seems worth while to consider what ought to be required in a good manual. In the first place, the alphabetical arrange- ment is certainly the most convenient. Now—given a particu- lar plant—what the amateur and the educated florist wishes to know is, 1st.—the natural family, genus and species to which it belongs; its English or common name if it has one ; the Latin name and its synonyms; 2d.—the character of the plant, whether perennial, biennial or annual, whether hardy, half- hardy or tender; 3d.—the exact description of the plant itself, with an estimate—not the salesman’s estimate—of its precise horticultural value under appropriate conditions ; 4th.—the country in which it, or the species of which itisa variety, is found growing naturally, and especially the natural conditions of its healthy growth as regards soil, climate, exposure, dryness 66 or moisture, sunshine or shade; 5th.—the details of its suc- cessful culture, with the experience of prominent horticul- turists, given with thoroughness and critical knowledge; 6th.— any peculiarities which the plant may exhibit, bearing upon its reproduction, upon the probability of obtaining varieties from it by seed or by hybridization, with suggestions for trial ; and 7th.—the advantages and disadvantages which the plant offers to the amateur of limited means and limited knowledge. Allamateurs know that in the annual catalogues of florists the merits of a plant are always very strongly and not always very truthfully stated, while its demerits are passed over in silence. Yet these last may be and often are of much greater importance. Let us have the whole truth about every plant, and have it in detail. One bulb about which nothing is said but that it yields a brilliant flower, does yield such a flower, lasting for an hour ortwo only. Another much lauded plant requires such an amount of care and attention—such coddling and nursing—as to make its culture, to say the least, very un- desirable for most lovers of plants. A third blooms so late in the season, that in cool climates—upon the sea shore, for in- stance—it never yields a flower, or blooms only to be cut down by an untimely frost. Another requires a heavy covering of leaves in the autumn, to be removed ata certain time in the spring and with certain precautions. Now, what the amateur has to complain of is thatno one work gives all that he wishes to know before purchasing a particular shrub, bulb or package of seeds, so that he can at once tell whether it is advisable to attempt the culture of what seems in the salesman’s descrip- tion so attractive. During the last twenty years a great deal of valuable experience has been gained in regard to the culture of plants in the open ground, and a large number of new plants has been introduced. The volumes of the Gardener's Chron- ticle, Garden, Gartenflora, Revue Horticole, and other periodi- cals, contain an ample supply of material at least for the purely practical part of acomplete manual of horticulture. Some old books—Mrs. Loudin’s quarto volume on bulbs, for instance— are not yet out of date, and contain some very valuable infor- mation not to be found in more recent works or not with the same amount of detail. Why should we not have a work on plants for the open ground, which should be made up of a series of brief but complete and thorough monographs giving all that is known abouteach plant? Plants which require to be wintered in cold-frames or green-houses should of course be included, but green-house plants proper, vegetables and fruits, should be omitted, because all these require special treatises. We should still have a large and probably somewhat expensive work, but one which would replace a library of other treatises —but the names of the best plants and best varieties need be given and only the best authorities cited. Ornamental shrubs could be admitted into sucha work, butnot trees, properly speak- ing. Forthese there should be a special treatise written upon the same plan. Such a manual as is here proposed might be the work of a number of writers, each taking a particular class ot plants—a committee, for instance, of some prominent hor- ticultural society. Properly divided among various co-laborers, the work could be finished in a comparatively short time. Figures are not absolutely necessary, though often convenient and sometimes very desirable, but they would greatly increase the expense of the work if numerous. It is possible that a good translation of Vilmorin’s work, with the permission of the author, might serve as the basis of a new and greatly en- larged treatise. We want the experience of all the leading amateurs as well as of the professional gardeners, and we want a work which shall bea complete manual written in the highest scientific spirit, to be improved, added to, corrected and con- densed as new editions may be demanded. Newport, R,I. Wolcott Gibbs. Phlox adsurgens.* \ 1 OST of the eastern species of P#/o.x have long been favor- ites in the gardens both of this country and of Europe. The ease with which they are cultivated, the abundance and long continuance of their flowers, and the variety of their coloring will account sufficiently for this. The tall perennial species, with compact inflorescence, and in numerous varie- ties, the annual Drummond's Phlox, with its looser, profuse bloom of manifold colors, and the evergreen Moss Pink, cov- ering the soil in early spring with a carpet of flowers, are all equally well known. On the other hand, the species of the *P. ADSURGENS, Torr. in herb.; Gray, Proc. Am. Acad., viii. 256. Glabrous, with the slender peduncles and calyx glandular-pubescent; stems about a span hich, ascending trom a procumbent base ; leaves ovate or ovate-lanceolate, acute ; Co- rolla-tube more than twice the length of the short calyx, the segments of the rose- colored limb obovate and entire ; style elongated. Garden and Forest. [Aprit 4, 1888. Fig. 11.—Phlox adsurgens. western part of the continent are totally unknown as orna- ments of the garden. Most of them differ in habit from their eastern relatives, some being dwarf perennials, forming com- pact evergreen cushions, which in earliest spring are a mass of color, and the rest loosely tufted plants, with an open, rather few-flowered inflorescence. On the whole they do not promise to prove so valuable to the florist as are the eastern species, but skillful treatment may develop strains that will repay the trouble of trial. P. ava, which in the wild state varies greatly in color, P. adsurgens, and some of the cespitose species, are certainly not without merit. Nearly all have narrow, or linear, or small and awl-shaped leaves, the only one with broader leaves, like most of the east- ern species, being the one of which a figure is here given. This, P. adsurgens, is a rare species of the Cascade Mountains APRIL 4, 1888.] of Oregon, where it was first collected by Professor Alphonso Wood in 1866, It has since been found by Mr. Cusick and Mr. Howell, and also by Mr. V. Rattan in the mountains of north- western California, in Humboldt County, growing on high ridges in the Fir forests. Its characteristics are well shown in the figure, —, its slender, ascending stems, ovate leaves, open, graceful inflorescence and long-tubed corollas. The flowers are rose-colored, appearing in July and August. SW. Garden and Forest. 67 lateral branches of the year. Rarely more than a single fruit matures from each corymb of flowers; it is oval or Siovate hardly exceeding one-third of an inch in length, long pedun- culate, and bright scarlet in color. The autumn color of the leaves isa brilliant scarlet. ; Photinia villosa is a valuable addition to the free flowering and perfectly hardy shrubs which can be grown in the northern States. It was sent many years ago to the Arnold Arboretum Fig. 12 —Photinia villosa. Photinia villosa.* THs is a widely distributed and very variable Japanese a deciduous shrub which, according to Maximowicz, some- times attains in its native country a height of 15 feet. Pho- tinia villosa (fig. 12), as it appears in cultivation in this country, is a vigorous shrub of neat habit, 4 to 6 feet in height, with broadly obovate rather coriaceous, sharply serrate, dark- green leaves 1% to 2 inches long with prominent mid-ribs and primary veins, their under side, as well as the young shoots, petioles, peduncles and calyx, covered with a dense white pubescence. The corymbs of white flowers, which appear about the middle of June, are terminal on the short *Photinia villosa, DC. Prodr. 7i. 63 1.—Mig. Prot. 229.—Fran. & Savat. Enum. Pl. Fap.7. 142; ii. 351.—Maxim. Bult. Acad. St. Petersburg, ix, 170. P. levis, DC. Lic. Crategus levis and C. villosa, Thbg., Fl. Yap. 204. Stranvaisia digyna, Sieb. & Zucc. Fl. ¥ap., Fam. Nat. 2. 29. P. serrulata, Sieb. & Zucc. 2. c. (not DC.) Pourthiea villosa, Decn. Nouv. Arch. du Mus. x, TL7. by the Messrs. Parsons, of Flushing, under the name_ of “ Amelanchier sp. from Japan.” Gasiey Cultural Notes. Epidendrum (Nanodes) Meduse.—This is a somewhat rare and most singular looking Orchid, producing tufted, pendant stems about a foot long, with very fleshy grayish leaves ar- ranged in pairs on each side. The flowers (usually 2-3) spring from the axils of the last pair, are flat and fleshy, sepals and petals are purple with a green base. The lip Is large and spreading, deep maroon, transparent, and deeply fringed. Itis a native of the mountainous regions of South America, consequently requires to be kept very cool. We succeed here admirably ina uniform temperature of 55° to 60°, with abundance ‘of water, and if this is given overhead the thrips will not trouble it. Until quite recently this plant was very rare and large house grown plants are still the exception. 68 Garden and Forest. Ceelogyne cristata alba (hololeuca).—This rare albino is now in flower with us (a plant with seven spikes). It differs from the type simply in the absence of the yellow of the lip, thus rendering it the only instance, I believe, of an entirely pure white Orchid. Though very rare at present, it is like the type —such a free grower that it cannot fail to be plentiful betore long. Sarcochilus (Thrixspermum) Berkeleyii—This charming little rarity belongs to the caulescent section of Orchids and in general appearance is not unlike a miniature rides, The drooping spikes, which are about eight inches long, are thickly set with white flowers with but a dash of amethyst on the lip. The curious sac-like appendage, from which the genus takes its name, renders the flower very remarkable. This species grows well with us among the Phalenopsis, in a basket filled with crocks and sphagnum moss. Bertolonia marmorata.—This is a charming little ornamental leaved plant belonging to the Melastoma family and is valu- able for mixing with Ferns in the green-houses. The leaves are 5 to 8 inches long and half as broad, of a bright green beauti- fully streaked with pure white, whilé the under surface is of a rich purple. It luxuriates in a warm, moist atmosphere in a shady corner. A compost of loam, peat and leaf mould with a good sprinkling of sand in well drained pots suits it. When they lose their bottom leaves the plants should be taken out and repotted into small pots, sinking the stem as low as possi- ble, so that the new leaves will cover the pot. Keep the plants comparatively dry until they get nicely rooted, after which they should never be allowed to become dry, It was introduced from Brazil in 1858. Rondeletia (Rogieria) gratissima.—This Mexican shrub bears corymbose cymes of pinkish fragrant flowers. We find that it blooms during nine months of the year, and. grows best in a cool green- house temperature, and ina mixture of two parts loam to one of peat. To encourage growth we plant it out in the open ground during the summer “months. Amaryllis Aulica.—A few large plants of this good old species are in bloom with us now while others are being retarded in the cold house. Most of the bulbs are bearing” two spikes each and some of the pots contain 15 to 20 bulbs. This species is evergreen, and need not be repotted more than once in 3 to 4 years, but may be fed with liquid manure during active growth. Phalenopsis Sanderiana.—Some plants of this grand species now in bloom here show a great variation both in the flower and in the leaf, scarcely two of them being alike. The most attrac- tive kind has the flowers suffused with a delicate rose, which is much darker on the upper section of the flower. This kind is almost invariably found to have leaves marbled as in P. Schil- Zeriana, while the pale varieties possess the green leaves of P. amabilis, Among the best of the paler kinds is that called P. marmorata, in which the lateral sepals are much spotted with purple. The lip also is beautifully stained and spotted with the same color. It has been suggested that this species is a natural hybrid between P. Schilleriana and P. amabilis, and the great inconstancy in the color of the flowers and leaves tends to strengthen this theory. Some of the plants when out of flower cannot be distinguished from P. Schil/eriana,and others from those of P. amabilis. P. Sanderiana was introduced in 1883 from the East Indian Islands. It grows well with us ina warm, airy house, potted in cylinders or baskets which are nearly filled up with broken crocks, and with a thin layer of sandy peat on the top. Abundance of water should be given at root and overhead during the growing season. W hen at rest water should be given freely at root, but the atmosphere should be moderately dry. During this period a minimum temperature of 60°, with a rise of Io to 20° according to the weather, will suit them. Calanthes which have finished flowering should be kept dry, in a temperature of about 60°, until the new growths begin to emit roots, when they should be shaken out of the pots, the old roots nearly all trimmed off, and re epotted in fresh soil, which may consist of two parts fibrous peat, one of loam and one of half-rotted leaves. Water should be given very sparingly until the plants are nicely rooted, after which they need plenty of water and strong heat, with an occasional syringe overhead. After the plants are pot-bound, weak liquid manure may be given them nearly every day. Phalenopsis Harriettis—This is one of the latest additions to this lovely genus, and was produced by the intercrossing of P. amabilis with P. violacea. It is the most handsome and striking of the whole genus. The habit of the plant, size and form of flowers form an intermediate character, but the spike is that of P. violacea, but more slender. The flowers are greenish-white, suffused and dotted with rich, rosy purple, which becomes more intense and is in bars near the base of sepals and petals. The lip is of a rich, velvety purple, with yellow at base. This is the second time only that this species es flowered, and with the increased strength of the plant, there has been a wonderful improvement in size and color of the flowers. This we have also found to be the case with the artificial hybrid P. zz¢ermedia, which is now far superior to any imported natural ones, Kenwood, N.Y. tI Goldring. Freesias.—These are the best of all our winter-blooming bulbs; they are of the easiest possible cultivation, bloom abundantly, and the flowers are fragrant and beautiful and have a refined appearance, without any of the coarseness peculiar to the “Dutch” bulbs. The best of all is / refracta alba; with hy brids between these species... ‘ Dutch” bulbs if forced this year are almost worthless for further use ; Freesias on the contrary improve and multiply year after year. Growers for market plant the bulbs thickly on benches, in about four inches deep of soil; private growers raise them in pots. By having them in pots we can have them in bloom in successional groups for some three months in winter. Any good rich soil— turfy loam and rotted manure—suits them very well. A dozen bulbs in an eight-inch pot will give capital flowers. Pot in August or Septe mber, and keep them cool but away from frost, and let them come along slowly. bloom by introducing the most’ advanced plants into warm quarters. After they “have done blooming keep them growing as long as the foliage keeps fresh and er een; when it begins to fade dry off the plants andkeep them dry till potting time next August. The finest Freesias I ever had were grown for two years in the same pots and without repotting. And _ this year in order to have as good next year, when the plants were coming into bloom I repotted them into larger pots, taking care not to break the ball of roots ; this did not interfere with their blooming at all. They are also easily raised from seed. A few of the plants raised from seed sown this spring may bloom next winter, but the majority of them will not bloom till fhe following year. Hydrangea rosea.—This isa comparatively recent introduction from Japan, and in flower and foliage distinct from the older Hydrangeas of our gardens. Itis equally available for outside and inside work, and with a mulching in winter will live out-of- doors; if the bushes are killed down to the snow line, the shoots from the bottom will grow up in quantity and bloom insummer. This is not always the case with the common Hydrangea, for north of New York, if it be killed to: the ground in winter, the young shoots from the bottom, although they grow large and’ vigorous enough, seldom bloom well, often not at all, Hydrange a rosea blooms some two to three weeks earlier than does the variety known as Thomas Hogg, and this is more marked when it is forced than when grown out-of-doors. Cuttings of the young wood strike with the greatest freedom. Although the proper color of the flowers is a pretty rose, they often assume a bluish tinge. Chinese Primroses.—Sow at once if you wish for good plants for Christmas; plants for Easter may be sown in summer, Mixed seed as a rule is unsatisfactory; far better pay a little more and get exactly such colors as you Want ; the poor varieties require just as much room and care as do the fine varieties. Alba magnifica, white ; Meteor, bright red ; Chelsea Rose, pale rose ; and Chelsea Blue, are most excellent varieties. There is a good deal of emphasis laid on fern-leaved varieties, but their flowers are no better than those of the rounder-leaved sorts; indeed there is not a pronounced difference between them. Chinese Primroses should be kept in active growth, moderately moist and slightly shaded all the time, and as cool as possible during the summer months. As the single varieties can be grown so easily from seed it is not worth while to save over any of them for another year. But as the double flowered sorts are uncertain from seed we should keep them over and propagate them from cuttings in the same way as is commonly done with the old Double White. WF. [AprIL 4, 1888. F. Leichtlint is also. common in cultivation, together We can force them into. ee ae a eae ae eee a 2 yey, - APRIL 4, 1888.] Trial Beds. HIS is the season of catalogues. Every year they become more sumptuous and alluring with their long lists of novelties. Some are already illustrated horticultural magazines, and if the evolution continues we shall eventually have moroc- co-bound annuals distributed through the mails. The catalogue of to-day is a tribute to the growing taste for horticulture. The shrewd, experienced money-maker from the soil knows how to discount these large and much-embroidered promises of a renewed Garden of Eden. He turns straightway to the old standard, established sorts, and invests in these alone. His calculating eye is fixed on a crop that will pay beyond the sha- dow of a doubt. He is right, and so may you and I be right if we take a different course. That crop pays best which yields what we value most. There is a solid satisfaction in a fair re- turn in dollars and cents from our land, and itis well to aim at this. The farming which makes milk cost as much as cham- pagne, the vegetable garden which suggests to the natives only the color of the bank-notes expended, tend to confirm in many minds the idea that the methods of their grandfathers were the safest and wisest. But lavish, ignorant expenditure is a very different thing from a continuous course of experiments which need cost but comparatively little. For our own sakes, and especially for the sake of our children, we wouldseek to banish the hum-drum element from rural life. In no other pursuit have we such opportunity to do this as in horticulture. Let me give at once practical illustrations of whatI mean. Here is a plot of ground. You can putitallin a crop which an ignor- ant laborer can take care of. You can also put the soil in fine order this spring, select from a catalogue a dozen or more ot the most promising varieties of peas, say; plant them allatthe same time and under the same conditions, the dwarf kinds by themselves, close together, those requiring the support of brush farther and farther apart, until you come to the unrivaled old Champion of England. Now you havea play-ground as well asa pea-patch for yourself and all the family. You will soon need a little recording note-book with a page allotted to every carefully labeled kind. The children will be glad to go with you often to see which sort first pushes through the soil and then to watch the race on through blossoming to maturity and the table. The entire family will discuss the comparative flavor and merits of the varieties, all kept on the gzz vive over that pea-patch for several weeks. Bright-eyed boys will be almost as willing to work init as to go fishing. Thecarefu record kept from first to last will reveal which kinds are earnest, which the most productive and profitable to raise, and which the best flavored. May not such acrop be worth far more than one stolidly raised and stolidly soldor eaten? The outlay need be small indeed, but the return is that which makes life—zest and enjoyment. Take another inexpensive yet more extended method ot amusement and experiment. Select a strip of ground as long as you please and about fourteen feet wide. Enrich it well with manure from the cow-stable, if possible, but any fertilizer will answer, so that it be not too fresh and liable to ferment. Mix the fertilizer evenly to the depth of eighteen inches, and then set out as many varieties of strawberry plants as you can afford space for. Let the rows be two feet apart across the bed, and the plants one foot apart in the rows. By this course you will have a dozen plants of a kind in every short row. Label care- fully, and begin your written record. Now you have a trial bed that will last three years at least. In May, the April-set plants will begin to blossom. Pick off the blows as fast as they ap- pear. The small amount of fruit produced the first season is of no value, but a great injury to the young plants. Letting them bear is like working a colt. In June the young plants will begin to throw out runners and the tendency will increase till fall. Nature’s law of propagation is working; but it is fruit, not plants, that you wish. Therefore cut off every runneras it appears—an easy task for children. Force every plant you set out to grow as large as it will on its original root. If plants die, merely permit sufficient runners to grow to fill their places. Since the plants are allowed neither to blossom, bear nor pro- duce runners, there is only one thing they can do, and that is, to grow into great bushy stools and develop fruit buds for the ensuing year. By fall you may find that a peck measure will scarcely cover a plant. Of course the hoe should be kept busy throughout the season. But little hand-weeding will be re- quired, because the plants have not been allowed to run and mat together. Clean, frequent culture is absolutely essential to the best results. Assoonas the ground begins to freeze in the autumn cover the plants well, but not deeply, with light stable manure, leaves, litter of any kind not full of noxious seeds. Uncover after the alternate freezing and thawing of spring is Garden and Forest. 69 over, rake off the litter as soon as the ground is dry enough to work, then fork the soil lightly between the plants and return the litter asa mulch, adding enough more to cover the ground evenly. When I say, fork the ground lightly as soon as it is dry enough to work in early spring, I mean just what Isay. I do not say, let a stupid or careless workman half dig the plants out when loosening the soil, nor do I suggest that this work can be done justas well late in spring after the piants begin toblossom. Many authorities declare the ground about bearing plants should not be disturbed in spring till after the crop has been produced. I have always found cultivation ad- vantageous if performed when and in the way I have indicated, but not otherwise. If space permitted, I think I could support my opinion with good reasons. After this very early cultiva- tion the plants are ready to bear. The mulch around them should be sufficient to keep the ground moist and the fruit clean. Soon comes the exciting period, when the berries change from green to white and then begin to blush in the June sunshine. Careful notes should have been made all along as to the com- parative vigor of varieties, hardiness, time of blossoming, character of blossoms, etc. Now the record should be full indeed as to size, productiveness, firmness of the berries, and, above all, as to flavor. The differences in fully matured and ripened strawberries would astonish those who have always purchased their supplies in the market. A strawberry bed, treated as I have described, is ‘a thing of beauty” and would be ‘a joy forever,” if it could last. It does last three times as long as the ordinary matted bed of two or three varieties, and the fruit averages three times the size. We have had Crystal City strawberries in May, and Memphis Late and Triomphe de Gand berries after the 4th of July. What a delight to visit the trial bed every day—see each va- riety developing after its own organic law! The entire family becomes a tasting committee, and the children learn from deh- cious experience the infinite opportunities afforded by horticul- ture to gratify higher tastes than those of the palate. The beautiful fruit, large and perfectly developed by high culture, pleases the eye as well ; the variety in form and flavor, the dif- ferent aspects of plants and foliage, suggest that similar tests may be applied to other fruits, to the whole range of flowers, vegetables and ornamental shrubbery. In brief, the reason becomes apparent why man was first put in a garden, for therein are found the varied interests which continue to our latest age as fresh and undying as Nature herself. In our large cities are multitudes of pallid, dissipated youth who might have been kept in breezy country homesif the stolid, plodding element had been eliminated. Those crops often pay best which nourish mind as wellas body. Cornwall-on-Hudson. Edward P. Roe. Foliage With Cut Flowers. A careful study of the place and manner of growth and of the tone and character of the foliage of any plant will suggest the most effective arrangement for the cut flowers of that plant. To illustrate, the Gladiolus is always an aggressive and striking flower no matter how delicate it may be in shade. Its function seems to be to enliven by its bold display of color. Its foliage 1s a dull but strong green andislinearinform. Fol- lowing this suggestion, we find it appears to best advantage when its spikes are arranged in a tall vase with a liberal use of the long leaves and stems of the various giant Grasses or Sor- ghums or even of Indian Corn. The forage plant called “Tiosinte” is particularly good for this purpose. The common white garden Lily throws its cluster of dazzling white flowers well into the air, supported by an almost leafless stem, and we never have been able to arrange effectively any foliage with this flower. The white is so intense and yet so delicate that it needs no aid and is injured rather than helped by-any other color. The only flower we have ever seen ef- ‘fectively arrayed with this is the Agapanthus. Its flowers are in their way as delicately beautiful as those of the Lily and blend well with them. Nothing will bring out the beauty of blue Larkspurs like well matured Carrot leaves, and acomparison will show that in color and expression they are much like the natural foliage of the plant. In the same way clusters of wild or seedling Pear leaves form the most effective setting for the brighter colored Roses. To extend these illustrations a little further, arrange a basket of Concord Grapes with Delaware foliage and one of Delaware with Concord foliage, and then another plate of each with its own leaves, and observe the more pleasing effect of the latter. 72 I have found a vase made as follows admirably adapted for the natural arrangement of such flowers as Gladiolus, and, in fact, for all strong growing kinds. Take a smooth and pertect length of common 6or8 in, stoneware sewer-pipe, paint it a pleasant neutral tint; have fitted into the smaller end a tin can some 8 inches deep and supported by a flange projecting over the top. Have a tinsmith make two circles of wire fitting easily into the can and have these circles filled with cross wires so as to make a net work of about an inchmesh. Solder to these circles—and in such a way that one of the circles is held about two inches from the bottom of the can and the other just below the top—two stout wires bent like the bail ofa pail, and of such length that when the circles are in place the arch of the wires will be some 6 inches above the can and cross each other at right angles. The two circles and the upper wires will enable one to place a spike of Gladiolus or a spear of grass or any long stemmed plant so that it will retain just the place in the arrangement that may be desired, while by means of the wire handles the whole arrangement can be lifted out of the can to remove the water when necessary. Detroit, Mich. Will. W. Tracy. Correspondence. To the Editor of GARDEN AND FOREST: Sir.—I was glad to see, in arecent number of your paper, that you had called attention to Boronia megastigma. The delicious fragrance of its flowers certainly entitles it to more general culti- vation in our green-houses. But there is another plant, equally fragrant, which one seldom meets with nowadays—not nearly so often as thirty yearsago. This is Mahernia verticillata, a half-shrubby or woody perennial, introduced from the Cape of Good Hope about 1820. In habit it is not so attractive as Boro- mia, growing ina rather straggling way. But its flowers are prettier—small, bright yellow bells, profusely produced and as sweet as Lilies-of-the-Valley ; and it is also a much freer and more rapid grower and one of the easiest of all plants to propagate. In a cool green-house it will bloom throughout the winter and spring, and it is one of the very best of house- slants. I should think it would bean excellent plant for florists to grow for winter sale in pots—in flower for room-decoration— as it remains so long in blossom and its delicious odor will per- meate a whole apartment. Jfahernia may also be had to flower out-doors in summer, and when I was young it was commonly grown in vases and hanging-baskets, a purpose for which its habit renders it peculiarly suitable. Elizabeth, N. J. W. FE. [Our correspondent does not say too much in favor of this plant. It is not rare in old green-house collections in this coun- pre and a writer in a recent issue of the Gardener's Chronicle, of London, lamenting that it has ‘long been lost to English gardens,” states that good plants can be purchased in this city tor 30 cents a piece.—ED. ] To the Editor of GARDEN AND FOREST: Sir.—What Mr. Parkman said in No. 1 of GARDEN AND FOREST of the White Mountain forests as capable—with proper treatment —of furnishing a steady supply of timber, and of the serious injury to the business of summer resorts and to manufac- turers if speculators should cut off these forests, is applicable to many other parts of New England. In Berkshire County, Mass., White Pine comes up readily and makes a strong growth, but is not cared for so as to make straight, first-class timber. In this town about a million feet of lumber are cut every year, and at least half of this is white pine. It is, however, only fit for box-boards and on the stump is worth some $4.00 per 1,000. Meantime the population is steadily decreasing, deserted farm houses staring one in the face on every road. There is not enough profitable occupation for even the few who are left, and the most enterprising young men seek business elsewhere. Here and there, however, one seesa grove of thick- standing, tall and straight pine trees, proving that good and high-priced lumber (and much more of it per acre) can be grown whenever it is protected and a little pains taken to se- cure a thick stand. It would prove an instructive object- lesson if some one would take and sow Pine on one of these farms in with whatever hoop-pole stuff will thrive best. The first crop of poles should be cut close to the ground so as to promote sprouting (7écepage, as the French call it), and continu- ous harvests of them should be taken off the ground until the Pine begins to shade and crowd the hard wood. After that thinning will beall that is required, and the material yielded by it will pay for labor, interest and taxes. When the feasibility of Garden and Forest. [APRIL 4, 1888. this is once demonstrated, there will no doubt be plenty of imitators, and the tide of population now ebbing so sadly will flow back toward these noble hills. Otis, Mass. S. W. Powell, The Forest. The Forest Vegetation of Northern Mexico.—l. dl ewe tourist, who, fresh from a ride through the densely wooded swamps of Arkansas or Louisiana, or from the Pine-covered heights of New Mexico, enters Old Mexico at Paso del Norte, and mounts by night from the valley of the Rio Grande to the central tablelands, where in a journey of a thousand miles towards the capital he sees apparently but naked plains and bare and serrated mountains (notice in Span- ish the same word, szevra, for a mountain range as for a saw), would doubtless be surprised at my choice of a theme for these articles. Nevertheless I have something to say of for- ests and forest trees in that same region, but more concerning the forests covering the Cordilleras, which lie from one hun- dred to two hundred miles west of the central railroad. The tablelands of central Mexico, mostly covered by the States of Chihuahua, Coahuila, Durango, Zacatecas and San Luis Potosi, are plains, lying at an elevation of 4,000 to 7,000 feet, interrupted at intervals of ten to twenty miles by broken ranges of mountains, whose summits are 2,000 to 3,000 feet above the surrounding plains, or 6,000 to 9,000 feet above sea level, and whose trend is south-east and north-west. In the State of Chihuahua these mountain-bearing plains ascend from the Valley of the Rio Grande on the north-east, less than 4,000 feet elevation,—in the State of Durango from the Laguna country on the east, a region of lakes which are river sinks, and less than 4,000 feet altitude—and culminate in the conti- nental divide lying within but near the western bounds of these two States. Where the divide is a gently swelling plain, as immediately north of Cusihuiriachic, its altitude is about 7,000 feet; whenever it rises to a mountain crest it attains an elevation of 8,000 to Io,000 feet. It is doubtful whether along all the mountain line that stretches southward from the United States boundary a greater elevation than 10,000 feet is to be found, until we come to the snow peaks which look down upon the valley and city of Mexico. To the west of this divide, parallel with it, but not always contiguous to it—for in some places the Pacific Slope begins _ with a broad, gently falling plain—lies the Cordilleras region of north Mexico, a belt seventy-five to one hundred and fifty miles wide, closely packed, forest-covered mountains; cut through everywhere by torrents in swift descent to the low- lands of Sonora and Sinaloa—torrents which have formed a labyrinth of gulches, cafions and barrancas, the terror of the traveler—rising higher towards the west only in the seeming, because there the valleys are deeper; in the upper or eastern portion of the belt narrow, habitable valleys at rare intervals only, but more frequent and broader valleys, as we descend towards the 7rerra Caliente, showing villages, grain fields and Orange orchards. On the cool, evergreen heights of this west- ern verge of the plateau is condensed the moisture borne in- land by the winds of the Pacific. Soa good measure of rain and snow usually falls here during winter; while from July till August thunderstorms are of daily occurrence. The storms of winter being almost wholly lost among these moun- tains, the interior, however, is left comparatively rainless from October to August; for, so slow is the eastward progress of the summer rains, preparing their course step by step over suc- cessive mountain chains and heated plains, that it may be as late as August ere they descend to the valley of the Conchos, and meet in its vicinity the rains from the Gulf of Mexico, also retarded in their inland‘march by the similar barrier presented by the Sierra Madre of eastern Coahuila and San Luis Potosi. But it is not due to dearth of water alone that the interior plateau remains comparatively bare of forest growths. The explorer everywhere observes in that region a paucity of soil, because, chiefly, it has never had the benefit of glacial action to grind down the rugged mountains and strew the resulting earth over the land in deep and fertile drift formations. More- over, the action of frost to disintegrate rocks, and bring down the toppling crags, is there exceedingly slow, since water to aid in its operations is generally withheld in winter. So the mountains do not possess sufficient depth of soil to carry through eight to ten months of drought the water supply neces- sary to the life of a forest. By May, in fact, whoever travels them incurs risk of perishing by thirst from inability to find a living brook or spring. Therefore the trees of all the interior ranges are thinly scattered and of stunted growth. In the. APRIL 4, 1888.] extreme drought of last April I saw them putting forth new leaves but feebly and shedding their flowers without ability to set fruit. Only in the cafions, where they may be somewhat protected from the fierce heats by overhanging cliffs, and where deposits of soil may lie, can they attain full size, or can the species with broad, thin leaves exist. Not less are the plains unfavorable to tree growth. In a former age of the world they were covered with inland seas. Some of these broke through their mountain dykes and emp- tied themselves into the Gulfs of Mexico and California ; the others have nearly dried up under the sub-tropic sun. Except in their lower basins, there was deposited on their gravelly bottoms but a comparatively thin layer of fine earth; andasa peculiar feature of common occurrence, before this thin de- posit was laid, the gravel was cemented together by an aqueous deposit of lime washed down from neighboring hills. The dry slopes and mesas resulting from this now bear of ligneous vegetation only a few peculiar shrubs, which may be described hereafter. C. G. Pringle, The Forests of Tunis. HE following interesting account of the forests of Tunis, recently issued from the British Foreign Office as a Consular Report, is reprinted from the Gardener's Chronicle of London. “The forests of Tunis, which cover an appreciable part of the surface of the country, were, until the French occupation, subject to no supervision, and suffered from the want of that supervision. In 1883 the French, alive to the importance of preserving what remained of these forests, whichare the prop- erty of the State, placed them under the management of a separate department, which has explored their extent and demonstrated that they are an important element of national wealth. “ The explorations have resulted in the division of the forests into two main groups; one consisting of the Cork tree and deciduous Oak, locally known as ‘Zen,’ covering the north- western angle of Tunis, where it abuts on the Algerian frontier and the sea, and separated from the rest of Tunis by the river Mejerdah. These trees grow in a stratum of sandstone, which again reposes on the upper chalk, and they completely disap- pear where the latter stratum crops to the surface. They cover an area of about 360,000 acres, on 330,000 of which flourishes the Cork tree, and on 30,000 the ‘Zen,’ Itisfound that the former invariably grows on the southern slopes of this mountainous region; and, on the northern slopes and in the hollows of val- leys, the latter. “South of the River Mejerdah both these trees disappear, and give place to the Pine and a species of evergreen Oak. They are scattered in groups over various mountainous regions of no great elevation, all comprised in the northern half of the Regency, where alone the rainfall is sufficient to sustain their growth. It is calculated that these several forest groups cover a surface about equal to that covered by the Cork trees and ‘Zen,’ viz., 360,000 acres. “ These latter groups are in a more neglected state than the former. For the most part they are nearer toimportant towns than the Cork forests, and from time immemorial have sup- plied those towns with fuel. The bark of the Pine is also used for tanning and coloring hides and skins; and as no control is exercised over the cutting down of the trees, or stripping them of their bark, and goats are allowed to roam everywhere, the forests are rapidly deteriorating. No legislation has as yet been adopted for putting a stop to this waste, and though the ~Department of Woods and Forests proposes that the chiefs of the contiguous villages and tribes should be held responsible for the depredations, the Government has not yet ventured on this high-handed measure. “Tt is to the Cork forests that the attention of the new admin- istration has been mainly directed. They are situated ina country with a very sparse population, dwelling in huts formed of the branches of trees. Their number is estimated at 18,000 souls, or only one individual to 30 acres. It was open to the French administration to adopt one of the three following systems in dealing with the woods and forests, viz., their sale, their concession for fixed periods, or their management by the State. The last was chosen as the system best adapted for _ their preservation and extension, particularly as it was held to be of paramount importance to favor the increase of rainfall in the country, the quantity of which is supposed to be inti- mately connected with the extent of the forests. That they were more extensive in the time of the Romans, and that they conduced to augment the annual rainfall, may be inferred from the discovery of numerous aqueducts among hills which are now absolutely denuded of trees and destitute of springs. Garden and Forest. 71 “Much has been done during recent years in improving the condition of these Cork forests. Roads have been cut through them, and at stated intervals spacious alleys have been frayed to serve as a means for arresting the march of the fires which frequently ravage them. Above all, much progress has been made in barking the Cork trees, an operation which consists in stripping the rough bark off the trunks of the trees to the height of 5 or 6 feet from the ground. This virgin bark is without value, and only ten years after the trees have been robbed of it, is the inner bark available for commercial pur- poses, the trees giving a crop of Cork every ten years. To meet the expenses incurred in these operations there were available the sums accruing from the sale of the trees already felled, and of the bark of the ‘Zen’ for tanning. Little has been done towards working the less valuable forests to the south of that river. An experiment has been made in planting with trees a small tract of mountain land near Hammam-el- Enf, some ten miles to the east of the town of Tunis. The operation consists in digging holes at short distances, and in dropping in each a few seeds of the Pine tree. Several hun- dred acres have thus been planted with tolerable success, at an expense of £4 Ios. an acre. “The worst enemies of the forests are goats. Some French colonists have taken steps to exclude these animais from their estates, and the result has been that shrubs, which never attained the height of more than two or three feet, have in founor five years assumed the dimensions of trees. This is particularly apparent in the large domain of Enfida, where a Thuya, which covers much of that region, from a dwarf shrub has now, within the space of six years, attained a height of twenty to twenty-five feet. The French railway company, which owns the line running from Tunis to the Algerian fron- tier, has succeeded in planting a considerable number of the Eucalyptus resinifera (the Red Gum tree), and Acacia cyan- ophylla, It is estimated that 300,000 trees have been planted along the line of railway. “The cost of planting an acre with the Eucalyptus amounts to £20, about 1,600 trees going to the acre of nursery ground. After planting out, it is probable that at the end of twenty years 600 trees will have survived, worth 8s. apiece. : “The bark of the Acacia cyanophylia is rich in tannin, and valuable for the tanner. In the whole of southern Tunis there exists but a single forest, formed of a species of Acacia. It is situated about twenty-five miles inland from Ifax, and covers an area five miles long by a little over a mile in width. This forest, which was formerly much more extensive, is protected from the northerly winds by high land, and the trees grow in clumps in depressions of alluvial soil. Though they only attain a height of ten feet, the trunks furnish planks eight or ten inches wide, of an exceedingly hard grain, and capable of taking a fine polish,” Answers to Correspondents. “Why is it not the best forest policy to cut out the mature wood from a primeval forest and let the rest grow ?”’ : Ay eG If the questioner had asked: Is it proper forest policy to utilize the timber for which there is a market and to provideat the same time for a new growth ? he would have exactly stated the very end and aim of forestry, and we would have assented without qualification. But whether the best method to attain this end, especially the latter part, is presented in the prescrip- tion contained in the above question, must depend on a spe- cial diagnosis. The method of taking only whatis called ‘ the mature orripe wood ” (who knows what that is ?) or, as it may be called, the ‘method of selection,” is at least an attempt at for- est management, and the beginning of order and system, and where, as with us, forestry is as yet undeveloped, this method is decidedly betterfor the future of the forest, than indiscriminate slashing and clearing. It is, however, not the best, and in many cases a bad method of forest management, unless prac- ticed with great circumspection. Its advantages lie in the preservation ofa protective forest cover, and in the continuance of a natural forest in an advanced stage of development, the value of which must increase with the necessarily decreasing supplies of mature timber. But this depends somewhat on what “the rest”? is. We can conceive of a natural growth, in which “the rest” is composed largely of inferior or undesirable growth, when it would be better poiicy to cut out the inferior growth first, work for a reseeding from the old growth, and then remove the old timber gradually, to have resulting a desirable young growth. When “the rest” consists of well- grown shade-enduring timber, like the Spruce in the forests of 72 Maine, where, after the removal of the old timber, the remain- ing growth has sufficient vitality to be benefited by the increased light influence, this method may be even recommended, at least for some time to come. But, looking further into the future, this policy will ultimately not prove the best, as it is bound, by and during the frequent removals of older growth, to damage the young growth, which at the same time gets but little chance for development under the continued shade of the older growth, and gradually the valuable forest ‘ runs out.” It is, however, possible to conceive of this method of selec- tion under given circumstances and when skilfully manipulated with regard to the needs of an aftergrowth as good forest policy, and on the mountain slopes, where the preservation of a forest cover rather than the production of the most valuable timber is the object, it is decidedly the best policy. BE. Fernow. Recent Publications. A Catalogue of Niagara Plants, by David F. Day. To the Report of the Commissioners of the State Reserva- tion at Niagara, recently presented to the Legislature of this State, Mr. David F. Day, of Buffalo, has joined a catalogue of the plants found growing spontaneously upon the Reservation and inits immediate vicinity. In a very interesting introduction to this carefully prepared work it appears that it is based upon observations made in the neighborhood of the Falls during a period of twenty years. Probably, therefore, the catalogue is nearly complete, although Mr. Day modestly, states that he may have overlooked a few species of Grasses, Sedges and other difficult plants. In the prosecution of his task the author has consulted, as far as possible, the observations made in this neighborhood by other botanists. The references to the botany of Niagara Falls, especially by the earlier explorers, are few. It is possible that Peter Kalm, the pupil and correspond- ent of Linnzeus, may have left some record of his observations made at Niagara in 1750, although no mention can be found of their publication, either in the Swedish original or in transla- tions. If Kalm’s journal still exists its publication would be a welcome addition to the literature of American botany. It is probable that he discovered the Hypericum and the. Lobelia which bear his name near Table Rock. There is no evidence that either Michaux or his son ever visited Niagara, und itis certain that Pursh came no nearer to it thanthe site of Elmira. Nuttall, who botanized near the Falls before 1818, mentions but one plant found by him there—U¢ricularia cornuta. Torrey was probably familiar with this region, although in his ‘ Flora of the State of New York,” published in 1843, he mentions as peculiar to Niagara, but wholly upon other authority, only 15 out of the 1,511 plants which he describes. The labors of later botanists, however, have been more useful to Mr. Day in the preparation of his catalogue. The journals of Judge Clinton, prepared while he was engaged in studying the botany of Buf- falo and its vicinity, proved of the greatest value, as did the “Flore Canadienne” of the Abbé Purvancher and Macoun’s “Catalogue of Canadian Plants.” The Flora of Goat Island shows few plants that are uncom- mon>in western New York. Still, the island is rich in the number of its species. Perhaps no tract of its size in that vici- nity can exhibit so large a number. Its vernal beauty is attrib- utable not merely to this variety of plants, but also to the great abundance in which they are produced. It is probable, more- over, that the island formerly contained other species which are now extinct, such as several Orchids and Lilies. The Hare- bell has disappeared within a comparatively short time, and the Grass-of-Parnassus is fast going—the result of reckless flower-picking. The same fate awaits the Blood-root, the Dutchman’s Breeches, the Wake-Robin and other charming wild flowers, unless the Commissioners succeed in putting a stop to this wholesale spoliation. They should endeavor, too, to restore those plants which have been exterminated from the island—an undertaking neither difficult nor expensive, The value of this catalogue is increased by the references it contains to many rare and interesting plants found near the Reservation, although not within its borders. Of the 908 species of plants named in the catalogue 757 are native and 151 are foreign. The Revie ves Deux Mondes—March Ist, 1888—contains an article on ‘The Composition of Forests”—by the dis- tinguished paleontologist the Marquis of Saporta, which sets forth how the present constitution of the forests of various parts of Europe is explained by the changes of climate which have taken place in successive geologic periods, and is illustrated by the tossil record. Garden and Forest. APRIL 4, 1888. Flower Market. New York, March joth. Trade has been fairly good this week to supply numerous Church orders for Holy Thursday and considerable elaborate funeral work. The long period of dark weather will interfere with Easter bloom to a certain extent. Asis usual at this time, white flowers are being held back for use on Sunday. As far as possible florists are resolved not to alter prices for Easter. There is a gorgeous display in the floral shops of plants, but it will not be as large as that of last year. Prom- inent dealers make grand exhibitions of Orchids, arranged in banks, where choice varieties of Vandas, Epidendrums, Cattleyas, Oncidiums and Cypripediums are offered for sale by the plant or spray. Selected Hybrid Roses have risen to $1 each. A limited nuinber of Her Majesty Rose are brought in, and bring $1.50 each. Tea and Hybrid Tea Roses remain as quoted last week. Plants of Lzdium Har- visit cost from $1 to $2, and single flowers from 35 to 50 cts. each, ac- cording to the location. Plants of Calla with one flower and bud bring $1. Cut Callas cost 25 and 30 cts., White Ascension Lilies are 15 cts. each. A few Gladiolus (Shakespear) are offered and sell from 50 to 75 cts. a spike. Lily-of-the-Valley of the best growth costs $1 a dozen; in- ferior flowers bring 75 cts. a dozen. Spire@a Faponica costs $1a dozen spikes. Plants of the same of medium size cost $1. French Mar- guerites are 35 cts. a dozen flowers, or $3 for 100. Large plants well flecked with bloom sell for $2.50. Boxes of cut flowers for gifts are more in demand than designs. Novelties for these boxes are Stephan- otisand Orange Flowers. These sell for 50 cts. a spray. Spikes of Vanda Suavis tricolor sell for from $3 to $5. There are from six to eight flowers on them. An Azalea (Artevelde) six feet high brought $10 ; a plant of Genesta seven feet high $20. Hydrangeas are exqui- sitely tinted and sell for from $2 to $5 a plant. French Marguerite Flowers are of an unusually large size. PHILADELPHIA, March oth. Owing to the approach of Easter, flowers are plentiful, Carnations amongst staple articles being the most scarce, Grace Wilder, a deli- cate pink, is still the favorite, and with more sunlight and heat is im- proving in quality. Buttercup, yellow, with redstripes, comes next in favor. Whites will be most in demand at Easter. Swayne and Lam- born are amongst the best new sorts. “Hinzie’s White is also good ; it brings from 35 to 50 cts. per dozen, Tulips are frequently delivered at the stores growing in shallow boxes; they make a gorgeous display. Cottage Maid, rosy pink, shaded with white Duchess de Parma, bronze-red, edged with yellow, Kaiser’s Kroon, similar in color, but lighter, and the red and yellow more clearly defined, are all favorites, as are also the yellows, Chrysolora and Yellow Prince. Whites and solid reds are in demand too. They sell at from 75 cts. to $1.25 per dozen. Violets are not so good in quality as they were ; some of the single ones are poor, and sell at from $1 to $1.50 per 100, according to the quality and variety. Single varieties, when good in quality, are favorites here. Asparagus tenuissimus will be more used for Easter decorations than formerly. This is brought about through the scarcity of Smilax; it sells at from 50 to 75 cts. perstring. 4. plumosus is not atall plentiful. It is preferred to A. tenwissimus when obtainable at the higher price. Roses—Magna Charta, Captain Christy, Madame Lui- zet, Baroness Rothschild, Mrs. John Laing and Jacqueminots, amongst Hybrid Remontants—are plentiful, and sell at from $3 to $8 per dozen, according to location, variety and quality. Puritans, with the advanc- ing season, continue to improve. Catherine Mermets are not a good color, Bennetts are fine when fresh, but their disagreeable tendency to become blue with age renders them less valuable than they were early in the season, especially since Jacqueminots have become so abundant. Boston, March 3oth. The flower stores are gorgeous with Easter plants and flowers. The use of plants in churches has become almost as general as the use of cut flowers. For this purpose are offered a variety of showy, flower- ing plants, among which the Harrisii and ‘* Longiflorum Lilies must be given first place. Fine pots of these bring from $2.00 to $5.00 each, according to the number of blooms. Quite as showy as the Lilies, and more durable, are the Hydrangeas. The variety most generally seen is that known as Z/. Ofaksa. Plants are offered in all sizes, from $1.50 to $5.00 each. Spireeas and Cinerarias are also to be had in profusion, and are worth from $1.00 to $1.50 per pot. Cut Lilies and Callas bring $6.00 per dozen. The old-fashioned White Lilies bring from $2.00 to $3.00 per dozen flowers on stalks. Cool weather has been favorable for the Rose crop. The quality of Roses to be had for Faster in this market has never been better. Magnificent Hybrids are offered at $12.00 per dozen. The best Mermets, La France and Jacqueminots bring from $4.00to $6.00 per dozen. Lilies-of-the-Valley, Tulips and Daffodils continue at $1.00 per dozen. Carnations have advanced in price, and good, long-stemmed fancy varieties bring $1.00 per dozen readily. Immense quantities of Violets and Pansies are always used for Easter; $1.50 per hundred is the price quoted. Smi- lax is very scarce at 50 cts. per yard. The new climbing Asparagus, which is more beautiful and lasis longer than Smilax, is largely used as a substitute. 3 : _ APRIL 11, 1888.] © ARDEN AND FOREST. PUBLISHED WEEKLY BY THE GARDEN AND FOREST PUBLISHING CO. [LImITED.] Orrice: TripunE Buitpinc, New York. Gonducted by. 6. 3 e 6 as . Professor C. S. SARGENT. ENTERED AS SECOND-CLASS MATTER AT THE POST OFFICE AT NEW YORK, N. Y. NEW YORK, WEDNESDAY, APRIL 11, 1888. iDABLE OF CONTENTS, PAGE, EpirorraL ArticLtes!—Arbor Day.—A Dangerous Measure,—Street Trees. eI O LES ts clesatscers Stinnveiatiyie'=) Landscape Gardening, VII.. Which is the Better Way ”. Cemeteries A Disease of Certain Japanese Shrubs Fruit Growing in Florida . A. AH. Curtiss. 77 New or Litrite Known Prants: Yucca filifera (w ith “tw o illustrations)...C SS. 78 Chivnophila Jamesii (with illustration)................08 6S Sereno Watson. 79 «Ars. Schuyler Van Rensselaer. 75 B.S. Olmstead. 76 - ¥ C Olmsted. 76 .. Wm. Falconer. 77 — Cutrurat DeparTMENT :—Pruning Shrubs. . Berets eee oO, The Cultivation of Lilies.......... C. LL. Allen. 8 SECO NET RNOUOUCHOLGNS. 5500s cnseecacaevancasesces Seaaees s ire ‘Falconer. 81 Chrysanthemum Notes—Acacia pube —Hardy Rhododendrons.. 81 Tue Forest :—Tree Planting in California. Uegiisiane sistema aioe shee Robert Dereies, 82 KEGRRESRONDEN CE sn cletetaiicieiajaisisinsininio bien aes Wasba\oaieclarele casa San cisisle ofa 4 sober ee 83 SE GENIE UBLICATIONS se tials ies tioisiainie.s's siecrelesslbieiele'asla-a sia.ageiaia Hse sisis soBe\elee > Pare 84 Rerait FLower Markers :—New York, Boston, Philadelphia ...............++ 84 _ Ittusrrations :—VYucca filifera, Pig. 13 78 Yuca filifera, Fig. 14.. 79 Chionophila Jamesii, F SPs tersretarceaten siesercrele sinia nici varnrisiatetatain/at st carive ais cisirva ce Bo Arbor Day. HIS festival, which originated about a dozen years ago in Nebraska, seems already to have won an established place among American holidays, and some thirty of the States will “observe the custom this spring. ‘The very existence of such a celebration is proof of an awakened interest in tree planting ; and that it has been made to a certain degree a public-school holiday is en- —couraging, because this indicates the direction in which such exercises may be made to have a genuine value. Roadside tree planting is not forestry, nor can it in any way serve the purpose of forest planting or of forest pro- tection. It may be worth while, too, to suggest to some enthusiasts that planting rows of trees by every roadside is © not commendable, and that planting the wrong kind of trees in any position, or planting suitable kinds badly, in- variably means disappointment and loss. The failure of many plantations along the railroads of some western States, owing to improper selection and worse care, has wrought injury far beyond the mere loss to the companies. It has discouraged others and engendered a belief that all attempts in this direction are hopeless. Nor will the at- tractive exercises of Arbor Day serve any effective purpose unless the trees are intelligently selected and planted. _ Distorted and sickly growth or early death of the trees will follow to the disheartenment of all who planted them so joyously and hopefully. As a people, Americans are not over sentimental. But this sudden awakening to the peril that threatens our forests, may lead to the error of esteeming it something like a crime to lift up an axe against any tree. Mr. Glad. _ stone has said that the greatest “obstacle to a sound forest policy in Great Britain was the superstition that invested trees with a certain sacredness, so that felling one was looked upon as sacrilege. We occasionally observe the same feeling manifested here by worthy people who, in their “new-born zeal, are led to speak of all lumbermen as ene- mies of the humanrace. Of course there can be no sys- em of forestry without tree-cutting, and the protest, to Garden and Forest. 73 have any value, should be made against wasteful cutting or the stripping of mountains, where the trees serve ah igher purpose as a protection to the water courses than they can when made into lumber. It often happens, too, that to secure the highest landscape beauty, trees that are im- properly ple laced need to be se hay and every one who has had charge of public parks has been rebuked tor vandalism when it was necessary to sacrifice a a group of trees. Now, the antidote to any extravagance of this sort is a knowledge of trees and their uses ; and the hopeful feature in this Arbor Day celebration is that which makes it essentially a school holiday and connects it with the educational system of the State. It will serve no worthy purpose when the Governor of a great State, as a part of the solemnities, plants White Pines to struggle with the smoke and dust of a city square. But if it can be made an object lesson to the young, as the crowning ceremony of a course of instruction on trees and their needs and uses, it may become an educating influence of serious value. Beyond question, the children of our public schools are entitled to some elementary teaching in regard to the abundant tree growth all about them. It is a scandal that they Should grow up in ignorance of the very names of the trees they see every day, and that they should know nothing of their uses or of the laws that control their ee Ability to give instruction in this direction should be required as part of the equipment of every teacher. And if, in addition to the instruction received, the children are led to plant trees with some holiday ceremony, they will be likely to watch their growth with a personal interest and note what helps or hinders it. The beautiful custom of planting memorial trees is one against which even the man who delights to style himself “practical,” can offer no objection ; and if a child is in- duced to give closer observation to a tree because it is called by his name, the gain is substantial ; for the cultiva- tion of habits of observation and comparison is of itself an education. Arbor Day will exert a beneficent influence if it does any- thing to hasten the time when even the children can give an intelligent reason for choosing a particular tree for a given place or purpose, and when they know how to plant it properly, and to give it the care 1t needs thereafter. tree or A Dangerous Measure. BILL authorizing the Forest Commissioners of this State to lease portions of the forest preserve, not ex- ceeding five acres in extent, and for periods not exceeding five years in length, has already passed the Assembly and awaits the action of the Senate. This bill emanates from the Commissioners, whose duty it is to protect and preserve the State forests, and they recommend and urge its passage. It is a measure fraught with danger to the Adirondack forests, and it ought to be defeated. The history of this bill, and the reasons which have in- duced the Commissioners to recommend this remarkable policy, are, as we understand them, briefly these: A large number of persons have, at different times, entered upon the State domain, within what is now the forest preserve, and, without legal authority, have built for themselves summer homes on the land thus occupied. Many of the most beautiful islands in Lake George, and some of the most desirable sites on, the Adirondack lakes, are now held in thisway by squatters. Among them are men of wealth, and men of social and political influence. These facts make the position of the Commissioners a delicate and difficult one. If they allow the squatters to remain, they lay them- selves open to serious charges of malfeasance in the exe- cution of a public trust; if they take steps to have them removed from the State lands they create personal hostility against themselves. They hope, however, by obtaining authority to lease portions of the forest, to legalize this unlawful occupation of State lands, and at the same time 74 to put themselves in a position to be able to supply eligible building lots for summer homes at low rates. This should not be allowed. The bill is too general and sweeping in its provisions. It gives too much power to the Commission, and throws too much temptation in their path. The policy of forest management, which its passage would inaugurate, is, we are convinced, a danger- ous one. The only reason that justifies the State of New York in holding lands in the Adirondack region, is that the forests which grow upon them may be properly protected and preserved. These forests have an important and con- trolling influence upon the prosperity of the whole State. If they are to be parceled off into five-acre building lots it will be impossible to carry out any scheme of forest management. Settlers, even when they are rich, and possess social and political influence, are a constant menace to the forest. They increase the danger of fire; they stamp out or clear up the undergrowth, even when they do not destroy or injure the trees, and they are, when they become numerous, a powerful incentive to railroad building. If a wealthy citizen of this town should ask the privilege of building a summer-home for himself in the Central Park, the proposition would be considered monstrous. The proposition to use the Adirondack forest-park in a similar manner only differs in degree; it is equally mon- strous, and might become far more dangerous. There are now comparatively few settlers in the Adirondack forests, but the number is increasing every year, and if the author- ity to lease land is given to the Commissioners, sooner or later every lake will be lined with settlements and every available site in the forest will have a cottage on it. All the wild and rural charm of the woods will be destroyed, their usefulness as a great popular sanitarium will come to an end, and it will be merely a question of time, when the State forests must be destroyed, or lose their essential value. There is still territory enough in the Adirondack woods, outside of the State preserve, for a large population, and no hardship will be inflicted in shutting up the public lands from settlement, except in the case of persons who have made expensive improvements on land to which they never hada title, and which now they should be compelled to vacate. The Commission has doubtless been led to advocate this measure through ignorance of the dangers which its adoption would entail in the end upon the forests. It is not to be believed that they have done so in full knowledge of whata forest really is, and of the requirements of even the crudest system of forest preservation. They have now, how- ever, an opportunity toshow their zealand publicspirit. The Adirondack forests are about to be cut up and seriously injured by the building of numerous railroads. The forests, or at least those portions of them which belong to the State, can still be saved from this new danger by a vigor- ous effort to secure restraining legislation. It is the duty of the Commission to make this effort; its members will find themselves supported in it by public applause and the assistance of the people of this State. Street Trees. N no branch of rural economy, perhaps, are Americans so far behind the people of almost every country of Europe, asin the selection, planting and care of street and road-side trees ; and this is particularly true in the case of the plantations made in most of our larger cities and their suburbs. Two mistakes are almost invariably made in undertak- ings of this character in the United States; the work is done too cheaply, and the trees are badly selected with reference to future effect. Saplings dug from the woods with mutilated roots and branches, are planted in shallow soil, and are then left to strugele unaided against the enemies which beset urban and suburban trees— Garden and Forest. [APRIL 11, 1888. drought and dust and starvation, gnawing horses and ravaging insects. In the case, for example, of a great pub- lic improvement now in progress near one of the principal cities of the United States—an improvement which is de- pendent entirely upon a growth of stately shade-trees for its value and to which its promoters are fond of alluding as “an American Champs £lysées’—it has been seriously proposed to plant trees dragged from a neighboring swamp in strips of earth four feet wide and only one foot deep, resting on a bed of porous gravel. It is needless to say that trees planted in this way could never do more than drag out a brief and miserable existence. There is no poorer economy than trying to plant street trees cheaply. Unless the work can be done well it had better not be doneatall. The ground should be thoroughly prepared, and well-selected nursery-grown trees, carefully pruned for the purpose, should alone be used. The Ameri- can habit of taking saplings from the woods, cutting off all their branches and half their stem, and then using them as street-trees, cannot be toostrongly condemned. The result of such treatment is this. A fork is formed by two or more horizontal branches pushing up from the top of the cut stem. Water gathers and stands in this fork, and grad- ually carries decay down into the trunk of the tree, de- stroying it long before it reaches maturity. Street trees not only should be carefully selected and thoroughly planted, but if anything like a satisfactory result is expected, should be protected from gnawing animals, and judiciously pruned as often as pruning is necessary to keep them in proper shape. The mistake of too close planting is almost invariably made in this country, and trees planted thickly for immediate effect are rarely thinned in time to prevent their injury by overcrowding. In the matter of selection we make as many mistakes, and almost as serious ones, as in our methods of planting. — It is a well established rule, based upon common sense, that trees of one variety only should be planted on one continuous street or avenue. The reason is obvious. If trees of different varieties are used, that uniformity essen- tial in urban planting to the production of harmony of ef- fect will be lost. Trees of different varieties grow different- _ ly. Some grow more rapidly than others; some come — into leaf and some lose their foliage earlier than others ; some, as they approach maturity, assume a stately, and others a graceful aspect; and variety which may make a country road-side beautiful, is entirely out of place — in connection with the formal lines of city buildings. This | rule is rarely observed in the United States. Trees of one variety are rarely planted here in continuous lines. The — pendulous American Elm alternates with the rigid-branched _ Sugar Maple, or a heavy Horse-Chestnut is seen between | two sprawling Silver Maples. Such combinations of trees are incongruous when planted and age only makes them worse. Roads here and there © in New England planted exclusively with the Sugar | Maple or with the Elm, or in some of the far Southern — States with the Water Oak, serve to show how much more © beautiful and effective a street plantation can be made by | using one variety of tree, than by any possible combina- — tion of different varieties. Or, to cross the Atlantic for ex- — amples, the continuous avenues of Planes, of Lindens and | of Horse-Chestnuts in Northern Europe, of Sophoras in | Italy and of Ailanthus in Paris, clearly teach the same les- — son. e Pa ba Now is the time when plant-orders from all quarters and — from all sorts of people are pouring in upon nurserymen. — Many of these lists display an ignorance of the first prin- _ ciples of good planting which distresses the expert nursery- _ man, and the lack of assurance that the plants of even the | better lists will be arranged to advantage often troubles his — mind still more. For he knows that trees and shrubs, how- | ever well chosen, may yet be so unadvisedly planted as to — produce no harmonious effect; that they may easily be- placed so as never to really satisfy the hopes of their planter, APRIL 11, 1888.] and never be any credit to their grower, the nurseryman. The owner of a suburban lot or of acountry-seat reads the descriptions in a catalogue and writes an order, perhaps for séveral hundred dollars’ worth of plants. Some day the stock arrives, and the owner and his gardener, or perhaps a ‘‘ land- scape gardener” from the nursery, proceed forthwith to plant- ing. The result may be seen in the suburbs of every city and in many country estates. Everywhere are nursery novelties indiscriminately scattered among native wood and shrub- bery, or dotted as single specimens all over the lawns. Even as specimens the plants are seldom arranged with good effect. The whole method of procedure is wrong. The fault is not the gardener’s, for the most accomplished artist could render small service, if he were called on only after the plants had been delivered on the ground. The designing of plantations, large or small, calls for the best skill of the real landscape gardener. They should be made to harmonize with the existing natural features of the ground; they should not destroy, but should, if possible, emphasize its natural character. Even for suburban lots, their proper planning requires much knowledge of the nature of plants, much imagination, and much careful preliminary study upon paper. — It is safe to say that the nurseryman who secures many orders from professionat landscape gardeners, or who persuades his customers to make or get planting-plans in advance, will possess a more comfortable mind and conscience, and will find himself far better advertised by his plants, than his rivals. Senator Vest’s bill providing, among other things, for une extension of the boundaries of Yellowstone Park towards the south and east, is one which should be promptly passed. The enlargement will include the western slope of the Absaroka Range, with the timber land at the sources of the mountain streams flowing into the park, as well as those which flow eastward into the Big Horn. This pro- posed addition to the park is so rugged in surface that it can never be subdued to agricultural use, and from its geo- logical formation it is safe to pronounce it utterly barren of mineral wealth. But as a part of this great natural reservoir where waters are stored to find their way to both oceans, the forest here is of incalculable value. Not only will these coniferous woods restrain the melting snows of winter, but here, unlike most of the Rocky Mountain region, aresummer rains to be husbanded as well. Many of thestreams which receive part of their supply from this region can be used for purposes of irrigation, and upon this will depend the suc- cess or failure of agriculture for thousands of square miles. This is only one of many areas along the Rocky Mountains which should be set apart as forest-land forever, but from its connection with the Park it isa promising place to begin. Buiere should be little difficulty in passing Senator Vest’s ill. ‘ It does not seem as though taste in the arrangement of flowers was at a very high level in this country, when we read the following paragraph, descriptive of a construction ‘that was exhibited in a Western city not long ago: “ Upon an easel of Cat-tails a velvet plaque rested. The latter was decorated with a cluster of Roses, and at one side, resting upon a branch of Holly, was a little owl made of Violets and natural enough looking to fly away. Beneath was a nest full of eggs.” But reading it quoted with approval unter the heading, ‘‘Another Pretty Thing,” in a late num- ber of a prominent English horticultural journal, we are -somewhat consoled by the thought that if our taste is bad, it is no worse than that of the rest of the world. It is proposed by French horticulturalists to erect a mon- ument over the grave of Lacharme, the famous cultivator of Roses. The Viennese Jlusirirfe Garten Zeitung suggests that lovers of Roses in other countries should contribute towards the monument, and names M. Bernaix, 63 Cours Lafayette, at Villeurbanne-Lyon, in France, as the person to whom remittances may be made. Garden and Forest. 1 Landscape Gardening.—VII. homes of the better class are isolated in their own grounds, we must confess that they do not prove us as far advanced in the art of gardening as we are in certain other arts. Few villa-lots in any neighborhood show that the first requisite of a good effect has been considered—com- position. Little regard is usually paid to the harmonious arrangement of contrasting forms, and still less, I may now add, to the harmonious arrangement of contrasting colors. I do not propose to discuss the intrinsic excellence of that popular kind of gardening which is known as “‘ bed- ding out,” as ‘‘ribbon” or ‘pattern gardening.” There are many who would almost invariably prefer to it some more natural disposition of bright-flowered or bright-leaved plants—something more like nature’s own floral arrange- ments or like those of our grandmothers’ days. But, given the fact that solid, bright-hued pattern beds may be intrin- sically beautiful, how often do we see them used in a way which suggests the desire to make them part and parcel of a beautiful general scheme, and how often is that nice feel- ing for color which we are so fond of exercising inside our homes displayed in choosing and assorting the plants which compose them? The beds we most often see are ugly in shape, garish in their contrasts of tint, and disposed with- out due regard to anything around them, A man who would not for worlds hang a chromo on his carefully tinted parlor wall, contentedly puts chromos in Coleus and Gera- nium in the middle ofa lawn the strong green tone of which throws their gaudiness into high relief. If, now, we look atour larger country-seats and parks we find more palpable evidence of good taste. Wehave some admirable landscape gardeners in America, and, naturally, they are more often asked to manage large problems than small ones. But as yet they are not asked nearly often enough; and even when asked their counsels are not al- ways respected. They may be allowed to lay out the grounds as they wish, but when once their backs are turned, how quick is the owner to retouch—and spoil—their work! How seldom does he ask himself what it was that his land- scape gardener really wanted to do—what was the general effect he wanted to produce,—and then address himself to developing and preserving it! How seldom do wesee any place, great or small, of which we can say, There is every- thing here that the eye desires—there is nothing that it could wish away! How surprised would almost any pro- prietor be, did we venture to criticise the view from his window upon the same principles that we should apply to a painting on his walls ; and yet, unless it will stand such criticism, it is not what he has wished to make it. Of course, only an experienced and capable artist can arrange any extensive gardening scheme with success. And even the smallest scheme is likely to be more success- fully planned and more rapidly perfected under an artist’s eye. Yet even if his help is unattainable there is no reason why we should resignedly fall back upon haphazard ways of working. Any man can try to work in an artistic spirit, even if he cannot rival an artist’s skill in execution. That is to say, no result made up of various elements—even if those elements be the very fewest in number—can be good which is not good as a whole; to make it good as a whole we must begin by having a clear idea of what sort of a whole we want ; and to begin with such an idea is to work in an artistic spirit, no matter how well or poorly we suc- ceed in giving it beautiful expression. The scheme is the main point—the scheme and the will to stick to it and not be tempted by the beauty of individual things into frittering away or confusing its effect. Is it needful to say that working in this spirit we should not only work to better eventual effect, but with greater pleasure at the moment? To have some appropriate and charming little picture in our minds which we want to realize; to dispose our ground, and to choose and place our plants, with the requirements of this picture before us— lie as I have said, we look at any American town where 76 this is to get the highest degree of pleasure from our plant- ing. Nor can it be objected that when the picture is once arranged, then our work and pleasure are over, unless it can be perpetually tampered with and disarranged. To the artist the mutability of nature is often a heavy cross, since he knows that when his result is considered finished he must leave it to others who will permit it (even if they do not aid it) to transform itself into something very differ- ent. But to the proprietor or gardener who is trying on a modest scale to emulate the artist, this very mutability in- sures the permanence of his pleasure. Day by day and year by year he can watch the development of his picture, guard against Nature’s disfiguring retouches, welcome her happy accidents, and carefully correct and retouch his re- sult himself while preserving its general integrity. And this work will surely be pleasant, for to the scientific satis- faction of the cultivator will. be added that purest of all delights—the consciousness of being a creator in the field of art. AT. G. van Rensselaer. Which is the Better Way? NE difference between landscape painting and land- scape gardening is that the trees and shrubs in the picture of the painter do not grow, while those in the gar- dener’s picture do grow. Hence the former is free to show his group fully grown at once, while the latter must wait for years until his little specimens attain the desired size, Two methods of planting are practiced. One attempts to produce present effect ; the other aims at ultimate results. Planting material is usually small. This is especially the case where novelties are used. Hencea design of planting, no matter how carefully studied for future effect, may give meagre results at first—the grounds will appear not fully furnished, and the impatience of the owner. will compel the landscape gardener to plant greater quantities than one educated to foresee future effects would deem advisable. On the other hand, if the design is made to produce im- mediate results, the growth of the planting will in time cause a surfeit, and finally the grounds will appear to beas much overplanted as they would at first seem to be unfin- ished on the other plan, and with this difference, the over- planted grounds will not improve, but the surfeit will in- crease. Individual specimens will encroach upon and destroy each other. Here the ‘survival of the fittest ”— that is, the fittest for beauty and interest—will not always occur. The more delicate, and, oftentimes, the more beau- tiful, will be crowded out by the coarser growing kinds. As a reply to this objection, how many times have I heard it said, ‘‘Oh, well, we will ‘ thin out’ as the specimens grow.” But the trouble is, the owners of overplanted ground do not ‘‘thin out,” but everything is left to grow together “until the harvest,” and that harvest generally is a rooting out of alland a more judicious planting made to take the place of the old. Sometimes it happens that the harvest is deferred until the harvester appears in the person of anew owner. Ihave in mind a case of overplanting which I was called upon to remedy some ten or twelve yearsago. The former owner had died, and the property came into the hands of anew proprietor, who, soon after the purchase, sent for help. He said that he felt there was something the matter with the grounds, but he did not know exactly what. I suggested suffocation, ‘That's it,” he replied; ‘‘see if you can get rid of it.” And thereupon some four hundred trees and shrubs came out at once. In one or two instances it was absolutely necessary to remove more than would have been advisable had more judicious methods of planting prevailed at first. Masses of evergreens entirely filled up spaces where glades and vistas ought to have appeared. These would have been secured if two or three trees onlyshad been originally planted, and even now the removal of a part of these masses would leave the needed opening ; but the trees were so thickly grown together, that taking out a part would have exposed dead branches all up the sides of the trees left standing, and therefore the removal of every one was necessary, Garden and Forest. Te [APRIL £1, 1888. From what has been said it appears that both methods of planting have their faults. That by which present effects are secured eventually produces a surfeit, which will not improveas time goes on. The design made to secure future results, at first gives an appearance of bareness, which gradually disappears as the design comes to full develop- ment. In my reference to overplanted grounds, I have stated facts as they ordinarily occur. ‘here are exceptions. Grounds can be and are planted so as to give pleasing re- sults at first, and then are so carefully watched, and so promptly relieved of any undue crowding, that all continues satisfactory. Nevertheless, a long experience has con- vinced me that with a carefully studied design the most satisfactory results will follow when only those trees and shrubs are used which are intended toremain. The reason isobvious. In the firstcase the intention of the design be- comes indefinite and wavering, as individual members of the overcrowded planting are removed, one after another, to make room for those which are to remain ; in the second case, the result is definite, because the intention of the de- sign continues the same. There is nochange or fluctuation of purpose. The trees and shrubs when planted were given room for full development, andso to take upon them- selves all the beauty and gracefulness of form with which nature has endowed them, There is one way of securing both present and future effects, and that is the planting of large trees; but this is costly, somewhat doubtful in its results, and it can be of but limited use. B.S. Olmstead. [There are cultural advantages in planting trees and shrubs so closely that they will protect each other when small, and if the plants that are to remain were designated in the original plan and those used for supplementary purposes could be removed at the proper time, close plant- ing would be the best practice. But few men have the strength and persistence of purpose to root out thrifty trees and shrubs as they begin to crowd, especially those which they have planted themselves. Besides this, frequent changessof owners help to defeat the best intentions in this. matter. Therefore it is safer, as a.rule, to plant only such trees and shrubs as are meant to have a permanent place ina design. It should be added that ‘‘ novelties” should never be used to produce effects which require time for their development. Who knows how strange plants will thrive ina soil and climate to which they are not accus- tomed ?—Ep. } : 4 : a Cemeteries. CEMETERY is a space set apart from all other uses for the particular purpose of burying the dead and of erecting memorials to them. Its purpose, being so dis- tinctive, should not be confused with that of any sort of public pleasure-ground. This may seem too obvious to need pointing out, but the — fact appears to be that almost every important cemetery becomes noted in a way which shows clearly that its real — purpose has become confused with that of displaying — what,can be accomplished by certain decorative arts. Such a display is out of place and in bad taste. Obviously the rule should be that nothing which is decorative, rare, curious, historical or amusing should be allowed in a cemetery for its own sake, but only as it may aid the true © purposes of a burial-ground. ‘Too often, the aim appears to be to afford gratification to those who come to the cemetery in the same frame of mind in which they might _ be expected to go toa fine public garden; that is, on the © alert to admire ‘‘ Nature’s bright productions,” ‘‘triumphs of horticultural art,” and things “rare and curious.” They try to ignore the graves as unfortunate and inharmonious objects, but gaze with pride, if they are natives, or with — envy if they are from another town, at the largest and | most costly monuments, just as they would at a new | court-house or triumphal arch. They are attracted as by ashow. The cast-iron fences and most of the other | APRIL it, 1888.] usual accessories, are sufficiently well adapted to aid in the pleasurable impression which the big, showy monuments and the ribbon-gardening make upon this class of visitors. The custom of making a display of pretty flower-beds is questionable. A cemetery should be built, planned and maintained with sole regard to its prime purpose, and every respect should be shown for the feelings and senti- ments of mourners and those who visit the place in a serious and contemplative frame of mind. Not that there should be a prevailing aspect of gloom and sadness, or anything approaching desolation and dreariness ; but cer- tainly any appearance of gaity and festivity, and all bright, lively, ephemeral decoration such as might be appropriate _ to certain kinds of pleasure-gardens, should be carefully avoided. The best that planting can do for a cemetery is to give an appearance of unity to a necessarily more or less heterogeneous collection of individual monuments ; to give as much sense of seclusion to all parts of the grounds as possible ; to isolate each monument from its neighbors ; and-to form a background and frame to each important monument. A certain kind of decorative planting is ad- missible, on the same principle that picture frames may be decorated. That is, it should be in keeping with and subordinate to the greater work of art which calls it into existence, but it should be used very moderately and with careful discrimination, else it had far better be omitted. Simplicity is the safest rule to follow in most instances. J.C. Olmsted. Brookline, Mass. A Disease of Certain Japanese Shrubs. N regard to Professor Gibbs’ very interesting communica- tion, p. 40, I would say that I have noted this disease fora good many years. We callit the Japanese ‘“die-back.” The cause thereof I know not, but I have observed that it is aggravated when the plants are grown under unfavorable con- ditions. As arule, Japanese trees and shrubs dislike drought in summer or winter, hot sunshine at any time, and exposure to searing windsin winter. I have found that Japanese Maples grown in good loamy, moist ground, well sheltered, and faintly shaded in summer, are very little affected by the “ die- back,” but when grown in exposed situations and dryish sandy land, they are very subject to it. Cercis Faponica with us has the tips of its shoots killed back a little every winter, but otherwise it behaves very well. Exochorda grandifiora does not seem affected. Staphylea Colchica sutfers in this way. Viburnum plicatum does not show this disease in our garden, but I know of it in New Jer- sey, where it is not only affected by this disease, but the ends of the shoots get killed back nearly every year as if it were not hardy enough. Cercidiphyllum is hardy and healthy with us ; so, too, is Eleagnus longipes. Ampelopsis tricuspidata gets killed back a good deal in winter, but seems to enjoy immu- nity from the summer ‘“die-back.” But we have other than Japanese shrubs that are affected with summer ‘‘die-back.” Take, for instance, our native Hydrangea qguercifolia ; it is as bad, or worse, in this respect, than a ‘Japanese Maple. And what can be worse in this way than Rhus Cotinus? Even of old and apparently most healthy specimens, half the bush will sometimes die back to the ground in summer, and unaccountably. Deciduous Aza- leas likewise die back a deal in summer, but in their case especially I am certain the disease is greatly aggravated by un- favorable conditions of cultivation. Win, Falconer, Fruit Growing in Florida. ‘ [RAKING up the subject of fruit culture in Florida at the point marked by the ‘‘semi-centennial freeze” of 1886, it may be said that the Orange, Lemon and other Citrus fruits have held their own, and that the crop of fruit next winter is likely to be four times as large as that which was nipped by the memorable frost. Before the frost some little interest had been aroused in cer- tain other fruits that had recently been introduced, and during the following year their merits were discussed with eager interest, for public confidence in the Orange had, in fact, been seriously shaken, and the importance of diversification was generally conceded. The most noted of these new fruits were those odd Chinese Peaches, the Honey and Peen-to, the former with a beak-like Garden and Forest. a point, and the latter drawn in at both ends like a certain style of pin-cushion. The Le Conte and Keiffer Pears were also much talked of, and likewise the Japan Persimmon. On these the Florida nurserymen bestowe d much attention in 1886, and still more in the following year, the demand for such stock in- creasing enormously. There are nearly 1oo nurseries named and advertised in Florida, yet the population of the State, including negroes, is only about 400,000. Large orders for young Orange trees were received from Cz lifornia last winter, and tens of thousands were shipped to that State. In 1886 one of the Japan Piums, which came from California nurseries under the name of Kelsey's Plum, was fruited in Florida from a bud of the previous year. It proved to be remarkably vigorous and precocious, bearing fruit of large size (over two inches in diameter), of fine flavor, with small pits, not subject to curculio—in short, a marvelously fine Plum, in all respects. During the same year some seedlings—jx haps hybrids—of the Chinese Peaches were brought to notice and nurserymen have made a specialty of them. They are superior to the originals, and the tendency to variation indi- cates that, by selection, still better varieties may be obtained in the future. Of the Pears mentioned, the Le Conte has grown steadily in favor. Inthe country around Tallahassee it was a source of considerable revenue last year, and plans are on foot for estab- lishing an exchange for handling this year’s crop. As to the Japan Persimmon, the only question is in regard to its quali- ties as a marketab le fruit. It is hardy, he valthy, and precocious in bearing, but, like the Loquat, its status is not fully deter- mined. Both of these trees, as to foliage and fruit, are verv ornamental, and are great acquisitions to the orchard, if only for home use. The same may be said of the Guava, which is scarcely less valuable to the people of the southern half of Florida than is the apple in more northern States The Grape is another fruit that has acquired prominence since the freeze of 1886. European grape-growers have estab- lished extensiv e vineyards in certain localities and have found some varieties to do remarkably well. Professor E. Dubois makes a epecieny of wine-grapes. He is enthusiastic in praise of the Cynthiana and Norton’s Virginia, two seedlings of Vitis estivalis. : The Fig, Pomegranate, Mulberry and Olive have long been cultivated in Florida, and deserve more attention than they receive. The Fig grows almost spontaneously. The variety so extensively imported succeeds finely, and, with proper appliances for drying, it ought to be grown profitably for market. In the northern counties considerable attention has been bestowed on the Pecan and the English Walnut, and many plantations of them are growing. The Almonds and foreign Chestnuts. may also be § grown tor home use, To: summarize, the present aspect of fruit-culture in pe may be stated as follows: On the southern coast Pineapple are grown for market in large quantity, and large plz aeiore of Cocoanuts have been started. Many other West Indian fruits are grown there for home use. Throughout the south- ern half of the peninsula the Pineapple and Banana fruit we ll, and the latter is grown for ornament throughout the State. The Mango, Avocado Pear, Sugar Apple, Sapodilla, and some other sub-tropical fruits, succeed well as far se as Tampa Bay, and Guavas nearly to the northern border, but a cold wave like that of 1886 will cut them down. All the fruits previously mentioned do well, except in the southernmost counties. The fruits shipped out of the State rate in importance about as follows: Oranges, Pineapples, Strawberries, Pears, Peaches, Grapes and Persimmons. The Apricot, Quince and Apple are occasionally met with. The latter promises to succeed best grafted on the Pear. Of Plums, numerous varieties are in cul- tivation, the Wild Goose and Marianna being the best native varieties, and Kelsey's the best of the Japanese, with numerous others yet to be introduced. Of Peaches, the Peen-to and its seed dlings succeed well in sandy lands, and some varieties of the Persian strain where there is clay sub soil. Taking a brief retrospect, it is evident that horticulture in Florida has made greater advances within the last two years than during any four years in her previous history. Hundreds of thousands of deciduous fruit-trees and vines have been planted. New varieties have been tested. More attention has been given to the science of horticulture. A reform in the system of selling and shipping Oranges and other fruits is in progress. Improved transportation and appliances for retrig- eration are being provided. Fruit-growing is steadily increas- ing in importance, and in most portions of the State if will long continue to be the favorite industr y. A. FY, Curtiss. Jacksonville, Fla, 78 Garden and Forest. New or Little Known Plants. Yucca filifera. HIS, the ‘‘ Palma” of the Mexicans of Nuevo Leon, and the largest of the known species of Yucca, is certainly one of the most remarkable and interesting trees of North America. It was first discovered about 1840, near Saltillo in north-eastern Mexico, by Dr. J. Gregg, author of the well known ‘‘Commerce of the Prairies.” It was next seen in December, 1852, between Parras and Saltillo, by Dr. George Thurber and a party of the United States Boundary Commission, and is referred to, but without characters or description, in Dr. Torrey’s ‘‘ Botany of the Boundary.” A figure of the tree, however, appeared in Mr. Bartlett s ‘¢Per- sonal Narratives” of the Boundary Surveys, vol. ii., p. 491. [APRIL 11, 1888, by whom plants were raised and distributed. One of these flowered in 1876, in the garden of the Baron Prailly, near Hyeéres, and was figured and described by Chabaud in the Revue Hortcole, under the not very fortunate name of Fucca filifera*, by which this tree must now be known, Yucca filifera is a wide-branching tree often 50 feet in height. The short trunk, 15-20 feet high in fully grown specimens, and not rarely five feet in diameter above the somewhat swollen base, is covered with dark brown scaly bark. ‘The leaves, persistent upon the stout branches for many years, are thin, smooth, narrowly oblanceolate, 18-20 inches long, with fibrous edges, the threads white, or sometimes reddish-brown. The pendulous panicles appearin April and May ; they are 4-6 feet long and 18-20 inches wide. ‘The flowers are small, 2-3 inches wide, the ovate, or lance-ovate, narrow segments rarely exceed- Fig. 13.—Yucca filifera This figure very well shows its habit except that the great panicles of flowers are represented upright on the summit of the branches as in other species of Yucca, an error due, no doubt, to the fact that the trees, being at that season of the year out of flower, the artist was obliged to draw upon his imagination so far as the inflorescence was concerned. This mistake led Dr. Engelmann, with only the very in- sufficient material brought home by Gregg and Thurber at his command, and after him Mr. Baker in England, to con- sider the plant a southern variety of J. baccata, from which, however, it differs in its much thinner and smoother leaves, smaller flowers, shorter and less fleshy fruit, and pendulous inflorescence. Some time previous to 1860, the collector Roezl rediscovered the tree, and sent seeds to the nurseries of Huber & Co., of Hyéres, in France, ing aninch in length. The baccate pendulous fruit, often constricted on the side towards the stem, is 2-24 inches long, with seed often exceeding a line in thickness. Fucca filifera is a conspicuous object on the arid plains which rise from the Rio Grande to the foothills of the Sierra Madre. The great panicles of white flowers can be seen for miles in the clear atmosphere of that region, and look like gleaming waterfalls pouring out from the ends of the branches. It first appears about 50 miles south of the Rio Grande, where, with the beautiful white-flowered Cordia Boissiert in the depression of the plain, it forms an open picturesque forest which extends almost to the valley ~*Vucca filifera, Chabaud, Rev. Hort., 1876, p. 432, f.971.—Carriére, Rev Hort., 1879, p. 262, ¥. baccata, var. australis, Engelm, Four. Linn. Soc, xviti, 229. Trans. St. Louis Acad. iit. 45.—Baker, APRIL II, 1888.] Garden and Fig. 14.—Yucca filifera, of Monterey. The Palma is common in the plains between Saltillo and Parras; it was seen by Dr. Parry as far south as San Louis Potosi, and it will be found, no doubt, to extend widely over the high dry plains of north-eastern Mexico. This tree is often cultivated by the Mexicans at both Monterey and Saltillo, the young plants being used to form high impenetrable hedges about houses and stock- yards; and flowering plants, from Roezl’s introduction, are not rare in the gardens of Southern France, Algeria and northern Italy. It is hardy, according to Naudin*, wher- ever the Orange will thrive. Our illustrations (Ge. 13; p. 78, fig. 14, p. 79) are from photographs taken near Monterey by Mr. J. M. Codman. C2SeS: *Manuel del’ Acclimateur, p- 558. Chionophila Jamesii.* N 1821 Dr. Edwin James accompanied as naturalist the government party which, under Capt. Long, ascended the South Platte, skirted the eastern base of the Rocky Mountains as far southward as Colorado Springs, and thence returned east by way of the Arkansas. From Colorado Springs Dr. James made the first ascent of what is now known as Pike’s Peak, and there gathered the first collection that had ever been made of the alpine plants of western America. Among them was asingle specimen of the plant *C. Jamesut, Benth. in DC. Prodr. x. 351. A dwarf alpine perennial, glabrous or nearly so, with thickish entire oblong-lanceolate Pe Cian leaves; stems scape-like, bearing one or two pairs of narrowly linear leaves and a close secund imbricately bracted spike; calyx broadly funnelform, with five short blunt teeth; corolla cream-color, tubular, half an inch long, with short bilabiate limb and bearded in the throat ; sterile filament glabrous, SO which is here figured. This, with others, was referred to Dr. Torrey for determination, but unfortunately it became mixed with specimens of Penésiemon James and so was overlooked, and eventually found its way to the herbarium at Kew. Here, twenty-five years later, it was detected by Mr. Bentham while he was preparing the Scrophulariacee for DeCandolle’s Prodromus, its peculiarities were recog- nized, and it was describedasa new genus. Fifteen years later still, in 1861, Dr. C. C. Parry ascended the cluster of now well-known peaks which were named by ne Torrey, Gray and Engelmann, and upon the summit of Gray’s Peak he rediscovered James's plant. Since that time it has been found in the same region by several collectors, but it yet remains the sole pc ieents aid of the genus. As shown by the figure, the leaves are mostly in a basal cluster, with one or two pairs of linear ones upon the low scape-likestems. The cream-colored flowers are in one-sided bracted spikes, the two-lipped corollas bearded in the throat and not greatly exceeding the calyx. Thegenus is closely related to Pen/sfemon, from which it is distinguished chiefly by the tubular and short-toothed calyx and | by the spicate arrangement of the flowers. This rae nite of our highest snow-clad peaks cannot be said to be remarkable for its beauty, but asa rarity and as the ae one of its kind it deserves a place in every collection of Alpine plants. ao W; Cultural Department. Pruning Shrubs. O the repeated inquiry as to the best time and method of pruning deciduous shrubs, it may be aie ber that no single rule can be laid down that will apply to all cases. Shr ubs, like trees, are pruned for different purposes, and what is good practice in one case may be ruinous in another. the extreme southern part of Florida. This tree covers of the East, thus gradually extends itself over a large area. Two species of Fig are found growing spontaneously in the semi-tropical portions of Florida. Of these, “cus aurea is the most common and by far the handsomest. It grows on many of the keys from Key West to Cape Florida, and extends up the east coast to the Indian River region, but it has not been detected on any part of the west coast. There are specimens of this species in the Kew Herbarium, from the island of New Providence (Brace 356), and it is probably to be found on the other Bahama Islands. The Florida Fig isa large evergreen, or sub-evergreen tree, with a trunk sometimes three to four feet in diameter, with May 9, 1888.] light gray, very smooth bark, and coriaceous yellow-green leaves, three to four inches long and two inches broad. They are pointed at both ends, and are borne on stout petioles, which, as well as the prominent mid-ribs, are somewhat lighter colored than the rest of the leaf. The fruit is small and nearly round, about one-third of an inch in diameter, and sessile in the axils of the leaves, It is yellow as it approaches maturity, a character which prob- ably led Nuttall to apply the name awrea to this species, but when perfectly ripe turns bright red. The noble tree which stands in front of the United States barracks at Key West, and which all visitors to the island are taken to see, belongs to this species. Ficus aurea was quite generally introduced into cultivation a few years ago, through the agency of the Arnold Arbor- etum. Itis easily raised from seed, and at the north makes a hardy conservatory or house plant, although inferior for this purpose to the common Rubber-plant (Z7cus elasiica). Our picture is from a photograph made by Mr. James M. Codman, to whom the readers of this journal are indebted for many of its most interesting illustrations. GOS. Ss: Notes from the Arnold Arboretum. HE earliest shrub in flower in the collection, with the ex- ception of a few Willows and Alders, is Erica carnea. It was in full bloom by the 14th of April; and the season here this year is ten or twelve days later than the average. This is a dwarf species which inhabits the lower hills of the European mountain ranges from Switzerland to the Balkans. It rarely exceeds six inches in height, although in some localities it grows erect and much taller (£. Mediterranea), The flowers are bright, clear red, a quarter of an inch long, drooping, axil- lary and arranged in leafy racemes, terminal or just below the ends of the branches. This is one of the hardiest and most satisfactory of all the Heaths in this climate ; and is indispensa- ble in a rockery. It flourishes in a compost of peat mixed with a liberal amount of sand; and blooms not only earlier in the spring than other species, but again very late in the autumn. In a milder climate it continues in flower nearly all winter. A slight protection of pine branches thrown over it in winter protects it here from the scorching sun of February and March. A variety with white flowers is generally known in gardens as E, herbacea. A few days later Daphne Mezereum was in bloom. This is a widely distributed shrub, common over nearly the whole of Europe and Russian Asia and extending to the Arctic regions. For centuries it has been a favorite garden plant in Europe, but is now too rarely seen in this country. It is an erect glabrous shrub, one to three feet high, with rigid, erect branches, each terminated with a tuft of narrow deciduous leaves. The flowers appear before the leaves, in numerous crowded clusters of two or three, along the shoots of the pre- ceding year, and are succeeded by large red, handsome berries. This is a very hardy and pertectly satisfactory little shrub, which thrives in any good garden-soil. There is a variety with white flowers, and another which blooms in the autumn. The bark of the Mezereum has medical properties, and is collected in eure quantities in some parts of Germany. It is now princi- pally employed as an ingredient in the compound decoction ot Sarsaparilla. Cornus officinalis is in full bloom at the end of the third week of April. This is a Japanese species which, according to Siebold, reaches a height of to to 12 feet, and is greatly valued by the Japanese as an ornamental plant and for the medicinal qualities of its bark. An admirable colored plate (4. 50) of this plant is published in Siebold & Zuccarini’s ‘ /lora F¥aponica.” It very closely resembles the well known Cornelean Cherry (Cornus mascula), as Siebold himself points out, and it is prob- ably merely anextreme geographical form of that species. It has the same small yellow precocious flowers produced in simple umbels from the axils of the leaves on the shoots of the previous year, and the same cuspidate-acuminate — entire leaves, which, however, in the Japanese plant have tufts of thick rusty hairs in the axils of the primary veins. The fruit, as described by Siebold, seems identical with that of the Corne- lean Cherry. Cornus officinalis is a very hardy, fast growing shrub, chiefly valuable for its very early showy inflorescence. Cornus mascula is also in bloom, its leafless branches wreathed in yellow. But this is such a well known plant that nothing need be said about it except that it is not appreciated Garden and Forest. 129 or planted half often enough in this country, and that the varieties with variegated leaves—great favorites with many nurserymen—do not bear our hot sun well and are not worth planting here. Forms now exist in French collections which vary from the type very considerably in the shape and color of the fruit. The most striking and interesting of these is one with clear, bright yellow drupes. : Andromeda Faponica, an evergreen species, the Japanese representative of our Alleghany 4. floribunda, is in flower, or rather it would have been in flower several weeks ago had not the cold, asit does every year, destroyed nearly all its beauti- ful racemes of pure white bell-shaped flowers. This Japanese Andromeda is a perfectly hardy plant, hardier here even than its American congener, but it blooms too early and is not worth cultivating at the north as a flowering plant. At the south it might be expected to open its flowers in February and to become a most useful and attractive garden ornament. Corema Conradi, which is now well established in the Arbore- tum, is also in flower. This is one of the rarest of North Amer- ican shrubs, being found only in a few isolated stations on the coast of New Jersey, Long Island, New England, and in Newfoundland. It is a diffusely branched, spreading little shrub only a few inches high with scattered or nearly whorled heath-like leaves and minute apetalous flowers in small terminal heads. Its interest is botanical rather than horticultural, al- though the male plant is handsome when in flower with its tufted purple filaments and brown anthers. This plant is rather impatient of cultivation, but it can be grown in sandy peat in full exposure to the sun and once established it spreads rapidly. Plants, however, when they are taken upon the sea- shore must be thoroughly rooted in pots in a frame or cool green-house before being planted in the border. It is hope- less to try to transplant it in any other way. The Leatherwood (Dirca palustris) of our far northern woods, will interest the botanist rather than the gardener ac- customed only to plants with showy and conspicuous flowers. It is one of the earliest shrubs to bloom and one of the easiest to cultivate. Its small yellow flowers in dense heads appear some time before the leaves. The Forest. The Forests of the Yellowstone National Park. TANDING upon one of the high peaks in the north- western part of the Yellowstone National Park, the observer looks out upon an almost unbroken, undulating, dark green forest, stretching away to the eastward and south- ward. This timbered area, comprising the central and southern portions of the Park, is a high, rolling, volcanic plateau, with an average altitude of about 8,000 feet, except in the extreme south, where an altitude of 10,000 feet is reached. On the north-west it is flanked by the Gallatin Range, mainly sedimentary, and along the whole eastern border by the rugged volcanic peaks of the Absaraka or Yellowstone Range, both reaching altitudes of 11,000 feet. The continental divide crosses the Park and is generally broad, ill defined and heavily timbered throughout, with an altitude varying from 8,000 to 10,000 feet. The mountain slopes over the region, where not too precipitous and rocky, are generally well clothed with timber up to 9,000 feet. Above this the country becomes more open, grassy parks mingled with groves of trees, until the timber line is reached, which may be roughly estimated at 9,600 feet on the peaks and somewhat higher on the elevated plateaus. The altitude of the Park, with its topographic features, make it one of the storm centres of the northern Rocky Mountains. It is one of our greatest natural reservoirs, including within its limits the head waters of the Yellowstone, Gallatin, Madison and Snake Rivers. The Park lies in the Rocky Mountain belt of coniferous forests, geographically termed the Interior Pacific, and which, trending north-westward, unites in Washington Territory with that of the Pacific coast, form- ing a broad belt which still farther north in British America merges into the north-west extension of the Atlantic forest. The common and most widespread tree of the Park is the Black Pine (Pinus Murrayana). It is the only tree forming extensive forests, to the exclusion of other species. It reaches its greatest development on the drier plateaus, 130 between 7,000 and 8,000 feet; here forming at least ninety per cent. of the forest. It is not generally over two feet in diameter, with a height of 60 to 100 feet, and is found from the lowest altitudes up to 9,500 feet; over the lower and drier areas with the Douglas Fir (Pseudotsuga Doug- Zasiz), and in higher and more moist situations—with more or less Spruce and Fir. The young forests of Black Pine are composed of slender, extremely straight trees, growing so close together as to be almost impenetrable, and are known as Lodge Pole Pines, having been so used by the Indians. Probably sixty-five per cent. of the forest area is composed of the Black Pine. The Rocky Mountain White Pine (Pinus flexilis) is a common tree over the dry gravelly ridges, from 7,500 feet upward, especially above 8,000 feet, although occurring frequently at much lower elevations. Pinus albicaulis, another White Pine, is found associated with P. fexiis, but ranges higher, being found scattered or in bunches on rocky ‘exposed ridges and summits at the upper limit of tree growth, but has been observed as low as 7,509 feet. The region of the Park is probably the most eastern and southern habitat of thisspecies. It is abundant on the higher mountains of Park, Gallatin and Madison Counties, Montana, immediately north and north-west of the Park. To an ordinary observer it closely resembles P. flexilis in general habit and has here been confounded with it. The whiteness of the bark, which is a character- istic farther north and north-west, is hardly noticeable here, but the brown-purple young cones which fall to pieces at maturity, at once distinguish it from P. feaddis, the young cones of which are green and have persistent scales. These two species form about 10 per cent. of the forest area. The Yellow Pine (Pinus ponderosa) might be -ex- pected on some of the lower, drier areas, as it occurs in the Black Hills on the east, and on the west in Idaho and Montana, but it has not been observed. The Douglas or Red Fir is found up to 9,000 feet, gen- erally scattered over the drier grass ridges and slopes. It here does not compare in size with “the magnificent specimens of the Pacific coast, although some trees observed had a diameter of five feet, but generally were stunted and unsound, The Balsam (Abies subalpina) ranks next to the Black Pine in numbers and distribution. It is found throughout the Park in cool, moist situations, at low elevations on the northern slopes, and especially common on wet sub- alpine slopes and plateaus about the timber line, forming groves inthe Park-like openings. On moist plateaus, above 8,000 feet, and the slopes and bottoms of deep cafions, are forests of this species and of Engelmann’s Spruce, these two trees forming at least twenty-five per cent. of the forest area of the Park. The Engelmann’s Spruce is generally associated with the Balsam Fir. It is the finest tree of the Park, although not comparing in size with the specimens found in the extensive forests of this species, which occur further south in the central Rocky Mountain region. Still farther north it becomes rare and of small size. The White Spruce, which occurs in the Black Hills of Dakota and in Northern Mon- tana, reaching its greatest development in the Flathead Region, probably does not occur within the Park. Some of the cones of Pwea Engelmanni show a transition into those of P. a/ba. This fact is suggestive, occurring, as it does, in a region between that of that greatest develop- ment of P. Lngelmannt on the south and P. alba on the north; although in north-west Montana, where both spe- cies occur, Professor Sargent has observed the same fact, but they are found “at different elevations, in different soils and never mingle.” The Red Cedar is occasionally seen along the lower, drier va wtb Juniperus communis, var. alpina, occurs on rocky slopes and more fr equently about the hot spring areas. On moist slopes and along streams of the lower grass areas are often found groves of the Aspen (Populus iremuloides). Occasionally a Cottonwood (Popu- Garden and Forest. [May 9, 1888. lus angushfola) will be met with in the same situations. The bog and stream thickets are composed of some of the following shrubs: Belua glandulosa, Salix desertorum, var, Wolft; Sax glauca, Alnus incana, var. virescens. Of other species may be mentioned: Sakx longifolia, Betula occidentalis, Alnus viridis, Prunus demissa, Pyrus sambucrfolia, Amelanchier alnifolia, Ceanothus velutinus, Rham- nus alnifola, Acer glabrum. There are some areas of considerable extent through- out the Park which are not forest covered, and at lower elevations covered with a luxuriant growth of grass and more or less of Sage Brush. These comprise, perhaps, 220 of the 3,350 square miles of the Park. Add to this about 80 square miles for all minor areas, small parks, meadows, and regions above timber line, and 180 for lakes and ponds, we have a total of 480 square miles, or about fourteen per cent. of the area of the Park. We can, therefore, safely say that about eighty-six per cent. of it is forest covered. frank Tweedy. United States Geological Society. Correspondence. “Which is the Better Way?” To the Editor of GARDEN AND FOREST: Sir.—Ina recent contribution to your columns under the above heading the opinion is expressed that in a work of landscape gardening the best results will be secured when no trees are planted but such as it is essential to its design should attain mature character. The large parks of New York and Breoklyn present the strongest possible argument for this position, and no man can realize better than I do the danger of proceeding otherwise than as thus recommended. Yet it may be questioned whether a passage may not here and there be found in these grounds, in which a moderate amount of thinning of densely planted groups has from time to time been secured, in which more refreshmentis offered to town- worn men than could have been otherwise provided. And perhaps a few words of caution to young landscape gardeners not to follow the precept too literally may serve a good purpose. If a client asks me how the very best results are to be obtained with liberal outlay on a given piece of ground, I may say nothing to him of nurse trees, such as are to be removed as a matter of course when their purpose has been served. I may begin my answer by reminding him that though we com- monly speak as if trees of the same name were of identically the same nature, they do, in fact, vary one from another as they grow up, in form, color, habit, character, constitution and in the possession of vital force, quite as much as human beings of the same surname. There isa natural proclivity with some toa quiet, regular life, with others to comparative eccentricity; with some to robust, with others to delicate habits ; with some to yield to enemies, with others to fight hard with them ; with some to early decay, with others to “long and vigorous lives. Hence, aside from the cultural advantages for young trees of close planting, ‘the very best results” are likely to be attained by planting two, three or four times as many trees of those of a common name, that are to have part in a group,as it is thought will ultimately be desirable to remain init. In this case thinning is to be made afterwards by selecting from time to time that one of the number to be taken out that appears likely to contribute least to the value of the group (regarding the group, of course, as an element of a designed more comprehensive composition). Growing in this way the single tree that may be left after many years will not beassymmetricala “specimen” as might have resulted. from the planting of one tree only of the name, but the chances are that it will bea much more desirable tree for the place in which it stands. It will be larger, stronger, more tr atty representative. It will have a shape more like that of a tree that has triumphed in a contest of natural selection, and a shape better expressive of its in- corporation with other trees similarly grown in the group in which it was originally designed that the individuality of all its trees should at last be merged. And the young landscape gardener should not overlook the fact that if there is a liability to the miscarriage of a design in such cases through neglect of thinning, it cannot be reckoned with certainty that a miscarriage will always be avoided by — planting no tree of any kind except where a tree of that kind -— can with advantage stand permanently. May 9, 1888.] Ten years after a place has been planted on the latter princi- ple no two out of a hundred of its trees may yet have begun to grow into grouping connection one with another. None will, at best, be more than promising “specimens.” All will not be that, for, through ice storms, cyclonic gusts, strokes of lightning, borers, climbing boys, runaway wagons, lingering diseases or the development of a cramped or a straggling habit of growth, some will be unpromising. The place will not have upon it a hundredth part of the whole body of foliage which, with a continued flourishing condition of all its trees, is to be eventually expected, for after ten years the bulk of foliage carried by most of our trees increases annually, for many years, ata very rapidly advancing rate. Ina single year the leafage of a tree, under favorable circumstances, may double. If there have been disturbing circumstances in the landscape beyond the bounds of the property, such as may be _ caused by a rural cemetery or a fantastic villa with flaunting flower beds and iron fountains and statuary, they will not yet have been ‘planted out.” Under these circumstances it is not improbable that those living on the place will have become impatient of its public, unfurnished and hobbledehoy char- acter, and to get the better of it will fill in supplementary plantings, which will be quite as unfavorable to the realization of the design of the primary planting as the neglect of proper thinnings of a dense planting would have been. To appreciate the lability of such a result one should have in mind what great blank spaces must be left between sapling trees if it is intended to give them room for anything like their possible full development. Two continuously flourishing Elms will eventually cross branches if planted a hundred feet apart. I have paced the shadow of one of a group of Oaks at noon-day which was a hundred and forty feet across. As a liability to the miscarriage of a design in one way or the other can by no means be fully guarded against, the con-’ clusion seems reasonable that a landscape artist no more than any other should be asked to school himself to have only standards in view that he can be sure will be appreciated and sustained by his clients and the successors of his clients. Per- -haps the better ‘‘moral” is that in planting, as in all other operations of landscape gardening, what is the best way of proceeding is a question of time, place and circumstance. There should be no stereotyped work. The subject cannot be dismissed without’ another word of caution. In contending with the superstition that prevents the due thinning of plantations, I have found that the impression had sometimes been left on the minds of the inexperienced that under no circumstances is it good practice to plant trees so that _when full grown their branches are at any point likely to meet and interlock. Every one who goes to Nature for instruction knows how she laughs at such a precept. As an example, consider a very common case in any region of old farms, where trees are seen that have grown from seedlings within a space of perhaps twenty feet on each side of a former fence. In a distance of fifty yards measured along the fence line _ there will be numbers of large trees, the trunks of which do not stand on an average more than ten feet apart. Their roots and branches spreading outwardly from the central line, these trees have had, on the whole, no serious lack of air, light or food, and their heads have grown into an unbroken body which could have been made more beautiful, if by any course of treatment, most assuredly not either by sparser planting or more trenchant thinning. As to shrubs, no one can have failed to notice the value in landscape of low bodies of foliage of much denser growth than it is customary to have in view in any pleasure plantations. There will have been seen, for instance, in England, neglected hedges, chiefly of Hawthorn, that, a hundred years or more after planting, have spread into masses several yards in breadth. I have come upon such close about London as well as in remote rural districts, and I have never seen anything in park or garden more beautiful. In our South-western States there are to be seen similar, but broader, and, if possible, yet more admirable bodies of Cherokee Roses, witha sprinkling of other things, that the smallest bird could not make his way through; on our northern Atlantic coast broad patches of Bayberry, with stems considerably more than a hundred to the square yard; on the high Sierras acres of the Golden Chestnut equally dense; on the top of a North Carolina ‘mountain, half a mile square, of Catawba Rhododendron rowing so closely that the ground beneath it is as bare as ait it had just been plowed, harrowed and rolled. No one seeing it can be disposed to ask if it would not be better worth seeing if it had been planted more scatteringly or -been thinned out as often as branches came to interlock or to be bent upward, Garden and Forest 131 There are many situations where trees would shut off a prospect, in which plantations of the character thus indicated would make a much better, overlookable foreground than shrubs standing in small groups and singly upon a body of turf kept by a lawn-mower. . Brookline, 15th April, 1888. F. L. Olmsted. To the Editor of GARDEN AND FOREST : Sir.—I believe in American trees for American planting, as a rule. ButourApples, Apricots, Peaches, Pears, and most of our Plums, have come from other continents. And there is a nut tree which I have seen growing on the mountain sides and plateaus of the continent of Europe, as well as in Corsica and Sardinia, which furnishes an important article of subsistence to millions of people. I refer to the so-called Spanish Chest- nut. The nut is ground into flour and made into bread, and the Hon. S. S. Cox, in his recent ‘Search for Winter Sun- beams,” declares that the mountaineers of Corsica prepare their Chestnuts for the table in twenty different ways. Our native Chestnut flourishes from New England to Georgia, but its best nuts are comparatively little things. Why can we not grow the Spanish Chestnut as well as we have grown French Pears? On Washington Heights, Manhattan Island, I have picked half a peck of these nuts that had dropped from a tree twenty years after the seed was planted, and these nuts were as good as imported ones in every way. Farther North the summers may be too short to ripen the nuts before frost, but from the latitude of New York southward we might hope for a crop as certain as from our own trees. On soils where our native Chestnut flourishes an orchard of Spanish Chestnuts would be in bearing fifteen years from seed, and the crop would be much more valuable than the wheat crop, and would increase in value for many years. In California the so-called English Walnut, the Almond, and the Olive, have been intro- duced with profit. Would it not be worth while to try this European Chestnut on our own coast ? East Orange, N. J. GB. W, [The cultivation of the Chestnut is an important and profitable industry in most of the countries of Souther Europe, and for centuries the improvement of the fruit, through careful selection, has been going on. The wild forms of the Old World Chestnut produce fruit no larger than our American Chestnuts, although selection and cul- tivation has now developed varieties three or four times as large. This fact suggests the possibility of increasing by selec- tion and cultivation the size of the fruit of the American Chestnut, which greatly excels all European varieties in sweetness and flavor, a possibility which should attract the attention of American horticulturists, who, in the im- provement of our Chestnut, have an opportunity to increase the agricultural resources and the food supply of the Atlantic States. The Spanish Chestnut has hardly been sufficiently tested yet in any part of this country to justify its general introduction as an orchard tree. It is not very hardy at the North and often suffers in severe win- ters; in Virginia and in the more Southern Atlantic States, however, it should succeed as well as in Northern Italy ; and this tree should certainly be more generally tested there than it has been heretofore. The Japanese form of the Chestnut promises to become a valuable addition to our ornamental, and, possibly, to our orchard trees. It is hardier than the European varieties, and although the fruit is smaller, it is sweeter and better flavored. The best varieties of the Spanish Chestnut can only be propa- gated by grafting, as seedlings are apt to revert to the wild form. We shall be glad to learn of ‘the experience of our readers in the Middle and Southern States with this tree. —Ep. ] Recent Publications. The Illustrated Dictionary of Gardening » A Practical and Scientific Encyclopedia of Horticulture for Gardeners and Botanists. Edited by George Nicholson. London ; and in New York by Orange Judd & Co., 1887-88. Three volumes of this work have now appeared, and the fourth and last may be expected in a few weeks. The earliest, and still the most famous, Dictionary of Gardening, is that written by Phillip Miller. It was published in London in 1731, 132 and ran through eight editions. _No book about plants contains quainter expression or sounder instruction and advice. George Don published in London in 1831, ‘‘ A General System of Gardening and Botany,” as a new edition of Miller’s Dic- tionary, but this isa book for botanists rather than for gardeners. Johnson's ‘Gardener's Dictionary” followed this in England, some years later, and for along time maintained a standard position in horticultural literature. But the great improve- ments that have been made in horticultural methods, and the vast numbers of new plants which gardeners are called upon to cultivate in these days, make a new general treatise upon gardening and garden plants in the English language a neces- sity. The work which is now before us fully supplies the need, and surpasses all its predecessors in completeness, conveni- ence of arrangement, and in the number of its illustrations. The arrangement is alphabetical, and it contains the Latin names of all the genera of plants found in English gardens, with a short generic description, and under each genus, in smaller type, all its species in cultivation, arranged alphabeti- cally, each, also, with a short description, an asterisk marking those species which are especially good or distinct. English names, of whicha great number are given, and Latin synonyms, are referred to the Latin name of the plants to which they belong. Much space is given to florists’ flowers and horticultural va- rieties, some important genera, like the Rose or the Chrysanthe- mum, occupying many pages, with detailed illustrated descrip- tions of all the best varieties. Insects injurious to garden plants are figured and described ; and very carefully illustrated articles are devoted to all horticultural operations, like graft- ing, budding and pruning. An article upon the Cucumber contains descriptions, not only of all the best varieties, but descriptions and plans of the most approved glass-houses in which to grow them. June 6, 1888.] shade of a veranda. There are several months in the year when the terrace could be occupied for one or two hours of most days as a work-room for ladies or as an air- ing place for an infant or a convalescent, when it would be imprudent to sit in the shade out-of-doors, or to walk on damp turf. As to a common sense of propriety and respectability in matters of the front and back of houses, let us consider how what may pass for such a sense has probably origi- nated. A feudal chief wishing to lodge a body of his vassals at aparticular point, before unsettled, of his domain, would provide rows of huts set closely together on each side of a common passage or street. They would have the char- acteristics of such huts as are to beseen now by the score, for example, at Paso del Norte on our southern frontier; a single room for a family, a door on the street side, a door on the other side, no windows, a little corral into which goats, swine and fowls are driven through the hut at night- fall. As civilization advanced the manorial lords would find it to their profit to extend these villages, build larger dwell- ings, and, after a long interval, give them a little window on each side of the street door. Later, the roof would be pitched steeper and a sleeping-loft added. Then, on the street side, the walls would be built higher so that there could be upper rooms, also with windows, the roof still carried down to the first story on the opposite side. At this stage of the evolution certain landlords might come to regard certain of their villages as a part of their lordly array ; to conduct guests through their streets and to take pride in their cottages as they would be seen from the streets. It follows that new cottages would be built a little set off from the street and would be given astreet door- yard; their street walls would be whitewashed and tenants would be encouraged to decorate the street yards with flowering plants and to line the ways from the street to the street doors with rows of box or shells or white stones. The other side of the house would still preserve the ori- ginal hovel character; would have no windows, and the door would open upon a dunghill and rough shelters for the increasing personal wealth of the tenant in goats, pigs, donkeys, geese and fowls. It can hardly be necessary to pursue the process of de- velopment nearer to “the typical American house.” Why is it that we so often see the family rooms of a house in the country on the least valuable part of the site of a homestead ; the kitchen, wash room, drying yard and out-houses on the best part of it? Why is it that if one asks at a Seaside Hotel, where he can see the ocean, he is told to go out back of the stable? The answer is that it is because of a lingering superstition—a spurious semi- religious sentiment—which had its origin when one side of most houses—the side facing a public road—was the hu- man side, the other the side of pigs and goats and geese, filth, darkness and concealment. The front, ¢he back, are terms no more applicable to a well designed house in America than anywhere else. Our Capitol and our White House have two fronts. Our beloved house at Mt. Vernon has two fronts. The old Hosack house at Hyde Park on the Hudson, the finest country-seat in its natural elements in America, has four fronts, as have most palaces and many other monumental buildings, as those of our Interior and Post Office Depart- ments. (But this is a plan hardly ever to be recommend- ed except where there is to be a spacious interior court, as in many French and Spanish country houses.) Generally with us a country house, and often a suburban house, will best have three fronts. Except as regard for winter shelter or summer breeze may overrule, one of these will be on the side looking from which there is the most pleasing natural scenery, and here will be the more im- portant family rooms (as at Mt. Vernon and at the White House). If the outlook from them has a fine distant back- ground (as at Mt. Vernon and the White House), then the Garden and Forest. 171 nearer premises should be treated partly with a purpose to provide a place of common, quiet, domestic occupation, to be used in connection with the parlor or library, and partly with the aim of fitting the landscape with a foreground nicely conforming to, and helping the effect of, the middledistance and the background. It is desirable for neither of these purposes that there should beasweep of gravel on that side of the house upon which horses may be driven or be kept standing, nor that there should be a public entrance to the house there. Usually a lawn, framed andsparingly furnish- ed with masses of shrubbery that will not grow so high as to hide the distant view, will be best. But if the natural surface of the ground is rapidly declining from the house, especially if it is in the form of a broken and one-sided de- clivity, having a dislocating effect in connection with the distant view, then a level platform before the house, its further edge having a parapet, balustrade or hedge, will be desirable, both in order to give an effect of security and quiet to the immediate border of the house, and to make a strong foreground line by which the distance will be soft- ened and refined. Another side of the house will be its garden front, chosen because (of the three remaining sides) it offers the best conditions for a garden, properly so called. Another will be the entrance front, the treatment of which will be large in scale and less fine than either of the others. But here, if possible, there should be umbrageous trees. There will remain that part of the house containing the kitchen and laundry, from which will extend yards and sheds and spaces where wagons can stand and turn when bringing supplies or taking off wastes. Beyond them, perhaps, a carriage-house, stable and smaller out-houses. This should be the side on which the outlook is of the least value, and on which the natural circumstances favor con- venient but not conspicuous lines of approach. When such a complete arrangement, as has been thus sug- gested, is impracticable, the same general principles may be adopted as far as circumstances admit. It rarely occurs in any interesting place that the principal entrance can be best made on the more attractive side of a house. It often occurs, as in the finest places at Newport and Long Branch, that the best location for the stables, stable yard and laun- dry yard is on the street side of the house, and thatthe ap- proach to its principal entrance passes near these, bringing them, exteriorly, under close view. Brookline, May 18th, 1888, FF. L. Olmsted The Court-yard of Charlecote Hall. A has been said on a previous page, the beauty of a formal flower bed depends upon the question whether it is in the right place or in the wrong place. It may be more beautiful, because more appropriate, than any other horticultural decoration; and it may be more ugly because more conspicuously inappropriate than any other. Our own home-grounds, both large and small, offer numberless instances of its improper use. Examples of its proper use are not so easy to find in America; and even in Europe we more often deplore than welcome its presence. When the natural or landscape style of garden- ing came into favor, the reaction in taste carried artists and owners alike into an excess of hatred for all formal gardening arrangements. Many old gardens of the architectural pattern were ruthlessly destroyed, although they were appropriate and beautiful because closely con- nected with works of architectural art. And the formal beds of modern times are, as a rule, not much better em- ployed in Europe than in America. But here and there in all parts of Europe, and even in England, where the love for natural arrangements long ruled more strongly than elsewhere, old gardens of architectural design, or portions of such gardens, may still be found. The illustration given on page 173 is a good example of gardening of this character, and gains a double interest from its con- nection with the name of the greatest of English poets. i72 Charlecote Hall stands some three miles from Stratford- on-Avon, and was in Shakespeare's time, as it stillis to-day, the seat of the Lucy family ; and it was in Charlecote Park that, as the familiar legend tells us, the young poet played the poacher’s part. The hall, as it stands to-day, scarcely changed as regards its exterior, was built in the first year of Queen Elizabeth's reign—in 1558, six years be- fore Shakespeare's birth. As we see it to-day, therefore, he must have seen it; and not only the Hall itself, but the gate-way and court-yard which our illustration shows, for these form an integral part of the plan of the building it- self. Our point of view is from a spot immediately in front of the Hall, the projecting wings of which are joined by the terrace walls on either hand. Thus house and walls and gate-way completely encircle the court-yard, and the architectural design of the little garden it encloses was dictated by good taste. Imagine this small space arranged in the natural style of gardening, and we perceive at once that the planting itself would be ineffective, and that the effect of the architecture would be grievously impaired. Beyond the walls the naturally growing trees give an ac- cent of variety, and pleasantly suggest the beauties of that wilder nature which the word park implies. But within the walls the formal beds are properly placed, and even if vivid in color they cannot be too emphatic in effect. for they are not set in immediate relief against a carpet of bright green, but are surrounded by borders of gravel the neutral tones of which, together with those of the archi- tectural elements, must subdue the brightest floral notes into a general harmony. Entomological. The Work of a Timber Borer. S is well known, the borers of some of our shade trees, as well as the grub or larva of the Monoham- mus of the White Pine, occur in lumber, and, on very rare occasions, live on for many years, either as larve or bee- tles, probably the latter, in lumber which has been made into tables, chests of drawers or other articles of household furniture; the beetle for a long time afterwards giving out ghostly squeaks, finally emerging from its tunnel in the well-worn and familiar bureau or table, as the case may be. The latest occurrence recorded in print is noticed by Mr. J. McNeil, who states in the American Naturalist for December, 1886, that two specimens of a longicorn beetle (Lburia quadrigeminafa) must have lived in an ash door-sill for a period which ‘‘ would make these insects not less than nineteen, and probably twenty or more years old.” A somewhat similar case happened at Salem, Mass., as we have been informed by A. C. Goodell, Esq., who took a “sawyer” beetle (AZonohammus confusor) from a bureau that had been in his house for fifteen years, and was new when bought. Apropos of such cases of extraordinary longevity in boring insects whose life ordinarily spans but two, possi- bly three, years, and which occur in articles of furniture, the Messrs. Goddard Brothers, of Providence, R. I., have called our attention to the damage done to a case of cotton cloth at their Lonsdale Mills, and have kindly presented the three larvee found, together with a damaged bale of cotton cloth, to the Museum of Brown University. The box containing the goods was of pine, and per- forated by at least three or four grubs, seventeen pieces being worm-eaten, one of which we have examined. The worms were thoughtful enough to gnaw through the folds, so as to thoroughly riddle almost every thickness of the cloth; the perforations in one case being about three inches long and half an inch wide on the outside, and contracting for two inches within to a size corresponding to that of the body of the grub. Not having seen the box, I quote from a letter to the Messrs. Goddard from Mr. J. Johnston, of Lonsdale, who took some pains to examine the box and Garden and Forest. [JuNE 6, 1888, to identify the worms as larve of a beetle. ‘‘The hole they make is in shape a very elongated oval, and is, I think, in every case about the size of the grub itself. It is unfortu- nate that we did not see the case as it was seen in Phila- delphia. The bottom, where most havoc was wrought on the cloth, was mended with a strip of hard pine; possibly the original board was so badly damaged that it would not have been safe to return the goods in it as it was. On ex- amining the shooks in the box-shop, I find a large propor- tion of them eaten by this embryo beetle. I ought to say that not a single grub can be found in the shooks; those I send were taken from live wood.” We are informed that this is the only case of the kind which has occurred out of about 250,000 boxes sent out from the mill. How long the larvee may have lived in the lumber is, of course, difficult to say. The larvee, one of which was still alive, were about three-quarters of an inch in length, and on comparing them with the halfgrown larvee of Monohammus confusor of nearly the same size they were found to differ as follows: the clypeus and labrum are wider, the edge of the protho- racic segment is more hairy ; the body is wider behind the thoracic segments, and more rounded and wider at the end. Without doubt these larve differ generically from Monohammus, but in the present state of our knowledge, it is impossible to refer them to their proper genus and species. We may here remark that the larve of A/fonohammus confusor live two years before transforming into beetles, as we have been able to prove, having been fortunate enough | to detect a female in the act of laying its eggs, and the year following to cut its half-grown grubs out of the same tree. It is probable that the cases of extraordinary longevity on record are due to the fact that through some cause the insect as a beetle has been prevented from leaving the tun- nel made while a grub. Its larval state may not be pro- longed, but when insects are prevented from mating and laying their eggs, they live on in single blessedness through an unusual number of seasons. ‘There is thus, apparently, a premium awarded by Nature upon celibacy, the reward being length of years. A, S, Packard. New or Little Known Plants. Camassia Cusicki.* HE only American genus representative of the large liliaceous tribe which includes the Hyacinth, the ~ Blue Bell or Grape Hyacinth, the Squill, and the Star of Bethlehem, is the genus Camassia. So near to Scz/a is this genus that it is often included under it, and we so find it in Gray’s Manual. The characters which separate the two are the leafy stem, the stouter habit, and larger flowers, and the nervation of the petals, which in Scilla have always a single midnerve, while in Camassia there are from three to nine nerves, showing most plainly after the flowers are dried. The first known species was discovered by Captains Lewis and Clark in September, 1805, upon their expedi- tion across the continent. After a difficult: passage across the Bitter Root Mountains, by what isnow known as the Lolo trail, during which they had found little grass for their animals or game for their own sustenance, they came out on the tenth day upon an open meadow and to an In- dian village, where they were hospitably received. The Indians “set before them a small piece of buffalo-meat, some dried salmon, berries, and several kinds of roots. Among these last is one which is round and much like an onion in appearance and sweet to the taste. It is ~#C, Cusickn, Watson, Proc. Am. Acad, xxii. 479. _ Bulbs clustered, large; leaves glaucous, subundulate, numerous, the larger two feet long by one and one-half inches wide ; stem leafy, two or three feet high; pedicels end linear subscarious bracts about an inch long; flowers regular, pale blue, the narrow petals crisped near the base, 3-5 neryed, persistently spreading, an inch long; capsule oblong, transyersely veined, JuNE 6, 1888.] called quamash, and is eaten either in its natural state, or boiled into a kind of soup, or made into a cake which is then called pasheco. After our long abstinence this was a sumptuous treat.” Seventy-five years afterward I crossed the same trail, still as wild, rugged and inhospit- able as the earlier voyagers had found it, and came out into the same little prairie. The Indian village had van- ished, but heaps of recently gathered Camass roots showed that the Indians still frequented the place, while marks of a mowing machine upon the grass were equally sure evidence of the near neighborhood of some white settler. Lewis and Clark in their narrative make frequent mention after- ward of ‘‘quamash flats,” and upon their return took back with them the specimens upon which Pursh founded the species Plalangium Quamash. This name Lindley subsequently changed to Camass?z esculenta, the Camassit being a Latinized form of the Indian name guamash or camass. Garden and Forest. 173 nerves. Itis described as growing on mountain slopes, instead of in meadows, and the bulb is nauseous, pun- gent and inedible. The figure on page 174 has been drawn by Mr. Faxon from a specimen that has recently flowered at Cambridge. S. W. Plant Notes. The Ginkgo Tree. HE Ginkgo tree, as it is generally seen in this country, especially in the Northern States, where the climate is perhaps too severe for its full development, has rigid branches, and a stiff and not particularly attractive habit of growth, which make it difficult to use this tree satis- factorily in connection with other trees of less formal out- line. As it approaches maturity, however, under favorable conditions, the Ginkgo, as our illustration on page 175, The Court-yard of Charlecote Hall.—See page 171. In 1810 Nuttall collected what he believed to be the same species ‘‘near the confluence of Huron River and Lake Erie,” and afterward near St. Louis and on the banks of the Ohio. This eastern form, which ranges south- ward into Texas, was separated by Dr. Torrey and is known as C. Frasert. The original Camass is abundant in many low meadows from Idaho to the Pacific, and has been an important article of food to the native inhab- itants. On the lower Columbia, a third species, C Leichilinz, is found, which has an equally nutritious root, _and still a fourth species has been recently discovered in the Blue Mountains of Oregon, by Mr. W. C. Cusick, of which a figure is here given. This is the stoutest and most vigorous grower of all the species, with a large bulb, numerous broad glaucous and somewhat undulate leaves, and a flowering stem two or three feet high. The flowers are of a delicate very pale blue, the petals spreading regularly, crinkled at the narrow base, and with three, or rarely five, faint representing the noble specimen in the famous gardens of the Villa Carlotta, on the shores of the Lake of Como, shows, is a really beautiful and graceful tree, which will hardly be recognized by persons who have only seen it In a comparatively young state in parks and gardens in the Northern States. Most of the specimens in the United States still require time, probably, in which to develop their real beauty, but that they can in time attain the same graceful habit of growth, if not the same dimensions, as the tree we figure, the fine specimen planted in the first years of the century by Dr. Hosack, on the banks of the Hudson, at Hyde Park, amply testifies. The Ginkgo, apart from its beauty, is a tree of very great interest, owing to the peculiarities of its botanical characters. It is one of the family of Conifers, but unlike the mem- bers of that family with which we are most familiar in this country, its leaves are deciduous, broad and_ fan- shaped, and instead of a cone, the fruit is a fleshy drupe, containing a large stone resembling that of an Apricot, and 174 with a delicate edible kernel, although the fleshy portion of the fruit has a most disagreeable rancid flavor. The male and female flowers are produced on separate trees, so that it is necessary to plant specimens of the two sexes in order to insure a crop of fruit, which is not produced until the trees have attained a considerable size. The Ginkgo is supposed to be anative of some part of northern China, where it is frequently cultivated in the neighborhood of temples and pala- ces, but it is nowhere known ina wild state. It has been cultivated in Japan, where it is believed to have been intro- duced, from time immemorial, and where it is valued for its beauty as well as for its nuts, which are highly es- ieemed by the Japanese. This tree was introduced into Europe about 130 years ago, and it must be nearly a century since it was first sent to America. The peculiar shape of the leaves has gained for it ihe name of the Maidenhair tree, from their supposed resemblance to the fronds ofthe Maiden- hair Fern. It is a large tree, producing valuable timber, sometimes attaining in Japan a height of nearly 100 feet, with a trunk three or four feet in diam- eter. The Ginkgo, to which the name Salisburia is sometimes improperly given, is very hardy as far north, at least, as New England, although a milder climate seems necessary to develop its greatest beauty. Consider- able attention has lately been given to the Ginkgo in Europe, as a subject for street and road-side planting, and thousands of these trees have been planted during the last few years along the highways near some of the French and Italian towns of the Riviera. Its hardiness and its habit of growth seem to fit it admirably for this purpose. Old Lombardy Poplar at the Trianon.—In the charming park of the Trianon where Louis XIV. was wont to retire for a time— when he was tired of the splendors of Versailles—stand the remains of a fine old Lombardy Poplar which was planted by Marie Antoinette. The top of the tree was blown off by a storm in 1880, but the trunk is yet full of life, and has a cir- cumference of seventeen feet six inches, four feet from the ground. Sugar Maple.—A diligent search through the park at the Trianon for trees, original specimens introduced into France by Michaux, was -not successful: Since Michaux’s time there have been revolu- tions and changes of Government, and the authorities do not seem able to point to many trees which can be said, with certainty, to date back to Michaux himself. One, however, a goodly sized Sugar Maple, is probably an original tree, and it was, by no means, in thoroughly good order, as the Mistletoe had taken com- plete possession of it. The branches were weighted down with this parasite, although the year before large quantities had been carefully cut out. Ginkgo biloba.—A fine pair of these trees—perhaps better known under the name of Salisburia adiantifolia—stand in the State nurseries at Trianon. They are a male and female, and the latter was laden with fruits at the time of my visit last autumn, The larger of the two had a trunk which measured more than two and a half métres in circumference. It seems strange that so handsome a tree has not been planted more Garden and Forest. [JUNE 6, 1888. generally along avenues in France. - Jackson Dawson. 183 New or Litrte Known Pants :—Amelanchier alnifolia........ Sereno Watson. 185 Prant Norss :—Selaginella Pringlei, Baker............ scseseeees C. G. Pringle. 185 Gastaliatieberel...cziaq hasaeches 36 PAPSONOFa PEL Sid Gre ae sinicctes sane ewnes sit mere cele iace. ave carer CurturaL DEPARTMENT :—Annuals for a Succession of Flowers The Plum and the Curculio.—Orchid Notes.—Staking Plant The Rock-Garden in Spring ...........- Notes from the Arnold Arboretum Tue Forest :—Forest Trecs for California............Prefessor E. W. Hilgard. 190 IS ORRESEONDE NCH eisetieticinea ser cic staiaGisiciien sieitirinrem’es sisaes Sinise snug see Sse Qt Recent Puprications :—The Botanical Works of the late George Engelmann... r91 BIN CGS eevee steers tete sete tate cr =icranctosevara's ofelea/ahuynve sa. 'e 0 sie nein clmeiaie,elesd Quelk. wresa:e ¢peicteaie, dynamics 192 Retait Flower Markets :—New York, Philadelphia, Boston.........---....-. 192 IELUSTRATIONS :—Amelanchier alnifolia, Fig.34...<.-1-sesesssteecsececserss ses 185 PRS orora HINISIGCS coahvnceeeccs ves dauiceeesewdarsecniosvcnlesceesssesere 187 Horticulture and the Experiment Stations. MONG the appropriations made by Congress for the current year is the item of $685,000 for Agricultural Experiment Stations. By the terms of the act establishing a «station in every state, this sum is to be added annually by the Federal Government to the appropriations made by the several states for the same purpose. This hberal endow- ment ought to mark an era in the country’s agricultural progress. We havea right to expect important additions to our knowledge from the labors of the large number of educated men who will be selected for the express pur- pose of investigating problems connected with the soil and with plant growth. Horticulturists, no less than others who till the soil, are looking towards the new institutions with mingled curiosity and hope, for they have the same need of instruction and an equal right with farmers to ex- pect that their special wants will be considered. Every intelligent gardener and fruit grower is conscious that he is confronted on every hand by problems which he can- not solve, and that his success is menaced by enemies whose attacks he feels powerless to repel. If he knew how to mitigate, in a greater degree, the effects of drought, how to feed his crops more cheaply, how to wage a more hopeful war against the insects and plant dis- eases which beset him in increasing numbers every year, and how to select varieties that are best adapted to his conditions, his labors would command a more satisfactory reward. The experiment stations were created to answer questions of this kind, and if careful investigation will avail in solving them, horticulture should reap material advantage from the money, time, labor and study ex- pended. There is no reason why the claims of horticulture should be slighted at any station; indeed, there are spe- cial reasons why they should receive marked attention. The products of the orchard and the garden are not inferior in importance to those of the field, and they are quite as indispensable to the general health and comfort. The operations of horticulture are more concentrated than those of other departments in the broader field of agricul- ture, so that practical cultural questions come home with greater force to the gardener and fruit grower than to the Garden and Forest. 181 farmer. Land devoted to horticultural use almost invari- ably bears a heavier burden of taxation than that devoted to ordinary farming. Itrequires a greater comparative outlay for labor, for fertilizers and for seed. The injuries to or- chard and garden by bad seasons, and by destructive in- sects and diseases, are more disastrous than those from which the farm suffers, because the crops have a higher money value. It is gratifying to note that these facts seem to be rec- ognized by the stations, for in the majority of those that have been organized thus far, a horticulturist has been added to the staff of experimenters. The prospect would oe more encouraging if the officers selected for this duty were men of wider experience. The natural excuse for appointing untrained men to these important positions is, that the supply of such men is not equal to the demand ; that it is impossible to find in the country a sufficient num- ber of skilled horticulturists to take charge of the work in so many stations. But the fact remains that no honest effort has been made to discover men of the requisite ability in this direction or at least no sufficient inducement has been offered to make the position a desirable one. In most cases inadequate salaries are offered for this branch of station work, which means that the Boards of Control con- sider horticulture of subordinate importance and are will- ing to take inferior men, with the prospect of inferior work. It is worth noting that in one of the stations, at least, a florist has been appointed, and it may be added that there is no good reason why an industry of such magnitude as commercial floriculture should not be represented in this work. And when we consider how much attention is paid to the cultivation of flowers and plants for ornament throughout the country, this certainly would seem an ap- propriate field for investigation and popular instruction. It may be well to warn gardeners and fruit growers not to expect too much from the young stations. To the novice, the making of experiments may seem an easy task, but experience proves that few things are more difficult than the gathering of accurate and helpful information in this way. The highest skill is demanded in every operation, and with this must be united close observation and a faculty for gathering in every related fact for purposes of generalization. The experimenter must not only have un- swerving intellectual honesty, but trained ability to weigh evidence and a cool judgment that is never swayed by a preconceived hypothesis. And yet he must be adventur- ous in constructing theories, for mere machine-like accu- racy in weighing and measuring can never take the place of the creative genius which originates hypotheses. A great discovery in science was once well characterized as an “inspired guess.” But it is only the mind well equipped by study and in perfect command of all its re- sources that invents a sound theory so easily and natu- rally that ‘it seems to be only a lucky guess. With so many raw recruits just entering the experimental field, it will be fortunate, indeed, if costly mistakes are not made. For a time, at least, it may require greater wisdom on the part of the practical cultivator to separate the true from the false in the bulletins borne on every mail than was exer- cised originally in preparing them. But a beginning must be made, and while we need not be over-hopeful of immediate results, itis safe to anticipate signal advantage to horticulture and agriculture from the stations, when their work is thoroughly organized and systematized. Capable Directors and their assistants will become more useful with larger experience. Under the searching criticisms of the press incompetent men will be weeded out and the work will at last fall into the hands of those who will pro- secute it with wisdom, devotion and enthusiasm. It may require years of patient waiting before the new stations become as helpful here as they have proved in Europe, but some of the older ones already justify every reasonable hope of their founders. In future numbers we hope to indicate some of the more promising lines of investigation which should be pursued in the interests of horticulture. 182 CCORDING to the English papers an extraordinary A piece of tree planting has been undertaken in Wales. On the side of Moel Rhiwen mountain a loyal enthu- siast, Mr. Assheton Smith, is inscribing in letters formed with trees, and each six hundred feet in length by twenty- five feet in width, the words ‘‘ Jubilee, 1887.” The first trees were planted with much ceremony on the Queen’s jubilee day ; 630,000 trees will be needed to complete the giant inscription, and two hundred men are constantly employed upon the work. It is not pleasant to think what an amount of good planting might have been accomplished if a different direction had been given to the expenditure of all this energy and money, which now will go merely to disfigure a whole country-side with a colossal monument to wastefulness and bad taste. And, what is worse, so liable is a modern nation to be led astray by any conspicu- ous novelty, Mr. Smith may find many admirers, and, per- haps, an imitator or two—a supposition justified in the fact that no English journal which we have seen has uttered a protest against his scheme. No planting as bad as this has yet been done in America, and it is doubtful, perhaps, whether anything quite so bad in disfiguring nature has ever been deliberately attempted before anywhere. Tree-planted letters, however, are not a novelty. In the hunting-park at Moritzburg, near Dresden, there may still be seen the initials of a certain seventeenth-century prince done in evergreen trees, clipped in such a way that their height increases from the base to the top of the letters, which are seen, therefore, as though laid on an inclined plane. But these letters are only some thirty feet in length and are hidden away ina corner of the park. When this device was made, formal planting, the clipping of trees and puerile gardening tricks of many sorts were in uni- versal use; and, placed as it was, it had at least the merit of being unobtrusive. It has remained for the nineteenth century, which prides itself upon a truer love for the genuine beauties of nature, to disfigure a whole mountain- side and a lovely landscape with a gigantic inscription which can be read for miles. The Pine Barrens in May. T is the last of May, and very late in the Pines. The broad-leaved Laurel (Aalmia lattzfoha) is only just be- ginning to unfold its many-flowered corymbs of rose- colored and white blossoms, making the waste places gay and brilliant. And its small relative, the Sheep Laurel, is opening its deep crimson-colored flowers. In some places it has taken possession of the ground to the al- most entire exclusion of other plants. The Stagger Bush (Andromeda Marianna) is in full bloom. Although not as showy as the Laurel, yet its large clusters of pure white, waxy-looking bells make it very attractive. Another shrub of this genus, 4. “gus/rina, is also in flower, as well as its near congener, Leuco‘hoé racemosa, with long one-sided racemes of white flowers. The Sand Myrtle (Levophylum buxifohum), a little ever- green shrub, with umbel-like clusters of flowers, is charm- ing. The small petals are pure white, but the ten exserted purple-pink stamens give it considerable color, while the dark, shining leaves make an effective background for the flowers. In the more moist places Sea Virginica is abundant, and covered with racemes of small white flow- ers. But the crowning beauty among these wild shrubs is the Fringe-tree (Chionanthus Virginica), which here and there are so white with their graceful, drooping panicles of flowers that at a little distance they look like snow- banks. The heavy odor of the Swamp Magnolia proclaims its presence on every side, and those who like the fragrance are fortunate, as the flowers are very beautiful amid the deep setting of the shining leaves. The Swamp Maple, Garden and Forest. [June 13, 1888. growing alongside, is also pretty and effective with its long, swaying pedicels and winged scarlet fruit. The Holly (Z/ex opaca) is shedding its winter leaves, and sending out new ones, which have not yet taken on the glossy green that characterizes them later in the season. The bright red berries are still scattered over some of the trees, while the new shoots are full of clustered flowers, giving promise of abundant berries for next Christmas time. Its relative, the Ink-berry (Z glabra), is also in bloom, while retaining its thick evergreen leaves and black ber- ries. And another shrub of this genus, the Black Alder (Z verficillata), is likewise holding its bunches of scarlet berries while being crowned with new leaves and flowers. In the distance I see great clumps of Mistletoe, and on anear approach I find this, too, covered with flowers amidits white berries. The flowers are greenish yellow, nearly the color ofthe thick, persistent leaves. The Sweet Gum trees, on which ithas made its home, have a forlorn, prematurely old look, as if they did not enjoy the burden imposed upon them. The Shad-bush (Amelanchier Canadensis, var. ob- longifolia), together with most of the Blueberries, arenearly out of bloom, and forming fruit for a plenteous harvest. Many of the herbaceous plants are now in the first flush of beauty. Among the most notable is Xerophyllum as phodeloides, which sends up froma thick tuft of evergreen, grass-like leaves, from one to eight or ten flower stems, surmounted at the top with a compact raceme of beautiful white flowers. The Pitcher-plant is also unfolding its singular deep purple flowers, and its strange, pitcher-shaped leaves have withstood the frost of winter, and are still fresh and bright. The Pine Barrens also nourish some lovely Orchids. The delicate Are/husa bulbosa is now in bloom, and the low Moccasin flower (Cypripedium acaule), and these will be succeeded by other species until frost comes in the fall. And here, too, I find the pretty little Star-flower (Z7zentalis Americana), with its pure white stars standing above the whorl of pretty leaves. It is called a northern plant, whose habitat is cold damp woods, but here it is fresh and vigorous, with stems bearing three and sometimes four flowers. Theslender Blue Flag (/77s Virginica), with leaves no wider than some of the grasses and sedges that surround it, is just beginning to open its fine, delicately formed flowers. And the little heath-like Hudsoma tomentosa is thick in the more sandy places—scarcely allowing room to step—and is coveredall over with bright yellow flowers, that are too pretty to crush with the foot. And here is the Cucumber-root (JZedeola Virginica), the stem clothed with white wool, and bearing two whorls of leaves, and just beneath the upper one small recurved purple flowers. Most of the plants herein mentioned can be easily culti- vated. Ihave a nook in my garden devoted to them, where they are growing finely. One side of the bed is bordered with Nerophyllum, which blooms freely. One plant has eight flower stems, others four and five, making a beautiful display. The Pitcher-plant also does well in an artificial swamp—five flowers on one plant. This, and other bog plants, are more beautiful here than in the wild swamps, as they never suffer from drought as they often do in the shallow bogs—the home of their birth. Mary Treat. May 30th. Suggestions for the Improvement of Cemeteries. E shall be able, perhaps, to realize more quickly and clearly the direction in which to seek for im- provement in cemeteries by following a more practical and out-of-doors method of investigation than by consult- ing an art-library. Let us, then, consider the simplest possible example and see what suggestions it may offer for our guidance in more complex and more extensive cases. : Some of us, perhaps, may rememberto have seen a cluster of many family graves in an uncultivated nook : ; 4 4 ‘ June 13, 1888.] or dell of an old farm, where some of the less commer- cially valuable, but equally beautiful, original timber trees have been allowed to grow undisturbed, till their very size makes the few brown-stone grave-slabs seem mod- est and nestling to the ground, and where, the cattle having been kept out, the wood violet and other shy wild plants add their delicate charms, while they also mark the peaceful seclusion of the spot. Such simple and yet dignified rural furnishings are in harmony with the purpose to which the place is dedicated and to the feelings of the sympathetic visitor to it, and leave the imagination free to conjure up, if it will, romantic vis- ions of the past. In such a spot the thought might easily occur to one that here was indeed a restful place in which to have laid away the mortal remains of a few of those weary human beings whose life struggle it was to subdue nature to their own aims, and who yet finally succumbed to her and whose remains became a part of her. How much more appropriate to their lives are such “graves, with such surroundings, than they would have been in some great cemetery, where their modest little grave-stones would have been put to shame by scores of big, staringly white Egyptian obelisks, broken topped Greek columns, Roman urns, weeping Italian angels, Renaissance canopies, Gothic spires, and all the other kinds of showy monuments, and where all restfulness and seclusion are annihilated by rows upon rows and scattering swarms of factory-made, white marble grave- stones, all set up on edge so as to be as conspicuous as possible and looking as if they would be heaved out of plumb by every frost. Such stones have, in fact, the very unmonumental quality of being in a state of unstable equilibrium. And as if all these white monu- ments and grave-stones were not enough to frighten Nature into submission, innumerable fences are added, mostly of the sort which may be described as the ‘“‘this- is-the-most-show-you-can-get-for-your-money ” cast iron fence. And, as iron rusts into a color which is some- what harmonious with nature, such a catastrophy is care- fully avoided by painting all iron work a gloomy black, or vivid white, or by gilding it, like a cresting over a chromo tea store. The managers of cemeteries seem to be proud of these private fights with Nature, and do all they can to aid and abet them with their ribbon garden- ing and by planting all the most artificial looking speci- mens of ‘‘nature’s bright productions” that skillful nurs- erymen can induce to grow. They have no limiting rules as to showiness, but are only too glad to sell lots to those who will spend most in making a show that will advertise the cemetery. The few who feel dissatisfied with this state of things should organize new associations for forming and main- taining truly rural cemeteries. They should have other and higher ideals in their minds, and should limit them- selves and their successors by strict rules adapted to secure the desired result—so far as rules can do so. If they allow monuments at all, they should use the same care and discrimination that a ‘‘hanging committee” do in limiting and arranging the works of art that necessity compels them to place so cruelly close together in a gal- lery. But they ought to go further than this; they should encourage, if not require, burials to be made with no monuments at all at the graves beyond the merest end of a dark colored stone that will serve to permanently mark the spot and to carve a family name upon. All other necessary information in regard to persons buried in the cemetery can be given on slabs in a memorial wall at the entrance, or by written records. They can provide halls, galleries, or loggias in which to place bas- reliefs and other sculptures of suitable character and size, and thus avoid all mounments scattered promiscuously through the grounds. As for planting, it should be done _ according to a comprehensive scheme, and the choice of plants had, probably, best be limited to such as are native in the region; not that this is essential, but in order not Garden and Forest. 183 to leave too much to the discretion of zealous, but indis- creet persons, who are constantly making their selections for planting upon the supposition that what is good under some circumstances must be good always. They should establish a rule limiting fences to those that are necessary, and requiring these to be in conformity with some gen- eral scheme devised with due regard to harmony with “and strict subordination to nature. There should be a like subordination to nature in all other necessary artificial constructions, such as retaining walls, bridges, roads, walks, gutters, steps, guide posts, vault fronts, and so on. They should avoid formality and artificiality in all things and at all times, for they should remember that they have set out to make a rural cemetery and not an archi- tectural one. J. C. Olmsted. Brookline, Mass. os The Cultivation of Huckleberries. Gaylussacia and Vaccinium, genera belonging to the Huckleberry tribe of the £7icaciez or Heath Family, com- prise a hundred or more species found in various regions, but chiefly in America, where they are known as Huckle- berries, Blueberries and Cranberries. Owing to their great abundance, few attempts have been made to improve any of them except the Cranberry. The time will come, how- ever, when every small-fruit garden will have its improved varieties of Blueberry or Huckleberry, as well as its Strawberries and Raspberries. No good collection of these plants, so far as I know, exists in any of the European gardens, and, apart from the collection started at the Arnold Arboretum, I know of none in America. Indeed, so difficult has the cultiv ation of these plants been considered, that any record of success in the at- tempt has usually been doubted. The growing of Huckleberries and Blueberries from seed requires close attention, and can hardly be carried on success- fully without a green- house or frame. The best soil to use for them is sand and loam in equal parts, care being taken that the sand is free from clay or iron. Shallow earthen pans are better for the seed than boxes, as there is less danger from fungus, but after the first transplant- ing boxes may be used. ‘As soon as the fruit is received it should be macerated in water for several days, So as to separate it from the pulp, and then washed clean. If early in the season, seeds of the early varieties may be sown at once, and will come up in a few weeks, but as the plants will make little growth, they will need careful handling to keep them over the first winter, It is better to wash out the seed and mix with fine moist s sand, and keep in a cool pit or frame until the days begin to lengthen, say about the middle of January. Then prepare the seed pans or pots and insure free drainage by using sphagnum or coarse siftings of peat. Firm the soil well and § givea gentle watering with a fine hose. When the soil has setiled, scatter the seeds thickly and evenly over the surface and give the lightest pos- sible covering. Then add a layer of fine sp shagnum, syringe lightly, and set the pans ina te mperature of 60° to 65°. ~ After sowing, if the seed is not allowed to become dry, it will usually come up in from five to six weeks, although I have known it to lie in the ground a year and then germinate. The pans should be examined now and then, and as soon as the seed shows signs of germination the coarsest of the moss should be re- moved, When the plants have made the first rough leaf they should be pricked off thickly in shallow boxes and fresh soil prepared and drained as for the seed. They should be syringed every day and kept growing in a high temperature and moist atmosphere. As soon as they have covered the ground they should be again transplanted. After the third pricking out, if everything has been carefully attended to, they will be. growing strongly and will need more air and less moisture, to harden them off gradually. The frequent trans- planting in fresh soil each time keeps the plants from damping off and encourages good root-growth. About the 1st of Sep- tember they can be removed ~to a cold-frame or pit in some sheltered situation, where they should have plenty of air every pleasant day, but should be covered at night to keep them from frost as long as possible, so that they may become ripened before going into their winter quarters. “As winter sets in they should be covered with moss and shutters, and will only need airing once or twice a month for a few hours to guard against fungus, which will start even in a cold-frame if kept long without air. About the first of May they can be planted in prepared beds of peaty soil or a light sandy ‘soil of good depth. If dry weather sets in they w ill re quire a good 184 syringing toward evening, as the plants are not deeply rooted yet, and delicate rootlets are soon destroyed if alawed to dry. After the middle of August the syringing may be discontinued, so that the plants may ripen well. When freezing weather comes the beds should be mulched with Pine needles, Oak leaves, or other similar material, to keep the plants from heaving. After the second year they are transplanted to the nursery and need only ordinary care. When finally removed they will be found to transplant with the greatest of ease, and no per- ceptible loss. The Huckleberries and Blueberries can also be propagated from cuttings of the underground stems or stolons which are found on many varieties. These can be taken up in the autumn, cut in lengths of two or three inches, planted in boxes of sandy peat or loam, and kept in a cool pit or house away from severe frost until about the 1st of February. They then require a gentle heat and moisture until they start. When they have made a good growth they should be hardened off and treated as other hard wood plants, but, like other mem- bers of the Heath Family, they cannot endure saturation while growing under artificial treatment. These plants can also be grown by layers, by bending down the branches and tonguing, as with other hard wood } plants. A good moist mulch “of moss around the young layers will accelerate the rooting. Ihave not as yet propagated them from cuttings or gre .fting, but I see no reason why this should not be done with cuttings of the young wood, just as other Ericaceous plants are propagated. I should advise those not having green-house facilities to select healthy young plants from an open pasture if possible, not more than afoot high. Much larger ones can be trans- planted, but greater care is needed for. success. Take them up early in September and plant them firmly and thickly in a well prepared bed, which should have a good share of sand and peat with the loam. Protect well with a heavy mulch, and during the first summer keep them well watered when the weather is dry. Ifthe ground is kept well stirred and clean, by the second spring they will havean abundance of fine roots, when they can be transplanted where they are to remain with the greatest ease and safety. Ihave handled thousands of them in this way with perfect success. My reason for trans- planting early in September is that new roots are then formed before winter sets in, and if well mulched, as stated above, they are ready for a strong start in the spring. While t they will do well in any good soi ercharged with manure, I find they give more satisfaction if a few inches of peat or leaf mold is spaded in with the soil. On poor light lands a top dressing of well decomposed cow-manure would be benefi- cial. Strong, 1 rank manure should be avoided, as most plants of this family resent its use. The followi Hy are a few of the best known North American species: The Black Huckleberry (Gaylussacia resinosa) is a shrub from two to three feet high, with dull, reddish yellow flowers and sweet, crisp, globular berries of a shiny black color. The fruit is firmer than that of other species, which makes it of more value as a market berry. Butitis much more difficult to startand is not so easily transplanted as the Blueberry. Of seve- ral marked varieties, one has very sweet, pear-shaped berries, with blue-black bloom; the common name of ‘Sugar Plums” has been giventothem. Another variety has glaucous leaves, and berries covered with a glaucous bloom. A third has large bluish berries, with rich flavor, and a fourth has white berries, which are much more delicate to the taste and bring in market more than double the price of the common varieties. Large areas of Huckleberries now grow wild, and yet the crop is diminishing each year, and it would. be prudent to Pres pare tor future supplies. Superior varieties could be origin- ated, and they might be made as profitable, no doubt, as other small fruits. Ne aturally, the Huckleberry is found in open woods and dry rocky hills from Canada to Georgia. The Dangleberry or Tangleberry (G. fr ondosa) i is easily dis- tinguished from the common Huckleberry by its large pale green leaves, which are glaucous benéath, and its loose drooping racemes of flowers often from two to three inches long. When neither in bloom or in leaf, it can be distinguished by the reddish yellow wood of the new growth, and the ashy gray bark, often peeling from the old wood. The fruit is large and has a blue bloom. It ripens much later than the former species and is more acid in flavor. It is not common in east- ern Massachusetts, except along the seashore. I have never found it more than three or four miles from the coast. It is a much stronger growing shrub than G. resézosa and of a more open, branching habit, “often being found more than four feet high, Farther south it comes to eres iter perfection and is con- sidered superior in flavor to other varieties, It is native from Garden and Forest. [JUNE 13, 1888, Massachusetts to Florida. It grows much more readily in cultivation than G, res/nosa and might be improved like the other species by selection or hybridization. The Bush Huckleberry (G. dumosa) is a small shrub not more than two feet high and not ascommon in eastern Massa- chusetts as the otherspecies. I have usually found it in sphag- num bogs with Andromedas and Cassandras. The leaves are narrow and shining above. The flowers are in short racemes and bracted. The berries are of a good size and shiny black, not abundant and rather insipid, but not unpleasant to the © taste. Plants transplanted into a deep moist soil at the Arboretum only two years planted are doing fairly well. The Deerberry, or Squaw Huckleberry (Vaccinium stamin- zum), is a neat bush two or three feet in height, with slender green branches which afterward turn brown. The foliage is often two inches long and one wide. The racemes of flowers are conspicuous on account of the long yellow anthers project- ing beyond the spreading corolla, which is pure white. Few of our hardy Ericaceous plants are more beautiful in bloom, and it is well worth a place in every garden if only for cut flowers, which appear like fairy bells. The berries are greenish white or dull red and can hardly be called edible. The fruit from North Carolina is much larger than that grown in Massachu- setts. Its range is from Massachusetts to Florida. The High Bush Blueberry (V. corymbosum) forms hand- some clumps of shrubbery from four to ten feet high in deep swamps and moist woods, but seldom reaches more than four feet in open. pastures. The young branches are usually yel- lowish. green, turning to a ‘light gray when old or much ex- posed, while the bark on old stems becomes rough and peels off | in shreds. The leaves are narrow, mostly egg-shaped, often purple at the time of flowering, but afterwards becoming much } broader and coarse veined. The flowers are large, white, bell- shaped, and borne on the extremity of the branches of the pre- vious year’s growth. They appear in May and early June, ~ and the fruit is ripe from August to late in September. The ~ latter is variable in shape, size, flavor and color. Of many _ C. 4 well marked varieties, one has large black fruit of a pleas- ant acid which seems exactly the flavor to add to a bowl of new milk. Another, a large blue one, has a delicate sugary flavor. I chanced upon a bush in East Foxboro last summer which was twelve feet high, loaded with berries of a beautiful blue, rich, juicy, and half an inch in diameter, while some were even larger. In this swamp ten or twelve good forms of fruit might have been found, and by careful se lection and hybridiza- — tion there is no reason why the High Bush Blueberry should not» become an excellent and abundant fr uit, as it is more easily cultivated than any of the others. An acquaintance in Cam- bridge planted a few, some years ago, and now he has all the fruit he needs during the season, while during the rest of the year nothing can exceed the beauty of the shrubs. A dwarf form of I’, corymbosum which rarely grows more than eighteen inches high has large fine abundant fruit of a bluish black color. The Low Blueberry (I~ vacz//ans) is a shrub from one to three feet high with a yellowish green stem and glaucous leaves, usually growing on high rocky ground andat the edge of woods. It bears an abundance of large sweet berries which are chiefly covered with a blue bloom, though I have found black varieties. The fr uit and flowers are formed at the ex- tremities of the last year’s growth, which is from one to four inches long without leaves, so that a large part of the plant seems leafless. The ends of the Hanceee are covered with fruit, however, which can be stripped off by the handful. As it is very prolific, the flowers of this species in May look much richer and more abundant than in any of the others. The fruit is ripe from late July to September. This plant is well worth cultivation as an ornamental shrub, and for its valu- able fruit. Isawa white variety of it some years ago in Plym- outh, Massachusetts. 3 The Low Blueberry (V. Pennsylvanicum) is a low growing shrub seldom exceeding a foot in height with narrow shining leaves and white flowers in early spring. This is found in im- mense beds in Pine woods and rocky, shady places, often cov- ering great areas of rock when there is not more than an inch of soil, with a carpet of rich soft green which in May and June _ iscovered with white and pale “pink blossoms and in July | loaded with its delicately flavored fruit. This is the first Blue- berry to ripen in New England, and the early crop brings such prices that the children earn many a dollar by picking it, besides — the fun of going a-berrying. These berries are somewhat easily bruised, but if carefully handled can be carried along distance. There are several recognized varieties of this spe- cies. One is black fruited, flat at the end and much finer than the species. This might be made profitable as well as — soil. “in leaf, fruit and flower. JuNE 13, 1888.] ornamental, as it will grow under the drip and shade of trees, and on the poorest soils. The Canadian Blueberry (V. Canadensis) is a dwarf shrub with light green wood seldom exceeding a foot in height, and resembling V. Fennsylvanicum, but with broader and more downy leaves. The fruit is blue-black and ripens later than the common Blueberry. It is not common in the State of Massachusetts, but through Vermont and parts of the British Provinces it is more plentiful and is sent in large quantities to Boston markets after the home supply is exhausted. V. uliginosum is alow spreading shrub with glaucous foliage and blue berries which are edible but not abundant. It is a native of the high New Hampshire Mountains and northward. It is also found in northern Europe and northern Asia. It is growing well at the Arboretum. V. cespitosum is a minute alpine variety not more than one or two inches high. The Cowberry, or Mountain Cranberry (V7. Vit/s-/dea), is of neat habit, resembling miniature Box, but of a darker and more glossy green. The woody branches springing from under- round shoots or stolons soon make a solid mass of rich green oliage not more than four or six inches high. The flowers are of arosypink, and the berry dark red and acid. They make, with sugar, a rich jelly or sauce for meats or desserts. The plant is found only in one or two localities in Massachusetts, but is more common on high mountains of New Hampshire, and in the Province of New Bruns- wick it covers immense tracts and in the markets of St. Johns I have seen the berries for sale by the barrel. It is also a native of the high mountains of northern Europe, where the fruit is used for jellies. It does fairly well in culti- vation in a peaty moist The Common _ Cran- berry (V. macrocarpon) is found in large beds on low grounds in al- most every part of New England. It is a prost- rate evergreen creeping along the earth or moss by fine roots. The flower stems are thrown up on slender branches, and are pale red, later becoming variegated. The fruit, usually bright red, is sometimes black. It varies much in size, shape and color, is round, pear-shaped or egg-shaped. Many varieties have been selected by the cultivators, some of which are nearly an inch in diameter. The growing of Cranberries has become in many parts of the country a great industry. Hundreds of acres of Cranberry bogs are now in pre- paration at an expense of from $100 to $300 an acre, Even at that pricethe bogs yield a good profit, often in the third year, as many as five hundred bushels being sometimes gathered from an acre of well prepared land. The Small Cranberry (V/. Oxycoccus) is a much smaller plant It is usually found in cold bogs. The fruit is used for the same purposes as the other Cranber- ries, but is seldom gathered when V’. macrocarpon can be had. It does fairly well in cultivation, but except for botanical pur- poses it has little interest. The Erect Cranberry (VY. erythrocarpon) is a tall shrub, with reddish nodding flowers, and large black, very juicy insipid fruit. It comes from the mountains of North Carolina, and south. This shrub is scarcely hardy in the Arboretum. We have also V. Myrtillus, V. Arctostaphylos and V. ligustrifolia. Other varieties that we have not yet tried may prove of in- terest, such as Gaylussacia brachycera, a very rare, dwarf, evergreen species from the mountains of Pennsylvania and Virginia ; Vaccinium hirsutum, asmall plant from the moun- tains of North Carolina, with neat foliage and dark colored fruit, and several others. Arnold Arboretum. Fackson Dawson. Garden and Forest. Fig. 34.—Amelanchier alnifolia 185 New or Little Known Plants. Amelanchier alnifolia.* OUBTLESS hundreds have seen and admired the bloom of our eastern Shadbush among the bursting foliage of the spring woods to one who has seen and tasted its fruit. For some unexplained reason the flowers of this species, at least in certain sections ot the country, are rarely fertile, and in my boyhood the Juneberry, as the fruit of the Shadbush was called, was like a myth to me until a young tree well laden with ripe berries was brought home by a neighbor asa curiosity. The peculiar flavor of the fruit as then experienced lingers yet in memory. With the western representative of the genus, A. alnifolia, the case is different. It fruits abundantly, and in the region from the Rocky Mountains westward, where the supply ot berries and fruits is limited to a few Raspberries, Buffalo- berries, Haws, scarcely edible Currants and the Wild Cherry (of all which the last is really the only one deserving mention), the abundance and excellence of this fruit goes far in its sea- son to make up the deficiency. ; In a note which I find in the Gray Herbarium, written many years ago by the missionary, Rev. Mr. Spalding, it is stated that hundreds of bushels of these berries were dried every year for food by the In- dians of the Clear Water region in Idaho. This shrub, which is here figured, grows to a height of 6 or 8 feet, with an erect somewhat tree-like habit and dark green foliage. The leaves are rather thick and vary much in form, but are generally rounded or_ broadly elliptical, mostly very obtuse, or truncate, or even retuse, and coarse- ly toothed usually only near the summit. The flowers are usually large and showy, in_ short racemes, and the dark purple fruit is 3 or 4 lines in diameter, with few seeds. It is found in the mountains throughout the West, at wide extremes of alti- tude, from British America to California, Utah and Colorado, and from the Pacific to the Rocky Mountains, Min- nesota, and Lake Win- nipeg. S. W. Plant Notes. Selaginella Pringlei, Baker. HIS new rosulate Selaginella (Nos. 271 and 886 of Pl, Mex., wrongly referred to S. cuspidasa, Spring.) is abundant with S. /ep/ophylla in gravelly soil of dry cal- careous bluffs and ledges of the barer mountain ranges of Chihuahua. It is as mucha ‘resurrection plant” as is its associate, which, indigenous along our south-western border, has been often described and is well known. As the atmosphere and soil become dry, these plants take the form of a ball by the curling inward over their centre of their frond-like stems. Then the cafion sides present an unsightly and desolate appearance as though strewn with dead rubbish ; but an evening shower suffices to transform them into lovely banks, thickly spread with the green mats of these plants, circular in outline and of exquisite design. The new species is very distinct from its well- known congener, being of a lighter green, and having softer * A. atntrotta, Nutt. in Journ. Philad, Acad., vii. 22. Glabrous or often more or less pubescent; leaves broadly elliptical or rounded, obtuse at both ends or rarely acute, often somewhat cordate, coarsely toothed usually only toward the summit; racemes short and rather dense ; petals an inch long or less, narrowly oblong ; fruit purple. 186 stems and spinulose leaves. For the embellishment of rock-work in regions where they would not be exposed io severe frost (though they might in colder countries be pulled up and laid away for the winter on a dry shelf), these radiate-stemmed Selaginellas may be made of great service. C. G. Pringle. No true Water Lily (Vymph@a) was known to the flora of Pacific North America until June of last year, when Mr. John B. Lieberg discovered in a pond in northern Idaho a very pretty and distinct species that Mr. Thomas Mor- ong, in the May issue of the Bofanical Gasete, describes under the name of Caséaha (the name which some bota- nists are anxious to see adopted in place of Nyvmphea) Lieberg?. It is a diminutive plant with white odorless flowers about an inch anda half in diameter when fully expanded. Mr. Morong points out the resemblance of the Idaho plant to Nyvmphea pvgmea, a native of Siberia, China and Japan. The extension of this genus into west- ern America is a fact of no little interest from the point of view of geographical botany. A Sonora Hillside. HE illustration on page 187 will give our readers a pretty accurate idea of the general appearance of much of the desert country in southern Arizona and the adjacent parts of north-western Mexico. It represents one of the low, granite foot-hills of the Sonora Mountains near the head of the Gulf of California.. This is one of the most barren and inhospitable regions of the North American Continent. For fifty miles inland from the Gulf, sandy plains, which near the coast are shifting sand-dunes, alter- nate with numerous chains of low mountains trending with the coast—vast piles of volcanic rock, sprinkled over with a little fine soil. These desert mountains are absolutely treeless except in occasional canons, where a little soil, washed down from the slopes above, has enabled the Mes- quit and the Ironwood (O/neva) to obtain a foothold, and to drag out a miserable existence. The base of these for- bidding mountains, and the lower hills and broad, gently swelling mesas which support them, are covered with more soil than the higher slopes, and produce a striking and ex- tremely interesting Cactus vegetation. Mr. Pringle, almost at the peril of his life, and only with great suffering to his animals from scarcity of water and absence of forage, made a careful botanical survey of this region during the summer of 1884, and our illustration of a Sonora Hill is from one of a series of photographs which he was able to make during this journey. ‘The tall, grotesquely branch- ing cylindrical plant scattered over the hill is the Suwzarrow of the Mexicans (Cereus giganteus), the tallest of the Cactus family, often exceeding a height of sixty feet, with a diameter near the ground of two feet. The handsome white flowers appear only at. the very top of the tall shaft, and quite encircle the summit. The skeleton con- sists of a number of stout perpendicular ribs, only slightly attached together, and composed of hard, solid and durable wood, upon which time and exposure seem to make very little impression. They may be found scat- tered about on the desert, where the plants have died or been cut by Indians in order to secure the edible fruit. The fleshy covering soon disappears by decay, but the skeletons remain hard and sound. They afford the best material produced in this region for the rafters of huts or for small posts, and the Mexicans gather them in large quantities from the desert for these purposes. Thestiff, rigid clumps among the Suwarrow on the hillside are plants of an- other large Cactus, widely branching at the ground from a single crown—Cereus Thurberi—one of the interesting dis- coveries of Dr. George Thurber, who, as botanist attached to the United States and Mexican Boundary Survey Expe- dition, first explored what is now the extreme southern portion of Arizona, and parts of Sonora. Although closely Garden and Forest. [JUNE 13, 1888. allied to C. giyganteus, C. Thurber? is a much smaller plant, the clustered stems rarely rising to a greater height than fifteen feet. The flowers, like those of C. g7ganteus, are greenish white, but the tube is narrower and more elon- gated,and they appear, not at the summit of the stem, but in a circle about one foot below it; and the fruit, like the ribs of the stem, are thickly beset with clusters of black spines. It was found also by Mr. Schott in Sonora, shortly after its discovery, but from that time (1851) was not seen again in a wild state by any botanist until Mr. Pringle visited this part of Mexico in 1884. Cereus Thurbert was at one time in cultivation from seed brought home by Dr. Thurber, and it may still be found, perhaps, in some of the European collections. There seems to be no record, however, of its flowering in cultivation. The large Cactus with tall, cylin- drical stems in the lower left-hand corner of the picture is another Cereus (C. Scho/ii), a plant which, from a widely branching or stoloniferous base, throws up numerous stems, ten to fifteen feet high, and six inches in diame- ter. They are five to seven angled, armed in the sterile part of the plant with short, and on the fertile upper branches with long, pendulous spines, which form a red- dish gray beard, in which the flesh-colored flowers and oval, purple fruit are hidden. There are scattered over the hillside, too, numerous dwarf specimens of a leguminous plant, Parkinsonia microphylla, which, under more favora- ble climatic conditions, sometimes attains the habit and the height of a small tree, and of Bursera microphylla, both plants able to put forth and maintain their minute leaves during a few weeks under the burning Mexican sun, which here so heats the rocks in summer that the human hand cannot bear contact with them. The large bush in the lower right hand corner is a small plant of the so-called Green-barked Acacia, the Palo Verde of the Mexicans, one of the most conspicuous plants of the desert, and, next to the Mesquit, the most familiar, perhaps, to travelers in the whole Boundary region from Texas to California. The Palo Verde sometimes becomes a tree of considerable . size; and it is always a most striking and conspicuous ob- ject owing to the perfectly smooth, light, bright-green bark which covers its stem and branches. It remains through- out the long, dry and heated season perfectly leafless, but with the midsummer rains puts out tiny leaves, and soon becomes brilliant with a profusion of handsome, bright yel- low, pea-like flowers. Gens aes Cultural Department. Annuals for a Succession of Flowers. ARDENS should now be bright and gay; every empty spot should have been filled and planting should have been finished. But there will soon come a time when many gaps will occur, and it concerns us now to prepare material with which to fill them. Many annuals are of brief duration. Among these are Nemophila, Collinsias, Virginian Stocks, Clarkia, Lupins, Poppies, Hawkweed and Ten-week Stocks. After a few months many annuals—for instance, Drummond Phlox, Gaillardias, Zinnias, Mignonette, and many more—lose their trim shapes, and it is best to clear them away and recover the ground with fresh plants. When Hollyhocks, Larkspurs, Foxgloves, Canterbury Bells and Sweet Williams ~ have done blooming and are rooted out orcutaway, something is needed to occupy the space they filled. To keep the garden filled, sow at once a fresh set of annuals, and keep them ready to fill up empty spaces as they occur. African Marigolds (the Eldorado strain) are capital for filling into places recently occupied by other plants, and they will keep. in bloom till frost destroys them. ‘The cucumber-leaved Sun- flower (Helianthus cucumertfolius) and Cosmos bipinnatus may also be used in the same way. The latter, however, should be grown and starved in pots till its flower buds are set before it is planted out. Raise some fresh dwarf French Marigolds and Petunias to plant in dry ground, as these thrive in such places where many other annuals would perish. Snapdragons in bloom now if cut back would bloom again in the fall, but not in such perfection as young plants raised now from seed. China Asters from seed sown now will bloom in September Raa eee yee os a ey 4 ; | q JUNE 13, 1888.] and October. Zinnias raised now give fine flowers from August onward. Coreopsis coronata and C. Drummondii. are bright and beautiful yellow-flowered Composites, and should be used liberally for late flowers. About the end of July mil- dew usually injures spring-sown Druinmond Phlox, and good young stock should be provided to replace the old. Put in now a sowing of annual Candytuft and another a month hence. Seeds of Gatllardia picta, and its variety Lorensiana, sown now will take the place of early spring stock. Corn Flower raised now will bloom freely before the summer is over, So will Balsams, annual Chrysanthemumsand Mignonette. The dwarf Nasturtiums are very good in their way, but Lobb’s varieties continue in good blooming condition longer than any of the annual sorts. Potato beetles are apt to attack Micotiana afinis, and destroy its beauty before the summer is over, It is well to raise a lot of young plants now, for itis one of the most generous and fragrant of night-blooming plants. In fact, any annual that will bloom within three months from sow- ing, may be raised from seed sown by mid-June for service in the fall. Garden and Forest. 187 dling growth. And if they cannot be set out permanently as soon as they are large enough for transplanting they should be pricked off into other temporary beds, to keep them stocky and cause them to root. well and to be in better condition for planting. WF, The Plum and the Curculio.—The plum is generally consid- ered one of the most delicious of the stone fruits, and many persons prefer it to any other product of our orchards. It cer- tainly would be found oftener in home fruit-gardens but for the fact that the curculio has been so destructive. Occasionally, fine fruit is raised in small quantities, with no other. precaution than keeping poultry in the yard with the trees. It has long been known, too, that the curculio coud be conquered by suddenly jarring the trees every morning, when the insect, inactive and unable to fly, drops into a sheet and is destroyed. This, however, is a tedious process, and a simpler remedy has long been desired. This seems to have been found in the application of arsenical poisons ina spray, by means of a force- pump with a nozzle which throws the poisoned water over the A Sonora Hillside.—See page 186. At this time of year it may be well to sow these annuals in a small plot of ground specially reserved for them, in soil which should be moderately moist and very mellow. From this seed bed the seedlings may be transplanted as required. Should warm, dry weather set in, seeds are likely to lie dorm- ant in the ground till after the next soaking rain, but in the case of these succession-crop annuals we cannot afford this inactivity, and they should be kept watered, and, if need be, slightly shaded until after they germinate. In preparing the ground for fine seeds to be sown in summer, in the event of warm, dry weather, it is well to give the ground a thorough soaking with water the day betore it is dug, mellowed and sown, rather than to prepare the ground while itis dry, and sow the seeds and water afterwards. _ Seeds sown in rows are easier cared for than those sown broadcast, and give a better chance for using a small hoe between them. Seedlings should not be allowed to grow up thickly in the rows, butshould be thinned to prevent spin- tree ina fine mist. The process was described in the first number of this journal, and it only needs to be added that it is not yet too late to save the fruit, as the insect is just begin- ning to work on the young plums. Of the forms of arsenic used, London Purple seems preferable to Paris Green, being cheaper and less liable to injure the foliage of the tree. It is also in a finer powder, and therefore more easily kept in sus- pension in the water. Three-fourths of a pound to eighty or one hundred gallons of water is considered a good proportion. The greatest caution should be used with poisons of this kind. The hands of the operator should be protected, and neither horses nor men should be allowed to breathe the vapor. Grazing animals should be kept out of the orchard for some time. Ifaheavy rainfall, soon after the application, should wash off the poison, a second application may be made, All who have tried this method unite in saying that no danger can come from eating the ripe fruit, as the small amount of poison lodged upon it is dissipated before it matures. 188 In a paper read before the Illinois State Horticultural Society last winter, Mr. D. B. Wier held that the curculio prefers to deposit its eggs in the fruit of the native plums. He therefore advocates the planting of native varieties among the trees of foreign origin. His claim is that the insects will not only pass by the latter trees for the former, but that a large percentage of the eggs deposited in the native fruit will fail to develop, so that the increase of the pest will be held in check. Another old remedy is dusting the trees with air-slaked lime. It is reported in the bulletin of the Ohio Experiment Station for May, that orchards treated in this way in Michigan have yielded abun- dant fruit. The lime is applied by means of a flat paddle from a barrel in a wagon which is driven along the rows of trees on the side towards the wind. The lime can also be mixed with water and applied in a spray. This last method has been practiced near Boston with remarkable success. eye /e Orchid Notes.— Cattleya Skinnerti alba,a lovely variety, bear- ing snow-white flowers with just a few purple stripes in the throat, is a native of Costa Rica, and to be well-grown needs more heat than is usually accorded the type. It delights in abun- dance of water, both overhead and at the root, during the grow- ing season, and requires a long season of rest, in a cool, dry house. One plant now in bloom here is bearing 25 flowers on two spikes, and they willlasta month in perfection, forming the chief attraction of the Cattleya House. Cattleya Wageneri is a very rare and chaste var. of C. JZossig, bearing pure white flowers, with a dash of lemon at the base of the large open lip. A superb form is now in bloom with us, the flowers being fully 9 inches across and of good substance, This plant is doing unusually well in a basket filled entirely with sphagnum moss, a capital potting material for most Orchids when care is taken that it does not become saturated with water. A thorough soaking about once a week is often sufficient. Jfi/tonia (Odontoglossum) vexillaria will soon be at its best, and may now be seen in abundant varieties. Among the choice of these may be noted var. rudel/a, with flowers of deep rose; var. Zeucoglossa, pale rose, with a large pure white lip; var. A//ana, with large rose-colored flow- ers, dotted and striped with dark purple ; var. swferda, a deep colored form, the base of the lip being white, with radiating crimson lines. This Orchid is probably the most beautiful of the Miltonias or of the Odontoglossums, to which genus it was formerly referred. Unfortunately it is seldom seen in good condition in this country. In many instances the cause of this is too little water, as may easily be seen by their starved and thrips-eaten condition. Thrips has always been the pest of this species and will be sure to appear whenever the watering is neglected. The plants should be watered at least once a day and always from overhead. During the hot summer days or when. the firing is heavy in winter it may be necessary to syringe the foliage a few times. Under this treatment thrip never attack the plants here. In respect to heat we try to keepa temperature of 60°—65° the whole year round. We use peat and moss in equal parts for potting, particular attention being paid to drain- age. Under theabove treatment these Orchids grow like weeds, producing 3 to 4 spikes of flowers from a bulb and increasing the number of leads and size of bulbs every year. Kenwood, N. Y. F, Goldring. Staking Plants.—Hollyhocks, Dahlias, perennial Larkspurs, Bottonias, Sunflowers and many other tall-growing, top- heavy.plants, will need staking. Never wait till the plants grow large and are blown over or broken down, but stake them be- fore they need support. Once the stakes are set, it is an easy matter to tie up the plants occasionally, and in this way to pre- serve their good form. Use neat stakes, but strong ones, and firmly set. A large Dahlia, heavy with rain, will require a strong support in a high wind. Chestnut, locust and red cedar stakes worked at the saw-mill in suitable lengths, and from one to two inches square, and with the sharp corners planed off, can be used for tall, heavy plants like Dahlias and Sunflowers and foryoung trees. Good stakes can also be made from the refuse yellow pine which can be procured at many saw-mills. Such heavy and stiff stakes are not best for tall Lilies like ZL. auratum, L. superbum and others, which grow from five to nine feet high, but long, strong, elastic stakes are preferable. These sway a little in the wind with the plant, and at the same time are perfectly secure, and for this purpose there is nothing better than Red or White Cedar saplings such as are used for bean-poles, slender and neatly dressed. Almost any stake does for smaller plants, although the cane stakes so much used by florists are not of much value in the flower gar- den; they rot off in the ground too quickly. But whatever Garden and Forest. [JUNE 13, 1888. is used should be neat, and firmly set, and, if the plants are in rows, accurately in line. The plants should grow higher than the stakes, and they should be so tied as to hide them, and at the same time not to appear as if crushed or in an unnatural position. WF. The Rock-Garden in Spring. af ate are still conspicuous among the plants flowering this week in the New England rock-garden. _The most beautiful of them is the Lady Tulip of gardens, Tudifa Clu- siana oe known as 7) precox and T. rubro-alba),a common plant from Portugal to Persia, and one of the most clearly marked and least variable of all the Tulips. It has linear, acuminate, channeled, glaucous leaves, aslender flexuous stem, twelve or eighteen inches high, and a delicate white flower two inches long, the narrow segments marked on the inside witha handsome purple spot, the three outer flushed externally, except along the edges, with bright red. The anthers and filaments are dark purple or nearly black. The flowers of Tulipa acuminata, or, as it is often known in gardens, 7: cornuta, are always striking and interesting. They are sometimes scarlet and sometimes yellow, and these colors are sometimes blended. The segments are very long, and all are narrowed gradually into a long, narrow, horn-like point. This is a very old inhabitant of gardens, and a very distinct type, but its native country is not known. It is very hardy here, and one of the most easily cultivated of all the Tulips. Tulipa reflexa is also in bloom. This is another Tulip which is only known in gardens, and which, as Mr, Baker has suggested, is probably a hybrid between 7. acuminata and T. Gesneriana. It has handsonie bright yellow flowers, two and a half to three inches long, the segments narrowed gradually to an acute point and sharply reflexed above the middle when the flower is fully expanded. Among our native Violets worthy of a place in the garden is Viola pubescens, the common yellow Violet of northern woods, with broadly heart-shaped, downy leaves, and rather small bright yellow flowers, which continue to appear during several weeks. It takes kindly to cultivation, thriving in the shade, and is springing up everywhere in the rockery from self-sown seed. The Pepper-root (Dentaria diphylla), another inhabitant of northern woods, probably is not seen very often in gardens, where, however, it can well fill some shady nook or pocket in. the rockery. It has large compound leaves, with three rhom- bic-ovate, coarsely cut leaflets and short racemes of rather large white flowers. | The long, fleshy, toothed root-stock pe- culiar to the plants of this genus of the Mustard Family (Cra- cifer@) have a pleasant pungent flavor, to which they owe their common English name. Another pretty shade-loving native plant now in flower is Waldsteinia fragoides, a low perennial herb, with leaves divided into three cut-toothed lobes, and small bright yellow flowers, in size and shape not unlike those of the Strawberry, but produced upon many- flowered scapes rising above the foliage. .Gardeners hardly realize or appreciate the beauty of our North American Lady Slippers (Cypripedium), and yet among them are plants as showy and far more delicate and beautiful than any of the tropical species in which the horticultural world is just now so deeply interested. All the species of the Eastern States are perfectly hardy and can be grown as easily as any of the more delicate of our wild plants. They will thrive, with the exception of C. acauw/e, which requires drier soil and a more sunny exposure, along the margins of Rhodo- dendron beds in peaty loam, or in the shady and least dry parts of the rock-garden. They are easily transplanted and make excellent pot-plants, if needed for the decoration of con- servatories or living-rooms. The only one of these interesting plants blooming here now is the larger of the two yellow flow- ered species, C. pubescens. It has stems two feet high, pubes- cent like the broadly-oval,-acute leaves, and handsome flowers, _with a pale yellow gibbous lip, and long, linear, twisted petals. It is the common bog species north and west, and is found also on the Alleghany Mountains. Varieties of (rts pumila, with bright-blue and with yellow flowers, are now in bloom. It is a dwarf European species, three or four inches high, with large solitary flowers, well suited to the rock-garden, and an excellent subject for a dwarf edging to the herbaceous border. The dwarf Iris is very hardy, and spreads rapidly, soon making broad, densemats. Not less beautiful is the crested dwarf Iris of the southern Alleghany Mountains (/r?s cristata), a low plant, with leaves only three or four inches long, and very handsome, light blue flowers, with a long, slender tube much longer than the short-clawed divis- ions of the perianth, of which those of the outer series are * q JuNE 13, 1888.] beautifully crested. This is a hardy plant, spreading rapidly by creeping root-stocks, and admirably suited for the border of wood-walks and other rough parts of a garden, where it can more than hold its own against weeds and grasses. Arnebia echinoides is one of the most showy of the hardy perennials now in flower. It is a native of Armenia and a member of the Borage Family, nearly allied to Lithospermum. The stems, which grow from six to twelve inches high, are terminated by large, one-sided, solitary spikes of handsome, primrose-colored flowers, marked at first with purple spots in the sinuses between the lobes of the corolla, but which entirely disappear at the end of a few days. The sessile, al- ternate leaves are ciliated on the margins like the stems. Arnebia echinoides may be increased from cuttings made from the stems and from the roots, and it is easily raised from seed, Aubretia deltoides is one of the prettiest of hardy, spring- blooming rock-plants. It is an evergreen trailer, with terminal few-flowered racemes and small rhomboidal leaves, which just now is covered with sheets of handsome, pale purple, four-petaled flowers, half an inch across. It requires deep soil and rather an open exposure, where it can spread through the crevices between the rocks and send its trailing stems over their surface. It can be easily increased by cuttings and from seed, which, if sown as soon as ripe, will make strong flowering plants by autumn. Scilla Hispanica, or, as it is generally known in gardens, Scilla campanulata, is the latest of the genus here in flower, blooming with the Poet's Narcissus, the two being excellent plants to associate together in beds or wild wood-borders. The flowers are deep blue, bell-shaped, half an inch deep, race- mose, and spreading nearly at right angles from the slender six to twelve flowered scape, which is eight to twelve inches high, and springs from a rosette of linear strap-shaped leaves. There are varieties with white and with flesh-colored flowers. It thrives in dry and in comparatively wet soil ; and it is one of the best of the hardy bulbs which can be naturalized here in grass along the borders of woods and wood-walks. Ornithogalum nutans, the Satin Flower of some old New England gardens, is such an old-fashioned flower that few people nowadays know it. And yet it is a beautiful and a very hardy plant, which has been growing in this garden for over forty years ; and during all these years its modest flowers have given fresh and ever increasing delight. It isa bulbous plant of the Lily family, a native of southern and central Europe, with four or six strap-shaped, flaccid leaves, and aloose raceme of five or six large, nodding, bell-shaped flowers. -Theyare an inch long, with broad, petaloid filaments; the seg- ments of the perianth are white, broadly flushed with pale green on the outside, smooth and shining like satin, and less spreading thanin otherspecies of this genus, The Satin Flower flourishes in all soils, in the full exposure to the sun and under the dense shade of overhanging trees and bushes. Among Pzonies the earliest in bloom is one of the single- flowered forms of P. ¢enzifolia, with rather broader leaf seg- ments than are found in the typical plant. The single-flowered variety of this handsome south Russian plant is much less often seen in gardens than that with double flowers, although it iscertainly far handsomer and more attractive; and this is true of all Peonies, whether herbaceous or shrubby, that the single are handsomer than the double flowers, although double- flowered varieties are almost invariably grown in American gardens. P. ¢enutfolia produces solitary, dark crimson, cup- shaped flowers, surrounded by the crowded, reduced upper _leaves, terminal upon stems twelve to eighteen inches high; the leaves, of which there are ten or twelve upon each plant, are cut into narrow, one-nerved, confluent segments, which vary in width from one-twelfth to one-fourth of an inch in different varieties. P. zenuifolia is a perfectly hardy plant of the very easiest cultivation, Boston, May esth. @ Notes from the Arnold Arboretum. AP HE number of plants in flower in the Arboretum this week is not large. Among the Barberries, one of the earliest in bloom is the form of Berberis vulgaris from north- ern China and Manchuria—the var. Amurensis, or Berberis Amurensis of some authors. Of the many forms of the com- mon Barberry now cultivated this is one of the most distinct, interesting and valuable from a garden point of view. The leaves are much larger than those of the common Barberry and the stems are stouter and more rigid, although the Chinese plant will not attain probably its height and dimensions. Indeed, Maximowicz, in his “ Flora Amurensis,” describes it Garden and Forest. 189 asa low shrub, rarely more than three feet high, a stature which the Arboretum plants have already surpassed. The flowers are somewhat larger than those of the common Bar- berry, possessing their delicious fragrance, and appear here fully two weeks earlier. This is one of the most desirable of the perfectly hardy deciduous shrubs of comparatively recent introduction. It is a free-growing plant which can be readily increased by cuttings or division, or from seed, which has not been produced yet on the plants in this collection, Every lover of nature in America, and nearly every gardener, knows the Great Laurel, or, as the people who inhabit the southern Alleghany Mountains, where it grows with a_per- fection and beauty unknown elsewhere, call it, the “Ivy,” but the little northern Swamp Laurel, Aadmia glauca, is less known. It is, nevertheless, when in flower one of the hand- somest of the small shrubs of North America, where it is found from the Pennsylvania Mountains far northward, always in cold peat-bogs. Aalmia glauca rarely exceeds a foot in height; it has a loose straggling habit, narrow sessile, oblong, revolute leaves, white glaucous on the lower side, and ter- minal, tew-flowered, smooth corymbs of large and very showy lilac-purple flowers. It is not an easy plant to establish in cultivation, although when once established and left to grow without any effort being made to improve its habit by pruning (which seems fatal to it) it will flower freely year after year. Great care is needed in taking up young plants for cultivation, which should be thoroughly rooted in pots or boxes before they are planted in the garden, Aalmia glauca is now well established in the Arboretum, where it has flowered for several years. Much more easily cultivated is the beautiful Rhodora, which botanists now refer to the genus Rhododendron, as Kh. Rhodora. The Rhodora which is one of the best known and best loved wild flowers of New England, can be easily transferred to the garden from the cold northern swamps, which at this season of the year are tinged with its handsome rosy flowers. Itisa low deciduous shrub, two or three feet high, with oblong leaves, downy on the lower side, and appearing later than the umbel-like terminal clusters of flowers. It requires a deep peaty soil, in which it will soon spread, and make large clumps. Fothergilla alnifolia is too rarely seen in gardens. Itisa low and very hardy shrub belonging to the Witch-hazel family, with showy terminal, catkin-like spikes of small flowers, with numerous long, projecting white stamens. They are the only conspicuous part of the flower. It has no petals and a small bell-shaped calyx. ‘The oval or obovate leaves, smooth, or pubescent on the lower side, appear later than the flowers. The Fothergilla, although not found growing naturally any- where north of Virginia, is perfectly hardy here. Clematis ( Atragene) verticillaris, a rare plant confined to the mountainous or far northern part of the country from northern and western New England and Virginia to Wisconsin, is the earliest of the genus in flower here. It is a woody climber with stems six or eight feet:long, trifoliate leaves, and large, handsome blue or purple spreading flowers, two or three inches across, which in the mountains appear sometimes with the melting snows. This plant requires ordinary garden soil, and no special cultivation. The earliest of the brambles in flower is also an American plant—Rudus triflorus, the dwarf wild Raspberry of northern swamps and woods, with annual herbaccous stems six to twelve inches high, handsome ovate-lanceolate, doubly-serrate leaves, pointed at both ends, and one to three flowered clusters of white flowers followed by small inedible fruit. It is an ex- ceedingly pretty little species, which, when established, makes a neat Compact mass of foliage, well worth a place on the borders of the shrubbery. Ribes multiflorum is a Hungarian species rarely seen in gar- dens. It isa handsome shrub at this season of the year, with numerous upright and spreading branches three or four feet high, long-petioled, three or four lobed leaves, which are dark green and glabrous above, lighter green and very pubescent on the lower side; and long, dense, pendulous racemes of green flowers. The fruit is red and about the size of a pea. The plant, although more interesting than showy, might well be cultivated more frequently. A beautiful figure of it (7% 31) will be found in Lavallée's ‘ /cones.” Ribes Uva-crispa is a smooth-fruited plant which botanists consider one of the wild forms of the common Gooseberry. It is a low shrub with rigid branches two or three feet high, densely armed with stiff yellow prickles, small, orbicular, pal- mately divided leaves, hairy on both sides, and with green flowers, hanging singly or in pairs from little tufts of green leaves. The berry is small and yellowish. It is found in hedges and open woods of central and southern Europe and 190 western Asia, and has been cultivated for centuries for its fruit. A plant of the America Red Currant (ises rubrum) is a beautiful object in flower. Itis not considered distinct from the garden Currant of Europe, although the veins of the leaves are white beneath, which led Michaux to apply to the Ameri- can plant the name a/dinervum, and the yellow-green flowers are larger and more conspicuous than those of the European Currant. The stems are straggling or reclined and three to five feet long. The wild Red Currant is an inhabitant of cold bogs and woods from northern New Hampshire and far northw ard. Ribes floridum, the wild Black Currant of our northern woods, is in bloom also, and resembles the Black Currant of gardens. Itis a shrub three to five feet high, with heart-shaped, lobed, resinously dotted leaves, drooping racemes of large and hand- some greenish or white flowers, and black berries with the smell and flavor of those of the garden plant. These two wild American Currants probably will not be often found in those gardens where plants of merely botanical interest are not cul- tivated. The Corchorus (Kerria Faponica), with its bright yellow and very double flowers, is almost invariably found in old country gardens in the Northern States, but this plant in its natural state with single flowers, each with five petals and numerous stamens, is still rare. It is, how evel, a far handsomer and more desirable plant. The Kerria is a shrub five or six feet high, with slender, virgate, flexuous stems, and ovate-lanceo- late, longly acuminate, doubly serrate, deciduous leaves, rounded or subcordate at the base, and solitary flowers ter- minal on short lateral branches (in the single form wide spreading, an inch anda half across) and appearing with the Jeaves. The fruit has probably never been produced in this country, and according to Von Siebold it rarely ripens in Japan, where the plant is everywhere cuitivated, and now widely dis- tributed in a semi-wild state. It is found in the mountainous regions of central China, and like the Ginkgo and several other plants, for many years known to Europeans from Japan only, itis probably a native of that country. In central China the fruit is reported to be ‘yellow and good to eat like a Rasp- berry,” the Chinese name indicating that it produces an edible berry. The single and the double flowered forms are beauti- fully figured in Siebold and Zuccarini's “ Flora Faponica,” t. 98. Daphne Genkwa is another Chinese plant long cultivated in Japan, and first made known by Von Siebold, w ho found it in Japanese g gardens and described and figured it in the “ Flora Faponica,” “4.75. The Genkwa is a hz indsome and intere sting shrub with spreading tortuous branches covered at this season of the year with sessile lateral fascicles of two to seven hand- some, tubular, lilac-blue, precocious flowers about an inch lone, the tube, like the ovary, densely coated on the outside with silky hairs and quite smooth within. The leaves, which appear sometimes later than the flowers, are opposite, mem- branaceous, short petioled, about an inch long and quite entire. The Genkwa is very generally cultivated in Japan, both on ac- count of the beauty of its flowers as an ornamental plant, and for the lowers and bark, which are believed to possess valuable medicinal properties and are frequently used and highly es- teemed by the Japanese. Daphne Genkwa is not very hardy here, and like nearly all the other species of the genus in the collec tion, requires in winter a slight protection ‘of ev ergreen branches. Daphne Cneorum, a trailing evergreen shrub of central and southern Europe, with tough, wiry stems, smooth, lanceolate, glabrous leaves, and ter minal clustérs of bright pink, deliciously fragrant flowers,is now in bloom. Itisa free blooming plant, but not v ery hardy nor satisfactory in this climate. Sometimes it grows well for a number of years, forming wide, handsome mats, and then, in a winter apparently not more severe than those which have preceded, it dies, or is seriously injured. In some exposures and situations it appears to do best when un- protected in winter, in others a covering of evergreen branches appears beneficial. It is well worth all the care and attention necessary to secure its free growth and abundant flowers. Two Spiraeas in addition to the two mentioned in the last issue of these notes are now in bloom, Sfrr@a media and S. hy- pericifolia. The former is a tall, erect shrub with round branches, flowering after the leaves have attained their full size. They are elliptical, acute and obtuse, entire or some- times deeply serrate at the end, three or four ribbed, smooth above, hairy on the lower side and on the margins. The handsome, many flowered corymbs terminal on lateral, leaty branches of the year are produced in great profusion, fora distance of two or more feet along the ends of the main branches. SAir@a media, which is often confounded in gardens with S. chemedryfolia, which has square branches and smaller and more generally serrate leaves, is one of the best of the Garden and Forest. [June 13, 1888. early flowering Spirzeas here, of its section. It is very hardy, grows s rapidly 1 in all soils and it can be transplanted with the greatest ease. Itis found in Hungary and southern Russia, and through Siberia to Kamschatka and Mongolia. Spirea hypericifolia, known sometimes in gardens as Italian May, or St. Peter’s Wreath, is a tall shrub with long, slender, flexuous, round branches, small, wedge-oblong leaves, entire or slightly crenate or lobed at the end, and small white or cream-colored flowers in nearly sessile lateral umbels, terminal on very short leafy branches. A ae species, ‘of which several forms are distinguished, is found from western | Europe through Siberia to Moneete. i May e2sth. Te ; The Forest. Forest Trees for California. ’ N the second number of Garprn anv Forrst I mentioned the ‘English ” Oak (Q. Robur pedunculafa) as a prom- ising timber tree for California. The facts thus far gathered concerning this rather unexpected adaptation are these: — The acorns of this Oak (from a tree in New England) ~ were first planted on the experimental grounds of the University in 1879, with a number of species of eastern Oaks, which were increased in succeeding years. All of — these, however, were found to be of exceedingly slow growth, showing little or no inclination to utilize the - long growing season of California. After two years’ erowth none of the American Oaks had attained a greater height than eighteen inches, the average being from eight to ten only. Of the European Oak seedlings, none measured less than twenty inches, and a number were three feet in height, with strong branches. Attention having thus been called to the possible importance of this tree for California, several importations of acorns were made subsequently, and these, with seedlings a year old, were distributed for trial to numerous locali- ties in the State. Unfortunately, but few of these seem to have found | favorable conditions for their prosperity, from causes suf | ficiently apparent from the experience had upon the | University grounds themselves. It was found, first, that the acorns were extremely attractive to all sorts of dep- redators, including blue jays, rats, gophers (Zhomomys umbrinus) and eround squirrels (Sper mophilus fossor), and — that, therefore, but a small percentage of the acorns sent — out ever germinated. ‘Those that did germinate, how- _ ever, were reported to be growing thriftily and rapidly. How long they continued to do so, will have depended largely upon the protection afforded them from cattle, — which seem to be as fond of the foliage as the other animals mentioned are of the acorns; moreover, the ground squirrel and gopher delight in gnawing the roots and trunks as well. But few of the trees escaped muti- lation from one or the other cause, and even the one | which is the best representative of the stock grown by | the University experiment station, now beginning its seventh year, lost fully one season’s growth, being weak- ened by removal and having been bitten off by ahorse. It thus shows properly the result of five years’ growth only, It is now sixteen feet hich, with a trunk six inches in diameter — a foot from the ground, and separating at three feet into face branches, forms a spreading top, fourteen feet across. — The tree has now sect an abundant crop of acorns, and a ~ seat is made around it, the occupants of which will be fully shaded during the warm hours of the day. a A Black Oak (Q. “inctor ta) of the same age and grown i without any interruption, is a bush scarcely six feet@) high and having as yet no aspirations to become a tree. — lis erowth is about the best among the eastern Oaks. : Two species of Hickory (Carya porcina and C. fomeniosa), a also contemporaries, have as yet hardly risen above four feet, and, like many eastern trees, show their aversion — to the climate by sending up suckers from the base as — soon as the shoots of the previous year have made a growth of a few feet. June 13, 1888.] This enormous difference in favor of the European Oak seems partly, at least, due to its peculiar root habit. A seedling a year old, appearing above ground with a stem the size of a goose quill at the base and six to eight inches high, will show a straight tap root three to four feet long and one-third of an inch thick near the crown. It thus quickly reaches a depth in the soil where moisture is found during the whole of the rain- less summers of California; and hence, doubtless, its vigorous growth during the entire long growing-season, the leaves remaining active from after March to the end of October. The latest leaves, however, belong almost entirely to the second growth, which pushes out very vigorously toward the end of June, and frequently reaches a length of four feet before the end of the season. But all this is very much changed when the tap root has been seriously shortened, or destroyed in transplant- ing. The European Oak then assumes the habit of root, as well as of stem, exhibited here by the eastern Oaks, and its growth becomes equally slow. Some two- years-old seedlings, transplanted from the nursery to the brow of a dry hill above the University, show this to perfection. The tap roots having, of necessity, been badly mutilated, fibrous roots branch out from the stump, but have thus far, in two years, been unable to reach the moist depths of the very rich soil. They have not only no second growth, but no tendency even to form a definite trunk; the branches tend to spread out low, and between them, crops of suckers rise from the base of the stem at the time when the standard trees begin their second branch growth. These weakly shoots form the next year’s branches, while the larger ones frequently die back. This curious habit, resulting in ‘the formation of low, scraggly bushes, instead of stately trees, is just what is shown here by the Oaks of the Mississippi Valley when left to themselves; and the unlooked for resistance of the European Oak to the severe drought of the California summer, as well as its surprisingly rapid development, thus seems to find a sim- ple explanation in the peculiar habit of its root to push down into the moist soil the very firstseason. It would be interesting to know whether in its native country, or in the region of summer rains in the United States, it ex- hibits a similar tendency. Thus, while this Oak promises excellent results as a timber tree, not only for California, but, doubtless, @ fortiort, for Oregon, its propagation evidently requires considerable care. The acorns must either be planted where the trees are to stand, or transplanting must be done while the seedlings are quite young, and with great care not to mutilate the tap root. Both acorns and seedlings must be fully protected against animal depredations, especially against the rodent family, and later, as saplings, against ranging cattle and horses. But if, as may reasonably be hoped, these precautions will insure to the Pacific coast a supply of hard-wood timber that will do away with the heavy cost now in- volved in the importation of this necessary material, the labor will be amply repaid. It may be objected that with such rapid growth, the timber may not possess the same qualities as in its native climate. But when it is consid- ered that the more rapid growth is accomplished in a proportionately longer space of growing time, this ap- prehension loses much of its force; and it is not at all probable that the English Oak, with a habit so widely different from that of the native Oaks of California, should produce a wood of a quality so inferior as theirs. University of California, May, 1888. EL W. flilgard. Correspondence. To the Editor of GARDEN AND FOREST : Sir.—Is there not some way of inducing the guardians of the Central Park to remove the hundreds—indeed thousands—of dying Norway Spruces which so seriously deface its beauty ? There is scarcely a point of view in the whole park from which Garden and Forest. 191 some of these trees may not beseen in a very advanced stage of hopeless decay and ugliness. Just at this season, when everything else is clothing itself with fresh green, their mourn- ful, miserable forms are especially distressing; but there is no season when they are not eyesores in themselves and wit- nesses to want of attention or want of judgment on the part of the Park authorities. Of course the cutting of trees which are sickly beyond hope of recuperation sometimes involves the necessity of replanting, but with regard to most of these Spruces this would not be the case. Let any one follow the East Drive, for example, and note those which are the most obtrusive in their decay. He will find, if he has any eye for the grouping of trees and the effect of landscape arrange- ments, that in a great majority of cases their presence would be undesirable even if their condition were better. Nature seems by chance to have recognized this fact, for in one or two places in the park where the presence of-Spruces is really desirable, they have flourished well. On the West Drive, for example, near the well-known group of Weeping Beeches, stand several Norways in fine condition, and admirably placed as regards the general effect of the scene. I know, of course, that difficulties attend the cutting of trees in public places. Fetish-worship, as directed to trees, seems notyet to have become extinct in the minds of the ignorant ; and whenever an axe is laid to a trunk in the Park there is almost sure to bea letter in some daily paper from some cranky lounger calling attention to the reckless injury to public prop- erty which is being worked. Bysuch persons a park seems to be regarded simply as an expanse of ground in which to grow trees— not an expanse in which they should be grown in the right places and grown well. But the Norway Spruces of the Central Park are now so far advanced in decay that even the self-appointed apostle of ignorance in tree-preservation could hardly raise his voice in their favor. And whether he should protest or not, intelligent public opinion would certainly sus- tain the Park authorities should they enter upon a campaign of almost wholesale cutting. It would be a relief to intelligent eyes to be rid of these distressing objects, and an even greater relief to note the increased chance for development which their removal would afford to their healthy neighbors, and the increased beauty of the wayside groups or little dells which they are now crowding and deforming. New York, May ist. Philodendron. To the Editor of GARDEN AND FOREST : Sir.—In regard to the hardiness of the Spanish Chestnut, of which you ask the experience of your readers, I would say that it is somewhat tender here, but hardly more so than the English Walnut. Both are tender when young, losing the ex- treme ends of their branches in winter.. As they get stronger year by year, this loss does not occur, and, in time, they be- come large, fruitful trees. Of both the Spanish Chestnut and the English Walnut there are many very large trees about Philadelphia, bearing fruit freely every season. Foseph Meehan. Germantown. Recent Publications. The Botanical Works of the late George Engelmann, Collected for Henry Shaw, Esq., and edited by William Trelease and Asa Gray. Pp. 548. Cambridge, 1887. Mr. Henry Shaw, of St. Louis, the founder of the Botanical Garden of that city, which bears his name, has certainly reared a more appropriate memorial to his old friend and fellow- townsman, in causing this volume to be made, than any statue of bronze or of marble could have been. Dr. Engelmann’s botanical writings cover a period of about fifty years ; they relate chiefly to the plants of North America, generally to the most difficult families and genera, tor which Dr. Engelmann had a special predilection ; and often to plants of the highest horticultural importance and interest, such as the Oaks, Pines, Firs, Grapes, Agaves, Cactuses and Yuccas, In these and in other families he was long the leading authority, and his writings mustalways be referred to. They were widely scattered through government reports, the proceedings of learned societies, and the columns of periodicals, and quite in- accessible to the general student, who will now welcome this handsome and substantial addition to botanical literature. The different papers are grouped by subjects underfourteen chap- ters. . No. 1. Contains Engelmann’s inaugural thesis De Antholyst Prodromus,a remarkable morphological paper which attracted the attention and won the approval of Goethe. No. 2. Contains the sketch of the Botany of Dr. A. Wislizenus's expedition into northern Mexico. 192 No. 3. The various papers on the Dodders (Cascutinee), a family which Engelmann studied for many years, and finally elaborated in a classical memoir. : No. 4. Contains all the papers, fourteen in number, on the Cactacee, These embrace, perhaps, Engelmann’s most impor- tant botanical work. Many of these were first published by the UnitedStates Government, and were beautifully and elaborately illustrated. These and the other illustrations, joined to Engel- mann’s previous publications, all appear in this reprint and add greatly to its value. No. 5. Contains the papers on Juncus. No, 6. Contains all the papers on Yucca, Agave and similar plants, which, like the Cactuses, botanists are generally willing to pass by, because theyare so difficult to manage in herbaria, but which Engelmann loved and studied through years of pa- tient and painstaking research. No. 7. Contains all the papers on Conifers, which no one knew so well or studied so faithfully. No. 8. Contains the papers on Oaks, and the best informa- tion which yet exists in regard to the botanical characters and relationship of the North American species of these most diffi- cult plants. Nos. 9, 10 and 11, Contain all that Engelmann wrote about the American Grape Vines, on the Euphorbiacee and on Isoetis. In No, 12 are collected the shorter miscellaneous papers; in No. 13 are various lists and collected descriptions of plants, and in No. 14 areseveral general notes upon features of vege- tation in different parts of the United States. The editors of this volume have wisely abstained from mak- ing any changes in the text as the author left it or from adding expli unatory notes, when recent investigations might naturally have lead him to change his views Their task, how ever, has not been a light one, as many of the papers were published under conditions unfavorable for proof-reading, and others were never revised by the author. Anexcellent portrait of Dr. Engelmann, from a photograph taken during the last ten years of his life, increases the value and adds to the interest of this memorial. Professor Trelease is prepared to furnish a few copies of this book in sheets, which will be delivered to the Express Companies at St. Louis, at cost price, twelve dollars, Notes. The California Florist is the title of a new illustrated month- ly published at Santa Barbara and San Francisco and devoted to the interests of floriculture on the Pacific Coast. Judging from the first number the new enterprise seems to be in capa- ble and energetic hands, and deserves success. Atan auction saleof alot of imported Orchids recently heid in Boston, a healthy plant ot Cvfr ipedium Fairrieanum with two new breaks brought $240. At the same sale a plant of the well known hybr id, Cattleya Exontensis, raised many years ago by crossing C. AZossig and Lelia purpurata, was sold for $105. Other plants brought prices proportionally high. In a paper from the Botanical Institute of the University of Pavia, Dr. Fridiano Cavara describes a number of new fungi which infest grape-vines in Italy, and, in referring to American species, he expresses the opinion that the Greencria Juliginea of Messrs. Scribner and V iala, which was considered by them the type of a new genus, is in reality a form of Coniathyrium Diplodie lla, and he states that the same form was previously known in Italy. Small flat Peaches, grown in Florida, have been on sate in our markets for several days, under the name of ‘ Japanese Peaches.” It is the fruit of the “Flat Peach of China,” which Decaisne believed to be a species (Praais platycarpa), but which later botanists now consider merely one of the many forms of the common Peach cultivated: by the Chinese. The Flat Peach is a large and vigorous tree, with long, slender branches, nearly evergreen foliage, pale pink flowers and small fruit, two anda half to three “inche ‘s wide, so flattened on the upper and lower sides that it is rarely more than one inch deep, with a deep five-angled eye at the top. The stone is round, two-thirds of an inch in diameter, flattened like the fruit, and slightly wrinkled. The flesh, which adheres slightly to the stone, is juicy and of excellent flav or, although the skin is thick and rather tough. The flower-buds of this tree are generally killed at the north, but it is evident from the earliness and excellence of the fruit in this market, that its more general cultivation in the south may be made profitable. The auction sales of plants in this city show no decline in activity as the spring season closes. They are held every Garden and Forest. [JUNE 13, 1888. Tuesday and Friday, and on more than one occasion as many as 50,000 plants have been disposed of. The stock in the main is small though well-grown, and was formerly bought by the trade, but lately, a and “especially this year, many private buyers resort to the warerooms of Young & Eliot for bedding plants and the like. The prices this year have hardly ex- ceeded two-thirds of the wholesale trade prices—but growers do not complain, because when plants are sold in large lots at a cent each, buyers take an increased supply. The sales are not confined, however, to cheap stock. Fine specimen plants are often sent here. At one auction not long ago, where many well-grown Palms were sold, a good specimen of Phantx rupicola “brought $94, and experts pronounced it worth $150. The total amount received at that particular sale was between $4,000 and $5,000. Retail Flower Markets. New York, Fune Sth. Cut flowers are inferior in quality, as a rule, and there is less variety in the shops. Mignonette remains of good size. Peonies are large, and well grown, and sell for from 16 to 20 cts. each. La France Roses are very ‘fair and cost $2.50a dozen. Catherine Mermets and Brides are not large but are otherwise excellent; they bring $2 a dozen. Niphetos and Perles des Jardins cost $I. 50 a dozen. General Jacqueminots are unsatisfactory, although stems are longer than a week since. American Beauties and Paul Neyrons are the finest. All selected Hybrids sell for $5 a dozen, or 50 cts. each. Puritans cost 40 cts. Moss Rosebuds are unusually pretty and mossy, bringing $4 adozen, Yellow Daisies are 4octs., and white Marguerites, which are really field Daisies, bring from 15 to 25 cis. a dozen. The blue Cornflowers are highly esteemed and always in demand; they cost 15 cts. a bunch of from 15 to 25, Water Lilies from New Jersey ponds are in market at 25 cts. a bunch of 3. Carnations are much improved in quality and command 50 cts. a dozen. Snowballs are in brisk demand. Cattleyas bring from 50 cts. to $1 a flower. Many bedding-plants are seen in flor ists’ stores. These are well cultivated and make a brilliant blaze in w indows, doorways and on plant-stands. Business has been brisk among florists generally this week with orders for out-of-town entertainments and for city weddings. PHILADELPHIA, Fune Sth. The quality of flowers, especially Roses, has fallen off decidedly this week. The notable exceptions are Meteor and Madame Cuisin, both of which can be relied upon to give good flowers during the hot summer months. A few Roses are being cut out-of-doors from shel- tered positions in favored localities near the city. The Jacqueminots from under glass are by no means good. $2 a dozen, the same as Mermets and La France, while The Bride, Perle and Sunset are from $1 to $1.50. Bennett and 'Gontier are steady at $1.50. Niphetos, $1. Bon Silene and Safrano, 75 cts. Hybrids, $3. American Beauty averages better in quality than the Hybrid Remon- tants in general, and brings from $3 to $4.a dozen. Carnations, Helio- trope and Mignonette are 25 cts. per dozen. Lily-of-the-Valley, $1. Pansies, 10 cts. Smilax from 4oto 50cts. a string. Asparagus tenuis- simus from 50 to 75 cts. astring. Adiantum cuncatum, 25 cts. per dozen fronds. Sweet Peas, 50 to 75 cts. a dozen. Cornflowers, blue, white, pink and purple, are 25 cts. a dozen, while the yellow Cornflower is 35 cts. adozen. Field Daisies are 25 cts., and Dahlias, double and single, $I to $1.50 a dozen. The Miniature Sunflower (Helianthus cu- cumertfolius) i is offered in limited quantities at 50 cts, a dozen, This is a beautiful and useful annual. Boston, June Sth. There is an abundance of flowers here now; in fact, an overstock, particularly of Roses. Prices are low, and the ‘street corners are well supplied with peddlers, who dispose of an enormous quantity of flowers at seasons when the supply is heavy. These dealers are not in favor with the store florists, who have often tried, but as yet with- out success, to have these street sales prohibited. Whether they injure the store trade or not, they certainly dispose of many flowers to peo- ple who would not otherwise buy, and they render a valuable service to the growers by using up their second quality and surplus stock. Those customers who wé ‘ant the be sst, properly packed, and delivered at their homes, must always go to the regular stores, and, everything considered, these probably get their flowers cheapest in the long run. The main stock of Roses coming in now consists of Teas and the com- moner fancy Roses. With the exception of American Beauty and Jacqueminot, there are few large Roses. Jacqueminots are not as good as they have been. The hot weather brings small and thin blooms. Out-door Roses do not show color as yet. _Long-stemmed Carnations are quite plenty, and so are Stocks, Heliotrope and Mignonette. Good Lily-of-the-Valley is very scarce, and brings win- ter prices. Other bulbous flowers are out of market entirely. A good many Ghent and ‘‘Mollis’? Azaleas are brought in now, and are very useful and effective in large decorations. Prices by the dozen range as follows: Tea Roses, 50 cts.; Mermets, Perles, Sunsets, Ni- phetos and Brides, $1 to $2, accor ding to quality ; Jacqueminots, $3, gas ete They sell at from $1.50 to | aia ee a a a i Ot ee eae ee Pe ee ee ee See eS eee ct ‘ FA ee tan paneer aos and American Beauties, $4; Lilies- Re the-Valley, $1; Heliotrope and - i Mignonette, 50 cts. Smilax, 50 cts. a string. Maidenhair Ferns, socts.a dozen. The florists are all very busy, and appear to have a satisfactory spring trade. JuNE 20, 1888.] GARDEN AND FOREST. PUBLISHED WEEKLY LY THE GARDEN AND FOREST PUBLISHING CO. OrFiceE: TrRinunE Buitpinc, New York. Conducted by . . Professor C. S. SARGENT. ENTERED AS SECOND-CLASS MATTER AT THE POST OFFICE AT NEW YORK, N. Y. NEW YORK, WEDN SDAY, JUNE 20, 1888. TABLE OF CONTENTS. : PAGE. Eviroriat Artictes:—The Association of American Nurserymen.—Walks AN MD TLV GSe=—IN O Le ctatacrcistsie ss satals pb od Somasctaisle cies’ LV ab.a So, viel s\esainvo/steis)ely.s’syn.e\a 193 The Cultivation of Truffles .... a . G. Farlow. 1094 The Domestication of Wild Fruits., Se tremitinanne faistestafernatlarsteye’. (9) |G OY fO5 New or Litrre Known Prants :—Pitcairnia Jaliscana (with illustration), Sereno Watson. 195 SV PULDSCUUTT MD Slat UIT eaters reraiea E. Williams. 197 Lantanas—Newly Transplanted Trees—Why Vines Winter-kill.......... 195 INGIESHLNO MEL GUR OCI GanO eljcmnns.-lcosina/ccurcres peg seit ktoke au cicraje alets.cese C. 199 Notes from the Arnold Arboretum - F. 200 Tue Forest :—Forest Tree Planting on the Prairies............. Robert Douglas. 202 CorrESPONDENCE :—Northern Range of the Western Service-berry, George M. Dawson. 202 Rie GEN DERUBLI CATIONS ive oie rsitrcibiateeis)slaisiase'> 4 s:0/0.013'=ys aetz-tvwleinne s e(elalatovaieleloieeis eaicesisaisis ee 203 Recent PLANT Portraits INONES: cle ts'eisisis.cssiers v0 Rerait Flower Mark :—New York, Philadelphia, Boston...........-....25 204 ILLUSTRATIONS :—Pitcairnia Jaliscana, Fig. 35.0 ..0..ccssesccceccecsccenscseeescs 197 Prunus pendula, Fig. 36.......:..-.0.. Prunus Miqueliana (2), Fig. 37 The Association of American Nurserymen. HE nurserymen of the world have played such an important part in the general advancement of horti- culture, that all planters and lovers of plants have some- thing akin to a personal interest in their prosperity. That our parks and gardens have been enriched with such a variety of beautiful plants from all quarters of the globe is largely due not only to the business enterprise of nursery- men, but also to their intelligence and skill, and, we may add, to their enthusiastic, selfdenying and too often unappreciated devotion to the cause of horticulture. We are sometimes inclined to criticise the glowing descriptions and highly colored pictures of novelties in the trade cata- logues, but, on the other hand, these same catalogues must take rank among the most effective means of dis- seminating information of practical value concerning trees and shrubs and fruits and flowers. It is to the trial grounds of the great nurseries, more than to any other place, that planters have been obliged to turn for object lessons in cultivation and for instruction as to the hardiness, the beauty and the distinctive characteristics of trees and plants for the forest, the orchard and the garden. This ~ means not only that nurserymen must be depended on for the material used in landscape gardening, forestry and fruit growing, but that a good share of our knowledge of these subjects has been derived from their studies and labors. All persons, therefore, who take any interest in gardens or forests cannot but hope that the annual meeting of the Nurserymen’s Association, to be held this week at Detroit, will prove successful in point of attendance and in the value of its deliberations. A large proportion of the sub- jects considefed will be distinctively of a business char- acter, but even these may benefit every tree-buyer. It was concerted action at a former meeting which effected the just reduction of freight rates for nursery stock, which is a direct advantage to every planter. Much re- mains to be done towards insuring such stock in trans- port against disastrous delays and exposure and towards holding railroad and express companies responsible for safe and speedy delivery, and this subject will, no doubt, Garden and Forest. 193 command the attention of the meeting. But perhaps the greatest benefit derived from these gatherings is found in the interchange of personal experience among the mem- bers. Very often papers of real and permanent value are read and published in the reports of the association. But the discussions which follow the reading of these papers are generally of more importance still, having a freshness of suggestion and a directness of aim which are never so manifest elsewhere as in the flashes which come from the contact of alert minds in friendly argu- ment. Fortunately, there are no secrets in American nursery practice and no attempt at concealment interferes with the mutual improvement which comes from this reciprocity of ideas, and in this way the garnered experi- ence of individuals in every part of the country becomes the common property of all. Conventions of nurserymen and florists would be well worth attending for this single purpose, even if they were not made attractive by pleasant social features, by oppor- tunities for enlarging acquaintance, by offering a timely period of recreation after the busy season has passed. No doubt they will prove more useful still in many direc- tions as they become more thoroughly organized. They might render good service to horticulture by a systematic effort to secure uniform and correct nomenclature of trees and shrubs. It would be directly in the line of their labors to devise some plan for the better classification of cultural varieties of the different fruits and some comprehensive system for describing and identifying them. They might collect data from various stations in the country as to what fruit and ornamental trees are reliable in different sections and what ones are likely to fail. Indeed, there are fields without number towards which they can direct united effort, and so many skilled cultivators scattered over so wide a territory and working for a single purpose could hardly fail to accomplish results of lasting importance to horticulture or pomology. Walks and Drives. HE walks and drives play an important part in deter- mining the effect produced by villa-grounds and coun- try places. Whether composed of gravel, asphalt or simply of earth, they form wide lines, distinct from their surround- ings in color and texture, drawn through lawns and shrub- beries. As such they are conspicuous features; they are features, however, which have no real beauty in them- selves, and, therefore, they should be used with care and discretion. It is desirable to limit them as much as possible—to make them neither more numerous, nor wider, nor longer than necessary. Too often we see in small places a walk almost wide enough for a drive, and a drive almost wide enough for a park-way ; a drive where a walk would have served every purpose, or walks which serve no purpose at all. It is no infrequent thing to find, instead of a fine stretch of lawn, an assemblage of winding paths, leading nowhere except back to the houses again, with small scraps of turf between them. Unity of effect is ruined by such an arrangement and no practical end is served. If for any reason the borders of the lawn are often visited, the turf itself may be walked on, for, unless exactly the same track is perpetually followed, a great deal of walking will not injure it. And if it is objected that the circling paths give access to the flower-beds with which they are bor- dered, the answer must be that the flower-beds are as much out of place upon a lawn as the paths themselves. Of course in a flower garden it is different. There the beds and the walks leading to them are the main concern, and whatever grass exists may rightly be subordinated to them. But if it is desired that turf shall preponderate in the effect, then the less it is cut up and disturbed the better. There is nothing more beautiful in itself, and nothing which gives so marked an expression of size, unity and restful- ness to a place as a wide sweep of lawn. In the majority of cases it is better worth striving for than anything else ; 194 Garden and Forest. and it should be jealously preserved from the presence of any accessories except those which may serve to enhance its proper character and increase its apparent size. It may be surrounded with trees and shrubs, and, if it is of con- siderable size, a few isolated specimens may be brought forward from such bordering plantations. Butalawn must be very large to admit of any other decoration. In his suggestive article in our issue of June 6th, Mr. Olm- sted pointed out the mistake which is so often made in de- manding that the best rooms ofthe house shall be on the en- trancefront. Onegreatreason why they should not be, is that they should have the best outlook, that either a drive or a walk must give access to the entrance front, and that no matter how simply treated it may be, it cannot fail to detract from the reposeful character of the outlook. Nevertheless we often find that even when the lawn front of a house is not the entrance front, a walk is car- ried past the lawn entrance or by the piazza or the win- dows facing the lawn. A greater mistake could not be made than this. The smallest stretch of gravel or naked earth brought thus into the immediate foreground disturbs the effect from the house of the green expanse—injures its restfulness and decreases its apparent size. And looking towards the house the injury is as great as when we look out from it. Nothing is more pleasing to the eye than the foundations of a house springing from the green turf, clothed with vines and broken with low-growing shrubs. Then that most charming of all effects is se- cured—the effect of intimate union between the soil and the building it bears—between Nature’s work and man’s work. But the smallest line of gravel will ruin this effect if it runs parallel with the walls of the house. And the lawn itself will look infinitely more beautiful if there is no walk running away from the house and cutting it in two, There can rarely be a need for such a walk when the lawn front and the entrance front are not the same. Even if a flight of steps leads down to the lawn from porch or piazza, no path is necessary unless there is a strong temptation for feet to follow one another in a given di- rection. If this is the case, however, a gravel walk is, of course, preferable to a trodden track, which gives an air of neglect to a place. But such a walk should be as short as possible, and it should not be bordered with flower-beds. When a place is quite small it is best to make all drives and paths straight if possible. The drive, if there is one, should not approach the street front of the house, and should be carried to the entrance elsewhere in as direct a line as convenience will permit. Or if entrance front and street front are the same let there be no drive, let the gate be opposite the door, and let the path run in a direct line between them. Of course, if there are irregularities in the surface of the ground they should determine the course of paths ; but such cases are comparatively rare, and in all others there are many reasons why the straight line should be preferred. Every foot of grass is doubly valuable in very small grounds, and a straight path absorbs fewer feet than a sinuous one; it is difficult to give a graceful form to a sinuous line unless it is of considerable length ; when the house walls and the street line lie near together their straightness seems to prescribe that, in the interest of har- mony, the connecting line between them shall be straight as well; and the straight line is more simple in effect, and simplicity is the greatest of virtues in the arrangement of small grounds. We learn from the Praiwre Farmer that the farmers of Iowa have suffered considerable loss from a disease of their nursery stock of Apples, Plums, Rose and other plants. The disease shows itself in the formation of ex- crescences on the roots which are popularly called ‘‘can- cers.” ‘The origin of the troubleis obscure, some attributing it to insects and others to fungi. There is probably no good reason for thinking that the trouble is due to insects, and, as far as fungi are concerned, Professor T. J. Burrill, who has examined diseased roots from Iowa, states that, [JUNE 20, 1888. although there is a considerable growth of the mould-like filaments of some fungus and swarms of bacteria on and in the exterior cells of the old bark, no one can say from this evidence that either of these causes the trouble, and he infers that, if the cause is a fungus, it comes rather from the soil than directly from a diseased plant to the healthy one. . The Cultivation of Truffles. HERE are two things, truffles and terrapins, which no one dares to dislike, for, even if they are not exactly to our taste, they are always expensive, and we are, of course, willing to make martyrs of ourselves by pre- tending to like delicacies which only the favored few can afford to set before us. But there are a good many genuine admirers of truffles in America as well as in France, and they will be interested in two recent books on the cultivation of truffles—*‘ Afanueldu Trufficulteur,” by A. de Bosredon, and “ Za Truffe,” by Dr. C. de Ferry de la Bel- lone. Of the two, the last-named is the better from a scientific point of view. M. Bosredon, whose style has a touch of Daudet about it, begins with an account of an interview with an aged rustic, Pére Chenier. The sen- tentious Pere Chenier wags his head gravely and enun- ciates the fundamental law of truffle culture: ‘‘ Semesz des glands, vous récolleres des truffes.” The discovery of the law that, if one sows acorns, he will gather truffles, a discovery which has enriched many owners of barren land in some parts of France, was made by accident about eighty years ago. ‘The growth of the truffle has always had an air of mystery about it. When one wants a crop of beans he sows beans. But the case of the truffle may be compared roughly to what would happen if one should get a crop of beans by planting bean-poles. The éxplanation of this anomaly is well stated in ‘‘ Za Truffe.” Every one knows that truffles grow underground, and are hunted, if one may use the expres- sion, by pigs and dogs whose scent is acute. At first, they were not even supposed to be plants at all, but later they were believed to arise from the punctures of roots by insects, still later, to be morbid conditions of the roots themselves, and now they are known to be fungi which are probably parasitic on roots of different trees, especially Oaks. Unfortunately, Pére Chenier’s law applies only to re- gions where truffles occur naturally, and there, by sow- ing acorns of trees growing in truffle-bearing regions, there can be produced in a few years, seven to ten, crops of truffles which continue so long as the trees are in good condition. Fortunately for the French, the best soil is a thin, calcareous one not of much value for other crops. Dr. Ferry gives a chart showing the localities where truffles can be grown in France, and practically they are cultivated nowhere else. comes from Champagne, so all truffles come from Peri- gord—at least, the labels say so. There is a_ consider- able number of species of true truffles which belong to the Zuberacee, a sub-order of Ascomycefes, not to men- tion the false truffles which belong to the Gasferon.ycefes or puff-ball family, and a pretty full account of them is given in ‘‘ La Truffe,” together with some figures which, of course, are not to be compared with the superb plates in Tulasne’s classic ‘‘ Hung? Hypogat.” Commercial truffles have not yet been found in the United States, although a few species of the truffle family have occasionally been found by botanist§ in the East- ern and Southern States. California seems to be much richer in Zuberacee, and Dr. H. W. Harkness has detected a considerable number of species in that State. Apart from their rarity, the American species, so far as known, can- not compete in flavor with the French, and it is hardly likely that truffle culture will soon be undertaken in the United States. Dr. De Ferry’s book is full of interesting details. We As all champagne — JUNE 20, 1888.] have heard of fat pigs, learned pigs and precocious pigs, but it was left to his sympathetic pen to portray the well-bred, conscientious, pains-taking pig, the pig whose superior education alone makes him worth from sixty to seventy dollars. This comparison of the mental, and, if one dares to say so, the moral qualities of pigs and dogs, would delight any comparative psychologist. It is also interesting to read of the tricks of truffle poachers and the intricacies of the laws for their punishment. Nothing seems wanting, except, perhaps, some notice of the lives of the distinguished gas/ranomes whose talents were un- selfishly devoted to the preparation and digestion of truf- fles. Even artis made to contribute to the value of the book, the frontispiece being a reproduction of M. Paul Vayson’s Truffle Hunter, exhibited in the Salon of 1886, W. G. Farlow. The Domestication of Wild Fruits. HERE are two reasons why we should attempt the im- provement of our more promising wild fruits. First, there is a prospect that they may become valuable addi- tions to our orchards or gardens; and second, the culture of these fruits offers a favorable opportunity to study the influence of changed conditions upon the characters and properties of these plants. Regarding the first of these propositions we are not justi- fied in assuming that all the fruits not now in cultivation are incapable of improvement. To argue that they must have been tried and found wanting in prehistoric times, because history gives no record of their cultivation, would be quite unwarrantable. Neither are we justified in as- suming that because no attempt has been made to improve _ them, success is sure to follow systematic efforts. Our knowledge is hardly sufficient to prophesy what may be the outcome in submitting any given wild fruit to the experiment of systematic and prolonged cultivation. To the scientific horticulturist the second proposition offers a more hopeful field of labor than the first. Whether _ the attempt to domesticate a wild fruit proves suc- cessful or not, from an economic point of view, it can hardly fail to add to our knowledge. The origin of our cul- tivated fruits, and especially the degree of their present ex- cellence that may be ascribed to man’s aid, is, to a consid- erable extent, involved in obscurity. The submitting of a hitherto untested wild fruit to cultivation, and the systematic study of the changes that result from such treatment, may throw light upon the historical development of our present cultivated fruits, and what is of still greater importance, it _ may furnish valuable hints for their further improvement. The Juneberry (Amelanchier Canadensis), in some of its varieties, possesses qualities that commend it for experi- _ ments in domestication. It belongs to the Rose Family, _ and is thus botanically related to the best fruits of tem- _ perate climates. The plant is hardy, prolific, and exhibits _ remarkable variation. The fruit in its best natural state is of fair quality, attractive in appearance, sufficiently large ‘to admit of convenient gathering, firm enough to bear car- riage ; and it keeps fora considerable time after being picked. In stature the species varies from a low shrub to a tree thirty to forty feet in height, and forms, grouped within the same botanical variety, sometimes exhibit nearly as much variation in height. The fruit is often very small, dry and seedy, and utterly worthless for any economic use; but in certain varieties it attains a diameter of fully half an inch, is sweet, fairly-juicy, and delicately flavored. ‘Thus far, the finest fruit has been found on a form which is said to have come from the Rocky Mountains, and which is the only one I have attempted to cultivate. It ap- _ pears to have been first brought to public notice by Dr. _ Hall, of Davenport, Iowa, who grew it and advertised the plant for sale about ten years ago. Mr. Benjamin G. Smith, of Cambridge, introduced it into Massachusetts, and _teceived a silver medal from the Massachusetts Horti- cultural Society for it. Through the courtesy of Mr. Smith Garden and Forest. 195 a few plants of this variety were sent to the New York Agri- cultural Experiment Station in the year 1882. These plants, which were well rooted layers, were set out in a moderately fertile clay loam, and have since re- ceived the same culture that is given to Raspberries. They have now grown into rather straggling shrubs about four feet high, though Mr. Smith states that on his grounds plants set some years earlier have attained the height of six feet. The shrub appears perfectly hardy in the climate of Geneva. It varies considerably in productiveness in different seasons, but during the past three years has borne at least a fair crop. The fruit, a miniature pome, varies in size from a fourth to a full half inch in diameter, and in its external appearance bears a striking resem- blance to that of the Huckleberry, being deep purple in color, and having, like that fruit, a persistent and pro- truding calyx. The flesh is white, or slightly pinkish, and has a peculiar delicate, faintly aromatic flavor that is not in the least unpleasant, although lacking in intensity. With sugar and cream, the flavor is perceptibly heightened, and some persons who have tasted it in this way callit delicious. The seeds are small, soft, and though inclosed in carpels, are little noticeable in eating the fruit. It should be saidthat this plantis not without its enemies. A fungus, Res/elia penrcillaia, attacks the foliage and fruit in some localities, though I have not seen it at Geneva. The curculio infests the fruit to some extent, and the English sparrow takes his share, but all these obstacles have not prevented good crops from our trial-grounds. The most promising field for improvement in this fruit doubtless lies in the growing of seedlings, and in the crossing of varying forms. I have made sufficient experi- ments to demonstrate that the seedlings may be very readi- ly grown ; and I have a considerable number now on trial, though none of them have fruited as yet. I hope to secure plants of other varieties, and from distinct local- ities, in order to try the effects of cross-fertilization. One reason why I have been especially interested in this fruit is that it offers an opportunity to test a hypothesis. I have been struck by a coincidence that in almost all our fruits and vegetables, a pale flesh is accompanied by a mild flavor, while a dark-colored flesh is accompanied by a rich flavor,* and in fruits that contain much acid, the acid almost always increases with the depth of color in the flesh. The fruit of the only form of the Amelanchier with which Iam well acquainted has a white, or very nearly white, flesh, and while the flavor is, as has been stated, quite delicate, it is too little marked to render the fruit generally popular. If by growing seedlings, or by cross- fertilization, we can secure varieties that have a darker- colored flesh, I should expect that they would have a more pronounced flavor, and might then rank among our delicious fruits. It is in this direction that I am chiefly working. : Geneva, N. Y. EE. iS. Goff. New or Little Known Plants. Pitcairnia Jaliscana.t HE order Bromeliacee is scarcely represented within the limits of the United States aside from the few species of Zi/andsia which are found in Florida, and the Spanish Moss (7! wsneowdes) which drapes the trees so abundantly in the swamps and river bottoms of the South from the Dismal Swamp in Virginia to Texas and Mexico. In the extreme western borders of Texas a single species of Hechtia has been found as an outlyer of the Mexican flora, and in southern Florida a West Indian species of * A paper giving a large amount of data bearing upon this subject was con- tributed by the writer to the Ayerican Naturalist, for 1884, pp. 1203-1210. + Pitcarrnta JALIScCANA, Watson, Proc. Am. Acad., xxii. 456. Acaulescent: basal bracts spinosely margined, and with attenuate, barbed Ee ao pro- duced leaves furfuraceous beneath, entire, linear, a foot long or more, by three or four lines broad; flowering stem glabrous, with numerous bracts ; floral bracts mostly colored, dilated, much longer than the erect pedicels; petals. scarlet, linear, nearly two inches long, twice longer than the acuminate colored sepals ; stamens and style slightly exserted. 196 Cafopsis; and these are all, The genera with more showy flowers than these, such especially as Bi/bergia and Pil- cairnia, are more strictly tropical in their character. Pi cairnia is, next to Tillandsia, the largest genus of the order, and its seventy-five species are found mainly in the region lying east of the Andes from Brazil to Mexico, while none occur outside of the tropics. On account of their highly ornamental flowers a very large proportion of them have ‘been in cultivation in the gardens of Europe, but they are rarities in our own hot-houses. We have figured for this week (page 197) one of two species of Pr/cairrnia which were discovered by Dr. Edward Palmer in 1886, near Guadalajara in Mexico, the most north- ern locality on the continent for any member of the genus. The striking colors of the flowers and bracts cannot be shown, but most of the other characters are well represented. The short outer bract-like leaves that cover the swollen base of the stem are prolonged, as in many other species, into slender appendages which are very sharply barbed. The plant is otherwise unarmed. The few proper leaves are long and linear, and are cov- ered on the under side with a white, scurfy pubescence. The floral bracts are mostly of a deep rose color, and the flowers themselves are bright scarlet. Heat and drought are the delight of these plants, or at least they are capable of enduring and thriving under an extreme of both. The present species was found growing in the crevices of rocks in deep, hot ravines, and would probably need, like the rest of the genus, the heat of a stove for its successful cultivation. in W, Cypripedium bellatulum is the name given by Professor Reichenbach to a new species which is closely allied to C. Godefroye, and which might fitly be described as a giant form of that fine species. The flowers are described by Messrs. Hugh Low & Co. as nearly four inches across, and many of the leaves are ten inches long, and more than one-fourth as wide, and marked as finely as those of Pha- lenopsis Schilleriana, while their under surface is purplish red throughout, or marbled with deep red. The flowers are of perfect shape and profusely spotted. Plant Notes. Prunus pendula. HE tree which is figured on page 198 of this issue is one of the loveliest in flower, and the most pleas- ing and graceful in habit of all the plants which have been transferred from the gardens of Japan to those of this country. It is the Prunus pendula* of Maximowicz; a species first described by Von Siebold in his “ Synopszs Plantarum Gconimicarum universt regni Faponicr,” a work which, unfortunately, I have been unable to find in this country. M. Franchet has kindly examined, however, the copy of this rare book in the Paris Museum, and informs me that Von Siebold in his description of the plant retained the Japanese name //osakura, that is pendulous, for this species, so that Maximowicz, instead of adopting Von Sie- bold’s specific name, translated it into Latin, changing his Cerasus [losakura into Prunus pendula, Were the laws of botanical nomenclature rigidly adhered to, it should be known as Prunus Lfosakura, a change which, under all the circumstances of the case, it is certainly not desirable to make, at least for garden purposes. Prunus pendula, as now seen in gardens, has probably been somewhat changed by long cultivation from the wild type; indeed, specimens of what is evidently the same plant collected in the forests in the central part of Nipon vary very considerably from it in the length and breadth of the calyx-tube and in the much smaller corolla. Here it is a small tree twelve to fifteen feet high, with wide- spreading, flexible, pendulous branches, those on the lower ~ *Prunus pendula, M aximow icz, Bull. Acad., St. Petersburg, xi. 690. “Cerasus Itosakura,”’ Siebold, "PL. (Econ., 360. P. subhirtella, Miquel, Prol. 23, in part; —Franchetand Savatier, Ext. Pl, Fap. 1,118, Cerasus pendula rosea, Siebold, Catal., 531,—Floral Magazine, x. t. 536. Sou isi Kaido, Ito zakoura, Savatier, Kwa- -102, 72, Arby 1, ¢. 3. Garden and Forest. [JUNE 20, 1888. part of the stem horizontal, with pendulous ends, the upper widely arching from the trunk. ‘The bark resembles that of the common Cherry tree, although light brown in color. ‘The flowers, which precede the leaves, are produced from scaly, lateral budsin two to four flowered fascicles. They are borne on long, slender, pubescent pedicels, which are destitute of bracts. The tubular calyx and incised calyx- lobes are densely pubescent and dark red in color. The petals are half an inch long, ovate or obcordate, pale rose colored, and more than twice as long as the stamens. The ovary is slightly, and the style is densely, covered with long, nearly white, hairs. The leaves are three or three and a half inches long, slightly hairy, when young, on the under side, twelve to fifteen ribbed, ovate and longly acu- minate, sharply glandular-serrate, with two conspicuous glands near the base of the blade. The’stipules are linear, glandular, and, like the short petioles and young shoots, pubescent. ‘The fruit is black, the size and shape of a pea. A second species of Prunus (Fig. 37), very similar in general appearance to Prunus pendula, is confounded with it in gardens here. the same long, pendulous branches, but the bark is darker, and hardly to be distinguished from that of the common Cherry tree. The flowers are corymbose on short leafy branches, and the pedicels are conspicuously bracted at the base, and, as well as the shorter and paler calyx tube, are covered with a few scattered hairs. The petals are more narrowly ovate than those of the last species, entire and rarely truncate, much paler pink or nearly white in color. The ovary is quite smooth, but the style is densely coated with hairs. The leaves which appear shortly after the opening of the flowers are broader, thinner and more deeply and irregularly cut on their margins and are only 6-8 ribbed. They are pubescent on the under side, as well as the petioles and young shoots, and have two conspicu- ous orange-colored glands at the base of the blade. Their larger stipules are three-lobed and glandular. The corym- bose inflorescence of this plant, the forked stipules and the texture and color of the young leaves point to some form of Prunus Pseudo-Cerasus, but the style is con- spicuously hairy, and I therefore very doubtfully refer it to Maximowicz’s Prunus Afiqueliana,* authentic specimens of which, however, I have not been able to examine. .The two species are cultivated in nurseries under the name of Cerasus Sreboldi pendula flore roseo, and flore carneo. Under the name of Cerasus Herinquiana M. Lavallée described and figured in his /cones, 4 xxv., a plant which seems identical with the second of these two Cherries. These plants were sent to the Arnold Arboretum sev- eral years ago from one of the Dutch nurseries. Both species flower here every year and are exceedingly hardy, requiring no special care or cultivation. They can be in- creased by grafting upon the common Cherry. The grafts should be inserted close to the ground in order to secure the peculiar habit and full beauty of these trees. When grafted as standards, as is often the case in nurseries, they _ are then less graceful and lose much of their peculiar habit of growth. Our illustration is from a fine specimen on the estate of Arthur Blake, Esq., in Brookline, Massachusetts. Ge OS 5S5 The finest varieties of the common Lilac (Syringa wiul- garts) in the large collections in the neighborhood of Bos- ton are Philamon and Marie Lagrange. The former has large, broad, compact panicles of dark purple-red flowers, nearly half an inch across the limb when expanded. This has the deepest and richest colored flowers of all the Lilacs. Marie Lagrange has very large pure white flowers in im- mense panicles. Both varieties are of European origin ; and they grow rapidly and vigorously, and soon make | OES Sh Maximowicz, Bull. Acad., St. Petersburg, x 692. fine specimens. * Prunus Miqueliana ? P. incisa, Miquel, Prod. 25 (not Thunberg). Cerasus Heringuiana, Lavallée, Jcones, t. xxXxv. Cerasus pendula rosca, Hort. in part. It has the same general habit and - | JUNE 20, 1888.] Cultural Department. Thinning Fruits. HE systematic thinning out of fruit has hardly received the attention it deserves, either at the hands of commercial The former class particularly argue growers or of amateurs, LN \ i Fig. 35.—Pitcairnia Jaliscana. that in the case of large trees it is often impossible, and that even when it can be done, the time and labor expended bring no corresponding profit. I am inclined to think, however, that when it is intelligently practiced the thinning of fruit al- most always pays, and often pays large returns. In favorable Garden and Forest. 197 seasons some varieties of fruits set far more than the trees can fully develop and mature. In such cases natural or arti- ficial thinning must be resorted to, to secure satisfactory results. The army of curculios, codiin moths, birds and fungi assist in this matter with great energy, but generally with little discrim- ination. And yet without their aid, it must be confessed that the fruit grower would often find thinning an imperative duty. It half the crop of Apples, Pears or Peaches on a tree were removed, those remaining would fre- quently aggregate as much in bulk as the whole would if allowed to remain, and would probably yield as much money, to say nothing of the dim- inished labor of handling. Again, well grown fruit meets a readier sale. Such Pears as the Seckel, which grow in clusters, can be thinned with de- cided benefit, and perhaps it is the small varieties generally that pay the best for thinning, as increase of size is more readily appreciated in the smaller kinds. Apples and Pears which incline to cluster, even in twos, are generally more defective, by reason of insect depredation, than those borne singly. The Beurré Bosc is one of the latter kind and not prone to overbear, and if attacked by insects, it is generally in the calyx. The Bartlett, when well set, is in pairs and triplets, and the point of contact is generally the seat of insect operation. The early thinning of these clusters to single speci- mens, therefore, gives fairer and larger fruitfor the trouble. On the other hand, Marie Louise has never borne for me a fine flavored specimen ex- cept ona light crop; with a full crop, even when severely. thinned, they attain cooking qualities only, which is even more than I can say of the Mount Vernon. Indeed, it is yet an unsolved problem with me whether the lightest kind of a crop of the latter would give me specimens of tolerable table quality. Clairgeaus are very prone to overbear here and thinning is an absolute necessity if their quality is to be brought above mediocrity. ; Peaches can be fairly thinned by pruning the trees, which is the most feasible method. But when this is neglected and the trees are full set, the removal of half to two-thirds of the fruit, after the natural dropping is over, will be found beneficial, not only enhancing the size, quality and value of those remaining, but saving the tree from breaking down. With Peaches it is size that tells, and the larger the Peach, the greater the proportion of flesh to stone. A friend in California writes that the Peach trees there did not contain more than one- third as many as lay on the ground after the Chinamen had completed the work of thinning. With Chinese labor here, or his rate of wages, this question of profit in our large Peach areas, with their enormous products, would still be a debatable one, and whether our markets would stand a sufficient advance in prices to compensate tor the increased expense, is, to say the least, problematical. Thinning Strawberries is sometimes practiced to secure extraordinary berries for exhibition, but the only practical way to improve the quality of the crop is to thinthe plants. If allowed to runin thick matted rows they generally become too crowded for the best results, and many plants must, of neces- sity, become weak and unfruitful. No better evidence of this fact can be adduced than to com- pare the crop on plants grown in hills with the same number of plants in thick matted rows. The hill system means extra labor, it is true, but the improved quality of the crop will go far to compensate for it. : Pruning is also the best method of thinning and improving the quality of the Grape crop. With judiciously pruned vines to start with, the after thinning is simple and easy. All that is required is to rub off the superfluous buds and shoots. A vine producing twenty-five pounds of fruit in clusters of half a pound and upwards, would bring more money than one producing the same number of pounds in clusters of one-quarter of a pound each, give more satis- faction to the grower for home consumption, and save labor and time in gathering. The sum of the matter is, that in most cases, larger, more 198 Garden and Forest. beautiful and finer fruit can generally be raised when a very considerable portion of the sets are removed. Apples or Peaches when crowded closely along a limb are no more able to attain full development than Beets or Cabbages when set too closely ina row. It will generally pay to reduce the number of sets in some way. The exceptions in the case of Pears, mentioned above, simply prove that some varieties will not respond to this treatment in some places. These facts the fruit grower must learn by experience. The commercial grower raises fruit for the profit. He must study his market to know how far his gain from increased quality will warrant the increased expense of thinning. The amateur, who prides \ 4 [JUNE 20, 1888, fortunate that they have so generally gone out of fashion. When grown as standards to the height of two or three feet they make plants of striking beauty. They are all rapid grow- ers, and need a liberal supply of water when making wood and flowers. A correspondent of the Gardener's Chronicle makes the following selection of varieties from a large collection at the gardens of the Royal Horticultural Society at Chiswick. One of the freest and strongest grown is named Ver Luisante, orange-red with orange centre, deepening in color with age; the young flowers open orange, and deepen in color as they mature. This would make a good exhibition specimen when well grown. Le Styx has very fine, i] | } | | | i] % Fe } ben alee Fig. 36.—Prunus pendula himself on fine specimens for exhibition, or for his table, does not stop to consider the financial side of the question. He simply takes the necessary steps to secure what he wants. His labor in this direction is often really a pastime, and if he does not reap his reward, in his satisfaction from day to day, he is pretty certain to do so when his crop matures. Those who have not studied and experimented in this field will be surprised to find that in many cases the very finest fruit is produced only after thinning has been carried on to an extent that would seem to the novice most extravagant. Montclair, N. J. L. Williams, Lantanas.—These are properly classed among green-house plants, but they make admirable bedding plants, and it is un- rich, deep orange-red flowers, produced in large and bold trusses; it isa very free grower also, Mons. Boucharlat has fine and showy pale orange flowers; the individual blossoms are large, and they are produced in very fine trusses that are bright and striking; itis a remarkably good grower also, be- ing strong and robust. La Patriote is a very pretty variety; the flowers open pale golden-orange, changing to pink, and witha rosy-pink centre; a fine and distinct variety. Venusta is salmon-colored with orange centre; very fine in the pip and truss ; distinct, and very good. Clio opens gold, and gradu- ally changes to lovely rosy-purple; fine pip and_ truss, and a good, free grower. Triomphe du Commire is of a pale lilac-pink color, deepening in color with age; fine pip and truss, and it can safely be marked very good. Grisette one JUNE 20, 1888.] is lilac and mauve, tinted with rose; the flowers open pale lemon, and change to the above; it is a good grower and very free. Rosa Mundi, rosy-purple, is very pretty indeed. Souvenir d’un Ami opens gold; the flowers then become orange-salmon, and finally the salmon deepens to rosy-purple; very fine pip and truss, and good habit. Comtesse de Beneval opens yellow, and changes to pale rosy-pink; it is a very pretty and free variety. Meteore opens cream, and changes to pink and pale rosy-lilac; it is a pretty and pleasing variety. Coming now to what may be termed the yellow-flowered varieties, probably the best is Reveille, deep yellow in color, very fine and free. Pluie d’Or is pale golden-yellow, flowers and trusses alike small. Figaro, bronzy-yellow, is very free of bloom also. Bijou, orange and gold, is of dwarf habit, very free, and makes an excellent pot plant. Grappe d'Or is of a fine hue of gold, very dwarf in growth, and exceedingly free. Californie is of a distinct pale yellow color, good close habit, and very free indeed. : One of the best whites is Innocence; it opens pale lemon or Fig. 37.—Prunus primrose, then changes to white; of good habit and very free. Bouquet Blanc is yellow, changing to white. Lastly comes Le Lis, which opens pale yellow, and changes to pure white ; good habit and very free. Perhaps, taking all things into ac- count, this is the best white grown. The best dozen varieties, selected from the Chiswick trial, will be found in Ver Luisante, Le Styx, Mons. Boucuarlat, La Patriote, Venusta, Clio, Triomphe du Commire, Comtesse de Beneval, Reveille, Bijou, Innocence and Le Lis. Newly Transplanted Trees. —Young trees that were trans- planted this spring generally look well, because of abundant rains, but it should be remembered that dry weather may come and with it comes danger. A vigorous growth of new shoots is proof that healthy new roots have formed, and that they are furnishing all the moisture needed to supply the leaves. But where there is little new growth, or none at all, it may be inferred that the root growth is small and unable to supply the tree with sufficient moisture. In such cases it is good practice to wrap the trunks, or shade them on the south Garden and Forest. 199 side, and this will be especially beneficial if the bark shows signs of loosening or peeling Off. Sprinkling the tree occa- sionally will help to check too rapid evaporation: to the same end the surface of the ground should be stirred and mulched, but the branches should not be cut back to diminish the leaf surface. . S.A, Why Vines Winter-Kill.—The hardiness of vines is eenerally based on the ability to pass through the winter safely, but the ability to do so is dependent on theircondition in the fall when they go into winter quarters. In my vineyard are numbers of vines of Roger's Hybrids, such as Wilder, Lindley, Merrimac k, besides Niagara, Brighton and Pocklington, that appeared when pruned in December to be thoroughly ripened: and: matured so far as we could judge. Many of these this spring are win- ter-killed, even to the root in some cases. This con- dition is unquestionably due to mildew. These vines that were mildewed most are injured most, while other vines of the same varieties that escaped this scourge are budding to the re- Miqueliana (?) motest extremities. Winter hardiness is dependentonsummer 3 Haar é Spee hardiness, and the latter is of most importance.— Orchard and Garden. Notes from the Rock Garden. HE handsomest flower in the Rock Garden this week is the Siberian Columbine (Aqgzzilegia glandulosa), the ear- liest of the genus to flower here, with the exception of the na- tive 4. Canadensis. Itisa dwarf species growing eight or ten inches high, the flower stems each with one to three flowers, which have bright blue sepals fully an inch anda half long, pure white petals, and short and very stout, In¢ urved spurs. The Siberian Columbine is perfectly hardy, but it is a plant of rather delicate constitution, or rather it is short-lived, and in order to obtain the best results it should be treated as a bien- nial and not depended on to flower more than once. If the seed is sown very early in the spring (itis better to sow it in heat during winter), the plants will be strong enough to transplant 200 early the first season into nursery rows, and then they can be transplanted again in the autumn into the rockery or herhba- ceous border, where they will bloom the next spring. Few plants better repay this trouble. Thermopsis fabacea is a hardy Siberian perennial Pea, with pale foliage, and tall, erect racemes of large, clear-yellow flow- ers, which is just now in all its beauty. It spreads rapidly from underground shoots and is almost too rampant in its growth for the rockery, and is better suited to a large herba- ceous border, where, if left undisturbed, it will soon spread over a considerable area. Tiarella cordifolia, known as the false Mitre-wort from its resemblance to its near relative the AZZel/a, is now a beautiful object in the shady parts of the rockery, where it is well estab- lished and thoroughly at home. It isa member of the Saxi- frage Family, with heart-shaped, hairy leaves sharply lobed and toothed, and a solitary, slender, leafless scape a foot high, bearing a simple raceme of small, pure white flowers. The False Mitre-wort is found in cold, northern woods and on the Alleghany Mountains. The small, yellow Lady’s Slipper (Cypripedium parviflorum) isin flower. It is a pretty species, much smaller in all its parts than C. pubescens mentioned last week in these notes, rarely growing more than a foot high. It has a bright yellow lip flattened above and darker brown sepals and petals. The flowers are fragrant. It is a not infrequent inhabitant of northern bogs and wet woods. Clintonia borealis is a stemless, perennial plant of the Lily Family, which recalls to the lovers of nature the name of De Witt Clinton. It is now in flower in a shady corner of the rock garden. The flowers are greenish yellow, half an inch long, with reflexed segments, and are produced in a few-flow- ered umbel, upon a low, slender, naked scape sheathed at the base by the stalks of the large, oblong leaves. The blue, oblong berries which ripen in August are very ornamental. This pretty plantinhabits northern woods, and is found also in those which cover the Alleghany Mountains; it is easily trans- planted into the garden, when, if in ashady position and deep, rich soil are provided, it soon becomes thoroughly established. Ixiolirion Tartaricum, var. brachyantherum, is a variety of the well known J. Zartaricum,a native of central Asia, and a member of the Amaryllis Family. It is a very hardy bulbous plant of easy culture, with narrow, grass-like leaves, trumpet- shaped, deep blue flowers, with reflexed segments, two inches in diameter when expanded, and borne in a loose terminal umbel, upon a scape twelve or eighteen inches high, The latest Tulip in bloom is the dwarf 7) Biebersteiniana, grown in some foreign nurseries as 7) Persica. Itis a native of southern Russia, the Caucasus and Persia, extending as far vast as Turkestan. The flowers are an inch and a half deep, bright clear yellow, with acute segments, the three oute ones being somewhat broader than the others and flushed with pale green on the outside. The yellow starnens are bearded at the base. The scape rarely exceeds six inches in height, bearing below the middle two or three narrow, pale, glaucous, chan- neled leaves. This is a very attractive little plant which should find a place in every collection of hardy bulbs. Smilacinia bifolia, or, as it is sometimes called, the Wild Lily-of-the-Valley, isa common northern plant with creeping root-stalks, often forming wide carpets, especially on rather dry knolls occupied by the White Pine and by the Oaks. It is a dwarf plant, three or four inches high, with two or rarely three heart-shaped clasping leaves, and short, single racemes of small, pure white flowers. It is easily cultivated and admir- able for carpeting the shady parts of a rock garden, or to plant under shrubs and other taller growing plants. Solomon's Seal (Polygonatum multifiorum) once was often found in American gardens, where at this season of the year it was a conspicuous and beautiful object. Now this handsome plant is so rarely seen here that it seems entirely unknown to people of this generation. Solomon's Seal has stout stems two feet or more in height, inclined to one side, alternate, ovate leaves, with pendulous, tubular, white flowers tipped with green, in axillary clusters. It is a bold and striking plant, well adapted for naturalization along the borders of shrub- beries or wood-walks, where, if planted in deep rich soil, it soon makes broad clump Polygonatum multifiorum is widely distributed through central Europe and Russian Asia. Few persons realize the beauty of ourcommon wild Maiden- hair Fern (Adiantium pedatum) in cultivation, or know what a useful plant it is for a shaded rock garden, where it soon spreads and throws up a profusion of its graceful fronds. It bears exposure to the sun, too, and is an excellent pot plant for the summer decoration of rooms or piazzas, Boston, May 30th. Cc. Garden and Forest. [JuNE 20, 1888, Notes from the Arnold Arboretum. Prunus Facguemontit is flowering here for the second year. Itis a common plant in the drier regions of the north-west Himalaya from the province of Garwhal northward into Thibet and westward to Afghanistan, and is found at elevations vary- ing from 6,000 to 12,000 feet. Prunus Facguemontit is a shrub, which in the native country is said to attain a height of from six to ten feet, with long, slender, unarmed, divaricate branches, covered with pale gray bark. The leaves are two to two and one-half inches long, ovate or ovate-lanceo- late, acute, sharply serrate, pubescent when young, on the mid-rib and primary veins, short petioled and destitute of glands. The flowers appear just before the leaves; they are solitary or often in pairs; very short pediceled, and quite cover the branches for several feet of their length. The tubu- lar cylindrical calyx is about a quarter of an inch long, smooth, glabrous and striated, and twice the length of the acute lobes, which are hairy on the inside. The overlapping petals are bright pink, nearly circular, and abouta quarter of an inch across. The ovoid ovary is quite glabrous, and is con- tracted into a long, narrow style. Prunus Facguwemontit has not produced fruit here yet; it is described as ‘ globose, as large as the finger nail, red, juicy; stone nearly globose, a quarter to one-third of an inch in diameter, quite smooth.” There is every prospect that this exceedingly interesting little Cherry will prove perfectly hardy in this climate, and that it will be- come a garden ornament of very considerable value. Dr, Aitchison, of the late Afghan Boundary Commission, who de- tected this plant in the Kuram valley and first introduced it into cultivation, in speaking of itsays: ‘‘When the fruit is ripe and the plant is covered with it, which is usually the case, it forms a very pretty object in the landscape. It would be worth cultivating for ornamental purposes.’”* The Dwarf Cherry of northern China (Prunus humilis) is in bloom. Itisa low, delicate shrub, scarcely exceeding two feet in height, with virgate branches densely covered with pubescence during their first year, small, elliptical or obovate doubly serrate leaves, which are pubescent when young and small, pink or nearly white flowers, solitary or two or three together, and followed by small, edible, acidulous red fruit, rarely exceeding a third of an inchin diameter. Itis a pretty little species, but less hardy and less valuable from a garden pointof view than the closely allied Prunus Faponica, with which it has often been confounded, but which may be distinguished from it by its glabrous branches, ovate-lanceo- late, long pointed, simply serrate, reticulate-veined leaves, and by its rather larger, deeper colored flowers. The double- flowered, white and rose-colored varieties of Prunus Fapon- ica ave not surpassed in beauty by any of the dwarf shrubs in the collection now in bloom; they are very hardy and are often seen in gardens. As these varieties of Prunus Japonica appear in garden catalogues under a variety of names, it may be an assistance to cultivators to add that to this species belong the plants grown under the names of Prunus glandulosa, Thunb.; P. Sinensis, Pers.; P. Chinensis, Blume, and Amygdalus pumila, Sims. Prunus Faponicais a native of Manchuria and northern China as well as of Japan, where it is generally cultivated both in its single and double forms. Prunus maritima, the Beach Plum, is a handsome plant when in flower, and one which is too seldom seen in gardens. It is a common coast-plant, from Maine to Virginia, often covering sandy dunes adjacent to sea-beaches. It is a low compact shrub, rarely more than three or four feet high, which is now covered with small white flowers, which in the late summer are followed by a profusion of handsome globu- lar purple or scarlet fruit, which is collected in large quantities at some points on the New England coast and sold in the mar- kets for preserving. This plant, although only found growing naturally in light sandy gravel, flourishes and flowers profusely when transferred to the garden. The little Wild Cherry (Pra- nus pumila) of the northern United States blooms here a few days earlier than the Beach Plum. The common eastern form is a low shrub, rarely reaching a height of two feet ; but western plants sent to the Arboretum from the shores of Lake Michigan, near Chicago, have tall virgate, erect branches, six to eight feet high. This variety flowers nearly ten days later than the eastern plants, and reproduces itselffrom seed. The small white flowers, two or three together, are produced in the greatest profusion. The fruit is hardly larger than a pea, bright red and destitute of flavor. The Dwarf Wild Cherry is found on dry, rocky or gravelly banks or hill-sides, and is an excellent subject for planting in waste places, or for an * Four. Linn, Soc. xviii. 51. June 20, 1888.] undergrowth among other shrubs, or trees. and easily cultivated. The Ground Cherry (Prunus Chamecerasus), with its small, glossy, coriaceous leaves, and small, abundant white flowers covering at this season of the year the long, slender branches, is a familiar object in many old-fashioned gardens in the United States, where it is generally seen grafted on a tall stem of the common Cherry tree, and forming a small and rather formal weeping tree. It is moreattractive, perhaps, when grown nat- urally and on its own roots. It then becomes a graceful, low- branching bush, two or three feet high, gradually spreading over a considerable space. The Ground Cherry remains in bloom for a long time, and is perfectly hardy. A native of central and northern Europe and Russian Asia, it has been cultivated in gardens during more than three centuries. Prunus avium, the European Bird Cherry, the JZerister of the French, is in flower ten or twelve days later than the com- mon Cherry tree (P. Cerasus). Itisahandsome small tree, with ascending branches, coarsely toothed, soft leaves appearing with the large flowers, which are produced two or three together in sessile umbels, from lateral, scaly, leafless buds, and oval or ovate, dark red or black fruit. It is the origin of the Black Maz- zard, the Black Heart and other garden cherries. A variety with double flowers, known since the days of Tournefort, should find a place in every collection of ornamental trees. The pure white, semi-double flowers are produced like those of the species with the leaves; they are composed of about 4o petals, thirty stamens and of anabnormally developed green abortive pistil. This isa smaller tree than the species, although equally hardy. It is sometimes known as Prunus ranunculifiora and as P. avium multiplex. Some of the early flowering Hawthorns are in bloom. Of these the earliest and the handsomest is Crategus subvillosa, a form, perhaps, of the exceedingly polymorphous C. coccinea, but, for garden purposesat least, sufficiently distinct to be con- sidered aspecies. It is the largest of the Thorns growing spontaneously in the northern States, and one of the largest and most widely distributed of the American species, being found from eastern Massachusetts to Missouri and through the south-western States to the Sierra Madre Mountains of north- eastern Mexico. It is more common and better characterized west of the Mississippi River than in the eastern States, attain- ing, like several other species of this genus, its greatest size and beauty in the country adjacent to the Red River. Crategus subvillosa is a round-headed tree, twenty to thirty feet high, with a stout short trunk, covered with light gray, scaly bark, rigid, smooth branches armed with long, stout, chest- nut-brown spines. The leaves and broad foliaceous sti- pules are larger than on any other American Thorn; they are thin, glandular, especially on the petioles, roundish-ovate, cor- date, wedge-shaped or truncate at the base, incised, and very sharply serrate, scabrous above, the lower surface, as well as the young branches, peduncles and calyx, densely tomentose. The flowers, in broad, flat corymbs, are produced in profusion; they are an inch or more across when expanded, pure white, the disk often bright scarlet. This species is, perhaps, more beautiful in the late summer than at this season of the year. Then it is loaded with large, bright, scarlet fruit, which is often more than an inch in diamater, and whichis covered with a con- spicuous bloom, The fruit of this species is the largest and by far the most showy produced by any of the Thorns which are hardy here. Unfortunately, it falls as soon as ripe, and long before the foliage takes on its brilliant autumn coloring. Crategus subvillosa requires deep, rich soil in which to de- ~ velop its greatest beauty. No other Thorn is more hardy here, or grows more rapidly into a handsome, shapely tree. Crategus Douglasii is also in flower. This is the Thorn of the north-west coast, where, in the neighborhood of streams, it sometimes attains a height of thirty or forty feet. It is a hand- some, round-headed tree here, worthy of a place in any collec- tion, and interesting, too, in the fact that it is one of the very few ligneous plants peculiar to the coast region of Oregon and Washington Territory that is perfectly hardy in New England. It has stout, rigid branches, armed with short, stout, russet- brown spines, ovate, cuneate, coriaceous leaves one or two inches long, and small corymbs of white flowers a quarter to a third of an inch across, followed by small, black, edible fruit, which ripens here in Augustand soon drops. Among foreign Thorns, Crategus sanguinea and C. nigra are in bloom, The former is a widely distributed species through Siberia, Mongolia, northern China and Manchuria, It is well characterized by its broad, glandular stipules, shin- Ing, chestnut-brown, unarmed branches, smooth, purplish young shoots, and by the dark green, broadly-ovate leaves, wedge-shaped at the base, cut-toothed, and quite glabrous, It is very hardy, Garden and Forest. 201 except in its axils of the primary veins. The flowers are white with purple stamens, two-thirds of an inch across when expanded, and followed during the summer by small, purple, or sometimes red fruit. This isa very hardy species, which becomes here a small tree, ten or fifteen feet high, well worth cultivating for its early flowers and handsome dark green foliage. Itis the Crategus purpurea of Loudon’s Arboretum, ii. 822; and is well figured in Pallas’ ‘‘ flora Rossica,” ¢. 11. Crategus nigra, a native of Hungary, is here a hardy and fast growing tree. It has pale green leaves, sinuately lobed, sharply serrate, broadly wedge-shaped or truncate at the base, and covered on the under side, like the young shoots, petioles, peduncles and calyx, with a thick white tomentum, The rather large creamy white flowers are followed by hand- some black fruit, which hangs upon the branches until the late autumn. The Tartarean Honeysuckle needs only to be mentioned here, that attention may be directed to the fact that it is one of the very hardiest of all shrubs, which might be more often grown than it is at present, in the extreme northern parts of this country. There are many fine varieties in the Arboretum collection with flowers ranging in color from pure white through pink and rose to red. The handsomest,are from St. Petersburg, where a great deal of attention has, in late years, been given to the improvement of this shrub. Loxicera Ruprechtiana isa very hardy bush Honeysuckle, a native of Manchuria, which here forms a handsome, erect shrub, six or eight feet high by as much through, and which in its native country, according to Maximowicz, its discoverer, is sometimes a small tree 20 feet in height. It has ashy-gray branches, pale, ovate, blunt or acuminate, entire leaves, an inch oran inch and a half long, with prominent reticulate veins, slightly downy on the under side. The flowers, which have no perfume, are produced in great profusion. They are white at first, but soon turn light yellow or straw color, long peduncled, the slender tube of the corolla an eighth of an inch long and scarcely half the length of. the narrow divisions of the limb. The beauty of the fruit of this species excels that of any Honey suckle in the collection. It is a third of an inch in diameter, bright scarlet and almost transparent, remaining a long time on the branches. Lonicera Ruprechtiana is one of the most desirable of the perfectly hardy shrubs of recent introduction, and is well worth cultivating for the beauty of the fruit alone. The Wayfaring-tree (Viburnum Lantana) is the earliest Vi- burnum in flower in the collection, although the Moosewood (V. lantanoides), afar handsomer plant, but the most diffi- cult, perhaps, of all the American shrubs to establish in the garden, has been blooming in the cold, damp woods of the north for nearly two weeks. Viburnum Lantana is a stout, tall, much-branched shrub, very common through central and southern Europe, and pertectly hardy in this climate. It bears ovate, sharply serrate leaves, three or four inches long, cordate at the base, soft and velvety on the upper side, densely covered, as well as the young shoots, with white, mealy down. The small, white flowers in dense cymes, two or three inches across, are followed by handsome, purple-black, oblong fruit. Two exotic species of Amelanchier are in bloom several days after the native species have shed their petals, A. vulgaris and A. Asiatica. The former is a dwarf shrub or more rarely a small tree, with roundish-oval leaves downy on the lower side, long petals and blue-black edible fruit. It is a native of the mountainous regions of central Europe. A. Asiatice isasmall, graceful tree here, with long, slender branches with smooth, gray bark, ovate-elliptical, acute leaves densely covered, when young, with white wool, and compound ra- cemes of handsome, pure white flowers. The fruit has not yet been produced here. This very hardy and desirable plant was found by Von Siebold in Japan, where it is very com- monly cultivated in gardens and in the neighborhood of Tem- ples, although probably a native of northern or central China. It is well figured in the “/lora Faponica,” t. 42. Staphylea trifolia, the eastern-American representative of the Bladder-nuts, is in flower. The drooping, raceme-like clusters of white, bell-shaped flowers are very pretty ; but as an ornamental shrub for the garden it is in every way inferior to S. pinnata, a native of southern Europe, with bolder foliage, and larger clusters of pure white, fragrant flowers. This is one of the handsomest of the European shrubs which can be cul- tivated here successfully ; and it should find a place in every garden. It is recommended asa good subject for forcing in winter. The Japanese S. Bumalda is very hardy, but the foliage is small and the flowers are much less conspicuous than those of the eastern American or of the European species, and it will not be often cultivated except asa curiosity. The very handsome and exceedingly rare species of northern California 202 (S. Bolander?) has not yet been introduced into cultivation ; and the S. £yzed71s not in this collection. The earliest Elaagnus in flower is the Japanese £. longtpes, a handsome shrub, six or eight feet high, with pale green, oval punctate leaves, s stellate pubescent on the upper side and covered on the silvery under side, when young, as are the new shoots, peduncles and corolla, with small ferrugineous scales. The orange-colored flowers are pe teers with a long, slender tube “and spreading limb, half an inch in diame- ter when expanded. The handsome, transparent, orange-col- ored, punctate fruit has an agreeable sub-acid flavor. This is a very hardy, free-growing plant well worth cultivation. None of the evergreen Barberries (Mahonia) are very hardy in this climate, and they can only be grown when c arefully pro- tected in winter. The hardiest is B. xervosa, now flowering here for the first time. Itisa dwarf evergreen shrub, with a smooth stem only a few inches high, producing from a termi- nal bud pinnate leaves one or two feet long the numerous acuminate leaflets palmately nerved, and elongated racemes of handsome yellow flowers. The oblong, blue fruit is a a quarter to a third of an inch in diameter, Serderis nervosa is a native of the north-west coast. ; May 30th. T The Forest. Forest Tree Planting on the Prairies. MONG the various methods of planting trees on the prairies, two have been recommended as more expeditious than digging holes for the roots and covering with the spade. One is to mark off the ground both ways as for a corn crop, and at the intersection of the lines to strike the spade down vertically, and then push the handle forward and backward, leaving a slit in the ground. Into this the tree is then inserted, the earth is pressed with the foot and the tree is planted. This method may do for in- serting cuttings, or such trees as will readily root from the stems, but the roots will be cramped into an unnatural position, and aside from this, as the ground dries it will shrink, allowing the air to penetrate and destroy the crowded roots. I have examined many plantations made in this way, and never saw one—except in the case of Poplars—where there were not more dead trees than living ones at the end of the season. Another method often recommended, is to mark the ground one way and plow furrows the opposite way, and then place a tree in the furrow at every cross mark, and plow the earth back over the roots, This is also an ob- jectionable method, for it is not possible to plant all the trees at the proper depth, nor to tighten the roots properly. And even if that is attempted it will occupy more time than it would require to plant them with the spade. I never saw a plantation treated in this way that did not show many failures, and an unevenness in the growth of the trees, aside from being more troublesome to cultivate than if properly planted. All that is claimed in favor of either of these methods is that it is more expeditious than planting with the spade. I will now describe fully, the method which long ex- perience has convinced me is not only the best, but, all things considered, the most expeditious way, and the only way in which a great number of inexperienced workmen can be handled to advantage. As many land owners who are not farmers plant forests on the prairies, I will commence with the prairie in its natural condition. It is very important that the prairie sod should be ‘‘broken” at the proper time, otherwise the planting will be delayed at least one year, and even then will not be in as good condition as if broken at the proper time. Break the prairie in June or at the time the grass is in the most thrifty condition. Break quite shallow, not deeper than two, or, at most, three inches, as the greater the suc- culent growth and the shallower the breaking, the more surely will the sod be killed during the summer. Late in August and during September of the same year, turn the sod over lengthwise of the furrow, and deep enough to Garden and Forest. [JUNE 20, 1888, bury the sod and leave two or three inches of earth over the entire surface. Ifit is not to be planted in the autumn leave the ground in this condition until the following spring, When the harrow and roller will put the land in ex- — cellent condition for planting. If planted in the fall run the harrow and roller after the plowing is finished, mark off the ground both ways for planting, strip the leaves from off the young trees, if frost has not already done so, then gauge the tree digger so as to cut the roots to the length required—six to eight inches, according to the depth and quality of the land—and commence planting. The workmen are divided off into companies of three each, or two men and one boy, the two men with spades, the boy with a bundle of trees—the trees having previously been tied in bundles of 100 each. The two men with spades plant on adjoining rows, the tree holder walking between them. The planter strikes his spade vertically into the ground on the running line close up to the cross mark, raises-a spadeful of earth, the boy inserts the tree, the earth is replaced, the planter places his foot close up to the stem of the tree, bearing on it his full weight—and passes on to the next mark. This tightening of the tree is very essential, and must be insisted on. The boy is kept quite busy attending two planters, but after a little ex- perience he will learn to bring each tree out of his bundle with a quick circular motion that will spread out the roots -when placed in the ground, about as evenly as they could be placed with the hand. By this method the trees are planted in a straight line, and all at the proper depth, the roots are spread and the earth packed firmly over them. Two men and one boy will plant 4,500 trees in a ten-hour day, being two and one-half trees planted per minute for every man and boy employed, and the land will be left perfectly smooth and level for cultivating, making this not cnly the best, but the most expeditious way to plant forest trees on the prairie. Robert Douglas. Correspondence. Northern Range of the Western Service-berry. To the Editor of GARDEN AND FOREST: , Sir.—According to Sir John Richardson, the Service-berry (Amelanchier alnifolia), which was figured and described in your last issue, produces fruit in the Mackenzie Valley as far to the northward as lat. 65°. It appears to require not only a considerable amount of summer heat, but also a climate not very humid, and though present on Vancouver Island and found by me in 1878 in the Queen Charlotte Islands, probably attains its northern limit on the west coast at the last named places, as it is there of rare occurrence and depauperated in appearance. The examination of the basins of the Stikine and Liard rivers and the head-waters of the Yukon, carried out last summer, afford some information on the occurrence of this species in the region between the west coast and the Mac. kenzie Valley. The Amelanchier was found in abundance, though asa small sbrub only, near Glenora and Telegraph Creek (lat. 58°), in the Stikine Valley, to the east of the Coast Mountains, where the climate is dry and contrasts very re- markably with that of the seaward side of the same range. It was here in full flower about the 20th of May. It was “again seen in the autumn on Tagish Lake, near the head-w aters of the Lewes Branch of the Yukon, a few miles north of the sixtieth parallel and at a height of 2,150 feet above the sea. This locality holds a position similar to the last with respect to the Coast Mountains, and itappears probable that the Amelanchier may occur throughout the intervening country in favorable situations, though evidently near its limit on Tagish Lake, where the fruitseemed scarcely likely to ripen. The Amelanchier was again found, farther inland, in the dry eastern lee of the Cassiar Mountains, growing on gravelly terraces along the Dease River (lat 59° 10’, long. 129 °). A-line drawn to the “northward of the various localities above men- tioned will, I believe, define with near approximation to ac- curacy the north-western range of the Amelanchier, which is not mentioned in Rothrock’s list of Alaskan plants nor in that of Dall. From facts observed in several districts in British Columbia, -cuta circle in the turf a few inches wider than the lower June 20, 1888.] as well as in the Peace River country on the eastern slope of the Rocky Mountains, I believe that the degree and length of summer heat requisite for the development of this species closely corresponds with that necessary for the growth of wheat, and its distribution thus appears to possess a peculiar interest, regarded as a criterion of summer heat in places where cultivation has not yet been attempted. It may be mentioned that wheat has been successfully grown at Tele- graph Creek on the Stikine and that barley is habitually culti- vated there. Ottawa, Canada. George M. Dawson. To the Editor of GARDEN AND FOREST : Sir.—When trees are planted ina lawn shall the grass be permitted to grow directly around the trees, or shall a circular space be left around them ? Shall trees be trimmed when they are first planted, and if so, in what manner? Willit be necessary or advisable to trim them the second year ? CA Providence, R. I., May roth. [Trees, especially when first planted, will grow more rapidly if the ground about them is kept free from grass and weeds by frequent cultivation. A top dressing of well rotted manure spread over the dug space about the tree in the autumn, once in every two or three years, and forked into the ground the following spring, is an assist- ance to all deciduous trees. In the case of low-branching Conifers, like Firs, Spruces, and some Pines, standing in grass where the lawn-mower is used, it is a good plan to branches of the tree. A tree protected in this way cannot be reached by the lawn-mower, even in the hands of the most careless workman, and its lower branches will be saved from mutilation. Itis anot uncommon practice to prune trees severely at the time they are transplanted. All the branches anda consider- able part of the stem are cut away sometimes, especially in the country, and nothing but a bare pole planted. Trees mutilated in this manner often live, and sometimes eventu- ally grow into fine specimens. ‘The object of leaves is to elaborate sap, and the more leaves a plant carries, the more vigorously it will grow. It is a mistake, therefore, and an injury to the tree, to reduce its leaf surface just at the time when it needs all its vitality to overcome the serious shock which transplanting gives it. If a trans- planted tree needs pruning to improve its form or to remove a dangerous fork in the main stem, or from any time of planting. other cause, itis much better to wait for a year or two, until it gets a good hold of the ground, rather than to prune it at the The subject of tree pruning in its various aspects will be discussed in the columns of this journal, and it is only possible at this time to say, gener- ally, in answer to the inquiry of our correspondent, that the objects to be attained in pruning an ornamental tree are to so form the head that all the branches may be ex- posed to the light, to stimulate the growth of feeble and check the too rampant growth of vigorous branches, and to prevent the forking of the main trunk too near the ground, and so preserve it from splitting. The one rule which should be followed always in pruning a tree, is, that when a branch is to be cut off, it should be cut close _ to the trunk, so that no stub is left to decay and carry rot into the heart of the tree, and that when a branch is shortened, it should be cut back, for the same reason, to a lateral branch or bud. If this rule is followed a well established tree cannot be injured and often can be greatly improved by pruning.—Ep. | _ To the Editor of GARDEN AND FOREST : Sir.—Can you kindly advise me what to plant to make a hedge against a fence about four and a half feet high which is shaded, but notat all densely, by a few tall Cherry and Ailanthus trees, and which faces the north-east? Would Red Cedar do in such a situation? I should prefer an evergreen hedge, but do not like the Spruce for this purpose. ; E New Brunswick, N. J. V. [The Red Cedar, the Hemlock, the Arbor-vite and the White Pine can all be used to make a hedge in New Jer- Garden and Forest. 203 sey. All these trees grow rapidly and bear cutting. De- ciduous shrubs, however, as a rule, make better hedges in this country than Conifers, as they can better support the unnatural conditions to which hedge-plants must be sub- jected if they are to be kept to formal lines. The common Privet is one of the hardiest and most easily raised plants which can be used for a hedge. The Barberry makes a beautiful hedge, and so do Lilacs, Syringas, Tartarian Honeysuckles and other hardy garden shrubs. A hedge is a formal thing, which is beautiful only when it is uniform and regular and perfect; a hedge in which there are gaps or in which some plants are feeble and sickly is not an at- tractive object, and had better be cleared away and a new one planted, as it is almost impossible to repair an old hedge by inserting new plants. This is the reason why it is important to use only very hardy and carefully se- lected plants in making a hedge. It would be impossible, probably, to make a really good hedge under the condi- tions given by our correspondent. The overhanging trees will inevitably stunt the growth of the plants under them ; and the hedge will present, therefore, a broken and unsat- isfactory appearance, which cannot fail to be disappointing. An irregularly planted border of hardy shrubs in front of a fence is always better than a stiff, clipped hedge; and when, as in this case, the fence is overshadowed by large trees, an informal plantation is the only one which can be safely used. The common Barberry and some of our native Viburnums and Dogwoods will be found excellent plants to use in this way.—Ep. | e To the Editor of GARDEN AND FOREST? : Sir.—In passing from woods to prairie here in Minnesota, some points in difference of climate are forced on our notice. About November 2oth, 1886, a foot of snow fell in the woods north of Minneapolis, while on the prairie, fifty miles west, the ground was not well covered. On April rst, 1887, in the woods, near Aitken, sleds were running with fair sleighing, and crossing the lakes with heavy teams asin winter; while on the prairie, near Fergus Falls, the seeders were going. On April 23d, 1888, the dense Tamarack swamps of the Itasca basin held two feet of snow ; while on the clearings, 100 yds. away, and onall the ground well exposed to sun and south wind, the ground was bare. H, B. Ayres. Recent Publications. Pen and Pencil in Asia Minor ; or notes from the Levant. By William Cochran. New York, Scribner and Welford. This book, written by an Englishman who is a member of various British Agricultural Societies, is a combination of lively notes of travel with the serious and exhaustive discussion of an industry which the author has long been recommending to the notice of British colonists. Incidentally he gives in- teresting information with regard to the agricultural and fruit- growing possibilities of Asia Minor, especially as concerns the success which German colonists have had in raising the vine in the neighborhood of Smyrna. But his main object is to point out the possibilities and explain the processes of silk- culture as practiced in the Levant. : A long residence in China some twenty years ago convinced Mr. Cochran that the cultivation of the Tea-plant and of the Silk-worm might profitably be introduced in certain parts of Queen Victoria’s dominions; and on his return to England he preached this belief so vigorously in the press and elsewhere, that, largely asa result of his words, Tea-farming was taken up ona great scale in Ceylon and in India. But the general adoption of sericulture in the east has been longer deterred, owing to the diseases which, for many years, had been raging among the silk-worms in China and which threatened the suc- cess of fresh enterprises of the sort. A few years ago, however, M. Pasteur devoted himself to examining these maladies and to providing a cure ; and his lessons having been put in practice in the Levant, Mr. Cochran spent a season there for the pur- pose of studying the results. These, as seen In the large es- tablishment near Smyrna of Mr. Griffitt—who although an English citizen, has for many years been the consul of the United States—proved to be entirely satisfactory. In his pre- sent book Mr. Cochran exhibits this fact in a clear way, and gives full accounts, carefully illustrated, of the whole process 204 of sericulture as it passed step by step under his eyes. One chapter is devoted to the Mulberry and other trees the leaves of which have been used or experimented with as food for the silk-worm. The White Mulberry—Jforus alba—always the favorite Silk-worm food in the east, is pronounced to be the best tree for this purpose, although the success in Louisiana with the Osage-orange is recognized ; and the manner in which it is prope agated and grow n are fully explained. The ingenious way in which Mr. ‘Cochran has sandwiched in his instructive chapters among those which record the merely picturesque incidents and sights of his voyage will undoubted- ly attract to his book a multitude of readers who would not have cared for a mere technical treatise on sericulture. But simply as a treatise of this sort it well deserves attention from all those who, in various parts of the United States, have re- cently engaged in the silk-producing industry. Recent Plant Portraits. AMARYLLIS CONTESSA MARIANNA CAMBRAY Dianvy, Billetino de la R. Societa di Orticultura, April; a variety with rather dingy red flowers streaked with ‘white. TEA ROSE, VICONTESSE DE WAUTIER, Fournal des Roses, April; a handsome pink and very double variety raised by Alexandre Bernaix at Villeurbonne, near Lyons, an offspring of Madame de Tartas, fecundated by the pollen of Azna Olivier. DICHORISANDRA PUBESCENS, var. zov. Talmiensis, Revue de ’’Forticulture Belge, April; a handsome blue-flowered va- riety, the leaves striped with white, which appeared sponta- neously in 1885 in the soil of a case of plants imported by the Botanic Garden of Brussels from Brazil. CORDYLINE INDIVISA, var. DONCETIANA, L’//lustration Hor- ticole, March 15th; a variegated variety of Belgian origin, the edges of the leaves marked with yellow. TASCONIA PAaRRITA, L’//lustration Horticole, March 15th. A handsome stove climber from Brazil with large orange flowers. PRIMULA SINENSIS, var. EDWARD MOorRREN, L’///ustration Florticole, March 15th; a variety with pale blue flowers; a novelty in Chinese Primroses, ADANSONIA GREGORI, Gardener's Chronicle, April 28th; the Australian Baobab ; one of the largest trees known. DOUGLASIA LAVIGATA, Gardener's Chronicle, April 28th; a pretty little alpine plant of the Primrose family, from the mountains of north-western America. This genus commemo- rates the botanical labors of David Douglas, a Scotch botanical traveler, who discovered and introduced into cultivation some of the most important trees of Western America. PHALANOPSIS SCHILLERIANA, Gardener's Chronicle, April 28th. ‘From an illustration from a photograph of plants in the collection of Fred. Scholes, Esq., of Brooklyn, who has been called the Partington of America, a compliment that is richly deserved, as our engraving undeniably proves. The two plants here depicted are fair represent itive examples (one being 3 feet in height), and only three years since were small pieces. Mr, Scholes is very liberal in the use of cows Manure in liquid form when his plants are making active growth. That he has practically demonstrated the efficac y of his treat- ment is proved by the luxuriance both in foliage and flowers of his Pha/enopsis, one plant in his collection having no less than fourteen leaves from 8 to 15 inches long, and of remarka- blesubstance. The plant carried three large branching spikes, and when in flower would be a marvel of beauty.” Notes. Maple sugar was made this year in considerable quantities in California from the sap of the Broad-leaved Maple (Acer ma- crophyllun). The sugar is said to be of excellent flavor. The annual meeting of the Society of American Florists in this city next August was to have been held in Tammany Hall. The burning of that building has somewhat embarrassed the local committee, but they have now secured the Fifth Avenue Theatre for that purpose. - Utricularia montana.—A splendid example of this showy plant is now flowering in the Orchid Houses occupied by Mr. I. Forstermann, of 50 Storm Ave., Jersey City. The plant mentioned has 26 stout spikes, on which are produced 100 large pure white blossoms of fine substance. This Bladderwort is sometimes classed with the Orchid family, to which genus it has no affinity. Its cultural requirements, however, are very similar, and it is invariably found in Orchid collections, where it thrives vigorously in a warm and very moist situation. Garden and Forest. a Sim eal [TUNE 20, 1888, On the first of June Apples from New Zealand were on sale in San Francisco, According to so good an authority as the Pacific Rural Press, the fruit was not only shapely and hand- , somely colored, but firm and weli-flavored. Apples from Vic- toria, are sold in the London market at from 2d. to 6d. each, and as the freight charges from the orchard to the seller are about 13(d. a pound, this leaves a good margin for profit to the grower in the Southern Hemisphere. Retail Flower Markets. New York, Yune 15th. The supply of flowers this week has only been fair, but it has been sufficient to meet the demand. The decorations of halls and theatres for Commencement exercises have consisted of a few groups of fol- jage plants; Graduates’ favors have been large loose bunches of flow- ers, more often than basket designs. Flowers from shrubs seem to grow in demand every year ¢ and have never brought as high a price as they now do. Syringa sells for $1.00 a bunch of 18 large sprays, Weigela for 50 and 75 cts. a bunch. Snowballsare highly esteemed and cost “$I. oo a bunch. Hybrid Roses are smaller, but are of good quality, excepting Baroness Rothschild, which averages poor. All Hybrids cost 40 to 50 cts. each, the latter price holding for those selected. They are $5.00 a dozen. Moss Roses cost 25 cts. aspray. Clusters of these with a few spikes of Mignonette are in demand for dinner favors. Genl. Jacqueminot Roses are small, but of rich colors, and bring $1.50 a dozen. Brides, Catherine Mermets, Niphetos and Perles are also $1.50 adozen. Fine La France Roses cost $2.00 a dozen. There are some handsome Orchids (Cattleyas) arriving which cost $1.00 a flower. Pea blossoms are among the choice flowers added to bouquets and designs to give the last finish. They cost 50 cts. for a cluster of 18, Carna- tions cost 35 and gocts.a dozen. Peeoniesrange from Io to 25 cts. each, The pink variety is in the largestrequest. Heliotrope is 5octs. a bunch. Mignonette is poor and from 25to50cts.a bunch. Field Daisies are very handsome and 15 cts. a dozen, and wild Buttercups cost 15 cts. a dozen. Gladioluses bring from 20 to 25 cts. a spike. Callas are scarce and 25 cts. each. Pansies cost 25 cts. a dozen. Lily- of-the-Valley is again coming in from green-houses. PHILADELPHIA, Fune 15th. Roses everywhere, and as a result there is a temporary glut in the market. Itis only in Roses, however, that the over-supply is notice- able. Many other flowers are scarce, as for example, good Carna- tions, especially the white varieties. The crimson, scarlet and other colored varieties are fair in quality, and cost 25 cts. a dozen. Sweet Peas are more plentiful, and sell readily at from 25 to 50 cts. a dozen. Lily-of-the-Valley holds its own at $1 a dozen. Mignonette and _ Heliotrope costs 25 cts. Hybrid Roses cost from $2 to $4.a dozen, ac- cording to quality and variety. Amongst out-door Roses there isa greater variety to select from than in the list of forcing sorts. Jean k Liabaud and Louis Van Houtte are two favorites; the formerisavel- _ vety dark crimson, the latter is somewhat brighter and of very fine form, The dark Roses have not met with much favor in the winter _ for the past two seasons. American Beauty is still asked for, and sells 4 at from $3 to $4a dozen. Mermets, Bennetts and Brides ‘are from $1 to $2a dozen. Perles and Sunsets, 75 cts. to $1.50. Bon Silenes and Gontiers are getting thin, and bring 50 cts. a dozen. Water Lilies are 75 cts. per dozen. Field Daisies are plentiful, and sell at 25 cts. a dozen. Single Dahlias, $1 to $1.50 a dozen. Cornflowers, 25 cts. a dozen. There is a steady demand for any choice good flower. Indeed, June is a better month for the flower trade than May, for new , things like Sweet Peas, Miniature Sunflowers and the yellow Corn- flowers keep coming into bloom, and are always salable. oH a. The cut flower market has been heavily overstocked during the _ past week. Belated crops, intended for Decoration Day, but delayed by cold weather, have been coming in from every direction, and the | wholesale dealers have been loaded down with surplus stock. Roses in all varieties, excepting the choice hybrids, are very abun- dant. Of choice hybrids there are none. Carnations are also very — plenty in all the standard varieties, such as Anna Webb, Grace ~ Wilder, Buttercup, Hinze’s White, E. G. Hill and Allagatiere. There is still a small supply of Lily-of-the-Valley obtainable from Canada. After this is exhausted the green-house crop will begin to come in _ again, at increased prices, and will be in market as a regular supple ; allsummer. The roots from which this is produced are kept overfrom — last season in ice-houses, and are thus held in a dormant condition until required. White Gilliflowers are abundant, and of best quality, very large and double. The choicer varieties of out-door flowers, — such as Rhododendrons, Pzeonies, Ghent Azaleas and Clematises, are — used extensively in large baskets and decorations, and they help to — make the florists’ windows bright and attractive. Of Orchids a few — Odontoglossums and Cattleyas (mainly C. A/ossi@) are in market. The | demand for Lilies of all kinds is brisk, but very few are offered. Tea | Roses bring 50 cts., but fancy sorts command from $1 to $2. Jacque- | minots of rather inferior quality are held at $3, and Hybrids are scarce — at $6. Carnations and Calendulas are 50 cts. a dozen. Stocks and Spireea, 75 cts. Maidenhair Fern, 50 cts. Smilax, 50 cts. a string. | Lilies-of-the-Valley cost $1 a dozen, and will probably cost twice as F much in a few days. Rhododendrons are $5 a dozen; Ascension Lilies, $2; Harris’ Lilies, $4, and a few Callas can be had for $3. Boston, Fune 15th. 4 “3 ~ June 27, 1888.] FGARDEN AND FOREST. PUBLISHED WEEKLY LY THE GARDEN AND FOREST PUBLISHING CO, Orrick: TripuneE Burtpinc, New York. Conducted! by fi.-si ls). Se se 8 . Professor C. S. SARGENT. ENTERED AS SECOND-CLASS MATTER AT THE POST OFFICE AT NEW YORK, N. Y. NEW YORK, WEDNESDAY, JUNE 27, 1888. TABLE OF CONTENTS. _ EpirortaL ArticLes :—Hardy Fruit Trees.—The Sermon of the Flowers....... 205, SOMCCEEYNEIUMS: « ceiels gsiaws ai vices cist nes Foln M, Coulter. 206 wEreesiand Shrubs fora Trying Climate. ......2 0.0.50. s0cees-6 FL. Budd. 206 Alexander Pope.and the Gardener’s Art....40rs. Schuyler Van Rensselaer. A Well Planted Village Street (with illustgation). ForEIGN CORRESPONDENCE :—Notes on New Orchids. .......-.+.+++ WV. Goldring. 208 New or Litrte Known Piants :—Pitcairnia Palmeri (with illustration), Sereno Watson, 209 RUAN TPNOTES (11S; MOLOIKOWLs asec nrecasceececr ise Teinte wees Max Leichtlin. 209 Calypso borealis.—Pentstemon barbatus—Variations in Viola pedata.... 209 GULTURAL- DEPARTMENT !—POppieS «......sescecessesseccseees William Falconer. 210 Bedding Plants for Spring—Primula officinalis—Spring Beauty........... 210 Oxcuip Notes :—Orchids in Bloom—Cattleva Sanderiana......... 06.6020. ce ee 2i1 Notes from the Arnold Arboretum.......... Saat on Tue Forest :—Dispersion of Seeds and Plants.......... Senet) tiie sibel on 213 CORRESPONDENCEs. +++ se eee e eee pret fateists ate egehes aie tenieayeieert ye 214 A RIODIGAT RU ISRA TUE eiu/atess/e(a3s m/s. s/t" nie s/s, a lel 0.0) ci01s, #lehe)an,0 hi ste a/syainvi<'e.aiaig)n(oa eia(ais 5 Notes from the Paris Horticultural Exhibition. .......0:.s0cceeeececesoes BONUS Marya eelsrelerstarctet fs o aicieiate siccriacue.cisieinis sists eta steed Sato aicietace Frower Markers :—New York, Philadelphia, Boston ItLusrrations :—Main Street, Kingston, Rhode Island. . teat miaweral in Shy ihr go Sots srieietale)eierels a shsieisis/(ecaicisl<'s\simelcjuicieisis) ive bls onanaon 211 Hardy Fruit Trees. N a recent number of the Gardeners’ Chronicle, Mr. F. W. Burbidge advocates the introduction of fruits that are hardy in climates like that of the Volga region, where Apples, Cherries and Plums have been grown for a thou- sand years. He does not claim that these fruits would necessarily flourish in the moister climate of England, but lie argues that if crossed with choice varieties of more tender constitution a new race might be hoped for which would have the fine flavor of one parent and the more vigorous habit of the other. The fruit growers in our north-western Staies have been experimenting in this direc- tion with trees from the great central plain of Europe, where the conditions of climate more nearly resemble their own than do those of western Europe. But aside from this, there is ample encouragement for testing the fruit trees of other countries in the success which has followed the cul- tivation of the Japanese Persimmon and the Peen-to Peach, for example, in our southern States. Noone can predict what advantage might be derived from crossing these with native species or garden varieties that are in cultiva- tion here. Our best Raspberries and Grapes have been bred up from native species or by a mixture of native blood with that of introduced kinds. The whole subject of improving fruit trees in hardiness by going back to the wild stock, or to forms that have become established by centuries-of cultivation, is one that should engage the attention of our experiment stations. The fact that long years of work and study are required before any results are reached is all the more reason for beginning as soonas possible. As to the need of collect- ing and studying wild plants, Mr. Burbidge says : In fruit growing, as in gardening generally, there is no standing still. We must either improve or we shall go back, and the best way to improve our native fruits will be to cross- breed with new blood in the shape of hardier kinds, from widely separated habitats and different soils. The Asiatic Grapevine did not succeed in America, but by inter-breeding it with native species a race of Grapes better suited to the cli- Garden and Forest. 205 mate has been obtained, and even the French vineyard culti- vators have been glad to procure these American varieties to repair the ravages of the phylloxera during recent years. One of the very best undertakings for our Royal Horticul- tural Society to undertake just now would be this task of col- lecting the wild species and cultivated variations of our hardy fruits, other than those now grown in England. It has always seemed to me, and doubtless to others also, a sad waste of time and capital to grow at Chiswick the ordinary kinds of Apples, Plums, Pears, Cherries, Grapes, etc., which are now to be seen in most nurseries and private gardens. The true work and business of a horticulture society is not with the old but with the new, and to be worthy of enlightened support the very fringe of progress must be litted for us as it was lifted for our predecessors in the days of Lindley and Knight, Fortune, Douglas, Hartweg, and many others one need not name. In conclusion, I venture to differ altogether from those who say that the days of collecting wild plants is passed or played out, and that the hybridizers can now carry on the work, and supply the collector’s'place to greater advantage. This view is the subtlest of all errors, viz., half a truth. There is room for the collector now as in the past, for the cultivator always, but the hybridist cannot with safety kick down a ladder on which he stands. The hybridizer may give us a few ephe- meral forms of Orchids, Arads, Amaryllids, or florists’ flowers, but what can he hope to do with our hardy fruits, vegetables, and erain-yielding grasses, when their wild prototypes are as yet unintroduced to our gardens? Looking broadly at the question, there is as much room for collectors now—more, in fact—than at any other time. The world of hardy flowers, now so popular, is practically untouched, and as I have said of the hardy fruits of northern Asia, we know practically nothing more than the late Karl Koch has told us in his books. I believe the appointment by the Royal Horticultural Society of a really good collector, would be one of the most profitable investments the Society could make at the present time. Gar- dening is changing its ground now as it ever has done, and people generally are opening their eyes to the fact that the glass-house culture of a few stove plants or Orchids is a very small part of a great question, Gardening is creeping out into the fields, and every day the demand is greater for the best fruits, vegetables and flowers, that will grow in the open air, The Sermon of the Flowers. F there are sermons in stones, there are more and clearer ones in the living works of nature. Just at this time of the year, for example, there is a lesson to be learned from the flowers which it would be well for us all to lay to heart and consistently put in practice. This is the lesson of free, persistent and painstaking giving. Few persons are so parsimonious with the preducts of their gardens that they neglect to share them with their friends when chance suggests or some special occasion prompts. But, even to their friends, few give as per- sistently or as freely as they might. Oneis far too apt to think before giving whether his flowers are “good enough,” and whether the recipient will ‘‘care about them.” Such thoughts are as judicious as they are natural when the recipient is equally fortunate with the giver in the matter of gardens and hot-houses; but itis seldom realized how out of place they are when the friend in question can merely look at flowers over some one else’s fence in sum- mer and in winter must buy little bunches at big prices from a florist. Winter or summer even the refuse flowers of a rich man’s garden would be gladly welcomed by more of his friends than he ventures to believe. But it is not only to friends that nature bids us give—it is to the stranger, the wayfarer, the beggar. Here again it is too often doubted whether the gift would be really val- ued. Outin the country, where nature herself gives even to the poorest, perhaps it would not be. But in the city flowers afe welcomed by every class as no other gift would be. Men may not always care for them, although almost always they do; but there will be found no excep- tions among women and little children. Let a lady offer the flowers from her belt to the tired shop-girl behind the counter and she will carry about with her afterwards a memory of brightened eyes and smiling lips which will more than repay her for the sacrifice. Let her walk with 206 a bunch in her hands through one of the crowded streets in a poor quarter of the town—every child will clamor for a share of it, every forlorn and weary woman will eye it eagerly. Or let her take it to a hospital and see what pleasure a single blossom will give to a suffering soul. Nature’s beautiful belief is indeed the right one—the cases are so rare that they need not be taken into account when a flower is not welcomed, no matter how humble it may be and no matter how devoid of sentiment the eye may seem to be which looks upon it. This is the right belief, and it would be well if we should try to express it as consistently and persistently as nature does. As consistently and persistently, and, be it repeated, in as painstaking a way. Not merely when she is coaxed and flattered and things are made easy for her does nature give her flowers, but always and everywhere, under the most difficult conditions, with the loveliest patience and the most touching care and pains. ‘This, to us of human- kind, is the greatest hindrance to giving ; we do not mind parting with our treasures, but we do mind taking the trouble to dispose of them so that they will benefit others. We should be glad enough if our surplus could go by it- self to tenement-house and hospital, but we are too busy or too careless to send it there. We would rather give money, for money can be more easily given. But money will not take the place of flowers, either in themselves or in that accompanying gift which makes half the excellence of their giving. He who gives flowers gives a bit of sen- timent and sympathy too, and this is valued by the poor and suffering more than all beside. The very child who takes your blossom in the street takes it with a different smile from the one that greets your penny, for he knows or fancies it is given with a different thought. In some of our large cities flower-missions have been established with headquarters where flowers may be sent and whence they will be distributed to those who need them most; and such missions ought to exist in every town, however small. But if they do not exist, a little trouble may well be taken to supply their place by indi- vidual effort. And we can all at least give freely as the chance may offer—to the child who brings home a parcel or peeps through the garden fence, to the workman plod- ding at nig htfall past our garden to his own dreary home, to the s shop-girl, to the poor needlewoman around the corner, to any one and every one whose steps cross our own. The giftcannot be too small to be worth gi iving— the human being can hardly be too callous to appreciate it or pass it on to some one else who will. Some Eryngiums. UR Eryngiums have the reputation of being a hard genus, but since Mr. Rose and the writer Have be- gun to study them in our work upon the North American Umbelliferee, we discover that the difficulty is not to be laid to the species themselves, but to the great confusion in naming them. Perhaps this is not to be wondered at, when one remembers the scatiered condition of our litera- ture regarding them. In the absence of the sharp contrasts which are brought out in a presentation of the species all together, collectors may well have become confused, and their errors have naturally become perpet- uated. No genus of Umbellifers seems to have its species more sharply defined than “Axyngium, and a few remarks about some southern and much confused forms may be helpful to botanists. In Plante Lindheimeriane Dr. Gray first unravels a bad tangle of synonymy, and clearly de- fines certain species w hich had before been perplexing, and which have been equally confused since. On com- mon £. Virginianum was first referred by Linnzeus to his EL. aquaticum as a variety, but was distinguished as a species and set up under its present name by Lamarck. Michaux then gave to the American forms of Linnzeus’ 2. aguaticum the name of L. yuccefolium, and referred to L. Garden and Forest. [JUNE 27, 1888, aquaticum another plant which Elliott afterward described as £. Virginianum, but which was not the plant of Lamarck bearing that name. In //. Lindh., 209, therefore, Dr. Gray, recognizing the establishment of 2. yvucce/olum, Michx., and £. Virginianum, Lam., gave to Michaux’s £. aguaticum and Elliotts £. Virginianum the name £. preal- dum, and also separated from £. JVirginianum another species which had been confused with it, and called it &. Ravenellt. As might be expected, £. Virginianum, E. prealtum and E. Ravenell’ have been confused ever since. EL. Virginianum, Lam., isa slender plant, from one to three feet high, with lanceolate leaves, the lower on very long fistulous petioles, bracts as long as the head, bract- lets with three spiny cusps (the middle one largest) and prominent, acuminate-cuspidate calyx-lobes, equalling or exceeding the bractlets. The species occurs along the margins of ponds and streams from New Jersey to Florida, and thence to Texas. Mr. Canby sends forms from Del- aware, with bracts longer than the heads, but in every other respect they conform to this species. LY. prealtum, Gray, is a very stout plant, from four to six feet high, with radical leaves narrowly oblong (not unlike those of a Rumex), often two feet or more long, including the long petioles, bracts two or three times longer than the head, bractlets as in the last and longer than the calyx- lobes. It is found in tide swamps from North Carolina to Georgia. The so-called £4. prealfum of Florida is another species. £.. Ravenellit, Gray, is slender, from one to three feet high, with linear, elongated, nearly terete (conduplicate) leaves, the lower ones twelve to eighteen inches long, bracts as long as the heads, bractlets with three strong and equal spiny cusps, short, mucronate calyx-lobes, and long, rigid styles. | Formerly credited only to the wet Pine-bar- rens of South Carolina, with Ravenel as collector, it is now found to grow near Apalachicola, Florida, collected by Dr Chapman. These Florida specimens Dr. Chapman took to be L. Tirginianum, and it was from these, of course more or less modified by published descriptions, that he drew the characters of the £. Virginianum of his Manual. Crawfordsville, Ind. John M., Coulter. Trees and Shrubs for a Trying Climate. HE word ‘‘hardy” as commonly used is a relative term. With the prairie settlers of the north-west it means ability to endure the summer and winter extremes noted briefly in the article ‘‘Our Prairie Climate,” in the issue of GarpEN AND Forest for May 30th. Some of the essential characteristics of a truly ‘‘Iron-clad” plant here, are these : (1) The foliage must be as perfect as that of the Duchess Apple, the Gakovska Pear, of Populus Dolleana, Rosa rugosa or of our native trees and shrubs that do well under cultiva- tion on dry upland prairie. Critical observation under the microscope shows such leaves to be provided with extra rows of palisade cells, anda thick epidermis more or less protected by pubescence. (2) The trees and plants with foliage adapted to great extremes of atmospheric heat and moisture are also protect- ed by special structure of the outer bark, and all the parts of the flower are stronger; firmer and thicker, than those of plants developed in more equable climates. We may add that even the fruit of the true ‘‘Iron-clad” is protected by a thick epidermis and by more or less pubescence. (3) The ‘‘Iron-clad”” must be as fixed in its habit of growth asa Currant bush or a Hickory. The tree or shrub which can be lured into late growth by our warm, and often wet, autumns, will certainly be injured by our first _ norther. (4) Our occasional warm south winds of winter and early spring will stimulate the tree or shrub from a climate dissimilar to ours into a feeble movement of sap, to be, perhaps, choked within twenty-four hours by zero weather. Our truly hardy tree must hibernate as perfectly as the P June 27, 1888.] Duchess Apple, and I am glad to state that we have many trees and shrubs that are still better organized in this respect. (5) The tree or shrub that defies our winter extremes, of from thirty to thirty-five degrees below zero, must have its new wood—even in the intercellular spaces—so perfect- ly stored with starch as to be incapable of being ruptured by freezing. A careful examination of the points of growth of the Silken-leaf Apple and of Bullock’s Pippin will exhibit an unexpected difference in cell structure to the amateur in such work. This too brief outline of the essentials of our hardy tree will naturally give the impression that our list of de- sirable trees and shrubs for the west must be short. But thanks to arich natural flora, and direct and indirect in- troductions from old world climates of plants, not unlike our own, we already have a large and varied list to select from. Some of the varieties and species which seem worthy of trial over large areas of our country will be noticed briefly in another communication. Ames, Iowa. J. L. Budd. Alexander Pope and the Gardener’s Art. N most men’s minds the name of Alexander Pope is a synonym for artificiality in art. There is, of course, a further kind of artificiality than Pope’s—the kind which is not art at all. But among genuine artists in verse, he stands as the representative of formality, selfconscious- ness, rule and measure, of high polish, studied grace and well-balanced, rigorously calculated charm; as the very antithesis of all that is meant by the words natural, spon- taneous, free and fresh. Narrowly considered as a poet for his manner of speech, the verdict is a true one. But there was more to Pope than this poetry, and there is -more even in his poetry than its form. And it is a dis- appointment to find that so acute a critic, and so sym- pathetic a student of the eighteenth century, as Mr. Austin Dobson, fails to make these facts as clear as they ought to be made in his article on the poet, recently published in Scribner's Magazine. It is but fair to say, however, that Mr. Dobson is not alone in his failure. So far as I have read, no biogra- pher of Pope has recognized the service which he ren- dered the world in a branch of art which was not his own. None of them has explained that to this poet, whom we call the apostle of formality, England is more indebted, perhaps, than to any other single man, for the develop- men of the “natural style” of gardening. Historians of the gardener’s art have been more clear-sighted, but the attitude of his professed biographers is typified by that of Dyce, who says, ‘‘Though his writings exhibit inci- dental glimpses of rural nature, he appears to have had no passionate sense of her beauties; he had more pleas- ure in describing those external objects which are arti- ficial than those which are natural . . . In his Windsor Forest, which gave him an opportunity of pre- senting to us distinct and peculiar landscapes, his descrip- tions of scenery are general and without individuality.” This is one of those verdicts which are true in the letter, but false in the impression they give. It is true that Pope's Windsor Forest shows us no such rural pictures as a modern writer would paint, is peopled with nymphs and dryads, and breathes in general the pseudo-classic spirit of the age; and it is likewise true, as Mr. Dobson says, that it “is cold and conventional to the modern reader.” But had Pope really ‘‘looked at nature with the unpurged eyes of his generation ”—-Mr. Dobson’s words again—he would hardly have written of Windsor Forest at all, and his poem would certainly have lacked those occasional breaths of freshness and that underlying strain of sincere feeling for nature’s sincerest self, which even to the modern reader (if he can read a little deeply) redeem its coldness and artificiality of form. So, too, while it is true that Garden and Forest. 207 Pope can ‘have had no ‘‘passionate” feeling for rural nature, we must remember that his life, except in its very early years, was passed in the cockneydom of Queen Anne’s reign—in London itself, or beside the villa~-ed Thames; and that it was a marked peculiarity then and there to have any feeling for rural nature at all. Again, it is true that, as a rule, he describes artificial, not natural, scenes; but artificial is a word of wide signifi- cance, and to accept it in this connection in its most pronounced significance, is wholly to misconceive of Pope. The scenes which he loved best were artificial, in the sense of having been created or altered by art. But they were not artificial in the sense of being formal. And this fact marks him off distinctly from the mass of his con- temporaries—gives him a place in history as the apostle of a new art whose tastes and ideals were far ahead of those of his generation. If we study the little plan of his famous garden at Twickenham (published with Mr. Dobson's article), we see that, although some parts are formally designed, there are others in which a natural looking arrangement has been made; and all the descrip- tions of the place which have come down to us make clear its unlikeness in this respect to the typical garden of the time. Moreover, Pope's titles to honor, as an ad- vocate of natural gardening, do not rest solely on his Twickenham experiment, or on the sentiments implied in his Windsor Forest. A paper on Verdant Sculpture, which he published early in life in the Guardian, is known to have worked a revolution in English practice—to have scotched, if not instantly killed, the practice of clipping trees into formal shapes. Kent, at first a painter, and then the earliest of English landscape gardeners—in the true sense of the word—was deeply influenced by Pope; and the famous Epistle to the Earl of Burlington, Ox she Use of Riches, might serve to-day as a text-book of aphor- isms for the landscape gardener’s instruction. It seems strange that Mr. Dobson did not dwell upon the passages in this poem which refer to the gardener’s art— they would have served him for the establishing of so pretty an antithesis between Pope the formal poet and Pope the advocate of informality in another art. Might one not expect that Versailles would be his ideal, and the long drawn aisle of verdure, the square walled pool, and the marble terrace his synonyms for beauty out-of-doors? No; what he says is: To plant, to build, whatever you intend, To rear the column, or the arch to bend, To swell the terrace, or to sink the grot, In all, let Nature never be forgot. 5 He gains all points who pleasingly confounds, Surprises, varies and conceals the bounds. Consult the genius of the place in all ; That helps the waters or to rise or fall ; Or helps th’ ambitious hill the heavens to scale, Or scoops in circling theatres the vale ; Calls in the country, catches opening glades ; Joins willing woods, and varies shades from shades ; Now breaks, or now directs, th’ intending lines; Paints as you plant and as you work designs. Still follow sense, of every art the soul ; Parts answering parts shall slide into a whole, Spontaneous beauties all around advance, Start e’en from difficulty, strike from chance. And when he desires to say what should vo¢ be done, these are his words: His gardens next your admiration call ; On every side you look, behold, the wall! No pleasing intricacies intervene, No artful wildness to perplex the scene ; Grove nods at grove, each alley has a brother, And half the platform just reflects the other. Thus did Pope preach of gardening, and thus, according to his lights and opportunities, he tried to practice It. When Mr. Dobson, in the charming poem which follows the prose article, says of him, that “his Nature” was ‘‘a Parterre,” the words are used in a metaphorical sense, as illustrative of his literary style; but even thus, it hurts us a 208 little toread them. Itseemsa lapse from perfect justice —or, should I say, from perfect taste?—to speak of par- terres, even metaphorical, verbal parterres, in connection with the man who did so much to free gardening from the fetters of formality, to ‘‘call in the country,” and vary ‘«shade from shade.” IT would not be understood as implying that Pope fought quite alone his crusade against formality in gardening. A hundred years before his time Bacon preached the vir- tues of a more sympathetic treatment of nature, and Milton sang the charms of a great natural garden. And in his own generation, Addison fought valiantly at his side. But it’ was only in the century of Addison and Pope that words bore fruit in actual deeds; and it is doubtful whether any single influence was as potent as Pope’s in the matter. Ifwe cannot quote the last line of his i2dsor Forest, First in these fields I sung the sylvan strains, and make it apply with literal truth to gardening in England, we can say, at ea that he sang the sylvan strain more conv incingly than had any one before him, A date or two in conclusion may be of interest. Addi- son's Description of a Garden in the Natural Style was published in 1712, Pope’s Verdant Sculpfure in 1713, and his Lpistle to Lord Burlington in 1731, while the first professional treatise on the natural style of gardening— Whateley’s—did not appear until 1770. Mf, G. van Rensselaer. A Well Planted Village Street. T is not always that a village street makes a pleasing picture, but the impulse of any artist who might chance for the first time to face the leafy vista from which our illustration (page 209) is taken would be to make a sketch of it. And yet the elements of this picture are of the simplest and most natural character. We can con- ceive of a street which would be attractive on account of the well planted and well kept lawns on either side, with road borders straight and trim. But here the lawns form no feature of importance, and the problem of how much space shall be devoted to wheelway and foot-path is left to settle itself in the most practical and natural way, as the feet and wheels themselves may dictate. The paths are therefore laid just where they are most convenient, and certainly the flowing curves which mark the bound- ary between grass and gravel are more beautiful than any straight line could be, while they do not demand the fre- quent labor of cutting the sod and raking over the road- way, which ie necessary when a formal border is neatly kept. The Dandelions in the grass bear witness that the sieereysttian is not used to destroy all the wild flowers, and these in their season add to the natural and rural charm of thestreet. The brightness of a bit of sky seen beneath the overarching limbs ‘of trees which frame it in always adds a tone of cheerfulness to such a vista, and the sunshine which here sifts through the foliage on either hand forbids any thought of gloominess i in the dw ellings which a too dense shade invariably suggests. Altogether, this street picture has a balance and harmony “which would not probably characterize one composed of various border plantations made in accordance with the individual tastes of different land-owners, and it is, therefore, pleas- antly suggestive of a community of interest in the street and its ‘beauty—a suggestion emphasized by the public well which stands for neighborliness and sociability. It would not be wise nor practicable for any other town or village to imitate this example in detail. But no serious offense. against the canons of good taste can be com- mitted where a village street is so planted that it makes a complete picture—a ‘picture as peaceful and natural as the one here presented, and with such unity of motive that no contradictions or incongruities are apparent. Garden and Forest. by [JUNE 27, 1888, ~ Foreign Correspondence. Notes on New Orchids. _ OME beautiful novelties in Orchids have been shown | during the past week or two at the Royal Horticul- | tural Society’s exhibitions. One has excited unusual in- — terest, being a new Cypripedium, a genus which is now so ~ fashionable. It is a very near relative of the now well- | known C. Godefroyve, which was introduced a few years | ago from Cochin China, and is called C. bedlatulum.* It appears to be a free bloomer, as the plants exhibited on Tuesday last had several spikes, although they had not been out of the packing-case many days. Messrs. Low, the well-known Orchid importers at Clifton, are the in- troducers, and it is thought that they have made a hit in importing the plant in such health. All orchidists know and admire C. Gode/roye,and the new plant being somuch — superior, it will, without doubt, prove popular. ; Disa racemosa (D. secunda) was also shown for the | first time on Tuesday. It is not a new plant to botan- | ists, having been discovered many years ago in south | Africa, but this is the first time it has flowered in culti- — vation. In growth and foliage it can hardly be distin-_ guished from Lisa grandifiora—the Flower of the Gods— ~ but in flower it is very different. It has erect spikes rising about eighteen inches high, and on the upper parts of these are loosely arranged the flowers, each being — about two inches across; in shape resembling those of | D. grandifora, but in color of a deep rose-pink, or, as — some describe it, rosy-crimson, a color pleasing to every — one and not common among Orchids.. The plant is as — easily grown as D. grandifora, requiring an atmosphere ~ cool and moist and partial shade. Some fine plants of it — are now in flower in the Royal Gardens, Kew, the plants having been collected in south Africa by the — assistant curator, Mr. Watson, when traveling in that region. No doubt the enterprising collectors of America — will soon have it, as it is already in the trade. A grand new Cattleya, a variety of C. Mendelli, was the | admiration of all who visited the Exhibition of the Royal — Horticultural Society in the Temple Gardens. This Cat- tleya was called Rothschildiana, in compliment to the — great patron of Orchids. It is impossible to describe | the distinguishing points of the flower, but it is one of the — largest flowered forms of C. Mendel I have ever seen, with broader sepals and a very ample lip with a lobe almost circular. The color, however, was its greatest charm, — being so soft and delicate, the sepals being of one tint, the | lip of another, and exquisitely frilled and margined with | the deepest tint of all. It came from the St. Albans’ Orchid _ nursery, A very remarkable Orchid shown also at the Temple — exhibition was Zissochilus giganieus. Like other species of Lissochilus, it is terrestrial, has long, broad, plicate | foliage, and a flower stem towering six or eight feet in — height, carrying numbers of large and curiously shaped | flowers of a rosy-pink color, It is a singularly noble | Orchid, but hardly one that everybody would care to cul- * tivate, as such a giant takes up too much room. It was— | in the superb collection shown by Sir Trevor Lawrence. y In that from Baron Schroeder, who owns one of the richest Orchid collections in Europe, were also some very choice things. I single out afew that struck me as worthy of note, and none more so than the snow-white rides Wil- — hams, which some say is the albino of , Fielding? the ie Fox-brush Orchid. Though not absolutely new, it is so | rare that most orchidists, even old, experienced men, had~ never seen it. A new Scuficaria called Keyseriana, after sd the Lord Mayor of London, who visited the exhibition, — came from Messrs. Sander & Co. It has affinity with a. A Steel, but its flowers are larger, more heavily and — richly blotched and barred, and, altogether, it is a finer | flower. i *A brief description of this Orchid was given in a late number of this journal.—Ep. June 27, 1888.] The first Hybrid Epidendrum that is known to have been raised and flowered under cultivation was shown by Messrs. Veitch last Tuesday. It is named 4. O'Brienranum, after the well-known orchidist, Mr. James O’Brien. This is a cross between the orange-scarlet flowered Z. radicans (also known as LZ. rhizophorum) and the pink LZ. eveclum. The hybrid shows the features of both parents in its flowers, both in form and color, the latter being of a kind of magenta-purple, just the tint, in fact, you would get by mixing vermilion-orange and crimson-lake on a palette. This cross, though not remarkable from the standpoint of beauty, is looked upon as important, as it may lead to really valuable results in the large genus Epidendrum. Two other hybrids were shown by Messrs. Veitch, one of which was said to be a cross between Anguloa Rucker? and A. Clowes. The flowers of the hy- brid are like those of A. eburnea, being white, copiously freckled with pale red. One would have thought that the yellow of one and the blood-red of the other flower would have produced a cross quite different from the one Garden and Forest. 209 species, this plant (See Fig. 38, page 211), when grown, has no produced leaves, the stem leaves being all short, and the lowermost tipped with long, rigid, thread-like ap- pendages which are cruelly barbed. The flower-bracts are not conspicuous, but the flowers, which are com- paratively large, are of a light red color, and droop grace- fully upon the slender pedicels. ay. Plant Notes. Iris Korolkowi. HIS is a beautiful new Iris, original in form and out- _ line, showy and strange in colors. It was discov- ered and imported from Turkestan some twelve years ago and is one of the hardiest of its race. The flowers appear in May, and with the type and one variety, the ground color of falls and standards is a peculiar grayish- white, beautifully netted with olive and coffee-brown streaks ; in some other varieties the ground color has a at Main Street, Kingston, Rhode Island.—See page 208. shown, which was named A. infermedia. Another hybrid Orchid was a cross between Dendrobium Dalhousteanum and D. Hutfoni. Here again the result is disappointing, though one could trace the feature of both parents in the flowers of the new comer, which is oppressed with the un- pronounceable name of D. porphyrogastrum. It is obvi- ously premature to speak of the merits of hybrid Orchids the first season of flowering. London, May 24th. W. Goldring. New or Little Known Plants. Pitcairnia Palmeri.* HIS is one of the smallest species of the genus, and was discovered with the one previously figured, by Dr. E. Palmer, growing abundantly in the crevices of rocks .in the mountains of Jalisco, Mexico. Unlike the former *P. Patmert, Watson, Proc. Am. Acad., xxii. 456. Acaulescent, somewhat furfuraceous throughout, the basal bracts ending in barbed, filiforin appendages ; leaves of sterile shoots very narrowly linear, entire, sparsely villous; those of the flowering stem bract-like and very narrowly attenuate; floral bracts, narrow, shorter than the reflexed pedicels; petals, light red, 14s inches long, three times longer than the narrow, acuminate sepals; stamens and style included. flush of purple and in one variety it is deep purple; the netting of all these is simply deeper in color. — It takes to any soil, but prefers a loamy one. It enjoys a long, hard winter and a bright spring. Max Leichtin, Baden-Baden. Calypso borealis.—The flowering season of this little Orchid is just over, and those who have had the pleasure of seeing it inits native habitat may consider themselves fortunate. The peculiar shape of its flower, the variety of delicate colors— pink, purple and white—and the single dark green leaf, make ita favorite among lovers of wild flowers, but to fully ap- preciate it, one must gather it in itsnatural home. It usually grows in dark cedar swamps among the largest and oldest Arbor Vite trees. Like Aplectrum hyemale and Tipularia discolor, it sends up its leaf and Hower-bud in autumn, and in spring it is ready to start into growth as soon as th frost disappear. Its height is usually three to five inches flowering it dies down to the bulb and remains in this until late in autumn. The bulb is quite small and the leat inconspicuous, that it is difficult to find the plant except when in flower. Coming so early in the season and being such a rare species, itis seen by only a few. In some northern Vermont it is much more abundant than in the mid- snow and After portions of 210 Garden and Forest. dle parts, and is quite rare, if it grows at all, in the southern part of the state. For this reason I am inclined to believe that in eastern Canada, where the Ardor Vite attains a much larger growth, itis quite common. It grows very abundantly in portions of Oregon and Washington Territory. fF. Hl. Horsford. Pentstemon barbatus, Nutt., var. Wizlizeni, Gray.—‘‘ Next in beauty comes the bright-fowered Pemtstemon coccineus,” con- tinues Engelmann in his report on the collection of Wisli- zenus; yet he could only judge of its beauty from dried speci- mens, with colors more or less changed or dimmed in drying, or frorn the accounts of his friend. Seen growing in its native haunts—near streams of wooded ravines of the Cordilleras— with slender, straight stems two or three feet high, clean, glau- cous green leaves, and flowers in color between scarlet and crimson, scattered on filiform pedicels, it is, indeed, a graceful and lovely plant. In recent years Dr. Gray has referred it to Pentstemon barbatus of Nuttall, and given it a varietal name to commemorate its adventurous discoverer. C. G. Pringle. Variations in Viola pedata—There is a hillside near German- town famous for its great abundance of this beautiful flower. When a thousand plants are in full flower, as they were, a few weeks ago, a more charming sight could hardly be desired. While wandering among them [ came upon four plants with flowers white snow, a single plant with a distinct, dark eye, several with very light blue flowers, and others of a color almost identical with that of Houstonia caerulea. Joseph Meehan. Cultural Department. Poppies. UST now Oriental Poppies are in full bloom here and a brilliant display they make. Last year they were in their finest condition between May 26th and June 5th, but this sea- son they, together with most other garden plants, are a week to ten days later in blooming. These Oriental Poppies are hardy, herbaceous perennials of the easiest possible cultiva- don, and long-lived, and they spread and multiply considera- bly from underground shoots. They are grown here in a mass several yards square on a warm, dry, sandy bank, where the ground, although naturally poor, is well enriched by surface manuring; the roots can penetrate as deep as they are inclined in the open soil—often four feet or more. Here they flourish and bloom most plentifully. But where the ground is better and the position more sheltered by neighboring shrubs, the Poppies are finer and less apt to be scorched by warm sunshine. When the plants have done blooming they are cut over and Eschscholtsia Californica is sown among them; thissoon covers the ground and blooms through Sep- tember and October. The European Corn Poppy (Papaver Rhe@as) is easily natu- ralized on sandy banks and in bulb beds. Here they grow at will and sow themselves. The Hyacinths, Narcissus and Tulips come up and blossom in April and May, and _ before they are out of bloom the Corn Poppies have covered the ground and begin blooming about the end of May. After their lowering season is over they are cleared away,as they are only annual, the bulbs are lifted, the ground forked over, and the bed planted at once with French Marigolds, Zinnias, Gaillardias, Vincas, Pelargoniums, or some other sun-loving plants. These are removed in October and bulbs are then set out for spring flowering, Seeds enough have fallen from the Poppies upon the ground for next year's crop, and they come up all over the surface like a thick crop of weeds. Of the large double-flowered annual Poppies known as Ranunculus-flowered and Peonia-flowered, we have. a bed sixteen yards by twelve yards on a warm slope. The seeds were sown early in April, broadcast, raked in and rolled, anda sprinkling of Eschscholtsia seed was also sown at thesame time along the outer edge of the bed. The Eschscholtzia is now in bloom but the Poppies will not flower till the first of July, when they always make a gorgeous blaze. But they do not last long—hardly three weeks. When they are done blooming the ground is cleared and forked and Marigolds or Zinnias are planted for autumn blooming. It is not worth while to wait for these Poppies to sow their own seed, as it costs but a trifle and it is better to clear off the plants before they ripen seed than to delay the next crop. Such beautiful Poppies as Peacock, Danebrog and Mephisto can be raised from seeds grown in the green-house in March, and they should be grown along in pots till the first of May and then planted out in the garden. Treated in [JUNE 27, 1888, this way, the Peacock Poppies are now in bloom; the others are not. But these may be sown out-of-doors in spring in the same way as the Pwonia-flowered Poppy, or they may be sown in the fall like Corn Poppies. In both cases they will grow and bloom well. ; In a cold-frame the beautiful Alpine Poppies (P. xudicaule) have bloomed since April. They are hardy perennials, but the best practice is to treat them as annuals or biennials. They are of dwarf habit, and some are white, others bright yellow, and others orange; and when growing near each other the yellow and orange varieties mix together, and we often get yellow blossoms that are striped with orange and orange blos- soms striped with yellow. These are lovely and appropriate plants for the rock-garden and they should be grown where water will not lodge about them, or hot south-west sunshine strike them in summer. If you grow them in the rockery. let them naturalize themselves there ; this they will soon do, as they scatter their seeds and seedlings come up all about them. Some young plants, raised from seed sown in the green-house last February, and planted out early in May, are now in bloom. William Falconer. Glen Cove, N. Y. Bedding Plants for Spring.—The expensive fashion of ‘“bed-. ding out” is gradually losing favor, especially in England. It survives here perhaps because the number of plants available for summer bedding in this country is considerable, and suc- cess is comparatively easy. With spring bedding this is not so. The English system has been generally followed, but the diffi- culty here is in using the variety of plants used there. Wall- flowers, Aubrietias and Safonaria Calabrica cannot be used at all. Hybrid Oxlips wilt, and rapidly fade after the first spell of warm, bright weather. Aradis albida and Myosotis sylvatica quickly run to seed, and J/yosotis dissttiflora, which isa perennial and not an annual, and by far the better kind, is later in flower here because it must make new flower- ing shoots; those formed the previous fall, and which should flower early the next spring, being invariably lalled back to the rootstock during winter. Perhaps seed sown or cuttings taken in August and wintered over in a frame would give early flowers; but I have never seen this tried, Sz/ene pen- aula compacta does well if sown in July or August and kept over ina protected frame; it comes in well, and is charm- ing when planted as a groundwork for yellow Tulips. Asa groundwork for scarlet Tulips nothing is more beautiful than a bed of Pansies, especially since the great improvement in the French varieties of these plants. They have also the ad- vantage of being easily and cheaply raised. In addition to the above named, many early flowering American plants are useful for spring bedding. It will possi- bly be regarded as an expensive innovation to suggest a bed of Trillium grandifiorum, But the expense would not be greater than the cost of many pieces of summer bedding, while the beauty would be infinitely greater. Why not havea bed of Viola fedata, even though the plant is common in some localities? The Dog-tooth Violet would make a hand- some spring bed, and could be as easily followed by summer bedding as Tulips, though the same could not be urged in favor of the Trillium. The beautitul varieties of Moss Pinks (Phlox subulata) have proved admirable spring bedding plants. The varieties best adapted to this purpose are Nivalis, white; Atropurpurea, purple; Vivid, bright rose; and Model, light rose. It takes considerable time to work up a stock of these, and in order to keep their foliage green they should be protected in winter. T. D. Hatfeld. Wellesley, Mass. Primula officinalis.—Several patches of the English Cowslip are now in full bloom on a north hillside. These were plant- ed six years ago and have had no protection whatever other than snow. The soil is avery poor clay loam, Our winters are very severe, the thermometer often registering more than 20° below zero. On the same hillside, though in: better soil, are some clumps of Scz//a nutans (Bluebells), also of 5S. campanulata in var. These have proved to be perfectly hardy and make quite an addition to our early summer flow- ers. We grow a large number of these Scillas in pots for house decoration, and now that we are sure of their being hardy, shall plant out all our surplus corms. JWarcissus Polyanthus is hardy here, although they do not flower well, but . oezicis, both double and single, bloom freely, and I have never seen better or larger flowers of the double variety, than those now on the hillside and which have come up through the sod. Jonquils are equally hardy and flower freely. “£7ythronium grandifiorum albiflorum (vide p. 177) is hardy here, having withstood several severe winters, and flowers annually. A small bed of /ris xiphioides has wintered well without the is _ June 27, 1888.] _ Spring Beauty appears above isin bloom and full growth about the 2oth of the same month least protection. If this should prove hardy it will be a grand acquisition. Kenwood, N. Y., June 6th. F. Goldring. Spring Beauty.—This pretty little flower (Clay fonda Virginiana), mentioned on page 177, grows abundantly in some parts of the woods near here. The largest group occurs near the edge of a swamp ina thick wood of Beech, Chestnut, and other trees. The hollow of the swamp is filled with Symplocarpus fetidus, Fig. 38.—Pitcairnia Palmeri-—See page 209. Veratrum viride, and the like, and the moist sides with broad stretches of Dog’s-tooth Violet and Spring Beauty. In the wet- tish ground the tubers lie on orat the surface and are merely _ covered with a layer of fallen forest leaves; further up on the _ dry ground the tubers are buried in the earth from half an _ inch to threeinches deep. From each tuber—according to its 3 size—one shoot or a bundle of shoots—each containing a pair of opposite leaves and raceme of flowers—is produced. This ground about the first of May, Garden and Forest. .and begins to: fade about the first of June. 211 ? g By the middle of June they have withered and disappeared, and without a close search their presence would be unnoticed. They come up, bloom and complete their growth while the woods are moderately open—that is, before the leaves have come upon the trees. In Central Park this plant is naturalized in the grass under the trees ona moist bank. As a garden plant it is of the easiest cultivation and in the rockery it survives year after year. The wild tubers can be gathered and planted in the garden ora stock of plants may be obtained from seed. Glen Cove, N. Y. WF. Orchid Notes. Orchids in Bloom.—The collection of De Witt S. Smith, Esq., of Lee, Massachusetts, comprises many choice specimens of this genus now in bloom. Conspicuous among them is a group of Cypripediums in splendid health, their broad, stout, green foliage, and large, well-formed blossoms, indicating in- telligent treatment. The Cypripedium house is a span roof structure, having a centre stage forty feet long by eight feet wide, with side stages of the same length. Amongst the most notable in bloom isa very distinct variety of C. Lawrenceanume, the purple lines on the broad dorsal sepals being intermixed with numerous small, dark purple spots. The petals stand boldly outwards, the pouch being very narrow. A magnificent example of C. Dayanum named Smith’s variety showed a flower twice the size of the common C. Dayanum. L Another remark- able variety observed is a form of C. Godefroye, with broad, round petals, the ground color of which is pure white and the markings of the darkest purple. The foliage of this variety is clear green on the under side, while in the ordinary form it is of a dark chocolate color. C. xiveum is represented by more than twenty plants in bloom, the stout spikes being unusually tall, and, in many instances, twin-flowered, forming a delight- ful contrast with its handsome mottled foliage. Mr. Norman, the gardener here, places the plants of the latter species, shortly before blooming, into a littke more heat, to enable the spikes to attain a greater length, that the blossoms may be seen to a better advantage. Specimens of C. grande, C. cilio- flare, C. Domintt, C. Warnert, C. hirsutisstmum, are in superb condition, together with a very fine variety of C. darda- tum, the centre of the flower being of a blackish purple and the petals tipped with light chocolate. C. vernixtum, C. Dau- thiert, C. Hookere, C. concolor Regnieri, specimens ot C. Morgane, C. cardinale, are growing rapidly here, with a dozen plants of C. Spicerianium with fully fifty growths each. The Cattleyas are very showy, the flowers being unusually large and high colored. A plant of C Afossi@ bore nine flowers on three spikes of extraordinary size, each measuring fully ten inches across, with petals four and one-half inches wide, lip three and one-half inches broad, and of a beautiful bright rose color. Large specimens of C. Afendelii, C. Lawrenceana, C. Skinneri, and a well-flowered plant of Oxcidium Fonesia- aunt, with a branching spike, formed the most attractive group in the Cattleya house. A fine group of Dendrobium Dearet was also in flower, its pure white blossoms having remained nearly three months in bloom, Several examples of Vanda suavis were looking in excellent health, together with a quan- tity in bloom of the Butterfly Orchid, Ozctdizm sage . Cattleya Sanderiana.—A magnificent variety of this fine Orchid is in bloom, with a four-flowered spike. ~The petals measure nine and one-half inches across and are a uniform deep rose. The lip, which is three inches across, is a beautiful magenta purple, which is brightened by the bold, yellow eye-like blotches characteristic of this species. This Cattleya is one of the earliest to start into growth, and grows very rapidly, flowering within two months from starting. It requires heat and a liberal supply of water until the bulbs are thoroughly matured, after which it should be taken out of the growing house and rested in a cool airy place; otherwise it will start a second growth which will weaken the plant. This is asomewhat new Cattleya, native of Colombia; but this species as well as C. Jinferialis, are only geographical forms of C. Gigas, or, more properly, C. Warscewtczit. Chysis Chelsonii.—This handsome Orchid is now bearing two spikes of 28 flowers. It is ahybrid between C. /evés and C Limminghet, in growth resembling the former, but like the majority of artificial hybrids, it is much stronger than either of its parents, and a very free grower. It isan Orchid that objects to have its roots confined ina pot and should be allowed to ramble at will. It must be kept well supplied with water, and when forming its bulbs weak liquid manure may be given nearly every day. It requires strong heat to form large bulbs, 212 and though it should be kept comparatively dry when at rest, a warm house in winter suits it best. Lelia flammea is a showy and rare hybrid raised from Z. cinnabarina and L. Pilchert, itself a hybrid. It somewhat re- sembles the former in growth, and the flowers are much in the way of LZ. harpophylla. Our plants are growing freely with the usual Cattleya treatment, Kenwood, N. Y., June 8th. fF. Goldring. Notes from the Arnold Arboretum. TiEAERANT flowered Maples are not common; for this peculiarity, and for the great beauty of its brilliant autumn foliage, the variety of the well known Tartarian Maple which is found in the valley of the Amoor River in Manchuria, is well worth general cultivation. It is the Acer Ginnala, or, as M. Maximowicz now considers it, the Acer Tartaricumvar.Ginnala —a small, bushy tree, attaining here a height of 15 to 29 feet, with bright green, smooth and shining, ovate, serrate leaves, incisely trilobed, the terminal lobe longly acuminate. The yellow, long pediceled, small flowers are deliciously fragrant ; they are produced in rather loose erect axillary racemes. The Manchurian plant differs from the typical Acer Tartaricum in its thinner and less coriaceous, narrower and more deeply lobed leaves, in which the middle lobe is much longer and narrower. The Manchurian Maple is a perfectly hardy, fast growing plant, whose autumn foliage rivals the Sugar Maple in the splendor of its orange and scarlet tints. It is very easily raised from seed, which has been produced here in great abundance for several years. The English Hawthorn is not a very satisfactory tree in this climate, where the summer sun is too hot for it, score hing the leaves, which are preyed upon, too, by several specie es of fungus; so that it is not unusual to see plants almost entirely destitute of foliage by the end of August. The beauty and the abundance of the flowers, however, “must compensate to a certain extent for this drawback to the English Hawthorn here, and of the in- numerable varieties known in European nurseries, none is more vigorous or more satisfactory than a double-flowered scarlet t variety, which originated in England not many years ago, and which is known as Paul's Double Scarlet Thorn, The rather small clusters of bright scarlet flowers are produced in the greatest profusion. The American Crab Apple, Pyrus coronaria, is less frequently seen in gardens than the Japanese and Siberian apples. It is, however, an ornamental tree of very considerable value and beauty, and it has the great merit of coming into flower ten or twelve days after all the other apples have shed their petals. The American Crab Apple is a small bushy tree, twenty or thirty feet high, pretty generally distributed through the Appalachian forests from Ontario’ to Alabarna, although not extending into New England and eastern New York. “Tt has serrate or lobed, ovate, somewhat cordate leaves, and broad cymes of pale pink or rose colored flowers, which are nearly two inchesacross. The orange fruit, flushed with bright scarlet when fully ripe, is an inch or an inch anda half in diameter; it hangs on long slender stalks, and lilke the flowers is delicious- ly fracr ant ; it is sometimes used for preserving. This tree loaded with fruit in the autumn is hardly less ornamental than at this season of the year. The earliest of the Spindle-trees (Zuonymus) to bloom is an east Asian species, £. a/atus, a widely distributed Japanese and Manchurian plant, re paaricalsle for the wide, ens wings ofits branches. Itis now covered with small yellow-green flowers in loose, generally three-Howered cymes. The fruit is much less conspicuous than that of many other species of this genus, and its greatest merit is the beauty of the peculiar rose color of its autumn foliage, quite unlike that assumed by any American plant, or by any other Japanese plant in the col- lection. The peculiar corky formation of the branches, which is hardly developed at all upon one variety here, is also interest- ing. Varieties differ very considerably, in the time of flowering, and in the number of the flowers in their cymes, Euonymus alatus is very hardy here, soon developing into a_ hi andsome compact specimen four or five feet high. It is figured by Regel in his ‘ Flora Ussuriensis,” t. 7. The prostrate form of the Strawberry Bush (Zuonymus Americanus, var. obovatius), is in bloom before the other American species. This is a useful subject for the borders of shrubberies and for other positions where it is desirable to connect the turf with higher plants, or to plantas undergrowth under trees. It is seldom used in gardens, however, although by no means a rare plant in much of the regions south of New York and east of the screen ielae River, It has long trailing branches which root freely, thin, dull, dark green, ‘obovate leaves, erect flower-stems one or Garden and Forest. [JUNE 27, 1888. two feet high, small greenish purple flowers and rather con- spicuous warty crimson fruit with a scarlet aril. Rhamaus alnifolius is another dwarf American shrub which, although possessing very considerable merit as an ornamental plant, in its compact habit and handsome foliage, is rarely foundin gardens. Itis a native of northern swamps, but takes readily to cultivation, soon forming dense, wide-spreading clusters of erect stems, a foot and a half or two feet high, clothed with pale yellow-green, ovate, acute, sharply serrate leaves, with prominent veins. The small yellow flowers and the black fruit are not conspicuous, It is now in flower. Pyrius (Aronia) arbutifolia, the Chokeberry, is now in flower, and is exceedingly ornamental both in foliage and in flower, There are two distinct forms of this plant, the var. erythro- carpa, with narrow leaves, very woolly on the lower side, as well as the cyme, and purple-red or scarlet fruit, which re- mains upon the branches late into the winter; and the var. melanocarpa, Which is nearly smooth and produces black fruit. Pyrus arbutifolia is a common shrub throughout the eastern part of the Continent from Newfoundland to Louisiana, with. slender branching stems two to ten feet high, cov ered with grayish-brown bark. The leaves are an inch or. more long, lance-oblong, oval or obovate, tapering at the base, sharply ser- rate, pale and often downy on the under side when young, dark green and shining above, the mid-rib glandular along the upper side. The handsome white flowers, often tinged with purple, and with conspicuous purple or brown anthers, are produced in compound downy corymbs; they are nearly an inch across when expanded. Those in the red-fruited variety, which is most common in the South, are cousiderably smaller and appear here fully a week later. The fruit is a five-celled pome, the size of a blueberry, rather dry, but sweetish to the taste. The common northern smooth forms, with purple or black fruit, vary considerably in the shape of the leaves and in the size and color of the flowers. Some of these forms are ex- ceedingly ornamental when in flower, and the variability which this plant displays naturally, makes it not improbable that, as an ornamental plant, it might be greatly improved through culti- vation and selection. Tam not aware that its improvement has ever been undertaken systematically; the field is certainly not without promise. Some of the large flowered forms are often found in American nurseries, grafted as standards on tall stems of the Mountain Ash; it is, however, a tar hand- somer plant if allowed to grow naturally on its own roots, when it forms a tall, upright, and rather compact shrub, which is beautiful from spring to autumn. Of the two species of udsonia which are found in the North- ern States, the earliest, H. exicotdes, is now in bloom. Itis a bushy, heath-like, dw arf shrub, rarely exceeding six or eight. inches in height, covered with slender, awl-shaped, greenish leaves, and preducing numerous small, fugacious, showy yellow flowers along the upper part of the branches. | This is a very common plant along the sea coast of the New England and Middle States, where it often covers broad stretches of dry, sandy, barren soil, making a conspicuous and beautiful appearance when in flower, and later in the season masses of agreeable gray-green foliage. The Hudsonias are not easy plants to establish in cultivation, but once established they grow and spread, especially if they can be slightly protected in winter, They are excellent dwart rock-garden shrubs, or they can be used as a cz irpet about taller growing plants. Neviusia Alabamensis is one of the rarest of North Ameri- can shrubs, being known only in one locality—the cliffs of the Black Warrior River, in the town of Tuscaloosa, Alabama. The rarity of this plant, the peculiar structure of its flowers, and its relationship, which Professor Gray pointed out long ago, to the eastern Asian genera, Kervia and Rhodotypos, are sufficient to make its cultivation interesting. The clusters of flowers, moreover, with their long white stamvens, a are very beau- tiful, and make this plant a most desirable addition to any gar- den. The Neviusia is a shrub four or five feet high, with erect or spreading branches, short-petioled, membranaceous, ovate, doubly-serrate leaves and solitary or fascicled flowers, which are borne on long, slender peduncles from the extremi- ties of short lateral branches. They have foliaceous calyx-lobes, no petals, and several rows of long stamens, which make the flowers conspicuous and showy. The Neviusia is pertectly hardy here, and may be propagated by cuttings as readily as any of the Spireeas. Itis figured in the sixth volume of the new series of the Proceedings. of the American Academy of Arts and Sctences, in which will be found a detailed account of this plant and its botanical affinities, from the pen of Professor Gray. Pyrus fennica, a native of the mountainous parts of central Europe, and by some botanists considered a natural hybrid be- tween P, intermedia and P. Aucuparia, although reproducing its ‘JUNE 27, 1888.] characters from seed, isinbloom. It has been described under many names, of which the most common of those still in use are Sorbus hybrida, Azarolus pinnatifida, Sorbus fennica, Pyrus pinnatifida and P. sorbifolia, itis sometimes known in nurseries as Sorbus guercifolia, It is a small tree, with smooth yellow-brown bark and erect branches, which attains, under favorable conditions, a height of forty or fifty feet. The leaves are four to six inches long, deeply pinnately cut or almost pin- nate at the base, the under side as well as the peduncles and young shoots densely hoary-tomentose. The flowers are creamy white, half an inch across, and borne in wide branch- ing corymbs. The pome is small, rarely more than half an inch in diameter, and dull scarlet in color. Pyrus fennica is a plant of very considerable ornamental value; it is very hardy, and grows rapidly, and thus far has not been attacked here by insects ; although, like the Mountain Ash, it will doubtless suf- fer from borers. Specimens differ considerably in the size, and especially in the cutting of the leaves. Among the White Service trees (Pyrus Aria) in the Arbore- tum by far the handsomest is one received several years ago from the Arboretum Segrezianum, under the name of Pyrius Decatsneana, a variety probably of the common P. Aria, which, however, does not seem to have been described, and which does not differ from the species except in its broader, brighter green leaves. It has broadly ovate, doubly serrate leaves, dark green and shining above, covered on the lower side, as well as the petioles and peduncles, with a dense white tomentum. The White Beam tree and its numerous varieties are rarely seen in American gardens. Many of them are very hardy, however, and possess, as ornamental trees, valuable properties. They are natives of northern and central Europe, the Himalaya and some parts of central Asia. The White Beam is a low, round-headed tree, sometimes twenty to thirty feet in height, and sometimes, especially in northern Europe, alow bush. It formsa compact mass of bright green foHage, with which the white covering of the under sides of the leaves, when the wind stirs them, makes a pleasant con- trast. It is handsome when covered with its scarlet fruit; and in winter, too, when its smooth branches and large green buds are exposed. The rather smail creamy white flowers pro- duced in branching corymbs are not very showy. The White Beam may be raised from seed; the fine varieties, however, can only be perpetuated by grafting, the Mountain Ash being often used as the stock. Like the Mountain Ash, this tree is liable to be attacked by borers. Symplocos paniculatus is a hardy ornamental Japanese shrub now in flower. It has attained a height of four or five feet. The branches are stout, erect and covered with light brown slightly scaly bark. The young shoots are hairy pubes- cent. The leaves are dark green, ovate acute or sometimes slightly obovate, one or two inches long, minutely serrate, conspicuously reticulate-veined, scabrous on the upper side, softly pubescent below, especially along the mid-rib and _pri- mary veins. The small white flowers, less than half an inch across when expanded, are produced in short, loose panicles, one or two inches long, terminal upon short lateral leafy branches, which appear in great profusion along the principal stems. The fruitis blue, the size of a pea. The in- troduction of this very beautiful and interesting addition to our list of hardy shrubs is due to the Messrs. Parsons, of Flushing, who sent it to the Arboretum several years ago. Among climbing plants none are hardier and few are more vigorous here than Schizandra (Maximowiczia) Chinensis, a member of the Magnolia Family, anda native of Manchuria, northern China and Japan, where it is often seen in the forests climbing over trees to a height of twenty or thirty feet. The long flexuous branches are covered with red warty bark. The leaves are two or three inches long, obovate or obovate-ellip- tical, sharply acuminate, serrate, and slightly pubescent on the under side along the principal veins. The flowers are pro- duced in few flowered axillary fascicles which are completely hidden by the leaves. They are long peduncled, drooping, three-quarters of an inch in diameter, pale rose-colored and deliciously fragrant, and are followed by scarlet baccate fruits, an inch in diameter, and which remain a long time upon the plant. This is a very hardy and fast growing vine, which might be cultivated much more frequently than it is in this country. Cytisus biflorus, a native of Hungary, is a very hardy shrub here, two to three feet high, with rigid, stout branches, and one of the showiest species of the whole genus, which can be grown in this climate without protection. It has oblong bright yellow parallelly paired flowers an inch and a quarter long, and longer than the small ternate silky leaves. Cydtsis Durpurews, a native of the central European mountain ranges, Garden and Forest. 212 is a very hardy and desirable dwarf shrub in this climate. It has procumbent, twiggy stems, solitary axillary, handsome pur- ple flowers, and small, smooth leaves with oblong leaflets. It is sometimes grafted as a standard upon tall stems of the La- burnum, but in this climate it is more successful when grown upon its own roots. ‘ The common Broom of Europe (Cytisus scoparius), a tall shrub, five to ten feet high, with small trifoliate leaves and handsome, solitary, axillary yellow. flowers, produced in the greatest profusion during several weeks, is unfortunately not quite hardy, but with a slight covering in winter blooms pro- fusely. This is one of the best known and most beautiful of European shrubs. Cytsus albus, the beautiful white Spanish Broom, requires also some protection here in winter. It has tall flexuous branches, just now covered with racemed fascicles of pure white flowers, and small silky trifoliate leaves. Like the last, it is well worth the trouble of the slight winter protection necessary to insure its profuse flowers. The double-flowered form of Wistarta Chinensis, in which the stamens are all developed into petals, is rarely seen in flower here. It is one of the plants sent to this country from Japan by Mr. F. Gordon Dexter twenty-five years ago, and afterwards propagated and distributed by Mr. Francis Parkman. Itis now in flower probably for the second or third time only in the neighborhood of Boston. The flowers have little beauty in themselves, and as the plant is such a very shy bloomer, its cultivation cannot be recommended. Tune 8th. ifs The Forest. Dispersion of Seeds and Plants. OME time ago Mr. D. Morris, in a contribution to Nature, cited numerous instances in which birds had taken an active part in the distribution of seeds and plants. Birds, it is true, from their greater adaptability to rapid and extensive locomotion, are more concerned in this work than other animals, but they are, by no means, alone in scattering seeds. In Nature for March 15th Mr. Morris contributes further notes upon this subject, from which we quote: “It may seem strange, at first Sight, to assert that cattle have been the means of distributing the seeds of certain plants from one country to another, but a statement is made by Griesbach* respecting Pithecolobium Saman (N.O. Leguminose), a large tree native of Tropical America, now naturalized in Jamaica, that the ‘seeds were formerly brought over from the continent [of America] by cattle.’ This statement has been carefully examined and it is fully borne out by facts. Formerly, Jamaica, like Trinidad at present,was dependent for cattle on Venezuela. The food of the animals during their voyage consisted, amongst other things, of the pulpy legumes of Pithecolobium Saman. The seeds being very hard were uninjured by the process of mastica- tion and digestion, and they were dejected by the animals in the pastures, where they germinated and grew up into large trees. In this instance the seeds were carried across the sea a dis- tance of about a thousand miles, and there is no doubt that the cattle were directly concerned in their introduction. Indeed, without them the seeds, even if accidentally introduced amongst the fodder, would not have been placed under such circumstances as would have enabled them to give rise to plants. In the first place, by being passed through the animals the seeds were softened and the period of germination has- tened. Inthe second place, being embedded in the droppings of the animals the seeds had a suitable medium to protect and promote germination; and this medium enabled the young plants to withstand the season of drought which is incidental to almost every tropical country. In this instance we have cattle not only the means of introducing the seeds of a valua- ble tree, but also involuntarily instrumental in establishing the tree ina new country, and providing shelter, shade and food for their progeny. Those acquainted with the guango or rain tree, as this Pithecolobium is locally called, will fully realize its value as a shade and food tree for cattle, and they will also appreciate the singular concourse of circumstances by means of which such a tree was introduced to a new country by the very animals which required it most. ; “Tt is possible there may be some one whowill doubt the possibility of seeds retaining the power of germination after undergoing the processes of mastication and digestion, and especially in the special case of ruminating animals. There *«Flora, British West India Islands,” p. 225. 214 is, however, very clear evidence on the subject. It is a com- mon occurrence in India to utilize the services of goats to hasten the germination of the seeds of the common Acacia arabica, known as the Babul. This tree belongs to the same natural order as the /ithecolobium, and grows in the poorest and driest soils of India. The Babul seeds will not germinate readily in the hot weather, and it is the regular habit, in order to save a season, fora person desirous of a crop of seedlings to make a bargain with a herdsman or a neighbor who pos- sessesa flock of goats to quarter them for some days ina small inclosure in which they are fed on Babul leaves and pods. The droppings of the animals contain a certain number of seeds which are uninjured, and these now readily germinate, and give rise to plants the same season, Iam informed by Dr. Watt that in India ‘several other plants are treated in the same way.’ The seeds of the several species of cultivated Guava are hard and do not easily germinate. These, how- ever, are said to germinate more freely and readily w hen they are picked up in night soil. “While on this subject I would mention that when at St. Helena in 1883 I expressed some surprise that no attempt was made to utilize ‘urban’ manure in the neighborhood of Jamestown, when the land was so impoverished and yielded such poor crops. Iwas met by the fact that if such manure was largely used the land would become over-run with plants of the Prickly Pear, Opuntia Ficus-indica, the fruit of which is largely consume d by the inhabitants. There is little doubt that the seeds of this plant, like those of the Guava, and I sus- pect also species of Passiflora, which are sw allowed whole, are capable of germination after they have passed through the human body. Another instance occurs to me where the use of manure has been the means of distributing an undesirable plant on cultivated lands. In many tropical countries a grass known as Para, Mauritius, or Scotch Grass, and sometimes as Water Grass (Panicum barbinode), has been introduced from Brazil, and highly esteemed for its rapid growth and nourish- ing properties, It grows well in moist situations on the banks of stre ams, and even in soils so swampy as to be suitable for nothing else. In such situations it spreads rapidly and yields abundant food forcattleand horses. Nothing, however, could be worse ae this grass for cultivated areas, where the land is required to be kept free from weeds, and where crops of Sugar-cane, Coffee, Tea and Cacao are raised. It has been found that where animals are fed on this grass the joints, even after passing through the animals, have been known to grow. Hence the manure, if freshly us d, has been the means ‘of es- tablishing the plant over wide areas.” Mr. Morris then cites the Cardoon and common Stork’s- bill (Zrodium cicufarium) as plants which have spread over wide acres in South America through the instrumentality of cattle. In the latter instance the seeds become at- tached to the legs and bodies of the animals by means of their bearded carpels, and in this way they are carried over wide areas. He then continues : “Tn the Island of Jamaica we have a remarkable instance of the naturalization and wide distribution of an introduced plant in the case of the Indian Mango. In an official report, pub- lished in 1885, I stated that to the Mango, possibly more than any tree in the island, is due the re foresting of the denuded areas in the lower hills; and as in consequence of the changes taking place in the climate members of the indigenous flora are unable to maintain their ground, it is fortunate the island possesses, in a vigorous and hardy exotic like the Mango, the means of counteracting the baneful effects of deforestation. It specially affects land “thrown out of cultivation, and the sides of roads and streams where its seeds are cast aside by man and animals. It practically reclothes the hills and lower slopes with forest, and it enables the land to recuperate its powers under its abundant shade-giving foliage.* It is strange that in Ceylon, which is so much nearer the ‘home of the spe- cies, the Mango does not spread by self-sown seedlings. We cannot say why such anomalies exist. They do exist, how- ever, and offer problems which can only be solved by a closer study of the conditions of plant life, and the interdepend- ence of plants and animals acting and reacting one upon the other. “The Orange tree was introduced to Jamaica more than a hundred years ago. It is now found practically wild over the settled parts of the island, and the fruit is exported to the value of nearly £50,000 per annum. Up to quite recently very few * Annual 1] Reéport, Public Gardens and Plantations, Jamaica, for the Year 1884, Pe 45- Garden and Forest. [JUNE 27, 1888. trees were planted. Nearly the whole were sown by the agency of frugivorous birds, who carried the seeds from place to place and ‘dropped them in native gardens, Coffee planta- tions, Sugar estates and Grass lands. In such localities the Orange trees grew and flourished, and now a demand has arisen for the fruit in the United States an important industry has been established, the active agents in which have been birds. The agency of birds in the distribution of the seeds of plants is too large a subject to be discussed at length here. A valuable contribution of facts in this direction has lately been made by Dr. Guppy in his important work on the Solomon Islands. As the most recent addition to our knowledge of what takes place in oceanic islands at the present time, it de- serves careful attention. It will suffice only to quote one or two sentences: ‘ Whilst through the agency of the winds and currents the waves have stocked the islet with its marginal vegetation, the fruit pigeons have been unconsciously stock- ing its interior with huge trees, that have sprung from the fruits and seeds they have transported in their crops from the neighboring coasts and islets. The soft and often fleshy fruits on which the fruit elas subsist belong to numerous species of trees. Some of them areas large even asa hen’ S egg, as in the case of those of the species of Canarium (‘‘Ka-i”), which have a pulpy exterior that is alone digested and retained by the pigeon. Amongst other fruits and trees on which ineee pigeons subsist, and which they must transport from one locality to another, are those of a species of LE/@ocarpus (‘toa’), a species of Laurel (Litsea),a Nutmeg (AQristica), an Achras, one or more ee of Areca (Palm), and probably a species (of another Palm) Aezéia,’” Correspondence. To the Editor of GARDEN AND FOREST: Sir.—Referring to the notes on Ficus aurea, published in your issue of May gth, it may be interesting to record the fact that to my personal knowledge this tree is” quite common on most of the islands, and that it is occasionally found on the mainland of the west coast of Florida, as far north as Tampa Bay. A specimen, almost equal in size to the famous Key West tree, stands on Sneade’s Island, at the mouth of the Man- atee River, and there is another on the opposite point (Shaw's Point) almost as large, while specimens with an entire stem- diameter of from two to four feet are not uncommon. It is quite plentifully found on Terra Ceia Island in Tampa Bay, on Anna Maria, Long, Sara Sota, and Casey's Keys, and I remember having seen it often on the Charlotte Harbor.keys, the Chock- aliska Islands, etc. Some of the Florida nurserymen have been propagating and selling the plants for the past four years. A quicker and easier method of propagation than from seed, is from cuttings. During the rainy season of our Florida summer, every cutting strikes readily without artificial heat, in one or two weeks. An advantage of Ficus aurea when used as.a decorative plant, is that it is not such a slow grower as Ficus elastica. The fact that this tree has not been reported before from the west coast is an indication of the botanical exploration still needed in Florida. The impression seems to prevail that the west coast of Florida is uninteresting, and certainly its plants are very imperfectly known. In Chapman's “ Flora of the Southern States,” for instance, three of our most. con- spicuous species of native Cactus are not mentioned : Cereus variabilis, found all along the west coast from Punta Rassa southward, in dense masses and almost impenetrable jungles, the terrorof the settler who tries to plant a tomato patch on new ground; it is also found on the east coast, I cannot say how far north. Another Cereus, thought by some to be C colubrinus, but which seems to me to be entirely different, and which is found quite frequently along the coast from Tampa Bay, as far, at least, as to Key Largo; and Opuntia Tuna, with which our whole coast and ranges of keys fairly bristle ; Indian Key especially presents a chevaux de Srise of this plant which is appalling. Among our native species of epiphytal Orchids, -Azden- drum rigidum and E. bidentatum have only been recently known to botanists. Cyrtopodium punctatum has been found at Caximbas and at Chockaliska on the west coast, as well as at Miami. Manatee, Fla., May erst, 1888. P.W. Reasoner. [These new stations for Florida plants are interest- ing, especially as indicating how much _ field-work must still be done before the plants of the Florida peninsula and their distribution are thoroughly knowm Botanizing in southern Florida has always been and June 27, 1888.] is still attended with great expense and many serious discomforts. Every year, however, adds new species to the Florida flora, and new facts relating to the range of Florida plants, especially of those of West Indian origin. Our correspondent can render a real service to American botany by carefully exploring the west coast from Cedar Keys to Caximbas Bay, which, as he suggests, is, so far as the plants are concerned, the least known part of Florida. This is now one of the best botani- cal fields in the country in the prospect it offers for new species, or species new to the United States.—Ep. | To the Editor of GARDEN AND FOREST: Sir.—Many years ago a nurseryman in Nebraska had_ his stock devoured by grasshoppers and failed to pay us. Two years ago last autumn he wrote us that he had a very large stock of Green Ash seedlings that were very fine, and that he would load a car with 250,000 of them in exchange for his note that we had held for over ten years. The trees were dug early in November, 1885; they were longer than usual in transit. Our books show that we paid the freight November 28th, but as our freight bills are not paid until the latter part of each month, this does not establish the exact date when the plants were received. Mr. Geo. Ellwanger called on us in June, 1886, and was sur- prised to see nearly 100,000 of these trees piled up in bundles of 200 trees each, covering a space about eight feet long, six feet wide and about three feet deep in one corner of our trost-proof packing shed. We sent Mr. Ellwanger a bundle from the same lot of trees in the spring of 1887, after they had lain another year undisturbed. This wasa greater sur- prise than ever, and to surprise him even more than last year, we send him another bundle to-day by mail from the same pile, thirty-one months from the time the plants were dug. No earth or other material has touched them during these thirty-one months, except the earth floor and a quantity of forest tree leaves laid over them when they were placed in the packing house in November, 1885. We send you also a package from the same lot. The wide doors have been left open this cold, backward spring, and I see the buds have started. I have had the doors closed and directed our packer to send you a package from the same pile next May. Robert Douglas. Waukegan, III. [The plants have been received from Mr. Douglas. They are in excellent condition ; the wood is perfectly fresh and healthy, and the buds are all alive. We do not recalla case of arrested vitality prolonged during so many months. —Ep. | To the Editor of GARDEN AND FOREST: Sir.—When we consider the large number of horticultural magazines, seedsmen’s catalogues and other sources of horti- cultural knowledge, it is difficult to account for the popular misinformation concerning the names of plants, the manner of their propagation and reproduction, their habits and their uses. This ignorance is not by any means confined to the il- literate. Cultivated people in city and country seem ready to believe any absurdity relating to plants, and to accept any name that is given them, as genuine. More surprising still, we find the daily newspapers circulating the most absurd state- “ments, as, for example, we are told in a certain Boston daily that ‘a horticultural novelty is a Peony which has caught the hue, shape and perfume from a Rose which overshadows it.” A leading New York newspaper gravely gives its readers the following information relative to floral fashions: ‘Pink and yellow are the favorite colors this season, the Bowarria or Paris pink being especially popular.” The following item has been going the rounds of about all the papers in the country: “Seedless raisins are obtained by burying the end of the vine in the ground when the Grape is half ripe. This prevents the formation of seed and the full development of the fruit, but it ripens all the same, and has a delicious flavor.” Such nonsense would be laughable if it were not disgraceful. In no other department of a daily newspaper would such ridiculous blundering be tolerated. Each paper has its musical critic who can pick oratorios and operettas to pieces without a slip of the pen. Articles are written on fashions in dress, where the reporter trips through Youghal lace, guipure and appliqué without ever a misstep. The papers would not dare to’ publish under these heads any such stuff as they do regard- ing horticultural and floral matters. Garden and Forest. B15 It would seem that the horticultural and floral interests in this country are large enough now to insist upon greater accu- racy when matters of interest to them are reported. There is no good reason why information of this kind should not be as carefully prepared as that relating to dress, music, the drama, or any other department of society news. If the horticultural press would treat these misstatements and blunders with the prompt ridicule which they deserve, I believe that a much needed reform would soon be effected. Boston. William F. Stewart. To the Editor of GARDEN AND FOREST: Sir..—If your correspondent who recently wrote of the Norway Spruces in the Central Parla would visitGreenwood Cemetery [| think he would find new occasion for complaint. All through the cemetery half-dead Spruces injure that effect of successful care and vigorous life which, without them, would be so satis- factory. And it they seem obtrusive in the park, even apart from their unhealthy condition, such is still more the case in the cemetery, where they have been planted in the most inap- propriate and inartistic way among groups of fine old native trees. Yet they look worse, perhaps, along the approach to the main entrance. Here a long row to the right of the road lift their thin, spindling, black and decaying forms close in front of some flourishing Silver Maples. As the Maples are there, the Spruces are unnecessary. They are already injuring the growth of the Maples, and the dreariness which they give to the scene is anything but desirable in a cemetery approach. Brooklyn, June rst, Lot-Owner. Periodical Literature. The Book Buyer for June opens withan article by Miss Edith Thomas called “Pleasant Ways Through Wood and Field,” which is worthy of its attractive title. It is a good example of those little ‘‘ prose poems” with Nature for their subject, to the growing multiplicity of which we have already referred as among the happiest signs that the American people is redeem- ing itself from the old reproach of being a people without true sentiment, keen appreciation of beauty, or delight in the “unimproved” works of God. Lippincott’s Magazine for May contains a pleasant anony- mous article entitled ‘“Among My Weeds,” in which the author tells how she turned a “barren bit of eartn on the top of Meridian Hill, near Washington, into a delightful spot, simply by helping Nature to do the work in her own way. The existing ‘crop of stones” was removed from the surface and piled into heaps and a crop of ruddy Sorrel immediately ap- peared. Then Raspberry bushes were encouraged to grow along the fences and around the heaps of stones. | Wild flow- ers sprang up and a very little attention brought them to beautiful development. Mullein-stalks grew twelve feet tall and showed unsuspected charms of line and color, and ‘ decent treatment”? made of a Pokeberry a bush ten feet in height, “Jaden with berries that would make at least a barrel of blood- redink.” The writer tells with pardonable pride of the way in which passers-by stopped to admire her ‘weed garden,” and her charming account of it should give comfort and inspira- tion to those who think they must hire a gardener and exhaust a florist’s catalogue if the surroundings of even the simplest country home are to be redeemed from barren nudity. As she truly says, the weeds of one country are often florists’ favorites in another; and the lesson of her article will be re- inforced if the American reader will glance through the pages of those English trade catalogues where so many of our despised roadside and pondside weeds are recommended as both easy to grow and very beautiful when grown with a little care, Notes from the Paris Horticultural Exhibition. Or of the striking features of the excellent exhibition this year was the tuberous Begonias. M. Robert, of Vésinet, had a wonderful collection of these plants, which have re- ceived so much attention in France. The flowers, both single and double, were very large, and the colors were superb, ranging through every shade of red, pink, orange and yellow, as well as the purest white. A group of eleven hybrids of Begonia Rex and B. Diadema demonstrated in a remarka- ble way the possibilities with these plants. The collection of Roses. was large, embracing about three thousand plants. Among the Tea Roses, Charles Lévéque, Sunset and Mar- quise de Viviens attracted the most attention, while Cap- tain Christy, among the hybrids led off, with Madame de 216 Watteville, Comte de Paris, Gloire de Margottin, American Beauty, Victor Hugo, Duke of Edinburgh, and others follow- ing hard after. In the Polyantha Roses, Ma Paquerette and ‘Mignonette were very best. A curious orange-yellow single Rose, Ma Capucine, was among the conspicuous favorites. The best collection of Orchids was shown by Messrs. Sander & Co,, of St. Albans, England, and it won the Grand Prix @'Honneur, offered by the President of the Republic, for the finest exhibit. . An excellent collection of Clematis was sent by M. Cristen, of Versailles, of which the following were the best: Paul Avenal, Eugéne Delattre and Lady Caroline Nevill, of the pur- ple sorts, and Marie Boisselot and Miss Bateman among the white ones The Rhododendrons were in great variety and well grown, while the Azaleas, both 4. mollis and Ghent varieties, were superb. A collection of Kalmias was only fair. Not as much is made of this plant in France as should be. Especially good were a group of double Petunias, one of Ericas, one of Maidenhair Ferns (Adzantum), to which should be added an interesting collection of ‘Carnivorous Plants” from Messrs. Veitch, of London. The cut flowers and fruits, with very few exceptions, were not remarkable; but the show of vegetables was excellent, especially the different salad plants and the Asparagus. An odd feature was a quantity of Mushrooms actually growing. Paris, May 28th, 1888, Ts Ds Notes. According to the Woman's Fournal, Mrs. Julia Ward Howe was recently presented in Ventura, California, with a Lily stem which bore 134 blossoms, Dr. M. T. Masters, editor of the Gardeners’ Chronicle, has been elected a corresponding member of the Institute of France (section of botany) in place of the late Asa Gray. At the recent meeting of the Association of American Nur- serymen, at Detroit, Mr. George A. Sweet, of Dansville, N. Y., was elected President, and Mr. Charles A. Green, ot Rochester, Secretary of the Association for the current year. The Bulletin of the Société @’Acclimatation in Paris men- tions the fact that a large consignment of Oranges from Aus- tralia recently arrived in London in good condition. As the sea- sons are reversed in the Southern ‘Hemisphere, Oranges there produced may supply the European market when the crops of Spain and Algeria have been exhausted, and it is asserted that if packed in sawdust, or enveloped in paper impregnated with an antiseptic preparation, they may be almost indefinitely preserved. The wife of Monsieur de Nadaillac, a famous French Orchid collector, was a very skillful painter of flowers, and four large volumes, containing water-color pictures from her brush, rep- resenting more than 300 species or varieties of Orchids, has recently “been presented by Monsieur Delessert to the library of the Museum of Natural History in Paris. The Revue Horticole recently noted the extent to which fruits and vegetables are now being exported from America, and gave as one reason why they can be sold at sufficiently low prices the fact that their cultivation is greatly specialized. In illustration a Celery farm at Kalamazoo, Mich., is cited which covers 2,000 acres of ground, produces each ‘day, during the season of six months, nearly fifty tons of Celery, employs 1,800 workmen, and directly or indirectly supports some 3,500 persons. The following uncredited item is going the rounds of the horticultural press : At a recent horticultural meeting flowers were exhibited in a glass filled with water and fitted with a wide and flat stopper. To the stopper the flowers were attached and then carefully introduced into the water in the globe, the stopper completely filling the mouth of the globe and being wide enough to stand safely. By turning the “whole arr angement so that it stood on the stopper, the flowers were left completely surrounded by water. The water magnified the flowers and a pleasing optical illusion is the result, Flowers thus im- mersed will keep twice as long as those in the air. A German resident of Barcelona recently published the fact that severe attacks of influenza—exactly like those which we call in this country ‘‘rose”’ or ‘hay colds ’—have afflicted the Garden and Forest. [JUNE 27, 1888. members of his family year by year in spring, and that he has at last traced them with certainty to pollen dust from the Plane trees which surround his home. A German scientific journal thereupon declares that the evil influence of Plane tree pollen upon the stomach, throat, eyes and ears was a well known fact in antiquity, both Dioskorides and Galen having called attention to it. That German scientific men will acknowledge that an influenza may be produced by pollen dust of any kind will surprise many American travelers; for many must remem- ber their experience with German physicians, who have laughed the idea to scorn, refusing to believe in the periodicity of the attacks from which their foreign patients suffer, or in the po- tency of the cause to which those patients attribute them. Retail Flower Markets. New York, Fume 22d. Business has quieted down among our florists, but it is not yet at the usual summer ebb. The demand from suburban districts is just be- ginning, for some resorts have opened, and many cottagers are giving lawn parties. Hybrid Roses are all out-door grown, and show general imperfections in flower and foliage. Ame rican Beauties are by far the best. A few Baroness Rothschilds come in good shape, but are small. The rangein price of hybrids is a long one, as they cost from 15 cts. to 50 cts. each, Selected ones hold at $6.00 a dozen. Marechal Neils, Brides and Mermets bring $1.50 a dozen. The latter are small and pale. Perles, Niphetos and. Souvenir d’un Ami are $1.00 a dozen. Gen. Jacqueminot Roses are decidedly poor and are $1.00a dozen. Fine La France Roses bring $3.00 adozen. Peeonies cost 15 cts. each. White ones are in good demand. Gladioluses are $1.50 a dozen spikes. Callas are scarce and cost $3.00 a dozen, the same as Lilium longiflorum. Fancy Carnations with long stems cost 50cts. a dozen. Garfields and Heintz’s White sell for 35 cts. a dozen. Mignonette costs 50 cts. a dozen, and Lily-of-the-Valley 75 cts. Field Daisies are 25 cts. and Pansies 35 cts. adozen. Sweet Pea blossoms cost 35 cts. a dozen. These with Moss Roses, which are down to $2.00 a dozen, are the choicest flowers in stock. Sweet Alyssum, finely grown, is sold for 35 cts. a dozen sprigs. Smilax, which loaks thin and sickly, is 30 cts. a string, There is some demand for Rose Geranium foliage, which is sold for 25 cts, a bunch, PHILADELPHIA, June 22d. Trade is now very dull. What flowers are sold are disposed of in the morning. First-class flowers are very scarce. The hot, dry weather is very severe on them, both under glass and out-of-doors. Stephanotis is quite plentiful, but is used only in designs, or as bouton- nieres, for which latter purpose they sell at from 15 cts. to 25 cts. per spray. Out-door Roses are nearly over. American Beauty, grown under glass, sells at $3 per dozen; La France, Mermets and Brides, $1.50; Perles, Sunsets, Niphetos, Mad. Cuisin and Bennetts, $1. Water Lilies are 10 cts. per bunch of three flowers. Sweet Peas, Corn-flowers, Nigella (Love-in-a-Mist), and Forget-me-not, 25 cts per dozen. Paea- nies cost from 10 cts. to 25 cts. each. Carnations, Crimson King, Buttercup, Grace Wilder and the scarlet varieties, are 25 cts. per dozen. Gardenias are 25 cts. per flower. Field Daisies, 25 cts. per dozen, Single Dahlias, $1 per dozen. Lz/izm Candidum, $1.50 per dozen. Gladiolus, 15 to 20 cts. per spike. Smilax, 50 cts. per string. Asparagus, 75 cts. Adiantum fronds, 35 cts. perdoz. Candytuft and the double white Feverfew (Pyrethrum) is largely used in set pieces; so also is Spireea and the white Snowball; these are rarely sold alone. Boston, Fune 22d. Out-door Jacqueminots are coming in freely, and are unusually full and good, with bright, clean foliage. They cost $1.00 and $1.50 per dozen. Hybrids are not in yet, but a few warm days will bring them on in full blast. White Roses are very scarce and have been in great demand for weddings. Cooks and Brides are worth $2.00 to $3.00 per dozen, and good ones are hard to find. Good Niphetos are also scarce, at $1.00 per dozen. The annual school and seminary gradua- tions always make June a busy month for the florists, as the custom of sending basketsand bouquets of flowers to the graduates has be- come very general. Mermets, Bon Silenes, La France and other pink Roses are very abundant and are worth 75 cts. to $1.00 per doz. low Roses, such as Perle and Marechal Neil, are notso plentiful, costing from $1.00 to $1.50 per dozen. Carnations are greatly overstocked and can be boughtin any and all colors for 25 cts. perdozen. Pzeonies, Irises, © Syringas and other out-door hardy flowers help to make the florists’ windows attractive. Among the prettiest blossoms now seen are the bright yellow Coreopsis blooms. These bring 50 cts. per dozen. The first lot of pink Pond Lilies has just come, and these can be had con- tinuously for the next two months; $3.00 per dozen is the ruling price. Lily-of-the-Valley of the best quality i is $1.50 per dozen. Some of the florists are making a specialty of the Sprays of Allemanda with its — bright yellow flowers, and Bougainvillea with bright pink clusters. These vines make beautiful table decorations. They are worth $5.00 per dozen sprays. Cattleyas cost $1.00 per flower. These are about all the really choice varieties offered. Mignonette, Marguerites, Stocks, Pansies, etc,, are of poor quality and cheap. Ce he eT a ee eee Poe ee Vel ; Aa ia a eee ete ae JuLy 4, 1888.] GARDEN AND FOREST. PUBLISHED WEEKLY LY THE GARDEN AND FOREST PUBLISHING CO. OrrFice: TripnunE Buitpinc, New York. e Conducted by . . . Professor C. S. SARGENT. ENTERED AS SECOND-CLASS MATTER AT THE POST OFFICE AT NEW YORK, N. Y. NEW YORK, WEDNESDAY, JULY 4, 1888. TABLE OF CONTENTS. PAGE. EpiroriaL ARTICLES :—Prospect Park—The Artistic Aspect of Trees. I: RV OMATiseN OLGe mervareialate ctele niciavateisin oit/a.staie't¢-are% sions aS steisiap¥ ina 6.5.0/010.28 sleiiieaisiate's 217 ForEIGN CORRESPONDENCE :—London Letter. .....-.2...-2--:0eses 0% WW. Goldring. 219 The New York Flower Mission, .......6....secesese0 Mrs. F, A. Benson. 220 Piant Norges :—Notes Upon Lilacs (with illustration)..................- Ge S:35. 220 A Tropical Garden (with illustration) Tue Foresr :—The Forest Vegetation of North Mexico. V....... C. G. Pringle. 226 CORRESPONDENCE Recent PLanT PorTRAITS.........+ a0 IN ORES peed ?ais,:cisiseisiaisie cise v\eietern.c,c's.no sista : Rerait Flower Markets :—New York, Philadelphia, Boston................-. 228 ILLustrations :—Syringa oblata, Fig. 39 A Tropical Garden Prospect Park. ROSPECT PARK, in the City of Brooklyn, is one of the great artistic creations of modern times. It 1s the best expression of the creative powers of masters in the art of landscape-making, who, more fortunate here than elsewhere in features of natural beauty, and especially in a native growth of majestic trees, were able to produce an urban park unsurpassed in any part of the world in the breadth and repose of its rural beauty. The condition of this great work of art, which, under the most favorable circumstances, could not attain its full beauty and usefulness for another century at least, is, in some respects, deplorable; and if we can judge by the contents of the twenty-seventh report of the Brook- lyn Park Department, the ideas held by the Board of Park Commissioners with regard to the responsibilities of their office, are not calculated to inspire confidence in its future. The plantations in many parts of the park, were made with a view to results that could only be obtained by a gradual and discriminating thinning-out of many trees and ‘shrubs originally planted thickly. This has for years been shamefully neglected. The Commissioners have at last been impressed, however, by the immediate results of this neglect, and have determined to make up for the neglect of their predecessors. Their report gives no sign, how- ever, that they have proceeded with any understanding of the original motives of the plantations, that they have desired to understand them, or have given them any con- sideration. All they say of their doings, at least, indicates the contrary. Let us consider what they are likely to accomplish. An urban park is useful in proportion as it is rural. The real, the only reason why a great park should be made, is to bring the country into the town, and make it possible for the inhabitants of crowded cities to enjoy the calm and testfulness which only a rural landscape and rural sur- roundings can give. This is why a large park is better than many smaller ones, and why all other objects must, Garden and Forest. 2n7 in a great park, be subordinated to the one central, con- trolling idea of rural repose, which space alone can give. A park is useful as a playground, or as a breathing space in a city, or as a picnic ground; it may be made interest- ing by the plants which it contains, or by the equipages which throng its drives; but its real object, its highest claim, to take rank among the best productions of modern civilization, is found in the rest of spirit it can bring to the souls of the weary dwellers in cities. It was with this feeling and with this understanding of what a park should be, that Prospect Park was designed and executed, and anything which is done to lessen its usefulness in this di- rection is a calamity which persons who only look upon a park as a good place in which to play ball, or drive a fast horse, do not readily appreciate. To the expression of rural repose in a park, three things are supremely necessary ; first, a considerable extent of actual space of natural landscape; second, indefiniteness or mystery of the outlines of the actual landscape space, obtained by curtaining off with natural bodies of foliage such outside objects as the eye would otherwise rest upon; third, by subordinating necessary artificial objects within the park so far as practicable to its natural elements. The easiest way to destroy the rural character of a park and limit its apparent extent is to open its borders so that outside objects can be seen from within. ‘There is danger that the Prospect Park Commissioners, in their unadvised cutting, will do this. The thinning-out of plan- tations like those in Prospect Park, where so much depends upon unity of expression and harmony in composition, is a matter of such delicacy that it cannot safely be entrusted to any one but an expert trained in the consideration of the necessities of similar cases. If the Commissioners appreciate the responsibilities which they have assumed in taking charge of such a creation as this park, they will inaugurate a systematic thinning of the plantations under some competent authority, and not trust their own inspirations. Particular attention was given in the design for Prospect Park, to providing proper accommodation for the enjoyment of out-door concerts. The principal artificial feature of the Park, is the noblelake; in thislake and close to the most pic- turesque part of the shore a little island was made to serve as a music-stand, while on the adjacent shore a wide and beautifully planted promenade, unsurpassed in extent and completeness of arrangement, was to offer to pedestrians every opportunity to listen to the music, which the occu- pants of carriages might hear equally well from two large gravel concourses, specially designed for this purpose. The most costly work upon the park was used in the decoration of these arrangements. Extensive refresh- ment-houses, fountains, seats, broad flights of stairs, superb terrace-walls of sculptured stone with bronze orna- ments—all were designed as parts of one scheme embody- ing the purpose of assembling great bodies of people, within hearing distance of a central point. The outlines of the lake for a long distance were determined with refer- ence to this purpose, bridges were planned, and boat- landings and approaches from all directions laid out with reference to it. The expenditure for the purpose must have amounted to several hundred thousand dollars. The de- signed use of the arrangement was delayed until the trees planted for shade should have grown to serve their purpose. Now that they have done so, the Commissioners state that they have satisfied themselves, by an experiment, that the acoustic effect of the music from the point in- tended would be a failure. There are few questions more difficult and with regard to which ordinary architects and ordinary musicians are more in doubt, than that of the minor conditions by which the effect of music is heighten- ed or marred. What recognized master in the science of acoustics the Commissioners employed, what variety of ex- periments were made, to what extent they were carried, and upon the verdict of what jury of experts their decision was reached, is not to be learned from their report. The 218 conclusion announced is simply that the scheme, the requir- ed outlay for which had been almost entirely made before that time, has been abandoned; and that the Commis- sioners have built a permanent music-stand under the shadow of a trimmed-up old natural wood, in a part of the park to which the original design provided no suitable approaches, having in view the maintenance of the se- cluded sylvan character which it originally possessed. The construction which the Commissioners have here erected combines, they state, the purpose of a storage house, of a music-starid, and of a battle-monument, the latter being realized by giving its basement the semblance of a fortification. The noble plaza outside the principal entrance of the park is described by the Commissioners in their report as a ‘‘great failure, suggestive of Siberia in winter and Sahara in summer,” and it is suggested to convert it into a gar- den after the fashion of the Public Garden in Boston. It is evident that the Commissioners do not understand the motives which led to the creation of the plaza, which is really one of the great features of the park, and which pro- vides, among other things, a proper place in which great public meetings can be held outside the park itself, To those who have seen the effects of public meetings upon the London parks, the establishment of this broad paved plaza will seem a wise provision indeed. It greatly facili- tates, too, the entrance of carriages intothe park as the currents of street traffic approach here upon lines coming from six different directions, which without the plaza would create hopeless confusion. But itis not necessary to cite other examples of the mental condition of these Park Commissioners as displayed in this remarkable report. Enough has already been said to show how great the danger is which constantly threatens not only Prospect Park, but all our public parks, and how great is the neces- sity that the people who inhabit our cities should fully ap- preciate and understand the real objects for which parks are created. Until the public is educated in all that relates to parks, and until its interest in them can be stimulated and maintained, it seems impossible for an ar- tist to make a design for a public ground, with any hope that his plan will be realized. Let the motives of sucha design be studied and adapted with the greatest care; let them be elaborately discussed and illustrated and explain- ed; evenif the public approves and endorses them for years and millions are expended in putting them_into execution, the time will come, as it has now come in Brooklyn, when a body of men, with no higher claims upon the con- fidence of the public than their predecessors, will enter upon their duties, either in utter ignorance of what those duties really mean, or with the purpose of ignoring the original motives which governed the construction of their trust, and of seeking for excuses to build a new park upon its tuins. This is a matter of more than local significance and importance. Every park in this country, great and small, has suffered from the causes which are now threatening Prospect Park, and every park must inevi- tably suffer from the same causes, until public interest and public intelligence is so educated in these matters that the prevalent conception of the responsibilities ot Park Commissioners: shall be much more serious and enlightened than it is at the present time. The Artistic-Aspect of Trees: I.—Form: ANY persons profess themselves lovers of trees and find much real delight in shadowy forests, varied plantations, and well-developed isolated specimens. Yet most of them would be surprised if they were asked whether they had ever studied the aspect of trees from the artistic standpoint, and very few give proof that they have held this standpoint even unconsciously to themselves. Nevertheless it is only by studying trees, whether con- Garden and Forest. [JuLy 4, 1888. sciously or unconsciously, from the artistic point of view, that we can arrive at a realization of the peculiar character and beauty of one species as contrasted with others, or of the individuals of a single species when seen under dif- ferent conditions. Only thus can we learn really to ap- preciate trees, though science may teach us how to un- derstand them ; and only when we really appreciate them can we thoroughly enjoy them or use them to the best ad- vantage. From the artistic point of view trees have three charact- eristics which may be separately considered—form, texture and color. It is of form only that we shall speak just now. The first element in the form of a tree is its general outline, its contour, the silhouette it makes when relieved against the sky or against masses of trees of other kinds. The outline peculiar to a given species may vary a good deal, of course, in different individuals; but in all full- grown and well-grown individuals it will be so nearly the same that the typical shape of the species may often be expressed in a very simple diagram on paper. An isosceles triangle with a broad base, for instance, gives the typical outline of the Spruce ; a similar figure, but with swelling sides, gives that of a freely developed Hemlock ; the White Elm would fill a vase-like figure supported by a straight line for the stem, the Hickory an elongated oval, the Sugar Maple a much fuller oval, the White Birch a very long and slender oval, and the Oak a figure approaching more nearly toa circle. In other cases the form of the head is more irregular, as with the Silver Maple, for instance, the typical shape of which would require to be expressed in a diagram of broken outline. But even in such cases this shape may be easily imprinted upon the memory, and, once imprinted, the pleasure of looking upon a new speci- men of the tree is greatly increased by one’s knowledge of how nearly it coincides with, or how far it departs from, the typical form of the species to which it belongs. But a tree’s general outline is by no means the only thing which determines what an artist would call its form. Its structure is almost of more importance than its outline in determining this, as within comparatively narrow limits its structure does not vary, while its outline may be greatly affected by a hundred accidents of position and experience. The branches of a tree may droop as in the Spruce, or spread at right angles as in the Cedar of Lebanon, or sharply ascend as in the Lombardy Poplar, or weep as in the White Elm; and between these ex- tremes almost as many variations in branch-direction will be found as there are kinds of trees to examine. Each varia- tion gives a tree a different form, the peculiarities of which are increased, of course, by such other facts of structure as the greater or less number of branches giving greater or less density and uniformity of surface to the head. And each of these differences of form means a difference in the expression of a tree—a difference in the character of its beauty, and, therefore, of its appropriateness to a given | situation. A tree of regular, formal outline has beauty of — a sort wholly unlike that of a tree with an irregular, bro- ken outline ; and the same is true when we contrast one that has many main branches dividing again into many minor ones, and, therefore, a dense, compact head, with one that has fewer branches and a more open and broken surface. The average size to which the trees of a given species are apt to grow is, of course, another element to be con- sidered in studying tree-forms. This is so obvious a char- acteristic than even the least artistic eye will note it, the most thoughtless planter will take it somewhat into ac- count. But if we may judge by the results we see all around us in places where an intelligent landscape gar- dener has not been employed, few persons pay any atten- | tion to other characteristics of form. As an English writer — said not long ago, it is lamentable to see how even the most enthusiastic amateur lovers of trees ignore those considerations which are “the commonplaces of the land- — scape gardener.” Mere chance or at most a thoughtless, Juty 4, 1888.] abstract preference for some kind of tree seems much more often to have determined planting than a clear realization of intrinsic characters accompanied by reflection with regard to the appropriateness of one character or another to a special spot. We have known a would-be planter to ask for Elms, and yet not know whether he wanted American White Elms, which would grow up into vase-like, drooping forms, or English Elms, which would assume shapes almost identical with the shapes of Oaks. If a single tree is wanted in a conspicuous position a Sugar Maple is chosen, perhaps, because Sugar Maples are known to be ‘‘ good trees,” although it would be less well in place with its roundish head than a Hickory with its taller, narrower shape, or a Hemlock, sweeping the grass with its branches. It is the same when trees are set in masses—little thought is given to the way in which their forms will contrast one with the other, and a distressing confusion results where pendulous Birches, spiry-topped Spruces, round and solid Horse-Chestnuts and straggling Silver Maples work in con- cord only in a single way—each to prevent the others from appearing well and to deprive the plantation as a whole of unity, grace and effective expression. But even when facts of outline are borne in mind, facts of structure are constantly forgotten. Yet these are of particular importance when a tree is placed in isolation, Almost any kind of contour is agreeable in an _ isolated tree, but in certain situations it makes a vast difference whether the eye rests upon an almost unbroken surface, like that presented by the Horse-Chestnut until it has reached a great age, of upon a surface which an artist would call boldly and effectively ‘‘modeled’”—a surface diversified by those alternations of light and shadow which give variety of form within the limits of the general contour. Of course no rules can be laid down in writing with re- gard to the employment of trees of various forms. The only way to use them well is to know them well; and the only way to know them well is to study them long and carefully. With scarcely a possible exception to be found, nature plants her trees with an artistic eye ; andby studying hermethods we may learn how to form our own. From the methods of intelligent men we may also, of course, often learn the same lesson, while from those of the less intelligent, we may gain, if we examine them in the tight way, at least the knowledge what not to do. Taste is the guide we need to help us, and taste means the cultiva- tion of our own perceptive powers, not the learning of cut-and-dried esthetic formulas. A movement has been started to induce the Canadian Government to establish a forest-preserve about the head- waters of the Muskoka River, which flows into Lake Huron, and of several of the important streams which feed the Ottawa, and which rise in the same region, Island Lake, the head of the Muskoka, being not more than half a mile distant from Otter Slide Lake, from which springs the Petewawa, a feeder of the Ottawa. This is a pic- turesque and well-wooded country, abounding in lakes and streams and swamps, and still frequented by game and game-fish ; it is, moreover, one of the most important in Ontario as a natural reservoir. The proposed reserva- tion embraces a territory of 330,000 acres, exclusive of an area of about 60,000 acres more of water. What the pro- moters of this scheme desire is that the government should create a public forest and define its boundaries; and ap- point a forester and assistants to take charge of it; and cut the timber as soon as ripe under proper rules and regu- lations. There can be no doubt that the preservation of a great forest area at the-headwaters of such important streams would be an immensely advantageous and profit- able investment for the Canadian Government, not only in the influence it would exert upon the water supply, but in Increased and permanent lumber crops, which good man- Garden and Forest. 219 agement would insure. This is a matter which should appeal to all Canadians interested in the development of their country, and one which the people of the United States will watch with interest, as an example of what must be attempted in this country if our forests and streams are to escape the extermination which now threat- ens them on every side. It is proposed that the Ontario Reserve shall be known as the Algonkin Forest. Foreign Correspondence. London Letter. The wealth of hardy tree and shrub bloom this season is marvelous, and as we are always seeking for causes in gardening we are inclined to attribute the profuse flower crop to the long period of hot and dry weather last sum- mer, which naturally tended to ripen thoroughly the growth of open air vegetation. The charm of beauty of a richly planted English garden at this time of the year could not probably be rivaled in any other country, our moist cli- mate being so exactly suited to the majority of trees and shrubs from temperate climes. A walk through the gar- dens at Kew just now, which contain representatives of nearly every known hardy tree and shrub, is a great pleas- ure. There you see more clearly now than at any other season the wealth of exotic growth from every temperate country. You see how largely we are indebted to the floras of China and Japan, of Chili and of other regions of South America, of Central Asia, and of southern and cen- tral Europe. But from no country have our gardens de- rived so much of their open air beauty as from the vast North American continent, which we might say has sup- plied us with fully two-thirds of our ornamental trees and shrubs. The list I jotted down at Kew a day or two ago of showy flowering trees and shrubs from North America would alone make beautiful a large garden. Its range of color, of size and habit of growth is so wide that one might plant an exclusively American garden in a most artistic way. The term American garden in England has long been a misnomer. It is commonly supposed that the com- paratively few members of the Heath family, the genera Azalea, Rhododendron, Kalmia, Ledum, Andromeda and the rest of peat-loving plants, comprised all that is worth planting of American shrubs. Happily, however, Kew is showing the public by good culture many others that deserve higher popularity, and our nurserymen are grow- ing wise and propagate the best things largely so as to render them easily obtainable. I note a few of the North American shrubs now in bloom, which are undeservedly neglected by landscape gardeners and other planters in England. : There is not a lovelier shrub than the Rocky Mountain Bramble (Robus deliciosus), and of late years it has proved itself perfectly hardy, though for a long time only grown against walls. It makes wide spreading bushes which now are lit up by a profusion of great saucer-shaped flow- ers of snowy whiteness like single Roses. The large nur- series are now getting good stocks of it. Pyvrus coronaria, though such an old introduction, is rarely seen, though for the beauty of its flowers it has few rivals among ornamen- tal Pears and Apples. Its profuse crop of large rose-col- ored, semi-double blossoms, deliciously fragrant, render - it in bloom one of the finest of lawn trees. The new Neviusia Alabamensis is flowering abundantly against a warm wall at Kew. Though not a particularly showy shrub, it is elegant in bloom, the flowers being in tufted feathery clusters of a pale yellowish green. The Californian Ribes speciosum, called here the Fuchsia-flow- ered Currant, is a very beautiful shrub, particularly as a wall covering, though quite hardy enough as an open air bush. There is no Ribes like it that I know and the blossoms look uncommonly like those of some of the old Fuchsias. Very charming in many an English garden now is Choisya fernata, called the Mexican Orange Flower, the 220 blossom being so much like that of the Orange, though it lacks the perfume. Itis not thoroughly hardy, but as a wall shrub is excellent, the more so because evergreen. The Snowdrop tree (Halesia /etraplera) flowers timidly at Kew, but this is, I think, because the dry, sandy soil does not suit it. I imagine it would do better planted near the edge of a lake or stream in the same position as one would plant a Catalpa or Deciduous Cypress. It is extremely pretty in bloom, the name Snowdrop tree being most ap- propriate. One of the Viburnums (Jl. prunzfohum), called, I think, Black Haw by Gray, is a showy shrub at Kew, the large, white flower-clusters being like that of Laures- tinus. I consider it a good ornamental shrub. The Amer- ican Judas tree (Cerces Canadensis) is poor compared with the European Judas tree (C. Sthquasirum), so that I will not attempt to extol its merits. C. Chinensis is also flowering side by side with the other two, but it is like- wise inferior. The common Judas tree is one of the prettiest spring flowering trees we have, being now literally smothered with brisk bloom. Other American trees that help to make our lawns and shrubberies beautiful now are the Red Buckeye (#sculus rubicunda), the Amelanchier, some of the Thorns (Crategus), Magnolia acuminata and MW. Fraseri, the latter being scarcely inferior to the noble M. grandiflora of the southern States. The glorious race of Hybrid Azaleas and Rhododendrons are scarcely at their best, being fully three weeks behind their usual date of flowering this year. W. Goldring. London, June 1st. The New York Flower Mission. HE eighteen years’ work of the Flower Mission has demon- strated to those interested the usefulness of flowers among the sick, poor and degraded. The New York Flower Mission was established three months after the one in Boston, which was founded by members of the congregation of Rev. Mr. Hays, in 1870. A Flower Mission in San Francisco, California, has been in operation several years, organized on plans sent from the New York Mission. Americans living in Japan, who were interested in the work here, have one in successful operation there. And now children of the Tokio Flower Mission, the children of high-class Japanese officials, in company with their little American and European cousins, go out to distribute among hospital patients the flowers that have a healing influence. The mission was originally established to distribute flowers among the hospitals, but soon there were requests for nose- gays from the Homes for the Aged, the Insane Asylums and from the sick and poor in tenements. And now nurses, bible- readers and all sorts of missionaries call at the Mission rooms for a basket of bouquets to give out at the dispensaries, or to carry to those in distress. Flowers come in from all directions within a radius of a hundred miles of the city. They come from private gardens, from Sabbath-school societies, from guilds, and King’s Daugh- ters. They are carefully assorted and packed, and are brought free of cost by express companies. The room of the Mission is furnished by All Souls’ Church, and the total ex- penses last season of the New York flower mission from May until November was but $30. The distribution of flowers takes place on Mondays and Thursdays, when the flower girls are anxiously awaited at the institutions and places where they are expected. There is an endeavor made to please the fancies of those in confine- ment by selecting for them flowers for which they have a pre- ference. The blind choose the blossoms that are strongly per- fumed, such as Lilacs, Tuberoses and Honeysuckles. Colored people prefer the gaudiest flowers, while children beg for wild flowers, fruit blossoms, Field Daisies and Sweet Clover. Germans make requests for Geraniums, which they propa- gate; Peonies, Tradescantias and Ivy ; strawberry boxes filled with growing Ferns give great delight to persons of this na- tionality, as do Pfingster blossoms. The French ask for Violets, Pansies and Mignonette. Men have their share of the flowers taken to hospital pa- tients. They are received by them with the same eager- ness shown by women. Flowers are particularly requested when important operations are to take place, as they are known to give fortitude and hope. Their influence upon the insane has been so soothing, that the keepers of the Garden and Forest. [July 4, 1888. mad-house on Blackwell's Island made especial request last season that their annex for the raving patients should receive flowers as often as possible. Insane men were formerly neg- lected, but this year a particular request has been made that flowers be sent to them as well as to the women. It has in many instances been shown, when slips and plants have been given to the poor in tenements, that they have awakened an interest and given healthful occupation to some intemperate member of the family, who has in this way been | diverted from drink, and it appears that the love for flowers is a strong remedial force when mind or body is weakened or diseased. The officers of the mission propose to extend their work through the winter season if they can enlist the aid of florists, to supply them with growing plants during the time when the cut flower distribution would be impracticable. They would give out cuttings and small plants from depots establish- edin localities where the poorest people live. They would give printed instructions how to treat the plants and offer a prize for the best results with these plants in the spring. The wholesome effect of plant-culture, it is hoped, might worka beneficent influence in the homes of the vicious. It is pro- posed to give an exhibition for the benefit of the mission of the plants presented by it and grown in humble homes. In time this project will undoubtedly be carried out. It has been observed that the poor Germans who beg for the “Flowers of the Fatherland,” to grow in their windows, as reminders of home, show the most interest in their cultivation, and are the most successful growers. In the German hospital, the sick have dried their flower bunches and made paper bags to preserve them in. Those who are hopelessly ill haveasked that their flowers be buried with them. . In the day nurseries, the little toddlers forsake their toys for a flower, and betray extreme delight when one is given to them. It is said that flowers are better than monitors to keep the children in good order. £. A, Benson, Plant Notes. Notes Upon Lilacs. ILACS, especially many of the garden varieties of Syringa vulgaris, are met with wherever hardy shrubs are cultivated; but there are several species of the genus, which, although possessing ornamental qualities of the highest order, are rarely seen in gardens. It is pro- posed to figure from time to time a number of these in these columns when proper material can be obtained for the purpose, in order that they may become better known and their beauty appreciated. The genus Syrimga is composed of about a dozen spe- cies of shrubs or shrub-like trees distributed from south- western Europe through central Asia and the Himalayas to Mongolia, northern China and Japan. They have op- posite entire or rarely pinnately-divided, smooth or slightly pubescent, deciduous, or in one species persistent leaves, a terminal thyrsus of small, generally fragrant, lilac or white, regular, monopetalous flowers, with a cam- panulate, irregularly dentate calyx; a corolla, with a long or short cylindrical tube and a four-lobed limb, revolute in the bud; two stamens inserted below the mouth of the tube, with short included, or subulate exserted, nearly extrorse anthers ; an included style, with a slightly or deeply cleft stigma; a two-celled ovary, with two minute suspended ovules in each cell, a subterete oblong capsule flattened contrary to the narrow partition, two-valved, the valves almost conduplicate; and pendulous compressed seeds, with slightly winged margins, a thick membranaceous coat, fleshy albumen and flat cotyledons. The species may be grouped as follows: : § EUSYRINGA. Tube of the corolla long; flowers pur ple. * Leaves green on both sides. 1. S. vulgarts, L. Leaves smooth, long-petioled, cordate or ovate-cordate, contracted into a slender point ; inflor- escence often in pairs from the ends of the branches ; calyx irregularly four-tubed, glandular puberulous; limb of the corolla concave, the lobes cymbiform ; anthers included ; fruit smooth, ovate, Jury 4, 1888.] Syringa vulgaris is a native of the mountainous region of central Europe from Piedmont to Hungary. It has been a favorite garden plant for three centuries, and has produced in cultivation a great number of varieties with more or less dense inflorescence, and with flowers varying from purplish red to pure white. Double-Howered and “plotched-leaved varieties are cultivated. The leaves of this species and of all the varieties are often greatly disfigured in the United States during the summer and autumn months by the attack of a white mildew, 2. S. oblata, Lindl. Leaves broadly cordate or deltoid, sharply acuminate ; thyrsus short and broad, often in pairs from the ends of the smooth or slightly puber ulent branches ; flowers large, appearing just before or with the unfolding of the leaves ; calyx irregularly dentate, the teeth obtuse or sublanceolate, the tube slightly glandular ; lobes of the corolla round and flat; anthers included; fruit smooth-ovate, acute. Garden and Forest. 221 is not known in , Fortune in a garden at Abbé David in gardens near Pekin. in this climate indicates its northern differs but slightly in botanical characters of S. vulgaris, a geographical variety of Syringa oblata (see illustration on Ne page a wild state; it was first discovered | Shanghai, and later by the Its perfect hardiness origin. oblata from some forms which, it should, perhaps, be considered, although, from a garden point of view, quite distinct. Here it flowers ten or twelve days earlier than the earliest varieties of S. vulgaris, and its thick leathery leaves, which are never attacked by mil- Fig. 39.—Syringa oblata. dew, turn in the autumn to a rich dark russet-red color, a character which should be taken advantage of by hybridizers to secure a new race of Lilacs with the large inflorescence of S. vulgaris and the foliage of this Chinese plant. S. od/ata is a stout spreading shrub here, now eight or ten feet high, flowering profusely every year. There is a white-flowered variety, which has not flowered here. 3. S. Chinensis, Willd. Leaves ovate, or rounded at the base or often contracted obtuse long, acuminate, into the 222 slender petiole; calyx campanulate, irregularly four- toothed ; tube of the corolla long and slender, the obtuse lobes of the limb spreading with inflexed margins, some- times mucronate; anthers included; stigma two-lobed ; fruit oblong, acuminate, smooth. Syringa Chinensts, Willd. Berl. Baum., i. 48. Lilac Varina, Dum, Cours. Bot. Cult., ii. 547. S. Rothomagensis, Nouv. Duham., ¢. lviii. S. dubia, Pers. Enchyr., i. 9. S. correlata, A. Br. Sitz. Gesell. Nat. Berlin, 1873, 69. This plant, although long cultivated, is not known ina wild state. It is believed to be of Chinese origin, and it is not un- common in the gardens of Pekin. In general appearance, in the shape of the leaves, the size of the flowers and in the period of blooming, it is intermediate between S vulgaris and S. Persica. This is one of the hardiest and handsomest shrubs in cultivation, producing its enormous rather lax clus- ters of flowers in the greatest profusion. There are varieties with rosy purple and with white flowers. 4. S. Persica, L. Leaves ovate, lanceolate, narrowed into an acute, sometimes mucronate point, entire or rarely pinnatifid, the base contracted into a slender petiole; thyrsus loose, the flowers spreading; calyx with four obtuse lobes; tube of the corolla long and slender, the ovate lobes with inflexed margins slightly spreading; anthers included ; fruit linear, obtuse or apiculate, smooth. Syringa Persica has long been an inhabitant of the gardens of Persia and India, whence it was introduced into Europe and America. Itsnative country, however, was long unknown until it was met with by Dr. Aitcheson, of the Afghan Bound- ary Survey, who found it ‘‘a very common shrub on the low and outer hills near Shalizan up to nearly 7,500 feet."* Varie- ties with lilac and with white flowers are common. 5S. pteridifolia is a variety in which the leaves are deeply laceni- ate. * Leaves pale on the under side. 5. S. wllosa, Vahl. Young shoots smooth, slightly striate-angled, conspicuously marked with oblong white spots; leaves broadly obvate-lanceolate; contracted at the base into a short, stout, grooved petiole, and with scab- rous margins and conspicuously reticulated veins, the pale under side, especially along the principal veins, covered with long, slender, scattered hairs; thyrsus elongated, narrow and often interrupted; calyx smooth or slightly pubescent, the short, obtuse lobes much shorter than the tube ; tube of the pale, rose-colored corolla slender, four times the length of the calyx, the oblong lobes with oe inflexed margins erect or spreading ; stamens in- cluded. Syringa villosa was discovered near Pekin about the middle of the last century by the French missionary, d’Incarville. _ It was found in the same region by David, and plants raised from seed sent to the Arnold Arboretum from Pekin by Dr. Bretschneider are now growing here. To this species should perhaps be referred, as M. Franchet hints in his paper upon the Chinese Lilacs,+ S. Fostkea and S. Emodi, which, as he points out, cannot be separated from d’Incarville’s plant either by the shape of the leaves, the character of the inflorescence, or by the shape and size of the flowers. In the Himalaya plant (S. Emodi), however, the long, white hairs which cover the under side of the leaves of S. vé//osa, are replaced by a minute puberulence on the mid-rib, which is even less developed on the leaves of S. Fosikea. The bark, color and markings of the young shoots and the habit of these three plants are iden- tical, although in S$. ¥osikea the leaves are narrower than in the Chinese plant, but not narrower than those of many Hima- laya specimens. The plants of S. Yosikea, now widely dis- tributed in gardens, have all been propagated from a single plant discovered in a Hungarian garden, but not known to be wild in Europe, and probably of Asiatic origin. 6. S. pubescens, Turcz, Leaves ovate, three or four ribbed, cuneate at the base, one and a half to two inches long, pale-green above, pale below, the mid-rib distinctly pubescent; calyx smooth. with short, triangular, some- times minutely mucronulate lobes; tube of the pale, rose-colored corolla very slender, six times longer than * Four Linn. Soc.; xviii. 78. t Observations sur les Syringa du nord de la Chine, Bull Soc. Philomath 2 de Paris, July, 1885. pe tet aa Garden and Forest. [JuLy 4, 1888. the calyx; the lobes of the small limb short and oblong ; fruit obliquely oblong, verrucose. § § sARCOCARPUM. Leaves persistent. 7. S. sempervirens. Leaves coriaceous, short-petioled, ovate or suborbiculate, entire; cyme few-flowered; calyx cup-shaped, obscurely crenate; tube of the short corolla white, three times as long as the calyx. The lobes finally reflexed, thick, obtuse; anthers inserted in the middle of the tube; style slightly bifid; fruit drupaceous, with two cells; one abortive, the other containing at maturity a single, oblong, irregularly incurved seed. Syringa sempervirens, Franchet, Bull. Soc. Linn., Paris, No. 77, p. 613, was discovered by the French missionary, the Abbé Delavey, at an elevation of 7,500 feet in the mountains above Tapintze in Yun-nan. It has not been introduced into cultivation, ee oe § § § LIGUSTRINA. Tube of the corolla very short; flowers white. 8. S. Amurensis, Rup. Leaves ovate or oblong, obtuse or acuminate, contracted into a long, channeled petiole; thyrsus densely flowered; calyx sub-membranaceous, smooth, irregularly toothed ; tube of the corolla included in the short calyx; the lobes obtuse; fruit oblong, obtuse, smooth. Syringa Amurensis is a hardy shrub six or eight feet high, with white, fragrant flowers ; a native of Manchuria. g. S. Pekinensis, Rup. Leaves ovate or deltoid, obtuse or acuminate, rounded at the base or contracted into the long, slender, channeled petiole, dark green and opaque above, lighter on the under side; thyrsus densely flow- ered ; calyx obscurely denticulate; tube of the white corolla barely longer than the calyx; fruit smooth, linear- oblong, acute, or slightly beaked at the end. Syringa Pekinensis isa native of the mountains of northern - China, where it was' discovered by David. It is growing in the Arnold Arboretum, where it was raised from seed sent by Dr. Bretschneider from Pekin, but as yet has shown no disposition to flower. It is here aslender, tree-like shrub, perfectly hardy, and already ten to twelve feet high, with long, graceful, flexuous branches, covered with a smooth, yellow-brown bark, not very unlike that of a Cherry tree. A plant with distinctly weeping branches appeared among the seedlings raised in the Arboretum. 10. S. Japonica, Maxm. Leaves broadly ovate, acu- minate, contracted into a sharp point, rounded or slightly cuneate at the base, smooth above, villous-pubescent on the under side ; thyrsus many-flowered, calyx puberulous denticulate; tube of the corolla included in the calyx, the lobes thickened on the margins, apiculate; the smooth fruit oblong, obtuse. Syringa Faponica is a native of Japan, It has been culti- vatedin the Arboretum for a number of years, where it makes a handsome small tree. 11. §. rofundifolia, Decne. Leaves orbicular, abruptly acuminate at the end, cordate or rounded at the base; panicle many-flowered; calyx membranaceous, slightly denticulate, tube of the corolla included in the calyx, the lobes ovate, obtuse. Syringa rotundifolia, Decne., Nouvelles Archives du Mu- séum, ii, 44, is a native of south-eastern Manchuria, and has not yet been introduced into cultivation. CSaSs ee ee a eee A Tropical Garden. HERE was published in one of the early issues of GARDEN AND Forest an illustration showing the en- trance of what may be called, perhaps, a typical New England garden, or rather of a garden in which some of those forms of plant life typical of the vegetation of north-eastern North America—the White Pine, the Hem- lock, the Oaks, Maples and the Hickories—are conspicu- | ously displayed as Nature often groups them. Our illus- tration on page 223 of the present issue represents the entrance of a garden almost at the other extremity of the JuLy 4, 1888.] earth, and about as unlike a New England garden in the nature of the plants which adorn it as it is possible to imagine. It is the entrance to the Botanical Garden at Peradenia, near the famous city of Kandy, in the Island or Ceylon, where for seventy years the British Government has maintained one of the most important botanical estab- lishments in the tropics. The Mahavelli River flows round the garden, which occupies a horseshoe-shaped peninsula among the mountains, and which on the land side is pro- tected by impenetrable thickets of Bamboo. The climate is admirably adapted to insure the vigorous growth ot tropical plants, which are found here of a vigor and size rarely attained in other tropical gardens. Peradenia differs widely in arrangement from most of the so-called botani- cal gardens of the world. The plants are not huddled Garden and Forest. 223 thirty buttresses, from which huge snake-like roots spread out over the surface of the ground for a distance of one or two hundred feet. It is the ‘‘Snake-tree” of the1 The collection of Palms in this garden, from bi the new worlds, is very large, and not the latives. th the old and least remarkable is the native T alipot Palm (Cor vpha umbraculifera), which, unfortunately, does not appear in our illustration. No other tree, perhaps, presents a more striking and remark: spectacle than the Talipot when it shoots up its giant inflorescence high above the top of the mountain forests in which it grows. The trunk is perfectly straight and pure white, like a marble column, supporting at its often one hundred and fifty feet from the ground, a crown of fan-shaped leaves, which, on fully grown specimens, have a surface of 150 to 200 square feet, and from which summit, , A Tropical Garden.—See page 222. together in formal beds, but are grouped naturally through the garden, which is about one hundred and fifty acres in extent, and produces a broad, park-like effect. The great clumps of different species of Palms near the entrance will serve to indicate how the most important natural groups of plants are managed in this truly noble garden, and to show to our readers some of the beauties of tropical vegetation. The large tree, the top of which appears at the left of the picture ‘abov e the Palm in the foreground, is the Ficus elas- “ica or Rubber-plant, so commonly grown in this country as a small pot-plant for the decoration of livi ing rooms. In its home in the tropics it attains the size of a “noble forest tree, often a hundred feet in height, with an enormous leafy crown borne on branches spreading out horizontally forty or fifty feet from a ponderous stem, supported on twenty or once in the life-time of the tree—generally when it is sev- enty or eighty years old—shoots up a pyramidal inflor- and covered with escence thirty or forty feet in height, countless myriads of ‘small yellow-white flowers. When the seed is ripe the tree dies. The ‘‘Ola” paper of, the Cinghalese was made from the leaves of this tree; and all the old Paskala manuscripts in the Buddhist monasteries on the island were written with an iron stylus on paper made by boiling narrow strips of Talipot leaves. Weshall hope on another occasion to illustrate some of the remark- able plants in the Peradenia garden. “ Everything made by man’s hand has a form which must be beautiful or ugly: beautiful if itis in accord with nature and helps her; ugly if it is discordant with nature and thwarts her. 224 Garden and Forest. Cultural Department. Celery. a is probably the most important of all our garden crops. tcan be used every day in the year; from September till April as blanched Celery, and from May till August as green Celery for flavoring soups. An abundance of blanched Celery can be found in. the New York and other city markets in July and August, but it is Kalamazoo and not Long Island Celery. We have tried hard enough to have good blanched Celery in summer, but have always failed, the crop being destroyed by rust. W hy not grow it in moist land, as they do in Kala- mazoo? We have tried that, and on the naturally moist or wettish land it has rusted far worse than in good, common garden soil, The White Plume is amost excellent Celery for use from Sep- tember till New Year's, and as it is self-blanching, and the blades, as well as the stalks of the inner leaves, become white, it has an uncommonly handsome appearance. Although it is said that this variety needs no earthing up, we find that bank- ing lengthens the stalks and renders them much more tender. Golden Heart is a most excellent all-round variety, dwarf, and suitable for early or late crops. New Rose is much like London Red. The pink tinged Celeries are seldom esteemed cs highly as the white ones, but they are the finest flavored and capital keepers. Boston Market, regarded so favorably around Bos- ton, and there grown with all its sprouts, is not so great a favorite here. Its best characteristic is that it keeps well. In growing it but one head should be allowed and all the sprouts rubbed off at planting time and then again before the banking is begun. Henderson’s Half Dwarf is an excellent sort for use before March, but does not keep later. The Golden Self- Blanching is after the style of White Plume, only yellow, and in no way to be preferred. The giant Celeries require too much room, are unwieldy to handle, are poor keepers, and their leaf stalks are often hollow. Seed of Golden Heart sown in a flat in the green-house about the end of January, and the seedlings afterw ard pricked off into other flats and then into a cold- frame, are now planted out in rows three feet apart in the garden. These now furnish a good supply of leaves for flavoring. But they will be of no use for white Celery; if kept for this purpose most of them would run to flowerand all would rust. A March sow ing gives the earliest white Celery here. The main crop was sown ‘April 26th in a well prepared out-door bed, and the seec llings -are now up in their second leaf and fit for pricking oa into beds. We never transplant directly from the seed bed, but first prick off the seedlings four to six inches apart into well prepared beds, there to remain till planting time. By this means well- rooted, stocky plants are secured. The main cropsare planted out in July and as the ground is ready; sometimes it is August before the planting is over. Celery succeeds Marrow Peas, early Snap Beans, Potatoes, Cauliflower, Cabbage or Straw- berries. For the crops we shall use before New Year's, we line off the ground in rows four and one-half feet apart and throw out the ground in the rows to a depth of six inches and toa width of ten inches. This gives us ample room for earthing up the crop, and the tre enches are handy for holding manure and water. We manure broadcast for the spring crop and in the row for the Celery. Planting on the level has been tried here, but with indifferent success. For Celery to be used after New Year's we plant in the same way, but in rows only three feet apart; this is because the late crop should not be earthed up, except to ‘handle’ it, before it is packed into trenches to keep through the winter. One of the chief points to observe in growing Celery is that from the time it germinates till it is packed away for winter it should never suffer by drought. In banking up Celery in fall some discretion should be used. Celery banked up in August whitens in three to four weeks, that banked up in September in four to six weeks, but that banked up in October will not whiten before New Year’s, if then. Do not bank up Celery all at one time, but a little ata time, and never “handle,” bank or store Celery when it is wet or damp, else rust or rot may overtake it. Celery to be used before Christmas should be banked in Septembér, but avoid banking or handling late winter Celery before the beginning of October. September a and October are the best growing months for Celery. Our Celery is wintered in trenches on a warm, sunny slope. The Celery is in single rows, and the trenches are as deep as the Celery is long, the plants being packed up close against each other. Four "of these rows, each nine inches distant from the other, are formedinto a ridge in order to lead off the surface the [JuLy 4, 1888. rains of winter. And to further keep them dry in winter, we cover them with boards. We also use salt hay and forest tree leaves to exclude hard frost from the ground. The Celery keeps in this way in these trenches till the spring thaws set in; then it is lifted out, all decaying matter cut off, and it is buried again, but this time above ground, with earth between the plants and shutters over them. Celery in plenty was kept in this way up till the 7th of May. But towards the end of April Celery weakens perceptibly. Now, while these dates are au very well for Long Island, in less favorable localities Celerv seed should be sown propor- tionately earlier. It is a fact that Celery is often spoiled in preparing it for use, by washing it. In order to have Celery in its finest condition, as egards crispness and flavor, it should not be washed or robbed of all its roots till immediately before it is prepared for table. Washing and dressing. Celery before sending it to the kitchen orsome two or three days before using it, as hap- pens when it is sent to town, may make it look well, but it surely injures the flavor of the plant. Glen Cove, L. I. W. EF. Spathoglottis Kimballiana—This is a handsome and very remarkable Orchid, very rare, and the finest of the genus. It is now in bloom with W. S. Kimball, Esq., of Rochester, N. Y., in whose honor the plant is named. It flowered for the first time in England some six weeks ago in the collection of Sir Trevor Lawrence, and has been awarded a first-class certifi- cate by the Royal Horticultural Society of London. Its flowers are as large as Phalenopsis grandifiora, and of a very pleasing yellow color, being borne many together on a fine erect spike. It was discovered in 1886 by I. Forstermann in the Malayan Archipelago, who first (from a distance) thought it a yellow Phalaenopsis, so great was the resemblance of “the flowers to that species. It is sparingly found growing on rocks in a very moist situation. Oncidium pulvinatum.—This fine Oncidium, introduced many years ago, is now rarely met with in collections, having been discarded of late years by cultivators, owing to its cultural re- quirements not being successfully carried out. A grand speci- men in fine health is now flowering in the well kept collection of H. Graves, Esq., Orange, N. Te It has four stout, many- branched spikes densely laden with upwards of 1,200 flowers, lip being of afine bright yellow, the sepals and petals beautifully marked with dull chocolate. Pot culture and intermediate house temperature suit this species admirably, with a good supply of water during active growth. June Notes from the Flower Garden. OUBLE-FLOWERED herbaceous Pzeonies find a place, and generally a prominent one, in all old country gar- dens, where they spring up and flower and die down yearafter year. Single-flowered Pieonies, although much more beauti- ful, are less often seen, and gardeners in this country are only just beginning to appreciate them and to realize that among them are some of the very finest of all hardy herbaceous plants. Nearly two dozen species or sub-species of Paeony are known, natives of southern Europe, northern and western Asia and western North America; of these all but one are herbaceous. Many of the species have long been cultivated, especially P. albiflora, a Siberian plant, and P. officinalis, from southern Europe, and they have given rise to numberless varieties, both single and double flowered, and with petals varying from pure white or pale pink to deep scarlet. Many of the : species have probably never been cultivated in this country, and no one has yet made here anything like a com- plete or even a representative collection of the best garden varieties. Such a collection, could it be properly studied and correctly named, would be of great service to gardeners, and would well repay systematic study. Certainly there is no class of hardy plants of so much beauty which are so inadequately known in this country. The most beautiful single-flowered Peony here, in a very small and badly-selected collection, is P. albiflora, with deliciously fragrant, pure white satiny flow- ers, four or five inches across, two or three being produced ~ sometimes from the same stem. Vesta, a seedling, raised evidently from the last, has immense pale pink flowers, shaded delicately with rose, and when fully expanded ten or twelve — inches across. Abyla has smooth, rosy pink flowers, three inches across, and is a less desirable plant than Galopen, with much larger pink flowers, but not otherwise distinguishable from it. ‘Algeria has dark purple-red, satiny flowers, “and Gor- dens, very “handsome, large, spreading, dark purple-red Jury 4, 1888.] flowers. Ranunculiflora was in bloom ten days earlier than any of these; it is a form no doubt of P. officinalis, with rosy red, not very large nor distinct flowers. I do not pretend to vouch for these names, which are those under which the plants were imported from Europe. The showiest herbaceous plant just now in flower in the gar- dens in this neighborhood is a very fine variety of the Cau- casian Poppy (Papaver bracteatum), raised several years ago by Mr. Francis Parkman, in which the flowers are large— seven or eight inches across, deep blood-red, and handsomely marked on the inside of the petals with a dark purple-black eye. It is a very hardy plant, which, when once fairly estab- lished, spreads into a broad mass, from which the stout, naked scapes rise to a height of two to three feet. This Poppy rarely produces seeds ; and is propagated by root cuttings, taken in the summer, before the plants begin their second or autumn growth. The young plants are best grown in pots, until they have attained considerable size, and then, as they transplant badly, they should be planted without disturbing the roots where they are to remain permanently. Vincitoxicum acuminatum is a Japanese plant, with twining stems two or three feet long, softly pubescent, long green leaves, and loose axillary, long-stalked clusters of pure white star-shaped flowers, which it continues to produce during sev- eral months. It is rather an interesting addition to the list of hardy summer-flowering perennials. Gillenia trifoliata, the Bowman's Root of southern woods, is an excellent plant in the herbaceous border, where it makes a wide, graceful mass of slender red stems, two or three feet high, covered with light, three-lobed leaves, and many pretty white-petaled flowers in loose panicles from the ends of the branches. Allium ceruleum, a Russian species, is a good border or rock-garden plant, with showy, compact heads of bright blue flowers, which, individually, are not large. It is perfectly hardy, and well worth cultivating for the peculiar color of the flowers. Another Onion (Ad/ium Moly), a native of southern Europe, and a very old garden favorite, still holds its own among all the more recent introductions of this family. A ‘mass of this plant, when the bright yellow flowers, which ap- pear in compact. umbels above the broad leaves, are open, is always a pleasant sight, which year after year will be renewed without care or trouble. Vancouveria hexandra isa low herb, belonging to the Bar- berry family, and a native of the North-west coast, where it inhabits the moist, shady Coniferous forests. It takes kindly to cultivation here, and has now spread over a considerable space among the rocks in the shadiest part of the rock-garden, where now it is throwing up in great profusion its tall, naked, slender flower scapes. They are often two feet high, and bear near the summit a number of small, white, nodding flowerson long, slender, filiform, drooping pedicles. The thin, pale green leaves are composed of two or three stalled, obtusely- lobed leaflets, which possess in themselves no little beauty. But the handsomest flower in the garden, and one of the handsomest of which the North American flora can boast, is the great red and white Lady’s Slipper (Cypripedium spectabile). It is not a rare plant at allin Northern bogs, and one of the easiest of all the terrestrial Orchids to cultivate, either in the open border or in a pot, but no other Cypripedium can compare with it in beauty, and it quite puts to shame all the high-priced tropical species and the innumerable and never-ending gar- den hybrids wnich Orchid-growers now produce so easily. Cypripedium spectabile is a downy plant, with leafy stems, a couple of feet high, bearing one or several pure white flowers, with an inflated, prominent, rosy-purple lip. There is not a garden which cannot bemade more attractive by bringing into it this charming plant. = Boston, June ene P Be Notes from the Arnold Arboretum. | ane Rocky Mountain Raspberry (Rudus deliciosus), although one of the first of the central and southern Rocky Moun- tain plants known to botanists, having been discovered in 1820 by Dr. James, the surgeon of Long’s expedition, has only been in cultivation a few years, comparatively, and is still very little known in gardens. It is one of the handsomest and hardiest of the early summer-blooming shrubs. Like the well known Rubus odoratus and Rk. Nutkanus,it has simple leaves and large flowers. &. deliciosws has erect, arching, graceful stems four or five feet high, covered with light brown or gray striated bark. The bright green leaves are borne on slender red petioles one ’ and a half or two inches long. They are two inches or more in diameter, fe torm-orbiculsy, rugose, three to five lobed, Garden and Forest. 225 sharply serrate, tomentose pubescent when young like the calyx and the young shoots, which are also red. The erect, few, generally one-flowered peduncles, are long and slender. The flowers, when expanded, are nearly two inches across, and pure white. They resemble miniature Cherokee Roses, and present a charming appearance when they cover the arching branches of the plant. The fruit is small, composed of three or four dry, tasteless carpels; and the delicious flavor, to which the plant owes its name, was developed doubtless in the imagination of the hungry botanist who discovered it. This plant may be easily raised from seed, which is produced here, but not very abundantly, or by cuttings ; it is perfecily hardy, and will thrive in any exposure and in any good soil. Stronger shoots and better flowering wood are obtained by cutting out the old stems after they have finished flowering, thus stimu- lating the growth of vigorous young wood. The Nine-Bark (Physocarpus, or, as it is more generally known, Sfir@a opulifolia) is a familiar plant in the gardens and along the borders of woods and streams in the Northern States. It will not be in flower here for two or three weeks yet, although its near relative from another continent, Physo- carpus Amurensis of Manchuria, where it was discovered in 1856 by Maximowicz in the mountains along the Amoor River, has been flowering here for several days. It is a large shrub, with stout erect branches, six or eight feet high, covered, like those of its American congener, near the base with loose bark, separating into numerous thin layers. The ample leaves are broadly acuminate, three to five lobed, and sharply serrate. The large, white, long-pediceled flowers, three-fourths of an inch across, with conspicuous purple anthers, are borne in rather loose subracemose corymbs, terminal on lateral red, leafy young branches, produced in great profusion from the stems of the previous year. The Manchurian Nine-Bark is a very hardy, free-growing shrub, rather coarse in appearance and habit, but well suited to grow in the shade or to produce bold, effective masses of foliage in large shrubberies or on rocky banks. Among Spireeas, two species now in bloom in the Arboretum, Spire@a alpina and S. cana, are rarely seen in gardens here, although possessing very considerable merit as ornamental plants. S. a/pina, like S. Thunbergii and S. prunifolia, belongs to the section of the genus in which the corymbs of flowers are produced from the ends of very short lateral branches. Itisa graceful plant, three or four feet high, with slender, arching, flexuous, angled stems and linear-lanceolate leaves which are sharply acuminate, pale green, entire or sometimes sharply serrate towards the apex. The handsome corymbs of white flowers are produced in great profusion, and in size and general appearance are not unlike those of the well-known S. Cantonien- sis (Reevesiana), in which, however, the inflorescence appears at the end of long lateral branches. S. a/pina is a native of the mountains of Siberia and Mongolia. It is very hardy here and soon grows into a handsome specimen. .S. cava is a very peciehle species with erect, round, pubescent branches, growing here toa height of from three to four feet. The leaves are elliptical, sillky, villous on the lower side, entire or sometimes with three or four sharp teeth at the end; the small, many-flowered corymbs are borne at the end of long leafy branches of the current year. It is a native of Croatia and Dalmatia. S$. Sauranica, a larger and less pubescent plant and not rare in gardens, is considered a variety of this plant. Among the early Viburnums in flower is V. dilafatum, a common Japanese plant not uncommon also in central China. Here it is a low, wide-branching shrub, now three or four feet high, with rigid spreading branches, covered with very dark gray bark; handsome ovate or obovate leaves three or four inches long, rounded or sometimes abruptly acuminate at the end, sharply and conspicuously serrate above the middle, other- wise quite entire ; bright yellow-green above, paler on the under side, with very prominent mid-rib and primary veins. The under side of the leaves, especially along the veins, petioles and young shoots, are densely covered with short white tomentum. The small, creamy white flowers are pro- duced in a wide, open-branched, long-stalked cyme, from the end of short, leafy branches. The orbicular-ovate fruit, which is not produced here very abundantly, is scarlet. This is a very hardy plant, not showy in flower, but worth cultivating for its handsome foliage, which, when bruised, has, as does the wood, an exceedingly strong and disagreeable odor. Viburnum pubescens, although rarely seen in gardens, is an exceedingly beautiful species in cultivation. It is a compact shrub, two or three feet high, with rigid, erect branches and ovate, taper pointed leaves, remotely and sharply serrate, except near the base, conspicuously pinnately veined, the under side, as well as the young shoots and very short petioles, soft 226 pubescent; the flatcymes of small, white flowers, which, in cultivation, are produced in the greatest abundance, appear at the ends of the young branches. The fruit is dark purple or nearly black. Viburnum pubescens is found along the borders of woods from western Vermont to Wisconsin, extending south to New Jersey and Kentucky. It is very hardy and flourishes in good garden soil. Like so many North American shrubs, it has been too much neglected as a garden plant. And this is true as well of the Sheep-berry, /76urnum Lentago, a very handsome, small tree, or tree-like shrub, which some- times attains a height of twenty-five or thirty feet, with a clear, straight trunk, supporting a round compact mass of foliage. It has large ovate, sharply pointed leaves, three or four inches long, closely and sharply serrate, and borne on long margined petioles, which, like the buds, are covered with brown scurf. The broad flat cymes, four or five inches across, of small, creamy white flowers, are sessile. The black, oval fruit, half an inch long, ripens in the late autumn, and has an agreeable, but rather insipid flavor. The wood of this species has a most disagreea- ble odor. Viburnum Lentago isa common northern plant, widely and generally distributed from the shores of Hudson Bay to Georgia and Missouri, attaining its best development far north, and found generally in deep, rich soil, along the borders of swamps or streams, or on high rocky ridges. The compact habit of this plant, its handsome foliage and showy clusters of flowers, entitle it to general cultivation. Viburnum macrocephalum, of which the form with all the flowers sterile only is known, is not often seen here. It was discovered by Robert Fortune in gardens at Shanghai and Chusan, and has always been rather a favorite plant in Eng- land. Here it is perfectly hardy and flowers every year, al- though it does not grow with any vigor, or produce its cymes of pure white flowers, which are generally mistaken for those of a white-lowered Aydrangea hortensis in much profusion. It is a low shrub, with rigid, wide-spreading branches, covered with smooth, light gray bark, and rather small, pale, oval leaves, with small remote teeth, and covered on the under side with stellate pubescence. It is usually grafted on Vbur- num Lantana, and must then be constantly watched to prevent the stock from sending up suckers, which rob the plant of what little vitality it possesses here. Among plants of recent introduction of the very first class, from an ornamental point of view, must be mentioned Lon- tcera Alberti, a dwarf Honeysuckle, discovered a few years ago by Dr. Albert Regel in the high mountains of eastern Turkestan. It is one of the Bush Honeysuckles, and is a low, smooth plant, with long, slender, spreading, pendulous branches, which only rise a foot or two from the ground, but soon make a wide, graceful mass of light green foliage. The leaves are deciduous, opposite, glaucous, linear oblong, ob- tuse, entire, or with one or two teeth near the base, from an inch to an inch and a half long, and are borne on short peti- oles. The fragrant flowers are produced in pairs on short axillary peduncles; the cylindrical tube of the rosy lilac cor- olla is four times longer than the calyx, with a spreading limb ot five nearly equal, ovate-elliptical lobes, about three-quarters of an inch across when expanded. Lomnicera Alberti is a per- fectly hardy plant of easy cultivation; it is admirably suited for the margins of shrub beds, where its graceful branches can spread out over the turf, for the rock-garden, or for covering rocky banks. : Lonicera Maximowicsi is another handsome Bush Honey- suckle now in flower. It is a native of the mountain forests of eastern Manchuria. Here it makes a neat bush, with upright branches three or four feet high, covered with pale gray bark. The leaves are light green and shining above, paler on the lower side, which is covered with long, slender hairs; they are an inch anda half or two inches long, and hardly exceed the slender peduncles, which bear two bright, rose-colored flowers, the limb deeply two-parted, the upper division three- lobed. This is a very hardy plant, worth a place ina large col- lection of shrubs. rie June rsth. The Forest. The Forest Vegetation of North Mexico.—V. URNING away at last from Chihuahua and the region stretching along the line of the railroad far north- ward and still farther to the south—a region made familiar by two seasons of diligent searching out its scanty vegeta- tion over wide and weary desert areas of mountain. and Garden and Forest. [Juty 4, 1888. plain—a region rich only in the matchless tints of its land- scape and the floods of white sunlight overspreading all— we set out joyfully for a fresh field amidst the western Sierra Madre. Following the route of Wislizenus, the early explorer, on his involuntary journey from Chihuahua to Cusihuiriachic, as nearly as a wagon road can follow a bridle trail in its devious course over the mountains and through their cafions, we cross three chains of mountains with intervening plains or valleys of such character and bearing such forest vege- tation as has been described. Beyond Carretas our road mounts a high mesa, whose marginal bluffs are covered with an open growth of low Oaks and Junipers of the spe- cies already mentioned. The gullies, which cut into the mesa from every side, are occupied by the same growth, and from the gullies the trees scatter out over the adjacent mesa for a short distance ; but they appear to have been unable to gain a foothold on the central area of the mesa. Some ten miles further on, however, where the mesa, gradually ascending, terminates in a broad ridge, its sum- mit, as well as its slopes, is covered with a thin forest. Here, then, in our journey up to the mountains we have reached, at an elevation of 6,000 feet, the timber line. Descending from the mesa by a steep and tortuous grade, our road enters a wooded cafion of a pine covered range, and winding up through it, crossing its swollen stream thirty times in a distance of seven or eight miles, threading its narrow intervales and clambering over its frightful ledges, brings us after a journey of seventy-five miles to the old mining town of Cusihuiriachic, noted among bot- anists as being the place where Wislizenus was held _pri- soner of state, as he styled it, from Sept. 13th, 1846, till the 3d of March following, restrained during most of that time within limits five miles from the town. La Bufa towers over the cafion, through which straggles the town, a sharp peak whose summit is little less than 8,000 feet elevation, the highest point of the divide within view. Southward the divide lies amongst a broad belt of mountains, confused and abrupt upheavels of porphyritic rock, covered with forests of Conifers and Evergreen Oaks, which to eyes grown weary of the bare ranges to the east- As the slopes of the Bufa and the. ward, seem luxuriant. hillsides of its immediate vicinity have doubtless suffered deforestation from an early day, to supply the needs of the town and its mining furnaces founded in the beginning of the eighteenth century, it is probable that Wislizenus, who had no time for collecting on his forced ride from Chi- huahua, in those forests first made the acquaintance of Pinus strobiformis, P. Engelmannt and P. Chihuahuana, three species published by Engelmann in Wislizenus’ Re- port of his Mexican journey. The Arbutus mentioned by Engelmann in connection with these Pines nearly answers the description of A. petolaris, HBK.; the Juniper may be either /. occidentahs, Hook., var. conjugans, Engelm., or /. pachy philoea, Torr., both of which are of common occurrence in this district; and the dwarf Evergreen Oak is perhaps - Quercus oblongifola, Torr.; but the mention of a Thuya must have been an error. That Wislizenus should not have secured specimens of Quercus hypoleuca, Engelm., Q. grisea, Leibm., and Q. fulva, Leibm., even on the Bufa common with small specimens of several of the above, sur- prised me ; as did the finding, during my stay of five days in that vicinity, of more than a score of herbaceous plants, which have remained undescribed until recent years. But this shows the unfavorable circumstances, lamented by Wislizenus, under which his remarkable collection was gathered. Northward from the Bufa for a few miles the divide is but a broad swell connecting two great plains, which are more widely separated farther north, where the divide rises again to an altitude of perhaps 9,000 feet. The plain lying east of the divide sweeps down beyond the horizon to the /aguna of the deserts near the Rio Grande; that to the west, twenty or thirty miles wide and one hundredand fifty long north and south, rimmed on one side by the divide and on Jury 4, 1888.] the other by the Cordilleras, is the great basin of the Papi- gochic, or upper Yaqui. Fifty miles away in the north- west, looking across this plain and beyond a blue moun- tain chain which it bears, we see a lofty crest of the Cor- dilleras, which is the goal of our journey. C. G. Pringle. Correspondence. To the Editor of GARDEN AND FOREST : Sir.—I am a litile surprised in reading the interesting notes on the Ginkgo tree in your last number that no mention is made of the specimen on Boston Common, which has a his- torical interest worthy of record. It formerly stood in the grounds of Gardiner Greene, Esq., on what was then Pember- ton Hill, now Pemberton Square. After his death the estate was sold, and a condition of the sale was that this tree should be preserved, as there was then but one other in the country, which was the one you allude to as planted by Dr. Hosack. I remember perfectly seeing the tree on its way to the Common in 1834, or perhaps 1833. It was then some thirty feet high, and was transported on a low four-wheeled truck built for the purpose, and was planted on the Beacon Street Mall, directly opposite the house at the corner of Joy Street, to which Mrs. Greene had removed from Pemberton Hill. Its removal was a subject of general interest at the time, as the papers announced that it was a very rare tree from Japan, a region almost as little known to us then as the moon. It still lives and thrives, and its site has been rendered classic by the pen of the “Autocrat,” as it is the starting point from the Beacon Street Mall of the ‘‘ Long Path,” to which he makes such touching allusion. There are some fine specimens of the Ginkgo in Providence; but when I last saw them, five or six years since, they still pre- served the stiff habit you describe, though they were some fifty feet in height. | one Se H.W. S. Cleveland, Minneapolis, June 8th. [The old Ginkgo on Boston Common is well known to many of the older inhabitants of that city. It is now not more than forty feet high, and is not a large or a fine tree for its age, having perhaps never entirely recovered from the effects of the removal; it has for many years been crowded and overshadowed by neighboring Elms, and many of its branches are dead or dying. It has never taken on the graceful habit which this tree assumes at maturity when growing under favorable conditions. —Ep. | New York, Sune 18th, 1888. To the Editor of GARDEN AND FOREST : Sir.—I have noted with interest the remarks of ‘“ Philo- dendron,” in your issue of June 11th, on the conditions of the Norway Spruces in Central Park. About a year ago the authorities of the park became alive to the necessity of removing dying, deformed or crowded trees, and since that time 6,215 trees of this objectionable character have been cut down. Of this number 760 have been Norway Spruces. The effects of this work may be seen along the west drive of the park, and particularly on Fifth Avenue, between Sixty- fifth Street and Seventy-second Street. In many places no replanting has been found necessary, as the original growth was sufficiently dense to allow a considerable margin for thin- ning-out. In other places, such as the bank on Fifth Avenue, just referred to, a new plantation has been established, con- sisting of shrubs and trees such as Spirea opulifolia, Phila- delphus grandiflorus, Lonicera fragrantissima, Cornus san- guinea, Viburnum dentatum, Betula alba, Pinus Strobus, Pinus Mugho, Picea orientalis, Pseudotsuga Douglasii, etc. The park authorities have frequently been criticised for the radical cutting-out thus undertaken, and it has been thought best to remove the least healthy wees first and cultivate intelligent public-sentiment in regard to this cutting by man- aging it in such a way as to prevent a striking appearance anywhere of denudation. Several large groups of diseased Norway Spruces are marked for removal during this summer and autumn, and by another spring 1 think there will be few of these objection- able Spruces left in the park. SAM, PARSONS, JR., Superintendent of Parks. Garden and Forest. 227 Periodical Literature. Harper's Magazine for July contains an article by Mr. F. H. Spearman called ‘The Great American Desert,” describ- ing those districts, formerly known by this name, which are now largely under cultivation and furnish support to a rapidly growing and prosperous population. It differs from many articles on the newer regions of the Great West we have read in being sensible as well as emphatic—in being neither a pes- simistic tourist's chronicle, nor a panegyric concocted in the interests of land schemers, railroads, or the “boomers” of embryo cities. One paragraph we are glad to quote as rein- forcing opinions already voiced in the editorial columns of GARDEN AND Forest. After speaking of the way in which the great vexed question of the rainfall has been discussed by ‘‘experts who know absolutely nothing about the actual facts in the case,” and by residents who are eager to explain the increase in rainfall, they assume, by all sorts of ridiculous rea- sons, Mr. Spearman shows how no perceptible increase in the amount of rainfall need be assumed to account for the increased humidity of the soil. ‘It is certain,” he says, ‘that the buffalo grass sod which has covered these plains for cen- turies has become as impervious to water as a cowboy’'s slicker. Hence the rain never penetrates it, but rushes off the ‘divides’ in a fury to reach the rivers. Any one who has seen it rain on the plains can understand something of the deluge which covers the entire prairie to the depth of twelve to twenty-four inches during summer showers. It is easy to comprehend then how the numerous cafions in Kansas and Nebraska are cut by the eagerness of the flood to roll east- ward. But when the prairie.sod has once been plowed, the soil absorbs water like a sponge. After a day’s heavy rain there is no mud visible in a plowed field; the moisture soaks downward to great depths, and the soil retains it through weeks of dry weather afterward, sustaining its crops without additional rain for a wonderful length of time. It is at least reasonable to suppose that under this changed condition of large portions of the soil, which now absorbs rain instead of shedding it like a rubber coat, the climate retains its atmos- pheric moisture better, and the rainfall becomes more regular, less falling at a time, but falling oftener. This change may account, too, for the heavy dews which of late years have been remarked in this country—a thing absolutely unknown ten years ago. The upturned soil parting with but a little of its moisture every day, it returns to it at night, well nigh as re- freshing as a shower.” One of the illustrations which accompany Mr. Spearman's article shows a rude rustic bridge, built of logs, and, apparently, ropes, which is most interesting in the way it reproduces the construction of the vast bridge of stone and iron that stretches between New York and Brooklyn. In Mr. Chas. Dudley Warner’s ‘Studies of the Great West,” in the same number of Harfer, he speaks of the Central Hos- pital for the Insane of the State of Illinois as having ‘‘a large conservatory of plants and flowers,” which is ‘rightly re- garded as a remedial agency in the treatment of the patients.” His description of the plan of Indianapolis, which its inhabi- tants are fond of calling the ‘ Park City,” is interesting. A third noteworthy article in this magazine is one by Mr, Peter Henderson on the ‘Street Trees of Washington.” Recent Plant Portraits. Botanical Magazine, May.— DENDROBIUM CLAVATUM, @. 6993; a magnificent species with large, orange colored flowers nearly three inches in diameter across the se- pals, which, as well as the much larger orbicular petals, are spreading; the uniform or almost circular limb of the lip deep purple, margined with golden yellow. It has tufted, pendulous stems, two or three feet long, and short, broad, elliptical leaves. Although long known to botanists and one of the earliest discovered of the golden flowered In- dian Dendrobes, this plant is here first figured in all its great beauty. It must not be confounded with Roxburgh’s plant of the same name—the D. su/catum of Lindley, a much more common species. 9 bo ALLIUM SUWOROWI, ¢. 6994, a tall, handsome species from central Asia, where it was discovered by Dr. Albert Regel on the Kirghis desert and. near Bokhara. The tall, stout scape spring- ing from a basal rosette of glaucous-green leaves, bears a large, long handsome, dense umbel of dark mauve-colored flowers. ALPENIA OFFICINARUM, 4. 6995; ‘‘the subject of this plate, the ‘lesser or Chinese Galangal,’ was formerly in great repute as 228 an aromatic stimulant amongst the Arabs and Greeks, and for- merly in western Europe, but is now banished from the British Pharmacopeeias. The plant that produced it was unknown to botanists till 1867, when Mr. Sampson, accompanied by that excellent botanist, the late Dr. Hance, of China, discovered it near the village of Tung-sai, on the peninsula of Lei-chan-fu, opposite the Island of Hainan itself.” Its nearest affinity is the well-known A. culcurita, and Sir Joseph Hooker is inclined to believe it to be referable to that plant. DOUGLASIA LA&VIGATA, ¢ 6996, an alpine plant from the mountains of Oregon. PASSIFLORA VIOLACEA, ¢. 6997; a free blooming, green-house climber, believed to be a native of Rio Janeiro, It has three- lobed leaves and handsome lilac flowers, on solitary, slender peduncles, six to eight inches long, upcurved toward the end. RHODODENDRUM ARGENTUM.—Revue Horticole, May 1. CHRYSANTHEMUM BARON D’AVENE and C. JULES BARIGNY. —kevue Horticole, May 1. Two new varieties raised by M. T. Délaux, the first a cup-shaped flower with rose-violet petals, those in the centre much lighter, almost white ; the second of the Japanese class, with narrow rose-colored petals. SALIX BALSAMIFERA, Figs. 1-5, forma typica; Fig. 6, var. vegeta, Fig. 7, var. lanceolata ; Fig. 8, var. alpestris.— Bulletin Torrey Botanical Club, May. THE GERMAN PRUNE.— Canadian Horticulturist, May. One of the most generally cultivated fruits of central Europe—the German Prune—has been found to give excellent results in some parts of Canada, where its more general cultivation is now recommended. ERYTHRONIUM GRANDIFLORUM, var. ALBIFLORUM.— Garden- er's Chronicle, May 5. A little known, but very handsome plant, of Oregon and Washington Territory. VITIS PTEROPHORA, Gartenflora, May 15th.—A handsome Brazilian species, with green and red leafy branches, from which descend remarkable red cordy branches, forming at their extremities, where they can reach the water, great masses of rootlets like the tail of a horse. The branches produce from their extremities at the end of the season of growth elon- gated tubers, formed by the lengthening and swelling of asub- terminal internode. These tubers are five or six inches long, green and fleshy. They finally drop off, and reaching the ground produce, under favorable conditions, new plants. The tendrils of this plant are equally curious. They are slender and forked, and provided at the end of each fork with an ad- hesive disk. When the tendrils reach a support the disks adhere to it and greatly enlarge ; and if the support will admit of it the tendril will embrace it, secreting from its surface a viscid tissue which glues it fast to the supportingsurface. The flowers are green and inconspicuous. There is an earlier figure of this plant in the Botanical Magazine, t. 6803; and it has been figured in the Gardener's Chronicle as Vitis Gongylodes. Notes. The Second Annual Session of the Texas State Horticultural Society was held at Denison, Texas, last week. According to European dispatches to the daily press, im- mense tracts of forest land in Sweden have been recently swept by fire. The town of Sundsvall, on the Gulf of Bothnia, is said to have been almost entirely destroyed by the flames. The Rose and Strawberry Exhibition of the Massachusetts Horticultural Society was held at Boston on the 26th and 27th of June. The exhibition of Strawberries was finer than it has ever been before. The Roses, on the other hand, although shown in great abundance, were somewhat inferior in quality to those of last year. A nice feature was a collection of forty or fifty species and varieties of single Roses, for which there seems to be a growing appreciation. Besides Orchids and a generous display of cut flowers, there was a good collection of flowering shrubs, the most attractive of which was an 47- dromeda speciosa. A noteworthy plant was a faultless speci- a ot Rhynchospermum jasminoides, which was over six feet iigh. The passion for Orchids is developing in Germany, although more slowly than in England and France. A large number of the plates published in the various German horticultural pa- pers are now devoted to representations of new or rare Orchids, and although previous auction sales had been so unsuccess- ful that for two years none had been held in the empire, one recently organized in Berlin by an English firm, amid many predictions of failure, proved entirely satisfactory. The trade were large buyers and inany new-fledged amateurs made very extensive purchases. ; Garden and Forest. [JuLy 4, 1888. The official programme for the horticultural section of the Paris International Exhibition of 1889 was issued in January. There is to bea permanent exhibition, lasting from May 6th to October 31st, accompanied by eleven special exhibitions of five or six days each. Some of these last are to be open to all classes of exhibits pertaining to the section of horticulture, while others are to be more restricted in character. All ex- hibitors who desired to make plantings this spring were to send in their applications before the 11th of February last, but for those who desire to plant next spring the lists will be open until February Ist, 1889. The State appropriation for the expenses during the current year of the Department of Parks and Gardens in the City of Berlin amounts to 159,278 marks—about $40,000. The official report of the wine production of France during the year 1887 shows a total result of 24,333,264 hectolitres. This is a falling off of three and one-half million hectolitres as against the year 1886, and is less than the average production of the last ten years taken together. The chief cause of de- cline is attributed to the increasing ravages of mildew and the Phylloxera, although certain western and southern depart- ments had also to contend against disastrous weather, From Algiers, on the contrary, the report is encouraging, a notable increase being shown both in the extent of land planted with the vine and in the amount of wine produced. The cider harvest in France was also a good one, more than 5,000,000 hectolitres being produced in excess of the production of the year 1886, Retail Flower Markets. NEw York, Fune 2gth. The Rose crop of this locality has been demoralized by the protract- ed heat. Hybrids are small, colorless, and lonse-petaled. American Beauties have been less affected, and La France are fine. A few Gen. Jacqueminots are arriving from Newport, and sell for from $1.00 to $1.50 a dozen. Marechal Neil Roses are scarce andsmall. They cost $1.00 adozen. Catherine Mermets continue poor and are 75 cts. to $1.00 a dozen. Niphetos and Brides cost $1.00 a dozen, and fine Mde. Cuisins the same. Perles and Souvenir d’un Ami bring from 75 cts. to $1.00a dozen. Hybrid Roses cost from 25 cts to 30 cts. each. Puri- tans bring from 15 to 25 cts. La France are $1.50 and $2.00 a dozen. Orchids cost 50 cts. a flower for Cattleyas, and 10 and 20 cts. a flower for Oncidiums. ‘There are from 15 to 60 flowers on a spray of the latter species. _Gladioluses are 10 and 15 cts. each. Peonies grow scarcer and bring 10 and 15 cts. each. Lily-of-the-Valley from Newport arrives in small lots. It is 75 cts. a dozen. Carnations bring from 35 to 50 cts. a dozen, Longiflorum Lilies and Callas cost 20 cts. each. Pea blossoms bring 25 cts. a dozen, and Heliotrope and Mignonette 50 cts. a bunch. The latter is very slender and ragged. Smilax costs 50 cts. a string and 4o cts. a yard. Field Daisies are 25 cts. a dozen. Moss Roses bring $2.coadozen. They are so fully open that they can no longer be classed as ‘ buds.” PHILADELPHIA, June 29th. The very hot weather which prevailed during the latter end of last week seriously affected the flower trade, and, even during this week, which is somewhat cooler, the demand is very limited. Transient trade is done only in the early morning or late in the afternoon. Amongst Roses American Beauty is superior to any other. Prices for Roses vary very little from those reported in last issue—which may, in short, be stated from 50 cts. to $3.00 per doz. Sweet Peas still continue to be in demand, at 25 cts. per doz. The Cornflower sells at the same price; the blue variety being most in demand. The only notable feature in novelties is in varieties of Coreopsis, which sells at 25 cts. per dozen. Water Lilies (Vymphea Odorata) are plentiful and also cost 25 cts. per doz. Carnations are still obtainable at 25 cts. per doz. Smilax costs from 40 to 50cts. perstring. eileen esje e's suisse % 344 Tue Forest :—Européan State Forestry..........00.ceeeecsceeees B. E, Fernow. 345 CoRRESPONDENCE :—The Boston Public Garden—Street Trees in Washington— PUNE Pole Weeds faccasisiewiseicccaesis ae soca Sete c-ethGs than fp ivisaswis 345 FMEGE NIMBLE ICA TIONS seiiomisisianigie elsiniaias (cing 1-11 ais wvatilee sein esse seelakmasaetnesaaa 347 Recent PLant PorTRAITs.. 347 NOTES ditiaisc eicieves ns slsiesieestivsieesieieesassis = g40 ILLusrrations :—Sack for Protecting Artificially Fertilized Flowers, Fig. 53.... 339 UMA ITT gyoal AU Tape Pd eb ators aad ‘siaiare, slaia,cis mss soipiaipledetaceis #itlcsis/eisjete s v,coM sees. © 341 Asa panesesblower Viendels: BaSkel, vi si.0sssenil ss meciemiae shoes ake tars 65 343 The Responsibilities of Florists and Nurserymen. N a late issue attention was invited to the important influence exerted by florists, seedsmen and nursery- men in forming the public taste in horticultural matters. In some directions this influence becomes almost abso- lutely controlling. It is the florist, for example, who de- cides for all, except a few inquiring amateurs, what kinds of cut flowers and plants shall be used for the decoration of homes and what kinds shall remain practically un- known. Now, no one can wield an influence of this sort without a corresponding obligation, and in this light the growers and dealers in plants and flowers owe it as a duty to their patrons to see that the public taste is developed by being fed on what is good. Especially is this true when they are called upon to decide for those who are not ina ‘position to decide for themselves which of the old favorites among our plants and flowers shall retain their place in popular esteem and which shall be replaced by newer rivals; which novelties shall be accepted as genuine additions to our sources of enjoyment and which shall be rejected as undeserving of favor. The desire for novelties as such—for things new, irre- ~ spective of their intrinsic excellence—is a strong passion in the human breast, and one upon which a trader of any kind is tempted to play. Although we owe to this passion for novelty much that we have gained in all departments of human effort, its results have nowhere been of unmixed good; and in the department of horticulture evil results have often marked its gratification. Consider the prodig- ious degree to which the lists of cultivated Roses and other flowers have been enlarged. Every season brings new claimants for favor to the front; rivalry in the introduction of novelties often prevents a thorough testing of the merits of older plants; novelty rather than beauty is often their chief merit; and if they are generally cultivated it can only be at the sacrifice of other kinds. There is no room for all these thousand varieties either in the nursery, or in the florist’s shop, or in the purchaser's home; and though the public has undoubtedly something to do with deciding which shall be grown and which neglected, the florist’s power is infinitely greater. Many persons who buy have Garden and Forest. 3a7 no taste at all in such matters; others are willing to submit their taste to the florist’s judgment with regard to beauty ; and if the florist makes, not beauty, but mere novelty, his criterion, the average buyer will but too readily fall in with his mood. Sometimes, it is true, the public is wiser than its pur- veyors anticipated. For example, an attempt was made last winter to introduce into the New York and Philadelphia markets certain horrors called ‘‘dyed flowers ;” but they soon disappeared from view, and we were told, upon in- quiry, because ‘‘the public did not care about them.” But when it comes to more delicate questions—as the difference between Rose and Rose—we cannot, and per- haps ought not to depend upon the public taste ; and the florist must necessarily know more and should have an acuter feeling for beauty than his patrons. If, in recom- mending plants or flowers to his patrons, he should consist- ently make beauty his criterion, and pride himself upon supplying the most excellent varieties in the most perfect condition, rather than those which are ‘‘ very expensive because they are new and scarce,” he would, in the long run, distance his competitors. He might miss a chance now and then of making a temporary ‘“‘ great success ” with one novelty or another, but taking month with month and year with year, he would be sure of the best class of custom, and the most of it. The truth is, we think, not that the public, in theory, cares less for beauty than for rarity, but that it finds it harder to be sure of getting it. A purchaser, devoid of confi- dence in his own taste (and most purchasers are of this sort), knows he can trust a florist when he says a flower is new or rare, but is by no means so sure he can trust him in matters of taste; and in default of the certainty that he will get the most beautiful possible thing, takes the most singular or expensive. If conditions were differ- ent, his choice, we believe, would be different, too; and thus it is that our florists’ responsibility in this direction is so great. Naturally, we have not the slightest wish to decry that constant, vigorous and often costly search for novelties which yearly enlarges our sources of enjoyment by giving us newly-introduced species of flowers or newly-cultivated varieties, which are often real acquisitions. It would bea misfortune, indeed, if we were to be forever restricted to our present list of flowers, long and rich though it is. All we wish to say is that there is danger as well as promise in the search for new things, and that the florist should try to preserve us from the danger while bringing the promise to right fulfillment. The private green-house and garden of the botanical enthusiast; the experimental station established by public or individual munificence— these are the places for the perpetuation of plants whose interest lies in their rarity or singularity, rather than in their beauty of form, their splendor or delicacy of flower, or their richness of perfume. Beauty and sweetness in all their myriad varieties are the things that the public really wants, and these the florist should endeavor to sup- ply. A feeling for real excellence should guide and inspire the enterprising search for novelty, as it should be the only test when the acceptance and perpetuation of a novelty is in question. We are glad to acknowledge that their past history gives us reason to believe that the florists and nurserymen will not disappoint us. As arule, our florists’ shops have always contained more good things than poor ones ; more that are recommended by their excellence and fewer by their mere rarity or costliness. Every year shows an im- provement in the quality of the flowers offered and in the effectiveness of their arrangement. We see no cause to doubt that our florists and nurserymen will continue to grow in taste themselves, and in a consciousness of their responsibility as agents in the elevation of the taste of the nation; and these words have been written less as words of needed warning than as words of friendly recognition and encouragement. 338 HE price of White Pine stumpage has increased enor- mously of late years—several hundred per cent. insome instances, as the great forests of this tree approach nearer and nearer to extermination ; but while the price of the finished lumber has also increased, it has not yet reached the point which will exclude it from many of those uses for which it was once almost exclusively employed in this country. White pine lumber is high enough, how- ever, to cause anxiety among lumbermen, and to compel them to find some cheaper and more available material to take its place. The most immediately available wood for this purpose is yellow poplar, as the wood of the Tulip tree is called commercially. It is light and soft, straight- grained and easily worked ; it stands well, and when it is not painted it turns with age to a deep rich color. Nash- ville, in Tennessee, has always been the important manu- facturing point for this lumber, as the Tulip tree is found in its greatest perfection along the banks of the streams which flow down the western slope of the Alleghany Mountains ; and south of the Ohio and north of the Gulf States it has always been the best local building material. The attention which is now paid to yellow poplar, how- ever, is much more general, and the manufacturers of this lumber are active in their efforts to secure logs and regulate the price of the manufactured lumber. But yellow poplar is not destined to play any very im- portant or leading part in the lumber supply of the United States, and the future of the business is hardly worth con- sidering. The Tulip tree does not form forests by itself, and is not even a considerable element in the forest anywhere. The trees are often very large, but they are widely scat- tered, and the most accessible have already been cut. There are still great quantities, in the aggregate, of this timber standing, but much of it is now almost too inac- cessible for profitable manufacture. Bass-wood, or linden, a soft and easily worked wood, which is found in considerable abundance in the extreme - Northern States, is now used to replace white pine in the manufacture of mouldings and similar objects, for which itis well suited. The quantity of bass-wood, however, is too small to make this tree really important as a factor of the national lumber supply. Much attention has been paid in late years, as has al- ready been explained in these columns, to cottonwood, southern cypress, and sweet gum as_ substitutes for white pine. Sweet gum will probably be very largely used before many years, and for some purposes, like flooring strips, it will make an excellent substitute for white pine. The supply, too, is large, and it is likely to last, as the Gum tree grows on land which cannot be used for agricultural purposes. But the real substitutes for white pine, or rather the only trees now growing on this continent in sufficient quan- tities ever to take its place, are the Long-leaved Pine of the Southern States, and the Oregon Fir of Puget Sound. These are the trees upon which the American people will have to depend during the twentieth century, or un- til they are exhausted or a new crop of White Pine grows up in the Northern States and in Canada. Flowers in Japan.—I. HERE is no country in the world where flowers are so universally beloved asin Japan. They are insepa- rable from the life, art and literature of the people, and to deprive the Japanese of their flowers would be to take the sunshine out of their lives. They are enjoyed equally by high and low. The richer classes, in the seclusion of their well-kept gardens, can feast their eyes on the beautiful, while the poor have the benefit of the public parks, gar- dens and flower-shows, and the poorest of the poor devote afew cents of their earnings to the gratification of their taste. ; But in Japan, where everything is characterized by Garden and Forest. [SEPTEMBER 12, 1888. extreme simplicity, the people are consistent in caring more for the beauty of individual flowers than for the effect of large masses. The graceful and refined lines of a few well arranged flowers and twigs are a never-ending source of pleasure to them and no desire is shown to make a vulgar display of great quantities of blossoms. The art of flower-arrangement, which forms a part of the edu- cation of girls of the upper classes, has simplicity for its foundation. It is divided into a number of schools or classes, and a long course of study is required before one can become proficient in either of them. Nothing in the arrangement of flowers is left to accident or to individ- ual taste; it is governed by rules as fixed as those which govern music. A great variety of flowers follow in constant succession through the different seasons. The snow has hardly dis- appeared when the early Plum, the prime favorite of all, bursts its buds and is hailed with welcome by the de- lighted people as the first token of the coming spring. Great gardens or groves of old gnarled, moss-covered Plum trees abound in and about the cities, and thither in the blooming season the people resort em masse, dressed in holiday attire, to enjoy an esthetic feast under the trees and drink fragrant tea. Here they give vent to their de- light by inscribing poetic sentiments, too brief, perhaps, to be called poems, and hanging them on the branches of the Plum trees. The Cherry blossoms follow the Plum in quick succession before its latest-blooming varieties have disappeared. The Cherry (Sakura), which almost rivals the Plum in popularity, has many different varieties, sin- gle and double, white and pink. But all these trees have the same peculiarity—they bear no edible fruit. They are planted for the flowers only, and so dense is the growth of these, that they resemble great pink and white clouds when seen from a distance. In Tokio the favorite resorts for the people in Cherry blossom time are Umeno Park and Mokojima, the latter being a road which runs along the banks of the Sunida River. Great old Cherry trees line both sides of this road for a distance of five miles, and the branches, meeting overhead, form a perfect canopy of dense blossoms. In the park at Umeno are many excep- tionally large trees, some of a variety which resembles the Weeping Willow in habit, and covered with innumera- ble small pink flowers. Some of these trees are from four to six feet in diameter. At all these resorts temporary tea-houses or refreshment booths are erected. A favorite beverage is Cherry tea, made from last year’s blossoms which have been dried and put away for the purpose. Among later flowers the Wistaria, Peony, Lotus, Azalea, Iris and Chrysanthemum are the chief favorites. The Wis- taria is seen at its best at the celebrated temple-garden of Kameido (Turtle Well) in Tokio. The place derives its name from an old well over which is placed an immense stone turtle. The Wistaria vines are very old and the stems of some of them measure two feet in diameter, while their racemes of flowers, when in greatest perfec- tion, are from four to five feet in length. They are trained over trellises on the borders of the lake, which is filled with enormous golden carp that come to the surface at the clapping of hands to be fed by the visitors. The Lotus grows naturally and abundantly in all the moats and ponds in and about Tokio and throughout cen- tral and southern Japan. » The leaves appear on the sur- face of the water about the beginning of June, and grad- ually rise until they stand from four to seven feet above the surface, measuring from two to four feet in diameter. The flowers appear about the beginning of August, and continue throughout the month. After the petals have fallen the seed-pods continue to grow, and, while green, form a favorite article of food, as do the long, white roots, which are eaten as vegetables For Buddhists the Lotus has a somewhat sacred character, and it is often cultivated in the ponds of the temple-gardens by the priests, who use the flowers for altar decorations. Buddha himself is generally represented seated on a Lotus flower, and it SEPTEMBER 12, 1888.] . enters very extensively into all forms of Japanese art and decorative work. The Iris is also a favorite among favorites, and a well- known tea-house-garden at Mokujuma, near Tokio, is cele- brated for its annual display of these flowers. The plants are grown here in beds and ditches, somewhat below the surface and partly filled with water. Flowers are distributed among the people by means of perambulating flower-sellers, and by flower-fairs. The seller goes about the streets carrying two huge bamboo baskets swung from a pole across his shoulders. These baskets (see. illustration, page 343) are divided into a number of different compartments, each containing a dif ferent variety of cut flowers or leaves. The carrier is sometimes almost hidden by the great mass of flowers and foliage he bears. Yet the construction is light, easily carried, and, like all the articles produced by this people, at once simple, practical and artistic. The common people are the vender’s patrons as well as the rich, for, as I have said, the most indigent will buy a few fresh flowers with which to beautify their humble homes. The flower-fairs or shows take place at fixed dates alter- nately in the various wards or districts of the city and are held at night. Throughout the preceding afternoon one may see great numbers of farmers and gardeners from the suburbs and the country dragging in their carts filled with all kinds of flowers in pots, as well as with large trees and shrubs with their roots roughly tied up in coarse sacking. When they reach the site of the fair their wares are ar- ranged as temptingly as possible on either side of the street, trees and shrubs at one end and flowers at the other. In- numerable lanterns and torches illuminate the scene. With twilight the first customers straggle along, and by night the streets are crowded with a good-natured, happy throng of men, women and children. Then the bargaining be- gins, for it is well known to every purchaser that it is the custom to ask from five to ten times as much for the ob- jects offered as the seller expects ultimately to obtain. When the price of a dwarfed Cherry-tree covered with a mass of buds is asked, the gardener answers promptly ‘fone yen, fifty sen” (a yen is divided into roo sen). The customer shows no surprise, but gravely offers twenty sen. And after many exclamations of ‘‘ Impossible, honorable master,” feints of departure on the part of the would-be ‘buyer, offers to accept intermediate sums, and enthusiastic praises of the beauties, visible and invisible, of the speci- men, it is sold, perhaps, for twenty-five sen. Plants are very cheap on these occasions and for a modest sum one can get enough to stock a small garden. But opportuni- ties for the enjoyment and purchase of flowers are not the only attraction of these fairs. Booths for the sale of candy, cakes and children’s toys; performances by trained mon- keys, birds and dogs ; jugglers, musicians and sellers of refreshments surround one until the head is in a confused whirl. But amid all this crowding, noise and bustle the greatest good nature prevails and a more orderly crowd cannot be imagined. As they return to their homes, each person with his burden of sweet-smelling flowers, accom- panied by joyous laughing children, one feels that they are indeed the happiest people in the world. New York. Theodore Wores. A Protection for Artificially Fertilized Flowers. ASCINATING as is the work of cross-fertilizing flowers, there are some annoyances in it that destroy a consid- erable part of the pleasure. One of the worst of these is the difficulty of inclosing the flowers in sacks after they have been operated upon. The small paper sack, such as seedsmen use, is made of such stiff paper that it is sometimes difficult to tie it about the stem of a flower. without injuring some of the delicate organs. Then, after it is attached, itis so heavy that it not infrequently breaks the flower stem, particularly in windy weather. It is quite troublesome, also, to untie the string when it is desirable to remove the sack for the pollenation. Sacks made of tissue paper obviate some of the objections, but they introduce another—the thin paper Garden and Forest. ooo is so readily wet through by the rain that it will not last. Some of these difficulties are obviated by the following de- vice: Make small sacks of a very thin, oiled paper, such as nurserymen use for wrapping plants to be sent by mail. Cut them out after a small seedsman’s package, as a pattern, leav- ing the little lappel at the top which, in the ordinary package, is used for sealing it up. Then place a short piece of fine copper wire across the sack, just at the base of the lappel, and paste the latter back over it, as shown in the drawing. This wire serves as a substitute for the string. After the sack has been slipped over the flower, draw the two sides of it ——— together with the thumb and finger of the left hand, so that the stem of the flower is directly between the thumb and _ finger. Then, with the right hand, bring the edges of the sack together and with- draw the left hand, and pinch the neck of the sack snugly about the stem, thus closing it, while the wire prevents it from opening. Then fold down the corner of the sack. The operation requires considerably less time than it takes to describe it, and less than half as Fig. 53.—Sack for Protecting Artificially long as it takes to tie a Fertilized Flowers. string about the neck ot the sack. This sack can be taken off as readily as it is put on; it is very light, so that the wind does not cause it to break the peduncle of the most delicate flower ; it does not become wet by the rain, and it possesses the additional ad- vantage that the paper being translucent, by simply looking through the sack toward the sun, one can readily see whether or not the ovary has commenced to swell, and thus detect it the operation has been successful. Different sized sacks should be provided to accommodate different sized flowers. For the smallest flowers the sacks need be but an inch wide and two inches long. I corresponded with a well-known manufacturer of paper bags in New York, to see if such sacks could be cheaply made. In reply, I received some very nicely made duplicates of the sample sent, with the wires inserted, and with the in- formation that they could be furnished at $1.25 per thousand. Geneva, N. Y. £E. S: Goff. DWH N Foreign Correspondence. London Letter. ARON SCHROEDER sent some flowers from a few of his choice Orchids to the exhibition of the Royal Horticultural Society to-day. One of these was the ex- tremely rare Saccolabium Heatht, which, until lately, was quite unique in cultivation. It is a white variety of S. Blumet, from which it differs in no way except in the snowy color of its flowers. The spike shown measured fully fifteen inches in length and every tiny white bloom looks like a miniature bird. The perfume is delightful. This rarity came to view a year or two ago by a chance in an importation of the ordinary S. Blumer, and the lucky possessors of it, Messrs. Heath, of Cheltenham, sold it to Mr. W. See, of Downside, Leatherhead, and he disposed of it to Baron Schroeder, retaining, however, a small piece in his possession. This small piece has been secured, I hear, for one of your great American Orchid growers, so that there will. be one plant of this Orchid in Europe and one in America. I cannot adequately describe to you the chaste purity of the flower, and, though I am not an Orchid enthusiast, I greatly admire this one. Another choice Orchid from the Baron’s garden was Lelia callistoglossa, one of Messrs. Veitch’s finest hybrids, it being a cross be- tween LZ. purpurata and Catileya Gigas, and I have no hesita- tion in saying that it is the most splendid Lelia or Cattleya in cultivation. The flowers are larger than those of any C. Gigas I have seen; the sepals and petals are broad and do not curl, as in Z. purpurafa, and in color are a soft 340 mauve-purple, while the labellum, which is fully two inches across, is of the deepest crimson purple. A four- flowered spike from the Baron of that wonderful hybrid, Cop pnailin Morgan, showed what a grand plant it is when grown to perfection. It is a cross between C Stonet and C, Veitchi, and is exactly intermediate between the parents, the chief attraction of the flowers being the broad, prolonged petals, which are heavily spotted with black on a pale ground. The very distinct and beautiful Cattleya Schroederiana was shown in flower. This flower recalls C. dolosa, being about the same size and form, and of a uniform, pale mauve-purple color. It is a dwarf growing plant, with pseudo-bulbs about four inches high. Another choice Cattleya was C. Chamberlaini, a hybrid between C. Dowrana and C. guttala Leopoldi. The flowers are about the size of those of Lela elegans, and have plum purple sepals and petals, and a labellum of the deepest carmine-magenta. The exquisite little Lelia Balemanniana, the hybrid between Sophronitis grandiflora and a Cailleya of which Baron Schroeder is the only possessor, was shown in perfection, much finer, indeed, than when exhib- ited here for the first time. The flowers are some two inches across, with sepals and petals of a deep rose pink, or, to be more exact, the color is like that of Odon/oglossum roseum, While the small lip is crimson, with a golden centre. This priceless little Orchid is, perhaps, the rarest in the Dell collection. One more Orchid is worth noticing, and that is CaMleya granulosa asperata, a large flower, with olive green sepals, blotched and spotted with choco- late, and a “broad and flat lip of crimson-purple, marbled with white. I have dwelt upon these Orchid varieties because I think it will interest those of your readers who are collecting Orchids, and because we have so seldom an opportunity of describing them. Celogyne Sanderiana, exhibited at an earlier meeting by Baron Ferdinand Rothschild, and certificated, is worthy of mention after these varieties as, without exception, the finest of all the white-flowered Coelogynes, and Orchid lovers look upon it as a grand addition to showy Orchids. In growth it is not remarkable, having globular- oprong bulbs as big as a hen’s egg, and long, deep green leaves The drooping flower-spike carries “about half a cece flowers, each three and a half inches across, with white sepals and a broad labellum, spotted and barred with yellow. No details were given of its native country, but it is presumably an Eastern plant. Messrs. Cannell, of Swanley, showed several new double varieties of Begonia, of which one was singled -out as worthy of a certificate. This was called C. Stowell, and has flowers four inches across, very double, of a pleasing cherry rose color; the habit of growth is dwarf and sturdy. A new variety of the Oriental Poppy, Papaver ortentale, was certificated. It is called Blush Queen, and instead of the flowers being fiery scarlet, as in the type, they are a pale pink, with black centre. It is a very striking plant and is looked upon as a great gain to hardy herbaceous plants. Among a number of border Carnations one only was con- sidered worthy of a certificate. This was a sort called B. H. Elliott, and has medium sized and very full flowers, with yellow petals flaked and tipped with crimson. Messrs. Paul, of Cheshunt, showed a good collection of cut Roses, among which I noted a few that I thought good although not much known. These included that lov ely s sort, The Bride, which I believe we have to thank an American for. It was shown splendidly and a grower told me he thought it would turn out a first-rate autumn Rose. An- other was American Beauty, also from your side, and likely to become a favorite here. It is a free bloomer, with petals of good substance and of a rich plum-crimson, if I may so describe an indescribable color. | Lady Darn- ley is a new Rose that is a good deal talked about here. It reminded me of Marie Baumann, though it is different in color somewhat and the form is not so flat. Silver Queen, one of Wilham Paul’s novelties, is coming to the front. It is a pale pink sort, with flowers of excellent Garden and Forest. [SEPTEMBER 12, 1888. form and substance. His Queen of Queens, too, which was sent out a few years ago, has been shown well this season, and promises to be a good late Rose. Other new Roses I noticed to-day in fine condition were: Mlle. Eugéne Verdier, a Tea variety, and Souvenir de Mad. Alfred Vy, a hybrid perpetual of a plum purple color. — It is almost too early for the second crop of Rose bloom, but if the present favorable weather continues, there will be some fine dis- plays at future meetings. £. Goldring. London, August 14th, 1888. New or Little Known Plants. Lycium pallidum. F the seventy species of Lycium known to botanists only ZL. vulgare, a native of southern Europe, the well-known Matrimony Vine of all old gardens, and Z. Chinense, are commonly seen in cultivation. Two north African species, Z. A/rum and L. barbarum, are sometimes cultivated, although the plants seen under the latter name can usually be referred to the Chinese species. The genus Lycium is widely distributed through the dry, extra-tropical portion of the world, with two principal centres of distri- bution, one in southern Africa and the other in the dry regions of western South America, from which several species extend into the territory of the United States, from California to western Texas, with one species in the south- ern United States, and another in the Sandwich Islands. None of the species of south-western North America, which are all rigid, spiny shrubs, often forming a consid- erable part of the, shrubby desert-growth, have ever been seen in gardens, with the exception of the one figured upon page 341 of this issue—Lycimm pallidum*—which has now been growing in the Arnold Arboretum for several years. Itis the largest flowered of the North American species, and one of the first known, having been discov- ered in New Mexico by Fremont, in 1844, on the Rio Virgen, one of the tributaries of the Colorado River of the west. Itis notarare plant, being found also in Arizona and in southern Utah. Lycium pallidum, in cultivation, forms a spreading bush, two to three feet high, with ashy gray, tortuous, somewhat pendulous branches, sparingly armed with long, slender, rigid spines. The leaves are very pale, spathulate and oblanceolate, an inch or two long. The flowers, which are solitary, or sometimes in pairs from the axils of the leaves, are borne on slender pedun- cles, rather exceeding in length the deeply five cleft calyx. The funnel-form corolla is nearly an inch long, with broad and rounded lobes, slightly pubescent in the in- terior towards the base. It is green, sometimes tinged with purple. The berries, which are bright red when ripe, are nearly half an inch long. ‘This interesting plant, as well as a few others, from the dry interior region of south- western North America, has proved, quite unexpectedly, perfectly hardy in the Arboretum, where it flowers regu- larly every year. C Sass Cultural Department. The Cultivation of Native Ferns.—lII]I. HE cultural directions which accompany the following list of native Ferns are based upon personal experience in growing the various species, with the exception of cases otherwise noted. When special directions are not given, the cultivation described in an earlier article is recommended. In the arrangement of species and nomenclature the classifi- by Profes- cation given in ‘The Ferns of North America,” sor Daniel C. Eaton, has been followed. The measurements of species have been taken from plants under cultivation. They are maximum measurements of available specimens, but not greater than may be established plants under good cultivation. given in italics are from Professor Eaton’s work, as the species *Lycium pallidum, Miers. 1/2. S. Am. Pl. 11, 108, ¢. 67.—Torrey, Bot. Mex. Bound. Surv. 154.—Gray, Proc. Am, Acad. vi. 45; Syn. Fl. N. Am. i. 238. reasonably expected from — Measurements | SEPTEMBER 12, 1888.] are not at present in the writer’s collection or other accessible ones. Ail species not otherwise designated are indigenous to New England. 5 According to Professor Eaton, there are 149 species of Ferns indigenous to the United States. Of this number fifty or more-species and many varieties may be cultivated in this vicinity in the open ground or with the protection of a cold- frame in winter. The list of Ferns which are hardy, or nearly so, could doubt- Jess be much extended by species and varieties from the north- western States, Europe and Japan. In this direction there is a good field for experimenting. i Polypodium vulgare. This common evergreen Fern does not grow very Juxuriantly in cultivation. Transplant in tufts or sheet-like masses from the rocks or logs on which it grows naturally and plant under similar conditions in the gar- den. In planting do not bury the running root-stocks beneath the surface of the soil. Leaf-mould. Eight to eleven inches. Polypodium Californicum. A handsome species which does well with the protection of a frame in winter at the Botanic Garden in Cambridge. Native of California. Nine inches. Pellea gracilis. A tiny gem, one of the rarest, and most difficult Ferns to cultivate. Plant in pots with plenty of Garden and Forest. 341 Adiantum pedatum. This peautiful Fern, the Maidenhair, is already in high repute, so there is no need to sound its praises. The ebony black stem and exquisite foliage are known everywhere. This species is easily cultivated, and the fronds attain their greatest beauty in moist, shady spots. — It isa very useful Fern for cutting, and a supply is easily main- tained for any moderate demands. Leat-mould. Fronds, twelve to sixteen inches broad. Lomaria Spicant, This very striking and handsome ever- green. species is easily cultivated, but, unfortunately, is not perfectly hardy. A native of. the far north-west. Peat and leaf-mould. Frame. Fertile fronds, thirteen to eighteen inches; sterile fronds, shorter. Woodwardia angustifolia. A rare and very handsome Fern, with bright green, distinet foliage. It is hardy, but is not very easily grown, and is safest with the protection of a frame in winter. Peat and leaf-mould, Fifteen inches. Woodwardia Virginica. Dark foliage, handsome. Culture as for the last species, but is more easily grown. Ove ¢o three feet. Asplenium viride. A yare, charming, dwarf Fern. the following species, requiring the same culture, Cambridge measure four inches. Close to Plants at Fig. 54.—Lycium pallidum.—See page 340. drainage, orin niches of rocks in a cool, moist corner of rock- work frame. This species would probably do well in a Ward- ian case in a cool green-house. Specimens at the Botanic Garden in Cambridge measure three inches. Pellea atropurpurea is a very distinct and attractive ever- green Fern. Easier to cultivate than the last species, but thrives under the same conditions. Eleven to thirteen inches. Cryptogramme acrostichoides is a rare, attractive, little Fern, easily grown in pots with old mortar. It would doubtless do equally well in a frame. Indigenous to the far north and north-west. Sterile fronds, three to four inches; fertile, six to seven and one-half inches. Pteris aguilina, or Brake. This commonest of all Ferns is capable of the most splendid results under cultivation in rich, highly manured soil. It has been grown to the height of nearly six feet, and the fronds: laid flat would probably have exceeded that length. Unfortunately, the bed was moved last autumn, so that measurements of finest growths cannot be given. It is a little difficult to transplant, but when it gets established it spreads tremendously, and becomes a nuisance in thickly planted borders. Give it plenty of room, with high culture, and it will become one of the prides of the garden. Fifty-six to sixty-four inches. Asplenium Trichomanes. One of the most exquisite of all our dwarf species. It does not do well in the open border; but thrives in cool, damp niches of rocks and in pots. Ever- green, Peat and leaf-mould. Frame. Four to four and a halt inches. Asplenium ebeneum. Narrow and comparatively tall ever- ereen fronds. A very attractive species. Peat, leaf-mould, and a frame in winter, as it is not very hardy. If planted in the open border give abundant drainage. Eight to ten inches. Asplenium angustifolium. This rare and handsome species is one of the most distinct of our native Ferns. Fronds, tall, light green, once pinnate. The most desirable of the large Aspleniums, and of easiest culture. Twenty-four to thirty-three inches. Asplenium Ruta-muraria. One of our tiniest Ferns and difficult to grow. The finest seen in cultivation was at Kew Gardens, where some rocks, with specimens growing in pockets, had been moved bodily from the woods to the gar- den. It may be grown for several years by potting carefully, with plenty of broken limestone drainage. One fo fwoand a half inches. Asplenium thelypleroides. A tall, dark green species. Desirable, and grows very freely. ‘Thirty to thirty-four inches. 342 Garden and Forest. Asplenium Filix-femina, This common species grows in strong, fine-tufted masses, and likes a rich soil. It gets rather shabby during the summer, and_ therefore should not occupy a very conspicuous position in the garden. A new growth may be induced in midsummer,,. without injury to the plant, by cutting off all the fronds close to the ground, when a new lot will soon take their place. This Fern is a very varia- ble species, and in England a large number of varieties are cultivated in gardens. Fifty-four varieties are offered in the catalogue of one of the English Fern-growers. Many of these varieties are distinct and well worth growing. Two and a halt to three and a halt feet. Scolopendrium vulgare. This beautiful and distinct Fern, known as the Hart's-tongue, is extremely rare in this coun- try, and it is best obtained from dealers, or from England, where it is common. It is not indigenous to New E neland, but is found in New York and some other parts of the country. It requires the protection of a frame in winter. Peat and lei if- mould are advantageous to its successful cultivation. In Eng- land large numbers of varieties of this protean Fern are cultivated; but they are not, for the most part, partic uli ae desirable, ‘unless a8 curiosities. Moore* describes sixty- varieties with reniform, incised, curled and contorted fronds ot every conceivable shape. Thirteen to seventeen inches. Camptosorus rhizophyllus, The Walising Fern, This in- teresting species receives its name from its habit of forming little plants at the tips of the fronds, which take root, grow, and in their turn form plantlets at the tips of their fronds, and thus a carpet of Ferns may be formed, Not difficult to grow in pots or in a cool, moist spot, with peat, leaf mould and lime rubbish. Evergreen. Frame, five to seven inches. Phegopteris poly podiviaes. This desirable Fern spreads rapidly, and makes a low, carpet-like growth of much beauty. It is the earliest comer in spring, “having well-developed fronds when other Ferns are just pushing up their graceful forms. Of easiest culture. Fifteen to eighteen inches. Phegopteris hexagonoptera. A species much resembling the above, but of larger and richer growth ; does best with protection of a frame in winter. Fourteen to seventeen inches Phegopteris dryopteris. This very beautiful dwart species is one of the most desirable small Ferns for cultivation, as it is easily grown and spreads quite rapidly, making a lovely light green carpet of delicate fronds ; leaf-mould. Eight to twelve inches. Phegopteris calcarea. An attractive species of low stature; succeeds with a frame in winter, and may be hardy. Found in the West. Peat and leaf-mould. Four to eight inches. Aspidium Noveboracense. A pretty Fern; fronds light green; delicate. Twenty to twenty-four inches. Aspidium thelypteris.” A marsh Fern; distinct, with deli- cate, thin fronds, very pretty. Twenty inches. Aspidium Nevadense. A rather tall, handsome species, with bright green fronds. A native of Pacific Slope. Frame. Two feet. Aspidium cristatum. A tall, narrow, rigid Fern, sub-ever- green, peculiar in its erectness of habit. A handsome and very desirable species of easy culture. Twenty-five to thirty- four inches. Aspidium cristatum, var. Clintonianum. One of the rare Ferns, and also one of the finest for cultivation, attaining great height and strength under favorable conditions. Two and a half to three feet. Robert T. Fackson. Boston. Plums for the West. HE notes of Mr. Williams indicate cumulative troubles in attempting to grow the Plums of western Europe and their seedlings, and a growing interest in our native Plums and their crossed se edlings. "At the west the foreign Plums have measurably failed from the beginning of prairie settlement, and our farmers have been constantly experimenting with selected native varietics. As a rule, the Miner, Wild Goose and other sorts of the Chickasaw family have failed to perfect paying crops of fruit, though loaded with blossoms annually. The variety giving the best satisfaction in the way of hardi- ness of tree, pe rfection of foliage and regular habit of bear- ing is the Maquoketa. Although plainly of the Chickasaw spe- cies, the original tree was found growing at an early day on the Maquoketa River in_ eastern Iowa. Itis rather later in ripen- ing than the typical Wild Goose, and fully its equal in size and quality of fruit. The varieties of the P. Americana family that have proved hardiest in tree, best in foliage and most continuous in bear- * «The Ferns of Great Britain and Ireland.” By Thomas Moore, F.L.S. London: 1857. [SEPTEMBER 12, 1888. ing during the past twenty years are De Soto, Wolf and Wyant. Even frosty weather during the blossoming period does not appear to prevent a full crop of fruit on these sorts. On mature trees, well cared for, the fruit is large enough, handsome enough, and good enough to compete, in Chicago, with the best varieties shipped in from the South, or even from California, where fruit is usually picked prematurely. We have many other native Plums that seem to have special local merit, and in time they may take the place of the three sorts named. The traces of curculio are found on many specimens of these varieties, but the larve so rarely en- ter the fruit, that full crops of perfect, or nearly pertect, fruit are the rule, and failures the rare exception. And now let me direct attention to the varieties of the Plum found north and east of the Carpathian Mountains in Europe. Tourists who are judges of fruits will not hesitate to say that the Plums of eastern * Poland, northern Silesia and southern Russia are equal to those found in western Europe. Some of these on trial at the West promise to be hardy in tree, pertect in foliage and early bearers of good fruit, not liable to rot or to the ‘attacks of the curculio. As an instance, I have to-day tested the fruit of the Black Prune of Russia. It is a number of days earlier than Wild Goose, and larger, firmer in flesh and better in quality, for any use, than “the latter. It is this year absolutely free from marks of the cur- culio, and its thinness of foliage will not be favorable for the rot. Though very thick and firm, its leaves are narrow and small, so that the fruit is fully exposed to the air, and even to the sun at intervals. This thinness of foliage seems to char- acterize the east Europe Plums, even the wild Plums and 54 es of Tolea bluffs. Prunes of the Volga bluff ¥. L. Bude. Ames, Iowa. The Kitchen Garden. OLD frames should now be made ready for use. The last days of September or earliest days of October often bring a slight frost, enough to scorch the tops of Snap Beans and Tomatoes, Peppers and Egg Plants. Now, if proper fore- thought has been exercised, ‘these crops will be grown so that it will now be an easy matter to protect them with frames. Place the frames over the crops at once, and pile the sashes near so that they can be put on quickly. Sashes three feet by six are the handiest for general purposes, and for these four- sash frames are most convenient. These frames are twelve and a half feet long, five feet ten inches wide, eighteen inches high at the back, and twelve inches high in front, and made of pine. These can be carried from place to place by two men, and are used for covering from September till May, and stored up one above the other, four or five deep, during the summer months, or in winter when not in use. Temporary frames may be readily constructed by driving some short, stout stakes into the ground along the back and front of a bed of vegetables six feet wide, and nailing boards (two deep) against these stakes. A light frame- work, shaped like a sash, but covered with ‘ Plant- protecting Cloth” instead of glass, is lighter, easier to handle, and almost as effectual as glass sashes in saving v egetables from early frosts. But as sashes or frames cannot be used for all vegetables, sheeting is a fair substitute. It can be spread over the ‘plants at night and held in place by boards or by spadefuls of earth on the edges. Go to a newspaper printing office and get the calico cloth that has been used in cleaning the presses. Tti is very strong, one, often two, yards wide, and in lengths perhaps of five to ‘seventy feet. It is just as good for this purpose as new, clean calico. Sew these strips into sheets nine or twelve feet wide, and any length to suit up to forty or a hundred feet. Such a sheet is a capital thing to spread over a bed of Tomatoes or Snap Beans to” save them from an early frost. William Falconer. Glen Cove, N. Y. — September Rose Notes. S the cooler nights of autumn have come, more care should be taken in watering and ventilating the young Roses planted out in the Rose houses during the summer months in preparation for winter forcing. They should now be both rooting and growing freely, and ‘becoming thoroughly established, so as to stand the strain of rapid winter growth. And in watering, of course much depends on the weather, though regular syringing should be given just as often as the weather permits. But, when through any oversight the watering of the Rose houses shall have been postponed until late in the afternoon, it is perhaps better to omit it entirely for that occasion, if the night promises to be cold, rather than to have the plants so drenched with moisture that the foliage has no opportunity to dry before the sun gets up the following SEPTEMBER 12, 1888.] morning. Or if the plants should be watered under such cir- cumstances, a light fire should be made in the boiler, so as to dry the house somewhat during the night. Some discretion should also be shown in the matter of ventilation, as no hard and fast rule can be laid down for this operation any more than for watering, the state of the weather being all-important. Proper care should be taken that the tender young growth of he Roses is not exposed to cold currents of air, else mildew villsurely appear. It is a well-known fact that some varicties tre much more tender in this respect than others, Catherine ermet, and her charming offspring, The Bride, being hmong the most susceptible to mildew. In fact, it is some- imes rather difficult to keep the former perfectly clear of ungus at this season of the year. Still, a judicious applica- ion of sulphur will work wonders in this respect. But while tis quite necessary that the airing of the houses should be Qvatched, it is not intended that the Roses should be cod- Bled, or kept too close. Give them plenty of fresh air, with @roper care in other respects, and the result will be seen in he sturdy growth, and the bright, vigorous foliage, that are ure forerunners of good bloom. Garden and Forest. A Japanese Flower Vender’s Basket.—See page 338. 343 It may be mentioned here that another contestant has en- tered the race for popularity among the Roses for winter blooming, in the form of the new Tea, The Gem, so-called pro- visionally by its introducer, a grower in the vicinity of Phila- delphia. The Gem is of uncertain origin, as the intro- ducer is not positive whether it is an entirely new variety or simply an old sort re-discovered. It somewhat resembles Marie Van Houtte in. growth, but is claimed to be far superior to that variety, the flowers being about the size of Perle -des Jardins. and ivory-white in color, frequently tinted with blush or pink in the centre. But as it has not yet been thoroughly tested, it would be best to reserve a positive opinion as to its merits until a longer experience has proved its qualities. WV. H. Taplin. Holmesburg, Pa. Orchid Notes.—Paphinia cristata belongs to a small genus, which is now included in Zycas’e. All the species are dwarf and bear large flowers in proportion to the size of the plants. P. cristata is the oldest, but is by no means _plentiful—probably on account of the difficulty in growing it well. It is a very 344 handsome kind, The flowers, usually two, are borne on pen- dent racemes, and are three inches across, plentifully barred and striped with purple on a white ground. The lip is thick and fleshy, purplish-brown in color, and terminated by a tutt of white bristles. It grows here in shallow pans in a mixture of peat and moss. It ‘should bein the warmest house, liberally supplied with water, and at no time allowed to getdry. P. grandis and P. rugosa are also in flower, but do not vary a great deal trom the foregoing, except that the former has much larger flowers, Cologyne Sfeciosa is not. often seen. inches high, its ovate oblong erect; leathery leaf. The flowers, usually two on an erect spike, are yellowish-green, about four inches across. The large oblong lip is very handsome, reddish-brown, except the front portion, which is pure w hite, and beautifully fringed. There are also two prominent crests running nearly the whole length of the lip. It is nearly always in flower and growth, and should be accorded very liberal treatment and be kept in a warm house. Another species now in flower, but differing largely trom the foregoing, is C. corrugata, so named from its wrinkled bulbs. The erect racemes proceed from the young growths, and bear four to six lovely white flowers, about two inches across. The lip has a deep orange blotch on the crest and longitudinal lines of reddish-brown in the throat. Coming from the Khe isya hills, it may be grown with the Odontoglos- sums, and, like them, delights in abundance of water, but care must be taken not to over- pot it. Trichopilia grata is avery pretty and useful Orchid, resem- bling 7. fragrans, and, like it, is very fragrant. The sepals and petals are yellow-green, the large, pure white lip being marked with a blotch of yellow. The racemes are strong, somewhat erect, and four to six flowered. It grows admirably under the same treatment accorded the Odontoglossums, but should be kept somewhat drier after growth is natured. Odontoglossum Harryanum is one of the latest and best additions to this large genus. ~Owing to liberal importations, itis now quite plentiful, and may be seen in nearly every col- lection. It appears in many forms, and no two drawings of it are alike. That it is very free-flowering in its native state there is evidence in the stout, dry spikes on the imported plants; and imported bulbs produce good spikes, but I have not seen good spikes on home-grown bulbs. The plant in flower with us is from the first importation to England. It is erowing freely, and increasing in size of bulbs, with the AZZ anne vexillaria, and under the same treatment, but I think it would flower better if given more sunlight and a drier at- mosphere. In growthit much resembles O. hastilabium, The flowers are very handsome, the sepals and petals being of a chestnut-brown, the former barred and tipped with light yel- low; the petals are Bek with purple and tipped with yellow; the front lobe of the | ip is pointed and pure white; the crest is yellow, while the base is heavily striped with light purple. Kenwood, N. Y. °F. Goldring. It grows bulbs being about eight ‘terminated by an Notes From the Arnold Arboretum. HE number of trees or shrubs which flower in this climate after the middle of August is not large. The most im- portant of them, from an ornamental point of view, is the so- called Japanese Sophora (Sephora Faponica). This is one of fhe first trees from Japan cultivated in European gardens, having been introduced into England as early as 1763. It is pretty “generally distributed through the eastern provinces of China, both wild and ina cultivated state ; and it is now sup- posed that it may have been one of several plants long be- lieved to be natives of Japan, but really Chinese, and introduced by the Japanese in their gardens. Sophora Faponica is a round-headed tree, forty or fifty feet high when fully grown, with cinnamon-brown, scaly bark, “and wide- spreading branches, those of recent years covered with bright green, lustrous bark. The deciduous leaves are composed of seven to thirteen pairs of oblong-ovate, acute leaflets, an inch to an inch and a half long, dark green and opaque on the up- per, and paler on the under surface. The small, creamy- white, pea-shaped flowers, are arranged in large, loosely- branched, terminal panicles, which about the middle of August often quite cover old specimens. Probably the largest speci- mens of this tree in Europe are the one in Kew Gardens, one of the first plants brought to Europe, and the still larger and more shapely tree near the palace of the Petit- Trianon at Versailles. The finest Specimen in America perhaps may be seen in the Public Garden in Boston, although it might be expected to grow more rapidly and to a lar rer size in the Middle States. Sophora Faponica is now used in Italy to a considerable ex- Garden and Forest. [SEPTEMBER 12, 1888. tent as a street tree, notably in Milan, where some of the new boulevards have been successfully planted with it. Its habit adapts it for such a purpose, as do the lightness of the shade, which its pinnate leaves produce, and its habit of flow- ering late in the summer, when flowers are more valuable than they are earlier in the season. Young plants, however, do not flower very freely, and this tree requires age before it develops all its flowering capacity. The Chinese cultivate this tree largely in some districts forthe sake of the “Imperial yellow dye” obtained from the flowers. Another Japanese tree is now in flower, It is the Japanese variety of Aus semialata (var, Osbeckii). Rhus semialata isa widely distributed species from Japan, Formosa, and northern and central China to the Himalaya and Khasia mountains. This tree yields the Chinese galls of commerce, which are believed by the Chinese to possess valuable medical proper- ties. The Japanese variety, in which the petioles are broadly wing-margined between the leaflets, is the only one in cultiva- tion. Itisaround- headed tree, eighteen or tw enty feet high, with smooth, gray bark, and spreading branches, those of the year covered with a rufous pubescence. The leaves are fifteen or eighteen inches long, composed of four or five pairs of ovate- oblong, sharply pointed, serrate, nearly sessile leaflets. These are six or seven inches long, subcoriaceous, dark green and shining on the upper surface, pale, and covered, as are the petioles, with a soft, rusty pubescence, which is more devel- oped on the prominent mid-rib, and fifteen or sixteen primary veins. Thesmall, greenish-white, short-pediceled flowers are produced in large, terminal, many-branched panicles. The male plant only is in cultivation in this country, so far as I know, and the fruit has not, therefore, been seen here. It is described as flattened, and densely covered with short, purple or white pubescence. The foliage of this Japanese Rhus as- sumes in theautumn the most brilliant orangeand scarlet colors. This character, its neat habit, late blooming and pertect hardiness make this one of the most desirable of the small ornamental trees of recent introduction. Two North American species of Clematis, with cylindrical flowers and semi-woody climbing stems, remain an bloom here all summer long. “They are Clematis cr tspa and C. Pit- cheri. The former is a native of river-swamps from North Carolina to Texas. This species is well marked by its mem- branous foliage with lax venation, and by the conspicuously undulate margin of the upper part of the sepals, which, when the flower is fully expanded, are reflexed from below the mid- dle. The flowers are solitary, on peduncles rather shorter than ~ the leaves, an inch and a ‘halt long, bright purple and very fragrant. The leaves are very variable, ~ternate or pinnate, — the leaflets often deeply lobed, especially those near the base _ of the stems. There is an excellent figure of this plant in Lavallée’s ‘Les Clématites a grandes Fleures” (é. xiv.), and — there are figures in the Botanical Magazine, 7, 1892, and in the | Botanical Re cister, t. 60. It isthe C cordata, Botanical Mag- azine, ¢. 1816 ; the C. cylindrica, Botanical Magazine, t¢. 1160, and the C. Miorna of Andrew's Botanical. Repository, £5, 76 Clematis Pitcheri is found in the country west of the Mis- | sissippi River from Missouri to northern Mexico. It may he — distinguished from the last species by its thicker and some- times almost coriaceous leaves and smaller flow ers, which are much darker in color, destitute of perfume and borne on peduncles longer than the pinnate leaves, which are com- posed of two to four pairs of ovate, obtuse, generally undi- vided, but sometimes three lobed leaflets. It is well figured by Lavallée, “7. ¢., 4 xv.,” who also figures, ‘7 xviii., ” under the name of C. Sar. -genti, mere form of this species with rather small flowers, ced from seed distributed from the Arboretum. The fact that these American cylindrical flowered Clematis are perfectly hardy, and that they continue in bloom — during several months, make them of considerable garden — value, although neither of them are as showy nor as desirable, perhaps, as garden plants, as the scarlet- flowered C. coccinea — referred to in an earlier issue of these notes. : But a far more valuable plant, from an ornamental point of — view, is the common Virgin's Bower, of all eastern North — America (Clematis Virginiana), which flowers here during the — month of August. it’ grows naturally in low, wet places, — along the borders of streams and sw amps, sending its long, — climbing stems over bushes and low trees. The creamy | white and very fragrant flowers are produced in great pro- fusion in loose, axillary clusters, making this plant, next to the Clethra, the most attractive and interesting of the native shrubs which bloom here at this season. ‘The fruit-clusters, — with their long and conspicuous feathery tails, which suc-— ceed the flowers in autumn, add materially to the orna- mental value of this plant. The Traveler’s Joy (Clematis — SEPTEMBER 12, 1888.] Vitalba), a widely distributed species of central and southern Europe, and very similar in general appearance to C. Virgin- zana, but with white flowers, is, on the whole, perhaps, more attractive as an ornamental plant. August 2oth. _ re The:, Forest. European State Forestry. | ise State Department has done a good piece of work in col- lectingin one volume the reports of our consuls on ‘‘Fores- tryinEurope.”* This volume contains a great deal of interest- ing and valuable information, but, unfortunately, shows the lack of an editor, who might have sifted the relevant from the irrelevant, and by condensation and the avoidance of unneces- sary repetitions might have brought out the prominent features which are of value to the American student. There are also found some misleading and sometimes erroneous statements, which are due to misconceptions of the real situation on the part of the consuls. This is, perhaps, not easily avoided, for it requires a consid- erable and intimate knowledge of the conditions prevailing in the different European states in regard to their forest manage- ment—and the difference in these is great—in order to be able to properly present the facts and to generalize from them. The ideas which in general prevail in regard to the activity of the governments in Europe with respect to forestry are more or less erroneous, and the present publication is hardly apt to set them aright. There is a belief that the forests of Europe are mostly in the hands of government, or at least under government control. What is true fora very small part of the country is made to appear universal, and thus the misconception arises. From a survey of more than three-quarters of the European forest area, including that of Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Italy, France, Spain, Russia, Sweden and Norway, we may draw, then, the following conclusions as to the position which _these states take towards forestry interests, and correct the erroneous views existing in this respect. 1. The governments, excepting in Russia, own the smaller part, in many instances only a nominal area of the forest lands—namely, altogether not more than sixteen to twenty per cent. of the total European forest area. 2. Private individual owners enjoy their forest property almost everywhere without interference on the part of the government. 3. Communities—villages, towns and cities—and “ eternal corporations, like churches, colleges, etc., very often own large tracts of forest land as common property. Over these the state, in many cases, exercises supervisory powers, with a view of preventing the waste and depreciation of this common property, acting gwasz as guardian or trustee, as in other cor- porated interests. Wherever supervision of private forest property is exercised it is almost always done only after full demonstration that the common welfare, the interest of the many as against the few, demand it, and full indemnification for damage sustained is given in every case. 4. The idea of State supervision in given cases where the danger to the community from forest devastation or destruc- tion is demonstrated, is not an old but a decidedly modern one, having found expression in legislation only within the last twenty to thirty years ; mostly within the last fifteen years. While in all other directions of economic life European goy- -ernments are working towards non-interference and libera- tion from government restrictions, in the question of forest management the opposite tendency is developing, the neces- sity for such government supervision on account of various peculiarities of forest property and forest management being more and more recognized. All European governments, without exception, have felt themselves in duty bound to encourage and aid proper forest management and all efforts at reforestation. This is done : (a.) By setting a good example in the management of the forests belonging to the State. (6.) By offering an opportunity of acquiring the necessary knowledge in forest schools and encouraging the employ- ment of trained foresters. (¢.) By aiding and encouraging reforestation, where it ap- pears necessary, with active financial aid. It may be stated as of special interest tous that nowhere in these States exists there a bounty system, and where it did exist, as, for instance, in France, it failed to produce the re- sults looked for ; while the supplying of plant material, free of ” * “Forestry in Europe.”—Reports from the Consuls of the United States. Garden and Forest. 345 cost or at the cost of packing and transportation, and encour- agement by the advice and suggestions of forestry officers, or a direct money expenditure for specific purposes of re- forestation, have everywhere been practiced with gratifying results. We also see that the conviction is gaining ground among governments and private citizens, monarchies and republics, that the forests located in certain places serve a more far- reaching and important purpose than that of mere supply of material. Such forests, called protective forests, are, never- theless, managed with a view of obtaining the material ; in such manner, however, that the forest influence may not be disturbed. Forest preservation, in the sense of keeping for- ests intact and preventing the utilization of their material, is practiced nowhere ; it is protection against damage and dev- astation and proper management that is meant by forest preservation. : Washington, D. C. B. FE. Fernow. Correspondence. The Boston Public Garden. To the Editor of GARDEN AND FOREST : Sir.—There is so much that is good in the Public Garden in Boston, and its possibilities of improvement are so great, that it is incumbent upon any one who cares either for gar- dening or for the best interests of the public to raise a voice in criticism of its present condition in behalf of the better con- dition to which it might so easily be brought. Its situation in the heart of the city, and in connection with the Common, is fortunate. Its architectural surroundings are more agreeable than those, for instance, of any small park in New York. Its surface is perceptibly, yet gently, modeled, just as one would wish to have it. It embraces a pretty sheet of water and contains many trees, which, although not yet of very large size, are good and promising specimens. In short, the blocking-out of the garden, so to say, is excellent, and if the details ot its execution were as good, it would be one of the most charming urban spots in the world. But, it seems to me, these details are so unfortunate, that it is a warning rather than a model. For some of them the authorities now in charge are not re- sponsible—for the stone coping which surrounds the water to the injury of naturalness of effect; for the statues, which are far from being satisfactory works of art, and for the bridge, which is not only ugly in design, but almost big and heavy enough to carry a railroad. These details it might be difficult to change. But something might be done to mitigate their defects; the bridge supports and parapets might be clothed with vines, and the masses of shrubbery around the pond might more often be brought down over the coping to the water’s edge. It is, however, details of more recent origin, which most seriously injure the beauty of the spot—details which come under the head of gardening proper. Let us stand for a mo- ment on the bridge and see what the outlook offers. Do we find unity or harmony in any direction? I think no fair-minded observer can say, Yes. The bridge itself crosses the long pond about midway of its length, and forms part of a straight walk which traverses the garden from west to east. Winding paths diverge from this straight walk in all directions, and the first thing we note is that there are far too many of them, and too many wide, graveled spaces where they intersect. Public convenience does not demand so great an expanse of gravel, and beauty is greatly les- sened by the degree to which the lawns are cut up, and unity and reposefulness of effect are thereby injured. Next we notice that there is far too much color in the land- scape. Green is the color with which nature paints a land- scape of this soft, intimate sort, varying it with innumerable shades, but always keeping the medium shades preponderant, and using the lightest and darkest, and above all the brightest, for accentuation only ; sprinkling it with the vivid hues of flow- ers, but keeping these likewise subordinate to the general soft, verdurous tone. Of course, in a garden man cannot follow nature’s example with strictness. As he must inno- vate upon her disposition of surfaces, so he may upon her use of color, but never to such a degree that her ideal is altogether lost to sight. Now, in the Public Garden, color is much too profusely used, alike in the way of bright or varie- gated trees and shrubs, and in the way of brilliant low plants and flowers. And it is also badly used. Look off towards Boylston Street, for instance, and the most conspicuous object is a group of trees on the edge of the water, a Golden Poplar 346 between two very light-colored Willows—the combination ugly in itself, and not properly softened by masses of a soberer hue. And then look in every direction at the scores of formal flower beds planted solid with the crudest hues that the ingenuity of the gardener’s craft has been able to produce. Were nine-tenths of them aw ay the garden would profit im- mensely, and the value of the remainder would be as greatly increased. There is often a place for such beds in a garden design, and in the Public Garden there is a very good place. The long, straight path, taking in the conspicuous ‘bridge and ending at Washington's statue, is a formal feature dictated by convenience, and ‘might appropriately and with good effect be bordered throughout with formal beds. Thus the garden would be enlivened, yet its more natural parts would not be disturbed, and the taste of the public for such beds would be as well met as by the multitude of beds which are now mis- placed. Misplaced they are indeed. Nowhere can one walk a hundred steps without coming upon a new one, nowhere can one look in the hope of finding a restful verdant view without seeing them scattered about at random in the most glaringly false situations. Nor is it easy, upon examination, to find one of them which is intrinsically good in color. The Coleus ‘Golden Bedder,” with its vivid, impure yellow tint, and the “Crystal Palace Gem” Geranium, with its cherry- colored blossoms in contrast with yellow-green leaves, are among the most hideous products of recent “horticulture, and some of the Alternantheras are almost as bad. Yet it would be impossible to count the hundreds of these plants which have been employed ; and even when better ones are used they are seldom well combined. Greatly as the modern gar- dener loves the bedding-out system, he has small idea_ of the possibilities of beauty it might possess in hands guided by a good eye for form and color. The “crazy quilt “seems to be “the work of art which he most earnestly-de sires to rival. There is, however, at least one instance in the Public Garden of a really good design—the central panels, to north and south of the border which. encircles Washington's statue, and which is chiefly composed of those succulent. leaved, low-growing, formally-shaped plants (Sedums and Echeverias) which above all others are adapted for the purpose. Here the combination of a brown-leaved Oxalis, starred by a few small yellow blossoms with the pink-streaked blue-grays of Stone Crops, is admirably accomplished as regards both line and color. If the edging close to the statue and the interven- ing Palms were remoy ed, and if all the panels of the border were as good as these two, the arrangement would be a model of excellence, alike in execution and in application. But these formal beds of gaudy color are not the only things which help to make the Public Garden as restless and inhar- monious as possible. Wherever, on the edges of the lawns, there is not a bed, there is sure to bea tropical plant utterly out of keeping with its environment—a Screw Palm, an Agave, a Yucca, an Auraucaria, a Draczena, or an India- rubber tree. Or if not one of these, then a tree or shrub with vivid leaves or an eccentric form. Looking northward from the bridge, for instance, one sees, to the left of the water, first a vase filled with an intermixture of hardy and tropical plants, then a Golden Poplar, a yellow Retinospora, a Kilmar- nock Willow; then a Golden Elder in a pot, backed by a small English Elm, another Golden Poplar, and a wand- like Irish Yew; then a little Weeping Willow, and a half dead, pendulous Purple Beech, overhanging an immense bed of Coleus, in the shape ofa double horse- shoe; this between the winding path and the water, and across the path another big bed casually placed on a sloping piece of lawn and flanked by an India- rubber plant and a Draceena that looks a good deal like a broom on end—all within the space of a few feet, in a spot where surely some natural arrangement was called for, and all in no sense combined or disposed, but spotted about at random. It is needless to ask where is the peacefulness, the repose, of such a landscape passage—where is its sense, its beauty of any sort? It has variety enough and to spare, but no trace of unity; contrasts of the most “elaring kind, but no faintest shadow of h: armony. thing else, and nothing looks well in itself being so palpably out of place. Of these poor, misused, forlorn looking tropical plants, something the same may be said as was said of the formal beds—both because they are known not to be natural products of our clime, and because they are formal, architec- tural, in expression, their place is in combination with archi- tecture. On the bridge, or by the pedestal of a statue, some of them might look w ell. Mingled with shrubberies, or iso- lated on a lawn, they are ruined themselves and ruin. their surroundings. More than this might be said of the defects of the public Garden and Forest. : Nothing helps the effect of any-” [SEPTEMBER 12, 1888. garden—something, for instance, of the many vases which are also isolated on the lawns and even in the middle of the pond; of the plot which is filled with Aloes, Agaves and Cacti, in futile imitation of a Mexican garden, crow ded together so their own forms do not show, and as out of place here asa giratfe between the traces of a Boston Herdic; of the rock- garden built up under an Elm tree, in a flat situation, and filled with another heterogeneous mixture of inappropriate plants. But all I wish to do is to beg the many lovers of nature and lovers of art who daily cross this garden to stop a moment and ask themselves whether it is really as it should. be, and, as well as I could, to indicate the point of view from which such an inquiry should be made. And for this purpose surely enough has been said. M. G. Van Rensselaer. Marion, Mass. [The Public Garden in Boston has many defects, and it certainly does not represent, as might perhaps be expected, the true and actual condition of the gardening art in this country, as judged by its best examples. It must be said, however, that the garden has been greatly improved under its present management, and that in sev- eral respects it is much less objectionable than it was a few years ago. It is now much better kept in every way than formerly ; the number of flower-beds has been re- duced, and several useless walks have been done away with. The radical faults with the garden have come largely from an entire disregard of any fixed or estab- lished plan for planting, if any one has ever had any such plan or any clear or definite idea on the subject. Flower- beds have been made, and trees and shrubs have been stuck in year after year, not as a part of a carefully studied plan, but haphazard, here and there, or wherever a piece of open turf seemed to offer an opportunity to place a horti- cultural novelty. The result has been that the garden is now spotted over in every direction with the most incon- gruous, and often the most absurd, plants, and that there is nowhere, in a garden of twenty-five acres, a single quiet stretch of turf or a single spot where the eye can find repose. This feeling of a want of restfulness, too, is in- creased by the fact that the boundaries have been left too much exposed, so that it is impossible, within the garden, to obtain anything like a feeling of being in the country. The cost of maintaining the garden is enor- mous; much of this money could be saved and the garden immensely improved, if half the flower-beds and a great many of the walks were turfed over. The bedding gardening, both spring and summer, while perhaps no worse in design and execution than that seen in Hyde Park and in Battersea Park in London, certainly is not artistic. The plants are not always well selected and the combina- tions of colors are often appalling. The truth is, that the artistic arrangement of bright colored flowers or foliage plants in masses, whether they are Tulips or Coleus and | Scarlet Geraniums, requires great artistic feeling, long practice and rare good judgment. Gardeners rarely pos- sess the first of these qualities, while artists, who might make harmonious combinations of color, lack the techni- cal knowledge and the interest in such combinations. The strongest argument against the bedding out system as a system is found in the difficulty of finding men who can do it in a truly artistic manner. The French make such combinations of color better than any other people, but even in Paris really good com- binations of colors are rather the exception than the rule. English work of this sort, as might have been expected, is certainly far inferior to the French, while outside of Chicago, and possibly Pittsburgh, there is nothing so bad in the United States as the bedding in the public “and many of the private English gardens. Another objection to elaborate bedding gardening—and this is true as well of any absorbing specialty in gardening—is that it inevitably leads to the neglect of other departments. The Public Garden well illustrates this. Constant daily atten- tion is given to the flower-beds, which are weeded and pinched and cut religiously, while the grass is allowed to be overrun with weeds, the edgings of the walks are SEPTEMBER 12, 1888.] neglected, insects swarm upon the trees, and the pond and fountain-basins are foul and filled with rubbish. The tropical plants stuck about the garden, to which our corre- spondent calls attention, are a new feature, which, with the hardy and half-hardy shrubs, plunged in pots wherever a place can be found for them, only serve to decrease its ‘beauty and diminish its real usefulness. The money which it costs the city to buy these plants, and build and heat the green-houses in which they must be stored in winter, might be spent more wisely in destroying injurious insects or in cleaning the filth from the pond. The Boston Public Garden is visited by thousands of people every week. Its educational importance, therefore, is great— greater, probably, than that of any other garden of its size in the United States. It is a misfortune, therefore, not only for the people of Boston, but for those of the whole country, that it cannot be made to express the real mean- ing of what such a garden should be. —Ep. ] To the Editor of GARDEN AND FOREST : Sir.—Referring to the article on ‘“‘ The Street Trees in Wash- ington,” in Harper's Magazine for July, let me say that nine years ago I examined these trees in company with the late Dr. John A. Warder. We thought it a good idea to plant these common, rapidly-growing trees to make shade, while valuable trees, that grew more slowly, were being established, and re- gretted that they were planted so closely as to give insufficient room for the permanent trees that we supposed would be planted between them to take their places. It seems from Mr. Peter Henderson’s rernarks that these trees were intended to remain. Of the 63,014 trees planted, 43,914 are of Silver Ma- ple, Box Elder and Poplar. The climate of Washington would admit of a selection of street trees that could not endure the climate of our Northern cities. In that climate especially trees should be selected which hold their leaves fresh in the late summer months. The Silver Maple, Box Elder and Poplars (over two-thirds of the whole number planted) are certainly not the best that could be selected on that account. Compare ‘them in this respect with the Sugar Maple, the Cucumber tree, “Magnolia acuminata,” the Tulip tree, the Oaks and many others. The foliage of the Silver Maple is poor in the late summer compared with the above named, and, besides this, the branches are brittle, and the trees are disfigured with broken and dead branches before growing old. The foliage of the Box Elder is quite dense and rich in color early in the season, but never fresh in the latter part of the season after it has reached the age of twenty-five or thirty years, and especially away from the margins of streams. Nearly all the Poplars, with the exception of the Lombardy, are a nuisance in the ‘streets in early summer, shedding their down like rain upon the just and the unjust. If longevity is taken into consideration, how will the Silver Maples, Box Elders and Poplars appear when fifty years old ? Here where I write (Hanover, New Hampshire) the White Elms and Sugar Maples, a hundred years old, line the streets, and are noble trees still. Does any of these 43,914 trees com- pare with the White Elm? Will any one of them endure the _city smoke better than the White Elm? I am not finding ‘fault with what has been done, I only wish to call attention to what has not been done. No trees would make a shade quicker nor so cheaply as these 43,914 trees, and if they shade the streets for even twenty years they will have paid their way, but it is already time to arrange for filling their places. Seeds ot trees of valuable and durable kinds should be sown now, the trees grown and transplanted, with plenty of room, so that they will be strong and vigorous before being planted into the intermediate spaces. Then the soft-wooded trees can be cut back on the sides, more or less, allowing the newly-planted ones room to become well established, and by that time the White Maples, Cottonwoods and Box Elders will be in a failing condition. Robert Douglas. [This letter was written before Mr. Douglas had seen an editorial article on the same subject in this journal.—Ep. | ‘To the Editor of GARDEN AND FOREST : Sir.—The quotation from an article entitled, “ Among My Weeds,” inarecentissue of GARDEN AND FOREST, brings to mind some “ weeds” of my own cultivating—among them the Poke. It is a matter of wonder that the Poke has not a place in beds where strong, vigorous plants are growing. It is an exceed- Garden and Forest. 347 ingly distinct and picturesque plant. The rich colors of its stem and its graceful manner of growth are especially notice- able. A marked trait is, that on the same spray, where the berries are ripe, there will be not only green “berries, but flowers and buds. The stem of the spray alone is remarkable for beauty. I have stripped them of the berries and arranged them in a vase-bouquet, and every one was desirous of know- ing what the new and rich-colored thing was. So with the flowers, which are unique and pretty. A party of visitors once gathered around a plateau of flowers in which I had arranged the Poke blooms, and were curious to know what sort of Wax- plant it was. The odor of the plant is not pleasant, but this is slight in the flower, if at all noticeable. 1 raised my crop of Poke from seed, butas the plant is perennial, it will come up from year to year, faithful to the appointed time. Palmyra, N. J. Lf, Ves Recent Publications. Bulletin of Miscellaneous Information. — Royal Kew, No. 19, July, 1888. This, the last number of the useful publication which has reached us, like its predecessors, is filled with valuable infor- mation. — It contains, among other articles, the following: On Bhabur Grass ({schemum augustifolium), with a figure, a plant closely resembling the well-known Espartu Grass in habit and in qualities, which make it valuable in the manufacture of paper. Bhabur Grass is a native of northern India, where it grows on dry, bare slopes, and is used mostly in the manu- facture of cordage. It is believed that this plant, were it culti- vated on a large scale, might become important in furnish- ing excellent material for paper-making, and that it can be easily cultivated this paper gives abundant evidence. (2) On the Cayman Islands, a group of three small islands Grand Cayman, Little Cayman and Cayman Brac—situated in the Caribbean Sea about 200 miles west of Jamaica, and rarely visited by travelers. They contain, however, a population of more than 4,000 persons, who are described as temperate, strong, tall, healthy-looking people, chiefly white or colored, “and who are doubtless descended from the original settlers of the last century.” The population of black people is com- paratively small. The vegetation of their islands is similar to that of Jamaica, as are the crops, which are principally Sugar- cane and Cocoa-nuts. (3) On the Prickly Pear in South Africa, being a discussion of the best methods for exterminating the Prickly Pear from South African fields, and of the uses to which these plants can be applied, by Prof. MacOwen, director of the Botanic Garden in Cape TowninSouth Africa. It is based upon the rapid spread of the Prickly Pear, as one or more species of Opuntia are called, in all dry regions of the Old World. These plants are of American origin, but they are as much at home in the Old World as on, their native Mexican plateau. They render the land they occupy worthless for all purposes of agriculture, and it is becoming, therefore, a matter of real importance to determine how such plants are to be effectually eradicated at a small cost, or if they cannot be-eradicated, how they can be profitably cultivated. There are also articles in this issue upon Valonia (the acorn cups of Quercus A®gilops), of which large quantities are imported annually into England from Greece and Asia Minor, and upon Star Anise—///ictum verunt. Gardens, Recent Plant Portraits. CATTLEYA WALKERIANA, Revue de 1 Horticulture Belge, June. Rhododendron MAIDEN'S BLUSH, Revue de 1’ Horticulture Belge, June; one of the earliest of the race of green-house Rhododendrons raised by the Messrs. Veitch, and derived from Rk. Favanicum. HAKEA LAURINA, Budletino de la R, Societa Toscana di Orti- cultura, June. Rose BARDON Job, Yournal des Roses, May; a handsome Tea Rose, with semi-double scarlet flowers, raised from the well known Gloire des Rosomanes by Narbonnard & Sons, of Golfe Juan, and recommended as a strong-growing pillar Rose, or for bedding. BAHIA (ERIOPHYLLUM) CONFERTIFLORA, Garéenflora, June 15th; a half shrubby Californian Composite, with small heads of yellow flowers. CHANACTIS TENUIFOLIA, Gardenflera, June 15th; a loosely- branched, diffuse Composite from the coast of southern Cali- fornia, like the last, of little horticultural interest. ANTIRRHINUM NUTTALLIANUM, Gartenflora, June 15th; a late 348 California species, with slender, sprawling branches, small leaves, and minute purple flowers, of no interest as a garden plant. TRICHOPILIA LEHMANNI, Gartenflora, July Ist. ZYGOPETALUM BRACHYPETALUM, var. STENOPETALUM, Gar- tenflora, July 15th ASTER ALPINUS, var. SPECIOSUS, Gartenflora, July Ist; a stately variety of a well known and widely distributed plant, discovered by Dr. Albert Regel, on the high mountains of central Asia. GLOXINIA GESNERIOIDES, Charles Schubert, Wiener dlustrirte Gartensettung, June. IRIS KOROLKOWH, Gardener's Chronicle, July 14th. PINUS SABINIANA, Gardener's Chronicle, July 14th; the well known Digger Pine of California, figured from a specimen grown in ‘the gardens of the Villa Thuret, at Antibes, in the south of France. OSTROWSKYA MAGNIFERA, Gardener's Chronicle, July 21st; a wonderful Campanulaceous plant, discovered by Dr Albert Regel on the mountains of Chanat Darwas, ineastern Bokhara. “Ttis a hardy perennial, with tuberous roots. As shown, the stem is three feet in height, green, sprinkled with small red spots, with four-leaved whorls at intervals. The leaves are glabrous, rather fleshy, shortly stalked, oblong-acute, coarsely toothed. The inflorescence is cymose, the flowers. on long stalks, at first pendulous, afterwards nearly erect ; when fully expanded they measure five and three-quarter inches in diam- eter. The plant, despite a paleness of color in the flower, is certainly one of the finest herbaceous plants ever introduced, and as there can be no doubt as to its hardihood, and little or any as to its adapting itself readily to cultivation, it is sure to become a popular favorite.” The plant from which this illustration was made was exhib- ited by the Messrs. Veitch at a late exhibition of the Royal Horticultural Society of England. Notes. A young Apple-tree in a yard on Washington Street, near Eggleston Square, Boston, was in full flower on the 2d of September. Mr. Albert Koebele, an agent of the Entomological Division of the Department of Agriculture, has sailed for Australia to study the parasites affecting the cottony cushion scale, especi- ally in the interest of horticulture in California. It is expected that not more than one million pounds of tobacco will be raised in Egypt this year, although, an the aver- age, thirteen million pounds have been produced in former seasons. The decrease is owing to the recent action of the Khedive in putting a tax of $157.50 on each acre of ground devoted to this crop. At the late convention of Florists a resolution was adopted to the effect that it would be of great advantage to the trade if manufacturers would unite to ‘make pots of unitorm size, and members of the Society are invited to sign a circular stating that henceforth they bie) ose to use no other pots than those of the standard size ac lopted by the Society. A copy ot this circular is to be sent to all the potters in the country. Mr. John J. Thomas reports in the Country Gentleman that an orchard of Bartlett pears, in which the trees were sprayed with Paris green, show scarcely a defective specimen of fruit, while on another tree, forty rods distant, which was not treated with the poison, nearly ev ery pear is disfigured by the codlin worm in the core and by the curculio on the surface. The Bartlett pear, from its earliness and texture, is particularly hable to attacks of the curculio. Mr. F. W. Burbidge describes, in a recent issue of the Lon- don Garden, an interesting specimen of the Sycamore Maple, with bright red fruit, growing in a garden near Dublin: ‘The tree itself in growth resembles the type, but the leaves are smaller and of. a more shining or glossy green, being glaucous behind. The leaf-stalks or “petioles are bright red, and the fruits, instead of being in dense or short clustered racemes of a greenish hue, are borne i in long-stalked clusters, and are red, verging on crimson when fully exposed to the sun.”” Nothing is known of the history of this tree. In speaking of the Rose American Beauty at the Florists’ Convention, Mr. Edwin Lonsdale said that it could be ob- tained from January till December, and not Septembe Tr, as was reported. The fact that it can be had at all seasons gives this Rose a special value, although, in order to give a fair profit, where artificial heat is needed, it ought not to ysell at wholesale Garden and Forest. (SEPTEMBER 12, 1888. for less than twenty-five dollars a hundred. Mr. Lonsdale finds that in some cases it does better the second year after planting. American Beauty is at this time the main depend- ence of New York florists for long-stemmed Roses, and brings at retail from three to four dollars a dozen. The Revue Horticole, in- a recent issue, calls attention to oe ternata, which it considers the most desirable of all early spring- flow ering shrubs. It is a Mexican evergreen, be- longing to the same family as the Orange, with beautiful, dark green, shining foliage, corymbs of numerous pure white, deliciously fragrant flow ers, which are produced in the great- est profusion “during the months of April and May. The flowers remain fresh for a long time when cut and are well adapted for bouquets. This plant is not, unfortunately, hardy in the Northern States, but it would probably succeed anywhere south of Virginia, or in California, where it will, doubtless, find itself perfectly at home. Hybrid Gladioli were again the floral feature at the meeting of the Massachusetts Horticulture il Society, held on the 1st of September. Mr. able collection of seedlings shown the previous week; and Mr. James Cartwright, of Wellesley, sent an equally large collection of almost equal merit. Indeed it would be difficult to say which of these two collections contained the largest number of really valuable varieties. Mr. Hun- newell exhibited a dish of twelve Late Crawford Peaches from his orchard-house. The twelve weighed six pounds six ounces, the largest measuring eleven and % a half inches in cir- cumference and weighing eleven and a quarter ounces. Such a dish of Peaches, it is safe to say, has never been seen in Boston before. A dish of Red Bietigheimer was conspicuous in a large collection of summer Apples, exhibited by Mr. Samuel Hartwell, of Lincoln. This is one of the largest and handsomest of the summer Apples, with a smooth, - whitish- yellow skin, beautifully shaded with red. Its firm texture and sub-acid flavor, however, make it a better cooking than dessert fruit. The second annual convention of the Association of Ameri- can Cemetery Superintendents was held in the Clarendon Hotel, Brooklyn, last week. At the meetings on Wednesday and Thursday a number of papers of great merit were read on important subjects of practical interest. Among them were the following: ‘An Ideal Cemetery,” by Mr. F. Eurich, of Toledo, Ohio; ‘‘ Landscape Gardening in Cemeteries,” by ‘Mr. R. D. Cleveland, of Minneapolis, a son of. Mr. H. W. S. Cleve- land; “Lawns,” by Mr. W. Salway, of Cincinnati; ‘ Roads,” by Mr. O. C, Simonds, of Chicago; ‘‘Green-houses and Flowers,” by Mr. J. E. Barker, of Boston. The members of the Board of Officers—whose names and addresses have been given in an earlier issue of this journal—were unanimously re-elected. It was decided to hold the next convention at Detroit, in the third week of August, 1889. This association is an organiza- tion, the existence of which is full of promise for the better ordering and management of American cemeteries, and it will doubtless have an increasing measure of support from the superintendents and trustees of cemeteries throughout the country. Every one who has visited Montreal in August will remem- ber the enormous Cantaloupe Melons and their fine flavor. They are almost round, flattened at both ends, deeply ribbed; the skin green and netted, and the green flesh very thick. After some ineffectual attempts by Boston dealers to import — these Melons, the growers about that city have been making © experiments with them, has achieved a and Mr. W. H. Allen, of Arling eton, striking success. According to the American Cultivator, he imported his seed direct from Montreal and — In | started them under glass with a moderate bottom heat. fact, he kept the melons under glass as long as he could. One important point in their culture is to water the vines freely, yet after the Melons commence to form, the fruit should not be wet. The growers in Montreal place a small pane of | cheap glass under each Melon to prevent contact with the — earth. always worthy concern in Montreal. Mr. Allen produced fine, ripe- specimens this year as early as August Ist, two or three — weeks earlier than the ordinary Cantaloupe. largest and most perfect-shaped Melon of the variety ever seen in Quincy market for three dollars. It weighed nearly thirty pounds. He sold them by the box at one dollar and | twenty-five cents each, weighing ‘eighteen to twenty pounds — to the melon. The price soon dropped to one dollar each — and is now about seventy-five cents. J. Warren Clarke duplicated his remark- - Mr. Allen and other successful growers about Boston | import their seed each year direct from some trust: | | He sold the | sea VJ SEPTEMBER Ig, 1888.] GARDEN AND FOREST. PUBLISHED WEEKLY BY THE GARDEN AND FOREST PUBLISHING CO. OrFice: Trinune Buitpinc, New York. Gondtcted! by? 4s se. 3, er cas mas . Professor C. S. SARGENT. ENTERED AS SECOND-CLASS MATTER AT THE POST OFFICE AT NEW YORK, N, Y. NEW YORK, WEDNESDAY , SEPTEMBER 109, 1888. TABLE OF CONTENTS. Eprroriat ArvicLes :—The Rejuvenescence of Old Trees (with illustrations).. 349 Flowers in Japan.—ll......... sescdcceesscssnse Lnegdore Wores. A Woodland Trag Mrs. Schuyler Van Rensselacr. 3 ForeiGN CORRESPONDENCE :—London Letter .............eseeeeeeeee W. Goldring. 351 New or Littie Known Prants :—Pseudopheenix Sargenti (with iustrations), GSES. 352 CutturaAL Department :—The Cultivation of Native Ferns.—IV., Robert T. Fackson. 352 WMitcheBulbscecereGiiceca cs soe csw deere feces lecc sreeapmesineance ee CL. Allen. 354 The Vegetable Garden. Fay’s Prolific Currant—China Asters—A Notes fromthe Arnold Arboretum ....2..00+ cooascsserecssssee meaetstts Tue Forest :—A New Forest Law in Russia—Planting the Dunes...... ...... 357 CoRRESPONDENCE :—Suggestions for Making a Tennis Lawn—Shrub Notes. 357 RECENT PUBLICATIONS..+.cescsccecscccecescseetectensec en seerscecnte ease eeeees 359 INODES so siceeiciaecre cecccisiswcsientses sciceests Na aes aes - 360 Ittusrrations :—Methods of Pruning. - 349 Pseudophcenix Sargent, Fig. 55........-+ 26353 Fruit of Pseudophcenix Sargenti, Fig. 56........0.--s05+ see Seman dialer are 355 The Rejuvenescence of Old Trees. HE fact that old and apparently decrepit deciduous trees can be rejuvenated by judicious pruning, is not well understood in this country, where old trees, which might perhaps be made to live a century or two, are often allowed to perish unnecessarily. The death of a tree can generally be traced to a gradual failing of vigor due to insufficient nourishment, or to internal decay, the result generally of neglect. The first indication of danger usually appears at the top, and when the upper branches of a tree begin to die, it is a sure indication that, unless radical measures are taken to check the trouble, it can only live a comparatively short time. Vigor can be re- stored to a tree in this condition by shortening all its branches by one-third or one-half of their entire length. The only care needed in this operation is to cut back each main branch to a healthy lateral branch, which will serve to attract and elaborate, by means of its leaves, a sufficient flow of sap to insure the growth of the branch. This is essential in good pruning, and, if neglected, the end of the branch will die back to the first lateral branch or bud _ be- low the cut, leaving a point of danger to the tree. Care, too, must be taken to shorten the branches in such a way that the lowest will be the longest, that the greatest pos- sible leaf surface may be ex- posed to the light. Figure 1 will serve to show how an ancient Oak should be pruned for the purpose of increasing its vigor.* The vigor of a *We are indebted to the Trustees of the Massachusetts Society for Promoting Agriculture for permission to reproduce these figures, which are extracted from onsieur A. des Car’s work upon Tree Pruning, of which an English edition was ublished in 1881, by the Massachusetts Society, under the title of ‘‘A Treatise on runing Forest and Ornamental Trees,” a work in which the whele theory of pruning is clearly explained and illustrated. Garden and Forest. 349 tree depends upon the power of its leaves to elaborate plant food. The larger the leaf surface exposed to the light,*the greater will be the vigor of the tree. The object of pruning, therefore, is to increase leaf surface. If half of a branch of a decrepit tree, bearing small and scattered leaves, is cut away, the leaves which will grow upon the half which is left will be so large that their total area will often be more than double the total area of the leaves upon the whole branch before it was cut. The truth of this state- ment can be easily verified by cutting down to the ground in the spring a feeble seedling Oak, or, indeed, any young seedling tree, when a tall, vigorous shoot, twice the height and diameter, perhaps, of the slender stem it re- places, will appear at the end of a few months, and, although this shoot will only produce a few leaves, its ereater vigor is due to the fact that a larger leaf surface is pre- sented to the light by these few large leaves than by the more numerous smaller leaves of the original plant. The vigor, too, of a tree, can be increased after it has been pruned by a good top dressing of well rotted manure, or of fresh soil applied over its roots ; and trees grow- ing on banks can often be bene- fited by deepening the soil on the lowerside. A large body of plant food can thus be supplied without burying any part of the trunk and without injury to the tree. The internal decay by which so many old trees perish, through inability to resist the influence of storms, is caused by dead branches allowed to remain upon the tree or from the stumps of branches left in pruning. It is an almost invariable custom in this country, when a branch is cut from the stem of a tree, to leave a stump a few inches long, as shown in Figure 2, The end of this branch, as it has no lateral shoot to insure a flow of sap, is not healed over with a new formation of wood and bark, and soon dies. Decay thus begins, as appears in Figure 3, and this decay gradually extends into the interior of the trunk, as shown in Figure 4, ruining the tree for any useful purpose, and so weakening the supporting power of the stem, that a severe gale will prostrate it. This decay can be prevented by cutting off dead branches as fast as they appear, and by cutting living branches, when it is neces- sary for any reason to remove them, close to the trunk or close to a lateral branch. The secret of good pruning lies in cutting close, so that the wound may heal by the formation of a new growth over the cut surface. No matter how large it may be necessary to make the wound, no branch stump, large or small, should be left in pruning. prophetically holds a grinning skull before her. A junk~ of almost natural size, with life-size figures, generally forms one of the most elaborate representations. Wrestlers | cn ee a i ne a glue, ~weaker-seeming prevail ; SEPTEMBER Ig, 1888.] in life-like action, solemn gods and goddesses, without number, are here presented in floral attire, to the ad- miring multitude who flock in thousands to the spot. New York. Theodore Wores. A Woodland Tragedy. O the conscientiously scientific student of Nature everything that grows may possibly be of equal inter- est at all times. But I think that for all desultory ob- servers like myself there is sure, from week to week, to be some new thing which, at the moment, specially touches the fancy and seems more interesting than everything besides. A while ago I was all for the Heaths. Any one of their kindred seemed enchanting, and nothing else seemed half so much so. Just now the Sundews have taken their place in my affections. Drosera rotundifola is our common species. This, of course, is one of the things that must be looked for; but if one looks it appears in a hundred spots, each of more fairy-like loveliness than the other. ‘Tiny islets of moss set around with low Blueberry bushes in half-swampy meadows are its favorite stations, where it forms little clumps of half a dozen plants. But I have found one spot where it grows in much greater profusion. Far back from the high-roads, through a_ wide-spreading growth of young trees and thickly intermingled shrubs— a growth too young as yet to be called a forest—runs an abandoned road, green now over all its length, and often to be traced only by the fact that it lies a little lower than the general surface of the ground. Along this road, ata place which is swampy after rain but dry enough in time of drought, the moss is tangled with Cranberry vines and spotted with patches of Sundews, while if one stoops and lifts the curtain of shrubs and creepers which over- hangs the little foot-high embankment on either side, its face is found to be clothed for yards with the round, red, bristly little leaves, each tiny hair bearing its drop of like a diamond awaiting some Titania’s ear. Of course the fact that these miniature, jewel-like arrange- ments are murderous arrangements is what makes them so attractive. Modest and retiring though it is, this tiny plant gives us a chance to see a bit of the great world- drama called the struggle for life in vivid action. Al- though we know that one plant always lives by the death of another, we do not often see this truth in clearly visible shape. When we do, as when a Dodder is sucking the life out of some tender stem, we suddenly find our interest in vegetable development intensified ; and when it is not a plant but an animal that succumbs, the interest grows positively tragic in strength. We may poison or catch flies by hundreds in our rooms and never think of such words as fate or the struggle for existence—the forces in conflict are too unequal. But watch a little, lovely Sun- dew leaf when a tiny fly alights upon it, sit patiently for some thirty minutes until the insect disappears in a tight, little, red, clammy fist, and the whole panorama of the world’s history seems to unroll before the imagination. Perhaps it is because here the usual results are reversed, and, animal and vegetable forces coming in conflict, the perhaps it is simply because we seldom think of plants as acting at all, and suddenly find them in what looks like conscious effort; but, whatever the reason, it must be a dull mind that is not thrilled with a sense of the interdependence of all created things, of the awfulness of Nature’s methods, the irresistible force of fate, the iron rule of the law that nothing can live but by the death of something else, when he sees a Sundew clasp its victim. Do such words sound too big for so small a drama—for a catastrophe which can be hidden by the curl of a Fern-tip or the fall of a Blueberry leaf? If so, it is because you have never looked: long enough at tiny things to realize that what we call size counts for nothing in Nature’s mind, whether beauty or significance be her aim, and have never, while realizing this, seen a Sundew catch a fly. M. G. van Rensselaer. Marion, Mass. Garden and Forest. esa Foreign Correspondence. London Letter. HE trial plots in the gardens of the Royal Horticul- tural Society at Chiswick, a few miles from the centre of London, are now full of interest to gardeners and all interested in fruits, flowers or vegetables. For years the Society has made trial of important flowers, fruits and vegetables in order to test their qualities. They invite the principal nurserymen and seedsmen to send collections of particular classes, including their novelties, and all are grown under as suitable conditions as is possible, so that a fair test is given to all, and as the garden of the Society is neutral ground, the trials have much value both to tradesmen and to the gardening public. The subjects vary from year to year. Sometimes it % Peas among vegeta- bles; Strawberries among fruits; Pelargoniums or Begonias among flowers, the subjects being chosen according to their importance, their popularity or the state of. the nomenclature of their varieties. By these means one is able to see and inspect in a small area a collection of many varieties, and in this way comparison of qualities can be easily made. These public trials also furnish a check upon the nomenclature, especially in reducing synonymy. For instance, last season, Tomatoes were put under trial. There was a multitude of named varieties, but at judging-time the Committee found so many identi- cal that the number of distinct kinds was very small. This is good work, as it enables the amateur to select the best and shun the worthless sorts. Among the subjects under trial this year in the way of flowers are China Asters, Ten-week Stocks and bedding Lobelias, and I have to-day been included in the Com- mittee whose work it is to judge these. We found an enormous array of China Asters and Stocks, probably a hundred named sorts, all growing side by side in lines precisely under the same conditions, raised at the same time and planted out simultaneously, and all received the same cultural treatment. The principal exhibitors WEES of course, continental firms, as we do not in England save our own China Aster or Stock seeds. Messrs. vileveria: Andrieux & Co., of Paris, and Messrs. Benary, of Erfurt, sent most of the seeds for trial, the collections of both being admirable, and it was difficult to say which was best. One who had never seen great collections of these flowers would be astonished at the great diversity of stature, of habit and of'color among them. The practice of the Com- mittee is to denote the qualities of the subjects by marks. Thus, one mark is given for good habit of growth, one for form of flower, one for richness, distinctness of color, and so on; but, as arule, only those sorts that can command three points—that is, are good in habit, in flower and in color—are considered, and the three marks are taken as equivalent to a first-class certificate. The Ten-week Stocks were a difficult class to judge, as there is such a difference in habit and color among them. I will not attempt to enumerate all the varieties which were counted worthy of a triple distinction, but will select a few. The best of all were comprised in the tall, large-flowered section. The spikes of bloom are massive, and the fow- ers perfect rosettes, while for profusion of bloom and com- pactness of growth they are faultless. The selected sorts were blood-red, sulphur- yellow, lilac, violet, light violet and purple, all of which were sent by V ilmorin. Benary’s collection contained some very charming colors, and what pleased me most were the subtle half tones, which, I fear, many, who like only distinct and bright colors, would not admit into eardens. One called Ash- gray was a peculiar shade of grayish purple, quite indescribable; another called Chamois was a soft fawn tint, and others called Lilac Rose and Mauve Purple are most beautiful. The difficulty is to find names for them all. The attempt to describe the colors by the names is often a failure, while to give fancy names to each would be absurd and lead to confusion. Some of the dwarf sorts were exceptionally fine, the plants 352 being not more than six inches high and complete masses of bloom, and one double white variety was singled out as the best of all the dwarfs. ‘The Wallflower, cleaved sec- tion, which have shining, not hoary, leaves (as in ordinary Stocks), are a failure as far as this trial is concerned, and so is what is called the Dwarf Bouquet section. They are not to be compared with the tall and dwarf double-flowered sorts. F Among the China Asters we found only a few that were in a fit condition to judge, the plants not being in full bloom, But these very e early kinds in full bloom just now are of great value, as they prolong the China Aster season, and what we want is a ve ry late strain which would extend the season over six or eight weeks. The dwarf strains are very popular, as they are compact in growth and ex- tremely floriferous. A few uncommonly fine ones received to-day the full number of marks. Among these in the Dwarf Chrysanthemum section were: Crimson, Scarlet Red, Rose and White, all with large,.full flowers, abund- antly produced on plants about nine inches high. There is also a strain called the Dwarf Queen, ranging through crimson, Carmine rose, purple and white. But the most beautiful Asters, in my opinion, are yet to bloom, and we shall inspect these a fortnight hence. These comprise the Peony-flowered, Tall Chrysanthemum-flowered, Vic- toria, Pyramidal, Quilled Pompone and Cockade sections. These China Asters seem to become more popular every year since such fine strains have been obtained. They are capable of producing very beautiful effects in the flower- border and require the simplest culture. The present moist season has suited them well, as they have seldom been finer at Chiswick. No advance whatever seems to have been made lately in improving the bedding Lobelias, as the varieties on trial, including novelties, do not show any improvement over the old strains. A collection of Tomatoes is again on trial and a won- derful display of fruiting plants is to be seen. The princi- dal house (100 feet by 30 wide) is crowded with plants in beds and trained to upright stakes. They range from six feet to ten feet high and are profusely hung with fruits, though only to-day z00 pounds had been cut. Of the almost countless varieties two stand out prominently as the finest of the collection. One is called Horsford’s Prelude, an American variety, having been sent by Messrs. Horsford & Pringle, of Vermont. It is a wonderfully productive sort, the fruit numbering as many as a dozen or more in a cluster, hanging at regular intervals all up the stem. The fruit is of medium size, smooth, bright red, very succulent and of good flavor. It is pronounced first- class, and is likely to supersede all others, especially for the market. | The other favorite sort is Perfection, known under numerous aliases, for it is so good that every firm seemed anxious to call it their own Perfection. It is a very large sort, with perfectly smooth fruits, very fleshy and well flavored. It is showy, and therefore gains a point upon Prelude, though it is not so productive. The value, however, of such a fine fruited sort, is that the fruits fetch fully a penny a pound more in the market than the small kinds, like Prelude, which sells at the moment at six, while Perfection sells at seven pence per pound. A prolific sort is President Garfield, called also King Humbert and Chiswick Red, but it is nowhere, now that Prelude is in the field. All credit is due to the American seedsmen for sending us such a valuable fruit. London, August 24th, 1888. W. Goldring. New or Little Known Plants. Pseudopheenix Sargenti. N the 19th of April, 1886, in company with Mr. C. E. Faxon, Mr. A. H. Curtiss, and Lieut. Hubbard, of the United States Navy, I landed from the Light-house Tender ‘‘Laurel” near the eastern end of Elliott's Key, one of the Garden and Forest. [SEPTEMBER 19, 1888. larger of the Florida Reef Keys, at the house and Pineapple plantation of Mr. Henry Filer. Our attention was at once directed to a solitary plant of a small pinnate-leaved Palm, left standing in the clearing,which,at first sight,was mistaken for an Oreodo: va, but the large orange-scarlet fruit atonce _ showed that we had stumbled upon a tree unknown before _ in the North American Flora, and quite unlike any of the species of Palms known to us. Specimens of the fruit, which was not, unfortunately, fully ripe, were sent to Dr. Wend- land, of Hanover, who provisionally pronounced our Palm to be the representative of a new genus, for which he pro- posed the name of Pseudophenix. ‘A short account of this discovery, with the announcement of Dr. Wendland’s new genus, but without characters, was published in the issue of the Bolanical Gazelle, for November, 1886, but it was not until a year later that I received through Mr. Curtiss ripe seed of the Pseudophenitx, which was sent to Dr. Wendland, who has drawn up from it generic characters. * Pseudophenix Sargenti is a slender, low tree, twenty to twenty-five feet high, with a trunk ten to twelve inches in diameter, and abruptly pinnate leaves four or five feet long, the pinne lanceolate-acuminate, twelve to sixteen inches long, bright green above and glaucous on the lower surface. The branching spadix appears from among the leaves ; it is (in the only specimen seen by me) thirty-six inches long by thirty inches broad, the main and secondary branches light yellow-green, flattened, and the latter thickened at the base, especially on the upper side, into an ear-like process. ‘The three-lobed fruit, often one or two-lobed by abortion, is a half to three-quarters of an inch in diameter, pele orange-scarlet, and very showy. Only the withered — remnants of the flowers have been collected. A few individuals were discovered scattered through the woods in the neighborhood of Mr. Filer’s plantation, and, late in the same year, a grove of them was discovered near the east end of Long’s Key by a gentleman from Bay — Biscayne whose name I cannot recall. There are about 200 plants, large and small, in this grove, which is repre- sented in the illustration upon page 353, from a photograph made by Mr. James M. Codman at the time of our visit to Long’s Key in the spring of 1887. These are the only sta- tions where Pseudophenix is now known, but as the flora of the Florida Reef Keys is Bahaman in its constitution, and probably in its origin, it would be a singular fact if | this tree was not found in some of the Bahama group, the plants of which are still very imperfectly known. The figure of the fruit (see page 355) is engraved froma | drawing made by Mr. Faxon. CASS: . = Cultural Department. Cultivation of Native Ferns.—IV. Aspidium Goldianum.—As Eaton says, “ This is one of the — very finest and largest species of the Eastern States.”” In even choice collections this species will always be one of the prides of the owner on account of the size, color and beauty of the- fronds and comparative rarity of the species. Itsearlysummer _ growth is tipped and bordered with vivid golden green. The mature frond takes on a deep, rich green of much beauty. Rich soil. Two and a half to four feet. Fronds on one fine specimen measure four feet two and a half inches. Aspidium filix-mas.—A_ strong, fine-growing, half-ever- green species of great beauty. Under high cultivation this produces splendid masses of fronds. Thirty to forty inches. Aspidium marginale,—An attractive common species. The half-evergreen fronds grow in a handsome vase form. Grows finely in rich soil; but will grow in extremely poor and dry situations. Eig hteen to tw enty-nine inches. * Pseudophanix Nov. Gen., Herm. Wendl. Gaussiz affinis. Fructus s¢7pitatus drupaceus cerasiformis aurantiacus, e carfellis 1-3 globosis” stigmatum residuis basilaribus vel in fructibus lobatis lateralibus vel centralibus, — epicar pio coriaceo, mesocarpio grumoso, endocarpio tenuiter vitreo-crustaced. Semen liberum subglobosum erectum, hilo basilari, raphe adscendente ztringue ramis 2-3 M anifestis curvatis, albumine aequabili ; enbryo basilaris. Fl, fem. in fructu: calyx parvus pateriformis leviter 3-denticulatus, ovata obtusa, viridia v¢/racta. Staminodia 6. 2anifesta apice atropurpureo. : — Palma me diocris, erecta, foliis pinnatisectis, segmentis durtusculis ima bast valde replicetis. Species 1. P. Sarxgent7, Herm, Wendl. Petala 3 Elliott’s Key, Florida. SEPTEMBER Ig, 1888.] Aspidium spinulosum.—This common and handsome sub- evergreen Fern is one of the mainstays of the Fern garden. In good soil well established plants send up abundant fronds toa good height from the stout root-stock. Of easiest possible culture, growing finely even in poor and dry soil. Two to two and a halt feet. The varicties intermedium and dilatatum are both as desirable as the type. A fine plant of the latter variety measures thirty-seven inches in height. Aspidium Boottii.—Very close to A. spinulosum. Remarks and culture the same as for that species. Two and a half feet. Aspidium fragrans.— This rare Fern is difficult to culti- vate; one can hardly expect to grow it more than a few years. Evergreen. Plant-in rather dry, well-drained clefts in rocks, and cover with a frame in winter, or plant in pots wedged in with stones. Peat and leaf-mould. Four fo ten inches. Garden and Forest. BOS Aspidium aculeatum, var. Braunti.—This rare and beautiful sub-evergreen Fern is one of the choicest of our natives for cultivation. Fronds deep, rich green and chaffy ; easily grown. Fifteen to ne inches. The type of this species and the closely related Aspidium angularc, natives of Europe, are both very handsome and desirable Ferns to culti- vate. They do well with a frame protection in winter, and may be perfectly hardy, as is our variety. Cystopteris fragilis.—A very charming. little culture, Will thrive under very various ¢ onditions of moisture or sunshine. Nine to twelve and a half inches. Cystopterts bulbifera.- This, when well grown, of the most beautiful and interesting of our native Ferns. It wants: moist, cool spot, and then will develop fronds of avin assing grace and beauty. It increases very rapidly by bulble ts, very distinct, Fern of easy is one Fig. 55.—Pseudophcenix Sargenti on Long’s Key, Aspidium Lonchitis.—This handsome evergreen Fern is, unfortunately, difficult togrow. Peatand leaf-mould. A native of the far north and north-west. Frame. Six fo eighteen inches. Aspidium acrostichoides.—A very fine Fern in cultivation, its thick, glossy, rich evergreen foliage being fine by itself, or as acontrast with lighter green species. The variety Incisum is very handsome, deeply cleft individuals being almost suggestive of Holly leaves. The fronds of this species are used by the trade extensively in winter in making up bou- quets, and it might, therefore, pay to Brow, it commercially. Eighteen to twenty- two inches. Aspidium munitum.—A handsome evergreen species from the north-west, well worth cultivating. Not hardy ;- but at the Botanic Garden in Cambridge it does swell with a frame in win- ter. Fifteen to eighteen inches. Florida.—See page sian best which fall to the ground and root freely. The bed be thinned out and the plants reset occasionally to get the results. It is very fine grown at a little elevation, as on a moist bank or portion of the rock-work; the graceful fronds can then show off to greatest advantage. Twenty-four to thirty inches. Onoclea sensibilis.—This Fern is very desirable on account of its distinctness and possibilities under cultivation. It might be overlooked by a cultivator on account of its commonness ; but it would be a great mistake to omit it from the Fern-gar- den. The broad, ligh t green frond is an objectof great be auty, intermingled w ith darker species, and with good c ulture attains fine proportions. Two anda half to three and a half feet. Onoclea Struthiopteris.—This splendid Fern is capabte of pro- ducing very grand, almost sub-tropical effects, when well 354 grown, and in quantity, or as a single specimen plant, forms a striking object in the Fern-garden, In spring the pinne of the young fronds overlap one another in a graceful fashion, suggestive of the form seen in well curled ostrich plumes. Gradually the fronds push up until they attain a height of four feet or more in fine specimens, and spreading out in a vase-like form from the abbreviated, tree-like base, make truly splendid Fern effects. The brown fertile fronds come up in midsummer and give a pleasing contrast to the green, sterile fronds. It increases rapidly by sucker-like, running root- stocks. These should be dug up occasionally and planted elsewhere, or otherwise disposed of, as they will interfere with the main plants if allowed to remain, Four to four and one- half feet. Woodsia glabella and IV. hyperborea are delicate little Ferns, growing naturally in shaded clefts of rocks trickling with moisture. They would be both difficult to cultivate, and had, perhaps, best be attempted in a Wardian case in a very cool green-house. Only IV. hyferborea has been grown by me or seen under cultivation. WW”. glabella. One to four inches ; W. hyperborea, Two to six inches. Woodsia Mlvensis.—Grows in dense clumps of extremely pretty chaffy fronds. When young the fronds are almost silvery froma thick coating of chaff. Plant in well-drained, sunny spots, with rocks. Very attractive in cultivation. Two to five inches. ‘ IWoodsia obtusa.—A very pretty Fern, not difficult to grow. Peat and leaf-mould. A plant at the Botanical Garden in Cambridge measures ten inches. Dichksonia pilosiuscula.—A handsome, desirable species, Fronds quite tall, light green, sweet scented. A fine Fern for covering bare spots with a dense, carpet-like growth. Grows freely inany situation. Two and one-half to three feet. Lygodium palmatum.—This, the Hartford trailing Fern, is one of the most striking and attractive of all our native spe- cies. Rather difficult to get established, but, judging trom a fine clump in Dr. Henry P. Walcott’s garden in Cambridge, it does well after it is established.* Two feet, growing taller as the season advances. Osmunda regalis.—A fine Fern, very distinct from the two following species. In spring the fronds come up, of an ex- quisite reddish brown, passing into green, and the brown stems are covered with a bloom. The color and form and grace of the young fronds’ have an indescribable charm. Later the fronds push up till they reach a size entitling this Fern to highest rank amongst the showy native species. The popular name of Royal Fern was given to this species in England, where it attains a much greater size than in this country. Moore, in ‘* The Ferns of Great Britain and Ireland,” says it attains the height of six to eight or even ten to twelve feet in damp, sheltered situations. A splendid specimen, seen growing in an artificial bog at Kew Gardens, towered above the head ofatall man. In cultivating this fine Fern, as well as the two other species of the genus, secure the largest roots possible and plant in the dampest spot in the garden; a natural or artificial bog will be found best adapted for their needs. The specimens measured are grown in ordinary garden soil; but even then good results may be ob- tained. Three to three and one-half feet. Osmunda Claytonania.—The sterile fronds of this species are quite similar to those of O. c/nnamomea, but the fertile are combined ina single frond, witha sterile portion unlike that species. It isa very handsome Fern, particularly when in fruit. Culture the same as for O. regalis. Forty to forty-six inches. Osmunda cinnamomea,—One of the finest and most distinct of our native Ferns. The delightful woolly fronds come up in spring strong and vigorous, with a beauty peculiarly their own, In early summer the fertile or flowering fronds, as they are called, form a fine cluster of -einnamon-brown spikes in the centre of the vase, forming tall, green fronds, producing a very fine effect. In autumn the fronds commonly change to arich reddish or golden yellow. Culture as for O. regalis.t Three to three and one-half feet. These measurements could doubtless be much exceeded under favorable cireum- stances. The Botrychiums are a difficult group to handle, and I have never seen them successfully established under cultiva- *The species is considered as indigenous only to the United States; but, curi- ously, Dr. Walcott’s plant was sent to him from Europe, and was said to have come from Japan. 1 O. cinnamomea is the only Fern, as far as observed, that seems to be truly affected by cultivation, The lower divisions of the pinnae in several plants in the er’s collection are produced and are themselves pinnatifid. Eaton notes this as occurring sometimes in Juxuriant wild specimens. The character varies in degree or may be wanting in different seasons on the same plant. A plant of the yariety frondosa also varies in different seasons and individual fronds in showing its varietal characteristic. Garden and Forest. [SEPTEMBER Ig, 1888. tion. Fora year they will grow well, and sometimes two or three years they survive ; but they eventually become smaller and smaller and soon disappear. Many plants known to the horticulturist will not bear transplanting, and this may be such a case, so that if grown from spores where they were to remain, Botrychiums might be successfully cultivated. Botrychium Virginianum is the strongest and tallest of our species, and Mr. Robinson says it is the easiest to cultivate ; it would, therefore, probably be the best species to attempt to grow by means of spores. Leaf-mould and peat. Eight to twenty-four inches. Mrs. P. D. Richards, of West Medford, has grown Botrychium ternatum, var. dissectum, in pots suc- cessfully for a limited period. There are four other species of Botrychiums indigenous to New England, but they are omitted, as no cultural remarks can be made concerning them. Ophioglossum vulgatum,.—This Fern, like the Botrychiums, may be considered difficult to cultivate. It may be grown for a short time in pots in peat and leaf-mould, and perhaps, with similar treatment, in the open ground. 7wo to twelve inches. In the following lists the Ferns not indigenous to New Eng- land are designated by an asterisk, and an interrogation mark signifies that a Fern questionably belongs to a list, and that it may more properly be considered under one of the other lists. Perfectly hardy Ferns, easily grown and desirable for gen- eral cultivation ; Polypodium vulgare. Aspidium spinulosum and va- Preris aguilina. rieties. Adiantum pedatum., as Bootit, Asplenium ebeneum ? io acrostichoides. ue angustifoliune. fs ss var. u Thely pteroides, 71CTSUML. tF Lilix-femina and sf aculeatum, var. Brauntt,. Cystopteris fragilis. varieties. Phegopterts polypodioides. hexagonoptera ? ae bulbifera, Dryopterts. Onoclea senstbilis. Aspidium Noveboracense. “ Struthiopterts. ay Thely pteris. Woodsia Ilvensts. nt cristatum., a obtusa. « " var. Clin- Dicksonia pilosiuscula, fonianune. Lygodium palmatum 2 e Goldianum, Osmunda regalis, " filix-mas. us Claytoniana. v marginale, ss cinnamomed. Ferns requiring the protection of a frame in winter, but easily grown with that care : Camptosorus rhizophyllus. Phegopteris hexagonoptera. oe calcarea, *Polypodium Californicum. *Lomaria Spicant. Asplenium Trichomanes. Me ebeneume. *Aspidium Nevadense. *Scolopendrium vulgare. he 9 Me munitum, Ferns more or less difficult to cultivate, and best grown in pots, or with the protection of a frame in winter: Can ptosorus rhizophyllus, “ atropurpurea, Aspidium fragrans. Cryptogramme acrostichoides. * “ Louchitis. Woodwardia angustifolia. Woodsia glabella, Pellea gracilis. a Virgtnica, hy per borea. Asplenium viride. Botrychiums. i Ruta-muraria. Ophioglossum vulgatum. Boston, Robert T. Fackson. Dutch Bulbs. peers, Tulips, Crocus, Narcissus and the like now claim attention. Complaints are often made that these bulbs do not succeed; they either winter-kill or fail to pro- duce such. flowers as the catalogues promise, or such even as are seen when the bulbs are grown in pots, and every year comes the repeated question, ‘*Why did we fail?” For the failure there may be many causes, and the first is the neglect to plant the bulbs atthe proper season. While these bulbs all require perfect rest, when they may be kept as dry as seeds, it does not follow that they can remain out of ground beyond a given time without injury. For the best success all Dutch bulbs should be planted by the first of Oc- tober, and, if worth planting at all, it should not be deferred until November, because by that time they commence growth, and when.-this goes on in their dry state their vitality is im- paired. : The next cause of failure, and the most important of all, is SEPTEMBER 19, 1888.] the general impression that these bulbs are hardy. Hya- cinths, Narcissus and many other Dutch bulbs are not hardy, and are not so considered by those who cultivate them for sale. In Holland the beds are mulched with the reed, so com- mon on the borders of their canals, so that it is impossible for the frost to penetrate the earth at all. This precaution is needed in this country more than in Holland, because of the constant and severe changes of temperature. Our ex- perience has taught us the necessity of mulching so thoroughly that frost cannot even enter the ground, much less reach the bulbs. With this precaution we can grow the Hyacinth as successfully as the celebrated Dutch growers, although we have more, in the way of climatic changes, to contend with, than they. A great difficulty i is the marked change in temperature so common in April or May, when the flowers appear. Some suitable covering for the bed should be at hand, ready for use when required, and thrown over the plants when there is danger of a severe frost. The best mulching we have ever tried, and the most natural one, is newly fallen leaves, always abundant in the garden ; cover the bed to the depth of a foot, and keep the leaves from getting scattered about by a layer of evergreen boughs ; if these are not convenient, use brush of any kind or old boards: whatever is the easiest to obtain is the best to use. The Polyanthus Narcissus is still less hardy, in fact it will not endure freezing, and therefore must be carefully protected. Tulips are hardy, but they will produce far finer blooms if moderately protected, and the same may be said of Crocus. Fig. 56.—Fruit of Pseudopheenix SargentiiSee page 35 é—Section of a an a—Portion of a. panicle (natural size). d@—Embryo, c—Seed, showing raphis. The most suitable soil for Hyacinths is a light, rich, sandy loam or clear sand; but they will do well in any good garden soil. To grow them to perfection, however, special treatment is necessary, and no plants require more care to keep them from degenerating than the Hyacinth. They are strong feeders, ‘and the soil cannot very well be too rich, if they are to produce strong spikes of flowers. No fresh or rank manure, however, should be used on any account. Thor- oughly rotted manure from the cow-stable is the best, and it should be placed a foot below the surface of the bed. In making beds for Hyacinths the ground should be dug to the depth of at least fifteen inches, and proper provision should be made for effectual drainage, Six inches of man- ure should be placed at the bottom and covered with four inches of soil; upon this place the bulbs, say five inches apart each way. If the soil is heavy and tenacious, cover the bulbs with a little coarse sand, then cover the whole with soil so that the crowns will be at least five inches below the sur- face. Hyacinths can be grown fairly well without this care, but perfection of bloom, for which every cultivator should strive, requires all the care here recommended. The selection of the bulbs is, toa considerable extent, one of individual taste as regards colors and variety of form, but a few rules can be laid down for general use. Choose the heaviest and most solid. Size is not of so much importance, except for forcing in pots or glasses, when the largest and best should be chosen. For the open border, medium or small bulbs are preferable, as they will remain longer i in the ground Garden and Forest. 355 od without division, giving annually fine spikes of bloom. The cost of second-sized- bulbs is considerably less than larger ones, and that, too, is a point in their favor. As a spring flower for garden decoration nothing can sur- pass the Tulip. The finest varieties of these bulbs can now be obtained at prices that will permit their general cultivation, and with a little care they willrapidly increase. The Tulip de- lights in the same soil as the Hyacinth, and it should be pre- pared i in the same manner. The bulbs should be placed tour r five inches below the surface, according to size, and it is important that each variety should be put in at a uniform depth to insure simultaneous display. Tulips will do well planted any time before the ground freezes up. They do bet- ter by far if planted much earlier—in fact, as early as they can be obtained. The hardy varieties of Narcissus, now very popular, should be planted in quantity, especially in those spots where it ap- pears naturally at home, such as under the shade of trees and in shrubbery borders. There is now an awakened interest in the many forms of double and single } Narcissus (Daffodils), and they are certainly most effective garden flowers. All the varieties should be grown in’ clumps and patches in every spot which is suitable and vacant. In any out-of-the-way place large quantities of WV. poeticus should be planted for a supply of cut flowers. Their graceful appearance renders them peculiarly valuable for this purpose, and if cut when partially opened, they will develop in water and last for many days. In planting be guided by the size of the bulb, allowing four or five inches between small sorts, and five or six inches between the larger varieties. Bulbs of Narcissus may re- main undisturbed for many years, and annually i improve in the quantity and quality of the bloom. Soil is a secondary matter with the Narcissus; a moderately heavy one is to be preferred, but they will grow almost anywhere. The Crocus must be planted early to succeed. If kept out of the ground until November it will never regain its lost vitality. Plant in September if possible, and in no case after October. These bulbs will grow in any soil, and do fairly well for many years undisturbed. Make the soil very rich, cover the bulbs two inches, and protect the same as Hyacinths. Snowdrops are about the earliest spring flowers, and par- ticularly desirable because of their willingness to bloom under all circumstances. It seriously injures these bulbs to remain long out of ground; therefore plant early, about two inches deep, and, if po ssible, where they may remain undisturbed for many years. In moist, shaded places they will form dense masses, completely driving outall other herbaceous vegetation. Crown Imperials can only be grown to advantage in gar- dens, and stately plants they are. They demand a ‘rich, light soil and an open position. Carefully protect against frost, for although frost hardly injures the growing plant, the bulbs are always. injured by freezing. C..£, Allen: Queens, N. Y. The Vegetable Garden. Cye plants of Globe Artichoke now show many dead leaves and flower stems, which should be cut and re- moved. Have the frames, sashes or other protectors ready to place over the Snap Beans, Cucumbers and Tomatoes, to save them from frost. If Brussels Sprouts show no te ‘ndenc y to sprout pinch the points out of a row of them; this will induce them to form side sprouts early, but these et uly sprouts are not likely to be solid; only those that appear naturally can be depended on. If Cabbi ives or Cauliflowers are hearting too soon, pry up the plants a little with a digging fork, then pack the ground solid about them again; this checks their growth. ‘Kee p young Carrots, Beets and Turnips thoroughly clean, and hoe them every week. Sow a little Chervil for use in spring, and, if desired for winter, sow some in a frame. Sow some Corn Salad in a frame in rows six inches apart. As this isa small growing vegetable it should be sown thickly. German Greens can be sowed in rows, fifteen inches apart, In rich but well-drained ground out-of- doors, for use in spring. This crop should be lightly mulched with sedge, sea thatch or dry leaves in winter. E rfurt Cauliflower and Wakefield Cab- bages were formerly sowed about the 2oth of September to be wintered i in cold-frames and planted out for early spring crop, but we are more successful with plants raised in the green- house or hot-bed in February or the 1st of March. But in the Southern States fall sowing is still much practiced. Early Celery should be earthed up as required, but banking the late winter crops should be delayed. Never handle Celery while itis wet with dew orrain. Putina large sowing of Lettuces for winter use. Sow them out-of-doors and early in October prick them closely into a cold-frame, Salamander is the best 356 for use before Christmas; after that, Boston Market; but both must be sown now. — Lettuces planted out in the open garden after this time of year will not be likely to mature before frost destroys them, but, if planted now, the halt-grown Lettuces can be lifted into the frames in October. It isfrom the frames thus filled that our supply of young plants is drawn for hot- beds between November and February. Winter Spinach should be sown now.’ If it is to be left un- covered over winter, sow the Prickly-seeded; if it is to be pro- tected by frames or mulching, the Round-seeded will be just as good and rather more prolific. The soil should be rich, and have a warm, sunny aspect, sheltered from cold winds, and so well drained that water cannot lie upon it in winter. If in the open garden the rows may be fifteen inches apart. The ground set apart for Winter Spinach has been occupied dur- ing the summer by green-house, winter-flowering plants, which we are now lifting and potting. Last year we used ground that had been cropped with early Melons. Field mice are so numerous and destructive here, that it is useless to try Spinach in the open ground and mulch it in winter; we cover our crop with cold-frames. The land is marked off in strips eight and one-half feet wide; this gives strips six feet wide tor the frames, with two and one-half feet for passages between them. Seven rows, ten inches apart, running lengthwise, are then marked off to each string of frames, and this leaves a few inches between the outer rows and the sides of the frames. The frames may be laid down now or in November, but must not be covered with sashes till sharp frost occurs. Spinach sown now will yield a good picking in about five or six weeks after sowing, but, except to thin it where it is too thick, it should not be picked clean. During the winter months there is no need to exclude frost altogether ; sashes, straw mats and extra sashes or shutters over the mats in the case of very severe weather, will answer, if in early December the frames are banked with earth, leaves or manure. ‘ Onion sets are often planted in fall so as to save time in spring. Thisshould be done early, so as to get them well started before winter setsin. Use light, warm, dry soil, and plant in rows marked off four inches deep and a foot apart. Yellow Danvers, Red Wethersfield and Southport White Globe are good Onions for this crop. To insure a good crop, these Onions should be mulched in winter to prevent ‘‘ scald- ing” and frost heading, so, taking all things into considera- tion, it is better not to plant out any in the fall, but wait till early spring. Many gardeners sow a bed of Danvers Onions early in September and mulch it in winter, to supply green Onions carly in spring. Wm. Falconer. Glen Cove, L. I. Fay’s Prolific Currant.—The commendation of this Currant by Mr. Williams, in the issue of GARDEN AND Foresr for August 8th, is none too emphatic. In my experience with the newer small fruits, I find it is the one which meets all the claims made for it by its originator and propagator. And, by the way,is Mr. Josselyn, its propagator, a descendant of the Josselyn who, in 1672, published ‘New England Varieties of Red and Black Currants"? - About six years ago I purchased a single plant of Fay’s Currant for one dollar, and, in my ground, it has justified all the promises made, and wherever I have seen it grow- ing in New Jersey it has been far ahead of the Cherry or Ver- sailles in production, while in size and quality it is their equal, to say the least. : [have a dozen bushes propagated from the original one, and this year have picked eighty-four quarts, or an average of seven quarts to each plant, the bunches of fruit being from four to five inches long, while many measured fully six inches. The space between the base of the stem and the first berry greatly facilitates the work of picking and saves the fruit from being crushed. The Cherry and Versailles set their fruit close up to the old wood, and in a compact mass, which makes picking difficult. In size I find Fay’s as large as the Cherry or Versailles in their best condition, more full of juice and of superior quality. I never found a Currant so satisfactory for jelly and table use, and, if picked at the right time, it makes more jelly and in less time than‘any other variety. In fact, I have discarded all others. It may be doubted whether any expert, with his eyes shut, could distinguish the flavor of Fay’s and the Cherry at their best, while in appearance Fay’s far excels all others. With berries half an inch in diameter, and bunches from four to five inches long, and the bushes literally loaded, it would seem that perfection in Currants had been reached. But it possesses one more good quality, namely, that all Garden and Forest. [SEPTEMBER 19, 1888, sound wood grown this year will beara full crop next year. There are no dormant buds, and, in this respect, it differs from other varieties. Chas. L. Fones. Newark, N. J. China Asters.—Comet maintains its reputation as being one _ of the most beautiful, large, rose-purple, spreading-petaled varieties. But while each plant produces about a dozen flow- ers, only a few of them are of full size and perfect. Dwarf White Queen is the best white Aster here. It is small, but not bunchy in habit ; very free flowering, and the flowers are large, full-double, pure white, and the most of them are large _ sized. It is earlier than most other varieties, and the plantsin the row are of perfectly even size. Itseems to be aselection — from the Chrysanthemum-flowered section. The New Dwarf — Crimson Queen is, except in the color of its lowers, whichare | purplish-crimson, an exact counterpart of White Queen. Dia-_ dem is anew type of Aster, anda novelty of this year. It is a compact-growing, upright, much-branched variety, with small, crimson-purple flowers edged with a band of white. — Our plants are now in bloom, and the poorest of any Asters © of any type we have. The flowers are very imperfect, and — the white band indistinct. After the type has been properly | fixed and the band well defined, no doubt this will become a _ desirable flower. Triumph is one of this year’s novelties. It is a dwarf, compact, tree-blooming variety, but later in bloom- ing than other China Asters. It is described as “eight or nine inches high.” ‘The flower-heads are from two anda half — to three inches across, very perfect in form, with incurved — petals of a pure scarlet when first expanded, changing to satiny deep scarlet.” Our plants of it are now in bloom, ~ and are about nine inches high, compact, with ten or fifteen medium-sized flowers on each, and these flowers are of a bright purplish-crimson color, and not scarlet at all in any stage of their growth. Did any one ever see a scarlet-_ flowered China-Aster of any sort? (ERC: Asclepias atrosanguinea aurea is one of this year’s novelties. | It is described as a Bolivianspecies resembling 4. Curassavica ‘“‘in habit, but is much more effective ; its numerous flowers, borne in large, dense umbels of a deep blood-red, with a- golden-yellow corona or centre.” This plant and A. Curassa-_ vica are growing along-side of each other, and are now in bloom. They are both from seed sown in the green-house last spring, and the seedlings planted out in the open garden, where they now are blooming. The flowers of the A. atro- sanguinea aurea are of a deeper and brighter color (exactly as described above) than those of A. Curassavica, but, except in- this slight variation in color of blossoms, the two species, so- called, seem to be identical. Lf. Notes from the Arnold Arboretum. Vitex incisa, which is now in flower, is a small, bushy tree or tall shrub, with erect branches, which are covered with — compound, digitate leaves, composed of five to seven lanceo- late, deeply pinnatifid leaflets, and terminated with spike-like clusters of handsome blue flowers. The stems are sometimes killed back in severe winters here, but as the flowers are borne - on the new growth this does not interfere with the blooming of this really desirable plant. It is a native of northern China, where it seems to be common on mountain-sides. The well known Chaste-tree (Vites Agnus-Castus), a native of the country surrounding the Mediterranean, is not hardy in the Northern States. The other Asiatic species, of which there are two in Japan and a third in northern China, are not in cultivation probably. ; 7 Panax sessiliflorum is a native of the Amoor country. It is here a stout and very-hardy shrub, with erect, unarmed stems, three or four feet high, and covered with pale brown bark, upon which are many small, darker, wart-like growths. The ample, yellow-green, ternate leaves are borne on long, stout petioles, and quite cover the stems from the ground up- ward. The flowers are small, with dark purple corolla and stamens, and are aggregated in spherical heads, which a borne on stout stems in short, erect racemes from the axils ¢ the upper leaves. This plant has been in bloom now for more than a month, and it will continue to produce its handsome heads of flowers until the appearance of frost. This pecu- liarity, the neat, compact habit and great hardiness, make this a desirable garden plant. Its real claim, however, upon t attention of planters, lies in the fact that the flowers are fo lowed by heads of shining black berries, which remain upo the branches bright and fresh until the appearance of the new leaves in spring. The number of shrubs which carry their SEPTEMBER Ig, 1888.] fruit fresh through the severe winters of the Northern States is so small, that any addition to the number is welcome. Clematis Flammula, a native of southern Europe, is a well known garden plant, having been cultivated for three cen- turies at least. It is a vigorous grower, and its pure white, fragrant flowers are not, perhaps, surpassed in beauty by those of any of the small-flowered, summer-blooming Clematises. A variety of this, a more vigorous and freer- blooming plant, is known in nurseries as C. Flammula robusta. It should find a place in every garden in which there is room for a rampant climber capable of covering in the course of a few years a space twenty feet or more square. The stems grow late in the season, and so are often killed back in severe winters; but this pruning only increases the vigor of the plant, and stimu- lates it to a stronger growth, and more profuse, although a later, blooming. ‘Here the flowers are just opening, and will continue to appear until destroyed by cold weather. Mr. Dawson finds this plant slow and difficult to propagate either by layers or cuttings. Clematis Pieroti is flowering in the Arboretum for the first time. Itis a pretty, delicate Japanese species, with small white flowers and pinnate leaves, the pinne sharply and deeply ser- rate, with prominent veins, covered with short, oppressed hairs, which appear more sparingly on the upper surface. This is an interesting and rather valuable addition to the list of summer flowering, climbing plants, although in habit and in flower it is not unlike our native C Virginiana. It blooms, however, several weeks later. C. Prerofz is appar- ently perfectly hardy. ; Cissus Faponica is one of some _ twenty-five Asiatic, African and Australian species which constitute Planchon’s section Cayratia, distinguished by the inflated corolla, with spreading petals, devaricately branched cyme, and by the annual stems proceeding from large, tuberous roots, which, in the case of C. Faponica, are able to support the climate of our Northern States. The stems are four or five feet high, sharply angled, climbing by means of stout tendrils. The leaves are three to five foliate, long petioled, dark green and lus- trous. The sub-axillary cymes of flowers are long peduncled, widely, dichotomously branched. The flowers are short pedi- celed, the base of the corolla distinctly swollen, with ovate, triangular, pale rose-colored petals. The truit, which is hardly as large as a pea, is crimson. This is a widely distributed plant from Japan through many of the East Indian Islands and New Caledonia to tropical Australia. It has little value as an ornamental garden-plant, but much interest as represent- ing acurious form of the Grape Vine. September 3d. Te The Forest. A New Forest Law in Russia. HILE our own Government refuses to take any ju- dicious action looking towards the preservation of our forests, or, to state the case more correctly, while public opinion here is not sufficiently educated on the subject to command its expression in intelligent laws, or to enforce such laws even if they were enacted, the other nations of the world are making efforts to save themselves from the disasters which follow unchecked and unregu- lated tree cutting. The latest Government to adopt meas- ures for saving its forests is Russia, where, for generations, timber has been recklessly felled and forests plundered. It has long been admitted that stripping the forest cover from the sources of her streams has brought serious changes in the physical and climatic conditions of the em- pire, one of which is seen in shallower harbors and water- courses. To restrain these evils and restore better condi- tions so far as may be, alaw has been enacted, which is warmly commended by the best organs of public opinion, so that the work of the Commission created by the law is more likely to be carried on with spirit and energy and not in a superficial or perfunctory way. Some of the features of the law are outlined in the following letter from the St. Petersburg correspondent of the London Zimes : “The new law just promulgated extends to all forests, Government, communal and private, which are to be planned out by a special commission appointed by the Ministry of Imperial Domains, and are to be designated protected woods, The timber thus to be protected may be roughly divided under the following heads: (a2) Growing in shifting sand and Garden and Forest. coy obstructing its encroachment on seacoasts, navigable rivers, channels and artificial water courses; (6) sheltering towns, set- tlements, villages, railways, high roads, post roi ids, cultivate d land, and equally such the removal of which might aid the formation of shitting sands ; (c) protecting the shores of navi- gable rivers, channels and watercourses from landslips, over- flows and damage from floating ice; and, lastly, timber and underwood growing on hillsides, cliffs and slopes, if such be found to avert landslips, detachment of rocks, the formation of snow avalanches and rapid torrents. The measures for carrying the foregoing into effect are intrusted to a commis- sion, w hich elaborates plans not only for the preservation of standing timber, but likewise for the planting of saplings and the proper and regular thinning of forests, With regard to private woods, the measures issued by the commisson are to be applied with the consent and co-operation of the proprie- tors, if possible. If, however, the latter are opposed to such measure, the property is purchased by the State at a certain valuation and the necessary plans carried out. The owners have the right, within a certain period, of repurchasing the property for the same price, but with the addition of the cost of introducing the measures and six per cent. per annum on the capital. In other cases the necessary steps can be taken without purchasing the property at the expense of the propri- etor. To enforce the observance of the rules laid down by the commission, new penalties have been promulgated against transgressors, particularly as regards plunder of timber, which is carried on throughout the country to an incredible extent.” Planting the Dunes. ROM Calais to Hamburgh is a long stretch, but for nearly the whole distance the coast line consists of loose sand, now forming flat “links,” with a sparse but botanically very interesting vegetation, now blown up into picturesque, irregu- lar hillocks, held together, more or less, by creeping grasses and other plants. In some parts of Kent, in Suffolk and Lin- colnshire, the same conditions prevail, but on a smaller scale. However pictorial, or however interesting to the naturalist, such land is, agriculturally, mostly a sterile waste, and it is therefore with no surprise that we learn that the King of the Belgians has interested himself in the matter, and ‘has ap- pointed a commission to study the best means of planting the dunes. Weare the less surprised at His Majesty’s interest in the matter, as some years ago we were eye-witnesses to the process of digging out His Majesty’s villa at Ostend from the sand which had accumulated during the winter above the level of the ground floor windows. The plans for plant- ing the sand hills between Ostend and Blankenberghe have been executed by M. Van der Swaelmen, of Brussels, They are so contrived as to insure protection from the prevailing winds, and when carried out will ultimately form picturesque woods with winding paths, good roads, and other conven- iences, which will insure not. only an increased agricultural value to the land, but, what is nowadays the most paying of all crops, a crop of villas facing the sea. Those who remem- ber the delightful wood w hich extends from the Hague to Scheveningen will rejoice that there is now so good a chance of the formation of a similar wood between Ostend and Blankenberghe, a distance of 6 to 7 miles. So far as we are able to judge, M. Van der Swaelmen’s plans are admirably adapted to the ‘desired end.— Gardener's Chronicle. Correspondence. Suggestions for Making a Tennis Lawn. To the Editor of GARDEN AND FOREST : Sir.—May I ask you tor some instructions about laying down a tennis ground? Being a novice, I should like explicit direc- Gee as to leveling, seeding and other details. Petersyille, Michigan. ge & {Minute and explicit directions for making a tennis lawn cannot well be given that will apply to every case. The question of expense, to begin with, is often the most important element of the problem; but even if this be a minor consideration, there will, usually, be other limita- tions to meet which good judgment and experience will be required. The climate is the main difficulty that has to be contended with in this country, and the mistake most com- monly made is insufficient and superficial preparation of the soil before seeding or sodding. This error not only 358 greatly increases the expense of maintenance, but pre- vents the attainment of the best results even with the best of care-taking. With a soil of proper texture and sufficiently fertile, it is only required to follow the direc- tions which have been given in former numbers of this jour- nal for making a good. lawn, taking special care to have it firm and level. It often happens, ‘however, that a tennis court is wanted where the soil conditions are unfavorable, and then the proper preparation of the soil may be a difficult and expensive task. ‘This preparation of the soil involves two distinct qualities—its mechanical condition and _ its chemical composition. The soil should be porous enough to absorb sufficient rain water, and to afford ready passage for roots, and yet compact enough to prevent the water ab- sorbed from quickly draining away and evaporating too rapidly ; and it should, also, be so firm as not to be stirred up by the grinding action ‘of feet upon it, which would otherwise break the roots and crowns of the grass. In short, the soil should be porous, and yet have a “binding i: quality. Sand is porous, but will not bind. Clay will bind, but is not sufficiently porous. A proper mixture of the two will produce the mechanical quality desired. It is safe to assume that most soils need enriching. For this purpose there is nothing better than rotted barn-yard manure. But it is often more economical to add a mixture of properly prepared peat, muck or leaf mould and com- mercial lawn fertilizer, than to use barn-yard manure ex- clusively. The question as to how much manure should be added to a soil is so much one of expense and judg- ment, that no definite rule can well be given. An ordinary farm field, in fair condition, may have manure, at the rate of twenty cart loads to the acre, plowed in when it is laid down to grass, and a top-dressing of a like amount every three years or so. Ornamental grounds of large extent, in which a better result is desired, and yet in which a careful economy must be observed, may have at least twice that amount plowed in at the start, and an annual top-dressing of half as much to the acre may be applied. A tennislawn or any other ground upon which turf is to be maintained, that is subject to much wear, may, however, well have more. The soil of a tennis lawn should be deep, that the roots of the grass may easily descend to nechanen ground moisture, just how deep, up to three or four feet, be- ing a question of expense. The topsoil, or mould, and subsoil of good quality, taken together, should extend to that depth if practicable, in order to retain sufficient moisture to last over droughts. It is more economical in the long run so to prepare the soil in the beginning as to store up natural moisture, than it is to supply it artificially upon the surface when needed. In some instances, however, there will be, at times, too much natural moisture in the soil, and under- drainage is the remedy for such cases. In the case of stiff, clayey soil, another and very important advantage in under-drainage is to make it more porous and pervious to roots. Drainage is best effected by laying land tiles at least two inches in diameter, at a depth of three or four feet and thirty or forty feet apart, care being taken to give them a sufficient pitch and a proper outlet. For deep preparation of the soil, trenching should be resorted to. This process consists in throwing back the topsoil on a strip from three to ten feet wide, so as to ex- pose the subsoil, which is then dug up and turned over, or thrown back if it is desired to work more deeply. The lumps are pulverized, clay or muck mixed in, if the origi- nal soil is too sandy, or sand and peat, if too clayey, and stones, stumps and roots of large size thrown aside, and all necessary grading and leveling done. ‘Then the topsoil of the next strip is thrown upon the strip of subsoil thus prepared, great care being taken to sift out all the roots of weeds and coarse grasses. And so on. It not infrequently happens in New England and other parts of the country that have been subjected to glacial action and deposit, that both the topsoil and subsoil con- Garden and Forest. [SEPTEMBER Ig, 1888. sist of dry, coarse sand and gravel, upon which it is almost impossible to maintain good turf, after the ordinary prepa- ration, without an extraordinary amount of manure and almost constant watering during dry weather. In sucha case, it is an economy to throw back the soil strip by strip, as for trenching, and to place at a depth of three or four feet below the surface a layer of clay about six inches thick, which may be putin dry, if broken to a fine powder, or, which is usually easier, it may be wet and ‘‘ puddled ”— that is, worked into a comparatively homogeneous mass of mud. In either case it forms an impervious bottom to the lawn, thus preventing the rain which falls or the water which is applied from settling down too deep for the roots of the grass to reachit. The sides should, of course, be left sufficiently porous to allow excessive moisture to drain off. Another case would be where the soil was almost pure clay, and where no muck or sand or finely divided min- eral matter could be obtained without excessive cost. In such a case, the ground having been thoroughly under- drained, the usual way is to mix in almost any sort of vegetable fibre, such as leaves, half decayed twigs, leaf mould from the woods, sods, weeds, the tops and refuse of vegetables, and the like. After the subsoil has been thoroughly prepared, the topsoil is manured and deeply harrowed several times. The ground should then be leveled, rolled and allowed to settle. Ifthe previous work has been well done, the settlement will be uniform ; if it is done late in autumn the ground will become none too firm during the winter, and it should not be deeply plowed, but harrowed and leveled as early in spring as it can be worked. If good sod can be procured, the court will be ready for use as soon as the grass is green. The sods, of equal thickness, should be rolled down very firmly, to bring the grass- roots in close contact with the soil. It is a good plan to sow the seed of Kentucky Blue Grass and the finer varie- ties of Redtop upon the sod as it is laid, and to repeat this sowing every spring. or a some similar in- a sect, .but in this “country, at least, : or the flowers are sel- Fig. 65.—Flower of Iris levigata, with the perianth dom visited by the remoyed. A, anther, P, pollen cells. O, ovary. larger bees, hence oy ENS the scarcity of seed | when the plant is left to itself. When the flower first opens, _ the stigma will be found closely folded back against the style; — but by the second day. the upper edge will have been de- tached, and falling downward, the upper surface will be ex- posed and is now ready to receive the pollen. A small camel's-hair brush will be found the most convenient instru- ment with which to apply the pollen, which is done by simply taking off a quantity with the tip of the brush and lightly dust- ing the upper surface of the stigma. : The figure represents a flower with the perianth cut away, | showing the three styles, one of the stigmas (S) and one of — the anthers (A). q The good effects of this fertilization will be noticeable very early, for not only is it apparent in the flower when produced, _ but the pods are usually much finer and larger than when — accidentally fertilized. The seeds germinate quite freely if planted, as soon as ripe, in good soil and carefully watered. — For soil in which to plant the seeds I prefer well decayed leaf-mould in shallow boxes, from which the young plants are transplanted to the open ground the following spring. Arthur H, Fewkes. Newton, Mass. Chrysanthemums. E grow these largely for cut flowers and for out-door dec-_ oration. They are raised from cuttings rooted in the green-house in spring and planted out in May, in well ma- nured ground, in rows three feet apart by two and one-half feet apart in the row. In summer they are cultivated, watered now and then in very dry weather, and tied up with one stake _ to each plant. About the end of August or in September we- select and pot the plants most desirable for furnishing good a flowers and late ones in the green-house. Our largest supply S| OcTosER 17, 1888.] of flowers comes from out-door plants, but if wet, frosty or windy weather renders the out-door flowers unfit to pick, we have a supply in the green-house; also when severe frost de- stroys the out-door crop, as it usually does between the z2oth and last of November, late green-house plants are then most welcome. About the end of September or first of October we empty some beds—warm, sunny, sheltered beds against the south side of the house—of their tender summer occupants and fill them with Chrysanthemums, lifting and planting them with as good balls of earth to the roots as can be had and crowding the plants pretty closely against each other so as to form a solid bank. The Chrys- anthemums not only live and blossom as well as if they had not been transplanted, but they lose very few leaves. As planting proceeds they are well watered, and they are afterwards kept well watered both at the root and overhead. In another warm, shel- tered place we set out, about the first of October, a large solid bank of Chrysanthemums — con- taining several hundred plants for cut flowers. A light wooden frame- work is erected over this bank, and in the event of wet or frosty weather, calico clothis spread over thisframe. Here we can have fine flowers from the end of October till the first of December. Raising Chrysanthe- mums from seed is very pleasant work. During the last five years we have raised hundreds in this way and nearly all have been beautiful. The majority have single flowers, stilla large num- ber have semi-double or double flowers, and of many shades of white, yellow and red. But of all these hundreds of seedlings only three have been worth perpetuating. The amount of rubbish annually — distributed among new Chrysanthe- mums is simply appall- ing. Of sixty-two new kinds we bought last year we have thrown fifty away, as being not only poorer than old varieties of the same types and colors, but not worth growing. We greatly feel the need of some cent- rally situated, competent and responsible body of horticulturists to whom new Chrysanthemums and other flowers could be submitted for their opinion; sucha body as the Floral Committee of the Royal Horticultural Society of London. A first-class certificate from such a body would mean something. In fact, even here in America, horticulturists regard a first-class certificate by the Royal Horticultural Society as the highest award a plant can have, and we buy such a plant with full confidence that we are getting something distinct from anything else in its way and also something well worth growing. a Chrysanthemum seeds germinate in seven to nine days and Garden and Florest. View in the ‘Arizona Garden,” Monterey.—See page 398. 403 the plants grow readily. Sown in the house in March, the plants will be big enough to set out in May, and they will attain a large size during summer. They will show flower buds in September, and all will bloom in October or November of the same year. We have now 150 plants in one bed which have been raised from seeds sown last spring. They are larger than the named varieties which have been raised from cuttings; all are now full of buds, and in form and foliage they are distinct from one another. Glen Cove, N. Y. : William Falconer. The Cultivation of Phalaenopsis. Te would be a great mistake to class all the Phalaenopsis with the easy-growing Or- chids, as there are sev- eral which I have never yet seen in a luxuriant condition. Nevertheless, some of the species are amongst the finest Or- chids known. They all flower treely, and con- tinue a long time in per- fection. I never found any difficulty in cultivat- ing P. amabilis, P. ante- thystina, P. Esmeralda, P. grandiflora, P. inter- media, P. leucorrhoda, 7. rosea, P. Sanderiana, P. Schilleriana, P. Stitarti- ana or P. violacea. Ot P. Schilleriana 1 have many leaves made _ this season which measure from fourteen to cighteen inches long and from three and a half to four and a half inches wide, and I am justified in ex- pecting some verystrong spikes of flowers. Thespecies of Phalz- nopsis are best grown in baskets, as a more equal supply of moisture can thus be supplied to the roots. I always re-moss them in April or May, and re-basket any that require it. Every pre- caution is taken with the heart of the plant to have it leaning over the edge of the basket, so as to prevent any drip from entering, as decay is pretty sure to result. When the plants are re- mossed all decayed mat- ter should be removed, and clean potsherds, with large pieces of char- coal, should be returned. A large piece of charcoal, so placed as to protrude through the moss, is beneficial. The roots will cling to it tightly, showing their relish for it. Phaleenopsis cannot endure a low, narrow house. They must be close to the glass; but all other conditions being pro- vided for, the more spacious the apartment, the better they will thrive. I take my largest specimens and hang them in the south end, where they will get the benefit of the light and warmth from the sun. They get asyringing underneath the baskets every bright morning in order to thoroughly moisten the roots, and they need enough water to keep the sphagnum moist, but not saturated. Syringing the leaves is a great mis- take, as it tends to make them soft, so that they lack that 404 leathery appearance which gives promise of the strongest bloom. As a rule, the plants are over-watered at the root, while too little moisture is given in the air, The flower-spikes should always be supported in some way, for if allowed to sway to and fro they will probably break many roots and loosen the plants. [ have found water charged with fertilizing ingredients, such as ammonia, salt, guano or phosphates, very beneficial when applied a few weeks after the baskets have been re-mossed. Every care should be taken in ventilating, as Phaleenopsis will not endure chilly air. Fresh air should be admitted by the ground ventilators, especially in windy weather. ' Shading should be carefully attended to, as the burning rays of the sun would soon destroy them when the leaves are young and unaccustomed toits heat. They should always be kept perfectly free from insects, and if thrips appear a slight fumigation with tobacco will be needed. The night tempera- ture of the house, from the 1st of November until the rst of May, should be 60°; during May and October it may be 65°, and during the summer it should be kept at about 70% The day temperature should range from five to ten degrees higher, according to the force of the sun. ~£, Athins. Staatsburg-on-the-Hudson, N. Y. A Few Choice Ferns. ITHIN the last few years a large number of beautiful Ferns have been introduced, many of them useful for cutting, and a few unexcelled for basket culture. The culti- vation of Ferns is becoming more and more an important branch of horticulture, and a few commercial establishments have already confined themselves almost entirely to these plants. The old and justly popular kinds will always take the lead for general trade purposes; for finer work, and especially for conservatory decoration, the newer kinds will always be sought for, One of the latest introductions, and the best in its class, is Mephrodium rufescens tripinnatifida, a large fern with fronds about four feet long, arching, wavy in out- line, the pinnae: being very irregularly divided, light green, and covered on both sides with a reddish chaff. The stipes are reddish-brown and covered with a woolly coat of the same color, and the general appearance of the fronds gives one the impression of ostrich plumes. This plant is suitable for baskets, and makes a magnificent pot-fern; and for cutting purposes, where large fronds are needed, it is excellent. It thrives in a warm green-house, growing rapidly in rich, well drained soil, and requires anabundance of water. It is troubled at times with a soft scale, which may be prevented by constant syringing. It increases freely by the adventitious buds on its numerous stolons, which may be taken off as soon as they are able to take care of themselves. ; Davallia tenuifolia Veitchii is an elegant fern and admirably adapted for basket culture. The fronds spring thickly from a creeping, wiry rhizome, and are about eighteen inches high, arching, with the pinnz very finely divided, giving to the plant an airiness quite unrivaled. In color the fronds are pale green, while the stipes have a reddish tinge. It grows freely in an intermediate temperature, in a light compost composed mostly.of peat. Itshould never be allowed to become dry; it is easily propagated by division of rhizome or by spores. ~ Grymnogramma schizophylla belongs to the silver Ferns, and is vasiform in habit, with very finely divided, drooping fronds. It is one of the most graceful of the whole genus. It is recommended for basket-work, but does best with us in pots. This may be owing to the damp shelf on which the pots stand. The fronds are proliferous, and the young plants may be taken off, pegged in pots of sand and watered lightly until root action is well advanced. If these young plants are not needed, the beauty of the plant is much enhanced by leaving them on. The variety Gloriosa is much more vigorous than the last named, the fronds are longer, broader, but not so finely divided. Both kinds delight in abundance of heat and water, but if the foliage is wet too much the farinose powder will soon be washed off. A large proportion of loam in the soil will be found beneficial. Among the new Maiden-hair Ferns, Adiantum Williams? is probably the best. It is a strong-growing kind, with fronds about two feet long, which while young are covered with a yellow dust. It grows freely in an intermediate temperature, and will very quickly grow into large specimens. The mature fronds are good for cutting. A strong soil will be found best, especially when permanent specimens are required, and lib- eral applications of manure water are beneficial. Adiantum Victorie is a valuable addition to the dwarf- growing section, The fronds are about nine inches in height, Garden and Forest. . ([OcroBER 17, 1888, with few pinne, and the pinnules are large, with finely ser- rated edges. The general appearance of the plant is that ot a dwarf A. Farleyense. It should be noted that to keep this Fern in good health it should be often broken up. The fronds grow so thickly together that large specimens are apt to rot at the centre. Adiantum Pecottii is a charming little plant, about six inches high, much in the way of A. ée//um, and, like this fine spe- cies, will be found very useful for general decorative work. Among the many varieties of Adiantum cuneatum that named Grandiceps is one of the best. In this Fern the fronds are terminated by a tassel-like appendage caused by the fas- ciation of the terminal pinnz. It is a splendid kind for baskets, and young plants in pots will be found superior to the species. It may be raised and will come true from spores. Adiantum Weigandii, of American origin, is a handsome, robustspecies, which can be grown both in a warm and a cool temperature, and will prove an excellent kind where heavy foliage is needed. Nephrodium Rodigasianum.—This is a very elegant Fern of vasitorm habit, with broad, arching fronds, two to three feet long, of dark green color. The pinne are long, deeply and irregularly cut, with somewhat wavy edges. It has decided preference for a cool house, and requires liberal treatment in respect to soil and water. It grows rapidly, and is easily raised from spores. Unfortunately, the fronds are too brittle to be of any use for cutting. F. Goldring. Kenwood, N. Y. Removing Raspberry Canes.—It is still debated whether this should be done soon after the fruit is gathered or left till later in the season. I have for years cut them as soon as conve- nient, after the berries are picked. My reasons for an early cutting of the old canes are that, having served their purpose, they are of no further use, and if allowed to ripen and mature till a natural death follows, they are a useless drain upon the soil and the vitality of the plant. If removed, the young canes receive all the nourishment furnished by the roots, and should be better developed and matured as a consequence. It is also easier to cut off the canes while still green than when dry and dead. Hand-shears are preferable to a knife, avoid- ing the pull, which sometimes lifts the whole plant, when the canes are hard and dry. y The opponents of early removal claim that these old canes are an aid to the maturity and development of the young canes; that it is Nature’s way, and therefore right. It is also claimed that if left till spring they afford needed protection during the winter to the young canes. Thére is a show of reason in the protection theory, but as the injury is very apt to occur in early spring, after the old canes are removed, the benefit becomes less apparent, and is more than counter- balanced by the draught on the plant in the process of ripening. The above remarks will apply also to Blackberries, the worst of all the berry canes to handle. Geraniums, Crane’s-Bills—These include some useful bor- der and rock-garden plants. All the kinds in cultivation, with one or two exceptions, are hardy in this country. The alpine species will require good drainage, but the others will grow almost anywhere. Geraniums have a long flowering season, and bloom more or less from early May until frost. This is the case, particularly, with G. sanguzneum, Plants are easily raised from seeds or root-cuttings, and they hybridize freely. The best alpine kinds are G. argentum, with silvery foliage, and pinkish flowers with darker veins; G. cinereum, resem- bling the spreceding, except in having greener foliage and darker flowers; G. macrorhizon, with purple flowers anda woody rootstock; G. sanguineum, a trailing species, with pretty blood-red flowers and blooming from spring till fall. This plant always looks neat and is very easy to grow. Its variety, Lancastriense, is equally handsome, with pink flowers and darker veins. Amongst the border Geraniums are some very handsome ones. G. collinum, purple; G. Lbericum, blue; G. Lbericum palaty petalum, violet and veined; G. phaum, very dark blue, with a white spot at the base of each petal; and G. pratense, notably the double blue and single white forms—all bloom in spring, and make a considerable display while they last, and again in the fall, though not so abundantly. G. Endressit, rose, one of the best and very useful for cutting; and G. Ar- mentum, one of the noblest ofall, growing sometimes four feet high, with dark crimson flowers, bloom all the season. The common Geranium maculatum grows in swamps, and on dry banks as well, though less luxuriantly. 7. D. Hatfield. Wellesley, Mass. OcroBER 17, 1888.] ihe Forest. Forestry in California.—IV. The effect of forests on rainfall is not as yet sufficiently determined. The total rainfall of the world would, per- haps, be no less were forests not in existence, but it seems to me that an examination of the subject must lead us to con- clude that the distribution of the rainfall is affected by them. Forests continually operate to equalize temperature. The capacity doubles with a mean increase of °23.4 between the freezing point and 100 degrees fahr. Thus in the spring and summer the cooling effects of forests on temperature must diminish the water-holding power of the-air. In walking or riding, every one must have noticed the difference in heat between a bare verdureless spot and the shade of trees. This difference is observable even in walking from a dusty road to a grass-covered lawn, thus indicating that the variations of temperature do not depend upon the shade alone. Conse- quently a current of air saturated for a sandy waste would of necessity, in passing through a forest, part with some of its humidity, owing to the lower temperature. It is for this rea- son that we see clouds gathered about mountains, when the valleys are under a clear sky. I have often sat upon the sandy coast of Egypt and watched the sea breeze, full of clouds seaward, clear itself on reaching the coast: all the atmosphere over the water fleeced with clouds, while to landward all was sunshine. Our own coast breezes show the same phenomena; the foggy winds of San Francisco soon become the clear breezes of Sacramento, be- cause the temperature of the latter will not permit the moist- ure to remain condensed. I have records of many observations made in our Central States showing that the summer rains are more frequent in wooded districts, and usually follow timber belts and water courses. There are also a number of observations on record showing that the electrical effect of trees may play an important part in rainfall. Trees attract electrical discharges, as is known in the case of lightning, and coupling this fact with an experi- ment made with a collander so fine that water merely oozed through, from which, on the application of an electrical cur- rent, the water poured out of the small apertures; we must conclude that the effect of trees on rainfall through electricity may be considerable. Whatever the effects of forests may be on the amount of rainfall, it is beyond doubt that their influence on its delivery is of the first importance. Trees offer innumerable obstacles to the running off of rain. Their foliage obstructs the force of the rainfall; when this reaches the ground it is impeded by the fallen twigs, leaves and the labyrinth of roots and the humus; by the latter it is rapidly absorbed and held as ina sponge. The roots, at least when decayed, form channels into the lower soil, These impediments cause the water to flow very slowly, and prevent it from gullying out the land and forming accumula- tive channels. Thus the rain has time to sink into the earth and to replenish the subterranean reservoirs of the springs. The waters percolating out of forests never carry earth in them, as is the case on lands denuded of vegetation. The rate of delivery of a given rainfall from a wooded water-shed is much slower and is much longer continued than from a bare one. The importance of this will be understood when we recall the French experiments at St. Phalaz. At that place there are two water-sheds of nearly equal area and inclina- tion ; the one wooded, the other not. From the first proceeds a nearly perennial stream, from the other a dry gully. The period of delivery of flood waters in the first is five days, while in the second the period is only six hours, and it is but fair to presume from the stream in the wooded one that it is a de- livery of water that months before fell in rain, which amount of water falling upon the other water-shed augmented its flood. The first of these water-sheds causes no destruction to the roads nor extensive erosions of the banks of the stream, while the floods from the other wash away the bridges, destroy the roads and roll gravel and boulders into the valley. Supposing ten billion gallons of water to fall within a given time upon each of these water-sheds. From the first the de- livery will extend over a period of five days, or 120 hours, some of it being permanently retained to supply the springs and stream ; while from the other the ten billion gallons will flow off in six hours with scarcely any absorption into the soil itself, consequently the delivery of water during a given mo- ment during the flood must be twenty times greater in the Garden and Forest. 405 denuded ravine. Every second of prolongation of water de- livery diminishes its height, force and danger. It is in denuded and mountainous water-sheds that torrents are formed, The undetained waters rapidly form channels and erode the land, carrying earth, sand, gravel and boulders in their flow. As the inclination of water-sheds diminishes, the débris is dropped, first the boulders, then the gravel, then the sand, and last the earth and clay. Standing upon the dykes of the Talfer torrent at Botzen, in the Austrian Alps, I observed the dry bed of the stream to be on a level with the roofs of the three-story houses at Schlan- ders, Kortsch and Lais; the church steeples are lower than the bed of the Gadribach. The water-shed of the Durance, in France, was formerly wooded, as we know by the records of the lumbering corporations that operated upon it. For years it has been denuded, and the river now varies from a vast bed of pebbles and sand to a furious torrent. It has covered more than two hundred thousand (200,000) acres of one of the formerly most fertile valleys of Provence. In Southern California the same causes are already produc- ing the same results. Fires have been set and are being set by sheep men, which burn the brush and forest and prevent new growth. New torrents in unexpected places have formed, and the old channels, such as the Tejunga, Santa Clara, San Gabriel, etc., are more subject to floods than formerly with the same rainfall. 7 When we contemplate what has happened in other coun- tries, we cannot but perceive that the mining débris of our central valleys is nothing to what must be expected from tor- rential action from such a chain of mountains as the Sierra Nevada, with its easily disintegrated formation, should it be denuded of vegetation, and the snows be unprotected and the rains undetained. The principal sources of danger to be anticipated in this direction are the fires which annually do more and more dam- age, and the over-pasturage of the mountains, which packs the earth, destroys the humus, and, through the hunger of the half-starved sheep, causes the destruction of the natural reproductive power of the forests by reason of the eating by these animals of the young trees. As has been said, it cannot be doubted that the sheep-men in our mountains do every year a hundred times more damage to the lumber, to the streams and springs, and to the retentive power of the water-sheds than the scanty mountain pastures are worth. Sheep-pasturage should be regulated as it is in Europe and confined to particular forest tracts with such limitations as the condition of the forests requires. In this way the moun- tain pastures could carry more sheep than now, for under the present system both forests and pastures are being destroyed. The secondary effect of denudation of mountains and the consequent formation of torrents is the diminution of springs and streams in their summer flow. The rains rushing off rapidly have no time to sink into the subterranean reservoirs, and consequently the springs must fail. Col. H. H. Markham, a Congressman from Southern Cali- fornia, who introduced the Forestry Bill prepared by the California Board into the last Congress, in a letter to me, says: “Twas born, raised, and have always lived in a timbered “country, and have watched the effect of timber upon natural “water courses, and I am thereby fortified in my belief that “your position is correct. My brother owns a farm in She- ‘‘boygan County, Wisconsin, a county heavily timbered. He “built a single mill on the creek passing through his farm and ‘‘ran it by water-power, but as the land surrounding him be- ‘came shorn of its timber and cultivated, the stream dimin- ‘ished and soon became dry. He sold and purchased another “tract in the next county north, and when I first saw sheaotel ‘1861, there was a stream running through it containing suf- ‘‘ficient water to allow him and others to float double length “railroad ties by the hundreds down it to the market. The “surrounding country was rapidly cleared, and within six “years the stream became dry, with ‘no water, except in rainy “seasons.” California uses much water in irrigation, and in the south pays high for the fluid for domestic use. The value of water here, already considerable, must increase with the population. Consequently it is of vital importance to preserve at least the present capacity of the mountain water-sheds, to retard the melting snow and the delivery of rainfall, so that torrents shall not form to destroy the valley lands, and the springs and streams be maintained. The State of California has no practical forest-system, neither has the Federal Government. The forest lands of the state in private hands are beyond the control of the State Board of Forestry, and the State School-lands and Government-lands in 400 forests are common to all for entry, pasturage, etc. No forest officer has any control over them,except to arrest for setting fires in the woods, and even in this the circumstances are so adverse to fixing the responsibility for these fires, that, with the utmost eftorts, ‘tew arrests can be made, and fewer convictions had. The state sells its land without any reference to the timber upon it. Practically all the school-lands in timber in Cali- fornia are mountainous, and are unsuited to agriculture. Where timber-land is bought in this state the timber is all that it is bought for, and after this is cut it is usually abandoned for taxes, if, “happily, all the school payments due the state have been made. On the school-timber sections, in many cases, wood and lumber has hitherto been taken without so muchas a by-your-leave from any one. This Board is, as far as we know, the first official body to ask for an accounting for the school from the wealthy firms who have taken such timber. We havea special agent and assistants now in the field collecting evidence in these and other forestry cases by affidavits. The amount of money in- volved is very considerable, and belongs to the schools. We are obliged to proceed through the Attorney- -General of the state, and hope to secure his co-operation in our work. The United States land-system only allows a man to acquire 160 acres of forest-land. This is far too little to warrant the building of a modern saw-mill, consequently lumbermen have either cut timber without title to the lands, or used ‘‘dummies” to obtain by fraud and perjury what they required. There are doubtless cases in which lambermen have good titles. The government has for some time had special agents on the coast to secure evidence against illegal cutters of timber. These officers now have a great number of cases on hand, tor the practice of robbing the government lands has been general, One case, that of the United States vs. The Sierra Lumber Company, for $2,000,000 worth of stolen timber, is now on trial, and another involving 600 fraudulent land entries in Mendocino County, in the interest of one foreign firm, is before the courts. These are the leading cases of each kind. These lands are almost all worthless except for the timber on them. At present there is no management over pasturage here. Robbed and burned everywhere, This is our forest-land system. The Woad-waxen is a plant inferior to those above named as an element of landscape, but superior in cosmopolitan tough- ness. Asa matter simply of scenery is such heroic settlement as it has effected (it is often winter-killed to the ground, but not to the root), upon the bleak, barren fells back of Salem, as lately described in GARDEN AND FOREST, a misfortune ? We believe that to most persons it adds (and otherwise than through its floral beauty) much to the landscape charm of these hills, while detracting nothing from their wildly natural character. Again, may we not (as artists) think that there are places with us in which a landscape composition might be given a touch of grace, delicacy and fineness by the blending into a body of low, native tree foliage that of the Tamarisk or the Oleaster, that would not be “supplied in a given situation by any of our native trees ? Is there a plant that more provokes poetic sentiment than the Ivy? Is there any country in which Ivy grows with hap- pier effect or more thriftily than it does in company with the native Madrona, Yew and Douglas Spruce on our north-west coast? Yet it must have been introduced there not long since from the opposite side of the world. Would not the man be a public benefactor who would bring us from anywhere an evergreen vine of at all corresponding influence in land- scape that would equally adapt itself to the climatic conditions of our north-eastern coast ? Imagining possibilities in this direction, let us suppose that, from remote wilds of Central Asia or Africa, we should be offered ap herb, or a close-growing, dwarf, woody plant like the Leio- phyllum, as it occurs in the Carolina Mountains, that would form a sod with a leafage never rising more than three inches from the rootsand never failing in greenness or Elasticity, dur- ing our August droughts. Would not the ma atting of many a large, quiet, open space among our trees, with such a plant, favor harmony of scenery much more than it is ever favored by the result of the best gardening skill, aided by special fer- tilizers, lawn mowers, rollers and automatic sprinklers, in dealing with any of our native grasses? Such an acquisition we may think too improbable to be considered. Butis it really much more improbable than, 200 years ago, would have been a prediction of the present distribution in some parts of our country of Timothy Grass, Red Clover and Canada This- tle, or in other parts of Bermuda Grass, Alfalfa and Japan Clover? Before agreeing that no addition can be made to our native forest, except to its injury, we should consider that trees for landscape improvement are not solely those that please sim- ply from their fitness to merely fall quietly into harmony with such as are already established. Trees would be of no less OcroBER 24, 1888.] value to us that, being adapted to our climate, would supply elements of vivacity, emphasis, accent, to points of our scenery, such as we see happily produced by the Upright Cypress and the horizontally branching Stone Pine when growing out of Ilex groves on the Me diterranean. And this is a reminder that some scholar has said that we can form little idea of what the scenery of Italy was in the time of Virgil from what we see there now. This because so many trees and plants, which were then common, have since become rare, and because so many, then unknown, have since be- come common. Is there reason for believing that the primitive scenery of Italy was, on this account, more pleasing than the present ? The large majority of foreign trees that have been intro- duced with us during the last fifty years, and which have prom- ised well for a time, have been tound unable to permanently endure the alternate extremes of our climate, but that there are many perfectly suited with it we have abundant evidence. Does the White Willow flourish better or grow older or larger in any of the meadows of its native land than in ours? Was it not under this tree that the most American of our poets sung of the family of trees, ‘Surely there are times when they consent to own me of their kin, and condescend to me and call me cousin,” forgetting that, if so, it was the case of ‘‘a certain condescension of foreigners”? How is it with the English Elm, the Norway Maple, the Horse Chestnut? The Ailanthus, the Paulownia, ‘the Pride of China, all introduced from Asia within the memory of living men, are spreading as wild trees and elbowing places for themselves in the midst of our native forests. The Eucalypti, from Australia, have come, in thirty years, to be a marked (not generally an agreeable) feature in the scenery of California, ‘and while the climate of our Atlantic coast does not quite agree with the Hawthorns, in Oregon, notwithstanding its greatly drier summer, they seem to be as much at home as in Kent or Surrey. But on this point of the adaptability of many foreign trees to flourish in American climates, only think of Peaches, Pears and Apples. Frederick Law Olmsted. Brookline, September, 1888. [Mr. Olmsted’s letter should be read with the greatest care and attention. No man now living has created so much and such admirable landscape, and no man is better equipped to discuss all that relates to his art. The posi- tion which GarpEN AND Forest has taken upon the ques- tion of composition in plantations made with the view of landscape effect is embraced in the following sentence, extracted from the article to which Mr. Olmsted refers : “Tt is certain, at any rate, that combinations of plants, other than those which nature makes or adopts, inevitably possess inharmonious elements which no amount of familiarity can ever quite reconcile to the educated eye This sentence was written with special reference to the fact that in Prospect Park, in Brooklyn, various showy flowered garden-shrubs of foreign origin had been massed among native shrubs growing apparently spontaneously along the borders of a natural wood in the most sylvan part of the park. The effect which this combination pro- duced appeared to us inharmonious, and therefore less pleasing than if the plantation had been confined to such shrubs as may be found growing naturally on Long Island in similar situations. How far the idea of harmony in composition in landscape is dependent upon association it is hard to say. Mr. Olmsted acknowl- edges that trees like the Ginkgo, the Horse Chestnut and the Weeping Beech would look out of place in an Ameri- can landscape—that is, trees which have no prototypes in our natural, native scenery. But would the inhabitant of New Zealand or of the moon, whom we suppose to be totally ignorant of the vegetation of the north temper- ate portions of the earth’s surface, find anything to jar upon his feelings in seeing a Weeping Willow or a Ginkgo or a Horse Chestnut growing with and among Hickories, ‘Tu- pelos or Sequoias, which may be taken as the three pe- culiarly North American trees? Probably he would find the combination an appropriate and pleasing one, and no feel- ing of inharmoniousness would ever cross his mind. For- eign trees with American prototypes, like the Beech, Linn, Red-Bud, Plane, from which they can hardly be dis- tinguished except by botanist, do not jar upon the Garden and Forest. 419 sense of fitness when used in landscape planting here, be- cause for all intents and purposes they are the same as our own species, except that, as a rule, they never grow here as vigorously ; and, therefore, are less attractive ob- jects. ‘The European Oak, if it would grow here, might replace the American White Oak, which it closely resem- les anywhere, and this is true of almost every European tree which has an eastern American representative. We certainly did not intend to convey the idea that all Ameri- can trees could be associated together harmoniously. One of the broad-leaved Magnolias of the southern Alleghany Mountains would appear as much out of place, from our point of view, in a northern landscape, as any tree from any foreign land could possibly do. This same Magnolia, however, amid the broad-leaved evergreens and luxuriant growth of the southern forests, seems to form an ap- propriate and necessary feature of the forest scenery. The fact that the Barberry in New England, the Cherokee Rose, the Pride of China tree, or the Ailanthus in the Southern States, when these plants are naturalized, and have been familiar objects for generations, do not look out of place in the landscape, confirms our idea that fitness comes not from similarity or dissimilarity of form or color or texture, but from mental association. When we have seen certain plants growing together often enough and long enough—that is, when ‘they have been ‘‘ adopted” by na ture, to quote our own words—we become accustomed to the combination. It is only new and startling combi- nations which shock our mental susceptibilities. There is nothing more startling (and whatever is startling can form no part of a restful landscape) than to come upon an Apple-tree, as one may sometimes do in parts of New Jer- sey, growing in the midst of a thick Pine woods, and show- ing that the land had once been tilled. But if Apple-trees grew in our woods, and we had always seen them there, the combination would not seem an unnatural one. The truth is that great masters of landscape construc- tion can combine material drawn from many climates and many countries into one harmonious whole, but the mas- ters of the art are not many, and the planter who is not sure of his genius can wisely follow nature in her teach- ings of harmony in composition. Had this reservation been made in the article referred to, our statement that ‘all attempts to force Nature, so to speak, by bringing in alien elements from remote continents and climates, must inevitably produce inharmonious results,” would, perhaps, have been less open to criticism.—Ep. ] Notes. Among Mr. Carman's hybrids between Rosa rugosa and the Hybrid Perpetuals, one has nearly thornless canes, and the foliage is clustered, remarkable in form and very dark. The Chrysanthemum Show of the New Jersey Floricultural Society will be held in Orange, at the Harrison Street Rink, on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, November 7th, 8th and gth. At a late exhibition in London were displayed flower clusters of Hydrangea paniculata grandiflora wore than one foot in height and almost as broad, and they were cut from specimens “planted i in May last. The New York Chrysanthemum Show will be held on the corner of Broadway and Fourteenth Street, in a large tent, properly heated. The exhibition will probably open on the seventh of November, and continue for a week. Experiments at the lowa Agricultural College Station seem to prove that when infested land is plowed up in order to bury the chinch bug, the furrow, to be effective, must be cut six inches deep, and when the land is not too hard, an inch or two deeper is advisable. The City of Boston has recently acquired from the Com- monwealth, through the Board of Harbor and Land Commis- sioners, about twenty-four acres. of ground in the South Bos- ton district, for the benefit of the public. It will be laid out at once, largely with reference to its use as a playground tor children, ‘all the central portion, or fifteen acres, being left open for that purpose. 420 The heavy storm which passed over Washington on the 16th of September did much damage to the green- houses both at the White House and the Botanic Garden. Many trees in the Botanic Garden were likewise injured and three well- known ‘memorial trees’ destroyed. The Garland Elm, planted by the present Attorney-General, was split in two; the Buckeye, which was transplanted a number of years ago from the grounds of the late Vice-President Hendricks, was up- rooted: and a Robinia, which commemorated President Gar- field, was laid prostrate. Professor Budd believes that alternating varieties in the Cherry or Plum orchard favors regular fruitage. A variety that might prove to be a very poor bearer when depending on its own polle n supply, may be found regularly fruitful when intermingled with other sorts. In our climate, if the weather during the blossoming period is hot and windy, a variety may mature and waste its “pollen before the stigmas are ready to receive it. In such the pollen of adjoining sorts may perform the needed work with the aid of the insects or the breeze. The current issue of /izsect Life gives credit to W. W. Meech, of Vineland, N. J., the well- know n author on Quinces, for the discovery that the ways of the common beetle (A/lorhina nitida) are not altogether bad. He found the adult beetles eating the fungus Restilia aurantiaca upon his Quince trees. They. even alighted upon it in the basket when he was gather- ing the fungus, and ate it greedily. Mr. Meech says “ for this meritorious service I desire they should have full credit as among the insects beneficial.” This beneficial habit, however, is more than counterbalanced by their appetite for fruit, to say nothing of the damage done by the larva. A correspondent of the Springfield Republican considers the Se square miles comprised in the Annapolis and Gaspereau Valleys of Nova Scotia destined to become one great Apple orchard. One-tenth of this area is now planted with Apple trees, over one-fourth of these being young trees, and from 5,000,000 to 10,000,000 barrels will be annually produced in ten years. Under competition between American and English buyers the Apples sell for from three dollars to five dollars per barrel. About half a million barrels of Gravensteins, Bald- wins, King of Tompkins, Nonpareils, Russets, Ribston Pip- pins and other choice varieties are now produced and ex- ported every year. The fruit is of the best quality, the trees yield from three to seven barrels each, and trees are being planted at the rate of from 100 to 10,000 annually on each Apple farm. According to the Country Gentleman, this season has been a favorable eos in many places for heavy crops of Apples and Pears. The s blossomed abundantly, but the fruit, when about a qué aes grown, began to drop, to the great discourage- ment of owners. This proved, however, the best thing that could have happened, especially to Rhode Island Greenings, and to the Sheldon and Lawrence among Pears. It effected an excellent thinning of the fruit, and what remained devel- oped into such fine specimens as are rarely seen. An expert estimate placed the quantity of Greenings in a portion of one orchard at forty bushels, and there afterwards proved to be more than a hundred bushels. For an estimate of five bush- els of Lawrence Pears there were twenty-four. The Sheldons were superb and the Seckels large and fine. This result could be reached any year when an abundant crop is set by artificial thinning, without any diminution of the number of bushels. The government has decided to abandon and sell the Custom-House and Sub-Treasury, on Wall Street, in this city, because of the insufficient size of the buildings and the ereat value of their sites. In the recent report of Mr. Kiryer, United States Superintendent of Repairs for New York, it is recom- mended that land for the erection of new buildings should be taken on Battery Park, or, preferably, the Bowling Green. Certain local newspapers have interpreted this to mean that Mr. Fryer would like to see the buildings placed zz one or the other of these parks, but we prefer to believe that his recom- mendation merely refers to sites facing upon them. After all that has been said of the deplorable lack of bre athing- “spaces in the lower part of New York, and in face of the Mayor’s Ss wise advice that they should be at once increased in number, it seems preposterous that any one can seriously think of saving © eovernment money at the expense of any of the little parks which now exist. ‘The outr age perpetrated by the national authorities in placing the Post-Office where it stands, has not yet been, and never ought to be, forgiven. And a sister build- ing on the Bowling Green or Bz tte ry Park would never, we feel sure, be permitted even by our long-suffering fellow citizens. Garden and Forest. [OcTOBER 24, 1888. It is interesting to learn from English newspapers that Gen- eral Prejevalsky, a distinguished Russian Ss is about to try for the third time to reach the capital of the ‘‘ Dalai Lama” in Thibet. Although this town—Lhassa—is only 300 or 400 miles from the frontier of India, not more than six or seven Europeans have ever set foot in it—and of these not one is alive to-day. The Russian general's first attempt was made through Mongolia and occupied three years. He was then forced to turn back when within twenty days’ journey of Lhassa. About three years later, in 1876, he tried for the second time, but was again unsuccessful. Now he will make the attempt by the way of western and south-western Mon- golia, and expects to be absent at least two years. The im- portance of his travels to naturalists is shown by the facts that trom his first expedition he brought back five thousand speci- mens of plants, together with large collections of mammals, fish and insects ; and that, taking all the collections together, about one-fifth of his specimens were found to be new to science. The country over which he will travel is extremely difficult and dangerous, and many of the tribes are fanatically hostile to Europeans. If he accomplishes his attempt, his account of Lhassa will excite the greatest interest, and if he returns in safety, even without reaching the capital, important additions to scientific knowledge may be expected. The largest and finest collection of Orchids ever offered at public sale in this country by a nurseryman or dealer was dis- posed of by auction at the rooms of Young & Elliott, of this city, on Tuesday of last week. The sale included the entire stock which Messrs. F. Sander & Co., of St. Albans, England, had collected at their establishment in Jersey City, and con- sisted of more than 1,000 lots. The total amount realized was about $7,000, and it would have been considerably more it the sale had been concluded. The day was too short, how- ever, and some 200 of the lots catalogued were not reached. Asarule satisfactory prices were obtained, but some of the very finest Orchids sold for less than their real value. This was true of the superb specimen of Vanda Sanderiana, which brought only $230. The original plant of Cypripedium Boxallii atratum, which was certificated by the Royal Horticultural Society of England, sold for $160; Cypripedium Chantinit, Phil- brick's variety, brought $160, and a wonderful specimen of Cattleya Mossi@ sold for $145. Perhaps the Cypripediums, all things considered, were sold to the best advantage. It was noted that the bidding was quite as brisk when darkness putanend to the sale as it was at the beginning. It was noted, too, that a larger proportion of the plants than is usually the case went to the trade about New York and Phila- delphia, showing a confidence on the part of alert dealers that the demand for Orchids, and the best Orchids, is steadily growing in this country. Referring to the popular idea that sulphur placed in holes bored in the trunks of trees will be dissolved and carried by the sap to the foliagein such quantities as to render it offen- sive to insects, a recent Bulletin of the Massachusetts Agri- cultural College Experiment Station says that it has been found upon cutting down trees which have been plugged with sulphur that the material remains unchanged for many years. It is added that while we are spending so much effort to prevent injury to our trees from borers we certainly ought not to make holes in them many times larger than those made by any known species of insect. In “order to ascertain whether sulphur in soluble form can be introduced into a tree so as to affect the fungus growths causing rusts, blights and mildews, some large Rose “bushes, badly mildewed, were treated with saturated solutions of potassium sulphide, hy dro- gen sulphide and ammonium sulphide. The liquid was forced into holes bored in the main stem with a small gimlet, and the orifice was plugged with grafting-wax. At “first a slight improvement in the amount of mildew upon the leaves was noticed, but in September all the bushes but one were dead, presumably from the effect of the holes. Until further trials are made, this experiment indicates that while there may be some promise that antiseptics introduced into the sap cir- culation may prevent the growth of fungi, some safer means of introducing the solutions must be found. From the nature of the case it is hardly possible that any substance can be introduced into the circulation in sufficient quantities to affect insect life. Professor Maynard, who prepared the Bulletin, suggests that an inspection be made _ next season of the Elms in Boston which were bored and filled with chemicals last spring to make the leaves distasteful to beetles. Careful weighing would determine how much of the powder had es aped ‘from the hole, and analysis could detect the presence of any excess of sulphur in the leaves. OcToBER 31, 1888.] GARDEN AND FOREST. PUBLISHED WEEKLY BY THE GARDEN AND FOREST PUBLISHING CO. OrFicE: TrisuNE Buitpinc, New York. Conducted by <1; Geneva. An appropriation of $100,000, to enable the United States Geological Survey to begin an investigation into the prac- ticability of inaugurating a national system of irrigation, by which it is hoped that immense tracts of lands in the Western States and Territories, now barren and worthless, can be made available for agriculture, was included in the Sundry Civil Appropriation Bill passed at the last session of Congress. Major Powell has estimated that the territory which can be reclaimed for agriculture by irrigation is equal in extent to the whole area now cultivated in the United States. Itis impossible to determine, of course, whether his estimate is correct or not, but it is safe to say, with all due allowances for over-confidence in the possibilities of irrigation, as applied in western North America, that this new enterprise of the government is one of the most im- portant, if not the most important, it has ever undertaken, and that eventually the national wealth must be increased by it enormously. Homes will be created for millions of industrious and prosperous families, and the natural products of the country will be increased enormously, itis safe to say. This appropriation, to which not a dozen members of Congress, probably, ever devoted a moment's consideration, seems destined to mark a new era in the prosperity of the nation. The Pines in Mid-November. HE foliage has mostly disappeared from deciduous trees and shri ubs, but many herbaceous plants are wonderfully _ preserved. They escaped the light frosts of October, and the unusual warmth of November has endowed them with fresh vigor, so that in chosen spots among the Pines we still find many beautiful flowers. Some of the Asters, and even Golden- rods, are blooming still. But one of the most delightful sur- prises is a bed of blue Violets—a form of Viola cucullata. Not even in the spring-time have I ever found plants blooming more profusely than these. The flowers are large and bright blue, and, together with their leaves, make charming bou-- quets. But the most attractive novelty is a little patch of the violet Wood Sorrel (Oxalis violacea) in ‘full bloom. It is under an old Pine tree; and standing well up above the dry needles which carpet the ground are a good many pretty flower- scapes, with several bright blossoms on each, but not a leaf has made its appearance. I shall keep watch of the future be- havior of these plants. Next spring they will show probably nothing but leaves. Another handsome flower is the Soapwort Gentian (Gentiana Saponaria), with half-closed corollas, but bright and beautiful with its smooth, deep green leaves, some of them inclining to a purplish tint. And near by is its small relative, Bartonia tenella, stillin bloom. This little plant has small, inconspicu- ous white flowers, but in the middle of November the most insignificant flower that braves the Fibs: commands our admiration for its sturdy character. I also find fair specimens of Polygala lutea in flower, and a species of Xyris. at The foliage that still clings to many trees and shrubs, which ah seem half inclined to be evergreen, is an interesting study. The leaves of the Swamp Magnolias, especially the younger _ ones, are as bright and shining as in midsummer, and those of — the smooth Alder (Almas serrulata) and Sweet Fern are still — abundant, fresh and green. The leaves of the Wax Myrtle ({tyrica cerifera) are now deliciously fragrant, and show no _ signs of loosening their hold. Indeed, like the Sweet Fern in a sheltered spots, the shrub is nearly or quite evergreen, and < holds its foliage well into spring. In all my pleasant autumn rambles I have found nothing — v more beautiful than the running Swamp Blackberry (Rubus — hispidus). Its delicate tracery of stem and leaf are laid over a bed of damp green moss. The foliage is charmingly colored in crimson, scarlet and purple. e 4 : we i as DECEMBER 12, 1888.] The slender stems or long runners are quite free from prickles, and wind around among beautiful clumps of the Pitcher-plant, which are also gorgeously colored with crimson and purple veins. The bright cups of the Pitcher-plant are so flower-like, that they lure many insects into their depths, from which there is no escape. Two or three species of Lycopo- dium wind in and out among the moss, now hidden entirely from sight and again reappearing to throw up fertile spikes from a few inches to more than a foot in height. Standing a little in the background is the narrow-leaved Cat-tail (Zypha angustifolia), which adds a special grace to the whole picture. This species is more rare and delicate than the common Cat- tail (7. datifolia), which grows in stagnant ponds and swamps throughout the United States. There is as much difference between these two Cat-tail flags as between the large Blue flag (fris versicolor) and the slender Blue flag (Z. Virginica), both of which grow near by. The Groundsel-tree (Baccharis halimifolia) is now conspicu- ous with its long, white, silky pappus. Although it belongs to the largest order of flowering plants, it is the only one in this vast order, in our temperate climates, that attains the dignity of treehood. In the Pines it grows from ten to fifteen feet in height, and in autumn is a very marked feature in the land- scape. The copious pure white pappus with which the fertile plants are enshrouded, at a little distance look like a mass of white flowers, strangely out of season in their rich setting of autumn foliage. Two or three species of Dodder are now brought into view as the leaves of their supporters have withered or fallen. Cuscuta glomerata is the most notable, as its knotted cords strangle and sap the life of its foster plants until they are dwarfed, prematurely fade, and finally die. This species usually attacks the Composite, and sometimes other herba- ceous plants. It starts from the ground like any respectable plant, and for awhile is self-supporting, and is quite attractive In appearance, with its bright orange stems. But it soon attaches itself close to some other herb, gives up its hold upon the earth, and relies entirely upon its host for support. Another species (C. tenuiflora) attaches itself to the shrubs among the Pines. This species has the appearance of twining more loosely than the former, and climbs higher on its foster plant. Attractive plants are still found in the more exposed places on dry sandy soil. Among them is the smailer Pinweed (Lechea minor), a pretty little Heath-like plant growing in masses, but each plant is worth examining by itself, as its small single stem spreads out into numerous branches, giving it the appearance of a miniature tree. The branches and foli- age form a dense mass a foot or more across the top, and the foliage has now taken on a purplish hue, making it very pretty and effective.. These little tree-like plants are less than a foot in height, and grow in the most unpromising soil. fludsonia tomentosa is another little bushy Heath-like shrub about a foot in height, and covered with small persistent gray- ish leaves, giving the plant a hoary look. This, too, grows in the sand, even when it is so loose as to drift before the wind. Very often considerable patches of the plant are covered up in this way, and remain so until the wind from another direction blows the sand away. Vineland, N. J., November 17th. Mary Treat. The source of the superiority of good landscape gardening lies in the artist’s removing from the scene of his operations whatever is hostile to its effect or unsuited to its character ; and, by adding only such circumstances as accord with the general expression of the scene, awakening emotions more ps more simple and more harmonious.—Uvedale Price, 1790. ? To range the shrubs and small trees so that they may mu- tually set off the beauties and conceal the blemishes of each other; to aim at no effects which depend on nicety for their effects, and which the soil, the exposure, or the season of the day may destroy; to attend more to the groups than to the individuals ; and to consider the whole as a plantation, not as a collection of plants, are the best general rules which can be given concerning them.—Zhomas Whately, 1770. It cannot be too strongly insisted upon that Nature is to be followed, not spoilt at the expense of labor and ill-employed wealth, not strangely and violently disfigured in the effort to embellish. All gardens cannot be planned after some one pleasing model. The special character of the ground must be regarded. By attending to this we shall be more faithful to Nature, and a greater number of gardens will be beautiful without being servile copies.— IV. S. Gilpin, 18 32. Garden and Forest. 495 Foreign Correspondence. London Letter. OTATO disease has been exceptionally virulent in England this year. Few kinds have escaped, many have suffered very severely, while insome districts the crop has been almost totally destroyed. Weare no nearer a disease-proof Potato than we ever were, and as the wild tubers are said to be affected by it, there seems little hope in that direction. But the simple plan recommended by Professor Jensen, of Copen- hagen, which is nothing more than high earthing in autumn, appears likely to prove a palliative at least. This has been shown recently by some experiments made at Chiswick, and which have been watched and reported upon by Dr. M. T. Masters. In August a portion of a plot of the variety School- master was high moulded, and another portion treated in the ordinary way. They were lifted on September 29th and care- fully examined, the result being, that of those moulded in the ordinary way twenty-six per cent. were diseased, and that only ten percent. of those moulded high, in accordance with what is known as the Jensenian treatment, were affected. Orchids in November are either asleep or preparing for their spring display. Of course, there are Cypripediums and a few odds and ends besides, but, at this time of year, Orchid- houses are dull. Of new kinds, we have two forms of the richly colored Cattleya aurea, which are named C. Massaiana and C. chrysotoxa. The former is a supposed natural hybrid, C. Gigas being the other parent. The sepals and petals are rosy-lilac, the lips being large, crimson, with golden reticula- tions and two eye-like blotches of yellow. C. chrysotoxa isa very robust and large-flowered form of C. aurea, with the colors clear andrich in tint. Both kinds are Sander’s introduc- tions. Lelia Perrint, var. alba, is a form with flowers wholly snow-white, without any purple or yellow markings on the labellum. The leaves of the variety are larger and broader than in the type. It was introduced by Mr. Sander, and is now in the famous collection of Mr. R. H. Measures, Streatham. The fortnightly meeting of the Royal Horticultural Society, held on the 14th instant, was devoted almost entirely to talk about the affairs and future of the society. Very few plants were exhibited, and of these only the following were noteworthy: (1) Malayan Rhododendrons.—The extraordinary success attained by the Messrs. Veitch in hybridizing and cross-breeding among plants of all kinds is very well attested by the marked improvement made in the habit, colors and variety of this section of Rhododendron. From two or three comparatively poor flowered species, obtained from Java and the Malay regions, at least a score of beautiful hybrids have been raised by the famous Chelsea firm, and.all in the course of half adozen years. Flowers of a dozen of the best sorts were sent to the meeting last Tuesday, amongst them being white, pink, crimson, nankeen, canary and salmon colors. These plants are easily grown, they flower freely, and the blooms last a month or more. (2) Lelia Victorta,a hybrid raised by the Messrs. Veitch from JZ. crispa and L. Dominiana. It resem- bles the former in most points, differing chiefly in the form and color of the labellum, which is oblong and spreading in front, undulated, and colored rich maroon-purple. I have seen forms of Crispa almost as good. It obtained a first-class certificate. (3) Chrysanthemums Mrs. Garner and Avalanche, which were certificated. They are both Japanese, the former very full, five inches across, rather flat, the petals narrow, and colored deep yellow, tinged with bronze; the other is also large, globose, very broad in petal, and of the purest white. They were from Mr. G. Stevens, of Putney. (4) Flowers of Nympheas sent from Kew, where these plants are well represented and successfully grown. Those shown were all forms of the gigantic . Lotus, the best of them be- ing the seedling named Kewensis. The new tuber, Stachys tuberifera, was also certificated. At presentit has little to recom- mend it, but it may be developed into a useful vegetable. The potato had not much to recommend it when it first came to England. Kew has the following plants of interest in flower: (1) Aez- nedya Marryatte.—lf your readers are not acquainted with this plant, permit me to recommend it strongly as a first-rate green-house climber. Planted ina bed of rich loamy soil, it grows very rapidly, soon covering a large space with its long, gracetul branches. For training over pillars and rafters it is invaluable. The younger branches are pendent, a yard or more long, the leaves trifoliate, each leaflet ovate and two inches long, and the whole plant is covered with soft, silky hairs. The flowers are in short axillary corymbs, on stalks an inch long, each bearing four flowers, something like Sweet 496 Peas, and of the brightest scarlet color. - Like all the Kenne- dyas, it is Australian, The Kew plant has been known to flower profusely for at least six months at a stretch. (2) H7zd- bertia dentata, which is another green-house climber of great attraction. It has oblong leaves about three inches in length and colored deep chocolate; the flowers are large, single and golden yellow. During winter this plant makes a pretty dis- play. (3) Senecio Ghiesbreghtii, which is used here sometimes tor out-door bedding in summer, but it is of greater value as a flowering plant for large conservatories in winter. The stem is stout and from six to ten feet high, with large ovate leaves a foot long, and enormous terminal corymbs of deep yellow flowers. It is planted in the beds in the Kew conser- vatories, and is in grand condition now. No doubt you culti- vate this plant in your gardens, as itis Mexican, but it may not be utilized with you as a winter-flowering subject. (4) Dahlia imperialis, which is another giant composite from Mexico. In the gardens bordering the Mediterranean it attains magnifi- cent dimensions, and at Kew it grows to a great size largest plants are twelve feet high, with a stout single s clothed with very large decompound leaves, those at “the base of the stem being about a yard through. The flowers are in large spreading panicles, very numerous on well-grown plants, and each one is six inches across, somewhat cupped, the single row of petals broad at the base and gradually nar- rowed to a long point; they are white, with a faint tinge of purple, the small cluster of disc-florets being yellow. As this plant blooms in November and December, it is valuable for the decoration of large houses. At Kew it is started early in spring in a litthe warmth, and then placed outside when the weather is warm enough. It requires a little heat in October and November to bring the flowers to perfection. (5) Befaria glauca, which is an interesting green-house shrub. introduced to Kew a year or two ago from the Andes of Peru. It flowered for the first time last year, and a plant of it is again in bloom. The habit is that of a Rhododendron, the leaves are about two inches long, glaucous beneath, and the flowers are in terminal spikes. The plant is only three feet high, with one stem, but this bears a cluster of seven erect spikes, each nine inches long, and bearing a score of Howers, which are bell-shaped, one inch across, and rose-colored. This plant is known here as the Andean Rhododendron. It is Ericaceous and evergreen. Out-of-doors there is, of course, a scarcity of flowers, but we have three little attractions which deserve mention. They are: first, the autumn-flowering species of Crocus. The Kew collection of Croci is exceptionally rich, and they are arranged in two groups, the one autumn- and the other spring-flow. er- ing. Until only a year or so ago the autumn Croci were un- known in English horticulture he re, but, thanks mainly to Kew, they are rapidly < appearing in all good gardens. Of course, the display in the autumn depends very much on the nature of the weather, and in November it is seldom favorable to tlow- ers. Lately, however, mildness, with a little sunshine now and then, have favored us, and consequently these Croci are good justnow. Amongst them are white, lilac, mauve, pur- ple, blue, and variegated. Altogether there are about thirty species of Crocus which flower ‘between August and Decem- ber, the first to appear being the pretty C Scharojani of the brightest orange color. The cultural requirements of the species which bloom in autumn are exactly those of the better known spring-flowering kinds. The winter Daffodil (S¢ern- bergia lutea) is another pretty and easily grown hardy plant which flowers at this time of year. At Kew it is planted in borders and bogs, where it never fails to develop its large, bright yellow, Crocus-like blooms. Close to it, or growing mingled with it, is the crimson-flowered Winter Gladiolus (Schizostylis coccinea), and the combination is pretty in effect. I suppose every one knows the value of the Schizostylis as a winter-flowering plant for the green-house, but is not often seen in a border out-of-doors. At Kew it remains in bloom till December, unless the frost is very severe, or there is a long spell of heav y fogs. Is Hippophae rhamnoides used as a garden plant in America? Here it is native, and consequently not often met with in gardens. It is the Sea-Buckthofn of every-day people. Planted on the edge of the lake, so that its roots are constantly under water, this “shrub i Is a great success at Kew, every branch being now ‘weighed down with the enor- mous crop of bright ye ellow berries. Iti is easily grown, and flowers and fruits freely every year. Being dicecious, how- ever, one must be careful to get both sexes and plant them near each other, or no fruit will come. The berries have a strong styptic flavor similar to that of the Oleaster, to which the Sea-Buckthorn is closely related. Crategus Lelandi, a form of the well-known Pyracantha, isa new addition to win- ter-berried hardy shrubs. It is useful as a pot plant, owing to Garden and Forest. [DECEMBER 12, 1888. its habit of fruiting freely when only a few inches high. Large specimens are now a gorgeous picture of the brightest orange scarlet, the berries crowding on the branches much more than I have ever seen the old Pyracantha do. Whether grown against a wall or as a specimen shrub ona lawn, itis a perfect success. We are indebted to the Messrs. Veitch for-its intro- duction. W. Watson. November 16th. New or Little Known Plants. Berberis Fremonti.* HE Mahonia section of the genus Berbers is the exclusively prevalent one upon the western side of our continent, ranging from British Columbia to Central Mexico, and from the Pacific Ocean to the Rocky Moun- tains and the Gulf of Mexico, and is represented by half a dozen or more species within the limits of the United States. It presents also an exception to the general rule of resemblance of the eastern-Asiatic flora to our Atlantic- coast flora rather than to that of the Pacific, inasmuch as several species of this section are found in Japan, China and the north-eastern borders of India, and nowhere else in the Old World. Mahonia differs from Berberzs proper in the full develop- ment of all the leaves, and the consequent absence of spines (which in the common Barberry are abortive, pri- mary leaves), and in the pinnation of the leaves, which consist of one or more pairs of leaflets upon a common petiole. This petiole is jointed at the base of each pair of leaflets. There are no differences of importance either in the flowers or fruit, and it is easily seen how the Barberry is simply a Mahonia with undeveloped foliage, the pri- mary leaves being reduced to a cluster of spines, and the secondary pinnate leaves to the single terminal leaflet which is always jointed upon the very “short petiole. The leaflets in Mahonia are always evergreen and spinosely dentate, usually rigid and glossy, and often strongly reticulate-veined. The berries are globular, or nearly so, and often blue or nearly black. The species most fre- quently met with in cultivation are the well-known “Oregon Grape,” the B. aguifolium of the Pacific Coast, and B. Japonica from Japan. Several other species are doubtless as well worth cultivation. Berberis Fremont, the characters of which are well shown in Mr. Faxon’s figure, is a shrub growing from five to fifteen feet high, found in the arid regions of the south- — west from Texas to Arizona and Lower California. It is very peculiar in the character of its fruit, which at maturity becomes dry and inflated, inclosing six or eight seeds. What appears to be a form of this species, with compara- tively broader, elliptical and less spiny leaves, occurs in central Texas, and was named by Mr. Buckley &. Swaseyz. Little is known respecting it. S. W. Pentstemon rotundifolius. F this plant, which was figured and described in the issue of this journal for November 28th, Mr. Pringle writes : In the autumn of 1886 was found hanging quite in the manner of rock-brakes, from thinnest seams of dry granitic cliffs (on their sides least exposed to the sun), among the dry mountain chains southward from Chihuahua, a most singular Pentstemon, of so much beauty that Dr. Gray, when naming it as above, desired that efforts be made to bring it into cultivation. Seeds were accordingly distributed to botanic gardens, but in consideration of the strange habitat of the plant, i it was with slight hopes of success. The plant is evergreen, with short “stems which branch freely ; its leaves are broad, very thick and leathery, glaucous ; its flowers tubular, scarlet. ; On its dry wall of rock, through winter frosts and the long term of fierce heats and absolute drought, when it *B. Fremont, Torr., in Bot. Mex, Bound. Surv., 30 DECEMBER 12, 1888.] would not seem possible for its roots to gather a particle of moisture, yet never dropping its leaves, this plant main- tains an existence for many years, a remarkable example of adaptation- to environment. When the rains begin, whether it be in March or not until August, it puts forth new branches and flowers, and continues to bloom while the atmosphere retains any considerable degree of humidity. Nature’s plan for disseminat- ing and perpetu- ating the species amidst condi- tions sO excep- tional is also in- teresting. How- ever pendant the stems, the dehiscing cap- sules are held upright by a bending of their pedicels ; there- fore a strong wind is required for the dislodg- ment of the seeds, a wind which will sweep them along the face of the cliffs, and haply plant one here and there inan open seam. It must be that all the seeds which fall upon the soil perish ; for I have never seen a plant growing in soil about the dozen localities for this species repeat- edly visited by me. Restricted in its habitat to so uncommon and austere con- ditions, the Species is, a would be ex- pected, extreme- ly rare. I have not yet secured sufficient material to place it in my dis- tributions of Plante Mexicane. if7) x Cultural Department. Mushrooms. NUMBER of market gardeners on Long Island have for some years been growing Mushrooms for market, and many others are now building cellars for this purpose. Mr. Abram Van Sicklin is the pioneerin this business, and perhaps the largest grower on the Island. Not only has he large and commodious cellars devoted to the cultivation of Mushrooms, but he also grows them in his salad-houses in beds under the benches on which the Lettuces are grown. In these houses the beds are now made, and extend the whole length of the houses, often a hundred feet or more, and under the middle and side benches. Butas the night temperature of 40° to 45° required for Lettuces now (last week of November) is too low for Mushrooms (55° to 60°), the surface of the beds is cov- ered over with salt hay. The heat of the manure in the beds is sufficient to spread the spawn, and the hay saves the surface of the beds from the chill of a low atmospheric temperature. Garden and Forest. Fig. 77.—Berberis Fremonti.—See page 406. 497 Mushrooms grow as well under a hay or straw covering as they do without it, but it is much more troublesome to gather them when covered. In Mr. Van Sicklin's cellar the beds are long and flat, arranged on the floor and on berth-like shelves above the floor-beds. He uses English brick-spawn, but has also used the French flake-spawn. He has made his own spawn, but, all things considered, believes it is cheaper and safer to use imported spawn, although the crop is uncertain at best. Mr. Denton, of Aqueduct Sta- tion, is a succegs- ful grower of Mushrooms who has no green- houses, but two large cellars. The one now being filled is some twenty-four feet square and about seven feet high, with a dry earth- en floor. The beds are about four to five feet wide and arrang- ed lengthwise on the floor, with narrow passages between them, andtwoshelf-like beds are fixed berth-fashion above each floor- bed, and at equal distahces from one another. The bottom beds are floored and the shelves for beds are made and faced with rough hemlock boards. An iron. stove and a line of sheet-iron smoke-pipe is used for heating the cellar. The manure used is the ordin- ary stable man- ure from Brook- lyn, which is haul- ed home on the return trips from market. This manure costs twenty-five cents a wagon-load in 3rooklyn. After a pile of it has accumulated the most strawy portions are shaken out and the rest thrown into a pile in a large shed to ferment. Here it is turned as often as necessary to pre- vent burning; after it is in active ferment it requires turn- ing every day till the violent heat subsides, which may be in three weeks after the manure was brought into the shed. Mr. Denton has better success with his beds made up of loam and manure than when manure alone is used. Therefore, when the manure is in good condition he adds about one- third of its bulk of common field loam, mixing all well: to- eether before making the beds. The beds, especially the shelf- beds, can be made firm more easily when this loam mixture is used, the manure alone being too springy to pack well. The facings, or sides of the beds, are one board, or ten inches wide, and therefore the compost can hardly be more than eight inches deep at first, if space is left for coating it over with loam after spawning. Mr. Denton finds most danger in allowing the manure to become too warm after the beds are put up; at the same time he likes good lively manure to be- gin with. When the temperature falls to go® he spawns the beds. He uses both French and English spawn, and buys the imported article. While the English spawn may yield the largest Mushrooms, he thinks that those produced from the French spawn are, in proportion to their size, heavier and 498 Garden and Forest. more solid. In about six weeks after spawning he expects Mushrooms, A temperature of about 60° is maintained, but with an ordinary iron stove it is not an easy matter to keep up a steady temperature. And the stove heat, too, is apt to dry the earth on the surface of the beds, in which case they are freely sprinkled with water, but enough is not given to soak through to the manure. - While generally successful, Mr. Denton’s crop varies a good deal in different years. Two years ago from these two cellars he gathered 2,200 pounds of Mushrooms, while last year his crop from the same space was less than 1,700 pounds. He is inclined to give a good deal of credit for the heaviest yield to the freshness and sweetness of his cellar that season, as he had it thoroughly cleaned out and limewashed in autumn before he made up his beds. The one thing about Mr. Denton’s arrangement that seemed faulty was the parching stove. A hot-air apparatus seems out of place wherever plants of any sort are grown, be they Mushrooms, Roses or Orchids. Besides, here is a big iron stove occupying a space which might be devoted to part of another floor bed and two whole shelf beds. A base-burner, hot water boiler and two three-inch hot water pipes run around inside the cellar, would seem preferable. The pipes could be run close alongside one of the shelves and would not be in the way at all, and any danger of their overheating the edge of the bed by which they were running could be averted by hav- ing a temporary board set alongside of them, making the shelf two boards high instead of one. No deep stock hole is re- quired tor these little boilers; they can be run on the common level of the cellar, and could be set into a niche in the wall four by six feet square. Two hods of coal a day will heat 300 feet of three-inch pipe. Surely this is better than any stove, and the first expense is the only one, for such an apparatus is simple and durable. We heat our Mushroom houses with this kind of boiler and hot water pipes, and nothing could do the work more effectively. Wm, Falconer. Glen Cove, N. Y. Fruits for Cold Chmates. T must be set down as a rule that a fruit-tree should be of a variety that will endure all weathers in the place where it is planted. It must be hardy enough to stand the test winter; otherwise, just when the owner is looking for a first full crop, he may find only a dead tree. Experience has proved that the fruit-trees of western Europe and their seedlings will not, as a rule, endure the winter climate of similar latitudes on the American Continent. All of Europe north of Rome is north of Boston. Boston is nearly the extreme north limit of the Peach, Plum, Quince and Apri- cot; and of the Apples and Pears of north-western Europe very few can be planted with profit more than too miles north of Boston. Seedlings from these do not, as a rule, show more resistance to cold than their parents. So seldom do they, that those of us who have had most experience at once suspect that such a seedling is an accidental cross with a hardier variety, like those of Russia and Siberia. The Russian tree-fruits are undoubtedly of hybrid origin. Those of Poland and the Baltic provinces are much mixed and crossed with west European species. But, working eastward in the empire, le and less of this blood is found; and in the valley of the Volga and the Steppe region the influence of north Asia stock preponderates. It is from these trees that we get our most perfect ‘‘iron-clads”’ of all the tree-fruits. Our north-eastern states and provinces require hardiness against cold alone; but in the Prairie States this is not enough. Intense summer heat and drought, and the fatal sap-blight, must also be encountered there; and trees for that region must thus be triply clad. The fruits of the Russian and Asiatic steppes furnish the best material to meet these contingencies. As New England lies mostly on the latitudes of southern Europe, so Canada lies mostly on the latitudes of Russia and Siberia. Not only climate, but the length of seasons and of days, should be considered in estimating the value of fruit trees. The winter Apples of Russia are many, but south of 45° they are only early winter or fall sorts. This lessens their value for our Northern States; but as they can be grown among our tender long-keepers, there is a fair probability that iron-clad crosses can be obtained that will prove long-keeping below latitude 45°. Unquestionably many European trees are, in their seedlings, gradually adapting themselves to the American climate. The law of the survival of the fittest is all the time in operation, and interested parties are finding along the northern limits of our orchard region (and even within it) seedling varieties which show unusual resistance against cold. After trying [DECEMBER 12, 1888. several hundred of the hardiest Apples of southern Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont and Massachusetts in vain, and after coming to believe that there were no iron-clads among Massachusetts Apples, it was accidentally discovered (at the Centennial, I believe) that an Apple which I had received from Canada as the Strawberry of Montreal, is really the Found- ling, which originated in Groton, Massachusetts. Now that an interest has been aroused by the partial suc- cesses already attained, hardy seedlings are being sought out and tested all along our northern borders and in Canada. Scott's Winter is one of the Apples thus obtained, and though not an Apple of high quality or large size, it is a reliable keeper and a useful fruit, not only in itself, but as a beacon of hope for the future. As for the Pears and stone fruits, the future is pretty secure, not only from the improvement of our native species of the last, but in the importation of the highly satisfactory Russian, Siberian and north Chinese varieties. I see no reason to doubt that, by discoveries already made, the orchard re- gion on this continent can be extended from two to three degrees of latitude northward. That this is a wonderful gain, as the result of scarcely two decades of effort, is manifest; and there is more to come, for the work is scarcely begun. Newport, Vermont. T. H. Hoskins. Our Native Plums. HAVE made a specialty of Piums of the American and Chi- casaw varieties tor sixteen years, and since 1874 have never failed to havea crop of plums—even the unprecedented winters of '80 and ’81, which killed the Peaches here, while buds were dormant, failed to kill the Wildgoose, Moreman, Miner, or Newman Plums. An ordinary crop is the exception ; an enor- mous one the rule. This season on very light, sandy soil, my Wildgoose trees—twelve years planted—averaged six crates of thirty-two quarts each to the tree, which netted in Baltimore $1.60 a crate—the price ruled lower than usual because of the immense peach crop. With such experience a little enthusi- asin may be pardonable. Asa point of profit, there can be no comparison between these plums and varieties of the Euro- pean species. With the latter, unceasing watchfulness and war- fare against insects, ata time when labor of all kinds is press- ing upon fruit-growers, is the price of a crop, while with varicties of the Chicasaw or American species, one longs for a more industrious breed of curculios to help in thinning out the crop. Among the most profitable varieties with me may be named Lone Star, Mariana, Wildgoose, Indian Chief, New- _ man, Quaker, De Soto, Robinson, Rollingstone, Golden Beauty, Moreman, and Wayland—named in the order of ripening. The number of varieties has increased rapidly within the last five years; such only are named as have had sufficient trial on my grounds to establish their value. The trees of the Ameri- can varieties are more upright and much less scraggy in growth and habit than are those of Chicasaw parentage. Asa rule, success with this class of Plums is rendered much more certain by alternating varieties in planting, because the stigma and stamens mature at different times in the blossoms. As yet there seems to be no limit to the variations in seed- lings, the Wildgoose being the parent of most of the varieties now cultivated. Six or eight years before his death Charles Downing suggested to me the possibility of obtaining a free- stone Plum by crossing some of our native varieties with the Peach. Accordingly, I used the Wildgoose as the female and Troth’s Early Peach the male parent in a trial to effect this end. The result was a real cross, so far as habit and appearance of the tree are concerned, but a genuine mule in point of repro- ductive powers; flower buds in abundance there have been, but they never expand. Since that I have approached a free- stone variety pretty closely by using pollen from the German Prune upon the Richland Plum. In my long study of native Plums, I have never found any evidence that the Mariana is a cross between the Chicasaw and some cultivated Cherry ; neither do the facts in my experience lead me to believe that this alleged origin will bear the light of investigation. One fact alone seems to invalidate this claim: Neither the Wildgoose Plum nor the common Cherry can be successfully grown from cuttings, while the Mariana strikes almost as readily as a Willow. Fi Weer Denton, Maryland, ee Orchid Notes. Evides Rohannianum is a choice Orchid, and much su- perior ‘to any other of the Suavissimum section of the genus, to which it belongs. Itis one of the recent introductions of Sander’s, and is still somewhat rare. The racemes are some two feet long and densely flowered. The flowers are white, tipped with purple, the side lobes of the lip being citron yellow, DECEMBER 12, 1888.] and the spur spotted with purple. The value of the flowers is enhanced by theirdelicious fragrance. The plant is arobust grower, andis doing extremely well with us in a wood cylinder, “where abundance of water can be given the roots without ‘danger of rotting them. Trichosma suavis deserves a place in every collection, if only for its remarkable fragrance. But the flowers are very pretty, too ; creamy white, with the side lobes of the lip striped with crimson, and borne on terminal racemes. The slender terete stems are about one foot high, surmounted by two broad- ly lanceolate leaves. This species is a native of the Khasia hills, evidently in situation where it has abundance of water, for in cultivation it can hardly get too much if the pots are kept well drained. A mixture of sandy peat and moss is a good compost for it, and a cool house is ‘most suitable. Vanda Sanderiana is now in flower with us. It is a mag- nificent Orchid, by far the handsomest of this large genus, and fortunately is now becoming more plentiful. In habit it resembles both V. cerulea and V. suavis, The flowers are Garden and Forest. 499 Autumn Flowers.—The United States should be the country par excellence for ICHAEU ag Daisies, but, perhaps, these pretty autumn flowers are not so much valued as in E urope. Among the numerous spec ies and varieties of the old world, Aster Tbericus deserves all praise i itis a native of the Cau- casus and very much resembles A. Amell/us, but the flowers are much better in shz ape and outline, bright blue with a tinge of purple, all opening ne arly at the same time, forming an even umbel of nearly a foot across; its height is about two feet and it flowers in September. Co/c hicum Speciosuim, var, maxi- mum, is now very showy, its numerous, bright-purple flowers being fully five inches across. C autumnale albo pleno isa gem “among late-flowering bulbs; its perfectly double, well- shaped flowers appear in numbers and last at least three weeks. A clump of Snowdrops in full flower is an uncom- mon sight just now, yet G. alanthus Olge Regine has been blooming since the first of October, to be followed by G. nfva- lis corcyrensis during November and December. Baden-Baden. Max Leichtlin. Fig. 78.—Eleeagnus longipes. borne on short, stout, axillary racemes, of a roundish outline and about four inches across. The color of the upper part is a delicate blush, while the lower is greenish-yellow streaked and suffused with crimson. The small concave lip is pur- plish-red. Being a native of the Philippine Isles, it requires strong heat, light and abundance of water during ‘erowth. A close rival to the foregoing and belonging to the same section is Vanda caerulea, an older kind and much more plen- tiful. In this plant the racemes are longer and more loosely flowered, bearing twelve to twenty flowers; in color, lavender or light blue. This is a very unusual color among Orchids, and were this plant more easily § grown it would become very popular; but, unfortunately, its cultural requirements are not generally well understood, and only rarely is it seen in really good condition for any length of time. It comes from the higher regions of the Khasia hills, and therefore requires comparatively cool treatment. It should also have plenty of light, abundance of et during growth, and a very long St Ww ou rnvelne S 2a V.ES* ps eer! S grees F, Goldring. Plant Notes. Eleagnus longipes. R. CHARLES WRIGHT, the botanist of the Wilkes expedition, detected this plant at Simoda in Japan more than thirty years ago, and its characters were first macs known by Dr. Gray in his now famous and classi- cal paper upon the Flora of Japan, read before the Ameri- can Academy of Arts and Sciences in 1859. Eleagnus longipes is a low shrub in cultivation, only a few feet in height, although it is said to become a small tree sometimes in Japan. The branches are unarmed or sometimes beset with spines, angular, and covered with small, rusty-brown scales. The leav es are somewhat coria- ceous, oval-oblong, contracted into rather a blunt point, smooth and dark green above, and covered on the lower surface with a dense silvery white pubescence. The small 500 yellow flowers solitary, or more rarely two or three to- gether, are borne on long slender peduncles. ‘They are in- conspicuous, but the fruit, which appears in our illustration upon page 499, is exceedingly ornamental. It ripens in July, and is oblong, half an inch or more long, bright red, and covered with minute white dots. This plant may well be grown for the beauty of its fruit alone, which, more- over, is juicy and edible, with a sharp, rather pungent, agreeable flavor. Both the size and the flavor can doubt- less be improved by careful selection, and it is quite within the range of possibility that it may become a highly es- teemed and popular dessert and culinary fruit. To some persons, even in its present state, the flavor is far prefer- able to that of the Currant or the Gooseberry. The plants are very productive, as our illustration shows, and they are easily raised and perfectly hardy. They possess, moreover, the merit of carrying their leaves bright and fresh well into winter. Coss 8s The Forest: Forest Planting in Virginia. T the recent annual meeting of the Pennsylvania Forestry Association, the President, Mr. Burnet Landreth, delivered an instructive address, from which we are permitted to make the following extracts. Other portions of the address will be published in subsequent issues of this journal: In 1870 the senior member of my firm, who had been fora long lite a collector and planter of trees for ornamental purposes, till he had established a noted collection, decided to plant a forest ona large area of old farm land in eastern Virginia, on the lower Chesapeake, where we held about 5,000 acres. The annual rainfall there is forty-nine inches; the relative humidity, both during summer and winter, sev- enty-three; the maximum temperature, 103°, the minimum, 1°,above zero. The windinsummer, south-west; in winter, from the north. Of this tract, about two-thirds were in original and second growth Pine, with some hard w aud interspersed, Ee decided to plant the open farm fields, and follow upon the stump-land, as the forest was cut off. Experience had made clear to us the wonderful reproductive capacity of the soil of tide-water Virginia, in reclothing itself with the natural Pine of that region—the Loblolly, or old Field Pine. Still we thought it ‘might be profitable to establish forests of trees, both evergreen and deciduous, not common to that section, which would promise to be more profitable than the ordi- nary Virginia Pine. Among native deciduous trees found there were the Chestnut, W alnut, Ash, Oak and many others, not occurring, however, in for ests of one variety, but always mixed. So we concluded to tr y the experiment of forest- planting which, if not profitable to us, might, at least, serve as a guide to others in that portion of Virginia. Accord- ingly, after preparation in 1870, in 1871 we planted 100 acres with the nuts of Black Walnut, depositing the nuts at one foot apart in open furrows drawn eight feet apart. We followed this by planting eight acres with Chestnuts. The next year, 1872, we continued planting both seed and seedlings. Of seedlings, we set out 30,000 Black Locusts, 5,000 Southern Cypress and 5,000 European Larch. These we planted in solid blocks, four feet by four apart, inténding that they should prune themselv In 1873 we planted four bushels of Locust seed, twelve of Chestnuts and one-eighth of a bushel of Larch seed. In 1874 we putin 150 bushels of Black Walnuts, ten of Hickory Nuts (Carya tomentosa), twenty-two of Chestnuts, one of European Larch, ten of Catalpa (C. dignonioides), three of Poplar, three of Pecan, one of White Oak, and one- eighth of a bushel of Italian Sumac. Of seedlings, we set out 2,000 eastern Catalpas, 5,000 southern Catalpas, and 75,000 Black Locusts. In 1877 we set out 10,000 Catalpas, 1,000 White Ash, 15,000 White Pine, 1,000 Douglas Fir (Pseudotsuga Douglasit). In 1879 we set out 40,000 Catalpa speciosa, 1,000 C. Kampferi, 150,000 C. bignontoides, 10,000 Ailanthus, and 3,000 Douglas Spruce. Since the last date, 1879, we have set out a large number of Catalpas and this winter shall have 100,000 see dlings to plant. Now, the result of all this has been much disappointment, but not despair.. We were first disappointed in the Black Locust plantations. The early groves had reached a height Garden and Forest. [DeceMBER 12, 1888. of twelve feet, the later ones, of course, being smaller. In the larger tracts the trunks were stocky, straight and limb- less, the upper branches all interlaced, forming a solid roof, so that the midday sun seldom reached the alleys between the trees. They gave promise of a fine Locust forest, just such as we had pictured, but hardly expected to realize. But one September the Locust-tree Borer descended in swarms upon our groves, laying millions of eggs, which produced myriads of erubs, and by the next midsummer, every tree was ruined. Wecut them down and pulled out the roots with oxen, the expenses of removal being twenty- five dollars per acre Next), the European Larch gave out in the trunk, the main stem breaking off at about twelve feet in height. This tree had never ‘promised well, however. It thrives best upon dry, rocky soils; ours was a sand, with clay subsoil. The Southern Cypress next failed, except in wet bottoms. Of Hickory and Pecan, the nuts planted were, to a large ex- tent, stolen by the squirrels, woodchucks and field mice, and those that did vegetate made such slow growth that we plowed them out “and replanted the ground with Catalpa. The Tulip Poplar was not a success, as the rabbits and field mice during winter ate off from the tender seedling the sweet, juicy bark, and destroyed nearly every plant. The White Oak acorns were largely stolen by animals, which also | ate the bark of the young seedlings as they did that of the Poplar. The Italian Sumac, planted for its leaves, still stands, but the percentage of tannic acid in its foliage is not greater than in the leaves of the wild Virginia Sumac ; and therefore its cultivation offers little hope of profit. In short, with us, Black Locusts, Deciduous Cypress, Eu- ropean Larch, Hickory, Pecan, Tulip Poplar, White Oak, Osage Orange, Wild Black Cherry, Ailanthus, White Ash, Mulberry, and some others, have all failed. Our successes have been principally in determining which varieties were not profitable to plant; and in this respect we have prospered famously. Our other successes, such as they are, have been achieved with four trees—Catalpa, Black Walnut, White Pine and Douglas Spruce. Of the Catalpa we have abandoned several tracts, and, after most serious ravages by stray cows, half wild pigs rabbits, squirrels, mice and fire, have about 200,000 neem ranging in height from two to twenty feet, according to the period “of planting. They stand in rows six feet apart, many of the rows a quarter of a mile long, and promise to make, in time, fine forest studies, if not eaten up, for the Catalpa, too, has its insect enemies. Two years ago every tree was denuded of its leaves, within a period of.a month, by the ravages of the Catalpa Sphinx (Daremma catalpe). These have’ gone, but they may come again and may stay. Still, this contingency of destruction by insects unavoidably at- taches to the Culture of any forest tree. Of the Catalpas there are two types cultivated for forest purposes, the east- ern and the western, indicated botanically as C. dignoniotdes and C. sfeciosa, the latter being the most approved. The tree is as hardy as a Chestnut, of quick growth, the trunk and limbs, by reason of its resistance to decay, being valuable as fence-posts, gate-posts and mud-sills. I have a piece of gate-post w hich stood in place 100 years, and it is in a perfect state of preservation, The timber when sawed takes a fine polish, and is hand- somely marked in its cellular structure. The. Catalpa has’ been used in the West for railroad-ties, and possibly it. makes serviceable ones; by some enthusiasts it has been extolled as superior to the White Oak, but that is folly. A first-class tie must have other merits than ability to resist decay from moisture. The catalpa tie is deficient in power to resist the hammering of the rail under passing trains, and it is deficient in that adhesive power upon railroad-spikes possessed by white oak or chestnut. In oak very careful tests have proven that as much as a pull of 4,000 pounds is required to draw out a spike driven five and a half inches. In catalpa the adhesive power is not one-half of 4,000 pounds, The second deciduous tree which we have planted in large number is the Black Walnut. In tide-water Virginia itis found wild and of noble proportions. Our seedlings, however, have grown very slowly. For the first six or seven years they grow but a little more than four inches a year, and it is only when they become very deeply rooted that they appear to start off vigorously. The lowland soils, however, are not adapted to the development of the best Walnut timber, the wood produced there being too full of silex. It will not polish as smoothly as timber grown upon a soft prairie soil. It is stronger and better suited for ts) ase DECEMBER 12, 1888.] the legs and rounded portions of furniture, but, as a rule, does not furnish handsome paneling. Our Walnuts, of which we have 150,000 left, after as many have been de- stroyed and others abandoned, do not impress us as of much value, and for the present we shall plant no more. Our attention was directed to the White Pine as flourish- ing upon our particular soil by a wild settlement of these trees in the midst of one of our Yellow Pine forests. Here we founda parent tree, ninety feet high, grown probably from a seed dropped by a bird of passage, possibly from far-off Maine. It has germinated, reached maturity and developed seed, which, falling around, has in turn germinated and developed seed- bearing trees, till now the growth of several generations of trees stand in concentric circles. This natural group clearly indicates that soil and climate were hospitable to the White Pine. The results of our own plantations, in addition to this example, make it quite evident that the White Pine can be grown successfully, The principal diffi- culty with p lantations of this tree lies in securing a stand in the first instance, as a large percentage of the se edlings die. The Douglas Fir I consider the best of the two’ ever- greens. It grows as rapidly as the White Pine, and if it escapes the ills of forest life and reaches maturity, it will be more valuable. One of its merits is early maturity. Its long, tapering and light trunk particularly suits it for ship- spars, while the older trees reach vast proportions and form a. trunk far surpassing the White Pine of Maine. This tree for Eastern plantations should be grown from Colo- rado seed, as the Oregon variety is not so ‘hardy. I would recommend that the White Pine and the Douglas Fir be planted in alternate rows, so that in case of destruc- tion of either variety by insect depredations or soil in- fluences, there may be a chance for the remaining variety to reach maturity. Indeed, all plantations should be mixed for the same reason, but they must be mixed judiciously. After eighteen years of practical forest- planting ona small scale, I conclude that for the particular region of tide-water Virginia—and I think I may venture to say as well for tide- water Delaware, Maryland and North Carolina—there are only four trees to plant; I conclude, also, that it is very questionable if it be profitable i in that region to plant at all, so long as the Loblolly Pine will spring up in every field just as soon as annual cultivation ceases How the seeds get there I cannot tell, but they will spring up in the centre of a one-hundred-acre field simultaneously with their appearance upon its tree-fringed borders This Pine will start without plowing, and it will grow under the most adverse circumstances. It will take care of itself in spite of wild hogs and stray cattle. Fire is its worst enemy. In twenty years it will make twenty cords of brick- yard fuel, and for ev ery year thereafter an additional cord or more, till at forty years it will cut fifty cords of first-class wood ; the only expenses being the taxes, which altogether do not equal one-half of one per cent. Correspondence. Horticultural Exhibitions. To the Editor of GARDEN AND FOREST: Sir.—Whenever | attend horticultural exhibitions in different cities, the question comes to my mind: Are they managed properly ? Do we use the material to the best advantage, not only from an educational, but from a financial point of view? Ihave before me a number of reports of horticul- tural societies. Turning to the lists of standing committees, I find the names of men who have made national reputations for themselves in the learned professions, in art, in science or in various branches of business. Turning to the list of ex- hibitors, I find many names equally famous. In both cases they are men ofrefined and cultivated tastes; men who have proved their ability by their success. Again, I turn to the treasurer's report, and, without going into details, it appears, as every one knows, that the exhibitions rarely prove financially successful. What are the causes of this failure,and what are the rem- edies? There are plenty of standing committees. Possibly they have been standing too long. There are plenty of good push- ing men on them “who are successful in their own business, Why are they not successful here ? Is it because they are held back by some of the older mem- bers who cling to ‘‘the good, old methods”? If it is a lack of money, this, I believe, could be overcome by personal sub- scription, if the members could show the public any ad- vanced ideas that would be beneficial. The wealthy gentle- Garden and Forest. 501 men always seem very glad to do their part in contributing their specimen plants ee me to suggest : That the entire hall in which an exhibition is to be held be teated to a thorough cleaning. That it be profusely decorated with Laurel wreaths, ees branches, evergreen trees and other greenery, from the entrance to the dome. In most cases I believe enough en- thusiasm could be aroused among the members to contribute to this in the shape of labor, material or money. 3. That the tables, benches and staging, in every instance, be covered either with paint, moss or evergreens, instead of with bare, broken, rough and age-stained boards. 4. That i in front of these tables, instead of allowing the ne and horses to show or attempting to hide them with paper, would suggest usingsome kind of cloth with eyelet holes eed with screw-eyes, which could be used a number of years. 5. That proper vases be obtained in which to show cut flowers, and that these should be always kept clean, and _par- ticularly so if transparent. 6. That exhibitors of Grapes be re equested to hang all Grapes, and that the amount of “ bloom” be a strong point in judging, while those that have been carefully polished should be barred. 7. That if vegetables are to form a part of the exhibition, none but remarkable specimens be admitted. 8. That if enough social influence could be brought to bear, the first night be devoted to ‘ Society,” with lady patronesses anda “banquet and bouquets for the patronesses only. I have no doubt but that the tickets or invitations could be disposed of at five dollars apiece. The day follow- ing should be open to all at fifty cents apiece. Every part of the house would have to be opened toaccommodate the crowd. That if “Society” could not be induced to participate (which is hardly probable, as there are so many fashionable people connected with horticultural societies), a2 number of influential ladies be induced to interest themselves as a Ladies’ Committee. to. That a little money be expended upon the local papers, which are always very kind, even to inferior shows. Make the exhibitions worth illustrating, and they will give you hundreds of dollars’ worth of advertising. 1. That two orchestras be engaged to give promenade con- certs at fixed hours and music at frequent intervals. Some- times barely enough money is realized to pay a single band. Have enough music to pay for itself. 12. That all plants be named properly with both botanical and common names. Mark the Peristeria elata the Holy Ghost or Dove Plant; Mepenthes, the Pitcher Plant; Platyce- rium Hilli, the Stag-horn Fern. A little description of these flowers would attract a great deal of attention. A child can see the resemblance, and it would interest all, while hereto- fore they have been passed by almost unnoticed. 13. That exhibitors of cut flowers should be required to have them renewed or freshened up from time to time, and that all watering of plants should be done early. 14. That few complimentary tickets should be given out. 15. That all exhibits, and especially those of cut lowers and designs, should be judged by “ points.” If one plan could be adopted all over the country, judges from other states would be preferable. 16. That premiums should be liberal, and awarded with the greatest care. 17. That if at any time during the exhibition the attendance is not too large, complimentary tickets be sent to different schools interested in botany, which would prove valuable from an educational standpoint. 18. That the managing editors of the city papers should be notified of the efforts that are being made to make this the grandest display of ph ants and Awers ever offered by this society ; : that the ‘society ” people of the city are taking a more active part than for merly, and that it is expected to be one of the social events of the season. That a committee of well- informed men be appointed to receive all reporters, not only to repay them in a slight way for their kindness, but to aid them in their work, that a technically correct report may be given of the exhibition. . That fora Chrysanthemum show the decoration should be most elaborate. : Japane se vases, rugs, screens and lanterns would be very appropriate. Philadelphia. H. H, Battles. 502 Pinus sylvestris. To the Editor of GARDEN AND FOREST: Sir.—There are several specimens of the Scotch Pine upon the college campus here, and in most instances they are making a good growth. During the three seasons before the present one the trees have borne cones in abundance. This was strikingly true for 1887, and this spring the trees were conspicuously loaded with the old cones. These same trees— and there are several of them close by—this spring produced an unusually large number of staminate blossoms, but an ex- tended search failed to reveal any pistillate clusters. We have scores of Scotch Pine trees upon ourornamental grounds, and among them all only one has been found this season bearing cones of this year’s growth, and upon that there were not over adozen. The striking contrast between the thousands upon thousands of cones of last year, and the almost total absence of them this season, has led to this note, with the hope that some dendrologist may assign the cause. Is it a case of over- bearing in 1887 and recuperation this season ? Byron D, Halsted. Agricultural College, Ames, Ia., November 15th, 1888, Recent Publications. Handbuch der Forstwissenschaft, in Verbindung mit A. Buhler, R. von Dombrowski, W. Exner, H. First, u. herausgeben von Tuisko Lorey. 630, 614, 576, ss. Ttibingen, 1888. Dr. Lorey, the learned professor in the University of Tu- bingen, has completed his work upon Forestry, which appears under the title which we have reproduced above. It occupies three stout volumes, and is rather an encyclopedia ot forest science than a mere manual, in which different de- partments are fully treated by different specialists, among whom are found the names of some of the most distinguished professors in the German and Austrian forest schools. With them have been associated several practical forest experts in the preparation of this work, in which will be found a pre- sentation of the different branches of science applicable to the management of the forest and of the methods of sylviculture adopted in the different countries of central Europe. The first chapter, trom the pen of Professor Weber, of Munich, is devoted to forest statistics; the distribution of forests in the different European countries, and an examination of the historical causes which have developed their actual present condition. To this Dr. Weber adds an exhaustive and most interesting account of the influence of the forest upon climates, the flow of rivers and the composition of soils. The second chapter, by Dr. Lorey, is devoted to an examina- tion of the question of instruction in forestry in the different countries of the world, including statistical information relat- ing to.schools of forestry and forest experimental stations, with the courses of study and the organization of all such establish- ments, Protessor Schwappach, of Titbingen, devotes the third chapter to a history of European forests and of European syl- viculture, covering the period from the earliest days of mod- ern civilization to the present time. The fourth chapter is a treatise upon geology, mineralogy and chemistry, as applied to sylviculture, from the pen of Professor Ramann, of Eberswald. The fifth chapter is devoted by Professor Luerssen to a forest flora, in which are described the ligneous plants native of Germany, together with such herbaceous plants as are met with in the forest and all the cryptogamic plants found grow- ing upon trees in Germany, and often the cause of serious diseases among them. Professor Lorey, in the sixth chapter, discusses exhaustively, methods of natural and artificial forest reproduction, to which is joined a study upon the creation of nurseries. First, Director of the Forest Institute of Aschaffenbure, treats in the seventh chapter those questions which relate to the injuries inflicted upon the forest by man and by the lesser animals, including insects, by parasitic vegetation, and by the fall of meteors. A second part of this same chapter is devoted by Forster, Chief Forester at Gmunden, to a discus- sion upon torrents and avalanches—that is to say, upon the art of mountain restoration as it is technically known. Professor Exner, of Vienna, examines in an exhaustive man- ner in the eighth chapter the properties of different woods from a purely technical point of view—their color, grain, specific gravity, odor, density and elasticity. In the ninth chapter the head forester at Hildburghausen, Stétzer, dis- cusses the uses to which different woods and barks are applied, a Wi, In dreien theilen, in 8vo.; Garden and Forest. [DECEMBER 12, 1888. methods of sale for forest products, the seasoning of timber, and of the harvesting and preservation of seeds. The second part of this chapter, by Professor Buhler, of Zurich, is devoted to a description of various forest products used in agricul- ture—forage, the bedding for domestic animals and manures. Professor Schuberz, of Carlsruhe, treats of the transportation of forest products ; while the chemical composition of wood, its artificial preservation and the manufacture of paper-pulp, charcoal, wood-acid and resin, form the subject of a fourth division of this chapter, from the pen of Professor Schwack- hofer, of Vienna. Hunting and fishing and fish-culture occupy the ninth chapter. Professor Lehr, of Munich, discusses in the tenth chapter capital and the formulas which must be followed in determin- ing the relation of capital invested in forest property to its re- turns, relations which must be known in order that the most advantageous methods of forest managementin different cases may be adopted. This is followed in the next chapter by an explanation by Professor Guttenberg, of Vienna, of the theory and practice of the measurements of the contents of timber in a forest, with tables showing the increase of different trees, both as solitary individuals and in masses. The theory of forest management is developed by the di- rector of the Forest Academy at Tharand, Professor Ju- deich, in the tweltth and most interesting chapter of the whole work, in which is explained broadly and clearly the principles upon which modern scientific forestry is based. Protessor Schwappach explains, in the thirteenth chapter, the organizations for the maintenance, in Germany, of forests be- longing to the State, the Communes, and to individuals, while in the fourteenth and final chapter, Professor Lehr treats of the forest from the point of view of national defence and pub- lic wealth. We have described at length the contents of this remarka- ble work, which is certainly the most comprehensive in scope and the richest in information that has yet appeared concern- ing the forest in its complex relations to modern society. In it are displayed very fully the actual condition of advanced knowledge in regard to the forests of Europe ; and it stands as a worthy monument of the learning, industry and _ perse- verance of the German officers who have made forest science what it is. The student of forests and forestry will find in it unlimited sources of information, but it is as an en- cyclopedia and not as a manual, as its title would seem to indicate, that Professor Lorey’s great work must be consid- ered, and like all encyclopedias, it loses something in the ab- sence of unity of treatment and expression—an inevitable fail- ing when a book is written by several authors working inde- pendently. But the book upon forestry is yet to be written, in which a master mind, having gathered all the facts which science has been accumulating during the past two centuries, exposes them in one compact, logical and well-balanced treatise. Periodical Literature. Attractive descriptions, profusely illustrated, of the environs of Vienna, are published in the October and November num- bers of Westermann's Monatsheften. Vienna has grown with great rapidity during the past two decades, and the greatest intelligence has been displayed in laying out and planting the new quarters, and utilizing the possibilities which they offered for securing variety as well as beauty to the result. No finer streets exist than the encircling boulevards, laid out along the line of the old fortifications of the town, which are collectively known as the “ Ringstrasse;’’ and in some of the suburbs villa-architecture, with all that it implies in the way of horti- cultural embellishment, has been brought to a very high de- gree of perfection. In the Avantic Monthly for October is a pleasant, poetical little pastoral in prose by Sophia Kirk called ‘‘ Pasture Herb and Meadow Swath”’—one of those witnesses to the develop- ment of love for nature and of the literary gift, to which we have referred more than once already as noteworthy proofs in the progress of American culture. In the ‘‘Contributor’s Club,” in the same magazine, is a brief but suggestive paper which enforces the fact that the more one knows the world the more pleasure it gives—that, in fact, we do not really en- joy it because we do not really even see it until we have. learned for what and how to look. It is hardly needful to remind our readers that Mr. Burroughs has often preached from this important text; but too many teachers cannot join’ their voices with his in the effort to persuade people that the ite DECEMBER 12, 1888.] study of natural science is far from being a dry pursuit, dead- ening to the esthetic feelings—that it is, instead, a pursuit which, rightly followed, will deepen those feelings by giving them more and finer nourishment. In the same magazine for November is an article, called “A November Chronicle,” by a well-known naturalist, Mr. Bradford Torrey, which should be read by every one who fancies that summer must be really over because the almanac says itis. Who would believe, except upon evidence as good as Mr. Torrey's, that in the course of a Massachusetts No- vember of average inclemency, seventy-three species of wild plants, representing twenty-two orders, were found in bloom? The list is given in full and is as varied as it is interesting. The great family of the Composite is most prominent with several species of Asters and Golden-rods, with Dandelions, Yarrow, Tansy, Cone-flower, Everlastings, Burdock and a number of others. But the Pea family is also well repre- sented; the Pale Corydalis and even the Deptford Pink appear, while the Witch Hazel brings a single shrub in among the humbler plants. The places where most of the finds were made are described for the benefit of others who may wish to conduct autumn exploring expeditions, and also the relative profusion in which the various species appeared, some being very common, and others, of course, only isolated belated examples. Naturally the sea-shore proved the best hunting-ground. The list might have been increased, Mr. Torrey adds, had it been made to include garden-flowers, like the Pansy and the Larkspur, which he saw by the road-sides. But it was only of the veritable wild-flowers that he took account. In the Gentleman's Magazine for November is an ex- haustive, instructive and very interesting article called ‘ Qui- nine and its Romance,” by Mr. Alexander H. Japp. The title is not badly chosen, for the history of the Cinchona tree, as the source of one of the world’s most valuable medicines, has cer- tainly been a strange one. The precious powder was first brought to Europe in 1639 by the Countess of Chinchon, wife of aviceroy of Peru. Her name is, of course, the origin of the bo- tanical name by which the great genus is now known, while quinine is derived from the native Peruvian term gzzna, and “ Jesuit’s bark’ was long a familiar appellation, for the reason that the drug was long procured through the hands of Jesuit missionaries. It was a full century after the drug was known before the tree itself was discovered by a European —by Jussieu, in 1739. And then all the specimens which Jus- sieu sent home having perished, it was another century before growing trees were seen on European soil. These were specimens of Cizchona Calisaya grown in the Jardin des Plantes, at Paris, from seeds sent home in 1846 by Dr. Wed- dell. Attempts to cultivate Cinchona trees were made in 1852, in the Botanical Garden of Calcutta, but were unsuccessful, and the Indian government therefore sent the well-known botanist, Clement Markham, to South America in 1860, to seek for seeds of the various species and learn how ney might best be grown. The history of the wanderings of Markham and _ his companions is one of the mat interesting chapters in the history of botanical explora- tions. The many species of Cinchona trees are con- fined to the tropical regions of the Andes range, between about nineteen degrees south latitude and ten degrees north latitude, where they ¢ grow on the mountain slopes and in wild ravines, and their discovery was attended with the greatest hardships and dangers. But it is impossible here to do more than indicate the contents of Mr. Japp’s paper, which, besides much historical information, gives, also, an account of the methods now employed in ‘India, in growing Cinchona trees, in gathering the crop of bark and in preparing it for market. A recent number of Pefermann's Mitteilungen contains an interesting account by Baron Eggers, the well ‘known explorer of the botany of St. Thomas, of a journey into the interior of San Domingo, illustrated by a large map of the districts tra- versed, from Puerto Plata on the northern coast southward to Santiago and La Vegas, and thence over the mountain-range south- eastward to Pico de Valle and south-westward to May- dama. Although the first part of the journey was along the chief route of communication between the seaport and. the interior, the roads are so bad as to be passable only for pack- horses even in the drier seasons, while in the rainy winter all communication is often suspended for weeks together. The first Pines which he saw were at a he sight of 590 feet above the sea level, and on the crest of the El Puerto range, at a height of 1,700 feet, they formed a magnificent forest Garden and Forest. 503 almost unmixed with other trees. The species is the same as that which occurs in Cuba—Pinus occidentalis, it extends up the slopes of the Sierra del Cibao to the summit—about 7,750 feet. Its range in altitude is, therefore, unusually great, although itseems to reach its greatest deve lopme ntata height of about 4,600 feet. It is more particular, however, in re eard to soil than climate, flourishing only where coarse chalk "and red loam mingle in the subsoil. When these conditions are changed, the ‘Pine disappears and deciduous trees take its place. As the undergrowth consists only of sparse shrubs, low-growing Ferns and Grasse s, progress in the high mountain districts was found less difficult than in most other unex- plored tropical regions. The chief obstruction came from frightfully heavy and prolonged thunder storms. In Jara- bacoa, a village of 800 inhabitants, the church and the houses are built of small planks of Ovreodoxa oleracea and thatched with the leaves of the same Palm. Theinhabitants are chiefly occupied with Tobacco culture. In this ne ighborhood Baron Eggers found the so-called Nogal-tree (Fuglans Famaicensis). Further south and up to about 3, 100 bn elevation the Pine woods contained a thick growth of Davillia aculeata, while the Manacle Palm (£uferfe) looked strangely side by side with Pines, and Bromeliads, with brilliant red leaves, grew upon the stems of the Conifers. In high districts, where the Oreodoxa does not grow, the houses are built of Euterpe planks and thatched with grass, no attempt being made to use the excellent wood of the Pines. The summits near Pico del Valle are covered in greater part with grass growing in thick bushy clumps, scattered through w hich are numberless small stones and some large rocks. Here and there are low thickets formed of shrub-like Composite, Ericacee and ot Garrya Fayeni, while between the rocks grows a yellow- flowered species of Scrophularicea, a half-creeping Andromeda, and a multitude of plants which recall northern climates, such as Hieracium, Alchemilla, Galium, Chimaphila, Pteris, and, along the brooks, Ranunculacee and Carex. On the flints which are strewn about here and there, a small-leaved Loran- thus with rosy flowers is Conspicuous. Few other botanical details are given in Baron Eggers’ paper, which is rather a geographical than a botanical treatise. Nevertheless, it will interest all who care to learn about the general aspect and the local peculiarities of a little known country. Recent Plant Portraits. CASALPINIA JAPONICA, Gardeners’ Chronicle, November 3d; a Japanese shrub, with yellow flowers, introduced by the Messrs. Veitch, and interesting as the only representative of a generally tropical genus, likely’ to be hardy in northern gardens. ENKIANTHUS HIMALAICUS, Revue Horticole, November 16th; a representative of a small genus of plants of the Heath family, closely allied to Andromeda, and peculiar to the Himalaya, southern China and Japan. The figure is from a plant which is described as hardy in the neighborhood of Paris, and which had been received from Japan, two facts which suggest the Japanese 2. Fapont- cus, rather than £. Aima/aicus, which is found in the hot and humid valleys of the Sikkim Himalaya. ANGRCUM SANDERIANUM, Revue Horticole, November 16th; one of the most graceful and attractive of the small- flowere d species of this genus, and a native of Madagascar. TOXICOPHLHA SPECTABILIS, Revue Horticole, November 16th ; fruit. VOCHYSIA GUATEMALENSIS, Botanical Gazette, xili., ¢. 23. PITCAIRNIA TUERCKHEIMEI, Botanical Gazette, xiil., ¢. 24. CROCOSMA AUREA, var. MACULATA, Gardeners’ Chronicle, November 17th; a variety of a well-known plant, with orange-colored flowers, the segments of the perianth marked with a ele ee red spot, and declared ‘‘to be the finest form of the variable Crocosma aurea that has yet ap- peared.” “It grows to a height of three to four feet, and single stems cut with their graceful leaves and placed in water, for in-door decoration, open their buds for weeks in succession,” MANXILLARIA 17th. EUCALYPTUS VIMINALIS, Gardeners’ Chronicle, November 24th; from aspecimen grown on the Island of Arran, which has grown from the see d to a height of thirty feet since 1872. CALANDRINIA OPPOSITIFOLIA, Gardeners’ Chronicle, Novem- ber 24th; a native of the coast mountains of northern Cali- fornia. PINUS PINEA, Gardeners’ Chronicle, November 24th ; a por- trait of the old species of the well known Italian Stone or Parasol Pine of Italy in Kew Gardens. FUSCATA, Gardeners’ Chronicle, November 504 Notes. During the year which ended on April 1st, 1888, the Gov- ernment nurseries of Berlin distributed 105,778 young trees and shrubs, to be used in adorning the city and its suburbs, and 82,686 flowering and foliage planis. The nurseries which supply plants for the use of the city now contain nearly 4,000,000 specimens and are steadily being enlarged. Ata meeting of the New York Academy of Science held on December 3d, at Columbia College, Dr. H. N. Jarchow read a paper on the training of foresters in Europe, and the eco- nomic success that has been attained in forest culture there, and Professor E. B. Southwick, Secretary of the New York State Forestry Association, gave a brief history of what had been accomplished by that body. Among the interesting plants detected by the Abbé Delavey in Yun-nan, and recently sent to France, there is a Fig (Ficus Ti-Koua), with edible fruits of the size and color ofa Lady Apple, according to the Revue Horticole, which grow and ripen under g ound. The plant is a shrub, with trailing, sem1- subterranean branches, and large obovate-ellip- tical leaves. The Figs are called by the Chinese who eat ourd. them 77-Aowa or earth : A collector recently sent out by Dr. Dieck, a well-known German nurseryman and dendrologist, reports that the Rose hitherto sold in Europe as the true source of attar, and called “Rose de Kazanlik,” is not to be found in the vicinity of Ka- zanlik at all. The true Roses for the production of attar, he says, are Rosa alba suaveolens and a variety of Rosa Gallica, Specimens of these plants he has been enabled to send to Germany, in spite of the strict laws which now prevail in the Danubian provinces against the exportation of attar-producing Roses. It is well known that the slopes of Krakatoa, in the Strait of Sunda, and the regions around its base, were wholly desolated a tew years ago by aterrible volcanic eruption, which covered them so deeply that all seeds as well as vegetable growths were destroyed. Almost immediately, however, it is said, Nature began to repair her ravages in a way that most inter- estingly illustrates her processes in early geological epochs. Fresh water Alga soon covered the wide stretches of cinders and pumice-stone, forming a glutinous layer in which seeds could take root; anda couple of years after the eruption Ferns and Phanerogams had everywhere established themselves, the species being similar to those which take possession of newly formed coral islands. An important horticultural exhibition will be held next year in Berlin, and will be open to all nations. The schedule of prizes contains 235 classes of stove or warm house-plants, 377 classes of green-house and hardy plants, besides classes tor fruits, vegetables, nursery stock, tools and machines used in horticulture; and there will be a section in which the classes include the morphology, anatomy and growth of plants; physi- ology, useful and poisonous fungi ; ‘officinal and economic plants, plant geography, etc. The exhibition is expected to bring out the close relations which exist between architecture and horticulture. Visitors to Berlin, moreover, will have an opportunity to examine some of the finest examples of land- scape gardening which can be seen now in Europe. The attendance at the annual meeting of the American Forestry Congress, held at Atlanta last w reek, was unusually large, and the papers read and the discussions of topics pre- sented were of the most instr uctive character. The officers elected for the year were: President, Governor J. A. Beaver, Pennsylvania; Vice -Presidents, H; G; Joly, Ouebecs J.D. Wi. French, Boston; Charles Mohr, Mobile ; “Herbert We Ish, Philade Iphia; George H. Parsons, Denver; Recording Secre- tary, N. H. Egleston, Washington ; Treasurer, Charles C. Burney, Philadelphia. Mr. B. E. Fernow, Chief of the For- estry Division of the De partment of Agriculture, was com- pelled to decline the office of Corresponding Secretary, which he has most ey filled since the organization of the Congress, and J. B, Harrison, of New Hampshire, was chosen as his successor, Mr. Meehan tells the readers of the Coustry Gentleman that in an old Indian village of Alaska, the people used to carve their genealogies on huge poles before their doors, by means of hieroglyphics. One generation cut its crow or its bear, or whatever the tribal style may be, on it; and so on, one above another, generation by generation, to the top. They do not do it now, but the moss-grown and neglected old poles, some two feet thick and perhaps twenty feet high, are still stand- ing. On the tops of these poles, Hemlock mand Spruce trees Garden and Forest. [DECEMBER 12, 1888, have sprouted and grown; great bushy trees, ten or fifteen feet high, and as handsome as any seen in a nursery. In some cases the roots have gone down through the old poles, twenty feet or more, to the ground, splitting the poles open and exposing the roots, which perhaps will be, when the old poles rot away, real trunks to support the trees. It is said that American competition has greatly interfered of late vears with the resin industry of the districts of the Gironde in France, at one time the chief support of a large portion of the inhabitants. About a third part of the land in the department once consisted of barren sandy wastes called Landes upon which nothing but Pines would grow. Pinus maritima was planted in large quantities, and despite the recent falling off of the trade in resin, it still affords many sources of. revenue, the most important of which is the furnishing of pit-props for use in the English mining districts. One hundred and seve nty-five thousand tons of these props are annually exported. Young trees are also sent to England in large quantities to be employed in paper making ; railway sleepers and telegraph poles are sup- plied for many parts of France, and an illuminating oil is made from the resin, which readily finds local buyers, as it burns well, is even cheaper than kerosene, and, moreover, is non-explosive. According to a correspondent of Zhe American Architect and Building g News, seven crops of forage are annually gathered from the plains of Lombardy. The district is naturally well watered, the great reservoir of the Alps being near at hand and a number of rivers traversing it on their way towards the Po. But a natural supply of water would not suffice, dur- ing the long, hot summer of Italy, to preserve the plain in such a phenomenal state of fertility. A vast expenditure of labor and skill has for ages been devoted to works of irriga- tion. Atleast as early as the twelfth century they were well under way, under the direction of the monks in a branch house of the monastery of Clairvaux, which had been estab- lished by St. Bernard near Milan. During Renaissance times they were carried on by some of the greatest architects of Italy, Leonardo da Vinci, for example, having conceived the idea of connecting the Mincio and the Tessina by means of a canal. And to-day the whole plain is a net-work of canals and reservoirs which cannot be exhausted by the fiercest drought. Among recent devices for preserving timber is that advo- cated by ‘Filsinger, who recommends impregnating the wood with a weak solution of aluminium chloride. Another sug- gestion is, that a solution of gutta-percha, obtained by a mix- ture of two-thirds gutta-percha and one-third paraffine heated together until the gum melts, shall be forced into the cells of timber from which the air has been previously exhausted. The gutta-percha, as it cools, hardens and completely fills the cells. But the latest suggestion is that of Von Berkel, who proposes first to impregnate wood with a saturated solution of lime water or milk of lime. The board is then dried and placed in a vacuum cylinder and impregnated with a mixture of silicie acid and mineral oil or some ather fatty or bituminous substance, by pressure applied for a considerable time, when a process of petrifaction takes place anda kind of asphalt rock is formed within the wood cells. The industrial value of this invention has not been demonstrated yet, although the possi- bility of using water gas for these purposes, of which Von Berkel’s plan appears to be only a modification, has long been recognized. There seems to be no end in England to the making of hor- ticultural societies. The attention which the English give to minor branches of the art is shown by the flourishing exist- ence of a National Auricula Society and a National Carnation and Picotee Society, both of which hold well-attended annual meetings and large exhibitions. Speaking of the Auricula, The Garden recently quoted from a book published in 1764 to prove that evenat this time this flower was high in public favor. Indeed, the author of the book in question said of the Auricula that it was ‘formerly the pride of English gardeners and florists,”” whose success in raising new seedling varieties greatly excited the envy of their Dutch rivals. But there could have been nothing to complain of in his own time, for he de- clared that he had known good new seedling Auriculas to sell for seventy guineas apiece. As The Garden. remarks, ‘When we consider. the value of money in those days as compared with the present, this does seem an enormous sum, for there could have been no gambling with so perishable a plant as there was with the Tulip in the days of the Tulip mania in Holland.” , f IBA, BD AGA EN END EH ESC SOO BB oo BAAD LW Oe PS AO) : VC £2 3B oF & ax &y 85 3 GA SPER OR | ‘ SEP G90 GOES SC] 3) 3 ees ay Ki CH o oI 7% ENEES iS veers oN CS ¢ Pa < ¢ Beh a 7A Cele aay few coat de Se Fig. 79.—Plan of the Leland Stanford, Jr., University. A: The central quadrangle, with buildings now partly under construction. BC: Sites for adjoining quadrangles, with proposed buildings. DE F G: Four blocks of land of form and extent corresponding to the above, to be held in reserve as sites for additional quadrangles and proposed buildings. H: Site for University Church. I: Site for Memorial Arch. -J; Sites for University Libraries and Museums, K: Site for buildings of Industrial Department of the University, now partly under construction. L: Site for University Botanic Garden. OO O OE Four districts laid out in building lots suitable for detached dwellings and domestic gardens, with public ways giving direct communication between them and the University central buildings. PP PP: Sites for a Kinder Garten, a Primary School, an Advanced School and a School of Industry and Physical Training. Q R: A direct Avenue between the central quadrangle and a proposed station of the Southern Pacific Railroad, with bordering groves and promenades. Space is allowed in the wheel way for a double track street railway. planters on the Pacific coast. It is needless, of course, at this time to call attention to the importance of this particular part of Mr. Olmsted’s comprehensive scheme, or to urge the necessity for establishing an Arboretum and Botanic Garden in California, where all the climatic conditions are so unlike those of the rest of the Continent, that they may be made to play an important part in extending the sum of human knowl- edge with regard to the trees and plants of the world. : The leading motives of the scheme are briefly summarized by Mr. Olmsted as follows: The ground covered by the upper portion of the sketch, and extending some miles beyond, is a part of the foothills of the Garden and Forest. {December ig, 1888, coast range and is mainly rugged and semi-mountainous. . .« » The remainder is a plain, with a moderate inclination to the north-east. . . . The central buildings of the Uni- versity are to stand in the midst of the plain. . . . This has been determined by the founders chiefly in order that no topographical difficulties need ever stand in the way of setting other buildings as they may, in the future, one after another, be found desirable, in eligible, orderly and symmet- rical relation and connection with those earlier provided. This point being fixed, the leading purpose of so much of the plan as is represented in the sketch is: First— to provide for convenient and economical use, by large numbers, of the means of research and instruction to be offered in the central buildings. Second—to provide, in the arrangements devised for this purpose, an outward character, suitable to the climate of the locality, that will serve to foster the growth of refined, but simple and inexpensive, tastes. Third—to favor the formation, in connection with the Uni- versity, of a community, instructively representative of at- tractive and wholesome conditions of social and domestic life. The four sides of the central quadrangle are to be formed by a continuous arcade of stone, eighteen feet in height, twenty feet in depth and 1,700 feet in length. Opening from the arcade are to be a series of structures for class-rooms, lecture-rooms, draughting-rooms and rooms for scientific in- vestigation and instruction. Each of these is to be one high and airy story, and in all desirable cases to be provided with special arrangements for light and ventilation above as well as on its foursides. . . . Of several reasons for limiting these structures to one story, the principal is, that in a build- ing of two or more stories the necessity of providing on the lower for any cross partitions, or for the support of any con- siderable weight in the superstructures, has everywhere in older institutions been found to standin the way of desirable revisions of interior plans. It is considered that anything thus likely to hinder the ready adoption in the future of new inven- tions or methods and conveniences for liberal education should be avoided. . . . The areasassigned to the second and third quadrangles (B and C), are to be used as University Athletic Grounds until wanted to be built upon. When taken to be built upon, the next blocks of the reservation (D, E) are to be substituted as Athletic Grounds, and so on. Those parts of the reservation not in use as thus proposed, are to be fields of the Agricultural Department of the University. The public streets are to have borders ten feet in breadth, planted with shade trees. These borders are to be graded and planted at once, and all land within the limits of the plan not to be presently occupied for some one of the purposes above stated, is, as soon as practicable, to be closely planted. The plantations are to be afterwards thinned before they become crowded, and clearings are to be made among them, as, from time to time, space is wanted for buildings. Building sites not expected to be very soon occupied by buildings are also in- tended to be inclosed with hedges. By these two expedients it is hoped that the immediate surroundings of the University may be prevented from taking on at any point the usual as- pect of ‘vacant lots” in the outskirts of towns and villages, which, in California, because of its dry summer climate, is apt to be even more forlorn than in the Eastern States. That part of the public way, divided by a strip of gardened ground, upon which the Library and the Museum buildings (J, J) face, is to be carried upon a retaining wall with a parapet, making ita terrace. The five compartments immediately to the northward, below the terrace, are to be depressed areas, each occupied by a mass of shrubbery, over which a broad view of the principal buildings of the University will be had from the head of the avenue (Q). These areas would be fields of turf were it not that satisfactory turf in California can be maintained only by profuse irrigation, and irrigated ground, un- less kept with extreme neatness, is liable to be a source of miasmatic exhalations. It is considered that the University should not have the difficulty and expense imposed upon it of the constant mowing, rolling, sweeping and watering of such large open spaces as would thus be made necessary. In this and in all other respects, the landscape and the architectural design have in view ideals that pertain rather to the south than to the north of Europe or to the Atlantic States. This work will be studied with profound interest by landscape gardeners, and its gradual development will be watched with interest by all persons interested in the spread of education and in the growth of American civilization. It may be added that substantial progress has already been made in the construction of the university buildings from plans prepared by Messrs. Shepley, Rutan and Coolidge, of Boston. DECEMBER Ig, 1888.] Foreign Correspondence. London Letter. ps attempt to induce English farmers to plant their fields with Tobacco instead of Wheat and Potatoes hav- ing proved abortive, efforts are being made to induce colonial farmers to try Tobacco for the English market. A prize is offered by the London Chamber of Commerce for the best specimen of colonial-grown Tobacco, of not less than 400 pounds. Without protection, however, it is not clear how the present supply can be superseded by what must ob- viously be an inferior article. Begonias pay in England better than Tobacco, and I hear Garden and Forest. 509 flowers, which are open together. The individual blooms, male and female, attain the size of three inches or more in diameter, and are composed of six to eight large, oval petals, which give them the shape of Anemone fulgens or ot A. Faponica. A riearly complete range of colors, from pure white to scarlet, with various shades of pink and carmine, is to be found in this new race, which produces a_ beautiful display of bloom at a season when the tuberous Begonias are over—that is, in November.” The most marked charac- ter in this new race is the number of petals in the flowers, the common ones having four only in the male flowers and six in the females ;.the increased number in M. Lemoine’s latest success is owing to the eight-petaled character of one of the parents, B. octopetala. Fig. 80.—Shortia galacifolia—See page 506. the ze. 2, Corolla laid open, showing the stamens and staminodes. 3. Diagram of the flower. 4 Astamen, 5. Pistil. 6, Vertical section of the ovary. 7. A fruit. 8. Cross-section of a fruit. 9. A seed.—All enlarged. 1. A plant of the natural size. we have still another race of these plants to add to those which have become universally popular for out-door bed- ding and green-house decoration. Mons. V. Lemoine, of Nancy, already famous as the raiser of some first-rate Gladioli, Pelargoniums, etc., has succeeded in crossing the very distinct species, B. octofetala, with some of the finest of the tuberous section. He writes to Dr. Masters: ‘The re- sult of this cross is a magnificent one, and the new race, ‘ Octopetala Lemoinea,’ is one of the handsomest which I have ever raised. The root is somewhat irregularly length- ened, black, intermediate in shape between that of the two parents. The stem is herbaceous and short, so that the leaves seem to be radical; they are broad, undulated, of a glossy green, with round, hairy stalks. Each plant bears from six to eight erect flower-stalks, thick and hairy, about two feet high, and each supporting from five to seven Mr. Rivers, of Sawbridgeworth, famous for first-rate work among fruit-trees, the raiser of some of our finest Peaches, Nectarines, Plums, etc., and the pioneer of house-cultiva- tion for orchard-trees, has gathered a very fine collection of Oranges, Citrons, Lemons, etc., which he cultivates by the thousand, and fruits when only two or three feet high. Al- together he has over fifty distinct kinds, which are true to name and comprise all the very best commercial sorts. I saw them a few days ago, and was especially charmed with the show-house of well-fruited plants, none in pots above eight-inch size, and some with over a score of large, beauti- ful fruits upon them. I was surprised to find that these pot- grown Oranges were betterin flavor and much more juicy than those imported. Mr. Rivers supplies the colonies and also America with plants from his nursery, which, being grafted and carefully named, are much more reliable than 510 Garden and Forest. (DEcEMBER ig, 1888. Fig. 81.—The Washington Oak at Fishkill—See page srr. those raised from seeds. Indeed, these plants, except the Spec ies, are no more likely to reproduce themselves from seeds than Apples or Plums are. For the decoration of conservatories and houses in winter these small plants are ot considerable value. They are grafted on the Lemon when young, grown in sunny, intermediate houses, and when the fruits appear the plants are kept in a temperature never lower than 60°. The high, regular temperature in- duces the formation of pulp, and prevents that abnormal thickness and unevenness of rind which is invariable in fruits ripened in an ordinary green-house. The charming little Daffodil known as Narcissus monophy!- Jus, or the White Hoop-Petticoat, is the first to develop its pure white blooms, and they remain fresh on the plants for several weeks. It is grown at Kew for the decoration of the cool green-house. The bulbs are planted in a sandy, peat soil, which is kept moist while the plants are in leaf and flower, but quite dry when these are over, All through the December ig, 1888. ] summer the pots containing the bulbs are exposed to full sunshine on a dry shelf. This is the secret of growing and flowering the White Hoop-Petticoat. Mr. Moore, of the Glasnevin Botanic Gardens, near Dub- lin, has added another to the half dozen or so excellent kinds of Eucharis already in‘cultivation. The new one is a very distinct variety of Z. Amazonica (E. grandiflora of botanists), characterized by the purity of its flowers, those of the type having a green tinge ‘on the inside of the tube ; there is also a difference in the form of the three inner segments of the perianth. The foliage is much shorter and thicker in texture in the new one than in the type. Mr. Baker has named the variety Mooreana. We have now, in addition to the two mentioned, £. Sandert, E. Mastersi, EF. candida and FE. sube- dentata, all of them large-flowered and of great value on account of the freedom with which their flowers are pro- duced under ordinary treatment, it being by no means un- usual for these plants to flower three or four times in the same year. The once dreaded mite, which is often found on the bulbs of these plants, has proved much less deadly than it was supposed. to be; at all events, one rarely sees bulbs which are unaffected by it, and hosts of other bulbs besides Eucharis are just as much subject to it. A famous Dutch bulb-grower, on being asked if the mite did him harm, replied that it had been on his bulbs ever since he knew them, which was more than forty years, but it did no harm. If a bulb sickened the mite increased, but strong bulbs were unaffected by it. So far as my experience goes, this is true. Cypripedium insigne Sandere is the last sensational Orchid, a small plant, with a single growth and one flower, having brought seventy guineas at an auction sale on the 16th inst. It differs from the type in being devoid of spots, the pouch and petals being yellow and wax-like, the dorsal sepal yel- low below and white above. It was imported among a batch ot C. txsigne by Mr. Sander. Two of the best Orchids flowering here now are Lelia autumnalis, with its variety atrorubens, and L. anceps in all its numerous forms. These two species are Orchids for the million, as they are easily grown, they are permanent stayers when once established, and they flower freely every autumn, lasting about six weeks in perfection, November 23d, 1888, W. Watson. The W ee aneton One at Fishkill. LL strangers who visit Cambridge, in Massachusetts, look with interest upon the remnants of the venerable Elm tree under which Washington sat when, on the 3d of July, 1775, he assumed command of the Colonial Army. Not less interesting from its association with the General of the American Army, although much less well known, is the Oak which is represented in our illustration upon page 510, Washington’s headquarters remained on the west bank of the Hudson, between Newburgh and New Windsor, from the spring of 1782 to August 18th, 1783; and during this time he crossed the river frequently for the purpose of visiting the troops in camp upon Fishkill Plain, near the village of that name. The most convenient landing- place on the east bank was upon a long, low point of land formed to the north of the mouth of Fishkill Creek, known as ‘“ Presguw'ile,” and here, according to the tradition of the locality, under two large Oak trees, Washington always mounted and dismounted from his horse as he started and returned from the camp. One of these trees appears in our illustration; its com- panion was blown to the ground on the toth of August, 1881. The story of Washington’s connection with these two Oaks seems to be abundantly substantiated. The Commander- in-Chief was often accompanied on these excursions from his headquarters to the camp at Fishkill by his Adjutant-Gen- eral, William) Denning, whose son, also William Denning, at that time fourteen years of age, was sometimes allowed to join the party. The impressions made upon the boy by the incidents of this period were not effaced; and many years later, in 1822, after a life of travel and adventure, he returned to the Hudson and purchased from amember of the Verplank family the point of land, and the old Oaks, still associated in his mind with the Commander-in-chief of the American Army and the first President of the United States. The daughter of the second William Denning, to whom we are indebted for these facts, still inhabits the old mansion built on “Presgwile” in 1813; and her life and that of her father span the years which separate us from the days ot Washington and the Colonial Army. The tree is a Chestnut Oak (Quercus Prinus of botanists), still healthy and vigorous, and standing directly at the top of the low Garden and Forest. But river-bank. The trunk girths, at the present time, twenty-one feet, and, judging from the age of its companion, which was blown down seven years ago, eight or ten centuries may have passed :since the acorn from which it sprang fell to the ground. Our illustration is from one of a series of photographs of the old trees and the historical country places of the Hudson River, made by Mrs. Winthrop Sargent. The photograph brings out admirably the striking character of the bark of this particular species of Chestnut Oak. It is dark brown, and, on old trees, very thick and deeply furrowed, with broad, rounded ridges; while on all other American White Oaks (that is, Oaks which have the lobes of the leaves rounded without the slender bristles-found on the leaves of the Black Oaks, and whose acorns ripen in one season), the bark is thin, light- colored, or, on some species, almost white, not furrowed, but separating into thin, flaky plates or scales. Cultural Department. New Chrysanthemums. SEue published lists of Chrysanthemums in recent years have contained the names of so many new varieties that the experience of any grower who has tried, so far as_possi- ble, all the new kinds, may be of some interest to those who are wise enough to limit their collections of this plant to the well-tested varieties. It has been possible for me, up to the present time, in a garden of moderate.size, to try all the new foreign varieties and the larger part of ‘those raised in this country. But the steadily diminishing number of really good novelties, and the pleasant lottery of raising seedlings, have convinced me that a more rigorous selection than that hitherto practiced must be henceforth made. Lemoine, of Nancy, who publishes a list of the most desira- ble new varieties of Continental origin, gives the names of sixty-eight Chrysanthemums new in 1887. Cannell’s list for the same year numbers fifty-seven; and the various American growers add at least fifty names to these. Of the fifty-three Continental varieties of 1887, which I have tried, coming from such successful growers as Délaux, Lassali, Etienne Lacroix, Audiguier, De Reydellet and others, tour only seem worth growing again; not that the rest are all bad, far from it, but they are either unsatisfactory i in growth or not suf- ficiently distinct from existing kinds. The four selected are: (1) Lord Mayor (Délaux), sty led in the introducer’s descr iption a large-flowered variety ; the plant is of moderate size and a most profuse bearer of well-shaped, recurved, full flowers of white color, suffused with rose-violet. (2) Alcyon (Lacroix), a Japanese variety, with large flowers, the broad petals being rose-carmine, striped with white, and the centre of the petals a rose color. This variety is quite distinct from existing kinds, and is, moreover, of vigorous growth. (3) Louis Wieille (Audiguier) is a very e early, flowering Japanese kind, of good growth, well covered with large mauve-violet flowers, with a lighter centre. (4) Superbe flore (Lacroix), Japanese, appears to me the best recent introduction of its sort. It has very much of the habit of that always good variety, M. Délaux, The rose-carmine, globular flowers are borne on stiff, erect stems, and are somewhat lighter toward the centre; the petals are twisted, and white on ‘the reverse side. It comes into flower early and remains fresh for many weeks. Charles Delinas (Lassali), sent out as a large-tlowered variety, is very like Robert Walcott in form and color, but does not appear to me equal to the latter. Mr. Cannell sent out in 1887 some varieties imported from Japan. Of these, Edwin Moly- neux, Mr. H.Cannell and Mrs. H. Cannell are well worth grow- ing. The first has broad petals, partially incurved, ot the Mrs. Wheeler type—rich brown inside and yellow on the outside; the second, in the way of the well-known old variety, Gr andiflorum, is of a rich, deep yellow; Mrs. Cannell is of rather dwarf growth, and has large, pure white, incurved petals. Ralph Brocklebank, a golden sport from the old variety, Meg Mer- rilies, has proved: a very successful prize-winner in the E “nglish shows of this year, but did not do well with me. Avalanche, a pure white Japanese variety, also a great success this year in England, I have not grown and have not seen. A number of importations in recent years direct from Japan has given our American growers an advantage which has been quickly improved. “The new varieties are very dis- tinct from those previously in cultivation, and their influence is already noticeable ina number of seedlings well worth pre- serving. Of an importation of Japanese Chrysanthemums, which “Howered for the first time in this country in 1884, Mrs, N Garden and Forest. [DECEMBER Ig, 1888, SFU C. H. Wheeler, Hon. = ae Ish, H. Waterer, Gloriosum, Bicolor larly good. No plant of 1887 has made so satisfactory an im- and Lord Byron may be espec ially noted, and are all worth pression upon me, in my own houses, as Spaulding’s John rowing. Thorpe, a Japanese flower of large size, rich, deep lake in The most remarkable Japanese collection sent to this coun- — color. Manvel sent out by H. Waterer, a white Japanese with try is undoubtedly that made by a Japanese named Neeseina, large violet blotch in the centre, is distinct and good. Mrs. for some time resident here, who, on his return home, se Carnegie and Mrs. Morton, exhibited for the first time this year, Mrs. Alpheus Hardy, of Boston, a small collection of Chrysan- are both striking and promising varieties, but should have themums. Among them was the now celebrated plantnamed another vear's trial before they can be considered as fairly Mrs. A. Hardy, which has created so much excitement at the — entitled to the positions now claimed for them. flower shows of the past season. While to my mind this is cer- Cambridge, Mass., December 4th, 1888. H. P. Walcott. mension LHR, Fig. 82.—Chrysanthemum, Lilian B. Bird. heel not the most beautiful Chrysanthemum in existence, it Japanese Chrysanthemum, Lilian B. Bird. s probably the most valuable addition made in recent years 5 to this class of plants. It is apparently of vigorous growth, a (Gas variety, an illustration of which, from a photograph, character sadly lacking in Mrs. Wheeler, Bicolor and others of ypears above, was received from Japan with the this class, and should become the parent of many striking now faivous Mrs. Alpheus Hardy. It is a flower of the largest novelties. Some other flowers from plants belonging to size, with a full, high centre when at its best. Although it Neeseina’s collection are also very good. The plants now in’ resembles somewhat in form the old Glorie Rayonnante possession of E. Fewkes & Son have not been themselves ex- in color, it is very distinct, being throughout of that cae hibited this season, but flowers from them have been shown, and soft shade of pink commonly called ‘shrimp pink,” and these have been especially commended, and deservedly tint quite new to the Chrysanthemum. The florets are ail so. W.H. Lincoln, large yellow ; Lilian B. Bird, large, full tubular, or quilled, long and slender, with the ends scarcely quilled pink flower; Kioto, largeincurved yellow, are all particu. expanded and slightly curved inward, The unique color, DeceMBeR 19, 1888.] large size and vigorous habit make this one of the most valuable of recent introduction. Arthur H. Fewkes. Newton Highlands, Mass. The Vegetable Garden. GLOBE ARTICHOKES.—AIl gardeners know what uncertain plants these are. If one-fourth of those covered up in the fall are alive in the spring we should not complain, for these can be lifted and divided into as many pieces as there are well- rooted divisions, and all will be good flowering plants in sum- mer. They will come in too early, however, for October flowers. For fall flowers seed should be sown now and the plants grown in the green-houses till next spring. There is no need of hurrying them, but if sown early and grown on moder- ately, they will be sure to flower next fall. If sown in spring and fed liberally, they often flower nicely in September and October, but this was not the case last summer, which was so cooland moist that few spring raised plants bloomed in the fall. CELERIAC, OR TURNIP-ROOTED CELERY.— Although cata- logued and sold by every seedsman, this vegetable is not often grown for use in private families, but it is grown in considerable quantity by the market-gardeners around New Yorkand may be found in abundance just now in our city markets. The leaves are useless, the Turnip-like root being the edible part. Peeled and sliced they are used for flavoring soups and salads. The flavor is pronounced and agreeable, better than that of the self-blanching leaf Celeries and as strong as the red Celeries. Itis very easily grown. The seed should be sown in April or May, the seedlings pricked off in June, and planted out in July or August in rich ground in rows fifteen to eighteen inches apart. It is often a disappoint- ing cep, however, from a failure of the roots to reach a good size. tored in moist sand, the roots may be kept in a cool cellar and in good condition for use all winter long. SPINACH.—As soon as the ground is frozen hard a little hay, straw or thatch may be scattered over this crop to protect it from sunshine, sudden freezing and thawing and heaving out by freezing; but until the ground is frozen two or three inches deep, mulch should not be used on account of the field mice. Good Spinach can now be cut from cold-frames, if it was sown early in September, and if a light cover of thatch has been strewn over frames in hard, frosty weather. For an abundant crop, the Viroflay or Long Standing is preferable, but the market growers on Long Island grow the Savoy- leaved. Where a little protection can be given in winter, these varieties are as good as any other, but where grown in the open air, and without any protection, the prickly seeded is the best variety, as it is the hardiest. UPLAND CREss (Barbarea).—A good deal has been written about this plant as a culinary vegetable for the past two years, its use being urged as a salad and as a substitute for Spinach. After a fair trial, we do not find it any improvement upon the other vegetables we have and can grow easily enough. But as it is one of the easiest of all vegetables to grow, and forms large bunches of green leaves that remain in succulent condi- tion allsummer long, and as it does not run to flower the first year, it may serve a good purpose as a dry weather vegetable, or in localities where it is difficult to grow Spinach, Lettuces or Water Cress in summer. Nothing in our gardenis as fresh and green to-day as a row of this Cress, and it was sown last April. BRUSSELS SPROUTS.—These were never better than they are this year. Not only are the Sprouts abundant all along the stems, but they are close, solid, heavy and perfectly free from aphides. Generally they are so much infested with insects that many of them are not worth gathering, no matter how well they have grown. It may have been the copious and frequent rains during the fall months that have given us immunity from this pest. Of two sowings, one made May 23d, another June 26th, of Tall French and Dwarf Improved, both have done well, but-witha slight advantage in favor of the May sowing. Brussels Sprouts are moderately hardy, but it is well to have them under cover before December. Deep frames, a cellar or a warm shed are good places for them. About the end of October I erected a temporary shelter for Chrysanthemums on the south side of a shed, using some spare sashes; on the 1st of December, as the flowers were about gone, the plants were cut down and removed and Brussels Sprouts planted in their place. In storing them in a place like this all the large leaves that grow on the stems should be stripped off, also the larger ones that grow around the top. When this is done the plants can be stored close together without danger of rotting. Wm. Falconer, Glen Coye, N. Y., Dec. 7th. Garden and Forest. 513 Rose Notes. NIPHETOS.—Well grown flowers of this admirable variety are still sought for, and, under favorable conditions, it con- tinues to rank as a useful and quite profitable Rose, though in many instances it has been supplanted by The Bride. Niphetos has been found to do very well on side benches, where the space above is somewhat limited, as its habit of growth is rather more spreading than upright. In fact, many of the flowering shoots are inclined to be pendent, the weight of the bud being too great for the slender shoots to support without bending. The latter condition is rather a disadvantage at times, and may be corrected, in a measure, by budding this variety on some stronger growing plant. Excellent results have been obtained insome cases by using the Lamarque as a stock, the plants so treated having produced large crops of good buds for eight or ten years in succession. - But where this system is adopted, and for such a length of time as that mentioned, the plants will naturally need more space than is afforded by the ordinary side bench. If grown on its own. roots, it should be remembered that Niphetos is not a very strong rooting variety, and, therefore, is easily overwatered, and when once in that condition, it needs a long time to recover. La FRANCE.—This pioneer among the Hybrid Tea Roses has attained great popularity of late years as a valuable variety for all seasons of the year, its pleasing color and delightful fragrance being fully appreciated by the flower- loving public. Itis also an excellent Rose for growing in ots, and has givena good return for the space occupied. he plants for this purpose should be struck in February or March and grown on until the autumn, when a short rest should be given to them, when they may be flowered during the following February. Much finer flowers are produced by this variety if the shoots are allowed to remain upright, and it is therefore best forit to be grown in such asituation as to ren- der tying down unnecessary. Experience has shown that the flowers of La France should be allowed to develop almost completely before being cut, as the outer petals will often spread out to their full extent long before the centre ones are ready to open. If cutin that condition they frequently fail to open satisfactorily afterwards, and half their beauty is lost. This Rose is too often condemned, merely on account of the grower’s impatience. COMTESSE DE FRIGNEUSE.—This yellow Tea, of recent intro- duction, for which great things were promised, has thus far failed to realize, at least for commercial purposes, the expectations of those who have tested it. The color is pretty and it has a pleasant fragrance, but the flowers have but little size, and the plant itself is not very strong in growth, and thus it is found lacking in two very essential points. The glittering descriptions of new Roses, and the unqualified assertions as to their value made by some of their introducers before any adequate test of their merits has been made, must eventually prove an injury to this line of business. The notable failures of the past few years, such as Her Majesty, Princess Beatrice, and, with a majority of growers, Puritan also, has brought about a much more conservative temper on the part of the large Rose growers, and in future it is highly probable that many of them will test new' varieties by the dozen instead of by the hundred. Experience with novelties in Roses has proved very costly in some cases, W. H. Taplin. Holmesburg, Pa. Orchid Notes. Cypripedium Spicerianum.—tin the collection of Mr. De Witt Smith, of Lee, Mass., over Igo flowers of this handsome Lady- slipper Orchid are fully expanded, having dorsal sepals and lips of unusual size. Only within this last four years has this species been seen in quantity. Before that time it was exceed- ingly rare, having been introduced about the year 1878 by Mr. Spicer, of England, a great lover of this genus, in whose honor the plant was afterwards named. It is a free grower, enjoys a warm and moist position in the Cattleya-house, and should be placed ina compost of good turfy loam, peat.and fresh spagnum, ample drainage being very necessary. All the Cypri- pediums in this collection are well worth a visit to see, as they are perhaps the best grown in this country, and bid fair to equal any that are grown in Europe. Every plant is potted in sphagnum moss only; not a particle of peat or soil of any description is used. Mr. Norman, the gardener, is not satisfied with the holes put in the pots by the manu- facturer, but manages by a_ skillful knock with a ham- mer to enlarge them to nearly twice their size. The visitor 514 can hardly help asking whether Mr, Norman does not use some liquid fertilizer, but that he denies emphatically. Cymbidium Mastersi album.—My. John Wallace, of Paterson, New Jersey, has a plant in bloom in his collection of this some- what rare variety. The flowers are born on a pendent stem having sepals, petals and lips of the purest white, the latter having a yellow crest, the purple spots as seen in the ordinary form “being entirely absent. This plant inhabits the lower parts of the Khasia Hills, and luxuriates on old clumps of trees where from time to time decayed vegetable matter has col- lected. A Cattleya house temperature suits it admirably, and it enjoys a compost of decayed leaves, fibrous loam and an abundant supply of moisture while making its growth. During its period of rest it should be kept dry and somewhat cooler, Several plants of the chaste and scarce Odontoglossum Harre- anum are flowering in this collection, This Orchid is sometimes called a yellow O. Rossiz, but it is a supposed natural hybrid between Q. Rossii andQO. cordatum. Some of the flowers are of great size, and on one stout spike here the flowers were three and one-half inches across, with markings of a very sich color. Jersey City. ——_—_—_—_—__—- ee On Correspondence. Improvement of North American Fruits. To the Editor of GARDEN AND FOREST: Sir.—We have cultivated for several years the wild Papaw (Asimina triloba), and it bears fruit regularly here every sea- son. The fruit is delicious, and to my taste the best of the wild indigenous fruits of North America. Unfortunately, however, ‘it contains too many seeds ; these are large, and the amount of edible pulp is too small, therefore, in proportion to the size of the fruit, to make it really valuable. The Papaw, however, has not been improved by cultivation, and when it is remembered how the fruit-trees of Europe have been altered by long cultivation, and particularly by raising seed- lings of good varieties, and by selection, I cannot help think- ing r that the same results may be secured by operating in this way with the Papaw. The result to be obtained is the estab- lishment of a variety with a large amount of pulp in the fruit, and, if possible, without seeds. Such varieties are already known among grapes, pears, Japanese persimmons, oranges, bananas, etc. This improvement, if it can be effected, will make the Papaw a fruit of great commercial value, and it seems to be the duty of American pomologists and horticulturists to experiment in this direction. It would be necessary in the first place to select among the wild Pa- paws the varieties that seem to come nearest to the ideal standard, to grow seedlings from them, and then to select those seedlings which show the most improvement in the de- ange direction. If the experiments are continued long enough the ideal fruit will be developed, and then can be pery rpetuated by grafts. It will need, of course, some time to arrive at any result, but I am convinced that in three or four generations real progress can be made. The Loquat (Ariobotrya Faponica) is now very well known in the south of France, but the variety which we grow is by no means the best. A Japanese agriculturist w ho has lately visited the Villa Thuret told me that a variety of Loquat exists in Japan with fruit three or four times as large as the one which we have. This variety, moreover, has only one seed, and not three or four, as in the common varieties. The size and number of its seeds is the only reason why the Loquat has remained such a third or fourth rate fruit, inferior even to the Medlar and Sorb (Sorbus domestica). It surprises me that the Sadal Palmetto, which ought to be one of the hardiest Palms, has not, up to the present time, suc- ceeded in the south of France or anywhere in southern Eu- rope. Why? What is the influence in air or soil which pre- vents it from growing as well as many Palms do here? The year 1888 has been the most abnormal known in Europe since the beginning of the century, and there has been no summer heat even in Algiers. The temperature in Provence has been three degrees centigrade lower than the average; and the result is that many exotics have not flowered this year, or have flowered so late that they will not perfect their fruit ; and there are many failures with garden and field crops due to this lack of heat. Charles Naudin. Villa Thuret, Antibes, November, 1888. [There are a,few American fruits, as Monsieur Naudin points out in the case of the Papaw, capable probably or very great improvement. The Persimmon (Diospyros Virginiana),as well as the Papaw, is one of them, the fruit when fully ripe being considered by many persons, even now, delicious. Garden and Forest. It varies a great deal in quality, the fruit. [DeceMBER 19, 1888, from the extreme south being much less austere than that produced in the Middle States. It is sometimes entirely destitute of seeds, and of course these seedless varieties are the most valuable ; and there seems to be no reason why the American Persimmon cannot in time be made to equal the Japanese varieties in size and flavor. There is no reason, too, why the American Chestnut cannot be as much altered and improved in time as the European variety has been; and the improvement of Hickory nuts, especially pecans, offers an excellent field for the American pomologist; nuts of all the Hickor- ies show a great tendency to variability in size, shape and thickness of walls, but no special efforts have yet been made to take advantage of these variations with the idea of developing superior nuts. Sooner or later, however, this will be done. Pomologists have already shown what can be accomplished with our common eastern American plums, by intelligent selection and cross-fertilization, but no attempt, we believe, has yet been made to improve the common Plum of the Sierras, Prunus subcordala, a native of northern California and Oregon. The fruit is of very fair quality, although, of course, capable of improve- ment by the selection of seedling varieties. The Beach Plum, too (P. maritima), found upon the shores of the northern Atlantic seaboard, is another plant to which pomologists might, perhaps, direct attention with the hope of obtaining satisfactory results. A correspondent in Oregon calls attention to the size and beauty of a native Gooseberry (2ibes Lobbir), and suggests that it might, with a little care in selection, be developed into a valuable dessert fruit. —Ep. ] Recent Publications. The Eulogy of Richard Fefferies. By Walter Besant. don: Chatto & Windus. 1888. To those who love Nature and Nature's lovers, who have a sense for that mastery in the use of words which means high literary art, and who rejoice when one literary artist is com- memorated by another, this life of Jefferies may well seem the most interesting book of the day. It would be too much to claim for Mr. Besant that he is an artist in words to the same degree, or even in the same sense, as Richard Jefferies was ; but an artist he is, and he has never turned his talent to better account than he has in writing of the brother-in-arms whom he here commemorates. His book is a little pearl among biographies, and it will be a jewel of price indeed if it wins for Jefferies a wider place than he has hitherto held in the affections of the American public. Even in his own land he has had a somewhat limited, though enthusiastic, circle of admirers, but heré his circle has been smaller still—because, perhaps, here he has had more rivals to compete with. Thoreau’s name is the best which can be cited to explain—or rather, to suggest—the character of his writings ; and Tho- reau’s followers have been more numerous in America than in England. Such articles as Jefferies wrote stood almost alone in English periodical literature ; but on this side of the ocean work similar in kind (we do not speak of quality just now) comes steadily from a score of pens—work inspired by a keen love for all the minor as well as major beauties of Nature, in- stinct with true and delicate appreciation, and cast in a per- sonal and artistic mould. Richard Jefferies came of good yeoman stock, and was born in 1848 at Coate Farm, not far from Swindon, in Wiltshire. He was a studious boy, yet loved books scarcely so well as the great Book of Nature, lived much out-of-doors, and was taught by his father to use his eyes upon all he saw. A literary career early appealed to him, and at the age of eighteen he embarked in journalism, in connection with a Swindon paper, and almost at once began the writing of books as well. A pathetic time then ensued, when his novels went the round of London publishing houses, to come repeatedly back, as he said, “like the stone of Sisyphus.”” The first mark he madein the world was when, in 1872, he wrote a letter to the London Times on the condition of the agricultural laborer. This at- tracted great attention, was followed by three or four others, and Jefferies saw himself recognized as the chief authority in England on the agricultural questions of the day. But even then he did not realize that his true path was opening before’ him. For several years he still preferred to write novels of “high life” and adventure—things about which he knew noth- ing, “rather than articles on country y scenes and country people— Lon- DECEMBER 19, 1888.] things about which no one knew so much as he. The novels were failures, however, while the articles succeeded, so he was gradually driven, we may almost say, to the work for which he had been born. Then for a number of years he was a constant contributor to various periodicals, and as fast as his essays accumulated they were republished in book form. Among his best known volumes are ‘The Game- keeper at Home,” ‘‘The Amateur Poacher,” “Wild Life in a Southern County,” ‘Round about a Great Estate,” ‘‘ Nature Near London,” ‘The Open Air” and ‘ Hodge and His Mas- ters.” About seven years ago his health began to fail and was never restored before his death in 1887. During the greater part of this time BS suffered incredibly, worn “with want of nourishment and sleep, racked with perpetual terrible pain, and coming often under the surgeon's knife; tortured with poverty, too, wild with a longing for the out-door life he could no longer lead, eager to write but unable to hold a pen, ex- ternal needs and internal cravings for expression tormenting the vigorous mind while the body was alive only in the sense of suffering. Yet during this time some of his most beautiful work was done—dictated bit by bit as his pain and feebleness allowed. One of his last essays was ‘An English Deer Park,” recently published in the Century Magazine. Itis hard to explain the quality of Jefferies’ work to those who do not knowit. He kept a note-book, like Thoreau, from day to day, andif we may judge by the few extracts Mr. Besant gives, he seems therein Thoreau’s inferior, The accuracy, the minute delicacy of observation, is the same, but the record is briefer and drier, and we miss Thoreau’s poetical, philosophical tone. But in the essays which he published he stands on the same height as Thoreau in point of literary power—or, to many eyes, perhaps, ona still loftier height. His style is a marvel of ease, clearness, variety and charm, and as personal as a style well could be. It has certain oddities—as, instance, the dropping out of the verb from time to time— which, with a weaker writer, we might resent. But everything Jefferies does seems right as he does it, for whatever it may be, it never means a lapse from graphic distinctness, from personal charm and grace and force. Then the human ele- ment, which is lacking with Thoreau, is very prominent with him—it is men in nature that he paints, not nature merely, or the soul of the single man who is gazing upon her. Very little definite instruction is to be gathered from his pages. He was even lessa man of science than Thoreau, and nothing could be more naive than his way of showing that he never thought of going to the most substantial sources of information for that A aa of natural things which he earnestly desired to get. “botanist friend,” or a good book of colored pictures Sree were the aids he sought, and while acknowledging their insufficiency, he felt no impulse to turn to the science of botany itself. And he never tries to tell us, as John Bur- roughs does, of all the lovely, interesting things we may find in this spot or in that. He simply records his impressions, now in the way of the most exquisite pictures of certain visible objects, and now in the way of thoughtful rhapsodies which are, perhaps, the finest things of their kind in the language— at once the sanest and the most ethereal, the most ‘poetical and the most human. Sometimes his poetizing instincts lead him into work which can scarcely be called descriptive in any of its parts; sometimes an innate artistic instinct shows with curious distinctness, as when he refers to that method of painting which we call “impressionistic,” which is so gener- ally misunderstood and condemned by laymen, but which he felt to be true, in certain ways, above all other methods; and sometimes he is the social reformer, the prophet of the poor and suffering, the sympathetic man ‘forgetting the beauty of inanimate nature, almost, in the sight. of how men may struggle and perish on her bosom. The greatest charm of his work lies in its perpetual variety—but this fact makes it all the more impossible for us to do it justice within our narrow limits. It should be enough, however, to point our readers to Mr. Besant’s biography. We can trust this to lead them straightway to Jefferies himself as his books explain him, showing us a man to admire and love, as well as a writer to enjoy and an interpreter of nature with a very personal and vital message on his lips. Periodical Literature. Scribner's Magazine for December appropriately opens with a beautiful article called ‘‘ Winter in the Adirondacks,” by Mr. H. W. Mabie. The text is pleasant reading, and shows true appreciation of the charms of winter landscape as well as of winter life in the wilderness. But the illustrations are of more exceptional value. Those from photographs are well Garden and Forest. BIS chosen and admirably executed; yet still better, because as true in their way and possessing the added charm of personal human feeling, are those from drawings by various artists. All are similar, of course, in theme; but this fact only makes their essential contrast more interesting. Six painters have seen the same themes under the same conditions ; each has painted truthfully, but each gives us a different effect, be- cause each has put a bit of himself into the result—has felt what he saw ina different way, and has clearly expressed his feeling. The picture by Mr, Crane, which was chosen for the frontispiece, is good, yet perhaps | the least good of the six, while the charming ‘impression * by Mr. Twachtman, if not the very best, is at all events the most individual and charming. A single artist might have portrayed the aspect of the woods in winter as faithfully as it is portrayed in this article ; but no one artist by himself could so thoroughly have portray ed their spirit, illustrated all their moods and meanings, and very certainly no camera could. The fact that even the midwinter numbers of our great magazines are not thought complete without an out- door arti- cle of one sort or another, isa pleasing sign of the growth of our public in appreciation of nature. In Harper's. “Magazine for December, as well as in Scrzdner’s, we find such an arti- cle—‘A Midnight Ramble"—from the well-known pen of Mr. Hamilton Gibson. It is not so appropriate in theme to midwinter, we think fora moment, as the Adirondack chap- ter. Butafter a moment we are well content, for what can be pleasanter in midwinter than to find ourselves transported to midsummer—shown its loveliness and mystery in sympa- thetic words and charming pictures? Much as Mr. Gibson has written in former days about woodland rambles, he has found a new theme to-day. Taking us out-doors at midnight, he shows us many old friends w ith new faces—sleepy, droop- ing, dew-besprinkled faces, often very different from those the sun beholds. Much real instruction is prettily given in the text, which will tempt many readers to nocturnal explorations with a lantern. Yet, once again, the illustrations are still more attractive. The contrasted groups of Locust, Melilot, Lupine and Oxalis, here awake and there asleep, are particu- larly charming, while nothing could be more fairy-like than the sphinx-moths among the “Honey -suckles, or more truthful and graceful than the Nasturtiums, and, especially, the Even- ing Primroses. He must be a happy man wl can see so much in nature as Mr. Gibson, can write about it so well and can picture it so daintily. Most of us would be content with either one of his three gifts. Meetings of Societies. The Forestry Congress at Atlanta. HE Forestry Meeting at Atlanta on December 5th, 6th and 7th, was marked by the termination of the existence of the southern organization “and its union with the American For- estry Congress. The attendance at the meetings was large, and the people of Atlanta, the members of the Legislature, and the officers of the city and state governments, were con- stant and profuse in their courtesies “to the visitors. There were pleasant receptions at the house of Governor Gordon and other places, there were very full and accurate reports in the leading newspapers, and the Congress and its objects and work received from everybody the most cordial and serious respect. There were interesting essays and addresses by Colonel E. T. Ensign, on Colorado Forestry, and on Rocky Mountain Forests; by General Greely, on Rainfall; by Professor Charles Mohr, on Forest Lands ; by Professor George F ene on the Relations of Trees ‘to ‘Bird and Insect ‘Life ; by Mr. M. J. Kerns, on Public Parks and Forests; by Mrs. E len “Call Le are on the Forest Features of Florida; by Professor Eggleston, on the Forestry Outlook; and the discussions were interesting, though they were restricted somewhat by the feeling that the tariff is an inflammable subject and one to be kept out ofa Forestry Congress. On the last “day of the session there was a tree-planting at the Girls’ High School, in the presence of vast throngs of peo- ple, with short addresses by members of the Congress. Offi- cers were elected, committees appointed, and the customary resolutions adopted. There was nothing remarkable or striking in the proceedings, but the meeting was _pleas- ant and interesting. The Congress represents very well the official side of forestry in this country, the ideas and work of the Forestry Division of the Department of Agriculture at Washington. Its vitality hitherto has, in great degree, been 516 the effect of Secretary Fernow’s earnestness. He has now relinquished the Secretaryship, in order to have more time for his official work. It is likely that the next meeting of the Congress will be held in Philadelphia, if the people inter- ested in forestry there so desire. Notes. From a note in The Gardeners’ Chronicle of a recent date it appears that 2,300 varieties of Chrysanthemums are grown in the garden of the Royal Horticultural Society at Chiswick, near London. The readership in botany in the University of Cambridge was last month conferred upon Mr. Francis Darwin, a son of Charles Darwin, in place of Mr. Vines, now professor of botany at Oxford. At the exhibition lately held in Paris of fruits and appli- ances used in the manufacture of cider and perry, the first prize for a collection of cider-apples and the second prize for cider were carried off by English exhibitors. At the second meeting of ‘‘ L’Orchidienne” held at Brussels on November rtth, first-class certificates were awarded to Cypripedium Harrisianum polychromum, from Dr. Carnus; to Ansellia Africana aurea, from Madame Gibez; to Oncidium Forbestt maximum, from the Count of Bousies; to Vanda ceru- lea and Cypripedium callosum, from Madame de Cannart d’Hamale; and to Cypripedium nitens superbum, from Mr. Peeters. On a wall which divides the pleasure grounds from the kitchen garden at Warnham Court, a residence in the south of England, a fine specimen of Magnolia grandiflora has been trained so that it covers a space about eighty yards in length. A correspondent of a horticultural journal, describing it last summer, said the profusion of bloom was such that on one portion about a foot square he counted seven fully expanded flowers and several buds. In some of the larger European botanical gardens—as, for example, the University garden in Berlin and the one in Heidelberg—the labels used for the trees are of zinc, with the name stamped in intaglio and then defined with oil paint. These labels are much cheaper than the porcelain ones, more commonly seen, and are equally durable, need- ing no care but the renewal, at long intervals, of the paint; and an additional advantage is found in the fact that they can be made on the spot by unskilled workmen. Messrs. Tiffany & Co., of Union Square, in this city, have on exhibition a remarkable specimen of petrified wood from the fossil forest of Coriza, in Arizona Territory. It is the section of a large tree and measures thirty-six inches in height by forty and a half inches in greatest diameter. The character of the bark is well preserved, and the top, which has been carefully polished, is very beautiful in its agate-like colors, as well as interesting by reason of its clearly revealed markings. It is said to be the largest fossil specimen that has been thus prepared. As this paper goes to press we learn that Senator Stanford has decided to devote to the Arboretum connected with the Leland Stanford, Jr., University, as much space as is needed to contain every tree that can be made to grow in that climate with the aid of irrigation. The trees are to be planted in open order, and arranged with vistas and views, so that the Arboretum will have the features of a pleasure-ground in addition to its scientific character. Mr. Olmsted is to make a design of the work and Mr. Thomas Douglas is to be superintendent of the planting. The Largest Elm tree in Norway is supposed to be a specimen of U/mus montana which stands in the parsonage grounds of the little town of Eker, a few miles from Chris- tiana. When it was examined by Schuebeler in 1871, while he was preparing his Viridarium norvegicum, it measured seventy-five feet in height and six feet in diameter. U. mon- tana is the only species of Elm which grows wild in Norway, and it never attains the dimensions of U. campestris, the species which produces most of the magnificent specimens found in Germany and England. ; A Rose which flowers in the open ground in New England, after the middle of November, is a plant worth a place in any northern garden, even if its flowers do not possess the size or all the substance of some more modern varieties. Such a Rose is Hermosa, one of the Bourbon breed, which dates back as far as 1840. Itis an abundant and constant bloomer throughout the summer and autumn; and there are not Garden and Forest. [DECEMBER 19, 1888. many days during five or six months of the year, or until hard freezing checks vegetation, when flowers cannot be gathered from a well established plant. The flowers are pink and very fragrant. The plants, like most of the Bourbons, require some slight protection at the north. In the horticultural papers of Germany frequent complaints are made that too little regard is paid to mere beauty by those who judge plants and reward their growers at public exhibi- tions. Novelty and singularity are too highly esteemed, it is said, and when the judge is a professional florist he is too apt to think exclusively of the plant's practical qualifications—to consider simply whether it is a strong and prolific grower and can be turned to practical account for commercial use. Of course these considerations must always be largely taken into account, but there is truth in the remark that pure beauty as such has likewise a right to recognition. Nor is the need that it should be more highly esteemed confined to Germany only. The use of benzine has been found effectual in France in destroying the white grubs (thelarvee of the May or Dor Bug), which often do immense damage, especially in dry seasons, to lawns, Strawberry plants, seedling trees and other nursery stock. Holes are made in the ground infested with the grubs with one of the sharp iron dibbles used sometimes in trans- planting small plants, and the benzine is poured into them. Fifty grains of benzine are used to the square yard and care is taken to insert it above the plane of the feeding ground of the grubs. In an experiment recently made by one of the French forest officers, and reported at a meeting of the National Agricultural Society, the grubs on twelve acres were destroyed at a cost of only $3.20 an acre. The London papers report an interesting lawsuit lately won by Sander, the well-known Orchid grower of St. Albans, against the Duchess of Montrose, to recover the amount of his bill for plants and various services connected with fitting up the conservatories at Tifton Lodge, near Newmarket. One item of the bill was for 1,000 Orchids which were furnished at a guinea a plant, the seller being allowed to select what plants he chose. The interesting features of the whole case e¢entred in the letters written by the Duchess’s gardener to the man- ager of the St. Albans Nurseries, and produced during the trial. The tone of this correspondence, and the intimations which it contains, should make those persons who know some- thing about their own gardens congratulate themselves that they are not entirely in the hands of their gardeners. Attention is called in the European journals to the fact that Magnolia Soulangeana, one of the hybrids between JZ con- spicua and M. purpurea, bloomed this year in England during the month of September. The second blooming of this plant is not, however, an unusual occurrence in this country. A few flowers appear almost every year during August and September, and this year the trees were quite covered with them. The flowers are much smaller, however—scarcely half the size of those which appear in spring—and they do not expand fully. Itis rather a curious fact that neither of the parents of this hybrid, or other hybrids of similar origin, notably JZ. Norbertiana, show any tendency to produce autumn flowers. The Japanese JZ ste//ata has been known to flower in the autumn in this country, but not commonly or abundantly. The Society of Amateus Photographers has recently held an exhibition of the work of its members at its rooms on Thirty- sixth Street, where welcome evidence was given of a growth in artistic feeling, as well as in the mere knowledge of photo- graphic processes. Miss Catherine Weed Barnes sent some excellent rural views; Mrs. A. F, Arnold, a picture of Man- groves in Florida, which was really remarkable for good com- position and effective portrayal of the trees, and Mr. David Williams, a large number of subjects most intelligently chosen. Lieutenant C. P. Howell contributed a series of small pictures taken in China, some of which were interesting, or, at least, very amusing, froma horticultural point of view. They repre- sented figures, apparently of life size, in which only the heads and hands were visible, the other portions being thickly draped with growing vines. In one, a branch had been trained asa standard and passed through the outstretched hand of the figure to develop above it intoan open umbrella. Of course one cannot call such oddities works of horticultural art, but it was certainly worth while to reproduce them for western eyes, as nothing could be more singular or more Chinese in effect—which means something very different from Japanese ~ in effect—than a row of these figures, standing in large pots in the most grotesque and humorous attitudes, clothed in their rather ragged and prickly-looking vesture of vines. DECEMBER 26, 1888.] GARDEN AND FOREST. 3 i PUBLISHED WEEKLY bY THE GARDEN AND FOREST PUBLISHING CO. Orrice: TrisuneE Buitpinc, New York. Conducted by . ». «+ 2 e+ se @ . Professor C. S. SARGENT. ENTERED AS SECOND-CLASS MATTER AT THE POST OFFICE AT NEW YORK, N. Y. NEW YORK, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 26, 1888. TABLE OF CONTENTS. PAGE. Epiroriat Arrictes:—A Botanic Garden for the City of New York.—Fruit and Vegetables Under Glass....-. ..ssseseeceeescnereeenteeeesnenene 517 Christmas in the Pines.......-... Mrs. Mary Treat. 518 Florida Oranges.... Sree iieiaoaia(eis bo, cl aa ecareraiala oan A. H. Curtiss. 519 ForeiGN CorRESPONDENCE :—London Letter.......,ceceesseeeeereees W. Watson. 519 New or Littte Known Piants :—Syringa villosa (with illustration)....C S.S. Cuttrurat DepartTMeNT:—AutumnApples in New England. 7. 4. Hoskins, ALD, 521 A Garden of Chrysanthemums (with illustration)...... - Fohu N. Gerard. 522 PEG Gen Ss gO td ELD) Oaate ote, aretarsleleiete) ais vorebetaiais else's, niac's'a 0) cinle(cja wtulapereta(oteraialesfetalsjezst Ws Chrysanthemums—Haplocarpa Leichtlini—Tea Rose, Madame Hoste... 523 Tue Forest:—The Forest Vegetation of North Mexico—X.......C. G. Pringle. 524 CORRESPONDENCE... 00sec ee cece eee ces cent ee eees 524 RECENT PUBLICATIONS,.... sone : = 525 IRERIODIGALMISITERA TURE: ois vaita(s cis saeco daie-riaieds.a.¢9. 0400 26 NOTES 0... cesececeeeeeees Biivie.cf.a Biarslevettob)2,b34.5;5 9.0 e)fiasae. fale 527 ILLustRATIONS :—Syringa villosa, Fig. 83 Efaidae teens +. 522 AY Gardeniol Ghrysanth mums’ sates 624.0 sis iis cislesintesaaineresy aelerniestste sec 523 A Botanic Garden for the City of New York. HE daily papers have been discussing lately the pos- sibility of establishing a botanic garden in this city. The movement certainly has not been made too soon. Botanical and zoological gardens form a part, and a very important part, of the educational equipment of a great metropolis ; and it is not creditable to the people of this city that it is allowed to fall so far behind the other great commercial centres of the world in this respect. A thor- oughly well-equipped and well-maintained garden, carried on upon the principles which should govern such an estab- lishment, can exert a wonderful influence in developing and stimulating the intelligence of the public, not only by increasing the knowledge of plants and plant-geography, but of all that relates to horticulture and gardening. A good garden, however, is not an easy thing to estab- lish. It must be something more than a mere collection of growing plants; it cannot serve its purpose, indeed it cannot be administered, unless the living collections are supplemented by a herbarium and library, without which no garden is worthy of the name. A museum, too, in which the products of all plants can be grouped, while not essential for the administration of a garden, is an attractive and valuable educational feature, which should be provided for in any comprehensive scheme of this character. There are two reasons why botanical gardens fail to ac- complish what is expected of them, and why, from the point of view of popular instruction, there are so very few useful ones. Few persons realize what a very large sum of money it costs to found and maintain a great botanical establishment, and the gardens of the world which are adequately supported with proper endowments may be counted upon the fingers of one hand. The second reason why such gardens fail is found generally in the difficulty of securing men in whom scientific attainments are joined to great administrative capacity to manage them. The man who successfully conducts a botanical establishment, capable of influencing the intelligence of a great metropol- itan population, must possess qualifications of the highest Garden and Forest. 517 order, and an enthusiasm for his work which will enable him to resist the temptations of more lucrative employ- ment, and the opportunity of more immediate influence, which the attainments and character of such a man are pretty sure to bring to him. The gardens at Kew, near London, are what they are to-day—the finest botanical establishment in the world—not because they have been lavishly supported by the British government, but because, through circumstances unprecedentedly favorable, they have been controlled for three generations by men eminent in scientific attainment and administrative ability. We call attention to these facts, not because we are not heartily in favor of the establishment of a botanical garden in this city, but in order that the people of New York may realize that it is no easy matter to secure a good one; that a good deal of money will be needed to support it; and that the proper man to direct the expenditure of this money must be something more than a good gardener or a successful florist, if the garden is to accomplish what is expected of it. A garden, to be successful, like any other museum, must be disassociated entirely from politics in order to secure for ita continuation of management in the same hands. This is essential. The botanic garden of New York must be carried on without any reference to politics, and if this cannot be done the scheme had much better be abandoned at the outset. There is no need of any more botanical gardens in the world run for the purpose of supplying bouquets and dinner-table decorations for the politicians who control the appointment of the managers; or to serve as a means for advancing commercial or private in- TeEnESts: The question of a site for a botanic garden in the city of New York presents some difficulties. There are certainly nowhere in the Central Park thirty or forty acres that can be spared for this purpose, or which are suitable for it. It has been urged that a garden in one of the new parks would be too remote from the great mass of population to be useful, but it would not be more remote from the centre of the city than the garden at Kew is from the centre of the London population, which, during some pleasant after- noons, is visited by more than a hundred thousand people. There is an advantage, too, in having the garden as far as possible from the dust and smoke of the city, which must in time influence Central Park unfavorably, and which is almost fatal toa good garden. It is probable, therefore, that if New York ever has a botanical garden at all pro- portionate to its size, it will have to be located in or in connection with one of the new parks, and whether such a garden is established in this century or not, a proper site should be provided for it in any scheme which may be adopted for their improvement. There seems to be no reason now why such a garden might not be carried on under the control of a board of managers, in the same way that the Museums of Art and Natural History are controlled, or by the trustees of Col- umbia College, either independently or forming part of a larger board. Columbia College already owns a very large and valuable herbarium, and a very considerable botanical library. These, in order to avoid duplication, might very suitably serve as a nucleus for the new establishment, The Museum of Natural History contains a special collec- tion, the magnificent gift of a public-spirited citizen of this town, which might well be the foundation of the new mu- seum, and which would give to it at once a character ossessed by no other botanical museum in the world. But what the situation requires, if the desire for a botan- ical garden really exists in this community, is that some man of wealth, influence and public spirit, fully alive to the importance of making New York a metropolitan city in the truest sense, should appear and gather together the mate- rial already available, raise the funds necessary for the estab- lishment, and secure from the city a suitable location, and such co-operation as may be necessary. When this has been done, and the man who can organize and carry on 518 such a garden has been se sooner or later find or develop him—New York will have a botanical establishment worthy of its intelligence and wealth, which will instruct and enlighten its people and make its influence felt for good from one end of the land to the other. The man or men who can accomplish this will, we believe, be as worthy of the honor and gratitude of the citizens of New York as any who have given their time and money for its improvement and advancement. mAN under glass were hardly to be found in any a abund- ance or variety in the winter markets of our great cities. Enterprising gardeners there were in private “places who were ambitious to prove their skill by furnishing home- grown Asparagus and Green Peas for the Christmas din- ner; but unseasonable delicacies of this sort rarely, if ever, found their way to consumers from commercial growers through the ordinary channels of trade. It is true still that many of the choice grapes, nectarines, peaches and strawberries for city tables come from green- houses that are not strictly commercial. It often hap- pens that in private places fruit and vegetables are pro- duced in excess of the family needs, and the surplus is sold to the city dealer. But, aside from this somewhat irregular trathc, the growing of winter fruit and vegetables of nearly every variety for market has become an im- portant industry, and a rapidly growing one in spite of the fact that facilities for transporting perishable products from warmer climates are multiplying and improving every year. Cold-frames and pits which were originally used to lengthen out the season in autumn and hasten the coming of spring, were very naturally succeeded by cool houses, which offered every advantage given by the frames, with much greater convenience. But an apparatus for heating such houses will not alone suffice to insure a crop of winter vegetables. Special experience and skill are re- quired if any profit is realized, for one may be an expert in growing Tomatoes, for example, out-of-doors, and still be unable to persuade his plants under changed conditions to set any fruit. For a month past hot-house tomatoes have been in strong demand here at sixty cents a pound, wholesale, and this is not an uncommon price. They have sold in this city at a dollar a pound when tomatoes fresh from Havana were bringing seventy-five cents a peck. This means that hot-house tomatoes have a gen- uine value, which comes from superior quality—for this difference in price cannot be entirely due to a mere fancy— and that the skill to grow them well is not generally pos- sessed by market-gardeners—or they would be more abundant. The best growers now can produce beauti- fully colored, well-flavored, and solid, ripe tomatoes for winter marketing within three months from the day the seed is sown. To accomplish this, varieties specially adapted to culture under glass have been originated, with size and habit of growth that insure the ereatest amount of fruit in a given “space—th at is, with a given amount of fuel. Expedients have been devised for insuring fertiliza- tion so that the plants may set fruit well down to the ground. In short, the needs of the plant under artificial conditions have been so thoroughly studied, that a good winter crop of tomatoes can be looked for with creater certainty than can a good field-crop in the summer. But even when ail this special knowledge becomes common property, and when competition is sharpened by a growing demand, choice fruits and vegetables out of their season will continue to be classed among luxuries. There are other crops which require even greater skill for profitable production than the tomato. This is especially true of some of the tree-fruits which necessarily occupy a large space and are most exacting in their demands for special attention throughoutthe entire year. Some ofthem at flowering time even show a preference for a particular Fruit and Vegetables under Glass. SCORE of years ago fresh fruit and vegetables grown Garden and Forest. [DECEMBER 26, 1888. kind of insect to help them in the distribution of their pollen. Peaches and nectarines at six dollars a dozen, grapes at five dollars a pound, with-strawberries at five dollars a basket (and very diminutive baskets have been selling at that rate on Broadway within a week), are expensive articles of food, but, from the grower'’s point of view, these prices are not exorbitant at certain seasons of the year. Anda vegetable as easy to force as asparagus may well command two dollars or morea bunch, because the plants must be cared for three or four years before they are strong enough to produce shoots of proper size, and after one season’s use under glass they are practically worthless. Mushrooms at a dollar and a half a pound, green peas at a dollar fora scant pint when shelled, snap-beans worth enough to be sold by a count of the pods, are paying crops only when carefully grown. Even at these high prices, every foot of space must be employed, with a crop of one kind coming on between the rows of another as it becomes fit to mar- ket, and witha plant ready always to occupy every place made vacant by the removal of another. One grower in Jersey City, who has 25,000 square feet of glass devoted to Radishes alone, and who is prepared to deliver 12,000 bunches a week, considers it an unsuccessful season when he cannot market five crops between the 20th of September and spring weather. _ A few years ago these expensive fruits and vegeta- bles were found only in the shops of a few retail dealers in fancy fruits, but now the call for these products has so increased, that nearly every variety of garden-fruit and vegetables can be found among the regular consign- ments to wholesale dealers. And it may be added, that certain other fruits and vegetables can rarely be found here, except when grown under glass. The long cucum- bers, so highly prized by some people, will only develop to advantage when an almost tropical climate is provided for them. Certain varieties of European strawberries, with a fla- vor greatly relished, are among the best for forcing, although they refuse to flourish in our gardens. It is well known that the varieties of Potato most highly prized in England will come to nothing here under out-door cultivation, and an enterprising marketman near this city has now growing in his green-house some Ash-leaf and Walnut-leaf Kidneys, in the hope that some one will pay him a dollar a pound for his tubers, on account of their supposed nutty flavor, or because they are strictly English. After all, imagination may help to give an inflated value to these fruits out of season, and families of moderate means need not lack for wholesome and toothsome vegeta- bles at any season, thanks to cold storage, quick transpor- tation and approved methods of preserving. And there are old-fashioned people who entertain the very old- fashioned idea that no fruit or vegetable is ever really pleasing to the taste except in its proper season. Christmas in the Pines. A ae Holly and Mistletoe naturally take the first place as lecorative plants at Christmas iime, as they have been from time immemorial identified with this festival; and at this season the Holly’s ‘‘armed and varnished leaves” and clusters of bright red fruit are at their best, and so are the clear white waxen berries of the Mistletoe interspersed among its thick pale-green leaves. But there are many other charming plants to be found in the Pines that can be used with even better effect than these. The Laurel is much more easy to handle than the Holly, and its glossy green leaves are barrens, sive decoration is required. Myrtle should not be neglected. The glossy leaves as well as the thick clusters of pearl-gray fruit make it one of the very best plants to group among the scarlets of the Holly and Alder. Some of the smaller shrubs, too, are now invested with a rare Mae which seems more striking since the foliage of so many of their neighbors has faded and fallen ; and this is quite as beautiful, and they can be- lighted up with clusters of the bright scarlet berries of the Black Alder, which can be found in abundance in the damp — The large, thick, shining leaves of Alagnolia glauca — can also be put to effective use with other foli iage Swhere exten- The deliciously fragrant Wax — } r DECEMBER 26, 1888.] especially true of the little Leiophillum, whose small shining leaves are clustered thickly at the ends of its branches; while among the larger trees the Cedars and Pines have more to offer than boughs of dark green foliage. The bright gray fruit of the one and the symmetrical cones of the other are in- valuable for giving character to decorative work. Where heavy massing is not desired, evergreen vines like Smilax Walter? have a grace that is unrivaled, although it re- quires some resolution to penetrate the thickets where it hangs outits clusters of coral-colored fruit. The common Green- brier (S. rotundifolia) is also beautiful now, being evergreen here, abundant and loaded with blue-black berries. The trailing stems, evergreen leaves and brilliant fruit of the larger Cranberry (Vaccinium macrocarpum) are not to be neg- lected. The running Swamp Blackberry has been mentioned before in these notes, but the delicate veining and exquisite color of the leaves upon the slender and flexible vine when hanging in festoons against a light background seem the per- fection of dainty grace. The aromatic Wintergreen is also here in the greatest profu- sion, and its leaves have now taken on various colors which harmonize well with the cheerful red of its berries. The Prince’s Pine (Chimaphila umbellata and C. maculata) are among the very best of the smaller plants for decoration, es- pecially the latter, the leaves of which are variegated with white, while at Christmas time a rosy tinge isadded. Nothing can be more beautiful than groups of these little plants mixed with the deep-green Laurel. Several species of Club-moss (Lycopodium) grow in the Pines, and these can always be used to good advantage. Their flexible stems are easily managed, and their foliage re- tains its fresh look for a long time. Groups of dry seed-pods are also effective scattered here and there among the evergreens. The pretty urn-shaped seed vessels of the Meadow Beauty (Rhexia Virginica), with many others that may suit the fancy, are now found in plenty. Surely the Pines offer abundant material for Christmas decora- tion, but the beauty and grace with which the Pines them- selves are adorned is indescribable. Mary Treat. Vineland, N. J. Florida Oranges. pats present orange crop in Florida is twice as large as the last, and it is a matter of no little solicitude, with all who are interested in orange growing, to know how the markets will bear the additional strain. The last crop sold at satisfac- tory prices, many northern dealers coming to Florida to buy the fruit, both in the groves and in the auction market at Jacksonville. A home market is the ideal of the orange growers, but it is not likely to become permanent, because the producers will not unite on any one plan of action, but persist in sending their fruit, each for himself, to hundreds of commission houses in the north and west, so that buyers stand the best chance of getting fruit cheap by staying at home. Shippers, as a rule, expect much better returns than they receive under the commission system. Dealers who solicit fruit to sell on commission are prone to hold out flat- tering inducements, which are too readily believed, while those who come to buy on the ground have to pursue the reverse policy, since they assume all the risks, while the commission merchant throws all the risks on the shipper. None realize the evils of the commission system better than the Florida orange growers; yet nearly all of them con- tinue to dispose of their fruit in this manner year after year, simply because they will not unite upon some one definite plan of action, by which they might prevent gluts at centres of distribution and needless depreciation in prices. What is still more important, a wider and more equable distribution of fruit could thus be brought about, which is the only effectual way of counteracting the effects of overproduction. There would be no cause for present apprehension on this score if the product of the Florida growers could be marketed in sum- mer, but, unfortunately, it is in its prime in Winter. In Novem- ber the fruit is not strictly marketable. If left on the trees till spring much waste results, and in the counties north of Orange Lake there is about one chance in three of losing the entire crop by frost. No reliable means of preserving the fruit fresh, after it has been picked from the trees, is known, except by cold storage, which is probably too ex- pensive, and when taken out of cold storage houses fruit is said to go down quite rapidly. Californian Oranges have the advantage of being late in ripening, not being market- able until spring. It seems advisable that late varieties should be sought for and largely planted in southern Florida. Garden and Forest. 519 At presenta movement is on foot to open up European markets tor Florida oranges. Considerable fruit was sent to England last winter, and the returns were quite satisfactory. This season a company in New York has taken up the busi- ness of shipping Florida Oranges to Europe, and the results will be watched with much interest. It appears that Mediter- ranean fruit does not come into market before January, and hence, that there may be good demand for Florida fruit through December, and perhaps later. The danger to be apprehended is that much immature fruit, shipped in Novem- ber, may create a prejudice at the outstart which will be dam- aging. This evil is experienced every year in the American market, as a result of picking fruit before it has acquired proper color and flavor, even as early as in October. Despite persistent warnings through the Florida papers, many persons will begin shipping as soonas the yellow hue makes its appear- ance on the fruit. It sells well for a few weeks, till the public has had a taste of the fruit, and then comes a reaction, from the effects of which the market does not recover before Christmas week. Many advocate the selling of Florida oranges by auction in northern cities, while some oppose it. - This system has been pretty well tested, but the average returns have not differed materially from those received from commission merchants; so the latter may be said to remain masters of the situation. It should be observed that the leading orange growers, who have established a reputation for their fruit and have selected reliable agents to sell it, have a great advantage over others and realize much more satisfactory returns. Orange growers of this class can hardly be induced to join themselves to any general organization, and this fact is, perhaps, the greatest impediment to any effort at combination. Those who are naturally looked to for leadership will not respond, and a co- operative movement that lacks their indorsement is looked upon with distrust. It will be seen that there is something lacking to make orange growing all that fancy has painted it, and that while the lack may be supplied, it is much easier to prescribe the remedy than to apply it. Possibly something may be evolved from the experience of the present season which will tend to advance the industry in the estimation of those who would not follow it merely from esthetic consid- erations. A. ff. Curtiss. Jacksonville, Fla. Foreign Correspondence. London Letter. OLLOWING on a summer which was remarkable for the absence of sunshine and heat, we are experiencing a November of exceptional warmth and openness. Primroses, the harbingers of spring, are flowering in the hedge-rows and copses almostas freely as if it were March; Violets are equally abundant; while the hardy Cyclamens, Christmas Roses, win- ter Heliotrope, and many other plants which usually sleep hard till January, are in full bloom. Not only the flowers, but also the birds, are deceived by the weather, and thrushes sing as lustily as if it were pairing time. Many deciduous trees and shrubs still retain their foliage; bedding plants, such as Verbenas, are still healthy and flowering. Truly this has been a very mixed year in regard to weather. Primula capitata is the sweetest herbaceous plant now in flower. Its normal flowering time is May or June, but it ap- pears to have been affected by the weather in the same way as the common Primrose. Asa plant for an unheated green- house it occupies a foremost place here. I have a bunch of its purple, compact heads of flowers before me as I write, and their powerful odor, Hawthorn-like, fills the whole room. Some of the heads are fully two inches across and contain about a hundred blooms and buds, the latter, occupying the centre, and covered with white meal. The stalks are nine inches high, rising from the centre of a tuft of healthy foliage, not unlike that of P. vi/garis. It is Himalayan, and comes freely from seed. The pretty, white Zephyr flower (Zephyranthes candida) is in full blossom in a sunny border out-of-doors. It is the only species that is happyin the open border in the neigh- borhood of London. The other kinds, especially 2. cavinata, are in great favor here as summer-flowering green-house plants. Cyrtanthus lutescens and C. Mackenti, although not the brightest in color nor largest in flower, have proved much the most useful of the dozen or so species which have been cultivated here at one time or other. The genus is one of the hardest of the Cape genera of bulbs to grow successfully in Europe; but the above are exceptions, as, for the last two years, they have grown and flowered most freely at Kew 520 under very simple treatment. They are scarcely ever out of bloom, and just now they are unusually good, which is a point greatly in their favor when considering their claims as garden plants. C. dutescens has leaves a foot long, halfan inch broad, green and fleshy ; the scapes are a foot long, each bearing an umbel of from six to nine flowers of a soft lemon-yellow color which are one and a half inches long, narrow tubular, the six short segments reflexed, the stamens as long as the tube, the style a littlelonger. Each flower keeps fresh over a month, so that for bouquet, and like purposes, they would prove of great value. C. Mackenii is similar, but pure white, the tube slightly bent, and the segments not reflexed; the flowers measure nearly one inch across. Ina coolgreen-house, with the same treatment as suits Vallota, these two plants are certain to prove successful. Hippeastrum aulicum,— Everybody is looking after the new and flashy hybrid Amaryllises, but no one appears to care for the species. And yetsome of them are first-rate flower- ing plants, with plenty of color attractions. Such a one is the above, and when one recollects that this and A. reticulatum are the only two which bloom before Christmas, its claims as a garden plant are undoubted. There are some fine examples of itin bloom at Kew now. They have plenty of full sized foliage (another good point), the scapes are stout, nearly two feet high, and bear each two flowers, six inches long and six inches across, of a deep crimson color, with darker shadings, and a green star at the base inside. The flowers have been open a fortnight and are still good. Orchids.—We have as many named varieties of Lela an- ceps as of Cattleya Mossia, and some of them are as much alike as two peas. There are good, well-marked varieties, also, and we do not seem to have reached the end of them yet, for the Orchid of the week is a very beautiful and distinct variety of Z. anceps which has flowered with Mr. Sander at St. Albans, and which he has named Amesiana, after Mr. Ames, of North Easton, Massachusetts. The width of the flower is four inches; the sepals, one-half inch broad, nar- rowed to a long point; the petals, one and one-half inches broad, also long-pointed; both sepals and petals are ivory- white, tipped with rose-purple. The labellum is smaller than in the type, the lateral lobes are incurved, white, with lines of red inside, the front lobe small, narrowed almost to a stalk at the base, and colored rich maroon-purple. There is also a very prominent ridge-like crest running from the front lobe into the throat which is colored bright yellow. This variety is considered the equal in beauty of Z. anceps Daw- soni. Its valueisshown bythe price paid for it by Mr. Sander— 200 guineas—although, in 1883, this same plant was pur- chased from Mr. Sander for two guineas; but it had not then flowered. Another addition to the list of sensational Orchids, Odontoglossum Schrederianum, is also in flowerin theSt. Albans nursery. It is an unusually stately plant, standing between two widely distinct species, O. Karwinski and O. leve. It resembles both in growth and has along paniculate inflores- cence; each flower measures three inches across, the sepals and petals are one and one-quarter inches long, one-half an inch wide, pointed, spreading, the three upper ones curved upwards, the two lower curved down and inwards; they are colored yellowish-white, with large and numerous blotches of purple. The lip is pandurate, an inch long, nearly as broad, the basal half a bright crimson, the apical half pure white. It is a remarkable and handsome species, certain to become a popular Orchid for the cool house. It was introduced and flowered in 1887. Odontoglossum Harryanum has bounded into the very front rank of Orchids. Itis a most delightful plant, full of charming variety, quaint and attractive in form, fantastically yet richly colored, and, withal, as easily grown as O. crispum, and almost as cheap. A good garden plant ought always to be abundant and cheap. The plant of O. Harryanum which first flowered had but two blooms, and those not of the best, yet they made the eyes of Professor Reichenbach twinkle with delight when he saw them (he was staying at Kew at the time). But we have now spikes with eight, nine and eleven flowers, and collectors say there are even more. A fine variety with eleven flowers on the spike is now in bloom at Kew. Masdevallias are general favorites in England, even the small ‘‘botanical” species finding many admirers. At Kew we have over eighty species, about a dozen of which are in flower now. Three of the most remarkable are, W/. macrura, a large-flowered, long-tailed species, the sepals united at the base and forming a shallow cup, one inch across, and then separating into three narrow tails six inches long. Inside there are lines and warts of a purplish color, the rest of the flower being yellowish green; the petals and lip are very Garden and Forest. [DECEMBER 26, 1888. diminutive. The leaves are one toot long, two inches across, thick and leathery. The peduncle is as long as the leaves. M. Mooreana is another large flowered kind belonging to the Peristeria and Coriacea group. The sepals form a cup one inch across, with a prominent chin; they then separate into three projecting tails three inches long, the lower ones united by their inner edge and then turned outwards; these are pur- ple, the upper one being yellow with purple lines. The lip is large, tongue-shaped, and colored dark purple. Leaves are six inches long, one and one-quarter inches wide, thick, fleshy, and very dark green. The last of the trio is AZ pulvinaris. Itisa very singular species, quite distinct from any other cultivated Masdevallia. The scape is one and one-half feet high, purple, clothed with close-fitting bracts and covered with a whitish scabridity, rough as sandpaper, but slightly glutinous. The flowers are produced on the upper six inches of the scape, about a dozen on each scape. They are an inch apart,and | each one is an inch long, reversed, so that the labellum is | uppermost; the two upper sepals are united and forma boat- | shaped hood. Inside they bear two oblong, fleshy, yellow, i cushion-like processes, the object of which is not clear; the _ lower sepal is concave and as long as the upper ones. Color purple and dull yellow. -Botanically, this Orchid is the most interesting plant now in flower at Kew, but its lack of bright color will prevent it. from ever becoming a popular garden dlant. Cattleya Gaskelliana is worth growing as a market plant, or, at all events, for the sake of its flowers, which are deliciously fragrant, beautiful in form and color, very freely produced, and at their best in October and November. In Messrs. Low & Co.’s Nursery at Clapton there are many thousands of this Orchid, occupying a very large house, and from them bushels of bloom have been cut and marketed this autumn. The species is very easily managed, as easily as C. Mossia. Disa racemosa.—There are only two good garden Disas, namely, the superb old YD. grandifiora, of which every garden possesses, or should possess, dozens, and D. racemosa. This is arecent introduction, but it bids fair to become a popu- lar Orchid. It is easily grown, requiring the same treatment as D. grandiflora, and blooms abundantly in spring. Each growth produces one or two tall spikes, each bearing from six to twelve deep-rose flowers, which last three or four weeks. Itis a native of the east side of the Cape. Vanda Amesiana is a delightful plant, of which little is known yet, but quite enough to satisfy one that it will provea._ first-class garden Orchid. It was introduced and flowered by Messrs. Low & Co. in 1887, and a second imported one in | excellent health has recently arrived. The narrow fleshy | leaves are six inches long, the erect crowded spike of flowers, — each one and one-half inches across, with pure white sepals and petals, and a large rosy-red lip; these give this species a character distinct among Vandas. It is also easily grown if placed in the same house with Phalzenopsis. London, pee tee z < IV. Watson, New or Little Known Plants. Syringa villosa. N account of this beautiful Lilac, of which an illustra- tion appears upon the opposite page, was pub- lished upon page 222 of this journal. It is a native of northern China, and the plant from which our illustration was made was raised in the Arnold Arboretum from seed sent from Pekin by Dr. Bretschneider. Syringa willosaisa _ vigorous and very hardy shrub, now five feet high here, _ by as much through the branches, with stout, erect, pale | brown shoots, marked with white spots, broad and ample _ pale green strongly reticulate-veined leaves, and narrow, — * i and rather obtuse, often interrupted clusters of pale rose or flesh-colored flowers, which are decidedly less fragrant than _ those of the common Lilac. They appear here towards | the end of May. S. villosa is a valuable and desirable addition to gardens. The only drawback which it has yet developed as an orna- — mental plant is found in the fact that its leaves fall very early, or after the first frost, without any change of color. | Our plant seems identical with the one recently figured — in the Revue Horticole (November ist) under the name- Syringa Emodi rosea, which has flowered in the Jardin des” | Plantes, in Paris, and was raised from seed sent also by | Dr. Bretschneider. As was pointed out in the description already referred to, the S. Zmodi of the Himalaya, in spite DECEMBER 26, 1888. ] of slight differences of habit and of the form of the leaves is probably not distinct from the north China plant, so that the name S. Z7vod7 should, if this view is adopted, disap- pear in the older name of SS. willosa. CAS: 1S: Fig. 83.—Syringa villosaa—Sce page 520 Cultural Department. Autumn Apples in New England. MONG the autumn apples, the Gravenstein is now de- cidedly taking the lead throughout the southern half of New England, as the Duchess of Olde nburgh does in the northern half. There is no comparison between the dessert quality of Garden and Forest. 521 these two apples, the German being altogether superior to the Russian. Yet itis a fact that there is scarcely any difference in their market price. I have been interested in following the market quotations, and find that only for shipping to Engl and does the Gravenstein lead, and this mostly when grown in Maine. The Maine Gravensteins are so much superior in keeping quality that they may be almost rated as early winter apples. Close to the Gravenstein in popularity with buyers comes the Porter, but this is an apple that bruises so easily and is injured so greatly ing, that itean only be grown pro-‘ fitably for a near market. The Gravenstein was brought into New England from Belgium early in this century, and first propagated in Byfield, Massachusetts. No foreign apple ever achieved a more rapid or better deserved popularity in America. It is one ofthe very few fall apples of good size, fine ap eae e and high quality, that can be handled, kept and transported without injurv. These merits have given it a posi- tion alongside the Hubbardston in the Boston market. Yet there are many other fall apples grown and highly valued tor ere use. High among these is the Mother, which ripens in October, pat its season extends up to and ae yond the holidays. Truly, as Col says, “The Mother has no superior, and very few equals. Yet it is rarely on the street stands, and is hardly known except among oid New England families of rtiral origin oraffiliations. The Graven- stein and Hubbardston have gain- ed the lead upon the Mother as a market fruit, notwithstanding its good size, handsome appearance and surpassing quality. Perhaps the chief reason for that the Mother, as Downing notes, is “rather too tender for shiy ment.’ This apple originated in Bolton, Massachusetts. Next to the Mother comes the Garden Royal (native of Sudbury, Massachusetts), of by bruis- this is which Cole says truly, ‘ Nothing is superior,” though he adds, market Mother, in the patronized by and in the gar- “rather small for we find it, with best fruit stores, the old families, dens of many farmers, thot usually but a single tree. It is produced in great perfection about Portland, Maine, and there I have seen it on the stands oftener than in Boston. Garden Roval is about the size, form and Fa- meuse, yet they are distin- eguishe d by the eve. The Fameuse is a variety in the where it color oat easily standard market, the name ot Boston goes by “Snow.” Being a good shipper, it comes from many directions, and is everywhere for sale about Thanksgiving time. It is grown up to the northern limits of New Eneland, where its season extends to and beyond New Year’s day. It isa handsome, delicate apple, with a delicate, peculiar flavor, everywhere recognized and liked, though it is by no means a rich or aromatic apple. The tree is hardy and productive, but the fruit is liable to spot in un favorable seasons and localities, sometimes to the extent of making the whole crop unmerchantable, This apple is pop ular, and as commonly grown in Connecticut and Rhode 522 Island as elsewhere in New England, but the best and fairest fruit comes from the Champlain valley and islands. The Fa- meuse is of Canadian origin, and Canada has produced a vast number of seedlings from it, some of which, though little known, surpass it in many points. These seedlings are now being made better known, and somewhat disseminated, through the efforts of the Montreal Horticultural Society. Connecticut’s bes: contribution to our list of fall dessert apples is the Mexico, which is pretty well distributed in the east, yet not largely grown for market. This is a small red apple, much in the style of Fameuse, with tender flesh anda fine, high flavor. Origin, Canterbury, Connecticut. In New Hampshire Jewett’s Fine Red (Nodhead) takes the lead as a fall apple everywhere, both for home use and mar- ket. Like the Fameuse, it can be kept into the winter, but does not long retain its remarkably fine, delicious, aromatic flavor. This apple is also well distributed in southern Maine and Vermont. Origin, Hollis, New Hampshire. The Winthrop Greening is a native fall apple, held in very high esteem in western Maine. It is large, golden yellow, with slight russet and a tinge of red in the sun. This apple has a tender, crisp, and very juicy flesh, with a sprightly, luscious flavor, mildly tart. Its reputation seems to be strictly local. But the great native fall apple of southern New England (extending somewhat into the winter along the northern range) is unquestionably the Hubbardston Nonesuch, ot Mas- sachusetts. Truly does Downing declare that this Apple is worthy of extended culture ; and it has attained it. The Hubbardston is found in nearly every orchard in southern New England, but unfortunately its northward range is not so wide as we could wish. It isa failure in most parts of Ver- mont and New Hampshire, and succeeds only in south-western Maine. A fine, large, roundish, oval apple, Striped and splashed with two shades of red, with yellow, juicy, tender flesh, mingling sweetness with sprightly acidity, it is well entitled to class with the best, in our lists. It also has the qualities needed fora great market apple, the tree being vig- orous and productive, and the fruit firm enough for transpor- tation. In northern New England the Duchess of Oldenburgh is planted everywhere, and produces fruit superior in size, beauty and quality to the same variety grown further south. Yet there is only a day or two in its existence when it can be classed as even a tolerably good eating apple. With cold storage it can be kept till CHWetAS: and this long-kept fruit, losing no beauty, gains considerably in quality, so that it brings good prices. A favorite fall apple in the cold north-west, for home use, is the Peach of Montreal. This variety is worthless for ship- ping, as it willnot improve if prematurely gathered, while if allowed to mature on the tree it bruises with the slightest touch. The tree is vigorous and productive, and the fr uit one of the most beautiful grown, having a creamy skin with a lovely pink blush in the sun.’ The size is medium to large, form conical, flesh white, delicate, very soft, juicy, subacid, and pleasant in flavor, without much aroma or distinctive taste. Lyman’s Pumpkin Sweet is, I think, the most widely grown and popular among the Fall Apples of this class. The tree is vigorous and productive, and the fruit is especially fine for baking, LT. Hf, Hoskins, Newport, Vt. = A Garden of Chrysanthemums. NOVEMBER garden, even if filled with the most ob- scure flowers, would make a very satisfactory ending of the out-door season; but the illustration on the opposite page, froma photograph taken in late November, dimly sets forth what ev en a small garden can show at that season in the way of Chrys santhemums, which certainly have no rivals among autumn flowers. Those shown at the side of the house (with the exception of afew pots useful for filling vacancies) are grown where they bloom, and at approach of frosty weather are protected by cold-frame sashes resting on temporary tramework. If the weather is very severe, a canvas curtain is dropped in front, and the window of a warm cellar in the rear is opened to tem- per the air. It kept dry, plants in such a position are seldom injured, in this latitude, before their blooming time is eee tteuee| over. The main portion of my collection, some 50 plants, is, however, more thoroughly protected from frost ane winds by the tent shown on the right of the picture. This has a ground area of tw venty by thirty fee ‘t, with fourteen feet ridge, “two masts and six feet w alls. It is made of sail-duck Garden and Forest. [DecEMBER 26, 1888. and is strongly roped. It is easily raised over the plat by five men in as many minutes when the usual early October frost threatens. The walls are clewed up in pleasant weather, and the plants have as cool treatment as is consistent with safety. The heat is supplied by a Hitchings Base Burner located in the cellar, with a two-inch wrought iron flow and return pipe running around inside the lower base of the walls. With this arrangement the plants passed through two nights this séason, with an outside temperature of 20° Fahrenheit, uninjured, and much sharper weather would probably injure none but a few in the centre of the plat. I cannot see that the light in the tent is prejudicial to the coloring of the flowers. The walls are up every fine warm day, and the flowers havea certain amount of strong light in any cas If any flowers are affected they are the pinks, which perhaps come a little lighter in the cen- tre of the tent. Ventilation is somewhat self- regulating, as the wall hooks on the root under a curtain, leaving open spaces which have to be pinned up when the w eather becomes severe, It is no great trouble to grow Chrysanthemum plants, and I have no general cultural theories to explain. I leave home at eight o’clock in the morning and return at seven in the evening, | keep no gardener, and yet find no difficulty in car- ing for 400 Chrysanthemums, besides a considerable col- lection of hardy perennials and other garden plants. My pur- pose is to grow a large crop of good flowers with the smaliest outlay of money and labor. My practice is to plant out the slips (with a strong stake to each) as early in May-as possible, in double rows, say eigh- teen inches apart each way, with a thirty-inch space between the double rows. For my very heayy soil a liberal supply of horse-manure and bone-dust under each plant affords the needed nutriment. The plants are in no way coddled at any stage, the care being about the same as that given to a crop of Corn. The ground is cultivated several ‘times and kept loose until the surface roots < appear, when a mulch of manure is given. Chrysanthemums are very impatient of surplus moisture at the roots (no plants more so), and the object being to produce stocky plants with short joints, they are seldom watered at the roots during a normal season unless they show signs ot being dry. Discretion must be used in reading these signs, as some plants with drooping foliage, lile Soleil Levant, always appear to lack moisture. Water is usually applied overhead to keep the foliage fresh and to induce breaks. My plants are never os stopped,” as they almost invariably produce more stems than are needed, and, besides this, I prefer to have them throw their blooms high. If plants are frequently stopped, one cannot pluck stems two or three feet long, which add so much grace to the cut.flowers. In August the ‘plants are gone over and tied up thoroughly, in anticipation of high winds, and to avoid restaking the stakes are cobwebbed together With strong twine. W hen ready to show, rails are run between the double rows and the plants tied closely and securely back. The aisles seem narrow, yet several thousand people passed between them last season without injuring a plant. Disbud- ding is the nice art of Chrysanthemum ‘culture, and is a matter of experience and judgment. Ina general way, I pre- fer to remove all but one bud, preferably the crown bud, from each stem. However thoroughly one disbuds, he will wish before the end of the season that he had removed a few more, for only in this way can fine, characteristic flowers be had. Of course there are exceptions. One reads in the papersefre- quently of some one who prefers the flowers in all their natural luxuriance, but, in actual practice, I find that visitors universally appreciate the best productions. Six, seven and eight inch flowers are no rarities now, and many of these are as refined as the smaller ones, if not overdone in the cul- ture. Fohn N. Gerard. Elizabeth, N. J. Ferns for Cutting. N estimating the relative value of various species and va- rieties of Ferns for use in a cut state, some special qual- ities are to be considered, the more important ones being beauty, durability and rapidity of growth. It is also desira- ble that they should be easy to propagate, so that the stock can be quickly renewed when the plants become weakened by trequent use of the knife. In beauty, few Ferns, if any, excel the Adiantums, taken as a group, ‘and several of the varieties, notably 4. Wiegandi, last a long time when cut. But though this variety makes a very pretty plant, it has not the elegance and grace of A. cuneatum, A. cuneatum grandiceps or A. gracillimum, the latter having a most beauti- tul effect when used with shall in arrangements of white or DECEMBER 26, 1888.] pink flowers, its delicate pinnae appearing like work among the flowers. In addition to the above-mentioned species and varieties, A. decorum may be used as a substitute for A. cuneatum, if more convenient to do so, its strong fronds of similar general outline being tough enough to stand considerable exposure. In choice arrangements, those of Orchid flowers, for instance, A. Farleyense is almost indispensable. The varieties named are probably the most useful of this family in general cultiva- tion, and all are easily propagated from spores, with the ex- ception of 4. Farleyense, which is readily increased by divi- sion, The next in order for general usefulness are several species of Pteris, most of which are of the easiest cultivation, while for lasting qualities they are decidedly some of the best. Preris Cretica and its varieties magnifica and albo-lineata keep in good condition for several days, in water, while P. serrudata and several garden torms of this well-known sort are very a green lace- Garden and Forest. 523 cutting, but in many establishments the plants are not large ornumerous enough to warrant a free use of the knife; but where a few fronds of this handsome species can be spared for deeorating, it will be noted that fronds of G. dichotoma, when placed in water, stand the test of a warm room for as long a period as those of any Fern so used, and from their peculiarly formed growth are sure to attract attention and commendation. Philadelphia, November 23d iW. Chrysanthemums.—It often happens after Chrysanthemums have done flowering that they are stowed away either under green-house benches, where there is but little Hg@ht, or in cel- lars where there is less, or are left out in the weather to strue- gle as best they can with the elements. Good Chrysanthe- mums cannot be had next year trom stock subjected to such treatment. Growers who aim at fine plants and fine flowers are now giving their stock-plants the best attention; thi weaker kinds are placed in a cold green-house or frame, close A Garden of Chrysanthemums.—See opposite page. pretty, and capabie of standing a great deal of rough usage; while if large fronds are needed for any special purpose, P. argyea and P. tremula are among the best varieties to tur- nish them, though they will not stand quite so long as those of P. Cretica and P. serrulata, and they are also rather more brittle. After the Pteris may be placed Onychium Faponicum and Davallia tenuifolia striata, oth of which are excellent Ferns for either florists or amateurs, though they do not recover from a severe cutting in so short a time as plants of the genus first named, and in the case of the Davallia it is also some- what more difficult to raise a quantity from spo Another Fern frequently seen and very usetul at times is J@crolepis hirta cristata, its long and graceful fronds being seen to ad- vantage in large baskets and similar arrangements. I lately saw a pleasing effect produced by the use ofa few fronds of Micro- lepis in a basket of Chrysanthemums, this being one of the few Ferns which may safely be used among these flowers without seeming out of place. Some of the Nephrolepis are also very good for our purpose, WV. exaltata and NV. davallioides Jurcans being among the mostsuitable on account of the strong texture of their fronds and their rapid and persistent growth. Much might be said of the good qualities of the Gleichenias for nernyereresyy) th [CT STAN ACUTE, VST ES ES ERNIE | to the light, and they are never allowed to want for water; the stronger kinds have also good positions in airy frames or green-houses. All are kept free from insects and mildew. Cuttings will be made of the slower growing kinds as soon as they have obtained sufficient vigor. The best Chrysanthe- mums are only obtained from cuttings taken from plants that are perfectly strong and healthy. Fohn Thorpe. Pearl River, N.Y. Haplocarpa Leichtlini.—I have grown this little south Afri- can composite plant for the past three years, and am well pleased with it as a border flower, but it is of no use for cutting, as its blossoms do not stay open after they are cut and removed to an ordinarily lighted room. The plants are stemless, and form rosettes of Dandelion-shaped leaves, seven to nine inches long, glossy above and thickly covered with white, closely-pressed silky down beneath.. The flowers are two to three inches across, golden yellow backed with pur- plish-brown, showy and borne singly on scapes ten to thirteen inches high. They shut up at night and in dull weather, The ,plant is not hardy, and ten degrees of frost will kill it outright. Although a perennial, it seeds freely and the seeds germinate readily, and if sown in spring they give blooming plants by midsummer, and these plants continue to bloom uninterrupt- edly till cut down by November frosts. William Falconer. Glen Cove, L. I : Tea Rose, Madame Hoste.—This is a Rose of great promise, and judging from our own experience, it will take rank with the most valuable of its class. It possesses a good constitu- tion, is strong, but not coarse, in growth, and has abundant dark green foliage. The bud is larger than that of Perle des Jardins, and of rounder, yet finely pointed, form, while its beautiful lemon tint is most pleasing. Not the least of its charm is its beauty when fully open. Within the past tew days flowers have developed here which rival the largest and most 524 perfect Maréchal Neils. There is little doubt that it will prove a valuable bedding variety ; and as to its suitability for forcing under glass there can no longer bea question, M. Guillot, to whom we are indebted for this mi agnificent variety, has once more placed the lovers of fine Roses under grateful obliga- tion to his house. OG . T. . Richmond, Ind. The Forest. The Forest Vegetation of North Mexico.—X. |" we continue, over the plains and amongst the foot- hills bordering them, our examination of the frutescent species of Chihuahua, we shall find sparsely scattered through the chaparral several shrubs of interest in one regard or another—Cassia_ Wishzen’, Gray, in small clumps about six feet high, for its abundant yellow bloom shown in April, and again after the midsummer rains have refreshed the country ; Amsacanihus tusiguis, Gray, a slender bush three to six feet high, for its showy light purple flowers, which appear on the leafless branches in March; Zizyphus lycio:des, Gray, growing in clusters six or eight feet high, for its burden® of blue-black berries, long persisting ; -lcacia consiricia, Benth., here merely a shrub with tall, slender stems, for the delightful fragrance of its flowers, growing in little yellow heads strung on the virgate branches, which throughout several months of the year betray to all passing near the presence of this shrub; Lip pia lycioides, Steud., a tail and tender shrub, often sup- ported by other species, fora similarly sweet and long continued perfume ; Lycraurus leplocladus, Hook, 7, a low, soft bush, for its feathery panicles of fruit; Ephedra re furca, Torr., two to ten feet high in clumps, for its rush- like, leafless branches ; and Ephedra pedunculata, Engelm., a vine-like plant climbing amongst shrubbery, for its numerous scarlet berry-like fruits. On the extensive sandy plain, in some parts shifting sand-hills, lying south of Paso del Norte, Bigelovia pul- chella, Gray, Arlemisia filifolia, Torr., and Polomintha tn- cana, Gray, are scattered as small shrubs amongst clumps of Mesquite. In arroyos of the plains Brickellia laciniala, Gray, and Hymenoclea monogyra, Gray, are woody- -stemmed plants a few feet in height. A wild Grape, lis Arizonica, Engelm., bearing clusters of a few small berries, grows on river banks. Two species of Baccharis, B. angustifolia, Michx., and &. glutinosa, Pers., border streams or cover their higher gravel. The Osier-like stems of these two common plants, harvested before the resin-covered leaves fall, and bound into bundles, serve as fuel for burning tiles, lime, etc. Senecio salignus, DC., and Varilla Meat- cana, Gray, are woody composites of the lower valleys, conspicuous in March for profuse yellow flowers. The low shrubs which occupy the mesas of thin soil on a cemented foundation, previously described, are chiefly Larrea Mexicana, Moric., and /Vlourensia cornua, DC., the leaves of both covered with resin as a protection against drought, and the following, whose leaves have a velvety covering, serving the same end—Parthenium tnca- num, HBK., Lip pia Wright, Gray, Buddleia marrubiifolia, Benth., with round heads of orange-colored flowers, and Leucophylum minus, Gray, whose deep purple flowers contrast well with its silvery leaves. Quite at home amongst these, and overtopping them, we notice Rhus microphylla, Engelm., six or eight feet high, and attractive with its scarlet fruits, and . depauperate state of Acacia constricta, Benth. Approaching finally the foot-hills by the azrevos, strewn with gravel and boulders, through which their torrents rush down to the plain, channels left dr y throughout most or the year, however, we pass a straggling growth of shrubs, the acquaintance of many of which we have e already made upon the plain. rom the arreves we follow into’ the gulches and cafions others, however, which better love the hills,—Morus microphylla, Buck. , ch to fifteen feet high, of interest as yielding fruit, though small and barely edibl et perhaps the best wil dtr uit to be found; Preha angustifolia, Benth., five to twelve feet, of slender, irregular habit ; Garden and Forest. [DECEMBER 26, 1888. Garrva Wrighti, Torr., six feet high, a leafy evergreen ; Berberis trifoliolata, Moric., a Berberry with glaucous, pun- gent leaves and the usual scarlet berries ; ‘Ungnadia Spe- closa, Endl., loaded in earliest spring with pink flowers ; Rhus vir cus, Lindh., approaching arborescent proportions, with shining evergreen leaves, pink flowers and scarlet fruits ; Lonicera albiflora, Tl. & G, awhite-flowered Honey- suckle : ; Coloneaster ene HBK., six to eight feet high, and. loaded with rosy-white fruits of the size of Huckleber- ries; Loreshera phillyrewides, Vorr., six to ten feet high ; ALimosa a a Watson, four or five feet; Rhamnus Cal- ifornica, Esch., fifteen feet; and Colubrina Texensis, Gray, ten to fifteen feet high Without the canons we find preferring more open situa- tions, on the lesser hills, Lysenhardia spinosa, Engelm., one to two feet; Zecoma sfans, Juss., three to six feet, bril- liant throughout the growing season with shining yellow flowers; Alamosa dysocarpa, Benth., and AL Pringlec. Wat- son, both pretty, with a profusion of purplish flow er clus- ters; Mortonia scabrella, Gray, two or three feet; dAdolphia infesla, Meisn., spiny and almost leafless, in broad clumps, but a foot or two high; that strange plant, Mougquiera s plen- dens, Engelm., with virgate stems ten to fifteen feet high, several spreading from a common crown and terminated by a cluster of flaming red flowers; and Vanquelinia co- rymbosa, Corr., a beautiful shrub of a few feet in height with compact, evergreen foliage and corymbs of white flowers ;. on the upper slopes and summits—Ceanothus Greggit, Gray ; Cowania Mexrcana, Don, three to six feet high ; Cerco- - carpus parvifolius, Nutt., ten feet; and &endlera rupicola, Engelm. and Gray. . In cafions of mountains about the Laguna c-untry were found, besides many of the above, eee crasstfolia, Gray, A. Berlandiert, Benth., and 4. ‘anisophylla, Watson, n, Sp., Bauhinia uniflora, Watson, v7. sp., showy, with purple flowers, and Randia Pringle’, Gray, with white. fragrant flowers, all about fifteen feet high, and doubtfully to be in- cluded among shrubs. HOP nse e ae sruticosa, Watson, n. Sp., and Machaonia Pr mglet, Gray. 1. sp., a lovely ever- green with white flowers, were but farce to five feet high. Charlotte, Vt. C. G, Pringle Correspondence. : An Appeal for Pretty Plants. To the Editor of GARDEN AND FOREST: Sir.—I am a vulgarian. I like pretty plants. I also like to own them. I like to see them growing on my little grounds. I like them just as much if they come from far aw ay as if they were first found near at hand; and if they are very unlike what all my neighbors have, I love my pretty plants the better for that. T enjoy gathering around me handsome shrubs and trees which I couldn't otherwise see short of a horticultural park or a big arboretum. To my low taste it isn't the end of all perfection in planting to secure ‘‘repose,” or general sleepiness, or so refined a commonplace that nobody will no- tice whether anything is growing near my house. I rebel against Mr. Olmsted and you, and only a revolt will ease my mind and temper when you go to laying down those. austere rules of Jandscape-¢g gardening. What! May some high artist come along, and order out of the “ground my pluming Pampas Grass and striped Eulalias, my de- licious Japanese Maples and the Paulownia which I cut down every year that it may yield. me leaves more than two feet across, my Hydrangea Grandifloras, all in a bouncing bed, my dainty blue Spruce and delicate Deodar Cedar, my Retinisporas, too various to describe in a letter of protest, and my Irish Yew, black as the Sun-ray Pine is yel- low ? Shall he make me believe that all the people who look — over my fence as they go by and who say this lawn is the _ neatest thing in the neighborhood, lack good taste for ad- miring a plain man’s collection of all the fine things he could find a nice place forand make grow out-of-doors ? > Why may I not think a dark Austrian and a light Scotch Pine set each other off as well in Pennsylvania as if they were planted — t'other side of the sea? Why are not that rich Nordmann Fir. and that bland Nobilis as charming side by side as if one were thriving unseen in the Crimea and the other were hidden away in the Sierras ? DECEMBER 26, 1888.] It's of no use to goon. Iam too dull to understand why pretty things cease to be pretty when they become strikingly pretty. I think you have hitit with regard to the glaring calico beds of Coleus. Some sense ought to be shown in putting colors together ; but green is not the only color in trees worth looking at by vulgar eyes. If you will make a pilgrimage far out Chestnut Street, in Philadelphia, as I do two or three times a year, just to see a purple Beech, purple as any bedding plant, big as a house, and round as a Cabbage, with a cut-leaved, Weeping Birch tor one neighbor and a Cedar of Lebanon hard by in acorner, Iam sure you would enjoy these rare beauties which, as a critic, you condemn, because they are not com- monplace and easy to overlook. Make your high-class parks as prim and plain as you will, but pardon common folk for putting pretty things where they can see them grow and where they can be proud of them. Simple Simon. Chester, Pa. [Our correspondent has entirely failed to comprehend the scope and aims of this journal if he imagines that we do not cordially share his admiration for beautiful plants. All - those which he mentions are handsome and appropriate objects in a garden or upon a lawn adjacent to a dwelling- house; and if he has succeeded in grouping them so as to bring out all their beauties with the same taste and know!l- edge which he has displayed in their selection, his neigh- bors have good reason for stopping to look at his garden. But if he has succeeded in grouping them in this man- ner he may feel very sure that—apparently without his knowledge and perhaps even against his will—he has se- cured an effect of ‘‘repose,” of harmony, of variety in unity, although not necessarily of ‘‘sleepiness” or com- monplaceness. The mistake he makes, and it is one of very general occurrence, is that he confounds the treatment of a yard or small garden in a thickly settled, or compara- tively thickly settled, region, with landscape-gardening— that is, with the development of surfaces, the treatment of water and the arrangement of plants in such a way as to produce living pictures on a large scale, which are success- ful as they imitate or surpass natural effects. Whena small garden or a small lawn forms part of a wider and more ex- tended picture it demands a treatment which shall be in harmony with its surroundings, or with the views, natural or artificial, which can be seen from it. But, as a general rule, a small garden must be treated as a unit and independently of its surroundings; and in such a gar- den plants which would appear inappropriate and out of place in a large landscape picture, are not only appro- priate, but the most desirable plants to use. A garden exists largely for the sake of its plants; with a park or landscape the reverse is the case—the plants exist for the sake of the picture asa whole. But even in the smallest garden an Over-accumulation of trees and shrubs and flowers, a con- fusion of incongruous forms and colors, a fussy, hetero- geneous, disorderly arrangement can never be satisfactory, for under such circumstances the plants themselves cannot appear to the best advantage. If our correspondent’s gar- den is as pleasing in effect as we gather from his words, its arrangement is orderly, no matter how unsymmetrical and informal it may be; forms and colors are well contrasted; each plant helps instead of hurting the beauty of its neigh- bors, and therefore the effect is a reposeful one. That it includes many striking elements does not alter this fact— some of the finest, most complete and reposeful works of art that the world can show contain very striking elements. The whole question is not one of elements, but of their use, and all we have tried to impress upon our readers is that the more striking the material, the more difficult it is to use it really well, and that material which is not striking is the safest to employ. Given a due degree of knowledge and taste there is no reason why all the plants mentioned by our correspondent, and many more be- sides, cannot be plantedin such a manner uponasmall piece of ground as to produce an attractive and interesting garden. The development of these plants will afford new pleasures or new disappointments every year; and the man who plants and maintains such a garden should be considered a benefactor to the community in which he lives. It is a Garden and Forest. 525 collection of plants, however, which he creates, and not a landscape picture. Each is valuable and interesting, and each is capable of affording real and lasting pleasure ; but they must not be confounded, and the man who can suc- cessfully plant, and so make the most of his door-yard, must not think that he is a landscape-gardener. — Eb. | To the Editor of GARDEN AND FOREST : Sir.—In striking contrast with the vicinity of Lebanon, Penn- sylvania, where the portable saw-mill, at so much per acre, has devastated the country of its most valuable trees, I ob- served during a recent visit to Dauphin County, Pennsylvania, that most of the mountain land throughout an extensive region in that part of the state is still covered with forests. As it is too rough and steep for cultivation, it should, of course, ° be kept permanently wooded. The soil is good, and it origin- ally produced a heavy growth of Chestnut Oak, White and Black Oak, Hickory, Walnut, Ash and Chestnut trees. Most of this was cut off thirty or thirty-five years ago, but where the land is not burned over or pastured the trees are rapidly re- produced. There are many springs and small streams in this woodland region, and these are of great value, not alone to the few farmers living in the small valleys, but their steady flow is also of importance to the dwellers along the rivers which carry these waters to the sea. Some plan for taking care of these woods ought to form part of the education of the people of this part of the country. They are hard-working, sensible men and women, with a great deal of character, most of them poor. How can they be reached and taught what they need to know and think of and practice in regard to the forest interests of their region and the best ways of managing their own woodlands ? es Philadelphia. Me BSG, To the Editor of GARDEN AND FOREST : Sir.—Owing to unusual rains in August and September, and the continued warm weather, much of the vegetation here has put on the appearance of spring. The Elms on the east and south sides of the hills are in full bloom. The Japan Quince and Forsythia are full of scarlet and yellow blossoms. The Daffodils, single Hyacinths, Jonquils and Flower-de-Luces are several inches above ground. The perennial Sweet Pea has put outfresh sprays ; their delicate, beautiful green makes a lovely addition to cut-flowers for the table. I have just gathered from my garden, besides late Chrysanthemums, blue (sweet) Violets ; Louis Philippe, Bougére, Lamarque, Duch- esse Brabant, the fragrant, old-fashioned ‘‘ Blush-cluster ” and pink daily Roses ; Dwarf Iris and Woodbine, of which we have a variety that is nearly a perpetual bloomer. I have gathered blossoms from it as late as Christmas Day and as early as February 15th. The trumpet-shaped flowers are scarlet on the outside and orange on the inside. Alice W. Rucker. College Grove, Tennessee, November 2gth. Recent Publications. The Origin of Floral Structures through Insect and other Agencies. By the Rev. George Henslow, Professor of Botany, Queen's College. 349 pages, and numerous illustrations. D. Appleton & Co., New York, 1888. The author has felt impressed by what he regards as the in- adequacy of the theory of Natural Selection to account for the diversities of form and structure in the vegetable world. As generally understood, the Darwinian theory recognizes (1) the fact that organisms vary from generation to generation, the descendant differing more or less from its progenitors in some way or other; (2) that more descendants are produced than can, under existing circumstances, possibly come to ma- turity, and (3) that of the variant forms, those will, of course, stand the best chance of coming to maturity which are best fitted to meet their surroundings. In other phrase, Nature selects the fittest, and these survive. But the question natur- ally arises, may not the surroundings have played an important part not merely in selecting advantageous variations, but in originating all variations? This question has presented itself to the minds of many investigators in the Old World, and it has been thoughtfully treated by Cope, Hyatt and Ryder in this country. This is the inquiry which Professor Henslow places before the reader in the work under consideration, and he employs in some cases the terms which had been previously used by the American students above mentioned,. whose works were doubtless unknown to him. 526 At the outset we will say that the book appears to be a use- ful contribution to the subject. It is attractive and readable throughout, but to us it has been unsatisfactory, or, rather, unsatisfying. The lack does not arise so much from the method of reasoning or of statement of observed or cited facts, as from the author’s use of terms, This may be illus- trated by a reference to the beginning of the book. After assuming the ideal type of floral structure, he proceeds as follows: ‘‘We may at once consider the ‘Principles of Varia- tion,’ as I propose to call them, in accordance with which the different members of flowers can be altered.” ‘ There are five principles which require special consideration. They are usually designated by the terms number, arrangement, cohe- sion, adhesion and form.” ‘ The above five przncifles consti- tute the mostimportant, 72 accordance with which Nature has brought about the infinite diversity which exists in the floral world. There are minor distinctions hereatter to be consid- ered, such as colors, scents, etc.; but they are of less import- ance in investigating the causes at work which have evolved specific and generic differences amongst flowering plants.” This sentence, in which we have placed italics, appears to indi- cate that the author makes no clear discrimination between a principle and a distinction, since the first is said simply to be more important than the latter. In other words, he employs the term principle to express distinctive character or distinc- tion, and yet having appropriated it for this purpose, as he per- haps had a perfect right to do, makes it do double duty as a law or mode of action ‘‘in accordance with which Nature has brought about the infinite diversity which exists in the vege- table world.” The author has probably not felt that any am- biguity can arise from such use of terms, but the casual reader and the careful student alike, who take up the book for the first time, will be liable to entertain a distrust which is not wholly warranted. The book ought to do good service in stimulating observation and in exciting intelligent inquiry even among those who are not botanists. A Catalogue of Canadian Plants. Part IV.—Endogens. By John Macoun. Montreal, 1888. : Another part of this work, being Part I. of the second vol- ume, covering the endogenous plants of British North Amer- ica, has been issued by the Geological and Natural History Survey of Canada. Itis to be followed by two additional parts to be devoted to the Ferns, with the Mosses and Liver- worts, and to Lichens, Fungi and Seaweeds. Considerable additions to the knowledge of British American plants have been acquired during the past two years, through collections made on the shores and islands of James’ Bay, by Mr. James M. Macoun, ason of the author of the catalogue, who him- self spent several months in studying the botany of Van- couver’s Island, and by Mr. G. M. Dawson, who devoted the summer of 1887 to exploring that portion of the North-west Territories which is adjacent to Alaska, a journey whose most interesting botanical features have already been described by Mr. Dawson in the columns of this journal. The results of this journey, so far as they relate to the Endogens, are contained in the present volume. Professor Macoun estimates that the entire work, when completed, will contain, including 2,500 cryptogamous plants, the enumeration of about 5,500 species of plants, native and intro- duced, found growing without cultivation, within the limits of the Canadian Dominion. Periodical Literature. The November number of the Budletin of Miscellaneous In- formation, issued from the Royal Gardens, Kew, contains the usual amount of valuable information relating to economic plants and plant products, which makes this periodical invalu- able to all persons interested in economic botany and in trop- ical agriculture. The principal articles are upon the Lagos Rubber (Ficus Vogelii), from which the following quotations are of general interest : “ The investigation of plants likely to yield the caoutchouc of commerce is being carried out in west tropical Africa by numerous correspondents of Kew. Possibly in no other part of the world is there such a wide field for investigation of this kind, and in recent years a considerable trade in India-rubber has arisen through the exertions of officials and traders who have givenattention to this subject. At present the chief rub- ber-yielding plants on the west coast appear to belong toa species of Landolphia. These are climbing shrubs with stems four to six inches in diameter near the ground, but dividing above into numerous branches, which support themselves on Garden and Forest. [DECEMBER 26, 1888. the neighboring trees. The rubber of the Gold Coast, known in commerce as Accra rubber, is the product of Landolphia owariensis, Beauv. This is probably the best rubber plant in west Africa. The rubber is obtained by cutting off portions of the bark in strips varying in length from three to ten inches. The cuts are made sufficiently deep to reach the latex canals, and soon the crude juice starts out in drops and gathers on the newly-cut surface. The rubber of the Laxdolphia coagulates on exposure to the air, and requires no other preparation other than rolling it up into balls. ‘A quantity of the milk is first dabbed on the fore-arm of the operator, and being peeled off, forms a nucleus of the ball. This nucleus is applied to one after another of the fresh cuts, and being turned with a rotary motion, the coagulated milk is wound off like silk from a cocoon. Thecoagulation takes place so rapidly on exposure to the air, that not only is every particle cleanly removed from the cuttings, but also a large quantity of the semi-coagulated milk is drawn out from beneath the uncut bark, and during the process a break in the thread rarely occurs.’ “Another method of collecting west Africa rubber is de- scribed as follows: The blacks wipe off the milk with their fingers and smear it on their arms, shoulders and breasts, until a thick covering of rubber is formed. This is peeled off their bodies and cut into small squares, which are then said to be boiled in water. In European markets such rubber appears in more or less agglutinated masses of small cubes. “ The investigations undertaken by Mr. Millson in west Africa are described in the following notes : “ «Tn nearly all the native villages in the western district of the Colony of Laros, and,I believe, throughout the colony and the interior, are to be found large spreading trees, which have been planted for shade in the market places, streets and com- pounds. These trees are of the Fig family, and are called by the natives Abba. I have measured a tree of this species of the age of thirteen years, and found its girth, at three feet from the ground, to be six feet four inches, and its height to the branches twelve feet, while its total height could not be less than fifty or sixty feet, and its foliage area a quarter of an acre. A tree of this size ought to give large quantities of milk if tapped at the righttime of the year. Although it was in fruit when I tapped it, and the season being very dry, was in every respect unsuitable, yet the milk exuded in large drops, and flowed for a considerable distance down the trunk. Three quarts of milk were extracted from this tree without injuring it in any way, and I have little doubt that at any time between the months of July and February from four to five gallons could have been obtained with but little trouble. The trees, however, should only be tapped on alternate years, so as to leave time for a fresh growth of bark to replace that which has been removed. It is difficult to form an accurate estimate of the percentage of dry rubber that would be yielded by a gallon of milk, but I have reason to believe from previous experi- ments on Central American rubber trees (Castilloa elastica) of similar richness of milk, that each gallon should give about three pounds of India rubber. The value of the rubber pro- duced depends largely upon the care with which itis prepared, and I have reason to believe that the milk of this species, at least, of the ‘“ Abba” tree, can be made to give an excellent sample. “ «Should the above facts be established, it becomes evident that plantations of the ‘‘ Abba” tree would be a highly profita- ble investment. It is planted by the simple method of cutting offa branch and pushing it into the ground, and on account of the facility and rapidity with which it is raised, the natives used it largely for fence-posts. From the trees already in full growth in the bush and towns a considerable export trade could be readily established, and careful planting would de- velop this trade to almost an unlimited extent.’” In the article upon Liberian Coffee at the Straits Settlements it appears that ‘‘as a commercial article Liberian Coffee has not hitherto proved so valuable as was at one time supposed, and the cultivation, though widely distributed, has not become general in any part of the world. There are, doubtless, good reasons for this. It has been found, for instance, that the “cherries” of Liberian Coffee do not become soft and pulpy when ripe, but remain hard and fibrous. Hence it has been found difficult to husk the beans, as the machinery found suit- able for preparing Arabian Coffee is not applicable to the Liberian Coffee. Again, the “parchment” skin is tough and woody in the latter, and the labor and percentage of waste en- tailed in “ cleaning” is increased, while the actual market value is lessened. Probably, also, in the cultivation of Liberian Coffee the localities selected for plantations have, in many cases, been subject to long droughts, whereas the species evidently prefers a warm, moist climate, with abundant rains + DECEMBER 26, 1888.] well distributed through the year. Should the present high price of Coffee be maintained it is not unlikely that the culti- vation of Liberian Coffee will prove sufficiently remunerative to warrant further attention being paid to it. Tea cake is prepared from a species of Camellia (Camellia Sasangua), which ‘‘is extensively grown in south China for the production of seeds, which produce a valuable oil, known as Tea Oil. The preparation is very simple. The seeds are collected in October or November, dried and taken to the mill, where they are crushed in a circular mortar or trough by a pestle driven through it by water power. The seeds after being crushed are steamed, and then the mass is placed ina powerful press, which expresses the oil. The refuse, after the extraction of the oil, is the article known as C#'é ¢sta ping. It is produced in cakes weighing, when dry, about three ounces and three and a half pounds respectively. The quality of the two kinds of cake is the same. Iam not aware that anything besides the seeds of Camellia Sasangua enters into the com- position of these cakes. Ch’a tsia fing is used by the Chinese . asa hair wash and as soap for cleansing both the person and the clothes. Itis also used for eradicating earth-worms from grass lawns. For this purpose the cake is crushed and boiled. The decoction is then diluted and poured on the grass, when the worms come to the surface of the ground. Asa rule, the small worms die, but the larger ones after a time recover. After being picked up from the grass the worms are often given to fowls and ducks, which devour them readily, and ap- parently thrive on them, experiencing no inconvenience from the effects of the C#’d ¢sta fing with which the worms were killed.” There are articles on the Demerara Pink Root (Spigelia anthelmia), a plant possessing powerful drastic properties, which renders 1t exceedingly dangerous for animals to graze upon the ground where this plant grows. On the food grains of India, with an analysis of the fruit of Croix gigantea. On the Yoruba Indigo (Lonuchocarpus cyanescens). On the Trinidad Ipecacuanha (Cephaelis tomentosa), from which it appears that “the demand for the official Ipecacuanha is steadily increasing, while the supply of the drug is either stationary or gradually becoming scarcer. Inquiry is, therefore, naturally directed to plants that may possess similar properties, in the hope that _ they may serve to supplement or replace the drug hitherto excusively in use.” There are also articles on the Treatment of Vines in France; on Huskless Barley; and areport upona series of trials of the methods of preparing Ramie fibre, recently undertaken in Paris under the auspices of the French Government. We cannot find space for more extended quotations for this issue of the Bzzdletin, which is certainly one of the most useful of the various publications prepared in the Royal Gardens. The last number of Hooker's. Jcones, which appeared in October, completes the eighth volume of the third series, or Volume XVIII. of the entire work. Among the plants figured in this issue, which are interesting from other points of view than that of pure science, is the curious Musa proboscidea, ¢. 1777; a Banana from the hills of Ukami, in tropical Africa, about 100 miles inland to the west of the Island of Zanzibar, the long axis of the inflorescence hanging down, as shown from a photograph, to about one- third the height of the stems above the ground. Parnassia Faberi, ¢t. 1778, is a minute, but very attractive, species, from Mount Omei, in central China, where it was discovered by the Reverend FE. Faber at an elevation of 4,500 feet. Mex macro- carpa, ¢. 1787, 1s a stout shrub or tree which sometimes attains a height of fifty feet, with large, deciduous leaves and _ black fruits. Itis one of Dr. Henry’s interesting discoveries in the Ichang gorge of the Nanto'o Mountains, and was sent also from the Kwangtang Province byC. Ford. It may be expected to be valuable in cultivation. And this is true, also, of Lindera Jragrans, ¢, 1788, another discovery of Dr. Henry’s, who remarks, in regard to this elegant plant, that ‘‘ the leaves are pounded in milk in the glens, and the powder mixed with that got from the roots of Biota, in a similar way; it is used for making Joss-sticks—sticks of incense used in religious worship.” The flowers are fragrant. ; Primula Faberi, ¢t. 1789, is an addition to the series of Chi- nese Primroses which are among the most important of the Abbé Delavay’s recent discoveries in south-eastern China. It is distinguished by the conspicuous involucre, in which the calyxes of the stout-pediceled flowers are almost hidden. Lonchocarpus cyanescens, t. 1791, a native of the Yoruba country, a region north of Abbeokuta, is the plant which pro- duces the so-called ‘“Yomba Indigo,” which is prepared ~by 3 Garden and Forest. 527 pounding the young leaves to a black, pasty condition, and then made up into balls for market. The dye is a fine deep blue in color and very permanent. Cadrania triloba, ¢t. 1792, is a member of the family to which the Mulberry belongs. It is the ‘Silkworm Tree,” and is known in China, where it is quite widely distributed, as the “Tsa” tree. Dr. Henry reports ‘that it is common about Ichang, where it is considered to be as good for silkworms as the Mulberry, but it 1s not used so long as Mulberry leaves can be got, because the tree is thorny and it is troublesome to pick off the leaves. It is hence given chiefly to adult silk- worms, and, as Mulberry leaves soon become finished, it is much used.” The tree attains a height of twenty feet. The leafy shoots, more especially those from near the base of the plant, are often armed with strong, stout, axillary spines. Achras Bahamensis, ¢. 1795, anative of the Bahainas, and No. 3837 of Baron Eggers’ recent Bahama collection. Mr. Baker finds it ‘very distinct from the well-known Achras Sapota, not only in the leaf, but also in the structure of the flower, having the segments of the corolla twelve in number instead of six, so that unless it be made a new genus, the character of Achras will have to be materially enlarged.”” We venture to suggest that this plant is the A/dmusops Steberi of A. De Candolle, a common tree ot semi-tropical Florida and of the West Indies—a view which is supported by the plate itself, which very well shows the six-parted corolla, with the two ap- pendages at the base of each division, and the short, triangu- lar and nearly entire staminodia alternate with the lobes of the corolla, which characterize Mimusop. The figure in Catesby’s ‘‘ Natural History of Carolina, Florida and the Ba- hama Islands,” to which Mr. Baker calls attention, displays the fruit accurately enough, and there is another figure, although a less satisfactory one, in Nuttall’s Sylva (iii., 28, 4 go), in which the fruit of some other plant seems to have been substituted for that of the Mimusops, which is depressed- globular, about one inch in diameter, dark russet brown when ripe, and barely edible. Sir Joseph Hooker figures and describes, in this part of the Icones, a number of Indian Orchids, principally belonging to the genus Oberonia, a fact which leads us to hope that his ex- amination of Indian plants for the ‘‘ Botany of India” is near- ing completion, and that the final parts of this work, one of the most important of the great floras to which the studies of many years of his life have been devoted and which no hand but his can so well take up, may soon be expected. Notes. The Eulogy of Richard Fefferies, which was reviewed in this journal last week, is published in this country by Messrs. Longmans, Green & Co. The thirty-first annual meeting of the Missouri State Horti- cultural Society, held on December 5th at Nevada, was excep- tionally interesting. More than one thousand plates of fruit were on exhibition, beside an abundance of choice vegetables and flowers. In the Popular Science Monthly for December will be found a translation in full of the Marquis de Saporta’s interesting article on ‘‘The Origin of Forest Groupings,” to which we called attention some months ago, when it was published in the Revue des Deux Mondes. Mr. Weiger, of the Botanic Gardens in Adelaide, writes to The Garden (London) describing one of the finest existing specimens of ‘‘Fortune’s Rose.” It stands near the fountain in the garden, was planted twenty-six years ago, and has received no special care, although copiously watered in the dry season. It isa veritable tree, being about twelve feet in height and the same in diameter, while at a foot above the ground, where it breaks into several branches, the stem measures a yard in circumference. Dr. Hildebrand, who recently published in Wildeman’'s Azx- nalen der Physik und Chemie the results of his investigations into the action of moisture upon different kinds of wood, says that more care than is now taken should be exercised in choosing wood for measuring-rules. Mahogany and oak are frequently used for this purpose, but are entirely unfit for it; maple, fir, beech and linden woods being far preferable. With no wood, however, can absolute stability, and therefore accuracy, be depended upon, even though polish, oil or lacquer be applied to its surface. Air, saturated with steam, will penetrate all but the very best lacquer, and even ivory does not entirely resist its action. 528 The Pecan nuts now sold in some retail shops are specially prepared for the market. Large nuts of uniform size are se- lected and placed in an iron cylinder, which is made to revolve by machinery. The nuts are thus made perfectly smooth by attrition, a uniform dark brown color being given to them by putting into the revolving cylinder some coloring substance, the composition of which is still a secret of the trade. A remarkable Horse-Chestnut to be growing so far north stands at Skene House in Scotland, one of the seats of the Earl of Fife. It is fifty-eight feet in height and its trunk girths thirteen feet above the swell of the roots, while the branches, in spite of the fact that they were cut back when the tree was younger, droop quite to the ground, inclosing an open area ninety feet in greatest diameter. It stands about 350 feet above the sea level in a soil of deep loam resting on gravelly clay. It is well known that very few Ferns of any commercial value have been left in Epping Forest or in the other woods around London. According to 7ie Garden, however, no mercy is shown to these plants, even in remote country districts. A few years ago Hart’s-tongue Ferns were growing in abundance on the old wall which formed part of the ruined Abbey of Rievaux, in Yorkshire, and they added as much beauty to that picturesque pile as did the Ivy that had crept in through the windows. Last year every plant was carted away to be sold in the streets of the large towns. Mr. J. G. Baker describes in a recent issue of the Gardeners’ Chronicle a new Lily collected by Dr. Henry, to whom it is dedi- cated, in the mountains of Ichang, in western China. L7dium Henryi “in general habit most resembles Z. ¢igrinum, but the fully developed leaves most recall those of Z. auratum, and the narrow perianth segments those of ZL. polyphyllum.” The flowers are yellow, the base of the perianth marked with minute red-brown spots, three to three and one-half inches long, and borne ina lax corymb sometimes a foot wide, consisting of from four to eight flowers. This interesting plant, and its geo- graphical neighbor, Lilium Davidi, are still to be introduced into gardens. We are indebted to the Reverend John E. Peters, of Mays Landing, New Jersey, for a seasonable note concerning some fine groups of Holly trees, which are remarkable even in that region famous for the beauty of its forest trees. The trees stand on the border of an “old field,” just where the high ground falls away to the swampy border of a creek, so that abundant sunshine, a light soil and a full supply of water give them every needed condition for the best growth. They are not of exceptional size, but they stand in distinct clusters, each ot pyramidal shape, and since their lower branches are unusu- ally thick and come quite to the ground, their beauty is dis- tinct and striking. The first group consists of five trees, with a circular base thirty feet in diameter and twenty-five feet high, while the largest tree is only nine inches in diameter. Many trees of greater height and girth are found near by, but none of them approach these groups in beauty. Last year the Hollies bore few berries, but now the bright red fruit fairly illuminates the rich, dark foliage. Complaints are heard from other places that the finest Hollies have been mutilated to supply distant city markets with Christmas green. It is to be hoped that the Mays Landing trees will be saved from such an untimely fate. Some of the most venerable Oaks in England stand in the grounds of Holwood House, in Kent, a property which now belongs to Earl Derby, but was formerly owned by William Pitt. One of these trees is called the Wilberforce Oak, because Pitt and Wilberforce were seated beneath it when the latter first divulged his intention to bring forward a bill for the abolition of slavery. At five feet from the ground its stem measures eighteen feet three inches in circumference, while its height is forty-two feet, and the spread of its branches fifty-one feet in diameter. The centre of its trunk is hollow, but the shell is still sound and well covered with bark, and the tree bids fair to last for many years, as the greatest care is now bestowed upon it. Not far away from it stands a similar tree, called Pitt’s Oak, which at a yard from the ground girths twenty feet one inch. Like its companion, it is not tall, but has enormous branches, diverging at a height of about eight feet, and a hol- low stem. A third example girths nearly twenty-two feet. All these Oaks are of the variety called Quercus robur pedunculata. A picture of the Wilberforce Oak, with the stone seat erected to commemorate the historic interview, was recently given in The Garden, and various other remarkable trees were noted as existing at Holwood—among them two very large rode Oaks (Q. suber), and an Evergreen Oak (Q. //ex)—the lex tree Garden and Forest. [DECEMBER 26, 1888, familiar to all travelersin the south of Europe—the circumfer- ence of which at two feet from the groundis nearly twelve feet. Earnest attempts are being made in France to further the planting of fruit-trees instead of ordinary shade trees along the public roads. In Germany the practice is very widespread, and has been very remunerative, the sale of the fruit proving more profitable than the sale of the wood of timber trees. In the vicinity of Mulhouse, says the Revue Horticole, the Cherry- trees planted by the roadsides have, from their earliest crop, paid the expenses of their purchase and maintenance. Every visitor to Suabia remembers the Plum-trees, and every visitor to Saxony the Cherry-trees, which line all the roads. As there are so many of them the loss from petty thieving is not seri- ous; and, moreover, the crops are sold as soon as the fruit is set to private persons, who take measures for their protection. When they are ripe those at a distance from the towns are gathered for the market, while in the neighborhood of large places a multitude of booths are erected under the trees, and the whole population goes out on pleasant afternoons to eat the fruit on the spot. In Japan it is the blossoming season of the fruit-trees which draws forth the dwellers in cities; but the inhabitants of the Fatherland seem.to get a vast amount of pleasure from thus combining the gratification of the inner man with the delighting of the eye as it rests upon the wide, rich summer landscape. A correspondent of the Evening Post, of this city, writes as follows of Chinese graveyards: ‘The living occupy the city and the level ground, the dead the hills. No corpse is allowed within the walls of a Chinese city, and without, the vast ceme- teries cover the hills, with no fence or other limitation about them. The Chinese family which can afford it builds a ‘horse- shoe grave,’ or bricked vault, on the hillside, with the end built up in horse-shoe shape. Poorer people stick their dead in shallow graves, on which a small tablet of wood or stone is put... . . Inthe rich alluvial plains, where no unculti- vable hills are available for burying the dead, a graveyard resembles very much a white-ant village in Africa. The graves are sugar-loaf mounds thickly clustered together. While John Chinaman pays great respect to the dead, he takes care that they do not appropriate much ground that is of value to the living. The cemetery of a Chinese village in the rich rice-growing districts covers very little ground in propor- tion to the number of the graves. . . . In some parts of China one seems to be traveling through cemeteries most of the time. Particularly is this the case in thickly populated districts where the topography is undulating. The ridges where the soil is thinare then the cemeteries, and a rigid spirit of economy has relegated the alignment of the public roads thereto rather than through the fields. In such districts the traveler is in the company of the dead all day long.” In a recent number of the Bulletin of the Torrey Botanical Club Mr. W. M. Beauchamp publishes an interesting article on “Onondaga Indian Names of Plants.” Omitting the actual names which he prints in numbers, we may quote a few of the appended translations that show a keen sense for the more salient characteristics of trees and flowers and occasionally a touch of true imaginative feeling. The Hemlock Spruce is called ‘‘Greens on a Stick;"’ the Sassafras ‘‘Smelling- Stick ;" the Balsam Fir “Blisters,” from the look of the bark; the Aspen ‘Noisy Leaf;” the Iron-wood ‘“Ever- lasting Wood ;” the Water Beech ‘‘Lean Tree,” from the unlikeness of its habit to that of true Beeches, and the Buttonwood “Stockings,” probably because of the way in which it sheds its bark. The Mullein is ‘‘ Flannel” or “ Stock- ings,”’ the Wintergreen ‘ Birch-smelling Plant,” the Thorn-bush “Long Eyelashes,” from its long thorns, and the Elder, most poetically, ‘‘ Frost on the Bush,” while Peppermint, as express- © ively, is ‘‘That which makes you cold,” Poke-weed is “Color weed,” and Poison Ivy (from which the Virginia Creeper is not distinguished) ‘Stick that makes you sore.” The Larch is ‘The Leaves Fall’— which shows that its unlikeness to all other coniferous trees is appreciated; Plantain ‘‘It covers the Road,” and the Witch Hazel ‘Spotted Stick.” Peach are called “ Hairy,” Lettuce ‘ Raw Leaf,” Chestnut “ Prickly Burr” and the Leek ‘A Queer Onion.” The yellow Moccasin-flower is “Whip-poor-will Shoe,” the Marsh-Marigold “It opens the Swamps "—surely a pretty name—and Jack-in-the-Pulpit ‘In- dian Cradle,” from its likeness to the hooded cradles actually used by the Indians. In many cases the Onondaga names re- semble popular English names, as in the case of the Canoe- Birch, the Red Maple, ‘“‘A Cap,” which means a Raspberry, “ Three Leaves,” which denotes Clover, the Choke-Cherry, the Bloodroot, Catnip, which becomes ‘‘Cat-eating Leaf,” and the Partridge Berry. dl | i ; i V i 1 i ' a - , . a : 4 : r - : : : os ae at 5 : r ' : t . . ' 7 14 . . 7 r i : er : re il . ‘ Be He t r a a : zs . , 4, 1 , 1 ' i De ‘ ' “ 7 a ' . \ ' oi ' t q _ 4 1 oe = by ’ - - - : 7 or = r - ‘ ~ ” - ' 7 - & ' - ‘ A ‘ Crh _— ‘ te 4 i . A - — oe a : a be - Le ‘ oa) - oe E . H : or , = 7 on fi ‘ com . : _ “4 a ; ae a 7 i 7 : > : # . — had - oe - ; 7 : ¥ =e. = “s et = 7 1 . nishy Panne i + Hy =)