THE

GARDENER'S MONTHLY

AND

HORTICULTURIST.

DEVOTED TO

HORTICULTURE, ARBORICULTURE AND RURAL AFFAIRS.

EDITED BY

THOMAS MEEHAN,

STATE BOTANIST OF PENNSYLVANIA,

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

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

ENGLAND. MEMBER OF THE ACADEMY OF NATURAL SCIENCES. AUTHOR

OF "AMERICAN HAND-BOOK OF ORNAMENTAL TREES,"

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

VOLUME XXII, 1880.

LIBRARY

NEW ycmK

BOTANICAL
GARDEN

PHILADELPHIA,

CHARLES H. MAROT, Publisher,

No. 814 Chestnut Street,
1880.

V^L i, I

Portrait of Robert Buist,
Apple, Isbam Sweet,

Bouvardia "A. Neuner,"
Burbidgea nitida,

Coleus, New Hybrid,
Croton Mooreantw,

Dreer'a New Ooleue,
Fuchsias, Standard,

A

B

D

P

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

Liberian Boy and Kittens,

Maurandia Barclayana,

Measuring Height of Trees— Diagram,

Orchids, Several Genera,

Park Scene, European, Ground Plan,
Pear, Seckel, The Original Tree,
Pear, The Kieffer,
Propagating, Old Method of.

Ro«es, Standard,

Sash Bars, . . . . .

Trimmed Yew Tree,

Wilson's School Houae, near Gray's Perry,

L
M

O

P

B
8
T
W

Frontispiece
274"

367
835

7
105

76

198

140
76

187

39
53

78

<66

270

48

236. 237

196

34

248

LIBRARY
NKW YOUK
BOTANICAL

<1ARDES "

THE

GARDENER'S MONTHLY

AND

HORTICULTURIST.

■ DEVOTED TO HORTICULTURE. ARBORICULTURE AND RURAL AFFAIRS.

Edited by THOMAS MEEHA.N.

Yol. XXII.

JANUARY, 1880.

Number 253.

Flower Garden and Pleasure Ground,

SEASONABLE HINTS.

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

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

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

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

THE GARDENER'S MONTHLY

[January,

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

COMMUNICA TIONS

PUBLIC PARKS AND CEMETERIES.

BY AV ALTER ELDER, PHILADELPHIA.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

EDITORIAL NOTES.

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

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

1880.1

AND HORTICULTURIST.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

NEW OR RARE PLANTS.

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

THE GARDENER'S MONTHLY

[January,

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

Heupestes reflexa, — A New Aquarium
Plant. — Our country is so full of interesting
aquatics of which little use has been made, that
it is doubtful whether any new kinds will be
thought desirable. It may be different some
day, and then the following described plant
which we find in the Garden may be worth intro-

ducing

It is an interesting fact in connection

with a large number of aquatic plants that their
foliage is cut or divided into numerous fine seg-
ments. Some noticeable examples of this in our
native plants are the "Water Violet, Hottonia
palustris, 'and the Spiked Myriophyll (Myrio-
phyllum spicatum), the Water Crowfoots (Ran-
unculi), and others. There are none, however,
that excel in beauty and delicately-cut foliage
this pretty exotic, which may be seen in the
"Water Lily House at Kew. The plant is wholly
submerged except a few inches of each shoot,
which is furnished with whorls of finely cut
pectinate or comb-like foliage, very similar to
that of a Neptunia or the plants just named.
The pleasing emerald-green of the leaves con-
siderably enhances the beauty of the plant, and
more particularly so at the time we saw it, when
the delicate azure-blue flowers of Nymphsea stel-
lata were springing up amongst its elegant
feathery foliage. It belongs to the Figwort
family, and is a native of Brazil."

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

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

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

Two iSTEW Ornamental Grasses. — The
Holcus lanatus aureus is a charming gi-ass, un-

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

SCRAPS AND QUERIES.

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

It would seem as if some distinct understand-
ing should be had as to the cause of the yellow
fever, before immense sums are expended on
mere guess work. One of the worst places for
yellow fever in 1878 was Grenada, Miss. The
writer of this spent a little time there the year
before, and it seemed to him there were few
cleaner or more pleasant places, — and the idea
that " filth" had anything to do with the disease
there is ridiculous. Canton, also, he found a re-
markably healthful place in all that is usually
considered sanitary conditions. Cleanliness al-
ways aids health everywhere. No eff"ort, in rea-
son, is too great to secure it; but some of the
eff'orts of public bodies under this excuse are as
ridiculous as they are costly. During the yellow
fever scare of 1878, a city in New Jersey had
men continually employed mowing down the
weeds all around, and the stench from the rot-
ting material in every direction was awful, — and
all this in the name of the " Public Health."

1880.1

AND HORTICULTURIST.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Ampelopsis Yeitchii, and Ampelopsis tri-
cuspid ata.—A.G., Cambridge, Mass., asks:" Are
we to understand from the statement on page 356,
(Dec. Ko.) that Messrs. Ellwanger & Barry have
four plants under the two names of Ampelopsis
Veitchii and A. tri-cuspidata. It is so stated,
but I am not quite sure that this is meant."

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

Greenhouse and House Gardening.

SEASONABLE HINTS.

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

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

THE GARDENER'S MONTHL Y

[January,

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

The best kind of earth to use is the surface
tsoil, containing the spongy mass of surface roots,
from a wood ; the first two inches of an old pas-
ture field; the turfy spongy mass called peat,
from sandy bogs or swamps; a little well de-
ca3'ed hot-bed manure ; some sharp sand. These
are now about the only "■elements" that the
most skillful gardener cares to have beside him ;
and many a good gardener has to find himself
minus of some of these and be satisfied.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

1880.

AND HORTICULTURIST.

wintered in a common (greenhouse, they should
be kept rather dr}', and not be encouraged much
to grow, or they may rot away.

COMMUNICA riONS.

NEW HYBRID COLEUS.

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

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

NEW HYBRID COLEUS.

named Spotted Gem ; the markings on the orange
yellow surface, run through all the shades of ! plain,
pink, crimson, violet maroon, almost to black.
The next in value we think is Glory of Autumn,

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

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

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

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

WINTER CLIMBERS.

BY MRS. MARY STUART SMITH, UNIVERSITY OF
VIRGINIA.

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

The newest and most beautiful climber we
have seen in use as a window plant is the climb-

whose shades give nearly all the tints of a forest j ing fern; the only objection to its culture being
in October. Thi> proved to be an excellent bed- ' a rather delicate habit of growth, necessitating

8

THE GARDENER'S MONTHLY

[January,

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

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

BLACK RUST.

BY PETER HENDERSON.

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

1880.1

AND HORTICULTURIST.

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

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

EDITORIAL NOTES.

PORTLANDiA CRAMDSFLORA.

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

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

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

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

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

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

10

THE GARDENER'S MONTHLY

[January^

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

Glazing "O'itiiout Putty. — Very few so
far as we know ever think of using putty to the
outside of sash in our country. The glass is
bedded in soft putty, then fastened in with tri-
angular tin sprigs, and neatly painted. It does
not appear, however, to have made much head-
way in the Old World, a correspondent of the
Journal of Horticulture says that this " system of
glazing is not adopted so generally as I believe
it deserves. One trial, I am confident, will con-
vince anyone of its superiority, provided certain
conditions are carefully attended to. Repairs
will be less, the appearance is very little effected,
and the house will prove moi-e durable than
■when top putty is used." The heats and colds
of our country makes the best putty work crack
and shrink from the wood; and, unless the pitch
is steep, puttied houses leak dreadfully. ,

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

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

NEW OR RARE PLANTS.

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

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

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

1880.

AND HORTICULTURIST.

11

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

SCRAPS AND QUERIES.

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

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

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

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

Fruit and Vegetable Gardening.

SEASONABLE HINTS.

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

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

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

12

THE GARDENER'S MONTHLY

[January,

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

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

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

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

COMMUNICA TIONS.

PRICKLEY COMFREY.

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

18S0.]

AND HORTICULTURIST.

18

tinction from the native wild variety. It was next
to be found described as finding a place in Kew
Gardens in 1799. From the 3'ear 1808 it was
sold in single plants for ornamental purposes.
In 1811 it was fully brought out by the Messrs.
Loddiges as a shrubbery and border plant. Its
bold foliage growing in the shade to a height of
five to six feet, coupled with its graceful pend-
ant bright blue flowers, readily secured it a place
in the mixed shrubs and showy flowering plants
in borders where it has ever kept its place, and
may 3'et frequently be met with about old places,
especially at the sides of the private roads in
England. In 1830 it was introduced as a forage
plant, and found by many to answer the purpose
■well. The Farmer^s Journal re-printed notices
of the plant for the benefit of its subscribers,
and at this time there was hardly a garden of
any importance that did not possess a plant of
Prickley Comfrey. The root of the other species
resembled so closely the Caucasian variety that
horticulturists sold it to the farmers as comfrey
roots, causing disappointment and bringing it
into bad repute ; and the result is seen in diSer-
ent parts of the country even now. In France
also, Avhere it sufl"ered from like causes, the
result to-day is a variety of comfrey having a
small foliage and a pale indistinct color of
flower, sometimes pink, sometimes lilac or cream
colored, but never the bright blue of the asperri-
mum. This is an important characteristic. They
are also devoid of that asperity peculiar to the
true kind. The variety asperrimum has a stem
almost solid, and full of gum and mucilage, and
the more solid the stem is the better it is, on ac-
count of producing a greatly increased weight of
food per acre, as it branches out more freely,
and plants placed three feet each way soon cover
the ground with a large quantity of leaves. This
plant will grow in sandy or other soils, but likes
a clay loam or any good, deep soil best, as the
roots will tap down six to eight feet for moisture.
The yield ranges from five to ten lbs. to the
plant at each cutting, according to soil, as a
minimum and maximum, or from 60 to 100 tons
an acre per annum ; on good clay soil well en-
riched it has been estimated at as high as 120
tons per acre. During the last week in Septem-
ber, when I was there, they were cutting it for
the fifth time, and the average for each cutting
was estimated at about twenty tons per acre.
The leaves were then from fifteen to eighteen
inches long, allowing a cut of nearly fifteen
inches, leaving two to three inches at the crown ;

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

LEPIDIUM, THE BED BUG DESTROYER.

BY S. M.

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

14

THE GARDENER'S MONTHLY

[January,

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

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

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

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

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

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

SHORT NOTES.

BY A. H., MEADVILLE, PA.

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

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

EDITORIAL NOTES.

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

ns.

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

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

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

1880.

AND HORTICULTURIST.

15

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

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

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

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

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

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

SCRAPS AND QUERIES.

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

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

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

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

16

THE GARDENER'S MONTHLY

[January,

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

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

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

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

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

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

Forestry.

COMAIUNICATIONS. Marshall, author of the Arbustum Americanuniy

we took occasion to measure some of his most

remarkable trees.

Humphrey Marshall built his house at what is
now Marshalltou, West Chester Co., Pa., in
During a recent visit, in company with Mr. 1764, and it is probable that these trees were
W. M. Canby, to the old garden of Humphrey planted during the years immediately "subse-

NOTES ON TREES IN THE ARBORETUM
OF HUMPHREY MARSHALL.

BY PROF. C. S. SARGENT.

1880.

AND HORTICULTURIST.

17

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

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

Quercus Phellos. 10 feet 7 inches.

Gymnocladus Canadensis. 8 feet 10 inches.

Liquidambar styracijlua. 9 feet 5 inches.

Larix Europte. 5 feet 11 inches.

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

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

EDITORIAL NOTES.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

18

THE GARDENER'S MONTHLY

[January,

Natural History and Science.

COMMUNICA TIONS.

CURIOUS CAROLINA FUNCI.

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

In 5^our December number is a notice of two
fungi, by Mrs. D. W., of Summerville, S. C,
which, from her description, it is not difficult to
identify. The first is undoubtedly Clathnes
columnatus, not at all uncommon in cultivated !
lands in "Winter. It grows just under the ■
ground, and when it has attained its full growth
in that stage, is about the size and shape of a
hen's egg, and of a dirty white color. On cut-
ting it open the ball discloses a jelly-like bag,
in which is seen the scarlet fungus, very much
compressed. As the plant matures, which would
be in a day or two more, the sac or volva is rup- '
tured, and the scarlet fungus expands or grows
upwards to about two to three inches high,
the sac remains in the ground. It is then a :
three-columned arch — the columns of bright
scarlet, shading off to white where it remains in j
the sac. On the under side of this arch is an i
olive colored mucus, from which proceeds the '
fetid stench. Flesh flies devour this fetid mucus
greedily. Another nearly related fungus is
Phallus, which perhaps is even more decided in
its odoriferous qualiiies than its cousin Clathnes.
The genus Phallus, comprises several species,
and grows up also from a jelly sac or volva, in a
single straight column from six to eight inches
high,, some red, others white or salmon color,
and capped by an olive-colored mucus. This
whole family of Clathnes and Phallus is known
in the vernacular as "Devil's breath," which
name feebly expresses their peculiar gifts. The
■other thing mentioned by Mrs. D. W. as grow-
ing in clusters, with caps like "bells pendant,"
is probably Coprinus cematus. We have sev-
eral species of Coprinus, but this is the largest
and prettiest. I have seen them eight to ten
inches high, with their fawn colored, bell-shaped
caps four to five inches long. Like all others of
this genus, it begins soon to deliquesce after sun
rise, and in a few hours there is nothing left of
the caps but a few blackened shreds remaining
attached to the top of the stem.

THE PEAR-LEAF BLISTER.

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

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

A wide-spread disease of pear-leaves in this
country and in Europe is caused by a mite to
which Schenten, a German naturalist, gave the
name Typhlodromus pyri. This was twenty-one
years ago. Ignorant of this information, the
writer during the last season rediscovered the
cause of the disease, and, it is believed, first an-
nounced its occurrence in our country. There is
scarcely a question as to the identity of the dis-
ease and its cause on the opposite sides of the
Atlantic, and granting this identity, we may con-
clude that it is another one of the horticultural
scourges that have been imported from across the
water, for which we have returned the phyllox-
era and possibly shall send over the Colorado
potato-beetle. N'othing of the life-history of this
pear-leaf mite has heretofore been published, ex-
cept the discussions which have arisen as to
whether the form usually found is a young or
mature animal. It has but four feet, while most
mites have eight. But the young larvge of others
have six, as far as made out. Is this an excep-
tion ? Schenten called this a larva, and Doctor
Packard, in the Guide to the Study of Insects,
adopts the idea. According to the former, the
mature form has eight legs and widely different
mouth-parts, but the only proof of the genetic
connection of the two is that they were found as-
sociated. As this eight-legged form certainly
belongs to a group whose members are mostly
parasitic in other insects it is probable that if
any relation exists between the two kinds it is
of this nature. But having found the mite in its
autumn and winter condition, I am able to add
an item to the controversy opposed to the change
of form indicated. And this last discovery,
carrying with it the possible basis for a remedy,
is my excuse for introducing this account.

When young leaves appear in the spring or
during the summer, reddish spots an eighth of an
inch or more are seen scattered more or less
numerously over their surface, especially con-

1880.]

AXV HORTICULTURIST.

19

>3picuous on the upper side. At a later time these ]
«pots turn brown by the death of the parts, after
which they are more easily discovered beneath.
With a good magnitier a minute hole can be dis-
tinguished near the centre of each spot through
'the lower side epidermis, and the spots are
somewhat thickened. This is about all that can
be ascertained with a hand magnifier, for if we
•dissect the spots notlring can ordinarily be found
but the spongy cell-tissues brown with disease or
•death. But if one of these spots is carefully
•opened and magnified fifty to one hundred times
numerous peach-colored slowl3'-moving things
are discovered. These are the depredators cauglit,
if not in the act, with the evidence of their mis-
•doings in the same field of view. The size is
much less than that of any true insect known ;
•the length from extremity to extremity being
but .0055 of an inch and the width not more than
.0017. It would take nearly two hundred of
them placed end to end to measure an inch, and
-six hundred could march elbow to elbow within
that space. We cannot wonder, therefore, that
more has not been known about them or that
they were so long entirely unknown. They make
Tip, however, what they lack in square measure
l»y the multiplication table. Dozens, perhaps
«cores, occur in a single spot, and dozens of spots
may beifound on a single leaf. The two pairs of
legs are directed forward and the little thing
clumsily drags its body along not unlike the
larvae of the May beetles, usually known as
white grub-worms. Its progress is excessively
•slow. The perilous trip down the foot-stalk of
the leaf to the buds in autumn must be an
immense undertaking. Some of them do not
make it, for, whether from simple procrastina-
tion or a dread of attempting the great journey
to an unknown country, numbers remain and
■fall with the leaf to the ground. Possibly this is
the way that slow dissemination takes place
from tree to tree in an orchard, yet it hardly
•seems possible that, though carried by the winds
to the very foot of a tree, they could climb the
trunk to the limbs. The chance would be better
in the nursery, where the leaves are very near
the ground.

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

them warm for some time they may be seen
crawling as lively as nature ever permits them
to move. Neither eggs, except perhaps within
the body of the females, nor larvoe have been
observed, but they almost surely exist within
the leaf-galls. Probably my own investigations
have been made too late in the season.

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

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

20

THE GARDENER'S MONTHL Y

[January,

CLIMATIC DIFFERENCES.

BY WILLIAM KISBET, PROVIDENCE, R I.

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

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

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

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

amongst their branches.

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

Perhaps in no country of equal dimensions is
there a greater diversity of soil, scenery and
climate than exists in Scotland. The climate is
very much affected by the position and proximity
of mountains, the islands off the coast, the
ocean and the gulf stream. The winter climate
of the west coast, and the adjoining islands of
the Hebrides, the shores of which are laved by
the warm waters of the gulf stream, is very
mild and very moist ; in some places ice and
snow, to any extent, are rare. In many places in
these regions, even north of latitude 58°, the
same parallel of latitude as Northern Labrador,
Fuschias, Myrtles, (Myrtus communis,) Hydran-
geas and sweet scented Verbenas, (Alo5'sia citri-
odora.) and many other tender things stand the
winter without an}- protection, and thrive welL
I have seen the Myrtle in flower at Christmas,
and the Arbutus, ( Arbutus L'nedo,) loaded with its
exquisitely beautiful and tempting berries at
the same time.

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

The climate of the Eastern coast is in general

1880.

AND HORTICULTURIST.

21

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

[The periodic disappearance of some plants is
believed in by most botanists. It may be that
the plants are in existence, but that the circum-
stances which induce flowering do not occur.
The writer of this once had a number of plants
of Senecio Jacobcea which remained perfectly
healthy for years without blooming, though
there should be flowers every year. Biennial

PERIODICAL DISAPPEARANCE OF
SPECIES.

SY MISS MARY C. MURTFELDT, KIRKWOOD, MO.

There is a tradition among the inhabitants of
this locality, tliat two Sabbatias, which are the

-only species I have found here, appear but once
in seven years; and, although I cannot quite

■credit the statement, my own limited observa-
tion goes to corroborate it. In 1870, the first

•Summer after we moved to Kirkwood, I very I plants only die from the exhaustion by flowering,
well remember my pleasure in finding these ' and annual or biennial gentians may remain as

ipretty plants in considerable numbers. But ; •^mall perennial plants for years unnoticed if they

22

THE GARDENER'S MONTHLY

[January,

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

DISTRIBUTION OF PLANTS.

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

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

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

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

The seeds of many plants, as of the dande-
lion, thistle and a long list of similar plants are
furnished with a tuft of downy or silky pappus,,
that will enable them, when ripe, to float away
on the breeze and thus be scattered far and'
wide. The seeds of some species of poplar,.
Cottonwood, are attached to a bunch of fine-
cotton that serves as a buoy to bear them up-
through the air by means of which they are fre-
quently carried many miles from the parent
tree. Seeds are often disseminated through'
animal agency. Animalsfrequently carry seeds-
and nuts away and bury them for winter food,,
where they are forgotten and left to grow.
Many seeds of fruits ai*e swallowed by birds and'-
carried to distant places and voided uninjured,,
and there spring up and grow. Thus the seeds
of cherries, grapes, gooseberries, blackberries
and many others of like nature are sown broad-
cast over a large extent of countr}'. During an
invasion of the Rocky Mountain Locust into
Iowa a few yeai's ago, they left the ground
where they fed thickl}- strewn with the seeds of'
some species of grass, new to that locality,
which they had brought from the far north-Avest..
Many seeds are provided with hooked barbs by
which they cling to clothing and the coats or
animals, and are carried about from place to-
place.

1880.

AND HORTICULTURIST.

23

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

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

EDITORIAL NOTES.

Branch Growth From Coniferous Flow-
ers. — It is not at all uncommon to find a larch
cone with a branch growing from its apex. "We
were not aware that similiar growths had been
noticed from the small catkins of coniferous
trees ; but Mr. James Gordon says in the Journal
of Forestry, that "one often meets with it in
the male flowers of Abies," though he "never
expects to see them in Piuus."

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

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

SCRAPS AND QUERIES.

NOTE ON CALADIUM ESCULENTUM. MORPHOLOGY OF LEAVES. — A. G., Cam-

BY II. w. ravenel, AIKEN, SOUTH CAROLINA, bridge, Mass., writes: "What American mor-

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

-24

THE GARDENER'S MONTHL Y

[January,

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

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

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

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

Literature, Travels \ Personal Notes.

COMMUNICA TIONS.

NOTES AND QUERIES-No. 8.

BY JACQUES.

Evolution made easy. — The great mathemati-
cian, Kirkman, made the following exquisite
translation of a well-known definition : " Evolu-
tion is a change from an indefinite, incoherent
liomogenity to a definite, coherent heterogenity,
through continuous differentiations and integre-
gations." Nature, not quite satisfied with this,
translates it into plain English, thus: "Evolu-
tion is a change from a nohowish. untalkabout-
able, allalikeness, to a somewhatish and in-gen-
eral-talk-aboutable not-at-all-alikeness, by con-
tinuous somethingelsifications and sticktogether-
ations." Xo opinion or verification is intended.

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

1880.1

AND HORTICULTURIST.

25

"^by the gyrations made. Let us hear from the
now numerous observers of the West, for truly,
now that plants are beginning to imitate human
beings by cutting off the heads of enemies, is it
not time they were looked after and civilized?

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

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

The vine disease is still a source of great
anxiety in Europe. A French author gives par-
ticulars of which the following is an abstract.
Up to the close of last year the ravages of the
phylloxera vastatrix in the vineyards of France
had extended over more than 1,600,000 acres,
the vines in 700,000 of which had been totally
destroyed. The appearance of the insect is now
reported from the centre of the most famous of
all the viticultural districts of France, namely
the Medoc. At Chateau Lafitte, which with its
180 acres of vine land was sold about two years
ago to Baron Charles Rothschild for $830,000 is
ruined, or nearly so. This and the neighbor-
ing estates attached, is valued at many millions
sterling. At the rate the insect travels it is pro-
bable the whole district will be infected before
the end of next year. The government, and the
owners are equally alive to the importance of
averting the calamity. Sulphuret of carbon ap-
plied according to the plan of M. Dumas, ap-
pears to be the remedy most in favor ; although

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

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

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

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

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

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

26

THE GARDENER'S MONTHLY

[January,

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

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

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

An estimate of the annual injury to the coftee
plant by the fungus HemilliaYastatrix in Ceylon
alone, gives a loss of ten millions of dollars.

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

Little Things. — The value of little things was

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

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

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

EDITORIAL NOTES.

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

1880.

AND HORTICULTURIST.

2T

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

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

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

28

THE GARDENER'S MONTHLY

(January,

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

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

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

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

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

The Botanical Text Book.— Sixth edi-
tion. By Professor Asa Gray. Part 1. Struct-
ural Botany. Ivison, Blakeman, Taylor & Co.,
1879. The botanical labors of Prof. Gray approach
the marvellous. How he manages to accomplish
so much superior work is a mystery. Here is a
book that has been some time on our table, and
which it seemed very profitable to read carefully
through. As this could not be done at one sit-
ting, a memorandum was kept of the odd time
given to it, and it foots up thirty hours ! The
work contains 442 pages, and when we remem-

188U.

AND HORTICULTURIST.

29

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

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

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

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

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

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

30

THE GARDENER'S MONTHLY

[January,

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

1880.1

AND HORTICULTURIST.

31

light frost, others have never been in the least in-
jured. This will explain the apparently con-
flicting experiences recorded in our pages ; and
gives some hope that by a judicious selection of
varieties, fine fruit may be grown much further
north than has been believed possible the past
year.

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

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

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

Dr. Edward Fenzl. — Dr. Fenzl, Professor
of Botany at Vienna, and after whom the well
known Fenzlia of our gardens is named, died on
the 29th of September, in the sevent3--second
year of his age.

Deaths of Xoted French Pomologists. —
M. Baltet at the age of 80, and M. AVillermorz
aged 76, are among the recently deceased.

SCRAPS AND QUERIES.

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

the Editor through wild Western regions, thus
writes :

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

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

32

THE GARDENER'S .VOXTIILY

[January.

one, and society regards it as its interest to
give that man a title to that which he im-
proves ; and it is tlien his to sell, to give or to
deed to others.

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

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

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

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

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

Horticultural Societies.

EDITORIAL NOTES.

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

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

Neav York Horticultural Society.—
They meet at Republican Hall, 55 West 33d
.street. New York, on the first Tuesday of each
mouth.

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

THE

GARDENER'S MONTHLY

AND

HORTICULTURIST.

DEVOTED TO HORTICULTURE, ARBORICULTURE AND RURAL AFFAIRS.

Edited by THOMAS MEEHA.N.

Yol. XXII.

FEBRUARY, 1880.

Number 254.

Flower Garden and Pleasure Ground.

SEASONABLE HINTS.

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

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

ming of the top, by weakening the constitution?
prevents the increase of girth in the trunk, and
thus longevity has to be sacrificed through this
early mistake. Much of these mistakes in plant-
ing comes from reliance on tree peddlers, or from
nurser}"^ growers who are not well versed in their
profession. Believing that all people want a
great deal of bulk for a very little cash, they
naturally run on trees that will make three or
four inches of girth in a couple of 3'ears, rather
than one that will take four or five to reach the
same size. They get mouej* sooner, and the
customer pays less. But all people are not like
i this ; there are many who want permanently good
things, if they onl}' know what they are, and
there are no greater benefactors to this class of
people than writers like the Ellwangers, Bar-
rys, Parsons, etc., who have of late given a
world of information about ornamental trees.
Also, we must have a word of caution against
the evergreen pruner. In our mind as we write,
we have Germantown with its immense number
of tasteful and well kept places, but with one at
least in which are some hundreds of Xorway
Spruces all cut into a sort of egg-shaped figure,
and looking for all the world like the green
moss-made to)'s which children have about
Christmas time. For what purpose this unusual
expense is a mystery ; for there is not the merit
of art in this clipping, as is often claimed for

34

TEE GARDENER'S MONTH L Y

[February,

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

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

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

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

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

A TRIMMED YEW TREE.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

u

AND HORTICULTURIST.

35

top away. Properly pruned, a good gardener

will not have the worst case of a badly dug tree

to die under his hands. In a nursery, whei-e

these matters are well understood, trees " never

die."

♦♦♦<

COMMUNICA TIONS.

TWO WELL KEPT PLACES.

BY MR. MANSFIELD MILTON.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

PRESSING EARTH FIRM.

BY RUSTICUS, NEAR LEXINGTON, KY.

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

36

THE GARDENER'S MONTHLY

[February,

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

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

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

WODENETHE.

BY PICA.

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

In the highlands of the Hudson, just above
West Point, in the midst of the beautiful scenery
which the genius of Irving has consecrated, thir-
t3'-eight years ago Mr. Henry Winthrop Sargent
bought about twenty acres of forest land, and
began the construction of a country seat which
to-day is doubtless more widely and favorably
knovvn than any similar place in America.
Wodenethe, he called it in the language of the
Saxons: that is to say, 'sylvan promontory.'
It has cost him a hundred thousand dollars
already. I do not know how much more money
it will yet absorb, but each year improvement
follows improvement. ' I have been painting a
picture,' he said, as we were strolling through the
grounds, ' and the finishing touches are still to
be given.' Students of landscape gardening
know Mr. Sargent as the editor of Downiug's
great work on the subject, as a contributor to
periodical literature, as an importer of rare
trees and shrubs, and as a propagator and im-
prover of the same. The author of Scott's 'Art
of Beautifying Suburban Home Grounds of Small
Extent,' speaks of ' our neighbor and corre-
spondent, Mr. Sargent of Wodenethe on the Hud-
son, who passed a couple of years abroad, curi-
ously gleaning all clever foreign notions that
were really worth naturalizing at home,' and
adds that ' Sargent's hemlock,' a tree found
growing wild by Mr. Sargent on Fishkill Moun-
tain, and cultivated by him, 'bids fair to be one
of the most curious and interesting additions to
our stock of gardenesque evergreens — bearing the
same relation to the common hemlock that the
weeping beech does to the common beech.'
Another writer describes him as ' famous among
amateur horticulturists for introducing new ever-
greens from Europe, Asia, Oregon and Califor-
nia,' and notices his success in domesticating,
where others have failed, the deodars and cedars
of Lebanon, the silver foliage of the Pinus ex-

1880.]

AND HORTICULTURIST.

37

celsa and the bold front of the Pinus ponderosa.
Next, indeed, to his services with the pen must I
be ranked his many and persevering importa-
tions from every quarter of the globe; unless
one should choose to lay greatest stress upon
the patriotic purpose which has multiplied and
circulated these specimens for the adornment of
other homes. "Wodeuethe is a paradise of exotics.
Yet these do not constitute its chief attraction.
It is pre-eminently a paradise of vistas. Art has
so planted and disposed the trees on the borders
of the twenty acres that the visitor might be-
lieve himself in the midst of an estate compris-
ing hundreds of square miles. The spot was
selected by Mr. Sargent for its natural advanta-
ges. In front of and partly around it rolls the
lordly Hudson. Behind, are the Fishkill Moun-
tains, one of them sixteen hundred feet high.
At the left, across the gleaming stretch of river,
tower the rounded heights of Cornwall and West
Point in the fine blue of the rare old hills. At
the right is a rolling surface cultivated to the
base of distant headlands. Yet all around the
place are villages, factories, shanties, highways.
Only you do not see them. The trees and
shrubs that belt Wodenethe are placed so as
to shut off such sights; and where there are
openings in the boundary line of the estate
the eye looks out upon charming vistas of
river, valley, glade and mountain, that seem to
be parts of one magnificent country seat. 'No
gentleman in this country has succeded as Mr.
Sargent has in peaceably sequestrating the prop-
erty of his neighbors. Part of the work was
done simply by the use of the axe. Trees have
been cut down where the views beyond them
were pleasing; they have been planted where
the scenery in the distance was of a sort to be hid.
The illusions created thereby are sometimes
amusing. In one instance his artistic chopping
brought within a hundred yards of his library
window a part of the river that really is three-
quarters of a mile off. Mr. William Cullen Bry-
ant used to tell how one evening, when seated
at that window, he saw a boy fishing in the Hud-
son from a spot close b}' on Mr. Sargent's lawn.
He expressed his surprise that the river was so
near. The place from which the lad had thrown
his line was on the verge of a steep declivity, at
the foot of which the water seemed to flow.
Not until the poet had walked there the next
morning did the false show vanish. The young
fisherman had planted himself temporaril}' to
keep up appearances.

To name the varieties of trees on Mr. Sargent's
estate would be of more interest to the botanist
than to the general reader. I will not enumer-
ate the Homeric list. It represents almost all the
varieties ever acclimated in this country, and it
is constantly receiving accessions. You remem-
ber the words of the Autocrat of the Breakfast
Table : " I have a most intense, passionate fond-
ness for trees, but if you expect me to hold forth
in the scientific way about them, to talk for in-
stance of the Ulmus Americana, and describe
the ciliated edges of its samara, and all that,
you are an anserine individual." The most
beautiful of the specimens are not aboriginal.
I do not know whether or not the owner has yet
succeeded in naturalizing the Eucalyptus, which
amateurs in England are so fond of, and so un-
fortunate with. But if the species has a chance
in this climate you may be sure that it will be
made to flourish at Wodenethe. Weeping
birches, weeping beeches, weeping ashes, weep-
ing larches, weeping elms and weeping wil-
lows are specialties there, and so are purple-
leaved trees and shrubs, and the silver and
golden tinted evergreens from Japan, while
oaks, elms, chestnuts, maples and other stand-
bys appear in choicest varieties. The magnifi-
cent palms constitute a show by themselves.
There is scarcely a mountain, a shore or a plain
in Europe that has not contributed to Wodenethe
the ' threaded foliage through which the western
breezes sigh.' And there is not a hungry speci-
men on the place.

{ Velvet grass and umbrageous tree alike
; have been well trenched, and are, in conse-
quence, well fed. I should not be surprised to
learn that the roots of some of the common
clover go down four feet into the soil. The late
Mr. Downing said that he had seen clover roots
as deep as that. It is trenching that does the
business, and Mr. Sargent has lately done as
much as any writer in this countr}'^ to enforce the
importance of depth of soil for trees and lawns.
Of course there is no setting of trees in formal
rows, no alternation of the willow and the
rougher-rined pine around the house, no plant-
ing of flower-beds under the drippings of the
monarchs that line the broad approach to the
dwelling, none of the hundred discrepancies and
oftences that good taste prohibits. The place is
a picture, and the painter is an artist, especially
in his sense of symmetr}' and color, and in his
effects of light and shade. ' Let in through all
the trees come the strange rays.'

38

THE GARDENER'S MONTHLY

[February,

EDITORIAL NOTES.

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

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

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

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

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

1880.]

AND HORTICULTURIST.

39

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

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

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

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

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

MAURANDIA BARCLAY ANA.

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

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

40

THE GARDENER'S MONTHLY

[Fel)r»ary,

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

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

NEW OR RARE PLANTS.

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

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

variegated 'form of S. Ulmaria is very fine and
effective grown In pots in this way.

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

Aurora, yellow, large.

Creedmoor, orange scarlet, sometimes tipped white.

Daion, creamy ground, tipped with rose.

Dwarf Queen, purple, tipped with white.

Frauline Hetlergot, light and rose, fine dwarf.

Gem of the Dwarfs, red, tipped with white.

Golden Bedder, fine yellow.

Goldfiuder, golden yellow.

Leah, fine shade of orange, tinted with rose.

Mela Barlelles, very fine pink.

31t. Blanc, clear white.

Pearl, pearly White.

Queen Victoria, canary yellow.

Bisint; Sun, large, intense scarlet.

Sambo, dark maroon,

Vulcan, deep red, large flower.

SCRAPS AND QUERIES

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

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

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

1880.

AND HORTICULTURIST.

41

ing, I beg to say that I have had a great deal
•of experience with it, leaving it uncovered in
the coldest winters in the most bleak situations,
and always finding it perfectly hardy."

[We have never seen the plants our corres-
pondents are discussing, to know if they are

distinct from the old Chinese Privet, Ligustrum
lucidum, — of which we suppose L. ovalifolium to
be a 'variety. As with our correspondent the
Chinese Privet is quite hardy about Philadel-
phia, we should be glad to see specimens of
kinds under the names in dispute. — Ed. G. M.]

Greenhouse and House Gardening.

SEASONABLE HINTS.

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

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

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

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

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

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

COMMUNICA TIONS.

DATURA ARBOREA.

BY H. J. PURDY, SEXECA FALLS, N. Y.

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

42

THE GARDENER'S MONTHLY

[February,

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

HEATING HOTHOUSES.

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

Kot knowing whether you accept items from
unknown people, but thinking that perhaps what
follows might interest some of your readers, we
have ventured to mail it to you.

Our text, we would quote from Loudon's En-
C3'clopedia: "Steam affords a simple and effec-
tual method of heating hothouses." Also, "The
disadvantages of steam, as a vehicle for convey-
ing heat to hothouses, are few." "VVe presume
that the old gardeners and horticulturists gener-
ally will smile at our verdancy, but " the proof
of the pudding," etc., is very apt.

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

As to economy, we burned last season five

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

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

EUPHORBIA.

BY MANSFIELD MILTON.

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

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

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

SALVIA SPLENDENS CCERULEA. (?)

BY PETER HENDERSON.

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

1880.]

AND HORTICULTURIST.

43

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

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

Another "blue" Salvia splendens was sent to

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

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

still a great acquisition, the variety being a rich

shade of crimson maroon, entirely distinct from

anything we had before seen in Salvia splendens.

The habit of growth and size of flower spike is

identical with the well-known Scarlet Sage,

and its crimson maroon color will make a fine

contrast with that variety. This new Salvia is

known as Mrs. Stevens, though it is well

worthy of a distinguishing botanical term. I

am not at all sanguine of ever seeing a variety

of S. splendens of the color of Salvia patens,

which is one of our best types of blue color in

flowers.

«•••

EDITORIAL NOTES.

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

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

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

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

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

^FiRES i:n' Greenhouses. — We have often
told our readers, as a lesson learned from careful
experiment, that wood will take flame ; not only
without actual contact with flame but also
by the long continued accumulation of a com-
paratively low temperature. We have seen
wood when connected with a flue, take fire fifty
feet from a furnace, and we have known a
wooden frame enclosing a hot air flue, in
which the thermometer did not rise over 75°
at the time of the enclosure, take fire three years
afterwards, though perfectly safe at the time of
the enclosure. Many years ago, by some acci-
dent the right man got into the right place as
Fire Marshal of Philadelphia, Mr. Blackburn.
He had keen powers of observation, and in one
of his annual reports he clearly showed that a
large number of fires in that city originated from
the steady accumulation of heat at low temper-
atures, and often at long distances from the
source of heat. We have recurred to this so
often that few persons probably, who have read
the Gardener's Monthly in the past, have
been burnt down by " defective flues." However,
it is well once in a while to renew these old top-
ics, and it may be useful to note what the
American Manufacturer says : "At the Crescent
Steel Works in this city a steam pipe 2i inches
in diameter, carrying from 90 to 100 pounds pi-es-
sure, was laid under ground about three years
ago, encased in common pine boards about one
inch thick. A few days since occasion was had
to dig up the pipe, and the wliole length of the
wooden drain was found to be charred and ap-
parently burnt about three fourtiis of the thick-
ness of the wood, the other fourth being partially
rotted. The whole inside of the drain was

44

THE GARDENER'S MONTHLY

[February,

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

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

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

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

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

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

SCRAPS AND QUERIES.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

1880.

AND HORTICULTURIST.

45

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

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

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

Fruit and Vegetable Gardening.

SEASONABLE HINTS,

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

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

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

Pruning of fruit trees, when required, should
be proceeded with at favorable opportunities.
"We write when required, for in our climate more;

46

THE GARDENER'S MONTHLY

I February,

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

In the more southern States, the gardener will

1880.

AND HORTICULTURIST.

47

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

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

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

COMMUNICA TIONS.

JAPAN PERSIMMONS.

BY H. F. HILLENMBYER, LEXINGTON, KY.

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

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

EDITORIAL NOTES.

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

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

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

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

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

48

THE GARDEXER'S MOXTHLY

[February,

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

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

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

T03IAT0ES i:s' England.— These must "be get-
tins: iuto some favor at length in England. —
when new English varieties are being advertised,
Xisbet's Victoria is among the announcements
of the season. The fruit is represented to be
about the size of a good sized plum.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

1880.

AND HORTICULTURIST.

49

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

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

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

SCRAPS AXD QUERIES.

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

THE K.iKt ir l,J:; i LAt;.

misunderstood as I think. I send 3'ou the Michi-
gan Farmer of the 9th inst., containing their pro-
ceedings. If you could find time to write out
what you think on the subject, or what you have
found out, it would be doing our fruit interest
some service and put an end to much useless
talk, a sort of epidemic from which editors sufl"er
a great deal."

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

50

THE GARDENER'S MONTHL Y

[February,

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

All that we see against tliis in the discussion
referred to, and others that have occurred in
Michigan lately, is that this "theory" is "per-
fect nonsense," and one gentleman reports that
he " examined the roots of a peach-tree with the
yellows, but he could not find any fungus." No
details are given. He may have had an idea of
finding a " fungus" as big as a puff-ball for any-

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

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

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

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

Selecting Grafts of Fruit Trees. — J.F.,
Keswick Depot, Albemarle Co., Va., writes:

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

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

1880.

AND HORTICULTURIST.

61

Forestry.

COMMUNICA TIONS.

PINE-TREE INSECTS.

BY WM. SAUNDERS, LONDON, ONTARIO.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

52

THE GARDENER'S MONTHLY

[February,

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

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

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

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

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

are.

•••>

EDITORIAL NOTES.

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

for years as the day it was put in, and

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

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

1880.

AND HORTICULTURIST.

53

which, to his certain knowledge, had been lying I of each of the stakes B F and C E, and find the
for twelve years partly covered with earth in an | difference in their lengths or heights. Then pro-
old meadow. The heart wood is in perfect pre- ceed as follows: Divide the distance from the
servation. This timber, he says, is arapidgrower, trunk of the tree to the stake C E, say 100 feet,
and seems to be nearly imperishable in the by the distance between the two stakes B F and
ground; and he suggests that it would pay rail- C E, say 10 feet; then, supposing the difference,
road companies to cultivate it for ties. Osage in the length of the two stakes is 2 feet, multi-
timber large enough for narrow gauge roads ply the product or dividend obtained as above by
would grow, he thinks,in from twelve. to fifteen this difference, which will give 20 feet, and then
years from planting. Whether it would hold supposing the height of the stake C E is Z feet,
spikes well does not appear." add this to the 20 feet, which will make the height

[But this does not tell us how long the same of the tree 23 feet.

timber would last as railroad ties. It makes a

great difference whether a piece of wood is whol-

Iv or partially covered. Cedar is dug up in New

Jersey, and has been dug up in Illinois, that has of our own, of a very simple problem m tngo

been buried before the historic period, and found nometry, to the purpose.

In case the ground is not level, the spirit-level
will assist j^ou.
This mode of measuring trees is an adaptation

to be just as sound as if but recently living. So,
near London, recently, oak logs have been dug
up that were used for corduroy roads by the Ro-
mans near two thousand years ago, perfectly
sound. It is the heat of Summer and the subse-
quent moist period that worries the ties, and we
want to know how they will act under these
circumstances. — Ed. G. M.l

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

At 1 foot from the ground, . . 10 feet 3 inches.
" 3 feet " " : . 8 '^ 8 "

" 5 " " " . . 8 " 5 "

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

Ericine. — This new coloring matter is so

Measuring the Height of Trees. — Just
now much space is given to this subject by our
contemporaries, — and it may serve a useful pur-
pose to give here a plan which was published by
the writer of this many years ago. It is one of called because it is made from the wood of the
those cases where old things are as good as new, Erica or European Heath. It is also now made
—for geometrical rules are good for all times. f^om Poplar wood. It dyes a beautiful yellow.

A very easy, simple and correct mode of meas-
uring the height of trees is as follows: The Difference in the Catalpas.— The

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

"*^. Tree Planting in Nebraska.- The Union

Pacific Railroad has made extensive plantations
of forests along its line in Nebraska. These un-
der the superintendence of Mr. J. T. Allan,
i have been generally successful. The trees are
Mea.sure any distance from the tree you choose, chiefly kinds native to the Rocky Mountains,
say 90 feet, and plant a perpendicular stake B F \ though Larch, Scotch Pine, and some fruit trees
in the ground, of any height, say 5 feet; then at have also been experimented with. The regu-
any distance, say 10 feet, from this stake, and lar hands of the road planted the trees under
on the opposite side of it from the tree, plant Mr. Allan's superintendence. The plan was to
another perpendicular stake C E, which must be plow up tracts of from two to five hundred acres,
driven into the ground until the points E F G '^sow with grass and clover, and set out the trees
are brought into a range. Measure the heights at the same time.

<

54

THE GARDENER'S MONTHLY

[February^

Natural History and Science.

EDITORIAL NOTES.

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

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

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

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

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

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

1880.]

AND HORTICULTURIST.

55

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Literature, Travels \ Personal Notes.

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

introduce a novelty in American culture. M.

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

BY JACQUES. growing of watercresses, and established him-

fFe a?Z ZtA-e ^0 Aear of original occupations sue- | self at No. 517 Lebanon avenue, West Pbila-

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

56

THE GARDENER'S MONTHL Y

[February,

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

New use for soldiers. — Great damage to agri-
culture by swarms of grasshoppers in Hungary,
a large area being entirely devastated, " the
local authorities have been," says an authority,
"to apply to Budapest for military assistance, be-
sides availing themselves of that of the inhabi-
tants of numerous villages in the district." Is
not this a better use for soldiers than to employ
millions to kill other millions of men ? In con-
nection with the above, and t6 go from the sub-

beyond any calculation that could have l)ecu
formed at the start.

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

Progress. — We must take the editor of " Pro-
gress " to task. He "wants to know" why no
means are taken to produce a supply of mush-
rooms in this country. His reading has not
perhaps extended to the Gardener's Monthly

lime to the ridiculous, will it be allowable to say ' or to the proceedings of the Germantown Hortl

here that the gentle, quiet guards of our Park
might occasionally, if they choose, pull up a
mullein or a dock going to seed ; they don't seem
to appreciate the situation, passing the most
noxious plants hourly, till the seed is dispersed
for another and greater crop.

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

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

cultural Society. We are happy in the an-
nouncement in this number that preparations
are in "progress," and that the topic is not
new. Tons upon tons are sold every day in
Paris, and so will it is hoped, be here ere long.

Sad if True.— Mr. 'N. S. Shaler in a thought-
ful article on "The Use of Numbers in Soci-
ety," {Atlantic Monthly for September), comes
to the conclusion that whoever will follow the
subject of the wearing out of soils in the fields
of Europe and America will be convinced that
a progressive lowering of fertility in the soils
of the earth, has attended and must attend
the continued advance of man. America, he
says, is using or rather misusing in a year the
treasures that a thousand years have been
preparing. But what a wonderful provision
was made that they have held out so very long.

Keith Johnson. — The death of the younger
Keith Johnson, son of the great geographical
map and book author, is much regretted. He
was leading the Geographical Society's Expedi-

but of more humble occupations within the reach i tion in Africa, and died of dysentery, 130 miles

of humble means, etc.

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

Sixty Peach-packing establishments exist in Bal-
timore alone, some emplo3dng 800 to 1000 hands,
exclusive of tin can makers. This is an increase

inland. He came of a famous house, and had
done good work in South America. His death
is a real loss to scientific geography.

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

1880.]

AND HORTICULTURIST.

57

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

A Year in a Lancashire Garden^ by Henry A.
Bright, is a gem from the press of Macmillan.
It is English, but many of its remarks apply to
all garden-loving people. Nowhere is the art of
gardening brought to such great perfection as by
the English, who are strong in horticulture and
■strong in poetry ; the poet's song adds perfume
to the violet and a beauty to the rose. This Mr.
Bright thinks is neglected by gardeners in these
<iays of "bedding'' stuff, which he hopes may
<3isappear before any poet undertakes to cele-
brate it in song. He says, "I am heartily weary
of the monotony of modern gardens, with their
endless pelargoniums, calceolarias and verbenas.
Some few such beds I cannot dispense with, but
I am always glad when I can reclaim a bed for
permanent use."

EDITORIAL NOTES.

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

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

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

58

THE GARDENER'S MONTHLY

[February,

Alleghauians are much moved. As in many other
places they get up popular cries for spending
money, moving a building for some reason, to an-
other place where first the same reasons prevail,
with little other good resulting but spending a
huge pile of money. Some $700,000 have been
spent in moving a prison because the site was
not healthy, when the same spot becomes a
prison of another sort again. It is not simply
"parks and gardens" which find the weak men
in the good places. The gardening in the vicin-
ity of Pittsburg and Alleghany is very good,
considering that there are no landscape gar-
deners with anything more than local fame
about there, and its architectural beauty is gen-
erally very good indeed. But as we get towards
and into Ohio, good gardening did not afford
remarkable illustrations. I remember how
much the architectural beauty of the City of
Alliance impressed me, but the gardening
was of the meanest possible character. Of
course there must be some exceptions if one
had the opportunity to go about and search for
them, but there was abundant opportunity for
good gardening in many places under the im-
mediate eye of the traveler, which in many
cities with as much taste and wealth as the ar-
chitecture exhibited, that would have been taken
hold of to better purpose than here.

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

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

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

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

1880.]

AND HORTICULTURIST.

50

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

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

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

The public parks and cemeteries of Cleveland

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

60

THE GARDENER'S MONTHLY

[February,

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The American Entomologist. — This ma-
gazine suspended nine years, has been revived,
with Prof. C. V. Riley as editor-in-chief, and Mr.
A. S. Fuller as associate editor. It will in fu-
ture be published in New York, at S2.00 a year.

1880.]

AND HORTICULTURIST.

61

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

At that time the leading horticultural maga-

62

THE GARDENER'S MONTHLY

[February,

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

stances five times their actual value. Nearly all
the new grapes have been retailed for the first
two or three years, and even longer, after intro-
duction, at from S2 to $5 per vine ; strawberries
at from S3 to $5, and evenSlO a dozen ; and new
potatoes, like Early Rose, at $100 a bushel,
while in one instance, S50 was given for a single
tuber. If we remember right, Dr. Grant paid
$1,500 for the original vine of the Eumelan
grape, and Mrs. Rebecca Peak obtained as much
or more for the Rebecca, and we think the most
ai'dent champion of patents in horticuture will
admit that these sums were in excess of what the
varieties named were worth, except for specula-
tive purposes. We might name scores of similiai
instances of exorbitant prices paid to originators
of new plants that proved upon propagation and
dissemination to be of little or no value.

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

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

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

1880.1

AND HORTICULTURIST.

63

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

Similar temporary variations occur with all
kinds of fruits and plants, and the greatest hor-
ticulturist or botanist that ever lived is very like-
ly to be misled by them, and to pronounce old
and familiar plants to be new varieties. !N'o
such difficulties exist in the identifying of me-
chanical inventions, or even the principles of
mechanics, for the models, drawing, and speci-
fications can be placed on record for future

reference."

••-••

SCRAPS AND QUERIES.

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

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

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

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

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

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

How TO Get Good Men into Public
Parks and Gardens.— E. writes : " In answer
to your problem, 'How to get the office to the
good man, who does not want it,' I may say,
every good man will accept a good office, but
may lack the low cunning to obtain it. The un-
fit man gets the office by the intrigue of other
interested persons, who expect to gain thereby.

"The commissioners of the ]N'atioual Antie-
tam Cemetery, after interments in the centre
were over, and the large outer grounds were to
be embellished with trees, shrubs, and seeded
down with grass, etc., were anxious to get the
right man to plan and direct. They addressed
sixteen gardeners in different States, and pro-
pounded practical questions to all alike. After
all the answers had been received, the commis-
sioners met and read the answers. Twenty-five
out of the twenty-six commissioners voted for
Walter Elder of Philadelphia, and he got the
office.

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

64

THE GARDENER'S MONTHLY.

[February.

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

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

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

Horticultural Societies.

EDITORIAL NOTES

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

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

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

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

I dent, Wm. S. W. Ruschenberger ; Vice-Presi-
dents, Wm. S. Vaux and Thomas Meehan : Re-

I
cording Secretary and Librarian, Edward J.

Nolan ; Corresponding Secretary, George H.

Horn; Treasurer, Wm. C. Henszey ; Curators,

Joseph Leidy, Wm. S. Vaux, Chas. F. Parker^

R. S. Kenderdine ; Councillors, Rev. H. C.

: McCook, Edward Potts, I. C. Martindale, Theo.

D. Rand.

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

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

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

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

Massachusetts Horticultural Society.
— Hon. Francis B. Hayes has been elected Presi-
dent for the ensuing year. S3050 were appro-
priated for the premiums for the coming season.

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

THE

GARDENER'S MONTHLY

AND

HORTICULTURIST.

DEVOTED TO HORTICULTURE, ARBORICULTURE AND RURAL AFFAIRS.

Edited by THOMAS MEEHA.N.

Vol. XXII.

MARCH, 1880.

Number 255.

Flower Garden and Pleasure Ground,

SEASONABLE HINTS.

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

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

66

THE GARDENER'S MONTHLY

[March,

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

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

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

Prune shrubs, roses and vines. Those which
flower from young wood, cut in severely to make
new growth vigorous. Tea, China, Bourbon and
Noisette
roses are of
this class.
"What are
called an-
nual flower-
ing roses,
as Prairie
Queen and
so on, re-
quires lots
of last year's
vro o d to
make a good
show of flow-
ers. Hence,
with these,
thin out
weak wood,
and leave all the stronger.

Do not transplant extensively till the ground
is warm and the buds are about to push. Many
things die by exposure to winds for a few weeks
before they have warmth to push roots and
leaves into growth.

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

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

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

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

GROUND PLAN OF AN EUROPEAN PARK SCENE. The Tea,

i China, Bourbon and ]!!^'oisette roses which flower
best on young wood, should be well cut in.

COMMUNICA TIONS.

THE COMPARATIVE HARDINESS OF CER-
TAIN JAPANESE LICUSTRUMS.

BY SAMUEL PARSONS, JR.

In a late number of the Gardener's Month-
In a nursery, where these | ly, pp. 354, I notice C. E. P's queries as to the

matters are well understood, trees "never die." hardiness of Ligustrums Ibota and coriaceum,

Chrysanthemums are now indispensable for and the best methods of protecting them. The

autumn decoration of the flower garden. Now Ligustrums in question, possess about the same

is the time to procure a supply. They do well degree of hardiness as the Ligustrum Japonicum,

in any rich garden soil that is not too dry. The of which indeed coriaceum may be termed a va-

Lilliputian, or Pompone class are still popular riety. During moderate winters, a light cover-

for conservatory or pot culture, but the large ing of evergreen boughs, or a sheaf of straw

flowering kinds still remain the gems of the open bound together at one end, placed loosely over
ground. | the plant and tied to a stake will generally suf-

1880.

AND HORTICULTURIST.

67

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

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

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

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

ORIGIN of FUCHSIA LORD BEACONSFIELD.

BY KDWIN LON.SDALK, (iERMANTOWX, PA.

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

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

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

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

VERSCHAFFKLTH.

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

68

THE GARDENER'S MONTHLY

[March,

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

THE CARDINAL FLOWER.

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

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

1880.

AND HORTICULTURIST.

69

EDITORIAL NOTES.

Lilies. — As a general thing the Lily is
uot a success in most gardens. This is
however chiefly from improper soil being
used, or their being put into improper situ-
ations. The plants rather like the open sun-
li!i;ht, but the roots abominate hot ground, espe-
cially when stiff or clayey. In Professor Sar-
gent's grounds at Brookline, Mass., they are
planted with the Rhododendrons, and are a mag-
nificent success. Here the Rhododendrons
shield the bulbs from the hot sun. It is besides
an excellent idea as a mere matter of garden
taste, for the Rhodo'dendrons are all over blos-
soming before the Lilies flower, and so the
flowering of the beautiful evergreens seems to
be prolonged till late in the summer, when the
lilies disappear.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

70

THE GARDENER'S MONTHLY

[March,

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

Roses in Europe. — We point to our fruit
nurseries with their hundreds of thousands of
fruit trees with just pride. Europeans equally
pride themselves on other things. Speaking of
the nurseries of our correspondent, A. M. C. Jong-
kindt, Coninck, at Dedemsvaart (Dedems Canal)
in Holland, a correspondent of the Gardener^s
Chronicle notes that he saw 300,000 rose stocks.
The Japan Climbing Fern. — The Japan
fern Lygodium scandens, has been found much
more tractable than its near relative, the Lygo-
dium palmatum, or as it is sometimes called
"Hartfoi'd Fern." The Japan species makes a
very pretty thing to train on fancy trellises out
of doors in partially shaded places during sum-
mer time.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

SCRAPS AND QUERIES.

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

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

1880.1

AND HORTICULTURIST.

71

Greenhouse and House Gardening.

COMMUNICA TIONS.

COOL ORCHIDS AND THEIR TREATMENT

BY MR. J. (BRIEVES, PATTERSON, N. J.

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

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

72

THE GARDENER'S MONTHLY

[March,

from the air. Water as little as possible in the ! Orchids are the most abused unfortmiate class
winter consistent with preserving the plants in a of plants I know of; as being hard to kill, the

plump, healthy condition. There being several
degrees difference in temperature between com-

next choice is to keep them sick by too much
(mistaken) kindness. In practical culture a very

post that is wet and that comparatively dry, j strange fact is that many cool-growing varieties
protect from cold draughts and the aridity of the of orchids grow best in decaying vegetable mat-
air in sharp frosty weather, which is much to be ; ter, deriving sustenance from it, notably Odon-
feared, especially if grown in a room. I glossums and Masdevallias ; even the West In-

1880.

AND HORTICULTURIST.

73

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

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

yet such as are readily obtainable at moderate

chrysanthuni^

prices :

Acineta Barkerii.

Ada aurantiaca.

-T^rides crispuni, odorat uin, etc

Angia?cuni falcatum.

Ai)giiloaClowesii,uniflora,etc.

Ansellia Africana, etc.

Arpophylluni giganteuiu and

spicatum.
As|)asia lunata.
Burkeria elegans and Skin-

nerii, etc.
Bletia Sherrattiana and Tan-

kervilleae.
Brassavola Pecatorei, etc.
Cattleya amethystoglossa and

>ro.«si£e, etc.
Chysis aurea and Isevis.
Coelogy ne barbata, cristata, etc.
Cymbidium Darganuiu, Mas-

tersii.
Cypripedium barbatum, in-

signe, and many other va-

Dendrobiuin

nobile, etc.
Epidendrum cuspidatum. vi-

tellinum, etc
Lselia anceps, Perrinii, and

others.
Lycaste lanipes, Skinnerii, and

many others.
Mesospinidium sanguineum,

Vulcanicum
Miltonia spectabilis and all

the Tarieties.
Masdevallia amabalis, cocci-

nea, etc.
Odontoglossum cirrhosum,

Alexandrse, and almost all

of this fine family.
Oncidium aurosum, cuculla-

tum, and others.
Trichopilia tortilis, etc
Zygopetalum aromaticum,

Mackayi, etc.

rieties.

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

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

DESTRUCTION OF GREENHOUSE IN-

SECTS-THE PETER HENDERSON

PRIZE ESSAY.

BY JOSEPH A. DAVIS, .JERSEY CITY HEIGHTS, >'. J.

The following article is offered in competition
for the S25 special prize offered by Peter Hen-
derson, for the best essay on prevention and de-
struction of insects under glass :

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

74

THE GARDENER'S MONTHL Y

[March,

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

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

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

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

the fumes of sulphur, given out by painting the
sides, is destructive to it, but of this we are not
certainly assured. There is but little doubt that
this insect spreads quickly, and it is safest when
plants are affected to at once throw them out,
for if seriously a8"ected they rarely recover.

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

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

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

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

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

1880.

AND HORTICULTURIST.

75

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

GLOXINIAS.

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

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

me a great deal of trouble and annoyance, as
well as the loss of the best part of my col-
lection. But after many experiments I was
enabled last season to grow all my Gloxinias
perfectly free from rust by adopting the follow-
ing method. As soon as I noticed that they
were commencing to grow, which was about
the 10th of May, I turned them out of their
pots and repotted them in a mixture of one-half
leaf mould, the other half consisting of loam
and charcoal broken fine, in about equal propor-
tion, taking care to give good drainage, and
also to keep the top of the bulb on a level with
the surface of the soil. 1 then take a cold
frame and spade up the ground inside the frame.
I then plunge all the pots in the frame, taking
care that the tops of the pots are on a level
with the ground. After the pots are all
plunged, I water the ground so as to fasten the
soil around the pots, then put on the sash and
whitewash the glass so as to retain the moist-
ure. In a short time there will be a fine healthy
growth, and in the course of two or three
weeks, air should be given by raising up the
sash at the bottom. On hot days the sash may
be raised about four inches, and on cooler days
about two inches, and in rainy or wet weather
the sash had better be closed. The plants must
be watered as often as they require it, and when
the flowers commence to expand the plants can
be removed to the greenhouse. If the rust
should make its appearance, remove them back
to the frame at once. As soon as the plants
cease flowering, they can be brought back to the
frame, and the amount of water given should be
gradually decreased. On the approach of cold
weather, the plants can be brought into the
greenhouse and placed under the stage or any
place where the thermometer ranges about 50**.
The pots containing the bulbs must be laid on
their sides, as if the soil is allowed to get wet
the bulb may rot. During the growing season
the plants must be looked over occasionally,
and shifted as often as neceseary, and on no ac-
count must they be allowed to become pot-
bound, for if once they become pot-bound, they
soon become sickly and the prey of numerous
insects.

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

76

THE GARDENER'S MONTHLY

[March,

and orive air so that the plants do not become
weak and drawn.

I wish it to be understood that these remarks
are not intended as a criticism on Mr. Fyfe's
excellent article, as he has had more experience
in plant cultivation than I probably will ever
have, but as one of your correspondents in-
quired in the June number for a remedy for the
rust on Gloxinias, I thought that my experience
would be of some benefit to him.

EDITORIAL NOTES

indicate the arrangement of an ordinary lime-
kiln, while the other letters indicate the portions
of a saddle boiler with its flow and return pipes
over the top of the kiln.

Although this twenty-acre building could prob-
ably be heated in this manner, it might not per-
haps be very agreeable to the frequenters of the
beautiful Fairmount Park to have a " nasty lime
market" with its main depot within its bounda-
ries. However, it is for us to show what may be
done, — for others to entertain the practicability
— .^ or desirability of applying it.

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

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

be

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

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

HEATING BY A LIMEKILN.

evolved from our | without letting it drop

liable to injury from drip than those with flat
As some attention is being again given to the | roofs,
subject, through some of the Philadelphia papers | a Pretty Bouquet.— It was a very pretty
recommending the heating of the Exhibition j bouquet that was presented by the ladies of
Buildings by this plan, we reproduce an illustra- 1 Bethlehem to the Editor of the Gardener's

tion we once gave of the plan, as it has in a
measure been forgotton.

It will be seen that the figures a, b, c, simply

Monthly at the conclusion of his little talk on
window gardening at the recent annual meeting
of the State Horticultural Society. Fronds of

1880.]

AND HORTICULTURIST.

77

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

SCRAPS AND QUERIES.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Fruit and Vegetable Gardening.

SEASONABLE HINTS.

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

day, heating it to 80^ or 90°, and which results in
" enervating" the vital powers and in making
the plant a prey to all sorts of diseases. This is
one of the great evils of what is known as clean
culture in many places, and does as much as the
actual mutilation of the roots to injure the pros-
pects of the orchardist. Yet in all discussion
about cropping orchards versus clean culture, we
rarely see it alluded to. It is owing to this over-
looking of an important point that so much dif-
ferences occur among the " Doctors." One has

78

THE GARDENER'S MONTHLY

[March,

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

1880.

AND HORTICULTURIST.

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

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

In the open ground, peas and potatoes receive
the first attention; then beets and carrots; then
lettuce, radish, spinach, onions, leeks and parsley.
Beyond this, unless in more favored latitudes
than Pennsylvania, little can be done until the
first week in April. There is nothing gained in
working soil until it has become warm and dry.
Celery for the main crop will do about the end
of the month, but a little may be sown now. We
have never been able to make up our mind
whether there is such a thing as an absolute
solid variety of celery, and whether pithiness in
any degree depends on soil or culture. Cer-
tainly we buy all the most improved "solids"
every year, and never yet found one satisfactory
throughout. We cannot say which is the best
of the many candidates.

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

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

COMMUNICA TIONS

THE JAPAN PERSIMMON.

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

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

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

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

EDITORIAL NOTES.

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

80

TEE GARDENER'S MONTHLY

[March,

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

California Oranges. — The papers tell us
of a grower who received $50 per 1000 for his
oranges, and expects to market 400,000 next
year at these figures. It seems very high. We
can buy the best of oranges at retail in Phila-
delphia for five cents each. Californians must
pay more for an orange than we do. They had
better emigrate to these parts and live cheaper.

Strawberries in Scribner. — Scribner's
Monthly has done a good thing in bringing the
"Strawberry" before the great public, in a pret-
tily illustrated article from the pen of E. P. Roe.

1880.

AND HORTICULTURIST.

81

In easy but yet graceful style, Mr. Roe tells
what he knows of the famous berry, anfl we are |
sure has interested thousands in the subject who 1
scarcely gave a thought to the subject before, j
Articles like these do a world of good.

California Raisins. — The Riverside Press
tells uji^that one firm received S794 for the rais-
ins made from 890 grape vines, — and that the to-
tal expenses were S478.88. This only gives a
a net profit of 12 cents per vine. It is not in-
ordinate, and as it is looked on as a good thing,
it shows that some California newspaper figures
may probably be relied on. Yet twelve cents
from one vine, say every 16 square feet, makes
about S300 profit to an acre, which is doing well
enough in these hard times.

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

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

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

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

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

Apples in Illinois. — Mr. A.R.Whitney com-
menced orcharding in 1843. He has 16,000 bear-
ing trees on 150 acres. His heaviest crop was in
1876, when he had 26,000 bushels. Insects are his
chief trouble. He keeps his orchard in grass and
feeds it with sheep. For summer and early fall
he likes the Reti Astrachan and Snow ; for fall
and early winter, the Bailey, Sweet and Maiden's
Blush; for winter and spring. Dominie, Jona-

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

82

THE GARDENER'S MONTHLY

[March,

SCRAPS AND QUERIES.

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

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

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

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

Grafting Pear on Pyrus Japonica. —

"Quince" asks: "What has become of this
project? I tried a few, but they all died the
year after grafting, though I verily believe it
was the Pyrus suckers that helped to do the
deed. But then how are we to keep these
sprouts down, for it would seem the Pyrus
japonica could not live without root suckering?
Vegetables and Beauty. — A correspond-
ent insists that the beauty of American women
has increased immensely since he was a young
man, — now many years ago, — and he believes
that this has arisen from the more general use
of fruits and vegetables. We hope the elderly
ladies will forgive us for stating that the wretch
who wrote this had a Philadelphia post mark to
his letter, and may not perhaps have had expe-
rience in other places.

Forestry.

EDITORIAL NOTES.

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

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

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

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

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

1880.]

AND HORTICULTURIST.

83

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

84

THE GARDENER'S MONTHLY

[March,

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

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

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

Natural History and Science.

COMMUNICA TIONS.

THOSE CATALPAS ACAIN-AN INQUIRY.

BY PROF. ROliERT MILLIKEN, KMPORIA, KAN.

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

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

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

Under date of May 20th, 1878, Mr. Teas after
writing at some length such facts as had come
under his observations regarding the C. speciosa,
says : " Then I have another Catalpa, — new
— from Japan ; not in bloom for two or three
weeks yet. Of this I am anxious to learn the
name. I suppose you have it in your books, and
can easily make it out from specimens I could
send. It is also an exceedingly vigorous up-
right grower, and I think will make a most
valuable timber tree, — surely so if its wood pos-
ses the imperishable quality belonging to the
other catalpas."

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

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

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

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

1880.

AND HORTICULTURIST.

85

and the lobes generally, though not always, end 1 dwarf form of the American is C. Ksempferi.

in a sharp acute point. The seed pods are very There is no mystery about it that we see— Ed.

distinct, being remarkably slender, though of

about the usual length, only about the size of a

goose-quill. Seeds also quite small ; one pound

containing 50,000, while a pound of the common

only go a little over 20,000.

'• Several to whom I have sent it incline to call
it Ka;mpferi, but it is very unlike what we have
for Kfempferi, from Rochester, and which I

G. M.]

THE PEAR LEAF-MITE.

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

In your magazine recently, page 18, Prof. T.
J. Burrill, of Champaign, Illinois, is credited as
think correct. Plants ten years old, nine and a being the first person in this country to discover
half feet high, and forty feet in circumference of the cause of what is known as pear-leaf blister,
branches at four or five feet from the ground; in- In his article on that subject quoted in your
numerable stems like a great old currant bush, magazine. Prof. Burrill says: "A wide-spread
Top dense, almost even, and smooth as a clipped disease of pear leaves in this country and in Eu-

hedge, though never cut; leaves small, dark
green and glossy ; twigs slender. No bloom

rope, is caused by a mite, to which Scheuten, a
German naturalist, gave the name of Typhi o-

yet, though have watched carefully for several : dromus pyri. This was twenty-one years ago.
years. I think it will be nice worked standard Ignorant of this information the writer during
high, but for timber, might as well plant goose- ' the last season, 1879, rediscovered the cause of
berry bushes. Some one suggest that our this disease, and, it is believed, first announced
Kajmpferi may be Bungei, but I think that is its occurrence in this country."
still more dwarf,— stouter in its twigs." The following extract from the Annual Report

At another time Mr. Teas sent me some of the Department of Agriculture for the year
small trees of speciosa, Japan and Bungei, as 1872, page 113, will clearly demonstrate that I
he has them, and wrote regarding them. made the discovery Prof. Burrill claims as early

••It (the Japan) probably belongs to the | as May, 1872 :
Ksempferi section, but is altogether distinct from j "■ Mites in Pear-leaves.— In May many leaves
K. itself. I have no Keempferi, but enclose a of the pear tree were observed to be covered
few seeds which I suppose to be K. I bought with dark-brown blotches somewhat like a fun-
it in France for Bungei, and what I now send ! gold growth, but upon examination by Mr. Tay-
you as B. I bought at Rochester as K." ! lor, microscopist of the Department, these

Now Mr. Editor, the more we study this ques- blotches were found to be inhabited by small
tiou the less we seem to know about the identity mites almost invisible to the naked eye. These

of kinds. Is this Japan catalpa of Mr. Teas
Bungei or some new kind? And is the dwarf
one C. KiBmpferi?

mites appear to run all over the leaves, but es-
pecially to burrow in the brown patches, which
appear to be entirely eaten out by them. Their
are

An answer will remove a good deal of confu- bodies are long, cylindrical, yellowish-white,
siou at present existing, regarding the proper with only two pairs of legs, placed very far for-
names of these diflerent species. ward near the head, and they move with consid-

[We have received this since the note in our | erable agility. They are also marked with a
'^ Forestry" department went to press. We [ multitude of rings, and have two long hairs or
would simply suggest to our friend that when i bristles and two shorter ones on the end of the
*'the more we study the less we know," it ought abdomen. There is a somewhat similar mite nien-
to indicate that we have been studying in the tioned by Packard as the Typhlodromus pyri, of
wrong direction. The best direction to study a Scheuten, which is said to live under the epider-
botanlcal question, is in the line of botanical mis of pear leaves in Europe, but no mention is
authorities. Probably the best authority on this ! made of the brown blotches on the leaf, appa-
Catalpa question is DeCandolle, as already i rently formed by the mite. In his figure also
stated. If DeCandolle is wrong, the error has I the head is much more obtuse than those exam-
not been pointed out by any botanist that we ; ined in the Department. A thorough drenching
know of; and we must wait till some one of with whale-oil soap-suds would doubtless destroy
them does. In the mean time the lobed leaved many of them, as their bodies appear to be very
kind with flowers remains C. Bungei, and the : soft. All infested leaves, likewise, should be

86

THE GARDENER'S MONTHLY

[March y

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

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

ONE-FLOWERED CANCER ROOT.

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

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

ACCIDENTS IN NATURE.

BY MARGID DIGRAM, PHILADELPHIA.

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

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

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

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

EDITORIAL NOTES.

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

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

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

1880.

AND HORTICULTURIST.

87

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

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

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

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

SCRAPS AND QUERIES.

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

The Flowering Raspberry.— " Inquirer."

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

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

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

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

88

THE GARDENER'S MONTHLY

[Maivh,

Literature, Travels \ Personal Notes.

COMMUNICA TIONS.

NOTES AND QUERIES-No. 10.

BY JACQUES.

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

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

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

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

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

Fruit. — Our friends abroad who get a few
peaches under glass and on flued walls, will be
interested to know that last year the Delaware
Railroad Company transported four thousand,
three hundred and twent3'-seven car loads (not
single fruits) of peaches, and six hundred and
forty-six car loads of berries, weighing forty
thousand tons, and yielding freight charges
nearly S"240,000. This is independent of distri-
bution of fruits in other directions.

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

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

1880.

AND HORTICULTURIST.

89

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

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

PERFUMES.

BY EMMA B. DUNHAM.

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

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

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

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

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

EDITORIAL NOTES.

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

90

THE GARDENER'S MONTHLY

[March,

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

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

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

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

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

1880.1

AND HORTICULTURIST.

91

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

92

THE GARDENER'S MONTHLY

[March,

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

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

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

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

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

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

1880.1

AND HORTICULTURIST,

93

he goes along, he does not do justice to Mr. Dar-
win's real views. Mr. Darwin, as most of us
know now, has made manj- incidental errors,
and his inferences are not always sustained by
the light of what has been observed in later
times. But on the other hand since Darwin
wrote there are quite as many new facts brought
out to strengthen his views, as there are those
which weaken them, — but of these our author evi-
dently knows nothing. Like a lawyer pleading
on a case against Mr. Darwin, he naturally seizes
on every weak point, as if it were one of great im-
portance. When Mr. Darwin, for instance, tells
us that a certain belief has prevailed " from the
time of Columella, who wrote shortly after the
Christian era to the present day," Mr. O'Neill
takes occasion to sa3'that "the impression, with
the writer, has ever been, that the 'Christian
era ' lasted, at least, \mi\\ the origin of species
was published." Every one but Mr. O'Neill
may understand that Mr. Darwin inadvertently
left out " began" after " era ;" and that his "im-
pression" is of no sort of consequence as an ar-
gument "against Darwin." The whole work
indeed strikes us as of the class with Archbishop
Whately's effort to prove the nou-existence of
Napoleon Buonaparte. It is a clever but uncon-
vincing work. His line of argument is that there
is no feature that marks what we call a new va-
riety, that did not exist in some ancestor more
or less remote, — that the types or " first pa-
rents " of all existing species had every cha-
racter in one that now appears severally in
many forms. In other words that there has been
a continual suppression of parts, and that it is
only by regaining occasionally what has been
lost, that there comes in what we call a new va^
riety. In other words, as we understand Mr.
O'Neill's view it is quite possible for a monkey
to be evolved from a man, but not a man from a
monkey !

Of course every student of Mr. Darwin's works
knows that he does consider much of the change
of form we see as due to reversion and suppres-
sion, — but he also knows what is never referred to
by Mr. O'Neill, that Mr. Darwin's works show the
entrance on the stage of wholly new characters,
which we have no reason to believe ever had an
existence before. For instance, of late years we
have come to know that the Salix Babylonica,
sprung from Salix Japonica, and there is no pro-
bability, so far as any mind can suggest, that the
peculiar characteristics of the former, ever had
a prior existence till it sprung from the latter.

Then there is another form of willow known as
Salix annularis, the ring-leaved willow, which
we know sprung from Salix Babylonica. Its pe-
culiarity never existed in any probability in the
former. Now this Salix annularis, has within
two cases only that the writer of this knows of,
reverted after many years to the S. Babylonica.
It retained its characters for some half of a cen-
tury before a branch betrayed its origin. Here
is the entrance of an entirely new charac-
ter, and a reversion to the old one. It shows
that both are true, and this Mr. Darwin has well
illustrated.

We do not believe that Mr. Darwin's views of
reversion, intercrossing, natural selection, and
other agencies always cover the ground he claims
for them. As a student of nature, the writer of
this has often had to object ; but that they are
sound in the main we believe, and a careful read-
ing of Mr. O'Neill's book has not in the least
weakened our faith in them.

The Cotton Worm. By Prof. C. Y. Riley.
Published by the Department of the Interior. —
The United States Government stands high in
the estimation of the people of other nations,
by the aid it gives to scientific explorations and
investigations, and it is chiefly because of its in-
terest in the development of the progressive
paths of peace, while the rest of the world is
mainly occupied with the arts of war, that popu-
lation, capital and enterprise are so freely poured
in upon us. Indeed, there is very little left for
a United States Government to do but to look
after the protection of the people from internal
enemies since it has no foreign foes to menace
them. And we have no greater foe than ignor-
ance, — and especially that class of ignorance
which only exact scientific knowledge can destroy.

This work of Prof. Riley and the Entomologi-
cal Commission is one which will do much to
maintain the excellent reputation of our gov-
ernment, to which we have already referred ;
and it will do much towards curbing the destruc-
tive power of one of our national enemies, — the
cotton worm. Indeed, a study of this work will
not be of value to the cotton raiser only, but
will expand the view of all engaged in the war
against noxious insects of many kinds. So far as
the cotton worm is concerned, we have here given
the history of the insect copiously illustrated in
all its stages of growth, as also of others which
have any possible relation or connection with
it. Also all sorts of machines and contrivances
by which the insect may be caught and destroy-

94

THE GARDENER'S MONTHLY

[March,

ed. The wide difFusion of such knowledge as is
contained here, cannot but be of untold value to
the country in dollars and cents; for though the
intelligent man generally gains what the igno-
rant one loses, it is always an absolute loss to
any country where even one man's labor is
thrown away.

How TO Learn Short-Hand without a
Teacher, we have from S. R. Wells & Co.,
New York.

Dairy Farming, Part 7. — This part has for
its frontispiece a beautiful colored plate of Ayr-
shire cattle. The leading chapters are on the
nutrition of plants and application of manures.
Cassell, Petter «& Galpin, New York, are the
agents.

The Workshop Companion, Industrial Pub-
lication Co., New York. — A small but very use-
ful book. In gardening and farming, more than
in any industrial employment, one has to depend
on self-education in many a little thing. We
once knew a gardener who was in a " great
way," because some glass in a forcing house was
broken, and could not be repaired till a glazier
from a neighboring city had been sent for.
Such delays would not happen if people about
isolated places had such a little book as this for
their evening hours.

Herman Munz,— A florist of Meadville, Pa.,
died Jan. 25th, 1880, in his thirty-second year.
Mr. Munz came to this country from Germany,
in 1870, and located in Meadville, where he was
employed for some time by one of the old flo-
rists of the place, and finally began business for
himself. He was a man of unusual energy ; and
at the time of his death, in addition to managing
his own business as a florist, he discharged the
duties of Superintendent of Greendale Cemetery
in that city.

Robert Fortune.— It is said that republics
are ungrateful to their benefactors ; but accord-
ing to the Gardener's Chronicle, it is the same
story all round. It says : " In this great coun-
try, where the arts and sciences flourish, not be-
cause of imperial patronage, but rather in spite
of it, it would doubtless seem incongruous were
any illustrious worker in horticultural pursuits
to receive any special notice at the hands of the
powers that be, or any of those honors that are
so eagerly sought for by the fighting services of
the country and so freely bestowed ; yet it is dif-
fflcult to repress a feeling of humiliation that so
little national recognition is given to the servi-

ces rendered to the nation in general by other
than Government servants, and to horticultural
science and practice in particular, by such men,
for instance, as Robert Fortune, a record of
whose introductions from the far-off" countries of
China and Japan appeared in these pages before.
It is not possible to calculate the benefits the
country has received from Mr. Fortune's labors;
they were quiet, plodding and unpretentious,
carried on too often perchance under great pri-
vation and possible danger to life. None of the
clash and pomp of war shed a halo over his
work; there was no wading through slaughter,
or records of thousands and tens of thousands of
dead defenders of their hearths and countries to
chronicle. It is the men who can boast of these
trophies of civilization, that get the popular
cheer, the national welcome, and the imperial
honors, whilst the unpretentious seeker after
good, like Fortune, finds his reward only in the
almost utter forgetfulness of the nation that
such a man ever was its benefactor. Yet For-
tune's testimonials, silent but impressive, are
found amongst us in their thousands ; they exist
in abundance in every garden, and are found
now almost throughout the whole civilized world.
Wherever a love for flowers and trees is, there
also are the abundant evidences of his labors.
Not to carry into aboriginal homes death and
desolation was his mission, but rather to give
comfort, beauty and life to all humanity. Bye-
and-bye, perchance, when the grave has closed
over his earthly career, the world will realize
how much it owes to Robert Fortune."

Brambleton Gardens, Norfolk, Va. —
Since Mr. Barker's death, these promising nur-
series are being continued with Mr. B. Reynolds
as superintendent. The collection is rich in
orchids as well as other rare plants.

The Ladies' Floral Cabinet. — We note
that this pretty and useful magazine has passed
from the hands of Henry T. Williams to those
of Adams & Bishop, New York.

Case's Botanical Index. — This little quar-
terly, published at fifty cents a year, at Rich-
mond, Indiana, is surely worth more than its
subscription price to any one interested in hor-
ticultural botany. The' January number has an
illustrated chapter on the celebrated water lily
of the Amazon, — Victoria regia.

American Roses. — By H. B. EUwanger,
reprinted from the proceedings of the Western
New York Horticultural Society. This is one

1880.

AND HORTICULTURIST.

95

of the most interesting papers that have been
contributed to horticulture for some time past.
Mr. EUwanger has looked up all the American
varieties of roses, and has given a brief sketch
of their history. These number fifty-three.
The list might doubtless be enlarged, and it
would be doing good service if those who know
of others would send some account of them to
Mr. EUwanger. Sherwood's Musk Cluster was
a famous rose in its day among Philadelphia
tlorists, and we fancy is yet to be found in some
collections.

Worcester County, Mass. Horticultu-
ral Society Transactions for 1879.— Mr.
E. W. Lincoln, Secretary. It is always a pleas-
ure to receive these annual proceedings, and we
can envy a society which has so intelligent a
gentleman and enthusiastic horticulturist for sec-
retary, whose report is one of the leading at-
tractions of the volume. "We learn that this
society was incorporated on the 3rd of March,
1842, and that Anthony Chase, the last of the
incorporators passed away last year. He was
particularly distinguished for his love of testing
new fruits. Mr. L. shows well how botany and
horticulture is year by year forming a closer
union, and how in the future they must go on
hand in hand together if we are to derive from
horticulture all the pleasure it is capable of af-
fording. In this connection Professor Good-
ale gave a course of four lectures before the
society last year, in which the relations of
botany to horticulture were ably set forth. Ab-
stracts of these lectures form part of this vol-

ume. In this connection we may note that
botanical addresses on the objects exhibited,
are now becoming some of the most popular
features with some of our progressive horticul-
tural societies.

SCRAPS AND QUERIES

Floricultural Progress. — E., Philadel-
phia, wonders with some reason where progress
will be in twenty years from now. He refers to
a visit he paid recently to Mr. Dreer's new
Coleuses, and compares the number of beauti-
ful forms with the few of former years, and asks
" what next?"

Priority of Discovery. — Querist. "We
have seen the paragraph you refer to, but have
no disposition to join in the controversy. "We
may say however, that we believe entirely too
much is often made of the credit notion. A
man discovers a new fact, but he is lazy, mod-
est, indifferent, or whatever you may choose to
call it, and the valuable discovery practically
dies with him ; but a hundred years afterwards
some one else finds it, and works hard to make
it known and useful to the world. All at once
some one digging in among the mould of the
past, finds an old letter in which there is a
chance expression indicating that this hundred-
year-old lazy bones knew all about it. As a
matter of fact it is well enough to note it ; but
yet we think of the two, the more modern one
should have the whole credit for it.

Horticultural Societies.

EDITORIAL NOTES.

Pennsylvania Fruit Growers' Society.
— The annual meeting was held at Bethlehem,
Pa., according to announcement, and was a very
successful one, A much larger number of mem-
bers than usual were present. Much of the un-
usual success was due to Secretary Engle, who
proves to be one of the cases where the right
man falls into the right place.

More than usual interest was taken in the
peach, by an introductory address by John Rut-
ter, Esq., of "West Chester, who has been in the
past one of the most successful of Pennsylvania
peach growers. It was clear from his remarks
that cheap land is not always the prime item of
success in peach growing. There were discussed
all the troubles about marketing, commission
men, getting ready before ripe, glutting the mar-
kets, railroad transportation, and loads of other

96

TEE GARDENER'S MONTHLY

[March,

troubles, all got rid of by having young peach
orchards a little nearer to the large city.

The only disease or trouble of any sort that
was of any consequence to the peach was the
yellows, but this was really a very small trouble
in the districts about Philadelphia.

In regard to the profit of orcharding, the dis-
cussions were very earnest, and in most cases
the members took what might be regarded as
the conservative view. The real difficulties, the
dark side, as well as the bright side of the sub-
ject, was shown, and that only those who made
it a good business study could succeed. One es-
say showing that fruit growing could never be
overdone, had to run the gauntlet of this conser-
vative discussion, to the great profit of those
who were anxious to get rich in the fruit grow-
ing field.

The other matters were more of a local than
general interest, referring chiefly to varieties for
local culture, buds, tree peddlers, flower garden-
ing, and adornments of grounds. Judge Stitzel,
of Reading, was elected President for the next
year and Gettysburg as the place of meeting.

Kentucky Horticultural Society.— The
peach seems to have been unusually compli-
mented by the Horticultural societies this sea-
son, the Kentucky society, as well as some
others, having given it the post of honor in their
proceedings. Hon. W. J. Lee read a paper on
the subject. In regard to varieties, he said :

" The selection should depend upon the situa-
tion of the grower. Select sorts to make a com-
plete succession through the whole season.
Plant lightly of Amsden June, Early Beatrice,
Early Louise, Early Rivers, Early Baltimore,
etc. Plant a few Hale and Tillotson, but plant
largely of Troth's Early, Large Early, York,
George lY., Oldraixon Free, Rodman's Red
Cling, Oldmixon Cling, Ward's Late Free,
Grand Admirable, Smock's Late Free, and
Heath."

In regard to picking and packing, he said :
" One may have followed all the directions pre-
viously given, and may have grown very fine
peaches, and yet lose money by picking at an
improper stage of ripeness and bad packing. If
a man has any taste about him, he has a good
chance to show it in picking and packing peaches.
Picking and packing peaches is a business to be
learned, and a man has to serve a trade at it be-
fore he can be an expert in it. All the specimens
on a tree do not ripen at the same time, and it
frequently happens that you have to make as

many as ten pickings from the same tree, but
usually five or six will answer. In handling a
crop of 5,000 boxes of peaches, every peach
should be picked as near the same stage of ripe-
ness as possible ; this stage may be known by the
green side changing to white in white peaches
and to pale red in red peaches. A peach re-
ceives its color and flavor about forty-eight hours
before it softens, and should be picked as soon
as it has reached this stage. Peaches should be
handled very carefully in picking.

" The directions I shall here give are for pack-
ing in boxes. Peaches should be packed in new
boxes, made neat and strong. Each shipper
should have a numbered stencil, by which his
fruit may be known in the market, and for con-
venience of separating lots in the commission
house. Every box should be stenciled before it
is filled, as you are less liable to overlook one.
Should you fail to stencil a box it would be apt
to be lost in shipping, or should it get through,
the commission merchant would not know to
whom it belonged. I consider packing the most
particular thing in peach culture. To do good
packing it is necessary to have proper fixtures."

Nurserymen's Association. — This body
will hold its next meeting in the Grand Pacific
Hotel, Chicago, on the 16th of June, 1880. We
believe it will be profitable for all having the
best interests of the trade at heart to attend. A
correspondent suggests that as a great national
political meeting is to be held there a little be-
fore that time, and some might like to attend
both, would it not be well to have the meeting
of nurserymen earlier ? We have promised to
give his idea notice, but do not advocate it. The
writer had good experience in this " killing two
birds with one stone" idea at the Centennial.
They all turned out, as did his boyish effort with
the birds illustrated. He never did kill two
birds with one stone, nor did he ever meet the
boy who did. The attempts always failed. One
thing at a time seems to be the best for all
things.

The Horticultural Hall, Philadel-
phia. — This fine building, in which the Penn-
sylvania Horticultural Society had but a very
small pecuniary interest, in comparison with the
whole cost, has changed hands. It brought
$75,300. It will make no difference, we pre-
sume, to the Horticultural Society in the way of
its exhibitions, library, etc., which will probably
all go on as formerly there.

THE

GARDENER'S MONTHLY

AND

HORTICULTURIST.

DEVOTED TO HORTICULTURE, ARBORICULTURE AND RURAL AFFAIRS.

Edited by THOMAS MEEHA.N.

Vol. XXII.

APRIL, 1880.

Number 256.

Flower Garden and Pleasure Ground,

SEASONABLE HINTS.

The best time to plant evergreens is always a
disputed point, — some preferring the early,
others the later spring. But the average plan-
ter takes the earliest advantage, for there is al-
ways enough to do when the last chance to do
anything arrives. The real difference in season
is hardly in favor^of one over the other ; much
more depends on the manner in which the tree
is taken up, and the manner in which it is plant-
ed, than on the precise month in the year. More
trees die from bad planting than from a bad sea-
son, or bad digging ; and bad planting consists
more in not having the earth rammed in tightly
about the roots than even some good tree plant-
ers imagine. It is all very well to spread out
the roots with the Angers, and to punch in a fist-
full of earth here and there. It is not because
one spends an hour over the job that it is done
well. Nor is it any proof of good planting that
a large hole, or a deep hole, or a hole full of
good soil, or a dozen buckets of water, or the
prevention of drying by the roots, or the cutting
off of wounded portions were all scrupulously at-
tended to. We may do all this, and the tree be
very badly planted indeed. The man who takes
a heavy paving rammer, and rams in tightly
every shovelful of earth as it goes in on the
roots, and who may perhaps finish the job of

planting even a large tree in fifteen minutes, we
should regard as much the best tree planter. If
the tree has been badly dug, this may be reme-
died by cutting back some of the weaker bran-
ches, and leaving the stronger ones ; but no-
thing will make up for a loosely packed soil
about the roots.

Where evergreens can be benefited by prun-
ing, April is a very good month to attempt it.
If a tree is thin in foliage at the base, the top of
the tree, leader and all, must be cut away. It
makes no difference what the kind is, all will
make new leaders after being cut back, if pro-
perly attended to. We make this remark be-
cause there is a prevalent idea that Pines will
not stand this cutting. Of course the trimming
should be done in a conical manner, so as to
conform to the conical style of the evergreen
tree. Sometimes an evergreen, especially a
Pine, will rather turn up some of the ends of its
side branches than push out another leader;
when this is the case, cut these away, and a real
leader will form the second year.

Evergreen hedges should be trimmed now,
cutting them conically, so as to give light to the
lowermost branches.

There is so much to be done in April, that
the briefest hints must suffice. First, of course,
we must prepare the ground for planting. Soil
loosened two feet deep dries out less in summer

98

THE GARDENER'S MONTHLY

[April,

than soil one foot deep. Rich soil f^i-ows a tree
larger in one year than a poor soil will in three.
Under-drained soil is cooler in summer than soil
not under-drained. The feeding roots of trees
come near the surface ; therefore plant no deeper
than necessary to keep the tree in the soil. If
there be danger of its blowing over, stake it, but
don't plant deep. One stake set at an angle is as
good as two set perpendicularly. Straw or mat
set round the tree keeps the bark from rubbing.
Large stones placed around a transplanted tree
are often better than a stake. They keep the
soil moist, admit the air, and encourage surface
roots. Shorten the shoots at transplanting.
This induces growth, and growth produces roots ;
and with new roots your tree is safe for another
season. Unpruned trees produce leaves, but
little growth, and less new roots.

In arranging flowers in beds, aim at varying
from last year. And to obtain this ever-changing
and pleasing variety, annuals are the very things
for the purpose. But they must have good soil
and careful attention, or the seed will be sure to
furnish a good excuse for neglect or bad practice
in many instances. Very fine seeds may be
sown quite on the surface, and a little moss,
dried and powdered, spread thinly over the seeds.
The common cause of failure is deep sowing.
The nearer the surface, the better, provided they
do not ever become dry — which is as fatal as
deep planting. It is a happy practice that can
just hit the middle way. Climbing annuals are
particularly interesting. Tuberoses are best
planted out as soon as all danger of frost is over,
in a rich, moist, warm, sandy soil, if perfection
is desired. Roots that flowered last year will
not flower again for two seasons.

COMMUNICA TIONS.

A NEW BORDER PLANT.

BY A. G.

This plant, Bambusa variegata, grows to
about four inches in height, having a wide
grass-like leaf of a yellow-green tint, edged
with white. The flower resembles the grape
hyacinth, being of a purple blue tint, and simi-
lar in shape. Though recommended for the
aquarium and fernery, the B. variegata or dwarf
bamboo produces a very pretty eff'ect when used
as a border plant. It requires little or no
trimming, the rain does not fade it or discom-
pose its outlines ; its leaves being firm in tex-
ture, upright, and glossy. It gives a distinct
yet airy outline to the bed, yet does not impair

the effect of other plants, as it keeps steadily to
its subordinate position as a border plant. Last
summer (1879), we saw in the grounds of T.
Fairly, Florist, Druid Hill Avenue, Baltimore,
some beds bordered with Dwarf Bamboo. The
effect was pretty and unique. Directly within
this border was placed a row of small plants
resembling the house leek, the centre being
filled with larger plants. The border made a
distinct outline in the gi-ass. Seeing the excel-
lence of this plant, and having tested its capa-
bilities, Mr. F. is prepared to recommend it as
a convenient and useful border plant. Those
desiring a plant that will require little or no at-
tention during the summer, as to trimming,
would do well to try it.

DUCKS AS INSECT-DESTROYERS.

BY MRS. D. W., SUMMERVILLE, S. C.

Being obliged to manure heavily a very sandy
soil, and use whatever rich earth I could lay my
hands on, the first year of gardening, on a new
place, I was, as the spring advanced, terribly
annoyed with slugs, cut-worms, and insects of
every description ; the annuals were destroyed,
the young rose leaves pierced and ruined.

I bought eight or nine ducks, such as with us are
termed English ducks. Muscovies eat the buds
and young shoots and will not answer. I turned
these ducks into the garden, giving them a fine
run there for three or four months, and assure
you that I was perfectly astonished at the suc-
cess of my happy thought.

It may be urged that the ducks trample down
the plants. They may do so in a measure, but
the injury does not counterbalance the entire
clearing of the garden from all sorts of insect
enemies. My roses were fine and remarkably
free from blight and insects.

NOTES FROM ENGLAND on PRIMULAS, etc.

BY J.

I think Primula rosea is quite as hardy as P.
acaulis. I have some plants of it in an artificial
bog, and although we have had five weeks hard
frost without snow, and the plants were covered
with a miniature glacier caused by the water
freezing as it overflowed the ground, I find them
quite uninjured, and each plant will produce a half
dozen spikes at least. I think it would do well
under your deep covering of snow.

Crocus odorus longifolius has kept blooming
during the whole frost. I should not have
thought the buds could have pushed through the
frozen soil in the way they did. I have not

1880.]

A ND HOR TIC UL T URIS T.

99

been without Crocus bloom since October. C.
Imperati is about to open ; C. aurea will follow
it closely. Saxifraga Bursereana is showing its
scarlet buds and will soon be in bloom. — al-
though our Snowdrops make little progress. We
get earlier spring flowers than we did in Shakes-
peare's time.

MAKING LAWNS.

BY WALTER ELDER.

To propei'ly make a lasting lawn, and to keep
ic in good order, taxes the highest skill of the
horticulturist, and when well executed, is the
masterpiece of ornamental gardening. Without
it all other improvements look insignificant. It
forms the green carpet upon which all orna-
ments are to be placed, and its bright verdant
hue imparts beauty to all.

Instructors upon lawn making, generally ad-
vise subsoiling the ground. If this be done, it
should be a year previous to laying down the
lawn. It is not always best to do it, as the sub-
soil may be a stiff clay, or barren sand. I have
seen subsoil brought to the surface so poor that
not even beans, peas or corn would grow, — the
germs rusting and decaying away. The seeds
of grasses are small and succeed best in mel-
low and fertile soil. Several species of grasses
should be sown, and very thickly, to make a
close, green turf. Red top or herd grass, blue
grass, orchard grass and a little white Dutch
clover. The land should be manured the pre-
vious year to sovving the grasses. After digging
or plowing, harrow or rake fine, level up all
hollows, and roll firmly down. Then sow the
grasses, rake fine or harrow, then roll again.
The sowing time will be according to climate and
latitude. Between New York and Baltimore,
say from early March to middle of May, and
from early September to early in October, and all
the Fall after that. When grasses and weeds are
well up, roll well, and let them all grow until the
earliest weeds shoot up flower stalks, then mow
down with the scythe or horse-mower, and scat-
ter the cuttings evenly over the surface. When
they wither, roll again, and then rake all ofi".
On sandy lands, the summer mowings should be
seldom. On sloping lands and terraces or banks,
the grass should be let grow long in hot, dry
weather, unless artificial watering is at hand.
The lawn should not be weeded the first year,
but cut down all weeds when they bloom to pre-
vent them bearing seeds. Weeds may all be
taken out in late fall, and more grass seeds sown.

Men with table knives, can get out a vast num-
ber of weeds in a short time. A thorough dig-
ging out of weeds, with table knives, will keep
the lawn nearly clean. Do it in late fall or
early spring. The lawn should be firmly rolled
down every spring. It is good to sow some
more grass seeds in late fall or early spring, so
as to ensure a close turf the next summer.

Barnyard manure, so fermented and rotted
to kill all seeds of weeds in it, is the best fertilizer.
It should be spread equally over the surface in
fall or winter, as salt is a most excellent fertilizer,
when applied at the rate of five to ten bushels
to the acre. Marl mixed with plaster of paris
is beneficial on sandy lands. Guano, and all
the concentrated fertilizers are good, but their
effects are different upon diff'erent lands. Lime,
wood ashes and stone coal ashes should all be
compounded with soil a year before using, and
spread over the lawn in fall.

EDITORIAL NOTES.

The Polyanthus. — There are few more
beautiful plants in the early spring than the old-
fashioned Polyanthus, in its numerous varieties ;
but though hardy enough through the winter,
they are liable to suffer through the heats of
summer. In partially shaded rich garden bor-
ders they continue many years.

Abies Mariesii — A New Japan Fir. — The
Gardener^s Chronicle figures and describes a new
species from Japan, having the general appear-
ance of Nordmann's Silver Fir, and named in
honor of Messrs. Yeitch's collector in Japan. It
is from Mount Nikko, at an elevation between
3500 and 7000 feet.

Fragaria vesca. — This pretty species is a
native of our country, as well as of Europe,
though not as often met with as the Virginian
or common strawberry. It is the parent of the
Alpine class of garden fruits. It may be readily
distinguished by the smaller and more plaited
leaves. In riding through Fairmount Park,
Pliiladelphia, in mid-winter, the writer came on
a bank from which the snow had just melted,
and which was covered with these plants; the
evergreen leaves shone beautifully through the
melting snow, and suggested the beautiful effect
which they might give in the hands of those who
are just now interested in the " wild garden."

Planting the Partridge Berry. — Peo-
ple often plant this in gardens for the sake of

100

TEE GARDENER'S MONTHLY

[April,

its beautiful red berries, but fail to get any un-
der cultivation. The reason is that the plant is
dioecious. The plants should be selected when
in flower, and the two forms, — the long stamened
and the long styled — and both set in one mass
together.

Aristolochia sipho. — There are few climb-
ing vines that will give the noble appear-
ance tlie old " Dutchman's Pipe" will. There
is a smaller-leaved species, the Aristolochia
tomentosa, which is also pretty, — but if you cut
its roots it will never forgive. Indeed the more
the roots are cut the more it spreads, till in time
the grower is inclined to believe in the old idea,
that at times there may be too much of a good
tiling.

Grafted Conifers. — Mr. A. Fowler, the
distinguished gardener at Castle Kennedy, when
looking at his own beautiful plants, wonders
why there sliould be any prejudice against graft-
ed conifers? The chief reason is that the plants
have been grafted in pots, where the roots learn
to coil and twist, and they keep the tree more or
less in a stunted condition for years afterwards ;
and another reason is that some propagators
take little bits of weak side branches for scions,
and which only make leaders with great diffi-
culty. A properly grafted conifer is often bet-
ter than a seedling tree.

Introducing Skylarks. — Every once in a
while some one writes to a nurseryman : "I won-
der why you nurserymen do not grow this or
that," and it generally happens that they have
been growing it all their lives, or have over and
over again tried it, and found insuperable ob-
stacles. It is thus with travelers when they go
to some foreign country. They cannot conceive
why this or that is not done. After his return
to England, even so very intelligent a gentle-
man as the Duke of Argyle says that the skies
of America are higher, wider and more full of
sunshine than those of England, and he is very
earnest in suggesting that the skylark to this
' glorious privacy of light' would be happier
than that of the London sparrow." He might
have found on inquiry, that when the lark
might go up in the morning in bright warm
sunshine, and return at noon to find a foot of
snow on the ground, he would probably have
a suspicion that this was not the country for
him, — and when hd found it to be three
or four months after before he could find the
ground be left behind him, and nothing to eat in

consequence of this deep snowy covering, he
would probably grow more disgusted. Moreover
he might have learned that attempts have ac-
tually been made from time to time to introduce
the bird, and that once they thought in Dela-
ware they had secured his permanent presence ;
but of late we have heard nothing of him, and
we presume in the language of His Grace's
countrymen, he has "gone for aye," a much
sadder instead of a " happier" bird.

Origin of the Mareschal, Neil Rose. —
A correspondent of the 6ardener''s Chronicle be-
lieves this rose to have arisen from graft hybrid-
ization.

The European Winter. — The Belgian Hor-
ticulturists are already counting their losses over
their terrible wintry battle-field, and reports like
these are continually coming in. One from the
"Commune" of "Hastiere," says: "Pears,
Peaches, Plums, Apricots, and Grape vines ex-
ist only in a state of carcasses I" Another story
runs : " Pears, — dwarfs, half-stems, or standards
are dead to the roots, as also are many nut
trees." Another writes : " The altitude of the or-
chards seem to have had no effect on the disasters.
At the foot of the Meuse, espalier Pears are con-
verted into bundles of dry wood, and I measured
an apple tree a metre in circumference that was
completely killed." Then come some "inex-
pliques." " In the Botanic Garden at Kamur is
a Wellingtonia, wholly unhurt, but another near
it completely killed;" another wonders why
"Araucaria, Deodar cedar, Picea pinsapo, and
Pinus maritima should be completely killed ;
while Picea balsamea should escape always un-
hurt."

Among the plants which are noted as being
everywhere completely lost are Camellias, Aza-
leas, Rhododendrons, and Roses in "immense
quantities," and it is prophesied that many com-
mercial houses will be nearly ruined.

The Broad Eir. — In our country we con-
fine the word "Fir" to the class of coniferous
trees which have branches with the leaves ar-
ranged in a single row, — fan-like, — as for in-
stance the Balsam Fir, the Silver Fir, etc. But
in Europe, the Pines — those with bundles of
" needles" for leaves — are " Firs" also. The
Garden says that in Austria, the Austrian Pine
is called the "Broad Fir," because as it grows
old, it loses all its lower branches, and makes
a broad flat, spreading top.

1880.

AND HORTICULTURIST.

101

Varying Taste in Gardening. — A cor-
respondent, writing from an old city south of the
Ohio, says : " Twenty odd years ago there were
several large nurseries near this city, where one
could get full assortments of trees and shrubs,
— none of consequence remain. In the place of
a love for these nice things, 'bedding plants,'
cheap and flashy, is about all the gardening taste
that now prevails."

Grounds of Wm. Gray, Jr., Boston, Mass.
These beautiful grounds comprise about forty
acres. It is an excellent specimen of lanscape
gardening, and gives a great deal of pleasure to
visitors who are often kindly permitted to enjoy
a ramble through them.

Winter Gardens. — These are becoming
popular, in connection with public parks in Eng-
land, and might with much propriety be intro-
duced into our own country. Four or five acres
are covered by glass, and plants almost hardy,
and needing very little fire heat are grown in
them. What would be more beautiful in our
northern cities than gardens like these with Por-
tugal Laurels, Bays, Camellias, Myrtles, and
other things of that character, which will even
bear some frost without injury, but with a slight
protection would be beautiful all the winter long,
and afford dry and healthy walking at all times.

Cotoneaster. — We recently saw a plant of
Cotoneaster Simmondsii in a small tub in agreen-
house, and full of red berries ; it was remarkably
beautiful. In Pennsylvania, this and many
species are quite hardy, and yet how seldom do
we see them in gardens. They are as striking,
in some respects as the Holly, and much easier
to grow.

Ampelopsis japonica. — Under this name,
the Gardener^s Chronicle says: "English nur-
serymen are cultivating our common poison
vine, Rhus toxicodendron."

Golden Gate Park, San Francisco.—
This is praised very highly for beautiful features
by some good judges who have recently seen it.

Spir^a lobata. — There is a great run in
Europe, just now on the pretty red Spirsea pal-
mata, from Japan. And no doubt the inquiry
for it will soon spread to our own land. It may
be as well to remind our friends that we have
native with us Spiraea lobata, which is as much
like the Japan one as "two peas," and that if
the Japan species is worth hankering after, our
own little Beauty is no less so.

SCRAPS AND QUERIES.

Second Flowering of the Horse chest-
nut.— M. notes that the Horse chestnut flowered
in the fall as well as in the spring last year,
and asks if it be explainable ? Many trees which
flower in the spring, flower in the fall if their
leaves be injured before natural maturity. Pears
which drop their leaves early from leaf blight^
almost always flower in the fall.

Too Many Roses.— Frederick Schneider II.,
President of the Horticultural and Agricul-
tural Society, at Wittstock, Germany, writes to
us that he thinks there are too many Roses. It
is now too late for the time he fixes on, but it
will much interest our readers to note what an
intelligent European thinks of so many roses,
and how he proposes to reduce the number :

" The aim of this list is to reduce the four or
five thousand different varieties of roses at present
grown in the gardens to a limited number of real-
ly valuable ones only— to publish the names of
these sorts and so to recommend them for pref-
erence in cultivation. All answers should be
sent in during November and December 1879,
post free to my address and must be accompa-
nied with the distinctly written signature and
full address of the sender in order to make it
possible to communicate the result to him. To
each variety should be added if possible the
name of the raiser and the year of its introduc-
tion. The printed result of this election of
roses will be communicated gratis and post free
to all those horticultural papers and all those
correspondents who have taken part in it.

List of Questions.- Name and occupation of
the correspondent. Address and date. I beg to
answer the following questions :

1st. Which are three most perfect roses as re-
gards construction and form, substance, shape,
habit and scent in the following colors? A.—
Hybrid Perpetuals and Bourbon Roses, a, pure
white; b, tinted white, blush and flesh color;
c, pale pink and light rose ; d, bright pink and
deep rose; e, carmine; f, scarlet and vermil-
lion; g, purple and crimson; h, dark crimson,
brownish and blackish maroon; i, violet; k,
striped.

B.— Teas and Noisettes, 1, pure white or slight-
ly tinted; m, blush and pink, rose; n, tinted
pink and rose; o, pale and bright yellow; p,
yellow tinted.

102

THE GARDENER'S MONTHLY

I April,

2tl. Which are the three most beautiful Moss
Roses ?

3d. Which five varieties of roses are the great-
est favorites and the most generally cultivated in
the district of the correspondent ?

4th. Which five roses distinguish themselves
especially — a, through their uninterrupted
blooming (5); b, through superior scent (5); c,
through their hardiness and insensibility against
frost fs)?

5th. Which five Hybrid Perpetuals are the
freest and most abundant bloomers — a, for the
summer (5); b, for the autumn (5)?

6th. Which are the ten best roses for forcing ?

7th. Which five varieties are best adapted for
cultivation in the room ?

8th. Which are the three most beautiful pil-
lar roses ?

9th. Which ten novelties from 1873 till 1878
are of such remarkable beauty that their cultiva.
tion and distribution can be recommended with-
out the slightest hesitation ?

10th. Which are the ten best English raised
roses ?"

LiGUSTBUM Japonicum. — C. E. p. writes:
" In the Monthly for February, page 40, I
notice some remarks on Ligustrum Japonicum,
by C. A. D. ; also your request for specimens.
I do not know L. ovalifolium, and can find no
description of it in any work that I possess, and
I hope that C. A. D. will give me some descrip-
tion of it, if the enclosed specimen is not L.
ovalifolium. In justice to myself however, I
wish to say that I received my plant under the
name of L. Japonicum, from Parsons & Sons
Co., and I think that it must be correct to name ;
as we have purchased trees and plants from Par-
sons & Co., for the past thirty years, and I have
yet to find a tree or plant sent out by them to be
incorrectly named."

[These Ligustrums need to be worked up when
in flower by some competent botanist. From dif-
ferent samples that have been sent to us in leaf
only, they appear to be all garden forms of Ligus-
trum lucidum, the Chinese Privet. — Ed. G. M.]

Greenhouse and House Gardening.

SEASONABLE HINTS.

In this part of the world window plants are
not given their summer airing until May, but
every opportunity is taken to let them have all
the open air possible, by opening windows and
sashes wherever practicable. People often com-
plain that plants from greenhouses are too ten-
der to stand the open sun, but it is only because
they have been too much confined. If any plants
growing in pots are yellow, or in anyway sickly,
it is as well to prune them severely and plant for
a year in the open ground. If they have insects
on them these should be cleaned oif before plant-
ing out, or they will increase under our dry sum-
mer sun. The red spider is best treated to a
syringing of warm soap suds, and then to be
dusted with sulphur ; and the scale insects should
have a painting with whale oil soap, and some
say linseed oil. Many plants will have to be
kept in pots all summer, and these are best set
in partial shade. There are few more desirable
room plants than the Ivy and Periwinkle in their

numerous varieties. These should be potted
now, and grown all summer. There are many
things nearly, or quite hardy, that are not often
kept in pots, but which would make good things
for room culture, and these should be potted
now. Of these we may name Cotoneasters, Ma-
honias, Berberis, Euonymus. These are very
easily managed, and it seems to us that for those
who have had little experience in plant growing,
or whose conveniences are limited, it is just as
feasable to have beautiful things easy to grow,
as beautiful things that are difficult. Tea Roses,
as well as China and Bourbon are good room
plants. The old Hermosa and Pink Daily
especially so. If young plants are turned
out in the ground now, they can be lifted
in September carefully, and if well potted,
will flower freely all winter. This is the
way professional florists grow Bouvardias, Car-
nations, and other popular flowers for cuttings.
Yery small plants are set in the ground at this
season, and are quite large enough for potting
by the fall.

1880.

AND HORTICULTURIST.

103

COMMUNICA TIONS.

PORTLANDIA CRANDIFLORA.

BY C. H. CLAFLIX, NEWTON, MASS.

In an article in the January number of your
magazine, a writer on the Portlandiagrandiflora
expresses the opinion that it would grow to the
height of twenty feet, which opinion I am happy
to say I can confirm by actual observation. Dur-
ing the earlier part of January, 1874, I was in
the village of Mandevillo, Manchester parish,
Jamaica, which is situated about fifty miles in a
north-westerly direction from Kingston, and at
an elevation of about 2000 feet above the sea,
where a fine specimen of the Portlandia was
shown me which had attained to the height of
20 to 22 feet, forming quite a tree. That the
size was exceptional however, I found by the
pains that was taken to call the visitor's atten-
tion to it, and also confirmed by subsequent ex-
perience in the gorge of the Rio Cober River,
above Spanish-town, where I saw no bushes
over 10 feet high, and but few over 6 feet. There
were however more flowers on them than in the
tree at Mandevillo, which may be accounted for
by the diff'erence of temperature, which may
have kept the larger specimen back, Spanish-
town being but little above the sea level. The
flowers looked from a distance more like the
Lilium longiflorum, having more firmness in
the petals than any of the Daturas. They were
at that time in full leaf, and the fragrance dur-
ing the day time imperceptible.

FERNY FACTS AND FANCIES.

BY W. T. HARDING, UPPER SANDUSKY, OHIO.

In the Monthly of December, 1879, I see
Mr. Parnell answers the query of "J. S. R." as
correctly and concisely as any one can do, without
seeing the plants in question. The allusion to
the Rabbit's, or Hare's Foot Fern, seems to call
me back to my boyhood days, when I, a mere
stripling first saw them. And probably no in-
cipient gardener felt prouder than myself, when
first promoted to a position under the sashes.
Lord Vernon's great gardens were 'then famous
for ferns and flowers; especially for Cape, and
Australian, or Xew Holland plants, as they
were then more generally called. In one of the
large, though somewhat antiquated greenhouses
were placed a collection of what my much
honored and gray haired preceptor called his
anatomical group. Rather a queer designation , I

will admit and which may need explaining to the
reader. As the kind-hearted old man, Mr. Dig-
well's specimens of comparative anatomy were
but few, they were soon learned, and it seems
with me were long remembered. To briefly de-
scribe them, I arrange them under the following
heads, to wit : a la Digwell — horns, heads, ears,
faces, tongues, throats, wings, tails, feet and
claws. The horns, as first named, were primus,
of course, as they are generally placed on the
highest part of the animal structure, and were
representated by Plat3^cerium alcicorne, or Stags
Horn Fern. This curious plant in reality much
more resembles an osseous formation, than a
herbaceous one, when seen from a distance. The
head, or second example, was a Euphorbia ca-
put Medusae, or Medusa's Head. And next
was the Face Tree, the singular Mimusops cy-
nocarpa, — known in common parlance as the
Monkey-faced Tree. The ears had a fac simile
in a specimen of Phillis nobla, the Hare's Ears.
"While Ornithoglossum undulatum, or Bird's
Tongue, and Picris hispida, or Ox Tongue
were proper examples, if not exactly, lingual
synonyms. Next in order was Trachillium dif-
fusum, or Throat Wort. The Bat Winged Fern,
Pteris vespertilionis, whose strangely formed
fronds were considered appropriate illustrations
of wings, were the next. Then in consecutive or-
der, was the caudal appendage, — and " thereby
hangs a tail," a Rat's Tail forsooth: and which
is commonly known as the Rat Tail Cactus, or
Cereus flagelliformis.

It will be seen that much of what goes to make
up a perfect anatomical frame was wanting, and
at best there are but parts of vegetative frag-
ments to compare with a full corporeal structure.
But the extremities, both feet and claws, were
not wanting to complete the similitude, inas-
much as the Bird's Foot, Euphorbia ornithopes
and Testudinaria elephantopes, or Elephant's
Foot; Hare's Foot, or Polypodium aureum, and
Rabbit's Foot, Davallia canariensis, answered
well for pedal parts, and which very properly
ended with claws. Epiphyllum truncatum, or
the Crab's Claw Cactus as terminal examples.

The good old gentleman, Mr. Digwell, was a
good naturalist, a good linguist, a good botanist,
and a good gardener, " one of the olden time."
His abundant wealth of common sense, exten-
sive information, urbanity of manners, and up-
right bearing, well fitted him for a "gentleman's
companion," as he and his like were in days of
yore. Men of his type, and abilities, ranked

104

THE GARDENER'S MONTHLY

[April,

much higher in the social scale, as well as in
horticulture at that time, than they seem to do
now. Perhaps they were better appreciated and
more liberally compensated than are good prac-
tical gardeners at this day. A connecting link,
as he was of ye ancient and skillful gardener of
the long ago, I well remember him and his
kindly ways, with some of the happest recol-
lections of my life. And his last admonition
when we parted was this, "Remember now thy
Creator in the days of thy youth, while the evil
days come not."

Sudbury Park, Derbyshire, England, is the
pleasant place I refer to, and where I first saw
Polypodium aureum, called the Hare's Foot
Fern, in contradistinction I suppose to the Rab-
bit's Foot, or Davallia canariensis.

Now, if any of the readers will compare the
big furry rhizomes of the Polypodium, with the
more attenuated ones of the Davallia, they
will readily see the difference in which the first-
named resembles a big hare's foot, while the
latter conforms more to that of the smaller
sized animal. Referring to Mr. R. Buist's cata-
logue of stove and greenhouse plants, (good au-
thority in such matters), published twenty years
ago, he too designated the Polypodium as Hare's
Foot Fern — and like many others, has known
and cultivated them as such, for many years.
As I am not infallible, I have no wish to be con-
sidered arbitrary in ray opinion, nor claim to be
right in my assertions, but simply give my
ideas upon the subject for what they are worth.
Loving ferns as I do, I could not well refrain
from giving a short sketch of how they were
first brought to my notice when a boy. Since
then I have had much to say about them from
time to time in the Monthly, and will close
by quoting a passage from the June number of
1877. The scenes and circumstances are in Aus-
tralia, as the writer saw them, thus : " The rhi-
zomes of Davallia pyxidata, and D. flaccida,
hung in lengthened masses like twisted and
tangled ropes from the projecting crags, some
forty feet long. The Stag's Horn Fern, Platy-
cerium alcicorne, was indeed a curious sight to
behold. Like a parasite, it seemed to live upon
everything moist or dry, and grew equally as
well on the tops of the trees as on the soil be-
neath," etc. At a subsequent period, your cor-
respondent recollects the very unique use to
which Stag's Horn Ferns were put. For in-
stance — they supplied the place of antlers on the
head of a life sized statue of a stag which stood

in a conservatory at Bretton Park, Yorkshire,
England. Probably Mr. R. Scott, Florist, of
Philadelphia, remembers the aforesaid stag with
its vegetative horns, as he certainly had more to
do with it than the chronicler of these facts.
Valefilices !

EDITORIAL NOTES.

Cold Greenhouses. — From notes we have
seen in various quarters, the idea we have often
thrust out, to have houses where half-hardy
things may be preserved through the winter
without fire-heat, is likely to become popular.

Origin of Fuchsia globosa. — Many will
remember the time when the old Fuchsia gra-
cilis (magellanica) and F. globosa were the only
ones generally grown till the hybrids with F.
fulgens came in. A correspondent of the Gar-
dener'' s Chronicle gives the following account of
its origin : "This was raised by the late Mr.
Bunney, of Stratford. He had three globosas
from the same batch of seedlings ; his brother
and he was dissolving partnership ; the brother
sold the best plant for 7s. M., gave the next best
away, leaving the worst to the raiser. This I
had from Mr. Bunney himself. I recollect a
plant being brought to Scotland in 1835 or 1836.
So also says Paxton, in Magazine of Botany.
Loudon states that it was raised between F.
conica and microphylla."

Business Prospects. — Boston fiorists speak
encouragingly. The demand for rose flowers
has exceeded the supply. Some declare forcing
hardy roses (H. P.'s) is a failure, the expense far
exceeding the returns.

Rupp's Primroses. — We noticed last season
the efibrts of Mr. Henry Rupp to improve the
Chinese Primrose. We have now before us a
box of flowers in seventeen beautiful varieties.
The variations run not only through shades of
color, and with stripes and pencillings, double,
single and semi-double, but also in crimping
and fringing of the edges. Then we have not
only to compliment Mr. Rupp on his flowers,
but on the way he packs and sends them by
mail. With the same package from the post-
office some flowers came from another correspon-
dent wrapped in dry cotton I Of course the flow-
ers are dried up. In these Mr. Rupp has damp
moss at the bottom of the box. The flowers
are drawn through thick card-board, and the
card-board tacked down tight on the damp

1880.

AND HORTICULTURIST.

105

moss. It is a pretty sight on openiug the box.
No doubt the flowers would travel well even
to California.

Crotons. — Of the many who have heard of
croton oil, few know what an important feature
Crotons play among the vegetation of the earth.
The number of species known is enormous, and
they are found in wet or dry places in many
parts of the world. There are a number na-

shininir and rather thick leaves, more like those
of a Rhododendron, than of the Crotons which
American botanists collect. These are often of
the most curious forms, and frequently veined or
blotched with crimson or gold, and are among
the most interesting objects in modern green-
houses. Besides their value for this sort of cul-
ture, they do well in windows and are becoming
quite popular in room gardening. Of late years

CROTON MOOREANUS.

tive to the United States, chiefly in the south
and southwest, but these have nothing particular
to attract the observer beyond a silvery class of
foliage which, however, many other kinds of
plants in these regions have as well as they.
From other parts of the world we have a very
distinct class of Crotons, taking the forms of
shrubs or even small trees, with no more orna-
mental flowers than our own, but with large,

they have been taken in hand by the improvers,
as so many classes of plants have, and some re-
markably beautiful forms have been obtained,
and which are now much sought after by florists.
"We give with this, one introduced by the cele-
brated firm of James Veitch & Sons, of Chel-
sea, near London, who have been among the
foremost in making the public aware of the
beauty this class of plants afi'ords.

106

THE GARDENER'S MONTHLY

[April,

Double Geraniums. — These are so numer-
ous now, that we need improvement rather in
form than in the mere multiplication of petals.
"Who will now give us a kind with the petals
laid as neatly over each other as a double white
Camellia?

Injurious Effect of Gas on Window
Plants. — We have always urged that it was
the fumes of illuminating gas, rather than the
<Jry air of heaters, which rendered the cultiva-
tion of window plants so difficult. How injuri-
ous these fumes may be, may further be inferred
from the following from Weekly Notes — a sup-
plement, by the way, to the well-known Penn
Monthly, of Philadelphia. The Editor, is re-
ferring to Edison's electric light, and says :
"Still another advantage will be the saving of
"book bindings in libraries. At present our valu-
able russia, morocco and calf bindings steadily
deteriorate in value, if kept in rooms where gas
is burned. This is one reason why some of our
most important public libraries are always
closed at sundown, while in some private libra-
ries candles are used to the exclusion of gas.
The electric light gives out no heat, and no
chemical substances. It is as cool in summer as
even Philadelphia or St. Louis would wish."

SCRAPS AND QUERIES.

Cutting Camellia Flowers. — " Jane "
says : " Our gardener insists that I must only
twist off the Camellia flowers, and put a wire
through for a stem ; that it will injure the
plants if I cut a piece of the stem off with the
flower. How is this ?"

[It will not injure the plant in the sense in
which we generally understand injury ; but if
you cut off the terminal growing bud when you
cut the flower, you will not have a flower from
that branch the next year, which you may have
when you only "twist off" the flower— Ed. G. M.]

Plant Queries.— Mrs. M. W., Quaker Hill,
N. Y., asks : " Will you, or some of your read-
ers of the Monthly, please give me a little in-
formation through its columns about the follow-
ing plants : What are the requisites for success
in starting the double Chinese Primrose from
seed ? What special treatment do the follow-
ing plants require : Cape Jassamine, Eucharis
Amazonica, fragrant Olive, and Stephanotis
floribunda? And is the Eucharis a bulb, and if

so, when is the proper time to plant it ? If it is
not too much for anew subscriber to ask, I hope
some one will give the proper mode of treat-
ing them and thus confer a great favor on me.
Would also like to know the cause and remedy
for the little black flies which infest the earth of
window-plants."

Thanks. — Mrs. J., Brooklyn, kindly writes:
" By the recommendation of a friend I have
subscribed for the Gardener's Monthly, and
must write and thank you for the preparation of
such a work. I am amazed that I never heard
of it before. My garden is but small — I wish it
was larger — but the immense amount of intelli-
gent reading about trees, fruits and flowers you
give me, is the best substitute I have found for
a good garden."

"Verbena Culture. — Mrs. R. P., Clyde, N.
Y.,says: "In your February number, 1880, in
your reply to a Delaware Correspondent,
who is in trouble with diseased Cyclamen, you
name disease, but fail to prescribe remedy. I
have reviewed my Gardener's Monthly
which I have only taken since May, '79, but
find no remedy for this "Verbena rust, — only allu-
sions to Peter Henderson's remedy. Please
give his or somebody's specific if possible, for 1,
too have the same trouble with Cyclamen this
winter. Can you give me any hints as to the
culture of Cattleya Mossise, Odontoglossum
grande, and O. citrina? Can you tell me of a
reliable work on Orchid culture ? [The Orchid
Grower's Manual. — Ed.] Am trying my hand
a little this year for the first. Have a small
conservatory and a Wardian case, but have not
had marked success as yet. Have buds now on
my Dendrobium nobile and Cypripedium vil-
lossum. Would like to study their habits, etc. , etc.
Please reply in the Gardener's Monthly."

[Mr. Henderson's treatment is chiefly rich
and generous culture. Keep the plants growing
vigorously, and never allow them to be stunted
or checked under any circumstances. Mr. Hen-
derson's practice in more detail is described
in April number, 1878, page 105, by Mr.
J. H. Markey, one of Mr. Henderson's em-
ployees. — Ed. G. M.]

Centaurea.— W. A. B., North Cambridge,
Mass., writes: "I have raised a new plant; it
came up two or three years ago among other
seedlings. I did not take much interest in it at
first, but since it began to grow I find it is a
very valuable foliage plant. I set one out in the

1880.

AND HORTICULTURIST.

107

garden last year, and it made a very fine plant
towards fall. It grew about ten inches high
and a foot in diameter. I have propagated it
this winter. I find that the roots are the same
as the Centaurea's. I should like your opinion
about it, whether it is a new plant or not. I
have consulted some of my friends, and they
think it is a new Centaurea. Please let me
know, and you will oblige me very much. The
enclosed leaves are a large one and a few small
ones. I have not any of the medium size or I
would send you some."

[The leaves were small, and though some-
what near others that have been under culture
in the past, they do not seem exactly like any of
them.— Ed. G. M.]

Fine Cinerarias. — From Louis Gloeckner,
Albany, N. Y., with a box of very beautiful
Cinerarias, we have the following note : " With
this letter you will find box of samples of Cine-
raria. Three years ago I got a package of seed
from Mr. Alfred Bridge man, of K. Y., who
told me it was from the importation from Ben-
ary's in Erfurt. I had about twenty-five good
plants then, and saved one of each color to get
some seed. Out of the whole, I got about two hun-
dred plants, which came out in beautiful colors."

[It is a pleasure to note the interest taken in
the improvement of this beautiful class of plants.
There are few things more attractive in green-
houses and rooms in the early spring, than a fine
Cineraria.— Ed. G. M.]

EucHARis Amazonica. — Mrs. E., Melrose,
Mass., asks : " Will some one familiar with the
culture of Eucharis, inform me through the
Monthly if it can be grown as a house-plant ?
I read in a newspaper report of Mr. Tailby's es-
say before the Mass. Horticultural Society,
that he said ' Eucharis were as easily grown as
potatoes.' Doesn't that statement need some
qualifications ? Anybody can grow potatoes —
can anybody grow Eucharis ? They are so very
beautiful, that even if they could be grown with
much care, it should be widely known. I have
always supposed it needed all the appliances of
the hot-house, besides the most skillful treat-
ment, to flower them successfully. If that is so,
why does this Mr. Tailby aggravate us with his
talk about potatoes? And again, if they are
of easy culture, why is not the knowledge
spread broadcast before the great world of ad-
miring amateurs? I think an article on this subject
would be interesting to a great many readers."

Frames for Tender Plants. — W. M. G.,

asks: "Will you please inform me through the
Gardener's Monthly, what I can use as a
substitute for glass to cover frames in the spring
that will keep out the drying winds and hot sun,
and at the same time will admit of sufficient sun
and light to keep Geraniums in a healthy grow-
ing condition. I did not know but cheap bagging
might be dipped in some solution that would
preserve it and leave it in a transparent condi-
tion. As soon as the weather will admit of a
covering at night to keep out the frost without
fire-heat, I want to remove a portion of my
Geraniums into a frame, in order to spread
them, and thus give them a better chance to
grow."

[The usual preparation is as follows : Take
white cotton cloth, of a close texture, stretch it
and nail it on frames of any size you wish ; mix
two ounces of lime water, four ounces of lin-
seed oil, one ounce white of eggs separately,
two ounces of yelk of eggs ; mix the lime and
oil with a very gentle heat, beat the eggs sep-
arately, and mix with the former. Spread this
mixture with a paint brush over the cloth, allow-
ing each coat to dry before applying another,
until they become waterproof. — Ed. G. M.]

Steam Heating in Greenhouses.— W. D.
Phillbrick, Newton Centre, Mass., says : " I no-
tice in your February number an article by R. G.
Parker & Co. on Heating Hothouses, in which
the writer advocates heating by steam, and says
he used five tons of coal to 1,000 feet of glass. I
would like to hear what his average temperature
was at night in severe weather, also height of
house. I have used for several years hot water cir-
culation, having 1,000 feet of pipe in a house of
5,100 feet surface of glass, average height of house
4 feet from beds to glass. In this I keep a tem-
perature always above 40*^ with only 15 tons of
coal to the season. I have a ISfo. 16 Hitchings
boiler with good draught. If anybody can show
a better doing than this, let us hear from him.
Shelter from winds has a good deal to do with
this question."

[It would also help to understand the situation
if the temperature of the severe weather were
given. — Ed. G. M.]

New Carnation Marie.— A correspondent
sends us for an opinion, two flowers of a Carna-
tion, packed in dry cotton ! All flowers should
be sent in damp moss. We are sorry to say
that all we could tell from the dried flowers was
that they appeared to have been of a very pretty
crimson shade of color.

108

THE GARDENER'S MONTHLY

[April,

Fruit and Vegetable Gardening.

SEASONABLE HINTS.

Fruit trees that have proved undesirable from
any cause, may be re-grafted with more favored
kinds. This is an advantage with some varie-
ties. It takes an age, for instance, to get the
Seckel Pear into bearing condition from a nur-
sery raised tree : but by grafting it on one that
has already " arrived at years of discretion," the
advantage of placing a young head on old shoul-
ders, in this way is soon made manifest.

Grafting can be continued till the buds of the
trees are nearly pushed into leaf. Sometimes,
from a pressure of other work, some valuable
scions have been left on hand too late to work.
It may be interesting to know, that if such scions
are put into the ground much the same as if
they were cuttings, they will keep good for six
weeks or two months, by which time the bark
will run freely, when the scions may be treated
as buds, and will succeed just as well as buds
taken from young summer shoots.

The Apple is our standard fruit, and may al-
ways be relied on with reasonable care. The
first care is good food. Some talk about too
rich soil. We never saw the soil too rich for the
apple. Where any trouble arises in apple cul-
ture, it will be safe to attribute it to other causes
than rich soil. Kitchen ashes, in which table
refuse is thrown, is an excellent top-dressing for
apples. We like top-dressing better than any
other system of manuring apple trees. Even
nice ditch scrapings are good to top-dress with,
where nothing else offers. Apple trees are often
starved in other ways than by neglect to ma-
nure. The apple borer leads to starvation of-
tener than poor soil. The supply of food is cut
oflfby every move the borer makes. They work
at the surface of the ground. Look for them
now. If you have no time, set the boys and
girls to work. Say they shall have no apples for
Christmas or birthday presents if they do not.
However, get the borers out somehow, even if by
wire and jack-knife. If not soon done they will
soon get out themselves, and give you more
trouble in the future. After they have left,
whether by your invitation or otherwise, keep
them out; even though you have to lock the

door after the horse is stolen. There is nothing
like tarred paper to keep them out. The paper
must be put an inch or more below the ground,
and two or three above. We have used gas-tar
for years ; but find that if the tar contains creo-
sote, as it sometimes does, and the newspaper be
very thin, it will once in awhile injure the bark.
Pine tar will therefore be better.

In grape raising people seem to go to extremes
in management. A few years ago the poor plant
was in leading strings. It dared not make one
free growth, but it was pinched and twisted into
all sorts of ways. Now the " prune not at all "
maxims are getting headway, and this is as bad,
if not worse. First, grape growing was such a
mystery it took a life time to study it, and the
" old vigneron " was an awfully sublime sort of a
personage. He is now among the unfrocked and
unreverenced. But there is great art in good
grape treatment ; and yet this art is founded on
a very few simple principles. For instance,
leaves are necessary to healthy growth ; but two
leaves three inches wide are not of equal value
to one leaf of six inches. To get these strong
leaves, see that the number of sprouts be limited.
If two buds push from one eye, pinch out the
weakest whenever it appears. The other will be
strengthened by this protective policy, and the
laws of trade result in favor of larger and better
leaves on the leaf that follows. Allow no one
shoot to grow stronger than another. If there
are indications of this, pinch off its top. While
it stops to wonder what you mean by this sum-
mary conduct, the weaker fellows will profit to
take what properly belongs to them. There is
little more science in summer pruning than this ;
but it takes some experience, joined with com-
mon sense, to apply it. This, indeed, is where
true art comes in.

South of Philadelphia, the more tender kinds
of garden vegetables may now be sown — beans,
corn, cucumbers, squashes, etc. — that it is not
prudent to plant in this latitude before the first
of May; and tomato, egg-plants, etc., may also
be set out in those favored places. Cucumbers,
squashes, and such vegetables, can be got for-
ward as well as tomatoes, egg-plants, etc., by
being sown in a frame or hotbed, and potted off

1880.

AND HORTICULTURIST.

109

into three-inch pots. They will be nice plants
by the first week in May. Rotten wood suits
cucumbers and the squash tribe exceedingly well
as a manure. Tomatoes and egg-plants that are
desired very early are best potted, soon after they
come up, into small pots. They can then be
turned out into the open air without any check
to their roots. Of course, they should be gradu-
ally inured to the open air — not suddenly trans-
ferred from a warm and moist air to a very dry
one.

Early York cabbage for early use should be
set out early in this mouth. An excellent plan
is to make the holes with a dibble first, where
the cabbage is to be set ; then fill the holes with
manure-water ; and after the water is soaked
away, set in the plants. It is rather more
laborious than the old way, but the cabbage
grows so fast afterwards that it pays pretty well.

Celery is an important crop, and should be
sown about this period. A rich moist spot
shaded from the mid-day sun, should be chosen ;
or a box in a frame, if convenient.

Bean-poles may be planted preparatory to
sovving the Lima bean in May. Where bean-
poles are scarce, two or three hoop-poles, set
into the ground, and tied together at the top,
make as good a pole, and perhaps better.

Dwarf beans should have very warm and
deep soil — sow them only two inches apart.
The Valentine is yet the best early, take it all
in all.

Peas should be sown every two weeks for a
succession — do not make the soil very rich for
them.

COMMUNICA TIONS.

NON PRODUCTION OF FRUIT TREES.
WHAT ARE THE CAUSES?

Read before Penna. Fruit Growers' Association, Jan. 22d, 1880.

BY H. M. ENGLE, MAKIETTA, PA.

I am well aware that this question is easier
asked than answered. There are no doubt vari-
ous causes of unproductiveness, but I wish to
call the attention of fruit growers to a custom
that may have such effect. I apprehend noth-
ing else than to be pronounced heterodox on
pomology,; but as orthodoxy is sometimes forced
to change base, it may be counted in as ortho-
dox some day. It is also true, that it is easier
to controvert a theory than to prove or estab-
lish it. Has it ever occurred to nurserymen and
fruit growers, that the cutting of scions from

nursery rows for root grafting for a succession of
years tends to strengthen .simply wood growth,
and at the same time weakens the tendency to
productiveness, or at least retards it? I refer
more particularly to apples and pears, as
peaches frequently form fruit buds in nursery
rows one year old from bud ; the departure
therefore can not be so great as in some other
fruits. For the sake of counter argument I
will admit that the custom of cutting scions
from nursery rows has been practiced for many
years, but at the same time a large proportion
of scions has also been taken from bearing
trees, hence the difficulty of proving such a
theory if it were correct. To test this question
thoroughly would require many years of ex-
perimenting. Experience has taught nursery-
men that scions cut from young thrift}' trees,
whether in nursery or orchard, when grafted
will make more vigorous trees than when taken
from old bearing trees.

Fruit growers also know that generally the
most vigorous growers are more tardy bearers
than those of slow growth. We know very well
that some varieties bear earlier than others, but
it must be admitted that not unfrequently trees
of the same variety purchased from the same
nursery, and planted in the same orchard side
by side, at the same time, do not make uniform
growth nor bear uniform crops. That there
should be uniformity in every respect could
hardly be expected, but the results are oftimes
as opposite as of two varieties ; one will go into
fruiting early, while another is tardy ; or one
will bear regular crops, while another will bear
only alternate years.

Now, there must be a cause, or causes for all
this. Is there any other theory more plausible
to account for these differences ? There are
numerous instances in both vegetable and ani-
mal kingdoms which confirm the theory of
variations in nature. Take for instance all the
present varieties of maize, wnich doubtless de-
scended from one parent, of which there are
now possibly more than a hundred, and yet
many so unlike each other as they well could be
made, and still all retain the original character
so far as it can be traced back. It is conceded
that the comparison is not quite fair where
changes are produced by seed selection. But
take the potato, which can, and has been mate-
rially changed by selection of tubers. For in-
stance by selecting such as ripen earliest for a
term of years, we may have the same variety

110

THE GARDENER'S MONTHLY

[April,

earlier than the original. The same effect will
be produced in an inverse ratio by selecting
seed from such as ripen latest. The potato
may also be changed in other respects by se-
lecting for seed the roundest or longest for a
succession of years, or select seed from stocks
that have tubers of most uniform size, or any
other desirable character, and a fixed type may
eventually be obtained of just what is desired.
When we glance over the great variety of shrubs
and flowers originated from sports, and estab-
lished as new varieties, which have by proper
selection for a term of years become fixed so as
to retain their identity, we must conclude that
from some cause nature is at times turned out
of its regular course in producing its like ; and
when once turned out, the stock or plant may
by designed selection for a series of years never
again resume its former character.

This line of argument might be continued
indefinitely in the vegetable kingdom. The
laws which govern the animal kingdom are in a
great measure analagous to those which govern
the former. The changes and improvements
that have been made with domestic animals is
truly astonishing ; for instance with sheep, cat-
tle and hogs ; to accomplish which required
time, perseverence and judicious selection.

We, as pomologists, must admit that although
much has been accomplished in our line, breed-
ers of domestic animals have made greater
strides in theirs. In animals, as in vegetables
and fruits, all the most desirable qualities have
never yet been produced in one individual.
The stock breeders who have aimed to produce
beef animals have established the Shorthorns.
Those who aimed for richest milk and butter
production, have their ideal in the Jerseys and
Guernseys ; while those who had in view milk
and cheese production, have established the
Holsteins and Ayreshires. At the same time
other fancy points in those breeds were sought
and obtained, and fixed types established. For
instance in the Durhams, roan or red colors and
small horns ; in the Jerseys, fawn or black colors,
black tongue and black wisp. In the Ayre-
shires the color must be white and brown, or
white and red; while the Holstein would be
ruled out as bogus if not strictly white and
black. Numerous other points have been bred
into fixed types by selection, and except an oc-
casional sport, with almost as much certainty as
a good mechanic will produce a desired piece
of furniture. If we could place some of the

early specimens of cattle from which those im-
proved breeds have descended, side by side with
the latter, the contrast would be marked in-
deed ; or when we compare the ancient land-
shark or alligator hogs with the present Chester
Whites, Berkshires and Poland China pigs, the
resemblance is not at all striking. The former
were simply scavengers, just what nature in-
tended them to be, while the latter are almost
worthless for such purposes. Great progress
has been made in producing new fruits and
flowers by hybridization and cross fertilization,
which is however not altogether germain to the
question under consideration ; but that the graft
influences the root in nursery rows, every in-
telligent nurseryman knows. And that by
grafting upon large trees the reverse is some-
times shown will hardly be denied. If, then,
these are facts, may there not be other influ-
ences at work which we do not yet understand.
May not this continual grafting from non pro-
ducing trees weaken the fertility of the trees
thus grafted, that when they arrive at bearing
age, the least unfavorable conditions will injure
the fruit in its embryotic and early stages so as
to prevent its perfection. If we understood
all the laws which govern the animal and vege-
table kingdoms, they would no doubt develop
facts not dreamed of in our philosophy.

THE FUTURE OF ASPARAGUS.

BY GENL. WM. H. NOBLE, BRIDGEPORT, CONN.

I lately gave voice through the Monthly to
sanguine hopes of better asparagus. I fondly
thought that, like other joyous helps which the
garden gives the table, asparagus might look
for a future of stoutness and stature, born of
chosen seed as well as heavy feeding. I dream-
ed of fat shoots, pushing not only out of the
deep richness of the bed, but swelling from
crowns, fathered by seed, the offspring of care-
ful crosses and choice.

But alas, these were but the fancies of an in-
expert and parvenu. The horticultural heavy-
weights, high priests and judges have crushed out
my fond hopes. The Monthly's editor and
its British namesake have sat down hard upon
my little theory and flattened out its life. Me-
thinks I see their heads, full of judicial lore and
complacent dignity, nodding to each other over
this question of better asparagus. The elder
discoverer of the separate sexuality of asparagus,
speaks the opinion of the bench over its "ways

1880.]

AND HORTICULTURIST.

Ill

that are dark and peculiar." I reprint it pretty
closely :

" ' If the Court understand herself, and we
think he do,' we cannot uphold the plan put
forward, to better this vegetable through its
seedlings. Neither in the books, nor in the na-
ture of things, do we find any warrant for such
hope of better asparagus. The plant seems to
have reached its highest development in the
preadamite gardens. In fact, if we might bor-
row an illustration from another field of nature,
asparagus, like the bumble-bee, never gains
much on the bigness of its first hatching. This
comes from its sexual nature, first shown by the
members of this court. The asparagus is dioe-
cious, its sexes stand apart in different foot-stalks.
They are not in its, as in most vegetable life,
found in close mating on the same flower, or on
different flowers on the same plant. We there-
fore counsel the sanguine pleader for better
asparagus to waste no thought on the morrow
of trial for its improvement by seed. It cannot
thus be bettered. We very well know, as claim-
ed in the argument, that through all nature
choice mating of the sexes leads to better kinds
of breeds. That the very fact of separate sexual
growth has brought to skillful men a vast ad-
vance in almost all that grows for man's food or
comfort. But the comparison is a cheat, if not
odious. Separate vegetable sexuality, follows
not its laws in animal life. Conover's aspara-
gus, or a Rose potato, can be divided by its root-
buds, but not a Grand Turk or an Alderney
heifer. Therefore we counsel against the likeli-
hood of better asparagus crossings from choice
seedlings. We are sorry to refuse our assent
to the method presented to us for improving
this vegetable, but we are reluctantly compelled
to declare it helpless." — Gardener^s Monthly,
English Gardener''s Magazine.

Now this " is an opinion as is an opinion."
Its reasoning has only been equaled by the mas-
sive logic, so much admired by Capt. Cuttle in
the great Bunsby, — that mental profundity thus
utters these opinions which so filled the Captain
with awe, — "For why, which way, if so, why
not? therefore. What 1 says I stands to.
Whereby, why not. If so, what odds. Can any
man say otherwise. No, awast then !" I trem-
ble before this august court and that profound
opinion ; I hardly dare to doubt, much less
to lift my voice against this array of brains
and logic. But, I timidly ask, what barriers has
nature put against better kinds of asparagus

through thoughtful sexual mating? Why is this
plant shut out from the sure methods of advance
open to most others ? Wherein does the monoe-
cious or monogamous or polygamous plant hold
out higher chances through seedtime and har-
vest? Why deny to asparagus the hopes and
methods that have became fruition amongst the
fruits? Has she no right through happy chance
or utmost skill or patient trial, to all gained by
other growing things? When, by planting or
chance, there comes to either of its sexes, plants
more stalwart and thrifty, why not plant these
apart, and await bigger, quicker and tenderer
growths in their progeny ?

See how the pear, — sometimes by lucky self-
seeding, sometimes by studious trial, — has slowly
gained through the ages, till Van Mons or
Knight, by wise plan or forecast lifted it into the
front rank of fruits. Let us hope that asparagus,
so healthful, so widely liked, so delicious a vege-
table, so holding, carried its excellence through
the seasons, may, in its lower level, greet some
Van Mons or Knight.

What has the growth methods of the potato
or asparagus, from division of its underground
body, to do with the betterment of either through
seeding? The Summer Rose, or Hebron, or
Peachblow were never born out of any root di-
vision, or underground; or tuber-bred of the old
styles of this vegetable. Neither Goodrich nor
any other potato — Van Mons ever got beyond the
tuber he planted, by the replanting of its produce.

Such trial brings every time a Summer Rose, a
Peach-blow or a Mercer. You reap the harvest
that you sow. Better kinds come only through
seed-planting and choice, and this routine many
times repeated, before a kind of lasting excel-
lence rewards. So it must be with the aspa-
ragus. I close with the memorable words of the
immortal Bunsby: "The bearings of this obser-
vation lies in the application of it."

[Neither the Gardener's Monthly nor the
Gardener'' s Magazine, has ever thought of saying
that the asparagus could not be improved by
seed.— Ed. G. M.]

EDITORIAL NOTES.

Sweet Home, Black-cap Raspberry. —
This Illinois variety, a seedling from Lum's
Everbearing, is commended by Tyler McWhor-
ter of Aledo, a reliable gentleman who says
that while he would plant the Doolittle Black-
cap for an early crop, he would replace the

112

THE GARDENER'S MONTHLY

[April,

Mammoth Cluster by the "Sweet Home," as it
is larger and firmer, and the plants have a more
stock}' growth.

The Leading Apples in New York. —
After all the endeavors to popularize difterent
apples in Western New York, the bulk of those
we see in various markets from that region, are
Baldwin, Rhode Island Greening, Spitzenberg,
and Northern spy. The two last bring slightly
better prices.

The Bottle Greening and Cooper's Mar-
ket Apples. — Though not of the highest quali-
ty, Mr. Hooker says these apples find a ready
sale in "Western New York.

The Brighton Grape. — It is not often that
new fruits not only stand the test of experience,
but grow in popular favor. The Brighton Grape
seems one of these few good things. It ripens
about the same time as the Hartford Prolific,
and may therefore be classed with the early va-
rieties.

Early Grapes. — M. P., writes as follows:
" In a catalogue of a responsible Ohio nursery-
man received a short time ago I notice, Moore's
Early Grape, offered for sale, and it is claimed
for this grape that it is ten days earlier than
Hartford, and twenty days earlier than Concord.
This seems such a remarkable advance, that I
cannot help asking if this has been the experi-
ence of others besides the nurseryman named?
If this grape will universally ripen twenty days
ahead of the Concord, many of us may look for
ripe fruit in July."

Beurre Clairgeau. — A correspondent of
the Gardener''s Chronicle notes that the same va-
riety of Pear does not ripen at the same time in
the same place in difterent seasons. He says
the Beurre Clairgeau " will not be fit for use
this month (January) as usual." In the United
States it is voted as not fit for use any month, —
though there are many struck by its beauty who
try to use it.

The Grape Rot. — This, the great pest of
the Western grape grower, is not believed by
Mr. Bateham to result from weakened or dis-
eased vines. He has come to this conclusion
after a very wide experience. His observations
tend to show that the rot follows peculiar hygro-
metrical and thermal conditions, which will act
unfavorably on normally healthy vegetable tis-
sues. We believe Mr. Bateham to be wholly
correct.

Packing Apples for Distant Markets. —
Many believe that some packing material should
be used in the barrels to keep apples from bruis-
ing each other ; but we have never known this
to be necessary when the apples were sound,
and properly barreled. After the apples are in,
they should be subjected to a pressure by the
lid, to the extent of even pressing some of the
fruit into each other. In good air-tight barrels,
they will not move or bruise each other. It is
only after the air gets to the bruise by the
pressed-in apple, that decay follows; while the
two apples are pressed together they will not
rot.

Ricketts' Grapes. — In the Rural World Mr.
Husmann gives an account of a visit to this well-
known raiser of seedling grapes, and says :

" We had expected to find Mr. Ricketts' seed-
ling grapes highly cultivated and in a favorable
location ; we had somehow got the idea into our
head that they were very much pampered and
petted; we had twice admired his grapes at ex-
hibitions, and they seemed to us too fine to be
produced by ordinary culture. We found just
the reverse of this, they were poorly cultivated,
pruned very long, had an excessive crop of
grapes, and we do not think the location a favor-
able one. We think it but just to Mr. Ricketts
to state this; and he has certainly achieved re-
markable success."

Winter Nelis Pear. — Californians say, on
healthy Quince stocks they can often get this
pear to weigh half-a-pound. We fancy no one
in the Atlantic States ever saw one this size.

"Cultivating" Fruit Trees. — Some of
our excellent fruit growers still insist, that jag-
ging away at the young feeding roots of orchard
trees all summer long is "cultivating" them.
We have often shown that this kind of " cultiva-
tion has little more than antiquity to recom-
mend it, — for it is ancient, as any one can see
by referring to j3Esop's Fables. Our excellent
practical cotemporary, the Garden seems to be
of our opinion. It says :

" In passing by Kensington Palace the other
day I saw men go through the old and sad pro-
cess of cutting off" all the points of the bushes
and digging among their roots. The surface af-
terwards was, as usual, a mass of young fibres.
It is curious how much that is wrong may be
practised for ages by the very people who are
supposed to know the right way. There is no
more reason why the young roots should be mu-

1880.1

AND HORTICULTURIST.

113

tilated annually in an established shrubbery
than those of a young specimen Conifer on the
lawn."

New Peas. — It is remarkable that amongst
the myriads of varieties of peas, new or old,
Daniel O'Rourke is still the most popular.
Thousands of bushels are raised by single firms
alone for seed.

Degeneration of Potatoes.— These "die
out" occasionally, and new varieties have to be
raised to take their places. They die from ener-
vation, and not because varieties "naturally"
wear out. Plants are often injured by insects or
disease, and mature before the tubers are "ripe."
Such " seed" produces inferior plants. Where-
ever the potato plant lives to flower freely, and
not die away before its time, its tubers will pro-
duce plants again showing no signs of wearing
out.

Mushroom Growing. — We have frequently
€tated that the chief reason why so many fail in
growing mushrooms is because no care is taken
to prepare the material first. In the usual way
fermentation is too rapid. The Journal of Hor-
ticulture gives the following good advice :

" I do not know that I have anything out of
the common way to say about the preparation
•of material for the bed, but I will briefly de-
scribe the eystem. Droppings are collected
every morning from the stable litter and placed
an an open shed, where they are turned over
every day to prevent burning. When there is a
sufficient quantity for a bed it is removed to
another open shed, where it is allowed to heat a
little, and the turning is continued for ten days
•or a fortnight, till it becomes sufficiently dry
that it will not bind together much when
squeezed in the hand. It is then taken to the
mushroom house and made up as firmly as pos-
sible to a depth of 11 or 12 inches. The firm-
ness prevents its heating too violently, and con-
sequently drying and exhausting itself, and
causes it to retain the heat for a long time.
It cannot be too firm. A thermometer is placed
in the bed as soon as made, and it is expected in
a few days to show a temperature of 85° to 100".
As soon as the heat is declining the spawn is in-
serted; 95° for a day or two will do no harm,
but we must be sure that the temperature is de-
•clining, for a higher one would probably be
fatal."

The Sweet Potato in England. — We
called attention recently to the curious fact that
only now, after a hundred years of American
experience, were the English people beginning
to know anything of sweet potatoes. In a re-
cent number of the Garden, we find this further
note : " I amused myself on one of those recent
cold days by roasting some sweet potatoes in
hot ashes — roots that I bought from Mr. Garcia,
in Covent Garden. I mean the Sweet Potato of
North America, which is so good when roasted
or baked. For the first time I found that these
Covent Garden specimens turned out very well.
The sweet potato is an excellent vegetable, and
I should advise our American friends to send us
quantities of well-ripened roots, and also tell us
how to cook them. I noticed in America, that
just as with our common Potato at home, there
are wet and dry tubers, mainly owing to differ-
ences of soil. I understand those grown in the
sand}' soils of the South are much better in
America than those raised elsewhere. It
seemed to be a greater favorite than the com-
mon potato, which was there called the Irish
Potato to distinguish it from this one. I believe
it to be more nutritious than the common po-
tato, and when good it turns out something
between a sweetmeat and a vegetable. To im-
port a vegetable which our climate prevents us
growing, and which in consequence is a novelty
to most people, is very desirable. I do not know
if their price is high in America, but it would be
a great boon if they could be sent here in such
quantities as would allow of their being used as
food. At present they are merely Covent Gar-
den curiosities."

Prohibiting the Importation of Living

Plants. — For fear of introducing the Phyllox-
era, the government of the Cape of Good Hope,
have absurdly prohibited the importation of
living plants and bulbs of all kinds. This is on
a par with much of our own legislation on hor-
ticultural and agricultural matters, and it is per-
haps a comfort to know that stupidity is a
world-wide complaint.

The Alexander Peach. — A writer in Shir-
ley Hibberd's Gardener'' s Magazine, says this has
beaten Early Beatrice, Early Louise, and the
other famous early Peaches in England; and
" is without question one of the most valuable
fruits received from the other side of the At-
lantic."

114

THE GARDENER'S MONTHLY

[April,

Forestry.

COMMUNICA TIONS,

LARGE LIVE OAKS.

BY W. ST. J. MAZYCK, IIAGLEY PLACE, S. C.

Neither of the five live oaks, Q. virens, of
which I vyrrite, are as large as the Cawthorpe
Yorkshire oak, mentioned in your January
number, but they are very respectable sticks of
timber nevertheless. At Old Town plantation,
on the west bank of the Ashley river, the site
of Charleston, which was abandoned about 1680
for Oyster Point, there stands a live oak that
measures thirty-two feet in circumference.
One side of this tree was injured many years
ago by fire. It must have been a big tree when
the Indians burnt the town.

At Peach-tree plantation, on the west bank of
the South Santee, there is a live oak that meas-
ures twenty-nine feet around, the first limb meas-
uring sixteen feet around, and extending seventy-
five feet. At midday it shades half an acre of
ground. Prof. M. Numey said it was probably
the finest tree this side of the Mississippi river,
and that it was worth a man's time and money
to come from Canada to see it, — rather an ex-
pensive trip in 1846 when he saw this tree.

At Weehonoka plantation, on the east bank
of the Waccamaw river, three live oaks grow
near each other. The first one measures twenty
feet, the second seventeen feet nine inches, and
the third fifteen feet around. These trees were
all measured in the smallest part ; all of them
have the hour-glass shape to a greater or lesser
degree. K'ot far from these last trees there is a
common fox grape-vine, that measures four feet
and two inches round.

EDITORIAL NOTES.

How TO Prepare Sumac— The New York
Times says: "Sumac is not a merchantable ar-
ticle until it is properly prepared. The prepara-
tion consists of gathering the leaves in July,
along with the fine tvi^igs, drying them under cov-
er, threshing them with a flail, sifting out all the
coarse stuff, grinding the fine matter into powder
under a vertical rolling millstone, and packing
in bags of 200 pounds. When gathered at the

proper season and prepared in the best manner,
American Sumac, even that grown in northern
localities and heretofore supposed worthless, is
said by tanners to be equal to the best Italian.
The trouble is that it is not yet prepared pro-
perly nor gathered at a season when its coloring
prope