718 



The Weekly Florists' Review, 



30-foot specimen of Cercus quadriformis. 

 Fieus macrophylla was represented by a 

 tree about 40 feet high, with a branch 

 spread nearly 30 feet in diameter. F. 

 rubiginosa, too, was a handsome tree; 

 but quaint, in fact unique, was a speci- 

 men of F. Roxburghi that had developed 

 aerial roots like the banyan, of which 

 there were five masses, having an 8-foot 

 deseension at almost equal distances 

 rouird the ^tem, and all having entered 

 the ground the tree was certainly se- 

 curely anchored. 



Isolated upon the grass was a large 

 plant of Strelitzia regina in flower, 

 while in a more sheltered nook was a 

 marvelous mass of Strelitzia augusta, 

 30 feet m height, half as much in dia- 

 meter, with enormous musa-like leaves 

 Yucca baceata and Y. guatemalensis 20 

 leet m height, Aralia palmata, Oreopan- 

 ax daetylifolium, dasylirions, opuntias 

 and bamboos of tropical stature and 

 JiL\uriance were noted. In fact, if time 

 and space permitted, much more mio-ht 

 be .said of many rare and choice plants, 

 all hardy and happily at home here. 



This wonderful garden is a monument 

 of the most enduring character to the 

 capacity and ability of M. Van den 

 Daele, who has made it what it is dur- 

 ing the twenty-one years he has had 

 the direction of it. Its floral features, 

 too, are on the same elaborate scale 

 About 80,000 cyclamen and 40,000 prim- 

 ulas are raised annually, the bulk of 

 them planted out in the beds and bor- 

 ders. There were some striking beds of 

 lachenahas in flower. Several miles of 

 terraces form a supply garden; in fact, 

 this portion of the establishment is pro- 

 digious, and replete with a large and 

 varied stock of plants. We were in- 

 formed that the Casino gardens have a 

 working staff of 200 men. 



A walk around the palace of the Prince 

 of Monaco concluded the day. It stands 

 on a high promontory thrust out into 

 the sea, and on the extreme point, which 

 is covered with scrubby pines, were 

 masses of red geraniums several feet high 

 —in fact, a tangled, thick undergi-owth 

 to the pines, about the most curious as- 

 sociation one could think of. 



Vintigmilia, 



the first town in Italy, was the next 

 stopping place, and La Mortola, the gar- 

 den of Mr. Thomas Ilanbuiy, our desti- 

 nation.- This garden is a series of ter- 

 races on a steep hillside, and is full of 

 rare and Iimntifnl iil.mi--. K-iici-iallv 

 notewor(li\ ',1, M. -,,,,,,. ^. |..,i ,,1 ,,. 'ii'iiii', ,'|- 

 Agave S., ■inn, ,,,.-, |,h,,mm\,,, on'uniVi'- 

 banksias. ,,,Mn-|„,, ,.,,,- .p^I ml,,, ,'', ' 

 viously noted Hseul,,-,-,.. Th,. drive to 

 and from the place was mosu interesting 

 as we saw miles of terraces, many of 

 them only wide enough to accommodate 

 a row of grapevines or a single row of 

 peas which were then in blossom. Some 

 of the terrace walls here were veiled in 

 lyy-Icavcd geraniums, which, planted at 

 the top, had grown down, completely 

 hiding the wall, and gay with a profu- 

 sion of bloom. 



Continuin'g along the coast through 

 olive groves, lemon orchards and fruit 

 gardens carved out of the mountain side, 

 looking like gigantic flights of steps, we 

 reached Genoa, and here all of horticul- 

 tural interest ceased. 



MoRRLS, III.— Mr. A. Mitting, of the 

 Morns Floral Co., has returned from a 

 three days' visit to California. 



DESIRABLE PERENNIALS. 



The rapidly growing interest in the 

 cultivation of hardy plants and shrubs 

 as shown by repeated and eager inquir- 

 ies of what to plant and where to obtain 

 the material, makes it evident that any 

 facts concerning "perennial border" 

 plants must be useful to florists and 

 dealers as well as to their patrons. 



If you will look over the catalogue of 

 any dealer in hardy plants you will find 

 a large number of species' enumerated 

 which can be of no use or interest out- 

 side of a botanical garden. The unini- 

 tiated purchaser who buys them on the 

 strength (or length) of their inviting 

 names will meet only vexation and dis- 

 appointment. Other species, valuable 

 under suitable conditions, may have cer- 

 tain peculiarities of growth or habit 

 which will render them an unmitigated 

 nuisance to the cultivator of limited 

 space. For instance, certain of our na- 

 tive asters and golden rods have a ca- 

 pacity for spreading by the roots which 

 involves a great amount of labor to re- 

 strain them within proper bounds in a 

 small garden. 



Plants which grow too readily from 

 seed are also to be regarded with cau- 

 tion, as they may in time menace the ex- 

 istence of their less prolific neighbors. 

 Many dealers and collectors are adver- 

 tising and sending out plants of danger- 

 ously poisonous properties without warn- 

 ing to purchasers and grave results 

 sometimes follow. Cases of poisoning 

 have been reported from children eating 

 the seeds of the purple thorn-apple 

 (Datura Tatula). Aconite and foxglove 

 are frequently cultivated as ornamental 

 plants without a suspicion of their poi- 

 sonous character. The common olean- 

 der (Nerium Oleander) is highly poison- 

 ous, even its fumes being deleterious to 

 some persons. 



The rapid extinction of some of our 

 choicest native plants because of the 

 breaking up of the prairies and the close 

 pasturage of the woodlands makes it de- 

 sirable to save them if possible by' cul- 

 tivation in perennial borders and else- 

 where. 



Clematis: The common Virgin's 

 Bower (C. virginiana) and the Leather 

 Flower (C. viorna) are two pretty 

 vines native through this state. C. vir- 

 giniana has showy panicles of small 

 white fragrant flowers. 



Aquilegia: The Red Columbine (A. 

 canadensis) is one of our most graceful 

 ii:iiiv,' |il:ii!ts in form, color and foliage 

 'ill I .Mil- and bluffs. 



1 iiAi II riii-M: The Meadow Rues (T. 

 linlM;aiiiiiin and T. dioicum) deserve a 

 ])lace in any wild border on account of 

 their beautiful foliage. T. polygamum 

 will gr,,w fcinr lo six feet hi-'h, while 

 T. .linnmii ;- as ..ra.vlul a- a hai, 



ries. Tlic root has a medicinal tonic prin- 

 ciple. 



Podophyllum peltatum: The May- 

 Apple is a pretty, easily grown peren- 

 nial, especially fine among trees or 

 shrubbery. 



Sanouinaria Canadensis: The Blood 

 Root with its large rich leaves and beau- 

 tiful white flowers graces rich woods in 

 early spring. Blended with trilliums. 

 hepaticas and dicentras it can be made 

 one of the choicest ornaments of the 

 border. 



I1IBI.SCV.S .militaris, a bold, strong 



growing hibiscus with large rose-colored 

 flowers; a close second to H. ealifor- 



Gebanium maculatura, the wild 

 Crane's Bill, makes rich bunches of 

 foliage and flowers when cultivated. All 

 plants of this order are handsome, but 

 the other native species are too strag- 

 gling in growth to be elicetive. The ero- 

 diums have the same fault. 



SiLE.NE stellata, the starry Campion, 

 forms dense bunches of tall "stems, witi 

 whorled leaves and finely fringed white- 

 flowers. 



Ceanothus Americanus: This little- 

 member of the Buckthorn order is pop- 

 ularly called "Red Root' and "Mew Jer- 

 sey Tea." From its massive woody roots 

 a cluster of leafy stems crowned by ricb 

 masses of delicately beautiful white 

 flowers spring up each year. The root 

 has sometimes reached sufficient size 

 to be cut into veneers when it rivals 

 rosewood in beauty. 



Amorpiia frutieosa, a tall shrub with 

 the aspect of a caragana and with spikes 

 of purple flowers marked with golden 

 stamens. 



Amorpha canescens: Lead plant, 

 and locally called shoe-string, is a 

 pretty little prairie shrub or half woody 

 plant. The spikes of gold and purple- 

 are beautiful. 



Tephrosia virginica, Goat's Rue, is a 

 beautiful plant for dry, sandy locations. 

 Cassia marilandica (American Sen- 

 na) is a fine plant forming close 

 masses of acacia-leaved stems three to 

 five feet high with showv yellow flowers 

 at the top. 



Many of our native composite flowers 

 are worth cultivation for the boldness- 

 which they lend to the outlook. I will 

 name only a few of the most desirable: 

 VteRNONiA fasiculata. Iron Weed, is a 

 coarse plant, but has showy, dark pur- 

 ple masses of flowers, usually three to 

 five feet high here. It has one draw- 

 back, the matured heads turn a dusty 

 brown and are lifted into undue promi- 

 nence by the lengthening of the pedicels. 

 Eup.\torium: The cupatoriums are 

 quite effective in a mixed border. The 

 Boneset (E. perfoliatuni ) , white Snake 

 Root (E. ageratoides) and the Joe-Pye 

 weed (E. purpureum) are well-known 

 wild flowers. They are easily transplant- 

 ed, keep their place well and are free 

 from bad habits. 



Llatris: The leading species of liatris 

 should be present wherever there is any 

 space for wild flowers. They are the most 

 characteristic feature of our Illinois 

 prairies and woodland openings. The 

 compact shape of the tubers makes them 

 easy to transplant and there can be 

 nothing more showj'. L. cylindracea, L. 

 pyonn-itncliya, T,. <!carin<!a and L. spicata 



'■■I'l.v an- -n Mrll kii.i^ji i!,at it might 

 ""III la T'H. -- t(i say anything in their 

 i.MMi. ],..«,,, a- they vary greatly in 

 a\ailaliilii\ . The species which are of 

 rulnisl ynnvlh and prone to spread rap- 

 idly by root runners as S. canadensis, 

 S. serotina and S. missouriensis, are 

 likely to prove troublesome where space 

 is limited. S. caesea, S. latifolia, S. 

 speciosa, S. namoralis, are very pretty 

 forms oif smaller growth which remain 

 where they are planted. S. rigida and 

 S. Riddellii are somewhat larger (two to 

 three feet), with larger heads of fra- 

 grant showy flowers. S. patula is a fine 

 bold plant (six to eight feet), for very 



