258 



THE GARDENER'S MONTHLY 



[September, 



The next most popular bulb is the Narcissus, 

 of which there are only white and yellow varie- 

 ties — but these so varied in shade and shape as 

 to aflbrd a dozen or more of single and double 

 kinds. 



The Crocus is another popular bulb, as there 

 are so many shades of color, white, yellow, blue. 

 and the many shades between, they make gor- 

 geous masses in the spring flower garden. They 

 have a beautiful effect when placed in clumps 

 on the lawn, where the flowers come through 

 and expand before the grass begins to grow. ^ 

 The sloping sides of a terrace are often made to : 

 blaze with beauty in this way ; and besides, the 

 extra warmth of these terrace banks, when full 

 to the sun, make the roots flower much earlier 

 than they vi\\\ in the level garden ground. Crown 

 Imperials have been much improved of late 

 years, and there are now some dozen or more of 

 varieties. But the old Red and the old Yellow 

 are good things to have at any rate. 



The SnotLidrop is, perhaps, the earliest to flow- 

 er of all bulbs, being, in Philadelphia, often out 

 by the 1st of March. There are the double and 

 the single, both desirable— but the last we think 

 the prettiest. They should by planted where 

 they are to remain several years, as the after- 

 removal, as with other bulbs, is not favorable to 

 an abundant bloom. 



Persian Iris, Ranunculus, and Anemone, are 

 very popular and beautiful bulbs in Europe, but 

 do not reach anything like the same perfection 

 here. 



Among the miscellaneous hardy bulbs, which 

 flower early and are very desirable, are Japan 

 Lilies of all varieties, and all kinds of Lilies, al- 

 though they are scarcely to be ranked with 

 spring flowers, many of them, indeed, not open- 

 ing till July. 



Then there is the Allium moly, two kinds, yel- 

 low and white ; Camassia esculenta, a plant of 

 the Squill family, and very pretty ; Erythroni- 

 ums, white and yellow ; Leucojum opstivum, and L. 

 vernum with white flowers ; various Omithoga- 

 lums ; the American Pancratiums ; Seillas of 

 various kinds, especially S.Sibirica; Zephyran- 

 thus Aiamasco, and we may add the various 

 Pcenias. These are all hardy, and really good 

 things. 



As a rule the Lily is planted in too dry or too 

 hot a place, and this is very much against its 

 success. 



October and November in most States of the 

 Union are first-class planting months. We must 



however, call attention to the great value of 

 pruning trees and shrubs at transplanting, as 

 well as hammering the earth firmly about the 

 roots, in order to have the best of success. In 

 some cases pruning is an essential. It is extremely 

 rare that a Holly unpruned survives transplant- 

 ing in our climate, while when pruned they al- 

 ways live, even with comparatively bad treat- 

 ment. 



COMMUNICA TIONS. 



AMERICAN ROSES. 



BY H B ELLWANGER. 



(A paper read before the W. N Y. Horticultural Society at 

 Rochester, Jan. 29, 1880 



A monograph of roses, which are of American 

 origin, has, I believe, never before been attempt- 

 ed ; not, perhaps, because there has been a want 

 of interest in the subject, but because of the in- 

 herent difficulty in procuring reliable data. To 

 discover the parentage of the various varieties, 

 and the names of the raisers, has been an ardu- 

 ous undertaking, and I regret not being able to 

 present a complete record ; this, however, was 

 hardly to be expected. Two classes have had 

 their origin in America, the Prairie, and Noisette 

 Roses. These two classes give the most valuable 

 climbers which we have, though our trans- 

 Atlantic brethren do not take very kindly to the 

 former. Besides these two classes, many varie- 

 ties in other groups have had their origin in this 

 country, several of which are leading sorts in all 

 rose catalogues of prominence, but our chief 

 contributions nuist be considered the Prairie and 

 Noisette varieties, as introducing new and very 

 important groups. 



The Prairie Rose (i?o.sa rubi/oUa),h indigenous 

 to this country. Seeds of this were sown about 

 1836, by Messrs Samuel and John Feast, of Bal- 

 timore. The seedlings from this sowing were 

 then fertilized by some of the best roses grown 

 at the time, and from this lot came Baltimore 

 Belle and Queen of Prairies. The Messrs. Feast, 

 together with Joshua Pierce, of Washington, 

 have raised nearly all the varieties of this class 

 possessing any merit. Though inferior in quality 

 to the Tea-Noisettes, their hardiness and vigorous 

 habits, make them of great value when the more 

 beautiful Noisettes are too tender to be made 

 useful. As an indication of th«ir popularity we 

 may state, that next to the Remontant Roses, 

 more plants are annually sold of the Prairie ihan 

 of any other class. Baltiniure Belle when in 



