April 10, 1909 



HORTICULTURE, 



527 



More about Formosa Lily 



Editor IIoKTicuLTUBE : 



Dear Sir : — Note concerning Formosa Lily from 

 Charles Lenker in last week's issue much appreciated. 

 I am glad to see these opinions in the trade papers, and 

 this is a means that should be taken more generally in 

 bringing the growers' troubles and successes before 

 the trade. If I have been correctly infonned, 

 the lily in question grows wild in Formosa, and 

 is there gathered by natives and shipped to Japan, for 

 repacking or growing on. If I can see clearly, and from 

 reports of local and distant growers, the demand for 

 Formosa bulbs was enormous last year, so much so that 

 some orders were refused, and others cut in two. How 

 then were orders filled if not from these imported wild 

 bulbs ? Some growers secured good bulbs as perhaps Mr. 

 Lenker did, giving perfect satisfaction, but what about 

 the many who were sadly disappointed in the product of 

 the Formosa bulbs — one grower of 1500 having fully 50 

 per cent with but two flowers on, remainder three to 

 five. As to temperature, mine were treated as formerly, 

 when good results were secured, and other bulbs grown 

 in same house with same treatment have prospered 

 amazingly. But Formosa — alas. 



My object in writing to Horticulture was for the 

 purpose of drawing the attention of the trade, and in- 

 cidentally the introducers to facts as they are. The very 

 fact that Mr. Lenker "has seen two lots in two different 

 places," is cumulative evidence that "trash" has been 

 substituted. Is it not time that some measures were 

 adopted for protection against such substitution? How- 

 ever, it's up to the dealers handling the bulb. I must 

 reiterate my first statement, that the Formosa as first 

 grown by me was A 1. and more like them could be very 

 profitably used. To discard the variety would be utter 

 folly. What we do want, however, is good healthy first- 

 class bulbs packed to reach us in good condition. 



Rochester, N. Y. 



Climbing Roses under Glass 



Editor HORTICULTURE: 



I would like to know what temperature is best for 

 growing climbing roses. Those I have are Marechal Neil, 

 Lamarque, Gloire de Dijon. I would also like to know If 

 they would do any better if the glass was shaded. 



E. G. 

 The proper temperature at which to grow climbing 

 roses such as Marechal Neil does not differ materially 

 from that required for the ordinary tea roses, that is, 

 while the plants are making the growth from which the 

 flowers are to come later on. It is in the process of 

 ripening the wood and starting up again to get the crop 

 that a little manipulating of the temperature is required. 

 This is done by gradually lowering the temperature and 

 withholding water until the wood assumes a nice firm 

 appearance. Here is really the most important part of 

 the operation, for, without well ripened wood, the flowers 

 will be few and of poor quality. In starting them up 

 after the ripening treat them about the same as a Hybrid 

 Perpetual, beginning with 45 degrees and gradually in- 

 creasing until the maximum tem.perature is reached, 

 which should not exceed 60 degrees. If you follow this 

 course successfully you will have "a sight fit for the 



Art in the Garden 



Natick, Mass. 



^-%-^L^( 



From the earliest time of which we have any record 

 the more civilized of mankind has been wont to plant a 

 garden near his dwelling place, and some of the earliest 

 books were on the subject of gardening; but at no period 

 lias the love of gardening — in its widest sense — been 

 more general than at the present time which is doubt- 

 less evolved from the hereditary inclination for this pur- 

 suit in which men and women have indulged throughout 

 all time; and there is probably no more fascinating 

 recreation than the developing of ideals in gardening 

 effects, a pleasurable occupation which can be followed 

 by both rich and poor. 



The art of gardening has probably never been at a 

 higher standard of excellence than at the present day, 

 but this is, however, more the case in connection with 

 the growing of individual plants to perfection together 

 with the propagation and growing of plants in general: 

 in these matters the average professional gardener needs 

 little or no instruction. But the word "Art" in the title 

 of this paper is used in a totally different sense. 



A CAUSE OF FAILURE 



Many of the most successful raisers of plants, who 

 take numerous prizes at fairs, are often wanting in artis- 

 tic taste, and are apparently unable to lay out and plant 

 a garden in an artistic manner. The many failures 

 which one sees are, in most cases, evidently caused by 

 the fact that the individual responsible did not under- 

 stand how to apply artistic principles to the designing 

 of the garden rather than to any want of skill in carry- 

 ing out the details. It is in this connection that we use 

 the temi "art," and there is no reason why our gardens 

 should not be examples of the truest and liighest art. 



Landscape architecture (we use the term in preference 

 to landscape gardening because gardening is more the 

 cultivation of and caring for plants) is unquestionably a 

 fine art, for art is the creation of organized beauty, 

 whether upon canvas, marble or the surface of the 

 earth. 



As various degrees of talent exist among artists in 

 oils, water-colors and stone, the same variation in skill 

 is to be found in landscape artists. To excel in either 

 of these branches of art a born and trained artist is re- 

 quired, and although the possession of genius like that 

 of Raphael or Turner is more a question of endowment 

 than training, at the same time a genius requires to 

 study first principles, and every one studying along those 

 lines is capable more or less of increasing his knowledge 

 of and skill in the art he follows. 



FIDELITY TO NATURE IS TRUE ART 



The dominant object of ornamental gardening should 

 be to beautify home surroundings, and this can only be 

 accomplished by composing into a pleasing picture, 

 lawns, trees, shrubs and other accessories of a garden. 

 But to have anything beautiful and artistic it must bo 

 true. The ancient Greeks knew this, hence their suc- 

 cess in giving form to beautiful things. A garden 

 should be the home of the highest form of art because it 

 is the home of the natural and living, not artificial and 

 dead, things. True art is always marked by fidelity to 

 nature, and it is the want of naturalness which often 

 causes our gardens to be inartistic. 



In this connection we do not overlook the fact that 

 in a few positions what is known as the "architectural" 

 is more appropriate than the "natural" style, but such 

 positions are very rare, and exist only in sufficient num- 

 bers to prove the natural to be the more perfect. 



^Ui^A. 



(To he continued.) 



