180 



HORTICULTUKE 



February 8, 1913 



to the whereabouts of the pest, especially to the under 

 side of the foliage. We thus learn that red spider is "a 

 terror." 



TlieD. Sir, we ai e told in your lecent issue that "Damp- 

 ing down is a mistake (fallacy) — why the parenthesis? 

 — in any houses other than stove or orchid houses, ex- 

 ' cept occasionally as when a grapery is starting into 

 growth, or on an extremely hot parching day in summer 

 when the roots of the roses, etc., are unable to send up 

 water fast enough to take the place of that evaporated 

 from the foliage, when the damping of walls, floors, or 

 any part of the house is necessary to prevent wilting." 

 This is a condition often seen even in March and April, 

 plants wilting after a few dull sunless days; wliy not 

 damp down, or even spray overhead? 



It is hard to understand, too, why it is that orchid 

 houses are excepted as being susceptible of damping 

 do^vn at all times. I have often treated houses of or- 

 chids without water even on the floors for a week at a 

 time in July and August, and the plants did well. 



Some years ago, before the advent of our friend Jen- 

 kins, an "excellent cultivator stated in the leading horti- 

 cultural journal at that time, that he would rather trust 

 to the hygrometer than the thermometer in the culture 

 of exotic plants under glass, and he knew how. This 

 was much discussed, even ridiculed at the time, but as 

 the years go on this question of "atmosphere" resolves 

 itself into the place at the top, and the stickler for exact 

 temperatures no matter what the other conditions are, 

 is in wrong. A high temperature on a cold night with 

 no moisture present, is a grand birthday night for red 

 spider. 



The phrase "stove house," too, seems to have been re- 

 juvenated and reads strangely. It had been agreed upon 

 in American horticultural parlance that it should have 

 no place; "warm house" or "tropical house," but stove- 

 house never again ! Possibly it savored of red spider. 



We are told, too, that "A damp atmosphere certainly 

 appears to favor black spots on Beauties. " .lust a year 

 ago on a zero morning, it was a revelation to see the 

 grower of Beauties at the great Poehlniaun Bros.' es- 

 tablishment, spraying Beauties vigorously, and some of 

 the Beauty houses were getting a bath the same day at 

 four P. il. Black spot is unknown there, foliage down 

 to the benches on plants several years old. and the best 

 growers in Massachusetts tell me they have to send west 

 to change their stock of Beauties at times. There is 

 nothing much more certain than that there are things 

 that "certainly appear to be" that are not. 



There is an element of uncertainty in the statement 

 that the cutting-bed fungus is the result of too much 

 dampness in the atmosphere. Far better it would seem 

 to have it in the atmosphere than at the base of the cut- 

 tings. When wp see half a million carnation cuttings 

 rooting without a visible loss, all under the same roof 

 as the flowering plants, with no other provision made 

 except a cloth hung up to keep the atmosphere more 

 moist by keeping away draughts of air, it would seem to 

 be that the changing of sand and other precautions as 

 to cleanliness are much to be appreciated yet. 



Mr. Jenkins tells much that is true under the head of 

 "Neglected Opportunities." We see very much more 

 here than in the East, of men who are graduated from 

 state and other horticultural schools and they make good. 

 There are plenty of gardeners who are taking instruc- 

 tions from such all over the country, and so it will con- 

 tinue to a certain extent. The fifteen years of a gar- 

 dener's life between fifteen and thirty must be golden 

 indeed if he can earn a living in his profession, make 

 good with his employers, and, on the side, get the list 

 of attainments as quoted, "an insight into landscape gar- 



dening, modern methods of poultry handling, up-to-date 

 dairying, intensive cultivation of the land, construction 

 work such as road building, land drainage, with a little 

 knowledge of chemistry, physics, or natural science." 



Now Mr. Editor, after being preached at in the same 

 strain for 35 years and being still young, and coming 

 some short of these requirements it would seem that 

 some of that time had been wasted; and yet, the years 

 were busy ones. 



There is one possession the college men cannot take 

 From the gardener, and they are all envious of him in 

 that they do not have the knowledge of plants that grow. 

 In this age, when all outdoors is becoming more and 

 more man's recreation ground, it is not enough to know 

 everything from an orchid to an onion. Every growing 

 tiling that comes from the soil should be familiar, even 

 the weeds, especially by their common names. It seems 

 so good to note that Mr. Jenkins did not include botany 

 among his list of accomplishments. Botanical names 

 are a continuous exercise and seemingly will be. 



Mr. Jenkins' future notes and axioms will be awaited 

 with interest, and the above friendly comments are 

 intended only to emphasize the fact that there are 

 usually at least two opinions about most things, with 

 perhaps a modicum of truth in each. Gardeners are 

 better far than they used to be or ever were, and yet, 

 the axiom for the week is : 



"A healthy growing plant should never be allowed to 

 iret drv at the root." 



Lake Forest, Illinois. 



Antirrhinum 



Elevated by pojiular favor, from tlie plebeian rank of 

 common garden annual in colors of a certain rustic gau- 

 diness to the higher level of marketable cut flowers com- 

 manding remunerative prices. This has been the evolu- 

 tionary feature of Antirrhinum majus during the last 

 two decades. The marked change in the general estima- 

 tion was the direct result of the introduction of a new 

 tall-growing race producing spikes of larger flowers in 

 clear shades. Particularly for the pure white, yellow 

 and rose pink varieties the demand is ever increasing. 

 The long stems and good lasting qualities in a cut state 

 make the flowers of the new snapdragons an excellent 

 material for indoor decoration. For this reason we find 

 them at present worthy of the more valuable space under 

 glass; in fact there are few conservatories without some 

 .Vntirrhinums on the benches. 



My personal exjierience in growing Antirrhinums has 

 been in the main limited to outdoor culture and their 

 emploMuent for various garden effects. For the latter 

 purpose not alone the taU-growing giant snapdragons, 

 .\ntirrhinum majus grandiflorum, but also the large- 

 flowering half-dwarf type. Antirrhinum majus nanum 

 grandiflorum, prove highly satisfactory. The varieties 

 of the last mentioned race will be found particularlv well 

 adapted for bedding. Aside from the bushy growth and 

 iiandsome dark green foliage, the long florescence and 

 the free-flowering habit as a rule decide the issue. 

 Planted in separate colors the effect in floral color com- 

 bination is, of course, far superior to the use of mixed 

 shades. Annuals throughout the north, perennials in 

 tlie mild warm climate of the south. Antirrhinums rep- 

 resent a splendid material for herbaceous borders, es- 

 pecially for midsummer flowering. In New England 

 siacoast resorts tliey rank among the best paying cut- 



