May 24, 1913 



HORTICULTUKE 



783 



NOTES ON THE IRIS. 



This has been a very favorable 

 spring. In our great iris family num- 

 bering 180 varieties, are many of 

 dazzling splendor. The wonder is that 

 more of tliem are not planted. The 

 plucky little pumilas come first, then 

 we have their hybrids with the Crime- 

 an and Alpine crosses and these reach 

 down to the Germanica. These take 

 us down to the Giganteas and then 

 come the Royal Japs — giving us a 

 succession of blooms for nearly three 

 months. 



The first of the Germans to bloom 

 are the Black Princess. They are 

 glorious in their splendor. Three long 

 rows in the center of an iris field are 

 really imposing. They are in full 

 bloom while the others are in bud. 

 They are of deep velvety purple, beau- 

 tifully veined and traced with other 

 colors. The large petals with lustrous 

 sheen are sometimes two inches 

 across. They are overwhelmed with 

 bloom. The next in order are the 

 very fragrant Florentina Alba. The 

 flowers are white and of large size. 

 These stand as sentinels waiting to 

 introduce us to the great family which 

 is to follow. 



A Singular Freak. 

 Last spring we noticed among the 

 Florentinas, flowers one-half white and 

 the other half Black Princess. The 

 colors divided the great petals in the 

 middle and made a singular and 

 charming combination. This year the 

 same thing occurred again and we 

 found two other clumps with the same 

 markings. The variation seems con- 

 firmed. We want to save seed from 

 them if they produce any and we pro- 

 pose to put those three clumps by 

 themselves and see if by selection we 

 cannot secure a new departure. 



Hybrid Possibilities. 



We are raising iris from seed. Some 

 from the pumila hybrids gave us three 

 plants with deep purple flowers. One 

 we named Royal Purple. The flowers 

 are immense for the size of the plant 

 and they are exceedingly floriferous. 

 Prairie Beauty is another cross of the 

 Crimean type. It is light gold — a mar- 

 velous bloomer. It seems, to be a law 

 that the nearer a plant is to the par- 

 ent the greater the tendency to revert. 

 The farther you get from the original 

 type, the more freedom it has in break- 

 ing away from its antecedents and the 

 greater tendency it has for something 

 original and distinct. 



We propose to follow this up in the 

 hope of securing new creations of 

 superior worth. 



C. S. HARRisorf. 



York, Nebr. 



A SOLDIER'S GRAVE. 



The dust thnt sleeps unthinking and un- 

 knowing. 



That turf lielow 

 That recks no more of pale December's 



snowing. 

 Or long-da.Ted June amid the meadows 



glowing. 

 That knows not summer's liirth not win- 

 ter's going 



On field or bough, 

 Was once a soldier's heart. It ceased its 

 beating 



In dut.v's round — 

 We o'er the heedless sod today are meeting 

 To learn the lesson Time has been repeat- 

 ing 

 And all patriot souls that sleep our greet- 

 ing 



From this poor mound. 



—Frank H. Sweet. 



ASPARAGUS LUTZI. 



A glance at the accompanying illus- 

 tration of a frond of this new as- 

 paragus, reproduced from Holler's 

 Deutsche Gartner-Zeitung, will quick- 

 ly disclose to the florist its promising 

 qualities. It has already received high 

 encomiums and seems destined to 

 soon take a foremost place in its 

 class in this country. Messrs. Loech- 

 ner & Co., of New York, who are 

 American agents for the sale of the 

 plants, have sent us the following de- 

 scription of this novelty: 



It is a cross between A. plumosus nanus 

 and A. deflexus scandens. The thornless 

 shoots are straight and erect, without the 

 least tendency to winding, reaching a 

 length of 4 to 6 feet. Each plant should be 

 staked once. In order to tie the shoots to- 

 gether. Any shoot can be easily removed 



without disturbing or damaging the rest, 

 by simply pulliuf it out, as they do not 

 tangle up with each other. This quality 

 alone wilt be of the greatest advantage 

 when the asparagus is grown for cutting 

 purposes. 



Asparagus Lutzi is. moreover, a splendid 

 bloomer, putting forth profusely its snowy 

 blooms, which are in charming contrast to 

 the graceful light green and tufty foliage. 

 The shoots are well-branched from the 

 bottom. If cut. with or without flowers, 

 they are exceedingly lasting, even when 

 not placed in water. 



The flowering sprays produce by them- 

 selves a unique and splendid decorative ef- 

 fect. Last summer the.v, in connection 

 with the Chrysanthemum Ada Oven, formed 

 the only decoration of the table of the 

 German Emperor during his stay at Wies- 

 baden. 



The cultivation is the simplest. This 

 Asparagus Lutzi requires simply a cold 

 and airy house, contrary to most of the 

 asparagus varieties. 'The heavier and 

 loamier the soil, the more luxurious the 

 growth, the finer green the foliage, and 

 the more profuse the blooms, which created 

 quite a sensation as the photos of it were 

 published in the ofBcinI organ of the retail 

 florists of Germany. 



A VISIT TO MADBURY, N. H. 



The Gardeners' and Florists' Club 

 of Boston had a red-letter holiday on 

 Wednesday, May 21, in a visit to the 

 rose houses and farm of W. H. Elliott 

 at Madbury. The trip, which had been 

 talked about for some time past was 

 a great success in every particular. 

 Over one hundred of the craft re- 

 sponded and there were a dozen or 

 more ladies in addition. A special 

 train from Boston had been provided 

 by the Boston & Maine Railroad and 

 the 68 mile ride each way was en- 

 joyed in comfort and agreeable socia- 

 bility. Arriving at Madbury the ladies 

 were taken in charge by Mrs. Elliott 

 and autos were at their disposal at all 

 times. The party on arrival was con- 

 ducted through the vast rose houses, 

 one of which is 1350 feet in length, 

 and inspected the various busy depart- 

 ments, including the mammoth cow 

 bam, manure tanks, soil supplies, 

 boiler rooms, storage rooms, and other 

 appurtenances and finally rounded up 

 at the new cement-walled dairy room 

 where an appetizing repast was served 

 under the management of Mrs. Elliott, 

 assisted by other ladies, and following 

 which there were addresses by Prof. 

 White of Amherst, and Messrs. W. E. 

 Doyle, W. Penn, Wm. Downs, M. H. 

 Norton, H. Robinson, Wm. Sim, Peter 

 Fisher, Herman Bartsch, Wm. Nichol- 

 son, R. Cameron, and lastly by Mrs. 

 Elliott and Mr. Elliott as hostess and 

 host. 



After dinner the group was photo- 

 graphed and then the time was di- 

 vided up between the farm, the green- 

 houses and a stroll through the woods 

 until time for the train back to Bos- 

 ton. 



MEMORIAL DAY. 

 The Bivouac of the Dead. 

 By Theodore O'Hara. 

 The muffled drum's sad roll has beat 



The soldier's last tattoo ; 

 Xo more on Life's par.Tde shall meet 



That brave and fallen few. 

 On Fame's eternal camping-ground 



Their silent tents are spread. 

 And Glory guards, with solemn round, 

 The bivouac of the dead. 



No rumor of the foe's advance 



Now swells upon the wind ; 

 No troubled thought at midnight haunts 



Of loved ones left behind; 

 No vision of the morrow's strife 



The warrior's dream alarms; 

 No braying horn nor screaming fife 



At dawn shall call to arms. 



Their shivered swords are red with rust. 



Their plumed heads are bowed; 

 Their haughty banner, trailed in dust, 



Is now their martial shroud. 

 And plenteous funeral tears have washed 



The red stains from each brow, 

 And the proud forms, by battle gashed, 



Are free from anguish now. 



Rest on, embalmed and sainted dead,! 



Dear as the blood ye gave; 

 No impious footstep here shall trted 



The herbage of your grave; 

 Nor shall your glory be forgot 



While Fame her record keeps. 

 Or Honor points the hallowed spot 



Where Valor proudly sleeps. 



One of the most coveted prizes at 

 the Ghent Quinquennial Show, that for 

 sixty commercial azaleas not more 

 than eighteen inches in diameter, was 

 won by F. Sander & Son of Bruges, 

 Belgium. 



