472 



horticulture: 



April 11, 190S 



easy to jn'ow ms the I'oniniuii siiow-ilrop iinil much ui'iiv 

 elTeetive. Other kinds we grow are Fosteri, Ikarae, 

 Jiiil>erali, hitii'olius, plicatu.s and roljiistiij jiraccov. A 

 slightly siiady, c(X)l, moist spot makes a coiigoiiial liomc 

 for them and if ifiven these (•onditi(>ii>- Ihcv will ;;rii\\ 



iiiiil iiurease. 



THE CUIO.NODOXAS 



'riie lliioiR'doxas or "gloiy of tlie snow," are early 

 spring flowering bulbous plants of exquisite beauty and 

 are capital for massing ctfects. They are not fastidious 

 about soil and will gi'ow in almost any situation. The 

 cream of the genus is Ohionodoxa gigantea; it has larger 

 flowers than any of the species or varieties and I can 

 lieartily recommend it as a first class garden plant and 

 of the easiest culture. There is a white variety cif this 

 s)>ecies which is rare and expensive. I.'. Lucilia" has 

 slightly smalkr flowers than the above kind, but is ihe 

 most widely cultivated species. The white variety of 

 tliis plant is also in bloom ; it is rare, but makes a 

 pleasing mass of white. 



C. Sardiensis has much darker blue flowers although 

 smaller than any of the other kinds. We grow C. 

 Tmolusi but it comes into flower later than the other 

 kinds. 



THE SCILI.zVS 



The Siberian squill, Scilla Sibirica, is a mass of 

 blue flowers uow but it is so well known that it needs 

 no introduction. We can only say that no garden is com- 

 plete without large masses of tliis charming early flow- 

 ering plant. Its whit€ variety is a little more expen- 

 sive but it makes aji excellent companion to the many 

 blue flowers in blossom now. It grows and thrives just 

 as well as the species. Scilla bifolia is not tiuite as well 

 known as the Siberian squill, nevertheless it oiiglit to 

 have a prominent place. It is quite distinct froy.a the 

 Siberian squill. Its flowers are not quite as large, but 

 there are more in the cluster. It has also a white 

 variety which is blooming beautifully now. This species 

 and variety loves a light sandy soil. 



THE SNOWFLAKES 



The Kjiow-flaki's are near relatives of the snow-drops 

 and in fact they look more like large, overgrown snow- 

 drops, than anything else. There are several species 

 but the most common kinds are the spring snow-flakes 

 and the summer snow-flakes. The spring snow-flake, 

 Leucojum vernum, grows six or seven inches high and 

 has large drooping flowers resembling large snow-drops. 

 The tips of the petals are well nuirked with a green 

 or yellowish spot. It makes <a good border or rock 

 garden plant and the photograph here reproduced sho\\s 

 a plant in our rock garden. The summer snow-flake 

 is not in bloom yet, but it is about a foot in height and 

 v.'ill be in bloom in about two weeks if the weather holds 

 favorable. Snow-flakes grow well in any good garden 

 soil. 



Crocuses are in their glory in the grass and it is there 

 they look their best. Other plants in bloom now are 

 Bulbocodium vernum. Iris persica, grape hyacinths and 

 Fritillaria pudica. 



Botanic Garden, Cavibridgc, Mas 



British Horticulture 



AKIilll; l)\V ( i:i.l:ill!A-|'ION 



The '■Ai'Imh- l»av"' iiio\ciiifnl lin- not yet taken as 

 iinii a hold in ilii.- <-ountry as in the United States. 

 British(rs are soinewhal slow in adopting new ideas, 

 even ulu'u the project has sucli commercial advantages 

 to recommend it as is the case with the extension of 

 atforestation. Mr. E. D. Till, of The Priony, Enysford, 

 Kent, who is an enthusiast on this subject, has done his 

 utmost to secure a general observance of "Arbor Day." 

 For several years there has been a festival at Enysford, 

 and the most recent one which I lately attended was of 

 a highly successful cliaracter. The natural ornamenta- 

 tion of the village was augmented by additional trees, 

 the planting being skilfuUj' performed by four young 

 lady students from the Swanley Horticultural College. 

 Mr. Till enthusiastically directed the proceedings, de- 

 lighted with tiie success wliiih has attended his efforts 

 in Kent. He has been considerably encouraged in his 

 )>raiseworthj' work by letters of commendation received 

 from such notable men as President Koosevelt, Sir Oli- 

 ver Lodge, the late Dean Hole, Sir John Cockburn and 

 others. At a meeting held in the evening Mr. Charles 

 Dawson, the originator of Arbor Day in Ireland, was 

 one of the speakers. Had tree planting been continued 

 in Ireland, he said, since the union, as it was before, 

 owing to the liberal grant then made by the Irish Par- 

 liament, Irelpnd would be a very different country to- 

 day. He strongly emphasized the importance of tree 

 planting as a means of increasing the wealth of the 

 country. The successful \\ork of the lady gardeners 

 and tb' im[)ortance of municipalities adding to the 

 iicaiit\- o[ urban centres by tree ])lanting was alluded 

 to in an address delivered by myself. If other dis- 

 tricts could secure a grafting of some of Mr. Till's zeal 

 .\rbor Day would make great strides in Britain. 



OARN.^TION C0LTURE 



Truly, carnations now occuj>v a prominent posiiioii 

 in the flower market at (/Ovent Garden. One leading 

 grower devotes 8.5.000 square feet of glass entirely 

 to their ;'iiltur(', and he is able to have a continuous sup- 

 ]dy of bloom. Amongst the novelties he is sending out 

 Ibis season those fnun the American raisers are well 

 to the lore. These include Afterglow, Winona, Presi- 

 dent Seel^-e. Defiance, I.awson, Enchantress, Red Chief, 

 Sarah Hill, Vv'hite Fair Maid, Splendor and Andrew 

 Carnegie. The latter is a scarlet sport of Harlowarden 

 but is not rec(,nimended by the grower this side as he 

 considers tliere aie better scarlets. Amongst the - 

 1907 novelties: WinsoT' is credited with being the best 

 and it lias gained awards from the Koyal Horticultural 

 Society and the Winter Flowering Carnation Society. 

 Aristocrat is described as "in form, stem, habit and size 

 nearer perfection than any carnation today." 



>t?!/. C^di^XC, \ 



