May 2, 190S 



HORTICULTURE 



5i)3 



PITTSBURG EASTER SHOWS. 



An exhibition of spiing tiowers, 

 which in point of magnitude and ex- 

 cellence is said to be the finest ever 

 seen in Pittsburg, and that is saying 

 a good deal, was a magnet which drew 

 a large crowd to the Schenley Park 

 greenhouses on Easter Monday. Every 

 exhibition held here has something 

 over the previous years. It was esti- 

 mated that over 25,000 people visited 

 the conservatories on Sunday after- 

 noon, many coming from surrounding 

 towns by excursion trains. This year- 

 ly Easter exhibit is justly famous 

 throughout western Pennsylvania and 

 is one of the main features of these 

 magnificent conservatories. Mr. J. W. 

 Jones has this year excelled himself, 

 and has provided a treat which could 

 not be surpassed anywhere. Notwith- 

 standing the somewhat unpropitious 

 weather conditions a continuous 

 stream of people passed through the 

 greenhouses all the afternoon. Bulbous 

 plants are shown by thousands, hya- 

 cinths, tulips, narcissi, etc., arranged 

 in solid blocks of color. The arrange- 

 ment is excellent, displaying a marvel- 

 lous executive ability on the part of 

 the management in growing plants 

 and arranging for such a mammoth 

 exhibition. Everything shown is 

 creditable, certain features being 

 worthy of special mention, chief 

 amongst which is the rose house, 

 which is gay with a laige batch of 

 particularly well-flowered Hybrid Per- 

 petual roses, Cheshunt Hybrid being 

 the favorite. The azalea house is bril- 

 liant with color. Richardia Elllottiana 

 is used here to good advantage, also 

 Lilium tenuifolium, Staphylea colcnica, 

 Hippeastrum vittatum wistarias. Cal- 

 ceolaria hybrida. Cineraria stellata, 

 Cannas Florence Vaughan and Tarry- 

 town. 



A good effect is obtained on the side 

 benches of the lily house by Canna 

 Black Reauty, inteimixed with Lilium 

 Harrisii edged with Astilbe Japonica. 

 Another pleasing effect is obtained by 

 mixing Nicotiana Sanderas with Hy- 

 drangea Otaksa. Hydrangea rosea, 

 usually considered difficult, is well 

 grown. 



The most pleasing feature of ths 

 whole exhibit and one which attracts 

 considerable attention is a house de- 

 voted to old-fashioned flowers, 

 amongst which are Xanthocerus sorbi- 

 folia fritillaria, scillas Muscari botry- 

 oides, Celsia cretica, Dicentra specta- 

 bilis, and many other old favorites, 

 which, judging from the Interest they 

 arouse, are not by any means forgotten 

 although seldom seen. In the nepen- 

 thes house is quite a creditable display 

 of orchids. 



At the A. R. Peacock greenhouses, 

 Supt. T. P. Jenkinson again does him- 

 self credit with a wonderfully effective 

 arrangement of bulbous plants, cal- 

 ceolarias, flowering crab, gesnera, 

 schizantlms, etc., in one wing; 

 in another a still more effective 

 display is produced by a judicious 

 blending of colors in such subjects as 

 Azalea mollis, A. indica, genistas, hy- 

 drangeas, Primula obconica and many 

 other things. In a small house, Hin- 

 peastum vittatum. Narcissus poeticus, 

 ixias and Spirea Queen Alexandra is 

 used with charming results. This new 

 spirea, which by many is considered 

 a questionable acquisition, is counted 

 a good thing here, and certainly shows 



MASSACHUSETTS AGRICULTURAL COLLi£GE. 



The exhibition of flowers and plants 

 at the Massachusetts Agricultural Col- 

 lege. Friday, April 24, and Saturday, 

 April 25, was the finest held in this 

 vicinity for several ye.irs. The dis- 

 play of carnations was exceptionally 

 good and the College feels deeply in- 

 debted to the many growers who co- 

 operated in making this show so suc- 

 cessful. The interest shown by the 

 P'Cudents and townspeople was very 

 gratifying, Wilder Hall being crowded 

 to its capacity dui'ing the hours the 

 exhibit was open. At the close of the 

 show Professor While sent the flowers 

 so generously contributefl by the grov.'- 

 ers to the hospit^4s in the vicinity of 

 Amherst. 



The following are the exhibitors and 

 th-3 varieties shown: 



F. E. Pierson Company, Tai-rytown, 

 N. y.: White Enchantress, Victory, 

 Melody, Winsor, White Perfection, 

 Beacon. 



William Nicholson, Framingham, 

 Mass.: 50 blooms Afterglow. 



W. A. Manda, South- Orange, N. J.: 

 Pearl Pink, a new hardy seedling dian- 

 thiis, also blooms of Cherokee and 

 Green roses. 



Peter Fisher, Ellis, Mass.: Alma 

 W'ard, Winsor, Snowflake, Rase En- 

 chantress, Beacon, Mrs. Tom Harvey, 

 Evangeline. White Perfection, Mrs. C. 

 W. Ward, Enchantiess; also four seed- 

 lings under number. 



S. .1. Goddard, Framingham, Mass.: 

 Helen Goddard, AVinsor, Victory, Bri- 

 tannia, White Perfection, Octoroon, 

 Lady Bountiful, Enchantress. 



Patten & Company. Tewkesbury, 

 Mass.: Helen Goddard, Harry Fenn, 

 Octoroon, Victory, Manley, Winsor. 

 Variegated Lawson, Beacon. Red Law- 

 son, Pink Patten, White Lawson, 



White Perfection and Enchantress; 

 also eight seedlings under number. 



H. H. Rogers, South Sudbury, Mass.; 

 Mrs. T. W. Lawson, Fair Maid, Win- 

 sor, The Queen, and thr^o seedlings 

 under number. 



H. W. Field, Northampton, Mass.: 

 Viola Sinclair, Prosperity, Enchantress, 

 President Seelye carnations; Bride, 

 Bridesmaid, Richmond and General 

 Mac.Xrthur roses; pansips, naaliirtiums 

 and sweet peas. 



J. W, Adams & Company, Springfield, 

 Mass.: Fifty Prospector. 



Peirce Brothers, Waltham, Mass.; 

 Mrs. T. W. Lawson, Governor Guild 

 seedlings. Enchantress; Rose-pink En- 

 chantress, White Perfection. 



Cottage Gardens Co., Queens, N. Y.; 

 Mrs. C. W. Ward, President, Snow- 

 flake, Beacon, Alma Ward and Mrs. 

 Harvey. 



A. N. Pierson. Cromwell, Cciin.; 

 Bride, Bridesmaid, Richmond, Mme. 

 Chatenay. Killarney roses. 



William Sim. Cliftondale, Mass.: 

 Splendid specimens of sweet peas — 

 Mrs. 'WiUiam Sim, Lt Marquis, Mrs. 

 F. .1. Dolansky, Mrs. Alexander Wal- 

 lace, Jack Hunter. Christmas Captain. 

 Christmas Pink, Mrs. W. W. Smalley 

 and Florence Denzer. 



Especially admired was a vase of 

 thirty magnificent long-stemmed Amer- 

 ican Beauties from the Waban Rose 

 Cimservatovies. Natick, Mass.; also 

 Killarney and Richmond. 



The "Massachusetts Agricultural Col- 

 lege devoted one room to named speci- 

 mens of decorative foliaged plants. 



Friday afternoon, Mr. G. H. Sinclair 

 of Northampton addressed the students 

 of the horticultural seminar on the 

 subject of "The Carnation; Its Culture 

 and Development." 



itself to advantage. The exhibition 

 remains open evenings until 10 P. M., 

 many people seeing the show by arti- 

 ficial light. 



At the H. J. Heinz greenhouses there 

 is a floral display where the individu- 

 ality of E. S. James, the able superin- 

 tendent, is manifest. Large azaleas 

 well flowered, liliums, Dutch bulbs, 

 primulas and many other things 

 are arranged in a somewhat flat 

 but effective -style. This is the first 

 spring show at the Heinz greenhouses 

 and was patronized by a number of 

 people on Sunday afternoon and even- 

 ing. J. HtTTCHINSON. 



IMPROVING THE MARGUERITES. 



F. W. Fletcher, of Auburndale, 

 Ma.ss., has been making a specialty 



of Marguerites for a number of years 

 and has by constant and patient selec- 

 tion of stock and intensive cultiva- 

 tion improved these flowers in a re- 

 markable degree as to strength of stem 

 and size of flower. We have seen 

 some of his flowers in the market that 

 measured 3 1-2 inches across and with 

 stems nearly 2 feet in length. These 

 were the popular lemon-colored varie- 

 ty. Mr. Fletcher has been trying to 

 cross-fertilize these daisies. Chrysan- 

 themum frutescens, for years but has 

 thus far failed to get any seed. He 

 would like to hear from any one who 

 has exrerinienf^d on the same lines 

 or if anyone has been successful in 

 pollinating any of the varieties. Mr. 

 Fletcher is cutting now from 20,000 to 

 :!0.<ui0 tioA-ers. 



