76 



THE GARDE NEWS MONTHLY 



[March , 



Fall, bloom profusely in February and March, 

 and are excellent as Spring ornaments in con- 

 servatories. The plant loves heat, and hence it 

 blooms freely in the open air all through our 

 warm Summers. 



Prices of Orchids. — How popular orchids 

 circ in England may be judged from prices often 

 paid for them. At a recent public sale of the 

 bankrupt stock of Rollinson & Sons, some of 

 the moderate sized plants sold brought $15, while 

 some brought as high as $60. It is one of the ad- 

 vantages of an orchid plant that it grows rapidly 

 in value with age, as the increase is slow, and 

 plants of one kind rarelj'' become numerous. 



Crassula lactea. — This interesting Winter- 

 flowering room and conservatory plant, to the 

 merits of which we have repeatedly called atten- 

 tion, is now being brought out as a rarity and 

 highly appreciated in England. It is strange 

 that such a ver}- old plant should have been so 

 long overlooked. It is a sort of house-leek, and 

 has snow white flouers hi large clusters. In 

 America it flowers about Christmas time. 



Rest and Labor. — In the Jamiary Nuniljer 

 of the Penn MontJtly Dr. J. T. Rothrock, has an 

 admirable article "on our weak ones." He 

 shows that the prevalent recommendation of ab- 

 solute rest, when people "feel bad" is a mistake. 

 That even a step or two, or any little work is an 

 advantage in cases of bad health. We are glad 

 that this is the tea(,-hing of the highest thought 

 in medical progress. A little greenhouse or even 

 a few window plants may be the means of giving 

 renewed strength in their case to "our weak 

 ones." 



The Peusian Cyclamen.— In Mr. B. S. Wil- 

 liams' seed catalogue is a colored plate of a re- 

 markably well grown cyclamen in which the 

 flowers are two and a quarter inches long and two 

 and a lialf wide. Can any of our cultivators do 

 better than this ? 



Striped Flowered Geraniums.— Mr. Har- 

 ris tells us that the striped flowers of "New Life" 

 are liable to become plain, as in similar cases in 

 dahlias and chrysanthemums. Any tendency' to 

 this should be checked by pruning out. 



Geranium Oil.— This popular element in an 

 •apothecary's stock is made from the leaves of 

 the Rose Geranium : or should be. 



SCRAPS AND QUERIES. 



Cut Flowers. — A correspondent inquires 

 whether it is our advice that he " build houses for 

 cut flowers." and asks: "will not the market 

 become overstocked?" We cannot advise ; but 

 for the question of overstock, only say that 

 the use of cut flowers in some form or another 

 has existed co-equal with human history. As a 

 business it will probably be like all others, have 

 its times when there are too many groAvers for 

 buyers, and times when the growers are too few. 

 This is a mere business venture which evfery fel- 

 low must decide for himself. 



Xame of Plant. — Clara M., Paducah, Ky. 

 The plant is Euphorbia jacquiniseflora, or as it 

 is sometimes in catalogue Euphorbia splendens. 

 It is a very desirable winter flowering, warm 

 greenhouse plant. 



Varieties of the Myrsiphyllum. — "Sub- 

 scriber," Frankford, Pa., writes : "It is claimed 

 by a large and reliable florist that there is but 

 one kind of smilax in cultivation, that any varia- 

 tion in size of leaf, &c., is owing entirely to treat- 

 ment. Two other florists claim to have two 

 varieties, and one, three, viz: five leaf, medium, 

 and extra large, all vuider same treatment. Can 

 you settle this point in the next number of the 

 Monthly?" 



[The so-called " smilax" of the florists is usu- 

 all}^ raised from seed, and all plants have a 

 natural tendency to variation. There is no reason 

 why there may not be varieties of these, under 

 this law, but we do not know of au}^ recognized 

 distinct form in the trade. — Ed. G. M.] 



Carnation Waverley. — We have some 

 blooms of a seedling named as above, and which 

 is a shade darker, more on the crimson than the 

 "La Purite." If it should prove as good a 

 grower and free a bloomer as that popular var- 

 iety, we see no reason why it should not become 

 a favorite winter-blooming kind. 



Camellia Pit. — M. J. M., Louisville, Ky., 

 asks : " Is there any objection to a large light pit 

 for camelias and azelias, if properly warmed in 

 winter." To which we reply that there is no 

 objection whatever. They will flower very well 

 under such conditions. 



Cool House Orchids. — Mr. D. Barker, Nor- 

 folk, Va., writes : " By this day's mail I send you 

 specimens of two flowers, from the beautiful 



