THE GARDENERS' MONTHLY 



[July. 



they will not only act as a screen against wind, 

 but will help to keep the soil moist and cool. A 

 pleasing effect could be secured by a bed of 

 Mimuluses somewhat widely planted with mixed 

 Verbenas as a base. This combination would be 

 sure to give satisfaction ; and the carpet of Ver- 

 benas would supply the coolness and moisture at 

 the roots above recommended. Phlox Drummondi 

 or Petunias kept pegged down and dwarf Chry- 

 santhemum-flowered Asters would also serve for a 

 base ; and, in fact, many combinations of this 

 character might be worked out. Above all, a few 

 plants should be well-grown in pots, for it is in this 

 way that Mimuluses are seen to best advantage. — 

 Garden. 



SCRAPS AND QUERIES. 



Disease in Roses. — A Saratoga correspondent 

 says: "Upon investigating into the cause of some 

 of my roses dying, 1 find nothing in the soil to 

 show any reasons for it, unless it be a white, 

 thread-like fungus ; and yet where found among 

 the roots of the roses that were all right, it seem- 

 ingly had no effect. I noticed where it was 

 against the boards on the side of the bench, that it 

 seemed to harden the ground and make soil 

 appear as if mixed with flour. Is the said fungus 

 death to plants ? ''• 



" The month of April was cold; average tem- 

 perature 40^. May has been cold and cloudy ; so 

 far from 6 to 12^ frost the first 5 days." 



[It is not possible without more knowledge of 

 the circumstances, to say whether the fungus 

 injured the rose or not in this case. — Ed. G. M.] 



New Carn.'Vtions. — "C. M.," Hudson, N. Y., 

 says: "I send you to- day, as a novelty, my new Car- 

 nation, ' Canary Bird.' Also one that I believe is 

 quite as unique, though perhaps it may be otherwise, 

 as 1 have not seen it before. I call it the 'Magenta 

 Queen.' The yellow one is the last of the crop 

 from the mother plant, and is less than two-thirds 

 of the size of those which have preceded it. Its 

 only fault is, it has no fragrance, so far as I can 

 perceive. I have no plants for sale, and am not 

 seeking notoriety. 1 shall be only too glad if 1 am 

 able to perpetuate the stock, and ore of these 

 days seek your aid in disseminating it." 



[Unfortunately our correspondent had neglected 

 the oft-repeated directions to send things intended 

 for the Editor to him addressed, " Germantown 

 near Philadelphia." They were sent to the publi- 

 cation office, and, by the time they had been 



re-mailed to Germantown there was nothing of 

 the flowers left but the dried-up calyx. — Ed. G. M.] 



Beautiful Pansies. — A collection from Mr. 

 John F. Clark reminds us that though we see 

 large and showy pansies everywhere, not near as 

 much beauty has been evolved from them as they 

 are capable of affording. Some of these pansies 

 are so round, that when laid on a dollar none of 

 the silver is perceptible. And they are as flat as 

 the silver dollar, and this we think gives a charm 

 to a pansy, though there are times when a 

 crumpled flower may have a style of beauty to 

 captivate some tastes. Another feature that 

 gives a charm to a pansy, and which some of 

 these possessed, is a thick, leathery texture. They 

 might be exposed to the wind without dread lest 

 they blow to pieces. Some of these had these 

 good points. In the early days of pansy improve- 

 ments there were individuals with such good 

 characters, selected, named, and propagated by 

 cuttings, just as Fuchsias or Geraniums are now 

 propagated — but the ease with which fairly good 

 kinds can be raised from seed has banished 

 these all. Yet even seedlings may be so provided 

 for that strains with these good qualities may be 

 secured. 



Double Richardia alba maculata. — Dou^ 

 ble callas, or callas with two spathes, are not un- 

 common, but one of this species sent to us by Mr. 

 Slocombe, of New Haven, is a novelty. 



In a calla flower, the white spathe is little more 

 than a colored leaf, and in the so-called double 

 cases, it is only the production of an additional 

 leaf. In this case it is very pretty, the primary 

 leaf being long and wavy, with a pretty mixture of 

 green among the white. It is the additional leaf 

 that makes the white spathe. If the habit could 

 be fixed the florists would have a treasure. 



NEW OR RARE PLANTS. 



Diekfenhachia rex. — The whole tribe of 

 Arums, or, as American boys would say, Indian 

 turnips, affords us some of the most beautiful 

 kinds of ornamental leaf plants known. This one 

 is said to be especially beautiful, and was sent out 

 first by Mr. Wm. Bull, of Chelsea, London, who 

 kindly furnishes us with the following account 

 of it : 



" Wc have in this the King of the genus— a 

 very handsomely marked plant of free and vigor- 

 ous habit. The leaves arc closely placed on the 



