74 



THE GARDENER'S MONTHLY 



[March, 



read that the Chrysanthemum should be planted 

 on the south side of the house instead of the 

 north. 



Cut Flowers in Eastern Cities. — Many of the 

 plants used for cut flowers are grown in open 

 ground during summer, and transplanted to the 

 forcing houses in the fall. The past season in- 

 terfered very much with the summer growth of 

 these plants, and hence they have not given the 

 amount of flowers as usual. On the other hand, 

 there seems to have been a more active demand, 

 and hence prices have been very well sustained. 

 General Jacqueminot Roses still bring the high- 

 est price of any rose. Cornelia Cook and Cathe- 

 rine Mermet are growing in popularity ; though 

 Bon silene, SafTrano, Isabella Sprunt, and Mar- 

 shal Niel, are still the main dependence. 



The best class of bouquets brought generally 

 from $10 to $15 each. Bouvardias, Mignonette, 

 Callas, Heliotrope, Carnations, are still the 

 chief reliance of florists. Violets, Orchids, 

 and other rare things are special fancies. 

 There seems to be an increasing tendency to 

 value some special novelty. Any florist who has 

 courage enough to grow some really beautiful 

 thing in large quantity and can get the use of 

 some large firm to introduce it, can usually suc- 

 ceed. 



Red Berries in Winter Pot Plants. — Few 

 plants are more desirable for pot plants in win- 

 dows than Ardisia crenulata. The holly-like 

 berries are really beautiful, Cotoneaster Sim- 

 mondii is equally beautiful, but not so well 

 known. 



NB^ OR RARE PLANTS. 



A Double Dahlia.— There are already double 

 Dahlias and single Dahlias so-called, but this 

 doubling is simply the enlargement of the disc 

 petals. A real double is now ofiered in England. 

 The disc florets have sm.qller ones inside their 

 little cups. It is called " Double floret Dahlia." 



President Garfield Zonale Geranium. — This 

 is a new introduction in England. It is said to 

 be a sport from Vesuvius, and to be of the color 

 of Jean Sisley, with large white eye. 



Improved Chinese Primroses. — At the recent 

 meeting of the Pennsylvania State Horticultural 

 Society, Mr, Brenneman, florist of Harrisburg, 

 had a fine collection of Chinese Primroses, of the 



Rupp improvements. They are of many forms 

 and shades of color, andja decided improvement 

 on the old stock. 



A White Heliotrope. — A pure white Helio- 

 trope, long desired, seems to have been at length 

 produced, judging by the following from the 

 Journal of Horticulture : " Fragrant flowers are 

 general favorites, and any improvement upon 

 those we already possess must be welcome 

 to all. This Mr, H. Cannell has unques- 

 tionably provided in the new Heliotrope White 

 Lady, which was shown in excellent con- 

 dition at Kensington last week and awarded a 

 first class certificate. The chief characteristics 

 distinguishing it from other varieties of the well- 

 known plant are the great size of the corymbs, 

 the large individual flowers of which are quite 

 white, and the fragrance is powerful even for 

 Heliotrope, The habit, too, is compact, and the 

 plant appears to be sturdy and floriferous in no 

 mean degree." 



Steam Heating. — Mrs. M. P. Green remarks : 

 " None of the writers on steam heating of green- 

 houses has told us definitely about their radia- 

 ting surfaces. Do they use two inch, or larger, 

 or smaller pipes as radiating surfaces, the whole 

 length of the benches or houses, or do they use 

 shorter ' coils ' at separate distances after the 

 manner of heating dwelling houses. One uses 

 two inch and others use various other sizes of 

 pipe, but we want more definite details about 

 the radiators." 



Asparagus plumosus. — "J. R. G." St. Stephen's 

 Ch. P. 0., Va., writes: "Can the Gardener's 

 Monthly tell me if Asparagus plumosus is 

 hardy. From the beautiful print of it and 

 the editorial endorsement I am anxious to 

 get it." 



[With no personal knowledge of the culture of 

 this plant, the Editor can only say that from its 

 native country and other associations, it ought to 

 do well in a cool greenhouse.] 



Ixora splendida. — Among the most valuable 

 flowering plants are those furnished by the order 

 Rubiaceae, of which the well known Bouvardia 

 may be taken as a type. There are other genera 

 closely allied, which are also very beautiful, such 

 as Pavetta, Rondoletia, Rogiera, and Ixora, of 

 which we give an illustration here. Ixoras are 

 particularly showy, and in places where specimen 

 plants are cared for, always find a favor. Like 

 Bouvardia they require some heat to bloom well 



