132 



THE GARDENER'S MONTHLY 



[May, 



HARDY CYPRIPEDiUMS. 



BY W. L. F., HANOVKR, MASS. 



As I have had some experience in growing 

 the hardy Cypripediuras which "Q" inquires 

 about in the March number of the Monthly, I 

 am glad to give any hints which may help to 

 encourage the cultivation of these very beauti- 

 ful and curious plants. C. spectabile, C. pubes- 

 cens, and C. paviflorum all grow naturally in 

 cool and partially shaded swamps, and in culti- 

 vation need a deep, cool soil of leaf mold, or 

 decayed peaty soil, which if not naturally moist 

 should be kept so by frequent watering and 

 mulching of decayed leaves, and they thrive 

 better when planted in partial shade as on the 

 north side of evergreens, though not under their 

 drip. C. acaule I have never succeeded in 

 keeping alive over two or three years, and after 

 the first year it grows less and less. Its habit is 

 very diflferent from the others, it grows mostly 

 in dry pine woods, often in light sandy soil, 

 sending up its two leaves and flower through the 

 thick carpet of pine needles. I think from ob- 

 servation the most certain way to domesticate it 

 would be to sow the seeds in locations sin^ilar to 

 where it naturally grows. The seed capsules 

 are ripe by September. There is also a rare 

 white variety of this species. 



There are two other native species, C. candi- 

 dum, of the Western States, and C. arietinum, a 

 more northern species, not as showy as the 

 others, but well worth cultivating, the former a 

 pure white, the latter the smallest species, pecu- 

 liar in form and color. They both will grow in 

 cultivation, requiring similar soil and treatment 

 to the more showy species first mentioned. 



YUCCAS. 



BY W. H, BOOMKAMP, PASSAIC, N. J. 



Reading about propagating Yuccas by a lady 

 of Charleston, S. C, in the Gardener's Monthly 

 of February, I remembered the way some 

 Yuccas are treated in Europe, which may per- 

 haps be of interest to some of your readers. 

 Some time ago, when employed in a nursery in 

 Holland, we received some Yucca gloriosa, very 

 strong plants, but the roots were so thick and 

 wide apart that there was not a pot to be found 

 to put them in. An old gardener gave me the 

 following advice : Cut the roots, with a part of 

 the stem, entirely away, leaving only three or 

 four inches of stem under the crown ; close the 

 Iresh cut by burning it with a hot iron, and put 



the plant in coarse sand, under glass, taking 

 care to keep the sand always in a wet state, and 

 allow as much sunshine as possible. I followed 

 his advice and found the Yuccas rooted in three 

 weeks, and could pot them up in six-inch pots. 

 A few of the old leaves turned yellow, but young 

 green ones soon took their place. I afterwards 

 tried the same with dracaenas, also with the beat 

 results. 



CALENDULA METEOR. 



BY N. ROBERTSON, GOVERNMENT GROUNDS, OTTAWA, 

 CANADA. 



This much-praised plant, I think, will be 

 short-lived ; at least it will be so with me, when 

 I can get rid of it. Two years ago I thought 

 from its many recommendations we had got a 

 yellow that would be of great use. Last year 

 Calendula meteor was the worst weed I had to 

 contend with. I allowed some clumps of it to 

 remain, to see whether it would come true again. 

 It did so. I should not compare our best strain 

 of African Marigolds to it. I have had them as 

 large and double as the finest Dahlia, and make 

 a far finer show if cut back when young, so as to 

 throw out many laterals. 



[The note referred to, was given rather to en- 

 courage improvement in these old favorites, than 

 as commending in any marked degree that va- 

 riety.— Ed. G. M.] 



CHESTNUT HYBRID ROSE. 



BY ALEX. MESTON, ANDOVER, MASS. 



Two years ago I received a plant of the above 

 Rose, planted it in a deep, rich bed in the rose- 

 house. The first year it made strong growth, 

 which didn't ripen well, and I was awarded two 

 blooms for my labor. Last spring I cut it well 

 back, when it started vigorously again. I cut 

 out the gross wood, leaving only medium-sized 

 shoots, which ripened well, and I have now been 

 cutting flowers from it for six weeks, the hand- 

 somest roses of the kind I ever cut. 



This rose is of the Glorie de Dijon type, strong 

 grower, with large leathery leaves. The flowers 

 often come singly, although sometimes in clus- 

 ters of three or four, and are borne on good, long 

 footstalks, which are very desirable. It should 

 never be cut until fully open, as it is full to the . 

 centre and very double ; form of flower, almost 

 flat, and often measures five inches across. 



The color of the flower is a purplish crimson, 

 or, as some authorities have it, purplish maroon. 

 At all events, it is a rather uncommon color 



