i6c 



GARDENING. 



Ang. 15, 



before starting will be taken from their many interesting phases of plant life. 

 Dockets. In this we find recorded the One of the most satisfactory genera of 



fthe cactus family used for window dec- 

 oration is the Phyllocactus, the species of 

 which are generally profuse in flo"""-""" 



number of ribs of some varieties and they 

 have noted carefully the situation ol 

 tverv bunch of spines, counted the central 

 ones, noted their size and shape, whether 

 flat or cylindrical, straight, twisted or 

 hooked, the color of such, the number of 

 radical spines, their strength or hair-like 

 weakness, the color of flower, time of 

 opening and closing, the part of the plant 

 from which flowers are produced and the 

 duration oftheblossom. With all thisdata 

 at hand a careful investigation is com- 

 menced and after a long series of search- 

 ing and dodging backward and forward 

 from plant to plant it often turns out that 

 but little has been done toward ascer- 

 taining the correct names. 



This is one of a cactusian's troubles. 

 But there are others which are surely laid 

 up in store for him. How often can one 

 hear of the success achieved by these new 

 beginners with regard to the general 

 health and growth of their plants, so 

 much so that it is apt to make a veteran 

 wonder how it is done. But in many 

 cases, one has only to wait a few years to 

 find that much of the ardor has cooled 

 down and they are wondering why one 

 plant after another will die though 

 receiving the most careful treatment. 

 Would that I could tell just such ones 

 what treatment is required to secure per- 

 fect health and longevity lor their prickly 

 friends. 



But never having been able to accom- 

 jjlish this task myself I can only speak of 

 the treatment which aftords me the most 

 satisfactory results. First I always pre- 

 fer receiving plants in the spring just as 

 they are ready to commence growth. All 

 uninjured plants are at once potted into 

 shallow pots, using plenty of drainage 

 and old sod soil made very porous by an 

 addition of coaise sand. If thesoil isjust 

 moderately damp, I find an occ sional 

 slight sprinkling is all that will be needed 

 for some time. The plants when potted 

 are plunged outside in a well drained bed, 

 which is subject to perfect ventilation 

 from all quarters. I cannot think it 

 reasonable to place such new comers, 

 which are generally received without their 

 natural means of support (roots) in a hot 

 corner on the south front of a wall or 

 rockery, this seems to me like giving 

 another kick to the poor tellow who is 

 already down. Neither have I found it 

 wise to select for them damp or shady 

 places. I'nder the aforementioned treat- 

 ment a healthy growth of root and plant 

 is soon commenced, and bj' fall, as a 

 general rule I expect to have a lot< f fairly 

 healthy plants with a good stock of roots 

 to supply means for continuing health 

 and growth. 



The place I would select for wintering 

 such plants is one which is naturally a 

 low and damp house, which prevents the 

 ncc ssity of much actual watering of the 

 l)lants, taking care to maintain as far as 

 possible a low and equal temperature. 

 Under such treatment I find my plants 

 come out in the spring comparatively 

 free from pest insects and healthy. 



While it might prove to be very difficult 

 to achieve great success in the cultivation 

 of some of the species of cactus in our 

 home windows yet there are others which 

 are easily grown and have much in them 

 to recommend themselves to the lovers of 

 the curious and beautifid. In the dry 

 and heated atmosphere of our rooms, 

 which is so averse to the well-being of so 

 many plants these appear to be perfectly 

 at home, and often prove to ' 



producing large showy blooms of the 

 richest colors, indeed they are hardly to 

 be excelled in beauty. One local name by 

 which thev are known hereisthe"Winged 

 Torch-thistle." Phyllocactus graiidis is 

 one of the most useful kinds, producing 

 large white sweet scented flowers. P. 

 latifrons is a strong growing species, pro- 

 ducing large creamy white flowers. There 

 are also many very beautiful hybrid vari- 

 eties, most of which are kept by some 

 commercial florists. 



There are to be found quite a number of 

 species of Cereus which will well repay 

 one to cultivate, but perhaps the most 

 interesting of these are the climbing and 

 night-blooming kinds, many of which 

 produce large sized and brilliantly colored 

 flowers. Amongthese is the well known 

 Cereus grandifforus, scarce\y any plant is 

 more beautiful than this when in bloom. 

 C.Lemairii, this species may be even more 

 beautiful than grandWonis C. Macdon- 

 aldiic noted for the wonderful beauty and 

 brilliantly colored flowers. C. nyctica- 

 lis, a very old fashioned but beautiful 

 plant. C. triangularis, a very free grow- 

 ing free blooming species. C. dagellifor- 

 mis or whip cactus. This plant with its 

 drooping stems forms one of the most 

 pleasing of all. There are also many 

 mammillarias, echinocactus, echinopsis, 

 etc., of peculiar beautj' and well worth 

 trying. J. Gurnev, 



Supt. of Missouri Botanical Gardens, St. 



Louis, August 6, '96. 



Roses. 



great delight to amateurs, who find sat- 

 isfaction ni the constant study of the 



ROSES, SOME OP TAB NEWER ONES. 



Among those of recent introduction, 

 Blanc Double de Courbet, rugosa, is one 

 of the finest; it is dwarf in habit, with 

 large strai-double flowers of dazzling 

 whiteness and very fragrant. It will not 

 be overplentiful, as it is not easy to prop- 

 agate; more's the pity, for every rose 

 grower will want it. 



Belle Siebre ht is another beauty; it is 

 just the shade of pink that satisfies the 

 eye, bright and clear, bud pointed, flower 

 very fragrant. Florists complain of its 

 weak stem, but amateurs will enjoy it 

 nevertheless. 



Crimson Rambler is living up to its 

 reputation and is assured of a permanent 

 place in th- lists, and now Germany is 

 sending us three ne * Ramblers (all hav- 

 ing rugosa blood) — a white, a pink and a 

 yellow, named Thalia, Euphrosyne and 

 Aglaia; they will be eagerly welcomed, 

 for our northern climbers are very few. 



Lord Penzance's sweet briers are a 

 decided acquisition; the foliage is very 

 sweet, and in addition they all have very 

 beautiful flowers. No garden should be 

 without one or more of them. 



Among H. F s Roger Lambelin is a 

 beautiful curiosity; the color is dark vel- 

 vety crimson, and each petal is edged 

 with a narrow line of white. 



Marchioness of Londonderry is very 

 fine, one of the largest of roses, very glob- 

 ular, ivory white in color and set in sur- 

 rounding fo iagc close up to the calyx 

 after the style of the lamented Puritan. 



Clio belongs to the Baroness Rothschild 



class and merits a high place in it. Its 



flower is flesh color with rosy pink center, 



sources of and is set in its own foliage in the most 



even more than its share of sterling addi- 

 tions lately, the three reds— Capt. Hay- 

 ward, scarlet crimson; J.D. Pawle, darker 

 crimson; and Chas.Gater, clear crimson- 

 being three grand varieties that every 

 rose lover should get and try. S. A. H. 

 Indiana. 



NOTES ON ROSES. 



The past winter and spring with their 

 very severe and changing temperature in 

 this section dealt severely with garden 

 roses. This followed by weeks of extreme 

 drouth was not onlj' severe on new plan- 

 tations, but was disastrous to an early 

 crop of flowers. As a consequence our local 

 rose show was thepoorest for manj- years. 

 With rains the later season's growth 

 was greatly improved and followed with 

 finer flowers. Strong growing varieties 

 like Margaret Dickson and Marchioness 

 of Londonderry in the newer kinds wi re 

 cut to the ground line, and the first 

 named has not produced any flowers this 

 season, but the last named recovend suf 

 ficiently to flower well. Mrs. Harkness, 

 although cut bj' the frosts severely, gave 

 exceptionally fine blooms, although it is 

 a plantof lightgrowth. The remarkably 

 strong growing and free blooming rose, 

 Mme. Clemence Joigneaux. was cut to 

 the ground line and many plants killed 

 out or severely weakened as to give very 

 few flowers. 



Capt. Hayward maintained its charac- 

 ter of strength in growth and hardiness 

 and flowered finely; its weak point is lack 

 of substance in its petals, Clio is extraor- 

 dinarily strong in its growth and it is a 

 free bloomer and probably will flower 

 late in the season. That grand Hybrid 

 Tea, Bardou Job, with its bright glow- 

 ing crimson flowers, has far exceeded our 

 expectations; the plants although killed 

 t) the ground, started into fine growth 

 without check, and have bloomed very 

 freely, it is a good seed bearer. 



Wm. H Spooner. 



famaica Plain, Mass. , August 7. 1896. 



flflRDY ROSES IN BLOOM, AUGUST II. 



Among the best of the roses now in 

 bloom are Mrs. John Laing, delicate pink 

 and of fine form, one of the most continu- 

 ous bloomers; Marshall P. Wilder, cherry 

 carmine, quite fragrant; Marguerite de 

 St. Amand, bright rose; Paul Neyron, 

 deep rose, very large; Francois Micliclon. 

 deep, carmine rose; Mabel Morrison, 

 white with a pinkishcast; Alfred Colonib, 

 brilliant crimson carmine; Anne de Dies- 

 bach, large, fine carmine; Pierre Notting, 

 deep maroon tinted with bright crimson, 

 a splendid dark rose; Comtessede Serenye, 

 silvery pink; Rev. J. B. M. Camm, car- 

 mine rose, very fragrant and free; and 

 Rose du Koi, crimson and very fragrant. 

 Among the Bourbon roses Hermosa and 

 Mrs Degraw, both pink, continuous 

 blooming roses, are ver>' fine. J. D. 



beautiful style. 

 The II. P. class seems to 



received 



GREfiNflOUSE ROSES UNDER DIFFICULTIES. 



I grow roses under difficulties i a a stove 

 plant house, under ground and obscure 

 glass. The conservatory or palm house, 

 25 feet high, runs out about 60 feet on 

 the southeast side, so we do not get any 

 sunshine until noon time at one end of the 

 house, so with the obscure glass the roses 

 grow weak especially at that end of 

 house. The varieties we grow are Mer- 

 met, Bride, Mme. Hoste, Perleand Brides- 

 maid. But I believe the obscure glass 

 favors them during the hot bright 

 weather towards the end of the season, 

 for they retain their foliage and we cut a 



