36 



THE GARDENERS' MUNTHLY 



[February, 



pression of the many who have seen them — some 

 of whom have traveled through Europe and seen 

 much— it is the prettiest spot they ever put foot 

 upon. 



THE AMERICAN BANNER ROSE. 



BY PETER HENDERSON. 



I see in your Editorial Notes, in the December 

 number of the Monthly, page 357, you state 

 that the American Banner Rose, "like all other 

 sports of this character, is liable to take self color 

 at times." This I think is a mistake. I have grown 

 it largely for the past three years, and have never 

 yet failed to see a flower come striped. In fact it 

 is not only the flower that differs from the plant 

 from which it is sported — Bon Silene — but the 

 foliage is entirely distinct, and has no resemblance 

 whatever to any other rose, being peculiarly veined 

 and of a leather-like texture, showing its whole 

 character to be unique and distinct — distinct 

 enough almost to be classed as a species. The 

 rose has been grown largely by the Dingee & 

 Conard Co., of West Grove, Pa., and by C. A. 

 Reeser, of Springfield, Ohio, and as far as I can 

 ascertain their experience has been the same as my 

 own ; that no plant has ever run back to the ori- 

 ginal. Nor do I think it ever will, as its character 

 is seemingly as firmly fixed as if it had been a 

 seedling instead of a sport. 



EDITORIAL NOTES. 



The Philadelphia Public S()lakes. — The 

 filthy condition in which the several little parks or 

 squares with which the city of Philadelphia is stud- 

 ded, has long been a surprise, not to say disgust, 

 to intelligent visitors to this city, and has often 

 been commented on in this magazine. Last year 

 there was some improvement, for which we gave 

 credit to the Commissioners of City Property. 

 This year they were wretched as ever. In regard 

 to these squares the public prints have the follow- 

 ing account of the proceedings of the Finance 

 ' Committee of City Councils, sonsidering the appro- 

 priations for 1883 : 



"The appropriations to the Department of Mar- 

 kets and City Property was next taken up. The 

 total amount asked for was $179,283, an in- 

 crease of ;$4o,32r over the appropriation of this 

 year. 



"The items in the bill were approved until that 

 for the improvement of public squares was reached. 

 It amounted to $70,000, subdivided as follows : 

 Franklin, $20,000 ; Logan, $20,000 ; Rittenhouse, 

 $20,000; Jefferson, $10,000. 



"Mr. Wolverton moved to strike out the whole 



item, saying that the city's finances were not in a 

 condition to stand such an expenditure. 



" Mr. Lex seconded the motion, stating that he 

 hoped that the squares could be improved out of 

 the surplus fund this year. 



"Gen. Snowden moved to except 'Franklin 

 Square, $20,000,' from the motion to strike out. 



"The motion was agreed to, making the total re- 

 duction in the bill of $50,000." 



If these squares could only be kept decent, so 

 that those who believe that cleanliness is next to 

 godliness might have some encouragement, they 

 would not look so very bad, even as they are. Still 

 if they are "improved," they may have to be kept 

 cleaner, and it is a gain that even one a year falls 

 into the line of decorum. 



Notes from Staunton, Virginia. — By an ac- 

 cident for which we are sorry, the following chap- 

 ter of good hints has been in the " wrong box," for 

 several months, till recently discovered : 



" Thanks for the ' Seasonable Hints ' that opened 

 the June issue of the Gardeners' Monthly and 

 Horticulturist. If you will indulge in a few 

 more such, perhaps the barbarisms that we see on 

 every side may be curtailed. That is, provided 

 people will ever learn. 



" 'Twas only two weeks ago that I passed some 

 public grounds where the officer in charge was 

 busily engaged in trimming (rather butchering) 

 Conifene — some of them handsome specimens — 

 from the ground, so as to leave a bare stem of over 

 five feet, and, to add to the beauty of the grounds, 

 was topping — perhaps you would say rounding off 

 — some beautiful English Lindens. At the same 

 time the \ineyard, consisting of Catawbas, Con- 

 cords and Delawares, were being trained on the 

 principle we Southerners adopt for growing the 

 Scuppernong. 



"The season here in the Valley of Virginia has 

 been exceptionally cool. At this date, June 5th, 

 the mercury at 50' F. Roses just opening ; Co- 

 leus, Lantanas, Ageratums, &c., wilting under 

 the cool winds. Have you or any of your corres- 

 pondents any experience with the Pyrethrum as 

 a destroyer of the cabbage worm ? If so, how 

 should it be applied ? " 



Rapid Growing Street Trees. — It is a great 

 mistake to choose the Silver Maple and different 

 Poplars for street trees, merely because they grow 

 fast. In a few years they are objectionable be- 

 cause they are so very large, and have to be re- 

 moved or hacked down. Such moderate growers 

 as Horse Chestnuts, Norway and Sycamore, or 

 Sugar Maple are much better, even though *i trifle 



