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THE GARDENERS" MOxNTHLY 



[August, 



there was sone delicacy of constitution ; but per- 

 haps the true state of the case has been offered in 

 the following, which we take from an address by 

 Mr. VV. E. Endicott before the Massachusetts 

 Horticultural Society : 



"It is well known to possess a delicacy of con- 

 stitution, owing to which the bulbs, after flowering 

 pretty well for a year or two, dwindle and die. 

 The essayist said he had planted great numbers 

 in all soils and positions, laut all have gone the 

 same way, except a lot of six planted ten years 

 ago in ordinary garden soil. All but. two are in 

 good condition; one of these had the shoot 

 knocked off by a careless person, and the bulb of 

 the other was pierced by the underground shoot of 

 a plant of Arundo Donax. This imperfect success 

 the essayist ascribed to the fact that the bulbs were 

 originally planted twelve or fifteen inches below 

 the surface of the soil, and he has come to the 

 conclusion that all lilies should be planted deep 

 rather than shallow. To get a sound, strong stock 

 of Liiium auratum, they should be raised from seed 

 here. This has been found true in England, where 

 suck sell for from one-quarter to one-half more 

 than imported bulbs. It is beneficial to this and 

 other species to provide at least a partial shelter for 

 the lower half of the stem. A remarkable point 

 about the L. auratum is the variability in the time 

 of lowering, which ranges from June to Septem- 

 ber, and, stranger still, the plant which flowers 

 earlN'-ione year will bloom later the next." 



SCRAPS AND QUERIES. 



Plants for Names.— A box by mail, marked 

 from H.Webber, Cumberland, Maryland, came to 

 liantl, and contained specimens of two native 

 plants, Castilleja coccinea and Cypripedium 

 acanle. No letter has been received referring to 

 therri, ibut we suppose them sent for names. 



Clem;.\tis for Beddin(;.— A. L. Siler, Hillsdale, 

 Utah, writes: "You may say to your Canadian 

 correspondent that Clematis montana is the plant 

 that he wants for a bedding plant ; it is not a 

 climber but a trailing plant, with large purple 

 flowers, produced in May and June. It prefers a 

 rocky or gravely poor soil, and grows when it gets 

 but little moisture. It is hardier than the oak, and 

 is the plant that a Canadian would naturally want. 

 Clematis Douglasii might give him some satisfac- 

 tion, but it is a lierbacious perennial. Say to A. 

 B. C, 'of Bucyrus, Ohio, that seed of any of the 

 plauaits named in his inquiry in the April number 

 willigrow if scattered on the ground in the fall of 

 the year." 



Japan M.\ple.s. — E. Manning, nearHarrisburgh. 

 Framthn Co., Ohio, writes : "What is your opinion 

 of tbe aew Japan maples ; do they generally suc- 



ceed or not in latitudes like central Ohio ? My 

 own experience of eight varieties of them is any- 

 thing but favorable. I have only one left, and I 

 think it will soon go the way of the rest." 



[We can only say that, excepting our corres- 

 pondent's, we have received no complaints that 

 the Japan maples do not thrive in his latitude. 

 They thrive exceedingly well in Philadelphia, 

 growing rapidly, and standing both heat and cold 

 without the least injury. — Ed. G. M.] 



Seedling Cle.matis. — D. Smith, Newburgh, 

 N. v., writes: "By post I this day send you a few 

 flowers of my seedling Clematis, Mary, which I 

 raised three years ago, and which I consider a de- 

 cided acquisition. Plant, perfectly hardy — none of 

 the Clematis family more so — an excellent bloomer. 

 The flowers, it is believed, equal in beauty, size, 

 etc,, either of the early blooming varieties, stand- 

 ing well the ray's of the sun, etc. Supposed to be 

 a seedling from the Sophia, but of a darker color 

 and firmer texture ; perhaps accidentally crossed 

 by some other variety. If the flowers are received 

 in good condition, would like your opinion of it. 

 I have no plants for sale." 



[The flowers came in good condition. We would 

 call the seedling a rich violet color, and it is cer- 

 tainly a desirable sort. There are, however, such 

 a variety of Clematises nowadays that it is im- 

 possible to say whether or not this one differs from 

 any now known. The well-known sort, azurea 

 grandiflora, approaches it in color, but is lighter, 

 and has narrower petals. — Ed. G. M.] 



Cercis Canadensis. — I. S. C, New Jersey, 

 writes : " Inclosed I send you a twig of a tree that 

 is on my grounds and which I do not know the 

 name of. The tree is about fifteen years old, and 

 is about twenty feet high. It is now covered with 

 bloom, and has been for about a week, and will 

 continue so for a week longer. Please give me its 

 name, and can it be 'propagated by cutting ?" 



[The specimens are Cercis Canadensis, the Am- 

 erican Judas tree. As shown by our correspond- 

 ent's inquiry this tree is not so generally known as 

 it deserves to be. Given room to develop, it forms 

 a symmetrical tree and seldom fails to flower pro- 

 fusely every spring. Cercis Japonica, the Japan 

 Judas, has richer colored flowers, and is a great 

 acquisition. The name Judas tree is a corruption 

 of the French Arhre de Jiuiee — Tree of Judea — 

 Cercis Siliquastrum — and, after corrupting the 

 name, the English supposed it to be the "tree 

 whereon Judas did verily hang himself." — Ed. 

 G. M.] 



