26o 



THE GARDENERS' MONTHLY 



[September, 



to introduce ivies in this shape to the American 

 public, they would probably be appreciated. 



Improvement of American Violets. — The 

 sweet-scented violet of Europe, Viola odorata, 

 is far superior to any we have, in fragrance. In- 

 deed, the few species like V. blanda, which have 

 some fragrance, are not at all showy. In size and 

 color our Viola cucullata, V. pedata, and others, 

 are far superior to the European scented ones. 

 Our large Early Blue violet (V. cucullata) would 

 be superior to any of the European race, if only 

 fragrance could be given to it, and as it often has 

 a little, the quality could no doubt be developed 

 by careful selection. 



We make these reflections through reading the 

 following, in the Garden: "Mr. Lee, of Clive- 

 don, sends us flowers of a seedling violet, some- 

 what similar in appearance to V. canina, but richer 

 in color and deliciously fragrant, the individual 

 blossoms being as large as those of Victoria Re- 

 gina, and of good substance. Apart from its 

 beauty and novelty as regards color, this variety is 

 interesting as being a step nearer the acquisition 

 of a really blue violet than any we have yet had, and 

 which would in many respects be an acquisition." 



This Viola canina is the English Dog Violet, and 

 nearly the same as our native Viola Muhlenbergii, 

 which is found here in shady woods. It has no more 

 odor, naturally, than our Early Blue, but if it can 

 be developed to a sweet-scented kind, why not our 

 Early Blue? 



The Hackberry as a Street Tree.— We are 

 glad to encourage the planting of other trees than 

 the common Silver Maple for street trees. It is 

 the most unfit of all trees. It does very well for a 

 half dozen years or so, but is too "sprawly" in the 

 long run. Dr. Warder says : " In many Western 

 towns the hackberry has been planted successfully 

 for its dense shade, though rather quiet and 

 sombre in tone. In the forest it often becomes a 

 large tree." 



In Staunton, Virginia, the writer noticed it to be 

 extensively used. It went there under the name 

 of Sugarberry, the small pea-hke fruit having a 

 sugary taste. The botanical name, Celtis, is not 

 hard. Nettle tree was once its commonest 

 name. 



Winter Treatment of Roses. — ^Mr. J. B. 

 Moore of Concord, is a famous Massachusetts 

 Rose grower. He plants in rows, four feet apart, 

 and tries to keep the ground clean and free from 

 weeds, and in the fall to bank up the plants about 

 a foot high with earth from the spaces between the 



rows. When the earth is removed from around 

 the plants in spring they are pruned, the weak, 

 poor wood being cut out, and the slow-growing 

 varieties cut back to six or eight inches, while the 

 stronger growers should be left ten or twelve inches 

 in length. 



Chinese Cemeteries. — Mr. Maries tells us, in 

 the Garden: "I have told you elsewhere, about 

 how the Chinese dispose of their dead at Shanghai. 

 They are little better here at Kuikiang. Go where 

 you will there are graveyards in the fields, on the 

 hills, in the valleys. You can always see the end 

 of a coffin sticking out of the bank, and perhaps a 

 skull or a few bones near. Here people are not 

 placed outside to dry up, but they are buried as 

 soon as dead, not always in the strongest made 

 coffins, and often ( if the man be poor) not deep in 

 the ground. Most of the rich Chinese choose a 

 place near the hills, and are buried in a brick 

 tomb with a tablet with name, &c., on it in front. 

 A mound of earth is thrown up round the tomb 

 and trees planted — Willows, Cupressus, and Juni- 

 pers generally, also Yews, with a small road cut 

 through the mound in front of the tablet. The re- 

 lations of the deceased come every year to pray, 

 or, as they say, 'Chin chin.' They then fire off a 

 lot of crackers, off"er food to the departed spirit, 

 have a ramble and enjoy themselves generally, 

 and go home for another year. The only few 

 decent trees one sees are either round a temple or 

 near a grave." 



The BiiST Time for Planting. — At a recent 

 meeting of the G3rmantown (Pa.) Horticultural 

 Society, Joseph Meehan, in speaking of "The Best 

 Time to Transplant Trees,"said in substance: "This 

 is not an easy question to answer. We may say cer- 

 tain seasons are favorable ones, but to name any 

 time as invariably the best, cannot be done. A great 

 deal of the success in transplanting trees depends 

 on the season following. A mild winter may 

 follow fall planting, or a cool, moist summer that 

 of spring. In such cases the plantings would most 

 likely be successful. There are two things required 

 for success in planting, viz: the saving of all fibres 

 and a favorable season following. Trees cannot 

 live without fibres. Roots are of little account, 

 except to sustain the tree in place. It is the small 

 thread-like roots which feed the tree through their 

 tips. A tree with all its fibres saved is safe at any 

 time. Florists carry out this principle nowadays 

 in potting plants. When the soil is worn out the 

 plant is washed of the earth around its roots. 

 Thus every fibre is saved and the plant grows 



