1883. 



AND HORTICULTURIST. 



345 



inches deep, and they will continue to increase and 

 bloom for a long time. If a large bulb be planted 

 near the surface it will gradually waste away. 

 Young vigorous bulbs being the best for planting. 



L. tigrinum fl. pi. speciosum and its varieties 

 are also grown in immense quantities, as well as 

 other varieties of this charming tribe, and all of 

 them seemed to be in the greatest vigor and health 

 imaginable. I also saw Hyacinthus candicans for 

 the first time, and I confess that I was quite dis- 

 appointed with it. It bears a striking resemblance 

 in manner of tlowering, but instead of the flowers 

 being in a cluster, they are scattered along the 

 flower-stem and its branches. Mr. Allen thought 

 it would do much better if given a moist and 

 partially shaded situation. 



Eulalia Japonica, variegata and Zebrina are 

 also grown in immense quantities. Mr. Allen con- 

 siders the Eulalias the most ornamental of all the 

 grasses, and considers cut sprays of their foliage 

 indispensible for summer floral-work. An acre or 

 so of Petunias was alone well worth coming to see, 

 one-half being the new dwarf Inimitable — a variety 

 of dwarf, compact habit, the plants never attain- 

 ing a height of more than six inches, and which are 

 literally covered with regular striped flowers — and 

 for bedding or massing, one of the best. I also 

 noticed some fine plants of the Grandiflora section. 

 I also saw an immense quantity of Gaillardia picta 

 Lorenziana, and from what I have seen of it as 

 grown here and elsewhere, consider it well deserv- 

 ing of a prominent position on the list of unworth) 

 novelties. Balsams are a leading specialty with 

 this firm, and a display of several acres was indeed 

 a surprise to me. I have no recollection of ever 

 seeing more perfect flowers, and 1 do not see any 

 room for improvement in this respect. Mr. Allen 

 called my attention to the " Perfection," a magnifi- 

 cently formed flower, almost as large as a camel- 

 lia, and having a longer and stouter stem than 

 balsams generally possess, which makes it just the 

 thing for cut-flower work, the flowers being of a 

 creamy white color. 



I also noticed a magnificient collection of Zin- 

 nia elegans fl. pi., the flowers of which for size and 

 shape could not be excelled and, as a further evi- 

 dence of their superior quality, I may be permitted 

 to state that Mr. Allen was awarded the first 

 premium for his collection at the September, 1882, 

 exhibition of the New York Horticultural Society. 

 Here I also saw a very superior strain of the beau- 

 tiful Zinnia ^Haageana. Cannas, Delphiniums, 

 Pansies, Celosias are also grown in immense 

 quantities, and all of the very best quality, showing 



skill and care in their selection and cultivation. 

 Ten acres or more of tuberoses, (pearl and 

 double) grown for their bulbs, was a leading fea- 

 ture of this establishment, and so carefully were 

 they cared for that not a weed was to be seen 

 amongst them. .A.nd last, but not least, were the 

 Gladiolus and, I admit, I cannot begin to describe 

 them: there they were in all their beauty before me, 

 acres being occupied with them, and almost every 

 shade of color bein^ represented, from the bright 

 vermilion scarlet of Brenchleyensis, to the almost 

 pure white of La Candeur. 



Space could not be afforded me to mention the 

 numerous varieties, but a few of the most beauti- 

 ful were Virgil, Meyerbeer, Aure, Dr. Lindley, 

 Isaac Buchanan, Pasquin, Flamingo and Gen. 

 Sheridan, the latter being a superb seedling, not 

 yet ready for distribution. 



A noticeable feature of this establishment is the 

 remarkable accuracy in the names of the different 

 varieties. Handling as they do such an immense 

 stock (over a million and a half of Gladiolus 

 bulbs last season) it would seem a very difficult 

 affair, but the business is so systematized that mis- 

 takes are almost impossible. Another striking 

 feature was the entire absence of weeds. Mr. 

 Allen says it is a rule with him to cultivate 

 thoroughly, a cultivator being run through every- 

 thing at least once a week, and, if at all possible, 

 after every rain, even if it is twice or three times a 

 week— this done very little hoeing is required, and 

 the ground is left in the best possible condition. 

 Mr. Allen says that, to most persons, weeds are a 

 blessing in disguise — they cultivate and hoe to de- 

 stroy the weeds and are rewarded with large crops. 



Unfortunately, I was limited as to time, which 

 prevented my taking more copious notes, but if 

 this brief description will prove of interest to some 

 of the readers of the Monthly it will not have 

 been written in vain. 



OUR TRIP EAST. 

 BY " PILGRIM." 



We Started from — well, it would not interest the 

 horticultural world to know where, so we will al- 

 low that to remain unknown. Our first stop was 

 at Allegheny City, Pa., where we visited the Alle- 

 gheny Parks, of which Mr. William Hamilton is 

 the efficient Superintendent, and who is ably as- 

 sisted by Mr. John Herron, who has charge of the 

 Floral department. Making ourselves known, we 

 received kind and courteous treatment, and were 



