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HORTICULTURE 



April 2, 1910 



the viiUeys and along the shores of the lake, make a pic- 

 ture seen in no other land. 



Add to this, as always occurs on fete days, music, 

 colored lanterns, and beautiful fireworks, and one would 

 almost think oneself witli Alice in Fairyland. 



AgTieultui-ally and horticulturally the Swiss show 

 what can be accomplished even from a cold, barren, 

 mountainous country, half the year under snow and 

 ice. These people not only get a living, but are making 

 money, beci-.iise of their courage, energy, intelligence 

 and love of nature. 



The Swiss live in as beautiful a park as God has 

 ever made, and they help the setting by the thorough 

 and splendid manner iu which they do their part. 



Bayside, N. Y. 



Trans-Atlantic Notes 



A DEPARTMEXT OF HORTICULTDEE 



Tiie Journal of Horticulture contains a thoughtful 

 article on the Tunch felt want of a Department of 

 Horticulture — not the first one by any means, for it 

 has been written about frequently. Although the Board 

 of Agriculture does deal with some matters connected 

 with horticulture, it has no recognized authority on 

 the subject directly connected with its staff, or respons- 

 ible for horticultural interests. Several years have now 

 elapsed since an e.xhaustive inquiry concerning fruit 

 growing in the country was conducted by a depart- 

 mental commission. In our opinion the establishment 

 of such a department is, among other things, badly 

 wanted at the present time to arrange a rational sys- 

 tem of co-operation among small holders and horti- 

 culturists. 



FEANCISCIAS (bRDNFELSIA) 



One of the finest of the Franciscias is F. calycina, 

 with its beautiful violet blue flowers, two to three inches 

 in diameter, and appearing in great numbers on a plant 

 of moderate dimensions, particularly useful in spring 

 and in early summer. The plant is unfortunate in not 

 being so well known as it deserves to be. The Brun- 

 felsias are all of easy culture. 



N-ATIONAL DAHLIA SOCIETY 



A conference was held by this society on March 4, 

 at Carr's Reslaurant, in the Strand, London, Mr. Ed. 

 Mawley in the chair. Papers were read by G. Gordon 

 on "The Dahlia in Garden Decoration"; by J. Stred- 

 wick on "The Culture of Dahlias for Exhibition"; and 

 J. B. Riding on "Methods of Exhibiting Dahlias." As 

 regards the first two papers there was nothing jjrac- 

 tically new to the gardener. Useful reminders were 

 given as to picking back the earliest growths when 

 show blooms are looked for; and timely shading of 

 the blooms is insisted upon. The advice tendered on 



exhibiting was much needed, and the wire grid-iron 

 frames were justly condemned, and bamboos, vases etc., 

 recommended in their place. 



LOW MARKET PRICES FOR PLANTS IN LONDON 



There is considerable dissatisfaction among the 

 growers about London and it is only those who grow 

 the best varieties and in the best manner that make- i 

 decent profits. Anyhow, the fact remains that prices- 

 are not what they were several years ago and this holds- 

 good for fern? and flowering jilants, such as zonal 

 pelargoniums and others. The famous Paul Crampel 

 are coming in capitally flowered examples, but the de- j 

 mand for them as yet is inactive. Intennediate stock, 

 in whites and crimsons, are good. Indian azaleas are 

 in abundance and pyramidal plants fetch better prices 

 than the flat-headed form. Genistas are adundant 

 and good. Begonias, now quite favorite indoor plants, 

 sell at fair prices. Ericas are in fair demand at good 

 jirices. 



CERTIFICATED ORCHIDS 



On the occasion of the meeting of the Manchester 

 and Xorth of England Orchid Society on February 14,. 

 in the Corn Exchange, A. Warburton, of Haslingden,. 

 was awarded a first class certificate for Odontoglossum 

 crispum var. xanthetes Warburtoniae, a flower of great 

 purity, abnormally large and of perfect shape. A sim- 

 ilar award was made to 0. x ardentissima var. Sultan. 



NEW "enGLISCHE" SHOW PELARGONIUMS 



Tlie following three show pelargoniums have created 

 a furore in German gardening circles and flower loving 

 towns-people in that country. The so-called show 

 vaiioties with large blooms, sometimes semi-double and 

 decorated on all the petals with blotches of color, have- 

 lost favor among English cultivators and are not nearly 

 so well grown as formerly. The Germans, on the con- 

 trary, have taken up their culture con amore, and great- 

 ly improved them in regard to size of truss, intesity 

 of color, in compactness of growth, and in vigor. Graf 

 Ferdinand von Zeppelin has a gi-ound color of carmine 

 brown with red-bordered scarlet blotches of equal size. 

 The variety is semi-double, a good doer, close in habit 

 and blooms continually. Deutscher Ruhm is cattleya 

 blue with two large, veined magenta red blotches — quite 

 a new color in pelargoniimis. Konig Wilhelm Vou' 

 Wurttemburg, raised in 1907, was shown at Munich in 

 1909, but was not in competition at that time (the Jubi- 

 lee Exhibition.) The ground color is bright rose, with a 

 bluish tinge, and two large chestnut-brown, darkly 

 veined blotches. The blooms are of enormous size, 

 waved, and form gigantic corv'mbs. 



New Montbretias 



Montbretias have been so much improved during the 

 last ten years by hybridization that they now occupy a 

 position almost equal to lilies among bulbous plants and 

 nothing surpasses them for cut flower purposes, wherever 

 these are largely in demand. One obtains the best re- 

 sults by planting the varieties separately in beds or in 

 groups in a border and from August till late in fall one 

 may be sure of having a good display of blossom. 



Montbretias are extremely easy to grow and will suc- 

 ceed in almost any soil in a good open position but an 



