October 11, 190SJ 



H ORTI CULTURE 



Messrs. Ware compute that tliere are some iwo liuiidi'eil 

 thousand plants in this field, and what seems more re- 

 markable is the fact tiiat all were raised from seed 

 sown in January last (190.J). The bulbs of these plants 

 will be ready for distrihulion in the autumn. There 

 are lovely varieties among the tuberous begonias now; 

 some of the flowers are as perfect in form as a rose, 

 camellia or water lily; in fact, there are varieties which 

 are distinguished by such names as water lily, camellia 

 flowered, etc. They are real triumphs of the hybridiser's 

 art ; not only the form but the coloring of the newer va- 

 rieties renders them remarkably beautiful. 



A GREAT INTERNATIONAL SHOW. 



The Eoyal Caledonian Horticultural Society held an 

 international exhibition at Edinburgh last week; such a 

 one has not been held there for fourteen years. It 

 proved a great success, the total takings at the door for 

 the three days on which the show was open amounted to 

 £1115. On the second day, when the greatest number 

 passed the gates, 15,000. were admitted, excluding mem- 

 bers and those admitted by ticket. A sad incident was 

 the death by drowning a few days before the show opened 

 of Mr. D. P. Laird, of R. B. Laird & Sons, one of the 

 best known firms of nurserymen in Scotland. Mr. Laird 

 was a most popular man and was a member of the Coun- 

 cil of the Eoyal Caledonian Horticultural Society. He 

 was also intimately associated with other important gar- 

 dening societies and will be greatly missed. The most 

 important new plant exhibited was a rose called Eosa 

 sericea aux grandes epines. It was shown by Paul & 

 Son, Cheshunt, for M..de Vilmorin. This rose does not, 

 as the great majority do, rely upon the beauty of its flow- 

 ers as its chief attraction, but strange to say upon the 

 large, bright spines which cover the stems. The leaves 

 are much divided, the leaflets being quite small. It is 

 said to be a hybrid and not a new variety of Eosa seri- 

 cea, as its name would indicate. The plant grows from 

 8 to 10 feet high at Les Barres, M. Vilmorin's pro|> 

 erty in France, and the appearance of its tall, arching 

 stems covered with the red spines is most striking, es- 

 pecially when lit up by tlie setting sun. 



>--»-»»_A r 



' Hydrangea hortensis 



Our frontispiece ivprcsonis one of a number of speci- 

 men hydrangeas used to adorn the beautiful estate of 

 General Lawrence at Medford, Mass., each summer. 

 These plants, which are from fifteen to twenty years old, 

 are protected during the winter in a deep cold-frame 

 after the usual drying off process each September. In 

 March they are started into growth in a cool house and 

 toward the end of May they take up their position on the 

 grounds and their principal requirement — water and 

 occasional stimulant — is carefully attended to during 

 the hot summer months. 



Hydrangea hortensis in Newport 



I'or the \Muti_T care of hydrangea hortensis we find 

 111 i'lailcy's t'yi;lopedia the following: "They may also 

 be planted in the open ground during the summer, 

 lificiJ late in the fall with a large ball of earth, stored 

 over winter iu a cold frame or pit and planted out again 

 in spring." While the foregoing is certainly a safe 

 method, still we must come to the conclusion that at the 

 time it was written no such specimens of hydrangeas as 

 we have today existed. 



Hydrangea hortensis in all sizes is useful and exceed- 

 ingly ornamental, but when we get specimen plants 

 seven feet high and of proportionate diameter, we then 

 liave something gorgeous in the extreme, and it is need- 

 less to say that plants attaining the size mentioned are 

 not lifted in the fall biit remain permanently out doors. 

 Among the largest hydrangeas in this country are those 

 on the estate of Baroness Selliere at Newport, where for 

 many years they have been admired for their giant pro- 

 portions, luxuriant growtli and profusion of bloom. 

 These plants were grown from cuttings put in in the 

 fall sixteen years ago, and for two years thereafter they 

 were treated just as directed in Bailey's, but since then 

 they have never been disturbed, which demonstrates that 

 hydrangeas will, with some care in covering, stand out- 

 doors all winter. Only in this way can plants of large 

 size be grown to perfection. As isolated specimens few 

 things can equal them for lawn decorations. They are 

 perhaps equally effective in a mass in an appropriate lo- 

 cation, but when a place is bordered with them and all 

 inside the border is dotted with them and nothing else, 

 then their beauty is less impressive. 



In preparing for winter protection the first thing is to 

 strip the plants of all leaves in time before frost sets in. 

 After being stripped the branches are tied closely to- 

 gether with stout tar twine, running it many times 

 around the entire plant, beginning at the bottom. Then 

 the plants are enclosed in a shelter made of boards, and 

 four corner posts of two by threes. The enclosure is 

 then filled with dry loam and a cover put on with a 

 slight pitch to throw off the water. In this condition 

 they are allowed to remain undisturbed until all danger 

 of frost is over in the spring, when one or two boards 

 are taken off one side and the covering of loam taken 

 carefully out from the bottom. The boards should be 

 left on for a few days thereafter, and even later it may 

 be well to throw some light covering over them at night. 



When hydrangeas are planted in large numbers in 

 beds or borders, the best results have been obtained by 

 tying them down close to the ground, then covering them 

 with turf and over the turf putting at least six inches of 

 soil. Following this method they will keep still better 

 if there is provision made for the surface water to run 

 away, by digging at both sides for the soil necessary for 

 covering. The first covering of turf is indispensable to 

 save trouble in getting the soil from among the branches 

 and buds, and avoid breaking more or less of the latter. 

 Wliere only small or medium sized hydrangeas are 

 planted, and no desire shown for having even these in 

 the same places every year, the old method of lifting 

 and storing them in a cold frame, pit, or cellar, will an- 

 swer quite well, but to grow them to large specimen 

 plants fully developed, or to have them in beds or bor- 

 ders luxuriant in foliage and flower, they must be al- 

 lowed to remain undisturbed at the root. 



