February 25, 1911 



HORTICULTURE 



241 



Eryngium 



Of the hardy ornamental thistles — Carlina, Cirsium, 

 Eehinops and Eryngium — the last two named merit 

 consideration of every landscape gardener and garden 

 owner. It is first the foliage of many of the eryngiums, 

 both in their radical and cauline form, here deeply cor- 

 date, their spiny cut, or serrate toothed, which at once 

 appeals to our vision. More so still does the abundance 

 of flower heads of oblong shape, surrounded at the base 

 by an involucre of long spiny bracts, add to their hand- 

 some appearance. Eryngiums may be employed to good 

 effect on the perennial border. They will even some- 

 times thrive well when naturalized on sunny slopes in 

 rough sandy soil, in parks, where few other hardy peren- 

 nials are apt to make any showing. What is justly 

 prized in most of the cultivated eryngiums is their long 

 period of blooming and the great resistance of their 

 flowers. Cut, they represent a very useful and frequent- 

 ly favored material for filling vases. They may also be 

 dried and in this state retain their ornamental value for 

 an indefinite time. 



The best known species, and one of the prettiest, is 

 Eryngium alpinum, a native of the Alps, with flower 

 heads and bracts of a steel-blue color, attaining a height 

 of about two feet. Slightly taller is Eryngium gigan- 

 t€um, a freely branching variety from the Caucasus 

 Mountains, with ivoiy white flowers. For the reason of 

 its color it is often called the ivory-thistle. Decidedly 

 the handsomest of all is Eryngium amethystinum, syn. 

 E. Oliverianum Jiailing from the Orient. Habit of 

 growth is shown by our illustration, a reproduction of 

 a photograph taken in the Mt. Desert Nurseries. The 

 plant is from 2 to 2i/^ feet tall, with cones and bracts of 

 a remarkably vivid and lasting blue. The hardiest and, 

 therefore, the one best suited for northern planting is 

 Eryngium planum, a native of eastern Europe, with 

 rather flat, pale blue heads. The species mentioned so 

 far are midsummer perennials, in bloom from July to 

 September. As an exception I finally name the garden 

 variety Zabeli, a pale blue cross between E. alpinum and 

 E. Bourgati. producing flowers until late in the fall. 



Ervnsriums are best raised from seed sown right after 



ripening. The blue color of their bracts and cones is 

 sometimes intensified by adding lime to the soil. Being 

 inhabitants of mountain regions they require a high 

 .sunny location. 



Northeast Harbor, Maine. 



Chrysanthemum Polypheme 



This magnificent yellow flowered variety is one of the 

 best we possess at the present day for decorative pur- 

 poses and for cutting. Owing to the tall growth it is, 

 however, unsuited for pot culture. The flower is of 

 ideal beauty and in form a gigantic ball, and every 

 bud is absolutely certain, so that the waste with 

 this variety is very small, provided the buds are 

 not taken too early. It may be classed with the late 

 flowering section; and should not come into bloom be- 

 fore the 15th of October. Therefore the first crown 

 buds should not be allowed to remain, although they 

 may look so promising, the blooms coming from these 

 being of a flat fonn, and of a greenish sulphur tint, and 

 of abnormal length. The second crown buds are grand. 

 The foliage of Polypheme is entirely healthy and yet not 

 too large, which is always an advantage. 



Oncidium splendidum 



This is a fine decorative orchid, where its color allows 

 it to be used. Long stems and a branching habit make 

 it one of the best for vase work. Its peculiar shape and 

 attractive markings make it very noticeaWe. Sander's 



Orchid Guide describes it thus : ''Sepals and petals yel- 

 lowish-green, barred and blotched with rich brown, re- 

 curved at the tips, lip large, flat, and yellow in color." 

 The plants above figured carried spikes from four to 

 six feet high, as can be seen by comparison with the door 

 used as a background. " G. H. PERSON. 



