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GARDENERS' CHRONICLE 



(OF AMERICA) 

 Devoted to the Science of Floriculture and Horticulture 



I Vol. XXVI 



III 



APRIL. 1922 



NEW YORK 



No. 4 I 



ml 



Things and Thoughts of the Garden 



MONTAGUE FREE 



THOSE who are interested in alpine plants may be 

 expected to be considerably intrigued over the pos- 

 sibility of new tloral treasures being introduced to 

 cultivation as a result of the Mount Everest expedition. 

 We have not seen any reference to the matter in any horti- 

 cultural paper, but an item in the N. Y. Tribune, culled 

 from the London Westminster Gazette, would indicate 

 that the botanical side was not neglected by the expedition. 

 According to the Tribune — "The Botanical specimens in- 

 cluded a plant belonging to the pink family from a height 

 of 20,400 feet above sea level, several kinds of Primula — 

 pale yellow, blue and dark purple — and one with big 

 hanging bells, many gentians, a remarkable yellow ped- 

 icularis, delphinium', and some beautiful dwarf rhododen- 

 drons. 



"There were 116 packets of seeds — of which 18 packets 

 are of rhododendrons, 12 of primulas, 18 of meconopsis, 

 and four gentians." This is sufficient to make a con- 

 noisseur's mouth water especially when reminded of the 

 many valuable plants from the Himalayas that now enrich 

 our rock gardens. Primula dentieulata, Gypsopliila ce- 

 rastioidcs, Androsaee LeicJitlina, A. sarinentosa and many 

 other interesting alpincs all come from that region. Then 

 there is the remarkable Primula U'interi that created such 

 a furore when it was shown at the R. H. S. Hall in Lon- 

 don ten or eleven years ago. Its large blue flowers emerg- 

 ing from a rosette of handsome foliage covered with vv-hite 

 farina were something entirely distinct from those of any 

 other Primula. 



It was raised by Messrs. R. Gill & Son of Penryn, Corn- 

 wall, from seeds sent them from India by a Mr. Winter. 

 As we remember it, this species was first exhibited to the 

 public gaze in a specially constructed wire cage in the 

 alpine house at Kew. The plants were the property of 

 Alessrs. Gill and the Kew authorities naturally did not 

 like the i4ea of having such a rarity purloined — hence the 

 cage. A most effective display was made by the raisers 

 at the R. H. S. fortnightly show in February, 1911, when 

 a group of magnificent specimens, many of them a foot 

 across, were shown emerging from a background of 

 black velvet. 



In spite of its beaut\- one hears nothing of P. Jl'infcri 

 now — in all probal>ility, as with many others, because its 

 constitution is such as can be best described by that word 

 of the gardener that expresses so much — ''miffv.'' 



* * ;!= 



\\'e have recently been perusing a small book published 

 in 1842 by N. B. Ward, F. L. S.,''entitled "On the Growth 

 of Plants in Closely Glazed Cases." 



The horticultural world owes a debt of gratitude to 

 Mr. Ward, for, from his experiments in growing plants 

 under close conditions, the use of "Wardian" cases for 

 the transportation of plants over great distances was 

 initiated. 



If it were not for this invention it is reasonably sure 

 that the introduction to cultivation of many of the plants 

 that now grace our gardens and greenhouses would have 

 been long deferred. Wardian cases have also plaved a 

 great part in the successful introduction of economic plants 

 from one country to another — for example, in the trans- 

 portation of Para rubber, Hevea brasiliensis, from the 

 western hemisphere to the east. 



In these days of easy and rapid transportation it is 

 somewhat difficult to visualize tne difficulties attendant 

 on the importation of plants in the days when ships were 

 dependent upon the wind for their propulsion. Voyages 

 of six or eight months' duration were by no means un- 

 common. Then there was the great fluctuation in temper- 

 atures experienced during the vo3'age, sometimes amount- 

 ing to as much as a hundred degrees, that had to be 

 taken into consideration. Even when it was possible to 

 ship plants in a dormant condition they would be sub- 

 jected to a tremendous ordeal, and it does not occasion 

 surprise to learn that frequently shipments of plants col- 

 lected at great trouble and expense were found to be dead 

 on arrival at their destination. Menzies, to whom the 

 botanical and horticultural world owes so much, was un- 

 fortunate in this respect. It is recorded of ^lenzies' last 

 trip around the world with \'ancouver, that all of his 

 living plant collections were lost, due to the exclusion of 

 light from them when in transit. It was customary some- 

 times to have someone travel with the plants in order to 

 care for them as far as facilities would permit, and \\^ard 

 makes mention of the devotion to his charge on the part 

 of a M, de Clieux, that is most inspiring. He says : . . . 

 "if the voyage lasts longer than usual and the water runs 

 short, it is not every one who has the care of plants that 

 will imitate the example of the patriotic M. de Clieux, 

 who, in 1717, took charge of several plants of coffee that 

 were sent to Martinico, and approved himself worthy of 

 the trust. The voyage being long and the weather un- 

 favorable, they all died but one ; and the whole ship's com- 

 pany being at length reduced to short allowance of water, 

 this zealous patriot divided his own share between himself 

 and the plant committed to his care, and happily succeeded 

 in carrying it safe to Martinico, where it flourished, and 

 was the parent stock whence the neighboring islands were 

 supplied." 



105 



