For May, 1922 



143 



most useful border plants, varying in height from a few- 

 inches to 5 feet, and not particular as to soil or situa- 

 tion. C'. carpatica grows about 1 foot in various shades 

 of blue. There is also a white form, C. glomerata daliii- 

 rica, rich purple, very efifective in mass, spreads rapidly, 

 grows 2 feet and flowers during June and July. C. lacti- 

 Hora, pale mauve, large flower heads, is a fine border 

 plant flowering from June to .\ugust : C. lactifoUa has 

 tall spikes of drooping bells, blue-mauve; C. pcrsicifoUa 

 has large bells and pale blue flowers. There is a white 

 form, also one with double flowers, which is the most 

 desirable of all. Many of the dwarfed kinds, such as 

 C. pumila, C. rofundifolia and C. uiii rails are suitable 

 for rockery as well as for edging. 



Caryoptcris i)icaim { MastacantliHS) is a sub-shrub, re- 

 sembling spiriea. with lavender flowers and grows about 

 3 feet, and is a very desirable border plant. It may be 

 used in front of shrubbery. 



Centranthus (Valerian) is a perennial which thrives 

 in poor soil and grows from 1^ to 2 feet, with dense 

 heads of tiny flowers, red, pink and white. It succeeds 

 best grown as a biennial or may be flowered from seed 

 sown early in the year. It is quite distinct from I'alcriana 

 officinalis, which grows 5 feet and is a veritable weed 

 unless kept in bounds. 



Cimicifuga is a handsome plant with good foliage and 

 graceful spikes of bloom, flowering late in the Summer 

 and early Autumn. C. cordifoUa, the earliest of the 

 group to flow-er, tall erect spikes of bloom in August ; 

 C. raccmosa, a good variety with drooping racemes : 

 C. simplex, the last to flower and not quite so tall as 

 the above. Of handsome foliage and gracefully pendu- 

 lous flower spikes, cimicifugas should be in every garden. 



Clematis generally known as a climber, has several 

 herbaceous varieties growing from 2 feet to 4 feet. C. 

 recta is the best known, flowers white on long stiff stems. 

 a very showy plant with single flowers. There is a 

 double form also. C. Daz'idiaiia is a useful sort having 

 blue clusters and flowers at a time when blue flowers are 

 somewhat scarce during August and September. 



Ercmunis has tall spikes of creamy white flowers. .\ 

 group of E. himalaicHs gives a stunning efifect against 

 a background of green. E. robnstus has rosy pink 

 flowers borne in immense spikes. Eremurii flower in 

 May and June. 



The iris comprises a very e.xtensive genus of her- 

 baceous plants, chiefly hardy and with very bright and 

 showy flowers. The flowering season of different irises 

 is varied but most of them bloom from May to July, 

 when the numerous varieties of gernuinica, aphylla, squa- 

 lens, pumila and laevigata or Kcempferi are in blossom. 

 The genus is divided into two groups, the rhibomatus 

 types, or irises proper, and the bulbous irises, Xiphions 

 or English and Spanish irises, as they are variously 

 termed. Like the peony both species and varities are so 

 numerous that a selection of the best would be impossible. 

 The bearded or flag irises are very popular and include 

 pcrmanica, anuriia, aphylla, neglccta, pallida, squalens, 

 variegata and Iccvigata groups. Most of the irises thrive 

 best in a sunny position and are not particular as to soil, 

 but the Iccvigata section is naturally moisture loving and 

 makes desirable plants for the hardy flower garden and 

 could be greatlv extended. 



Democracy can never be extended by force, as you 

 would fling a net over a flock of birds: but give it a 

 chance and it will grow, as a tree grows, by sending down 

 its roots into the heart of humanity and lifting its tops 

 toward the light and spreading its arms wider and wider 

 until all the persecuted flocks of heaven find refuge be- 

 neath its protecting shade. — Henry \'an Dyke. 



A BANANA PLANT 



John S. Doig 



A BANANA plant is illustrated here in fruit ; the 

 ■^^ bunch, as shown in the illustration, carries one hun- 

 dred forty fruits ranging from six to eight inches long, 

 and of good uniform thickness. The flavor of the fruits 

 is all that can be desired, as they are allowed tij ripen on 

 the plant. The plants were placed in their final quarters 

 in August, l'J20, from ten-inch pots; in August, 1921, 

 they showed the bunches; on December 20, 1921, 1 cut the 

 first fruit. As scon as the fruit has been all cut off, the 

 old plants will be discarded and young plants, which are 

 coming along nicely in ten-inch pots, will take their place. 

 The box in which the two plants air growing is about 



A specimen banana plant. 



four feet \s idc, twi_> and a half feet deep, and ten feet long. 

 The compost consists of good friable loam, cow manure, 

 and bone meal. The temperature ranges from sixty-five 

 to seventy-five degrees at night, and is of a moist nature. 

 The glass is slightly shaded during the hot months, but 

 after the fruits are fairly well developed, the shading is 

 removed. These plants have been a source of great satis- 

 faction and interest to the owner, and of much interest 

 and wonderment to manv visitors. 



DEVOTED 



American business men are devoting so much time to 

 golf they may soon get to the stage suggested by the 

 following Scottish story : 



"It's graund weather for golf we're hae'ing th' noo." 

 remarked Sandy to Jock. "I'll go ye a run im the links 

 in th' mornin'.'' 



'Tn th' mornin'. ye say?" replied Jock. 



"Aye in th' mornin'." replied Sandy. 



"Ah, weel," .said Jock, "I canna miss a game o' golf. 

 I'll go ye." Then after a long pause he added: "Rut 

 I had intended tae get married in th' mornin'.'' 



