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GARDENERS' CHRONICLE 



(OF AMERICA) 

 Devoted to the Science of Floriculture and Horticulture 



I Vol. XXVI 



AUGUST 1922 



IIUIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII^^ 



No. 8 I 



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Things and Thoughts of the Garden 



WILLIAM N. CRAIG 



LMWART 

 NEW YORK 



BOTANICAL 

 aAKUBN 



M 



ANY moisture loviiii^ plants, coninionly regarded 



as semi-aquatic, do reniarkalily well in the average 



perennial bonier, especially where they have a 



generous soil and can have an occasional watering in times 



of drought. A few of these [jlants are Scnccio dk'tiriim. 



Lobelia cardiualis, Lytliniin ro.uiiiii snpcrbum, Ins 



Kcempfcri, and thalictrunis in variety. Scnccio clivorum 



is a very robust subject and while its real home is on the 



margin of ponds, it succeeds well in the herbaceous border. 



It is somewhat coarse but flowers at a time when there is 



no great variety in the hardy garden, excepting phloxes 



of the paniciilatai type. The spikes of Lobelia canliiialis 



grown in drv land I have found keep much better in water 



than those from boggy locations. Lobelia syphilitica also 



makes an excellent border plant and the Chelones, usually 



associated with swamps, also succeed extremely well. 



Even the so-called water forget-me-not, Myosotis paliis- 



Iris, will flower all Summer in a border if it can enjoy a 



little shade. 



* * =:: * 



Flowering shrubs in August are not abundant and the 

 Buddleias are very welcome. They have so far proved 

 immune from both insect pests and diseases and are of 

 such easy culture that everyone should try a few plants. 

 They should not be pruned until Spring, and then if cut 

 down near the ground, they will do their best. If pruned 

 back in late Fall, I find that they Winter poorly. Plants 

 have withstood a Winter minimum of 20 degrees below 

 zero without injury even when unprotected. C)i the 

 various forms of B. variabilis in commerce, I consider 

 magnifica by far the best. Its racemes are much more 

 freely produced than on Veitchiam- and the plant has a 

 better habit. B. Eva Dudley, a hybrid between Asiatica 

 and magnifica, blooms in October out-doors. It is inter- 

 mediate in color but does not flower as abundantly as 

 either parent. It is useful in the flower garden in Fall 

 when flowers are becoming scarce. 



^ H^ ^ -!' 



The various bush honeysuckles are always very attrac- 

 tive while in fruit. The bulk carry scarlet fruit but some 

 are golden and one carries berries similar to blueberries in 

 color : these latter, however, are somewhat short lived. 

 The scarlet fruited forms are much the most striking and 

 if one could only have them for the holidays, how effec- 

 tively they could be utilized ! I consider Morro-an much 

 the finest of the red-fruited section, and it always carries 

 a greater wealth of fruit than any other Loniccra. Many 

 people purchase what purports to be Morrozm, raised from 



seed. These plants generally run up as tall as tatarica. 

 The true Morrowi rarely exceeds six feet in height, but 

 will spread fifteen to twenty-five feet across if allowed 

 s])ace. If given room to show its individuality, there is 

 no more beautiful shrub either in tlower or fruit. Propa- 

 gation by cuttings in Summer is very easy. 

 * * * ::= 



How long will i)otatoes succeed in the same soil? It 

 is generally considered suicidal to plant two successive 

 seasons, and we are told of the absolute necessity of crop 

 rotations if we want a satisfactory yield. I have in mind 

 a good sized plot which has just produced its seventh crop 

 of potatoes without change, and the last crop was far 

 the heaviest and cleanest of the lot. After harvesting 

 each year Winter rye has been sown on the plot and 

 allowed to make considerable growth in Spring before 

 being plowed in. A commercial potato fertilizer has been 

 used at planting time, while a top-dressing of nitrate of 

 soda has been given when the plants were four to five 

 inches high. No manure whatever has been used for 

 seven years. The plants have had three sprayings each 

 season. The varieties grown have been Spaulding Rose, 

 Irish Colibler, and Green Mountain. Those who want 

 potatoes but have only limited land and cannot give rota- 

 tions, conimonlv advocated, may gain comfort from this 

 experience. 



:}: ^ :;; ;:; 



Much has been published about the waning popularity 

 of the lialdwin apple of late. Some growers class it as 

 too tender : others that it only crops in alternate years, 

 and we are further told, that its color and flavor are in- 

 ferior to some other varieties. In so far as cropping is 

 concerned, I find Baldwin still a top notcher, and while 

 it lacks the brilliancy of Macintosh Red and Wealthy, it 

 is less easily bruised than these varieties, far less sus- 

 ceptible to skin fungus and a vastly better keeper. 

 Macintosh is a beautiful apple but its season is Fall and 

 very early Winter, while Baldwins may be kept in 

 good condition until the end of June. Both Macintosh 

 and Wealthy need several - sprayings after the fruits set 

 if freedom from fungus is wanted, and in this connection 

 dust spraying is proving more effective than liquid spray- 

 ing at a great saving in time and labor. I think the time 

 is not far distant when aeroplanes can be sent over 

 orchards and shade trees to send clouds of dust over them 

 as a cure for both insect pests and diseases, as was demon- 

 strated in England the past season. 



223 



