252 



GARDENERS' CHRONICLE 



C. horizoiitalis H'ilsoiii is distinct in liabit hut grows 

 more erect, is more stiff in habit and not so desiral)le as 

 some others. C. Diclsiami produces slender sprea(Hnt;- and 

 arching branches and grows 6 to 7 feet in height, and the 

 red fruit are carried in bunches like Cratccgiis. This is 

 one of the very best species. A very pretty low growing 

 and dense shrub is C. ap-icitlata, and the leaves are nearly 

 circular and the fruit scarlet. It makes a charming 

 rockery plant. C. raccmiflora sooiigarica grows 8 to 10 

 feet high and 12 or more feet across. The foliage is rather 

 scant, but the great numbers of brick red fruit which cover 

 every .stem make the plant a striking object in Fall. The 

 fruits resemble bcrbcris in color and persist for a long 

 period. C. multiHora calocarpa is a rather thin growing 

 shrub of vigorous hahit, carrying large numbers of dark 

 cherrv'-like fruit. The foregoing are some of the more 

 striking cotoneasters. For the shrubbery and the rock 

 garden thev are unexcelled, charming in flower, beautiful 

 in fruit, free from insect pests and with, in nearly every 

 case, bright shiny foliage, they should be in every garden 

 worthy of the name. Propagation by seeds and layers is 

 easy with all species. 



The aconitums nr monkshoods are beautiful plants in 

 the hardy garden. Many of us are able to grow them 

 but inditferently. Being native, as they are to mountain 

 regions in Europe, temperate Asia and North America, 

 they succeed less satisfactorily in the warmer and drier 

 plains. Any one who has visited such northern summer 

 resorts as Bar Harbor or any of the islands along the 

 coast of Maine must have been struck by the wonderful 

 luxuriance of the monkshoods. They are to be seen in 

 every garden and often 8 to 9 feet in height. In fact, 

 they increase so rapidly that I have seen them running 

 practically wild on Mount Desert Island. Only a few 

 varieties of aconitums are grown in America compared 

 with Euroi>e. A. Xapcllus and its varieties are the most 

 prominent, while A. autitmnale, A. Fischcri and its variety 

 Wilsoni are of the greatest value in the garden. 



A. Napcllus is the most poisonous species and is largely 

 grown in Europe for the official mite, and the leaves also 

 have medicinal value. .Several other species are grown 

 in China, India and Japan for poisonous alkaloids. The 

 variety Wilsoni which is a tall grower is most useful in 

 the garden in Fall, coming in as it does, when the second 

 crop of delphiniums have passed and good blue flowers 

 are scarce. Transplanting is best done in the Fall, and 

 it will be found that if given a little shade aconitums do 

 much better. 



* * * 



The days of specimen stove and greenhouse plants 

 seem to have passed. Years ago we marvelled at the 

 wonderful plants of allamandas, dipladenias, Bougain- 

 villeas, ixoras, Slephanotis, ericas, Francisccas, Rondele- 

 tias, statices, and others. Large sized plants of some of 

 these are still seen but both here and abroad classes are 

 now seldom allotted to them. For many years that noted 

 grower, Cyjjher of Cheltenham, produced marvellous ex- 

 amples of cultural skill at the great British provincial 

 shows like York, Wolverhampton, Shrewsbury and Bir- 

 mingham. The great war with the scarcity of coal and 

 labor caused the virtual wiping out of these grand speci- 

 mens, and in their stead have come classes for medium 

 sized plants anrl groups, the latter being a great feature 

 at all the large British Summer and Autinnn shows. Our 

 hot climate makes it imi)ossible to duplicate under canvas 

 such exhibitions, and we are mainly dependent on Spring 

 <-ind Fall shows, except for special shows of such ])opuIar 

 plants as peonies, gladioli and dahlias. I can imagine 



nothing more charming than a great flower show under 

 canvas in well \entilaied lents where the sun is not 

 too broiling. 1 have attended one or two shows here in 

 tents which were small but delightful. On the other 

 hand, some held imder our Augu.st broiling sun bring 

 back memories of wilted judges, wilted exhibits, and a 



perspiring public. 



* :;= * 



The (lavs when we used to hear the pedlers cry, "Fine 

 ripe strawberries, three bo.xes a quarter," have passed, 

 never perhaps to return, but the cry combined as it is 

 with the profusion of bright scarlet berries with their 

 fragrances, produced on even the casual passerby a fas- 

 cination created by few if any of the other fruits which 

 later in the season find places on our tables. Can any- 

 thing be more alluring than a basket of fresh ])icked, 

 well ripened strawberries, resting on some of their own 

 foliage? With the dew still sparkling on their glossy 

 sides and flanked by a generous supply of rich cream, 

 truly 'tis a "feast for the gods." Strawberries have been 

 in cultivation a long time. Historical mention is made 

 of the fruit as far back as the 13th century, but no record 

 of their cultivation is made until 1483. In June of that 

 year Richard, Duke of Gloucester, is reputed to have said 

 that he had seen good strawberries growing in the Bishop 

 of Ely's garden. The strawberry of that day and for 

 several centuries later was simply a wild plant transferred 

 from hedgerow to garden. Not until the introduction of 

 the large Chilian strawberry in the last years of the 

 18th century did a new era in strawberry culture begin, 

 aided by the addition of new s]:)ecies notably one from 



North America. 



* * * 



A tribute must be paid to the skillful hybridizers here • 

 and abroad who have helped to evolve the strawberry of 

 today. In the nature of things new varieties must con- 

 stantly appear or degeneracy would result. The only 

 way to keep up or improve the standard of existing varie- 

 ties is to save new seedlings. The number of new seed- 

 lings introduced in America must run into the thousands, 

 and a few of these have survived more than one genera- 

 tion. The old Gandy is still popular and with many 

 P)ran(lywinc is equally good, so is Sharpless. 

 ^ ■'.'• '1^ 



The finest all round \arie(v introduced since T came to 

 America is Marshall, picked up by chance a wildling at 

 Alarshfield, one of the strawberry centers of Massachu- 

 setts. Sent out 30 years ago, this variety has never been 

 surpassed for color, size, flavor and all roiuid excellence. 

 For forcing pur]30ses it reniains without any serious rival. 

 It needs, however, a stifle, rich, retentive clay loam and 

 liberal manuring to do its best outdoors. It is worthy 

 of note that since the introduction of Marshall at every 

 strawberry show held in B<oston in all that time this va- 

 riety has won "hands down" for the best dish of strawber- 

 ries. The everbearing race of strawberries prolongs the 

 season very nicely. .Superb and Lucky Boy are my choice 

 of this section. Our .Vmerican strawberries are much 

 more acid than the European ones. What we need now 

 more than anvlhing else is varieties as sweet as Royal 

 Sovereign and Laxton's Noble so that we can disjiense 

 with sugar when eating them and rely on cre:uu onlv. 



* * * 



It is interesting to note that everlasting flowers of vari- 

 ous kinds, such as Rhodanthes, .Xcrocliniums, Hclichry- 

 sums, Goniphrenas and .Statices are finding increasing 

 favor among flower buyers as well as owners of home 

 gardens. 'I'hey have sold .satisfactorily in the flower 

 (Continued on [>agc 257) 



