For December, 1922 



335 



Alpines Under Glass 



THOUGH, in some quarters, a prejudice still exists 

 against growing alpines in any other way than in 

 the open air on the rock garden, there cannot be any 

 doubt that alpine house culture for these beautiful plants 

 is gaining fresh adherents ever\- vear. Artificial? Yes. 

 But so is the rock garden, when compared with the free 

 open mountain and pasture land, and a system of culture 

 which provides such a charming effect during February, 

 JNIarch and April as the alpine house affords does not 

 merit much criticism. True, that everything is confined 

 in a pot or pan and set in rows confined within four walls : 

 but when so displayed the plants become individuals and 

 less one of a crowd, so that their exquisite beauty and 

 charm appeal with far greater force and are much more 

 highly appreciated. 



Though I have singled out Feliruary, March and April 

 for special mention, do not let us overlook the fact that 

 this is the flower time, and that bv judiciously selecting 

 the plants that are to lie grown, the house may be 

 crammed with interest, even as early as December, when, 

 as a rule, the average garden has but little of interest to 

 show. (Jne is called ujxin to stoke no fire, so that cost 

 IS reduced to a minimum; one has no worry as to whether 

 Jack Frost has nipped in and ruined the labor of months ; 

 while the house is left vacant just at the right time to fill 

 up with tomatoes or Summer flowers, as the owner's fancy 

 may dictate. 



The questions arise : 'AVhat kind of house is the best for 

 growing these miniature gems?" "What are the other 

 necessary accessories?" and 'AVhen is the best time to 

 start ?" 



The first essentials is that it should be a span roof 

 building (preferably running ncnth and south), not too 

 lofty and right out in the open, so that it will not be 

 shaded either by trees or buildings. It must be unheated. 

 Let there be no doubt on that point : heat, even the gentlest 

 warmth, is not on!v unnecessary, but positively harmful. 

 Manv arfl nian\- a house that has been used as a green- 

 house and that is fitted with hot water heating can be 

 adapted by the simple expedient of not using the fire ; but 

 no heat must be used — that is final. 



The sole object of an alpine house is to afford protec- 

 .tion against rain, snow and wind, so that the longest pos- 

 sible period of flower perfection can be enjoyed, so that 

 free and abundant ventilation is of the utmost importance. 

 Too much emphasis cannot be laid upon this ; a damp, 

 clammy atmosphere being, with artificial heat, one of the 

 two things W'hich the plants will not tolerate. Bottom, 

 side and top ventilators should be jirovided upon the most 

 generous lines, so that night and day, unless under most 

 exceptional circumstances, a current of air will be passing 

 through the house, carrying away all superfluous moisture 

 with it. The roof ventilators ought not to be quite closed 

 at any time, those below the stage and at the side being 

 used according to the state of the weather. A closed stag- 

 ing is best, consisting of a layer of slate upon which a 

 couple of inches of coke breeze have been spread, though 

 pro|)er facilities must be provided for draining this or it 

 will produce damp. 



So much for the house and its fitment, but — in addition 

 to this — provision must be made for the happiness of the 

 plants at other seasons of the year, while they are not oc- 

 cupying the house. The most satisfactory, from the cul- 

 tural point of view as well as saving labor, is an ash bed 

 in the open ground where the pans can be sunk to the rim 

 and so kept cool and moist. 



This leads us, naturally, to the best period at which to 

 make a beginning, the material to use, and general cul- 

 tural management. Personally, I think there is no better 

 period than Autumn, for so many plants can then be pot- 

 ted on, so many seedlings have made good progress and 

 so many bulbs can be procured from the dealers, that one 

 is sure of a very good display the first Spring. Apart 

 from the consideration of bulbs and seedlings, however, 

 there is no season, except the middle of the Summer, dur- 

 ing which a good beginning cannot be made. 



( )f bulbs and tubers which can be planted during the 

 next few weeks a special note should be made of the fol- 

 lowing: Anemone blanda. with its splendid starrv blue 

 floivers; Anemone neiiiorosa Ruhin^-oniana. the finest and 

 choicest variety of our Wood Anemone ; Crocus species ; 

 Dog's Tooth X'iolets : Fritillar'm aurea, and F. citrina. 

 Meleagris, persica, pudica, and rccurfa; Irises in a large 

 range of species, such as alata (which flowers before 

 Christmas) Bakeriana, oreJiioldcs and reticulata: and 

 Mitscaris in both white and blue. Among the most charm- 

 ing plants of all are the miniature Xarclssi — cychunineits. 

 Bulbncodium, minimus and triandnis : while, as brilliant 

 companions, the little known but interesting dwarf Tulip 

 species provide us with a host of pans for successional 

 jjurposes. Everything in the way of dwarf bulbous rooted 

 ]>lants is very attractive and the flowers open in spotless 

 jHirity under the glass protection. 



Of other jjlants it would scarcely be possible to write 

 exhaustively within the limits of an article, but Primulas 

 and Saxifrages alone (to mention but two genera) would 

 be sufficient to furnish a large house for many weeks with 

 such a display of lovely blossom as few who have not ex- 

 perimented with Indoor alpines would be disposed to 

 credit. Just think for a moment of the various beautiful 

 flowering "Saxies" : the red "mossies," delicious alike in 

 bud and blossom ; the earliest tufted gems, such as Bur- 

 seriana gloria; the Megasea section ; and then the gracious 

 encrusted forms. One can scarcely imagine a more digni- 

 fied picture among all the wealth of theVoiiics than a fine 

 example of Saxifraga longifolia in full flower. The great 

 arching stem, rising one and one-half feet to two feet high, 

 smothered with m_\Tiads of its white flowers, springing 

 from a huge rosette of silvery foliage, forms a glorlou's 

 picture indeed. 



With Primulas, too. the story is the same, .■^ave that here 

 IS an even greater diversity of form, color and perfume, 

 it IS oneof my dreams to possess a small house, filled en- 

 tirely with hardy Primulas, in some future April and 

 May that is to be and, when I do, I know that the result 

 will jjrove that this is not the madness of an enthusiast, 

 but that a real garden picture will result, a picture 

 crowded with varying form, aglow with vivid color and 

 crammed with interest to garden lover, flower lover and 

 botanist alike. 



But even yet we have not exhausted possibilities. There 

 is still a mighty host of Achilleas, Adonises, Campanulas, 

 Daphnes, Kamondias, Herberleas, Scillas, Sempervivums. 

 Statices, Trilliums, \"iolas, etc., that are no less interesting 

 or beautiful. From the end of May onwards, all the 

 plants should be taken into the open again and plunged 

 10 the rim in the ash-bed where a couple of good water- 

 ings a week will be all the care that thev need. Two of 

 these ash-beds are better than one, although both must 

 be in an open position and not overhung by trees. One 

 must be in shade and another in full sun so that all classes 

 (Continued on page 338) 



