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I GARDENERSXHRONICLE 



I (OF AMERICA) 



I Devoted to the Science of Floriculture and Horticulture 



■ Vol. XXVll 



iiiiiii 



JAMUAKY, 1923 



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Things and Thoughts of the Garden 



WILLIAM N. CRAIG 



No. I 



III 



o 



c 



c 



8^i 



TIIP3 continuous stream of seed catalogues at this sea- 

 son concentrates our tliuughts once more on the 

 garden and what we shall plant the coming season. 

 The first and most sumptuous of these catalogues came 

 to hand as nearly as December 10 from Sutton and Sons, 

 England. Our English friends send out their seed lists 

 much earlier than we do, because Spring over there 

 starts while the ground here is still buried in ice and 

 snow, in fact, it is only occasionally that they have a 

 Winter sufficiently severe to delay outdoor seed sowing 

 until March. There is much pleasure to be derived from 

 the perusal of the incoming seed lists on cold Winter 

 days when a mantle of white covers terra firma and the 

 thermometer flirts with the zero mark. We are always 

 specially interested in the novelty lists. The descriptions 

 are often fanciful and thrilling, and we feel impelled to 

 try a packet of one or two of the new things catalogued. 

 This is an excellent idea, for we cannot afiford to be too 

 conservative in the garden if v^-e want to make it at- 

 tractive and appealing. Harmonious blendings of colors 

 in the flower garden are unquestionably the first con- 

 sideration, but if one can work in a few novelties, they 

 seem to .give an added spice. Only a limited proportion of 

 the new things come true to their laudatory descriptions, 

 but if one or two make good, surely we are amply repaid 

 for trying them. 



:;: ^ j}i :!< ^ji 



The omnipresent scarlet salvias, red geraniums, yellow 

 and red cannas, and other subjects which form the 

 principal staples of the average florist who handles bed- 

 ding plants, are tabooed in many gardens, and rightly so, 

 but that they still have a place and a warm place in the 

 hearts of many, none can deny. To many, a mass of 

 scarlet salvias, cannas, or geraniums, is one of the finest 

 possible floral pictures and they would much prefer them 

 to a garden of perennials and annuals, painstakingly 

 planted and religiously culled as to colors so that there 

 will be no floral conflicts. We may pity those who do not 

 view things as we do, but let us be glad that they love 

 flowers at all. see beauty, and find enjoyment in them. 

 Some day they may try other plants and produce more 

 festhetic eiifects. I can see a steady advance among 

 amateurs, and in increasing number find mixed plantings 

 in lx)rders of bulbs, perennials, and annuals, vastly more 

 satisfying than the former stereotyped masses of such 

 subjects as we have named. 



ij: ^ + ^ ^ 



In purchasing flower seeds, I would commend an in- 



creased use of beautiful single Chinese asters. The 

 variety, Southcote Beauty, obtainable in a number of 

 colors is lovely. Seed may be sown from the end of 

 l-'ebruary until the middle of June if a constant succession 

 of blooms is wanted. The flowers are large, averaging 

 four inches in diameter, and are carried on stems twelve 

 to twenty-four inches long. The colors include mauve, 

 pink, white, scarlet, coppery rose, and crimson scarlet. 

 If possible, asters should have a change of soil, which 

 will help to eliminate stem rot and yellow. The black 

 beetle which loves to devour the opening flowers, can 

 be controlled by a spraying of Paris Green in water, an 

 ounce will suffice for ten to twelve gallons, and if a little 

 lime is added, the danger of burning will be prevented. 

 Thus weakly applied, the poison will finish the beetle and 

 not discolor the flowers noticeably. 



Anchusa, Dropmore and Opal, are well known 

 perennials with somewhat coarse foliage. The color, how- 

 ever, is excellent in the garden. Too few garden lovers 

 sow the pretty annual Anchusa which has forget-me-not 

 like flowers and small foliage, which resembles a glorified 

 mj'osotis. It flowers in eight to ten weeks. From seed 

 sown as late as the end of June, it will make a lovely show- 

 ing of bloom from September onwards. This Anchusa 

 can be sown where it is to flower, or transplanted. Those 

 who have not grown the old Salvia sclarea, (Clary) an 

 old-fashioned mauve-colored variety, should try it and. 

 of course, none should overlook Salvia farinacea with 

 lavender flowers, a good flower and most effective in the 

 garden. It is also excellent for cutting. For those want- 

 ing a free flowering blue annual of moderate growth, I 

 would recommend the blue shade of Phlox Drunmiondi. 

 and in mountain and shore resorts, Nemesia, Blue Gem. 

 succeeds very well, as does the upright flowering Lobelia 

 tenuior. Browallia speciosa major blooms a long time in 

 the garden and its large, bright blue flowers are most 

 eft'ective. It furthermore makes a fine basket plant. There 

 is no animal suitable for border purposes which is a more 

 per.sistent bloomer than Torenia Fournieri grandiflora 

 witli violet, blue, and white flowers. 



Ipomcea, Heavenly Blue, is an unusual sky blue morn- 

 ing glory, which is more delicate than the ordinary morn- 

 ing glories, or convolvuli as they are still often called. 

 It must be started in a greenhouse and not planted out 

 until we have really warm and settled weather. It also 

 makes a lovely plant for greenhouse or conservatory 



