For May, 1923 



129 



Foreign Exchange Department 



THE ROCKY .MOUNTAIX COLUMBINE.— It would be 

 difficult to name a Columbine which is quite so attractive as 

 Aquilegia cctrulea. It also possesses the merit of being distinct, 

 the iJerfectly upright poise of the flower at the head of the stem 

 being a characteristic almost unique among its kind. This ver\' 

 lovely species is of somewhat slight growth, yet quite rigid and 

 erect. The comparatively scanty, glaucous foliage, small-leaved 

 and delicate, is mainly gathered about the base of the flowering 

 stem, which latter ascends to the height of about 1 foot. The 

 long-spurr.';d blossoms are very large, creamy white in the centre, 

 the remainder being a good lirm blue with perhaps the slightest 

 hint of cool lavender to complete a most delightful tone. These 

 flowers open early (before most others), and this is a matter of 

 no small moment, since it ensures a crop of true seed, which is a 

 boon to many who have to treat A. ccerulea as a biennial. This 

 plant, however, is by no means always difficult. It is often quite 

 permanent in gardens, where it can be afforded a gritty, or even 

 stony, soil with some leaf-mould. But while it must not be too 

 sodden in Winter, it undoubtedly enjoys a cool root-run, such as 

 a. rock garden ledge sloping to the north-west might afford. Seed 

 germinates quite freely and the young plants give no trouble. — 

 The Garden. 



THE AFTER-CARE OF AZALEAS.— Xo hard-wooded plant 

 is more beautiful in its season of flowering than the Azalea, and 

 in the hands of an amateur gardener, unfortunately, no plant re- 

 ceives less consideration immediately its blooming season is over. 

 In numerous small houses Azaleas arc hurriedly withdrawn when 

 the flowers have faded, to make way for something else coming 

 into beauty. It is the harsh treatment meted out to these showy 

 flowering shrubs which makes for failure the following season. 

 Too seldom does the amateur recognize the importance of con- 

 tinuing the plants in the same genial atmosphere, w'ith attention to 

 watering and syringing to induce new growth, before any attempt 

 should be made to place the plants in cooler quarters. I am not 

 drawing an imaginary picture when I say that a cold frame in 

 Spring, where the temperature at night approaches freezing point 

 often, and where the roots are allowed to tecome dry, does not 

 conduce to an output of new growth, yet one may see this every 

 year. Surely, the beauty of Azaleas is such as to warrant special 

 attention being given them as soon as their blooming season is 

 over, and to pay regard to watering, bearing in mind the close, 

 retentive nature of peat in which they are grown. With all hard- 

 wooded plants, when watering is needed it ought to be done 

 thoroughly to ensure the roots getting full benefit. — Gardening 

 Illustrated. 



EXOTHERA SPECIOSA.— This Xorth American plant is 

 lovely, carpeting a bed of La Tosca Rose. The large, satiny white 

 flowers, which change to a rosv shade with age, are produced in 

 great numbers upon the 18-inch stems, and are lovely by day, as 

 well as night, when their charming fragrance is more in evidence. 

 It is a choice and graceful plant, with wiry stems, and is most 

 desirable and lasting as a cut flower. Although of perennial 

 character, it is not strictly hardy everywhere, for which reason 

 a few cuttings should be taken about the end of September each 

 year and placed in a closed frame, where they strike freely. — 

 Gardeninii Illustrated. 



DIGITALIS AMBIGUA.— There is much to be said for the 

 yellow Foxglove as a plant for the sunny or shady border, or for 

 naturalizing in the woodland garden or shrubbery. Though much 

 lower in stature than the common native species, D. ambigua is 

 very rigid and erect, not given to being blown over, nor does it 

 look shabby when the bells begin to fall. The prettily tapered 

 spikes (about 18 inches) rise from a tufty rosette of long, pointed 

 leaves of a rich green, and smaller leaflets of the same narrow- 

 form grow upon the lower parts of the flowering stem. This 

 species has. moreover, a perennial nature to recommend it, and it 

 will, as has been suggested, produce self-sown seedlings in any 

 suitable situation. The flowers are a good size and much superior 

 in color to those of D. lutea or leucophylla. — The Garden. 



POTEXTILLA XEPALEXSIS WILLMOTTL^.— If it were 

 only on account of its long blooming season this Potentilla would 

 rank high among rock plants, for it is the first to come into flower 

 in early Spring, and carries on until nearly Christmas. It has, 

 however, other claims to attention, among which is the lovely 

 cherry red of its wide-open flowers with their eyes of jet set off 

 by anthers which sparkle with gold dust. P. Willmottis is, more- 

 over, very easy to please, asking no more than a sunny spot in any 

 free soil, and there it will prove quite hardy and permanent. It 

 is as neat and orderly in shape as it is beautiful, and seldom ex- 

 ceeds 6 inches in height. — The Garden. 



GILLEXIA TRIFOLIATA.— For a cool soil, or bog. with or 

 without shade, Gillenia trifoliata is a plant whose grace of form 

 will win it a place among the choicest Spiraeas, to which it bears 

 some aflinity. This is a herbaceous perennial, quite hardy, growing 

 up to about 2 feet, and making a bold mass of its three-lobed 

 leaves and many-branched stems which terminate in the flower 

 sprays. These latter are not showy, nor are they produced in any 

 great abundance, but the little white stars are very refined and 

 delicately beautiful. — The Garden. 



LIXX.EA BOREALIS.— The Twin Flower of northern forests, 

 Linnsa borealis, is the delight of all who can please its capricious 

 nature and the despair of all to w-hom it will offer no response. 

 Yet it is not as difficult a plant as many alpines. What it chiefly 

 needs is a cool root-hold in a sweet old vegetable mould and, if 

 possible, a half-buried and mossy decayed stump over which it 

 can send its prostrate trailing growths which root as they proceed. 

 A half-shaded or quite sunless spot appears to suit this plant best, 

 although when established it will often do well in full sun. Fre- 

 quent sprayings during the first Summer, with shelter from parch- 

 ing winds, are undoubtedly helpful. The two flowers, which are 

 borne on short, erect stems at intervals along the creeping 

 branches, are a delicate rose pink and indescribably dainty. L. 

 americana (canadensis) has rather larger blossoms of a slightly 

 deeper color. This form which, by the way, is more amenable to 

 cultivation, flourishes all through the more westerly woods of the 

 Canadian Rockies and extends right down to the sea in British 

 Columbia, making any moist and mossy place its home. — The 

 Garden. 



CUTTING AND PACKING FLOWERS.— To cut and pack 

 flowers at once is a mistake, especially during hot days, wdien 

 much of their moisture will have been evaporated, and they are 

 liable to lose the rest by breeding or absorption. If the flowers 

 are to be sent away early in the morning they are best cut over- 

 night and packed in pans or jars of water, and they should be 

 cut in the morning and similarly treated if they are to be des- 

 patched in the evening. They will thus be perfectly fresh and 

 their stems charged with moisture. Roses especially should not 

 be packed in a full-blown state ; to be really serviceable when 

 they reach their destination, they ought not to be more than half- 

 blown when cut. Most other flowers should be fully expanded, 

 and should be cut as soon as that stage is reached. It is only a 

 disappointment to send anyone a quantity of single pelargoniums, 

 as, unless these are gummed, they are certain to fall to pieces, 

 and there are a few other single flowers that are not much better 

 in that respect. Water lilies, which are so much prized, should 

 be cut and packed when the buds are just bursting, and those 

 receiving them must open the petals with the hand. The iris family 

 should also be packed in a bud state ; primroses, snowdrops, 

 pansies, and other small flowers are best bunched, and these will 

 thus be found to preserve one another. Many err in being too 

 cautiou.s — do not, in fact, pack the flowers close enough. The lid 

 ought always to fit down tightly, as the flowers are certain to 

 shrink somewhat, and, beini laid flatlv and closely, are not so 

 easilv crushed as some may imagine. Wooden boxes are the best 

 to use. There is no better packing material than clean fresh moss, 

 and no w-orse than cotton wool, which robs the flowers of their 

 moisture, sticks to them, and spoils their appearance. — Gardening, 

 Illustrated. 



PROPAGATING RHODODENDRONS.— The best method 

 of propagating rhododendrons is by layers. This is far better 

 than grafting, but, unfortunately, only a few nurseryman adopt 

 layering to increase their stock. Layered plants make the 

 handsomest bushes, and, of course, one is not troubled with 

 suckers of the R. ponticum or other kinds employed as stocks. 

 The layers may be put down in Spring, and again in early Autumn. 

 Peat with a quantity of sand added is the best soil in which to in- 

 sert the lavers. The lower branches must be utilized for the pur- 

 pose. If they cannot readily be brou.ght down to the ground, you 

 may cut a notch halfway through the branch, so that it will bend 

 but not break away totally from the parent plant. Last season's 

 growths make the best layers. Strip oft" a few of the lower leaves, 

 then take the shoot in the left hand and make a cut about VA 

 inches in length with a sharp knife up the centre of the shoot. 

 This is technicallv called tongueing the shoot. A flat 

 layering-trowel, with a straight edge, should be at hand. In- 

 sert this in the soil so as to make a cut about 5 inches or 6 inches 

 deep. Then bend the prepared shoot very gently, and fix into the 

 soil with some wooden or wire pegs in such a manner that the 

 tongue_ formed by the cut points dow-nward. See that it rests upon 

 the soil at the bottom of the opening made by the trowel, then 

 press the soil firmly around the layer with the handle of the latter, 

 and the operation is complete. If dry weather supervenes, a water- 

 ing now and then will he beneficial. The layers make the best 

 plants if allow-ed to remain on the stool two years, although they 

 will root more or less freely in twelve months. The flower-buds 

 should be removed from the layers before inserting in the soil. — 

 Gardening. 



