352 



THE GARDENERS' CHRONICLE OF AMERICA. 



long run. Uf course, if a man tries and honestly fails, 

 that's another matter, and we gardeners all know the in- 

 numerable difficulties that bestrew our path at times, be 

 we ever so willing. Yet, "if at first you don't succeed." 

 perhajis you will the next time. Anyway, you'll better! 



But to hark back to Sweet Peas. What would you call 

 the one best variety of the year? Aly own choice is Royal 

 Purple. It is a fine bold flower of graceful build, comes 

 quite true, no rogues so far as I have seen, and the color 

 is so distinct and pleasing, .\fter this, what's the next ? 

 If the choice were based on Newport's show, the award 

 would fall on Burpee's New X'ermilion Flake, a bright, 

 highly attractive rosy flaked variety, very captivating. 

 Une hopes it is a good doer and vigorous. Florence Hin- 

 ton proved to be the gem of whites. Where was King 

 White? Has it fallen down this vear? Some folks can- 

 not get it to grow, and certainly it has not Ijeen a shining- 

 star in the writer's own small collection. Loyalty was 

 very finely shown all through, while Robert Sydenham 

 ( orange ) made many friends, and will be greatly in de- 

 mand another year. Illuminator, too, was one of the best 

 of the carmines. Of the cream varieties there were good 

 bunches of Bobbie's Cream, Clara Curtis, Isabel Malcolm 

 and Primrose Spencer, with little to chose between them. 

 Jessie Cuthbertson is seemingly the leading red flaked 

 varietx', leaving America behind, although the latter has 

 brighter red stripes and is the fancier flower nf tiie two. 

 Lady Evelyn Eyre is the finest light blush pink. Mrs. 

 C. W. Breadmore. Elfrida IVarson, Mrs. Routzahn. New 

 Margaret Madison, Rosabelle, Hercules, Xubian, Scarlet 

 Emperor, Mrs. Hugh Dickson and Mrs. Cuthbertson 

 were also among the first varieties on view. Burpee's 

 Fierv Cross (scarlet) won the silver medal this \ear, 

 while the same firm had certificates for President ( crim- 

 son ) and Cherub (cream and pink ), two e.xcellent flowers. 



W hether Sweet Peas in tubs will he as succe>sful in a 

 hot, dry year as they have been this year, which has been 

 notably cool and showery, is scarcely to be expected, but 

 many small growers will assuredly be testing their skill 

 another year with this form of cultivation. For setting 

 about on terraces or other prominent places these pyra- 

 mids of bloom are decidedly eft'ective and beautiful. The 

 competition was good, and there were many specimen 

 tubfuls on view. The [ilants were raised in .^-in. pots 

 and set out in April in the tubs, which were about 20 in. 

 wide and rather deeper. Cow manure to a depth of half 

 a foot was packed in the bottom and a good loamy com- 

 post used. Tall birch branches were employed for 



supports. 



* * * 



Lately I have been taking an interest in the Pinks. 

 They are a fine family of plants if we include the Alpine- 

 species that are so adaptable for the rock gaiden. such 

 as superbus, csesius and glacialis. These ought to be 

 made use of far more. Then there are the Cushion or 

 Grass Pinks, otherwise called Scotch, Hard}', E\erbloom- 

 ing or Pheasants'-eye Pinks. These are all varieties, 

 whether they be double-flowered or single, of Dianthus 

 plumarius. This is the parent of all the Pinks ( but not 

 the Carnations, which also sometimes go by the common 

 name of Pinks. In Scotland, and in the hands of 

 several English nurserymen, these hardy Pinks have 

 been much improved and are great favorites. They 

 are among the easiest plants to succeed with, 

 given a fairly heavy soil that retains moisture, 

 but not stagnant moisture. They are propagated 

 either, by layers or pipings, the layers being taken now 

 (.August), the pipings (or cuttings) in April. While the 

 singles make a bright show and are very free, it is the 



improved double varieties either in the wliite or "laced" 

 forms that deserve most attention. In the latter the red 

 coloring is in zones and as edgings upon the petals. The 

 flowers are full, fragrant, with serrated or fringed edges, 

 and freely produced on stems 1 ft. high or so. Seedlings 

 can also he raised, but for named varieties the layers are 

 relied upon. .A. perpetual flowering strain has been added 

 during recent years, and for forming an edging line to the 

 hardy border they are greatly in favor with many good 

 flower gardeners. In addition to these true perennial 

 Pinks there are the varieties of the China or Indian Pink 

 (Dianthus Chinensis). In milder localities such as near 

 the sea or in light soils in sheltered positions, some of 

 these linger through the winter, especially if protected 

 a little with dry straw or leaves, and may, and often do, 

 produce a blaze of color the succeeding summer. There 

 is, of course, the variety latifolius atrococcineus, with 

 much fringed, fiery scarlet flowers of large size, which is 

 looked upon as quite hardy and lasting two or more sea- 

 sons, but it seems to me to be simply a form of China 

 Pink. The majority of the varieties of D. Chinesis, at 

 an\- rate, are best treated as annuals by being sown in 

 a warm greenhouse in pans in February, the seedlings 

 pricked oft into boxes, 4 inches deep, and brought along 

 in a frame or cool house, safe from frost, until it is time 

 to bed them out in colonies, in a sunny spot, in May or 

 June — May preferably. They begin to bloom early in 

 July or before and arc among the gayest of summer 

 subjects. The Marguerite Carnations can be treated 

 likewise and will flower at the end of July and continue 

 for the remainder of the summer. A good strain will 

 produce 75 per cent, of excellent double flowers from 

 seed. They can be lifted in fall and be potted for flower- 

 ing in the greenhouse. 



It will Ije interesting to observe whether Mr. Smith, in 

 his list of plants suitable for the rock garden, will men- 

 tion any or many of the Oxalises. The thought occurred 

 to me when I saw several trials of them at the Fordhook 

 harms of W. Atlee Burpee & Co., that here were plants 

 that could quite well be made use of for this part of the 

 garden. True, we have (Jxalis enneaphylla, the pretty 

 glaucous leaved species, as one of the favorites now, but 

 speaking generally the genus has not had a large place 

 in the rock-garden. There is no reason surely, why nice 

 masses of such kinds as floribunda, rosea, rosea delicata. 

 valdiviensis. and others of the herbaceous or annual 

 types could not be sown and flowered in prepared posi- 

 tions, or here and there in pockets. .As a rule there are 

 plenty of spaces that require filling. They are dwarf, 

 grow freely with a modicum of care, bloom well over a 

 long period in midsummer, and would occupy somewhat 

 the same position here that the mossy Saxifragas do in 

 European rock-gardens. Any evidence to the contrary 

 w ill be only less welcome to evidence supporting my views. 



Most of the (Jxalises come from dry-land countries, 

 as Mexico. Chili, South Africa and Malta. 



Reference to Mexico brings to mind the fact that all 

 of it is not dry. This is the native land of our popular 

 cultivated Dahlias. There they grow rank and tall, 

 usually in cool semi-shaded places, or positions screened 

 from the burning midday sun, and with their roots in 

 moist, very freely drained soil. The evolution of the 

 double Dahlias, the cactus varieties, pompons. Peony- 

 flowered collarettes and other types from the species D. 

 variabilies and D. Jaurezii is an interesting story. By the 

 way, the cutting down of Dahlia stems has not been 

 necessary this year, although it was done as a matter of 

 course by some growers. The object of such cutting back 



