444 



THE GARDENERS' CHRONICLE OF AMERICA. 



sccncii iii:.\tiii-:r icall^xa \ulc.ariS) I'SEn as an euc.ixg for a red of riiohodexdroxs 



planted in a frame three inches apart in a light luani, 

 to which has been added some leaf soil and well rotted 

 manure. Shade the plants during the Summer with 

 slats: this will prevent drying out tuo much during 

 the hot weather, and the plants will make much better 

 growth. The slats should be removed early in Sep- 

 tember. During the Winter a mulch of leaves, with 

 some pine or spruce branches to hold them in place, 

 will ensure bringing the plants through the Winter in 

 good condition. In the Spring they will be ready to 

 be planted in their permanent location. 



In raising 1 leather from seeds a soil composed of 

 equal parts of ]jeat loam and sand is most suitable. 

 Sow about February 1 in pans, covering the seed very 

 lightly, and jjlace in a temperature of 55 degs. When 

 the seedlings are large enough to handle they should 

 be pricked ofif into flats, and grown in a temperature 

 of about 50 degs. About May 20 they can be trans- 

 planted into frames, and given the same treatment 

 already recommended for cuttings. Seeds sown Feb- 

 ruary 1, if not pinched, will flower the following Sep- 

 tember. 



DICTAMNUS FRAXINELLA— GAS-PLANT. 



This old time garden favorite all too little seen in 

 the gardens of today, but well deserving of a jjlace in 

 every one of them, is a herbaceous perennial with a 

 woody base. Its generic name Dictamnus is a Latin 

 word taken from Dictamnos, an old Greek word, and 

 some say, is supposed to indicate the fact that the 

 foliage of this plant is like that of an ash tree, its 

 specific name Fraxinella, meaning a little ash tree, 

 certainly conveys that idea. This plant grows in 

 strong, upright clumps and reaches a height of three 

 feet, and its abundance of flowers, in one variety 

 white, and in others purple, and rosy-purple, make it 

 one of the most beautiful plants in the hardy herb- 

 aceous garden. Indeed, it is attractive to the eye, not 

 only on account of its blooms, but its foliage also is 

 handsome throughout the season and is decidedly 

 and pleasingly lemon scented, and the whole plant 

 emits an oily resinous matter, which in a warm Sum- 

 mer night, if a lighted match be applied, especially 

 right under the flower cluster and close to the main 

 stem, will emit a flash of light, hence the name Gas- 

 plant. 



It is called Llurning-Uush also, because the flowers 

 of the rosy-purple variety in contrast to the plant's 

 dark green foliage appear somewhat like a flame of 

 fire. ' The name Dittany is from the old English 

 word dytan, which is from the old French dictame. 

 which is from the Latin Dictamnus, which in turn is 

 from the Greek Dictamnos. It has been stated at the 



beginning of this brief monograph that some say 

 that the word Dictamnus is supposed to ii*iicate that 

 the foliage of this plant is like that of an ash tree. 

 Henderson in his "Hand Hook of Plants, etc.," and 

 Bailey in the latest edition (if his "Standard Cyclo- 

 pedia of Horticulture," have ]:)oth made this erroneous 

 statement. Dictanuios, the Greek name, was given 

 to this plant, because it grew in perfection on Mt. 

 Dicte on the island of Crete, Dictamnos being de- 

 rived from Dicte. As the linguists would say Diet, 

 the root of Dicte jilus amnos (meaning belonging to), 

 hence the word Dictamnos, Greek, and Dictamnus 

 Latin, means something (in this case a plant) belong- 

 ing to Dicte. The word Dictamnus does not therefore, 

 indicate that this jjlant has leaves like an ash tree, but 

 Fraxinella, the diminutive form of the Latin Fraxinus. 

 an .Ash tree, and meaning a little Ash tree does indi- 

 cate that the foliage of this plant is like that of an Ash 

 tree and in fact it has that form. 



Its jjermanence in the garden is also remarkable ■ 

 "Instances are known," says Johnson, "where 

 Dictamnus Fraxinella has outlived father, son and 

 grandson in the same spot without increase, all 

 attempts at multiplying it, to give away a rooted slip 

 to a newdy married member of the family having 

 failed ; yet the Fraxinella is easily increased from seed 

 sown as soon as ripe in any common garden soil ; 

 they will come up the follov\-ing Spring." This plant, 

 which has to be three years old before it will flower, 

 is a native from Southeastern Europe to Northeri^ 

 China, 



