GARDENERS' CHRONICLE 



OF AMERICA 



THE OFFICIAL ORGAN OF 

 THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF GARDENERS 



Devoted to the Science of Floriculture and Horticulture. 



THE AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF PARK SUPERINTENDENTS. 



Devoted to Park Development and Recreational Facilities. 



\nl. \1\. 



\( )Vi':.\ir,i'.R, i'U3. 



Xc. 11. 



Things and Thoughts of the Garden 



By The Onlooker. 



Although it is rather late to be choosing Narcissi 

 for potting up, it is nevertheless not too late. Some 

 of the best are often overlooked, and the names of 

 a few may therefore not come amiss. We all grow the 

 old Emperor and Empress as a matter of course. 

 X'ictoria, too, is generallv to be found in the collec- 

 tions, also Barrii Conspicuus. than which 1 think there 

 arc few mure beautiful Narcissi in connncrcc. If it 

 has a su|)eriiir in its own line ol ri-d-cu)) and ^■cll(l\\• 

 |)crianth, this is fuuiid in liluria .Mundi. Then whci 

 could be withuut the ancient but cvcr-reliablc Sir 

 Watkin? — uue of the oldest Daffodils in all the lists. 

 In recent \cars the golden trum])et, King Alfred, 

 has come into merited prominence. It is a vigor- 

 ous grower and is one of the most stately varieties 

 that can be had. As a "white" companion, take 

 Madame de Graaff. Later in point of age came Mrs. 

 Geo. Barr and Mrs. Robt. Sydenham, and each are 

 first-class wdiite self Daffodils. In the chastely beau- 

 tiful Chalice-cupped Narcissi (l.eedsii group) are 

 Evangeline and White Lady ; and in addition may be 

 chosen Seagull. Lucifer, Firebrand, Lady Margaret 

 l!oscawen, \Miitewell and I'llackwell are of the in- 

 com])arable section and are bright and always do well. 

 The chief favorites in the poetaz class are Elvira and 

 Jaune a Merveille : while of the true poeticus varieties 

 three good ones are Cassandra, Homer and Horace. 

 As in the case of Orchids, .America is ages behind 

 Europe in its Daffodils and Narcissi. Not a note or 

 a chapter but a book could be written upon the merits, 

 interest, loveliness and idiocyncrasies of the lunnlred 

 and one varieties of choice Narcissi now ol)tainable, 

 and as some of the European firms might sho\v an 

 inclination to ])art more readily with some of their 

 gems this \'car, it is sinceri'ly to be ho]>ed thai some 

 of mu' wealthy amateurs will have added considerably 

 to their jirevious collections aiul exhibit. them at some 

 of the leading shows, and in that wav prove to others 

 what wonderful grace and ri'lincnient of beauty there 

 are in this family of bulbs. In concluding this para- 

 gra])h I feel impelled to ask why is it that so man}' 

 growers persist in calling the common Daffodil by 

 the name lonquil? The |on(|uil is ])erfectly distinct, 

 anil how the confusion arose is h.ard to understand. 

 I'.v the wa\-, it has becomi- the rule to s]ieak of ;ill 

 Narcissi as Daffodils, although fonnerh that term 

 was rcserxcd onlv for tlu' long trumpet kinds. It is 

 ln'ttcr, too. ,-is it obviates .1 lot of difticidty ;ind con 

 fusion, especially in these d.ays when even the keenest 



specialists don't always know just into what class 

 to |)lace their bloonis without first measuring the 



crown or trumpet with a ta])e or rule I 



* * * 



There are two plants that the present writer can- 

 not miderstand being neglected; one is the .Australian 

 com])osite — although very unlike a composite — Humea 

 elegans ; the other is the so-called Potato-Cherry, 

 ))etter known elsewhere as the Winter Cherry or Chi- 

 nese L.'intcrn. It is e.isih' raised as ;in .innnal Irom 

 seed and cloes well in sandy soil in ,1 w.irm, snnn\- 

 position. The re<ldish terra-cotta, iiiHatcd, roundish 

 calyx or lantern-like covering around the "cherry" 

 (fruit), makes the plant highly decorative for autunm 

 and winter. It is an admirable subject for Hallowe'en. 

 Humea elegans, which has been mentioned in this 

 column more than once before, is a splendid plant 

 either for the conservatory or for the o])en air in 

 summer. For effective sub-tropical bedding there are 

 few better things, but it requires shelter; in a wind- 

 swept place it would not show to advantage. The 

 phants have to be grown on to blooming size before 



iieing set out. Why not try it next year? 



* * + 



.\mong berricil shrubs th;it can be used for indoor 

 decoration are these, including also some of the 

 grasses and such-like ; Bayberry or Candleberry, which 

 grows on hill-sides and waste places along the East- 

 ern coast ; the berries are small and grayish in color, 

 set in clusters close against the stem. S]5rays of Ber- 

 beris Thunbergii and B. vulgaris, the Common Bar- 

 herrv, are excellent. There is also nothing anu'ss with 

 the jet black berries of the California f^rivet. .Several 

 of the Elaegmises are also showy when in fruit, 

 notablv F,uro])aeus. Unngeanus, ])atens, umbellatus 

 and Hamiltonianus. 1-ycium vulgare, a very connnoti 

 and hard}' shrub, is ornamental when berried, as also 

 Loniccra iberica, Rhamnus dahurica, Rhodotypos ker- 

 rioides, \ iburnum lentago, \'. iirunifolia, \'. ( )|)nhis 

 and the fine Snowberry, Symphoricarpus racemorus. 

 Plantings of these for their berry effects is worth con- 

 sidering. In winter thev are much to be prized. 



* ' * * 



Has any one tried the lasting cpialities of different 

 \;irieties of Roses, either of indoor fir outdoor kinds? 

 l'"roni some n<ites made by .1 lady whom I ;nn well 

 ac(|uaintcil with, she found tli.il l.ihcrtx w.is her best 

 criiuson. Mnic. Mud Chatenay and the Lyons Rose 

 her best salmon pinks, Mrs. E. G. Hill, Mrs. (iCO. 



