October 14, 1916 



HOKTICULTUEE 



503 



Montbretia Syn. Tritonia 



(See Cover Illustration) 



Indigenous to South Africa, montbretias are mid- 

 summer and fall-iiowerinsj bullious plants producing 

 beautiful spikes of waxy blossoms in brilliant tints of 

 yellow-, orange, orange-scarlet and crimson, Plantations 

 of montbretias survive our winters safely under cover, 

 providing this covering is heavy enough to heep the bulbs 

 from freezing. In doubtful cases it is better to take the 

 bullis up in the fall and overwinter tliem like tlie gladi- 

 olus. JMontbretias planted in s^pring, however, begin to 

 flower from two to three weeks later than those left un- 

 disturbed in the ground. For this reason when growing 

 them for the cut-flower market in masses it is of advan- 

 •tago to overwinter one part of the stock in the ground 

 and lift the other part for spring planting thus getting 

 the nuiin crops apart in time. 



We all are familiar with the two old standard sorts — 

 the golden-orange ^Montbretia crocosmiaeflora and the 

 yellow Gerb d' Or — but comparatively few have So far 

 taken real notice of that grand large-flowering type in- 

 troduced during recent years. Of vigorous growth and 

 very free and productive, the spikes of this new race 

 represent a very desirable material for high-class design 

 work and the filling of \-ases in refined private homes. 

 Tlie cultivation of montbretias in quantities for the cut- 

 flower business has been so far chiefly carried on in our 

 northern summer resorts. The photograph of the two 



large beds of the varieties Germania and Sunset, repro- 

 diiced in the cover cut, was taken by your correspondent 

 at the Mount Desert Nurseries in Bar Harbor, Me.; 

 about seven years ago. It gives us some idea of the 

 crops of flowers which are raised in this famous estab- 

 lishment under favorable climatic conditions and ex- 

 cellent care. 



The great popularity of montbretias as choice cut- 

 flowers among the refined society people should induce 

 commercial growers, and particularly private gardeners, 

 to give them more space and attention than has been 

 given in the past. Growing them for cutting it is de- 

 sirable to start with at least from 2.50 to 500 bulbs of 

 each variety. Planted for garden effect on the border, 

 25 of one shade 5 to 6 inches apart is usually sufficient. 



As the names of montbretias, especially in European 

 trade lisits, steadily increase, I mention a few varieties 

 which have been tried in this country and found dis- 

 tinct) and desirable. Ernest Davison is a very good one 

 in rich orange suffused with carmine. The large flow- 

 ers of Geo. Davison show a bright orange yellow, while 

 Germania still leads in orange scarlet. King Edmund 

 is golden yellow. Lady liamilton yellow with rose shad- 

 ings in the center. Yesuve is an interesting debutante 

 in rich crimson and Goos & Koeneman's latest intro- 

 duction, Tihoingold, with flowers 1-| inches across, rich 

 golden yellow, center marked with crimson brown 

 blotches, will in time prove simply indispensable. 



Glenside, Pa. -^CL^AaXAXJL --^XxftkyU 



HERBACEOUS PERENNIAL GAR- 

 DENS AT THE MASSACHU- 

 SETTS AGRICULTURAL 

 COLLEGE. 



These college gardens are proving 

 of great value to the florists in this 

 vicinity in many ways. Not only Is 

 the reviving interest in herbaceous 

 perennials which is spreading over 

 the country being stimulated, but the 

 florists are awakening to a sense of 

 the value of much native material. A 

 good example of this is our native 

 asters. Long before they were heard 

 of as a cultivated plant in this coun- 

 try, England and Europe had taken 

 long strides in their cultivation and 

 Improvement. Today tlfc Xew Eng- 

 land aster is becoming more and more 

 popular and its beauty of color and 

 abundance of flower are certainly 

 hard to surpass at any time of the 

 year. New colors, too, are being In- 

 troduced from time to time. In roses 

 we have a most beautiful rosy pink 

 variety. The most beautiful, however, 

 is Wm. Bowman, a purple form very 

 much like the type, but a decided im- 

 provement. 



Then, there are also the group of 

 New York asters (A. novi-belgii), 

 probably the best known of the aster 

 group, but not nearly as rich and ef- 

 fective as the New England aster. A. 

 cordifollus, A. laevis and a variety of 

 others — all have great possibilities for 

 some enterprising hybridist. A. cordi- 

 follus is especially beautiful and very 

 easy to raise. 



Another well-known group is the 

 golden-rods. Seldom do we like to 

 admit the truth about ourselves, when 

 It is to our discredit, but it must be 

 admitted we Americana are slow to 

 appreciate art and the beautiful In 

 nature. We are but children when It 

 comes to art. The English prize the 

 golden-rod with its beantitul. stately 



1^' -fim^ "^^^ 





I'lTi-iiiiiiil I'iiinl (..inlfus iit .Ma.ssa.liusi.tts .Vsi'i'"" ui.il I'. ill.-, 



.Vuih.Tst, Mas.*). 



and graceful plumes and rich yellow 

 color above everything. Their gar- 

 dens are not complete without it. 

 And they have produced some greatly 

 improved forms. And to think — only 

 recently we were trying to pass legis- 

 lation to exterminate this pest (?). 



Another group of plants that has 

 come in for a great deal of comment 

 this year is the heleniums. Helenium 

 Hoopesii for spring flowers and H. 

 ■autumnale for the fall are certainly 

 wonderfully useful plants and the 

 sooner the florists of the country 

 awaken to its value the better for 

 their pocketbooks. One enterprising 

 yoimg florist of the vicinity recently 

 used them extensively in a big wejj- 

 ding decoration. The outlay was 



small and the profits very satisfying. 

 And so it goes down the list. Many 

 of these herbaceous perennials make 

 wonderfully valuable material for the 

 retail florist, not to mention the profits 

 from the plants as a side line. 



There are four or five hundred spe- 

 cies represented in the collection 

 here. The aim of the Department has 

 been to .plant the most important spe- 

 cies and all the species found in the 

 average nurseryman's catalogue are 

 to be met with here. The value of the 

 garden has been established and it is 

 to be hoped that the collection will be 

 increased from time to time as funds 

 be.onie available. C. E. Wildon. 



.Amherst. Mass. 



