8 Jan., 1908.] • Garden Notes. 27 



GARDEN NOTES. 



/. CroHiii, Inspector, Vc gestation Diseases Acts. 



The Pentstemon. 



The garden varieties of the pentstemon are valuable plants for flower 

 beds and borders, as they grow treely with a moderate supply of moisture 

 and plant food and bloom for several months of the year. The natural 

 habitat of the genus is Central America, most of the species being natives 

 of Mexico and California. The plants are of perennial herbaceous habit 

 of growth, and during the growing season freely produce shoots that bear 

 spike-like bunches of long tubular flowers of varied and bright colours. 

 The original species are rarely cultivated now, the hybrid varieties being 

 greatly superior in every way. A species occasionally seen in nursery and 

 special herbaceous collections is P. azurea, the flowers of which, though 

 small and few in comparison with the best hybrids, are of a beautiful 

 shade of blue. This colour is absent in the garden varieties, and its in- 

 troduction would add greatly to the value of the pentstemon. A number of 

 new and improved varieties have been raised during the last few years. 

 An Australian hybridist, Mr. G. H. Kerslake, of Sydney, has contributed 

 several that are said to be a distinct advance on any that have been im- 

 ported. The flowers are not difiicult to cross-fertilize, and as the plants 

 are easily raised from seeds and bloom early wa may expect to see a 

 greater advance in the near future, possiblv — as has- occurred with the 

 chrysanthemum, dahlia, and other garden flowers — an Australian type of 

 this plant. 



One of the principal factors in the value of the pentstemon as a plant 

 suitable for general border culture is its extreme hardiness, the plants 

 enduring a deal of drought and neglect without perishing. The blooms 

 are produced freely during the hot summer months and with a little atten- 

 tion a good display is assured. The pentstemon is not a popular plant 

 with florists who grow flowers for sale, for although the flo\vers last well 

 when on the plants and are freely produced they are not lasting when cut 

 in hot weather. 



Soil and Culture. 



Although the pentstemons will grow and thrive fairly in almost any 

 garden soil they succeed best in a light loam that is well drained. The 

 most common causes of failure are to plant them in wet sour soil, or 

 within the excessive shade and soil starving influences of large trees. 

 When planted in a fairly friable soil that has been moderately manured 

 they will resist conditions severe enough to dastroy many other garden 

 plants. In verv dry situations the plants generally grown in mixed 

 borders will benefit largely by the addition of two or three inches of stable 

 manure spread over the whole surface of the beds as a mulch ; under such 

 conditions the pentstemon will thrive. Mulching should be applied while 

 the soil is in a moist condition in spring. 



The pentstemon is propagated from cuttings, divisions and seeds. 

 Cuttings taken in autumn from the shoots that occur on the stems root 

 readily in sandy soil in a cool frame or sheltered situation. The young 

 plants should be transferred to their flow^ering quarters early in spring. 

 Old plants may be divided in autumn and replanted where they are to 



