THE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY OF NEW YORK 



which should be planted in October or early November, may be set in 

 patches or bands along the edges ; don't keep all near the front. Let the 

 Darwin and cottage tulips, narcissi, Spanish and English iris, montbretias, 

 etc., be dotted in little clumps all over the border. 



In using narcissi, it is well to remember that the big trumpet daffodils 

 are in many cases less hardy than the short trumpet section. Of the large 

 ones. Emperor, Empress, and Glory of Leiden are a reliable trio. Prac- 

 tically all of the short trumpets in the Lccdsii, Burbidgci incomparabilis 

 and pocticus groups will improve from year to year, while the newer Poefaa 

 varieties are quite hardy. Although I would not condemn the planting of 

 early tulips, they are far more fleeting than the late section. The latter 

 are better if left undisturbed from year to year, while, under the same 

 conditions, the early tulips rapidly deteriorate. Spanish Iris is sometimes 

 classed as tender, but I have never seen it injured on well-drained land. 

 I have had bulbs, unmulched, exposed to 25 degrees below zero without 

 injury, and I have in mind clumps wliich have been flowering for eight 

 years undisturbed. 



The smaller and earlier flowering bulbs, such as crocuses, snowdrops, 

 scillas, chionodoxas, etc., can be used near the front of the border, or if 

 perchance there is a location where early mowing is not done, grass is the 

 ideal place for them. Bulbs, however, are a big subject and can merely 

 be mentioned here. 



Where gladioli are used, plant them six inches deep ; tliis will keep 

 the ^t'^lks erect without staking. A few words on lilies, the most regal 

 of all hardy bulbs : Lilium candidiim arrives in early September and can- 

 not be planted too soon after arrival. Cover the bulbs four inches deep. 

 A few other really reliable lilies are : Henryi, speciosum in variety, Han- 

 soni, ti(/rinuin, and the glorious new Chinese varieties, myriophyllum 

 (regale) and Sargentiae. These latter are still high-priced, but in a few 

 years will be as cheap as L. speciosum. I have seen acres of L. viyrio- 

 phylliim flowering on a hillside not six miles from the Boston State House, 

 and I consider this the queen of all hardy liliums. Bulbs of the varieties 

 named should be planted in fall as soon as received, and covered nine to 

 twelve inches deep ; some sharp sand can be placed below and above them. 

 No fresh manure must come in contact with them. Use the manure as a 

 mulch instead during spring and summer. 



Dahlias cannot be considered as satisfactory flowering plants in the 

 garden — at least I have never found them to be such, and our New Eng- 

 land climate suits them very well. The type of dahlia to be effective as a 

 garden plant has yet to be evolved. The growing season was prolonged 

 last fall, but too often the plants are just coming into good bloom when 

 frost blackens them. The peony, decorative, and cactus are the best types, 

 and I have found that planting done on or about May 15 gives very good 

 results. 



Annuals form the leading feature in many gardens and deservedly so. 



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