1 888. 



POPULAR GARDENING. 



63 



is their being hard to pick. If Plums are desired 

 for cooking, the plan of letting thcra drop from 

 the trees will not work, as they are then too soft- 



J. S. Brown was of the opinion that if a late 

 Plum is desired. Golden Beauty is several weeks 

 later than Damson, and of the finest quality. 

 Damsons are often picked before they are ripe. 



Concerning vineyards, Mr. H. G. M'Pike said, 

 our main object in growing Grapes now is to Bnd 

 a good rot-resisting variety combining the good 

 qualities of the Concord and Norton's Virginia. 

 Last year he had grafted most of his vines over, 

 and many have fruited this year. But they have 

 not had a fair test, as the grafts grew so fast that 

 the wood did not mature well. 



Floral Nomenclature and other 

 Matters. 



[Summary of paper by Robt. J. HaJliday, before the 

 New York meeting of the Society ofAmencan Florists.] 



The nomenclature of plants admits of the 

 following divisions: Scientific nomencla- 

 ture; all botanical names given to plants, 

 subject to the universal rule of priority. 

 For example, Ampelopsis, Camellia, etc. 



Floral nomenclature: the naming of varieties 

 by their originator, and here the rule of pri- 

 ority should also be observed, but is not always. 

 An example is Camellia, Jenny Lind, Fuchsia, 

 Rose of Castile, etc. 



Popular nomenclature: much confusion arises 

 from not giving in catalogues and periodicals 

 the scientific as well as the popular name. What, 

 to illustrate, is Boston Ivy? Is it Ampelopsis 

 Veitchii, Seneclo scandens, or a variety of IvyV 



Market house nomenclature: I have designated 

 this but a more fitting appellation would be hum- 

 bug nomenclature, since a name is substituted 

 which not only puzzles the botanist and the 

 amateur, but may "deceive the very elect." 

 How manj' vines are sold as the "Cinnamon 

 vine," the "Wax Plant," "Painter's Brush," 

 "Beefsteak Plant?" 



There is nothing so important as the honest 

 presentation, through catalogues and other 

 advertisements of what we have to dispose ot. 

 To correct scientific nomenclature is not the 

 object of this paper, but the correcting of floral 

 nomenclature and popular names. 



My views are that with a committee much could 

 be accomplished towards amending our present 

 nomenclature, and it is to be hoped that such a 

 one will be ordered here. We need reform in 

 the matter badly, one and all. Our catalogues 

 require pruning. A committee would have 

 great influence, and a rule would be established 

 as general and final, and settling the question as 

 to whether scientific, floral, or popular names 

 should be used, or whether the three are not 

 better than any one employed alone. I am in 

 favor of popular names as well as scientific, but 

 the former must not be misleading; or, are you 

 going to allow them to continue to be known in 

 different parts of the country by as many aliases? 

 This has been the great source of confusion. 



Benaming. This growing practice should be 

 condemned. Allow it to extend, and in a short 

 time many of us ^vlll be classed with those which 

 humbug the public. Plants are advertised with 

 high sounding names, other than those given by 

 the originators; some even going so far as to 

 give pretended warning, "We are the only firm 

 which has the true Eureka," etc., etc. 



Coleus Dr. Gross of the west was taken east 

 and called "NeUie Grant," Heliotrope Madam 

 Blomage from Europe was renamed "Snow 

 Wreath," sent back to England under this new 

 name, returned to us again under the name of 

 "White Lady." Against fraud, fictitious nam- 

 ings, deluding the trade and the public, a tribu- 

 nal is needed whose authority should be recog- 

 nized as effective and final. 



The florist in moderate circumstances, the be- 

 ginner, who has only gone into a modest business 

 for himself, want authority for what is now 

 advertised the country over. 



Every florist should have the right to name his 

 own seedling, (and this right ought to be sacredly 

 preserved to him, and no one allowed to change 

 or rename it) and to place it upon the market as 

 he thinks best. His reputation may be such 

 that it will go at once and upon his own word, 

 but one man's word generally goes but a short 

 way in our line now-a-days; the people want 

 something more reliable. Establish here to-day 

 the suggested committee, and you will at once 

 accomplish much towards laying a foundation 

 for the correction of nomenclature, of substitu- 

 ting, of renaming, and of humbuggery. 



As a practical grower lacking knowledge, I 

 would ask the i)ropcr names and synonyms of 

 the following plants, so they may be catalogue<l 

 correctly. How does Fuchsia Storm King of 

 New York differ from Frau Emma Topfer of 

 Germany? What is the proper name for Ipomrea 

 Me.xicanum? What is the proper name for Rose, 

 Ball of Snow? Is it Boule de Neige of French 

 origin? Is Geranium, White Swan, American, 

 or Cygne which was sent out two years ago? 

 Would not your committee recommend giving 

 the French as well as the English names for not 

 all lovers of flowers, any more than myself, arc 

 French scholars. Is Ipomeea Childsii new, and in 

 what respect does grandiflora differ from bona- 

 nox? What is the correct name of the groat 

 Siberian Lily, so broadly heralded over the coun- 

 try a year or two ago? How does the new Tea 

 Hose, The Gem, differ from Marie van Houtte? 



Substitutingf. By this is meant sending one 

 kind or variety of plant for another ordered of 

 the same color, or nearly so. As for example, 

 sending Rose Cornelia Cook for The Bride. Give 

 to plants known to be good and distinct the seal 

 of the association's approval, and substitution 

 will be seldom practiced. There are some who 

 class substituting with what is more aptly to be 

 designated as fraud, as where a hundred kinds 

 are taken from one batch and labelled to suit the 

 order. This kind of substituting will always be 

 practiced by street venders or peddlers, but, of 

 course, is not thought of for an instant by any 

 florist of reputation. 



Approved Varieties. By some it is claimed 

 that the more names and the longer lists the 

 more demand. Henceforth I hope our practice 

 will be fewer names and more distinct kinds. 

 Take for instance the Roses. Agrippina and 

 Queen's Scarlet, so near alike that one of them 

 will answer every purpose. Then we ha\e Hoi 

 de Cramoisie and Eugene Beauharnais, I do not 

 say that these are identical with Agrippina, but 

 they are very similar. Go through the Teas, the 

 Bourbons and the Hybrid Perpetuals in the 

 same way, and the florist with moderate glass 

 will be able to compete for popular favor; the 

 beginner will not be bewildered, and the amateur 

 will not be humbugged, and our business will be 

 conducted by a higher standard. Then those 

 living far from floricultural centers would have 

 something else to depend upon than the flaming 

 catalogues description. 



It would be no part ot the duty of the com- 

 mittee to condemn any plant, save upon sufli- 

 cient evidence that there is fraud connected 

 with its introduction or naming. The indorse- 

 ment or authorization— say the initials S. A. F., 

 or any other mark to be adopted, would be a 

 guarantee that it had received the favorable 

 verdict of 12 competent judges, confirmed by a 

 majority vote of the members of the association. 



Some plants like the following might be desig- 

 nated and decorated with the sign of the asso- 

 ciation's approval if deemed worthy: Asi>idistra 

 lurida variegata, Pandanus Veitchii, Palm, 

 Latiinia borbonica. Palm, Seaforthia elegans. 

 Cyclamen Persicum, Acacia pubescens, Farfu- 

 gium grande, etc. 



Many may ask what would be done with Roses, 

 etc. of recent introduction, for example, Prin- 

 cess Beatrice, Meteor, Viscountess Folkestone, 

 Ye Primrose Dame, Puritan, Luciole, etc. These 

 are all advertised and catalogued as fli'st-class in 

 every respect, but, would a committee of twelve 

 men give such an endorsement? It is doubtful 

 as they have not been long enough disseminated 

 for their true chai'acter to be known. Members 

 should be invited to submit lists of plants grown 

 and offered for sale by them, for the committee 

 to pass upon; and as this was done, in the course 

 of time we would clear oft the rubbish. 



New plants and those ot recent introduction 

 should he fully tested before receiving the 

 sanction of the association, if not worthy of ap- 

 proval they will fade from lack of notice. 



What of the Future for Marketing 

 Fruits. 



[B. F. Adams, before the State Horticultural Meeting, 

 at Platteville, Wis.] 



As population and wealth increase, wants 

 multiply rapidly. Over 40 years ago a cargo 

 of Apples was brought to Milwaukee, but 

 sold slowly, and the owner soon became 

 convinced that had his barrels been filled 

 with groceries, coarse merchandise, etc., he 

 wjuld have realized more profit; the citizens 

 of the young metropolis were then all so 



busy speculating that they could not buy 

 more than one Apple at a time. 



The farmers planted Apple seeds, and set trees 

 obtained from other states and awaited results 

 which were unsatisfactory; and the first trials at 

 Apple, Pear, and Peach growing in the northwest 

 demonstrated the fact that the generation mak- 

 ing them must buy fruit if it obtained a supply. 

 A large per cent of our population now regard 

 them as necessarie.», and the quantity .shipped 

 into the northwest is enoriuous and increasing. 

 We have improved on our first efforts, but con- 

 siderable time will yet be required to fill this 

 northwestern land with home grown fruit. In 

 summer time and autumn small fruits are plenty 

 in our markets and sometimes apjicar in great 

 abundance. Twenty-five years ago only a limited 

 quantity of small fruit was gi'own, and so ignor- 

 ant then were our people generally, that only 

 here and there were they grown. 



I have seen small fruits raised near the Missis- 

 sippi, sent to Chicago, and then reshippcd over 

 another railroad three fourths of the distance 

 towards this river and sold, thus making betiveen 

 300 and tOO miles transit when 100 miles direct 

 shipment would have placed it at the selling 

 point, in better condition and sold for more 

 mone.v and given the consumer better satisfac- 

 tion. Those best qualified to realize profits from 

 growing fruit in the future will be the ones who 

 not only relish the business but understand 

 thoroughly all its details, its requirements and 

 its contingencies. So much rosy literature on 

 fruit growing has been scattered that many have 

 been stimulated to embark in it that have not 

 even a conception of its requirements, so failures 

 are quite common. 



The market for fruits will continue to expand 

 with increasing population; choice fruit in larger 

 quantities and at even lower prices are in future 

 prospect. To the few engaged in growing small 

 fruit 15 or 20 years ago in this region the profits 

 were large, but now they must grow and handle 

 four or five times the quantity once required to 

 supply the market, and receive from one half to 

 one third less money. Were it not for careless 

 cultivation, management,and severe winters less- 

 ening production, the price would be still less 

 than it now is. Still even now we do not produce 

 enough fruit to supply our population, but we 

 cannot depend on high prices, for the facilities 

 of transportation are so vast and varied, and 

 fruit districts so numerous where it can be grown 

 cheaply, that all who can buy will not likely want 

 for a supply. 



Many millions will yet people these cold north- 

 western States and beyond, fruit will find a ready 

 market; audits cheapness will depend largely on 

 the cjuantity of home grown fruit. Discourage 

 the growing of it under the plea that the climate 

 is unfavorable and other products can be raised 

 at so much greater profit that we shall have a 

 purchasing power and we certainl.v will not buy 

 fruit cheai>ly. It is the aim and policy of this 

 society to redouble its efforts to stimvilate the 

 cultivation of fruit in Wisconsin, for if it be true 

 that the average income of American farms is 

 only about $.500 per annum, the purchasing 

 power of the average farmer is not very great, 

 and unless he grows some fruit he will probably 

 live without it. 



In Strawberries we can do better than shipping 

 them to Chicago. Take this one fruit, which we 

 have been growing more than any other fruit, 

 and the consumption has increased from 100 

 quarts to 1,000 quarts with a potiulati^Mi of 12,000 

 to 14,000 inhabitants, and I shall expect to make 

 money out of it hereafter, only we shall have to 

 handle it more skillfully and watch the market. 



Ohio Gardeners on Deep Drainage. 



IDincussioyi at Ohio State Hort. Society Mcetiitg.] 



C. W. Harris : The best way to water land 

 is to drain it four feet deep. Subsoil, if 

 possible, before planting. One foot ot loose 

 ground will hold a good deal more water 

 than a foot of hard ground. In the cotu-se 

 of time it will become loose tour feet down, 

 regardless of how hard the soil may be. As 

 far as the water goes, the air will penetrate 

 the capillaries of the eartli work and fetch 

 up moisture. .Just so far as you can loosen 

 and warm the ground, so far it will bring up 

 moisture. Subsoil your ground and it will 

 be like a sponge, if not, it will be like a 

 baked pancake— thin. 



M. T. Thompson . Subsoiling four feet deep, 

 has been my idea for years. I woidd rather have 



