Editors Letter- Box. 317 



George Bonelli, Tooele City, Utah. — The exact degree of cold which 

 grape-vines of A'tiarican origin will bear has probably not been determined in 

 every case. Hardy and tender are relative terms. Here, by a hardy vine, we 

 understand one that needs no winter-protection. To this class in Massachu- 

 setts belong the Concord and its seedlings, the Hartford, Clinton, Delaware, and 

 some of the Rogers hybrids. The line where it will be safe to leave a given 

 vine exposed through the winter cannot be drawn exactly. So far north as 

 Massachusetts, it is much safer to lay down and cover with six inches of earth all 

 out-door vines except those we have mentioned. 



This involves some labor, and the vine must be trained with reference to lay- 

 ing it down ; but we think it pays. 



Again : hardiness, or freedom from winter-killing, depends on a vine's having 

 well-ripened wood, as is noticeably the case in the Diana. 



To the Editor of "The Journal of Horticuhure. " 



The soil where I live is deep, heavy sand. I have tried many, very many, 

 varieties of fine strawberries ; have never been successful in getting any of them 

 to grow, blossom, or bear, except the common Red Alpine. Do you, or any of 

 your subscribers, know of any really good and prolific variety which will thrive 

 in our dry sandy soil, and under our tropical sun ? The Red Alpine grown from 

 seed grows profusely, and bears well, but has to be replanted every fall, as the 

 stool comes too high out of the ground. H. G. L. 



Volusia, Fla. 



Mr. William Watson of Brenham, Washington County, Tex., informs us that 

 he has a seedling variety that stands the sun well in light sandy soil. He adds, 

 " I have seen the plants flourish in soil that gets so hot in summer, that children 

 cannot well walk barefoot over the sand. It is now growing in many parts of 

 this State, and all do well. In San Antonio, Tex., where other kinds always 

 failed, it is a perfect success, and has stood the hot, dry summer well." 



D. E. M., Franklin, Mass. — Your plant is Gentiana Andrewsii, or Bottle 

 Gentian, one of our prettiest autumn-flowers. It is easily cultivated, and makes 

 a pretty border-flower. 



Idem. — Four-o'clocks {Mirabilis) make a very pretty mass in the flower- 

 garden, and are well worth planting. The roots may be taken up in the autumn, 

 and stored in the cellar until spring. These roots, in a few years, become very 

 large, so that one will fill a large flower-bed. 



A Novice, Worcester, Mass. — Your flowers are. No. i, Nerine cortcscans ; 

 No. 2, Amaryllis Belladonna, or Belladonna Lily. There is notjjing the 

 matter with the plants from their blooming without leaves. The growth was 

 made during the summer : it died away, and the plant rested ; then the plant 

 flowered, and will immediately begin to grow. The treatment now must be to 

 grow the foliage well, to strengthen the bulb, and secure bloom next summer. 

 We admit that the effect would be better if the plant bloomed with the foliage. 



