178 



Garden and Forest. 



[Number 427. 



not to be had in quantity and do not increase truly from seed. 

 My friends who work constantly in growing seedlings of 

 choice or abnormal varieties of such plants always have plain- 

 tive tales of reversion to the type, or failures to secure im- 

 proved forms. The Chionodoxas seemed to me to be won- 

 derfully varied this year, but while, perhaps, a dozen quite 

 distinct forms could be picked out, it does not seem worth 

 while to name them, except C. Luciliae, C. Sardensis or C. 

 grandiflorum. Of these, C. Sardensis varies the least, having 

 only two forms, a dark purple with either a white or dark eye. 

 C. grandiflorum would cover all the broader-petaled large- 

 flowering kinds, mostly slaty blue, with red and white varieties. 

 C. Luciliae would well name all the others with purples and 

 white, blue and white, pure white, and pink. C. Tmolu has 

 a claim to name, appearing very distinct in masses, but it 

 would soon disappear among C. Luciliae. In fact, no collection 

 of Chionodoxas could be kept distinct very long, for they come 

 plentifully from seed, and this is mostly cross-fertilized by the 

 insects of the season. These flowers are visited here mostly 

 by a winter-flying insect, which is either the Chrysanthemum- 

 fly or a similar insect. And as it is simply out to eat, and not 

 to store nectar, it visits all flowers indiscriminately, or in rota- 

 tion, and carries pollen not only to the various Chionodoxas, 

 but the Scillas (of the same family) as well. The cross, Chio- 

 noscillas, is often noted by gardeners. 



The Narcissi are now in full glory. They are all so satisfac- 

 tory that it seems invidious to mention names, only more of 

 them should be planted in grass. The best varieties to select 

 for this purpose are the cheapest obtainable, being naturally 

 the most vigorous. But even the Daffodils look pale in con- 

 trast with the rich yellow of Iris orchioides, one of the most 

 satisfactory plants of the season, free-flowering, beautiful, dis- 

 tinct, perfectly hardy and rapidly increasing from year to year. 

 It is, perhaps, the best of the bulbous Irises. The first of the 

 always welcome Tulips have opened, and there is a promise 

 of great bloom, though, as usual, there are too many imma- 

 ture or one-leaved plants, which will not flower 

 Elizabeth. N.J. y.N. Gerard. 



Tulipa sylvestris. — This Tulip grows sparingly in deciduous 

 woods in most countries in Europe. It is one of the most 

 attractive of wild flowers, and it is as eagerly sought after by 

 botanists as the rarest of Orchids. Its chaste yet bright color, 

 graceful habit, in which it is superior to most cultivated 

 Tulips, and its delightful fragrance make it one of the most 

 desirable plants for naturalizing in wild parts of a park or gar- 

 den. The flower, which is comparatively long, is more closed 

 than those of the garden varieties, bright yellow within, slightly 

 tinged with green on the outside. The leaves are linear, 

 rather long and narrow. The species grows preferably in 

 moist, open glades in level woodlands where the soil is deep 

 and rich, without being wet, but also in more shady positions 

 among trees and shrubs, where it flowers more sparingly than 

 in the warm, bright sunshine. It forms little, scattered groups 

 of great beauty, but is now becoming rare. The bulbs are 

 much smaller than those of most other Tulips. 



Newark, N. J. N. J. Rose. 



Correspondence. 



Madison Square Again. 



To the Editor of Garden and Forest : 



Sir, — Your correspondent, S. A., in No. 425 of Garden and 

 Forest, criticises the plan of Madison Square by Messrs. Bell 

 & Langton because the centre of the park is formalized. I 

 think the criticism just. He points out the symmetrical ar- 

 rangement of paths as they exist, and says that the place is too 

 small to contain formal as well as naturalistic effects. A seven- 

 acre piece of ground is certainly too small for effects of wide 

 green lawns if the centre is taken up with a rectilinear scheme 

 covering more than an acre and a half. But seven acres are 

 enough for naturalistic effects of respectable extent. Your 

 correspondents (rightly, as I think) agree that formal features 

 are desirable in a park of this kind. I do not believe, however, 

 in the value of "symmetry" in lines of travel on a place of 

 this size. This symmetry is not very obvious even on paper 

 until emphasized by black lines, and it might be apparent to 

 an observer hovering over it in a balloon. But how shall one 

 who strolls into the square know that the path in which he 

 walks is balanced by a similar on the other side ? Artists 

 in landscape too often forget that their paper plans are decep- 

 tive. Cannot effects of wide green lawns, abundance of shade 

 and so forth be combined in seven acres witli the popular 

 formal effects ? I think they can by relegating the formal de- 



sign to a part of the ground where it will not interfere with the 

 appearance of size. I enclose a design as a suggestion. 

 The points of merit in this plan I think are these: 

 Lines of travel sufficiently direct are provided in all direc- 

 tions. Little attention is paid to the symmetrical look of the 

 paths on paper, but much to the definite and harmonious 

 effect of their lines when laid out, a point of distinct aesthetic 

 value. The formal design is put at the narrow end of the 

 park, where it cannot interfere with the apparent extent of the 

 ground. A circle is chosen (150 feet diameter) as the simplest 



.%.%~%^4^m j&%& 



^ €f $* f &. 



Proposed Plan of Madison Square. 



and most obvious geometrical figure. It contains a row of 

 trees along the circumference (surely an admirable place for 

 seats in the shade), a Lily-pond and flower-beds. It is suffi- 

 ciently separated from the naturalistic part of the park by trees 

 and shrubbery. 



Most of the existing trees are retained, and a good deal of 

 shrubbery is added, to made the park interesting in detail as 

 well as in general effect. 



BB are the statues, C the kiosk, A the Farragut monument. 



At the junctions of paths is plenty of room tor seats. 



Planting is intended to conceal the asphalt as much as pos- 

 sible. 

 Pittsburg, Pa. H. A. Caparti. 



Early Wild Flowers in Southern California. 



To the Editor of Garden and Forest : 



Sir, — Spring-time comes here after the first heavy rains, 

 which may be early or late. The rainfall during the past win- 

 ter has been so limited that we have had the unusual experi- 

 ence at times of something like drought in the rainy season, 

 and this has interfered greatly with the regular growth of 

 native plants. In February, Dodecatheon Meadia, which the 

 children call Shooting Star, was in bloom, and with it came the 

 oddly colored rich brown flowers of Paeonia Browni. The 

 scarlet-flowered Gooseberry was also in bloom, and a shrubby 

 Lupin with long spikes of purple-blue flowers, sometimes six 

 feet high, with ahead as many feet through, was also in flower. 

 In March the Eschscholtzia, or California Poppy, was in full 



