43Q 



Garden and Forest. 



[Number 452. 



plants, with some practical suggestions as to the preservation 

 of wild roads and wayside shrubs ; the third is arranged for 

 students preparing to take a botanical course in our universi- 

 ties. Terms and additional particulars may be had on 

 application to Miss M. L. Dock, at 1427 North Front Street, 

 Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. 



Up to the 8th of October 273,287 barrels of American apples 

 had been received at the port ot Liverpool alone, while during 

 the same period last year only 19 554 barrels had been re- 

 ceived, an increase of over a quarter of a million barrels. In 

 a circular of a leading Liverpool dealer it is stated that if the 

 fruit had all been ot the first quality that market could hardly 

 have absorbed this tremendous quantity in so short a time, 

 and especially so early in the season. But since far the greater 

 proportion ot the fruit was defective in condition and had to 

 be lorced off, as it could not be held, the results have been 

 cruel to shippers. Sound and tight barrels ot King apples, 

 from New York and Boston, varied somewhat during the 

 second week in October, but averaged $2.75. although the 

 Canada apples brought a trifle more. Baldwins, Hubbaids- 

 tons, Greenings and Northern Spies sold for lower prices, 

 some ot the best stock bringing only $1.25 a barrel. These 

 were the top prices for the week, but defective and "slack" 

 barrels often brought seventy-five cents less. 



Professor Lamson-Scribner writes to The American Agri- 

 culturist that the United States furnishes thirty per cent, ot all 

 the Grass species of the world, besides a greater number of 

 valuable native forage plants than any other continent. One 

 of the best lines of work looking toward the development of 

 improved varieties is that of bringing our native plants into 

 cultivation. These home species are best adapted to the con- 

 ditions here, and it is tolly to think that better forms can be 

 introduced from Europe or Australia, where climate and soil 

 and the amount ot rainfall are different. The meadow Grasses 

 of our parks, woodlands and mountain slopes, the Grama and 

 Buffalo Grasses of the southwest, the blue stems of the eastern 

 prairie belt, ought to be studied and tested. What we need to 

 do is to go out into the fields and meadows and select and 

 propagate the thrifty grasses and native clovers, persistently 

 working as the horticulturist has done to produce the best 

 varieties of truit, and the florist to secure the most highly 

 developed flowers. Every cultivated grass, grain and fruit has 

 been developed from exactly such small beginnings, and when 

 we take into account the magnitude of our grazing industry it 

 is evident that the line of work indicated is exceedingly 

 important. 



The monks of the Middle Ages were usually sagacious 

 enough to select fertile and sheltered locations for establishing 

 their cloisters, and they surrounded them with rich fields and 

 gardens. At Interlaken, Switzerland, on the deep alluvial soil 

 deposited by the rivers which came down from the great 

 Bernese Oberland, a monastery and nunnery were founded in 

 1 130. The monks planted a grove of Walnuts, Juglans regia, 

 about their buildings and a long avenue connecting the clois- 

 ters with the neighboring village of Aarmuhle. They had 

 learned from the east and south, no doubt, the value of the 

 rich, fruity oil yielded by the walnuts, and to this day it is 

 pressed in quantities here and used as a substitute for olive- 

 oil. The Wainut-irees still survive, hoary witli age, picturesque 

 and venerable. They now line the fashionable promenade, 

 Hoheweg, where the whole world throngs to pay homage to 

 thejunglrau, crowned with her eternal snows. Throughout 

 the couniry round about here Walnut-trees are very common, 

 and they are probably seedlings from nuts which have been 

 carried away by squirrels from the parent trees. To-day, 

 within the walls of the old cloister, the present Kreis Forester 

 of Interlaken has established a little " plant school," where all 

 sorts ot seedlings are grown, to be used in ihe work of pro- 

 tecting the flanks of the mountains against torrents from 

 melted snow. Thus the monks builded better than they knew, 

 and, in a certain sense, the modern forester here is their lineal 

 successor. 



The windows of an underground railway carriage in London 

 would hardly seem to afford any remarkable facilities for bota- 

 nizing, and yet, according to The Globe, a Londoner would 

 have to walk many miles before he encountered such an 

 assortment of wild plants as that which he can inspect along 

 the railway banks, lor example, between Gloucester Road 

 and Earl's Court stations. The flowers are not all wild, for 

 self-sown Marigolds and Sunflowers give a horticultural aspect 

 to some ot the slopes ; but besides these a wealth of plants 

 which are associated with hedgerows along country roads is 



to be found, which somehow or other have fought their way 

 into the midst ot this wilderness of bricks and mortar. The 

 Bladder Campion, for instance, is flowering here profusely, 

 with Mallows, Bindweed, Toad Flax, Coltsfoot and Centaury 

 in large clumps and patches, and, doubtless, they are haunted 

 by the same species of insects which make them their home 

 in the country. As entomologists multiply and moths grow 

 scarce it is by no means impossible that these little railway 

 preserves may come to be the last localities where some 

 insects will exist. Perhaps the district railway may in future 

 make a little addition to its revenue by selling tickets for ad- 

 mission for botanists or entomologists to collect rare weeds or 

 pursue evasive Lepidoptera along the railway embankments. 

 These little centres ot wild life in London, more thoroughly 

 protected between diverging railway tracks than by lines of 

 fences or cohorts of gamekeepers, are truittul of scientific 

 possibilities. 



Excepting asparagus, all the vegetables of the year may now 

 be readily procured. The last eggplants, from near-by farms, 

 sell for ten cenis each, the first irom Florida realizing fifteen 

 to twenty cents apiece. The season tor field cucumbers in 

 the north is about ended, seven cents apiece being charged for 

 the few in stock, and hot-house cucumbers, from Bo=ton, com- 

 mand eighteen to twenty cents. Lima beans still come trom 

 New Jersey, and cabbage is plentitul and cheap. The ship- 

 ments of tomatoes from New Jersey and Long Island are 

 nearly ended, fifteen cents a quart being the price now asked. 

 Radishes, peppers and squashes come trom this and neigh- 

 boring states, as well as sinng-beans, though this vegetable is 

 also received from Norfolk and Charleston. Virginia is send- 

 ing green peas. The cauliflower now offered is notably well 

 grown and showy and sells for fitteen to twenty-five cents a 

 head. The first southern okra of the season, of regular size 

 and even color, brings fifty cents a hundred. Native Brussels 

 sprouts cost fifteen to twenty cents a quart, and die more solid 

 sprouts, imported trom France, twenty-five cents a pound. 

 Sweet corn, tender and of good quality, may be had tor thirty 

 cents a dozen. Pumpkins cost fifteen to twenty-five cents, 

 according to size. Long stalks of beautitully blanched celery 

 come from Kalamazoo, and shorter stalks of equally good 

 quality from Rochester, in this state, and from New Jersey. 

 Salsify costs ten cents a bunch. Other root vegetables in sea- 

 son are carrots, beets, parsnips, celenac, radishes, turnips and 

 onions. Sweet potatoes from Virginia and New Jersey cost 

 twenty-five cents a half-peck. Field mushrooms this week 

 bring sixty cents a pound, the cultivated costing one dollar. 

 Mint, chervil, chives and tarragon are among the greens in 

 season, and for salads there are Romaine, and lettuce from 

 Boston, blanched endive and escarole, and corn salad. 



The New York Flower and Fruit Mission, founded twenty- 

 seven years ago, ended its work for this season last Thursday. 

 Since May, members of the society have, on Monday and 

 Thursday of each week, personally distributed the flowers to 

 patients in the public hospitals, and many sick persons in ten- 

 ements have been reached through missionaries and Bible 

 readers. On the closing day contributions came trom points 

 in Connecticut, northern New Jersey, Long Island and other 

 sections in this state. These flowers have a special charm in 

 their suggestion ot country gardens, meadows and woodlands. 

 The choicest are always sent to patients most seriously ill, 

 while the little bunches which go to the sick blind are made 

 up of the most fragrant blossoms and leaves, lemon verbena 

 being a special tavorite. Among the brightest flowers on 

 Thursday were marigolds, dahlias, scarlet sage, geranium, 

 nasturtiums, cockscomb, zinnias, bachelors' buttons, scabiosa, 

 cannas, phlox and late single sunflowers. Cosmos, ageratum, 

 heliotrope, mignonette, sweet alyssum and balm were other 

 garden flowers, with a tew roses, sweet peas and early chrys- 

 anthemums. Flaming autumn leaves, purple asters, golden- 

 rod, daisies and pink clover had been gathered in wider fields. 

 Slips ot plants and vines came in small boxes, wiih directions 

 for planting in earth or rooting in water, and there were some 

 potted plants, vegetables and truits. During the season new- 

 laid eggs, jelly and other delicacies suitable lor the sick are 

 occasionally received, and these are especially useful. Prob- 

 ably none of our charities are conducted with so little expendi- 

 ture of money. Tire flowers and other material are free gifts, 

 and these in packages not exceeding twenty pounds are car- 

 ried without charge by the express companies. The arrang- 

 ing and distributing is done by some of the members, at no 

 little personal sacrifice during the summer months, when as 

 many as five thousand bouquets have been made in a day ; 

 the use of the room is also tree. 



