146 



Garden and Forest. 



[Number 266. 



roots, but it is preferable to do this as they are about to start 

 into growth with the returning warmth and sunshine of spring. 

 Ours liave all been taken in hand and cither repotted or the 

 surface of the material carefully removed and replaced by 

 fresh moss and Fern-root in about ec|ual portions. Many advo- 

 cate the use of loam in the material for some of the more 

 robust-growing sorts, such as C. insigne, but we have always 

 succeeded well without it. Others again recommend the use of 

 moss alone mixed with broken pots, but with the capacity of 

 moss to i^etain water very careful attention is necessary to 

 avoid over-watering. We recently received plants that were 

 potted in moss alone, and their condition was anything but 

 desirable ; they have all been repotted in Fern-root and moss. 

 Sphagnum, even the best, has a tendency to decay rapidly, 

 and when used in any quantity it soon decomposes, and, 

 therefore, should not be used near the roots, but rather on the 

 surface, where it will speedily grow and become green, mak- 

 ing an excellent reminder when water is needed. The " Fern- 

 root" named is that of the several Osmundas, common in the 

 United States, preference being given to those growing in well- 

 drained soil. Two distinct grades of fibre can be obtained 

 from the same mass ; the more recently formed will be brown 

 and spongy and is excellent for the thick roots of Cypripedes 

 to run through, while the older and wiry portions will suit Cat- 

 tleyas equally well. It used to be the rule to elevate the 

 plants above the top of the pot when repotting, but this ren- 

 ders the operation a little more difficult, and is altogether un- 

 necessary, as the plants succeed equally well, and in some 

 cases better, when placed in the pots as other plants are. 



There are few Orchids that are so easy to satisfy as to other 

 conditions. Most Cypripediums will thrive admirably in a 

 temperature of fifty-five degrees at night, and some will stand 

 a much lower temperature, while, again, others need more 

 warrhth, these being such as come from the islands of the 

 Malay Archipelago and their offspring. But a house that can 

 be maintained at sixty degrees at night in winter, with a corre- 

 sponding rise by day, will suit those that come from those 

 warmer countries. Those kinds that have tessellated foliage 

 need shade from bright sunshine at all times, or the leaves 

 will lose much of their healthy green coloring, and this means 

 loss of vigor, as Cypripediums, being devoid of bulbs, do not 

 store up vigor. The green-leaved kinds will stand much more 

 sunshine, though from this time forward shading is desirable 

 for them also. 



The taste for Cypripediums in most cases appears to be the 

 result of education ; few take to them at first as they do to the 

 more showy genera of Orchids, but all are almost sure to ac- 

 quire a growing appreciation of their refinement and elegance 

 as time goes on. A careful selection of a dozen kinds would 

 give flowers every day in the year and a pleasing array of 

 foliage always. The hybridist has done much to improve and 

 refine the quality of these plants, and if I were to select a lim- 

 ited number of the best kinds the majority would be of garden 

 origin. Great advancement is possible in this direction, and 

 proofs of this are constantly visible. The introduction of a sin- 

 gle species new to science makes possible innumerable com- 

 binations out of which much progress is sure to be made. 

 Rigid selection must begin very soon, or what will be the con- 

 dition of the nomenclature of Cypripediums a few years hence ? 



South Lancaster, Mass. O. O. 



The Persian Cyclamen. — II. 



W 



'ITH regard to cultural requirements, the Cyclamen is now 

 much better understood than at any time since its intro- 

 duction. Formerly it was the custom to grow only a few 

 corms, preserving the same plants until they died of sheer ex- 

 haustion. These old corms, grown year after year, were given 

 a severe rest during the summer months. They were, indeed, 

 pretty thoroughly ripened by exposure to the sun, and then] 

 early in autumn, were potted and placed in a greenhouse tem- 

 perature. The corms treated in this way were often, though 

 not invariably, unsatisfactory. Some excellent gardeners still 

 pursue this method, and in good hands it is not unusual for a 

 corm thirty years of age to yield as many as 500 flowers in a 

 single season. 



Usually, however, the younger generation prefer more relia- 

 ble, if smaller, plants, each bearing about 200 Bowers, especially 

 when these can be had, by the modern system of cultivation, 

 in about eighteen months from the time the seeds are sown! 

 The seed ripens about the latter part of June or early in July, 

 and should be sown in August in shallow pans and light sandy 

 soil. The pans should then be placed in a propagating-frame, 

 where, with the proper watering and shading, the seedlings 

 are fit to prick off in October or November. A moist atmos- 



phere and intermediate temperature are now most beneficial 

 to the plants, and they should be placed moderately close to 

 the glass, at all stages of their growth a desirable position. If 

 well grown they can be placed singly in small pots in February, 

 with the corms entirely covered. Later on they should be 

 placed in four-inch pots, and the last shift into five-inch pots 

 should be made early in May. 



The best soil for Cyclamens, from the first potting onward, 

 is composed of equal parts of light loam and leaf-mold, with 

 the addition of well-decomposed cow-manure and sand in 

 small proportion. The plants should be stood in a cold frame, 

 with a solid, moisture-holding floor of coal-ashes or similar 

 material throughout the summer months, and they will then 

 require careful attention. Watering, shading and airing will 

 not admit of neglect, if plants of the highest quality are desired, 

 and in bright weather they should be lightly sprinkled over- 

 head two or three times daily. They may be again transferred 

 to the greenhouse early in autumn, and it will be all the better 

 if the atmosphere is kept rather more dry than when they 

 formerly occupied the same quarters. The application of 

 some stimulating ferdlizer is beneficial while they are bloom- 

 ing. The only insect which troubles the Cyclamen to any se- 

 rious extent is the green-fly, and this is easily held in check by 

 fumigating with tobacco. 



Whether individual plants should be retained or discarded 

 depends upon their quality. Good varieties should certainly 

 be preserved, but such plants will require treatment some- 

 what different from that of younger plants. Less moisture 

 will suffice during the cold-frame period, though the soil 

 should never be allowed'to reach a state of thorough dryness, 

 and the corms should be repotted only in autumn. They may, 

 with these cultural modifications, prove even more valuable 

 than seedlings ; and to employ them as seed-bearers to the 

 moderate extent indicated in the first article, will not affect 

 their value as flowering plants. Cross-fertilization is best per- 

 formed in March and April. The weather is then clear and 

 bright, and the sun has gained sufflcient power to impart a 

 free-working condition to the pollen. There is, moreover, the 

 greatest variety of plants in bloom at this time, affording oper- 

 ators the wildest possible range of selection. But it is useless 

 to embark on this work without some definite aim at im- 

 provement, for good seed may be had in abundance, quite in- 

 dependent of artificial intervention, other than that entailed in 

 the removal of superfluous seed-pods. ,^ t, j 



Cambridge, Mass. M. Barker. 



Sowing Seeds of Annual Plants. — II. 



"Xiy'HILE Sunflowers will do well enough sown in the open, 

 * * nothing is lost by having them early. The Texan silver- 

 leaved and the miniature Sunflower (Helianthus cucumerifoli- 

 us) are among the handsomest and best for any purpose. In 

 noting plants for cutting it is hard to omit the common Helichry- 

 sum, always afavorite with children. The common annual Lark- 

 spurs are constantly in bloom, and their long spikes in various 

 shades of blue, pink and white flowers, single and double, 

 help to make a pleasing variety. When once established in a 

 garden they may be relied upon to take care of themselves, 

 coming year after year. 



Mignonette is another useful plant. It should not be raised 

 in a hot-bed, but sown where it is required to bloom, as it is 

 very hard to transplant. Poppies are becoming popular, and 

 worthily so ; th&y are among the easiest plants to grow. Gen- 

 erally the annual kinds do well, and bloom early enough if 

 sown in the open border in May. As they do not transplant 

 easily it is better to sow a few in pots, and plant them out with 

 a ball of earth. The Munstead varieties of the Iceland Poppies 

 are beautiful. Daneborg has flowers in the form of a Maltese 

 cross, scarlet, with the base of each petal white. Papaver um- 

 brosum, a selected variety of P. Rhseas, is very handsome, the 

 flowers a brilliant crimson, with black at the base of each 

 petal. The Shirley Poppies are, of course, indispensable. 



Sweet Peas, during the past few years, have increased in 

 beauty and variety. There are now many well-defined varie- 

 ties which come tolerably true, and each year brings its share 

 of novelties. Some of the best variefies are Apple Blossom, 

 Boreatton, Countess of Radnor, Emily Eckford, Firefly, Mrs. 

 Sankey and Miss Hunt. The buyer of new varieties will prob- 

 ably find not more than twenty-five seeds in some of the pack- 

 ets. With these special kinds I would advise a plan which I 

 shall try, and which a friend has successfully followed for a 

 number of years. This is to sow Sweet Peas by drills in the 

 hot-bed and pot them off singly in three-inch pots. When 

 established, as they will be in a few days, they should be 

 planted out six inches apart in a double row. When given 

 plenty of room these plants " stool" surprisingly and produce 



