April 2, 1890.] 



Garden and Forest. 



169 



The bright yellow flowers of Cytisus racemosus (or fragratts) 

 are also much appreciated; in fact, this may be said to be the 

 most useful yellow-flowered plant for decorative purposes 

 during the winter and spring months, its long racemes of 

 flowers hanging down or standing out in accordance with the 

 arrangement in view, but always graceful and pleasantly 

 fragrant. 



This Cytisus is readily rooted during the spring, and if potted 

 on as the roots require more space and pinched back occa- 

 sionally, will make shapely plants of fair size for use the fol- 

 lowing season. Lily-of-the-Valley, in flats and in pots, finds a 

 ready sale, as do Daffodils and Tulips, the varieties of the latter 

 that are used in this way being few in number, and compris- 

 ing about half-a-dozen sorts of those generally used for 

 forcing. 



Freesia refracta alba is also to be had in pots, but does not 

 seem to become as popular as Hyacinths. In fact, the market 

 soon becomes overloaded with it, even in the winter. Mar- 

 guerites and Pot Roses, the latter being mostly of the H. P. 

 and China classes, are also plentiful and in good demand. 



Holmesburg, Pa. W. H. TaplUl. 



The Spring Garden. 



Scilla Anti-Taurica.— Among a number of early flower- 

 ing Asia Minor bulbs with which Mr. Edward Whittall. the 

 well known collector, favored me last fall, the above, now 

 in flower, proves a gem, being not only very early, but 

 probably the brightest Scilla yet introduced. The color is 

 quite as bright as that of Chionodoxa Sardensis, and the 

 flowers are as large. The nodding flowers are borne on 

 rather short scapes, but this may be because the bulbs are not 

 well established. This, however, is scarcely a fault, since the 

 flowers cluster prettily among the leaves. A Scilla as bright 

 as the Chionodoxa and with the superior foliage of the genus 

 is a distinct gain, and lovers of fine hardy plants should note 

 this variety. 



Another Anti-Taurian Scilla bloomed in February; a very 

 dwarf variety with three leaves and a single scape with a sin- 

 gle nodding flower of the color of S. Sibirica. This might 

 well be named 6". uniflora were the name not already a syno- 

 nym of S. Sibirica. The bulbs of this variety are singular in 

 having a thin, reddish skin, like the Hyacinth. A third plant 

 proves to be the early flowered blue Muscari, alluded to in a 

 former article. The Scilla bifolia collected by Mr. Whittall 

 proves to be identical with the European S. bifolia, having the 

 same slaty blue, upright flowers borne on waving scapes. 

 Blue, white and rose varieties of S. bifolia are all choice plants 

 for the early garden. Scilla trifolia is another find of Mr. 

 Whittall's, but being in a rather cold spot it has not yet bloomed 

 with me. It perhaps may not be known to some readers of 

 Garden and Forest that Mr. Whittall is an amateur, long 

 resident in the East, who discovered in his hunting expeditions 

 the richness of the flora of Asia Minor, especially in bulbous 

 plants, many of which were either rare or quite unknown to 

 cultivation. He has taken up the task of having a systematic 

 collection of the flora made for his garden, and incidentally 

 collects a surplus. We are already indebted to him for sup- 

 plies of Chionodoxas in several varieties, Snowdrops, Scillas 

 and Anemone blanda. Several new Frittellarias have been 

 distributed this season, on which I hope to report soon. 



Elizabeth, N.J. J.N.Gerard. 



Double Cropping in the Garden. 



IT is not practicable in all gardens to grow more than one 

 crop in a season. Land free from stone and clay, lying 

 high, dry and level, is best suited for such attempts. A 

 good way to begin is to plow in a heavy coat of manure in 

 fall, and in winter or early spring to spread on as much more. 

 This, worked into the soil as soon as it is dry in spring, with 

 plow and harrow, furnishes food enough to carry two crops 

 with the help of special fertilizers applied during the growing 

 season. 



Cabbage and Lettuce can grow together in rows three feet 

 apart, the plants of Cabbage two and a half feet apart in the 

 rows, with Lettuce between. Setting a row of Lettuce between 

 each row would double the crop, but would necessitate hoe- 

 ing by hand. Early Onion sets can be followed by Cucum- 

 bers. Onion seed sown in groups of six rows, with the next 

 space left for a row of Celery, is a good arrangement, as the 

 Onions can be off before it is time to bank the Celery. Spinach 

 and Peas (of the dwarf varieties) make a good first crop, to be 

 succeeded by Celery ; early Beets and Sweet Corn hold the 

 ground almost too long for the advantage of the Celery crop; 

 Horse-radish set between plants of early Cabbage will come 



to maturity after the Cabbage is removed, and make good 

 roots in one season's growth, if a small root six inches long 

 is dropped into a hole eight inches deep every two feet when 

 the rows are three feet apart at least. Early Radish or Spinach, 

 between rows of Horse-radish, leave "the ground early and 

 give a long season for the Horse-radish. Beans can follow 

 early Peas if planted by the 1st of July. Cucumbers planted 

 the first week in July may succeed Spinach. Late Spinach can 

 follow early Beets, and two crops of Beets — the last one sown 

 July 15th — are not an impossibility. Two crops of Cabbage — 

 an early and a late — can be grown on the same land, but a 

 good season is necessary, and prompt connection between 

 one crop and the other. 



This double-cropping pays only on well-manured land, and 

 should not be undertaken without such preparation. The 

 secret of success is in supplying abundant plant-food to the 

 growing crops, in soluble form, to make a quick growth. 

 Perhaps there is nothing better for such a special fertilizer, 

 applied in May and July, than nitrate of soda — broadcast 

 and hoed into the soil. Its action is rapid and soon spent, 

 and an over-application is a waste, as the plants only appro- 

 priate a small quantity. In dry times water must be supplied 

 to carry along the crops. One great drawback in double- 

 cropping is the tramping down and compacting the land, 

 in the work necessary to keep the crops free of weeds and 

 gather one crop, while not injuring the other, especially when 

 both crops grow till July on the same ground. The earlier 

 the first crop is removed the better, and the clearing of one 

 crop before tlie other is placed in the land gives an oppor- 

 tunity to turn up the soil afresh. Where the horse can be 

 used between rows less hand work of course is necessary, but 

 double-cropping increases very much the area of the garden, 

 and quickly-grown vegetables are much better than others. 



West Springfield, Mass. W. H. Bull. 



Phajus tuberculosus. 

 'THE representatives of the genus Phajus are rather more 

 *■■ than twenty in number, and most of them are worthy of 

 cultivation. This is particularly the case with the species now 

 under consideration, as it is certainly one of the most beauti- 

 ful in the genus. It has been known to botanical science for 

 many years, and has passed under the generic names of 

 Bletia and Limodorum. Until about ten years ago, however, 

 it had not been in cultivation, and its appearance was then 

 due to M. Leon Humblot, a young Frenchman, who suc- 

 ceeded in sending plants to Messrs. F. Sander & Co., St. 

 Albans. On the homeward journey many plants died, but the 

 few that were left commanded good prices at the London 

 salesrooms. These have now been further augmented by a 

 fresh importation, which Messrs. Sander received last year 

 through the same traveler, and we may expect that this Orchid 

 will be much oftener seen in future. Several plants from this 

 last consignment are now flowering here in the nursery, and I 

 have thus been able to make the following description from 

 them : The dark green annulated stems, which are not quite 

 so thick as one's little finger, are somewhat swollen at the 

 base, and at the summit bear five or six lanceolate-acuminate, 

 plaited leaves, nine to twelve inches long, and about two 

 inches across in the widest portion. The stout, erect pedun- 

 cle springs from below the leaves, and in the specimens seen 

 has borne from six to ten large and handsome flowers, the 

 white, twisted pedicels of which are furnished with a pale 

 green spathaceous bract at the base. The broadly lanceolate- 

 acute sepals and petals are pure white, less than two inches 

 long, the former having a slightly raised median keel on the 

 outer surface. To these a striking and attractive contrast is 

 presented by the large three-lobed lip, the side lobes of which 

 form a tube by meeting over the white and slender column. 

 The inner surface of the side lobes is pale yellow, densely 

 covered with deep brown spots, and there are also numerous 

 silky hairs. The much-crisped middle lobe, which is cleft in 

 front, is white, with numerous blotches of pale mauve near 

 the edges, while on the anterior portion of the disc is a raised 

 bright yellow, warty crest, and at the very base almost is a 

 large tuft of erect, pale yellow, silky hairs. 



This species is a native of the warm malarial swamps of 

 the interior of Madagascar, and he who would possess it must 

 run the risk of being stricken down at any moment by fever or 

 other diseases, of which there seem to be many, according to 

 travelers' accounts. Indeed, M. Humblot's constitution suf- 

 fered so much by his last journey into the interior that he 

 came home to France with the expectation of dying, but hap- 

 pily he has again recovered his health. A warm and moist 

 atmosphere are the chief requisites for growing this Phajus 

 successfully, the soil being a matter of little moment, as the 



