6l2 



Garden and Forest. 



[December 17, 1890. 



Calochortus suiter no injury although frozen stiff every 

 morning. 



It is seldom that two species of Calochortus are found grow- 

 ing together. In a given section of country but one type of 

 the Mariposa Tulip is usually found and one or two species of 

 the Star Tulips; the Mariposa Tulips in warm, open situations, 

 the Star Tulips in open woods or shaded hill-sides. Each spe- 

 cies seems to cling to its particular soil and exposure, and 

 even varieties of the same species seldom intermingle. The 

 following usually are native to a sandy soil with a mix- 

 ture of mould : C. aureus, C. macrocarpus, C. Nuttallii, C. 

 flexuosus, C. Gunnisoni, C. Kennedyii, C. venustus roseus, C. 

 Weedii and C. Palmeri, among the Mariposa Tulips, and C, 

 a/bus of the Star Tulips. C. luteits is native to a stiff, rich, 

 clavey soil, that peculiar clay known in California as adobe. 

 C. splendens and the varieties of C. venustus known as ocula- 

 tus, citrinus and purpurascens are found in light shallow 

 clays. C. Leichtlinii is alone found in decomposed lava, 

 sand and ashes. Of the Star Tulips, C. lilacinus, C. nudus and 

 C. uniflorus grow in the sandy loam of moist meadows ; C. 

 pulchellus, C. Maiveanus, C. Benthamii, C. coeruleus and C. 

 elegans are usually found in the light soil, gravelly or clay, 

 of open woods. 



The species I have named comprise nearly all of the culti- 

 vated species. Nearly all of the species named will stand much 

 moisture during the growing season. The uplands where 

 many of the Mariposa Tulips grow are at a saturation point 

 for some time during the rainy season, and of course water 

 stands on the meadows where C. lilacinus, etc., grow during 

 the winter. But before the Calochortus are ready to blossom 

 the water has dried up and the soil begins to bake. A few 

 weeks later the plant is dried up or blown away and the soil 

 is baked hard. Nature has provided the bulb with a protec- 

 tion from the heat and dryness in the shape of a fibrous cov- 

 ering which is thickest in the desert varieties. It will be found 

 that as often as not the rootlets at the base of the bulb are 

 dried up when the plant is in bloom ; in other words, the 

 growth has ceased, and it only awaits the ripening process. 



In planting them the bulbs should rest on firm soil. I use 

 boxes about ten inches deep and fill up to about four inches 

 of the top with clay loam and tramp it down. I then plant 

 the bulbs, using a little sand or loose soil to stick them in. I 

 fill up with the soil I consider best for that particular species 

 and press firmly. Take it as a whole, a mixture of sandy 

 loam, with a little mould or finely rotted chips, will more nearly 

 accommodate all species than any other mixture that I have 

 tried. Mariposa Tulips need a warm, sunny situation, Star 

 Tulips partial shade ; but very good results can be had in 

 planting side by side regardless of this. Of all the species 

 that I have grown I have found C. lilacinus the most suscepti- 

 ble to cultivation, and next to it the varieties of C. venustus, 

 especially roseus. C. venustus oculatus is wonderful in its 

 variations in coloring, C. venustus citrinus is only different 

 from it in color, and there are shades innumerable between 

 the creamy white of one and lemon-yellow of the other. 



To choose the most desirable from a number of species, all 

 of which have the beauty and coloring of the Calochorti, is a 

 hard undertaking. If I were to choose four they would be 

 C. Nuttallii, C. venustus oculatus, C. albus and C. pulchellus, 

 with an inclination to ask that C. lilacinus be thrown in as an 

 extra. 



Ukiah, Cal. Carl Purdy. 



Our Twenty "Best" Apples. 



THE American Pomological Society's list of apples contains 

 but twenty native sorts to the names of which are affixed 

 the letter "b," indicating that, in the judgment of the Society, 

 or of such of its membership as were present in the meetings 

 where the quality of apples was under discussion, these alone 

 are entitled to rank, as to dessert quality, above all other ap- 

 ples native to this continent. This list contains no sweet 

 apples. As to season, four are summer, three early to late 

 fall, and thirteen are winter varieties. In origin seven are from 

 New York, three from Massachusetts, two from Connecticut, 

 one from Pennsylvania, six eastern, with state unknown, and 

 one probably from Ohio. 



May it not be permissible and profitable to review this list 

 with an eye to its amendment, and perhaps its increase, at 

 some future meeting of our Society ? May it not be true that 

 in other states, from a wider range of country, there are apples 

 deserving a place in this roll of honor ? Perhaps a majority 

 of the Society might favor dropping the names of a few which 

 have ceased to be planted from cultural defects or because they 

 are superseded by more desirable sorts. Mere high quality, or 

 local preference, without other merit, ought not to admit to a 



select fruit list endorsed by a continental society of practical 

 fruitgrowers. The word "best" should not be made too narrow 

 in its application here. The quality being the same, or equal, 

 other merits ought, I think, to be taken into consideration, 

 Beauty must not be entirely ignored. Adaptation to general 

 or a wide range of cultivation is worth considering. Health 

 and productiveness of tree are important considerations. Not 

 that these should admit, but that the lack of them may exclude 

 an apple which, considered merely on its flavor, would be a 

 proper candidate. I think we may take Pom me Grise, for in- 

 stance, as an apple of so few other merits that its excellent 

 quality alone should not give it a place. 



American Summer Pearmain. — This fine apple, tracing 

 its descent to an equally popular, but really inferior, English 

 apple, is well entitled to its place. It has beauty, medium 

 size and a fairly productive and healthy tree, requiring high 

 culture, however, to develop the merits of the fruit. 



Belmont. — From all points here is a first-rate apple, of 

 good size, great beauty, a healthy and productive tree, with a 

 crisp, delicate and most agreeable fruit. Its season extends 

 beyond the holidays. 



Bethlehemite. — Like the preceding, this apple is of un- 

 known origin, and the excellence of both was first widely 

 recognized in Ohio, this being named for an Ohio town, as 

 Belmont is for an Ohio county. Downing thinks it plainly a 

 seedling of Newtown Spitzenberg, which it much resembles. 

 The tree is a good grower and productive, while the fruit, of 

 medium size, is well formed and well colored. The flesh is 

 juicy, rich, mild and aromatic. An all winter apple. 



Bullock's Pippin is the oldest American Golden Russet, 

 also locally known as Sheep's-nose, a small, plain-looking 

 apple, but of a most remarkable pear-like flavor. The flesh is 

 yellow, tender, juicy, spicy and rich. Early winter. It does 

 not always ripen up perfectly, and the tree is subject to disease. 

 Perhaps this variety might be dropped from the " b " list, along 

 with Pom me Grise, which seems to be a close relative. 



Cogswell. — Here is an old Connecticut fruit, and to it are 

 assigned by the books almost every merit — a vigorous, pro- 

 ductive tree, fruit of a size above medium, regular in form and 

 size ; a rich yellow color, well marked with red ; fine grained 

 yellow flesh, tender, rich, juicy, aromatic and a good keeper. 

 Why is not such an apple more often found in the general 

 market ? 



Early Joe. — A well known little August apple, which is 

 often seen in market and deserves its place. Yellow, with 

 red striping; flesh white, tender, juicy, vinous. A general 

 favorite. 



Esopus Spitzenberg. — Downing says this Spitzenberg 

 is considered by good judges equal to the Newtown Pippin ; 

 but our Society excludes the latter from a list where the former 

 stands prominent. "Flesh rather firm," says Downing, and it 

 is all of that. In fact, it is a hard apple that never softens until 

 it decays, and its high flavor alone gives it a place here. It is 

 really a " best " pie-apple. Unfortunately, the tree is not vigor- 

 ous, and it is usually an unprofitable apple to grow for 

 market. 



Fall Wine. — This fruit is so subject to disease as to be 

 not worth growing, except perhaps in a few localities, and I 

 think it should be dropped, although a fine apple and the near- 

 est to a sweet one that appears on this list. 



Garden Royal. — Here is my favorite; and yet it must 

 be said of it that it is strictly a garden apple, and worth grow- 

 ing only on the condition of high culture. It is of sea-side 

 origin, and I have never seen it thriving so well as within the 

 range of New England's fog-banks. The tree is healthy and 

 productive, and with the high culture it requires I do not 

 see why it may not be grown profitably from Portland, 

 Maine, around to New York City. Wherever it can be 

 well grown there is money in it. Season, August and 

 September. 



Melon. — A New York apple of good size, yellow, hand- 

 somely striped and shaded with red. Tree a moderate grower, 

 and usually a good bearer. The fruit is of full medium size, 

 often ribbed, but not prominently. Flesh white, tender, juicy, 

 sub-acid, vinous. It bears handling poorly, but carefully packed 

 it can be sent short distances in good order. 



Mother. — Another apple of the Massachusetts coast 

 which grows nowhere else so well. Smallish, conic, red. 

 Flesh yellow, tender, rich, sub-acid. Rarely seen in market, 

 yet common in private grounds and highly esteemed. 



Northern Spy. — It is difficult for me to understand why the 

 Spy is taken and King of Tompkins left off this list. In quality 

 the Spy varies greatly, and at its very best is better than the 

 King; but not as usually seen in the market. 



Porter. — This is the favorite fall apple of Massachusetts and 



