270 



Garden and Forest. 



[June 5, 1889. 



take more easily to cultivation, and is with us longer in 

 bloom. Both have white tiowers half an inch or more in 

 diameter, and both like partly shaded situations. 



All of the Trilliums are still in flower or are just past bloom- 

 ing. 7". grandifloriDii, the finest of them all, is in its prime. 

 This plant is fast growing in favor in the United States. 

 Large numbers were sent to Europe fifteen or more years 

 ago, but it is comparatively a short time since it has been sold 

 to any extent by dealers in this country. It is very hardy, and 

 does Veil either in the sun or shade, if in moist, well-drained 

 soil. Not much inferior to T. grandijloriim is the Californian 

 variety of T. sessile. Its petals are nearly white, and being 

 just above the large, deep-green leaves, they appear to great 

 advantage. The bulb is very large, and often sends up sev- 

 eral strong stems, each bearing a flower. Trillium erythro- 

 carpiim (the Painted Trillium) is handsome, but somewhat 

 ditflcult to grow successfully. It needs a rich, loamy soil, 

 and the bulbs should be planted deep. All the Trilliums, and 

 there are several other species, like a rich, well-drained soil, 

 and the finest flowers are generally found in the shade. 



But the Trilliums are not so interesting as the Lady Slip- 

 pers. Of these, Cypripedium parvijioruni, the small yellow 

 species is now in flower, and its purple sepals with the bright- 

 yellow inflated lip make it conspicuous. It is one of the easi- 

 est Orchids to grow, and will thrive, either in the shade or 

 sun, and in loamy soil if peat or leaf-mould is plentifully mixed 

 with the earth about the roots. C. arietiniun is also in flower. 

 This plant needs shade and a moist but well-drained soil. 

 It is not conspicuous, but when : brought to its highest 

 state of cifltivation it is very handsome. The flowers are 

 small, dainty and reddish-brown and white in color. C. mon- 

 tanuin, of Oregon and California,' a pretty species with white 

 flowers, somewhat resembles C. candidiuii, but usually has 

 more than one flower, while the flowers of C. candidum are 

 single. It is not so easily grown as the Eastern species, and 

 needs protection in winter. If strong plants are set in well- 

 shaded and well-drained, loamy soil they will flower for two 

 seasons. i- u rr ^ j 



Charlotte, Vt., May i6th. -T. H. HorSjOrd. 



Window Ferjieries. 



A TASTEFULLY-ARRANGED window-garden of Ferns, 

 even if of small dimensions, adds greatly in the embel- 

 lishment of a home, and is not necessarily a costly experiment 

 to the amateur. Attention is necessary to insure its well- 

 being, but if the plants are selected with a view to their fitness, 

 much disappointment will be avoided. 



These miniature gardens may now be had in a variety of 

 shapes and forms, and it may be mentioned that those enclosed 

 by glass usually give greater satisfaction, on account of the 

 less rapid evaporation of moisture. 



But whatever plan be adopted, the pan or other vessel in 

 which the plants are placed, should be well provided with 

 drainage, broken stone and charcoal being an excellent mix- 

 ture for this purpose, which should be placed in a layer in the 

 bottom of the pan, the latter being pierced with holes, so as to 

 allow the easy escape of the surplus water. In the matter of 

 soil it will be found that many of the most suitable Ferns for 

 house use are not very fastidioijs, provided the soil be light, 

 though a mixture of two parts peat to one of loam, with a 

 fair quantity of rather coarse, sharp sand, will always prove 

 satisfactory. 



It is generally best to use those species and varieties that are 

 content with a green-house temperature of 50° to 55", as, for 

 instance, several kinds of Pteris, such as P. argyrcea, P. Cretica 

 magnifica, P. serrulata and P. serrulaia cristata, and during 

 the summer months P. scabertila may also be used, the deci- 

 duous habit of the latter making it somewhat unsatisfactory in 

 the winter and spring. Adiantiim cuneatiini, A. pubescens and 

 A. Capillus- Veneris wiU proye worthy representatives of the 

 Maiden-hair Ferns, and Onychium J aponiciini and D'avallia 

 tenuifolia stricta are among the best in their respective genera 

 for this purpose. A very pleasing effect is produced by the 

 mixture of a few of the coarser-fronded sorts, such as Lastrea 

 Sieboldi, Doryopteris nobilis and D. palmata and small plants 

 of Polypodium aureuui, with their peculiarly glaucous fronds, 

 make a good contrast with the more delicate-looking species. 

 Small plants of various Palms and other foliage-plants may be 

 used to advantage for centre-pieces in these window-ferneries, 

 Cocos Weddelliana being specially adapted to this use, as is also 

 Geonoma gracilis, though the latter will not stand nearly as 

 much rough usage as the Cocos. Small plants of Pmidanus 

 Veitchii and P. utilis are admirable, and will keep in condition 

 for a long time, as will also Aralia Veitchii, the elegant foliage 



of the latter being quite enduring, and making a charming 

 combination with the Ferns. 



Another useful little plant for this purpose in this connection, 

 is the Japanese Sweet Flag, Acorns Japonicus variegatus, it 

 being easy to grow and very pretty. 



A more finished appearance is given to the fernery if the 

 surface of the soil is covered with a carpeting composed of one 

 of the low-growing Selaginellas, such as S. Kraiissiana, S. 

 Kraussiana atirea, S. densa, or even S. apus, the latter, 

 though a native and perfectly hardy, is not by any means to be 

 despised on that account, being of rapid growth and neat 

 appearance. In the treatment of window-ferneries the often- 

 repeated injunction, never to allow growing Ferns to become 

 very dry, still holds good, and while giving tiiorough watering 

 at the root, it will be found best to keep the moisture off the 

 foliage, else the latter may soon become disfigured. 



W. H. Tapiin. 



About Melons. — Years ago it was a common practice to plant 

 Melons, literally, in "hills" raised above the surface of the 

 ground, and some still think such a practice necessary. When 

 the seed is sown early there may be some advantage in this, 

 since the elevation will be warmer than the flat surface. But, as a 

 rule, in soil best suited for Melons — a warm, sandy loam — a more 

 thrifty growth and more prolonged health of the vine can be 

 secured by making the hills really hollows. Nothing so pro- 

 motes the growth of a Melon-vine as the drawing of fresh 

 earth to the stem, and a vine planted a few inches lower than 

 the general surface of the soil, by a gradual drawing-in of the 

 soil by the time cultivation ceases can be on quite a ridge, 

 and thus get the advantage of the hill with the further advan- 

 tage of having its roots in moister and cooler soil than would 

 have been possible if planted on a ridge. These remarks will 

 apply equally well to Watermelons as to Muskmelons. 



In growing Melons for home use quality is the first con- 

 sideration. Of late years the effort among seedsmen has 

 been to produce a Watermelon with a tough rind, adapted to 

 the long shipment from the South. This has been obtained at 

 the expense of quality. In our home-garden it is of no sort of 

 advantage to raise a Watermelon which will support a weight of 

 half a ton, as some are said to do. Neither do we care for its 

 being " iron clad "or "copper fastened, "unless the inside is well 

 worthy of such protection. The newer sorts of Watermelons, 

 while they have been improved for the purposes of the ship- 

 per, have not been of the average quality of some of the older 

 sorts. We have found none superior for this region to the 

 " Gypsey " and the " Mountain Sweet." The " Volga " is said to 

 be small and of high qilality, but we are growing it for the first 

 time this year and cannot give an opinion upon it. In Musk- 

 melons it is also a good rule to select varieties, not by size and 

 looks, but by their quality for the table. In Muskmelons size 

 is often attained at the expense of quality. Many contrivances 

 have been proposed for protecting young Melon-seedlings from 

 the attacks of the striped bugs, which devour them when in the 

 seed-leaf, but most of them are very troublesome. For many 

 years I have used a little raw bone-flour, dusted over the young 

 plants as soon as they are fairly up. If beetles are there they 

 leave at once, and the plants are benefited by the application. 



Early fruitfulness is promoted by nipping off the tips of the 

 vines when about three feet long. W. F. Massey. 



Crozet, Va. 



Garden field-labels are a source of great annoyance. But if 

 labels are not necessary the greater part of the annoyance is at 

 once dispelled. In other words, plant and record your plant- 

 ings in such a way that you do not need to depend upon labels. 

 But they are convenient, nevertheless. For trees the best 

 labels are made of zinc, cut into strips about one inch by five. 

 The name is written with a pencil, and the opposite end of 

 the label is bent about a limb. For stake-labels I use the ordi- 

 nary twelve-inch, thin, commercial stake, always primed. 

 These are inexpensive and are exceedingly handy for tem- 

 porary use. But if more permanent or conspicuous stakes are 

 used, I have found the best to be those which we have 

 recently had cut for us at a planing-mill. They are eighteen 

 inches long, three inches wide and one and a half inches thick, 

 made of clear white pine, and sharpened by a buzz-saw at the 

 mill. Early in spring these are all primed with white lead. 

 They take a soft, broad pencil readily. If they are needed 

 twice during the season, a mark is drawn through the name, 

 and the other side is used. In the winter-time a thin shaving 

 is taken off the stake to remove the name, another priming is 

 given, and the label is again new. In this way the label lasts 

 many years for many things, and although it is somewhat ex- 

 pensive to begin with, it is really the cheapest and most ser- 

 viceable label made. I like the lead pencil better than a brush 



