46 



Garden and Forest. 



[NUiMLER 362. 



which now seems so much a part of the countr}' that few peo- 

 ple ever think of it as an exotic. It is a universal favorite, and 

 its success is due quite as much to its easy propagation, 

 thorough hardiness and general take-care-of-itself character as 

 for its beautiful flowers. The plants requiring the least atten- 

 tion and care are the ones which will survive in the average 

 farmer's garden. Grown from cuttings, and so on their own 

 roots, some of the improved varieties should become popular, 

 as they are apparently quite as hardy as the old forms. Tar- 

 tarian Honeysuckles, Lonicera Tartarica, of several variations 

 are extremely hardy, and the common Snowball, or sterile 

 form of Viburnum Opulus, endures cold winters without pro- 

 tection, and is, therefore, popular. These three kinds of 

 plants and a few Roses are the best known in many districts 

 where nurseries are rare and variety is limited. But to these 

 could be added many more which are thoroughly hardy in 

 most trying situations, which are easily propagated, and which 

 require little care after being once well started. 



It should not be forgotten that some of the native local 

 shrubs are among the hardiest, and are often quite as beauti- 

 ful or useful as any of similar kinds that might be purchased. 

 Among these natives are Roses, Spireeas, Honeysuckles, 

 Viburnums, etc. Among enduring foreign shrubs for bleak 

 and exposed situations the Caraganas, or Siberian Pea-trees, 

 take foremost rank. They may be propagated with great 

 facility by seeds. Caragana arborescens is the lai'gest, some- 

 times growing fifteen or twenty feet high. In tlie Russian 

 steppes it is said to be greatly used for hedges and screens in 

 the most exposed places. Several other species of Caraganas 

 are equally hardy, but none of them grow so large as C. arbo- 

 rescens, and none are more valuable, although the persistent 

 spiny leaf-stalks of such species as C. spinosa make them curi- 

 ous objects and suggest their value as low hedge plants. All 

 have clear, yellow-colored pea-shaped flowers. Almost equally 

 hardy, and much more showy, are the Mock-oranges, or spe- 

 cies of Philadelphus, by a great many people called "Syringa." 

 They are not so common as the Lilac, although the plant 

 propagates itself very freely by seeds. Although the Mock- 

 oranges are very hardy, their close allies, the Deutzias, are not 

 able to stand in the same situations without suffering much 

 injury. 



The great-flowered Hydrangea paniculata grandiflora is val- 

 uable for its great hardiness and is likely to do well in many parts 

 of the north-western plains, where few showy shrubs thrive. 



Rosa rugosa, both the white and pink flowered varieties, is 

 now well known for its extraordinary endurance, and it repre- 

 sents the hardiest of its class in cultivation. It will stand with- 

 out protection where almost all other kinds will fail, and from 

 its cultivation and improvement we must look for the Roses 

 which will take the place of present garden varieties for plant- 

 ing in those parts of the country where the climate is most 

 severe. <v /- cv ;. 



Arnold Arboretum. /. G- Jack. 



Vegetable Garden Notes. 



THE winter thus far has been a comparatively mild one; 

 the temperature has not on a single occasion fallen to 

 zero here, and there has been but little snow. It is somewhat 

 unusual to see plowing, digging and planting operations in 

 this section during the first week of January, but the ground 

 was quite free from frost and in fairly good working order at 

 that time. Although we prefer to manure and dig over in the 

 fall all soil in which vegetables are to be planted, we never are 

 able to complete this work for want of time. During dry 

 frosty weather we had manure wheeled on ground still to be 

 turned over, and deposited in good-sized heaps. When open 

 weather sets in this manure can easily be spread, and there is 

 then no necessity for wheeling through the soft ground with 

 the barrow-wheels half-buried. 



It is unlikely that any suitable weather for outdoor work will 

 occur for six weeks. As soon as this change comes any 

 necessary draining ought to be attended to. If drainage has 

 been neglected in the formation of the garden, as is very often 

 the case, no time should be lost in seeing to it. A regular 

 plan of all drains should be kept, and any alterations or addi- 

 tions accurately noted. This will prevent much confusion at 

 any time when it may be thought necessary to alter or repair 

 the drains. Garden-tools of all kinds should be cleaned and 

 repaired. Attention to these matters in season will save both 

 time and expense when the tools are needed for use. Nothing 

 so much shows the want of system on a place as an ill-kept 

 tool-house, and yet this often looks like a useless lumber-shed. 

 Gardeners should see that every man under their charge on 

 quitting his daily work carries such tools as he has been 

 using to the tool-house, cleans them properly, and puts them 



in place. There is no more slovenly habit than for a workman 

 to lay down his tools coated with manure or earth, and a man 

 who is neglectful of these minor duties will never make a neat 

 gardener. At this season it is well to look over the cellar or 

 storehouse where onions, potatoes and other vegetables are 

 kept, and remove decaying roots. Potatoes will probably need to 

 have some sprouts rubbed off if they have been stored in an 

 overwarm place. Celery, whether in cellars, frames or the 

 open ground, should not be neglected. Air should be ad- 

 mitted on every favorable opportunity to prevent the spread- 

 ing of mold. Celery has not kept as well as usual here this 

 season. The heavy snowfall early in November and subse- 

 quent frosts destroyed many thousands of good plants. Much 

 of the crop was frozen solid, and even such as had been 

 earthed up had the tips badly nipped. The kinds which have 

 kept best with us are Kalamazoo and Giant Paschal, the first 

 named being the most satisfactory. 



We usually make our first hot-bed for Lettuce early in Jan- 

 uary, and from this we get good heads in six weeks' time. We 

 have had no difficulty in providing a supply of lettuce through- 

 out the winter by attending to the frames carefully, and mak- 

 ing a hot-bed once a fortnight. A gentle bottom-heat is all 

 that is required, and we mix stable-manure and leaves in about 

 equal proportions for the beds. If at all dry, the manure should 

 be watered and the whole tramped down firmly. When prop- 

 erly made, a hot-bed will maintain a gentle heat for a long 

 time. Too often a quantity of rank straw-manure is thrown 

 into a frame and not mixed or shaken up at all ; the result is a 

 violent heat for a few days, which will burn the roots of any 

 unfortunate plants which may chance to be planted over it. For 

 forcing purposes we find White Tennis-ball still the most reli- 

 able Lettuce. Radishes of the turnip-rooted class, if sown or 

 pricked in between the Lettuce rows, will come, along very 

 quickly. If no hot-bed is at command and a supply of Rad- 

 ishes is desired, excellent ones may be had by pricking them 

 off into boxes of rich compost and placing them on a shelf in 

 the greenhouse. Sowings of Beet and Lettuce should now be 

 made, to be transferred to a gentle hot-bed when large enough 

 to handle. Cauliflower and Cabbage ought also to be started 

 in a cold house without delay, and a few small pots of Parsley 

 ought not to be omitted. About the middle of February we sow 

 a batch of Golden Self-blanching Celery for an early supply ; 

 there is always a likelihood of a percentage of these early-sown 

 plants running to seed, more particularly if the plants suffer 

 from lack of moisture at the root. If extra-sized Onions are 

 desired, this is a good time to make a sowing of Giant Rocca, 

 Silver King or Prizetaker ; by pricking these outdoors, bulbs 

 can be obtained double the size of those sown in the ordinary 

 way. All varieties of Onions, by being pricked out, can be 

 grown larger, and some growers now treat their whole crop 

 in this way. As a general rule, however, medium-sized roots 

 are more desirable than the larger ones. 



Where a good bottom-heat is at command a few Cucumbers 

 may be started ; it is, however, unwise to sow these for a few 

 weeks to come, unless a strong steady moist heat can be main- 

 tained. A sowing of Tomatoes made now will give ripe fruit 

 about the end of May. Those sown in November are now in 

 six-inch pots and almost ready to be transferred to their fruit- 

 ing pots. Plants which commenced to ripen early in Novem- 

 ber are still full of ripe fruit, vi'ith plenty coming on. Periodi- 

 cal surface-dressings and applications of liquid-manure to 

 plants in fruit should not be neglected, and artificial pollina- 

 tion must be attended to if a good set of the fruit is desired. 



Cold frames containing Lettuce, Parsley, Cauliflower or any 

 other plants require picking over occasionally, and all old and 

 decaying leaves be removed. Snosv must not be allowed to 

 lie on the frames, except during severe weather, air and light 

 being essential to the making of sturdy plants. 



Taunton, Mass. W. N. Craig. 



Propagation of Chrysanthemums. 



ANOTHER season's work among Chrysanthemums is now 

 beginning. Our stock has been stored in a cool, light 

 place just long enough to develop good stocky cuttings, and 

 after looking over the lists of novelties we shall decide which 

 kinds to grow during the coming season. The time to propa- 

 gate depends upon the use for which the plants are intended, 

 and, to some extent, upon the facilities at command. If we 

 have all the conveniences of heated glass structures, and 

 intend growing large specimen plants, we should commence 

 to propagate now. Those who are less fortunate in the matter 

 of conveniences may wait until spring, and still have time to 

 grow neat specimens, which are really more serviceable for 

 general decorative purposes. 



English growers propagate much earlier than is necessary 



