February 13. 1895. 



Garden and Forest. 



67 



work within the plants, but when heahhy plants are covered 

 over with a thin coating of the mixture the spores of the fungj 

 will not germinate and infect the plants. 



The Messrs. Farquhar, of Boston, state that their new Violet- 

 is a sport from the Lady Hume Campbell. If so, it is an acquisi- 

 tion. I have examined it, and, so far as I have seen, it is 

 healthy. The flowers are much larger than those of the Marie 

 Louise, and of identically the same shade. 



Vl^ellesle'/, Mass. ' T. D. H. 



Chrysanthemums. 



"T^HE propagation of Chrysanthemums must begin at once 

 -'■ if good strong plants are desired. The first essential 

 is the selection of good cuttings, and this does not mean 

 large soft shoots, which are harder to strike, and after they are 

 struck throw up a soft weak growth, from which good bloorns 

 cannot be obtained. A firm, short-jointed cutting, although 

 smaller at first, will in every case make the best plant in the 

 end. Another mistake is to strike the cuttings in too much 

 heat, and in this way a great proportion of Chrysanthemums are 

 ruined at the very outset. A temperature of forty to forty-five 

 degrees at night is quite high enough. The cuttings may be 

 struck in a propagating-bed in sand, in boxes, or singly in pots, 

 in a light sandy mixture. The pot method, where space can 

 be spared, is, no doubt, the best, as the plants receive less check 

 in shifting, and this should be avoided in the first and in the 

 successive shifts. The main point in Chrysanthemum-culture 

 is to keep the plants growing continuously, and they should 

 never be allowed to be checked through any cause ; they 

 should have free exposure to light and air and the general 

 conditions which will induce free, but firm, growth. 



Tairytown. N. Y. William Scotf. 



Winter-flowering Begonias. — Young plants of these Begonias, 

 from spring-struck cuttings, have with us proved better than 

 old plants, as they flower more freely and throw belter blooms. 

 The cuttings are struck in February, and kept growing freely 

 under glass until August, when they are removed to a cold 

 frame. The pots are plunged in ashes or leaves and gradually 

 exposed to air and sunshine. Finally they should be left un- 

 covered by night and day, so as thoroughly to ripen the wood. 

 They should be moved inside before danger of frost. They 

 bloom profusely all winter through in a light airy house with 

 a temperature of fifty-five degrees at night, allowing a rise of 

 fifteen degrees by sun-heat. 



Tarryfown, N. Y. William Scott. 



Correspondence. 



The Saghalin Knot-weed. 

 To the Editor of Garden and Forest : 



Sir, — Wide publicity has evidently been given to the short 

 note I published in Garden and Forest of October nth, 1893, 

 on Polygonum Sachalinense. These observations were sim- 

 ply as to its remarkable growth for a period of twelve years 

 here at the college under all conditions. It spreads so freely 

 by its underground stems that it may be an extremely perni- 

 cious weed, as some other members of the genus Polygonum 

 are in the west, notably P. Muhlenbergii. Land set aside for 

 "Sacaline" may have to ,be given up forever to it, just as in 

 the case of Johnson Grass in the south. 



As to its feeding qualities there may be question ; as yet no 

 one in this country has tested it, and I understand there are 

 some unfavorable reports from Europe. Corn will still con- 

 tinue to be the best forage-plant in the Mississippi valley. I 

 do not believe that any plant, whether used for ornamental 

 purposes or in horticulture or agriculture, should be recom- 

 mended for general or extensive use until it is sufficiently tried 

 under all conditions, climate and adaptability to soil. 



Agricultural College, Ames, Iowa. L. H. Pammel. 



[We observe that Garden and Forest has been referred 

 to in several circulars as having advocated the use of this 

 Knot-weed as a forage-plant. Two years ago, when 

 the eminent French horticulturist, Monsieur Charles 

 Baltet, reported the enormous growth of this plant, our 

 London correspondent referred to it as a matter of news, 

 and we afterward stated that a near relative of this Poly- 

 gonum, P. cuspidatum, a plant which had also been com- 

 mended for its economic value by some European authori- 

 ties, had proved an aggressive weed in Central Park. How- 

 ever, we suggested that it would be worth while to try 

 these Polygonums where no other forage-plant will grow, 



although it was added that we did not think it probable 

 that they would ever supersede Indian Corn in the Corn 

 belt of this country. It is wise to test any plant which 

 comes well recommended, but we agree with Professor 

 Pammel that it is not safe to be confident about the value 

 of any novelty until it has been thoroughly tested. — Ed.] 



New Orchid Baskets and Plant Tubs. 

 To the Editor of Garden and Forest : 



Sir, — When visiting the greenhouses of Mr. Adolph Schoen- 

 inger, of Chicago, some time ago, I was impressed with the 

 neat appearance of his collection of Orchids. There were no 

 unsightly baskets or ugly pieces of half-rotten or charred wood, 

 which too often annoy the eye in such places. Most of these 

 Orchids are grown in neat baskets suspended from the roof 

 or on benches, in cylinders and on flats of different sizes and 

 design. Not being satisfied with the square baskets so com- 

 monly in use, Mr. Schoeninger constructed for his collection 

 different styles of baskets and rafts, using at first cedar, pitch- 

 pine, maple, cherry and other woods, but at last decided upon 

 the wood of the southern Cypress, which is almost as durable 

 as red cedar and much cheaper. For such plants as are 

 usually grown on pieces of wood or cork, rafts were con- 

 structed, made of octagonal strips of cypress wood, pierced 

 with holes through which runs a copper or galvanized wire. 

 The strips are kept apart by turned buttons of the same wood. 

 The Orchids on these rafts are growing in sphagnum moss 

 and Fern-rools, and are fastened to the bars of the rafts bv 

 wire. Epidendrums, several Dendrobiums, Stag-horn Fern's 

 and a number of Bromeliads are grown on these flats. 

 Through the pliability of the wire the sides of the rafts can 

 be turned up so that they assume a boat-like form. Filled 

 with crocks, charcoal, peat, Fern-roots and sphagnum moss, 

 they serve, in this way, the same purpose as the common bas- 

 kets. In these boat-shaped appliances many Orchids, Tilland- 

 sias, Pitcairneas, BillbergiaSp Caraguatas, several species of 

 /Eschynanthus and Peperomia can be grown successfully in 

 a warm, moist house. Larger flats can be turned into cylin- 

 ders, and in this way they are excellent receptacles for Vandas, 

 brides, Angrascums, etc. 



Most of the Cattleyas, the large-growing Dendrobiums and 

 many L:elias, however, are grown in |pot-like baskets, which 

 are also constructed of cypress wood in sizes from four to 

 twelve inches across. The roots find an excellent hold on the 

 numerous bars on whfch they run up and down in tangled 

 masses. Besides their neat appearance, the peculiar shape of 

 these baskets induces the plants to root freely, giving them an 

 advantage over the baskets in which Orchids are generally 

 grown. Another advantage of these baskets is that they can 

 stand on the benches like flower-pots, or they may be sus- 

 pended from the roof like other baskets. They have movable 

 bottoms, which are firm when in position. 



Mr. Schoeninger, who is an enthusiastic amateur gardener, 

 spends much of his leisure time in his greenhouses, trying to 

 grow his plants into healthy specimens. Being dissatisfied 

 with the clumsy appearance of the common tubs where Palms 

 and other large-growing plants are usually grown, Mr. Schoe- 

 ninger invented a new, neat and simple flower tub, which has 

 also the advantage of being very durable. Instead of the com- 

 mon hoop, a strong copper or galvanized wired is used, which 

 runs in a groove around the staves. The ends of the wire are 

 fastened neatly under the handle by the turning of a nut. The 

 handle is so constructed that the small tub can be lifted by 

 hand ; in case of larger ones, sticks can l>e placed under the 

 handle, thereby allowing any weight to be lifted with ease. 

 Cast-iron feet are attached to keep the tub from the floor, 

 allowing also a free circulation of the air and a good drainage. 

 There is a neatness aliout these tubs and baskets not found in 

 any other I am acquainted with. They are also exceedingly 

 cheap. ' 



Milwaukee, Wis. H. Nchrlillg. 



Meetinq-s of Societies. 



Nebraska State Horticultural Society.- 



-III. 



OUR report of the successful annual meeting of this 

 society concludes with abstracts of two papei's on 

 Grape Growing : 



THE management OV VINia'ARDS. 



A paper by Professor F. W. Card on this subject began willi 

 suggestions on the selection of a site, which he said was mou; 

 important than that of soil. Any open or well-drained soil will 



