March 20, 1S95.] 



Garden and Forest. 



"5 



mealy bug-, which is the only troublesome insect, the old 

 stems need careful cleaning ; the foliage should be washed 

 frequently with hose or syringe up to the time of blooming. 

 The propagation is somewhat difficult from cuttings, which 

 should not be made of the very newest growths, but it is 

 comparatively easy by layering in pots, using the new 

 growths in August and September. 



OsMANTHUs (Olea) fragrans. — This is one of the charm- 

 ing old-fashioned greenhouse plants for which the modern 

 commercial florist apparently has little use. It is an ever- 

 green shrub, a native of China, of rather slow growth, but 

 not at all exacting in its requirements. Beginning in early 

 December and continuing through March, it produces 

 abundant clusters of small whitish flowers of most delicious 

 and delicate fragrance, quite unlike the scent of any other 

 flowers, and as difficult to describe as the color of a Sa- 

 frano Rose. It is said that this flower furnishes the flavor 

 used to scent orange Pekoe tea, a statement that can 

 readily be believed, the fragrance is so oriental. It should 



spring planting is often a necessity ; the Japan Lilies, for ex- 

 ample, have only recently lieen received. 



Japan and China have contributed to our gardens to a sur- 

 prising degree, and much that has been credited to Japan has 

 probably come from China, but has been received through 

 Japanese channels. But, whatever their original home, we 

 should seriously miss them from our gardens, and our Lily- 

 beds would suffer greatly if deprived of the species from the 

 east. Some of these do not la^t long with us, as in the case 

 of Lilium auratum, which we rarely hear of as thriving for 

 more than a season or two at most. I have certainly never 

 seen it establislied like the varieties of L. speciosum. A Lily 

 more generally seen each year, as its good qualities become 

 known, appears to be a natural hyfirid between L. auratum and 

 L. speciosum, and is known as L. auratum platyphyllum, or 

 L. auratum macranthum. It would pass for the true L. aura- 

 tum in all respects but for its broad foliage, which is quite as 

 broad as that of L. speciosum, and the fjulbs live and increase 

 year after year, as do those of L. speciosum, in our gardens. 

 This Lily is more expensive than some of the other kinds at 

 first cost, but once purchased it does not need to be replen- 

 ished, and it blooms regularly every season. Another good 



Fig. 18. — A Flowering Branch of the Chen>keL- Rose. — See page 114. 



be grown in a cool house and not overpotted. The drain- 

 age should be good, and when repotting is necessary the 

 shift should be a moderate one in March or April. The soil 

 should not be too fine, with some peat and plenty of sharp 

 sand. The propagation is by cuttings of hardened wood 

 in January and February. It is the best plan to keep the 

 leaves entire, removing those only which interfere with the 

 proper placing of the cuttings ; neither bottom-heat nor 

 srlass coverings should be used. 



Cultural Department. 



Lilies. 



THE sooner work is begun in the outdoor garden the better 

 it will be for many plants next summer. M'any herbaceous 

 plants begin to make root as soon as frost has left the soil, 

 and this first start sliould, if possible, be made where the 

 plants are to grow. This is especially true of Lilies, the fall 

 planting of which is always desirable. But as a large propor- 

 tion of the bulbs cannot be purchased until winter has set in, 



hardy Lily is L. Wallicliianum superbiim, one of the most 

 beautiful Lilies known, a native of the Himalayas. It promises 

 to be popular, since it is easily propagated, rivaling tlie old 

 Tiger Lily in ability to make young bulbs on the flower-stems 

 at the base of each leaf, many of which will flower the second 

 year. It is quite possible that we may yet see it grown in 

 greenhouses as generally as the well-known L. longiflorum, 

 which it resembles in some respects. The flowers are tubu- 

 lar, rosy-brown tinted outside, and white, with a rich yellow 

 inside, that has given rise to the name L. sulphureum, 

 which is now regarded as the correct name by authorities on 

 Lilies. While this Lily has proved perfectly hardy in Massa- 

 chusetts without any protection at all, it is better to give it the 

 usual covering of dry leaves in autumn, as is the practice 

 with other kinds. 



Other new and beautiful kinds of Lilies of recent introduc- 

 tion are Lilium Alexandrre, said also to be of hybrid origin 

 between L. auratum platyphyllum and L. longiflorum. If it is 

 really a natural hybrid some time nnist elapse before it can be 

 disseminated in any numbers. The new L. Henryi, a native of 

 central China, with the form and rich red spots of L. speciosum, 

 is of a uniform rich apricot-yellow in color. At Kew this fine 



