October 23, 1895.] 



Garden and Forest. 



427 



to get them as soon as they arrive, and pot them up, placing 

 the pots in a frost-proof cellar until they start in spring, when 

 they can be planted out when the ground is favorable. 



Complaints have been frequent lately that Lilium auratum 

 does poorly even the first season after importation ; this 

 seems to be due wholly to spring-planting, for if the shoots 

 appear it is often only to dwindle away or become ill-formed, 

 showing clearly that there is no adequate root-action to second 

 the efforts of the bulbs. If these were obtained on their arrival in 

 November and planted in good rich soil in six-inch pots, we 

 should hear much less of poor results the first year. After this, 

 L. auratum seldom makes a strong growth ; at least, I have yet 

 to see a planting that has stood the test of years. Some plants 

 that have been reported as flourishing for a term of years have 

 proved to be the broad-leaved form, L. auratum platyphyllum, 

 that seems to have traces of L. speciosum in it, and has inher- 

 ited the vigor of that species. This plant is also known as 

 L. auratum macranthum from the size of its flowers, which 

 are sometimes over twelve inches in width. There is also an 

 unspotted variety of this called Virginale. It would be well 

 if Japanese cultivators gradually grew this variety to the exclu- 

 sion of the typical one, for with their system of culture it 

 ought not to take long to get up a large stock. The cost of the 

 variety is now two-thirds more than that of the typical bulb, 

 but once set out there is no need to renew them, for the plants 

 increase and grow better from year to year. 



For the past ten weeks we have had a fine show of 

 Lilium speciosum for decorative purposes, and the plants 

 would have lasted two weeks longer but for the sharp frosts 

 of the past week. All the forms of this Lily are well adapted 

 for growing in pots, or if larger specimens are desired, wooden 

 tubs or boxes may be made for them and painted green. 

 Southern cypress is here no more expensive than good pine, 

 and lasts very much longer, so that we are using it for all 

 indoor work now. The Speciosum group is admirably 

 adapted to this method of culture, and it affords alone 

 such variety that it makes others undesirable at the same 

 period. The kind we have always regarded as the best dark 

 form is known in trade-lists as Melpomene. This is a native 

 of Japan, and in no way connected with the kind raised by the 

 late C. M. Hovey, of Boston, which was a hybrid between 

 L. auratum and L. speciosum. It is possible that the same 

 name has been applied to two kinds, the former not now being 

 in cultivation. As we get it from Japan, this Lily is most 

 vigorous, the flowers are of darkest crimson, heavily spotted, 

 with pure white margin, the flower-stalks being red. There 

 is another variety called Roseum that has green stems, with 

 lighter-colored blooms, and is the next best-colored variety. 

 The variety sent annually from Holland is quite inferior to 

 those we get from Japan in these days, as the Dutch growers 

 seem to keep on multiplying the kind first sent them, and the 

 bulbs are never as large as those from Japan, nor is the growth 

 as strong. Of white forms, the one sold sometimes as Album 

 prsecox, or Krsetzeri, is the best of all, being pure white, 

 with dark brown anthers. Among them, however, at flowering- 

 time we notice at times plants of the variety known as Album 

 novum, with anthers of light golden-yellow color, which is a 

 constant character. These four are the best of the varieties of 

 L. speciosum, and there are about a dozen altogether offered in 

 lists. Rich soil is essential for these Lilies when planted in pots 

 or boxes, audit is well to add plenty of bone-meal to what would 

 be regarded as a soil good for Roses. The effect of the bone is 

 lasting, and when repotting directly after the flowers are over 

 each year it is not desirable to disturb the tnass of roots, but 

 simply to shift them on into larger pots, so that the full benefit of 

 the bone will be appropriated. Liquid stimulants are also given 

 about flowering-time, for the old theory that manure in any 

 form is injurious to Lilies has been exploded. They are, in 

 fact, great feeders, and need an abundance of good stimulants 

 to get them to their best year after year. In order to have 

 them for a long period we store them all in the cellar after 

 they have been potted, and they are brought out in batches as 

 they start in spring, so that we get about six weeks' difference 

 between the flowering-time of the flrst and last lots. 



A good early Lily, and one that might be had at Easter-time 

 in pots, is Lilium pomponium verum, the bright scarlet Turks'- 

 cap fragrant Lily. The name verum is of catalogue origin, 

 and is used to distinguish the red from the yellow form, L. 

 Pyrenaicum, which i"s inferior as a garden plant and is of short 

 duration in cultivation, while the scarlet form is in all respects 

 a good Lily ; it is the first to bloom outdoors in early summer, 

 and will thrive in sandy soil. It resembles very much the 

 Siberian L. tenuifolium, but the flowers are from ten to twelve 

 on astern. It is a native of the south of France, and usually 

 comes with the L. candidum early in autumn. There is a diffi- 



culty in obtaining this Lily in quantity now from dealers here — 

 at least, such has been our experience lately ; but it should 

 become better known than it is, as it is in every way a better 

 garden plant than the L. tenuifolium, so much lauded of recent 

 years. n- ^ ^ 



South Lancaster, Mass. E. O. Orpet. 



Carnations and Chr3'santhemmTis. 



THE past season has been very favorable in this section to 

 Carnations planted out-of-doors. All the plants are now 

 housed and look well. With one exception, growers have had 

 little trouble with the dreaded rust. Some consider the immu- 

 nity due to extra care in selecting cuttings and in keeping the 

 stock healthy and growing until planted out in spring. Many 

 growers are careless in this respect, and some disseminators 

 have been guilty of sending out diseased stock. There is no 

 doubt that cleanliness is a great preventive of disease and 

 necessary to insure success. Mr. Tailby, of Wellesley, declares 

 he has not a speck of rust on his place, and thinks this is due 

 to dipping his cuttings in a dilution of the new fungicide, 

 Lysol. 



The variety Mrs. Fisher, which has until now been consid- 

 ered the best white, must give place to Alaska. This variety 

 was raised by the late Mr. Chitty, of Paterson, New Jersey, who 

 exhibited specimens in superb condition at the last Carnation 

 meeting held in Boston during last spring. Its lasting quali- 

 ties at this exhibition were remarkable. Mr. Nicholson, of 

 Framingham, Massachusetts, a well-known expert, went to 

 Paterson to examine it growing, and found it even better 

 than at the Boston exhibition. It is of free growth and 

 sturdy habit in the field, and a profuse bloomer in the green- 

 house. Mr. Tailby has been a grower and raiser of Carnations 

 for thirty years, and his acquaintance with varieties, new and 

 old, is extensive. He says that in many respects Alaska re- 

 sembles Snowdon, an old variety of ten or a dozen years ago, 

 possessed of many fine qualities. Its main defect was a ten- 

 dency to produce a head, or bunch, of buds, to the detriment 

 of the leading bud. He attempted repeatedly, by crossing and 

 recrossing, to remedy this defect, but never succeeded fully. 

 All seedlings possessing to any degree the merits of Snowdon 

 had also its defects. 



Mr. Zirngiebel, of Needham, Massachusetts, is undecided 

 between Alaska and Pride of Eriescourt for best white. The 

 latter, according to some growers, does not last well when cut. 

 Portia is a grand scarlet, and still a great favorite. It is espe- 

 cially free in flowering during the early part of the season. 

 Although a continuous bloomer, it does not compare with 

 Hector in size, which, however, is later. E. G. Hill is another 

 fine scarlet of neat low growth, and well suited for front 

 benches. As yet there is no ideal scarlet in the measure that 

 William Scott is the ideal pink. Daybreak is looking well 

 wherever seen. It is blooming freely, with fine long stems ; 

 the flowers of the largest size, of charming peach-blossom 

 shade. Besides being one of the handsomest, it is also one of 

 the most profitable varieties grown, nearly every shoot bear- 

 ing a flower. Nicholson, for its large size and lovely form, is 

 one of the handsomest varieties grown. It is a carmine-pink 

 of pleasing shade with a peculiar lustre or sheen not possessed 

 by any other variety. Mr. Zirngiebel has a cross between 

 Nicholson and William Scott. It is fairly intermediate, having 

 the erect habit and form of flower characteristic of the seed 

 parent, while in size and color the flowers more nearly approach 

 those of the pollen parent. Eldorado is the long-looked-for 

 profitable yellow, but, like its predecessors, it is not a pure yel- 

 low. It is, in fact, a finely fringed and fragrant Picotee, edged 

 carmine, on a yellow ground, and a most beautiful Picotee, 

 too. To produce such a magnificent winter bloomer in this 

 (Picotee) section is an achievement of which Mr. Shelmire, of 

 Avondale, Pennsylvania, may well be proud. 



Report comes that blooms of the Chrysanthemum Yellow 

 Queen were offered for sale on September 27111, and of 

 Madame Bergmann and Madame Lacroix on the 28th. This 

 is unusually early. I once cut blooms of Madame Lacroix on 

 September 28tli, bttt these were from early crown-buds. Even 

 though the blooms appeared open enough to cut, there was 

 an apparent tightness in the buds which gave the impression 

 that the flowers were not developed. Blooms from crown- 

 buds are never as satisfactory for any floral arrangement as 

 those from terminals. The larger bud characteristic of the 

 crown is never thoroughly hidden by the expanded flower, as 

 in the case -of terminals, nor is there certainty of a perfect 

 bloom as there is from a terminal bud ; some are sure to be 

 deformed. 



From my own observations, the season is a few days late, 



