476 



Garden and Forest. 



[Number 405. 



abounds in Colocyntli, which property is common in a more 

 or less degree to all the plants of this orijer. It is a native of 

 Arabia, Upper Guinea and Nile-Land, and is described by 

 Hooker in his Flora of Tropical Africir . 



Cucumis odoratissimus, now generally regarded as a variety 

 of C. Melo, is another interesting- cliinlier of this extensive 

 genus, growing about seven or eight feet high. It is some- 

 wliat rougher in appearance than the preceding species. The 

 fruit, which is frequently sold as a curiosity, is round, about 

 one and a half to two and a half inches in diameter, chocolate 

 colored and striped longitudinally with yellow and green 

 bands. As its name implies, the fruit has a delightful odor, 

 resembling that of a ripe pear. 



Cucumis anguria, which Climbs to a height of about ten feet, 

 has smooth stems and leaves, the latter roundish-reniform, 

 two and a half to four inches in diameter, and deeply three to 

 seven lobed, the lobes serrate. The fruit varies from white 

 globose to a prickly elongated shape, and is eaten cooked or 

 pickled in the young and green stage by natives of warm 

 climates. As to its native country, authorities vary ; some 

 claiming that it is of American origin, and it grows wild in 

 Jamaica. Others claim that it is only a modified or cultivated 

 lorm of some African species, either C. Prophetarum or C. 

 Figarei. 



Cucumis acutangula, now included under Luffa, is an exten- 

 sive climber, stems and leaves smooth, the latter acutely five- 

 lobed and deeply cordate at the base. The fruit is elongated 

 and sharp-pointed, smooth, somewhat ten-ribbed. The origin 

 of this species is not quite certain. It has been sent from 

 various places in the West Indies and Central and South 

 America, but indications point to its having been introduced 

 into those places at some remote period. A bitter variety 

 grows wild in British India, and it is said to be indigenous to 

 the Sunda Islands. It has long been cultivated by the natives 

 of Senegal. 



Cucumis fle.xuosus, one of the Snake Gourds, said to be a 

 variety of C. Melo. It has long green fruits, yellowish when 

 ripe, which are thickened toward the apex. They are from 

 one to two and a half feet long, variously curved or coiled 

 (snake-like). They have the odor and taste of a cantaloupe. 

 We let this species trail over the ground the past summer, 

 although it might climb like the others it given support. 



Botanic Garden, University of Pennsylvania. Alexander MacElwee. 



Carnation Notes. 



CARNATIONS and other flowers are to some extent 

 neglected while Chrysanthemums are in season, and 

 likely to be crowded aside to make room for the larger and 

 more showy plants. But Chrysanthemums, which are all the 

 rage for a month or six weeks, then disappear until another 

 autumn, while the flowering season of Carnations is almost 

 continuous, since carefully cultivated plants will liloom satis- 

 factorily during eleven months of the year in benches or solid 

 beds. The yearly improvement in Carnations is remarkalile, 

 and the high prices brought by good ones even during the 

 height of the Chrysanthemum season are proof of their firm 

 hold on public favor. Many persons prefer carnations to 

 roses for table and house decoration, not because they are 

 less costly, but because of their superior keeping qualities and 

 their fragrance, which is more marked than it usually is in 

 roses grown under glass. 



The flowers of single-stem Chrysanthemums have now 

 mostly been cut, and Carnations which have been carried over 

 in pots in cold frames can be planted in their stead as soon as 

 fresh compost can be got into the benches. Many growers 

 carry over quite a number of plants in this way, and my per- 

 sonal experience is that it is a good method. 



Plants should all be staked by this time; we prefer to do 

 this work as soon as possible after they are housed. Of the 

 many methods of slaking Carnations now in use there is not 

 one which gives general satisfaction. It is pleasant to note 

 that the use of thick, clumsy-looking wooden stakes is on the 

 decrease, and that wire supports of various kinds are taking 

 their place. Different varieties of Carnations vary so much 

 in vigor and habit that what suits one is of little use for 

 another. The Worcester wire supports, manufactured at 

 Worcester, Massachusetts, are now largely used in Massachu- 

 setts ; for such varieties as Daybreak they are of no use what- 

 ever, and they are too weak to support a vigorous plant 

 properly after the early spring months. We use galvanized 

 wire rods, which are tied to an iron wire drawn along each 

 row, and the beds have a neat appearance. The plants thus 

 supported can always be readily loosened and cleaned, and if 



they are properly tied the flowers can be quickly gathered. 

 There are, no doubt, otlier methods superior to this in some 

 respects, and we are alert to adopt any better system as soon 

 as its greater advantages are proved. 



The surface should be somewhat dry before water is given, 

 and during dull dark weather this detail must have careful 

 attention. At present our benches require two soakings a 

 week — that is, more is necessary than a moistening of the sur- 

 face soil. The amount of water required depends very much 

 on file nature of the soil, sandy composts drying out most 

 quickly. About the end of November we shall begin to give 

 our plants weak liquid stimulants, or scatter a little chemical 

 fertilizer between the rows and scratch the surface over before 

 watering. .Syringing on mornings of bright* days is beneficial, 

 and air should be freely admitted at every favorable oppor- 

 tunity. A little ventilation should be left on all night unless 

 the outside air is very frosty. Our ventilators have not been 

 closed any night up to this time. Green fly must be held in 

 check by fumigation. Rust has shown itself to some extent 

 on Bride of Erlescourt, one of last spring's introductions. The 

 plants have been isolated and alfected leaves picked off as 

 they show. We are trying Bordeaux mixture, lime, fir-tree oil 

 and other remedies. As a general rule, rust is less virulent 

 now in this section than it was a year ago. Growers have dis- 

 carded diseased stock and are taking greater precautions to 

 ward off the disease. 



Among the new varieties of 1895, Alaska is one of the best 

 white sorts and promises to be a leading market variety. It 

 is giving general satisfaction wherever it is grown. It is very 

 floriferous, has a stiff wiry stem and finely formed flower of 

 good size, with strong calyx. Lizzie McGowan has hitherto 

 been the leading white variety here, and is looking well this 

 season. The late Mr. Chitty's new variety is, however, likely 

 to supersede it to a large extent. Crystal, a new white variety 

 certificated by the Massacliusetts Horticultural Society, makes 

 wonderfully strong growth and throws very large flowers, lat- 

 eral buds giving blooms as large as terminals. This variety 

 was raised by Mr. Sewall Fisher, of Framingham, Massachu- 

 setts. With several growers it is not proving a free bloomer, 

 but nothing could have been finer than a bench of it in one of 

 the Carnation-houses of Mr. William Nicholson, a neighbor of 

 Mr. Fisher. At the same establishment were batches of two 

 other promising white seedlings. Mrs. Fisher is still grown to 

 some extent, but there is really no use for it with such a variety 

 as Alaska on the market, though as an outdoor summer 

 bloomer it is likely to continue popular. Meteor, the new 

 crimson variety, one of Mr. Dorner's introductions, is some- 

 what like Portia in habit. The flowers are large, a brilliant 

 crimson-scarlet, and are produced on stiff stems. It has not, 

 thus far, produced many flowers, and they have mostly come 

 semi-double. I question whether it will supersede F. Man- 

 gold. Rose Queen and Bridesmaid, introduced respectively 

 bv Messrs. Simmons and Dorner, have given but few flowers 

 as yet here. As seen elsewhere they are not likely to approach 

 William Scott in popularity. The last-named variety seems to 

 outdistance all others of iis color in good qualities, and is 

 better this year than ever before. Nicholson is doing well 

 with some growers, and its large, handsome flowers are in 

 demand for wearing in buttonholes. Ada Byron seems to 

 have been dropped altogether. Winter Cheer is at present 

 giving us finer flowers than any other scarlet variety. As a 

 |50t-plant it can be highly commended. It does not. however, 

 flower so freely and persistently as Hectorand Portia. There 

 is really not a satisfactory scarlet in cultivation — one that will 

 compare with Alaska as a white or William Scott as a pink. 

 Helen Keller, in stiff compost, at the warm end of the house, 

 is giving better results than a year ago, and fewer flowers are 

 fading when half-opened. Minnie Cook, a pretty fancy variety 

 sent out by Mr. Chitty, is looking well where we have seen it, 

 and is superior to Helen Keller in many respects. Daybreak 

 and Thomas fartledge — the one a delicate pink and the other 

 a lovely carmine — should be in every collection. Both are 

 fine growers and produce well-formed flowers on excellent 

 stems. Among yellow grounds nothing new of value was 

 yielded during the past season, and no generally free-flowering 

 and satisfactory kind has yet been introduced of this color. 



Taunton, Mass. W. N. Craig. 



Seasonable Notes on Roses. 



THE latter part of the season of 1S95 was too hot and dryfor 

 a good fall crop of roses, and few flowers were to be seen 

 out-of-doors after the regular June crop was ended. This con- 

 dition was naturally more noticeable in those gardens in which 

 no facilities were provided for artificial watering, for, while 



