i8o 



Garden and Forest. 



[Number. 216. 



riences of an intelligent and susceptible mind in the presence 

 of nature, or can enjoy really good and graceful writing upon 

 any subject. And the true lover of nature and books will be 

 glad to put this new-comer upon his favorite shelf, whether 

 its row of big volumes and small begins with Evelyn or only 

 with Thoreau. 



Notes. 



The Spice-bush is already brightening the brook-sides near 

 this city witli its abundant yellow flowers. 



The best varieties of Sweet Corn are comparatively late. It 

 is well, however, to plant a little of the hardier kinds for extra 

 early use, but we have not yet tried any of these varieties 

 which are satisfactory as to quality. 



The Peabody Museum of Archceology announces that the 

 Serpent Mound Park, in Ohio, establislied to preserve the most 

 interesting of our prehistoric relics from destruction, lias been 

 completed, and tliat the discriminate cutting of timber from 

 parts of the land, together with tlie sale of the hay-crop, will 

 assist in defraying the expenses of its maintenance. 



At the late Philadelphia flower-show some specimens of 

 Ficus elastica, which were exhibited by Mr. W. K. Harris, at- 

 tracted much attention from their bushy habit. Usually, tliis 

 plant is grown with a single stem, but Mr. Harris' plants 

 branched out at different points along the central stem, so as 

 to present a tree-like appearance. Ordinarily, this branching 

 habit is brought about by cutting off the main stem, but in 

 these plants the branches seem to have been forced out by 

 some cultural device. 



The last number of Meehans' Monthly has a word of praise 

 for our native Bird's Foot Violet (Viola pedata), which is 

 spoken of as one of the handsomest of the family for garden 

 purposes. Not only does it thrive well in borders, but it seems 

 capable of furnishing a great number of beautiful forms, as it 

 grows wild in different colors — white, rose-color and the like. 

 There seems to be no reason why, with some care and selec- 

 tion, it might not furnisli as many varieties as the Pansy has. 

 Among some of these Violets, indeed, there are forms now 

 which have a striking resemblance to Pansies with their two 

 upper petals dark crimson and the three lower ones of a 

 violet-blue. 



Rev. G. H. Engleheart writes in a recent number of the 

 Gardeners' Magazine of Iris Bakeriana, that it flowers almost 

 as early as Crocus Imperati and about the same time that the 

 most beautiful of the Grape Hyacinths (Muscari azureum) ap- 

 pears. It is somewhat expensive, but an excellent example of 

 the paradox that higli-priced goods are often the cheapest. 

 Two years ago Mr. Engleheart invested three sliillings and 

 sixpence in a not very promising-looking bulb of Iris Bakeriana 

 in a tiny thumb-pot. This was turned out into his border, 

 and the next February it gave him one fine flower, whicli the 

 year after increased to seven, each flower representing a bulb, 

 and now, in its third season, it has formed a fine clump. 



Mr. Theodore L. Mead writes to the Florida Agriculturist 

 that at his place in Orange County, Florida, Dendrobium no- 

 bile has proved practically hardy. Some plants on the trunk 

 of a Palmetto have been out three winters and have endured 

 a temperature of twenty-five degrees several times, and once 

 still lower, v/ith very little injury. Sharp frost in January of 

 this year cut off one half-grown shoot, but did not injure an- 

 other alongside of it, nor did it hurt the old pseudo-bulbs or 

 young flower-buds just opening. This frost cut down large 

 Guava-bushes to the ground, and many of the tenderer Phoe- 

 nixes lost all their leaves. Besides tlie Dendrobiums on the 

 Palmetto, he has others in the woods, both on the ground and 

 on tree-trunks, and these were untouched. 



At a meeting of the fruit-growers of Ontario two apples 

 were exhibited which were the result of a careful cross-fer- 

 tilization by Mr. P. C. Dempsey, between the Golden Russet 

 and the Northern Spy. The first of these. No. 90, was spe- 

 cially commended by the Fruit Committee for appearance, 

 solidity, flavor and keeping quality. It seems an almost per- 

 fect apple for export, not too large, of a clear dark-red color, 

 such as the foreign market demands, and its very solid flesh 

 enables it to be packed firmly and carried well. Tlie apple. 

 No. 87, is ratlier later, and does not reach its best quality till 

 after New Year's. It is larger, and quite as well colored and 

 beautiful. Both of these apples have very small cores. The 

 fact that they are not chance seedlings, but have been pro- 

 duced by careful selection from parents of known qualities, is 

 certainly an encouragement for those who are devoting them- 



selves in a studious way to the production of new fruits by 

 careful breeding. 



" Experiments by Herr Regel," says a recent article in the 

 Popular Science Monthly, " with reference to the influence of 

 external factors on the odors of plants, show that the most 

 important is the indirect influence of light on the formation of 

 etheric oils and their evaporation. Heat and light intensify the 

 fragrance of strongly fragrant flowers, wliich in darkness is 

 lessened without quite disappearing. When the whole plant 

 was darkened those buds only which before were fairly well 

 developed yielded fragrant flowers ; the others were scentless. 

 If, however, only the flowers were darkened, all were fragrant. 

 Other plants open their flowers and are fragrant only by night. 

 When these plants were kept continuously in the dark they 

 lost their scent as they lost their starch. When brought into 

 the light again both starch and fragrance returned. Besides 

 light, respiration has a decided influence on the fragrance. In 

 general, the opening of flowers coincides with their fragrance, 

 but there is no necessary connection between these phe- 

 nomena." 



From some experiments with nitrogenous fertilizers on pas- 

 ture-fields made at the Storrs School Experiment Station, in 

 Connecticut, it appears that fertilizers containing potash or 

 phosphoric acid alone are less effective for grass than if they 

 have some available nitrogen in addition. The grasses, such 

 as Timothy, Red Top and the like, must be classed as " ni- 

 trogen consumers," while Clover and the legumes are now 

 called " nitrogen gatlierers," since it seems to be accepted that 

 in some way they gather nitrogen from the air. It would seem 

 desirable, therefore, that fertilizers for pasture, grass-lands and 

 lawns should contain a considerable quantity of nitrogen in a 

 readily available form. Such fertilizers not only increase the 

 total yield of grass, but they also increase the percentage of 

 protein in the crop. Since it is protein which makes blood, 

 bone, muscle and milk, and as this is the most important and 

 costly ingredient in food and apt also to be deficient in feed- 

 ing-stuffs, the increase of this substance is a matter worthy of 

 consideration and a strong additional argument for the use of 

 nitrogenous fertilizers, 



F. R. Pierson writes to the American Florist that Bermuda 

 Easter Lilies are often left too long after they are ready to be 

 cut. Tlie proper plan is to cut the flowers as soon as they are 

 sufficiently open to allow the pollen to be removed, to put 

 them in water and set them away in a dark cellar. The flow- 

 ers will then never become transparent or papery, but have 

 the desirable waxen appearance which gives them their 

 highest value. Of course, this refers principally to the 

 smaller-sized Lilies grown for cutting, on which there are 

 from two to four flowers on a stem. It will be found that 

 when the first Lilies begin to open on the stem, if they are cut 

 and treated in this way, the remaining buds will open even bet- 

 ter in the water than they will if they remain in the greenhouse, 

 while the first flowers will keep in better condition than if they 

 had remained in tlie heat and sunshine until the other flowers 

 had opened. Potted plants should also be placed in a dark- 

 ened greenhouse, a cool shed or a cellar when their flowers 

 are opening. For transportation the flowers should be packed 

 with a little cotton as tightly as possible, and they should be 

 absolutely dry, because the least moisture will discolor 

 them. Lilies properly cut can be kept for a fortniglit without 

 injury if they are in a place where there is no condensation of 

 moisture. When they show any sign of flabbiness they should 

 be removed from the jars and the stems freshly cut, and they 

 will shorfly be as good as ever. On arrival at their destination, 

 after a long shipment, they should have their stems cut and 

 be placed in water in a dark cellar for half a day before using, 

 and they will be greatly improved. 



Catalogues Received. 



B. A, Elliott & Co., 54 Sixth Street, Pittsburgh, Pa.; Seeds, Trees, 

 Shrubs and Small Fruits. " A Few Flowers Worthy of General Cul- 

 ture," an Illustrated Treatise on the Practical Advantages of Hardy 

 Flowers as Garden Plants, with Price-catalogue. — Jessamine Gardens, 

 Jessamine, Florida ; Rare Florida Flowers and Fruits, Ornamental 

 Plants. — John Laing & Sons, The Nurseries, Forest Hill, London, 

 S. E. ; Special Clivia List. — ^Joi-IN A. Scollay, 74, 76 Myrtle Avenue, 

 Brooklyn, N. Y. ; Horticultural Building and Hot Water Engineering. 

 — ^JOHN C. Teas, Carthage, Mo.; Shade and Ornamental Trees, Ever- 

 greens, Fruit Trees, Grapes and Small Fruits. — The Tottenham 

 Nurseries, Ld., Dedemsvaart, near Zwolle, Netherlands; Wholesale 

 Trade-list of Conifers, Rhododendrons, Azaleas, Roses, Fruit Trees, 

 Perennials, etc. — ViLMORiN Andrieux et Cie, Paris, France; Seeds of 

 Trees, Shrubs and Greenhouse Plants. 



