272 



Garden and Forest. 



[Number 224. 



ness, there having been only one slight shower during six 

 weeks. The flowers have consequently lacked substance, and 

 in some cases the coloring was deficient, more especially in 

 the Leedsi and Barri sections, where the cups are stained with 

 orange in tlie normal coloring. 



Soutii Lancaster, Mass. L'. 



The Rock-garden. 



■DEAUTIFUL effects may be secured by the use of rough 

 J-' stones and stumps in floral plantations, and a large va- 

 riety of plants which continue attractive during the greater part 

 of the year may be well grown in a carefully contrived rock- 

 garden. Nearly all the dwarf plants ordinarily used in decora- 

 tive gardening are suitable for the rock-garden, and by a judi- 

 cious use of the materials employed in its construction suitable 

 positions may be provided for tlie many choice plants that will 

 not flourish in the general garden, or anywhere, indeed, but in 

 such places as closely resemble the dry', almost barren char- 

 acters of their native habitats. No form of horticultural art is 

 more attractive and interesting, and the plants are generally 

 inexpensive, though some rare kinds are difficult to duplicate. 



The various species and varieties of the extensive genus 

 Narcissus make desirable groups, as do the Snowdrops, Squills, 

 Tulips and otiier early spring-flowering plants. The same may 

 be said of the FritillaVias, of wliich there are many varieties. 

 The spring Snowflake (Leucoium vernum)is now out of bloom, 

 but its summer relative, L. eestivum, flowers freely in late May. 



The red and yellow flowers of Aquilegia Canadensis, the 

 Canadian Columbine, are very attractive, and the plant is one 

 that takes kindly to any position short of the bare rock. It 

 attains a height of about two feet in good soil, but its growth 

 is much stunted where the earth is poor and scanty. It is a 

 graceful plant, and flowers freely in any case, spreading rapidly 

 by means of the seeds, which are annually ripened in large 

 quantities. 



Trillium grandiflorum lingers on, though the flowers are not 

 so numerous as thev were earlier in the season, and those that 

 remain have become somewhat tinged with red. This Wood 

 Lily is one of the most effective early-flowering plants for 

 moist and shady situations, as at the foot of the rockery. Sim- 

 ilar sites should be accorded the lesser Periwinkle (Vinca 

 minor) and Orobus vernus. Both of these plants are in fine 

 condition in May, and the ^'inca rambles about over the rocks 

 without the least regard to regularity. Its pretty blue flowers 

 and deep green foliage are also serviceable in forming an ex- 

 quisite mantle in places where the gloom is so dense thatmost 

 other plants will not live. There is nothing better than V. 

 minor for a shade plant, and where it fails experiments with 

 other plants are generally futile. It is equally satisfactory in an 

 open position. 



Orobus vernus is a highly meritorious plant, and one that 

 well deserves more attention than is usually given to it. It 

 has been known to horticulturists for over two centuries, and 

 although of easy culture, it has never been very common. A 

 shady and rather dry position suits it best, and the soil should 

 be loamy and of medium quality. It is about twelve inches in 

 height, and of erect, compact growth. The numerous stems 

 are furnished with light green, pinnate leaves, and the purplish 

 pea-shaped flowers are borne profusely in racemes at the top 

 throughout the spring months. It is a native of southern 

 Europe, and easily propagated from seeds in spring, or by 

 division of the roots in autumn. 



The Aubrietias are very gay in dr\', elevated crevices. Thev 

 are all dwarf and of compact habit. The purple flowers of 

 A. deltoidea are very pretty, as are those of A. grandiflora, 

 which are lilac color and of larger size. A. Grffica has an ex- 

 ceptionally trim appearance, and the flowers are of a rich red- 

 dish purple color and good size. The flowersof A. Hendersoni 

 are of deep, rich purple color; those of A. violacea are some- 

 what paler. But the gem of the group is undoubtedly A. 

 Leichtlini. It is extremely floriferous, and the blooms are large 

 and of a bright rose hue. These plants are perfectly hardy, 

 and require little attention when once thoroughly established. 

 But with the exception of A. violacea, which seeds freely and 

 is therefore easily increased, they are all dii^cult to propagate. 

 The best method I know of is to'divide the tufts very carefully 

 after the flowering season, and plant the pieces in a frame, 

 using light, rich soil. Shading will be found beneficial in very 

 bright weather until growth is started, and water should be 

 given when necessary. The ne\y plants will be ready for their 

 permanent places early in autumn, and will flower during the 

 ensuing spring. 



The everg-reen Candytuft (Iberis sempervirens) is a mass of 

 snowy bloom in May. It is a plant of somewhat shrubby 

 character, about a foot high, and of thick, spreading growth. 



At other times the dark green leaves have a peculiarly refresh- 

 ing appearance, but now they are almost totally hidden by the 

 sheet of flower-heads. It is quite a hardy plant and likes free 

 exposure to sunshine. Cuttings of the young wood taken in 

 summer afford the best means of propagation. These should 

 be placed in sandy soil, and kept in the shade until rooted. 



Scilla campanulata is in bloom now. The leaves are strap- 

 shaped, decumbent and about a foot in length. The Hya- 

 cinth-like scape is erect, from twelve to fifteen inches high, 

 bearing numerous drooping, bell-shaped flowers of pale blue 

 color at the top. Itrequires'good, sandy soil, and large masses 

 give a charming effect in partial shade. 



The Iceland Poppy (Papaver nudicaule) is extremely hand- 

 some in its various varieties, the flowers of which are either 

 orange, white or yellow. The plant is dwarf, and forms dense 

 tufts of pale green, finely cut leaves. The cup-shaped flowers 

 are from two to three inches in diameter, and they are borne 

 singly at the top of erect slender stems, which are from nine 

 to eighteen inches high, and bare from base to extremity. 

 This plant is a native of the northern parts of Europe, and 

 stands through our severest winters wholly uninjured, pro- 

 vided it is given a sunny aspect, where water will speedily 

 pass away from the roots. The plantations of this delightful 

 Poppy should be reneVed at least every third year, as the 

 young plants are more certain to give satisfaction than those 

 advanced in age. Seeds ripen freely, and from these an abun- 

 dant stock of plants maybe readily obtained by sowing early in 

 spring. The plants thus raised will flower in late summer and 

 tlie following autumn, and in both spring and autumn during 

 succeeding years. The small brick-red or white flowers of the 

 dwarf P. alpinum are interesting, but not nearly so beautiful 

 as those of P. nudicaule, and they are insignificant beside those 

 of the scarlet P. orientale, which will bloom a week hence. 



Omphalodes verna, the creeping Forget-me-not, is another 

 pleasing little shade-loving plant. It is a native of southern 

 Europe, and was introduced into English gardens in 1633. The 

 creeping stem is furnished with ovate leaves on petioles two 

 or three inches long, and the intense blue, spreading flowers, 

 with white starry eye, are about twice the size of an ordinary 

 Forget-me-not, and are borne above in short racemes. Propa- 

 gation is quickly effected by division, and the plant spreads 

 rapidly where the soil is good and the situation favorable to its 

 development. The pale blue flowers of Myosotis sylvatica, 

 one of the true Forget-me-nots, are quite showy in masses at 

 this season, and its white variety is also useful in the way of 

 diversity. Although a perennial, it is best when treated as an 

 annual. The seeds should be sown in autumn, keeping the 

 plants under cover during the winter, and transferring them to 

 the open in early spring. 



The commoner plants in bloom include Arabis albida, Ar- 

 meria maritima, Corydalis noblis and Dicentra spectabilis. 

 These are universal favorites, and need no description. 



Cambridge, Mass. ^'/. Barker. 



Gafden Notes. 



I AM now certain of a matter of great importance to small- 

 fruit growers, namely, that the development of berries in the 

 fall exhausts the canes for the next year's regular crop. 1891 was 

 peculiar in showing all over our Raspberry-fields an eflbrt to 

 produce a second crop of fruit. I could pick a quart at any 

 time in October, and had freezing weather held off two weeks 

 longer there would have been several crates of red raspber- 

 ries ripe at one time. These fruit-stalks should have been 

 promptly pruned off. This could have been done in a few 

 hours with hedge-shears or with fruit-clippers. Our Rasp- 

 berry-canes have this spring budded very slowly, and the ends 

 of the stalks are devitalized. This was not due to cold weather, 

 as the winter did no damage to more tender plants. The Cuth- 

 bert, with me, endures extreme weather. 



The same result followed a large development of Straw- 

 berry-blossoms in the fall of 1888. I do not believe we can do 

 better than to remove such flower-stalks with great prompti- 

 tude. The fall-bearing Blackcaps are worthless for summer 

 fruitage. I have carefully looked over my fields and in every 

 case a hill that had a fall crop is worn out or dead. A fall- 

 bearing berry is useless for market purposes, as there is no 

 call for berries out of their season. 



We had occasion to pull up a small Locust (Robinia Pseud- 

 acacia) which had started in my greenhouse, and found on 

 the roots a series of small tubercles. The next day we came 

 on the same tuberculous growth on the roots of a clover, 

 which was pulled from a Strawberry-bed. I had read the 

 biological discovery that plants of the Leguminosse family 

 were "able to extract nitrogen from the air, but had not so far 

 associated the fact with these nodules. It is a matter of ex- 



