June S, 1892.] 



Garden and Forest. 



273 



ceeding interest to farmers, and one easily verified, that all 

 plants in this family are affected by a parasitic growth such as 

 I have described. The disease is caused by a bacterium which 

 assails the roots of the plant and then grows out into these very 

 pretty nodules. Whereas many bacteria are injurious, if not 

 fatal to life, this one adds a new and extraordinary power to 

 the plant attacked, and it is enabled by some means not yet 

 understood, but through this parasitic agency, to extract ni- 

 trogen from the air. With this explanation it is easy to under- 

 stand why Clover increases land fertility instead of exliausting 

 it, and why plowing under a crop of Clover-roots is of so 

 much value to the land. Every root is a nitrogen extractor. 

 Beans have the same power, and all other members of the 

 family leguminosas. It is very probable that this same power 

 is added to the natural functions of some other plants, and the 

 field of examination is extremely interesting. Our boys and 

 girls should he taught biology, and especially in the depart- 

 ments of bacteriology and entomology. 



Clinton, N. Y. E. P. PoiVell. 



The Garden in May. 



'T'OWARD the end of this usually fickle month, the ordinary 

 •'- suburban garden blossoms out with tender plants which im- 

 til this time have been carefully housed or have been bought en 

 masse of the florist. These plants, observation will show, 

 have a look of pained surprise at being moved to unaccus- 

 tomed quarters, and it will be early summer before they are 

 in harmony with their surroundings. No garden is complete 

 without some of the invaluable tender plants, yet it seems 

 incredible that any one should depend entirely on them, as 

 is so frequently the case. A good garden is one which has the 

 best obtainable plants at all possible seasons, and the merits of 

 the plants are quite distinct from their being tender or hardy. 

 If a certain class of plants can only be had in the open in sum- 

 mer, it would seem folly to allow the garden to remain a bar- 

 ren waste during the other three seasons. To lovers of nature, 

 among which gardeners are usually classed, often, it must be 

 feared, incorrectly, the tender foliage of the spring-time is one 

 of the greatest charms of the early year. A garden of hardy 

 plants at that time is a continually changing study in form and 

 coloring, even if the many beautiful flowers of the season are 

 not considered. That they are not more generally grown is 

 perhaps due to this class of plants being less freely offered by 

 the trade, rather than to a want of appreciation of them. The 

 average plant-buyer is dependent on catalogues for his garden 

 lore, and the plantsman has a tradition that " there is no money 

 in them." 



Not to speak of bulbs and the various plants which have 

 been mentioned in Garden and Forest as the season has ad- 

 vanced, there are countless plants which are available as per- 

 manent occupants of the boi'der, to appear with their various 

 attractions as the seasons advance. With tender plants made a 

 secondary feature, and hardy plants and bulbs the main re- 

 liance, one has a garden which will give generally a minimum 

 of care, with usually less expense, and, if well considered, it 

 will prove much more interesting and attractive. To form 

 such a garden requires judicious buying, and it is well at first 

 to confine purchases to a few well-known families of plants, 

 ordinarily such as are cultivated largely by hardy plantsmen, 

 and can be had at a low price. For example, as I write, the 

 most prominent plants in the garden are the Columbines and 

 the hybrid or German Irises. Columbine-plants may be 

 bought, but a collection of German seed, such as is sold by the 

 florists, will, if planted now, give flowering plants' next year 

 in wonderful variety. Mostly beautiful flowers these are, 

 and there are also some which it will be no hardship to 

 lose. There is a great difference in effectiveness among 

 the different varieties. If the grower finds that the kinds 

 bought give him pleasure, there are many other species 

 to be selected and grown. If not satisfactory, the tentative ex- 

 periment has cost little, and has at least been paid for by the 

 pleasure of anticipation. The rhizomes of German Irises may 

 be bought of most plantsmen in great variety at a very rea- 

 sonable price, and they rank among the handsomest of garden- 

 flowers. 



Irises are called " the poor man's Orchids." There are few 

 Orchids with flowers as handsome as some of the best of the 

 Irises, and they have, besides, a nobility and grace all their 

 own. They increase rapidly by creeping rhizomes, and soon 

 give great masses of flowers. There are an endless number 

 of species of this family, with widely divergent flowers and 

 habits, and if subjects difficult of cultivation are desired. 

 Irises can furnish a fair number to test the ingenuity of the 

 most patient gardener. 



Oriental Poppies are just commencing to show color above 

 their graceful Acanthus-like leaves. It is unnecessary to say 

 to any one f;miiliar with Oriental Poppies that they alone fur- 

 nish a garden in their season, everythingelse paling before their 

 vivid fires. To others it may be recommended as a desirable 

 plant to be carefully placed. But a vision of Larkspurs, Cam- 

 panulas, Foxgloves, Spirteas, Phloxes, Ptconics, Coreopsis, 

 Grasses, etc., remind one of the wealth of hardy things to come 

 before the Roses are fairly represented, tiiough the Japanese 

 Rose has already opened the season with its chastely beauti- 

 ful flowers. 



Elizabctli, N.J. J.N. Gerard. 



The Bachelor's Button. — Various plants are known under 

 this common title of Bachelor's Button. The name is a very 

 old one, having been in use over three hundred years ago, 

 with particular reference to a double-flowered form of Ra- 

 nunculus acris, the Golden Bachelor's Button. It is mentioned 

 liy Gerard in his famous Herbal, and that author attributes its 

 origin to the resemblance which the flowers bear to the jagged 

 clothes buttons formerly worn in Britain. Other writers, how- 

 ever, according to Dr. Prior, declare that a haljit of country fel- 

 lows to carry these flowers in their pockets to divine their suc- 

 cess with their sweethearts, gave rise to it. The other plants to 

 which the name is given may be distinguished as the White, 

 the Red, or the Violet Bachelor's Button ; the plants are 

 botanically Ranunculus aconitifolius flore pleno, Lyclinis syl- 

 vestris and Scabiosa succisa. The last two plants are scarcely 

 known in gardens, nor are they desirable except as curiosities, 

 since there are many other more beautiful species of the 

 same genera now in cultivation. Ranunculus acris, the Butter- 

 cup, is already a common weed in many parts of the United 

 States, having Ijeen naturalized from Europe. Its double 

 form is a much-esteemed garden-plant, flowering in May and 

 June, and like the species in everything but the flowers, 

 which are extremely usefid for cutting. It is easily grown, 

 and looks well in either the border or the rockery. Propaga- 

 tion is effected by dividing the roots. The White Bachelor's 

 Button is a plant of similar utility and requirements, and usually 

 blooms about a month later. 



Cambridge, Mass. M. Barker. 



Correspondence. 



The Winter-killing- of Conifers. 

 To the Editor of Garden and Forest : 



Sir, — I have observed some correspondence in your journal 

 as to the winter-killing of certain coniferous trees, and I am 

 constrained to say that in the Arboretum few of the Retino- 

 sporas of any variety have escaped burning more or less. The 

 Arbor-vitffis have suffered greatly, and I have been compelled 

 to cut away more than half of the growth of many quite large 

 specimens. Even the Red Cedar has suffered considerably, 

 and I never saw young White Pines in a worse condition, even 

 plants of considerable size being badly scalded. A great many 

 of the Balsam Firs, which ought to be hardy enough here, are 

 nearly dead. Up to the ist of March these trees all looked 

 well, and my opinion is that much of the damage was done by 

 some very warm dry weather in April, with high drying winds, 

 followed by several severe nights, when ice was formed an 

 inch or more in thickness. Genistas, Cytisus and Furze, wher- 

 ever they were covered, are in a pitiable condition, while others 

 which were left to themselves have come through safely. 

 Daphne Genkwa, which has always survived the winters here 

 with a light covering of earth, has succumbed this season. 

 The Ligustrums, with the exception of L. Ibota and L. media, 

 a dwarf form from Japan, have been hurt considerably, while 

 Weigelias, which usually winter-kill badly with us, are in prime 

 condition, and show hardly a dead branch. The varieties of 

 Berberis vulgaris have suffered, while B. Thunbergii, B. Sie- 

 boldii, B. Amurensis and others from Japan and China are in 

 fine form. The Cotoneasters, which are usually a little tender, 

 show no harm. It is difficult to find any theory which will ac- 

 count for vagaries like these. _. , „ 



Arnold Arboretum. JacksOll DawSOll. 



To the Editor of Garden and Forest : 



Sir, — The article from Mr. H. H. Hunnewell in a recent 

 numlaer of Garden and Forest, relating to the loss of coni- 

 fers, has been read with much interest in this vicinity, where 

 the loss of fine evergreen trees and shrubs during the past 

 season has been quite considerable. Mr. Hunnewell's broad 

 experience and intelligent observation give his statements 

 special value and interest. 



