3o8 



Garden and Forest. 



[Number 227. 



mental, but they form compact tufts of foliage, which are 

 rather pretty, and can be used to advantage under taller-grow- 

 i ng subjects. Heuchera sanguinea is the best plant of the 

 genus, and it has come to be ranked as one of our best peren- 

 nials. It is a robust grower, perfectly hardy, and does not re- 

 quire any special treatment, growing freely either in the herba- 

 ceous border or in the rock-garden. When it is planted in a 

 mass it gives a splendid effect. Itis comparatively new, having 

 been introduced into gardens from Me.xico in 1882. It has a neat 

 bushy habit, forming compact tufts of leaves close to the 

 ground. The graceful flower-stems are produced abundantly, 

 and are covered with deep red tubular flowers, which last for 

 several weeks. The leaves are light green, slightly hairy, 

 cordate, five to seven lobed, and these are again sharply cre- 

 nated. It is easily increased from seed or by division of the 

 crowns in spring. 



The Alpine Aster (Aster Alpinus) has large bright purple 

 flowers which are much admired. It is a neat and beautiful 

 plant, growing from nine to twelve inches high. The flowers 

 are produced singly on the stem and are about two inches 

 across. This Aster is a very old inhabitant of gardens, having 

 been in cultivation for over twa centuries ; and yet in some 

 of our best collections of hardy plants it is not seen. It 

 is not hard to grow if placed in good garden-soil where it can 

 have plenty of light. It is an e.xcellent plant for the rock- 

 garden or the front row of the herbaceous border. After the 

 flowering season it may be increased by division of the strong 

 roots or by seed. 



Several of the species of Campanula are just now conspicu- 

 ous in the borders. Campanula persicifolia, with its large blue 

 flowers, is very showy and making quite a feature where there 

 are large masses planted. There are several varieties of this 

 plant, such as Alba, Maxima and the double white, and all of 

 them are good garden-plants. Campanula glomerata Dau- 

 rica is a good plant, flowering annually with great profusion, 

 and demanding little care or attention. It was brought from 

 Siberia in 1825, and was thought then to be a new species, but 

 was afterward reduced to the rank of a variety. It grows 

 from fifteen to eighteen inches high and has large deep purple 

 flowers, produced in dense heads. All these species and vari- 

 eties are easily cultivated ; they do well in a good, rich, open 

 soil, and are increased by division of the plants either in the 

 fall or spring. 



Centranthus ruber is an old favorite and is covered just now 

 with its red flowers. It belongs to the Valerian family and is 

 sometimes called the Red Valerian. It is a native of the south 

 of Europe and is naturalized in Great Britain. The plant at- 

 tains a height of two feet here and is a little shrubby at the 

 base of the stem. The individual flowers are very small, but 

 they are produced in dense cymes forming a handsome 

 corymbose panicle, and are very useful when cut, as they last 

 for several days. There is a white variety of this plant which 

 is quite pretty but does not come into flower as early as the 

 species. This plant will grow in any sort of soil, but to get 

 the largest and brightest flowers it needs a little manure. It 

 is most readily propagated in the fall by division of the roots, 

 great care being taken to preserve the long fleshy roots and to 

 break or bruise them as little as possible. 



The perennial Spiraeas are just now among the best orna- 

 ments of the herbaceous border. Spiraea Aruncus is one of 

 the tallest and most showy, growing to a height of four feet. 

 Its habit and foliage are good, and its small white flowers are 

 borne very freely on long spikes, forming a terminal panicle. 

 It does well in the border or wild garden associated with the 

 more vigorous perennials ; but it requires to be planted in 

 deep moist loam. It is a native plant, but is also found in 

 Europe and Asia. 



S. astilboides is another handsome perennial which is rather 

 like S. Aruncus, but is much more dwarf and graceful. It 

 grows about two feet high and its stems are furnished with 

 triternate leaves and terminated by spicate panicles of white 

 flowers. As a border or rock-garden plant it is unrivaled 

 among the dwarf Spirasas. It is also very useful for forcing in 

 spring, making a good pot-plant, growing freely and flowering 

 profusely. It is a comparatively new plant and was brought 

 from Japan a few years ago. The Dropwort or SpirEsafilipen- 

 dula is a European species and received its common name on 

 account of its small tuberous roots hanging like drops by 

 slender threads. There is a double form of this plant which 

 is more common in gardens than the species. The flower- 

 stems are about two feet long and all in loose panicles ; the 

 flowers are white and are very useful for cutting. The foliage 

 is very pretty and fern-like ; it is mostly radical on the lower 

 part of the stems. It is a good border-plant. It is very pretty 

 in our rock-garden, where it is planted in a high and open po- 



sition, so that its large panicles of double white flowers show 

 to great advantage. AH the herbaceous Spiraeas are easily 

 multiplied by division of the plants. 



Cambridge, Mass. 



Fern Notes. 



Robert Cameron. 



/COMPARATIVELY few noteworthy Ferns have been intro- 

 ^"-^ duced during the past year or two, and most of these are 

 in the line of variations of well-known types. Some, however, 

 prove to be decided improvements, and as such are worthy of 

 more extended cultivation ; among these is still another form 

 of the old Ribbon Fern (Pteris serrulata), known as P. serru- 

 lata cristata densa, an unfortunately long title for so pretty a 

 Fern. This variety is in the style of P. serrulata Di.xonii, but is 

 more compact and profusely crested, the fronds being grace- 

 fully arched and of light green color. It will no doubt prove 

 a useful plant for small ferneries, and as the various forms of 

 this species are among the easiest to propagate, a stock may 

 readily be secured. 



Pteris Cretica Mayii is not new, though it is not very com- 

 mon ; it presents some of the well-known characteristics of the 

 type in its hardy nature and tough foliage. It also is compact 

 in growth, the fronds being short and the pinnae more or less 

 forked and crested, their color bemg dark green, with a slight 

 variegation of lighter color down the centre of each division. 

 Pteris Cretica nobilis, also a good form, does not produce as 

 many spores as do some other varieties of this class, and has, 

 therefote, not as yet become so popular a plant as was antici- 

 pated, though unquestionably a very serviceable variety. 



Some of the newer forms of P. tremula become very attrac- 

 tive plants when carefully grown, and either for conservatory 

 decoration or for exhibition purposes have much value. P. 

 tremula Smithii is one of the best, and the fronds are finely 

 divided and much crested on the tips of all the segments. 

 This variety is, I think, more graceful in habit than P. tremula 

 grandiceps, an earlier crested form of this species, already de- 

 scribed in Garden and Forest. 



The Adiantums also continue to produce cristate forms, 

 among those of recent introduction being one of A. assimile, 

 the fronds of which are tipped somewhat like those of 

 A. cuneatum grandiceps, and, like that variety, have an 

 an effect both curious and graceful. This form of A. assimile 

 will probably make a useful basket Fern, the type being 

 specially adapted to that method of cultivation. 



Pteris Victorias is certainly one of the prettiest Ferns of re- 

 cent introduction. The variegation of its slender fronds is 

 clear and distinct in its markings, while the habit of the plant 

 is neat and graceful. The growth of this species is moderate, 

 and it is well suited for small collections. It enjoys more heat 

 than many other members of the genus, doing well in a tem- 

 perature of sixty to sixty-five degrees. This is the Fern dis- 

 covered by Mr. Forstermann in a warm locality in the 

 South Pacific islands during one of hisDrchid-coUecting tours. 



Gleichenia dicarpa longipinnata is one of the most beautiful 

 Ferns, and deserves a place wherever the proper facilities for 

 the growth of these plants exist. It is not new, but as the 

 Gleichenias are usually propagated by division of the rhizomes, 

 their multiplication is naturally slow, and special forms con- 

 tinue somewhat rare. This variety has very long fronds and 

 small pinnae, and makes a most attractive specimen, but, like 

 nearly all its fellows, G. dicarpa longipinnata thrives best in a 

 moderately cool house. 



G. rupestris glaucescens is another useful form, and, like 

 G. dicarpa longipinnata, is of scandent growth, but has much 

 coarser fronds of light green color, and is quite glaucous be- 

 neath. It bears some resemblance to G. Speluncae, but is not 

 so strong a grower, and wfll flourish with more heat. G. di- 

 carpa frequently bears spores, from which I have sometimes 

 succeeded in raising seedlings, but I have never seen spores 

 on G. Speluncae. 



Holmesburg. Pa. W. H. Taplm. 



Narcissus poeticus. 



THE Rev. G. H. Engleheart, in writing to the Gardetiers' 

 Magazine of Narcissus poeticus, which brings the 

 Daffodil season to a close, calls attention to the great 

 length of that season. The little Hoop-petticoat Narcissus 

 will flower in England under glass in February, and such 

 precocious kinds as the Golden Spur and Tenby, under the 

 shelter of a south vi^all, will begin to bloom in the middle 

 of !March, while June will find the last of the Daffodils, the 

 Double Poeticus, in bloom. The Pheasant's-eye Daffodil, 



