July 13, 1892.] 



Garden and Forest. 



331 



in the size of tlie lilossoins, the petals in some seeiUings licing 

 mucli larger, and therefore more showy, than others. There 

 are forms in which the buds, and, after expansion, the outside 

 of the petals, are of a deep pink color. A plant received from 

 England as D. scabra candidissima cannot be called any finer 

 or whiter than the ordinary forms. Tlie D. candidissima Hore 

 pleno of some American nurseries is simply a double white- 

 flowering D. scabra. A well-known American firm lias sent 

 out a fine double form vmder the name of " Pride of Roches- 

 ter," which has longer petals than some others, and has pink- 

 ish buds. There are, however, only twenty petals to each 

 flower, so that the centre is somewhat open and plainly shows 

 the pistils. In other variations the petals are more numerous, 

 thirty being a common number, and as they are more crowded 

 the blossom spreads out wider and has more of a compact 

 rosette character. A good form, with these full double flow- 

 ers, has been sold as l3. Watsoni. As is the case with so many 

 other cultivated plants, there is a monstrous form of this 

 Deutzia which has variegated foliage, the leaves being 

 blotched or mottled green and white. While it is odd, it can- 

 not be called pretty, and, like most other variegated plants, 

 it should not be planted e.xcept as a curiosity. These 

 variegated leaves are often more or less misshapen, and are 

 liable to revert to the green form, their normal healthful con- 

 dition. Any peculiarly striking form of this Deutzia may be 

 propagated by layering, or on a larger scale by cuttings of ripe 

 or green wood. As they usually bear fruit in abundance, the 

 amateur may raise any number of plants from seed and retain 

 such as produce the best bloom. 



Both the early and late flowering Wistarias have generally 

 quite passed their flowering stage, although the early-flowering 

 Chinese Wistaria bears a fewstray and poor racemes of flowers 

 on its new growths. Our American species, the late-flowering 

 W. frutescens, is ordinarily quite out of blossom by this time 

 (July 2d), but there is in the Arboretum collection a variety or 

 form of it which is still quite showy. This was received sev- 

 eral years ago from the Messrs. Parsons under the name of 

 W. frutescens magnifica, and it differs from the common type 

 in having racemes which are sometimes over a foot in length, 

 whereas in the common well-known form the racemes are 

 usually very short and the flowers clustered. The flowers of 

 this Magnifica form are large, of a pale purple or lavender 

 color, and at this time the apical ends of the racemes, for 

 about half their length, are still covered with flowers and 

 flower-buds. It is not generally known that there is a white- 

 flowered form of W. frutescens, which, like those of the type, 

 has its blossoms in short compact clusters. 



Visitors traveling to the sea-shore resorts north of Boston 

 are at this season charmed and delighted with the bright yel- 

 low covered hills in the vicinity of Salem and in other parts 

 of Esse.x County. The blossom which makes this handsome 

 show is that of the Woad Waxen, or Dyer's Broom (Genista 

 tinctoria), which now covers hundreds of acres in this part of 

 Massachusetts, and has become established, in a small way, 

 in other localities and places. Once established, it is likely to 

 become a troublesome weed, and wherever it is introduced 

 as an ornamental plant it should be looked after, that it does 

 not get too commonly wild. Here it appropriates the surface 

 of the soil to the exclusion of almost every other kind of vege- 

 tation, and seems thoroughly at home. The foliage, when in 

 good condition, covers the ground with a glossy deep green, 

 the stems being from one to two feet high, and when in blos- 

 som the whole surface of the ground, when viewed at a little 

 distance, appears covered by a bright yellow carpet. 



It is believed by many that the Woad Waxen was first intro- 

 duced from Europe by Governor John Endicott, who brought 

 it to his garden, at Salem, Massachusetts, in the first half of 

 the seventeenth century. It was probably brought over for 

 the beauty of its yellow blossom, although sentiment may 

 have been the chief motive ; or, what is not at all improbable, 

 it may have been introduced and purposelyallowed to become 

 wild, with the idea that it might be of use to the colonists for 

 the yellow colors to be obtained from its stems and branches, 

 for which purpose it was extensively used in the mother 

 country. 



The Woad Waxen in the Arboretum is liable to suffer from 

 two or three diseases, which injure it very much at or after blos- 

 soming time. A species of Aphis is sometimes very abundant 

 on the youngshoots, dwarfing the growth, and, by the excretions 

 of the insects, causing the plants to have a grayish appearance 

 at blossoming time. About this season the leaves also often 

 turn dark brown or black and fall, apparently from the effects 

 of some attack by fungus. A large ashy gray-colored, so- 

 called Blister-beetle (Macrobasis unicolor) is also extremely 

 fond of the leaves, and often occurs in such numbers as to 



quite strip the plants of foliage before midsummer. These 

 beetles also greedily devour foliage of the Honey Locust and 

 other plants of the Pea family. <v /- <v z. 



Arniilil Arboretum. /• Lr- jaCk. 



Garden Carnations. 



THE Carnation in its many varieties, not the florist's type, 

 divided up into several sections according to the disposi- 

 tion of color on the petals, but the robust, free-blooming self- 

 varieties, by force of decided and distinct colors, creates a 

 rich eftect in the garden. During the past few years much 

 interest has been taken in the Carnation in England, not re- 

 garded from the strict florist's point of view, but simply as a 

 garden-flower — free, robust and showy. The florist's kinds, 

 the Pjizarre, Flaked and Rose sections, fail through their 

 want of decided effect. The kind of coloring is not distinct, 

 and a bed of the most expensive varieties is not so beautiful 

 to look upon as a mass of such a fine flower as the rich self- 

 Kelton Rose or the lovely Comtesse de Paris, with a flesh- 

 tone as delicate and refined as the most ardent lover of soft 

 shades could desire. 



There was need of much improvement in existing kinds of 

 Carnation, self-colored it is true and often very beautiful, but 

 the flowers lacked one essential quality in a typical garden 

 variety — that is, a sound calyx, a calyx that keeps intact even 

 during a period of wet weather. Those that burst the calyx 

 are practically valueless, the petals tumbling about in hope- 

 less confusion, unkempt and unsatisfactory. This is an im- 

 portant point, not only for the value of the flowers for 

 the garden but also for cutting. A variety that carries its 

 bloom in free clusters, with an entire calyx, and sends 

 up a succession from the younger growths is of great value, 

 both for supplying bloom for the house and for enriching the 

 bed or border. 'There are certain indispensable qualities in 

 a garden Carnation : (i) the flowers should be of a solid color, 

 decided, rich and telling ; (2) the calyx must not split ; (3) the 

 plant must have a robust habit, the growth vigorous, and (4) 

 it must have fragrance. The first two points I have already 

 made allusion to, and it is scarcely necessary to urge the im- 

 possibility of getting satisfactory plants if the varieties selected 

 are of weakly growth. Few plants are more miserable in 

 aspect than a sickly Carnation, and unless provided with an 

 abundance of sturdy, healthy foliage it is useless to expect 

 good effect or obtain shoots for layering. It seems strange 

 that, notwithstanding the precious gift of fragrance to the Car- 

 nation, the delicious perfume of the old crimson Clove, or of its 

 white counterpart, that this delightful attribute has been often 

 overlooked. Varieties practically scentless are praised, but 

 they lose much in value when deprived of one of the greatest 

 charms of a Carnation. Scentless Roses abound, and yet are 

 retained in cultivation through exceptional fornx or color. 



The smooth-edged flowers make the finest color-effect; 

 but quite as attractive, in their way, are the fringed varieties, 

 the uneven edged imparting a certain charm. One of the 

 most delightful garden varieties I can call to mind is Raby 

 Castle. The flowers are not remarkable for breadth of petal 

 or what may be called robust expression, but th-? color, a kind 

 of bright pink with a trace of salmon in it, is very effective in 

 a mass. The fragrance is moderately strong, and the petals 

 fringed. It blooms with the greatest profusion, produces an 

 abundance of foliage, and may be made use of for forming 

 broad edgings to walks, or, at least, borders, with the full as- 

 surance that it will please. This is the kind of Carnation that 

 should be encouraged. A large, finely developed flower, 

 broad in the petal, full, and robust, is a first consideration. 



A lovely Carnation is Comtesse de Paris, which we have 

 many times seen in fullest perfection. It is one of the most 

 delicate in color, a tender blush, the flowers of exceptional 

 form and delightful shape, and carried freely on sturdy 

 stems, the foliage of great vigor. The calyx does not split, 

 and there is another great feature, the plant sends up a suc- 

 cession of spikes, thus continuing the season long past that of 

 the ordinary kinds. This is a point of great importance. We 

 have here a forerunner of a race that will last in bloom until 

 the season of frosts. 



The great desideratum is to raise seedlings possessing the 

 merits alluded to, and some varieties come very true from 

 seed. A very striking new variety is called the Queen, sent 

 out only last year by Mr. Charles Turner, of Slough, and 

 raised from continental seed. The color is rich, clear and de- 

 cided rose ; the foliage very strong ; habit dwarf, robust, 

 and not drooping, and the calyx very firm. 



A successful English grower of the Carnation recommends, 

 as a top-dressing, soot and wood-ashes, as wireworms, a great 

 pest, dislike them. Use manure sparingly, as some of the 



