356 



Garden and Forest. 



[Number 231. 



different flowers receiving unequal amounts of pollen. Per- 

 fect berries were formed by flowers in which all the stigmas 

 upon the receptacle were treated. When only one-half of the 

 stigmas was pollinated the fruit was smaller, the untreated 

 half not having grown in any marked degree. What should 

 have been the apex of the perfect berry was drawn over to the 

 untreated half. Other flowers had about one-fourth of the 

 stigmas fertilized. The berries produced by them were about 

 as large as the preceding, but they were still more misshapen. 

 The seeds were rather far apart, but otherwise the pollenized 

 section presented a normal appearance. A seed would occa- 

 sionally be missing, but this did not prevent the full develop- 

 ment of that part of the receptacle. It was only where several 

 seeds were wanting that a stunted growth was the result. 



Cornell Uiiiversity. E. G. Lodcinan. 



Galium aristatum.— This plant was sold a few years ago in 

 considerable quantities as the Woodruff (Asperula odorata), 

 from northern Europe, to which it has, in fact, very little re- 

 semblance. It grows to the height of three feet or more, and 

 has large open panicles of minute white flowers on very slen- 

 der stems. These panicles, when cut and used with other 

 flowers, are very effective in softening and uniting their colors, 

 as they surround them like a fine spray or mist. The flowers 

 of the Galium also have the advantage of a delicate fragrance 

 which faintly resembles that of Buckwheat-blossoms. When 

 once established the plant takes care of itself and soon makes 

 a large clump, which keeps in bloom in this latitude almost 

 throughout the entire month of July. Much better known than 

 this plant is Gypsophila paniculata, which also has small 

 thread-like stems and small white flowers, which can be used 

 for a similar purpose. It commences to bloom two or three 

 weeks earlier than the Galium. Rather later than the Galium 

 comes the best of the hardy Statices (S. latifolia), which is prac- 

 tically everlasting. No one who has once tried these plants 

 will ever consent to do without them, for, although not strik- 

 ingly beautiful in the border by themselves, they add grace as 

 cut flowers to almost any others with which they are grouped. 

 With these hardy perennials should be mentioned the little 

 annual Gypsophila muralis, which has exceedmgly fine stems 

 and leaves and tiny pink flowers, and is also most useful in 

 producing similar effects. Nothing adds so much to the 

 beauty of a launch of Sweet Peas as a few sprays of this deli- 

 cate plant. 



Momclair. N. J. '->. 



Sobralias. 



SOBRALIAS are not the most popular of the Orchids, but 

 they are more thouglit of now than they were a few 

 years ago, when the genus was seldom represented in collec- 

 tions. But they form a very interesting group, not difficult to 

 grow, and although the flowers last but a few days in beauty, 

 they open in succession, thus maintaining a prolonged display. 

 One great charm of the genus is its distinct expression. The 

 Sobralias are different from the majority of Orchids in flower 

 and habit, and should therefore be grown if only for the sake 

 of variety. The growth is slender, the leafage abundant, and 

 each stem will bear on an average about six or eight flowers, 

 varying, of course, according to the robustness of the specimen. 

 The Sobralias are terrestrial — tliat is, they belong to that 

 group of Orchids which should be grown in pots, and the soil 

 must be fairly open, so that the roots may run freely in it. Be- 

 ginners in the cultivation of the Sobralia should provide plenty 

 of root-space, larger even than in proportion to the plants, and 

 for soil notliing is better than good fibrous peat, to which a 

 moderate sprinkling of coarse silver sand has been added. 

 The object of selecting somewhat lumpy peat is that the roots 

 run freely through it, while the drainage should be liberal. It 

 is not too much to fill pots, say, about eight inches in diameter, 

 almost half full of crocks, those of smaller size to about one- 

 third their depth, as without ample drainage it is hopeless to 

 expect satisfactory growth or production of flowers. When 

 the specimens become too large it is a very simple matter to 

 divide them, and this affords a ready means of increasing the 

 stock if so desired. The plants, when it is seen that they grow 

 too lai'ge, should be turned out of the pots, the best portion of 

 the old soil removed, and the tufts divided into moderate-sized 

 pieces with the hand, as it is not advisable to use the knife 

 more than is absolutely necessary. It is wise not to split them 

 up too small, as it takes a long time for them to become estab- 

 lished. The time for performing this work is the season at 

 which repotting should take place — that is, when new growth 

 is commencing — and it is one great point in repotting to make 

 the new compost moderately firm, so that the water may 



moisten thoroughly the whole ball. This is most necessary, 

 as during the season of growth it is essential to give an abun- 

 dance of water, even at the resting-period some moisture be- 

 ing necessary. Large plants of Sobralias are very beautiful, 

 the reed-like growth and fresh green leafage having a peculiar 

 charm in contrast to the delicately beautiful flowers, that are 

 without a vestige of formality. 



There are several kinds, the most familiar of which is S. 

 macrantha, an excellent exhibition plant, and introduced from 

 Guatemala and Mexico as far back as 1846, the variety Splen- 

 dens following three or four years afterward from the same 

 land. The type is almost too well known to describe. It must 

 be a poor collection that does not contain an example, the 

 stems about six feet in height, the flowers sweetly scented, 

 large, measuring fully six inches in diameter, and rich crim- 

 son and purple in color, relieved by the pale yellow spot in the 

 centre of the bold lip. There are several varieties, and allu- 

 sion has been already made to the form called Splendens, so 

 named from its richly colored flowers, although we may say 

 that shape is sacrificed to color, the flowers not having 

 the form of those of the type. S. pallida has very large 

 blooms, delicate rose in color, the lip having a faint trace of 

 color, and in " Woolley's " variety a conspicuous trait is the 

 dwarf growth, the flowers also of great beauty. A very hand- 

 some species from British Guiana is S. Liliastrum, the flowers 

 of which are large, white and yellow, appearing during the 

 present month. S. rosea is very dark in color, the flowers 

 quite of a mauve tone, the lip crimson, white in the centre ; 

 while in S. xantholeuca, a species of striking beauty, they are 

 very pale yellow, the frilled lip of a deeper tone. 



This is an age of new Orchids, and recently we have had a 

 notable addition to the Sobralias in S. Lucasiana, which was 

 awarded a first-class certificate at the meeting of the Royal 

 Horticultural Society on June 21st last. It was shown by C. J. 

 Lucas, Esq., Warnham Court, Horsham, whose collection is of 

 great interest. As regards habit, S. Lucasiana is much like 

 any other Sobralia, the growth moderately tall, very bushy, 

 and the flowers of characteristic shape. They are very com- 

 pact in shape, the sepals white, faintly touched with rose, the 

 petals broader, and deeper in color ; the lip is of splendid 

 shape, round, very broad across the central lobe, and rich 

 purple-lilac in color. — Gardeners Alagazine. 



The Forest. 



The Forest as modified by Human Agency. — I. 



FROM an introduction to a course of forestry-lectures, de- 

 livered before the University of Edinburgh in their session 

 1891-92 by Colonel Bailey, University Lecturer, Conservator of 

 Forests and Director of the Indian Forest School, printed in 

 part ii., vol. xiii., of the Transactions of the Royal Scottish 

 Arboricidtural Society, which has just reached us, we have 

 made the following extracts, which appear to be of general in- 

 terest as bearing on the question of forest-preservation in the 

 United States ; 



"In early times the greater part of thedry land was, no doubt, 

 covered with trees and shrubs of various kinds, each kind 

 flourishing and maintaining itself in the locality best suited to 

 its special requirements. As the older trees fell to the ground 

 their places were taken by others of the same or of associated 

 species, which grew up in the openings thus afforded to them, 

 and an vuibroken succession of trees and shrubs was in this 

 manner maintained ; for at that remote period but few of those 

 destructive agencies were at work which have raised forestry 

 to a science. 



"What is the foremost among these destructive agencies ? 

 Unquestionably man. 



" It is no doubt true that natural phenomena, such as storms 

 of wind, have always occurred from time to time ; but the 

 forest-growth would, in most cases, surely, if slowly, re-estab- 

 lisli itself after each visitation, and the damage done by four- 

 footed animals, insects and noxious fungi would not be hkely 

 to make much impression on the vast extent of forest which 

 then covered the earth's surface. The human population of 

 the world was small, and the requirements of men were by no 

 means so varied and extensive as they are at present. But as 

 population increased, man had to extend the small patches of 

 cultivation which were the scene of his first efforts in the art 

 of agriculture, and he wanted timber and fire-wood for domes- 

 tic use. He also needed grazing-grounds for his flocks and 

 herds. Then, in course of time, he began to build better 

 houses with larger timber ; he made boats and ships ; and 

 later on he constructed railways, and developed numerous in- 



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