452 



Garden and Forest. 



[Number 239. 



to have pollen self-irritant only. It has short filaments. With 

 this cross and the seventeen hybrids of V. labrusca and V. 

 vinifera above noted, none but those varieties having long 

 filaments can develop fruit when self-fertilized only. In every 

 instance the vines with short filaments were really pistillate 

 since they failed to develop fruit when self-fertilized only. 

 According to Munson this is commonly true of wild bearing 

 vines of all species of Vitis. A specimen of V. asstivalis trans- 

 planted to the vineyard has long filaments and proves to be 

 fully self-fertile. 



The Delaware, classed doubtfully as a hybrid of V. vinifera 

 and V. riparia, has long filaments and is fully self-fertile. 



Vitis Doaniana, as represented liy a specimen transplanted 

 to the vineyard, has pollen self-irritant only, and self-fertiliza- 

 tion occurs before the flower opens, but fails to produce fruit. 



Pollen that is self-impotent or self-irritant only may prove 

 potent on other varieties. This was found to be true with two of 

 the seventeen hybrids of V. labrusca and V. vinifera above 

 noted. 



These experiments show that under the conditions of soil 

 and climate found at Geneva, New York, any one of the follow- 

 ing list of grapes will probably prove unfruitful when plantedby 

 themselves out of the reach of pollen from other varieties : 

 Massasoit (Rogers No. 3), Wilder (Rogers No. 4), Rogers No. 

 S, Gaertner (Rogers No. 14), Merrimack (Rogers No. 19), 

 Requa (Rogers No. 28), Aminia (Rogers No. 39), Essex 

 (Rogers No. 41), Barry (Rogers No. 43), Herbert (Rogers No. 

 44), Salem (Rogers No. 53), Black Eagle, Eumelan and 

 Brighton. 



The following hybrids are able to fruit without the aid of 

 pollen from other varieties : Rogers No. 13, Agawam (Rogers 

 No. 15), Rogers No. 24, Rogers No. 32 and Delaware. 



Notes on Begonias. 



BEGONIA Boliviensis Madelaine is one of the new plants of 

 the season introduced by a French house. This varies 

 from the type only in having flowers of a different shade of 

 red, they being dull carmine or bluish red, while those of the 

 original plants are a light vermilion. They are of the same 

 thin texture as the type. B. Boliviensis is probably little grown 

 now, but it isa very attractive species with its Fuchsia-like habit. 

 As one of the first introductions of tuberous Begonia and one 

 of the parents of the first hybrid Begonia, it has always been 

 an interesting plant to fanciers aside from its beauty. From 

 this species the first of the double-flowering hybrids were pro- 

 duced, and growers of these plants from seed will often find 

 among the seedlings many showing a trace of B. Boliviensis 

 in the long narrow leaves and long lax peduncles. It is only 

 a few years since that the majority of the plants from seed of 

 double kinds supplied by the leading growers, were largely only 

 variations of this type. The present race of hybrids, however, 

 has reached a stage where little trace of B. Boliviensis can be 

 found. The flowers are now wide open, round or nearly so, 

 the plants dwarf and the flower-stems perfectly rigid. While 

 it is pleasant to follow flower fashions, it is sometimes pleasant 

 also to retain plants which have a distinct character different 

 from those in special vogue, and B. Boliviensis is one of the 

 most distinct and graceful of the family. 



Begonia pictavensis is a hybrid between B. Scharffiana and 

 B. metallica. It proves to be a strong-growing plant of not 

 very much character in the foliage, which resembles mostly 

 that of B. metallica without its dark veinings, which are so at- 

 tractive, and they are of thicker substance without the rich- 

 ness of those of B. Scharfflana. The flowers are large and 

 pure white, studded on the reverse of the petals with numer- 

 ous rosy hairs of a beautiful hue. A cluster of these is very 

 attractive, and they give value to a plant otherwise not 

 especially a great gain. It will be seen that the flowers, while 

 not so large, are of the character of those of B. Scharffiana, 

 and they open more freely than those of this variety, though 

 under some conditions B. Scharffiana is very free and does 

 not maintain its reputation as a producer of imperfect flowers. 

 B. pictavensis is also known as B. Credneri. 



Begonia Vernon (B. semperflorens atropurpurea) has proven 

 to be a very satisfactory bedding-plant during a specially hot, 

 dry season. It is always in flower, and these are perfectly 

 weather-proof, rains having no effect with them. The leaves 

 have not scorched under the blazing sun. The purplish tinge 

 in these is very variable, increasing and diminishing during 

 the season, but always giving a rich and distinct effect in 

 masses. As this is a plant quickly propagated it is likely to 

 grow in favor where low-growing neat bedding-plants are 

 useful. 



Elizabeth, N. J. /. N. G. 



Cape Oxalis. — II. 



'X'HE prevalent idea is that the Oxalis is a trifoliate plant, 

 ■'■ having foliage much resembling that of the White Clover, 

 and some of the early botanists named it Trifolium, being ac- 

 quainted only with the three-leaved kinds, such as O. acetosella 

 and O. stricta, found in the greater part of Europe and America. 

 The species of which I mean to speak are of a very different 

 appearance as, in place of being nearly or quite stemless, they 

 have stems a foot or more in length, along which the 

 small leaves are scattered, the whole plant having, indeed, 

 much the appearance of a Cranberry-plant. 



How many of these are distinct species I shall not attempt to 

 say, but as garden-plants there is a considerable diversity of ap- 

 pearance. The bulbs of all of this section are of a light salmon- 

 color, broad at the base and sharp-pointed at the other end. 

 They are usually sold of a size too small to flower well. A 

 good bulb of O. hirta or O. rosacea should be as large as a small 

 Tulip-bulb. These species generally flower very freely for a 

 considerable time and then cease altogether, but they are not 

 unornamental when out of bloom if placed among other 

 plants where their drooping habit gives variety. All of them 

 produce bulbs freely at the root and may also be propagated 

 by cuttings. O. macrostylus is a species with rather dull 

 purple flowers, three-fourths of an inch across, but with rather 

 narrow petals. It is not very desirable, since there are many 

 brighter kinds. A bulb of this variety should be as large as a 

 filbert. The stems are generally not more than nine inches 

 long. The flower of O. hirta is bright red, not bluish purple 

 as in Jacquin's figure, which seems to have faded in the course 

 of the century which has elapsed since it was printed. This 

 is quite commonly offered in the catalogues yet, and is a very 

 desirable kind, though the bulbs furnished are almost always 

 too small. O. hirtella is much like O. hirta in all respects. The 

 color is somewhat purplish, however. 



Oxalis multifiora is well named, for its blossoms are more 

 numerous than in any other species of this section. They are 

 about three-fourths of an inch across, of a lilac color with yel- 

 low throat, and are borne upon long side-shoots emitted from 

 the main stem from nearly every axil, so that the plant has a 

 thick, bushy appearance. I recommend this as an excellent 

 pot-plant. O. rubella is also very good ; its flower is brighter 

 than that of any other variety, except O. fulgida, which is some- 

 what less floriferous thQugh more brilliant. 



Oxalis rosacea has the largest flowers and the largest bulbs 

 of the section, the former being frequently two inches in 

 diameter, light purple with yellow tube. Both in size and in 

 color they are much unlike Jacquin's figure. The only other 

 species of this section which I have grown is O. canescens, 

 which is of smaller growth than most of the others, and pro- 

 duces rather small lilac flowers very profusely and is a very 

 good kind for pot-culture. 



Canton, Mass. iV. E. Endicott. 



Ksempfer's Iris. 



'T^HIS Iris is more correctly called Iris lagvigata, but is better 

 -*• known as I. K;empferi in gardens of to-day. These plants 

 seem, in common with many other gems from Japan, specially 

 adapted to American gardens. They like the sun, cold does 

 not hurt them, and their only enemy is the rose-bug, which 

 infests the plant during the blossoming-season. It is surpris- 

 ing that these Irises are not more common in gardens, since 

 failure is possible only when the roots have not been supplied 

 with sufficient moisture, and, indeed, they may be grown suc- 

 cessfully as sub-aquatic plants, for if covered with ice through 

 the winter they come out in the spring all the stronger for their 

 stern discipline. They like best mud or a rich black soil, 

 though they can be made to grow in the poorest soil if plenti- 

 fully supplied with moisture through the summer months. 

 They are at their best in July. There are no flowers in the 

 hardy flower-garden through the whole season which surpass 

 them in beauty, and it is probably to this fact that they owe 

 their popular name -of Poor Man's Orchids. The best time to 

 plant the Japan Irises is in the fall. When the foliage begins 

 to turn yellow they may be divided and reset. Care must be 

 taken to give them rich soil, as they are permanent plants, and 

 need lifting only when the clumps get too large and are starved 

 by remaining too long in one place. The best way to divide 

 them is to lift carefully, and use the spading-fork to separate, 

 not cut, the plants asunder. Treated in this way they will grow 

 stronger and flower more freely the next season. These 

 Irises may also be planted safely in spring if grown in one's 

 own garden, and needing transference only from one position 

 to another ; but when the plants are obtained from a distance 



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