512 



Garden and Forest. 



[Number 244. 



case they have turned out to be N. gracilis, a white-flow- 

 ered species not unlike the white N. stellata, which was 

 distributed a year or two ago as N. Voalefoka. A tuber of 

 the true yellow-flowered N. Mexicana sent to Kew would 

 be most acceptable, and, if the sender desires, the gift 

 would be reciprocated. The Floridan N. flava has been in 

 cultivation at least ten years here, but it flowers only rarely. 

 I am told that N. Me'xicana is much freer in bloom, and 

 also a darker yellow, than N. flava. The seeds of these 

 plants retain their vitality several years if kept quite dry in 

 a packet. Some growers I know keep them in water in 

 bottles, but the effect of this is to make all germinate within 

 the year. 



EucHARis Stevensii. — This plant is supposed to have 

 originated from E. Candida crossed with E. Sanderi, but, 

 judging by a plant of it now in flower at Kew, it scarcely 

 differs from E. Sanderi, of which a figure will be found in 

 ih.Q Botanical Magazine, i. 6676. I am inclined to believe 

 that nearly all these so-called species of Eucharis are 

 merely seedling forms of one variable species. If any 

 one will take the trouble to raise E. grandiflora (Amazonica) 

 from seeds he will probably get plenty of variations quite 

 as pronounced as those shown by such questionable spe- 

 cies as E. Sanderi, E. Mastersii, E. Bakeriana and E. Can- 

 dida. There is only one really first-rate Eucharis, and that 

 is the common E. grandiflora ; the rest may be called more 

 or less inferior varieties. It is remarkable that the habitat 

 of typical E. grandiflora has never been found since it was 

 first discovered by Triana, who sent to Linden in 1854 the 

 bulbs from which all the thousands now cultivated have 

 sprung. 



The Belladonna Lily. — I have more than once w^ritten of 

 this plant as one of the first attractions in the borders at 

 Kew and a few other English gardens in autumn. There 

 are now several hundred spikes of flowers on a south bor- 

 der against the Orchid-house here, where they make a rich 

 glow of rose-red color. I write now to recommend growers 

 of bulbs in America to take up the Belladonna and raise it 

 from seeds. Hitherto we have relied solely on bulb offsets 

 for the multiplication of this plant, consequently we have 

 not improved it at all. That it is capable of considerable 

 improvement by means of seeds and selection is evident 

 from a plant, a seedling, flowering at Kew now. This plant 

 was obtained several years ago as a probable hybrid be- 

 tween the Belladonna and Brunsvigia Josephinge. On flow- 

 ering, however, it proves that the supposed cross did not 

 take place, the plant being unquestionably a pure Bella- 

 donna. But such a Belladonna ! The scape is as thick as 

 a man's thumb, a yard high, and it bears an umbel of 

 twelve flowers all open together, half as large again as the 

 ordinary form, and colored a rich rose-red, very nearly 

 crimson. Every one who has seen this plant declares it 

 the finest Belladonna Lily ever seen. We propose to call 

 it variety Kewense. This Amaryllis, which, by the way, 

 I may observe, is the only true Amaryllis, has been in cul- 

 tivation since 171 2, when it was introduced from South 

 Africa. 



We do not employ the seeds of bulbous plants for pur- 

 poses of propagation nearly as much as we might. Culti- 

 vation, in a garden sense, generally has the effect of 

 improving plants, but it is only when the plants are raised 

 generation after generation from seeds that the law of va- 

 riation is called into action. Branch or bud sports are 

 extremely few and rarely occur, but seedlings often show 

 a great deviation from the parent. 



Londun. 



W. Watson. 



Cultural Department. 



A Few Neglected Grapes. 



T N our ambition for new sorts and improvements we are apt 

 ■•■ to overlook some of the best of our old fruits. This is 

 especially true of Grapes. Among white Grapes I doubt if we 

 have yet one which, altogether, is more worthy of a place of 

 honor than Martha. It grows well, and when dead-ripe is 

 sweet and refreshing. It has no hard pulp, and is not over- 



supplied with seeds. The berries stand out well shouldered, 

 and get to be a fine translucent greenish white. In quality it 

 is far ahead of Niagara, and in ripening much more reliable 

 than Diamond. Nor is it inclined to any disease. For three 

 or four years Martha has grown in favor witli me. 



Hayes is a richer grape than Martha and two weeks earlier, 

 but it is not a good grower nor an abundant bearer. I think it 

 decidedly the highest-flavored of our white grapes that I have 

 tested for vineyard culture. In this respect it has but two rivals, 

 Eldorado and Lady, neither of which gives good crops, as a rule. 

 Lady is earlier, and, if a good cropper, should be rated as the 

 most remarkable of all our grapes for quality and earliness. 

 Eldorado is later, and of very tine quality ; Hayes intermediate. 

 But from the first translucency Hayes is sweet enough to eat, 

 which cannot be said of most grapes, especially of Diamond. 



A third grape liable to be crowded out is Duchess. This is 

 a pure, sparkling, crisp grape, never sugary, but rich and very 

 satisfying. My children select the Duchess from forty varie- 

 ties. A disadvantage of this grape is that you cannot easily 

 tell when it is ripe, and if left on the vines wlien ripened 

 cracks and decays. It is not a good market grape, while very 

 desirable for home use. There is no more prolific Grape ; 

 it bears huge bunches as handsome as hot-house varieties. The 

 bunch is very compact, and is very rarely touched with rot. 



Brighton should hardly be noted as likely to be crowded out, 

 for in some quarters it is getting new attention. But there is 

 for the vineyard, in my judgment, not one finer Grape than 

 Brighton. The bunches are very large and handsome, just 

 compact enough, and of most delicious quality. When planted 

 alone it is a barren vine ; when alternated with Niagara, 

 Pocklington, Worden or Duchess it bears marvelously. It is 

 capable of wonderful crops. The grape is, however, not a 

 good keeper. Its parent (lona) is, on the contrary, one of the 

 best keepers. I shall steadily throw out a large number of 

 varieties, replacing with Brighton. 



Golden Pocklington is another worthy Grape that has been 

 crowded too hard by Niagara, and deserves to be replaced in 

 a selected list. It is a large grape of good quality, decidedly 

 better than Niagara. If closely pruned it ripens about the 

 same time as the Concord. Its tendency is to bear very heav- 

 ily, with fine compact bunches ; it has little inclination to any 

 sort of disease. 



A Grape rarely mentioned is August Giant ; it is huge and 

 of enormously rampant growth. The vine is very healthy and 

 very hardy, and will cover a barn in five years. The bunches 

 resemble Herbert, and the flavor is excellent. The skin is 

 thick, and the grape is a good keeper. I have seen some ten- 

 dency to mildew in shady places, but not much. I should 

 class it with Herbert, although it is far from being as good as 

 that magnificent fruit. Herbert is not a perfect self-pollinizer, 

 but does fairly well. I plant Duchess with it. The flavor is 

 pure, and there is no sour core. The skin is very thick ; it is 

 a good keeper. 



One more overlooked Grape is Goethe (Rogers No. i). It 

 deserves to rank number one for all reasons. No other Rogers 

 hybrid surpasses it, if any equals it. As far north as this it 

 cannot l^e grown in vineyards ; but a few degrees to the south 

 the Goethe is the most delicious of the meaty varieties, as 

 lona is of the juicy sorts. 



Clinton, N. y. E. P. Powell. 



The Vegetable-garden. 



OUR first sowing of the rose-colored Chinese winter Radish 

 is now in use (October isth), and our last sowing of seed 

 of the same was made to-day. This sowing will be in use the 

 greater part of the winter. Those who are fond of radishes 

 should always use this variety in autumn. To many people it 

 is better than most summer sorts. Those who have nevei 

 used Radish-tops as a salad or as boiled "greens," should know 

 that in a young state the thinnings of the crop make an ad- 

 mirable salad, cut up root and top together, while the more 

 matured tops boiled with a bit of bacon are relished by any 

 who are fond of "greens." One great advantage is the short 

 time required to get a crop of greens for the table. Kale 

 and Spinach, sown at the same time with tliese fall Radishes, 

 will not furnish leaves for boiling for some time to come, and 

 in the mean time the Radish-tops are useful, and, to my taste, 

 much better than any kale. In northern localities tliese winter 

 radishes should be lifted and stored iiefore hard freezing sets 

 in. Here the best plan is to mulch them with straw or pine- 

 leaves to protect the soil from freezing, and they can be pulled 

 as needed. 



We were quite pleased with our little experiment with the 

 English Broad Bean as an early green vegetable. Our seed 

 was planted in a sunny situation in January. They soon came 



