596 



Garden and Forest. 



[Number 251. 



The Chrysanthemum is so universally popular in its regular 

 season of blooming- — that is, through October and early No- 

 vember — that it has practically displaced the Rose in those two 

 months, and we now have the Queen of Autumn usurping for 

 a short season the place of prominence which has been held 

 for centuries by the Queen of Flowers. Commercial growers 

 are always alert to supply every new want and cater to every 

 change of public taste, and they have, therefore, endeavored 

 to prolong the season of a flower which has been so generally 

 admired. Efforts to force it into perfection before its natural 

 season have been made throughout the country until the at- 

 tempts to grow early Chrysanthemums are well-nigh ex- 

 hausted. The late season still remains, and I, with others, 

 have labored hard for eight or ten years to extend the 

 blooming season in that direction. My efforts have met with 

 considerable success, because some of the very latest varie- 

 ties now in use are seedlings of mine; and yet I sometimes 

 question whether this effort to prolong the Chrysanthemum 

 season beyond its natural limits is wise or profitable. At least, 

 I have never been able to sell as many plants or flowers of 

 exceptionally early or late varieties as of those which are at 

 their best in the mid-season. People seem to grow weary even 

 of beauty when it is overabundant ; nevertheless, I will name 

 a few of the late varieties which, in my estimation, are among 

 the best : 



Mont Blanc is a large white incurved flower which shows an 

 eye. Its blooming season is from late November till the mid- 

 dle of December. Another good white flower is Flora Hill, a 

 large reflexed variety, which blooms from the middle to the 

 end of November. Mrs. John Westcott is another reflexed 

 white of the same season. John Lane is a soft pink incurved 

 flower which also blooms in late November. The finest late 

 pink in cultivation, however, is Mrs. Charles Dissell, a very 

 large incurved flower, which is good from late November to 

 Christmas. Gold is a deep yellow reflexed flower, which is 

 good during the first half of December, but the best bright yel- 

 low of all late-blooming Chrysanthemums, and one of the very 

 best Chrysanthemums of any color is Miss Eva Hoyt, a large 

 incurved flower, which blooms in late November and into De- 

 cember. The latest of all, and a very good one, too, is Mrs. 

 H. A. Pennock, a large incurved bronze-yellow, which com- 

 mences to flower about the ist of December and lasts quite 

 through the month. Indeed, it might be called a New Year's 

 flower. 



Philadelphia, Pa. IV. K. Harris. 



We have found in Philadelphia that Mont Blanc, although 

 not quite up to the exhibition standard, is a first-rate variety, 

 and its natural, tendency to come late makes it exceedingly 

 valuable, and the same is true of its lemon-colored sport, 

 identical with it except in color. Gold, which is also known 

 as Mrs. R. Elliott, we have also found good for late work. 

 Potter Palmer, one of the more recent introductions, is an ad- 

 mirable late white, and so is Pelican. Dr. Covert, one of last 

 year's introductions, promises well for late use. It is very 

 large, incurved quite double, and the yellow of its florets is 

 streaked with red. Flora Hill and Mrs. John Westcott are 

 both inclined to be late, and the first-named is one of the very 

 best of keepers we have. In extending the Chrysanthemum 

 season, that is, to secure early Chrysanthemums as well as 

 late ones, there is a great deal in management, and some 

 flowers can be hurried and others held back by one who 

 knows how to select and how to manage them. 



Chestnut Hill, Philadelphia. Edwin Lonsdale. 



Orchid Notes. 



Zygopetalum intermedium is considered by many Orchid- 

 growers a variety of the well-known Z. Mackayi, the only dif- 

 ference being that the lip of one is glabrous and that of the 

 other pubescent. The flowers, averaging six in number, are 

 arranged alternatelyon the upper portionof theerect stem, and 

 are about three inches in diameter. They appear during the win- 

 ter months, and last some six weeks in full beauty. They are 

 quite fragrant — a fact seldom noticed by writers, and one of 

 some importance to those who might grow the plant in order 

 to cut the flowers for decorative purposes. They are well 

 adapted to this use, as they all expand about the same time 

 and last in water nearly as long as upon the plant. The sepals 

 and petals are oblong, green, richly marked with brown, and 

 spreading in the form of a .semicircle ; the protruding white 

 lip is rather more than an inch and a half in diameter, the en- 

 tire upper surface being beautifully marked with purplish 

 blue. Flowering profusely, and easy to grow, the plant must 

 certainly be classed among the most useful of the Orchid fam- 



ily. It should be grown in a well-drained pot or pan, using 

 good fibrous peat for the roots. The peat may be lightly sur- 

 faced with sphagnum, to preserve the roots in the moist, not 

 saturated, condition, which is always desirable. 



Platyclinis Cobbiana is a pretty little Orchid now flowering 

 freely. It is not showy, but its long arching racemes have 

 few rivals in gracefulness. The slender raceme proceeds 

 from the top of the pseudo-bulb, and is about eighteen inches 

 in length, the terminal half supporting from forty to fifty flow- 

 ers, each nearly half an inch across. They are of whitish 

 color, with conspicuous bright orange lip. P. Cobbiana, like 

 the other three species of the same genus which are in culti- 

 vation, is a native of the Philippine Islands, whence it was 

 introduced in 1879. No two of the species known in gardens 

 flower at exactly the same time, and thus one is seldom with- 

 out flowers on some one of the plants where all are included 

 in a collection. P. uncata closely succeeds P. Cobbiana, and 

 is followed in spring by P. glumacea, while P. filiformis 

 (figured in Garden and Forest, vol. ii., p. 485, under the 

 name of Dendrochilum filiforme) blooms in early summer. 

 The last two are especially elegant plants, and the flowers of 

 P. glumacea are delightfully odorous. They all grow luxu- 

 riantly in a stove, and should be potted in peat and sphagnum, 

 with good drainage, soon after flowering. The roots should 

 always be moderately moist ; but when the plants are growing 

 vigorously, the supply of water should be liberal. The name 

 Dendrochilum, which is frequently used in connection with 

 these plants, belongs more correctly to an allied genus. 



Cambridge, Mass. M. Barker. 



House-plants for Shady Windows. 



TN the effort to establish a window-garden various disadvan- 

 •'■ tages are encountered, not the least of which is found in 

 adapting to this purpose a window which enjoys little or no 

 sunshine, although such windows are sometimes the only 

 available ones. This naturally makes the selection of the 

 plants more difficult than where all the advantages of full sun- 

 light are enjoyed, but still it need not discourage the window- 

 gardener, for a very pretty mass of greenery, as well as some 

 flowers, can be grown, even under these conditions. 



As might be expected, foliage-plants will occupy a promi- 

 nent place in a window arrangement so situated, and at 

 the head of the list of suitable subjects should be placed 

 the Aspidistras, plants which possess such vitality that 

 sunlight seems a secondary consideration. Either of the 

 varieties of Aspidistra will be found satisfactory, though A. 

 elatior and its variegated form are the best, the latter being 

 generally more dwarf in habit than the type, and, like it, in need- 

 ing repotting only at long intervals. The Begonias, also, are 

 shade-loving subjects, and the beauty of foliage and flower 

 combined in this extensive genus gives considerable variety 

 from which to choose for the window-garden. The Rex Be- 

 gpnias are invaluable for this purpose, their massive many- 

 tinted leaves adding much to the effect, andB. metallicaisalso 

 excellent, being a strong and rapid grower, and pretty both in 

 foliage and flower. B. nitida is another handsome, strong- 

 growing species with large glossy green leaves and panicles of 

 rose-colored flowers, while B. rubra makes an admirable com- 

 panion plant for the above, its flowers being very large and 

 bright red. If still more variety is needed among the Bego- 

 nias, we may add B. Saundersii, B. semperflorens and B. 

 manicata, for, though the latter sort is a cropper in blooming, 

 yet it is so graceful and pretty when in flower as to be a gen- 

 eral favorite. 



Calathea zebrina can also be safely recommended for a 

 shady window, though it should be borne in mind that this 

 plant will not thrive if allowed to get very dry, nor in a room 

 in which the temperature falls below fifty-eight or sixty de- 

 grees at night. A nicely berried plant of Ardisia crenulata will 

 do much to brighten the window-garden, its glossy leaves and 

 bright red berries reminding one of Holly, without the prickles. 

 It is advisable, however, in getting plants of Ardisia that they 

 should be not less than five-inch-pot size, as they seldom bear 

 berries before that size, and it should also be remembered 

 that they cannot endure defective drainage and stagnant 

 moisture at the root. 



Fatsia Japdnica, or Aralia Sieboldii, is another good subject 

 for the window, and will flourish in spite of draughts and lack 

 of sunshine, its large deeply lobed leaves of dark green being 

 very ornamental, and, for variety, one or more of the varie- 

 gated forms may be added, though these may not prove to be 

 quite so hardy as the type. Clivea miniata is another excellent 

 house-plant, its strap-shaped leaves being evergreen, and the 

 strong spikes of orange-flowers will appear at indefinite times 



