124 



Garden and Forest. 



[May 9, :888. 



season — which may last for a year or more — a rank growth 

 of sub-aquatic plants springs up. This dies down in the 

 fall and the leaves and dead twigs of the Cypress are 

 added to the matted herbage, which each spring offers 

 better support for a succeeding growth. 



This process of vegetation progressing around a shallow 

 lake finally converts it into a winter or dry-weather pond. 

 During heavy falls of rain soil is washed in from the sur- 

 rounding slopes. As fast as spots become tuifitfed for 

 water-loving plants other species take their place. If 

 surroinided by Pine woods seeds of lowland Pines begin 

 to spring up nearer and nearer the centre of the pond, 

 and the long leaved Pines make a heavy deposit on the 

 surface each year. If near a hummock, the Bays, Mag- 

 nolias, Oaks, etc., may take possession. Thus by con- 

 tinual wearing down and building up, through such natu- 

 ral agencies, there is a constant approach to uniformity of 

 surface. A marked change must take place during a 

 century ; a still greater change during a thousand years. 

 This process is continually going on, and the Bald Cypress 

 has played an important part in fitting the low country of 

 the South for man's use. A. H. Cur/iss. 



April in the Pine Barrens. 



THE low Pine-barrens of southern New Jersey are al- 

 ways interesting, and even at this early season 

 there is an awakened activity in plant life that can hardly 

 be appreciated by those dwelling a few miles to the north. 

 By way of compensation for its lack of bold, picturesque 

 scenery, Nature has clothed these wild levels with a charm 

 distinctively their own, and a journey of two or three miles 

 from home vi'ill bring me to chosen spots where such a 

 wealth of floral treasures awaits me as can scarcely be 

 found in any other locality of the United States. 



Among our earliest treasures is the little trailing ever- 

 green, Pyxidanlhera barhiilata^ which often begins to open 

 its white and rose colored flowers as early as March, while 

 the Trailing Arbutus blooms here a month earlier than in 

 New England. These two lovely plants frequently run to- 

 gether, so that it is difficult to separate them. 



The Partridge-berry and the aromatic Wintergreen, with 

 their bright red berries and evergreen leaves, also help to 

 cover the ground and make charming masses that we 

 covet for our gardens. But I have never succeeded in 

 making them feel at home and happy under cultivation — 

 which, after all, should be a matter of small regret, for they 

 never would appear as well with civilized surroundings as 

 they do in these lowly and lonely places. 



The small shrub Cassandra calycidata we find in bloom 

 near the Py.xieand the Arbutus. And a few steps beyond in 

 the Cedar swamp, the stately Heloiiias buUala is throwing 

 up its spikes of purplish flowers by the side of the Golden 

 Club, while the Wind-flower is clustered thickly around an 

 old decaying stump. What a rare gardener has been at work 

 here ! The stump itself is decorated all over with scarlet- 

 cupped Lichens, while its decayed heart nourishes a thrifty 

 clump of Blueberry, with pink buds just ready to burst into 

 leaf, while beneath my feet is the lance-leaved White Violet 

 with a delicate perfume not bestowed on our other species. 



The aroma of these low woodlands in spring is delicious. 

 The fragrance of the swaying Pines overhead, intermingled 

 with the spicy breath of the Wa.x Myrtle and Sweet Fern, 

 already waving its plumy catkins, together with odors of 

 Sassafras and the more subtle fragrance of other shrubs, 

 all combine to make a perfume that can only be produced 

 in Nature's laboratory. 



The deciduous trees are still leafless, and comparatively 

 few of our plants are in bloom, yet there is an atmosphere 

 of delicate color all about — on every twig and swelling 

 bud, and on the lowly growth that carpels the earth. The 

 Barrens will be almost vivid with bright flowers by and by, 

 but the place will hardly be more attractive than at this 

 spring opening with its freshness, its modest beauty and its 

 promise. 



Vineland, April jotli. Mary Treat. 



The Meadows in Central Park. 



SCENERY of a purely pastoral character is no doubt the 

 most valuable element of a park within the limits of 

 a great city like New York, for no stronger contrast to the 

 constrained and artificial conditions of urban life can be 

 imagined than meadow-like stretches of greensward which 

 are not fenced in by rigid boundaries, but fade away in 

 obscure and shadowy distance. Broad, open landscapes, 

 with spacious skies, and the sense of enlargement and free- 

 dom which they bring, offer the most pleasing of contrasts 

 to the hard confinement of city streets with their skyline of 

 roofs and chimneys ; the tranquillizing influence of soft, 

 smooth, grassy surfaces is an unfailing refreshment from the 

 wear and weariness, the strain and pressure of city life, with 

 its strenuous effort and consuming ambition. The de- 

 signers of Central Park plainly endeavored to embody, as 

 much as possible within their limitations, and in a dignified 

 way, without resorting to affectations or deceptions, the 

 quiet, pastoral idea. Within the narrow area of the park 

 the broadest scope of open meadow that could be secured 

 was considerably less than thirty acres. But the bordering 

 woods were so disposed as to leave the boundaries un- 

 certain and mysterious, and the turf was made to flow into 

 sunny alcoves and about promontories of foliage, until it 

 was lost in hazy shadows which suggested indefinite extent 

 of the same restful scenery. The view on page 125 is taken 

 from a point overlooking the west meadow. The glimpse 

 of distant turf seen under the branches of the group of trees 

 in the centre, the opening in the wood border on the left, 

 the skyline of trees in the distance, all suggest to the imagi- 

 nation a limitless extent of similar rural conditions. No 

 object meets the eye of the observer to indicate that there 

 is anything beyond but green pastures and tree-flecked 

 meadows. It may be added incidentally that the illustra- 

 tion shows an example of exceptionally good grouping 

 and thinning after the manner recommended by Mr. 

 Olmsted in another column of this paper. 



Foreign Correspondence. 



London Letter. 



LAST Tuesday the Royal Horticultural Society held its 

 first meeting in its new quarters, and the occasion 

 was interesting beyond expectation. The exhibition build- 

 ing is a stately structure, and the hall, which is of ample 

 size, was crowded with a wonderful display. Apart from 

 the Dutch bulbs, which by this time have become rather 

 monotonous, noteworthy exhibits were the groups of 

 Cyclamens, each plant carrying from sixty to eighty flowers; 

 masses of the neat little Polyantha Roses, mentioned in a 

 former letter ; some remarkable new Tea Roses of Mr. 

 Bennett's raising, particularly the variety called Princess of 

 Wales, white suffused with yellow, and Lady Mary Fitz^ 

 William, a delicate pink. Of the numerous Orchids a plant 

 of the famous white Ci.elogyne cristata was conspicuous for 

 size and beauty. It measured two feet across and bore 

 numerous long clusters of spotless flowers. This is still 

 one of the rare and choice Orchids, and no doubt this indi- 

 vidual plant would bring at auction from 100 to 150 

 guineas any day. 



Among the new plants, certificates were awarded to the 

 following : 



Spatlioglottis Krmballiana, named in compliment to one 

 of )'Our Orchid amateurs, was unquestionably the most 

 important plant exhibited, being so very beaufiful and 

 so very distinct from all known Orchids. Its flowers 

 may be compared with those of Pha/ii'/iopsi's grandiflora 

 in size and form, but are of a pure canary yellow ; in 

 fact, some thought it was a yellow Phala^nopsis. The 

 flower is three inches in diameter, with broad sepals and 

 petals, and its lip is adorned with a heavy blotch of rich 

 reddish brown. The bulb is egg-shaped, and from this 



