192 



Garden and Forest. 



[June 13, 18S8. 



No. 3. The various papers on the Dodders {Cascutiiiea:), a 

 family wliicli Engehnann studied for many years, and finally 

 elaborated in a classical memoir. 



No. 4. Contains all the papers, fourteen in number, on the 

 Cactacea. These embrace, perhaps, Engelmann's most impor- 

 tant botanical work. Many of these were first published by the 

 United States Government, and were lieauti fully and elaborately 

 illustrated. Tliese and the other illustrations, joined to Engel- 

 mann's previous publications, all appear in this reprint and add 

 greatly to its value. 



No. 5. Contains the papers on Juncus. 



No. 6. Contains all the papers on Yucca, Agave and similar 

 plants, whicli, like the Cactuses, Iiotanists are generally willing 

 to pass by, because they are so difficidt to manage in herbaria, 

 Imt which Engelmann loved and studied through years of pa- 

 tient and painstaking research. 



No. 7. Contains all the papers on Conifers, which no one 

 knew so well or studied so faithfully. 



No. 8. Contains the papers on Oaks, and the best informa- 

 tion which yet exists in regard to the botanical characters and 

 relationship of the North American species of these most difti- 

 cult plants. 



Nos. 9, 10 and 11. Contain all that Engelmann wrote about 

 the American Grape Vines, on the EttphorbiaciuF and on Isoefis. 

 In No. 12 are collected the shorter miscellaneous papers; in 

 No. 13 are various lists and collected descriptions of plants, 

 and in No. 14 are several general notes upon features of vege- 

 tation in different parts of the United States. 



The editors of this volume have wisely abstained from mak- 

 ing any changes in the text as the author left it or from adding 

 explanatory notes, when recent investigations might naturally 

 have lead him to change his views. Their task, however, lias 

 not been a light one, as many of the papers were publislied 

 under conditions unfavorable for proof-reading, and others 

 were never revised by the author. An excellent portrait of Dr. 

 Engelmann, from a photograph taken during the last ten years 

 of his life, increases the value and adds to the interest of this 

 memorial. 



Professor Trelease is prepared to furnish a few copies of 

 this Viook in sheets, which will be delivered to the Express 

 Companies at St. Louis, at cost price, twelve dollars. 



Notes. 



T/u- California Florist is the title of a new illustrated month- 

 ly published at Santa Barbara and San Francisco und devoted 

 to the interests of floriculture on the Pacific Coast. Judging 

 from the first number the new enterprise seems to be in capa- 

 ble and energetic liands, and deserves success. 



A tan auction sale'Df a lot of imported Orchids recently held 

 \x\ Boston, a healthy plant of Cypripediuiii Fairrieanum witli two 

 new breaks brought $240. At the same sale a plant of the 

 well known hybrid, Cattlcya Exoniensis, raised many years ago 

 by crossing C. Mossi<s and Lcelia purpurata, was sold for $105. 

 Other plants brought prices proportionally high. 



In a paper from tlie Botanical Institute of the University of 

 Pavia, Dr. Fridiano Cavara describes a numlfer of new fungi 

 which infest grape-vines in Italy, and, in referring to American 

 species, he expresses the opinion that the Greencria fuliginca 

 of Messrs. Scribner and Viala, which was considered liythem 

 the type of a new genus, is in reality a form of Conia/hvriuiit 

 DiplodicUa, and he states that the same form was previously 

 known in Italy. 



Small flat Peaches, grown in Florida, have been on saie in 

 our markets for several days, under the name of "Japanese 

 Peaches." It is the fruit of the "Flat Peach of China," wliich 

 Decaisne believed to be a species {Prnnus p/a/ycarpa), but 

 which later botanists now consider merely one of the many 

 forms of the common Peach cultivatedliy the Chinese. The 

 Flat Peach is a large and vigorous tree, with long, slender 

 branches, nearly evergreen foliage, jaale pink flowers and 

 small fruit, two and a half to three inches wide, so flattened on 

 the upper and lower sides that it is rarely more than one inch 

 deep, with a deep five-angled eye at the top. The stone is 

 round, two-thirds of an inch in diameter, flattened hke the 

 fruit, and slightly wrinkled. The flesh, which adheres slightly 

 to the stone, is juicy and of excellent flavor, although the skin 

 is thick and rather tough. The flower-buds of this tree are 

 generally killed at the north, but it is evident from the earliness 

 and excellence of the fruit in tliis market, tliat its more general 

 cultivation in the south may be made profitable. 



The auction sales of plants in this city show no decline in 

 activity as the spring season closes. They are held every 



Tuesday and Friday, and on more than one occasion as many 

 as 50,000 plants have been disposed of. The stock in the 

 main is small though well-grown, and was formerly bought 

 by the trade, but lately, and especially this year, many private 

 buyers resort to the warerooms of Young & Eliot for bedding 

 plants and the like. The prices this year have hardly ex- 

 ceeded two-thirds of the wholesale trade prices — but growers 

 do not complain, because when plants are sold in large lots 

 at a cent each, buyers take an increased supply. The sales 

 are not confined, however, to cheap stock. Fine specimen 

 plants are often sent here. At one auction not long ago, 

 where many well-grown Palms were sold, a good specimen of 

 Plianix rupicola brought $94, and experts pronounced it 

 worth $150. The total amount received at that particular sale 

 was between $4,000 and $5,000. 



Retail Flower Markets. 



New York, June 8th. 



Cut flowers are inferior in quality, as a rule, and there is less 

 variety in the shops. Mig^nonette remains of goor.l size. Peonies are 

 large, and well grown, and sell for from 16 to 20 cts. each. I, a 

 !■ ranee Roses are very fair and cost $2. 50 a dozen. Catherine Mermets 

 and Brides are not large but are otherwise excellent; they bring 

 $2 a dozen. Niphetos and Perles des Jardins cost $1.50 a dozen. 

 General Jacqueminots are unsatisfactory, although stems are longer 

 than a week since. American Beauties and Paul Neyrons are the 

 finest. All selected Hybrids sell for $5 a dozen, or 50 cts. each. 

 Puritans cost 40 cts. Moss Rosebuds are unusually pretty and mossy, 

 bruigiug #4 a dozen. Yellow Daisies are 40cts., and while Marguerites, 

 which are really field Daisies, bring from 15 to 25 cts. a dozen. The 

 blue Cornflowers are highly esteemed and always in demand; they 

 cost 15 cts. a bunch of from 15 to 25. Water Lilies from New Jersey 

 ponds are in market at 25 cts. a bunch of 3. Carnations are much 

 improved in quality and conunand 50 cts. a dozen. Snowballs are 

 ill V>risk demand. Cattleyas bring from 50 cts. to $1 a flower. Many 

 Ijedding-plants are seen in florists' stores. These are well cultivated 

 and make a brilliant blaze in windows, doorways and on plant-stands. 

 Business has been brisk among ilorists generally this week with orders 

 for out-of-town entertainments aiul for city weddings. 



PHn,ADEl.rHiA, June Sth. 



The quality of flowers, especially Roses, has fallen off decidedly 

 this week. The notable exceptions are Meteor and Madame Cuisin, 

 both of which can be relied upon to give good flowers during the hot 

 summer months. A few Roses are being cut out-of-doors from shel- 

 tered positions in favored localities near the city. The Jacqueminots 

 from under glass are by no means good. They sell at from Si. 50 to 

 f2 a dozen, the same as Mermets and La France, while The Bride, 

 Perle and Sunset are from $1 to $1.50. Bennett andGontier are steady 

 at $1.50. Niphetos, $1. Bon Silene and Safrano, 75 cts. Hybrids, $3. 

 American Beauty averages better in quality than the Hybrid Remon- 

 tants in general, and brings from $3 to %\ a dozen. Carnations, Helio- 

 trope and Mignonette are 25 cts. per dozen. Lily-of-the-Valley, $1. 

 Pansies, 10 cts. Smilax from 40 to 50 cts. a string. Asparagus tenuis- 

 sivius from 50 to 75 cts. a string. Adiantmn cuiit-atiiin, 25 cts. per dozen 

 fronds. Sweet Peas, 50 to 75 cts. a dozen. Cornflowers, blue, white, 

 pink and purple, are 25 cts. a dozen, while the yellow Cornflower is 

 35 cts. a dozen. Field Daisies are 25 cts., and Dahlias, double and 

 single, $1 to $1.50 a dozen. The INtiniature Sunflower (Heliatitlms cu- 

 cumcnfolius) is offered in limited (|uantilies at 50 cts. a dozen. This is 

 a beautiful and useful annual. 



Boston, June Stii . 



There is an abundance of flowers here now; in fact, an overstock, 

 particulaily of Roses. Prices are lovv, and the street corners are well 

 supplied with peddlers, who disjjose of an enormous quantity of 

 flowers at seasons when the supply is heavy. These dealers are not 

 in favor with the store florists, who have often tried, but as yet with- 

 out success, to have these street sales ]>i ohibited. Whetlier they injure 

 the store trade or not, they certainly dispose of many flowers to peo- 

 ple who would not otherwise buy, and they lender a valuable service 

 to the growers by using up their second quality and surplus stock. 

 Those customers who want the best, properly packed, and delivered 

 at their homes, must always go to the regular stores, and. e\'erything 

 considered, these probably gt-t their flowers cheaj;)est in the long run. 

 The main stock of Roses coming in now consists of Teas and thecom- 

 moner fancy Roses. With the exception of American Beauty and 

 lacqueminot, there arc few large Roses. Jacqueminots are not as 

 good as they have been. The hot weather brings small and thin 

 blooms. Out-door Roses do not show color as yet. Long-stemmed 

 Carnations are quite plenty, and so are Slocks, Heliotrope and 

 Mignonelte. Good Lily-of-lhe- Valley is very scarce, and brings win- 

 terprices. Other bulbous flowers are out of market entirely. A good 

 many Ghent and "Mollis" Azaleas are brought in now, and are 

 very useful and efrecli\e in large decorations. Prices by the dozen 

 range as folk)ws : Tea Roses, 50 cts.; Mermels, Perles, Sunsets, Ni- 

 phetos and Paidcs, $1 to $2, according to quality ; Jacquenu'nots, $3, 

 and American Beauties, $4; Lilios-of-the-Valley, %\\ Heliotrope and ■ 

 Mignonette, 50 cts. Smilax, 50 cts. a string. Maidenhair Ferns, 

 SO cts. a dozen. The florists are all very busy, and appear to have a 

 satisfactory spring trade. 



