270 



Garden and Forest. 



[August 1, 1888. 



Strawberry Notes. 



THE Strawberry season of i388 came far short of fulfilling- 

 its early promises in tliis region. The season opened 

 about two weeks later than the average, as our first picking of 

 any account occurred on the 15th of June, though tlie l^errics 

 began to color on the 10th, and the last picking was made 

 only a week later than usual. With few exceptions the crop 

 was light. Probatily the peculiarity of the season had much 

 to do with this, but the chief cause in my own case was the 

 brown rust, which rendered some varieties absolutely worth- 

 less. Some years ago I fancied that certain weather conditions 

 favored the development of this fungus, but it appeared this 

 season tmder conditions directly opposed to those heretofore 

 considered favorable for its growth. 



I am inclined to think now that the yoimg l.)lood of new 

 varieties of vigorous habits is for a time less liable to suffer 

 from this cause than our older sorts. But this is by no means 

 certain, and the subject is one well worthy of study and inves- 

 tigation at the E.xpcrimcnt Stations. If there is any remedy 

 to prevent the ravages of this disease it is one that I have 

 never tried. Aside from the damaging elt'cct this fungus had 

 on the quality of the fruit, it seemed that lierries generally of 

 all varieties, even from healthy plants, fell short of reaching 

 their highest quality, and this view was corroborated by the 

 opinion of many others. 



Prince, Jersey Queen, Sharpless, Manchester and Crescent 

 are still standard sorts, and tlie latter, for vigor, health and 

 productiveness, can be depended upon. Manchester seems 

 more and more inclined to rust. Among the newer varieties 

 the Davis is so nearly a reproduced Sharpless, that no one 

 could separate plants or fruit if put together. Jewell, so 

 large and attractive, shows such a tendency to rust on my 

 grounds that I shall have to give it up. May King has proved 

 vigorous, healtliy and productive, a bright, attractive lierry of 

 good size and fair quality. Belmont, large, showy and of good 

 quality, but like the Sharpless, not an abundant cropper. 

 Henderson and Cornelia are not of much account, either in 

 growth or in productiveness. Cohansey must be abandoned 

 as worthless after two years' trial. Whatever it may do else- 

 where, in this part of New Jersey it refused to make a respecta- 

 ble growth. 



Among varieties fruiting the first time this season is the 

 Jessie, which is promising, and, so far, healthy. The ber- 

 ries are of fair size under ordinary culture, and the quality is 

 good ; perhaps further trial may prove it very good. As I 

 only saved about twenty per cent, of the plants set last season, 

 I had but a limited show of fruit. I think it will do to plant 

 more of it. Another one fruiting here for the first time is the 

 Pearl, which is as promising in all respects as the Jessie. The 

 berries were quite as large and handsome, with a general ten- 

 dency to a refle.xed caly.K, a feature I always admire — and in 

 quality it does not suffer in comparison with the more liighly 

 e.\tolIed and widely known Jessie. 



At the e.xhibition of the American bistitute Farmers' Clufj, 

 on the 2ist of June, Mr. H. H. Alley, of Hilton, N. J., made a 

 fine show of a dozen seedlings of prodigious size and bearing 

 qualities, conspicuous among which was one named Hilton, 

 which the judges endorsed as "very large and firm; color, 

 scarlet; good shape; sub-acid; good flavor ; said to be a great 

 bearer." Mr. J. J. Davis, of Washington, N. J., also exhibited 

 five of his seedlings, remarkable for size and appearance. 

 Those numbered 10 and 20, very dark crimson, were preferred 

 by the raiser. Both had been ripe for two weeks, but the judges 

 thought his No. 25 the best, of which they report as follows ; 

 " A very firm berry; color, very bright scarlet ; quality, good ; 

 flesh very firm and solid; very promising." E. WiUiains. 



Montclair, N. J. 



Some Floral Novelties. 



Salvia prunelloides, from the Jorullo Mountain, Mexico, used 

 to fie grown in our gardens years ago; then it became lost to 

 cultivation, and has only this year been re-introduced to gen- 

 eral cultivation. It is a small-growing, perennial species, ten- 

 der here, but it can be enjoyed in "perfection if treated as 

 an annual. It has small, pale green leaves, and small, bluish- 

 purple Howers. It is not striking or beautiful enough to 

 become a favorite in gardens, and, probably, it will soon 

 drop into oblivion again. 



Torenia Fournieri, var. White Wings. — Torenia Fournicri is 

 now a familiar annual in gardens and well worthy of cul- 

 tivation. It forms neat l:>ushy plants, eight to ten inches high, 

 which are covered with pretty violet-blue flowers all summer 

 long. In White Wings we have the exact counterpart of the 



species, except that instead of being violet-blue, the flowers 

 are white. It comes true from seed. While it is a distinct 

 and desiraljle variety, of the two, judging them as they are 

 growing and flowering here side by side, the blue one seems 

 preferable. 



Salvia coccinea is an old and common inmate of gardens, 

 and is, most always, treated as an annual, The typical form 

 grows four feet, often five feet high, and, imless staked, its 

 wand-like branches are apt to break down by their own weight. 

 But the dwarf variety known as var. piiinila, about half 

 the height of the old form, is a comely plant and the one now 

 usually grown. A new variety, with pure white instead of 

 scarlet flowers, and known as var. laclca, has now been 

 sent out. We find it <if mediimi size, and just as free a grower 

 and bloomer as the old scarlet flowered varieties. But, except 

 for variety's sake, neither the scarlet nor the white forms are 

 desirable, enough for small gardens ; among scarlet Salvias 

 S. splendens still remains the most useful sort. 



Zinnia liniaris is a pretty little species from Mexico now in 

 bloom with us. It is of dwarf, bushy habit, has slender, nar- 

 row leaves, and bright golden-yellow flowers, and, like nearly 

 all Zinnias, seems to be a free flowering plant. Its flowers 

 remind one of those of Z. Haageana. But in its present 

 condition it is not likely to become a popular garden plant. 

 Sent out this year. W. F. 



Glen Cove. 



Single PcEonies. 



'X'HE Paeonies liave been exhibited in excellent conchfion at 

 -'■ the metropolitan flower shows this year, the double 

 varieties of P. albiflora being numerous and very good, and 

 the colors of the most varied kmds. Some of them are deep 

 purple, purple-crimson, crimson, pink, delicate rose, blush 

 white, etc. Amongst them the single forms of this species 

 were very attractive to the visitors. They were distinct in 

 character from the double varieties, and are certainly more 

 elegant. 



The many species now in cultivation in our gardens form a 

 noble and distinct feature in May. We grow thirty-three spe- 

 cies and varieties of species, but this being a rather late sea- 

 son they were not fully in flower until the last week in May. 

 Although not much known at present in English gardens, they 

 were cultivated many years ago, and some of the prettiest of 

 them have been longest known. 



P. tcnitifolia is a very elegant plant with finely divided leaves, 

 distinct from any other. "The large crimson flowers with yel- 

 low stamens are very striking. It is ligured in the Botanical 

 il/(;_ifr7i-/«t? (tab. 926), where it is stated to grow "naturally in 

 the Ukraine and about the precipices on the borders of tiie 

 Volga," etc. Tlie first to flower with us was P. peregrina, 

 another crimson-flowered Levantine species with large bold 

 leaves, but not so striking as those of some kinds. It was 

 cultivated liy Miller, and also by Mr. Salisbury at Brompton. 

 The next to open its flowers was P. decora, not the most hand- 

 some species, but the flowers were a distinct purplish rose. 

 The downy leaves of P. mollis are distinct from those of any 

 other Pieoiiy ; the flowers deep purplish red ; anthers bright 

 yellow. P. aretina and P. arctina Baxtcri are two good sorts ; 

 the first has rosy crimson flowers, and the variety Baxtcri 

 crimson; they flowered about the same time. The common 

 P. officinalis in its single state was very pretty, the flowers 

 being of a rosy tint, the petals rather crumpled. This plant 

 was cultivated in England as long ago as 1548. In Parkin- 

 son's time single and double forms were cultivated. The 

 variety anemona?flora flowered with us also. In this variety 

 the flowers are purplish crimson, and the yellow stamens are 

 replaced by numerous purplish filaments. Both are figured 

 \x\\\\^ Botanical Magazine, \\\&VsiX\<iX at tab. 3175. The plant 

 had been sent from a certain Prince de Salm Dyck about 1830. 

 P. aiioniala came next in order ; the flowers crimson, set oft' by 

 lanceolate leaves. It is not very striking as a garden plant, 

 but interesting as a tlistinct form. It is figured in the Botanical 

 Magazine (tab. 1754), where it is termed the jagged-leaved 

 Silierian Pa'ony. It is stated to perish in our gardens in win- 

 ter, not from cold, but from wet. In our garden if stands 

 well enough. P. EinodiwAs, next in order ; it has hirge cream- 

 colored flowers with golden anthers. It is also a Botanical 

 Magazine plant, figured in 1868 from a plant grown at Glasne- 

 vin by Dr. Moore. It is said to be more tender than any 

 other species, being a temperate Himalayan plant from Kumaon 

 to Cashmere. /'. triternata lias flowers of good form, rose- 

 colored. This is distinct both in leaf and flower. P. peregrina 

 coinpacta ami Byzanti?ia aXso flowered with this group, and are 

 distinct from the species. All the above flowered the last 



