34^ 



Garden and Forest. 



[September 12, i88b. 



AspU-iiiiiiit Filix-faeinina. This common species grows 

 in stronu, fine-tufted masses, and likes a ricli soil. It gets 

 rather shabljy during the summer, and therefore should 

 not occupy a very conspicuous position in the garden. A new- 

 growth may be induced in midsummer,, witliout injury to the 

 plant, liy cutting off all the fronds close to the ground, wdien a 

 new lot will soon take their place. This Fern is a very varia- 

 ble species, and in England a large number of varieties are 

 cultivated in gardens. "Fifty-four varieties are offered in the 

 catalogue of one of the Englisli Fern-growers. Many of these 

 varieties are distinct and well worth growing. Two and a half 

 to three and a half feet. 



Scolppcndrium vuli^arc. This beautiful and distinct Fern, 

 known as the Hart's-tongue, is e.xtremely rare in this coun- 

 trv, and it is best obtained from dealers, or from England, 

 where it is common. It is not indigenous to New England, 

 but is found in New York and some other parts of Uie country. 

 It requires the protection of a frame in -winter. Peat and leaf- 

 mould are advantageous to its successful cultivation. In Eng- 

 land large numbers of varieties of this protean Fern are 

 cultivated; but they are not, for the most part, particularly 

 desirable, unless as curiosities. Moore* describes si.xty-six 

 varieties with reniform, incised, curled and contorted fronds of 

 everv conceivable shape. Thirteen to seventeen inches. 



Caiiipfosoriis rhizophylhis. The Walking Fern. This in- 

 teresting species receives its name from its lialjit of forming 

 little plants at the tips of the fronds, which take root, grow, 

 and in their turn form plantlets at the tips of their fi-onds, and 

 thus a carpet of Ferns may be formed. Not difficult to greiw 

 in pots or in a cool, moist spot, with peat, leaf-mould and 

 lime rubl>isli. Evergreen. Frame, five to seven inches. 



PJtcs;optcris polypodioides. This desirable Fern spreads 

 rapidly, and makes a low, carpet-like growth of much beauty. 

 It is the earliest comer in spring, having well-develo])Cil 

 fronds when other Ferns are just pushing up their graceful 

 forms. Of easiest culture. Fifteen to eighteen inches. 



Pliegoptcris hexagonoptcra. A species much resembling 

 tlie above, but of larger and richer growth ; does best with 

 protection of a frame in winter. Fourteen to seventeen inches. 



Phcgop/eris dryoptcris. This very beautiful dwarf species 

 is one of the most desirable small Ferns for cultivation, as it 

 is easily grown and spreads quite rapidly, making a lovely 

 liglit green carpet of delicate fronds ; leaf-mould. Eight to 

 twelve inches. 



P/iegopteris <alcayca. An attractive species of low stature; 

 succeeds with a frame in winter, cind may be hardy. Fountl 

 in the West. Peat and leaf-mould. Four to eight inches. 



Aspidiuin Novehoraccnse. A pretty Fern ; fronds light 

 green ; delicate. Twenty to twenty-four inches. 



Aspidiuin thclyptcris. A marsh Fern ; distinct, with deli- 

 cate, thin fronds, very pretty. Twenty inches. 



Aspidiuin Ncvadcnsc. A rather tall, handsome S|jecies, 

 with bright green fronds. A native of Pacific Slope. Frame. 

 Two feet. 



Aspidiuni iristatuni. A tall, narro\v, rigid Fern, sub-evei- 

 green, peculiar in its erectness of habit. A handsome and 

 very desirable species of easy culture. Twenty-five to thirty- 

 four inches. 



Aspidiuin cristatuin, var. Clintonianum. One of tlie rare 

 Ferns, and also one of the finest for cultivation, attaining great 

 height and strength imder favorable conditions. Two and 

 a half to three feet. Robert T. Jadcson. 



Boston. 



Plums fur tlie West. 



'T^HE notes of Mr. Williams indicate cumulative troubles in 

 ■'■ attempting to grow the Plums of western Europe and their 

 seedlings, and a growing interest in our native Plums and 

 their crossed seedlings. At the west the foreign Plums have 

 measurably failed from the beginning of prairie settlement, 

 and our farmers have lieen constantly experimenting with 

 selected native varieties. As a rule, the Miner, Wild Goose 

 and other sorts of the Chickasaw family have failed to perfect 

 paying crops cjf fruit, though loaded with blossoms annually. 

 The variety giving the best satisfaction in the way of hardi- 

 ness of tree, perfection of foliage and regular habit of bear- 

 ing is the M.aqvioketa. Although plainly of the Chickasaw' spe- 

 cies, the original tree -was found growing at an early day on the 

 Maquoketa River in eastern Iowa. It is rather later in ripen- 

 ing than the typical Wild Goose, and fully its equal in size and 

 quality of fruit. 



The varieties of the P. Anuricatm family that have proved 

 hardiest in tree, best in foliage and most continuous in bear- 



ing during the past twenty years are De Soto, Wolf and 

 Wyant. Even frosty weather during the filossoming period 

 does not appear to prevent a full crop of fruit on these sorts. 

 On mature trees, well cared for, the fruit is large enough, 

 handsome enough, and good enough to compete, in Chicago, 

 with the best varieties shipped in from the South, or even 

 from California, where fruit is usually picked prematurely. 



We have many other native Plums that seem to have 

 special local merit, and in time they may take the place of the 

 .three sorts named. The traces of curculio are foinid on 

 many specimens of these varieties, but the larvee so rarely en- 

 ter the fruit, that full crojis of perfect, or nearly perfect, fruit 

 are the rule, and failures the rare exception. 



And now let me direct attention to the varieties of the 

 Plum found north and east of the Carpathian Mountains in 

 Europe. Tourists who are judges of fruits will not hesitate to 

 say that the Plums of eastern Poland, northern Silesia and 

 southern Russia are equal to those found in western Europe. 

 Some of these on trial at the West promise to be hardy in 

 tree, perfect in foliage and early bearers of good fruit, not 

 lialile to rot or to the attacks of the curculio. As an instance, 

 I have to-tlay tested the fruit of the Black Prune of Russia. It 

 is a numlier of davs earlier tlian Wild Goose, and larger, 

 firmer in Hesh and better in tiuality, for any use, than the 

 latter. It is this year absolutely free from marks of the cur- 

 culio, and its thinness of foliage will not l.ie favorable for the 

 rot. Though very thick and firm, its leaves are narrow and 

 small, so that the fruit is fully exposed (o the air, and even to 

 the Sim at intervals. This thinness of foliage seems to char- 

 acterize the east Europe Plums, even the wiKl Plums and 

 Prunes of the Volga blulfs. 



.'Xiiics, Iowa. 



7. L. Budd. 



The Kitchen Garden. 



* "The Ferns r>f Grrat Britain and Ireland." By Tliomas Moore, F.L.S. London 

 1857. 



C<JLIJ frames should now be made ready for use. The last 

 days of September or earliest days of October often bring 

 a slight frost, enough to scorch the tops of Snap Beans and 

 Tomatoes, Pepipers and Egg Plants. Now, if proper fore- 

 thought has lieen exercised, these crops will be grown so that 

 it will now be an easy matter to protect them with frames. 

 Place the frames over the crops at once, and pile the sashes 

 near so that they can be put on cjuickly. Sashes three feet by 

 six are the handiest for general purposes, and for these four- 

 sash frames are iliost convenient. These frames are twelve 

 and a half feet long, five feet ten inches wide, eighteen inches 

 high at the back, and twelve inches high in front, and made of 

 pine. These can be carried from place to place by two men, 

 and are usctl for covering from Septemlier till May, and stored 

 up one above the other, four or five deep, iluring the summer 

 months, or in winter when not in use. Temporary frames 

 may be readily constructed l)y driving some short, stout stakes 

 into the groinicl along the Iiack and front of a bed of vegetables 

 six feet wide, and nailing boards (two deep) against these 

 stalies. A light frame-work, shaped like a sash, but covered 

 with "Plant-protecting Cloth" instead of glass, is lighter, 

 easier to handle, and almost as effectual as glass sashes in 

 saving vegetables from early frosts. But as sashes or fi'ames 

 cannot be used for all vegetables, sheeting is a fair substitute. 

 It can be spread over the plants at night and held in place b\' 

 boards or by spadefuls of earth on the edges. Go to a 

 newspaper printing office and get the calico cloth that has been 

 used in cleaning the presses. It is very strong, one, often two, 

 yards wide, and in lengths perhaps of five to seventy feet. It 

 is just as good for this purpose as new, clean calico. Sew these 

 strips into sheets nine or twelve feet wide, and any length to 

 suit up to forty or a hundred feet. Such a sheet is a capital 

 thing to spread over a bed of Tomatoes or Snap Beans to 

 save them from an early frost. William Falconer. 



Glen Cove, N. Y. ' 



September Rose Notes. 



A S the cooler nights of autumn have come, more care 

 -'^ should be taken in watering and ventilating the young 

 Roses planted out in the Rose houses during the simmier 

 months in preparation for winter forcing. They should now 

 lie l)oth rooting and growing freelv, and becoming thoroughly 

 estal)lished, so as to stand the strain of rapid winter growth. 

 And in watering, of course much depends on the weather, 

 though regular syringing should be given just as often as the 

 weather permits. But, when through any civersight the 

 watering of the Rose houses shall have been postponed until 

 late in the afternoon, it is perhaps better to omit it entirely for 

 that occasion, if the night promises to be cold, rather than to 

 have the plants so drenched with moisture that the foliage has 

 no opportunity to dry before the sim gets up the following 



