March 3, 1897.] 



Garden and Forest. 



87 



Taking the Trumpet Daffodils first, we had in January 

 Henry Irving and Golden Spur in flower, the first one a bold, 

 rich yellow, shaped like the Tenby Daffodil, but altogether 

 larger ; the other larger still, but lighter in shade and ex- 

 quisitely beautiful in form. Following these came Maximus, 

 which is now out of flower, the richest in color of them all, 

 magnificent in proportions, with its trumpet finely frilled. 

 Emperor is now opening and Horsfieldii will follow it soon, 

 and both these are of regal beauty and show to the very best 

 of advantage in pots. Horsfieldii is well known as among the 

 noblest of the bicolor group, with its pure white perianth and 

 yellow crown. Then come the Star Daffodils with their tiny 

 chalices in the centre of broad, spreading saucer. This large 

 and variable section of the family is now represented by the 

 lovely Barri conspicuus, its corona fringed with a margin of 

 deep orange-red. A score of forms slightly varying from this 

 type can be had, and every one of them is good. Mrs. Langtry 

 is now in flower, the type of another section, the Albino, with 

 flowers like a Eucharis in miniature. This variety, or the 

 Duchess of Brabant, the Duchess of Westminster, Catherine 

 Spurrel and one or two more once tried will never thereafter 

 be neglected. The well-known Poet's type is another section, 

 and the early kind known as Poeticus ornatus has already been 

 in bloom, after which the later varieties will maintain the 

 succession. 



In short, there are a hundred varieties good enough and 

 distinct enough to grow and flower in pots, and their cultiva- 

 tion is of the very simplest. Pot them up, four, five, six or 

 more bulbs in a pot, according to size, during August or Sep- 

 tember, and stand them in any convenient spot. They need 

 not necessarily be kept covered nor darkened, as they will fill 

 the pots with roots in any case. Place the lot which is to flower 

 first in a temperature of fifty-five to sixty degrees early in De- 

 cember and they will open during January, while by moving 

 other batches in succession the display may be kept up for 

 three or four months, and it never need be monotonous if a 

 wise selection is made and every batch consists of a different 

 variety. Last, but not least, after they have flowered the bulbs 

 need not be wasted. By preserving their foliage they may be 

 ripened off and planted outside in beds, borders or shrubbery 

 groups, or in the grass, and naturalized if one has the room. 

 Further, those who have to study economy in their purchases 

 may use their bulbs for forcing again by giving them one sea- 

 son's rest, growing them in the open ground, so that with two 

 lots of bulbs, one in pots and another outside, alternating, there 

 is actually no need to make annual purchases, and, in fact, 

 one's own stock will be found to increase considerably as time 

 goes on. , TT 



Madison. N. J. - '• Hemngton. 



[Flowers of Emperor, Sir Watkin, Barri conspicuus and 

 Mrs. Langtry, which accompanied these notes, were admi- 

 rably grown. — Ed.] 



Na;gelia cinabarina. 



GOOD flowers are always appreciated in the winter, and it is 

 especially pleasant to meet a plant or group of plants that 

 one was accustomed to see and grow in early years, but which 

 have been lost to sight from various causes since. An agree- 

 able experience of this kind occurred to me a few days ago 

 when I entered a greenhouse and unexpectedly saw in full 

 bloom a mass of this old Naegelia, known forty years ago as 

 Gesneria. These were vigorous specimen plants in five-inch 

 pots, about two feet high, with large cordate leaves and fine 

 racemes of superbly colored flowers. The leaves of this 

 variety are beautifully shaded with flame-colored hairs, giving 

 them a velvety lustre, while the flowers, like small, drooping 

 Gloxinias, are vermilion, with yellow throat irregularly marked 

 with scarlet at the base of the limb, and borne in racemes. 



Nasgelias are exceedingly ornamental plants on account of 

 their free-flowering qualities and also their beautifully marked 

 foliage. For general decorative purposes, a pot-grown plant 

 eighteen inches to two feet high, the foliage covered with a 

 bright nap and numerous spikes of brilliant flowers, makes a 

 unique table decoration. They ought always to be grown in 

 quantity, however, so that the leaves can be cut for decorative 

 combination with the flowers of Allamanda, for example, 

 when they produce splendid effects. Although rarely seen 

 now, Naegelias are of easy culture. One reason why they 

 have fallen into obscurity is the general use, or misuse, of the 

 garden hose. They are moisture-loving plants, as other 

 Gesneriaceae are, but they resen,t having their leaves con- 

 stantly wet. As the water-supply is too often from wells or the 

 hydrant, it contains lime or other mineral matter in solution, 

 and the sediment left among the minute hairs on the leaves 



after frequent waterings gives them a rusty appearance, or at 

 least, their brilliancy is gone, they are more or less stun ed, 

 and good flowers need not be expected. To maintain healthy 

 and vigorous stock the plants must be fully developed, or they 

 will get weaker and ultimately perish. Great care must be 

 taken to preserve the foliage, and if water is known to contain 

 lime, etc., the plants should not be watered overhead or 

 syringed with it. 



Naegelia plants may be had in bloom in succession, or at 

 any desired period of the year. The stolons should be potted 

 at different times from January to July in a soil of fibrous 

 loam, peat and leaf-mold in equal parts, with a due proportion 

 of sharp sand. The soil should not be sifted, but rubbed 

 through a coarse screen to separate any rough pieces of roots, 

 stones, etc. The pots should be clean and thoroughly drained! 

 Any size may be used as may suit individual needs. The 

 stolons may also be started in pots or seed-pans, using fine 

 soil, and afterward be potted off singly, selecting the strongest 

 plants for single pots and setting others three in a pot. These 

 should be placed in a temperature of seventy-five degrees and 

 watered sparingly until aftergrowth has started. They should 

 be near the glass to prevent " drawing," but need shading 

 from the sun at all times. A warm, moist atmosphere is 

 essential, and a dry air or a cutting wind is disastrous to them. 

 In summer a batch may be grown in a frame or pit on a bed 

 of cinder ashes, if properly shaded and ventilated, and when 

 well established they should receive an occasional watering of 

 weak liquid-manure. Plants in flower may be kept in a cool 

 house, and an atmosphere not too humid at a temperature of 

 sixty-five to seventy degrees, which will preserve and prolono- 

 the flowers in good condition. After the plants have finished 

 flowering they should be preserved in a natural state until the 

 leaves die down. Less water will be required at the roots, and 

 in summer-time the plants may be placed in a frame outdoors, 

 but must be kept shaded from the sun. When they have com- 

 pleted their growth they can be gradually dried off and the 

 pots with their contents placed under the bench of a stove or 

 other suitable place and kept dry, but care should be taken 

 that they do not lie near the heating pipes, or the stolons will 

 dry and shrivel up. The temperature should range between 

 fifty-five and sixty degrees. In this condition they may remain 

 until needed or until the time arrives for starting another lot. 

 They can be propagated by increase of the stolons, or by cut- 

 tings of the shoots from mature leaves or seed. The leaves 

 may be divided into sections or used whole as those of Glox- 

 inias are treated, and if in the proper condition will at any time 

 form stolons for the following season. The seed may be sown 

 in same manner as Gloxinia. 



Few, if any, insects affect these plants. As they start afresh 

 in new soil and clean pots they make clean headway unless 

 carelessly handled. Never introduce them into houses where 

 thrips or mealy bug exist. Thrips will attack the plants and 

 are troublesome to get rid of, as fumigating will be necessary, 

 and this injures the plants. If mealy bug attacks them the 

 safest remedy is clean water applied in a small stream very 

 carefully from the hose until dislodged. A sure cure for mealy- 

 bug, and the least injury to the most delicate and tender foliage, 

 is wood alcohol diluted with water. Take a small quantity in 

 an ordinary cup and with a camel-hair pencil or small piece of 

 sponge on the end of a stick for a holder dip in the alcohol and 

 apply direct to the insect without wetting the entire plant. No 

 brushing or rubbing is necessary, for this would be injurious. 

 After the application the plants may be syringed carefully with 

 soft or rain water. If this can be used during the growing 

 season so much the better, as the plants are helped by occa- 

 sional syringings with absolutely clean water without any lime 

 in solution. 

 Rivcrion, n.j. W. Tricker. 



Greenhouse Work. 

 TDY the beginning of February the sunshine becomes stronger 

 *-* and some shading should be provided for foliage plants. 

 A variety of materials may be used, and in a large establish- 

 ment this necessity involves a considerable expense. For a 

 limited area of glass, especially on a private place where the 

 greenhouses are often divided into a number of small com- 

 partments for different purposes, roller shades of thin cotton 

 cloth, burlaps, or wooden slats are most satisfactory, and are 

 especially useful on Orchid-houses, where at times it is desira- 

 ble to give full light. On large greenhouses or where several 

 houses are built together in a block it is not always practicable 

 to use roller shades, and then the glass is usually painted on 

 the outside. Lime-wash is the cheapest material for this pur- 

 pose, but it is easily worn off by heavy spring rains ; it also 

 eats off the paint from the woodwork and injures the putty. 



