196 



Garden and Forest. 



[Number 482. 



tions, and which are certainly the most expensive, I have suc- 

 ceeded in raising a strain equal and often, as I think, superior 

 to the best forms now in existence. As the most beautiful and 

 symmetrical kinds, such as Brilliant, Chelsoni, Madonna, 

 Clorinda, John Heal. Mrs. Burbidge and Leopoldii, are mostly 

 weak growers and difficult of cultivation, I only use them as 

 pollen plants, never as seed bearers. With them the most 

 robust hybrids are crossed, and I have been fortunate in rais- 

 ing strong-growing, floriferous, and gorgeously colored kinds. 

 Some came into flower in three years, and most of them in 

 four years from the seed. It is tedious and often disappoint- 

 ing work to hybridize these plants, as scarcely ten per cent, 

 will ripen their seed. In most varieties the seed-pods swell 

 and promise to give a good .harvest, but suddenly, after four 

 weeks' growth, they shrivel and disappoint the enthusiasm of 

 the cultivator. As a rule, the coarse-growing and valueless 

 kinds produce seed freely. 



I have invariably found that Amaryllis grow much better 

 and are far more satisfactory as window-plants and in the 

 small greenhouse of the amateur than in the great commercial 

 establishments. They are not quickly raised and easily sold. 

 It takes four years mostly before they come into flower, and 

 during their growth — that is, from the time when they show 

 their flower-buds until late in autumn — they require the 

 best places in the greenhouse. If neglected only for a short 

 time they are almost lost, and once in bad health it is difficult 

 to restore them to their former luxuriance. They require the 

 loving care of the grower at all times, whether resting or 

 growing. For this reason Amaryllis will never become a flor- 

 ist's flower, but it is a most desirable plant for the amateur 

 and window gardener, for the wealthy private flower lover, 

 and for the greenhouses of parks and botanical gardens. In 

 such institutions Amaryllis are indispensable and should be 

 grown in unlimited quantities. Scarcely any other plant is so 

 easily grown as these if their few requirements are understood. 

 They need a season of rest in winter, when water must be 

 entirely withheld, or only sparingly and judiciously applied. 

 During their season of growth in spring and summer they 

 need abundant moisture, being particularly benefited by water 

 in which a small amount of superphosphate has been dis- 

 solved. Manure-water is also a good stimulant. I keep the 

 more delicate hybrids in the greenhouse the year round, while 

 the strong-growing kinds are planted out in open hot-beds late 

 in May, and in October they are again potted and transferred 

 to the greenhouse. I use a soil of equal parts of loam, old 

 cow-manure and sand, to which crushed charcoal and old 

 plaster or a little lime is added. As soon as the robust-growing 

 kinds lose their leaves they are placed under the benches with 

 no water at all until they show their flower-scapes late in Jan- 

 uary or in February, when they are watered a little and set in 

 a warm, sunny place on the benches. When the scape has 

 grown a few inches and the foliage appears, the plants are thor- 

 oughly watered about once in ten days. The more delicate 

 sorts, as well as Hippeastrum aulicum and H. reticulatum and 

 its progeny, must be carefully watered throughout the winter 

 and the soil should never become dust-dry. 



The finest named hybrids of Amaryllis will always be expen- 

 sive plants, as they are exceedingly slow in multiplying. Em- 

 press of India has been in my possession ten years and I have 

 only a stock of four plants. Fertilized with its own pollen it 

 does not come true, the seedlings being less beautiful in form 

 and color. Laurens Rosier, Mozart, Conqueror, Leopoldii, 

 Madonna, John Heal and others are now seven years under 

 my care and I have not succeeded in obtaining one single 

 offset. Pardimim luteum, Mrs. Burbidge and Solandiflorum 

 conspicuum I have had for more than twelve years and they 

 have not produced a single side bulb. 



Most of the Amaryllis seen in cultivation are hybrids of 

 Hippeastrum vittatum. Of this strain the late Mr. Souchet, of 

 Fontainebleau, France, and especially Mr. Martin Hoffmann, 

 of Berlin, introduced many striking hybrids. They otten came 

 into flower in two years from the seed. They are always char- 

 acterized by narrow, pointed segments and mostly an over- 

 abundance of green in the tube, but they stand a good deal of 

 rough handling among othergreenhouse plants, and are there- 

 fore usually preferred by florists. But they cannot compare 

 with the magnificent hybrids I have named. 



Milwaukee, Wis. 



H. Nehr liner. 



The Hardy Plant Border. 

 A LONG the front row of the herbaceous border large patches 

 **- of the Moss Pink, Phlox subulata, now make imposing 

 masses of color. For a dry, sunny position this is an excellent 

 plant, its evergreen prostrate stems providing a thick mat which 

 completely hides the ground. Now the stems are quite hidden 



from view with the profusion of blossoms. Stellaria Holostea 

 is a good companion to the Phloxes. It is a plant that quickly 

 spreads and needs frequent trimming to keep it within its 

 allotted space. It has a low decumbent habit, and its flowers 

 are produced in dichotomous cymes and measure about three- 

 fourths of an inch in diameter. The drooping blue flowers of 

 Polemonium reptans add a decided and distinct color to the 

 edge of the mixed border where ihe white flowers of Arabis 

 albida and Stellaria are abundant, and Ihe pink tints of Phlox 

 subulata and P. procumbens. This Polemonium, which is 

 creeping in habit and has pinnate leaves, when in blossom 

 is about eight or ten inches high. A good rich light soil suits 

 it well, and it thrives here in a sunny position. Erysimum 

 pulchellum is an exception to many of the weedy species of 

 this genus and makes compact plants about a foot in height, 

 with pretty sulphur-yellow flowers. It thrives in the rock 

 garden and also does well in light rich soil in the front of the 

 mixed border. 



The summer Snowflake, Leucojum asstivum, is well worth a 

 place in our gardens. The foliage of this bulbous plantresem- 

 bles that of the Narcissi, and its dainty white Snowdrop-shaped 

 flowers are borne in small drooping clusters on stout erect 

 stems from fifteen to eighteen inches in height. The indi- 

 vidual flower has six perianth segments, each delicately tipped 

 with green. The plant is hardy here. Bulbs are procurable in 

 the fall, and if planted then will blossom the following spring. It 

 thrives in a light rich soil, and in Europe, from whence it 

 came, it is frequently planted in the grass. Muscari neglec- 

 tum has been grown here for a number of years as easily as the 

 common Grape Hyacinth, M. botryoides, and a small bed is 

 now altractive with its numerous racemes of deep blue flow- 

 ers on scapes about nine inches in height. This south Euro- 

 pean plant flourishes here in light rich soil in an open position. 

 The beautiful Epimedium macranthum, brought from Japan 

 to Europe in 1836, grows about a foot high. Its leaves are 

 biternate, and the white flowers are produced in short, close 

 racemes. It is a good stock garden plant, and many of the 

 Epimediums are useful under trees where herbaceous plants 

 can be grown with only partial success. Aquilegia Canadensis 

 is always graceful and pleasing and is as happy in the rock 

 garden as when growing wild in rocky clefts on steep hillsides. 

 The decumbent stems of Euphorbia Myrsinites make a grace- 

 ful draping in the rock garden. When not in blossom this 

 plant is pleasing for its distinct light green glaucous leaves, 

 which make it noticeable even from a distance. This Euphor- 

 bia is now flourishing, and umbels of yellow flowers are borne 

 at the ends of the stems. Although a native of southern 

 Europe it is hardy here without any protection. The finest 

 yellow flowers now seen out-of-doors are those of Alyssum 

 saxatile. This plant, while desirable for use in borders, never 

 gives the satisfaction it does when grown in the rock garden, 

 where its stems are so disposed as to show off the dense masses 

 of golden flowers to the best advantage. It enjoys a sunny 

 position and the bright flowers are most beautiful in the sun- 

 light. A few bulbs of Tulipa Greigi have been grown herein 

 the same place without being disturbed for eight years. If 

 planted where water will not lodge about the bulbs in winter 

 they are perfectly hardy, and it not moved often they will 

 flower each spring. Tulipa sylvestris is a species well worth 

 growing. It soon naturalizes itself among the rocks and 

 stones, and its showy, clear yellow flowers are refreshing and 

 satisfying. 



A choice and hardy plant for the rock garden is the beau- 

 tiful Hutchinsia alpina. This neat, compact, dwarf plant has 

 small shining leaves and pure white flowers, produced abun- 

 dantly in clusters close above the foliage. An open position 

 and a light soil in an elevated part of the rock garden seems 

 to suit its needs. The hardy perennial, Corydalis nobilis, a 

 Siberian plant, is pleasing when in flower, but has the fault of 

 not increasing rapidly. The plant in bloom now is ten or 

 twelve inches high, and its stems are thickly clothed with 

 glaucous bipinnate leaves, the flowers produced in a dense 

 cluster at the end of the stems. The flowers are of a rich 

 golden yellow, with a small reddish chocolate mark in the 

 centre. The creeping Forget-me-not, Omphalodes verna, 

 grows luxuriantly to a height of six to eight inches under the 

 shade of some Hemlock-trees. This charming plant bears 

 handsome deep clear blue flowers with white throats, and its 

 stems are clothed with deep green, ovate-cordate leaves. It 

 increases by runners, and when once established soon covers 

 a piece of ground. 



On bright sunny days the object most admired by visitors to 

 the Botanic Garden is a fine patch of Anemone nemorosa, 

 var. Robinsoniana. This lovely plant does not open its flowers 

 on dull days. The flowers are much larger than those of the 



