228 



Garden and Forest. 



[Number 485. 



variety sent out as Gigantea is a misnomer and does not belong 

 to this species, and the same is true of Maxima. The mistake 

 was, doubtless, accidental, but it is vexatious to find valuable 

 varieties disseminated under a wrong name or not in their 

 right class. 



Nymphasa reniformis, syn. tuberosa, is a vigorous species, 

 with leaves prominently ribbed, root-stock bearing numerous, 

 often compound, tubers, which spontaneously detach ; the 

 flowers are white, never pinkish, from four and a half to nine 

 inches in diameter, slightly fragrant, indigenous to lakes and 

 slow rivers in western New York, and near Meadville, Penn- 

 sylvania, to Michigan, eastern Nebraska, and probably to the 

 southern states. 



Nymphasa tuberosa — the true species — should never be 

 planted in a pond with other choice, hardy Nymphasas. ft is 

 a rampant grower, produces seeds very freely, besides multi- 

 plying prodigiously from the small tubers, and when estab- 

 lished its massive leaves stand out above the water, shading 

 and smothering out all other Nymphasa growth. Since its 

 introduction into ponds where other varieties were grown the 

 llowers have been cross-fertilized, and numerous forms and 

 gradations are to be met with. Several of these have value as 

 decorative plants and bid fair to equal the Odorata type, if not 

 to surpass it in gradations of size and color. With this I 

 send two varieties of the species. The pink-flowered variety 

 received a certificate of merit from the Massachusetts Horti- 

 cultural Society three years ago, and was disseminated by 

 me under the name of N. tuberosa rosea. The large white- 

 flowered variety originated in Ohio, or is known there as 

 N. tuberosa, but it is so entirely distinct that 1 suggest for it 

 the varietal name of plena, to distinguish it from other forms. 

 From the same source I received a variety under the name of 

 N. odorata superba, but after careful cultivation I find it to be 

 the true N. tuberosa. Another form received under the name 

 of N. superba has all the characteristic points of the same 

 species. Yet another variety from the rice fields of Carolina, 

 under the name of N. odorata gigantea, was grown alongside of 

 N. tuberosa, and no distinction between the two was notice- 

 able. Numerous shades of pink have been noticed in the 

 flowers of N. tuberosa, but the variety Rosea is thus far the 

 best. All are early-flowering and desirable for special pur- 

 poses. The greatest confusion exists through the introduction 

 of the many forms of these two species without any proper 

 classification, and it is to be hoped that some botanical society 



will take the matter up. „,.„■ ^ ■ , 



Riverton. N.J. William Tricker. 



[The pink flowers sent to this office were of a singularly 



delicate shade of color, and the white ones were very large 



and double. — Ed.] 



Lathyrus rotundifolius.— This seems to be the earliest- flower- 

 ing of the hardy Peas, beginning to bloom in early May. At 

 this time it has stems six feet long, bearing a profusion of 

 flowers of a deep rosy red color, known sometimes as old 

 rose. This Pea is also known as Lathyrus Drummondii, and 

 is highly valued wherever grown, for, next to the white-flow- 

 ered form of L. latifolius, it is probably the most generally 

 satisfactory hardy Pea in cultivation, as the color is a pure 

 tone, which contrasts most pleasingly with the light green 

 leaves. It is perfectly hardy and may be increased from seed 

 or by division. 



Cypripedium parviflorum.— This Lady's-slipper seems to be 

 less particular as to soil and cultivation than the other hardy 

 Cypripediums. It thrives here and increases under condi- 

 tions which suit Lily-of-the-valley. It is slightly shaded by a 

 deciduous tree and in soil rather inclined to stiffness. 



Elizabeth, N.J. J.N. G. 



Physalis Franchetti. — To those who tried this fine new spe- 

 cies last summer it was a disappointment. It was regarded as 

 a pot-plant, and at first even seemed an annual. Late in 

 summer it seemed that stolons were being formed for the 

 next year's display, and we left outdoors those that had been 

 planted out to see if they would prove hardy. These plants 

 are now growing freely in the open border. It is evidently a 

 good hardy perennial in habit, and by no means fitted for pot- 

 culture, for the plants that were carried over winter in pots 

 have not been as satisfactory as the ones in the border. This 

 plant has been extensively advertised as the new Chinese Lan- 

 tern-plant. It was one of the discoveries of Mr. James Veitch 

 during his visit to Japan, or, at least, to him we are indebted 

 for living plants. 



Cypripedium bellatulum.— Some notes of this beautiful Cypri- 

 pede were published recently in these columns, more espe- 



cially as to its culture, and it is not necessary now to say more 

 on this point. A specimen recently exhibited before the 

 Massachusetts Horticultural Society deserves special mention, 

 both for its beauty and its high culture. This plant bore ten 

 fully expanded flowers of large size, the pot being compara- 

 tively small for the number of Howers. It was thought 

 deserving of the silver medal of the society. Mr. James E. 

 Rothwell, of Brookline, who is the possessor of this plant, has 

 many fine specimens of this species. One is gigantic in habit 

 of growth and size of flower, the leaves being nearly a foot 

 long and very broad. Another variety is unique in that the 

 spots are in distinct lines through the middle ot each segment 

 of the flower. It is a pleasure to find the requirements ot these 

 plants so well understood, and they are only one of the re- 

 markable examples of high culture to be seen in this interest- 

 ing collection which promises soon to become famous. I was 

 pleased to see here a fine specimen of the pure white variety 

 of C. bellatulum. This is the easiest to grow, perhaps, of all 

 its kindred. The leaves themselves are devoid of all purple 

 markings, and it is a very rare plant. Only one, so far as we can 

 learn, has been introduced, but owing to its easy culture it 

 should not long remain unattainable. 



South Lancaster, Mass. E, O. Orpet. 



The Protection of Roses in Winter. — Mr. Bradley's notes on 

 Protecting Roses in Winter (see page 209) are well worthy 

 of attention. Almost every one who has had the care of plants 

 in winter knows that darkness or shade is half the battle in 

 their preservation. I have seen such plants as Pittosporums, 

 Oranges, Lemons, Hydrangea hortensia and Figs pass through 

 a winter safely in an open shed, free from sunlight. Last win- 

 ter, when placing some Arbor- vita 1 branches about a Magnolia 

 grandiflora, I left one branch on the northern side outside the 

 covering purposely, to see what the effect would be. But little 

 sun reached it late in the afternoon. It came through until 

 spring with trifling damage, the leaves being slightly browned 

 here and there, but no more than those inside the Arbor-vitae 

 covering. Shade from the sun is what partly tender plants 

 want in winter. 



Germantown, Pa. Joseph Meehan. 



Correspondence. 



Nurseries at South Orange, New Jersey. 

 To the Editor of Garden and Forest : 



Sir, — Mr. W. A. Manda, who bought a few acres of wild land in 

 the beautiful Orange Valley, at South Orange Station, only 

 two years ago, in so short a time has brought order out of 

 chaos, and in this "Universal Horticultural Establishment" 

 has a large representation of most of the good things in cul- 

 tivation, and a great many valuable and novel plants not often 

 seen. As South Orange happens to be within my cycling cir- 

 cuit my visits here are frequent, and to me one of the most 

 striking characteristics of the place is the rapid change, as 

 different plants and features of interest succeed each other. 

 Last fall, I remember, there were five thousand or more fine 

 seedling Araucarias, which is not an ordinary sight. Later the 

 frames were filled with Roman Hyacinths, frozen up for Easter, 

 and last week tiny Heaths, which seem to strike here as readily 

 as Geraniums, could be counted by the thousand. But Mr. 

 Manda's special pride was spring-flowering Laslias, L. elegans 

 and L. purpurea, of which he claims to possess the best col- 

 lection in the country. Certainly there was a wonderful 

 variety of coloring among the three hundred plants, and they 

 were in fine vigor and of all sizes, from those with a single 

 break to one with a dozen or more, bearing sixty-six noble 

 flowers, richly colored, and including probably all the rare 

 kinds which appeal, aside from any beauty, to collectors. Mr. 

 Manda has been fortunate in his houses, for Orchids of all 

 sorts grow thriftily there, as I have before taken occasion to 

 note, and there seems to be a rapidly increasing assortment of 

 these valuable plants. Last year Mr. Manda discarded benches 

 in his main Palm-house with a gratifying effect, and the plants 

 set out seem much more vigorous. In the outdoor nursery 

 there was, as usual, a large assortment of seasonable hardy 

 plants in flower, with a great breadth of Paeonies just show- 

 ing color. One of the most striking novelties is a variegated 

 form of Lilium longiflorum. This has a distinct white margin 

 on each leaf and is otherwise like the type in hardiness and 

 flower. Mr. Manda is an admirer of Japanese plants, and is 

 at work on a Japanese garden — probably without the stones 

 and sentiment. He certainly has managed to get together, 

 besides a great lot of Tree Paeonies, Irises, Maples, etc., a 

 curious and interesting collection of odd things, ranging from 

 Ferns to Oaks. There is also a wonderful collection of varie- 



