286 



Garden and Forest. 



[Number 491. 



in an open space, where it should remain undisturbed for a 

 number of years, and then it will compel admiration for its 

 stately habit and foliage. This Acanthus is protected here in 

 winter with a covering of leaves, but I have little doubt that 

 well-established plants would thrive without any covering. 



Spiraea palmata is an old Chinese plant, but one never tires 

 of its large palmate leaves and its large clusters of rosy 

 crimson flowers. It is slightly more than a yard high and its 

 blossoms are carried high above the dark green foliage, which 

 gives them a pleasing effect. S. palmata is probably the best 

 herbaceous species belonging to this useful genus, and 

 when well grown is always desirable. It does best here in a 

 deep rich soil and slightly shaded position. It is easily 

 increased by division either in the spring or fall. 



Harvard Botanic Garden, Cambridge, Mass. Robert Cameron. 



Notes on Pelargoniums. 



PELARGONIUMS as known in gardens are hybrids of P. 

 grandiflorum, and commonly called Lady Washington 

 Geraniums. When properly grown they are among the 

 brightest decorative plants we have. They are in no way 

 delicate in constitution, and, like their near relative, the com- 

 mon Geranium, are sure to bloom if sufficient light and sun- 

 shine are allowed them. Pelargoniums flower during the 

 spring months, and in order to obtain line, shapely specimens 

 there must be a season of preparation. Following the condi- 

 tions imposed by nature, it is well to rest them until midwinter, 

 though not to the extent required by bulbous plants ; they 

 should be watered occasionally to keep the wood firm and the 

 roots healthy. 



To begin a new collection or replace old plants, cuttings 

 should be put in now. They take longer to root than Gera- 

 niums, and must be kept growing from the time they are 

 rooted. Where large numbers are required, as in commercial 

 establishments, a good plan is to plant out the old plants. They 

 will furnish an abundance of cuttings, and the cutting-bench 

 can be kept going until the end of September. Cuttings rooted 

 from now onward make neat plants in six-inch pots, such as 

 are extensively grown for the flower markets of the large cities 

 of Europe. They have had only a limited sale as Easter plants 

 in this country. If, however, large specimens are desired, it 

 is better to take out the flower-buds from the young plants 

 next spring. This strengthens them, but they must be rested 

 to some extent, as are the older plants. 



Rested plants must be repotted not later than January, gently 

 started, stopped frequently and tied into shape. The best 

 specimens are those trained so that the foliage and flowers 

 almost hide the pots from view. With a light airy position 

 and a night temperature of fifty, the plants will make good 

 sturdy growth. Pelargoniums have a special season of bloom, 

 unlike Geraniums, which bloom when allowed, and flower on 

 separate growth. They cannot be retarded by taking out the 

 flowering-stems, and when they are ready they must be al- 

 lowed to bloom. 



A list of some of the newest and best includes Jubilee, light 

 pink, very attractive ; Kingston Beauty, white, dark standard ; 

 Ophelia, reddish purple; Multiflora, pink, dark standard; 

 Nellie Hayes, white, dark standard ; Duke of Fyfe, pink and 

 white; Lady Duff, scarlet and pink ; May Queen, deep red; 

 Mrs. Wright, white, scarlet tinted ; Duke of York, scarlet, pink 

 and white. 



Garden Geraniums, hybrids of Pelargonium zonale, are 

 more widely known. When one gardener wishes to show his 

 contempt for another's skill, he says " he can't even grow a 

 Geranium," which is the same as saying there is no plant so 

 easy to grow. Geraniums are divided into bedding and fancy 

 varieties, or such as make better pot-plants. Those of the 

 latter class are again divided into the large round-flowered 

 single forms, the Bicolor or Corona type, and the semidouble 

 Bruants. Of bedding varieties it is enough to say we box off 

 cuttings in the autumn after the first frost. They are almost 

 sure to root it not overwatered. They may be put away on 

 shelves, and require little attention until spring. 



To grow fancy varieties into specimens requires more atten- 

 tion. We take cuttings at this time and keep them growing. 

 Some few may be allowed to bloom during the winter, but 

 those required for specimen plants may be treated as recom- 

 mended for Pelargoniums. They make first-rate plants toward 

 spring, and florists grow them in large numbers for spring 

 sales. All that is needed is to keep the flowers picked off until 

 within a week or two of the time when it is desired to have them 

 bloom. Large specimens are better for being rested a month 

 or six weeks during midwinter in a good light position with a 



temperature as low as forty-five. As the days lengthen with 

 increased sunshine they may have more water, and manure 

 occasionally. The new growth will be covered with bloom in 

 from four to five weeks. 



Single round-flowered Geraniums worthy of recommen- 

 dation are Florence Farmer, white-veined and tinted with 

 salmon ; Eleanor, clear, bright orange ; Olivia, bright rose ; 

 Snowdrop, pure white ; Gertrude Pearson, clear pink ; 

 Dr. S. Grey, crimson ; Corona, or aureole type ; Madame G. 

 Henry, shades of rose-white and red ; Madame Bruant, white, 

 veined with carmine; Renommee Lyonaise, scarlet, white 

 centre; Le Rhone, rosy scarlet, white centre and white 

 blotches on upper petals; Bruants, semidouble; Madame 

 Janlin, deep rose ; Eulalie, light salmon, an attractive flower ; 

 Gloire de France, white, pink-tinted, and Beaute Poitevine, 

 salmon-pink. 



Wellesley, Mass. 1 . JJ. tiatjield. 



Greenhouse Notes. 



MOST people are fond of Mignonette, especially when used 

 with other cut flowers, and it is never at its best until 

 cool weather or midwinter under glass. To have it early, or 

 about Christmas, the seed should be sown at the end of this 

 month on a bench in a house that will be cool in winter. A 

 minimum temperature of forty-five degrees is well suited to 

 produce good spikes, and this is about the average tempera- 

 ture of a Violet-house in cold weather. It is almost impossible 

 to make the soil too rich for Mignonette, and it also does best 

 in a deep bench with at least a toot of soil, or, better still, in 

 what is known as a solid bed where the roots may be cool 

 and moist. Of course, a good strain of seeds must be planted. 

 The Machet is most generally used, but any of the selected 

 strains are equally suitable. Care must be taken to give plenty of 

 room when sowing. We usually sow in rows eighteen inches 

 apart, and thin out the plants when they are of good size to six 

 inches in the row. A close watch must be kept when the plants 

 are young for the small green caterpillars of the white butter- 

 fly ; they will speedily ruin all the seedlings if neglected for a 

 few days, but Hellebore will help, and with hand-picking they 

 may be kept down. 



Antirrhinums are becoming popular as winter-flowering 

 plants, and the keeping qualities of the flowers after they 

 are cut are surprising. They make a good succession to Chrys- 

 anthemums in the benches, and will flower in eariy spring. 

 To have plants suitable to set out in benches in November 

 cuttings may be taken now from some plants whose flowers 

 are of special colors, or seeds of the mixed varieties may be 

 sown now to furnish plants that will not have flowered pre- 

 vious to planting indoors. Antirrhinums may also be grown 

 in pots to flower, but, like most free-rooting plants, should 

 have a bench if possible. 



The newer kinds of single Violets promise to be most useful 

 flowers. Princess de Galles is a superb flower of good round 

 outline, very fragrant and vigorous in growth. There seems 

 to be no tendency to disease in these new strains, at least 

 I have detected none thus far. Luxonne is another new 

 one that should be tried ; it is not so fragrant as some others, 

 but is the largest of all, and owing to the narrow petals it 

 measures almost as much across as some Pansies. The color 

 of both these Violets is a good deep blue, and there seems to 

 be no limit to their length of stem. If grown for no other pur- 

 pose they ought to be tried for furnishing leaves to go with 

 the double varieties, as these are injured greatly from continual 

 plucking of the foliage in winter-time. 



Poinsettias are now starting freely, and as these plants repay 

 good treatment it is well to repot them as soon as growth 

 begins. They should be placed outdoors in full sunshine for 

 the hot months, and with the first cold nights of autumn they 

 should be taken indoors into a cool, airy house at first. If they 

 are wanted for Thanksgiving a little more heat will be needed. 

 The double variety is much later in flowering, and will last well 

 into the new year. The soil should be made very rich at pot- 

 ting-time by the addition of bone or some other convenient 

 fertilizer. It is unsafe to rely upon manure- water to bring them 

 on later, as this is sure to result in the loss of much foliage, 

 which spoils the appearance of the plants when in bloom. 



To those who have not tried it before, I would advise pinch- 

 ing off the flower-stems of the main crop of Carnation-plants 

 in the field late in the season — say, the middle of August. A 

 few plants should be reserved to flower early and set in cold 

 frames for flowers until the end of November. They will do 

 just as well, or better, than those planted in the greenhouse for 

 the time, and when they are past, those in the house will be 

 coming in with a full crop that will last all winter long, and 

 will make a good succession to Chrysanthemums and help to 



