u8 



Garden and Forest. 



[Number 317. 



valves have the appearance of leaves and are entirely distinct 

 in character from those of other species, which usually roll up 

 from each side toward the centre, and the thickened parts are 

 joined by the thinnest of membranes, which is yet constant. G. 

 Alleni is a European species named after thegenial Snowdrop 

 specialist. It has extremely broad, slightly glaucous leaves, 

 and is strikingly distinct. This form is supposed to be a nat- 

 ural hybrid between G. latifolius and G. Caucasicus, and with 

 them is rather late in flowering. The flower is large, pure in 

 color and of fine form. Mr. Allen's seedling, Charmer, is one 

 of the most effective of the family ; the flowers large, pure in 

 color and of great substance ; scapes rather short, and inner 

 section the boldest of any of the varieties. G. Fosteri is a 

 broad-leaved species, which has not done well in my garden. 

 This is its third season here and it is weaker than ever. How- 

 ever, it has been well reported upon abroad when grown in 

 good rich garden soil, and probably it needs special cultiva- 

 tion to carry out the promises made for it. G. plicatus, the 

 Crimean Snowdrop, has broad leaves, folded at the edges, 

 which gives it distinctiveness, but the plants have not been 

 long-lived with me. The flowers are not specially noticeable, 

 being quite small. G. Umbricus is a beautiful Italian Snow- 

 drop, which has pointed buds and great purity of color. This 

 variety is still lagging with a few others. There are two forms 

 of Snowdrops recognized with yellow ovaries and yellow 

 markings. I have lost my G. lutescens, so that I am unable 

 to say wherein they differ from the similar forms which are 

 often found among collected bulbs. It is possible, however, 

 that these latter may not retain the livid habit, and their lack 

 of deep coloring is due to some temporary and local cause. 

 G. nivalis, of course, is known to all growers of Snowdrops, 

 and a pretty little flower it is, too, which is more than can be 

 said of the double form. 

 Elizabeth, N.J. J-N. Gerard. 



Currants for Market. — Dr. J. B. Ward, of Lyons Farms, New 

 Jersey, gave his experience with Currants at the meeting of 

 the New Jersey State Horticultural Society, which was practi- 

 cally as follows : He prepares the ground as for Strawberries, 

 since the Currants need rich soil. He applies from forty to 

 fifty tons of manure to the acre, makes the soil fine by thor- 

 ough harrowing and then marks out the rows with a two- 

 horse marker. For the Fay and Cherry Currants these rows 

 are marked seven feet apart, or for the Red Dutch six feet 

 apart would answer. The Fay grows with spreading branches, 

 and if the rows are not seven feet wide too much hand-culture 

 will be needed the second year. The ground ought to be 

 thoroughly cultivated by horse-power three or four times be- 

 fore the fruit begins to develop, since hand-labor is so expen- 

 sive as to lessen the profits. The plants are set about five feet 

 apart in the rows, where it makes little difference if the plants 

 meet each other. The first application of hellebore, which 

 should be made early and thoroughly, will generally destroy 

 most of the Currant worms, so that a light application once or 

 twice later will thoroughly eradicate them. The hellebore is 

 usually put on dry with a bellows on a damp day. After a 

 shower this must be repeated. "We do little trimming vintil the 

 third year, when we cut out the old wood so as to leave the best 

 growth, and we repeat this every year. Sometimes we fail to 

 get full clusters, a loss which we attribute to cold winds and 

 damp weather at the time the fruit is setting. When several 

 days of cold, damp weather come about the time the Currants 

 are in bloom, some of the blossoms will blast and the fruit- 

 clusters will be shortened for from one-quarter to one-third of 

 their length. In sheltered places we have obtained long full 

 stems. With proper care a Currant-bush will last ten years and 

 yield from three to five quarts a year. We have grown Fay's 

 Currant entirely, although I would recommend the planting of 

 some Cherry Currants, as well as Versailles." 



New York. .->• 



The Earliest Flowering Shrubs. — The first of our shrubs to 

 flower this year is the Daphne Mezereum, which we have in 

 both pink and white colors. There is a honeycomb-like scent to 

 the blossoms, which is very agreeable. Sometimes we have 

 warm spells in midwinter or later, which bring along the 

 flowers of Jasminum nudifiorum ahead of everything else. But 

 the Daphne is first this year, as, at this writing, the first flowers 

 only of the Jasmine are expanded. The Chimonanthus fra- 

 grans has been blooming more or less for some time past. 

 Like the Jasmine, Lonicera fragrantissima is often in bloom in 

 midwinter, but at this time, March 12th, it is not out yet. In 

 the herbaceous border, Eranthis hyemalis is in fine bloom, 

 and in the open fields Draba verna and Lamium amplexicaule 

 make a good display. _ 



Germantown, Pa. Joseph Meehan. 



Correspondence. 

 A Plea for Wild Flowers. 

 To the Editor of Garden and Forest : 



Sir, — The importance of protecting our forests, wild game 

 and native song-birds is no longer questioned, but the work 

 begun in these directions should include the preservation of 

 beautiful, curious and useful plants indigenous to our woods and 

 fields. In many instances those who could prevent their de- 

 struction are indifferent to the rapid disappearance of wild 

 flowers. Among the forces active in this extermination are 

 the woodman's axe, the drainer's spade, the farmer's plow, the 

 herdman's sheep and the collector's trowel. There are other 

 causes of, perhaps, minor importance, which are of too much 

 significance to be entirely ignored. To a more enlightened 

 public opinion, the establishment of Arbor Day and to whole- 

 some legislation we must trust for the preservation of our 

 woods and of the lowly plants that only thrive under their 

 shade. If the farmer's mind were enlarged by broader cul- 

 ture he would spare a few rods of swamp-land as nature 

 dressed it. The Lily would then be allowed to brighten the 

 fence-row, and the Clematis, with its feathery plumes, might 

 be left to drape his fences without subjecting the owner to the 

 charge of shiftlessness. As sheep graze much closer than any 

 other domestic animal, they are peculiarly destructive to plant- 

 life. In many instances they are allowed to graze in wood- 

 lands with other stock when they might as well be kept in 

 other pasturage. 



The species of wild plants which disappear most rapidly are 

 those possessing, or supposed to possess, medicinal qualities, 

 as the Blood-root, Sarsaparilla, Orange-root and Ginseng. 

 Professional root-diggers gather supplies each succeeding 

 year from the same section as long as the yield is profitable. 

 When they have so nearly exterminated the plant that the 

 gathering no longer proves remunerative, new fields are 

 sought in which to repeat their depredations. It is stated that 

 Ginseng can be cultivated successfully, and the production of 

 Ginseng may yet become a paying business. Many other wild 

 plants also admit of cultivation. I heard complaints last 

 Decoration Day that plants, such as the Trillium, once plenti- 

 ful in this locality, are now almost exterminated by overgath- 

 ering. Plant-collectors are charged with being largely re- 

 sponsible for (he extermination of wild flowers, and this is, 

 perhaps, true in a way. But, after all, collectors are among 

 the most active agents, indirectly, in perpetuating them ; 

 among town and city people by giving an opportunity to buy 

 them, and among country people by awakening them to the 

 fact that native plants are worth money, and, consequently, 

 worth keeping ; for many people see no value in anything ex- 

 cepting the cash value. 



If wild flowers are to be saved from extermination the peo- 

 ple must be educated to understand their beauty and useful- 

 ness. Natural plantations in city parks make their value 

 known, and the florist, who is each year adding new species to 

 his stock of native plants, is also a teacher. But there is, per- 

 haps, no better way in which to reach the masses than through 

 the country schools. Teachers should call attention to the 

 marvels of plant-structure and plant-life, and Arbor Day exer- 

 cises should not be called complete until a bed of wild flowers 

 is made a part of the decoration of the school-yard. The daily 

 study of the plant, its habits and development, will prove an 

 efficient aid in the advancement of elementary science ; a 

 source of inspiration that will purify and make nobler the lives 

 of all who come within its influence. 



Harmonsbursr, Pa. B. L. Putnam. 



March in a West Virginia Garden. 

 To the Editor of Garden and Forest : 



Sir, — The first work here in the garden in March is to remove 

 the leaves that have been its winter protection. This is an in- 

 teresting process, as it reveals the wet yellowed grass, which 

 a few days of warm sunshine will turn to green, and the 

 groups of early-flowering bulbs already piercing the mold. 

 The first week of bright, genial spring weather has brought all 

 the early birds. The air is jubilant with the whistlings of the 

 cardinal grosbeak, the chirp of robins and the songs of Carolina 

 wrens, snowbirds, crested titmice and the sparrows. The far- 

 away notes of doves and the call of meadow-larks add a touch 

 of pathos to the general hilarity. Bluebirds are unusually plen- 

 tiful, and blackbirds have come in full force. Watching the 

 signs of the times, year after year, I have never known the 

 blackbirds to make a mistake in coming too soon, so we take 

 heart of grace and begin to believe that spring is really here. 



