1 86 



Garden and Forest. 



[Number 324. 



came through looking fresh. This is a biennial species with 

 handsome, broad, silvery leaves, and ornamental on this ac- 

 count only. It is from the Mediterranean region, Monte de 

 Cammarata, Sicily, and Crete, and said by one authority to be 

 hardy "only in the southern part of Britain." 



It is again pleasant to find Campanula Garganica, from 

 Mount Gargano, Italv, looking thrifty. Linaria alpina, from the 

 Alps of Switzerland and the Pyrenees, which forms silvery 

 tufts covered with bluish violet flowers, and L. Dalmatica, a re- 

 markably handsome perennial with glaucous foliage and large 

 spikes of clear yellow flowers, have come through well. Ex- 

 perienced persons only should be intrusted with the work of 

 weeding, as it often happens that some choice plant, which we 

 have failed to raise from seeds by the ordinary methods, will 

 sow itself. I found a considerable number of Primula rosea 

 coming up among the old plants. This was introduced from 

 Kashmire in 1879, and is oneof the hardiest and best Primroses 

 for this latitude. Of Mertensia Virginica it would seem im- 

 possible to have too much. It is one of the earliest and 

 most beautiful of our spring flowers. Its handsome drooping 

 panicles of incomparable blue are strikingly effective, yet it 

 seems that in a few years we shall have to weed it out some- 

 what. We have no trouble in keeping up stock of Campanula 

 Carpathica andC. rotundifolia ; Alyssum saxatile and A. Wiers- 

 beckii, the latter a very bright yellow ; Arabis albida, Silene 

 Virginica, Papaver nudicaule, Erysimum pumilum, Callirrhoe 

 macrorhiza, Aquilegia Canadensis, A. ccerulea and Dianthus 

 deltoides. The Siberian Squill, as well as the Chionodoxas, 

 sow themselves quite freely, but it is only in places like these 

 where no spading is done. Viola cucullata threatens to be- 

 come a nuisance. 



Plants now in bloom include Primula rosea, Arabis albida, 

 Viola odorata in several forms, including Rawson's White ; 

 Aubrietia Eyrei, A. Leichtlini, Adonis vernalis and Periwinkles. 

 Paaonia tenuifolia, a fine species with single flowers, from the 

 Crimea, is just opening, and is one of the earliest and best of 

 Pasonies ; Saxifraga (Megasea) purpurescens and S. cordifolia 

 are growing handsomer every day, as their stout cymose pani- 

 cles of pink flowers lengthen. 



On a grassy slope near by, bright patches of Phlox subulata, 

 white and purple, are very conspicuous. Properly disposed, 

 there are many other plants which may be used effectively in 

 this way. Such Narcissi as Emperor, Princeps, Horsfieldi, 

 Maximus, Stella and Sir Watkin are already past. 



Wellesley, Mass. T. D. Hatfield. 



Spring Flowers. 



Irises. — Iris pumila, I. Chamaeiris, I. Olbiensis and I. verna 

 join the ranks of the flowering plants this week. They are all 

 dwarf plants quite distinct in effect. The rich deep blue falls, 

 with the bright orange keels of the native I. verna, render it 

 one of the most attractive of the small rhizomatous Irises. The 

 flowers are very small indeed, and only a fair-sized clump will 

 produce a color-effect in the border. The I. pumila, white and 

 violet, and I. Chamasiris, yellow, and I. Olbiensis, purple, are 

 taller Irises, well known in many gardens. There is another 

 Iris unfolding more perfect charms than either of the first- 

 mentioned species, and has, in fact, more beauty than is given 

 to many flowers. This is I. Ibirica, an old friend, which is 

 very chary of its favors. Any description will give but a faint 

 idea of the beauty of these flowers, with their immense stand- 

 ards slightly tinged with pink, and the short broad falls daintily 

 lined and mottled with a rich dark brown on a light ground. 

 A deep rich blotch of brown on the blade of the fall gives the 

 last touch of beauty. With me I. Ibirica is the most reliable 

 of the Oncocyclus section of Irises, and seems more amenable 

 to cultivation in the border. It should be grown by all fan- 

 ciers of fine hardy plants. Care should be taken to secure 

 strong clumps when possible. They should be kept dry after 

 flowering until the middle of August. After this time, in our 

 climate, I believe they are better for full exposure in all sea- 

 sons. I am in much doubt as to this point in the cultivation 

 of the other members of the family, but at present am inclined 

 to believe that protection is not required for the majority of 

 them. There is much variety of habit among the dozen or 

 more species. Some of these I have not grown long enough 

 to become fairly acquainted with, and some of the older ones 

 take their leave just as one fairly warms up to their habits. 

 Oncocyclus Iris-flowers are pretty scarce every season in my 

 garden, however it may be elsewhere, and to ensure crops 

 these plants should be kept in a cool house, where they usually 

 do very well. Still there is a certain amount of pleasure in 

 trying to establish such nice plants in the open, and the failures 

 are annual incentives to a new trial. One always has before 



him the possibility of a perfect success sometime, when a 

 mass of beautiful flowers will repay all previous cares. 

 These, it may be said in passing, are not "the poor man's 

 Orchids," as some one has dubbed the Irises, for, though not 

 usually expensive plants, they are mostly unreliable, and one 

 can grow fairly scarce Orchids at a much less average expense 

 of flower. 



Primroses. — If I have not noted the Primrose season each 

 year in Garden and Forest it has been an oversight and a 

 neglect of one of the most charming flowers of the period. 

 At this time the tufts of hybrid Primroses are in full blow ; 

 there are those pure white, the dainty yellow to which it has 

 bestowed its name, and the even more effective orange. Then 

 we have pale reds, almost pink, and dark reds, some very 

 bright indeed, and magentas. For bright spring bedding 

 effects nothing could be better. Of course, we must have 

 Pansies, but these Primroses are even less trouble and have a 

 character all their own, and a distinct effect. They are readily 

 grown from seed sown now, the plants from which may be 

 transplanted in some out-of-the-way corner to make growth. 

 They need no protection, summer or winter, and may be 

 shifted at any time with safety, if care is taken to remove them 

 with a good ball of earth. The old plants can be pulled apart 

 when new stock is wanted, and each crown will soon form a 

 new clump, so that they are rapidly increased. 



Dean's (English) strain is probably the most satisfactory one, 

 Mr. Dean having made a speciality of these and worked up the 

 modern Primrose to its present standard with the blood of 

 many species. 



The old favorite Polyanthus is also in full flower, and its 

 golden trusses, with shades of dark reds, are very effective, 

 especially when peering from the grass among which they 

 hold their own. Primula species do not continue with me for 

 long, usually disappearing from the borders after a short life. 

 The varieties of P. cortusoides seem to be the only constant 

 ones, perhaps, to remind me that we differ in our likings in 

 colors, for they are mostly pitiable blue reds. Their light 

 green waxy leaves, however, are very pretty, and they flower 

 in a light, graceful way on tall scapes, with an umbel of lightly 

 formed flowers. There are a few alpine Auriculas under 

 glass, the flowers with rich velvety colors and light edges, the 

 handsomest of the Primrose family. But these are much 

 care under glass, and one earns his Auriculas grown in that 

 way. Hereafter they shall take their chances out-of-doors, where 

 it is to be hoped the slugs may be merciful. 

 Elizabeth, n. J. J. N. Gerard. 



Retarding Plant Growth by Means of Low 

 Temperature. 



EARLY in February of 1893 a number of plants of Golden- 

 rod, Solidago juncea, and Aster Nova? Anglia? were dug 

 from the frozen ground with as large an amount of soil 

 adhering to the roots as possible. The ground was frozen 

 so hard that it was difficult to get many good roots, but in a 

 few instances a fairly large proportion of the root-system was 

 obtained. These plants were then packed in boxes in damp 

 moss without being allowed to thaw out, and the plan was 

 to subject them to cold during spring and early summer, 

 in order to prevent them from starting into growth. The ice- 

 houses in the city were being filled at the time, and arrange- 

 ments were made for storing the boxes so that they should 

 be in contact with the ice until removed during the summer. 

 After being filled with plants and damp moss, strips of lath 

 were nailed across the tops of the boxes to keep the contents 

 from being thrown out when they were handled. Only a 

 small amount of air could reach the plants, for the moss was 

 firmly pressed in, and the ice would also prevent such cir- 

 culation. 



It was not until the 10th of the following October that the 

 three boxes were removed from the ice-houses. When un- 

 packed about a week later it was found that the Asters and the 

 Golden-rods had thrown out shoots from one to two inches 

 long ; these were perfectly white. 



The plants were put into five and six inch pots on October 

 18th, the soil being a rather coarse, rich, clay loam. Those 

 which carried much soil were trimmed down till they fitted the 

 pot, and only little additional soil was needed. After being 

 potted the plants were put in a cool house. Most of them 

 soon started into active growth, and all promised well for a 

 good crop of blossoms. All the plants did not fulfill their 

 promises, but one after another became tired of growing and 

 stopped short. Others continued as they began, and during the 

 latter part of February and throughout March they opened the 



