June 6, 1894.] 



Garden and Forest. 



227 



a fine show, besides being a very useful plant for cutting and 

 for house-decoration at this season. Seeds are freely produced 

 in favorable seasons, and the plant is also readily propagated 

 by division of the strong root-stock. The only drawback to 

 its cultivation is the frequent attacks of white aphis on the 

 roots. If, as often happens, the plant looks unhappy, and an 

 examination of the roots reveals the fact that insects are 

 doing the mischief, it should be transplanted into fresh soil 

 after the roots have been washed in an insecticide. 



Cypripedium pubescens is in bloom again on the shady side 

 of the Rhododendron-bed, where it has flowered for the past 

 four years. It is doing better this year than ever before, in 

 larger clumps, showing that it will increase in cultivation 

 under proper conditions. C. spectabile is thrifty, also, in a 

 similar situation. In a rich vegetable-mold, with shade and 

 moisture, these beautiful hardy Orchids can be successfully 

 grown in our gardens. 



In the Rhododendron-bed the Lilies are also coming up 

 strong. Every kind has appeared, even the newly planted 

 Lilium giganteum and L. cordifolium ; though these will not 

 flower this year, it is gratifying to know that they have taken 

 kindly to their new conditions. L. auratum platyphyllum was 

 sent to me as a variety superior, to the old L. auratum and as 

 a Lily that would increase year after year in the garden with- 

 out any special care ; all of this is true and worth making 

 known, for most of us have had vexatious experiences with L. 

 auratum. Bulbs of L. auratum are so cheap that it consoles 

 one somewhat for the loss. of them after the first flowering, 

 but it is still unexplained why they cannot be grown here 

 during successive seasons as they are in Japan, and as most 

 other kinds of Lilies are grown in this country. 



South Lancaster, Mass. E. O. Orpet. 



Plants in Flower. 



THE Spanish Irises now in flower form quite the most bril- 

 liantly colored group of the family, though the individual 

 flowers are not large, and, while the plants are common, they 

 are not nearly well enough known. If the bulbs are grown in 

 a comparatively dry place they thrive without much care, 

 though it is well to separate the offsets every two or three 

 years. The leaves appear above the ground in late fall, and it 

 is necessary to plant the bulbs early. Iris pallida is the state- 

 liest Iris of those now in flower, the variety Dalmatica having 

 the largest flowers. Well-grown plants of these Irises, with 

 flowering stems three or even four feet high, spring from 

 clustering, very broad, stiff, glaucous leaves, and have an air 

 of distinction. Personally, I prefer some of the hybrids, not 

 far removed, which have the same habit with flowers of a 

 lighter tint of lilac. One of these, Madame Almira, is quite 

 perfect in this way and has the dainty elder-like fragrance of 

 the parent. I. Monnieri is characterized by another form of 

 stateliness, with tall leaves, very slightly glaucous, yellow 

 flowers with narrow claws, small falls and short standards. I. 

 graminea is a dwarfer Iris with small flowers of a purplish red 

 effect ; it may be classed with I. squalens and I. sambucina as 

 unattractive garden-plants. From several sources of supply I 

 have had Irises, called I. orientalis, which, according to Mr. 

 Baker's classification, is the typical I. Sibirica ; the former name- 

 is now given to the I. orientalis of Miller, usually grown in 

 gardens as I. gigantea. The I. Sibirica, var. orientalis, lately 

 described, is usually known in nurseries as I. sanguinea and 

 sometimes as I. haitnatophylla. These little confusions of the 

 florist and the gardener enable the careless cultivator to 

 acquire two or three collections while seeking for one. I. 

 Sibirica, var. orientalis, is a fine variety, with rich deep blue- 

 purple flowers, copiously veined on the claw, and with broad 

 falls and narrow standards, both slightly frilled. The spathe 

 valves are dark brown,, and the budding flowers are hand- 

 some ; it is a fine garden variety in all respects. Iris Cien- 

 gialti, var. Leppio, is taller than the type, and has dark purple 

 flowers, with large standards and falls, and, I think, is not as 

 pretty as the type. This is also the flowering time of our flag, 

 I. versicolor, which seems equally at home in the water and in 

 a dry border. 



We have had a week of wet weather, high winds and a tem- 

 perature necessitating fires in the house, yet a day or two of 

 sunshine has removed all traces of the storm. The Oriental 

 Poppies commenced to flaunt their great scarlet cups at once. 

 There is considerable difference in the coloring of these flow- 

 ers, and by careful selection the differences, no doubt, could 

 be made yet more distinct. The first Oriental Poppy to appear 

 with me is the old-rose-colored one known as Blush Queen, 

 though it is in an exposed position." The first scarlet one to 

 openhas no black spots on the petals, and a small cluster of 



stamens. This is a chance seedling, self-sown, and near it 

 another rose-flowered form is opening; the ordinary forms 

 are still in the bud. The deep coloring of the Tulip Poppy 

 quite pales the Oriental Poppy, which usually dominates every- 

 thing else in the garden at this season. 



With the exception of a stray Tea Rose, the Roses of this 

 week are all species with single or semi-double flowers, the 

 latter being Mr. Dawson's hybrids. The Dawson Rose fur- 

 nishes beautiful sprays of charming pink flowers in great 

 clusters. The white-flowered variety has a rather stiffer habit. 

 The fragrant single flowers of Rosarugosa, thedaintierflowers 

 of the Burnet Rose and the delicate pink flowers of a Polyan- 

 thus Rose appeal to all who see them. It is always interesting 

 to note the flowers in a garden which excite special interest 

 and sympathy. They are often not the handsomest or the 

 most complex, or even the rarest flowers, neither are they 

 always familiar ones, but, like some men and women, some 

 flowers have an occult attraction not always easy to define. 

 With some experience, I think a garden could be arranged 

 which would be a source of satisfying delight to almost every 

 visitor. 



Among the showier plants now in flower are the first of the 

 hardy Gladioli, and G. segetum is showing its vivid purplish 

 red flowers. The Pyre thrums are displaying their bright 

 flowers. With these showy flowers are growing many dainty 

 little plants, making charming mats, dotted with delightful little 

 flowers ; but these deserve more than slight mention. 

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



Raising Ferns from Spores. 



'TPHE secret of success in raising Ferns from spores is to have 

 ■*• a soil in which the spores will germinate without being 

 overgrown with moss. As is well known, Fern-spores germi- 

 nate readily on the surface of bricks and stones, where there 

 is little or no plant-food, provided they have sufficient mois- 

 ture. The best soil is obtained by baking ordinary soil over a 

 fire. All germs of moss are thus killed, and the seedling 

 Ferns are not in danger of being choked. In preparing pans 

 in which to sow the spores, about two incites of broken crocks 

 should be placed in the bottom and covered with a thin 

 layer of moss ; over this there should be about an inch of 

 ordinary potting-soil, with half an inch of baked soil on top. 

 After the soil is well watered the spores should be sown thinly 

 on the surface, without any covering. Thick sowing is sure 

 to cause damping. The pans should be plunged in a bed of 

 sand, with gentle bottom-heat, and covered with panes of glass 

 cut to fit them. As the moisture will condense on the inside 

 of the glass, the panes should be turned every day to prevent 

 damping. Water should never be applied on the surface of the 

 pans, but the sand in which they are plunged should always 

 be kept damp, so that sufficient moisture may be absorbed 

 from it. 



When the plants begin to throw up fronds they should be 

 lifted in small clumps and placed about two inches apart on 

 the surface of soil composed of two parts loam, two parts leaf- 

 mold and one of sand. The boxes should be covered with 

 glass for a few days only, until the plants take hold of the new 

 soil. The plants must be well shaded from the sun all the 

 time. When they are large enough to pot, they should first 

 be planted in two-inch size and shifted on when they require 

 more soil. The addition of a little ground bone will be found 

 a benefit to the potting-soil. 

 New Dorp, N. Y. lv. Scotl. 



The Cultivation of Roses. 



THE best time for replanting the Rose-house for next winter 

 is now at hand, for, if a steady supply of flowers is desired, 

 it is necessary to replant the forcing-house as soon as ruses 

 can be cut from outdoor beds. With the proper selection of 

 varieties, quite a limited garden will produce a regular rota- 

 tion of cut roses during the summer. 



For outdoor cultivation only strong plants should be se- 

 lected, for, while much pleasure is derived from watching 

 small plants develop into good flowering specimens, valuable 

 time is lost when (he old plants are kept in the forcing-house 

 until late in the season. Outdoor planting in the middle states 

 is completed before tfie 1st of June. Among the best varieties 

 for the garden are La France, this variety blooming more or 

 less from June to November; Marie Guillot, Marie Van 

 Houtte, Papa Gontier, Clothilde Soupert and Perle des Jardins. 

 From a combination bed of these admirable sorts roses can 

 be cut continuously throughout the season. 



In the selection of Roses to be used under glass the mistake 



