June 27, 1894.] 



Garden and Forest. 



257 



with deeper suffusion of rose, and with a bright rosy blotch in 

 the centre of each petal. C. Gunnisoni is another white 

 flower, with greenish outer suffusion. There are other white 

 varieties with differences in the markings, but similar to those 

 described. All these white Calochorti retain their coloring for 

 three or four days, after which the color begins to deteriorate. 

 Mr. Carl Purdy sent me as a new species a flower of the same 

 size as these, of a bright clear yellow with slight red markings. 

 C. splendens is somewhat smaller, of a clear lilac color. It 

 will be seen that there is abundant variety of good flowers in 

 this family. Curiously enough, the California Brodiasas, which 

 take their chances in a mixed border, seem thoroughly reliable, 

 and at least hold their own under adverse conditions, and with 



no protection at any time. 



Elizabeth, N.J. 



J. N. Gerard. 



Useful Decorative Ferns. 



IT is a problem for the gardener how to find plants suitable for 

 grouping in recesses of corridors and similar places where 

 the conditions are unsuitable for plant-life. No plants will 

 endure these conditions for any length of time, and they re- 

 quire to be changed frequently. Among Ferns there are quite 

 a number that do remarkably well in such places, and if those of 

 easy cultivation and quick growth are selected it is not so diffi- 

 cult a matter to keep up sufficient stock. Adiantum cuneatum 

 and the bolder-growing variety Decorum are both indispensa- 

 ble. The Asplenium family furnishes several fine forms for 

 this purpose, and A. bulbiferum and A. falcatum, with their 

 broad, arching fronds, are desirable. These are both easily 

 raised from little plants which are produced on the upper sur- 

 face of the old fronds. A. Belangerii is more erect in habit 

 and has narrower fronds, and produces young plants in the 

 same way, but not so freely. 



Among the Gymnogrammes, G. chrysophylla, the golden 

 form, and G. tartarea, the silver form, are the hardiest and 

 most useful for decoration. Nephrolepis davallioides furcans 

 is a beautiful and distinct crested form of robust growth. N. 

 exaltata is also a free-growing and handsome variety, both 

 highly suitable for decorative purposes. The fronds of Ony- 

 chium Japonicum are light and graceful and endure well. 



The Pteris family supply more useful varieties for decora- 

 tions than any other family of Ferns. P. Victoria is one of 

 the finest of cultivated Ferns ; a broad, irregular band of 

 silvery white runs through the centre of each frond and gives 

 the plant a striking appearance. P. cretica albo-lineata is also 

 variegated, and is especially useful when small ; there is a 

 handsome crested variety of this Pteris which is equally free 

 in habit. P. nobilis is a beautiful crested form with broad 

 fronds and upright habit. There are several varieties of P. 

 serrulata, all more or less crested, and all distinct in appear- 

 ance. The old Pteris tremula is indispensable for decorative 

 work ; its bold light green fronds always look well in groups. 

 P. tremula Smithiana, the crested variety, is a beautiful plant 

 and a free grower, but the habit is rather stiff. All these 

 Ferns grow freely from spores, with the exception of the 

 Aspleniums, which are propagated more rapidly from the little 

 plants produced on the surface of the old fronds. 



New Dorp, Staten Island, N. Y. William Scott. 



The Hardy Flower Garden. 



THE Lupins are about past, and the only remaining relative 

 is Thermopsis Caroliniana ; this would pass for a yellow 

 Lupin to a casual observer when in bloom, but the resem- 

 blance ends with the flowers, the foliage being entirely dis- 

 tinct. Gray tells us that the name Thermopsis is taken from 

 Greek words meaning resemblance to a Lupin, and the species 

 under note is a native of the mountains of North Carolina. 

 To the gardener the plant is of interest for its bright yellow 

 blossoms and tall habit, for when fairly established it grows 

 tall enough to be put at the back of the widest border, and, 

 like all plants of the family Leguminoseas, should never be 

 disturbed when once planted. It is preferable to start with a 

 small plant or seed rather than to plant larger roots that resent 

 disturbance. 



We have had a plant under the name of Baptisia exaltata in 

 the garden for several years, and it is quite the best of all the 

 Baptisias. It is a tall-growing kind, as tall again as the better 

 known B. australis, with flowers proportionately larger and of 

 a brighter blue. It is a fine garden-plant. The seed came 

 originally from Kew, and B. exaltata appears to be well known 

 in England, but, though the genus is North American, I fail to 

 find any reference to it in any of the text-books at hand. It 

 may be of garden origin, but those having access to Sweet's 



British Flower Garden can possibly ascertain more about the 

 plant, as it is figured in that work. 



Thalictrum Fendleri is the showiest of all the Meadow Rues 

 when in bloom, though the foliage is not so finely cut as some 

 of the others. It is very rare in cultivation, and is a native of 

 the Rocky Mountains. In habit it is not so tall as the common 

 Meadow Rue of the eastern states. It seldom exceeds two 

 feet in height, and is remarkable for the beautiful white flow- 

 ers that are profuse in their season. Our plant has formed 

 a nice clump now, and is a pretty object every summer at 

 this time. T. Fendleri is one of the choicest border-plants, 

 and it is a pity that it is not more often seen. 



The Centaureas have a rather bad reputation as border 

 plants, and few are really good, especially those of perennial 

 habit. C. Ruthenica is a notable exception, being elegant in 

 all its ways. Our plants were obtained from seed supplied by 

 Haage & Schmidt, of Erfurt, but the plants produce seed spar- 

 ingly each year now that they have begun to bloom freely. 

 C. Ruthenica is one of the most beautiful hardy foliage-plants ; 

 the leaves resemble those of the Cocos Weddeliana, being 

 finely cut and of a deep green color. The flowers are pale 

 yellow in color and last some time in blossom. Our plants 

 are seldom out of flower during the next two months from 

 this time. It is one of the uncommon hardy plants that are 

 well worth having ; judging from the name it is a native of 

 Russia. 



Salvia argentea is not usually regarded as a hardy perennial 

 plant. It is often treated as an annual for the beauty of the 

 foliage, which is covered with a silky down ; under this treat- 

 ment half the beauty of the plant is not seen, for it is the finest 

 hardy Salvia of all when in bloom, and when not flowering it 

 is worth having for its foliage alone, as already stated. We 

 have had it in the garden for three years and it has taken care 

 of itself in common with the other plants. It was originally 

 planted for the one season's effect, but it has lived through 

 each succeeding winter, bloomed regularly, and is now beau- 

 tiful. The flowers are pure white on large branched panicles. 

 It is much superior as a garden flower to S. pratensis, or even 

 the so-called hardy native species S. Pitched and S. farinacea, 

 all of which are tender in cold seasons. 



South Lancaster, Mass. E. O. Or pet. 



The Vegetable Garden. 



~\\ fEEDS will make great headway in this growing weather, 

 * * and the hoe and cultivator must be in constant use in the 

 vegetable garden. Where the ground is hard it will not an- 

 swer to skim over the surface with the hoe, but it should be 

 deeply and thoroughly worked at once. After such a hoeing 

 it is best to rake over the ground so that weeds like Purslane, 

 which die hard, can be cleared off. These should not be left 

 in heaps to dry up and rot at the ends of the rows, for such 

 heaps have a very untidy, not to say slovenly, look. 



The main crop of Celery should now be set out, and as be- 

 tween planting on the level of the ground and in trenches, we 

 have always had the best success with the latter. The earlier 

 plantings should now be growing nicely, and they should 

 never be allowed to stop. In dry weather they should be 

 soaked with water every three or four days, and if a mulching 

 of spent mushroom manure or lawn cuttings can be given, 

 this will help to retain the moisture and keep the roots cool. 

 Celery should never be planted except in moist ground, or 

 when rain seems imminent. Fairly good heads can be secured 

 from plants which are set as late as the end of July, but in 

 this case they should be planted in rich compost and water 

 should be given unstintedly. 



The early crops of Peas, which have done unusually well 

 this year, are now cleared off and the ground is utilized for 

 Celery, late Corn or Rutabagas. The succession crops of Peas 

 are helped by mulchings of grass between the rows. Sowings 

 may be made now and for a fortnight longer for late crops, for 

 which purpose the second early kind are the most suitable, 

 McLean's Advancer beingoneof the best. Succession sowings 

 of Bush Limas and String Beans will yet ripen for late crops. 

 Pole Beans should be looked over occasionally and tied up 

 where needed. Tomatoes, where grown on trellises, should 

 be examined once a week and kept properly tied, and the lat- 

 erals removed where they are not needed. A mulching of 

 short manure is very acceptable to these plants. From plants 

 grown in six-inch pots and transplanted we are now, on the 

 20th of June, gathering well-ripened fruit. For winter-fruit- 

 ing, sowings of seed can be made about July 10th, and these 

 plants will give fine fruit early in December if grown in a suit- 

 able situation. We have found no variety as good as Nichol- 

 son's Hybrid for all-round winter use. 



