June 27, 1894.] 



Garden and Forest. 



259 



fully arranged. I was specially struck with the plants of Mr. 

 Turner's Crimson Rambler, perhaps because it was new to 

 me, but specimens like those trained to tall pillars and glow- 

 ing with bright flowers from top to bottom, can never become 

 tiresome. Then there were marvelous blooms of Madame 

 de Watteville on some of the standards shown by Messrs. Paul 

 & Son, of Cheshunt ; indeed, flowers so conspicuously beauti- 

 ful that I wondered why this variety is not more generally 

 grown in America. But space would fail to speak of half of 

 the plants which forcibly arrested the passer-by and demanded 

 examination — of the Streptocarpus and Hippeastrums, the 

 Gloxinias and Calceolarias, the marvelous blue of Lesche- 

 naultia biloba major, shown by Balchi & Sons, the new Fuch- 

 sias, Alstromerias, Daturas and Javanese Rhododendrons, the 

 wonderful group of hybrid Philocacti, the pure yellow Calla 

 Ellenleana, and the giant Lilies. 



But, perhaps, the best example of cultural skill in the whole 

 show was a group of some thirty Clematis, trained to balloon 

 frames, all in perfect form, in the best condition and just at 

 their best bloom, not smothered with flowers, but each one 

 bearing a sufficient number to be seen to the best advantage 

 against a background of healthy leaves. The only group of 

 plants which equaled these in perfection of culture were some 

 fancy Pelargoniums, which I saw a few days later at the exhi- 

 bition in Regent's Park. These had been grown by the Messrs. 

 Turner, of Slough, in eight-inch pots, but they had developed 

 into perfect hemispheres and were covered with flowers of the 

 most perfect shape and distinct and brilliant markings. These 

 are plants which of late years we rarely see in America, and 

 it is a matter of regret that so few Americans have ever had 

 opportunity of seeing specimens of such merit. Certainly 

 these plants would be more generally grown than they are if 

 it was only known how beautiful they could be made. 



This exhibition of the Royal Botanical Society in Regent's 

 Park, by the way, although much smaller than that in the Tem- 

 ple Gardens, left little to be desired in the way of arrange- 

 ment. The ground is beautifully modeled, with an undulating 

 surface, which rises gradually from the centre toward the rim 

 of the great tent which covers it, and paths wind naturally 

 about as in a miniature park, with the flowers set in groups on 

 the turf. A general view of the whole can be had from the 

 outer circumference, while from the centre one can inspect 

 the slopes on either side, and the picture was altogether very 

 pleasing. Exhibits here were made by the principal commer- 

 cial firms, and there were many others of great merit from 

 private gardens, among which I was especially impressed with 

 that made by Mr. James Douglas, whose Orchids and cold- 

 house plants were exceptionally good. It seemed to me an 

 evidence of the healthy condition of horticulture in London 

 and its vicinity that so complete and satisfactory an exhibition 

 as this could be held within a week after the three-days' show 

 at Temple Gardens and command so large an attendance, in 

 spite of unfavorable weather. There was something like a 

 crush of visitors at both exhibitions, and it seemed to me that 

 the attendance would have been still larger if the exhibitions 

 had been more effectively advertised. Indeed, I afterward met 

 many Americans, not to speak of English men and women, 

 who would have enjoyed the Temple Show if they had known 

 it was to take place. On the morning after the opening day 

 the principal papers gave extended and, as a rule, intelligent 

 reports of the show, but this hardly made up for a lack of gen- 

 erous preliminaryadvertising. I venture this suggestion with 

 some diffidence, for probably the Royal Horticultural Society 

 needs no advice on such a subject from a casual traveler. 



New York. W. A. S. 



Jackson Park, Chicago. 

 To the Editor of Garden and Forest : 



Sir, — The wooded island is now the gem of Jackson Park, 

 and will doubtless remain a prominent feature of its landscape- 

 gardening, whichever of the plans for the permanent park 

 improvements are finally adopted. 



This island, with the smaller ones about it, is as attractive 

 when seen from the outside as it was during last summer. It 

 is skirted by a border of small trees, shrubs and herbaceous 

 plants irregular in width and in outline. This border was one 

 of the most artistic landscape features of the Columbian Expo- 

 sition Grounds, and has been more than once described in 

 Garden and Forest. Its plantations of small trees and 

 of shrubs are increased by a year's growth, and all seem to 

 have prospered, while the herbaceous plants, interspersed 

 throughout its inner side, have generally increased greatly — 

 even surprisingly, when the conditions are considered, for the 

 drought of 1893 was almost unprecedented, and the available 



supply of water on the island by no means equaled the de- 

 mands of the Landscape and the Floricultural Departments. 

 Then the mild winter, followed by a severely cold spring, was 

 as trying to vegetation here as elsewhere. Despite these draw- 

 backs, the island in general is far from arid-looking, and its 

 appearance and condition should greatly encourage the de- 

 signers of gardens about Chicago. Without any care whatever 

 since the close of the Fair, the hardy shrubs and herbaceous 

 perennials in the island's border have flourished, and early 

 June found it gay with flowers. Lack of care has somewhat 

 dwarfed the growth of Saponaria ocynoides, which did so 

 much to brighten up the place at this time last year, but it has 

 not lessened its crop of flowers ; indeed, the check on its 

 growth from lack of water seems to have made the mat of its 

 pink flowers more compact than ever upon its short stems. 



Delphiniums in light and dark blue have done well, and are 

 beginning to bloom. Clumps of Polemonium Richardsoni 

 have spread less, look less vigorous and show fewer spikes of 

 beautifully blue blossoms than they did last year. They look 

 thirsty, and have, I think, suffered more from heat than from 

 cold. This variety of Polemonium is so handsome both in 

 foliage and flower that it deserves a trial in every hardy border. 



Groups of Geum coccineum have more than doubled in 

 size and are crowded with pretty blossoms. This plant seems 

 admirably suited to the trying conditions of the place. Ane- 

 mone Pennsylvanica has held its own, while Callirhoe has 

 scarcely done so. 



Of the numerous Columbines noticed last year, only Aqui- 

 legia Canadensis makes much show now, but many of the 

 other varieties have been removed to a hardy border that is 

 being made in the Rose-garden. The most showy of all the 

 plants now in flower are the Oriental Poppies, that have grown 

 wonderfully and have this season shown sheets of vivid color, 

 where last year only a few big blossoms were seen. 



As the border of the island was intended to be representa- 

 tive of natural growths in similar situations in the north-west, 

 the omission of certain native plants, notably the stately Giant 

 Parsnip (Heracleum giganteum), is especially noticed by those 

 who know that it grows abundantly and to immense size within 

 two miles of Jackson Park. 

 Chicago, 111. Fanny Copley Seavey. 



Recent Publications. 



Alternating Generations. A Biological Study of Oak Galls 

 and Gall-flies. By Hermann Adler, M.D., Schleswig. Trans- 

 lated and edited by Charles R. Straton, F.R.C.S., F.E.S. 

 Oxford, at the Clarendon Press. New York, Macmillan & 

 Co., pp. xl. and 198. 



Under the above title we have an interesting and valua- 

 ble work to which both author and translator have con- 

 tributed a series of observations which greatly enlarges our 

 knowledge. The subject of parthenogenesis among in- 

 sects is a most attractive one and offers great fields for 

 original work. Among the Cynipida? it appears in a vari- 

 ety of forms, alternating with normal sexual reproduction 

 in many instances ; but frequently established as a con- 

 stant feature in the life cycle of the species. In a rather 

 long introduction the translator discusses the general sub- 

 ject and sketches, historically, the investigations made, the 

 conclusions reached, and the theories upon which the 

 phenomena have been explained. He describes the forma- 

 tion of the reproductive cells in both sexes, the modifica- 

 tions which they undergo, and cites cases of spermatogen- 

 esis to prove that potentially the male cells may be 

 reproductive, while the possibility of continued agamic 

 reproduction is theoretically demonstrated. 



The author first cites the observations made on the 

 alternation of generations among Oak gall-flies, explains 

 the methods by which his observations were made, and 

 then gives in detail the records of a long series of experi- 

 mental breedings, proving conclusively that the species 

 of certain genera are merely agamous forms of those of 

 other genera, and, finally, that in certain other forms 

 males never appear, the agamous females ovipositing freely 

 and the eggs proving fertile in all cases. An interesting 

 chapter is devoted to the formation of the galls, proving 

 that the adult does nothing to influence it. " Hitherto it 

 has constantly been stated that the prick of the gall-fly 

 and the simultaneous introduction of a glandular secretion 



