3 68 



Garden and Forest. 



[Number 342. 



through, since its delicate compound leaves turn to a dark 

 plum color in autumn. Cytisus capitatus, another member 

 of the same family, is also a good plant, though not so 

 graceful as C. nigricans. C. purpureus has low procumbent 

 branches, which make a fine show of purple blossoms in 

 May, and remain a long time in flower. This plant is 

 often grafted on some tall-growing species, but its natural 

 trailing habit adapts it to slopes and rock-work, where it is 

 much more interesting than when grown a standard. 



Panicum virgatum. — This is one of the handsomest of our 

 native August-flowering Grasses. It is reliably hardy here, 

 and soon forms clumps some three feet or more tall at 

 flowering-time. It has long, flat, narrow leaves and very 

 open panicles of flowers — so large that at last the culm 

 often bends under their weight. The whole appearance of 

 the plant is light and graceful. As will be noticed, it is 

 about the same height as Eulalia gracillima univittata, and 

 during the present dry season has been more attractive 

 than this species, which suffers if not provided with an 

 ample supply of moisture. 



Cultural Department. 

 Filmy Ferns. 



THESE beautiful Ferns require but a trial to convince one 

 of their easy cultivation, and there are few classes of 

 plants from which the grower can derive more pleasure. In 

 a healthy condition, the cool, deep moss-green fronds, with 

 gems of dew hanging from every point, are always a pleasant 

 and interesting sight. They do best in a cool shady house at 

 the back of a high wall or in a similar place where sunshine 

 seldom penetrates. But if such a place cannot be provided 

 they will flourish in a shady spot in a cool greenhouse in a pit 

 sunk about two feet below the level of the ground. This 

 should be covered with a frame, shading the glass heavily in 

 summer and lightly in winter, the plants being placed on a 

 staging supported about six inches from the bottom of the pit. 

 The atmosphere must be kept well charged with moisture by 

 sprinkling about inside the frame, where it can be conve- 

 niently done without throwing the water over the foliage ; for, 

 although Filmy Ferns like moisture and require to be well 

 watered at the root, they should not be damped or syringed 

 from overhead if it is possible to keep them moist without it. 

 If, however, the moisture is not condensing on the fronds as 

 it ought to do, it is better to syringe them than to allow them 

 to become dry, when they would shrivel. They require little 

 or no air, and if given air at all it should be at night or on dull 

 days. The temperature must at all times be kept as cool as 

 possible, and just enough artificial heat used to keep them 

 from freezing in winter. 



Some of the dwarfer varieties of these Ferns are especially 

 adapted for cultivation in Fern cases or under bell-glasses in 

 rooms, if placed where the sun does not strike them, and plen- 

 tifully supplied with moisture. A close atmosphere does not 

 interfere with their growth in the least, and we have seen 

 some beautiful specimens grown in this way of such varieties 

 as Trichomanes radicans, T. reniforme, T. venosum, Hy- 

 menophyllum demissum, H. flexuosum and other dwarf sorts. 

 A compost of a very open character is required for Filmy 

 Ferns, a suitable one being equal parts of turfy loam, leaf- 

 mold and fibrous peat, broken sandstone and a few pieces of 

 charcoal. The finer particles should be sifted out so as to 

 leave the material as porous as possible and thus insure the 

 free passage of water and admit air to the roots of the plants. 



The Todeas, being strong growers, require to be planted in 

 pots, but for the dwarfer species, with creeping rhizomes, 

 shallow pans will be found more suitable. In all cases good 

 drainage should be provided for several varieties of Todeas, 

 and all the species and varieties of Hymenophyllum and Tri- 

 chomanes are included under the head of Filmy Ferns, and 

 are generally found in caves and rocky crevices. Todeas are 

 much the stronger growers, and the variety superba has fronds 

 eighteen to twenty inches in length. There are several distinct 

 varieties, but it is impossible to do them justice by word-de- 

 scription or to convey even a faint idea of their beauty to any 

 one not acquainted with them. Of the Trichomanes and 

 Hymenophyllum there are many varieties, ranging from an 

 inch to above a foot in height, and gathered from many dif- 

 ferent parts of the world. One sort, the beautiful little Tricho- 

 manes Petersii, is a native of Carolina, but is very rare. 



T. radicans Americana is also a North American variety, 

 while several of the Hymenophyllums are found in tropical 

 America. 



Tarrytown, N. Y. William Scott. 



Fall-sowing of Annuals. 



T N almost all gardens there will now appear vacant spaces 

 *■ of ground from the time of ripening or the passing over of 

 plants. No time should be lost in the proper tillage of such 

 soil and in preparation for another year. Unless the planting 

 of such places is already otherwise arranged for, they should 

 be sown at once with the seed of hardy annuals for spring- 

 flowering. Some plants are never so vigorous and thrifty as 

 when germinated from seed sown in the fall and allowed to 

 winter out, besides which they flower much earlier in the 

 ensuing year than those grown from seed planted early in the 

 spring. These winter annuals, as I have heard them called, 

 vary in numbers according to the latitude, some of them being 

 more satisfactory south of New York. Here we find the most 

 satisfactory list of such annuals to be Calendula officinalis, Cal- 

 liopsis Drummondii, Centaureas, Eschscholtzias and Poppies. 

 There are many others, but these are useful and satisfactory 

 flowers, and quite enough at least for a trial. The sooner 

 seeds of these are sown the better. The Calendulas and Esch- 

 scholtzias may be slightly covered, and the others mixed with a 

 liberal supply of fine earth and sown broadcast. Under ordi- 

 nary conditions the seed will soon germinate and make nice 

 little plants before winter. It is scarcely worth while to thin 

 them out as the winter thawings will usually dispose of sur- 

 plus plants. Without protection there will usually be a nice 

 lot of plants ready to grow away vigorously in the spring and 

 reach a size which will surprise any one not accustomed to this 

 method of cultivation. A fall sown Calliopsis will fill a space 

 three feet in diameter, while in May and June Poppies are a 

 delight in their vigor and profusion. 



It is worth while to make a fall sowing of Mignonette seed 

 which will, however, not germinate before early spring. The 

 plants are apt to be better than those grown from seed sown 

 at the usual planting time, and, besides, in spring one is often 

 hurried and early sowings are deferred too long. 



Elizabeth, N.J. /■ N. G. 



Winter Pears. 



I SHOULD like to call attention to one of the new Pears, 

 Directeur Alphande, a good grower, but not a well-shaped 

 tree. The tree begins to bear very early, and should be 

 checked by removing nearly all the fruit for a few years. The 

 pear is large to very large and shapely ; it ripens in midwinter 

 and is sweet and finely flavored. From what I know of it large 

 trees of this variety promise to be very prolific. 



Josephine is another admirable winter pear. The tree be- 

 gins to bear very early, and in this case also close thinning 

 must be practiced. The vigor of growth is inclined to go all 

 to fruit, and the result is stunted trees. The pears come in 

 bunches. They are shaped like Anjou and keep till April. 

 I had them last winter in fine keeping about as long as I had 

 winter apples. They were stored in bins in a cool cellar with 

 apples. The flavor is hard to distinguish from Anjou. This 

 pear deserves the best attention and widest dissemination. 



I have not yet brought to fruit any of Fox's seedlings, but 

 from what I have seen of Colonel Wilder I am confident that 

 it is to be one of our very finest winter pears. P. Barry, a poor 

 grower, is gaining a splendid reputation. It was on exhibition 

 at the Chicago Exposition late in May of 1893. 



I have not lost any partiality for Beurre D'Arenberg, another 

 very late winter pear. The tree is a fine grower, very hardy, 

 and generally gives a fair crop. It needs good culture. The 

 pear ranks among the tart kinds, which are very agreeable to 

 many people. 



President Mas ripens along with Lawrence. It is a larger 

 pear and with a vinous tone to the juice. Most people might 

 prefer the sweeter Lawrence. They make a good pair. The 

 tree is thrifty, but not vigorous. The fruit is large and pyri- 

 form. 



By this list, if we begin with Anjou for Christmas, and Law- 

 rence for a little later, we have as complete a list of winter 

 pears as of winter apples, which is what we have needed. 

 There is no reason why our bins shall not be supplied as freely 

 with one fruit as the other. Pear-trees take less room, bear 

 more to the acre, and give a surer crop than Apples. The 

 trouble heretofore has been that we have had few except short 

 keepers that must be sold or used nearly as soon as picked. 



As a market fruit we can easily find a place for every winter 



