October to, 1894.] 



Garden and Forest. 



407 



time are, without doubt, the most showy of our late flowers in 

 the garden. They should be more plentifully seen in our 

 gardens, as they come into bloom so late that they help to 

 draw the autumn and spring together. Some seasons we have 

 plants of Aster Shortii in bloom here in November. Asters 

 are effective either in masses or as single plants in our bor- 

 ders. They like good cultivation and should be taken up and 

 replanted every second or third year. During the summer 

 months they should have a liberal supply of water; if they get 

 dry at the roots they lose their lower leaves and, of course, 

 are not nearly as handsome as when clothed with healthy foli- 

 age down to the ground. A few of the best species for garden 

 decoration are A. spectabilis, A. patens, A. lasvis, A. :;urcu- 

 losus, A. Novi-Belgii, var. levigatus, A. Novas-Angliae and its 

 varieties, A. sericeus, with leaves covered with a silky white 

 pubescence, A. turbinellus, A. Shortii, with its bright blue 

 flowers and ample leaves, and A. Chapmani. A good late 

 oriental species is A. Tartaricus, which throws up its tall 

 stems to a height of six or seven feet, carrying immense loose 

 panicles of large purplish blue flowers. The plants vary in 

 size and habit, from low compact growths to tall and stately 

 forms eight feet high, and their flowers range in color from 

 pure white to violet, lilac, blue and purple. Many of them 

 have been carefully described and figured in former volumes 

 of Garden and Forest. 



Just now the Vernonias, or Iron-weeds, are conspicuous with 

 their large purplish flower-heads. They are tall, stout peren- 

 nials, from six to seven feet high, and are in flower from the 

 end of August to the middle of October. These showy species, 

 that give satisfaction here as garden-plants, and which are 

 much admired but seldom seen in collections of hardy plants, 

 are V. altissima, V. Noveboracensis and V. Arkansana. Ver- 

 nonias thrive in rich light soil, and are increased either by 

 seeds, cuttings or division in spring or autumn. 



The Mist-flower, Eupatorium ccelestinum, does well herein 

 a sheltered position. It is a low perennial about two feet high, 

 and the heads are produced in compact cymes and are of a 

 bluish color. 



Pyrethrum uliginosum is a noble plant, five to six feet high 

 and crowned with large white flowers, which are excellent for 

 cutting. It should have a sheltered position and be planted 

 in deep moist soil. 



Senecio pulcher, one of the handsomest of the Groundsels, 

 has large showy, rosy-purple flowers, which are about three 

 inches across. It has stout stems three feet high, with thick 

 fleshy leaves. It is not quite hardy here and requires slight 

 protection in the winter, and is increased by root-cuttings in 

 the spring. 



Gaillardia grandiflora is now making a fine display of flow- 

 ers. The plants are from seed sown in the spring. 



Botanic Garden, Harvard University. Robert Cameron. 



Orchid Notes. 



Epidendrum Godseffianum. — This is the newest addition to 

 the genus Epidendrum which has been brought into cultiva- 

 tion, and it is named in honor of the manager of the great 

 establishment at St. Albans, from which so many fine things 

 have been distributed. The plant came in with large impor- 

 tations of Cattleya labiata, and from this it is safe to assume 

 that the treatment adapted to this Cattleya should also suit the 

 Epidendrum, and so it has proved with us here. Epiden- 

 drums are the oldest of known Epiphytes, and at the beginning 

 all such were called Epidendrums bv Linnaeus, but, as mate- 

 rial came in, it soon became evident that a division was neces- 

 sary, for even Dendrobiums were included, until at least nine 

 species were known to science at the time the name was given 

 by Swartz, himself a pupil of Linnaeus. Epidendrums, as a 

 class, are not much in favor with cultivators, there being but 

 few that are showy enough to meet the popular demand at 

 the present time, and it is to be feared that E. Godseffianum 

 will not be much sought after, unless the fashion changes. 

 The flowers, about an inch in diameter, are produced sparingly 

 on long branching stems, and all their parts are of a pale olive 

 green, except the lip, which is white, faintly lined with purple. 

 This Epidendrum is a very free grower when placed on blocks, 

 with a little moss to hold the moisture about the roots. It is 

 not easy to place the plants in pots as the bulbs have a habit 

 of ascending as they grow each year one above another, evi- 

 dently on trees in their native country, Brazil. 



Laelia praestans. — Last fall we received a number of small 

 pieces, newly imported, of this dwarf-growing Laelia, and as 

 they seemed to possess but little vigor they were all pegged on 

 to a piece of Fern-root, hung up in the cool house and left to 



take their chance. All that was done Was to Spray them occa- 

 sionally with the hose ; they started at once, remaining in the 

 cool house until a little heat was necessary to complete growth 

 in the middle of winter, when they were removed to the Cat- 

 tleya house until spring. Then a new growth commenced, 

 and this is now producing a number of flowers, many of the 

 bulbs having two-flowered scapes, and others one each. They 

 are still in the cool house, but will be removed after flower- 

 ing, to complete their growth and ripen. Laelia praestans be- 

 longs to the L. pumila section, of which it and L. Dayana are 

 regarded as being mere varieties. L. Dayana flowers a few 

 weeks sooner than L. praestans, the flowers are smaller, the 

 lip is richer in color and they both thrive under the same treat- 

 ment, that is, a cool house in summer and a little more warmth 

 in winter. It is a pity that L. prasstans is not more common 

 in collections ; it has always been rare in a cultivated state, 

 but is, perhaps, more often seen in this country than in Europe. 

 The flowers are very large in comparison to the size of the 

 plant itself, the leaf and bulb do not exceed four inches in 

 length, while the flowers are over three inches across, round 

 in outline, owing to the breadth of the bright rose-colored 

 sepals, while the lip is a rich purple in front. It is worthy of 

 remark that the plants have thriven on the block of Fern-root 

 far better than if they had been put in small pans or pots, 

 where, in hot weather, the trouble of keeping them watered 

 is considerable. The roots have penetrated a mass six inches 

 in thickness, and are fast appearing all over the block. 



Dendrobium Phalaenopsis Schrcederianum. — There is little dan- 

 ger of noting too often or commending too highly this plant, 

 with its free growth and flowers of varied and beautiful color- 

 ing, ranging from rich dark purple to the most delicate tint 

 of pink, and produced on long and gracefully arching 

 sprays. We now have more than fifty plants just coming into 

 bloom, and the growth made this past season is of the kind to 

 make glad the heart of the cultivator, for it is a great deal 

 stronger this season than last. Old bulbs that flowered several 

 years ago are now pushing flower-spikes again, even though 

 they have traveled more than half round the world. It is quite 

 a common occurrence for young plants to be produced from 

 the upper parts of the old bulbs, and these can be taken off 

 when matured, and if potted in small pots or pans and sus- 

 pended in a warm house they soon make good flowering 

 plants. We have many that were taken off last spring, and all 

 are now about to bloom ; for this reason it is safe to say that 

 this Dendrobium will never be lost to cultivation. The 

 smallest-sized pans are the best to grow the plants in, as we 

 have found that if the material becomes the least sour or 

 overwatered the young growths soon rot off in dull weather 

 in summer. It is risky to water them overhead in the grow- 

 ing season for this same reason, except in the morning of a 

 very hot day, when quick evaporation is assured. D. Phalae- 

 nopsis is essentially a warm-house plant, and those who do not 

 have a house that can be kept at a minimum of sixty degrees in 

 winter had better not try many, or loss may occur. It is best 

 to suspend the plants to the roof where the air is more buoy- 

 ant, and the snails are then easily kept away from the roots ; 

 wood lice should also be looked after in the flowering season, 

 as we find that they sometimes eat the blossoms themselves. 



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



Forcing Tomatoes. 



NOW is a good time to sow seed for a succession crop of 

 tomatoes, so that the plants may be well under way 

 before the days become too dull and dark. Some growers 

 still adhere to the practice of striking cuttings in place of grow- 

 ing plants from seed, but the seedlings are no more trouble 

 and are in many ways preferable. The plants when large 

 enougli should be pricked singly into three-inch pots, and 

 again into five-inch pots as they require it, using a compost of 

 three-fourths fibrous loam and one part leaf-mold and pulver- 

 ized sheep-manure in equal porttons. They should have a 

 light airy position and be placed well up to the glass to pre- 

 vent them becoming drawn. They may be fruited in pots or 

 boxes or in a bed, but boxes are preferable, and will in most 

 cases be found the most convenient. A very suitable and 

 easily handled size is eighteen inches long by twelve inches 

 wide and nine inches deep, which gives ample room for two 

 plants. The boxes should be filled only two-thirds of their 

 depth at first, the other space being left for a top-dressing as 

 the plants require it. They must be carefully and regularly 

 watered, and there will be no necessity for giving liquid- 

 manure until after the fruit is set, when they may have a weak 

 solution applied about twice a week. 

 The plants should be trained to a single stem, all side shoots 



