438 



Garden and Forest. 



[Number 349. 



quickly if they are not allowed to become very dry, and the 

 foliage and, in fact, the whole cutting will be invigorated if 

 allowed to stand in water for an hour before it is planted in 

 the cutting-pot. It is the small details of practice such as this 

 which count in the management of an establishment, and 

 which are worth remembering. 



Mignonette for winter-cutting should now be showing bloom. 

 If grown in pots it will stand a reasonable amount of manure- 

 water and be helped by it. The finest spikes of Mignonette 

 are generally produced from plants that are set out in a bed, 

 but to secure the greatest size it is needful that the plants be 

 watched and skillfully disbudded, so as to throw the full strength 

 of a shoot into one spike. 



Holmesburg, Pa. W. SI. laphn. 



The Linarias. 



AMONG the meritorious hardy herbaceous plants in bloom 

 at present are a few of the numerous species of Linaria. 

 They combine profusion and continuity of bloom, being lit- 

 erally covered with flowers from early summer until severe 

 frosts, with the exception of a slight resting period during the 

 middle of July. They are admirably adapted to withstand 

 drought and neglect, to which many plants easily succumb. 

 They have a tendency to produce seed very soon after they 

 begin to flower, especially during drought, if they are not arti- 

 ficially watered ; but, with ordinary vigilance in removing the 

 ripening capsules, no more unique or satisfactory flowering 

 plants are found in the herbaceous borders at this season. 



The genus consists of over one hundred species, many of 

 which show a marked variation of color in their flowers, espe- 

 cially when grown in soils of different composition. After the 

 first season the biennial and perennial sorts display more 

 intense shades of color and larger flowers, a more healthy 

 deep green color in the foliage and a thriftier habit in general. 

 When planted in early spring in a good, stiff, fibrous loam, 

 and exposed to the full sunlight the entire day, they thrive 

 exceedingly. Light soil and summer planting are not recom- 

 mended. They are very easily propagated by seed sown in a 

 porous, fibrous loam in March or April. The young plants 

 should be pricked out into pots as required, and not allowed 

 to become pot-bound. In early spring they should be planted 

 out when sufficiently hardened off and as soon as the soil is in 

 proper condition. This method is preferable to fall-sowing in 

 the open ground and protection during the winter. 



Pre-eminent in the genus is Linaria Hendersonii, var. eri- 

 coides, a sturdy, dense grower, bearing a profusion of race- 

 mose, rich, light purple flowers from three-eighths to half of 

 an inch in length, with the spur included. The upper and 

 outer surface of the corolla is of a deeper shade than the inner, 

 and is striated with long, narrow and dark stripes. The spur, 

 lower surface of the corolla-tube and three-lobed lip are lighter 

 than the upper surface of the corolla-tube, and devoid of any 

 prominent markings. The light green leaves are disposed in 

 whorls of four and five at the base, becoming alternate as they 

 approach the apex, linear-lanceolate, acute, glaucous, sessile, 

 one-half to one inch long and one-eighth to one-quarter of an 

 inch broad. The plants average from six to twelve inches in 

 diameter and seven to thirteen inches in height. 



Linaria purpurea is a close rival of the variety just 

 named, differing from it in that the whole corolla and spur 

 are striated ; a somewhat regular network of dark streaks is 

 plainly visible on the inside of the petals, and the palate has a 

 denser and longer beard. The main difference, however, is 

 its height, which is from two and a half to four feet, with a 

 proportionate diameter of from twelve to fifteen inches. The 

 whole plant is completely covered with bloom, equally dis- 

 tributed from an average of ten inches from the soil to its 

 summit. Although the flowers vary considerably in color, 

 they are generally a shade darker than those of L. Hendersonii. 

 The foliage is linear, one and a half inches long, acute and 

 glaucous. If this species is not given full sunlight it flowers 

 sparingly, grows spindlingly, and soon assumes an oblique or 

 weak habit, which makes the objectionable practice of staking 

 necessary. Groups of this species three or four feet in diame- 

 ter and bordered with one or two rows of L. Hendersonii, var. 

 ericoides, make admirable additions to a landscape when 

 properly disposed. The absence of any objectionable charac- 

 teristics, such as dying down in early summer and straggling 

 growth, renders its use in bold and prominent situations alto- 

 gether safe and satisfactory. Its flowering season continues 

 from the latter part of May until severe frosts, with the excep- 

 tion of the July rest. It is doubtfully perennial. 



Linaria repens is a perennial of a weak habit ; the stems are 

 usually loosely arranged and decumbent; the leaves are 



slightly larger than those of L. purpurea, soft in texture and 

 glaucous. Unless the plant is well established early in the 

 season the small light purple flowers are sparingly produced, 

 but its most objectionable feature is its weak constitution. It 

 grows from five to ten inches high and eight to sixteen inches 

 in diameter, with an unsymmetrical form. 



Linaria genistifolia is of a fairly sturdy habit, quite dense, 

 and an excellent bloomer. Its foliage is from one to three 

 quarters of an inch broad and three-quarters to two inches 

 long, thin, concaved, glaucous and usually three-nerved. 

 The plant grows from eight to twelve inches high and 

 ten to twelve inches in diameter, and occasionally displays a 

 tendency to be decumbent. The large, pure, pale yellow 

 flowers, with the exception of the straight, gradually tapering 

 spurs, are more Genista-like than is its foliage, though this 

 would hardly be surmised from its specific name. The plant 

 is perennial. 



Linaria supina is a large yellowish flowered perennial spe- 

 cies, with an extra-long curving spur and a large erect upper 

 lip. The leaves are one-fourth of an inch broad and one-half 

 to one inch long. The short pediceled and variable blooms 

 develop along an extremely short interroded rhachis, which 

 causes it to assume a cluster-like appearance from a short 

 distance. The flowers are not as pure in color, and are often 

 tinted with orange in the throat ; the plant is neither as dense 

 nor as sturdy as L. genistifolia. 



Linaria biennis detests the sun's rays, and in this particular 

 is an exception to the genus. The foliage is sickly, pale-look- 

 ing and dry throughout the season, even if placed in northern 

 exposures, so that this species is not an attractive one. 

 St Louis, Mo. Emile Mische. 



Notes from Baden-Baden. 



A MONG Kniphofias of recent introduction K. pauciflora 

 -**• deserves special notice. It is a dwarf plant, somewhat 

 like K. Macowanii, has grassy foliage, and forms a bush ; 

 from this the numerous flower-spikes rise to two feet, show- 

 ing about thirty medium-sized flowers of a bright citron-yellow 

 color in a gracefully nodding or pendent position. Its princi- 

 pal flowering time is May, but it flowers for a second time in 

 September. I consider this a very desirable acquisition. K. 

 Nelsoni, of which Mr. Nelson speaks with enthusiasm, is very 

 similar to K. pauciflora, but its color is said to be an inde- 

 scribable scarlet. Owing to the cold rainy weather which has 

 prevailed in middle Europe for two months past it is only now 

 throwing up its flower-spikes. 



Colchicum giganteum is another novelty now in full glory. 

 There are as many as six flowers from one bulb ; they resem- 

 ble those of C. speciosum, but are of a better shape, more 

 massive and of a deeper color. Among autumnal Crocuses, 

 C. speciosus, var. Aitchisoni, takes first rank, the very large 

 flowers having a delicate lilac color. 



Among shrubs, Crataegus Korolkowi, syn. C. Tartarica 

 majus, is a striking object ; the small tree has beautiful dark 

 green massive foliage, hidden by the large bunches of big 

 crimson-colored fruits, each of which is of the size of a Myro- 

 batan plum. . 



Baden-Baden. MUX Leichtlul. 



Forcing Strawberries. 



CTRAWBERRY-PLANTS, in pots for winter forcing, should 

 ^ now be kept rather dry to induce them to rest. Before 

 severe frosts the pots should be plunged their entire depth in 

 ashes or sand to prevent their being cracked by frost. If an 

 early crop of strawberries is desired, the plants may be put in 

 the greenhouse to start slowly early in November ; but it is 

 better to leave the plants out-of-doors a month longer, or until 

 they have been well frozen through, as they are then more 

 easily forced. When taken inside, the plants should be placed 

 in a light house, not more than eighteen inches from the glass ; 

 if the benches are much further from the glass, temporary 

 shelves should be erected for them. They tshould be started 

 slowly at first and watered sparingly until their growth is well 

 begun, when the supply of both heat and water should be 

 increased. A night temperature of forty- ve to fifty de- 

 grees is quite sufficient at first ; this sho ild be increased 

 eventually to sixty degrees. A rise of about fteen degrees on 

 bright days should be allowed. The atmo 'here should be 

 well charged with moisture to keep down ied spider, which 

 is always a ready enemy to Strawberries. When the plants 

 come into flower artificial impregnation is* generally neces- 

 sary ; a small camel's-hair brush is very useful for conveying 

 the pollen from the stamens to the pistil; if possible, a bright 

 day should be chosen for the operation, when the pollen is 



