32 



Garden and Forest. 



[Number 152. 



advantage than when these two fine varieties, with Hermosa 

 for a modest third, are in the full flush of their autumn bloom. 

 Not a stray Rose here and there, but Roses in the greatest pro- 

 fusion and on every side. 



Of the hybrid Teas, La France is often noticeably beautiful 

 in the autumn ; but this entire section of the Rose family, not- 

 withstanding that it contains some of our most delightful varie- 

 ties, is rendered almost unfit for out-door planting in the north, 

 owing to its susceptibility to the ravages of that dreaded dis- 

 ease, Black Spot. I cannot refrain from calling attention to a 

 near and lovely relation of La France, the Viscountess Folke- 

 stone. One of the late Mr. Bennett's pedigree seedlings, it is 

 not surpassed in beauty by any Rose extant. There are many- 

 locations through our middle states where it winters finely, 

 and seems a Rose absolutely without fault. The flower is of 

 grand size and the most finished form ; the texture is like 

 satin ; the color is white, shading to a soft flesh tint at the base 

 of the petals, giving it a bright illumined appearance. 



Madame Willermoz (Tea). — This beautiful Rose was in- 

 troduced by Lacharme in 1845, but has become badly con- 

 fused in our country with Madame Denis, which it much 

 resembles. Wherever the Tea Rose flourishes Madame 

 Willermoz is seen in perfection, a beautiful flesh-white flower 

 of rounded, symmetrical form, set in large leathery foliage 

 of great beauty. Lettie Coles, an exquisite sport from Madame 

 Willermoz, is very popular in our country, as it deserves to be; 

 it is identical with the latter save in color, which is soft China 

 pink of varying shades. 



Dr. Grill (Tea). — This is a comparatively new Rose (1888, 

 I believe), and must be classed among tender Teas until a 

 more complete trial out-of-doors shall entitle it to a better 

 position. For the conservatory it is a most beautiful variety, 

 the color being coppery yellow, with rosy reverse shadings. 

 The outer petals are large and shell-shaped, and enclose a full 

 double centre of short petals of very brilliant color. It is a 

 strong, free grower. 



Richmond, Ind. 



E. G. Hill. 



The Cultivation of Native Orchids. 



r PHE hardy native Orchids, as a class, are not as easily grown 

 *■ as most other wild flowers. Almost all of them grow in 

 situations and conditions quite unlike those offered by an 

 ordinary garden. Many of them, in fact the majority, are bog- 

 plants, and wdien transplanted into an unmodified garden soil, 

 even though they may flower for one season, do not acquire 

 strength for a second year and soon die. Those which do not 

 grow on bogs often grow where the conditions are similar to 

 those of a bog, and some of these will flourish in soil which, 

 though not wet, never becomes perfectly dry. 



The Cypripediums, or Lady Slippers, are perhaps the most 

 desirable of the family, and, except C. acaule, are the easiest to 

 manage. If not planted- on a bog they need a specially pre- 

 pared soil, and to give them this, good drainage, shade and 

 plenty of peat or leaf-mould are necessary. Let it be well and 

 deeply mixed into the soil. For C. spectabile, which is the 

 queen of Lady Slippers, and also for the little Ram's Head Lady 

 Slipper (C. arietinitm), it is quite important that the roots do 

 not come in contact with a gravelly or sandy soil, as this seems 

 not to agree with them. Therefore, when planting in such 

 soils, in addition to the peat already mixed in, enough of the 

 pure peat should be used to surround the roots. The two yel- 

 low Cypripediums — C. pubescens and C. parviflormn — are the 

 least particular about their location ; but even they delight in 

 the leaf-mould, and will do enough better to pay for applying 

 it. There seems to be considerable difficulty in establishing 

 C. acaule in cultivation, though the soil selected for it may be 

 almost exactly like that in which it is found growing wild. One 

 reason for this may be that the foliage is sensitive to gravel or 

 sand, and, when planted without a mulch, the heavy rains 

 spatter the soil over its leaves, which seems to poison them. 

 No doubt this is one reason why a good many other plants do 

 not prosper in cultivation which might do so if this were pre- 

 vented. It is well known to farmers and gardeners that this 

 is very injurious to the leaves of Beans, and for this reason 

 they never hoe them when their foliage is wet. In very light 

 sandy soils heavy rains alone so injure the foliage of some 

 varieties of bush Beans that they cannot be successfully 

 grown, and in such soils pole or running varieties are often 

 preferred, because their foliage is held up above the reach of 

 the soil even in the hardest showers. Naturally most plants 

 have sufficient mulch around them to prevent this. The 

 buds and ground about them covered with leaves, grass or 

 moss prevent the soil from getting onto the foliage. C. 

 acaule often grows on bogs, yet is more frequently found on 



higher ground, especially in Pine-woods. Mr. Edward Gillett 

 has had the best success in growing it when mulched with 

 Pine-needles. This would seem to be a natural covering, and 

 if planted in the fall and the buds covered by an inch or more 

 of this mulch, they would readily penetrate it in spring, and 

 when unfolding after, no particles of the soil underneath could 

 reach the leaves. 



There are other Orchids, seldom seen except in bogs, 

 which may be treated like the Cypripediums on upland soils 

 and made to prosper. Such Habenarias as H. tridentata, H. 

 hyperborea, H. dilatata, H. blephariglottis, H. lacera, H. 

 psy codes and H.fimbriata have flourished on higher ground 

 than their natural habitat in soils which were prepared for 

 them. Artificial bogs seem the most natural place for them 

 in cultivation, but it is not necessary to discard them entirely 

 if no bog is to be had. 



Calopogon pulchellus, a natural bog plant, usually growing 

 with Pogonia ophioglossoides, is frequently found on upland in 

 wet or moist sand, and may be grown in garden soil, treated 

 like the Habenarias, but Pogonia ophioglossoides and Arethusa 

 do not flourish except in bogs. They may be grown in pots, 

 but require the same conditions as on a bog. 



The delicate and charming little Calypso, planted in moist, 

 dark soil in autumn, and protected during winter with a few 

 leaves, will come out thrifty in the spring and bear perfect 

 flowers. After the flowering season is past, however, during 

 its dormant season, which is from early June until the middle 

 of October, comes the most critical time for this plant. The 

 cool and dark Cedar-swamps, where it is found in New Eng- 

 land, afford during the hot summer months just such sur- 

 roundings as the bulbs need, surroundings not easily copied 

 in a garden. But I believe if the right mulch is applied, one 

 which will protect it from the heat and keep it always moist, 

 and then removed at the time the fall growth begins, even this 

 may be grown and flowered more than one season in a cool 

 nook of the garden. 



Aplectrum hiemale (Putty-root) is one of the easiest Orchids 

 to transplant. Though by no means common, it can be relied 

 on to live if fairly treated. A fine chip dirt, used as a heavy 

 mulch over the bulbs, in moist, well-drained soil, is at once 

 the best food and the surest protection for this plant. 



The Habenarias, such as H. bracleata, H. Hookeri and 

 H. orbiculata, which grow on drier soil in rich woods, 

 require less care in their treatment. They seem to take 

 readily to cultivation if well developed roots are used in 

 setting. These species when taken up in flower do not ma- 

 ture their buds in a new place so well as the Cypripediums. 



One of the hardest Orchids to establish in cultivation is the 

 common Orchis spectabilis. It must have a moist, shady place, 

 with perfect drainage. Leaf mould and sand is the best mix- 

 ture for it. Only the strongest roots should be used in setting, 

 and a mulch of something like fine leaves over the roots will 

 be useful in protecting them from the severe cold and to keep 

 the soil from the leaves in spring. 

 Southwick, Mass. F. H. Horsford. 



Oxalis floribunda. 



'THE genus Oxalis has almost disappeared from the cata- 

 *■ logues. Why this should be so is hard to say, for many 

 of the species are highly ornamental, of neat, compact growth 

 and easy culture. 



O. floribunda is one of the group having thick, fibrous roots 

 and a stout fleshy r body which begins as a round tuber and 

 grows upward into a short succulent trunk, generally with a 

 few tuberous, almost globular, branches at the top when the 

 plant gets old. I consider this species a very desirable onefor 

 either winter or summer flowering, and of the innumerable 

 seedlings which spring up around the old plants have made a 

 selection of several very distinct and pretty varieties. The 

 typical form is red of a shade inclining to rose ; and this was 

 the first which I obtained many years ago. My original plant 

 had blossoms with narrow petals, overlapping hardly any, if at 

 all. Ninety-nine per cent, of accidental seedlings will have 

 that undesirable form which I have heard called "mill- 

 wheely," but I found one about five years ago whose petals 

 overlapped almost to the very circumference, making a beauti- 

 ful round blossom about the size of a silver dime. 



I have, of course, kept this variety, and have sown its seed 

 whenever I could get it, which is a matter of chance, for the 

 seed-vessel of Oxalis opens with a snap when ripe, scattering the 

 seedfarandnear. I have thus obtained a beautiful white flower 

 as round and perfect as the parent. When the sun shines this 

 kind is as bright and pretty as can be imagined. Another seedling 

 is bright lilac; a very distinct kind, not so perfect in shape as the 



