46 



Garden and Forest. 



[Number 153. 



peculiar difficulties in keeping" this pretty species in healthy 

 condition for more than three years after its importation, as 

 every grower of experience knows. The manner in which 

 Mr. Greaves treats his plants is somewhat exceptional. The 

 plants are fastened to little rafts, and arranged so as to leave a 

 vacant space of about one-fourth of an inch between the pieces. 

 This arrangement is decidedly superior to the block or pot 

 system usually practised, for, as Mr. Greaves points out, it re- 

 duces to the smallest margin the possibility of water being- 

 retained about the plants. In a half-span house with aspect 

 due north these rafts are hung against the back wall as near as 

 possible to the glass. This brick wall is of ordinary thickness, 

 and close behind it, on a level with the plants, there is a series 

 of hot-water pipes, which convey the heat to other parts of the 

 structure, and are, therefore, always warm in cold weather. 

 When the weather is not extremely severe air is given day and 

 night throughout the year, and in winter the requisite tempera- 

 is uniformly maintained by means of artificial heat. Mr. 

 Greaves believes there is a virtue in keeping the foliage dry 

 during winter, and he considers the lodgment of water about 

 the base of the leaves positively injurious at that season. 

 Hence the plants are then watered by being dipped so as to 

 avoid wetting the foliage. In the warm season, however, 

 roots, pseudo-bulbs and leaves are all freely syringed. Under 

 these conditions the masses of extraordinary large pseudo- 

 bulbs develop a most healthful appearance, and almost every 

 growth now gives promise of flowers in abundance. 



Cambridge, Mass. M. Barker. 



The Proposed Monument to General Grant. 



To the Editor of Garden and Forest : 



Sir. — I agree with your correspondent, Mrs. Van Rensselaer, 

 that credit is due to Mr. Duncan for including the treatment 

 of the ground in his general design. It will be held, however, 

 by some critics that the monument should be adapted to the 

 park instead of seriously modifying the park to suit the monu- 

 ment. Whether the park shall be cut in two and partially 

 obliterated, while the views up and down the river are ob- 

 structed by a stone structure for the sake of a flight of steps 

 which few persons will ever feel disposed to climb, is another 

 question. As a matter of practical moment, I should like to 

 be informed whether the Monument Committee has authority 

 to make such changes in the plans of the park as may seem 

 to them desirable. 



New York. A. W - L - 



[Of course, the Park Board is the final authority in such 

 matters. In the regular course of proceeding for such 

 cases provided, permission is asked for the erection of a 

 given structure, and its plans are offered for inspection. 

 These are referred to the Landscape Architect of the Board, 

 as are all matters affecting the design of the parks. Upon 

 the report of this officer the Board will take action. We 

 believe that a design for this portion of Riverside Park has 

 already been adopted by the Board, which contemplates 

 the erection of a mounument and fixes its location. — Ed. J 



The Gardens of Wellesley College. 



To the Editor of Garden and Forest : 



Sir. — There is always something of interest in the green- 

 houses here, and for the small area of glass very much is 

 accomplished. Mr. Butler, who came here as gardener to Mr. 

 Durant many years before the college was founded, which 

 commemorates his public spirit, has been gardener to the col- 

 lege ever since it was established. No one without experience 

 would imagine how ceaseless are the requirements of such an 

 institution for plants which are of botanical interest only. Mr. 

 Butler is about to begin the germination of seeds, to show the 

 development of the embryos, which are required, in some 

 cases, in two stages, and for two sets of classes meeting on 

 dates furnished him beforehand. It can be easily seen that to 

 have the embryos in the proper stage at certain dates requires 

 very nice calculation. Mr. Butler has therefore prepared a list 

 or diagram, which is a work of art, giving days or hours, as 

 the case may be, which are required to bring the germinating 

 seeds to the proper state of advancement. 



Apart from his botanical work, Mr. Butler finds time and 

 space to grow a few plants well, some to be used for decorat- 

 ing the college halls on special occasions, and some for Mrs. 

 Durant's private conservatory. During the summer one will 

 always find some good Fuchsias, Coleus, Caladiums, Gloxinias, 

 Begonias, Achimenes, and a few choice Orchids in bloom. In 



fall and winter we find Chrysanthemums, small plants, but 

 extremely well grown, Cyclamens, Cinerarias, Primulas, Ca- 

 mellias and Azaleas, which two latter classes of plants have 

 always been his pride. 



Ophiopogon Jaburan, var. variegatum, is a comparatively 

 rare and interesting Japanese plant, which I saw here on a 

 recent visit. It has stiff, Iris-like leaves and of slow growth, 

 and is nearly hardy. I have known it many years, but never 

 before had the pleasure of seeing its beautiful indigo-blue, 

 drupe-like seed-vessels. The variegation is in stripes, and 

 is really pretty when the new growth is made, but disappears 

 considerably as the leaves age. For botanical purposes it is 

 useful in representing the Hcemodoracece. 



Among Orchids in bloom now are Cypripedium (Seleni- 

 pediuin) Stonei, very finely colored ; A7igr<zciun Lowi, a very 

 neat little species with pure white flowers, and Angrceciim 

 ebumeum, sent here for A. snperbum, which Mr. Butler does 

 not believe it is. I had not observed, until my attention was 

 drawn to it, the peculiar double twisting of the fruiting 

 pedicels, which brings the normally superior, but ordinarily 

 inferior, segment of the perianth back to its normal position, 

 giving the flowers a different aspect altogether from Angrae- 

 cums generally. All the segments of the perianth, including 

 the spur, are green, with the exception of the (in this case) 

 superior one, which is the purest white. It is a very striking 

 species and a robust grower. 



Wellesley, Mass. H, G. 



Lilium Hansoni. 

 To the Editor of Garden and Forest : 



Sir. — Your usually correct correspondent, E. O. Orpet, is 

 slightly in error, I think, in regard to the first flowering of 

 Lilium Hansoni. This Lily was first sent from Japan to Max 

 Leichtlin, Germany, with quite a considerable collection, and 

 flowered with him for the first time outside of its native coun- 

 try. Herr Leichtlin sent some bulbs to the late P. Hanson, an 

 enthusiastic amateur of Brooklyn, and named it Hansoni 

 as a compliment to the friend who had sent him all our 

 American species. At least this is the statement, if my mem- 

 ory serves, which Mr. Hanson made to me. 



Floral Park, N. Y. 



C. L. Allen. 



Recent Publications. 



Three Years in Western C/iina. — A Narrative of Three 

 Journeys in Ssu-ch'uan, Kuei-chowand Yun-nan, by Alexander 

 Hosie. Dodd, Mead & Company, New York. 



Mr. Hosie undertook the journeys described in this volume 

 as a member of the British Consular Service, and it is the 

 expansion of reports published in the interests of trade. But 

 incidentally it contains a good deal of information which 

 interests students of botany and horticulture, as well as many 

 graphic descriptions of little known tracts of country. The 

 large map upon which his wanderings are marked shows a 

 course where many a botanist would delight to tread in his foot- 

 steps ; and though his experiences included almost as many 

 hardships in-doors as out, these were naturally less severe than 

 enthusiasts in the cause of science must meet in totally 

 uncivilized countries. The desire of the British Government 

 to open up these provinces to foreigners, was the inspiration 

 of Mr. Hosie's mission ; and undoubtedly the cause of science 

 as well as commerce will soon profit by his efforts, while in 

 the mean time his book will show where the botanist is likely 

 to reap rich harvests and how these places may eventually 

 best be reached. 



In the valley of the Yang-tsze near Ch'ung-k'ing, he says, 

 "I first made acquaintance with the Poppy in full bloom. 

 Fields of white and purple equaled in number the patches of 

 wheat, barley and rape. Where the flowers had fallen the 

 peasants, principally women and children, were busy harvesting 

 the juice. The tools used in the operation are simple but 

 effective. Towards evening the peasants may be seen moving 

 in the Poppy-fields, each armed with a short wooden handle, 

 from one of the ends of which protrude three and sometimes 

 four points of brass or copper blades, firmly inserted in the 

 wood. Seizing a capsule with the left hand, the operator, with 

 his right hand, inserts the points of the blades near the top of 

 the capsule, and draws them downward to the stem of the 

 plant. From the incisions thus made a creamy juice exudes 

 which gradually becomes of a dark brown color. This is 

 scraped off in the early morning by means of a short curved 

 knife, and deposited in an earthenware bowl, the contents of 

 which are afterward fired or left in the sun to dry. In this 

 way the weight is reduced about one-half, and the opium is 



