April 15, 1891.] 



Garden and Forest. 



177 



have appeared in the following order : Scoticus, Henry Irving, 

 Countess of Annesley, Ard Righ, Trumpet Minor, Obvallaris 

 (Tenby). 



My collection of Narcissi is so small that I cannot consider 

 myself anything of a specialist in these flowers, in these days 

 of collections with varieties numbered among the hundreds, 

 but I may be allowed to remark that, for ordinary garden pur- 

 poses, one could select a dozen varieties of Daffodils which 

 would satisfy the wants of the average cultivator, and the 

 cheapest are by no means the poorest. Fortunately, the rage 

 for these bulbs has brought them largely into cultivation, and 

 it is rapidly becoming possible to secure choice varieties at 

 prices within reach of every one. With Daffodils about as 

 cheap as Onions, there does not seem much excuse for not 

 planting them in every spare corner. _ __ _ , 



Elizabeth, N.J. J.N.Gerard. 



Lselia anceps Sanderiana. — Of the numerous white varieties of 

 Lalia anceps which bloom during December and January, 

 perhaps none is so popular as this. It has only been in 

 cultivation about six years, and, although it comes near the 

 beautiful variety Dawsoni, still it has the advantage over this 

 in being much more common. The flowers are very large, 

 and seem to improve, in size, substance and covering every 

 year, with good cultivation. The sepals and petals are pure 

 white, the latter being very broad in comparison, while the lip 

 has a large white front-lobe, with a deep crimson-purple 

 blotch on it in front of the yellow, ridge-like callus which runs 

 from the base, and on each side of which are radiating, broken 

 lines and spots of rich purple, which give the flower a most 

 charming appearance. It is not uncommon to see from five 

 to seven flowers on one spike, and when several spikes are 

 borne on good plants, one riiay expect to have a display of 

 beauty for several weeks. After the flowers are cut they will 

 remain almost perfect for about a fortnight. 



London. J. Weathers. 



The Hydrangea Blight. — For about a year and a half the 

 cultivated Hydrangeas, and particularly those growing under 

 glass in the winter, have been troubled with large, rusty- 

 brown blotches upon the leaves. So serious is this blight in 

 some greenhouses that the tops of the plants have been entirely 

 cut away, but even this heroic treatment failed, for the vigor- 

 ous young growth afterward became as badly blighted as 

 before. In many cases the disease has caused serious losses 

 to those who have been growing Hydrangeas for Easter 

 decoration. This blight is due to Fungus only recently de- 

 scribed, and it is known as Phyllosticta Hydrangea, E. & E. 

 The pest is spread by means of innumerable spores, which 

 are borne in minute pimples that beset the brown areas of the 

 leaf. As it is closely related to the black-rot of the grape, it 

 may perhaps be controlled by the standard fungicide now used 

 on diseased Vines, namely : carbonate of copper dissolved in 

 ammonia water. This note is to suggest a trial of this remedy 

 by those whose Hydrangeas are affected. 



Rutgers College. Byron D. Halsted. 



The Forest. 

 Prairie Forestry and the Timber Culture Law. — II. 



'THE requisites of successful tree Culture on the Dakota 

 J- prairies are : 1, deep-plowed land, thoroughly fined before 

 planting is begun ; 2, the use of trees or seeds that are in good 

 condition when planted, and that are set firm, with the roots 

 in moist earth ; 3, thorough culture, so that at least until mid- 

 summer a crust is not permitted to form on the surface of the 

 soil ; 4, perfect maturing of the wood, secured by cessation of 

 culture at midsummer ; 5, freedom from grass and perennial 

 weeds. To meet the requisites prompt and careful attention 

 is demanded at a time when the active work of the farm is 

 most pressing. When it is remembered that most of the set- 

 tlers in our state were poor, and depended on their crops for 

 a living, it will not be wondered at that the one crop which 

 brought no money return, the trees, was most apt to be 

 neglected. When we recall the exacting demands of success- 

 ful tree-growth, the wonder is not that so many failed, but that 

 any succeeded. 



It is not strange that ten years ago, when South Dakota be- 

 gan to secure its great influx of settlers, the people failed to 

 comprehend at once the new climate. They planted as they 

 had done in their former homes. That greater culture was 

 necessary, in order to supplement a decreased rain-fall, was 

 only learned at the expense of many failures, not of trees only, 

 but of all other crops as well. It is unjust to say that the failure 

 of artificial groves in this state was due to universal fraud ; it 



was the result in great measure of honest ignorance. Injustice 

 to thousands of worthy citizens, who in the early days of their 

 Dakota residence failed to understand the new conditions by 

 which they were surrounded, the present Timber Culture Act 

 should not be repealed, but should be amended so as to ena- 

 ble them, profiting by the knowledge which nothing but expe- 

 rience could give, to fill out their plantations and by better 

 culture insure the growth of the requisite number of trees per 

 acre. 



Additional time will enable thousands of holders of timber 

 claims to satisfy both the spirit and the letter of the law, who 

 without it must relinquish their holdings, and thus lose what- 

 ever improvements they have made on the land. 



The law itself contains a great element of weakness. Instead 

 of compelling the entryman to begin planting two years after 

 his entry is made, at least twice that time, with the methods of 

 cultivation in vogue in this country, is necessary to properly 

 prepare the soil for trees. By our common practice two years 

 is not sufficient to kill the native vegetation of the western 

 prairies. Extraordinary culture must be given if the planter 

 would have his land ready to receive trees within the time re- 

 quired by law. If trees are planted in land filled with the roots 

 and underground stems of strong prairie grasses no amount 

 of after-culture will enable the planter to secure the growth 

 that moderate cultivation would have insured had the soil been 

 properly prepared before the trees were set. Thousands of 

 tree plantations that will never enable their owners to secure 

 a patent on their land are evidences of honest, though not the 

 most intelligent, effort; and it is right that Government should 

 favor such planters, and enable them to secure titles to their 

 land in some such way as the Dunnell Bill provides, if the 

 present law must be repealed. Every grove in South Dakota, 

 western Iowa, Nebraska and Kansas is the outcome of the one 

 effort of Government to encourage tree-culture. If the law 

 has failed to meet the expectations of its promoters, it has 

 filled for thinking men a higher purpose — it has shown that 

 Government action can aid in checking winds from drying out 

 the plains if it will but use its abundant means and power. 



Every year vast sums are appropriated by Congress for the 

 improvement of streams ; public money is spent for the im- 

 provement of water-powers for manufacturing towns ; for 

 erecting magnificent public buildings ; for sending Congres- 

 sional committees to the uttermost parts of the land ; and why 

 should not the parched prairies receive a part of this vast 

 largess ? 



Our representatives in Congress continue to permit, through 

 lack of simple legislation, the wholesale spoliation of the for- 

 ests of the country. The head-waters of our great rivers are 

 rapidly being robbed of the shade that sustains them. If Con- 

 gress spends money on our water-ways, why not begin at the 

 fountain-head and reclothe the bare mountain-sides with 

 forests ? 



Every year adds to the apparent necessity for overcoming 

 the aridity of the western plains. Congress, by its appoint- 

 ment of committees of inquiry and investigation, is- beginning 

 to recognize the importance of the subject. Irrigation will do 

 much toward supplying the needed moisture, but the more 

 carefully one studies the conditions the more convincing be- 

 comes the belief that not until an adequate forest-growth is 

 maintained on the mountain-sides and where it is possible on 

 the level stretches between them and the great rivers, will this 

 growing problem be satisfactorily solved. 



Agricultural College, Brookings, S. D. Charles A. Keffer. 



[Since the above was written the Timber Culture Act has 

 been repealed, but the argument of Professor Keffer is 

 worth preserving as it stands. — Ed.] 



Correspondence. 



Sap-sucking Woodpeckers and Forest-trees. 

 To the Editor of Garden and Forest : 



Sir, — In answer to your request, I am happy to state briefly 

 the results of certain investigations made by me into the effects 

 upon forest-trees of the attacks of Sap-sucking Woodpeckers 

 {Sphyropicus varius). In an extended article which is to 

 appear in the next number of the Auk I describe, from the 

 ornithologist's standpoint, the birds' method of attack and the 

 way in which they use the sap which they drain from various 

 forest-trees. My observations were made near Mount Chocorua, 

 New Hampshire, partly in July and August, 1890, and partly in 

 the two preceding years. The region is covered mainly by 

 conifers, Poplars, Maples, Birches, Oaks and White Ash. 



