July 8, 1891.] 



Garden and Forest. 



321 



Carnivorous Plants. 



Cephalotus follicularis. — This new Holland Pitcher-plant, 

 though hy no means new, is infrequently seen. It is perhaps 

 the oddest member of the Saxifrage family, because it pro- 

 duces leaves of two very different forms on the same plant, 

 some being simply elliptical and flat, while the others consist 

 of tiny pitchers very similar in shape to those borne by some 

 of the Nepenthes. The pitcher-leaves are usually from one to 

 two inches in length and are produced on short stout stems, the 

 color, which varies widely in different plants, being green, 

 much marked and shaded with brownish red or chocolate. 

 The total height of the leaves is seldom more than three inches, 

 although the flower-spike, if permitted to develop, is a 

 few inches higher. The flowers, however, possess compara- 

 tively little beauty, and their development is not recom- 

 mended, because they weaken the growth of the plant, and 

 the pitchers, its chief beauty, are therefore apt to be smaller. 



Cephalotus follicularis is the only species of the genus, and 

 is a cool-house plant which delights in moderate shade and 

 abundant moisture. It grows well in a soil of rough peat, sand 

 and living sphagnum, and the pitchers nestle in the moss. A 

 moist atmosphere is so congenial to it that it will thrive under 

 a bell-glass. The propagation of Cephalotus is effected by divi- 

 sion of the crowns, by seeds, and also by means of root-cuttings, 

 the latter being probably the most satisfactory method, pro- 

 viding proper care be taken of the cuttings. This plant was 

 introduced from Australia some seventy years ago. 



DlONjEA muscipula. — As a companion plant to the Cepha- 

 lotus, the Venus Fly-trap, or Dionasa, is very interesting, and 

 the two plants will give an opportunity, in a small space, for 

 the study of so-called carnivorous plants, and both are charm- 

 ing little plants, without taking into consideration their diges- 

 tive possibilities. The Dionaea will flourish under the treat- 

 ment recommended for the Cephalotus, and, like the latter, it 

 is benefited by the removal of the flower-stems before they 

 are fully developed. Dionaea is also a monotypic genus, and 

 is found in swampy ground in a few localities near the Atlantic 

 coast, in North and South Carolina. 



Further interest may be added to the collection by the addi- 

 tion of some of the Sundews (Droseras), to which Dionasa is 

 allied. Among the native species D. rotundifolia and D.fili- 

 formis are the prettiest, while, among the many species of 

 foreign origin, D. binata and D. spathulata are notably good, 

 and deserving of cultivation. 



All of these plants may be grown in quite small pots — a good 

 plan being to plunge several pots in a pan of moss or sand, 

 by which means it is easier to keep them moist during hot 

 weather. 



Holmesburg, Pa. W.H.I apllll. 



Garden Edgings. — Four days before Mr. Gerard's article on 

 this subject appeared in Garden and Forest (page 298), the 

 Gardeners' (London) Magazine contained the following note : 

 " Many kinds of edgings may be put down in gardens to divide 

 beds or margin walks, although the man who only uses tiles 

 and brickbats thinks that plants should not come into consid- 

 eration. The perpetual use of Box, clipped into painful regu- 

 larity, is almost as tiresome as glazed tiles ; but I allow of none 

 of these in my own case. One long walk is edged with Gen- 

 tianella, which has formed a perfect mat-like growth, enriched 

 with the profound blue flowers ; another formed of Saxifrage, 

 and the others of Stonecrop, Arabis, or lovely herbs of dwarf 

 growth. One of the principal walks is margined with soft 

 stones, having Stonecrop, Saxifrage, etc., planted between de- 

 lightful rock things that soon cover the stone with a velvety 

 carpet, studded in spring by flowers. The Armeria deserves 

 a special note. It is one of the best edging plants that may be 

 used, growing luxuriantly, and presenting at this season a sur- 

 face of rosy flowers, rising up with great regularity. The 

 Thrift, or Armeria, remains green throughout the year, but 

 needs attention about once in two years, when the whole 

 should be lifted, the tufts divided, and replanted in light loamy 

 soil, well mixed with silver sand. Visitors here think the edg- 

 ings of Thrift worth a journey to see, and I send this note in 

 the hope that thQse who have not tried it, or the other kinds of 

 edging mentioned, will do so." 



Spiraea gigantea, said to be a variety of Spireea Kamtschatica, 

 is a plant of noble port, with very large palmate leaves on 

 stout erect stems. The flowers, which are produced freely in 

 large racemes, are attractive and, on first opening, of a 

 creamy tint, changing to a pure white. In rich, deep, wet 

 soil it is said to grow seven or eight feet high, but on the 

 border of my tank, in somewhat heavy soil, it flowered about 



the middle of June when five feet high. It promises to be a 

 good plant to establish on the margin of water where a bold 

 effect is desired, since it is distinct and larger in all its parts 

 than our common Meadowsweet. Like most of the her- 

 baceous Spiraeas it soon turns rusty after flowering, so that it 

 is not a desirable plant for a small garden or prominent loca- 



Eiizabeth, N. J. J.N.Gerard. 



Correspondence. 



The Naturalization of Exotic Forest-trees in Prussia. 



To the Editor of Garden and Forest : 



Sir, — Ten years have now passed since the Prussian Govern- 

 ment undertook the cultivation, on a large scale, of a consider- 

 able number of exotic forest-trees, principally American, with a 

 few also from Japan. This period, although a short one in com- 

 parison with the life of individual trees, seems to have satisfied 

 the authorities, in a certain degree at least, as to the feasibility of 

 the undertaking. There is nothing novel in this experiment, 

 because similar ones were made here during the last century ; 

 but in our age more persistency and method are used in 

 carrying out such trials. Americans who take a friendly 

 interest in their vegetable compatriots in a foreign country 

 will be glad to hear, perhaps, of some of the results which 

 have been obtained with them in this country. It is safe to 

 say in general terms that this new departure in German sylvi- 

 culture has been successful. The success is due principally 

 to Mr. Lucius de Ballhausen, late Minister of the Interior, 

 seconded by Forest-master Danckelman, of the Academy of 

 Neustadt Eberswalde. 



The list of species tried at first was large, but has now been 

 greatly reduced, and only includes those trees which seem to 

 be the most promising, the forest-administration being deter- 

 mined to confine itself to testing thoroughly only the most 

 valuable trees which up to the present time have proved 

 themselves best suited to flourish in the climate of northern 

 Germany ; and in the future these species only will be culti- 

 vated on a large scale. The purpose of this note is to give 

 some information with regard to these trees gathered from 

 recent publications of the Forest Academy, the most important 

 of these being a pamphlet from the pen of Professor A. 

 Schwappach, entitled, " Denkschrift betreffend die Ergebnisse 

 der in den Jahren 1881-90 in den Preussischen Staatsforsten 

 ausgefiihrten Anbauversuche mitfremdlandischen Holzarten." 



The department, between 1881 and 1890, distributed an 

 immense quantity of the seeds of trees furnished almost 

 entirely by our distinguished countryman, Mr. John Booth, 

 formerly proprietor of the celebrated nurseries at Flottbeck. 

 The appropriation for the purchase of seeds being now ex- 

 hausted, efforts will be confined for the present to a study of 

 the growing plantations. These are considerable, and occupy 

 in the forests of the state alone a surface of ten or twelve 

 hundred acres. Experiments have been made with twenty- 

 two American and six Japanese species, as well as with Pinus 

 Laricio of Corsica and Nordmann's Fir of the Caucasus. The 

 experiments will be continued on a large scale in future with 

 the following selected species only : Pseudotsuga taxifolia, 

 Picea Sitchensis, Chamcccyparis Lawsoniana, Thuya gigantea, 

 Quercus rubra, Juglans nigra, Hicoria ovata, Plicoria minima. 



A second class, composed of trees which promise only a 

 partial success, is reserved for less extended trials. It is com- 

 posed of the following : Pinus rigida, Juuiperus Virginiana, 

 Abies Nordmanniana, Pinus Laricio, Acer barbatum, Betula 

 lenta, Hicoria alba, Hicoria porcina. The following trees have 

 been rejected entirely : Pinus Jeffreyi and P. ponderosa, Acer 

 saccharinum [clasycarpum), A. macropJiyllum, Hicoria sulcata, 

 Fraxinus pubescens. In place of the last it is now proposed to 

 try Fraxinus Americana. 



Of all the new introductions which, as you have noticed, con- 

 sist principally of conifers, the Douglas Spruce appears 

 destined to occupy the first place. Nothing but praise is heard 

 for it. The seed of none of the other exotic trees has been 

 distributed so generally and so profusely in all parts of the 

 country, from the north to the south, and none of the others has 

 given such brilliant results. Immense quantities of the seed 

 of this tree are now planted in all parts of Germany, and the 

 supply is not commensurate with the demand. This splendid 

 tree, therefore, has the best chance, if not of replacing our in- 

 digenous conifers, at least of placing itself on a par with them 

 in the composition of our forests. Its success seems to be 

 assured in all parts of the kingdom, even in the provinces of 

 the north-east, where the cold is extreme. Not particular as 



