344 



Garden and Forest. 



[Number 178. 



the Mississippi River, no doubt, by the Indians, through 

 whose agency, also, the Catalpa has been made to appear 

 indigenous in regions remote from its true home. — Ed. J 



Hardy Flower Garden. 



OWING to the genial growing weather and cool days, hardy 

 plants of all kinds are rapidly occupying the space allot- 

 ted to them. It is a good plan to make notes of any desired 

 changes, and it is none too early to begin, for many of the 

 earlier-flowering plants and bulbs have already died down, 

 and, where this is so, the places must be carefully borne in 

 mind or marked, so that when replanting is done in fall such 

 plants may not be disturbed. Unless hardy plants are placed 

 in position with the greatest care by one acquainted with the 

 nature of each plant, it takes a season or two to get them so 

 arranged that, by the contrast or the blending of colors, each 

 one may produce the best effect, and none may thrive at the 

 expense of its neighbors. 



Polemonium paucifloriim is now in bloom with us, and, for 

 a Polemonium, is very distinct, owing to its tubular yellow 

 flowers, but as a garden-plant it will probably go the way of all 

 the other species ; there are none that are really worth caring 

 for, now that we have so many better garden-plants. 



Mr. Barker's note on Heuchera sanguinea fully corroborates 

 my statement that there are inferior varieties in cultivation. 

 He describes the flowers of his plants as "salmon-red," which 

 is, no doubt, correct. Our plants have flowers of the most 

 brilliant crimson, and this should be the proper color of the 

 flowers as first described. An English writer describes this 

 plant as the best hardy plant sent out for years ; certain it is 

 that seedlings vary a great deal in flower and leaf. Once in 

 a while an extra large and bright flower is obtained, but much 

 oftener the reverse. A remarkably good variety is said to 

 have been produced in Ireland. 



Aqiiilcgia chrysantha alba seems, beyond question, to be 

 the plant already known here as A. coerulea alba. It is identi- 

 cal with the blue Rocky Mountain Columbine in all but color, 

 and it flowers at the same time. It is useless to depend upon 

 seeds bought in Germany to produce a good-named collection 

 of Columbines ; the plants come fast enough, but it will save a 

 lot of trouble and disappointment if they are left without 

 labels. Columbines, of all other plants, need careful isolation 

 to produce seeds that will come true. 



We have six varieties of Lemoine's hybrid Montbretias, also 

 M. crocosmiafiora ; they were kept growing all winter in a cool 

 house, and are now all flowering. . The merits of the various 

 kinds have been already commented on in Garden and 

 Forest, and it is only necessary for me to add that all of the 

 varieties we have are quite distinct, and some are much more 

 showy than the parent plants. A large group of the Mont- 

 bretias, Kniphofias and Arundo donax versicolor are planted 

 together, and promise to make a fine display later on. The 

 Kniphofias, or Torch Lilies, are already showing flower-spikes. 



Young plants of Phygelius Capensis, raised from cuttings 

 last winter, are flowering freely and make excellent border- 

 plants, and, even should they not prove hardy, may easily be 

 wintered in a cold frame. Of annuals, the Marguerite Carna- 

 tion will be an indispensable plant for summer-flowering. 

 Ours are just commencing to flower, and it would appear as 

 if the strain has been improved upon since last season, as 

 there is a much smaller percentage of single flowers, and all 

 are flowering, while last year there were many plants which 

 would not keep the promise to flower in a few weeks after 

 sowing. When wintered over, however, they flowered this 

 spring. We owe a great deal to the raiser of this pretty and 

 precocious race of Carnations. 



So. Lancaster, Mass. O. (J. 



A New Water-lily. 



\UITH the present extensive cultivation of Water-lilies and 

 * * the widespread interest in them, it is to be expected that 

 the present list of varieties will be continually extended by 

 hybrids. We can hardly hope, however, for the frequent oc- 

 currence of one so beautiful as that which has appeared with 

 H. F. Bahnsen, M.D., of Salem, North Carolina, an amateur 

 cultivator of aquatics. The plant is apparently a cross between 

 Nymphaa odorata rosea and N. alba candidissima. It is un- 

 necessary, perhaps, to say that such a cross is likely to produce 

 a valuable hybrid, the first-named parent having a beautiful 

 flower, with all too short a season of bloom, while N. alba 

 candidissima is a strong grower, always in flower. The new 

 plant has strong rhizomes, resembling the latter variety, while 

 the leaves (when well grown, about a foot in diameter) are in- 



termediate between the two varieties, the Cape Cod Lily having 

 cordate leaves, with a somewhat wide opening at the base, while 

 in the other the opening is closed by the overlapping of the 

 bases. The cleft in the leaves of the new hybrid is simply 

 closed with a trifling lap. They have even stronger veinings 

 than the parents, and in color resemble those of N. odorata 

 rosea — green above and red beneath. But it is from the su- 

 perb flowers that the variety is worthy of the name Superba. 

 These are very fragrant, very freely produced, and in good 

 specimens measure seven inches in diameter. The petals are 

 somewhat narrow and very abundant, a flower now open be- 

 ing formed of forty-two petals, disposed in three rows. 



The color is of the clearest rosy pink, which appears rather 

 as a glow on the petals, the faintest tint at the points deepen- 

 ing into the heart of the flower. As one looks into the flower 

 under the changing light the color seems to be a tint from the 

 sun or clouds, rather than emanating from it ; then, as the 

 golden stamens are reflected, it takes on a most charming 

 salmon tint, adding a final touch to its charms. Dr. Bahnsen 

 needs no stimulus to his ardor in the cultivation of Nymphaeas, 

 but in this plant he is fortunate in adding a variety which must 

 be considered among the very best of the race. 



My studies of what we may call N. odorata superba have 

 been made from flowers sent by Dr. Bahnsen, and a strong 

 plant with which he also favored me. This latter, received in 

 sphagnum, when first planted out in my tank, gave me an ex- 

 perience strongly confirming Mr. Meehan's theory as to the lack 

 of coloring of flowers on plants not established (Garden and- 

 Forest, p. 333). The plant was well furnished with leaves 

 and buds, one of the latter having apparently expanded once. 

 This opened the next day, beautiful in color, like the previous 

 samples sent me. The next day the color had entirely dis- 

 appeared. The next bud also, which was in a forward state, 

 also expanded, of full size and a noble flower, 'but with no 

 trace of color. The reason must have been, of course, the 

 lack of nutrition from the newly planted roots, which had no 

 chance to become established. There is one point about 

 colored Nymphseas on which interesting experiments might be 

 made, namely, the influence of manures and soil on the color- 

 ing. It seems to me that, at least in the case of N. odorata rosea, 

 the soil and the form of manure has an influence on the color. 

 My flowers this year are not so dark on this variety as on the 

 same roots the previous -season, and they are growing in 

 lighter soil and, perhaps, less manure, although otherwise 

 under the same conditions. There are also other points to be 

 determined, and the cultivator of aquatic plants has many in- 

 teresting problems before him, as well as the beautiful picture 

 of the water-garden. 



Elizabeth, n.j. J.N.Gerard. 



Basket-plants. 



SOME well-grown' basket-plants make a pleasing addition to 

 a conservatory, and many beautiful species display their 

 charms to better advantage under this method of culture than 

 when grown in pots. Among this class specially adapted is 

 Torrenia Asiatica, an old species, but a very pretty one, which 

 has opposite, serrated leaves of bright green, the flowers being 

 tubular and four-lobed, porcelain-blue in shade, and the tips of 

 the lobes white. In habit it is much-branched and trailing,, 

 and the flowers are produced from the axils of the leaves in 

 great profusion. T. Asiatica is propagated from seeds or by 

 cuttings, the latter rooting very readily, and its cultivation is of 

 the easiest. 



Another showy basket-plant is Begonia glaucophylla scan- 

 dens, a variety that does not seem very common, though it has 

 been cultivated for many years. As indicated by its name, this 

 plant is of scandent habit, which is somewhat unusual among 

 the Begonias, and has dark green leaves of similar shape to 

 those of B. Sanndersii, but much larger; and the flowers, 

 which are produced in short-stemmed clusters, are bright red, 

 though becoming much lighter when fully open. This plant 

 grows freely, and under favorable circumstances its shoots 

 will hang two to three feet below the basket, and completely 

 hide it from sight. Cyrtodeira Chontalensis (now reclassed 

 under Episcia), to which reference has already been made in 

 these columns, is another excellent warm house basket-plant, 

 with ovate leaves, light green above and purplish beneath, 

 and tubular flowers, lilac in color, with a yellow centre. This 

 Cyrtodeira prefers some shade and a moist atmosphere, be- 

 sides light rich soil and an abundance of water at the root. It 

 is easily multiplied by means of cuttings, and fresh young 

 stock should be selected each season. 



Still another pretty plant for baskets is Othonna crassifolia, 

 which has the additional advantage of being an excellent win- 

 dow-plant. It produces long trailing shoots that are thickly fur- 



