404 



Garden and Forest. 



[Number 183. 



growing, though, like the fisherman's trout, their beauty is 

 somewhat enhanced by the difficulty of securing them. The 

 reign of /. Gatesii as the finest of this family was rather short, 

 as we already have a successor in /. Lorteti, which is now said 

 to be " the most beautiful Iris ever introduced." It is some- 

 thing like /. Gatesii, but with lovelier tints. 



Not everyone is willing to devote time to plants which re- 

 quire care, and, fortunately, the general run of commercial 

 bulbs, as Daffodils, Tulips and Hyacinths, require little or 

 none. This note may serve to remind some reader to secure 

 at once a liberal supply for the coming year, for the planting 

 season is over all too soon. 

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



Cycads. 



MANY of these plants are valuable for a certain boldness 

 of effect, some singularity in growth, and they often 

 have tough foliage, which stands well under rough usage. 

 In general, the Cycads grow better in a warm house, but this 

 is not essential for all of them ; the well-known Cycas revo- 

 luta, for example, will flourish under ordinary conservatory 

 treatment in winter, and through the summer it can be used 

 for out-door decoration. Nor are they exacting as to soil. A 

 good loam, somewhat sandy and slightly enriched with old 

 manure, will satisfy them, and they should be potted firmly. 

 They should be drained well, watered freely while they grow, 

 and less abundantly, of course, in winter. They are not very 

 liable to insect pests unless much neglected, their chief enemy 

 being scale ; this may be readily removed by the usual 

 methods. 



C. revolnta, popularly, though erroneously, known as the 

 "Sago Palm," is, doubtless, the most frequently seen in culti- 

 vation, since it has been imported from Japan and China in 

 very large quantities of late years. The stems, of various 

 sizes, from six inches to six feet in height, are denuded of 

 leaves and roots and then boxed up like so many logs of 

 wood, and thus shipped to large dealers in the United States 

 and Europe. These stems possess much vitality and seldom 

 fail to grow after such harsh treatment, unless they have been 

 exposed to frost or otherwise ill-treated in transit. Our recent 

 fashion of using the leaves of this plant in funeral decorations 

 is not a novel one. A similar custom was popular in Saxony 

 fifteen or twenty years ago. 



C. circinalis, though not nearly so often seen as the fore- 

 going species, is perhaps the handsomest member of the 

 genus. It has long, graceful, pinnate leaves, which some- 

 times attain eight to ten feet in extreme length, the pinnae 

 being falcate and from six to twelve inches in length, dark 

 green and glossy on the upper side and paler beneath. The 

 stem is stout and somewhat similar to that of C. revoluta, and 

 it seldom branches, except when extremely old, the branching 

 habit being said to be more common in the male plant than 

 the female. 



Another handsome species is C. Rumphii, which, when 

 small, bears some resemblance to C. circinalis, although it 

 becomes more distinct as it attains age. C. Rumphii has a 

 slender stem, from which is produced a crown of pinnate 

 leaves that are from four to six feet long. The pinnae are 

 narrow, lanceolate and pale green, and rather thin in texture. 

 This species is a native of the Indian Archipelago, and, though 

 elegant in appearance, is hardly equal to the preceding. 



Dion edule, another interesting member of the family, has 

 a strong constitution, and is capable of withstanding much 

 neglect. It is a native of Mexico, and has a stout, rough stem, 

 from which are produced a number of stiff, pinnate fronds, 

 the pinnae being smooth, dark green and sharply pointed, and 

 the lower part of the leaf-stalks being clothed with short, white, 

 woolly hairs. This plant will grow in a cool house, and may 

 also be used to advantage out-of-doors in summer, since the 

 leaves are not easily injured. 



Encephalartos villosns is also a fine plant, and in general 

 characteristics has much in common with the Dion, but 

 makes a finer specimen. All the species of Encephalartos 

 make stout short stems, and make them slowly, too, and E. 

 villosns produces a number of fronds at a growth, as is the 

 habit of the Cycas. These leaves are from four to six feet 

 long, pinnate, with pinnae from six to eight inches long, the 

 edges of the latter being spiny, and also terminating in a 

 spine. The stem and crown of the plant are also more or less 

 covered with tomentum of light color. 



E. Altensteinii is another admirable member of the genus, 

 and in a general way resembles the preceding, but the base of 

 the petioles is much swollen and the leaves are more widely 

 spread. E. Altensteinii, in common with the other members 

 of this genus, is of African origin, and may be used out-of- 



doors in summer, though such treatment may retard its 

 growth somewhat. 



The Zamias, too, include several handsome plants among 

 their thirty-odd species, one good species being Z.furfuracea, 

 a stove-plant from Mexico, which bears pinnate leaves about 

 three feet long, the pinnae being broad and rather irregular in 

 outline. The leaflets are stiff and leathery in texture, and, as 

 the varietal name indicates, the plant is inclined to be scurfed 

 with brownish tomentum. There are also some very hand- 

 some species among the Macrozamias, a genus closely allied 

 to the above, notably fine sorts being M. plumosa, with slender 

 semi-erect leaves and long pinnae, M. Miqnelli and M. spiralis, 

 all of which are worthy of a place among select foliage plants. 



Holmesburg, Pa. W. H. Taplin. 



The Blackberry Crop. 



FIVE years ago it was hardly possible. to recommend any 

 Blackberry as having the essential elements of a fruit 

 good for market or home use. Now we have fairly well tested 

 these first-rate berries, the Snyder, the Agawam and the 

 Taylor. Perhaps our best plan would be to take this list and 

 reverse it for planting. The Taylor is a noble berry. The 

 Agawam is somewhat smaller and delicious. Both are sweet 

 and both are hardy. Snyder is absolutely hardy and a fairly 

 good berry. There is not much difference in these three sorts 

 so far as prolific bearing is concerned. The quality of the 

 two first named is decidedly best. I am also confident that 

 Snyder needs a soil more moist and cool to give good crops. 

 It dries up more easily in a time of drought. I find it gives me 

 very fine crops at the foot of a slope in rich strong soil ; 

 whereas Taylor and Agawam give me fine returns from all 

 soils. However, all Blackberries are easily injured by very 

 dry weather. This must not be misinterpreted to imply that 

 the Blackberry can be grown on wet lands, for it cannot. 



In order to receive the largest and best crops I have adopted 

 this plan of growth : For two years after setting I cultivate 

 with harrow and hoe; then I let the berries take possession of 

 the land. They will keep out the grass and weeds without 

 help. I allow the canes in such a field to grow till fall, when I 

 cut them back to five or six feet. The old canes are left till 

 spring, as they help to prevent crushing with snow. This plan 

 of culture is, I know, sharply criticised, but I have tried all 

 ways, and am satisfied that it is best for me. I presume those 

 who grow largely for market will find the difficulty of picking 

 such a field too great. But the plan of growing in rows will 

 be also formidable for home culture. The Blackberry is a 

 ferocious plant. 



Besides the three sorts named, I have experimented with 

 Wilson and Wilson Junior, both of which are too tender north 

 of New York, though both are delicious when they can be 

 grown. The old Rochelle, or Lawton, is also useless at the 

 north, although all improved sorts pass in market as Lawtons. 

 Kittatinny is a fine berry in size and quality, earlier than Law- 

 ton, which was disseminated as long ago as 1865, but it cannot 

 be relied on as hardy year after year. I get a crop once in three 

 or four years. I have rooted out all but a corner where they 

 are allowed to grow for sake of the good they tried to do. 

 Wachusett's Thornless is small, fairly good, but not entitled 

 to much space. Dorchester is so wholly superseded as to 

 need no further reports. Erie is also to be set down as having 

 no" claims for general planting. 



The Dewberry has so far failed to develop more than one 

 or two sorts adapted to cultivation. The Lucretia is the best 

 that I have tested. It is not quite hardy, but, for all that, gen- 

 erally furnishes a fair crop of superb berries. It begins to 

 ripen July 20th, or a little earlier. This is two weeks before 

 the High Bush. As a market fruit it is very taking, and if it 

 can be obtained without too much trouble it is profitable. 



The demand for blackberries is very large, and it is grow- 

 ing. The wild berry can now rarely be obtained. The chief 

 trouble has been with the sourness of unripe Lawtons and 

 Kittatinnys. When not dead-ripe, these berries are poor 

 enough. As consumers get a taste of the sweet sorts, they 

 ask for them and buy greedily. It is not, however, a crop to 

 plant extensively, except on land which is unsuited for any- 

 thing else. The best plan is to have a variety of small fruits ; 

 with Blackberries much less abundantly planted than Rasp- 

 berries. 



The crop this year is excellent, both in quality and in quan- 

 tity. For home use, no fruit is more wholesome or delicious. 

 It is first-class for cooking, canning and for dessert. The cul- 

 tivation of the best sorts should be encouraged, from a sani- 

 tary point of view, as a most wholesome summer food. 



Clinton, N. Y. E. P. Powell. 



