4i8 



Garden and Forest. 



[Number 184. 



and Pteris aquilind) and an American immigrant, Phytolacca 

 decandra, which "has taken southern Europe and the Orient 

 by storm." This plant, although it was only the middle of 

 August, had partially assumed its beautiful red autumn color- 

 ing ; its dark purple fruit was attractive to the eye, and, 

 although only a Caucasian stomach, says the author, can long 

 endure it as food, its juice is consumed even by the most civ- 

 ilized, as it is now the chief material used in the south for 

 coloring wine. "Where these three plants have established 

 themselves, and, unfortunately, this means in almost all the 

 low portions and middle ranges of the Caucasian mountains, 

 every other plant is crowded out, and agriculture can be pur- 

 sued' only with indescribable difficulty." 



At a height of about 300 metres above the sea-level the 

 vegetation changes. The delicate Carpinus Duinensis mingles 

 with C. Betulus and Tilia rubra and T. platyphyllos, Alnus 

 incana and Ulmus elliptica (largely cultivated in European 

 gardens as U. Sibirica) associate themselves with the Oaks. 

 With this dark-leaved Elm stands a light green Maple, Acer 

 Lobcli, Ten., var. colchicum, and the undergrowth of the wood 

 is richly varied, forms which have immigrated from the north 

 mingling with the children of the south. Near the wild Fig- 

 tree grows the European Buckthorn (Rhamnus Frangicla), and 

 beside Rhododendron Ponticum the common Hazel. The 

 Cherry Laurel mixes with Willows, and the common with the 

 Colchican Ivy ; and with the Poet's Laurel stand the Spindle- 

 tree and Cornus sanguinea, the berries of which in this rich 

 soil and warm climate attain the size of small cherries. Sta- 

 pliylcea Colchica shows both the three-foliate and the five- 

 foliate leaves which have puzzled botanists to decide which is 

 the characteristic form. 



As the mountains are penetrated the road becomes steeper, 

 so that carriages are exchanged for saddles; the country grows 

 more romantic, the soil richer, and vegetation ever more and 

 more luxuriant. Azaleas now accompany the Rhododendrons, 

 and the Colchican Ivy and the Wild Grape seem endeavoring 

 to smother the trees and shrubs in their embrace, or hang in 

 garlands from the beetling rocks. Deep below in a ravine 

 rushes the river, half overgrown with Ferns and large-leaved 

 shrubs and fringed by the ubiquitous Alder. Crossing this by 

 a rickety bridge, travelers emerge from the fresh dampness of 

 the forest on to a sun-burned highland with vegetation of a 

 wholly different character. Rnbus meridionalis, which had 

 been seen on the sea-shore, reappears with the Burning-bush 

 {Cotoneaster Pyracanthd), luxuriant wild fruits, and various 

 Roses, which seem to feel very happy on this soil. Here is a 

 newly established agricultural colony, where fruit-trees offer 

 grateful shade, but give fruit of no very delightful quality ; 

 hence the way leads for many hours through thickets of 

 Alders, and near Antkjel may be seen the remains of an old 

 Box-tree forest. This tree is now rare even in the Caucasus ; 

 a wood containing about 20,000 trees, ranging up to two feet 

 in diameter, still stands at a higher elevation near Bsipp, but 

 has recently been purchased by an English company for nearly 

 one million dollars. A Box-forest, says Dr. Dieck, is the 

 genuine forest of the fairy-tales. " No soul can be so dull as 

 not to feel its influence. Hardly a ray of sun can penetrate its 

 thick roof of foliage ; perpetual twilight and solemn silence 

 reign within it. All the trunks, all the knotted branches, all 

 the twigs are thickly covered with long trails of moss, while 

 the dark soil beneath bears only a rare tuft of Ferns or group 

 of shrinking Fungi. No bird's voice is heard, no insect whirs 

 through the air ; only the rustling of the tree-tops and the 

 moaning of the wind-twisted boughs breaks the church-yard 

 stillness of this ghostly wood." 



The Florists' Convention. — II. 



Extracts from Papers Read. 



WE herewith offer, in addition to our report of last 

 week, a few more extracts from the more important 

 papers read at the Convention of American Florists, held 

 in Toronto a fortnight ago. 



THE FUTURE OF HORTICULTURE IN AMERICA. 



In treating this subject Mr. W. A. Manda, of Short Hills, 

 New Jersey, began by quoting the statistics from the census 

 bulletin on floriculture to show the remarkable growth of this 

 industry, which had largely come into existence during the 

 last quarter of a century. The business establishments de- 

 voted to floriculture now use more than 38,000,000 square feet 

 of glass and cover about 900 acres of ground, and their total 

 value amounts to forty millions of dollars, while the annual 



sale of plants and flowers amounts to nearly thirty millions of 

 dollars. It is a mistake, however, to measure the standard of 

 excellence in horticulture by financial success alone, for this 

 ought not to be considered a trade but a profession, which is 

 connected with science on the one hand and art on the other. 

 It is a fact that the very ablest horticulturists of the past and the 

 present, the men to whom the public owes a debt of the high- 

 est gratitude, have not generally amassed fortunes. This is 

 hardly an encouraging business statement, and yet the speaker 

 hoped that commercial florists would continue to devote 

 more labor and study to matters which would benefit poster- 

 ity. A florist, for example, who has six greenhouses filled 

 with plants which bring a remunerative income, might afford 

 to have a seventh for a special class of plants which he favored 

 and which he might improve by cultivation and bring up to 

 such a standard of excellence as has been reached by several 

 classes of plants already. When we see the original forms 

 from which the Rose, the Pansy, the Carnation, the Chry- 

 santhemum and the tuberous-rooted Begonia have been de- 

 veloped, and compare them with the present condition of the 

 plants, we are filled with wonder, and we cannot doubt that 

 many other plants, by careful cultivation, selection and cross- 

 fertilizing, can be brought to the same state of perfection. 

 Work of this sort might re-imburse the raiser for his trouble, 

 and it would certainly entitle him to a name and a high rank 

 among horticulturists. 



As the population of the country grows, and after the bare 

 necessities of life are secured, the next thing which people 

 demand is the beautifying of their homes with trees and 

 shrubs and plants. As wealth accumulates and the leisure- 

 class multiplies, conservatories and greenhouses will be de- 

 manded at all the large mansions near towns and cities, and 

 the demand for fine tropical plants will grow year after year. 

 Clubs and societies where flower-loving people meet to hear 

 essays on topics connected with the art of horticulture, are 

 centres of good influence, and as new members are attracted 

 they are fired with enthusiasm. Public and private ex- 

 hibitions, too, are the means of interesting the public, and, 

 probably, half the amateurs who have fine collections of plants 

 have begun to collect them after visiting an exhibition of this 

 kind. Public gardens and parks are also potent means of in- 

 creasing the love for beautiful plants. Such parks and gar- 

 dens not only afford rest and. recreation to the weary, but they 

 instruct visitors, and many of these will here begin to have a 

 longing for the possession of plants and the pleasant experi- 

 ence of cultivating them. 



The flora of this country furnishes an ample field for years 

 of study. Its large area, reaching from the cold north to the 

 tropics, furnishes varieties of soil and conditions which, by ju- 

 dicious selection, will suit any plant. It will be only a few 

 years before the tide of traffic will turn, and more plants will 

 be exported from this country than are imported. With our 

 proximity to tropical South America, and communication with 

 the East Indies, we shall be able to introduce and establish 

 tropical plants and compete favorably with any producers in 

 the world. It has been said that the comparatively high wages 

 in this country prevent the successful growing of plants for 

 competition in the markets of the world. But Nature helps 

 us here. We have a more favorable climate, so that many 

 plants make as much growth in one season here as they will 

 make in two seasons in Europe. The methods of cultivation 

 used here are far simpler and better than those abroad, and 

 this will help to neutralize the expense of higher wages. 

 And while we are now exporting only Tuberoses, Orchids and 

 a few bulbs and seeds, we shall in time grow all our own 

 Azaleas, Tulips, Hyacinths, Lilies-of-the-valley, and many other 

 plants, not only for home consumption, but for export ; 

 for we are sure to find in various parts of this large country 

 the climate and soil adapted to plants which thrive in Holland, 

 Belgium, the south of France, and in England. 



FLOWERING PLANTS FOR DECORATIVE USE IN WINTER. 



W. H. Taplin, of Holmesburg, Pennsylvania, read an essay 

 on this subject, which he said might be conveniently divided 

 into three heads : (1) Plants that bloom naturally during the 

 winter season ; (2) plants forced into flower during the winter ; 

 and (3) bulbous plants suitable for decoration, the first section, 

 perhaps, being the smallest. There are a few special qualifica- 

 tions necessary to render a plant valuable for this particular 

 use, such as graceful form, decided color, moderate rapidity 

 of growth and ease of culture under ordinary conditions ; the 

 latter point being of special importance. 



Among the plants of the first section the Poinsettias deserve 

 a prominent place, for where vivid color is wanted they meet 

 all requirements, and as the colored bracts of these plants 



