212 



THE GARDEN MAGAZINE 



December, 1905 



Planted oul in full sunshine, only a few specimens lived to the flowering age, and But when planted in a half-shady, moist, and sheltered situation, bordering 

 even then were small stunted plants. Of all those set out two-thirds died the walK on the left, every plant grew sturdily and flowered 



leaves, to prevent alternate freezing ana 

 thawing, as this would tend to heave the soil. 



The growth starts again in April, when 

 plants are uncovered and watering attended 

 to. In May the plants may be planted in a 

 shady, moist border, or, if the pots are 

 preferred, they should be placed in 5- or 

 6-inch pots. 



Water is a very important factor in their 

 growth; they do much better if kept always 

 moist. It is better to have them a little too 

 wet than too dry, especially when in pots. 

 Plunging the pots into coal ashes, leaves, soil, 

 etc., prevents them from drying out so 

 quickly, and the plants are more easily 

 handled. 



The flowering season commences early in 

 September, and if the plants are protected 

 from frost they will continue to bloom till 

 well into October. 



The gentian growing wild is generally 

 spoken of as being uncertain in its choice of 



location, being found first in one place and 

 then in another. 



I have in mind a spot where it has been 

 growing in more or less profusion for the past 

 five years. It is a made boghole, not a 

 regular soft-bottom quagmire but a little flat 

 at the foot of a gravelly bank, and through it 

 several springs find their outlet. A small 

 bank was formed by throwing the soil from 

 a ditch dug to carry off the spring water, and 

 it retains enough water to keep the flat moist, 

 even in the longest periods of hot summer 

 weather. 



Over the flat are small hummocks or 

 mounds of gravel or sand on which moss has 

 grown, and on these I find most of the seed- 

 lings. Now, although the mossy hummocks 

 of gravelly soil seem to be ideal seed beds, the 

 plants do not grow^well. When matured the 

 majority are little more than three or four 

 inches high (very rarely twelve inches), bear- 

 ing from one to six very small blossoms. 



A strong piant with several side branches, 

 making a big show of flower, I have invariably 

 found growing in a deposit of rich loam — 

 rather light than heavy. Never have I found 

 a plant doing well in a clayey or hard-pan 

 soil; the roots are soft, and must have a free, 

 open soil. 



This fall there are more wild gentian 

 plants in bloom than in any previous year 

 since I began taking notice of them. In 

 1903 the first killing frost did not come until 

 the middle of October, thus allowing ample 

 time for most of the seeds to ripen, and by 

 June of the next year there were thousands of 

 seedlings of the same crop as the plants I now 

 have in flower. This season I had to look 

 carefully to find a single seedling in the same 

 place. Why? In the middle of September, 

 last year, came a killing frost, which destroyed 

 the majority of the flowers before the seeds 

 had ripened. Consequently the wild gentian 

 crop in 1906 will be small. 



Record-Breaking Experiences in Gardening 



LITTLE STORIES OF PERSONAL ACHIEVEMENT BY AMATEURS— AN ANNUAL DECEM- 

 BER FEATURE OF "THE GARDEN MAGAZINE" WHICH DISTINGUISHES IT FROM 

 OTHER CHRISTMAS PERIODICALS — A "ROUND-UP" OF THE YEAR'S SUCCESSES 



[There seems to be no adequate body of horticultural records in America — no generally recognized standards of excellence — save for a few special things. Yet, clearly enough, the 

 way to make progress is to know the best that has been done, in order that we may do something better. We ought to know the earliest date for sweet peas to bloom in each locality; how 

 big a Hubbard squash should be to stand any chance of winning a prize at an exhibition; the "points" of a good Seckel pear; how to tell quality peas simply by the looks of the seed, etc. 



In order to find out what are the existing quality and exhibition standards, we invite the co-operation of our readers. We shall be glad to know of any considerable body of 

 published records, and shall be glad to print all we can. While we pay for other acceptable articles, we particularly ask no one who desires remuneration to send statistical information of 

 this kind. Such work ought, from the nature of things, to be a labor of love. Let us all join the gardening fraternity and do what we can for the cause of progress! 



In order to beat existing records, we hereby offer an indefinite number of five-dollar prizes to anyone who produces facts and a photograph to prove that he has beaten any achieve- 

 ment recorded in this number. But, of course, a much better thing is to aim at something new and original. 



And, thank Heaven, the finest things of life cannot be expressed by statistics. Take, for example, the following unpretentious little stories of home successes and pleasures. Are 

 they not better than dry, lifeless figures ? 



This is what we want. Tell us what you had that was new, earlier, bigger, longer in season, and of better quality. 



But remember this: The Garden Magazine exists for one thing — quality. It has no concern with things that will ship round the world, last forever, and taste like nothing— 

 except to warn you against the biggest things which have no flavor. And we must reserve the right to be the sole judges of what is an important achievement for our readers.] 



Large Mild Onions 



William Scott, Tarrytown, N. Y. 



HpHE onions here shown are grown by 

 -*- what is known as the new onion culture. 

 The method consists of sowing the seed in 

 the greenhouse and growing on until the 

 weather is sufficiently warm to plant out- 

 doors. For the crop from which these were 



selected seed was sown on the 1 5th of January- 

 The plants were pricked over into flats (a 

 moderately enriched soil being used) on March 

 3d, about 1 \ inches of space being allowed 

 to each plant and grown on in a house where 

 a night temperature of 50 was maintained, 

 being well exposed to light to prevent drawing. 

 About the 1st of April they were set in a cold- 

 frame (in the flats) and gradually hardened 



off, and on April 20th transferred to the open 

 ground. The rows were set 15 inches apart, 

 and the plants 6 inches apart in the rows. 

 The soil in which they were planted was a 

 good, rich garden soil, liberally manured. 

 They were kept well cultivated through the 

 season but no water or liquid manure was 

 applied. The combined weight of the three 

 onions here shown is exactly five pounds, and 



