188 



The Garden Magazine, December, 1919> 



Fleur de Lis, which, as a symbol, may have been derived either from 

 a Lily (not an Iris) or a lance, has much that is finely associative in 

 literature, but it is too indiscriminate a term. Why not be satisfied 

 with Bearded or Beardless Irises, Pogon or Apogon? The sound is 

 not unpleasing and the terms tell us immediately, whether the par- 

 ticular variety should have a dry well-drained position or a rich, 

 moist one. It is a matter of fact way of looking at things but why 

 not have something of practical value in a name? It does not pre- 

 clude poetical rhapsodies in their season. — R. A. S., Massachusetts. 



Iris IRIS CHRYSOG RAPHES was offered in 



Chrysographes * this country several years ago. So far I 



have seen no report of its behavior in our 

 American gardens though there have been 

 notes in the English papers for some time. I have had the plant 

 since 191 6 but because I have not succeeded in finding a place suffi- 

 ciently moist for it, it has not flowered until this year. It shows in 

 garden habit its close affinity with the other members of the Iris 

 sibirica group, but is of great value in that it adds to the group a 

 very distinct new color. The blooms are of a deep rich purple 

 color with the greatest concentration under the ends of the style 

 arms. In this blotch there show the variable golden yellow lines 

 which gives the Iris its characterizing name. It will be noted from 

 the flower pictured that the shape of the falls is rather more pointed 

 than is commonly found in Iris sibirica. The standards also are 

 more slender and the general aspect and carriage of the bloom are 

 entirely distinct. — B. Y. Morrison, Takoma Park, D. C. 



Tree 

 Mignonette 



ONE of the most attractive plants to 

 have in the room garden or the con- 

 servatory is a bush of Mignonette. Al- 

 though so commonly grown as an annual 

 Mignonette is really a perennial of shrubby habit. One of the easiest 

 ways of getting a "tree" is as follows: Select any good-sized speci- 

 men from the garden and remove this with as much soil round the 

 roots as possible. Place in rather a large pot and keep the earth 

 very moist, for the first few days retaining the whole thing in a cool 

 shady position. With a little care there is no reason why the re- 

 moval should not be carried out in such a way that the plant does 

 not receive a check at all. At the start it is best to pinch away all 

 the flowering buds so that the plant is encouraged to grow as freely 

 as possible. Never allow the setting of seed. In the following 

 season the tree Mignonette flowers all over but again no seed should 









F^^Tjpi^^ jp^LJt 





SCREENING THE GARAGE 



Even though the planting does 'not completely hide the building still 

 it will reduce an intrusion and bring it into the picture. The' arched 

 trellis with trailing vines lends its color before the Hydrangea blooms. 



A LITTLE KNOWN IRIS 



Iris chrysographes so called on account of its golden yellow pen- 

 cilings on the purple ground is a welcome addition to the Siberian 

 group. Illustration natural size from photo by E. L. Crandall 



be permitted to set. So the bush goes on increasing in size from 

 year to year and will finally develop to a very large size indeed. — 

 L. Leonard Bastin. 



Reflections on the 

 Winter of 1917-18 



HAVING read several interesting notes 

 about the disastrous effect upon plants 

 of the severe winter of 19 17-18 I think my 

 experience up in Maine quite extraordinary. 

 The winter started early as we all know, about November 22 or 23, 

 with snow before the ground had frozen much, and we had no thaw 

 till the spring breakup late in March. From three to four feet of 

 snow was on the ground constantly and our 30 to 40 degrees below 

 zero temperature did little damage to vegetation covered by the 

 snow mantle. I had left two tender Tea Roses (Madame Fran- 

 cesca Kruger and Safrano) in the ground — being away from home 

 and consequently unable to lift them and store them in the cellar 

 as I was in the habit of doing. They came through without any 

 damage whatever, springing up from the roots and blooming freely 

 the following summer. Also some Gladiolus bulbs left out in the 

 fall grew and blossomed the next season. — Mrs. B. A. Boynton, 

 Augusta, Me. [The snow mantle is the best possible mulch. — Ed.] 



A Good Planting 

 Screen for the 

 Garage 



FOUR years ago all that we had in our 

 backyard was a garage and an un- 

 sightly piece of bare land. But through 

 study in The Garden Magazine we think, 

 and the picture will show for itself, we have accomplished wonders. 

 We have had blooms of Hydrangea eleven and one-half inches long 

 and nine inches in diameter. The bush shown in the picture has 

 two hundred and eighty blooms on it. I have made quite a study 

 of flowers during the past four years and this year have been re- 

 warded by one of the most beautiful Aster beds in the city, admired 

 by everyone, and as for selection pronounced the most beautiful. — 

 Mrs. G. E. Predock, St. Louis, Mo. 



