ipjl 



BETTER FRUIT 



Poge 35 



with the practice of "naturalizing." In 

 formal planting do not mix varieties — 

 especially avoid combinations of tulips 

 and narcissi, for example. Limit the 

 formal planting to the use of colors in 

 solid masses, as for instance, crimson 

 tulips in the center surrounded by white 

 tulips on the edges. When naturalizing 

 in the grass use the smaller bulbs rather 

 than the larger, among those best suited 

 for this purpose are the crocus, chino- 

 doza. snowdrop, scilla, winter aconite 

 and snowflakes. All are cheap and 

 should be planted in liberal quantities. 



Usually the hyancinth is allowed first 

 place among hardy bulbs, but in recent 

 years the hyacinth has been losing its 

 popularity. And rightly, too. The posi- 

 tion of honor should go to the narcissus, 

 as a matter of fact, and second place 

 should be granted the tulips, while third 

 place should be the lot of the hyacinth. 

 While the colors of the narcissi are con- 

 fined to a very narrow range of yellow 

 and yellowish white and streaks of red, 

 the hardiness of the bulbs, their quick 

 response to good treatrnent and their 

 permanence are greatly in their favor. 

 For formal bedding, of course, the tulip 

 and hyacinth must be relied upon, but 

 for all other planting make generous use 

 of the narcissus. 



It is almost impossible to say which 

 daffodils are the best for outdoor plant- 

 ing. Tlie Golden Spur is one of the best 

 yellow trumpets, and the Emperor and 

 Glory of Leiden stand in the same class. 

 Among the bi-colors Empress, Victoria 

 and Horsefieldi are the best. In the all- 

 white group select Madame de Graff, 

 Mrs. Thompson and William Goldring. 

 Other desirable varieties are the Bulbo- 

 codium, the Maximus, Henry Irving and 

 Major. 



Among the incomparable varieties Sir 

 Watkin, with very large petals of a rich 

 sulphur-yellow color and large cup tinged 

 with orange, is one of the best. Others 

 that are good are Stella Superba, Figaro 

 and Cynosure. In the Barril group 

 Conspicuous, with large yellow flowers 

 and bright red-edged crown, is probably 



the best for general purposes; it is also 

 the cheapest. In the Leedsii, Mrs. Lang- 

 try, with flowers of pale yellow, borne 

 freely and excellent for cutting, is at the 

 head. The two best varieties of the fra- 

 grant poet's narcissus are the well 

 known poet's narcissus itself, sometimes 

 called "pheasant's eye," and N. poeticus 

 ornatus, which blooms earlier. The 

 most important of the double daffodils 

 are the Van Sion and Sulphur Phoenix. 



If I were called upon to designate the 

 best bulb for general planting — the best 

 of all the hardy bulbs — I should select 

 the Darwin tulip. It is only in recent 

 years that its many virtues have become 

 generally known, and it has been a 

 source of much satisfaction to me to note 

 that in the last five years the sales of 

 this wonderful bulb have increased ten 

 fold. It comes into bloom late in May, 

 and the flowers are superior for every 

 purpose — best as cut flowers and best 

 for decorative purposes in the garden. 

 They are borne on stems that are from 

 twenty to thirty inches in length, and 

 they do not deteriorate. Once planted 

 they ask only to be permitted to remain 

 undisturbed until increase makes divi- 

 sion advisable, and year after year they 

 produce their splendid blossoms freely 

 and generously. In color and brilliancy 

 of flower, moreover, they surpass all 

 other tulips. It is difficult to select the 

 best, but no garden should be without 

 Ouida, carmine red; Nautica, purplish 

 rose; Kate Greenaway, white and lilac 

 rose; Faust, purple black, and Bufifon, 

 rose lilac. 



Of the early blooming tulips the best 

 for outdoor planting are: Singles — 

 Artus, dark scarlet; Bell Alliance, bright 

 scarlet; Brutus, scarlet; Rose Gris-de- 

 lin, the best bright pink; Chrysolora, the 

 best yellow; Canary Bird, yellow; Pot- 

 tebakker, pure yellow; Pottebakker 

 White, pure white; La Reine, rosy white. 

 Double flowering — La Candeur, pure 

 white; Couronne d'Or, yellow; Duke of 

 York, carmine with white edge; Rex 

 Rubrorum, bright scarlet; Souronne des 

 Roses, deep pink. 



ENGLISH LAUREL HEDGE 

 Twenty-third Street, near Everett, Portland, Oregon 



IRISH YEW 



At Twenty-second and East Burnside Streets 

 Portland, Oregon 



The Parrot tulips form an odd and 

 interesting section, but the flowers lack 

 the precision that is the striking charac- 

 teristic of the tulip. The Parrots, 

 though, are exceedingly effective and 

 always striking when planted in borders. 



The best varieties are 

 Admiral of Constanti- 

 nople, orange red and 

 scarlet; Cramoisie Bril- 

 liant, scarlet; Lutea 

 Major, golden yellow; 

 Markgraaf van Baden, 

 golden yellow inside 

 and feathered scarlet, 

 purple and green out- 

 side. All bloom in Ma^-. 

 Among the best of the 

 May flowering or cot- 

 tage garden tulips are: 

 Bouton d'Or, golden 

 yellow; Gesneriana Spa- 

 thulata, the finest scar- 

 let among the tulips; 

 La Nigrette, almost 

 black in color; Maiden 

 Blush or Picotee, blush 

 white; Bridesmaid, 

 cherry rose; La Can- 

 deur, white; Firefly, a 

 brilliant orange; Retro- 

 flexa, bright yellow. 



