BUDS, BLOSSOMS, FRUITS. 



425 



can woods referred to is but I17.02 to $19.46 a ton. 

 Owing to the constant and growing demand for hard 

 woods for use in the arts, it is probable that the cultiva- 

 tion of the kinds named, especially the cornel, might be 

 undertaken in some places with profit. The latter is a 

 handsome native flowering tree, indigenous to a wide 

 range of country. 



The Orchid "Craze." — Why should not the grower 

 of hardy flowers become as much interested in the culti- 

 vation of fascinating orchids as does the florist ? Gray 

 enumerates in his Flora of the Northern United States 57 

 distinct hardy species, 18 of which belong to the genus 



we have had, but this year we enlarged our collection, 

 and hope soon to make some e-ncouraging reports, and 

 to tell others all about how to handle these plants. We 

 don't believe that the city florists should have all the 

 glory and pleasure of orchid-growing. 



Old Favorites. — The recent improvement in florist's 

 pentstemons is something marvelous. Some of the flower- 

 spikes are from 12 to 18 inches long, and covered with 

 handsome, delicately-shaded, gloxinia-like blossoms of 

 various colors. They are fine for vases or loose arrange- 

 ments of flowers. This class is are nearly hardy, only re- 

 quiring the protection of a coldframe in winter. The 



View i.n the Grounds of James W. Ellwell. Brooklyn. From a Photograph Sent by John A. Boyle, Gardener. 



habenaria, and 6 to the true cypripediums. Among the 

 latter abounding from Maine to Illinois and southward 

 among the Alleghenies is the Showy lady's-slipper, 

 Cyfirifiedium spectabilc, of all known terrestrial orchids 

 the finest. The much-inflated labellum of this species 

 is rose-colored, the sepals and petals are white. Other 

 species are equally interesting and almost as showy. 

 Quite a number of them have immense spikes, lovely 

 colors and beautiful bright green foliage. Some species 

 of these hardy orchids have been grown at Woodbanks 

 for several years, with much satisfaction. Some failures 



self-colored antirrhinums are showy and useful for cut- 

 ting. Crimson, white and yellow are the most popular 

 colors, and although they will generally perpetuate 

 themselves by seed, the surest way to save the best va- 

 rieties is to make cuttings in the fall, and winter them 

 in coldframes. Another old but very effective plant 

 seldom seen nowadays is Ccrastium tomentosum 

 (mouse-eared chickweed). All through the last sum- 

 mer, which was exceedingly dry, this beautiful downy- 

 white, chickweed-leaved plant completely carpeted the 

 ground, and seemed proof against great heat and drouth. 



