438 



H-INDFALLS. 



double zonal pelargoniums Mme. Lemoine and Marie 

 Lemoine. In 1868 he showed by his experiments the 

 influence of the stock upon the cion, and originated 

 Abiitilon vexillarijim, \zx. grandiflorjiiii. In 1871 he in- 

 troduced the clematis Lucie Lemoine, a variety having 

 double white flowers. In 1874 the first double begonia, 

 B . Leiiioint'i, was obtained, and soon after the Gloire de 

 Nancy. In 1876 he obtained the first varieties of Pri- 

 mula cortiisioides . In 1877 Pelargonium peltatum, of which 

 only one variety with liliaceous double flowers was 

 known, under his skilful treatment produced a series of 

 varieties of different colors. In 1878 he first obtained 

 double lilacs, which have since been grown with purple, 

 rose and pure white flowers. 



1879-81, introduction of Clematis coccinea, Carpentaria 

 California , Ncviusa Alahamensis was made. In 1882 he 

 crossed plants of difierent genera, Monthretia Pottsii and 

 Crocosniia fl?/;^, giving Monthretia crocosmicefiora . In 1884 

 he obtained, during the winter, flowers of Begonia sem- 

 perflorens, vat. gigantea. In 1885 Begonia semperjlorens, 

 var. elegans flowered the entire year. He also raised 

 the double bouvardias Sanglorrain, and the first double 

 bouvardia with yellow flowers, B. Jlavescens, var. Jiorc 

 plena. In 1888 he crossed Philadelphiis micropliyllns , of 

 California, and P. coronarius, obtaining P. Lemoinei, 

 which has very small foliage, large flowers, and the odor 

 of wild strawberries. Syringa Japonica was also intro- 

 duced into fiurope. In 1889 he introduced DodecatJieon 

 Lemoinei, which will soon be extensively cultivated. He 

 also obtained the gold medal at the International Expo- 

 sition for lilacs, gladiolus and montbretia. In 1890 he 

 introduced the double-flowered Clematis Titicella, La 

 Nancienne, and Begonia Baiimanni ; and he obtained 

 flowers from the begonia Triomphe de Lemoine during 

 the winter, the double white lilac Mme. Lemoine, and 

 many novel pelargoniums, fuchsias, pentstemons, phlox, 

 potentillas, begonias, etc. 



Mr. Lemoine was made a Knight of the Legion of 

 Honor in 1885 — a reward which he richly deserved. — 

 Le Jar din. 



Rooting Cuttings. — If you wish to propagate new 

 plants from old favorites, to grow many for bedding and 

 blooming in the summer, or to provide for nice finely 

 growing plants for next winter's bloom, this month will 

 be a good time to take off cuttings and root them. Have 

 a tin pan or wooden box ready, or if only a few cuttings 

 are to be rooted a deep saucer or dish will be as good ; 

 fill either with pure sand if you can procure it, and 

 place your cuttings in firmly. Keep the sand moderate- 

 ly wet and place all in a window where they will get 

 some sun, and your slips will be rooted in from two to 

 four weeks — the exact time it will take depends upon the 

 kind of plants. Do not pull them up every few days, 

 to see if they have roots, but watch the cuttings care- 

 fully, and when you see new leaves coming out, and the 

 slips starting to grow nicely, you may make up your 

 mind that the cutting is rooted and is a growing plant. 

 When well rooted, take them up carefully, and trans- 

 plant them to small flower pots and good soil ; thumb- 



pots should be used if possible. After transplanting 

 them do not give them too much water, as it might cause 

 them to rot off, as these young plants are not strong 

 enough nor making growth fast enough to appropriate 

 the amount of moisture that an older plant would. 

 They should have only just enough water to prevent their 

 drying out, for a time ; to babies give baby food. Also 

 before removing the rooted cuttings to the pots, it would 

 be wise even in thumb-pots to put a few pieces of bro- 

 ken charcoal or potsherds into the bottom of the pots, 

 before filling them with earth, so as to be sure of good 

 drainage ; for pots of one or two inch size, this is an im- 

 portant item. Be always careful about the watering, 

 when cuttings are being rooted ; the bad luck so many 

 have is often due to the fact that the cuttings are water- 

 ed too much, and in that case will rot instead of root ; 

 while others let the sand dry out entirely through neg- 

 lect perhaps once, twice or three times, and then their 

 cuttings are utterly ruined. — G. B. 



Cornus Nuttallii has this year outdone all former 

 seasons so far as the " oldest inhabitant " knows. For ten 

 days it has been the most conspicuous object in our 

 landscape. Throughout western Oregon and Washing- 

 ton great pyramids of snowy white blossoms (or rather 

 the appendages thereto) have been receiving the lion's 

 share of attention in the floral work of this section. The 

 bracts (showy parts) on the flower clusters or heads of 

 this tree have assumed exceptional proportions this year, 

 many individual bracts being two and a-half and three 

 inches long, three-fourths to one inch broad. The bracts 

 are also uncommonly white this year, a feature most 

 noticeable in all our white flowered trees and shrubs. 

 The season has been unusually cold and backward, a 

 great amount of dull misty weather. To this fact we 

 ascribe the exceedingly clean and pure color of these 

 parts. — E. R. Lake, Oregon. 



Tradescantia. — One of the best plants for the hang- 

 ing basket is the variegated tradescantia ; its leaves are 

 striped with light silver gray, olive, pink or crimson and 

 light green, and are very handsome, with a soft silvery 

 luster over all. It is of the easiest culture, and will 

 stand lots of abuse, hot, dry air, sudden changes of 

 temperature and drought, and will grow very fast. It 

 roots so easily and grows so rapidly that from one small 

 piece one may soon have enough of it to fill a basket. 

 It should not be allowed to bloom ; the blossoms are not 

 attractive any way, being very small, of no beauty. Let 

 it have a position near the glass, so that it may not be- 

 come long jointed. Break off several pieces of the 

 tradescantia, and plaee in a tumbler or earthen dish or 

 vase filled with water ; set it anywhere on a table or 

 bracket and it will grow nicely all winter ; keep a little 

 broken charcoal in the water, to keep it sweet, and oc- 

 casionally change the water for fresh, keeping the water 

 well above the roots all the time. The plain green var- 

 iety is very pretty, and adds to the effect if a little of it 

 is planted in with the variegated. For out of door use 

 nothing can be nicer for rockeries and urns as well as 

 for hanging baskets and bracket pots, as it does well in 



