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THE GARDENERS' CHRONICLE OF AMERICA 
found. In this country this variety is generally called 
variety brevifolia, but the correct name for it is var. nana. 
A dwarf, round-topped plant (var. coin pacta) is the 
smallest and most compact of all the forms of the Japan- 
ese yew in this country. A good plant of this dwarf 
form can be seen in the Arboretum collection, where it 
has been growing for many years. I'lants intermediate 
between the varieties com'pacta and nana, differing in 
size and habit, are sometimes found in American gardens. 
What is probably the largest Japanese yew- in the United 
States is one of the bushy vase-shaped plants which was 
planted about 1870 by Dr. George R. Hall in his garden 
in Warren, on Bristol Neck, Rhode Island. In October, 
1889, this plant was twelve feet high and covered a space 
on the ground of forty feet around. In October, 1916, 
twenty-seven years later, it is twenty-two feet tall and 
covers a space one hundred and thirty-two feet round. 
GROWING ORCHIDS FROM SEEDS. 
«<T THINK the most interesting part of orchid grow- 
-*• ing is hybridizing or raising orchids from seed, 
and although it does often take several years to obtain 
the results of one's labor, it affords a great deal of pleas- 
ure to watch the development of the seedlings from the 
time they germinate to the flowering stage," writes Jos. 
A. Manda in Florists' Exchange. 
Orchid hybridizing is as simple as hybridizing any 
other order of plants. The pollinia are contained be- 
neath the anther at the apex of the column, and by 
inserting the point of a sharp lead pencil or tooth pick 
below it and drawing" it gently backwards against the 
rostrum, the anther will be removed and the pollen will 
adhere to the pencil point. It is then only necessary to 
place it on the stigma of the flower to be crossed or 
hybridized and the work is completed. After the cap- 
sule or seed-pod is ripe the seed should be sown on 
the surface of the plant which has been lately potted and 
established. I had the best success in sowing the seed 
on plants of Cypripedium Harrisianum which, with its 
thick and downy roots, seemed an ideal place for them. 
Other methods are used, such as a specially prepared 
pot, with finely chopped peat and sphagnum moss, over 
which is laid a piece of toweling. This method has 
proved very successful, especially for Cattleyas, Lielias 
and Brassavola. 
As soon as the seed germinates it should be trans- 
planted into small pots or pans. When the seedlings are 
big enough, pot into 2-in. or 2j2-in. pots and then repot 
again when about one and one-half or two years old. 
The plants should flower in Zyz-in. or 5-in. pots, which 
takes about three to five years from the time the seed 
germinates. Care should be taken when the seed germi- 
nates and the seedlings begin to grow that no snail or 
other pests get at them, as they would make short work 
of them overnight and destroy your year's work. I 
can show a few specimens of various orchid seedlings 
from the germination to the flowering stage. 
BOSTON OUTDOOR SHOW. 
'TpHE Boston Outdoor Flower Show which was opened 
■*■ on June 2 and continued for two weeks proved all 
that the most sanguine of its promoters anticipated, the 
plot occupied being none too extensive to meet the re- 
quirements of the show. 
Great credit is due to James Wheeler, who superin- 
tended the staging of the various exhibits and he has 
proved his ability as an able manager. 
The opening day was given up to the American Red 
Cross Society and an admission fee of $5 was charged 
for this day. Notwithstanding the inclement weather 
more than one thousand tickets were sold. 
The outstanding feature of the open air display was 
the water and rock garden of R. & J. Farquhar & Co. 
Months of work was required for the completion of its 
construction and planting. The waterway was spanned 
by a rustic bridge of Japanese design, while in the rock 
garden were great varieties of rock and alpine plants, in 
addition to hardy azaleas, Spirea Japonica, tall viburnums 
and various evergreens. The display was awarded the 
Massachusetts Horticultural Society's gold medal. 
Thomas Roland's rose garden, arranged in a large 
tent, was the predominating feature of the tent displays. 
.Some fifteen hundred plants were employed and they 
were in a profusion of buds and flowers which produced 
a most beautiful scene. Ophelia, ^Irs. Aaron Ward, 
Hiawatha, Teschendorff, White Dorothy Perkins and 
Baby Ramblers were the most prominent among the 
many varieties of roses used. Mr. Roland was awarded 
the society's gold medal for this exhibit. 
Two large marquees were devoted to rhododendrons. 
One of the tents was filled with a collection from the 
Walter Honnewell Estate, (T. D. Hatfield, gardener) 
with a wonderful display of specimen plants, many of 
them of the half hardy varieties. A gold medal was 
awarded this collection. Mrs. Samuel C. Lawrence 
(George T. Stewart, gardener), exhibited a pair of mag- 
nificent rhododendrons over twelve feet in diameter and 
planted in four-foot tubs. These filled the center of one 
large tent around which were grouped a collection of 
over one hundred and fifty varieties of rhododendrons 
from J. Waterer Son & Crisp, England. 
An exhibit of specimen plants of Azalea Indica by 
Prof. C. S. Sargent. (Charles Sander, gardener) filled 
a marquee, 100 x 200, and their blooms made a brilliant 
display. 
The orchid tent attracted the visitors and combined dis- 
plays produced a magnificent sight. The Julius Roehrs 
collection containing more than two hundred plants, 
many of them of rare variety, was much admired and 
was awarded a gold medal. Arthur M. Cooley (P. Ed- 
wards, gardener), had a wonderful collection which in- 
cluded some beautiful specimens of odontoglossums and 
odontiodas. A gold medal was likewise awarded this 
group. E. B. Dane (Donald McKenzie, gardener), 
staged a fine group of mixed varieties, for which a gold 
medal was also awarded. Some of the smaller classes 
by Mrs. C. W. Weld (W. C. Rust, gardener) ; Faulkner 
Farm (W. N. Craig, gardener) ; and F. J. Dolansky 
were awarded silver medals. F. A. Clark (W. H. Colby, 
gardener) ; Miss Cornelia Warren (Henry Stewart, 
gardener) ; and J. T. Butterworth also exhibited some 
fine specimens. 
Other notable displays were an immense bed of pan- 
sies by William Sim, and an extensive collection of coni- 
fers by the Blue Hill Nurseries, both of which were 
awarded gold medals. 
The collection of pot plants contained numerous varie- 
ties, among which may be mentioned a new hardy hybrid 
type of Spirea Japonica from the Mount Desert Nurser- 
ies ; a group of Statice Suworowii alba from Faulkner 
Farms and some splendidly flowered single petiuiias, each 
containing hundreds of flowers, exhibited by R. M. Sal- 
tonstall, president of the horitcultural society. 
Some fine exhibits of garden accessories tastefully 
arranged v^'ere located about the grounds. 
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