THE GARDENERS' CHRONICLE OF AMERICA 
305 
and A. Prichard's Al. Draba cuspidata, Gypsophila 
repans, Gentiana cruciata, Helianthemum croceum, Lin- 
aria aequitriloba, Mazus rugosus, Mentha Requienii (for 
carpeting over pathways), Platycodon grandiflora, 
Nierembergia rivularis, Saxifraga caespitosa, Silene 
Schafta and S. acaulis, Veronica incana, and the beauti- 
ful Viola cornuta. 
* * * 
Already the Dahlias are in bloom from tubers planted 
in April. The moist weather has just suited them, and 
there ought to be no need to cut them back now. In dry 
seasons this cutting back of the stock to within half a 
foot or so from the ground is compulsory, else the stems 
become woody and refuse to throw flowers. 
* * * 
One reason why Fuchsias are not grown so largely out- 
of-doors as their beauty and free flowering characteris- 
tics would seem to warrant, is the fact that they are 
brittle, and during very heavy thunderstorms, when the 
rain comes pelting down in sheets, they are inclined to 
break or split. With a small border of these plants in 
the writer's garden this has happened to some small 
extent, but with the laxer growing varieties this could be 
easily obviated or overcome by the use of sufficiently 
strong wiry brush, sticks or twigs. 
* * # 
These heavy rains during the summer season, when 
growth is very heavy, may not break one's plants, but if 
accompanied by high winds they are liable to do so. 
Younger plants in a full state of growth are more 
resilient and can sway very considerably and will soon 
recover, but a little later in the year, when they are be- 
coming harder, as well as taller and more spreading, then 
it is dangerous to avoid or neglect the use of stakes. 
Formal stiff stakes are seldom desirable unless as a 
central support for taller plants like Dahlias, Goldenrods, 
Rudbeckias and such ; but in an ordinary hardy flower 
border, branching stakes from the woods, or irregular 
branches with the snags to them, could be used quite 
effectively, and yet unobstructively. If these are inserted 
around and among the shoots of bushy spreading plants 
they are largely hidden, and form, as it were, a part of 
the general composition. They also require little or no 
tieing in that case. It is abortion to have straight stakes 
as one sometimes sees, one for almost everv shoot. 
* * * 
A plant not nearly sufficiently seen is Clematis Jack- 
mani, the beautiful violet-blue Clematis named after Mr. 
Jackman, of Woking, England. The same grower has 
added several other colors, his latest being a good rich, 
almost fiery-red. One of the best hitherto in the reds has 
been Ville de Lyon, while Duchess of Edinburgh is a 
large, pure white. There are others, all good and de- 
sirable, but doubtfully hardy in most parts of our Eastern 
and Northern States. However, Clematis Jackmani itself 
is quite hardy in the latitude of New York, which means 
that it can stand zero weather with impunity. The 
beautiful Clematis paniculata, which flowers in August, 
is another of the fine climbing plants that we all like to 
have, while a third that came to us a few years ago and 
is making headway and greatly appreciated where grown, 
is Polygonum Boldschuanicum, with huge, graceful 
festoons or clusters of creamy-pink looking flowers. This 
plant rapidly climbs to the top of fairly tall trees, trees 
20 ft. or more in height, and where one has an evergreen 
that one is not very particular of saving or encouraging, 
this climber may be used thereon with good effect, the 
dark green forming a background for the panicles of 
bloom. Among climbers we cannot, either, forget the 
beauty of Akebia quinata, which grows freely and is very 
handsome on a pergola. America, however, is rich in 
useful and good climbing plants. 
* * * 
Speaking of climbers, the finest possibly of all is Loni- 
cera Halleana, the Honeysuckle that one sees everywhere 
from about the middle of June until the time of frosts. 
It blooms all that period, and in certain positions is a mass 
of sweet-scented white and buff-colored flowers. In parts 
of southern New Jersey it is used in a variety of ways, 
but very largely for the covering of rounded mounds in 
which position, if in good sunlight, it seems to flower as 
it does nowhere else. For covering steep banks, where 
heavy rains would be likely to wash the soil away, this 
Honeysuckle can be recommended, as it may be obtained 
cheaply from the nurseries and young plants grow 
quickly when well established. It forms a bed of shoots 
and leaves through which the heaviest rain cannot 
penetrate to form washouts. 
* * * 
Talking again of shrubs brings to mind the fact that 
more of the standard Wistarias seem to be in favor than 
formerly. They are much used on the larger estates, 
because it is only those who have considerable means that 
can afford to purchase them. When in bloom, with their 
long dependent racemes of blooms, thev are very telling. 
* * * 
Perhaps we do not always use the common subjects at 
hand to the best effect. We are apt to pay large sums 
for standard trained box trees or pyramidal Sweet Bays 
or for other trees of this description, most of which are 
grown abroad and imported, forgetting at the same time 
that even our common Privet can be grown and kept 
into neat form just as well as the Boxes. Around Phila- 
delphia may be seen some very handsome standard, 
round-headed Privets of the small-leaved variety, which 
are not kept so severely cut in as to spoil the beauty of 
them when in flower as is their wont when grown in tubs. 
* * * 
Tarnish bugs are the bane of the Aster grower, fre- 
quently ruining his plants ; so also is green fly, but both 
can be kept at bay by a weekly spraying with a soap and 
water solution to which is added a little kerosene, all kept 
churned up, of course. But to those who do not wish to 
make their own spray mixture there are the proprietary 
compounds that are advertised. In any case, a light 
spraying over the plants once a week during the present 
growing season will keep the pests away. 
* * * 
How quickly the Gooseberry caterpillar or worm de- 
vours the leaves of the plants when it makes a start. 
Almost in 10 days the plants will be entirely ruined unless 
one gets at them with Aphine or other nicotine prepara- 
tions. It is then that we see the value of prompt action, 
as otherwise we lose our crop trying to save the expense 
of the spray compound. 
A friend who is in the trade was lamenting the fact 
to me that many of his seedling novelties (won't say 
what they were) had been openly renamed when 
they got into other friends' hands and he asked if 
there was no redress or remedy in such a case. I said 
no, at least not as a rule, and that he would have to 
possess the clearest evidence and be sure that what 
he had was absolutely distinctly new and unobtainable 
elsewhere in any quarter. The task was too big for 
him, so he let the matter drop. It is a real trouble 
is this stealing of others' varieties, for that is what it 
is. As a rule the gardening public soon gets to know- 
about synonyms and who the actual introducer of a 
good variety is, and he does not lose in the long run. 
