Crocuses. Among the earliest of the spring bulbs are several 
of the Mountain Crocuses showing up bravely even though they 
may sometimes be temporarily downed by a belated snowstorm. 
Some of the best are C. Sieberi from the mountains of Greece, 
with flowers of bright lilac diversified with an orange base; 
C. Susianus, the Cloth of Gold Crocus, a variable species from 
the Crimea; and C. vernus, a native of the Alps, Pyrenees and 
other European mountains. Its flowers, even in a wild state, 
vary from white to purple. 
Bulbocodium Vernum the spring Meadow Saffron, is a 
friendly visitor in the early spring. Found wild in the moun- 
tains of Europe and Russian Asia it is inclined to burst into 
growth before the American spring really opens. It has rosy 
purple flowers which resemble those of Crocus, and they appear 
before the leaves, which fact serves to clearly distinguish it be- 
cause the Crocuses push up their leaves in quick succession to the 
flower. Its pink color strikes an unusual note early in the season. 
Erica Camea is the Alpine Heath, an evergreen flowering 
shrub attractive throughout the year. In order to be in good 
time for the spring opening, it produces its flower buds the pre- 
ceding fall, and ordinarily, if fairly favorable weather prevails, 
they open about the middle of March. The flowers are red in 
the type but there are several varieties, including one with 
white flowers. Erica carnea is one of the hardiest of the Heaths 
and quite easy to grow. It is not particular as to soil, providing 
it is free from lime, but prefers a sandy loam containing a good 
proportion of decayed leaf soil. It can be propagated easily 
by dividing old plants immediately after flowering, or by seeds 
and cuttings. As soon as the plants have finished blooming 
the flowering stems should be clipped off to prevent them from 
becoming straggly, and to promote floriferousness. 
“The Best” of anything must always remain more or less 
a matter of individual judgment based on personal preference; 
and governed by the extent of the judge’s acquaintance with 
related plants — to say nothing of a special point of view. None- 
the-less it is always of interest to consider the standards as set 
up by those who have the right from experience, to speak. 
Hence it will be worth while to go over the list of the “best 12 
varieties of hardy plants” as given by the late Mr. Perry of 
England, well known the world over both as a connoisseur and 
dealer in herbaceous plants. Because of Mr. Perry’s rather 
frequent comment that the plant in evidence was “one of the 
best 12 varieties of hardy plants,” an enquiry was addressed 
to him by Mr. Frank H. Presby of Montclair, N. J., asking for 
the complete dozen. Hereitis: Arenaria plantaginea gigantea; 
Chrysanthemum Robinsoni; Erigeron intermedium; Eryngium 
Oliverinum superbum; Helenium pumilum magnificum; Heu- 
chera sanguinea Walker’s variety; Galega Duchess of Bedford; 
Geum coccincum pictum; Gypsophila paniculata plena; Phlox 
canadensis Perry’s variety; Scabiosa caucasica; Veronica long- 
ifolia subsessilis. Some of these or their practical counterparts 
are quite popular in our gardens, while some are possibly quite 
unknown and now cannot be introduced by direct importation. 
This list was made up some few years ago, and might be subject 
to some changes now, it is true; yet the list holds up well to-day 
indeed, and, at any rate is interesting as a starting point for a 
possible discussion. 
Morns Acidosa is a new Chinese Mulberry introduced in 
1908 by E. H. Wilson. It differs from the popularly known 
members of the family in being a bush of a somewhat straggling 
nature some six feet high. The fruit is not large but is freely 
produced and its sub-acid briskness is welcome on a hot day in 
July. This newcomer is likely to become a really popular 
plant wonder the next few years and it is being offered already 
by some nurserymen. As a fruit tree for the children and for 
the birds Morus acidosa makes a strong appeal; it is quite hardy 
in the north, and has no strong preferences as to soil. 
Cultivated Blueberries are not as yet widely grown because 
the supply is sharply limited although selected plants are being 
offered in some catalogues this year; and again few people ap- 
preciate the differences between the improved and wild forms. 
Yet a moment’s consideration will lead any one to realize the 
great saving of labor in gathering large berries instead of small 
ones. Fifty dollars was offered for a Blueberry or Huckleberry 
bush with berries as large as a cent (f inch) in diameter, the 
plants being needed to cross with others already in hand in 
New Jersey. No berry of the required size was sent in last 
year we are informed, but $25 was paid for a plant from Quebec 
with berries of f inch diameter. Any one interested in hunt- 
ing for the prize plant may address Miss Elizabeth C. White, 
New Lisbon, N. J. 
Tausendschoen Rose is likely to hold its own as a climber 
for both garden and greenhouse culture for some time to come — 
indeed there is not a rival in sight. Not the least attractive 
quality is the many shades of color that the buds and flowers 
simultaneously display. 1 n the heat of your garden in mid-sum- 
mer this range of color is not seen usually, because of the bleach- 
ing by the sun’s light and heat, but when grown as a pot plant 
for indoor forcing earlier in the season, with less heat and more 
shade the rich variety of color from the practically white fully 
expanded flower to bright crimson in the youngest bud is fan- 
tastically beautiful. Outdoors something of this may be ap- 
proached when the long canes are trained over cross pieces of 
some pergola or arbor and the opening blooms in the partial 
shade take on the richer hue. 
Leiophyllum Buxifolium is one of our native dwarf ever- 
greens that would seem to have sufficiently attractive qualities 
to be more generally brought into cultivation. It has been 
used to some extent by one or two landscape architects in search 
of a dwarf hardy evergreen for light sandy soils in places on the 
eastern seaboard exposed to the full strength of the sun. Col- 
lected plants from the pine barrens of New Jersey (whence it 
extends southward to Florida) being their reliance. It is 
known also as Dendrium buxifolium, or popularly as Sand 
Myrtle. The plant varies greatly in height — from six inches up 
to three feet, but generally around 1^ to 2 feet. It is really a 
charming subject having smooth shiny foliage all the year while 
in spring it is covered with small white flowers. The plant 
bears a strong resemblance to a small-leafed Dwarf Box but 
somewhat less compact. As an edging shrub for evergreen 
plantations, or for introduction into rockeries it has distinct 
value. So long as the soil is free from lime the Sand Myrtle 
will grow in peat, sand or loam and it is accommodating as to 
exposure, growing in both sun and shade. 
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