162 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
February 25. 1905. 
Hardy Bulks in American Parks. 
(Concluded from J)age 144.) 
Jamaica Plain, Mass., March 29th, 1904. 
A word about the destruction, of Tussock Moths. It is too 
hard a question to treat offhand, but I would offer some objec¬ 
tions to the method proposed by Mr. Chambers and endorsed 
by friend Keith. An examination of the egg-masses will show 
that a great proportion of them are not fertile. This is 
accounted for by the great number of parasites that prey upon 
the caterpillar, so that the time used in destroying the unfertile 
egg-masses is thrown away, and, as the parasites are hatched 
out in the old cocoons of the Tussock Moth, the very agency 
which is the cause of their destruction is thus prevented from 
doing its work, as the parasites perish when the eggs of the 
moth are destroyed. 
A careful examination of the egg-masses deposited on the 
main trunk and the large limbs of the infested trees shows that, 
as a rule, more of them are fertile than those deposited on the 
tops of the trees, because the caterpillars, weakened by the 
attacks of the parasites, are unable to crawl down to the lower 
part of the tree to go into cocoons, as is their habit. There¬ 
fore, I would advise cleaning off only those egg-masses which 
are found on the body of the tree ; and if spraying is persisted 
in few will be left to require picking. James B. Shea. 
Albany, N.Y., April 28th, 1904. 
I am not in sympathy with formal bulb planting in suburban 
parks of sylvan character, but I am heartily in sympathy with 
massing in beds of brilliant colouring the many beautiful 
Tulips, Narcissus, Hyacinths, Crocuses, Scillas, etc., in the 
much-frequented city parks, where such planting can be 
judiciously used in connection with the formal garden and 
architectural surroundings. 
In suburban parks the Narcissus in many varieties can be 
effectively and consistently used when naturalised and massed 
as suggested by Mr. Warder, of Lincoln Park, Chicago. This 
treatment is quite universal in England upon estates of some 
extent, and in the suburban parks. 
I think the planting of bulbs has been somewhat overdone 
in the Public Carden of Boston, on the principle that a small 
Persian mg of beautiful design and colouring is in better taste 
in an attractive room than cheap and multitudinous rugs scat¬ 
tered over the floor to mar the otherwise attractive surround¬ 
ings- 
There is a demand in Albany (it is of Dutch origin) for bulbs 
and early spring effects in colouring. As the parks are urban 
and readily accessible, the residents frequent them as soon as 
the- weather will permit in the spring, and an effort is made 
to make them exceptionally attractive at this season. 
About 60,000 Tulips, Narcissus, Hyacinths, and many thou¬ 
sand Crocuses, Scillas, Snowdrops, etc., are used in Washington 
Park in connection with Primroses, Hyacinths, the creeping 
Phlox, and massing of Azaleas for spring effects. 
This planting is followed in early June by the usual summer 
bedding. I make it a practice to remove all the bulbs, ripen¬ 
ing them off, and, after sorting, I stow them away in a cool 
potting shed until the October following. There is a per¬ 
centage of 5 per cent, loss (and care has to be taken in not 
getting the bulbs mixed when drying off and sorting). I use 
bulbs thus for. three years, each year buying some to change 
the variety or colour for the desired combination of colour. 
Some beds are planted (Tulips) in mixed colours, but the design 
generally calls for massed effects of one colour in each bed, and 
the garden, as a whole, has to be studied out pretty carefully 
to harmonise for general effect. 
To one who is colour-blind or not appreciative of colour con¬ 
trasts, the massing of Tulips should be somewhat incongruous, 
and is to be avoided and not undertaken. I quote from my 
report for the year 1902 the following : — 
“ Although the midsummer aspect of the parks is considered 
generally more impressive and satisfactory on account of the 
maturity of the foliage and the variety of the floral growths 
and colouring, a great amount of pleasure seems to be derived 
by the citizens in visiting Washington Park during the season 
of the early sprihg growths and at the season of the flowering 
of the early spring bulbs. At that time the tender green 
foliage of the trees and shrubs and the vivid green of the 
lawns bring out in strong contrast the resplendent lines of the 
early spring bulbs. The freshness and purity of the foliage 
appeals in early spring more directly perhaps to the senti¬ 
mental side of human nature and the desire of everyone to see 
colour, freshness and vitality after so long a season of snow, 
ice, grey skies and apparent death in everything that grows. 
“ For this reason an effort is yearly made to hurry up the 
preparatory work of the spring cleaning and to have the parks 
and avenues in as satisfactory condition as possible (early in 
the season), so that the public may find them attractive as soon 
as it is warm enough to make use of them, and by the intro¬ 
duction of freshness and vivid colouring in the bulb planting 
to accentuate the favourable impression made by the vernal 
growths of the early spring.” William S. Egerton. 
We plant a few r bulbs every year in beds near the conserva¬ 
tories for early display. These bulbs are allowed to remain 
until about the last of May or the 1st of June, when they are 
dug and dried off and stored away for planting in shrub borders 
or for naturalising in meadow 7 or woodland. 
We have several large beds where Tulips and Hyacinths and 
Narcissus are allowed to remain year after year, or until they 
become too dense or uneven. 
In most of these beds the bulbs are followed by annuals, such 
as Phlox, Verbenas, etc. These can be planted without dis¬ 
turbing the bulbs, and provide a shade for the bulbs, which in 
our climate seems to be absolutely necessary. 
Beds of Tulips, Narcissus and Hyacinths usually remain in 
good condition, so treated, for four or five years, when they 
require thinning and replanting. 
Far more beautiful than the set beds of bulbs are the patches 
and masses of various species naturalised in grassy places or 
planted freely and without regard to varieties. Here the 
foliage of the surrounding plants makes a most agreeable back¬ 
ground, and the result is wholly charming, without the glare 
and stiffness of the formal beds. 
A few thousand Narcissus planted on moist slopes near our 
lake five years ago have increased twenty-fold, and what was a 
single plant then is now a fine clump. In suitable situations, 
and v 7 here the grass can be allowed to grow quite high before 
cutting these bulbs increase very fast and give abundant bloom. 
Scillas, Crocus, Snowdrops, Eranthis and Grape Hyacinths 
we also use to some extent in the lawms and grass borders, but 
they have to be renewed quite frequently wherever the grass is 
cut by the lawn mowers. In places where they can be left un¬ 
touched until they ripen their foliage, the most of them will 
increase from year to year. Scillas with us, in places where 
they are undisturbed, increase quite rapidly from self-sown 
seed. 
I sometimes think that bulbs are often planted too shallow. 
Tulips will come up through a foot of soil, and I think that 
8 in. is about as shallow as they should be planted. 
John F. Cowell. 
-o-- 
Garden Suburb for Hampstead. —At present there is a pro¬ 
position to purchase from the trustees of Eton College 240 acres 
of land lying to the north-west of Hampstead Heath, but in 
direct continuation of it. The idea is to lease the more attrac¬ 
tive portions to rich people in one, two, or three acre plots, 
and with the profits from ground rents to provide for the 
erection of cottages for the industrial classes. About a third of 
the whole space is available for the cottages, which would have 
gardens of appreciable size around them. The object is to have 
dwellings put up for different classes of people as attractive as 
possible, but each with their own particular attractions, like 
cottages belonging to villages attached to manor houses in 
various parts of England. The roads would be not less than 
40 ft. wide, and planted with trees. 
