August 26, 1905. 
THE GARDENING WORLD\ 
675 
THE OSWEGO TEA. 
(Monarda didyma.) 
Of the several species of Monarda in gar¬ 
dens, there can be no doubt that the sub¬ 
ject of this note is the best of all of them. 
The plant usually grows about 18 in. high, 
terminating in clusters of bronzy-brown 
bracts, above which are spikes of flowers, 
b?st desci’ibed as scarlet. All the other 
species coining under my notice have flowers 
of some or other shade of purple. It likes 
a fairly rich soil, or, what is nearly equiva¬ 
lent, to be broken up and transplanted in 
small pieces occasionally, so as to allow it 
to make vigorous young crowns. Height is 
not particularly desirable in the case of this 
plant, provided it makes a free, sturdy and 
robust growth with plenty of scarlet flowers 
on the top in July and August. 
Propagation may be carried out by means 
of cuttings, but in gardens it is seldom neces¬ 
sary to resort to any other method than the 
division of the clumps at the proper time 
for dividing herbaceous plants of this charac¬ 
ter. Every crown with a few roots will make 
a tidy plant during the course of the sum¬ 
mer. 
THE GRASS Of PARNASSUS. 
(Parnassia palustris.) 
Sometimes a very healthy and happy liv¬ 
ing plant of the Grass of Parnassus may 
be seen in gardens if planted in a bog bed 
or some moist situation ; only those who 
have seen it in its wild habitats on the cool 
northern moors and damp liillsides can have 
any conception of its real beauty. In soma 
places the large solitary white flowers be¬ 
spangle the ground for acres together, and 
when such is the case there must be hun¬ 
dreds of thousands of individuals. In the 
wild state at least one plant throws up one 
flower, and no more, on a stem about 3 in. 
to 6 in. high, according to its vigour. The 
flower is about the size of that of a garden 
Strawberry, but it is of much greater texture 
and beautifully pencilled all over the sur¬ 
face of the white petals with water-coloured 
i veins. 
Those who take the trouble to inspect this 
native flower minutely will find a set of five 
branching glands, each branch with a drop 
of dew-like liquid at the end. The cultivation 
of this lowly and extremely interesting plant 
ofteis no difficulties provided the roots are 
nisei ted in a cool soil that will remain moist 
all the summer. A bog bed is, of course, 
the best suited to it, and peat may be used 
if the water is in any way deficient. Plants 
may be lifted from their native habitats 
easily tlanSP ante ^ t0 t!le * r new quarters 
The Eucalyptus as an Aid to Tempi 
ance. A new fermentation process is said 
have been discovered by which it is claim 
not only that brewers will be able to make 
palatable, unclouded beer of good keepi 
qualities with .a fraction of the present out] 
ou plant, building space, time and laboi 
| but that it will become easy, and in fa 
j economically advantageous to brew a b< 
containing even less alcohol than ordins 
j gmgei beer. The discovery consists of 
specific germ obtained from the Eucalypi 
plant, which ferments at a high temperati 
and can be instantly precipitated by cooli 
the liquid. 
FREESIAS. 
NOW IS THE 
TIME TO REPOT. 
HOW TO GET FLOWERS AT CHRISTMAS AND SPRING. 
I hose who have a stock of bulbs of 
I'reesias, or intend getting a stock from their 
bulb merchant, should no longer delay the 
work of potting. The bulbs should be potted 
during the present month. Close observation 
will show that the bulbs commence growing 
at this period, whether they are potted or not. 
That is a sure sign that they should not be 
kept out of the soil a day longer. Some 
growers plant them out in borders of glass¬ 
houses, while others confine their cultivation 
to pots. In any case, the bulbs should be 
committed to the soil at once, as they require 
a long period in which to make good growth 
in order to flower well. By potting them 
early they can be allowed to come along 
slowly by making roots and leaves at their 
leisure, so to speak. 
Freesias make a full growth of leaves before 
they start to form the new bulbs. If potted 
in August the plants will be ready to develop 
their new bulbs some time in November. 
About this period growth seems at a stand¬ 
still, but the plants are really forming their 
new bulbs on the top of the old ones. In 
this respect the Freesia resembles the Crocus 
or Gladiolus in forming the new bulb on the 
top of the old one. At this stage the young 
bulb pushes some very thick, fleshy roots into 
the soil, after which the plants may be con¬ 
sidered thoroughly established and -ready to 
be pushed forward by a higher temperature if 
flowers are desired about Christmas or early 
in the new year. After these stages have 
been completed the new bulbs commence to 
push up flower stems, and that is a signal 
for the grower to apply extra heat if he desires 
early flowers. 
I ive or six inch pots make a useful size for 
conservatory or greenhouse work. The com¬ 
post may consist of three or four parts of well- 
matured loam which has been stacked for 
some time. This should be broken up fairly 
roughly by hand or the trowel, and if inclined 
to be heavy, sufficient sharp sand should be 
added to make it perfectly porous. If the 
cultivator intends using manure in the soil, 
he should use about one part of well-rotted 
cow dung, broken up very finely, and com¬ 
pletely incorporated with the loam. The 
manure will serve to retain moisture in the 
soil, as that is one of the most important 
necessaries in the successful cultivation of 
Freesias. After growth has fairly com¬ 
menced a continuous supply of moisture is 
necessary to produce vigorous and healthy 
plants. At the same time the pots must be 
thoroughly drained at potting time to ensure 
the passage of superfluous water. 
About a dozen bulbs will be necessary for 
the pots above mentioned to give them a well- 
furnished appearance, but that number will 
necessitate very careful attention in the 
matter of watering. Weak liquid manure 
should also be given at each alternate water¬ 
ing from the time the flower stems commence 
to push up. As soon as this happens a batch 
of pots may be placed in a temperature of 
40 deg., gradually rising to 45 deg. at night. 
This will bring them on rapidly, but it should 
never be employed until the stage of growth 
has been reached when the flower stems com¬ 
mence to appear. 
It is scarcely necessary to add that the 
bulbs should be sorted into sizes, and all the 
best of them placed in pots by themselves to 
furnish flowers. The small bulbs will also 
flower, but their stalks will be shorter. The 
latest batches should be potted at the same 
time as the earliest. The method of getting 
late flowers is simply to keep the plants as 
cool as possible, provided frost is merely ex¬ 
cluded. That will throw the flowers away 
back into the third month of the year, merely 
by the temperature at which the piants are 
kept. D.W. 
THE COMPACT INCARVILLEA. 
(Incarvillea compacts.) 
Most hardy plants men, either professional 
or amateur, are now fairly well acquainted 
with Incarvillea Delavayi, and it will be 
generally admitted to be one of the finest 
subjects obtainable for the adornment of the 
herbaceous border. The plant above named, 
however, is of quite recent introduction, and 
hails, in company with several other remark¬ 
ably fine things, from North-West China. As 
its specific name implies, the plant is dwarf 
and compact in habit, but the size of the 
lovely flowers is large, and, as a consequence, 
a plant presents a very striking appearance 
on a rockery, which is a very suitable place 
for it, providing a good deep root-run is 
given in rich but light soil. The handsome 
rich green foliage is pinnate, horizontal, 
borne on short stalks, and from the centre of 
the plant rise the rosy tubular flowers, widely 
open at the mouth, after the style of a huge 
Pentstemon, or, indeed, not unlike a 
Gloxinia. Owing to its recent introduction, 
it is probable that we have not yet seen the 
full glory of this handsome flower, for there 
is every reason to believe that the fleshy roots 
will strengthen annually, as is the-case with 
I. Delavayi, and, that being so, we may sup¬ 
pose the number and size of the blooms will 
increase pro rata. In any case, the beauty 
of the young plants we have already seen is 
exquisite; Heather Bell. 
--♦-■ 
THE TWIGGY LOOSESTRIFE. 
(Lythrum virgatum.) 
The British Loosestrife in one form or 
other is more frequently cultivated in gar¬ 
dens than this one, but to be seen in its 
best form it must be grown strongly, and 
then it is rather a tall plant. The twiggy 
Loosestrife is usually about 2g ft. high, with 
very numerous slender twiggy stems, and 
covered with a wealth of bright rose floweis 
that open in succession during July and 
August. It makes a beautiful contrast to 
other garden flowers at that season when 
yellow and orange are getting rather plen¬ 
tiful amongst flowers in the garden. 
I lie plant itself is of the easiest manage¬ 
ment, and about the end of September, if 
so desired, the crowns may be lifted and 
divided into a number of pieces and re¬ 
planted at proper distances apart in prepared 
soil. Those' who would like a mass of it 
in a border could have no better opportunity 
than this division of the crowns in Sep¬ 
tember for amplifying a patch with pieces 
that will develop into vigorous healthy plants 
next summer and prove very floriferous at the 
time stated. 
