144 
The Garden Magazine, April, 1924 
WHAT A DIME'S WORTH OF 
HOLLYHOCK SEEDS WILL DO 
A few Hollyhock seeds and a sea¬ 
son’s time will completely transform 
a raw backyard fence not only for 
that one year but for years to come, 
as here at the home of Mr. H R. 
Mosnat, Chicago, III. (Accompany¬ 
ing photographs show the same 
fence before and after the planting 
of the Hollyhocks) 
event we might like to know whether 
it is worth while to patronize our own 
countrymen or foreign dealers. As 
far as 1 can findout thestate of affairs 
is something like this: Certain reli¬ 
able dealers, such as Mr. Purdy of 
California, are ready to publish the 
results of their experiments in raising 
bulbs, and it seems to them that con¬ 
ditions in this country are not favor¬ 
able for raising good bulbs. From 
time to time a protest from some other dealer is published 
saying that they can be successfully raised—but this is not 
followed up by information as to where and how they may 
be purchased! Certain well-known horticultural authorities 
have said that they could not be obtained. It would cer¬ 
tainly be most interesting to have some full and detailed 
information on this subject with even more information 
about the different species than we had last year. [One 
Pacific Coast grower, Mr. Lawler, is offering several 
varieties of Narcissus.— Editor.] 
Among private gardeners theories differ. One says that 
these early bulbs do not increase from self-sown seed very 
much. Others have written that they increase freely. It is 
certain that Scilla, Muscari, and Star-of-Bethlehem pro¬ 
duce seed and increase so rapidly as to be troublesome in 
some places. (1 should like to be greatly troubled in that 
way for a few years!) The Garden Neighbor who had the 
Giant Snowdrops and the Leucojum said that both pro¬ 
duced seed and she was in the habit of raising new bulbs 
from seed. At the time of her correspondence the Snow¬ 
drop seed had gone, but she sent mea few seeds of Leucojum 
which I planted in my garden, but as they take a long time 
to grow it will take a long time for me to know the result. It ought to be 
good garden usage for everyone who has a hardy garden, or a shrubbery, 
to plant at least a few of these early bulbs for the future. Muscari 
should be planted in clumps of blue and white mixed for best effect. They 
may be planted along the edge of a bed, where hardy Pinks or Arabis are 
used for an edging. 
If the Quarantine had not been lifted last year, we should undoubtedly 
have heard more about the efforts of American nurserymen to raise these 
early bulbs, as more than one had them ready for marketing this season. 
It has seemed to me that my own experience in this matter may be of 
interest. 
A serious illness in the family prevented my attending to bulb and plant 
orders last fall until late October. 11 was mv intention to invest in the early 
bulbs principally, but at that late day the stocks were practically exhausted 
so that I only got a few, but the search developed various interesting facts. 
The first bulbs I received were some Heavenly Blue Grape Hyacinths 
which came from an Eastern nurseryman who had raised them. They 
were three years old, “mother-bulbs.” They were very much larger than 
the ordinary bulbs, perhaps ij inches in diameter. The rest of my 
purchases came from various well-known Boston dealers. 
Leucojum (vernal, I think) were Californian grown bulbs, very large, 
much larger than any Holland-grown bulbs that dealer had ever had. At 
another dealer’s the bulbs were very large and firm, all Holland grown. 
Besides the ordinary varieties of Tulips, Narcissus, etc., I bought Chiono- 
doxa and double Snowdrops, fairly good sized bulbs; and at another equally 
reliable shop the bulbs of these varieties were about half as large—and 
here 1 was told that Californian bulbs were not reliable—that out of one 
lot of bulbs only a few flowered, etc. I believe this experience is not un¬ 
usual—and that is why we ought to know more about the subject. [Our 
own experience at Garden City with Washington state Daffodils was quite 
satisfactory—could not see any difference as compared with imported. 
—Editor.] It is probable that there may be a much larger supply of 
Holland bulbs this year—but we cannot wait a year 
or two to study results before ordering others if the 
Quarantine goes into effect in two years. At the old 
prices, about 6o cents a hundred instead of present 
prices of 6o cents a dozen, everyone could afford a few 
hundred of each variety and experiment at leisure. 
And 1 venture to say that any one who made that 
venture for the first time would be well repaid the 
very first spring thereafter—and when they began to 
increase to a troublesome extent there would be 
plenty of new gardens ready to receive the surplus. 
—R. E. Howard, South Lincoln, Mass. 
Clothing Waste Places with Petunias 
[See picture below ] 
To the Editors of The Garden Magazine: 
L OVERS of gardens beautiful here, there, and 
-< everywhere, find themselves puzzled sometimes 
as to what to do with the strip of land just inside the 
sidewalk; and, perhaps, how to overcome the eyesore 
of some stranger’s vacant lot next door. Costly 
plants do not pay in either case, for careless passers, 
dogs, and children will make “short cuts” through; 
