In the next issue 
The feature article in the next issue will 
be on the flower garden at Monticello, the 
home of Thomas Jefferson. He was espec- 
ially interested in his garden, the planting of 
trees; it would be nice if any of our readers: 
have items of interest; it is possible that some 
have some good pictures. 
In addition to the above, there will be a 
special article on “Getting the most from the 
small Garden’, which will cover a suggested 
method of planting in the small gardens. 
It was with pleasure that we could publish 
something of the gardens at the Hermitage, 
the home of Andrew Jackson. The times 
during which President Jackson lived were 
not ideal times for the establishing of orna- 
mental plantings but, never the less much 
was accomplished. Personally, I think he 
was our most outstanding President; two 
or three points stand out especially, viz., 
he paid off the national debt and thus the 
only President with such a record!; he re< 
fused to make a campaign, saying, that if 
the American people wanted him for their 
President, he would serve but he would not 
seek the office —a very noticeable change 
with the recent campaign; and in his military 
career, instead of getting an immense salary, 
he actually went in debt himself, to properly 
provide for his troups. Few Americans 
know that if it had not been for the smallness 
of the politicans in power at the time of tha 
war of 1812, Jackson would have added 
Canada to the United States. 
SOUTH RHODESIAN FLOWERS 
It is difficult to describe the Gladiolus 
species which grow on my farm. The 
blooms are rather small, not hooded, whitish 
and with purple-brown narrow wavy lines. 
Upper and lower petals, green shading to- 
wards the throat, accentuated on lower lobes. 
The leaves are narrow and pale blue-green, 
flower stem to 3 feet. Interesting but rather 
weird looking and far from common. They 
come into bloom late in the season. 
I have collected seed of Clematis Thun- 
bergii, sweet scented; Peltophorum african- 
um, Rhodesian Wattle and other attractive 
flowers. 
The plant that gives me the most pleasure 
is the lovely Everlasting — Helichrysum, all 
white and adorned with sweet, small pink 
rosettes which later open into daisies with a 
deep inner crimson bract. It is a compact 
shrublet growing to about 6 inches high, is 
a sun lover and drought resistant and an ex- 
cellent flower for the rock garden. 
We have just had our winter and August 
starts our spring; the other day, however, we 
had a severe freeze, and my house boy picked 
rings of ice a quarter of an inch thick from 
the water, a surprise to him. My seedlings 
of the Cape Silver Tree, Leucadendron 
argenteum, seemed unaffected by the cold. 
By Barbara Ingle, South Rhodesia. 
SCORZONERA 
(skaur-zoh-NEE-rah) This is a vegetable 
root that you should try in your vegetable 
garden. It has a long Carrot-shaped root 
which is black outside but white within and 
it is cooked and eaten like Salsify or Pats- 
nips; the culture is also the same. 
It is claimed to be very nutritions and 
thealthful and possessing the anti-bilious prop- 
erties of the Dandilion. The tops, when 
young, can be used in salads. ; 
It is hardy and the roots can be left in the 
ground over winter and dug early in the 
spring, like Parsnips. It is sometimes called 
Black Salsify. If you do not find it in the 
seed ca.alog, packets costs 20¢. , 
361 
The Beautiful Butterfly Iris 
By Charlotte M. Hoak 
(The following appeared in the September 
bulletin of The Bulb Society, from which it 
is reprinted.) 
The beautiful Butterfly Iris, designated 
“Spurias,” certainly do not deserve the 
scientific name they are forced to go by. 
Why they got this name nobody seems to 
know. 
These Iris come from Southern Europe and 
parts of Asia whose climates are very similar 
to our semi-arid one. 
Monnieri is the pure yellow form of ochro- 
leuca Golden Iris. Aurea comes from Kash- 
mir, whose famous flowery vales are the 
homeland of some of our choicest flowers. 
The first improved hybrids were raised in 
England more than fifty years ago. In 
America we were content to grow ihe old 
original species and the English hybrids. 
The late T. A. Washington of Nashville, 
Tennessee raised and named a series of fine 
blue Spurias; his wife, who has carried on 
his work, continues with blues and bronzes. 
A fine blue is Blue Rocket. Note the one 
called Harpeth Hills. 
In recent years the activities in breeding: 
new and distinctive Spurias have centered 
in Southern California. A pioneer worker, 
the late Eric Nies of Hollywood, has done 
outstanding work. His breeding work with 
Spurias began with Iris Monspur, which is 
a hybrid of I. Monnieri and I. spuria from 
Michael Foster, and the species I. ochro- 
leuca; and from this combination of genes 
of the yellow self (Monnieri), the dark blue 
(spuria) and the yellow bicolor (ochroleuca), 
The Hermitage 
(Continued from Page 353) 
example; to the wretched a comforter; to the 
prosperous an ornament; her piety went hand 
in hand with her benevolence, and she thank- 
ed her Creator for being permitted to do 
good. A being so gental and so virtuous 
slander might wound, but could not dishonor. 
Even death, when he bore her from the arms 
of her husband, could but transport her ta 
the bosom of her God.” 
The simple inscription on his is: 
General Andrew Jackson 
Born March 15, 1767 
Died June 8, 1845 
THE HERMITAGE 
The Hermitage, near Nashville, which 
is owned by the state of Tennessee and 
maintained and operated by the Ladies 
Hermitage Association, an organization 
founded in 1889, by a group of patriotic 
women for the purpose of preserving 
The Hermitage, home of General And- 
rew Jackson, as a National Shrine and 
to perpetuate his memory as a soldier, 
statesman and President of the United 
States. 
The Shrine attracts each year thous- 
ands of visitors, not only from this 
country, but many from foreign lands. 
Visiting hours: 
8 A.M. to 4 P.M. October to April 
8 A.M. to 6 P.M. April to October 
Admission: Adults 50¢; Children 10¢. 
All members of the Armed Forces in 
uniform, admitted without charge. 
eo 
he got a break in color, size and form. In 
1941, he registered Bronspur and Saugetuck, 
both in shades of brown, a new color in tha 
Spurias. In 1942, came Azurea Dawn. 
Dutch Defiance, Michigan State, Swallowtail, 
Lark Song and Pastorale. In 1944, came 
Fifth Symphony and two sensational var- 
ieties, Two Opal and Russet Flame. Color 
Guard, a medium biue, was registered in 
1948. Still later came others, none finer 
than Zephyrosa with its flowers of wonder- 
ful substance. , 
Milliken’s Wadi Zem-Zem is a clear, fine 
yellow with a flower of great substance. 
Those who have watched Tom Craig move 
into this field with his superior seedlings 
are looking eagerly for the fulfillment of 
his early promise. Pale Big Cloud, nearest 
white of all the Spurias, is a fine one. Ruf- 
fled Blue Pinafore and Blue Valentine are 
two of his outstanding ruffled blues. Sun 
and Shadow is an unusual lavender-grey. 
Sweet Butter is a large, broad creamy yellow. 
Spuria Iris are particularly fine in our 
area. With little care they grow like weeds. 
Lovers of the sun, they are most effective 
as accent points in Iris and hardy borders. 
Their fine foliage and tall stems, surmount- 
ed with colorful flowers of many hues, are 
all that can be desired for backgrounds. 
Now is the time (Sept.) to plant and trans- 
plant Set groups well apart, for your plant- 
ings will last over many seasons without 
thinning out and transplanting. While you 
may not be able to indulge in some of the 
higher priced novelties, do not omit Wadi 
Zem-Zem and some of the lower priced Nie’s 
hybrids. 
DISTRIBUTION OF SPECIES 
Have you thot about the distribution of 
the various genera over the world? Almost 
invariably they spread east and west and not 
across the equator. 
It would be interesting to know why some 
genera have species in both hemispheres and 
others do not. It is easy to see why seeds 
can be spread by either the birds, wind or 
water and all three tend to keep in its hemes- 
phere.. 
Why is the Iris only in the northern hemis+ 
phere? Could it be on account of its part- 
icular type of seed? Seed that can stand 
much ill treatment could, during the course 
of centuries, find their way across the equat- 
or while other species, whose seeds perish 
easily, such as the Iris, would almost be im- 
possible to survive a trip to the southern 
hemisphere. 
DAHLIA ROOT STORAGE 
It is important to set Dahlia clumps upside 
down, after digging so that any excess moist- 
ure will drain out of the crowns. k 
Where you have but a few prize clumps, 
it is best to leave what soil is on them and 
only divide them in the spring when ready to 
plant. Dahlia toes should always be laid 
flat in the trench or hole made for them 
when planting; never “stand” them up. 
DORONICUM CORDATUM 
It is worth a prominent position in any 
rockery. It is a deciduous species asd dies 
down each winter. It grows 6 inches high 
but in extra good soil will reach 9 inches. 
The flowers are two inch-wide discs of 
pure gold, starting in early May and con- 
tinuing to late summer. Give it a place in 
full sun, in a deep fibrous loam that does 
not dry out in August. 
