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JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
May  12,  1904. 
bossod  ”  flowers  of  tlie  Grape  Hyacinth  or  iMuscari,  ranging 
through  deep  black-pniple,  the  fine  fflue  of  Heavenly  Blue,  the 
pale  blue  of  Mnscari  botryoides  palUdns,  to  the  pure  white  form 
known  as  albus  major,  or  the  pink  of  racemosnm  carneum, 
and  all  delightfid  with  their  conical  blooms.  With 'them  come 
still  more  of  the  Scillas,  although  the  forms  of  S.  bifolia  and 
S.  sil)irica  have  just  passed  to  their  l  est ;  for  have  we  not  the 
glorious  spikes  of  the  best  of  the  forms  of  the  Spanish  Squill, 
Scilla  campanulata,  and  the  old-fashioned  S.  lilio-hyacinthus, 
with  the  pretty  little  conical  spikes  of  thp  Italian  Sqtiill, 
S.  italica  ?  Then  there  is  S.  amanula,  a  species  hardly  ever  seen 
nowadays  in  its  true  form.  ■  i 
The  purple  or  blue  and  gold  of  the  netted  Iris  have  passed 
away,  but  other  species  take  up  the  tale.  Here  are  the  pleasing 
flowers  of  Iris  orchioides  on  their  varnished-like  plants,  and 
there  the  delightful  I.  bucharica,  more  cherished  by  the  lover 
of  novelties,  with  its  cream  and  yellow  flowers,  touched  with 
brown  streaks  on  the  falls.  There  is  the  delightful  I.  warleyen- 
.‘■is,  another  of  the  same  group,  with  pale  purplish  blue  flowers, 
with  a  yellow  spot  on  the  falls,  almo.st  encircled  by  a  deep  violet 
patch.  Only  those  who  know  these  Ajjril  and  May  flowering 
Iri.ses  can  appraise  them  at  their  true  value.  And  Fritillarias 
galore! — quaint  floAvers,  groAving  sloAvly  in  interest  with  the 
many,  it  may  be,  but  all  the  same,  Avorthy  of  more  attention 
than  they  yet  receive. 
If  the  Avoodlands  have  their  Anemones,  .so,  too,  has  the 
garden.  We  seem  to  have  ransacked  the  Avoods  for  their  best 
forms,  and  to  have  touched  them  Avith  the  gardener’s  art  to 
make  them  more  charming  still.  Here  is  the  delicate  colouring 
of  A.  nemorosa  Eobinsoniana,  coloured  Avith  the  pigment  which 
makes  delightful  .some  of  our  most  beautiful  skies;  here  its 
chaste  offspring,  Wliite  Qneen.  There  is  the  fine  Alleni,  another 
scion  of  this  fine  plant,  Avhile  other  delightful  forms  of  our  oAvn 
Wood  Anemone  are  coerulea,  purpurea,  Blue  Queen,  the  later 
Blue  Bonnet,  the  fine  old  double  A.  n.  plena,  and  the  delight¬ 
fully  quaint  A.  n.  bracteata,  Avith  it*  "  Jack-in-the-Green  ”  like 
floAvers. 
Sheets  of  single  and  double  Arabis,  snoAV-like  in  appearance, 
glisten  eAmryAvhere,  but  soon  to  seem  almost  creamy  in  com- 
pa.rison  Avith  some  of  the  Iberi.ses,  fa.st  covering  themselves  with 
sTill  more  snoAvy  floAvers.  More  and  more  delightful  groAv  the 
Aubiietias,  as  AA’e  gradually  acquire  neAA^  shades  of  colour  among 
these  charming  floAr’ers.  If  we  look  here,  AA'e  come  across  a 
fine  sheet  of  A.  Dr.  Mules,  a  lovely,  deep-coloured  form,  Avhich 
does  just  honour  to  the  name  it  bears.  Lighter  again  is  Lilac 
Queen;  AA,-hile  Bridesmaid  is  one  of  the  mo.st  exquisite,’ Avith  its 
blush-pink  floAA’ers.  There  is  the  brilliant  Fire  King,  Avith  deep 
and  Avarm  rosy-red  flowers ;  Avhile  everyAvhere,  in  border,  on 
rockery,  or  depending  in  three-feet  trails,  from  an  old  Avail,  are 
many  others,  some  named,  and  others  .seedlings  not  a  Avhit  less 
beautiful,  though  they  are  still  under  the  veil  of  anonymity. 
But  one  could  ramble  on  long  among  the  Primulas,  the  Prini- 
rose.s,  the  Polyanthuses,  the  Androsaces.  the  Forget-me-nots, 
the  \  lolets,  the  Violas,  the  Cardamines,  the  Ericas,  and  the 
many  more  which  shine  from  the  border  or  the  rockeries.  Even 
the  SAA’eet  old  MallfloAver  Avould  call  for  a  word  of  greeting  could 
we  spare  it  noAv.  Then  there  are  shrubs  in  flower  or  coming  on. 
\\4iat  can  Ave  not  say  of  the  golden  Forsythias,  the  glorious 
Khododendron,  the  creamy  Cytisus  prmcox,  and  others  which 
come  to  give  us  pleasure  in  these  narroAV  bounds  ?  One  often 
that  Thomson  might  not  only  have  called  the  season 
fair-handed  .spring,”  but  also  ‘‘free-handed”  spring,  for  she 
i.s  generous,  nay,  almost  prodigal,  of  her  floral  bounties.  No 
pleasures  of  the  garden  are  greater  than  those  she  yields  to  the 
true-hearted  lover  of  the  floAA'er. — S.  Arnott. 
A  Neiv  Adiantum— A.  CroAveanum. 
Tile  folloAving  is  the  introducer’s  description;  A  free  groAAnr, 
the  darkest  green  of  the  Adiantum  family  and  longest  stemmed. 
It  ha,s  also  the  most  graceful  foliage  ;  the  average  length  of  the 
fronds  measuring  30in.  It  i.s  by  far  the  best  keeper.  Cut 
fronds  can  be  kept  fresh  several  weeks  in  a  cool  place.  It  is 
also  one  of  the  be.st  ferns  for  a  dAA’elling-house.  I  have  given 
pre.sents  of  this  fern  to  several  friends,  and  from  my  own  obser¬ 
vation  note  it  grows  better  than  the  Boston  fern.  I  gave  up 
Eose  cultivation  some  ten  months  ago  in  order  to  devote  all  my 
attention  to  fern  cultivation  for  cut  fronds.  I  find  from  the 
amount  of  bench  room  this  fern  pays  me  $1.50  to  every 
$1.00  obtained  from  Eoses. — Peter  Crowe. 
Herbs. 
IMany  are  ignorant  of  the  usefulness  of  most  of  the- 
plants  AA’hich  come  undei;  this  heading;  indeed,  it  is  in  very 
feAA^  gardens  that  avp  find  a  small  space  set  aside  for  the  cultiA'a- 
tion  of  even  the  commonest  of  herbs.  Anyone  aa'Iio  has  had 
need  of  some  necessai'y  herb  AA'ill  knoAA’  Iioaa’  difficult  they  are  to 
obtain,  and  Iioav  iiiany  gardens  had  to  be  searched  before  the 
required  article  could  be  found.  This  should  not  be  so.  Every 
housekeeper  and  cook  aaIio  has  the  priA^ilege  of  picking  from  a 
'herb  bed  Avill  testify  to  its  value  in  supplying  her  Avants  during 
the  summer,  and  providing  dried  heihs  for  the  winter.  \  ery 
little  ground  Avill  be  taken  up,  in  some  kinds  only  sufficient  space 
for  one  or  tAvo  plants  being  all  that  is  required. 
To  prepare  them  for  Avinter  use  they  should  be  cut  when 
in  full  bloom,  and  hung  up  in  paper  bags  to  dry,  Avhen  the  leaves 
may  be  rubbed  into  poAvder  and  put  in  bottles,  Avhere,  if  corked 
tightly,  they  Avill  keep  good  for  a  long  time.  Many  of  them 
are  perennials,  plants  of  Avhich  may  be  purchased  during  the 
autumn  and  a  bed  formed.  Of  the  various  uses  to  Avhich  they 
may  be  put,  a  description  Avili  not  be  out  of  place,  as  it  Avill  enable- 
those  intending  to  cultivate  a  feAv  to  make  a  selection  of 
varieties  that  Avill  best  suit  their  requirements.  The  folloAving 
perennials  may  be  propagated  by  division  of  roots: — 
Angelica. — Used ‘for  flavouring  confectionery  and  liquors;  is 
sometimes  blanched  and  eaten  like  Celery. 
Balm. — The  leaves  possess  an  aromatic  odour,  and  are  some¬ 
times  used  in  making  claret-cup.  It  is  also,  in  the  form  of  tea,, 
an  old-fa.shioned  cure  for  colds,  and  the  young  shoots  are  used 
in  salads. 
Burnet. — The  leaves,  used  for  flavouring  soups,  salads,  and 
wines,  have  a  cucumber-like  taste,  and  a  similar  cooling  effect. 
Chamomile. — The  floAvers  of  this  are  used  in  the  preparation  of 
a  tonic.  CaraAvay. — Seeds  of  this  are  used  in  the  distiilation 
of  spirits,  for  medicinal  purposes,  and  in  confectionery  are  put 
to  many  uses.  Its  leaves  are  also  used  for  flavouring  soups. 
Cumin. — GroAvn  for  its  aromatic  seeds,  Avhich  are  used  for 
various  culinaiy  purposes. 
Fennel. — All  parts  of  this  herb  are  put  to  some  use,  the 
stalk  being  used  in  salads,  the  leaves  for  sauces  and  garnishing, 
the  seeds  loroducing  an  essence  for  flavouring  confectionery. 
Horehound. — Popular  as  a  remedy  for  cough  and  asthma,  it 
has  also  valuable  tonic  and  laxative  properties.  Hys.sop. — An 
evergreen  shrub,  the  shoots  and  floAvers  of  Avhich  are  used 
medicinally  as  an  expectorant.  Purslane  is  used  in  salads, 
soups,  and  for  pickling. 
Eosemary. — A  popular  evergreen  used  for  garnishing.  A  drink 
to  relieve  headache  is  also  made  from  it.  Eue _ A  most  power¬ 
ful  medicinal  hei’b,  bitter,  and  pungent.  Is  used  in  a  prepara¬ 
tion  for  curing  croup  in  poultry. 
Savory,  Winter. — Its  aromatic  tops  are  used  in  salads  and 
soups.  Also  for  improAung  the  flavour  of  Beans  and  Peas  when 
boiled.  Sorrel. — Same  as  Savory.  Skirret  may  be  eaten  like 
Watercre.ss,  and  has  some  medicinal  properties.  The  roots  may 
be  cooked,  but  if  required  for  this  purpose  it  Avill  be  best  to 
raise  from  seed  annually. 
Tarragon  can  be  forced  like  Mint.  Has  a  demand  for 
seasoning  salads,  soups,  and  for  flavouring  vinegar.  M"orm- 
wood. — A  fine  tonic ;  is  also  used  for  giving  a  bitter  flavour  to 
drinks. 
Lavender,  Mint,  Sage,  and  Thyme  it  is  unnecessary  to 
describe,  as  they  are  ail  Avell  knoAvn.  The  remainder  are  chiefly 
annuals  or  biennials,  and  may  be  treated  as  !5uch,  unle.ss  it  is 
stated  othei'Avise. 
Anise. — Possessing  carminative  properties,  the  aromatic  seeds 
are  used  in  medicines.  Basil. — To  be  treated  as  a  half-hardy 
annual.  The  SAveet-scented  leaves,  having  a  dove-like  flavour, 
are  used  for  seasoning  soups,  Ac. 
Borage. — A  mo.st  useful  herb  that  may  be  cooked  when 
young  like  Spinach.  Its  leaves  and  floAvers  are  used  for  gar¬ 
nishing,  for  salads,  and  for  giving  an  aromatic  flavour  lo  liquors. 
As  bees  shoAv  a  prefei’ence  for  it,  bee-keepers  should  cultivate  it 
extensively,  soAAing  seeds  of  it  at  intervals  during  the  summer. 
Clary. — Leaves  of  this  pot  herb  used  in  soups,  Ac. 
Coriander. — Sow  at  intervals  from  spring  to  autumn  for  use 
in  soups  and  salads.  Seeds  used  in  confections.  Dill. — A 
biennial  herb,  seed  of  Avhich  should  be  soAvn  as  soon  as  ripe. 
Used  for  pickling  and  flavouring  soups  and  sauces. 
Marigold,  Pot. — FloAvers  used  for  colourine  soups,  Ac.  Eam- 
pion. — Young  sprigs  and  leaves  used  in  salads,  soups,  and  for 
pickling.  Savory,  Summer. — Same  use  as  Winter  Savory, 
Scurvy  Grass. — A  biennial,  used  medicinally,  or  may  be  eaten 
like  Watercress. — J.  W.  J.,  OsAA-estry. 
