1, % ft .4? /, ;?y-^jr ^55P GARDENERS' HRONICLE \ (OF AMERICA) RATE D arcisst Syracuse Park Planned to Build Then Built to a Plan ".it If Knowing what you know about greenhouse planning and building isn't it surprising how few have looked ahead far enough to plan ahead for future additions ? Run over in your mind, the houses you know about personally; and it's ten chances to one that nine of them are more or less botched up because of having to meet conditions that ouglil to have been met, at the start, on tlie plan. When the Park officials at Syracuse, N. Y., considered the question of building houses, the plan to them was the first and last thing of importance. As a result, they now have a Palm house ami work room as a central feature, and four houses already erected on one side. A glance at the photograph below, shows the opposite side of the Palm House, constructed for connecting duplicate houses. Even the doors are in and ready. One or more houses can be added at a time, until the layout is complete in accord with the original plan. As a result, it will be attractive to look at, nnd economical to both work and heat. We are not saying that this plan could well be duplicated for the requirements of other parks, but it does meet the needs of this one. Each individual condition, should always gov- ern the layout, both as to size and arrange- ment. Which statement brings us right down to the basic fact, that when you are ready to talk plan, we will gladly plan to be there. Let us know w!ien and wliere. ofd, & BnrnhamCS. Builders of Greenhouses and Co iservatories Ji ^/^ t ^ r^-^. mVlNGTON NEW YORK PHILADELPHIA New York 42nd St. BIdg. Land Title Bldg. BOSTON CLEVELAND TORONTO Little Bldg, 2063 E. 4th St. Royal Bank Bldg. Eastern Factory Western Factoid Irvmgton. N. Y. Dea Plaines. III. CHICAGO Continental Bank Bldg. MONTREAL Transportation Bldg. Canadian Factory St. Catharines. Ont. ■^2 m This View from the Opi'osite Side of the Palm Houses, Shows the Provision Made fur Adding Future Houses iLWiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiniininiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiH^^ Joseph Manda, doing business under the name of Joseph Manda since 1895, announces the organization of a new company composed of himself and sons, Edward A. and WilHam J. Manda, under the tide of Joseph Manda Com- pany, to engage in a. general horticultural business, catering to the private estate. While the company will specialize in orchids, it will also handle a complete line of plants, bulbs, and horti- cultural sundries. Mr. Manda takes this opportunity to express his appre- ciation of the patronage he has enjoyed for the past twenty- five years, and solicits a continuance of the same for the new company which has taken over his business. Joseph Manda Company ORCHID EXPERTS Plant s — B u 1 b s — S u n d r i e s West Orange - - - New Jersey Joseph Manda Pres. & Treas. Williajn J. Maiula Vicc-Pres. Edward A. Manda Sccr'y- illllllUIIIIIII iiiniiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiimiiiiiiiniiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiy 383 ^iiiiiiiiiiiiiniiiiiiiii:iiif:iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii:iiii:iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiliiiiiiliiiiiiililililiiilililiuiiiililllillliu^ THE SEASON'S Leading Novelty will be mailed to all of our cus- tomers without their asking for it, but we want all who are in- terested in gardening to have a copy and will mail it free to those who mention this publica- tion when writing. DREER'S GARDEN BOOK FOR 1920 contains 224 pages, six color plates featuring Choice Vegetables and Flowers, also hun- dreds of photo-engravings, together with cultural notes written by experts, making it a dependable guide on all matters relating to Vegetable and Flower growing. Write today and we will gladly send a copy when it is ready. Hunt's Golden Sunrise TOMATO tlllllllll!lllll>lllllllllll'IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIUIIIIIIIil>!IIIIIIIHIIIIIIIIIIIIIilllllllllllllllllll!llllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll!ll^ Possesses the FINEST FLAVOR of any Tomato in cultivation, being entirely FREE FROM ACID. Tlie handsome GOLDEN fruits are medium in size of rounded form and are produced in gigantic clusters. Matures ten days earlier than any other variety outdoors, and is unexcelled for forcing. SOLD IN PACKETS ONLY AT THIRTY-FIVE CENTS THREE PACKETS FOR ONE DOLLAR I William M. Hunt & Co. | I 148 Chambers Street, New York | .uiiiniiuiiiiiii!iiiiniliiiiii:iiiiiiiiNiiiiiiii»ililiiiiiiiiiiliiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiliiiiililililiiililiiilliiniiiiiiiuiliiiiiiiiii^ jiiNHiniiiiiiii!iiNimiiiii:iiimiiiiiiii^nnni!»iiNiiiiiiiiii!iiii:iiiiinninnifiiiiiiiiiiiniiiiinitiniiiiniiii»iiniiiiiiniiiiiiiinit)inim Orchids If you contemplate buying semi-established, established or imported orchids, consult us first. We carry in stock about 25,000 species. A large stock of Laelie Cattleyas, Hybrid Catt- leyas, Brasso Cattleyas, Odontiodas, and other choice hybrids. We specialize in supplying the private trade. Let us figure on your requirements — our quality is second to none. Orchid peat, live Sphagnum Moss, baskets, pot hangers, always on hand. Send for our price list. G. E. BALDWIN & COMPANY Orchid Collectors, Growers and Importers MAMARONECK Box 98 NEW YORK When in Doubt Plant Norway Maples Norway Maples are deservedly the most popular of all shade trees. They grow quickly; thrive in all soils, and increase in beauty as the years go by. We have them in sizes from 1 inch to 6 inches in diameter — all sturdy and healthy. When in doubt, plant Nor- way Maples. Harrisons' Evergreens are heavy. bushy specimens \vith strong root systems. Our Thunberg's Barberry and California Privet excel for hedges. We also sup- ply Flowering Shrubs in great variety. Harrisons' Fruit Trees are budded from our own fruit- ing orchards. Norway Maple — King of Shade Trees Everbearing S t r a w^ berry Plants and 30 Other Varie- ties afford w^ide choice. Write today for 1920 Catalog. ^IT J G.MARRlSON S SONS III PRQPBIfTOBS • Box 27, Berlin, Maryland 384 gimiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii iiiiiiiiiiiiiiniiinmiiii I * * GREENHOUSE PLANTS FOR 1920 * * ROSES The New Roses which w^e are offering are the very best novelties we have ever offered for the private trade. CRUSADER is alone in its class, the best Red Rose we have ever grovs^n or seen. PILGRIM is wonderful. We wish you could see these roses grow^ing, and we invite you to come to Cromw^ell at any time. MRS. JOHN COOK is the new White Rose and everyone will like it. CARNATIONS We shall have plants and cuttings of any variety you wish, including LADDIE the most popular pink carnation toda3^ CHRYSANTHEMUMS (NOVELTY POMPONS) NELLIE IRWIN— A clear, light yellow. PAULINE WILCOX— Beautiful dark bronze. HELEN ANDRE— Orange-bronze. HELEN HUBBARD— Fiery crimson decorative. LORRAINE MEECH— Dull crimson, golden bronze reverse. (NOVELTY SINGLES) ELIZABETH McDOWELL — Orange-bronze single. EVELYN BOSWORTH— Bronze with a tint of salmon-pmk. CHARTER OAK— Clear, bright-yellow; late. KATHERINE HARLEY— Light bronze. GREENHOUSE PLANTS is the name of our 1 920 Catalogue, which gives a full list of the Roses, Carnations and Chrysanthemums which we are offering. Send us a card and a copy will be mailed to you at once. ANPlErySON INC. Ceommll Cai^ens Crpmwell Conn iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiipiiiiii iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii iiiiiiiiiuiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii iiiiiiiiniiiii iiiiiniiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii iiiiiiiiiiii iiiiiiiiiiiiiuiiiiiiiiiiiii 385 i;i„ nil iiniiiiiiiiiiiii iiii imiiiiiiiiii iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii.iililllliiiiiiiiiiiuiiiiitmj inllllliliiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiijiiiiiiiiiiiiiitiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiilillllllllllllllllllllllliiiiiillilllllliililiiiiilllllliui^ MICHELL'S SEEDS \ || mean an early, pro- | j \ lific, satisfactory gar- j | f den and lawn, an at- | | f tractive conservatory | | | or greenhouse. | | 1 Our mammoth ware- | j | rooms are teeming | | j with the best in the | | j greatest variety of | | | Seeds, Bulbs and hor- | | I ticultural requisites. | j | Our Seeds, Bulbs, etc., are selected with the ut- | | f most care and exactness. I 1 I MICHELL'S ILLUSTRATED I CATALOG i I For 1920 I I IS READY NOW | I An authentic guide to successful gardening and | I lawn making, and also brimful of interesting | I farm and other facts. It will help you to grow j I bigger and better crops. I j WRITE TODAY FOR A COPY | I MICHELL'S SEED HOUSE | j 514 MARKET ST., PHILA. PA. | flllllltlllll1lllilllll1l1IIIilllllll1llllllll11illllllllllllllllllHIIIIIIIIII!llllllllllli1IIII[lIltlllll!llllllllll!illllllllil[lllllllllllllllllllltl{llllllliIIIII^ ^iiiiiiiiiiiiniiiiiiiiriiijiioiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiniiiiiiinniiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiniiiiiiiiiiiiniiiiitimiiiiiiiiiniiiiKiitiiiiNiiimiiiniiiiiiiiii^ I GLOXINIAS I j We have just received a fine lot of bulbs | j in the following varieties: | I DUCHESS OF YORK— Purple, white bor- | I der. I I HER MAJESTY— Pure white. | I KING GEORGE V— Red. | j METEOR — Flesh color, deep pink border. | I READING PURPLE— Deep purple. | I READING SCARLET— Scarlet. | I $3.50 per Doz. $25.00 per 100. | j Extra selected bulbs, 50c. each, $5.00 per | I doz. 1 W. E. MARSHALL & CO., Inc. 166 West 23rd St., New York THE STORE OF Complete Garden Service Since 1877 we have served buyers of discrimination with the choicest products our line affords. Service and quality have been the keynotes, rather than price. You will again find this the pre- dominating factor in the Spring issue of Beckert's Guide to Better Gardens Like former issues, it offers the choicest products of America, Europe and Asia, in seasonable Seeds, Bulbs and Miscellaneous Garden Requisites. You will find our prices modest, our assort- ments comprehensive, our service beyond reproach. Try us on the basis of fair prices for quality goods and top-notch service. Your copy of our latest catalog is awaiting your call. Beckert's Seed Store f 101 and 103 Federal St., Pittsburgh Pa. ^iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiininiiiiiiiiiiiiiiimiiiiiiiiiiiiiiHiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiinniiiiiiiniiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiniiuiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiniiim iliiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiniiiiiiiiMiiiiiiiiiiiiiiinimiiiiniiiiiiiiiiNiiiiiiii.iiiiiiiiinniiiiiiiiiiiiiiii Niii:iiiiiiiiiiiiii;iiimiiniinnniiiniiiiiiiii;iiiiiiiiiiiiiiii|i^ Si .» A Garden for Every Home Spring 1920 SEEDS, BULBS AND REQUISITES Have you received copy of our catalog? It will be mailed promptly on request — other up-to-the-minute booklets on plants will be ready soon. Muller-Sealey Co., Inc. Horticultural Specialists 145 West 45th St. New York City Phone Bryant 9141 "I" " '"" '»" '"" "'"" "" ' '""""'""' " « '««««' I ««««'« I ««»»«'■«>« f Sfl 1 1 „ ,i„i,i iiiiii,, I iiiiiiii „ 1,1, „„„ „„„„, „„, 11,1, |,|,„|||, ,1 386 I nil III iiiiiiiii II nil I II I iiiiiiiii iiiiiii I iiiiiiiii iiiiiiiii iiiiiiiii iiiiiiiii III 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 III 1 1 1 1 1 III 1 1 III I III 1 1 inn 1 1 n I 1 1 II I I 1 1 1 1 inn 1 1 IIIIIII II nil iiiiiii 1 1 . iin Happy 5J^ui ^^ar ■>■> 1920 is here and our new General Catalogue is being- mailed you this week. If you do not receive your copy write us. In common with all other horticultural concerns we have been delayed t)n account of the printer's strike, but our list this year is "well worth waiting for." In CHRYSANTHEMUMS, it includes such varieties as "PINK TURNER" and "MRS. C. W. JOHNSON," etc., etc., which are the finest varieties we ha\e c\er distributed in Exhil)ition tvpes and a splendid lot of NEW POMPONS. In ROSES: "FRANK W. DUNLOP," and "MME. BUTTERFLY," will reign supreme, and will be welcome additions to the forcing Roses. New CARNATIONS: "ETHEL FISHER" an^ 387 ^^UBSQ^M Illllllllllllllllllllllllllll OUR NEW CATALOG Showing Eight of our Varieties of Gladioli with Natural Colored Plates is just out and if you are not on our mailing list already, write for it at once — it is free upon request. Anyone who is a lover of flowers should not fail to have a copy of it; it's a little book worth having in one's library, containing instructions how to plant and care for Gladioli as well as for Petunias. Our Gladioli are of a finer quality than ever before and our many varieties surpass any m exist- ence. The Thomas T. Kent, Anna Eberius. Jack London, Mrs. John Walsh and others which you will find in our catalog speak for themselves without the hundreds of testimo- nials that have been pouring in upon us continuously. Diener's Ruffled Monster Petunias have created a sensation wherever grown or exhibited. As they are continually flowermg all Summer there is hardly anything giving flower-lovers more satisfaction. Seed comes in separate colors — red, pink, white, purple, flesh-pink frilled, white frilled, variegated and mixed colors. Price per package, 50c. RICHARD DIENER CO., Inc. Keiitfield, Marin Co., Cal. .iiiiiiiiiiiniiiiniiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiifliiiNiiiiiiiiiiiiinniiiiiiiiiiiiiiiimiiniiiiiii giiiiiiiii' 11:1111:111 'iiiinii.iiii:iiui!;i: :i!ii:i:u :i:{:iiii: :iiiiiiii:iiii:iiii::iii:iniiiiii:..,iii!ililil!;i|iiilllllilllilill«liillilililiiililll^^ I'liiiiiiiMiipiiiiiiiniiiii I HOME GROWN I I iin»»iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiKiiiiiiittniiiiiii!ii»;i»iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiin^ iniiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii iiiiiiiiiinN[iiiiiiiinitiii:iiij{)iiiiiiiNiijiiiNiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii!ir FOR RESULTS USE NURSERY STOCK 1 1 MASTER BRAND BETTER THAN IMPORTED If YOU will come and see these plants, I will certainly get an order 500 double flowering pink and white JAPANESE CHERRY. 10.000 BUXUS Suffruticosa, (J in. 10.000 BUXUS Sempervirens, 6 in 10,000 EUCNYMUS Radicans Vegetus, J 4 \r, strong .iTnl l.nshv 10,000 EUONYMUS Radicans Vegptus, kootefl Cuttings. 500 AZALEA Amoena, 18 in 1,000 AZALEA Amoena, 15-18 in. 1,000 AZALEA Amo«na, 12-15 10,000 Hall's HONEYSUCKLE, ? vr» 3,000 TAXUS Cuspidala,',S in. 1,000 TAXUS Cuspidata, 2-3 ft. 2,000 ILEX Crenata, 12-18 in. 2.000 MUGHO PINES, Speci- mens, 2-J ft. 2.000 CORNUS Florida, 4-5 ft. 1,000 CORNUS Florida, 5-6 ft. 5.1X10 LEUCOTHOE Gales- baei, I.'^-IS ni. I.min CLETHRA Alnifolia. ,;.niX) EUONYMUS Alatus. 4,(Wl AMERICAN ARBOR VITAES. .i -I ft. 2.niXI AMERICAN ARBOR VITAES. 4 5 ft. l.nnn AMERICAN ARBOR VITAES, ? 12 ft .Ml tliese ARBOR VITAE^S .ire transpl.mted, growing .ipart, and finest qtialitv. 500 RHODODENDRON Ca- tawbiense. Transplanted rinnips, 1S-24-.W in. 5,000 PERRYWINKLE Clumps, Finest quality. 50,000 GERMAN IRIS, in 40 vnrieties 3,000 JAPANESE IRIS, in 15 varieties. 3.000 JAPANESE IRIS Seed- lines. 2 ^-rs. old . 5,000 HARDY PHLOX, 3 yr., in 20 varieties. 500 FRENCH LILAC. Norristown is 17 miles west of Philadelphia ADOLF MULLER Sterilized Sheep Manure Guaranteed Analysis Ammonia Phosohoric Acid Potash 2.2S', 1.50", 1.50% Concentrated Vine & Plant Manure Guaranteed Analysis Ammonia Phosphoric Acid Potash 5.00'- 2.00 : 1.00<~c DE KALB NURSERIES Norristown, Pa. Pr cipitnte Phosphatic Manure Available Phosphoric Acid 2$^/( NATURE'S MASTER SOIL BUILDERS Master Brand Manures are thoroughly sterilized in Rotary Direct Heat Driers. Absolutely free from all Live Weed Seeds and Fungus diseases. Does not con- tain IS to 30% excess moisture as is found in all air- dried manures. Will not rot out the Bags when placed in dry storage. Are adaptable for the feeding of a greater variety of crops than any other type of fer- tilizers. Full injormation and prices jurniahed on application. The Proto-Feed and Guano Co. 4121 S. La Salle Street CHICAGO Hiilliinuiiilllllililiiiiiiiiiiiniiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiinn^ iiimiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiliiiil iiiiiiiuittiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiniuiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii imiiinf tmu i [iiniiiiiniiii ' 'iiik»iiiiii iiiinniiii iiiiiiiiiiiiiriiini mini niiriiiiiiiiiH i luuiiig 388 ':^WW»iin;iiii;iiiriiii:niii«n:iili:ii»;iiinii:iiiiJiii:ilii:iili:iiiiiiiN iiiuiniiiiiii :iiii;iiii : iniiiuii. mi FOR 1920 m ■ I ANNUAL LIST OF NOVELTIES ALSO KECENT NOVELTIES AND SPECIALTIES OF INTEREST TO ALL UP-TO-DATE GARDENERS Novelties are sent out in original packets. Descriptions are those of introducers EUROPEAN NOVELTIES This List includes the 1920 as well as Recent Novelties and Specialties in Fiower and Vegetable Seeds. A copy will be mailed to you on request. Fcr Compleie Lisi of Seeds, etc.. Send for Our General Catalogue for 1920. BURNETT BROTHERS, Seedsn^en THE HOUSE FAMOUS FOR LAWN GRASS SEED 92 CHAMBERS STREET Between Broad A-ay and Church Street NEW YORK Telephone Barclay 6138 FOR 1920 iiiiiii:iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiil|iiiiiiiiii:iiii:iiii:iiu;iiii!iiir ii>'iii''<<'? York illlllllllllllllUIIUIIIIIII iiiiiuuuiniiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiinupiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiin^ 390 liiiainiiPiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii % GARDENERS' CHRONICLE (OF AMERICA) Devoted to the Science of Floriculture and Horticulture 1 Vol. XXIV JANUARY, 1920 IIIIIIIIIIIHIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIUillllllllllli No. 1 I Things and Thoughts of the Garden THE ONLOOKER ''Gardening w the purest of human pleasures, t»t greatest refrcsliment to the spirit of man.'' — Fraiiiis Bacon. THK.se words, written some three hundred years ago, should be emblazoned all over the land to-day, for never perhaps in the history of the world has there been such seeking after pleasure as now, nor has the spirit of men ever been in greater need of refreshment. For a long period of time gardening has been the study and recreation of men m all stations of life. To many it has been a life-work of absorbing interest, and to-day it still offers a satisfying charm not exceeded by any other occupation. Countless busy people seeking bodily recrea- tion and mental rela.xation have found in it a fascinating and delightful hobby, in the pursuit of which business cares have been stripped of their baneful influence and at the same time the spirit of youth has been renewed once more. Of late years especially, many agencies have been actively at work in the development of the home garden movement, lectures, demonstrators, magazines and catalogs, all are helping to "Make America Beauti- ful." The advantages of nature study and school gar- dening are being more widely recognized by those re- sponsible for the up-bringing of the rising generation, and there is no doubt of their being potent factors in the development of good citizens. Yes, indeed, there is much to be said in favor of gardening, whether followed as a profession or taken up for purely sentimental or recre- ational reasons, and a widespread love for the pleasure and beauties of a garden would undoubtedly create a more general feeling of contentment and happiness, of which there is great need in the world to-day. * :;: * Nearly everybody has an innate feeling of regard for ])lants and flowers which oftentimes struggles to ex- press itself under adverse conditions, as we may see here and there in the windows of a crowded tenement district. How those people whose little gardens are limited by the size of the window space must envy those who can go out on the ground and dig and plant and cultivate a real garden. No matter if it is but a few square feet in extent, it may still be one of the very best of gardens because of the pleasure it gives the owner and the person- ality it expresses. The best Rose garden I know of is not the biggest by any means, nor yet the best designed, but the best because of the true spirit of gardening which it portrays. The owner, an active business man, living in the suburbs of a thriving industrial city, has in his leisure hours literally surrounded his home with beautiful Roses. Starting with just a few plants, his enthusiasm was aroused, and year by year new beds were made, and really made the natural gravelly soil being removed to a depth of three feet and replaced with loam and cow manure. To-day practically every available foot of space is devoted to Roses, some thirty or forty varieties in separate beds of two to three dozen plants, while even more varieties than that are represented by just one or two plants in a trial bed to which new kinds are added every year. It is a genuine delight to visit that garden and spend an hour with this enthusiastic rosarian, and it is his pleasure to welcome visitors and freely impart of his knowledge and experiences. The influence of that garden has shown itself in and beyond the immediate neighborhood and our friend might well be regarded as a first-class demonstrator. Something of that kind has happened many times, for when the gardening fever gets well started the amateur gardener may very likely develop into a keen and en- thusiastic specialist with some one particular genus or family. Roses, Sweet Peas, Gladioli, Peonies and Dahl- ias are examples of popular flowers especially beloved by amateur gardeners amongst which are to be found some of the most successful cultivators. .•Xs a matter of fact, our gardens have been enriched in large measure as a I'esult of the labors of unprofessional gardeners, many of whom have made for themselves an enviable record in the matter of originating new varieties by hybridising and selection, as a critical study of the development of some of the races of garden plants will show. One of the good points of gardening is the wide range of subjects from which one may make a choice for sjiecialization if so inclined — plants to suit any individual taste, as we find expres.sed in this quaint old saying — "Difl^erent people has different opinions .^omc likes horchids and some likes hinions." To speak of these two in the same breath might not be considered good taste in some society, but a good deal of wealth in this locality has been made by specializing in the pungent onion and so making it possible for some to gratify their desire for the aristocratic orchid. The work of originating and developing new plant varieties makes a strong appeal to the imagination even though the chances favor the drawing of more blanks than prizes. In sjiiie of all that has been done there is a 391 392 GARDENERS' CHRONICLE wide field to work in yet and open to all comers. Some amateurs could better give time and attention to this than the majority of their professional brethren. What has been accomplished in the past should be but a stimu- lus to take up this fascinating work, especially as the scientific principles of plant-breeding are now more widely known. •■:■• ■:• * Orchids have a great fascination for most people and are quite commonly regarded with a kind of mysterious awe, induced perhaps by thrilling stories of the experi- ences of some orchid collectors as well as by the large sums of money that have been ]5aid for certain varieties. There are many notable collections in this country and abroad and whenever orchids are placed on public exhibi- tion they are sure to attract a good deal of attention. Alany of the species require the attention of expert grow- ers, but there is at least one that may be grown to per- fection by anyone having a greenhouse, and that is the well-known Lady's Slipper, Cypripcdium insignc. Grown in a mixture of fibrous peat, lumps of turfy loam, sphag- num moss and charcoal, in well drained pots so that the abundance of water required at all times may not stag- nate, it is as easy to grow as a geranium and will reward with a good crop of flowers around the Christmas season, which in a cool house remain fresh for many weeks. It is just a hundred years ago since this useful plant was intro- duced into English gardens from India, and during that time it has given rise to numerous varieties. One of the best is the lovely pale yellow and white Sandcnc which never fails to e.xcite the admiration of all who see it. It appeared as a chance plant amongst a lot of newly-im- ported C. insigne in the famous Sander nursery at St. Albans, England, about thirty years ago. It proved to be a lucky find for in the first few years of its division several pieces were sold for one hundred guineas apiece. Some of our friends go south for the winter and write back of green growing things, but we don't envy them so much if we have a greenhouse in which we can spend some of the time when the thermometer is flirting with zero. When there is only a pane of glass separating arctic weather from tropical plants that is the time we a]5preciate a greenhouse most of all. As time goes on we shall expect to see more people wanting a small green- house to make their garden more complete, so that they may continue their gardening activities the year round. A great deal of pleasure can be obtained in this way at moderate cost. There are a number of plants from which to choose that grow and flower well in a house with a night temperature of about 55° F. and in the case of a conservatory attached to the residence it is often possible to heat it from the house system with little e.xtra expense. A greenhouse may become a very personal thing where the owner can enjoy intimate association with a few favorite plants. A friend of mine had such a one as a hobby and filled it mostly with orchids, of kinds not too exacting in their requirements. They were the joy of his life and a source of pleasure to his friends and neighbors. These little glass structures are useful in many ways. Plants for the flower garden can be carried over or raised from seed in good season, also early vege- table plants. Rhubarb and chicory can be forced under the benches for use in early spring, while later on a crop of melons or tomatoes can be grown to maturitv. so that it need never remain empty. Ciood light is a most important factor in the growing of flowering [ilants in the greenhouse at this time of year, and the location of a greenhouse should always be carefully determined with this fact in mind. One can alw"ays shade against the sunshine if necessary, but you can't get all the desired sunshine in if the house is wrongly placed. Under the best of conditions a con- tinued spell of dull weather makes a noticeable difference in the production of flowers. But in this respect we are much more fortunate than our English brethren, who labor under the disadvantage of gray skies most of the time from November till March. \'isitors from overseas are greatly impressed with the wealth of cut flowers we have here in the winter months, and are especially enthu- siastic over the fine Roses and Carnations. In the neigh- borhood of London especially, the grower of winter- flowering plants is greatly handicapped by the poor day- light, while once in a while a thick, penetrating, evil- smelling fog envelopes everything, making matters still worse. The poisonous gases of a genuine London fog have a 'very injurious effect on some greenhouse plants, Begonias in particular being very sensitive. Their flow- ers wither and fall off, frequently the buds as well, and many a bright disjilay has been shorn of its glory over night. ^ ^ '^ The Begonia ranks as one of the most important of the ornamental plants and anyone wishing to specialize with one particular genus could get a lot of pleasure in gathering together a representative collection from amongst the hundreds of species and varieties. One of the most noteworthy of the species is Begonia socotrana, introduced into British gardens from the island of So- cotra by Professor Balfour of Edinburgh Botanic Gar- den in 1880. It is a very distinct species, as would be expected from its natural environment, its chief dis- tinguishing character being the cluster of bulbils at the base of the stem by which means this species is propa- gated annually. As a winter flowering plant it is well worth growing for its own beauty, but it is as a parent of the beautiful winter-flowering hybrids that it is most famous. Previous to its introduction, growers had had visions of a new and wonderful race if only a cross could be effected between the shrubby section and the large handsome flowered tuberous-rooted section, but all attempts to bring this about had failed until it began to be regarded as an impossibility. But five years after the introduction of B. socotrana the first of the new race of hybrids was distributed, the variety John Heal, named for the famous plantsman with James ^'eitch & Sons, of London, who made the cross between socotrana and a tuberous-rooted variety. Thus was originated that new- race that had long been dreamed of, and as the years went by John Heal followed up his initial success with many other fine kinds, both singles and doubles. In more recent years Messrs. Clibran of Altrucham, England, have raised some very choice double varieties, adding to the range of colors. It is interesting to note that these varieties are be- coming more widely known on this side of the Atlantic and one may count them a decided acquisition to the list of choice greenhouse plants. They are propagated by stem and leaf cuttings and so far as known none of this new race have yet produced seed. In 1891 Lemoine crossed B. socotrana with B. Drcgii and obtained the popular variety Gloire de Loraine. of which there are now several improved forms. Another fine Begonia, also an ofTspring of B. socotrana is Gloire de Sceaux. This is a particularly handsome plant with its large bronzy leaves and soft pink flowers and well grown specimens five to six feet high, are something to be remembered. for Jnniinry, 1920 393 Landscape Possibilities with Brook and Natural Stream RICHARD ROTHE River, River, little River! Bright you sparkle on your zvay; O'er the yellozc pebbles daneiiig. Through the floz^'ers and foliage glancing ; Like a child at play. For the above sketch-like, but vivid image of a clear natural stream of water, as we may see it, coming down on its way through woodland and meadow, all that the poet needed was the space of five short lines written in a simple folk-lore verse meter. Committing" itself so easily to memory it brings the beautiful picture of some brook reflecting the blue sky and flowers and foliage lining its course almost life-like into our vision. In reality the sensitive eye of the lover of nature delights in watching;' its rhvthmical motion and eternal restless- L'nfortunately, however, the owner of the grounds hap- pened to be an eminently practical gentleman, believing in radical ways of proceeding. The consecpience was a con- tractor received orders to eradicate the zigzag cour.se and run cement walls along the new straight lines. When being told to have narrow beds prepared along the walls for having nasturtiums planted, the landscape gardener left with the last vestiges of his visions and dreams shattered. One of the most ingenious treatments of a brook the writer more recently saw at "Compton Garden" in Chest- nut Hill, near Philadel])hia. The very spacious grounds are famed for their extensive collections of new and rare trees and shrubs.- Several distinct laying-outs of Japanese gardens and decidedly the most artistic pond Brook Scciu'ry at "Coiuj'lon Garden." Chestnut l-litl, iirnr Phihdelf'lna. I'a. iiess. but to the landscape architect this: "Through the flowers and foliage glancing'' is suggestive, or even out- right inspiring. The possibilities of the treatment of a natural water course within the precincts of park, or when, by chance, traversing spacious private home groun.ds loom up. never to entirely leave his mind. A score of years ago I remember a very enticing prop- osition of this kind. The brook in question having con- sidcraljle fall, af heavy thaws and severe rain storms, cansed annoying washouts which were to be prevented. I'or the purjjose of making the 1)anks secure the land- scape gardener suggested natural rock settings and plantations of moisture loving trees, shrubs, and peren- nials with a strong, thickly growing root system. There was an excellent [wssibility for the construction of a natural waterfall at hand and in regard to having the stream "Through the flowers and foliage glancing" the landscape gardener, no doubt, had his virions and dreams. ."Cenery of I'hiladelphia add to the i)resiige of the estate. "Compton (jarden" also had its swiftly flowing brook with naturally winding course and subseepient flood and washout ])roblems. l!ut fortunately in its founder, owner, and designer, the late John T. Morris. "Comp- ton Garden" had an artist fully competent to cope with the situation. The rockbed and the rocky shore lines of this stream of water constructed under personal direc- tion of Mr. Morris cannot be pictured or described in a way to give the work justice. One ne^ds to see and study the infinitely varied details along its natural course and the more we study the more we are forced to admire the subtlety of vision and the wonderfully clear conception of the elements of beauty in rocks and natural rock com- position as applying to the water edge. Our illustration shows the brook in the innnediate foreground with a bench around a nearby tree for rest and enjoyment of jy4 GARDENERS' CHRONICLE what an artist and philosopher once pronounced an en- chanting piece of realistic brook poetry. The log cabin in the rear, by the brook, was built by the founder of "Compton Garden" for his hours of relaxation after re- turning from his city office. He knew the rejuvenating power of free nature and loved to listen to her voices around him. To go down from his mansion on a turbu- lent November day and in his log cabin alongside the open fireplace hear the driving rain on the roof, the raging of the wind through the crowns of the trees and the deep murmuring of the foaming brook was emotion stirring. Again during the month of May, with door and windows wide open the jubilant song of wooing birds, the buzzing of busy bees and the gleeful prattling of the brook was delight. Thus, when looking at the picture of the brook at "Compton Garden" it is to be borne in mind that the amiable character and simplicity in the composition of the scenery and the distinguished personality of John T. Morris are inseparable. The out of door fernery in connection with biook and natural stream is one of the most alluring possibilities. However to produce and maintain a luxuriant growth pal list ris and Pri inula rosea and Priiiuila veris appeal to us. We also know of meadow rue, ranunculus, trollius and valerians being suitable subjects for^our purpose. But not until we have seen the tropical lu.xuriance and the metallic lustre of the large-leaved funkias, above all of Funkia fortiinci gigaiitca; not until we have studied the possibilities of Iris pseudo-acorns with its strong flood- resisting root system : and not until we behold the gor- geous color displays of Japanese and Siberian irises can we fully realize the wide scope for artistic compositions along brook and -natural stream. It is in the tempered atmosphere near running water where grace in leaf and flower invested in stately specimens of Spiraea aruncus and Spiraea paimata in beauty vies with the heavy yet highly decorative foliage of Gunnera scabra and the dif- ferent species of Senecio. Many are the pleasant sur- prises we meet with at our work down along the brook and one of the happiest to me was to notice the vigorous growth of all the species of Astilbc, especially the in- comparable eft'ect obtained by employing the new As- tilbe Arendsi hybrids close to the water edge. Indeed the large, erect, feathery flower heads in beautiful clear Brook i'lantuig Late in Mii\ on Ihc Author's urvunds, Glcnsidc. I'a. and beautiful effect outdoors beside a natural stream of water necessitates partial shade and protection against high winds. Therefore the natural ravine with oppor- tunities for rock-pocket construction along more or less steep slopes will prove ideal for extraordinary displays. Visions and dreams cropping out of a yearning desire to work on some enticing problem are among the most obstinate and tantalizing things in human life. When at last mv brook zigzagged in sight I was more than ever bent on a realization of the poet's image with the inten- tion to accentuate the line : "Through the flowers and foliage glancing" as strong as possible. Beginning with the practical part it is self-evident that the moist grotind conditions along creek and brook call for moisture loving plants. For lining of our water edge we naturally first think of M\'osotis paliistris, the swamp forget-me-not. In tui'ii the ilifl"i'rent si)ecies of marsh marigolds: Calllia pink shades above a dense growth of glossy green foliage are among the most novel and attractive features of floral display at the immediate brook waterline. The two illustrations of brook views from the author's grounds at Glenside, Pa., convey samples of arrangement and character of vegetation in open sunny positions. .Similar to rock-garden building, landscape architecture in connection with brook and stream brings us closely hack to the beautiful in nature. Brook treatment com- pared with bog gardening and shore planting of lake and pond, however, offers infinitely more variety in highly interesting problems to solve. It taxes our faculty of im- agination and technical ingenuity to the utmost when the natural fall of the ground increases the mobilitv of our stream. In such cases the character of the work calls for unlimited freedom for the landscape architect to follow his conception in regard to form and composition. .Any for Juniiury, 1920 395 detailed workiiia: plan he would absoluteh' have no use for. I am fully aware of the fact that the brook and natural stream traversing- public parks or country home grounds is the exception. Sojourns within refined sub- m^: Fuukiii Ovata ami .IstUbc Arcndm,"Subnon Queen," Alo]iii tlir Brookliiw urban and country sections of New York, Philadelphia, and Boston however have convinced me of the excep- tion being by no means a rare one. Evidently what should have been recognized by the owner as a priceless gift, he still remains prone to look at as a troublesome object. Instead of providing for a brimful measure of enjoyment by having a natural stream of water: Brightly sparkling on its way. O'er yclloic pebbles dancing, riirougli the flowers and foliage glancing — we continue building straight lined cement canals for them and at the bot- toms have a sadlj^ chastised meaning- less flow of water run through our premises. Exploiting of brook prob- lems for landscape architects endowed with the faculty of becoming expo- nents of poetry ofifers splendid oppor- tunities for satisfying their ambition. In Europe the subject of late has been given considerable attention and special chapters on landscape architecture in connection with brook and stream ap- pear now in their current literature. To my knowledge very little has been done so far in this direction in this country. The nature of the work itself, however. is so enchanting and the prospects for beautiful results on a highly enjoyable order are so obvious that we can ill af- ford to further remain disinterested and inactive. FROST AND THE PLANTS' AWAKENING :\luch experimental work has been done of recent years on the Continent and in America with the object of discovering practicable means of forcing plants to come out of their resting state, and to develop and blossom before their proper season. Among the means which have proved effective are : Etherization, warm baths (submerging the shoots for some hours in tepid water), inject- ing drops of water into the stem beneath a bud, watering the plants with a weak solution of nutritive salts (nitrates, phosphates and salts of potash), drying, keeping plants in darkness, and exposing the plants to frost. In the case of many plants it has been found pos- sible to awaken them only by a combination of several of these methods. It seems reasonable to conclude from such facts as these that the resting state of plants in winter is a complex business, and that this state may be disturbed and growth awakened by attacking it at several different points. Let us endeavor to form a mental picture of the conditions which obtain in a plant in its state of so-called winter rest ! There is reason to believe that in the resting state the living [irotoplasm of each cell forms a resistent outer layer or skin, through which water and gases pass with great difficulty, if at all. In this condition the protoplasm is said to be im- permeable. There is also reason to believe that owing to the layers of cork in the stem, car bun dioxide, produced by the cells themselves when they were finishing oft' their active life in autumn, is imprisoned in the spaces between the cells of the deep tissues, and acts as a narcotic ; drugging the tis- sues as it were. And, furthermore, there is ground for the belief that this same carbon dioxide prevents the ferment or enzyme, diastase, from doing its normal work of changing solid starch into soluble sugar, and if it exert this paralyzing power on this enzyme, may it not also exercise a like eft'ect on other enzj'Uies, the activity of which is necessarj- for the growth of the luiiiy J i:,iu- l:li,-il in l>r,<,ii; {,,niii-nii:ii f" ''''' . iicii.^r s (,>•,»' I ,leiisidc. Pa. "My dear Mrs. Croesus, may I not put your name down for tickets to Professor Pundit's course of lectures on Piuddhism?'' "Oh, by all means ! You know how ]iassionatcly fon-.i I am of flowers." tissues? In accepting these statements we must pic- ture the cells of a dormant ])Iant as cut off from water sujiplies by reason of the impermeable outer layer of protoplasm, as drugged by the heavy charge of carbon dioxide in and around the tissues, and as starved bv 396 lack of soluble food-material such as sugar and other substances. Anything which tends to break down one of these barriers to activity may aid in awakening the plant, but if several of them can he broken down escape from winter imprisonment is more probable. Now, it is well known that a low temperature ren- ders the outer layer of the cell's protoplasm more permeable. For example, in a severe frost water escapes from the cells into the surrounding spaces, and its lodgment in these spaces may be detected by the rich green color that frosted leaves assume. Further- more, when the temperature falls, starch undergoes a conversion into sugar, as may be inferred from the fact of frosted potatoes having a sweet taste. Hence we must conclude that a failing temperature favors the action of diastase in producing sugar from starch. But the presence of sugar means that supplies of food are available, and the loss of permeability of the proto- GARDENERS' CHRONICLE plasm means that that food may pass into the cell. Both these conditions are favoral^le to growth, so if the plant can throw off the drugged lethargy produced by the self-generated poison gas (carbon dioxide), it is free to resume active life and growth. Probably with the loss of impermeability (water- and air-tight- ness) of the outer layer of the protoplasm, the carbon dioxide imprisoned in the cell escapes, and thus the cell is quit of the anaesthetic action of that gas. As will be judged from the foregoing, the proljlem is complex and difficult, and cannot be set forth in simple terms. In this case, though the explanations are incomplete and not altogether free from obscurity, we may see — as in a glass darkly — something of the nature of the struggle whereby the plant escapes from the grip of winter, and something of the way in which a touch of frost helps it out of its prison. — Gardeners' Chronicle (Fnglish). Keeping Bees in the Garden H. W. SANDERS There are few gardeners, either professional, or ama- teur, who need to be informed of the beneficial effects of the visits of insects to their blossoms, or the difficulty of obtaining fruit or seed from many of these without insect help." Chief amongst these visitors to the nectaries of flowers is the honey-bee, the only insect besides the silkworm that is of sufficient economic importance to be kept in captivity — or in such measure of captivity as to enable its produce to be gathered for the service of man. There was a time, not so long ago, when firuit-growers and beekeepers were almost at enmity with one another, for the fruitman charged the bees with destroying fruit, and the beekeeper found that indiscriminate sjiraying of the orchards during fruit-blooming time killed his bees by the thousand, often compelling him to seek another location for his apiary. Xow. however, all that is changed, for all progressive orchardists know that bees cannot damage sound fruit, and that their visits to' his blossoms in the spring when but few other insects are abroad ensures the setting of a good crop of fruit. Cucumbers, pumpkins, squash, citron, and many other of our garden crops need bees to cross-fertilize them, and the gardener who keeps a few colonies will find this a service that is most valuable to him. It is however for their honey that bees have been pri- marilv kept for many centuries — for bee-culture goes so far back that very practical works on their management are extant in the Roman Classics, while the Bible is full of references to bees and honey. Until the last century or so sugar was imknown and honey was about the only sweet in general use. The laws of nearly every civilized country reflect this and the w-riter received a clipping from an English newspaper recently in which an action was taken in court for the recover}' of a swarm which had got away and had been hived by some other person than the owner. The case was decided against him on the strength of a law many centuries old, whereby the owner of a runaway swarm has claim to them only as long as he can follow and keep his eyes on them. This, it inay be mentioned, is the basis for American law on the subject which is substantially in agreement with it. Bees were brought over from England very early in the history of the first American Colonies, for we find legal decisions in early days in which bees were men- tioned. Swarms escaped from the Pilgrim fathers' ajiiaries and took to the woods, gradually spreading westward, and they were known by ihc Indians as the "White Alan"s Fly," and were regarded as an omen of the spread of white settlements. Even now in remote districts a belief lingers that a swarm always flies west, though there is no basis in fact for it. There are an extraordinary number of superstitions connected with bees that one continually meets with, sometimes from the most unexpected sources. Perhaps the mysterious community life that even yet baffles the understanding, and invokes our wonder, caused these ideas to spread. One of the most picturesque is the be- lief that when there occurs a death at the beekeeper's house, the bees must be told that they may attend the funeral. The explanation lies in the fact that bees gather the natural gvnns of trees to make the "Propolis'' which beekeepers know so well. This attracts them to fresh varnish, and when a varnished coffin is carried out, bees will often hover around and alight thereon. With the improved methods of handling bees that have been evolved in the last 50 years it is now possible to produce crops of honey far in excess of anything our forefathers dreamed of, and from 100 to 200 pounds of honey is frequently obtained from a single colony in a season. But little care is needed, though it is most es- sential that it should be given at the right time. When the horticultural show comes around in the fall it gives no little pleasure to be able to add a neat pile of honey to one's other exhibit. There is an aesthetic side to beekeeping that every nature lover feels, and the pleasant murmur of the hives on some golden day in summer is the most peaceful sound that nature aft'ords. The visitor to the garden will nearly ahvays be interested to pause awhile by the hives on their bit of well-kept lawn, and to watch the busy thousands coming and going, the watchers at the door, the water carriers, and all the other fascinating workers of the hive. \\'here a gentle strain of Italian bees are kept there will be not nuich likelihood of any trouble from stings, and the prudent beekeeper is always careful to avoid the ex- posure of honey, or any other exciting element thai might cause trouble. The G.vrdeners' Chronicle has pleasure to annotmcc that articles will appear each month giving practical di- rection on the care aiid management of bees. These will be written from the standpoint of the amateur rather than that of the professional beekeeper and if they are a help to those who keeji bees, or to those who intend to do SI), we shall feel that they ha\e tilled their piu-pose. jor January, 1920 397 Plant Names and Their Meanings By WILLARD N. CLUTE Till', names of planls have ever formed an important part of Botany. The collecting of plants and the running down of their names hy the use of a "'Key" was long considered the end and aim of plant studies and even now this amusement has not entirely ceased to in- terest the botanizer. The question as to the exact name each plant should bear, originated shortly after the Chris- tian Era and still forms the subject for numerous acri- monious debates among the devotees of "the Amiable Science." Meanwhile the meanings that lie in plant names have received scant attention. To be sure, nearly all botanical Manuals attempt to give the derivations of the generic names but apparently with only indifferent success, if we may judge from the diversity of derivations suggested. Since the generic names are usually taken from the Latin and Greek, a correct derivation ought ordinarily to be easy, but frequently it is far from being so. In the case of the common or vernacular names, the difficulties in- crease. There is no recognized authority upon which we may depend. Common names have been derived from all countries and from all languages. They have been given by philosopher and peasant, physician and farmer, civil- ian and savage, soldier and statesman. Learning has given us names derived from classic sources ; ignorance has nuspronounced and misapplied these names and coined others. .\s a result, the vernacular names present many puzzling problems which stand -is a challenge to our ability, but the possibility of their solution adds zest to the study. Moreover, a wealth of tradition, poetry, folklore, fancy, custom, religion and other phases of life lie embedded in these names like jewels in the mine, and any extensive investigation is sure to be rewarded. Some of these names are older than the science of Bot- any itself ; others are even now in the making. It is manifestly impossible for any single individual to satisfactorily cover the whole field of plant names, but if any progress is to ensue, a beginning must be made, and it is purposed to set down here some observations on the subject which we trust will call out from others the ad- ditions, corrections, and further suggestions that the sub- ject merits. .\ good place to begin our studies is at that group of common, showy, and often poisonous species that long stood first in the botanical Manuals and is known as the Rammcitlaceae. This word is only part of the title of the group. It should really be Plantac Rammcitlaceae ; that is, Ranunculus-Wkii plants. .\s usually written, how- ever, the names of plant families leave oft' the first word. Inquiring into the meaning of Rainniciilits, we find that the word is derived from an animal rather than from a plant. Rana is the Latin word for a little frog and. be- cause many plants of this group grow in marshy places where frogs abound, the old naturalist Pliny gave the name Ranuuculus to one of the typical genera. From this name came the designation for the family and also for the order Raiialcs which includes, besides the Ranitn- culaccac. the MagnoUaccac. the Anonaccac. the Hcrheri- daccae. the Lauraccac, and several others. In anv discussion of plant names it is unnecessary to devote I'nuch attention to the specific names. These are usuallv descriptive of plant parts and such other char- acters' as size, habitat, color, abundance, and the like. A'arious proper names used are also self-explanatory. Some s])ecific names, however, deserve mention, as for in- stance in Clematis lionia where the specific name comes from two Latin words meaning ornament of the wayside. Raiiiuiciiliis sceleratus is of interest from an occasional mistranslation which makes it celery-leaved. The real meaning of sceleratus is acrid or biting. Zanthoxylum apiifoUum may be properly translated celery-leaved for that is what the name really means. Turning to the generic names, we hnd many of them dating back to periods earlier than the Christian Era. Some have been given in honor of heathen deities, others are the names of ancient plants entirely unrelated to the plants which now bear them, the titles having been mis- placed through the vicissitudes of time or the careless- ness of early writers, and still others are of such ob- scure derivation that the translations are at best mere guesses. Pacouia, the genus of plants we now call peonies, was named for a mythological personage, the physician Paeon, who is reported to have used the plant in medicine and to have cured the god Pluto with it. Old fashioned folk call the plant, piny, perhaps with better authority than we have for calling it peony, for properly pro- nounced the generic name is Pi-o-ne-a, easily shortened to piny. The larkspur genus Dclphiiiimn is named for a fancied resemblance of the flowers to the classic fig- ure of the dolphin (Dclpin). Anemone is usually supposed to be derived from the Greek anemos. meaning the wind, but the latest editions of Gray's Manual say it is a corruption of na-nian the Semitic name for Adonis "from whose blood the crim- son-flowered Anemone of the ancients is said to have sprung." Our first derivation seems to be more in favor lor it has given the vernacular name of windflower to several species. Wood's "Class-book of Botany" says that these plants were called anemones because many species love windy places. Whatever the derivation, it mav be mentioned in passing that the accent should be ])laced on the third syllable making the word sound exactly like .Annie Mon}-. Thus far this has been overlooked by those sticklers for the new way of jircnouncing Arbutus and Gladiolus. Ancmonclla, the generic name for the true anemone, is a diminutive of Aiieuioiie. The authorities also fail to agree as to the deri\ation of Clematis. Wood says it is from the Greek klenia a vine or tendril ; Gray says it is a name given by Dioscori- des to a climbing plant with long and lithe branches. As to .idonis, Wood says "Feigned to have sprung from the blood of Adonis when wounded by the boar" but Gray opines that "Adonis was a favorite oi' ^'enus and after death was changed to this flower." The globe flower genus, TroUius. is another lioiie of contention, .'\ccording to Wood it is derived from Trol- len meaning golden. Britton's Manual derives it from Trol. round. Webster's Dictionary says it is from Torolyn, the Hungarian name for the plant, and Gray explains it as irnm Trollhluine, the German common name. Troll, it will be remembered, is the German name for a mischievous dwarf or fairy. Perhaps the flower is named for the troll ! .Vnybody is at liberty to adopt whichever derivation seems to him most correct or to make one of his own. In any event, one can hardly look for accuracy in lesser writers when the authorities dift'er so markedly. Dioscorides is responsible for the generic name Tlialic- Iruin apjilied to the meadow rue. which Wood says nieans "to be green." Hcllehonis. usually regarded as of un- 398 GARDENERS' CHRONICLE known derivation, is said by the same author to come from two Greek words which mean "the food that causes death." The genus is well known to be poisonous. Aqui- legia is derived from Aquila, the eagle, in allusion to the spurs which suggest the talons of a bird of prey. Aconi- tum is reported to be derived from the Greek Akoniton, meaning without dust, because the plants grow in rocky places, while Hydrastis is assumed to come from the Greek word for water, though the translation does not go imchallenged. The other genera of tlie Raiiiniciilaccac are somewhat more easily interpreted. Actaca is the ancient name for the elder whose leaves the plants of this genus are said to resemble. Cumicifuga is from the Latin cimcx, a bug, and fugare to drive away, accounting for the common name of bugbane. .Zanthorhisa is the descriptive Greek for yellow root, and NigcUa is the diminutive of nigcr, meaning black. Coptis means to cut, in allusion to the divided leaves. Caltha, according to Wood, is from the Greek for goblet, the flowers being like golden cups. Gray says it was the ancient Latin name for the common marigold which, however, does not necessarily invali- date the original derivation. Myosurus is, in Latin as it is in English, mousetail, being so called because the car- pels are attached to a long slender axis. Troutvetteria is named for E. R. von Trautvetter. Gray says "an able Russian botanist" but Wood says "German" and the name looks it. Hepatica refers to the liver in the original Greek because of its leaves which are supposed to be shaped like the liver, and ErantJiis, or the winter aconite, means spring flower. Isopyruui is the ancient name for some species of fumitory. The number of vernacular names bestowed upon a given species depends in part upon its abundance, in part upon its conspicuousness, and in part upon its usefulness. Some may have as many as twenty common names and others lack a single one. It is interesting to note that the best known common names are nearly always generic : that is, they are applied to a number of species, instead of one, with, or without, qualifying adjectives. This is the case with Ranunculus where buttercup and crowfoot are common designations even when the flowers show no hint of butter color and the roundish and often undivided leaves could scarcely be likened to a crow's foot. Sucli adjectives as ditch, water, mountain, tall, dwarf, early, and the like are self-explanatory as in the case of the specific names ; in fact, they are very frequently literal translations of such names. The names of obscure derivation are the ones of most interest. Take, for instance, the word "knops" in such terms as golden knops applied to several species of Ranun- culus. This is archaic English for a flower-head and in all probability goes back to the Teutonic knopf or its equivalent, meaning a head, bud, or button. Spearwort, a generic term for several small species of Ranunculus , is derived from an Anglo-Saxon word meaning a spire or shoot just as we still say a "spear" of grass. In all prob- ability the spears used' in combat were similar though larger spears. The three common species of Ranunculus, R. acris, R. bulbosus. and R. rcpcns, naturally have the greatest num- ber of common natnes. They might also be said to be joint owners of a number of names referring to their color, as yellow gowan, horse gold, gold balls, gold cups, gold weed, butter rose, butter cress, butter daisy, butter flower in addition to buttercup. Several of these terms may be applied with equal propriety to other species of the genus. The word gowan is now used in Scotland to indicate the daisy, but it once meant any kind of a flower or bud. When F.urns wrote of "gowans fine," he doubt- less meant wildflowers in general, r.uttcr daisy is a different rendering of yellow gowan. The word rose is another term that once had a less restricted meaning than we allow it at present, as witness rock rose, Christ- mas rose, rose moss and rose of Jericho. Butter rose is simply a butter colored flower. In horse gold, the word horse implies coarse, common, or spurious. It is often thus employed in flower names, as horse-mint, and horse- radish. The names blister flower, blister wort, blister plant and biting crowfoot are applied to several species noted for their acrid and biting juice, especially R. sceleratus, R. bulbosus and R. acris. The name of St. Anthony's tur- nip, applied to R. bulbosus, probably has the same sug- gestion. The Inflbous base of the stem is not unlike a turnip in shape, and St. Anthony is the saint above all others for which hot and blistering things might prop- erly be named. This species is also called St. Anthony's rape. Ranunculus sceleratus is called water celery and celery leaved crowfoot, but in reference to its leaves and not as a translation of the specific name. The worthless |)roperties of this species have earned for it the name of cursed crowfoot, but it is apparently not the only species ctirsed for R. arz'cnsis bears the names of hell weed and devil's claws. To this species also belong starve acre and hunger weed. The plant is said to re- ceive the last two appellations because when it is present in the field the crop will be short and the owner brought to want. Devil's claws quite likely refers to the way the plant lays hold on the field rather than to any par- ticular thought of the devil. R. repens is called ram's claws though no ram we have ever seen had claws. Pos- sibly the name is derived from the Icelandic ranir, mean- ing strong, in allusion to the way the species grasps the soil. Sitfast is another name applied to this plant whose hold on the soil makes it especially applicable. Ranunculus ficaria is called figwort from the fig-like shape of its roots. It also bears the name of lesser cel- andine, the true celandine being a yellow-flowered plant of the poppy family. Another of its names, crain, is un- meaning enough until we discover that crain or cran is an ancient name for marsh, hence cranberry and perhaps crane, a storklike bird. Ranunculus trichophylluj, owing to its much divided leaves is known as water milfoil. The true milfoil is usually regarded as belonging to the yarrow genus (Achillea) . Double forms of R. acris are some- times known as bachelors' buttons, as are many other buttonlike flowers. Finally, cuckoo-buds applied to some species of Rainniciilu.\' finds authority in .Shakespeare where "Cuckoo buds of yellow hue Do paint the meadow with delight.'' — Rr/'rnduct'd by ficntiis.vioii front The .hin-rican Bolanisl. THE GLORY OF A NATION. The true glory of a nation is an intelligent, honest, in- dustrious people. The civilization of a people depends on their individual character, and a constitution which is not an outgrowth of this character is not worth the parchment on which it is written. You look in vain in the past for a single instance where the people have pre- served their liberties after their individual character was lost. — E. P. Whipple. ^'iiiuiiiiniiNiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiniiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiuiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii;^ I ADVANCE IN SUBSCRIPTION RATE. | i With the January 1920 number, the subscription rate i I of the Gardeners' Chronicle has been advanced to i g $2.00 a year. g g Present subscribers wishing to renew subscriptions 1 f from date of expiration may do so at the old rate up g I to February first. § "ii'iL'iiiiiiiniii I iiiiiiiiimiiniiiiimii i iiiniiiiiiiiiiiii iiiniiiiiiiiiiiiiiiin iiiiiiiiiiiiiifliiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiniiiiiriiiiiiiiiiiiiii? for January, 1920 399 Why Fruit Trees Do Not Bear ONE of the most trying and disapponiting experi- ences for a fruit grower, is to have his orchard reach an age when he expects a crop, only to find that it does not produce. As chief of the division of horticulture at the Oregon Agricuhural College one of the most common letters that I received from growers was, "^Vhy don't my trees bear?" To answer this question, we can to advantage, divide the trees into two classes. First, trees which do not bloom; second, trees which bloom but do not set fruit. The first class is influenced by many factors, such as var- iety and vigor. Many a grower has expected trees to bear at an age when they naturally could not be expected to bear. Some varieties will begin bearing at five years of age. But on the other hand, some varieties will not bear crops until they are seven years of age, and in some cases much older. I have known Northern Spy and Yellow Newtown or- chards to be unproductive until they were twelve to fif- teen years of age, but under such circumstances, I might add, wrong orchard practices had frequently been re- sorted to. The vigor of the tree determines the produc- tion of blossoms. The heavy pruning and intensive tillage • desirable for trees from one to five years of age, is undesirable for a tree from five to ten years of age, and if the practices are continued may keep some varieties of fruit from bearing crops until they are fifteen years of age. With trees from five to ten years of age in normal vigor, less tillage and irrigation, not very much cutting back but more of a thin- ning out process in the pruning, will encourage trees to come into bearing. It is to the second group of trees, namely those which bloom but do not set fruit, that we need perhaps to give the greatest attention. For though one may be disap- pointed if trees do not bloom, the disappointment becomes even greater if the trees bloom, yet fail to produce. There are many factors to be considered in answering the question why some trees will bloom and yet fail to l)roduce fruit. The climate is one of the greatest fac- tors for us to consider, and Jack Frost takes an annual toll from many trees. Not perhaps so much the actual freezing of the tissues, but the rapid thawing of frozen tissues is responsible for the huge loss in the early spring. Where orchards are not exposed to the direct sunlight early in the morning, or where a bank of fog or cloud drives in, we often notice that the damage is little or nothing. There is a relation between the vigor of the trees and the amount of frost damage experienced. Between the condition of vegetation and effect of low temperatures. The degree of development of the vegetation in the spring at time of frost, and its relation to resulting dam- age is a very interesting one. For a number of years, I have observed that trees which are just starting to grow. or trees which have reached the blooming or setting pe- riod suffered less from frost damage than trees which are half way between in their development. LTnder the heading of climate, we must consider cold weather during the lilooming period. There may not be frosts, but the temperature is so cold in the middle of the day that insects and especially bees will not fly. When the temperatures are around 50° or less, very few bees work, and T ha^ ■nown seasons when we experi- enced practically no killing frost, but a protracted cold raw spell. Such a sjjring is generally followed by a very lieht set of fruit. Lold rains and driving storms in the spring wash out tlic pollen and prevent the work of insects. In fact, high winds interfere wit;> ihe pollination of tree fruits if they are insect pollinated. The walnut and filbert on the other hand, are pollinated by wind, and a certain circulation of air might be an advantage in such cases. Diseases such as scab on apples and pears, and brown rot on the cherry and prune, will often destroy all the blossoms. Trees which have been severely winter injured are often so devitalized that they seem to lack vigor and strength to develop blossoms. The busy bee is the most important factor in the pol-- lination of our tree fruits. Fruit districts need more and more of these valuable insects. The vigor of the trees is one of the biggest factors in the setting of fruit. When trees come into bloom for the first time, they will often produce a profuse blossoming. Init give a very poor set. The d'Anjou pear is one of the best examples. This tree is often white with blossoms by the seventh year, but it is often very unfruitful. As this variety becomes older, it seems to gradually overcome this condition and begins to set better. Un- doubtedly some of the young orchards which bloom heavily but set poorly are somewhat too vigorous to bring about the best setting of fruit. In our older districts however, of the northwest, with pear, apple or prune orchards, the lack of vigor is respon- sible for the poor set. Leaving too much weak and de- vitalized wood in the trees, the lack of thorough tillage, arid above all the lack of keeping the soil supplied with nitrogen is the biggest factor in the failure to set fruit. In speaking of pollination, there are certain terms which we use that we should all understand. The word "fruit- ful" means the variety has ability to produce fruit. This fruit may or may not have seeds. "Barrenness" means the variety will not produce seeds which v.-ill germinate. 'T^'ertility" that the variety will produce seeds which will germinate, and "sterility" that the variety will not pro- duce seeds which will germinate. Now while a variety may be fruitful, or even fertile, when planted by itself, still nature seems to favor the crossing of fruits, and where two or more varieties are planted together, there is not much danger but what a good crop will be secured. However, there are several glaring exce])tions. For exainple the Spitzenburg apple is almost sterile, and the AMnesap produces no pollen. So that a combination like that would be bad. The question is often asked how does pollen affect the fruit ? It seems to affect the size, making the fruit larger, it gives more specimens to the tree and often makes them heavier and firmer. There is a seeming cor- relation between size and weight and number of seeds. Heavy apples have plenty of good seeds. Again the quality, and firmness, because of the pres- ence of the seeds, is greatly improved. Color is probably not affected directly, for if there is any effect of pollination on color, it would be indirect ow- ing to change in size of specimens. A close checking on this subject over a good many years, causes us to con- clude that color is not generally aft'ected by pollination. The bright bands of red on yellow apples, or the dif- ferent colored bands of red on certain apples which run from the stem to the calyx have been attributed as a result of pollination but a close study will show that this is really a bud variation character and not a pollination character. — C. I. Lewis, in American Fruit Grower. 400 GARDENERS' CHRONICLE UJ K ^ H ■"^ s a ^M -^ '"^ (£ 1^1 ** 2 UJ |l o CO ^H ^ C/0 ^H t-* C/0 H il UJ I iSE^iilM HH -i^ Wri-J^^ 9Bp _l UJ D (/ T ^ _i LU ° I 2 C 4) z C 5 \- c/l UJ > O ■ >t ■ ^■l ^^^1 ■l ■ ^ H ■ ^^H ^^^H "3 Z ■ ^^^H ^^^^H ^^E 1 3 ■ ^^H ^^^H ^H| ■ ^ O ■ ^^^H ^^^^H ^^H ■ ^J O I ■ ^^H ■ a ■ l^^^^l UJ ■ I ■ ^^H ^^^1 ■ ^■■p ^^ M k9k ^^S^^Kbs ^ Iff ^p^- f \ ^' I^BI^SSnI * jaM^BBBBK^. t a^ -4 ™ d IR w •^^jjjMwB ) i 3^ :i^ ^ a "5 2 S ti. o ^ O ~ ^ "^ -^ IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIUIIIIH^ for Janitfiry, 1920 401 Descriptive List of Hardy and Semi-Hardy Primulas HENRY J. MOORE LITTLE, if any, systematic experimenting has been done with the hardy and semi-hardy species and varieties of the Primula in the United States and Canada. Perhaps this is on account of the supposition that few of them are hardy enough to withstand tlie rigor- ous winters. \'ery few are entire!}' hardy as (hsclosed by the test of the following kinds, all of which have been grown for at least two seasons in the Queen \'ictoria Park, at Niagara Falls. Many beautiful kinds, however, are with a little protection so hardy that they survive the winters jiractically unharmed, and in Spring furnish a displav which well repays for any labor devoted to their culture. Generally speaking the plants in the following list merit the attention of all who are interested in spring gardening. As botanical descriptions would be of little use to horticulturists, the subjects are described almost purely from a horticultural standpoint. 1. Friiiiiila auricula varieties (The Auricula). — There are many beautiful varieties of P. auricula, some of them almost hardy. They are divided into classes according to some dis- tinctive flower character, the principal being the grey edged, white edged, green edged, selfs and .\lpines. In these classes the varieties are named and standardized. Many of the plants survive our winters with a protectioii of leaves or litter, and are unique for the herbaceous border. If potted in a mixture of one part of loam, leaf soil, rotted cow manure and coarse sand, with a little broken charcoal, and wintered in protected cold frames, the plants make splendid flowering subjects for the cool greenhouse during Spring. 2. Primula cortusoidcs. — The deep rose colored flowers of this species are borne well above the foliage to a height of fifteen inches. The leaf stalks and undersides of the leaves are hairy. Several flowering stems are produced at the same time. The plant is an excellent and graceful subject for semi-shady nooks in the border where it requires a light sandy soil with plenty of humus. It is hardy with slight protection. The flowering period is from May IS till July. 3. Primula cortusoidcs, var. Sicboldii. — The varieties which have originated from P. cortusoidcs are most beautiful subjects for the shady border. They are hardy and require protection only in zero temperatures. A fairly moist light soil is necessary to their welfare. Their flowering period is approximately May 20 until June 30. The variety Sicboldii and its hybrids should be grown in every garden. Queen of Roses, a plant with deep rose pink flowers, um- bellate, about nine flowers to the stem, which reaches a height of twelve inches, several stems being produced. The foliage is of a medium green. Maiden's Blush — The flowers are white suft'used with rose, and twelve inches high. Sirius — The large white flowers of this variety are from one to one and a half inches in 'diameter (as are the two fore- mentioned ones). The foliage is of a light green. Cortusoidcs and its varieties are all excellent for pot culture. 4. Primula capitata. — A plant with flowers of a deep violet blue, arranged densely in globular heads, which attain a height of about nine inches. The flowering stems arc covered with a white powder. The leaves are wrinkled and toothed, and arc powdered on the under side. The flowering season is from May till July. .\ semi-shady, fairly dry position is necessary. The plant is liettcr adapted to the rock garden than elsewhere, where it must be protected during winter. If grown in a cold frame and flowered in a cool greenliouse, it makes a charming poi plant. The flowers muf: i,^ ihr.ded from the sun. 5. Primula doiliculata rosea. — This beautiful variety shoulil be generally grown. The flowers are rose purple with a yellow €ye. The inflorescences which sometimes contain more than fifty flowers are dense and globular, and are in flower from ."Vpril 13th till May 26th. The plants are excellent for planting during Fall in beds or borders, where Spring flowers are required. If planted nine inches apart, the bed will be as distinctive as a bed of Hvacinths, which at a short distance the flowers resemble. The plants may be substituted for bulbs or be used in conjunc- tion with them. A soil containing much leaf soil is excellent for their culture. The leaves arc hairy, are covered with a white powder, and are coarsely wrinkled and toothed. The flowering stems attain a height of nine to twelve inches. 6. Primula drnticulata alba. — A white flowered form of the above similar in all respects except in color of flowers, and of leaves which are a paler green. The plants may be used to furnish a bed of white flowers for Spring flowering or be mi.xcd with the variety rosea. 7. Primula dciiticnlata cashmcriana. — This variety requires somewhat different cultural treatment than the two foremcntioned ones. It should he planted in a light soil in a somewhat raised position, so that its crowns will be well above water which in spring may collect, otherwise they will rot. A moderately sunny position is necessary. The plant flowers from April 18th until May 20th. The flowers are light purple with a yellow eye, and about twelve inches high. The undersides of the leaves are covered with a beautiful golden colored dust. The inflorescence is an umbel similar to the other varieties. Not being entirely hardy a protection of litter must during winter be afforded. 8. Primula clatter (The Oxlip). — This perfectly hardy plant is a cross between the English Primrose, P. 7'ulgaris, and the Cowslip, P. officinalis. The flowers are pale yellow and are horizontal or drooping on their stems. They are at their best from April 15th until May 15th. They reach a height of nine to twelve inches. The petioles of the leaves are somewhat winged. The plants are very useful for planting out in beds or borders during autumn for spring flowering. It is best to afford a light covering after planting. As a carpeting plant for beds of tall bulbous plants, it is good, and should be more generally used. May be propagated by division, or raised from seeds. 9. Primula frondosa. — A little alpine species with purple flowers. The stems and leaves are covered with a white powder. In height it is only four to six inches. It requires a semi-shady spot, with some protection during winter. It flowers from May 4th till the 26th. The plant is especially adapted to the rock garden. 10. Primula japonica varieties (Japanese Primroses). — Plants equally desirable for outdoor or indoor culture. The following varieties are all hardy and of great value. They are perhaps the best of the genus for associating with aquatic plants, as they are entirely at home along the margins of pools or streams, if planted in positions where the roots are above the water line. In a semi-shad}' position in the herbaceous border where a deep, rich and moist soil pertains, they flower splendidly, and over a considerable period, namely. May 30th until July 15th. The plants are easily raised if the seed is sown as soon as ripe. Rose Queen. — A variety with handsimie rose pink flowers, about eighteen inches high. Blush Beauty. — The flowers are a delicate blush white. Splendens. — .-V plant with large fiery crimson flowers. The tall- est variety, reaching a height of twenty-four inches. .^ most magnificent hardy Primula. 11. Primula ofUciiwHs (The Cowslip). — .\ hardy plant. The flowers of which are pale yellow, more or less drooping from their stems. The hei.ght is various, usually from nine to fifteen inches. This species is interesting as being one of the supposed pareiUs of the Oxlip. 12. I'rimula pulvcrulcnla. — .A half hardy perrenial, which has large handsome purple maroon flowers, borne in tiers on long stems, after the manner of P. japoiiica. The leaves are dark green, nine inches Icng. and are wrinkled and toothed. The species is excellent for border positions, in sheltered localities where it will probably survive with a covering of litter. .\s a pot plant for greenhouses with intermediate temperature, it is excellent and its color renders it valuable. In very cold localities it is belter to carry the plants over in cold frames, than to sub- ject them to the winter with chances of failure. 13. Primula z-eitchii. — A new half hardy perennial species of Chinese origin. The flowers are of a beautiful rose purple color, and are borne in umbels. The several stems reach a height of about twelve inches. It is best to winter the plant in frames. The leaves are hairy and somewhat palmate in shape. \ greater percentage of plants will germinate if the seeds are sown as soon as ripe. The flowering period is from May 29lh till July 1st. 402 GARDENERS' CHRONICLE 14. Primula mdgaris (Common Primrose).— A hardy well- known perennial species, native of Great Britain. It may be used to advantage in many positions. Splendid for naturalizing in the wild garden or woodland, for massing in the herbaceous border, or in the rock garden. It docs equally well in a stiff loam as in a light rich soil. It is easily raised from seeds or by division of the root slock. Height of the flowers about three inches. Primula vulgaris varieties.— There are several white and also one or two good blue flowered varieties of P. vulgaris, which go under the garden name of P. acaulc. In regard to hardiness, uses and other qualities, they are equally as desirable as the species, and require the same treatment. They tlower from April 19th till May 28lh. 15. Primula variabilis (The Polyanthus or Cluster Primroses). —The Polyanthus, supposed to be a cross between the common Primrose (P. vulgaris) and the Cowslip (P. officinalis) has many splendid varieties. They are all hardy and useful for Spring flowering in beds or borders. Whether mixed or planted ni separate colors, they are hard to surpass for naturalizing in the wild garden or woodland. For the rock garden they are excellent, and equally so for pot culture in cold frames and cool green- houses. The following varieties are standard. In each case the flowers are umbellate and are held well above the foliage, differing in this respect from the Primrose proper. Munstead Giant White.— A plant with large white distinctive flowers, and deep orange eyes. The flowering stems are very strong, and about nine inches long. The plant flowers from April 15th till May 30th. Rose in Rose Yellow.— The flowers of this charming variety are of a golden yellow with deep orange eyes. Height aliout nine inches. This is a vigorous variety and excellent for beds and borders. Munstead Giant Red. — The large dark red flowers of this variety with their prominent orange eyes are very attractive. The flowering stems are about twelve inches in length. A most vigorous plant, and adapted to all the forcmcntioned uses. It flowers from April 30th until June. Ruby Red.— The flowers are of a beautiful ruby red with eyes that are alternately striped with orange and yellow, giving a curious effect. They attain a height of six to nine inches. The flowering period is from April 28lh until June 6th. The leaves are of a medium green. Barr's Orange Yellow. — This variety merits attention not only on account of its attractive flowers which are orange yellow with deeper orange eyes, but for the reason it will bear twenty or more flowers to the nmhel. It is one of the best. Its height is from nine to twelve inches. The flowering period is from May 2nd until June. The leaves are of a medium green. Gold Laced. — The gold laced varieties are not extremely showy, therefore not so useful as the other varieties. For pot culture or for exhibition purposes, they are interesting. F"or bedding or naturalizing they are of secondary importance. Their height is from six to nine inches. WooUer's White. — The pure white flowers of this variety have the usual orange eye. The foliage is light green. The flowering period is during May and June. All the Polyanthus varieties may be raised from seeds sown in Spring, or as soon as the seed is ripe. They may also be readily propagated by division during early Fall. PRIMULA MALACOIDES BEAUTIFUL i.s Primula inalacoidcs, the halt hardy or cool greenhouse .species. Its deHcate pale mauve or lilac flowers, which are delightfully perfumed, are borne tier upon tier on long scapes, the flowers com- prising each tier, with their long pedicils being whorled or verticillately arranged along the flowering axis, form- ing inflorescences which stand well up above the foliage, the deep green of which brings out in bold relief and enhances, if this were possible their delicate tints. The plant is very floriferous. It is, however, the combination of foliage and flowers so harmoniously blended which affords the charm and distinctiveness not surpassed by any other member of the genus. For greenhouse cttlture, and when in flower for the dwelling house or for any decorative scheme pertaining thereto, such as grouping with ornamental flowering plants or ferns, or for table decoration, it is eiiually desira- ble. The duration of its flowering period is long, it may be said to be almost perpetual. Primula malacoides alba, a white variety, is with the exception of color identical with the type, and may be used as a companion to the species in any decorative scheme, while both of these are excellent companions to the old Primula stcHata varieties so well known to florists. It would appear that these lovely primulas will, for a time at least, supersede many of the older kinds. Primula malacoides and its variety alba lay claim to a distinction enjoved by few primulas, if any. in that they are equally as desirable for fillitig baskets as for pot culture. This statement may be doubted by those who have seen the plants when commencing to flower, as the inflorescences grow quite vertically an4 are closely bunched ; ere long, however, they fall gracefially downward in light feathery sprays forming a perfect fountain of bloom, throtigh which the green of the leaves is interspersed in attractive combination. frimiila uialacuidcs may be increased by seeds or by division of the root stock. In regard to culture, no factor should discourage or deter any grower. No greenhouse primula is easier to grow. Soil and general requirements are practically the same as those suited to the Chinese primula, P. sinensis, and to P. stcllata.. A fairly light soil composed of fibrous loani one-third, leaf mold and sand two-thirds, screened through a one-inch screen will for potting purposes suffice. A small quantity of bone meal should be added to the compost. When sowing the seed, the surface layer of soil in the seed pan shotild be screened very finely. As the seed is small it should be covered very lightly, not more than its own depth in any case. Sow during February, March or April, place the pans in a temperature of 55 to 65 degrees, and shade from bright light until germination takes place ; as soon as growth is noticed remove the shading material, and when the seedlings crowd each other, transfer singly to boxes filled with light soil. When sufficiently large transplant into two-inch pots allowing the plants to remain until well established, then repot into fours. When sufficient roots have been formed to justify the procedure apply Clay's fertilizer, one ounce to two gal- lons of water once weekly, remove the plants to a shaded cold frame or to a cool shaded part of the greenhouse, afiford plenty of air, and spray the foliage daily in hot weather, not, however, during the hottest part of the day. Early in October take the plants from the frame and repot into six or seven-inch pots, in which they should flower. As soon as established in these continue to afiford liquid manure as advised, until the plants are in full flower. After flowering discard the old plants, with the e.xception of a few which may be experimented with as specimens for another year, or for propagation by division. When utilized for filling wire baskets a single plant will adecpiately furnish one of ordinary size. The bas- kets may be filled ere the flowering stage is reached. It is likewise advisable to fill them with plants when in ftill flower, as whatever the method employed the result will be the same. — Exchange. \\ h_v not plant nut-bearing trees ? Surely a beech tree gives as much shade as an oak, and a walnut as a maple. Why not nut-bearing trees as the final choice^ Horticulture promotes health, furnishes appetizing and invigorating food, is a most delightful means of recreation, cultivates a refined taste, indtices a spirit of cheerfulness, and awakens a sympathy with nature and a love for all the Creator's works. for }a 1920 403 An English Cottage Garden A^rOXG the many i)icuires afforded by the English country-side, few can Ije found more charmint; than the Httle peeps of harmonious coloring and form oftentimes met with in sequestered villages, where Roses climb at will beneath the o\-erhanging thatched eaves, clambering up to the chimne}- and garlanding it with a wealth of blossom. As one walks up the wind- ing village road, one notes how well the walls are clothed with climbing plants. Here the whole front of a cottage is veiled in pink summer Roses, and not only are these siTiall summer-blooming kinds employed, but on manv cottage wall other varieties may be noticed. Reve d'Or is a lovely Rose, and is often used on cottages. It is a very rapid grower, and will cover the side of a house in a few years. When garlanded with its golden-fawn blossoms, which cluster so thickly as to almost hide the leafage, it is indeed a "Dream of Gold." The foli- age is also abundant and graceful, being distinct from that of other Roses. Here and there in the south-west Marechal Niel may sometimes be seen re^"elling in the sunshine on a white-washed wall and bearing a goodly crop of handsome deep golden-yellow blos- soms, while climb- ing Captain Giris- ty, Lamarque. and many others very often take the place of the more com- monly grown clus- ter Roses. Here. one side of a cot- tage is wreathed with Jasmine, a mauve Clematis thieading the thick growth and ming- ling its blue stars with the white clusters of the Jas- mine flowers. Here against a white- washed wall crim- son Hollyhocks glow, here a flow- ering Myrtle sur- rounds a lattice window, here the Passion-flower has draped a gable with a \-fil of greenery, studded in the summer with blue or white flowers, and in the chill autumnal days with innumerable fruits of golden-orange that gleam like fairy-lamps amid the dark foliage. Throughout most months of the twelve, cottage gardens possess some feature of interest. In the darkest days of the year there are the Christmas Roses, and tlie Winter Jasmine mingles its golden flowers with the crimson !)erries of Cotoiicastcr microphyUa over the porch. Then we have the vivid scarlet of Pyriis japonica against the white-washed house and the white mantle of the .Irabis, often, in the genial south- CuurUay of ijinjtiiijtf; l!:i.slr\:;i\! (ICncIisIO. All English Thatched Roof Cottaiic Covered With the Atlraelive Cottage Carden in the west, in full beauty ere February has passed away, clothing the rude stone-retaining wall at the pathside. A little later the purple Rock Cress {Aubrietia) takes its place beside the Arahis, and the bright yellow of Alyssum saxalile gleams by the pathway. By the little gate that leads to the road, spreading its outer branches over tlie hedge, stands a great bush, almost a tree, of Rose Maiden's Blush, thickly studded in the early summer with fair, flesh-pink blossoms ; there the old Cabbage Roses flower profusely and load the air with the sweetest perfume ; and Moss Roses, pink and white, forgotten in many a garden, perfect their ex- quisite buds. Solanum jasminoidcs is a common climber on many cottages in the south-west, and there is no doubt that in a warm district it is the finest of all flowering climbers, since it often starts into bloom in the month of April, increasing in beauty until September, and often carrying flowers until Christmastide. The Wistaria, with its great drooping, lavender clusters, is a spe- cial favorite, and may often be seen garlanding cottage walls. The author of "The English Mower Garden" never penned a truer sentence than \\ hen he wrote : "Among the things made b}' man noth- ing is prettier than an English cottage gaiden." There is rarely much I)are earth in a cottage garden. The size of the plots is too smr.ll to permit of any groimd being wasted, and thus everywhere the Ijiown earth is cov- ered with flowers and foliage, which is as it should be in all gardens, but too rarely is. No- where do the li)\ely .Madonna Lilies grow in such unsullied chaste- ness and gracile vigor as in cottage gardens, though apparently but Httle thought is given to their cultural requirements, and one can only surmise that the clue t(i their unfailing health and beauty is to be found in Ruskin's words: "Flowers only rightly flourish in the gardens of those who love them." Cottagers show their taste in the appreciation of fragrance, and many of their gardens are filled with sweet odors through the long summer twilight. Great Lilac-bushes, with their w-ealth of perfumed flower-spikes, often overtop the low, thatched eaves, wliile by the village road the ycllow-tassellcd Labiiniitiii hangs its shower of gold. — (Jardciiing Illustrated. (English.) / 'iiies and Climbers. Foreground. Note 4U4 GARDENERS' CHRONICLE A''utiiiiiiiiiiiNi[iintiiiii:iiiilllHiiillliililililllillliiilillllillllliililliliiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii'iiiiiiii^ I The Month's Work in the Greenhouse | I HENRY GIBSON | ^ItlllllllllllllllllllllllllllNltlllllilllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllliniHIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIillllllllllMliliMltlllllllllllllllllllNIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIHIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIM JANl'ARY is a busy niontli in the greenhouse, there are many preparations to make for the coming sea- son, and in some cases work that was left over from last fall may be taken up. English daisies, pansies and forget-me-nots, omitted from fall sowing, may still be sown if done at once, so as to have nice sized stock to plant out in the spring. Plans for next summer's bedding should be outlined and an estimate made of the number and kind of plants needed, so that propagation may begin at once. L)ld stock plants of geraniums should be placed on a bench in a light position and spaced out so that they will give a crop of cuttings. Such plants as fuchsias, heliotrope, stevias, coleus. alternanthera, etc., should be propa- gated forthv\'ith. The new catalogues from the seedsmen are now com- ing in, and no time should be lost in getting such seeds as J'iiica rosea, and its varieties, sown. They need a warm, sunny house to get them to flowering size by bed- ding-out time, and would be tnore likely to attain this were they sown in December. Begonias of the lumi- nosa type, pentstemons for bedding, aquilegias, snap- dragons, shasta daisies, and many other seeds may be sown this month. Hardy phlox and larkspurs, lifted last fall and win- tered in flats in a cold frame, may be placed in a carna- tion house temperature, where in a few weeks they will furnish fine cuttings. Canterbury bells, wallflowers and coreopsis, the last named lifted from the borders last fall may be brought into a cool house towards the end of the month, where they will furnish a supply of flowers that will be much appreciated in the early spring months. The supply of flats for pricking off seedlings should be gone over, and needed repairs made. Roses of the rambler type intended for use round the Easter holidays should be brought in from the cold frames or pits where they have wintered, top-dressed, with good loam and bone meal and placed in a violet house temperature. As they, show signs of swelling the buds they may be given more heat, and as they continue to advance still more until they are in a temperature of ■60 degrees at night, which should be the maximum if strong, vigorous plants free from mildew are wanted. Hydrangeas may be got under way towards the middle of the month. They need about 43 degrees to start, ad- vancing by degrees to 50 and then to 55. When needed for house decorations almost all of the French types, as well as the old timers, such as Otaksa and Dr. Hogg, are better for having a week or ten days of cool house treat- ment after having flowered before being taken into the dwelling house. Hydrangeas while undergoing forcing like plenty of water, but one should not overlook giving too much. They soon show their resentment of wet feet continuously, by yellow leaves, which never add anything towards enchancing the beauty of the ])lants. Giganteum lilies will now be from three to four inches high, and should be kept growing steadily in a tempera- ture of 60 degrees, ^^^-ltering should be done with care, and the plants should be fumigated frequently to keep -them clear of green aphis, which are very partial to them. Cold storage lilies may still be ]ilanted for use at the "Easter festival, as thcv can be flowered in twelve weeks. l)ut between now and April 4, which is Easter day this year, there is not much time to be lost. Some care is necessary in handling cold storage lily bulbs, particularly with regard to watering, keeping them too wet is apt to result in premature top growth without roots, which nnist inevitably spell failure to the plants. A low tem[3erature is not likely to offset any careless wat- ering. Keep the bulbs at the outset rather on the dry side, after the pots have had one thorough watering, which together with a fair proportion of sand in the pot- ting soil will help them get a start, under the bench in a carnation house temperature. Leeks and onions may be sown in the greenhouse for e.xhibition purposes. Cabbage, cauliflower and lettuce may be sown this month to be later transplanted to hot- beds. Rhubarb, asparagus, seakale and chickory should be taken in for forcing. The last named forces well under a carnation house bench. Successions of each may be made to maintain a regular supply during the early S[)ring months. .\ little time among the palms, ferns and stove plants will be profitably spent, as many of these will as likely as not lie infested with either scale, mealy bug or red spider, all more or less numerous. These parasites suck the energy out of the plants in a very short time unless checked. Many palms will need topdressing, or repot- ting, and when this is done, given heat and plenty of water, will start out with renewed vigor and develop into fine specimens. Those who are not fortunate enough to have a green- house whereby they may satisfy their winter of discon- tent during the cold days of January will find plenty of interest in taxing their ingenuity preparing for the sea- sen's flowers and vegetables in spite of the lack of green- house space in which to start the plants. The average dwelling house is more often than not heated to 70 de- grees, ample heat to start the supply of seeds at home. It lacks the humidity and freedom from draughts and the direct sunlight of the greenhouse, yet withal much may be made of home conditions for raising seedling plants. A little study will soon enable the more enthusi- astic to get together an arrangement which will enable one to start seeds in close proximity to the stove, or radi- ators, without having the receptacles in which they are sown come in close contact with the source of heat so as to dry out the soil unduly. Covering the boxes or pots of seeds with a pane of glass will help to prevent too rapid evaporation from the surface. Watering of the receptacles should be done by immersing them in a dish of water so that the water may travel upwards through the soil thereby saturating the whole body of it, and also prevent washing out the seeds as is too often the case when water is applied from the surface. Seedlings started in this way may be transferred to a hot bed located on the south side of the house, and which may be heated by having a cellar window open into it, thus utilizing the heat from the furnace. One can readily arrange this by placing the frame against the window- and cutting an ojiening in the back to admit the warm air from the cellar window. for January, 1920 405 ^uluwiiiiiiiiiMiiiiniiiiitim(NiiMiiuiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiirtiiiiiii[i[[itmii[[initiiiiiiiiiiiiiniiiiiiiiiiiif^iiiiiiiiii^ iiiiiiuiiiiiiiiNiiiiiiiimiiiiitiriiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii mill iiiiiiiini iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiimiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiniiiimmiiimiiHiiHriiiiiiiiiiiumimiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiimiiimnmtii'^ The Month's Work in the Garden | JOHN JOHNSON | "iiiiiiiiiinii'iii' IK iiiiiniinmiiiimi ii;m iiiiiinii iiiiii iiiiiiiiiiiniiiiiiiiiini i itm i nm i iinnmiimi iiiiiiiii iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii iiiiiiiimiiniiil THE writer extends New Year's Greetings to readers of the Chronicle. May this year bring with it increased success, and may the many who have hitherto been denied the pleasures of a garden find op- portunity for the development of their asthetic talents by cultivating gardens during 1920. All who have made gardening their life work appre- ciate the advantages of a good start. They realize that it is not too early during January to lay their plans for the year. The importance of this early start is not, how- ever, always appreciated by the amateur or small grower. As soon as the catalogues arrive begin in earnest to pre- pare the seed order. Exercise careful thought in its preparation that everything be included to meet all de- mands for the season, and further, order from the most dependable source. Our leading seedsmen adopt every conceivable means of preserving the productive power of the seeds they handle and it is a matter of ordinary wisdom on the part of garden lovers to patronize repu- table seed firms in preference to the general monger who displays his seed wares in cheap gaudy packages. The aim should always be to place an order with a view to getting the best, for none but seeds of high germinative quality will produce sturdy vigorous stock, no matter how much care is expended later in the plants' life. We have always advocated the annual testing of vari- eties listed as novelties, and yet to never discard a variety of proven worth until something better really warrants its displacement : See that the supply of tools, insecti- cides and other sundries is replete to avoid disappoint- ment when anything in this line is actually wanted. The work of the month in the average garden must be regulated largely according to weather conditions. Orchard pruning should be done whenever possible and s])raying operations must take a similar course. Methods of pruning are indeed variable but it is safe to say that the old practice of wholesale "heading in" is fast falling into disrejHite. The greater freedom of growth now permitted by fruit growers not only results in a more fruitful tree in the early stages but the tree itself attains greater dimensions in a young state. The .great aim in pruning .should be to control and maintain a projjcr bal- ance of growth. Admit sun and air by thinning out the top growth. Cut out interfering and cross branches and weed imperfect wood. Thus the tree is rendered acces- sible for spraying and fruit picking. If large branches must be removed smear the wounds with tar, or lead l>aint to prevent decay. In old orchards it is often neces- sary to scrape the loose rough bark oiif the trees to eradi- cate insect and fungoid pests. This of course should be done before spraying. However, in orchards which have been spi^ayed annually and otherwise given the required attention, scraping becomes unnecessary. Young trees sometimes suffer injury by the gnawing of rabbits. If the trunks of the trees are likely to be girdled take pre- ventive measures by wrapping the lower portion with tar paper or other protective material. Spraying may be done any time during the winter season except when the weather is actually freezing, therefore, select a still dav during a mild period for doing the work. Lime and sulphur is a popular and effective spray, and the miscible oils are also nuich in demand. If attempted, spraying should be done thoroughly. Clear snow and ice away from gutters on drives and garden paths to prevent erosion during thaws. Shake newly fallen snow from specimen evergreens to prevent damage, and keep frames clear of snow unless the stock IS in a dormant and frozen condition. Ample protection must be given frames in which lettuce, endive and parsley are growing. Uncover the sash whenever weather per- mits and admit air. Remove decaying foliage and stir the surface soil to keep it sweet and fresh. Commence the propagation of bedding stock as helio- trope, verbena, alternanthera, geranium, pentstemon and any other kinds required in quantity. Seeds may be sown of such kinds of Trachelia vinca rosea, tuberous be- gonias, canna and others of slow growth. These re- quire a temperature of 60° to 65° to assure good .ger- mination and should be sown in a light porous compost. Many of the hardly perennials if sown in heat at this time will flower the first season. Hollyhocks succeed well treated in this way particularly in gardens where rust is troublesome. In the case of these plants it is well to remember that a large amount of growth must be pro- duced within a short time so that the treament afforded them should be generous throughout. Cabbage, Cauliflower, and lettuce may be sown in gen- tle heat for later transplanting in frames to furnish early supplies, and now is the time to sow onions and leeks of the exhibition type. Tomatoes never come to the table too early in the season and where space can be given a few plants under glass can be grown in almost any fashion to suit the convenience of the grower. A com- post of loam, leaf-mould and sand is suitable for seed sowing and a temperature not lower than 60° should be atiforded if possible. .\n early variety of potatoes may b? started in pots where room can be afforded, although it hardly pays to bother with this crop under glass since .Southern grown potatoes find ready sale in our Northern markets early in the season. Grown in pots potatoes re- (|uire a light rich soil. Sharpen pea brush and ]3oles for beans. Tie the brush in bundles and put them together in various sizes so as to have them ready for tise at the proper time. Do everything now which might be calculated to lessen the pressure of work later on. Sui-\'ey the home grounds to find out what might be done to imjirove the winter cfifect. Some .shrubs are especially beautiful during the winter with their snow laden twigs hanging in graceful tracery, and many too even at this late date are resplendent with lingering red berries, .\mong the kinds suitable for massing along the boundary line are the Spiraeas, Red-twigged Dogwood, I')eri)cris, Rosa riii;osa, and Scarlet Thorn. Low growing liardy evergreens alwaj'S give to the foundation of build- ings a cheerful appearance, and of these there is a wealth of material upon which to draw. KaJniia lati- folia, Rliododciidroii iiia.viiiia. .\ndromeda in variety, Malwnia aqiiifoliiiiii, and Cotoncaster in variety. In addi- tion to the foregoing there are numerous dwarf conifers as : Ta.rus cuspidata, ftinipcnis sabina, Picca cxcclsa piiinila. Phiiis montana Mughiis and Rctinospora filifcra. Actual i)lanting cannot be done at this time, but in this as in other matters be ready. 406 GARDENERS CHRONICLE The Resting Period of Plants XT O matter hnw successfully summer flowering ■^ ^ bulbous and tuberous-rooted plants maj- have been grown, or \\hat their appearance during summer may be, this is no criterion of the grower's ability to grow them to perfection, unless he is capable of doing this every year. It is a more difficult matter to success- ftilly store away the bulbs and tubers and to care for them over winter than to grow them. This may be proven by the large numbers that die during the winter resting period. Therefore to successfully bring them through the winter is really the criterion of ability in the culture of these subjects. Many forget that bulbs and tubers live during the resting period as during summer. The difference is that they are not visibly growing, though actually they are. Even in dormancy certain essential changes take place, the only difference being that vitality is reduced. This resting may be likened to the sleep of a person. Surely by no stretch of. the imagination can we regard a person in this state as dead. Once the grower of bulbous and tuberous-rooted plants becomes impressed with the idea that he is not handling dead, worthless things, he will give them proper living conditions even during winter, when it is necessary for them to rest or "sleep." Another important thing we are apt to forget is that the summer flowering bulbous and tuberous-rooted plants we store away during winter are all, or nearly all, tender exotics, and, therefore, not being hardy they cannot stand the low winter temperatures, as clo our native plants. The two important things then to bear in mind are, that bulbs and tubers during their winter's rest are alive, though dormant, and that the reason we store them away is that they are too tender to withstand low temperatures, or that other outside conditions are un- favorable for their preservation over winter. Bulbous and tuberous-rooted plants vary greatly in their requirements even during their "sleeping" period. They must have a certain temperature, a certain con- dition of atmospheric humidity, and in some cases a certain condition of the soil or other medium in which o{ necessity they must be stored. It is not sufficient merely to throw the subjects into a box or shed. A certain temperature is necessary for all plants to live. Tropical or sub-tropical plants require a greater degree of heat during their growing and resting periods than do temperate plants at these respective times. As the temperature falls below normal during the rest- ing period vitality is correspondingly reduced, and if, in the case of tender subjects, the temperature falls very low (even if it does not freeze) and remains so for a considerable time, death may ensue. Perhaps you have known of tubers of cannas, dahlias and elephant's ears (Caladiums), tuberous begonias, gloxinias and a host of others which in spring, on removal from storage, were found to be dead, although the temperature did not fall to the freezing mark. All other conditions be- ing right, the tubers died because the temperature was too low over a prolonged period to allow the plants to live. The metabolic process, that, briefly, being the chemical change necessary to the life of the plant, could not take place at the low temperature. Just as the temperature may be too low, so it may be too high for l)ulbous and tuberous rooted plants dm-- ing the winter resting period. A person cannot sleep or rest in a temperature which approaches tlie heat of his blood. This unnatural condition excites and pro- duces a state of restlessness which cannot be overcome until the temperature is lowered ; so it is w itli the cannas and other bulbous and tuberous plants. A high temperature will excite the metabolism and growth will commence at an unnatural time, with consequent injury to the subjects. From these remarks, it will be seen that somewhere between the extremes of heat and cold there is a temperature just right for the welfare of our subjects when they are in a state of rest. Some bulbous and tuberous rooted plants require a dry atmosphere in their storage place, others a normal one. Bulbs or tubers of a firm texture like the gladioli and tuberous begonia require the former, while tubers of a succulent nature like the dahlia, canna, elephant's ear, and gloxinia require the latter. Were the iast mentioned subjects stored away in a room with a very dry atmosphere, their cells would quickly lose their moisture, the cell walls would collapse, and the tubers would shrivel and become useless. Such is a very Common occurrence, though easy to obviate. Were is possible to have the atmosphere just right, and just sufficient moisture therein, it would not be neces- sary to store many subjects in soil, sand, or other material. In all cases, howe\er, where the atmosphere is very drj-, it is the safest practice to cover the bulbs or ttibers w4th some material to prevent the excessive escape of moisture from their cells. Generally sand will be found excellent for the purpose, but in no case should the crowns of the tubers be buried, or bulbs be covered to a great depth. It should not be forgotten that it may be necessary to occasionall}- water cannas, caladiums and dahlias in a dry position, even when covered with sand, and if the crowns are below the surface water will penetrate and cause the tubers to rot. ^Vatering should not be done in any case as long as the tubers are plump and hard, but as soon as the, first signs of shrixelling occtu", delay in this respect will be dangerous. — Tlie Canadiatt Florist. PLEASURE PLUS PROFIT IN PLANTING IN the furnishing of our homes we are guided by at least three main aims : Beauty, comfort and material utility. Each is as important as the other in the per- fect enjoyment of the home life. The same objects should guide us in the planting of the home grounds. Not often enough is there found a perfect balance of these three, for in the ftirnishing of the garden the question of space and individual likes and dis- likes play an important part. Sentiment and the love of the beautiful are, perhaps, the strongest motives that urge most people to plant the things which, from a purely economic viewpoint, are more lovely than useful. This is indeed fortunate and perhaps a wise provision after all, for the garden thus is enabled to exert a powerful uplifting influence. Moreover, if we were to strip horti- culture of sentiment, our business would soon go to the bow-wows. We need never fear, however, that such a thing will ever happen, since it is an inherent quality of the human race to take a keen delight in all things thai grow out of the earth. There is another class of people who spend lavishly on ornamental planting, not alone for the love they have for flowers and jjlants, but for the pleasure it afTords them to know that they have the best furnished grounds in their immediate circle. To receive the praise of the visitor or guest is a sweeter reward than the pleasure they derive from the plantings on which they have spent almost fabulous sums. for Januury, l'>20 407 Still another phase of the matter, and one which af- fects almost all garden owners, is the question of the selection of plants which will give both pleasure and profit to the owner, in other words, plants which are use- ful as well as ornamental. Our enjoyment of the garden will not be diminished, but rather increased, by having plants that serve a twofold purpose. The Cherry, the Apple or the Pear will often be equally as desirable orna- mentally as a Norway Maple and will give ten times as much beauty and service as a greedy Carolina Poplar. The Crab Apple, Peach and Quince are delightful in floral display and often might fill many a position now held by some fleeting beauty whose fruits previously mentioned are with us to be enjoyed by all the senses. Much more planting of fruit trees would be done w-ere it not for the annoyance of having voung people without proper respect for the rights of others appropriating for themselves the fruit that rightfully belongs to the owner of the trees. The restraining hand of the law fails to hold under subjection that impulse to steal. Respect for the property of others and a correct understanding of what true liberty means must come as the result of the child's early training. However, were fruit trees more com- monly seen in gardens perhaps there would be less notice taken of them and thus the desire to take the fruit would not be so strong. Xow that "old PI. C. L." is such a persistent guest in every home there seems every reason for the planting of such things as will, in some measure, offset his sapping- in- fluence and bring real enjoyment to the greatest number of our people . — Edwix Matthews in Florists' Ex- chaiizc. Mushroom Culture OF the several kinds of edible fungus the jMushroom Agaricus cam['cstris is the best known and has been used as food for 2,000 years. Like all fungi, this thrives in dark places and is grown in France in caves luider ground. Special houses are devoted to mushrooms, also grown as a side crop under greenhouse benches. A dark cellar that can be kept about 57° would be an ideal place for growing mushrooms. The temperature could be con- trolled by placing barrels of fermenting manure in the cellar replacing these as needed (Fig. 8). The tempera- ture should not be allowed to fall below- 45° and after spawning, care should be taken not to get the beds too wet by giving only a light sprinkle with tepid water if the soil looks dry (Fig 7). To grow mushrooms, it is most important to secure good spawn. In making the beds procure fresh hcjrse manure anil mix with it V3 its bulk of fresh loam (Fig. Ij. Turn this daily to prevent over- heating and when sufficient quantity is secured to make the bed, put it in the cellar or mushroom-house. In mak- ing the bed ram down the manure firmlv (Fig. 2) and when finished place a hotbed thermometer into it. When the temperature of the bed declines to 90° it is safe to spawn, (Fig. 3). Break up the spawn and plant into the bed about 1 foot apart and 4 inches deep, (Fig. 4). In a week or 10 days, when the spawn has spread through the bed, cover with 2 inches of fresh loam and press down smooth and even, (Fig. 5). Afterwards cover with straw, (Fig. 6). After spawning the temperature .-hould be kept as near 57° as possible and cold draughts should be avoided by constant watch- fulness. The mushrooms should appear in 5 or 6 weeks after spawning. 408 GARDENERS' CHRONICLE Common Sense in Painting Greenhouses JAY D. EARLMAN A CERTAIN friend of mine has a hobby, it is his greenhouse. And unHl-ce some greenhouse owners, he didn't build it as a material evidence of his prosperity. In fact, from one or two remarks he made, I think he had to scrape a bit to indulge himself, but he bought it becnuse he loves flowers and all manner of growing things. This friend of mine is a successful business man. and a thrifty one. Although he devotes a great amount ol attention to the greenhouse and its stock of growing things, he attempts to operate it on a business basis — as economically as possible. I use the words "attempts'' because I think he is in- consistent ; specially referring to the question of painting that greenhouse. In spite of the fact that as far back as a half a century ago it was proved that ready-mixed paint is far superior to the old-fashioned hand-mixed variety, some folks just can't seem to see the light. .\nd so, because Charley Burson is a friend of mine. J just naturally sat down beside him the other evening and told him where he is not only behind the times, but throwing away good money besides. Am not sure, but believe he now understands. The following, in substance, is what I told him : In the first place, the one great outstanding" mark of superiority of the machine-mixed paint over the hand- mixed lead and oil, is found in the mixing itself. The modern mixing machines found in a luodern paint fac- tory can in a short time mix the necessary paint-produc- ing ingredients in a manner that never has been and never will he approached by the old-school jiainter with his stirring paddle and his good right arm. Properly mixed paint means paint that has a film of linseed oil wrapped completely around each pigment particle, which film will protect that pigment from the action of the destroying elements and at the same time bind it together with its fellow pigment particles. Hand- mixing cannot accomplish this. One great trouble experienced by the man who at- tempts to mix his own paint is that of obtaining a mixture of the proper consistency. Suppose, for example, he starts out with three gallons of oil and a ijuantity of white lead. He mixes the two together and liegins the stirring operation. He needs more lead, so he puts it in, and continues stirring. More lead is needed, so he adds it — generally adding a little too much — making his mixture too thicic. This means he must add more oil, which he does. Ten to one he adds a little too much oil, which necessitates the addition of more pigment to obtain a proper working mixture. And not onh- amateurs, but many journeymen painters, as well, have in this manner mixed from one to two gal- lons more paint than was necessary for the job. Of course, the property owner paid for the waste. So much for the higher cost of lead and oil. Next, consider the results that are expected — yes, ex- pected. It should be borne in mind that if about 30 per cent of zinc is not added to the pigment, the first coat of lead and oil will soon chalk off. I don't say it is liable to chalk off, I say it tvill ; and it will do this as soon as the linseed oil has dried, due to the oxygen of the atmosphere acting upon it. And when the ground coat jiecls oft', the top coat or coats go riglu along with it. Now, ready-mixed paint contains all the ingredients that years of paint-making experience have shown to be necessary. Not only contains them, but they have been- introduced in just the right proportions and are thor- oughh' mixed. Every batch of paint is made according to a fixed formula (usually determined by weight), which means that all preceding and succeeding batches of paint will ha\-e the same consistency and workability, and produce the same results. These formulae enable the paint manufacturer to match colors perfectly, insuring that the batch of paint being made today will be of exactly the same shade as that he made last month, or even last year. The "mix-my-own" jiainter can only aoproximate the shadjs he once produced, because he has no rules or formulae. Paint manufacturers have used all manner of convinc- ing propaganda during the last half-century to convince pamters and property owners that their products are su- perior to lead and oil, but their one obstacle in putting the idea across universally has been the opposition of the painter himself. This because the old-time master painter was wont to throw an air of mystery about his mixing operations,, which accounts in a measure for some of the older paint- ers holding to the earlier traditions. And while in many cases, a painter will not hesitate to buy a ready-mixed paint if a color is desired, he seems to like hand-mixed, lead and oil when painting greenhouses white. Perliaps this is one reason why so many greenhouses re(|uire painting every year. I recently had occasion to visit a large paint factory in the middle west. On the roof of one of the buildings are a number of large racks, holding in the aggregate, I should say, about four hundred wooden paddles, each painted with a different kind and color of paint. The president of this particular concern is very particular as to the quality of every kind of paint he makes, which ac- counts for each and every color of each and every kind of l^aint being tested on this "roof garden.'" .\nd this test is a severe one. The paddles are inclined at an angle, similar to the slojiing sides of the green- house roof, which means that dust, soot, rain and snow will remain on the surface instead of dropping off. This means that these paddles receive unusually drastic ex- posure, and you can understand from this that an ex- posure of three years on this roof is equal to an exposure of from six to eight years on the ordinary dwelling. The painted frame of the greenhouse roof is, of course, exposed to the same conditions, 1 ut in addition, the glass panes reflect on the frame an intense heat and highly concentrated light rays, which combine to tear down the paint texture. The majority of greenhouse owners are today using ready-mixed paint for two reasons : it looks better and it lasts longer. A third reason is that it costs less. True, the best ready-mixed paint costs more per gallon, but it always costs less per jol> because it spreads out ftu-ther and covers better. The ffreenhouse painted with hand-mixed lead and oil has to be painted every year. When painted with the best grade of manufactured paint it will not require paint- ins: tor three years. jor January, 1920 ~1S9- |IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIUIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII!IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIN »ll(lilllllfllllllllllllHIII!llll|i:i I A Lesson on Soil Formation and Its Bacteria I Being One of a Series ot Lessons of a Home Study Course on (hardening. Appearing Under the Direction of ARTHUR SMITH Regularly in The Gardeners' Chronicle iririiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiniiiiniiiiiuiniiinniiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiim^^^^^^ iiiiiiiiiiiniiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii III! iiiiiiiiiiiiiNiniii 111)111 1 Ill iiii;iiiiiiiii;iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii:i iiiiii mi: im iiNiiiNiiiiiiiiiuiiiimiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiil IN choosing subjects to be dealt with in this department, our aim has been to select those having some special connection with the work of the particular month in which each appears. However, as at this time there is little connected with gardening outside which can be called seasonable, it appears that this is a fitting period to spend a little while at the Fireside University and to go somewhat deeper mto the whys and wherefores of matters which have previously been given merely a passing glance. We believe that gardeners, whether professional or amateur — and we are glad to know that there are a con- tinually increasing number of the latter who read this journal — will always find that the more they know of the complex processes which are going on in the soil and in the plant, and the more they know of i^-liy certain re- quirements are necessary to produce the highest results, the more interesting the work will be and the more pleas- ure they will derive in carrying it out. Subjects connected with the soil and plant life are so co-related and so inextricably interwoven that it is a practical impossibility to avoid at all i;imes some repeti- tion in dealing with the various seasonable phases to which they refer. SUIL POPULATION, BOTH GOOD AND EVIL. The soil, and the spectacle of a living plant growing and building itself up from it, was the theme of some in- teresting stories, both in prose and ver.se, written by the most learned philosophers who lived several hundred years before the Christian era, and from their writings we gather that our practice today is. broadly speaking, verv little, and in some ways not at all, farther advanced than it was then. But we today know something about the whvs and wherefores of which in those ancient times nothing was known. About the first discovery relating to causes was made at the beginning of the nineteenth cen- tury by the application of analytical chemistry to both the soil and the plant, but the most momentous and far- reaching step along these lines was made only some twenty-five years ago when the first knowledge of the work of bacteria in connection with plant growth was gained. Tliis discovery opened up a vast unexplored re- gion, the boundaries of which have nut been reached, nor are they in sight. Today we know that soils are peopled by myriads of micro-organisms containing numerous distinct species, each species carrying on its appointed work, which causes the soil to be more suitable, or less suitable, according to the nature of the work, for plant life. It has been esti- mated that in a grain of average .soil there are from sixty thousand to five hundred thousand beneficial and injurious bacteria. (In case any reader should not be aware of the fact, it may be mentioned that a gram equals 15.432 grains avoirdupois.) This tremendous soil population is always busy, .\mong them division of labor is the rule, and it has been foune remembered that there are no short cuts to. fertilitv. Science does not promise any way of getting round the old injunction "in the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread." What science has done, and is doing, is to dignify the gardener's and the farmer's calling by revealing" something of the romantic wonders and beau- ties of the principles involved; it shows how their labor may be better directed as their konwledge of the pro- cesses of Nature become fuller and more enlarged. True Cooperation \\'hat is it to lo\e one's neighbor as one's self? Why, to wish him equal . . . ad\-antages, and character, and to do what is possil)le to help him secure them. But it takes time to liuild a man. much more time than to build a house, or a busines, as a rule. Wealth alone makes neither superiority, equality, nor inferiority ; neither character nor happiness. To pauperize one's neighbor by merely presenting him with the fruits of another's careful thought and hard work is not to love him as one's self. To put him in a position where he can claim what he has no fitness to do, or be, or have, is not to love him truly. To encourage him to magnify the material, as compared with the intellectual and spiritual, is not Christian love. "Cooperation" is in- deed a Christian ideal; but such cooperation should be genuine, hearty, not merely technical, — not an en- forced, but a \oluntary cooperation, — if it is to bear good fruit. K. P. Harrington. ^iiiiiiiiiiiiiiuiiiiiiiiHiiiiiiiiiiiinuiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiniii^ DO you find the columns of the Garden- | ERS' Chronicle interesting? Car- I I tainly you do, or you would not be perusing | I them. Your gardening neighbor, were he j I familiar with them, would become equally | I interested. Why not recommend the Gar- j I DENERs' Chronicle to him as a guide to | I his garden work? He would appreciate it 1 I — and so would we. | [iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiriiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii»iii:iiiiii»{;iiiiiiii«iiii:iiiiiiin:iiiiiim# for Jnnuary. 1920 iaillllllllllllllillillllillllllllllllilllllllllillllllllllllliiiiliiilliiilliiilllllllilllllllllllllllllllllllllllllilllllllllllllllllllillllllll^^ 413 iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii!iiiiiiiiiiiiii:iiiiiiiii,iiiiiiiiim>iiii:iiii;iiii.iiiMiiy National Association of Gardeners Office; 2Si. FIFTH Je.vsex. President, St. Louis, Mo. M.^CKIXTOSH, Vice-President. Stillwater, Minn. Trustees for 1920 Peter Duft". Orange, X. J.; William W'aite. Rumson. N. J L. P. D. L \\"F., NEW YORK. Thom.vs \V. Head, Treasurer, Lake Forest, 111. M. C. Ebei., Secretary, Madison, N. J. (To serve until 1921) — William N. Craig, Brookline, Mass. Arthur Smith. Elheron, \. .!.; Robert Weeks, Cleveland, O.; William H. Griffiths, Detroit, Mich. Directors L. P. Jensen, St. Louis, Mo. William Hertrick, San Gabriel. Cal. ; W'illiani Gray, | _ Newport, R. I.; G. Hennenliofer, Great Falls, Mont.; Thomas Hatton, New London, Conn.; Albin Martini, Lake Geneva, Wis.; (To serve until | J 1922) — George Wilson, Lake l''orest. 111.; James Stuart, Mamaroneck, N. V.; William Kleinheinz, Ogontz, Pa.; John F. Huss, Hartford, | M Conn.; Edwin Jenkins, Lenox, Mass.; Carl N. Fohn, Colorado Springs, Colo.; Joseph Tansey, Tuxedo Park, N. Y. (To serve until 1923) — | S Robert Cameron, Ipswich, Mass.; Theodore Wirth. Minneapolis, Minn.; George H. Pring, St. Louis, Mo.; (jeorge W. Hess, Washington, | 1 D. C. ; Daniel J. Coughlin, Locust Valley, L. I.; John Barnet, Sewickley, Pa.; A. C. Jordabn, Palm Peach, Fla. | liiiiiiiiiiiwii;iiiiiiiii:iiii:iiii:iiii:;i;?i;:iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii;Nii:iiii:iiiniii;iiii:iiiniiriiii:iiiM!iii:i«^ THE PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE Fellow Members : — 111 e.xpressiiig my appreciation to you, for tlie honor which you bestowed on me, by electing me your president at the Cleveland convention last August, I can not but feel the large responsibilities which you thereby placed on my shoulders. I fully realize my limitations of ability and the magnitude of the work before us, and that our success in future advancement will rest, not only on the active work and enthusiasm of myself and those who serve with me officially on the board of dijectors or on committees, but largely on the individual members of the as- sociation. With proper support from the membership at large financially, and by generous contributions of notes and articles to our official organ, and an active participation of the individual members in the affairs of the association, the year 1920 should, and will be, one of phenomenal advancement for the association and the pro- fession which it represents. 1 can not but emphasize the great value of the service bu- reau to the individual member, and the publicity campaign to the profession at large, but for the success of these undertakings funds must be forthcoming, sufficient for their proper main- tenance. As these funds must come from voluntary subscriptions 1 urgently appeal to every member to do his part, in a way com- parable to his means. A comparatively small contribution from each member would result in lasting benefit to the entire profes- sion. Members should contribute more articles to our official organ. The G.vrrener's Chronicle. Not enough is written by the practi- cal man whose perconal experiences and observations should be published for the benefit of the craft, short notes on new methods and plants, being of particular value. If sufficient in- terest is taken in this matter by the members, there will be little need for quotalioi's from other sources. We should make our official organ a national authority on matters pertaining to gardening. Our association is becoming, year by year, more national in cliaractcr, and I feel that the selection of the city of St. Louis for the place of holding our 1920 convention was a step forward, not because it happens to be the city of my home, but because it will be a means of adding to our membership roll, the pro- fessional gardc-ners of the Middle West and .South, and stinnilate the interest and advancement of gardening in this large territory, extending our intluence to the Gulf of ^lexico. The result of this will be a demand to hold our conventions successively. East, West, Northwest and South, instead as previously in the East. This will not only cause a continued interest in our association and profession throughout tlie country, but give the tncmbcrs an opportunity to get in touch with their fellow craftsmen of every section of our land, and benefit by an enlargement of observa- tion, obtained under the most favorable circumstances. In this age of specialization in various branches of gardening, it is of vital importance that we establish a close relation of co-ope- ration with the various allied organizations. Our activities dove- tail into each, and all of them in some particular, and the investi- gations and experimentations of these specialists should be volu- able to the all around professional gardener. The placing of your president on the executive board of the Society of American Florists and Ornamental Horticulturists, should result in a spirit of co-operation, which should be of mutual benefit, and co-operative ties of a similar nature should be established between our association and those of the nursery- men, fruit growers, vegetable growers, landscape architects, seeds- men, arboriculturists, park superintendents, federal and state horticultural organizotions and also local gardeners' clubs and societies. Our field of co-operation should be even broader than this : because of the nature of the occupation of our members it be- hooves us to assist those who strive for the preservation and pro- tection of our national natural resources, and for the preserva- tion of the scenic beauty of our country. To quote the words of William Morris : " 'Tis we ourselTCS each one of us, zvlio must keep ti'atch and z^'ard over the fairness of the earth and each zvith his own soul and hand do his due share therein, least we deliver to our sons a lesser treasure than our fathers left to us." A partial means of interesting the younger men in our profes- sion may be the active co-operation in the school garden work. This work we should enter not only as an association, but also as individuals. Another is to accept suitable men from the Federal Board of Vocational Education, and to give them all possible encouragement to take up the study of our profession. I would like, at this time, to add a word for our untiring and efficient secretary, Mr. Martin C. Ebel. Let us demonstrate that we appreciate his great service to the association by showing him our gratificotion, by a hearty co-operation in the various propositions which he so masterfully conducts from our head- quarters in New York City, The important and intricate problem of a just and fair class- ilication of those desiring to change or better their positions, should be borne in mind by all of us, that a solution of this I)roblcm may lie [iresented at our next convention. The fraternity and the people of the city of St. Louis are looking forward to the pleasure of entertaining you as iheir guests, and we expect a banner attendance. Do not miss tliis op- portunity. In conclusion, I wish to state, that my heart and soul is en- grossed in the welfare of the association and the advancement of gardening and the gardener. I place myself at your service. Fraternally yours, L. P. .1 EN-SEX. President. PRESIDENT'S APPOINTMENTS President Jensen has appointed the following directors to serve until 1923: Robert Cameron, Ipswich, Mass.; Theodore Wirth, Minneapolis, Minn.; George H. Pring, St. Louis, Mo.; George W. Hess, Washington, D. C. ; Daniel J Coughlin, Locust Yalley, L. I.; John Barnet, Sewickley, Pa.; A. C. Jordan, Palm Beach, Fla. To succeed Thomas W. Head, elected treasurer (whose term expires 1922), George Wilson, Lake Forest, III.: and to succeed -Arthur Smiih, elected trustee (whose term ex- pires 1921), G. Hennenhofer, Great Falls, Mont. As it was voted at the Cleveland convention to abolish all standing committees, there arc no committees to be appointed at this time. President Jensen will appoint special coniinittces as the occasion arises. ■(14 GARDENERS- CHRONICLE SERVICE BUREAU PUBLICITY FUND The following contributions have been received for the Service Bureau Publicity Fund to January 5th : Previously acknowledged ■ • $262.00 Joseph Bailer, New York Citv 5.00 William Brock, Chester, N. Y •■ 4.00 William Goodall, Mancliester, Mass 5.G0 John Barnet, Sewicklev, Pa ■ • 5.00 Henrv A. Brown, Port Chester, N. Y 5.00 R. Fischer, Bernardsville, N. J 10.00 James Donald, Natick. Mass. • ■ 5.00 Ross Gault, Chester, N. Y 5.00 Robert Finnie, Quincey, Mass •• . 5.00 Robert Marshall, Glen Cove, L. 1 5.00 James Davidson, Tuxedo Park, N. Y .... 5.00 Kalman Nagy, Bernardsville, N. J 2.00 James MacAlister, Cedar Hill, N. Y 7.00 Arthur Stratford, Somcrville, N. J 5.00 Harry Cartwright, Lenox, Mass • 4.00 William Gray, Newport, R. 1 5.00 William Mills, Ashland, N. H 3.00 Ernest Carman, Washington, D. C 2.00 A. Bieschke, Noroton, Conn 5.00 Robert Williamson, Greenwich, Conn 15.00 James Warr, Seal Harbor, Me ■•.... 5.00 D. L. Mackintosh, Stillwater, Minn 6.00 G. H. Fellows, So. Euclid, Ohio 5.00 Andrew L. Dorward. Newport. R. 1 5.00 H. Sears, Hartford, Conn 5.00 Gust Malmquist, Wayzata, Minn 2.00 James Brown. Newport, R. I ■ 3.01.1 Henry Saljot, Somcrville, N. J 2.00 Duncan Mclntyre, New Rochelle, N, Y... ••.... 3.00 Charles Ashmead, West Orange, N. J 2.00 James Wiseman, Pittsburgh, Pa • • 5.00 Charles F. Spcllman, Winchendon, Mass 3.00 Philip Bovington, Louisville, Ky 5.00 Joseph Tansey, Tuxedo Park, N. Y 15.00 Charles A. Ruthven, Mt. Kisco, N. Y 5.00 Will. J. Devery, Marion, Mass 2.00 George C. McDonald, Newport, R. 1 5.00 William Mulliss. Kennett Square. Pa ......25.00 John I. Foxcroft, So. Manchester, Conn 3.00 Ernst A. MuUcr, Yonkcrs. N. ^' 2.00 John Forbes, Oyster Bav, N. Y 3.00 George Wood, Glen Head, L. 1 5.00 Wm. H. Griffiths, Detroit, Mich 10.00 David Gustafson, Elberon, N. I ■■ 5.00 R. Gardner, Newport, R. I....' 2.00 Walter Troup, West Rindge, N. H 1.00 John Conroy, Greenwich. Conn 5.00 Frederic Carter, Newport, R, I . 5.00 Herman Rapp, Leetsdale, Pa 3.00 Carters' Tested Seeds, Inc.. Boston. Mass 25.00 Total . . $.^41,110 EMPLOYERS' FUND The following amount has been recei\'ed for the proposed fund to start a campaign to arouse the interest of young men in the profession of gardening. Previously acknowledged $100.00 .•\. R. Speck (W. (iritfith, gardener), Detroit.. 25.00 Total $125.00 Boston. Mass.. Jan. 4, 1920. Service Bureau Publicity Fund Committee, National Assoc, of (iardeners, 286 Sth Avenue, New York. Gentlemen : It is with pleasure that we note from the last issue of the Gardeners' Chroxicle that you have so far se- cured the amount of $262.00 towards the Service Bureau Pub- licity Fund and as this Bureau and what it stands for has our full approval and best w-ishcs we take pleasure in enclosing you our contribution of $25.00 which we herewith enclose. Our present action is the result of a communication received from Mr. Robert Cameron, Supt. of Castle Hill Farm, Ipswich, Mass. In this communication he states that your organization is trying to put the Gardener and his profession on a higher plane. If at any time wc can, through our connections, assist you to accomplish this result, we are at your service. Your very truly, C.\RTERS TeSTKP SkEDS, Ixc, M. I. Collins. SUSTAINING MEMBERS Mrs. Edwin Thorne. Babylon, L. I. (Herbert, Brown, gar- dener) ; Mrs. David Dows, Brookville, L. I. (Henry Gibson, gardener) ; Irenee du Pont, Wilmington, Del. (J. Buckingham, gardener), have become sustaining members of the association. NEW MEMBERS The following names have been added to our membership list : Earl Robertson, Ralph W. Walton, Cleveland, O. ; Thomas M. Rowe, Gates Mill, O. ; Albert H. Laine. Willoughby, O. ; Frank L. Baiogh, Youngstown, O. ; E. Batchelor, Akron, O. ; John Kull- man, Cleveland Heights, O. ; Robert Budd, Granville, O. ; George McMahon, Des Moines, la.; George Davies, Nutley, N. J.; Paul Hamer, Woodhaven, L. I. ; Robert Mackie, Mt. Kisco, N. Y. ; Herbert Stuart, Larchmont, N. Y. ; Herbert W. Tickner, Donald Campbell, Convent, N. J. ; Dennis Foley, Newport, R. I. ; Philip J. Lucking, Mill Neck, L. I. ; Claude W. Bonner, Woodmere, L. 1. ; Frederick Duncan, New Hamburg, N. Y. ; William H. San- son!, Huntington, L. I. ; Edwin Saunders, Henry Sabot, Somcr- ville, N. J.; Ellis B. Wilson, Hartford, Conn.; Michael Decgan, Port Washington, L. I.; James P. Murray, Newark, N. J.; James MacDonald, Mt. Kisco, N. Y. ; Percy W. Kennaday, Montclair, N. J. ; Bror E. Erickson, New York City ; Frederic Ostner, Brooklyn, N. Y. ; Gustave H. Beckman, New York City ; An- drew Kneuker, Shrewsbury, Mass. ; Kenneth Cedarman, River- dale, N. Y. ; Alexander Robertson, Chappaqua, N. Y. ; George Donoran, Glen Cove, L. I.; William Quigley, New York City; Stephen Bernath, Bronx, N. Y. ; Robert Irving, Shrewsbury, Mass. ; David B. Allen, Jr., Port Washington, L. I. ; W. Port- niann, A. Hackmann, E. Baumgartner, C. G. Swenson, Clayton, Mo.; J. Prapuolenis, L. Baumann, J. F. Silva, St. Louis, Mo.; Theodore Hansen, West Orange, N. J. ; Leamon G. Tingle, Pitts- ville, Md. ; James Murdock, Greenwich, Conn.; Lars P. Han- sen, Beaumont, Tex. : Karl S. Landolt, Brooklyn, N. Y. ; Alex- ander Valentine, Hackensack, N. J.; Peter Smith, C. J. Young, Glen Cove, L. I. ; Thomas Davies, Roslyn, L. I. ; John Wilkin- son, So. Tacoma, Wash.; Patrick McCormack, Scarsdale, N. Y. ; David Hanlon, Washington, D. C. ; G. Hennenhofer, Great Falls, Mont. ; John R. Warr, Revell, Md. ; Louis Seplavy, New York City; Theodore Chase, Greenwich, Conn.; Michael Fascella, Co- coanut Grove, Fla. ; John Clarkson, Nantucket. Mass.; Paul Pow- ers, Suffern, N. Y. ; Bartholomew Pow ors. Tuxedo Park, N. Y. AMONG THE GARDENERS Henry Gibson secured the position of superintendent on the estate of Mrs. David Dows, Brookville, Glen Head, N. Y. Alexander McKenzie resigned his position as superintendent on the A. W. Davis estate to engage in the nursery business with his brother, Kwen iMcKenzie, White Plains, N. Y. John Forbes has succeeded Mr. McKenzie as superintendent iif the A. W. Davis estate, Oyster Bay, N. Y. Ernest Grey, for eight years gardener on the William (lu Pont estate. Montpelier. Va., has accepted a similar posi- tion at Fairmount Farms, Eairmount, W. Va. Edwin Saunders until recently in charge of the fruit houses. Duke's Park, Somcrville, N. J., has accepted the position as gardener in charge of the greenhouses under Thomas W. Head, superintendent, Mellody Farm, Lake Forest, 111. ^miiii) riiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiniiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiniiiiiiiiiiiiiiniiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiniiiniiiiNiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii^ I OF INTEREST TO COUNTRY | I ESTATE OW NERS | g The National .Association of (hardeners takes this op- 1 I portunity to place its Service Bureau at the disposal of i i owners of country estates when requiring competent i i gardeners, in the rapacities of superintendents, head = I gardeners or assistant gardeners — thoroughly qualified in 1 1 every particular to assume the responsibilities the posi- 1 i tions call for — gardeners truly efficient in their profession. § I The Bureau is maintained entirely at the expense of 1 I the association and makes no charge to the employer it 1 I may serve or to the member it may beneii!. 1 i N.ATIONAL AS50CI.ATI0N OF GARDENERS | I M. ('. Ebel, Secretary i I 286 Fifth .Ave. New York | fiiii:iiii:iiii:iiii:iiiiiiiiiiiiii;iiiiaiiiiiiiiniiiiiiiiiiiiiiiliiiiiiHiiiiiiiii!iiiiiiiii;iiii'iitiiiiiinii;iiiliniliiiiii«iiliiiiiliiiiiiiiilin for jnnunry. 1^*20 415 m. 1 Jpvjr A Giant Everbearing Quality Fritit wliich the U, Dept. oi Agriculture states, "should be tried gardens in all parts of the country." LaF ranee King' of Raspberries (ELverbearing) Raspberries from June to November! From your own garden to your own table! La France Ever- bearing Raspberry is Scheepers' latest introduction to the world of horticulture. Immense clusters! Giant berries — twice the size of the ordinary va- rieties ! Firm, luscious fruit ; deep colored, wonderfully rich-flavored! And few seeds! Tested and Proved for Three Years — Continuous Crop — Easily Propagated La France Everbearing is a remarkable plant. Its hardiness and habits — its prolific bearing qual- ities, and its ease of propagation — make it a horti- cultural phenomenon. Planted early in the spring, it loses no time getting started. Begins bearing as early as the first week of July (the first season!) and "never lets up" — keeps right on with break after break, cluster- laden shoots, un'il all vegetation is completely frost-checked for the season. Even then its remark- able nature continues in evidence: La France has demonstrated its hardiness by surviving tempera- tures as low as 30 below zero. La France Everbearing Raspberry propagates freely and very rapidly. A dozen plants will produce a Rood- sized berry patch in an incredibly short time. Its rapid growth, its hardihood to withstand extreme cold, its immunity from fungus and insect diseases, its remark- able all-season production of fruit, make La France Ever- bearing by all odds the raspberry for home gardener, fruit grower or farnicr. Now's the Time to Order. Supply is Very Limited. Plant La France early this spring and have berries the first days of July. But order now. Six plants for $10.50. Twelve plants for $20. One hundred plants for $150. JOHN SCHEEPERS, Inc. 2 Stone St., New York City IS'urseries—Soitnd livtuli^ Conn.; lirooktillc, N. V. Write for booklet on *'La France Everbearing Raspberry." Includes additional expressions from noted horticulturists, etc. La FRANCE FIRST-CLASS AWARDS Massachusetts Horticultural Soc— New York Florists' Cub— •Horticultural Soc. of New York— "Morris County Horticultural Soc— 'Tarry town Horticul- tural Soc— The American Institute, New York— Nassau County Horticul- tural Soc— Fairfield and Westchester Horticultural Soc. *And Silver Medal. Also other Show and Fair awards wherever exhibited. What a few La France growers say: T. A. Havemeyer, Pres. Hort'l Soc. of N. Y. — "Far superior to any other raspberry. Very prolific. Large cliis- sU'FS. Luscious l>erries- A remarkable plant. Should be grown by every garden owner, fruit grower, farmer, uurser>Tnan." F. A. Bartlett. Tree Specialist, Stamford, Conn. — "Tbe finest aci|ui5ition in years. \Vint..T of 1917-18 killfil all mv vari-'tivs except La France." Wm. Ziegler. Great Island, Conn. — "La I'laiiro S-ft. ranes loadt.'d with large clus- ters. Shall discard all other varieties and t:r"w only La France." J. B. Cobb, Stamford, Conn. — "Produces large crop for almost four months. Consider La France King of Tta'iijiw'rries. " -jie GARDENERS' CHRONICLE MnniiiiniiiMiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiim^^^^^^^ THE QUESTIONNAIRE Subscribers on- nr.itcd to irate free «se of this deparimeiU to solve prublcins that max arise in their garden work. Questions on 'the ordinarv pursuits of gardeiuiig. that can be readily answered by applying to the usual reference books shonld not be re- ferred to the Questionnaire. Is it advisable to use manure every year in beds planted to Geraniums, and can too much be given?— A. L., Conn. Cerlainlv one can give tuo much manure to the Geranium, and especially highly ni- trogenous manure from horse stables. !•- has been our experience that Geraniums do best and flower more freely in soil that is not manured too frequently. Every secona or third year is enough to apply manure to the soil, and then it ought to be thor- oughly decayed. Only a few weeks ago we saw a bed of red Geraniums standing near- ly three feet high and scarcely any bloom on them. From inquiries we made we dis- covered that the plants had been supplied once a week with an abundance of sheep manure, which resulted in luxuriant growth, really beautiful leaves, but no flowers to speak of. — H. G. I have a border, four feet wide, on one side oi my lawn, running from the house to the sidewalk on the highway. I want to plant it to perennials, so as to have some blooms from early spring to late fall I want blue and white flowers chiefly, but would not mind a few other colors.— S. M., N. J. Your correspondent does not state whether or not the border is in close prox- imity to trees, and is heavily shaded, or has an open, sunnv position, .\ssuming, how- ever that there is little shade, we would suggest that the first thing to do in an en- deavor to have a border that will bloom from frost to frost, is thoroughly prepare the soil by incorporating plenty of well de- caved barnvard manure into it, and break- ing up the' soil to a depth of at least two feet. , . , Taking a selection which would, we think, cover a long season of bloom, we will take the tallest varieties first for the back of the border. . Delphinium, Var. Belladonna. 4 to o teet high, will flower during June and July, al-_ ternating clumps of these with clumps ot Salvia Azure Grandiilora. blue, height 3 to 4 feet, flowering .\ugust and September. .A. few clumps of Aconitum Fishcrii may be added to carrv the blue into October. In front of these may be planted, without tak- ing up much extra space. L. Candiduin and L. Auratum. white; these, together with Phlox Miss Lingard, Phlo.v Paniculala, Var. Perfection, and F. G. Von Lassburg w'ill give a display of white from June until Sep- tember. The flow^ering taking place in the following order: Phlox Miss Lingard. Tunc and July; Lilium Candiduin. July; L. "4Mra/!n)i, July and August; Phlox Perfec- tion, Tune "and July; F. G. Von Lassburg, Julv, ".August and September. By cutting ofif the fading flowers of the phloxes they can be induced to flower a second time, thus prolonging their season. Anemone .laponiea alha. and Whirlwind together with Chrysanthemum Queen of Whites wmII carry the white well through October to frost. IJdging the border you may have Ajuga Rel>eii.<:. which grow'S three inches high, and produces purplish blue flowers in .April, Then behind this, and in front of the taller plants enumerated, one may have aloniT the front of the border, groups of Iris cristata. W. A+lee Burpee Co.. Seed Growers Phtladelphta W. At lee Burpee Co., Seed Growers Philadelphia. BURPEE'S ANNUAL FOR 1920 The Leading American Seed Catalogue I'>iir])c'e's Annual i.s a C(implete guide to the \ egetalile and Flower garden. It fully describes the lUirpee- Quality .seeds with a hundred of the finest vegetables and flowers illustrated in the colors of nature. If you are interested in gardening lUirjiee's .\nnual will be mailed to }-ou free. ^^'rite for }-our co|)^■ t(Hlav. W. ATLEE BURPEE CO. Seed Growers Philadelphia for Jdiiiiury, 192(1 417 6 inches high, uitli blue llowers in May. Iris Florcnlina, 2 feet high, has white flow- ers in May. Arabis Alpina. white. May flowering; Achillea. "The Pearl," white, June and July: Ibcris Scmpcrvircns, May; .Istcr Alfiinus. V'ar. Fairchild, white, and blooming in Angust. and Linuin pcrciiiic, in blue and white flowering in May, will make for a season of continuous bloom. — H. G. Here and There From Day to Day Out in the Fields with God The little cares that fretted me, I lost them yesterday. Among the fields, above the sea. Among the winds at play ; Among the lowing of the herds. The rustling of the trees, Among the singing of the birds. The humming of the bees. The foolish fears of what may hap, I cast them all away Among the clover-scented grass. Among the new-mow-n hay ; Among the rustling of the corn. Where drowsy poppies nod. Where ill thoughts die and good are born tint in the fields with God. — Elizabeth Barrett Browning. AMERICAN HOMES GARDENS. AND \\ e in America have chosen with lavish hand such types of architecture and land- scape gardening design from every land as best suit our individual tastes ^nd condi- tions, and are surely developing a type of landscape gardening which may be termed distinctly American ; it is subtly, yet as clearly marked as our other gradually crys- tallizing national characteristics. Its dom- inant note is in common with all our other activities, characterized by a freedom in our choice of the best that the world has to offer; it is an appreciation of the necessity "f the furnishing of the grounds and gar- lens immediately about the house, with lastc commensurate with the indoor fur- nishings of our homes, for our outdoor life must needs be as pleasant as the hours spent within doors. Setting our "out-of-doors living-room" — our gardens, a bit apart for our own en- joyment and that of our friends, we clioose to separate them from the outside world by a park-like treatment of borders and boniidarv plantings of trees and shrubs, rather than the h-gh walls of brick or stone behind which our friends in other lands maini-^in their privacy. These living walls of trees and shrubs on border and boundarv serve better to screen objectionj'ble views, and presenting vistas across shaded lawn or ineadow — form the most pleasant and agreeable setting for the house and gar- dens. This type of .American landscape gardening is well defined in its essentials, the details of appropriate trees a"d shrubs and plants for the setting of the house and gardens, the proper types of trees for lawn and screen, or other situation vary slightly in each case. Results in the planting of our grounds must he quickly obtaitted, for we are_ not satisfied to wait for tedious years while tiny plants and trees grow^ to such size as will make a fitting setting for the pome of grand-children — we prefer to live in the atmosphere of beautiful surroundings ourselves.— .-J iirfurra Xiirxrrics' Book-lcl. It's High Time You Wrote for That Ten-Ten Catalog When I said that very same thing to a gardener yesterday, he replied: "What do I want of another seed catalog 'f Already have a pile as high as your head. Heaven knows. I'll never have time to wade through them, let alone even looking through yours. "Besides, what's all that Ten-Ten bunk, anyway? Who ever heard of a catalog being called Ten- Ten.^ Sounds like the naine of a gambling game." "Vou have struck the nail plumb bob on the head," says I. "Of course you haven't time to go through all those calatogs. That's why we made one that you could. Made it the Ten-Ten waj'. The way a lot of your gardeners said you wanted it made. Describing the Ten-Ten in a nutshell — everything is grouped in tens. The ten best of everything that's best, whether it be seeds, hardy plants, roses or evergreens. .Send for it, and if you don't go through it care- lully. from cover to cover, and thank us for mak- ing the kind of catalog you gardeners would make, instead of the kind printers want to make — then you just let me know, and I'll send yon one of the Ten-Ten group of roses with my com- pliments. "uliuS* T^eKr5* Ccr Ai Tho Sifo of The Trge Box 20 Rutk»rford N.J. ECONOMIC BOTANY. It is difticuli to understand why the study of botany is so repcllant to the average person. It is rarely one meets with a stu- dent who takes up this study out of love for it. and when the college or high school course is done, what they do learn is promptly forgotten. I'"veu among our own profession wdiere you woidd think a good knowledge of botany was almost essential, very few are interested in it. In fact, the practical grower seems to think that a knowledge of it would be detrimental to him. It is quite true that he can get along without it, as it does not seem to be an essential part of the growing of plants. This, however, is an e.\tremely superficial view of horticulture. When we stop to realize that directly or indirecllv a very jarge proportion of the wealth of the world is derived from the vegetable kingdom, such as food, clothing, building material, medi- cines, rubber, oil, dyes, resin, etc.. it is a wonder that more students do not follow the study. It may be there is not much direct profit in studying systematic botany or the classi- fication and nomenclature of jilants. or in geographical botany which relates to their distribution, but with the economic botanv which confines itself to the sttidy of the values and uses of plants to mankind, there 418 GARDENERS' CHRONICLE piiiiiiiiiiiiNiiniiiiiiliiuiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiinii[iiiiiiiiuiiiiii{iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii:ii!iiiiiiiiiiiiiiii:iiiiiiiii^ I DO YOU WANT THE NEW PLANTS? I BUDDLEIA HYBRIDA EVA DUDLEY is one of the best. It has the form and color of "B. MAGNIFICA" and the sweetness of "B. ASIATIC A." Both the parents were col- lected by Mr. E. H. WILSON. W rite for our 1920 catalogue, offering many of the Arnold Arboretum Plants and other recent introductions. R. & J. FARQUHAR COMPANY 6 So. Market Street, Boston, Mass. niitlllliniiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiniiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiniiiinuiiiiMiiiniiiiiiiiniiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiimiiiiiimin^ is a rteld that would be- attractive to ilie most materialistic mind. The potential wealth hidden away await- ing the experimenter and investigator is tremendous. Some of our insignificant common weeds may have great wealth stored away in them, which only awaits the discoverer. At one lime the potato and tomato were semi-poisonous weeds. The call has al- ready pone out for some plant from which to make paper. Forests are fast being used up and some plant other than trees will have to be found for this purpose. There are thousands of acres of swamp land that are available for the purpose if the right kind of plant can be found that will make suitable pulp or libre. There are thousands of unknown drugs and chemicals still hidden away awaiting the investigator; edible fruits to be in- vestigated, grown and exploited. Praise- worthy efforts are being made in many of our schools, colleges and experiment sta- tions to arouse the interest of the young men of the country and to teach them the importance of the science -of botany in its economic aspect. — National Nurseryman. THE WEED PROBLEM. The surprise is that more discussion and more attention is not given to the weed problem. Weeds decrease our crop yields to such an enormous extent, they interfere so seriously with our farming operations, and they cause such tremendous losses in dollars, that concerted effort should be di- rected to their reduction and eradication. Any community, large or small, that sets itself the task of practically eliminating its weeds and adopts and sticks lo a program of action can work wonders. It is quite cer- tain that everyone knows what a "weed" is. Probably no one of us has had the term defined but our conception of its meaniny is very clear. It may be that at one time in our early days we were told lo pul! the weeds in the corn field or garden ; to mow the weeds along the fence ; and at such a time it is certain that no words of expl.-iiia- lion were needed to indicate which the weeds were. We have come to consider as "weeds" those plants which lend to prow where they are not desired: plants which tend lo resist man's cflforfs to subdue them ; plants which resist frost, heat, dryness; NEW DECORATIVE IDEAS WITH ME EH AN PLANTINGS We have a large, diversified stock on hand from which choices of rare discrimination can be made. Whether the grounds are large or limited in extent there are un- doubtedly among our stock trees or shrubs that would make an attractive addition. Our 62 years' experience as Nurserymen assures the quality of all stock and the soundness of our knowledge of nursery art. We will be glad to send you our Hand Book of Trees and Hardy Plants. A personal talk is often more satisfactory; an experi- enced nurseryman will call on postcard request and d'scuss, without obligation^ our new stock. '^komas MFFHAN S-Sons THE PIONEER NURSEBvYMEN OF AMERICA 6765 Chew St., Germantown, Philadelphia, Pa. Farr^s WW J A treatise on the lianly riClTdy garden, containing- informa- n/ A. tion on upward o[ 500 vari- "i-ClTlt eties of Peonies (the most Q • Js.*^g, complete collection in ex- jpGClQltleS istcnce), Lenioine's new and rare Deutzias, Philadelphus and Lilacs, and the Irises (both Japanese and German), of which I have all the newer introductions as well as the old- time favorites. An abridged edition will be for- warded to garden lovers tvho do not have a copv of the regular Sixtli Fditiou, {s.'nted in 1919. BERTRAND H. FARR Wyoinissing' Nurseries Co. Ill GarBeM Ave., Wyomissing, Pa. ANDORRA Evergfeens, Trees and SHruDS of d i sti nction ANDORRA NURSERIES Wm. Warner Harper. Prop. Chestnut Hill. Phi la., Penna. for January, 1920 419 wliich will grow in most any kind of soil and under all conditions; plants which pro- duce seeds in enormous numbers and have other rapid methods of propagation; plants in themselves sometimes truly beautiful, but that have for us lost their charm ; plants useless and troublesome. Emerson said of a weed : "A plant whose virtues have not yet been discovered." A large purslane plant will produce 1.- 230,000 seeds ; a single Russian thistle plant will ripen 100,000 to 200,000 seeds ; tumbling mustard, 1,500,000; shepherd's purse, 50,000. The seeds of many weeds are very small and escape notice. A pound of clover dod- der has 1,841,360 seeds; common plantain, 1,814,360 seeds; lamb's quarters, 604,786 seeds; Russian thistle, 266,817 seeds; wild mustard, 215,995 seeds; wild oats, 25,493 seeds. If 60 pounds of wheat are planted to the acre, and this wheat has 2 per cent of wild mustard seed there will be distrib- uted over that acre 388,791 mustard seed. Not only do weeds produce seeds in tre- mendous numbers, but seeds with an ability to live a long time. The seeds of some weeds, when buried in the soil, may retain their power to germinate for 15 to 30 years. Such is true of the seeds of tall pig- weed, black mustard, shepherd's purse, dock, yellow fo-xtail, chickweed and others. — Colorado Experiment Station Bulletin. — replaces 2 horses for lawn mowing. THE POWER OF GROWTH. There is no human engineering which can compare in power with the silent ma- chinery of a growing forest. It has been estimated that the physical energy of the sap in the plant is fourteen times that of the blood in man. Professor Clark, of the Massachusetts Agricultural College, has succeeded in measuring the power of the growth of a squash. He harnessed it in iron, put it in prison, and gave it a weight to lift. The squash, thus harnessed, was placed in a box in such a way that it could grow only by pushing upward, and lifting the long lever with the weights suspended on it. The result was that the squash stead- ily pushed its way upward, carrying the bar and weight with it. On August 21, it was lifting 60 pounds; September 15, it was lifting 1.400 pounds ; October 18, it was lift- ing 3.120 pounds; and on October 31, it reached the 5.000 pound figure. How much more it could have carried is not known, for at this point the harness cut into the rind of the squash. — Country Life. THE TREES. The trees have music of iheir own, a soft and soothing monotone, that lulls a man to rest. I have a volume to peruse, but, under them, I snore and snooze, my chin upon my breast. To sit beneath a swaying birch is much like being in a church ; your drowsy eyelids close and to the realms of dreams you hie, until an active, loathsome fly camps down upcm your nose. How often 1 have lain awake until I saw the morning break, and slumber would not come; and I would sadly leave the hay, to face another toil- some day, all innik and on the hum. My nights are often things of dread, I toss around upon my bed, and find no comfort there; but when I sit beneath a tree, the sweet restorer comes to me, its coattails in the air. The trees have voices sad and sweet, their world-old music they repeat, a solemn, sylvan choir; the same old son'» they used to sing when F.arth was bin a half-baked thing, and mortals worshipped fire. They croon their mournful lullaby vvhile rnen are born, grow up and die, they sigh with every breeze; and when t quit this vale of tears T hope to sleep a million years beneath the nodding trees.— W.vlt Mason in The Canadian Countryman. Cuts Lawn-Mowing Costs Actual tests on the Minneapolis City Golf Course at Glenwood Park, under supervision of Supt. Theodore Wirth, showed a saving of 40% in operating costs in favor of the Beeman Triplex niowing outfit as against 2 horses with triple mowing outfit. Consider also the many other advantages of using the Beeman instead of horses, it v^^'orks faster, mows 25% to 100% more ground in the same length of time; it does not have to be fed or cared for when not working; it can be worked as long as necessary in an emergency; it mows close to fences, bushes, trees and goes under low brushes; it does not damage the turf as horses hoofs do; it can be used for haul- ing, plowing and as a self-propellng 4 HP. power plant for belt Work when not in use for mowing. It's a mighty handy machine to have around on golf courses, parks, cemeteries, country clubs, etc. Write for interesting illustrated booklet on how to use the Beeman for cutting lawn-mowing costs. Beeman Tractor Co., ^'^ ''"^ItlZ^ZM Minn. OlALITY RED POTS Made of best material by skilled lalx>r, uniformly biirned BDd carefully packed. Famous "Moss-Aztoc" Ware IneUides Azalea Pots. Kem IHshes, IlanKinK Baskets. Lann Vastti, etc. Write for calalogui* ami price ll.st. PETERS & REED POTTERY CO. So. Zanuville. Ohio i - L CUT FLOWER BOXES EDWARDS FOLDING BOX CO ■AaurACTUHKHB ^HILAOKLPNIA, PA. 4^ L SULCOV.B. CliiirleH Fremd'H Formula Sulphur— Fish Oil— Carbolic Compound A Combined Contact Insecticide niui Fiiniricidc of known rdijibiliti-. Con- trols scnle insects, also many species of lice find fundus diseases on trees, plauLs jiikI nnitnals AT YOUR DEALERS OR DIRECT. >lunnfiirttirerN of Standard Klsh Oil Soap. Unnkh-t Vr>H-. A(l(lr..ss COOK & SMAN (0.. INC., SulcoDept. V 148 FroDt St., New York, U.S. A. 420 GARDENERS' CHRONICLE REVIVING WILTED BLOSSOMS. Many lovers of wild flowers have doubtless been annoyed by the apparent -impossibility of getting certaih beautifiil species home in good condi- tion. Among the flowers of the eastern States which wilt almost while one is pkicking them, the dainty little Sprmg Beauty and the gorgeous but bashful Cardinal flower come to mind. If one but knows how, one may freely gather these and others like them, and take them home in the thoroughly disreputable condition which they at once effect, with calm certainty of being able to re- store them to their natural beauty. It is merely necessary to conquer the inevitable in- stinct to place them in cold water, and instead use the fluid piping hot, with more or less alcohol added, according to condition of the flowers and experience with the various species. This method of restoration applies equally well to culti- vated blossoms as to wild flow- ers. — Scientific American. THE MOCCASIN FLOWER. Most people who have roamed through the rocky hills of the Northern States during May or early June are familiar with the Pink Lady's Slipper or Moccasin Flower. These strange-looking plants are orchids, and this particular kind inhabits moss-covered sand overlying rocks at con- siderable elevation above the surrounding country; also it may be said that they keep away from civilization as far as possible. Hogs destroy them and mice will eat tlic roots, which together with picking liy people, probably ac- counts for their aloofness. Ordinary soil would not do at all, and they seem in their way as exacting as the hothouse orchids. The Pink Lady's Slipper (Cyprifcdium acaule) is the State flower of Minne- sota, adopted back in 1893, and the first State flower of the first State to take such action. The flowers are borne singly on stalks 8 to 12 inches high. The plant prefers partial shade, that of the pine usually. The flowers are pink and are strik- ing in appearance, resembling _ a huge spider. The leaves are very distinct also and even without the flower are at- tractive and interesting.— W. E. D., in Rural New Yorker. OF GENERAL INTEREST On January 29, 1920, in the Museum Building of the New York Botanical Gar- den an Iris Society will be organized. The organizers are Lee R. Bonnewilz, James Boyd, W. F. Christman, H. A. Gleason, Mrs. Francis King, B. Y. Morrison, Miss Grace Sturtevant and John C. Wister. This film is this Paint- To know what this paint is, is to first know what the film is. To know what the film is, send at once to us for a piece. When you see how flexible it is — how like a piece of rubber, how impervious to moisture, and then consider that although two coats thick, it is less than one-hundredth of an inch thick, ilicn ycu will begin to realize how good Lowe's Paint has to be, to stand weather's wear and tear the way it does. If when sending for the film ycu include 10c. in stamps for the Happy Happening Book, you will know why it is that Lowe's Paint goes further and costs less to make it go. But that isn't all — you will have in that book a friend, counselor and guide for all your paint and varnishing problems. Its several pages on Help Hhits you will partic- ularly value. You will find thatLoweBrothers' Paints and Var- nishes are sold by the one best dealer in each town. ^"IxMoBrothors (^/^ EAST THIRD STREET, DAYTON, OHIO Boston New York Jersey City Chicago .\tlanta Kansas City Minneapolis Toronto ORCHIDS Wf' lup Spi-rialisls in (^r^■llill^ wv- lolliM-t. srow, import, export :ina spII orchids ex- l' cluslvelT. If von nre In the market for orcliUlH We s"Iirir vonr iihiiiires nml orfleTS. Catn- logues and sv'cial lists on application. IMAGER & HURRELL (relilil Growws and Importm Summit, IM. J. „ HARRY BA.LD'WIIV Manufacturer ot Greenhouse Shading Latti Roller Blinds MAMAROMECK. IM- Y. The New Hardy Dwarf Edging and Low Hedge (>ri[jinnt<'rs 'iniii niiiiiii nil i iiiiiiii iiiiiiiiiiiiniuiiuiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiilllilliiiiiiig The Insecticide of Recognized Merit for Greenhouse and Garden A PUIMF is a concentrated material — mixes readily in water — efficient in its action — easily applied — free o( •"■'^ '^^''^-'-^ the disagreeable odors and features of most insecticides excellent as a wash for decorative plants FOR THE GARDEN-A* . pOR THE GREENHOUSE dy against all sap sucking insects infesting — Applied at regular intervals (once each week or ten days) APHINE will keep plants flov^^ers, fruits and vegetables APHINE is ^^ the greenhouse and conservatory free of most effective. insect pests. FUNGINE For mildew, rust and other blights affecting flowers, fruits and vegetables. V r.r\ IVIINr. For worms and insects infesting the soil. Sold by dealers in various sizes. APHINE MANUFACTURING COMPANY Manufacturers of Agricultural Chemicals MADISON, N. J. si iiiiiiiiuii iiiiniinmn n iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii niiiniiniiiniiiiiiiii nil i iiiiiiin iiiiiiiiiiiin ninii i iiiiin iiiiiiimintiin iiiiiiiiiiiiiii iiii i i iiiiiuiiiii iiiimiiiiiiiih w////////yy//y/yx/y//^^^^^ THE GREENHOUSE BEAUTIFUL ■W7HETHKR larsc or .small — a greenhouse adds to any grounds an atmosphere of distinction. To insure this to the fullest degree the structure must be "right" in every detail as in every essen- tial. Ruilt on such a standard Foley Greenhouses Today lead in reputation for true worth. Scien- tifically planned — carefully made and skillfully erected — they give owners and gardeners the greatest measure of satisfaction. When ready to talk greenhouse building, let us prove to you that a "Foley Greenhouse" is "better-built." 1 he I-olcy (iii'dilumse Mamifaclnring Co. Designers — Builders — Heating Engineers 194 North State Street, Chicago, 111. ^^/V/WV/ WMMM/M//^^M^/^^^////y WW//WWWM////WWW/M//M////, aniiiiiniiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiniiiilllllllllllillillllllilllliiliiiiiiiiniliiiliiiiiliiililiiiiilllillllliilHiilliiiiiiiiiiiiiliHiiiiiiiiiiililliillillilllll^ I Competent Gardeners | I '* The comforts and products of a country | I home are increased by employing a competent | I gardener; if you want to engage one, write us. | j Please give particulars regarding place and | I say whether married or single man is wanted. | I We have been supplying them for years to the | I best people everywhere. No fee asked. | I PETER HENDERSON & CO. | I Seedsmen and Florists I I 35 and 37 Cortlandt St., NEW YORK CITY | iiiliiiiiniiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiliiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiliiliiiiiiiiii^ iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiuiiuiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiniuiiiiiNiiimiiiw^^ I ARTHUR SMTrn J j Country Estate Efficiency Expert. I Gardening — Lantl!^ca^)ing — Forestry I I Farming — Cost Accounting. i I .Ajipoiiilmonts made for consultinf: on thr 1 operation of any dopartnicnl of a gentleman s I country estate. I 286 Fifth Ave. (Room 301) New York I Residence Address, Elberon, N. J. '_, iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiinuiiniiiiiiii iniiiminiiiiiMiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiuiiiiiiiiiii iiiiiinin iiiiiiiiininniiiiiiiiiiintiiiiiiiiiiiimiiiiamiii. §iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiittiiiiiiiiii!iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii»niiiiiiiiniiiiiiiii!!iiiiiy I ARE YOU TROUBLED WITH ROSE-BUGS? | I MAURICE FULD | i Announces the First and Exclusive Offering of I I "MELROSINE" | 1 A POSITIVE REMEDY AGAINST THE ROSE-BUG I The discovery of a private gardener, Mr. Hugh Balfour Barclay, Merion, Pa. "Melrosine" will positively kill the rose-bug and not leave the least mark on the flower. — Read what Mr. Wm. Kleinheinz, Supl. to P. A. B. ff'idener, Philadelphia, has to say about it. — "I have tested your insecticide for destroying Rose-bugs several times during the rose season of 1918 and it has proved to be as you claimed. By applying with the spray nozzle, the bug will turn brownish and will die in a few minutes after being hit with the insecticide. Another good point is that no marks or stain whatever will be left on the flowers and the plants do not suffer in any v^^ay.'* We have testimonials from scores of private gardeners, rosarians and renowned horticulturists all over the United States. For further particulars address MAURICE FULD Plantsman - - Seedsman 7 West 45tli St., New York .lilUllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll [iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiniiiniiiiiiiiiiiiniiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiu §! There Is This Something About U-Bar Greenhouses The reason why some folk have Packard or Fierce-Arrow cars, is not only tliat they are such superior car?. It's likewise because, having them, sort of puts the owners into a desirable class. Or to say it another way. Upon the things we possess is our position or standing frequently judged. There are some of us who won't ride in a Ford Taxi when we are in New York. There are others of us who buy our clothes at a certain tailor's^ because — well, because we sort of tvant our friends to see the label on the inside. of the collar. And all these things add to the pleasures of living. It's meant that it should be so. [n like manner^ you who work in U-Bar greenhouses, knowing that they are the top-notch of green- houses, take pride in letting folks know about it. For exactly the same reason, a ^;*'^ U-Bar house appeals strongly to "^^r, most employers — especially the "**:' "Mrs.'* With this thought in mind, you may like to suggest that we send some one our U-Bar Catalog. Or call on you and talk things over. It's un to you, which. ^.1 U-BAR GREENHOUSES HStcKltiSCs ^ Cpinpany General Offices and Factory: Elizabeth, N. J. 1170 Broadway 201 Devonshire St. New York Boston ^-■^v >S-S> ^P^ ^^ 422 Once For All Let's Settle This ''Locally Grown" Aro^ument f^THER day. \vc received a letter from a man in Chicago. It said, among other things, "Your seeds did remarkably well, much to my surprise, for I was told I could do nothing with English seeds in this climate." Now, we've heard that statement before. . .And we've had similar letters from every civilized country in (he world. And from many that aren't civi- lized. From Northern Canada and Southern South .America; from the veldt of the Transvaal, and the plateaus of Thibet, and the steppes of Russia. Letters telling of suc- cessful gardens grown from Sutton's Seeds. We Wrote to Every Experiment Station in the United States So we knew, when we began selling Sultott's Seeds in the United States, that they would grow. We knew, because of what Sutton's Seeds had done in other parts of the world; and we knew from the results that many private gardeners, who took the Sutton Seed habit across the seas with them, were get- ting in some of America's finest estates. But we wanted to get all the evidence we could in the case. We wanted to settle, once for all, the general principle, whether it is important to have seed locally grown or not. So we wrote to the Directors of all the Experiment Stations in the United States. The replies we received, were almost unanimous in agreeing that it is more important to grow seeds of vegetables and iiowers where tlicy reach the highest degree of perfection, than to grow tliem near where they are to be planted. And the great importance of having care- fully selected, thoroughly fixed strains was emphasized with equal unanimity. Sowing seeds there's any question about, makes painful and l>roIitle.'*s gardening. American Seeds Not "Locally Grown" Another thing that was pointed out was that practically no vegetable or flower seeds sold in America arc grown in the locality where they are sold. They are grown where soil and climate con- ditions favor the production of the differ- ent seed crops— largely in California— J,000 miles from the Eastern sea-board, the garden spot of the United States, 'nie fact that they are sold locally cannot, of course, affect their growth! 'Many European grown seeds— such as celery and carrots from France, and cabbage and cauliflower from Scandinavia — have been bought, by American seedsmen, as the best that could be had. Much of the flower seed before the war was imported from Germany. Seed growing has been so largely sectional- ized, because conditions permitting a slow, natural, long season of growth and unhurried maturity produce the best seeds. Such are the condition.s where our seed crops grow. And you c.in rest assured they will grow for you, as well as they have for the fol- lowing, who have, unsolici- ted, sent us these reports: "The results I have ob- tained from your seeds, both Vegetable and Flower, warrant my saying that they cannot be excelled, and certainly are n o t equalled by any that can be procured locally." Dr. Robert E. Rose, Ph. D.. Seattle, Washington. "On my very hard soil, your seeds give bet- ter results than any I have ever tried," Mrs. J. B. Mason, Durham, North Carolina. "I have had better results from your seeds than from any others I have ever tried," Miss Constance Emery, Portland, Maine. "I have taken first prize for Tomatoes for four consecutive years at our State fair, from your seeds. Last Fall I had 83 Competitors," Mr. R. M. Greig, Anaconda, Montana. "Your seeds were exceptionally fine— the best we have ever bad." Mrs. F. N. Double- day, Oyster Bay, I^ong Island. The Sutton Catalogue— a treasure trove of fresh garden material— with complete cul- tural directions,— is sent for 35 cents, which is returned with an order for $5. To you, who are gardeners, we will send it free if you will enclose your employer's letter head. Our booklet "SEEDS" is full of seed-facts you should know. It's sent for the asking. Siilton'.s Seeds: Bred by Sultons for more than a century. Deniuiiileil In tlie best gardeners of five continents. The S. T. Blake Co. 431-C Sacramento St. San Francisco, Calif. MJ(tJ^7iyfS( GICO "• ^- Winter & Co. 66- C Wall St. New York City II i This picturesque tree has been reclaimed for future generations by Davey Tree Surgery. When Davey experts first examined it, decay had zvorked its way »/> and doiwi the entire trunk. The decay was removed, the interior disinfected and waterproofed, and cement was filled in by the Davey sectional method, which allows for sivaying and prei'ents cracking. Note the peculiar type of bracing which was re- quired. Michael Gorman, gardener for the estate of Andrezc Adie, Chestnut Hill, Brooklinc, Mass., and one view of the estate. JOH.W DArBY Father of Tree Surgery The tribute of Michael Gorman to Davey Tree Surgery Chestnut Hill, Brookline, Mass- The Dave}' Tree Expert Co., Inc., Kent, Ohio. Gentlemen : — The work put in by your experts on Mr. Adie's estate is fine. Some of the work, which was put in several years ago, is. still in perfect condition, and the trees are responding to the treat- ment by sending out new growth over the cement fillings. I would be glad to recommend your company to all estate owners- whose trees need attention. Sincerely yours, .Michael Gorman. The saving of priceless trees is a matter of fir.-^t importance on every estate. Davey Tree Surgery is a fulfillment of the maximum expectations of those who love and value trees. A careful examination of your trees will be made by appointment. THE DAVEY TREE EXPERT CO., Inc., 312 Elm St., Kent, Ohio- Branch Offices with telephone connections: New York City, 225 Fifth Ave.; Chicago,- Westminster Bldg.; Philadelphia, Land Title Bldg.; and Boston. Write nearest ofiice. Permnnont roproseiitHtivos avnilable in districts surrounding Boston. Springfield. 1-enox, Newpurt, Hartford. Stamford, Albany, PouElikeepsie. White Plains. Jamaica. Montclair, New York, Phila- delpliia. Harrislmrg, Biiltimore. Washington. Kichmond. Buffalo, Toronto. Pittsburgh. Cleveland^ Detroit, rhicngo, Milwaukee. Canadian address: 252 Laugauchitere West. Montreal. DAVEY TREE SURGEONS E-Jcry real Da;cy Tree Surgeon i* in llie emfloy of The Davey Tree E.rfcrl Co., !»e., and the pnblie is eaiilioned against those falsely representing themselves CHRONICLE (OF AMERICA) ILLUSTRATED HO $2.00 A YEAR Ulci XIV. No. 2. Published monthly by The e Press, Inc., 286 Fifth Ave.. New York FEBRUARY, 1920 9:^ Entered as second-class matter Nov. 3, 1914, m post office at New York under the act of Ifarck i The Advantage to You of Standard Width Houses r f -^.-- 'v-s Whoever started the rumor that we had arhitrarily adopted 11, 18 and 25 feet as the widths for our standard houses, just didn't know the facts. The facts are that we had but little to do with it. You gardeners and superintendents are the ones who really brought it about. You and the fact that the greatly increased cost of materials demanded that something be done to keep down the rising cost of greenhouse possessing. We made the widths 11, 18 and 25, because those are the widths most of you wanted most of the time. You evidently wanted them because they best met your wants. Having adopted your width, it then remained for us to arrange our manufacturing so that we could run the parts through our fac- tories with the same economy of operation and perfection of results that the high class automobile concerns do. As a result our finished materials all have a high uniformity of finish and accuracy of fit. Which likewise means, we can turn out your houses quicker and erect them quicker. We have three special circulars, telling spe- cially about these three standard width houses of yours. Write for them all. See if everything we have done to standardizing them is not ex- actly what you have wanted done for years. If they are not what you want, we would heartily welcome hearing from you. IRVINGTON New York BOSTON Little Bldg. NEW YORK 42nd St. Bldg. CLEVELAND 2063 E. 4ih Si. Eastern Factory Irvington, N. Y. If the houses we build are not the best houses for you and your employer, they are not the best houses for us. That's just plain common sense. Let's hear from you. ord, ^ J^urnhamQ. Builders of Greenhouses and Conservatories PHILADELPHIA Land Title Bldg. TORONTO Royal Bank Bldg. Western Factory Des Plaines, 111. simi iiiliiiiiiiiliiiiiliiiiiiiiiiii iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiniiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiuiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii v^ Manda Cojjj Y^^ 'P- all the standard kinds out of 2j4 inch pots. CHRYSANTHEMUM Best in ail the nuxelties direct from introducers ; also any of the standard varieties. GLADIOLUS We have splendid lot on hand, thrown especially lor us including all tJie best. ''Let Us Bid On Your Wants" ORCHID EXPERTS Plant s — B u 1 b s — S u n d r i e s West Orange - - - New Jersey VVilliajH J. Manda Vicc-Pres. Joseph Manila Prcs. & Trcas. Edward A. Manda Sccr'y lllllllllllllllillllil l!llllllllllllll1IIII!llllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll!lllllllllllllllllllllll!lllliy^ 41 liiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiinniiiniiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiniiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiin^ I OUR NEW CATALOG | I Showing Eight of our Varieties of | I Gladioli with Natural Colored Plates | i is just out and if you are not on our mailing list already, write for it at once — it is free upon § 1 request. Anyone who is a lover of flowers should not fail to have a copy of it; it's a Httle | I book worth having in one's library, containing instructions how to plant and care for Gladioli i I as well as for Petunias. 1 1 Our Gladioli are of a finer quality than ever before and our many varieties surpass any in exist- 1 I ence. The Thomas T. Kent, Anna Eberius, Jack London, Mrs. John Walsh and | M others which you will find in our catalog speak for themselves without the hundreds of testimo- 1 m nials that have been pourmg m upon us continuously. J I Diener's Ruffled Monster Petunias | I have created a sensation wherever grown or exhibited. As they are continually flowering all 1 I Summer there is hardly anythmg givmg flower-lovers more satisfaction. Seed comes in separate 1 1 colors — red, pink, white, purple, flesh-pink frilled, white frilled, variegated and mixed colors. 1 1 Price per package, 50c. | I RICHARD DIENER CO., Inc. Keutfield, Marin Co., Cal. | aiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiuiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii taillllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll[llllllllll!llllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllIi:illlllll|[[W Blllllllllllllllllllllirllii; lilillllllllllllllllllllllllllllilllllllllllllllUIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIUIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIW 'nilllllllll[|l11IIIINI]||||'lllllllll!llllilllll!ll[||l|[ll[lll(llllll{]!IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII[|||linillllIllllllllllllllUIIIIIIIIII^ Bobbink & Atkins VISIT NURSERY iVbrlds Choicest •ry&Grc ocjucts ^oi oz. 2.00 Cucinnber. Every Day Pkt. ..50 Leek, Reiiton's Monarch Pkt. ..50 Lettuce, Kelway's Silver Cos Pkt. .25 Muskmelon. King George Pkt. .50 Onion. Ailsa Craig. Selected Pkt. 25c.: oz. 1.00 Tomato. Vt estchester Prvde Pkt. .25 AntirrhiiHiiii. Majus Grandifloruni Coll. 6 \ ars. Giant Crego. . . . Aster Begonia Seniperflorens .... Coll. 5 Vars. Pkt. 25c.; Vi oz. Calendula, Orange King. . . .Pkt. 10c. : oz. Petunia, Rosy Morn Pkt. 25c.; li oz. Salvia, Forest Fire Pkt. 25c.: V4 oz. Scliizanthiis, Hurst's Monarch Strain. Pkt. Sweet Peas. "Prize Winner". Coll. 25 Vars. Ziiniias. "Burnett's Giant". .Coll. 6 Vars. S1.25 .60 1.50 .50 1.25 2.00 .50 3.50 .75 Our illustrated Spring Catalogue, also Novelty List, mailed Free upon request. BUKNETT BROTHERS. Seedsmen THE HOUSE FAMOUS FOR LAWN GRASS SEED 92 CHAMBERS STREET NEW YORK ^lUIIIIIIII lllllllllllllllllllll!llll!linilllUIMIII iiiuuiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiniiiiiiiinmiiiniiminiiiiii^ iiiiiiiiiitiiimiiiiiiiniiiuiiiiiii IIIIIIIIKIIIIII llflllNII [ill'llll]llli;illl!lilMtii; !|l||ll|||ill!lllllll!llllllinnn'!'lllll!iniinil!lll!!l!l!llll!!ini!llllllll!'nn!lllllll!!HI!'i|l!'i!l!lllll!!H^ ^ Eschoitzia Thorburn 1 The effect of the plant of above Califor- B nia Poppy in bloom is simply gorgeous. = Send ten cents for a packet M of this beautiful flower, and m the Catalogue for 1920. liiiiiuiiiiiiiiiiiiiiuiiiiiiiiiiuiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiniiiiiiniiiii^^ GARDEN SEEDS Successful Seed culture is a matter of expert knowl- edge and long experience — knowledsje of soils, climatic conditions and sources of stij^ply — experi- cni e in selection for maximum vigi>r and growing ])i iwer. I'lioihurn Seeds have stood the test of time — Ijack of every Thorlnirn product is our reputation of con- titnious leadership for more than a century. Insure the Success of Your 1920 Garden by Planting Thorburn Seeds Since 1802 these dependable seeds have been famous Inr tlieir superior quality and reliability. Used con- tinuously by live generations of discriminating gardeners. Our latest catalogue for 1920 of Thorburn Seeds contains many valuable and interesting gardening suggestions. Free on application. J. M. THORBURN & COMPANY Founded 1802 53 Barclay Street New York City jiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiwiiiiiiiuii^^^^^^^ IIIIIIillDl 45 ^iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiMililiiriiiiliiiiilimiiiiiiiitiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiMiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiim i MICHELL'S SEEDS | mean an early, pro- i lific, satisfactory gar- j den and lawn, an at- | tractive conservatory j or greenhouse. | Our mammoth ware- | rooms are teeming | with the best in the | greatest variety of | Seeds. Bulbs and hor- | ticultural requisites. | Our Seeds, Bulbs, etc., are selected with the ut- | most care and exactness. I iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiniiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii:uiiiiiiiiiiiiiii III. 'I'miiiiiiiiiiiiiiniiinHiiiiiiiiiiiiiii^ MICHELL'S ILLUSTRATED CATALOG For 1920 IS READY NOW An authentic guide to successful gardening and lawn making, and also brimful of interesting farm and other facts. It will help you to grow I bigger and better crops. WRITE TODAY FOR A COPY MICHELL'S SEED HOUSE 514 MARKET ST., PHILA. PA. IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIUIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIN I iiiiililiilNJ Jm.mMmjiiii.iiiNiiiitmii : iiiriiiMliiinilHirail i||iiliiiiiiliiiiiiiiiiitiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiniiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiliiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiuii "A Book for Gardeners and i Garden Lovers" \ Free on Request = *'A Book for Garden Lovt-rs" — not a series ui iii>_.i:>i:riminate ^ "puffs" and eulogies of everything we want to sell — but a sincere. ^ practical, dependable guide to dependable seeds of supreme qual- ^ ity — for distinctive gardens of quality! The result of a life-long ^ experience, careful study and observation in the growing and ^ Testing of plants and see8s. It ^inswers your instinctive questions E. and tells you just what you want to know. Crammed full of s valuable pointers that will save you from needless mistakes, and h help you achieve a glad success in vour flower and vegetable s gardening- ^"ou'll liave much to be proud of. and nothing to § apologize for, if you take tins Book as your giiide and counselor. = Features also m.-iny novelties cf unique merit. Send for your M free copy XOW'^ — Itst \ou fur.yetl = THREE WONDERFUL NOVELTIES j You NA/tli Enjoy in Your Garden 1 1. NEW ANNUAL BLUE ANCHUSA. Like a giaut spray vt | Koryet-nn-inii, of tlip (iiM-jicst lihii:-. nu stems fully 1^" long; = just IfiTi'Iy in thi- :.';uil»-n or fur ctittiiii:; Mooms all summer. = A plant vuu -imply .amiMr t.e withuiit. Tkt. 2yc. 1 2. NEW MINIATURE DAHLIA. PETER PAN." Wonderfully 1 compacteil little Imshes tbat bejiin to bU-^m when nearly a = foot in height and never exceed 2 feet. Flowers anemone M shaped with tubular center and outspread ray -florets; t»eautifiil E c.ilors. Sow it in the Iiouse or coldframe in April and you M will have blooms in marvelous abundance from July" till frost. = I'kt. 7oc. i 3. NEW SUNFLOWER "DAZZLER." Not a coarse re^i Sun- | ildwir, hut a lari:»' L'aillanlia like flower of a rich cbeetnut. ^ tipped nran;-'e with darker cniter fully 4" across on long = slender vtenis. I'kt. ','.7ie. E. ALL THREE FOR $1.00— if ordered immediately! .Just enclose 1 a rloUar bill, and say * "Gardeners" Chronicle Offer" ). We'll M send yon the ■•*;arden-Lovers" Book" too! Be sure to mention = (liM-dcii.-r^" Clin.ni,-).- *.fT«-r, m* wm Iihv.- oihpr offi^r*^. = Max Schling Seedsmen, Inc., 24 West 59th St., N. Y. | iiiiiim imimniiii imm (.miiimiiuiimmii iiii,iiiiiiiiini!i' iiii'ii <*'iiH'fiiiiiii)iiiiljilllMmimillllllllllllll!lll|^ itiiiiiiliii i'i>il<-i>l<*itM,illj.lli|.|{iiiljiii< iiilliiiliKiillllillMII mill 46 Biiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiuiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiniiiiiiiiiiiiniiuiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiin^ Order Your Roses Now Manetti is scarce this season and if you wait much longer you will be disappointed. This is our selection for 1920. PILGRIM PREMIER CRUSADER MILADY MRS. AARON WARD COLUMBIA OPHELIA SUNBURST DOUBLE WHITE KILLARNEY EVELYN Our new catalogue called "Greenhouse Plants" gives a complete list of Roses, Chrysanthemums and Carnations. A copy will be mailed to you upon request. AN PlEl\^ON mc. CRpMWELL CAmENS Cj^mwell Conn iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiPiiiiiiiiiiiii;: :iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii!i!!i»niiiiiii!niii!!i!iiiii!iiiiiiiiiw aiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiinuiniiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiifliiuiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiniiiiM aiiuiiiiiiniuiiiiiiininiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiuiniiiiiuiiiifiii m JillliMllllllllllllllllilllllllllllllinilllilli;? IdlllllllllllllllllllinilllllllllllllllllllHlllilllllU: GLOXINIAS Six named varieties. $3.50 doz. : $25.00 100 Extra selected Bulbs, 50c. each, $5.00 doz. BEGONIAS Six separate colors, $2.50 doz.: $18.00 100 Extra large Bulbs, $4.00 doz.; $30.00 100 LILY OF VALLEY Best Berlin Pips from Cold Storage. 2 50 for $20.00, 500 for $35.00, 1,000 for $70.00 Our 1920 Catalogue has been mailed to all customers on file. If you have not received one a postal will brmg it by return mail. W. E. MARSHALL & CO., Inc. So('({. Plants and liulhs 166 W. 2.'ird St., New York CAROLINA HEMLOCK (Tsuga caroliniana) THE iMOST BEAUTIFUL AND RARE AMERICAN EVERGREEN specimens may be seen at Arnold Arboretum, where one may compare it with hundreds of other varieties of Evergreens. Hardier and more adaptable to tryins city con- ditions than the Common or Canadian Hemlock. Dense, dark foliage and sweeping semi-pendu- lous branches with pyramidal form combine to give a charm not found in anj' other known Evergreen. SPECIAL. .-\ limited number of grand speci- mens 16 to 20 feet liiiih for immediate effect at my Highlands Nursery (3,700 ft. elevation in the Carolina Mountains). Prices on request. A fine stock of smaller specimens from 1 foot up, at my Boxford Nursery. Catalogs. I HARLAN P. KELSEV I HARDY AMERICAN PLANTS, I SALEM, MASS. ^iiiiiiiiiMiiiiini'iii'niiunniiiiiiiiiiiiiirniimiffliiiiiiiiirimiiniiiiniimniiiiriiimiiiiiiiiiiiiiimniiiiiiiiiiriiirn^ 47 giiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiniiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiinmiiiliiiiiiiiiiiliiiiiliiiiliiiililllliiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiin iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii iiiiiiiiii iinimi:iiii:imf I The Contents for February, 1920 | Things and Thoughts of the Garden The Onlooker 49 The Sweet Pea — Its Culture . . . . G. W. Kerr 5 1 Raising Plants from Seed 52 Repotting Root-Bound Plants 52 How to Reduce the Cost of Living 53 Hotbeds for Early Vegetables 54 An Oil-Heated Hotbed that Works 54 Pruning Evergreen Shrubs 54 Making a Start with Bees. . .Henry W. Sanders 55 The Right Care of Old Trees. . Edwin Mallhems 56 The Value of School Gardens to Cultivate Americanism Arthur Smith 57 A Miniature Rock Garden 58 Rockwork Edgings to Drives 58 The Caucasian Scabious and Its Culture 58 Cultural Notes on Antirrhinums 59 Artemisia Lactiflora 59 An Arboreal Slattern 59 The Month's Work in the Garden John Johnson 60 The Dracaenas T. Shexvard 61 The Month's Work in the Greenhouse Henry Gibson 62 Begonia Gracilis Henry J. Moore 63 Fruiting of Apple Trees Every Other Year ... 64 The Flowering Dogwood (Cornus Florida) ... 64 Streptocarpi and Their Culture 65 A Lesson on Some Whys of Crop Rotation. . . Arthur Smith 66 National Association of Gardeners' Notes. ... 69 Among the Gardeners 70 Tlie American Iris Society 71 Local Societies 72 Of General Interest 73 Inteniatioiial Flower Show, .Vi'tt' York — Horticultural Exhibitions The Questionnaire 74 Here and There 75 IVhy We Mulch Plants in Winter — Renaming German Irises — Soil Ventilation — The Keyed List Published monthly, the 1st of each month Subscription .... $2.00 a year Canada, $2.15; Foreign $2.65 ■■nil THE CHKONICLE PRESS, INC. 286 Fifth Avenue. New York, N. Y. MARTIN C. EBEL. Ed.ior Entered at the Nezv York Post Office as seconii class matter under the Act of Congresx, March 3, 1879, iiiiiiMiiiiniiiiiinii iiiiiiNiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiinfliiiiiiiiiujiiiiiniiiiiniiiniiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiniiiiiiiiiiiiiiniiiiiiii'1111^ ''linillllllllllllinillllllllllllllllillllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll^^ iinniwiiiiiniiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiuiiiiiiiiiiiii Stumpp & Walter Co.'s Catalog Our 1 920 Spring Catalog will be mailed to you on request, if you have not already received a copy. Many New and Exhibition varieties of Flower and Vegetable Seeds are offered. Farm and Grass Seeds are also a feature. Cannas, Dahlias, and Gladioli— the best varieties to date. Q}timpf)^(lMef& 30-32 Barcla}? St. Nex\? York iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii 48' ■111111 liiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiniiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiinittiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiw iiiiiiniiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii GARDENERS' CHRONICLE (OF AMERICA) Devoted to the Science of Floriculture and Horticulture I Vol. XXIV FEBRUARY, 1920 No. 2 ■ llllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllilr LIBRA 5? Y Things and Thoughts of the Garden m^^^^:"" tut: r>xil r^r^vcD GAi.\ ,-, THE ONLOOKER A REAL live topic of interest in our horticultural world at this time is that of plant propagation, which has been brought to the attention of many nurserymen and florists in a rather abrupt manner by the enactment of the much abused Plant Quarantine Act. Perhaps the inconveniences resulting froni this drastic measure may not have such a lasting effect as was gen- erally expected. Time alone will tell. In the meantime we may Ije sure that enterprising men are giving more time and attention to this subject than has hitherto been found necessary' or profitable, and furthermore a good propagator ought to be assured of a steady job for some time to come. It is fascinating work, especially when there is opportunity to practice it with a large variety of plants. Knowledge of the various methods by which plants are propagated is open to all who seek it, but it is not given to all to be equally successful in putting that knowledge into practice. Some men seem to be born with the happy knack of being always able to do the right thing at the right time. Some call it intuition, some call it luck, but call it what you will it is a won- derfully good asset. In combination with a keen love for plants, a thorough understanding of their likes and dislikes, together with a good stock of patience, we have the chief essentials which go to make a first-class plant propagator. '^ i^.' ^ \\ ithin the next few week millions of seeds will be sown both under glass and out-doors, and the results awaited with eager interest. It is safe to say that a goodly proportion of these seeds will from various causes fail to realize the expectant hope which was kindled when they were sow-n. It seems a simple inatter to open a packet of seeds, scatter them in the soil and look for a big germinating percentage. Sometimes it is as easy as that, yet those who have handled seeds in great variety know there is difference enough to keep one up to the mark in the strict observance of certain details if anything better than negative results are to be obtained. Seeds of good vitality are of course the first essential, and practical experience has shown that the largest and heaviest seeds produce the best plants, so that plant selection might well begin at the beginning — with the seeds. Seeds more than one year old are not necessarily dead, at least in the case of most, if not all of our common garden plants. Several kinds of vegetable and flower seeds I have sown after keeping five years have given jjractically as good results as at first. To be on the safe side it is just as well to make a germinating test of doubtful seeds, at the same titiie bearing in mind that old seed is slower and more irregular in germinating. This may be partly overcome by soaking the seeds in hot water for a few hours. Seedlings get a better start if the soil is of a light, friable nature. In the green- house, where conditions are under control, better results are sometimes secured by germinating the seeds in sand, cocoanut fibre or sphagnum moss. In the open many seedlings perish in hard ground that could be saved if the drills were filled in with old compost. Thousands of fine seeds every year are suffocated because buried too deeply; others rot because sown too soon in wet. cold soil, while others fail to appear because of shallow covering during hot, dry weather. Damping-off fungus claims many victims because of careless watering and ventilation, or by reason of over- crowding and the postponement of transplanting till a more convenient time. Sow thinly and thin or trans- plant early is a pretty good maxim to follow. In the case of seeds which may take months to germinate the soil in the seed pans may become coated with algas with disastrous eft'ects. Sterilization of the soil and "the use of boiled water will be found helpful in overcoming this. -Many people regard mid-summer as the proper time to sow seeds of hardy perennials, but where there is greenhouse space at command, there are certain advan- tages to be gained in doing it right now. The amount of space required for ordinary purposes is verv little, dozens of seedlings can be raised in a four-incii pot, while for transplanting a flat three inches deep and about twelve inches square will accommodate three dozen plants nicely. After this their sojourn in the greenhouse need not be long if cold frames are handy, and bv the middle of May we have sturdy plants ready to set out in nursery rows, becoming well established" before the likelihood of summer heat and drought and well able to go through their first winter safely with just ordinary protection. A few kinds will flower late the first season when sown thus early, and in the case of hybrid strains this is an advantage if color efifects are seriously con- -sidered, as it aflfords a chance for selection before set- ting the plants in their permanent quarters. :.■= * « Few winter-flowering greenhouse plants of recent in- troduction have been received with such general favor 49 so GARDENERS' CHRONICLE as Buddleia asiatica, and it is by all means deserving of all the good things which have been said in its favor. Of free habit of growth it is a first-class plant for con- servatory decoration, coming into flower right after the Chrysanthemtims are over, and under cool conditions re- maining in good form from two to three months. The long, arching racemes of white flowers give it a very graceful appearance, and they have a sweet odor which makes them still more pleasing. Everybody with a greenhouse should grow it. Cuttings rooted in April make good flowering plants in six or seven-inch pots, and the plants do well if the pots are plunged out-of- doors for the summer. Eiiangea tomentosa is another comparatively new plant v.'hich can be regarded with equal favor. Though a native of tropical Africa, it thrives under the same cool conditions as the Buddleia, for which it makes an ad- mirable companion and serves the same useful purpose. It is a free branching plant with grayish leaves that are strongl}- scented, the mauve-colored flowers being- borne in clusters and last well when cut. Alost people are fond of blue, and flowers of this color are not too plentiful in the winter tirtie. The introduc- tion of Colciis thyrsoidcns from Central Africa a few years ago gave us a notable addition, and when well grown this is a worth while plant with its long, upright racemes of bright blue flowers lasting in good condition for three months. A few plants arranged in combina- tion with Begonia "Lorraine" makes a very stunning efir'ect. It is rather more difficult to grow real well tiian ;ire the common kinds of Coleus, but it well repays the extra care. Early in May is a good time to sow seeds, which as far as I know, are listed in only one catalog, that of R. & J. Farquhar & Co., Boston, Mass. Brozest being the variety called "King Albert," sent out, I believe, by the Carter Seed Co., of Boston. It is a marked improve- ment on the type in every respect and received an R. H. S. award of merit when shown in London three or four years ago. The individual flowers are larger, of more rounded form, atid in color a lovely shade of rose, while in habit it is more compact and if anything more floriferous. It is not at all unusual to find plants in five- inch pots with tw^enty or more flower stems developed at one time, and best of all these do not flop. Altogether it is a very fine addition to the list of choice decorative plants available for winter use in the cool greenhouse. During an extreme of cold weather, such as has been e.xperienced in many sections of late, it sometimes hap- pens that from one cause or another plants may be frozen, particularly plants that are in transit and some- times even in greenhouses that are not adeqtiately piped. \\'hether in such cases the plants are injured beyond recovery may depend entirely on the way in which they are handled immediately after the mishap. The impor- tant thing to keep in mind is the fact that the liquid contents of the plant cells have expanded, and if sub- jected to a sudden reaction the cell walls are ruptured beyond repair and the plant collapses, or at any rate the affected part. The thing to do therefore to assist such plants to recover is to allow them to thaw out very grad- ually, and this is brought about by sprinkling them over with cold water, shading from sunshine and keeping them in a cool temperature till the process is complete. Prompt application of these methods might often save l)lants that have been touched by frost and restore them apparently none the worse for the experience. In the case of a greenhouse where the temperature may get pretty near the danger mark, at times it is safer to keep the plants somewhat drier than usual while the cold spell lasts, as when their cells are quite turgid with liquid tliey are most susceptible to injury from frost. ( )f late years wonderful progress has been made in improving the garden race of Antirrhinum, and the com- mon Snapdragon has become one of the fashionable flowers of the da}'. .A.s grown under glass at the pres- ent time it must surely surpass anything that could have been dreamed of not so many years ago. especially when wc consider it was one of the seventeenth century gar- den plants. Its prominence now as a cut flower for use in the winter and spring months is not to be wondered at when we see the large handsome spikes bearing flow- ers of such pleasing colors. Good progress has been made, too, in the development of good strains for out- door bedding, for which purpose the intermediate sec- tion is ideal, the plants being of a sturdy, even growth, well branched and bearing good flower spikes in a wide range of beautiful colors. For a mass display they are great and if given good culture they respond with won- derful results. It is a good plan to set out the plants as soon as conditions are right, and unless early flowers are desired it is just as well to pinch out the first flower stems. This will give bushier plants, and for a purely garden eft'ect result in a better display, while if the seed pods are promptly picked oft', flowering will continue until stopped by killing frost. GOVERNMENT Government is not an edifice that the founders turned over to posterity all completed. It is an institution, like a university, which fails unless the process of education continues. — C.-vlvix Cooltdge. For Febnmrv, 1920 51 The Sweet Pea — Its Culture — Some Representative Varieties G. W. Kerr Xo other annual flower is so widely LniJiivated, perhaps, as the sweet pea, which is largely due to the fact that the merest novice in gardening is successful with it. Then, too, there is the question of cost — for a few cents' worth of seeds we can have a row or clump of the most exquisitely colored and delicately fragrant flowers. The sweet pea will thrive in virtually any good garden soil, though, of course, extra cultivation will repay the grower. And if the blooms are cut systematically and the pods are not allowed to set, the vines will continue to flower for about three months, sometimes longer. The following points should be observed m the cultiva- tion of sweet peas : First, the soil should be drained, unless the ground be of such a nature that in a season of excessive rains the water will not lie, and so cause the roots of the plants to rot, or start mildew. Second, the seeds should be >own in such a position that no excessive shade will interfere with the sturdy growth of the vines, as too much shade encourages a spindlv and weak vine, witli few, if any, flowers. You should choose, therefore, a spot in the open, where the ])lants may have all the available light, and air, though a little shade from the scorching mid-day suns of June and July will be found beneficial. Soils that are prepared for a vegetable garden will give excellent results, but for this queen of all annual plants, a little e.xtra care will be well repaid In- the addi- tional size of flower, longer stems, better color and a prolonged period of blooming. Whatever mav be the composition of the soil, a start should be made in the Fall of the year by trenching it to a depth of two or three feet. If the sub-soil is poor, it would be absurd to bring it to the surface, Init it should be broken up, turned over, and mixed with any old garden refuse or stable litter. This is especially valuable in the case of very heavy land, since the rough material will tend to drain the soil and sweeten the trench. Thoroughly mix with the upper soil a liberal quantity of half-decayed stable or cow manure — the latter is pref- erable if the soil is light — adding a good dressing of l>one meal as the work proceeds. The top of the trench siiould be filled in as rough as possible, at the same time mixing with the soil thoroughly rotted manure, and leav- ing all Winter, so that the frost, snow and rain may have a better chance to exert their mellowing influences. -As soon as the frost is out of the ground in the early Spring and the soil is in a nice dry condilinn, the rows should have a fairly heavy coating of acid phosjihate. which can be raked into the soil and all made ready for planting. Soils deficient in lime will be greatly benefited by a good dusting of fresh lime ]nit on as soon as it is slaked. To those who want the very best results we advise,' mowing the seeds in pots. This should be done in January or February, acording to location using pots of three to four inche> in diameter. .\ suitable comj^ost for this consists of turfy loam, leaf soil, and a little sand, all thoroughlv mixed. Four seeds will be sufficient for each pot. The pots are then placed in a frame or cool green- house as near the light as possible, .-o that the growth will be kept sturd\- and dwarf. When the vines are two or three inches tall, insert a few twi^s in the soil to keep them in an upright position. Avoid watering the plants too heavily on account of frosts, for the same reason, and the careful grower will see that the frame is covered and protected on cold nights. .\ir should be gi\en on all favorable occasions. As Spring advances the sashes should be entirely removed during the middle of the day, subsequently keeping them off all day and night as the season for "planting- outside" ap- proaches. According to locality and weather conditions, the young plants should be set out from early March to early May. ■One pot is sufficient for a good clump. When planting in rows each potful should be set out about eighteen inches apart. Place the entire ball of soil with [)lants and twigs, takii-ig care to keep all intact, in the ground. Those who have not the conveniences for the pot method of culture should sow the seeds as early in the Spring as soil and weather conditions will permit. A small trench or furrow about four inches deep should be made, and the seed sown evenly, using one ounce of seed to a fifteen-foot row, covering the seed with two inches of soil. When the seedlings are about two inches high, thin out the young plants, leaving one to every six inches, as this will be found to give more room for air and light to circulate among the growing vines. As the vines grow the soil should be hoed up to them on either side, thus strengthening the plants and keeping them in an upright position. To jirolong the blossom season it is advisable to sow a few of the new Early 1-^lowering Spencers. Started at the same time, they begin to bloom two to three weeks ahead of the regular Spencer Type, while if the flowers are regularly jiicked the\- will bloom over quite as long a season. Might I suggest the following varieties as being repre- sentative of both ty]3es and which under normal weather conditions will give satisfaction to the exacting grower: Eary Snowstorm, pure wliite. Early Pink Beauty, deep pink. Early Daylireak, cream, ground pink. Early Zephyr, pale hlne or lavender. Early Blueliird, mid blue. Early E.xquisile, cream, edged rose. Early Daintiness, vvliiie, edged rose. • ' Early Splendor, deep rose, self. Early King. crim.son scarlet. Early Lavender King, lavender, self. Early Mauve Beauty, mauve, self. Early Glorious, rich purple. King White, line pure white. Constance Hinton, black, seeded white. Floradale Fairy, cream, self. Elegance, pale lilush. Elfrida Pearson, light pink. Margaret .•\llcc, rose-pink on cream. Beryl, salmon pink. Hercules, deep pink. •. Barbara, salmon. The President, orange-scarlet. Fiery Cross, bright lire-red. George Herbert, rosy carmine. King lulward. large crimson. Orchid, lavender. Royal Purple, warm jjurplc. Cherub, cream, edged rose. Mrs. Cuthbcrtson, rose-pink and white. Warrior, maroon. ON THE WRONG SCENT Half the world is on the wrong scent in the ]mrsiiit of hap])iness. They think it consists in having and get- ting, and in being served by others. It consists in giving- and in serving others, — Drummo.vd. 52 GARDEyERS- CHROMCLE RAISING PLANTS FROM SEED Sowiiii^ seeds is an art. but many people seem not to realize it. Though wishing to be successful they begin operations by buying any kind of seed, instead of being careful to get the best. Seed must be fresh, and some sorts require to be sown almost as soon as they ripen if the best results are to be obtained. Good seeds are large for their kind, bright-looking, and well filled with food material, enabling young seedlings to make a good start. ^Moisture, air, suitable temperature — if any of these be absent, even the best seed will not germinate properly. Once the seeds have been started on the road to germina- tion, the soil must be kept continuaUy moist, but the sur- face of the seed bed must not be flooded. The best plan is to watch carefully as soon as the surface shows signs of drying, water gently with a very fine rose. This may be necessary three or four times a day. With regard to air. the germinating seeds cannot have too much ; so see that there is ventilation and that the soil you provide is friable, porous and well aerated, be- sides being sweet and clean, before putting your seeds into it. All seeds will not germinate at the same tem- perature, e. g., those that are natives of the tropics re- quire a higher temperature than those of temperate regions. Strong plants arc secured liv quick strong germination. Remember that — 1. All seeds germinate more quickly in darkness. 2. Seeds must be sown the right distance below the surface. Deep sowing is one of the chief causes of fail- ure with annuals. 3. Each seed is a unit, and to give it a full chance the soil must be pressed firmly round it on every side. 4. Xo obstruction must be present which will hinder the seed from coming up once it has started to grow. REPOTTING ROOT-BOUND PLANTS "T" HERE are certain plants, such as Palms, Camellias, Azaleas, and many kinds of hard-wooded things, that do not need repotting annually. With good cul- tural care they can be maintained in good condition for two or three years in the same pots. There comes a time, however, when the need for fresh soil is im- perative. Xew energy must be put into the foliage or the wood will become too hard and the circulation of the sap will not be sufficiently free. Repotting plants which have stood so long involves a certain amount of risk, which can only be obviated by certain pre- cautions known and practised by the experienced plant-grower, but with which amateurs generalh- are not conversant. The danger is that the roots may not travel freely from the old ball and take full posses- sion of the new compost. The tendency which roots have to keep moving" in the same direction has to be reckoned with and guarded against. Professional growers make a point of repotting just when the roots are taking full possession of the com- post, but before they have completely filled it with fibres, thev being well aware that if a plant comes into a root-boimd condition there must be a check t(j free growth, and that there is a difficulty and loss of time in inducing that plant to go away again into robust growth. If a Palm, for instance, which has l)een several years in the same pot is examined it will be found that manv of the roots have circled round the pot and have formed a solid mass; have, so to say, eaten up the soil and so occupied the drainage that removing the crocks without injury to the roots would be impossible. In potting plants in this condition the compost should be neither wet nor dry, and every [article of it must be rammed in, so that it is as solid as the old ball. — Gardening Illustrated, English. For February, l'J20 S3 How to Reduce the Cost of Livins (Tlw following article bearing on a subject in zi-hich the at and nursing homes would not be so crowded as they are to-day. It is not. however, with this phase of the (|Ufstion that we are at present concerned, but with reducing the cost of living. In the latter coimcction it will be readily admitted that really good vegetables are dear. They are because the man who produces and sells them has to pay dearly for the goods he buys, and so has to make more on the goods he produces or sells. Every purchase or service is dear to-day for the same reason. Therefore anything one can grow gives a real saving of cash, and reduces the cost of such com- modities to those who have not the means of effecting this economy. The food value of vesfetables is not sufificientlv real- ■a'holc country is most deeply absorbed at this time, and wluch try Life, contains so much that is applicable to our own readers that or the cost of "high liznng" {as some thinkers are wont to refer contemporary, home production of food products wilt, however, manipulated and consequent sharp advances in their cost. The the gram of Zi-heat that makes the bushel."— Editor. ized, and we append to these notes a table showing how they compare with lean beef. It w^ill be seen that the vegetable kingdom contains, together with cereals, all the necessary ingredients for the building up and maintenance of human life. As, however, there are to-day large numbers of people who are strict vegetarians, this point need not be argued further. Nor is there need to enumerate the dainty dishes that can be prepared from vegetables alone. In conclusion, we appeal to our readers to grow and eat more vegetables for the sake of health, with the object of reducing the cost of other commodities to those whose existence is a struggle under present day conditions, and to increase production and so help to reduce living costs under the law of supply and demand. Readers may consider their opportunity ineft'ective, hut remember it is the grains of wheat that make the bushel, and encourage your neighbor to follow your example. \ EGETABLE FOOD \'ALUES. Three kinds of food are necessary to keep the human body in a strong and healthy condition, viz. : PROTEIN for flesh forming and body building, and to repair the wastage in blood and tissue. CARBO-HYDRATES (starch and sugar) ana F.\T, which give heat and energy to the body. Propagation. Protein, li As])aragus, Seed 1.96 Carbo- vd rates. 2.67 Fat. 0.24 Salts. 0.68 Water. 93.58 Crude Fibre. 0.87 Beans, French 2.30 7.40 0.30 0.80 89.20 Beans, Dried 25.30 ■ +6.50 i..=;o 3.00 13.50 10.00 Beetroot 1.00 15.10 0.10 0.70 81.50 1,60 Borecole or Kale 3.80 9.90 0.90 3.50 82,90 1.50 Brussels Sprouts 4.83 6.22 0.46 0.80 86.00 1.57 Broccoli, Seed 2.05 4.80 0.45 0.75 90.95 i.oa Cabbage 2.92 7.00 0.40 0.87 87.46 1.35 Carrot 1.40 10.80 0.20 0.90 85.00 1.70 Cauliflower, Seed 2.05 4.80 0.45 0.75 90.95 1.00 Celeriac — — — — — — Celery 1.10 3.30 0.10 1.00 94.50 — Cress — — — — — — Cucumber 0.70 2.60 0.70 0.40 95,10 0.50 ICndive 1.10 3.10 0.06 0.81 93.00 0.60 Cdurd ( Bumpkin) 0.80 6.70 0.20 0.70 90.50 1.10 Kohl Rahi l.,?0 9.50 0.10 1.00 87.00 1.10 Leek 1.20 5.80 0.50 0.60 91.30 0.60 Lettuce 0.70 4.00 — . 1.00 94.30 — Onion 1.40 9,40 0.30 0.60 87.60 0.70 Parsnip 1.60 10.20 0.20 0,70 86.30 1.00 Peas 7.00 16.90 0.50 1.00 74,60 — 1 'eas. Dried 24.60 62.a) 1.00 2.90 9.50 — Potatoes 2.10 20.60 0.30 0,90 75.a) 1.10 Radish 1..W 5.80 0.10 1.00 91.10 0.70 Rhubarl) 0.60 2.50 0.70 0.70 94.40 1,10 Savoy 3.30 6.20 0.70 1.60 87.00 1.20 Sea kale 0.40 0..50 0.07 0.29 91.84 1.10 ."Spinach, .Seed 3.15 ?>.M o..=;4 1.94 1)0.26 0.77 Tomato, Seed 1.30 6.50 1,40 0.80 88.80 1.20 Turnip, Seed 1.1 5.3 0.1 0.7 92.00 0.8 For comparison — Ll-..\\ BEEF 20.9 — 5.2 1.2 72.2 54 GARDE^ERS' CHRONICLE HOTBEDS FOR EARLY VEGETABLES '"THE most useful garden should furnish a continu- ous supply of desirable vegetables throughout the season. This will necessitate some way of start- ing early plants in a protected place such as a hotbed or cold frame. There the conditions for growth may be closely controlled and better care may consec|uently be taken of the young plants. Essentially, a hotbed is a box covered with glass and heated by artificial means. Ordinarily fresh horse manure is the most available and best supply of heat for this purpose to be found on the average farm. After a hotbed is planted, it needs to be carefully ven- tilated and watered to provide proper conditions for germinating the seed, and it also needs to be carefully watched on account of the danger of damping-off. if it becomes too wet and is not ventilated enough. Also poor ventilation will cause weak, spindling plants. Be- fore removing plants from hotbed, they must become accustomed to the same conditions they will have to meet in the held. This is called "hardening off." It is done by withholding water and increasing the ventila- tion for about two weeks, until the covers may be left off the bed entirely— all night as well as in the day time. When the plants will stand this treatment with- out danger, they may be safely put in the field. In transplanting care must be used not to destroy any more of the small roots than necessary, for the pla'nts take in water through them and are very apt to wilt if anv 4 to 5i4 feet high. It is easily propagated by divisions which can be done in the Fall or Spring, personally I prefer Spring. This plant is presumably hardy, but of course it de- pends to a great extent on the position, and the ex- posure it may be subjected to. It often happens after sudden thaws, when robbed of nature's blanket of snow, the temperature may fall to zero; then if caught without adequate protection, it is often fatal to the green foliage. Therefore, I would advise removal in the fall to sheltered quarters. These little attentions well repay the little trouble taken. When used for cutting it makes a fascinating decoration, especially if used with such subjects as the long spikes of Del- phinium. It is easy of culture doing well in ordinary garden soil. AN ARBOREAL SLATTERN "W^IU-IX the Park Board forbade the planting of box elders along the streets of this town, (^linne- apolis) they did a good day's work, well seasoned with clear foresight and wise retrospect. The only flaw in the proceedings was the failure to limit the life period of every tree of that variety already on the street. The chief charge against this tree weed is that it has no fixed purpose in life, no wholesome pride of per- formance, no sense of its own unworthiness. It is cursed with a boorish forwardness, and a painful lack of that nice sense of dress common to trees of better breeding. A poor tramp among the matrons of the forest, it is endowed with a shocking fecundity and its offspring with a vulgar vitalit}-. The pine, now, for instance, is a purposeful dignified and self-respecting tree. Its aim from infancy to age is to build its central shaft. Forgetting the things that are below, it presses upward. Nothing stops its terminal bud in its direct reach for the sky ; and no lower limbs retard the building of the one well determined bole. It is this quality that has made the pine and its kin, the most useful tree on earth. The oak aims to endure ; the maple to shape a nable head : but the weak minded, ungainly, sprawling box elder has no connnercial ambitions. It is content to squat and s])rawl. The box elder leaf has no outstanding character. ^len do not honor it. But the maple leaf has reached regi- mental honors in the United States Army : and the oak leaf, a commander's order in the Xavy. .\rt loves to twine these two leaves into its best ornamentations. But who ever saw even a Digger Indian adorn himself with the trifling foliage of the box elder? .\utumn gets no responsive tint from this tree's fading sunnner skirt. Drab, frayed, flabby, it waves no gay kerchief in farewell to the departing year. Nor does it lay its garments down with a will, as do the linden and the poplar; nor hold grimlv on to them, as does the red oak. Half-heartedly it strips itself of a part of its shriveled covering, leaving the raveled rags to flap in the winter wind, like the weather beaten remnants of a cornfield scarecrow. Yet this cheap tree |)ers!sts. It rushes in where oak trees fear to root. It immodestly offers to re|)opulate the forests where its betters have been slain for their wealth ; for knowing nothing, it fears nothing. \'erily, in the woods as in the rest of the world, "the poor ye have always with you." — Minneapolis Journal. 60 GARDE^ERS■ CHRONICLE viiaitiiiiniiii«iiiiwiiiiiiiiuiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii»iiiiiiiiiiiiiiimiiiiiiiiiimiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii«tiiiiiiiiiii iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiitiiiiiiiiiiiiiiniiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiuiriiiriiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiuiiiitiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiniiiiiiiiKiiir The Month's Work in the Garden lOHM TOHNSON THE work of another season now demands our at- tention. Although just what and how much can be undertaken must be governed by local condi- tions and the resources at the command of the individual. Ambitious gardeners, particularly those having restricted glass areas, always find this a month of impatience and restraint. While seed sowing may certainly be done more lavishly than was either possible or advisable a month ago, we feel bound to offer a word of caution — everything sown now will soon require more room, therefore make ample provision for carrying all safely through till planting time. The wide-awake gardener will not be surprised by the weather, but will provide for an emergency. He will sow only the kinds most in demand and those which can be brought through without loss. The man with a greenhouse has indeed much in his favor with regard to early sowings, and yet we have no hesitation in saying that even without this facility much can be accomplished with the aid of hot beds alone. The writer has cut fine head lettuce from the hot bed the first week of March in the latitude of New York. This crop, perhaps, is not quite so exacting in its requirements as many which might be sown now, yet it will be borne in mind that hot bed culture becomes less hazardous as the season advances, for the sun is fast gaining power and there are few days from now on when the sash must remain covered. However, it is not superfluous to assert that with the limitations which hot beds alone impose, the pa- tience and skill of experienced gardeners are sometimes tested to the utmost during the usually severe weather of the next six weeks, and as these notes are addressed particularly for guidance to the less experienced, we ex- plicitly caution the grower against attempting more than he feels can be brought to a successful issue. On the -other hand, the earliest possible production should be aimed at, and it is the duty of the cultivator to devise w'ays and means to thai end as far as may be in his power. Hotbeds. — After the preparation of the spring seed order the making of hotbeds is perhaps more interesting and certainly quite as important as anything else to be done during the month. We have from time to time outlined instructions for making a lasting hotbed and cannot depart from the advice already offered. A mix- ture of fresh, or reasonably fresh, horse droppings and litter is probably the best material for this purpose. Forest leaves are to be recommended where a very mild bottom heat is looked for, but it cannot be claimed that leaves are capable of generating heat to the same extent as manure. At this early date horse manure must be regarded as indispensable in the formation of hotbeds, while the best w-e can say of leaves is that they are good com])onent material. Used in conjunction with manure, leaves are very satisfactory. The most important con- sideration will be to have the material in a perfectly fit condition beforehand. Tt should be neither too wet nor yet too dry, a condition best determined by occasionally turning the mass prior to making up the bed. When violent heating has subsided and the material appears evenly moist throughout but not soggy, make up the bed. The depth to which the bed .should be made will varv with local conditions of weather and, of course. must vary to meet certain requirements. If an atmos- [iheric temperature of 55 to 60 degrees is required dur- ing zero weather the bed should be about 20 inches deep when well trodden, Beds, however, of less depth are less difficult to control, and our advice would be to make a bed from 12 to 16 inches deep and use ample covering on the sash. \\^ith beds of great depth there is always a danger of over-heating when outside conditions are such as to render ventilation almost out of the question. If crops like carrots, string beans, lettuce, radish, etc., are to be grown, it will be necessary to cover the bed six inches deep yith a fairly rich, porous compost, and sow the seeds in drills. On the other hand, if the pur- ])ose of the bed is for raising stock to later transplant in the garden, use seed flats or pans. In the latter in- stance it will be unnecessary to cover the bed to any great depth with soil. Cauliflower, cabbage, leek, onion, celery, tomato, egg plant and pepper are among' the vegetable seeds to be sown now. Annuals, and oth- ers so called, used for bedding purposes and for cut flowers, may be sown during this month and next. Among the kinds which should be sown as early as |M)ssible are: Begonia (both fibrous rooted and tuberous rooted varieties), Vinca rosea, Pentstemon. Carnation, Canna. Pansy, Abutilon, Grevillea, \'erbena and Lobelia. I-"ibrous rooted begonias are used more extensively for liedding purposes than the tuberous rooted variety. The j.arent of this bedding group, Begonia seiitpeiHoycns. is a native of Brazil. The plant is perennial in habit, but may be successfully treated as an annual, as may its many hybrid forms. The seeds germinate freely in a temperature of 65 degrees and should be sown in pans of finely sifted loain, peat, and sand. Press the soil very evenly in the seed vessel and sprinkle with water before sowing the seed. The seed of Cannas is extremely hard and germinates very slowly unless assisted. The best method is to first soak the seed in hot water for a few minutes before sowing. Cover the seed one-half inch deep and plunge the pan in the hotbed. .\butilons and Grevilleas. although not strictly liedding plants, make handsome specimens for dropping in flower beds. The seeds of both kinds germinate unevenly, but when the seedlings do appear they are easy to manage. It should hardly be necessary to say that all seeds should be sowni thinly and yet there are so many gardeners who do insist on emptying the contents of a seed package on a given space under any and all circumstances, that fresh warning is given. This wanton practice often re- ^tilts in wholesale loss as the seeds germinate, since it is almost impossible to escape "damping." Even is the seedlings do not entirely succumb in this way they be- come weak and attenuated. Unduly elongated at the start, subsequent growth always proves more or less dis- a]"/pointing. Better by far grow a few plants uncom- monly well than court failure by overcrowding. .'""now may be allowed to accumulate on and around cold frames in which plants are in a frozen condition, but plants in hotbeds and heated pits must have light and air. Push forward the propagation of bedding stock as ad- vised in last month's notes. Plants of Fuchsia. Geranium, .\lnUilon, or Heliotrope raised from cuttings last autumn For February, 1920 61 and intended for specimen bedding stock should be kept growing freely. Give these plants a shift into a size larger pots before they become root bound. Any pinching or disbudding necessary to proper development should have rigid attention from now on as growth be- comes more active every day. These and several other forms of specimen plants fit many schemes of adorn- ment, relieve monotony, and are at once objects of beauty and charm. Inspect fruit and vegetables in storage at regular in- tervals. Decaying sjijecimens should be removed to pre- vent contamination, and admit ventilation to the cellar or storehouse when weather permits. Asparagus, seakale and chicory force readily now. Maintain a succession of these excellent vegetables by replenishing worn out beds with new plantations and treat as advised in previous notes. Prune outdoor grape vines and bush fruits this month and gather up all trim- mings as soon as the job is done. Look over the orchard and shrubbery for traces of San Jose scale, which is probably the most injurious of all insect pests ; don't delay the spraying of infested ■specimens a day longer than is absolulelv necessary. Cuttings of desirable evergreens may now be rooted in sand over mild bottom heat. They root readilv. take up 'ittle room, and are alwavs interesting. The Dracaenas T. Sheward The Dra-cacnas are some of the most useful orna- mental foliage plants for greenhouse decoration. All like a warm, moist atmosphere. D. liidivisa is the best known of the species, being much used as centerpieces for hanging baskets and vases. D. Iiidiz'isa is a native of New Zealand, D. Goldcana from tropical Africa. A compost for potting the Dracaenas would be one-third leaf-soil or peat and plain loam. Propagation is by layer- ing in moss or cuttings, seed and root cuttings. Fig. 1 shows the stem of a Dracaena covered with cocoanut fiber in the propagating house and young shoots starting from the joints. These are cut away (Fig. 2) and inserted in sand (Fig. 3), where they will soon root and can be potted into larger pots. All that is necessary to cause the old cane to break into growth when in fiber is heavy syringing every day. The old stems can be cut up, as shown at Fig. 8, if desired and covered with fiber (or moss) till the eyes break into leaf (Fig. 8i. P>y cutting up the thick roots (Fig. 7) into pieces one inch long, and forming root-cuttings which should be started in fiber small plants ( Fig. 9 ) are quickly formed. Large pieces can be rooted (the whole top of very leggj- specimens) by layering. !NIake two cuts as shown at Fig. 5 and in- sert a piece of wood ( Fig. 4) under the cuts ( "A" Fig. 5 ) to keep them open till rooted. Tie sphagnum moss around the cut and keep moist till roots form (Fig. 6), when the whole piece can be cut awa\- and jx)tted C'B"' Fig. 6). A layering pot filled with sphagnum moss could be used both ways with equal success. Cuttings will break from the old stem (Fig. 10) and may l)e cut away and rooted in the sharp sand in the well arranged propa- gating house, ^^'here seeds are used (D. Indh-isa) a box, filled with sandy peat and covered with a sheet of glass, is used. -J OIEFFENBACHIA <&% I ROOT CUTTINGS 5>iEW»RD. 62 GARDENERS' CHRONICLE .'HIIIIIIIIIIIItllllllllilllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllHIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIilllllllllllllll'JI I The Month's Work in the Greenhouse | I HENRY GIBSON | iiiiimniiiiiiiiiiiiriiii iiiiiiii ii iniiii i i iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiijiiiiiiiiimnnniiiiiiiiiiiiiii; iiiniiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiniiiiniiiiiniiiiiiiiiililliiiiiiiiiiiiiniiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiinmiiiiiiiiiiiiii i i iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiniuiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiic FURCI-\'(^i bulbs that are rooting outdoors under a covering of ashes or other material will lie hard to get at during the severe weather we are experienc- ing at this writing, and extra care will be needed to avoid breaking, both pots and plants. In attempting to get the frozen covering off one is very likely to break a good many of the young growths thus preventing them from flowering. So long as the pots or flats can be loosened. and taken indoors, it would be well not to trouble about the covering until it has had an opportunity to thaw out, when it may be readily removed without doing any dam- age. Most gardeners have a system of their own to work upon them bringing in the bulbs to maintain a succession, yet wherever it is at all possible it will be found good practice to get them in during moderate weather, even if one has to get in a few extra flats in order to carry over an extreme cold spell. It is just as well to get any of the early flowering shrubs that are to be forced under way as soon as i>ossible now. A temperature of 45 degrees is enough to start them, and if they are to have any hard forcing they should have it at least ten days before they start to open their buds. A moderate supply of moisture at the roots, and frequent syringings overhead, will soon bring about an all round swelling of the buds, and the starting of active root fibers. A gradual rise to 60 degrees, with 5 to 10 degrees higher on bright days, will finally fix the even course of regular forcing, promote luxuriant growth, and perfect development of foliage and flowers. Should the condition of the plants indicate that they are not going to be in flower just when they are needed most, the tem- I>erature may well be raised every ten days or so, until 70 degrees is reached at night. When the flowers are fairly well out a drop to 50 degrees will add materially to their keeping qualities. While the propagating bench is kept pretty well occu- pied with bedding plants, it would be well to give a little space to a batch of Boitvardias. They are useful and l>eautiful jilants and are easily grown. Root cuttings are to l>e preferred to young top growth. .Some or all of the strong roots of the old ])lants are cut up into pieces of half an inch or more in length. These are strewn upon the jiropagating bench, slightly covered, kept moist, and somewhat close. After the appearance of the young growths, sashes or anything used in covering the bed may be dispensed with if a steady heat can be main- tained wuhout theni. \o shading is needed while the cuttings are in the sand. When the growths have at- tained a size large enough to be handled with facility they may l>e potted into small pot§, where they will re- main until planted out in a favorable spot in the garden when all danger of frost has passed. By giving the plants a warm house, plenty of light, and frequent pinch- ing back, they will grow into nicely branched plants with firm root-balis that will hang together when lifting for the final potting next Fall. If sown at once Cannas from seed will flower by the middle of Summer. A very practical way of securing a quick germination is to soak the seed for 24 hours in warm water, then with a pair of pliers slice off a piece of the hard covering. Sown in flats, simply as you would peas outdoors, covered with half an inch of sand, and placed where they will get a strong bottom heat, at least 2."^ per cent of the seed will grow quickly. The others will come up at intervals. They need pleiity of strong heat, and when they are large enough to handle they may be potted, grown in a warm house and shifted into four- or five-inch pots as their vigor may determine. About the middle of June they may be planted out. Clumps of the old Canna roots dug from the flower beds last season may now be taken out and cut ready to be started in pots or flats later on. Stock plants of Chrysanthemums should be placed in a temperature of 45 degrees, with all possible light so that they will begin to furnish material for cuttings. The roots of any varieties of Dahlia that one is desirous of increasing the stock of mav now be planted in a bench, where they will soon throw up a supply of cuttings. The first batch of Carnation cuttings should be rooted ]jy this time and ready to go into pots. They should be potted up at once for if left in the sand their vitality soon wanes. This is far more so with Carnations than with any other plants that are propagated today. A carnation plant, once allowed to get stunted in the sand, will remain so for some time to come aiid is far more subject to disease of all kinds than is healthy vigorous stock that has been kept growing right along. Don't make the mis- take of using highly manured soil for the first potting ; the little roots are not yet able to utilize the plant food at this time, and if you add a small proportion of well decayed manure you have done enough. A clean sweet fibrous soil is more important than an excessively rich one. The young plants will do well enough in a tem- perature of 48 degrees, and let the bench be a siuiny one. Pelargoniums should be kept growing from now on. Give them a sunny position, and a night temperature of about 45 degrees. Feed them liberally with liquid manure, together with alternate top dressings of Clay's fertilizer, or other concentrated plant food, which will assist in making the wood firm and cause the plants to flower freely. When they are very badly pot-bound they should be repotted in a compost made up of two-thirds fibrous loam, and one-third dry cow manure, with enough sand to make the whole porous, and a little fine bone meal. Drain the pots well, and pot firmly leaving a good margin at the top to hold water. Green aphis is the arch enemy of .'>how Pelargoniums and should never be given any quarter. Xot infrequently we see what were otherwise very fine plants simply alive with these pests. A heavy smoking is usually given, which more often than not removes the flowers as well as the aphis. The point is to fumigate light and often. Keep the plants spread out. and as light as possible, and on warm days give them a syringing overhead. Treated thus one can expect to have healthy, stockv plants that are a credit to the cul- tivator, and well worthy of the attention bestowed upon them. .-Vfter the middle of the month a batch of fancy leaved Caladiums. those gorgeous colored foliage plants, may be started up where they are likely to be needed for dec- orative purposes in the conservatory. .About as expe- ditious a method to employ in starting them as any is to place them in flats on a layer of spaghnuni moss. In this way they can be placed close together. Fill in and cover them all over with about an inch of moss, then place them in a house where thev can have a temperature I or February, l')2() 63 of 65 to 70 degrees with a bri>k bottom heat, for they like both top and bottom heat to make a good start. Watering should be with care until they get a start, a moderate moist condition suiting them best at this stage. When they have made a fair amount of roots they may be potted into 3- or 4-inch pots atifording them ample drainage. For a compost, three parts turfy loam, two parts leaf mold, with well decomposed cow manure, and enough sand to make the fixture porous suits them ad- mirably. For e.xtra sized plants keep shifting them until they are in 5- or 6-inch pots. Place them well up to the glass, atad as the sun gains in power during the day. they will need some shade. Watering througli all stages of growth needs to be done with good judgment. Among the many seeds that are to be sown at this time two or three are worthy of more than passing" mention. Pcnnisetum longistylum, is one of our most effective border plants and not seen nearlv as much as it de- serves to be. When used as an edging to a bed of Can- nas it gives a finished appearance to the bed that cannot he obtained with -Salvias, Coleus, or anj- of the plants usually made use of. To get good plants for this pur- pose seeds should be sown early, and grown cool. Thev require to be potted off singly, and never allowed to become crowded. Enpatoriutn frascri, is a plant that can be used like Stevia to go with other flowers. It grows about two feet high, and when kept free from weeds will thrive almost anywhere. E. caiestiniim is botanically speaking not a Eupatorium. but a Conoclinium, and is even a better plant than E. Eraser!. It is a late flowered perennial IJ^ feet high with heliotrope colored flowers and very hardy. It makes a useful plant for low borders, and if grown in pots-and kept pinched back, with the protection of a cold frame, or a violet house temperature will make a useful addition, to our list of late flowering plants either for decorative or cut flower purposes. Last fall in New- Jersey we saw this plant used as an edging in a bed of tall growing perennials, in full bloom the last week in October — the admiration of all who saw it. Seeds sown now and later transplanted to flats and put into per- manent cjuarters in Spring will result in some flowers this season, and more next. It is also easily propagated from cuttings, and these, inserted in the sand now. ma\' be treated as seedlings. Begonia Gracilis HENRY J. MOORE THERE are perhaps no more useful Begonias than the gracilis varieties, and as they are easy of culture their beauty may be enjoyed by growers prac- tically all over Xorth America. As bedding subjects, they are equal to any, and when their usefulness for this purpose is past they may, during Fall, be removed to the greenhouse or window where the\- will flower for many weeks, and be a source of beauty. Indeed with careful attention in cultural matters their pink or white flowers may prove a source of cheer all through the long Winter. Culture. — The Begonia gracilis varieties may be raised from seeds sown during August or September for Spring flowering in the greenhouse, or during late February in a greenhouse or warm window with a temperature of 6."^ degrees I-'ahrenheit, for bedding during late May. A soil com[)Osed of well rotted loam one part, leaf soil two parts, and sand one part, carefully mixed and finely screened is excellent for the seed pans. .A. heavy soil sometimes used by householders for this purpose is often the cause of failure with the seedlings. Others defer sowing till mid-.\pril, which is too late for bedding, even under the most favorable condition--, and court failure in this way. .\fford drainage to the pans by jilacing broken crocks one inch thick in the bottom. Upon this layer place a handful of the coar.se screenings from the loam, and finally fill with the screened soil to within one-half inch of the top. Make the soil fairly firm, and leave the sur- face slightly convex so that moisture will drain to the sides. This is good ]iractice when sowing all kinds of Begonias, as they are very susceptible to "damping" when sown on purelv flat surfaces. Soak the soil by immer- sion in water, before or after sowing the seeds, but do not disturb the surface. Do not cover the seeds with soil. Place a pane of glass over the pans and exclude the light by means of a piece of paper until germination takes place, removing it only when necessary to immerse the pan when the soil shows signs of dryness. The Rcg(»iia gracilis varieties show signs of germina- tion in less than two weeks, and in five may be pricked •off into larger pans or shallow bo.xes about an inch apart. '\'\\\> will be about the first week in April. During early May pot the seedlings singly into four-inch pots. Place them in a greenhouse, window, or garden frame, with a temperature of 60 to 70 degrees, and by the end of the month they will be ready for bedding. From June until mid-October the Begonias will furnish a wealth of beauty outdoors, and when the weather be- comes too cold for growth, remove them carefully from the soil and pot them according to their size into six or seven-inch pots in the soil previously mentioned, but which is only screened through a one-half-inch screen. Soil finer than this is not desirable for the purpose. Place the plants in the greenhouse and from Christmas onward with proper care they will prove a valuable addition to the stock of ornamental plants. If placed in the win- dow of a well lighted and warm room, watered when necessary, and manured with household ammonia, one teaspoonful to a quart of water, or with nitrate of Soda, one-quarter ounce to each gallon of water, good flower- ing growth will be promoted, the plants be kept in ex- cellent health, and in a condition to again plant out in the garden beds with the advent of Summer. The Begonias in (juestion may also be raised by cut- tings. One large well grown ])lant may furnish more than twentv, and if these are placed in beds of sand in the greenhouse or in pots in the window during Spring or Fall, a large number of plants may be raised. The person with the advantage which a greenhouse affords mav propagate the plants successfully at almost any time, but householders will be well advised not to at- temj^t to raise them either by means of cuttings or seeds except in Spring, so that they will not have to carry them over winter in the cutting or seedling stage. Rather the windows should be filled with mature plants lifted from the garden, and which are objects to be admired during the lone winter months. Think about yourselves : about w'hat you want, what you like, what respect people ought to pay to you. what people think of you ; and then to you nothing will be pure. — Charles Kingsley. 04 GARDENERS' CHRONICLE Fruiting of Apple Trees Every Other Year IWI ANY varieties of apples and pears for various reasons bear only every other year. This condi- tion is not uniform the country over, but is more com- mon in the fruit sections of the North and East than in the South or West. The same is true but to a less extent of the stone fruits. The causes are somewhat varied but are mostly the result of the climatic en- vironment in which the trees are grown. The bien- nial bearing habit is apparently not an inheritable trait, but when it once becomes fixed in the life of the in- dividual there is little that can be done to change it. In the fruit sections where the climatic conditions favor the setting of a crop every year, the biennial habit does not exist. In those sections where frosts and rains interfere with the set of fruit, the life (Courtesy of Journal of Hcf'cifity) Grai'enstcin apple graft on a Russian type. The arrazv marks the point of union. Our year tlic Gravenstei)! branch is loaded Zi'ith blossoms iMle the rest of the tree is comparatively bare. On alternate years these conditions are reversed. processes of the tree are thrown out of balance and the tree gets into the habit of over-working one year and recuperating the next. A normal tree develops fruit buds for the next year at the same time it is matiu-ing the present crop. When there is no fruit to mature, an over supply of fruit buds is prepared for the next year. When the time comes, if condi- tions are favorable, a heavy crop sets and the tree puts forth all its efforts- to mature it. This causes such a heavv drain upon the energy of the tree, that no fruit bud's are formed for the next crop. After a few years the haljit generally becomes fixed and tlie tree continues as a biennial bearer. If the trees are properly pruned and the fruit thinned, while they are young the habit can be pre- vented to a large extent. When a heav}- crop sets on a young tree, it should be thinned enough so it will not be overburdened and can develop fruit buds Avhile maturing the crop. If frost destroys the blossoms, then the grower should reduce the vigor of the trees by cropping the orchard or by giving less cultivation. A heavy pruning in the years when a crop is expected will tend to reduce the amount of fruit and increase the wood growth. Early summer pruning during the crop year will often stimulate fruit buds. As the trees grow older the habit becomes fixed and it is hardly worth while to attempt to correct it. That a heavy crop actually reduces the number of blossoms formed for the next year can readily be proved by observing and counting those that appear tliniugh two or three years. Instances are not uncom- mon, where scarcely a dozen blossoms developed on trees that matured a heavy crop of fruit the preceding year. In the particular case illustrated in the accom- j)anying photograph, one-half of the tree had been grafted to a Gravenstein while the other half was of the original variety. For some unaccountable reason each half of the tree chose opposite vears for their heavy crop. In the spring it presents an t>dd appear- ance by one-half being in heavv bloom while the other half scarcely develops a single blossom. The next year the process is reversed. This tree is now about 25 years old and to the writer's personal knowledge has behaved as described for the past five years. No certain explanation as to the original cause of the condition can be given. As there is some slight difference in the blooming time of the two halves, it is possible, that frost may have come at such a time as to destroy the fruit on one side while the other escaped. It is interesting for two rea- sdiis. First, that it indicates that the formation of fruit buds is not wholly a cjuestion of nutrition. Sec- ond, that the food supply of the trees is directed first to the needs of the maturing crops. — The .Journal of Heredity. THE FLOWERING DOGWOOD— CORNUS FLORIDA IT is perhaps not necessary to call attention again to ••■ this tree which in recent years has been planted in considerable numbers in those parts of the north- eastern states where it is hardy, but the Flov.ering Dogwood has been exceptionally beautiful this \-ear, and its value for the decoration of the parks and gar- dens of eastern North America cannot be too often insisted on. Cornus florida "composes well," as land- scape gardeners would say, with tlie vegetation of eastern America, that is, where it is planted under our native trees or along the borders of natural woods it never looks out of place. In spring it enlivens the forest with sheets of the snow white floral bracts which surround the heads of small yellow flowers. In October the leaves of not one of our smaller native trees assumes more beautiful shades of crimson, scarlet, orange or yellow, and as the leaves change color gradually leaves which are still green are often mixed with those which have become brightly colored. The autumn beautv of the leaves is in- creased, ton. bv the contrast in the colors of their upper and kA\er surfaces, for only the upper surface changes color, the lower retaining until the leaves For February, 1920 65 fall the pale or nearly white color of Sunmier. In the Autumn, too, the clusters of bri^-ht scarlet fruits add another charm to this tree which is often short-lived, for birds devour the fruit almost as fast as it ripens. The conspicuous gray flower-buds which open the following" Spring are formed in the late Summer and add to the beauty and interest of the tree during the Autumn and Winter. A variety of Conius florida with red floral bracts was found in Virginia several years ago and has been propagated and sold by American nurserymen. When in flower it is a showy tree but lacks the charm of the normal species. A variety of the normal form with pendulous branches is in the Arboretum collection but has no particular interest or beauty, and a form with flower-heads surrounded by a double row of bracts, which was a good deal advertised n few years ago, has little to recommend it. Beautiful ,"i5 it is the eastern Flowering Dogwood is surpassed bv the species of the northwest coast region. Cornus Nuttallii, which is a tree sometimes seventy or eighty feel high with heads of bracts five or six inches across. Cornus NiittaUii grows in damp woods in the shade of large coniferous trees, and it is difficult to keep it ?live beyond the limits of its native forests. It has never succeeded in the Arboretum and has flowered in Europe in only a few gardens. The Japanese Flowering Dogwood, Cornus kousa, and its Chinese variet}' are hardy and handsome little trees which flower later in the season than our native species, with which thev do not compare in beauty of flowers, foliage or fruit. — Arnold .irborctuni Bulletin. STREPTOCARPI AND THEIR CULTURE CE\'ER.\L raisers have played a part in the produc- ^"^ tion of the present-day race of Strc/^tocarpi which now. in popularity vies with the Gloxinia; indeed, by some the Strcptocarpi are preferred to the others, though on this point opinions will, of course, differ. In place of a practically unknown and undeveloped race of plants, which was the case a little over a generation ago. we have now an exceedingly useful group where a dis- play of flowers has to be kept up at all seasons. The best forms now are exceedingly floriferous, with compact masses of large, bold blossoms. The range in color is very great, varying from pm-e white though different shades of pink and carmine to deep red or crimson, while in many the blue, violet and par|)le tints are delightful. Xot the least attractiw are those of a pure white, pencilled mainly in the throat with cirmine or purple. .\ feature in favor of these hybrid kinds of Strcptocarpus is that from seed sown in heat early in the year, plants may be obtained which will flower through- out the Summer and, under favorable conditions, well on into the Autumn. The flowers last well in a cut state, and for some kinds of decoration arc verv useful. If cut witit stems as long as ])ossibIe, they are very li^ht and elegant in appearance. Seeds should be sown during the first half of h'chru- ary. as then the young plants will have a long growing season before them. Whether sown in pans or pots, the utmost care must be taken in carrying this out, as the seeds are very minute, and the seedlings at first corre- spondingly delicate. The pans or pots must be quite clean, well-drained and filled to within a third of an inch of the rims with a good light compost. Most ges- neraceous i>lants are very fond of a liberal ([uantity of leaf-mold in the soil they grow in, and the several forms of Streptocarpus form no exception to the rule. .\ suit- able cnntpo^^t in which to sow the seeds may be made up of one ].)art loam to two of leaf-mold, and about half a part of silver sand. It is a good plan to sterilize the soil before use, after which it should be sifted through a sieve with a quarter of an inch mesh, i)utting the rougher portions that do not pass through the sieve on one side to place immediately over the crocks. The soil should then be pressed down moderatelv firm and made quite level. riefore sowing the seed, the soil should be moistened either by watering through a very fine rose or by standing the receptacle nearly to the rim in a vessel of water, which will enter through the hole in the bottom and thus wet the whole of the soil without disturbing the surface. Placed then in a shaded part of a warm structure ; that is. where a temperature of 60 to 65 degrees is maintained, the voung plants will in due time make their appearance. I'ntil this happens a pane of glass should be laid over the ]Mt, in order to maintain a uniform state of moisture. The seed is so minute that when it is sown some culti- vators do not cover it at all except with the glass, while others sprinkle just a little dry silver sand on the surface. It is -most essential to take care that the seed is sown verv thinlv. It may be noted that it sometimes germi- nates in a rather irregular manner. When the young plants are large enough to conveniently handle, they mav be pricked off into pans or boxes, using much the same kind of compost as that in which the seeds were sown. From the delicate nature of the young plants this must be carefully done. The temperature of a warm house and a shady spot therein are necessary for the young plants. When sufficiently advanced, they may be potted oft' singly into 2><-inch pots, from which the strongest growing plants may in due course be shifted into pots 4 inches to 4>4 inches in diameter. During the \Vinter the plants should be put in a tem- jicrature of 50 to 55 degrees, and the soil kept moderately drv, though on no account must they be parched uv. as. unlike Gloxinias, they do not form a solid tuber. Then, about the end of February or early in Alarch. they mav be potted, equal parts of loam and leaf-mold with a little sand being verv suitable. Under the influence of addi- tional heat thev will soon start into growth, when they may for the Summer be removed to the greenhoitse. .^n occasional stimulant will at that time be beneficial, and. in order to prolong the flowering period, all tlie^ old blooms should be picked off unless seed is required. After the second vear"s flowering the plants may be thrown awav. — The Garden ("FnglisliV ALWAYS SOMETHING TO BE THANKFUL FOR Tlioie'.'i sometliiim- to be tliankl'ul fur. no matter how things RO— In .Snnimcrtime for fruit and llowcrs. in Wintertime for snow. Tlicrc's something- sort of pleasant liappcning to us every day, .\n(l life's a perfect picnie if we look at it that way. There's alwavs something: pretty for our weary eyes to see— The glory of the sunset or the blossoms on the tree. .^lKl alw.ivs something tuneful for our tired ears to hear — The children's voices chirping or the robin's music clear. There's always somethiuK ready for our willing hands to do- Some halting steps to help along, soine job to carry lhroug;h— \'o chance to be kicking when our feet are busy going, \o time for idle growling when we're planting seed and sowing. There's >omcthing to be thankful for. no matter how things go— \o end to all our blessings if we only count them so. .\nd even if vou'rc out of sorts, or sick, or sad, or poor, Just thank the Lord you're living if you can do nothing more. — Selected. 66 GARDENERS' CHRONICLE tllllilillininiiii>inniiiiiiiiiiii;iiii:iiiiiiiiiililiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiuii:i>iliNiiiiiiiiiiiuiiiitiiiiiiiiiini|[|iliiiliiiiili»iJ^ [!iii:[;iiiiiti:mi{|iniiin:iiin;ii:iiiniiiiiiit:iin'tMiiiiiiini;iii!!iiii!iiiiiim!miiii!i:iiii:i;ii: iii!:iiii:ii»iiiii:iiiiiiiiiiiliiiiiuillll»liiililil| I A Lesson on Some Whys of Crop Rotation | 1 Being One of a Series of Lessons of a Home Study Course on (iardcninu. Ajjinaimii Ke^ularU in The GARDtNERs' Chronicle = I Under the Direction of ARTHUR SMITH | iiimiiiiiiillllliiiilliii!iiiiliiiiliiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiilii:iiii:iiii!iiiiiiNiiiniiiliiiiiiiiilii:iiiiiiiiiiiNiillllliiliil^^ i iiiimniiiiiiiiiiiiiuiiiiiil PREPARING FUK AN'U PLAXXING THE SEASOX S CROPS With the lengthening days our thoughts are naturally along the lines of planning for the coming season, espe- cially in the way of making out and sending the seed order, so that there will be no delay in taking advantage of the earliest moment that seed sowing becomes possible. Those who adopt the excellent plan of keeping a diary, and note weather temperatures, dates of sowing, germina- tion, etc., together with results obtained, are in a better position to review the past successes and failures than is the case with those who trust to their memories alone. Frequently more can be learned from failures than from anything else, especially if we arrive at correct conclu- sions as to their cause. Owners of large gardens have room enough to grow a sufficiency of everything for their requirements which their climate will jjroduce : but with smaller areas it is frequently necessary to consider the tjuestion of what to grow and what not to grow, and to divide up a limited space to the best advantage. It is generally a wiser pro- cedure to grow a few varieties well than to attempt a larger number than can be successfully brought to ma- turity upon the space given them. In those cases where one cannot produce everything in the way of vegetables required by their household it is better to leave out those articles which deteriorate least. or do not deteriorate at all when sent to the market. For instance, there is not as a rule a great deal of difference in quality between potatoes grown at home and those ob- tained from the market ; whereas under no jiossible con- ditions can we buy peas and beans at all apjiroaching the (|uality of those we can grow for ourselves, and it would therefore he better to secure a constant supply of these latter than to grow potatoes unless we have room enough to produce a sufificiency of all. It is well at this season to map out u[)on paper a gen- eral cropping scheme so as to see what amount of space can be devoted to each kind, both in relation to the sec- ond, as well as to the first crop we ])ropose to plant, bear- ing in mind the fact that, generally speaking, two crojjs in a season may be obtained off the same ground, of course leaving out of consideration permanent crops like asparagus ; and even if conditions do not always permit of averaging two crops in a year, we can certainly aver- age three crops in two years off the entire ground not devoted to things which are permanent. In making plans, whether in our minds or upon paper, it is worth while to consider the question of rotating the various crops, so that a given species does not occupy the same grounrl in successive years and that an interval of one or more years shall pass before it is grown there again. AN UXDERLVING PRTXCIPLE OF CROP ROTATIOX One underlying principle of crop rotation is the con- servation of soil fertilit}', and it is, in a general way, more strictly adhered to in connection with farming than with gardening : in fact, very fretjuently farm leases contain clauses stating that certain crops shall not be grown upon the same ground except after certain specified intervals. A rotation is the arranging of a succession of crops which will ta.x the soil for plant food in a different man- ner. Some plants require certain elements of plant food in different pro])ortion than others, and in the case of nitrogen some do not require it in the soil at all as they obtain it from the air. Peas and beans are among the latter and are designated nitrogen-producing crops ; while corn and cabbage are among those classed as nitrogen- consuming, therefore, bv growing the latter after the former the necessity of adding nitrogen is. to a great ex- tent, if not entirely, obviated. While it may not always be possible to avoid the direct application of nitrogen to some crops in a vegetable garden, yet it is easy so to ar- range a rotation of crops for a farm that it will render direct applications of nitrogen entirely unnecessary. \\'hile our cultivated plants recpiire food containing some of all the various elements which are found in vege- table matter, yet they do not all take up these elements in the same proportions ; for instance, there is about eight times more lime in a given weight of cabbage than in the same weight of potatoes, and if we grow the same crop continually upon the same ground we gradually exhaust the soil of the requirements of that crop that are in an available condition, and, unless special fertilizers are added, the time will arrive when that particular crop will cease to produce anything worth while : and in this con- nection we must remember that no excess of one element will compensate for a deficiency in another, or in others. 1'. must he emphasized that in speaking of plant food being exhausted it only applies to that which is available, as for all practical purposes no system of cropping will exhaust a soil of its mineral constituents, of which only a small amount is ever in an available state at one time ; there- fore by growing the same crop year after year upon the same ground the available food which that crop requires in the largest quantity is used up faster, and there is not enough of that food to supply its full requirements, and therefore the yield becomes less, but by growing another crop which reipiires less of what the other reejuired the most, opportunity is given for an increase in the available amount of that ingredient. Then again, species differ in their methods of seeking nourishment. We can have two distinct plants practically agreeing in their food requirements, yet one might fail where the other would succeed. Suppose, for instance, members of the cabbage family had been grown continu- ously until the soil began to fail, even then we might grow .good crops of ]iarsnips and carrots for the simple reason that they send their roots down into a stratum which the other crops never reached. It is most instructive to bear in mind that, although the parsnip will do well upon soil of which the surface has been more or less exhausted, yet the dry matter of this plant contains thirty-six per cent of .potash, eleven per cent of lime, and twenty per cent of phos]ihate. How does the parsnip obtain its min- eral food in a soil which for other crops appears to be exhausted? Simply by pushing down for it into a mine that has hitherto been but little worked, though the cab- bage might fail in the same plot because the sujierficial stratum had been over-taxed. As far as we have gone the subject has been con- sidered in regard to the conserving and making the .great- est use of the natural soil fertility, and these considera- tions have a greater bearin.g upon farming than upon gardening. Gardening is a more intensive branch of agri- culture than farming. In gardens we adoi>t methods of cultivation and manuring which would be impracticable and uniirofitable in connection with farming: and these For February, 1920 67 methods to a great extent enable gardeners to look upon a strict rotation of crops, so far as it relates to plant food, as of secondary importance, although even in this relationship it must not be ignored entirely. The farmer has to arrange his rotation to fit as far as possible the kind of crops the land is naturally best adapted to insure, in a run of seasons, the most profitable results. The me- chanical condition of a soil, for instance, whether sandy or clayey, causes it to be less fitted for some crops than it is for others ; and there are also other considerations outside soil which have a bearing upon a farm rotation. CROP ROTATION IN THE GARDEN We cannot follow the same procedure in cro]iping a garden. Some consideration can certainly be given to what our soil and climate will especially favor among garden crops, but, notwithstanding this, the gardener has to grow something of everything and he cannot restrict his operations to such crops as the land is particularly adapted for, but he must endeavor to render his garden capable of carrying more or less of all the vegetables and fruits that find a place in household requirements, and which it may be possible to grow in his climate. That sometimes failures occur at certain points is inevitable, nevertheless his aim will be, and must be. of a somewhat universal kind. .\t the same time in the case of a garden which varies in its mechanical condition, one would ar- range to have ])Otatoes. for instance, upon the lightest and most sandy portion, and cabbage and cauliflowers u]>on that containing the most clay. As regards the natural mineral constituents of a soil. a gardener can to a great extent, however, afford to ig- nore in some ways a rotation inasmuch as he has more power to nullify untoward conditions than the farmer : by the proper use of the spade and other hand imple- ments, he can give his garden deeper and more thorough cultivation than is either practicable or profitable by the use of farm implements. A gardener in growing a little of everything, ])erhaps only one row at a time of anv one sjiecies, can give a particular species more of what it re- quires most of ; for instance, a few handsful of fine bone meal scattered along the line before sowing peas and beans will give these just the phosphate they ref|uire in a position near at hand to them. In any case the manuring of a garden should be u])on a more extensive and more fre(|uent scale than is practicable in farming, and a well- handled garden always contains considerable reserves of avail.'ible |)laiit food. TIIH VALL'F. Ol' MAMKIXC; There is a point related to manuring which is indirrctK- connected with our subject. Roth farmers and gardeners are aware nf ilic great \alue of stable manure; it is for all practical pur]ioses a well balanced food, although it ma\- vary in the percentage of its constituents according to what the animals have been fed upon and as to whether they are being grown, worked, or fattened, and there is nothing so effective in the pro- duction of vegetables. It is also beneficial in adding humus, and in bettering the mechanical condition (if both heavy clays and lii^ht sands. There is. however, some- thing connected with it which cannot be explained l)v the combined effects of the plant food and hunms it adds to. and its mechanical effect upon, the soil. Last month we drew an analogy between the feeding of plants and the feeding of animals, and it was ])ointed out that in the ca.sc of the latter it is ncces.sarv that their food contain some, at present unknown, vital principles to which the ternt "\'itann'nes" has been given. It was fur- ther stated that there ajipears to be considerable evidence hcmi the results of laboratory experiments and in other directions to show that some accessory substances acting m a similar way are necessary to plants, and that there is no doubt that the greater and more lasting effect of stable manure and other animal refuse is due to the exist- ence of this substance or substances. It seems worth while in this connection to allude to one of the Rothamsted experiments in the field. A plot of ground was taken to which stable manure was annually applied for twenty years, from 1852 to 1871. The eft'ect of the stable manure continued to increase for the first thirteen years : it then increased no more but re- mained at its high level. In 1872 the stable manure was discontinued. Upon this plot the same crop has been grown from 1852 down to the present time, and although the yield has gradually fallen since the manure was dis- continued, it is still thirty per cent higher than another plot alongside of it which has been growing the same crop all the time but has had no manure whatever, al- though in other respects treated similarlv. Tliis experi- ment proves several facts, but the only one which we need consider now is the strikingly lasting character of stable manure as well as the value of organic manure in building up a soil. In these days stable manure is difficult, and in some localities almost impossible, to obtain, and therefore one is not always able to get sufficient to manure the entire garden eacli year. In this case its application should be rotated, .so that the entire garden will at lea.st get a dress- ing of stable manure at more or less frequent intervals. We have in a previous month pointed out that the short- age of stable manure can in some respects be made good l)y the use of stock-yard manures and the tuming under of green crops. .At any rate in j)lamiing tlie work of the garden the question of the rotation of manure has some- times to be considered. IMI'OKT.VNCE OF ROT.XTIOX TO CO .MEAT TESTS C nming back to the rotation of crops, this in a vegetable garden is really more important in connection with insect and fungus pests than with anything else, and this im- portance is greater in respect of some crops than with others. In these days insects and fungi of nunu-rous species give us an increasing amount of trouble, and upon a place of any size one man can find plenty to do in devoting his whole time during the growing season to the work of spraying, etc., both for prevention and cure. In a vege- table garden a rotation can be made as regards some crops ail indirect means of preventing and reducing the ravages of "nests." While many of these economic parasites u.se several species of plants as hosts, yet there are certain of them which attack, so far as our gardens are concerned, only one family or species. Before, or at the beginning of, iln' winter season these i)ests go into a dormant stage and hibernate in some form or another until the follow- ing growing season. Xaturally-. and invariably, they pass tiie Winter near where they lived during the Sum- mer. ,-ind it therefore follows that if we grow a crop upon the ground occupied bv the same crop during the pre- ceding year it will be more liable to attack bv its .special liests than if it occupied a position some distance away v\hich had not grown that crop for several seasons. ihis is especially true in those cases where the j^ests live and work under the surface and attack the plants' roots. One of these latter is a fungus known as Club-root which attacks, more or less, all members of the Crucifer- ous family and is especiallv eft'ective in damaging cabbage and cauliflower. File fungus which produces Club-root belongs to the .\fyxoiii\rctrs, or "slime fungi." which live u[)on deca\ing vegetable matter. This fungus rami- fies within the tissues of the roots of attacked plants, cnusing first a swelling on the roots the interior of which afterwards liecomes full of slimy matter. Eventually 68 GARDENERS' CHRONICLE an amazing numbL-r of spores are produced of so small a size that millions would be required to cover a square inch. When a spore germinates, its contents escape throug'h a small aperture in its wall and begins moving about of its own accord by means of a microscopic hair which wriggles about like the tail of a tadpole. It is one of those organisms which form a connecting link between the animal and the vegetable kingdoms. Unlike the potato disease, or at least the oldest and most preva- lent one of the several diseases atTecting this tuber, which spreads from plant to plant through the atmosphere, the fungus causing club-root remains in the soil at all its stages and can only spread through that medium. Nothing can be done to control this or any other pests affecting roots by spraying, which renders it the more imperative to rotate crops of this kind. \\'hile it has not come into my own personal expe- rience, cases have been heard of where an entire garden has become infected with club-root. It is to a great ex- tent preventable by heavy dressings of quick-lime worked into the surface of the ground soni_e time before setting out the plants : and in any case cabbage and cauliflowers require more lime as actual food than any other crops. It is possible to bring this disease in by purchased plants, and plants with any swellings upon their roots should be di-carded and burnt, whether purchased or grown one's self. Sometimes a swelling upon the roots, similar in outward ai>pearance, is caused bv an insect. While this is not so harmful as the fungus, it always has the effect of checking growth. In the latter case a legless maggot will be found inside the swelling, while the interior of the enlargement caused by club-root will be more or less decayed. In the latter, insects will, after a time, find their wav into this, but they are only a secon- dary feature of the trouble. As an additional preventa- ti\e the stumps and roots should always be burned. While the potato disease which is the principal cause of potatoes rotting, attacks the tops first, and can be pre- vented by frequent spraying, it is advisable to have the interval between growing this crop upon the same ground as long as possible. There are undoubtedly several species of fungi which cause potato tubers to rot and some of these may infect the tuber in the soil without appearing upon the haulm, and certainly the newer wart disease is a soil fungus. These are additional reasons for not planting potatoes more often upon the same ground than is absolutely necessary. With these also, and with all other diseased vegetable matter, burning the haulm and other remains is advisable: if burning is impracticable, then a hole can be made in which the refuse may lie placed and thor- ou.ghlv mixed with quick-lime. .SOME GROINS TH.\T C.\N BE .ALTERNATED ANXU.\LLV \\'hile for the reasons stated it should be considered imperative to stfictly rbtate the Cabbage family, m which turnips may be included, potatoes, and other things w hich are liable to diseases attacking their roots : and while it is better to rotate other vegetables as much as possible, still more or less elasticity may be introduced into the rotation, so far as pests are concerned, of those things whose troubles come from those which only attack the parts of the plants whicb are above ground, so as to fit the rotation to other considerations. For instance, one may have a plot in their garden which is exceptionally suited for early work by reason of its being sheltered by a well, building, etc., and so placed that" it gets full sun. In this situation the frost will be out of the ground sooner than elsewhere, and it will therefore give opportunities for early sowing and for securing a crop a week or two earlier than would be the case in other parts of the garden. As peas and spinach are always the first things to be sown and to be gathered from the open ground, there is no reason why a border of this kind should not be devoted to these every year without the crops deteriorating at all, provided the ground is kept rich, sweet and light, and at the same time otherwise handling along the lines pre- viously mentioned in these columns. If the border is large enough to carry the first crops of both peas and sj)inach, the portion upon which one is grown this year could be devoted to the other next year, in this way a nitrogen-producing, could alternate with a nitrogen-con- suming crop. This latter point should have considera- tion in cropping the entire garden so that as far as possible crops which obtain their nitrogen from the air, like peas and beans, should alternate with those like corn, cabbage, etc., which require a sufficiency of nitro- gen to be present in the soil. Apart from the above necessity of allowing at least a few years interval if possible between some crops, a certain amount of rotation is easily obtained in the or- dinary course of things. As the earliest crops mature they are succeeded by others, and these are followed in the autumn by a cover crop for turning under just be- fore Winter. So that along these lines the entire garden which is under annual cropjjing gets a certain amount of change in sjjccies, thereby avoiding waste of, while at the same lim;- conserving, plant food. ROSE COLUMBIA T"" HE Executive Committee of the American Rose So- ciety at a recent meeting voted to award to the hybrid tea rose Columbia, registered in 1917 by E. G. Hill of Richmond, Indiana, the Gertrude M. Hubbard gold medal for the best rose of American origin introduced during the last five years. This reward was made possible by the generosity of Mrs. Gertrude M. Hubbard of Twin Oaks, Washington, D. C.. and has been awarded but once when, in 1914, it was given to M. H. Walsh of Woods Hole, Massachu- setts, for the introduction of the climbing rose E.xcelsa. The honor which goes to Air. Hill is distinctive. It is the highest honor which the American Rose Society can confer on a hybridizer, and it is a recognition, not only of a variety of merit but of the valued work of a pioneer in rose breeding — one who has devoted half a century of real service in the advancement of the rose, through breeding a type admirably suited for .\merican condi- tions. — E. A. White, Secretary. The rose, Columbia, is proving to be a decided favorite and is now regarded as one of the finest out-door, pink roses ever introduced. Strong, sturdy in growth with handsome foliage, flowers of a glowing pink color. DECAY OF PUBLIC PARKS ■"THE broad fact in connection with the decay of pub- lie parks which may be seen in nearly all our American cities is that we Americans are better at starting things than we are at taking care of thetn afterwards. We employ our Olmsteds and our Vaux to create beautiful parks, and then leave them to the tender mercies of men w-ithout education in the pro- found art and science of the making and care of pleas- ure grounds. There is no art or science which de- mands a deeper or broader education than this. And the difference between expert knowledge and utter neglect in such a matter can be noted fully in a single day bv comparing the appearance of the Arnold Ar- boretum with that of Central Park in New York or l"r;inklin T;ivk in P.oston. — Baslou Traiiscri[>l. For February, 1920 69 0iiiiiwiiiiiiniiiiiiimniiiiii>iiijiiij|iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii|iiiiuin^ j;iiliil:ll[i:iill:ii:;ji! '"niiiiiiiiiiiiiniiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiamiiiiiiii, National Association of Gardeners Office: 286 FIFTH A\'E.. XEW YORK. L. P. Jensen, President, St. Louis, Mo. D. L. M.-^CKiNTOSH. J'tee-Piwiideiit. Stillwater, Minn Thom.\s W. He.\d, Treasurer. Lake Forest, 111. "SI. C. Ebel, Scerelary, Madison, X. J. I Trustees for 1920 I Peter Duff, Orange. X. }.; William Waite. Runison, N. J.; Arthur Smith, Elberon, X. J.; Robert Weeks, Cleveland, O.; William H. Griffiths. 1 Detroit, Mich. i Directors I (To serve until 192!)— William X. Craig. Brookline. Mass.: William Hcni'ck. San Gabriel. Cal.; William Grav. Xewport. R. I.: G. Hennen- I liofer. Great Falls. Mont; Thomas Hatton, Xew London, Conn.; Albin Martini. Lake Geneva. Wis.; A. C. Jordahn. Palni Ueach, Fla. (To serve I until 1922)— Georpe Wilson. Lake Forest, 111.; .Tames Stuait. Mamaron ^ck. X. V.: William Kleinheinz, Ogontz. Pa.; John F. Huss! Hartford, § Conn.; Edwin Jenkins, Lenox. Mass.: Carl N. Fohn, Colorado Springs, tolo.: Joseph Tansey, Tuxedo Park, X'. Y. (To serve until 1923); § Robert Williamson. Greenwich, Conn.: Robert Cameron. Ipswich, Mass.: Theodore Wirtli. Minneapolis. Minn.; George H. Princ St. Louis' § Mo.; George W. Hess, Washington. D. C; Daniel J. Coughlin. Locust X'alley, L. I.; John Earnet. Sewickley, Pa. iiiiiiiimiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii«iiiiiiiiii:iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii!iiii:iiii;iiiiiiiiiNiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii PRESIDENT'S APPOINTMENTS Owing to an over-sight which occurred in the secretary's office the name of Robert Williamson. Greenwich. Conn., was .omitted from the list of directors appointed by President Jensen to serve for three j-ears until 1923. AN EXECUTIVE MEETING CALLED President L. P. Jensen has called an executive meeting of the trustees and directors of the association to meet in New York during the week of the Xew York Spring Flower Show, be- ginning March 14. Members of the executive committee will be duly notified when plans for the meeting are completed. GARDENERS' CONFERENCE IN NEW YORK During the Spring Flower Shmv week in Xew York, a gardeners' conference will be held under the auspices of the national association. The program will consist of a general discussion of the work the association is undertaking, and on the operation of the Service Bureau, in which all members and those interested in the profession of .gardening are invited to participate. Announcement of the meeting place and date will be published in the horticultural press later. SERVICE BUREAU PUBLICITY FUND The following contriliutions have Iiecn received for the Service Bureau Publicity Fund to January 30 : Previously acknowledged $,S41 .00 Thomas J. Kennelly. Locust Valley. L. I 5.00 William Graham. Greenwich. Conn .S.OO Alfred Lunden, Reading, Pa., for five years 25.00 Thomas L. Hughes. Convent, X. J 5.00 John Mackintosh. Syosset, L. I..-- 5.00 W. G. Woodger. Great Xeck. L. 1 5.00 Jack Baxter, Lake Forest, 111., yearly 10.00 John McCoy, Cold Spring Harbor, L. 1 3.00 Frank W. Evendcn. Fairfield. Conn • • 2.00 John V. Borin, Centre Moriches, L. 1 2.00 Koliert ( ilen. t'urt Chester. .\. Y 5 (K) T. J. Kempton, Baychestcr. L. I 3.00 James Marlborough. Topsfiekl. Mass 2.00 John S. Doig, Barrington. R. I 3.00 Adain Mann, Tyringham, Mass 2.00 W. R. Fowkes, Coopcrstown. N. Y 5.00 Edward Batchelor, .\kron. 2.00 Thomas W. Stobo. Garrison. X. \ . . .. ■ ■ 5.00 George Bell. Sterlinglon, X. Y 5.00 Peter Macdonald, Sabattis, X. Y 5.00 Henry Stewart. Waltham. Mass 2.00 Jacob Vattcr. Xashotah. Wis..-. 1.00 William MacKey, Newport. R. 1 5.00 George Hewitt, Lenox, Mass 2.00 Anton Bauer, Bradley Beach, X. 1 10.00 Joseph Goatley, Port Chester. X. Y . 5.00 John R. Xess, Waverly, Mass 5.00 Samuel Golding. Morristovvn. X. J 2.00 Herbert Woodger. Ovster Bay. L. I- • 2.00 Alfred Woodger. ( )v.stcr Bav. L. 1 2.00 W. B. Jackson. Summit, Nl J 2.00 Andrew Crombie, Mt. Kisco, X. Y 5.00 Manus Curran, Sewickley, Pa- ■ 5.00 William Lund, Cazenovia, X. Y 2.00 J. W. Davidson. Bernardsville. X. [ 5.00 Erne.st Riddell. Brookline. Ma^s 2 00 David F. Roy, Marion. Mass ....-• 2.00 Bruce Butterton, Xewport, R. 1 3 00 James Allan, Truro, N. S 3^00 Edgar Osborne. Williamsto wn. Mass .' . 2^00 F. H. Butler. Lenox. Mass 9.00 Jesse H. Frampton, Glen Cove. L. 1 2.00 .Andrew Kneuker. Shrewsbury, Mass • • . . . 2.00 Walter J. Dack. Shrewsbury^ Mass 3.00 Hugo P. Stenstrom, Hartsdale. X. Y -. 3.00 John Henderson. Mamaroneck. X'. Y 2.00 J. A. Weber, Excelsior, Minn ■ 2.00 James C. Berry. Paris, Ky 5.0O A. C. Jordahn, Palm Beach. Fla- - 2^00 Stephen Bcrnath. Midland Park. X. J 2.00 Olaf Blomberg. Granville. O 15.00 \\'. X. Craig. Brookline. Mass 10.00 . Total $765.00 The Contributions so far received are not sufficient to carry on the work of the Service Bureau as outlined at the conven- ti.,n m Cleveland, and as published in detail in the report of the proceedings sent to members. The estimate of the cost to test out the merits of the Service Bureau and its benefits to the association and the profession, was a conservative one. .\t the present time over eighty dollars a month is being ex- pended for advertising alone, but those at all familiar' with advertising cost, will realize that the expenditure of such an amount for advertising is a very meager one, though it is bringing in good results. Those members' interested in the development of the Service Bureau, who have not yet con- tributed to tlie publicity fund, sliould send in their contribu- tions without delay, that the committee mav know what funds it can rely on, and complete its plans. THE SECRETARY'S CORRESPONDENCE Owing to an r,nusually largr amount of mail whicli has reached the secretary's office during the last two months, . besides the other activities of the association, the secretary has not been able to give the communications the prompt attention he would like to give them, and must ask therefore the indulgence of members, wlmsc letters have been delayed in being answered. COMMITTEE ON SCHOOL GARDENS BU.\RD OF EDCCATIOX Division of Educational Extension Cleveland, January 23. 1920. Mr. G. H. I'ring, Chairman Committee on School Gardens, Tlie Xational .'Xssociation of Gardeners. St. Louis, Mo. I wish to thank you for yours of September 25, which I regret has been unanswered to now for various reasons. Personally I wish to say that the report of the Committee on School Gardens appointed by the National .Association of Gardens was very timely and of considerable assistance in the Fall when we revised our course of study. I wish to say for your information that the science department here passed resolutions approving your recommendations without change. The Cleveland Board of Education is verv grateful to the committee and to the Xational .\ssociation of Gardeners for their suggestions and help in iiKtking the course of study more practical. O- M. Eastman, Supervisor of Gardens. 70 GARDENERS' CHRONICLE The foregoing communication is the ac- knowledgement of a report submitted by the School Garden Committee appointed at the Cleveland convention, consisting of G. H. Prina. Missouri, Arthur Smith, New Jersey, M."C. Ebel, Xew York, at the re- quest' of Mr. Eastman, supervisor of the School Gardens of Cleveland, who ap- peared before the convention to invite the co-operation of the gardeners' association in the school garden work and to secure suggestions for the development of the school garden movement of that city. Mr. Eastman stated that up to 1918 not more than $5tXl a year had been expended by the Cleveland schools for promoting school garden work, but that for 1920 an appropria- tion had been provided of over $23,000. SUSTAINING MEMBERS Harrv B. Clow. Lake Forest, 111. (James Wilson^ superintendent), General Richard Coulter, Grcensburg, Pa. (N. T. Forsyth, gardener). H. L. Thompson, Toledo, O. (H. H. Hundt. superintendent), have become sustaining members of the association. NEW MEMBERS The foUi>wmg names have recently been added to our membership list : James C. Tough. Rye, X. Y. ; Fred Stratford, Yonk- ers, N. Y. : Herman Schafer, Riverdale, X. Y.- Tames Lvon. Marion, Mass.; Herbert B. Lord, Louisville, Ky. : D. Miller, C. A. Muehldorfer. Paul A. Kohl. St. Louis, Mo. ; Charles Big.gers. Rosvln, L. L : \Villiam La Bella, Port Chester. X. Y. ; Severin Haug- land. Hibbing. Minn. : John Shaw, Cold Spring Harbor, L. I.: William Fremd. Jr.. tierard C. Boon, Greenwich, Conn. ; John L. Mearns, Bryn Mawr. Pa. : Jerome B. Murphy, Elberon. X. 1.; William S. Butler, Glen Cove. L. L: Thomas .\. Clark, Port Washington, L. L ; Charles A. Brazier, Sy- ossct, L. I. : Robert Davidson, Port Wash- ington, L. L : Stanley Ballance, John H. Marx. Oyster Bay. L. L I AMONG THE GARDENERS j William Tait of Tivoli, N. Y., has ac- cepted a position of superintendent of the H. S. White estate. Bedford Hills, X. Y. lack Ba.xter, for the past several years in'charge of the greenhouse range of Mel- lodv Farm. Lake Forest. 111., has secured the' position of gardener on the Charles H. Thorne estate, Lake Forest. A. A. Macdonald for many years the superintendent of Duke's Park. Somerville. N. J., has entered the commercial field. He has established a retail store in Somerville. and has purchased a farm on the outskirts of that city where he intends to erect a greenhouse range. John Turnbull, for the past nine years gardener at HoUin Hall, Alexandria. Va. mond. "West Holme," Santa Barbara. Cal., and Akron. Ohio, recently entered the commercial lield. engaging in the flower growing business in Santa Barbara. George Hulton. formerly of San Mateo, Cal., has accepted the position of .gardener of "West Holme." Santa Barbara, succeed- ing Mr. Turnbull. Peter Boury has accepted the position of gardener at Hollin Hall. .-Mexandria. \'a. Robert Whan, formerly of West Xeck Farm, Huntington, X. Y., has secured the position of gardener on the J. H. Burton estate, Cedarhurst, X. Y. Robert Melrose, formerly superintendent of the H. H. Rogers estate, Southampton. peas ^ 1920 THE Pi_AlN TWUTM ABOUT SEEDS TMAT GROW W. Atlee Burpee K^o. Seed Growers Philadelphia W.Atlee Burpee Co., Seed Growers Philadelphia, BURPEE'S ANNUAL FOR 1920 The Leading American Seed Catalogue Burpee's Annual is a complete guide to tlie X'egetable and Flower garden. It fully describes the Burpee- Quality seeds with a hundred of the fniest vegetables and flowers illustrated in the colors of nature. If you are interested in gardening Burpee's Annual will be mailed to you free. \\'rite for your co])y today. \\\ ATLEE BURPEE CO. Seed Growers Philadelphia iniwiinniiiiiHiiiiiiiiiiHiiiiiiiHinninniiiiiiiiiiiiiniiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii'iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiniiiiiiiiiiiin^ For February, 1920 71 N. v., has accepted a similar position on tlie Geo. M. Sidenberg estate, Mt. Kisco, X. Y. Lewis Barnet has secured the position of superintendent of the R. B. Mellon estate. Pittsburgh. Pa. William Allen, formerly of the Burton estate, Cedarhurst, L. I., has accepted the position of superintendent of the F. C. Littleton estate, Mamaroneck, N. Y. Thomas Hambleton has accepted the posi- tion of gardener on the B. H. Howell estate, Suffern, X. Y. In Memory of Mrs. Mary B. MacMachan The atheist scoffs at Heaven, The learned no hell conceive ; God says that both existcth, And we know whom to believe. The book that liuilt this Xation. Is good enough today. Let them preach their isms glibly. The Bible's here to stay. We thought of this, as we watched o'er Tlie dust of her who is gone. That Time gives up our records When God deems our tasks are done. That the soul of her, we loved so. Through space has winged its way. To the mansions God 's prepared Ere He formed us from the clay That cheerful voice, alas! no more, Her disposition kind ; Her time and toil, for the Red Cross. Tuxedo 'II bear in mind, Those kindly deeds will long survive The grave wherein she's laid ; The zeal and force of character. From memory shall not fade. D.wiD S. Miller. It is with deep sorrow that we record the de^th on January 20. of Mrs. Mary B. Mac- Machan of Tuxedo Park, X. Y., widow of James B. MacMachan. for many j-ears the superintendent of "Imslagh," the country estate of George F, Baker, located at Tuxedo Park. X. Y., to which position iNIrs. MacMachan >ucceeded her husband on his death. Mrs. MacMachan was the only wo- man member of the national association, holding active membership by virtue of her position. She was presented with the associ- ation's medal last year as the winner of the greatest number of points in the competition at tlie monthly meetings of the local society during the year 1918. Mrs. MacMachan took keen interest in the affairs of the associa- tion, attending the Cleveland convention held in .\ugust last, and those who had the privilege of meeting her. will always remember her pleasing personality. She is survived by her two daughters. THE AMERICAN IRIS SOCIETY This new tlower society was organized at The Xew York Botanical (iarden, on Janu- ary 29. 1920. with a broad policy covering every phase of iris interest. It will create a central bureau for the collection and dis- semination of authoritative information on the culture and treatment of the plants, the choice of named varieties, and the pos- sil)ilities of the use of iris for cut-flowers, or garden and massed planting. Iris are generally considered a plai.t for the am- ateur and somewhat beneath the notice of a professional gardener but certain species vie with the orchid in both splendor of color and difficulty of treattnent, while few realize the opportunities of using them in landscape to create sheets of unusual coloring. Re- cently there has been a tlood of new iiitro- The Ten -Ten Cataloo ^as Made For You Suppose, just for instance, you want Snapdragon seed, and you want it quick. Suppose you turn to your catalogues and find listings of them as long as your arm and every one claims to be just as good as every other one. Sup- pose you just didn't happen to know as much about Snaps as you do. How are you going .o make selections, without spending a whole evening studying catalogues? Now suppose you have a catalogue that listed only Ten. Ten of the ones that the experts say are the topnotchers. Ten with just enough de- scriptions to tell you exactly what you want to know and no more. No long winded, sugar-coated stuff, but facts. You would go down to meet such a catalogue with a brass band, now, wouldn't you? Well, that's just the kind of a catalogue The Ten-Ten is. Everything grouped in tens. Send for it. Never mind about the band this time. ^/ Ai The Sifr of Thg Trgg Box 20 Rutkei-ford N.J. ductions, many showing new hues and sur- passing the old familiar varieties in size and height. To judge these fairly, rectify the nomenclature, and put this information within reach of even the grower of a few irises is of prime importance. Few flowers will do more to make a successful display in the garden througliout the spring and early summer. The society hopes to co- operate with existing associations of kindred interests in every way, but it will be in the developing of many small exhibitions in different parts of the country rather than in promoting one large annual show. Iris llowers are not adapted to transportation and only in the local shows can thcv be shown in perfection, and there we can de- velop a pleasant rivalry. We hope to see iiiaiiy such shows this coming spring ; but initial action should come from the already established organization. The following officers were elected to serve until the annual meeting in the spring. J. C. Wistcr, Pres. ; Win. A. Peterson, V'ice-Pres. ; Frank H. Presby, Treas. ; R. S. Sturtevant. Sec. Wcllesly Farms. 95: Mass.; Regional Vice-Presidents arc: S. B. Mitchell of California, Dr. F. E. Hennett of Ontario. T. A. Kenning of Minneapolis, Mrs. Samuel H. Taft of Cincinnati, B. Y. Morrison of Washington, D. C. Floyd Brallior of Xashville, Dr. H. \. Gleason, 72 GARDENERS' CHRONICLE B. H. Farr, Edwin C. Sliaw, and Harry A. Norton. An unanimous vote of thanks was ten- dered Dr. N. L. Britton. Director of The New York Botanical Garden, for the hearts- support given the new society through Dr. H. A. Gleason and the cordial hospitality which made the meeting a pleasure as well as a success. R. S. Sturtevaxt, Sec. LOCAL SOCIETIES SEWICKLEY (PA.) HORT. SOCIETY The regular monthly meeting was lield on January 13. Walter E. Cook, of Cleve- land, and Walter J. Barnwell, of New York, were visitors. Mr. Cook installed the of- ficers for 1920 as follows : For President, Wm. Thompson, Jr.: for vice-president, John Carman; for treasurer, \V. W. Scott ( re-elected j : for secretary, John Barnet, the latter accepting the office only until a permanent secretary can be elected. John Carman was awarded the X. A. G. silver medal for most points gained at monthly meetings during 1919. Votes of thanks were tendered retiring officers, and the Executive Committee instructed to draw up schedule for 1920. JoH.\' B.\RXKT, Sec. Pro Tem. NASSAU COUNTY (N. Y.) HORT. SOCIETY The monthly meeting was held January 14. President Thos. Twigg occui)ied the chair. John McGregor, Maurice Fuld, Thos. Proctor. Norman Bruce and J. M. Brown were elected active members, and ten petitions for active membership were received. It was decided to hold a dinner and President Twigg appointed E. J. Brown, Jack Everett and Ernest Westlake a committee to make arrangements. Harry Goodhand was elected trustee for two years to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of Robert Jones. Messrs. Young, Manda, Sperling, Popp and Mac- Gregor were visitors at the meeting. Arthur S. Cook, Cor. Sec. 1 NORTH SHORE (ILL.) HORT. SOCIETY The regular monthlv meeting of tlie North Shore (111.) Horticultural So- ciety was held January 2. Severe weatli. r caused a poor attendance, and as some <.t the new officers for 1920 were absent it was voted to install them at our 1-ebruary meeting. Tt was decided to hold a smokmg concert in February. Messrs. Head. Kuehne and Benson were selected to look after the entertainiucnt. President Bol- linger is preparing a program to have a paper of interot read at each meeting. An interesting letter from our late president, Wm Fischer, now in Boston, describing the everc'reens in the Arnold Arboretum was read? The membership of the society in- creased 60 per cent during 1919. J. R. Clarke, Cor. Sec. NORTH SHORE (MASS.) HORT. SOCIETY, INC. Ninctcen-twentv finds this society in good financial condition, with prospects tor a prosperous year, the treasurer and sec- retary's rcport'showing an increase m tuiuls and membership. Frank P. Knight was re- elected president, and I.eon W . Carter, sec- relarv. THERE isn't any doubt that the Uttle lady is pleased with the roses that John has cut especially for her, nor that John is pleased with the Greenhouse that grew them. He says he never saw a better Greenhouse, and he doesn't have to worry about the temperature, even on the coldest nights. That's only one of the good points about the \'-Bar Greenhouse. Stop in and talk it over WILLIAM H. LUTTON COMPANY, INC. L^^sfPtfr^ '^^^'im^Z'm Other officers elected were: A. E. Par- sons, vice-president: Frank Foster, treas- urer, and Myric C. Hortou, librarian. Board of Directors, Herbert Shaw, Fred J. Merrill, A.xel Magnuson, Walter G. Ritchie and H. W. Pnrington. .\ short time ago an organization was formed for the pur- pose of trving to save the woodland on this section of the North Shore, this society being sponsors for the new organization, which is known as the North Shore For- estrv Protective .\ssociation. .\llan S. Peabodv is chairman, and A, E. Parsons, secietary. the association being made u]) of representative men and w-omen from everv town and district on the North Shore. .\t a recent meeting of the N._ S. H. S. it was voted to give this association the free use of Horticultural Hall and to as- sist them in everv possible way in their campaign to save the woods in this section from the himberman. It was also voted to tender the Garden Club of .-Xmcrica the use of the hall when it holds its conventions here. ^M. Tiu.. 512 FIFTH AVENUE NEW YORK CITY MONMOUTH CO. (N. J.) HORT. SOCIETY. The regular monthly meeting of the Monmouth Co. Hort. Society was held in Rumsou. N. J., January 8, with a .good at- tendance. The new officers were on hand to guide the progress for 1920. The feelitig is That progress is apparent and once again our motto will be onward for the advance- ment of horticulture and floriculture, par- ticularly so in the vicinity of Rumsou. A public park of about five acres is to be laid out and also a public library. There will be four exhibitions during 1920: 1st. Ex- hibits of Iris, bulbs, etc.: 2nd, Sweet Peas. Strawberries, etc.; 3rd, a large exhibition toward the end of September which wovild constitute our principal show, with prize money, while the three other exhibitions arc for honor only: the fourth exhibit would bring out the 'Mum exhibits or any- thing worthy of notice. The officers are as follows: W. H. Waite, president: P. E. Hicks, first vice-president: Heathcrington, For February, 1920 73 Second vice-president and Gtu. Masson, third vice-president ; H. A. Kettel. secre- tary ; W . Dowlen. tinancial secretary ; W'm. Milzdorff, treasurer. VV. T. WESTCHESTER (N. Y.) AND FAIR- FIELD (CONN.) HORT. SOCIETY At the regular m.'Uthly meeting uf the society the following officers were installed : President, John Andrews ; vice-president, Harry Jones ; treasurer, James Stuart ; financial secretary, Oscar Addor, Larch- mont, N. Y. ; corresponding secretary, John Conroy, Greenwich, Conn. ; Executive Com- mittee : W. J. Sealey, Joe Stoho. Alex Clarkson, W. Whitton and Alex Smith, Meetings to be held in Hubbard's Hall. •Greenwich, Conn., on the second Friday of ■each month. The treasurer's report for the past year showed the funds of the Society are well invested. The secretary reported that 25 members were enrolled in the past year. Ten are on the suspension list and ■one was scored from the books for non- payment of dues. Arrangements were made to hold an entertainment in the near future. J.\(.K CoxROY, Cor. Sec'y. LENOX (MASS.) HORT. SOCIETY The regular meeting was held January 14 with a record attendance, some of the members having come from New York City to be present at the installation of officers. The newly elected president. Oliver Lines, occupied the chair. It was voted to hold the regular shows in 1920. Some interest- ing discussions were heard on the most practical bulbs for greenhouses, also an in- teresting discussion on roses. A literary committee was appointed, the president emphasizing the importance of a program for each meeting for 1920. Frederic!-; Kirkh-\m. Rec. Sec. TUXEDO (N. Y.) HORT. SOCIETY, The annual meeting was held on January 7. The following were elected as officers for the current year: President, Edward Wilson : vice-president, W'm. Muir : treas- urer, Charles Davidson ; secretary, James Davidson. The treasurer's report showed the society to be in a flourishing condition. The sec- retary's report was equally satisfactory. A hearty vote of thanks was given to the re- tiring officers. The following were elected to serve on the executive committee: D. MacGregor, E. Barth. J. Tansey, D. Mac- intosh, Thos. Lyons. James D.wiusox, Sec. OF GENERAL INTEREST I INTERNATIONAL FLOWER SHOW The Seventh International h'lower Show, to be held in the ■ Grand Central Palace, New York, March 15 to 21 next, seems likely to outdo its predecessors in magni- tude and scope. The final schedule of pre- miums has been issued, and embraces some very important features. Cla.sses which may appeal to private growers are the spe- cials covering the collections of flowering bulbs and bulbous rooted plants. There are three classes for table decorations in the private growers' section, and substan- tial prizes are offered for a basket of flow- ers. The class covering a group of flower- ing and foliage plants, with ferns, palms and bulbs permitted, arranged for etTcct, is this year to cover 200 sr|uare feet, instead of 100 square feet, as formerly, and the prizes arc advanced to $1.50 and $1(X1. There . are some importain additions to the gen- SEEDS THAT ARE TESTED AND GUARANTEED Carter's customers are growing the best and only the best Tested Seeds, because the results received from these seeds justify their continued use. CARTER'S CATALOG "GARDEN AND LAWN' Sent free on Request CARTER'S TESTED SEEDS, Inc. 102 Chamber of Commerce Building, BOSTON, Mass. Branch of James Carter & Co., Raynts Park, London, En^lajld ti»iiHiiiiiiiiiiiiiittiiiiiitiiiiiiiii{iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii!iiii!iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiifliiiiiiii:iiiinniiiiiii"ii>iiiiHiiiiiiii>lHiiiiiiiiiiuiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiim 1 We beg to announce a consolidation, effective January 10, !920, of | i Carter's 1 ested Seeds, Inc., of Boston, Mass., and Toronto, Ontario i i the branches of James Carter and Company of London, England, and I I Messrs. Peterson. Sinclaire & Miller. Inc., of New York, who have been i I acting as sales agents for Carter's products in America. 1 I The headquarters of the enlarged company will be located in New | I York, and branch offices established in Boston, Chicago, Philadelphia, I 1 1 oronto and probably other cities. i I Fully appreciating the demand for our products in the past and j I recognizing the added responsibility that an ever growing business must i I bring with it, we have built our organization accordingly, and can as- i I sure our patrons ot efficient and satisfactory service. i i We will continue to handle a complete line of Carter's Tested Flower I I and Vegetable Seeds, which for a century have been renowned for their 1 I very high quality and pedigree. .A special department for this branch | p of the business will be maintained at Boston. | I CARTER'S TESTED SEEDS, Inc. I j 102 Chamber of Commerce Building, BOSTON, Mats. | I New Vork Offlco, 25 West 45th St. (Until Feb. 10. VrM); 25 West 43r(l St. (.\I|.r Kc-b. 15, l'J20) % I . Toronto Office, 133 King Street East, Toronto, Ont. | I Brajich of Jos. Carter & Company, Raynes Park, London, Eng^land | rniiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiitiiiiiiMiiiii|>liiilti:iiii:iiiiiMi:iiii:iiit:iiiuiiniiuiii:iiii:iiii:tiii:iiii.iiii;iii|:|iiiiiiii:iiii:iiN \ eral classes wliich will appeal to private .!{rowers. In the open classes tfiere is one for a display of bull)s, etc., as a bulb gar- den, three prizes, amounting to $1,000, and the usual class covering a display of rose plants arranged as a garden, the three prizes offered amounting lo $1,01)0. Gar- deners who have not received a copy of the schedule sliould write to John Young, sec- retary. 1170 Broadway, New Vork. HORTICULTURAL EXHIBITIONS L'nder the title, "Honicnltural E.xhibi- tions and Clarden Competitions," the United States Department of .Agriculture has is- sued Department Circular 62, with 38 pages and numerous illustrations. It calls atten- tion to tile fact thai the si)iiil of competi- tion in an organized way, will do much for the coinnnmity in helping to create added interest in vegelaMe, fruit and Hower growing, and in holding such exhibitions a large inimher of small exhibits should be the aim, rather than a lew large displays. Under horticultural exhibits, the circular treats of organization, competitors, classiti- cation and schedules, the last named cov- ering si)ring and fall shows, and exhibitions of vegetables, autumn fruits, narcissi, irises, peonies, roses, sweet peas, gladioli. daUiia^ and chrysanthemums, sweepstakes prizes, arrangement of exhiliits, judging premiums, rules, etc. .Several pages are also devoted to lawn and garden competitions, with rules for the judging and arrangement of classes. 74 THE QUESTIONNAIRE j Subscribtis are Invited to make free vse I of this department to solve problems that \ may arise in their garden work. Questions i on' the ordinary pursuits of gardening, that \ can be readily answered by applying to the % usual reference books should not be re- I ferred to the Questionnaire. | In transplanting the following roses: Rosa Spinosissima, Tausendschon and Crimson Rambler, also Rosa Rugosa, which roses have been 3'/^ years in their present location, but must be moved in the spring, how much should I cut them back? When is the best time to plant the seeds of the Blackberry Lily? — Mrs. O. G., N. Y. Rosa Spinosissima. tlie Scotch rose, is a bushy rose and should be pruned rather severely at the time it is lifted, cutting out all the old and worn-out wood, at the same time shortening the new or last year's growth to six joints. Tausendschon and Crimson Rambler are of the well-known Rambler type, and in their case we would advise sacrificing the season's flowers. All two-year wood and older should be cut away entirely; the last year's growth short- ened to two feet. Rosa Rugosa, the well-known old-fash- ioned dog rose, should be treated much the same as Rosa Spinosissima. cutting away the old and worn-out wood and reducing the new. It is necessary to reduce the top of plants to correspond with the root reduction which takes place when plants are lifted or trans- planted. We always do our best to try and get as much root as possible, but no matter how careful we are we find we do not get more than one-third of the plant's roots, and for that reason we always re- duce the tops or branches. The Blackberry Lily, or Leopard Flower, botanically known as Ccmmini;ia chinciisis. can Ue propagated either by division of the roots or bv sowing the seeds. In the lat- ter case the seeds are gathered when ripe and sown in a cold frame, sometime m May. They soon germinate, and should then be transplanted to rows, preferably in the cold frames— with the sash removed- planting the seedlings 6 inches apart. By fall they should be nicely developed plants, and either then or early spring may be shifted to their permanent position. — T. H. What causes pithy or hollow celery? I have had it for the past two years, and the only thing I can put it down for is some disease which attacks it, as it seems to start from the root and work up through the stems as they gain maturity, beginning in them when quite young and by the time they are blanched, it is quite in evidence, and has a very nasty flavor when eaten. The celery always seems healthy, and no signs of any trouble on the leaves at all, only that it is pithy. I have four varieties: White Plume, Easy Blanching, Winter Queen and Winter King. The four varieties have a touch of it, more or less. Last year I lost quite a good lot of it the same way. I wrote to the Agricultural School at Farm- ingdale last fall, but they could not tell me anything much about it. Here is what they say: "Pithy celery appears to be a result of a malfunctioning of the cells of the plant. Just what causes this is not known, although the following facts have been noted: Celery appears to become pithy when, through any reason, growth has been retarded or slow." Also they go on to say about using plenty of manure or quick-acting fertilizer, con- taining nitrate of soda; also, about some GARDENERS' CHRONICLE When Thev Walk Through the Gate to Your Garden Of course, folks like to have you turn out perfect specimens of standard things. Crops like those which Sutton's Seeds, because of their extremely careful breeding, arc famous for producing. But you know how they appreciate it. too, when you can spring a little sun^rise! A new flower that is really differ- ent, or a vegetable that's decidedly better. Such a flower, for instance, as Begonia LloydiJ, which is so dis- tinct as to look like an entirely new species. Or a vegetable like our new Super Pea, the "V. C," which has pods eight inches long, tilled out with gigantic peas. You'll find Sutton's catalog a mine of new garden material, full of good things and good suggestions. Things that will help give your gardens that little touch of differ- ence and up-to-dateness that the folks from "The Big House" will surely appreciate, when they show their friends about. So, even if you don't grow for any of the Exhibitions, Sutton's Cat- alog will prove a real help to you. It is sent for 35c., which is re- turned with a $5 order. To you who are gardeners, we will send it free, if you enclose your em- ployer's letterhead. Our Booklet "SEEDS"— full of seed facts you should know— is f-em on request. H. ?. Winter & Co., GG-C Wall St., New York. MtJoit4lScnco ^ Tbe SheniKtn T. Blake Co.. 431-C Sacramento St.. San Francisco, Calif. Seed Growers and Merchants^^ READING, ENGLAND QUALITY RED POTS Made of best material by skilled labor, uniformly burned and carefully packed. Famous "Moss-Aztec" Ware includes Azalea Pots, Fern Dishes, Hanging Baskets. Lawn Vases, etc. Write for catalogue and price list. PETERS & REED POTTERY CO. So. Zanesville, Ohio CUT FLOWER BOXES EDWARDS FOLDING BOX CO WAHurACTURKRB I PHILADELPHIA. PA^ SULCOV.B. Charles Fremd's Formula Sulphur — Fish Oil— Carbolic Compound A Combined Contact Insecticide and Funui(:i(ie of known reliabilit\ Con- trols scale insects, also many species of lice and fungus diseases on trees, plants and animals AT VOUR DEAL.ER.S OR DIRECT. Munufai'turers of Standard Fish OU Soap. Bookli't Frfe .\ddress f OOK & SAVAN CO., IXC. SulcoDept. V 148 Front St.,New York, U.S.A. For February, 1920 75 varieties being more susceptible to it than others. W. J. W., N. Y. Uur experience with celery is that some of the cliief causes of pithiness is too early planting, lack of moisture and a too luxuri- ant growth. We have not noted that the celery growers for market are troubled with pithiness, and it is their practice to put out the young plants in the held around the 1st of July. Of course, the celery fields are in rather low ground, and the plants never suffer from the lack of moisture ; in fact, the lowest parts of the truck farms we have in mind in early si)ring are often submerged, and are used year after year for celery, which fact makes it appear that moisture is one of the chief essentials for good celery growing. It is our observation that the growers mentioned above do not manure very heax-y. At least, not one- quarter as much as is the general practice among private gardeners. For that reason the celery does not attain the size that one often sees at the vegetable e.xhibitions. But it does grow to a good table size, is much more handy to store for the winter, and is seldom or, perhaps, never pithy ; besides, what is tlie use of big celery, anyway? Only the heart is used. — T. H, Will you please answer the following question through the Chronicle. How can I make my Hardy Phlox bloom two weeks later than their regular season? F. W. H., Pa. In answer to above question as tn how to retard the flowering season of hardy Phlox for two weeks, if you would pinch the growth when about a foot high, it would have the desired effect. It has been our practice to pinch about one-half the shoots, or leads, in a clump, the average .Vycar-old clump having about 1 dozen leads when about one foot high, and the pinch leads flower about two to three weeks laier than the unpinched ones. By remov- ing the dead flower heads before the seed^ form wc thus get three and four crops of flowers from our phloxes in the season. — J. P. Here and There Why We Mulch Plants in Winter Many persons if asked this questi(jii would reply: "To feed the plants and tci keep them cozy and warm during the Winter." The most you can say for this answer i~ that it contains some truth. We surely dn not imagine that a four- to six-inch mulch of manure or leaves will prevent the pene- tration of such freezings as is usual in thi^ latitude. As a matter of fact, mulchiny should not lie done uiitil after the ground is well frozen. To do so beforehand often means the harboring of mice and vermin in the_ material around the plant. Now. as to feeding the plants, it must be admitted that the mulch, if it has nianurial value, does do this but not in Winter. People don't do much feeding W'hile asleep, neither do plants. It is only when plants are most active in growth thai they assimilate the greater tjuantity of food. \yiiat plant food there is in the mulch is cither held in suspension in the moisture of the soil or is available humus to be dug inio the ground when Spring arrives. So the mulcliing material feeds the plant ultimately. The prime object and purpose for mulch- ing is to conserve moisture around the roots and to maintain a more even tempera- ture of the soil in which the plant is growing. INVENTORY SALE of Nursery Trees and Shrubs Buy Now — Save Money Buyers in carload lots can buy to great advantage. The cause is a reconstruction of our nursery; a clearance of cer- tain blocks: the planting of new propagations for which more ground is needed. Ask for "Clearance Sheet ' if you can use plants in quantity. Arrangements may be made for the call of a salesman, for a professional landscape gardener's service, and for planting plans. Small orders always appreciated and carefully handled, but in regular course of business, and not at "clearance prices." Write us about your wants whatever they may be. Tell us size of property and how much planting is already done. THE PlONEEPs NURSEKYMEN OF AMERICA 6765 Chew St., Germantown, Philadelphia ANDORRA Ornamentals ex- clusively, dis- tinctive in quality and variety. We cater to the most discriminat- ing trade. ANDORRA NURSERIES Over 1000 Acres Chestnut Hill Philadelphia, Pa. lllllllllirilllllllllllll|||||||||||||||||||||i|||||||||||||t;||||||||||||||||ij{|||||||jj{,{|||||||,|,|{|,{|||||,,||,|||,|||,|H,|||,||{,, If a plant is subjected to alternate thaw- ing and freezing it lares worse than if the soil had remained frozen the whole Winter through. Take herbaceous perennials as an example, especially those which are surface rooting like the liardy Chrysan- themum, and note what damage is done them. By reason of this fluctuation of Does the Work of Four Men Ihis Coldwel! Motor Lawn Mower and Roller (walk type) pays for Itself many times in the wages it saves. Does four men's work. iieared to four miles an hour — lasily operated. Long wear. Coldwell's Combination Motor Lawn Mower and Roller Model I —the latest ride type machine'. Weighs 1100 pounds on the drive rollers, 40-inch cut. L^seful on parks, estates and country clubs. \yrite for complete catalog of the Coldwell line, including Gang Mowers, Horse and Hand Lawn Mowers. Coldwell Lawn Mower Co. Largest Makers of HigliGrade I.a-,ei, Mowers in the IVorl ! Office and Factory N e w b u r g h, New York Chicago Office: 62 East Lahe St. Chicago. III. 1 ■'' timminiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiimiiiinniiiiiimiiiiiiiiiii ^ temperature they are lii;i.: ,i:. ..at of the soil and by exposure oi the roots to the air and sun are often killed. .V mulch- ing of light litter prevents this from occnr- riiig by keeping the plant shaded and the soil from thawing cpiickly. Without doubt the most perfect mulch and one that fulfills a two-fold purpose is 76 'w jiiiiiiiiiiMniiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiimiiiuiiiiiiw^^^^^ iiiiiniiN iiiii luiiiiuiiiiiiiiii iiii; GARDENERS' CHRONICLE iiNiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiliiiiiiiiiiiHliiiliiliii iiiiiLiiii:iiir.iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii:iiiiiiiiiiiiiliiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii:iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiini!i DO YOU WANT THE NEW PLANTS? BUDDLEIA HYBRID A EVA DUDLEY is one of the best. It has the form and color of B. MAGNIFICA" and the sweetness of "B. ASIATIC A." Both the parents were col- lected by Mr. E. H. WILSON. W rite for our 1920 catalogue, offering many of the Arnold Arboretum Plants and other recent introductions. R. & J. FARQUHAR COMPANY 6 So. Market Street, Boston, Mass. i;i„ii,ii„iiii iiiiiiiiiiiuiiii iiii.ii 1 II II I iiiiiiiiiiiii III"!"!" ""« I'll™"™ iiiiimiiiiiiMiiiiiiiii mnii' uii iiiiiiiiiiiiii iiiiiiiiiiKiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiliiiiiiiiiiii Ill iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiini; Nature's own "snow." For this reason the Alpines of Switzerland are beautiful in the Spring after being so snugly covered with a blanket of snow and. in like manner, our own hardv perennials here are much better and stronger after a Winter in which the snow had constantly covered them until Spring had come. How foolishly mulching is sometimes done ; the material being banked up around the stem of the plant instead of extending as far as the spread of the roots. Trees of a good size, when planted in the Fall, are greatly helped by mounding the soil up around the stem in addition to the usual mulch of manure. This mounding serves to keep the tree from swaying and also pre- vents deep freezing. All newly transplanted slock, whetlur trees, shrubs, evergreens or perennials are benetited by a good liberal mulch, using the lightest material to cover such of the latter as have esculent roots and stems.— Florists Il.ychaii"c. RENAMING GERMAN IRISES. Certain ill-advised .\mcricaiis. endeavor- ing to demonstrate their patriotism, are out with the suggestion that the tierman irises should be renamed. It may be re- called that during the war these same senti- mental patriots wanted to call german measles, "liberty measles," apparently un- willing that even disagreeable things should bear German names. Overlooking for a moment, the warped psychology in the case of the measles, we may point out that the reason certain irises are called German irises is because they are derived from a species of Central Europe named Iris Gcrmanica. This species was long ago named according to scientific usage which does not recognize sentiment as an excuse for changing names. We may call the flowers liberty irises if we choose, but the species will continue to be Iris Gcrmanica. The popular appellations of plants may be changed at will, and doubtless many of the decorative plants with German names will be re-christened to fadlitate sales on this side of the world. It is a foolish fad, how- ever, to name plants after nobodies on cither side of the .\tlantic. The great men Honest Seeds That Help Reduce the Cost of Living Seeds of Known Pedigree This year, especially, you cannot afford to take chances with doubtful seeds. Purchase only seeds of known pedigree. "Gregory's Honest Seeds" are true to type and of highest ger- mination. They are all tested, and quality is maintained regardless of cost. We are seed growers and experi- enced market gardeners who know the necessity of hichest-quality seeds by actual experience. We can save you money and lessen your production cost, whether yo'j are a large or a small trrower. Send us a list of your requirements and we'll gladly quote our best prices. Write "Personal" on the envelope : Mr. Gregory will give it his personal at- tention. Mr. Home Gardener : We predict that if you plant "Gregory's Honest Seeds" your garden will be the envy of your neighbors. That has been the experience of thousands of our customers. Catalog sent free upon request. Write today. Order early. J. J. H. GREGORY & SON Established 1856 Elm Street, Marblehead, Mass. THE FLOWER GROWER Published Monthly for Amateur and Pro- fessional Flower Growers Subscription price $1 per year — three years for $2. Grow flowers and thus help brighten the pathway and cheer the hearts of many whose nerves are shat- tered by the horrors of war. Mention the "Gardeners' Chronicle" and ask for a sample copv. MADISON COOPER, Publisher CALCIUM, N. Y. atul women of the world may well have I)laiits named in their honor. InU in all such cases a single word is sufticient to indicate the one honored. When it becomes neces- sary- to distinguish the one honored by a string of names as Mrs. John H. Smith, the practice becomes absurd. It would be well to frown on the practice of giving German 1 _i"ics or the names of non-Germans to Farr's Hardy Plant Specialties A treatise on the hardy garden, containing informa- tion on upward of 500 vari- eties of Peonies (the most complete collection in ex- istence), Lemoine's new and rare Deutzias. Philadelphus and Lilacs, and the Irises (both Japanese and German), of which I have aJI the newer introductions as well as the old- time favorites. An abridged edition will be for- warded to garden lovers zvho do .not have a coPv of the regular Sixth Fdition. issued in 1919. BERTRAND H FARR Wyomissing Nurseries Co. Ill Garfield Ave., Wyomissing, Pa. plants unless the ones for which they are named arc already distinguished. — American liolanisl. For February, 1920 77 SOIL VENTILATION ll is curious how the discov- eries of the scientitic agricul- turist confirm the accepted practice of the gardener. The ilhistration of this fact consists in the recognition that ventila- tion, that is to say aeration, is a factor of first importance to the growth of field crops. The ■deep and thorough cultivation as practiced by gardeners, the constant stirring of the soil, the incorporation with the soil of gritty material, all serve among other things to supply plenty of air to the roots of plants. There is evidence that this abundant supply of air is bene- ficial in numerous ways. Firstly, of course, because, roots, like all other parts of plants, re- quire oxygen for their growth. Secondly, a constant circulation of air allows of the escape of the carbon-dioxide given otif by the roots. It appears to be well-established tliat an excess of carbon-dioxide in the soil results in a check to the growth of roots. Indeed, roots seem to be peculiarly susceptible to injury from carbon-dio.xide. Thirdly, it cannot be doubled, but that a good supply of air favors the activity of beneficent soil bacteria. It is, of course, evident that deep cultivation has other ad- vantages as well as that of pro- viding "root ventilation." It increases the water-holding ca- pacity of the soil, improves drainage, and helps to liberate larger stores of plant food. .Anything, therefore, which helps to induce ihc agriculturis' to practice more widely a sys- tem of deep tillage is bound to be to his benefit and to the benefit of the world at large. owes -V ^- '^. ^.^ It touches your pocketbook This paint film test Touches it, because it touches on paint lastingness, the thing that most of us are the most touchy on, when it comes to paint and painting. It happens that even two coats of paint form a film of protection less than one one-hundredth of an incli thick. The necessity of that thin film being the best possible, presents itself to you most forcefully. One of the vital requirements of a good paint is that it be water and moisture proof. To prove that Lowe's High Standard Outside Paint is water and moisture proof, we took a two coat film of it and made this test. Being flexible like a sheet of rubber, we poured some granulated sugar on it; tied it up and suspended it for weeks and weeks in a water filled globe. When we took it out, the sugar was just as dry and granularly free from moisture as the day it was put in. To this test we could add any num- ber of others, just as conclusive. Write for a piece of paint film: see for yourself. Send 10c. for our Happy Happening Book, which tells you just the things you want to know, and otheis you ought to know, about paint and painting. THE KEYED LIST The landscape architect stands at his drawing table and pro- ceeds to fill in his i)lan and key the planting. His mind is con- centrated upon producing a picture for his client, if he is a good plantsman and knows his material well, from whence it can be procured at the prop- er time and in the right grades, the materialization of his pic- ture will proceed apace, but too often his training has been along lines that has only given liim a casual acquaintance witli p'lants. he knows little or nothing about their habits or re- quirements, (Upending on book or catalog description, and his elTorts fall very short of his aim. The keyed list may be properly termed a mechanical effort lo produce landscape art. The very nature of plants forbids that it will ever be a complete and successful method. It never can be anything more than a starting point, framework, or skele- ton of ihc [licinre in the mind of the artist, and unless the man who actually carries out die idan has iilenary powers to substitute, adjust as ennditions may require and is thoroughly interested and" an able gardener. — Xatioiial Nurseryman. ^'ZoweBro/Aors Company Jloston 482 EAST THIRD STREET, DAYTUN, UHIQ New York Jersey City Qlicago Atlanta Kansas City Minneapolis Toront ifPai nts ORCHIDS W.- lire S|i.-.i;ili-ls in nnliiiN. Wr ('..llr-ft. Krnw. luiport. export and soil Dreliids t'X- cluslvi'Iy. ir you nro in Mip market iuv Orclihls, \vi> stilicit viiiir impiH-ii'S atul oidr-rs. Cuta- lojriies an<) wucinl lists on nppllcniinn. LAGER & HURRELL Srehid Growers and Importert Summit. N. «J. HILL'S EVERGREENS Send for Price-list. Mention this magajinr D. HILU NURSERY CO. Evergreen SpecialiftB, Largest Growers in America Box 305 DUNDEE. ILL. HARRY BALDWIN Manufacturer of Greenhouse Shading Lath Roller Blinds lUAMAROIMEICK. N. Y. Miiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiniiiiiiiiiiiiiuiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiniiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii^^ iiiiiiiiiiiiiuiiiiiiuii i^f illllllllllllllllllllllllinilllllllllll»UII!IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIUII»llllllllllllllllllllllinillllllliy^^ Amateurs in Growing Gladioli Our beautifully illustrated Catalog for Choice Gladioli is ready for mailing now. PLEASE LET US HAVE YOUR NAME AND ADDKESS P. VOS ^ SON Phone 548J5 Gladioli Specialists Mt. Clemens, Mich. P. O. Box 77 Orchids If you contemplate buying semi-established, established or imported orcliida, consult U8 first. We carry in stock about 25,000 species. A large stock of Laelia Cattleyas, Hybrid Catt- leyas, Brasso Cattleyas, Odontiodas, and other choice hybrids. We specialize in supplying the private trade. Let us figure on your requirements — our quality is second to none. Orchid peat, live Sphagnum Moss, baskets, pot hangers, always on hand. "~ Send for our price list. G. E. BALDWIN & COMPANY Orchid Collectors, Growers and Importers MAMARONECK Box 98 NEW YORK ^iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiniiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiNiiiiiiiniiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiniiiiiiiniiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiio^ tJllllllllllllllllllllllinilllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllUIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIINIIIIIIIIIIIIIINIIIIIIIIIIIIIII^ I Hunt's Golden Sunrise | I TOMATO I I Possesses the FINEST FLAVOR of any Tomato j 1 in cultivation, being entirely FREE FROM | I ACID. The handsome GOLDEN fruits are | I medium in size, of rounded form and are pro- | I duced in gigantic clusters. i i Matures ten days earlier than any other variety 1 j outdoors, and is unexcelled for forcing. 1 j SEED— PACKETS, 3Sc.; THREE, $1.00. | I William M. Hunt & Co. | I 148 CHAMBERS STREET, NEW YORK | .nliiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiNiiiiiiiiiiiiiiniiiiiiniiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiuiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiir |iiiiiiliiliiiiiiiriiiiiiiliiiiniiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiniiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii^ I Competent Gardeners \ I The comforts and products of a country | I home are increased by employing a competent | I gardener; if you want to engage one, write us. j I Please give particulars regarding place and | I say whether married or single man is wanted. | j We have been supplying them for years to the j I best people everywhere. No fee asked. | I PETER HENDERSON & CO. j j Seedsmen and Florists | I 35 and 37 Cortlandt St., NEW YORK CITY | iiiniiiipiiiiiiuiiiiimiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii iiiiiiiiiiiiniiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii ii IS PllllllinilllllllllllllllinillllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllHW ^i|||iiiNiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiimiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii;iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiliiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiin^ I OF INTEREST TO COUNTRY I I ESTATE OWNERS | I The National Association of Gardeners takes I I this opportunity to place its Service Bureau at the | [ disposal of owners of country estates when requir- | j ing competent gardeners, in the capacities of super- | i intendents, head gardeners or assistant gardeners — | I thoroughly qualified in every particular to assume | j the responsibilities the positions call for — gardeners i I truly efficient in their profession. j I The Bureau is maintained entirely al the expense | 1 of the association and makes no charge to the em- | I ployer it may serve or to the member it may benefit. j I NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF GARDENERS i j M. C. Ebel, Secretary j I 286 Fifth Ave. New York | I This associalion is in no sense a trade union | I organization, hut includes in its sustaining member- | I ship owners of some of the foremost country estates | I in America. 1 78 iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiffliiiiiiiffliiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiffliniiffliimiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii'iiiiiiiiiiiiiiira ARE YOU TROUBLED WITH ROSE^BUGS? Maurice Fuld announces the first and exclusive offering of "MELROSINE" A POSITIVE REMEDY AGAINST THE ROSE-BUG The discovery of a private gardener, Mr. Hugh Balfour Barclay, Merion, Pa. This new insecticide has been tested and has been en- dorsed by the following emi- nent authorities on Rose Cul- ture in America. Theodore Wirth. Sup't of Parks. Minneapolis, Mint). Hep't of .\griculture. Harrisburg. Pa. Captain Thomas, .author of Practical Book Outdoor Ro.ses. Phila.. Pa. E. J. Staokpole. Eilitor Pittsburg Telegraph. B. Phillips. Sup't E. T. Rerry. Nevqiort. R. I. William Kleinheinz. Sup't of P. .4. B. Widener. Phila.. Penna. John Dodds. Sup't of .Tohu Wauaniaker. Phila., Pa- William N". Craig, Sup't Faulkner Farms. Brookline. Mass. S. S. Pennock. Rosarian. Phila.. Pa. Fred J. Michell. Sr.. of Henry F. Michell Co.. Phila.. Pa. J. Otto ThiloK. of Henry A. Dreer. Phila., Pa "Melrosine" Avill positively kill the rose-bug and not leave the least mark on the flower. We have testimonials from scores of private gar- deners, rosarians and renow^ned horticulturists all over the United States. For further particu- lars address MAUKICE FULD PLANTSMAN— SEEDSMAN 7 West 45th Street, New York ivNy^' «=3-^^^^^^^^^^^Piii^Es3l' ik:^^^'::wN'<;i:\i'f^:^iw^^^ This Features A U-Bar Feature 1 8 I Riding through a Chi- cago suburb last week, passed a greenhouse running east and west with the workroom on the east end. Of course, it seriously shaded the end benches. One of the first things we did in making the first U-Bar houses was to join the house and workroom with a con- necting passage like this one. This feature promptly became a U-Bar feat- ure. So much so, in fact, that every time you see this feature, no matter what the house, or who built it, you at once think of the U- Bar. It's just because of the many distinctive U- Bar features that the U-Bar house is so dif- ferent from other houses. In these dif- ferences also lie its superiority. U-BAR GREENHOUSES gi„ mill ,111,1,11, „„ I I iiiiiiiiiiiiiiui iiiimiraiiuiiiiiiiuiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii ™I|™||];|J;]||™™™™™1™™™™|™1™^ The Insecticide of Recognized Merit for Greenhouse and Garden A PIJIMP is a concentrated material — mixes readily in water — efficient in its action — easily applied — free of Al n.ll>I-' ji^g disagreeable odors and features of most insecticides — excellent as a wash for decorative plants. FOR THE GARDEN-^* ^ reme- dy against all sap sucking insects infesting flowers, fruits and vegetables APHINE is most effective. FUNGINE FOR THE GREENHOUSE — Applied at regular intervals (once each week or ten days) APHINE will keep plants in the greenhouse and conservatory free of insect pests. lildew, rust and other blights affecting flowers, fruits and vegetables. V r." IVI ! I\ r.. For worms and insects infesting the soil. Sold by dealers in various sizes. APHINE MANUFACTURING COMPANY Manufacturers of Agricultural Chemicals MADISON, N. J. liniiiiiiiiiiiiniiiiiniiiiiiniiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiMiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiniiHiiiiiiittiiiiiniiiiNiiiiii^ iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiuiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiniiiiiiiiiiiiii^ iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiijiiiiiiiic 80 Protect Your Flowers, Vegetables Shrubs and Fruit Trees With tlie NIAGARA HAND DUST GUN and NIAGARA " All-In-One-Dust-Mixture " No. 2 Sprayer Strong and indestructible matle of heavy tin. Delivers a large volume of mist spray in any direction desired. No. 1 Atomizer Continuous Sprayer. Three times faster and lots easier to work — furnished with two interchangeable brass nozzles. Dusting kills insects, pests, and controls fungus diseases without the sloppy, mussey bother of mixing various chemicals with water and making various solutions for different pests. Niagara *'All-in-One-Mixture" is a clean flour-like dust which contains fungicide poison, and contact insecticide in combination. So a single application fights all classes of insect pests and fungus diseases. The dust is placed in the hopper at the end of the Niagara Dust Gun and by short easy strokes of the piston blow in a thin cloud over the plant. There is no chance of soiling or spoiling the clothes and the entire outfit is so light and easy to operate that any woman or child can rid the garden or greenhouse of plant lice, green worms, potato bugs, mildew, etc., etc. Niagara Hand Dust Gun — One Pound of Niagara "All-in-One-Mixture" and the Niagara Garden Guide are all packed in a single attractive carton for sale by dealers everywhere. IF YOUR DEALER CANNOT SUPPLY YOU WRITE US. We also manufacture a complete line of hand sprayers and atomizers of the highest quality. Niagara Compressed Air Sprayer Has No Equal Easier to operate. More Powerful Brass Pump. b 1 e Galvanized eel Tank. New e s i g n Nozzle, Hose cock to regulate finc- n e s s of spray. NIAGARA SPRAYER CO. 16 Main Street, Middleport, N. Y. Manufacturers of Power and Hand Dusting Machinery for Orchard, Vineyard and Field. Special Dust Mixtures. All kinds of spray materials and sulphur. To Dealers: If you have not already investigated, write at once. The Tribute of William Carter to Davey Tree Surgery New London, Conn. The Davey Tree Expert Comijany, Inc., Kent, Ohio. Gentlemen: Regarding work done this spring at Mr. Edward H. Bindley's estate, ■"Quinnepeag," New London, would say that trees were neglected for thirty years and in extremely bad condition. The Davey operatives under your foreman did splendid work. The filled cavities are healing beautifully and the whole operation is a great credit to your methods and men. Your foreman and his young men made a fine impression by their very gentlemanly conduct, strict attention to business and general efficiency. Mr. Bindley is im- mensely pleased with the operation and I gladly testify to the excellence of your service. We shall be glad to have your men return next spring when Mr. Bindley wishes all the trees properly cared for. Very trulv yours, 'WILLIAM CARTER, Superintendent. The saving of priceless trees is a matter of first importance on every estate. Davey Tree Surgery is a fulfillment of the maximum expectations of those who love and value trees. A careful examination of your trees will be made by appointment. THE DAVEY TREE EXPERT CO., Inc., 302 Elm Street, Kent, Ohio Branch Offices with telephone connections: New York City, 225 Fifth Ave: Chicago. Westminster BIdg., Philadelphia, Land Title Bldg., and Boston. Write nearest office. renniiiient rppresentatlves available in districts surrounding Boston. Spi'insfipld, Lenox, Newport. Hart- ford, Stamford, Albany, PougbkeL'psie. White Plains. Jamaica, Moatclair, New York, Philadelphia, Ilarrisburc. Itnltimnrt-. M*ashin::t<>ii. Riebmond, Buffalo. Toronto. T'ittsburi^b, Cleveland. Detroit. I'bieau'i. Milwaukee. Canadian address. -T,'2 Langauchitere West, .Montreal, "The filled cavities are healing beautifully," writes Mr. Carter. Note how the concrete has been placed in the canity, section by section, to allow for sxvayinz and prevent cracking. John Davey. Father of Tree Surgery DAVEY TREE SURGEONS Every real Davey Tree Sicrgeon is in the employ of The Davey Tree Expert Co., Inc., and the public is cautioned against those falsely representing themselvts. GARDENERS HRONICLE (OF AMERICA) ILLUSTRATED HORTICULTURAL $2.00 A YEAR ^' ® ^ ^"^ 25cAC0PY }l ^IV. No. 3. Published monthly by The : Press. Inc.. 2Rfi Fifth Avp New York MARCH, 1920 Entered as second-class matter Nov. 3, ^ post office at New York under the act of March 3. t:: T- Charming, isn't it! Of course you could swing the greenhouse around and join it directly to the garage doing away with the connecting house and the entire gahle end of the greenhouse. That's for you to say. Mr. W. S. Duling, of Mt. Airy, Pa., owns this one. t,m^ -HERE^S AN IDEA- BUILD A GREENHOUSE TO YOUR GARAGE If 'H i/' < Here is your answer to that longing you have long liad for a jolly little glass garden of your own. A garden under glass, where you could not alone have that rare pleasure in sort of fooling Dame Nature by growing things re- gardless of the seasons. But a garden that is right down practical. An inside garden, that among other things, will help your outside garden to be weeks earlier and lots better. A garden where you can bring part of your outside garden in, when Jack Frost comes prowling around. A garden that can be attached right to an existing garage; or built along with one you may be planning. Done cither way, the one boiler can heat them both, at a saving for both. The one of Mr. Duling's above, shows how it can be joined to the garage by a little connecting house. Just how it shall be, however, depends on your garage, your ground space, and you. By you, we mean what you particularly want to do with your greenhouse; and how much you want to invest in it, with an assurance that it will yield you perpetual dividends in joy and satisfaction. Yes, and in real money, besides. All of which can be decided after we heat from you. Send along a photo of your pres- ent garage; or a blue print or sketch, if it's to be a new one. And don't forget to give its size, amount of ground space around it. and the Oh, yes, and another thing; remember that we will if you prefer, do all the greenhouse work, which means not only furnish materials cut and fitted ready for quick erection; but do everything, from turning the first shovel of dirt; to turning on the heat, all ready for your flower friends. B ^/^SunOiamG Builders of Greenhouses and Conservatories IRVINGTON New York BOSTON Little Bldg. NEW YORK 42nd St. Bldg. CLEVELAND 2063 E. 4th St. Eastern Factory Irvington. N. Y. PHILADELPHIA Land Title Bldg. TORONTO Royal Bank Bldg. Western Factory Des Plaines. 111. ,r iU-.:- ■^ZA CHICAGO Continental Bank Bldg. MONTREAL Trans portatior Bldg. Canadian Factory St. Catharines. Ont. mM V^e^ V Manda Cq^jj '/>.TS. Lu3i"ioi:s berries. A remarkable plant. Should be grown tiy every garden owner, fruit grower. farmer, nurseryman." F. A. Bartlett. Tree Specialist, Stamford, Conn. — "TlK* fimst acfiuisition in years. Winter of 1917-18 killed all my varieties except La France." Wm. Ziegler. Great Island, Conn. - — Fraiiee S-ft. canes loadi'd with targe clus- ters. Shall discard all other varieties and grow only La France." J. B. Cobb, Stamford. Conn. — "Produces large crop for almast four months. Consider La France King of Raspberries." 83 llllllllllllllllll jiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiniiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiniiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii^^ I OUR NEW CATALOG | I ' Showing Eight of our Varieties of | I Gladioli with Natural Colored Plates | I is just out and if you arc not on our mailing list already, write for it at once — it is free upon J 1 request. Anyone who is a lover of flowers should not fail to have a copy of it; it's a little 1 m book worth having in one's library, containing instructions how to plant and care for Gladioli g I as well as for Petunias. 1 1 Our Gladioli are of a finer quality than ever before and our many varieties surpass any in exist- f 1 ence. The Thomas T. Kent, Anna Eberius, Jack London, Mrs. John Walsh and | I others which you will find in our catalog speak for themselves without the hundreds of testimo- J 1 nials that have been pouring in upon us continuously. 1 I Diener's Ruffled Monster Petunias | 1 have created a sensation wherever grown or exhibited. As they are continually flowering all 1 1 Summer there is hardly anything giving flower-lovers more satisfaction. Seed comes in separate 1 1 colors — red, pink, white, purple, flesh-pink frilled, v hite frilled, variegated and mixed colors. § I Price per package, 50c. 1 I RICHARD DIENER CO., luc. Keutfield, Marin Co., Cal. | iiiiiiiiiniiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii IT; N I Here's Your Chance to Prove What They'll Do Maybe you've been trying to get the folks to try Sutton's Seeds- Maybe thry'vs sort of put it off, because thev never used tliem before. Here are four collections carried in stock by our American Agents. Su you can get them at once. They include many of our best and newest varieties, a rare treat for garden lovers. Tlie collections are: Flower Seed Collection — A — 40 varieties, prepaid $5 -25 varieties, prepaid. -34 Flower Seed Collectiun^ — ^B- V'egetable Seed Collection — C — 44 " " $5 Vegetable Seed Collection — D — 34 " " $3 Why not arrange to order one of each of the flower and vegetable sets, just to test them out? The Sutton Catalog sent free with each collection. Ot.ierwise it's 35 cents, which is returned with a $5 order. To you who are gardeners, we will send it free if you will enclose your employer's letter head. Our Booklet "SEEDS" is full of seed facts you should know. It's free for the asking. H. P. WINTER A CO. 66-C Wall St., New York fijUCTt/fCfi GltO Seed Growers and Merchants Reading, England 8-4 THE S. T. BLAKE CO. 431-C Sacramento St., San Francisco, Calif. I iiii!iiiiiiniiiiiiiiiiiiniiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii!iiii!iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii!>i!iiii!iiiiiiiiiiiiinnM^ I BURNETT BROS. ""^M^Ek^ I A Few of Our Many Specialties for 1920 s Burnett ■lllllllllilllllll l)i>(()v notv ready — mailed free. BURNETT BROS., Seedsmen The House Famous for L^wn Grass Seed 92 Chambers St. Between Broadway and Church St. NEW YORK illllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll 85 will be mailed to all of our cus- tomers without their asking for it, but we want all who are in- terested in gardening to have a copy and will mail it free to those who mention this publica- tion when writing. DREER'S GARDEN BOOK FOR 1920 contains 224 pages, six color plates featuring Choice Vegetables and Flowers, also hun- dreds of photo-engravings, together with cultural notes written by experts, making it a dependable guide on all matters relating to Vegetable and Flower growing. Write today and we will gladly send a copy when it is ready. ^'Iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiamiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiimiiiiiiiiiiiiiiniiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiimilliiiiiiiiililiiiiiiiiiiiiliiiiii^^ I 1 THE STORE OF | | 1 1 Complete \ | 1 1 Garden Service 1 1 j I Since 1877 we have served buyers of | | I I discrimination with the choicest products | | i I our hne affords. Service and quality | j I I have been the keynotes, rather than ! | I I price. You will again find this the pre- | j j I dominating factor in the Spring issue of | | I I Beckert's Guide to | | I I Better Gardens I I Like former issues, it oflers the choicest products of America, Europe and Asia, in seasonable Seeds, Bulbs and Miscellaneous Garden Requisites. You will find our prices modest, our assort- ments comprehensive, our service beyond reproach. Try us on the basis of fair prices for quality goods and top-notch service. Your copy of our latest catalog is awaiting your call. Pa. Pittsburgh -iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiininniiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiniiiniiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii^ iiiiiiiiiiii.?- '^iiiiiniiiiiiiiiiii iiiiiiinniiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiniiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiniiiiiiiiiiiiiniiiminiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiniiiwiiniii^ iiiiiiiiiiii iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii imiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiijiii iiiiiiiiiiiniiiiii iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiniiinii iiiiiiiiniiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii!: Beckert's Seed Store |S 101 and 103 Federal St., rr 33 Nest Month You'll Be Busier— Better Look Into It Now •it" was (liscoverc'd on llie Westmghouse Estate (Er- skine Park.) at Lee, Mass., by Mr. Edward Norman. This magnificent estate is in the midst of the beau- tiful Berkshire Hills, with a temperature in winter of 30 or 40 degrees below zero, so that the hardi- ness of this berry is unquestioned. The estate is surrounded by the summer homes of many wealthy people, and much to the surprise of his neighbor gardeners and not without a deal of personal satis- faction, Mr. Norman furnished large, luscious rasp- berries throughout the fall for various dinner parties. These berries are commented on by all who have seen and tasted them as the most delicious and best raspberry they ever have eaten. Mr. Baker, of Hoosick Falls, N. Y., writes us as follows: "III tlic- season of tOlO Mr. Genrnc M. Dnrrow. of tlu' i nitpd States Depai'ttnent of ,\f:i-ii-nUnrp. was travollii?: I loiLl tile .\tlantie to tile Paeifie. visitiiiL: fniit growers to ititain information on berries for linlletins pulilislied by the ilepartllient of .Vijrielllture. Mr. Harrow llafl visited this ■ ■.ifate liefore. and was mo.st favoralily impressed that this herry was far aliead of the St. Re^is and Ranere. and when it became linown it would replace tiiese varieties. Tlie plant is by far Uio sti-ongest growing raspberry I have ever seen. It branehes lilte a tree, and it also has the largest and most roots of any variety ivitli which I am acquainted. It is perfectly hardy and the la-rries are very large." Conceive tlie joy and satisfaction of having such berries on your tabic all through the Autumn, a source of wonder to your neighbors, that vou can pick tlic finest raspberries until the snow flics. On November 20th we cut a large branch of the Erskine Park with blossoms, green berries and r!l>c fruit FOR SPRING PLAIMING— Strong Field Grown Bearing Plants, $3 per 6; $5 per dozen; $30 per hundred Send for our Froe illiislrati'd Catalogue which describes the "fr ORLD'S BEST" trees and jilants for your liurdrn. GLEN BROTHERS, Inc., Glenwood Nursery, 1923 Main St.,Rochester,N.Y. 87 ■^ f'"'" ""Niiiiiiiiiiiin niiiiiiiiiiiiiiiNiiiiiiiiiiiii I iiiiiiiiii iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiinniii m iMiiiiiiiii iiiiiiiiitii| gwiiuiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii iiiiiiiiiniiimii iiiiiiiiiiniii m iiiiiiiiiiiiii iiii iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiimhiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii!^ MICHELL'S GRASS ' SEEDS will produce a thick, velvety lawn in from four to six weeks from sowing. No better quality seeds, nor more perfectly blended varieties than those used in MICHELL'S GRASS SEED MIXTURES can be had, because our contract arrangements with Foreign and Ameri- can growers enable us to make purchases that are absolutely right as to variety, quality and price. OUR 1920 CATALOG is a safe guide to the best mixture for every purpose — shaded lawns, terraces, seashore properties, golf courses, public parks, pastures, etc., as well as inter- esting facts concerning the Vegetable and Flower Garden. WRITE TODAY FOR A COPY MICHELL'S SEED HOUSE 514 MARKET ST., PHILA. PA. M H U U W H IWHII H IH H H "UK HI Hardy Everblooming KOSES We have on hand over 75 varieties of the very best Hybrid Tea Roses. All strong 2-year- old plants that were lifted last Fall and are now heeled-in in cellars. These are in excellent condition and will insure a wonderful display of bloom this season. Consult us before buying. Write for our de- scriptive catalogue. W. E. MARSHALL & CO. Nursery Department SEEDS— PLANTS— BULBS 166 W. 23rd St., New York I "A Garden for Every Home" I Nursery Grown 1 RHODODENDRON MAXIMUM 1 (Specimens) 1 4' X 5' high, 4 X 5' spread I Collected I RHODODENDRON MAXIMUM i and I RHODODENDRON CAROLINIANUM j All sizes in carload lots I PRICES ON REQUEST I Muller-Sealey Co., Inc. I Horticultural I Specialists I 145 West 45th Street. New York City I Tel. Bryant 9141 CROMWELL GARDENS HANDBOOK Is ready to mail now and you may have a copy upon request. We are offering the best varieties of Bedding Roses Hardy Perennials Bedding Plants Evergreens and Nursery Stock AN?IEI\50N INC. CspMMLL CAI^ENS C^MWELL Conn nil ir 88 1 1 iiiiiiiii 1 1 I nil I iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii III iiiiiiiiniiiiiii III I IIIIIIIIII III I I AN APOLOGY TO MR. J. OTTO THILOW Business has to be founded on truth, if it is to , justified me in adding his name to the list of other endorsers from some of whom I also have only their spoken word. I desire to here pid)Iian Sturtevani 97 A Plea for United Action Against Quarantine No. 37 98 Our Perennial Flowers A. Wiltrup 99 The Month's Work in the Garden John Johnson 1 00 The Gladiolus Kaihryn Beach Tracy 101 TTie Month's Work in the Greenhouse Henry Gibson 1 02 Natural Effects in Landscape Work Albert Millard 103 Practical Notes on Vegetable Growing yV. Butterbach 104 Necessary Equipment for Bee-keepers Henry W . Sanders 1 05 The Professional Gardener M. C. Ebel 106 A Lesson on Seed Sowing and Germmation . . . Arthur Smith 108 National Association of Gardeners Ill Among the Gardeners 113 Local Societies '13 The Questionnaire N 5 Of General Interest 117 .4 Unique E.vhibit Here and There 1 17-121 ChUdren's Gardens — Seed Growing at Home — Vl'hy Seeds Sometimes Pail — How to Save Soil Moisture — Wrong Notions About Flouvrs — Beauty of Deciduous Trees in Winter— 'Pansies: That's Thoughts"— How to Protect the Locust. THE CHKONICLE PRESS, INC. 286 Fifth Avenue, New York, N. Y. MARTIN C. EBEL, Editor Entered at the Ne-su York Post OtKce as second class matter under the Act of Congrcts, March 3, 1879. Published monthly, the I St of each month. Subscription .... $2.00 a year Canada, $2.15; Foreign $2.65 rniiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiui[|iiiiiiiiiiiiiiin{iii{||||i{|||{||{|{||||{||||,|||,|^ llllllllliliiillliiiiiiiiiiiliiiiiiniiiiiniiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiNiiiiiiiiiiiiiuiiiiiiiiiiuiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiuiiiiiiiuiiiiii mi [iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiuiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiriiiiniiiiiiinimiiiniHniiiiiiiiiiiiniiiii iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiniiliiililiiiiiiiiiiliiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii niiiiiiiiiiiliiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiilili| The Inviolability of Our Advertising Columns SINCE the GARDENERS" CHRONICLE has come under control of it^- present ownership it has been its policy not to knowingly accept any advertisements containing misrepresentations or that make of- fers which the advertiser cannot live up to. In the February number of the GARDENERS' CHRONICLE an advertisement was published which bore the names of a nmnber of men widely known in the field of horticulture as endorsers of a certain product. Before the advertisement was accepted the advertiser was consulted as to whether he possessed written testimonials of the parties and he replied in the affirmative. After the advertisement appeared the publishers received the following communication: "In an advertif^ement in the February edition of the GARI)Ei\ERS' CHRONICLE, under tlie head of Mehosine. I notice my name is published among the list of testimonials. I beg to fay that I never subscribed to this, never tried Melrosine, and never gave sanction as an endorser of its merits. J. Otto Thilow." The GARDENERS' CHRONICLE on receipt of this conimunicalion called on the advertiser to correct the statement in his advertisement and directs the attention of its readers to this correction and to Mr. Maurice Fuld's apology to Mr. J. Otto Thilow appearing elsewhere in the advertising columns of this issue, as it feels obligated to inform its subscribers of and protect them against any misrepresentations it may uncover in its columns. The GARDENERS' CHRONICLE warns those concerns who, taking advantage of the opportunities created by the growing interest in gardening in this country, are invading the field of horticulture and conducting business on the theory that there is a new dupe born every minute that they evade the ad- vertising columns of the GARDENERS' CHRONICLE, for any imposition against its readers will be promptly and fearlessly exposed. The Chronicle Press. Inc. liiiiiimiiiiiliiiiiUJiiiiiiniiiiiiniiiiiiinniiiiiiiniinimuiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii iiiniiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiniiiiiiiiiiniiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiniiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiuniiiii^ 90 iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiniiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii GARDENERS' CHRONICLE (OF AMERICA) LnHARY Devoted to the Science of Floriculture and Horticulture **'^^'**^^t- I Vol. XXIV iillliilllllllllillliiiili MARCH, 1920 iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiin No. 3 ■ Things and Thoughts of the Garden THE ONLOOKER ■' — the fairest flowers o' the season Are our carnations.". —The Winter's Tale, IV, 4. So wrote the Bard of Avon more than three hnnch-ed years ago, and the same sentiment is voiced today by many an ardent admirer of the Divine Flower. This reverential title comes from the generic name of the car- nation, Dianthus, "from dios, divine, and anthos, a flower; the name given by Theophrastus, in allusion to the exquisite fragrance of the blossoms of most of the species." to f|uotc from Nicholson's Dictionary of Gar- dening. This establishes the carnation as a flower of ancient lineage, as Theophrastus, who w^s a Greek philosopher and botanist, lived some three hvmdred years before Christ. There is abundant evidence to show that the carnation has long been regarded with much favor as a garden plant, although its earliest history as such seems to be somewhat obscure. But it is quite clear that it was a well-known plant in English gardens of the si.x- toenth centur\', and the evolution from a single five- petak'd flower to handsome double varieties was an ac- complished fact at that time. Gerard wrote in 1597 that "every clymate and countrey bringeth forth new sortes," and Parkinson in 1629 stated that "the number of them is so great that to give several descriptions to them all were endlesse." The old English name was Gillyflower, of which llicre were numerous quaint spellings, and the name carnation appears to have been first used to dis- tinguish a deep red color. Parkinson is credited with the first attcm])t to classify the varieties. The largest kinds he called carnations, the smaller ones gillyflowers, and all those with flowers of yellow shades he classed as "Orange Tawnies." This type originated in Silesia, and its introductidfi into Eng- land gave the growers there something which had hither- to been lacking, and that was good seed jjroducers. I'heir influence was soon shown, old sorts were discarded for new, new sections were formed, and the flower greatly increased in poi)ular favor. It is interestmg to learn that at one time those kinds which developed a split caly.x were regarded with most favor. These were called lUirsters. and those with a non-s])litting cal\x were known as Whole IMowers. It was not until tlie eighteenth century was well along that the latter gained first place in i)opular esteem, which they have maintained ever since. Some of the good ])oints of a fine double carna- tion are set forth in Loudon's Encyclopaedia of Garden- ing, published in 1835, as follows: "The stem should be strong, tall and straight : not less than thirty or more 91 than forty-five inches high. The flower should be at least three inches in diameter, consisting of a great num- ber of large well-formed petals ; but neither so many as to give it too full and crowded an appearance, nor so few as to make it appear too thin and empty. The calyx should be at least one inch in length, terminating with broad points, sufficiently strong to hold the narrow bases of the petals in a close and circular body." Hogg in 1820 issued a catalog of 350 good sorts which were in his possession, and writing in praise of the carnation as a garden flower states that "The tulip, though styled the queen of the garden, cannot boast of more admirers. They may with propriety be considered the two masterpieces of Nature." * * * Referring to the Standard Cyclopedia of Horticulture we find it stated that about 250 species of Dianthus are known to botanists, and of these the most noted is D. caryophyllus, a native of southern Europe, and re- corded as the original parent of all the carnations. We find that distinctive strains were developed in dififerent European countries, and as the result of cross-breeding various well-defined sections were developed. In Great Britain the Bizarres and Flakes, parti-colored flowers, each with their sub-divisions of color, were for a long time the ideal of the old school of florists. Later on the Picotees, Fancies and Selfs had their day of popular favor. These were all summer bloomers and mostly flowered in the open air, although some enthusiastic culti- vators did grow plants in pots under glass for exhibition blooms. For a time in the latter part of the last century the Malmaison type was very jiopular in Britain. Won- derful flowers these were when well developed, but ac- cording to general experience it was one of the most uncertain plants to grow. Many a good plantsman struck a snag on Malmaison culture, and few growers really ever mastered its peculiarities. * * * But of late years the American carnation has taken the leading ])lace across the seas, and this distinctive type, known also as the Perpetual, and winter-flowering sec- tion stands pre-eminent in the world tuday for all-round excellence. The story of its develo])ment will stand as one of the most notable chapters in the history of .Ameri- can floriculture. It is a descendant of a French strain which was derived from the so-called Tree Carnation about the middle of the last century, and to a French florist named Charles Marc, who was located on Long Island, belongs the credit of being the first to introduce 92 GARDENERS' CHRONICLE seedlings of the new type to this country. This was in 1852. A few years later the noted firm of Dailledouze and Zeller, of Flatbush, Long Island, commenced the work of carnation breeding m America, which has proved to be an epoch-making event in the history of this wonderful flower. Other florists soon began to have a hand in its development, and among them we find some of the most noted names in American horticulture. Hun- dreds of varieties have been raised and disseminated, many of them short lived and falling short of expecta- tions it is true ; but we find a number of noteworthy sorts which held their own for several years before finally giv- ing way in the march of progress. Undoubtedly the variety which caused the most sensation was Mrs. Thos. W. Lawson, or the "Lavvson," as it was popularly known. This variety had the unusual distinction of a commercial flower, receiving sensational write-ups in the daily papers. This was twenty years ago, and for several years it was the standard variety here and in Europe, and I believe is still grown today. Mr. Peter Fisher, of Ellis. Mass., will be forever famous had he raised but this one variety, but he also gave the world the famed Enchantress und such well-known sorts as Beacon and Benora among others. The latest sensation is the variety "Laddie," from the house of Dorner, a name famous in American carnation history. As grown and shown by that expert carnation grower, Mr. S. J. Goddard, this variety is certainly a wonder, and sets a notch higher the standard for raisers to aim at. After nearly three-score years and ten the American carnation has achieved a leading position as a commercial flower, and is the stand-by of all who have to maintain a supply of cut flowers during the winter months. Summing up, we see the carnation as a flower which in its various forms has been held in high regard for centuries past, is universally popular at the present time, and undoubtedly will be held in the highest esteem for a long time to come. * * * It is interesting to note the recent introduction of a new race of DiaiitJiiis in England which is described as half carnation and half pink. This new race is called Dianthus Alkvoodii. after the raisers, Allwood Brothers, well known carnation growers in England. _ It is re- ported to be in big demand there, and promises to be a remarkable acquisition to the list of garden plants of which it is said "anyone can grow." From what we can learn the habit is very similar'" to that of the garden pink, and the flowers have the delightful perfunie of that old garden favorite. It is said to flower continuously from Spring till Autumn, and there are varieties of double and single flowers in a wide range of colors. Altogether, it would appear to be the most interesting flower novelty of recent years, and we shall await its appearance here with a good deal of interest. * * * In some greenhouses there is a certain amount of wall space showmg which, if not covered, detracts from the good appearance of the interior. Oftentimes there is opportunity for the display of some climbing plant that would be a special feature at some particular time, and which otherwise could not be accommodated. If a per- petual wall of living green is desired the climbing fig, Fiais pninila. is a first rate plant for the purpose, and so far as I have observed is never subject to insect pests. One of the best walls of green I remember to have seen \v'as in a cool greenhouse with a northern exposure, the 1 ack wall of which was covered for the entire length and from floor to roof with Maidenhair Fern, Adiantinn CKucatum. The method of attachment was by means of zinc troughs a few inches deep and fastened on the wall a foot or so apart. Not only did it look well, but also served the very practical purpose of supplying plenty of fronds for picking from space that might easily have been wasted. * ^' * A pleasant pastime to enable one to forget for a while the climatic capriciousness of a New England winter is to read books on tropical countries. One I have lately enjoyed reading is "A Naturalist in Nicaragua," by Thomas Belt, who must have been one of the most ob- servant of men. Among a lot of interesting happenings in tropical life which he graphically describes is the story of a working partnership between a plant and a species of ant. The plant provides board and lodging for a cer- tain season in return for services rendered. This strik- ing occurrence of mutual help is recorded of several tropical plants. In this particular instance the plant is Acacia splia^rucephalia, a common plant in Nicaragua, where it is known as Bull's-Horn plant. On the trunk and branches are numerous pairs of strong, curved thorns. These thorns are hollow and tenanted by ants, which pass in and out through a hole at one end. These ants are described as small, but very fierce and aggressive, and the service they render is in repelling of leaf-eating animals, for which they receive food as well as lodging. Their food they obtain from the leaves, but not by eating them. The leaves are bi-pinnate in form, and along the mid-rib. at the base of each pair of leaflets is a gland which secretes a honey-like liquid of which the ants seem to be very fond. But this is not all ; a more solid food is provided. When the leaflets first unfold there is on the top of each leaf division a small yellow fruit-like body, for all the world like a tiny golden pear. The ants examine these continually until they are ripe, and inci- dentally do any fighting that may be necessary for their protection. When the fruit is ripe it is broken oft' by the ants and carried home to the nest for consumption. After the leaflets have fully developed the danger of their being chewed up is over for that season. I have observed this plant in botanical gardens and noted all these features, with the exception of the fighting ants and the chewing animals, their places being taken by ants of seeming pacific tendencies and a sucking insect — the mealy bug. One of the advantages of a botanical garden is, that there one may find many plants which, while not of popular interest, none the less excite the curiosity at least of many people who see them. One of these I recall is a curious lilaceous plant from South Africa. Boiviea volnbilis, a bulbous plant of twining growth, giving one the impression from a casual glance that someone had efifected a cross between a giant onion and an asparagus. It would be an interesting plant for the amateur's green- house, but probably it is not oft'ered by any of our plants- men. Do not crowd ideas in speaking or writing. Before you try to convince anyone else, make sure that you are convinced, and if you cannot convince yourself, drop the subject. Do not try to "put over anything." Tell the truth. — Northern. giiiiiliii Ill iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii iiiiiiiiiiiiiii I liiiiiiiillilllllNii ililillli I iilliiiiiliiiiiiiiiiiniiliiilililiiin I 'I I INTERNATIONAL FLOWER SHOW | I NEW YORK— MARCH L5-21 | ;;iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiil IIIIIIIIIIIIIII iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiniiii I I iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii niiiiiiii Ill IIIIIIIIIIIIIII: For March, 1920 93 Making the Home Garden Productive' EDWIN JENKINS 01*" the many changes wrought upon our national life by the great war, none has had a more bene- ficial effect than the increased interest in the Home (iarden and none is more worthy of perpetuation. For in addition to countering, in some measure, the H.C.L. — its effect upon the general health and welfare of the people will be tremendous. To those who have eaten the home-grown, fresh vege- tables, it will be unnecessary to expatiate upon their superiority in comparison with the purchased product, but for the bL'nefit of those to whom this blessing lias been denied I would say, that there is almost as much difference between the sweet-corn, peas, beans, and many other vegetables that you may gather from your own garden, and cook within a short time of picking, as there is between day and night — there is simplv no compari- son. Fertility. — In making the Home Garden more pro- ductive, one of the first considerations is fertility, A garden that is of low fertility would take the heart out of the most enthusiastic and ardent gardener, for the crops will be stunted, poor flavor, and in every way, unsatisfactory. The very best manure for the garden is rich, well de- cayed farm yard manure, applied in large and impressive doses. You hardly need fear putting too much on. This well-rotted manure should be incorporated with the soil by digging and mixing in. Fertility, coupled with plenty of water and siuishine, is the foimdation of rich-flavored, succulent vegetables. Where it is difficult or impossible to obtain manure, the next best method is to supply the much needed humus by digging in leaves or other decayed veg.etable matter, and then using a good dressing of any of the standard brands of commercial fertilizer. Seeds and Seed-sowing. — ^Get a seed catalog of a reliable seed-house, and study it. You will find much useful information therein. Make up your mind what you would like to grow. Order early, so as to have it on hand. Seed will keep in any dry, cool place, if protected from mice. Varieties. — .\ few suggestions as to varieties for the Home Garden will probablv be of service to some. BHANS — (Dwarf, String) Early Red Valentine, Longfellow, Liinas, Fordhook, Bush. Yellow — Golden Wax Improved. BICETS — Early Eclipse, Crimson Globe. CABBAGE— Earlv Wakefield, Danish Ballhead. C.VRROTS— Early Scarlet Horn, Danvcis half-long. LETTUCP'. — Hanson Improved, Salamander, Tennis Ball. CAULIFLOWER— Snowball. CELI-;R\'— White Plume, Golden Self Blanching. ONIONS— Yellow Globe (yellow), Red Globe (red). Silver King (white). SWEET CORN — Golden Bantam, Country Gentleman. I'EAS — Liule Marvel, .Volts's Excelsior, Daisy. (.Ml dwarf kinds). CUCUMBER— White Spine. SQU.\SH — Crookneck (summer), Hubbard (winter). TOMATO— Earliana, Dwarf Stone. TURNIP— Early Milan, White French. W here the Home Garden is, without a greenhouse or good hot-beds, it is better to buy plants already .started of Tomatoes, Eg.g-plant and Peppers, but a little parsley, thyme, and any of the other herbs fancied for flavoring should always be sown in the Home Garden as they ^re easily grown if. sown the latter end of April or beginning of Ma\-. Siiecessiun Crops. — Remember, that the hardier things such as peas, beets, carrots, spinach, turnips, lettuce, etc., may be sown in early April or before. Onions a little later, whereas corn, beans, etc., should not be sown till May, so that, in allotting space these things must be borne in mind. Also, space should be allowed for sow- ing lettuce at periods two or three weeks apart so as to have one crop succeed the other. Keep all the ground working. As soon as a crop of peas, for instance, is oft' any given piece of ground, sow lettuce, spinach, carrots, or whatever is most desired to take its place, and the same spot may well produce at least two, and sometimes three crops in one season. In sowing seeds, be sure the soil is in a fairly dry fine, workable condition, not too wet and sticky, as that is the worst possible state for seed sowing. Cover the seeds to a depth of J/2 inch to two inches, according to the size of the seed and press the soil firmly on the seeds by laying a board on top and walking on it or some such means. Cultivation. — Frequent, light stirring of the surface of the soil with the hoe, or some other implement, is the best means of promoting growth and keeping the weeds down. Insect pests of all kinds must be kept in check and the old adage, "an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure." is a ,good one to bear in mind in all garden matters. In dry weather, water must be applied, if possible, and in watering, give enough to soak well down to the roots, rather than in light doses, as a small quantity is apt to cause bakin,g of the surface, and more harm than good may follow. Transplanting. — Such plants as celery, lettuce and to a lesser extent, cabbage and cauliflower, are very much benefited by transplanting once or twice before being ])laced in their final growing quarters. This needs be done carefully however, so as to give as little check as possible to the young plants. Care in this means shad- ing and watering until the plants take root in the new soil. FUnvers in the Home Garden. — No Home Garden would be com])lete without some flowers to make the garden a pleasanter spot to work in. and the home a more beautiful place to live in. A row of Sweet Peas either a,gainst a wall or fence will ,give lots of cuttin.g for the house, beside shutting out some more or less unsightly object. Sweet Williams, Pansies. Poppies. Campanulas (Can- terbur}- Bells), Phlox, Mignonette. Candytuft are a few of the old favorites which should find a place in every Home Garden and the same recommendations of fer- tility and cultivation are applicable to the flower border as well as the Vegetalile Garden. 'For tlie non-proft'ssioiial gardciier. In every situation, however, though seemingly hope- less, there may be a ray of li,ght. It is not impossible that the cost of nursing one's indigestion may soon become prohibitive. In this case, the sufferers will have to .give up all of the rapidly accumulating cures, and be forced to go along just as if they didn't have anything the matter with them. They will forget tliemselves, and thus recover. Providence, after all, is not such a bad taskmaster. — Life. 94 GARDENERS' CHROMCLE Hardy Roses for the Garden ALEX. CUMMINGS, Jr. The addition of tlie more recent Hybrid Tea class has given the rose a new standing as a garden subject. It is not only the flower of June, but we also regard it as a flower to. enhance the garden, from earlv June until frost — an added quality that at once pronounces the Hybrid Tea as the type "par excellent" for general garden cul- ture. We may also consider the majority of its varieties sufficiently well constituted to replace, to a large extent, the older types for any ornamental purpose. The genus Rosa embraces a great many distinct sec- tions or families, yet the true garden or bedding roses sus- ceptible to successful culture in our cli- mate are restricted to a few well-known types, namely, the Tea-Scented Roses in a few' of the more sturdy kinds, the Hybrid Tea, the Hy- brid Perpetual or R e m o n t a n t, the dwarf Polyantha. and the newer Per- netiana group. The Bourbon, Bengal. Noisette and other less known types are hardly worthy of this distinction, ex- cept in a few in- stances. Some knowdedge of the characteristics of these types is essen- tial to the rosarian, particularly when pruning operations are in order, or in the arrangement of the rose garden, the success of which de- pends so much on the proper disposal of the various classes. K a June display. Columbia — A OroOTuj; Pink Rose nxtvi only is desired the Mt'dal for the best rose of Amerieau o: Hybrid Remontant type should be drawn from largely, as it is their characteristic to make a prodigious showing at that season, and for this reason they are commended to the owner of the private estate, who is absent during the late Summer and would therefore prefer the early display. A limited number of the varieties will flow"r more or less during the autumn months, so that by confining the planting list to a careful selection, a credit- able showing could be made at that time. In pink varie- ties. Mrs. John Laing. Paul Neyron, George Arends, Paul's Earlv Hlush, Mrs. R. G. Sharman Crawford, and ,'\nna dc Diesbach are about the best in this respect. The red roses of tliis tvpe are sadlv deficient in late flowering qualities, the best being Ulrich Brunner and Gloire de Chedane Guinoisseau, varieties distinct in form, although closelv related. Good white roses are limited to a few varieties in any type, but particularly so in the Hybrid Remontant. Frau K. Druschki is easily the best in this section and is, in fact, generally considered the queen of all white roses, regardless of classification. For June flowering only, we can add a nvuiiber of ex- cellent kinds to the foregoing. In white and flesh shades, the varieties Clio, Mar- garet Dickson, Gloire Lyonnaise, and Mabel Morrison are well worthy of a place in the rose garden. In red roses. Gen- eral Jacqueminot, known as the Jack Rose for over half a century, is still a favorite, Marie Bau- man, Alfred Colomb, Marie Rady, Sena- teur Vaisse, Jules M a r g o 1 1 e n, and Hugh Dickson are each good garden \arieties. Hugh Dickson stands out prominently among these and should not he omitted from the planting list. The Pink Remon- tant roses that flower only in June also in- clude our hardiest garden kinds — Mad- am G. Luizet, Oak- mont, Baronne Pre- vost. Magna Charta and Baroness Roths- child are varieties that will resist our winter conditions without protection. To sum up the good qualities of this type — qualities that endear — we cannot over-estimate the wonderful display which they are capable of producing in the early Summer, the perfect form, substance and clear coloring of the flowers, com- lined with a constitution that well adapts them for beauti- fying exposed locations where the more tender roses would have a rded the Gertriuie ill iiitrodueed \ narrow borders, and a less tame 'plani ing by the ])ond. Perhaps a brief revie\> of each of these may suggest to yen some of the possible ways of using iri The rock-garden is on a steep south em slojje under great larches, a narrow strip, the sub-soil pure gravel and the beds prepared merely with a generous admixture of leaf- mold. Here in early April /. reticulata shows its deep red-purpled, narrow segments, the awl-like leaves just showing above the soil; later there are some of the true pumilas, equally small but making rich drifts of color ; then verna, a native, its l)lue tone intensified by the vivid orange splotch at the throat : cristata, and its slightly larger form lacustris, form great mats of semi-shade, and the fas- cinating Japanese /. gracilipes is estab- lished at the foot of an old apple tree. The solid deep green, luxuriant foliage of /. graminea reminds me of verna's evergreen leaves, and its curiously at- tractive deep rose style-branches have a mellow fragrance that recalls "the rich and fruity odor of a freesia." Occasional plants of rare reglo-cyclns forms have a foot hold and I look forward to the blooming of some of the California natives that have come from the seed bed. None of these with their dainty growth can compete with their more sturdy and showy brethren but few of them fail to intrigue the passer-by. In the garden we come to the great variety of Bearded Irises. Pitmila hybrids, vieing in early Alay with the solid mats of the low phlox, make gor- geous edgings ; then there are clumps of intermediate varieties in gorgeous combination with tulips of every hue. and with the late blooming varieties the garden becomes a veritable palette spread with contrasting tones of color. With my interest in irises, few varieties are used in large masses, many in small clumps, and more and more I come to realize The Same Go t III ;.■ (( 1 1 i.atcr With the liises in Their Glory. 98 GARDENERS' CHRONICLE that the taller and finer the form and the larger in size the iris, the greater is its beauty standing" clear from its neighbors. A few of the lovely self-colored things like pallida Dalmatica, Aurea, Dawn, or White Knight, I like in big blocks, but the deep claret tones of Caprice, or the red and yellow variegatas I want only as mere contrasting touches. What could be lovelier than two or three swinging" stalks of Caterina rising well above the average level, a compact clump of the rich, velvety Monsignor, or a single well-flowered stalk of Isoline, incomparable in color ! New combinations are continu- ally cropping up and this last season one plan at least came to perfect maturity. Against a brown, hewn trellis where the grapes show pale gray green and blush in their spring dress, there are perhaps twelve tall stalks of the velvety bronzed Prosper Laugier, below, a rounded clump of pure White Knight and a crescent-shaped drift of Prestige, its flowers airily held, its color clear yellow with echoes of white and violet. Rarely have I planned with such success, and who that loves gardening does not plan ? If space allowed I should have many borders in selected colors, not aH-iris borders, but perennial borders with irises for May and June display : there would be claret, soft yellow, and cream, or purples from richest violet to palest lavende, rose toned and flushed pearly tints, or, perhaps, even bold chestnut and yellows softened by warm blends ; infinite are the possibilities. Down by the marshy edge of the pond, the beard- less irises thrive ; sibericas in cool white with the most fragile of venations in cream and lavender or in deepen- ing tones of blue-lavender, their myriad flowers like butterflies poised in midair so slender are the stalks : lower growing with less grassy leaves, larger flowers and clearer color are the forms of orientaUs of which White Queen and the almost velvety Emperor stand out pre- eminent. These are more usual garden favorites, but you will find a quite wide range oi color among the natives of China, Thibet, or even our own country, for Wilsoni is a straw yellow, pseudoaconts (the big English wildling) a bright yellow, and chrysographcs the deep- est of violet. All these come into bloom with the great pageant of the Bearded Irises and though I speak of them as lovers of moisture, they do as well in a rich, well-cultivated garden. In late June, or early July, come the giant growing spurias. ochroleucas, and Mon- nieris, strong growing things with stifle wide spreading petals, but narrow ones which in Guldcnstadtiana be- come mere spidery limbs, and now also come the Jap- anese which are so well appreciated a part of many a garden. Before the hardships of Quarantine i7 . I had many English, Spanish, and Dutch iris for mid-June show, but now I treasure but a few for they did not take to my light, poorly-nourished soil. They prove the best of all irises for cut-flowers and I only hope that the Horticultural Board will prove a true p'-ophet in fore- seeing a time when "Dutch" bulbs can be as well grown in this country as in Holland and gardens may show again the beauty of bulbs by the hundred. Personally my passing acquaintance with the bulbous irises has not been sufficient to give me a knowing appreciation of the varieties by name, but I hope that others will be able to give them individuality. All this is from mine own garden lore, but I think an actual example is the strongest argument I can put forward for you to become an active member of The American Iris Society. This was organized but a short time ago, January 29th, to be exact, and already over 260 charter members are enrolled and its policy is to bring to all garden lovers an added appreciation of the iris. There will be trial gardens, exhibitions, local meetings; we plan to establish standards for nomenclature, descrip- tions, and judging; information is coming to hand for an authentic treatise on culture to be based on the ex- perience of growers in many localities. As a member you will receive each month published notes of interest, and we trust that many will find their investment of $3 (the annual dues) of real value. As secretary of The American Iris Society, I shall be glad to answer iris queries through the pages of The Gardeners' Chronicle and I wish to thank the editor for this opportunity. A PLEA FOR UNITED ACTION AGAINST QUARANTINE 37 [From Florists' F.xclunii^c. Feb. 21.) The report of the proceedings, published in last week's Florists' Exchange, of the hearing before the Federal Horti- cultural Board relative to the application of Quarantine Bill No. 37 to orchids, has amazed some of your readers and strength- ened the suspicion that the motive behind this measure is to a large degree that of a trade protection. They were no less sur- prised to find such noted orchid growers as Lager, Manda, Roehrs, Baldwin and Carrillo, drawn into a controversy with a man who has not been a resident of the United States for more than six months, and who has not yet had the opportunity to demonstrate his ability as an orchid grower in his new atmosphere, and another whose new methods of growing are still in the state of experimenting, on the possibility of raising orchids in this country, which subject is totally irrelevant to the one issue in which the Federal Horticultural Board should alone be con- cerned and which is, whether imported orchids are carriers of in- jurious insect pests or contagious plant diseases? If The Excliaiige has quoted Dr. Marlatt correctly, he de- clared he did not believe it would be worth while to discuss the enemies of orchids for the reason that the Agricultural Depart- ment has experts on that subject who know what has been foimd on orchids, and that the fact that some one outside the Depart- ment does not believe an insect has any effect on orchids would not be considered, was certainly a most remarkable statement. Those who have come in contact with the experts, or as they are officially termed "scientists." of the U. S. Department of Agriculture, do not coincide with the apparent belief of Dr. Marlatt that they are infallible and, while no one expects them to be, some of them are far from it. The attitude at times as- sumed by the chairman of the Federal Board, of which the fore- going is an example, tempts the writer to recount his remin- iscences during the past ten years of his observations and ex- periences with the "scientists" of the government department of which Dr. Marlatt is a unit. It would provide humorous read- ing, while it might prove embarrasing to some. An excellent authority has advised that the Federal Horti- cultural Board is not in a position to give an impartial hearing because it has already reached its decision, and that it is most natural that it should be prejudiced in favor of its own decision. This authority has suggested that a hearing be sought before the Agricultural Committee of the House, at which all facts from both sides might be fully and freely presented, and from which the Agricultural Committee can draw a just conclusion of the merits of this unpopular measure. The Association which the writer represents has been patiently waiting for one of the older horticultural organizations to take some action, but none seems disposed to take the step. The Na- tional Association of Gardeners is now prepared to take the initiative, if it can secure the co-operation and support of those interested, to bring about a modification of this autocratic, and un- democratic, and un-American law. A new secretary was recently appointed to that office of the Department of Agriculture, a man who did not achieve his success in life merely through academic channels, but who has also had a broad and practical experience in the field of agriculture. If the case was properly presented to Mr. Meredith, before any other action is decided on. with united support of those inter- ested behind it. it is not at all improbable that those affected may obtain some relief. Let all horticulturists, including professional and amateur .gardeners, who recognize the injustice of Quarantine Bill No. 37. co-operate to bring about a modification of this drastic action (we do not seek to have it rescinded entirely because it possesses some good points, when they are not abused) and to secure representation on the Federal Horticultural Board of prac- tical horticulturists. M. C. Ebel, Secretary National .Xssociation of Gardeners. For March, l')20 99 Our Perennial Flowers A. WITTRUP FLuW'KRS are the soul of the garden — the grounds may be veiy attractively arranged with trees, ever- greens and shrubs yet without flowers they are what the woods and natural meadows would be without the gay dotting and sprays of color which lend gayety and brilliance in varying succession from Spring until frost or later. Yet we see many home-grounds well planted with trees and shrubs and with well kept lawns, millions of city homes with a little space in the front of the house and a fairly large backyard with few or no flowers — lacking the life and music of color — the element that draws out the soul of man to join that of Nature, as ex- pressed in legend and poetry from time immemorial. Why is this ? Everybody loves flowers — but many have the idea, dating from the time of carpet bedding and bedding out plants, that more time is needed to give flowers the proper care than they, in the multitudinous attractions of city life, can devote to them. This is a serious mistake — we have the hardy perennial flowers, that once planted in good soil require very little care during the Summer and only a light protection in Winter — and for this little attention they give us year after year beautiful blossoms, color and fragrance. .And why indeed should one not attend to the labors of gardening? Are its rewards less than some activities assumed as recreation ? Is not the satisfaction of being a co-worker with Nature in production of some of her choicest characters wonderfully worth while? One need only to think of the thousands of lovely cot- tage gardens in the old villages of England, to see how flowers and vines can help transform the simplest house into a most charming home. But whether the garden b^ small or large — informal or formal, the best results will be had by using mostly perennial and hardy bien- nials which are to be found in many of the old gardens. The Iris, Peonies. Digitalis, Campanula, Dielytra, Diantlms, Shasta Daisies, Gaillardia, Pyrethrum, Chry- santhemums, Violets, Primrose, Lily of the Valley, Forget-me-nots, Phlox, Hollyhock, Larkspur, Colum- bine — and so one could go on endlessly giving these old names, each one calling up picture after picture of childhood's fairy tales and charming old gardens and homes from the times of our oldest myths, to the dream- land of the future. And all these are within reach of everyone practically for the asking. Good soil and sunshine and a little care is all they need, and they adapt themselves to any garden scheme, from that of the cottage, to the park and grounds of the palace, and like the true aristocrat make themselves equally well at home with anyone who love.s ihem. Flowers of the field, of the woodland, the meadow. Stars of the hillside, or gems of the glade — Modest in purity ; glowing with brighness, In the rich folds of the rainbow arrayed — Called into life by the kiss of the sunshine. How your warm hues scatter gladness and cheer ; And from your hearts, lo, the perfumes of Eden Coyh- diffuse on the scent-laden air. — Selected. Coiirlcsv f'l Swoiv Nchnv ^ Sonx. A dardrn Near Chicago of Perennial Vtaw.-rs IVilh Attractive Planting, i>l Trees and Shnihs as a Backgraiind Setting. 100 GARDENERS' CHRONICLE ^IHHfllllllHmiMIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII rilliri|[lllllllllliltllll1NJII>lliniiltauilllllllllt.^ll1llllllllllllllllHllllllllllllllHIIIIIIIIIIMIIIIIllliUlllllllllllllllllllMlllinillillinilllllllllllllll[lliI[ll[[llllllllll^ rill IIIIIHIUIIIIIIIillllkllllllll llllllinilUlllllllltMfll' The Month's Work in the Garden JOHN JOHNSON .iffiiuiiuiiiiiiiiiiiuiiiHiiiinimniiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiNNNiiiiiNNiininniiiiiiiiiiiiiinm^ THE busy planting season is fast approaching", and it now behooves every gardener to make good at thL earliest possible opportunity any arrears of work. In gardening, as in all other practical operations, there is nothing like method. The season's work should be planned with such careful forethought and precision as if strict account of every operation must be given be- fore an assembly of critics. If methods are adopted early in the season with this thought in mind, future perplexities and disappointments which often arise as the result of having too much of one thing and not enough of another, may be reduced to a minimum. Abil- ity to meet every demand made upon the garden is truly the greatest test imposed upon a gardener's practical skill. It is conceded, of course, that occasional failure must inevitably overtake and rupture the most carefully laid plans, yet those who learn to make failure the step- ping stone to success reap the most bounteous harvest. We have already attempted to outline methods of pro- cedure with regard to making hot beds, and the early sowing O'f vegetable and flower seeds, and all that can now be said in this particular is that some of these sow- ings should now be repeated in order to maintain suc- cession or to otherwise make good any which have failed entirely. Transplant seedlings from last month's sow- ings as soon as the plants can be nicely handled and keep them under similar conditions of soil, and temperature and shade from bright sunshine for a week or so until the plants recover from the shift, after which gradually inure to more light and ventilation. Seedlings like Larkspur, Antirrhinum. Phlox Dnim- mondii, Pcntstcinon, Sweet Pea and I'crbcna in the flowering grouj), and members of the Cabbage family leeks, onions and lettuce among vegetables, should be given cool treatment. A little assistance at the com- mencement they must have, but the aim from now on should be to keep them stocky by a gradual process of hardening after pricking ofif. This does not imply reck- less exposure to chill blasts which are to be expected dur- ing the month, but merely emphasizes the necessity of giving air freely whenever there may be a fair oppor- tunity. In this month's sowings include Stock, Aster, Zinnia, r.alsam and Impaticns. The middle of the month will be early enough to start these. Sow thinly so that the young plants may have abundant room, and when pricked off even a little apparent wastefulness of space will be repaid by stout and vigorous stock. Pleasure grounds. As the weather shows signs of ■breaking up push forward the work of cleaning shrub- beries. The principles of pruning shrubs are generally ■well understood. The early flowering group almost in- variably bloom on wood of previous season's growth, and therefore require little, if any, attention in the matter of pruning now. Any thinning out w^iich might be needed should be done immediately after flowering, or, better still, in Summer when growth is comi)leted. Late Sum- mer of Fall flowering shrubs may be severely pruned now unless further development of growth is sought. Clear away rubbish and burn in a "smother" and use the result- ant ash as fertilizer. It is a crime to commit prunings and the like to flames and allow the very best fertilizing agency to go up in smoke. As soon as the work can be done, trim the grass edges and loosen the ground between the shrubs with a spading fork. Ornamental climbers may require attention. Train them away from windows and tie in any growths which might have fallen out ot position during the Winter. While the average gardener is perhaps alive to the orna- mental value of :hmbers, there is ample room for a more general employment of this class o-f plants. For screening unsightly objects, covering arbors, trellises, vv'orn-out buildings and trees, and for clothing rough hungry banks they are indispensable. The uses to which this class of plants may be put are just as varied as the habits of the plants themselves, and their judicious em- ployment at once creates an atmosphere of delightful rest- fulness, and gives to the home environs that suggestion of age so often conspicuous only by its absence in our American garden