The Florida agriculturist., 1905-11-15

between c. asiaticum sinicum, c.
americanum, and c. longifolium (ca-
pense). With moderate attention most
of these Crinums grow to an enor-
nous size. Being freely found, with
Hiopeastrum equeStre, in every door
yard, the everyday Floridian does not
care much for them "Lilies," as
they are called by him. They are all
at their best and most redolent in the
evening, filling the air with most
delicious perfume.
The strongest and finest fragrance
of the night, however, is that of the
night-blooming Jasmines (Cestruni
nocturnum and c. ParquD. The
stranger is enraptured by this per-
fume, which fills the entire garden
and its environments, and he always
refers to it in superlatives. The Moon
flower, clambering over tall Bamboo
near my study, is also in bloom, and
its large pure white flowers are
strongly fragrant During moonlit
nights these fairy-like blossoms, pro-
duced in enormous masses, a.C par
ticularly charming. Many of the true
Jasmines are overpoweringly sweet,
and beds of Cosmos, particularly c.
"Klondike," lights up the garden won
derfully by its large golden-yellow
blossoms. The night-bloOming Ce-
reus &C. nycticalus) chambers up the
trunks of Palms and spreads con-
slderably in their crowns, where its
ivory urns are laid open to the moon
light, while a myriad of crickets cElrp
IN one continuous jubilee.
The different species of Cocos
Palms push up flower spikes after
flower spikes, and their often enormous
punches of fruit, strongly and agree
ably fragrant, are r1pen1ng continual
ly. The fruit punches of Cocos Datil
often weigh so pounds, and | have
counted as many as 1925 large plum
like, juicy fruits in one cluster. &.
GaertnerI has matured punches con-
tanning as many as I,IOO fruits, weigh
ing from rs to IS pounds. &. Bonnet
ii, {. BlumenavIa, G. Yatay, c. erios
patha, Z. campestrls, and {. Nor
manDyana are all in bearing 1T pres
ent and i'll almost all Gases l.le lrint
is very aromatic and edible. 1t varies
IN Size from that of a Pea &C. campes-
tr1s) to that of large Plum &C. Dalt)
COCOs australIS and a number of un-
named kinds also mature fruit cluS
terS, but they are much smaller, their
stems are shorter and more delicate,
i'll the punches. These hardy species
of the genus CocOs form the most
beautiful and elegant specimen Palms
of our subtropical gardens. They are
all rapid growers, and begin to bloom
and fruit at an age OF five or SIX years.
They are far superior in beauty and
gracefulness to the Phoenix and Sabal
species in my collection. My spec1-
mems were all raised from seeds which
L have received from southern Brazil,
Paraguay, Uruguay, and Argentina,
ten to fifteen years ago. Many have
formed trunks 5 to feet high. The
foliage of the majority of species is
OF a beautiful blu1sh-green color, and
IN one unnamed sFecIes it is entirely
silvery-white. L do not think tina.
the names as given above are III all
cases correct. The nomenclature OF
garden Palms in this country Is most
Iy in chaotic condition.
The most interesting and delightful
part OF my garden is situated nsar the
lake, the edge of which is adorned with
magnificent foliage plants, such as
Papyrus antiquorum, Ihal1a dlvarlca-
ia, COlOCas1a eSCulenta, HelIcOnla
B1hai, XanthoSoma Saggittaefol1um,
Maranta arundinaCea, Cannas, and
Others Here the soil is constantly |
moist, rich and loose, and just suited |
for most members of the Araceae and
Scitamlnaceae The charm OF my Ca
I,d,,,u, he'd nrruDyiuO ahOut 1000 |