~GAZINE - ~ ~ ". I _ • .,.,,>-- - . _. ~ ... ~ . \ . ! i \. .~~ -r . I , . r " . ;,~ .,.'. '~ . ' . - ~-;.) AMERICAN HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY 1600 BLADENSBURG ROAD, NORTHEAST. WASHINGTON, D. c. 20002 For United Horticulture *** to accumulate, increase, and disseminate horticultural information Editorial Committee Directors JOHN L. CREECH, Chairman Terms Expiring 1965 HAROLD EpSTEIN W. H. HODGE New YOTk FRED C. GALLE FREDERIC P. LEE Georgia CONRAD B. LINK FRED J. NISBET North Carolina CURTIS MAY J. FRANKLIN STYER Pennsylvania FREDERICK G. MEYER DONALD 'WYMAN Massachusetts WILBUR H. YOUNGMAN Terms Expiring 1966 J. HAROLD CLARKE Washington OfjiCeTS FREDERIC P. LEE Dist,.i.ct of Columbia PRESIDENT CARLTON P. LEES Massachusetts RUSSELL J. SEIBERT RUSSELL J. SEIBERT Kennett SquaTe, Pennsylvania Pennsylvania DONALD ''\TATSON FIRST VICE-PRESIDENT Michigan JOHN H. ''\TALKER T erms Expi?'ing 1967 A le xand7'ia, Vi7'ginia MRS. ROBERT L. EMERY, JR. Louisiana SECOND VICE-PRESIDENT A. C. HILDRETH MRS. JULIAN W . HILL Colomdo Wilmington, Delaware DAVID LEACH Pennsylvania CHARLES G. J\lIEYER ACTING SECRETARY-TREASURER New YO?"k GRACE P. WILSON MRS. STANLEY ROWE Bladensburg, Maryland Ohio The American Horticultural Magazine is the official publication of the American Horticultural Society and is issued four times a year during the quarters commencing with January, April, July and October. It is devoted to the dissemination of knowledge in the science and art of growing ornamental plants, fruits, vegetables, and related subjects. Original papers increasing the historical, varietal, and cultural knowledges of plant materials of economic and aesthetic importance are welcomed and will be published as early as possible. The Chairman of the Editorial Committee should be consulted for manuscript specifications. Reprints will be furnished in accordance with the following schedule of prices, plus post· age, and should be ordered at the time the galley proof is returned by the author: One hundred copies-2 pp $7.20; 4pp $13.20; 8 pp $27.60; 12 pp $39.60; Covers $13.20. Entered as second class matter in the post office at Baltimore, Maryland, in accordance with the Act of August 24, 1912. Additional entry for Washington, D.C., was authorized July 15, 1955, in accordance with the pro­ visions of Section 132.122, Postal Manual. The America.n Horticultural /V[agazine is included as a benefit of membership in the American Horticultural Society, Individual Membership dues being $6.00 a year. JANUARY • 1965 FORMERLY THE NATIONAL HORTICULT URAL MAGA ZINE VOL U:MF. 44 • NUMBER 1 Contents Plants for a 'Winter Garden-Heaths and Heathers HAROLD IN. COPELAND .___ __ _____________________________________ _______________________________________________ 3 Bellingrath Gardens-"The Charm Spot of the Deep South" M. B. GREENE _______________________________ ___ ____ ___ ___ ____ ______ __ _________ ._____ ___ ____ ____ ______ _______ _____ 15 Small Daffodils for the Garden B. Y. MORRISON ___________ _________________________ ____ _____ ___ ___ ___ __ ___ ____ ___ ______ ______ ____ ____ _____ __________ 23 Rust of Juniper, Flowering Crabapple, and Hawthorn CURTIS MAY _____ __ _____ ___ _________ __ _____ __ ____ ______________ _____ ___ __________ ____________ . ___ ____________ _____ 29 A Visit with Lester Rowntree PHILIP A. BARKER ______ ______ __ __________________ __ __________________ _____ ____ ______ _________ _. ________ ________ _____ 32 Quality Geraniums from Research at Penn State DARRELL E. WALKER __________________________ ___ ___ ____________________________ ______ ___ __ ___________________ 35 The Versatile Crocus OWEN M. ROGERS ________ _______ ______________ __ __ _____ __ ___ _________ ___ _______________________ _________ _____ ____ _ 43 A Book or Two ______________ ______ ___________________ ______________ _________ ____ ________ _________ ________ _______________ __ 53 Gardeners' Pocketbook A Question About Shidekobushi. BENJAMIN BLACKBURN ___________________ ___ _~ ___ _ 56 A New Way to Raise Seedlings. ROBERT M. SENIOR ____ _____ __ ___ _____________________ 57 Two Groundcovers Native to Japan. J. L. CREECH ___ ___ ___ _____ _ _____ _____ _____ 59 Plants from a Califonia Garden. FREDERICK W. COE 60 Some Aspects of Horticulture and Gardening in the 'Nest German Republic. F. G_ MEYER __ _______ __ __ ______ ______ __ __ __ __ ___ ____ ___________ 61 Louisiana Violets. SIGMUND L. SOLYMOSY ___________________ -- _________ __ ________________ 62 Texas Crab Apple. LYNN LOWERY ___________________________________________ _____ ______ ___ _________ 64 JANUARY COVER ILLUSTRATION Patio of BeJlingrath Home (Courtesy Bellingrath Gardens) Copyright, 1965 by the American Horticultural Society, Inc. HAROLD W . COPELAND Calluna vulgaris 'Mrs. Ronald Gray' attractive prostrate growth with purple flowers [2] Plants for A Winter Garden- Heaths and Heathers HAROLD W. COPELANDl Are you interested in plants that are height from three inches to five feet. evergreen, with foliage beautiful and at­ There are endless forms,-dwarf pin­ tractive throughout the year; which by cushions, low mats of creeping ground selection of varieties give flowers every cover, bushes densely compact, or loose­ month including Winter, and which re­ ly upright, and miniature evergreen quire comparatively no attention after trees. planting? (Upkeep can be an important Varieties are magnificent in their dif­ item today when help is scarce or ex­ ferent foliage shades of green, gray, sil­ pensive) ver, yellow, orange, gold, copper and Such are the heaths (Erica) and red. The tips of the branches of one heathers (Calluna vulgaris). These variety are vivid pink, lovely when con­ plants take care of themselves and as trasted against the snow. they mature, cover intervening spaces Flowers, single and double, vary wide­ keeping weeds to a minimum. Their ly in color depending on the variety, extensive flowering period is found in in a range from white, pale pink, rosy no other class of cultivated plants; in pink, bright pink, coral to crimson, rosy an otherwise drab Winter garden, heaths red, ruby, blood red, cherry, lilac or and heathers afford endless variety of lavender, mauve and purple. One of color in fo li age, while the Camea heaths the most satisfying and remarkable traits provide bloom all Winter long. Snow is the long blooming season of a single may temporarily hide, but as it recedes, plant. For example Erica camea 'Spring­ the flowers reappear unharmed in bright wood \'Vhite' shows cream white buds in colors of white, pink, lavender, and red. early .T anuary, and though completely The markedly growing interest in covered by several snows during the these plants is due in part to the en­ Winter, reveals as the snow recedes an thusiasm of returning visitors from the increasing number of pure white flowers, moors, arboretums and gardens of Eng­ until in mid-April the variety is a solid land and Scotland. Realizing heath and white mat. Some flowers remain into heather can be grown successfully here, early Tun e. Blooms on some summer­ gardens are fast becoming numerous in flowering varieties are similarly long­ the U. S. Little wonder heath and heath­ lived. er are the coming thing considering their special charm and the wide use Cha,racteristics and Distribution to which they are adapted. Many gar­ A frequent question-"What is the deners of this country are already mem­ difference between heath and heather?" bers of The Heather Society in England, To the average gardener they are alike an affiliate of the Royal Horticultural in appearance, as they are in garden Society. character and requirements. Heather (Calluna vulgaris) has a Charm in Vari,ety colored calyx as the conspicuous part of Lists to follow indicate the widest the flower, longer than the corolla. imaginable variation in height, form, Heath (Erica) has the corolla as the color of foliage and flower, and bloom­ prominent part. ing season. Herein lies the very special In heather the leaves are opposite and charm of this plant group. closely overlap each other, in fours, giv­ According to variety, plants range in ing a quadrangular shape to the densely crowded twigs. The linear leaves of 'Chatham, Massachusetts. heath are arranged in whorls of three 3 4 THE AMERICAN HORTICULTURAL MAGAZINE HAROLD W, COPELAND Vlex europaeus yellow flowered gorse commonly associated with heather­ famous in litera-ture for its sharp spines or four, sometimes SIX; they are short Uses and small pointed. For centuries the common heather, Some varieties are of exceptional value or Scotch heather or ling (Calluna v'ul­ for cut bloom. Double flowered kinds gar is) has covered miles of mountain of heather (Calluna vulgaris) will last and moor over Europe. Of this single several months; sprays of Winter bloom­ species there are many varieties now ing heath (Erica carnea) and the hybrid, growing in gardens of Europe, Canada darleyensis are frequently used in Christ­ and the U. S. mas decoration. The heath (Erica) has many species, These small evergreen shrubs lend natives of South Africa and Europe; themselves to almost endless si tuations. Erica arborea in Spain, E1'ica austmlis­ They are effective in the rock garden, Spain and Portugal, ETica camea-Eu­ wild garden, mixed shrub border, and ropean Alps, Erica ciliaris-England and as carpeting ground cover, edgings and Ireland, Erica cinerea-British Isles, walks. Miniatures can be placed between Erica lw'itanica-Portugal, Erica mac­ stones in paving. Particularly recom­ hayi-Spain and Ireland, Erica medi­ mended