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Comprehensive Flower and Plant Guide- "Care and Handling of Flowers and Plants"

Published by the Society of American Florists

Introduction by A.H.S. President, Dr. Henry M. Cathey

At last there is a complete reference guide for the care and handling of all fresh and growing products handled by professional florists. The book contains over 120 full color illustrations including fresh flowers, decorative foliage, flowering plants and green plants. Each illustration is accompanied by authoritative and precise information concerning care and handling. You will find information on temperature, light, water, fertilization, and common pests. There is also an abundance of other cultural facts designed to be passed on to the consumer. Published by the Society of American Florists, this book is soon to become the definitive care and handliJ1g guide for the floral industry. No one in­ volved with flowers and plants from production to sales can afford to be without this new and exciting guidebook. Photographs are reproduced on high­ quality paper treated with special Milar coating which assures that the pages cannot be ripped out of Large new full-color photographs are the binder. a special feature of the new SAF pub­ A Complete Reference Guide lication, the Care and Handling of Flowers and Plants. The back of each The publication is equally at home on the counter, fully-illustrated page contains all the used as a sales tool, or in the workroom used as a reference source. The pages are encased in an attrac­ information you need in an easy to use tive, durable heavy laminated binder that will last format. Four big sections in a three for years. The 3-ring, loose-leaf feature allows the ring binder: Fresh Flowers, Decorative book to lie flat for easy use and provides for future Greens, Green Plants and Flowering expansion or re-arrangement. Every step possible Plants. has been taken to assure a sharp, high quality image of every subject. The large illustrations clearly show ------, the plant's or flower's specific characteristics. Ex­ r Please send me copies of the "Care and Han­ treme care has been taken to assure true color repre­ dling of Flowers and Plants". I enclose $50.00 per book, sentation. Above each illustration in bold print is I which includes postage and handling. I the botanic name, correct pronunciation, and com­ - Please Print: mon name of each subject. I Name ______I Discount Price Address ______This publication is not available to consumers, I I but the Society of American Florists is offering this City ______State______Zip, _____ invaluable reference to members of the American I Horticultural Society because of their outstanding I Payment must accompany order. Address all orders to: working relationship with the floral industry. This "CARE AND HANDLING OF FLOWERS AND PLANTS" publication is normally available for $55.00, but is I c/o American Horticultural Society, I available to members of A.H.S. for $50.00 including Mount Vernon, VA 22121 postage and handling. L ------...J American

HCDrticulturist Volume 56 Number 2 April, 1977

For United Horticulture . the par­ ticular objec ts and business of The MURRAY KEENE, Editor American Horticultural Society are to JANE STEFFEY, Editorial Assistant promote and encourage na tional in terest ANTHEA DE VAUGHAN, Editorial Assistant in scientific research and education in DONALD WYMAN , Horticultural Consultant horticulture in all of its branches. ALEX BERRY, Art Director TOM STEVENSON, Book Department AMERICAN HORTICULTURIST is the JOHN SIMMONS, Production Coordination official publication of The American Horti cultural Society , 7931 East The American Horticultural Society, Publisher Boulevard Drive, Alexandria, Virginia Mount Vernon, Virginia 22121 22308, and is issued in February, April, 703/768-5700 June, August, October and December. Membership in the Society au tomatical­ Iy includes a subscription to American Hort icu lturist and $1.50 is designated for An Editorial each issue of this publication. Member­ ship dues start at $15.00 a year. 2 " Dear Dr. Cathey-"-Henry M. Cathey

Refer editorial matters to: Murray Keene American H orticulturis t A Sneak Preview Mount Vernon, Virginia 22121 3 -Editor

Refer advertising m atters to : Publisher Services, Inc. 621 Duke Street Education Alexa ndria, Virginia 22314 6 Ivies-Henri and Rona Schaepman AMERICAN HORTICULTURIST is d e­ 10 A Refresher for Gardeners-Milestones-Seedlings to Terrestrial voted to the dissemination of knowl­ edge in the science and art of growing Gardening-Henry M. Cathey ornamental plants, fruits , vegetables, 19 In Search of the Elusi ve Redstemmed Dogwood-Michael A. Dirr and related subjects. Original papers 36 New Vegetables and Flowers for 1977-Tom Stevenson which increase knowledge of plant m a­ terials of economic and aesthetic im- portance are invited. For manuscript specifications please address the editor, Gardener's Notebook Mount Vernon, Virginia 22121. 4 Lawns-Tom Stevenson Replacement issues of AMERICAN 14 The Flowering of Spring-Judy Price HORTICULTURIST are available at a cost of $2.50 per copy, but not beyond 22 Come into the Garden-It's Spring!-Martha Prince twelve months prior to date of current 25 Under the Spreading Black Walnut Tree-Isabel Zucker issue. 32 Shingle Oak-Harrison L. Flint The opinions expressed in the articles 34 White is for a Woodland Spring-Martha Prince which appear in AMERICAN HORTI­ CUL TURIST are those of the au thors and are not necessarily those of the Society. They are presented as contributions to My Favorite Plant contemporary thought. 28 Sanguinaria and Trillium-Hemy Teuscher 31 Euonymus Likes our Illinois Woodland-Mrs. Ralph Cannon

COVER PHOTO BY: John Armen-Yellow Lady's Slipper (Cyp rip edium Ca/ceo/us) This yellow beauty is a favorite of many wild flower enthusiasts. Mr. Armen has prepared an article "Gathering Wild Flowers-With a Camera" which is scheduled Second class postage paid at Alexandria, to appear in a subsequent issue of American Horticulturist. Virginia and at additional mailing of­ fices. Copyright © 1977 by The Ameri­ can Horticultural Society. Color separations by CHROMA·G RAPHICS INC 1 An Editorial

"Dear Dr. Cathey. .. ff

Letters, inquiries, referrals, and conversations often Yet, many of the traditional steps are still required to request the same recurring information: become a qualified horticulturist: " I want to become a horticulturist! Is it a profession • Interest with a future? Where can I receive good training? • Experimentation with plants Will there be a job for me when I am trained?" • One-to-one exchanges with others Thirty years ago these questions could be answered • Monitored work experiences easily and confidently. Then most people viewed hor­ • Study of horticultural literature, including seed ticulturists as commercial growers of cut flowers, con­ catalogs tainer (then pot) plants, nursery stock, vegetables and • Visits to gardens and shows fruit. The full intent of the training in the state­ • Involvement in community (and national-AHS) supported schools was to teach you to become a small horticultural activities businessman or (if you were very lucky) a grower for a • Focus on a specific career-molded to your basic large commercial firm. Enrollment in horticultural interests classes was small with emphasis on general training in There is much help available to give the training and agriculture with a major in a particular aspect-such as work experiences you require: Agronomy, Poultry, Animal Husbandry, and Horticul­ (1) The Directory of American Horticulture (1977 Edi­ ture. The smallest classes were in what we now call tion Revised)-available for $7.50 from AHS, Mount Urban Horticulture-house plants, bedding plants, Vernon, Virginia 22121. It gives a complete listing of and teaching new gardeners the basics. It took a great organizations, schools, correspondence courses and lo­ deal of interest to relate some of the courses to what you cations of display and research facilities. (WAIT! Don't wished to do professionally. Often working for a local send f or the Revised Edition until Jun e-we are making florist or nursery was more instructional than receiving the revisions now!) 'a wide range of credits in required agricultural courses. (2) Profession~1 organizations have career brochures I was fortunate to find a career in horticulture. It was available to send you: due to several factors: American Society for Horticultural Science Mount Vernon, V A 22121 • A strong need and experience instilled in me by American Association of Botanical Gardens and my family and community. Arboreta • An opportunity to talk on a one-to-one basis with Deparhnent of Horticulture gardeners (down the street and around the block) who New Mexico State University shared their knowledge, observations and enthusiasm Las Cruces, NM 88003 by the oral tradition. Garden Writers Association of America • Exposure to growing, marketing and instructional 101 Park Avenue, Room 607 situations which permitted me to become familiar with New York, NY 10017 thousands of plants and gardening problems. Society of American Florists • Years of trying to grow all kinds of plants-with 901 N . Washington Street many failures and some great discoveries. J earned Alexandria, VA 22314 money to buy plants by selling several hundred wa­ American Association of Nurserymen, Inc. tercolors of plants and birds. 230 Southern Building Later, professional training with a science orienta­ Washington, DC 20005 tion became necessary if I was to work with plants as a (3) Publications (American Horticulturist, Hortic ul­ Research Horticulturist. ture, Flo wer and Garden , Popular Gardening Indoors , Horticulture, today, is a vastly different profession. Plants Alive) often list job opportunities and discuss the Every aspect is bigger and more varied-career oppor­ new areas in gardening which are unfolding. (Blossom­ tunities, enrollments in classes, locations offering ing may be a more appropriate term.) training, and identity. The competition for jobs is (4) Shoe leather and door banging activities are still greater than ever. We are fortunate that people/plantl the way to find a career. Prepare a good one-page environmental considerations have been incorporated statement of training, skills, interests and career goals. into the " new horticulture" . From a mathematical Leave a phone number and call back to hear if changes view-where we once had nine main professional in the need for personnel have occurred. lines-we now have twenty-seven career specialties (5) Venture to become a better gardener. 2 because of the broadening of the field. Horticulture needs you! Dr. Henry M. Cathey President Fasadena Preview An Excursion to Sunny Southern California ,,\\ \1; " /

President Cathey and I have just returned from a and County Arboretum, has offered to serve as this trip to Pasadena, California, to film up arrangements year's Congress Chairman. He has organized tours of for the 32nd Annual AHS Congress, which will be Huntington Botanic Gardens, Descanso Gardens, and held there October 25-29, 1977. other local arboreta. The Huntington Gardens fea­ This year the Huntington Sheraton will host our tures a 10-acre desert preserve, Japanese gardens and annual Congress. This showcase hotel was opened in over 1,500 varieties of camellias. Visitors may also 1907 and has been modernized without the use of view the famous " Blue Boy" painting and a Guten­ vinyl and plastic so often associated with convention berg Bible. establishments. It is a blending of early California Descanso Gardens is a floral showplace nestled with generous reminders of both Europe and the Ori­ amidst a forest of California live oaks. Its rose gardens ent. Its 20 acres of sweeping gardens contain flowers, bloom from May through December and a serene ori­ shrubs and trees intertwined with numerous path­ ental teahouse offers visitors a pleasant pause. ways. A lanai overlooks the pool gardens and the fa­ We will have lunch at The Los Angeles Arboretum mous picture bridge is a specially welcome addi­ one day and at Lawry's famous Garden Center the tion-adding a new look to the hotel. Visitors will next. A fascinating evening including dinner in Los enjoy the Horseshoe Gardens and charming gazebo, Angeles' famed Chinatown is also planned. which are in close proximity to the splendid Post-Congress events include tours to the ancient Olympic-size swimming pool. Bristlecone Pine Forest, where we will visit Methusel­ The theme for the Congress is "Plants and People" . ah, not only the oldest tree but the oldest living thing The emphasis is truly educational. This year seven­ on earth. Additional2-day trips are planned to Santa teen leading horticulturists will present programs on Barbara and San Diego. For the more adventuresome bromeliads, ferns, proteas, begonias, cycads, cacti an extended trip to the Orient will be offered. and succulents, and California natives. Other presen­ Although the final details for this year's convention tations include "new indoor plants", " indoor garden­ are not completely firm at this early date, I thought ing", "the All-America Selections", "horticultural you would like to be given a sneak preview so that you nomenclature", "rhododendrons", and a special look could plan to join us. Pre-registration material will be at "plant photography". sent to you soon. Please mark your calendar and re­ We do not plan to spend all of our time indoors get­ serve October 25-29. Plan to join with your fellow ting educated, however. Twelve of the area's finest members of the American Horticultural Society in a private gardens will be on display for AHS members. truly fascinating and educational look at the plants Dr. Francis Ching, Director of the Los Angeles State and plantsmen of Southern California. M . C. K. Editor 3 By Tom Stevenson

In the spring many home owners when they start to become active sodding bare spots alone will not be get an urge to patch up the lawn and again. a permanent cure. The new plants logic suggests it should be the best But seeding can be done success­ will die for the same reason the old time to do so. It is a good time to put fully in the spring. Professionals do ones did. down sod and go after the weeds but it and so can amateurs. The secret of A female dog can cause bare it isn't for seeding cool season success is to keep the seed bed spots. In such cases, the old soil grasses such as Kentucky blue. Most slightly moist (sprinkle it lightly two should be removed to a depth of lawns north of the Mason-Dixon or three times a day) to speed seed three or four inches and replaced line are bluegrass. germination and then to water faith­ with good soil. The best time for seeding Ken­ fully when needed in order to give Too heavy a salt concentration, tucky bluegrass is late summer. The the grass the maximum chance to from winter use of salt for deicing, new grass has a longer time in which survive. can kill grass. Usually leaching will to establish a good root system be­ The first decision is whether to do take care of the soil in a year or so. fore having to cope with hot, dry the whole lawn over or just patch it Hard packed soil could be the summer weather. In late summer up. If you have grass fairly well dis­ problem. Raw soil from lower most weeds are coming to the end of tributed over 50 per cent of the lawn, depths could have been used in their growth cycle for the year and it is probably better to repair than to spots to fill in the lawn, soil mostly thus will give the new grass less start over. Try to figure out why heavy clay, poor in nutrients, 4 competition than in the spring there are bare spots. Seeding or humus and microorganisms. This can be improved by mIxmg lime, Augustine. Exceptions are carpet, they can be left on. They should de­ fertilizer and organic matter with it. centipede and bahia which need com pose in a few weeks and provide Heavy foot traffic, especially when moderately to strongly acid soils. some nutrients for the grass. the soil is wet, or use of a heavy The only way to find out for sure Zoysia and Bermuda grass clip­ roller or other heavy equipment, can about your soil is to have it tested. In pings do not decompose readily and cause soil compaction. If there is almost all states a soil test is avail­ if left on may lead to thatching. constant heavy foot traffic in a par­ able at the state university free of Thatch is the accumulation of dead ticular area, perhaps a hard-sur­ charge. For information on how to leaves, stems and clippings that faced walk is the answer. take the soil samples and where to build up at the soil surface of the An easy way to fill bare spots is by send them, contact Cooperative Ex­ lawn. Thatch can increase the dis­ sodding. Chunks of sod can be tension Service, listed under the ease hazard, interfere with move­ taken from inconspicuous places County Government, or write direct ment of water and fertilizer into the and used to fill the bare spots. Or to the state university. soil and weaken the grass root sys­ you can buy a few rolls of sod and Lawn grasses with a good root tem. Research has shown that thatch cut it into pieces of the required system have the ability to crowd out also lowers the turf's tolerance to size. weeds and keep them from becom­ drought, heat and cold. To seed the bare spots, use the ing established. Mowing has a pro­ The single cause of thatch buildup same mixture that is prevalent in the found effect on the root growth of is the fact that the accumulation rate rest of the lawn. If you don't know the grass. One of the worst mistakes of dead organic matter on the soil what you already have, make a is to let the grass get too tall and then surface is greater than the decompo­ guess. cut it back too far . sition rate. Removal of clippings is Don't waste seed by just throwing The green blades of the grass pro­ the way to prevent thatch problems. them on and hoping Mother Nature duce the food of the plant. The raw In the old days clippings were will do the rest. It isn't as simple as materials come from the soil and the rarely removed. But newer varieties that. First get rid of the weeds. Use air. Only the green part of the grass of grass are used today, not nearly as an iron rake to scratch up the soil. blade makes food. If most of the much fertilizer was applied and the Sow the seed and press them down green part is removed, root growth grass did not grow as fast. into the soil with your feet or a stops for several days or even two or It is hard to grow grass in heavy roller. If buried in the soil, the seed three weeks. shade. The trees creating the shade will not germinate. Unless in good Suppose, for example, you cut compete with the grass for nutrients contact with the soil the seed may your grass at two inches in height. and water. Trees with shallow, fi­ dry out rapidly and perish. You go away for a week or two and brous root systems such as the Moisture is a critical factor in the lawn does not get mowed. When maple, ash, and willow, are most grass seed germination and survi­ you return, the grass is four inches competitive and can create ex­ val. A mature seed contains a small tall. If you mow the grass at the reg­ tremely dry conditions on the soil living plant that is dormant. This ular height of two inches, too much surface. miniature plant is the embryo. green matter will be removed. A canopy of trees can screen out as When conditions (temperature and No more than one-third of the much as 98 % of the incoming solar moisture) are favorable, the embryo grass blade should be removed at radiation. Light quality is also af­ starts to grow. This process, includ­ one cutting. If the grass is three fected in comparison to the normal ing bursting of the seed coat, is ger­ inches tall, remove one inch, cutting distribution within the visible spec­ mination. it back to two inches. If the grass is trum. The light quality under a If the embryo dries out at any time six inches tall, remove only two canopy has a spectrum low in blue after it starts to grow, it dies. That is inches the first mowing. Then four and red wavelengths, and a pre­ why it is important to keep the seed or five days later, remove another dominance of green and far-red bed moist. After the plant is up and inch. Keep this up until you have it wavelengths. The blue and red growing, water instead of sprin­ back to its normal height. wavelengths required for photosyn­ kling, if rainfall is inadequate. The The grass should not be cut when thesis (food production) are the grass needs about an inch of water a wet unless it is absolutely necessary. wavelengths screened out to the week. New grass, with a limited Dry grass cuts more easily, does not greatest extent. root system, cannot survive drought ball up and clog the mower, and the A number of other important en­ as well as established grass. lawn looks better after mowing. vironmental factors are also in­ Kentucky bluegrasses will not Tests have shown that mowing dry volved, including a moderation of survive for long in soils too acid. grass takes less time than mowing temperatures, both air and soil; re­ Most soils in the east are naturally wet grass. stricted air movement; increased in­ too acid for them. This is also true of If clippings are heavy, they tensity and duration of dews; and, a 5 fescue, zoysia, Bermuda, and St. should be removed. If they are light, Continued on page 24 • Our task at the Research Center has been to collect as many different cultivars of Hedera as are extant, to observe them, and to verify their names and descriptions. "Cul­ es tivars" is a more proper descriptive H enri and Rona Schaepman term for Hedera specimens than is RFD Box 9 " varieties". We have been given Elkw ood, VA 22718 hundreds of different cultivars by Mr. Scha epman is President various arboreta and nurseries of the American Ivy Society throughout the world-in fact, one can take a tour of the world's hor­ ticultural centers by walking through our greenhouse and read­ ing the labels! This is because we note the sources when marking our ivies so as to distinguish b€tween, say a 'Needlepoint' that came to us from Longwood Gardens and a very different ' Needlepoint' from California. Nevertheless, the plants are more interesting-and mor€ varied-than the labels. This work was well established when in Fall 1975 the American Hor­ ticultural Society granted the Na­ tional Registration Authority for the genus Hedera to the American Ivy Society. Since then it has been our obligation to register all new cul­ tivars of ivy grown in the Unit€d States; additionally, we have taken on the n;lsponsibility of ascertaining correct names of ivies that are han­ dled throughout the world, and of Hedera rhombea 'Pierot' providing information and consul­ Someone is finally organizing the ment and private buildings, or that tant service to all growers, dealers or ivy! The plant has been around for climbs unhampered up the walls of amateurs who r€quest it. centuries, brought to this country Eastern colleges. Many of the ivies we identify and by our English ancestors (as evi­ Ivy is not always green. It is not grow come to us through members denced today at Williamsburg's always small leaved. And it doesn't of the American Ivy Society, or gardens). But except for a brief re­ always vine. others who have become familiar kindling of interest in the 1920s and At the American Ivy Society Re­ with our work. Some of the cultivars 1930s, no one has paid much atten­ search Center, the " research and are brand new-that is, they are not " 1" a.'" tion to ivy's adaptability to widely development" sector of the three­ identified or described in any lit€ra­ OJ .c: diverse climates, its ease of care, and year-old American Ivy Society, we ture that we have been able to ob­ '"C,) versatility. Certainly there has been have perfectly healthy ivies with (f) tain. If the plant remains viable and c '"o no attempt to systematically classify white leaves; plants of Hedera retains its characteristics in new II: '0 and register all its varieties. canariensis ("Algerian Ivy") with growth over a period of time (usu­ c Varieties? Indeed! Ivy, or Hedera , leaves eight inches across; and sev­ ally about two years), it will then be . ~'" OJ is not simply the pedestrian vine (no eral different cultivars of Hedera entered as a new registration. :I: ;., doubt so described because of our helix that bush or grow erect. (H. Seven of our new Hedera regis­ .0 habit of walking all over it) that trails helix is "English Ivy", the name of a trations should be of particular ~ .c:o 6 obtrusively over lawns of Govern- species not of a single variety.) interest to members of the Ameri- a. 'Cascade'

H.nepaiensis 'Suzanne'

7 'Cockle Shell' can Horticultural Society, because of of 8,000 feet. It was introduced by Registration # 761-H. heli x their appearance and hardiness . the USDA Plant Introduction Sta­ 'Goldcraft' These ivies represent three of Hed­ tion, Glenn Dale, MD, under This was found by Curren Craft, era's five species; as yet no new cul­ Number PI 2854%; material was col­ Jr. of Cayce, SC, in a garden on Shull tivars of H . colchica or H. canariensis lected by an expedition led by Dr. Island in South Carolina's Lake have established themselves suffi­ John Creech of the U.S. National Murray. It was named by W. O. ciently to rate entry in our Register. Arboretum and Dr. Francis de Vos Freeland of Columbia, SC, who has We're working on it! of the Chicago. Botanical Gardens. 'Suzanne' differs from the H. sold this cultivar in a small way as Registration # 751--Hedera helix nepalensis described and figured by 'Craft's Golden'. It is an ivy with 'Dragonclaw' botanists George H . M . Lawrence unusual coloring-edges of leaves This ivy is a curly, somewhat like and Arnold E. Schulze in their 1942 are variegated gold, especially bril­ 'Manda Crested'. * It differs in that article, "The Cultivated Hederas," liant on the young leaves. Leaf cen­ the plants are larger in all their parts. in that its leaves are much darker ters are dark green. This is a pretty Leaves are curled downward like green. Undersides, especially of the color combination, in a range found 'Manda Crested', but the margins young leaves, ar@purple. The leaves only rarely in ivies. The few cul­ are usually strongly undulate. are five-lobed, the terminal lobe tivars with yellow color usually have 'Dragonclaw' was named by W. quite long and pointed. Hairs are speckles of gold all over the leaf sur­ Leo Swicegood of Rescue, VA, who large, as in all nepaiensis, and give face ('Gold Dust', 'Luzzii', 'Califor­ found it growing in southeastern the dark green leaf surfaces a some­ nia Gold') or a central blotch ('Gold Virginia. Hardiness has not been what velvety appearance. Heart'); but this one has a marginal tested north of zone 7. This ivy was named for Mrs. variegation. Suzanne Pierot, founder and first 'Goldcraft' is hardy in South Registration # 752-H. helix President of the American Ivy Soci­ Carolina (zone 8), but chances are 'Cascade' ety; they have a great deal of charm good that it will perform as well as This was also found in southeast­ in common. 'Suzzane' is elegant in most other ivies in zon@ 7, and ern Virginia by Swicegood. It is a hanging planters and hardy in zone pro bably to zone 6. It is an extremely pretty, grass green ivy, abundantly 7. attractive plant for pot culture or in selfbranching-much more so than hanging baskets. either 'Pittsburgh' or 'Hahn Self­ Registration # 754-H. rhombea Registration # 762-H. helix branching'. Leaves are five-lobed, 'Pierot' 'Cockle Shell' somewhat undulate at the margins, This ivy differs from typical H. which makes a lively impression. rhombea described by Lawrence and This is a sport of 'California', 'Cascade' should do well in hanging Schulze in that it is much smaller in found by Paul Taylor of Rosemeade, baskets since it is a vigorous grower. all parts. Stems of 'Pierot' are wiry CA. The name was suggested by Also as a potplant. and thin, and creep closely to the Freeland. The plant was registered It is hardy in zone 7, but hardiness ground. Leaves are heartshaped, by Mrs . Marian Vincent of La has not been t@sted north of Mary­ %-11/2 inch, dark gr@en, and paper Habra, CA, President of the Califor­ land. Swicegood has grown 'Cas­ thin. They are not at all leathery or nia Chapter of the Society, with the cade' for more than 20 years, and he waxy, as is usual in H. rhombea. r@luctant permission of its finder. has not observed a strong tendency Plants were grown from runners The name says it all: L@aves to sporting or reversion. The name collected along the road to Cheju, 16 resemble cockle shells, slightly adequately describes the way the km from Sogwipo, on the edge of cupped and veins with palmate pat­ thickly clothed vines drape from the some woods at an elevation of 495 tern reminiscent of the ribs on ocean plant. meters, on Cheju Island, Korea. It shells. In habit of growth, this ivy is was introduced under Number PI much like 'Fan' , which is also a sport Registration # 753-H. nepalensis 318540 by the Plant Introduction Sta­ of 'California'. It has the same strong 'Suzanne' tion at Glenn Dale. stems, branches out easily. Color This ivy was found growing on 'Pierot' was named for Jacques and venation are similar to 'Fan'. oak trees and moist rocks, in shade Pierot III, in appreciation of his in­ The only distinguishing feature is near Dhaman, Nepal, at an elevation dulgence while his wife and her suc­ the shape of the leaves: in 'Fan' they • All cultivar names, botanical descriptions, cessor were so involved in Hedera are broadly palmate, with five to and horticultural references used are ex­ research that every second word in seven small lobes; in 'Cockle Shell' plained in The Preliminary Checklist of Culti­ her conversation around him was leaves are cupped with hardly any vated Hedera , available from the American Ivy "Ivy"! It is a useful plant in terraria lobes. Sometimes three toothlike Society, National Center for American Hor­ and bottle gardens because of its protrusions appear on the leaf ticulture, Mt. Vernon, VA 22121, for $5. The 46-page listing contains descriptions and his- diminutive size and clinging na­ where one would normally find the 8 tories of more than 400 Hedera cultivars. ture. Hardy probably in zone 7. lobes. Drop garden waste in- 'Cockle Shell' is hardy in zone 7. It 'Accelerator' Super 18 is a lovely plant for indoor culture as has 18 panels, 36 " high, 34" diameter, well as a goodlooking groundcover. capacity 19 cu. ft. Use on soi I. -1 - -11 Slide panels. ,. '1 Continuous I. . Registration # 763-H. heli x 'La process . . . .1>. Plata' $49.95 'Accelerator' Super 14 This culti var came to u s from has 14 panels. 36 " hi gh, 27" diamet er , Longwood Garde n s , a cce ss ion capacity 11 '/2 cu. ft. Use on so il . number 71 904, under the n am e Slide panels. Continuous 'Needlepoint'. Longw ood obtained process . it from the Cumbe rla nd-Pe rry $43 .95 County A gricultural, Vocational, 'Accelerator' Super B has 14 panels, 36 " Technical School at Mechanicsburg, high, 27" diameter , PA. capacity 11 cu. ft. 'La Plata' is strongly selfbranch­ .;'" ."";,, & ing and small leaved. Leaves are predominantly three-l obed ; basal shovel rich compost out lobes, when present, are very small. .g.~::;~L3 Leaf base is obtuse. The terminal Just thin k what tons of compost will do for your Over 300 ,000 home gardeners world-wide ow n lobe is extremely long, usually about garden. It' s the ideal natural fertilizer and soil Rotocrop compost bi ns because they end 2/3 of the entire leaf blade. Tips of conditioner all in one - free for the making . unsightly heaps , make co mpost faster and are both lateral and terminal lobes are scientifical ly designed to wor k effi cient ly , NEW ' Economiser' tu rning garden and kitchen wastes into ri ch , obtuse, the margins weakly undu­ valuable compost within weeks - no turning the LIFT-OFF compost bins late. Color is dull light green . The heap. M ake a ton of co mpost in one seaso n ! Grow more bo u nt iful veg etablf!s , more beautiful stems are quite slender, reddish Rotocrop flowers, more lu xurious lawns and hea lthier 'Economiser ' house p lants wi th the nat ural pl ant foo d and brown; v eins are w hitish a nd lift off range slightly raised. for a binful cond itioning h umus that Rotocrop compost adds of compost to you r soil . every few This plant was one of four distinct UNIQUE DESIGN ADVANTAGES. Ro tocrop ' s weeks . cultivars received under the name Rotocrop 's ' Accelerator ' co m post bi ns are const r ucted f rom 'N eedlepoint' . It differs from G rat' s lowest-priced precision-ext ruded rugged PVC panels w hich compost bi ns. sl id e toget her to form a sturd y, heat-retaining 'Needlepoint', w hich has d arker Flip top to fill . .. lift off to empty cylinder. Wit h no co rnerg 10 co ol off , fermenta­ green leaves, five-lobed, broader, Rotocrop ' Eco nomiser ' compost bi ns are tion heat extends to all ed ges of the heap . Air and with acute tips. 'La Plata' ap­ m ade f rom in terlucking panels of strong , rot­ vents in each panel allow air in w ithout letting proof heat-retaining PVC which assemble in heat out. A base ventilator grille allows pears to be more densely haired, minutes to make a r igid cy linder . With no co nvection of air r ight through the heap. The which gives it a softer, almost vel­ corners to cool off, heat is retained longer molded flip- up , button-down lid keeps rain out, and decomposition is fast. Vent holes in each vety appearance. As there was no heat in and makes f illing easy . Unique patented panel and a ventilator grille for the base slide-panel d es ign lets yo u remove ready insure aerat ion and drainage , w h ile a descriptive literature regarding this co mpost at ground level w it hout disturbing molded , fli p-u p lid keeps rai n ou t , heat and cultivar, it was renamed by the Reg­ moistu re in . Lift off to ex pose en tire heap. maturing layers. istrar after the site of the Research M ake a bi nful of co m post every few weeks . All m odels in unobtrusive green w ill enhance A ll mod els natu ral green. yo ur g ard en. Packed flat for simple home Center. assembly in minutes w ithout too ls . , Economiser' ' Economiser' • Economiser' UNCONDITIONAL GUARANTEE . We ' ll ship in Hardiness has not been tested, al­ 18has 18 15 has 15 12 has 12 panels 33 " panels 33 " pane ls 33 " tw o w eeks. If you ' re not delighted return it though it is probably hardy in zone high, 34" high , 28" high, 22" w ithin 14 days , for a full refund . All parts 7. Since it appears a rather tender dia . 17.8 cu . dia . 12 cu. ft . dia. 7.8 cu. guaranteed for 6 months. The money you save in ft . capac ity capacity ft. capac ity plant, 'La Plata' might not be hardy $34 .95 $29 .95 $24.95 artificial fert ilizers or commercial compost w ill pay for your ' A ccel erator ' in no time. north of Maryland. It makes a lovely miniature potplant, with its densely ' Accelerator' Super slide panel set tiny leaves that curl gracefully compost bins upward. In the classification used by Pierot in The Ivy Book we would classify it a miniature birdfoot. It ------,• Mail to : Rotocro p (USA) Inc .. 58 Buttonwood Street , New Hope, Pa . 18938 AIN -04 makes a lush growing basket, but I Gentlemen : Pl ease shi p I ' Accelerator' Slide panel (Pri ces include Name would be dwarfed if set in a con­ compost bins USA delivery ------I I and 12-page tainer larger than eight inches in 0 18 panel Super 18 at $49.95 composting diameter. It fills quickly because of I o 14 panel Super 14 at $43. 95 Booklet .) Street I 10 14 panel Super B at $46.95 I its density. This graceful plant is one ' Economiser' Lilt-off compost I enclose my City of the nicest ivies for culture in small I bins check I MO for $------I o 18 panel Economiser at $34 .95 ReSidents of Penn- I 9 pots. . sy lvania add sal es I o 15 panel Economlser at $29.95 tax . State Zip ___ .012panel Economlserat$24.95 - • ... ------~ A Refresher for Gardeners Milestones-Seedlings 'I9rIeslrial GOTdening

Prepared by Dr. Henry M. Cath ey Con tinued from February 1977 issue

Holding Plants: Plan to prepare 2. Partial shade-3 to 6 hours of site possesses few of the desired cul­ your seedlings for transfer to the direct light daily; tural characteristics. It is up to you to gardening area. Remember they 3. Shade-less than 3 hours of modify the soil to insure adequate have been growing under relatively direct light daily. nutrient supply to sustain growth. dim light, controlled day and night In selecting your site-plants which First, dig a hole about the size of a temperature, and with adequate produce fruits such as eggplant, to­ bucket in the center of the garden moisture and nutrients. This plant mato and pepper require full sun to site. Fill it with water. Note how may not survive the transplanting be productive. There is no substi­ long it takes to drain out: shock in your garden. You ca n pre­ tute for this requirement. Most • If it drains in less than 1 hr: Soil pare the plant by altering only one pro ­ shade plants, however, may be is apparently very sandy-you will cedure-the wa y you water it. grown in full sun if they are watered need to add a great deal of organic Begin 2 weeks before planting frequently and mulched with mois­ matter to provide moisture retain­ date to lengthen the watering inter­ ture retaining covering. The site ing capacity. vals. Water as much as you did be­ should also provide adequate air • If it drains in 8 hrs.: Soil has fore but permit th e plants to begin to and soil drainage. Trees, shrubs, adequate drainage for the growing wilt before you water them again. fences or buildings may inhibit the of most plants-preparation of the The plants will slowly stop grow­ natural movement of air and mois­ soil will be relatively simple. ing-the bottom leaves will curl and ture. Their roots and foundations • Water stands in hole for 24 show the first signs of turning yel­ may sap or block the moisture in the hrs: Soil has little drainage capac­ low. These signs mean that the seed­ soil. If it is too restricted, you may ity-planting in this soil will be dif­ lings can be transplanted to your ex­ have to remove some of the obstruc­ ficult. You will need to add both posed site with minimum loss. As a tions or relocate your gardening coarse particles (sand) and organic final step prior to planting, drench site. Previous use of the site should matter (leaf mold, wood chips, peat) the root system with a solution of also be considered-areas where to alter the structure for at least the liquid house plant fertilizer. This buildings or roads were located may top 6 to 8 inches of the soil. will insure that the roots will rapidly permanently damage the site. It is Soil Preparation: At any time of knit into the surrounding soil. best to determine what the site has the year, wait to dig the soil when it been used for and avoid any ques­ has dried sufficiently-it should Site: There are three basic sites tionable spots. No amount of prepa­ crumble in your hands. Mark out the for gardening: ration can restore the utility of some edges of your site-dig with a spade 1. Full sun-6 hours of direct sites. to define the edges of the space. Dig, 10 light daily; Soil Selection: Assume that the lift, and turn 2 in. slivers of soil- Starting Seeds 1

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::;;o 0; 0.. >. .0 (f) C o .~ 1f1:::.t:!=H'-H-H ti f-Ht-tJ.-r+lff :0

I-Gather your materials-wooden or fiber flat potting 3--Cover the seeds with fine vermiculite and firm it. Water strips or peat pots, potting soil (equal parts of garden soil, ver­ thoroughly and allow to drain. miculite, and sphagnum peat moss or bagged soil mix from garden or variety store), vermiculite, watering can, 4--Cover the flat with polyethylene film and put it in warm polyethylene film for cover, and seeds. 0 0 (65 to 75 ) place . The flat needs no further water until after the 2-Put seeds on top of soil; plant two or three large seeds or a seeds have germinated. Nor does it need light. Do not place the pinch of small seeds in each pot. Firm the soil (you can press plastic-covered flat in sunlight; heat buildup under plastic lightly with an empty pot without disturbing the seed). could kill emerging seedlings. 11 breaking up the adhering turf and led out of the area-an elevated sur­ cracks begin to appear in the soil root systems. Remove only the large face insures adequate drainage. mix. stones-leave all roots, twigs, and Planting: (1) Seed: Proper soil Thinning: Crowded gardens are leaves in the turned-up soil. Plan to structure and moisture have already a favorable environment for dis­ dig an area at one time-leaving the been discussed in Volume 56 Num­ eases and insects. Crowding also surface exposed with soil which was ber 1, February 1977. Determine reduces the light, water and nutri­ previously in the ground. All of the from the table the proper spacing ents available to the individual debris should be buried. Let the soil between rows and the distances be­ plants. It is best to provide as much sit for at least a week. If it does not tween the plants within rows. It is a space per plant as possible-the rec­ rain, sprinkle the surface of the soil waste of seed to crowd in more ommended spacings are listed in the to prevent drying. Seven days later plants than those which can be pro­ table. Thinning of seedlings can be a turn the soil again, continue to ductive within the space. Make a tedious job-you should remove break up the roots, stems and 1-inch trough (furrow) in the grow­ only the tops of the unneeded leaves. At the end of the second dig­ ing mix to mark the space. Plant plants, while leaving the desired ging, you are ready to mix in organic seed thinly by tapping them in­ ones intact. For a small garden plot, matter: 2 inches for adequately dividually out of the packet. Seed cutting out the unneeded plants drained soil, or 4 inches for too well tapes with a water-dissolving cover­ with scissors is fast and simple. or inadequately drained soil. The ing are also available for many kinds Chopping out the unneeded plants organic matter may be well decom­ of plants. Cover the seed with a soil with a hoe requires a great deal of posed leaf mold or compost, wood layer about 3 times the diameter of experience-it also can rupture the chips, sawdust or bagged or baled the seed. Press in the growing mix. surface of the soil mix and damage peat. If the soil is poorly drained, If you expect dry or windy weather the root systems of surrounding add a 2-inch layer of coarse sand or in the days following planting, seedlings. perlite. Turn the soil, organic matter cover the soil with newspaper to Water: Decide right from the be­ and drainage material until it is maintain adequate and uniform ginning that you will economize on completely mixed. If the mix is dry, moisture conditions. Water the en­ the amount of tap water you will use add water to maintain adequate tire area when cracks begin to ap­ to help maintain vigorous growth of moisture. Continue to add water at pear in the soil mix. Remove the your plants. A rain gauge will help regular intervals. Just before plant­ newspaper when the seedlings you keep track of the amount of ing-add 10 lb. of agricultural lime­ begin to appear. water to apply. Most plants grow stone and 5 lb. of garden grade (2) Plants: Plants started indoors well with only 1 inch of water every 5-10-5 per 100 sq. ft. to supply cal­ or purchased from garden stores are 10 days. Determine the rainfall re­ cium and the nutrients to sustain handled in much the same way as ceived and make up the deficit with growth. those grown from seed. Remove tap water. Use an oscillating sprink­ Soil Finishing: All of the prepa­ them from their containers, avoid ler to apply the water during day­ ratory steps were designed to mod­ stretching the root system. Cut off light hours-water sufficiently at ify the structure of the soil-provide any damaged roots or leaves and one time to apply the desired drainage, improve gas exchange be­ remove any tightly bound root sys­ amount of water. Avoid having any tween soil and air, supply nutrients, tems or drainage material. Plunge water standing on the foliage or and maintain available water to the the root ball into the prepared soil ground at nightfall-this saturated root system. It may be necessary to mix-so that there is a perfect fit. situation encourages leaf, flower moisten the surface of the soil mix, Press your fingers around the root and root diseases . Alternative allow it to soak in, and redig the en­ ball to avoid any air pockets. The methods of watering are the use of tire surface. The soil level should be plant should be planted at about the soakers (long canvas or coarse mesh at least 2 inches above the surround­ same level as it was growing tubes), individual micro drippers, ing area with well drained soil and previously. If you consider the plant or ooze dew hoses. These methods up to 6 inches above the soil line of too tall or spindly, you may plant it are used by commercial growers and too-well or poorly drained soil. To on its side, at the same depth as can be readily adapted to garden keep the raised beds in place, bricks when you plant it upright. Cover the plots. Although the initial invest­ or lumber may be framed around the stem in a trench alongside the root ment is great, economy of water use area. Expect the soil mix to compress ball. The exposed green tip will reor­ and labor and the reduced incidence at least 2 inches as the components ient itself and develop perpendicu­ of diseases is beneficial to the gar­ shrink and organic matter decom­ lar to the soil line. Water the entire dener. At no time should you stand poses. The level of prepared soil mix area. Cover with newspapers dur­ and sprinkle your garden with water should never be less than the sur­ ing the first days after planting to from the hose. Some of the water rounding area. Excess rain or drain- help maintain uniform moisture evaporates into the air and is lost; it 12 age water should always be channel- conditions. Water again when small Continued on page 16 Transplanting Small Plants

1. Care of Plants Before Planting 2. Preparation of Plants For Planting

A- Thoroughly water Plants in Peat Pots plants. All surfaces must or Peat Pellets be moist. Tear upper lip off the pot.

Remove bottom of pot or insert a stick to open bottom. Keep pots moist.

Plants in Clay or Plastic Pots Knock plants out. Do not pull on stem. Make fine cuts % in. deep in surface of soil ball if roots are matted. Remove all drainage material from bottom. B-Shade plants from direct sunlight until they Plants Balled are transplanted. Do not and Burlapped hold plants any longer than necessary so root Keep burlap moist at all development and time of times. Do not pull on growth and flowering are stem more than necessary. Balled and burlapped plants have not delayed. ~.lliil~i;~~ many fine root systems that are easily damaged.

3. Inserting Plants in Soil 4. Care of Plants After Planting

Do not make a pocket or depression around the plant. A depression Hand pinch 1/2 in. off allows excess water to the tips of the plants stand. when they start to grow. Do not remove leaves. Thoroughly water root ball and surrounding soil.

-. ~ ... _-;1 ~

Shade plants for the first several days if they Growing are exposed to direct Media sunlight. Remove cover in the afternoon to help Apply a liquid fertilizer at plants adjust to the new time of planting to help environment. the plants develop roots. Use 1 tablespoon of 16-52-10 per gallon of water. 13 Right-Moccasin-flowers (Cypripedium acaule) The Flovvering of Spring .

Judy Price Bo x lllA Deerfie ld , Vi rginia 24432

Spring is the season of conception; of plants and Flowers have come through the centuries with man, animals, of that spark of life in man. The cottontail contributing to his myths and superstitions, to his arts, comes naked, the hepatica in a silk-threaded cloak. and to his diet. They have become symbols of months, Man's visions, those fantasies and dreams drawn by of states, of holidays, and of affections. They dominate the forces about him come strong and vivid and fashion and decor more than any other thing, from the equaled in design only by those of nature, by those cre­ wardrobe to the windows, even to the paintings on the ations of nature conceived millions of years before, in dinner plates. another time, in another ultimate vision of spring. Today they flourish throughout the world. Only in , It was winter upon the earth, as it had always been. regions of extreme climatic conditions are they un­ Storms raged, sweeping the barren land, the barren known. They flourish, and embellish, and renew the passages of time through years and centuries and eons. spirit. Contin ued on page 33 There were some greens, as there are in the winters known now, but small creeping greens, greens pro­ gressing slowly inland from the oceans' edges, slowly inland along the water courses to clothe and hold the earth. There was life, but life without promise, without seed. There was not yet spring. And then, through the passages of millions of years, by the persistence of nature's vision of spring, a flower bloomed. Perhaps nature, a true goddess of vision, a genius of planning and perseverance, had guided life, from the ocean edge to the great green forests of the interior, through the Age of Dinosaurs and that land of giants, to the bud. Or perhaps it had simply come to her in a moment of release, as answers have come to men throughout the ages of man, in that instant before sleep. From that time life seemed to move toward man as he is today, carelessly at first, and then with more direc­ tion. From that first flower, that subtle, inconspicuous bloom, there was a sudden turn, there was spring. Charles Darwin called the flower " an abominable mystery," because of its coming, and because of its success. It grew and multiplied, throwing seed to the winds in the beginning; later developing color and form to charm the birds and insects that would spread 14 the seed. Above--Birdfoot Violets (Viola pedata)

Continued from page 12 The minor elements should be Milestones supplied in the additives made at SAVE the beginning of the season and is also easy to ruin the structure of their effectiveness should persist you r plants from the soil. throughout the growing season. Mulches: Plan to apply a mulch Once the plants are established it is DROWNING to cut down water loss and weeding. extrem.ely difficult to correct de­ Black plastic, in large sheets, may be ficiencies or excesses. Proper plant­ applied over the entire area; slits are ing procedures insure a successful made in the surface for the planting growing season. Fertilizers may also rows. It can also be put down in be­ b €l applied as a soluble concentrate tween the rows after the seedlings in the watering systems. Although emerge. In areas with cool nights, as €lffective as dry fertilizer applica­ black plastic aids in elevating the tions, the cost of a unit of equivalent growing temperatures. During pe­ liquid fertilizer is much higher. Root Rot may be killing your plants! riods of intense heat, the black Pest Control: Losses of entire Water standing in the bottom of the pots causes the delicate roots to rot. plastic should be treated with a coat­ plantings can occur when they be­ LEAF LIFTS save your plants from ing of whitewash to reflect some of come infested with pests and dis­ root rot. the heat. Aluminum coated paper is eases. General recommendations for Plant roots require oxygen for healthy also being used as a mulch. It does pest management should not be growth. In wet, soggy soil water re­ places the air in the growing medium. all that the black plastic does but it made. I suggest that you observe LEAF LIFTS provide an air space under reflects visible light to the growing closely what is happening to your the pot eliminating saturated soil and allows the roots to breathe. plants and the soil temperature dur­ plants--consult your garden urban ing periods of intense heat runs 10- extension agent, botanic garden, or END ROOT ROT 30°F cooler than plants in a similar horticultural society for specific con­ situation under black plastic. Or­ trol measures. Most problems can FOREVER WITH ganic mulches, such as composted often be identified from the bro­ leaves, sawdust, chips and straw chures displayed in garden centers. LEAF LIFTS! may also be used. Extra fertilizer Everyone has mildew, aphids, spi­ may be necessary to insure proper der mites, caterpillars. Each pes­ nutrient levels in the soil. Every ticide label states which pests it con­ small garden plot should be mulched trols, recommends rates and meth­ -the type used is up to the gar­ ods of application, and which plants dener. it can be used on safely. Read the en­ tire label, follow directions precise­ Cultivation: With mulches and ly. Misused pesticides may injure no cultivation, the few weeds which Leaf Lifts are the foliage, contaminate the envi­ heavy plastic grow can be removed by hand. trivets that hold ronment, and waste your time. your plants out Avoid disturbing the soil because of the water that cultivation may destroy the upper Fall Bonus: Harvesting flowers, drains into the saucer. The hole in the surface of fine feeding roots. Follow­ foilage, fruit through the growing center of the L~AF LIFT matches the hole in the bottom of the pot for ing each cultivation, the roots re­ season is usually the ultimate inten­ perfect draining. SAVE YOUR PLANTS grow, but mulching allows the sur­ tion of the gardening season. Often FROM DROWNING! STOP ROOT ROT FOREVER! face roots to develop unmolested. these plants do not have to be left out of doors and freeze in the fall. Mail order to: Fertilizers: During the prepara­ Gaylen Products Co. Many-as listed in the table-may tion of the soil you added a garden P.O. Box 82410 be grown in the home the following Lincoln, Nebraska 68501 fertilizer (5-10-5 or 10-6-4) and lime­ winter season as a tender perennial. ----packages of 12 Leaf Lifts, 3'l4" size stone. Additional fertilizers should @ $4.95 package. We often forget that the plants can be applied during the growth stages ----packages of 12 Leaf Lifts, 6" size@ be trimmed back, lifted, and grown $6.95 package. of the plant. I find that monthly ap­ ----packages of 6 small and 6 large as a container plant. Review the plications of a fine dusting (5 lb. of Leaf Lifts @ $5 .95 package. table and consider saving some of 10-6-4 per 100 running feet) is usu­ Name the more interesting plants. Street Address _____ --- ally sufficient to maintain moder­ City State__ _ ately green growth of the plants. Zip ____ There should be little or no run-off NEXT ISSUE:

ORDERS SHIPPED PREPAID AND GUARANTEED of unused fertilizers to contaminate JUNE, Milestones-Seedling to Por­ 16 Nebraska resi dents add 3% sa les tax. the surrounding streams and lakes. table Gardening TABLE II: MILESTONES FOR SEEDLINGS

Species Location Soil Spacing General Comments Fall Bonus Preference between plants (inches)

Ageratum Sun, partial Any type, 9-12 Remove faded fl owers, avoid letting water Lift plants , trim shade sandy, loam, stand in crown of plant. Plant is easily in­ back to 6 inches­ clay fested with spider mites. can become flower­ ing plant in sunny window.

Alyssum Sun Sandy, well­ Clumps, Avoid over-fertilization, overwatering, Discard drained 6-8 and crowding from other plants. Does not compete well in flower bed.

Aster Sun Any 12-18 Requires staking to keep upright in gar­ Discard den. Grow only wilt-resistant varieties. May use cheesecloth screen cages to ward off insects. Excellent summer cut flowers.

Balsam Sun, Sandy, well­ 12-18 Often n eglected in garden, easy to grow, Discard partial drained massive flower display. Keep on dry side shade to avoid soft, easy-to-break stems. Should be removed from garden as soon as flow­ ers begin to fade.

Begonia Sun, partial Any, prefers 9-12 Absolute winner in all gardening loca­ Dig up plants, put (fiberous shade, sandy, well­ tions-bronze, green and variegated in containers-will rooted) shade drained foliage goes with many other kinds of continue to flower plants. Long flowering season. inside.

Browallia Partial Any-prefers 9-12 Excellent blue and white star-shaped Dig, put in con­ shade moist flowers-continuous over growing sea­ tainer, will continue son if in a shady, cool location. Give to flower in a cool, plants a trim (cut at any position) to retain sunny window. compact growth habit.

Cabbage Sun Any 12-18 Add extra limestone to soil to prevent root Discard diseases. Successive plantings for con­ tinuous harvests. Remove remaining part of plant when head is harvested.

Celosia Sun Any, prefers 12-18 Does not transplant well or tolerate water Discard - save well-drained or nutrient stress. Do not pinch plants to flowers by stripping promote branching, delays flowering and foliage , hanging reduces size of inflorescences. upside down in a dark, dry location.

Coleus Sun, partial Moist 12-18 Two basic types: from seed-forms Dig, put into con­ shade, flower stalks which must be removed at tainer, trim to any shade frequent intervals, or from cuttings­ size top- will re­ remain in vegetative growth throughout grow in any sunny summer. Trim all plants to keep height window. down and maintain compact growth.

Dahlia Sun Any 18-24 Requires staking to avoid cracking of brit­ Allow tops to begin tle stem. Trim plants only once to promote to die back-lift development of multiple stems. Remove roots and store in a all flowers, leaving as much foliage as pos­ cool, dry, darkenvi­ sible. Sear (with heat) to cut stem to insure ronment. Start next water uptake of cut stem. spring.

Eggplant Sun Any, 18-24 Tough plant with large lavender flow­ Harvest fruits, wrap prefers ers-decorative in all stages of growth. in paper and store sandy Avoid handling foliage, long spines can in cool spot. Can be injure hands. Do not trim. Naturally saved for several branching with the formation of the first weeks. flower.

Continued on inside back cover 17 Top Left-Carnus alba ' Argenteo-Margmatee'; Bottom Left-Carnus stoIa n ifera ; Right-Carnus alba In Search of the Eusive Redstemmed Dogwood Michael A. Dirr, Assistant Professor of Ornamental Horticulture, University of Illinois at Urbana -Champaign, Urba na, IL 61801

Perhaps no woody plants are more confused in the , Argenteo-marginata', 'Elegantissima', 'Variegata' nursery and landscape trade than the appropriately These three names have been mis-applied to a clone named " Redstemmed" dogwoods. Yet the exact hor­ whose leaves have an irregular creamy-white margin ticultural nature of this group presents questions to with the center a grayish-bluish green. The winter most woody plant people. At various times this "Red­ sterns are red but not to the degree of the species. stemmed" plant has been afforded the scientific names 'Elegantissima' is the preferred name according to a of Cornus alba L., C. amomum Mill., C. baileyi Coult & number of authorities but has often been mis-ap­ Evans, C. sanguinea L., C. sericea L., and C. stolonifera plied and used as a specific epithet to form the Michx. Harriet Keeler, in Our Northern Shrubs , first species Cornus elegantissima of selected nursery published in 1903, wrote that " Dealers of acknowl­ catalogs. According to Bean, in Tree and Shrubs Hardy edged standing are extensively advertising the Red­ in th e British Isl es, 'Elegantissima' and 'Variegata' are stemmed Dogwood as Cornus sa nguinea and the public two distinct cultivars while the name 'Argenteo­ is just as extensively buying it under the same name marginata' has been applied to both clones. 'Elegan­ ... but after all it is not quite so pleasant that so gross tissima' differs from 'Variegata' in that it is a less vig­ an error should be so widespread; or that it should be orous shrub. so strongly entrenched among those who ought to 'Aurea'-The leaves are suffused with soft yellow. know better." Little has changed since 1903 for this group of dogwoods continues as the acknowledged 'Gouchaulti'-The leaf margin is yellow and rose, leader for misidentification. the center of the leaf green and rose. This combina­ Admittedly, the redstemmed dogwoods are not the tion is difficult for any garden to digest. Hillier's easiest to separate but there are differences in habit, Manual suggested that there is no difference between disease and insect susceptibility, cultural adaptability, this cultivar and 'Spaethii'. stern color and cultivars to warrant distinction between and among the various types. 'Kesselringii'-The sterns turn dark brownish pur­ ple in winter. Cornus alba, Tatarian dogwood, is often given the name "r~dstemmed dogwood". This species is dis­ 'Sibirica'-The sterns are bright coral-red and the tinctly erect in youth, the branches slightly arching fruit a bluish color. This cultivar is often offered in with age, and the long shoots developing lateral the trade but what is being sold is anyone's guess. branches only in the upper reaches. Ultimate height is 'Sibirica' differs from the species in the two charac­ between 8 and 10 feet with spread about two-thirds the teristics mentioned above as well as having more height. The winter stern color is usually a blood-red. rounded leaves with a short apex and a less vigorous The intensity of stern coloration coincides with leaf nature. The bright stern color is best on sterns of the drop in the fall, when it increases, and leaf emergence current season's growth and this should be kept in in spring when it decreases. These color changes occur mind during pruning. over a short time span (7 to 14 days). The flowers are an off-white (due to presence of yellowish stamens), 'Spaethii'-The foliage is strongly bordered with yel­ borne in 2" diameter flat-topped cymes in mid to late low. I have seen this used in the hedge collection at May, after the l~aves have matured. Their ornamental the Royal Botanic Gardens, Hamilton, Ontario, in effect is minimal compared to the tree dogwoods. The August, and would rate it the brightest yellow of any fruit is 3/s" diameter, white or slightly bluish-tinted hardy, yellow-leaved type. This clone maintains the drupe which ripens in July and August. The birds bright yellow color throughout the summer and does enjoy the fruits and eff~ctively clean the shrubs. Fall not show any signs of scorch. The story goes that the color is variable but often develops to a good purplish cultivar originated on a stern of the species, on which red. Several cultivars which are common and often seen was grafted a white-variegated scion. The scion died in cultivation include: and just beneath the point of union a yellow- 19 variegated shoot developed. It could be that some cal­ ous especially when viewed in close proximity. The lus formation had taken place before the scion died flowers are similar to those described for C. alba while and the resultant yellow-foliaged form was, in fact, a the fruits differ only in being consistently white. It per­ graft-chimera. forms best in moist, cool soil and in the wild is found in The species thrives in most soils but those of moist, wet, swampy situations. Cultivars include: well-drained constitution are best. Excess fertility re­ coloradensis 'Cheyenne'-I have seen this cultivar sults in rampant growth; however, based on observ.a­ only once but was quite impressed with the good tions of plants in our nursery, stem color is just as vivid blood-red stem color. The shrub is slightly lower on highly fertilized, if not more so, than on unfertilized growing than the species but does show the propen­ plants. In a single growing season, strong rooted cut­ sity to develop almost horizontal, spreading tings when transferred to the field grew 3' to 5' high branches. The variety C. s. coloradensis has brownish and were uniformly branched. red stems, smaller leaves, bluish white fruits and is Once the stems (applies to following two species) be­ native from the Yukon and Manitoba to New Mexico come larger than 1/2" to %" diameter they lose much of and California. the good color. Anything over an inch usually has de­ veloped brownish fissured areas. Pruning one-third of 'Flaviramea'-A yellow-stemmed type, which is the oldest wood every year will keep the plant in rea­ often infected with canker and twigblight. Its use sonable shape or a total rejuvenation in early spring should be tempered. will result in a denser plant with excellent stem color the following fall and winter. The only significant pest 'Isanti'-A small, compact form with dainty, bright that I have noticed on this species is scale and, at times, red stems which does exhibit leaf spot on occasion. it can wreak havoc on an entire plant. The leaf spots, crown canker, and twig blights which prove so trouble­ 'Kelseyi'-A low-growing, neat, compact form some to Cornus stolonifera, red osier dogwood, are not about 24" to 30" high which contracts leaf spot as as prevalent on C. alba. C. alba is native from Siberia to thoroughly as any dogwood. Nonetheless, this cul­ Manchuria and northern Korea and closely allied to C. tivar is effective as a facer plant or in masses in stolonifera , which some authorities consider merely a selected situations when maintained properly. The v¥iety of C. alba. This plant is considered hardy from stems are blood-red in youth but gradually change to -40 to -50°F which means that the Eskimos can use it brownish red or brown in the second and third years. quite effectively in their snowy scapes. Older plants are scarcely recognizable for the stems The second member of this elusive group is C. are almost totally brown. baileyi, Bailey dogwood. This species is similar to C. alba and C. stolonifera in many respects. The stems tum 'Nitida'-A type with glossy leaves in summer and reddish brown (according to the literature) in winter green stems in winter. although various plants which I have seen labeled as C. bailey'i had the blood-red color of C. alba . At our orna­ Cornus stolonifera was, in recent years, listed as C. mentals research center there is a large planting of C. sericea but this is no longer considered a valid name baileyi which, when I looked them over in January, had and C. stolonifera is again in vogue. The native range the stem color of C. alba planted 100 yards away. The extends from Newfoundland to Alaska, south to habit of Bailey dogwood was a bit more open than the California, New Mexico and Nebraska; in northeastern C. alba but did not offer a sufficient characteristic that United States from Wisconsin to New York. Hardy in really separated the two. This species was once consid­ Zone 2 (-35 to -50°F) and used extensively as a test ered a variety of C. stolonifera but now appears en­ plant in cold-hardiness studies. The mature height is trenched in the species category even though it is dif­ listed as 10' to 20' in Seeds of Woody Plants in the United ficult to separate from C. alba and C. stolonifera. It is States , however I have rarely seen plants larger than 10'. native in sandy soils along lake shores as well as in Over the wide geographic range significant variation moist soils and ranges from Ontario and Minnesota to in siae, no doubt, occurs. Pennsylvania and Indiana. The plant is hardy to Zone 4 All the true " redstemmed" dogwoods are easy to (-10 to - 20°F). Seeds of Woody Plants in the United States propagate from soft and hard-wood cuttings. I have lists C. baileyi as a synonym for C. stolonifera. had excellent success with C. alba and C. stolonifera but The last of the true redstemmed dogwoods is C. have not tried C. baileyi, although it is reported as easy stolonifera, red osier dogwood. This species varies from to root as the other species. Seed of all species should be 3' to 10' in height over its native range and is wider stratified in a moist medium for 60 to 90 days before than high at maturity. The habit is that of a loosely planting. spreading to ascending shrub with osier-like, deep red Another dogwood with a name which indicates af­ stems, some of which are prostrate. The differences in filiation with the above species is Cornus sanguinea, 20 habit between C. alba and C. stolonifera are quite obvi- bloodtwig dogwood. The name bloodtwig is a distinct misnomer for the stems are, at best, dull reddish­ though r~ddish purple is a distinct possibility. Flowers purple on the upper surface and green on the lower. In are creamy-white, borne in 11/2 to 21/2" diameter, flat­ the second to fourth year the stems develop a gray­ topped cymes in early to mid June. The fruit is a 1/4" brown color. Height varies from 6' to IS' with a compa­ diameter, porcelain blue drupe, often blotched with rable spread. Several old specimens on campus are 12 ' white, which ripens in August. Interestingly, this to IS' high and as wide but have suckered profusely species inhabits low woods, stream banks and borders from roots and developed an unkempt, straggly ap­ of swamps from Maine to Indiana sou th to Georgia and pearance. One plant located in our woody ornamental Florida. Prefers partially shaded situations but will do evaluation trials has a deeper, more uniform blood-red well in full sun. Landscape use should be restricted to stem color and outstanding wine-red fall color com­ massing, shrub borders, and naturalizing in moist and pared to campus plants. It has not shown the propen­ wet soils. The fruit is quite handsome and the birds do sity to sucker but has only been in the ground five an effective job of planting it in out-of-the-way places. years. I have attempted, unsuccessfully, to root cut­ Easily separated from the other species because of the tings collected in August. Reports have indicated that distinct fruit and brown pith. Cuttings root easily C. sanguinea can be rooted from softwood cuttings col­ without hormonal treatment. lected in June. It is easily separated from the true "red­ The search has ended and perhaps the muddied stemmed" species fer the creamy white flowers arrive taxonomy of this group is somewhat clearer. Undeni­ in early to mid June and the fruits are purplish black. ably, the differences between and among are not, and The leaves are also smaller and, as mentioned, the will never be, crystal clear but honest attempts should stems are not as bright or uniformly red-colored. Na­ be made to offer potential customers the correct prod­ tive to Europe and considered hardy in Zone 4 (- 10 to uct. I have heard nurserymen admit that they cannot -20°F). distinguish among the true "redstemmed" dogwoods Comus amomum, silky dogwood, is a rounded to and I cringe every autumn when my students are ex­ broad-rounded mass of stems growing 6' to 10' high posed to this group of plants for, invariably, they bring and as wide. The first and second year stems are usually in stem segments and ask me to positively identify reddish purple while older wood develops distinct what they have collected. With a wry grin and a brownish fissures. Foliage is dark green in summer and sheepish smile I respond with " It could be C. alba , C. has not been effective in the fall in central Illinois al- baileyi, and/or C. stolonifera." Revolutionize Your Gardening With The Garden Weasel'· New tool from Europe cultivates Order yours tcx:lay. (delivery with half the effort. 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Martha Prince 9 Winding Way Locust Valley New York 11 560 What is spring? A robin and a daf­ fodil, of course. A month ago, the chipmunk peeped from his hole to see if winter had gone, and re­ treated. The snowdrops were open, indeed, but as usual snow fell to hide them again. Spring cannot read the calendar, and makes false starts and stops. For me, the first signal is the wispy yellow bloom of the Chinese witch-hazel (Hamamelis mollis) . Our native witch-hazel is so early in winter (or so late in fall?) that I dis­ miss it as a real announcement of anything. The Chinese witch-hazel is a pretty shrub, with its golden blos'soms (red at the center) starring on bare stems. As though a com petition were on for First Yellow in the garden, the tiny plants of winter aconite (Eran­ this hyemalis, in the Buttercup fam­ ily) hurry to open. " Eranthis" is Greek for "flower of spring", and if the little tubers were planted in a clump against a sunny rock, they might almost win the trophy for tim­ ing. The six bright petals and the handsomely segmented leaves are a gay delight. In the race for yellows, the Corne­ lian cherry (Cornus mas) loses to the witch-hazel but precedes the for­ sythia by a week or so. It is a true lutely delicious jelly, tart and beauti­ with drifts of color, peeping through dogwood (as a matter of fact, the ful. . a winter mulch of pine needles. The genus name, Cornus, is the old Latin With the forsythia, the yellow prettiest plantings are those that botanical name for this shrub), but species crocus, and the early daf­ have been strewn with a generous the real flowers, not the bracts, are fodils (such as 'February Gold' and hand. They have not the remotest re­ the attraction. Again, the flowers are 'Peeping Tom') the golden race for lationship to daisies and asters, but on leafless twigs, and there is some­ spring is over. Spring is no longer one can't help thinking of Mother thing rather ethereal about them. coming, it has arrived. Nature storing last summer's white Cornelian cherry has one virtue few A garden spring is not all yellow. daisy heads, dyeing some pink and gardeners realize-the red "cher­ The blues, pinks and whites of blue, and scattering them on earth to ries" (bright, shiny and large) which Anemone blanda (again in the But­ smile up at the gardener. 22 ripen in late summer make abso- tercup family) brighten the ground All winter I watch the velvety =rrden its pring and "About the woodlands I will go To see the cherry hung with snow". The poet, of course, was not speaking of our garden-favored Japanese flowering cherries (Prunus lannesiana , P. serrulata , P. yedoensis, or forms derived from these. Higan-sakura and Kwanzan are two of the most used). They are white or pink, single or double, standing or weeping. I could sit contentedly for hours under a weeping cherry, its veil of bloom almost touching the ground, as I admire the flowers against the blue spring sky. Another favorite tree of early spring is one of the flowering crab­ apples, the Carmine Crabapple (Malus atrosanguinea) . The buds are red and the flowers a delicious pink. To me, it displays a delicacy some of the other cultivated crabs simply do not have. The shrubs are opening, one by one-the earliest of the rhododen­ drons, a deciduous one, isR. mucro­ nulatum . You may have dismissed it as an "off" shade of lavender-pink, but among several clear colors is 'Cornell Pink'. Other of the smaller rhododendrons hasten after it, white, pink, lavender and the lovely o'"o J:: little yellow, R. keiskei, from Japan. 0.. One spring shrub you may not Carmine crabapple (Malus atrosanguinea) know is a native American, Fother­ gilla (F. monticola); the flowers "pussies" of the Japanese magnolias ful fragrance of hyacinths is in the themselves are insignificant, but the (M. soulangeana andM. stellata), and air, and my favorite trees are in pink puffs of white stamens make bright even pet them. There is one special and white dress. Redbud (Cercis white balls which cover the plant. tr€e, a small M. stellata rosea 'Water chinensis-or native C. canadensis) By mid-ApriC the whole delight­ Lily' which I visit regularly to find hugs its branches with strangely ful circus of spring is on. Color is the first hint of an opening blossom. pink "sweet peas" . everywhere, and a bud one day is a Even once open, I prefer this to all Perhaps you know Houseman's flower the next. Miss one day in the the oth€rs. There is something brash lines: garden and some treasure may have and bold about M. soulangeana; I'd "Loveliest of trees, the cherry come and gone. T. S. Eliot's quota­ call it handsome. I'd call'Waterlily' now tion may be "April is the cruelest lovely. Is hung with bloom along the month"-but I find April the hap- March changes to April. The wist- bough" piest month of all. 23 Continued from page 5 Spring and early fall are the best times to aerate. Summer aeration of Lawns cool-season grasses is not generally reduction in atmospheric carbon recommended because these dioxide. grasses are in a semi-dormant con­ The increase in relative humidity dition, whereas crabgrass is quite and dew, plus reduction in wind active. movement under shaded condi­ The best time to fertilize cool sea­ tions, considerably enhances dis­ son grasses is in the falL The best ease activity. and only time to fertilize warm­ Research has shown that red fes­ season grasses such as zoysia and FOR EASY PRUNING cue is one of the best grasses for a Bermuda is during the growing sea­ This NEW wood·cutting shear (above) shady situation. Pennlawn is a good son from May through August. has a jack hC1ndle action that makes Zoysia needs to be fertilized only it easy for yau to cut thraugh branches variety. It has survived in the shade and undergrawth up ta 2" in diameter. when other varieties did not. when the grass does not have ade­ If Each time you apen and clase handle, Judicious pruning of trees may quate density or quality. the jaws clase a notch . The 27 V2 " lang help grass to grow under them. Re­ zoysia is good enough to prevent shear wei ghs 3 v.. Ibs. Handle is white moval of low hanging branches to a weeds from becoming established, hickory. Crafted with a stainless steel there are no bare spots and grass blade that does not neegreenhouses. or noncapillary pores by which moisture and plant nutrients can be tion. A clogged or poorly adjusted FREESTANDING MODELS, taken in to the soil. They also spreader that doesn't spread the fer­ LEAN·TO AND DOMES! provide a breathing system through tilizer evenly may cause injury to the which carbon dioxide can escape grass. Starting or stopping the 95 spreader with the trap open can From $89 and oxygen can enter the soiL A rapid intake in movement of water cause uneven distribution. When ~1?UmuII~ and air is recognized as a prime you spread inorganic fertilizer, THE GREENHOUSEMAN® necessity in correcting damages to make sure the leaves of the grass are 24 980 17th Ave., Dept. 71-D the turf caused by compacted soils. Con tin ued on page 44 Santa Cruz, Calif. 95062 Under the Spreading Black Walnut 1fee Where the plant by accident no weed, no work garden grows

Isabel Zucker

The Setting It was only a sapling but, since it too many of its roots on the side to­ grew about 50 feet northwest of a ward the house". " We'll chance full-grown poplar in the shade of that. Just leave it alone" . which we picnicked the summer So, for the ten months it took to after we bought the land, we noticed build the house the tree stood, roots it. When questioned by one of the clipped on one side and sur­ children, I said it was either a black rounded, indeed almost buried, in a walnut or a butternut but didn' t huge pile of top soil, one of three trouble to really identify it. stripped from the house site before For four years it grew undisturbed building began. while we "ran through" four ar­ Even at the last the bulldozer op­ chitects, decided to design the erator and I argued. He wanted to house ourselves and spent most of a bulldoze the top soil away from the winter moving pieces of cross­ little tree and I wouldn't have it. section paper cut to desired room " One of the men can wheel it away, sizes around a piece of left-over ceil­ have to be cut away to build the that tree's been abused enough". ing tile into which we could stick lower floor. Root cutting, half burying made pins. We staked the outlines of the no difference. It was autumn when house and I walked backwards from we moved in and the following The Tree the little tree and announced, "Un­ spring the little tree leafed out as if Once we had decided on a final less I am crazy, that tree, when full­ nothing had happened to it. house plan it remained to locate grown, will shade the east windows The land under the tree sloped house on grounds. We had long of the master bedroom all summer". down hill of course and the con­ since decided to build it into the It nearly didn't. For I arrived one struction men had made a path be­ hillside. But now, with house finally day to find the bulldozer operator tween it and the house in going from located, we knew that the maybe­ preparing to send it into oblivion. A front to back of the building. This black-walnut, maybe-butternut was scream stopped him and I explained left an awkward foot or so of slope at important for it stood on the brow of that it was to be left in place. " It an odd angle. Our daughter, know­ the hill just east of where that would won't live" , said he, "I'll have to cut ing this, arrived home at the close of 25 a large flower show bearing the bent chamber walls are closer together. took up residence under the tree. grass sod from one of the exhibits, Of course you can also tell by the How the phlox plants got there I'll which she proceeded to layover the bark, grey on butternuts, brown on never know. The occasional daf­ small area. So, for some years, be­ black walnuts or the fruits, since fodils "Just grew" too . But the fore the shade became too dense, butternuts are more slender and Lysimachia quadrifolia , four-leaf bent grew on one side of the tree. oval while black walnuts are round. loosestrife, was a gift from Prof. Now a stone wall holds the bank. But, our tree was not mature and, up Whetzel of Cornell U ni versi ty, Another path developed about to this time, hcidn't borne fruits. Ithaca, NY, after I'd admired a large four feet beyond the opposite side of Now a black walnut is the kind of planting in his garden. This was def­ the tree, made so that we could tree that has the reputation of being initely and deliberately planted wheel things downhill, which we inhospitable, if not downright under the tree because it was near could not on the steeper path be­ poisonous, to other plants because the house and I, arriving home from tween tree and house, into which of the juglone from its roots; yet, the trip, was in a hurry. we had put several steps. think of the plants already estab­ This, too, is the reason there are lished under our tree because they newer varieties of hemerocallis at The Plant-by-Accident Garden evidently liked the situation! the downhill end of the bed-the Between the two paths, under the One spring, to my surprise, there shipment came as we were leaving; tree, there developed the plant-by­ appeared under the tree a few plants the plants were set in the handiest accident, no-weed, no-care, all­ of Mertensia virginica, Virginia free area. season garden shown you in the ac­ bluebell, also from the wild flower Shasta daisies seed themselves, companying pictures. patch where their roots had been stay a few years, disappear and Thinking back, probably the first planted with snow or white tril­ reappear. So does Monarda fistu1osa , thing "planted" was the double­ liums, Trillium grandiflorum, moved our native monarda in Michigan. flowered hemerocallis, H . fulva from our former garden, to duplicate And, almost every year ther€~'s a 'K wanso', pieces of which I was as nearly as possi ble a sight I'd once new surprise-a new flower. The moving from our former garden. I admired along a bayou near Houma, no-weed, no-care garden. know I divided these near the tree Louisiana, where bluebells and If this bed is weeded once in three and, reconstructing my actions, white trillium carpeted a little grove. or four years it's a miracle . Weeds probably threw leftover bits in that Like the hemerocallis, the hostas, hardly can grow anyhow since the direction. For there is now a large the violets, those bluebells s-p-r­ plant inhabitants crowd one patch in the no-care garden. e-a-d and today form the chief at­ another. It has never been cultivated Then came the hosta border and I traction in early spring. or fertilized. It is watered occasion­ know how that arrived. When I "But she certainly planted those ally in dry summers if I'm watering moved Hosta lancifolia plants from tulips", you're saying to yourself? nearby. Yet, all spring, summer and our former garden there were seed Well, maybe-but only if you fall it is colorful. . pods on several and I scattered the stretch the meaning of "planting". The black walnut once had a few seeds from these to get them out of For here's what happened. I over­ caterpillars on the leaves. I cut off the way-no soil preparation, no bought bulbs, as usual, and in the branch and burned it. The red covering-but there the plants are. January found several dozen left­ squirrels and chipmunks get all the Violets arrived under the tree, overs in the cold closet in which I nuts 60 they are no pick-up prob­ purple ones probably from a wild keep them until planted. Soil frozen lem. patch several hundred feet west, but bulbs still plump-what to do? The morals of this story are that white ones obviously from a plant There's always a bushel of unfrozen l-contrary to the widely-held belief given me by a friend and set in a compost in the laundry, in case I that "nothing" or " almost nothing" wild flower bed situated under our need to repot a house plant, so I took will grow under a black walnut, "picnic" poplar and a nearby silver tulips outdoors, put them on, not in, plants that want to grow there maple. the frozen ground in that nearest­ thrive. And 2- it isn't necessary to About that time I took a moment to-the-house bed under the walnut, spend a fortune on the latest variet­ to break a twig off from the tree to dumped half my bushel of compost ies or work yourself to death to have identify it-as a black walnut. It's over them-and they grew! a colorful garden. Relax and let na­ easy. Split twig top to bottom and Some years back, at a garden club ture take its course. look at the center, the pith. If it is sale, I bought a plant of Rudbeckia P.S. Yes, the black walnut now light brown and the cross walls of laciniata, the green-headed cone shades the east windows of our bed­ the chambers into which it is flower, also wild and also planted in room as predicted twenty-four years divided are fairly wide apart, the that wild flower area to furnish late ago and is spreading so widely it tree is a black walnut. Butternut summer bloom. It, too, jumped a soon also will shade those on the 26 twigs have dark brown pith and lawn and a path with its seeds and northeast. Below Right- In springtime Virginia bluebells contrast with bright tulips under the black walnut. Bluebells seeded themselves; tulip bulbs were " planted" in January, compost dumped over.

Below Left-By summer hostas and phlox have taken over. Hosta seeds were scat­ tered; phlox just " appeared" .

Photos by Isabel Zucker

27 company at Dayton, Ohio, where he Sanguinaria canadensis served mainly as a trouble­ shooter. When anything went wrong in the construction of new multiplex and machinery, he was called upon. When he went into action, he worked furiously day and night 1tillium grandiflorum through, hardly eating or sleeping, until he found the source of the trouble and had corrected it. Plenum After any such mad exercise he disappeared, and nobody knew Henry Teuscher where he was, until he returned. 3289 Ridgewood A venue, Apt. 16 M ontreal , Canada H3V-1B 8 This was tolerated because he had no equal in his work. Few knew that he was a great lover of nature. He had bought a piece of wild wood­ land in Michigan, where he had built himself a cabin, and to this he retired, when he felt in need of peace and quiet to regain mental and physical equilibrium. He lived there like a hermit, sometimes for several weeks. At that time, I was the botanist of the newly established Morton Ar­ boretum at Lisle, Illinois, and von Webern often came there for infor­ mation on native plants. We liked each other and became good friends. One fine spring morning, Mr. von Webern was walking from his cabin to the spring, to get water for his morning coffee, when he saw­ dose to the path-a plant of the Bloodroot with ten large, double flowers . This was so beautiful that-being a very emotional man -he sat down and cried. When he recovered, he decided to go im­ mediately to me and to tell me about it. I also became excited at this rare and wonderful find, never having heard of a double Bloodroot before, and I told him to mark this plant So-called "double" flowers are by Sanguinaria canadensis var. multi­ right away by placing a number of no means always pretty, but there plex was named by E. H . Wilson in sticks around it, so that he could can be no doubt that these two are 1923 (Ga·rdener's Chronicle, page find it again in the fall. Toward the indeed outstandingly handsome. 283). I described it in the German end of August or early September, That they are superior forms of two Magazine "Gartenschonheit" (June he should dig up the plant _and of our most common native spring 1927). It was discovered by Mr. L. divide it. It has a fleshy rhizome flowers, adds special interest. They von Webern who was a rather re­ which can be cut into inch long (2 1/2 deserve to be better known, to markable person, with many inter­ cm long) pieces. These pieces must which I wish to contribute by relat­ ests, as well as somewhat of an ec­ be dipped into powdered char­ i.ng their rather interesting history. I centric. He was an engineer and was coal-to stop the bleeding and to 28 feel that this should be recorded. employed by a large engineering prevent rotting-and should be re- planted right away, in a horizontal flowers may be more brightly pink separately, they quickly developed position and shallowly, in loose than in others, but that, usually, is into strong plants and flowered, leafmold, covering the place lightly all. The only place known to me, Soon, we had well over 20 of them with dead leaves. They would where Trillium grandiflorum actually and this group was a wonderful sprout in spring and develop into mutates widely, is the woodland sight in spring. new plants. He did this very suc­ discovered by Mr. W. A . Smith. The only possible reason for this cessfully, and he also gave several There, one may find plants with strange behavior can have been the pieces to me. I planted them in my green-striped or entirely green change in soil, which in this case garden and, when later I left the flowers, others which have two was to a fairly heavy, slightly al­ Morton Arboretum to go to New whorls of leaves, or some which kaline clay soil. Unfortunately I do York, I took them with me. Eventu­ have more than the normal number not know what the original soil was. ally, I brought them with me to of petals. Nobody knows why. Whether, possibly, some additional Montreal. There is a possibility that the soil substance is present and had an in­ At Montreal, the plants quickly in this place contains some radioac­ fluence, remains a mystery. increased in size, forming large tive mineral, such as thorium, ru­ patches which every spring pre­ bidium or actinium, which are Treatment in cultivation sented a beautiful display. The rather frequently present in very Trilliums, when planted in the flowers, which have a diameter of small amounts. In decay, they emit garden, are often disappointing by somewhat over 6 cm, are sterile, be­ alpha and beta rays, and it is just failing to thrive. For this, there are cause the stamens, as well as the pis­ possible that one of these may be several reasons. First of all, they can tils are transformed into petals, and presen t in sufficien tly large be transplanted safely only in fall­ they last much longer than those of amounts to cause plant mutations. end of August or early September the single-flowered Bloodroot. As But, there is no proof. -not in spring, when they are in everyone knows, it is useless to pick I did once set out to visit Mr. W. flower. Secondly, they do not like a the flowers of the common Blood­ A. Smith and his unusual wood­ sandy or pronouncedly acid soil. root, because they drop their petals land, but my car broke down, when This applies also to Sanguinaria. within a few hours. The flowers of I was about half way there, and But, there is still another factor var. multiplex-when picked as I had to give up. I never got another which frequently causes trouble. they begin to open-last for several chance. The average gardener, when mov­ days in a vase. At any rate, it was in these woods ing woodland plants to the garden, Mr. von Webern gave plants also that Mr. W. A. Smith found a plant is almost sure to add peatrnoss to the to the Arnold Arboretum, from of Trillium grandiflorum with a flower soil in order to improve its texture. which Wilson described the var. which was so fully double that it re­ This would be a serious error, espe­ multiplex. I do not know, whether sembled the double-flowered form cially as far as Trillium is concerned, he gave plants also to others and, if of Gardenia jasminoides. He wrote a because peatmoss acts like a poison so, to whom. I have distributed the short article about it in a magazine, to it. Only leafmold-still contain­ var. multiplex rather freely, even which I saw and which I found so ing dead leaves-should be added. I sending plants twice to England and interesting that I wrote him, asking know this for a fact, but I have never twice to Germany. I believe that whether it would be possible for me made a study of what peatmoss ac­ most people, who do have it now, to get an offset of this plant. His an­ tually does in the soil, besides pos­ have received it through me, di­ swer was that he had only one plant sibly causing a change in the degree rectly or indirectly. and he did not know how to propa­ of soil acidity. The chances are that it Trillium grandiflorum var. plenum gate it. He said, he had had this interferes with the availibility of cal­ Hort. was discovered by Mr. W. A. plant for almost ten years but, every cium which Trillium in particular Smith in an isolated piece of wood­ year, it produced only one new seems to need. land not far from Rochester, New tuber and one flower. He was rather When trying to establish wood­ York. The species itself is the spring tired of it and would be glad to give land plants in the garden, one glory of the woods of northeastern it to me. Of course, I accepted and should remember also that, in fall, North America, often occurring in when the plant arrived, I planted it they should be covered slightly (not large colonies of hundreds of plants in the shade garden of our nursery. too thickly) with dead leaves. In which, in flower, may color the What happened now, looked like spring, the leaves should not be re­ whole floor of the woods white. But, a miracle. After two years, we dis­ moved but should be worked loose­ when one examines the flowers in covered that five additional small ly in the surface soil. They do not detail, it will be found that they are plants surrounded the old plant serve as a protection but as food, all very much alike, with only minor which now, suddenly, had pro­ and woodland plants do need them. differences in the size and shape of duced extra off-sets. When these They will not live long without the petals. In some plants, the aging were removed, in fall, and planted ili~ . ~

Euonymus alatus EuonYIl)us likes our illinois Woodland Mrs. Ralph Cannon 5849 North Kos tn er Avenue Chicago, Illin ois 6064 6

Not every plantsman of nature can of the past season. One of the say that " Autumn Fire" prospers have a real woods, but there are heralds of autumn is the turning of right beneath the trees. many groves which have deciduous the leaves to many hues of red, The E. alatus fall color is a brilliant trees that provide a leafy canopy and orange, bronze or gold. The sugar rosy-scarlet with its millions of whose fallen leaves year after year maples (A ce r saccharum) and the bright red berries. The texture of the provide the same sort of soil as a black maples (A cer nigrum) are indi­ stems is corky with wings. All of forest. genous to our woods, and since they these characteristics please the eye grow so well it prompted us to try and soothe the mind. These plants Our woodland was virgin timber. other acers. Acer nikoense is now grow slowly at first, but if they can At no time was it ever cultivated. It about 25 feet high and colors magni­ survive the attacks of rabbits and was filled with wild flowers of many ficently in the fall. A ce r pens yl­ deer in the winter they will eventu­ species suited to the leafy soil, with vanic um , a snake bark maple, and ally reach a height of 8 feet with hosts of small bulbs and carpeting A cer gris eum , the paperbark maple, about a 6-foot spread. plants diverse in form and color. with its flaking dark brown bark The E. europaeus is a fastigiate April is the €ssence of spring: a pro­ curling back like wood shavings, are shrub growing in sun or shade. Its fusion of bloom and a su btle refresh­ doing well. To complement the ac­ charming characteristics are that it ing fragrance. Spring time is won­ ers' fall colors we thought that grows to approximately 20 feet in derful in most parts of the world, but Euonymus, both E. alatus and E. height; in October it is covered with nowhere is it more exciting than at europaeus, should blend well. pale pink fruit over 1/2" in diameter, "Many Trees", Yorkville, IL. Focal Over the years these introduced and later the capsules open, reveal­ points arise and disappear. Early euonymus plants have become ing the bright red seeds. It fruits hepaticas drench the hillsides, along among the most pleasant features at heavily and the arching branches with bloodroot (Sanguinaria "Many Trees" . Since they were filled with the berries that hang like canadensis) . The carpets of rue among the first plants to be added to Christmas ornaments add to its ex­ anemone are so extensive that their the virgin woods as they existed in quisite charm. The berries remain blossoms light the woods like 1935 they have been allowed to on the branches long after the frost lamps. The meadows of Mertensia roam. Over the years the birds, causes all the leaves to fall, which virginica are like a blue lake in the wind and rain have scattered their gives them extra ornamental value. distance. The thousands of daffodils seed, and the volunteer plants grow In autumn our hillsides ignit@ that have been naturalized wave to better than the transplants, living with gold from the maples and the us as we pass by, producing up to the old adage that: "Every dense scarlet of the euonymus. The splashes of fleeting color. Rising plant has its own lik€s and dislikes". reward is great. Hundreds of these amidst the rich confusion are great These shrubs like to grow under a shrubs have picked their own places shuttlecocks of the fern Matteuccia canopy of trees as well as in the and planted themselves. This natu­ pensylvanica and many other ferns open. This provides us with two ral proliferation is one of the chief decorating a big hillside and extend­ periods of fall color. The first color values of euonymus in this envi­ ing along the valley road. Hostas arrives on the plants in full sun. As ronment. It is the masses of color sprawl all over showing that hor­ thes@ sun-drenched shrubs lose over the landscape in the fall that ticultural plants can be used along their leaves and the colors fade, the give them exceptional force. These with the indigenous material of the leaves of the deciduous trees fall. hardy shrubs with their beautiful woodland to complete a harmonious Excitement mounts once more as stems, autumn colors and berries picture. this allows the sun to shine on the should give the potential woodland In the fall, the arrival of cool morn­ shrubs under the trees, producing plantsman great stimulus to embark ings brings nostalgic remem brances another period of color. One might on a program of naturalization. 31 a misty yellow-green appearance in spring, and accen­ tuating its characteristic horizontal to pendulous branching, suggestive of pin oak. As spring progresses Shingle into early summer, leaves develop their full size, 3 to 6 inches long and 1 to 2 inches wide, and turn deep by Harrison L. Fli nt green. Like other northern oaks, shingle oak completes Prof. of Horticulture , Purdu e University its annual twig growth very early, rarely producing a Lafayette, IN 47907 partial second flush of growth in midsummer. But the foliage continues to produce chlorophyll, becoming progressively darker green until late summer. As the chlorophyll finally breaks down in late autumn, the leaves fade to a golden-bronze color and then dry to a warm brown color by early winter. Even though non­ functional at this point, many leaves remain attached to the twigs well into winter, sometimes through January if the winter is mild. The dried foliage can supply a spot of warm color in an otherwise cold-looking landscape; One of the least typical of the native oaks, yet one of its rustling in autumn and winter winds adds a subtle the most useful and appealing in the landscape, is but distinctive landscape effect. shingle oak (Quercus imbricaria). This tn?e's scientific Because of its tolerance of calcareous soils, so-called name was given by the famous French naturalist and because of substantial amounts of free limestone, it is a plant explorer, Andre Michaux, who explored much of useful substitute for pin oak on such soils. In spite of what is now the Midwest in the last of the 18th Century. the obvious foliage differences, the two trees are not It is a direct translation of the English common name, greatly different in form, and shingle oak will often resulting from the use of the tree's wood for shingles by prosper in high limestone soils where pin oak trees early settlers in the Midwest in Michaux's time. Shingle turn yellow and grow poorly. Soils of the Midwest, in oak ranges farther west in the wild than most oaks, to padicular, have offered many opportunities for this eastern Kansas and Nebraska, southward to South tree in such a stand-in role. Carolina and Arkansas, and northward to Iowa, Wis­ Two factors most often blamed for limiting usage of consin, and New Jersey. As is true for many other oaks in man-made landscapes are slow growth and dif­ wide-ranging species, it probably varies considerably ficulty in transplanting. Nurserymen know that it is not in climatic adaptation, but there is little or no direct accurate to generalize about transplanting ease and evidence of this. Because it is considered a minor growth rate in oaks, as the species vary widely. White timber species, shingle oak has received little attention and burr oaks may have earned their reputations for in forestry research, nor has it been the subject of hor­ slow growth, but red and pin oaks are relativefy fast­ ticultural investigation. growing trees. The same is true for ease of transplant­ From its distribution in southern Wisconsin, it is ing. Scarlet oak (Q . coccinea) admittedly is relatively evident that local material there must be hardy to difficult (although used in spite of this), but many other USDA Hardiness Zone 5b (the warmer half of Arnold oaks are no more difficult than most other shade trees. Arboretum Zone 4) . It is questionable whether trees Shingle oak usually will keep up with pin oak in transplanted from native sources farther south would growth, and sometimes exceed it. It may be slightly survive at the northern edge of the range. more difficult to transplant, but offers no serious chal­ Unlike most northern oaks, shingle oak has entire lenge to the competent professional landscaper. The leaves, very different from the idealized " oakleaf" author (no expert at transplanting) moved a 6-foot wild shape. Nevertheless it belongs to the red and black oak sapling successfully 5 years ago, and it now stands 16 group, along with northern red(Q. rubra), southern red feet tall and 12 feet wide. or Shumard (Q. shumardii) , black (Q . velutin a), pin (Q. It is common experience to become enthusiastic over palustris ), scarlet (Q . co ccinea) , black jack (Q. marilan­ a new or different tree or shrub, and then grow frus­ di ca) , water (Q. nigra), willow (Q. phellos) , laurel­ trated trying to locate it in the nursery trade. Shingle leaved (Q . laurifolia) oak, and others. It can be iden­ oak is not available in every nursery, but several tified as a member of this group by a small bristle at the wholesale and retail nurseries in the East and Midwest leaf tip. In spite of its distinctive appearance, shingle do offer it for sale. The landscaper who is willing to do a oak hybridizes with several other members of the redl little investigating should be able to find this tree with­ black oak group, providing some confusion for ama­ out great difficulty. Once found and planted, this tree teur botanists. will function as an excellent shade tree, and will The tree' s landscape interest begins with the provide both sight and sound appeal for many years to 32 emergence of catkins and young leaves, giving the tree come. Continued from page 14 junction with legislation, and apart from it, has been provided about native wild plants; about the possible The Flowering of Spring dangers to them by picking, by destruction of their habitat, and about the pleasures-the plants' discovery It seems that their numbers and varieties are unend­ in the forest, or bog, or on some sheer limestone cliff. ing, that they will go on forever, with man or without There is an effort to inform, for legislation is helpful, him, even in spite of him. It seems that they will always and sometimes necessary, but it is not the solution to carpet the forest floor, and dominate the fence rows, the problem; it will not save the earth, the plant life, the and push through faults in the pavement. It seems, be­ anirnallife. cause they are so natural, so inherent to the earth, that The preservation of the earth is left to man, not to they will never cease to be. But, for flowers, there is an man as a billion indistinguishable forms united into end, a point of extinction, just as there is for every liv­ one wreathing mass, but to each individual man, to ing thing. And for some species, that end is near. For that consciousness. Only he can assure the survival of many others, it is threatened. the earth; for in the mass there is knowledge, a wealth It is not often because of malice that plants become of learning, but there is no sensitivity. And only with extinct, but because of ignorance, because of that reck­ that response to the living, that understanding, that in­ less shove of progress, that unthinking, many times telligence, can the forces of nature be held on course to uncaring, advance; it is that gaining of ground, ground prevent the mindless plunge backward to an earth lost then in the winning. And sometimes it is because caught in the web of winter, an earth of concrete mazes, of appeal, the attraction of the plant; because of its barren of all life except perhaps man, barren then even beauty, or novelty, or scarcity it is picked and up­ of humanity. rooted, often with noble intentions, until it is no more. The masses will continue to inform, telling of the As the danger grows, to plants, and so to man him­ threat to the endangered species; and to legislate, for­ self, concern grows, or perhaps it is not the caring that bidding their sale, their destruction, promising has increased, but the clamor, the resonance of that punishment. But only the individual can come down concern. And the concern has taken many forms to pro­ from the bulldozer, and the dollar, and the passion to tect and instruct. possess. Only man can free the sacrifice. Only man can In recent years, a mass of information made in con- save spring.

Our wild violet rootstocks will ar rive at your home NEWROOTSTOCK ENGLAN D • ild w ith full plancing and cultivating instructi ons. We ASSO C IATION NatIve W guarantee the piam s shi pped are true to name and leave o ur nursery in good condition. However, si nce we ca nnot con trol weather conditions or customer's ca re of stock, the purchaser must assume all risks after stock leaves o ur nursery . Please note that quantity and combination orders are VIOLETS offered at significant discount. The m a iden a ppearan ce o f w ild viole ts ~~~----~---, ------,------, ------,------,----, I a waken s u s a ll to the hope o f a n e w season. NEW ENG LAND ROOTSTOCK ASSOCIATION Furle d buds rise fro m sp r ing-planted rootstock s C hristian Hill , and fl o w e r through the en suing m onths. G reat Barrington, Massachuse t ts 01230 Please send me Ihe follow ing: SWEET WIllTE CANADIAN Q uan ti ty (Only a"a;labl, in mM'iples of 5) VIOLET Vio la blanda VIOLET Vio la canadellSis PRICES Minimum order $5.00 _ __ Sweet White Violet $ ___ The white bl ossom's lowest In cool shady spots from 5 of one va rie ty S 5.00 ___ Canadian Violet petal bea rs a trace ry of May to Jul y, this leafy plant 10 of one va riety 9.00 purple hai r-lines. Its del i­ bea rs long-ste mmed whi tish ___ Blue Marsh Viole t 25 of one va riety 20.00 ___ Birdsfoot Viole t cately-perfumed fl owers on fl owers with a brilliant 50 of one va ri e ty 33.00 ___ Downy Ye llow Violet their long stems enj oy shade golden eye and lavende r­ 5 of each va riety or sunlight. fl ushed upper petals. (30 rootstocks), 27.00 ___ Long- Spurred Violet 10 of each va rie ty Check desired variety: BLUE MARSH BIRDSFOOT (60 rootstocks), 50.00 o 5 of each variety (JOroofS locks) VIOLET Viola ,"cullala VIOLET Viola pedala 25 o f each variety (150 rootstocks) 11 5.00 o 10 of each vari ety (60 roolslocks) Dark blue fl owers with Glossy leaves like frail birds' 50 of each va riety o 25 of each varie ty (150 roolslocks) dee per-colored throats are feet grow on se parate stems. (300 rootstocks) 175 .00 50 of each varie ty (Joo roolslocks) born e on slender stems above The petals may all be lavender o the curl ed leaves. In bloom or {he two uppe r ones a sur­ SHIPPING Total rootstock order $ ___ from April until June, they prisi ng ri ch lavender-blue. We take g rea t ca re in pack­ Mass. residents add 5% sales tax ___ ing, checking and expediting need a moist ha bita t. Flowers March to June. I Add 15% for postage and handling ___ all o rders. Therefore. we I must charge 15% of the tota l I T otal remittance $ ___ DOWNY YELLOW LONG-SPURRED plant order to cover postage I VIOLET Viola pubeseens VIOLET Viola rost rala and hand ling. I Name I The ye llow fl ower whose Many stems of slender­ HOW TO ORDER Fill oU[ the o rder form. en­ : Address three lower petals are pur­ spurred reddi sh-blue fl owers I ple-veined. grows on a becoming a deep purple at close payment . and we will I I City/State/Zip softl y-hai red stem, springing the center, rise above broad ship your o rder pa rcel post so that it w ill arrive at the : Ma ke checks paya bl e to »1 from amongst hea rt-shaped hea rt-shaped leaves. The proper pl anting ti me for 1I______New Eng___land______Rootstock ASSOCIatio______n No COOs ~ :.1 I leaves. Blooms May to June. pl ant enj oys moist shade. your area. 33 White isfora Wood- land Spring

Martha Prin ce 9 Winding Way Lo cust Valley NY 11 560

April enters as a magic month. The trees are leafless still, although the snow has gone. A casual walker in our Eastern woods, not looking down, would call them brown, or dull, or grey. Nature is hesitant to call attention to her first shy offering of woodland flowers, and most are tiny, white and secretive. You must search for them in hidden places. If there is a white pine grove, or the edge of an old road cut (a pred­ ilection, for some strange reason) the trailing arbutus (Epiga ea rep ens) will have its flowers tucked under oak leaves. There may not be an oak tree overhead, but I have yet to find arbutus blossoms without first pushing away an oakleaf blanket. The low, oval arbutus leaves are tough, evergreen and leathery, but the five-petaled blossoms are deli­ cate and sweet. To catch the elusive fragrance, you must put your nose almost on the ground. Some arbutus is tinged with pink, blushing for having arrived too soon for spring. Emily Dickinson wrote: " Pi nk, small and punctual Aromatic, lo w" as the first lines for a poem she sent 34 to someone with a sprig of arbutus. I Bloodroot, (Sanguinaria cal1a de ns': s)

think she used poetic license, at Eastern woodlands. The basal leaves Twin-leaf (Jeffersonia diphylla­ least a little bit. "Pink" and " punc­ are glossy, tough and evergreen. It named for Thomas Jefferson, of tual" sound special together, and blooms with the bloodroot and the course) is a not-of ten-seen little " white" would not fit. arbutus, a trio of Nature's loveliest. woodland herb. There are eight pet­ Arbutus can be somewhat dif­ I have found rue anemone als and strange two-parted leaves. ficult in a home woodland; it hates (Anemonella thalictroides) in bloom Another name for it is rheumatism to be transplanted, and usually dies at the same time, but the bloom­ root! in frustration. Cuttings can be suc­ time of this dainty plant lasts for By the end of April there is some cessful, but seed takes three years, at weeks and weeks. It is at its most color on the forest floor. However, least, to flower. floriferous nearer the middle of the instead of the mahogany-colored Blooming with the arbutus is month. The clustered flowers (six or wake robin (Trillium erectum), the bloodroot (Sanguinaria canadensis). seven petals and too many stamens white woodland has the white ver­ Although the open flowers are glis­ for me to count) grow on such sion of the same species. It also has teningly white and pretty, the spe­ fragile-looking stems it is hard to be­ Trillium grandiflorum, which be­ cial time for bloodroot is when each lieve what a tough little plant this is. comes pinkish with age. As with all lobed leaf still curls around its own The leaves are thrice-compound, trilliums, Nature's arithmetic is white bud, protectingly. The under­ and resemble those of meadow rue. carefully in threes. There is another, side of a leaf is a greyed green, and The " Anemonella" is because it is smaller white trillium, the snow tril­ the veins stand out in a fascinatingly not too far removed in looks from li um (Trillium nivale) but it would intricate pattern. Once open, blood­ the true anemone. As a matter of not like the same acid soil. If you root is not so unique. There is a fact, Anemone quinqu efol ia, the want it in your wild garden you handsome double-flowered form , white windflower (single flowers on would have to use lime in some spe­ but it is found in special nurseries, a stem, rather than clusters) may be cial area, for it to thrive. found in the same woodland. and you will never find it in the The common ladyslipper (Cyp­ wild. Spring beauty (Claytonia v ir­ ripedium acaule) is usually "pink" (a Shortia (Shortia galacifolia ) is a ginica) joins the rue anemone when peculiar one), but C. acaule can also treasure with a story behind it; it it is in full bloom. Nature sparingly be found in white. It is more rare, was discovered only to be " lost" for uses a touch of pink here, too, as and more northern than southern, almost a hundred years. Andre veining on the five white petals. The too. The other little white ladyslip­ Michaux, on one of his discovery leaves are long and narrow, and the per, C. candidum , is also averse to the tours, found the plant-in leaf only. whole plant disappears for the year acidity of the soil. His pressed herbarium specimen once the seeds are set. For our own was noticed in Paris long years later "woods" we dug clumps at a road­ The White Woodland I speak of by the great botanist, Asa Gray. side spot where cars parked on can be almost anywhere; it is most Michaux had written the cryptic no­ them . We parked on them our­ naturally a mixed hardwood (oak, tation on the specimen, "From the selves! The flowers must have ap­ especially) forest, with some white high mountains of Carolina" , and preciated the rescue, for they come pine. The arbutus and ladyslippers the search for it centered on the up faithfully year after year. want the pine-the spring beauty mountain tops. Michaux meant White violets bring a fragrance to wants more light. The acid soil is "among", not " on". Professor Sar­ the mid-April woods. There are two rich in humus and rather moist. It is glmt finally found it in the late you may find : Viola blanda, the an Eastern woodland, near the nineteenth century, by a stream in sweet white violet, has a touch of mountains, at least in its southern the northwest corner of South purple on the petal veins, but Viola range. The blooming times given Carolina. If the previous searchers pallens is pure white (and perfumed, here are for New York; for Georgia had only read Michaux's diary, the too). make the dates about a month ear­ place is pinpointed! It grows wild in Foamflower (Tiarella cordifolia) is lier. I know this forest well. I a tiny adjoining part of Georgia, too, an end-of-April flower. Fluffy searched the woods for arbutus and and in parts of North Carolina. (Un­ pyramids of small white blossoms spring beauties as a child in Geor­ happily, a power company lake is fil­ stand erect above vaguely maple­ gia; now I am a New Yorker, and ling a large portion of the original like leaves. It is a member of the these photographs were taken in our South Carolina habitat.) Saxifrage family, and one of the Long Island garden. Sh'ortia's romantic history is not other members resembles it some­ When April ends in the wood­ the reason to cherish it. A tiny plant, what-bishop'S cap (Mitella diphyl­ land, the leaves are a fresh green on with five dainty scalloped petals, la) . Both can be used beautifully as a the trees, and the special subtlety of showy yellow anthers, pink bracts groundcover in your woodland gar­ all-white is over. Nature exchanges and a pink stem, it is one of the most den, just as Nature uses th@m in her most delicate art for a brighter delightful small things native to hers. palette of color. 35 NewVegetlbles and Flowers for 1977 By Tom Stevenson

Some very fine new varieties of licious pies, plus hull-less seeds in containers, is resistant to heat, vegetables and flowers (1977 intro­ with a rich nutty flavor raw, roasted drought and powdery mildew; ductions) are available for this year's or fried lightly in a little oil. ' Bush Whopper' cucumbers are gardens. Burpee's flowers include 'Prim­ dwarf, mound-shaped plants with no runners, cukes 6 to 8 inches long, There are four All-America vege­ rose Lady' Hybrid marigold, an All-America winner; 'Deep Orange deliciously crisp, profusely bearing tables and four flowers: 'Savoy Ace' and suitable for most climates. Hybrid cabbage (gold medal), Lady' Hybrid marigold, with 'Ruffles' Hybrid begonia, a dou­ 'Melody Hybrid' spinach (silver carnation-type blooms on bushy ble semperflorens (wax) with in­ medal), 'Scallopini' Hybrid squash plants 20 inches tall, 'Pretty Joy' dividual flowers two inches across, (bronze medal), ' Spirit' Hybrid marigold, a mixture of colors, clear on bushy 12 inch size plants, avail­ pumpkin (bronze medal), 'Show­ light yellow, rich mahogany red and able in three colors, pink, white and girl' Hybrid geranium (bronze golden yellow, on bushy plants 7 deep red; ' Mini-Sins' sinningia medal), 'Primrose Lady' Hybrid inches high; 'Red Pygmy' marigold (gloxinia), 4-inch plants with flower marigold (bronze medal), 'Yellow with fully double flowers on busy colors including deep lavender, Galore' Hybrid marigold (bronze plants 7 inches tall; 'Color Carpet' purple with white throat spotted medal) and 'Blushing Maid' Hybrid alyssum, a mixture of fragrant darker purple, fuchsia, peach, and petunia (bronze medal). flower colors, white deep rose and lavender-pink, which make a very The All-America Selections were deep purplish shades; 'Liberty Bell' eye-catching display; 'Tie Dyed' described in the January News & Hybrid snapdragon, semi-dwarf, coleus, plants grow to 3 feet, become Views . It is a good idea to get your about 17 inches tall, with round bushy when pinched, at first purple seed early. Some retail stores may bell-like florets in bright clear colors is predominant color, with later have some of them, and seed including pure white and solid yel­ leaves being decidedly green, each catalogs will list all or most winners. low. leaf has a creamy white midrib area In addition to the All-Americas The Burpee catalog will be mailed and a narrow purple edging, with there are other outstanding intro~ free . Send your request to the lovely red stems providing contrast. ductions. branch office nearest you: Warmins­ For a free copy of the catalog write ter, Pa. 18974; Clinton, Iowa 52732; Burpee is introducing two new George W . Park Seed Co., P.O . Box vegetables and six new flowers . Riverside, Calif. 92502. 31, Greenwood, S.c. 29647. 'Sugar Bush' watermelon produces Park's is introducing two new Harris Seeds are introducing in­ luscious melons on compact vines in vegetables and three new flowers. teresting selections of new de­ just 6 square feet of space. 'Triple 'Short 'N Sweet' cantaloupe bears velopments including two vegeta­ Treat' pumpkin is the perfect shape many sugary flavor fruits per vine, bles and two flowers. and color for Halloween jack o'lan- has bushy growth with no long 'Early Dawn' muskmelon is extra 36 terns, has thick meat for making de- vines to take up space, can be grown early and a big producer of fine, larger melons. The flesh is thick, usually are more flower All-America firm and juicy with a rich orange award winne rs than vegetables. color, the plants are resistant to All -America Selections, started 40 fusarium wilt, and have good toler­ years ago, has proved particularly ance to powdery mildew. 'Pacer' valuable to vegetable breeders be­ Hybrid cucumber is a heavy yielder, cause traditionally it takes a long the cucumbers are delicious to eat, time for a n ew vegetable to gain ac­ 3 and the plants have good resistance ceptance. There was a time when ways to scab and mosaic. most new flowers and vegetables to buy 'Blue Jay' H ybrid ageratum, extra were introduced by plant explorers dwarf 4-inch plants are covered with searching remote areas of the world greenhouses: tight clusters of powder blue florets for new varieties. from the beginning to the end of the The vast majority of n ew flower One. You ca n buy a window size greenhouse to fi t almost any season; compact small plants are not and vegetable varieties today, how­ wi ndow, even an apartment wi n­ affected b y summer heat. ever, are produced by a sm all group dow, priced from $200, and 'Springtime' Hybrid pansies, a mix­ of professional e s tabli shments get started modestly. Two. You ca n buy a full size greenhouse ture of colors including azure blue, headed by a few dedicated breeders you install yourself, pri ced primrose y ellow, bright yellow, w ho spend their time conducting from $644, and save on installa­ orange, porcelain blue, red with thousands of experimental crosses, tion cost. Three. You ca n buy one of our larger greenhouses, blotch, y ellow with blotch and and waiting patiently fo r years to and have it permane ntly in­ white, start blooms at beginning of see their objectives materialize. stalled by a qualified pro­ season and continue after the Among famous varieties still fessional. weather gets warm. popular as All-America winners are These are the 3 ways to buy greenhouses and they're all ex­ For a free copy of the Harris 'Salad Bowl' lettuce, 'Bell Boy' pep­ plained fu ll y in ou r new catalog. catalog write Joseph Harris Co., per, ' Eme rald Cross' cabbage, In it you 'll fi nd 173 greenhouses, Moreton Farm, Rochester, N .Y. ' Cherry Belle' radish , 'America' one of which is just right for you . You 'll also find page after page 14624. spinach, 'Spring Giant' tomato, of greenhouse facts you'll want Stokes Seeds is introducing nine ' N ew Hamps hire Mi dget' w a­ to know before you decide to new vegetables it developed itself termelon, 'Tokyo Cross' turnip, buy. Our catalog will tell you all about us, too, and our nation­ and 10 new flowers . The outstand­ 'Ruby Queen' beet, and 'Jade Cross' wide service. You'lI discover we ing vegetable is 'Golden Sweet' EH Brussels sprouts. have a man near you who wil l (everlasting heritage) sweet corn. Judges are the horticultural lead­ help you se lect the site, the greenhouse and accessori es The standard super sweet or extra ers of America. Entries are grown best for you. He cares. So find sweet varieties require isolation under a code number designated by out al l about it. Send for our from all other corn varieties to keep the executive director, so the judges new catalog, today. cross pollination from causing it to have no knowledge of who submit­ revert to tasteless field corn. This ted the entry. new corn does not require pollina­ There are three All-America roses tion, and all of the kernels are super for 1977, 'First Edition', a floribunda ~~ sweet. It has excellent keeping qual­ LORD &BURNHAM with luminous coral flowers borne Divis ion Burnham Corporation ities as the sugar is changed to starch in masses throughout the growing the greenhouse people at an extremely slow rate. Unrefrig­ season; 'Double Delight', a hybrid IRVINGTON, N.Y.10533 Dept. 8 erated corn cooked five days after tea, described as one of the most picking still has virtually the same outstanding produced in many Gentlemen: sweet flavor as freshly picked corn. years; and ' Prominent', a Pl ease send your FREE catalog to: The corn can be picked over a longer grandiflora, brilliant orange flowers period of time due to a slower rate of shaded yellow at the base of the pet­ N ame ------maturity during the edible period als. The blooms often last 10 days A ddress ------and the kernels have extremely thin, when cut. tender skins. The All-America roses are listed City ______All of the new flowers and vegeta­ in the catalogs of these rose growers S tate ______Zip ----- bles are described in the Stokes and will be sent free upon request: Seeds catalog which will be sent free Armstrong Nurseries, P.O . Box 473, upon request. The address is 7156 Ontario, Calif. 91761; Jackson & Stokes Bldg., Buffalo, N.Y. 14240. Perkins, Medford, Ore. 97501, and It's more difficult to breed a new Star Roses, The Conard-Pyle Co., vegetable and for this reason there West Grove, Pa. 19390. 37 Gardeners' Questions &Answers

By Tom Stevenson Q: What is a starter solution? seed, choose a variety like 'Mary A: The best time to plant and My neighbor told me he gets ripe Washington' that is resistant to a transplant iris is during June and fruit much sooner by using a disease called asparagus rust. July, soon after the flowering starter solution when he plants his Sow the seeds in early spring in period is over. However, it can be tomatoes outdoors. I didn' t ask the sandiest soil you have. When done successfully almost any time him, didn' t want him to know I seedlings are 2 to 3 inches high, of the year. didn't know. remove the weakest plants, allow­ Iris prefers full sun but will grow A: A starter solution is a mix­ ing the sturdiest to stand about 3 and bloom well if it gets sunlight ture of fertilizer and water applied inches apart. The following spring, only half a day. It will do well in when the tomato plant is being after preparing a permanent bed, light shade all day long. There is no planted outdoors. Only completely dig the I-year old plants, discard research available on just how soluble fertilizers should be used thin, weak ones, and plant those much shade iris can take and still and the fertilizer should contain remaining. bloom. four times as much phosphorus as Since an asparagus bed should Slightly acid, neutral, or slightly nitrogen. Dig the hole for the produce well for at least 15 years it alkaline soils are all right for iris. plant, put the plant in the hole and is worth while to prepare it thor­ To prepare the soil for an iris bed, then apply one-half to one pint of oughly. If you can get barnyard mix in plenty of organic matter the starter solution. manure, the asparagus bed is tne such as well-rotted manure or The importance of soluble phos­ place to use it. compost. Add superphosphate phorus near the roots of the newly Most large seed stores should and mix with the top eight inches transplanted tomato plant cannot have asparagus seed. They are of soil. be over-emphasized. Phosphorus listed in most of the seed catalogs. Q: I was given an arrangement hastens early growth and increases Q: I have been trying to locate of anthuriums for Christmas. It is a the number of blossoms that set reference material on growing beautiful, beautiful flower. I know fruit. Phosphorus also tends to plants from seeds, especially these are tropical plants. Can they hasten maturity. The fertilizer hardwood and evergreen trees. Do be grown in the home with any should be chosen for its phor­ you know of any book or pamphlet success? phorus content because phos­ that deals with this? A: The anthurium (flamingo phorus is the element most benefi­ A: Seeds of Woody Plants In The flower) comes from tropical areas cial at this point. United States, a publication of the of South America. The average A starter solution can be made Forest Service of USDA, 880 pages rainfall in Colombia, where most by dissolving completely six tab­ with illustrations, covers seed kinds originate, is 390 inches per lespoonfuls of ammonium phos­ biology, principles and general year. phate in one gallon of water. If a methods of producing and han­ The plant requires so saturated liquid starter solution is pur­ dling seeds, seed processing an atmosphere that it is almost im­ chased, directions on the label methods, and seed data on 187 possible to grow it successfully in should be followed. Research has genera of woody plants, including the home. It requires very good shown that use of a starter solution flowering and fruiting dates. It can drainage, warm temperatures (80 can increase the yield as much as 40 be ordered from Superintendent of to 85) and light shade. The flowers per cent. Documents, U.S . Government usually last a long time. Q: Is it possible to start as­ Printing Office, Washington, D.C. Q: Approximately one year ago paragus from seed? I'd like to try it. 20402 for $13.60. we purchased a zebra plant. It was A: The best asparagus plants Q: My bed of iris has been about one and one half feet high often are the ones grown from beautiful over the years but my oak and had four stalks. At the end of seed. The disadvantage is that it trees have been getting bigger and summer all leaves fell off. Four bald takes longer to get a crop, three bigger and now there is too much stalks standing there. New leaves years instead of the two when roots shade during the summer. I want began to appear. Then again all are purchased and planted. to plant all of the iris in a new bed. leaves came off. I can find nothing 38 To grow your own plants from When is the best time? on the care of these plants any- where. How do we care for a zebra summers. The treatment for these To be able to count on pollina­ plant? At the place where I bought scales is a dormant spray of Scale­ tion for the female, a male plant it they look beautiful but all I have cide just before the plant breaks should be in the immediate vicin­ at home is four bald sticks that do dormancy. ity. One male plant usually can not seem to want to die. It may be you have given the provide pollen for about six female A: The zebra plant, Aphelandra plant too much lime. Too much is plants. squarrosa Dania , is from tropical as bad as not enough. A soil test The pollen from the male Brazil. It is a beautiful plant. It is will help with this. Japanese yew (Taxus cuspidata) will too bad you did not go to a public It may be the plant is not getting also serve for pollination of the library and ask for a book or two on enough sunlight. Lilac needs full female European yew. All varieties how to care for house plants. sun to do best. When weakened by of both the Japanese and European The zebra plant requires poor light or other conditions, the can be effective, provided they warmth. Best temperatures are 70° plants are far more susceptible to bloom. to 75° at night and 80° to 85° during attack by scale. Q: Every year my Irish pota­ the day. It will start to hurt if the Q: I have a yew, Ta xus ba ccata , toes go to vine, no potatoes. How tem perature drops to 55°. At 50° the 16 feet tall upright, which had do I get them to bear? leaves will drop. about 40 fleshy fruits year before A: Too much nitrogen fertilizer last and several hundred last year. I could cause good vine growth but It needs humidity of 30% or don't know where the male pollen no potatoes. Too much shade more. It needs filtered sunlight. It is coming from . How great a dis­ would result in no potatoes. Pota­ needs soil rich in humus. It needs tance will the male pollinate? If I toes won't produce well in heavy lots of :.vater when it is growing plant a male to insure permanent day soil, but then the vines would and blooming. Water when the soil sources of pollen, will any or all of do poorly also. starts to feel dry, pour it on until the varieties of Taxus baccata effec­ water comes out at the bottom of tively pollinate my obvious the pot, wait 20 minutes for excess female? water to drain and empty the A: There are many varieties or saucer. Do not let the pot stand in cultivars of the English yew, Taxus water for long. baccata. Some are low-growing, The plant should be forced to wide-spreading shrubs, others are rest after it finishes blooming. Do trees up to 50 feet tall. They are this by giving it only about half as dioecious, that is, the sexes are much water for about six weeks. separate, plants are either female Fertilize lightly once a month dur­ and bear flowers and fruit, or male ing late spring and summer. and bear flowers which provide Q: What can I do to bring a pollen for the female. Vegetable Factory® dying lilac tree back? It has put out However, there is record of just enough blossoms so that I female plants sometimes bearing a SOLAR PANEL know it is a fine double white, but few male (staminate) flowers, and it gets smaller each year. I have of male plants sometimes having a GREENHOUSE tried digging in lime but that was few female (pistillate) flowers. not the answer. It gets a fair It should be noted that the fruit USES 60% amount of sunlight. of the yew is edible but that the A: The lilac is very subject to at­ seed within the fruit is considered LESS HEAT. This prac tical thermal wall greenhouse tack by oyster shell scale and by to be poisonous. solves the ene rgy cost problem. Patented rigid double·wall constructi on. tes ted in San Jose scale, either of which can In his book "Poisonous Plants of Vermont. Cost about V3 as mu ch to heat do serious damage to the plant the United States" (Collier Books as ordinary green houses. More th an pays fo r itsel f in hea t savi ngs alone .. Exc lu sive. over the years. These insects might -$3.95), Walter Conrad Muen­ fac tory d ire ct only. All models and si zes . not be noticed unless you were scher says the weed, bark, leaves 5 ye ar warranty. Free Color Brochure. Ca ll or Write for Information looking for them on the bark with a and seeds of English and Japanese magnifying glass. High popula­ yews are poisonous (alkaloid, ~ __---",- ..... P.O. Box 2235 Dept. AHA tions of these insects devitalize the taxine, a heart depressant), while Grand Central Statio n plant by sucking large quantities of the red pulp of the berries seems to New York. N.Y. 10017 sap. This is especially severe in dry be harmless. (2 12) 686-0173 39 Books S2-w.eeJrthe Reviews by Tom Stevenson BRITISH BOTANICAL AND an anonymous treatise on grafting and vacation. HORTICULTURAL LITERATURE planting, was published about 1520, Tak e lime off from the buSY world eac h day o f the year In t h e relaxing natural atmos­ BEFORE 1800 The two best known British herbals of p h e r e o f an E verllte - H ome G reenhouse Over 90 prefabricated easy-Ie-assemble by the 16th century were by William models Full line o f accessories a v ailable Blan che Henrey, Turner (1551) and by John Gerard Make every week a vacati o n with an (1597), Of the nineteen or so botanical E verlile t Oxford University Press, London , New York,1975, or horticultural books published in 3 volumes in slip case, 27,5 x 18,8 cm, England between 1500 and 1600, about 1,180 pages, eleven are concerned with horticul­ 208 text figures, 30 plates in c%r, £70 ture, (British) The number of published books on In a major 3-volume work, Miss botany and horticulture rose percepti­ Blanche Henrey of London, England, bly between 1600 and 1700 to nearly brings to her readers the first com­ 100, In the 17th century botany was prehensive survey of its kind of British firmly established as a study apart books and pamphlets on botany and from medical botany of the herbalists, horticulture published from the 16th to with Robert Morison, John Ray, and 18th centuries, The magnitude of the Leonard Plukenet, the leading expo­ work can be appreciated at once from nents. John Evelyn established ar­ the vast amount of detailed and highly boriculture and silviculture in En­ organized information on herbals, ar­ gland, Nehemiah Grew authored a fa­ boriculture, silviculture, gardening, mous treatise on plant anatomy, and floras, plant physiology and anatomy, John Parkinson wrote an equally fa­ botanical gardens, private gardens, mous florilegium on English garden /1 gardening operations, garden design, flowers, ThomasJohnson's second edi­ ' -'} ~ planting, women authors, botanical tion of Gerard's herbal (1633) is the ------' ?~ drawing books, and economic plants, be,st known of all English herbals (now I ~../t ,".?~... A considerable body of information is available in reprint from the Dover I " ~ ' included on flower painters, artists, Press), I QUESTERS ~\ garden deSigners, book publishers, Botanical and horticultural books and on nurserymen, seedsmen, published in the 18th century num­ WORLD OF ;1' florists, and their publications, The de­ bered a bout 600, more than six times as NATURE TOURS tailed biographical information con­ many as in the 17th century, This was cerning the lives of the men, both great an exciting era in the history of British " Nature tour" has a definite meaning when and small, and the facts about the botany and horticulture, Reasons for you travel with Questers, the only profes' sional travel company specializi ng exclu­ books they wrote make fascinating this are fairly clear. The modern basis sively in nature tours, reading, A half dozen women writers for scientific plant naming, established Our approach is to provide you with the of the 18th century are also included, by Linnaeus, inspired the writing of t.roadest possible opportunity of experienc­ floras, both domestic and foreign, and ing for yourself the natural history and cul­ This prodigious work is the result of ture of each area we ex plore, With the lead­ thirty years of diligent research, numerous other books on botany in ership of an accompanying naturalist, we The bibliography of pre-nineteenth the 18th century in England and Scot­ search out the plants and animals, birds and century British botanical and horticul­ land, Finely illustrated books with fl owers , " rain forests, mo untains, and tundra , ,seashore, lakes, and swamps, We tural literature achieves completeness hand-colored plates became the fash­ also' study the architecture, archaeology, beyond that of any previous bibliog­ ion, Writers abroad sought publishers muse um collections, temples, and customs rapher. Overall, 425 authors and 1,528 in England, such as Walter's 'Flora of the people, entries are listed, The author consulted Caroliniana', published in London, in The current Directory of Worldwide Na­ ture Tours describes 33 tours, varying in 71 libraries in locating every book 1788 , The most profound influence on length from 4 to 36 days, to vi rtuall y every entry in the bibliography and most botanical and horticultural literature in part of the world, Included are Mex ico, copies were personally consulted by the 18th century was the great influx of G uatemala, Ha waii, Alaska, Indo nesia, In­ her. new plants brought to Britain by the dia, Eas t Africa, Iceland, and Australasia. Tour parties a re small, the pace leisurely, The 208 black and white illustrations thousands, as a result of foreign explo­ and itineraries unusual. of title-pages, portraits, figures of rations, and from plants sent to En­ Call or write Questers or see your Travel plants, head pieces, tail pieces, and gland from various parts of the world, Agent today for your free copy o f the Direc­ printers' ornaments are elegant, The 30 The Bartrams, for example, sent North tory of Worldwide Nature Tours, full page color plates represent some of American plants to Britain, both living Questers Tours the finest examples of 18th century and dried, from 1735 onwards, From ANDTRAVEL,INC. British books on botany and horticul­ 1730 to 1768, Philip Miller, of the Dept. AH-477, 257 Park Avenue South ture, Chelsea Physic Garden, was busy wri t­ 40 New York, N,Y, 10010. (212) 673-3120 The earliest British book on plants, ing edition after edition of his famous 'Gardeners Dictionary' which became creation. the standard British horticultural ref­ June Carver Roberts writes in her erence book of the 18th century, preface that she wanted to " do a book known also in this country by George that would describe in picture and Washington and Thomas Jefferson, word the wonder of these wildflowers who owned personal copies. . . . and serve as a plea for their protec­ Books by the Oxford Press usually tion .. .. I hope that . . . an interest symbolize quality. These volumes are may develop to preserve these and all no exception. Lovers of fine books our diminishing native wildflowers." should not miss an opportunity to pos­ Dr. William G. Gambill, Jr., Director sess a copy of this scholarly and superb of the Denver Botanic Garden, in his publication. foreword, compliments Mrs. Roberts Frederick G . Meyer on " reinforcing in words the images wrought by pen and brush" in bring­ ing to conclusion a project initiated HERB GARDENING IN FIVE when Mrs. Roberts was a student of his SEASONS in Ohio. by J. Steffey Adelma Gre nier Simmons Fe bruary 2, 1977 Ha w thorn Books N ew York-1976 353 pages, lllustrated, $5. 95 THE DAVID HICKS BOOK OF This book is a paperback reprint. It FLOWER ARRANGING offers advice on every aspect of herb as told to culture and lore including outdoor Ma ureen Gregson Give a friend gardens, potted herbs indoors, plan­ V an Nostra nd Reinhold Co. ning, planting, harvesting and drying, N ew Yo rk, N. y'-1976 a gift m embership more than 80 recipes, ideas for holiday 88 pages, wonderfully illustrated, $9.95 in the celebrations, pot-pourris, pomanders, David Hicks is known internation­ wreaths and sachets for gift giving, ally for his particular style of decora­ American Horticultural plus six garden plans, a 100-page tion and design. In 1960 he married Society. dictionary of herbs and 77 drawings of Lady Pamela M o untbatten , the herbs for identification. younger da ugh ter of the Earl and The study of herbs touches all as­ Countess Mountbatten of Burma. They pects of our lives, the author says, at all have three children and live in London ages, under all conditions. What was a and O xfordshire. He lectures and rigorous physical experience in you th demonstrates throughout the world. and middle age may become an ab­ " Flowers give me more pleasure sorbing study for the armchair gar­ than almost anything else in life," he dener who, halted in activities by age says. " The colour and smell of them de­ or physical handicap, can still enjoy a lights me. I love looking at them, grow­ fascinating world of legend and his­ ing-them, cu tting and arranging them tory. Without moving far from a sunny and, in this book, I hope to share my window-sill garden or a cozy seat by personal approach to flower arranging. the fire, you may plant a herb garden " My way with flowers has nothing that knows no size, but may be as large to do with all the traditional rules and or as small as your imagination regulations which have grown up reaches. round the simple idea of bringing fresh "GROW TALL" in Janco's flowers and foliage into the house. " These restrictions governing the new Camellia glass-to­ BORN IN THE SPRING shapes, sizes, colours and ingredients ground greenhouses. A Collection of Spring Wildflowers of arrangements developed in more Extra height, extra light make the>e new by formal times than ours. lean-to and free-standing Camellias ideal June Carver Roberts " To my mind, they have little place for topiary trees, large ornamentals, hang­ Ohio University Press , 1976 in today's busier but more casual way ing baskets. Like all Jancos, they are all­ 159 pages with glossary, bibliography, of life. aluminum for minimum maintenance. fit and list of Genera by families , Price " They have also turned an inno­ any site, every budget. unknown cently pleasurable pastime into a cult Jan co is the only mdnufacturer with a This collection of drawings and and cults raise barriers. They make nation-wide network of agents who are water color paintings done from living people self-conscious and destroy their working horticulturists, ea ch with his own plants will introduce new readers to instinctive enthusiasm. working Jan co . They 're ready with prac­ tical advice on all aspects of erecting your the delights of spring blooming wild "This book wilr show that anyone Jan co . flowers. Arranged in order of their can go out and pick or buy flowers and Write for FREE 48-pg. blooming in Southeastern Ohio, most have satisfaction of displaying them at full-color catalog today! of the plants will be immediately famil­ home with taste and style-but with­ Janco Greenhouses iar to residents of northeastern and out difficulty. Box 348; Dept. AHA north central states. In its meticulous "I want people to relax and take a 10788 Tucker St. detail and botanical accuracy of text, it new look at flower arranging and dis­ Beltsville, Md. 20-705 is a learning tool as well as an artistic cover that it can be both easy and fun. " (301) 937-3300 41 FERN GROWERS MANUAL A comprehen sive guide for every gar­ dener to every aspect of fern cultivation-indoors and outdoors Gardeners Marketplace by Barbara Joe Hoshizaki Alfred A. Knopf, Inc . African Violets Ferns New York , N. Y.-1975 270 pages, well illustra ted, $15.00 America's Finest-100 Be st Violets and LEARN ABOUT FERNS-join the Los Angeles The author is professor of botany at Gesneriads-Write for Color Catalogue 15¢­ International Fern Society for only $4 .50 L os Angeles City College, curator of Il lustrated Growing Aids Catalogue 25¢­ yearly. Receive 24 page educational Bulletin pteridophy t a at the University of FI SC HER GREENHOUSES. Dept. AH . Lin­ and two-page Lesson monthl y. Address California, Los Angeles, and president wood, New Jersey 08221 . LAIFS, Box 448-H, Hawthorne, CA 90250 of the Los Angeles International Fern Fountains and Waterfalls Society, the country's largest organiza­ Alpines, Dwa rf Evergreens tion of fern collectors and growers. Your complete sourc e for founta ins, wa­ Some of the most beautiful and spec­ NEW VAR IETIES-NEW CATALOG of hardy terfalls. garden pools and garden ornaments. tacular plants in the world are ferns, Alpines, Western natives, DWARF ever­ Free catalog. Roman Fountains. Inc. Box she says. Yet, almost nobody knows greens, ferns, shrubs. choice naturally-con­ 10 190-AHC Albuquerque. N.M. 87 114 how to propagate and grow them. torted Bon sai subjects. Descriptive catalog , The book includes a discussion of cultural information. 50 cents. Alpines-West Gardening Equipment soil mixes, fertilizers, propagation, in­ Nursery, Rt. 2, Box 259, Spokane, Washington 99207 secticides, and fungicides, how to MISTING & TRICKLE IRRI GATION CON­ grow particular fern groups, and im­ TR OLS. Patented, versatile, reliable. "Two Books valuable high yield accessories." Fully guar­ porting ferns, along with the necessary anteed . AOUAMONITOR , Box 327 - Z . background information. EXOTICA 3, Pi ctorial cyclopedia of Exotic Huntington, New York 11 743. Fern Growers Manual, says Barbara Plants, 12,000 ill ., 1834 pg., $81.00 ppd. Ex­ Joe, is intended to be a handbook or otic Plant Manual, 4200 photos. $39.50 ppd. Fantast ic Plastic flowerpot sale. Free samples reference book, written in such a way Exotic House Plants, 1200 ills, $10.00 ppd. and literature. Send $1 for packaging and as to be most useful to anyone cultivat­ Send for book list. Roehrs Company, Box 125 postage. FLOR-L-POT, Box 34, Bethel , MN ing these fascinating plants. (227 A Paterson Avenue) E Rutheriord , N.J. 55005. The book is illustrated with 8 pages 07073 (NJ re sidents add 5%). of color plates, and 300 black-and­ Greenhouses white photographs and drawings. Catalogs Build Your Own attractive greenhouse and GROWERS CATALOG-tOur 51 st Year) save. Complete plans, material list, simplified Thousands of items. Trees, Shrubs, Plants, instructions $3.00 Guaranteed. 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Since 1917. 301 -874-5133 100 for Position Available THREE SPRINGS FISHERIES IVY, MYRTLE & 1527 AMHORT ROAD, LILYPONS, MD 21717 PACHYSANDRA $1795 500 for Available position open: Superintendent of IMPORTED Prices refer to anyone, En- $75 large estate, age 40 to 50, married, a long ex­ glish Ivy or Pachysandra - 00 o,", GOURMET FOODS perience growing cut fdowers, bedding plants, CONFECTIONS 1 yr. heavy cuttings, Myrtle .,.­ - 6-12 runners per clump, Space all and landscape gardening, P,O, Box 13, Men­ GARDEN SEEDS items on 6 " - 8 " squares, tor, Ohio 44060, Please mail experience, ref­ )! BOOKS &. GIFTS erences and e,ducation, FREE CATALOG Postpaid , No C,O,D, Pa, de stinations add 6% .J. A. DEMONCHAUX CO. Send me the items circled above Position Wanted 225 J~CKSON ST, • TOPEKA , K S , 66603 o o Send me FREE Catalog Ornamental Horticulturist with 10+ years ex­ Name ______perience seeks responsible, challenging po­ Fantastic Address ______sition commercial or private, Prefer S,Calif, PLASTIC FLOWER POT SALE City ______Completely familiar with landscape design construction and maintenance; all phases FREE Samples and Literature State ______Zip ______greenhouse floriculture, AS & BS Ornamental Send $1.00 for postage & packaging Horticulture, Include position description with resume request. Reply to American HortiCUl­ FLOR-L-POT Box 34, BETHH, MINN, 55005 turist, P,O, Box 298, Alexandria, Va, 22314, 43 Continued from page 24 Under these conditions, if they A Plantsman's Colonial Williamsburg Lawns don't look too bad, you can be Volume 55, Number 6, Winter 1976. thankful for having the weeds. At dry. Even dry leaves may accumu­ At the time this article was written the late enough fertilizer to cause burn least they are green and keep your writers believed that the Metasequoia trees on when dissolved in evening dew. soil from washing away. the campus of the College of William & Mary Watering is essential for the con­ Entrance of weeds into a lawn were planted in 1946. It was pointed out by tinuous production of all plant life. usually comes when the grass is Dr. J. A. Witt of the UniverSity of Washington under stress conditions such as Arboretum that this appeared to predate the A lawn is no exception. A sufficient original seed distribution by the Arnold Ar­ amount should be applied to ensure those caused by prolonged dry boretum in 1948. It has now been ascertained that the entire root zone will be wet­ weather without watering, or cut­ that the trees were planted in 1948. This in­ ted. Water should never be applied ting the grass shorter than the rec­ formation appeared in a note by Dr. J. T. at a rate faster than it can be ab­ ommended height. Fertilizer, chem­ Baldwin, Jr. in Th e American Horticultural ical or mechanical injury to the grass Magazine, Summer 1969, Vol. 48, pp. 137-8: sorbed b-y the soil. Sprinklers that In Arnoldia, 1968, Vol. 28, pp. 113-23, ap­ do not adequately disperse mois­ weakens it and allows weed en­ peared an article by Dr. Donald Wyman titled ture, as well as those that deliver a croachment. " Metasequoia after twenty years in cultiva­ large volume of water within a con­ Weeds become more difficult to tion", to which was appended a table show­ centrated area, tend to cause surface control with chemicals as they in­ ing the comparative heights of Metas equoia trees in forty-eight gardens in the U.S.A. and runoff. Whenever water is applied crease in age. Thus, the best time to Great Britain. The tallest of these was one at at a rate faster than it may be ab­ go after weeds with chemicals is Princeton University (60 feet in 1967), and the sorbed by a given soil, the water is when they are young and actively second tallest at the University of California being wasted. growing. Weeds vary in sensitivity Botanical Garden in Los Angeles (59 feet in The first prerequisite for a weed­ to various herbicides, and the her­ 1966). This compares with the 69 feet of the tallest specimen at the College of William & free lawn is to grow healthy, dense bicides chosen should reflect the Mary in 1969. So the William & Mary trees stands of grass. If your lawn gets to weed species present. As turfgrass may well be the tallest---certainly among the be full of weeds as the years go by, areas may contain several weed tallest-of the Metasequoia trees in the and if there is nothing but weeds species, more than one herbicide U.S.A. and you kill them, the only thing may be necessary to obtain the de­ Pamela J. Harper Robert B. McCartney y~u will have left is bare ground. sired control. "EVERBLOOMING" TUBEROSE PHLOX (Mexican Single) SYMON-JEUNE A~:~~ If you are one of the legion HYBRIDS ~&'t,,:J,<" ' ;,,(-...:1(~., admirers of this charming ThiS magnificent .?!'" WI'o species, who have had trouble strain of Phlox, devel- bringing it into bloom, your 9 /~-~ , oped In England, far ~~__. _ , ~, troubles are over! Few garden­ eclipses and com- , "~ ~ . - {( ers are aware of the gorgeous pletely outmodes Just (,S,J;;' ,1!2 mexican variety which blooms about all other van- ~. " , ~. p in MID-SEASON, AND CON­ eties. THEY ARE VIG- i?;~~ il /:..)

Geranium Sun, Any 18-24 Often over-watered and fertilized, leading to Allow plant to lose parti al sun losses in the garden due to soil-borne dis­ part of its foliage. eases. Excesses also promote development of Lift plant, plant in tall, non-flowering plants. Do not trim, natu­ containe rs to re­ rally branches at the time of the formation of sume growth. Keep the first flow er. Remove all faded flowers soil on dry side. immediately.

Marigold Sun Any 12-24 Great variety of plant and flower types­ Dry flowers by re­ successful in all gardens. Rem ove faded moving foliage , flowers on all plants other th an new tri­ hanging up s ide ploids (which c,\nnot form seed). Trim­ down. ming of branches will help mai ntain plants throughout growing season .

Nierembergia Sun, Any 9-12 Fine-leaved plant-introducing blue (vio­ Discard partial sun let, lavender) into garden . Trim to retain compact growth habit. Continuous fl ow­ ering over many months.

Onion Sun Sandy, 3 Keep soi l evenly moist, grow on ridges S tore bulbs in a well-drained (3-4 inches high) if water tends to stand in cool, dry, well aer­ the area. Pull green onions as needed to ated location. all ow oth er on ions to mature.

Pepper Sun Any, 18-24 Sweet and hot types, must grow continu­ Harvest peppers, prefers sandy ously to avoid yell owing of older fo liage store in cool spots and dropping of w hite flowers. Harvest for up to 3 weeks. peppers as they mature to maintain pro­ ductivity of plants.

Petunia Sun Any 12-18 Wide variety of types and color. Must Discard avoid over-watering and fertilizing. Remove seed pods and trim plants to prolong fl owering season.

Portulaca Sun Sandy, 6-9 Major advancements in plant-extremely Discard well-drained successful in sunny, well-drained soil.

Salvia Sun, Any 12-18 Rainbow colors in red, blue, purple and Remove foliage, partial shade w hite. Avoid over-fertilization which de­ hang flowers upside lays fl owering and promotes elongation down to dry. of the plant. Remove faded flowers .

Snapdragon Sun Any 12-18 Grow rust-resistant types-stake tall Discard types to withstand rain and wind. Side branches will develop at every node. Cut and trim branches to maintain flowering·

Tomato Sun Any 18-24 Apply extra calcium (limestone 10 lb.l l00 Harvest green as ft.) to soil to avoid premature dropping of well as the ripe flowers or cracking of fruit. Maintain even fruits, wrap in pa­ moisture and avoid high rates of fertilizer. per, store in a cool, Remove side shoots and some foliage. dry spot. Will ripen.

Verbena Sun Sandy, 12-18 Strong, intense colors. Prostrate and up­ Discard well-drained right types. Remove all faded flowers to keep plants in continuous growth. Will not withstand periods of heavy rain­ yellowing foliage will occur.

Vinca rosea Sun, Any 12-18 Environmentally tolerant plant-widely Discard partial shade used for continuous flowering throughout season. Must be trimmed back to main­ tain compact habit of growth.

Zinnia Sun Any, prefers 12-18 Will not tolerate poorly drained soil or lo­ Discard sandy, well­ cations with poor air movement. Foliage drained is easily covered wi th mildew. Do not trim to promote branching, naturally branches with the formation of the first flower. Re­ move all faded flowers for appearance and continuous flowering.