"/!;eautlj dt,,,n /!;uLb~" SCHEEPERS' ::::J)ufck "~uem()ne" ::::J)akfia:J. Scheepers' Superior Quality Stock Imported from Holland They are ideal as bedding dahlias. Planted in Spring. Flower all season long. As illustrations show they have a row of outer petals and the center of the blooms are filled with tufts of petals that are tube-like, for a lovely effect. Ideal for cutting and table arrangements. For gar­ den planting space 9 inches apart. Planted one clump to a six inch pot, they make beautiful pot specimens for decorating the patio, around the pool, close to the garden seats, etc. Average height 18-22 inches. Very little care required, just water thoroughly once a week. To assure continuous flowering, old blooms must be removed as they fade. Varieties BRIDESMAID. White, tufts lemon. HONEY. Apricot, tufts lemon. GRANATO. Orange-scarlet. GUINEA. All Yellow. Any of above priced at: $8.00 for 3; $25.00 for 10; $55.00 for 25 SPECIAL COLLECTIONS 1 each of the 4 varieties. SPECIAL PRICE $10.00 2 each of the 4 varieties. SPECIAL PRICE $16.00 Place your order now, we will ship at proper time for planting in your climate. Full planting and cultural instructions included with each order. HONEY Our spring catalog " Beauty from Bulbs" listing other superior Dahlias, as well as Gladioli, Lilies, Montbretias, Begonias and other spring planting items, will be sent upon receipt of your order, or by special request. Cata­ log is color illustrated. NOTE: Residents N.Y. State please include applicable sales tax with remittance. Delivery Charges Billed After Shipment Is Made JOHN SCHEEPERS, !NC. '][O(tTn 23u{f ~/2E.ciaLiiti 63A Wall Street, New York, N.Y. 10005 GUINEA Serving America's Finest Gardens for over 70 yea rs'l Telephone 212-422-1177 212-422-2299 American HG)rticulturist Volume 58 Number 1 February, 1979 Editor: Murray Keene Editorial Assistant: Jane Steffey Publications Committee: Henry M. Cathey, Gilbert S. Daniels, Donald P. Watson and Donald Wyman Art Director: Rebecca McClimans/ Grafik Book Department: Tom Stevenson Production Coordination: John Simmons Publisher: The American Horticul­ tural Society, Mount Vernon, Vir­ ginia 22121. 703/768-5700 For United Horticulture ... the particular obj ects and busin ess of the American Horticultural Society are to promote and encourage na­ Cover Photo: Era nthus, tional interest in scientific research Crocus and Iris by Malak and educa tion in horticulture in a ll of its branches. AMERICAN HORTICULTURIST is Education the official publicatio n o f T h e American Horticultural SOCiety, 2 Plant Explorers-Tom Stevenson 7931 East Boulevard Drive, Alexan­ 3 Bonsai Basics-Frances H. Quint dria, Virginia 22308, and is issued in February, April, June, August, Oc­ 8 Organic Gardening-A Misnomer?-Wesley P. Judkins and tober and December. Membership in the Society a utomatically in­ Floyd F. Smith cludes a subscription to American 12 A Memorial to an Insect-Dr. S. A. Pieniazek Horticulturist and $1 .50 is d esig­ nated for each of this publica tion . 26 The Garden 's Foundation-R. Milton Carleton Membership dues start at $15 .00 a 34 Towers, Topiaries and Trellises-Dr. Henry M. Cathey year. Editorial Matters: Refer to Murray Keene, American H orticulturist, Travelog Mount Vernon, Virginia 22121 4 Plantation Gardens-Lorraine and Guy Burgess Advertising Matters: Refer to Pub­ lisher Services, Inc., 621 Du ke 22 British Gardens-American Plants-J. Stanley Street, Alexandria, Virginia 22314 AMERICAN H OR TICUnURIST is devo ted to the dissemination of Gardener's Notebook knowledge in the science and art o f 11 Mrs. Delany's Curious Flora-Elizabeth Pullar growing ornamental plants, fruits, vegetables, and related subjects. 14 Foliar Finery-Mrs. Ralph Cannon Original papers w hich increase 19 Essence of the Garden-Jon Ortner knowledge of plant materials of economic and aesthetic importance 30 Woodland Groundcovers-Martha Prince are in vited. For manuscript speci­ fications please address the editor, Mount Vernon, Virginia 22121. My Favorite Plants Replacement Issues of AMERICAN 20 Herbs and Folklore-Shelton E. Stewart, Ph.D. HORTICULTURIST are available at a cost of $2.50 per copy, but not be­ 21 Urban Herbs-Linda Yang yond twelve months prior to date of current issue. Departments The opinions expressed in the arti­ cl es which appear in AMERICAN 42 Books HOR TICULTURIST are those of the 44 Gardener's Marketplace authors and are not necessarily those of the Society. They are pre­ sented as contributions to contem­ porary thought. Second class pos tage paid a t Alexandria, Virginia and at addi­ tional mailing offices. Copyright © 1979 by The American Horticultural Society. Color separations by CHROMAGRAPHICS INC . quarantine for the prescribed period of time). Some of them look like wonderful possibilities./I One of the future projects of the Arboretum is the establishment of an area providing a display of fall foliage color. The Japanese maples will fit in very well with that. "My plant press was filled with The Arboretum has become a material for the Herbarium," said leader in developing, evaluating and Meyer. "I think our trip was very distributing new woody ornamental successful. Of course, it will take plants. Some 40 cultivars have been time to determine the full value of introduced in the last decade, and the collections we made." numerous seedling selections have In Kyoto, with a population of been made which will yield superior about a million, Meyer talked with a shrub and tree cultivars for future cab driver who had been collecting - herbarium material for many years By Tom Stevenson ge nera tio ns. Although the azalea collection at as a hobby. He had a very good col­ A century ago azaleas were rarely the Arboretum is a large one, it is lection, Meyer says, and was deter­ seen in American gardens. There known that there are many, many mined to have them destroyed after were only a few native species and a kinds that are not included; some his death. They were precious to him small group of hybrids developed in could provide the possibility of and he didn't want them to fall into England from which to choose. Al­ plants that can be grown farther unappreciative hands. Meyer made niost all of the evergreen kinds are north, and perhaps many other im­ arrangements to have them sent to native to eastern Asia. The first provements. the National Arboretum, where, ones introduced in the U.S.A. were Three members of the Arboretum Meyer said, they most certainly Southern Indian Hybrids at Mag­ staff, Dr. John Creech, director, Dr. would be appreciated. nolia Gardens, near Charleston, Sc, Frederick G. Meyer, curator of the Meyer was particularly impressed in 1840. Arboretum herbarium, and Sylves­ by the friendliness of the Japanese Today azaleas are among the most ter G. March, Arboretum chief hor­ toward the Americans. He met some popular plants for landscaping in ticulturist, made a plant exploration of the people who contributed to the areas where they can be grown. At trip to Japan in late October, made bonsai collection given to the United the National Arboretum, Washing­ possible by a grant from National States by the Japanese government ton, DC, for example, 80,000 of them Geographic Society. They also vis­ and now on display at the Ar­ produce multi-colored blooms be­ ited off shore islands looking for boretum. They are very proud of it, neath a canopy of tulip, oak and azaleas native to China that may be he says. dogwood trees in late April and early useful for American breeding pro­ John Creech is a world leader in May. grams. Creech is a world leader in the field of plant explorations for or­ Located on 412 acres in metropoli­ the field of plant explorations for o!­ namentals. In his travels, he has tan Washington, the Arboretum is namentals, Meyer and March also specialized in the wild and ornamen­ one of the great showplaces of the have made several exploration trips tal trees and shrubs of the Far East, East, ranks among the major ar­ to various parts of the world. They with particular emphasis on azaleas, boreta of the country and is one of returned to the U.s.A. in mid-De­ camellias and hollies. He has under­ the best known in the world. It is not cember. taken eight explorations, including only for looking but also a place of "The Japanese maples (Acer three trips to Japan, two to the Soviet research and education. A staff of japonicum) were in full color and Union, and once each into Nepal, ten scientists conducts research on particularly beautiful," said March. Taiwan and Yugoslavia. In Sep­ shrubs and trees, and other staff "The Japanese Forest Service was of tember, 1974, he was sent to the members develop methods for in­ great assistance to us. We made People's Republic of China as a forming the public on culture, prop­ more than 475 living collections of member of the Plant Science Delega­ agation and selection of better plants plants which were sent immediately tion appointed by the National 2 for gardens. to the United States (they will be in Academy of Sciences. 0 BONSAI BASICS Fran ces H. Quint 18995 Bircilcres t Drive Detroit, MI 48221 When I first saw the little pine tree, in the spring seven years ago, it stood about four feet from the base of its potato chip can container to its topmost bundle of needles. It had been dug and brought into the build­ ing by a teacher as an aid to his les­ son on "Michigan Week. " The white pine has been adopted , symboli­ cally, as the Michigan state tree.