TIIE ~ER..IC.A.N

~GAZINE AMERICAN HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY

1600 BLADENSBURG ROAD, NORTHEAST. WASHINGTON, D. c. 20002

For United Horticulture *** to accumulate, increase, and disseminate horticultural information

Editorial Committee Directors Terms Expiring 1964 JOH:-.I L. CREECH, Chairman R . C. ALLEN W . H. HODGE Ohio P. H . BRYDON FREDERIC P. LEE California CARL W. FENNINGER CONRAD B. LINK Pennsylvania CURTIS MAY JOHN E. GRAF District of Columbia FREDERICK G . MEYER GRACE P. ''''ILSON Maryland WILBUR H. YOUNGMAN Terms Expiring 1965 HAROLD EpSTEIN New Yo rk Officers FRED C. GALLE GeOl·gia PRESIDENT FRED J . NISBET NOl·tl! Carolina RUSSELL J . SEIBERT J. FRANKLIN STYER Kennett Square, Pennsylvania Pennsylvania DONALD ''''YMAN FIRST VICE-PRESIDENT Massachusetts RAY C. ALLEN Terms Expiring 1966 Mansfield, Ohio J . HAROLD CLARKE Washington SECOND VICE-PRESIDENT JAN DE GRAAFF MRS. JULIAN W . HILL Oregon Wilmington, Delaware CARLTON B. LEES Massachusetts RUSSELL T. SEIBERT ACTING SECRETARY-TREASURER . Pennsylva.nia GRACE P. WILSON DONALD WATSON Bladensburg, Maryland Michigan

The American Horticultural Magazine is the official publication of the American Horticultural Society and is issued four times a year during the quarters commencing with January, April, July and October. It is devoted to the dissemination of knowledge in the science and art of growing ornamental plants, fruits, vegetables, and related subjects. Original papers increasing the historical, varietal, and cultural knowledges of plant materials of economic and aesthetic importance are welcomed and will be published as early as possible. The Chairman of the Editorial Committee should be consulted for manuscript specifications. Reprints will be furnished in accordance with the following schedule of prices, plus post­ age, and should be ordered at the time the galley proof is returned by the author: One hundred copies-2 pp $6.60; 4 pp $12.10; 8 pp $25.30; 12 pp $36.30; Covers $12.10.

Entered as second class matter in the post office at Baltimore, Maryland, in accordance with the Act of August 24, 1912 . Additional entry for Washington, D.C., was authorized July 15, 1955, in accordance with the pro­ visions of Section 132.122, Postal Manual. The American Horticultural Magazine is included as a henefit of membership in the American Horticultural Society, Individual Membership dues being 16.00 a year. JULY. 1964

FORMERLY THE NATIONAL HORTIC ULTURA L MAGAZINE VOL UME 43 • NUMBER 3

Contents

Tuberous Begonias from the H ybridizer's Viewpoint BARCLAy BROWN ______131

Experiences in Introducing Plants to Martha's Vineyard Island MARy Lo VISA B, HILL ______141

Tree Selection and Use PHILIP A. BARKER______151 lVlaguey Del Cumbre HOWARD SCOTT GENTR y ______158

Juvenility and Flowering Potential in 'Woody Plants V. T. STOUTEMYER ______161

Reading Other People's Gardens G ER TR UDE B. FIERTZ ______167

A Book or Two ______170

The Gardeners' Pocketbook 'Chico'-An OTn amental Dwarf Pomegranate. R. L. SMITH ______176 An Effect of Temperature on Development and Differentiation of Rose Flowers. P. SEMENIUK ______177 AlIi urn perdulce. B. Y. MORRISOK______180 Prunus campanulata-Taiwan Flowering Cherry. V. T. STOUTEMYER ______180 Acmena smithii-The Lilly-pilly tree. V. T. STOUTEMYER .______180 Callistemon citrinus-Bottlebrush. V. T. STOUTEMYER ______.______181 Tsuga canadensis 'Pendula'. W . L. ACKERMAN) H . H . FISHER) G. A. SEATON ______181 Preliminary Notes on Christmas Cactus and Allies. B. Y. MORRISON ______184 List of Garden Clubs and Affiliated Organizations ______188

JULY COVER ILLUSTRATION Sa rgent hemlock used as a low foundation hedge at the U. S. Plant Introduction Sta tion, Glenn Dale, Maryland. English boxwood in background (see p. 183) . J. J. HIGG INS Pastoral landscape on Martha's Vineyard Island. Tuberous Begonias From The Hybridizer's Viewpoint

BARCLAY BROWN*

The plant hobbyist who includes tu­ tuberous begonias. The growers in the berous begonias among his favorites will mid-coastal region of California elected do everything necessary, short of steal­ in 1958 to call their strain, which in­ ing from his neighbor's garden, to have cludes many types, by the name Ameri· the best and biggest begonia blooms on can Hybrid. One century before the every plant he grows. This is not the name came into being, the first begonias case for the commercial grower who has were sent to our country. It was at that large fields and lath houses of begonias time also the first true hybrids, actual devoted strictly to the production of crosses between species, were evolved. tubers. But the commercial grower, if About three hundred species of the he is also a hybridizer, is very interested genus were then known. Those first spe­ in the potential quality of the flowers he cies produced flowers which were far grows. If he is a hybridizer, he regularly from beautiful when compared with checks his crop to be sure that he is get­ some of our present types. They were ting the results desired from his work pale, long-petalled, weak-looking flowers with the parent plants. The plants are on drooping stems. in full bloom eight to nine months after At the present time about one thou­ the seed is sown. Each year some new sand species are recognized in the genus. possibilities are seen in some of the seed­ Doctor Bailey says, "The begonias are ling plants; these are taken in with the exceedingly variable, the genus running parent stock for further hybridizing into about sixty well-marked sections, work. The begonia flower-types seen today are almost entirely the achievement of Single commercial hybridizers. These hybrid­ BARe LA Y BROWN izers, both in America and England, have brought about startling results dur­ ing the last fifty years. The tuberous begonia seems to have an exceptional capacity for improvement. Much of the pioneering work was done by English hybridizers. Later, when the Americans got into the picture, more effort was devoted to large scale hybridizing, with less emphasis on vegetative reproduc­ tion. This resulted in types which came true from seed. The American growers eventually were able to produce seedling crops of a quality superior to the Euro­ pean crops. The expanding market for begonia tubers in America, as well as the California climate which allows the hy­ bridizers to take full advantage of the begonia'S long blooming season, has made it possible for the American grow­ ers to maintain their lead in the produc­ tion of new and superior types. The term American Hybrid is now fairly common to those interested in ' Brown Bulb Ranch, Capitola, California. species brought from the Bolivian and Peruvian Andes. The most important of these species were: B. boliviensis, sent to England from Bolivia in 1865, with drooping scar­ let flowers. B. pearcei, from Bolivia in 1865, with clear yellow blossoms about 1 l;4" across. B . veitchii, introduced in 1867 from Peru with vermilion flowers, is particu­ larly important because it contributed short sturdy stems and round flowers which have been improved and used in most current types. B. rosaefiora, from Peru in 1867, with pink flowers produced some crosses that were white. B. davisii, from Peru in 1876, with orange-scarlet flowers with pink colo~­ ing on the outside of the petals; thIS low, erect species produced many plants with good compact form and some crosses bore semi-double flowers.

BARe LA Y BROWN Many other species were also used. to Sem.i-double (duplex) develop the B egonia X tubel'hybnda group. All of the first hybrids were.pro­ duced in Europe before the Amencans but the intergradations are so many and had a chance to show what they could the essential floral characters so constant do. The English firm of Blackmore and that it is impractical to break up the Langdon of Bath deserves much credit great group into separate genera." for their work in bringing the cunent The tuberous-rooted begonias, one of types into existence. . several groups within the genus, consist The most popular type now grown III of a sufficient number of species to thor­ California is the ruffled double. The oughly confuse most beginning enthusi­ following list shows the development asts. The further fact of extensive cross­ from one type to another which has led ing between some of these tuberous be­ to the ruffled double. These are ar­ gonia species and their hybrids to pro­ ranged in the order of their introduc­ duce Begonia, X tuberhybrida, the gar­ tion to the commercial market. Other den race of begonias, adds to the con­ types, which are not involved directly in fusion. No complete list of the types crosses leading up to the ruffled double, making up Begonia X tubel'hybrida is will be mentioned later. apt to be attempted because of the ease with which new and different tuberous THE SINGLE TYPE-This begonia begonia crosses can be made. Of course, was once among the most popular of the public's acceptance, or lack of it, all the tuberous begonias; now it has determines whether the commercial been replaced by many impro:-red types grower will include a new cross in his and is not grown by any Amencan com· permanent list, to be produced in quan­ mercial grower. It is still sold in Eu­ tity rather than thrown on the rubbish rope as a bedding plant for pri~ate gar· heap. dens and public parks. Its plam four· petal form, unlike the later doubles, Historical Development shows a distinct resemblance to the Most of the original hybridizing which smaller flowers of the species plants. T~e preceded our present garden strain of range of colors in this type is the baSIC begonias, was done in the late 1800's on white, pink, red, orange, and yellow, and JULY 1964, VOLUME 43, NUMBER 3 133 various intermediate shades. The single to 1935, that the Brown Bulb Ranch type prod uces blooms up to six inches laid the foundation for America's lead in diameter. It is surely possible to de­ in tuberous begonia production. While velop much larger blooms on these since European firms were making great the flower is so light in weight as com­ strides in selection of improved camellia pared to the doubles. A lightweight types for vegetative propagation, this flower does not require the usual devel­ American firm concentrated exclusively opment of stronger stems which must ac­ on the selection of parent plants which company the production of large flowers would produce seed for a satisfactory of the heavier double types. second generation. A great many years were necessary to accomplish this. De­ THE SEMI-DOUBLE (DUPLEX) mand for plants in an increasing num­ TYPE-This can can easily be seen to ber of intermediate colors made it nec­ follow the single as the next stage in the essary to select plants for about twelve development toward our present popular different shades in the camellia type types. The duplex begonia looks like alone. Many introductions of stock from the single with a whorl of smaller, slight. England were made to improve the form ly ruffled petails inside the four large of the American strain, but the English petals. It is the developmental stage plants, being vegetatively reproduced, preceding the double. The size and col· tended to require many years of crossing or of blooms is the same as the single before the desired characteristics would type. The duplex is completely out of come true in a seedling crop. During favor with commercial growers, in Eu· these years a distinctly "American" rope as well as America, and can be con· strain of tuberous begonias came into sidered an extinct type. existence; ever since that time commer­ cial dealers have recognized a distinct THE CAMELLIA DOUBLE TYPE­ difference between the types developed The public's enthusiastic acceptance of here and those in Europe. Eventually this type made the tuberous begonia fa­ the "American" improved camellia be­ mous. Commercial hybridizers put in gonia was developed into a type with a many hours developing larger flowers slightly ruffled petal, looking less like a for the camellia double. Blooms of real camellia flower, but appealing more seven inches and eight inches were de­ veloped without much difficulty, but ob· taining the strong stems necessary to hold these heavier blooms upright took several additional years of hybridizing. Camellia Double

This favorite came into existence com­ BARe LA Y BROWN mercially during the period 1926 to 1932. The American growers were the first to apply the name "Camellia" to this tuberous begonia. The most signi­ ficant imperfection in this type was the lack of any definite center in the bloom. THE IMPROVED CAMELLIA DOU­ BLE TYPE- The eventual development of a double type with a distinct and at­ tractive center composed of numerous smaller petals gave rise to a significantly different form of begonia blossom. The popular camellia name was retained. Hybridizers increased the intensity of their efforts and even larger flowers with correspondingly stronger stems were de­ veloped. Many blooms reached a size of seven inches in diameter and eight and nine inch flowers were not unusual in the greenhouse of an expert grower. It was at this point in the development of the tuberous begonia types, about 1928 ily serrated petals. The blooms often reach a size of six inches in diameter, sometimes larger. The many petals make the flower heavier. This, along with an inherited tendency toward weak­ er stems, has made the development of larger blooms difficult in the carnation type. During the period when the ca­ mellia and improved camellia types were making the tuberous begonia one of the most popular garden plants of America and Europe, the carnation type was run­ ning a good second place in popularity. At present it has lost ground in America and is seldom seen here. In some coun­ tries in Europe, however, it is still ranked as one of the best types available.

THE ROSE FORM DOUBLE TYPE -As American hybridizers introduced more and more of the ruffled petal into the improved camellia type, it became apparent that there was still a good de­ mand for a smooth-petalled type, more like the original camellia. In the 1940's the good demand for tubers of the im­ proved camellia indicated that this type BARCLAY BROWN could be split into two new types, both Improved Camellia Double with sufficient commercial value. By 1955, after many years of selection, these two types were available. The rose form to the American buying public. Many was one of these; the ruffled double was less popular types were being developed the other. In developing the rose form, along with this best-seller; some of these hybridizers chose flowers with smooth are listed in the following paragraphs. petals and with prominent rose-like cen­ ters. The large flower size of the im­ THE CRISPA TYPE-This is similar proved camellia was retained, and this to the single, having only four petals, type is today the second most popular but with the addition of tight ruffles of the tuberous begonias in America. along the edge of the petals. This type is now the most popular single-flowered THE RUFFLED DOUBLE TYPE­ type of tuberous begonia. The best· The other type to be split away from the liked crispas are now the two· toned improved camellia is now the most pop­ crispa marginatas which are edged in a ular of all the types in this country. different color, for example-white with Here the tendency toward the ruffled pink edge and salmon with copper-red petal was emphasized by additional edge. It was the crossing of this type crossing with the carnation type. Be­ into the camellia which added the slight­ cause of the great demand for the ruffled ly ruffled petal to the camellia. double, additional shades of color were THE CRISTAT A TYPE-This sin­ commercially desirable. This type now gle type did not maintain its popularity can be purchased in more than fifteen and is not now grown by commercial colors, including dark red, red, scarlet, growers. The slightly ruffled petals have rose, pink, blush, white, salmon-pink, prominent tufts or crests which are not light salmon, salmon, apricot, orange, characteristic of any other type. yellow, and ivory. The hybridizers have also continued to enlarge the size of the THE CARNATION TYPE (Fimbri. flower-nine inch blooms are not un­ ata plena) -This type looks very much usual, ten and eleven inch blooms are like a true carnation, having many heav- grown by those who have the know-how. JULY 1964, VOLUME 43, NUMBER 3 135

This brings the story of the tuberous to transfer the pollen from the male to begonia up to date. Several interesting the female flowers. This is usually done types have been overlooked because they with a camel's hair brush and occasion­ have not been involved directly with the ally by removing the male bloom and story leading up to the ruffled double. rubbing it against the female bloom. One of these is the hanging basket (pen­ The physical task involved in large-scale dula) type which produces a mass of pollenization programs is considerable, three to four inch double blooms on since frequent visual checks and careful drooping stems. This type must be ob­ records must be made for each plant. served from below the plant to get the The commercial begonia growers in best look at the mass of color usually this country, because they require con­ produced. This is presently the third siderable quanti ties of fresh seed for most popular type in the United States. each color and type they handle, must The fourth most popular type in this devote much greenhouse space to the country is the picotee. The form of the production of an annual summer crop plant is upright and the flower is similar of seed plants. to the roseform double and the ruffled The seed is occasionally held over in double. The distinguishing character­ storage for one additional year (about istic of this type is the color. Picotee be­ 17 months) ; it will retain its viability gonias are available in various shades of this long and sometimes longer if the white, yellow, salmon, pink, and apricot, correct storage conditions are main­ all with a clear red or pink edging on tained. each petal. The handling of tuberous begonia The multiflora type is increasing in seed is particularly difficult due to the popularity now. This begonia has a small size of the seed. It looks like mass of blooms like the hanging basket brown dust, and a single seed is often type but in the multiflora the flowers are barely visible to the naked eye. held upright on bushy compact plants. Some mature seed pods, which are less This type will stand more heat and di­ rect sunshine and also stands up well un· der rough handling of potted plants. Multifloras were crossed with the im­ Crispa proved camellias to obtain the present BARCLAY BROWN large-flowered American multiflora gi­ gantea. It is not unusual for these plants to produce one hundred blooms per plant during one season, each about two and one-half inches in diameter. These make excellent bedding begonias and are presently among the most popu­ lar types in several of the cooler Euro­ pean countries.

Seed Production All of the foregoing descriptions omit any mention of the female blossoms on tuberous begonias. The male blossoms are always more showy; many gardeners pinch off the female flowers in hopes of getting larger male flowers. Female flowers under the best circumstances sel­ dom are more than three inches in diam­ eter and are always single. Because the tuberous begonia is mono­ ecious and because it has been bred to a point where it is completely unlike the wild species, all seed setting on the pres­ ent Begonia X tuberhybl-ida plants is dependent on the assistance of humans Most plants will produce twice as many of the small female blooms than male blooms. But the doubleness of the male in most popular flower types preven~s the formation of anthers. If pollen IS obtained from a semi-double male flower which has formed some anthers at the expense of complete doubleness, the hy­ bridizer runs the risk of producing seed­ lings some of which will carry the semi­ double trait. Many experiments have been made in an effort to solve this problem of pollen shortage. One an­ swer is large quantities of parent plants. The best parent plants can be multi­ plied by asexual means such as tuber division, bud cuttings, or leaf-stem cut­ tings. With greater num?ers of plants available, so the reasonmg goes, the chance of getting some pollen from one good double flower is greater. The best method of obtaining pollen, however, is based on the plant'S inherent BARCLAY BROWN tendency to produce a new generatio~ Cristata before it dies. Adverse growing condI­ tions which shorten the life-span of the plant result in increased production of reproductive tissues. By creating these than one inch long, will yield as many adverse growing condi tions for a mature as 3,000 seeds. The time-tested method healthy plant the hybridizer is often re­ of sowing this small seed in flats involves warded by the development of double mixing it with fine clean sand in order flowers with a few anthers among the to get even distribution. center petals. While adverse conditions It is not unusual for a pod to produce might be brought about in many ways, only sterile undeveloped seeds. On close the method usually used involves careful inspection these seeds are often seen to withholding of water and complete cut­ be hollow seed skins. Where the effect off of nutrient applications. Excessive of inbreeding is strong this failure in dryness would cause too much damage, seed development seems to be more com­ but controlled dryness which tends to mon, occasionally occurring in over fifty shorten the life of the plant and cuts the per cent in large groups of parent plants total blooming period by about 10% of the same type and color. Such plants often is sufficient to produce pollen bear­ would be saved by the hybridizer only if ing flowers. they were producers of pollen needed for Another, less productive, approach to use with other plants, otherwise they the problem consists of limiting the light would be discarded. intensity. This procedure will also cause Radiation of begonia seeds with gam­ a plant to produce a greater number of ma rays at 550 r./ min. has been tried. pollen bearing flowers. Often many of The resulting plants produced no prog­ the blooms will have fewer petals. How­ eny of value to the hybridizer. Only ever, this pollen seems to be less viable about 45 % germination resulted from as it often produces a poor seed set. the 10 Kr. dosage tried. Radiation with Limiting the number of hours of nor­ 20 Kr. and heavier doses resulted in no mal light also results in a small degree germination. of success but as the day is shortened As with many other plants, tuberous the plants tend to produce less fl

The Selection of a Pure Strain in a 100% true generation of seedlin~s. Success with this second group often In­ In hybridization of tuberous begonias, volves a great many generations. Some­ as with any plant, it is important for the times the required perfection can never hybridizer to keep complete records. be reached. Each cross requires a twelve Score-cards for each parent plant are one ~ month period beginning with polleniza­ of the necessary records. The score-card tion of the female flower in the green­ is a detailed description of the parent house and ending with the last inspec­ plant, carefully brought up to date each tion of the seedling plants in the field blooming season. It lists and describes about one year later. Each cross should all of the important characteristics of consist of 1000 to 5000 seedling plan ts. the plant, as well as the pollen produc­ From each such group of seedlings the tion record and the seed production rec­ best individuals are selected and used as ord, indicating what the quantitative ca­ parent plants for some of the next year's pacity of the plant is in these categories. crosses. Eventually, it is hoped, one or Some of the characteristics noted on more crosses will be made which will the score-card and carefully considered produce a group of seedlings which by the hybridizer, are: Flower form, show 100% reproduction of the desired flower size, flower color, abundance of characteristics. The parent plants used blooms, sheen (brightness of flower col­ to make such a cross can then be marked or), plant vigor, stem strength, angle of for future use in the production of flower growth, and disease resistance. In large quantities of seed for the commer­ selecting parent plants with disease re­ cial crop. Each year these same parent sistance the hybridizer follows the policy plants will be grown from the dormant of rejection of any plants which show tubers; they can be expected to have a susceptibility to mildew, the most trou­ useful life of between five and twelve blesome begonia disease. years. Over the years the tuberous begonia The method outlined above usually has given hybridizers considerable satis­ results in the determination that two in­ faction. Through careful selection many dividuals when crossed give satisfactory completely new flower types have been produced. To the large American be­ gonia growers, however, a new type of begonia is of no value unless it will come true. Much time is spent in ef­ Carnation forts to produce parent plants which BARCLAY BROWN will supply seed for a crop of perfectly formed begonias. An early example of careful selection of the best parents is the American im­ provement of the double Hanging Bas­ ket type. While the English growers de­ veloped the first doubles from the orig­ inal Loydii type, the first 100% double pendula was produced in California. The only efficient and successful way to conduct a hybridization program is by the use of many crosses, each producing a large number of individuals for obser­ vation. It was Luther Burbank who proved beyond a doubt that a field of 10,000 seedlings will produce a great many more useful individuals than a plot of 100 plants. (Crosses can be di­ vided into two categories-those made in hopes of obtaining new and different characteristics, and those made in an ef­ fort to obtain parent plants which will produce already existing characteristics plants would be needed for each item produced. The key to the great success that American growers have had in the pro­ duction of true strains and the introduc­ tionu of new types is in the large size of their crops. Large growers can afford to produce more seedling plants from each cross. This provides the best opportu­ nity for obtaining more variations. They can also afford to make a greater num­ ber of crosses; this provides the hybrid­ izer with a wider selection of potential parent plants. Every Summer the crop of seedlings blooms about eight months after germination. At that time the plants selected for future breeding ex­ periments are staked out. The balance of the crop will produce millions of tubers which will be sold through re" tailers and small growers all over the world. New Types

BAReLA Y BROWN The success of the commercial opera­ Rose Form Double tion depends to a significant extent on the regular production of new types and colors which will be accepted by the buying public. Many of the ultimate users of the large commercial crop are progeny. The next stage determines if hobbyists and well-informed amateurs they will also be useful when crossed who are particularly interested in new with other plants in the same group. For items. Some of these begonia enthusi­ instance, suppose the main object of the asts even send new sports, which appear cross was to obtain 100% true reproduc­ in their garden, back to the grower in tion of an unusual deep yellow-gold hopes that their specimen may prove color which has appeared in some ruffled useful in the commercial hybridization ~ouble begonias-after many genera­ program. tIOns several crosses are successful. Pol­ Because the commercial grower's regu­ len from plant A on the female flowers lar crop of seedlings comes true in form of plant B produces the desired 100% and color of flower, selection for new results. The same results are obtained types and colors is difficult. As a re­ from C crossed with D and from E sult, the larger growers devote consider­ crossed with F. The next stage, aside able space to crosses between plants ~rom going into commercial production, Involves new crosses between these six which show interesting and unusual plants. Does pollen from B work out characteristics. For instance, we plant on female flowers or plant A? How a great many separate plots of 1000 to about pollen from B on C, D, E and F? 5000 seedlings each year to obtain poten­ Obviously there are a great many more tial parents of new types. While 49 out crosses yet to be made to determine the of 50 of such crosses are expected to be potential value of each plant. This in­ worthless, if the 50th one shows several formation can be of utmost importance plants which will be the forerunners of a if only one of the plants produces pollen new type, the effort is warranted from a during any given season, and this would commercial standpoint. be a normal occurrence when only six The following were among the more plants of the double ruffled type are in­ interesting crosses made by us in recent volved. Ordinarily 20 to 40 parent years: JULY 1964, VOLUME 43, NUMBER 3 139

Crosses with B. martiana gonia by crossing species #1041, collect­ ed from the University of California, B. maTtiana, known as the hollyhock with B. baumannii and with other hy­ begonia, is a native of Mexico. The spe­ brids; it is not presently being produced cies had never been effectively improved. in large quantities. Completely different than other tuber­ ous begonias, this one looks just like a A color mutation of the carnation small hollyhock with a single vertical type stem about two feet high. The leaves and single pink flowers, which are about A new type often is introduced to the two inches wide, are held close to the public as a named variety; this is the main stem. The tubes are small, about case with most of the English introduc­ one half inch in diameter, and round. tions, produced by expensive vegetative Because the hollyhock flowers were propagation. The variety 'Frosty', often held close to the stem, along its entire called 'Silver Tips', is a typical example length, the possibility of a cross between of excellent results obtained from an in­ the hollyhock and the hanging basket dividual plant which appeared as a mu­ promised a possible new type with cas­ tation or sport. This unusual plant ap­ cades of drooping stems bearing even peared in one of the experimental more flowers than the regular hanging crosses at the Brown Bulb Ranch. It basket. After many crosses it was found was the only plant in the plot to exhibit that such a new type was not likely to a white edging on a salmon flower. The appear. Some of the interesting indi­ balance of the seedlings in the plot were viduals in these test plots were extreme­ carnation types with more or less solid ly tall, over three feet high. Others coloring. Such a color combination is tended to have the desired hanging bas­ very unusual in begonias; all bicolors of ket form but bore only stunted flowers the picotee group have had a dark color which were partially green due to leaf on the edges of the petals with the rest tissue replacing petal tissue. Most of the of the flower a lighter shade. This new tubers from these crosses were of inter­ discovery reversed this arrangement. mediate size and shape, not as small and round as the hollyhock, not as large and flat as the hanging basket type. Because the progeny, after several generations, Ruffled Double were deemed of no commercial value, BAReLA Y BROWN all were discarded.

Crosses with B. baumannii Few begonia species have any notice­ able fragrance. B. baumannii is an ex­ ception; the rose-pink flowers are about two inches wide with a distinctly sweet odor. The flowers are single and are borne on an ordinary upright plant, ten to twenty inches high. Crosses with B. baumannii were made in hopes of even­ tually getting a good double-flowered fragrant begonia. This was never achieved. Many crosses were made, as many as 50,000 plants being grown dur­ ing one season. Large fragrant single flowers, up to four inches wide were de­ veloped; but the crosses which gave dou­ ble blooms lost the fragrance. The fra­ grance was found to be closely associated with the pollen bearing organs and the effort to produce good double fragrant begonias was therefore abandoned. Leslie Woodriff, an Oregon hybridizer, later developed a double fragrant be- 140 THE Al'vIERICAN HORTICULTURAL MAGAZINE

Furthermore, it was the first bicolor in ing results. Not just one, but 5% of the the carnation type. seedlings had great quantities of bright The crosses made with this first plant yellow blooms with scarlet edges on each of 'Frosty' and with its progeny gave petal. None of the crosses of the F 1 gen­ very poor results. From the first 40 eration plants with the original parents crosses, only three satisfactory individ­ produced very good results, but some uals appeared. Ten years of hybridiza­ crosses between the satisfactory individu­ tion were necessary to finally get parent als in the F 1 generation gave a gratify­ plants which would produce a true ing 15 % true strain of picotee multi­ strain of 'Frosty'. During these years flora. A third set of crosses discovered many disappointing crosses resulted in parent plants which would give a 50% poorly formed blooms, and flowers with true strain. The fourth generation was muddy coloring, no white edging, or wn­ 85 % true, and the fifth generation was even splotches and markings. Finally, in 97 % true. 1961, with good parent plants selected, During these five years of develop­ the item was offered to retailers as a new ment, selection was aimed at limiting begonia. It is not surprising that the the size of the flowers to two to three price of a tuber of 'Frosty' was slightly inches in width with abundance of higher than the price of the regular blooms being stressed. The brightness types. of the color and the clear picotee edge was carefully selected. A great many Yellow multiflora crossed with crosses were made each year to success­ red picotee fully select the best parent in so short a The most rewarding cross in recent time. The picotee multiflora was av~il­ years resulted in the picotee multiflora. able to the public by 1963. Both the multiflora form and the pico­ Many interesting crosses are now be­ tee color arrangement have been increas­ ing made with tuberous begonias. Some ing in popularity, but the two types had of these are not described here for com­ not been available in a single plant. An mercial reasons. Many will never have experimental cross between a particular any commercial value. But there is no yellow multiflora plant and a standard doubt that new members of the B egonia upright picotee begonia having red X tttbeThybTida group will continue to edges on white petals produced surpris- appear, and with increasing frequency. Experiences in Introducing Plants to Martha's Vineyard Island

Mary Louisa B. Hill *

Environment Rainfall is 35 ' to 50 inches annually. Martha's Vineyard Island, five miles June is the driest month and the first off the heel of Cape Cod, Massachusetts, frost-free month. Sometimes even May is dry, and the drought may not end un­ h~s been my summer home for 40 years. SInce I have also spent some time in Ja­ til late July or August. When a Vine­ yard tree or shrub puts on its spring pan a~d observed a similari ty between the clImates of Martha's Vineyard and surge of new growth it quickly uses all Jaran, .I have tried to establish examples the soil moisture, so it must suffer through the summer drought until there ?f ItS nch flora on the Vineyard. Grow­ Ing the seeds and plants I received from is rain. Finally, in the beautiful autumn those islands, I have experimented for days, with moist roots and sparkling air, eight years with Japanese trees and the plant has ideal conditions for shrubs, both evergreen and deciduous. growth. Unfortunately, come years when Starting them in a nursery, I have trans­ a hurricane defoliates the trees in Sep­ ferred the best selections to an arbor­ tember, other years when a hard freeze etum, or have used them to landscape occurs in early December, catching ac­ the summer farm. Plants of horticul­ tive growth unawares. Such conditions tural merit from other foreign countries are hard on young nursery stock, but do and our own natives were included in serve to thin out the weak individuals. the tests. I have found that selections Temperature at the Vineyard can of exotic plants, mixed with the finest drop to 0° F or below, though some natives, combine in a lovely way, orna­ years plus 10 ° F is the lowest recorded. menting the island scene. It seldom stays low for long, fluctuating The area of the island is about 100 as much as 20 ° between day and night. square miles, and it lies between Long After one to three weeks of extreme Island and Nantucket. Together with cold, accompanied at some point by many smaller islands, these form the winds from 50-80 miles per hour, the windswept sea barriers to the southern low temperature will be in the 20 0s for New England coast. Triangular in the remainder of the three cold months shape, the Vineyard is about nineteen of the year. Unfortunately on the Vine­ miles long and nine and a half miles yard it is unusual for the plant to have deep. The farm where I stay lies in the adequate snow protection when it is center, over some deposits of the Terti­ coldest, and the snow that falls does not ary Age, the northernmost on the United last very long. States' east coast. Thus many thousands The prevailing winds blow from the of years ago, was deposited the clay that southwest in summer and from the has been added to our sandy soil, mak­ northwest in winter. Our severest storms ing this spot fertile enough for my trials. "breeze" from the northeast, to use a The northwest area of the Vineyard, mostly woodland, rising in ridges to over local expression, and our hurricanes 300 feet, is a glacial moraine; here the from the southeast. The Vineyard air is retreating ice scattered behind it great nearly always moving. granite boulders. In the flatter areas, On the farm the soil ranges from a east and south of us, the soil lacks both pH of 4.8 in the open fields to 5.3 close the clay and granite, so that large to the stone walls. It is extremely low stretches of Vineyard soil are nothing in nitrogen, phosphorus, potash, calci­ but sand and pebbles in cross-bedded um, and every element tested for except layers. aluminum, of which there is too much. *,.vilmington, Delaware We dig five-year-old rotted woodchips

141 142 THE AMERICAN HORTICULTURAL MAGAZINE into the beds, borders, and nursery rows Pests, Diseases, and Allies as soil conditioner, and spread them as We have our share of pests. Mice a mulch. We build up soil nutrition girdle trees under the snow, or eat termi­ with lime, bone meal, cottonseed meal nal buds of small tree seedlings. Rab­ and superphosphate, while cow manure, bits, destructive and prolific, particular­ happily available in our area, we. toss ly like to nibble yew, China fir, azalea, around established plants as a wmter holly, pagoda tree, euonymus, and dog­ dressing. Our own mulch pile of weeds, wood. They do not seem to bother leaves, and kitchen greens, turned over larch, umbrella pine, box or andromeda. once, is dug into the vegetable garden They may be thwarted by a two foot annually. Six inches of seaweed were chicken wire fence of one inch mesh. worked in one year, resulting in excel­ White tail deer and red deer are a con­ lent tilth. I have worked with both stant nuisance and highly destructive. heavy clay and poor sandy soils, and the Although I have seen deer on the Vine­ latter I find much easier to work into yard, I have yet to see them on the farm. good condition. Only the hoof prints and the chewed up Drainage is excellent, since coarse branches remain to identify them morn­ open gravel lies below the sod at depths ing after morning as I make my rounds. varying from one to three feet or more. I spray some plants with "Arasan 42- As might be expected, broom, heather, S" to discourage rabbits and deer. I have corema, pixie moss, sandwort, sand myr­ lost some plants to mice chewing up the tle, bird's foot violet, and all the plants roots and trunks at ground level. Deer of the dry pine barren association thrive are curious creatures, and whenever new in Vineyard soil, and are easily moved earth has been plowed or planted their while small. We were surprised to find feet roam all over it, exploring. After a that the bird's foot violet in cultivation while the plants no longer cast unfa­ produces some bloom from August until miliar moon shadows or interfere with frost, in addition to its main flowering old deer trails and the animals no long­ in May. er bother them. Besides exciting the ani-

Road to South Beach from South Road taken at early morning. Martha's Vineyard Island. WILLIAM O. RICHARDS JULY 1964, VOLUME 43, NUMBER 3 143 mal's curiosity, a shrub or tree trans­ clean and luxuriant foliage, while the planted to new surroundings seems to be narrow leaves of pines expand, with a actually sweeter or more delicious for shiny opulent appearance. about a year. A pine, such as Pinus The summer farm of 45 acres is about thunbergii, after its first twelve months half woods and half open fields, bound­ in the field, must be tougher, rougher, ed by stone walls. The arrangement of or in some way bitter or unpalatable, for walls and gates in our fields was dictated it is apt to be unmolested once well es­ by the needs of sheep raising and farm­ tablished; the first year it may be un­ ing and the need for wind barriers. mercifully chewed, both bark and Sheep raising also accounts for the deep branch. richness of the soil in certain limited An anti-deer device that has proved a areas. Winds up to gales and hurri­ help to me is to run a wire, only one canes blowing from the sea, which is foot off the ground, surrounding a bed about four miles away in any direction, I wish to protect. This low wire tangles account for the bare, thin-soiled centers the deer's feet and trips them until they of the fields and the lush accumulation soon avoid the area. The great trick of leaf mold along the walls. with deer is to try to throw the high In the past. the sheepmen were also strung creatures off balance nervously, farmers. When the fields were used for make them anxious, hoping to send crops they could not plow too close to them on some other trail, on some other the walls, so weed plants grew, and the field than mine. wall strips gradually widened. Locust, The worst pests in the insect world, wild cherry, red cedar, viburnum, bay­ the Japanese beetles, which are in an berry, blueberry, poison ivy, cat briar, abundant stage on the island, love every­ sassafras, sumac, red chokeberry, shad thing in the rose family, also Larix, bush, black alder, black gum, gray Metasequoia, Carpinus, Betula, and Cor­ birch, and many species of oak competed nus; while in the vegetable garden they for the undisturbed space, until the are ravenously hungry for asparagus, walls became invisible. The rocks along rhubarb, and raspb€rries. To combat the top tumbled down, unbalanced by the beetles we have spread milky-spore the action of frost on the foundations or disease. by being kicked over in the deer paths. Plant diseases are few, due to cold and The thickets around the walls provide wind, I suppose; while the abundant cover for rabbits, shrews, moles, quail, heart-rot and necrosis might be account­ pheasants, feral cats and field mice; but ed for by unfavorable cultural factors. not always enough cover to prevent hap­ White oak is the most abundant species py hunting for hawks . and owls. The of tree on the island. Some superb jungle moves in quickly where neither heavy, wide-spreading specimens can be man nor beast keeps it down. seen. But many a tall oak, blown over I shall mention just three of our wild by a hurricane or split in a gale reveals flowers. By clearing the undergrowth in a rotten core. I blame much of this on some of the woods we have permitted spring or summer droughts, especially the spread of Pipsissewa (Chimaphila when trees are young. The black locust, mandata); in the sun we have culti­ Robinia pseudoacacia, is brittle in the vated a showy bed of Asclepias tuberosa, wind, losing large branches or the whole the butterfly weed, and another of Lysi­ top of the tree. Brittleness may be part­ machia punctata, dotted Garden-Loose­ ly caused by the borers which are pres­ strife. I raised some plants of L. punc­ ent in most young trees. The tree out­ lata from Royal Horticultural Society grows the borer but keeps the rotted seed, hoping for something still showier heart wood; in the same way many wild than our Loosestrife, but found that the cherries have soft and worthless centers. Vineyard strain was the one we pre­ Potent allies in Vineyard horticulture, ferred. The flowers measured actually however, are the air and the fog. The wider, were held more open and upright air is clean and pure, a delight to and were more abundant in the whorls. breathe, the fog is frequent and bene­ They even had less dark coloring to de­ ficial. Vineyard mists are as much a tract from the clear yellow of the petals. part of the landscape as brilliant sun­ However the Vineyard strain produces shine. Consequently, by the end of sum­ 11:0 seed and must be propagated by divi­ mer broad-leaved evergreens have glossy, sIOns. 144 THE AMERICAN HORTICULTURAL MAGAZINE

Near the old buildings were planted fordii', and I. comuta 'Rotunda', did not lilacs, boxwood, rambler roses, and old­ prove hardy in my trials. I have seen fashioned shrubs, a white mulberry, handsome large plants of I. X 'Eldridge' elms, a pecan tree (a specially hardy in other gardens. grafted em'ya illinoensis, now 15 years About two miles north of our farm old and healthy) , some old apple trees, on the Vineyard Sound, is a remarkable and several sycamore maples (Aeer grove of I. opaea. It is flat-topped, being pseudoplatanus) , now fine specimens levelled off at about seven feet by the and among the very best wind and sea winds, as it is growing virtually on weather-proof trees for the Vineyard. the beach. Buffeted and bent over, the Plenty of wild birds feed on the farm. bare and twisted trunks reach horizon­ When I go to the nursery early in the tally away from the coast, and have at morning twenty robins may be disturbed the ends of their branches tufts of fresh and flutter off. At their appointed hour green leaves. On the other hand, inland, morning and evening fifteen Canada in a sheltered woods, not a mile away, geese fly up from nearby, gaggling, and stands a holly more than thirty feet tall, circle low over my head. To live by symmetrical, and handsomely furnished goose's time is more pleasant than clock with leaves from top to bottom. watching. Pines Summer Schedule My second loves are the pines. It is As to my opportuni ties to garden, I easy to see from the air or the highways am obliged to be completely absent from that many pines are native or natural­ the month of November to April. I am ized on the island, such as Pinus rigida, usually present from late June to early P. strobus, P. sylvestris, and P. banksiana. September, paying visits of varying Also many hundreds of P. thunbergii, P. length spring and fall. Especially the 1'esinosa, and P. nigm have been planted, weeds enjoy my absences. either in private places, by the State For­ With the time available to me I have ester or by the Highway Department. followed a program at .the farm of ex­ The following species of pines are on perimenting with different plant groups, trial in my nursery or are already planted testing for hardiness and suitability to out: Pinus aristata, P. armandii, P. aya Vineyard environment, and of landscap­ eahuite, P. bungeana, P. eemb1'G, P. eem­ ing with the best results of my tests. broides var. edulis, P. contorta, P. eoul­ teri, P. densifiom and its form umbmeu­ Hollies litem, P. fiexilis, P. halepensis var. bru­ Hollies were my first love, and I find tia, P. jeffreyi, P. koraiensis, P. mugo, them very well adapted to seacoast P. nepalensis, P. nigra, P. palustris, P. planting. At present !lex opaea, the na­ pan;ifiora, P. pentaphylla, P. peuee, P. tive, and I. aquitolium, the English hol­ ponderosa, P. rigida, P. sabiniana, P. ly, are rather widely planted on the is­ strobus and its form pendula, P. sylves­ land. They should be moved in spring, tris, P. taeda, P. thunbergii, and P. vir­ not fall, and need wind shelter when giniana. These have wintered in the young. I am growing the red and yellow­ open one or more years. Those species berried opacas, 4 or 5 named clones, and that died of the cold include P. halepen­ some seedlings. For dry woods planting sis, P. murieata, P. montezumae, and P. only the seedlings have survived, be­ pinea. cause of their more rangy root system. The loblolly pine when once estab­ Of the aquifoliums I am growing 'Ca­ lished can take a severe winter like last, melliaefolia', the hardiest of all, of '62-'63, without any setback. Although 'Angustifolia', and some others; several somewhat subject to salt burn, it is one form of I. erenata, such as 'Compacta' of the pines able to send out new shoots 'Convexa', and 'Helleri'; then I. pemeyi, from an internode in the stem and there­ l. peduneulosa, I. cornuta, I latitolia, by rejuvenate itself very quickly. I rec­ I. sugerokii, I. mutehagam, l. glabm, I. ommend it highly for Vineyard planting. rotunda, X 'Lydia Morris', I. eiliospinosa Cones of the loblolly have been found and some others; as well as the deciduous in a peat bed on nearby Noman's Land. species I. vertieillata, I. montana, and I. Once the primeval woods were cut down maempoda. I. aquitolium 'Aureo-mar­ by man the loblollies have not returned. ginata', Foster's hybrid, I. eomuta 'Bur- P. eontorta also grows very fast and has JULY 1964, VOLUME 43, NUMBER 3 145 a rich deep green color. P. densiflora green almost fern-like grace and beauty and P. nepalensis, two favorites, I prize in the Vineyard climate. The Japanese for beauty, speed of growth, and their larch, Larix leptolepis, has outreached adequately proven resistance to cold and the golden larch, Pseudolarix IwemPferi, salt. P. sabiniana, barely able to stay by several feet, though why I am not yet alive, is not recommended. P. palustris, sure. Both came from seed in 1959. still in the bushy seedling stage, has been TaXthS X media and its relative Toneya in the open ground since '59. P. ayaca­ nucifera grow well. Chamaecyparis law­ huite seedlings, the Mexican white pine, soniana must have wind shelter, but it give great promise of becoming bushy is a lovely bushy plant, enjoying the sea­ vigorous trees. P. thunbergii, the J ap­ coast climate. Chamaecyparis obtusa and anese black pine, is of course the most forms are fully hardy. The Irish juniper consistently recommended for direct ex­ is not hardy enough; it neither grows posure to the sea or for windbreaks, but nor dies. But horticultural selections of it is short lived on the Vineyard, coarse the Chinese juniper thrive and are rath­ and subject to borer, and I shall not er widely planted. J1miperus pachy­ plant any more of them. Loblollies out­ phloea, a beautiful blue, is a shade more grow the Japanese black pines in height spectacular than ]. monosperma. They and are more graceful in appearance. both grow fast and are from Denver They will also grow in wet places or in seed. dry, and can take some shade in the early years wi thout reaching. Beeches and Other Trees J n 1959 I started a pine grove of 85 A beautiful and available large tree, one-year-old seedlings of P. fl exilis, the the native beech, growing in unmixed western limber pine. Other species have groves, has been known on the island been added. Rates of growth of various since earliest times, and here and there species differ conspicuously. 50 far the can be found majestic individual speci­ limber pines have failed to outgrow mens. There are also some very large meadow grasses in height, while the tall­ specimens of the European purple beech. est loblollies of the same age rise over I am trying Fa/2;us sylvatica 'AspenifoJia', my head. 'Laciniata', 'Heterophylla', 'Cuprea', 'Fastigiata', and 'Purpurea Pendula'. Al­ Other Conifers though I have tried, I have failed to Two Japanese conifiers, outstanding grow small plants of F. sylvatica 'Tri­ in ease and success of culture, are Cryp­ color', while my young graft of 'Roseo­ tomen·a japonica, and its variety 'Ele­ marginata" was stolen. It seems that the gans', and Sciadopitys vertic illata, the climate is really too rugged for the semi­ Japanese Umbrella-pine. They both de­ albino plants of the genus Fagus or Ilex. velop compact and bushy silhouettes and A shrubby tree, enormously success­ expand their individual leaves luxuriant­ ful on the island, upright in shade and ly in the moist clean air. The three spreading in the sun, is Photinia villosa. true cedars are doing well (I am using A vigorous grower of the rose family it C. deodara 'Kashmir'). I am growing offers a dainty white flower, showy red three different spruces and six different to orange fruit, and brilliant red to yel­ firs: Picea oriental is, P. glauca, and P. low autumn foliage; Photinia even tol­ glauca 'Conica'; Abies firma, A. procera erates some nibbling by rabbits and (nobilis) var. glauca, A. nordmanniana, deer. But for all its virtues it does not A. numidica, A. pinsapo var. glauca, A. seem to be well known. veitchii. The enemies of spruce and fir Another favorite of mine, if planted are red spider in a dry summer and deer near a wall or other wind break, is Ox),­ with itchy velvet horns in winter. dendrum arboreum, the slender 50rrel­ Two other conifers interest our visi­ tree. It is beautiful at all times of year, tors: the giant redwood, Sequoiadendron the large leaf giving it character. Native giganteum, from California, now reach­ further south, it grows well with Pieris ing four feet and stocky, having been in japonica, now widely planted on Mar­ the Vineyard ground three winters, and tha's Vineyard. Pieris has a way of grow­ dawn redwood, Metasequoia glyptoStTO­ ing easily to a good size and then capri­ boides, from a 1959 cutting, nine feet tall ciously dying, whether for lack of water in four years. Given plenty of food and or for some other cause I have not yet water the metasequoia is a tree of light found out. E. MALCOLfI.'( PHILLIPS Shadows in the lake-left foreground-tell of late afternoon in this charming scene. Martha's Vineyard Island.

H alesia and Corylopsis in several spe­ Disappointments have been many due cies, also Pterostymx are plants I am to a lack of h ardiness: Liquidamba?' growing with no difficulty, except for stymciflua (from Delaware seed), Acer mice and rabbits. Franklinia grows suc­ japonicum (if too exposed) , Labu.rnum cessfully as a multi-stemmed shrub, and X watereTi 'Vossii' (only if too ex­ all the Stewartia species flourish. I am posed) , Davidia involucmta (the plants growing S. psettdo-camellia, S. monadel­ were probably too small for testing) , pha, S. koreana, S. malacodendron, S. Eucalyptus gunnii (it regrows from the sen'ata, and S. sinensis. Stewartias branch ground each year) ,Pernettya (after suc­ in a dainty and orderly fashion and ceeding two winters), Daboecia canta­ sport a brilliant fall coloring. Placed in brica and others, all failed. partial shade they seem content with the Our native dogwood, Cornus fl orida, existing amount of moisture. Most of will not grow well on the island unless them bloom in summer. pampered. IVl uch more successful, and Magnolia gmndiflora grows in several blooming through the whole month of places on the farm, all chosen with an July, is the J apanese dogwood, Comus eye to wind and shelter. I lost a young housa. A group of these have been given one, branch and root, to a hungry a major place in our landscaping. As I mouse during the winter. Since the larg­ h ave experienced on a number of occa­ est one ou tgrew its protective cage, I sions, the seedling variation provides rely on "Arasan 42-S" and "Wiltpruf" enormous interest as the trees develop. to keep the deer from it. A number of One plant in my collection of Corn us my small seedlings of M. gmndiflora kousa grown from seed has leaves of the have succeeded in other island gardens. smoothest velvet texture, the richest col­ M. macmphylla, M. virginiana, M. ko­ oring, and the finest form of any of the bus, and M. sieboldii are also on trial. 40 or so I have raised. It even seems to jill. viTginiana has proved h ardy for the repel the J apan ese beetle, suffering the longest period. The lovely pink blooms least damage of all its sisters from those of lVIagnolia X soulangea?7a can be seen pests. in several island towns in early spring. The tulip poplar, Liriodendmn tulip- JULY 1964, VOLUME 43, NUMBER 3 147

IteTa, with its massive bole unbranched seedling variation is most interesting; for for several tens of feet above the forest example, some seedlings have especially floor, has always seemed to me the bluish foliage. As rabbits chew up the straightest and tallest of our nearby young plants, they must be protected. trees. It is not this form that one finds Rhododendmn X Iwsterianum ("Mol­ on the Vineyard. In the village near us, lies hybrids") and the Glenn Dale selec­ on IvI usic Street, an old tuli p tree, wi th tions 'Sea Foam' and 'Treasure' are quite a stocky wide-spreading habit, has more at home. Rhododendmn lineaTifolium the look of a live oak on the Ashley 'Seigai' has proved h ardy in semi-shade_ River. The tree is rare on the Vineyard, As in other localities some evergreen if not unique. In 1958 I gathered 225 azaleas have proved to be more plant seeds from Delaware and planted them. hardy than their flower buds, for exam­ Only three seedlings emerged but they ple, 'Helen Close', another Glenn Dale. grew prodigiously in the nursery. In Although I have not planted the May, 1960, when a year old, they were large-leaved rhododendrons, others have, planted strategically, one north of a and with good success. The plants are house, one in the arboretum, and one thrifty and the deer clo not bother them on a south wall. 'When four years old after the first year or two. from seed, the last one had achieved five Kalmia, Enkianthus, and L eucothoe feet, and in the winter a mouse chewed are contented Vineyard subjects; L. fon­ it completely through at ground level. tanesium (L. catesbaei) thrives in the dry The one in the arboretum had not been woods and is not attractive to predators, watered through the summer and suf­ its only requirement shade. Aucuba ja­ fered die-back in 1962-63, but has since ponica and Daphne odom do well in the come back to be most sturdy. The third, shade, too, seeming to stretch their leaves with the help of food and water, seems luxuriously in the morning mists; in the in good health and balance. I hope this former the concolor has proved more one will become established as a major hardy, and in the latter the variegata. shade tree. Hamamelis mollis, after winter's natural selection and elimination process, has Azaleas and Other Shrubs come to bloom in five years from seed. After hollies and pines, my third spe­ Zelkova sen'ala is adapting itself satisfac­ cialty is the azalea. My objective with torily as is Sophora japonica. However, the evergreen azaleas is to develop a Sophom appreciates wind shelter and thoroughly hardy plant, prostrate or extra moisture. Crepe myrtle did not dwarf in habit, with large, clear-colored survive, though sheltered from wind, but flowers, blooming during the vacation the plants were very young for the se­ season of late June and July. I have vere winter of 1962-63. Pymcantha CTen­ been fortunate to obtain many seeds of ulata 'Rogersiana' needs the protection special crosses from Japan. For exam­ of a wall, also P. atalantioides. I would ple, one parent may be the dwarf spe­ think them hardly worth promoting, cies Rhododendron nakahami or R. their hardiness is so insecure; P. coccinea yakuinsulare, the other parent a showy is hardy enough. Poncirus tTifoliata, 'Gumpo' or satsuki selection with out­ four years old from seed, and still in standing color and size of bloom. The the nursery, is growing satisfactorily and seedlings, when two years old or more, ready to move. Again, the winter are put on trial in the nursery. I have thinned out the weaker seedlings. also received named clones of Japanese A really long-range project is the Shag-­ dwarf selections with 3 to 5 inch blooms bark Hickory grove, Carya ovata. My that are being tested for adaptability, husband and I toured the nut regions of first in Delaware, then on the island. nearby Pennsylvania in two consecutive Some deciduous species are also being autumns, tasting from every wild tree we tried, for instance our own native, Rho­ found. Only the largest and most de­ dodendron atlanticum, quickly grown licious nuts were saved. After stratifica­ from Delaware seed, is now established tion they were germinated in a flat. In in large beds. Fragrant and graceful, summer they were transplan ted to a they make an attractive picture against ploughed strip hoping to produce a a stone wall in the shade of an oak tree. closely spaced grove. Each plant is There they are planted in a mixture of caged for the winter, since their terminal sandy loam and oak leaves. Again, the buds are ideal mouse and rabbit winter 148 THE AMERICAN HORTICULTURAL MAGAZINE diet. Admittedly, they are slow grow­ suIted by June, but those started in ing, for the best height we can expect is Delaware were already a year's growth ten feet in ten years. Once they were ahead. The rewarding thing in both well known on the island, but now are cases was the vigor of the root, its deep no longer seen. penetration and wide branching, a Another pleasant grove will be Nyssa marked contrast to the tight and meager sylvatica, the Black Gum, planted along root systems of my named clones grown a wall between two fields. Notoriously from cuttings. tap-rooted and hard to move, three one­ The winter of 1962-63 came along to year-old seedlings were planted in each prove the value of the tests. The story of 20 permanent positions inside a wire may best be told in chart form. cage. When about 5 feet tall one of the three will be selected to continue. Their Column 1 gives the species and source truly brilliant scarlet and purple fall of seed. coloring and graceful horizontal habit Column 2 shows the number of plants of growth make them a much admired after a summer of growth fol­ native tree. Occurring naturally in wet lowing germination. places, they can also grow where it is dry. Column 3 shows the number surviving at the same time the next Camellias year, depleted by the winter I shall conclude this cataloguing with of '61-62. my fourth and best love, the Camellia. Column 4 shows the number of plants First a word of background experience; that looked green and healthy camellias are already known to grow on the following April, further the island. Several plants of C. japonica depleted by the winter of '62- have bloomed in a sheltered Edgartown 63. Criteria for selection were garden each year since 1945, or there­ sound terminal buds and a abouts, and with no extra water or food. large majority of undamaged In a wilder area, but also sheltered, a leaves. Among the Kessennu­ camellia survived the winter except for rna were a few in greenhouse severe deer damage, I was told. So, in condition. April 1960, I planted 33 young plants, Column 5 shows the percentage of sur­ all named varieties of C. japonica, in a vival from the beginning un­ bed to the north of a stone wall. The til April '63. At this point area was too exposed in winter, they the plants are beginning were too small, their root systems too their third year of growth. limited, and by the fall of 1963 only one or two were left, and those not too Species Fall '61 Fall '62 Aplil '63 % flourishing. C. sasanqua In October of 1960, I began to paral­ Tokyo 37 20 0 0 C. oleifera lel my April test of named varieties with Washington, D. C. 47 38 1* 2 an experiment looking toward a hardy C. japonica new race in several species. Seeds were Natsudomari 428 70 20 4.5 obtained from three Japanese localities: C. japonica Tokyo 25 12 3 12 Tokyo, Miyagii Prefecture and Aomori C. japonica Prefectu.re, (C . japonica) ; from the Roy­ R.H.S. 32 25 4 12 al HortIcultural Society in England (C. C. salu enensis saluenensis and C. japonica); and from R.H.S. 70 54 17 24 the United States, (sasanquas from Ala­ C. japon ica bama, oleiferas from Washington, D. C. Kessennuma 58 43 22 37 and japonicas from various sources). Total 697 262 67 9 Those that arrived before December ~ere planted o.utdoors three inches deep "The one good C. oleifera was left in the small bed where it had been transplanted in 1D my nursery 1D a peaty seed bed under 1962. lath. .The others were germinated in­ doors 1D Delaware, grown on in pots or boxes and tra.nsplanted in the spring of I hope that now I have 67 plants truly 1961 to the Island nursery, with snow on their way to success. They are being fence four feet above them. From the given the most suitable spot on the farm nursery sown seed good germination re- for their permanent place. JULY 1964, VOLUME 43, NUMBER 3 149

Roughly 30 ft. by 300 ft., the camellia There may be a few surprises for ca­ bed was three years in preparation. It mellia growers in this report: tempera­ was improved from a stony yellow soil to ture is not unlike the Vineyard; pH is a humus-filled brown loam, by means of defini tely less acid than the normal rec­ lime, manure, two crops of soy beans ommendation of 5.5-6.0 that I find in ploughed under, one of winter rye and most of the camellia literature; rainfall, bales of peat moss all worked in. The between 50 and 51 inches, is higher than bed is shaded by tall spreading oaks on the south and west. To the north I have the Vineyard, but much lower than some planted mixed pines which will soon of the other camellia areas in Japan; "half paten (t)" I believe is meant to grow up to provide wind shelter. ]vIy 66 surviving japonicas and saluenensis describe the somewhat tubular form of were moved to this spot in April, plant­ the flower, similar to 'Magnoliaflora' ed on eight foot centers. The bed was (Syn. 'Hagoromo') , but smaller. treated with "Simazine" for weed con­ The saluenensis plants appear to be of trol, mulched with pine needles, and two kinds: one is typical in foliage and watered each week through the summer. habit; the other, four special individu­ After one more year of watering I hope als, appears to be intermediate between this will not be necessary. saluenensis and japonica. Those four I am eager to see what flowers will re­ plants are outstanding in vigor and may sult from the various seed sources. It prove to be hybrids. Bronzy red winter may be interesting to repeat this descrip­ color exists in the leaves of some of the tion of the flower type, soil and climate Natsudomaris (C. japonica) and all the from the Natsudomari area where the C. saluenensis. The Kessennumas have most northern] apanese C. japonica seed the tallest growth of the japonicas, with originated. I quote, "From # 1 seeds, longest internodes and the glossiest you can expect the flower are usual size green leaves, winter and summer. The about 7 cm. in diameter, fine red in N atsudomaris are stocky and shorter color, with half paten petals. They grow plants. None of the seedlings of any on the soil of pH 6.0-6.5. The character ;pecies were budded this year. of the soil is the silty loam with a little Vineyarders have been travelers since humus on the surface of the ground. the days of the whalers, bringing home The annual rainfall at Aomori near foreign objects of all kinds. I hope that Natsudomari is about 1,300 mm. A pe­ some of the foreign plants I have had so riod below 32° F is about three months, much pleasure in growing will take hold and a period below 0° F about one week, but the snow qepth is 1 meter or more, in the island soil and become permanent then they are protected under the snow Vineyarders. from heavy windy cold weather in win­ ' Letter from Mr. Kobee Hosoi of the Fores t Experi­ ment Station a t Okidate, Aomori, dated November 27, ter."* 1963. 150 THE Ai\IERICAN HORTICULTURAL MAGAZINE

PHILIP A. BARKER lnterruption of the central leader type of growth and development of a more spreading limb structure represents a variation of merit in an American Sweetgum in Glendale, California. Tree Selection And Use

PHILIP A. BARKER *

One would not ordinarily plant a tree species; possibly so much as LO suggest without considering what he expects that they belong to another species. from the tree-and then selecting a par­ Since this pattern of variation is the ex­ ticular kind accordingly. In the process pected thing, there is nothing magical of being selective, a person may, for ex­ about an individual tree that differs ample, accept an evergreen tree and markedly from others of the same spe­ thereby reject a deciduous tree, perhaps cies. Such exceptional variation is, how­ narrowing it further down to a broad­ ever, significantly interesting because of leaved evergreen rather than a narrow­ the slight probability of its occurrence, leaved evergreen tree, one with an ulti­ or, to say the same thing differently, be­ mate height of 45 rather than 20 feet, cause of such a tree's relative rarity. one that grows rapidly in fine-textured, I t is the sorting ou t of certain of these poorly-drained soil, and so forth. Final­ trees of exceptional variation and per­ ly, out of the myriad of possibilities, he petuating them as clones that continues makes his choice, probably satisfied that to hold immense promise as a source of he has selected the ideal tree that was "new" kinds of trees. Some of these available for his particular needs. variations, while unusual within the A person's degree of selectivity is in­ species population, constitute an appear­ fluenced by his awareness of the variabil­ ance difference primarily. Others, espe­ ity of trees. Assuming that the quality cially the ones that have superior per­ of trees used in the landscape will be formance, represent distinct impro:re­ directly proportional to the degree of ments. A consideration of the relatIve selecti"ity, then a knowledge of variabil­ importance of exceptional variations in ity in trees by whoever is responsible trees will follow. for planting them, is seen to be high.ly important. This paper, therefore, wIll Variations in Leaves be principally a study of the variability At least four characteristics of leaves of trees. of trees have exceptional variation, Even though, within certain limits, namely 1) shape and size, 2) . surface each tree species (or taxon! of any rank) texture, 3) color, and 4) retentIOn. . retains a relative constancy of character­ 1. Shape and size. An unu~ual.v~na­ istics from generation to generation, all tion in shape is a leaf that IS .dIvided of the individuals within a species vary into narrow linear lobes that gIves the one from another just the same as hu .. leaf a fine textured laciniate or fern-like man beings. The over-all variability of appearance. Even though a clonal tree the whole population of a species fol­ with such finely dissected leaves may not lows a bell-shaped curve. The signifi­ be of superior performance, its unique ca nce of this is that a few of the individ­ appearance is impressive. Clones . of uals within a species, those at either end European Birch,2 European Beech, and of the curve, will be quite dissimilar to Japanese Maple have this leaf shape the bulk of the population for that variation. "' Department of Landscape Horticulture, University Ordinarily, variation in leaf size is of Ca lifornia, D a\ is. not so great or unusual as to be a strik­ lTaxon and taxa, its plural, may be applied to any naturally occurring a nd reproducible category of plants ing feature. Also, size varia.tions are le~s such as variety. species, genus, etc. The. horticultural articulately comprehended III a person s cou nterpart of ta xon is cultivarJ which IS any plant propagated by a method other than the natural seed mind than shape of leaves. Recently, method. '!\fhen a cultivar is vegetatively propagated, i.e., by a cutting, by budding, or by grafting, as practi­ 'Common names of trees are used throughout this cally all cultivars of tree arc. it is more precise to paper. The scientific counterpart to the.se names is given call it a clone. in th e appendix. 15 1 152 THE AMERICAN HORTICULTURAL MAGAZINE however, a clone of the southern mag­ ones are those that contrast sharply with nolia has been introduced on the basis green. Some of these are permanent dur­ of its unusually large leaves. ing the life of the leaf. Others are tran­ From an appearance viewpoint, shape sient, present only during part of the and size variations offer possibili ties of leaf life span. Again, any of these color modifying the texture of a tree species; changes represents an appearance varia­ particularly through variation in leaf tion. They are spectacular, however, shape for a finer texture and variation and so are greatly admired. Each of in leaf size for a coarser texture. these variations are significant for differ­ 2. Leaf sW"face. Numerous species of ent species of trees. trees have a pubescent or hairy leaf sur­ The so-called blues or white-blues, face. Such leaves, being a haven for dust apparently permanent in the leaf, are particles, often become seriously blem­ found in the conifers. In the blue ished during periods of no rain. Then, Colorado Spruce this characteristic seg­ too, these hairs, like those on the leaves regates out often enough for it to be of the London Plane, are suspected profitably produced by seed propagation contributing to hayfever symptoms. For by roguing the unwanted green seed­ these and other reasons, clones with lings. A clone of the Atlas Cedar has a leaves absent of any pubescence, of those similar color varia tion. species that normally have pubescent Various hues of purple is another leaves, would be valuable. color variation that is often permanent 3. Colm-. Leaf color is one of the in leaves. Familiar examples are some, variations in trees that seems to attract though not all, of the purple-leaved the greatest interest. The exceptional clones of the Myrobalan Plum, such as

Variation. in w~nter .retention of dead leaves on a pair of Pin Oaks growing near Lodt, Caltforma. The abundance of leaves on the left tree is typical of most trees of that species. The right tree, which was defoliated at least one month before the picture was taken on January 11, 1963, would be more desirable for landscape purposes. PHILIP A. BARKER JULY 1964, VOLUME 43, NUMBER 3 153 the 'Krauter's Versuvius'. The purple before falling. Seldom is the change of leaf characteristic seems to be so out­ sufficient magnitude to invite a "second standing a feature in this species as to look." The Silver Maple is an example. preclude the landscape use of the green­ Some others are the so-called fruitless leaved counterpart. Notwithstanding mulberry, the elms, London Plane, the this colorful feature, green-leaved clones Honeylocust, and the Catalpa. of the Myrobalan Plum should be equal­ 4. L eaf retention. Some interesting ly useful, especially if they bore no fruit. questions about trees seem to have had Trees that have transient leaf color little study. One concerns the life ex­ differences are of two kinds. On some, pectancy of leaves of broad-leaved ever­ the leaves have a color other than green green trees, and the time of year and as they expand from the bud, fading length of time during which they drop. into the more normal green color as the Presumably, the leaves of the southern leaves age. Numerous purple-leaved magnolia, for example, begin dropping clones of various species exhibit this about May and continue to dribble color variation, including the Myrobalan down through August. A survey of Plum, European Beech, Japanese Maple, home-owners, along whose street this and Norway Maple. tree grew, revealed that the leaf residue Secondly, there is the transient leaf was the feature they disliked most about color variation that occurs in the au­ it. Conceivably, trees could be found tumn shortly before leaf drop. The col­ of the southern magnolia, and of any ors that occur then are well-known; reds, other broad-leaved evergreen, on which oranges, and yellows predominating. the period of leaf shedding would be Sweetgum is a familiar example-beauti­ significantly shorter than usual. An im­ ful green throughout the summer and provement of this nature should repre­ ablaze with the traditional fall color' for sent superiority of performance at least a couple of weeks in September or Octo­ in terms of reduced maintenance re­ ber. Not all of the individuals in this quirements. species, or any of the fall-coloring kinds The deciduous trees, those that have for that matter, color equally well. Be­ complete defoliation annually, require cause of this, clones that are consistent a dual consideration of leaf retention. in coloring are much in demand. How­ The first is that of leaf shedding ever, even these must be predisposed to throughout the summer, which may be certain environmental conditions if they prevalent for trees like the Tuliptree, are to color well. It follows then, that London Plane, and occasionally the Sil­ under environmental conditions that are ver Maple. Seldom if ever does this optimum for fall coloration of tree foli­ occur in some other species, notably age only certain species of trees will col­ the Ginkgo, the elms, and the hackber­ or and within each of these certain indi­ ries. To many homeowners, no tree prob­ viduals will color better than others. lem is more acu te than to have a tree, In addition to the Sweetgum, other deciduous or evergreen, that sheds tree species that have the inherent ca­ leaves throughout the summer. The res­ pacity for fall foliage coloration are idue or litter that it creates is an un­ many of the maples including the sugar, acceptable maintenance item. red, Japanese, purpleblow, and vine The second consideration of leaf re­ maples; Tupelo; Chinese Pis tache; Sassa­ tention on deciduous trees is the abrupt­ fras; and Japanese Zelkova. All of these ness of defoliation. The ideal trees, are noted for colors of burgundies, reds, using the ginkgo again as the example, and oranges. On the other hand, the defoliate entirely within a two to three leaves of the Ginkgo and at times the week period. Contrast this with a typi­ Modesto Ash and the Norway Maple cal Pin Oak on which the leaves may turn to a dazzling golden yellow. Add turn brown in late fall and remain at­ to this, too, the beauty of a carpet of yel­ tached to the twigs throughout the win­ low leaves under the ginkgo a few days ter. This latter condition is also found later. in several of the oak species, the Euro­ Contrast the aforementioned trees pean Hornbeam, and the European with other tree species whose leaves dis­ Beech. playa dismal senility by fading to vari­ In a review of his research findings on ous bleached shades of greenish yellow this problem, de Muchadell (I) report- 154 THE AMERICAN HORTICULTURAL MAGAZINE ed that there is much difference between that is often an exceptional variable. De individuals of the above named trees Muckadell (4) found a definite drop in regarding their leaf retention character­ the thorniness of the Black Locust with istics. Working with two species, the tree age. By vegetatively propagating Durmast Oak and the English Oak, he from high up on in an old tree, where found that the first great difference was the branches were relatively thornless, he a pronounced individual variation. obtained new plants that were essen­ J\Iany individuals of both species never tiall y thornless. 'Whi tehouse, Creech, retained leaves in the winter; on the and Seaton (3) have developed a clone other hand, others retained the dead of a Chinese pear that is free of the leaves during the winter even at great characteristic thorny spurs. The tree, age. He reported that the Durmast Oak which they have named Pynls calle1-yana was more inclined to leaf retention than 'Bradford', should be more suitable for the English Oak, hence the former was landscape use as should any other thorn­ called "winteroak" and the latter "sum­ less clone of typically thorny species. mer oak." He succeeded in showing, by Variation in Branching con trolled crossing, tha t leaf reten tion is a hereditary characteristic in these two All tree species ordinarily have a well oaks. recognized branching characteristic. This There is reason to again stress that the characteristic contributes more than any variations in leaf retention characteris­ other one to the over-all shape for which tics represent a fertile field for investiga­ each species is known. The variation tion to develop clones of superior per­ between species is from the wide-spread­ formance. ing flat-topped Silktree to the unusually narrow Silkoak. The Silktree has no cen­ Variations in Thorns tral leader whereas the Silkoak has a Numerous species of trees have some very pronounced central leader with form of thorns or spines, a characteristic branches growing horizontally out from !t. Ordinarily the Sweetgum has a prom­ ment central leader, too, yet in Glen­ dale, California, in a street planting of upwards of 200 trees of this species, the central leader on a few is essentially absent. As a result, their crown shape is considerably wider than in the others. Considerable merit attends the use of narrow or columnar trees in various landscape situations. For this purpose there are already several columnar-grow­ ing clones of various tree species and un­ doubtedly many more will be developed. The Lombardy Poplar is a well known example, though, for numerous other reasons, its use is seldom justified. Of far greater value is the columnar form of the English Oak. Many others could be described. All of them, represent a dis­ tinct improvement over the species for a.n extensive array of landscape situa­ tIOns. A pendulous branch habit is still an­ other variation in branching, as, for ex­ ample, the Chilean May ten and the weeping willow. Pendulous-branching PH lLlP A. BARKER clones exist in such trees as the Japanese Vertical limb and branch growth and Pagodatree, English Elm, and the White effective longevity of tree characterize Mulberry. Trees with such novel branch­ this hifJ.hway cent~r strip planting of ing often have a place in parks and an upnght selectwn of English oak home. gardens. Their grotesque appear­ in Eugene, Oregon. ance mterests adults and children alike. JULY 1964, VOLUME 43, NUJ'vIBER 3 15 5

Variation in Tree Size and Growth and the. possibility e~ists of. developing Rate non-frUltmg clones WIth sterile flowers. Tree size and growth rate are so inter­ In the second group of trees, called related that a combined discussion seems diclinous, each flower contains only one desirable. Both are influenced by a tree's sex, or, to better anchor the meaning to genetic status, by the environmental con­ the name, two flowers are required in ditions under which it is grown, and by the reproduction process. This group is its root stock and/ or other human-in­ again divided. One of these subgroups duced aberrations. In a well-controlled is the so-called monoecious trees. In study Squillace and Silen (2) found them, both the male and the female that, during a 30 year period, the growth flowers are ordinarily borne on the same rate in height in Ponderosa Pine from tree. These trees, like the monoclinous one seed source varied from 60 feet in ones, all have the ca paci ty for bearing a forest planting near Corvallis, Oregon, fruit. Some trees in this subgroup are LO less than 10 feet in a forest planting the oaks, walnuts, alders, birches, and near Bend, Oregon. They also found pines. Development of non-fruiting that the seed source also greatly influ­ clones of these would be achieved by enced the growth rate and ultimate procedures similar to those used with height. This is not an unusual example. the monoclinous trees and also by de­ Evidence is accumulating that confirms veloping trees that bear only male flow­ the viewpoint that the growth rate and ers, like, for example, the non-fruiting ultimate height is exceptionally variable clones of the Honeylocust and the White for each tree species and that the repu­ Mulberry. tation that a tree may be "slow growing" The second subgroup of diclinous often is based on incomplete evidence. trees is called dioecious. In them the A reputation for "fast growth" can, in male flowers are borne on one tree and all probability, be assigned to some in­ the female Ilowers on another, or, again dividual or individuals of all species of to anchor the meaning to the name, two trees. The development of such clones trees are required in the reproductive in the better quality tree species will be process. Obviously, sorting out non­ one of the more important horticultural fruiting trees from this group is no prob­ contributions in the next 40 years. Such lem. One needs only to multiply by clones may not have appearance differ­ vegetative propagation any tree bearing ences but they will have the more im­ the male flowers. The ginkgo is a famil­ pOl-tant attribute - superior perform­ iar example. Included in this group also ance. are the Persimmon, the Chinese Pistache, and the Papermulberry. Flower Variation The possibility has already been men­ To fully appreciate the potential var­ tioned of developing a clone with flow­ iation in flower characteristics, requires ers of only one sex from species that or­ an understanding of the inherent sexual dinarily are diclinous monoecious (trees differences of each tree species. Under­ that have flowers of different sex on the standing these differences is greatly sim­ same tree). Somewhat the reverse of plified by becoming acquainted with a that situation obtains naturally in some few terms. With reference to their sex­ tree species which would be declinous ual differences, trees may be divided ini­ dioecious except that a few flowers of tially into two large groups and named the other sex are also borne on each accordingly. tree. The Chilean May ten is one. In One group is the so-called monoeli-­ such species, the normal pattern is for nous trees in which each flower contains some trees to be essentially female, but both sexes, namely the male and female. have a few male flowers. These bear an The Silk tree, Silkoak, London Plane, abundance of fruit. Other trees of the Sweetgum, the hawthorns, the elms; the same species will be essentially male but Eucal)lptlls and the magnolias are not­ will bear fruit from the few female flow­ able examples. Every tree in this cate­ ers borne on them. These species would gory ordinarily has the capacity for even­ be called diclinous polygamo-dioecious. tually bearing fruit. However, the fruit­ The flower variations that have been fulness of these trees is a distinct variable described above represent normal differ- ]56 THE AMERICAN HORTICULTURAL MAGAZINE

PHILIP A. BARKER Few trees have a more graceful weeping character combined with mod­ esty of size (45 feet), strong limb structure, and a'ttrative Yz by 1 inch evergreen leaves as does the Chilean May ten. JULY 1964, VOLUl'vIE 43, NUMBER 3 157 ences in tree species. The most excep· Magnolia, Southern; Magnolia tional of these variations is not to be grandiflom established in this study. However, the Maple, Japanese; Acer palmatwn one that offers the greatest ease in de­ Maple, Norway; Acer platanoides veloping non-fruiting clones is the di­ clinous dioecious group. Unfortunately Maple, Purpleblow; Acer truncatum though, trees in this group do not have Maple, Red; Acer rubrum showy flowers. Development of trees in Maple, Silver; Acer saccharinum the other groups will therefore be de­ Maple, Sugar; Acer saccharum sirable in catering to the desires of the Maple, Vine; Acer circinatum many people who cherish the beauty of trees wi th flowers. May ten, Chilean; May tenus boaria In conclusion, this study has only Mulberry, Fruitless clones of Morus alba hinted at the great number of variations Mulberry, White; Monts alba that are present in trees. Those that Oak, Durmast; Quercus petraea have horticultural interest, for one rea­ Oak, English; Quercus Tabur son or another, can be perpetuated as Oak, Pin; Quercus pa lust1'is clones. Wih the U. S. plant patent law providing a remunerative assistance, the Papermulberry; B roussonetia papYlo ifera sorting out of these variations will con­ Persimmon; Diospyros virginiana tinue to be stepped up by those inter­ Pistache, Chinese; Pistacia chinensis ested in trees. Each clone resulting from Plane, London; Platanus X acerifolia these efforts will be heralded as being Plum, Myrobalan; Prunus cerasifera of royal uniqueness. Distinguishing be­ tween the worthy and the unworthy of Pagoda tree, Japanese; Sophora japonica these-the clones that are merely differ­ Poplar, Lombardy; Populus nigra ent in appearance and those that have 'Italica' distinct performance superiority-will be Silkoak; Grevillea robusta the role of the consumer. Silktree; A lbizzia julib10 issin Spruce, Blue Colorado; Picea pungens Appendix A Sweetgum; L iquidambar styraciflua Nomenclature of Trees Referred to Tuliptree; LiriodendTan tulipifem in Text Tupelo; Nyssa s),lvatica Willow, Weeping; Salix babylonica Ash, Modesto; Fmxintts veltttina 'Modesto' References Beech, European; Fagus sylvatica L Muckadell, M. Schaffalitzky, de. Inves tiga­ Birch, European; Bet1bla verrucosa tions on aging of apical meristems in woody plants and its importance in silviculture. Re­ Cedar, Atlas; Cedrus atlan tica print from D et Fo·rstlige F01'S¢gsvaesen i Dan­ Elms; Ulmus spp. mark. 25: 1959. 2. Squillace, A. E. and Roy R. Silen. Racial Gingko; Gingko biloba variation in ponderosa pine. FO?'est Sci. Mon­ Hackberries; Celtis spp. ograph 2. 1962. Honeylocust; Gleditsia triacanthos 3. Whitehouse, W. Eo, J. L. Creech, and G. A. Seaton. Bradford ornamental pear-a prom­ Hornbeam, European; Carpinus ising shade tree. American NurserJ'man. 117 bettlltls (8) :7-8,56. Apr. 15. 1963. Maguey Del Cumbre

HOWARD SCOTT GENTRY*

Agave mirabilis Trel. is one of the less borne in the upper third of a tall known big maguey plants of the Mexi­ straight shaft. This effect is given by can highlands. Trelease (l) found it the lack of branching and spreading of cultivated in 1905 at "Las Vigas, Inter­ the lateral peduncles common to other oceanic Ry.," a small settlement in the species of the large magueys. mountains of Veracruz. This agave is At Las Vigas the people call this agave still to be seen about Las Vigas lining "maguey blanco" or "maguey cenizo." A the small fields that tilt toward the trav­ native near Acatepec in Oaxaca called it eler as he passes along the highway, "luah," a local Indian name. Near Ixtlan Route 140, from Puebla to Jalapa near de Juarez in Oaxaca the name was given the crests of the Sierra Madre Oriental. as "maguey del cumbre," or maguey of Although planted among other large the mountain top, appropriately so, as magueys, A. mirabilis with its very light the rocky heights of the sierras are its gray leaves is conspicuous at Las Vigas. natural habitat. As with many other agaves, Trelease de· The accompanying photographs show scribed a cultivated form or clone of the some large glaucous green variants on species. Recent plant explorations in the the Sierra de Juarez in northeastern sierras of Veracruz, Puebla and Oaxaca Oaxaca at about 9,500 feet altitude. have located additional wild and culti­ Pale glaucous plants were found in the vated stands of the species. It is the free­ same small population scattered over 10 ly seeding wild populations that disclose to 15 acres, where the road to Acatepec the natural variability of the species. branches off the new road from Oaxaca These populations include light gray to Tuxtepec. The imperfectly known and green-leaved forms, and some speci­ distribution of the species is outlined by mens are among the largest agaves to be the presently known occurrences in the found anywhere. A distinguishing char­ accompanying map. These-localities are acteristic of A. mirabilis is the tightly all between 7,000 and 10,000 feet eleva­ balled form of the umbels of flowers tions, with rainfall varying from 60 to ' Botanist, New Crops Research Branch, Crops Re­ 100 inches as annual averages; light win­ search Division, Agricultural Research Servlcc.:', U. ~. ter frosts are common. Department of Agriculture, Plant Industry Station, Beltsville, Maryland. More ponderous herbs are scarcely to

HOWARD SCOTT CENTR Y Arthur Barclay in the axil of Maguey del Cumbre. Note the soft glaucous var- iegations on the leaves. / be found in the plant world. By count­ ing the number of leaves on a large plant and weighi?g two or three o! tl:em, the followmg estimate of a matUl e flow­ ering specimen was calculated. 80 leaves X 70 Ibs. each 5.600 Ibs. stem or " head" (ca. 3.5 ft. (liam.) 1,800 inflorescence 400

'Weight of total plant 7.800Ibs. Large mature plants appear to weigh be­ tween 3 and 4 tons. The rosettes are 10 to 12 feet tall and 15 to 20 feet broad, and the tree-sized inflorescences reach .40 feet in height. These are impreSSive growth attainments, bu t 'perhaps the long life of the agave leaf lS even more exceptional. On magueys the ce,:tral full-sized leaves commonly contmue HOWARD SCOrf GENTRY green and functioning for 8 ~o 10 yea.rs, The small compact flower heads on and when flowering is de tamed or m­ the tall straight flowering shaft are hibited, as in cooler climates, the leal diagnostic of this truly sexual species. endures for 15 to 20 years or even more. Auave pedunculi/em, the olclest in my holy place or place of the Gods, is fre­ li~e plant collection, started as a sucker quent in many place names through the in 1940. Although now (1964) the small Mixtecan highlands of northern and cen­ basal leaves are dried and withered, the tral Oaxaca. However, I have been un­ mature central leaves of the rosette have able to locate a mountain by that name been green and functional for more than on the IvIexican maps reviewed. If Kar­ 15 years! This is a greater span than winsky's original locality could be re­ that of palm and cycad leaves. Can you visited, the question of the identity of think of other leaves with longer life A. atrovir-ens could likely be solved. If spans? . any reader could inform the author re­ The legitimate name of thiS handso~e garding Karwinsky's locali~y "monte and distinctive Agave is somewhat m Tanga," it would be appreClated. Kar­ doubt, as are so many botanical names winsky also collected the spectacular of agaves. It is A. mirabilis as described agavoid tree, FW'cmea longa~va Zucc., by Trelease in 1920 (1), but it may also on top of the same mountam, as re­ be iden tical with A. at1'OVil-ens as de­ ported by Zuccarini (3). Two such scribed by Salm-Dyck in 1834 (2). If the latter is the case, Salm-Dyck's name Agave mirabilis renewing the genetic would have priority and Trelea;e's nam.e code identically. falls into synonymy. Salm-Dyck s botaJ1l­ HOWARD scorf GENTRY cal description of A. a.troviren~ w~s drawn from immature plants grow111g 111 his garden at Dusseldorf, Germany. Hence, his description is insufficient to distinguish this particular "maguey del cumbre" and several other magueys O'rowing in central Mexico, to which the ~ame A. atroviTens has been applied since Salm-Dyck's time. Salm-Dyck's plants were collected in :M~xico by ~ar­ winsky. Salm-Dyck wlth hl~ descnpt~on of A. atr-ovir-ens reported Jt as commg from "in Imperio Mexicano in summo monte Tanga." It is known that Kar­ winsky about 1830 traveled from Puebla south into the state of Oaxaca. "Tanga" is probably a misspelling of the Mi~te­ can "Ton go," which as suffix, meanmg J60 THE AlvfERICAN HORTICULTURAL MAGAZINE

MEXICO eigner disciplined in science could only assume on the basis of genetic theory. Most of the cultivated clones of the commercial agaves appear to have been selected on the basis of this first-hand knowledge by the p(wple living intimate­ ly in the range of the plants. Once in cultivation the superior clones were passed from hand to hand and some have attained world-wide distribution, -\ e.g., A. sisalana, A. americana, A. four­ . J .. croydes . I There is a growing interest in agaves as ornamentals for landscaping. As there are many striking agaves not pre­ viously cultivated in the United States, some with superior cultural characteris­ tics, their use should increase through the warmer clima tes. Agave mirabilis appears to have good characteristics as a landscape plant on estates and about larger residences or where it would have room to grow, an area 4 to 6 yards in The distribution of wild (W) and cul­ diameter. It can use plenty of water, but tivated (C) Agave mirabilis as now needs well-drained soil, and will with­ known in Mexico. stand light winter frosts, acid or neutral soils. This plant does not throw aggres­ spectacular plants on one mountain sive suckers around the base like many should make it botanically famous and agaves, and will endure as an evergreen provide a strong lead to its specific loca­ for 15 to 20 years before flowering and tion. dying. Some of the larger, softly varie­ So far as observed, A . mirabilis does gated forms are of novel beauty. not form bulbils in the inflorescence nor Editor's Note: suckers at the base of the rosette. N or­ Seeds of Agave mirabilis will be dis­ mally it is not apomictic as the capsules tributed on the Society's next seedlist. examined bear a varied number of nor­ mal, black, apparently viable seeds. The References variable wild populations also indicate I. Trelease, William. In Stan dley's Trees and Shrubs at M exico. Contr. U. S. Nat. Herb. freely seeding, cross-pollinating individ­ 23 : 131 , 1920. uals. However, if the flowering shaft is 2. Salm-Dyck. Hortus Dyckensis, 302·303, 1834. broken or cut off, numerous plantlets 3. Zuccarini, J. G. Uber Einige Pflanzen aus proliferate around the base of the shaft den Gattungen A gave lind FOllrcroya . Act. . in the crown of the rosette. After a year Acad. Caes. Leap. Carol. 16(2)668: 1833 ...... or so these plantlets form calloused bases, fall from the rosette, and may strike The buds are strongly tinged with root about the old dying parent. Such reddish purple and apparently will not open until February. plantlets form vigorous propagules for HOWARD SCOTT GENTRY perpe.tuating individuals genetically IdentIcal to the parent. Such planting stocks. are use? by the native peoples for terracl11g theIr steep sloping fields, for fence plants, an~ as a source of pulque, a fermented dnnk made of the juice wellmg from the "heart" of the plant after the large conal bud is cut out. A native near Ixtlan reported that only a few of t~e wild plants are sweet enough for makl11g pulque or mescal. Such in­ formation from in illiterate Indian indi­ cates a b asic knowledge, which a for- Hedera helix, showing leaf changes from seedling to adult stage.

Juvenility and Flowering Potential in Woody Plants V. T. Stoutemyer*

The breeding of woody plants, espe­ the other hand, in some conifers, the cially tree fruits and forest trees, is gen­ change to mature foliage may require erally slow and expensive. Highly many years, and a substantial part of a trained, ambitious plant breeders and century may be required in some New geneticists frequently avoid this group of Zealand species. Sometimes two differ­ plants and tend to turn to the herbace­ ent binomials have been given to the ous crops. Short cuts are urgently need­ same species by taxonomists who were ed. Unquestionably some progress has deceived by the varied expressions of been made in accelerating flowering and growth. fruiting but successes are reported more There are often transitional stages be­ often with clonal materials than with twe~n juvenile and mature plants. Frost seedling progenies. The breeding of or­ (1952) was unable to observe that with namental trees and shrubs is likewise nucellar citrus lines which originally ex­ one of the great undeveloped frontiers hibit pronounced juvenile characters, of horticulture and more rapid evalua­ more thorniness resulted from taking tion of progenies would also be helpful bud wood from a low position on trees here. with the younger nucellar clones, but Plants commonly progress through a not with the older. This observation series of morphological changes as they seems to support the traditional view go from the seedling to the mature fruit­ that the lower part of the tree tends to ing stage. Sometimes the differences are remain more juvenile in character. so slight and gradual that they are not Cameron and Soost (1952) stated that a apparent to the casual observer but in few juvenile characters still were observ­ other cases they are striking. Some Aus­ able in some nucellar lines 22 years old. tralian acacias have pinnate leaves in The German plant physiologist Goe­ the seedling stage, but after a few bel (1900) was probably the first to sys­ months or years lose them and produce tematize and formulate the concept of only phyllodes in place of the leaves. On distinct growth phases in plants. The German botanist Diels (1906) wrote one ' Department of Floriculture and Ornamental Horti· culture, University of California, Los Angeles, California. of the few books on the subject which, 161 162 THE AMERICAN HORTICULTURAL MAGAZINE however, was descriptive rather than ex­ of his concepts from those which were perimental. Diels was much interested formulated by Goebel was that, in his in precocious flowering and emphasized experiments, the relative ease of rooting tha t there was great variabili ty in the of cuttings was not related closely to the expression of this character. He ob­ expression of juvenile growth character­ served early flowering in seed pans of istics. mahogany and noticed other cases in The subject has not been reviewed dwarf forms of some plant species. Ap­ comprehensively. Stoutemyer (1937) parently his great interest in plant poly­ treated certain aspects of the problem in morphism arose from his studies of Aus­ relation to porno logy. Sax (1962) has tralian plants. recently covered the same field. Prob­ ably the most comprehensive review Juvenility and Flowering available is that of Schaffalitzky de Usually there is a definite correlation M uckadell (1959) who incorporated between the attainment of the juvenile much of the work by foresters on the foliage type and readiness to produce problem. Higazy (1962) has also made flowers and fruit. However, certain a similar review, but with particular conifers, olives, and eucalyptus have emphasis on herbaceous plants. been observed to bear fruit on shoots Schaffalitzky de Muckadell (1959) bearing juvenile characters. Citrus seed­ uses the term "meristematic aging" to lings sometimes flower exceedingly early express the gradual transformation from in life and then do not flower again for an early growth stage to a later. This a number of years. On this basis, a may be a desirable term as long as it is number of European pomologists such not used in a way which would suggest as Kemmer (1947) (1950) and Nativi­ that the process is entirely ineversible. dade (1943) (1957) do not recognize Recent work in our laboratory has re­ close relationships between type of vege­ vealed convincing evidence that the tative growth and flowering. Observa­ changes of growth phase are associated tions pertinent to the possible r8lation­ wi th changes in cell behavior which are ship of juvenile foliage types to flower­ relatively stable and which can be car­ ing were made on the olive by Nativi­ ried on through many generations in dade (1943), who represents the type of tissue cuI tures. view presented by Kemmer. He found Reversion to Juvenility that the suckers which often develop abundantly on the bases of trunks of The reversion to juvenility or the pro­ olive trees on the root-bearing mammil­ longation of juvenile growth is highly lae exhibited some striking similarities advantageous in propagation. However, in their foliar characters to seedlings of since this response is not pertinent to similar age. The seedling leaves were our subject we shall treat it very briefly much more rounded than the leaves of in outline without reviewing the litera­ the mature tree which are long and slen­ ture. der. Heavy applications of fertilizer and Reversion shoots come most readily severe pruning tended to accelerate their from the roots or the base of the trunk. production and to augment the period Reduced light and low nutrient levels of time during which this form of both tend to prolong juvenility in growth is stabilized. N atividade did not plants. Severe pruning or heading back believe that this reversion to seedling and reduced light and low nutrient lev­ types of leaves represented a recapitula­ els are helpful. Grafting on juvenile tIOn of ancestral forms. He believed that understocks or treatment with gibber­ the frequent occurrence of juvenile type ellin sometimes produces reversions. shoots on the upper parts of the tree, to­ Sprouts from adventitious buds on gether with the observance of abundant sphaerblasts seem to be juvenile. These fruit formation on these reversion shoots are small woody structures which arise in the live variety 'Galega', disproved in the bark of some trees from indepen­ the classic conceptions of Goebel on the dent meristems. The juvenile stage of juvenile form. He believed that these growth reappears both in the normal idiosyncrasies of growth represented seedlings and also in those citrus seed­ merely changes in the nutritional and lings resulting from nucellar embryony hormonal balances within the tree. An­ and may persist in transitional stages for other possible reason for the divergence many years. JULY 1964, VOLUME 43, NUMBER 3 163

The principal treatments which have cold treatment the plants were grown been observed or claimed to favor rever­ from July until late October under an sions or the prolongation of juvenility artificially lengthened photoperiod. may be listed as follows: Growth was started in the following 1. Grafting on juvenile understocks. January and some of the seedlings flow­ 2. Treatments with gibberellins. ered, but no flowering was observed dur­ 3. Severe pruning or heading back. ing that year among the control plants. 4. Elevated temperatures. The value of this method is not well 5. Reduced light. substantiated, and other researchers have 6. Low nutrient level. obtained contradictory results, notably 7. X-ray treatments. Smeets (1956) who grew seedlings of 8. Cold treatments. cherry in a phytotron, giving 3 or 4 9. Growth from basal sprouts. growth cycles in two years. All of the 10. Growth from adventitious buds on control plants flowered, but only one of sphaeroblasts. the treated seedlings. These treatments are of interest to Dr. Walter E. Lammerts in California those who are trying to propagate diffi­ obtained early flowering of camellia cult plants such as rubber, but would seedlings through the use of supplemen­ defeat the objectives of the breeder and tary artificial lights to provide continu­ will not be discussed here. ous illumination 24 hours per day. Fer­ tilizers were applied liberally and this Acceleration of Flowering procedure resulted in blooming at the Treatments which favor early termi­ end of the first year. Longman and nation of juvenility are of much greater Wareing (1959) speeded flowering of importance in fruit breeding and we birch seedlings by growing under long shall list the principal methods which photoperiods in a glasshouse. Dooren­ have been used. The critical evaluation bos (1955) observed that seedlings of of the degree of success of some of these rhododendron and azalea likewise re­ trea tmen ts is difficult. The flowering of spond to supplemental light. Doubtless young plants of mature, well-established the list could be extended. clones can often be hastened, but re­ Trans planting and Root Pruning sponses with young seedlings have been According to Passy (1909), the French discouraging in many instances. Seed­ pear breeder Nomblot secured earlier lings used in some reported experiments fruiting by transplanting every two had often made considerable progress years, without pruning or heading back toward the production of flowers. except for light pinching of lateral The following treatments have been branches. Scions can be removed with claimed to accelerate flowering in seed­ assurance of good results only after the lings of woody plants. No attempt will first flowering of the trees. be made here to do more than to list Geschwind (1880) recommended prun­ treatments systematically and to give a ing the roots of young seedlings, cutting few examples of each. back to one half to produce a finer and Use of extra or prolonged better branched root system. He stated growth periods that frequent subsequent transplanting The theory has sometimes been ad­ into richer and better soil induced ear­ vanced that certain number of growth lier blossoming. cycles must take place before the mature Root pruning has been observed by growth stage can be attained. Potapen­ foresters to promote cone production ko (1939) described an experiment in on coniferous trees, but sometimes this which seedlings of cherry were subjected treatment needs to be combined with to two cycles of growth in one year to­ heavy nitrogen feeding. Some strains of gether with suitable adjustment of pho­ Wisteria are notably slow in flowering. toperiods and provision for chilling dur­ !hey frequently respond to root prun­ ing the periods of dormancy between mg. cycles of vegetative growth. The seed­ Fertilizer Applications lings were started into growth in Febru­ Kolomiec (1952) stated that seedlings ary, and were grown through the first of fruit trees must pass through a suc­ season without interruption. Dormancy cession of stages in order to attain the was broken on December 27 and the flowering stage. He believed that a lack plants were grown to April 1. After a of nutrients may delay this development. 164 THE AMERICAN HORTICULTURAL MAGAZINE

Foresters have noticed that excess fert­ ening with a rubber band to heal, ordi­ ilization with ammonium nitrate or root nary nursery apple trees two or three pruning may promote flowering in pine. years old formed flowers and fruit the Spruce responded best if the two treat­ following year. Sax however did not try ments were given together. A reduction the technique with seedlings and in shoot vigor frequently results in les­ thought that it would probably be in­ sened formation of female pine cones effective. and an appearance of male cones. In Girdling, ringing, and notching have general, a high level of nutrition is been used also with some success. An needed for the development of female unusual treatment which Sax used has cones and a lower level for the male. been to tie the young seedling plants in a knot at about crown level. The effects Geotro pic responses of these treatments while sometimes not Bending stems to a horizontal or de­ permanent were often sufficient to estab­ scending position frequently aids flower lish initial flowering. bud formation. A system of training A possible explanation of the many pear tree limbs was once developed by discrepancies in the literature here has bending branches down and weighting been furnished by Murawski (1957) who bricks. Espalier training of conifers has found that the response was strongly re­ been observed to aid seed production. lated to the position of the bud on the De Silva and Chandrasekera (1959) seedling, those from near the base show­ ring-banded six inches above the graft ing much more juvenile tendency than union and bent the budshoots and sec­ those near the tip of the seedling. ondary shoots into a horizontal position. Murawski also stressed the importance This treatment induced flowering in sev­ of permitting apple seedlings to pass eral H evea rubber tree clones two years through the juvenile stage before bud­ after planting. ding them on a dwarfing stock such as The use of a klinostat in which the MaIling IX. plants are rotated in a horizontal posi­ tion usually results in increased flower­ Grafting or budding in crowns of ing. mature fruiting trees Mound layering The experiences of those who have Kuzmin (1940) claimed to be able to tried this method of hastening fruiting accelerate the flowering of seedlings of have been highly contradictory. Ap­ grape by mound layering the seedlings parently much depends on the stage at­ when they were three to four years old. tained by the seedling before the scion In this way fruiting was obtained in is removed and inserted. Nutritional three to four years in place of the usual conditions on the tree into which the five to eight years or more. The main scions are placed undoubtedly would al­ shoots were not headed back at the time so be important. This variability of re­ the plants were transferred from the sponse has been characteritsic of results seed flats to the field. This treatment both with dwarfing and standard un­ is difficult to evaluate. derstocks. The question has been studied by Bark inversion, ringing, and notching Spinks (1925) who found a variety of ~he inversion of rings or bark on treatments, both alone and in various fruit ~rees. has been observed by horti­ combinations, did not seem to advance cultunsts 111 a number of countries to the period of first flowering appreciably cause a dwarfing effect on fruit trees. in apple seedlings. Among the factors Apparently the abnormal phloem and included were pruning in two degrees of xylem conducting tissue formed under severity, shaping and light pruning, in such c~rcumstances is responsible for the contrast with no pruning; spring appli. reductIOn of growth. The effect is ap­ cation of mixed compltHe mineral ferti­ parently temporary since normally po­ lizers, ringing of branches in May, root lariz.ed conducting elements form at the pruning, topworking into bearing trees vertical seam of the ring and in a few and growing in pots. None of the treat­ years gain sufficient size to function nor­ ments were effective. mally. Zaharov and Potapenko (1939) were Sax (1962) reported that by inverting not able to advance the fruiting of apple a ring of bark before early July and fast- seedlings by grafting two-year scions in- JULY 1964, VOLUME 43, NUMBER 3 165

to the crowns of bearing trees. However, was 38 per cent on understock No. 3431 scions from older seedlings which had at­ and 9 per cent on the controls. tained the fruiting stage came into bear­ This technique does not seem to be ing in the second year. as promising as grafting on related Sen (1942) observed precocious flow­ species, and the accelerations which have ering of mango seedlings between two been cl aimed have usually been small. and three years of age used for inarch grafting and suggested that this may Grafting mature scions into seedlings have been due to the influence of the The Russian fruit breeder, Michurin, mature trees. Normally seedlings would claimed to be able to hasten the first not be expected to flower until at least flowering of fruit tree seedlings by graft­ six years old. ing scions of mature clones on them. We Sorensen (1943) stated that by bud­ have not seen experimental data pre­ ding of H evea in the crowns of trees of sented to support this contention. This an age of 4 to 10 years, flowering could is doubtless an outgrowth of his "mentor be induced in three years in contrast to grafting" theories which are still widely the six or seven years ordinarily re­ supported by many plant breeders in quired to flower one year budlings. Simi­ the Soviet Union. lar results have been claimed with coni­ Climatic factors ferous evergreens. Seedling fruit trees have been ob­ Grafting on related species served to bear earlier in localities hav­ Another variation of grafting which ing most favorable climate anel growing has been successful involves grafting coneli tions. Cone formation on certain seedlings on understocks of an entirely conifers has been observed to be cor­ different species_ A striking illustration related with sufficiently high summer is provided in the experiments of Camp­ tem pera tures. bell (1961) who by budding on apomic­ tic seedlings of Malus sikkimensis pro­ Chemical growth regulators duced flowering in 15 per cent in three The recent use of chemical growth de­ years and 53 per cent in four years. pressan ts to set flower buds uniformly Fruiting was obtained in one-third of in azaleas suggests that this type of chem­ the trees in the fourth year. The nor­ ical may eventually be used in the solu­ mal length of time for bearing in these tion of these difficult problems. seedlings was 7 to 14 years and the use The outline above is intended to in­ of the MaIling IX understock only dicate the present day approaches to the shortened the period one year and fre­ question of flowering in woody plants quently introduced virus. which has been much neglected as a con­ This seems to be a promising tech­ sequence of the greater emphasis on the nique which could be investigated thor­ biology of flowering in herbaceous an­ ougly although it may cause some prob­ nual and biennial plants. One of the lems in delayed incompatibilities. How­ few experimenters who has worked with ever, these can be ignored if the combi­ woody plants is "Wareing (1959), who nation will survive long enough to be has formulated an interesting theory. evaluated by the breeder. He believed that the basal regions of the tree tend to remain permanently Grafting on Dwarfing Stocks juvenile. The attainment of the adult The vast pomological literature on flowering stage does not usually occur this subject is highly confusing and con­ until the tree has attained a certain age, tradictory, with many reports of failure. depending on the species in question, There has apparently been much vari­ and, in his view, requires either (1) ability in the results. A certain mini­ the completion of a minimum number mum period seems to be necessary in of annual growth cycles, or (2) the at­ order to change from juvenile to adult tainment of a certain minimum size and characteristics. Tydeman (1961) found morphological complexity. In the juve­ that the length of the juvenile period nile condition the annual growth incre­ varied with seedling clones and with dif­ ment is at first high, but it typically de­ ferent understocks. Seedling apples on creases markedly as the mature type of the MaIling IX understock flowered 43 growth appears. Wareing suggested that per cent at six years in contrast to only in some species flowering depends on the 3 per cent on the controls. Flowering attainment of the required threshold 166 THE AMERICAN HORTICULTURAL MAGAZINE

size during the juvenile phase, and in 2. Campbell, A. I. Shortening the juvenile phase of apple seedlings. Nature 191:517. other species on a certain degree of a.g­ 1961. ing of the shoot system. In plants m 3. De Silva, C. A., and L. B . Chandrasekera. which flowering is dependent on aging, A method of inducing floral stimulus for the juvenile period will naturally be early flowering of Hevea brasiliensis. Qu.art. J. Rubbe1' Res. Inst. Ceylon 35:50-55. 1959. longer than in those which initiate re­ From Hort. Abstr. 30 (3) No. 4478. 1960. production in the rising phase. Wareing 4. Diels, L. Jugendformen und Bli.itenreife im suggested that the transition from the Pflanzenreich. Gebri.i-der Borntroeger. 1906. juvenile to the adult state involves dif­ 5. Doorenbos, J. Shortening the breeding cycle ferences in the state of the cell cyto­ of Rhododendron. Euphytica 4:141-146. 1955. plasm. Some recent investigations of 6. Frost, Howard B. Characteristics in the Stoutemeyer and Britt (1963) suggest nursery of citrus buddings of young nucel­ that the transition involves detectable lar-seed ling lines and parental old lines. changes in the cells, since the character­ Pmc. A mer. Soc. HOI-t. Sci. 60:247-254. 1952. 7. Geschwind, R. Erziehung neuer, edler Obst­ istic growth rates of juvenile and adult sorten aus Samen ohne Anwendung der tissue culture are maintained through Kreuzungsbefruchtung. Wiener lIlust1'. Gllrt. many subcultures. Recognized facts re­ Zeit. 5:452-458, 501-504. 1880. garding carbohydrate nitrogen relation­ 8. Goebel, K. Organography of Plants. Clar­ ships in the flowering of woody plants endon Press, Oxford. 1900. 9. Higazy, M. K. , M. T . Shortening the juvenile fit easily into the framework of Ware­ phase for flowering. Meded. Land. Wagen­ ing's scheme. Robbins (1957) has also ingen, Nederland. 62 (8): I-53. 1962. postulated a chemical basis for the phe­ 10. Kemmer, E. Ueber Blattmodification bei nomenon of juvenility. Apfelgeholzen. Der Zuche1' 17:378-382. 1947_ 11. Kemmer, E. Beitrag zur Frage der "Jugend­ English ivy we find to be a particular­ form" bei ApfelgehOlzen. Del' Zuchter 20: ly good test subject for studies on juve­ 302-305. 1950. nility. It has a flattened vining habit 12. Kolomiec, 1. A. 1952. On phasic readiness with opposite deeply lobed leaves and for fruit bearing and the pre fruit bearing period in fruit tree seedlings. Izv. Akad. abundant anthocyanins and aerial roots Nauk. SSSR. Se1'. bioI. 3:89-104. 1952. In in the more juvenile growth stages. Hort. A bstr. 23 (2) No. 154.4. With maturity, it has entire pointed 13. Kuzmin, A. J. Vospitanie seiantsev vi no­ leaves on a spinl arrangement and rare­ grada. Izv. Akad. Nauk. SSSR. No. 5 pp_ 802-809. 1940. ly forms aerial roots. Tissues or cells 14. Longman, K. A. and Wareing, P. F. 1959. from English ivy are comparatively easy Early induction of flowering in birch seed· to culture in White's (1943) medium lings. Natw'e 184:2037-2038. 1959. with additions of coconut milk, casein 15. Murawski. H. Ein Beitrag zur Entwicklungs hydrolysate and naphthaleneacetic acid. Physiologie unci Apfelsamlingen. De .. Ziichter 27 (1) :33-37. 1957. The significant findings of these stud­ 16. Natividade, J. V. A heterofila da olivera do ies are that the tissue cultures from vine­ ponto de vista da propagac;ii.o vegetativa. type shoots have a considerably higher Agron. Lus. 5 (2) :147-185. 1943. growth ra te than those from the shru b­ 17. Natividade, J. V. Juvenilidada na Olea eU1'Opllea L. Ag?·011. Lus. 19(2) :145-159. by stems. Those from young seedlings 1957. are even more rapid growing. Juvenile 18. Passy, P. 1909. Le Congres pomologiqne de tissues will grow at lower temperatures. Nancy. Rev. Hort. 81 :468-470. 1909. Also, the juvenile cultures form roots 19. Potapenko, J. Acceleration of development much more freely. These differences and fruiting of fruit tree seedlings. C.R. Acad. Sci. URSS 23:839-842. 1939. have persisted two years with monthly 20. Robbins, W. J. Physiological aspects of subcultures. We believe that this shows ageing in plants. Amer. Journ. Bot. 44 (3) : that the differences between juvenile 289-294. 1957. and adult growth are profound and are 21. Sax, K. 1962. Aspects of aging in Plants. A11n . R ev. ot Plant Ph),s. 13:489-506. 1962. apparently on a cellular basis. Elucida­ 22. Schaffalitzky de Mnckadell, M. Investiga­ tion of the action of the trigger mech­ tions of aging of apical meristems in woody anisms which control this change is ur­ plants and its impo.rtance in silviculture. gently needed. 145 pp. Copenhagen. 1959. 23. Sen, P. K. Production of flowers on root stock stems of mango grafts in the nursery. References Indian J. Agr. Sci. 12:523-524. 1942. 24. Smeets, L. A note on the shortening of 1. Cameron, J. W., and R. K. Soost. Size, yield, the juvenile phase in cherry seedlings. and fnut characters of orchard trees of Euphytica 5:117-118. 1956. citrus propagated from young nucellar­ 25 . Sorenson, H. G. Crown budding for healthy seedlmg hnes and parental old lines. Proc. Hevea. Agr. ;11 the Ame1';cas. 2:191-193, A mer. Soc. Hm·t. Sci. 60:255-264. 1952. 1943. JULY 1964, VOLUME 43, NUMBER 3 167

26. Spinks, G. T. The treatment of seedling 83. 196 1. apple trees to induce early fruiting. Joum . 30. Wareing, P. F. Problems of juvenility and Pomol. and H 01· t. Sci. 4:1 41-145. 1925. fl owering in trees. Jour. Linn. Soc. L ondon 27 . Stoutemyer, V. T. 1937. R egeneration in (Bot.) 56: 282-289. 1959. various types of apple wood. Iowa Ag1'. 31. White, P . R. H andbook of Plant T issue Exp. Sta. R esearch Bull. No. 220. 1937 . Culture. 1943 . 28. Stoutemyer, V. T., and O. K. Britt. Tiss ue 32. Zaharova, E. I., and Potapenko, Ya. 1. De­ cultures of juvenile and adult specimens of velopment of seedling sc ions grafted to the ivy. N atw'e 199 (4891 ) :397 -3 98. 1963 . crown of bearing apple trees. Proc. Lenin 29. T ydeman, H . M. Rootstock influence on A cad. Agri. Sci., Moscow 14:3-6. 1939. In the flow ering of seedling apples. Natu re 192 : H ort. A bstr. 9 (4) 1939.

Reading Other People's Gardens Gertrude B. Fiertz*

"Reading the Landscape" is a popular eyes," and you have a recipe for garden­ book by a distinguished naturalist that ers who travel. What they notice about opens one's eyes to interrelationships be­ plants and plantings may not have tween plant life, climate, topography, found its way into travel folders, but it and people. These relationships become may speak clearly to other gardeners. all the more revealing when traveling. Just north of us in Canada, for in­ Narrow "Landscape" to "Gardens," com­ stance, my husband and I have motored bine with a British historian's comment, many times through small towns where "The traveler sees what is behind his gardens resemble one another like peas in a pod. But not like corresponding - rvfanh asset l N ew York . "pods" below the border. Up there we have not come upon the kind of plan­ ning and garden style-trends that often characterize suburban gardens down here. Something is different, and after awhile one notices what it is. These Canadian gardens are all packed brimful of bloom. There is little regard, it seems, for the kind of flowers grown, the combination of colors, shape and size of the lot, or all the rest that garden publications advise. No, just lots and lots of bloom, and often as not, the windows behind the garden proper, are full of flower pots that blaze with still more color. Isn't it all a little much? we wondered at first. Wouldn't it be better to space things out, have a design, plan for "ac­ cent" and all the rest we are advised to do? Then we remembered the longer winters of the North, the brief but all the more glorious blooming season, when long daylight hours bring plants to quicker maturi ty, bring, too, nearly everything into bloom all together and all at once. Those summers know much GERTRUDE B. FI ERTZ less of what we call succession of bloom. A courtyard has become a garden Wouldn't we too, then, want everything packed with bloom in the ancient possible packed into that short season? castle of Gruyere, Switzerland. We concluded, probably yes. 168 THE AMERICAN HORTICULTURAL MAGAZINE

meager gardens in outports along the northern coast of Newfoundland and Labrador. Here where more often than not the Barrens press down to the sea, and wind, cold, and poor soil make any cultivation difficult, we found touching evidence of what plants and greenery mean to human beings. H(:!re it never occurred to us, for instance, to dismiss an occasional red geranium in a window as old-fashioned. Rather, we too felt a lift at its sudden color. vVe remember one bare island, too, where we stepped ashore while the ship unloaded winter supplies in August. Here we passed a polar bear skin swinging from a clothes­ line beside one house, two sealskins stretched on frames beside a second, and

GERT RUDE B. FIERTZ then came a third house which sheltered In tiny outports of northern New­ on one side, a lilac bush. So far as we foundland and Labrador, the Barrens could see, this was the only bush or press down to the sea, and a potted "tree" on the island, and it was neither geranium at a window is all a fisher- large nor vigorous, but it looked old, it man's "garden." grew in a family's "garden" and must have been cared for and winter-pro­ We might even-daring thought-find tected through many seasons. such gardens exhilarating. We thought Almost at the tip of that northern back to some small towns north of Win­ coast-near L'Anse aux IVIeadows, where nipeg-Dauphin, for instance, or The that very summer Viking ruins were be­ Pas, that old rendezvous for the fur ing uncovered - the mooring ropes trade. 'there in August, snapdragons pulled us to another dock. ''''hen. I blaze in hot reds and yellows, great stepped off, I noticed across the small bursting sweet peas climb a wall, holly­ arc of harbor, two bands of bright, dark hocks and glads forget to hug a fence blue edging the walk to a church. and keep properly in the rear of a bor­ Through the glasses I took them to be der. Glowing nasturtiums raise leaves monkshood or aconite. Under the clean of aphids and ready, as we like bright sun and above the grey limestone them, for sandwiches and salads. Del­ of that rugged land, they flared with un­ phiniums and larkspur top a man's expected, astonishing brilliance. A New­ shoulder. foundlander stopped overseeing cargo, But there are other gardens, too. Some stepped over. "You like them?" he to make you weep, edge cottages in Flin asked. "The story goes that they were Flon, a mining town built on rough out­ brought from France 150 years ago." crops of "The Shield," approaching Pictures too of wild plants, unculti­ Hudson's Bay. Any garden there must vated "arrangements," crowd our memo­ first be propped up with stones to some­ ries: patches of "cotton plants" (Erio­ thing more or less level over underlying phorum) seemingly astray up north, rock, fenced in somehow to hold it in mountain ash berries sunlit in a grove of place, and every spoonful of soil brought paper birch, clusters of bright Red El­ m. Store supplies are expensive, but the der (Sambucus pubens) bordering the surrou~ding muskeg does provide rare one long, dusty road across the "Great spots-If you can find them, if you can Island," the morning we lingered on a get there, and get back-where soil oc­ cliff to pick rosy cloudberries from their curs. T~ese tiny gardens are clearly green mat high above the blue Atlantic, bought WIth perseverence, patience, care, the raspberries, blackberries, even cur­ and probably, many times, with pennies rants we gathered, as from a wild gar­ ~queezed out hard for seed and fertil­ den, by the roadside of lovely Terra IZer. Nova Park, little visited and silent ex­ !hese small but cherished gardens of cept for breakers far below us. Flm Flon reminded us of other tiny, And elsewhere, too, in Canada. Those JULY 1964, VOLUME 43, NUMBER 3 169

same tall, intensely blue delphiniums stand-by-and a delicate, delicious vege­ curve around the lake at Kapuskas ing, table they are too-and salsify, celery and front the lake at J asper. Up on root, and red cabbage appear weekly on Quebec's Lake Kipawa what a natural most tables. Certain America n natives­ florist's terrarium of partridge berries, squashes, tomatoes, and of course "Irish" jewel-green m oss, wintergreen, and potatoes-have long since become nat­ bunchberry we found readymade along uralized, but a few others, notably yams, an island's edge! Nor will we forget the sweet potatoes, and corn on the cob, we huge rock garden at Hornpayne, where never found. At these markets, inci­ flower patches and unidentified tufts of dentally, where every thrifty housewife green prick out the ledges and pockets of shops for fresh produce, a staple on the steep grey hillside that ripples down every list along with vegetables is a almost to the railroad tracks. Near fresh flower bouquet. That, in spite of Beavermouth, in the West, stands an­ window boxes everywhere-for window other smaller, natural, but no less lovely or living room would appear almost un­ rock garden. Here "bouquets" of bright presentable without flowers. Up in the yarrow and deep blue asters bloom to­ Grisons, small carnation plants tradi­ gether, pushing out from rootholds in tionally grow on the wide window si lls. old grey rock. Elsewhere variety r ules the window box, T ake a big jump and move to Switzer­ though red geraniums are popular-but land. Over there when m y husband always flowers! and I visit relatives in Kusnacht n ear Farther west, along the upper Rhone Zurich, we find ourselves in practically and its side valleys, one thinks again of the same type of suburban community Flin Flon. H ere again are rocks, scarce that occurs so frequently around New soil, harsh li ving. And sure enough, here York. Every house has its plot of ground, again we found those carefully-tended, planted si milarly to the neighbors' plots, handkerchief-sized gardens, supported by but with a few differences from our own. dry-walls built up by who knows how Privacy is more valued, and fences and many back-bending hours of search and hedges are more popular, for one thing. carrying! And here, more often than not, For another, plots invariably contain the precious soil supports not utility several small fruit trees - apricots, vegetables, as one might expect, but peaches, pears, quinces, apples-with at gentians, primroses, and alpine rose! least one of them, or perhaps a grape­ Mountaineers and pioneers-the urge is vine, espaliered against the sunniest walL the same. These fruit trees are functional, not just vVe find an even broader base. Last grown for pretty blossoms, and each summer we met the same phenomenon household can count on a generous fam­ in still another area. Tiny fishing vil­ ily harvest. lages of Alaska and British Columbia Among cultivated flower plots, in gen­ often cling to cliffs without room for eral similar to ours, I smiled to see rich roads, but only for plank streets on stilts stands of goldenrod (Hay Fever is con­ and stairways between dwellings. But sidered a mysterious, American ail­ here again appeared those tiny, built-up ment) . In vegetable gardens and at the p atches of soil supporting a few gladi­ weekly open-air markets which every olas, a few roses (for the climate is town and city has maintained for cen­ milder than one might expect), and turies, th€ popularity of certain vege­ here again window boxes come into tables differs sharply from their ratings their own, flourish wi th triumphant, over here. Leeks, for instance, are a bursting bloom! A Book or Two

Pictorial Plant Guide for Mild and places to find more information and advice on the subjects covered. Region Landscaping The illl!lstration are very superb as photo­ Paul J. Pearl. Montvala Publ. Co., Monterey graphic compositions aRd many have good ideas Park, Calif. $19.75. (Library) . that apply to landscape problems; but it seems that if they were keyed into the text as SyP­ This 200-page indexed hardback volume of porting material, both the text and the illustra­ superb black and white photographs shows tions would be gr:eatly strengthened. In addi­ clearly the characteristics of the ~elected mate­ tion to descriptive lists of useful plants, it rial and how it may be used artistically 111 land­ would have been h€lpful to include their hardi­ scape design in a sub-tropical climate. There is ness zones (especially since a hardiness map is practically no text; the pictures tell the story. included) and also the cultural requirements of An additional valuable feature is the "overlay" the plants described. Also it would seem that drawings that suggest wmpanion plant material sinGe this is a book on home landscaping, de­ that is compatible with the selected plants. The sign principles and placement of items would be book fills a need of many amateur gardeners thoroughly discussed; however, the subject is who want help in developing planting plans. quickly dismissed by saying, "I am sur€ that you Designs for patio, pool, planter, and bonsai are will know how to place them yourself." The included. Plant lists for special situations in­ book is further marred by his rule of spacing clude gravel and rock peeble beds, screening ground cover by "How much can you afford" plants, container plants, embankments, entry­ and his implications that foundation plantings ways, espaliers, fences and walls, trellises, and and garages have no business in a home but plants fo r both shady and sunny sites. C. M. that swimming pools are of utmost importance. Kenneth Soergel The Miniature Rose Book The First Guide to Wild Flowers Margaret E. Pil'lRey. Published by D. Van Millicent Selsam. Doubleday and Co., Inc. Nostrand Co., Inc. Princeton, N. J. 149 pages. Garden City, N . Y. 32 pages. 1964. $1.50. IUl!lstrated, 1964. $5.95. (Library). (Library) . A book describing the miniature roses. The The First Guide to Insects author attempts to trace the confusing history Su Zan Noguchi Swain. Doubleday and Co., of the miniature roses, their origin and varieties. Inc. Garden City, N. Y. 32 pages. 1964. $1.50. Present day varieties have a known history, but (Library) . many of the older names and kinds are difficult to trace both as to theil' history as well as These two books are written for children as sources of plants. the titles indicate. They are written in an easily The varieties are described in a simple but understood manner and tell interesting facts on rather complete manner so as to be able to plants and insects. Thirty-two flowers are illus­ identify them, often with a sketch included to trated with a simple description. About 45 in­ illustrate a special characteristic. sects are described with information on life his­ Cultural information is given for these roses tories and activities. both as garden plants and as a house plant. Garden Plants in Japan Ladies Home Journal Book of Land. Fumio Kitamura and Yurio Ishizu. Published scaping and Outdoor Living: The by Kokusai Bunka Shinkokai, 55 I-chrome Homescapers Guide to Good Looks Shiba Shirokanedaimachi j\·linatoku, TOkyo, and Good Living on His Grounds Japan. 266 pp. 1963. A well illustrated, carefully described list of Richar:d Pratt. S. B. Lippincott Company, 209 selected garden plants of Japan. Although Philadelphia. 1963. 225 pp., Illustrated (part colored) , Ind€xed Library: this represents but one-third of the Japanese garden plants, the selection includes those most The author of Landscaping and Outdo01- Liv­ frequently seen by visitors to Japan. ing, who has been the architectural and garden The book has been made possible by mem­ editor of the Journal for many years and who bers of the Garden Club of America as an ex­ is known for his v€ry fluent and informal style pression of their appreciation for the generous of wri ~ ing, is the first to admit that this work is hospitality shown them on their visit to Japan in part a distillation of innumerabIe pages for in May, 1961. the Journal. For the majority of the subscribers Every plant described, includes its Japanese of the Journal, this book has many helpful hints name as well as an appropriate English name.

(Books available for loan to the Membership are designated: (Library). Those not so designated are in private collections and are not available for loan. Books available for sale to the Member­ shfP are desfgnated with the special reduced price and are subject to the usual change of price wtthout nottce. Orders must be sent through the American H01,ticultural Society accompanied by the proper payment. Please allow two to three weeks for delivery. Those not designated for sale. to t~e M~mbe-rship at re.duced prices can be purchased through the Society, however, at the retatl pnces gwen. In these Instances the full P1"Ofit is received by the Society to be used for increased services and benefits ot the Membenhip.) 170 JULY 1964, VOLUME 43, NUMBER 3 171

In addition to an excellent black and white ture's own methods of plant nutrition, since photographic illustration for each plant de­ the Garden of Eden, are strictly adhered to in scribed, there are a number of co lored photo­ the doctrine of organic gardening. graphs of outstanding specimens. For control of insects and diseases the book The plants are divided into three gro ups: tell s us, "Sanitation is the best disease and pest Trees and Shrubs; Bamboos and H erbs. preventive." And prevention certainl y does beat A list of noted places for seeing Japanese cure. Rachel Carso n 's gardening cohorts, who flowers is given. Three indexes list plants b y exploded with her Silent Spring, can rejoice in Japanese names, English names and botani cal the counselin g of Rodale's lates t contribution to names. This would seem to be the a nswer to know-how. the traveler who wants only a small reference Buxton White book to take along on this trip to J apan. R . J. Seibert Let's Grow Lilies. An Illustrated Hand- book of Lily Culture Shrub Roses of Today Virginia H owie, Published by the North Graham Stuart Thomas. Published by St. American Lily SOciety, 21 Oakland St., Lex­ Martin's Press, New York. 240 pages, 1963 . ington 73, Mass. 48 pages, illustrated, 1964. $8.50. (Library). $ 1.00. (Libra ry). This book is somewhat of a cquel to The An easily read, a uthora tatively written, book­ Old Shrllb R oses by the same author. In the let on the culture of lilies in the garden. The present book, he co ntinues his story first by author has liberall y illustrated the text with describing the species, varieties and h ybrids that cartoon drawings showing the correct ways of have no affinity to the China rose. These in­ growing and caring for lilies, together with the clude Rosa canina, the Dog Rose. the Cinnamon fun and enjoyment of growing them. This is a rose, the American wild roses, the yellow spe­ how to do it book that all can read with profit. cies, and others. The China roses a nd their And even if you do not grow lilies now, the relatives are included next with the hybrid per­ "lily gardeners" in the illustration may inspire petuals, poly-poms, the hybrid Musk roses and you to become one of them. This booklet shows the shrub roses of the Twentieth Century. that they can be grown by all. These chapters are interestingly written with C. B. L. descriptions of the roses mentioned , often in­ cluding the reference to the first description. An Annotated Checklist of Cultivated The author has introduced his own experi­ Palms ences with many of the kinds and points out the good and perhaps less desirable character­ Harold E . Moore, Jr. Principes. October, istics. He traces the development of prese nt day 1963. Vol. 7, No.4, 119-184. (Library). $2.00. roses and suggests some changes in tastes and Palms, more than most cultivated plants, are demands that may take place. A " Key to the poorly known and the species cultivated more Major Groups of Cultivated Roses" by Gordon often than not misidentified or misnamed. Fo'r­ D. Rowley is included as well as a Bibliogra­ tunately, we now have an Annotated Checklist phy. of Cultivated Palms occupying the full space in an issue of PRINCIPES, the journal of the How to Landscape Your Own Horne youthful Palm Society (obtainable from the Secretary of The Palm Society, 7229 S. W. 54th J. 1. Rodale and staff. Rodale Books, Inc .. Avenue, Miami 43, Florida). The author, D1.-. Emmaus, Penna, 1544 pages. $9.95 . Harold E. Moore, Jr., is the world authority on The publishers claim " this book is by far the the botany and systematics of the Palmae. In most complete book in its field ever published this publication he supplies a current reference in which the organic method is followed." Far for "correct names, authorities, places of de­ be from me to disagree. scriptions and more detailed info'rmation" for 1£ you have a home, here's how to plan your palms presently cultiva ted. It is to be hoped own landscaping, plant and take care of your that anyone concerned with correct palm names lawn, trees, shru bs, vines, herbaceous flowers, will refer to this checklist. Seedsmen and nurs­ and indoor ornamentals, and save time and erymen especially, besides the amateur palmo­ money. phile, will find this publication absolutely es­ Although the advice comes from advocates of sential. organic gardening, you don't need to get rabid W.H.H. in the debate of organics vs. chemicals to find a wealth of valuable, usable information from The Trees of Long Island this voluminous, comprehensive and well illus­ Supplement No. 1. Compiled by the Long trated book. Island Horticultural Society. Publication No. It is a bible-size tome, Oh fine paper for dura­ 2. 1963. 32 pages. 50¢. (Library). bility and readability, that exceeds 1500 pages with more than 475 clear photographs, 75 line This is a big tree census of Long Island which drawings, 300 pages of informative tables, follows one made by this society in 1952. Long 500,000 words of explanatory text, fully indexed . Island weather is influenced by the ocean so For the cost of a single good evergreen that it is cool enough for many northern spe­ shrub, this how-to-do-it is a remarkable find in cies and yet mild enough for a few normally gardening lore. It offers much for your home found farther south. The information on the site in the enhancement of pleasure and prop­ 491 species of the larges t tree of each kind erty value. found on Long Island is given in chart form A significant omission in t.he cyclopediac giving scientific and common names; trunk di­ treatise is use of horticultural chemicals. Na- mensions and where growing. Lists are included J72 THE AMERICAN HORTICULTURAL MAGAZINE showing the 10 or 20 largest known specimens An arbitrary alphabetical arrang~ment of ma­ of White Oaks, Black Oaks, American Elm, terial has been followed throughout the book­ T ulip trees, Black Walnut, European Beech let, which, logical though it may be, does not and Weeping Beech. follow the physical layout of the Preserve. It C. B. L. will be necessary to refer occasionally to the fold-out map on the back cover, if the user A Place to Live wishes to follow the guide book literally. The The Yearbook of Agriculture 1963, the U. S. reviewer has been assured by recent visitors to Department of Agriculture, 'Washington, D. C. the Preserve that all trails, and many individual $3.00. (Supt. of Documents, Wash., D. C. plantings, are well labeled, and this guidebook 20025) . should add a great measure of enjoyment and A Pla ce to Live, touches the lives of more fill a long-felt need with its interesting notes on Americans that previous Yearbooks. In the 69 the various areas of the Preserve, sponsorship years since the first Agricultural Yearbook was of many of the plantings, and other informal published, this is, I believe, the first to stress bits of information. the "interaction of rural and urban influences." Of particular value to prospective vIsitors to It recognizes that "many of the forces of change the Park whose interest may be of a specialized are most apparent in the urban-rural fringe." nature, IS the very complete table of Blooming A Place to Live is of factual interest to every Dates of Native Wildflowers, giving data on spe­ home owner, subdivision developer, farmer, cies which may be seen from February through planner, gardener, horticulturist, local govern­ October, with a five-day spacing on dates of ment official, landscape architect, health depart­ average blooming. ment, park official, and suburbani,te-in fact, The Committee directing the operations of everyone interested in A Place to Live. the Wild Flower Preserve reads like a Who's To the readers of the Am eTican Ho'rticuitwral vVho in Botamy and Horticulture, and it is safe Magazin e, I would call attention to the' fact to assume that the accuracy of the information tha.t here is an agricultural yearbook which has contained herein is beyond question. a great deal for every person interested in the Mary L. . Fisher effect of plants and gardens on the individual and the community-particularly, their present Miniature Flower Arrangements and and future potential in the lives of Americans. Plantings by Lois Wilson The 1963 Yearbook of Agriculture summa­ Color photography by Lockwood Haight rizes some of the most momentous problems 1963 published by D. Van Nostrand Company which we, as Americans, have to face. These Inc., Princeton, N. J. Price $6.50. (Library). problems include change in people themselves; Members price $5.52. 181 pages & index. the Changes in land use; and the changing problems fo water and air. Then too, there Mrs. Wilson, a Canadian, who writes and ar- is that great change in farming tOday as com­ ranges deftly, has graciously included arrange­ ments by many of our well-known American pared to a ?~re generation ago. The chapters on commUl1ltIes and on government will stim­ arrangers as well. Being one of the legion of ulate serious thought on the part of every re­ lovers of things in miniature, I found it de­ sponSible citizen. Recreation has a prominent lightful reading. Mrs. Wilson's research into our great American as well as her own fine Ca­ p~a ce m the book. Results of experience and dlscllsslOn s on proper types of planning suggest nadian museums has rewarded the reader with what we can do to meet the problems of to­ a most interesting first chapter on antique day's change. sculpture and paintings, in miniature, accom­ It is in the last section on examples of what panied by many well-chosen illustrations. is being done to meet the challenge of Change The book should be of especial benefit to be­ that the re.ader becomes aware of the impor­ ginners, teachers and juniors; therapists and tant J?otenyal place of horticulture, gardening, geriatric aides. Mrs. Wilson has touched on the beau tlficatlOn, conservation, planning and edu­ forward trend to ikebana and bonsai, and this catIOn. All are key words and fi elds in today's includes the plantings. To all who are iflter­ effort to preserve A Place to Live for the future. ested in the gentle al-t of flower arrangement, R. J. Seibert in all stages, I recommend it highly. You will find it a mine of information on where to find Native Plants of Pennsylvania (A Trail intriguing material both here and abroad. Mrs. Wilson includes a most comprehensive listing Guide to Bowman's Hill State Wild of miniature plants and flowers; a most helpful Flower Preserve.) bibliography, ending with "Therapy through Compiled and Edited by the Executive Com­ Horticulture." There are excellent hints and mlttee . of the 'preserve. Kodachromes by the " how-to's" throughout the book, larded with Committee; Lme drawings by 'William D. occasional laughs and full of her own love and Dowell and David E. Benner. Pub. Living­ knowledge of miniature flower arrangements. ston Publishing Co., Narberth, Pa. $1.50. There are many black-and-white illustrations (Library.) and some very handsome colored ones. And for D es i~ned primarily as a guide for visitors to those who enjoy copying to improve on their the v~ r Ild Flower Preserve loca ted in Washington own, you'll find this book a great help. Cross mg State Park, on Route 32, n ear New Karen Foss H ope, P c;nnsylvania, this little booklet neverthe­ less prOVIdes a u ~ eful, pocket-size guide for other Junior Garden Club Handbook aleas m the MIddle Atlantic region. Its pro­ Fannie H . Peebles, D. Van Nostrand Com­ fuse and accurate illustrations, over a hundred pany Inc., Princeton N. ]., 1963. Price is in number, . will aid in the identifica tion of spe­ $5.95. 208 pages. IlIustra ted. Library AHS ci es found m many Wildflower plantings. members price $5.05. JULY 1964. VOLUME 43, NU1VIBER 3 17 3

The Junior Garden Club Handbook is an ex­ Gardener Go Home cellent guide for those endeavoring to teach gardening to children. Mrs. Peebles has fol­ Ken Kraft. T he Appleton-Century Co., New lowed the program set up by the National York, 1964. 152 pages. $3.50. Council of State Garden Clubs Inc. for the in­ MOI-e than one person has had a hand at struction of our youth who are members of finding more humor in the gardener's life than Junior Garden Clubs. She has included a com­ gardeners do themselves. Karel Capek wrote a prehensive coverage of materials to be used in book that made so me stir in this country teaching children the subjects of horticulture, about 193 1; George Cha ppell and Ridgely Hunt conservation, nature study, fl ower arranging and took their turn in 193 1; Laurence McKinney. flow er show p ractice. ably a betted by Helen E. Hokinson's familiar Junior leaders will find this book full of drawings took their turn in 1941; R ichardson splendid sugges tions for activities to be used in Wright had omething of all this in his Gard­ connection with the various units of study. ener's Bedbooks and the delightful thing ap­ Some of these are accompanied by excellent pears now, that such fabulous fun-making, li ke drawings which help to clarify them. gardening itself, never ends, and never falters in its sport. Junior Leaders will find the Junior Garden T he great advantage that i\Ir. Kraft has over -Club Handbook a most welcome addition to all his predecessors, is that garden practice is their library. It offers invaluable ass istance in now on a very different level from its former their most rewarding work with children. estates, and more and more kinds of people, H. P. R. make a try at it, so that the possible range of new situations seems endless. The reviewer found himself in the book, not California Mountain Wildflowers once, but several times, and believes that most readers will have the same experience. The Philip A. Mum, University of California touch is light, and there is no malice, none o( Press. Price $2.95. Paperback. Illustrated. the sli ghtly keen-edged touch, that passes so (Library) . often now, as humor. There are drawings of 180 different speci­ By all means, treat yourself to an hour of mens plus 98 color photographs, with a good quiet laughter, and spot yo ur friends at their description of each plant. It is illustrated and various antics as well as yo urself. written in language that an amateur can un­ B. Y. ]'vf. derstand, making this a good fi eld guide. Effective Flowering Shrubs H elen L. Whiting Michael Haworth-Booth. New R evised Ed. 1962. Collins, St. James Place, London. 350 The Rochford Book of Houseplants pages. (Library). $6.50. ($5 .52 to AHS Mem­ bers) . Thomas Rochford and Richar Gorer, The A new revised edition of an excellent book Macmillan Company, New York, New York on flowering shrubs for British gardens. After Price $6.00. ($5 .10 to members). (Library). a chapter on the general culture and use of A very interesting and informative book on shrubs and one on propagation, the author growing house plants by English authors_ A considers flowering shrubs in groups based on chapter of Latin names also gives a history of time of flowering. An excellent reference book these names. Several house plant families are even for American gardeners. studied in detail, and much information is C. B. L. given about growing plants in the home. This The Art of Flower Arrangement is a good reference book. There is a list of all the plants described according to their tempera­ Norman De Kalb Edwards. Photography by ture requirements. Thert~ are 100 black and Alean and John Miller. 191 pages by The white photographs plus four in color. Viking Press. 625 Madison Avenue, New York 22, New York. 1961 (reissued in 1964) . $10.00. Helen L. Whiting This first book on the A,-t of Flowe?· A ·rrange- ment b y Norman De Kalb Edwards of Cali­ fornia, well-known in his fi eld of scenic art and The Joyful Christmas Craft Book theatrical designing before he left all to devote Kathryn Holley Seibel. D. Van Nostrand his time to teaching and lecturing on flower Company, Inc. Princeton, N. J. 186 pages. arrangement, is a handsome one, with several Illustrated. Price $5.95_ ($5.06 to members)_ hundred exceptional black-and-white photo­ (Library) . graphs and four " tone poems" in color, each worthy of framing. Alean and John Miller who This is a book full of ideas that may be car­ did this beautiful photography are able to catch ried out through the use of simple readily with their skill that which Mr. Edwards wants avaliahle materials. It is excellent for the un­ to portray. skilled worker, a boon to the Scou t leader, Mr. Edwards leans toward the classical ikebana craft teacher, and those who like to create. styles, infusing his own interpretation with an There are many suggestions for decorations Amel'ican awareness of contemporary and ab­ with paper materials, straw, shells, wire screen­ stract art. Since he has used so much of the ing, and materials from nature. With imagina­ vegetable world in his studies I think Flower tion one may expand on the suggestions pre­ Arrangement and Living Plant material mme sented. It is a book of meritorious value. fully describes this enjoyable book. Flower arrangers should find the hundreds of Anne W . Wood pictures will stimulate their own imagination 174 THE Al'vIERICAN HORTICULTURAL MAGAZINE and creative abilities, and those benighted ones Fruit and Vegetable Arrangement who try to merely copy them must have a good Emma H. Cyphers. Hearthside Press, 118 East grounding in the basics of classical ikebana since 28th Street, New York, New York. 125 pages. this is a book for the advanced student. The semiformal aspidistra leaves so beautifully il­ Illustrated, glossary. 1963. $4.50. (LibraTY). lustrated do not indicate to the beginner that The author of this well-written book is a Ra- front and back of the leaves are very important tionally accredited Flower Show judge and a in placement; the lovely flowering branches set teacher in Flower Show Judges' Schools. in a low " water-view" container didn't grow Her arrangements are done according to the that way-you must use most judicious and care­ principles of good design in art in any form. ful skill in pruning them; his apparent pleasure She has covered well such subjects as artistic in the sansai classical rule is beautifl!llly and appreciation of the arranging of fruits and vege­ imaginatively done in what he nearly calls line tables; compatability of table decoration taking arrangements. into consideration pleasing forms, hues, textures Mr. Edwards used his own art terms in de­ of materials, whether formal or informal, and scribing his interpretation of flower arrangements the proper containers and techniques of the ar­ and we may find ourselves calling what Mr. rangement; decorations throughout the year, in­ Richardson Wright labeled "buxom bouquets" cluding holiday decorations, special themes and (mass arrangemen ts) by the Edwards' name occasions. "radiation." He is partial to line arrangement, There are many pictures of excellent arrange­ in the oriental manner, eschewing OUI' well­ ments and finally a glossary of fruits and vege­ known Hogarth's curve. tables, and grains, giving the seasons available, Judging and class notes and illustration as sug­ their lasting qualities, and, in some instances, gested in Mr. Edwards' two liRa] chapters make their symbolisms. This, in the reviewer's opin­ particularly interesting reading for non-accred­ ion, is a book much needed and Olile wor~hy of ited judges while accredited judges may find a place in the library. It is well written and an them more disturbing and non-conforming with inspira tion to the reader. the book of rules. Marie Lee Mr. Edwards has had the courage of his artistic convictions and the result is a stimulat­ Pruning Guide for Trees, ing, inspiring book. It is sad that the en tire Shrubs and Vines book could not be done in full color with such Tom Stevenson. Published by Robert B. Luce, a wealth of wonderfully artistic expression of Inc., Washington, D .C. 144 pages. 1964. $3.95. plan t material. (Library) . Mr. Edwards' trend-setting book, I hope, may be the forerunner of others as distinctive and This is a practical guide for woody plants. It explains why and how pruning should be done. illu~inating. It belongs on the shelf of l'eally aspIrmg flower arrangers. The author describes the pruning of a newly Karen Foss Zimmerer planted tree and the program of training to develop the desired shape. Pruning of older Japanese Flower Arrangement established trees is considered along with the repair to damaged trees. The pruning of de­ Ellen G. Allen. Charles E. Tuttle Company, cid uous shrubs is first described in general and Rutland, Vermont. 86 pages. Illustrated, in­ then specific comments on pruning of the bet­ dexed. 1963. $2.'75. (Library). ter known kinds is given. The pruning of coni­ . The author says, "The purpose of this Primer fers and of broad-leaf evergreens is described, IS fourfold; to increase the skill of all who love when and how it should be done as well as the to arrange flowers, to provide a more compre­ special Iequirements of these types of plants. hensive understanding of the art in Japanese Brief descriptions of the pruning of tree and flower arrangement, to help students where no bush fruits and nut trees are discussed. The lecturer is . available, and to provide a medrium pruning and training of plan ts for specialized of 1I1structlOns among the many, often confus­ purposes as hedges or as espaliers, tree forms ing, schools of Japanese flower arrangement." and bonsai are explained in a helpful manner. This book may well serve as a handbook for This is a handy book for the home gardener, the beginner as well as many who have knowl­ the explanation is given in an easily read man­ edge of the art of Japanese flower arrangement. ner and are illustrated with line drawings. The fundamental rules an~ various techniques C. B. L. have been presented 111 a sImple and easily un­ derstood manner. The lessons are in deta,ii and Other Books Added to -the Library are accompanied by sketches, photographs and diagrams that clearly show the proper placement The Gardener's Year of br~nches a.nd flowers according to the school. Karel Capek. Translated from the Czech by The mstructlOns are on the basic as well as M. and R. Weatherall, Dover PubliGations, the traditional styles of arranging. Inc., 18 Varick St., New York 14, N. Y. Illus­ The author has included a chapter on the his­ trated by Joseph Capek. 110 pages. Library tory of thIS art, and also, gives clear instructions $1.00. (a reprint of 1931 edition). on eqUIpment and proper containers according to the style of the arrangemen t. The Ford Atmanac-1964 The writer organized Ikebana International Edited by John Strohm. Published by Gol­ whlCh has many chapters in this country as well den Press, Ililc. New York, N. Y. 1963. (Li­ a.s 111 . many countries of the world. She has brary). $1.00. lIVed 111 Japan and has returned to that coun­ try for further study several times. She is most The Architecture 01 the Germplasm qualtfied to write an authentic book on the art Verne Grant. Published by John Wiley and of flower arranging as pract.iced by the Tapanese. Sons, Inc. New York, N . Y. 1964. 236 pages. Marie Lee (Library) . JULY 1964, VOLUME 43, NUMBER 3 175

How Plants Get Their Names 440 Park Ave., South, New York 16, N. Y. L. H . Bailey. Published by Dover P ublica­ 1962. 329 pages. $13.50. tions, Inc. , 180 Va rick St., New York 14, N. Y. 1963. (Library). Reprint of the original­ Insects in R elation to Plant Disease published in 1933. $1.1 5. " Valter Carter. Interscience Publishers, 440 Park Ave., So uth, New York 16, N . Y. 1963. Guide 10 Southern Trees 705 pages. $25.00. Ellwood S. Han-ar and J. George Harrar. Pub­ lished by Dover Publica tions, Inc. $2.25. Re­ The Eucalypts print of the original-published in 1946. A. R . Penfold and J . L. Willis. Interscience Plant nomenclature has been brought up-to­ Publishers, 440 Park Ave., South, New York date. 16, N. Y. 1962 . 449 pages, 71 Illustrations. Horticultural Science 14.50. Jules J anick. Published by ·W. H. Freeman and Co., 660 Market St., San Francisco 4, Cucurbits Calif. 1963. 463 p ages. $8.50. T. ,.v. "Vh itaker a nd G. N. Davis. Interscience Publishers, 440 Park Ave., So uth, New York Advances in Pest Control R esearch-Vol 5 16, N. Y. 1962. 250 pages, 38 Illustrations. R . L. Metcalf, Editor. Interscience P ublishers, 11.50. The Gardeners' Pocketbook

'Chico'-An Ornamental Dwarf Pomegranate The history of the pomegranate (Punica granatt.lm L.) , o~e o~ th~ m~st ancient of cultivated frUltS, IS .rIch In both religious and artistic sig~Ific

U. S. D. A. Fig. 1. Seedling of the floribunda rose cultivar 'Ma Perkins' grown at five different constant temperature regimes.

U. S. D. A. Fig. 2. Petals and petaloids removed from plants shown in figure 1, show­ ing effects of temperature on their number and size. JULY 1964, VOLUl'vIE 43, NUMBER 3 179

,)'..1. " ~ . 'Ii I,y ~,\'lIfll ~'Ij!.4\ ,,tv ',/ J... ~) Y'/ ... J~ •- ~,. I' j \ i ~ \ \ \ \

i \ \ \ \ \ \\ \ \ \ " ~ ~ \ 5~ 92 \ 92\ \ 7~ U. S. D . A. Fig. 3. Effect of temperature on length of stnmens and pistils of rose culti­ var 'Ma Perkins'.

U. S. D. A. Fig. 4. Sister-seedlings showing effects of temperature on. len.gth of stamens and pistils. 180 THE AMERICAN HORTICULTURAL MAGAZINE this seedling the stamens were long and limited quantities, no suggestions are of­ the pistils short at the lower tempera­ fered as to how it should be used. The tures. other plants in bloom at this same time Thus, temperature causes profound here are all species narcissus, in various modification of both the accessory and hues of yellow, and would not combine reproductive parts of the flower. Tem­ happily. The old hyacinths of colonial perature probably affects the plant mech­ gardens in lavenders and the Swan's anisms that control the synthesis and Neck narcissus in milk white would look translocation of "hormones," which in well behind it, perhaps.-B. Y. MORRI­ turn influence initiation of floral parts, SON, Pass Christian, Miss. their direction and rate of development. The consequent variations in structure Prunus campanulata-Taiwan result from a chain of physicochemical Flowering Cherry reactions initiated by genes but con­ In Southern California, the various sorts trolled and modified by other genes and of Japanese flowering cherries are occa­ the external environment. Temperature sionally seen, but are not well adapted effects do not result in any change in or to the climate. Frequently they do not recombination of the genetic factors, and receive sufficient winter chilling and per­ are not transmitted to their descendents. form in a mediocre manner. U nques­ These well-defined morphological char­ tionably P. campanulata is the best acters were affected by the external en­ adapted, since it is native to a warm cli­ vironment. It is of interest that the low­ mate. er limit of variability in number of The tree is slender and tall which dis­ petals imposed by the environment is 5, plays the deep pink flowers to their best the basic number in the ancestral spe­ effect. They are particularly lovely cies.-PETER SEMENIUK, Crops Research against the background of a clear blue Division, U.S.D.A., Beltsville, Maryland. sky. Blooming is typically early, often Allium perdulce in February, just before or during leaf emergence. The flowers are single with As hardy alIi urns have always been a bell-shaped form and are pendulous on an interest to the writer, many have long stems. The fruit is ovoid and red. been tried in this garden with relative­ The tree will stand heat and dry air ly small success. and is thus adaptable to a large inland The species discussed in this note area, where winters are not too cold. came from Prairie Gem Ranch, Smith­ There are reports of successful growth wick, S. D. and while it is a minor spe­ from the East Coast. The tree requires cies if showiness is the major concern, it little space in the garden and is worthy has its own merit, namely that of very of trial in many of the mild climate early bloom. Here it would appear in areas of the country. - V. T. STOUTE­ all lists of flowers in bloom in Decem­ MYER, Dept. Floriculture, U. of Califor­ ber. No change of temperature seems to n,ia, Los Angeles, California. bother it. The low mass of foliage, about the same mass one might get from a newly set plant of Armeria maritima, Acmena smithii-The Lilly-pilly tree and its short scapes barely overtopping This is a tall timber tree in the rich the leaves, carry a small head of flowers river valleys of Queensland, Australia, about the same color as those of the but in the mild coastal area of Southern more common armeria, a slightly pur­ California it is seen as a small shapely plish rose, and do make a nest of color. tree. It is suitable only for the warmer The first blooms appeared in mid-De­ areas, but is not common there, although cember and they have been following its fine ornamental qualities suggest a continuously ever since and more un­ wider use. It prefers a deep rich soil developed scapes still show in the mass and abundant water and unlike many of leaves. This writing is on March 14. trees and shrubs from the mediterranean Since this is a species from a much type climates of the world, is well suited colder area than the present garden, to lawn conditions. even at its worst, it will presumably be The foliage is glossy with a rich cold hardy much farther north in other bronzy green color. The white flowers regi~:ms than its native range. with numerous stamens are typical of Smce all plants on trial here are in the myrtle family (Myrtaceae). Former. JULY 1964, VOLUME 43, N UMBER 3 181

V. T. SlOUa,MY.t;R V. T. S'I OUTEMYER Acmena smithii Callistemon 'Red Chico' ly this species was included with the ert to the seacoast in Southern Califor­ eugenias. The fruit of this species is nia and are not particularly sensitive to large and notably attractive over a long frost. They benefit from adequate period in the winter, having a lavender watering. cast with a suggestion of iridescence. Other related species offer an assorted Frequently the branches are so heavily range of flower colors and plant habits. laden with fruit that they become weep­ -V. T. STOUTEMYER, Dept. Floriculture, ing. The tree is best in sun and in areas U. of California, Los Angeles California. where minimum winter temperatures are above 24° F. The modest size of tree and its easy response to pruning make it Tsuga canadensis 'Pendula' ideally adaptable to small gardens.­ The weeping form of Canadian hem­ v. T. STOUTEMYER, Dept. Floriculture, U. of California, Los Angeles, California. lock (T. canadensis 'Pendula') common­ ly referred to as Sargent hemlock is one of the most graceful and beautifully pro­ Callistemon citrinus- Bottlebrush portioned pendulous forms of all coni­ This showy shrub with brilliant red fers. There are a number of clonal selec­ flowers consisting of clusters of stamens tions of the weeping hemlock, many of surrol{nding the stem is coming into in­ which may be seen only in the Hemlock creasingly extensive use. It is usually Arboretum, Germantown, Philadelphia. grown in bush form, but when trained Still others could probably be found as a standard is coming into use as a with sufficient time and patience. Al­ small erect, non-weeping street tree. though specimens have graced arbo­ The bottlebrushes tend to vary from retums and other plant collections for seeds and superior ornamental types are nearly a century, it has never been wide­ often grown from cu ttings. The form ly used in landscaping homes and pub­ illustrated here, 'Chico Red' is currently lic places. one of the most popular cultivars. The Sargent hemlock is a quality, low­ Bottlebrushes grow well from the des- maintenance plant that comes relatively J82 THE Al\IERICAN HORTICULTURAL MAGAZINE

U. S. D. A. Fig. 1. Mature specimens of Sargent hemlock over 25 years old.

true from seed. It is a durable ever­ it was from these four Fishkill seedlings green that withstands light shade or full that all Sargent hemlocks evolved. sun. Like other hemlocks, it prefers a Dr. Stout, in the article previously loose, rich soil but it must have plenty mentioned, stated that only one of ap­ of water to perform its best. In a foun­ proximately 2,000 open pollinated seed­ dation planting or hedge, its slow lings of Sargent hemlock that he grew growth will keep it in scale for many did not have the pendulous character. years. He also found that all vegetative propa­ In an article titled "Weeping or gations retained this character. Pendulous Hemlocks (.lou-mal of the In the middle 1930's during the early N ew York Botanical Garden, 40: No. development of the U. S. Horticultural 475, July 1939), A. B. Stout described Field Stationl at Beltsville, Maryland, what he believed to be the original speci­ several plants of Tsuga canadensis 'Pen­ men from which all of Sargent (weep­ ing) type hemlocks were derived. The dula' were purchased for experimental tree was named the Horton hemlock for work. The exact source of these plants the owner of the wild mountainside lo­ is not known. Figure 1 shows one of cation of the tree overlooking the vil­ these plants as it appeared in 1960. Ma­ lage of Hortontown near the northern ture specimens will attain 12 to 14 feet border of Putnam County, New York. after several decades. In 1939 the girth of the trunk measured In October 1953, seeds were collected 58 inches at 4Y2 feet above ground level, by H. Fisher from the weeping hemlocks while the plant's height was about 16 4 feet. at the Plant Industry Station and brought to the U. S. Plant Introduction Five miles in a direct line from the Station, Glenn Dale, Maryland, where Horton hemlock is the village of Fish· they were sown in flats of sphagnum. kill. That was the site of the four wild 'USDA Plant Industry Station. plants described by Professor Charles S. "Seeds were collected from these same plants by the Sargent as being the first "pendula" form American Horticultural Society and distributed to Its members in ]960. No reports on performance are as of the Canadian hemlock. Purportedly, yet available. J ULY 1964, VOLUIvI E 43, N UMBER 3 183

Confirming the findings of Dr. Stout, all tumn of 1963, when the plants were ten of the resulting seedlings were pendu­ years old, showed a maximum height of lous. The plants were transferred to 40 inches and width of 86 inches, F ig­ pots, grown under greenhouse condi­ ure 2. T he m inimum size, as represen ted tions for once yea r, transplanted to a by the one extreme dwarf plant, was 9 cold frame for two years and then spaced inches high and 15 inches wide, F igure out in 1957 in a nursery area in fo ur 2. -With the exception of a break for foot rows with plants 21'2 feet apart. the smaller sizes, the general distribution During the autumn of 1959 the fi rst approximated a n ormal curve. growth records were taken of 134 plants, T he rati o of total plan t height to then six years old from seed. At that plant wid th was fo und to vary from time, the plants were exception ally uni­ prostrate forms with a ratio of I to 3.6 form ranging in size from 16 to 20 to the most upright, narrow forms with inches in height and 36 to 4-5 inches in a ration of I to 1. 6. Again the distribu­ width, except fo r one very dwarf plant ti on approximated a n ormal curve. T he 5 inches high and 9 inches wide, and extremes of the curve were represen ted four semi dwarf plan ts ranging from 9 to by 25 percent prostrate forms with a 12 inches high and 18 to 26 inches wide. h eigh t of 1/ 3 or less compared with During the past several years, twO wid th and 21 percent comparatively up­ distributions of plan ts (24 and 46 plan ts) righ t forms with a height of Y2 or more were m ade to the Plant Industry Sta­ that of the wid th. tion and 36 plants were se nt to the D uring the spring of 1962, fo urteen Longwood Gardens, Kennett Square, weepi ng hemlocks were transplan ted to Pennsylva nia for landsca ping purposes. make a hedge in a fo ur-foot strip of Observati ons of growth on the p lan ts soil between the front of the Glenn Dale remaining at Glenn Dale and those at Plant Introduction Station office and a the Plant Industry Station have con­ sidewalk. T he nine year old plants h ad tinued to date. Although all of the seed­ not received any pruning pr ior to trans­ lings h ave the weeping habit and n one plan ting. Altho ugh some fairly large develop a central leader, differences in cuts were necessary for the developmen t vigor and plant form within the grourJ of a uniform hedge, the plans responded as a whole became evident during the surprisingly well in most casts. T wo less 1960 growing season and have becom e: severe trimmings d uring the J 963 season increasingly more obvio us since. have kept the p lants within the size li m­ IVleasurements taken during the au- its des ired. T he natural dome-shape o[

Fig. 2. Ten year old Sargent hemlock seedlings showing relative size; maxi­ mum (left) and minimum (right). J . J. HIGG INS 184 THE AMERICAN HORTICULTURAL MAGAZINE the seedlings was partially destroyed in the original hedging operation because of the age of the plants. Had they been pruned earlier, the graceful arching ef­ fect of the many over-lapping branches could have been maintained. The results of the pruning and hedg­ ing of these weeping hemlocks indicate that there is little real advantage in nurserymen vegetatively propagating se­ lections of the weeping hemlock that may exemplify particular growth pat­ terns. In general, the seedling popula­ tion at the Glenn Dale Plant Introduc­ tion Station contained about 4 percent dwarf or semi-dwarf types, 12 percent very vigorous types and the remainder intermediates; all of which were repre­ sented in varying height to width ra­ tios. Dwarf forms can be separated out at an early age and used to advantage where this characteristic may be highly desirable. Very vigorous plan ts can be restrained and the comparatively upright made prostrate through a little selective pruning. These training manipulations would appear sufficient for the nursery­ I. N. ANDERSON man to present a quality product at rea­ sonable cost to the average customer. It Schlumbergera gaertneri 'hybrid' will only be in satisfying the plant speci­ men collector and connisseur that the No one suggested to the writer that tedium and expense of vegetative proga­ there were any particular difficulties in gation of special types will be worth its culture, but a study of the comments while.-W. L. ACKERMAN and G. A. SEA­ of successful homegrowers indicated that TON, U. S. Plant Intmduction Station, it needed a fairly rich but quick drain­ Glenn Dale, Maryland, and H. H. FISH­ ing soil mixture, an ample supply of E~, USDA-ARS, Crops Research, Bells­ water through its flowering and the sea­ mile, MaTyland. son of new growth that immediately fol­ lows. and a rest period in which it may show signs of some shrivelling of its sec­ Preliminary Notes on Christmas tions, that appear like leafy shoots, but Cactus and Allies are not, with a dropping of some seg­ The Christmas Cactus has long been ments, for no particular reason. Some a favorite house plant in many parts of shade rather than the full sun for the our country but seems in most cases to hottest parts of the year, and a cool have been a plant that one got from a temperature during the winter were the neighbor rather than by purchase from other comments most often encoun­ a nursery. As one saw it, it was either tered. a vigorous old plant that had been in The first gift of cuttings, responded the family "for years" or else was a new­ to the treatment outlined and no partic­ ly started cutting just received. It was ular new difficulty arose. a matter of cuttings that started the A memory of having read that there writer's interest in it and has lead to were "other colors" lead to a rereading further search. The typical plant, or of the few pages in Scott Haselton's "The perhaps better put, the form most com­ Epiphyllum Handbook" and there, to monly found, bears flowers of a brilliant quote is the statement that there "are pink, rather on the magenta side of many variations in color, ranging from pink, than of coral or rose. The color almost pure white through purple, car­ is brilliant and a well-grown and well­ mine, wine-red, brick-red to salmon." flowered plant is spectacular. The same text indicates that "there was JULY 1964, VOLUME 43, NUMBER 3 185 a time in Europe when many varieties Growth commenced on all the plants were listed none of which are probably almost at once but in varying degrees, not now in cultivation, certainly not in some quickly and well, some slowly. Two this country." This was quite enough plants died at once, the clone known as to start the writer on a search. 'Pink Elephant' and the small plant of Then turning to an old friend-by­ Epiphyllanthus. No explanation can be correspondence who specializes in the offered and no excuses. large-flowered epiphyllums, Mr. Sher­ By autumn all the living plants had man E. Beahm, we found a longish list, made some growth and appeared to be not all of which proved to be available in normal condition, save a few of the at the time of inquiry. And, after an named clones, 'Vivid', 'Mia', and the in terval, there arrived from California, Schlumbergera hybrid 'Andre'. These a beautifully packed box with twelve had not "plumped up" as the gardeners Zygocactus, two Schlumbergera, one Epi­ would say, and looked shrivelled. Of ph),ZZanthus, and one Rhipsolodopsis, all these three 'Mia' appears to have made in fine condition and a plant of Schlum­ an almost complete recovery at this writ­ bergera gaertneri 'Hyb.' well set with ing (March 1964) but the other two buds. All this in April, which gave the may be hopeless of recovery. Not all clue to the 'Easter Cactus' the Schlum­ had grown during the summer to pro­ bergera. duce blooms but enough did to prove Checking further the instruction for to the writer's satisfaction that colors, handling, the warning was repeated to othe than the cerise pink-tending to have a soil mix that would drain quick­ magenta of the common form, did in ly and well, and yet have in it enough fact exist and were well worth the humus material to keep an even degree search. of moisture, together with the sugges­ Whatever the ultimate decisions may tion that if the plants received were be taxonomically, the plants in cultiva­ without soil, they should have the roots tion under 'fancy' names, make fine soaked carefully until they appeared plants for the home gardener, with a turgid. As all the plants in the ship­ range of blooming times that may in ment had come with soil, this was not fact justify the common terms of Thanks­ tried, but it can be said, that in chang­ giving and Christmas cacti. ing pots, of the old local plants, it was The term zygomorphic should be ex­ noted that soil that fell away from the plained as indicating that the flower can root system, fell off completely and the "be split only at one point so that both plants were guarded so that the roots halves are alike." (I.c.) From the com­ did not dry out. mon point of view, this means that the The mixture made up here was the blooms on zygocacti, appear to one as usual acid loam mix with peat moss to in profile, those of Schlumbergera ap­ which was added an almost equal part, pear full face. by bulk, of chopped osmunda fiber. Among the clones grown in th~ pres­ A second shipment of plants from an­ ent collection, there are more WIthout other source, brought potted plants, the long claws than with, but there does again beautifully packed, but in a soil not appear to be a~y connection. be­ mix that appeared much more firm and tween this and the tImes of bloom mg. less filled with humus of any sort. This In general, the color most commonly lot has not been repotted and all are encountered is a shining magenta tend­ growing on well. ing toward cerise. It seems particularly The original lot of cuttings rooted in brilliant as the surfaces of all parts of sand, before potting, had an ordinary the flower, both the petal-like bracts mixture, with no special coarse drainage along the flower tubes and the petals matter added, and it must be confessed proper, are smooth and shining. I~ near­ that growth seems to be about equal in ly all cases, the color is least mtense all three. along the tube of t~e flower. and most All plants here are grown in the cool intense at the margms and tIpS of the greenhouse, that is kept shaded in sum­ petals and bracts. In some the. tube is mer, with all ventilators open, and in almost white, never pure whIte, but summer when temperatures are highest sufficiently white to allow the yse of the an exhaust fan is kept on day and night. name 'Bicolor' for one clone; m another 186 THE Al'vfERICAN HORTICULTURAL MAGAZINE

,,. . \

1. South Orange 2. Vivid 3. Violacea 4. Bahai 5. Delicatissima Clones of Christmus Cactus JULY 1964, VOLUME 43, NUMBER 3 187 this pattern is reversed with all the color bases Rose Pink to Deep Rose Pink, concentrated in the tube and at the bracts and petals Rose Red. Stigma bases of the floral parts, permitting the Aster Purple. This makes a very bril­ name 'Delicatissima' and the optimistic liant red. suggestion, that the clone is whi teo 'Bahai'. December 30. This clone An additional factor in making the bloomed more profusely than any other. colors seem intense is that in the same The flowers seem a Ii ttle smaller than flower one may find a pink or rose hue many but one does not know if this is that is basically related to purple and typical or came from lack of adeq uate another pink, that is basically related to feeding. The tube and bases of bracts scarlet. and petals, Tyrian Rose, tending toward Of those that flowered here, their first Amaran th Pink. The petals, brighter year, under conditions somewhat of trial than Tyrian Rose, tending toward Rose and error, the following color notes were Red. The filaments are Amaranth Pink, take-n. fading' toward white as the flower 'South Orange', November 23. Tube ages, but never white. This is the only white-flushed with RHS Scarlet, which clone flowered here, that does not have has a pinkish hue; the margins flushed white filaments. The stigma is Rhoda­ with Fire Red 15/4 deepening on the mine Purple and opens to show the di­ margins to 15. vided styles. This again, may not be Using the Ridgway chart, the results typical, but shows in this clone only as are: tube white flushed with La France seen here. In illustrations seen, of the Pink, deepening to Peach Red on the type, the divided styles do not show in scale-like bracts and petals. The stigma more cases than one. is Tyrian Red, the style paler. 'Delicatissima'. January 3. Basically 'Bicolor'. November 25. The pale these flowers are white in effect, but ac­ central portion, tube and bases of bracts tually they are washed from the bases of and petals, not quite white, flushed with all floral parts with Mallow Pink, the Phlox Pink (a lavender hue). The body darkest areas, Light Mallow Purple color is Rose Red, stigma and style Rose (they are pale lavender pinks) . The Red, the filaments of the stamens white. clone is white in all areas where other The basic contrast in this clone results clones are colored; and colored, where from the "purplish" tone of the Phlox others are white or light in hue. Pink and the pure Rose Red. 'Peacheroo'. This clone tried to bloom 'Violacea'. Nov. 27. The tube and but the flower was accidentally broken bases of all parts, bracts and petals, off before it could show any color. white, washed with Mallow Purple, The clones that have not yet bloomed deepening to Rhodamine Purple toward are: 'Amelia Manda', 'Electra', 'Manda's all edges. Orange', 'Pink Elephant', and 'Sal­ 'Vivid'. Nov. 29. Almost a self; the monea'. whole flower except tube and pistil, No notes were taken of the color of Spectrum Red, flushed with Rhodamine the Schlumbergera, but a photograph is Purple. All green parts of the plant are attached chiefly to clarify the definitions flushed with dull purple. The flowers of of zygomarphic flowers. The other plant. this clone are smaller than most others, S. gae1·tneri, is in bud at this writing, as seen here, but are very brilliant, but lVIarch 17 but the buds are so small they the plant has not been entirely success­ may not develop in time for this year's ful in our growing. early Easter, March 29.-B. y. l\fORRISO", 'New Red'. December 30. Tube and Pass C hrist'ian, Miss. 188 THE AMERICAN HORTICULTURAL MAGAZINE

Garden Clubs and Affiliated Organizations Albemarle Garden Club, Charlottesville, Va. All-American Rose Selections, Inc. American Association of Nurserymen American Association of Botanical Gardens and Arboretums American Begonia Society-San Francisco Branch American Camellia Society American Daffodil Society American Fern Society American Hemerocallis Society American Hibiscus Society American Iris Society American Poinsettia Society American Rhododendron Society American Rhododendron Society-Middle Atlantic Chapter American Rock Garden Society American Rose Society American Seed Trade Association American Society for Horticultural Science American Peony Society Mr. Barrows and Company, Inc., New York The Berkshire Garden Center, Inc., Mass. Bethesda Community Garden Club, Bethesda, Maryland

Bledsoe Rhododendron & Tree Farm, Snohomish, Washington Bootstrap Garden Club, Jackson, Michigan Boyce Thompson Institute for Plant Research, New York Brooklyn Botanic Garden, New York W. Atlee Burpee Company, Philadelphia, Pa. California Arboretum Foundation, Inc. California Foundation for Horticultural Research California Horticultural Society The Carrollton Garden Club, Hyattsville, Md. Cleveland Bonsai Club, Ohio Cheverly Garden Club, Cheverly, Md. Chicago Horticultural Society Colorado Forestry & Horticulture Association Country Hills Garden Club, Fairfax, Virginia Davidson County Horticultural Society, Nashville, Tenn. Desert Botanical Garden of Arizona, Phoenix Dolly Madison Garden Club, Orange, Virginia Dundee Nursery, Wayzata, Minn. Dunlap Nursery, Thermal, Calif. JULY 1964, VOLUME 43, NUMBER 3 189

The Federated Garden Circles of Fort Lauderdale, Inc., Florida The Federated Garden Clubs of Connecticut, Inc. The Federated Garden Clubs of Maryland The Federated Garden Clubs of Maryland-District IV Federated Garden Clubs of Michigan Florida Nurserymen and Growers Association Flodsts' Telegraph Delivery Association, Detroit, Michigan Flower Grower, New York Florida Federation of Garden Clubs, Inc. The Gabriella Garden Club, Danville, Virginia Garden Center of Greater Cincinna ti, Ohio Garden Center of Greater Cleveland, Ohio Garden Club of Alexandria, Virginia The Garden Club of America The Garden Club of Danville, Virginia The Garden Club of Fairfax, Virginia The Garden Club of Indiana The Garden Club of Montclair, New Jersey The Garden Club of New Jersey The Garden Club of Norfolk, Virginia Garden Club of Virginia Garden Club of Warren County, Virginia Garden Study Club, Lake Worth, Florida Garden Club of Waynewood, Alexandria, Virginia Georgetown Garden Club, Washington, D. C. Germantown Horticultural Society, Pennsylva nia Golf Course Superintendents Association of America Great Falls Garden Club, Virginia Gulf Coast Horticultural Society, Texas Harlem Valley Men's Garden Club, New York The Hemerocallis Growers of Dallas, Texas The Herb Society of America Hilltop Garden Club, Washington, D. C. The Hillside Garden Club, Lynchburg, Virginia Hines Wholesale Nurseries, Santa Ana, California Holly Society of America Horticultural Society of New York Hunting Creek Garden Club, Alexandria, Virginia Hyattsville Horticultural Society, Maryland Illinois State Nurserymen's Association Indiana Association of Nurserymen Inter-State Nurseries, Hamburg, Iowa International Shade Tree Conference, Columbus, Ohio 190 THE AMERICAN HORTICULTURAL MAGAZINE

Indianapolis Landscape Association, Indiana International Garden Club, Inc., Pelham, New York Jackson and Perkins Company, Newark, New York John J . Tyler Arboretum, Lima, Penna. Junior Vegetable Growers Foundation, Inc., North Amherst, Mass. Kansas Arborists Association Kingwood Center, Mansfield, Ohio The Laurel Garden Club, Laurel, Mississippi Lakeside Park Garden Center Leesburg Garden Club, Virginia The Little Garden Club of Rye, New York Little Garden Club, Winchester, Virginia Long Island Horticultural Society, New York Lord and Blll·nham, Irvington-on-Hudson, New York Los Angeles State & County Arboretum, California Massachusetts Horticultural Society Men's Garden Club of Syracuse, New York Men's Garden Cluo of New York Men's Garden Club of Fairfield County, Connecticut Men's Garden Club of Grosse Point, Michigan Men's Gareen Club of Austin, Texas Men's Garden Clubs of America Metropolitan Detroit Landscape Association, Michigan Michigan Horticultural Society Millbrook Garden Club, Lakeville, Connecticut Minnesota State Horticultural Society Missouri Botanical Garden Missouri State Florists Association Monadnock Garden Club, Jaffrey Center, New Hampshire :Morton Arboretum, Lisle, Illinois National Chrysanthemum Society National Association of Gardeners National Council of State Garden Clubs National Mail Order Nurserymens Association National Capital Daylily Club National Capital Garden Club League Neighborhood Garden Club, Arlington, Virginia New Orleans Horticultural Study Club New Canaan Garden Club, Connecticut New York State Flower Growers New York Botanical Garden New York Hortus Club New Jersey Association of Nurserymen JULY 1964, VOLUME 43, NUl'vIBER 3 191

New Jersey Federation of Shade Tree Commissions North American Lily Society North Jersey Metropolitan Nurserymens Association North Shore Horticultural Society of Long Island, New York Northeastern Florists Association Northwest Florists Associa tion Office of the Secretary of Defense Garden Cluh Ohio Association of Garden Clubs Ohio Florists Association Oregon Association of Nurserymen Pacific Bulb Growers Association, Oregon Palm Society Pennsylvania Horticultural Society Pilgrimage Garden Club, Natchez, Mississippi Pittsburgh Garden Center, Pennsylvania Planting Fields Foundation Arboretum, New York Plainfield Garden Club, New Jersey Portland Garden Club, Oregon Primex Garden Center, Glenside, Pennsylvania Providence Garden Club of Pennsylvania Queens Botanical Garden Society, New York Red Mountain Garden Club, Birmingham, Alabama Rhode Island Horticultural Society Santa Barbara Botanic Garden, California San Francisco Garden Club, California Se lect Nurseries, Brea California Society for Louisiana Irises, Lafayette, Louisiana Society of American Florists Southern California Horticultural Institute Southern Florist and Nurseryman, Texas Southern California Camellia Society Tennessee Botanical Gardens Three Chopt Garden Club, Virginia Vaughan's Seed Company, Downers Grove, Illinois Virginia Nurserymen's Association Vosters Nurseries and Greenhouses, Secane, Pennsylvania 'Wa rrenton Garden Club, Virginia Washington State Nurserymens Association ''''eston Nurseries, Hopkinton, Massachusetts ''''heeling Garden Center, West Virginia Williamsburg Garden Club, Virginia ,,,risconsin State Horticultural Society ''''oodside-Atherton Garden Club, Portola Valley, California ''''orcester County Horticultural Society, Massachusetts the PEONIES Amateur, professional grower, or scientist: Here is a book you will enjoy reading, profit from reading. Authoritative, truly comprehensive, yet with interest main­ tain€d-you explore this family of superb plants about which so little is generally known. You may, or may not be familiar with names of the men and women who wrote this book. We only can say: You would search far to find people who know more about Peonies-who are better able to share with others, interestingly, the results of their experiences, the findings of their research. EDITORS-John C. Wister, Director, Arthur Hoyt Scott Horticultural Founda· tion, Swarthmore College; Gertrude S. Wist€r. CONTRIBUTORS-Silvia Saunders; P. P. Pirone; William H. Krekler; Harold E. Wolfe. Getting down to specifications of this book: It, of course, deals with both TREE PEONIES (Suffruticosa or Moutan, Delavayi, lutea, potanini) and the more familiar HERBACEOUS PEONIES. For both, there are chapters on culture. Descriptions. Propagation. Check lists of varieties. Lists of growers. Botanical classifications. Pests and diseases. History. Breeding. Bibliography. This 200+ page book is illustrated with oveF 60 expertly done photographs and lin€ drawings. Published by th€ American Horticultural Society, it is being offered to Memb€rs at 20% discount.

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