The NAT ION A L HORTICULTURAL MAGAZINE

JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY

JANUARY, 1933 The American Horticultural Society PRESENT ROLL OF OFFICERS AND DIRECTORS MOIYch 1, 1932 OFFICERS President, Robert Pyle, West Grove, Pa. C. First Vice-President, Knowles A. ~yer~on, 1601 Argonne Pl., N. W., Washington, D. Second Vice-President, Mrs. FrancIs Kmg, South Hartford, N. Y. Secretary, C. C. Thomas, 211 Spruce Street, Tako~a Park, Md. Treasurer, Roy G. Pierce, 504 Aspen Street, Washmgton, D. C. DIRECI'ORS Terms expiring in 1933 Terms expiring in 1934 Miss Isabel B. Busbee, Raleigh, N. C. F. J. Crider, Superior, Ariz. Mrs. L. H. Fowler, Washington, D. C. Mrs. M'ortimer Fox, Peekskill, N. Y. Fairman R. Furness, Media, Pa. Mr. F. L. Mulford, Washington, D. C. D. Victor Lumsden, Washington, D. C. Mrs. Silas B. Waters, Cincinnati, Ohio. J. Marion Shull, Chevy Chase, Md. Dr. Earl B. White, Kensington, Md. ------AFFILIATED SOCIETIES Alexandria, Virginia, Garden ~lub, Garden Club of Englewood, Mrs. F. M. Willard, PresIdent, Englewood, N. J. Belle Haven, Alexandria, Va. Garden Club of Madison, N. J. American Fuchsia Society, Mrs. Hubert Cheeseman, Sec'y, Mrs. Elizabeth Madison, Sec'y, Academy Road, Madison, N. J. 1025 2nd Ave., Oakland, Calif. Garden Club of Ohio, Ault Park Garden Club, MIis. C. S. Robinson, President, Mrs. William N. Sloan, Pres., 840 Old Furnace Road, Youngs­ 1434 Herschel Ave., Cincinnati, O. town, Ohio. Bethesda Community Garden Club, Garden Club of Peekskill, . Mrs. Prestqn C. Alexander, 118 P-ine St., Peekskill, N. Y. 502 Maple Ridge Road, Garden Club of S'Omerset Hills, Bethesda, Md. Mrs. J. M. Ellsworth, President, Blackstone Garden Club, Bernardsville, N. J. Georgia State Horticultural Society, Mrs. A. G. Ingham, President, G. H. Firor, Secretary, Wellsville, Va. Athens, Ga. California Garden Club Federation, Hartwell Garden Club, Mrs. Leonard B. Slosson, Pres., Care of Mrs. R. Lucius, 426 So. Arden Blvd., 43 Hartwell A "'e. Los Angeles, Calif. Cincinnati, Ohio. Chevy Chase (D. C.) Garden CIU!b, Indian Hill Garden Club, Mrs. F. B. Weaver, Mrs. Robert Sattler, President, 5324 39th St., N. W., Varner Road, R. F. D. No.1, Washington, D. C. Sta. M., Cincinnati, O. Chevy Chase Garden Club, Lake Forest Garden Club, Mrs. T. H. MacDonald, Lake Forest, Ill. 520 Maple Ridge Road, Lake Washington Garden Club, Battery Park, Md. Mrs. Alexander A. Gardner, Civic Study Club, 595149th Ave., S'. W., Seattle, Wash. Mrs. O. R. Bruson, Secretary, Montgomery Suburban Garden Club, Michigan, N. D. James c. Dulin, Jr., President, Fairfax Garden Club, 325 High St., Friendship Hts., Mrs. L. P. Tayloe, S'ecretary, Chevy Chase, Md. Vienna, Va. Shaker Lakes Garden Club, Fairfield Garden Club, Mrs. Frank B. Stearns, Mrs. John R. Reyiburn, 15830 S. Park Blvd., Shaker Hts., 523 Old Post Road, Fairfield, Conn. Cleveland, Ohio. Federated Garden Clubs of Cincinnati a~d St. Louis Horticultural Society, Vicinity, Missouri Botanical Garden, Mrs. Silas B. Waters, President, St. Louis, Mo. 2005 Edgecliffe Point, Cincinnati, O. Takoma Horticultural Club, Galesburg Horticultural Improvement So­ Fred C. Duehring, Secretary, ciety, 122 Chestnut Ave., C. Z. Nelson, Secretary, Takoma Park, D. C. 534 Hawkinson Ave., Galesburg, Ill. Town & Country Garden Club, Garden Club of Cfficinnati, MnsL Frederick Hinkle, Sec'y, Mrs. H. W. Nichols, Edwards Rd. and Vvalsh Place 2345 Mallison Road, E. Walnut Cincitmati, Ohio. Hi'lIs, Cincinnati, Ohio. Town and COUJl1try Club of Cleveland, Garden Club of Buzzard's Bay Mrs. W. H. Wood, Mrs. M. W. Wilcox, President, Anderson and Green Rd., S. Euclid, 350 Union St., New Bedford, Mass. Cleveland, Ohio.

Publication Office, 1918 Harford Avenue, Baltimore, Md. Entered as second-class ma tter January '}fl, 1932, at the Post Office at Baltimore, Md., under tbe Act of August 24, 1912. The National Horticultural Magazine

Volume Twelve

Washington, D. C. 1933 COPYRIGHT, 1933

THE .'\ lIIERICAN HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY The National Horticultural Magazine B. Y. lvIoRRl soN, Editor

ALFRED BATES, FLORENS DEBEI'OISE, SI'lERMAX R. DUFFY, HELEN ),1 . Fox, MARY G. HENRY, FRANCES E . McILI'AIXE, CARL PURD Y. J. lvIARION SHULL, ARTHUR D. SLAVIN COlllriblltilig Editors

Vol. 12 Copyright, 1 9 33, by THE :\)[ERTCAN HORTICL'LTUHAL SOCIE'l.' Y No. 1

JANUARY, 1933

Acacias 111 California. By K ATHER INE D. JO NES .. A Few Uncommon Oaks. By MARY G. HENRy .... 45 Our Deoiduous Conifers II. By ARTHUR D. SLAVIN 48 A \;Vell Considered Schedule for Judging Narcissi. By FLORENCE ED NA FOOTE. 54 Lewisias in Tbeir Native H ome. By E. J. EI\'CO:llf.R .. 58 Concerning T ea. By H ELE N M. Fox 62 A Book or Two .. . 65 The Gardener's P ocketbook: Clcmatis 107lin,ialla. By ]. E. SPIXGARX ... 67 Prlll'lus serntiata val'. Oh-nanden. By P AUL R USSELL ... . 68 Iris DOlIglasiana 70 Allium triqlletnl7n . 72 Verbena canadensis. By I. N. A:-fDERSON ...... 72 Correction s 74

It is one of the debatable customs of the New Y ear to a nnounce m or e or less publicly one's intended resolves for the sea son, a custom that extend.s far b eyond the confi nes of persona l boasting ! In bringing you the first issue of the year , it is safe to predict that there will be even better material for your delectatIOn than you found in the year just passed. You w ill dis,cover a lso, the first efforts to develop " m or e fu ll y the idea of a long treatment of the plants of a sing le genus w hich was foreshadowed in the calochor,tus seri es of last year. The acacia article of this issue is the finst example. In bring ing you these longer articles, it is r eali zed that it wi ll be impossibl e to offer many o ther topics in the sam e issue but t hi s does not mean that the issue of general interest will be neglected and if it IS pos,sible to expand the number of iSlsues, from four t o six in this season, it may be possible to devote the t wo extra i sues, to specia l subj ect s and keep the qu arterly as it is. Your opinions in this will b e of interest, a nd in all the undertaking of the SocIe t y, your constant interest and cooperation is invited.

Publi shed quarterly by The American HorticuHural Society. Puhlirntion office, 19lil H a rford Ave., Baltimore, Md. Editorial offic e, 116 Chestnut Street, Takoma Park, D. C. 'ontributions f"om all member ar e cOl' di ally invited and should be sent to the l~ d i torial offi ce. _\d vertising Manager , Mr. J. S. E lms, P. O. Box 27, Ken ington, :M,l. A subscription to the magazine is induded in th e rlllJ1ual du C's of all 11I e mber ; to non-membe rs th e price is seye llty-fh'€, ('(l nt th e (,op ~', three dollar a year . [i] Acacias in California

By KATHERINE D. JONES

Acacias are plants of the open spaces, Another case of their adapta:bility is desert lands and rocky hills or under­ mentioned in the Gardener's Chronicle stories to huge eucalyptus trees in the of England regarding Acacia dec~wr e ns forests. dealbata. This species blooms in June Although acadas are fDund in about in Australia but when introduced into forty different countries of the globe the Nilgiris, India, it bloomed in Octo­ we associate them mostly with Aus­ ber for ten years then one month earlier tralia Dn account of their numerous every ten years until finally it bloomed and beautiful varieties which were in June as they originally did in their early introduced into Europe and fig­ native home. This is all very inter­ ured in colors in the horticultural esting but such has not been the ex­ magazines over a century ago and also perience on the campus of the Uni­ from the interest and persistence of versity of California, Berkeley. Here the early bDtanists, who risked their for the last thirty years they have lives in gathering herbarium specimens varied only a week or two from year in ,the traJCkless wilds Df that cDuntry. to year in their blooming period but They are fast grDwing, ,drought tol­ that variation may be backward in erant; hardy, short-lived, indifferent date as well as forward. to the kind of soil and adaptable to Acacias are supposed to have origi­ changes of climate. They can live nated on the oldest land on the con­ where the rainfall is less ,than ten tinent, which is in Western Australia, inches a year or even where it is two and to have spread from there into hundred inches, but it has taken thou­ every state in Australia. This early sands Df years with many failures and land had been a plateau 1,500 feet hard struggles to attain to' this degree high with an amazing number of adaptability. Some Df them have at­ kinds of soils and was often subject tained-not all, but like that wonder­ to severe droughts. At first the acacias ful race of men from Palestine they were all of the feathery type, with have grown in many directions hom compound leaves made up of a petiole, their~ trials and sufferings until now pinnae and various leaflets, but as the they are able to live in all parts of country gradually became dryer and Australia, in heat 01" cold, wet or dry, dryer this style of a leaf was not Dr in any kind of soil. Not all have suited to the new climate and they had the sanle experience and not all had to develop phyllodia, an entirely can adapt themselves to the sanie try­ new type of leaf, in order to live at ing conditions in which man forces all. This development was the gradual them to live, but some of them can elimination of the blade of the leaf and for that reason such are particu­ and the expansion of the petiole into larly useful for small home grounds a flat leaf-like structure that took on that must be neglected, or for large the form and function of a true leaf estates where they give a glorious and hung down vertically like the color for months at a time in spots eucalyptus leaf in order not to receive far removed from the hose and where the full force of the sun. This reduc­ they get absolutely no care. tion of leaflets and the widening of [ 1) Jan., 1933 2 THE NATIONAL HORTICULTURAL MAGAZINE the petiole may be readily followed in merous Clusters, which Mr. Wollaston the illustration of Acacia 11~ elano%),zon in his "Our \ATattles" calls "softly (page 27). appealing and smilingly responsive." Acacias are called Wattles by Aus­ Travelers who visit the "scrub'" of tralians not orily because of their Australia, or a mixed plantation in willow-like habit but also because in cultivation elsewhere, are astonished early days acacia branches were used as at ·the varying shapes, sizes and colors hurdles to bind together or strengthen of the leaves and theiT disposition on the supports of the huts, which were the branches. When many are in plastered with mud. . bloom, say in March or April, a great interest is created by observing the How many acacias are there in the manner in which the flowers are world, is often asked. Several hun­ cunningly interwoven among the dif­ dred at least. E. H. Wilson claimed ferent leaves. The flowers are rnostly that there were six hundred known to orange or yellow and belong to two grow wild in America, Africa, South general types, those collected in spikes Asia, Polynesia and Australia. As yet and those that are clustered into heads. it is really impossible to tell since Do you know why we should be many of those old acacia names must especially interested in acacias? Not now be classed as synonymns as their so much for their floral beauty, their determination had been made on in­ shape and color and adaptability, as sufficient material, most frequently for the assistance they have given without pods. To name a new species mankind to climb to a higher plane of acacia one must have foliage, flow­ in his development. Take the Bush­ ers, pods and seeds with the funicle, man of Australia for instance; he or seed stalk, in place. would not have been able to live at Australia alone has about three all had it not been fo:r acacias; he hundred species, twenty-five or thirty built his shelter from acacia boughs; of which belong to the bipinnate or his canoe was hollowed out of a feathery type and about two hundred shallow acacia log from which he and seventy to the phyllodine type, fished, or he caught his fish by throw­ which is the one that has changed its ing the boughs of Acacia penn-ine1'vis leafblades and greatly enlarged its into the water to stupi fy them. He petiole. ate the gum of various acacias and Marvels have been done in the de­ the seed of Acac1:a long,ifolia Sopho1'ae velopment of acacia flowers in size, after he had roasted them. He used time of bloom and length of bloom. them as medicine. He made acacia Here again cultivation has largely gum his only diet in summer. In time changed their habits in this regard. of war, or, neighborly quarrels, our They have flowers that are a burst little black brother had to face the of sunshine for only a short time constant threat of having his acacia during the year; they have those that trees destroyed by fire, which would make a second and even a third sea­ mean slow death by starvation. Thus son of bloom in one year and finally the native black lived from hand to there are those that are ever-blooming. mouth, for there was always the dan­ Then the plants have developed an ger of having his food supply cut off amazing nunllber of forms of both by insect pests or by unfavorable flowers and leaves. The individual weather conditions, even if: his human flowers Clire very small but in nu- enemies could be pacified. Jan., 1933 THE NATIONAL HORTICULTURAL MAGAZINE 3

All phofog'rapl"'S by W ·ilham C. Matthezvs [See pages 6 and 40]

Acacia alata (left) Acacia stenoptera (1·ight) · Jan., 1933 4 THE NATIONAL HORTICULTURAL MAGAZINE

Believe it or not, but much that is people. They gazed upon the strange best in the civilization of modern man plants and animals with astonishment, is due to acacias. We find this group utterly unable to know what use they of plants highly important to our might be to him. These white men early ancestors of the grass lands boldly wandered into the desert re­ after he had turned his attention to gion where the watchful Wait-a-bit domestic animals~his sheep and goats. (Acacia colletioides) or the Dead In times of drought he was able to Finish (Acacia tetrago1~ophylla) seized keep his animals alive by means of upon them and held them captive and Acacia seyal, a tree common in Egypt struggle as they might they were com­ and western Asia. Even today trav­ pletely exhausted before they managed elers have come across little shepherd to break through-i f they ever did. boys who run to these acacia trees, Sometimes in their desperation they quickly foli'owed oy their sheep that tried to walk boldly" over the tops of stand there patiently while he grasps the intertwined branches of acacias a long crooked stick and shakes the only to fall through into a worse pre­ tree vigorously. \iVhen no more leaves dicament. But they gradually learned fall he knocks them off with his shep­ from their experience and soon saw' herd's crook and the sheep greedily that the best wheat land was to be eat them. No chance to go to school had where the Raspberry Jam Tree have these little lads and yet some of (Acacia acuminata) was to be found. our most beauti ful psalms were com­ They learned to use Acacia l011g1foha posed by men who had been shep­ sop horae as sand stays to keep the herds herding their sheep and with sand from drifting over their land. ample time to reflect and to feel the In drought years they fed acacia power of natme about them. David leaves to their sheep and cattle to had had this training before he began keep them from starving. Many varie­ to compose his masterpieces. So had ties were used for timber cabinet work Abraham, Isaac and Jacob before him. furniture, fence posts, fibre, fuel, oil: Can you deny that the makers of the gum arabic, dyes, medicine, perfume, Psalms and the Song of Songs and scented wood, soap or hair wash and Job have not profoundly influenced many ornamental uses, as street trees, the moral tone of the modern world' shrubbery masses, tub plants, shelter and do you not see that it was th~ belts specimens and many other uses. acacia leaves that kept their little Acacias are of all Sizes from a flocks and the sweet singers alive? shrublet a few feet tall up to trees nearly a hundred feet. You can there­ How ACACIAS AID AUSTRALIANS fore always find one of them that AND MODERN MAN exactly fits your garden need. Y Oll

We must now return to Australia can have all shades of oO'reen or 0O'ray where we had left the Bushman or purple in their leaves. You can struggling with the hard conditions of have some acacias in bloom any month life. Then entered the white man in the year and that is promising who with centuries of ,struggle with more than you can get from your own the elements and later with the Mon­ native California plants. In spite of golian hordes had developed a keener all this, I do not see that the acacias mind and a br higher civilization are as beloved in California as they than that evolved by the acacia-feeding are in Australia for this Golden State Jan., 1933 THE NATIONAL HORTICULTURAL MAGAZINE 5

Matthews [See page 6J Acacia ar11wta 6 THE NATIONAL HORTICULTURAL MAGAZINE Jan., 1933 has ample yellow plants of its own, where a friend saw it growing near such as the fremontias, the bush poppy Perth in bone-dry soil. That sounds and the California poppy to vie with as though ~t is absolutely drought the acacias in color to say nothing of tolerant, but in several instances I their white and yellow Matilija pop­ have seen it here in California with pies, their blue ceanothuses and the parts of the plant brown as though charming bells of their manzanitas touched either by frost or by a too and madrones. Still, in spite of all hot sun. It seems to do well either of these competing treasures I must in a sandy or an adobe soil. say that in early spring acacias are It used as a pot plant in England an unfailing source of interest on ac­ where it is said that none surpass it count of their light and airy grace, in rich golden color or in profusion of their amazing patterns and combina­ bloom. It blooms several times a year. tions of flowers and foliage and their This might be a suggestion for C:lli­ sudden response to the change from fornians to try it out as a pot plant winter to spring. They fare well in for winter bloom. California in spite of having come Acacia G1'11wta, Kangaroo Thorn. from another hemisphere. This was early introduced into Eng­ Acacia alata. lish gardens as a cultivated ornamental This and Acacia stenoptem are and has since then had time to change photographed on the same plate for into various forms, the despair of the purposes of comparison as they greatly landscape gardeners as well as of the resemble each other. Both have slender nurserymen. Indeed it varied in Aus­ stems with flat wings on either side tralia in their different soils before it with free parts, or phyllodia, which in reached us. In New South Wales it A. stenopte1'a (at right) are almost is in the interior as well as on the scythe-shaped and end in a sharp Blue Mountains; in Victoria it grows point, while in alata (at left) appear on barren ·ridges and near riYers; in to be cut off squarely as if clipped by South Australia it is near the gulf; scissors. The stem side of this square in Western Australia it is in the well­ cut bears a gland and the other side watered southwestern part with its ends in a minute point. When in full varying soils. Maiden says "It grows bloom with myriads of flat branches around swamps, creeks and along the from every node and golden balls seashore and seldom occurs further from every phyllodiul11, they are ob­ than a mile from shore, usually in jects of great interest not only for dense almost im.penetrable masses." their oddity but also for their color In fact it is a pest in Victoria and effect. farmers are obliged to dig it up and A. alata begins flowering when only destroy roots and all, and this before one foot high and blooms many it flowers. It will probably never be a 1110nths, preferably from fall into the menace here in California for though winter. Its flowers are large, golden it sometimes resows itself, the seed­ yellow and bloom on the new wood. lings can seldom live through our Since new hranches may grow at every rainless summers. node it becomes more and more dense As to landscape use, it grows tall as it grows older until it is unusually rather slowly but eventually reaches compact in habit. It is said to grow 25 feet unless clipped, as is frequently 5 or 6 feet in height in Australia, done to keep it within bounds for small Jan., 1933 THE NATIONAL HORTICULTURAL MAGAZINE 7

Matthews [See page 8] Acacia calamifolia 8 THE NATIONAL HORTICULTURAL MAGAZINE Jan., 1933 home grounds or to make a formal favorite on account of its early and hedge, especially in parks where they long blooming period. If it eventually desire to keep the public from cutting becomes rather tall it can be replaced across, as at Balboa Terraces in San by seedlings, easily grown, which are Francisco where it stands the full ready to be set out in a year or two. sweep of the wind and forms a good The one specimen remaining on the screen between the railway station and University of California grounds is the rest of the tract. So far it is a now thirty-one years old and has perfect barrier and is neat and satis­ bloomed faithfully all these years in factory. It is said to be used as a pot spite of neglect, as it is growing on plant in the eastern United States, an embankment anlong a mixed lot of and recommended there as a house shrubbery that is never irrigated. Said plant. to grow on table lands and to the We have at least four types in Cali­ interior of New South Wales. fornia but some of them appear to be Acacia cultrifo,',nis, Knife Acacia. due to the amount of water and care This is a general favorite in Cali­ that is given them. We have the fornia as it is fast growing, carries a medium sized leaves and flowers, then mass of bloom early in the season one with greater vigor, larger in all (February and March), has conspicu­ its parts; another smaller in all its ous gray foliage, yellow stems, and parts and a paradoxa" (var. angusti­ deep orange balls. In its proper setting folia of Bentham). it makes an accent plant. Superficially Acacia cala111ifolia, Broom Wattle. it resembles Acacia pravl:ssi11'ta but it This is a shrub for the small home is a shrub for small home grounds grounds and when allowed to stand while the latter is a tree especially out boldly between two other shrubs suited for parks and large estates. It that flank it on either side it is like a is said to live only four or five years golden sheet of sunshine for many and then deteriorates rapidly, but on weeks. It is an early blooming species the poor soil of Balboa Park in San and continues to bloom for a sur­ Diego it will live to ten years. In prisingly long time. Its foliage is New South Wales, Australia, where it dainty, about as wide as two pins is a native, it grows on rocky ridges placed side by side and, in our speci­ and bushy forest ground. We may men, not very much longer. When not be giving the right care or it the shrub is in bloom these leaves are might be induced to live longer with scarcely noticed, nor do they dull the us. J. H . Maiden of Australia said glory of the golden flowers that stand "Exotics a're grown in our gardens in the axils of the leaves. The flower­ that have not one-tenth the beauty of heads were formerly in pairs but now, this species." Perhaps he is right for as the bush is getting old and neg­ the golden n~asses of color against a lected, it bears only one flow er-head pleasing background is most effective. to each leaf axil. It fruits quite heav­ Acacia cyclops, Cyclops Acacia. ily,-narrow pods three to four inches The most striking things about this long, that are rather interesting after species are the seed pods with the the flowers have gone. red arils twice encircling each black Although considered so attractive seed. This acacia is quick growing this species seems rare in California and for the first few years is trim gardens where it ought to be a general and formal looking. It blooms several Jan., 1933 THE NATIONAL HORTICULTURAL MAGAZINE 9

Matthews [See page 8] Acacia cultriformis 10 THE NATIONAL HORTICULTURAL MAGAZINE Jan., 1933 times a year but its flowers are few should be an intermediate color. This and far apart either on single stalks has led to some confusion between or in a seeming short raceme of two this species and the Black Wattle CA. or three heads in the same axis. These d. 111ollis) but the Silver Wattle has flowers, however, are of no real orna­ orange flowers and blooms early, from mental value as they never make any January or February to March, while particular color or appeal. Its best the Black Wattle has cream-yellow use seems to be as cut flower greenery flowers that bloom normally in June. for the fresh young pods with the Silver· Wattles are largely cultivated black eye and red aril encircling it in France and sent to England as seems to appeal to house decorators. cut flowers. They cut the flowering As a whole, however, it is a disap­ branches while still in bud, place them pointing -acacia as it is only good for in jars of water in a dark room and tempora-ry effects. In South Africa expose them to a temperature of 84 they use it for fixing drifting coast to 86° F. We seldom use them as cut sand but at Golden Gate Park it was flowers in Cali fornia, possibly because found less effective than A. longifolia they only last one day and again the which is deeper rooted and will grow heavy perfume is objectionable to many under more adverse conditions. people. Even if they do last but a Cyclops Acacia is short-lived 111 day in their fresh charm they dry out California for its original home IS fairly well in the house and the flow­ from the southwestern corner of ers are so abundant that they give a Western Australia where they have strong color note for four or five abundant rain from the return trade days afterwards. winds and the roots have not been This is the species that when planted accustomed to dig deep into the ground in India was observed to flower in as our native California ones do, but October and then every ten years it spread along the surface of the ground bloomed one month earlier until finally and become quite shallow-rooted. Thus it bloomed in June as it does in its in winter when the rains soften the native country in Eastern Australia. grounds at their feet they fall of their Such has not been the experience in own weight, always falling toward the California where the bloolTilng period sun, which they have sought. va·ries between January and February, Acacia decunens dealbata. Silver depending upon the season. This has Wattle. been observed here at the State Uni­ Like an eastern spring where there versity for thirty years. is a sudden burst of green leaves and While this species appears to be color, California has its counterp

Matthews [See page 81 Acacia cyclops 12 THE NATIONAL HORTICULTURAL MAGAZINE Jan.; 1933

Matthews [See page 10] Acacia decu1Tens dealbata Jan., 1933 THE NATIONAL HORTICULTURAL MAGAZINE 1~

.., .' (,

Matthews [See page 14] Acacia. deCUI'Te11S mollis 14 THE NATIONAL HORTICULTURAL MAGAZINE Jan., 1933

Acacia decurrens mollis, Black Wattle. that of the Silver Wattle but the fact This is still sold by some nu-rsery­ that it blooms later in the year when men as Acacia 1nollissima which was it has to compete with roses and other the name given to it by the German gorgeous plants does not give it an Karl Ludwig Willdenow, 1765-1812. exclusive stage whereon to show its But this name was regarded by Ben­ beauty as does the earlier blooming tham as a synonYl11n of A. deotn'ens Silver Wattle. However, the flowers 11'Loliis. There is still a great deal of are not so gay and are more in har­ confusion between the different forms mony with the June plants than would of Acacia deOW1'el1S as grown in Cali­ be the strong orange color of the fornia, doubtless due to hybridization, Silver Wattle. but there should be no confusion be­ Acacia dodonaeifolia (Syn. A. viscosa). tween the Black Wattle and the Silver Shining Acacia. Wattle. The Black Wattle has dark Superficially this resembles the 1'eti­ green feathery leaves with very short nodes group though more picturesque leaflets (about 1/12 of an inch) close in haJbit and flowers of a brighter set and shining above. Then there a:re color. It is a wide-spread impressive­ glands not only between the pinnae looking tall shrub whose branches toss themselves, where pairs meet together about picturesquely in the breeze and but also frequently on the rhachis be­ show every golden ball in delicate tween the sets of pinnae. However, motion. It is characterized by the odor the easiest test is the color of the of its phyllodia, penetrating but not flowers and their time of bloom. A. unpleasant, due to a coating of a shin­ decu,1'?'ens 1110llis has light le~non-yellow ing resinous substance. This alone, flowers whose normal blooming time once you get a full breath, should is June, though young specimens are enable you to identify it again, and also apt to bloom at other seasons of the powder-like residue often remain­ the year. A. decurrens dealbata blooms ing on the phyllodia is also a good from January or Februa'ry to March hint. It is about . 20 feet tall and with orange flowers so numerous that fully as wide with many fast growing they hide the leaves. There is no branchlets 6 to 8 feet long, that droop danger of missing those flowers or gracefully from the weight of the the abundant pods that soon follow flowers as they burst into a swaying them. golden mass. The phyllodia are longer Mueller in Select Extra-Tropical than the flower sprays but are rather Plants reports the Black Wattle as far apart which allows a full dispfay follows: "It is content with the poor­ of rich color. It blooms in early est and driest of sandy soils, although spring, February or March, and after in more fertile ground its growth is the flowering period is over this shrub more rapid." It is also said to be the again sinks into the commonplace and largest acacia tree in Tasmania where might easily be taken for Acacia reti­ it reaches its best development in the nodes by an ordinary observer. regions of greatest rainfall. Here in This species is from the coast and California it is said to grow 30 feet islands of southern Australia and is in three years and in Modesto it forms said to have been "long cultivated in magl1ifi~ent street trees of great height their gardens but later was more or -too hIgh for the overhead wires. less displaced in popularity by Acacia Its foliage is far handsomer than stricta, which does not grow .so tall." Jan., 193~ THE NATIONAL HORTICULTURAL MAGAZINE 15

Matthews [See page 111 Acacia dodonaeifolia Jan., 1933 16 THE NATIONAL HORTICULTURAL MAGAZINE

By August this s'pecimen has again tall handsome tree, it must have light formed small buds, even befo,re the shade, moisture, some winter cold and fairly good soil. Plant it in groups pods have dropped, getting ready for along st'reams for stately clumps of its spring bloom. dark green foliage. Acacia elata, Cedar Wattle. Acacia hastulata. You would not realize from this This is a stiff, perky little shrublet illustration that the leaves . are 16 not more than 2 or 3 feet tall. It inches long by 14 inches wIde, :the begins to bloom when very small and leaflets over an inch and a half, the blooms over a long period, usually flower sprays over a foot long and a more than once a year on the new foot wide nor that those pods are nearly wood. The leaves are small and strung 6 inches long, but this is a stately t'ree along the stem so closely as to re­ of large proportions in all its parts. semble the teeth of a com111on saw. To quote from J. H ~aiden "It is It is an innocent looking little shrublet one of the largest trees 111 New South with its compact flowers, like a French Wales where it grows mostly in gulches bouquet, and though it is nothing but and along water courses on th~ Blue a midget, its tiny little phyllodia can Mountains and its spurs. It hkes a . give a surprisingly grown-up sting. It fair amount of winter cold, moisture, is not a shrub that one could love, as a fairly good soil and moderate shelter Mr. Wollaston does his softly graci­ for a full development. It is a rapid ous, friendly ones, but one could ad­ grower, making surprising growth in mi're it for its sturdy independence a vear." These requirements as thus and you would never fail to recognize set forth seem to be perfectly met in it the second time you came across it. Pasadena, where at the Huntington Its size fits it for small gardens or Estate their specimen is about 20 years for tub plants. It is growing thriftily old 75 feet tall and has a spread of in Golden Gate Park in sandy soil 40 feet. Not far from the mother mixed with loam. tree was a self-sown seedling 25 feet It grows in Western Australia in tall and not more than 2 or 3 years sandy and rocky places but it is in old. the southwestern part where there is About 1901 the Cedar Wattle was abundant rain so it probably likes planted on the campus of the Univer­ more water than those species from sity of California and bloomed for the the desert region further inland. first time in November, 1905, when At first its branches are rather dis­ it was only 4 or 5 years old. It is in tant with the flowers in full bloom adobe soil and on a dry bank and but by the time these have faded the after all these thirty years it is only buds on the eight little branchlets will 28 to 30 feet tall. It is erratic in its be ready to take their places and we time of bloom, never seeming to bloom have a second period of bloom. Such at the same time on consecutive years. recurring periods of flowers on plants It has bloomed any time from March grown on pOOir sandy or rocky soil to November here, but in sandy soil are a source of wonder to all acacia in Golden Gate Park it seems to lovers. bloom in fall while in San Diego Mr. Acacia koa, Koa. Morley dates it for mid-summer. This is a timber tree from the Hence in California, to grow into a Hawaiian Islands which grows to 100 Jan., 1933 THE NATIONAL HORTICULTURAL MAGAZINE 17

Matthews [See page 16) Acacia elata 18 THE NATIONAL HORTICULTURAL MAGAZINE Jan., 1933 feet at an elevation of 4,000 to 5,000 taken from a dried specimen sent up feet and has a diameter of 4 to 6 feet. from Pacific Beach near San Diego. It takes on a fine polish and is valuable The interesting part of this pattern is for interior finish and cabinet work the zigzag taken by the rhachis of the It should do well in California but so 'racemes and the precise way in which far we have failed to recognize its a flower ball is attached to each of value and the ease wi,th which it may these zigzag angles. Now this speci­ be grown. There seem to be two men may not be true to type but if varieties in the Bay Region, one with true why has not such an interesting very broad leaves and orange flowers, matter been mentioned by the one the other far less robust in appear­ who described the species? Be that ance and with flowers in racemes and as it may, we have here the promise of a lemon-yellow color. There is also of another recent introduction that a difference in the time of bloom, the will prove popular. Not only are the more robust one blooming earlier than deep orange flowers thrust out three the other and with larger, though less or four times as long as the leaves abundant flowers. The pods are iden­ but the latter are so short ("about the tical and are noted for their large size. size of your thumb nail,") that they more than an inch wide and several fill in all the spaces between the flow­ inches long. The narrow-leaved one ers and form a background or con­ is on the campus of the University trast that enhances the beauty of the of California and generally blooms in whole ensemble. After the flowers March and April, though it may also have finished blooming come the sil­ go over to May. It also casts little very pods, covered with long silky shadow, while the first mentioned hairs. These pods are a decided pink specimen casts a dense shade. Both in color when very young and then have juvenile leaves resembling those turn gray and glisten and sparkle of Acacia melanoxylon, but the cam­ quite as attractively as the flowers pus specimens were far more dainty. themselves, although in a different There are far more ornamental trees manner. Later these pods turn brown than the Koa but as a timber tree it but they still retain their hairs, which shouId be valuable, though even as an probably get dusty and ragged in the ornamental proposition it should be hot windy air the same as those of included in all large estates that make A. O1'111ata do. Such pods, if held long a feature of acacias. In the illustra­ on the tree, are not an attraction later tion note the transverse direction of in the season. the seeds in the pod and the twist A. leptoclada is fast growing as this of the seed stalk, or funicle as it is specimen is only 4 or 5 years old and called. is 12 feet tall. It bloomed a few Acacia leptoclada, Slender-branched sprays last year but this year every Acacia. branch was laden with flowers from This species has created great inter­ top to bottom. It is a native of est since it has added another pattern Queensland where there is ample rain to the seemingly endless combinations and taken to San Diego, finds a dry that nature has spread out to our climate. U l1(:lJersuch cases the plants astonished gaze. This photograph was often assume unusual appearances. Jan., 1933 THE NATIONAL HORTICULTURAL MAGAZINE 19

Matthews [Se,e page 16] Acacia hastulata 20 THE NATIONAL HORTICULTURAL MAGAZINE Jan., 1933

Acacia longifolia, Sydney Golden for tubs. It loves a sandy soil though Wattle. it does equally well on adobe. A general favorite througho~t the Acacia longifolia fioribunda, Gossamer state' on account of its compact habit Wattle. and generous spikes of yelloV{ flowers. This is tree-like with drooping phyl­ In early spring (February and March) lodia. It is daintier in all its parts than these spikes burst into bloom and our the tyPe. It has narrower phyllodia inconspicuous plant has become a mass and casts but little shade. Maiden of gold. It may grow to tree size but stated that this tree was from 20 to it is generally kept down to a shrub 50 feet tall and generally found in and makes a fast compact growth. It alluvial soil in Victoria and New South is not really suitable for a street tree Wales. It is ordinarily in bloom in as it is then straggly, apt to break March, a little later than the type and easily in the wind and hard to keep probably does not bloom so long. It in proper shape, but it is useful and makes a handsomer street tree though dependable in general. It may be used its flowers are a lemon-yellow rather for shelter, as a screen, or for parks than a rich gold. Moreover it never where the public does not molest it, seems to have that overabundance of even when in bloom, on account of pods so disfiguring to the type. It is the disagreeable odor of the flowers. also more graceful as its leaves droop It is largely used as a background and and are 110t held up obliquely to the lends itself well for that purpose as stem. It will stand some shade and it is drought tolerant. It can also makes a very attractive avenue tree grow successfully when planted di­ for large estates. rectly in water, but it is hard to com­ Acacia 11'l.elanox·ylon, Blackwood bine with many plants on account of Acacia. the stiffly erect habit of its branches This is a forest tree that does well and leaves. It is often used as a low in all parts of California, north and shrub since it will stand clipping well, south, on the coast and in the interior and sometimes is Cl1t into a round or valleys. In Australia it is chiefly a pyramidal form. During the Pacific highland species though it also grows Panama International Exposition in on the coast where it never attains San Francisco Mr. McLaren needed any size. J. H. Maiden says it varies some pyramidal low shrubs for plant­ greatly in mode of growth according ing rather narrow spaces. He knew to the situation and geological forma­ the Bay Laurel (LaU1'us nobilis) was tion. It grows to 120 feet in height generally used for such purposes and in Gipp's land in Victoria while "in he therefore asked European nursery­ Tasmania, in the rich alluvial valleys. men for prices. They wanted $100 000 it is 80 feet tall and with a girth of for his order. This was prohibitive 12 feet of trunk," says E. H. Wilson. so he put his wits to work and de­ On high mountains among rocks it cided to try Acacia longifolia. These only grows to 20 feet. It prefers a were clipped into shape and proved a sandy soil to stiffer soils, and will not great success and within the price stand hardpan. It is used mostly as a allowed for this feature. It is cheap street tree in California but it is dark 'enough and fast growing enough to and somber most of the year and has make a quick effect and is very satis~ many characteristics that are not ideal factory for temporary plantings and for that use. In southern California JaN., 1933, THE NATIONAL HORTICULTURAL MAGAZINE. 21

Matthews [See page 16] Acacia lwa 22 THE NATIONAL HORTICULTURAL MAGAZINE Jan., 1933.

Matthews [See page 18] Acacia le ptoclada Jan., 1933 THE NATIONAL HORTICULTURAL MAGAZI NE 23

Matthews [See page 18] Acacia leptoclada Fruits 24 THE NATIONAL HORTICULTURAL MAGAZINE Jan., 1933

[See page 20] Acacia longifolia Jan., 1933 THE NATIONAL HORTICCLTURAL MAGAZINE 25

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Matthews r See page 20 J Acacia longifolia fiorib~t11da 26 THE NATIONAL HORTICULTURAL MAGAZINE Jan., 1933 it is often interplanted with palms. branchlets at certain nodes and these A row was planted on Bancroft Way, soon thicken up the shrub. Berkeley in 1879 and for many years Acacia pentadenia. the surface roots have been lying on The dark feathery leaves of this the top of the ground, but they should tall shrub hold a promise of bright have been ruthlessly chopped out to days to come in clusters of yellow keep the main roots going downward. 'balls that fill in the empty spaces be­ The seed pods hang on the tree a long tween leaves and stems. The species time and are always untidy. is of special interest as it is another Blackwood Acacia is fast growing, example of the various ways nature about as fast as A. decu1'1'ens dealbata, has developed the foliage leaves. It and reseeds itself in favorable situa­ belongs to the feathery type and has tions. from 2 to 5 pair of pinnae, each with The leaves below the illustration of 20 to 30 pair of leaflets with broad Acacia 1nelanoxylon on page 27 are bases set obliquely to each other. all from one tree in which you can There is a gland on the rhachis be­ trace the gradual evolution of the low each pair of pinnae. The flowers petiole of the feathery type of leaf to are lemon-yellow, in clusters of 3 to the phyllodine type shown on extreme 5 or more and as they are shorter right, which closely resembles an ordi­ than the leaves might easily be hidden nary leaf. hy the latter except for the fact that Acacia obliqua. the leaves are far enough apart to This is a shrub that can be cheer­ allow the flowers to be seen between fully recommended for small home them and the stem. It is a native of grounds on account of its size, its the southwestern portion of Western several blooming periods and its pro­ Australia at King George's Sound and fusion of flowers. It combines well therefor~ probably needs more mois­ with Acacia acinacea, A. pmv1:ssima ture than the ordinary acacias that and A. a1'tnata. It is not valuable as a are usually grown in California un­ cut flower for the flower heads are on der more or less dry conditions. It stalks so slender that they can hardly blooms the last of March and on into hold up their heads. It thrives well April and if planted with A. Baileyal1a both in adobe and in sandy soil but and A . decu:rrens dealbata will pro­ does not appear to . be long-lived with long the blooming season into late us, possibly because it does not get April. In habit it is light and airy erwugh moisture since it is a native and will not produce much shade. of Victoria and New South Wales Acacia jwavissima, Alpine W at tie, where parts of the land are well Screw-pod Acacia. watered. It bloomed at the University In the spring this handsome tree of California in spring, mid-summer appears like a weeping fountain cov­ and possibly again in the fall. It was ered with dainty yellow balls that in bloom in Golden Gate Park in completely hide the triangular leaves. March and again in August and seems I f ever a tree was particularly suitable to keep on blooming as long as you for a specimen tree, this is one. Its can keep the young wood growing. It pendulous branches, bright spring is not more than 3 or 4 feet high but flowers and small triangular leaves it is fast growing nevertheless as it excite interest as well as admiration. sends out a number of finger'-like Its slender racemes stand out far be- Jan., 1933 THE NATIONAL HORTICULTURAL MAGAZINE 27

Ma,tthews [See page 20 ) Acacia 1nelanoxylon 28 THE NATIONAL HORTICULTURAL MAGAZINE Jan., 1933

Matthews [See page 26] Acacia obliqua ja~., 1933 THE NATIONAL HORTICULTURAL MAGAZINE 29

Matthews [See page 26] Acacia pentade17ia 30 THE NATIONAL HORTICULTURAL MAGAZINE Jan., 1933 yond tile leaves and advertise the two forms in cultivation one drooping beauty and daintiness of each ball on and graceful, the other more erect the branches. Not only are the branches and open. It is an interesting sight to in long sprays but each spray is again look up under the branches of a well divided, the whole forming a swaying grown tree to see the numerous mass of flowers that almost touch the twists and turns and contortions that ground. It seems to flower in Feb­ have accompanied its growth. Some ruary and March in San Diego as branches turn about others with a well as in Berkeley. It is fast grow­ twist that resembles the turns of a ing (IS feet in five years) and is climbing plant. You must see it to ap­ said to be growing on the banks of preciate what it can do. rivers in the highlands of Victoria Acacia pycnantha, Golden Wattle. and New South Wales. It would This was selected as the national therefore appreciate more moisture flower of Austral,ia on account of than we give to most of our acacias. the color and abundance of its flowers, It is easily grown from seed and its fragrance and the fact that it fresh young specimens can therefore would grow under "varying condi­ be kept on hand to replace those tions" and anywhere in that continent killed by our neglect or by our ignor­ "except in regions of prolonged frost." ance of what they really need. It is very common in South Australia Acacia pubescens, Hairy W at tIe, in their undulating hill region and in Downy Acacia. Victoria in open forests. Mr. Woflas­ A favorite, superior weeping tree ton states that it will grow either in with golden balls hung on gracefully sand or clay, on hill or plain, with lit­ drooping branches so profusely that tle moisture or much. He considers you can scarcely see the handsome that its "friendly loveliness and amaz­ hairy foliage. It blooms in this man­ ing prodigality is a true symbol of the ner for weeks and it then shows its outward prosperity and generosity of equally attractive foliage for the rest the people." of the year, though it is in a lower In California it generally blooms key of color than the flowers. It is in early spring (March) with a pro­ well to have this change as one could fusion of large orange flowers of ex­ not long endure the intensity of color quisite fragrance, but the weight of and emotion caused by the full bloom the flowers is often so great that it of many of these acacIas. We need breaks the brittle branches and this in the more sombre greens and whisper­ time makes the tree unsightly. The ing notes as the wind sweeps through plant will grow in partial shade but the leaves to sooth us into a quiet should be protected from heavy winds mood and set our spirit at rest. which also help to destroy the sym­ It blooms in February or March metry. This tree is short-lived even and is one of the many pot plants for in its native home and they feed it the conservatories of England and "well-rotted manure or sulphide of also in the United States where it is amn1Qnia." a favorite decoration for churches on The Golden Wattle is one of the Easter Sunday. richest tanning barks in the world but Hairy Wattle is easily grown from it yields less bark per tree thap A. seed and prefers partial, though not decurrens and therefore not so profit­ too dense shade. There seem to be able or so popular. On acconnt of Jan., 1933 THE NATIONAL HORTICULTURAL MAGAZINE 31

Matthews [See page 261 Acacia pravissima 32 THE NATIONAL HORTICULTURAL MAGAZINE Jan., 1933

Matthews [See page 30] Acacia pubescens J ~ 11 ., 1933 THE NATIONAL HORTICULTURAL MAGAZI NE 33

Matth.ews [See page 30) Acacia pyc11antha . 1933 34 THE NATIONAL HORTICULTURAL MAGAZINE Jan., its rapid growth it is used to bind present beauty but suggest much rolling sands and is often found more to come, It is most graceful in growmg m poor sandy soil near the habit with long weeping branchlets sea. that almost reach the ground and Although this is a very attradive slender narrow phyllodia more or less ornamental tree it is rather scarce in scattered and yet suggesting whorls. California because of its short life. As a weeping tree it would be placed Perhaps we could prolong its life by next to A. pubescens, a good specimen following Mr. Wollaston's suggesting of which has more grace and charac­ as to feeding it. ter, but when in full bloom with flow­ Acacia retinodes, Water Wattle. ers from top to bottom of those pleas­ ing leaves, it is a sight worth a jour­ A favorite shrubs for embankment~ ney to see, It should be planted in a or as single specimens, it blooms spot sheltered from the wind and cheerfully for months, from spring must have abundance of water. It is through the hot summer days into the a native of the southern part of Tas­ fall, without any attention whatsoever, mania where there is abundant -rain while the narrow-leaved form is and should not therefore be thrust really everblooming. It is cheap and upon a dry sunny bank with the other largely used to make a quick effect. hardy acacias but given moisture and For this reason its companions are shade and no wind. not always chosen wisely and do not A spray when in flower does not always combine well and often spoil have good keeping qualities but if the garden picture. While a branch picked in bud they are popula-r "in by itself may be beautiful the different England to wear in ladies hair or to flower clusters here and there giV(' trim long sprays upon white muslin the tree a spotty appearance, hence gowns with telling effect." more or less restless. To my mind it is the least suited of all the acacias to Up to this tim.e, A. R£ceana has not our landscape. Curiously its color or been popular in California to any the position of the phyllodia mar the great extent, though it would make a effect of a group, but most of all pleasant feature at the end of a vista it seems foreign, rather weedy and or as an accent plant in a lawn In not of a choice texture. front of a mass of shrubbery. It usually has a mass of pods which Acacia salic1:11a, vVayae. are too prominent but they soon drop Among this many larger species is and are not so disfiguring as those of this shrub for the small home grounds. the Cyclops Aca:cia or of the Sydney that may be used in front of other Golden Wattle. acacias. The flowers are a deep orange, It really is a delightful little shrub rather small in size but effective, ap­ but its too general use has 11l,ade it pearing several times a year, at least commonplace and unappreciated. while the plant is young, when it has Acacia Ricealla, Rice's vVattle. been known to bear flowers from This is a pleasing sight when in February to May. As the years went bloom and equally satisfactory as a by its flowering season began to vary specimen plant when flowerless, for with periods of rest and periods of the buds remaining unopened for a bloom. The leaves originally were long period not only satisfy us with plump and of a pleasing green but as Jan., 1933 THE NATIONAL HORTICULTURAL MAGAZINE 35

Ma.tthews [See page 34) Acacia 1'etinodes 36 THE NATIONAL HORTICULTURAL MAGAZINE Jan., 1933

[See page 34) Acacia R-ic cana Jan., 1933 THE NATIONAL HORTICULTURAL MAGAZINE 37

Maf/he~c's [See page 34] Acacia salici1w TIVayoe THE NATIONAL HORTICULTURAL MAGAZINE Jan., 1933 38 it began to age it became leggy and you are going to have. In fact this the leaves became more or less thin species varies so largely in habit as to and dried, and its old pods hung on be called and sold by two different miserably among the dead branches. names. If the lower phyllodia are This probably represents another case blue and a foot long the plant goes of neglect or may possibly suggest under the name of A. cyanoph:ylla. that this species should be often re­ I f, on the other hand, the phyl10dia newed for on May 1st twenty years are short and narrow and green it is ago I made a note of its being in sold as A. saligna. Several nursery­ "full bloom and very attractive with men tell me they have secmed the two its short thick leaves, graceful habit different types from seed gathered by and of a good green. This should be themselves from the same tree, all of planted more than it is." which is rather trying. It is easily grown from seed, which. All types are charming, however, of by the way, must be collected imme­ which four different kinds have been cliiately it is ripe as the seeds begin observed on the University of Cali­ to pop out of the pod unless handled fornia campus. In one of the flowers with care. It is evidently much used are like wreathes and in groups of III South Australia where J . H. four or five strung along the axils of Maiden describes it as "a new variety, the leaves for two or three feet. This used in cultivation with bright yellow type may have large or small or even flowers used in great profusion. It is a mixed phyllodia. In No.2 the flow­ named in honor of Sir Samuel Way, ers are in large clusters, standing erect Chief Justice and Lieutenant Gover­ on the branches. No. 3 has the flow­ nor of South Australia. It is much ers in large clusters but pendulous. admi'red in the Botanic Garden, Syd­ No. 4 has the flowers in groups of ney, N. S. Wales." four or five but with small phyllodia. Acacia saligna, Golden Wreath. Acac1:a ste11Opte·ra.. (See page 3.) This plant is so attractive and has A rigid-looking undershrub super­ so many good points that one wonders fici.ally resembling alMa in having tlhe why it was not chosen for the na­ winged stems but if you compare the tional flower of Australia. Its flowers two carefully you will see that the are fully as handsome and bloom for stenoptera has almost scytheshaped a longer period than those of A. phyllodia while those of aiata are pycnantha. It has more vitality for its clipped off square at the end as stump sprouts readily when cut to the though done with a pair of scissors ground and once it gets old and ugly and there is a gland on one corner it can thus be readily renewed. It is and a small point on the other. also more drought tolerant. I t has Its flow ers are a little larger than some faults; the wood is brittle, those of A. alata and it is now becom­ though not worse than that of A. ing a popular pot plant in Southern pycna11tha, which drops a load of blos­ California. Its seed pods are some­ soms into your arms when you barely what sickle-shaped, about Yz inch wide touch the limb; it has a weeping habit in the middle and gradually tapering and is therefore harder to group with to each end "with a longitudinal wiEg other plants. on each side of the suture." It hybridizes freely so that you A. stenoptem is found on the S. W. never know just exactly what type coast of '\Vestern Australia where J an., 1933 THE NA TIONAL HORTICULTURAL MAGAZINE 39

Matthews [See page 38] Acacia salign:t Jan., 1933 40 THE NATIONAL HORTICULTURAL MAGAZINE there is ample rain and this should A cae i a 'lierticillata, Whorl-leaved give us the hint to provide abundant Acacia. moisture. It is only a low shrub a This is a rather tall shrub that can few feet high and while not what you be clipped into a screen or into a thick would call fast growing it has numer­ impenetrable hedge. It begins to ous branchlets that soon thicken up bloom generally in March and the and form a compact mass impene­ flowers are then so dense, at least on tmble even to a ra:bbit. some specimens, that they completely A c a cia tenuifolia, Slender-leaved hide the leaves. It may continue to Acacia. bloom for three or four months and Since this is a drought tolerant then again, if conditions are unfavor­ shrub it should be in the garden of able, they shorten up their blooming everyone who wants flowers but is period and sink into a dark-toned too busy to water his garden. It is shrub that ordinarily casts little shade low growing, has light yellow flowers, with its whorl-leaved and sharp­ an odor like honey and is everbloom­ pointed phyllodia. There are four ing. It has no bad habits, needs no strains on the University of Cali­ care and is always "on dress parade." fornia campus differing in length of spike, in color of flowers and in width .Its. slender light green leaves per­ and profusion of phyllodia. In Ger­ mIt Its association with Acacia 7'{'1'­ many and England these forms have ticiUata, M elaleuca e1'idfolia and M e­ been given varietal names but with laleuca linariifolia with white flowers us the types run into each other so it All these are more or less drotwht 0 would be difficult to keep eaoh to its tolerant, are also different enOlwh to true variety and would create endless be i~ten~sting individually ane! yet confusion. cOln:bl11e 1~1tO a channing group mass. It IS eaSIly grown from seed will It is a good plant to use for plant propagation in the schools as it aermi- thrive and flower in shade tho~wh it . 0 seems to like full sun be'tter. It is nates 111 about a month and soon as- slow growing, especially in heio'ht sumes its characteristic mature sharp­ pointed needles which interest the chil­ but will eventually spread 8 to 0 10 feet in width in the course of 20 dren. It is said to have been the first years or so, thought it can be pruned acacia sent to England where it has and kept down to any size you desire. been cultivated and grows so dense Here is a shrub that will absolutely that a stiff wind pulls it up by the take care of itself, provide its own roots. Such is not the case in Golden food and water, exude a pleasantly Gate Park where it easily resists the pungent odor from the wax on its ocean winds although growing in I~aves and keep up a running succes­ sandy soil. It also stands drought sIOn of flowers that are the wonder of and is very satisfactory where water the horticulturist. To be sure the IS scarce. flowers, in our climate at least, never It has rather a wide landscape use make those glorious bursts of sun­ as it can be clipped to make a formal shine shown by A. calamifolia but it hedge; it can be planted in large is dependable and there is always need groups in parks to keep the public in the garden for its light airy foliage from cutting corners; it may be used and its lemon-yellow flowers. as a single specimen as its branches Jan., 1933 T HE NATIONAL H ORTICULTURAL MAGAZINE 41

MatthetCls [See page 40 J Acacia ten.nifolia 42 THE NATIONAL H ORTI CU LTURAL MAGAZI NE J an .. 1933

may be weighted down by bricks to of bloom and its graceful disposition make it graceful. The least attractive along the branchlets." use of all is as a street tree. The A cacia poly bot1'ya, "a tall shrub stem is very apt to become crooked, with pu.bescent feathery leaves, known a point we can forgive in a pictures­ for its remarkable beauty. It is in que plant but for a street tree never. boggy forest land or limestone hills in That call s for clean straight trunks, New South W ales and Q ueensland." gradually tapering upward and a cer­ Acacia spectabilis, "a tall shrub with tain amount of sy mm~ tr y to co rres­ 2 to 4 pairs of pinneae and 4 to 8 pond to the long lines of the street. pairs of leafl ets. It grows in forest T o be sure the whorled-leaved acacias land in New South Wales and Queens­ might be clipped but that entails much land and is noted fo r its remarkable expense and the result is not worth beauty." the effo rt. Acac~ a glaucesce11s, Coast M yall , is Although it is said to be drought recommended on account of its "fine tolerant it looks far better with water glaucous leaves and long spikes ot' and it is well to remember that in its lemon-yellow fl owers. It grows on the native country it is abundant in coast in New South W ales but as­ moist situati ons throughout T asmania cends the mountai ns to 3,000 feet. It and Victoria according to Bentham. occasionall y reaches a height of 70 feet and fl owers Lefore A. Baile)lana does. In conclusion it may lJ e noted that out o f a Ji.st of over ninety acacias whi ch For diffe rent uses in Cali fo rnia we are said to have been grown in Cali­ woul d sllggest the fo ll owing: forni:a the above article represents 1. FRAGRANT WOOD. A. acu­ scarcely one-third of the numlber; nor minata, Jam Wood ; A. h07l'/.alopll )llla, does this one-third include all of the Myall. very best acacias that might be grown 2. F OREST TIMBER TREES. here fo r ornamental uses. The late A . decur1'ens n01'1nalis; A. deC'Ll1'1'e11S Dr. J . H . Maiden, Acacia expert of dealbata, Silver Wattle; A. decu.Y're1lS Australia, mentions many others grow­ moll is, Black Acacia; A. elata, Cedar ing wi ld in their back country that are Wattle; A. hcl1'p0 ph'ylla, Brigalow; A. quite as attracti ve as any yet grown in koa, Koa; A. 11'lclanox)llon, Blackwood cultivation and he spoke of the fol­ Acacia; A. pendula, Weeping M yall ; lowing as especially meritorious: A. penni11ervis, Hickory Bark. 3. GR AY FOLIAGED ACACIAS. Acacia vestita, usually 8 to 12 feet A. Ba:ileyana, Cootam undra Wattle; hi gh but on limestone formations it A. cultTifoT11'Iis, Knife Acacia; A. becomes much larger, growing 18 cyanophylla, Blue-leaf V\Tattle; A. de­ inches in diameter. It i-s a highland currens dealbata, Silver Wattle; A. species in southern New South Wales glab1'escens, Coast Myall ; A. podaly- and northern V ictori a. Mr. Wollas­ 1'iaefolia, Pearl Acacia. ton reports "the leaves are softly 4. H E DGES. A . a1"1nata, Kangaroo pubescent and about one-half inch Thorn ; A . cavenia, Espino Cavan; A . long, the fl owers much longer th,,\11 cult1'if o1'1nis, K nife Acacia; A. lo'ngi­ the leaves forming lovely terminal folia, Sydney Golden W attle ; A . longi­ panicles of bloo m simil aJr to those of fol·ia Sopho1'ae; A . 111.)l1'tifolia, Myrtle­ A. pmvissi11'la. It is one of the fin est leaved Acacia; A . verticillata, Whorl­ on account of its glori ous abundance leaved Acacia. Jan., 1933 THE NATIONAL HORTICULTURAL MAGAZI NE 43

Matlh ezC!s [See page 40'] Acacia vel'tic-illa.ta 44 THE NATIONAL HORTICULTURAL MAGAZINE Jan., 1933

S. POT PLANTS. A. alata, Wing­ lineata, Small-leaved Acacia; A. lepto­ stalked Acacia; A. armata, Kangaroo clada., Slender-branched Acacia; A. Thorn; A. Baileyana, Cootamundra obliqua; A. pubesce11s, Hairy Wattle; Wattle; A. cordata; A. denwrens deal­ A. pulchella, Beautiful Acacia; A. bata, Silver Wattle; A. Dnm,£1IJItondii, salicina Wayae; A. suaveolens.. Fra­ Drummond's Acacia; A. hastulata; A. grant Acacia; A. stenoptera, Short­ heterophylla; A. longifolia, Sydney leaved Acacia; A. tenuifolia, Slender­ Golden Wattle; A. pubescens, Hairy leaved Acacia; A. viscidula. Wattle; A. pulchella, Beautiful Aca­ 10. SPECIMEN TREES. A. Bai­ cia; A. seyal; A. stenoptera, Short­ lcyana, Cootamundra Wattle; A. cya­ leaved Acacia; A. R-iceana, Rice's nophylla, Blue-leaf Wattle; A. deof1'­ Acacia; A. ~'erticillata, Whorl-leaved rens dealbata, Silver Wattle; A. dec'lll1'- Acacia. 1'ens n01'malis, Green Wattle; A. elata, 6. RIVER BANKS, growing on. Cedar Wattle; A . glaucescens, Coast A. decwTens dealbata, Silver Wattle; Myall; A. longifolia fioribunda, Gassa­ A. deowrens mollis, Black Wattle; A. mer Wattle; A. melanoxylon, Black­ glaucescens, Coast M yall; A. itnplexa; wood Acacia; A. pend'lltia, Weeping A. lep1'osa; A. ne1'·iifol·ia, Bald Acacia; Myall; A. p1'avissi7'1'I.a, Screw-pod Aca­ A. longifolia, Sydney Golden Wattle; cia; A. pntinosa; A. pycnantha, Gold­ A. penninervis; A. siculiformis. en Wattle; A. 1'etinodes, Water Wat­ 7. On SEASHORE. A. lepto- tIe; A . Riceana, Rice's Acacia; A. carpa; A. prominens, Golden Wattle: saligna, Golden Wreath. Propagation. Usually by seeds. A. polystachya. rarely by cuttings, taken with a heel. 8. SHADE TOLERANT. A. de­ Pour boiling water over the seeds and C1.t1'1'e11S mollis, Black Acacia; A. Cun­ let stand f,rom 24 to 48 hours when ninghamii; A. elata, Cedar Wattle; A. they should come up like wheat in Riccana, Rice's Acacia. from one to three weeks, depending 9. SMALL HOME GROUNDS. upon the species and the season in A. aci1'lacea, Blunt-leaved Acacia; A. which they were planted. alata, Wing-stalked Acacia; A. ar111ata Of all the beautiful plants that have ( i f dipped) , Kangaroo thorn; A. been introduced from Australia per­ calmnifolia, Broom Wattle; A. cult1'i­ haps the most popular ones in Cali­ form,is, Knife Acacia; A. hastulata; fornia are the acacias with their A. linea1,is, Pale-flowered Acacia; A. friendly loveliness. A Few Uncommon Oaks

By MARY G. HENRY

Quercus virginiana is a well-known friends put it, "The trouble is in find­ evergreen oak, beloved by many. It ing any roots smaller than a flour is one of the most familial,' trees of ,barrel and shorter than a telephone our southland and much of the beauty pole!" This of course applies only to of the landscape of the coastal plains trees and shrubs. of South Carolina and Georgia, is ALmost anyone seeing Q. virginiana owing to its presence. heterophylla for the first time would But few people are familiar with think it a holly as it resembles flex Q. virg'iniana heterophylla. Just as aquifolium in leaf and also in the stiff Q. virg'inian.a throws a mantle 0 f mode of growth, more than anything green over the eastern South, so this else I have even seen. form adds its far more valuable beauty My Texas friend sent me a few to much of the western South. I saw small pieces about four years ago. it growing plentifully in southwestern Only one has survived. It seems en" New Mexico two years ago. Hundreds tirely hardy and is a fine evergreen. were growing on a dry plateau at an I was anxious to bring a few home to altitude of about 5000 feet or more. keep my lonely one company, for I I think this tree should be entirely have been endeavoring for several hardy in our middle states climate, years to obtain some more of these for very low temperatures are some­ interesting oaks but have failed. times recorded in the high altitucles Unfortunately so far, it is an ex" where it grows, even as far south as ceedingly slow grower and if this this. I was immensely impressed that proves to be so, the fact will of course such a dry, inhospitable soil where lessen its popularity. My little four­ grass did not grow, could support year old plant, is even now only abou~ such a handsome tree. The only other eight inches tall, so that at this rate it tree that survived the extremes of will be many years before I can report heat and cold that these high plateaus on its acorns. When it came to me, subject them to, were juniper trees of however, it was n'0t much more than a about the same si i e. The ground sprout with a small piece of root at­ cover, where there was one, was a tached and I believe that in the fer­ dwarf sage. tile, comparatively moist soil of the Old compact growing specimens of East it may surprise me its next grow~ Q. v'i1'g'ini,ama heterophylla were about ing season, for it probably now has a twenty feet tall, and their light gray nicely started root system and I have trunks about ten to fifteen inches in hope that it will go right ahead. diameter. Althoug'h I covered over Que1'cus undulata comes from Colo­ two hundred fifty miles on horseback rado, Nevada, New Mexico and west" over mountain sides and plateaus, I ern Texas, It is called the "Mountain never found one young plant in a Live Oak." It is said by the dealer convenient place, of a size, small who sent it to me to be a "large enough to dig, Plant collecting in bushy shrub." Mr. A. Rehder de­ the Southwest is often difficult and scribes it in hi s T1' ees and Shn{'bs as disheartening. As one of my Texas a "small tree to 10 meters." [45] 46 THE NATIONAL HORTICULTURAL MAGAZINE Jan., 1933

My two small plants were about known and is not described 1t1 any of eleven inches high when I acquired my ref erence books. them four years ago and during this I have had it for about a year. It period they have grown about eleven seems to be happy and hardy in its inches more. They are growing on a new home, but of course this winter dry, exposed hillside in poor soil as I (1931-32) is a poor test though on believe this place is the nearest thing two occasions the thermometer fell to I have to their native situation. The sixteen and Q. dU11,"osa is still holding foliage holds on until late in the sea­ its evergreen foliage. It made a nice son and probably farther south would growth of six inches the past summer. prove evergreen. The leaves are rather This little oak, I think, has about the unusual for an oak, being colored a prettiest foliage of any oak I have light bluish gray green and are of a ever seen. The little leaves are about finn, tough texture. They are coarsely one and one-quarter inches long and and unevenly lobed, and are about one-half inch or slightly more wide, two and three-quarter inches long and lobed and dentate with sharp teeth one and one-quarter inches wide. with fluted or ruffled margins. Quercus H G1'va1'dii is another of Quercus vi-rgiwiana hete-rop,h,ylla, Q. our handsome and distinguished dwarf ~mdulata, Q. H arvardii and Q. dU111,osa native oaks and is said to bear acorns all require a neutral or slightly alka­ when very small. This one comes line soil and always seem to grow in from Texas, New Mexico and Okla­ well-drained and dry situations with homa and is described in Wooton and full sun or partial shade. Certainly Standley's "Flora of New Mexico." in the East, they should have full The common name for this little oak sun and protection from the north is Shin or Shinnery Oak and it is winds might be desirable in the more very abundant in its home states. northerly latitudes. 'When these con­ Its entire height, when fully grown, ditions are met, I believe they should is less than three feet. Its leaves be hardy on the Middle Atlantic usually coarsely lobed or dentate, are States. afmost as gray as those of Q. un­ Of course their growth will be dif­ dulata and are about one and one-half ferent in our moister climate and they to two inches long and one-half inch will probably, therefore, be less rigid or less wide. of branch and grow taller but this I have had it growing in my experi­ will not make them any the less desir­ mental garden for three years and it able. On the contrary, anyone who seems entirely hardy. It was four has ridden for days through the stiff inches high when I planted it. A rab­ scruhby oaks of the Southwest, and bit destroyed all of it that was above had their face and hands cut, their the ground two years ago. It now clothes almost torn off, would wel­ has three strong shoots each about ten come a different mode of growth, at inches tall. least that is the way I feel about it. Quercus dumosa comes from Cali­ Que1'Cu.s PU111,ila is a very attractive fornia where it is known as the Scrub dwarf oak that comes from South Oak. It has a bushy hd.bit and in its Carolina, Georgia and Florida. I home, like so many of the western brought several from South Carolina oaks, covers otherwise bare hillsides. three years ago. This little oak only It does not seem to be very well grows about eight to twelve inches Jan., 1933 THE NATIONAL HORTICULTURAL MAGAZINE 47 high and has a creeping rootstock. a shrub of this sort could be used. In shade it grows somewhat taller. In large rock gardens it should do The small, thick, dark green, leathery very well in any place, and its hand­ leaves are about two and one half to some green foliage holds on well even three inches long and one-half to in our hot and dry summers. In small three-quarters of an inch wide. Their rock gardens it is frequently desirable margin is entire and they resemble the to plant a little shrub or two, some­ leaves of the willow oak (Q. phellos). times as a barrier between garden and Its foliage is entirely deciduous or lawn, sometimes to form an accent or partly evergreen. One of my plants sometimes merely as a shelter to pro­ holds its leaves sometimes until March tect a choice plant from an overwork­ while another drops them usually two ing summer's sun. months earlier in the season. Quercu,s Baronii is another dwarf It frequently bears its tiny acorns when only eight inches high. oak and this one comes from West It grows plentifully in many places China. There is a short notice of it on the Coastal Plains, where it is one in Mr. Rehder's Trees and Shrubs, of the indigenous groundcovers and where it is described as a shrub or is known as Running Oak. small tree. It was introduced into This little oak is entirely easy to cultivation about 1915. transplant and is not at all particular My little bushes came from the as to its situation although it grows Arnold Aboretum in 1930. They have naturally in a very poor sandy soil. come through two winters and held My plants are growing in the natural their dainty green leaves until spring. soil here and have had no protection. Unfortunately I notice that this sea­ One is growing in an open, exposed son some of the leaves are scorched. situation on the edge of the rock gar­ One of the plants has been placed on den and although this one sometimes the south side of a stone wall and an­ dies back in the winter, it sprouts up other is in a fairly expo£ed position. again very quickly and soon forms a They seem to be faster growers than pretty little bush. I have heard that the other small oaks but they had in its native home, it frequently grows splendid well cultivated root systems up and bears acorns tbe first season when they came to me which makes after having been hlurned to the an enormDUS difference in getting off ground. My other plant is growing to a good start. on the south side of a low stone wall This little shrub does not in the and it, too, is doing well. least resemble the usual oak and all I suppose that this little oak would who have seen it express surprise not survive the winters very much when I tell them what it is. The farther north than Philadelphia al­ glossy, deep green leaves are smaller, though it probably would be happy in more delicate and refined than those sheltered places on Long Island. of any oak I have ever seen. They Dr. J. K. Small describes this oak are almost lanceolate with a few small in his interesting and invaluable "Flora teeth and are about one and one­ of the South Eastern States." quarter to one and one-half inches Anyone fond of oaks could hardly long and about one-half inch wide fail to want one of these little gems and being very shortly stalked, grow for hi s rock garden or any other place very cIo ely along the slender branches. Our Deciduous Conifers II

By ARTHUR D. SLAVIN

The third member of the deciduous the varietal designation nutans. Now group is the Taxodium, or as it is there happens to be also a pendulous sometimes called, The Deciduous Cy­ form of T. distichum about which we press. The genus is native in the hear nothing in our botanical publica­ southern sections of North America, tions. It appears to have been left to and to my knowledge, is not repre­ the horticulturist for consideration. sented elsewhere. It is identified by That it is not new is illustrated by its rounded cones which are quite the fact that two trees were planted different than those of the preceding in Rochester in 1896 under the name genera in structure, being made up of T. distichu11}1/, pendulum, and in the ex­ irregular, four-sided scales which cellent catalogue of Hillier & Sons, break apart when mature. Winchester, England, issue of 1930, It is an habitue of wet places in the the name is mentioned for a pendu­ wild, but succeeds in cultivation only lous form of the species. They also in well drained soil. In the south, quote the other species and varieties where it is at home, it can take care under their correct names. That it is of itself in places where the roots are a distinct variety can be seen from its under water; but in the north, cold description which follows in the prop­ and frost will constantly injure the er order. root system if planted in wet ground. The Bald Cypress Taxodiu1n dis­ It does well in a light sandy loam. tichum finds itself a citizen of the The nomenclature of this genus is swamps and wet lands bordering the quite interesting and it is my opinion streams along the middle and south­ that at least one point requires some eastern coast of the United States. rearrangel11Jent. There are t h r e e Its straight tapering trunk is strongly species represented, two of which are buttressed at the base. Old trees· hardy in this area. The third, known growing in wet ground often produce as Taxodiutn 1nucronatU11'L, is native cylindrical projections from the roots. in Mexico and cannot be grown here. These appear above the ground about The Bald Cypress Ta%odium dis­ the trees, as hump-like growths and tich~!m was at one time considered are termed, "Cypress Knees." Just the on ly species of the genus, the what part they play in the physiology others having had only varietal rank. of the plant, I do not know, but it is Even now, this condition still holds not unreasonable to believe that they true with some authorities. Previous may act as aerating agents for the to their rearrangement there were water-soaked root system. I have two so called varieties, (Taxodium never seen them on trees situated on distichum irnbricarium and Taxo­ dry land. dium distichum pendulum). The first This species is entirely hardy in mentioned was then given specific cultivation when placed in well drained rank and called Tax 0 dium, ascendens. soil. Trees 50 feet tall are not un­ The second was considered to be a common. The habit is narrow pyra­ variety of the other and was given midal with short, horizontal branches. 14 ~1 Jan., 1933 THE NATIONAL HORTICULTURAL MAGAZINE 49

Taxodium distichu1n

The branchlets are of two kinds: the ous. The foliage is scale-like and in­ terminal growth is green when young, conspicuous on the terminal growth. becoming brown during the first win­ On the deciduous shoots, it appears ter. The lateral branchlets which latera11y in the form of small, linear, bear most of the foliage, are decidu- distinctly pointed leaves. The ar- 50 THE NATIONAL lIORTICULTC'RAL MAGAZINE Jan., 1933

Taxodium d·istichum pendu,zum Jan., 1933 . THE NATIONAL HORTICULTURAL MAGAZINE 51

Branclilets and Fn£its Taxodit£llt distichum, above TaxodiuJIL distichuJn pelldult£l1L, below 52 THE NATIONAL HORTICULTURAL MAGAZINE Jan., 1933

Taxadiu111, ascendens Nate up1'ight branchlets F1'uits im11wture Jan" 1933 THE NATIONAL HORTICULTURAL MAGAZINE 53 rangement of these leaves on the are pendulous. Although the foliage branchlets gives the whole the appear­ is identical with the type, the cones ance of being a pinnately compound are more oval than subglobose, slight­ leaf. This, however, is not the case ly smoother surfaced than in the although both are annual growths. species and much larger, measuring As the foliage appears in the spring, about 1 Yz inches in length and 1)4 inches in width. it is a delicate green and later be­ The Pond Cypress Ta%odiu1n as­ comes a soft green and somewhat cendens is a more southern conifer pale on the underside. In the autumn found generally in Georgia and south­ it turns light orange-brown, a shade ward. It is hardy in cultivation al­ of color not duplicated in any of our though it requires some protection in other thees. It is this element in its the colder sections of the country. It beauty that makes it so much to be does not have the beauty of the Bald desired in ornamental work. The Cypress and is mentioned here only cOl~es are subglobose (round in shape to record its pre'sence in ornamental with flattened ends) and measure work. It is pyramidal in habit with about y/s inch in diameter. The short, horizontal branches and upright pendulous variety of this species, branchlets. It is easily r'ecognized by known, at least horticulturally, as its awl-like leaves which are small Ta%odiu111, distichum p-endulu111;, is a and appear almost as scale-like forma­ far more graceful tree than the type. tions on the branchlets. The cones It is distinctly pyramidal, with a are identical with those of T. dis­ broader base than the species which tichum. narrows regularly to a small top. The The variety Ta%odiu1n ascendens branches extend from within a few nutans differs from the type in that feet of the base and are 'horizontal or the branchlets are pendulous rather somewhat drooping. Towards the than upright. Its ornamental value apex, they are ascending. The branch­ ranks with about that of the species. lets, both persistent and deciduous, It is, of course, more graceful. "A Well .. 'Considered Schedule for Judging Narcissi"

By FLORENCE EDNA FOOTE

One is amazed by the great wave ent parts of the United States, we are of garden enthusiasm which has given most fortunate in being able to grow birth to the hundreds, even thousands, every kind of species and every va­ of garden clubs which have been riety of narcissus, whether it be hardy formed all through these United or tender. England grows some four States. Certainly they can exert an thousand of the hardy varieties, and, immense influence for better and finer in one sheltered section, some of the gardening. Two or three flower shows tender varieties. each year are a part of the program Unfortunately, commercial growers of every progressive garden club. have flooded America with a vast Good flower shows afford a splendid number of very old varieties which opportunity for broadening the horti­ have been so tremendously improved cultural education of the public as upon with most of the new varieties, well as the gardeners. that it seems a pity that the general Last spring I had the pIeasure of buying public cannot know what kinds spending one day at the Cleveland are worth the money and time spent Flower Show and the whole week at upon them. Several catalogs adver­ the New York Flower Show. They tise as "new" varieties which have we~e indeed something to be proud of, been in commerce for fifteen to thir­ for they were of outstanding beauty. ty years and more! The throngs of hundreds of thousands Here is the big opportunity for the of people from every walk of life garden clubs to be of real service in who came for a taste of beauty in educating the public to demand bet­ these sordid times, pl'ove that these ter and newer varieties of narcissus, great treasures of flowers gathered to­ for naturally, the nurserymen will gether will help to fill that part of our supply only what we demand. If we aesthetic nature which must be some­ have good narcissus shows, we must what satisfied if we are to carryon. have competent, well-trained narcissus Having attended several shows giv­ judges. There are perhaps not more en by the Royal Horticultural Society than a dozen people in America who of London, England, where the whole are properly qualified by actual per­ show was given over to the magnifi­ sonal experience to judge narcissi. cent display of hundreds of thousands A good judge must know his flow­ of the finest daffodils in the world, ers thoroughly. He cannot know them and being myself a daffodil specialist, unless he grows them and studies them I was terribly disappointed to find not for years. He should prove to his one fine, outstanding variety shown at own s

Lewisias in Their Native Home

By E. J. NEWCOMER

The lewisias are among the finest cially easy to grow. I have collected of the native rock plants. They are half a dozen of the species and studied interesting because they are different. them in their native habitats, and I Their fleshy, odd-shaped leaves are am writing this with the thought that very striking in a rock garden, and a description of the climate, exposure, their blossoms are as delicate as any and soil in which they thrive will help that could be imagined. They have the rock gardener to be more success­ been named very appropriately for ful with them than perhaps he has Capt. Meriwether Lewis, who, with been. Lieut. William Clark, led the first Lewisias fall roughly into t"vo cate­ overland exploring party into the gories, one with deciduous leaves, and Northwest. Lewisias are essentially the other with leaves that persist. In of the Northwest-they do not grow the former class, the well-known bit­ wild east of Colorado or south of terroot (L. 1'ediviva) is the only one northern California. There is one that merits space in a garden; unless exception: the bitterroot is found in its owner be one of those enthusiasts, Arizona. like myself, who must have plants of One of the interesting things about all the species of the group he is an Lewisias is that they are not espe­ enthusiast about. This very remark- [58] Jan., 1933 THE NATIONAL HORTICULTURAL MAGAZINE 59 able plant seems to withstand a variety " Of the other deciduous Lewisias, I of conditions, as long as those condi- have collected the curious little tr·ip­ tions are dry. I have found it bloom- phylla and pyg111,a.ea in sandy spots in ing by the hundreds 3,000 feet above the alpine meadows high up on the sea level, but always on well-drained, _ slopes of Mount Adams. They are rocky, southern slopes, though often too small and inconspicuous to be of where there is a light shade from much value. scattered pines or firs. IUhrives, toC!, The showiest Lewisias are those on the basaltic "scab rock" 9f our with persistent leaves, and the finest, northern deserts, in th~ blazing sun, and perhaps the rarest of these is the disintegrated lava forming the Tweedy';. This has broad, fllat, fleshy rather scanty and surelY not very j~ - leaves, and wonderfully delicate apri­ tile soil for its fleshy roots. The cot or salmon colored blossoms, shaped brush of thick, linear leaves develop", like those of rediviva, but larger and from the root in early spring while less fluted. LeW1:sia Tweedyi has been the soil is yet moist, and as it dries found only in the Wenatchee Moun­ the leaves wither' and die, and the fat, tains, an eastward-projecting spur of spindle-shaped buds, colored like the the 'Washington Cascades. Even here rocks, push out and bloom. The deli- it is not conU110n at all, and it takes a cate pink or almost white, fluted, rather deal of searching to find it, but once large blossoms contrast curiously with found it is usually plentiful within their rough and sterile surroundings. restricted areas. Curiously, I have Once the blossoms are gone, the plants found it o!:!1y in the vicinity of gold are difficult to find, as very little is and copper mines or prospects, though left above ground. In the garden, the even here it may be plentiful on one plants tolerate much more water than slope and entirely abs·ent from a near­ they get when wild, provided the soil by slope which appears to be identical. is porous and drains well, and there L ewisia Tweedyi grows only o'n the is plenty of sun; and their needle- s~Rest north or northwest sl

Lewisia Tweedyi Jan., 1933 THE NATIONAL HORTICULTURAL MAGAZINE 61 quite reddened and curled from seem to thrive in the same soil. Tak­ drought. ing a trail, I climbed up to the top of Lewisia colu111,b'iana is a much com­ the ridge, and there, on the north moner species, ranging all through the slope, in just the surroundings that Cascades from British Columbia to would please a Lewisia, was H owelli Oregon, and in the Olympics. The by the dozen. Some of the plants foliage is something like that of looked much like cotyledon, but there were all degrees of "crisping." In ad­ rediviva, though somewhat flattened, dition to these three species, there is but the blossoms are much smaller H eckneri, with distinctly toothed and are borne in many flowered scapes. leaves, found "somewhere" in Cali­ This species is found in much the fornia. Since these three or four same SOTt of locations as the preced­ specIes occur in high, isolated places ing, but it does not often grow under within a fairly restricted range, we trees, and it is more apt to favor the may wonder if they were not origi­ thinner soil of the northward-facing, nally but one species, which have rocky points. It is often found in the gradually b e com e differentiated vicinity of mine prospects. The leaves through being separated on these al­ are occasionally subject to a rust, pine "islands." which does not seem to be very harm­ ful. With the exception of 1'ediviva, all of these Lewisias may be treated In southern Oregon and northern aLike. In my garden they thrive on California, there are several very simi- north slopes or in well-drained, rajsed 1M speoies, including H owelli, cot'yle­ beds shaded by trees '111os11: of 'the day. don, and Finchii. These have flat, The soil should be plenrt:ifully supplied broad leaves, closely huggi"ng the wi~ri ,t S'a,!ld, and humus. A few ground in a dense rosette. In H owelli large native rocks imbedded in the the margins of the leaves are hyaline surface add a natural touch to the and crisped, in the others they are bed. We have a great deal of sun­ not. The blossoms are much alike, shine and warm weather during the in panicles, apricot or pinkish, with a summer, and in a cool, cloudy h

Lately we seem to have been bring­ lemon and always different and pleas­ ing back into our gardens the herbs ant. So I invite others to try the herb our ancestors grew for thousands of teas, so strongly recommended by this years, that have disappeared for the ardent propagandist, 'Philo-Aletheias.' last century. Once there, one likes to -HELEN M. Fox. use them in as many ways as possi­ ble and besides harvesting the seeds, Vi1'ginia Gazette, Williamsburg, Vir­ ginia, January 13th, 1774. roots and flowers to use as condi­ ments, the leaves may be dried to "TEA! How I tremble at the brew into fragrant teas. In olden beautiful name! days, teas were made of herbs for Like LetJhe, fatal to the Love of medicinal purposes as well as for Fame." .their pleasant soothing or stimulating -DR. YOUNG . qualities and so we turn to old rec­ Can pofterity believe that the conf­ ords to find out which were the palat­ titutional Liberties of North America able ones and which were safe, so were on the Point of being given up that in our enthusiasm, we will not for Tea? Is this exotick Plant nec­ poison the family. effary to Life? o.r does our Health Henb teas were much in favor dur­ depend upon it? J uft the reverfe. It ing the American Revolution when the was ufhered into Europe, A. D. 1679, tax on the leaves of Thea bohea was by the extravagant Encomiums of the kindling which set aflame the Cornelius Bentekoe, a Dutch Phyfi­ War of Independence. The following ciano The Tyranny of Fafion fpread article was written to discourage the it with amazing Rapidity though the colonists from bootlegging China teas general State of Health has undergone land to encourage them to drink what a great Revolution by it; fo that our were called 'Liberty Teas' by telling Race has dwindled, and become puny, them how poisonous and unhealthv weak, and difordered, to fuch an ex­ were teas imported from the o.rient. tent, that were it to prevail a Century The people were to feel that besides more we fhould be reduced to mere being unpatriotic when they drank the Pigmies. amber, fragrant beverage brewed from Phyficians foon difcovered its Mif­ the leaves gathered from what had chief, and wrote againft it, at leaft, been called the "Queen of the Camel­ all the eminent in that Profeffion. lias," they were not only shortening The great Boerhaave ftrongly op­ their lives but what was far worse, pofed it, as the 111Dft pernicious Cuf­ were spoiling their dispositions. There­ tom; and all his Pupils, who have fore many otiher teas were described been the chief o.rnaments of Phyfick, as substitutes, some of which sound followed his Example. most unattractive to us today but Dr. Tiffot, Profeffor of Phyfick at others that seem quite delectable. Berne, eminent for Patriotifm, as well Lately I have been experimenting, as philofophy, fays boldly: "The Tea­ making teas from the leaves of bee­ pots, full of Warm Water, which I balm, lemon verbena, sage, balm, cost­ fee on their Tables, put me in Mind mary and mint and have found them of Pandora's Box, from which all fragrant, spice)" sometimes tasting of Sorts of Evils iffue forth; with this [62) Jan., 1933 THE NATIONAL HORTICULTURAL MAGAZINE 63

Difference, however, that they do not the N arcotick (fleeping) Kind, viz. even leave the Hopes of Relief behind the Coadenatea; that hence the Afia­ them, but, on the contrary, by in­ ticks do not ufe it till it is a Year ducing hypocondriack Complaints, dif­ O'ld, and that its emetick Quality fhows fufe Melancholy and Defpair." its Acrimony is not then diffipated. He tells us, in a very late Publica­ Hence he confiders Tea and Coffee tion, "That Coffee and Tea are for­ are Sedatives, weakening the Tone of bidden in Sweden and that a COll­ the Svftem and diminifhing the Force fiderable Province in Germany has of Nervous Power. voluntarily given up Coffee, as the Thefe Effects fenfible people of English Colonies in America have Age and Experience muft have ob­ left off drinking Tea." I am forry ferv'ed in Spite of the Prejudice of we have not fo much good Sense, Education and Habit, and I am bold Perfeverance, or Self-Denial, as to to fay, I never faw a Man or Woman deferve this character. He alleges, it who from Youth was f.ond of and has fo mUdh increafed the Difeafes practiced drinking Tea freely that was of a nervous and languid Nature, in not rendered a weak, effeminate, a.nd the Countries where it is introduced, creeping Valetudinarian for Life. that we may, by attending to the health I cannot hope that the ftrongeft of any City, difcover whether the Arguments can prevail with the Slaves Inhabitants drink Tea or not; and of this pernicious Cuftom. to exchange that it would be one of the greateft it for Milk the moft eafy N ourifh­ Bleffings to Europe to prohibit the ment of Nature, but it might be ex­ Importation of thefe Leaves, which pected, whatever they do themfelves, contain an acrid, corro,fiv,e Gum, and a they will entirely deny it to their few aftringent Particles, and nothing Children, to whom it is a flow but further at all. dangerous Poison. Dr. Cullen, pr-efent profeffor of But if we muft, through Cuftom, Medicine in Edinburgh, who has the have fome warm Tea onCe or twice a reputation of improving the Theory Day, why may we not exchange this of Phyficks, confiders both Tea and flow Poison, which not only deftroys Coffee as deleterious (of a deadly or our Conftitutions but endangers our deftructive Quality) and having mif­ Liberties, and drains our Country of chievous Effects on the nervous Sys­ fo many Thoufands of Pounds a Year, tem, though Habit abates in fome for Teas of our own American Plants, Degree their Effects; that all the Vir­ many of which may be found pleaf­ tues afcri:bed to them may be fairly ant to the Tafte and very falutary, attributed to the hot Water, which according to our various Conftitutions. undoubtedly relieves in Cafes of Even drinking Warm Water, in mod­ Rigidity; that Tea weakens the Tone erate Quantity, like Tea, with Sugar of the Stomach, and therefore, of the and Cream, has relieved many hyf­ whole System, inducing Tremors and terical Cases; and has cured fome, fpafmodick (convulfive) Affections; even when attended by confiderable that Water of the fame Warmth, im­ Convulfions and Flatulencies, which pregnated with fome of our own were the effects of Green and Bohea Plants, is attended with none of thefe Teas, in delicate Conftitution. Here Harms; that f rom botanical Analogy. permit me to propofe a lift of feveral Tea belongs to an Order of Plants of Kinds of Teas, with a Hint of their 64 THE NATIONAL HORTICULTURAL MAGAZINE Jan., 1933

Ufes; any of which would be more Spleen, Liver, &c., See Baron Swiden, pleafant than Bohea, &c., provided we &c. ufed them as long: 8. Twigs of Black Currant Bufh@s 1. Saffafra~ Root, flised thin and greatly relieves Afthmas, and often dried, with Rafpings of Lignumvite, cure them in Children, with a few makes a Te(j. extremely agreeable when Worm Purges. made weak. (x) It beautifies and 9. Red Rofe Bufh Leaves and Cin­ fmoothes the Complexion, prevents quefoil recruit the Strength, mitigate Pleurifies, Scurvies, and Cachixies, Pain and Inflammations, and bene­ etc. ficial to Confumptives and feverifh 2. Sweet Marjoram, and a little People, healing to Wounds, and ferv­ Mint, relieve the Head and Nerves, iceable in fpitting of Blood. ftrengthening the Stomach, helps all 10. Miftletoe and English Wild the Digeftions, are good in Catarrhs Valerian. This Tea is not the moft and Afthmas, and alfo giving a good pleafant, but tolerable, and is one of Colour to the Skin, preevnts Hyf­ the fimpleft Antifpafmodicks; has tericks, and Melancholy. cured many of the Falling Sickness, 3. Mofher of Thyme, and a little purging by Sweat and Urine, and de­ Hyffop, revive the Spirits, and make ftroying Worms better than the nar­ cheerful, alfo are good againft cold cotic Pink Root. Difeafes, Afthmas, Coughs, and 11. Pine Buds and Leffer Valerian, Vapours. make a Tea fufficient to cure moft 4. Sage and Balm leaves (the firft Agues, and are very powerful Diure­ dry, the latter green) are gently af­ ticks, removing Indurations of the tringent, ftimulating and ftrengthen­ Spleen, Liver, Reins and Dyfenterry. ing, excellent in Fevers, when joined 12. Ground Ivy, with a little Lav­ with a little Lemon Juice; good for ender Cotton or Roman Wormwood, Weak Stomachs, Gout, Vertegoes and or Southernwood, are excellent to Cachixies. open Obftructions, preventing malig­ 5. Rofemary and lJavender, excel­ nant and infectious Difeafes, cure lent for Diforders of the Head and Agues and Coughs, and kill Worms Weaknefs of the ervous System, in Children. occafioned by India Teas or othel"Wife, 13. Strawberry Leaves and Leaves they refolve cold Humors, ftrengihen of Sweet Briar, or Dog's Rofe, make the Stomach, and roufe the Spirits. a Tea agreeably dulco-acid, cooling 6. A very few fmall Twigs of in Fluxes, Sharpnefs of Urine, and White Oak, well dried in the Sun, Indifpofitions of the Stomach. with two Leaves and a Half of fweet 14. Golden Rod and Belony. A Myrtle. This fo exactly counterfeits Tea of thefe, drank with Honey, are the India Teas that a good Connof­ highly corroborative and deterfive to feur might be miftaken in them. They cleanfe Ulcers, in the Lungs, and are drying and very ftrengthening, in Wounds of the- Breaft, Palfies, &c. all wafting Difeafes and Fluxes, fuit­ 15. Twigs of the liguid Amber able to Women with Child, and good Tree (commonly called Sweet Gum) againft Agues. with or without Flowers of Elder. 7. ClQver, with a little Camomile. This Tea, fweetened with ho;ey, is This Tea- Is pleafant and ha;- do~e very pectoral, and a Specifick with Wonders 111 Obftructions of the fome in Pleurifies. Jan., 1933 THE NATIONAL HORTICULTURAL MAGAZINE 65

17. Peppermint and Yarrow. their own Teas in Mugs or Tankards! Thefe, together or apart, are agree­ If the Gentlemen and Ladies of the able enough, the firft highly beneficial firft Rank will ufe their influence and in Flatulent Cholicks, Hyftericks and Example to abolifh this pernicious Depreffion of Spirits; the latter vul­ Cuftom of drinking the Afiatick Teas, nerary and good in, all Wafting Hem­ and introduce and perfevere in ufing morages and Fluxes. their own, they will have the Suftain­ Many more might be added, but I ing Satiffaction of having emancipated fear I am tedious already. However, their Country from the bafeft Slav­ thefe are all fa fafe and innocent, ery and Tyranny of Cuftom, and that, except the 3rd, 10th, and 12th, erecting a Monument to Common a pr.egnant Lady may drink them with Sen fe, which will ITl!erit the Praife of Safety, and many with advantage. Unborn Generations. Ma!J'ied persons may add a little Gin­ PHILO-ALETHEIAS ger to any of them. I see only one Objection that can P. S.-In the low and damp Lands be made, viz. that in fuch a variety in Maryland and Virginia where flow different Tastes or Conftitutions would and bilious Fevers prevail, with require different Sorts, which would Coughs and Catarrhs, the Author of take too many Pots for the Tea Table Nature 'has pl·entifull y fupplied them and fome trouble; but it may be an­ with Hairy Mofs on their Trees, fwered, Teapots are not very dear, which is very agreeable to the Tafte, and (Thank Heaven) we have no and an excellent ftrengthening and unconftitutional Tax laid on them pectoral R emedy for their Common yet. Water is plenty. Sideboards Complaints. may be had, and if Teapots fail, what (x) Every Sort of Tea is rendered Hardship is it for fome to make difagreeable by being too ftrong.

A Book or Two

liVestern A1ne1'ican Alpines. By Ira serious fault and that is that there is N. Gabrielson. The Macmillan no more of it. Company, New York, 1932. 271 Mr. GCllbrielson has limited his en­ pages, illustrated. $3.50. deavor and then has developed the chosen field with care and thoughtful Among the dozens of garden books attention. For the other-than-Western that appear each year, few can fill im­ reader the first chapter, describing the portant niches, because the fi eld is native home of the plants enumerated, becoming more limited and it is in­ is the most important in the book as it creasingly difficult to find new terri­ gives the key to cultivation if we have tory to be occupied. The present wit to read it. It is even better than volume is not faced with that difficul­ Chapter II which contains ome perti­ ty, but even if it were, this reviewer nent comments on the growing of the feels that it would rank as one of the, plants de cribed in Chapter III, the if not .the most important American encyclopedia chapter that largely fills book of the year. It ha but one the book. 66 THE NATIONAL HORTICULTURAL MAGAZINE Jan., 1933

The descriptions of the plants them­ meda, Sausalito or San Francisco, all selv es

Britisher who is not only friendly and their relationships to other bulb but admiring. For once, there has diseases. The illustrations are excel­ been laid aside that ancient, honorable, lent, the discussions clear and specific and enviable assumption of absolute and a brief summary of control prac­ perfection that we younger gardeners tices if provided for those who will find so difficult. Here our efforts are not read further. judged against a n ultimate standard, not a British one. Although there Na1'cisst;s Pests. By W. E. H. H od­ are passages of too intense rapture, son, A. R. C. S., D. 1. C. Bulletin there are others of very pertinent com­ No. 51 of the Ministry of Agricul­ ment. Although one gasps at the ture and Fisheries, His Majesties personalities indulged, one girds up Stationery Office, London, England, his loins for future reformations. 1932. 40 pages, illustrated. One shilling. Diseases of NaTcissus. By Frank P. McWhorter and Freeman W eiss. This is a non-technical bulletin ad­ Station Bulletin No. 304, Agricul­ dressed to growers of narcissus in tural Experiment Station, Corvallis, Britain. It is a brief discussion of the Oregon. 42 pages, illustrated. 1932. narcissus flies, the bulb eel worm, the bulb mite, and the bulb scale mite, An interesting bulletin brings to- slugs, root eel worms, yellow stripe. gether much of the recent info.rmation and the methods of control, with a from the larger bulb growing areas on brief statement of the literature for the Pacific Coast that relates to the those who wish to read further. The various di seases, classified here as Vir­ illustrations, which include one color us, FungoU's,

The Gardener's Pocketbook

Cle111,atis ] ouiniana. Schneid. August and September. It wi ll grow I have for many years wondered almost anywhere so long as it has lime why one of the most vigorous and at­ and sunlight; and on a trelli s or on a tractive of climbing plants, Clematis fence, hanging over a garden wall , ] owiniama) which is common in Eng­ tumbling over a bank or tree stump, lish gardens, is so rarely found in our or clambering up a tree, it makes a ow n. It is a hybrid of the non-climb­ charming picture. It should be in ing C. hemcleifolia Davidia1w and the every garden, vying in popularity with common European climber C. Vitalba) C. panicu.lata) yet outside of botanic and those who know the former will gardens it is alm ost completely un ­ recognize its three coarsely toothed known in Ameri ca, and so far as I lea fl ets and the shape of its fl owers, know, has never been offered under which in this case are white flu shed its right name by a si ngle meri can with a lovely pale grayish lil ac-blu e, 11 urseryman. and borne in large axill ary clu ters. It seems to have originated on the But they will be unprepared for it Continent of Europe at the 'Very end rampant growth, and pe rhaps even for of the nin eteenth century or early in the profusion of its blo 0111 in late the t\\'entieth, and owes it pecific 68 THE NATIONAL HORTICULTURAL MAGAZI NE Jan. , 1933 name to a Monsieur Jo uin, manager boretum and in two or three other of the Simon-Loui s N ursery at Metz. collecti ons, I have seen no reference But the exact place and t.ime of its to it in popular garden literature on origin or introduction are shrouded in this side of the Atlantic under its mystery. Monsieur E. Lemoine of right name. It is passed over in SI­ N ancy informs me that he obtained lence in the interesting chapter on the first plants from H enri Con'evon clematis in E. H. Wilson's M 01'e of Geneva under the name of "jardin A"istocrats of the G01'den. Some fif­ alpin" about 1909, but Monsieur Co r­ teen years ago, however, a New Eng­ revon writes that he obtained his land fl ori st introduced a hybrid which plants from Vilmorin who in turn he called C. 111a Dwye1', and which he had obtained them frOITI. Lemoine, and informs me he origin ally di scovered that it was universally regarded as a on hi s own place. This is obviously a hybrid of C. Davidiana X Vitalba hybrid of C. David'ial'la and some climb­ (or paniculata) which originated in ing sort, and is so indistingui shabl e the Lemoine nmsery at Nancy ! It from C. ] ouiniana that it may be ~e ­ was descri bed in the Ga1'de ners' garded as the same hybrid for all pra:::­ Ch.r017icle of London in 1912, but was tical purposes. T hi s plant is described widely diffused before that ti me. briefl y in Mrs. Francis King's Pages from a GG1'de l1 Note-Book and in other It is, as I have said, well-known in of her delightful wri tings. But C. ] 01£­ E nglish gardens, where it often mas­ i11.ia1'la deserves to be accorded a wel­ querades under the name of C. g1'ata, come under its ri ghtful name, and I which really belongs to an Asiatic hope the nurserymen of America will species with white fl owers and of perform their share of the work need­ much less hardiness. U nder this name ed to make it widely known in A meri­ it fi gures in William Robinson's can gardens. charming little book on clemati s, T he J. E. SPINGAR N . V i"gin' s B ower, and receives it meed A menia, Dutchess County, New York. of praise. It appears under its real name in E. A. Bowles's ~My Gardenill AutL£1111'L and TIVi,1te1', where it is called P" L£1lUS serrulata L indl. Oriental "one of the best" of the cl ematises. cherry. Variety Oh-nanden. (See M r. Bowles's descri ption of hi s plant page 69.) as " white with a greyish tinge on the O ne of the charming features of back of the petals [sepals] " indicates, certain fl owering crabapples is the what is indeed the fact, that the'l' e are pleasing contrast afforded by the pale vari ous forms differing somewhat in green of the foliage and the delicate shades of color. T here are also the pink of the blossoms. This particular Lemoine vari eties grown from seed of type of contrast is not so common ] oui'l7iana, called C a1npan ile, Oiseau among the fl owering cherries, but one B l e~£ , and Cote d' Az~£I', but these have of the best examples is found in the o reverted to the non-climbin::;,' character subj ect of this note. of C. Dav'idiana, and so beIol1O" in a . . b The rather spreading tree, eventually qUIte different category from the su- 16 to 18 feet high, has dark-gray perb climber discussed in this brief bark, and the young brown leaves fade note. to pale green by the time the fl owers T hough this plant has been grown commence to open. If the growing for a long time in the Arnold Ar- ti ps of the young shoots are examined Jan., 1933 THE NATIONAL HORTICULTURAL MAGAZINE 69

E. L. C?'ondoll (See page 68] Orielllal Cherry, Oh-nandell 70 THE NATIONAL HORTICULTURAL MAGAZINE Jan., 1933 closely, one notices the deeply divided Iris Douglasiana Herb. (See page 71.) yellowish stipules, half an inch long, In one of the illustrations of Mr. with the very narrow divisions gland Mitchell's book "From a Sunset Gar­ tipped. These drop off in a week or den," reviewed elsewhere in this num­ two, about the same time that the ber, is depicted a mass of this species dull red-brown of the youngest twigs that might well be the envy of other California,ns. How many pangs of has faded to green. The squarish envy an Easterner need suffer, it is flower buds are deep pink or red, and hard to estimate. over the ends of the youngest of them The illustration, an English one, curl the ends of the large, green, en­ suggests very clearly the general ap­ tire-margined sepals. Occasionally pearance of this plant and its habit of there may be seen protruding from making rather open clumps of grassy some of these flower buds the tips of evergreen leaves well furnished in the one or two prominent gree.n car­ time with slender, foot-high flower pels. The flowers are decidedly dou­ stalks bearing the usually paired flow­ ble, with about 47 petals, nearly 2 ers that sit on their stalks with singu­ inches across and of a clear delicate lar grace. As in the case of other pink, somewhat deeper pink below and Pacific Coast species, there is a great at the margins but not with the de­ range of color variations, fr0111 white cided color contrast that one sees in through creamy yellows, toward buff varieties like Tankoshinju and Higu­ and again through light lavendars rashi. Nor does the pink of the cen­ toward dark, more rosy-purple, all ter fade appreciably with age, as it forms being conspicuously veined on does with Shirofugeri. There are the falls. generally three or four flowers, on The plants will grow from seed long slender pedicels, 111 each pendu­ which is an easy if somewhat slow lous cluster. way to establish them. The old sug­ Oh-nanden, known occasionally as gestion for purchase of plants was N anden also in Japan, means literally that the plants be secured in mid­ winter or just as they were starting " snows l'd1 e" or " ava I anche," a refer- ence to its free-blooming habit. into growth, in order that the ac­ companying formation of new roots This is a variety of real merit, with should take effect in the new situation. flowers resemJbling those of Kwanzan This autumn I had occasion to pur­ in size and doubleness, but paler pink. chase a collection of nursery-grown Its green or greenish young foliage Pacific Coast iris and was delighted to likewise distinguishes it from Kwan­ find on their arrival that they had zan. There is also something about pushed a whole crown of new roots Oh-nanden which reminds one of into the packing sphagnum. With a Shogetsu, but the flowers of the latter little care in the watering, these roots are much paler, with serrate sepals. suffered no check and took immediate There is a tree of Oh-nanden near hold in the leaf mould of their new Washington, D. c., and one at the location. It might be suggested that Arnold Arboretum, Jamaica Plain, this was perhaps particularly true of Mass. It is not known to be estab­ these plants because they were seed­ lished elsewhere, and is not yet in lings and nursery grown and far bet­ the trade. ter rooted than in ordinary plants PAUL RUSSELL. from collectors or general nurseries. Washington, D. C. Washington, D. C. Jan., 1933 THE NATIONAL HORTICULTURAL MAGAZINE 71

Donald C. Merritt © [See page 70] Iris DOllglasiana 72 THE NATIONAL HORTICULTURAL MAGAZINE Jan., 1933

Alliu.m. triq'/;~etru111, L. (See page 73.) grow and succeed in such varying In spite of the fact that one turns climates in the wild should at least often to Farrer's "The English Rock be seen occasionally in cultivation and Garden" for a variety of data on a in my estimation, be better known. great variety of subjects, there are Here are a few things in its favor. times when one rebels even at the It will grow in the shade, though like piquant vocabulary. One sentence con­ most plants blooms more profusely in cerning this species is an example. half shade or full sun. Like its bet­ "The plamt has great attraction, and ter known relative, Verbena hybrida, is always to be known by its fat, it is an exceedingly free bloomer. three-sided stems of some 6 inches or Ve1'bena canadensis b~gins to bloom so, each carrying perhaps six large, in the vicinity of the nation's capitol pendulous flowers of a diaphanous about the twentieth of April and after white, looking like the ghost of a dead a short vacation in July will begin in white flower drowned long ago 111 the late summer or early autumn to deep water." continue again with blooms in abun­ Our illustration comes from an dance. Plants that have started to English garden and shows to my eye thin in the center, however, should be and mind no thought of strange sea cut back well in mid-summer to assure changes. Here in the robustious fat­ maxim:um effect in the autumn. If ness of good Maryland clay soil, the planted in the difficult dry pockets of plant is as crisp and dead white as any a rock garden or a dry poorly con­ narcissus or snowflake with smart structed section it will solve this prob­ lines of vivid green down the backs lem, another place it will be found of each petal. The first season, after useful is as a ground cover for spring coming from a California nursery, it bulbs. attempted a fall growth of leaves that The flowers are rosy-purple and are were more or less ruined through the very much like those of its tender hy­ freezing weather that followed. Spring brid relatives in general texture and weather brought good foliage and fine general habit of growth. The foliage flowering. is also very similar. Vevbena cana­ So far the species has shown no densis rarely forms seed in which it tendency to spread underground or by differs from the hybrids. I have tried seeds, but this may be only a tempo­ several times to cross pollenize Ver­ rary matter that will follow more bena canade11.sis with venosa and also complete acclimatization. with various named varieties of the Washington, D. C. hybrids, but nothing ever happened. I did not get any fertile seed from Verbena canadens1:s Brit. (See page any crosses I made. This proves to 74.) me at least that the best way to propa­ This native of the United States, gate is vegetatively. I have been our European friends hold in greater very successful in increasing my stock favor and use more freely than we do in this way. here in its home. Inasmuch as it is \Vhy let plant lovers in other coun­ found from the Florida straits along tries know more about our own plants the sandy shores and hot dry banks to than we do? We should be the first the rich soils of Ohio near Lake Erie to grow, appreciate and improve our with its cold hard winters, climate and native flora. soil conditions can not be the reason I. N. ANDERSON. for not using it. A plant that will Virginia. J an. , 1933 THE NATIONAL HORTICULTURAL MAGAZINE 73

DOl/aid C. Merritt © [See page 72] Allium triquetruJn 74 THE NATIONAL HORTICULTURAL MAGAZINE Jan., 1933

Lilian A. Guernsey [See page 72) Verbena cana.densis

CORRECTIONS SIR: SIR: My attention has been called to a In the last October issue of the grave error committed in the . review magazine, it was said that Pentaptery­ of Doctor Bailey's Blackberries of giu11'1. se1'pens had been introduced in­ North America published in the July to cultivation over a hundred years magazine. On page 244, in m.ention­ ago. It should have been 48 years ing the type of Rubus centralis the ago. statement was made,-"We trust that MARY G. HENRY. SIR: Deam 967 was collected from the In my article on phlox (July, 1932) same plant as Deam 27." Mr. Deam Willis Fryer was mentioned as an informs me that his number for this American o-riginator of new varieties specimen is not two numbers, 27 and of phlox. The address of his nursery 967, but one number, 27967. Think was given as Faribault; Minnesota. It of it! Twenty-seven thousand herb­ should have been Mantorville, Minne- arium specimens! I apologize; the sota. error is all mIlle. ETHEL L. CAMPAU. H. C. SKEELS. Jan., 193J THE NATIONAL HORTICULTURAL MAGAZINE 75 The American Rose Society

';T? I ILL welcome readers of the NATIONAL HORTICULTURAL MAGA­ W ZINE to membership. I The Society publishes a manual on rose growing called "What Every Rose Grower Should Know/, which is sent free to every new member, and issues four times a year The American Rose Quarterly which treats of timely subjects and gives n0tice of meetings, exhibitions, and the business transactions of the Society. The American Rose An­ nual, a cloth-bound, 200-page volume, beautifully illustrated, is issued to every member in March each year. It contains articles by informed rosarians from all quarters of the globe dealing with every aspect of rose culture, and is generally considered the most informa.tive book about roses published. Individual dues are $3.50 per annum, three years for $10.00; life membership, $60.00. Garden clubs, local rose societies, and other organizations may become sustaining members for $10.00 per year. Such sustaining members re­ ceive one set of all publications and one silver and two bronze medals for their annual exhvbitions. In addition, me;mlbers of such clubs have the privilege of joinirlg The American Rose Society as affiliated members for $2.50 a year, provided five or more take advantage of the opportunity. Send memberships and address inquiries to-­ THE SECRETARY I THE AMERICAN ROSE SOCIETY ~ HARRISBURG, PENNA.

THE AMERICAN PEONY SOCIETY

Cordially invites all members of the Amefican Horticultural Society who are interested in peonies to join us. For the past twenty-eight years this Society has been working for the ad­ vancement of the peony and has been extremely successful. There is still much to be accomplished and the advancement being made is chronicled in the quar­ terly bulletins sent to all members in good standing. An excellent peony manual, a splendid encyclopedia of peony knowledge is also available at $3.15 delivered_ Membership dues in the American Peony Society, which includes four splendid bulletins per year, $3.00. Manual and membership, $6.00.

Send all remittances and communications to AMERICAN PEONY SOCIETY W . F . Christman, Secretary Northbrook, Ill. 76 THE NATIONAL HORTICULTURAL MAGAZINE Jan., 1933 THE W. B. SHAW NOVELTIES FOR YOUR AQUATIC GARDENS ROCK GARDEN KENILWORTH WASHINGTON, D. C. ALPINES-FROM PIKE'S PEAK Salix saximontana, Dryas, Boykinia, Waterlilies Eritrichium, Aquilegia saximontana for Your Garden SUB-ALPINES - Leucocnnum montanum, -add a new note of interest­ Oenothera caespitosa, Pentstemons: and are easy to grow. caespitosa, crandaIli, ambigua, etc. 75 Varieties Hardy lilies may be PLAINS-Cacti, many varieties. planted from early Spring thru August-tender lilies in May and June. Rocky Mountain Plants and Seeds collected FLOWERS the first to order, June to September. summer A sk for lists Other AQUATICS Also

Upton Gardens

(MRS. G. R. MARRIAGE)

COLORADO SPRINGS, COLORADO CAMELLIA JAPONICA Alba Plena (double white); Prof. Sargent (paeonyform red); Frau Mina Seidel (double flesh pink); Prince Albert (semi·double pink and white); strong, bushy 15-18 in. plants $350 each, carnage prepaid. Our collection of Camellia Japonica is considered the best in the South. Write for catalog. FRUITLAND NURSERIES Augusta, Ga., Box N

PAEONIA ARBOREA (Tree Peony) BANKSI Large, double flesh-pink flowers; strong shrubs on their own roots, each $5.00; doz., $50.00. Very large specimen plants, 8 years old, bloomed profusely during 1932, at $15.00 each. Herbaceous catalog on request P. O. Box 11 OBERLIN PEONY GARDENS Sinking Spring, Pa.

Native and foreign alpines, fer n s and shrubs for Garden Supply Company the rock garden. Nursery grown with well­ GLEBE ROAD BALLSTON, VA. developed root systems. Rare and Standard Varieties of Rock Asiatic dwarf Rhododendron, $.50-$2.50; Rhodo­ dendron neriiflorum, 2 yr., $1.50; Rhododendron Plants and Perennials chryseum, 2 yr., $1.00; the smallest brooms, including $.50-$.75; 45 of the best Saxifrages, $.25-$1.25; 12 encrusted Saxifrages, sizable plants, our choice ALPINES AND SEMPERVIVIUMS $3.00; 9 of the loveliest Genti,ns, $.50-$1.00; 15 Campanulas, $.20-$1.00; 23 Primulas, $.25-$1.00; 7 nattve Pentstemons, $ .25; Houstonia, Millard's variety, $.50, lrid arenaria, $.75; Jeffersonia Specimens for Landscaping diphylla, $.50; Rosa rouletti, $.50. Cedars of Lebanon - 5 to 25 feet tall Incense cedars 2 to 15 feet tall Ma"y other choice species. Plo.nt list u.pon request Many other evergreens all sizes Flowering shrubs. JULIUS ANTHON Iris and hardy azaleas-specialties 2215 East 46th Street, FISHER FLOWERS SEATTLE, WASH., U. S. A. 64

Seeds of Rare Plants

CRONAMERE ALPINE Here are the kinds that are " hard to find." Unusual Iris and Lilium species, Rare Wild NURSERIES Flowers, American Alpines, A zalea, Rhododen­ dron and Rose seeds. W ri te for interesting SHORE ROAD, GREENS and very different descriptive list. No other catalog like it. Apply to D ept 5 2. FARMS, CONNECTICUT REX. D. PEARCE All the finer types of Alpine MERCHANTVILLE, NEW JERSEY and Rock Plants

List of seeds of many beauti­ GARDEN LOVERS visiting Ireland should make a point of seeing ful and rare species and van­ eties of Alp:nes LISSADELL GARDENS where a very large collection of Alpine Plants acclimatized for East­ and other Hardy Plants can be seen growing in Rock Gardens, Moraines, ern gardens Retaining Walls, etc. Seeds a Specialty-Lists Free CATALOGUE MANAGER, LISSADELL free on request I~" Sligo Irish Free State

Just What You H ave B een Looking For!

Reg. U. S. Pat. Off. 1 ow growing with cluster s of lovely Gen tian blue Gentiana L flowers on stems a bout 9 to 12 inch.es long in mid-summer when there ",r e practically no fl owers in th e )'ockery. Septemfida Grows ill either full sun or lig ht sh ade in any good garden soil. W ithstands lowest temperatures en coun­ tered during the w inter. The hottest days of sum­ mer do not trouble it. Gentian a Septemfida is just one of the hundreds of lovely and unusu a l things offered in our new spring GENTIANA SEPTEMFI DA catalog w hich w ill be sent to you free upon request. P er 3- $ 1.2 0 P er 12-$3.50 You w ill fi nd prices agreeably reduced. You will, al 0, find accurate d escriptions as well as complete cultura l instT u ctions. In fact, there is no other cata­ log like it. You have our absolute a su rance of the fin e t quality. It is those things that make us "FIRST CHOICE" for Hardy P lants and Rock Plan!'s. Wa.'1side ~().rdens

36 Men tor Avenu e, Mentor, Ohio AMERICA'S FINEST PLANTS AND BULBS 78 THE NATIONAL HORTICULTURAL MAGAZINE J an., 1933

GARDENERS' oI~ CHRONICLE FORMALDEHYDE DUST OF AMERICA A seed and so il treating co mp ound which controls seed­ Twelve m onths in the y ea r, where ver borne diseases, root rots and da mping-off of seedlings and cuttings. you li ve, the Gardb n ers ' Chronicle will b ring you t imely, practical informa tion S afe, E conomical a nd E asily Applied r egard ing your garden. E ach issue can· t ain s sound m a t erial, s imply written , b y m en a nd women w h ose kn o w~c:(i ge is built u pon experie nce and study. The Garden ers' Chronicle discuss'es n e w and unus ua l p la nts, y et it nev er n eg lects oI~ the older a nd m ore stable thing s . M onthly rev iews o f the R ock Garden, the COLLOIDAL SULPHUR F lower Garden a nd othe r branches are .A n eff ecti ve sulphur fu ngicide for F lowers, Vegetables. prepared by exp erts . There is abunda nt Fruits, Ornamental Shrubs and Trees. m a te rial for a lpin'e e n t husiasts. :May safely be used through the entire grow ing season R emains in suspension without agitating. Does not burn, Accept our tria l offer o f s ix issues for and does not clog nozz le. Pleasant to usc. Control red On e D olla r. The regula r rate is T wenty ­ spider and scale i nsects. fi ve Cen ts ver cop y, or T wo D olla rs per Send for circul ar, testimoni als and price list. year .

GARDENERS' CHRONICLE S22-L F ifth Avenue, CHEMICAL COMPANY N ew York City MarineHe, W';conlin Modesto, California

IRISES I STAR * ROSES ESPECIALLY Still suprem e in quality yet prices are the lowest at wh ich these selected American Introductions No.1 plants have eyer been offered.

MAY BE FOUND Add to your* gard* en *pl easu.res by "Over-the-Garden- Wall" growing some of the new, gaIly col­ ored Roses such as Condesa de Sas­ Mrs. L. W. Kellogg, Owner tago or Federico Easas_ 60 N . Main St. W. Hartford, Conn. Make your choice from 34 No:velties, including 6 from sunny Spam, 11 from France, 6 from Germany and others from England, Holland ~d RARE PLANTS far off but Rose-minded Austraha. Something new and worth while from the four U. S. A. contributes 7, in all a mag­ corners of the globe--but nothing cheap. Small nificent array to select from to bloom booklet just out. in your garden next June. ROBI NSON'S NURSERY Sebastopol, Calif. A LL STA R ** ROSES * ARE GUARANTEED* The Glen Road Iris Gardens Send for new 1933 catalog showing O FFER NEW INT RODUCTION S 32 loveliest Roses in Natural Colors. a nd a critical selection o f STANDARD VARIETIES lhe Conard-Pyle Co. Star Rose Growers You r want list will receiv'e p romp t a ttention GRACE STURTEVANT ROBL PY LE, . Pres. -West Grove 530, Pa. WELLESLEY FARMS, MASS. Jan., 1933 THE NATIONAL HORTICULTURAL MAGAZINE 79

The NEW ALPINE ROSE RARE ENGLISH ROSA ROVLETTI FLOWER SEEDS 3 in. pot $1.00 each LE-MAC NURSERIES HAMPTON, VA. 1933 illustrated catalogue, the most comprehensive ever published, 4,305 different kinds of flower seeds de­ JAPANESE FLOWERING CHERRIES scribed. FLOWERING APPLE AND CHINESE MAGNOLIA

America's Finest Collection in all varieties and sIzes.

Send for Book Free on Application to Wohlert of Narberth, Pa. THOMPSON & MORGAN 939 Montgomery Ave. Ipswich, England

+U_IIII _ IIII _ ml _ IlII _ OU' _ IIII _ '"'_ "" _ IIII _ IU' _ IIII _ IIII _ "+ ! I 1 YOU R PATRONAGE ! ! OF OUR ADVERTISERS ! 1 I ! MEANS PROSPERITY ! I TO THE MAGAZINE ! Larger Than I I a Wedding Ring I m:l ! 1 ~ ! Selected and bred for large, ! The advertisers herein are I delicious, crispy smooth ber­ I ! ries, and vigorous, productive, I dealers with a high reputa- I beautiful bushes. Strong, j tion for quality material I healthy plants, true to name-Aristocrats for I and square dealing. Giye i your garden. 1 them your orders and do I I not fail to mention the I Whitesbog Blueberry Nurseries [ i Joseph J. White, Inc. j Magazine. I WHITESBOG, NEW JERSEY j ]. S. ELMS, Artyt. Mgr. i i K ENSINGTON, MARYLAND i I i ,". _ •• _ III1_ •• _ IIM _ •• _ ••__ •• _ •• _ III1 _ •• _ . _ •• _ .+ 80 THE NATIONAL HORTICULTURAL MAGAZINE J an., 1933

THE AMERICAN IRIS SOCIETY t

The American Iris Society, since its organization in 19~0, has published 45 Bulle­ tins which wver every phase 0'£ iris growing and should be useful to all gardel'lers. The SocieJty has copies of all hut three of these Bulletins for sale. A circular giving list of contents of each Bulletin, price, eJtc., may he secured from the Secretary, J. B. Wallace, 129 Church Street, New Haven, Conn. In order to dispose of surplus stocks of some numbers we offer 6 Bulletins (our selection) for ~1.00. Through an endowment given as a memorial to the late Bertrand H. Farr the American Iris Society is able to offer free to all Garden Clubs or Horticultural Societies the use of our traveling library. This hbrary contains all books ever published on Iris and a wmplete file of the bulletins of this society and The English Iris Society, and miscellaneous pamphlets. The library may be borrowed for one month without charge except the actual ex­ press charges. Orgal'lizations desiring it should communicate with the nearest of the following offices: Horticultural Society of New York, 598 Madison Avenue, New York City Mrs. Katherine H. Leigh, Missouri Botanic Garden, St. Louis, Mo. Sydney B. Mitchell, School of Librarianship, Berkeley, Calif.

APPLICA TION FOR MEMBERSHIP

I desire to be acltnitted to ______membership in THE AMERI- CAN HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. Remittance of $3.00 is enclosed (of which the sum of $2.00 is for a year's subscription to the National Horticultural Magazine). N an1e ______

Add r es s ______. ______

S peci al J n teres L ______.. ______.______

Date .______.. Recommended by:

Checl?s sho ~t,ld be made pa')lable to The Ame1'ican II orticu,zt1Jwal Societ')l and sent to C. C. Thomas, Sec1'eta1'Y, 211 Sp1'uce St., Talw111a PaTk, Md. The American Horticultural Society

I NVITES to membership all persons who are interested in the devel­ opment of a great national society that shall serve as an ever growing center for the dissemination of the common knowledge of the members. There is no requirement for membership other than this and no reward beyond a share in the development of the organization.

For its members the society publishes THE NATIONAL HORTICULTURAL MAGAZINE, at the present time a quarterly of increasing importance among the horticultural publications of the day and destined to nIl an even larger role as the society grows. It is published during the months of January, April, July and October and is written by and for members.

The American Horticultural Society invites not only personal mem­ berships but affiliations with horticultural societies and clubs. To such it offers some special inducements in memberships. Memberships are by the calendar year.

The Annual Meeting of the Society is held in Washington, D. c., the second Tuesday in February and members are invited to attend the special lectures that are given at that time. These are announced to the membership at the time of balloting.

The annual dues are three dollars the year, payable in advance; life membership is one hundred dollars; inquiry as to affiliation should be addressed to the Secretary, Mr. C. C. Thomas, 211 Spruce Street, Takoma Park, D. C.