The NATIONAL HORTICULTURAL MAGAZINE

I ' JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN HORTICULTURAL SoCIETY I J~{)AFt1{, 1950

• The American Horticultural Society PRESENT ROLL OF OFFICERS AND DIRECTORS July, 1949

OFFICERS President, Dr. Fred O. Coe, Bethesda, Md. First Vice-President, Mr. Frederic P. Lee, Bethesda, Md. Second Vice-President, Mrs. Robert Woods Bliss, Washington, D. C. Secretary, Dr. Conrad B. Link, College Park, Md. Treasurer, Mr. CarlO. Erlanson, Silver Spring, Md. Editor, Mr. B. Y. Morrison, Takoma Park, Md. DIRECTORS Terms expiring 1950 Terms expiring 1951 Mrs. Walter Douglas, Chauncey, N. Y. Mrs. Mortimer J. Fox, Mt. Kisco, N. Y. Miss Alida Livingston, Oyster Bay, N. Y. Mrs. J. Norman Henry, Gladwyne, Pa. Dr. David V. Lumsden, N. Chevy Chase, Md. Mrs. Arthur Hoyt Scott, Media, Pa. Dr. V. T. Stoutemyer, Los Angeles, Calif. Dr. Freeman Weiss, Washington, D. C. Dr. Donald Wyman, Jamaica Plain, Mass. HONORARY VICE-PRESIDENTS Mr. W. E. Walton, Pres., Mr. Harold Epstein, Pres., American Begonia Society, American Rock Garden Society, 1415 Acacia Ave., 5 Forest Court, Torrance, Calif. Larchmont, N. Y. Judge Arthur W. Solomon, Pres., American Camellia Society, Dr. W. L. Ayres, Pres., 702 W. Anderson St., Purdue University, Savannah, Ga. Lafayette, Ind. Mr. Carl Grant Wilson, Pres., Mr. Wm. T. Marshall, Pres. Emeritus, American Delphinium Society, Cactus & Succulent Society of America, 22150 Euclid Ave., 228 Security Bldg., Phoenix, Ariz. Oeveland, Ohio Mrs. Oliver B. Capen, Pres., Dr. Joseph Ewan, Pres., Herb Society of America, American Fern Society, Bedford, N. Y. Tulane University, New Orleans 18, La. Dr. Robert Craig, Pres., Mr. Frank E. Moots, Pres., Cactus & Succulent Society of America, American Peony Society, 14326 E. Holt Ave. Newton, Kans. Baldwin Park, Calif. Mrs. Carroll S. Higgins, Pres., Mrs. Frances S. Belant, Pres., American Primrose Society, Midwest Horticultural Society, 2424 N. E. 32d Ave., 101 N. Central Park Blvd., Portland 12, Ore. Chicago 24, Ill. SOCIETIES AFFILIATED WITH THE AMERICAN HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY 1949 Amer.ican Association of Nurserymen, American Primrose Society, . Dr. Richard P. White, Exec. Secy., Mr. Carl Maskey, Secy., 636 Southern Building, 2125 5th Ave., Washington 5, D. C. Milwaukie, Ore. American Begonia Society, Mr. W . E. Walton, Pres., American Rose Society, 1415 Acacia Ave. Dr. R. C. Allen, Secy., Torrance, Calif. Box 687, Harrisburg, Pa. American Camellia Society, Box 2398 University Station Bel-Air Garden Club, Inc., Gainesville, Fla. Mrs. W. J. Schminke, Treas., Arlington County Garden Oub, 315 N. Beverly Glen, Mr. Wales C. Brewster, Pres., Bel-Air, Los Angeles 24, Calif. 3015 Second St., N., Arlington, Va. Benson Garden Oub American Fuchsia Society, c/o Mrs. D. M. Bowen, Headquarters: Calif. Acad. of Sciences, 4244 Burdette St., Golden Gate Park, Omaha, Nebr. San Francisco, Calif. American Iris Society, Cactus & Succulent Society of America, Mr. Sam Caldwell, Secy., Dr. Robert Craig, Pres., 444 Chestnut St., 14326 E. Holt Ave. Nashville 10, Tenn. Baldwin Park, Calif. PubUcation 01llce, 8l1nd St. and Elm Ave., Baltimore, Md. Entered al .&

Vol. 29 Copyright, 19 50, by THE Al\·IERI C .. \ N H ORTI CULTt.:RAL SOC IETY No.1

JANUARY, 1950

CONTENTS

Hardy Herbaceo us Ground Covers STEPHEN F. HAMBLIN ______

Shrubs from the Colorado Rockies I KATHLEEN MARRIAGE 6

Ipheion uniflorul11 ALFRED BATE ______8

Cascade Chrysanthemums JOH N L. CREECH ______11

Rhododendron Notes : Notes on Old Varieties of Indian Azaleas B. Y. MORRISON ______15

A Book or Two ______27

Gardener's Pocketbook: Notes on the Palms. Copernicia Baileyana Leon. ALEX HAWKES ______39 Six Plants from South Florida Gardens ______41 From Florida: Crinums OLIVE P. BA LDVVI N ______47 Early Magnolias ______47 Jobs for Retirement ______47 A b elio p11 yllum d is he 11~ ( 1'/ L ______.______48 This and That ______50

Published quarterl)' by The America n H orticultural Society. Publication office, 32 nd St. a nd E lm Ave., Baltimore, nid . Editorial offi ce, Room 821, W ashington Loan and Trust Builrling, Washington, D. C_ Contributions from all members ara cordially invited a nd should be sent to the Editori al offi ce. A subscription to the magazine is i nduded in the annunl du es to all members ; to non -memb ers the price is five dollars a year.

11 The National Horticultural Magazine

Voillme Twenty Nine

Washington, D. C. 1950 Copyright A m e rican H o rtic ultural Society, 1950 CAMELLIA ]APONICA • LURIE'S FAVORITE Hardy Herbaceous Ground Covers

STEPHEN F. HAMBLIN

These ground covers are to be used The only way to find out the best instead of grass to cover and hold the conditions for the growth of each of soil. They are not more than a foot these, and the conditions of the limit tall , and are not to be cut by the lawn of their endurance. is to try them out mower. These are plants hardy to fro­ in your region under several different zen ground; for warmer regions there local s·oi l conditions. Would that more would be another list. These plants are gardeners would tryout all of these and sold by dealers as perennials, but such report their findings. This list could evergreen sorts as Thyme and Vinca be made much longer by adding more are really shrubs. A li st of true shrubs names, but here is a beginner's Ji st for of low stature would be another subject our northern states. In each list the for research. order of placing is approximately in This list is divided into two grotlps, degree of general usefulness, availabili­ those with evergreen foliage, as' Pachy­ ty or general use, at least as I know sandra, and those frankly deciduous. as them at present. Many other plants Lily-of-the-valley. Most of us prefer can be used often weedy by nature, that our soil cover be evergreen to be on especially in the deciduous group, as duty the year through, but in gardens Yarrow or Bouncingbet, but these for summer effect only, or where usu­ woul d not be used near the house; ally covered by deep snow the decidu­ while M itchella, Pyrola or Chimaphila ous sorts are wholly satisfactory. The are for woodland only. li sts are again divided into "sun" and HARDY HERBACEOUS . "shade," a>ccording to the usual prefer­ GROUND COVERS ence of the plant. Some plants, as Thyme or Moss Phlox grow well only EVERGREEN in fullest sun; they do not grow happily For full sun: under the shade of trees or shrubs. Thymus serpyllu.111~Mo th er - of ­ Some of the shade lovers. as Galax and thyme Mitchella, will grow in. very' dark T eucTiu111, chama edT),s- Chamaedrys places, as under Hemlocks or Norway Germander Maple, while others, as Pachysandra, Sa,tureia montana--Winter Savory wi ll grow also in much sun if there is Iberis se1npervi1'e17s-Evergreen some summer moisture. Or perhaps Candytuft shade is but on of twin factors, as the Phlox subulata--Moss Phlox "sun plants ask good drainage and the LiTiope spicata-Creeping Lily turf "shade" plants must have some mois­ S edu1n sarmentosum-Stringy ture all summer. If the shaded area Stonecrop is also definitely dry in summer, some P otentilla trid entata--Wineleaf -of the "sun" plants, as S edu'/n sarr11l~en ­ Cinquefoil f OSU111J or Aegopodium, grow exceed­ Dianthus plumarius-Grass Pink ingly well in shade, for the open lawn Dianthus deltoides--::;::-Maiden Pink would be much more dry-too dry for Armeria maritima-Common Thrift even these persistent pests. Veronica o/ficinalis-Drug Speedwell

[1 ] 2 THE NATIONAL HORTICULTURAL MAGAZINE Jan., 1950

For shade : Now a bit of comment on some of Pa.chysal1dra terlllillalis-Japanese the above. Pachysandra Thyme, in its many species (and sev­ Vinca m.inor-Colllmon Periwinkle eral named clones ) is by far the best Phlox stolonifera~Creeping Phlox soil cover in full sun, be the soil even Galax a.phylla.-Galax sandy and dry. This plant is a book S hortia galacifolia-Oconee-bells in itself (See NATIONA L HORTICUL­ Mitchella repe1'ls-Partridge-berry TURAL MAGAZINE, October 1946). The Ga.ultheria procu.1'I1b ens-Checker- forms of T. se·rpyllU1'/'l. usually are far berry Wintergreen too willing to grow and by creeping rlsa,ru,1'11. virginiClC1'n-Virginia \Vild­ rooting stems and flying seeds take gInger over wholly all the area in sun. In PO l'jIStic hu111 a.crostichoides­ shade it is very sickly. As first choice, Christmas-fern as crevice plants, the Woolly one (var. Pol'j l podi~t1 n v'ulga,re-Commol1 la1b uginosLl s) or the tiny white-flow­ Polypody ered form, var. alb,us. T. H erba-baro1'la, D ECIDUOUS T. C1:11!·icinus, or T. lan:icaulis, etc., have different funny odors and are creepers For full sun : of great vigor. In permanent clumps Aegopodiu1'/'l podograria-Bishops are Common Thyme (T. vbdgo.ris) and Goutweed T. hie11laJis and T. 11it-idus, little erect C oro'nil/a variar--Crown-vetch shrubs like a tiny Cotoneaster. Most Coronilla forms of Thyme are very efficient at Trifoliu111. re pens- \Vhi te Clover their job of covering all the soil in sun. Gypsophila 1'epe·l'/.s-Creeping Germander, the usual one with clark Gypsophila green leaves sharply toothed, is at least Pycna.nthe11'z,u111, jlexu,os'u,1'I1.-Slender two forms or species, one taller than Mountain-mini!: the other. Both have little odor (a Dennstaedtia pwnctilobula­ rare character in a Mint) and they Haysce nted-fern spread below ground by many matted For shade: roots. They can be kept in line as C o nvallaria, 1'l'iGjahs-Lily-of-the­ edgings, but their roots soon make valley large patches as plants. Pach.ysa,ndra procu1·nbens- Like the woody Thymes is Savory Alleghany Pachysandra (SahI1'eia, Micr01'fiben:o. and C o.la111,in­ Aj-l,(,ga 1' eptans-Carpet Bugle tha). They have narrow evergreen Mentha req1>tieni-Requien Mint leaves like to those of Iberis (but op­ Glecho111,a hed emcea-Gill-over-the posite), with whitish or pink clustered ground Mint flowers in late summer. Winter Lysi11wchia nbl'l'mn ula:ria-Money­ Savory is the most usual species, but wort the whole group is a large one, not well E pinr/,ed i·u/l/, macra nth 1f11'I-Longspur known. Thyme, Germander and Sa­ Epimedium vory will thus represent the small ever­ Vancouveria h.e,'t:andra, etc. green Mints for sunny places. Asarum can,adense-Canada Wild­ Evergreen Candy tuft is ideal as cov­ gl11ger er in sunny rocky places, with a sheet M a,ianthe111,um canade11se-Canada of white in May. There are dwarf Beadruby. form s, as compacta, Little Gem or Jail., 1950 THE NATIONAL HORTICULTURAL MAGAZI NE 3

Snowflake, and related I . tenorealla, I . binder in steep places 111 the rock se/'l1,perji01'ens, I. saxatilis, etc. I would garden. like to have all these in adjacent beds, Many species ot Dianthus, with thei r true to name, to see their differences smaller Carnati on fo liage, are excellent and values. for foliage alone. on sunny slopes. T he The same observations for Moss usual big P inks get leggy in the years, P hl ox and its kin. You don't have to and require a close hair-cut. The dwarf­ g row onl y the magenta ones nor those er species, as Cheddar P ink, are hetter that spread too rapidly by creeping as cover in small areas. Maiden P ink stems or self-sown seeds. Try also P. spreads by runners as well as by seeds bifida, P. bl'ittoni, P. hla.cin.a, P. froll ­ dnd is almost a pest. Keep it away dosa and others that stay in tighter from the usual collection of P inks. clumps than the usual Moss species. When not in bloom its stems and fol­ There is a long li st of the dwarf ever­ iage resemble those of Thyme, but green P hl ox species from our western there is no fragrance. mountains. Thrifts have green tufts of fo liage High on the li st is Lily turf, with and pink heads of fl owers. When the glossy strap-like leaves and stolonifer­ tufts get large they become dead in the ous roots, like to Convall ari a." There middle and must be divided. Some are pink Muscari spires in summer and Veronicas are evergreen and can be black berries later. This is wholly soil covers. The best evergreen foliage hardy to deeply frozen ground. L. is on that weed establi shed from Eu­ muscmr·i and L. gra·/'ninifolia I have not rope, Drug Speedwell , but the fl owers yet tried. The related 0 phiopogoJl are few and pale. (Mondo) . M. japO'1",icu11'L and M . ja­ For evergree n cover in shade there buran, have wider leaves, but rarely are other plants as good as Pachysan­ survive deeply frozen ground. These dra. My complaint is that it grows too two groups are evergreen relatives ot well and is too dark in color. At times Convallaria on a par with Vinca and I li ke the variegated form, the white Pachysandra as evergreen cover. margins giving Iittl·e highlight areas. Sedums should not be mentioned in Our hardy Vinca has no real com­ a high-brow essay, but at least a dozen petition as cover for shade. I suggest species are evergreen cover for sunny the white flowers for the deep shade. spots, as S edU1% a,C1'e, S. se%angu,la.rc, The rosy fl owers are little dabs of red S. alb"',111., S. stolon:ife,rwm, etc. But the meat; the doubles are not of picture most pestiferous is Stringy, with run­ value (double blue or rose). Bowles ning stems of alternate leaves and few form has much larger blue flowers, yellow flo wers. In sun or shade it more of them and for a longer season. The plants with yellow variegation (or takes over completely and smothers all white, whi ch I do not have) give flecks its relatives. - of sunlight in darkest places, as under On our mountainsides in moist acid a Hemlock. soil in full sun our Wineleaf Cinque­ In bloom the Creeping P hlox looks fo il is our best natural cover. In sum­ like a blue or lavender sister of P. di­ mer there will be little panicles of tiny va1'ica.ta. In creeping stems it is li ke white fl owers, and winter foliage is an evergreen Moneywort, while its wine-colored. The matted roots make central rosettes are entirely unlike dense sods so it is also a good soil Moss P hlox. There are two color THE NATIONAL HORTICULTURAL MAGAZI NE Jan., 1950

forms. a lavender and a biue while hy­ The deciduous plants can have short­ bri ds are P . procumb(,lIs. sold as P . er comment. Chief of deciduous weeds v('J'lIa. and P . G'/'/lloena. This species is that small Parsnip that the goats ate gives the most fl owers of any ever­ or which cured gout. Usually the vari e­ green shade cover. gated fo rm is most common. E ither For heavy evergreen leafage I make form is so persistent that only a bull­ great use of our Galax. The clumps dozer can remove it and its roots must increase but slowly, so either a thick be deeply buried in a fi 11 to kill it. planting at start. or a wait or several Crown-vetch has the many leafl ets of years for a finished effect. But thi s is other Vetches, a perennial Clover with the best plant to stay in place of this rounded pink Clover-heads in a tangled li st. In winter there is a great deal of mat a foot deep. Only removing all the bronze and red in this foliage. A small soil will di spose of it. Little White sister is S hortia galacifol-ia, widely Clover is my . favo.rite field cover in grown for round evergreen leaves and place of grass, but it dies out in a year white bell s for fl owers. or so and grows permanently inside the For detailed woodland scenes the tuft of some rare alpine. Creeping bes t cover is Partridge berry. It can be Baby's-breath grows from a central moved any day of the year, to leafmold root, with little white or pink stars. Of an d a few waterings. Chi ogenes and the many small Pink family weeds L innaea are similar little creepers, but (Cerastium, Chi ckweed, Arenari a, Stel­ they require almost bog wetness. O ur laria, etc.) it is perhaps the best as an Checkerberry is truly a shrub, but it ornamental cover crop. Our native is mostly matted roots. Large sods can woodland Mountain-mints h a v e a be moved easily any day of the year, Thyme fragrance on slender Monarda even to full sun if the soil is acid hu­ plants, the little whorls of flowers mus. The related Chimaphila and Py­ white. rola are not easily domesticated, nor do Many ferns are sun-lovers. Simply they make a close cover. Checkerberry as cover I like large transplanted sods is the best cover of the H eath family. of Hayscented, for fragrance as well as Our northern Wildginger is truly fo liage. It spreads mostl y by roots, deciduous, but the species from V ir­ whi le the similar Lady-fern (AthYl r.ium ginia and O regon are truly evergreen filix-fo e1Q1ina) spreads by spores also and hardy. It takes a bit of time to and is soon a plain pest. grow them to large clumps, but they For shade, Lily-of-the-valley I S do not spread, so they keep exactly standard procedure. Darker in leaf is where put. the pink form, the fl owers of meat Several Ferns are evergreen and color. Fortune's Giant is much larger manageable. Christmas-fe rn wi lt grow than type, and the rare double is of in­ anywhere that there is leafmold and terest. A recent find is var. stn:ata, the acid moisture. Though it stays in large ribs of the leaf quite yellow- sunrays clumps, thes·e in time smother neigh­ in the shade. boring Violets and such small plants. 'The All eghany P3!chysil.l1dra has large Polypody will not grow on soil, burt pale green leaves, and really showy upon rocks or fallen logs. On trans­ fl owers appear with the new unfolding planting this vegetable rug. water well leaves. Though offered by only a few for a season an d expect a slow recov­ dealers in native plants it is fully as ery. wo rthy as its Japanese relative. Jan., 1950 THE NATIONAL HORTICULTUH.AL MAGAZINE 5

The dwarf Bugle is another Mint cover to keep falling apples from the pest (no fragrance), like its relative, dirt of the s·oil. It was grandmother's Selfheal. The central rosettes are most­ next choice after Vinca. ly evergreen. but runners persist where Epimediul11 has Columbine foliage they have rooted. The flowers can be and little Barberry blossoms in all col­ pink or whi te, and there are ro y, ors. T hi s leafage is good all SlU11mer, bronzed, purple and variegated fo rms and perhaps it is first choice of decidu­ of foliage. The plant wilts badly in ous foliage and dainty flowers. Our drought, but does not die. The smallest PCllcific Vancouveria (three species) has and most spicy of Mints is the little foliage even more divided and dainty one fr0111 Corsica, not too hardy in zero little whi te. yellow or lavender flowers. soils. It is merely a thread or film of Throughout our Pi ne woods runs the green with Peppermin t flavor when little " wil d Lily-of-the-vall ey" (Mai­ stepped upon. The depressed Catnip anth.e111-~(,m) the li ttle round leaves is Gill-over-the-ground, a creeper with good all summer, the little white flowers pinkish flowers and Catnip fragrance. ashine in li ttle spires in May, the little Our forebears used it greatly-or rath­ red berries as food for bi rds in winter. er it escaped from them. It is much less It is our natural woodland ground­ dense than Bugle and big weeds crowd cover, but not too coml11on to be trans­ into its bed. planted at any time. The species from Moneywort gr·ows all over the northern Asia and Alaska (lVI. ka111,t­ ground and with the paired round schati.w .1n) has much larger foliage leaves appear in June a pair of golden but similar fl owers. fl owers of penny size. It is the best Lexington, Mass.

OUR FRONTISPIECE In using a color plate in this issue shows in various parts of the country. . of the magazine, it was the thought of Vvhether or not it is known in the areas the editor to make it an official greet­ where camelli as must be grown under ing to the new members of the Society glass is something that the editor has who have come to us from the Ameri­ no way of knowing as yet. Perhaps can Camellia Society. It is a reproduc­ some of our readers wi ll know and tion of one of the plates in Dr. Hume's write in? famous book, and was chosen from In one way it represents also one of among those that have not as yet been the preferences of the editor for the used in the yearbooks of the American informal type of fl ower, rather than Camellia Society. It is of interest to for the most symmetrical of the com­ those members of our own Society who pletely double types. Being a preju­ may not have seen Dr. H ume's book as diced person, the editor admits that he well. It is also of interest to us si nce the still finds greater pleasure in the nearly variety was originated by Mr. K. Sa­ single fl owers and each year when wada who i.JeJ.ongs to both societies and Lady Clare covers herself with her gor­ has had an important share in the pro­ geous blossoms in the Mississippi gar­ duction of an interesting se ri es of den, she seems lovelier than the year camellia clones. most of which are now before. \,yhen Lurie's Favorite is named and many of which are begin­ added to the collection, it may be that ning to be shown in local camellia she will have a rival. Shrubs From the Colorado Rockies I

KATHLEEN MARRIAGE

Contrib utions from the Rocky Moun­ and seed. T he plant is easy to grow and ta ins to gardens have been extensive is fairly tolerant of unpleasant condi­ and valuable chiefl y in coni fers :l11 d ti ons but it prefers an extremely porous perennial fl owers - Blue Spruce and and poor soil. In rich garden soil it Colorado Columbine are well known looks ov·erfed and looses much of its examples. charm. Native deciduous trees and shrubs FendleTa rup'icola are not plent iful in thi s region but there F or years we had been hearing about are some shrubs of defin ite value to the beauty of this shrub from various gardens, shrubs which when better fri ends who had gone fo r the Memorial known will have wider appreciation. Day trout fis hing in the Gunnison coun­ Two of these we would like to tell tryon the wes t slope of the R ockies. about: O ne friend brought me cuttings, an­ J amesia americana other seeds. the former too dry, the F endlera rup'icola latter too green. Last year at the end of Jamesia a1'neTicana is a reall y choice May we set off determined to find it. shrub closely related to Philadelphus. Report said it grows in river valleys Habit of growth vari es with condi tions. and here we looked and looked without I n the garden it may grow to four or success-except for the finding of other five feet high having erect stems with good things. enough twiggy laterals to give it a At last we spied it-lots of it .vaving bushy appearance. In the wild it pre­ its fl owers gail y on a dry sage-brush f.ers to grow near or between huge hill si de. No wonder the fi shermen rocks, often hanging by the toes from noticed it fo r its fl owers are unusually a narrow crevice, spreadin g out to lovely, pure whi te-four petals around make a choice decorati on perhaps fo ur a center well resembling the fl owers of feet wi'de and two feet high. O n a very ExochoTda gr(];nd-i jlora, good substance thin diet in the Rock Garden it retains but not .e nough to keep them steady fo r thi s reall y valuabl·e habit. Leaves are a photograph on a windy hill. smalli sh, one to two inches long taper­ In its nati ve habi tat here, and later ing towards the base, tomentose, deeply we fo und it in the Black Canon of the vein ed and they have a brilliant warm Gunnison it has erect stems with sparse red-brown autumn color. Blooming fo liage, leaves filiform about an inch season is from May to July according long, grey-green tomentose, in whorls to altitude. Seeds are slow about ri pen­ with long internodes. Each stand that ing. Flowers are round topped cl usters we fo und showed evidence of being of small w hite fl owers with enough browsed by deer resulti ng in a stubby pink on the outside of the tube to give topped appearance. Later we hope to a general pink-and-white effect. I ts know more about its garden prefer­ appeal is hard to define. T he just right ences; given ample drainage it "may pacing of the fl ower heads above the benefit from a li ttle fattening-up. In the well di tributed fo li age is probably part wild it was too lean, leaves too small of it. and too infrequent to make a weJl Propagation is by cuttings, layers clothed shrub. Its hardiness to extreme [6) Jan., 1950 THE NATIONAL HORTrCULTURAL ::vl AGAZI NE 7

Ka.thleen Marriage ] O1nesia amenCG nG cold a nd its lavish handsome fl owers garden effects produced with shrubs suggest fu ture popula ri ty. than ever before. Perhaps some of In these days when all home owner these less kn own species will add va­ are requesting plantings of easy inex­ riety and in terest. pensive main tenance there will be more Colorado Springs, Colorado Ipheion Uniflorum

ALFRED BATE

To those of us who have loved the Hookera uniflora, O. Kuntze 1891 Sprin g Star-flower and known it as N othoscordum uniflorum, Hoover Tri.teleia uniftora or as Brodi(J!a t£l1i­ 1939 (tentative) .flom~r even as Millo. !{I/.iftora is will Beauverdia uniflora, Herter 1941. be as great a surprise as it was to me \iVhatever else may be said about to learn that the two words which head common names of plants in this case this article form its authentic name. at least its name, Spring Star-flower. And they will be even more surprised has remain ed constant and fixed to learn that it had at least four other throughout all the botanical turmoil. names beside those listed above before The history of the plant including it finally rested as lpheion unijlont11~. its various christenings is interesting. Last year I started to write a plea In 1830 material was sent from Men­ for its use in north~rn gardens, for it doza in the Argentine to the botanist is far more hardy than books would John Lindley who gave the plant its have us believe. and a protest against first name Tr-itele·ia , meaning three, the habit of present-day bulb dealers complete-alluding to the perfect ter­ sending out the blue form instead of nary arrangements of the parts of the the white which I considered to be the flower, and ul1iftora, one blossom to a type. Then by accident I found it had stem. (Evidently Lindley did not been given an Award of Merit by the clearly define the genus which he had R. H. S. on April 6, 1948 under the created or overlooked some points in corrected name. Being a "curious gar­ his diagnosis or our plant would have dener" who wants to know about the rested secure under this most appro­ plant's history as well as to grow it priate name. A.B.) Where Lindley I started to trace down the synonymy. published the name Stearn does not This was not hard to do as I soon say; but Lindley later became editor of found Mr. W. T. Stearn, in The Gar­ the Botanical Register and in 1837 deners' Chronicle, p. 61. Aug. 14, 1943, published a color plate and full de­ had done practically all the work when scription, t.l931, in that magazine. In he restored the correct name. What the meantime bulbs were sent to Eng­ fo ll ows is a condensation of hi s article land again, this time from Buenos plus obs.ervations or insertions of my Aires, in 1832 ; and in 1833 Graham. own; as I may be incorrect in some of unaware of Lindley's name, published my statements I am placing them in a color plate and description in the parentheses with my initials. Botanical Magazine. t.3327. under the A complete li sting of the names our name Milia unijlorGr-M·illa being a plant has carried since its in trod uction genus created by the Botanist Cavan­ is as follows: illes and named for J . Milla a garden­ Triteleia uniflora, Lindley 1830 er to the Spanish Court. Milla uniflora, Graham 1833 Our own botanist, the much ma­ I pheion uniflorum, Rafi nesque 1837 li gned C. S. Rafinesque saw this plate Brodirea uniflora, Engler 1887 and was quick to see that the plant did Leucocoryne uniflora. Green 1890 not fulfill the requiremen ts of a Milla [8] Jan., 1950 THE NATIONAL HORTICULTURAL MAGAZINE 9

1. Horace McFarland Co. S p1'ing Star-flower: [ph eio14 unifiorwl1l and gave it a new name, [pheion ~£l1i­ the name as ,. Asphodel antique" but fio·ru11l , in 1837 and therewith created Stearn says it cannot be found in a new genus. He brusquely explained Greek writers or in Greek lexicons. 10 THE NATIONAL HORTICULTURAL 'MAGAZINE Jan" 1950

(However Rafinesque was a genIus pronoc1l1 ced ei ther .. i fton or ifaion" of and a law to himself , and while the which I prefer th e latter as with my scientists of hi s day ric1i cul·e d and small Greek r cannot understand how hounded him for hi s supposed mis­ a t sound can creep in displacing two statements as time passes he is bei ng vowels. found to be more and more correct in So much for the name. Now just hi sharp observations and quick in­ what is our plant's color in the type sight. And if I may hazard a guess, form? I think all who have grown it basing my surmise upon the mental have considered it to be a mi lk whi te short-cuts genius so often takes spurn­ fl ower with a more or less pale blue i ng the labored logic of more detai led or la v.ender flu sh at the edges and a explanation, Rafinesque may ' have nl edian stripe of the same color-en­ meant he considered the fl ower so' tirely milk white until old. Since the classicall y beautiful as to be compared war r have tried to get this white form with the asphodel of the antique Greek but every batch has been the blue orI l)oets. A.B.) violet form ev-e n when r had specifical­ No botanist paid onv at'ent;on to ly ordered the "type." And it was Rafinesque's name and i:l 1887 E ngler particularly annoying especially when renamed the plant Drodic{'Q ul7iflora I recalled that in the late twenties and placing it in the genus Smith had cre­ early thirties when I was trying to get ated and named for the Scotch cryp­ this dark form every order would turn togamist J. J. Brodi~. As these three out to be white. names are the onl y ones in common r was therefore quite surprised and u e we ne·ed not di scuss the later ones. not a little ·chagrined to find that both Stearn points out that Dr. Robert F. the color plates referred to above }Ioover , a Califo rnia:l, in the Bull eti 11 (t.1921 , Bot. Reg. and t.3327, Bot. of the T orrey Botanical Club, 1939, Mag.) depicted a blue fl ower, a quite excluded our nlant from the genera deep violet blue on a paler ground-in Triteleia and Brodicea as both these no sense could they be call ed " milk have corms as root stocks wher·eas our white" with a blu e median stripe. The plant is defi nitely a bulb ; and also as plate in the Bot. Mag. is a somewhat both these genera are confined to the li ght.er blue but in no sense approach­ western coastal region of U ni ted States ing white. And what was even more and extending down into Lower Cali­ disconcerting was that the exteriors of fornia. (M·iUa , a genus of bulbous the tepals and of the tube was strongly pl ants , is confined to the central strip pigmented with gre~n-I have never of Mexico extending north into south­ noticed more than a faint tinge of ern Arizona and New Mexico. A .B. ) green on any of the fl owers. I am in­ Hoover then tentatively suggested cli ned to think that the cooler damper placing it in the genus Nothoscordum. weather of England may have intensi­ This Stearn refuses as Rafinesque's fi ed the green pigment just as a cool name has pri ority and he then poin ts damp spring usually makes the doubl·e out that the genus - J phe1:o17 - i a Von Zion daffodil greener. definite group of bulbous plants of 9 A econd and more careful readin:; or 10 species native to U ruguay and of Stearn's article brought to notice a :\rgentina "and probabl y Chil e." footnote whi ch read, ',rrhe type has Therefore the Spring Star-flower must delicate bluish, starry fl owers, but he known as I p/wioll ~1111f1 on(11( and there -exist wh ite and porcelain-blue Jan., 1950 THE NATIONAL HORTICULTURAL MAGAZINE 11 forms and also forms with broader and old lady with the instruction to "plant narrower perianth-segments," and fur­ them about two inches deep and four or ther on, "pink-white or rose-tinted five inches apart and to lift them at the flowers" exist. So that settles that; end of the fourth year when you will but I still want the w11ite which I find a mass of bulbs." As she was think is lovelier-and I do not even lifting hers I could see what a mass care to see the rose-tinted ones. they had made-a band about three Its hardiness I can vouch for in inches wide with bulbs so close together northern New Jersey and in the area there was no soil visible between. After just north of New York City. It sends lifting they should be replanted almost up foliage in early December, some­ at once as unless one knows how to times by mid-November-and that dry them carefully they will deteriorate. foliage does not seem to be injured by While delicate noses detect a rather winter frosts or bitter cold even though garlic-like odor when the foliage has the ends of the leaves may be damaged. been bruised other delicate noses do It came through the very snow covered not seem to mind it as they notice the winter of '47-'48 and equally well faint and lovely fragrance of the flow­ through the very un-snow covered ers themselves. Pools and patches of winter of '48-'49 and flowered just as it are always delightful but the best use heavily after each. would be as an edging to a long garden I hesitate to advise a heavy soil for path where long stretches of both the my experiences have been with a quite white and the blue forms could be sandy soil and with an open loam that interspersed with drifts of crocus spe­ was slightly clayey but well drained. cies, muscari of various kinds and little It wants full sun or just a slight shade. jonquils and daffodils. My first bulbs were given me by an New Jersey

Cascade Chrysanthemums

JOH N L. CREECH*

The cascade chrysanthemums are a agricultural explorers were visiting the group of overhanging, small flowered Orient and went to the Botanical Gar­ typ:: s of CI1lYys(m"'the1l/"'~~1 'n wL.orifol%tm den at Seoul, Korea. There they saw a and C. indicu'I'l1o which in Japan are magnificient display of chrysanthe­ called mountain chrysanthemums, and mums, most impressive of which were in that country are displayed on posts the cascades-"in 12 inch pots about or walls where their long, hanging 16 inches deep and were of the droop­ stems may trail down with a multitude ing, trained sort." of blossoms. We have been familiar While cascade chrysanthemums are with cascade culture since around 1930 not a type, hut rather a method of when plants were first displayed in both training varieties with pliable stems the United States and England. Quite that produce a large numb.er ., of short interestingly, about the same time, two flowering shoots, the J crpanes'e have se­ lected some twenty such varieties and ' Division of Plant Exploration and Introduc· tion Bureau of Plant Industry, Soils and Agri· in this country there are also a number cult~ral Engineering, Plant Industry Station, B eltsville, Maryland. named seedlings, such as Jane Harte 12 THE NATIONAL HORTICULTURAL MAGAZINE Jan., 1950

Dorsett-U.S.D.A. Cascade Chrysanthemums, Seoul, K01'ea

(yellow), Anna (white) Pink Cas­ other shoots are pinched back and cade, Golden Pinwheel (a bronze never allowed to grow or compete with spoon) and W. 1. P. C. (yellow). the desired leaders. When only one These last two named varieties recent­ main shoot is kept, a considerably long­ ly originated at Smith College, North­ er cascade will be obtained, while work­ ampton, Mass., by William 1. P. Camp­ ing wi·th three leaders will produce a belP. None of these varieties will cas­ short, broader plant. cade naturally, and if left to themselves, To control the growth of the leaders, they will produce a number of long steel stakes are inserted into the pot at pliable stems that topple over in utter a 45 ° angle and each leader is tied to confusion. a stake with raffia or a similar material. The practice necessary to obtain a As the stem grows it is continually tied cascade plant consists mainly of a pro­ to the stake and all new shoots which gram of pinching and tying down of now will appear in the axils of the the many shoots that are produced. leaves are pichecl back to two or three Cuttings are taken between January leaves. These shoots will also break and April, early cuttings producing the and as each new shoot grows it again largest plants. When the rooted cut­ is stopped back to two or three leaves. tings are potted and grown to six This pinching and tying should be done inches, the tip of the shoot is removed at least twice each week until Septem­ to induce a number of lateral breaks of ber. Bamboo stakes may also be used which one to three are selected to be but are not as satisfactory as steel the leaders of the hanging branches; all which can easily be bent slightly each 'Oampbell , W. 1. P. The Cascade Chrysanthe­ week until the plants are growing in a mum. Parks & Recreation. Vol. 31 , pp. 593-596. 1948. horizontal plane. fan., 1950 THE NATIONAL HORTICULTURAL MAGAZINE 13

I. L. C. "Annd' "W.I.P.c."

The pots must eventually be raised in a more-or-Jess fan shape so that to a high enough platform or hanging every stem is pinned down. Here, the bench to allow the stems tD hang down. ties called "Twist-em" are very handy. The steel stakes can be replaced with If one desires, the cascade can be a strip of chicken wire which is hung grown by using the stakes throughout at the pot level and in length as long the entire program. This results in a as the plant may grow, probably six cascade that is not so flat as one grown feet . The stems are all tied to the wire on wire. 14 THE NATIONAL HORTICULTURAL MAGAZINE Jan., 1950

U Golden Pin,wheel"

When September arrives, pinching continued for another two weeks to­ should be discontinued at the basal part ward the terminal or lower part of the of the plant first, while the pinching is plant. The wire may now be removed Jan., 1950 THE NATIONAL HORTICULTURAL MAGAZINE 15 and the plants all owed to hang free. in this particular than if they were When hanging the plant, it should be grown in a bench. F ull sunlight is cauti'oned that the stem may snap and necessary when in the hanging position, should this happen, the stem may be and the plants shoul d face the south to bound at the wound with raffia. This prevent the fl owers from twisting about occurred with my plants when moving on the stems. one of the pots and a raffia binding While cascades are still exhibition spliced the stem together so that the varieties, it is possible that we might wound completely healed. find a place for them in our outdoor Any chrysanthemum grown in a pot gardens against wall s and fences. This requires frequent repotting which is particularly so in the south when should be very firm to produce shQrt­ t here is less danger of early frosts. noded stems; this is true of the cascade First, however, we must learn patience types. Watering is especiall y impor­ and the willingness to give the plants tant and the plants need more attention the individual atten ti on they require.

Rhododendron Notes

CLEMENT G. BOWERS, Editor

Notes on Old Va,rieties was a pure white or double forms is of Indian Azaleas, 1950 not recorded though these are known In working with 'old van etles of from later records. " Indian Azaleas" one often wishes he The snow azalea CR. 11'IJ/Jl.C1'onatU11't) had access to the records of the men was knowu early but whether or not who produced them, but it is not with­ its lavender fo rm was in cultivation, out interest to examine them, or such even if not properly recogni zed as such, as can be found, and make one's own is doubtful. R. Kaempjeri, too, came conjectures as to their parentages. One early on the scene. recalls that in that early period when The less well ~nown R. phoe11iceum the ,first great enthusiasm began, "col­ was certainly there and finally R. lections" were reputedly made up of Simsii whi ch all agree turned the tide varieties that we should now call forms of azalea production from plants fo r of Rhododendron indicu111, Cth e Azalea the cold greenhouse to plants for gentle 11U1crarntha of gardens). How many winter forcing, with not much interest such there were or how wide the vari­ in plants fo r outdoor use si nce azaleas ations they presented is diffi'cult to esti­ of this group do not really flourish in mate, since early varietal lists of azaleas the lukewarm climates of Europe. often do 11'0 more than cite the flower Various conjectures have been made color, and usually there is no way to as to how these several species ceased tell which were scarl et reds and which to playa part in the general develop­ were rose reds with their subsidiary ment of the mongrel race that was first colors toward orange and pink, nor known as the " Indian Azaleas" and in their categories. Historically we be­ its latest forms is currently known as li eve that there was a striped sort and "Belgian," although the gap between another of rQse color with a white base these two groups is great enough, when to the corolla, but whether or not there one looks at the latter and compares 16 THE NATIOI AL HORTICULTURAL MAGAZINE Jan., 1950 them with the far from uniform varie­ Of the forgoing series, alba puncata, ties surviving from the earlier group, I veryana and Mme. Margottin, the first and even more so when one compares and last much alike, are whites with them with their putative ancestors. slight flaking of color. Whether these If, however, after having raised are seedling variants of the species, hy­ many thousands of h ybr i c~ ' seedlings brids between the species and the and having arrived at various working striped form (Wilson and Rehder, and, for the most part, satisfac tory hy­ Azaleas, A Monograph of page 26) or potheses, one ventures to suggest the sports, is a question. Of these three, species that dominate in the older "In­ only Iveryana as known to the writer dian Azaleas," it may seem foolhardy, has given self-colored sports, the color but it may also serve as a point for ,approaching that of the stripes. This cri tical study by other workers. No ,self-colored sport, which is constant, suggestion is offered at this time con­ does not resemble any known seedling cerning the "Belgian" azaleas as they of the species in the writer's experi­ now appear although certain guesses ence. If the "striped variety" cited seem likely to become working hypoth­ above was not in fact a variety but an eses. unknown hybrid, the chances are ex­ What follows, therefore, must be cellent that the clone that produces the considered as no more than data to striping is the plant known in trade as serve as a point of departure, useful for "vittata Fortunei," assigned by Vvilson the time being but still open to correc­ as a variety of R. Simsii. The writer tion. is not fully convinced that that assign­ ment is correct, but he has no other The plants examined have come suggestion to offer at this time and from nurseries only and were accepted lets it stand. and recorded as received with no at­ tempt at crical examination as to no­ Of the remainder, Brilliant, coccinea menclature, though certain names sug­ major, Due de Rohan, Marie Louise, gest local origins and some names are Miltoni, Pluto and "Salmon Pink" may obviously mispelled with the years of well be considered as seedling varia­ label writing in this country. If, there­ tions of the species itself, suspicion fall­ fore, it is reported that certain clones ing only on Pluto and Miltoni, this last appear to be identical, this may be true possibly belonging in the group of or there may have been mistakes in fill­ seedlings from Si1'l'tSU X indic~£m in ing the original orders. which Simsii is dominant and Pluto in From the plant breeder's point of the same group but with indicum domi­ view, the following clones may be con­ nant. sidered as either variants within the To a possible ancestry of indicum X species now known as R. i17.dicU171, L. or Simsii in which ·indicum dominates: hybrids in whicl1 that species is com­ Anthenon, Charles Encke, Criterion, pletely or almost completely dominant. Duke of Wellington, Glory of Sunning­ the alterations showing chi efl y in the hill, Pres. Claeys (not Pres. Clay as number of stamens (not a completely often given) and Pride of Dorking. Of dependable character) and in some of these, Anthenon, Charles Encke, and the color patterns. Alba punctata, Bril­ Criterion are probably sports from the liant, Coccinea major, Duc de Rohan, striped indicum ancestry, no matter Iveryana, Marie Louise, Miltoni, Mme. what the name of the clone. Margottin, Pluto, "Salmon Pink." To a possible ancestry of Simsii X Jan., 1950 THE NATIONAL HORTICULTURAL MAGAZINE 17 indicum in which one finds Simsii the sibly the double William Bull. dominant element, one finds: Caven­ No suggestions are made at this writ­ dishii ( Lady Cavendish) , George ing for the fine double white Flag of Franc, Perfection de Rentz, Prince of Truce though one suspects Simsii X Orange, Triomphe de Ledeberg, and 7:ndicum or for Harry Veitch which ap­ Zeke's Pride, with some likelihood that pears to be one generation beyond such George Franc, Zeke's Pride and Tri­ clones as George Franc in the direction omphe de Ledeberg represent some of the modern Helgians. back cross in the same blood line. A few varieties have not been pur­ These three come closer to modern chased as yet and a few varieties have "Belgian" azaleas in flower form and died out so that another survey must quality than any other of the old clones be undertaken of the balance in trade. known to the writer except Harry A few others have not been in flower Veitch, although there are marked dif­ at times when the writer could make ferences in foliage and in bush habit. observations, but their late blooming Although a further study of seedling habits make one believe that in them populations of R. Simsii from seed re­ indicum may well be the dominant fac­ cently imported from China may alt·er tor. the opinion, the writer is tempted to The varietal descriptions that follow look upon Dixie, Eulalie van Geert and were all taken at Pass Christian, Miss. the clone offered under the name of between January 27 and February 10, "Reddish Salmon purple throat" as 1950, an unusually advanced season, seedling variants of R. Simsii itself. and do not cover the entire collection, Accepting for the present Wilson's dic­ many varieties being still in bud there tum, the clones sold as "Vittata For­ as of February 10, e.g. Harry Veitch, tunei" and "Vittata Purple" should go William Bull, Venus, Flag of Truce, here. etc. In time they will be supplemented The plant sold in the trade as "in­ with notes on some of the remaining dica alba," properly R. mucronatum varieties from the writer's old garden G. Don, probably gave rise to "alba in Takoma Park, Md. survivors of a maculata" and was the parent of Field­ duplicate collection. There remain in er's White that varies chiefly from it in trade in southern nurseries a few other the excellence of the flower form, a named clones of 'Indian Azaleas' that slightly later blooming habit, more tol­ must in time be grown and examined erance of longer summers, and a slight in a similar fashion. alteration in foliage characters. From The writer realizes that there are it with some plant probably of R. in­ various possibilities of error but at dicum blood could have come Mme. present it is not possible to undertake Dominique Vervaene and from it with the collecting of all named clones from Simsii blood could have come elegans all nurseries to v.erify trade identities. (Pride of Summerville and apparently Whenever it has been possible to find Croemina) and also "Early Lavender." old descriptions in Vol. I of the Tuin­ Another group that stemmed from bouw Encydbpedie published in Am­ R. pho eniceum ... we have the selec;­ sterdam in 1938, they have been used tion Omurasaki. the reputed sport G. as a check, but not all of our plants are L. Taber and the hybrids: Formosa, listed there and one wonders about Praestantissima, Pride of Mobile, Vi­ such names as Dixie and Zeke's Pride comte de Nieuport, Violacea and pos- that appear to be of local origin. 18 THE NATIONAL HORTICULTURAL MAGAZINE J an., 1950

For many years there has been in­ alba p ~wbCt a, ta. Rather low spreading complete information on the cold-har­ habit, leaves small , dark green, modi­ diness in this group but enough time fied h1, d 'in~111.. type. Flowers, 1-2 'i'n has passed to show that most of them head, white with occasional flake or are much more cold res istant than had stripe of magenta (between Mallow been believed possible. These forms Purple and Rhodamine Purple) , S sta­ that seem closest to R. in.dicU11/'b seem mens. most cold hardy, with the 11 '/11, ~C 'r011;(], t 'b~1n, Br1:11ia.nt. Rather low spreading Si111JSvi and phoeniceH111/, derivatives in habit suggesting R. indicu1111 with foli­ descending scale. As could be imagined age of the same character. Flowers, the plants do not grow as luxuriantly however, 2-3 in head, and early as com­ in northern states as further south, pared with others of type. Rose Color though they are definitely in health. It with dots of blotch, Tyrian Rose. S is probable also that their ul timate stamens. height will be less. C a,vend'ishii (Lady Cavendish ). Bush Some of the clones are azaleas of habit spreading rather than erect. only second rate quality, if one com­ Leaves modified R. indicum type. pares them to the best within their own Flowers 1-2 in head, irregular in early group and many are now even less blooming coming into mass later, of valuable than other azaleas in other heavy substance, a little paler than La groups. At present, however, they are France Pink, the few dots of the blotch, and must remain the central core of Tyrian Rose. Pistil pale rose color, any plantings in the SDuth. filaments of the S stamens, white. For the gardener working within the Somewhat variable in COlOF from plant area where the Glenn Dale azaleas will to plant, perhaps due to propagation become the mainstay of the planting it from sport-branches. is hoped that we can eventually give coccinea 11Wj01'. Bush habit spread­ names of Glenn Dales that will dupli­ ing of R. indicUI/I/ll. type. Foliage dark cate the effects, even if the details are green and very persistent. Flowers 1-2 distinct. For example, the Glenn Dale in head, freely produced to make a bril­ vari ety R obinhood will give precisely liant show, Scarlet Red, the dDts in the same garden picture that the south­ blotch only a tri.fle darker and not con­ ern gardener will get from Vicomte de spicuous. Stamens S, pistil often de­ N ieuport, Sprite will answer for Early formed, not much evidence of natural Lavender, Louise Dowdle for Elegans seed formation. Lasts about a month and so on. Data for these comparisons in flow er and almost no sunburning. are more difficul t to collect now si nce Dixie. Although the plant is still most of the Glenn Dale clones are still young, this suggests in all bush habit such small plants that they do not, can­ and characters, a direct seedling of R. not give mass effects for comparison. Simsii. Very floriferous, carrying in alba. m.aculata. Rather loose strag­ gardens as orange salmon, darker than gling bush habit as yet, leaves possibly Eulalie van Geert but of the same color not as hairy as those of R. m~~ cronatu1111 sequence. F lowers 2-3 in head, R ose of which it appears to be a derivative Doree with suffused blotch of Tyrian possibly a direct seedling. 1-3 fl owers Rose. 10 stamens. in head, starry, faint green blotch, 10 Due de Rolwn. Bush habit spreading tamens, long style. No color flakes as rather than ereot, and of R . indicu111 yet to justify the name 'maculata.' type. Early fl owering for this type, Hardy in \iVashington, D. C. with general effect of a lively pink. Jan., 1950 THE NATIONAL HORTICULTURAL MAGAZINE 19

I . ; i,

/1, I / I,1/ 'IV' It1#' \ 1,I ( :::.- r '\1 H. - ALBA PUNCTATA

J~~ CAVENDISHI

CQCCINEA MAJO~ 20 THE NATIONAL HORTICULTURAL MAGAZ I ~E Jan., E'5Cl

DIXIE- Due de ROHAN

)~~ DUKE OF \VELLI NGT

/ \

EARLY LAVENDER.

f\'- Jan., 1950 THE NATIONAL HORTICULTURAL MAGAZINE 21

/

GEO~GE fRANC

~ G GLORY 'f SUNNINGHILL

~ "'- 22 THE NATIONAL HORTICULTURAL MAGAZINE Jan., 1950

'\ IVERYANA

~ PHOENICEA' ~ J an., 1950 T H E NATIONAL HORTICULTURAL MAGAZI NE 23

PRA[STA NT\ 55 IMA

PRINCE IlL ORANGE.of~ , 1 tI E NATIO:--iAL l lORTICULTURAL i\IAGAZI NE Jan., 1950

"REDDISH 5ALMONlURPLt THROAT"

/

~ r( / ~ ~

/

ZE.Kf.'.s PRID~'--~ 1// III Jan., 1950 THE NATIONAL HORTICULTURAL MAGAZINE 2S

Flowers 1-3 in heads, Begonia Rose blotch large and showy. of Tyrian Rose with dots of blotch Tyrian Rose but dots. 10 stamens. Hardy in \iVashing­ not showy. 8 stamens. ton, D. C. Duke of Wellington. Bush habit Glor·), of SU J·Jl?1:nghilt. Bush habit spreading rather than tall, but with broad rather than tall, but apparently some modification of the R. i nd ic UIlL will make a taller bush in time than habit. Foliage similar to that of iN ­ coccinea ·major. Leaves dark green, dicuw" and persistent. Flowers 1-2 in modified i·n-dintl1? type, very persistent. head, good substance, but some sun­ Flowers 2-3 in heads, freely produced burning. Begonia Rose with blotch of but slow to make mass effect. Spectrum Tyrian Rose dots. 10 stamens. Red; there are a few darker dots in the Early Lavender. Even earlier than not very conspicuous blotch. 5-8 sta­ Elegans in flowering in 1950 (an early mens. season) being almost out of bloom by Iveryal'1a. Bush habit broader than January 29. Rose Purple of color chart tall but eventually good height. Leaves but garden effect is pinkish lavender. ll1uch like those of R. indintm, but General habit of R. mucronatum seed­ somewhat modified. Persistent. Flow­ lings, flowers 1-3 in head, very freely ers 1-2 in heads, freely produced. Pure produced, 8-10 stamens. Hardy in white with a faint suggestion of a char­ Washington, D. C. treuse blotch and occasional flakes of Eulalie van, Geert. Like Dixie, the Spinel Pink. 5 stamens. Branch sports whole habit of bush suggests a direct of Spinel Pink or slightly darker self­ seedling of R. Si111Siti. Carries in gar­ colored flowers. One sometimes buys a den effect as pale salmon pink. color bush that turns out to be of the latter chart Geranium Pink. There is a little type which only means that the cutting fading of color as flower ages. Flowers came from a branch sport. There are 2-3 in head, freely produced and last­ no reversions to the striped forms on ing long in bloom. 10 stamens. Hardy record. Hardy in Washington, D. C. in Washington, D. C. Miltoni. Bush habit broader than F Or11'bOSa. Very large and vigorous tall, compact. Leaves modi fied indicu111. shrub usually a little broader than tall type. Flowers 1-2 in head, freely pro­ but tall enough in time. Foliage hcavy duced, petal lobes poorly . shaped (see and persistent, leaves large and coarse ; drawing page __. . ), Deep Rose Pink, flowers 1-3 in heads, very freely pro­ with definite blotch of Tyrian Rose duced, Mallow Purple of the color dots. 7-10 stamens. Hardy but not chart, the dots of blotch Tyrian Red, happy in Washington, D. C. but effective only as warming the color lJli11?e. D0111/.iniq-ue Vervacne. General of the whole flower. Stamens 8-10, bush habit like that of R. 'N!HC'ronatu1'n ; short filaments. foliage somewhat similar to tha:t of George Fmn.c. Bush habit broader that species but often smaller in general than tall but of fai r size inti me. Foliage dimensions, Flowers 1-2 in heads, of heavy and persistent but not as llluch very fine form, ground color white al­ so as that of Formosa. Flowers 1-3 most entirely overlaid save on margins, in heads, freely produced, early, in gar­ with La France Pink. The very con­ den effect carries as a lively rose color; spicious blotch is of small dots of color chart, Deep Rose Pink with un­ Tyrian Rose to darker. 7 stamens. dertone of Strawberry Pink (yellow­ Hardy and good at Vvashington. D. C. ish) that fades out as flower ages, with winter killing of flower buds only 26 THE NATIONAL HORTICULTURAL MAGAZINE Jan. , 1950 when that occurs with R.mucrO IUl.tw'IL with small blotch of Carmine dots. 10 itself, which is rarely. stamens. Hardy in Washington, D. C. M111,e. M a1'gotti11 . Bush habit broader but fl ower buds kill in severe win ters. than tall. Foliage of a modified R. 'i11 - Praesta,ntissi1'n.a. Bush habi t vigor­ dicU111, type, moderately persistent. ous, probably making in time plants as F lowers 1-2 in heads, good fo rm, rath­ large as those of Formosa. Leaves er close to those of alba Pb~n.cta, ta ex­ broader than many, persistent. Flowers cept that the occasional stripes and 2-3 in heads, freely produced, late mid­ flakes in this case are of light Rosolane season, good substance but not attrac­ P urple. 7 stamens. tive form, almost Tyri an Rose in color Perfection de Re11,tz. Bush habit with an inconspicuous blotch of A ma­ broader than tall, dense and twiggy. ranth P urple dots. 5 stamens, short Foliage li ke that of R. 'indicum but fil aments. A di ffic ul t color in gardens. with more rounded leaf tips. F lowers Pres. Claeys. Usually offered as 1-2 in heads, white with pale char­ Pres. Clay, a name fo r which no au­ treuse blotch. Very good fo rm and sub­ thority is fo un d. The vari ety as now stance, usually 6 stamens. Hardy at grown does not confo rm to the original 'lvashington, D. C. The name prob­ description but is probably a self-col­ ably should be PerfectioN, as de Rentz ored sport from the original white mar­ was a br·eeder and grower in Belgiu m. gined fl ower. Bush habit broader than Phoenicea. V igorous bush almost as tall but not reall y spreading. Modifi ed broad as tall, of general branchi ng habit Si111Sii habit. F lowers 2-3 in head, free­ of R. 1%u. C'ronatum~ style but with leaves ly produced. Between Begonia Rose less hairy and hanging in a curious and Spectrum Red. 8-10 stamens. manner that seems very characteristic. P'ride of Mobile. In general bush F lowers 2-3 in heads, very freely pro­ habi t much like P raestantissima. Flow­ duced and making as much of as show ers usuall y 2-3 in heads, heads often as those of Formosa. General landscape grouped. Good substance, in color be­ effect almost identical and equall y diffi­ tween Deep Rose P ink and Rose Color, cult. Rhodamine Purple with blotch of the dots of blotch, Pomegranate P urple Tyrian Rose dots. F ragrant, mid-sea­ (which is a brownish purple) usuall y son. 10 stamens, short fi laments. Bare­ 9 stamens. O ne of the standard vari e­ ly hardy in Washi ngton, D. C. It woul d ti es fo r bold not subtle midseason ef­ seem that there may be several clo nes fects in South. in cul tivation unde r this name, varying Prince of Omnge. At least during sli ghtly in in tensity in color. Presuma­ the earlier years, bush habi t much more bly this is R. phoenicebt1n, a species spreading than erect, and fl ower mass­ about which Wilson had some doubts. es often hidden by the younger over­ 01nu.ra.saki is assigned to thi s species topping shoots. Foliage dark green. as a variety. It is distinct and hardy in somewhat li ke that of Formosa but \Vashington, D. C. smaller. Flowers 2-3 in heads, of good Pluto. Bush habit broad spreading fo rm and substance, Nopal Red, with rather than erect, densely twiggy with an inconspicuous blotch of Cann ine excell ent persistent fo liage of indicum dots. 5 stamens. Late, no fading color. type. Flowers 1-2 in head, freely pro­ "Reddish Salmon, P~~rpl e T hroat" duced, a few stray fl owers often ap­ Habit very much like that of R. Si11~ii. pearing early before main mass. Ex­ Very fl orife rous, 2-3 fl owers in head, a cellent form and substance, Scarlet Red li ttle darker than Begonia R ose with a Jan., 1950 THE NATIONAL HORTICULTURAL MAGAZINE 27 rather suffused bl otch of Tyrian Rose head, between Mallow Purple and dots. Some sun burning. 8-10 stamens. Rhodamine Purple of color chart w;th Tri01nphe de Ledebe·rg . Bush more a very few inconspicuous darker dots spreading than tall with heavy dark in the blotch area. 8-10 stamens. green persistent foliage. Flowering Violacea. Vigorous bush, erect rath­ branches usually overtopped by young­ er than wide-spreading with dark green er shoots. Flowering intermittent over persistent foliage. Late mid-season. a long period. Flowers 1-2 in heads, Flowers 2-3 in heads, Rhodamine Pur­ large, very fine substance, carrying in ple, blotch inconspicuous, 7-8 stamens. garden effect as pure orange but actu­ Zeke's P1'ide. Vigorous bush, erect ally Begonia Rose with a blotch of rather than wide-spreading, with abun­ Tyrian Rose dots that accentuate the dant medium green persistent foliage. 'orange' effect, 8-10 stamens. The clone Flowers 2-3 in head, heads often grown here is not that described in the grouped, Geranium Pink shaded Rose Tuinbouw Encyclopedie. Doree with showy blotch of Tyrian Vic01'nte de Nie~~port . Vigorous Rose dots. Some sunburning as flowers bush, erect rather than spreading with age, but less than in George Franc. 10 ex·cellent persistent foliage. A few stray stamens. flowers before the main bloom period ·Washington, D. C. which is mid-season. Flowers 2-3 in B. Y. MORRISON.

A Book or Two

Gardens of China. Osvald Siren. The architects will not embrace Chinese Ronald Press, New York, 1949. gardens as such, but look only for the Illustrated in color and black and essence, that essential inner something white. $30.00. that China inherited from India, The editor is honored to depart from touched with her own hand and modi­ the usual type of book review and fied with a later fragile patina of world­ prints his appreciation of Dr. Dye's liness. (Dr. Dye says much of this but willingness to take time to write for us the edi tor feels in too kindly a fashion.) in the midst of his own writing pro­ His advice would be to borrow the gram and to Mr. Harkness our thanks book first from your library, examine for sharing his interest in China. The the horrible examples of what China editor also has been in China, visited did with our art expression and then long ago, and with a younger fresher beware unless you are prepared for a eye than now, but he still recalls much longer discipline than is acceptable to of it and takes only a short look in the most moderns. sketch note books of the period to bring The pictures are from Mr. Harkness it all back, even to the smells of the to whom again, we offer our thanks. stagnant pools and moats and the curi­ Our advice is to buy the book when ous odors that identify all lands for all you can get the necessary money. I peoples. But he reacts now, as then, did myself, so do not feel that I am and hopes with all his heart that our leaning on editorial privilege. In clos­ designers and architects and landscape ing, my apologies to Dr. Dye and Mr. 28 THE NATIONAL HORTICULTURAL MAGAZINE Jan., 1950

Harkness for ha\'ing written a pream­ the super-book that we vvere expecting ble. of the distinguished author. 'Why were I.-A Review. Daniel Sheets Dye, we not one hundred ten percent thrilled Profe sor Emeritus, \Vest Chin a and sli ghtly less than one hundred per­ Union University. cent satisfied? Vve were expecting too The senior revie\\'er had the real much of one man . privilege in ~9-J. -J.-1 945. of introducing \\1e make hold to suggest that in the the junior reyie\\'er to gardens and next edition the following suggestions gardens - once - remoyed of Chengtu, be considered and evaluated and then \\' est China and its envi rons. T he two­ revision be made .... man team sa V\" many-fold more than a. The volume would be much more either alone. for their fi eld are COI11 - functional if it were divided in to two, plementary. As soon as Gardens of with the letterpress in Volume I and China was advertised, the junior re­ the illustrati ons in Volume II. Then viewer suggested that we combine to the worker could place the volumes pay our respects to thi s masterl y ·wo rk. side by side and "look-see" again and The world of art and of gardening again as he reads. must walk around by the study door of b. As a tool, it would be more COI1- that indefatigable traveller, photogra­ venient if the drawings and cuts were pher, coll ector and stucient - Osvald numbered from 1 to 90, to be followed Si ren. Here is the work that will be by the colored pages from 91 to 100, definitive fo r a generation, probably. and then to IJe concluded by the plates The student of things Chinese must num bered from 101 0 11 . (How many consult this work of erudition . The hours through the years have been lover of the beautiful should go over wasted looking up illy-numbered and this work carefully with a judicial eye. interlarded letterpress, cuts and plates !) T he creative archi tect cannot afford to c. References to plates in the letter­ ignore such a rare assemblage. The press should come early on in the para­ " master carpenter" will do well to graph rather than holdi ng up the reader study the architectural ornament with for forty-three lines before permitting an appraising eye. The landscape gar­ him to see what he is reading about­ dener wi ll revel in the illustrations. fo r gardens are to be seen before they T he rock-gardener wi ll find it a tool are to be described effectively-to most or an inspiration-depending upon his people. (The 43 lines is an average or her natural and cultivated endow­ count for several "suspensions.") ment. F urthermore, here is a book d. One reader would like the plates that should be a challenge and an in- entitled: Palace (Temple, or Resi­ pi ration to a whole team of resea rch dence), Place, Translation of Name. workers who can organize and then Then a sheet with the number of the create and bring to being another vol­ plates and the Chi nese characters could ume, which will be a "casual book" that be printed at the back of the volume places tne Chinese garden in its "cos­ fo r those who actuall y desire to see the mical" and historic setting. characters. (These can be written by )J ow that we have praised this as a good writer and reproduced photo­ a great book and have sincerely ad­ graphically rather than attempt inter­ vi ed that you buy the book if you can calating Chinese type which is not al­ quare your pocketbook with your con­ ways a success-on A merican presses.) SC Ience, we go on to say that it is not Wade Romanization might follow the Jan., 1950 THE NATIONAL HORTICULTURAL MAGAZINE 29

Be'rnord Harkness

The Gothic green arch of Ba1nboo transfonns 11aITO'W city alley to a path to enjoy characters for those who desire such; g, There should be an inclusion of especially for some buildings, Symmetric Gardens as well as Asym­ e, There should be running com­ metric Gardens for these have found a ments upon each plate-added to the place in the philosophy and practice of letterpress volume where it would not the Chinese garden art, detract from the dignity of the plate­ h. The English postoffice spelli ngs for many things escape those unfamiliar as used by the Chinese for place names with the Chinese scene. should be used since the book is in £. It would be well to have a botanist English, and should not fo llow the check on some of the plants before a Wade or other system. new edition comes out. (Cf, Plate 114 i. In spite of the fact that it is well­ reveals no wisteria to this viewer but nigh impossible to avoid all mistakes, there is a very prominent "Seven it does seem as though there is no ex­ League Odor" rose against the wall.) cuse for using "icicle" for ice ray or 30 THE NATIONAL HORTICULTURAL MAGAZINE Jan., 1950

Be1'1uJI'd Harkness "The C1'(J)pe Myrtle is a cousin of th e P1'ide of ht)diGJ, and is beautifu.l 'With its pin!? bloom. This tree is 150 yean old; its 11wte, 250.

ice crystalli zation pattern whi ch derives windows in realistic "stone mountains" from the initial ice formation on the with wood peonies, snowballs, bam­ surface of still water-but this may be boos by garden pools instead of includ­ quibbli ng about very signifi cant mI­ ing so many colored pictures of dynas­ nutiae .. (Cf. p. 60.) tic paintings-but possibly the author j . In trying to give the spread and had other purpose in view. influence of the garden art in the arts k. It would make a more satisfying and craft (as this reviewer educes his book if all but one of the "horrible purpose,) the author could have bor­ examples" of occidental-oriental at­ rowed from examples 0 11 porcelain in tempts of the garden art in the Yuan color, from wrought iron examples Ming Yuan (Plates 189-192) had been from \~ T uhu, from ca.rved doors and omitted. To be sllre these are now on Jan., 1950 T H E I ATIONAL HORTICULTURAL MAGAZINE 31

Bernard Har/mess "Plants 111,USt live (lInd flo wer with virt~£ e and die sz,£itably. GGlrdens to the Chinese ,'ep,'esent life in all c0111,p letwness * * *-Fletcher Steele

record, but happier examples could be "stone mountains" innocent of vegeta­ taken from Yenching University as of tion-in porcelain dishes. One does this date. not find stone mountains with minia­ 1. One looks in vain for borrowings ture vegetation "on the make" under from Boerschmann's P-ictu1'esq'/,(.e China shady lime-impregnated springs (to be and Sowerby's The China ] our'/1,aZ , sold by peddlers on the streets'.) It whi-ch would have rounded out geo­ may be that the author has never found graphically this valuable book. stone mountains in. sit~£-for the taking 111. One does not find distinctive -on the surface, etched by the weather dwarfed trees in "heavenly wells" and or underneath the surface, etched by court yards, stone mountain s in minia­ humic acid from decaying roots. ture with vegetation, or pure crystal This reviewer was looking forward 32 THE NATIONAL HORTI CULTURAL MAGAZI NE ] an., 1950

Bernard Harkness H ere is c01nplete seclusion with the aspect of a rocky 11wuntainside- in the heQ.1't of a crowded c£ty

to a synthesis of all the research and across fou r thousand years, and with pictures, that would present the philos­ that key radical-the "grass head (or ophy that the author, if anyone, should top") - that mothers more Chinese find as a foundation for these findings characters in the K'ang Hsi dictionary and present as a summary even at the than any other radical. It would appear expense of repeating himself. T his re­ that the "grass roots" of Chinese gar­ "iewer had hoped that he wo ul d pre­ dens first struck these roots into the sent the Chinese preoccupation with fertile soil of Chinese philosophy. wood, water, and earth (as well as Now the world will have to await a metal a,nd fire)-of the Chinese "peri­ set of synthesizers who can exploit odic table," with the magic of chloro­ present data and collect new data ph)'1 life, with the basic ying-yang (some of which Siren presents in hi s Jan., 1950 THE NATIONAL HORTICULTURAL MAGAZINE 33

Bernard Harklless The younger generation. with a "stone 11'Wu,ntain," a t1'eas~we of th.e f{]Jmily ga'rden

book). There are needed airplane pic­ ing the late Sino-Japanese War redis­ tures of key scenic mountains from an covered thei r Vvest and broke forth

angle of 4S 0 to the horizontal-like in pictures of mountain scenery, and . Chinese sc·e nery paintings. There is a snows, and tribal people, and goat and need for associati ng in parallel, dynastic sheep scenes. These pictures are paintings of '"mountain-water" (scen­ "dated" and "latitude-and-Iongitude­ ery) with these their models. Then inated" as much as Pearl Harbor. The there is need of hi storians who time author of Yuan Yeh ( noted on pp. 24- the Chinese artists' di scovery or the 27) almost generalized that "stone originals with the displacement of mountain" materials have their own scholar-artists by dynastic and other erosion hi story and locale, but he was wars. (The maritime provincials driven too modest and he did not have the to Szechwan. Sikang and Kansu dur- s<.:ientific training to make this general- 34 THE NATIONAL HORTICULTURAL MAGAZINE Jan., 1950

ization. Someone needs to make a care­ do not be too much disturbed by the ful collection of stone mountain mate­ names-for you can hardly accept the rials and consult a soil technologist like male-femaleness of rocks and stones J ames Thorp of "Geography of The and the basic philosophy of the Chinese Soils of China" fame, to correlate what garden. Absorb the rock formations of is already known as to tran port of the the borrowings from the Yuan Yeh of same. this volume. Then go out and find the Then there is need of a living bota­ rocks and stones that are native to nis,t who can extrapolate on Ernest your state or region. Moreover, study Wilson's collection at The Arnold Ar­ and know your vegetation that likes boretum and his books-to place the your climate and soil. If in doubt, ask garden in relation to the broad sweep the plants themselves. Note the poros­ of Chinese vegetation. The author of ity and capillarity of your collected the suggested work would have to as­ materials - stone and soils. Then in sociate with himself one who knows the your own way, show that you have the borrowings and loanings of varieties of spark of creativity - and grow with plants across the "Af-Eur-Asian" your garden. You will discover that world during slightly more than two you have enrolled yourself in a course thousand years and he would have to that will discover yourself to yourself have the "feel" and sensitivity, the and you will find that "Penn's Woods" courage and the scientific caution of an or the "Buckeye Forest," and Death's ethnologist and an anthropologist-for Valley vegetation will respond to your the philosophy of the Chinese garden is growing knowledge of your region's not strictly and solely and uniquely climate, soil, rock and water possibili­ Chinese. 1 ow that Siren has failed ties and your vegetation's response to us here, this reviewer knows only two the same. And may you evoke an epi­ men who could qualify to head us such tome or a sample of your type flora in a team. One this reviewer has never and among typical rock of your region met, and the other he would recom­ mend to do the job-in some twenty as you give it setting at the bottom of years. your garden, by your door stoop, or even inside or outside your window This reviewer visuali zes two groups ledge. And do not be afraid to spell of people who may see it: the first is interested in the philosophy and art of 1%agic life with small capitals and do the Chinese garden and in the question not feel that you have to transvaluate as to why it got that way, and the sec­ sto%e-11'wuntains to tap the strength of ond is interested in the constructional the hills. You will find the magic of problem of "growing" a garden that green life for there will be a transfer has the feel and touch of the oriental from the Life Magic of chlorophyl and garden. The following suggestions may all of that mental furniture of Chinese help the second group. Gardens. And you can thank this large Look over this volume. Then look volume for stimulating you to think over Japanese gardens and flow er ar­ and to do for yourself. rangements-for these show the bor­ And now, this reviewer returns you rowings and retentions with not too to Osvald Siren and his Chinese Gar­ much loss from out of old China. Note den, and its Ronald Press of New York the Heaven-Earth-Man elements but City. Price $30. Jan., 1950 THE NATIONAL HORTICULTURAL MAGAZINE 35

II-A RECOLLECTION. B ern01-d Hark- lift the tubers of his dahlias or cannas 17 ess. as the ground did not freeze to a depth Fate, operating at its opportunistic to injure them. Nandina was in glow­ optimum, in 1943 withheld me from ing autumn color when I first saw it England and the European countries there, later in the winter Meratia because of some physical defects which braved the chi ll y clays and freezing became imperceptible in 1944 when nights with its fragrant bloom. Both troops were needed in the Far East. pink and white Zephyranthes bordered Thus it was that I, a somewhat elderly the walks in a wide ribbon of fo liage GI. who had long pursued the voca­ and a pleasant show of flowers after tion of horticulture, became acquainted summer showers. Indeed this hostel's with Chinese gardening. plantings reflected more the modern In Szechwan Province in West Chinese cut-flower grower's interest China an area, tiny in comparison with than the historical Chinese garden. the great extent of the country, along Previous to the flood season of the the Min R iver from the village of Min in June and July when summer Hsing-Ching about 25 miles southwest suns slightly melted the snows of the of Chengtu, the city of Chengtu itself, Tibetan peaks and augmented the the famed site of a continuing Tibetan floods from the heavy rains, there op­ foothills some forty miles northwest of erated near our village a low-water Chengtu is all the area with which I water- power wheel that "piston­ can claim any familiarity. Had it not chugged and worked to pulverize been for a week of rest-camp freedom chunks of Juniper on a ribbed sand­ for exploration in the Kwan-hsien ter­ stone. Cakes of the ground-up cedar ritory where one knew E. H. Wilson were dried on racks in the sun and had coll ected and the generous open­ then sent to Chengtu to be reformed ing of certain private gardens in into the incense sticks burned before Chengtu, the frustration of an army temple idols. Except for the round existence in China would have been as cakes the process was like that de­ complete as elsewhere. scribed by P. H. Dorsett twenty years A policy in connection with the set­ ago in NATIONAL HORTICULTURAL ting in operation of airforce fields the MAGAZINE, (April, 1929). world around was that weather units In September of 1945 it came to my should be among the ,first to set up notice that Josephine Henry, well shop. It was inevitable, in consequence, known to NATIONAL HORTICULTURAL that such pioneer units would claim and MAGAZINE readers for her pictures of hold against all comers the pleasantest the Henry British Columbia expedi­ living quarters available. Thus it was tions, was · on the field in charge of that my Chinese abode was not a hasti­ one of the Red Cross canteens. It was ly put-up barracks on the raw edge of my pleasure to show Miss Henry a an air-field, but instead a walled hostel favorite hike over the adjoining red of some years standing and a part of standstone hills where in its season the village proper. After two years of Vitex negundo seemed a dominant the bleak aspect common ot army air­ shrub, but in no season was there a fields it was a boon to live again with lack of some find of obtanical interest. borders of familiar flowers faithfully That Miss Henry was the same in­ tended by a gardener. In the mild trapid traveller of other expeditions is Szechwan climate he did not have to evidenced by a snapshot I have of a 36 THE )JATIONAL HORTICULTURAL MAGAZI NE Jan., 19 50 nen'ous snow leopard cub in her arms, Lattice, whi ch Siren has drawn upon the mascot of an air group. for illustrations of that expression of From the air-field down river one design in the background of the gar­ travelled to Chengtu. the metropoli s of den. It is a continued privilege to ap­ over 800,000 population, for change of pend these rand om notes and Vv es t scene. O n my first visit good counsel China photographs to Dr. Dye's au­ directed me to the fine group at \ Vest thori tative review of Osvald Siren's China Union University. which devoted GardeNS of Chilla. much ti me and thought to introduci ng Three gardens remain outstanding to the oldiers who came to them to what­ memory. Perhaps the most important ever part of the Chi nese cul ture they one seen was that of an ultra-conserva­ were best equi pped to apprec iate. Un­ tive, wealthy family whose garden fortunately, only a small min ority were showed the most careful adherence to able or willing to benefit from this the ancient precepts. In the stone grot­ gracious generosity. Just to step with­ tos, the overlooks, the relationship of in the gates of the U niversity was a water to stone and of both to vegeta­ quieting and relaxing experience after tation one immediately felt that here a hectic ride over roads fill ed with man­ was the resul t of studied striving for powered transportation through vil­ perfection in the garden landscape. At lages whose open shops narrowed another resid ence a man trained in the street to alley width into a city western science and who has adopted a whose streets were fi lled with such western religion kept in his garden to streams of people that one felt impelled the ancient traditions and cherished to seek a familiar pl ace or face. It has the various examples of its art to be seemed such an oasis to others, notably seen there. The third was that of a Robert Payne who said in F~1'eVel' 1'1l'an of quite Rotarian cordiality who China, "The brilliantly painted joists had turned to the creation of miniature and shi ni ng tiles of the roofs on the dish landscapes, a true heritage of an campus at Chengtu belong to the world ancient Chinese art. as a co rollary to I had imagin ed in my childhood. a a collection of ancient ceramics. worl d of lotos pools and ~a rd ens, of Osvald Siren's photographic exhibit jade gi rdle pendants and the sonorous of gardens of the other areas of China vo ices of the chamberlains." provides an exciting opportunity to It was my pri vilege to benefit from compare with those record·ed in Szec­ the life-long studies and explorations hwan. I, for one, a m grateful fo r this of Dr. Daniel S. D ye, who when ap­ sharing of a great collection of photo­ prised of my horticultural in terest in graphs. Chinese gardens attempted to give me As usual, the typesetter's gremlins an insight into the great cultural sig­ played at will with the Latin of the nificance of garden ing in China, and botanical names and the lack of cor­ its ramifications in to many fields, geol­ recti on seems at variance with the care ogy and anthropology and, most inter­ with which the book has been prepared. estingly. its relationship in its design Some 23 names italicized in the chap­ to all the arts. The relationship of ter, Flowers and Trees, are in co rrect. painting to the gardening art is well PimlS sine11sis appears as Pinus se11en­ documented by Siren in Gardfl1S of sis; P yrus ussur·iensis becomes Pyrus China. Dr. Dye has published ;.l, two­ assltriensis; all are of this inconsequen­ vol um e work, A Grammar of Chinese tial but annoying pattern. Jan., 1950 THE NATIONAL HORTICULTURAL MAGAZINE 37

The Ga,rden Workbook and Diary. The colors are clear and cha rming. Prepared by a Committee, Dorothy The technique is one that has employed Gow Kemble, Chairman. Doubleday considerable opaque body color, has and Company, Inc., Garden City, permitted some vagueness in drawing N . Y., 1949. $2.50. and has ignored all sunlight. Many of There are almost as many pages in the speci mens drawn were in the poor­ this book, prepared by the Committee est of horticultural condition, but that or to quote "Compiled and Edited by is a mode as one can easily see by look­ \i\T ellesley-in- assau, N. Y., for the ing at any fashion journal and observ­ 75th Anniversary Fund of Wellesley ing that all the females wearing the College, Wellesley, Mass., 1875 -1950, clothes-on-parade have gaunt faces , as there are in the year. " The only shadows under thei r eyes, too little times that have been crowded are the vitali ty to stand erect and often posi­ pages of January. ti ons of hands and legs that suggest ar­ Each page is headed either by a quo­ rested St. Vitus Dance. The fl owers tation from sO llie writer or by a para­ and some of the succulents in these vol­ graph or two of pertinent advice. Both umes show the same characteristic . time and pla.ce are held in mind, but as This is truly sad, for if gardening can be understood, in the brief space teaches one anything at all, it is the allotted to text, not much can be said. exuberance of life, no matter what the \i\That is said, is done with sound ad­ tempo may be. vice and considerable charm. The main purpose of any such book is to be Delphin,:ud1'L, The B00k of the A meri­ provocative and in this the present vol­ ume succeeds admirably. Whether or can D elphinium Society, 1949. Sent not you will wish to sully its pages in to all members. 127 pages, illustrat­ ed. Membership, $3.00 the calendar the space provided with your own year. handwriting - handsome or otherwise - IS a question that only you can This ni'cely printed annual ( done by answer. our pritner) has the usual sort of stuff that one would expect to find within Sp1'ing Flowers (Hyacinths, Tulips, the annuals of books devoted to one NatYcissi) . Rock Plants (Cacti am,a single fl ower, being raised by all classes otl'Le1' succulents). Water Color of gardeners from the most advanced Paintings by Arlett Davids, 32 to beginners, from persons who live plates in each volume. The Hyper­ where delphiniums do not have to ion Press, through The Macmillan struggle with the weather and from Company, New York, 1950. $3.50 those who live where no delphinium each volume. with any sense would survive if not These are books of pictures, the first cosseted. There are tO Q many articles with a brief introduction by the Prin­ from England that will have to be in­ cesse Bibesco, the second with a prefa­ terpreted for use here, save perhaps in tory note by Henry de Montherlaut. the Pacific Northwest and in Maine. For the gardeners they are of no im­ There is no question that the peren­ portance at all, save as he may enjoy nial delphinium is vastly superior to artistic presentation of his material and what it used to be, that it gives a spec­ may h<1. ve his vision sharpened by the tacular return for the effort invested images as another saw them. in it, that it is open to endless future 38 THE NATIONAL HORTICULTURAL MAGAZI NE Jan., 1950 work that will be as rewarding as any further word of praise is needed ! and that a host of persons fee l 'that way' about it; but it is equall y true that T he Da.ffodil a11,d T%lif) YealY Book, there is a considerable amount of work 1949. The Royal Horticultural So­ to be done before it could be classed ciety. London, E ngland, 1949. 8 with the weed perennials meaning iris, shillings 6 pence. hemerocallis and peonies, all of whid1 T he greatest pleasure in reading a will go on, more or less in spite of one. new issue of this book is built upon the If you like to grow delphiniums this pleasures that have accumulated in the is your society; if you li ke to be in on past. One meets old friends again, sees round-robins, again th is is your so­ the evidences of their successes in ciety, if you li ke to do almost all your shows and gardens, learns of new gardening on the chatty level, you will names and new persons who must be find other delphinium lovers who wi ll remembered and if he is old enough want to talk with you about it all , even reads with true regret of those who if only to recount adversities . Good have gone on si nce the last volume, book, human and li keable with every regret that is not one whit lessened ind ucement to make you get into the by the fact that the friendships were of work. the mind only. T he daffodil in Briain, has the per­ A111Lerican Rose Annua.l, 1949. Edited ennial task of refining refi nements. The fo r the Society by R. C. All en . 272 level of wo rk has been so hi gh fo r so pages, illustrated. $4.50. long, that the variety that is to be pro­ As always the annual to uches upon posed must be truly wonderful if it is practically every phase of rose grow­ to have a showing. T he fact that new ing and in terests rose growers on all varieties do continue' to appear, does levels, whether in the stri ctly amateur not mean that all will come into the or the professional fields. T hi s partiCL1- hands of any gardener anywhere; it is lar volu me is of interest in that it most likely that many will renlain in brings a brief and friendly account of the hands of collectors who grow fl ow­ the life of the late Dr. J. Horace Mc­ ers fo r the enjoyment that comes to Farland, who played so powerful a role them alone in the privacy of their in all the doings of the Society. There gardens. is no portion of the whole that will not To the gardener here in the States have something fo r you if you grow there is always the great advantage roses, and if you are an old hand at it, in reading these articles and, in study­ you will turn to the P roof of the P ud­ ing the pictures, of seeing what is con­ ding section and chortle with de light at sidered the refinement of importance. the kinds of praise, blame and contra­ T he words are often old and fa miliar, diction, but if you are just an ordinary repeated until one feels irked a bit, but mortal the one piece you must read is there are no other words and one will "The Diagnosis and T reatment of a note that here in Ameri-ca the level of Rosarian" by Dr. E. C. Hamblen of show fl owers continues to rise in spite Durham, N. C. If after reading it you of the prevalence of non-show fl owers do not tick off your friends and per­ in the ordinary catalogues. T here is haps yourself as well, I miss my guess. always now an occasional exhibit that It is delicious. You are, of course, al­ is almost all that could be asked. ready a member of the Society so no If you grow narcissus you owe it to Jan., 1950 THE NATIONAL HORTICULTURAL MAGAZINE 39 yourself tv buy this book; if you are in above other men.' That is pure hokum ; a garden club with narcissus projects, for no man who grows an elegant fl ow­ you should make it required reading ering plant. from seed that he has de­ fo r every wo uld-be exhibitor. termined by his own hand pollination, And you will find that there are ar­ or better the whole family of unknowns ticles here that report on doings in the that come from such a pollination is but United States, as well as notes from as keenly thrilled by the hopes of the all the other daffodil growing centers unfolding fl ower as any orchid man and of the world, friendly notes that warm the uniqueness of his seedling, the­ the heart. one-and-only-in-the-world, is just as real to him. Orchids and Row to Grow Them. Ade­ The text is fine; the plan delight­ laide C. Willoughby, Oxford Uni­ fully ordered, with the proper progres­ versity P ress, New York, 1950. 13 5 sion in ideas and the due cautionary pages, illustrated. $3.50. element hushed as it should be so that For the beginner who is determined one does not have too much the feel of to grow orchi ds this slender volume the clini,c, the illustrations are clear, should be the best of all. It is written though mostly rather small , and tell with admirable clarity, a deli berate con­ something of the range of form that cern for the begi nner and with a de­ the orchids of the world will disclose lightful balance between the mad en­ to anyone who has the equipment, thusiasm that some orchid books show the means, the continued patience and and the nonchalance' that puts a begin­ all the rest. It is a good book; if you ner off. To be sure, some of us will are at the point of deciding whether and do snort with derision at the no­ or not to grow orchids, don't look at it tion that the orchid people are 'favored unless you want to be persuaded.

Gardener's Pocketbook

NOTES ON THE PALMS The subject of these initial notes on 1. Comments on Copernicia Baileyana the palms is one of these Cuban Coper­ Leon nicias, C. Baileyama Leon, which has The medium-sized palm genus Cop­ proven to be a rapid healthy grower ernicia was originally established in in the soils of South Florida. The ac­ 1838, by Martius (Rist. NM. Palm. companying illustration, taken at the 3 :242 ), for some South A merican spe­ Coconut Grove Palmetum of Col. R. n~c~a cerifem ( [Arruda - Camara] H. Montgomery, shows one of the sev­ Mart. ) a valuable vegetable was is ob­ eral specimens of this attradive palm tained even today. Now the center of which now g race our collections. dissemination of this fascinating aggre­ C 0 pen~icia B a.ileyana was described gation appears not to be in South by Hermano Leon (Dr. Joseph S. Sau­ America, but rather in the island of get y Barbi·er) of Habana's Colegio de Cuba, where some twenty-four indigen­ la Salle in 193 1 ( ill R ev. Soc. Geog. oas forms occur, in varying distribu­ Cuba 4, ii :52). The type specimen­ tions. L eon 14830-was gathered at "Quinta 40 THE ATIONAL HORTICULTURAL MAGAZI NE Jail., 1950

leaf is composed of 120 segments or less, the middle ones of which attain a length of 16.5 dl11 and a width of 5-6 CI11. They are bi fid at the apex. and connate for about two-thirds of their I ~ n g th . The spadix, which attains an even­ tual length of some 3 111 eters, is five­ times branched typicall y, with each part of the inflorescence about one me­ ter long. The floriferous ramifications are 3 to 8 cm long, and bear glomeru­ late bl ossoms, paired or in threes, about 6 111m long. The upper branchlets of the spadix are furnished with tubular spathelets which are tomentose and at­ tain a length of 8 cm. The calyx of the bloss0111s is pilose outside, and bears a greenish tube, while the lobes are red­ dish in color. The corolla lobes are some what triangular, densely pilose without, and thickened apically. The Copernicia Baileyana stamen is elongated and trilobate; the anthers are ovate. The gynoecium is turbinate a nd deeply eroded above. The Covadonga, Cerro, Habana, where it fruits are ovate-subglobose, about 2 was probably introduced from Cama­ cm long and 18 m111 in diameter, and guey or Oriente." This endemic palm has a pericarp which is about 2 111m in is now known from all the Cuban prov­ dia111eter and rather thick. The seed inces except Matanzas and the Isle of is globose, and 12 111111 long and 11 mm Pines. A varietal form, Cop e r1~icia in diameter. Baileyana var. laciniosa Leon (in The rather stiff foliage of C opern·icia M e1%. Soc. Cub. Rist. Nat. 10[1936 ] Baileya'/'la is utili zed in the manufacture 224) , is now known from San Pedro of hats around Batabano, in the prov­ de Cacocum, in Oriente province. This ince of Habana, and the very hard concept, whi ch the author declares per­ wood of the trunks has long been used haps wi ll be elevated eventually to full for uprights in construction. specific rank, differs from the species This attractive and stately palm, cer­ in having the ligules more than 25 cm tainly one of the showiest of the Cuban long, and spli t into narrow lobes. species of this fascinating genus, should Typical C. Baile-yana, known as the be more widely cultivated in tropical :/Q,rey he'l11-bra in Cuba, is a robust palm lands. Here in South Florida it ap­ to 15 meters high, with eventuall y a pears to thrive under a wide variety of slick smooth trunk as much as 6 dm soil and moisture conditions, and soon in diameter. The petioles are well over forms a large and impressive specimen. a meter long, very spinose, and expand­ ed in to a triangular-rotund ligule at A LEX D. HAWKES the apex. The orbicul ar lamina of the Coconut Grove, Fla. Jan., 1950 THE NATIONAL HORTlCULTURAL MAGAZINE 41

I-I. F. Loolllis T etrazyg,ia bicolor

This f1-opical shn{,b I'S l:nclu.ded-fral1kly-because th e edl;tor particularly likes this photograph of the .floweril'1-g pa.11icles and th e "quilted') leaves. 42 THE NATIONAL HORTICULTURAL MAGAZINE Jan., 1950

H. F. L oo mis C entrose11W ternatea A charming sleNd er vine with pendant pale lavender flowers; also a green manure crop U1 the t1'opics. Jan., 1950 THE NATIONAL HORTICULTURAL MAGAZINE 43

H. F. Loomis

C 011ILbretu111, smeath11w-n11.ii One of the 1nawy vining shrubs or trees from. th e West Coa.st of A frica, Mada­ gascar, N orth e1'1'1 South A 'meriw with fruiti'n.g pa11icles almost as showy as th eir jlnwe1's. 44 THE NATIONAL HORTICULTURAL MAGAZINE Jan., 1950

H. F. Loomis T ournefortia scandens A char11ling evergreen V1ne with ll11importal1t flowers followed by delightf7d p1we w hite be/Ties. Jan., 1950 THE NATIONAL HORTICULTURAL MAGAZINE 45

H. F. Loomis Nmtclea escu.lenta

Seen as a· s11wll tree with fine ev ergree n fo liage, startling pinky-white i1~flor e s­ ccllces in bud and even 11wre stn:ki-ng w hen fully open. " T17 f 3' say" the fruit is good to eat. 46 THE NATIONAL HORTICULTURAL MAGAZINE Jan. , 1950

H. F. Loomis GuGJiact£1% 0 fficinale Just for th e rcc01'd, this picture of L ignu111,.-vitae is included. People who have tramped the Florida K cys will rC1nember. Jan., 1950 THE NATIONAL HORTICULTURAL MAGAZINE 47

From Florida V inaceous Buff woul d turn one back. Bulbous plants that are much neg­ I n the garden pictures, they fi t well k cted in South Florida are the Crin­ with the azaleas that are also basicall y l1111 S, and yet, they are heaven-sent to pink, though they are azaleas with the lazy gardener. T hey have full gar­ enough of lavender in the colors to co n­ den value through the year; will grow fli ct with the other azalea clones that in sun or shade; and will stand neglect have the undertone of yellow that en ­ although they appreciate and respond li vens them. In each case there is a to good care. T hey range in size from definite contrast between the outer col­ the huge as£atica to one so small it is or and the inner color of the tepals, sui table only fo r pot culture. The spe­ with the interior much lighter. Of the cies are all good and among the hy­ three and thei r bloom periods overlap, brids are Cecil Houdyshel, a light pink P urpurina is the earl iest and rustica that has several stalks of bloom as does rubra the last. T hi s last has a fatter E llen Bosanquet with deep wine fl ower fo rm than the others, suggesting blooms, an unusual color in crinums that of Lennei. and thi s also increases freely, the E m­ T he only regret in the whole matter press of India, the milk and w in e type is that there is no pure whi te of the and W hite Q ueen, an evening bloomer. same blood that woul d or might fl ower Gigantea with tulip shaped bloom and with them. In the collection visited, black anthers and Gigantea hyb ri d. the best whi te was recorded only as known commonly as Christopher lily 'White Seedling' and is not pure white and is close to Gigantea but not as on the outside of the petals, though large. pure enough within where the red ·fi la­ Some of the species probably have ments of the stamens make a delightful persisted in Florida and Loui siana contrast. This last vari ety is also since Colonial times and like the lilacs marked by a very distinctive scent fo r in New Hampshire, they are often all which there is no precise or adequate that is left of an old garden, the house term, but it is distinct enough to lift having long ago di sappeared. it above the general category and com­ O LIVE P. BALDW I N mend it to any who are interested in West Paul Beach, Fla. the scents that improve the early gar­ den when cool air often limits the per­ Early Magnolias vasive spread of perfumes. T here have been mentions before thi s of the interest that is arising in de­ Jobs for Retitre'l'nent ciduous Chinese magnoli as, but a trip Many years ago the late Mrs. Wil­ south this winter, and a very early sea­ der expressed a wi sh that some one in son there sharpened that interest. For this country would make a job of grow­ the first time it was possible to see ing stocks of various hard-to-come-by three trees now in large size in se­ plants for the rock garden, all very quence of flowering, P m-purina, Alex­ privately working away until there andrina and rustica rubra. All belong were enough thousands to let the stock in the same color range, that is, the get the usual trade channels. If I re­ early tender colors that all are sli ghtly call correctly she had in mind particu­ neutralized in color but not enough to larly the hardy cyclamen and these bring them in the back pages of the have been worked on enough in this book where the unpleasant terms of country, so they may be had though 48 THE NATIONAL HORTICULTURAL MAGAZINE Jan., 1950 not too cheaply. even if the project did by the well-known practice of sha llow not take just the form she h;td in mind. planting whi ch brings on a rapid pro­ The editor would like to propose a duction of very small cormlets that can imilar task for some one who could be lifted, replanted at the proper depth and wo ul d work up stocks of some of and the process r epeated until one has the seedling variants that appear in col­ enough. For snowdrops one must ei­ lections where species crocus are ther wait on the usual division from grown. In masses of Crocus Sieberi off sets produced about the base or risk that has made itself at home in the gar­ the precious stock by using the split­ den, there are some striking vari ants, ting (cutting) of the bulb as is done a few of them possibly bee-made fo r A ma ryllis in the choice clones. crosses with C. hnpe·rati that fl owers Even with care there are some losses, at about the same time. The most un­ but doubtless one could perfect his tech­ Ll ual being a form in which the three nique in this as in anything else. outer segments are almost white while One reads of autumn-flowering the inner are the typical Sieberi color snowdrops in old books and magazines though they look much clearer thanks but one rarely finds other references. to the contrast. There a re no veins or other markings. In these days when the papers are Another reminder of such projects, filled with amusing a rticles written, Oile i a clump of snowdrop, bought trom supposes, by sociologists who are trou­ a T urkish source years ago, and gen­ bled as to what the older healthy re­ erall y falling into the category of Gal­ tired generation will do with its time al'lthus Elwesii. This particular clump and to keep itseH from underfoot, it is has fl owered regularly fo r some years too bad that hor6culture does not step in late autumn. sometimes at the end forward and claim all such, and put the of October, sometimes in November. men and women to work on the slow Under the usual winter conditions that but essential tasks of bringing such follow, the seed capsules that usually matters into the realm of reality. form are destroyed by the later freez­ ing; this year with a n unusually mild Abe liop h yll~£1n distichum Nakai win ter they look as if they might come through and bear seed that will be Among the early fl owering shrubs, planted. It is amazing how qui·ckly seed those that cover themselves with bloom of such things as noCllS and snowdrop before the leaves appear, this member will come to flowering if one has a cold of the Olive Family, is rarely seen. It frame where they may live in pots sunk would be a splendid thing to try in situ­ in the soil, till bl ooming. Such a cold ations when the climate would be mild frame is not always the most decorative enough to allow early flowering without part of the garden but it is a mine of frost damage. Unlike the forsythias that future gold, for it is easier to keep are entirely yellow in varyi ng hues, this weeded through the summer than any plant has white blossoms about an inch open bed would be. ac[(')ss, borne rather stiffly along the Whil e the original seeding or divi­ stark branches as can be seen in the il­ sion would be easy enough to handle, lustration kindly furnished by Dr. Wy­ the real period of delays and waiting man from hi s institution. The editor would follow while one worked up the would be happy to have reports from stocks. In crocus this can be hastened elsew here. Jail., 1950 THE NATIONAL HORTICULTURAL MAGAZINE 49

A1'1!O ld Arbo1'et1Ym Abelio phyllum d£stichum so THE ATIONAL H ORTI CULTURAL MAGAZINE Jan., 1950

This and T ho.t T he one mitigating feature is that the Among the various things that have plants that have been confused by it come to note this last growing season all , a re now fl owering, not in their was the fact that not all the bulbs of proper sequence, but in many varying what was supposedly Lywris rad·iata in sequences. T he one delight in this, is the garden here, fl owered at the same that sometimes, an upset of this sort ti me, one lot coming into fl ower a full will make possible interpollinations be­ month ahead of all the other lots, these tween plants that would take consider­ latter received from various sources. able attention to bring into simultane­ It also happened that in ordering a ous fl owering. supply of bulbs to be planted in the The cold has thus played havoc with Nati onal Arboretum, the South Caro­ the smoothness of some of the narc1 s­ lina dealer ·told me that he had two sus perianths and has chilled some of stocks, one long on the plantation and teh red cups into anaemi c hues. The the other from H olland. T he latter he Virginia Narcissus Show in Alexan­ reported appeared to be identical but dria, brought out many fine fl owers and always bloomed a month ahead. In the interestingly enough a considerable garden here, the early fl owering lot number of fl owers of vari eties that are sets seed, the later blooming, never, in no way show fl owers but of great even with hand pollination, selfed or interest as historical 1t ems. Mr. Bate crossed among the different lots which has promised to write a few notes about may be of one clone though thi s is not some of the old sorts that Mrs. Scott known. and he found so intriguing. Whether T he seed was planted immediately or not he does, it is nice to note here after ripening, kept cool through the thaJt t here is a sort 'Of revival that win ter and brought into a cool house should be of interest to those who care 1n January. There was no immediate about 'peri od pieces' and some others sign of germination but in time it be­ who feel that a certain grace is to be came apparent that the process had be­ fo und only among the 'primitives', not gun. At this writing, a little careful refer ring in the least to Grandmother digging shows that there is a good root Moses ! going down from the hard black seed, A ll members recently received a but no sign whatever of any further mimeo-letter telling about vari ous activity, except the greening of the things that might serve as an adventure radical where it has come to the sur­ fo r 1950 gardening. The response has face fo r one or two seeds not buried been interesting. The editor takes hi s deeply enough. Does any reader have own m edi cine and fo r 1950 has on the any data on what may be expected way a collection of thirty-five named next; leaf growth or bulb fo rmation caladiums whi'ch will fortify the paper and leaves at some later time? already for publishing and has made Leaves, of course, are evergreen overtures for the study of materi al that through the winter on the parent bulbs. may result in a considerable number The season out-of-doors has been of R ex begonia pictures. Neither one completely out of keeping, even with represents hi s special interest but cer­ the unreliable weather we often have in tainly two items that have not been Washington, D. C. The middle of the fully covered. What have you taken to winter was mil d and March and April heart as a result of the letter; and from have done their best to make up for it. what start do you begin ? The American Horticultural Society

I NVlTES to membership all persons who are interested in the develo~ ment of a great national society that shall serve as an ever growing center for the dissemination of the common knowledge of the members. There ia no requirement for membership other than this and no reward beyond a abare 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 fill 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. Under the present organization of the society with special committees appointed for the furthering of special plant projects the members will receive advance mate­ rial on narcissus, tulips, lilies, rock garden plants, conifers, nuts, and rhod~ dendrons. Membership in the society, therefore, brings one the advantages of membership in many societies. In addition to these special projects, the usual garden subjects are covered and particular attention is paid to new or little known plants that are not commonly described elsewhere. The American Horticultural Society invites not only personal member· abips but affiliations with horticultural societies and clubs. To such it offer. lO1J1e special inducements in memberships. Memberships are by the calen· dar year. The Annual Meeting of the Society is held in Washington, D. C., 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 five dollars the year, payable in advance; life membership is one hundred dollars; inquiry as to affiliation should be ad· dressed to the Secretary, 821 Washington Loan and Trust Building.