130 EXPERIMENTAL FARMS 



9-10 EDWARD VII., A. 1910 



ARBORETUM AND BOTANIC GARDEN. 



The additions to the Arboretum and Botanic Garden in 190S, while not very 

 numerous were mainly of valuable species and varieties. In addition to the plants 

 raised from seed at the Central Experimental Farm and the plants obtained from 

 nurserymen, a good collection received from the Arnold Arboretum in the autumn of 

 1907 was planted out in the spring of 1908. In this collection was a large number of 

 species of Crataegus, which with the many kinds received in previous years from the 

 Arnold Arboretum makes the number of species under test of this interesting genus 

 very large. The total number of trees and shrubs added in 1908 was 326, comprised 

 of 276 species and varieties, making a total of 3,280 species and varieties, represented 

 by 4,978 specimens, living in the Arboretum in the autumn of 1908. The number of 

 species and varieties of herbaceous perennials added was 198, making a total of 2,068 

 alive in the border in the autumn of 1908. 



The winter of 1907-8 did not apparently cause more than the average amount of 

 injury. The summer season was very dry, and the plants in the herbaceous border 

 suffered badly from the drought, the growth not being nearly as strong as usual. 



During the past year a bulletin on herbaceous perennials was published by the 

 writer under the title ' List of Herbaceous Pereimials Tested in the Arboretum and 

 Botanic Garden, Central Experimental Farm, Ottawa, Canada, with Descriptions of 

 Flowers and other Notes.' In this bulletin are recorded the names of 2,116 species 

 and varieties of herbaceous perennials tested at the Central Experimental Farm 

 during the past twenty years, with descriptions of a large proportion of them, includ- 

 ing their relative hardiness, time of blooming, height to which the plants grow and 

 colour of the flowers. Asterisks are also used to indicate their relative value from an 

 ornamental standpoint. Lists of the best sorts are given. The information contained 

 in this bulletin represents many years' work. While a general distribution of this 

 bulletin was not made, it will be sent free to any one applying for it. 



ORNAMENTAL TREES. 



There have been numerous inquiries from correspondents for information in 

 regard to the best hardy ornamental trees and shrubs. To meet these inquiries there 

 was published in the writer's annual report for 1897 a list of one hundred of the best, 

 with short descriptions of each. A part of this list was revised and republished in the 

 annual report for 1906 as ' A List of Best Thirty Hardy Ornamental Flowering 

 Shrubs.' Other lists, however, have been published since 1897, such as ' Some Good 

 Low Growing Flowering Shrubs,' in the report for 1899 ; ' A List of the Best Lilacs,' 

 in 1901 ; and ' A List of Deciduous Trees, Shrubs and Climbers with attractive Foli- 

 age, Bark and Fruit,' in 1903. 



It is thought desirable to now publish 'A List of the Best Twenty-five Ornamental 

 Deciduous Trees,' and ' A List of the Best Twenty-five Ornamental Evergreen Trees.' 

 For the most part these are the same as were given in the list of 1897, with some revi- 

 sions and changes. The heights of the trees given in this list are not in all cases the 

 maximum height which these trees may reach, but are sufficiently accurate to be used 

 as a guide when planting. 



LIST OF BEST TWENTY-FIVE HARDY ORNAMENTAL DECIDUOUS TREES, 



1. Acer dasycarpum laciniatum. — Wier's cut-leaved maple (Canada), height 40 to 

 50 feet. This is a cut-leaved variety of the native silver-leaved maple, which origin- 

 ated in Europe, and is a very quick growing, robust tree, with large, deeply cut leaves, 

 and pendulous branches. It requires plenty of space to appear to the best advantage. 



