June 16, 1906 



HORTICULTURE 



761 



Magnolia Watsoni 



In the Garden Magazine for this month its editor, 

 Mr. Wilhelm Miller, has an excellent monograph on 

 magnolias. His meagre account of Magnolia Watsoni 

 can easily be excused, because very likely he never saw 

 the plant in bloom. Any person who ever saw this plant 

 in bloom could never forget it this side the grave; 

 that is, if lie has the sense of smell. 



Mr. Miller says this plant has failed in England and 

 hopes that it may prove hardy here. I cannot see why 

 it should be a failure in England, if they are not cod- 

 dling it too much or giving it the same treatment they 

 give to Hydrangea paniculata ; that is, growing it in 

 pots and giving it the protection of a cool greenhouse. 



I am glad to be able to let Mr. Miller know through 

 the pages of Horticulture that Magnolia Watsoni is 

 perfectly hardy in Massachusetts. About two weeks 

 ago I discovered a plant in Mr. Harry Rand's garden. 

 North Cambridge. Mass. When the plant blossomed 

 about a week ago Mr. Rand sent me some material to 

 have it identified at the Gray Herbarium. To my 

 great delight it turned out to be nothing less than 

 Magnolia Watsoni. 



This is a remarkable plant ! It. is not as showy as 

 some of the other Japanese species of magnolias but 

 its great charm lies in its delightful fragrance and the 

 length of time it produces its blossoms. It is very 

 strange that we did not hear about this plant before 

 as it has been grown in the above garden for twelve or 

 fourteen years, and has blossomed many times before 

 this year. It was obtained from the Shady Hill Nur- 

 sery when the nursery was located at the corner of 

 Beacon and Kirkland streets. Cambridge. The shrub 

 is of large dimensions now, and has stood many severe 

 winters. It is fifteen feet high and about eighteen in 

 breadth. Even when it is nut in blossom it makes a 

 pleasing plant. Its foliage is bright and clean and is 

 not often molested by insect pests. 



Its flowers do not open all at the same time, there- 

 fore it is not as showy as one might expect it to be. 

 However, this is not a misfortune as it produces flowers 

 for five or six weeks consecutively and their delightful 

 fragrance is enjoyed in the garden for that length of 

 time. The flowers are from four to six inches across 

 when they are open. When open they are more showy 

 on account of their bright colored filaments but to one 

 they are more pleasing when they are in the bud stale. 

 just about ready to expand. They are pure white then 

 and much more fragrant. The fragrance is much like 

 pineapple but, if anything, more pleasing. 



The plants of Magnolia fuscata (Michelia fuscata) 

 which were exhibited by Mrs. John L. Gardner at 

 Massachusetts Horticultural Hall last Saturday, June 

 2nd, were admired by every one. not for their blossoms 

 but for their fragrant flowers. The fragrance of Mag- 

 nolia Watsoni, I would be willing to say, is one hun- 

 dred per cent, stronger and one blossom will fill the 

 largest room with fragrance. 



Like all other Japanese magnolias it prefers a shel- 

 tered position and a rich and well-drained soil. Nur- 

 serymen should make a note of this plant. When it is 

 once known there will be a big demand for it. 



There is an excellent plate of this plant in the Botan- 

 ical Magazine table 7157. 



Nephrolepis Piersoni 



This picture shows what can be done with the original 

 Pierson fern. It represents a plant at the Hunnewell 

 conservatories. Wellesley, Mass. The plant is in a 

 12-inch pan. is five feel across and seven feet deep. It 

 has not had any special culture other than to see that it 

 got plenty of water. 



Rhododendron fragrantissima 



SHE FRONTISPIECE 



The accompanying photograph is of a Himalayan 

 rhododendron, R. fragrantissima. The specimen is 

 nine feet high and seven through. Of a number of 

 species ami varieties this is the easiest to grow, and 

 one of the best white-flowered ones. Mr. Harris, my 

 predecessor, did not succeed in blooming it. It always 

 set buds well, and it was only by accident that we got 

 it i" (lower. We did as he had done — stored it with 

 other tender rhododendrons, which sometimes were sub- 

 jected to a few degrees of frost. One autumn it was put 

 in early — with the Indian azaleas. It held its buds 

 and bloomed magnificently the following spring. Then 

 it missed a season, and just because it got a slight 

 autumn frost, which did not even injure the Indian 

 azaleas. Then we knew the reason why it had not 

 bloomed before. 



It will thrive in good loam with a little peat and 

 sand, and will take liquid manure occasionally when 

 making its growth. The flowers are pure white, widely 

 campanulate, I to ."> inches in diameter, and powerfully 

 fragrant. ■ 



