13^ 



THE GARDENER'S MONTHLY 



[May, 



tions to success. Thoy must, in my opinion, be 

 screened from the severe north wind in Winter, 

 and should hare at least partial shelter from the 

 mid-ilay sun in Summer. Years aj;o I made 

 trial of one bed, without either of these condi- 

 tions, and I lost all the plants in it. Most of my 

 beds liave this protection in both seasons, 

 BfTorded by elumi»3 of Evergreens. Those tlial 

 have not. I shelter by simi)ly encircling the beds 

 through the Winter witli corn stalks set on end. 

 I mulcti them heavily with leaves through that 

 «e:vson, and have used on them satisfactorily a 

 lighter covering of spent tan in Summer. I 

 liave a few large standard plants that are valua- 

 ble and growing singly in conspicuous positions. 

 Lest the foliage of these should be at all singed 

 by severe frost, I usually put over each of them a 

 large box made of light boards, partially open 

 on one side ; though this house-covering is not 

 essential to their security, if the plants are of 

 the mare hardy varieties, as I have proved by 

 its omission. I do not hesitate to top-dress with 

 ■well-rotted cow manure, when it seems to be 

 needed. The varieties I am growing, embrace 

 most of the shades of colors, from the Candi- 

 dissinuim to the Atrosanguineum. 



The situation of my grounds is elevated and 

 cold. Two winters since, the thermometer 

 reached 15° below zero, though such extreme 

 cold here is unusual. 



Excuse the length of this communication, and 

 of course you will decline publishing it, if you 

 do not think further testimony useful on Rho- 

 dodendron culture. 



THE CHINESE AILANTHUS. 



BY GEN'. W. H. NOBLK, BRIDGEPORT, CONN. 



A new use found for an old thing, equals an 

 invention. Mr. Veitch, of New Haven, does just 

 this, when he ornaments the border and the 

 lawn with missed tropical foliage oftheAilan- 

 thus, and close pruned shoots. It seems a very 

 eimple thing to do. But through just such 

 shrewd simplicities, mankind gain their best ad- 

 vance. Right outside the moments of thought 

 and daily life, we come on new paths, and find 

 new uses for things condemned to the rubbish 

 heap and the dump. To such simple doers as 

 Mr. Veitch, more than to heroic arms, we owe 

 our homage, and should lift the histories of our 

 race. 



This use of the Ailanthus hints a like treat- 



ment and duty for the Black Walmit, the But- 

 ternut, the Kentucky Cddee tree, and others of 

 their fern-like foliage. We may gain another 

 style in wealth and breadth of vegetation, on 

 closely cut back shoots of the Catalpa, Paulonia, 

 and otlier rankly growing, large leaved trees. 

 St) in herbaceous i)lant« ; tlie rich rank spread 

 of foliage which we now owe to tender broad 

 leaved growers from the hot-house or the nur- 

 sery, we may have from the outcasts along the 

 wayside and the hedge. Tiiere are lota of com- 

 mon things, like the Mullein, Elecampane, yea, 

 even the Burdock, the Thistle, which in oiir rich 

 borders, will surjjrise us by their stature and ex- 

 l)anse of leaf. 



A doubting smile, if not a sneer, may greet 

 this mention. But if the Burdock or Elecam- 

 pane had come from China, the doubters would 

 buy them at a dollar a root! Now, let no 

 one with money, neglect the broad and lovely 

 foliaged plants that multiply so fast, but have 

 kindly thought for that thrift, which makes 

 graceful use of common things. 



And now that Mr. Veitch's new use for the 

 Ailanthus bespeaks a respite from its threatened 

 l)ani.shinent, let's wait a bit. If we po.sscss our 

 .souls in patience over it's bitter breath and nau- 

 seous flowers, we may by and by find out for it, 

 as we slowly do for almost all that grows, new 

 fitness for human use. The hue and cry of pre- 

 judice is a blind leader of the blind. If there is 

 a real Upas tree, well stored with death, and 

 l)reathing it on the air, I have no thought that 

 it was made to poison or to taint, any more than 

 the Ailanthus. Behind such powerful odors, 

 back in the sources of such sickening breath, 

 stores of secret virtues await the chemist to be 

 set apart and revealed to kill when needed, and 

 to cure with care. 



Now the Ailanthus is said, in China, to feed a 

 silk-worm, only rivalled by that which lives upon 

 the Mulberry. To be sure, no Yankee worm or 

 bug was ever known to take the first bite of its 

 leaf. But doubtless, some one may be evolved, 

 or immigrate to us from the Heathen Chinee. 

 Such as relish the leaves of the tobacco, or to- 

 mato, ought not to go back much on Ailanthus 

 fodder. Besides, it would not be wonderful, if a 

 bark or wood so bitter should yet prove a beau- 

 tiful source of tannin, or of some fel)rifuge as 

 astringent and curative as quinine. Have pa- 

 tience with this almost discarded favorite, and 

 its seeming faults may yet yield large usefulness 

 to mankind. 



