100 



THE GARDENER'S MONTHLY 



[^ April, 



illustrates both the feasibility mid the advan- 

 tages of employinjj; the acuminata for the stock 

 in propagating this species. It originated from 

 a bud, cut from the seedling glauca just de- 

 scribed, when that was four years old. The l)ud 

 was inserted into a yoiuig cucumber tree of a 

 similar age, in the Summer of 1846, similar soil 

 and cultivation have been afforded to each. The 

 one is a mere shrub that has already passed its 

 maturity ; the other a good-sized tree, vigorous 

 and healthy, animal ly extending as large a 

 growth as in its early years." 



VARIOUS TOPICS. 



BY JOSIAH HOOPES, WEST CHESTER, PA. 



I am pleased to hear the Sciadopitys verticil- 

 lata is succeeding so well in the vicinity of 

 Boston, thus giving us incontrovertible evidence 

 of its hardiness at the North. A specimen in 

 my own collection, some ten years planted, has 

 never been injured in the least. 



The Thuja Standishi, formerly Thuiopsis, is 

 also equally hardy, and I think will form a very 

 beautiful tree when well grown. 



Whilst on the subject of conifers, allow me 

 to call the attention of planters to three of the 

 newer species of Abies or Spruce: — A. Alco- 

 quiana, A. polita, and A. microsperma, all of 

 which are from Japan, and appear perfectly 

 adapted to our climate. In addition to their 

 hardiness, they are all unexceptionally beautiful 

 and distinct. 



Please say to G. W. T., who inquires about 

 grafting Magnolia glauca, that it succeeds well 

 upon the M. acuminata, but is somewhat more 

 difficult to work than most other species. The 

 growth is greatly accelerated, and the foliage 

 increased in size, at least for a few years after 

 grafting or budding. 



The Castanopsis chrysophylla, like almost every 

 Californian tree or shrub that I have tested, posi- 

 tively refuses to live here for any length of time. 

 It literally burns up beneath our hot suns. Even 

 in the shade, some fungus spreads over the foli- 

 age, and the shrubs rapidly shrivel up. The 

 "Winter, however, puts a quietus on all; so it does 

 not much matter about the Summer ills. I re- 

 gret that it is so, for a more beautiful foliage I 

 scared}^ know among our American shrubs. 



We have had Fuchsia procumbens for eight- 

 een months past, but have so far been unable to 

 bloom it. Perhaps now we may succeed with 

 the older plants. 



NOTES BY CHARLES DOWNING. 



A(.iUIl.i;(.IA CAI.IIOK.NICA. 



Your correspondent, W. C. L. Drew, says thia 

 variety has not yet been introduced, but Wm. 

 Thompson, seedsman, of Ipswidi, England, sent 

 me seeds of it some twelve years since, which 

 grew and flowered freely, and is the same as 

 described by Mr. Drew. 



SPIR.EA PALMATA. 



I received this of Thomas Hogg, Sr., of New 

 York, over twentj' years since as Spiraea Ameri- 

 cana, but soon after when in bloom a botanical 

 friend, in looking over my collection, pro- 

 nounced it S. palmata; it grows afoot higher 

 than S. lobata, the spikes of flowers larger, of a 

 brighter color, easily cultivated, and worthy of 

 a place in any collection. 



ACOXITUM JAPONICUM. 



This is not very new. I grew it many years 

 since ; it grows to the height of four feet, stiflf 

 and erect; has palmated shining foliage; blooms 

 late, and although desirable in a large collection, 

 is not as showy as some of the earlier varieties. 



MAGNOLIA GLAUCA. 



G. W. T. asks what would be the effect of 

 grafting M glauca on M. acuminata. I believe 

 Dr. Kirtland, of Cleveland, Ohio, was successful 

 in grafting and budding this and other kinds on 

 the acuminata stock, and gave an account of 

 his mode of performing it in the Journal of Hor- 

 ticulture a few years since. I would recommend 

 G. W. T., and other planters to obtain M. glauca 

 longifolia, a seedling of the glauca, but more 

 vigorous in growth, larger and more glossy foli- 

 age, and more desirable every way, and should 

 be more extensively planted as an ornamental 

 tree. 



A LITTLE ALPINE GARDEN. 



BY MRS. C. S. JONES, MONROE, MO. 



For many years past "rock-work " and "rock- 

 eries" have become so popular as a means of 

 embellishing pleasure-grounds, that persons de- 

 ciding to improve their surroundings, invariably 

 attempt some arrangement of this kind as 

 an aid thereto. " Rock . work ! " — "Save the 

 mark!" Why, almost every absurd conglom- 

 eration of stones, shells, rocks, burrs, roots, and 

 (shall we admit it?), masses of crockery, glass, 

 and china, that we see exposing their dry, 

 parched sides to view, is dignified by the term; 



