50 



DOMESTIC NOTICES. 



from tho spnl some roinarkably fine new variotirs 

 of this plant, which arc likely to surjiass in beauty 

 any nf the Chinese s]>ecies or tlic European secU- 

 lins;s from them. 



Among- these we learn there is one bearing large, 

 perfectly double, pure white flowers, resembling 

 those of the herbaceous P. whillcji. This will be 

 a great acquisition to all garilens. Several others 

 are novel in colour, double, ami of handsome habit 

 of growth, etc. Among them is a llcili coloiiroii 

 variety; another with pink jielals; another nearly 

 full double with the purple stripeof Pu/;uivracfrt — 

 and still another of a very pale orange. And these 

 arc only a portion of Professor J,"s promising 

 seedlings. As soon as another blooming season is 

 l»ast, we arc to have a full account of these really 

 most valuable acquisitions. 



We learn that the i)arent of all these seedlings, is 

 the Chinese poppy-llowered Chinese Tree Picony 

 (P. papaveracea), the single species well known 

 in our gardens. This tendency, which it shows, 

 to run into new double varieties, is amost valuable 

 one to the horticulturist — and since the plant is so 

 well suited to our climate wc cannot too strongly 

 recommend the sowing of the seeds with a view to 

 originating a great number of charming sorts. 

 Fertilized with the pollen of the sweet scented 

 Chinese herbaceous sorts (P. fragrans), we may 

 probably obtain a hybrid that,"to the splendid 

 large flowers of this shrub, shall add all the fra- 

 grance of the rose. 



The seeds of the Tree Poeony do not germinate 

 till the second year, if planted in the spring, or 

 even later in the autumn. When planted as soon 

 us they are ripe, they will however mostly germi- 

 nate in the ensuing spring. Nothing is more sim- 

 ple than their after culture. They absolutely 

 require nothing but good garden soil, and an open 

 airy exposure. The deeper the soil the taller and 

 stronger will be the growth of the shrub. 



Beautiful Trke. — How few persons are there 

 who are familiar with that beautiful tree the Yel- 

 low- wood, Cladastrus tinctoria, (Tor. & Gray,) 

 formerly known to botanists as the VirgUia lutea. 



Early in June a luxuriant si)ecimcn of this tree, 

 in our grounds, about 1-1 feet high, bloomed most 

 abuiuiautly, anil we cannot sudiciently express our 

 admiration of its many cliarms at that season. The 

 Yellow-wood belongs to the same natural order as 

 the Locust and tlie Laburnum, (Leguminoss.) Its 

 flowers resemble in general appearance those of the 

 Laburnum, but they are pure ickite, and the clus- 

 ters are longer and more gracefully formcil. The 

 leaves, however, instead of being rather thin and 

 light, like those of the Zocwsi and Laburnum is 

 rich and heavy like those of the ash. Although 

 l)innated, they form, from the large size of the 

 leaflets, a rich dark massy head of foliage, anil 

 over this is thickly sprinkled the airy clusters of 

 snowy blossoms which are slightly fragrant. It is by 

 far the handsomest tree of its tribe ; and taking into 

 account its perfect hardiness — vigorous, healthy 

 growth, and clean broad foliage, it must be placed 

 anumg the most desirable of all ornamental trees 

 for the lawn and pleasure grounds. 



The trunk of the Yellow- wood, when the tree is 



well grown, is remarkable for its smoothness, and 

 the greenish grey colour of the bark, reiicmbltng a 

 little in this respect that of the beech. 



This tree is a very r.ire one. In its native locali- 

 ties, Tennessee and Kentucky, it is conlined to a 

 small district. It is so little known that both 

 Pursh and Nullall never appear to have seen it in 

 blossom; both evidently being misled by the spe- 

 cilic name of Michaux; and both therefore erring 

 in describing its flowers as yellow. 



This is usually consiilcred a small tree by botani- 

 cal authors, but we have seen specimens in some 

 of the line old gardens in the .suburbs of Philadel- 

 phia, more than 40 feet high, and exccedingl y 

 handsome in their heads and trunks. No tree is 

 better deserving of propagation than this. It 

 grows readily from the seeds, and we call attention 

 to it now in the hope that the few persons who are 

 in i)osscssion, oi- are in the neighborhood, of bear- 

 ing trees, will carefully save all the seeds and en- 

 deavour to multiply it. 



The name, yellow-wood, is derived from the hue 

 of the heart wood, which imparts a lively yellow 

 colour to water, and is we believe sometimes usctl 

 for dyeing. 



Torrey and Gray, in their excellent Flora of 

 North Jlmerica, have adopted Rafincsque"s name 

 for this genus, which, as they remark, " is wholly 

 distinct from Virgilia." 



A VALUABLE NEW EVERGREEN. — Wc are almost 

 destitute, in the climate of the North, of handsome 

 evergreen shrubs, for the open garden and shrub- 

 bery. W^e have been much gratified on this account 

 to learn that the jtretty shrub called the Variegated 

 leaved Japan Euonymus, proves perfectly hardy, 

 wherever it has yet been tried out of doors, for the 

 last three winters. It grows, as we learn, in .Tapan 

 about twenty feet high, — and with us will probably 

 form a shrub of 10 or 12 feet. It has oval, rather 

 thick leaves, (about half as large as those of the 

 quince) which are bordered on the edge with a sil- 

 very margin. The pale pink or white flowers, are 

 borne in July. It grows very freely from cuttings 

 or laj'crs and will, we trust, soon be everywhere 

 I)lanted. It will doubtless make a good low ever- 

 green hedge for the garden, and will bear clijiping 

 well. 



Two SORTS OF THE LocusT Tree. — Pray in- 

 form me if there are really two varieties or species 

 of the Locust tree. I believe the books only give 

 one species, the Yellow Locust; but I notice so 

 decided a ililference in the growth of those in this 

 part of the country and those 1 knew in Pennsylva- 

 nia that I sujipose them to be distinct. Yours, 

 jr. //. F., New Haven, Con. 



[There is only one species of the common Lo- 

 cust tree recognized by botanists — Robinia psevd- 

 acacia, but there are several varietiesof it produc- 

 ed by cultivation, in gardens. 



Still there are two very distinct and strongly 

 marked native varieties, well known on the Hud- 

 son, and in some other parts of the country. These 

 are poimlarly recognized as the Yellow Locust, and 

 the Seed Locust. They are perfectly distinct in 

 their habit of growth, and are said to dill'cr in theij- 

 value as timber trees. The first and most commoQ 



