324 



THE GARDENER'S MONTHLY 



[November, 



till the first branches are reached, which are 

 abov;t 30 feet from the ground. The top is large 

 and spreading, and the entire height about 80 

 feet. A few of the branches show signs of de- 

 cay, but still it bids fair to live for at least another 

 quarter of :i century. It was originally surrounded 

 by forest, but has been standing nearly alone for 

 fifty years. 



As stated above, this tree is remarkable for its 

 productiveness as well as size. In fact it is more 

 profitable than any two or three orchard trees 

 in the neighborhood. For the past ten years it 

 has failed but once of producing a crop of fruit, 

 yielding from twenty to eighty pounds of seed, 

 which has been sold to nurserymen for 75 cents to 

 $1 per pound. When ripe the seeds fall out of the 

 cones while on the tree, and are picked up by 

 our three youngest children, who are given the 

 proceeds annually as their Christmas money, 

 with which to buy presents for one another and 

 for cousins. So it may well be believed that our 

 Centennial Magnolia is an important feature of 

 the homestead, as well as a conspicuous one. Is 

 there a larger tree of the kind in the Union ? 



LARGE LEMONS. 



At the nurseries of Storrs, Harrison & Co., of 

 this place, is a lemon tree which is quite remark- 

 able for the size of its fruit. It ripened over 

 twenty specimens the past year, and six of them 

 gathered the past week weighed just six 

 pounds, the largest weighing nineteen and a half 

 ounces. The tree was left in charge of S. H. &. 

 Co. some years ago, by a fiimily who moved away 

 and never called for it ; so that its origin is not 

 known, nor the name of the variety, if it has 

 any name. Can you, Mr. Editor, give us the 

 names and descriptions of the varieties of lem- 

 ons usually grown where this fruit is extensively 

 cultivated, or in the greenhouses in this country? 



LIATRIS PYCNOSTACHYA. 



BY C. E. B., AMES, IOWA. 



LicUris pycnostachya, of which you speak on 

 page 263, grows abundantly here. It is truly a 

 magnificent plant, and when seen waving its 

 blazing head in the prairies, it never fails to 

 commend itself to the flower lover. As our 

 summer climate is hot and dry, it ought to en- 

 dure anything you ever have of dryness in the 

 East. 



EDITORIAL NOTES. 



Akeblv quinata. — This has fruited for the first 

 time, as far as we know, on the grounds of Mr. 

 W. Canl)y, of Wilmington, Del. It is as large, 

 and very much resembles in external appear- 

 ance, a papaw. The seeds are in a juicy, slightly 

 sweet pulp. It is said to be eaten by the Japan- 

 ese, but unless something be added to it the 

 flavor has little character to make it sought after. 

 It might grow even "near a college where young 

 men are being educated for the ministry," as 

 Mark Twain would say, without many disap- 

 pearing. 



Wier's Cut-lea ved Silver Maple. — Few " cut- 

 leaved" plants please us, and we had not much of 

 an idea of this. But a specimen in the Centen- 

 nial collection of Messrs. Hance & Son, shows 

 that it is a very desirable tree. 



EuoNYMUS Amkricaxus. — An Ohio corres- 

 pondent calls our attention to the beauty of this 

 native shrub. It is more beautiful than Euony- 

 mus atropurpureus and E. Europajus and va- 

 rieties, the two in cultivation, and should be 

 grown. It would probably graft on the other 

 strong kinds, and make pretty heads in this 

 way. 



Weigela amabilis Looymansi aurea. — This 

 long name means a golden-leaved Weigela ama- 

 bilis. It is figured in U Horticulture Beige, and 

 ought to be worth introducing here. 



O.v Naming Flowers for Persons. — The PaU 

 Mall Gazette remarks: "The practice of naming 

 flowers after private friends or public characters 

 is veryi)retty; but it may be suggested that a 

 little care in the selection of epithets bestowed 

 on such names would not be amiss. Otherwise 

 it is difficult to say whether poetical compliment 

 or covert satire of the sponsor is intended. What 

 shall we say, for instance, of the descriptions ap- 

 pended to the names given to three new roses, 

 just 'sent out' by a leading nurseryman, which 

 we find in the advertising pages of last week's 

 gardening papers? First shall come a lady, and, 

 if the language is rather glowing, we trust that it 

 is not on the whole displeasing to the foir proto- 

 type :— 



"Miss Hansard: — Beautiful delicate pinkish 

 flesh color, large, full, and fine form, very sweetly 

 scented. First-class for either exhibition or gen- 

 eral p\u"poses. 



" But the next is so ludicrously inappropriate 



