536 



DOMESTIC NOTICES. 



be superior in some respects to the variety it most 

 resembles. For instance, if any person sliall raise 

 a seedling plum one-fonrth larger, and equal or 

 superior in flavor, more beautiful in its appearance, 

 and more productive than the Green Gage, then 

 the new variety would soon find its way into every 

 crood collection of plums. The same remarks will 

 apply to the Newtown Pippin apple. The person 

 who shall be so fortunate as to raise a seedling 

 apple of equal flavor, better color, and a tree more 

 thrifty and productive than the green Newtown 

 Pippin, will have accomplished something worthy 

 of record and a name. But cultivators, like young 

 fond mothers, are apt to consider their production 

 to be a ■' none-such ;" time, alas ! often convinces 

 them of their mistake ; and when too late, they 

 find they have only deceived themselves. 



Effects of the Winter on Plants. — In 

 your March number you published a few remarks 

 of mine on the experiments of Dr. Edmondson in 

 acclimatizing the Camellia, in Maryland. I beg 

 to inform you now of his success, through the last 

 peculiar winter. The foliage of the exposed 

 plants is more disfigured than in any previous sea- 

 son, owing, doubtless, to the extreme warm wea- 

 ther we had up to the 7th of January, which no 

 doubt had started the sap. The sudden cold 

 coming upon them in that state, (the thermome- 

 ter falling as low as 4 degrees below zero, which 

 48 hours before had been ranging from 65 to 75 

 Fahrenheit, making a difference of many degrees.) 

 This sudden check, I think, has been the sole 

 cause of disfiguring the foliage, and many of the 

 earliest flower buds. These Camellia plants are 

 now in full bloom, but of course they are not in such 

 perfection as last year. Many of the branches, 

 however, which were covered with snow are not 

 injured in the least. I noticed that one plant 

 which was planted last November, in an open bor- 

 der where it was fully exposed to the hot sun, and 

 had lost all its leaves, was opening its flowers ; 

 others again all destroyed. This has been with 

 us an unusually severe winter on certain plants ; 

 of China roses, many varieties are killed to the 

 ground, as well as that interesting Chinese shrub 

 Nandina domestica. The wood of grape vines is, 

 however, more perfect than I have found it for 

 many seasons, owing to the fact that the wood 

 was perfectly ripened in the autumn previous. 



Cunninghamia lancifolia — a large plant, put 

 out by Dr. Edmondson, has stood well ; it was 

 covered with a box, partially open to the north, 

 and I think this tree may prove hardy here. 



Koelrenteria paniculata. — This tree in the 

 month of June forms a splendid ornament. Irs 

 epikes of rich yellow flowers, covering the tree all 

 over, has a charming effect on a lawn or pleasure 

 garden, in the fall, covered with rich mahogany 

 colored seed pods. [This tree is perfectly hardy 

 with us, and we have no doubt will be so as far 

 north as Canada. — Ed.] 



Lilium lancifolium album, speeiosa, japonicum, 



and longifolium , are all perfectly hardy here- 

 stood this last season here without any protection. 

 The charming Double Japan Spirssa S. prunifo- 

 Ha plena, a plant 4 feet high, is now in full bud, 

 and what a treasure it is. Siebold deserves a 

 monument from the horticulturists for introducing^ 

 this plant and the Japan Lilies, independent of the 

 other fine things with which he has enriched oar 

 collections. 



Photiniu glabra and serrulata prove hardy, and 

 are now opening their flower buds. 



Paulownia Imperialis . — Last year the flowers 

 were all destroyed owing to a warm period in 

 February. This year they are not injured. This 

 tree, now pretty well known in our nurseries as 

 the Paulownia, has a character of its own, differ- 

 ing from that of any other tree I have yet seen^ 

 which I think will make every real lover of orna- 

 mental gardening admire it. It ought to be found 

 in all well improved pleasure grounds, and it only 

 needs to be planted on a spacious lav/n, with a 

 dark green at a distance for a back ground, to be 

 seen to great advantage. It forms its large clus- 

 ters of flower-buds in the month of August ; and 

 as every branch terminates with a panicle of large 

 flower-buds, it is an interesting sight even during^ 

 the fall and winter, though these buds do not ex- 

 pand till the succeeding spring. I have a eluster 

 now before me, 13 inches long, containing 14 

 smaller branches, covered with flower buds, all of 

 a very curious formation. The flowers when open 

 resemble the Maurandia Barclay ana ^ or the Pur- 

 ple Fox Glove. The seed pods are like those of 

 Yucca filamentosa. The seed is fla< and slightly 

 winged. [This tree has withstood a temperature 

 of 12 degrees below zero at the north the past 

 winter without injury. — Ed.] 



Your readers in the north, some of them, maj 

 think that the climate of Maryland is very favo- 

 rable to gardening. In some respects it is so, but not 

 in all. The changes of temperature are very great. 

 During the past winter, in the latter part of Febru- 

 ary, the winter broke up, and all March was very 

 wet and cold, so much so as to prevent any person 

 from working the ground unless in dry soil. This 

 month has been very dry and warm. Last night we 

 had a strong frost with high wind ; ice half an inch 

 thick in tubs ; the fruit of peaches, cherries, plums, 

 and strawberries, or rather, such as were in bloom, 

 are all destroyed. Magnolia purpurea, Sonlan- 

 giana, conspicua, and some other varieties I 

 have recently imported, were in their greatest 

 splendor. Now all are destroyed. Yet the Ca- 

 mellia flowers, like those of Pyrus japonica, are 

 not injured in the least. SamH Feast. Balti- 

 more, April 16, 1849. 



Colossal Rhubarb. — Dear Sir: For a few 

 years past, I have planted several varieties of 

 rhubarb in my garden, and among others MyatVa 

 Victoria and the Colossal. After a thorough trial 

 in my soil, I find Bowning's Colossal is decidedly 



