February 28, 1908 



HORTICULTURE 



261 



Bougainvilleas 



(See FroHtispiece) 



TJio Bougainvilleas are natives of South Auierica 

 aud it is there that one sees them in their greatest 

 perfection. 'J'liere are said to be seven species belonging 

 to this showy genus, but there are not more than two 

 species and several varieties in common cultivation. 



They are especially valuai)le when trained as gTceu- 

 liouse or palm house climbers, and will cover the roof 

 and walls to a height of twenty-five or thirty feet. The 

 side branches from one plant when trained out horizon- 

 tally will cover twenty to thirty feet if desired. When 

 grown in this way they are usually kept dry during the 

 early part of the winter. About this time or early in 

 March the plants are given a thoroughly hard pruning, 

 cutting back the growth of last year to within one or 

 two buds of the older wood and cutting out all weak 

 and Undesirable parts. If they are grown in a border 

 the top soil to the depth of several inches may be re- 

 moved and a top dressing of good turfy loam and cow 

 manure given. If the plants have been kept thoroughly 

 dry a good soaking of water may be given at this time, 

 but afterwards they must be watered sparingly until 

 there is enough new growth to warrant more liberal sup- 

 plies. By the middle of next May, if the plants are 

 treated as directed, they will have branches three or 

 four or more feet in length and completely covered with 

 large showy bracts. We find these long sprays very ser- 

 viceable when cut for Class Day and Conunencenient 

 decorations. 



The specie.-^ thai is must commonly grown is Bou- 

 gainvillea glalira. It is very ea.sy to grow and flowers 

 most ])rofuselv and has showy bright rosy red bracts. 



Bougainvillea ulabra variety Sanderiana is a much 

 more com]jact plant than the species and on that ac- 

 count is better suited for pot culture and when well 

 grown makes a capital Easter plant. 



Bougainvillea spectabilis is a showy plant l)ut not 

 as easily grown as the above-named species. Sometimes 

 it is very hard to make it bloom successfully. Well 

 do I remember a fine specimen of this species which 

 grew most luxuriantly in the vestibule to the water- 

 lily-house at the Royal Gardens, Kew. Although tliis 

 plant made nuignificent growth it could not be made 

 to flower satisfactorily until it was dug up and most 

 of the roots cut off and replanted in not over-rich soil. 

 Then for some years afterwards this plant flowered 

 splendidly. This species when well blossomed is a 

 nuist magnificent sight and is much more showy than 

 B. glabra. It has large panicles of flowers and large 

 showy bracts of a deep rose color varying to purple. 



There is a variety of this plant wliich is extremely 

 showy and distinct, known as B. spectabilis var. laterita. 

 This variety is strikingly distinct fi'om any other bou- 

 gainvillea in cultivation. The habit and form of the 

 plant is very similar to the ordinary kinds. It is the 

 color of the bracts, which is of a brick red. that makes 

 it look so different from all other bougainvilleas. Be- 

 cause this variety is rather hard to propagate it is not 

 as frequentlv seen as it deserves. The finest specimens 

 I have ever seen of this variety are in Hope Gardens 

 near King.ston, .Tauiaica. British West Indies. They 

 are grown in large bush form and are at their best in 

 the month of January. They make such an imposing 

 show and the sight makes such an im])ression that one 

 can never forget it. The Jamaicans propagate this 

 lilant by pot-layering: that is. a liranch is "ringed'' or 

 '"girdled" and a baml)oo pot which has been divided is 

 put around the part girdled, filling up with soil, and 



left in this way until roots are formed. Tliis is the only 

 way they can increase this variety. This distinct va- 

 riety on account of its showy bracts would make an ex- 

 cellent florists' plant for Christmas. 



All other kinds of bougainvilleas are easily increased 

 by cuttings of the half ripened wood. If treated proper- 

 ly in pots and brought along at the right time bougain- 

 villeas would make imposing bedding plants for places 

 like Boston Public Garden and the flowers and bracts 

 would last two months in good condition. 



Green fly and mealy bug are two of the worst insects 

 that trouble these plants when they are grown in green 

 houses. The former can easily be destroyed by fumi- 

 gating with tobacco or Aphis Punk, and the latter when 

 the jilants are pruned should be thoroughly syringed 

 with kerosene emulsion. 



The scene pictured in the frontispiece of the paper is 

 one that is admired by every person who is fortunate 

 enough to see this wonderful arbor when it is in full 

 perfection during the winter months. It is three or 

 four hundred yards in length and leads up from the 

 street to the main entrance of the Constant Spring 

 Hotel, Jamaica. Bougainvillea glabra is the kind that 

 is used on this handsome arbor. One can easily imagine 

 how cool and refreshing it is to walk under a canopy 

 like this in a hot tropical country. 



Viburnum opulus Linn. 



Another shrub of marked worth because of the beauty 

 of its fruit is, the High Bush Cranberry, which is native 

 to our own northern States and Canada as well as to 

 parts of Europe and Asia. It is an upright shrub of 

 robust habit ultimately attaining a height of eight to 

 ten feet. The foliage is good but of no special merit. 

 In summer it is dull green and in autumn it becomes 

 purplish or dull red. The flowers, which appear in late 

 May or early June, are borne in broad flat cymes that 

 are three or four inches in diameter. The perfect flow- 

 ers, composing the greater part of the inflorescence, are 

 small, white and about one-quarter of an inch across. 

 The outer neutral flowers, which are the reallv showy 

 ones, are white and nearly three-quarters of an inch in 

 diameter. 



The fruit tliat follows is particularly attractive. 

 When fully grown it is at least a half inch in length. 

 It begins to turn by earlv August and early in Septem- 

 ber has become bright scarlet. Normally it hangs on 

 and is .showy throughout the winter and not infrequent- 

 ly until early spring. 



Like many of the viburnums this can not be classed 

 with the rapid growing shrubs, yet it proves satisfactory 

 in any good soil. It is comparatively free from disease 

 iir insect troubles, although it is occasionally disturbed 

 bv the leaf curl. However, this is never .«o serious as 

 in the case of the sterile-flowered form, the Guelder 

 Rose or Snowball. Because of its habit, its flowers and 

 its good scarlet fruit it is desirable for any shrubbery 

 and is especially deserving of place among thd best 

 shrubs. In the shrubbery border shown in the frontis- 

 piece of last week's issue the white cymes of yiburnum 

 o[uilus are effectively shown. 



AZ.^a.6^^ 



