132 



THE GARDENER'S MONTHLY 



[Mayy 



variety. These leaves are composed of a strong 

 fibrous substance, are thick enougli and suffi- 

 ciently rigid to stand out as straight as a line. 

 They gradually diminish in width until they 

 terminate in a heavy thorn as sharp as a needle. 

 They are so closely set upon the body and 

 summit of the tree that their bases crowd 

 each other. As they thus radiate in every 

 direction they constitute a stubborn barrier in 

 protection of the tree. So formidable are these' 

 leaves that the tree bearing them has received 

 here the common name of "dagger tree." 



As the tree increases in height the under- 

 most leaves drop, exposing the smooth bark 

 below them. It attains the height of from 

 twelve to fifteen feet. So, now you can imagine 

 the appearance of this Yucca, as its head of 

 great green swords, supported by the clean naked 

 trunk, constitutes the entire tree. Sometimes 

 the trunk branches out and supports several such 

 heads as we have described, often so closely 

 pressed together as to appear to constitute one 

 gigantic crown of monstrous thorns. About the 

 first of March a spike shoots upward from the 

 center and here grow the flowers, an enormous 

 plume sometimes three feet long and eighteen 

 inches in diameter, and so compactly placed as 

 to seem a solid mass. The ruling color is a rich, 

 shining creamy white, which is varied by a light 

 tinge according to the sub-variety. 



The tree itself is beautiful, and when it is sur- 

 mounted by its glittering plume in such a gay 

 contrast with its long bright green leaves, the 

 Yucca gloriosa is certainly a prince in the floral 

 kingdom. I have seen this flower at a full dis- 

 tance of two miles when circumstances were all 

 favorable to a distant view. I have seen stran- 

 gers from the North point to one of these trees 

 in bloom and say, "If I could have that tree 

 placed in my yard just as it is, I would freely 

 give fifty dollars." 



GARDEN NOTES. 



BY REV. HENRY WARD BEECHER. 



The French habit of trimming and cutting 

 back ti-ees in parks and gardens is to be avoided. 

 But there are many effects to be attained by the 

 knife, which deserve consideration. The Catalpa 

 is not a comely tree until it is quite old, then, as 

 one may see in Princeton, N. J., it is as fine as an 

 old Horse Chestnut. But by cutting it back 

 every year to the ground it sends up a mulitude 

 of stems bearing immense leaves of a bright 

 green, which give a very striking effect. 



The American Balsam Fir, is when young, 

 one of the most charming of evergreens, but 

 with age it becomes bare-legged and scraggy, 

 and can be made seemly only by being at the 

 back of plantations. But, when the tree has^ 

 reached twelve or fifteen feet in height, if its top 

 be excised, the side branches will fill out and 

 give a pleasing effect. 



The Acer tartaricum or Tartarian Maple, does 

 not produce a good efTect in our climate if al- 

 lowed to have its own way. But by reducing it 

 to a bush, by annual severe pruning, the young- 

 shoots will be brilliant with leaves and color. 



The Salix lucida is almost worthless as a tree ; 

 but if cut back every year and never allowed to 

 grow more than twelve feet in height, it furnishes 

 one of the most satisfactory shrubs that can be 

 planted near the house. The leaves will be 

 large, fresh and brilliant. 



Let me commend the Ligustrum Japonicum, or 

 Japan Privet, to all lovers of fine shrubs. Its 

 leaf-beaut}' is eminently satisfying, and it should 

 supplant the common Privet. 



I am glad to see in your January number, an 

 article upon the Retinisporas. They are the very 

 evergreens required in small grounds, door-yards 

 and in cemeteries. I have had every kind men- 

 tioned in European catalogues, and have found 

 them perfectly hardy without protection, at 

 Peekshill, which is forty miles north of New 

 York City. R. squarrosa, is apt to be a little cut 

 by the Winter, but by slight clipping in Spring 

 it soon regains its soft and misty appearance. 

 R. obtusa and R. pisifera, should be planted Avith 

 room enough, as they become fine trees. They 

 are rapid growers, and hardy. R. obtusa is a 

 kind of substitute for Lawson's Cypress, which 

 will not endure our "Wintei's. The R. lycopo- 

 doides is all that your correspondent says ; but 

 in some respect the R. leptoclada is more curi- 

 ous, though perhaps not so beautiful. Its branches 

 are like narrow fronds of fern. Its color is yel- 

 lowish-brown green, and it is utterly unlike any 

 other evergreen. 



By the name R. filifera 1 have a species. It 

 should be in every collection. Its branches are 

 thread like, and fall over gracefully, with foun- 

 tain-like effect. There is a dwarf kind, R. fili- 

 formis, which yields a beautiful mat, and might 

 be employed as an edging. 



I have long ago abandoned box as an edging. 

 It will not endure our Winters without gaps. I 

 have fallen in love with Arborvitse Tom Thumb, 

 as a plant for borders ; it is hardy, dwarf, bears 



