1882.] 



AND HORTICULTURIST. 



355 



son of working and otlier particulars as may be 

 consistent with propriety and your knowledge of 

 facts. 



[The cones were immature, not half the size 

 of perfect ones. The seeds are as large as chest- 

 nuts and there would be no difficulty in seeing 

 them where they exist. There were probably no 

 male flowers to fertilize them. In forthcoming 

 years yon will probably be more successful. In 

 England the tree has been fruiting for several 

 years past, and seedlings are raised from the 

 home grown seeds. In the moist atmosphere of 

 that country evergreens endure a lower temper- 

 ature without injury than they do in our dry 

 climate, it ni)w being well understood that the 

 death of these trees l>y frost is rather by the loss 

 of moisture induced by the temperature, than by 

 the degree of temperature itself. The demand 

 for this tree in America is so light that seedsmen 

 do not keep the seed on hand, but some of those 

 who make a specialty of tree seeds procure 

 them when definite orders are given. Native 

 seeds have to be obtained from Chili. Araucaria 

 excelsa has been raised by the writer from cut- 

 tings, in the same way that evergreen cuttings 

 generally are raised, and probably A. imbricata 

 could be raii-ed in the same way. A few could 

 perhaps be raised by grafting on pieces of its own 

 roots. There is nothing under culture that 

 would do for a stock. 



Its common name is Chili Pine, and it will be 

 a good thing if the remarks of Mr. Langdon 

 draw enough attention to induce the planting 

 of this remarkably beautiful coniferae whenever 

 there are not more than five or ten degrees of 

 frost to interfere with it.— Ed. G. M.l 



NOTES FROM CALIFORNIA. 



BY G. W. H., BELYIDERE, N. J. 



I send a few notes of fine specimens I saw at 

 Los Angeles: Laurustinus, 5 feet, 7 years old; 

 Camphor tree, 15 feet, 7 years; Monterey cypress, 

 30 feet high, 15 in. diameter at base, 6 years from 

 seed, one of the finest things I ever saw, so per- 

 fectly symmetrical inform; Araucaria Bidwilli, 

 15 feet; Pritchardia filamentosa, 3.^ feet in diam- 

 eter, 20 feet high, 10 years old ; Cryptomeria 

 elegans, very fine; Grevillea, 30 feet; Dractena 

 terminalis, 10 feet; Crape myrtle, 10 feet; Pome- 

 granate, 12 feet, height of trunk to lower 

 branches, 4 feet. Araucaria a most lovely ever- 

 green ; Deodar cedar. Cryptomeria is beauti- , 

 ful in winter, becoming every shtide of brown. I 



Hakea australis, brilliant flower like a scarlet 

 tassel. Date palm, 15 feet high. Myoporum, 

 'ZO feet high, 6 years from seed, magnificent 

 glossy foliage. Acacia multigonum, 25 feet, 

 lovely ; has been covered with flowers. Lemon 

 verbena ( Aloysia citriodora), 12 feet high. Erica, 

 12 feet, covered with white flowers in winter, a 

 few onlv in Julv. 



SINGLE DAHLIAS. 



BY P. 



To many persons unacquainted with the 

 merits of tlie Single Dahlia it may appear 

 ridiculous to make a retrograde movement in 

 favor of this well known plant. 



For years past the ambition of florists has 

 been to make the dahlia as large and double as 

 possible. They have succeeded in obtaining 

 flowers of every shade of color, and of gigantic 

 proportions. To such an extent has this been 

 carried that it has made the dahlia unpopular 

 for many purposes, and fashion has abandoned 

 them for flowers more simple in their construc- 

 tion. 



Single dahlias have always been cultivated to 

 a limited extent, but there were few varie- 

 ties, and these not very brilliant in color, nor 

 free flowering. Now the varieties are endless, 

 producing flowers in great abundance of every 

 shade of black, purple, pink, white, mauve, 

 plum, crimson, scarlet, yellow and lavender; 

 while in the "fancy class" you have them striped 

 and splashed in every conceivable manner, and 

 with flowers of great size, perfect in shape, and 

 of great substance 



Single dahlias possess many advantages over 

 the double ones. They are much more suitable 

 for cutting; are light, elegant, brilliant in color, 

 and stand well. They flower earlier, and the 

 blooms are not injured so much by dull, heavy 

 weather as the double. They can be treated as 

 annuals, obviating the necessity of keeping the 

 old roots, from year to year, where no conve- 

 nience exists for so doing. Single dahlias are 

 more appreciated by the public, and are adapted 

 for a greater number of purposes, consequently 

 are in greater demand than the double varieties. 

 They can be used for bedding purposes, and in 

 this respect will prove invaluable for general 

 decoration, forming luxuriant masses of foliage 

 eighteen to twenty-four inches in height, cov- 

 ered with large brilliant flowers of every shade 

 of color. For beds they should be planted 



