November 1, 1913 



HOKTICULTURE 



597 



The Lilac Question 



People interested these days, make annual pilgrimages 

 to the Lilac Shrines such as those of the Arnold Ar- 

 boretum and the Highland Park, Rochester, collections, 

 and the interest grows amazingly year by year as judged 

 by the attendance and the number of inquiries concern- 

 ing lilacs by those interested, who choose these when 

 they have space for little besides, as in small gardens. 



The question of hardiness is not raised. We have yet 

 to learn of lilacs being winterkilled at the tops or buds 

 injured by frost in winter proper. They are occasion- 

 ally hurt in spring by late frosts after the shoots have 

 developed, in common with most other flowering shrubs, 

 even native ones that are indigenous to the location. 



Lilacs thrive in all soils alike, from a sandy loam to 

 heavy cl^y, provided there is nourishment provided and 

 moisture in summer, the latter being perhaps the most 

 important especially during times of drouth as in the 

 past season, tliis being a mere detail to the cultivator. 



It is reasoned that all is well with the lilacs until the 

 buyer appears and finds that from an exceedingly abbre- 

 viated list of kinds, it is only possible to obtain plants 

 grafted on the roots of the privet, and unfortunately, this 

 is usually the so-called California species. This system 

 of propagation has been approved by good authorities in 

 certain sections, but from personal experience and ob- 

 servation elsewhere in this locality, the privet stock is 

 worse tlian valueless. In the spring of 1912, as com- 

 plete a set of lilacs as possible was made, with due re- 

 gard to the colors. These grew well during summer 

 and were set out permanently, we thought, this spring. 

 All were moved with care, and leaved out nicely, but 

 about half of the lot proceeded to die, and an investi- 

 gation proved that the privet rootstock had died during 

 the winter, which was not a severe one as cultivators un- 

 derstand it. Above the graft, tlie lilac projjcr was still 

 alive for weeks, in fact until midsummer, but no growth 

 was made. Recently attention was called to another 

 lot that had grown to be valuable shrubs, had flowered 



for years and were much valued, but knowing the symp- 

 toms, the diagnosis was easily made. It was the same 

 trouble, the death of the stock' before roots had been 

 formed at the union. 



It is a well recognized principle that grafting is prac- 

 tised for the purpose of propagation — especially with 

 difficult subjects — but there are many who do not know 

 this, and most people think it is done to get added vigor. 

 In some instances as with fruit trees it is to restrict vigor 

 and produce fruitfulness, but with the instance under 

 consideration it is just a matter of getting up stock 

 quickly to sell. After this there is no appeal in the way 

 of a guarantee, and the buyer is the loser. 



During a recent eastern trip, it was noted that lilacs 

 are now being rooted freely from cuttings taken late in 

 summer and put in frames outside. Doubtless they 

 could be so managed in a glass house, but the point is 

 that own-root lilac plants are possible though it takes 

 longer to get a salable plant as large as those raised by 

 grafting, but even if the price was doubled, and the 

 danger of winter killing, to say nothing of the tendency 

 of the privet to sucker from the root, and a sprinkling 

 of borers thrown in for good measure, just to cover the 

 whole year of worries for the gardener — if these were 

 eliminated — the price would seem to be a secondary con- 

 sideration to lilac lovers. 



Another suggestion is. that if grafted lilacs must be 

 made, let the vendor state so clearly in his catalogue, 

 with instruction? for deep planting, protection at the 

 root for the first few winters until own roots are formed 

 and, at the end of these a disclaimer would fit in well. 

 Our own losses arc trivial, but the trouble is widespread 

 and is blamed to the plants, when it rightfully belongs to 

 the method of propagation. 



TWO FINE HYDRANGEAS. 



The accompanying illustrations 

 show a pair of unusually fine speci- 

 mens of Hydrangea Otaksa on the 

 grounds of Wm. A. Congdon ot New 



Bedford, at Siasconset, Nantucket, 

 Mass. One of these plants is 9 feet 

 in diameter and 5 feet high. The oth- 

 er is 8 feet in diameter and 5V. feet 

 high. 



Th great size and floriferousness of 

 tho plants is attributed to the fact 

 that pipes lead from the laundry and 

 they are constantly kept watered in 

 summer by the waste water. 



