For October, li'^1 



729 



Native Plants for Shady Places — II 



HERBERT DURAND 



IX last month's Chronicle. I suggested a number of 

 attractive combinations of nitive Howering plants and 



ferns suitable for foundation or "porch" plantings 

 and gave a list of fifty plants from which any number of 

 .other combinations may be formed. This month 1 will 

 ^:onsider other shady spots, conmion to most home 

 grounds, which are usually either barren of any kind 

 of vegetation or are given over to pigweeds and dock. 



The most trying problem is to be found under beeches, 

 soft mai)les and other trees whose roots run near the 

 surface and greedily appropriate all the moisture and 

 fertility of the soil. The plants generally recommended 

 for such situations are ^-ijiisa (bugle), Moneywort, or 

 Creeping Charlie, and ;\Iyrtle {Vinca minor): hut I 

 have never kno\\n either of these aliens to prove a jier- 

 manent success. 



In our upland forests the class of trees mentioned has 

 numerous representatives, and the soil under them is 

 just as dry, just as impoverished as it is under the ones 

 about the home. I have been much interested recently in 

 observing the kind of material Nature uses to overcome 

 these adverse conditions, for it has been my experience 

 that there is no better guide. Here are some of the plants 

 most in evidence : 



In dense thickets of Maples : Checkerberry or Part- 

 ridge \'ine (Mitcliclla rcpcns): Yellow Violet {Viola 

 pubcsccns) : Shin Leaf {Pyrola var.) ; Club Moss {Ly- 

 i opodiuin cUn'atinn ) ; Liver-leaf — in stony ground ( Hc- 

 patica triloba); Christmas Fern (Aspidiinn acrosti- 

 choidcs ) : half a dozen kinds of mosses. 



Under a stately spreading Beech, on a dry, sandy 

 s'ope ; Checkerberry, Yellow Star Grass ( Hypoxis 

 icrccta) \ \"iolet Wood Sorrel (Oxalis znolacca); liird's 

 Foot \'iolet {Viola pedata) : Bluets (Houstouia cwnt- 

 Ica) : Sky Blue .\ster [A.Urz-is) ; the slender Golden Rod 

 (Solidai^o c(csia) ; the Silver Rod (Solidago bicolor), and 

 the Ebony Spleenwort {Asplcninm cbcncum). 



These examples show a pleasing variety of foliage, 

 flowers and red berries. The Checkerljerry, in poor soil, 

 has small leaves, but forms a compact mat which hugs 



the ground closely. Its blossoms have the most delicious 

 fragrance imaginable, and its double berries are exceed- 

 ingly attractive as long as the birds permit them to re- 

 main. It is not difficult to establish, if kept inoist for a 

 time and covered with a light mulch of leaves. 



The two native creeping Irises {Iris crisfata and Iris 

 vcrna), I find do very nicely when added to an nnder- 

 tree planting, and both the Hay-scented Fern {Dick- 

 sonia piinrlilobula) and the -Spiny Wood Fern {Aspi- 

 diitm spiniilosiiiu ) give excellent accounts of themselves. 



Most everybody admires mosses. Few seem to know, 

 however, that many of them may be successfully trans- 

 planted and established in dry, shady places. 1 have 

 cut sods of moss 6 inches square, and 2 to 3 inches thick, 

 brought them home from the woods and had them cover 

 four times their original area within two years, with the 

 richest kind of carpet. 



There are many shady corners where the soil is damp 

 and rich, and every one of them can be made a l)eauty 

 sjxit, by planting Ferns and native wild flowers. CJne of 

 the daintiest and loveliest plantings I have ever seen was 

 in a shaded fence corner. It was composed of a Maiden- 

 hair Fern, Shooting Star ( Dodccathcon) . I'llue Bells 

 {Mcrtcnsia) and \Miite Trilliums, with an edging of the 

 ever-blooming Canada \'iolet. 



The two Baneherries, Artcca alba, with white fruit, and 

 A. rubra, with red. are exceedingly handsome ])lants for 

 massing. The Wild Red Lily (L. PhUadclphicum) , the 

 Cardinal I-dower (Lobelia cardinalis) and the Virginia 

 Speedwell (Veronica J'iri;;inica) may be interspersed 

 among them with striking eft'ect. 



Where the soil is continuously moist and largely of 

 leaf mould. Spring Beauties. Toothwort, Trout Lillies, 

 Anemones, some of the Lady Slip[)ers, the I'oam Flower 

 (Tiarclla). Jacob's Ladder (Polcmoniitin). nearly all 

 the violets, and nearly all the fernis may be introduced 

 and combined in infinite variety. 



And in exqiiisite loveliness, such a planting should 

 not be excelled by any collection of rare plants tliat could 

 possibly be assembled, even though the four quarters of 

 the crlobe were searched for their choicest floral treasures. 



October Birds 



PAUL B. RlIS 



Till'", hot, sullen dog-days have been closely followed 

 l)v intermittent equinoctial storms. .Ml Xature has 

 been at war. The oppressive heat discouraged the 

 nonual growth and development of crops and hastened 

 their maturity. Rains and down])ours are frequent with 

 occasional days of sunshine breaking the monotony. 



These days abundantly blessed with the mellow warmth 

 of October sun.shine are typical .\utumn days, with the 

 richness and glory so intimate with the season of matur- 

 ity. What days of any season may compare with these 

 wonderful days of Autumn? The early days of Spring- 

 time, buoyant with the reawakening of life, or the golden 

 days of June, flooded with light and sunshine or the grand 

 days of Winter glistening witli myriads of crystals with 

 the sun sinking lower and lower in the horizon? Indian 

 Summer alone may be a fair competitor. 



.\ ramble afield through meadows and woodlands re- 

 veal manv surprises each one interesting in itself, each a 

 treasured revelation. We may follow the meandering 

 course of the brook or keep closely to the shore of the 

 river and .soon we note th.at the birds are also taking 

 advantage of the generosity of the .season. Leisurely we 

 approach a clump of sneezeweed when we are attracted 

 by the lisping notes of migrating warblers in the willows 

 overhead noting these to be Tennes.see Warblers. A 

 more familiar call note ahead brings us close to a flock 

 of white-lhroated s])arrows. There are many immature 

 birds as evidenced l)y a less conspicuous marking of the 

 plumage and the fragmentary recitations of that beautiful 

 strain so familiar in the meadows of our Xotthern States. 

 The dry rattle of a kingfisher betrays that worthy engaged 

 in piscatorial pursuits. The sweet: wcet, weet. weet, re- 



