September 17, 1910 



horticulture: 



401 



Ipomoea pandurata 



For many positions in the garden where a rapid 

 climber i:^ desired this is an excellent plant capable of 

 producing a beautiful effect during the summer and 

 fall months. The accompanying illustration was made 

 from a plant which lias been growing on Mr. Dawson's 

 house at the Arboretum for many years where with 

 strings for a support it annually reaches the top of the 

 building with ease. The foliage is very luxuriant and 

 the handsome white flowers with conspicuous purple 

 centers are produced in great abundance from early July 

 until fall. 



Arnold Arboretum. 



Aeschynanthus 



The genus Aeschynantluis deserves more attention 

 from horticulturists than they generally get, as they 

 have handsome flowers, an agreeable fragrance, and 

 fine deep green leaves. They are found mostly in the 

 forests of Java and Borneo. They grow in the com- 

 pany of orchids, collectors tell us, and are of a twining 

 radicant nature. There should be a few of these inter- 

 estin? plants in every tropical collection, as they have 

 a quaintness and beauty all their own. Unfortunately, 

 many of the most beautiful tropical flowering plants are 



too slow of growth to have much commercial value for 

 our energetic American florists. But looking at it 

 from an advertising standpoint, would it not pay to 

 grow some of them for window decoration? See how 

 quickly the passerby will be attracted to the florist's 

 window if anything out of common is exhibited there. 

 I have no doubt a well-grown plant of Ae. speciosus for 

 instance would answer the above mentioned purpose 

 well. 



Aeschynanthuses make beautiful pot plants, if given 

 good treatment by growing them along quickly until 

 they are large enough to be twisted around a trellis 

 which may be made either of wire or thin twigs. They 

 are also used very effectively as basket plants, training 

 the branches at equal distances all round the recepta- 

 cle. If grown either way, it is better not to permit 

 them to flower the first season, allowing all the strength 

 to go to the making of strong wood. Aeschynanthus are 

 propagated by cutting one of the branches that have 

 been made during the season into lengths of about two 

 inches, having two leaves attached, and another joint 

 to insert in the sand. They root quickly in a propagat- 

 ing bed where the temperature, top and bottom, is 

 maintained around seventy degrees. Being epiphytal 

 under natural conditions, these plants like a loose, open 

 material to grow in, and the best plants we ever saw 

 were gro'ndng in equal parts of the fibre of loam, os- 

 munda fibre, sphagnum moss, sharp sand and broken 

 charcoal. As the plants grow stronger, about a sixth 

 part of sheep manure may be added. In winter the 

 plants may be kept in a much lower temperature than 

 in summer — say 55 to 60 degrees, and should also be 

 kept quite dry, but never to the point of shriveling the 

 wood. By this treatment they get a rest, and start in 

 the spring with renewed vigor. A few good varieties to 

 grow are Ae. eordifolius, Ae. fulgens, Ae. grandiflorus, 

 Ae. radicans, Ae. speciosus and Ae. splendidus. 



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West Medford, Mass. 



ecT^ 



Conservatory and Garden 



Our cover illustration shows a very pleasing arrange- 

 ment of the grounds contiguous to a greenhouse, where- 

 hv a harmonious setting is given to the building and a 

 beautiful well-balanced picture meets the eye as one 

 looks across from the steps leading to the villa terrace. 

 The estate is that of Mr. Dudley Olcott at Morristown, 

 N. J. The greenhouses were designed and erected by 

 the Lord & Burnham Co. and the grounds were laid 

 out by Ferruccio Vitale, one of New York's leading 

 landscape architects. 'The treatment is rather new and 

 novel, having that individuality so much to be desired, 

 and happily avoids those extremes in either direction 

 which so often emphasize the diverse views of gardener 

 and architect. The range is 108 ft. long, the central 

 show house being 43 ft. wide and the wings each 33 ft. 

 in length. Provision is made in the plan for future 

 extension. Mr. Vitale has contracts for the laying out 

 of quite a number of fine country estates in the vicinity 

 of New York. 



