May 20, 1911 



HORTICULTURE 



737 



Japanese Quinces at the Arboretum 



Among the manifold attractions of tlie Arnold Ar- 

 boretum at this season of the 3ear the Japanese quinces 

 are by no means the least conspicuous, and visitors who 

 are interested in the most desirable shrubs for their 

 gardens will do well to inspect these during the next 

 two weeks. The typical species C. Japonica has long 

 been used in American gardens as a hedge plant and as 

 such it has much to recommend it but it is undoubtedly 

 seen to the best advantage when grown as a single speci- 

 men in the shrubbery or on a lawn where its true char- 

 acter can be properly developed. Under such conditions 

 it usually makes a neat specimen from three to five feet 

 in height with broadly spreading somewhat pendulous 

 branches, but I know of one plant which has stood in 

 the same position on a lawn for eighty years and is now 

 twelve feet high and seventy feet in circumference. In 

 the spring when the leafless branches are thickly clothed 

 with a multitude of bright red blossoms this is a re- 

 markable bush. Varieties are now obtainable in many 

 shades of color and a good selection is to be found at 

 the Arboretum on the right of the Forest Hills en- 

 trance in what is known as the shrub order. 



Among many good colors opinions must, of course, 

 differ as to which is the most desirable but I think there 

 can be no doubt that the variety known as C. Japonica 

 Simonii is unsurpassed by any. The flowers which are 

 a rich, deep red, a color very seldom seen in flowers, are 

 semi-double and of large size. The varieties cardinalis, 

 coccinea and ICnap Hill scarlet all have very bright, 

 showy flowers, the latter being especially good. Several 

 wliite varieties are also in existence the best being ni- 

 valis and Mallardii. Moerloesii and Gaufordii both have 

 flowers composed of pink and white. 



Another species of Japanese Quince which is smaller 

 in all its parts than C. Japonica is C. Maulei which is 

 a delightful shrub with orange-scarlet blossoms pro- 

 duced in great profusion. The most noteworthy varie- 

 ty of this is C. Sargentii. a very handsome form, worthy 

 the name, with bright scarlet flowers. The varieties alba 

 and superba are also very desirable. 



For general cultivation in gardens where the best 

 hardy shrubs are desired these beautiful Japanese sub- 

 jects cannot be too highly recommended as they can 

 be used for many purposes and never fail to give a 

 fine display of gorgeous blossoms. As single shrubby 

 specimens on grass or in the mixed collection or for 

 planting amid rockwork they arc extremely useful and 

 they can also be utilized for clothing walls or pergolas. 

 One does not usually associate them with the two latter 

 but I have seen them largely used in these positions 

 with the most satisfactory results. 



Visitors to the Arboretum after having seen some of 

 the beautiful flowering trees and shrubs often inquire 

 where such and such can be obtained and it is much 

 to be regretted that one has to reply in nine cases out 

 of ten, "I do not think you can obtain them from any 

 American nursery." However much one may regret this 

 it is nevertheless true and it is very much to be hoped 

 that some of our prominent hardy-plant nurserymen 

 will cultivate the rarer and more beautiful shrubs so 

 that the general garden lover iiuiy be able to enjoy them 

 in his own garden as well as in this famous institution. 



Arnold Arhorehiiii. 



Amaryllis 



The treatment of hippeastrums, commonly referred 

 to as amaryllises has so often been reviewed in the horti- 

 cultural press with skill and amplitude of detail for the 

 benefit of those interested as well as those desirous of 

 becoming interested, that it may seem out of place here 

 to refer to any particular phase of their management. 

 Xevertheless there are always belated parties, or new 

 comers, that desire to read it all over again. Tliis is 

 as true of other plants as of the one in question. If it 

 was not so, how could the writers on specific horticul- 

 tural subjects go over the same ground so often with 

 any degree of profit to others, or pleasure to themselves ! 



The writer thinks that the rocks that often dash the 

 hopes of a would-be winner with these plants, lie 

 around the period immediately after flowering. Many, if 

 not most persons handling hippeastrums imagine that 

 when they have flowered they can put them aside any 

 old way as if their cycle of growth for the season had 

 been completed. But in fact it has only begun, for it 

 is after the flowering period that the real growth of recu- 

 peration and preparedness for another successful flower- 

 ing season takes place. Hence the absolute necessity of 

 treating them right generously after the flowering 

 period, by copious watering at root and syringing over- 

 head in bright and dry weather. Stimulants are in 

 order during the growing season, once a week, and ac- 

 cording to the vigor and amplitude of foliage shown, by 

 each individual plant. In this respect they may be 

 classed with the so-called gross feeders. Keep this treat- 

 ment up to the latter end of September when a course 

 of a gradual drying ofl: should be pursued to get them 

 to the proper degree of ripeness. Afterwards they may 

 be stored away until wanted, in a semi-warm and not 

 over-dry place : that is, that the atmosphere surround- 

 ing them while thus at rest should not be so dry as to 

 allect the ])lumpuess nf the bulbs. 



Hippeastrums should not be forced in a too high or 

 stuffy temperature, to obtain best and most durable 

 quality of flowers. Fifty-flve degrees at starting, with 

 a raise to 60 degrees a little before the scapes are fully 

 developed, reduced again 5 or more degrees when in 

 actual flower, to impart sturdiness and stability is ad- 



isable. 



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Fruit and Vegetables under Glass 



SPIDER OX PEACH TREES 



This is not an uncommon occurrence but up to the 

 time of the fruit ripening there is no excuse for having 

 it there. Early forced houses where lots of flre heat is 

 required to keep up a suitable temperature are more 

 susceptible to a raid from this pest than later ones. 

 Even then there should be no trace of this mite's rav- 

 ages. The foliage of the peach and nectarine will stand 

 any amount of pressure and this should be brought to 

 play on the under sides of the leaves, starting the stroke 

 from the center of the tree and pushing out to the ex- 

 treme ends. It has to be real bad weather if trees can- 

 not be syringed in a morning, so long as the foliage is 

 di-y by three o'clock during the winter months and at 

 this time of year six o'clock will not be too late; the 

 tree will be benefited by a sharp syringe. I do not mean 

 to say it is advisable to syringe when it is raining or 



