For September, 1923 



Foreign Exchange Department 



USE OF FLOWERING SHRUBS.— I: i^ w:th grea: uucrest 

 that 1 read the article on Flowering Slirubs. It is not only a 

 regrettable, but an astonishing fact what little use is made of 

 this verj- interesting and beautiful branch of horticulture. This 

 must surely be due to ignorance of the subject. This ignorance 

 does not extend to public parks only, but it is also noticeable in 

 nearly all good private town gardens. 



Li\Tng in a big residential district, it is particularly brought 

 to my notice that it is possible to walk up drive after drive 

 where the imagination of the householder seems never to have got 

 beyond .^ucubas. Laurestinus. Laurels, the more common Rhodo- 

 dendrons, variegated Privets, and an odd Maple, the last appear- 

 ing to have come there by mistake, AW these have their place, 

 but tliey seem rather overdone. This choice collection is usually 

 massed together far too closely, so that no shrub is allowed to 

 attain its proper form, and is usually pruned in a manner to pre- 

 vent all possibility of flowering. It seems, also, a rather common 

 failing to allow shrubs to nm out. They are left to take care of 

 themselves for a number of \-ears. when the owner suddenly be- 

 comes aware that his shrubs are leggj- and ver>- ugly. They are 

 then ruthlessly cut nearly to tlie ground, and have to start their 

 struggle anew. It never seems to occur to the owners that this 

 state of things could, and should, be prevented by a little indicious 

 aimual pruning. 



There are so many common and quite hardy flowering shrubs 

 which need only the most ordinary cultivation and are quite 

 independent as to soil. Think of the many beautiful \^bumums. 

 tlie different-colored Weigelas. C>-donias. and C>-tisus, the Budd- 

 leias. including B. \'eitchiana. with its long purple racemes, and 

 B. globosa, with its briglit yellow balls. Kerria iaponica, Deutzias, 

 Philadelphus. Syringa, Forsrthia. and Jasminum. All of these 

 should have their place. Last, but not least, there is the Eucr>-pliia 

 pinnatifolia. to me tlie most beautiful of all shrubs, but which is 

 rarely seen. Tliere are hundreds which might be named, but I 

 have purposely confined myself to mentioning some which may 

 be grown easily by all in almost any locality. 



There is another important point, Uiat of artistic grouping. In 

 some the artistic sense is natural, in oAers it is only developed by 

 careful study. — Gardening Illustrated. 



AUTUMX PRUXIXG OF ROSES.— Tlie removal of old 

 growths after they have blossomed is a practice that may well be 

 considered in the case of tlwse sorts that flower once in a season 

 only. If left till the usual Spring time of prtniing these growths 

 have only served to cramp and stifle the tree meantime, and 

 therefore it will at once be seen that by taking away anything 

 which prevents light and air is not encouraging to young, vig- 

 orous stems, which in respect to the Summer- flowering class is 

 the style of growth desirable for a satisfactory display the follow- 

 ing year. 



The norice in Rose culture has only to first be satisfied as to 

 what is a once-blossoming variety to know what to operate upon, 

 and witliont naming a lot of sorts, .\raerican Pillar, Crimson 

 Rambler, and Dorothy Perkins, three generally well known, may 

 be mentioned as the class referred to. There are. of course, many 

 of the t\-pe usually growni as climbers, pillar-trained eiilier alone 

 or in groups. It pays to tlioroughly overhaul these specimens at 

 tlie present season. By doing this we not only assist the growth 

 that is wanted, help it to become strong but much that is of a 

 filthy nature, insect-covered and so on. is removed at the same 

 time. Each plant or tree may have all its fastenings renwved, then 

 thiiuied and re-tied. It is easy to distingttish between those growths 

 that have flowered and those which have not; it is the former 

 we do not retain. 



Other Roses, that is, the .\utumn as well as Summer flowering 

 ones, may in many instances be assisted by a little thinning just 

 now, dwarf bushes, those of standard form and all. Here and 

 there stems may strike out in a sucker-like form and quite out- 

 distance the rest on the plant. Shorten such that they do not take 

 too much of the life of the bnsli. If not done now this becomes 

 necessary the following Spring, and meantime something is done to 

 balance the .growth and provide ample new and side brandies. — 

 Gardening Illustrated. 



ALK.\XET t.\XCHUSA ITALICS ^.— Who would Iv with- 

 out a nviss of this beautifu! blue-flowering plant, which has now 

 become one of our principal subjects for lighting up the borders 

 during a large part of Summer. It is in bloom long before tlie 

 cliarming Larkspurs, and forms little forests of growth, which 

 in its turn becomes a maze of loose sprays covered with 

 myriads of intense blue flowers (gentian-blue is the description 

 given to the deepest colored forms by many enthusiasts"!. Then 

 we have that exquisite pale blue form known as var. Opal, which 



shoiild be kept apart from the detper shades in ortier thai its 



distinct sfc}--blne shade may be fully appreciated. — Gardeamg 

 IllHSirated. 



TOP-DRESSIXG RH^'^^'^~XDROXS.— I " - n toW 



of an instance where the :vjlching of R' -. beds 



with the short grass f r^ ;:l ; .^ .iwn sufficed re - — a 



tk>werless into a floriferoas condition. Taere is tk 

 the Rhododendron. IBce many oAer hardy shrubs . . ?. 

 suiters from the neatness which it is considered aeoessary to 

 observe. The old fo'.iage is cleared away as it fails, and Xature's 

 way of keeping up the fertiUty of the soil is not compensated for 

 by a top-dressing of any kind. When Rhododendrons are planted 

 m a depth of good peat, or in a suitable loam, they do not so much 

 teel the nourishnient in this way: but where, as is frequently the 

 case, these advantages exist in a modiSed degree only, the growth 

 in the course of several years after planting becomes too stunted 

 to admit of the formation of good ilower-buds. I latelv saw- 

 some Rhododendron beds which had come into this condition: the 

 plants were healthy, but wanting evidently in vigor, and con- 

 sequently ga\Te scarcely any bloom. They were growing in pre- 

 pared soil, but it was easy to see that the roots had long since 

 taken possession of the whole of the compost. Looking among the 

 branches._ which were rather batxs at bottom. I could see a clean, 

 even surface, from which the rain must nm off away to the side 

 when once it becomes dr\-. Had the lea\-es which dropped been 

 allowed to remain they would ha\-e served to return to tlie soil 

 what the plants took from it. aiid would, moreover. ha\-e preserved 

 die surface in such a porous, open cvindition as to alk>w of the 

 free entr\- of the rain. There are many soils, including those of a 

 poor, sandy nature, where Rhododendrons will make plenty of 

 roots, but which require the addition of some form of iKHirishment. 

 Mulchin.g with short grass or leaves wil! in a great measure do 

 this, as it is iK>t nitrcigenous food that these E\-ergTeens require, 

 but rather deca\-ed vegetable matter. Mulching, too, will sustain 

 and promote freedom of growth by helping tv"> retain moisture, and 

 it should be remembered that Rhododendrons ,-ire moisture-loving 

 subjects : they really require a large amount of water when in fall 

 gro\uh, — Gardening IHustrjteti. 



CASTAXOPSIS CHRVSOPHYLLA.— This interesting ever- 

 green tree--the Crolden-lea\-ed Chestnut of the Oregon aiid 

 California — is carrring an unusually heavv- crop of tniits this 

 Summer. These resemble clusters of small. Sweet Chestnuts, com- 

 prising burs, surrounded with spines, enclosing the edible nuts 

 which germinate freely and provide a means of increase. 



Though recorded as being first introduced in 1S44. the Golden- 

 leaved Chestnin has not been planwd freely in Britain. In 

 California trees exceeding ItX) feet are on record. With u,*, at 

 first. Castanopsis chrysophylla forms a shrubby bush. but. with 

 attention to the leading slK>ot. and some thinniiig of the branches 

 it becomes in time an attractive tree. The popular name refers 

 to the color of the under-side of the leaves. The present abundant 

 fruiting may be traced to the hot Summer of 1921, for the flowx-rs 

 of 1"^22 produced the fruits which are maturing at the present 

 time — Gardeners' Chronicle (British'). 



TRE.\TIXG THE SOIL FOR RHODOPEXDROXS.— Xow, 

 who di>es not k>ve RlHxli>dendrons, but finds that in his soil they 

 will not grow? Dr. P. \'. Colrille of the United States Depart- 

 ment of .\griculture seems to have soI\-ed the difiiculty by the 

 addition of aluminum sulphate to the soil. The oW pl.in was to 

 add old lea\-es of an acid nanire to the soil or to water with a 

 solution made from certain barks, but this claims to stimulate the 

 growth of certain varieties as much as 250 per cent. The ex- 

 periments have been in progress for some >-ears and .\zaleas. Kal- 

 mias and Heaths are also betiefited. 



For years I have preached the immense value of humus in the 

 soil and how essential it is in the drought of South .Africa, but 

 only now have I got information from e.xperiment on its water 

 retaining qualities. 



IW lbs. dry sand can liold 25 lbs. water. 



UXl lbs. clav can hold 50 lbs. water 



UX1 lbs. Humus cin hold 190 lbs. water. 



In addition it pmnKnes a chemical action or reaction which 

 makes a\-ailable to the plant food substances in the soil which are 

 unaffected by otlier agents and this ajvirt from its own great value 

 as plant food. Therefore, to save your watering and to grow tlie 

 better plants, put more huihus in your garden. — S.Afriam 

 Gardening. 



COMPOST FOR BULBS.— Early Xarcissi. Roman Hvacinth«s 

 aiHl Tuhps will soon re<juire potting or K->xing if flowers are to 

 be a\-ailable for the month of Xovember and on through the 

 Qiristnias time. The amateur culti\-ator often finds it difficult 

 to obtain a suitable compost and so pots his bulbs in a quite 

 unsuitable mixture. .\ north-country gardener once said to me: 

 "I can grow bulbs in pure leaf-soil without going to any extra 

 trouble to do so." This gardener — a first-cla.ss one — had ample 

 opportunity to pick the be.^t Uvim .^Tu^ rl,^rt'!-c n'^:o"".-i! possible. 



