230 



GARDENERS' CHRONICLE 



but he favored leafsoil more than any otlier ingredient. I have 

 grown many thousands of bulbs in pots and boxes since tliose days 

 and have found a mixture of leaf-soil two-thirds, old loam one- 

 third, and a free sprinkling of sand to be a splendid rooting 

 medium for all early hu\hs.— Gardening Illuslratcd. 



SPIR.liA TRICHOCARPA— This new Spirxa is a tirst-rate 

 shrub — in fact, one of the best of a useful if overcrowded genus 

 of hardy, woody plants. It is a native of northern Korea, where it 

 is a spreading bush about a yard high, but under cultivation it 

 promises to grow to double this height. The shoots are angular, 

 with prominent Winter buds, rigid and arching, forming a compact 

 bush. .\ few hairs are present on the flower-stalks and carpels, 

 otherwise the plant is glabrous. The short-petiolcd leaves are 

 grass-grccn above, pale below, oblanceolate to elliptic-lanceolate, 

 from I'A to 2}/2 inches long and from "^ to 1 inch wide, often 

 broadest above the middle, narrowed to the base, with a few short 

 teeth at and near the apex. The llowers are white, scentless, flat, 

 above '/s inch across, with emarginate, suborbicular petals ; they 

 are borne in rounded or dome-shape, 3 to 5 inches broad, corym- 

 bose clusters at the ends of short lateral leafy shoots. 



This new Spir.ea was discovered by T. Uchiyama in 1902, and 

 subsequently named by Dr. Nakai. It is not uncommon in northern 

 Korea, and especially on the Diamond Mountains, where it grows 

 alongside streams aiid on cliffs. It was on these mountains that I 

 found it in the Autumn of 1917, and sent seeds to the Arnold 

 Arboretum. A good stock was raised, and this year plants have 

 blossomed freely and shown the garden value of this a'-quisition. 

 The plant has proved perfectly hardy in Massachusetts, and is a.s 

 floriferous as any member of the genus. It is in fail beauty of 

 blossom when the flowers of S. Henryi are passing and before 

 those of S. Veitchii open. 



There are really too many Spiraas in cultivation, and for 

 garden purposes the genus needs a thorough weeding. Recent 

 plant introduction work in the Orient has added not a few species 

 that have no particular claims as ornamental plants, but as com- 

 pensation has given us some that are really superior to any 

 other species. The hybrid S. van Houttei is not surpassed by 

 any Spirsa, and in eastern North America is a favorite hedge 

 plant. It flowers early, and is followed by S. Henryi. These two, 

 with the new S. trichocarpa and the late-floweriTig S. \'eitchii, are 

 in my opinion, the finest of the true Spira-as with white flowers.— 

 E. H. IVilsoK, in Gardeners' Chronicle {British). 



WHORL FLOWER (MORIXA LOXGIFOLIA).— This hand- 

 some plant does not appear to be so well known as it deserves, yet 

 it is one of the most pleasing, distinct, and attractive plants now in 

 bloom. The handsome spiny, polished leaves are conspicuous in 

 themselves, and appear in graceful rounded clusters, from which 

 arise the stout flower-spikes. The flowers arc white and cerise. 

 and abundantly produced in tiers upon the 2- foot to 3-foi)t stems. 

 The Whorl Flower is a singularly attractive and pretty plant. 

 unusually so during its period of bloom, and the effect of a group 

 in bloom at the present time is decidedly good. It calls for no 

 very special culture, and flourishes in any ordinary border soil. 

 but is a lover of sunshine. Those who have not yet grown this 

 distinct plant should certainly give it a trial.— Carrft-iiiiig Illus- 

 trated. 



FR.AGRANT TULIPS.— As the season for ordering bulbs is at 

 hand, lovers of sweetly scented flowers should not overlook the 

 Tulips. There may be several other varieties with which I am 

 not acquainted, but the following three are very good, for, in 

 addition to their delicious perfume, they arc excellent for bedding 

 and other purposes. 



La Mcrveille is a characteristic Tulip and very sweet; the flow- 

 ers are of tcrra-cotta color and produce a pleasing effect in grnnp> 

 and also when lightly arranged in vases. Gesncriaiia lutea griiw> 

 rather taller than La Merveille, and its flowers arc bright yellow . 

 sweetly perfumed and most useful for cutting. FUen \Villmotl. 

 soft, creamy yellow, is also a very useful Tulip, apart fmni it- 

 sweetness. 



For rrKim decoration the flowers arc be^t cut belore they are 

 fully open: in fact, I usually cut them when the flowers are jnsl 

 at the point of opening. There are numerous Tulips with charm- 

 ing colors, but few possess fragrance. — Gardeners' Chroniele 

 (Hrituh). 



THE MFADOW SAFI"RONS.— Colchicums. or Meadow Saf- 

 frons, are frequently called in error ".\utnmn Crocuses," whereas 

 they arc distinct from Ihe.true Crocuses of Autumn, and the flow- 

 ers less refined. Yet they arc worthy a place in the garden of 

 hardy flowers, because of their beauty and value at a season when 

 low-growing bullxms plants arc scarce, and as helping to redeem 

 the front of the borrler of perennial plants from some of the dull- 

 ness caused by there being few hardy perennials of dwarf habit in 

 bloom in lati- Autumn. They are also desirable for growing in 

 gras> or in the wild garden, although they should not be nlnited 

 in p'aces to which cattle have access, for the leaves of Colchicum 



autumnale have been known to poison cattle which have browsed 

 upon them, and proba'bly the other species would have the same 

 efiect where such animals have access to the foliage, which de- 

 velops in Spring. The chalices and cups of some of the Meadow 

 Saffrons are very beautiful, and, as the foliage seems immune to 

 the attacks of rabbits, their utility is obvious in certain places fre- 

 quented by these animals. 



The Meadow Saffrons have pleasing flowers, supported on long 

 tubes, and it is desirable to grow them through dwarf herbage, 

 which not only preserves the blooms from being splashed through 

 heavy rains, but it relieves the bareness of the flowers when on un- 

 carpeted ground. The plants will grow in any soil, but have a 

 preference for ground which is not too light and is fairly moist. 

 They do well on li.ght. dry soil, but they do not attain the large 

 size of those grown in richer earth. — Gardeners' Chroniele (Brit- 

 i.<h). 



IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIMI»IIIIII>'I 



Brief Horticultural Jottings 



The rubber situation promises to be acute in a few years, accord- 

 ing to rubber men, since not enough is being grown in the tropics 

 to supply future demands, and much of that is now under foreign 

 control, notably British. To stimulate research. Congress recently 

 appropriated $500,000 for developing a domestic supply. Planta- 

 tions in the Philippines have been proposed, but owing to the fact 

 that cheap contract labor, which is not permitted in these islands, 

 is a vital necessity to the production of rubber in competition with 

 foreign countries which permit it. and that such plantations could 

 not be made prcKluctive in time to be of aid in the expected famine, 

 the idea will doubtless be abandoned. Horticulturists, however, 

 are giving the plan close attention. They are investigating the 

 possibilities of at least two native plants for the production of 

 rubber. One is the staghorn or hairy sumac, and the other is the 

 ordinary milkweed. Both have a thick, white gummy sap. which 

 forms a sticky, rubber-like mass on drying. Both can stand cold, 

 something which no rubber plant can do. — American Florist. 



At the seventy-fifth meeting of the board of directors of the 

 L'nited States Oiamber of Commerce held in Washington, the fol- 

 lowing action was taken : The executive officers were authorized 

 to request the appropriate officials of the national government to 

 investigate the policies and actions of the Federal Horticultural 

 Board with a view to lessening the severity of the restrictions 

 imposed by that board in administering the plant quarantine act. 



Apple growers of the upper Hudson River Valley are concerned 

 over the appearance in their orchards of a pest known as the thorn 

 and apple skeletonizer, whose destructive proclivities have been felt 

 hitherto in the counties nearer the metropolis. Pomolgists are 

 finding difficulty in battling with the scourge because of the rapid 

 flight of the moth which lays the egirs that ultimately develop into 

 leaf-destroying caterpillar. It was finally identified as the skele- 

 tonizer. whose ravages in Furope had cost apple growers fortunes. 

 Efforts to check its spread have not been successful. This newest 

 of scourges to worry the apple grower is no stranger to portions 

 of Connecticut. Vermont. Massachusetts and New Hampshire, 

 where it had gained a foothold Ijcfore the seriousness of its rav- 

 ages was understood. As in insect invasions, spraying with arsen- 

 ate of lead has been found helpful, though the gradual increase in 

 the territory in which the plasjue is found indicates lack of thor- 

 oughness in the use of insecticides. Frequent and thorough snrav- 

 ing should be the policy of every apple growxr.— .V. )'. Herald. 



To Owners of Country Estates 



/ lir .\nti,Mi.,l .Issochtion of Gmdeners offialcs a Sfi-ke Depart- 

 nirni to .<cr:c counlry estate (nimcri in an advisory capacity in ttdjusl- 

 inn problems which occasionally arise in the mainlainance of country 

 estates. 



Owners desiring the services of gardeners, thoroughly versed in all 

 phases of the profession and nualilied to assume the responsibilities 

 the position calls for, as superintendent or gardener, should apply 

 to this department. 



The association numbers among its sustaining members, the otvners 

 of the prominent country estates in .■tmerica. 



The association makes no charge for any service it may render l,i 

 employer or member. 



A/, r. nbel, .Secretary, 2M Pitth .Avenue. Xew Vorl.', N. V. 



