November 10, 1917 



HORTICULTURE 



499 



Two Valuable Shrubs 



'^Wild Lilacs'' 



Cotoneaster microphylla and C horizontalis are two 

 of our most valuable shrubs for ground cover work 

 where choice foliage effect is desired. The first is ever- 

 green, densely branched, and very prostrate in habit, 

 forming in time a solid mat of dark green. Its flowers 

 are small and of little consequence, but are followed in, 

 the fall by bright red berries which remain most of the 

 winter. For covering the ground amongst rhododen- 

 drons and for use in the rock garden this plant is with- 

 out a peer. It is also useful for edging garden walks 

 and many other uses. 



Cotoneaster horizontalis, on the other hand is a de- 

 ciduous shrub with us, but in milder climates the 

 leaves remain on the branches without change of color 

 until the end of winter. Here they turn vgry brilliant 

 red in early winter just before falling, giving the plant 

 an added value for ornamental planting. The flowers 

 of this variety are white and also of small consequence 

 compared with bright red fruits which later develop and 

 add charm to the plant. This plant is a good subject 

 for sunny positions against walls, or for rock garden 

 work and is one of the best fruiting shrubs for the 

 latter location. As a variation in ground cover 

 amongst low growing evergreen or deciduous shrubs it 

 is of value. C. horizontalis does not lie as flat as C. 

 michrophylla, but will, in open ground attain three 

 feet, and against a wall it will climb up several feet in 

 height. There is a very interesting variety of C. hor- 

 izontalis, C. h. var purpusilla. tlie branchlets of which 

 are of a light green color and are studded with the 

 bright red fruits in winter. The fruit's in this variety 

 are much larger than those of the type. 



Cotoneasters will thrive in a good loam which is well 

 drained and in a position not too shaded and damp, the 

 more sun the better. The jiropagation may be effected 

 from fall-sown seed, or in the evergreen varieties from 

 cuttings of half-ripened wood taken in August and 

 rooted under glass. Layering is also practiced, and the 

 various kinds may be grafted on vulgaris, quince, haw- 

 thorn or mountain ash. Cotoneaster horizontalis and 

 microphylla are best grown from cuttings or layers, 

 grown in pots and transplanted from pots. Pot grown 

 plants are easier to handle and transplant with much 

 greater success than field grown. 



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About the most striking shrub in early summer in 

 California is the one they call "wild lilac." It is also 

 called "deer brush," while the name "buck brush" is 

 applied to this plant in common with nearly every other 

 shi-ubby species in the whole wild west. The name "wild 

 lilac" has no scientific standing, ^o far as I know, but it 

 is so much more appropriate and distinctive than the 

 others that we may venture to use it. 



All these names are applied to several species of 

 Ceanthus, liut luirticularly to C. tlii/rsiflorus and C. 

 iniegerriimis. Tliese grow in large masses over wide 

 stretches of mountainside and make a most satisfying 

 effect. The landscape gardener finds himself wishing 

 he could use them in his mass plantings. However, they 

 are not considered hardy for eastern planting. We have 

 a fine representative of the same genus in our C. Ameri- 

 ratiiis or New Jersey tea, and one which might properly 

 find a wider use, especially on very dry warm hillsides. 



Jamaica Plain, Mass. 



Amherst. 



Mass. 



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ROSALIND. 

 F. R. Pierson's New Pink Sport of 

 Ophelia Rose. 

 In the bud stage this rose is a strik- 

 ing intense coral orange, an odd color 

 hard to describe, and not unlike that 

 of the celebrated Mme. Edouard Her- 

 riott of Pernet-Ducher: but when open 

 this changes to a lovely tint of flesh 

 pink, running deeper towards the cen- 

 ter. The flowers are larger than 

 Ophelia, and the form and substance 

 are as fine as in that exquisite va- 

 riety. Deep green foliage, large, 

 smooth and healthy; long, stiff stems; 

 a free grower and heavy producer; in 

 the latter respect equally as good as 

 its parent. Its size and distinctiveness 

 in color will make this a valuable ad- 



dition to our list of commercial roses, 

 and there is undoubtedly a great fu- 

 ture for it, as it will be a favorite with 

 the buyers not only in the bud stage 

 but all the way through. The flowers 

 have one-third more petals than Ophe- 

 lia, and are proportionately larger as 

 a whole. 



NEW ROSE "COLUMBIA." 

 Hill's new rose Columbia was on 

 exhibition at the Pennock Company's 

 place. Philadelphia, on Tuesday last 

 and received much favorable comment 

 from the growers and retailers who 

 crowded around it all day long. It is 

 a fine big rose — large as Mrs. Russell, 

 which is one of its parents, and is a 

 lovely shade of pink — peach-blow pink, 



Mr. Hill says— and I guess that is 

 about right. It looks nearly the Shaw- 

 yer shade but not quite so dark. Mr. 

 Myers says the parentage is Shawyer- 

 Russell-Ophelia, and it looks as if the 

 newcomer had the good points of all 

 three of these commercial cut-flower 

 favorites. The foliage is a pleasing 

 deep green: the stems long and strong, 

 and altogether Columbia looks like a 

 winner. The raisers claim that it is 

 an "easy-doer," which probably means 

 that it is easy to root and easy to 

 graft and a free grower. They claim, 

 in fact, that spring grafts showed six 

 to eight breaks by October — which is 

 going some. It looks as if it were in 

 order for all hands to shout "Hail, 

 Columbia!" 



