December 15, 1906 



noKTicuui uRt: 



663 



Crataegus punctata 



Our American forests are rich in hawtliorns, and in 

 recent yeiirs they have increased in the number of 

 species, at an enormous rate. 



We have heard and read quite a good deal about Cra- 

 taegus cordata, C. coccinea, C. tomentosa and C. Crus- 

 galli, praising them, as they well deserve, as excellent 

 ornamental shrubs. Little has been said about the sub- 

 ject of this note as to its meritorious attributes. When 

 this plant is in bloom it will compare favorably with 

 any Crataegus that is in cultivation. 



Probably the reason why we have not seen more of 

 this species is because its treatment when in a young 

 state has not been understood. To make a shapely plant 

 out of this shrub, it requires in its early years, to be 

 well cut back each winter until it gets a good founda- 

 tion. After the foundation is obtained — that is, ;i low- 

 bushy habit, — then let it grow naturally. 



The writer of this note took the above picture late 

 last May and at that time the whole plant was perfectly 

 covered with beautiful white flowers. The foliage does 

 not take on a brilliant color in the fall, but I have not 

 observed any rust or fungus on the leaves. The fruit is 

 of a greenish color and is produced abundantly, but it is 

 not showy as in some other species of Crataegus. 



However, this hawthorn has another good quality 

 which some of the species do not possess in that its stem 

 and branches are clothed with a grayish white bark, al- 

 most the color of the bark of the American beech. This 

 character makes it at this time stand out conspicuously 

 in the landscape. The plant in our garden is about 

 eighteen or twenty feet high and thirty feet in 

 breadth. 



It delights in a good strong rich soil and can be in- 

 creased from the seeds which are produced plentifully in 

 the fruits. 



Nursery men ought to make a note of this shrub as 

 some day there will be a big demand for it. Tlic 

 American Manuals of Botany tell us that it is found 

 from Quebec to Ontario and Georgia. 



Chrysanthemum Notes 



llAli;v L'lUiVS.VNTllliJIUMS IX EUROPE 



There are many of the younger generation of clirys- 

 antiu'iinim growers in this country who do not remember 

 the introduction of the first hairy chrysanthemum, Mrs. 

 Alpheus Hardy, which appears to have now vanished 

 altogether. 1 first saw it, if my memory serves me 

 aright, at the Centenary Chrysanthemum Show at 

 Ghent, Belgium, in November, 1880, where Mr. Manda 

 staged some lovely blooms of it. This was followed by 

 Louis Boehmer and shortly afterwards the French flor- 

 ists distributed quite a number of novelties in the new 

 section. 



Their popularity was short-lived in England. For one 

 or two years there was an excellent collection shown at 

 Southwark Park, in France, and also in Belgium. I 

 liave seen some very nice Ijlooms in years gone by, for 

 on the continent, owing to the brighter sky or some pe- 

 culiarity of culture, they did better than here. Latterly, 

 however, there has been a considerable falling off in the 

 exhibiting of hairy chrysanthemums both in England 

 and on the continent. A few, however, still crop up 

 here and there. Hairy Wonder is without doubt the 

 loading variety from every point of view, color, size, 

 form and in hairy appearance. This season I have in 

 my journeyings met with a few, some of which are 

 quite new. 



In case American growers are at all interested in this 

 tvpe a few notes may be serviceable. Leocadie Gentils, 

 a pure pale yellow, is still grown and is a very good 

 variety; that and Louis Boehmer being both on view 

 this season in the London Parks. Esau, a pale rosy 

 pink silky variety, smaller in size than the others, is 

 still kept up. Piquomal do Eozoville, dull crimson, was 

 shown at the Paris show. At Caen a very fine one, 

 called Alexis Dessarps, of Japanese incurving form was 

 staged bv one of the exhibitors; it has pointed grooved 

 I'oiets. n pure self color, deep golden yellow. 



CHRYSANTHEMUMS IN THE LONDON PARKS. 



For some years past those of the London parks un- 

 der (he iunhority of the London County Council have 

 held gratuitous chrysanthemum shows, which open 

 about the middle of October and close towards the end 

 of N'ovcuiber. These shows are held in glass structures 

 .-peciallv provided for the purpose and are largely vis- 

 ited by persons living in the locality, especially on fine 

 Saturday and Sunday afternoons. 



There is no uniformity either in the houses or in the 

 arrangement of these displays, each superintendent hav- 

 ing a different kind of house and setting up his collec- 

 tion of chrysanthemums in a way of his own. The va- 

 rieties are numerous and by dint of a careful selection 

 these exhibitions are prolonged over the whole chrysan- 

 themum season, for as the earlier flowering varieties 

 pass their best later ones are put in their place, and so- 

 for five or six weeks a continuous show is provided. 



In some of the crowded districts surrounding some 

 of the parks it is very interesting to note how keenly 

 many of the poorer visitors are interested in the flow- 

 ers. Wlicn tlie weather is fine there will be quite a huge 

 crowd at the entrance to the show, and I have seen a 

 long string of people three and four deep patiently wait- 

 ing their turn at the entrance, which is generally at one 

 end of the house, and tlie visitors passing through leave 

 at the other end. It is not an uncommon thing for 

 6000 to 8000 to visit one of these County Council shows 

 in one day. 



Brockwell Park is right away in the south of the 



