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HORTICULTURE 



December G. I!)19 



Rambling Observations 

 of a Roving Gardener 



In the November number of the 

 Garden Magazine, Mr. Ernest II. Wil- 

 son has a long article on the Ginkgo 

 tree in which he makes mention of the 

 fine specimen growing on Hoston Com- 

 mon, to which place it was removed 

 some years ago from the garden of 

 Mr. Gardner Green. The tree was 

 forty fret tall and four feet in girth 

 of trunk at that time, which was in the 

 year 1838. People sometimes seem to 

 think that the moving of large trees 

 is something new, but apparently 

 feats similar to those of today were 

 carried out many years ago. Un- 

 doubtedly the most impressive plant- 

 ing of Gingkos in this country is at 

 Washington, where there is a broad 

 avenue lined with Gingkos. 



Two years ago a low Box hedge 

 with which I am familiar was killed 

 out to a large extent by the extreme 

 cold weather. Since then it has been 

 restored fairly well, and this winter it 

 Is being protected by short spruce 

 branches. The effect is very pleas- 

 ing, and will be even more so when 

 the snow falls. The short branches 

 are symmetrically placed so that they 

 themselves resemble a low hedge. 

 There is a good suggestion here for 

 people who need to use a protective 

 covering for winter, but at the same 

 time wish to avoid the unpleasant sug- 

 gestion of a littered and untidy garden 

 during the winter mouths. 



It would be well if people would 

 realize more generally the necessity 

 of giving their rhododendrons an 

 abundance of water in the fall. This 

 is one of the secrets of carrying the 

 plants through the winter ia good 

 shape. One other point which would 

 save much loss is the placing of rhodo- 

 dendrons so that they will be cut off 

 in late winter from the rays of the 

 sun in the middle of the day. In a 

 great many instances rhododendrons 

 are killed simply because the warmth 

 of the sun starts them into growth too 

 early. A severe cold snap comes 

 along later and finds them unpre- 

 pared for its rigors. In the Arnold 

 Arboretum the rhododendrons are 

 planted at the base of Hemlock Hill 

 where the trees afford natural shade 

 and doubtless this is one of the rea- 

 sons why they thrive to such a re- 

 markable degree. 



Rather late this fall I received and 

 set out a dozen plants of the new On- 



Showing the Fine Growth of the La France Raspberry 



tario raspberry which is being put out 

 by the station at Geneva, New York. 

 If I am not mistaken the stock has 

 not been wholly distributed as yet, and 

 plants can be obtained at a small 

 price. I do not know as yet what the 

 value of this raspberry is going to be 

 Some of the new kinds do not prove 

 to be as satisfactory as the early claims 

 for them would warrant. This may be 

 an exception. 



Certainly the La France fall bearing 

 raspberry, about which much has been 

 heard this fall, lays claim to consid- 

 eration by all gardeners who have a 

 fondness for raspberries or who wish 

 to produce extra fine fruit. The La 

 France berry has created astonish- 



ment because of its extra large size, 

 and approval of its flavor has followed 

 sampling the fruit. The remarkable 

 vigor of the plants is shown by the ac- 

 companying illustration. These plant9 

 are remarkably thrifty and seem to be 

 equally hardy. I do not anticipate 

 that there will be any necessity for 

 laying them down, even in the vicinity 

 of Boston. Raspberries of this type 

 have come to stay. They are appreci- 

 ated in the fall, especially late when 

 most other berries have gone out of 

 the market. People used to say that 

 they did not care for fruit out of sea- 

 son, but statements of that kind are 

 seldom heard now. The averare man 

 or woman likes a dish of raspberries 

 whenever they can be obtained. 



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