322 



HORTICULTURE 



November 11, 1920 



RAMBLING OBSERVATIONS OF 

 A ROVING GARDENER 



There is going to be trouble for the 

 dahlia specialists unless they are 

 more careful about labeling their 

 roots. There has been much complaint 

 the past season that when the dahlias 

 have flowered they have not proved to 

 be the varieties ordered. There has 

 been much criticism of nurserymen in 

 the past because fruit trees have not 

 come true to name, and it is to be 

 hoped that no such situation will de- 

 velop in the bulb trade. Judging from 

 reports this season, though, there has 

 been very much careless work, with 

 the result that some of the leading 

 dahlia growers have had their reputa- 

 tions badly tarnished. I think there 

 is nothing which is worse for the 

 grower than to have a customer come 

 to feel that he has been deceived or 

 made the victim of a poorly conducted 



business. No doubt much of the 

 trouble has been due to the difficulty 

 experienced in getting reliable help. 

 When any business of this kind gets 

 so large that a lot of help has to be 

 employed, trouble is almost certain to 

 ensue. As the situation stands, 

 though, it is highly important that 

 dahlia growers, and for that matter 

 gladiolus growers, make a point in the 

 future of putting accuracy in the 

 labeling of their bulbs above every- 

 thing else. 



The evergreens and conifers are 

 looking especially well this fall. Most 

 of them have recovered from the 

 effects of two hard winters and are 

 in excellent condition. I am speaking 

 particularly of my observations in the 

 Arnold Arboretum, and I think what 



I have said holds good, at least 

 throughout New England. One tree 

 in the Arboretum which excites the 

 admiration of everybody who sees It 

 is the Japanese fir, called Abies homo- 

 lepis or brachyphylla. This tree is 

 one of the best evergreens which 

 thrive in New England. It is very 

 symmetrical and well shaped. There 

 is no such large tree in the Arboretum 

 as is to be found on the mountains of 

 central Japan, where this fir has its 

 home, but a specimen 55 or 60 feet 

 high, with branches sweeping the 

 ground, is growing in the Hunnewell 

 pinetum at Wellesley. Abies Veitchii, 

 from Japan, is also a very handsome 

 tree, and a specimen growing close to 

 the driveway in the Arnold Arbore- 

 tum, not far from the Walnut Street 

 entrance is sure to be commented 

 upon by visitors. Near by is still an- 

 other tree which has great merit. It 

 is the Pseudolarix, the soft feathery 

 foliage of which is most delightful.. 

 Like the larches, it loses its leaves in 

 the fall, but even when disrobed it is 

 an attractive object to look upon. 



Abies Homoleplg from JTapaa 



