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T/ie HcniicuUurist and Journal 



Effects of G-rouping,— Mr. Ellwanger 

 also calls attention to some most excellent 

 effects that may be produced by a proper 

 assortment, either planted singly or in 

 groups, of those varieties which present so 

 great a diversity in the color of their foliage 

 or flowers, with, for instance, a bed of 

 Magnolias (the light flowering Chinese), or 

 the Scarlet Japan quince in the foreground. 

 What an array of color can be formed with 

 a background of Forsythias in their yellow 

 dress, or a group of Judas trees in the full 

 glory of their pink habiliments. 



And a little later in the season what con- 

 trasts can be made by a proper placing of 

 the different colored hawthorns, thePhiladel- 

 phus, the Magnolia Soulangeana, the many 

 colored lilacs, and the hostsof other flower- 

 ing shrubs. 



Then the white-leaved linden, the virgilia 

 lutea, the birches, the chionanthus virginica, 

 the snowball, and the many other light 

 barked and white foliaged or white flowering 

 trees adapt themselves wonderfully in con- 

 trasting with and heightening the eff"ect of 

 the numerous red flowering and darker foli- 

 aged trees. 



"Winter Ornament. — The possible eff'ect 

 of trees in winter possessing some character- 

 istics of ornamental value, also is alluded to, 

 by Mr. Ellwanger. In winter, if we would 

 have an eye to the picturesque in color, we 

 must call into requisition the well-filled 

 category of deciduous trees and shrubs, that 

 distinguish themselves for the heightened 

 color pf their bark or the brightness of their 

 berries ; or, what is still more beautiful, 

 when frosts and snows surrpund us the vari- 

 ed and numerous brilliantly-foliaged ever- 

 greens, which retain their tints when every- 

 thing else in nature has sbed Us leaves or 

 has become browned and seared by the 

 colder temperature. 



The yew elegantissima, the varieties of 

 the new golden arbor vitaes, such as the 

 Semper Aurea, Peabody, &c., &c. ; the 

 different varieties of the silver-foliaged ever- 

 gpeensj like thp Juniper^s Venusta and 



Virginica Glauca, with the darker foliaged 

 Conifers interspersed here and there to form 

 the contrast, can be made, if placed with an 

 artistic eye, to shed sunshine on the wintry 

 landscape, and envelope it with a mantle of 

 cheerfulness and warmth. 



New Plants and Seeds of 1874.— 

 A large proportion of the new seeds and 

 plants usually introduced each spring season 

 are nevei* heard of the next year, hence 

 novelties have been very generally " dis- 

 counted " for several years past. Still there 

 are some gems in their way which quietly 

 make their mark, and suddenly the public 

 wonders why they have never heard of them 

 before — objects of genuine merit will rarely 

 fail of success and popularity. We have 

 taken pains to ascertain what, among the 

 novelties of 1873 and 1874, introduced in 

 the United States, may be considered, from 

 reliable authority, worthy of general favor, 

 and herewith present a detailed list, with 

 descriptions : 



Aquilegia Chrysantha, or Golden Spurred 

 Columbine. — This Columbine was discovered 

 in the southern part of the Rocky Moun- 

 tains some twenty years ago, but it has only 

 recently come into cultivation. At first it 

 was considered a variety of A. ccerulea, 

 which was then known as A. leptoceray 

 and has been sparingly cultivated in Eng- 

 land as A. leptocera aurea. It has recently 

 been cultivated at the Botanic Garden, at 

 Cambridge, and Dr. Gray being convinced 

 that it is a distinct species, has described it 

 as A. chrysantha. It is a very vigorous 

 species, forming a bushy plant four feet 

 high, and bears an abundance of flowers 

 which are similar in shape to those of A. 

 casrulea, but of a clear yellow color, with 

 the petals rather darker than the sepals. 

 Unlike most other species of Columbine it 

 keeps producing its flowers all summer, and 

 the plant stands summer's heat and winter's 

 cold perfectly ; conceded by all who have 

 seen it to be one of the finest plants of 

 recent introduction. It is a perennial easily 

 raised from seed. 



