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Vol. V. 



82.00 a Year. 

 24 Numbers. 



CHICAGO, JUNE 15, 1897. 



Single Copt 

 10 Cents. 



No. 115. 



BELT OF LILACS IN THE ARNOLD ARBORETUM. BOSTON. 



Trees and Shrubs. 



LILACS. 



I wish that all the readers of Garden- 

 ing might have been able to visit the 

 Arnold Arboretum during the last week 

 of May and see the large collection of 

 lilacs then in bloom. This collection, 

 which contains about 120 named varie- 

 ties of the justly popular and common 

 lilac (Syringa vulgaris) has attracted the 

 attention of the public more than any 

 other collection of hardy shrubs of one 

 class that I know of. 



These lilacs are planted in one long 

 irregular bed extending for nearly a quar- 

 ter of a mile along one of the main ave- 

 nues, between the avenue and the side- 

 walk, giving all classes of people an 

 equally good chance to see them. They 

 are all grown into specimen plants rang- 

 ing in age from 6 to 14 vears, and in 

 height from 3 to 10 feet." This lot of 

 plants has been in the same position now 

 for five yeais and as they were all 

 planted with the idea of obtaining per- 

 fectly grown specimens for many years to 



come, they show off theirindividual points 

 and character superbly. 



Looking down the avenue (for the bed 

 is on a decided incline) one is bewildered 

 by the sight, for it appears like a mam- 

 moth show house in full bloom, the colors 

 ranging from the purest white to a very 

 dark heliotrope, the lilacs, lavenders, blues 

 and pearls of various grades blending 

 beautifully together. 



The plants are all grafted but we would 

 prefer to have them on their own roots, 

 for two good reasons: The first, because 

 it would save the trouble of going over 

 the lot once or twice a year and taking 

 out the suckers which generally spring up 

 in great profusion from the stock; and 

 secondly, because the borers are playing 

 havoc in some of the main trunks of the 

 plants. As we are obliged to confine our- 

 selves to one stem on the grafted plants, 

 the results from the borers are very disas- 

 trous, whereas if the varieties were on 

 their own roots we could depend on the 

 suckers in case of mishap; therefore I 

 would advise, if possible, in planting the 

 new sorts of lilacs to get them on their 

 own roots. At present this is practically 

 impossible as I know of few plants in 

 that condition, but we have got to come 

 to it eventually. 



In giving a list of the varieties I have 

 endeavored to give only the best and 

 describe their distinct qualities. This has 

 been particularly -difficult to do with the 

 "Queen of Hardy Shrubs" (as I have 

 sometimes heard the lilac called), as the 

 colors run so closely together in the lav- 

 enders, lilacs and blue tinges. I have given 

 the colors as an artist friend and myself 

 have decided upon afterlong deliberation, 

 both from a short and long range, and 

 trust that they may be satisfactory and 

 true. 



BEST OF THE SINGLE WHITES. 



Frau Bertha Dammann is one of the 

 best of the pure white types, the trusses 

 being large and heavy and longer than 

 alba which still stands well up as the 

 purest white of them all, though the 

 truss is rather short. 



Alba grandiflora makes a remarkably 

 fine specimen, the very large trusses of 

 creamy white flowers being well set off 

 by the exceptionally large and numerous 

 dark leaves. 



Marie Legraye is still my preference for 

 a white lilac; the dwarf habit is excellent, 

 the trusses not too long, verv well 

 formed, and the slight cream tinge in the 

 flower makes it an A 1 variety. 



