n8 



GARDENING. 



Jan. /, 



CftTflLFflS «S GARDEN TREES. 



Our illustrations show another of the 

 inimitable trees of Dosoris; both pictures 

 are of the same tree and were engraved 

 from photographs taken six years ago. 

 The photograph of the tree in its leafless 

 condition was taken the first week in 

 May, 1891, and was meant to show the 

 worst feature of this tree (Catalpa big- 

 nonioides) as a garden plant, namely, the 

 lot of seed pods from the previous year 

 that are still hanging to it and which 

 keep dropping, some each day, till the 

 tree has burst forth again into full leaf. 

 While cheerfully admitting its handsome 

 appearance, showiness and floral profu- 

 sion and beauty among the trees of the 

 garden, we cannot shut our eyes to the 

 fact that it is also one of the most littery 

 trees that we can plant, hence we would 

 keep it away from the front lawn, and 

 give it a place in the outer belts. The 

 photograph showing the same tree in full 

 bloom was taken in the second week of 

 July ol the same year. See what a beau- 

 tiful tree it is! 



But all catalpa trees don't look like 

 this. Why? Because of that irresistable 

 tendency among planters to trim them 

 up, to cut off their lower branches so that 

 one can look under them and that the 

 grass may grow there. Look at our 

 picture of the naked tree; if the upper 

 branches only had been left and the under 

 ones cut away you would have the ordi- 

 nary shaped catalpa; now look at the 

 tree in bloom and ask yourself which sort 

 of tree you would prefer, one with lower 

 branches full of leaves and flowers down 

 to the ground or one that didn't have any 

 lower branches? This evil of bare stems 

 begins in the nurseries, the nurserymen 

 prune up their trees for room sake, and 

 handiness in packing, and more than all 

 because their customers want naked 

 stemmed trees. 



Now let me horrifv you: A tew weeks 

 after this beautiful specimen had its pict- 

 ure taken and had finished blooming we 

 chopped it down and rooted it out! Why. 

 Because we had other specimens of the 

 same species in another place and 

 needed the room for a Daimio oak 

 and a Hungarian oak. These oaks 

 although only six years planted have 

 grown with great vigor and are now 

 very handsome voung trees. While it 

 seems downright wickedness to cut out a 

 tree like this catalpa, hard as they are, 

 such things sometimes have to be done. 

 Never hesitate to cut out a tree that is in 

 the wrong place, or that is encroaching 

 upon another that is more desirable to 



save. 



This catalpa is the commonest one in 

 cultivation, and is hardy from Boston 

 southward; in the very rigorous parts ot 

 the country, however.it is not regarded 

 as being quite hardy. About New York 

 it is in full bloom duriDg the first fort- 

 night in July. The golden catalpa is a 

 yellowish leaved form of it, and the leaves 

 of another variety have a purplish tinge. 

 And there is a much grown very dwarf 

 flat-headed form of it named Nana, butin 

 nurseries and gardens generally called 

 Bungei. We have never seen this dwarf 

 form in bloom or known of it to flower. 

 Catalpa Bungei is a large vigorous tree, 

 a native of China, and not yet in com- 

 merce in this country so far as we know. 

 There are plants of it, however, in the 

 country, distributed by Professor Sargent 

 from the Arnold Arboretum, good plants 

 being at Dosoris, Schenley Park and a 

 few other places. The name Bungei as 

 applied to the dwarf form common in 

 cultivation should be dropped because it 

 is an error. 



CATALPA BIGNONIOIDES IN MAY 



The hardy or western catalpa, C. spe- 

 ciosa, (or C.cordifolia, as it is also called I 

 is likewise a very desirable species, being 

 quite hatdy, easy to grow, and profuse, 

 its flowers are whiter than those of big- 

 nonoides and a fortnight earlier. If you 

 have room for them plant both. 



The Japanese catalpa, C. Kxmpieri, is 

 less ornamental so far as its flowers go, 

 than the two preceding species, but it 

 makes a nice shapely tree, and even when 

 out of bloom is distinct from the others, 

 its seed pods being long and slender and 

 grouped in big bunches. It is quite hardy 

 at Boston, hence generally hardy. 



Teas' Japan hybrid catalpa is of garden 

 origin and a very vigorous tree, hardy 

 ind free blooming, its flowering season 

 •xtending over a longer period than any 

 >f the others, but we never saw it as full 

 of flowers at one time as we have seen 

 bignonioides or speciosa. 



To give you a precise idea of thebloom- 

 ing time of these catalpas let me quote 

 from my diary: 



Dosoris, L. I., June 21, 1891.— Catalpa 

 speciosa in full bloom, flowers larger and 

 whiter than those of bignonioides and 

 more beautiful; none of the latter open 

 yet or nearly. 



July 6, '91. — C. bignonioides, flowers 

 began opening a few days ago, now at 

 best and a few dropping. 



C. Kivmpferi, flo wers beginning to open, 

 greenish and poorer than those of the 

 other kinds. 



July 13, '91. — C. bignonioides in good 

 flower yet but past its best. C. Karmpteri 

 in best bloom. 



July 26, '91. — C. bignonioides, all past 

 some days ago. C. Kwmpferi, nearly 

 past. Wm. Falconer. 



NOTES. 



In planting evergreens next spring, 

 especially the family of pines, get them in 

 as early as the condition of the soil will 

 permit, and be very careful that the roots 

 are not exposed to wind or sun for any 

 length of time. 



Spiraea Anthony Waterer, a variety of 

 S. Bumaldi, which originated at the Knap 

 Hill Nurseries, England, is one of the neat- 

 est and most pleasing of the border nov- 

 elties of recent introduction. Perfectly 

 hardy, it forms a close, compact, dwarfish 

 shrub, extremely free in its blooms, which 

 are a much darker and brighter red than 

 in Bumaldi. This shrub has now been 



