i8g8. 



' GARDENING. 



247 



plants flank the sides of the lawn, the 

 latter remaining unmolested. Then a 

 pleasing picture will be presented. 



Above all avoid planting in a symmet- 

 rical and artificial mf.nner. Do not put 

 exactly the same number of plants on each 

 side of the central walk. Or if you do 

 this, do not make one the exact counter- 

 part of the other side. Arrange the 

 plants so as to appear natural. In no 

 case plant shrubs or trees in straight 

 rows. This is allowable only along ave- 

 nues, or along sidewalks — never on lawns 

 even at the borders. 



When the house has an east or north 

 front there will be no need or excuse for 

 planting large trees, unless the front lawn 

 is very large. On citv lots it would be 

 seldom allowable. But for a west or 

 south front shade is demanded, and elms 

 or other good trees should generally be 

 used where space will permit. 



The plants at the side of the bouse, 

 when there is space for such, should in 

 the majority of cases be mostly near the 

 fence or border of the lot rather than 

 against the house; if a walk passes 

 beside the house, then the plants should 

 be mostly between the walk and the lot 

 line. 



Vines on the porch or front of the house 

 are not always preferred — the style of the 

 architecture and the taste of the occupant 

 may without further comment suggest 

 what the practice should be. But neglect 

 of the vines when used is wholly inexcus- 

 able. Unobtrusive supports should gen- 

 erally be provided, and the arrangement 

 should be such that the vines could be 

 laid down temporarily for winter protec- 

 tion, for painting the building, etc. 



Where feasible a back lawn should be laid 

 out, and equal care bestowed upon it as 

 on the front lawn. But since more retired 

 it may harbor more plants and flowers, 

 and wilder or gayer natural conditions 

 might here obtain. Yet useful ( fruit-bear- 

 ing) vines may also be used, especiallv 

 when the back-yard is toward the south. 



While there are many desirable annuals 

 that should receive attention, perhaps 

 the large majority of plants ought to be 

 perennials — herbs, shrubs and trees. This 

 is true for the front lawn at least. What 

 to plant from the hosts of excellent native 

 and exotic species, can be selected after 

 some study of the several kinds and the 

 advice of a practical naturalist or reliable 

 nurservman. 



SOPflORfl JflFONICfl. 



The Sophora Japonica, though one of 

 the hardiest of Japanese trees and one 

 which has been in cultivation for over 

 100 years, is rather scarce in cultivation. 

 Young trees have been set out in many 

 parks within the past few ytars, but as 

 the tree is somewhat slow growing it 

 will be some considerable time before 

 they are as large as the one illustrated, 

 which is growing in Fairmount Park, Pbil- 

 delphia. 



This tree is about 20 feet high, and is 

 now of a flowering age. It is many years 

 before the sophora blooms, but the tree 

 itself is beautiful, and when it does flower 

 it is such a desirable tree that one feels 

 compensated for the delay. It is valuable 

 for flowering late in summer, when but 

 few trees are in bloom. The flowers are 

 pea shaped, leguminous, as they are 

 called, cream colored, and produced in 

 immense panicles. These panicles are at 

 the extremitv of the branches, decorating 

 the tree beautifully when the flowers are 

 expanded. The leaves are pinnate, of a 

 shining green, and the color of the young 

 wood is always of a deep green. Pods 

 follow the flowers, but as the flowers 



come so late in the season the seeds rarely 

 ripen on these park trees. 



Besides the tree illustrated, there are 

 some very much larger in another por- 

 tion of the grounds, known as George's 

 Hill. These are 40 feet high, perhaps, 

 and have as many feet of spread, and 

 when in bloom, which occurs to a greater 

 or a less extent every year, they are a 

 great attraction. 



There is a desirable variety of this 

 tree, a weeping one, known as Sophora 

 Japonica pendula. This is grafted 

 on the common form, the cion being 

 usually inserted on stems of about six 

 feet in height. It is one of the weepers 



opinion. Young grafted trees of this 

 are liable to throw out shoots irregu- 

 larly, which would lead to their lacking 

 the symmetry of outline which is usually 

 desired. A little pruning when the head 

 starts to form will remedy this, and will 

 ensure an evenly headed, well propor- 

 tioned specimen. Joseph Meehan. 



1 '.K and Rapids Horticultural Societv, 

 Grand Rapids, Mich. — Mrs. Sarah Smith 

 entertained the society at its monthly 

 meeting on April 26. There was a large 

 attendance and a fine displaj- of roses and 

 carnations was a feature of the day. 

 Papers on timely topics were read by E. 



SOPHORA JAPONICA. 



which do not increase in height, but 

 droop from where grafted, forming no 

 leader. This grafting is done in April, 

 about the time buds are bursting. 



This weeping variety is beautiful at all 

 seasons of the year, but, as with many 

 other trees of a drooping character, it is 

 at its best when the winter season 

 displays it bereft of foliage, in my 



E. Phillips, of Walker; Mr. Richardson, 

 of Jamestown; Mr. Kellev, of Harring- 

 ton; Hon. C. W. Garfield, H. 0. Braman, 

 Col. P. V. Fox. Wm. Roe, W. N. Cook, 

 and Henry Smith. The hostess, Mrs. 

 Smith, discussed the culture of begonias 

 and discouraged out-of-door planting. 

 The consensus of opinion was that Mich- 

 igan will have a bountiful fruit crop. 



