2 5 8 



GARDENING. 



May /s, 



Narcissus poeticus is a much later 

 bloomer and presents a grand sight when 

 planted in masses, but the same question 

 of the brown foliage and bare ground in 

 summer presents itself. Knowing that 

 the handsome little annual Nemophila 

 insignis will grow in partial shade (its 

 generic name means grove-loving) I will 

 try the experiment this season of sowing 

 it thickly among the narcissi, some 

 time about the middle of May. Whether 

 successful or not, it will pay to try the 

 experiment. 



Speaking of experimenting reminds me 

 that last fall, at my request, Mr. Joseph 

 Meehan selected in the nursery at German- 

 town, Penn., some hard and soft maples 

 showing unusually bright leaf coloration. 

 It is well known that some maples in a 

 collection, in the woods or in a nursery 

 row, will color well in the fall, while 

 others of the same species alongside do 

 not. The same soil and climatic condi- 

 tions are enjoyed by each, still they differ 

 individually. I know of one hard maple 

 near here that colors beautifully on one 

 side each fall long before its comrades. 

 So far as I can see there is no evidence of 

 disease, either on the side that colors first 

 or in any part of the tree. If the tend- 

 ency to color well in the fall is inherent 

 in the tree itself then those selected by 

 Mr. Meehan should color well with me. 

 If they do, and further like experiments 

 prove satisfactory, then a new element is 

 introduced into the nursery business; 

 trees of good coloring habits bringing 

 extra prices. Perhaps the nurseryman 

 of the future, following the Darwinian 

 theory- of selection may be able to adver- 

 tise, "Maples of any desired fall color 

 furnished; lawn party dresses matched 

 and satisfaction warranted," W. C. E. 



THE WEEPING BEECH. 



The tree (Fagus sylvatica pendula) 

 shown in our illustration grows upon the 

 grounds that at an earlier date formed 

 part of one of the famous nurseries of 

 Flushing, N. Y. It is 48 feet high, the 

 trunk measuring 10 feet in girth at three 

 feet from, the ground. The branches touch 

 the ground on every side, and form a 

 circle which has an average diameter of 

 about 52 feet. Between the branches and 

 the trunk is a highly arched tent-like en- 

 closure, within which fifty people might 

 easily stand. The tree is about forty 

 yearsold, and is thelargestand most per- 

 fect specimen in this country, and proba- 

 blv in the world. 



SOME HALF HARDY SHRUBS. 



I use the heading "Half Hardy Shrubs" 

 because many that I intend to refer to 

 are commonly so termed. Some of them 

 are quite hard v here without any protec- 

 tion whatever. I am led to write on this 

 topic to-nigbt by looking on a specimen 

 of the sweet bay, Laurus nobilis. which 

 has stood out all winter, entirely unpro- 

 tected, in as bleak a place as could be 

 found, and which is to-day entirely unin- 

 jured in its wood, though the most of its 

 foliage is destroyed. Had this plant been 

 in a place where it would have been shel- 

 tered from the sun in winter, and from 

 high winds, I am sure it would have kept 

 its foliage perfect throughout. Such a 

 place will be given it next year. I have 

 been interested in watching the behavior 

 of this plant because as I am told, 

 it has stood uninjured in England when 

 the common laurel has not, and this, the 

 common laurel, flourishes splendidly at 

 Washington. I saw groups of it there 



last summer, the plants full}' fifteen feet 

 high. I have seen this live out in Phila- 

 delphia in sheltered places, and have no 

 doubt it would do well when once estab- 

 lished. 



It is common to hear persons say that 

 they do not care to bother with plants 

 that need certain positions selected for 

 them. In this case many native trees 

 and shrubs would be excluded. The beau- 

 tiful hemlock spruce much prefers to be 

 free from cutting winds ; the rhododen- 

 dron demands the same and a prepara- 

 tion of the soil besides, and numerous 

 other subjects could be cited. For my 

 part, I think the one who has ample 

 room and choice of situation has but 

 little love for trees and shrubs if he does 

 not care to take time to give them what 

 they desire. 



A few days ago I saw a large lot of the 

 evergreen bamboo, Bambusa Metake, 

 the sight of which was a good object 

 lesson. It had been planted close to a 

 large building. The wind which struck 

 the building had been carried to the 

 ground and had swept among the plants, 

 destroying the foliage badly. The nearer 

 the plants to the building the worse their 

 appearance. Those some ten feet away 

 were carrying their leaves almost as 

 green as in summer. A native shrub 

 would have suffered there as badly as 

 this Japanese bamboo. 



I have so often mentioned the hardi- 

 ness of Magnolia gramliflora about Phil- 

 adelphia, that it need hardly be said that 

 in the mild winter just passed through 



the several specimens hereabouts have 

 not suffered at all or but very little. Just 

 a little browning of the leaves, that is all. 

 Were it not for the desire to protect the 

 leaves, for the sake of their green appear- 

 ance in spring, this noble evergreen would 

 need nothing more than a mulching abottt 

 its base for a winter or two after 

 planting, until it had good root hold. 



I do not know why it is that English 

 holly is reported tender. The plants in 

 this vicinity have never been hurt in the 

 past six years, and there are large plants 

 of it here and there, which must have 

 been planted twenty-five years ago, and 

 which do not appear to have ever been 

 hurt. 



Osmanthus aquifolia. Ilex crenata, 

 Skimmiajaponica and Castanopsis chry- 

 sophylla are in the best possible condi- 

 tion. Has any one ever tried the Olea 

 fragrans outside ? It is my intention to 

 do so, as I think its chances are very 

 good. Some few years ago some florist 

 left a number of large plants of Azalea 

 indica alba out all winter and found it 

 to be quite hardy. Now there are many 

 fine bushes of it planted out permanently 

 in this locality. 



What these half hardy plants want is a 

 locality suited to them, as already de- 

 scribed. Then, on the approach of cold 

 weather, place enough mulching about 

 them to secure the roots from frost. I 

 think this of great importance. Next to 

 this set some evergreen branches about 

 them at the same time, to break the wind 

 and obscure the light. Do this for two 



THE WEEPING HEECH. 



