EXPERIMENT STATIONS. 253 



Among- these poplars, too, we received popixlus betulafolia — prob- 

 ably an American species — but one of the finest appearing- poplars 

 we have seen. The cracii limb willow (Salix fragilis) is doing well 

 in inany places. The rosemarj^ willow makes a beautiful low snow- 

 break. 



Salix laurifolia, I regret to say, has suffered greatly with us, seem- 

 ingly attacked with some disease that turns the small limbs black. 

 Among the willows, too, we received salix vitellina britzensis and 

 salix No. 14 Vor. These willows seem to be indentical, and they are 

 a great acquisition. In winter their young branches turn the bright- 

 est red and light up a dark shrubbery as with a flame of fire. 



Salix aurea is not doing well on our dry bluff, but in moist situa- 

 tions it is very fine. 



MOCK ORANGE, 



No shrub on our grounds has shown more good points than the 

 different species of mock orange, or Philadelphus. Besides some 

 old-fashioned varieties brought from the old farm in the Eastern 

 states, we have planted Philadelphus gracilis, Philadelphus corda- 

 tus, Philadelphus grandiflorus and No. 144 Vor. The different species 

 and varieties serve to materially prolong the blooming season of 

 this most desirableand beautiful shrub. 



HONEYSUCKLES. 



The upright honeysuckles have all done well. My former opinion 

 of the merits of the new Russian variety, lonicera splendens, is con- 

 firmed. It is a most beautiful upright shrub. The other varieties 

 of the Tartarian honeysuckle are all doing well. The hardy climb- 

 ing honeysuckle of Prof. Budd's importation, lonicera media) 

 bloomed this year, but is showing some tendency to blight. The 

 narrow-leaved lonicera, Alberti, is doing well and is an interesting 

 shrub. It needs some support. 



PEA TREE. 



• 



There is nothing new to report in regard to the caraganus. Thej^ 

 are all hardy and useful shrubs and deserve to be planted gen- 

 erally. 



BARBERRY. 



The common barberrj^ and its purple-leaved variety, as well as the 

 Manchurian barberis amurensis, are all doing well. These desirable 

 shrubs ought to be more generally planted. 



MAPLE. 



The white maple (Acer dasycarpum) is the only native maple in 

 this part of the state. Where a water suppl}^ can be obtained the 

 sugar maple is doing well, but it has failed on our dry bluff. 

 Schwedler's maple and the Rittenbach inaple, both, I believe, varie- 

 ties of the Norway maple, were badly injured by the drouth last 

 season, but came through the winter without further injury. The 

 little Japanese maple, Acer guinala, survived the hail-storms, 

 drouth and frosts, and caine through the winter entirely uninjured. 

 I believe it to be a decided acquisition. 



