454 MINNESOTA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



but sometimes it is killed back. These are a few of the shrubs 

 which are tender with us. 



A Member: What is your experience with the weigela 

 rosea ? 



Mr. Ramsdell: It is fairly dependable but is benefited by 

 some protection. It grows better in some locations than in 

 others. I think it does better with protection, but on the other 

 hand in sheltered locations near lakes or rivers where there is 

 more humidity the weigela seems to be fairly hardy, and of 

 course it is a very fine shrub to use. I use them a great deal in 

 my work with good success, but I wouldn't say it is as depend- 

 ably hardy as the lilac, the bridal wreath or the honeysuckle. 



Mr. Horton : You speak about a proper spacing of shrubs. 

 What would you consider the distance apart for spirea Van 

 Houttii and hydrangea? 



Mr. Ramsdell : The spirea Van Houttii I plant about three 

 feet apart, never less than three feet, and occasionally where 

 immediate effects are not desired as far apart as four feet, but 

 more than four feet apart allows grass and weeds to grow be- 

 tween. The hydrangea I should say from two and one-half to 

 three feet ; if they have a wet location three feet is all right. 



A Member : What has been your experience with flowering 

 almond ? 



Mr. Ramsdell : That is a shrub I never found fully hardy. 

 I put it into the class with the weigela, well worth planting and 

 protecting but not wholly hardy. It is a beautiful shrub of its 

 kind. It has type, it is different from every other shrub, and 

 I like to use it, but I am careful with it. 



A Member: What makes the best hedge? 



Mr. Ramsdell: It depends a great deal on what you wish 

 the hedge to serve. If you wanted to divide fields to turn stock, 

 the buckthorn after it gets to be twelve or fifteen years old is so 

 stiff and heavy that the average cow will leave it alone. That 

 is a good field hedge. You can screen a fence with it. Around 

 the garden I like to use the tartarian honeysuckle, which grows 

 straight and takes trimming very naturally ; it has a fine flower 

 and good foliage. The lilac, of course, makes a good informal 

 hedge ; it can not be trimmed to very good advantage. Some of 

 the spireas are fairly good if you wish an informal hedge. 

 Thunberg's barberry makes the best low hedge we have. That 

 can be trimmed twelve to twenty inches high and makes almost 

 as good a hedge in its effect as the box, which we find in the 

 east. 



A Member : Which grows the fastest ? 



Mr. Ramsdell : I think the buckthorn grows as fast as any- 

 thing I know of if in good soil. 



A Member: What variety of lilac do you recommend? 



Mr. Ramsdell: There are so many varieties of lilacs one 

 can easily make a collection and not overdo it. You will find that 



