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ARBORICULTURE 



ARBORICULTURE 



soils sometimes attains a height of 15 to 20 feet. The 

 dark blue berries are retained during winter. Desirable 

 for shrubberies. 



Broad-leaved evergreen trees. 



Camellia japonica. Although these magnificent plants 

 are usually seen in bush form, they can be trained to 

 single stems and attain a height of 20 or more feet in 

 the coast region, where they have found a congenial 

 soil and climate. The typical single red variety, a tree 

 of which is growing at Charleston, S. C., and planted 

 in 1808, being the first introduced, is now upwards of 

 20 feet high. The double-flowering sorts, while usually 

 of vigorous growth, do not attain the size of the single 

 red. Cinnamomum Camphora. In southern Louisiana 

 and middle Florida trees grow to a height of 50 feet; in 

 the middle South they affect the bush form or when 

 trained to single stems exceed 15 to 20 feet For the 

 extreme South it is recommended for street planting. 

 Cyrilla racemiflora. Specimens are occasionally found 

 on shady banks of streams, where the soil is very rich, 

 that will grow 20 feet high, but the tree form must 

 be secured by pruning. The foliage assumes a bright 

 red or bronze tint in winter. Eriobotrya japonica. 

 Flowers produced in January, and if not frost-killed are 

 followed by a golden yellow plum-like fruit of good 

 flavor. Reaches a height of 20 or more feet in the coast 

 belt. Gordonia Lasianthus. A stately tree found only 

 in shallow swamps or turfy soils. The roots spread 

 almost entirely near or upon the surface of the ground, 

 which makes it difficult to transplant trees taken from 

 the woods. Trees grown from seed in pots are best for 

 planting, but a rich moist soil is necessary to their 

 growth. -Ilex. I. opaca and I. Dahoon are among the 

 most valuable evergreen trees, the former being the 

 best where a large tree is desired. Specimens taken 



from the woods should 

 not exceed one foot in 

 height, as larger sizes 

 almost always fail in 

 transplanting. Ligu- 

 strum. L. japonicum 

 often forms a tree 25 

 feet high. Berries 

 blue -black, retained 

 during winter. Mag- 

 nolia. M. grandiflora 

 is justly considered 

 the glory of southern 

 broad - leaved ever- 

 green trees. There are 

 many forms, based on 

 the size and shape of 

 the leaves and the 

 flowers. The superb 

 white flowers, which 

 are seen from May 

 until August and oc- 

 casionally upon some 

 trees as late as Octc- 

 ber ; vary from 4 to 

 12 inches in diameter. 

 Thrives as far north 

 as Washington, D. C. 

 M. glavca has white 

 flowers 2 to 3 inches 

 in diameter and de- 

 lightfully fragrant. 

 Osmanthus fragrans 

 var. ruber and O. Aquifolium var. ilicifolius, can be 

 trained to single stem. The flowers of the first are 

 delicately fragrant and produced twice a year. Persea 

 carolinensis. Planted for shade in rich soils in the coast 

 belt. Photinia serrulata. or Chinese evergreen thorn, 

 has white flowers and dark red autumn foliage. Prunus 

 carolinensis. Known south as Carolina Cherry, Caro- 



356. A Norway Spruce. 

 Picea excelsa. 



lina laurel, mock orange, etc. One of the most orna- 

 mental southern trees. -Quercus Suber. Acorns were 

 distributed by the United States Patent Office in 1860, 

 and many large trees are now found in several sections 

 of the South, where they have fruited. Some small 

 plantations are made for the purpose of producing cork. 

 It grows well in comparatively poor and stony soils. 

 Sabal Palmetto is now freely used for street and avenue 

 planting on the coast. It is conspicuous for its tropical 

 appearance. It is not entirely successful further than 

 40 miles from the seashore. 



Conifers or narrow-leaved evergreens. 



Abies. Of this section few specimens are found below 

 the Piedmont region. Occasionally the Norway spruce 

 grows to a moderate size. Cedrus Deodara. An admira- 

 ble tree and of rapid growth, 40 to 50 feet. C. allanlica. 

 25 to 30 feet. Cunninghamia lanceolata. Foliage resem- 

 bles an araucaria. Cupressus. C. sempervirens has 

 many forms, from the compact, spiral or shaft-like shape 

 to more spreading habit. C. lusitanica or cypress of 

 Goa, has numerous forms with foliage of an ashy green 

 and pendulous branches, to others of a more dark tint 

 and rigid form. Of Chamsecyparis Lawsoniana there are 

 endless forms, from a compact, erect habit and vivid 

 green foliage to those of open or pendulous shape and 

 with glaucous or golden foliage. Cupressus funtbris has 

 varied less in its seedlings. Juniperus. The Irish juni- 

 per is of fine pyramidal form, and reaches a height of 15 

 feet. J. excelsa, J. chinensis and /. Ihurifera differ in the 

 tint of their foliage and are all of tall growth. Libocedrus 

 decurrens. The California arborvitae, with its graceful 

 feathery foliage and conical shape, is one of the most 

 ornamental of conifers. Pinus. Few of the exotic 

 species are suitable to the South. Pinus excelsa, or 

 Bhotan pine, is undoubtedly the best adapted to the 

 middle South of all kinds. Retinispora is a valuable 

 group of Japanese cypress, but with the exception of R. 

 obtusa, R. Fullerii, R. plumosa and R. squarrosa Veitchii, 

 all are of dwarf habit. Thuya. The Asiatic section is 

 better adapted to the middle South than the American 

 species. Of the former the best forms are known to 

 nurseries as Biota pyramidalis and var. aurea, reaching 

 a height of 15 to 18 feet. B. japonica var. filiformis 

 (Thuya orienlalis) is a remarkable variety, with thread- 

 like foliage and compact habit to 10 to 12 feet. 



In the foregoing list of Coniferse no mention is made 

 of species or varieties of low or shrub-like growth, such 

 as Podocarpus, Cephalotaxus, Thuyopsis, and Sciado- 

 pitys, of which there are many good specimens in vari- 

 ous parts of the south. Araucarias are also omitted, 

 owing to their liability of failure from extreme heat 

 or other unfavorable climatic conditions. This applies 

 also to Sequoia, and Frenelas (properly Callitris); 

 these frequently make an extraordinarily rapid growth 

 until late in autumn, and are often injured by a cold 

 wave early in winter. p. J. BERCKMANS. 



Trees on the Great Plains. 



The Plains, lying mostly west of the Missouri River, 

 are not absolutely treeless, as strangers often suppose, 

 but the whole vast area is dotted here and there with 

 small groves, or narrow belts that fringe the borders 

 of the streams. The number of native species, however, 

 is much smaller than in the rich tree flora of the north- 

 eastern United States and Canada. The number of 

 species cultivated for shade and ornament, for a long 

 time, at least, must be relatively small, owing to cli- 

 matic and other causes. In general, the people of the 

 Plains are necessarily more interested at present in 

 planting trees for profit than for pleasure, but in the 

 older parts are already to be found many fine public 

 parks and private grounds. To a large extent, however, 

 their point of view is that of forestry rather than 

 horticulture. 



