1916 



LOQUAT 



LOROPETALUM 



budding being the method preferred in the United 

 States, and usually employed when trees are desired for 

 commercial planting. Seedlings are often planted in 

 dooryards, where they not only serve as admirable or- 

 namental trees, but produce an abundance of reason- 

 ably good fruit. In budding and grafting, seedling 

 loquats are generally used as stocks. When budded on 

 quince, the tree is considerably dwarfed; this stock is 

 sometimes used, however, because its fibrous root- 

 system readily permits of transplanting. Seeds should 

 be planted as soon as removed from the fruit, either 

 singly in pots, or in flats from which they can be potted 

 off later on. A light loam should be used, covering the 

 seeds to a depth of about 1 inch. When the young 

 plants have attained a height of 6 or 7 inches, they 

 may be planted in nursery rows in the open ground, 

 where they can be grown until the stems are about 

 % inch in diameter at the base, when they are ready 

 for budding. This is best done during October or 

 November, depending upon climatic conditions. The 



buds are allowed to lie dormant until early spring, 

 when they must be forced into growth. Budwood 

 should be of young and smooth wood, preferably that 

 which has turned brown and lost its pubescence, and 

 from which the leaves have dropped. Shield-budding, 

 essentially the same as practised with the citrous fruits, 

 is the method commonly used. The buds should be 

 cut somewhat larger than for the orange, preferably 

 not less than 1% inches in length. After inserting 

 them in T-incisions made in the stocks at a convenient 

 point not far above the ground, they should be tied 

 with raffia, soft cotton string, or waxed tape, and left 

 about three weeks, when they should have formed a 

 union. At this time they may be unwrapped, and if 

 necessary, rewrapped loosely, so as to allow the buds 

 to start into growth. When not rewrapped, the bark 

 sometimes opens up around the bud and exposes it to 

 the air, causing its death. The stock must be cut back 

 to a point about 3 inches above the bud, and all ad- 

 ventitious buds rubbed off as fast as they make their 

 appearance. Difficulty is sometimes experienced in 

 forcing the bud into growth. 



In grafting, a simple cleft graft is used, with a cion 

 of about the diameter of a lead pencil, and of well- 

 matured wood. 



Most of the named varieties of the loquat have 

 originated in Japan, Algeria and California. Ikeda 

 mentions forty-six varieties of Japanese origin, of which 

 eight are recommended as the best for cultivation. 



Trabut of Algiers describes twelve varieties of Alge- 

 rian origin, though none of them is considered so 

 desirable, from a commercial standpoint, as Tanaka, 

 with the possible exception of Taza, which resulted 

 from a cross between Tanaka and one of the local 

 forms. Tanaka is of Japanese origin, but has been 

 grown in Algeria for several years, and also to a very 

 limited extent in California, where it has not, however, 

 become as popular as several varieties of local origin. 

 Most of the varieties originated in the United States 

 have been produced by C. P. Taft, of Orange, Cali- 

 fornia, who has done more to improve the loquat than 

 any other man. Among the best may be mentioned 

 Advance, a bright yellow, pyriform fruit, sometimes 

 3 inches in length, produced in very large, compact 

 clusters and ripening from March to June; Champagne, 

 oval to pyriform, 2 to 3 inches in length, white-fleshed, 

 produced in clusters as large as those of Advance but 

 less compact, considered the best of all in flavor; 

 Premier, oval, not quite so large as Advance, salmon- 

 orange in color; Victor, a very large and showy fruit, 

 in loose clusters, not considered valuable in California 

 because it ripens late in the season; Early Red, a pyri- 

 form, deep orange-colored fruit, 1 to 2 inches in length, 

 produced in medium-sized clusters, valuable because 

 it is the earliest of all, commencing to ripen in late 

 January. Tanaka is an attractive fruit of large size 

 and deep orange-color, with unusually 

 good shipping qualities, but it ripens 

 too late to be of commercial value in 

 California. The earliest fruits are the 

 ones which yield the greatest returns, 

 because they come into market at a 

 time when fresh fruits are scarce. 



F. W. POPENOE. 



LORANTHUS (strap-flower, from the 

 form of the petals). Loranthacese. 

 Several hundred parasitic evergreen 

 shrubs, mostly of tropics in many 

 countries; one of the extensive mistle- 

 toe family. They are not horticultural 

 subjects, but attempts are sometimes 

 made to grow them, it is said with suc- 

 cess, by sowing them on the exposed 

 roots or branches of their hosts. The 

 Ivs. are opposite or alternate, entire, usually either 

 thick or fleshy: fls. usually perfect, often showy, the 

 4-6 petals free or more or less joined to form a tubular 

 corolla; calyx entire or 4-6-toothed; stamens as many as 

 petals and attached on them : fr. a berry or drupe, with 

 mucilaginous viscid contents. They are parasitic on 

 upper parts of trees or shrubs or sometimes on the ground. 



LOROPETALUM (Greek lows, strap, and petalum, 

 alluding to the strap-shaped petals). Hamameliddcese. 

 Ornamental shrubs grown chiefly for their white flow- 

 ers, appearing in winter or early spring. 



Evergreen, stellate-pubescent: Ivs. alternate, short- 

 petioled, entire, without stipules: fls. fascicled at the 

 end of short branchlets, sessile; calyx short, 4-lobed; 

 petals 4, linear; stamens 4, with very short filaments; 

 ovary inferior, 2-celled: caps, woody, dehiscent, 2- 

 seeded. Two species in China. 



Only L. chinense is in cultivation, a handsome much- 

 branched shrub with rather small dull persistent foliage 

 and clustered white or sometimes yellowish or greenish 

 white feathery flowers in early spring. It will probably 

 be hardy as far north as Washington, D. C. It is a 

 desirable plant for the cool greenhouse and if grown in 

 pots a peaty and sandy soil will suit it best. Even 

 where the plant is hardy out-of-doors, the flowers are 

 liable to be injured by frost. Propagation is by seeds, 

 and probably by grafting on Hamamelis. 



chinense, Oliver (Hamamelis chinensis, R. Br.). 

 Shrub, to 12 ft.: branchlets densely ferrugineous-pu- 



