32 



THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST 



February, 1909 



short, yet we have no reason to be dis- 

 turbed. On larger places the liberal 

 planting of pines and heml-cks for 

 screening unsightly buildings, and 

 checking the force of the winter winds, 

 will have much to do with the successful 

 treatment of the place, for one can 

 better appreciate the subtle beauties of a 

 winter landscape if protected from the 

 force of" the icy wind by an effective, 

 screen of tall and stately evergreen trees. 



The most useful large growing pines 

 for northern planting are the white pine 

 {Pinus strobus), the Austrian pine 

 (Pinus Austriaca), and the Scotch pine 

 (Pinus sylvestris.) The soft effect of tlie 

 delicate needles of the white pine when 

 young and its stately appearance when 

 old, places it preeminently in the lead, 

 while the larger needles of the Austrian 

 and Scotch pines contrast well and give 

 variety. The only objection to the use 

 of the American hemlock is that it cannot 

 hi employed near large cities on account 

 of the smoke and sulphur gases which 

 are always present in manufacturing dis- 

 tricts. 



In both large and small p'aces, the 

 Douglas spruce (Pseudotsuga Doug- 

 lasii), with its dark green foliage, and 

 the Colorado blue spruce (Picea pun- 

 gens), and its varieties glauca and Kos- 

 toriana, give variety to the winter land- 

 scape. For immediate effect, and for 

 filling in between the more permanent 

 pines and spruces, the Norway spruce 

 (Picea excelsa) is useful, but as it very 

 often outlives its usefulness at an early 

 age, it is only useful for the purpose of 

 temporary effects. 



The mountain pine (Pinus montana) 

 is the most useful of the low-growing 

 evergreens for our northern climate and 

 is not out of place on the smallest lawn. 

 When massed at the foot of larger ever- 

 greens it is extremely effective. Some 

 of the junipers can safely be employed 

 in the north. By far the most effective 

 of all is (Juniperus Virginiana glauca), 

 the glaucous form of the common red 

 cedar. It is much more hardy than the 

 type, and it will thrive in the smoky at- 

 mosphere of the city as will no other 

 cedar. Its whitish effect, lik"- that of 

 the Colorado blue spruce, is particularly 

 striking. Juniperus Chinensis stricta is 

 also an evergreen of the first rank for the 

 north. 



For low planting the savin juniper 

 (Juniperus Sabina) is excellent, while 

 Juniperus communis var. nana, which is 

 still lower in growth, gives us an oppor- 

 tunity to produce an evergreen carpet 

 when it is desired. As a useful, hardy 

 evergreen we cannot overlook the Jap- 

 anese yew (Taxus cuspidata). It is a 

 welcome addition to the list of really 

 hardy evergreens. The American arbor 

 vitae (Thuya occidentalis) in its numer- 

 ous varieties, is also useful as a northern 

 evergreen, but prefers the shelter given 



by wind breaks. Its golden variety, 

 aurea, is extremely useful as it is really 

 golden, and adds a touch of bright color 

 which harmonizes well with the prevail- 

 ing deep green of the majority of ever- 

 greens. 



WhJe the evergreens enumerated, do 

 not include all of the Coniferae that are 

 hardy along the region of the Great 

 Lakes, yet it does include the very hard- 

 iest species. These are sufficient to pro- 

 duce a winter picture, which as far as 

 conifers a e concerned, will be effective 

 and leave little to be desired. 



BROAD LEAVED EVERGREENS 



What is tru^ of the scarcity of the 

 really hardy coniferous evergreens in the 

 Great Lake or northern regions, is still 

 more true of the broad leaved ever- 

 greens. One of the very few which is 

 hardy under all conditions is the yucca 

 (Yucca filamentosa). When planted in 

 large masses it is a cheering sight in 

 winter, to say nothing of its profusion 

 of bloom in summer. It is doubly wel- 

 come, but its value as a winter plant is 

 its chief asset. Even a solitary speci- 

 men on the lawn is an evidence of life 

 in the snow. 



The best evergreen ground cover is un-' 

 doubtedly the periwinkle (Vinca minor). 

 Its ability to thrive under adverse con- 

 ditions of light, render it useful for oth- 



er things besides winter effect. It is 

 an excell'^nt ground cover between ever- 

 greens, its cheerful green is not only 

 beautiful to the eye but the plant acts as 

 a protection from deep freezing of the 

 soil. When it is planted in mass in the 

 open, or on the edge of shrub border, in 

 company with Rosa blanda, it makes an 

 unique combination, as the brilliant large 

 fruits of the rose borne near the ground 

 and just over the ground work of green 

 vinca, the effect is suggestive of the 

 Christmas season. 



Another broad-leaved evergreen which 

 is useful in the northern latitudes, is 

 Euonymus radicans, which as a low 

 climber, takes the place of the English 

 ivy. As a creeper it is seen at its best. 

 The sun of February and March often 

 burns some of the upper leaves, but 

 whenever it produces its red berries it is 

 a thing to be desired. 



The Japanese honeysuckle (Lonicera 

 Halliana), while not considered an ever- 

 green, yet retains its green leaves until 

 long after Christmas in sheltered situa- 

 tions, when used as a trailer, but not 

 when used as a climber, as the leaves 

 are more exposed to frost and wind and 

 are not as persistent. As this plant is 

 used for covering banks in open ravines, 

 and around rocks and boulders, it has 

 a cheery effect on a winter day. 



(To be cmitinued in next issuej 



Tuberous - Rooted Begonias 



John Paine, London, Ontario 



WHEN tuberous rooted begonias 

 are wanted for outside planting, 

 start the tubers early in March, 

 in shallow boxes filled with sand, as they 

 require plenty of heat to start them grow- 

 ing. A furnace cellar is one of the best 

 places for this purpose. Water sparingly 

 at first. After they have made about 

 half an inch of growth, put them in good 

 strong potting soil, in five-inch pots and 

 place them in windows facing the south 

 if possible. Water now when the plants 

 require it. By the last week in May, you 

 should have strong plants, just coming 

 into bloom for your out-of-doors bed. 



A sandy foam made as rich as you 

 possibly can make it, is the best soil for 

 these begonias. Have the bed if possi- 

 ble, so situated that it will be shaded 

 from the mid-day sun. Make the bed 

 slightly oval. Plant about fifteen inches 

 apart with the top of the tuber a little 

 below the surface of the ground. For 

 support, use strips of shingles about one- 

 third of an inch wide. Take about six 

 of the strips and push them into the 

 ground about half their length around 

 the plant four inches from the stem. The 

 plants will grow upright and remain so 

 through wind and storm. The growth 

 of the foliage will soon hide the support. 

 Cover the ground of the bed with air- 



slacked lime, just keeping clear of the 

 begonia stems. When the lime becomes 

 caked, scrape it off and apply more. Do 

 this at least three times during the early 

 part of the season. 



During the warm weather begonias 

 require plenty of water. Apply it in the 

 evening. 



To keep the tubers for another season, 

 cut the stems off about three inches from 

 the tuber and dig them up after the fir.st 

 hard frost in Sepember, leaving a good 

 sized ball of earth around them. Place 

 in a furnace cellar until the earth about 

 them becomes thoroughly dry. Then 

 remove the tubers and store them in sand 

 in a dry but not too warm a place for the 

 winter. In this way, your loss of them 

 will be less than two per cent. Most of 

 my begonias are of the new frilled var- 

 ieties, principally singles as I like them 

 best of all. 



Photograph your lawn and shrub- 

 beries in winter, and send prints for re- 

 production in The Canadian Horticul- 

 turist. 



Send photographs of your window gar- 

 dens to The Canadian Horticulturist 

 for publication and tell how you care for 

 the plants. 



