1887. 



POPULAR GARDENING. 



•25 



About the Japanese Maples. 



THOMAS C. MEEHAN, GERMANTOWN, PHILA. 



These beautiful ornamental trees were intro- 

 duced into this country about the year 1860, 

 nearly 37 years ago, and they are but begin- 

 ning to get the popularity which they so richly 

 deserve. Theii' great diversity of color and 

 variegation, and their dwarfness of habit will 

 mark them as indispensible in landscape adorn- 

 ment, and very great numbers are being plant- 

 ed every year. 



The Japanese Maples are all classed under 

 the head of Ar<r polymorphvm, this being 

 the original species, from which all of the great 

 number of varieties now possessed have 

 sprung. 



There is no prettier sight than a large bed 

 made up of the different varieties of Japanese 

 Maples, They wDI set off and contrast with 

 surrounding plants better than any other class 

 grown, having at the same time richness pos- 

 sessed by no other tree. But they show off to 

 the best advantage when set by themselves to 

 grow as single specimens. Several large plants 

 of the .4. polyiitorphion afropitrpuri-Km grow- 

 ing around Germantown attract wide atten- 

 tion, being the admiration of all who see them. 



The Japanese Maples generally make two 

 growths in one season. The first, which is the 

 strongest, will make from 6 to 111 inches, ac- 

 cording to the size of the plant. The second 

 growth is generally towaids fall, and is only 

 enough to make a few new leaves, sometimes 

 not more than an inch or two in length. 

 Should cold weather come on before the second 

 growth has had time to fully ripen, it is apt to 

 be killed back, but the growth being very 

 small, it does not in any way injure the plant. 



Some questions have arisen as to the hardi- 

 ness of the Japanese Maples. I can only say, that 

 I have seen them growing in the northern part 

 of New York in a perfect state of health and 

 vigor, and apparently none the worse for the 

 severe weather which sometimes visits that 

 part of the State. I believe these plants I refer 

 to were not protected during the winter. A 

 gentleman writing from New York says of 

 them: "So far from being tender here, they 

 are exceptionally hardy, and have not been 



color, like those which first appear in the 

 spring. The A. pobj. sanijuineum is very 

 similar to this ; it is perhaps a little stronger 

 grower and the leaves are a trifle larger. 

 Another form of the above, and which is very 

 pretty on account of its feathery foliage, is the 

 A. pvlij. dissectum atropurpureum. It is like 

 the above in color of foliage, but its ver}' fine 

 leaves give it an appearance of having been 

 cut with a pair of shears. 



ACER POLYMORPHUM ATROPURPUREUM. {Blood- 

 leaved Japan Maple.) 



There is one variety of the Japanese Maples, 

 A. Japoniruiii aiuvum, which, I think, should 

 be in every collection. The leaves are not so 

 deeply cut as in some of the other varieties, 

 and are of a rich yellow color. It goes well 

 with the atropuipurt'.uin and dissecfuni. I 

 am well pleased with a little green-leaf variety, 

 --1. poly, rosea mar(/i(i«(»?)i, thefoUageof which 

 is tipped and edged with pink. The A.Japoni- 

 rum aconitifolitmt is a very rare variety, I 

 believe, the leaves of which are green and 

 deeply cut, and are very large. Leaves have 

 been measured which were 4 inches long and 4 

 inches wide. It is a stronger growing kind 

 than any of the others. 



In conclusion I cannot but advise 

 that wherever practicable everyone 

 should have a small bed of these beau- 

 tiful plants on their giounds, or at 

 least one plant of one of the many 

 varieties which are growing in popu- 

 larity for their many fine qualities. 



. .^--1 ft.- 

 A JAPANESE MAPLE TREE, 

 injured the past winter in localities where Nor- 

 way and Hemlock Spruce have been killetl. ' 



I wUl not attempt to go over the great list of 

 varieties now enumerated, but will mention a 

 few which I consider the best. First, there is 

 the A. poly, rltl^op^trpurt•tt)n,ol^t,he Blood-leaved 

 variety. This I believe to be the best for 

 every purpose. The foliage, when it comes 

 out in the spring, is of a very light red color, 

 but as the season advances it becomes darker. 

 The leaves of the second growth are lighter in 



Why Blossoms Fail to Fruit. 



The presence of an abundance of 

 orchard blossoms is not a sure sign of an 

 abmidant fruit crop, as every one knows. 

 Why there should be such a wide dis- 

 crepancy between the promise and the 

 fulfillment is hard to tell exactly, for it 

 is difficult to know all the circumstances. 

 No doubt one of the most coEumon 

 causes of damage to fruit blossoms is 

 occasioned by rains coining at a time 

 to injure the pollen or prevent its dis- 

 tribution. We have, for one example 

 that directly occurs to our mind, seen 

 Plum trees the early blooms of which 

 bore abundantly, while those that blos- 

 somed later and were subjected to heavy 

 rains had hardly any fruit. Fiost is a 

 well recognized enemy to fruit blossoms. 

 A very dry continuous wind in the height of 

 the blossoming season has been thought to 

 have had an unfavorable effect on the flowers 

 by drying up the pistil or otherwise pre- 

 venting the pollen from properly coming in 

 contact with it. A cold wind may also pre- 

 vent the process of fertilization from being 

 favorably carried on. 



Sometimes trees that are very thrifty blos- 

 som freely but bring forth little fruit, when 

 those about them and less thrifty bear well, 



the inference being that excessive thrlftiness 

 of the trees caused sterility in the flowers. 



The absence of insects from fruit blossoms 

 for any of the above or other causes is one 

 cause of unfruitfulness. Let us give even the 

 insects their dues. It is not believed that fer- 

 tilization takes place m fruit blossoms gener- 

 ally by the pollen being blown on the stigmas, 

 but that it is usually conveyed on the legs and 

 wings of insects as they pass from flower to 

 flower. If the weather is fall' when the fruit is 

 ready for fertilization, so that flies, bees and 

 other insects are very active about the flowers, 

 the chance for a crop is much increased.; 



But let us look on the bright side, remem- 

 bering that the time in which the pollen of any 

 fruit blossom matures extends usually over 

 an entire week. If therefore there be no frosts 

 to outrightly blast the vital parts of the flower, 

 we may usually look for at least some weather 

 during the week or more time of all blossoms 

 that shall be favorable to their fertilization. 



Sweet Alyssum. 



HARLEIGH GllS^TTE, HIOm.AND PARE, ILL. 



You pick a cluster of this exquisite pearly- 

 white blossom and sniff in the delicious fra- 

 grance, how soothing it is! No wonder those 

 wise ancients attributed to it the charmed 

 property of controlling and subduing violent 

 and ungovernable paroxysms of temper,render- 

 ing the disposition mild and passive. Its name 

 is from the Greek n, nob, and lii.^.io, rage. 

 Surely an appropriate cognomen. 



Seed may be obtained from any seetlsman, 

 and should be planted eaily in a cold frame or 

 seed-bed. Sow thinly and when the young 

 plants are well up, transplant to their perma- 

 nent gai'den quarters. An open situation, pro- 

 tected somewhat from the hot noon-day sun is 

 desirable. The soil preferably should be black 

 and rich, though we have grown some fine beds 

 upon a heavy clay loam. 



After setting out the young seedlings, they 

 should be carefully watched and dusted often 

 with dry wood ashes while yet covered with 

 the eai-ly morning dew, to protect them from 

 the attacks of the Blue Aphis, their inveterate 

 enemy. So voracious are these imps that we 

 have known whole beds of transplanteed seed- 

 lings to disappear in a single day, nothing re- 

 maining but a few grass-like little stems to show 

 what once had been. 



A superficial observer wUl not always dis- 

 cover the Blue Aphis, as he is as lively as a Flea, 

 and will Jump two feet upon the approach of 

 danger, his companions immediately following, 

 and where an instant before a plant has been 

 literally covered, there remains but the bare 

 plant with its partially eaten leaves. However, 

 he can be beaten off with care, and when once 

 the young Alyssums have obtained a fair start 

 they will bid defiance to these enemies. 



A very pretty perennial species of Alyssum, 

 A. Sii.iatile, has yellow blossoms in close corym 

 bunches. It comes from Candia, and is very 

 useful for rock work and stumperies. 



REPLIES TO INQUIRIES. 



374, -Xii Oxalis not Blooming. I would say 

 that the Pink Oxalis blooms treel}" with me wheu 

 badly pot-bound and not too iiiueh petted in its 

 culture, L, D. M., Buffalo, A', 1'. 



314. Fruit Growing in Virginia. All kinds of 

 small fruits should succeed well in the vicinity 

 of Petersburg, Va,, provided of course that the 

 soil is in a state of fair fertility. Concerning 

 Peaches there are not many parts of the State 

 where on land that is not low Peaches would do 

 otherwise than well. 



312, Belmont Strawberry. This variety has 

 perfect flowers, hence is self-fertilizing. 



311. The "Best" Gladioluses. The foUowmg 

 are verj' distinct and beautiful varieties; and in my 

 opinion the best in cultivation. Astree, Emma 

 Thursby. Figuro, Gen. Sheridan, Hesperide, Lady 

 Bridgeport, Lamarck, Meyerbeer, Martha Washing- 

 ton. President Lincoln. Princess Mary of Cam- 

 bridge, Phebus, Shakespeare, Virgiuahs, Van 

 Spandonk.— Chas. E. Parnell. Queens. L. I. 



