204 



POPULAR GARDENING. 



September, 



A Remarkable New Weeping Tree: 

 Teas' Weeping Russian Mulberry. 



In recent years no class of oruamental 

 trees (the consideration of shade omitted) 

 have been so widely planted as the better 

 varieties of weeping trees. The Kilmarnock 

 and other attractive Willows of the same 

 class, and the various Birches of pendant 

 habit, for example, have been in constant 

 and increasing demand with home improvers 

 in town and country everywhere, un- 

 til the planting of these has reached far 

 into the thousands an- 

 nually. Indeed, of some 

 localities it may be said 

 that these trees have been 

 planted even to excess, 

 causing monotony in one 

 or a few kinds. 



Such facts, however, 

 well show an existing and 

 developing taste for fine trees of 

 pendulous habit. Recognizing this 

 we find pleasure at this time in in- 

 troducing to the attention of tree 

 lovers a new candidate in this line, 

 namely. Teas' Weeping Russian 

 Mulberry. This is a variety of 

 Western oiigin, having been raised 

 by Mr. J. C. Teas of (Jarthage, 

 Missouri, from seed of the Rus- 

 sian Mulberry. 



This new tree was brought to our 

 notice some months ago, and being 

 very favorably impressed by what 

 we saw of its beauty and vigor, we 

 procured a photograph of a three- 

 year old specimen, from which' was 

 made the life like engraving an- 

 nexed. Unfortunately, as we think, 

 some leaves of the original of our 

 photagraph were removed, for the 

 purpose of better showing the pend- 

 ant character of the branches, hence 

 our present engraving is slightly 

 defective in the respect of showing 

 a certain degree of nudity, with 

 injustice to the real beauty of the 

 tree. A leaf has also been engraved 

 to exactly show its remarkably 

 handsome lobed form. This leaf is 

 about one-third the natural size. 



Some of the more valuable qualities which 

 have impressed us in this tree are as follows: 

 The beaut)' of the leaves; these aside from 

 being lobed in a form entirely unique in 

 weeping trees, are possessed of that delight- 

 ful, fresh-looking rich green that is common 

 to all the ornamental Mulberries. The fact 

 that they are produced in great abundance 

 is also very favorable to beauty. 



Freedom of Growth. This is quite re- 

 markable, as will be Inferred when we state 

 that single light shoots have reached a length 

 of from six to eight feet in one season. Such 

 free growth in the small branches at once 

 accounts for the natural grace of these as 

 they droop earthwards, parallel with the 

 trunk, some to reach the ground. Being of 

 free growth each branch of the tree adds to 

 the formation of a complete umbrella form 

 after a few years. 



General Gracefulness. The tree appears 

 to be wholly free from that stiffness of form, 

 which is, with some justice, raised against 

 some of its class, in this respect partaking 

 more of the habit of the Weeping Birches 

 tlian of the Kilmarnock Willow. 



The fact that it is a free grower indicates 

 ease in transplanting, and this is a good 



point in favor of its becoming widely popu- 

 lar. As to hardiness, those who know it 

 best rank it with the Russian Mulberries, to 

 which it is said to owe its parentage. It 

 should therefore be found reliable where 

 many of the older Weeping trees fail. 



The stock of the Weeping Russian JIul- 

 berry Is now in the hands of .Tames B. Wild 

 and Brothers, of Sarcoxie, Missouri, who, 

 we understand, are taking steps towards 

 its general discrimination. 



stices open, and then the potting soil of Ught, 

 rotted, turfy earth with a fair proportion of 

 well decayed manure and a little sand. In 

 potting pound the soil firm always. Water 

 liberally when growth is free, but seldom when 

 at rest. Most cases of poor health in the Citrus 

 family are caused by injudicious watering, un- 

 congenial soil or improper drainage. 



Oranges must have a season of rest during 

 winter, and will always grow better and fruit 

 more certainly the succeeding year if kept over 

 winter in a cool room. They ai-e fond of 

 moisture on the foliage at all seasons, so that 

 a weekly sponging of the leaves will 

 prove highly useful. Those who 

 have the advantage of a greenhouse 

 can syringe their trees, which 

 answers still better. 



In the case of greenhouse culture, 

 care must be taken not to allow the 

 temperature to rise too high. A 

 structure that will grow Camellias, 

 Chinese Primroses and the like will 

 answer well for these. 



Very few insects attack these 

 plants excepting the troublesome 

 scale, which can be destroyed by 

 scrubbing off with a toothbrush, 

 using whale-oil soap to form a lather. 

 Seedling trees cannot be depended 

 on for fruiting, as they are liable to 

 produce a crop of indifferent quality. 

 When two or three years old they 

 should be budded with some ap- 

 proved kind. One of the finest for 

 size and Havor is the Maltese Blood, 

 with red flesh, very sweet and juicy. 

 The St. Michael is first-class, of 

 rather small size but lusciously 

 sweet and juicy. The little Otaheit- 

 ian Dwarf forms a neat omament- 

 a 1 shrub, but the fruit is worthless 

 to eat. The large Lemon, Lime and 

 Shaddock may all be grown as 

 directed above. 



A REMARKABLE TREE: TEAS'S WEEPING RUSSIAN MULBERRY. 



Oranges and Other Citruses for 

 Home Culture. 



The various Citruses, with the Orange and 

 Lemon at the head, possess an almost unequaled 

 array of good qualities as house plants. The 

 foliage, dark, rich, leathery, fragrant, is always 

 charming: the bloom, the very embodiment of 

 simple beauty and sweetness; the fruit most 

 delightful, whether considered as to its appear- 

 ance or its value for eating. And yet these de- 

 sirable plants are not as generally grown as 

 they should be, or when grown are not usually 

 to be found in a pleasing, healthy condition. 

 Mr. Josiah Hoopes, who has had much experi- 

 ence with the Citruses in the North, offers in 

 the New York Tribune the following practical 

 information concerning their culture: 



No other available plants for house culture 

 will give better satisfaction for the same 

 amount of care. The only exception is the 

 bulk of old specimens making them difficult to 

 move. This may be remedied by the use of 

 strong castors securely fastened to the bottom 

 of the tub. Cedar is the best material for tubs, 

 and should be well hooped and thoroughly 

 painted inside and out. 



To secure a perfect drainage (of the great- 

 est importance) some large holes should be 

 bored in the box bottom. Two or three inches of 

 broken pots and charcoal should be then thrown 

 in. Over these a little moss to keep the inter- 



Look Well to the Root. 



Many who lift plants seem to 

 have an eye more to the top — finely 

 developed by this time — than to the 

 root, and consequently make bad 

 work of the job. With the roots 

 multilated and insuflicient the part 

 above the ground, no matter how 

 fine-looking at the time of lifting, 

 must soon reach a sorry looking 

 condition, with the leaves turning 

 yellow or flabby, and it would be 

 strange if very many of them would not drop. 

 With an abundance of roots, and the plant 

 somewhat relieved of excessive growth by 

 pruning, the grower may expect soon to pro- 

 duce a handsome plant, even though the odds 

 to a superficial observer might seem to be 

 against him at this time. So we say, let the 

 first thought be to saving all the roots possible. 



A Singular Autumn-blooming Plant. 



A floral curiosity may be met in every gar- 

 den where the Autumn Crocus or Meadow 

 Saffron, Colcliirnm dutiimnalis, is growing at 

 this season, for now the flowers are out. 



The peculiarity of this plant lies in the fact 

 that it has a season of leaf-growth in spring, 

 and then a season of flower-growth in the fall 

 from September until November. While the 

 leaves, which statt from the ground are form- 

 ing, there are no signs of flowers, but then long 

 before the time of flowering every vestige of 

 the foliage dies away, and the flowers, which 

 resemble those of the Crocus, shoot up numer- 

 ously from the ground, with not a leaf in sight. 



Clmnps of these plants make a very jiretty 

 show in the fall months, for when the beauty 

 of most plants is waning, or has been de- 

 stroyed by the blackening hand of Jack Frost, 

 the flowers, rising several inches above the sur- 

 face in clusters, are fresh and in their prime. 



