Isaac Hicks & Son, Westbury Station, N. Y. < Broad-leabed ILbergreens 71 



Myrtle, continued 



they will rob the surface and keep it so dry that it 

 is nearly bare of vegetation. It will be possible to 

 grow Myrtle under these trees in upland if the 

 ground is fertilized or manured and can be given 

 a little water during the severest drought. 



Myrtle is most at home under the shade of Pines 

 Spruces, Firs, Oaks, Beech, Chestnut, Dogwood, 

 Birch, Locust and the various shrubs. Another 

 interesting use is as a border in the hardy flower 

 garden where it will form a strip of the deepest 

 green about i foot wide, similar to the English Ivy, 

 but without any danger of winter-killing. It has 

 run wild occasionally in the woods, indicating its 

 successful use for bordering woodland drives. 

 For terrace banks in formal gardens which slope 

 to the north and west, or are partly shaded, it is 

 beautiful. Under shrubs there is often a bare and 

 unkempt appearance which Myrtle will remedy. 

 Mulching with leaves under Rhododendrons is 

 objected to because the leaves may blow out and 

 litter the lawn. This will not happen if manure 

 is mixed with the leaves and a row of Myrtle is 

 planted along the border. One of the pleasures of 

 childhood is the rivalry to bring in the first Myrtle 

 or Violet blossom. 

 Double-flowering. Vinca minor, var. plena. The 



large, double purple flowers appear in spring and 



at intervals throughout the summer. 

 Variegated. V. minor, var. variegata . A variety 



with bright yellow foliage. 

 White-flowering. V. minor, var. alba. A rarer 



variety, with pure white flowers. 



This was a mat of Myrtle south of an old farm-house 

 under the Spruce trees. It was allowed to remain when 

 the estate was improved, and makes a solid and even cover 

 of the richest and darkest green winter and summer. View 

 on the lawn of Mrs. R. L. Stevens, Westbury, L. I. 



Rhododendrons 



Rhododendrons rank with Roses, Magnolias, Orchids, as among the most refined, elegant and beautiful 

 of flowers. It is the supposed difficulty of cultivation and lack of accurate knowledge among nurserymen 

 and growers that accounts for the scarcity of thi& plant. Another reason for their scarcity is slow growth 

 and difficulty of propagation, and, therefore, they are not forced on the market as Roses and other plants 

 which can be grown in a year or two. They are plants which satisfy all the year and, therefore, even if 

 they are high-priced, they will repay the investment. 



The flowers of Rhododendrons are in immense clusters 3 to 7 inches long. The colors range through 

 white, pink, cherry, rose, lavender, carmine and purple. Some discrimination in grouping the colors is 

 therefore required. We have carefully studied this point and listed those which show a slight tint of purple. 

 These shades are found in the hardiest varieties with the best foliage effects and, therefore, those having 

 space for a quantity of Rhododendrons should use these varieties in a separate part, especially as they 

 are the most abundantly available in nurseries. 



The~uses of Rhododendrons in beautifying the landscape are but slightly understood, because examples 

 of them in large masses are so rare that people have not become accustomed to their possibilities. Another 

 strong reason is the fact that so many people have been fooled by planting tender varieties. These have 

 been most cheaply propagated and, therefore, pushed on the market. The plants may be worth the cost 

 in their beauty of flowers and foliage the first season, but when they become half dead after a severe winter 

 and remain a blot on the lawn, they discourage further planting. People often plant one or three Rhodo- 

 dendrons on the bare lawn where the sun shines on the soil at their roots and dries them out in midsummer 

 or the ground freezes deeply in the winter and the next spring they drop part of their leaves and lose some 

 flower-buds. All this can be avoided by remembering that Rhododendrons need a leaf-mulch and that 

 they love company. Places where Rhododendrons will thrive are so numerous that we enumerate first 

 a few places to avoid: Under old trees of Silver Maple, Red Maple, and Willow, if on dry ground; on the 

 top of a hill unless they have a temporary shelter from wind in the winter; in a soil of dry sand or gravel; 

 stiff clay soil; limestone soil. They will grow anywhere on Long Island that corn and potatoes will, only 

 add a leaf-mulch. They are appropriate at the foundations of a building, especially on a half-shaded side. 

 Do not be afraid of the north side, thinking it is cold; that is just what they like, because the bright sun 

 does not thaw them out quickly in the morning and dry out the leaves. A section of a long group of shrubs 

 should be Rhododendrons. 



In Long Island forests they will thrive excellently, and in the deepest shade they will have the longest 

 and darkest foliage, but will there have the least number of flower buds. They especially like open groves 

 of Chestnut, Oak and Dogwood. Swampy land can be transformed into beautiful gardens of Magnolia, 

 Rhododendron and Azalea, but in such situations it is best to cut out a large bed in the turfy roots of the 

 swamp trees to lessen the competition against the Rhododendrons. 



The formal garden of Mr. Paul D. Cravath, Locust Valley, L. I., is banked with a broad plantation 

 of Rhododendron maximum, bordered by the bright red varieties of Rhododendron catawbiense. Back of 



