August 27, 1008. 



The Weekly Florists^ Review* 



15 



George E. McQure. 



pines themselves. The effect of the white 

 bark against the perpetual green back- 

 ground of the pines is, to many, more 

 delightful in winter than when the 

 birches are covered with their summer 

 foliage. This beautiful effect is particu- 

 larly noticeable in the region of Albany, 

 N. Y., where it is the feature of the 

 winter landscape. 



The Mixed Forest. 



Excellent winter effects are also ob- 

 tained by what the forester terms the 

 "mixed forest," which is a mixture of 

 deciduous and coniferous trees. This for- 

 est growth is often to be found along 

 the Great Lakes belt and the effect is 

 often very beautiful. It would be well 

 if we would learn from nature and re- 

 produce these effects in our parks and 

 large estates. While it is out of the 

 realm of this paper to mention fall colo- 

 ration effects, this "mixed forest" ef- 

 fect is unparalleled when we behold the 

 tints of the maples mixed with the dark 

 green pines, and the impression produced 

 is one that lingers in the memory of the 

 most casual observer. 



While we can secure much pleasure 

 from the observation of trees in their 

 bark, twig and fruH formation, yet the 

 most impressive winter effects are largely 

 produced by using the hardy coniferous 

 evergreen with a lavish hand. In this 

 connection it may be said that an in- 

 finite variety of evergreens is not neces- 

 sary to produce fine effects, and while 

 the list of the ironclad evergreens, suit- 

 able for northern climates, is woefully 

 short, yet we have no reason to be dis- 

 turbed. On larger places the liberal 

 planting of pines and hemlocks for 



screening unsightly buildings and check- 

 ing the force of the winter winds will 

 have much to do with the successful 

 treatment of the place, for one can bet- 

 ter appreciate the subtle Jaeauties of a 

 winter landscape if protected from the 

 force of the icy wind by an effective 

 screen of tall and stately evergreen 

 trees. 



Large Growing Pines. 



The most useful large growing pines 

 for northern planting are the white pine 

 (P. Strobus), the Austrian pine (P. 

 Austriaca) and the Scotch pine (P. syl- 

 vestris). The soft effect of the 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 va- 

 riety. 



The only objection to the use of the 

 American hemlock is that it cannot be 

 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 places 

 the Douglas spruce (Pseudotsuga Dou- 

 glasii), with its dark green foliage, and 

 the Colorado green spruce (Picea pun^ 

 gens) and its varieties glauca and Kos^ 

 teriana 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 often 

 outlives its usefulness at an early age, 

 it is only useful for the purpose of tem- 

 porary effects. The mountain pine (P. 

 Mughus) 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 evergreens it is extremely ef- 

 fective. Some of the junipers can safely 

 be employed in the north. And 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 atmosphere of the 

 city as will no other cedar. Its whitish 

 effect, like that of the Colorado blue 

 spruce, is particularly striking. Juni- 

 perus Chinensis stricta is also an ever- 

 green of the ^rst rank for the nbrth. 



Evergreens for Low Plaoting. 



For low planting, Juniperus Sabina, 

 the savin juniper, is excelleiit, while 

 Juniperus communis var. nana, which 

 is still lower in growth, gives us an 

 opportunity to produce an evergreen car- 

 pet when it is desired. As a useful, 

 hardy evergreen we cannot overlook the 

 Japanese yew (Taxus cuspidata). It 

 is a welcome addition to the list of really 

 hardy evergreens. The American arbor- 

 vitaB (Thuya occidentalis), in its nu- 

 merous varieties, is also useful as a 

 northern evergreen, but prefers the shel- 

 ter given by wind breaks. Its golden 

 variety (var. aurea) is extremely useful, 

 as it is really golden and adds a touch 

 of bright color which harmonizes well 

 with the prevailing deep green of the 

 majority of evergreens. In sheltered 

 positions it is safe to use the pea-fruited 

 retinispora (K. pisifera), and in some 

 cases the silver retinispora (R. squar- 

 rosa var. Veitchii), but, although this is 

 fairly hardy, it is often injured by the 

 winter sun. While the evergreens enu- 

 merated do not include all of the conif- 

 erae that are hardy along the region 

 of the Great Lakes, yet they do include 

 the very hardiest species, and these are 

 sufficient to produce a winter picture 

 which, as far as coniferae are concerned, 

 will be effective and leave little to be 

 desired. 



What is true of the paucity of the 

 really hardy coniferous evergreens in the 

 Great Lake or northern regions, is still 

 more true of the broad-leaved evergreens. 

 One of the very few which is hardy un- 

 der all conditions is the yucca (Y. 

 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 welcome, but 

 its value as a winter plant is its chief 

 asset. Even a solitary specimen on the 

 lawn is an evidence of life in the snow. 



Rhododendrons, Laurels and Boxwoods. 



The rhododendrons, which are first 

 thought of among the broad-leaved ever- 

 greens, can be used safely and effective- 

 ly in the northern parts of the northern 

 states, but only under the most ideal 

 conditions and with the best of care, 

 and it is only too often that they eke 

 out a bare existence. Conditions under 

 which they would flourish in the regions 

 of New York and Philadelphia would be 

 fatal in the lake regions, and success is 

 only reached by eternal vigilance. When 

 suc^/a sight is seen as that in High- 

 Park, Rochester, N. Y., we are 

 forced to believe that rhododendrons will 

 thrive and be considered a factor in 

 the winter gardens of the north. If 

 the planting beds" are thoroughly pre- 

 pared and epsom salts judiciously used, 

 they will be a success. Effective group- 

 ing can be obtained by using the great 

 laurel (R. maximum), R. Catawbiense 

 and the numerous hardy hybrids. 



What is true of the rhododendrons 



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