278 



Garden and Forest. 



[Number 437. 



whitish shade which detracts from their beauty. The same 

 may be said of B. speciosa major; when the flowers of this 

 beautiful variety are two or three days old they have a washed- 

 out appearance. B. demissa was the first of the number to be 

 introduced into cultivation. It is a rank grower ; the flowers 

 are small and of a pale purple color. B. Czerwiakowski is an 

 upright-growing kind, with large leaves and pure white flow- 

 ers. Although Browallias succeed well enough sown in the 

 open border, they come into flower late in the season. If sown 

 indoors and planted out about the first of May they are contin- 

 ually in bloom until frost, and it is well worth the extra trouble 

 to treat them in this way. 



Botanic Garden, Washington, D. C. 



G. IV. 0. 



Coronilla Capadocica. — This genus contains but few species 

 that are regarded as hardy. Coronilla varia is, perhaps, the 

 best known, and is a desirable species, and C. Capadocica, 

 which is quite distinct, has proved to be a good garden plant 

 and perfectly hardy. It is of prostrate habit, sending up in 

 summer numerous spikes of the brightest golden-yellow flow- 

 ers, which remind one of the blossoms of Lotus corniculatus, 

 except that they are much larger. C. Capadocica is a native of 

 Asia Minor, and is another of the many fine garden plants for 

 which we are indebted to the energy and perseverance of Mr. 

 Whittall. Plants grown here produce seeds freely and afford 

 a ready means of propagation. As with all leguminous plants, 

 it is best to start the seeds where the plants are to remain per- 

 manently, as it sometimes takes years for the plants to recover 

 from the check caused by removal. 



South Lancaster, Mass. 



E. O. O. 



Correspondence. 



Notes from Natick, Massachusetts. 



To the Editor of Garden and Forest : 



Sir, — When Mr. H. S. Hunnewell started his new place in 

 Natick, close to the Wellesley line, some five years ago, 

 he scarcely realized the magnitude of the task he had under- 

 taken. He built his house on a knoll in the woods on one of 

 the high points of the locality. When he went there it was 

 almost as nature had left it. The ground was broken by 

 numerous hollows and ledges, so that much blasting had to be 

 done in order to bring about a gracefully undulating surface. 

 The place is the reverse of formal, and it would be a difficult 

 matter to make it so. The advantages of such a splendid 

 location have been fully made use of, and with progressive 

 spirit and foresight characteristic of the owner, and under the 

 able guidance of his father, Mr. H. H. Hunnewell, it will ulti- 

 mately became one of the finest estates in New England, where 

 a thoroughly natural style of gardening may be seen. The 

 grounds are approached by a beautiful drive nearly half a mile 

 in length, following to some extent a natural valley. The 

 gradients are steady, but not steep. Where any cutting has 

 been done it has been carefully graded, so as to be scarcely 

 noticeable, and planted with shrubs and trailing plants, but not 

 in a way to suggest anything artificial. The drier ledges are 

 gradually being covered with suitable plants, including Yuccas, 

 Sedums, Sempervivums and some alpine plants. 



At the entrance to the drive there is a notable piece of old- 

 fashioned stone wall built by the owner's grandfather, and it is 

 in good condition to-day. It is valued as a remnant of old 

 times, and the approaches are made to conform with it. The 

 place is entered through a cutting, and there being little to 

 suggest our approach the effect is most pleasing when it first 

 opens. 



The natural soil is scanty, but of good consistency, and rests 

 on a clayey subsoil. The grading has been tedious and costly, 

 as the ground is full of stones, interspersed with bowlders of 

 the large size. Some weighing as much as fifty tons have 

 been moved and judiciously placed. Here and there through 

 the trees a glimpse of these imposing and interesting features 

 of the landscape is had. When fortified to the depth of a foot 

 or more the soil is of the best possible composition for trees 

 and shrubs of all kinds. Belting the wooded background 

 there is already a fine collection of ornamental foliage and 

 flowering shrubs. There has been a splendid show of bloom 

 this spring. All the shrubs are growing rapidly, and already 

 give a finished appearance to the place. For the quickest and 

 best effects new places should be begun in this way. The 

 planting of coniferous trees, shrubs and evergreens in general 

 can be better done later. With these results come slowly, and 

 much thought is required to properly formulate a plan with 

 a view to effects later on. Many landscapes are utterly ruined 



by improper planting. A desire for immediate effects is in 

 nearly every case the cause. The artist is not always to be 

 blamed. Generally, when he hands over the place to the 

 owner, his responsibility ceases. But it should not. As the 

 trees and shrubs grow they need frequent thinning out. Prac- 

 tical advice should be from time to time sought with regard to 

 what is best to remove and what best to leave. 



The area available is beyond all needs. The north side of 

 the residence is scarcely touched. Here, no doubt, there will 

 be formed an extensive collection of evergreens, ornamental 

 as well as flowering. For alpine plants there are unlimited 

 possibilities. Thus far the flowering and ornamental foliaged 

 deciduous shrubs have been arranged in groups composed, in 

 the main, of allies. Considered with regard to effect, nothing 

 is lost, while for comparison and selection one has an excel- 

 lent opportunity to judge of their various merits. The Vibur- 

 nums are together. ' They afford wonderful variety. V. 

 opulus sterilis, the Snowball-tree, or Guelder Rose, is their 

 most familiar representative. It is a remarkably handsome 

 shrub where it succeeds well. Weighed down with pendulous 

 heads of the large-rayed sterile flowers, it is a striking object. 

 Scarcely less beautiful is the type when loaded down in the 

 autumn with bunches of large red berries. This is known as 

 the Cranberry-tree. Equally handsome is V. plicatum, the 

 Snowball-tree of Japan. The flower-heads resemble those of 

 the Guelder Rose, but are erect, and the habit of the plant is 

 more rigidly spreading. V. plicatum tomentosum is known 

 as the fertile form, and is also a beautiful shrub. Conspicuous 

 in this group is V. latanoides, with large, oblong, prominently 

 veined woolly leaves. V. cassinoides has handsome shining 

 olive-green leaves and umbels of Elder-like, sweet-scented 

 flowers. V. acerifolium is distinct, with its Maple-like leaves. 

 V. Sieboldii is a strong-growing kind with ribbed leaves and 

 open umbels of white flowers. V. prunifolium has handsome 

 Plum-like foliage. 



Roses, although scattered through the place, are all repre- 

 sented in one group, and are remarkably healthy and free from 

 insect pests. The rose-bug does not appear to thrive here. 

 With us, in older gardens, it is often a question whether we 

 shall disfigure our plants by the use of a multitude of insec- 

 ticides, only to be partially successful, or give up their cul- 

 tivation. 



The Rose is a difficult genus when we come to examine 

 the species and varieties ; though often similar they may be 

 distinct. Rosa alpina and R. blanda appear almost identical 

 to a casual observer. To distinguish them when in leaf it is 

 necessary to examine the bark. R. blanda is unarmed, except 

 on the young shoots, while in R. alpina the prickles are scat- 

 tered all over the bark, almost to the ground. R. Carolina is 

 locally native. R. lucida has broad, shining foliage and deep 

 pink flowers. The Burnet, orScotch Rose, R. spinosissima is 

 among the most beautiful. The stems are so densely covered 

 with reddish spines as to give the whole plant a bronzed hue. 

 Its large white flowers are produced in the greatest profusion, 

 so that bushes of it, wherever seen, are conspicuous objects. 

 R. spinosissima grandillora is a well-named variety, some- 

 what larger in all respects. R. foliolosa, a charming little Rose 

 from Texas, has blush or sometimes pure white flowers. 

 The blooms are large for the size of the plants and very fra- 

 grant. It comes into bloom later, as does R. nitida, with 

 striking bronzed foliage and reddish pink flowers. R. multi- 

 flora will soon be a cloud of bloom, to be succeeded later 

 by a profusion of bronzy hips. The Prairie Rose, in soft 

 colors, is opening its large buds and will continue in bloom 

 until late ; while that giant among Briers, R. rugosa, the earliest 

 and the latest, continues to bloom abundantly. 



A few other flowering shrubs are worthy of special note. 

 There is now a gorgeous display of Kalmias. These do better 

 here than anywhere I have seen them. There are many hun- 

 dreds, in all sorts of positions. They appear to do best on 

 northerly exposures. Ligustrum Ibota is a hardy and most 

 graceful Japanese Privet, worthy of general cultivation. 



Herbaceous plants have not been neglected, and for the 

 most part are kept by themselves, as they should be. They 

 do well enough associated with shrubs for a while, in new 

 shrubberies, and make pretty effects. As the shrubs increase 

 in size and extend their root-area, it becomes harder to keep 

 herbaceous plants in good health. The roots of the shrubs 

 drain the borders of all moisture. Dictamnus Fraxinella is a 

 strikingly handsome member of the Rue family and is here 

 represented by a large group. P;eonies in another place, Yel- 

 low Foxgloves, Digitalis ambigua, and the common kind, 

 D. purpurea, are always beautiful. Lilium Hansoni is show- 

 ing up well. There are Day Lilies of several kinds and none 

 handsomer than the old Hemerocallis flava. H. Mittendorf- 



