344 



Garden and Forest. 



[Number 392. 



leaved plants, used for the same purpose, are not equal to 

 this. Of course, the leaves are much smaller when the plants 

 are allowed to grow up into trees ; it is only when treated 

 as above that they produce such large leaves. I have 

 heard of plants thus treated which produced leaves two 

 and a half feet across. 



Senecio Japonicus. — A few weeks ago I told you of a very 

 striking species of Senecio grown in the open air at Kew, 

 namely, S. macrophyllus, a Caucasian plant. Almost as 

 striking, and at the same time of totally different habit, is 

 S. Japonicus, or rather a giant form of it, which is grown 

 at Kew by the side of the type. The variety has pedately 

 divided leaf-blades eighteen inches across, elevated on stout 

 erect cylindrical petioles three feet high, the whole leaf 

 being remarkably similar to the leaf of a gigantic Arisssma. 

 The stems, which bear smaller leaves, rise erect to a height 

 of si.x feet and bear terminal clusters of orange-yellow 

 flowers, each about three inches across. The ifowers be- 

 gan to expand three weeks ago and there is still a fine dis- 

 play. I suspect that this plant would attain to still larger 

 proportions if grown as a subaquatic. It is perennial, quite 

 hardy, and was introduced from Japan in 1866. Another 

 name for it is Erythrochoete palmatifida. 



Daturas. — Some of the annual species of this genus are 

 handsome enough to use for summer bedding, in large gar- 

 dens and parks at any rate. At Kevi' two species are thus 

 grown, namely, Datura meteloides and D. fastuosa. The 

 former, which is a native of California, here grows about 

 two feet high and bears white flowers, sometimes tinged 

 with purple and larger than the flowers of the well-known 

 greenhouse D. suaveolens. By removing some of the 

 leaves the flowers are well exposed, and in sunny weather 

 the beds are crowded with the big white trumpets. D. fas- 

 tuosa is a most variable plant, and all its varieties are 

 beautiful. The so-called new D. Cornucopia is merely a 

 form of this. All the double or hose-in-hose varieties are 

 worth growing, and they come true from seeds. We find 

 it advisable to sow the seeds in March in a frame and grovi' 

 the plants in pots till June, when they are put out in the 

 beds. A cold, wet summer is against their good behavior, 

 but such a hot, dry season as we have had here has been in 

 their favor. 



London. >V. WalS07l. 



Plant Notes. 

 The Hazels. 



ONLY two distinct species of Hazels, or the genus 

 Corylus, have been generally recognized as native in 

 North America north of Mexico ; but Dr. J. N. Rose has 

 recently pointed out (Garden and Forest, viii., 263) dis- 

 tinctions which he considers are sufficient to establish a 

 separate species heretofore regarded as a west coast variety 

 of C. rostrata, and known as C. rostrata, van Californica. 

 The Beaked Hazel, C. rostrata, is common over a wide terri- 

 tory in the eastern United States and Canada. Growing 

 over much of the same region, but apparently not extend- 

 ing so far north, is found the other American species, C. 

 Americana. This, in fruit, is readily recognized by the 

 broad leafy, more or less glandular hairy husk or invo- 

 lucre which incloses the nut; and without fruit it may 

 generally be known by its glandular bristly young twigs, 

 its broader, rather thicker, rougher and coarser leaves, 

 which often have some short glandular hairs on the upper 

 surface and on the veins beneath ; by its larger and stiffer 

 and coarser habit of growth, and in winter by its much 

 longer, stalked, nodding or pendulous male catkins. C. 

 rostrata, in fruit, is at once recognized by the densely 

 bristly, more or less tubular husk or involucre which 

 grows over and above the nut. When fruit is not present 

 for identification the plant may be known by its thinner, 

 narrower, more pointed leaves ; its more slender branches 

 and general habit of growth ; by its young twigs, which 

 are either glabrous or nearly glabrous, or are thinly cov- 

 ered witli soft, more or less appressed glandless hairs. In 



winter the plant may be distinguished by its short, nearly 

 sessile or stalkless, erect catkins. It appears to be hardier 

 and to grow farther north than the other. 



As Dr. Rose has given a technical description of Corylus 

 rostrata in the article referred to, it is unnecessary to add 

 more here in description of the species or explanation of 

 the draviring (see page 345) made by Mr. C. E. Faxon. 



The figure shows some of the variations which may be 

 found in the shape and appearance of the fruit as it grows 

 in New England. Occasionally plants are found with the 

 husks much split, exposing the nuts. The sweet edible 

 nuts also vary somewhat in size and shape. They are 

 often collected for eating, but the dense covering of slen- 

 der, rigid, deciduous bristles by which the involucre is pro- 

 tected renders the collecting of the fruit a disagreeable 

 work, as the bristles easily penetrate the skin. 



In the large Oak family, or Cupuliferee, in which the 

 Hazels have usually been classed, they appear to have 

 closer affinities with the Hornbeams, Carpinus, and the 

 Hop-Hornbeams, Ostrya, than any other familiar genera. 

 The analogies will be noticed more particularly in a com- 

 parative study of the flowers and fruit. The male or stami- 

 nate flower-buds in the form of catkins are exposed and 

 conspicuous on the Hazels during winter, while the female 

 or pistillate flowers are concealed within axillary scaly 

 buds. The female flowers are mostly, but not aUvays, in 

 buds nearer the apex of the branch than the male blos- 

 soms. At least, this is true with Corylus rostrata and C. 

 Americana, but the latter commonly has a cluster of male 

 catkins at the apex of a twig, with female flowers inter- 

 vening between the male blossoms lower on the branch. 

 They may, however, be more or less intermixed, and on 

 some foreign species female flower-buds may be found 

 growing on the base of the stalks of male aments. 



With the first warm days in spring the male catkins elon- 

 gate and mature pollen, and from the female flower-buds 

 there are protruded a number of short thread-like dark red 

 styles which receive the pollen that eventually fertilizes the 

 ovules. After flowering, the plant seems to remain nearly 

 dormant for a considerable period, sometimes two or three 

 weeks, after which more evident growth is developed. 

 Watching the progress of the buds and young growths it 

 will be found that the some-time fertilized female flowers 

 are carried out on the tips of new leaf}' shoots, and the 

 shoots are well grown before the female flowers or young 

 fruit make any visible development or become at all no- 

 ticeable on the extremities. It is unusual among our trees 

 and shrubs to have blossoms produced from axillary buds 

 on f)ld shoots so early in the season, and have these buds 

 afterward develop into leafy branches several inches long, 

 bearing the fruit on the apex. Carpinus and Ostrj'a are 

 somewhat analogous, but in these the young twigs have 

 burst from their buds and have made some growth and 

 produced leaves before the flowers are fertilized. 



In most trees with which we are familiar the flowers and 

 fruit are either produced on the old wood or on new 

 growths, the flowers developing with or after the new 

 branches. Little that might be called an ovary and no 

 ovules can be detected in the Hazels until long after the 

 plants have flowered or until the foliage has become well 

 grovi'n. 



The development of the flower and fruit of the Hazel is 

 interesting and well worth attention. The male catkin is 

 composed of numerous flowers inserted on the under side 

 of overlapping bractlets, each bractlet bearing a single 

 flower composed of about four divided stamens which ap- 

 pear to bear eight anthers, but these are generally assumed 

 to represent half anthers which have become separated. 

 Each scaly bud producing pistillate or female flowers bears 

 from two to half a dozen or more blossoms, forming what 

 may really be regarded as a densely crowded head or 

 spike. Each flowering scale, in the female cluster, bears 

 two flowers side by side on the inner surface, each blos- 

 som bearing two styles. The flowering scale or bract 

 is more or less accrescent and may be found much 



