April 7, 1897.] 



Garden and Forest. 



137 



Besides the well-known Flowering Dogwood, Cornus florida, 

 which is a small tree, there are many others of our native Cor- 

 nels which deserve a place in parks and gardens. C. alterni- 

 folia is a tall shrub or small tree with a singular and beautiful 

 arrangement of branches. Cornus circinata has large, rich 

 foliage ; C. sericea has dark red twigs in winter and is a delight- 

 ful addition to the Red Osiers, and all the species have abun- 

 dant flowers, fair fruit, are easily handled and do well in almost 

 any situation. Dirca palustris, the Leatherwood, is a com- 

 pact shrub of medium height, with small yellow flowers in very 

 early spring, and the peculiarity of its long tough twigs is curi- 

 ous and interesting. Evonymus atropurpureus, as well as E. 

 Americanus and its variety obovatus, are not often planted, 

 and yet they are quite equal to the European Burning Bush, 

 which isan old favoritein gardens. E. atropurpureus is probably 

 the very best of the genus. Hammamelis Virginica, the Witch 

 Hazel, is one of the very best of shrubs for its symmetrical 

 growth and good foliage, while in late autumn, even after frost, 

 its7yelIow flowers on the leafless branches give it unique value. 

 It is hardly ever planted, and yet where a large and easily 

 grown shrub is required, either for a single specimen or in a 

 mass, the Witch Hazel ought to receive consideration. Ilex 

 verticillata, the Black Alder, is among the very best of our 

 plants for bright berries, which remain in good condition from 

 the time the leaves fall until midwinter. Its foliage and habit 

 of growth are both good, and although naturally growing in 

 wet soil'it'succeeds quite as well in dry. It is easily handled, 

 too. Wild specimens which show abundant berries can be 

 selected, divided and transplanted, or they can be propagated 

 by seeds. H The fruiting capacity is improved by cultivation. A 

 yellow-fruited form is now established well in the Arboretum. 

 Leucothoe racemosa is a shrub of medium size with white 

 flowers in racemes, which are much better on cultivated 

 plants than on wild ones. The chief beauty, however, of this 

 shrub is its dark green leaves in summer, which turn to fine 

 reds and purples in the fall. Associated with Vacciniums and 

 Zanthorhiza delightful effects in autumn coloring can be pro- 

 duced. Lindera benzoin, the Spice-wood or Fever-bush, 

 shows its yellow flowers before the leaves appear, and is inter- 

 esting for its early bloom. It is a tall, well-shaped shrub with 

 fine dark green foliage and bright red fruit. Myrica aspleni- 

 folia, the Sweet Fern, and M. cerifera, the Bayberry, are both 

 good plants for many situations, and especially useful lo cover 

 and hold the soil of slopes on cuttings and embankments, for 

 they will thrive in the poorest soil and under generally unfavora- 

 ble conditions. The foliage of the Sweet Fern is very distinct, 

 and thatof the Bayberry glossv and beautiful, while its fruit is in- 

 teresting. The Sweet Gale (M. Gale) is adapted to the borders 

 of ponds and brooksides, and the color of its twies is effective in 

 winter. Nemopanthes fascicularis, the Mountain Holly, is not 

 at all evergreen as its common name might imply. It is a 

 handsome, much-branched shrub, however, with good foliage 

 and fruit. Potentilla fruticosa is a low shrub, bearing loose 

 clusters of showy yellow flowers in summer, and its glaucous 

 green foliage makes a pleasing contrast with other plants in 

 the shrubbery. Primus maritima, the Beach Plum, is another 

 plant which grows well in sterile soils and exposed conditions, 

 especially on the seacoast, since it is sturdy enough to endure 

 the strong winds that blow over large bodies of water. 

 Under more favorable conditions and when well grown it 

 makes a symmetrical shrub of medium size and sometimes a 

 small tree. It is covered with beautiful white flowers just 

 before the leaves open, and the attractive fruit, ranging in color 

 from amber to bright red, is good enough in many individual 

 trees to eat from the hand, and it is also good enough for 

 preserving. Pyrus arbutifolia and P. nigra are two species 

 of Choke-berries, interesting shrubs of the Rose family, from 

 two to six feet high, which are most effective in masses. The 

 fruit and foliage of the red-fruited form make a happy com- 

 bination of color in October. The dark-fruited species is a plant 

 somewhat smaller, with fine, glossy deep green leaves, abun- 

 dant fruit, and is easily grown in sterile soil and in exposed 

 places. 



The Sumachs are most desirable for the effect of their foli- 

 age in summer and autumn, while the warm color of the 

 fruit and twigs of some of the species gives additional interest 

 to them in the winter. Rhus Canadensis (aromatica) is a low 

 bush which almost creeps over the surface of the ground and 

 is well adapted for use on the edge of shrubberies, and is use- 

 ful in covering exposed banks. Its numerous small yellow 

 flowers appear in early spring, and its foliage, which is always 

 g-ood, is particularly fine in autumn colors. The so-called 

 Dwarf Sumach, R. copallina, really becomes in'rich soil a large- 

 sized, symmetrical shrub with the brightest of glossy green 

 foliage which turns to brilliant colors in autumn, especially it 



it grows in poor soil. Rhus glabra makes a little larger shrub 

 than R. copallina, and in some ways it is the best of the group, 

 its very long compound leaves making it especially valuable 

 for masses. The Staghorn Sumach, R. typhina, is the largest 

 of the genus, making sometimes a tree thirty feet high. It 

 endures pruning well and can he thus kept at any desired 

 height. It is conspicuous, like the others of the genus, for its 

 bold leaves and brilliant autumn colors. All these plants are 

 strong growers and are at their best when massed together 

 and kept by themselves. They make fine backgrounds for 

 other shrubs or herbaceous plants and they succeed anywhere. 

 Single Roses are now much sought by planters since the 

 introduction of the Asiatic Rosa rugosa, R. multiflora and 

 R. Wichuraiana has called attention to the beauty of 

 our own wild Roses, which had been overlooked. R. 

 Carolina, R. lucida, R. nitida have been extensively planted in 

 the Arboretum, and they are not only interesting for their 

 flowers in summer, but for their bright red twigs and fruits 

 in winter. They, too, ought to be planted in masses, and 

 occasional severe prunings will be beneficial to the stronger- 

 growing sorts and will keep them in good condition. R. 

 setigera, the Prairie Rose, is a noteworthy addition to the 

 above group, since it does not come into bloom until July. It 

 is a large plant, and can be grown either as a shrub or a 

 climber. Rubus odorata, the Wild Raspberry, is one of our 

 commonest native plants, and is a useful one to grow in shady 

 places. The foliage is not good, but it succeeds where few 

 other plants can grow. Sambucus Canadensis, the common 

 Elder, is a striking shrub of medium size and will^grow any- 

 where, and its bold foliage and abundant flowers after the 

 most of our shrubs have passed their bloom make a striking 

 display. Its fruit is showy, too, and has some culinary value. The 

 Red-berried Elder, S. racemosa, is also a delightful shrub, with 

 flowers in early spring and bright-colored fruit in summer. 

 These are symmetrical plants when well grown, and are suita- 

 ble for planting in masses in parks or elsewhere. Symphori- 

 carpus vulgaris, the Indian Currant, is one of the very best of 

 shrubs where a low, thick mass of foliage is required. The 

 running stems will quickly produce a verdant covering for 

 sterile soil. The foliage is of the very best, and the slightly 

 drooping habit of the branches makes this plant graceful in 

 the extreme. The fruit is also noteworthy, but not so con- 

 spicuous as the white fruit of S. racemosa. Vaccinium 

 corymbosum, the Swamp Huckleberry, or High Blueberry, 

 one of our most ornamental shrubs, is of sturdy growth and 

 excellent habit. The foliage is good all the summer, and in 

 autumn its color is particularly brilliant, not excelled, indeed, 

 by that of any other plant. The fruit is valuable, though it 

 varies greatly in size and quality, and it seems to be the'best 

 of the species for experiments with a view to improving its 

 edible qualities. V. vacillans and some of the other Vac- 

 ciniums are also worth planting. Zanthoriza apiifolia, the 

 Yellow-root, is a dwarf-spreading shrub of compact regular 

 growth, with compound leaves of good form and texture, which 

 are particularly beautiful when they turn to purple and yellow 

 in autumn. This shrub can be successfully grown in the 

 shade, and it is a first-rate one to use on the borderof a shrub- 

 bery to connect the grass with the taller specimens. Garden 

 and Forest has so often described the American Viburnums 

 and advocated their planting that I will not repeat what has 

 been said about them. There are a dozen species, each one of 

 which is effective at some season, and most of them at all 

 seasons. They have good foliage, good flowers, good fruit 

 and good habit. They can all be propagated from seed, 

 although the germination does not take place usually until the 

 second year, and they all improve under care and cultivation. 



Lexox, Mass. E. J '. 



Scillas and Chionodoxas. 



AMONG the early flowers there are none more precious and 

 desirable in the garden than the Scillas and their allies, 

 the Chionodoxas. There is always a woodsy air about these 

 flowers, and I believe they mostly grow in thin woods of 

 deciduous trees. They vary considerably in form of flower 

 and foliage, and though typically they are blue or blue-purple 

 if iwers, most, if not all the species, have white and red-purple 

 forms. At this time, when the borders are quite bare of 

 foliage, flowers whose colors harmonize agreeably with the 

 soil are most effective. Yellow (lowers are cheerful at any 

 time, but, like the white ones, require a certain amount of 

 green toil to be altogether satisfactory. Spring-flowering 

 bulbous plants have sparse foliage ; those that have white and 

 yellow colorings in the flowers are better grown either in grass 

 or under some low-growing herbaceous plants, But the purple 



