o 



96 



Garden and Forest. 



[Number 502. 



Tamarix Chinensis. 



BUT few really good autumn-flowering shrubs are hardy 

 and suitable for this climate, and those that are available 

 are not used to the extent which their merits warrant. The 

 beauty of Tamarix Chinensis is strikingly displayed in an 

 isolated clump grown where it shows to advantage, and this 

 beautiful plant deserves more general recognition. The whole 

 genus of Tamarix is beautiful. There is great similarity in the 

 species, but some flower in early summer, while the season is 

 prolonged until late September by T. Chinensis. Tamarix- 

 plants are known as being valuable for seaside planting, owing 

 to their ability to endure the saline atmosphere, and they are 

 used to a limited extent in such situations. But their require- 

 ments are not by any means fastidious ; any soil will suit them, 

 and we have found them perfectly hardy, even young plants 

 surviving severe winters. 



ft has been objected that these shrubs soon become bare at 

 the base, and this is true of many plants that are not cared for 

 properly. But there is no real objection to Tamarix-plants if 

 they are cut back frequently near to the base in spring before 

 they start to grow. Indeed, this is the best possible way to 

 obtain strong shoots with large terminal panicles of the pretty 

 rosy pink flowers ; when thus treated the shoots start at once 

 from the base, and often attain to great height by the end of 

 summer. This method applies only to the spring-flowering 

 kinds. Those that flower in early summer, as T. tetrandra, 

 should be cut back after the flowering season, in common 

 with all early-flowering shrubs. Too often in small suburban 

 gardens all the shrubby plants are sheared over until they are 

 shaped like more or less symmetrical peg-tops, and all the 

 promise of bloom is shorn off. Inexperienced men will do 

 this sort of shearing as long as the owners are ignorant of 

 the needs of plants, and those who do this kind of pruning 

 are perhaps less to blame than the persons who employ 

 them. 



Tamarix Chinensis is admitted to be the best of the genus, 

 and is found in some lists as T. Japonica and also T. plumosa; 

 the latter name is suggested by the dense, plume-like habit of 

 growth and panicles of flowers, which are bright pink in the 

 buds and turn to paler pink on expanding. 



We have found this genus extremely easy of propagation. 

 It is an easy matter at pruning-time to cut the smaller twiggy 

 growths into lengths of a foot and put them into the open 

 border the greater part of their length. Most of these will 

 grow if the season is favorable. If a greenhouse is available 

 the cuttings maybe inserted in pots earlier in spring, and the 

 plants thus started will be much stronger at the end of 

 the first season and should flower the second year. 



In the year 1893 Monsieur Lemoine sent out a new species 

 called Tamarix Kaschgarica, which he raised from seeds col- 

 lected in central Asia. This flowers in September and has 

 proved to be a good and distinct plant. It was afterward found 

 to be but a form of T. hispida, which has a very wide range 

 geographically. Indeed, the genus has a very wide distribu- 

 tion. T. Gallica is found all along the Atlantic shore of France ; 

 T. Indica is a native of the East Indies ; T. tetrandra comes 

 from the Crimea; T. Germanica is distributed over a great 

 portion of Europe, among the mountains and along the river 

 banks. All of these species are considered hardy in the eastern 

 states, and all are worthy of a place in gardens, especially 

 where saline or alkaline conditions exist, and where it is diffi- 

 cult to make other plants grow. 



South Lancaster, Mass. -£• (J. Urpet. 



Correspondence. 



Notes from my Wild Flower Garden. 

 To the Editor of Garden and Forest : 



Sir, — I have been much interested in articles in recent num- 

 bers of Garden and Forest regarding the cultivation of 

 native plants, for my wild-flower plot has afforded me more 

 pleasure than any other collection of plants. 



I wish to suggest the Cranberry-tree, Viburnum Opulus, for 

 planting in the home grounds. The flat cymes are bordered 

 with larger sterile flowers similar to those of the wild Hy- 

 drangea, and while less showy than those of its cultivated 

 form, the garden Snowball, are truly handsome. I was first 

 impressed with their beauty on seeing a wreath composed 

 wholly of them. The bush is compact and symmetrical in 

 growth, the leaves glossy and untouched by the "curl," which 

 so often distorts those of the Snowball, and the deep coral ber- 

 ries are not only ornamental, but their sprightly taste is much 

 relished by some as a substitute for the cranberry. It is said 



that old hunters and trappers classify berries " smooth as glass 

 beads" as poisonous; those with a rough point or outward 

 turned surface as harmless; the Poison Ivy and Nightshade 

 are cited as familiar illustrations of the former, the Rose, 

 Whortleberry, etc., of the latter class. The Cranberry-tree 

 furnishes a striking exception to this rule. 



The Spikenard is ornamental when in fruit. Its great clus- 

 ters of berries in early autumn show a rather unusual blending 

 of rich purple clusters resting among others of clear green. 

 Later all are uniformly dyed in the royal colors. Like so many 

 of our native plants with real or reputed medicinal value, this 

 plant is being rapidly exterminated from its native haunts. The 

 ease with which it adapts itself to garden culture will happily 

 prevent its extinction. 



The tall Meadow Rue, which dropped its creamy sterile 

 flowers several weeks ago, still retains the fresh green pedicels, 

 giving to the plant a somewhat plumose appearance when 

 seen from a distance. Viola striata has bloomed more or less 

 all summer, and now (September 13th) has several blossoms. 

 Ruellia ciliosa, which is not indigenous, but transplanted from 

 the western prairies, has proved highly satisfactory, its chief 

 merit being in its constant, rather than profuse, floral display 

 during the midsummer months. 



Coronilla varia, also a non-resident of this locality, was trans- 

 planted from New England a half-decade ago, and finds place 

 in a spot left bare in summer by the dying down of Hyacinths 

 and Tulips. At first its growth was slow, but finally it entered 

 into a combination with its neighbors, Lily-of-the-valley and 

 Trifolium procumbens, the latter also a stranger in these parts, 

 and the trio soon had full possession of the ground. Last year 

 all were removed to the base of a neighboring tree, where they 

 grow as they wish. But the subterranean growth of the Coro- 

 nilla quite surprised us, and though we tried to get it out 

 entirely, thrifty plants still appear from time to time on the old 

 site and suggest its vitality when once established. The deli- 

 cate foliage and dainty blossoms are much admired in their 

 place, but they should not be planted in beds of spring- 

 blooming bulbs. 



The wild Yam, Dioscorea villosa, and Moonseed, Menisper- 

 mum Canadense, are admirable; both have clean, glossy 

 leaves, the venation and cut of which are in decided contrast. 

 The outline of the Moonseed is decidedly unique, and once 

 seen will be readily recognized. My plant flowers freely, pro- 

 ducing only sterile flowers. Its growth is much more rapid 

 and robust than that of the Yam. 



Some one has described Apios tuberosa as valueless, but 

 while the blossoms are not showy, their form and color are 

 pleasing. The plant grows rapidly and blooms profusely, and 

 many exotics are not nearly so desirable. 



Harmonsburg, Penn. Bessie L. Putnam. 



Meetings of Societies. 

 The American Forestry Association. 



THE special autumn meeting of the American Forestry 

 -*■ Association, with attendant excursions, was concluded at 

 Nashville, Tennessee, on September 22d, 1897. The plan of 

 combining excursions to special points of interest as joint 

 features of the meeting, proved to be most interesting and 

 valuable, and reflects special credit upon the gentleman in 

 charge of arrangements. It is to be regretted that a larger 

 number of members could not attend, and only fifteen were 

 present for the entire trip The excursion party met at Wash- 

 ington on the evening of the 16th, en route for Biltmore, North 

 Carolina, the first point of interest. Carriages were waiting and 

 the party was taken in charge by Dr. C. A. Schenck, head- 

 forester of the Biltmore estate. Dr. Schenck thoughtfully 

 supplied each member with a printed catalogue describing all 

 the forest compartments of the estate to be visited, the short 

 history of which could be quickly read as each numbered 

 section was passed. An inspecting tour of the various forestry 

 operations now under way at Biltmore was directed by Dr. 

 Schenck. The large tract of old farm fields, together with 

 mountain, brush and forest land comprising some 13,000 acres, 

 affords the largest opportunity for the application of European 

 forestry principles and practice, with which Dr. Schenck is 

 thoroughly conversant and laboring zealously to apply to 

 American conditions. We cannot pass over the elaborate 

 preparations and pains taken by Dr. Schenck to make the 

 association's visit both profitable and felicitous. Special tem- 

 porary fool-paths were cut through the brush, weeds and forest 

 growths, by which certain forestry operations could be more 

 easily reached and viewed. Various methods and stages of 

 regeneration were exhibited, including direct planting of seed 



