260 



Garden and Forest. 



[Number 171. 



promise of usefulness, as the medium-sized, light red-colored 

 cherries which it bears are of quite a pleasant flavor even in 

 this wild state. The stone is rather large, but by cultivation 

 and selection the size of the cherries could be increased, and 

 small-seeded farms adopted and propagated by division. The 

 extremely early-flowering habit has usually prevented a large 

 crop of the fruit here on account of cold weather and frosts 

 which occur at the time ; but, otherwise, the plant seems per- 

 fectly hardy in a winter like our past one. Last year the plants 

 appeared somewhat injured, although the winter was not con- 

 sidered nearly so severe and the cold was not so great. Ap- 

 parently, the injury then was due to other causes besides cold 

 alone. 



There is so much confusion regarding the nomenclature of 

 the ornamental Japanese Cherries which have been introduced 

 into cultivation that it is almost impossible to know exactly 

 what kind or form will be received when ordering from differ- 

 ent nurserymen. There are two distinct types of these plants, 

 and they appear to pass interchangeably under a dozen differ- 

 ent names. Both are often considered by botanists as forms 

 of the Chinese and Japanese Prunus Pseiido-Cerasus. What- 

 ever their origin may have been, they are certainly quite dis- 

 tinct from a horticultural point of view. The earliest-flowering 

 of the two opened its first flowers this season in the last days 

 of April and first week in May, before any of the leaves ap- 

 peared. These flowers are large and semi-double ; the buds, 

 or outer petals, are deep pink or red, and the opened flower 

 pinkish white within, which soon turns to a distinct rose-color, 

 that deepens with the age and fading of the flowers. The 

 leaves come out when the blossoms are fading. They are of 

 a very dark green color, tomentose above and beneath, the 

 pubescence being very dense on the under side. This is the 

 plant which, besides many other names, is often sold as Pru- 

 nus Watereri. It is the most showy and ornamental of those 

 introduced here. 



The other form of these Japanese Cherries does not begin 

 to open its blossoms until at least ten days after the first form, 

 and when the latter one is in full bloom the blossoms of the 

 early one have faded. The flowers of the late one are pure 

 pearly white, with rarely the faintest suggestion of pink, but 

 there is a variation with the outer petals distinctly rosy- 

 colored. As the flowers fade they do not change to the dark 

 rosy color of the other. The leaves are light green, and they 

 are already large and well developed before the blossoms ap- 

 pear. They differ markedly from the other form in being per- 

 fectly smooth or glabrous on both surfaces. This form is not 

 nearly so floriferous as the early-blooming kind, and, although 

 very beautiful, its flowers are much hidden by the foliage. 

 Among other names this is often sold as Pricnus Sieboldi 

 flore albo pleno, or P. Sieboldi fiore roseo pleno, according as 

 the blossoms are pure white or have the outer petals of a pink 

 or red color. It is apparently the Prunus serrulata of Lindley. 



These double-flowering Chinese or Japanese Cherries should 

 not be planted with the expectation that they will become 

 large trees, for, although they have the single-stemmed tree 

 form, they do not attain the height of many of our native 

 plants which are classed as shrubs. „ 



Arnold Arboretum. / • G. J (XCk. 



The Hardiness of Japanese Bamboos. 



THE Bamboos, the noblest of all the grasses, have not only 

 the merit of utility, but the growth of many varieties is 

 characterized by such grace and distinction that they are 

 among the handsomest ornaments of gardens and plantations. 

 Lately much attention has been given to some of the Japanese 

 varieties, among which may be found widely distinct habits, 

 ranging in height from three feet to forty feet, and with foliage 

 varying both in breadth and color. In a small state many of 

 these varieties are useful, grown in jars, for in-door decoration — 

 a use to which they are much put by the Japanese. Florists will 

 find these useful additions to their stock of decorative plants, 

 as they are not only light and graceful in effect, but they will 

 help to break the monotony of the Palms. But their beauty is 

 better shown when grown in large masses in the open air; 

 where rightly placed, they have capabilities of striking effects 

 in the landscape. Bambusa Metake has been long known in 

 gardens and is of undoubted hardiness, but there are 

 numerous Japanese varieties which are now obtainable, and 

 many of them will be of great value if they prove entirely 

 hardy. Most of these are said to come from the warmer parts 

 of Japan, but I have been much encouraged, in testing a small 

 selection of varieties last winter, to believe that many of them 

 are hardy in this latitude, and require scarcely any protection. 

 The varieties tested were planted early last spring, and, while 



apparently well established, they made no great vertical 

 growth. They were in rather stiff loam, where no stagnant 

 water could remain at the roots. They remained during the 

 winter without any protection to the stems and with no mulch 

 over the roots. Six of the seven varieties exposed passed the 

 ordeal safely and are now making vigorous growth. There 

 was, however, an apparent difference in their resistance to 

 severe weather, but this may have been due to less-tnatured 

 growths. The past winter was not extremely cold, the ther- 

 mometer only once dropping to zero, hut was a fairly average 

 one as to temperature and moisture. They having lived 

 through this without the slightest protection, there seems no 

 reason to think that they will not pass safely through an ex- 

 ceptionally severe winter if the roots are well protected by 

 mulching. It might also be well to provide wind-breaks, 

 though the foliage of most of the varieties could not probably 

 be preserved during an ordinary winter under any protection 

 in this climate. Such varieties as B. Ragamowski may be an 

 exception in this regard, since they have hard, firm leaves 

 which would be retained if protected from scorching. B. 

 Simoni also has persistent foliage. In detail, the varieties tested 

 are given in the order of apparent hardiness. 



B. Simoni, leaves quite persistent, and plant untouched. 

 B. viridi-glaucescens and B. aurea lost their leaves, but the 

 stems were untouched. B. Ragamowski had its leaves 

 scorched. B. (Aritndinaria) quilioi lost its leaves, and its 

 stems were slightly touched. B. (Phyllostachys) nigra (Ko- 

 rochiko of Japan), top killed, but now pushing from the roots. 

 This black-stemmed variety is said to attain a height of thirty 

 feet, which would indicate more vigor than it has shown with me. 



B. angulata (variety with knotty joints) was entirely broken 

 up, root and branch, by the frost. B. Castilloni (Kimmeichiku 

 of the Japanese) was grown in the house, but is apparently as 

 vigorous as the hardiest ones. Bamboos do not often show 

 their distinct characteristics before the second year, and should 

 be planted in permanent quarters. They form thickets by 

 pushing out horizontal short-jointed stems in every direction. 

 These emit roots, and break at every joint, so that a well- 

 established plant soon becomes the centre of a large clump. 



Of course, as these plants grow tall, conditions may 

 arise which would prevent their being hardy in this latitude. 

 For instance, an exceptional Winter might cut the top growth 

 severely if not matured, but the root-action is so strong that 

 there seems little doubt that the damage would be confined to 

 the tops even in the worst seasons. 

 Elizabeth, N. j. J. A r . Gerard. 



Wild Flowers around St. Louis. 



THE variety of wild flowers in this immediate section is 

 interesting though much smaller than in New England. 

 The species are repeated more than in the east, due to the 

 sameness of the soil and situations. Phlox pilosa, now in 

 flower, is a handsome species, hardly excelled by any other of 

 the perennial class in the richness and variety of shades of its 

 flowers, which vary from a pinkish purple to a rosy red, and 

 occasionally almost white. It grows usually in tufts from ten 

 to fifteen inches high. It transplants better than the other 

 species, for, by taking plenty of soil with its roots, it may be 

 moved when in full bloom without wilting at all. It will 

 thrive in any ordinary garden soil. Oxalis violacea, though 

 not very abundant, is common here, and the flower is rich 

 pinkish purple or violet-tinged. It is not very lavish in bloom 

 ing, and one seldom sees more than two at one time on a 

 stem, and I have never noticed more than one stem to a plant. 

 It grows in thinly shaded places. The Dwarf Larkspur {Del- 

 phinium tricorne) has been in flower here for more than a week. 

 It is, I believe, the first of the perennial Larkspurs to bloom. 

 Though quite common in thin woodlands it seems to be no- 

 where abundant. It seldom grows over a foot high, bearing 

 at the summit of its almost naked stem a flat spike of six to 

 ten bluish purple or sometimes white flowers, which are a 

 little more than an inch wide and alternate on either side of 

 the radix of the spike. It bears transplanting well, and when 

 in flower is an attractive plant. The spikes are borne on 

 ample stems for cutting, and should be useful in making 

 bouquets. 



The little white-flowered variety of the Blue-eyed Grass (Sisy- 

 rinchium Bermudianum, vav.albidum?) is common herein some 

 places. It grows about a foot high, and bears in a cluster near 

 the summit several pretty white flowers, with a yellowish cen- 

 tre, half an inch wide. Its stems are ample for cutting, and it 

 is certainly a plant worth cultivating. 



If there is any one plant that seems to thrive here better 

 than the average it is the May Apple or Mandrake (Podophyl- 



