56 



Garden and Forest. 



[Number 179. 



as broad as long, often inclined to he one-sided, and carried 

 well above the plant on the ends of the principal stems. Here 

 it is not a very free-blooming: plant, but the clusters of flowers 

 are large and make a great show in contrast with the dark 

 green of the leaves below them. It is, however, less beauti- 

 ful than its near relative, 6". Pekinensis (see Garden and 

 Forest, vol. hi., p. 165), which flowered here last year for the 

 first time in cultivation from seeds sent to the Arboretum by 

 Dr. Bretschneider. The flower-clusters produced last year 

 were few in number and small in size, and gave little idea of 

 the value of the species as a flowering plant. This year the 

 plants flowered profusely about the middle of June, producing 

 flower-clusters more than eighteen inches long, and were 

 objects of unusual beauty and interest. The value of this 

 plant, which seems destined to become a first-rate addition to 

 the list of our hardy shrubs, is greatly increased by the grace- 

 ful habit of its long, slender, arching stems, which now form 

 masses some fifteen feet through and ten or twelve feet high. 

 The foliage is peculiarly light and graceful, of a pleasing color 

 and of late duration, although it does not assume a brilliant 

 coloring before falling in the autumn. Altogether, 5. Pekin- 

 ensis is a more desirable plant than it was at one time sup- 

 posed to be. It is well suited to stand by itself as an indi- 

 vidual specimen on the lawn, where it can find plenty of 

 room in which to develop its beauty of outline. It appears to 

 require deep, rather moist, very rich soil, in which it grows 

 rapidly ; the plants do not flower until they are large and well 

 established. 



In 1878 the late W. S. Clarke, who organized the Massa- 

 chusetts Agricultural College and then went to Japan, at the 

 invitation of the Government of that country, to establish an 

 agricultural college there on the American plan, sent a num- 

 ber of seeds, gathered in the neighborhood of Sapparo, in the 

 northern island, to the Arboretum. Among them was a 

 packet marked Oleacetz. The seeds germinated, grew rapidly, 

 and the plants proved, when they flowered, ten years later, to 

 be the little-known S. Japonica (see Garden and Forest, vol. 

 ii., pp. 293-295), which, like S. Pekinensis, the Arboretum first 

 introduced into cultivation. So much has been said of this 

 plant during the last two or three years that there is little left 

 to say about it, except that it improves with age, producing, 

 each year, larger and more abundant flower-clusters. It is 

 absolutely hardy ; it grows with great rapidity in good soil and 

 is, in every way, an attractive and handsome plant of perfect 

 habit; the foliage is ample and splendid ; the inflorescence is 

 not surpassed in conspicuousness by that of any other hardy 

 tree. Rose-bugs take kindly to the flowers, but the leaves are 

 as yet uninjured by any insect, and the only drawback to it is 

 found in the fact that it loses its foliage early in the autumn, 

 and that it falls without having first changed color. The fact 

 that this plant flowers in July adds to its value as an ornament 

 to the garden. 



Arnold Arboretum. 



P. c. 



Some Native Plants. 



WITH the month of July many interesting species of the 

 composite family commence to bloom. This number 

 increases, until by the middle or last of August this natural 

 order predominates among our wild flowers. It is a large and 

 interesting family, represented in North America by 239 

 genera and upward of 2,000 species and varieties. The largest 

 genus is the Aster, which contains 124 species. Many of these 

 Asters are very handsome when in flower, and form a large 

 share of the last wild flowers of the season. The next genus 

 in size is the Solidago (Golden-rod), for which America is 

 noted, and of which we have over a hundred species and va- 

 rieties. Both genera are, for the most part, among the later- 

 flowering plants, but the Golden-rods are the earlier of the 

 two. Many of the Asters are quite late, some continuing to 

 bloom until killed down by frost. As a rule, Golden-rods and 

 Asters transplant well into any ordinary soil, and if they are 

 cut back half or two-thirds their length, lifted with care, and 

 not allowed to become dry before setting, there is no better 

 time for this, all things considered, than when they are in 

 flower. They need to be watered and cared for until estab- 

 lished. 



Lepachys pinnata, now in flower, is a showy composite, 

 with flowers three or tour inches wide, bright yellow, with a 

 grayish centre. The rays are somewhat drooping, as in Echi- 

 nacea purpurea. It is a slender plant, three or four feet high, 

 each of the numerous branches terminating in a single flower. 

 A dry sunny exposure seems to be its choice, and any ordinary 

 garden-soil will suit it. The peculiar drooping habit of its 

 petals, and the size of the flowers, which are on ample stems, 



suggest its value for cutting. Frequently blooming with it is 

 Heliopsis scabra (the Ox-eye), a plant with darker golden, 

 showy flowers not quite as large as those of Lepachys pinnata. 



Another composite, conspicuous for its profusion of bloom 

 at this season, is Chrysopsis villosa, the Golden Aster ; it is a 

 shorter plant and more spreading in habit, and is common on 

 dry soil and along gravelly railroad banks. The golden-yel- 

 low flowers of this plant are an inch or more wide, and quite 

 attractive. Still another striking species of this family, now 

 beginning to flower, is Vernonia Baldwinii, the first of the Iron 

 weeds to bloom. The large cymes of deep purple flowers are 

 a pleasing change from the yellow of the three genera above 

 mentioned, and which, as the season closes, is sometimes so 

 universal as to become tiresome. 



Scutellaria canescens, one of the Skullcaps, which blooms 

 about the middle of July, is a hardy and interesting perennial 

 three or four feet high, with leafy stalks, terminating in a good- 

 sized racemed panicle of showy blue flowers. A sunny expo- 

 sure and ordinary soil will suit it. 



Verbena Aubletia, one of the Vervains, has been in flower 

 for more than a month. It is a slender species, the spreading, 

 almost procumbent, stems of which terminate in thickened 

 spikes of showy reddish purple flowers. An inhabitant of 

 open woods or prairies, it thrives in any common soil, in the 

 sun or partial shade. Its near relative, V. stricta, the Hoary 

 Vervain, is a taller plant, with clustered spikes of pretty 

 purple flowers. 



The genus Verbascum (Mullen) is a large one, embracing 

 nearly a hundred species, which are natives of Europe, north- 

 ern Africa and Asia. Most of these are biennials. We have 

 four species in North America, all of which, I believe, have 

 been introduced. Verbascum nigrum, the Dark Mullen, which is 

 native to Britain, Europe and western Asia, is said to be a peren- 

 nial. Its normal height is only three or four feet, but, under 

 favorable circumstances, it attains a height of six feet and 

 more. Its long spike, or spikes, of bright canary-yellow flow- 

 ers are very handsome, and continue for a long season. It 

 is a stately and striking plant, which seems to be quite hardy, 

 and easily managed. 



Botanical Garden, St. Louis, Mo. F. H. H- 



Annuals New and Old. 



Calendula suffruticosa is a neat growing plant, some 

 eighteen inches high, and very free blooming. The flowers 

 are single, about two inches in diameter, golden yellow, 

 with narrow petals, Doronicum-like in form. This variety is 

 useful for a quiet yellow effect in the garden. The flowers 

 close in dull weather, and are probably not of much service 

 for bouquets. 



Centaurea Cyana nana compacta " Victoria" is a long name 

 for a very small plant. This Cornflower forms rounded little 

 plants only six inches high, covered with small blue flowers, 

 resembling, in form and color, the ordinary Kaiserblume. It 

 does not seem to have a long season of bloom, and may be 

 added to the long list of curiosities. 



Zinnia Haageana pumila floro pleno is another accession to 

 the list of dwarf plants to which florists will be sure to give 

 attention. This little Zinnia forms a much-branched bush, 

 about a foot high ; it blooms profusely with semi-double 

 flowers about one and a half inches in diameter, of a rather 

 dull orange shade. If some good bright Zinnia colors could 

 be infused into this strain it would be very useful in many 

 places where the larger variety would occupy too much space. 

 There is no sentiment about the Zinnias, but they have wonder- 

 fully bright clear colors, are very lasting, and there are, per- 

 haps, no plants which give a more dazzling effect for so little 

 expense and labor. 



The double Chrysanthemum coronarium imbricatum strikes 

 me as a curious example of the vagaries of the seed trade. 

 C. coronarium is one of the commonest of annuals, with rather 

 soft foliage, but with good double yellow or yellow and white 

 flowers. It seems to have occurred to the florists a few years 

 ago that it was a very good thing, and now small plants are 

 largely sold in the spring sales, and the seedsmen have exer- 

 cised their ingenuity in getting out slight variations. This 

 year's offering differs from the type only in that the petals, 

 instead of being flat, are vaulted. The general effect of the 

 flowers is the same, but the price, it is perhaps needless to 

 say, has quintupled. 



Carnation Margaret, half dwarf, is a selection from the 

 quick-growing Carnations introduced last year by Dammann 

 & Co., who also offer these in separate colors and a dwarf kind. 

 Like the variety of last season, they are rapid growers, coming 

 into bloom in five or six months under ordinary culture. The 



