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PBACTICAL GUIDE TO GARDEN PLANTS 



ALNUS 



B. ulmifolia. — An ornamental Japanese 

 Birch 50-60 ft. high, with a smooth white 

 bark, and broadly ovate leaves, tapering 

 to a point, and coarsely and irregularly 

 toothed on the margins. 



Culture Ac. as above. 



ALNUS (Aldee). — A genus of de- 

 ciduous trees and shrubs with alternate 

 feather-veined, serrate or rarely quite 

 entire leaves. Flowers monoecious ; the 

 male flowers in drooping scaly-braoted 

 catkins, lasting throughout the winter. 

 Perianth sessile 4-parted. Stamens 4. 

 Female flowers in cyhndrical oblong or 

 oval catkins, like small Fir-cones in shape, 

 having fleshy scales which become hard 

 and woody when ripening. Perianth none. 

 Nuts small flattish, 2-winged or naked. 



Culture wnd Propagation, — Alders 

 are propagated in much the same way 

 as Birches. The ripe seeds are collected 

 in October or November and carefully 

 dried to prevent them becoming mouldy 

 or rotten. They are sovra in spring and 

 very slightly covered with soil. In 

 November or March the seedlings, which 

 will be 10-12 in. high, should be trans- 

 planted 6 in. apart in rows about 18 in. 

 apart, and by transplanting a couple of 

 years or so in succession masses of fine 

 fibrous roots are developed. The rarer 

 varieties may be increased by budding 

 and grafting like the Birches. It is better, 

 however, to buy established plants from 

 nurserymen. 



The generic name Alnus means ' near 

 the bank of a river,' and thus indicates 

 the locality in which the Alder is found 

 growing naturally. The Alders like the 

 Birches are graceful in habit and generally 

 flourish in moist situations near ponds, 

 lakes, rivers &c. When a plantation is 

 being made, the roots should be carefully 

 spread out over the bottom of the hole, 

 which should not be more than 9 or 10 

 in. deep. The soil should be worked in 

 well among the roots, and afterwards 

 trodden down firmly. The best time for 

 planting is during November or March. 



A. cordifolia {Italian Alder). — A hand- 

 some round-headed Alder 15-50 ft. high, 

 native of Southern Italy, and recognised 

 by its light-coloured bark and dark 

 shining green heart-shaped serrate taper- 

 pointed leaves. Flowers in March and 

 April, greenish-brown, appearing before 

 the leaves. 



This is a. fast-growing species and 

 proves to be quite hardy in England not- 

 withstanding its origin. It flourishes in 

 a dry soil. 



Culture dc. as above. 



A. firma (Jofpa/neae Alder). — A very 

 distinct Japanese tree, having oval lance- 

 shaped taper-pointed, sharply serrated, 

 and many-nerved leaves. 



Culture (to. as above. 



A.glutinosa. — A quick -growing British 

 tree, sometimes attaining a height of 50- 

 70 ft., and distinguished by the black bark 

 and roundish wedge-shaped bluntly lobed 

 serrate leaves, downy in the nerve-axils 

 beneath, and when young, clammy like 

 the branches. Flowers in spring; male 

 catkins long, large, and cyUniical, droop- 

 ing on branched stalks ; female catkins, 

 small, ovate, with deep red scales. 



There are several varieties of the 

 Common Alder more ornamental perhaps 

 for gardens and parks. Among them may 

 be mentioned the Golden Alder (av/rea) 

 with golden-yellow foliage; the Cut-leaved 

 Alder (laciniata) having the oblong leaves 

 pinnately divided into acute lobes ; the 

 Oak-leaved Alder (quercifoUa), a very 

 distinct form having sinuate leaves hke 

 those of the Common Oak ; there is also 

 a variegated form of the Oak-leaved Alder, 

 and one called vmperiaUs or asplenifoUa, 

 almost similar to the ordinary querci- 

 foUa ; and the Hawthorn-leaved Alder 

 (incisa or oxyaca/nthifolia), a compact 

 form with leaves cut like those of the 

 Hawthorn. 



A useful tree near the margins of 

 rivers, lakes &o., or as a break-vdnd to 

 more tender plants. Its wood, which 

 lasts a long time under water without 

 decaying, is used for many things. 



Culture do. as above. 



A. incana {Orray, White, or Hoary 

 Alder). — A native of the N. hemisphere, 

 but not of Britain, with broadly oval or 

 ovate sharply serrate leaves, rounded at 

 the base, white and mostly downy be- 

 neath. This prefers somewhat drier 

 situations than the Common Alder. In 

 warm southern parts it attains a greater 

 height than the Common Alder, but in 

 cold climates and unfavourable spots it 

 rarely reaches a height of more than 8-20 

 ft. The fine-grained white wood soon 

 rots under water. There are a few forms 



