November, 1907 



THE GARDEN MAGAZINE 



189 



as an excellent shade tree by giving- the body 

 a height of six to ten feet, but is is not 

 hardy north of South Carolina. It blooms 

 profusely in early spring, the flowers being 

 quite fragrant. 



For sections below the Middle South, the 

 Cape jasmine (Gardenia florida) is perhaps 

 the best evergreen hedge. Its growth is 

 quite compact. Some persons object to the 

 strong fragrance of its large white flowers 

 while others consider it unexcelled. 



The tea plant (Thea Bohea) can be sheared 

 and, kept at a low height, makes a good 

 small hedge and is very attractive when 

 covered with its white flowers. It can stand 

 a cold of 1 5 above zero. 



The famous laurustinus (Viburnum Tinus) 

 can stand a temperature of near zero, if 

 dormant. The value of this fine shrub con- 

 sists not only in the profusion of its white, 

 fragrant flowers borne in umbels two inches 

 across, opening as early as February in the 

 Middle South, but also in the bright red 

 hue of its buds, which begin to color as early 

 as December. It can be kept sheared as a 

 low hedge. 



Pittosporum Tobira is another desirable 

 plant, more because of the fragrance of its 

 small, inconspicuous flowers. Not hardy 

 north of the Middle South. 



There is no winter and spring blooming 

 shrub that rivals the tea olive (Olea jragrans) 

 in its most delicate fragrance. The small, 

 white flowers are produced at frequent 

 periods, from autumn until summer, making 

 it the most favored shrub of Southern gar- 

 dens. A hedge of this plant is best suited to 

 a cemetery lot or a very small flower garden. 



The cheapest red-berried hedge plant for 

 the South is the cassina (Ilex vomitoria). 

 In the seaboard sections of Virginia to Florida 

 and westward, it frequently grows wild in 

 great profusion. Its use as a hedge plant 

 was first suggested by its close growth along 

 narrow driveways where the wheels of pass- 

 ing vehicles had acted as hedge shears and 

 made a naturally formed compact hedge. The 

 scarlet berries are retained during winter. 

 Seeds germinate very slowly unless kept in 

 moist sand for several weeks before planting. 



In the North, broad-leaved evergreens are 

 little used for hedges as they generally require 

 shelter from winter winds, and sunshine, 

 partial shade, peat in the soil and freedom 

 from lime. 



The calico bush (Kalmia latijolia) often 

 succeeds in very poor soil and rocky places 

 and is hardy in New England. It may be 

 used to good effect for a tall and broad screen, 

 but should not be sheared. In favorable 

 localities, it attains a height of ten feet. It has 

 large clusters of pinkish-white flowers and 

 the buds are of unique and attractive form. 



The holly-leaved ash berry (Berberis or 

 Mahonia Aquifolium) is hardy but some- 

 times burned by winter. It makes a neat, 

 low hedge that is exceedingly attractive when 

 its golden-yellow flowers open in March in 

 our Southern gardens. 



FLOWERING DECIDUOUS HEDGES 



The largest individual flower possessed 

 by any hedge plant is that of the rose of 



Sharon (Hibiscus Syriacus). In the North 

 this blooms in August or September, but in 

 the South it gives us a wealth of flowers 

 from June until frost; the most desirable 

 varieties are those of dwarf, compact habit, 

 noted for the profusion of their flowers as 

 well as great length of blooming period. 

 The colors include pure white, light and 

 dark red, purple, violet, blue, pink, etc., 

 double and single flowers. In planting a 

 hedge of hibiscus give the plants three feet 

 distance and do not trim close for the tall- 

 growing sorts; the very dwarf kinds can be 

 left untrimmed. 



Among the early spring bloomers, the most 

 popular hedge plant South and North is the 

 Japan quince (Cydonia Japonica). Seed- 

 lings vary much in the habit of their growth 

 and color of flowers, and good effects are 

 produced by planting either in separate 

 colors (white, pink or red), or with mixed 

 seedlings having the whole range of colors. 



Among the roses, the first place for a 

 beautiful flowering hedge plant must be 

 given to Marie Pavic; of compact growth, 

 neat foliage and with myriads of small white 

 flowers which are produced from early 

 spring until after a heavy frost. Set the 

 plants two feet apart and shear very slightly, 

 just sufficient to keep them in good shape. 

 This rose is hardy in New England. Other 

 varieties of polyantha roses are very desir- 

 able, such as Clothilde Soupert, Paquer- 

 ette, Etoile d'Or, etc., but Marie Pavic is 

 the best. 



The favorite May-blooming, low-growing 

 hedge plant is Deutzia gracilis. It is very 

 dwarf and covered with white flowers. 



Notable for its long season of bloom is 

 Spircea Bumalda, var. Anthony Waterer, 

 but the color is objectionable to many. It 

 grows about three feet high and is constantly 

 producing bright, dark-crimson flowers in 

 corymbs. Also, its foliage is variegated 

 white, green and red. 



Spircea Thunbergii is of low compact growth 

 and delicate foliage. Its white flowers are 

 small but produced in the greatest profu- 

 sion. During mild winters the blooms 

 begin as early as February, but they are 

 at their best early in March to April. 

 Shear the plants after their blooming period 

 is over. 



The best low, defensive hedge, in the opin- 

 ion of many, is the Japanese barberry 

 (Berberis Thunbergii) because it is always 

 dense at the base, has brilliant coppery-red 

 foliage in autumn and is covered with red 

 berries all winter. It grows about four feet 

 high and is very hardy. 



Asparagus and Rhubarb For 

 Christmas 



L. B. New York 



I DO not know of any winter delicacy 

 that will give more real pleasure to 

 the home — and perhaps cause a slight feeling 

 of envy among your friends — than forced 

 asparagus. And the beauty of it is that 

 almost anybody who is willing to dig up a 

 few roots can get results. The man who has 

 a greenhouse with heating apparatus in com- 



mission can get forced asparagus (or rhubarb) 

 without sacrificing a single foot of space that 

 is wanted for other growing plants. 



As soon as the first touches of winter 

 arrive go out into the garden and dig up a 

 few crowns of asparagus or rhubarb (pie plant) 

 and place them in boxes of sand for storage 

 in the cellar or shed. It won't matter if they 

 get frozen a little. 



By starting the forcing a few days before 

 the end of November a liberal cutting can be 

 had for Christmas Day, and in all probability 

 from one to two weeks before that good 

 cuttings can be had. The crop will last as 

 a rule for two months, and a half-dozen 

 strong roots will furnish enough and to spare 

 for any ordinary family. 



If you are about to force asparagus be 

 sure to select good, strong and preferably 



The space under the benches can be utilized for 

 , forcing asparagus 



four-year-old plants from a well-cultivated 

 bed and you will be delighted. Too often 

 roots are lifted from an overworked or 

 underfed bed and the results are not satis- 

 factory. 



The roots to be forced can be lifted any 

 time in November and immediately put 

 under the greenhouse benches if it 's more 

 convenient. 



Forcing is done very gradually at the first 

 for the roots require a few days to settle 

 down. Place them closely together in rows 

 packed around with good earth and having 

 a depth of soil three or four inches below; 

 the crown can be left uncovered for green 

 tops; but if bleached heads are preferred 

 the crowns must be buried a foot. I 

 like the green shoots much better than the 

 white ones as they have more of the real 

 asparagus flavor, I think. They are not so 

 easy to handle in the cooking, nor do they 

 look as well on the table, but I want my 

 vegetables for their flavor, not for their looks. 



A temperature of 45 at the start, and for 

 about ten days, then gradually increasing until 

 6o° or so is reached, will give the best results. 

 A greater degree of heat will not be harmful 

 to the plants, but it will result in long drawn 

 or spindly shoots. 



With rhubarb the crowns are only just 

 covered, for one don't need bleached stalks, 

 indeed a bright pink coloring is wonderfully 

 attractive and makes the flavor seem better. 

 A high temperature can be given too, without 

 any bad effects, as long stalks are cut up into 

 small chunks just as easily as short ones. 



