"*r 



272 



THE GARDEN MAGAZINE 



June, 1906 



The bamboos are the most dignified looking of all the grasses. Though hardy, they must be carefully 

 nursed for the first few years after transplanting. Many people fail with hardy bamboos because they 

 neglect this detail. {(Arundinaria Japonica, known in the trade as Bambusa 



centre stand upright; a combination which 

 produces a very pretty effect. 



A DELIGHT FOR THE YOUNG FOLK 



If you want to grow something for the 

 children, sow a hill of Job's tears (Coix 

 Lacryma-J obi) , and let them gather the large 

 pearly seeds in due season. It is quite hardy, 

 and will make a good growth, even in a city 

 back yard. Better results will follow from 

 starting them early in the house, in pots. 

 The plant looks uncommonly like corn 

 until it begins to flower, and derives its 

 name from the curiously pear-shaped seeds, 

 which are made into necklaces. 



IV. GRASSES FOR SUBTROPICAL 

 EFFECT 



What a pity we do not grow the bamboos 



more commonly. They are grasses on a 

 big scale, but without any appearance of 

 coarseness. Happily, they are being used 

 more and more in landscape gardening, 

 particularly around buildings. Some of the 

 lower-growing kinds are very useful in break- 

 ing the lines between buildings and the 

 lawn. A good example of this may be 

 found in Washington, where they have been 

 used around some of the public buildings. 



SECRETS OE BAMBOO HARDINESS 



The most effective way of growing these 

 bamboos is in pots, or tubs, for porch or 

 conservatory decoration. Even the hardy 

 ones are used this way. 



The bamboos grow well after they be- 

 come established, but need great care during 

 _the first few years after they are planted out. 



A native grass worth growing in our gardens. SpiKe grass (Uniola latifolia) useful for winter bouquets 



Even the perfectly hardy species are delicate 

 during this early period, and they do not 

 show the vigor and beauty that they attain 

 in after years. The most critical period 

 will be during the first winter. 



Plant in a deep, rich, well-drained situation 

 which has an abundance of moisture, and 

 which is protected from the prevailing winds 

 of winter, and slightly shaded. A mulch 

 will also be found a great help, particularly 

 while the plants are being established. 



Increase is by division of the roots in the 

 spring, before growth commences. All that 

 is necessary is to dig the plants and carefully 

 separate the underground stems. Some of 

 the species spread very rapidly by means of 

 these rhizomes. 



THE SEVEN BEST KINDS 



While there are about two dozen bamboos 

 with which the Northern connoisseur might 

 experiment for hardiness, there are seven 

 species which are sure to please. The com- 

 monest and best of all is the broad -leaved 

 bamboo (Arundinaria Japonica, known in 

 the trade as Bambusa Metake). It has the 

 largest and broadest leaves of all the tall 

 bamboos. It also has leaf sheaths, which 

 start from the joints, and are so large and 

 broad as to almost cover the stem. It 

 grows six to ten feet high. Specially recom- 

 mended for planting in city gardens. 



The black bamboo (Phyllostachys nigra, 

 known in the trade as Bambusa nigra), has 

 the peculiarity of black stems. At first they 

 are green, becoming black in the second 

 year. The canes grow ten to twenty feet 

 high. This bamboo is the one from which 

 the Japanese make their best fancy furniture. 



A variety of this is the spotted bamboo (P. 

 nigra, var. punctata), which has the yellow 

 stems covered with black spots. 



The golden-stemmed bamboo {Phyllo- 

 stachys aurea, known in the trade as Bambusa 

 aurea)grows ten to fifteen feet high. Although 

 this is called the golden-stemmed bamboo, 

 there are several other kinds whose stems be- 

 come yellow as they ripen. 



Another kind, which has a very zigzag 

 habit of growth, is Riviere's bamboo (Phyl- 

 lostachys viridi-glaucescens). This species 

 is very hardy and quite common. It grows 

 from ten to eighteen feet in height. 



The tallest of all the hardy bamboos is 

 Simon's bamboo, ( Arundinaria Simoni ), 

 growing canes of ten to twenty feet in 

 height in the North. Unfortunately, it starts 

 its growth very late in the season, and more 

 stems are produced than the plant can 

 properly mature; therefore, remove the 

 weaker ones. Its leaves are an inch wide, 

 eight to twelve long, and taper gradually 

 to a long, fine point. 



The smallest of all is the pygmy bamboo 

 (Bambusa pygmcea) ; it is often a nuisance in 

 the border because it spreads so rapidly, but 

 for covering ground in rocky places it is in- 

 valuable. 



The only variegated kind which is perfectly 

 hardy in the North is Fortune's bamboo 

 (Arundinaria Fortunei), an old favorite, and 

 quite common. It has white-striped foliage, 

 and grows three or four feet high. 



