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THE GARDEN- MAGAZINE 



January, 1916 



flowers each with an orange eye. A hybrid between 

 these two species has been raised and named B. 

 Farquharii. This plant has pale pink flowers and 

 is perfectly intermediate between the parents and 

 combines the good qualities of both. These "Winter 

 Lilacs," as they may be termed, are very free grow- 

 ing and free flowering shrubs and to obtain the best 

 results they should be severely pruned each year 

 after flowering. 



SEMI-EVERGREEN BRAMBLES 



The Brambles (Rubus) are not usually regarded 

 as ornamental garden plants but many of the 

 Chinese species have strong claims to be so consid- 

 ered. Among semi-evergreen species with attrac- 

 tive foliage and pleasing habit I may mention 

 Rubus chroosepalus with leaves like those of Tilia 

 petiolaris; R. bambusarum with 3-partite leaves, dark 

 green above and dun-colored below; the closely 

 allied R. Henryi with lobed leaves; R. flagdli floras 

 with entire leaves marbled with metallic green and 

 brownish-purple above; R. Swinhoei with narrow ob- 

 long pointed leaves, gray on the underside, and R. 

 ichangensis with vivid green nearly heart-shaped, 

 pointed leaves and large elongated clusters of bright 

 red fruits. All these Brambles have slender whip- 

 like shoots and when trained to poles or to a pergola 

 are very attractive. 



SELECTED NEW FLOWERING SHRUBS 



New deciduous-leaved flowering shrubs are so 

 very numerous that I hesitate to embark on the 

 subject and I shall content myself with the mention 

 of three groups. The Deutzias are much appreciated 

 spring- flowering shrubs and in our gardens we enjoy 

 several old species and the wonderful race of beauti- 

 ful hybrids evolved by the late Monsieur Victor 

 Lemoine of glorious memory. In addition to these 

 China has given us quite recently a number of very 

 distinct and lovely species such as the rosy-lilac 

 flowered D. longifolia and its more deeply-colored 

 variety Veitehii; D. Wilsonii with glistening white 

 flowers larger than those of any of its allies; D. dis- 

 color with large masses of white flowers; D. Schnei- 

 deriana and its variety laxiflora with pyramidate 

 trusses of white flowers, and the curious D. mollis 

 with soft hairy leaves and flattened heads of small 

 white flowers. These species are valuable for em- 

 bellishing outdoor gardens as specimens or for for- 

 cing purposes for the Christmas and Easter trade. 



Closely allied to the Witch Hazel (Hamamelis) is 

 Corylopsis, of which the Japanese C. 

 spicata and C. pauciflora are well- 

 known. From China the genus has 

 recently been considerably augmented 

 and such species as C. sinensis, C. Veit- 

 chiana, C. W illmottiana and C. platy- 

 petala are decided acquisitions. Like 

 the Japanese species they are spring- 

 flowering shrubs and have pendent 

 short racemes of yellow fragrant flow- 

 ers which are produced in great profu- 

 sion before the leaves unfold. The 

 leaves are gray-green and either in 

 flower or foliage these shrubs are of 

 pleasing appearance. Another new 

 spring-flowering shrub is Stachyurus 

 chinensis with pendulous racemes of 

 yellow, scented flowers. This forms a bush five to 

 eight feet tall and has spreading branches, deep 

 green leaves and purplish-brown shoots. 



Lastly I may mention Salix Bockii and S. mag- 

 nified, two most extraordinary Willows. The first 

 named is an upright growing, much-branched 

 twiggy shrub with small gray-green leaves and is 

 worth growing as an autumn flowering plant. The 

 catkins are white and are borne in great profusion 

 on the current season's shoots in the late summer 

 and autumn — a character almost unique in Willows. 

 The other is a magnificent foliage plant. It is a 

 large bush, 10 to 20 ft. tall, with gray-green leaves on 

 red stalks and I have measured the leaf-blade eight 

 inches long and five and a quarter inches wide! The 

 leaves rather suggest those of the Yulan {Magnolia 

 conspieua), so much so in fact that when I discov- 

 ered the plant I momentarily took it for a species 

 of Magnolia. 



FLOWERING TREES OF MERIT 



Of new trees worthy of recommendation there are 

 many, but I have only space to mention half-a- 



dozen. The Bull Bay {Magnolia grandiflora) of the 

 south-eastern states is rightly appreciated as one 

 of the noblest and beautiful of all flowering ever- 

 green trees. From China gardens have received a 

 closely allied species {M. Delavayi) which has larger 



Very much like the English Holly in appearance Ilea 

 iticijolia is a sun loving and drought resistant shrub twelve 

 feet high 



Here is an evergreen Cornel ( Viburnum rhytidophyllum) 

 which will surely become popular. It survives the winter 

 at Rochester, N. Y., but needs warmer conditions to attain 

 its best development 



and pointed leaves, dull green above and pale below 

 and equally large, white, cup-shaped flowers. These 

 two Magnolias are of about equal hardiness and are 

 most worthy companions. 



An ornamental flowering tree is Carrieria calycina 

 with its bright green oblong leaves and pyramidate 

 heads of ivory-white waxy flowers. It is a much- 



branched flat-headed tree of medium height and the 

 flowers are borne conspicuously at the ends of the 

 shoots. 



One of the most beautiful of small trees is Sta- 

 phylea holocarpa with large pendent clusters of pure 

 white to pink flowers borne in profusion before the 

 leaves unfold. The variety rosea has rose-colored 

 flowers and the leaves are downy on the underside. 

 Both form slender trees, 15 to 30 ft. tall, with 

 spreading branches, bright green leaves and pale 

 green twigs. The flowers are rich in honey and 

 deliciously fragrant. 



A NEW AND BETTER TREE OF HEAVEN 



The Tree of Heaven {Ailanthus glandidosa) is a 

 very old inhabitant of gardens but the new A . Vil- 

 moriniana, although much less hardy is a more hand- 

 some tree. When young the trunk and branches 

 are thickly studded with short prickles. The leaves 

 are over a yard long and the rhachis is reddish in 

 color and prickly, and no other tree of north temper- 

 ate regions has so large leaves. It grows very 

 rapidly and is native of the warm arid valleys of 

 central and western China. 



FOR DRY REGIONS 



A tree which thrives in dry regions is Pistacia. 

 chinensis. This is one of the largest of Chinese 

 trees and has a very thick trunk, massive wide- 

 spreading branches which form a flattened or 

 rounded crown ; the leaves are dark green pinnately 

 divided and in the fall assume wondrous tints of 

 orange and crimson. The flowers are inconspicuous 

 but the bunches of small fruits, which are rich in 

 oil, are showy and as they ripen change to scarlet 

 and are finally blue. The wood is valuable and the 

 young shoots with half-grown leaves are eaten as a 

 vegetable by the Chinese after the manner of 

 spinach. 



The Chinese Hogplum {Spondias axillaris) is an- 

 other drought resistant tree worthy of extended 

 cultivation. It grows 45 to 80 ft. tall and has thick 

 branches forming an oval or flat- 

 tened crown. The leaves are pin- 

 nately divided and the oval to 

 \\ ellipsoid yellow fruit is edible but 

 - ijm lacks flavor. 



^%^^ In eastern and central China the 

 people consider Xylosma racemosum 

 and its variety pubescens the most 

 beautiful of all their evergreen trees 

 and apply to it a name which sig- 

 nifies " Wintergreen." It is com- 

 monly planted over shrines and 

 graves and in temple grounds, and 

 has dark lustrous green leaves, in- 

 conspicuous flowers and black pea- 

 like fruits. The branching is dense 

 and the crown wide-spreading, oval, 

 rounded or flattened and the short 

 inner branches are spiny. 



NEW POPLARS 



A Chinese Poplar {Poptdus lasiocarpa) has 

 fc» larger leaves than any other member of the 

 genus. It is a moisture-loving tree, rather 

 sparsely branched and loosely pyramidal in outline 

 and has bright green heart-shaped pointed leaves, 

 ten to twelve inches wide and more long, with the 

 leafstalks, midrib and principal veins of a rich red 

 hue. In the mild parts of the Pacific slope which 

 enjoy a moist climate this new Poplar should prove 

 a great acquisition to the list of ornamental foliage 

 trees. A handsome new Poplar is P. Wilsonii with 

 its large rounded and slightly pointed leaves dark 

 green above and pale on the underside. Other 

 valuable Poplars suitable for the cooler parts of the 

 Pacific Slope, but quite hardy in the coldest parts of 

 this country, are P. suaveolens and P. Simonii, both 

 quick-growing trees useful for street or park planting. 

 It would be a simple matter to increase this list 

 fourfold and then not enumerate all the new Chinese 

 plants worthy of recognition. But' finality is not 

 attempted. Garden lovers of the Pacific slope who 

 take up even half-a-dozen of the plants mentioned 

 here and give them the same attention and treat- 

 ment accorded to more familiar trees and shrubs will 

 assuredly enjoy pleasurable satisfaction. 



[Next month's article will be " Hardy Spring 

 Flowering Trees and Shrubs."] 



