THE GARDEN MAGAZINE 



February, 1918 



Euonymus radicans vegetus. 



The Best Evergreen Vine for A merica 



Is ivy the best vine in the world? Doubtless every Englishman will cry 

 "Yes!" because the European or English ivy (Hedera Helix) is the oldest 

 evergreen vine in cultivation and has made the deepest impression in liter- 

 ature, art and history. But if your standard is merit, not associations, there 

 is another vine which seems to me inherently better, viz., the Climbing 

 Euonymus, or, as I now propose to call it, the "Evergreen Bittersweet." 

 True, the form of its leaf is not unique, like that of ivy, but it has one over- 

 whelming advantage in its gorgeous red berries, which are resplendent all 

 winter against a noble background of evergreen foliage. And in many 

 other ways it has greater value than ivy, even in regions where the ivy is 

 hardy. 



The accompanying picture gives but a faint hint of the five-fold glories 

 of the Evergreen Bittersweet. In the first place, it is evergreen, and there- 

 fore has an obvious advantage, over deciduous vines in being beautiful 365 

 days of the year, instead of two weeks or seven months. 



Secondly, it is very accommodating as to soils, climate, exposures; is easy 

 to grow; and will trail over the ground or climb to the noble height of 30 feet. 



Thirdly, it has an immense advantage over ivy, in being much hardier, 

 growing 20 feet high in New England where ivy can be grown only as a 

 ground-cover. 



Fourthly, its superb red fruits, which closely resemble those of our common 

 wild bittersweet, seem divinely appointed to redeem our American winters 

 from their bleak, ugly and cheerless moods. 



And, fifthly, it promises to develop a strong American character, becoming 

 universal and dear to the American heart. If I had a million dollars to 



spare I should like to plant an Evergreen Bittersweet against every stone, 

 brick and concrete wall in America. The effect would be electrical, for it 

 would add 100 per cent, to the beauty of America. And it would only be 

 anticipating by a hundred years what will surely happen, for it is hardly 

 possible that the world holds any plant with greater power to transform a 

 house into a home. As in England every home and every church is enriched, 

 dignified and ennobled by ivy, so every American home will come to be 

 connected so closely with the Evergreen Bittersweet that it will be impossible 

 to think of one without the other. — Wilhelm Miller, in The Garden Maga- 

 zine, November, 1912. 



We have known for several years of the great merit of the vine, Euonymus 

 radicans vegetus, so enthusiastically described by Professor Miller, and 

 have been steadily getting up a large stock of it, and now have several 

 thousand plants. It is a sport from Euonymus radicans, but absolutely 

 distinct from that vine. 



Planted in rows and kept sheared this vine makes a splendid evergreen 

 hedge. It is also a splendid ground cover plant for either sun or shade. 



Perfectly hardy, but when planted in the fall should be protected with a 

 mulching of three inches of stable manure, being careful not to cover the 

 evergreen foliage. Very slow growing at first, but when well established 

 grows with great vigor. 



Small pot-plants, 30 cents each, $2.50 per dozen, $20.00 per 100. Strong 

 pot-plants, 50 cents each, $5.00 per dozen, $35.00 per hundred. 



Illustrated Descriptive Catalogue for 1918 is now ready and will be sent 

 free on request. It contains the most comprehensive list of trees, shrubs, 

 Hardy plants, and seeds offered in America including many choice things 

 not obtainable elsewhere. 



ELLIOT NURSERY CO. 



326 Sixth Ave. . Pittsburgh, Pa. 



The Readers' Service will give you suggestions for the care and purchase of cats and dogs and other pets 



