192 



THE GARDEN MAGAZINE 



December, 1912 



teatae are southern groups. The Flavae 

 and Virides groups, with a few excep- 

 tions, are mostly confined to the south- 

 eastern states. The Tomentosae group is 

 chiefly northern and is a conspicuous feature 

 of the vegetation in many parts of Ontario, 

 Canada, and is particularly common on 

 the banks of the Rideau Canal, from 

 Kingston to Ottawa. A few species of 

 this group, however, are found as far as 

 the Rocky Mountains. 



The Crus-Galli, Punctata?, Molles and 

 Flabellatae groups on the other hand are 

 very widely distributed, and are abundant 

 from Texas to Quebec. The Intricate is a 

 common group in the North and as far as 

 I am aware occurs sparingly in the South. 

 The species in this group are mostly 

 shrubby. The flower clusters are usually 

 marked by densely glandular bracts, and 

 the fruits have generally a brownish red 

 appearance. The species in this group are 

 fine garden subjects. 



THEIR USES 



From a horticultural standpoint these 

 American hawthorns are of immense im- 

 portance for the ornamentation of parks, 

 private estates, and gardens. The showy 

 flowers in spring; the characteristic foliage 

 of most of them; the conspicuous red, 

 crimson, and scarlet fruits of nearly all of 

 them, which extends amongst the different 

 species from August to early winter, and 

 a number of the species markedly retain 

 their fruits without loss of color until early 

 winter — renders them extremely valuable 

 to the landscape gardener. Their absolute 

 hardiness and the bold branching ramifi- 

 cation characteristic to most of them, make 

 them very interesting in winter when their 

 leafless forms are outlined in the winter 

 landscape. Furthermore, the longevity of 

 some of the arborescent species — a hun- 

 dred and fifty years at least. The 

 planter is often perplexed in the composi- 



Qne of the medium sized flowered species of Crat- 

 gegus C. Durabravensis) 



The fruits of the hawthorns vary much in size. 

 These (C. Durabravensis) are small. Many species 

 are specially attractive for winter effect 



tion of boundary plantations, and I am 

 certain he would be much aided by a free 

 use of the American hawthorn, because 

 they give a most dignified and harmonious 

 appearance to any situation when they 

 become established. When clearing up 

 woodland that has hawthorns it is often 

 well worth while to retain the specimens 

 to develop fully as was done at South 

 Lancaster, Mass. 



RAISING FROM SEED 



The seeds germinate slowly and some 

 propagators have no patience with them. 

 The best method is to soak the fruits in 

 water, and by maceration the seeds or nut- 

 lets are separated from the pulp. The 

 seeds are then dried in the sun, as they 

 can then be handled easily. We prefer 

 to sow them in "flats" immediately, 15 by 

 22 inches and 3^ inches deep. As they do 

 not begin to germinate until the second 

 year after sowing, the flats can be piled 

 away in the corner of a coal shed, on the 

 top of each other, but they most not be 

 allowed to get dry, and a strict watch 

 must be kept against mice. Early in the 

 spring of the second year the flats must 

 be spread out in the sun where the seeds 

 will begin to germinate and the strange part 

 of it is not more than half of the seeds will 

 do so. The balance of the seeds will 

 germinate the third year. In the spring 

 of the fourth year, that is, four and a half 

 years from the time they were sowed, the 

 seedlings should be carefully placed in 

 nursery rows, and under good cultivation 

 they grow surprisingly fast. In ten years 

 from the time they were sowed, they make 

 plants of considerable size. 



SOIL AND MANAGEMENT 



The hawthorns are particularly partial 

 to heavy limestone clay, and are rarely 



found on light sandy soil, unless in areas 

 where they may overlap from their spon- 

 taneous homes. There are vast sandy 

 tracts in this country, where they cannot 

 be found. For example in Long Island, 

 where the soil is mostly light and sandy, 

 and where lime is absent, I have not ob- 

 served them growing in a wild state. Cer- 

 tainly they may be growing in certain parts 

 of the Island spontaneously, where the soil 

 suits them, but these parts I have not seen. 

 This does not mean however that they 

 cannot be cultivated in light soil, because 

 I have seen it to the contrary. With soil 

 well enriched, and liberally mulched they 

 seem to grow freely, under such con- 

 ditions. 



They are easily transplanted. I have 

 moved individuals fifteen feet in height 

 with perfect success. Care should be exer- 

 cised in preserving the entire root system. 

 It is important, however, to prune the side 

 branches severely, and thin them out from 

 the centre, as the branches are apt to be 

 much congested and intricate in the interior, 

 if they have not received previous pruning 

 attention. It is wise too, to prune the side 

 branches of small plants considerably, when 

 transplanted as they start into growth 

 much more vigorously. 



TWELVE HAWTHORNS FOR GARDENS 



Out of the mighty host already identified a few 

 stand out as in our judgment most worth bringing 

 into cultivation on a large scale. I select these 

 twelve as highly ornamental species. 



The first five species are in the Molles group. 

 Crataegus Arnoldiana assumes the size of a tree 

 20-25 ta ll with branches spreading at an angle 

 of 45 degrees. The leaves usually oval and rounded 

 at the base. The 10-stamened flowers with large 

 cream white anthers, are produced on tomentose 

 clusters and open about May 25. The subglobose 

 to oblong fruits, are bright crimson, large for the 

 genus, I inch diameter, and ripen about the middle 

 of August, and fall about the middle of September. 

 This is the earliest species in this group to ripen 

 its fruit. 



C. Arkaiisana, forms a tall thin branching tree, 

 sometimes 30 feet high, with stiff, stout, ascending 

 and spreading branches. The leaves are usually 

 oblong-ovate, and broadly cuneate at the base. 

 The 20-stamened flowers with cream white anthers, 

 on densely tomentose corymbs, blossom about May 

 25. The oblong to ovate, bright crimson fruits, 

 ripen about the middle of October and are persistent 

 on the branches for several weeks. 



C. Champlainensis, is usually a tree 20-30 feet 

 tall, with spreading branches forming a broad 

 symmetrical bend. The ovate leaves are usually 

 slightly rounded at the base, but on vigorous shoots 

 truncate to sub-cordate. The 10-stamened flowers, 

 with small cream white anthers are borne on densely 

 villose, almost wooley corymbs, and flowers about 

 May 30. The oblong bright scarlet fruits, hairy 

 toward the ends, ripen toward the middle of Septem- 

 ber and are persistent on the branches until almost 

 mid-winter, but considerably shriveled before 

 they drop. 



C. Elwangeriana is one of the handsomest Molles 

 species, and forms a tree 20-25 feet tall, with 

 spreading and ascending branches, and which are 

 often noticeable, by a tier like arrangement. The 

 leaves are ovate, and on fertile shoots almost cir- 

 culate, round to sub-cordate at the base. The 

 7-10 stamened flowers with rose colored anthers, 

 are produced on densely villose corymbs, and 

 blossom about May 20. The short oblong, lustrous, 

 bright red fruit, ripens about the second week in 

 September, and present a most brilliant appearance 

 until October 1. 



{Continued on page 210) 



