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SEASONABLE OBSERVATIONS AT WOODBANKS. 



have two varieties of it growing on our grounds. One of 

 these is the tricolor-leaved sycamore-maple, a twig of 

 which is shown on this page, the other the purple-leaved 

 sycamore-maple ; both are valuable for ornamental plant- 

 ing. The leaves of the tricolored maple are distinctly 

 marked with pure light yellow, as represented by the 

 lighter parts of the leaves shown in the engraving, and 

 from this the marking varies to a mottled surface and to 

 bright green dots on a yellowish ground. It may easily 

 rank with the best variegated-leaved trees in cultivation. 

 The purple-leaved sycamore-maple is characterized by 

 leaves that are purplish beneath, with reddish leaf-stalks. 

 It is a tree of vigorous growth, the foliage having a re- 

 markably deep green, healthy hue on the upper side. 

 When the leaves are ruffled by the wind the tree presents 

 a very fine appearance 



cross-trench between it and them. From its trial here 

 we see nothing about the plant to recommend it either 

 for fruit or ornament. 



Hardy Cactuses. — The adaptability of these plants for 

 house-culture is well known, and an interesting class 

 they are. What surprises many visitors to our grounds 

 is to discover, so far north, two species of cactus that are 

 perfectly hardy, living in the open air from year to year, 

 with no more protection than we give hardy roses, and 

 seeming to suffer less than they do in an average season. 

 These two hardy forms are the Missouri prickly-pear 

 (Ofuiitia Missouriensis), with yellow flowers, and the 

 western prickly-pear {O. Rafincsquii). The latter has 

 handsome yellowish flowers with a reddish center, from 

 which rise many stamens of a brightly contrasting sul- 

 phurous hue. These cactuses were planted three years 

 ago. and are now as fine and vig- 

 orous plants as any grov 

 our grounds. One condition only 

 seems necessary to be observed in 

 their cultivation — to locate them 

 where the soil is not wet. For 

 this reason we have grown them 



Twig of the Tricolor-leaved Sycamore-maple. 



RuBUS phcenicolasius. — This plant, which has been 

 widely advertised as the Japanese wineberry, and for 

 which the most exaggerated claims have been made, is 

 now in its fourth season of growth on our grounds. It is 

 anything but a vigorous plant, and it suffers somewhat 

 from freezing back in winter. It has as yet failed to 

 ripen a single berry, although at the date of this writing, 

 July 20, there is a cluster of just nine undeveloped ber- 

 ries on our plant. The plant occupies a sheltered place 

 some ten feet to the leeward of a fringe of bushes. While 

 it might be claimed that it grows too near the bushes to 

 make the test of its behavior a good one, yet in the same 

 place the wild raspberry and blackberry naturally thrive. 

 The handsome Ritbus odoratus grows vigorously within 

 six feet of the wineberry, and three feet nearer to the 

 wood. Besides, we prevented encroachment of roots 

 from the wild bushes on the wineberry by digging a 



on the east side of a mound, where they received not only 

 some shelter from the prevailing west winds in winter, 

 but frequently have had the kindly cover of snowdrifts 

 during severe winter weather. 



Hepatica triloba. — When we observe how well this 

 hardy wild liverwort of the north thrives on our grounds, 

 we wonder that it is not oftener found in American gar- 

 dens. It is perfectly at home under the dense shade of 

 trees, growing and blooming with vigor, and its clumps 

 increasing in size year after year. Its dense, rounded 

 habit of growth, its smooth, waxen, three-lobed, mottled 

 leaves, and the profuseness of its bloom early in spring, 

 make it the equal of any plant in our large collection on 

 the score of general beauty. Indeed, were we to name a 

 dozen herbaceous perennial plants that have exception- 

 ally fine foliage, the hepatica should be one of them. 

 Many of our spring flowers lose their foliage before mid- 



