I 



70 



i . 



take them out of the sand by putting a trowel under 

 them and lifting them out, a row at a time, breaking 

 the roots as little as possible, pot off in small pots. 

 The first batch are placed on the side shelves of the 

 propagating house, but the remainder are set in 

 frames that have a slight bottom heat, and are plant- 

 ed out in the ground in June. By the end of the 

 season they make plants that are large, strong and 

 healthy as any that can be produced by budding or 

 grafting on the Manetti which requires two years in 

 the process of raising. 



It is true that at the Ease there are some varieties 

 that grow and flower better on the Manetti than on 

 their own roots, but here on the rich soil of the Prairies 

 we have no need of hitching on to such coarse com- 

 pany. Indeed I think it questionable whether a 

 variety of rose is worth growing at all which cannot 

 be grown on its own roots, 



I make these remarks not in any spirit of comba- 

 I tiveness so antagonistic to the peaceful, soul inspir- 

 I ing pursuit of Horticulture ; but I hope in the spirit 

 of fraternity, of which friend Orchis gives us such 

 good example in the closing paragraph of his article 

 referred to in this. Like him I love the rose above all 

 I other flowers, delight in its culture and hope to see- 

 I it more universally grown ; would like to describe 

 the peculiar beauties of some of the newer favorites, 

 but this article is already to long. I have only made 

 an humble eff'ort to save from what I suppose an 

 unmerited prejudice, a method of propagating the 

 rose, than which, from practical experience I am 

 convinced there cannot be better. 



NOTICES OF SOMli RARS EVERGREENS. 



BY JOHN SHERWOOD, COLLEGE WHARF NUR- 

 SERY, BELOW BRISTOL, PA. 



According to promise, I send you a few remarks 

 on the new and scarce Japanese Evergreens, all of 

 which I have been cultivating for some time. 



Thvjopsis dolahrata. — Is a very curious species 

 of Arborvitae, being very symmetrical in its growth, 

 having a single stem with a leading shoot. The 

 whole plant, instead of leaves, is covered with scales 

 of a dark green on the upper side, and the under of 

 a snowy white. These scales cover the whole plant, 

 from the trunks to the tips of the shoots, giving it 

 a very singular and graceful appearance. I have 

 found it perfectly hardy, standing out in an exposed 

 place for several years without being the least hurt 

 by frost. It is very easily propagated by cuttings, 

 ' taken off" in the fall, and put in bottom heat. These 

 cuttings throw out a leader, and make handsome 

 plants in a short time. There is a variety with 

 branches variegated with white, — that is, very showy 



— planted in a rather shady place, it retains its vari- 

 ous colors. 



Taxus Cor Cephalotaxus) japomca, I have found 

 to be perfectly hardy in this locality. It is of aFas- 

 tigiata character, or, in form, resembling the Irish 

 Yew, but of a much more robust growth ; small 

 plants, when planted out, making one foot to their 

 growth in one season. Its upright limbs are strong 

 and keep well together, never straggling ; the leaves 

 long, and the stems of a green, waxy appearance. 

 It is propagated, and strikes very easy from cuttings 

 in the same way as the above. The largest and 

 finest specimen I have seen is at Prmceton, N. J., 

 where it has stood for a number of years. 



Retinospora selagineUiodes, is a small tree with a 

 flat head, resembling a bunch of fine moss, from 

 which, I suppose, it takes its name. It has a very 

 singular eff"ect, very slow of growth, and very diffi- 

 cult to increase ; does not strike from cuttings, only I 

 having one rooted cutting out of some hundreds, j 

 I have no doubt it can be increased by grafting on \ 

 some stock of its own nature. \ 



Scwdopifys verticellnta, (or Umbrella Pine). — I \ 

 have a plant of about 2 feet high. The ends of the | 

 branches are tufted, with long, dark green leaves, | 

 very unique, and different in appearance from any | 

 Evergreen I have ever seen. It is difficult to pro- | 

 pagate, will not strike from cuttings, and will not \ 

 graft on any Pine which I have tried. It is, evi- \ 

 dently, very scarce, not having seen it anywhere, 

 except the few seedling plants at your place. \ 

 Phyllocladis fhyrsoides, is one of the most singular j 

 Evergreens I have ever se^n : one part of the plant ; 

 differing altogether from other parts. The leaves ^ 

 on some parts are triangular, armed with a sharp ^ 

 spine, and in pairs, — fleshy and strong ; other [ 

 branches with small, round, soft leaves, and in fact \ 

 leaves of all shapes. In the Fall, the whole plant ; 

 gets covered with globe-shaped flowers, pure white, t 

 of a waxy consistency and very fragrant. It is easy 1 

 of cultivation, and strikes very freely from ripened ■ 

 cuttings in bottom heat. I am not sure whether it 

 is a native of Japan or not. It is, however, a very 

 interesting plant. I have not tried it out yet, but 

 I think it is hardy, having stood very severe frost 

 in a pit or frame. 



This will be ei.ough at one time ; if it is of any 

 use, I will send you a description of some other 

 Evergreens, and their cultivation and management, 

 &c., at another time. 



[Mr. Sherwood is, as is well known, one of the few 

 Nurserymen who loves plants for their own sake as 

 well as for "the money that maybe in them." He 

 could tell us much that we would all like to know 

 if less modest than he is. — Ed.] 



