408 



THE GARDENERS' MAGAZINE 



Mat 25, 1912. 



ARUNDO CONSPICUA* 



TheNew Zealand Reed (Arundo conspicua) 

 is one of the most graceful of all the grasses 

 bearing slender , arching , plu me-tipped 

 shafts ten or twelve feet in length when 

 planted in deep soil. By those whose know- 

 ledge of gardening lore is limited, it is 

 usually styled Pampas Grass, but the true 

 Pampas Grass (Cortaderia argentea) bears 

 erect and not arching shafts, and lacks the 

 delicate grace of Aiiindo conspicua, whose 

 bending plumes spread outward far beyond 

 the furthest limits of its narrow, drooping 

 leafage. The New Zealand Reed attains 

 its fullest beauty about the close of Jidy, 

 whereas the Pampas Gra^s is not at its best 

 until October and November, so that in 

 northern gardens its beauty is often de- 

 stroyed by wintry storms almovst before it 

 flowers. 



margins of streams, to which it would give 

 character. 



We are rather neglectful of really good 

 and distinct ornamental grasses. Even 

 those most graceful of all gra^y shrubs, 

 the bamboos, are not planted so largely as 

 they should be. So it is with the eulalias 

 or miscanthus, graceful Japanese grasses, of 

 which there are green, barred and striped 

 forms, all hardy, all gracefid, all beautiful. 



Siber 



is a noble 



an Melic Grass, again, 



plant, stately and fine in colour during the 

 late autumn months, but as yet rarely seen 

 in the best of gardens. The same may be 

 said of the Pheasant's-tail Grass (Apera 

 arundinaeea), one of the best of all grasses 

 for cutting, but it requires a warm, sandy 

 border, or a sheltered position. Arundo 

 conspicua is slow in making growth, and 

 when small plants are put in they take six 

 or seven years to form specimens in the 



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AKUXDO CONSPICUA. 

 A handsome species, with large feathery plumes 



Arundo conspicua is not so hardy as the 

 Pampas Grass^ and in very cold districts 

 may be killed in the winter, but a clump 

 has withstood 20 degrees of frost uninjured, 

 though growing in deep, retentive loam of 

 a clayey nature, and in close proximity to 

 water, which has, on one occasion^ during 

 a prolonged autumnal downpour, covered 

 its roots to a depth of two feet. This grass 

 suits any position where the Pampas is ad- 

 missable, and in selecting a plate for it, 

 it should be remembered that it is quite as 

 stately in character as the Pampas Grass. 

 It should not be crowded. The best place 

 for it is an isolated position on the grass, 

 where it will at all times present a hand- 

 some appearance. For planting in masses, 

 in open spaces, on the margins of woods 

 or drives, especially when viewed at some 

 distance, this fine *^plant is veiy effective, 

 and it is equally eligible for planting by the 



proper sense of the word, and plants some 

 years in age should be obtained. In cold 

 districts it is a valuable plant for growing 

 in boxes or tubs^ so that the specimens can 

 be sheltered in the winter. It was intro- 

 duced into this country in 1843. 



Wtndham Fitzherbert, 



PRUNUS SUB'HIRTELLA. 



One of the finest species amongst small- 

 flowering trees that bloom early in spring 

 at Kew, is this Japanese cherry. Examples 

 are to be seen in several parts of the gar- 

 dens, but the largest and best-flowered 

 specimen stands on the Pagoda Vista W 

 tween the Palm House and Temperate 

 House. It is there represented by a tree 

 loft, or so in height, with a large rounded 

 head, every branch of which is clothed wiik 

 white rose-tinted flowers, each one being 

 about three-quarters of an inch across. P. 

 sub-hirtella is a comparatively new tree in 

 this country, for it is less than twenty years 

 ago that its cultivation was commenced, 

 although it had been known before from 

 descriptions and herbarium specimens. One 

 glance at the specimen referred to is suffi- 

 cient to reveal its value as an ornamental 

 tree, and it might well be allowed to take 

 the place of Primus cerasifera var. atro- 

 purpurea (P. Pissardi), which is becoming 

 too common in some places, more particu- 

 larly in small suburban gardens. As :s the 

 case with other single-flowered kinds, the 

 flowering season is rather restricted, for 

 the flowers are rarely in good conditi 

 for more than a fortnight. Cuttings root 

 more easily than those of many species of 

 prunus, therefore it is an easy tree to 

 increase. W. D. 



VALUE OF SHADE. 



The month of April was particularly 

 sunny for the time of year, and unless pre- 

 cautions were taken to have plants under 

 glass shaded from its direct raj-s, much 

 liarm was probably done. Small, tender 

 seedlings specially needed shade after tbe 

 sunless March we experienced, as their foli- 

 age was very soft. Often, however, shading 

 unless done with care, is harmful, for, u 

 overdone, it causes the plants to be <ha^ 

 up weakly, and when this happens it is sel- 

 dom they give satisfaction afterwards. ln« 

 time for shading must depend on the pcsi- 

 tion of the glass structures and the kind ot 



plants grown in them. .1 i, A 



B^ruit houses, as a rule, do not need shad- 

 ing, though sometimes in the case whert 

 the trees were recently planted a litt« 

 shade from the direct sun in mi(W» 

 of the day would do no harm. It is, no 

 ever, the more tender subjects that ne^ 

 care. More especially those that ha^'/'f ', 

 recently pricked out or potted, as suc'i a 

 more liable to suffer than those that a 

 well established. Shade is benefic.al w 

 several ways, for it not only prevents e 

 poration, and thus saves a great amounx 

 watering, but it prevents a too great ran^ 

 of temperature ; for, no matter 

 ventilation is given when the sun is onj^ 

 even if the atmosphere is saturatea 

 moisture the temperature rises a^^'""'^! 



The density of shade should be in act 

 ance with the class of plants under cm 

 tion. Fixed shading is often very u 

 s, for when we get a spell ot 



nous „ 

 less weather, the temperature so 



falls too low, and unless fire-lieat be app^^ 

 to expel the damp the plants sutter a 

 ingly. In most cases it is not l,1t. 

 shade unless the sun is shining fe 



Kennedya cocci nea..— This is a but where a permanent shade is enip 



woody 



character, native of Australia, Compared 

 with such species as Kennedya Marryatta?, 

 K. rubicunda, or K, nigricans, it is of 



Th e fl owers . wh i eh ar e 



slender growth, 

 borne in compact rounded heads, are 

 coloured scarlet, with a magenta suffusion in 

 the centre. It blooms usually during late 

 spring and summer. As a rafter plant for a 

 small structure or twining around a few 

 sticks, it is very pleasing.— T. 



this cannot be regulated, f^^^'- la:^ 

 opinion, should not be used unless in r ^, 

 where it is difficult to shade otlier^ - ^ 

 on houses whose occupants ^eq^i 

 alwavs shaded, such as some pau" 



ferns. -n ret»» 



Many plants when in bloom ^^^^ 

 their -freshness much longer d ^ep ^ 

 from the sun, but are liable to ^ 

 when this is carried to an excess. 



