GARDEN. 
ORCHARD AND 
VOL. XIII. 
APRIL, 1891. 
NO. 4. 
Some Desirable Trees and Shrubs. 
For a small lawn a few of the Japan 
Maples are indispensable. Their dwarf 
form, dissected and lace-like leaves, and beau- 
tiful varigation are a source of perpetual 
delight. They have already been described 
in Orchard and Garden. Among the most 
desirable are the following: Acer polymor- 
phum var. sanguineum, deeply lobed, bright 
rosy purple leaves; A. p. var. atropurpur- 
eum, deeply cut, dark purple leaves; A. p. 
var. dissectum atropurpureum, finely cut, 
lace-like leaves, with a rich rose color when 
j oung. changing to a deep purple in autumn. 
A. p. var. dissectum roseo pictis, very deli- 
cate, deeply cut, lace-like foliage, variegated, 
when young, with rose, white, and yellow; 
a little gem. But, in fact, they are all very 
handsome and desirable, only some cf them 
are still high priced, but always worth the 
money. A. polymorphum, the type, is also 
a handsome and very interesting dwarf tree 
worth growing, if only for its beautiful 
crimson foliage in autumn. 
* * 
* 
Acer Japonicum is a somewhat dwarf, 
slow-growing Maple with handsome foliage; 
but the variety aureum, with foliage suffus- 
ed with a delicate yellow, is a very beautiful 
tree. It is not as much known as it should 
be, but in time it will be a favorite. Its 
slow, compact growth makes it a good sub- 
ject for small lawns. 
* * 
* 
There are several cut-leaved Silver Ma- 
ples of a very ornamental character, one 
of the best being Acer dasycarpum var. 
Weirii laciniatum. It grows to be a tree 
of considerable size, with long, slender, 
drooping shoots, the foliage being silvery 
on the undei side, and on the young growth 
deeply cut. 
* * 
* 
In the autumn there are few trees that 
equal in brilliancy of color our native 
Acer rubrum, or Scarlet Maple. It is 
handsome in the spring when covered 
with its deep red flowers, and in the 
autumn its splendid scarlet mantel is one 
of the most conspicuous objects in the 
landscape. It should always have a place 
on a lawn where large trees can be grown. 
* * 
* 
Acer saccharinum, Sugar or Rock Maple, 
another native species, is a handsome tree 
for the lawn as well as for streets and the 
public highway. As a shade tree it has few 
equals; and if we are to lose the grand Elm, 
(and it looks that way,) this is the tree to 
tree. In time the Horse Chestnuts get to 
be pretty good-sized trees. We have seen 
them from fifty to sixty feet high. 
* * 
*■ 
The Judas Trees are among the most 
beautiful flowering trees for the lawn. Cer- 
cis Canadensis, our native species, is the 
largest, but still only a medium sized tree, 
growing some twenty or twenty-five feet 
high, round-headed but somewhat open. 
The leaves are broadly heart-shaped, glossy 
green above and hairy on the veins beneath. 
The pea-shaped flowers, which are reddish 
purple, are produced in small lateral clus- 
ters before the leaves appear, and so abun- 
dantly as to cover all the branches with the 
lovely bloom. 
*** 
Cercis siliquastrum is a European species of 
smaller size, but blooming in the same pro- 
fuse manner, the flowers being a little dark- 
er in color. It is a very beautiful tree for a 
small lawn. There is a white-flowering va- 
riety of this, but it is very rare. 
*** 
Next comes the charming little dwarf, 
Cercis Japonica, from Japan. This you can 
make a pet of, and it will never grow so 
high that you can not look over its head. 
The habit and leaves are the same as the 
others, only the leaves are smaller. It be- 
gins to bloom when only about a foot high, 
the flowers nearly the same color as the 
others, but a little larger. The bloom often 
reaches to the ground in well-grown speci- 
mens. This is a clean, lovely little tree for 
a door-yard. 
*** 
There are several handsome Dogwoods of 
comparatively-' recent introduction which 
are still rare.^One of these is Cornus Siber- 
ica var. foliis albo-marginatis, or Red Siber- 
ian Dogwood. This is one of the most 
beautiful of ornamental-leaved shrubs. 
The leaves, distinctly and broadly mar- 
gined with white, make it a conspicuous 
object in summer, and it is even more con- 
spicuous in winter, when its bark turns a 
bright red. We need more such plants to 
give color to the lawn in winter. Whether 
used singly or in a group, it should be so 
placed as to be seen from the house. 
*** 
Another still rare Dogwood is Cornus 
sanguinea var. elegantissima variegata, 
a beautiful shrub with white-margined 
foliage. This is hardly less beautiful than 
the preceding. 
*** 
Cornus florida, with its varieties, has 
already been fully described and illustra- 
ted in Orchard and Garden. It is one 
of the most beautiful of small trees, and 
should always have a place on the lawn. 
*** 
The varigated form of the Cornelian 
Cherry {Cornus mascula var. variegata) may 
be added here. This is a very beautiful 
small tree or large shrub with variegated 
leaves. The flowers are yellow and appear 
before the leaves. — P. B. Mead. 
take its place. It is a tree of large propor- 
tions, numerous branches, dense foliage, 
and noble aspect. Besides, it furnishes the 
children (great and small,) with delicious 
sugar, the cabinet-maker with the beautiful 
Bird's-£ye Maple, shade in summer, and a 
good hot fire in winter. It is thus a valua- 
ble as well as a handsome tree, and should 
have a place on a large lawn and public 
grounds of every description. 
* * * 
* 
Some of the Horse Chestnuts are very fine 
lawn trees. AZsculus Hippocastanum var. 
alba /?. pi. is a tree of pyramidal form, bear- 
Double Horse Chestnut Bloom. Fig. 68. 
ing large spikes of handsome double white 
flowers. Though just a little stiff and for- 
mal, it is still a handsome tree, and very 
beautiful when in bloom. It is an early 
bloomer. Fig. 177 shows the habit of this 
The horse Chestnut. Fig. 177. 
tree andFig. 68 its handsome double blossoms. 
* * 
* 
A fine companion for the preceding is the 
variety rubicunda, or Red-flowering Horse 
Chestnut. The foliage is darker and the 
flowers appear somewhat later than the 
double white. It is a very handsome lawn 
