The Garden Magazine, January, 1921 
265 
OLD BOXWOOD 
Planted one hundred and forty years ago in northern Virginia 
Dry soil is a drawback to successful fruit growing. A heavy applica- 
tion of manure, or green crops (such as Soy Beans) plowed under before 
any fall planting would improve moisture conditions. For the sunny 
situation try early Strawberries; in the shady, Currants (Cherries, Fay, 
Perfection, Red Cross, Red Dutch, and Wilder are good varieties). 
Dwarf trees are well adapted to the home fruit garden, especially 
where the area to be planted is small. For commercial use dwarfs have 
usually proved unprofitable. Dwarf apple on Paradise stock, makes a 
smaller tree than on Doucin stock. When ordering specify which. 
Satisfactory early varieties of Peach, Plum, and Apple are: Peach — 
Carmen, Champion, Early Crawford; Plum — Abundance (about the 
best of the Japanese), Reine Claude (mid-season variety of excellent 
quality), Bavay (fine quality late-season variety); Apple — Early 
Strawberry (season August), Benoni (August and September). 
Fall planting is advisable for the sour varieties of Cherry; for the 
sweet varieties spring planting is preferable. Apricots are generally 
considered as hardy south of the forty second degree of latitude. In 
favorable localities they are hardy on Long Island and along the lower 
Hudson River Valley. 
The New York State Institute of Applied Agriculture at Farming- 
dale, N. Y. and other state colleges and experiment stations, etc., issue 
pamphlets on gardening, pruning, growing fruit trees and other kindred 
subjects, which furnish much information on fruit tree diseases. Pear 
blight or fire blight may infect blossoms, twigs, trunk, fruit, in fact any 
part of the tree. During the growing season it may be distinguished bv 
the presence of dead twigs, lines, or fruit spurs. Affected bark is dark 
in color and the tissues beneath the bark are discolored. If such a 
condition is discovered, cut out the infected portions, regardless of how 
severe the cutting may have to be. Sterilize the tools used and the 
wounds with a solution of corrosive sublimate, one part to one thousand 
parts of water. 
The killing back of young Peach shoots is probably caused by the 
Peach twig borer. The larvae of this insect live over the winter in the 
tissues of the crotches of the limbs. At about the time that the buds 
swell the larvae come forth and feed on the young shoots. To control: 
spray with winter strength lime-sulphur just at the time the buds begin 
to swell in the spring. — Leonard R. LIartill. 
Behold this Buxom Boxwood 
To the Editor of The Garden Magazine: 
I S IT any wonder that we grit our teeth in desperation when we look at 
such a hedge as is pictured in the accompanying snapshot, and rea- 
lize that Boxwood is one of the myriad materials that may no longer 
be imported as a result of Quarantine 37 rulings? One hundred and 
forty years ago these plants were brought from Holland and set out 
along what used to be the entrance pathway to one of the typical, old- 
time Southern mansions of northern Virginia. 1 say “what used to be 
the entrance pathway,” because the bushes have become so dense and 
huge that they have practically come together in several places and 
effectually blocked the passage. Consequently another entrance is 
being constructed among some other specimens equally beautiful 
but spaced farther apart, and these, the owner tells me, are to be dug 
out and disposed of. 
I remember the magnificent effect created by the 300-foot double 
row of dense, rich green foliage from a brief visit I paid to the farm ten 
or a dozen years ago. I would have guessed, then, that the bushes were 
six feet high in places; now, I am told, they average nearly eight feet, 
not only in height but in width as well. Had it been kept clipped, or 
were the rows half as far again apart, this planting would, I am con- 
vinced, be an invaluable source of dignity, atmosphere and distinc- 
tion that no home, least of all the one that it has been a feature of all 
these years, could think of doing away with. Yet here it is, like the 
pig in the fairy tale, growing so huge that it threatens to oust the 
family. 
Judging by a sprig that was sent me with the picture, this is the 
typical Buxus sempervirens or Old World Box Tree. In its present 
locality it is particularly hardy, vigorous, perfect in color and, what is a 
little unusual in regard to old Box, easy to transplant. Even under the 
Virginia sun it retains its rich, fresh color the year round; 'and such 
damage as is occasionally done by storms is soon repaired by the 
thrifty new growth, which speaks well for its vigor and vitality. I 
can well believe that it enjoys the reputation of being one of the most 
extensive and luxuriant growths of Box in this country — possibly the 
finest of all. And I cannot help wondering whether this is one of the 
things that the Federal Horticultural Board optimistically tells us, 
1 “can be satisfactorily grown in adequate amounts in this country.” 
If so, who is doing the good work, and where? — E. L. D. S., New York. 
Victoria Regia var. Cruenta in California 
To the Editor of The Garden Magazine: 
T HIS variety appears to be the hardiest of all and has made very 
satisfactory growth in Santa Barbara in the open air. Two 
plants are still growing here in the pool in the gardens of the New 
Persian Hotel, The Samarkand. The plants were raised from seed 
and were planted out in the pool here in July, each in a cement box 
3 x 3 ft. square. During the season the leaves have attained 3 feet in 
diameter and have had twelve blooms and at the time of writing (Oct. 
28, 1920) one plant has six leaves and is still in bloom. 
The size of pool in which the Lilies are growing is about 200 x 100 ft. 
and the shape is irregular; one side represents the Pacific Coast and the 
pool formerly represented the Pacific Ocean as the scheme, now 
converted into a rock garden, was originally a relief map of North and 
South America used in connection with a boys’ school. The building 
has now been added to and re-modeled for an exclusive hotel. — Albert 
R. Gould, Santa Barbara. 
VICTORIA IN CALIFORNIA 
The huge pads floating on the surface 
of the water, need a pond of large size 
