PARK AND CEMETERY, 
73 
Mikania is a large American genus some of 
which are climbers bearing white flowers. M. 
scandens is known as “climbing hemp weed” in the 
States. In Central and South America several 
species become shrubby. 
Liatris has 16 species all North American. Sev- 
eral forms occur, and most of them are handsome 
plants known as “blazing stars.” 
Garberia fruticosa is a monotypic branching 
broad leaved shrub of 4 or 5 feet high, found on 
the coast lands of South Florida. 
Chrysopsis has 18 species, twelve being na- 
tives, and the rest Mexican. C. villosa in a dozen 
or more forms extends across the continent, and has 
found its way to European gardens. 
Aplopappus sometimes spelt with an H. is in 60 
species, found in North America, Mexico and the 
sub-tropical regions of South America. Three or 
four of the native kinds are yellow flowered shrubs, 
some of which are without ray-flowers. These spec- 
ies are mostly found in the dry hilly regions of the 
South Western states. 
Acamptopappus in 2 species are low, small 
leaved, yellow flowered shrubs, also of the Arizon- 
ean region, and northward to Utah and Nevada. 
Bigelovia has 24 species in North America and 
the southern Andes. B. albida, pulchella, ceru- 
minosa, graveolens in several varieties, Douglasii in 
variety, brachylepis, veneta, Hartwegi and two or 
three others of the natives are low, viscid, scabrous, 
or tomentose shrub's, found in the arid regions, or 
sometimes extending to the Northwest. Two or 
three of the latter are in European gardens. 
Solidago “golden rod” has 80 species of well- 
known natives. The cosmopolitan S. Virgaurea 
and its dwarf variety are well-known British plants, 
and in fact the original “golden rods,” but it is to 
be hoped that fact will not interfere with the popu- 
larity of others as states emblems! A few are scat- 
tered over the world, but the greater number are 
North American. 
Rhyncosper mum is a monotypic plant from the 
Himalayas and Java, inserted here because its 
name is wrongly borne by a popular Apocynaceous 
climber. 
Brachycome “Swan River daisy” has 44 species 
in Australia and New Zealand and one in tropical 
Africa. B. iberidifolia with blue or white flowers 
is a popular annual or at any rate so treated. 
Trenton, N. J. James MacPherson. 
In the year 1306 a party of crusaders carried a 
number of rose bushes home to England from 
Damascus, and these flourished so well that in a 
short time the beautiful flowers were to be found 
everywhere in the country. 
PREPARATION OF GROUND FOR PLANTING TREES. 
In an article by Mr. J. A. Pettigrew, Sup’t., of 
Parks, Boston, Mass., in The Weekly Florists Re- 
view, he discusses the important matter of prepar- 
ing the ground for tree planting, he says: 
The preparation of ground for planting is a mat- 
ter of the first importance. If it lacks in depth of 
good loam the omission should be generously sup- 
plied; without good soil vigorous tree growth can- 
not be obtained, and large expenditures for procur- 
ing it is money well invested and in the line of 
strict economy in park administration. 
Unsatisfactory also are results if holes are sim- 
ply dug into the hard packed ground, or if the sur- 
face is merely skimmed by the plow, and the trees 
thrust in and left to fight as best they may with a 
growth of grass or weeds; give to young tree plan- 
tations the same culture a good farmer would give 
were the trees hills of corn; plow and subsoil at 
least twice during the previous fall months, and re- 
duce the ground to a fine mellow condition. 
When planting for groves or masses, plant 
thickly; the intended permanent trees may be 
planted from thirty to fifty feet apart, according to 
expected development, and the space between filled 
with other trees ten to twelve feet apart to serve as 
protection, from which selections can be made from 
time to time (as growth proceeds and overcrowding 
threatens) for planting elsewhere. Close planting is 
conducive to rapid growth from the protection each 
affords the other; the plantation also serves as a 
nursery, the profit of which will amply pay for con- 
stant never tiring culture, the only note of warning 
required being to thin quickly before damage is 
done. Close planting may be advocated even for 
small groupings, the protection and tilth being of 
great benefit to the intended permanent trees, be- 
side the effect of mass is the sooner attained. 
Much time and money has been wasted, and 
much disappointment incurred, by planting trees 
and shrubs in ground without adequate preparation, 
and with little subsequent care; how often in a hard 
baked soil holes are dug scarcely large enough to 
hold the roots, the trees are jammed in and left to 
their fate; their bark, tender from the shade of close 
nursery rows, exposed to the hot suns of summer 
and the freezing and thawing of winter, soon suc- 
cumbs, and the trees at best linger out a short exis- 
tence of stunted growth. 
Good soil, deep plowing and constant cultiva- 
tion are the essential conditions required for suc- 
cess in young tree plantations. Cultivation should 
be continued for at least two years after planting, 
or until the branches shade the ground, when grass 
may be sown or an undergrowth of suitable kind 
may be planted. 
