PARK AND CEMETERY 
272 
al)OUt all they discover under a cloud of contradictory 
and confusing verbosity. For my part, the more I see 
of oaks the less I seem to know them. I have often 
gathered from 20 to 50 specimens of two supposedly 
distinct species from the woods and have generally 
found them run into one another in foliage, and often, 
too, in their acorns. 
There is (Rudkini) a supposed cross between Phel- 
los and nigra, which has been mistaken before now 
for a form of imbricaria. Then there are imbricaria-[- 
nigra. imbricaria+palustris, imbricaria+rubra, and 
Phellos+rubra. These entire leaved oaks and their in- 
termediates are most interesting. Often an oak tree 
will have at least three types of foliage. Some species 
ripen their acorns within the year, others require two 
years. The acorns of some protrude their roots as 
soon as they reach the ground, or even before they fall 
in moist seasons, but in dry ones lie until spring. 
Autumnal vegetation is habitual with several; for in- 
stance, with imbricaria in the black and stellata in the 
white oak sections. The latter species reaches down 
to central Texas, and I would like someone to tell me 
if its acorns vegetate during the driest of their au- 
tumns, and if not, whether they will keep till spring. 
James MacPherson. 
SEASONABLE SUGGESTIONS. 
— This is the time to graft many things. The berry- 
bearing hollies on seedlings, Catalpa Bungei on speci- 
osa stocks, flowering apples and cherries and other 
kinds which will suggest themselves. 
— California privet, whether in hedge shape or as 
specimens, should be cut back now if they require it. 
It matters not how closely they are pruned, they shoot 
out green and fresh in due time. 
— Wistarias when set to cover old trees and like 
objects need but to be tied at the start. As soon as 
their growing shoots reach a limb they wind around 
it, embracing it tightly, after which it ascends without 
further tying. Clematis do the same on trellises, catch- 
ing hold by a twist of their leaf stalks. 
— The Hydrangea paniculata grandiflora flowers sat- 
isfactorily when closely pruned at this time, the flowers 
being then large and fine. Transplant and prune a few 
very late in spring to have a late crop of flowers. 
— The Colorado Silver Fir is a hardv everg-reen of 
grand character, and is a welcome addition to our too 
small list of available species. The smooth, yellow- 
ish brown tint of the young wood is quite an at- 
traction. 
— Magnolias are not the easy trees to transplant 
some trees are. In very many cases the best plan of 
all is to cut them down to the ground. Nurservmen 
often do this, cutting down whole rows when trans- 
planting them. Then every one grows. The same is 
true of the tulip tree. 
— Yuccas are propagated from pieces of roof cut off 
at this time and set carefully an inch or two under 
ground. The roots may be cut into lengths, much as 
greenhouse men propagate dracaenas. The following 
sorts are hardy here : Filamentosa and varieties, an- 
gustifolia, gloriosa and varieties. The aloifolia will not 
live out. 
— To have a beautiful summer and autumn vine set 
out Vitis heterophylla variegata. Its variegated leaves, 
carmine leaf stalks — at times — and beautiful fall ber- 
ries, place it at the head of the list. 
— Heaths like a sandy, open soil, not doing at all well 
in that of a heavy nature. In Pennsylvania gardens 
the following sorts are perfectly hardy, and there may 
be others if tried ; Erica capitata, stricta, cornea and 
Calluna vulgaris. These plants can be increased by- 
cuttings in summer in a greenhouse. 
— Plant Retinispora pisifera aurea. Its free growth 
gives it an entirely different character from plumosa 
aurea, which is the compact grower so generally seen. 
There is a place for both. These evergreens root read- 
ily- in a greenhouse, if cuttings are made in early 
winter. 
— -As soon as the golden bell has flowered cut it back 
pretty well that a lot of young shoots for flowering 
next year may result. The suspensa should be groyvn 
as well as the old viridissima. 
— Shrubs required for layering purposes should l)e 
cut back closely, to induce shoots from near the 
ground, convenient for layering. This is the time to 
cut them down. 
— StyraxObassiaisagrand tree, having large, hand- 
some leaves and racemes of large white flowers. The 
tree has to be of some size before it flowers, but then 
the seeds grow freely, so that it should not continue 
scarce a great while longer, as there are flowering trees 
in gardens about Philadelphia, and probably elsewhere. 
— The pruning of evergreen hedges, when out of 
shape, may he performed now. Do not cut any 
Ijranches below the green foliage. Evergreens do not 
break well, and some not at all, if cut below the living 
foliage. 
— The Aralia spinosa is “not much for looks” in the 
winter season, but when in leaf in summer, and es- 
pecially when in bower, it is one of the handsomest of 
small trees. 
— Cedrela sinensis, though belonging to the natural 
order in which the Ailanthus is found, and resembling 
that tree greatly, is free from the objection which the 
latter meets with on account of the offensive odor of 
the male flowers. It will be in great demand when its 
merits are better known. It propagates from seeds 
and from pieces of root. 
— Gelsemium semperydrens, though livingout doors 
in Philadelphia in yvinter, is not entirely hardv. It is 
lovely when in pots, in a cool greenhouse, blooming 
splendidly about Easter time. It is the Carolina jas- 
mine of the South. Joseph Meepian. 
