L/ 
COMPLIMENTARY 
NEW SERIES VOL. V NO. 5 
ARNOLD ARBORETUM 
HARVARD UNIVERSITY 
BULLETIN 
OF 
POPULAR INFORMATION 
JAMAICA PLAIN, MASS. MAY 23, 1919 
Lilacs. Many additions to the Lilacs which can be cultivated in our 
gardens have been made during the last fifty years, and there are now 
in the Arboretum collection some twenty-three species, several hybrids, 
and one hundred and sixty or seventy forms of the common garden 
Lilac {Syringa vulgaris). Lilacs to most people mean tall bushes with 
lilac-colored or with white fragrant flowers, the forms of Syringa 
vulgaris found in all old gardens and known in the eastern states at 
least since the middle of the 18th century, the plants loved by Wash¬ 
ington and planted by him in his garden at Mt. Vernon. A good ex¬ 
ample of these old-fashioned Lilacs can be seen in the Arboretum on 
the east slope of Bussey Hill just below the overlook. These Lilacs 
were planted at least a hundred years ago by Benjamin Bussey on 
each side of one of his garden walks which they have now obliterated. 
These old Lilac bushes bloom every year and their flowers, although 
small, are more fragrant than those of many of the modern varieties. 
Although the common Lilac reached England from Constantinople as 
early as 1593 it is only in comparatively recent years that horticultur¬ 
ists have seriously undertaken the task of improving the flowers by 
selecting and propagating the most distinct seedling forms and by 
crossing these among themselves. The largest number of these im¬ 
proved forms of the common Lilac have been made by the French 
nurseryman Lemoine of Nancy; many of the good varieties were raised 
in Germany and in recent years Mr. John Dunbar of Rochester, New 
York, has raised a few seedling Lilacs which seem destined to find a 
permanent place in gardens. Only a few hybrids between species of 
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