526 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
[December, 
The Forked Whitlow-wort. 
It often happens that a plant expected to 
be ornamental, turns out to be merely inter¬ 
esting to the botanist, but it is rarely the 
case that the reverse takes place. The Forked 
Whitlow-wort ( Paronychia dichotoma), from 
Virginia and southward, having been sent 
us, it was set out more as an oddity than for 
any beauty it seemed to possess. To our 
surprise it made a clump of the finest green, 
its multitude of slender stems and exceed¬ 
ingly narrow leaves forming a dense mass, 
which at once suggested that it would prove 
to be a capital plant for edgings. It was 
subjected to severe cutting, and seemed to 
like the treatment, growing all the more 
compact after it. Being a perennial, and 
thoroughly hardy, we shall experiment with 
it further as a low edging for beds: The 
name Paronychia, is the Greek name for a 
Whitlow, which a plant related to this was 
in ancient times supposed to cure. By some 
botanists it is placed in the same family with 
the Chickweed, and the Pink, to neither of 
which has it much external resemblance. The 
engraving gives a part of the plant, show¬ 
ing its manner of branching as well as the 
shape of its small leaves. The flowers are 
small and hardly noticeable : the value of the 
plant consists solely in presenting a mass of 
finely-divided, almost moss-like stems and 
foliage, which naturally assumes a regular 
rounded foim, and which may be clipped 
and kept at any desired size, if not wanted 
of full hight, which does not exceed a foot. 
In some localities it is very desirable to use 
some green plant as an edging, and we are 
deficient in suitable material. Box, so long 
used, is tender in northern localities, and at 
best is stiff and formal. Grass edgings cause 
much trouble by the roots of the grasses run¬ 
ning into the bed, where they rob the plants 
and show themselves as weeds. We shall 
be glad if we have in the plant under con¬ 
sideration one that will serve for a green 
edging without any of these disadvantages. 
The Japan Arbor Vitae—A New One. 
On Several occasions we have called atten¬ 
tion to those evergreens that have been known 
as Retinisporas. These are especially suited 
for small places, and can be made to serve so 
many purposes that they should be better 
known. They may be kept at six inches, or 
six feet in hight, and will 
reach 60 feet—at least some 
of them do in their native 
country. They are hardy, 
graceful, beautiful in color, 
easily propagated, and have 
every element of popularity 
—except the name. Retinis- 
pora is from the Greek 
words meaning resin and 
seed, on account of the resin¬ 
ous grains that are attached 
to the seeds. But those who 
have recently studied these 
plants, notably Dr. M. T. 
Masters of England, do not 
find them sufficiently differ¬ 
ent from the Arbor Vitae— 
Thuja, to be kept distinct, 
he consequently does away 
with Retinispora, and we 
hope has removed one ob¬ 
stacle to the popularity of 
these most valuable trees. 
We have not the recent work 
of Dr. M. at hand, and do 
not know how he has ar¬ 
ranged the species, the plants 
being so variable that this is 
a difficult matter to deter¬ 
mine. For our purpose, we 
need not concern ourselves 
with the botanical names, as 
the trees, whatever they may 
be called, are all indigenous 
to Japan, and the term 
Japanese Arbor Vitae is appropriate, while it 
is as distinctive for these trees as is that of 
Norway Spruce for the different forms of 
Abies (or Picea) excelsa. If our nurserymen 
will adopt the name of Japan Arbor Vitae for 
the trees they have formerly called Retinis¬ 
pora, it will go far towards making them 
more popular. The form heretofore known 
asplumosa aurea, the “ Golden-plumed,” has 
long been a favorite plant with us. Although 
a tree, it is one of the most manageable of 
plants, as it may be grown a few inches high 
as an edging or as specimen plants ; may be 
kept in a pot or planted in the open ground. 
It is always bright and pleasing, and the 
feathery character of the small twigs give it 
a most graceful appearance. There are vari¬ 
ous other forms of Japan Arbor Vitaes, some 
of which are no doubt sports that have been 
propagated by the Japanese. At all events, 
a sport quite as distinct as any of the so-called 
species, has occurred within our knowledge. 
Our friend Mr. A. S. Fuller had in his 
grounds in Bergen Co., N. J., a small tree of 
the 1 ‘ Golden-plumed ” variety just men¬ 
tioned ; about five years ago one branch of 
this pushed out horizontally and presented a 
very different appearance from the rest of 
the tree. Instead of the usual light, feath¬ 
ery foliage, characteristic of the variety, 
forked whitlow-wort ( Paronychia dichotoma). 
the leaves in this were flat and closely 
pressed to the stems, presenting alto¬ 
gether, in form at least, the appearance of a 
Lawson’s Cypress. This branch was layered, 
and removed from the tree, and has now 
been growing as a separate plant for several 
years, without showing any tendency to re¬ 
turn to the form of the original. The en¬ 
graving of a small twig of this remai'kable 
sport, is contrasted with a similar twig of the 
Fig. 1.— fuller’s japan arbor vit^e. 
original golden-plumed form to show the 
difference in appearance. The foliage is 
of a peculiarly deep, rich green, while the 
end of each twig is tipped with a bright 
golden color. This strikingly beautiful tree, 
which is quite distinct from any other 
variety, we propose to call “ Fuller’s Japan 
Arbor Vitae.” Mr. Fuller desires us to 
say that he has no plants for sale, as he 
has disposed of ail but the original tree ; 
though it may in due time be procured in the 
trade. We have in former years suggested 
small and neat evergreens, as in-door decora- 
Fig. 2.— FOLIAGE OF THE ORDINARY GOLDEN-PLUME. 
tions, where the temperature is cool enough 
for them. Plants of the several forms of 
the Japanese Arbor Vitees, in pots or window 
boxes, are excellent for this purpose, as they 
afford a pleasing variety in form, and marked 
contrasts in color. Aside from these is the 
advantage that they will bear handling and 
changing from the open ground to pots, win¬ 
dow boxes, etc., and back without injury. 
