1877.] 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
4.29 
The Bladder Senna. 
In speakiDg of the merits of trees and shrubs, we 
have frequently noted the autumnal colors of their 
have been used as a substitute for the medicinal 
6enna. We very rarely mention a plant of auy kind, 
but a number of persons write to ask where it can 
be bought; to save our readers this trouble, we 
will say that this Golutea is kept in the principal 
with deciduous trees, to select those that are suit¬ 
ed to the situation. Evergreens, even those that 
ultimately reach the hight of first-class trees, look 
so neat and compact in the nursery, that the inex¬ 
perienced person is apt to forget that they will not 
the bladder senna in fruit. —(ColuUa arborescens.) 
foliage, and the ornamental character of their fruit, 
when either were conspicuous. In shrubs, especial¬ 
ly, if the fruit is showy, we are provided with a 
double enjoyment, first in their flowers, and again 
when the fruit ripens. We are reminded of this 
especially by the High Bush Cranberry, (Viburnum 
Opulus), always a favorite with us when in flower; 
this season it set fruit very freely, and the bright 
red clusters were showy for some time. Another 
shrub that has been unusually productive this year 
is the Bladder Senna, (Colutea arborescens), a native 
of Europe, where it rarely grows over 10 feet in hight. 
Its abundant clusters of yellow pea-shaped flowers 
are pleasing, though not very showy ; these are fol¬ 
lowed by thin pods, which attain a size out of all 
proportion to the seeds they contain. The pods 
grow rapidly, and when of full size are two to al¬ 
most three inches long; they are very thin and 
bladdery, and being puffed up by the enclosed air, 
present the appearance shown in the engraving. 
They become of a fine crimson, and a bush loaded 
with them is very showy, especially when seen from 
a point opposite that from which the sun shines ; 
the light strikes through the thin walls of the pod, 
and shows off their color to great advantage. When 
the pods are pressed in the hand, they explode with 
a crack, loud enough to make the shrub a source of 
much amusement to young people, who should not, 
however, be indulged in this harmless style of ex¬ 
plosive, if it is desired to gather the seeds. The 
origin of the botanical name is not well understood, 
the common name was suggested by the bladdery 
character of the fruit, and the fact that the leaves 
nurseries, and that our own plants came from the 
nurseries of Ellwanger & Barry, Rochester, N. Y. 
Small Evergreens for Small Places. 
Last month we called attention to several choice 
deciduous trees of low growth, which are much 
better adapted to the planting of small grounds 
than those which, in time, become large trees. The 
same applies to evergreens—and we use the term 
evergreen in its popular application to coniferous 
trees. Of course the time for planting all trees 
has gone by with those in northern localities ; but 
now, as the days get shorter, and the evenings 
longer, is the proper time to discuss these matters, 
and to talk over the merits of the various trees, 
whether deciduous or evergreen. He who would 
properly lay out his place, be it a park or front yard, 
should commence the work by making a planting- 
map and fixing upon the place of every tree and 
shrub, after its merits have been canvassed, he thus 
has the pleasure of designing, or as we may say, 
creating his surroundings, and when the proper 
season comes, he can work out his ideas with the 
plants themselves. It is well to recollect that mis¬ 
takes in the first—planting upon paper—are much 
more readily rectified than in the work itself, and 
the chance of having to make any changes are 
greatly diminished by the careful preparation of 
the planting map. Assuming that a place, how¬ 
ever small, will have a share of evergreen trees, we 
would say that it is lust as necessary with these, as 
always be small, or even of moderate size, but 
when well established, instead of remaining garden 
pets, will grow up and become forest trees. 
The Norway Spruce, the Austrian Pine, the Whit© 
Pine, not to mention others, than which nothing 
can be better in their places, are often planted—a 
dozen of them—in a space not large enough for one 
when it reaches full size. There is too much 
shade, and the view is shut out, and then must fol¬ 
low cutting down—which is not so bad, but more 
generally a cutting up. We can not blame one who 
planted trees 10 or 20 years ago, and seen them 
grow up with his children, if he hesitates to fell 
them—indeed he rarely does it, but adopts a com¬ 
promise, by cutting away the lower limbs to admit 
light and air. For this we must blame him, as the 
prime beauty of the trees is gone. The worst thing 
possible that can happen to an evergreen, is not to 
cut it down altogether, but to lop off its lower 
branches, leaving it with no more beauty of form 
than that presented by a hay-stack set upon a post. 
But all these troubles may be avoided by the selec¬ 
tion of evergreen trees that do not grow large, as 
well as those that can, by proper pruning, be kepi 
within the necessary bounds. The pruning of ev¬ 
ergreens, which, within the recollection of most of 
us, was regarded as an impossibility, will be treated 
of at another time ; suffice it to say that many may 
be as freely cut and shaped as a deciduous tree. In 
selecting evergreens for planting, one can spend 
much or little money, there being abundant oppor¬ 
tunity to indulge one’s tastes in this direction ; but 
our remarks are for those of moderate means, who 
