1868.] 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
14r3 
Flowering Shrubs.—The Hydrangeas. 
The old Garden Hydrangea (II. Hortensia) is 
well known ; its large, globular heads of flowers, 
usually pink, but sometimes blue, make it a 
conspicuous object in garden decoration. It 
should have shade and moisture and a rich 
peaty soil, to flower in perfection. The plant 
survives the winter in the climate of New York, 
1 hough a part of the young growth is 
usually killed. The best way is to grow 
it in boxes or tubs, which can be put 
iuto the cellar in winter, or the plants 
can be taken up and heeled-in where 
they will be protected from frost. 
A recently introduced Hydrangea 
from Japan is quite as showy as the old 
Hortensia, and perfectly hardy. It is 
Hydrangea paniculata grandiflora —a 
rather long name, which would trans¬ 
late into the equally unwieldy Large- 
flowered Panieled Hydrangea. It was 
introduced into this country directly 
from Japan, and is known to some of 
our florists as Hydrangea deutzicefolia , 
a name which was given it from the re¬ 
semblance of the leaves to those of the 
Deutzia, before it was ascertained that 
it was a variety of II. paniculata. The 
shrub grows to the bight of 8 feet, and 
bears a great abundance of flowers, re¬ 
sembling in general appearance those 
of H. Hortensia , but the clusters, instead 
of being globular, are somewhat py¬ 
ramidal, and are a foot or 18 inches 
long. The flowers are at first of a yel¬ 
lowish green; they afterwards become 
pure white, and finally are beautifully 
tinged with pale rose. We have never 
seen this grow as finely as it does in the 
grounds of Parsons & Co., Flushing, 
L. I., where it is justly considered one 
of the most valuable ornamental shrubs 
of recent introduction. We have figured 
a very small specimen, to show the 
shape of the leaves and flowers, as it 
would be impracticable to give a full- 
sized cluster. In the Hydrangeas the 
fertile flowers are small and incon¬ 
spicuous, while the showy ones, those that 
make the plants valued as ornamental, are 
sterile, and have neither stamens or pistils. 
In the species just noticed the sterile flowers 
are so abundant as to completely hide the fertile 
ones, while in our native II. radiata , (H. nivea 
of the catalogues,) the showy sterile flowers 
form only a single row around the cluster. 
THE MINER PLUM. 
Native Plums—The Miner and Others. 
Numerous bits of evidence point to the con¬ 
clusion that the Miner Plum, about which so 
much has been said, is only a good specimen of 
the Chickasaw Plum of the West. “A sub¬ 
scriber,” Franklin, Tenn., gives the following 
account of the Chickasaw. We figure the plum 
which came tb us as the Miner, but unfortunate¬ 
ly without leaves. “ It is a native of Middle 
Tennessee, and has been known here as a native 
plum ever since the first settlement. I have 
seen two or three specimens growing wild 
in the forest, and in many respects it is the 
finest plum grown in our State. With us its 
fruit grows to the size of a partridge egg, is of a 
deep red color, with firm, yellow pulp, and when 
thoroughly ripe is exceedingly well flavored, and 
will bear transportation in barrels equal to the 
cranberry. Our ladies esteem it most highly 
for the purpose of making jellies, its tartness 
being an objection to some as a table fruit. Some 
years ago Dr. S. P. Hildreth, formerly a resident 
of Ohio, sent back some of the fruit of this plum 
to his friends in Cincinnati, who where so well 
pleased with its keeping and transporting prop¬ 
erties that they planted the seeds and sent to 
him for cuttings, etc. Ten or twelve years ago 
he sent large quantities of seeds and cuttings 
to his friends in Ohio, and I would not be sur¬ 
prised if in this way the fruit has become pretty 
generally disseminated. It is extremely hardy, 
and as a preserving and jelly plum has no 
equal with us. We have another variety 
called the “Wild Goose” plum and by some 
the “Nolen” plum, which as an edible plum 
excels every known variety. In size it is equal 
to the “Green Gage,” is exceedingly juicy and 
sweet, almost purple in color, with a bloom like 
the grape, which is rubbed off by the slightest 
touch. For the table the “Wild Goose” excels 
all others, but for prunes and other purposes 
above detailed the Chickasaw has no equal. 
There is another variety of plum, called the 
“ Wild Goose,” extensively known and cultivat¬ 
ed, but it is wholly unlike, and very much in¬ 
ferior to our native Wild Goose or Nolen plum.” 
Pomblbgists should look after the native plums. 
Shrubs for Cemeteries. 
In properly arranged cemeteries there are 
neither fences, hedges, or any other enclosures; 
inconspicuous stones being used to mark the 
corners of the lots. In such cases the plant¬ 
ing is all a part of one general plan, with¬ 
out the intrusion of individual tastes to mar its 
unity. Cemeteries like these are rare, and much 
more commonly each lot is arranged 
and decorated according to the views 
of the owner. In planting of this kind, 
shrubs should be chosen the expression 
of which is cheerful and pleasing, with¬ 
out presenting striking or gaudy colors. 
The most useful shrubs'for this purpose 
are the low-growing evergreens; the 
larger trees of this character should be 
freely used in the general planting, but 
we now wish to speak of those things 
which are left to individual effort. 
Among the evergreens we include the 
European Ivy, one of the most useful of 
them all. Where the custom prevails 
of making a mound over the grave, it 
can be covered with a dense mantle of 
living green by the use of a few plants 
of Ivy. Most of the Junipers are use¬ 
ful, and give us a great variety in bight, 
from the Prostrate Juniper, which lie3 
flat upon the ground, to moderate sized 
trees. The Torreya of Florida is hardy 
at the North and makes a beautiful, 
large shrub. The Dwarf Pine (Pinus 
pumilio ) and some other low-growing 
kinds, are useful. The different Arbor 
Vitass give us quite a variety in color 
and size. The Golden Arbor Vitae (Bio¬ 
ta orientals aurea ), is most beautiful, 
and our native Arbor Vitae ( Thuja occi¬ 
dentals) has varied so much that we 
have a dozen or so of named varieties. 
The Yews, which have been used for 
ages for this purpose, are some of them 
hardy; our native variety (Taxus bac- 
cata , car. Canadensis) improves greatly 
in cultivation. All the above are to be 
had at any nursery at moderate prices. 
Deciduous shrubs present a long list 
from which to select, and we enumerate a few of 
the readily obtainable ones. Deutzia gracilis and 
t^jc double variety of Deutzia crenata; Daphne 
Cneorum; several of the Mock Oranges or 
Syringas (Philadelphus)■ Spiraeas in great num¬ 
ber; White Persian Lilacs; several Viburnums, 
native and foreign; the Cletlira of our own 
swamps ; Honeysuckles of the upright kind ; 
Weigelas, and many others, both wild and exotic. 
The Prickly-fruited Gherkin. 
Among the odd vegetables cultivated by the 
curious is the Prickly-fruited Gherkin, known 
also as the Jamaica and West India Cucumber. 
It is unlike the common cucumber in appear¬ 
ance, and, indeed, belongs to a different species, 
Cucumis Anguria. It is of an oval shape, about 
two inches long and a little more than half an 
inch across. The surface is thickly covered with 
soft spines, pale green, but of a clear yellow 
when fully ripe. The seeds are numerous and 
small. The principal use is in the green state 
