92 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
October 6, 1900. 
FLOWERING TREES AND SHRUBS. 
Ligustrum sinense grandiflorum. —This, the 
Chinese Privet, is one of the most free flowering 
trees in bloom at this time of year (July). It grows 
io ft. to 15 ft. or more high, has a bushy habit, bears 
shining oblong green leaves and spreading racemes 
of while scented flowers. They do not remain 
fresh for any length of time, but soon pass to a dingy 
brown colour, at which their sprightliness is gone. 
The flowers for a period of ten days, however, 
completely hide the foliage and are then very attrac¬ 
tive. The shrub seems to do well on a well drained 
deep soil. It was introduced from China in 1858. 
Berberis aristata. —The habit and growth of 
this Himalayan Berberis is loose, yet strong. It is 
decidedly ornamental. It grows 10 ft. or 12 ft. high, 
the branchlets being armed at the nodes with spines. 
The leaves are shining green, elliptical, somewhat 
serrated, and about 2J ins. long. The shrub has 
been flowering for some time and still remains fresh, 
having drooping inflorescences of large sized bright 
canary flowers. After the flowers are shed, the 
crimson trusses of frnits swell up, and continue the 
beauty of the shrub. A deep, warm, moist soil 
gives large and vigorous plants. Where Berberises 
are favoured, B. aristata should not be omitted. 
Acer tataricum. —Where this little Maple 
succeeds well, it forms a quaintly sweet and interest¬ 
ing specimen. In habit it is bushy and soon forms 
a rounded head, having thick showers of irregularly 
oval, serrate bright green leaves differing in size 
from that of a Plum leaf to others twice as large. But 
the greatest point of beauty is in the bright, reddish 
fruits (samarae) which sometimes hang in heavy 
trusses from the point of every young shoot. Many 
of the Acers are worth growing for their fruits alone, 
additional species or varieties being found in A. 
macrophyllum, a bushy lawn tree having drooping 
trusses which often contain from twenty to thirty 
large sized green-winged fruits; A. monspessnlanum, 
a distinct little tree with an abundance of small 
pink clusters; A. Pseudo-Platanus vars.; A. insigne 
and others. The species and varieties I have 
mentioned should be grown in an open but sheltered 
spot if possible. 
Coriaria japonica. —This is a Japanese shrub 
chiefly noticeable for its ornamental foliage, or 
rather stem, which throws out nearly sessile cordate- 
acuminate leaves alternately from the base 
upward. The whole stem is really one great pinnate 
leaf, having lateral branching leaves. In general 
appearance the shrub resembles a dwarf Stag's 
Horn Sumach. From the axils of all the older 
stems long racemes of bright brick-red rounded 
fruits, the size of Peas, appear, and it is these which 
give this subject its great value as a dwarf orna¬ 
mental plant. It is native of Japan, and seems to 
do well on sandy soils in sheltered spots. It is 
worth the trying. 
Indogifera decora.— A dwarf slender growing 
little subject, suitable for a warm corner. It has 
conspicuous racemes of pure white Pea-shaped 
flowers, and bright green eaves somewhat like a 
False Acacia. It is only commended for sheltered 
places and warm soils. 
Spartium junceum. —The Spanish Broom is 
fairly well known, being hardy everywhere, 
and one of the most brilliant of yellow-flowered 
leguminous plants. The plant is robust and succeeds 
in almost any situation. The flowers, which are of 
large size (like Genista) are borne at the apex of 
young Rush-like shoots. From the appearance of 
these shoots to those of the Rush, the name junceum, 
from Juncus a Rush, is derived. It continues in full 
show for some weeks in midsummer. 
Colluteas, —The Bladder-Sennas are wonderful 
shrubs, quite hardy in favourable positions, and 
subjects which every gardener should know and 
plant. They are bushy in habit, having plenty of 
somewhat glaucous foliage,] larger, but much like 
Coronilla glauca, a greenhouse plant. The flowers 
of C. cruenta are also identical with those of the 
greenhouse Chorizemas, orange-red in colour. C. 
arborescens has yellow flowers and large (very 
beautiful) bladders which are brownish red in colour, 
while in C. cruenta they are green. C. a. purpurea 
has flowers almost like C. cruenta C. melanocalyx 
has a laxer habit of growth, and its foliage is more 
glaucous. The flowers are deep yellow. C. Istria 
is much like C.longialata and has the largest and most 
distinct flowers, their colour being deep brilliant 
yellow. — Edina, 
CATALPA BIGNONIOIDES. 
It is to be regretted that so fine an ornamental lawn 
tree as Catalpa bignonioides is not perfectly adapted 
for every shire of the country. How it succeeds in 
the eastern parts of Scotland I cannot say. I do 
not remember having observed specimens either in 
Fifeshire or further north, nor even in Midlothian. 
Any reference by interested readers describing the 
hardiness and value of the tree in these more 
northern latitudes would be interesting to all who 
have a sympathy in trees. No doubt its flowering, 
like that of the false Acacias, is a rare occurrence. 
But a few hundreds of miles south, around the outer 
stretches of London, &c., and in various parts of the 
southern counties, Catalpa' bignonioides blossoms 
freely on deep, friable soils. And what a handsome 
tree it is when at its best, laden with its Horse 
Chestnut-like inflorescences of flowers. These are 
borne erectly at the apex of the young shoots in 
huge and beautiful clusters, sloping like the Pine 
forests in unbroken succession from the outer spread 
of the lower brauchlets, cone-like, up to the rounded 
top. Seen at a distance this Catalpa in many 
respects represents a medium-sized, white-flowered 
Horse Chestnut when in bloom. The flowers are 
the size and shape of a Mimulus, pure white, with a 
purple and yellow throat. This description is 
scarcely botanical, but it is suggestive of the charac- 
acter of this handsome flowering tree. In height 
Catalpa bignonioides attains only about 40 ft. Its 
home is on the banks of rivers in Florida, Georgia, 
and Carolina, in the southern parts of North 
America, from which country it was introduced in 
1726—178 years ago. In cooler situations this 
tree is in flower till the middle of August, and per¬ 
haps later, but in the Thames Valley it is practically 
past by the end of July. Catalpa was originally the 
Indian name for a species of Bignonia, under which 
peneric title Linnaeus classified the tree. After 
flowering a profusion of long " Bean pods ” develop, 
hence the common name of Indian Bean. It is a 
smoke-resisting tree, and should commend itself to 
park superintendents. The foliage is cordate- 
acuminate, flat, and somewhat pubescent, with entire 
margin, three in a whorl, large and deciduous. The 
yellow-leaved variety of the above species is 
decidedly beautiful even when not in flower. Loudon 
states that seeds are brought from America for pro¬ 
pagating this tree. Cuttings of the root are also 
employed, and a specimen of 20 ft. high can be 
raised in ten years under favourable circumstances. 
—Harrison D. 
ARDENING p ISCELLANY, 
ALLIUM CARINATUM. 
This is one of the smaller growing species of Allium, 
but, if small, it is yet most elegantly refined, and 
quite a gem df regarded for its beauty. It is to be 
seen on the rockery at Kew (or was a short time 
ago), where it has been flowering for months past. 
The individual flowers, of course, are small, and are 
clustered as in the other species of Allium, but the 
secondary flower stalks abruptly curve downward, 
giving the flower head a pretty " mop ” like appear¬ 
ance. The flowers are mauve tinted. The main 
flower stalk is about 8 in. in height, and rather 
slender, the foliage forming more or less of a tuft. 
A pocket filled with good soil should be accorded it. 
CARTHAMU8 TINCTORIUS. 
Though competent authorities seem to regard this 
annual composite as of little ornamental value others 
quite as capable of expressing an opinion think the 
opposite. Certainly when the above species, which 
is 3$ ft. or so in height, is seen against quite a number 
of other perennial and annual plants in bloom 
coincidentally with itself, it shows up conspicuously 
in its flower heads of orange and scarlet. These are 
borne exactly in the same way as those of some of 
Centaureas, e.g. C. diluta or C. eriophora, which, 
however, are both yellow flowered. Sowings of 
Carthamus tinctorious the Safflower, should be made 
in April outdoors in groups. Or plants may be 
raised like half hardy annuals to be planted out when 
they have attained handling size. The plant is a 
native of the East Indies, though other species of 
the genus are variously distributed along the 
Mediterranean shores and parts of Africa. C. 
tinctorius is cultivated in Asia for the sake of its 
showy flowers which when powdered and mixed 
with tal: form rouge. 
TREE STUMPS AND HONEYSUCKLE. 
Those who are planning additional ornamental 
features (even on a small scale) for their gardens 
would do well to include the golden-leaved 
Honeysuckle in a bed or knoll, having some tree 
stumps in the composition. Good-sized patches 
should be made, and if the stumps, that is tree roots, 
dug out just below the earth surface be barked, 
exposing the wood itself so much better will the 
harmony be. Plants of the Honeysuckle (Lonicera 
japonica reticulata aurea) should be planted between 
the stumps, and trained over and about them. In a 
warm porous soil where there is plenty of sun, the 
Honeysuckle becomes almost canary-yellow, and 
forms an exceedingly sweet object. 
A FEW GOOD SPECIES OF BROMUS. 
The reason why collections of ornamental Grasses 
are not so freely grown in gardens lies no doubt in 
the fact that the fine things are not generally known. 
A few species of hardy Bromus may be mentioned in 
the hope that someone may turn attention to them 
One of the best is B. brizaeformis which is equally 
as large and as fine as the Quaking Grass, Briza 
maxima. Bromus macrostachys is even larger though 
quite distinct.and is very ornamental. B.Kalmii forms 
graceful clumps of tall stemmed flowers with droop¬ 
ing heads. It turns brownish when it has become 
ripened. B. ciliatus takes after the same style but 
it is slightly more slender. Both are worthy of trial. 
Then there are three sorts which differ little the one 
from the other, and any two of the three may be 
omitted. These include the common B. sterilis, 
which when cultivated grows robustly ; B. tectorum 
and B. maximus. B. unioloides is more erect, though 
dwarf, but it can scarcely lay claim to a place 
among real ornamental species. The first four are 
the best. In another note a separate genus may be 
described.— G.S. 
ANEMONE PULSATILLA. 
As though the Pasque flower did not yield its 
tribute of beauty in its annual gift of blue spring 
flowers, it now forms interesting and beautiful 
heads of silken “ mops,” gray-brown in colour, on 
long stalks, very conspicuous and splendid for use 
along with flowers and foliage in vase arrangements 
This feature of Anemone Pulsatilla would alone 
give it merit for inclusion in all collections. 
OSTROWSKIA MAGNIF1CA. 
In respect to the name Ostrowskia we know nothing, 
but think it an ugly name for a truly magnificent 
flowering plant, one of the best additions made in 
recent years to our lists of hardy perennials, and not 
as widely known as it deserves to be. The flowers 
resemble in form some of the Campanulas, and are 
of immense size, about 6 in. across. A bed of this 
in full flower is a unique sight. The flowers vary in 
colour from pure white to dark purple, and are 
borne on stems 3 ft. or so in height. All lovers of 
this class of plants should secure this on account of 
its beauty and distinctness.— W. B. G. [The 
above plant has failed to become established in one 
or two instances, but it is worth any amount of 
trouble.—E d.] 
SALPIGLOSSIS. 
Various nursery firms have improved varieties and 
strains of the annual Salpiglossis. The distinct 
colours of some of the named sorts are more brilliant 
than almost any other annual or herbaceous 
perennial in the garden at this time of year. Messrs. 
H. Cannell & Sons, of Swanley, have a lovely brake 
fldwering at the present time, and such varieties as 
Salpiglossis Grand Wizard, deep shining blue; 
S. Grand alba, S. G. lutea, S. G. atrosanguinea, and 
S, G. coccinea represent the fundamental range of 
colours which one may work upon for newer sorts, 
with many colours, but which I would certainly 
advise anyone to grow separately. Salpiglossis from 
an early spring sowing are delightful bedding plants. 
Tastefully arranged in moderate-sized wide-mouthed 
vases, these lovely flowers are of great merit. 
THE IRONWOOD TREE. 
From interesting notes in various journals at the 
