, 248 _ T he gardening world, December 1 15 , 1900 . 
INTS FOR MMATEURS. 
TREES AND SHRUBS. 
Though much of the space of "Hints” has been 
occupied during the last two weeks with notes on 
trees and shrubs, I would like to enumerate just one 
or two others before leaving off. The present is the 
planting season, and though personally I like to have 
and to see goods ordered before the occasion of 
planting, yet when subjects are recommended too 
loDg beforehand the selected cohort is often for¬ 
gotten before the season for practical operations 
advances. 
A good many very fine trees and shrubs have been 
referred to, as I just now said, and one may pass 
over the Laburnums, the Lilacs, and other things, 
though even in such well-known genera the newer 
and improved kinds are not nearly enough known. 
Once in a while some of the novelties might be tried, 
and if one person, in a neighbourhood can show 
something superior to what is seen around him, the 
spirit of emulation will ensure the inclusion of im¬ 
proved types in the surrounding gardens. As often as 
possible, of course, one ought to see the trees that 
are variously recommended to them. Failing this 
the only thing is to take them on trial. 
Magnolias.—Magnolias have always occupied a 
high place in the appreciation of planters in the 
south, but they, like the great bulk of the other fine 
trees and shrubs grown in southern gardens, fail to 
flower freely beyond the midlands of England. One 
occasionally may see such species as M. acuminata 
and M. conspicua flowering along the Valley of the 
Forth, but such trees are generally on a south wall, 
and have their roots in sandy loam. Magnolias 
enjoy a light quality of soil, and in the northern 
districts they must have the most sheltered and 
agreeable quarters. As foliage shrubs or trees they 
have more than ordinary claims to notice. Those I 
would strongly advise to be planted by those with 
space include the beautiful, white flowered, dwarf 
species M. stellata. When grown in a bed, and 
treated with as muca attention as a bed of Roses, 
this brilliant little thing will certainly be one of the 
most attractive of the garden features from March 
to May. It is equally well adapted for small and 
large gardens, and even away north a special effort 
should be made to succeed with it. M. conspicua, or 
common Yulan, is about the best known of them all. 
M. conspicua has one or two varieties, of which M. 
c. soulangeaoa appears to be most distinct. M. 
glauca, M. Fraseri, M. macrophylla, M. tripelata, a 
late flowering species, are all more or less interest¬ 
ing, but are generally only seen massed in such 
collections as at Few. During summer the Magnolias 
on dry soil should be mulched, and may at times be 
well watered. 
Mock Orange or Syringa.—For forming loose 
and elegant hedges or side lines along the length of 
vistas, which should be introduced into the make-up 
of all garden grounds, or for specimen bushes in the 
lesser garden of the working amateur gardener, the 
Mock Oranges equal the Lilacs, the Briers, the 
Wiegelas, and such-like other subjects. They thrive 
on a variety of soils, and seem to delight in a cool, 
damp, half-shaded position. This must not be taken 
too literally, however. Amongst them the best are 
certainly Philadelphus grandiflorus, with large, 
white flowers most sweetly perfumed; P. g. specio- 
sissimus ; P. gordonianus ; P. coronarius, and some 
of its varieties; P. Lemoinei, and varieties. The 
older sorts are still very popular, and they ought to 
be. 
The Bramble tribe are not all elegant nor 
showy, but one or two of them furnish lovely garden 
shrubs. Of these, Rubus deliciosus, I think, takes 
the lead. This special species flowers during May, 
bearing all along the length of its purplish shoots, 
large white blossoms. The dark green leaves, like 
those of all the Brambles (Rubus) are ornamental. 
R. laciniatus, R. canadensis rosea, R. phoenico- 
lasius (Wineberry), for the sake oi its fruits as well 
as flowers; and R. fruiticosus, the common Bramble, 
whose beauty and usefulness in the wilder parts of 
the garden has need to be enforced. The Rubus or 
Bramble tribe like a damp, heavy loam, or a peaty 
soil, which also suits them. 
The Acacias (Robinia) also deserve a position in 
any garden. A good many of them are much alike, 
though among the best of the white flowering sorts 
may be named R. Pseudacacia inermis, which fur¬ 
nishes a fine feature as a standard tree. The Rose 
Acacia (R. hispida) is exceedingly sweet, with its 
rose-pink racemes, and its variety inermis is much' 
larger, deeper-coloured and more attractive than 
itself. The wood of this Acacia is very brittle, so 
that a place on a wall should really be chosen. A 
rich, porous loam suits them very well. 
Tamarix or Tamarisk, the latter being the com¬ 
moner rendering, is undoubtedly one of the most 
graceful, and, when in flower, one of the prettiest of 
hardy shrubs. The branches are long and very 
slender, and in some respects resemble a spray or 
portion from a Chinese Juniper. T. gallica flowers 
in July; these, however, are very small, though, 
from their great profusion, they are effective. T. g. 
indica is not hardy enough for the shrubbery. T. 
gallica itself likes a sandy soil, a sheltered position 
and is very often used by the side of ornamental 
water, and by the seashore. T. tetrandra is a 
dwarfer and hardy shrub. T. germanica or Myri- 
caria germanica is dwarf enough to be used beneath 
T. gallica. 
Spartium junceum or Spanish Broom lasts a 
long time in flower and is one of the richest yellow 
flowered shrubs that can be had in the nobleman’s 
or the amateur's garden. It succeeds in a variety of 
situations and soils. 
Staphyleas.—More might be attempted with these 
glauceous-leaved shrubs. An open position on all 
soils, except heavy ones, is found to suit 
them. S. colchica, the common Bladder-Nut, 
provides a curiously interesting and somewhat 
beautiful feature when its bladder calyxes have, 
grown to their full limits. S. Bumalda and S. pin- 
nata are also interesting in this respect. The flowers 
are golden and orange tinted. 
The Guelder Roses (Viburnum) or, at least, the 
Snowball Tree, V. Opulus sterilis, is a delight in all 
gardens and may wel be classed as one of the gems. 
On a lawn its fullest grace is demonstrated, for then 
the greensward below, throws the white flower 
trusses more effectively into relief. V. Lantana, the 
Wayfaring Tree, is rather too coarse for my choice, 
though it is valuable for less refined parts of the 
grounds. V. plicatum, however, is one of the 
dwarfest and most refined, having pure white trusses 
of very beautiful flowers. 
Chimonanthus fragans.—The first flowers of the 
springtime are always the objects of much special 
admiration, even though they are exceedingly modest 
in the majority of cases. C. fragans furnishes a 
valuable wall shrub and produces fragrant yellow 
blossoms so early in the year as February. 
Olearia stellulata.—Though perhaps not sd 
universally planted in British gardens as the slightly 
more robust Olearia Haastii, yet the progress made 
by O. stellulata is satisfactory. It begins to flower, 
as a rule, slightly later than O. Haastii, that is, 
about September, though the latter is also then in 
flower. In the southern counties it does well planted 
against a wall, or even in the open. The accompany¬ 
ing illustration, on p. 249, furnishes a splendid idea 
of its free flowering and remarkably attractive quali¬ 
ties, the flowers being white. O. stellulata, D.C., is 
more generally grown as O. gunuiana, and sometimes 
as Eurybia gunniana, both of which are only syno¬ 
nyms, while the name here used is that adopted by 
the Index Kewensis. The Olearias are natives of 
Australia, Tasmania, and New Zealand, and, as a 
rule, they enjoy a well prepared soil, rather light 
than heavy, and do best in sunny sheltered beds. 
Present Work.—Besides the tree and shrub 
planting that has been referred to, the various kinds 
of fruit trees and bushes must also be planted. 
Strawberries and Raspberries, as well as Roses in 
beds and borders, may be mulched with good dung. 
Pruning of the fruit trees and bushes should be con¬ 
tinued. Some of the wall trees, or even those in the 
open, if they have been troubled with American 
Blight, may require to be washed with an insecti¬ 
cide. Various insecticides have lately been recom¬ 
mended. Gishurst Compound is well known and 
reliable; Calvert’s Carbolic Soft Soap might be 
more frequently tried; Bentley’s Soluble Paraffin 
Insecticide or solutions of a like nature to this cap 
be made by any one who has the conveniences. The 
crevices in which bugs are found lurking may be 
scrubbed first and plastered up with a mixture of 
soot, lime and clay. Roses and herbaceous plants 
should be planted, rockeries may now be made, 
lawns can be laid, and old lawns should be rolled 
and swept. Edges should be repaired or new ones 
made or laid. Bulbs for forcing must be brought 
on and all greenhouse stuff should be kept growing. 
— Beacon. 
Correspondence. 
Questions asked by amateurs on any subject pertaining 
to gardens or gardening will be answered on this page. 
Anyone may give additional or more explanatory answers 
to questions that have already appeared. Those who desire 
their communications to appear on this page should write 
"Amateurs' Page " on the top of their Utters. 
Forcing Young Pot Yines,— J. S. : Young Vines 
from eyes taken and rooted last February if 
thoroughly ripened may be cut back to within 1 ft. 
of the pot, and should be shaken out and repotted. 
Leave them till late in December, when they may be 
plunged to the rims in brisk fermenting matter. 
Only one shoot must be allowed to develop, and the 
laterals should be kept pinched. If you think it 
advisable to stop the leading shoot, this may be done 
at about 5 ft. to 6 ft. There is, however, nothing to 
be gained by stopping earlier. The cultural treat¬ 
ment after plunging the pots, we presume you to 
know. Those pot Vines which you may not want to 
force will supply you with canes for permanent 
planting or for inarching on older canes. Madres- 
field Court, Foster’s Seedling, Royal Muscadine, 
Alicante, and Black Hamburgh all succeed in pots, 
but there are others which do not. 
Rust on Chrysanthemum Cuttings. — R. B. : You 
have done wisely to have kept rusted stock separate 
and to have washed the cuttings. Be sure you 
stamp it out, and to this end we advise you to still 
keep the infested cuttings by themselves. Tbe 
" Rust ” is the spores of a fungus. There are sum¬ 
mer spores and winter spores. The latter differ from 
the former in this, that they do not germinate during 
the whole of the winter, but lie dormant just within 
the tissues till the more genial weather in spring 
wakes them into activity. Therefore, though the 
outside of the leaves appear clean just now, do not 
conclude that you have suppressed the pest. Affected 
leaves on flowering plants should be at once picked 
off and burned. We have seen enough to know that 
some growers are extremely complacent in this 
matter. Such pests are not to be played or toyed 
with; and we fancy gardeners have quite enough 
worries of this kind already. In spring the young 
plants should be sprayed with a solution (£ oz. per 
gallon of water) of sulphide of potassium. Houses 
where infested stock has been growing should be 
bleared out and syringed with a solution of sulphate 
of iron. We shall make it our duty to advise you 
further, at another time. 
Protection from Rain.— Violet fancier-. Surely you 
do not find the soft rain, that Providence sends, 
doing any harm t6 your Violets in frames ? How-, 
ever, if you wish a sort of protective awning, why not 
use waterproof paper ? This can be had cheaply, 
and you will easily be able to fix it to a light and 
suitable frame. If this frame was raised on stout 
stakes of a foot or two in length it would ward off 
the rain while still allowing them full exposure to 
the air and nearly the maximum, of light. We 
hope.to see the waterproof paper used much more 
largely by amateur growers situated like yourself, 
who are often deterred from cultivating certain 
plants from want of protective means or suitable 
structures. 
Elaeagnus edulis.— J.Telfer. On warm soils in the 
south of England, and even in favourable parts of 
the Midlands, this shrub is grown for its fruits which 
make a delicious jam. We should like you to try it, 
at least, for though it may bear sufficient to repay 
you it is still an ornamental subject. 1 
Good King Henry .—Experiment : This common 
plant of our hedge rows is familiar to nearly al) 
country folks and to gardeners. In past times it 
took the place of Spinach ; for its leaves are fat and 
large. Spinach, however, is easily raised, and seems 
now to be universally preferred. The botanical 
name of Good King Henry is Chenopodium Bonus- 
Henricus. It can be raised from seeds sown ip 
spring and treated as Spinach is. The plant, how? 
ever, is perennial, a fact which may appeal to your- 
