THE NATIONAI. NTTRSERYMAN 
40fi 
THE PRIVETS 
T IIK a(l(i|)tal)ility ol llu* PrivcMs lias made tluMii one 
of the most important groups of plants, and when 
one comes to analyze tlndr ipialities they are 
i-eally most deserving. Their iis(‘s are ivally not so di¬ 
versified as they should he. 
Jieing so universally used as hedge plants, the average 
planter does not give them consideration enough as or¬ 
namental shrubs. Even the (California Privet, JJguslruui 
ovalifolimn, which has hecoine so common as a hedge 
jilant as to be almost objectionable on that account, is 
really a beautiful shrub when grown naturally and not 
sheared into formal shape. 
There are places around huildings for which no suc- 
cesslul substitute can be found in tlie nurserymen’s lists. 
The rich olive green persistency of the foliage and its 
ability to grow in jilaces where many other shruhs will 
barely exist make it indispensible. 
A year or two ago Irvin Ingalls, Lafayette, III., olfered 
the Polish Privet, making many claims for it, esj)ecially 
in regard to its hardiness. The writer has had this under 
observation for a year or so and is much im])ressed by it. 
It is a stronger grower than the California Privet, quite 
distinct, even suggesting the willow in leaf and habit of 
growth. It is not at all twiggy, at least the plants under 
observation are not, but it may become so planted and 
grown as a hedge. It is cerlaiidy fine, clean-growing 
and distinct and evidently propagates as easily as the 
California Privet. 
Another new or little known Privet is the compact 
Ibota Privet. The w riter saw^ a nice block grow ing at 
Thomas Meehan & Sons, Germantown, Penna., and at 
Martin Kohankie’s, Painesville, Ohio. Other nurserymen 
may have it but it is not at all well know n, although I 
venture to predict it will become much more so. The 
name it is being grown under is Ligustnmi Ibola com- 
pacta, yet it suggests the Ligustrum Chinense more than 
Ibota. 
As seen in the nursery rows it is a remarkably fine 
thing, compact grow ing, leaves very small, very branch¬ 
ing and twiggy, having a very light feathery aiipearance. 
The color is light green and extremely attractive. It 
looks too attractive in its natural growth to ])lant and 
clip as a hedge although no douht it w ill maki' a good 
one. 
The Ihota and Amoor River Privets s(‘em to be very 
much contused, in ordering from a nuismy one is nev(‘r 
(juite sure what w ill he sent. It is out of the ipiestion to 
get jilants from two ditrerent sources and cxjiect them 
to be tin; same. Maybe some of this confusion comes 
from ditferent methods of propagation, as plants raisial 
from seed are hardly likely to come true to a type w Idle 
those Irom cuttings do. This is very clearly proved w ith 
Ligustrum Ihota Itegelianum. A hatch of seedlings will 
be sure to have upright forms of Ihota in it, in fact w hen 
raised from cuttings an occasional branch or plant w ill 
revert to type. 
The true Regel’s Privet when raised from cuttings so 
that the plants are all exactly alike is a most beautiful 
thing. The flat arrangement of the leaves and pendulous 
branches make it so distinct from the other privets. When 
planted as a hedge it should be knife jiruned rathei' than 
clipped so that it wdll retain its true habit. 
Grown naturally as a shrub it is unsurpassed. For 
many years the best variegated Privet w as the Ligustrum 
ovalifolium tricolor, but it is so apt to revert back to th(‘ 
green form that it had to be consantly watched. The 
golden form has now superceded it, lieing both a better 
color and more persistent but even this will revert if too 
well treated. 
All the Privets are more or less jiersistent, that is the 
leaves stay on until very severe frosts kill them. The 
plants never ripen up their growdh but keep on grow ing 
as long as the weather permits so that they become ever¬ 
green in sheltered positions and in southern localities. 
The Ligustrum Japonica and ligustrum lucidum are 
true evergreen but unfortunately not hardy much north 
of the latitude of Philadelphia, except perhaps along the 
coast where the privets seem more at lioine and do bet¬ 
ter than farther inland. 
The two last mentioned species are very similar. Lig¬ 
ustrum Japonica perhaps being a little the hardier. They 
are both ideal plants for porch jilanting as the foliage is 
very rich and attractive and w here they w ill do well the 
landscaje gardener w ill never miss the hay and laurel. 
bituary. 
MORGAN MILES 
Morgan Miles, pioneer nurseryman of Santa Clara 
county, California, 75 years old, died at the home of his 
daughter at Santa Cruz, October 4th. lie went to Cali¬ 
fornia around the Horn in 1853 and lived in San Fran¬ 
cisco for more than half a century.. He is survived by bis 
wdfe and three daughters, Mrs. (^diaries A. Rose, of San 
Francisco, Mrs. R. L. Avenal, of Fresno and Miss Lou 
Miles, a teacher in the jniblic schools of Santa Cruz. 
Mr. Alliert Van Ralen, one of the firm of Felix & Dyk- 
huis, Roskoop, Holland, died September 20lh, 1914. 
MRS. D. S. LAKE 
All nurserymen who are acquainted w ith I). S. Lake. 
Shenandoah, Iowa, will he sincerely sorry to hear of the 
death of his w i_fe. Mrs. Lake died Friday, Getober 20th, 
after a long illness. 
The many floral tributes from people in all walks of 
life bore mute testimony to the love and esteem in which 
she w as held. 
,IAMFS .IFFFRFY 
James Jelfrey, Kalamazoo, Mich., one of the oldest 
members of the American Association died at his home 
on the Gull road where he has lived and been engaged in 
the nurserv Imsiness for the past 57 vears. Mr. .1elf rev 
had attained the ripe age of 84 years. 
