October 1, 1909 
Soil, with, if possible, a warm, but 
Sheltered aspect and plenty of water in 
Summer. There are two types in the 
lately introduced varieties, one specially 
tall in growth, with large flowers, is styled 
the orchid flowering ; another, of dwarf 
and more floriferous habit, the Gladioll- 
flowering. Amongst the best are— 
Alemannia, Suevia, Pandora, Ttalia, La 
France, Koningen Charlotte, Emilie 
Lorenz, and Alice Guilfoyle. 
Propagating Magnolias. 
As nurserymen are aware, magnolias 
are increased chiefly by layers and by 
budding and grafting. Layering goes on 
all Summer. from the time shoots have 
Made growth enough for the purpose 
Until the growth ends. It is the Chinese 
8nd Japanese section that is layered 
Chiefly, and the tall growing native kinds 
that are increased by budding or grafting; 
but any kind can be increased by either 
Plan. When budding or grafting is 
thought of, the seedlings of Magnolia 
Acuminata have been chiefly used for the 
Purpose, but many contend—and it is 
Not hard to agree with them—that the 
M. tripetala is much the better one to 
Use. For one thing, and an important 
°ne. too, it has more fibrous roots than 
‘the other. 
Raising magnolias from seed is not 
always successful, as is found from the 
lumber of coniplaints recorded. Yet if 
Properly done, it results in success. As 
Soon as the seeds are ripe they should be 
Mixed with sifted sand in a. box or 
Vessel, the same made quite wel in order 
to soften the pulp to permit of the 
Washing of the seeds. A few days in the 
“ind should suffice. The seeds are then 
Washed free of pulp, and placed in a box 
Nixed with sifted sand, and kept ina cool 
Place until Spring, then sown. The sand 
™ this case should have but little 
Noisture, but it must not be quite 
dry, The sowing may be in boxes in a 
Steenhouse, or outdoors; the best success 
©omes from indoor sowing. Magnolia 
Blanca, grandiflora, and all others are 
readily raised from seeds, The reason go 
‘ny fail is because the seeds are 
"washed and kept dry too long past the 
"ne for the preservation of their vitality. 
—‘Florists’ Exchange,’ 
THE AUSTRALIAN GARDENER. 
Australian Shrubs as Grown 
in California. 
A Paper Read Before the Pacific Coast, 
Horticultural Society, San Francisco, by 
T. F. Taylor. 
The first thought that naturally comes 
to one when the subject of Australian 
shrubs is broached is eucalyptus and 
acacias; but as this paper is to deal only 
with shrubs, gums are not to beconsidered 
“t Sint % 
and, furthermore, gums alone would — 
furnish splendid material for a paper at a 
future meeting, particularly as at the 
present time a decided interest is being 
taken in this State in eucalyptus culture 
and to the extent and value of the wood 
of various varieties as to its adaptability 
for building or other constructive pur- 
poses. one 
As the purpose of this paper is not 
merely to catalogue all, or the majority of 
the Australian shrubbery, but rather to 
enumerate those varieties which have 
beon the most useful under trying con- 
ditions in this vicinity : to those which 
have lent themselves most readily to the 
art of landscaping or have given forth the 
straugeand unusual beauty of form, foliage 
or flower, let us pause, figuratively, under 
the fragrant shade of the acacias. The 
air is redolent with a soft perfume that 
is reminiscent of our youthful days, when ~ 
we chewed licorice stick with an appetite 
that had not been perverted by chocolate 
creams, butter-scotch or brown pressed 
plugs of something with little tin tags on 
them. But, back to the present. the cause 
of our divertisement, four muchly admired 
friends Acacias floribunda and fragrans. ’ 
The latter has been niuch used asa 
street tree, in the past, in San Francisco 
with good result. When not placed in an 
exposed position, it forms a good shapely ~ 
head and responds to the knife quite 
cheerfully, besides presenting a lively, and 
pretty appearance, with its profusion of 
fragrant yellow bloom. A. florabunda is 
much more trailing or struggling in 
habit, with longer, tougher foliage, borne 
with a graceful abandon peculiarly its 
own. Its fragrant flowers appear in such 
profusion that it well merits its specific 
« 
‘probably 
il 
se ceermeeettineere 
name of floribundi: Of the two it is 
much hardier when exposed to wind, and 
when established will withstand every 
drought. ; 
- There has been, in all probability, no 
more widely grown shrub in this Sta‘ 
than A. longifolia, more popularly known 
as latifolia It has been more largely 
used as a street tree in San Francisco 
than any other © tree, a fast 
grower, unmindful of neglect, .. with- 
standing with its ihherent. vitality the 
dust and the wind, the prospective 
president in embryo with his jack knife 
and-eyen the devastating hedge shears of 
Where it is 
desirable to cover an exposed wind swept 
piece of ground i: a short space of time 
with a low shrubbery, A, latifolia 
naturally suggests itself, in fact it may be 
accepted as an axiom by the gardener: 
‘ When in doubt, plant Acacia - lati- 
folia.” The west end of the Golden’ Gate 
Park, in the immediate vicinity of the 
beach, shows the remarkable hardiness — 
the vital tenacity and the superior 
adaptability of the A. latifolia as a shelter 
from-wind or the cutting sand which is 
carried with it. ; e 
And Acacia lophantha ! Eyery old time 
native son knows it, and he still calls 
it the ‘ the stink bean tree”: he used to 
take the green beans of it to school and 
tramp them on the floor to annoy the 
teacher with a foulsome odor that might 
drive her from the room. He usually 
succeeded, but that does not alter the fact 
being 
the French’ gardener. 
_that the A. lophantha is a remarkable 
sand tree, at all times presenting a 
beautiful feathery appearance, exciting 
the attention and admiration of all who 
see it for the first time. 
Acacia Coulterii with ‘its low spreading 
graceful habit and striking grey foliage is 
the most decorative of the 
acacias, and would probably appear to 
excellent advantage in large rockwork. 
Acacia melanoxylon is one of, ifnotthe _ 
most, valuable street trees for San 
Francisco, It is not quite as hardy for 
the first season or two as A. latifolia, but 
is an ideal tree for form; it differs from 
the average acacia in’ that it requires a 
stiffer clayey soil and in time becomes a 
tree of goodly proportions. 
